CHAPTER IX (2)

From thence we passed into Leicestershire, where we had a great meeting at the place where I had been taken formerly; and after that we came to Baddesley in Warwickshire. Here William Edmundson,[44] a Friend who lived in Ireland, having some drawings upon his spirit to come over into England to see me, met with me; by whom I wrote to the few Friends then convinced in the north of Ireland, as follows:—

“Friends,

“In that which convinced you, wait; that you may have that removed you are convinced of. And all my dear Friends, dwell in the life, and love, and power, and wisdom of God, in unity one with another, and with God; and the peace and wisdom of God fill all your hearts, that nothing may rule in you but the life, which stands in the Lord God.”

When these few lines were read amongst the Friends in Ireland at their meeting, the power of the Lord came upon all in the room.

From Baddesley we passed to Swanington andand Higham, and so into Northamptonshire and Bedfordshire, having great meetings; and many were turned to the Lord by his power and Spirit. When we came to Baldock in Hertfordshire, I asked, if there was nothing in that town, no profession; and it was answered me, there were some Baptists and a Baptist woman sick. John Rush of Bedfordshire went with me to visit her. When we came in, there were many tender people about her. They told me she was not a woman for this world, but if I had anything to comfort her concerning the world to come, I might speak to her. I was moved of the Lord God to speak to her; and the Lord raised her up again to the astonishment of the town and country. This Baptist woman and her husband, whose name was Baldock, came to be convinced, and many hundreds of people have met at their house since. Great meetings and convincements were in those parts afterwards; many received the word of life, and sat down under the teaching of Christ, their Saviour.

When we had visited this sick woman, we returned to our inn, where were two desperate fellows fighting so furiously, that none durst come nigh to part them. But I was moved, in the Lord’s power, to go to them; and when I had loosed their hands, I held one of them by one hand, and the other by the other, showed them the evil of their doings, and reconciled them one to the other, and they were so loving and thankful to me, that people admired at it.[45]

From thence I passed to Market-Street, where God had a people, and through Alban’s to London, where Friends were glad of the prosperity of truth, and the manifestation of the Lord’s glorious power which had delivered us, and carried us through many dangers and difficulties. I also rejoiced to find truth prosper in the city, and all things well amongst friends there. Only there was one John Toldervey, who had been convinced of truth, and run out from it, and the envious priests took occasion from thence to write a wicked book against Friends, which they stuffed with many lies, to render truth and Friends odious. They entitled their book, “The Foot out of the Snare.” But this poor man came to see his folly and returned, condemned his backsliding, answered the priest’s book, and exposed all their lies and wickedness. Thus the Lord’s power came over them, and his everlasting Seed reigned, and reigns to this day.

Now after I had tarried some time in London, and had visited Friends in their meetings, I went out of town, leaving James Naylor in the city. As I passed from him I cast my eyes upon him, and a fear struck me concerning him; but I went away, and rode down to Ryegate in Surrey, where I had a little meeting. There the Friends told me of one Thomas Moore, a justice of peace, that lived not far from Ryegate, a friendly, moderate man; I went to visit him at his house, and he came to be a serviceable man in truth.

We passed on to Thomas Patching’s, of Binscombe in Godalming, where we had a meeting, to which several Friends came from London, and John Bolton and his wife came on foot in frost and snow. After this we went towards Horsham-Park; and having visited Friends, passed on to Arundel and Chichester, where we had meetings. At Chichester many professors came in, and made some jangling, but the Lord’s power was over them. The woman of the house where the meeting was, though convinced of truth, yet not keeping her mind close to that which convinced her, fell in love with a man of the world, who was there that time. When I knew it, I took her aside, and was moved to speak to her, and to pray for her; but a light thing got up in her mind, and she slighted it. Afterwards she married the man, and soon after went distracted; for he was greatly in debt, and she greatly disappointed. Then was I sent for to her, and the Lord was entreated, raised her up again, and settled her mind by his power. Afterwards her husband died; and she acknowledged the just judgments of God were come upon her, for slighting the exhortation and counsel I had given her.

After we left Chichester, we travelled to Portsmouth. There the soldiers had us to the governor’s house. After some examination, the Lord’s power came over them, and we were set at liberty, and had a meeting in the town. After which we came to Ringwood, where in the evening we had a meeting, at which several were convinced, and turned to the Spirit of the Lord, and to the teaching of Christ Jesus, their Saviour.

From Ringwood we came to Poole; and having set up our horses at an inn, we sent into the town to inquire for such as feared the Lord, and such as were worthy; and had a meeting with several sober people. William Baily, a Baptist teacher, was convinced there at that time.[46] The people received the truth in the inward parts, and were turned to the Lord Jesus Christ, their rock and foundation, their teacher and Saviour; and there is become a great gathering in the name of Jesus of a very tender people, who continue under Christ’s teaching.

We went also to Southampton and had a meeting; several were convinced there also. Edward Pyot of Bristol travelled with me all this western journey.

From thence we went to Dorchester, and alighted at an inn, a Baptist’s house; we sent into the town to the Baptists, to let us have their meeting-house to meet in, and to invite the sober people to the meeting; but they denied it us. We sent to them again, to know why they would deny us their meeting-house; so the thing was noised in the town. Then we sent them word, if they would not let us come to their house, they, or any people that feared God, might come to our inn, if they pleased. They were in a great rage; and their teacher and many of them came up, and slapped their Bibles on the table. I asked them, why they were so angry; were they angry with the Bible? But they fell into a discourse about their water-baptism. I asked them, whether they could say, they were sent of God to baptise people, as John was; and whether they had the same Spirit and power that the apostles had? They said, they had not. Then I asked them, how many powers there are; whether there are any more than the power of God, and the power of the devil? They said, there was not any other power than those two. Then said I, “if you have not the power of God that the apostles had, then you act by the power of the devil.” Many sober people were present, who said, “they have thrown themselves on their backs.” Many substantial people were convinced that night; a precious service we had there for the Lord, and his power came over all. Next morning, as we were passing away, the Baptists, being in a rage, began to shake the dust off their feet after us. “What,” said I, “in the power of darkness! We, who are in the power of God, shake off the dust of our feet against you.”

Leaving Dorchester, we came to Weymouth; where also we enquired after the sober people; and about fourscore of them gathered together at a priest’s house. Most of them received the word of life, and were turned to their teacher Christ Jesus, who had enlightened them with his divine light, by which they might see their sins, and him who saveth from sin. A blessed meeting we had with them of several hours, and they received the truth in the love of it, with gladness of heart. The state of their teachers and the apostacy was opened to them; and the state of the apostles, and of the church in their days; and the state of the law, and of the prophets before Christ, and how Christ came to fulfil them; how he was their teacher in the apostles’ days, and how he was come now to teach his people himself by his power and Spirit. All was quiet, the meeting broke up peaceably, and the people were very loving; and a meeting is continued in that town to this day. Many are added to them; and some that had been Ranters came to own the truth, and to live very soberly.

There was a captain of horse in the town, who sent to me, and would fain have had me to stay longer; but I was not to stay. He and his man rode out of town with me about seven miles, Edward Pyot also being with me. This captain was the fattest, merriest man, the most cheerful, and the most given to laughter, that ever I met with; insomuch that I was several times moved to speak in the dreadful power of the Lord to him; and yet it was become so customary to him, that he would presently laugh at anything he saw. But I still admonished him to come to sobriety, sincerity, and the fear of the Lord. We staid at an inn that night; and in the morning I was moved to speak to him again, when he parted from us. Next time I saw him, he told me, that when I spoke to him at parting, the power of the Lord so struck him, that before he got home he was serious enough, and had discontinued his laughing. He afterwards was convinced, and became a serious and good man, and died in the truth.

Parting from him we went to Honiton; and at our inn inquired what people there were in the town that feared God, and sent for them. There came to us some of the Particular Baptists, with whom we had much reasoning. I told them, “they held their doctrine of particular election in Esau’s, Cain’s, and Ishmael’s nature; not in Jacob, the second birth; but they must be born again, before they could enter the kingdom of God. And that as the promise of God was to the Seed, not as many, but as one, which is Christ; so the election stands in Christ; and they must be such as walk in his light, grace, Spirit, and truth.”

From thence we passed to Topsham, and stayed over the First-day; but the innkeeper and his people were rude. Next morning we gave forth some queries to the priests and professors; whereupon some rude professors came into our inn; and had we not gone when we did, they would have stopped us. I wore a girdle, which through forgetfulness I left behind me at the inn, and afterwards sent to the innkeeper for, but he would not let me have it again. Afterwards, when he was tormented in his mind about it, he took it and burnt it, lest he should be bewitched by it, as he said; yet when he had burnt it, he was more tormented than before. Some, notwithstanding the rudeness of the place, were convinced; and a meeting was afterwards settled in that town, which has continued ever since.

After this we passed to Totness, a dark town. We lodged at an inn, and at night Edward Pyot was sick, but the Lord’s power healed him, so that next day we got to Kingsbridge, and at our inn inquired for the sober people of the town. They directed us to Nicholas Tripe and his wife, and we went to their house. They sent for the priest, with whom we had some discourse; but he being confounded, quickly left us. Nicholas Tripe and his wife were convinced; and there is since a good meeting of Friends in that country. In the evening we returned to our inn; and there being many people drinking in the house, I was moved of the Lord to go amongst them, and to direct them to the light, which Christ, the heavenly Man, had enlightened them withal; by which they might see all their evil ways, words, and deeds, and by the same light they might also see Jesus Christ their Saviour. The innkeeper stood uneasy, seeing it hindered his guests from drinking; and as soon as the last words were out of my mouth, he snatched up the candle, and said, “Come, here is a light for you to go into your chamber.” Next morning, when he was cool, I represented to him “what an uncivil thing it was for him to do so;” then warning him of the day of the Lord, we got ready and passed away.