Moreover, I was moved to go to several courts and steeple-houses at
Mansfield, and other places, to warn them to leave off oppression
and oaths, and to turn from deceit to the Lord, and to do justly.
Particularly at Mansfield, after I had been at a court there, I
was moved to go and speak to one of the most wicked men in the
country, one who was a common drunkard, a noted whore-master, and a
rhyme-maker; and I reproved him in the dread of the mighty God, for
his evil courses.
When I had done speaking, and left him, he came after me, and told me
that he was so smitten when I spoke to him, that he had scarcely any
strength left in him. So this man was convinced, and turned from his
wickedness, and remained an honest, sober man, to the astonishment of
the people who had known him before.
Thus the work of the Lord went forward, and many were turned from
the darkness to the light, within the compass of these three years,
1646, 1647 and 1648. Divers meetings of Friends, in several places,
were then gathered to God's teaching, by his light, Spirit, and
power; for the Lord's power broke forth more and more wonderfully.
Now I was come up in spirit through the flaming sword, into the
paradise of God. All things were new; and all the creation gave unto
me another smell than before, beyond what words can utter. I knew
nothing but pureness, and innocency, and righteousness; being renewed
into the image of God by Christ Jesus, to the state of Adam, which
he was in before he fell. The creation was opened to me; and it was
showed me how all things had their names given them according to
their nature and virtue.
I was at a stand in my mind whether I should practise physic for the
good of mankind, seeing the nature and virtues of things were so
opened to me by the Lord. But I was immediately taken up in spirit to
see into another or more steadfast state than Adam's innocency, even
into a state in Christ Jesus that should never fall. And the Lord
showed me that such as were faithful to Him, in the power and light
of Christ, should come up into that state in which Adam was before he
fell; in which the admirable works of the creation, and the virtues
thereof, may be known, through the openings of that divine Word of
wisdom and power by which they were made.
Great things did the Lord lead me into, and wonderful depths were
opened unto me, beyond what can by words be declared; but as people
come into subjection to the Spirit of God, and grow up in the image
and power of the Almighty, they may receive the Word of wisdom that
opens all things, and come to know the hidden unity in the Eternal
Being.[29]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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