‘I am moved to write unto you, to take heed of oppressing the poor in your courts, or laying burdens upon poor people, which they cannot bear: and of false oaths, or making them to take oaths, which they cannot perform. The Lord saith, ‘I will come near to judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the false swearers, and against the idolaters, and against those that do oppress widows and fatherless.’ Therefore take heed of all these things betimes. The Lord’s judgments are all true and righteous, and he delighteth in mercy: so love mercy, dear people, and consider in time.’ And because the ringing of bells for joy, is a thing generally tending to stir up vanity and immorality, he also writ a few lines to the bell-ringers of the steeple-house, called St. Peter’s, in Derby. ‘Friends, ‘Take heed of pleasures, and prize your time now, while you have it; and do not spend it in pleasures, nor earthliness. The time may come, that you will say, you had time, when it is past: therefore look at the love of God now, while you have time: for it bringeth to loathe all vanities, and worldly pleasures. O consider! time is precious: fear God and rejoice in him, who hath made heaven and earth.’ Whilst G. Fox was in prison there, several of the professors came to discourse with him, and he perceiving that they came to plead for sin and imperfection, asked them, Whether they were believers, and had faith? and they saying Yes, he further asked them, In whom? to which they answering, In Christ; he replied, If ye are true believers in Christ, you are passed from death to life; and if passed from death, then from sin that bringeth death. And if your faith be true, it will give you victory over sin and the devil, and purify your hearts and consciences, (for the true faith is held in a pure conscience,) it will bring you to please God, and give you access to him again. But such language as this they could not endure; for they said, they could not believe that any could be free from sin on this side the grave. To which he answered, That then they might give over their talking concerning the Scriptures, which were the words of holy men; whilst they themselves pleaded for unholiness. At another time, another company of such professors came, and they also pleading for sin, he asked them, Whether they had hope? to which they answered, Yes, God forbid but we should have hope. Then he asked, What hope is it you have? Is Christ in you, the hope of your glory? Doth it purify you, as he is pure? But they could not abide to hear of being made pure here, and therefore he bade them forbear talking of the Scriptures, which were the holy men’s words; for the holy men that writ the Scriptures, (said he,) pleaded for holiness in heart, life, and conversation here; but since you plead for impurity and sin, which is of the devil, what have you to do with the holy men’s words?