CHAPTER VIII (4)

We passed from Ipswich to Mendlesham, in Suffolk, where Robert Duncan lived. There we had a large quiet meeting, and the Lord’s power was preciously felt amongst us. Then we passed to a meeting at Captain Lawrence’s in Norfolk; where, it was supposed, were above a thousand people; and all was quiet. Many persons of note were present, and a great convincement there was; for they were turned to Christ, their way and their teacher, and many of them received him, and sat down under him, their vine. Here we parted with Amor Stoddart and some other Friends, who intended to meet us again in Huntingdonshire.

About two in the morning we took horse for Norwich, where Christopher Atkins had run out, and brought dishonour upon the blessed truth and name of the Lord. But he had been denied by Friends; and afterwards he gave forth a paper of condemnation of his sin and evil. We came to Yarmouth, and there stayed a while; where there was a Friend, Thomas Bond, in prison for the truth of Christ. There we had some service; and some were turned to the Lord in that town. From thence we rode to another town, about twenty miles off, where were many tender people; and I was moved of the Lord to speak to them, as I sat on my horse, in several places as I passed along.

We went to another town about five miles from thence, and set up our horses at an inn, Richard Hubberthorn and I having travelled five and forty miles that day. There were some friendly people in the town; and we had a tender, broken meeting amongst them, in the Lord’s power, to his praise. We bid the hostler have our horses ready by three in the morning; for we intended to ride to Lynn, about three and thirty miles, next morning. But when we were in bed at our inn, about eleven at night, the constable and officers came, with a great rabble of people, into the inn, and said they were come with a hue and cry from a justice of peace, that lived near the town about five miles off, where I had spoken to the people in the streets, as I rode along, to search for two horsemen, that rode upon gray horses, and in gray clothes; a house having been broken up on the Seventh-day before at night. We told them “we were honest, innocent men, and abhorred such things;” yet they apprehended us, and set a guard with halberts and pikes upon us that night; making some of those friendly people, with others, to watch us. Next morning we were up betimes, and the constable with his guard carried us before a justice of peace about five miles off. We took two or three of the sufficient men of the town with us, who had been with us at the great meeting at Captain Lawrence’s, and could testify that we lay both the Seventh-day night, and the First-day night, at Captain Lawrence’s; and it was the Seventh-day night that they said the house was broken up.

The reader is to be informed, that during the time that I was a prisoner at the Mermaid at Charing Cross, this Captain Lawrence brought several Independent justices to see me there, with whom I had much discourse; which they took offence at. For they pleaded for imperfection, and to sin as long as they lived; but did not like to hear of Christ teaching his people himself, and making people as clear, whilst here upon the earth, as Adam and Eve were before they fell. These justices had plotted together this mischief against me in the country, pretending a house was broken up; that they might send their hue and cry after me. They were vexed also, and troubled, to hear of the great meeting at John Lawrence’s aforesaid; for a colonel was convinced there that day, who lived and died in the truth. But Providence so ordered, that the constable carried us to a justice about five miles onward in our way towards Lynn, who was not an Independent justice, as the rest were.

When we were brought before him, he began to be angry, because we did not put off our hats to him. I told him, I had been before the Protector, and he was not offended at my hat; and why should he be offended at it, who was but one of his servants? Then he read the hue and cry; and I told him, “that that night, wherein the house was said to be broken up, we were at Captain Lawrence’s house; and that we had several men present who could testify the truth thereof.” Thereupon the justice, having examined us and them said “he believed we were not the men that had broken the house; but he was sorry,” he said, “that he had no more against us.” We told him, “he ought not to be sorry for not having evil against us; but rather to be glad; for to rejoice, when he got evil against people, as for housebreaking, or the like, was not a good mind in him.” It was a good while yet, before he could resolve, whether to let us go, or send us to prison; and the wicked constable stirred him up against us, telling him, “we had good horses, and that if it pleased him, he would carry us to Norwich jail.” But we took hold of the justice’s confession, that “he believed we were not the men that had broken the house;” and after we had admonished him to fear the Lord in his day, the Lord’s power came over him, so that he let us go; so their snare was broken. A great people were afterwards gathered to the Lord in that town, where I was moved to speak to them in the street; and from whence the hue and cry came.

Being set at liberty, we travelled to Lynn; where we arrived about three in the afternoon. Having set up our horses, we met with Joseph Fuce,[41] who was an ensign; and we wished him to speak to as many of the people of the town as he could that feared God; and to the captains and officers to come together; which he did. We had a very glorious meeting amongst them, and turned them to the Spirit of God, by which they might know God and Christ, and understand the Scriptures; and so learn of God and of Christ, as the prophets and apostles did. Many were convinced there; and a fine meeting there is, of them that are come off from the hirelings’ teaching, and sit under the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Lynn being then a garrison, we desired Joseph Fuce to get us the gate opened by three next morning, for we had forty miles to ride next day. By that means getting out early, we came next day by eleven or twelve to Sutton, near the Isle of Ely, where Amor Stoddart, and the Friends with him, met us again. A multitude of people was gathered there, and no less than four priests. The priest of the town made a great jangle; but the Lord’s power so confounded him, that he went away: the other three stayed; and one of them was convinced. One of the other two, whilst I was speaking, came to lean upon me; but I bid him sit down, seeing he was so slothful. A great convincement there was that day; and many hundreds were turned from the darkness to the light, from the power of Satan unto God, and from the spirit of error to the Spirit of truth, to be led thereby into all truth. People came to this meeting from Huntingdon, and beyond; and the mayor’s wife of Cambridge was there also. A glorious meeting it was, and many were settled under Christ’s teaching, and knew him, their Shepherd, to feed them; for the word of life was freely declared, and gladly received by them. The meeting ended in the power of the Lord, and in peace; and after it I walked out and went into a garden; where I had not been long, before a Friend came to me, and told me several justices were come to break up the meeting. But many of the people were gone away; so they missed of their design: and after they had stayed a while, they went away also, in a fret.

That evening I passed to Cambridge. When I came into the town, the scholars hearing of me, were up, and were exceedingly rude. I kept on my horse’s back, and rode through them in the Lord’s power; but they unhorsed Amor Stoddart before he could get to the inn. When we were in the inn, they were so rude in the courts, and in the streets, that miners, colliers, and carters could never be ruder. The people of the house asked us “what we would have for supper.” “Supper!” said I, “were it not that the Lord’s power is over them, these rude scholars look as if they would pluck us in pieces, and make a supper of us.” They knew I was so against the trade of preaching, which they were there as apprentices to learn, that they raged as much as ever Diana’s craftsmen did against Paul. At this place John Crook met us. When it was within night, the mayor of the town, being friendly, came and fetched me to his house; and as we walked through the streets, there was a bustle in the town; but they did not know me, it being darkish. They were in a rage, not only against me, but against the mayor also; so that he was almost afraid to walk the streets with me, for the tumult. We sent for the friendly people, and had a fine meeting there in the power of God: and I stayed there all night. Next morning, having ordered our horses to be ready by six, we passed peaceably out of town; and the destroyers were disappointed; for they thought I would have stayed longer, and intended to do us mischief; but our passing away early in the morning frustrated their evil purposes against us.

Then we rode to Bishop-Stortford, where some were convinced: and so to Hertford, where also there were some convinced; and where there is now a large meeting. From thence we returned to London, where Friends received us gladly; the Lord’s power having carried us through many snares and dangers. Great service we had for the Lord; for many hundreds were brought to sit under the teaching of the Lord Jesus Christ, their Saviour, and to praise the Lord through him. James Naylor also was come up to London; and Richard Hubberthorn and I stayed some time in the city, visiting Friends and answering gainsayers; for we had great disputes with professors of all sorts. Many reproaches they cast upon truth; and lying slanderous books they gave forth against us: but we answered them all, cleared God’s truth, and set it over them; and the Lord’s power was over all.

Amongst other services for the Lord, which then lay upon me in the city, I was moved to give forth a paper which is as follows:—

“The word of the Lord to all you that scorn trembling, and quaking; who scoff at, scorn, stone, and belch forth oaths against, those who are trembling and quaking; threatening them, and beating them. Strangers ye are to all the apostles and prophets; and are of the generation that stoned them, and mocked them in those ages. Ye are the scoffers of whom they spoke, that are come in the last times. Be ye witnesses against yourselves. To the light in all your consciences I speak, that with it you may see yourselves to be out of the life of the holy men of God.

“Moses, who was judge over all Israel, trembled, feared, and quaked: when the Lord said unto him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, then Moses trembled, and durst not behold.’ This, which makes to tremble now, ye teachers and people scoff at, and scorn them in your streets who witness the power of the Lord. Moses forsook the pleasures of the world, which he might have enjoyed for a season. He might have been called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; he refused it, and forsook Pharaoh’s house; yet was no vagabond. David, a king, trembled; he was mocked; they made songs on him; they wagged their heads at him. Will you profess David’s words, and Moses’s words, who are in the generation of your fathers, mockers, scoffers, wonderers, and despisers, who are to perish? O blush! be ashamed of all your profession, and be confounded! Job trembled, his flesh trembled, and they mocked him: so do you now mock them in whom the same power of God is made manifest; and yet you profess Job’s words. O deceitful hypocrites! will ye not own Scripture? O shame! never profess Scripture words, and deny the power, which, according to Scripture, makes the keepers of the house to tremble, and the strong man to bow himself. These things both priests, magistrates, and people scoff at; but with the power ye are judged, and by the power and life condemned.