BEING A BRIEF BUT FAITHFUL NARRATIVE OF THE DYING REMORSE of a late LIVING ENEMY TO THE PEOPLE called QUAKERS, and their FAITH and WORSHIP, MATTHEW HIDE. Attefted by EYE and EAR-WITNESSES, whereof his WIDOW is one. Published, in Honour to GOD, for a Warning to Gainfayers, and a Confirmation to the Honeft-hearted. With an APPENDIX, both to Foes and Friends, on this Occafion. BY WILLIAM PENN. "Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that "I was inftructed, I fmote upon my thigh; I was afhamed, "yea, even confounded." Jer. xxxi. W Published in the Year 1675. HEREAS after near twenty years public oppofition, made by Matthew Hyde, against the People called Quakers, and their principle of the light within, in their public affemblies, chiefly in and about London; it hath pleased the Lord immediately and fecretly to fmite and awaken him in his confci ence, ence, and to bring the burden of his iniquity upon him a few days before his death (though he was not the worst of open oppofers and disturbers) so that he was neceffitated to make a folemn confeffion thereof, and unto the truth, in the prefence of Almighty God, and several of the faid people, his wife, and fome others, before he could quietly or with fatisfaction depart this life: this is given out as a true and faithful narrative of his laft and dying words, as a teftimony for God's truth and people, against all apoftates, gainfayers and oppofers thereof, that fuch may take warning, for whom there yet remains a place of repentance. THE NARRATIVE. N the 19th of the 12th month, 1675, Cotton Oades, hearing that Matthew Hide was willing to speak to some of our friends, called Quakers, went to him, and told him, if he had any thing to fay, to clear himself, he might speak; seeing he had opposed friends in their declarations and prayers. M. Hide fignified thus much, That he was forry for what he had done; for they were the people of • God.' C. Oades asked him, if he had any thing in his mind to any particular friends; nominating G. Whitehead, and W. Gibfon, or any other; and whether he would be willing any of them should be fent for? M. Hide replied, As many as please may come." Whereupon Cotton Oades presently fent for George Whitehead, who accordingly went with the meffenger to vifit Matthew Hide after the ninth hour in the night. So the faid George Whitehead, Cotton Oades, and and John Ball, near the tenth hour in the night, vifited Matthew Hide on his fick bed, though fo weak, that it was very hard for him to utter words, yet these were understood from him, when spoken to, as followeth C. O. told him, Here is George • Whitehead come to fee thee, Matthew.' G. W. I am come in love and tenderness to fee 'thee.' M. Hide. I am glad to fee you. G. W. If thou haft any thing on thy confcience to fpeak, I would have thee to clear thy confcience. M. Hide. What I have to fay, I fpeak in the prefence of God: as Paul was a perfecutor of the people of the Lord, fo have I been a perfecutor of you, his people, as the world are, who perfecute the children of God: (with more words, which then could not be understood.) G. W. Thy understanding being darkened, when ⚫ darkness was over thee, thou haft gainfayed the truth ⚫ and people of the Lord; and I knew that that LIGHT, which thou oppofedft, would rife up in judgment against thee: I have often, with others, laboured with thee, to bring thee to a right understanding.' M. Hide. This I declare, in the prefence of God, and of you here, I have done evil in perfecuting you, who are the children of God, and I am forry for it: the Lord Jefus Chrift fhew mercy unto me, and the Lord increase your number, and be with you! G. W. (after fome paufe) I would have thee, if thou art able to fpeak, to ease thy confcience as fully as thou canft: my foul is affected to hear thee thus confefs thy evil, as the Lord hath given thee a fenfe of it. In repentance, there is mercy and forgiveness; in confeffing and forfaking fin, there is mercy to be found with the Lord; who in the midft of judgment remembers mercy, that he may • be feared. (The faid M. H. being then much oppreffed, ftriving for breath, and lying on his back, fo that it was very hard for him to fpeak, G. W. got VOL. IV. P Joha John Ball to turn him on one fide, that he might the better speak.) M. Hide. I have done evil in oppofing you in your prayers: the Lord be merciful unto me! and as I have been an inftrument to turn many from God, the Lord raife up many inftruments to turn many to him! G. W. (after some filence) I defire thou mayst find mercy and forgiveness at the hand of the Lord. How is it with thy foul? Doft not thou find fome ease?' M. Hide. I hope I do: and if the Lord should lengthen my days, I fhould be willing to bear a teftimony for you, as publickly as I have appeared against you. (His wife then faid, It is enough; what can be • defired more?') G. W. If the Lord fhould not lengthen out thy days, doft thou defire what thou fayeft should be fignified to others?' M. Hide. Yes, I do; you may: I have faid as much as I can fay. G. W. (after fome filence) If this company be wearifome unto thee, I think we may withdraw.' M. H. You may use your freedom. G. W. I fhall leave thee to the Lord, defiring he may fhew mercy and forgiveness unto thee, as I hope he will.' M. Hide. The Lord be with your fpirits. These things were expreffed about two hours before his death, in the prefence of George Whitehead, John Ball, Cotton Oades, George Browne, and the wife of Matthew Hide, and some others. It is to be observed, before fome of the people called Quakers came to him, I, perceiving him to be much troubled in his mind, afked him, If he would fpeak with any of thofe people?' He fmote his hand upon his breaft, and faid, With all my heart. I afked him again, If he would fpeak with fome of the Quakers.' And he fmote his hand upon his breast, and faid, With all my foul;' fo fome were invited to come. Again, after they had been with him, he did oftentimes defire, That he might live till morning; it ⚫ being being the firft-day of the week; and that he might bear, on that day, a teftimony for the TRUTH, he had on that day fo often oppofed.' He alfo faid, He ⚫ had fince found some ease to his fpirit.' And I being a filver-spinster, and he understanding that I wrought to people that were great in the world, he took me by the hand, and did prefs it much upon me, That I 'fhould use the plain language, as thee, and thou; and if they would not receive it, I fhould let my trade go. And after fome more words to this purpose spoken by him, in a good understanding, he ftretched himself out, and died very quietly. To the fubftance of this relation concerning my husband's expreffions, on his death-bed, concerning the people called Quakers, I was an ear-witness, and Mary Fooks too. Elizabeth Hide. To all atheistical, perfecuting, and contentious oppofers of the univerfal light of Jefus in the confcience, and particularly thofe that are disturbers and vilifiers of them that believe in him, at their public meetings to worship God, according to the illumination and motion of that blessed principle. O you all a warning, in the name and fear of God, that you leave off your vain thoughts, your chaffy, loofe, and unfavoury words, and rebellious practices, against the light of JESUS in your own confciences; and that you dread any more to revile, backbite, disturb, or flander his poor people, that have believed in him, and that follow him according to the fhinings of his bleffed light in their hearts: fpeak not evilly of that you do not know; much lefs go you on to kick against those pricks in your own confciences, as Saul did, left you become entirely hardened in your gain-fayings, and the Lord God cut you off in his fore displeasure. O that you would confider your latter P 2 end, |