The History of the Rise, Increase, and Progress of the Christian People Called Quakers. William Sewel
heart, I declare to thee, in the presence of the living God, who is Lord of heaven and earth, and before men and angels, there is no other way that leads to peace, and eternal rest, but walking in obedience to the light that comes from Jesus Christ, and of this light thou hast received a measure. Therefore my dear heart, be faithful to the Lord in what is made known unto thee, that thou mayest come to witness true peace and rest, that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man, what is laid up for all them that fear him. So, my dear heart, as I have found peace and eternal rest to my soul from the Lord, so I am moved of the Lord in love to thy soul, to show thee the way that leads to peace and eternal rest; which way is Christ, who is the light, and the way that leads to the Father, from whence all light comes; and of this light which comes from Christ, I bear record thou hast received a measure. Therefore, in dear love, I exhort thee to walk in obedience to thy measure, which thou hast received from the Lord. So, in the presence of the Lord God do I declare, that walking in obedience to this light that comes from Christ, is the way that leads to eternal rest and peace. Therefore, as thou tenderest the eternal good of thy soul, be faithful to the light that comes from Christ, which light beareth witness against lying, and swearing, and vain talking, and all manner of evil. So, my dear wife, in bowels of dear love to thy soul, which is more precious than all the world, have I showed thee the way; if thou wilt walk in it, it will lead thee into the eternal covenant of life and peace. So, my dear wife, in love, in love I have cleared my conscience to thee, in the presence of the living God, as a true and faithful husband to thee, desiring thy eternal good and welfare as my own, the Lord God is my witness. Dear wife, remember my dear love to all my friends and countrymen, according to the flesh; for I desire the eternal good and welfare of you all, and that you all may come to believe in the light in your own consciences, which Jesus Christ hath enlightened you with; which light bears witness against lying, and swearing, and all manner of evil. This is the light of Christ, and walking in obedience to this light is the way that leads out of sin and evil, up to God eternal, blessed for evermore: and he that acts contrary to this light in his own conscience, it is his condemnation. Now, dear friends, while you have time prize it.
Thy husband, and a lover of thy soul,
MILES HALHEAD.’
Wiltshire, the 7th of the Third month, 1655.
This year also he writ the following epistle to his fellow-believers.
‘Dearly beloved friends and brethren,
‘In the North of England, even to the South, the land of our nativity, whom the Lord God of heaven and earth hath called and chosen in this the day of his eternal everlasting love, to serve him in truth and in righteousness, who hath received the Lord’s Truth in the love of it, not only to believe in his name, but to suffer bonds and imprisonments, and hard sentences for the testimony of Jesus, and the word of God. Dear friends, and beloved brethren, my prayers to the Lord God of heaven and earth, and my soul’s desire is for you all, that you may all dwell together as children of one father, in the eternal bond of love, and oneness of the spirit; that you may all grow in the eternal living Truth of God, to be established upon the rock and sure foundation, that the gates of hell and death cannot prevail against you; that under the shadow of the wings of the Almighty, you may all be kept and preserved in peace and rest, now in the day of trial, and hour of darkness, when hell hath opened her mouth, and the raging sea cast out her proud waves, even like to overflow the banks. Glory, glory, and eternal living praises be given to the Lord God, and to the Lamb forevermore, of all the children of the light, who hath found a resting-place for all his dear ones, lambs, and babes, and children of light to flee into, in the needful time of trouble, where none can make them afraid, nor take away their peace, as they abide faithful to him, who is our way, our light, our life, our strength, and eternal portion for ever. My dear friends and brethren, I beseech you in the bowels of dear and tender love, that you walk as dear children, faithful to him who hath called you with an honourable calling, and loved you from the beginning with an everlasting love, that all your friends and neighbours, and men of this world, that see your life coupled with fear, may be made to confess and acknowledge, to the honour and glory of the living Lord, that the God whom we serve and fear, is the only true God of Israel: and herein you become a precious savour unto the living eternal God, and a sweet smelling savour unto all the children of light, and no good thing will the Lord God withhold from you; the mouth of the Lord God of Hosts hath spoken it, whose promises are yea and amen to his own seed forevermore.
MILES HALHEAD.’
Given forth the 14th of the Sixth Month, 1655, when I was a prisoner at the prison-house, in the city of Exeter, in Devonshire, for the testimony of Jesus, and the word of God.
A chief cause why he was imprisoned there, was, that Thomas Salthouse, with whom he travelled, (having heard that one George Brooks, a priest belonging to the Nightingale frigate, said, after the declarations of M. Halhead, and T. Salthouse, at Plymouth, that it was the eternal truth which they had spoken, with many other words in vindication of what they said,) told Brooks, that he had spoken many good words, and fair speeches; but asked him, whether he lived the life of what he spoke? Further, ‘He that entereth not by the door, but climbeth up some other way, is, as Christ said, a thief and a robber.’ For T. Salthouse thought, and that not without reason, as will be shown by and by, that he did not want the praises of this priest, that were not better than those of the damsel possessed with a spirit of divination, which she spoke concerning Paul and Silas, viz. ‘These men are the servants of the most high God, which show unto us the way of salvation.’ Now what T. Salthouse had spoken to the priest, was called provoking language; the rather, because when the priest was speaking of the trinity, T. Salthouse had asked him, where that word was to be found in the Scriptures: saying further, ‘I know no such Scripture that speaks of the three persons in the trinity; but the three that the Scripture speaks of, are the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one.’ From hence T. Salthouse, and M. Halhead, were accused as such as denied the Holy Three that are One. But because about this accusation, they were at a loss in the court, something else was thought of to ensnare them, viz. they were required to take the oath of abjuration of the Pope. This oath the mayor of Plymouth had already tendered them, when they were first apprehended; and they refusing to swear, were sent to Exeter prison: and now being brought to trial, and the said oath required of them, they answered thus:
‘In the presence of the Eternal God, and before all this people, we do deny, with as much detestation as any of you do, the Pope and his supremacy, and the purgatory, and all that is in the form of the oath mentioned, we declare freely against: and we do not deny to swear because of any guilt that is upon us, but in obedience to the command of Christ, who saith, “Swear not at all:” and we will not come under the condemnation of an oath, for the liberty of the outward man.’
Thus refusing to swear, merely that they might not offend against the command of our Saviour, they were sent back to prison again, as such that clandestinely adhered to the Pope: and use hath been made of this snare during the space of many years, to vex the Quakers, so called. The next day the prisoners were brought again before the bench, and were asked:
‘Will ye confess, that you wronged G. Brooks, in calling him thief, and be sorry for it, and make him satisfaction?’
To this M. Halhead answered:
‘One of us did not speak one word to him, and therefore I deny to make him satisfaction, or to be sorry for it; and what was spoken was no such thing; therefore we will not lie for our liberty, nor confess that we are sorry for that which we never spoke.’
Then the court fined them five pounds a piece; and they were to go to the house of correction till payment, and to find sureties for their good behaviour: and for refusing to take the oath, the court threatened to send into the North to seize on their estates. So they were returned to prison; and what follows, was entered as the record of their proceedings.
‘July 10, 1655. Thomas Salthouse, and Miles Halhead, for provoking words against G. Brooks, clerk, who refused to be tried by the country, fined 5l. a piece, committed to Bridewell till payment, and finding sureties for their good behaviour.’
What is said here of refusing to be tried by the country, was a notorious untruth: and as to finding sureties, that seemed