This plain discovery of darkness in the priest moved Judge Fell and
Colonel West to reprove them openly, and tell them that according
to that position they might carry the Spirit in their pockets as
they did the Scriptures. Upon this the priests, being confounded and
put to silence, rushed out in a rage against the justices, because
they could not have their bloody ends upon me. The justices, seeing
the witnesses did not agree, and perceiving that they were brought
to answer the priests' envy, and finding that all their evidences
were not sufficient in law to make good their charge against me,
discharged me.
After Judge Fell had spoken to Justice Sawrey and Justice Thompson
concerning the warrant they had given forth against me, and showing
them the errors thereof, he and Colonel West granted a supersedeas[W]
of those lying accusations which the malicious priests had laid to my
charge: and multitudes of people praised God that day, for it was a
joyful day to many. Justice Benson, of Westmoreland, was convinced;
and Major Ripan, mayor of the town of Lancaster, also.
[W] A writ or order from the Court setting aside or staying the
execution of the original writ.
It was a day of everlasting salvation to hundreds of people: for
the Lord Jesus Christ, the way to the Father, the free Teacher, was
exalted and set up; His everlasting gospel was preached, and the Word
of eternal life was declared over the heads of the priests, and all
such lucrative preachers. For the Lord opened many mouths that day
to speak His Word to the priests, and several friendly people and
professors reproved them in their inns, and in the streets, so that
they fell, like an old rotten house: and the cry was among the people
that the Quakers had got the day, and the priests were fallen.
CHAPTER VII.
In Prison Again
1653.
About the beginning of the year 1653 I returned to Swarthmore, and
going to a meeting at Gleaston, a professor challenged to dispute
with me. I went to the house where he was, and called him to come
forth; but the Lord's power was over him, so that he durst not meddle.
I departed thence, visited the meetings of Friends in Lancashire, and
came back to Swarthmore. Great openings I had from the Lord, not only
of divine and spiritual matters, but also of outward things relating
to the civil government.
Being one day in Swarthmore Hall, when Judge Fell and Justice Benson
were talking of the news, and of the Parliament then sitting (called
the Long Parliament), I was moved to tell them that before that day
two weeks the Parliament should be broken up, and the Speaker plucked
out of his chair. That day two weeks Justice Benson told Judge Fell
that now he saw George was a true prophet; for Oliver had broken up
the Parliament.[60]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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