presumption in them to meddle with the words of Christ and his apostles, and make people believe they succeeded the apostles, and yet be forced to confess they were not in the same power and Spirit that the apostles were in. This," said I, "is a spirit of presumption, and rebuked by the apostles' Spirit." I showed them how different their fruits and practices were from the fruits and practices of the apostles. Then got up one of them and said, "Ye are a company of dreamers." "Nay," said I, “ye are the filthy dreamers, who dream ye are the apostles' successors; and yet confess ye have not the same power and Spirit that the apostles were in. And are not they defilers of the flesh, who say, 'It is presumption in any to say, they have the same power and Spirit that the apostles had?' Now," said I, "if ye have not the same power and Spirit that the apostles had, then it is manifest that ye are led by another power and spirit than the apostles and church, in the primitive times, were led by." Then I began to tell them how that evil spirit, which they were led by, had led them to pray by beads and to images; and to set up nunneries, and friaries, and monasteries, and to put people to death for their religion and this practice of theirs, I showed them, was below the law, and far short of the gospel, in which is liberty. They were soon weary of this discourse, and went their way; and gave a charge, as we heard, to the Papists, "That they should not dispute with us, nor read any of our books:" so we were rid of them. But we had reasonings with all the other sects, as Presbyterians, Independents, Seekers, Baptists, Episcopal-men, Socinians, Brownists, Lutherans, Calvinists, Arminians, Fifthmonarchy-men, Familists, Muggletonians, and Ranters; none of which would affirm, they had the same power and Spirit that the apostles had, and were in: so in that power and Spirit the Lord gave us dominion over them all.

As for the Fifth-monarchy-men, I was moved to give forth a paper, to manifest their error to them; for they looked for Christ's personal coming in an outward form and manner, and fixed the time to the year 1666; at which time some of them did prepare themselves when it thundered and rained, thinking Christ was then come to set up his kingdom: and they imagined they were to kill the whore without them. But I told them, the whore VOL I. 2 B

was alive in them, and was not burned with God's fire, nor judged in them with the same power and Spirit the apostles were in. And their looking for Christ's coming outwardly to set up his kingdom, was like the Pharisees' "Lo here" and "Lo there." But Christ was come, and had set up his kingdom above sixteen hundred years ago (according to Nebuchadnezzar's dream "and Daniel's prophecy), and he had dashed to pieces the four monarchies, the great image, with its head of gold, breast and arms of silver, belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron, and feet part of iron and part of clay; and they were all blown away with God's wind, as the chaff in the summer thrashing-floor. when Christ was on earth, he said, "His kingdom was not of this world:" if it had been, his servants would have fought, but it was not; therefore his servants did not fight. Therefore all the Fifth-monarchy-men, that are fighters with carnal weapons, are none of Christ's servants, but the beast's and the whore's. Christ said, "All power in heaven and in earth is given to me:" so then his kingdom was set up above sixteen hundred years ago, and he reigns. "And we see Jesus Christ reign," said the apostle; and he shall reign, till all things be put under his feet; though all things are not yet put under his feet, nor subdued.

And

This year several Friends were moved to go beyond the seas, to publish Truth in foreign countries. John Stubbs, and Henry Fell, and Richard Costrop were moved to go towards China and Prester John's country; but no masters of ships would carry them. With much ado they got a warrant from the king; but the East India Company found ways to avoid it, and the masters of their ships would not carry them. Then they went into Holland, hoping to get passage there, but no passage could they get there neither. Then John Stubbs and Henry Fell took shipping for Alexandria in Egypt, intending to go by the caravans from thence. Meanwhile Daniel Baker being to go to Smyrna, drew Richard Costrop, contrary to his own freedom, to go along with him; and in the passage Richard falling sick, Daniel Baker left him sick in the ship, where he died: but that hard-hearted man afterwards lost his own condition.

John Stubbs and Henry Fell got to Alexandria in Egypt; but they had not been long there before the English consul

banished them from thence: yet before they came away, they dispersed many books and papers, for opening the principles and way of truth to the Turks and Grecians. They gave the book called, "The Pope's Strength Broken," to an old friar, for him to give or send to the Pope; which book, when the friar had perused, he clapped his hand upon his breast, and confessed," "What was written therein was truth: but," said he, "if I should confess it openly, they would burn me." John Stubbs and Henry Fell, not being suffered to go further, returned to England; and came to London again. John had a vision, that the English and Dutch, who had joined together not to carry them, would fall out one with the other: and so it came to pass.

Having now stayed in London some time, I felt drawings to visit Friends in Essex. So I went down to COLCHESTER, where I had very large meetings; and from thence to COGGESHALL; not far from which there was a priest convinced, and I had a meeting at his house. So travelling a little up and down in those parts, and visiting Friends in their meetings, I returned pretty quickly to LONDON, where I found great service for the Lord; for a large door was opened, and many flocked in to our meetings, and the Lord's truth spread mightily this year. Yet Friends had great travail and sore labour, the rude people having been so heightened by the Monarchy-men's rising a little before. But the Lord's power was over all, and in it Friends had dominion; though we had not only those sufferings without, but sufferings within also, by John Perrot and his company ; who giving heed to a spirit of delusion, sought to introduce among Friends that evil and uncomely practice of "keeping on the hat in time of public prayers." Friends had spoken to him and divers of his followers about it, and I had written to them concerning it; but he and some others rather strengthened themselves against us. Wherefore feeling the judgment of truth rise against it, I gave forth the following lines as a warning to all that were concerned therein :

"WHOSOEVER is tainted with this spirit of John Perrot, it will perish. Mark his and their end, who are turned into those outward things and janglings about them, and that which is not savoury; all which is for perpetual judgment,-is to be swept

and cleansed out of the camp of God's elect. This is to that spirit, that is gone into jangling about that which is below, (the rotten principle of the old Ranters,)—gone from the invisible power of God, in which is the everlasting fellowship; and thus many who now clamour and speak against them that are in the power of God, are become like the untimely figs, and like the corn on the house-top. O! consider! the light and power of God goes over you all, and leaves you in the fretting nature, out of the unity which is in the everlasting light, life, and power of God. Consider this, before the day be gone from you; and take heed, that your memorial be not rooted out from among the righteous."

END OF VOLUME FIRST.

ANTHONY PICKARD, PRINTER, LEEDS.

G. F.