the Sun. Now what a hard fate was this, that this pretended Prophet, had neither any Man to witness this great and glorious Communication upon the top of Pendle Hill, whilest he was there, nor was there any fuch fign of glosy upon his face and countenance, when he was come down? (notwithstanding) his brazen forehead was fuch, that therein he had but few equals.

But there is yet another reafon, why a hill was fo advisedly made choice of, for this pretended revelation and that is, to fhew the conformity of the Son, to the like example of the Father: I mean of Genige For, to St. Francis. Thus,

There was printed at Bononia in Italy, Anno 1590. a Book intituled, Liber Conformitatum Vita Beati & Seraphici Patris Francifci, written by one Bartholom Pifanus and published by one Ferem. Bacchius, wherein 'tis written, that Chriftus ipfum Patrem Francifcum fibi per omnia fimilem reddidit, & conformem. That Chrift made Father Francis in all things like and exactly, conformable to himself: Copia litera a Pifano generali Capitulo direEta, ad initium libri conformit; and then (to make the Parallel exact) 'tis farther written, that in Sonte Albernae Francifcus cum Deo & Domino Jefu Chrifto unius Spiritus efficitur. That in the Mount of Alverna, Father Francis was made one Spirit with God the Father, and with his Son Jefus Chrift. See lib. 3. Conformit.-31. fol. 503. col. 3. and fol. 306. col. 4. by all which, we may be easily convinced, that George Fox's Euro;s needed not to pump much for this invention concerning Pendle Hill, for ab effe ad poffe valet confequentia. These Men were not to learn what an influence St. Francis's sation of Mount Alveznae had upon the credulipies of their Predeceffors, and therefore they hoped for no lefs from Pendle Hill, for folly, and madness,

was never yet tied to one People, nor to one generation only. And [as the ferment was at that day in all the Parts of England] Jugling, and Cheating, never found a fitter Place, nor a riper People than we then were, for a ready entertainment; and, as thefe fubtile Men hoped, fo it happened; as grofs as this Cheat was, yet Multitudes were Enfnared by it, and they who firft brewed it, now it's broacht, cry it up, and admire it. For George for fhall have no want of Followers, nor good Trading, fo long as Faiazs and Jefuites can help to fill his Markets. And therefore Anno 1650. Or as Mr. Penn, in his Brief account of the Rife and Progrefs of the Quakers, p. 98. will have it,1652. [he being then according unto him about Twenty Eight Years old, and born in the Year 1624.] He begins now to fet up for himfelf, and was prefentlyjoyned by James Naylor, [who was formerly a Seditions Souldier in Oliver Cromwell's Army, but was now returned to his own Countrey] with whom alfo joyned John Aud land, and others, all which by their own confeffions had their births and beings in Westmoreland near Kendal in the North of England. Here it was, the Quaters took their first publick rife and original, Who if they were not Papists themselves (which yet is most likely) they were certainly, very quickly after, joyned by them that were fo.For when George Fox had broken up his Commiffion which he had received on Pendle-Hill, he found as by the fe quence hereafter will appear] that he was to bend his whole force against the Poteflant Churches only and to give them no Duarter and withall, to take in all the Popish Auxiliartes, who should of fer themselves to ferve under him: And hereupon, Detachments are forthwith fent from all Popish Countreys, and came thundering in, to joyn him.

And

And now [having fet up his standard, and formed his Camp at Kendal he began to make his Movements; and (by flow marches) having fent fome of his Difciples before, in the Year 1654. he arrived at last at London, where he fets up his General Buffer: but in the way, takes in all that will list themselves, both from Rome and bell too, to ferve under him; even those who used Diabolical Arts and Practices; who fo craftily juggled with their hearers, that after they had a few times frequented their Meetings, they quickly fell into fits and tances; and (with them) foamed at the mouth, and exceedingly Duaked and trembled: which being once noised abroad, drew vaft multitudes to feed their Curiofities, by running in among them, to obferve them: amongft which, thofe who had leaft of the Power of Godliness in their hearts, and yet, were willing to retain a fhem thereof, and [with them] the most vitious and profligate, [over both which herds, the Devil had moft power, and greatest influ ence were many of them) caught and enfnered. And many others, of weak and impenetrating intellectuals, obferving fo many forms of Godliness; set up, and cried up, in all the Parts of the Kingdom, and fo little of the Power thereef accompanying the fame, in any of the feparate Churches, and Societies; and withall, hearing this new Sea fo much, and fo vehemently declaim against the iniquities of all thefe feveral kinds of Profeffors (the truth whereof, by frequent Obfervations, and manifeft Experiences, they were, thorowly convinced of and obferving alfo, that these en pretended fo much holiness, and purity, above them all, and to boast fo much of the indwelling of the Spirit of God, and of his holy Unction in them; by virtue whereof, they could mortify

the

the whole body of fin, and keep themselves unefpotted from the World, and from the leaft taint of iniquity; and thereby (in a fhort time) arrive at a state of true perfection. Now I fay, upon these, and fuch like Obfervations, thefe Men prefently concluded that of a truth the Lord God was among this People: and that this little Flock was the only taue Flock of Christ.

And the rather did they fo Conclude, becaufe they obferved, that many whom they formerly knew to be Drunken, Swearing, Whoring, Rictous, Debauchees were now become a Sober, Servo, Strangely Reformed People; and (as they thought) truly converted by these defpited Quakers, and by joyning them, became (to all outward appearance) on the fudden, truly Pious, Zealous, Dea vout Chriftians; in all Places now crying down, and vehemently Preaching againft, all and every of those very fins wherein they had fo long formerly wallowed, and which they had fo lately broken off, and forfaken. And when they farther obferved, with what fervor of Spirit, and Divine Warmth (as they Supposed) thefe Men, (having thus freed their onn Souls from the bondage of fin, and out of the fnares of the Devil, by whom they were formerly taken captive at his will) now laboured with might and main to free others alfo: Warning all Men, to see their dark eftate, whileft under any forms of Church fellowflip, of what kind foever, or under any Miniftry, or Ordinan ces, fave what are purely, Spiritual and Internal only,intimating they can never come up to, or arrive at that glorious and perfect state (they have fo long fought for,, in vain, under those beggarly Radiments, and Adminiftrations) till they leave all thefe blind Guides, and falfe Paths, and give themselves wholly, intirely, and abfolutely to

the

the Light within, which alone would conduct them out of the Egyptian barknels they had fo long lived in, and tranflate them into the Kingdom of God, to become his dear Chflogen; and withall, to joyn themselves with them, who were the only remaining Seed of God, the only People of the Lord, a Royal Priesthood, the only Chofen Generation; and how foever defpifed by the World, yet) the only begotten Children of God; Guided, Taught, and Governed by that Glorious Light which all others but themselves (of what Church, Sect, or Perfuafion foever) were either abfolute Strangers unto, or avowed, implacable Enemies thereof.

Now I fay many obferving all this; and being delirous to Travel the right Road to Heaven, and finding they had here met with moze appearances of Holiness, and Humility, and Spiritual Mindedness, than in any other perfwations they had formerly joyned themfelves unto, they therefore (without that due and ferious penetration into their Principles, and Practices, which should have firft influenced them) gave themselves up unto the conduct of thefe bold but blind Guides; and many years continued with them, till at the laft the Lord God in his infinite Goodness and Mercy, opened fome of their Eyes, and gave them a profpect of the danger they had by their inconfiderateness) plunged themfelves into, and in like Mercy reclaimed them.

Thus you have seen when the Duakers first rofẹ upamong us; and what advantages the time of their rifing gave them.

CHAP,