The same day that this preacher was thus attacked with his own sword, being the first of the week, several of G. Fox’s friends, and among them, William Dewsbury, went, one to this, and others to other steeple-houses; and by such means, the number of the said friends increased; though Dewsbury at that time was so violently beaten by the people that he was almost killed; but the Lord’s power healed him.
But to return to Robert Widders: he being recovered from the rude treatment he met with, as hath been said, felt himself so encouraged anew, and strengthened in his undertakings, that he went, the same day in the afternoon, seven miles to Ackton steeple-house, when he spoke to priest Nichols, and calling him an enemy of Christ, told him, also, that the hand of the Lord was against him. Then William Briscoe, a justice of Crofton, commanded the constable to secure Robert; which he did, and carried him to the priest’s house; where being examined by the justice, the priest began to fawn upon him. Thereupon Robert told the priest, that the spirit of persecution lodged in him. But the priest said, ‘No, he was not such a man.’ Yet presently after he said to the justice, that Robert had stolen the horse he came with: and, that he could find in his heart to become his executioner with his own hands: which made Robert say, ‘Did I not say unto thee, that the spirit of persecution lodged in thee?’ Then the aforesaid justice writ a warrant to send Robert to Carlisle jail; and after having given the warrant to the constable he asked Robert, by what authority or power he came to seduce and bewitch the people? Robert answered, ‘I came not to seduce and bewitch people, but I came in that power which shall make thee, and all the powers of the earth, bend and bow down before it, to wit, the mighty power of God.’ Whilst Robert was speaking thus, the dread of the Lord seized on the justice, and so struck him, that he called for his warrant again, and took it out of the constable’s hand, suffering Robert, about night, to go away.
He being thus freed, did not leave visiting the steeple-houses from time to time, for which he was sometimes imprisoned, and at other times saved remarkably. Once coming near Skipton in Yorkshire, at the steeple-house, he spoke very sharply to the priest, Webster; since he was one that had been partly convinced of the doctrine of the inward light, but becoming disobedient thereunto, was turned back again. He also spoke to the people, and to justice Coats, bidding them to mind the word of God in the heart, which divided between the precious and the vile. After having cleared himself, he went to a place where a few of his friends were met together; but he had not been long there, when there came some horsemen and foot, who took him away, and carried him to the said justice; who examining him, said, he had broken the law, by disturbing the minister and the people, and that he might send him prisoner to York castle. Robert answered, ‘Send me to jail thither, if thou darest; for I appeal to the witness of God in thy conscience.’ But the justice being a moderate man, said, ‘I neither dare nor will;’ and taking Robert by the hand, told him, he might take his own time in going away.
To relate all the occurrences of this Robert Widders, would be too prolix; therefore I will only say, that as he was very zealous in speaking to the priests, so he suffered very much in his estate, because for conscience-sake he refused to pay them tithes; and on that account there was taken from him, at sundry times, to the value of 143l. besides what he suffered for meetings, and for Sunday shillings, so called, which also amounted to a considerable sum. And this not only befel him, but it was the portion of many hundreds, nay, perhaps thousands of those of his persuasion. Wherefore I will not undertake to relate all that might be mentioned of this kind; for that would be beyond my reach.
However, by this that hath been said, may be seen, by what means the Quakers, so called, grew so numerous in those early times. As on one hand there were raised zealous preachers; so on the other, there were abundance of people in England, who, having searched all sects, could no where find satisfaction for their hungry souls. And these now understanding that God by his light was so near in their hearts, began to take heed thereunto, and soon found that this gave them far more victory over the corruption of their minds, under which they had long groaned, than all the self-willed worships which they with some zeal had performed many years. And besides those that were thus prepared to receive a further manifestation of the way of life, there were also many of a rude life, who being pricked to the heart, and brought over by the Christian patience of the despised Quakers, became as zealous in doing good, as formerly they had been in working evil.
Perhaps some will think it was very indecent that they went so frequently to the steeple-houses, and there spoke to the priests; but whatsoever any may judge concerning this, it is certain that those teachers generally did not bring forth the fruits of godliness, as was well known to those who themselves had been priests, and freely resigned their ministry, thenceforth to follow Christ in the way of his cross; and these were none of the least zealous against that society among whom they formerly had ministered with an upright zeal. Yet they were not for using sharp language against such teachers, who, according to their knowledge, feared God; but they levelled their aim chiefly against those, who were only rich in words, without bringing forth true Christian fruits, and works of justice. Hence it was that one Thomas Curtis, who was formerly a captain in the parliament army, but afterwards entered into the society of the people called Quakers, wrote, in a letter to Samuel Wells, priest of Banbury, and a persecutor of those of that persuasion, amongst other things, these words: ‘To thy shame, remember I know thee scandalous. How often hast thou sat evening after evening, at cards, and sometimes whole nights, playing, and sometimes compelling me to play with thee, for money; yet then thou wast called of the world a minister; and now art thou turned persecutor, &c.’ None therefore need think it strange, that those called Quakers did look upon such teachers as hirelings. And that there were not a few of that sort, appeared plainly when King Charles II. was restored; for those who had formerly cried out against episcopacy, and its liturgy, as false and idolatrous, then became turn-coats, and put on the surplice, to keep in the possession of their livings and benefices. But by so doing, these hypocrites lost not a few of their auditors, for this opened the eyes of many, who began to inquire into the doctrine of the despised Quakers, and saw that they had a more sure foundation, and that this it was which made them stand unshaken against the fury of persecution.
Let us again take up the thread of these transactions which concern G. Fox: who, now travelling through many places in the north of England, had every where great meetings; but now and then met with some opposition; sometimes with hands, and at others with the tongue. Among the rest, at Derwentwater, in Northumberland; where, in a dispute recommending perfection, he was contradicted; but to prove his position, he said that Adam and Eve were perfect before they fell; and all that God made was perfect; and that the imperfection came by the devil and the fall: but that Christ, who came to destroy the devil, said, ‘Be ye perfect.’ To this one of the professors answered, that Job said, ‘Shall mortal man be more pure than his Maker? The heavens are not clean in his sight. God charged his angels with folly.’ But G. Fox showed him his mistake, and told him that it was not Job that said so, but one of those that contended against him. Then the professors said, the outward body was the body of death and sin; but G. Fox replied, that Adam and Eve had each of them an outward body, before the body of death and sin got into them; and that men would have bodies when the body of sin and death was put off again, and they were renewed into the image of God again by Christ Jesus.
Thus G. Fox found work almost every where, and passing to Hexham, he had a great meeting there on the top of a hill. The priest, indeed, had threatened that he would come and oppose; but came not.
G. Fox, then travelling on, came into Cumberland, where he had a meeting of many thousands of people on a hill near Langlands. Once he came into Brigham steeple-house, before the priest was there, and declared the Truth to the people; but when the priest came in, he began to oppose, but was wearied so, that at length he went away.
There being now also several others who preached the doctrine of the inward light of God, which convinceth man of sin, the number of those professors of the light increased greatly. And as it had been said at first, that they should be destroyed within a short