John ap-John being then with me, left the meeting, and went to the
steeple-house; and the governor cast him into prison. On Second-day
morning the governor sent one of his officers to the justice's to
fetch me; which grieved the mayor and the justice; for they were both
with me in the justice's house when the officer came. The mayor and
the justice went to the governor before me; and awhile after I went
with the officer. When I came in I said, "Peace be unto this house,"
and before the governor could examine me I asked him why he cast my
friend into prison. He said, "For standing with his hat on in the
church."
I said, "Had not the priest two caps on his head, a black one and a
white one? Cut off the brims of the hat, and then my friend would
have but one: and the brims of the hat were but to defend him from
weather."
"These are frivolous things," said the governor.
"Why, then," said I, "dost thou cast my friend into prison for such
frivolous things?"
He asked me whether I owned election and reprobation. "Yes," said I,
"and thou art in the reprobation."
At that he was in a rage and said he would send me to prison till I
proved it. I told him I would prove that quickly if he would confess
Truth. I asked him whether wrath, fury, rage and persecution were not
marks of reprobation; for he that was born of the flesh persecuted
him that was born of the Spirit; but Christ and His disciples never
persecuted nor imprisoned any.
He fairly confessed that he had too much wrath, haste and passion in
him. I told him that Esau was up in him, the first birth; not Jacob,
the second birth. The Lord's power so reached the man and came over
him that he confessed to Truth; and the other justice came and shook
me kindly by the hand.
As I was passing away I was moved to speak to the governor again; and
he invited me to dinner with him, and set my friend at liberty. I
went back to the other justice's house; and after some time the mayor
and his wife, and the justice and his wife, and divers other Friends
of the town, went about half a mile out of town with us, to the
water-side, when we went away; and there, when we parted from them, I
was moved of the Lord to kneel down with them, and pray to the Lord
to preserve them. So, after I had recommended them to the Lord Jesus
Christ, their Saviour and free Teacher, we passed away in the Lord's
power; and He had the glory.
We travelled to Pembrokeshire, and in Pembroke had some service for
the Lord. Thence we passed to Haverford West, where we had a great
meeting, and all was quiet. The Lord's power came over all, and
many were settled in the new covenant, Christ Jesus, and built upon
Him, their Rock and Foundation; and they stand a precious meeting to
this day. Next day, being their fair-day, we passed through it, and
sounded the day of the Lord, and His everlasting Truth, amongst them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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