Lancatter Before the next Affizes came, there was a QuarterPrifon. Seffions holden at Lancaffer by the Juftices: To which 1664. though we were not brought; yet I put Friends upon

drawing up an Account of their Sufferings, and laying them before the Juftices in their open Seffions. For Friends had fuffered deeply by Fines and Diftreffes; the Bayliffs and Officers making great Havock and Spoil of their Goods: But no Redrefs was made.

And because fome Evil-minded Magiftrates would be telling us fometimes of the late Plot in the North; we gave forth the following Paper to ftop their Mouths, and to clear Truth and Friends therefrom: Which was as followeth :

A Testimony from us, the People of God, whom the World call Quakers, To all the Magiftrates and Officer's of what fort foever, from the Higheft to the Loweft. WE are peaceable, and feek the Peace, and Good,

and Welfare of all Men and Women upon the Earth; as in our Lives and peaceable Carriages is manifefted and we defire the Eternal Good and Welfare of all, and their Souls everlafting Peace. We are Heirs of the Blefling, before the Curfe was; and of the Power of God, before the Devil was, and before the Fall of Man. We are Heirs of the Gospel of Peace, which is the Power of God; and we are Heirs of Chrift, who have inherited him and his Everlafting Kingdom, and do poffefs the Power of an Endless Life. Knowing this our Portion and Inheritance, this is to take off all Jealoufies out of your Minds, and out of the Minds of all People concerning us, That all Plots and Confpiracies, Plotters and Confpirators against the King, and all Aiders or Affifters thereunto we always did, and do utterly deny to be any of us, or to be of the Fellowship of the Gofpel, or to be of Chrift's King

dom,

dom, or to be his Servants. For Chrift faid; His 1664. Kingdom was not of this World; if it were, his Ser. vants would fight. And therefore he bid Peter, Put Lancafter Prifon. up his Sword; for, faid he, he that taketh the Sword, fhall perish by the Sword. Here is the Faith and Patience of the Saints, to bear and fuffer all things; knowing (as we know) that Vengeance is the Lord' and he will repay it to them that hurt his People, and that do wrong to the Innocent: Therefore cannot we avenge, but fuffer for his Name's fake. And we do know, that the Lord will judge the World in Righteoufnefs, according to their Deeds: and that, when every one fhall give an Account to him of the "Deeds done in the Body, then will the Lord give every Man according to his Works, whether they be Good, or whether they be Evil. Chrift faith, he came not to deftroy Men's Lives: And when his Difciples would have had Fire to come down from Heaven, to have confumed them that did not receive him, he told them; They knew not, what Spirit they were of, that would have Men's Lives de ftroyed: and therefore he rebuked them, and told "them: That he came not to destroy Men's Lives, but to fave them. Now we are of Chrift's Mind, who is the great Prophet, whom all ought to hear in all things, who faith to his; If they ftrike thee on one • Cheek, turn the other; and render to no Man Evil for Evil. This Doctrine of his have we learned; and do not only confefs him in Words, but follow ⚫ his Doctrine: and therefore have and do we fuffer all manner of Reproaches, Scandals and Slanders, and fpoiling of Goods, Buffetings and Whippings; Stripes and Imprifonments for these many years; and can fay: The Lord forgive them, that have thus ferved us; and lay not these things to their Charge! And we know, that the Jews outward Sword, by which they cut down the Heathen outwardly, was a Type of the inward Sword of the Spirit, which cuts down the inward Heathen, the raging Nature in People. And the Blood of Bulls, Lambs, Rams, D 2

and

Lancaft.

Prifon.

1664. and other Offerings, and that Priesthood that offered them, together with other things in the Law, were Types of Chrift, the one Offering, and of his Blood: who is the Everlafting Prieft and Covenant, Chrift, our Life and Way to God, and who is the great Prophet, and Shepherd that looks to his Flock, and "the Head of his Church, and the great Bilhop of our Souls, whom we witness come; and he doth overfee and keep his Flock. For in Adam in the Fall we know, the ftriving, quarrelling, unpeaceable Spirits are in the Enmity one with another, and not in Peace: But in Chrift Jefus, the Second Adam, that never fell, is Peace, Reft, and Life. And the Doctrine of Chrift, who never finned, is to love one another; and who be in this Doctrine, hurt no Man in which we are, in Chrift, who is our Life. Therefore it is well for you to diftinguish betwixt the Precious and the Vile, between them that fear God, and ferve him, and them that do not; and to put a difference between the Innocent and the Guilty, and between him that is Holy and Pure, and the Ungodly and Prophane: for they that do not fo, bring Troubles, Burdens and Sorrows upon themfelves. And this we write in Love to your Souls, that ye may confider these things: for they that hate Enemies, and hate one another, we cannot say, they are of God, nor in Chrift's Doctrine; but are Oppofers of it. And fuch, as wrestle with Flesh and Blood, with Carnal Weapons, are gone into the Flefh, out of the Spirit: They are not in our Fellowship in the Spirit, in which is the Bond of Peace; neither are they of Us, nor have we Unity with them in their flefhly ftate, and with their Carnal Weapons. For our Unity and Fellowship ftands in the Gofpel, which is the Power of God, before the Devil was, the Liar, and the Murderer, the Manflayer, and the Envious Man. Now Chrift's Mind, and his Doctrine being to fave Men's Lives, we, who are of Chrift's Mind, are out of, and above these things. And our defire is, that in the Fear

' of

' of the Lord ye may all Live; that in that ye may 1664. all receive God's Wifdom, by which all things were 'created; that by it all may be ordered to God's Lancafter 'Glory.

This is from them that love all your Souls,

and feek your Eternal Good.

Being now a Prifoner in Lancaster-Caftle, a deep fenfe came upon me of a Day of fore Trial and Exercife, that was come and coming upon all, that had been high in Profeffion of Religion: And I was moved to give forth the following Paper, as a Warning unto fuch:

No

OW is the Day, that every one's Faith and Love to God and Chrift will be Tried; and 'who are Redeemed out of the Earth, and who are ' in the Earth, will be manifefted; and who is their 'Mafter they ferve: and whether they will run to the Mountains, to Cover them. Now will it appear, who are the Stony-Ground, who are the Thorny'Ground, and who are the High-way-Ground, in whom 'the Fowls of the Air take away the Seed, and the 'Thorns and Cares of the World choke, and the Heat of Perfecution fcorches, and burns up your green Blade: For the Day trieth all things. Therefore let not fuch, as forfake Truth, for faving the Earth, fay, that your Brother Prieft only ferveth not the • Lord Jefus Chrift, but his own Belly, and minderh Earthly things; for fuch themselves alfo do the fame, and do hug and embrace Self, and not the Lord. 'Now it will be made manifeft, who is every ones God, and Chrift, and Saviour; and their Love will 'be manifeft, whether it be of the World, or the Love of God: for if it be the Love of the World, it is Enmity; and the Enmity will manifeft it self, what it is and the Day will Try every Spirit and his 'Fruits. Therefore, all my dear Friends, in the Everlafting Seed of God live, that is over all the House of Adam and his Works in the Fall: and fo dwel

Caftie.

1664. ling in the Seed, Chrift, that never fell, in him you all have Vertue, and Life, and Peace, and Lancafter through him ye will overcome all, that is in 'the Fall.

cable.

G. F.

I writ also another fhort Epiftle to Friends, to Warn them to keep out of that Spirit, that wrought in John Perrot and his Company against the Truth.

Dear Friends,

DWel

Well in the Love of God, and in his Righteouf nefs, that will preferve you above all Changeable Spirits, that be foul and unclean, and that dwell not in the Truth, but in Quarrels. Avoid fuch, and keep your Habitations in the Truth, and dwell in the Truth, and in the Word of God, by which ye are reconciled to God. And keep your Meetings in the Name of Jefus Chrift, that never fell; and then ye will fee over all the Gatherings "of Adam's Sons and Daughters, you being Met in the Life over them all, in which is your Unity, * and Peace, and Fellowship with God, and one with another, in the Life, in which ye may enjoy God's Prefence among you. So remember me to all Friends in the everlafting Seed of God. And all they, that are gotten into Fellowship in outward things, their Fellowship will corrupt, and rot, and wither away. Therefore live in the Gofpel, the Power of God, which Power of God, the Gospel was, before the Devil was. And this Fellowship in the Gospel, the Power of God, is a Mystery to all the Fellowships in the World. So look over all outward Sufferings, and look at the Lord, and the Lamb, who is the First and Laft, the Amen; in whom farewell.

6

G. F.