494

THE LAST ENTRY

1690

Friends are in love, unity, and peace; and in Jamaica, Barbadoes, Nevis, Antigua, Maryland, and New England I hear nothing but Friends are in unity and peace. The Lord preserve them all out of the world (in which there is trouble), in Christ Jesus, in whom there is peace, life, love, and unity. Amen. My love in the Lord Jesus Christ to all Friends everywhere in your land, as though I named them. G. F.

"London, the roth of the 11th Month, 1690."

This is Fox's last entry in his Journal.

Fox's Death

The day after he had written it "he went to the meeting at Gracechurch Street, which was large, being the First-day of the week; and the Lord enabled him to preach the truth fully and effectually, opening many deep and weighty things with great power and clearness. After which having prayed, and the meeting being ended, he went to Henry Goldney's, in White-Hart-Court, near the meeting-house; and some Friends going with him there, he told them 'he thought he felt the cold strike to his heart as he came out of the meeting'; 'yet,' he added, 'I am glad I was here: now I am clear, I am fully clear.'

"As soon as the Friends withdrew he lay down upon a bed (as he sometimes used to do through weariness after meeting), but soon rose again; and in a little time lay down again, complaining still of cold. And his strength sensibly decaying, he was soon obliged to go into bed; where he lay in much contentment and peace, and very sensible to the last. And as, in the whole course of his life his spirit, in the universal love of God,

1690

FOX AT REST

495

was bent upon the exalting of truth and righteousness, and the making known the way thereof to the nations and people afar off; so now, in the time of his outward weakness his mind was intent upon, and (as it were) wholly taken up with that; and some particular Friends he sent for, to whom he expressed his mind and desire for the spreading of Friends' books, and truth thereby in the world.

All is Well"

"Divers Friends came to visit him in his illness; to some of whom he said, 'All is well; the Seed of God reigns over all, and over death itself. And though,' said he, I am weak in body, yet the power of God is over all, and the Seed reigns over all disorderly spirits.' Thus lying in a heavenly frame of mind, his spirit wholly exercised towards the Lord, he grew weaker and weaker in his natural strength; and on the third day of the week, between the hours of nine and ten in the evening he quietly departed this life in peace, and sweetly fell asleep in the Lord, whose blessed truth he had livingly and powerfully preached in the meeting but two days before. Thus ended he his day in his faithful testimony, in perfect love and unity with his brethren, and in peace and good-will to all men, on the 13th of the 11th Month, 1690, being in the 67th year of his age."

Bunhill-Fields

"On the day appointed for the interment of George Fox, a very great concourse of Friends and others assembled at the meeting-house in White-Hart-Court, near Gracechurch Street, about the middle of the day, to attend his body to the grave. The meeting held about two hours with great and heavenly solemnity,

496

BUNHLL-FIELDS

1690

manifestly attended with the Lord's blessed presence and glorious power; in which divers living testimonies were given, from a lively remembrance and sense of the blessed ministry of this dear and ancient servant of the Lord, his early entering into the Lord's work at the breaking forth of this gospel-day, his innocent life, long and great travels, and unwearied labours of love in the everlasting gospel, for the turning and gathering of many thousands from darkness to the light of Christ Jesus, the foundation of true faith; the manifold sufferings, afflictions, and oppositions which he met withal for his faithful testimony, both from his open adversaries and from false brethren; and his preservations, deliverances, and dominion in, out of, and over them all, by the power of God; to whom the glory and honour always was by him, and is, and always ought to be by all, ascribed.

"After the meeting was ended, his body was borne by Friends, and accompanied by very great numbers, to Friends' burying-ground, near Bunhill-Fields; where his body was committed to the earth; but his memorial shall remain and be everlastingly blessed among the righteous."

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