Afterwards we returned to Heads, Badcow, and Garshore, where the said
lady, Margaret Hambleton, was convinced; who afterwards went to warn
Oliver Cromwell and Charles Fleetwood of the day of the Lord that was
coming upon them.
On First-day we had a great meeting, and several professors came to
it. Now, the priests had frightened the people with the doctrine of
election and reprobation, telling them that God had ordained the
greatest part of men and women for hell; and that, let them pray, or
preach, or sing, or do what they would, it was all to no purpose,
if they were ordained for hell. Also that God had a certain number
elected for heaven, let them do what they would; as David was an
adulterer, and Paul a persecutor, yet still they were elected vessels
for heaven. So the priests said the fault was not at all in the
creature, less or more, but that God had ordained it so.
I was led to open to the people the falseness and folly of their
priests' doctrines, and showed how they, the priests, had abused
those Scriptures they quoted. Now all that believe in the Light
of Christ, as He commands, are in the election, and sit under the
teaching of the grace of God, which brings their salvation. But such
as turn this grace into wantonness, are in the reprobation; and such
as hate the Light, are in the condemnation.
So I exhorted all the people to believe in the Light, as Christ
commands, and to own the grace of God, their free teacher; and it
would assuredly bring them their salvation; for it is sufficient.
Many Scriptures were opened concerning reprobation,[102] and the eyes
of the people were opened; and a spring of life rose up among them.
[102] In this discussion the Scripture arguments were gone over,
and George Fox offset the proof-texts on election with passages
showing man's responsibility.
These things soon came to the priest's ears; for the people that sat
under their dark teachings began to see light, and to come into the
covenant of light. The noise was spread over Scotland, amongst the
priests, that I was come thither; and a great cry went up among them
that all would be spoiled; for, they said, I had spoiled all the
honest men and women in England already; so, according to their own
account, the worst were left to them.
Upon this they gathered great assemblies of priests together,
and drew up a number of curses to be read in their several
steeple-houses, that all the people might say "Amen" to them. Some
few of these I will here set down; the rest may be read in the book
before mentioned, of "The Scotch Priests' Principles."
The first was, "Cursed is he that saith, Every man hath a light
within him sufficient to lead him to salvation; and let all the
people say, Amen."
The second, "Cursed is he that saith, Faith is without sin; and let
all the people say, Amen."
The third, "Cursed is he that denieth the Sabbath-day; and let all
the people say, Amen."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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