The History of the Rise, Increase, and Progress of the Christian People Called Quakers: Intermixed with Several Remarkable Occurrencs.Sewel, William
History
The History of the Rise, Increase, and Progress of the Christian People Called Quakers: Intermixed with Several Remarkable Occurrencs.
Sewel, William
Society of Friends -- History -- Early works to 1800
Yet to proceed further with J. Nayler: he wrote, after his recovery,
many papers and edifying letters: he also answered two letters,
which, when the persecution in New England burnt so fierce, were
sent over from thence in defence of that fact; one under the name of
John Endicot, governor of Boston, and the other in that of Richard
Bellingham. All the arguments for the persecution of the Quakers to
be lawful and necessary, he answered at large, and showed how little
agreement their crime of pursuing persecution had with the name
wherewith they had called themselves, for a distinction from other
persuasions, namely, Independents, by which they would have it known,
that they were independent of all, except the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
on whom they pretended alone to be dependent: and yet, nevertheless,
it now appeared manifestly, that it was the fleshly arm whereby they
supported themselves. He wrote also some papers to the parliament, and
the rulers, to check the vanities that were publicly committed, and
to mend their faults; to ease the oppressed, and to take care for the
maintenance of liberty.
At length[19] he died at Huntingdonshire, in the latter end of the
year 1660, about the 44th year of his age. About two hours before his
death, he spoke, in the presence of several witnesses these words:
[19] He was a man of great self-denial, and very jealous of
himself, ever after his fall and recovery.--At last, departing
from the city of London, about the latter end of the Eighth
month, 1660, towards the North, intending to go home to his
wife and children, at Wakefield, in Yorkshire, he was seen by
a friend of Hertford, (sitting by the way-side in a very awful
weighty frame of mind,) who invited him to his house, but he
refused, signifying his mind to pass forward, and so went on
foot as far as Huntingdonshire, and was observed by a friend,
as he passed through the town, in such an awful frame, as if he
had been redeemed from the earth, and a stranger on it, seeking
a better country and inheritance. But going some miles beyond
Huntingdon, he was taken ill, (being, as it is said,) robbed
by the way, and left bound: whether he received any personal
injury, is not certainly known, but being found in a field by a
countryman toward evening, was had, or went to a friend’s house
at Holm, not far from King’s Rippon, where Thomas Parnel, a
doctor of physic dwelt, who came to visit him; and being asked
if any friends at London should be sent for to come and see
him; he said ‘Nay,’ expressing his care and love to them. Being
shifted, he said ‘You have refreshed my body, the Lord refresh
your souls;’ and not long after departed this life, in peace
with the Lord, about the Ninth month, 1660, and the 44th year
of his age, and was buried in Thomas Parnel’s burying ground at
King’s Rippon aforesaid.--J. W.’s account.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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