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and a concern sometimes would come upon my mind about the pulpits that the priests lolled in: for the steeple-houses and pulpits were offensive to my mind, because both priests and people called them the house of God, and idolized them, reckoning that God dwelt there in the outward house; whereas they should have looked for God and Christ to dwell in their hearts, and their bodies to be made the temples of God; for the apostle said, “God dwelleth not in temples made with hands:" but by reason of the people's idolizing those places, it was counted an heinous thing to declare against them. Now when I came into the steeple-house, there were not passing eleven hearers, and the priest was preaching to them. But after it was known in the town that I was in the steeple-house, it was soon filled with people. When the priest that preached that day had done, he sent the other priest that had invited me thither, to bring me up into the pulpit; but I sent back word to him that I needed not to go into the pulpit. Then he sent to me again, desiring me to go up into it, for he said it was a better place, and there I might be seen of the people. I sent him word again, I could be seen and heard well enough where I was, and that 1 came not there to hold up such places, nor their maintenance and trade. Upon my saying so, they began to be angry, and said, these false prophets were to come in the last times. Their saying so, grieved many of the people; and some began to murmur at it. Whereupon I stood up, and desired all to be quiet; and stepping upon an high seat, I declared unto them the marks of the false prophets, and shewed that they were already come; and set the true prophets, and Christ and his apostles over them: and manifested these to be out of the steps of the true prophets and of Christ and his apostles. And I directed the people to their inward teacher, Christ Jesus, who would turn them from the darkness to the light. And having opened divers scriptures to them, I directed them to the Spirit of God in themselves, by which they might come to him, and by which they might also come to know who the false prophets were. So having had a large time among them, I departed in peace.

After some time travelling in the country I came to Pickering, where in the steeple-house the justices held their sessions, justice Robinson being chairman; and I had a meeting in the school-house at the same time; and abundance of priests and professors came to it, asking questions, which were answered to their satisfaction; and it being sessions time, four chief constables and many other people

were convinced that day. And word was carried to justice Robinson that his priest was overthrown and convinced, whom he had a love to more than to all the priests besides. After the meeting was done we went to an inn, and justice Robinson's priest was very lowly and loving, and would have paid for my dinner, but I would by no means suffer it then he offered that I should have his steeple-house to preach in, but I denied it, and told him and the people, that I came to bring them off from such things to Christ.

The next morning I went up with the four chief constables, and some others, to visit justice Robinson, who met me at his chamber door. I told him I could not honour him with man's honour, and he said he did not look for it. So I went into his chamber, and opened to him the state of the false prophets, and of the true prophets; and set the true prophets, and Christ, and the apostles over the other, and directed his mind to Christ his teachers; and opened to him the parables, and how election and reprobation stood; as that reprobation stood in the first birth, and election stood in the second birth: I shewed also what the promise of God was to, and what the judgment of God was against. He confessed to it all; and was so opened with the truth, that when another justice that was present made some little opposition, he informed him. At our parting, he said it was very well that I did exercise that gift, which God had given me; and he took the chief constables aside, and would have given them some money to have given me, saying, he would not have me at any charge in their country; but they told him that they themselves could not get me to take any money; and so accepting his kindness, refused his money.

From thence I passed up into the country, and the priest that called me brother (in whose school-house I had the meeting at Pickering) went along with me. When we came into a town to bait, the bells rang, whereupon I asked what the bells rang for, and they said, for me to preach in the steeple-house. After some time I felt drawings that way; and as I walked to the steeple-house, I saw the people were gathered together in the steeple-house yard. The old priest would have had me gone into the steeple-house, but I said nay, it was no matter; but it was something strange to the people that I would not go into that which they called the house of God. Then I stood up in the steeple-house yard, and declared to the people that I came not to hold up their idol temples, nor their priests, nor their tithes, nor their augmentations, nor their priests' wages, nor their jewish and heathenish ceremonies and traditions (for I denied all these,) and told them that that

piece of ground was no more holy than another piece of ground. And I shewed them that the apostles going into the Jews' synagogues and temples, which God had commanded, was to bring people off from that temple, and those synagogues, and from the offerings and tithes, and covetous priests of that time: and that such as came to be convinced of the truth, and converted to it, and believed in Jesus Christ, whom the apostles preached, they met together afterwards in dwelling-houses. And that all who preach Christ, the word of life, ought to preach freely, as the apostles did, and as he had commanded. So I was sent of the Lord God of heaven and earth to preach freely, and to bring people off from these outward temples made with hands, which God dwelleth not in; that they might know their bodies to become the temples of God and of Christ; and to draw people off from all their superstitious ceremonies, and Jewish and heathenish customs, traditions and doctrines of men; and from all the world's hireling teachers, that take tithes and great wages, preaching for hire and divining for money, whom God and Christ never sent, as themselves confess, when they say they never heard God's voice, nor Christ's voice. Therefore 1 exhorted the people to come off from all these things, and directed them to the spirit and grace of God in themselves, and to the light of Jesus in their own hearts, that they might come to know Christ, their free teacher, to bring them salvation, and to open the Scriptures to them. Thus the Lord gave me a good opportunity amongst them, to open things largely unto them; and all was quiet, and many were convinced; blessed be the Lord.

I passed on to another town, where there was another great meeting, and the old priest before mentioned went along with me; and there came professors of several sorts to it. Now 1 sat on a hay-stack, and spake nothing for some hours; for I was to famish them from words. And the professors would ever and anon be speaking to the old priest, and asking him when I would begin, and when I would speak; and he bade them wait; and told them, that the people waited upon Christ a long while before he spake. At last I was moved of the Lord to speak; and they were struck by the Lord's power, and the word of life reached to them, and there was a general convincement amongst them.

From hence I passed on, the old priest being still with me, and several others. And as we went along, some people called to the old priest, and said, 'Mr. Boyes, we owe you some money for tithes, pray come and take it.'

But the old priest threw up his hands, and said he had enough, he would have none of it; they might keep it: and he praised the Lord he had enough.

At length we came to this old priest's steeple-house in the Moors; and when we were come into it, the old priest went before me, and held open the pulpit door; but I forbad him, and told him I should not go into it. This steeple-house was very much painted; and I told him and the people, that the painted beast had a painted house. Then I opened to them the rise of all those houses, and their superstitious ways; shewing them, that as the end of the apostles going into the temple and synagogues, which God had commanded, was not to hold them up, but to bring them to Christ, the substance: so the end of my coming there was not to hold up these temples, priests and tithes, which God had never commanded, but to bring them off from all these things, to Christ the substance. So I shewed them the true worship, which Christ had set up; and distinguished unto them Christ the true way, from all the false ways, opening the parables to them, and turning them from the darkness to the true light, that by it they might see themselves and their sins, and Christ their Saviour; that believing in him, they might be saved from their sins.

After this we went to one Birdet's house, where I had a great meeting, and this old priest accompanied me still, leaving his steeple-house; for he had been looked upon as a famous priest, above common-prayer men, and presbyters, and independents too. Before he was convinced, he would have gone sometimes into their steeple-houses and have preached; for he had been a zealous man in his way. And when they have complained of him to justice Hotham, he would bid them distrain his horse for travelling on the Lord's day (as he called it); but Hotham did that only to put them off, for he knew the priest used no horse, but travelled on foot.

Now came I up through the country again towards Crantsick, to captain Purslo's and justice Hotham's, who received me kindly, being glad that the Lord's power had so appeared; and that truth was spread and so many had received it, and that justice Robinson was so civil. And justice Hotham said, if God had not raised up this principle of light and life, which I preached, the nation had been over-run with ranterism, and all the justices in the nation could not have stopped it with all their laws; because (said he) they would have said as we said, and done as we commanded, and yet have kept their own prin

ciple still. But this principle of truth (said he) overthrows their principle and the root and ground thereof; and therefore (he said) he was glad the Lord had raised up this principle of life and truth.

From thence I travelled up into Holderness, and came to a justice's house, whose name was Pearson, where there was a very tender woman, that believed in the truth, and was so affected therewith, that she said she could have left all and have followed me.

Thence I went to Oram, to one George Hartise's, where many of that town were convinced. On the first-day I was moved to go into the steeple-house, where the priest had got another priest to help him; and a many professors and contenders were got together. But the Lord's power was over all, and the priests fled away, and a great deal of good service I had for the Lord amongst the people. And some of those great professors were convinced, and became honest faithful friends, being men of account in the place.

The next day, friends and friendly people having_left me, 1 travelled alone, declaring the day of the Lord amongst people in the towns where I came, and warning them to repent. And as I travelled one day, I came towards night into a town called Patrington; and as I walked along the town, I warned both priest and people (for the priest was in the street) to repent, and turn to the Lord. Now it grew dark before I came to the end of the town; and a multitude of people gathered about me, and I declared the word of life unto them. And when I had cleared myself, I went to an inn, and desired them to let me have a lodging; but they would not. Then I desired them to let me have a little meat, or milk, and I would pay them for it; but they would not. So I walked out of the town, and a company of fellows followed me, and asked me what news; and I bid them repent, and fear the Lord. After I was gone a pretty way out of the town, I came to another house, and I desired the people of that house to let me have a little meat and drink, and lodging for my money; but they would not neither, but denied me. Then I went to another house, and desired the same; but they refused me also. By this time it was grown so dark that I could not see the highway; but I discerned a ditch, and got a little water and refreshed myself. Then I got over the ditch, and being weary with travelling, I sat down among the furze-bushes till it was day. About break of day I got up and passed on the fields; and a man came after me with a great pike-staff,

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