God forever; who is making up his jewels, and gathering his wheat into his garner, and the sheep of his pasture into the safety of his power, that he may lead them and save them with his outstretched arm, to the confounding of the heathen that know not God. "Dear Friends, gird up the loins of your minds, and in the faith and patience of Jesus stand still in the light, and see the salvation of God; who hath caused the mountains and hills that withstood his glorious arising, to melt like wax, and to vanish as the untimely fruit. He hath divided the waters and turned them on heaps, and hath made a way through them for the ransomed ones to walk in his service, whereunto he hath called them. He hath made the weak as strong as David, before whom the uncircumcised hath fallen, that resisted the God of Israel. "Dear Friends, let the love of God constrain you to trust in him; and feel the seed of God borne up over all, to feed on the bread of life; that you may live and rejoice over all hardships, and over all wrath. All, keep the word of faith in the power of God. The mountains shall fall before you more and more, and you shall tread down the pride of the perverse and froward generation, in the patience and dominion of God. And let the strong bear the burden of the weak: that all, in the unity of the spirit, in the power of the love of God, may grow up an holy priesthood, offering up souls and bodies a living sacrifice, in faithful obedience to do the will of God. "Dear Friends, in vain is it for man to strive to limit the Holy One of Israel, or his Spirit in his people. For if they that seek to oppress and destroy you, who love God more than anything in the world, yea, than life itself, were as the sand that is on the sea shore, fear not comfort yourselves in the light of his countenance. For he will arise, and scatter in his wrath, all those that resist his spirit, as dust before the wind: and his righteousness will he establish in the earth forever. "O Zion, thy God reigneth! And thou shalt see thy enemies come bending to the soles of thy feet. Thy renown shall go forth more and more over the earth, thy leaves shall heal the nations which shall walk in thy light; and thou shalt be known in all the earth to be the city of the most high God, yea, the righteous seed, when the faces of thine enemies shall be covered with shame, the mouth of the Lord of hosts hath spoken it. "Let this be sent abroad among Friends with understanding in the fear of God. Thus was this dedicated servant of Christ, himself a prisoner for his testimony, enabled "in the spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind," to encourage the suffering flock. This was a time, when it may be said with much truth, that Friends were accounted as little better than sheep for the slaughter, and when their enemies seemed ready to swallow them up quick. We who live in this day of ease, have little conception of the amount and extremity of their sufferings, and have need to be cautioned against indifference. We should never forget, it was through the endurance of such wrongs as have now been related, though to a far greater extent, that our present degree of religious freedom has been purchased for us. CHAPTER XIII. 1660. Epistles-William Dewsbury little known in his domestic character-He is apprehended at an inn in Warwick, for giving thanks after supper, and imprisoned, but shortly after liberated-Arrives in London, and is imprisoned in Newgate. IT is thought, that as the four following epistles illustrate in a beautiful manner, the care William Dewsbury exercised over the flock, no apology will be required for introducing them here. They show, how he endeavoured to build them up in our most holy faith, the faith of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is according to godliness; what the groundwork was, which he sought to lay for those works of righteousness which alone are acceptable to the Lord; turning the minds of his readers, at the same time, to the unfailing source of all saving help, deliverance and consolation in the hour of inward conflict and temptation. They are laid before the reader, under the conviction, that they will be calcu lated to comfort, help, and edify many within the borders of our own Society. It is also possible, they may prove strengthening to many a wayfaring man, who in all respects may not walk with us; but who nevertheless, may be suffering the day of Jacob's trouble— may be the means of encouraging him to per severe in that wrestling, which in the end shall purchase for him a new name, even that of Israel. The first in order, which bears chiefly on the subject of exercising spiritual gifts in the church, is dated the 10th of the twelfth month, 1660. "Dear Friends and brethren, called and chosen of God, to wait upon him in his light:-every one in particular, feel the power and life of God, exercising you in his service, whatever he calls you unto. When the Lord fills the heart of any one of you with his presence, and his life moves in thee, quench not the spirit; I am commanded to lay it upon thee, whosoever thou art, from the least to the highest growth. "Dear Friends, wait to be kept in the bond of the spirit, obedient to its motions:-to cease and stay when it moves not, as well as to begin any exercise when it moves. Dear and tender babes, as well as you strong men, retain the pure* in every particular, and let not anything straiten you when God moves. And, thou faithful babe, though thou stammer forth a few words in the dread of the Lord, they are accepted. And you that are strong, serve the weak in strengthening them; and wait in wisdom, to give place to the motion of the spirit in them, that it may have time to bring forth what God hath given. Dear brethren, feed the lambs; and loose the tongue of the dumb, that praises may arise in and amongst you all, to the glory of God; that in him you may be a well-spring of life one to another, in the love of God, in which the Lord God keep you all. W. D." "Oh! lift up your heads, be glad in the strength of the Lord, in this his day of gathering the good ripe fruit in the vineyard of the Lord. Now do the vines abound with virtue, laden with clusters of the purest grapes full ripe, which drop abundantly with wine, renewed in the kingdom of the Father. Fill your cups, be not straitened in your spirits to receive of the fulness of God. In whom I am constrained to say unto you in the light,drink, drink abundantly; let the thirst of the soul reach forth earnestly, to draw more and more of the divine life, that it may comprehend you in its power. That in its strength your hearts may be set free over all below, and your spirit in the light of life, raised in the heavenly harmony, to praise and glorify the name of the Lord, to the astonishment of all that know not God. Whatever he gives, this keeps all that abide in it low in his fear, so that neither heights nor depths, tribulation nor distress, persecution nor famine, nakedness, peril, or sword, life nor death, things present nor things to come, can ever separate them from faithful obedience to Christ Jesus, the Light. "And, dwell over all created enjoyments, in the unlimited power, to guide you, whether in bonds or out of bonds, so that your words be few and savoury at all times, and minister grace to the hearers. And be tenderly affectioned one to another in the love of God; and in unity in him who is blessed forever! Fare"Your brother, "WILLIAM DEWSBURY." "From the Tower in York, 25th "Dear faithful Friends in God, who have known the day when nothing hath been dear to you, not life itself, that you might enjoy the light of the countenance of God, which he hath now manifested in the everlasting covenant in Christ; and which now constraineth to stand over, and above all flattering tongues, well. and all threatenings and wrath of men. This will be more and more manifest, before this day of trial be over; and what wrath soever the Lord suffers to arise in the powers of the earth, without he moves, do not any seek to stop it. Let God have the glory; the wrath of man turns to his praise, and the remainder he will restrain, while the babes in meekness and patience stand still, and give glory to God in faithful obedience, with life to death, if the Lord call for it. He hath blessed the labour of all whom he called into the vineyard, for whom my heart is enlarged, in the strength of the life I have received of the Father. "Oh! feel me, for I am with you, filled with joy in the Lord, that his birth is brought forth and the captive set free, the tongue of the dumb loosed and the living power of God raised, to offer up living praises on the holy altar of God, in the assemblies of his saints. "The wisdom which is from above is first pure." The meaning of the writer doubtless is, "preserve a pure conscience by obedience to that in the soul which leads into purity of life, which is not of man, but from above; for disobedience causes straitness:" this is what the writer cautions the church against. of First month, 1661." The third epistle above referred to, is thus superscribed:-"Let this go abroad amongst all the afflicted and wounded in spirit: "Dear child, which criest, over all the world, and beyond all the pleasure, pomp, and vanity therein, for the enjoyment of the light and countenance of God;-fear thou not, neither be thou discouraged, because of the violent assaults of the enemy, who seeks to draw thee into carnal reasonings, and thus to kindle a fire to thyself, and causes thee to walk in the light of the sparks which thou hast kindled ;-and this thou hast at the hand of the Lord, in going from his counsel thou liest down in sorrow. Few know thy great distress; but, to the Lord it is known, and to those who have walked in the same path. Oh, thou afflicted soul, who livest in the deep sense of the working of the evil one in thy mind, and many times art ready to say,Never was any like unto me, nor any sorrow you." the Lord moved. Walter Jenkins, a Welch-Neither add to, nor diminish; so will death man, in whom the power of the Lord is mov- with all its formality be kept out from amongst ing, hath been pretty much with me; as thou | art free thou mayst write to him, he may be of good service amongst the Lord's people in Wales, he abiding in the life, to be led by it. A large meeting there was the 28th day of the month, three miles from Tewkesbury, and the Lord's presence refreshed his people; this day a meeting at Evesham, and the next day at Shipston, if God permit; further, as the Lord orders in his will. God Almighty be with thee, thy family, with all the faithful; and the Lord with his heavenly presence comfort the hearts of all that love him, and wait in uprightness of heart to do his will. "W. D." "Remember me to Robert Widders and John Audland; as freedom is, thou may let them know how it is with the Lord's people at Bristol and hereaway." On the 9th of second month, 1657, William Dewsbury dates an epistle from London; [but before this, a letter to Margaret Fell conveys, that he had been through Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex on his way. Few particulars are entered into; but he states, that he found Friends in their measures preciously grown in the life, and that there was a great people in those parts.-Editor.] Arrived in London, he appears to have tarried something short of six weeks, and then moved forward into Kent; from which district, in an epistle dated the 22nd of third month, he gives the following hints on spiritual obedience, and the exercise of gifts in order to the ministry. "I lay it upon you, wait for the Lord to seal unto you his mind, that in his movings you may answer his will in word and works. The light will guide you to know the intent of every motion, that in it you [may] stand approved in the integrity of your hearts to God. And every one in particular, be faithful in the power of God, that in all the movings of the spirit of life, the earthly wisdom with all its reasonings and consultings be judged out; and all may know the new man in Christ, and the new bottle that preserves the new wine, which is committed to you in the kingdom of God, to refresh your souls and make them glad in his presence; and so minister in his living power and wisdom, to the refreshment of the weary and oppressed soul, with the comfort of the spirit of life, in which your souls are made glad in God. So will you all come to the pure ministry in the life. And as you are moved of God, be faithful; strangle not the birth, neither quench the movings; and in the presence of the Lord, I warn you, wait for an understanding in the life to lead you. [Of his visit to Kent, the only additional vestige is gleaned from the communication to Margaret Fell, mentioned above, the date of which is near Sandwich, the 3d of fourth month. He says, that he has had large meetings since coming into the county, and that the power of the Lord broke in upon many of them;" also of his having been on board a vessel in the Downs, in which were a number of Friends, men and women, bound for New England in the service of the Gospel: he says, they were bold in their measure in the power of God; and adds, "his everlasting presence keep them in the unity of the life, and prosper them in his work." The master of the vessel, Robert Fowler, afterwards gave some account of the hand of Providence being with him in his voyage, which was called "A Quaker's Sea Journal," and was printed. In it, he makes mention of the refreshment they had from the company of William Dewsbury, and that he recommended them to the grace of God.-Editor.] From Kent he travelled westward to the Land's End, preaching the word of eternal life through the southern counties. There is no account preserved, of how or where he was particularly occupied between the above date and that of the 17th of seventh month, when he writes a letter from the Land's End, in which he relates the particulars of some trials that befell him previous to his reaching that part of the country. The year previous to William Dewsbury's arrival in Cornwall, George Fox had travelled through most parts of that county; so that the ground was already broken up for succeeding labourers. Great," says the former, " was the service of my God in that country." On the first-day of the week, being the 27th of the month, he was at a meeting at Humphrey Lower's, who had formerly been a justice of the peace. He was one of the many who had been convinced by George Fox while prisoner in Launceston jail, where the latter suffered nine months' confinement, part of the time under the most revolting circumstances, in the dungeon of the prison which was called Doomsdale, some particulars of which have been before related. This Humphrey Lower, George Fox describes as "a grave, sober, ancient man," who among others went to visit him while a prisoner there, and was thoroughly convinced, and so continued to his death. It was at his house that William Dewsbury's meeting was held; and he was a near neighbour to the high-sheriff of the county, a man, as William Dewsbury writes, "who was wicked 66 more, until I was before the judge at Exeter, pulled the mittimus in pieces before my face, and said to me, 'Thou art free.' So did my God set me free, out of the hands of unreasonable men, according to his promise made to me; praises to his name for ever." against the truth of our God." "It was said, was a power amongst them to which they were he threatened to break up the meeting; but in unwilling to be subject, yet were unable to the power of my God I did stand, which control. For although they made out a mittichained him, and the meeting continued pre- mus to commit the prisoner to the common cious in the Lord." On the 29th, William jail at Exeter, they were so divided that some Dewsbury was at a meeting at Launceston; of them objected to his going there; but the after which he pursued his journey into De- mayor, "he who had the chief rule," told him, vonshire, his mind having been strongly im- he should not see his face any more until he pressed with an apprehension, "as the Lord was before the judge at the next assize at had let him see," that he should meet with a Exeter. "Do with me what thou hast power storm in that county, or near it: which in to do, my innocence will plead for me," refact took place at Torrington. There he was plied Dewsbury; and he was remanded to arrested, and under a guard of soldiers, was prison, where he lay on the bare floor; rebrought before the mayor and other function-maining in this condition till the 2nd day of aries, who had imbibed the persecuting spirit the eighth month. of the day. "Some of them," says he, "I was then," says he, "brought before them. were very cruel and wicked against the My God had pleaded my cause, and changed truth of God, and did deal very rudely with the heart of man, which failed in them." For me. In great wrath they took my hat off my" the man who said I should see his face no head, and threw it on the ground, and committed me to prison, where I was two nights and near three days." He was many times brought before them, and they accused him of being a jesuit and a foreigner, and read to him many new laws, threatening to proceed against him as a vagabond: "in which," says Before he left Torrington, he addressed a he, "the Lord reigned over them." They close and faithful letter to the mayor of the then read him the oath of abjuration, the com- town, telling him, that he and others in common snare with which Friends were caught at mission had abused their power, and turned that time; and they told him he must take it. their hands against the innocent; "whom," This he refused to do, on account of the tes- says he, "you wounded as much as you timony he had to bear against all swearing could: in the fear of God consider what you under the Gospel, no less against the pope and have done. Is this the fruit of your fasting all idolatry, than the other points embraced by and humbling yourselves, as you say; when the oath. you have done, to smite with the fist of wickOn the second day of his examination, to-edness, and instead of entertaining strangers, wards night, he was brought forth, and they inquired of him how he became a minister of Christ; which subject had been before alluded to. It appears to have been a mystery to them, how a man could be in the way of his duty in leaving his wife and children in the north of England, "to preach the word of eternal life through the southern counties unto Cornwall." And when, in answer to their questions, he" was free in the Lord to declare to them how he came to be a minister of Christ," they were so cut to the heart, that one of the justices wept, and the clerk said, "If thou hadst spoken thus much before, here had not been this to have done." But there appears to have been great confusion of purpose and difference of sentiment among the magistrates, so that Dewsbury attempting to speak further on the subject was not allowed. Others offended at his hat, stormed against him for having it on, and he was sent again to prison. Many times," says he, "I was brought before them, to see if they could ensnare me. But in the wisdom of God, I stood innocent." The case was difficult, and there "An account to use them so barbarously?" Having thus regained his liberty, he proceeded without delay on his journey into Somersetshire; and, on the 4th of the eighth month, was at a large meeting in that county, large proportion of those persons became dis- he cannot be my disciple," so it was with entangled, who had thus been taken in "the Friends in that day; there could be no resnare of the fowler."-"A meeting was ap- serves: those who were not prepared to part pointed to be held in London, through a divine with all, even to the renunciation of lawful opening in that eminent servant and minister enjoyments, for the testimony of a pure conof Christ, George Fox; for the restoring and science, in which the faith is preserved, could bringing in again those who had gone out not abide the fiery trial of that time, but must from truth and the holy unity of Friends fall back. Of this number was not William therein, by the means and ministry of John Dewsbury; he was ready at all times to “enPerrott." This meeting, or rather these meet-dure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus ings, lasted whole days, and some who had Christ." Such indeed was the deep and run out from the truth and clashed with abiding effect of that sweet evidence of the Friends, were reached by the power of the love of God in Christ Jesus to his soul, with Lord; which came wonderfully over them, which the Lord was pleased to favour him and made them condemn themselves, and tear previous to his venturing upon the work of the their papers of controversy to pieces. George ministry, and such the evidences vouchsafed Fox, who relates the circumstance, had seve- of the heavenly power that attended him and ral meetings with them, and "the Lord's ever-Friends, that according to a testimony which lasting power," as he declares, "was over all, he bore when on his death-bed, he never afand set judgment on the head of that spirit in terward played the coward, but joyfully enwhich they had run out. Some acknowledged tered prisons as palaces, telling his enemies that Friends were more righteous than they; to hold him there as long as they could; and and that if Friends had not stood, they had in prisons he sang praises to his God, and esbeen gone, and had fallen into perdition. And teemed the bolts and locks put upon him, as thus, the Lord's power was wonderfully mani-jewels; "and in the name," says he, "of the fested, and came over all." "In this manner," Ellwood writes, "in the motion of life, were the healing waters stirred; and many through the virtue and power thereof were restored to soundness; and indeed, not many lost. And, though most of these, who thus returned were such as, with myself, had before renounced the error, and forsaken the practice; yet did we sensibly find, that forsaking without confessing, in case of public scandal, was not sufficient; but that an open acknowledgment of open offences, as well as forsaking them, was necessary to obtaining complete remission."-Ellwood's Life, p. 241, &c. eternal God, I always got the victory; for they could keep me no longer than the determined time." When at liberty, he was an indefatigable labourer in the cause which he had espoused with so much sincerity and zeal. On one occasion, about this time, we find from Besse's Collection of the Sufferings of Friends, that he was at a meeting in Warwickshire, at the house of one William Reynolds, which was disturbed by a constable accompanied and assisted by a rude multitude, armed with swords and staves, who pulled the Friends out of the house, and having beaten and abused some of them, fell to breaking the windows in the constable's presence. These were the every day occurrences of those lawless and intolerant times. Besides an abatement of numbers in the Society, from the cause now described, it will not be difficult to believe, that while persecu- Towards the close of the year 1660, Wiltion did to a certain extent prevent its in- liam Dewsbury is to be traced to Ouse-bridge crease, there were those also to whom the way prison, in the city of York, to which he was proved too narrow, as it involved greater sa- committed in company with eleven others, crifices than they were willing to submit to. among whom I find the name of William Without an unreserved dedication of soul, Tuke, for refusing to take the oaths, no doubt, such as these would be not unlike the children of allegiance and supremacy. It may be here of Ephraim, who, carrying bows, turned their remarked, that the practice of that day, by backs in the day of battle. Although they which the dominant party forced these oaths might be said to have the weapons, the know-upon the people, and thus through the freledge and the profession, yet wanting that liv-quent changes in the government made them ing faith which could alone fortify them with to swear and forswear, was a sufficient reason courage and endurance, they would be unable with Friends for refusing to take them, indeto stand the brunt of that fiery trial, which pendently of those strong objections which awaited the faithful servants of Christ. As they entertained, on scriptural grounds, to all our Lord said to his immediate followers, "If oaths, as unlawful under the Gospel dispensaany man come to me, and hate not his father, tion. The truth had made them free from the and mother, and wife, and children, and bre- necessity of oaths; they were an upright peothren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, ple; and for conscience sake, conducted them |