CHAPTER 17
At the Work of Organizing
1667-1670
I then visited Friends till I came to York, where
we had a large meeting. After this I went to visit Justice
Robinson, an ancient justice of the peace, who had been very loving
to me and Friends from the beginning.
There was a priest with him, who told me that it
was said of us, that we loved none but ourselves. I told him that
we loved all mankind, as they were God's creation, and as they were
children of Adam and Eve by generation; and that we loved the
brotherhood in the Holy Ghost.
This stopped him. After some other discourse we
parted friendly, and passed away.
About this time I wrote a book, entitled, "Fear
God, and Honour the King"; in which I showed that none could
rightly fear God and honour the King but they that departed from
sin and evil. This book greatly affected the soldiers, and most
people.
Then I was moved of the Lord to recommend the
setting up of five monthly meetings of men and women in the city of
London (besides the women's meetings and the quarterly meetings),
to take care of God's glory, and to admonish and exhort such as
walked disorderly or carelessly, and not according to Truth. For
whereas Friends had had only quarterly meetings, now Truth was
spread, and Friends were grown more numerous, I was moved to
recommend the setting up of monthly meetings throughout the
nation. And the
Lord opened to me what I must do, and how the men's and women's
monthly and quarterly meetings should be ordered and established in
this and in other nations; and that I should write to those where I
did not come, to do the same.
After things were well settled at London, and the
Lord's Truth, power, seed, and life reigned and shone over all in
the city, I went into Essex.
[Throughout the counties where he had preached, he
now went, setting up monthly meetings, i.e., local meetings for
transacting the business of the Church and for ordering and
overseeing the moral and spiritual life of the membership. We shall
not follow his movements in detail, but it may here be noted that
the world's records show few instances of more striking energy, and
fidelity to a divine mission, than do the entries of these
twenty-four years. Here is one glimpse of him as he is traveling
through "the frost and snow," during the winter of 1667.]
I was so exceeding weak, I was hardly able to get
on or off my horse's back; but my spirit being earnestly engaged in
the work the Lord had concerned me in and sent me forth about, I
travelled on therein, notwithstanding the weakness of my body,
having confidence in the Lord, that He would carry me through, as
He did by His power.
We came into Cheshire, where we had several blessed
meetings, and a general men's meeting; wherein all the monthly
meetings for that county were settled, according to the gospel
order, in and by the power of God.
After the meeting I passed away. But when the
justices heard of it, they were very much troubled that they had
not come and broken it up, and taken me; but the Lord prevented
them.
Then, returning towards London by Waltham, I
advised the setting up of a school there for teaching boys; and
also a woman's school to be opened at Shacklewell, for instructing
girls and young maidens in whatsoever things were civil and useful
in the creation.
Thus were the men's monthly meetings settled
through the nation. [1668.] The quarterly meetings were generally
settled before.
I wrote also into Ireland by faithful Friends, and
into Scotland, Holland, Barbadoes, and several parts of America,
advising Friends to settle their men's monthly meetings in those
countries. For they had had their general quarterly meetings
before; but now that Truth was increased amongst them, it was
needful that they should settle those men's monthly meetings in the
power and Spirit of God, that first convinced them.
Since these meetings have been settled, and all the
faithful in the power of God, who are heirs of the gospel, have met
together in the power of God, which is their authority, to perform
service to the Lord, many mouths have been opened in thanksgiving
and praise, and many have blessed the Lord God, that ever He sent
me forth in this service. For now all coming to have a concern and
care for God's honour and glory, and His name, which they profess,
be not blasphemed; and to see that all who profess the Truth walk
in the Truth, in righteousness and in holiness, as becomes the
house of God, and that all order their conversation aright, that
they may see the salvation of God; they may all see and know,
possess and partake of, the government of Christ, of the increase
of which there is to be no end.
Thus the Lord's everlasting renown and praise are
set up in the heart of every one that is faithful; so that we can
say the gospel order established amongst us is not of man, nor by
man, but of and by Jesus Christ, in and through the Holy Ghost.
This order of the gospel, which is not of man nor
by man, but from Christ, the heavenly man, is above all the orders
of men in the fall, whether Jews, Gentiles, or apostate Christians,
and will remain when they are gone. For the power of God, which is
the everlasting gospel, was before the devil was, and will be and
remain forever. And as the everlasting gospel was preached in the
apostles' days to all nations, that all nations might, through the
divine power which brings life and immortality to light, come into
the order of it, so now the everlasting gospel is to be, and is,
preached again, as John the divine foresaw it should be, to all
nations, kindreds, tongues, and people.
Now was I moved of the Lord to go over
into Ireland, to visit the Seed of God in that nation. There went
with me Robert Lodge, James Lancaster, Thomas Briggs, and John
Stubbs.
We waited near Liverpool for shipping and wind.
After waiting some days, we sent James Lancaster to take passage,
which he did, and brought word the ship was ready, and would take
us in at Black Rock. We went thither on foot; and it being some
distance, and the weather very hot, I was much spent with
walking.
When we arrived, the ship was not there; so we were
obliged to go to the town and take shipping. When we were on board,
I said to the rest of my company, "Come, ye will triumph in the
Lord, for we shall have fair wind and weather."
Many passengers in the ship were sick, but not one
of our company. The captain and many of the passengers were very
loving; and we being at sea on the first day of the week, I was
moved to declare Truth among them; whereupon the captain said to
the passengers, "Here are things that you never heard in your
lives."
When we came before Dublin, we took boat and went
ashore; and the earth and air smelt, methought, of the corruption
of the nation, so that it yielded another smell to me than England
did; which I imputed to the Popish massacres that had been
committed, and the blood that had been spilt in it, from which a
foulness ascended.
We passed through among the officers of the custom
four times, yet they did not search us; for they perceived what we
were: some of them were so envious they did not care to look at
us.
We did not soon find Friends; but went to an inn,
and sent out to inquire for some. These, when they came to us, were
exceedingly glad of our coming, and received us with great joy.
We stayed there the weekly meeting, which was a
large one, and the power and life of God appeared greatly in it.
Afterwards we passed to a province meeting, which lasted two days,
there being one about the poor, and another meeting more general;
in which a mighty power of the Lord appeared. Truth was livingly
declared, and Friends were much refreshed therein.
Passing thence about four and twenty miles, we came
to another place, where we had a very good, refreshing meeting; but
after it some Papists that were there were angry, and raged very
much. When I heard of it, I sent for one of them, who was a
schoolmaster; but he would not come.
Thereupon I sent a challenge to him, with all the
friars and monks, priests and Jesuits, to come forth, and "try
their God and their Christ, which they had made of bread and wine,"
but no answer could I get from them. I told them they were worse
than the priests of Baal; for Baal's priests tried their wooden
god, but these durst not try their god of bread and wine; and
Baal's priests and people did not eat their god as these did, and
then make another.
He that was then mayor of Cork, being very envious
against Truth and Friends, had many Friends in prison. Knowing I
was in the country, he sent four warrants to take me; therefore
Friends were desirous that I should not ride through Cork. But,
being at Bandon, there appeared to me in a vision a very
ugly-visaged man, of a black and dark look. My spirit struck at him
in the power of God, and it seemed to me that I rode over him with
my horse, and my horse set his foot on the side of his face.
When I came down in the morning, I told a friend
the command of the Lord to me was to ride through Cork; but I bade
him tell no man. So we took horse, many Friends being with me.
When we came near the town, Friends would have
shown me a way through the back side of it; but I told them my way
was through the streets. Taking Paul Morrice to guide me through
the town, I rode on.
As we rode through the market-place, and by the
mayor's door, he, seeing me, said, "There goes George Fox"; but he
had not power to stop me. When we had passed the sentinels, and
were come over the bridge, we went to a Friend's house and
alighted. There the Friends told me what a rage was in the town,
and how many warrants were granted to take me.
While I was sitting there I felt the evil spirit at
work in the town, stirring up mischief against me; and I felt the
power of the Lord strike at that evil spirit.
By-and-by some other friends coming in, told me it
was over the town, and amongst the magistrates that I was in the
town. I said, "Let the devil do his worst." After we had refreshed
ourselves, I called for my horse, and having a Friend to guide me,
we went on our way.
Great was the rage that the mayor and others of
Cork were in that they had missed me, and great pains they
afterwards took to catch me, having their scouts abroad upon the
roads, as I understood, to observe which way I went. Scarce a
public meeting I came to, but spies came to watch if I were there.
The magistrates and priests sent information one to another
concerning me, describing me by my hair, hat, clothes and horse; so
that when I was near an hundred miles from Cork they had an account
concerning me and a description of me before I came amongst
them.
One very envious magistrate, who was both a priest
and a justice, got a warrant from the Judge of assize to apprehend
me. The warrant was to go over all his circuit, which reached near
an hundred miles. Yet the Lord disappointed all their councils,
defeated all their designs against me, and by His good hand of
Providence preserved me out of all their snares, and gave us many
sweet and blessed opportunities to visit Friends, and spread Truth
through that nation.
For meetings were very large, Friends coming to
them from far and near; and other people flocking in. The powerful
presence of the Lord was preciously felt amongst us. Many of the
world were reached, convinced, and gathered to the Truth; the
Lord's flock was increased; and Friends were greatly refreshed and
comforted in feeling the love of God. Oh the brokenness that was
amongst them in the flowings of life! so that, in the power and
Spirit of the Lord, many together broke out into singing, even with
audible voices, making melody in their hearts.
After I had travelled over Ireland, and visited
Friends in their meetings, as well for business as for worship, and
had answered several papers and writings from monks, friars, and
Protestant priests (for they were all in a rage against us, and
endeavoured to stop the work of the Lord, and some Jesuits swore in
our hearing that we had come to spread our principles in that
nation, but should not do it), I returned to Dublin, in order to
take passage for England. I stayed to the First-day's meeting
there, which was very large and precious.
There being a ship ready, and the wind serving, we
took our leave of Friends; parting in much tenderness and
brokenness, in the sense of the heavenly life and power manifested
amongst us. Having put our horses and necessaries on board in the
morning, we went ourselves in the afternoon, many Friends
accompanying us to the ship; and diverse Friends and Friendly
people followed us in boats when we were near a league at sea,
their love drawing them, though not without danger.
A good, weighty, and true people there is in that
nation, sensible of the power of the Lord God, and tender of His
truth. Very good order they have in their meetings; for they stand
up for righteousness and holiness, which dams up the way of
wickedness. A precious visitation they had, and there is an
excellent spirit in them, worthy to be visited. Many things more I
could write of that nation, and of my travels in it; but thus much
I thought good to signify, that the righteous may rejoice in the
prosperity of truth.
We travelled till we came to Bristol, where I met
with Margaret Fell, who was come to visit her daughter Yeomans.
I had seen from the Lord a considerable time
before, that I should take Margaret Fell to be my wife. And when I
first mentioned it to her, she felt the answer of Life from God
thereunto. But though the lord had opened this thing to me, yet I
had not received a command from the Lord for the accomplishing of
it then. Wherefore I let the thing rest, and went on in the work
and service of the Lord as before, according as he led me;
travelling up and down in this nation, and through Ireland.
But now being at Bristol, and finding Margaret Fell
there, it opened in me from the Lord that the thing should be
accomplished. After we had discoursed the matter together, I told
her, if she also was satisfied with the accomplishing of it now,
she should first send for her children; which she did. When the
rest of her daughters were come, I asked both them and her
sons-in-law if they had anything against it, or for it; and they
all severally expressed their satisfaction therein.
Then I asked Margaret if she had fulfilled and
performed her husband's will to her children. She replied, "The
children know that." Whereupon I asked them whether, if their
mother married, they would lose by it. And I asked Margaret whether
she had done anything in lieu of it, which might answer it to the
children.
The children said she had answered it to them, and
desired me to speak no more of it. I told them I was plain, and
would have all things done plainly; for I sought not any outward
advantage to myself.
So, after I had thus acquainted the children with
it, our intention of marriage was laid before Friends, both
privately and publicly, to their full satisfaction. Many of them
gave testimony thereunto that it was of God. Afterwards, a meeting
being appointed for the accomplishing thereof, in the meeting-house
at Broad-Mead, in Bristol, we took each other, the Lord joining us
together in honourable marriage, in the everlasting covenant and
immortal Seed of life. In the sense thereof living and weighty
testimonies were borne thereunto by Friends, in the movings of the
heavenly power which united us.Then was a certificate,
relating both the proceedings and the marriage, openly read, and
signed by the relations, and by most of the ancient Friends of that
city, besides many others from diverse parts of the
nation.
We stayed about a week in Bristol, and then went
together to Oldstone: where, taking leave of each other in the
Lord, we parted, betaking ourselves each to our several service;
Margaret returning homewards to the north, and I passing on in the
work of the Lord as before. I travelled through Wiltshire,
Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and so to London, visiting
Friends: in all of which counties I had many large and precious
meetings.
[In 1670 the so-called Conventicle Act, originally
passed in 1664, was renewed with increased vigor. The Act limited
religious gatherings, other than those of the Established Church,
to five persons, and brought all who refused to take an oath under
the penalties of the Act. ]
On the First-day after the Act came in force, I
went to the meeting at Gracechurch Street, where I expected the
storm was most likely to begin.
When I came there, I found the street full of
people, and a guard set to keep Friends out of their meeting-house.
I went to the other passage out of Lombard street, where also I
found a guard; but the court was full of people, and a Friend was
speaking amongst them; but he did not speak long.
When he had done, I stood up, and was moved to say,
"Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick
against that which pricks thee." Then I showed that it is Saul's
nature that persecutes still, and that they who persecute Christ in
His members now, where He is made manifest, kick against that which
pricks them; that it was the birth of the flesh that persecuted the
birth born of the Spirit, and that it was the nature of dogs to
tear and devour the sheep; but that we suffered as sheep, that bite
not again, for we were a peaceable people, and loved them that
persecuted us.
After I had spoken a while to this effect, the
constable came with an informer and soldiers; and as they pulled me
down, I said, "Blessed are the peacemakers."
The commander put me among the soldiers, and bade
them secure me, saying to me, "You are the man I looked for." They
took also John Burnyeat and another Friend, and led us away, first
to the Exchange, and afterwards towards Moorfields. As we went
along the streets the people were very moderate; some of them
laughed at the constable, and told him we would not run away.
The informer went with us unknown, till, falling
into discourse with one of the company, he said it would never be a
good world till all people came to the good old religion that was
two hundred years ago. Whereupon I asked him, "Art thou a Papist?
What! a Papist informer; for two hundred years ago there was no
other religion but that of the Papists."
He saw he had ensnared himself, and was vexed at
it; for as he went along the streets I spoke often to him, and
manifested what he was.
When we were come to the mayor's house, and were in
the courtyard, several of the people that stood about, asked me how
and for what I was taken. I desired them to ask the informer, and
also what his name was; but he refused to tell his name. Whereupon
one of the mayor's officers, looking out at a window, told him he
should tell his name before he went away; for the lord mayor would
know by what authority he intruded himself with soldiers into the
execution of those laws which belonged to the civil magistrate to
execute, and not to the military.
After this, he was eager to be gone; and went to
the porter to be let out. One of the officers called to him,
saying, "Have you brought people here to inform against, and now
will you go away before my lord mayor comes?" Some called to the
porter not to let him out; whereupon he forcibly pulled open the
door and slipped out.
No sooner was he come into the street than the
people gave a shout that made the street ring again, crying out, "A
Papist informer! a Papist informer!" We desired the constable and
soldiers to go and rescue him out of the people's hands, fearing
lest they should do him a mischief.
They went, and brought him into the mayor's entry,
where they stayed a while; but when he went out again, the people
received him with another shout. The soldiers were fain to go and
rescue him once more, and they led him into a house in an alley,
where they persuaded him to change his periwig, and so he got away
unknown.
When the mayor came, we were brought into the room
where he was, and some of his officers would have taken off our
hats, perceiving which he called to them, and bade them let us
alone, and not meddle with our hats; "for," said he, "they are not
yet brought before me in judicature." So we stood by while he
examined some Presbyterian and Baptist teachers; with whom he was
somewhat sharp, and convicted them.
After he had done with them, I was brought up to
the table where he sat; and then the officers took off my hat. The
mayor said mildly to me, "Mr. Fox, you are an eminent man amongst
those of your profession; pray, will you be instrumental to
dissuade them from meeting in such great numbers? for, seeing
Christ hath promised that where two or three are met in His name,
He will be in the midst of them, and the King and Parliament are
graciously pleased to allow four to meet together to worship God;
why will not you be content to partake both of Christ's promise to
two or three, and the King's indulgence to four?"
I answered to this purpose: "Christ's promise was
not to discourage many from meeting together in His name, but to
encourage the few, that the fewest might not forbear to meet
because of their fewness. But if Christ hath promised to manifest
His presence in the midst of so small an assembly, where but two or
three are gathered in His name, how much more would His presence
abound where two or three hundred are gathered in His name?"
I wished him to consider whether this Act, if it
had been in their time, would not have taken hold of Christ, with
His twelve apostles and seventy disciples, who used to meet often
together, and that with great numbers? However, I told him this Act
did not concern us; for it was made against seditious meetings, of
such as met under colour and pretence of religion "to contrive
insurrections, as [the Act says] late experience had shown." But we
had been sufficiently tried and proved, and always found peaceable,
and therefore he would do well to put a difference between the
innocent and the guilty.
He said the Act was made against meetings, and a
worship not according to the liturgy.
I told him "according to" was not the very same
thing; and asked him whether the liturgy was according to the
Scriptures, and whether we might not read Scriptures and speak
Scriptures.
He said, "Yes."
I told him, "This Act takes hold only of such as
meet to plot and contrive insurrections, as late experience hath
shown; but they have never experienced that by us. Because thieves
are sometimes on the road, must not honest men travel? And because
plotters and contrivers have met to do mischief, must not an
honest, peaceable people meet to do good? If we had been a people
that met to plot and contrive insurrections, etc., we might have
drawn ourselves into fours; for four might do more mischief in
plotting than if there were four hundred, because four might speak
out their minds more freely to one another than four hundred could.
Therefore we, being innocent, and not the people this Act concerns,
keep our meetings as we used to do. I believe thou knowest in thy
conscience that we are innocent."
After some more discourse, he took our names, and
the places where we lodged; and at length, as the informer was
gone, he set us at liberty.
The Friends with me now asked, "Whither wilt thou
go?" I told them, "To Gracechurch street meeting again, if it is
not over."
When we came there, the people were generally gone;
only some few stood at the gate. We went into Gerrard Roberts's.
Thence I sent to know how the other meetings in the city were. I
found that at some of the meeting-places Friends had been kept out;
at others they had been taken; but these were set at liberty again
a few days after.
A glorious time it was; for the Lord's power came
over all, and His everlasting truth got renown. For in the
meetings, as fast as some that were speaking were taken down,
others were moved of the Lord to stand up and speak, to the
admiration of the people; and the more because many Baptists and
other sectaries left their public meetings, and came to see how the
Quakers would stand.
As for the informer aforesaid, he was so frightened
that hardly any informer dared to appear publicly in London for
some time after. But the mayor, whose name was Samuel Starling,
though he carried himself smoothly towards us, proved afterwards a
very great persecutor of our Friends, many of whom he cast into
prison, as may be seen in the trials of William Penn, William Mead,
and others, at the Old Bailey this year.
As I was walking down a hill, a great weight and
oppression fell upon my spirit. I got on my horse again, but the
weight remained so that I was hardly able to ride.
At length we came to Rochester, but I was much
spent, being so extremely laden and burthened with the world's
spirits, that my life was oppressed under them. I got with
difficulty to Gravesend, and lay at an inn there; but could hardly
either eat or sleep.
The next day John Rous and Alexander Parker went to
London; and John Stubbs being come to me, we went over the ferry
into Essex. We came to Hornchurch, where there was a meeting on
First-day. After it I rode with great uneasiness to Stratford, to a
Friend's house, whose name was Williams, and who had formerly been
a captain. Here I lay, exceedingly weak, and at last lost both
hearing and sight. Several Friends came to me from London: and I
told them that I should be a sign to such as would not see, and
such as would not hear the Truth.
In this condition I continued some time. Several
came about me; and though I could not see their persons, I felt and
discerned their spirits, who were honest-hearted, and who were not.
Diverse Friends who practiced physic came to see me, and would have
given me medicines, but I was not to meddle with any; for I was
sensible I had a travail to go through; and therefore desired none
but solid, weighty Friends might be about me.
Under great sufferings and travails, sorrows and
oppressions, I lay for several weeks, whereby I was brought so low
and weak in body that few thought I could live. Some that were with
me went away, saying they would not see me die; and it was reported
both in London and in the country that I was deceased; but I felt
the Lord's power inwardly supporting me.
When they that were about me had given me up to
die, I spoke to them to get a coach to carry me to Gerrard
Roberts's, about twelve miles off, for I found it was my place to
go thither. I had now recovered a little glimmering of sight, so
that I could discern the people and fields as I went, and that was
all.
When I came to Gerrard's, he was very weak, and I
was moved to speak to him, and encourage him. After I had stayed
about three weeks there, it was with me to go to Enfield. Friends
were afraid of my removing; but I told them I might safely go.
When I had taken my leave of Gerrard, and was come
to Enfield, I went first to visit Amor Stoddart, who lay very weak
and almost speechless. I was moved to tell him that he had been
faithful as a man, and faithful to God, and that the immortal Seed
of life was his crown. Many more words I was moved to speak to him,
though I was then so weak I was hardly able to stand; and within a
few days after, Amor died.
I went to the widow Dry's, at Enfield, where I lay
all that winter, warring in spirit with the evil spirits of the
world, that warred against Truth and Friends. For there were great
persecutions at this time; some meeting-houses were pulled down,
and many were broken up by soldiers. Sometimes a troop of horse, or
a company of foot came; and some broke their swords, carbines,
muskets, and pikes, with beating Friends; and many they wounded, so
that their blood lay in the streets.
Amongst others that were active in this cruel
persecution at London, my old adversary, Colonel Kirby, was one.
With a company of foot, he went to break up several meetings; and
he would often inquire for me at the meetings he broke up. One time
as he went over the water to Horsleydown, there happening some
scuffle between some of his soldiers and some of the watermen, he
bade his men fire at them. They did so, and killed some.
I was under great sufferings at this time, beyond
what I have words to declare. For I was brought into the deep, and
saw all the religions of the world, and people that lived in them.
And I saw the priests that held them up; who were as a company of
men-eaters, eating up the people like bread, and gnawing the flesh
from off their bones. But as for true religion, and worship, and
ministers of God, alack! I saw there was none amongst those of the
world that pretended to it.
Though it was a cruel, bloody, persecuting time,
yet the Lord's power went over all, His everlasting Seed prevailed;
and Friends were made to stand firm and faithful in the Lord's
power. Some sober people of other professions would say, "If
Friends did not stand, the nation would run into debauchery."
Though by reason of my weakness I could not travel
amongst Friends as I had been used to do, yet in the motion of life
I sent the following lines as an encouraging testimony to them:
--
"My dear Friends:
"The Seed is above all. In it walk; in which ye all
have life.
"Be not amazed at the weather; for always the just
suffered by the unjust, but the just had the dominion.
"All along ye may see, by faith the mountains were
subdued; and the rage of the wicked, with his fiery darts, was
quenched. Though the waves and storms be high, yet your faith will
keep you, so as to swim above them; for they are but for a time,
and the Truth is without time. Therefore keep on the mountain of
holiness, ye who are led to it by the Light.
"Do not think that anything will outlast the Truth.
For the Truth standeth sure; and is over that which is out of the
Truth. For the good will overcome the evil; the light, darkness;
the life, death; virtue, vice; and righteousness, unrighteousness.
The false prophet cannot overcome the true; but the true prophet,
Christ, will overcome all the false.
"So be faithful, and live in that which doth not
think the time long.
G. F."
After some time it pleased the Lord to allay the
heat of this violent persecution; and I felt in spirit an
overcoming of the spirits of those men-eaters that had stirred it
up and carried it on to that height of cruelty. I was outwardly
very weak; and I plainly felt, and those Friends that were with me,
and that came to visit me, took notice, that as the persecution
ceased I came from under the travails and sufferings that had lain
with such weight upon me; so that towards the spring I began to
recover, and to walk up and down, beyond the expectation of many,
who did not think I could ever have gone abroad again.
Whilst I was under this spiritual suffering the
state of the New Jerusalem which comes down out of heaven was
opened to me; which some carnal-minded people had looked upon to be
like an outward city dropped out of the elements. I saw the beauty
and glory of it, the length, the breadth, and the height thereof,
all in complete proportion. I saw that all who are within the Light
of Christ, and in His faith, of which He is the author; and in the
Spirit, the Holy Ghost, which Christ and the holy prophets and
apostles were in; and within the grace, and truth, and power of
God, which are the walls of the city; -- I saw that such are within
the city, are members of it, and have right to eat of the Tree of
Life, which yields her fruit every month, and whose leaves are for
the healing of the nations.
Many things more did I see concerning the heavenly
city, the New Jerusalem, which are hard to be uttered, and would be
hard to be received. But, in short, this holy city is within the
Light, and all that are within the Light, are within the city; the
gates whereof stand open all the day (for there is no night there),
that all may come in.
