The Project Gutenberg eBook of Gleanings from the Works of George Fox, by Dorothy M. Richardson

George Fox may be variously described. If we look at him from the standpoint of orthodox Catholicism we shall see a heretical genius, a man who tried to re-organise the church and succeeded in establishing a sect—in defiance of the fact of the rarity of the religious and the still greater rarity of the mystical temperament—upon a basis of mystical opportunism, in a condition of divorce from sacraments, culture and tradition.

From the Protestant point of view he becomes the man who made a temporarily successful attempt to undermine the authority of the Scriptures; his failure being attested by the return of the majority of the Quakers, from the third generation onwards, to biblicism—their tacit throwing up of their earlier position with regard to the inward light.

The “free” churches find in Fox the collector and organizer of a type of Christian believers whose shining record has so fully justified his essential soundness and unity with the main purpose of Christendom that minor differences may be ignored.

Students of mysticism, Christian mysticism in particular, seeing Fox as one in the long line of those who have adventured into the undivided truth they find stirring within their own souls, have placed him amongst the grand “actives” of European mysticism.

Here and there an attempt has been made to disentangle the essential distinction of the man himself from his relation to groups and abstract ideas, and to show that distinctive character working itself out in his life and writings, and in the varying history of the church he founded.

II.

To the present writer George Fox appeals not only by the inherent strength of his mystical genius, not only because amongst his fellows in the mystical family he is, characteristically, the practical western layman, the market-place witness for the spiritual consciousness in every man, but also because he is, essentially, the English mystic—because he represents, at the height of its first blossoming, the peculiar genius of the English “temperament.” He is English particularism, English independency and individualism expressed in terms of religion, and offering its challenge, for the first time, in the open to all the world. This is his unique contribution to the evolution of Christendom.

His fellows and predecessors, the German mystics of the fourteenth and seventeenth centuries, brought, it is true, the same message, the same account of the pathway to reality as did Fox, but they brought it in a restricted form. They were largely dominated by tradition, they remained, most of them, within the official church, and those who did not met secretly and laboured behind closed doors. It was in George Fox that religious particularism, the outcome of the civilization whose cradle was the little isolated homesteads upon the Scandinavian fiords, reached its full flower. With him there re-appears in the form of an experiment in everyday life, in the heart of the modern state, the truth that dawned in Palestine sixteen hundred years before, the truth that was side-tracked but never quite lost amidst the policies, expediencies and jealousies of the official church, that has been clearing and elaborating itself with increasing steadiness ever since the seventeenth century, the truth that only in individuality carried to its full term can we find the basis of unity. Unity amongst Fox and his followers is the fruit and fulfilment of separateness. In order truly to love his neighbour, a man must first love himself. He must achieve singleness of soul, must discover that within him which is of God; that which “speaks” with him only in the solitude of his inner being.

The unit, with Fox, is never, except incidentally, the group; never, except incidentally, the family; but the single human soul faced with its individual consciousness, the germ of truth, goodness, beauty, light, love, God, it bears within itself, the seed of God present in all human kind.

He stands for liberty, for trust and toleration in a day of unchallenged religious and civil antagonisms and authoritarianisms. He stands for love, for the essential harmony of the creation in a day when warfare was the unquestioned and “divinely-appointed” method of settling international differences, and litigation and debate the accepted steersmen of private relationships.

III.

This particularist genius and his fellows represent the keenest moment in one of those periods in its religious experience when humanity becomes aware of the wider life to which it belongs, when working on, God-led and God-inspired, part blind, part seeing, making in dark and desert places the uttermost venture of faith, suddenly, on an instant, it finds God.

A subsequent enormously enhanced fruitfulness, the amazing development of “thought” and “science,” our long sojourn amidst the great desert of “facts,” the final well-nigh despairing state of spiritual aridity that synchronised with the neo-Darwinian mechanistic definitions of life, is now once more in our day giving place to a home-coming, a new phase of spiritual realization.

It is just at this turning moment, in the dawn-light of this new liberating contact, world-wide this time, free altogether from the swathing bands of cloister and cult that we begin to have a clearer understanding of the message of the mystics in general and in particular of the challenge of our own George Fox.

IV.

Fox’s message found instant response from the heart of the most vital religious life of his day. From the midst of the small isolated groups who—surrounded by the institutional and doctrinal confusion following immediately upon the decentralization of authority in the art and science of the religious life, and persisting throughout the post-reformation century—were feeling their own way to God, his followers came forth. They, these friends of truth as they called themselves, were to live out the first phase of the liberation of the religious life. Dispensing with symbols and observances, they strove to sink the whole personal life into the divine life and love they felt stirring within them, to seek this perpetually, to let it flow out and through all the circumstances of their daily commerce, to seek and appeal to this alone, in all mankind.

If Fox had been only the liberator of the mystical forces moving and quickening under the drying crust of official and authoritarian theology, he would have left on the outward form of the religious life of his country as little mark as did his great brother Boehme on his. But he was more than liberator. He was also steersman. It was his organizing genius that laid the foundation of a new religious culture; a culture in which sacraments and symbols, politics and authoritarianism should play no part—a culture which took no account of “persons,” “notions,” or “theories,” which put being before “knowing,” intuition before intellection, which dared to trust in and enquire of women, not in name only, but in fact.

The vitality of the society he founded is the test of the organizing genius of this “madman.”

It has had its critical period. At the beginning of the eighteenth century it sank into Quietism, and thence back to a pre-Quaker pietist biblicism, in which the nature of Fox’s contribution to religion—his restatement, both in life and in church method of the immediacy, the “originality” of the Christ-life, the life of God in man—was almost lost to view. But the culture-ground, the means of grace, the Quaker “method” of quiet waiting on God, the unflinching faith, remained untouched, the little church survived and in due time revival took place. To-day, in spite of the strong leaven of biblicism, the Quaker church serves (as I have pointed out elsewhere) [1] as a sorting-house for mystics and persons of the mystical type, and lies a radiating centre of divine common-sense, of practical loving wisdom at the heart of English religious life.

VI.

What Fox did with the unconsciousness of genius, modern thought is elaborating and explaining. “Experts” in all departments of knowledge are at the confessional declaring their bankruptcy. Science admits her helplessness to do more than collect and describe phenomena, and begs implicitly to rank as a servant rather than a guide (thereby, incidentally coming for the first time to her full height and value).

Metaphysic, come out at last from her academic seclusion to the light of common day, points the way to the threshold of reality, declares that we may possess and be possessed by it, not via the intellect, but directly by intuition. This reality that we ignorantly worship the mystics have declared to us as goodness, beauty and truth. Fox called it God in man, the life, the seed, the divine light latent in every son of man, and once in the life of this planet fully and completely informing a human frame.

PART I.
NARRATIVE PASSAGES.

Narrative Passages.

Self-Revelation.

Then the Lord gently led me along, and let me see His love, which was endless and eternal, surpassing all the knowledge men have in the natural state or can obtain from history or books, and that love let me see myself as I was without him. I was afraid of all company, for I saw them perfectly where they were, through the love of God which let me see myself. I had not fellowship with any people, priests or professors or any sort of separated people, but with Christ, who hath the key, and opened the door of Light and Life unto me. I was afraid of all carnal talk and talkers, for I could see nothing but corruptions and the life lay under the burthen of corruptions. When I myself was in the deep, shut up under all, I could not believe that I should ever overcome, my troubles, my sorrows, and my temptations were so great, that I thought many times I should have despaired I was so tempted.

The Inner Light.

Now the Lord opened to me by His invisible power that every man was enlightened by the divine light of Christ; and I saw it shine through all; and that they that believed in it came out of condemnation to the light of life and became the children of it; but they that hated it and did not believe in it were condemned by it, though they made a profession of Christ. This I saw in the pure openings of the light without the help of any man; neither did I then know where to find it in the Scriptures, though afterwards searching the Scriptures I found it. For I saw in that light and spirit which was before the Scriptures were given forth and which led the holy men of God to give them forth, that all must come to that Spirit, if they would know God or Christ or the Scripture aright which they that gave him forth were led and taught by.

A New Creation.

Now I was come up in spirit through the flaming sword into the paradise of God. All things were new and all the creation gave another smell unto me beyond what words can utter. I knew nothing but pureness and innocency and righteousness.

The Vision from the Hill-top.

And so we passed on warning people as we met them of the day of the Lord that was coming upon them, and as we went I spied a great hill called Pendle Hill, and I went on the top of it with much ado it was so steep. But I was moved of the Lord to get atop of it. And when I came atop of it I saw Lancashire sea (and there atop of the hill I was moved to sound the day of the Lord), and the Lord let me see atop of the hill in what places he had a great people, and so on the hill’s side I found a spring of water and refreshed myself, for I had eaten little and drunk little for several days.

A Blow from a Bible.

And I went out of the meeting to the steeple-house and the priest and most of the heads of the parish was got up into the chancel and so I went up to them and when I began to speak they fell upon me and the clerk up with his Bible as I was speaking and hit me in the face that my face gushed out with blood, that I bled exceedingly in the steeple-house, and so the people cried, “Let’s have him out of the church” (as they called it) and when they had me out they exceedingly beat me and threw me down and threw me over a hedge and after dragged me through a house into the street stoning and beating me, and they got my hat from me which I never got again and I was all over besmeared with blood.

A Mobbing.

A company of rude fellows as fishermen and the like with their fishing poles and the like fell upon me as soon as I was come to land, and beat me down to the ground and bruised my body and head and all over my shoulders and back that when I was sensible again I looked up and a man was lying over my shoulders and a woman was throwing stones at my face so I got up and I could hardly tell whether my head was cloven to pieces it was so bruised. Nevertheless I was raised up by the power of God and they beat me with their fishing-poles into the sea and thrust me into the sea a great depth and thought to have sunk me down into the water; and so I thrust up amongst them again and then they tumbled me in a boat, and James Lancaster went with me and carried me over the water and when I came to the town where the man had bound himself with an oath to shoot me all the town rose up against me, some with muck forks and some with flayles and forks and cried knock him on the head, I should not go through the town and they called for a cart to carry me to the graveyard and cried, Knock him on the head, but they did not, but guarded me a great way with their weapons but did not much abuse me and after a while left me, so when I came to some water I washed me. I was very dirty and much bruised.

A Night Among the Furze Bushes.

And after a while I went to an inn and desired them to let me have a lodging and they would not, and desired them to let me have a little meat and 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. And after I was passed a pretty way out of the town I came to another house and desired them to let me have a little meat and drink and lodging for my money but they would not neither, but denied me. And I came to another house and desired the same, but they refused me also, and then it grew so dark that I could not see the high way and I discovered a ditch and got a little water and refreshed myself and got over the ditch and sat amongst the furze bushes, being weary with travelling, till it was day.

A Long Cold Winter.

And so they committed me again to close prison, and Colonel Kirby gave order to the goaler that no flesh alive must come at me for I was not fit to be discoursed with by men. So I was put up in a smoky tower where the smoke of the other rooms came up and stood as a dew upon the walls, where it rained in also upon my bed. And the smoke was so thick as I could hardly see a candle sometimes, and many times locked under three locks. And the under-goaler would hardly come up to unlock one of the upper doors; the smoke was so thick that I almost smothered with smoke and so starved with cold and rain that my body was almost numbed, and my body swelled with the cold.

A Tortured Body.

And I went to bed but I was so weak with bruises I was not able to turn me and the next day they hearing of it at Swarthmore they sent a horse for me and as I was riding the horse knocked his foot against a stone and stumbled that it shook me and pained me as it seemed worse to me than all my blows my body was so tortured; so I came to Swarthmore and my body was exceedingly bruised....

And Judge Fell asked me to give him a relation of my persecution and I told him they could do no otherwise they were in such a spirit, and they manifested their priests fruits and profession and religion.

A Meeting in a Steeple-house.

He began to oppose me, and I told him his glass was gone, his time was out, the place was as free for me as for him, and he accused me that I had broken the law in speaking to him in his time in the morning and I told him he had broken the law, then, in speaking in my time. And so I called all people to the true teacher out of the hirelings, such as teach for the fleece and makes a prey upon the people, for the Lord was come to teach his people himself by his spirit and Christ saith, Learn of me I am the way which doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, that all through him might believe, and so to learn of him who had enlightened them, who was the light, and so had a brave meeting in the steeple-house and the priest of the parish foamed like a pig through rage and madness but the truth and the power of the Lord came over all their heads.

A Vision.

And I saw a vision a man and two mastiff dogs and a bear and I passed by them and they smiled upon me.

The Power of Truth.

The justices whispered together and bid the goaler take us away and so the goaler brought us away and almost all the people followed us out of the court and it was a mighty day for the truth. And so when I came into the goaler’s house the goaler said, Gentlemen, you are all set at liberty and you know I must have my fees, but give me what you will, which a great service to the truth it was. And the sessions was just like a meeting, truth had such an operation in people’s hearts.

A Consistent Sheriff.

In the evening I was brought to the sheriff’s house and the sheriff’s wife said that salvation was come to her house and all their family was wrought upon by the power of the Lord and they believed in the truth and this being the first day of the week the next seventh day the sheriff himself spake the truth in a pair of slippers in the market amongst the people.

Unity with the Creation.

And so after the meeting was done I passed away to John Audlands and there came John Story to me and lighted his pipe of tobacco and, said he, will you take a pipe of tobacco saying come, all is ours. And I looked upon him to be a forward bold lad and tobacco I did not take, but it came into my mind that the lad might think I had not unity with the creation. For I saw he had a flashy empty notion of religion. So I took his pipe and put it to my mouth and gave it to him again to stop him lest his rude tongue should say I had not unity with the creation....

One Cocks met me in the street and would have given me a roll of tobacco ... so I accepted of his love but denied it.

An Airy Damsel.

And the next morning there was a lady sent for me and she had a teacher at her house.

And they was both very light, airy, people and was too light to receive the weighty things of God. And in her lightness she came and asked me whether she should cut my hair. And I was moved to reprove her and bid her cut down the corruptions in her with the sword of the spirit of God. And so after I had admonished her we passed away; and, after, she made her boast in her frothy mind that she came behind me and cut off a lock of my hair, which was a lie.

A Fat and Merry Captain.

And this captain was the fattest, merriest, cheerfullest man and the most given to laughter that I ever met with so that I several times was moved of the Lord to speak to him in the dreadful power of the Lord and yet still he would presently after laugh at anything that he saw; and I still admonished him to sobriety and the fear of the Lord and sincerity. And we lay at an inn at night and the next morning I was moved to speak to him again, and then he parted from us the next morning. But he confessed next time I saw him that the power of the Lord had so amazed him that before he got home he was serious enough and left his laughing. And the man came to be convinced and become a serious and good man and died in the truth.

A Highnotionist.

And after the meeting was done the pastor came and asked me what must be damned, being a highnotionist and a flashy man. And I was moved of a sudden to tell him that which spoke in him was to be damned, which stopped the pastor’s mouth. And the witness of God was raised up in him.

Burning a Witch.

And from thence we went to Edinburgh again and many thousands of people was gathered there and abundance of priests about burning of a witch and I was moved to declare the day of the Lord amongst them and so went from thence to the meeting and a many rude people and baptists came in and there the baptists began with their logic and syllogisms but I was moved in the Lord’s power to thresh their chaffy light minds; and showed the people after that manner of light discoursing they might make white black and black white.

Discerners of Spirits.

And there came another company that pretended they were triers of spirits; and I asked them a question: what was the first step to peace, and what it was by which a man might see his salvation? And they was up in the air and said I was mad. So such came to try spirits as did not know themselves nor their own spirits.

Prisoners Spreading the Truth.

And when friends was got among the watches it would be a fortnight or three weeks before they could get out of them again for no sooner had one party taken them and carried them before the justices and they had discharged them but then another would take them up and carry them before other justices which put the country to a great deal of needless cost and charges. And that which they thought to have stopped the truth by was the means to spread it so much the more. For then friends was continually moved to speak to one constable and to the other officer and justice and this caused the truth to spread the more amongst them in all their parishes.

A Veiled Condition.

When at any time my condition was veiled, my secret belief was stayed firm, and hope underneath held me, as an anchor in the bottom of the sea and anchored my immortal soul to its Bishop causing it to swim above the sea, the world, where all the raging waves, foul weather, tempests and temptations are. But O! then did I see my troubles trials and temptations more clearly than ever I had done. As the light appeared, all appeared that is out of the light; darkness, death, temptations, the unrighteous, the ungodly; all was manifest and seen in the light.

PART II.
SPECIAL TESTIMONIES.

I.
Business Life.

Prices.

And is it not more savoury to ask no more than you will have for your commodity [2] ; to keep yea and nay in your communication, and here will be an equal balancing of things and a consideration before you utter words and a using of this world as though you used it not; and a possessing as though you possessed not.

Honesty in Business.

But at the first convincement when friends could not put off their hats to people nor say you to a particular but thee and thou, and could not bow nor use the world’s salutations, nor fashions, nor customs. And many friends being tradesmen of several sorts, they lost their custom at the first. For the people would not trade with them nor trust them; and for a time people that were tradesmen could hardly get money enough to buy bread. But afterwards when people came to see friends, honesty and truthfulness and yea and nay at a word in their dealing and their lifes and conversations did preach and reach to the witness of God in all people and they knew and saw that they would not cozen and cheat them for conscience sake toward God; and that at last they might send any child and be as well used as themselves at any of their shops.

The Reputation of Friends.

Now that Friends are become a good savour in the hearts of all people, lose it not but rather increase it in the life. For at first ye know that many could not take so much money in your trade as to buy bread with. All people stood aloof from you, when you stood upright and gave them the plain language and were at a word. But now that through the life you come to answer that of God in all they say that they will trust you before their own people, knowing that you will not cheat, nor wrong, nor cozen nor oppress them. For the cry is now where is there a Quaker of such and such a trade? O, therefore, Friends, who have purchased this through great sufferings lose not through great favour which God hath given unto you.

And now, Friends, if there be any oppression, exaction or defrauding by making a prize, through the freedom which God hath given you the world will say, The Quakers are not as they were; therefore such should be exhorted to equity and truth.

Absorption in Trade.

For when ye were faithful at the first, the world would refrain from you and not have commerce with you; but after when they saw ye were faithful and just in things and righteous and honest in your tradings and dealings then they came to have commerce and trade with you, the more because they knew ye will not cozen them nor cheat them. Then ye came to have greater trading, double than ever ye had and more than the world. But there is the danger and temptation to you of drawing your minds into your business and clogging them with it, so that ye can hardly do anything to the service of God, but there will be crying my business, my business! and your minds will go into the things and not over the things.

Debt.

And all, of what trade or calling soever, keep out of debts; owe to no man anything but love. Go not beyond your estates, lest ye bring yourselves to trouble and cumber and a snare; keep low and down in all things ye act. For a man that would be great and goes beyond his estate, lifts himself up, runs into debt and lives highly of other men’s means; he is a waster of other men’s, and a destroyer. He is not serviceable to the creation, but a destroyer of the creation and creatures and cumbereth himself and troubleth others and is lifted up, who would appear to be somebody; but being from the honest, the just, the good, falls into shame.

In All Husbandry.

So in all husbandry speak truth, act truth, doing justly and uprightly in all your actions, in all your practices, in all your words, in all your dealings, buyings, sellings, changings, and commerce with people, let truth be the head and practice it.

II.
The Inward Light.

Every Man.

The First Step.

Oh wait upon God for his power, for there is a seed of God in thee. Oh take heed of thy own wisdom, for that thou wilt find to be an enemy, or the comprehending the things of God in thy mind.

Waiting for the Light.

Now if thou waitest in Christ and mindest him in thee (and then waitest for his appearing) and keepest within and dost not follow Lo, here’s Christ, Lo, there’s Christ, without thee, thou wilt have peace presently and witness him, who is the substance of the prophets and apostles and the Scriptures, made manifest in thee to guide to the father, the Lord God of heaven and earth; and waiting for the spirit of the Lord within thee to guide thy mind thou wilt find thy strength daily renewed.

The Cleansing Light.

To that which doth command all these spirits where heats and burnings come in, in that wait which cleans them down and cools.

The Revealing Light.

Who art thou that queriest in thy mind what is that which I feel that condemneth me when I do evil and justifieth me when I do well, what is it? I will tell thee. Lo! He that formeth the mountains and created the winds and declareth unto man what is his thoughts, that maketh the morning darkness and tradeth upon high places of the earth. The Lord, the God of Hosts is his name.

Though you see little and know little and have little, and see your nakedness and barrenness and unfruitfulness and see the hardness of your hearts and your own unworthiness it is the Light that discovers all this and the love of God to you and it is that which is immediate, but the dark understanding cannot comprehend it.

The Regulating Light.

Therefore have salt in yourselves and be low in heart. The light is low in you and it will teach you to be low and to learn that lesson of Jesus Christ to the plucking down all high thoughts and imaginations.

The Discerning Light.

Mind every one that which is of God in you, to teach you to walk to God and before him; and as it teacheth you and enlightens your understandings it will teach you how to direct others and so to judge of things eternal so far as that is borne up in your understandings which is eternal, and as everyone hath a measure, so every one to prove his talent and not limit God to learned men (as hath long been) which have learned but their natural languages, so their original ground and religion is external, their word and light is external and their gifts and preachings is an external gift and they go to you magistrates who hath an external law to uphold them in their external ministry. For your law doth alter and exchange, which is external. Now that which is external, with it to judge things eternal cannot be, (but limit God). For he that hath the first gift of God hath that which is perfect and that which is perfect is eternal, and such hath a discerning to know the gift of God from the gift of man.

Walking in this light it enlightens your consciences and understandings, walking in it you have union one with another. For the light is but one which will discover all imagined light, false worships, ways and churches and draw you up to the church in God the fountain of light.

Hating the Light.

Wait all in the light which Christ Jesus hath enlightened you withal, that with the light you may see Christ Jesus from whence it comes and may receive power from Christ who hath all power in heaven and earth given to him which if ye have the light and do not believe in it which ye are enlightened withal which light lets you see, mark, the light lets you see your deeds whether they be wrought in God or no ... but hating this light, which lets see it, will be your condemnation.

Dwelling in the Light.

All friends to be kept cool and quiet in the power of the Lord God and all that is contrary will be subjected, the lamb hath the victory, the seed is the patience.

Oh therefore let not the mind go forth from God; for if it do it will be stained, venomed and corrupted. If the mind go forth from the Lord it is hard to bring it in again; therefore take heed of the enemy, and keep in the faith of Christ. To live and walk in the spirit of God is joy and peace and life; but the mind going forth into the creatures or into any visible things from the Lord, this bringeth death.

Now when the mind is got into the flesh and into death, the accuser gets within and the law of sin and death gets into the flesh. Then the life suffers under the law of sin and death, and then there is straightness and failings.

Take heed of conforming to the world, and of reasoning with flesh and blood, for that bringeth disobedience. But the obedience of faith destroyeth imaginations and questionings and all the temptations in the flesh and buffettings and lookings forth and fetching up things that are past.

And dwelling in the light, there is no occasion at all of stumbling, for all things are discovered with the light. Thou that lovest it, here is thy teacher. When thou art walking abroad it is present with thee in thy bosom. Thou needest not to say lo, here, or, lo, there; and as thou liest in thy bed it is present to teach thee and judge thy wandering mind which wanders abroad, and thy high thoughts and imaginations and makes them subject. For following thy thoughts thou art quickly lost. But dwelling in this light it will discover to thee the body of sin and thy corruptions and fallen estate where thou art.

In that light which shows thee all this, stand. Neither go to the right hand nor to the left. Here is patience exercised, here is thy will subjected. Here thou wilt see the mercies of God made manifest in death. Here thou wilt see the drinking of the waters of Shiloah, which run softly.

III.
Justice.

Laws against God.

An Unjust Judge.

How hast thou strengthened the hands of the evil doers and been a praise to them and not to them that do well. How like a mad man and a blind man didst thou turn thy sword backward against the saints, against whom there is no law. How wilt thou be gnawed and burned one day when thou feels the flame, and hast the plagues of God poured upon thee, when thou beginnest to gnaw thy tongue for the pain, because of the plague. Thou shalt have thy reward according to thy work. Thou canst not escape. The Lord’s righteous judgments shall find thee out the witness in thy conscience shall answer it.

True Justice.

None is worthy to have the name of a magistrate that is proud, peevish, selfish, crabbed; or that is wilful or wicked or that is heady or high-minded; for the higher power is to chain such from their intents and mischievous ends that they would do and wrong the innocent with their unrighteous intents; and such as touching judgment are blind, that be perverse and full of ambition and pride, such forgets God and he is not in their thoughts, these feel not the burden that the innocent bears and groans under; for such as be there be in that nature that burdens the just in particular and in the general; before whose eyes the fear of God is not, who makes a prey upon the just....

So as ye all, magistrates, be kept in the fear of God and in the higher power, in the true understanding and true wisdom which is pure, gentle, from above, easy to be entreated. It will bring you to the true instructions and there, being in them, it will bring you to instruct all others wherever you come.

Coercion.

And now I do in humility desire you to consider did ever Christ and His apostles force any to be of his true religion and worship, and if that they would not then to give forth orders to take away their goods and their very beds and their corn which should make them bread, their cattle which should help to maintain them and their cows which should give them milk, their clothes they should wear to keep them warm and their tools they should work withal to get their living? Did not Christ on the contrary exhort Christians to love one another and to love enemies ?

While there is prejudice in the officers, judges, justices or rulers, whilst he is passionate, out of the humbleness and humility, out of the mercy, out of the patience, in the wilfulness, in the stubbornness, sturdiness, highmindedness, minding the persons respecting that—under this doth the just groan and under this doth the just feel the weight which feels the want of the true measure and cries for the true measure and puts up petitions to the lord who hears and answers the cries of the oppressed and removes the oppressor and brings him to shame and contempt though for a time he hath a day of honour and glory, but such, the Lord of glory their day doth shorten, often in turning them out and cutting them off bringing his righteous judgments upon them who rightly hath not judged. Such, God measures their ways, God gives to them measure and just weight according to their works. Therefore, all the rulers of the earth be awakened with the measure of God, be awakened to righteousness and to the measure of God. All take heed to give your minds up to God whereby ye may stand all in God’s counsel, to receive that from God which shall never be shaken, whereby with it ye may answer that of God in every man and be to the Lord a praise and a terror to the nations about you; for true justice and judgment being set up and being in the hands of such as have the true measure to reach that of God in every man, then that of God in every man shall answer his measure and having the true weight to weigh things aright that of God in every man shall witness his weight to be just and his measure not too short, for he gives to every man his due....

I am moved to charge all to be meek, to be humble, to be patient and not to be rash nor to be heady nor to be fierce, but to be gentle and fear before the Lord God whereby you may receive his wisdom.

Speedy Justice.

And I also wrote to the judges what a sore thing it was that prisoners should lie so long in goal, and how they learned badness one of another in talking of their bad things and therefore speedy justice should have been done. For I was a tender youth in the fear of God and I was grieved to hear their bad language and was made often to reprove them for their words and bad carriage each towards other.

IV.
Meetings and Ministry.

Silent Ministry.

My dear friends, keep your meetings, and ye will feel the seed to arise, though never a word be spoken amongst you.

Joining a Silent Meeting.

So, friends, the word of the Lord to you all in all meetings you come into when they are sitting silent. They are many times in their own. Now a man when he is come out of the world he cometh out of the dirt, then he must not be rash, for now when he cometh into a silent meeting, that is another state; then he must come and feel his own spirit how it is when he cometh to them that sit silent, for if he be rash then they will judge him. When he had been in the world and among the world the heat is not out of him for he may come in the heat of his spirit out of the world. Now the other is still and cool, so his condition in that is not to theirs, he may rather do them hurt, beget them out of the cool state into the heating state if he be not in that which commands his own spirit and gives him to know it.

Silent Waiting.

It is good for a man to bear the iniquity of his youth, he sitteth alone and keepeth silence because he hath borne it upon him, now that which hath acted iniquity might come into the silence before the just which comes out of the iniquity doth come to reign and have dominion ... the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the son of God, ... and is come to that condition that they do not know what they should pray for but in spirit make intercession with sighs and groans.

Stand Up.

Stand up ye prophets of the Lord for the truth upon the earth; quench not your prophecy, neither heed them that despise it.

The True Balance.

Despise not the prophecy ... neither be lifted up in your openings, lest ye depart from that which opened.

Sitting Down Without Speaking.

We had a general meeting of many thousands of people atop of a hill. Heavenly and glorious it was. And the glory of the Lord did shine over all. And there was as many as one could well speak over, there was such a multitude. And their eyes were kept to Christ their teacher and they came to sit under their vine, that a friend, afterwards Francis Howgill in the ministry, went amongst them, and when he was moved to stand up amongst them, he saw they had no need of words. For they was all sitting down under their teacher Christ Jesus, so he was moved to sit down again amongst them without speaking anything.

Move Abroad in the Spirit of Obedience.

Now when anyone shall be moved to go to speak in a steeple-house or market, turn in that which moves and be obedient to it. Now that which would not go must be kept down, for that same that would not go will get up. And take heed that the lavishing part do not get up. For it is a bad savour and must be kept down and be kept subject.

Quenching the Spirit.

Though many have run out and gone beyond their measures yet many more have quenched the measure of the spirit of God and after become dead and dull and questioned through a false fear; and so there hath been hurt both ways.

Belief in the power keeps the spring open, and none to despise prophecy, neither to quench the spirit, so that all may be kept open to the spring, that every one’s cup may run over.

Be Neither Hasty nor Backward.

So every one stand in the power of the Lord that reacheth the seed of God which is the heir of the promise of life without end, and none to be hasty to speak for you have time enough. For with an eye you may reach the witness. And none to be backward when you are moved, for that brings destruction.

Missing the Moment.

Now none must ever go forth into words after they have moved and quenched that which moved them.

Danger of Impulsive Testimony.

Now when the seed is up in every particular then there is no danger. But now when there is an opening and prophecy and the power stirs before the seed comes up, then there is something that will rash out and run out. There is the danger and there must be the fear and the patience.

Borrowed Testimony.

Let no Friends go beyond their own measure given them of God, nor rejoice in another man’s line made ready to their hands.

Concerning Judging in Meetings.

Friends, do not judge one another in meetings, ye that do minister in the meetings; for your so doing hath hurt the people both within and without and yourselves under their judgment ye have brought. And your judging one another in the meetings hath emboldened others to quarrel and judge you also in the meetings. And this hath been all out of order and the church order also. Now if you have anything to say to any, stay till the meeting be done, and then speak to them in private between yourselves, and do not lay open another’s weakness. For that is weakness and not wisdom to do so. For your judging one another in meetings hath almost destroyed some Friends and distracted them. And this for want of love that beareth all things; and therefore let it be amended. No more, but my love.

Recrimination.

Friends, go not into the aggravating part to strive with it, lest ye do hurt to your souls and run into the same nature. For patience must get the victory and answers to that of God in every one which will bring every one from the contrary.

Strife and Debate.

Where any goeth into the contention he is from the pure. For where any goeth into the contention if anything by him before hath been begotten then that doth get atop and spoil that which was begotten and quench his own prophesy. So if he be not subjected with the power in the particular which would arise into the strife, that is dangerous.

Boasting and Vapouring.

None must be light, out, wild. For the seed of God that is weighty and brings solid and into the wisdom of God by which is the wisdom of the creation known. Now that which runs into the imaginations and that part standing in which the imaginations come up, the pure not quite come up through to rule and reign, then that will run out, then that will glory; and so he hath spoiled that which opened to him and will boast and vapour, which is for condemnation.

Heady Stuff.

With the heart man doth believe, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation; first, he has it in his heart, before it comes out of his mouth, and this is beyond that brain-beaten—heady stuff which man has long studied, about the saints’ words which holy men of God spake forth as they were moved by the holy ghost: so the holy ghost moved them before they came forth and spake them.

Hypocrisy.

For many are crept in unawares, who are self-ended, slow-bellies, who love this world more than the cross of Christ, who are got high in the form and have great swelling words which they can utter for their advantage in earthly things, deceiving the simple therewith.

Saying and Doing.

For there are children of darkness that will talk of the light and of the truth and not walk in it.

All they which preached faith and made shipwreck of faith, were and are still, denied. All such as preach the light and walk in darkness, and preach the spirit (the fruits of which are love and peace) and are in enmity, were never owned by God, nor Christ, nor good men, though they may be called Christians. All such as cry, Lord, Lord, and preach Christ, Christ, and do not his will, enter not into his kingdom themselves, and into it they can bring none. They are deceivers of their own souls and they may deceive others with their good words; but such cannot be reconciled to God, neither can they bring others to reconciliation with God.

Keep down all Uncleanness.

Keep your meetings in the power of the Lord God ... that all uncleanness whatsoever may, by the power of the Lord, be brought down and rooted out; and that such have no rule nor authority amongst you, though they be never so fair or excellent of speech.

They had Spoken Themselves Dry.

Now they had had great meetings. So I told them that after they had had such meetings they did not wait upon God to feel his power to gather their minds together, to feel his presence and power and therein to sit to wait upon him, for they had spoken themselves dry and spent their portions and not lived in that which they spoke, and now they were dry. They had some kind of meetings but took tobacco and drunk ale in them and so grew light and loose.

But my message unto them was from the Lord that they might all come together again and wait to feel the Lord’s power and spirit in themselves to gather them to Christ, and to be taught of him who says, learn of me.

For after when they had declared that which the Lord had opened to them then the people was to receive it, and the speakers, and they was to live in that themselves.

But when they had no more to declare but to go to seek forms without life, that made themselves dry and barren, and the people. And thence came all their loss. For the Lord renews his mercies, and his strength if they would wait upon him. But the heads of them all came to nothing. But most of the people came to be convinced.

Before Utterance.

Let all live in the seed and wisdom and fear, and consider before they utter, that the light be up whereby all may be settled and they themselves be washed.

After Utterance.

So if anyone have a moving to any place and have spoken what they were moved of the Lord, return to their habitation again and live in the pure life of God and fear of the Lord. And so will you in the life and in the sober and seasoned spirit be kept and preach as well in life as with words.

And when any have spoken forth the things of the Lord by his power and spirit, let them keep in the power and spirit, that keeps them in the humility that when they have spoken forth the things of God they are neither higher nor lower, but still keep in the power, before and after.

Elders.

And ye that are led forth to exhort or to reprove, do it with all diligence, taking all opportunities, reproving that which devours the creation and thereby destroys the very human reason. For the truth doth preserve every thing in its place.

Simple-hearted Ones.

And beware of discouraging any in the work of God. The labourers are few that are faithful to God. Take heed of hurting the gift which God hath given to profit withal, whereby ye have received life through death and a measure of peace by the destruction of evil.

And all take heed to your spirits. That which is hasty discerns not the good seed. Take heed of being corrupted by flatteries. They that know their God shall be strong. But take heed of labouring to turn aside the just for a thing of naught, but know the precious from the vile, the clean from the unclean. “These shall be as my mouth” saith the Lord, for his work is great and his gifts diverse. And therefore all mind your gift, mind your measure, mind your calling and your work. Some speak to the conscience, some plough and break the clods, some weed out and some sow, some wait that fowls devour not the seed. But wait all for the gathering of the simple-hearted ones.

Tender Bubblings.

All my dear friends in the noble seed of God who have known his power, life, and presence among you, let it be your joy to hear or see the springs of life break forth in any in which you have all unity in the same feeling, life and power. And above all things take heed of judging, ever, anyone openly in your meeting except they be openly profane, rebellious, such as be out of the truth, that by power and life and wisdom you may stand over them, and by it answer the witness of God in the world, that such is none of you whom you bear your testimony against. So that there in the truth stand clear and single. But such as are tender, if they should be moved to bubble forth a few words and speak in the seed and lamb’s power, suffer and bear that that is the tender. And if they should go beyond their measure bear it in the meeting for peace sake and order, that the spirits of the world be not moved against you, but that when the meeting is done then if any thing should be moved of anyone to speak to them between yourselves or one or two of you that feel it in the life and the love and wisdom that is pure ... so in this you have order, you have edification.

Concerns to Travel Abroad.

Now there is a great danger in travelling abroad in the world, the same power that moves them is it must keep them. For it is the greatest danger to go abroad except a man be moved of the Lord, by the power of the Lord; for then he, keeping in the power, is kept in his journey and in his work and it will preserve him to answer the transgressed and keep above the transgressor. So now everyone feeling the danger to his own particular in travelling abroad there the pure fear of the Lord will be placed. For now though one may have openings when they are abroad to minister to others, but as for their own particular growth is to dwell in the life which doth open. And it will keep down that which will boast; for the minister comes into the death to that which is in the death and in prison, and to return up again into the life and into the power and into the wisdom to preserve him clean.

Paid Ministry.

Now as concerning priests and teachers who will not preach without a sum of money ... such the higher power silenceth that useth their tongue, whose doubts is for outward maintenance and taking thought for that, such are in the state of the Gentiles, the Kingdoms of the world and seeking for that and not for the Kingdom of God, and the righteousness of it first, which the other things follow. If this were found and a word from the Lord received and his counsel stood in, people would be turned from their evil ways, there would be no want for outward things. But if they be priests and readers of the law to the people, then they must have their pulpit of wood and a thing made ready to their hand and boast in other men’s labours. But this was not the practice of the apostles.

Consecrated Ground.

So I declared to the people that I came not to hold up their idols, temple, tithes nor priests but to declare against them and opened to the people all their traditions and that piece of ground was no more holy than another piece of ground and that they should know that their bodies were to be the temples of God and Christ and so to bring them off all the world’s hireling teachers to Christ their free teacher and directing them to the spirit and grace, and the light of Jesus that they might know both God and Christ and the Scriptures.

Business Meetings.

Let all be careful to speak shortly and pertinently to matters, in a Christian spirit and dispatch business quickly and keep out of long debates and heats; and with the Spirit of God keep that down which is doating about questions and strife of words that tend to parties and contention. In the church of God there is no such custom to be allowed. And let not more than one speak at a time; nor any in a fierce way, for that is not to be allowed in any society, either natural or spiritual.

Now dear Friends I have sent an answer to that which William Rogers hath wrote together full of lies calumnies and false reports under pretence of queries, but are charges from his rattle head to please rattle children with.

All Friends everywhere take heed of printing anything more than ye are required of the Lord God. And all Friends everywhere take heed of wandering up and down about needless occasions for there is danger of getting into the careless words out of seriousness weightiness and savouriness.

Representatives.

Now concerning those that do go to the Quarterly Meeting as representatives, they must be substantial friends that can give a testimony of your sufferings and how things are amongst you in every particular meeting. So that none that are raw or weak, that are not able to give a testimony of the affairs of the church and truth may go on behalf of the particular meetings to the quarterly meetings, but may be nursed up in your monthly meetings and there fitted for the Lord’s service.

Meeting Days.

That is a creeping spirit that would go to alter the usual and constant meeting days under pretence to prevent people from the corruptions of observing a constant day.

To all the Children of God in all Places in the World.

Keep all your meetings in the name of the Lord Jesus that be gathered in his name by his light, grace, truth, power and spirit, by which you will feel his blessed and refreshing presence among you, and in you to your comfort and God’s glory.

And now all friends, all your meetings, you do know that you have felt both His power and spirit and wisdom and blessed refreshing presence among you and in you to his praise and glory and your comfort so that you have been a city set on a hill that cannot be hid.

And although many loose and unruly spirits have risen betimes to oppose you and them both in print and other ways, but you have seen how they have come to nought.

And therefore all to stand steadfast in Christ Jesus your head, in whom you are all one, male and female and knoweth his government, and the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end.

And let no man live to self, but to the Lord, as they will die in him and seek the peace of the church of Christ, and the peace of all men in him, for blessed are the peacemakers. And dwell in the pure peaceable heavenly wisdom of God that is gentle and easy to be entreated, that is full of mercy; all striving to be of one mind, heart, soul and judgment in Christ, having his mind and spirit dwelling in you, building up one another in the love of God.

And Christ is not divided, for in him there is peace. Christ saith, in me you have peace and he is from above and not of this world. But in the world below, in the spirit of it there is trouble. Therefore keep in Christ and walk in him. Amen.

Interdependence.

And the least member in the church hath an office and is serviceable and every member hath need of another.

V.
Oaths.

Oaths.

Dear friends and brethren in all your words, in all your business and employment, have a care of breaking your words and promises to any people; but that you may consider beforehand, whether you may be able to perform and fulfil both your words and promises, that your yea be yea, and nay, nay in all things; which Christ hath set up instead of an oath and swearing.

For swearing by Baal and swearing by the temple or swearing by the altar or by the gift that was offered thereon; or swearing by the heavens or by the earth or swearing by the head, these were all inventions. Christ did not come to fulfil those vain and frivolous oaths that men commanded, and practised but the oath which God had commanded, and cried woe against them that were in the practice of those oaths which God never commanded ... and so you may see all along it was the command of the Lord and by His law and prophets that people were to swear by the Lord and perform their oath unto him which was the true oath and swearing which Christ forbad much more all other oaths....

So though swearing was lawful in the time of the law as other things and offerings, in the time of the gospel is forbidden.... So we desire that our testimony may be taken in truth and righteousness, without swearing.

So this is the word of the Lord God to you all, feel that you stand in the presence of the Lord God. For every man’s word shall be his burden.

VI.
Respecting Persons.

Honour and Glory.

And so as you honour God, with God shall you be honoured. But seek it as eagerly as you will without him it will fly from you. Through flattery you may obtain which will corrupt your judgment and let in upon you everlasting dishonour. Wherefore turn to the Lord with your whole hearts and seek his glory alone.

Flattery.

Take heed of being corrupted by flatteries. They that know their God shall be strong.

Be not carried away by good words and fair speeches, nor the affectionate part which is taken with them; but everyone have hold of the truth in yourselves.

Time-Serving.

That selfish man-pleasing and daubing spirit must be put down with the spirit and condemned with the light, else ye will presently be ridiculous to the world and to all men and they will say ye are not as ye were in the beginning.

Honour.

So you that are in place to rule and seek for honour, seek first that which is honourable and none can hold you from honour. And know it is the gift of God only to such as honour him and not themselves. Seek that glory and honour that hath immortality and eternal life, which is obtained of God by continuance in well-doing. Seek humility that goes before honour, exalt justice, set up righteousness and truth in judgment. Hold forth God’s sword to all people under you and not your own wills.... Seek first the Kingdom of God that he may rule in your own hearts over your pride, over your passion, over lust, over covetousness, over respect of persons and over all unrighteousness. So shall you set up the higher power in you for every soul to be subject to, which that of God in every conscience shall answer to.

Boast not yourselves, none of you, but be watchful and meek and learn the true humility which goes before the honour. For it is an honour for a King to find out a matter and search it out. And let there not be an eye in none of you nor an ear amongst none of you that will respect persons or have persons respected. For in such cases there will be a will that is brittle, earthly, changeable, wanting the patience to judge rightly, selfish; and stubbornness and prejudice and siding to parties more than to truth. And right judgment is blinded in these and the true measure is wanting and the true weight to weigh withal.

Hat Honour.

So I asked him (if) he were the Governor and wherefore he cast the friend into prison, and he said for standing with his hat upon his head when the minister and the people sung. And I told him had not the priest two caps upon his head, and if the friend should cut off the brim of his hat then he would have but one; for the brim was to save the rain off his neck and shoulders, and he cried, Away with these frivolous things and then I asked him why he imprisoned the friend for frivolous things.

VII.
The Scriptures.

The Word.

In the beginning was the word and none knows this word but who are come to the beginning. Now, all people and priests, who can witness this? Who are come hither? Who are come hither into the beginning? What our hands have handled and what our eyes have seen what was from the beginning. The word of life this declare we unto you. Who know this word are pure are made clean through the word, are washed by the word, are sanctified by the word, are cut to pieces by the word and are divided asunder by the word; and this word is a hammer beating down everything, that the seed of God may rise up and come to the beginning; and all who know this word are come into the beginning. It is as a fire burning up all corruptions and this is the word that is nigh thee in thy heart; and this is the word which all the prophets spoke from; and this is the word that became flesh and dwelt among us (saith the Saints); and this is the word of life which the apostles preached, the substance of all figures, types and shadows and this is the word which makes all the Saints one, that reconciles their hearts together to the Lord; this is the word by which all things stand and remain, and are upheld by his word and power and this is the word which doth endure forever; all who are born again of the immortal seed witness this word with me. And now the word is made manifest the same as ever was, which gathers together the hearts of people, which divides asunder the precious and the vile and of twain hath made one, and this is the word that lets see that all flesh is grass and this is the word which was before any letter was written, and all who have not this word put the letter for the word and are in Cain’s nature, envying and murdering running on swiftly to evil; and Cain’s sacrifice God doth not accept, and all the preaching and all the praying and all your reading and all your singing and all your expounding and all your churches and all your worships and all your teachers and all your baptisms, which are invented from the letter, the carnal mind invents them. All this is for the fire. Your profession must be gathered together in bundles and cast into the fire, for they are the works of the flesh proceeding from the first nature. And all you who live in the first nature not knowing the word of God but only the letter, ye crucify the just and yet get up into the just’s place, quenching the light within you. Now I witness it by the same word as ever was. They draw people unto the letter and tell them it is the word and to hearken to them who speak their vain imaginations of it. So they bear rule by their means over the poor people, which the Lord was ever against. For God is free and will have his people so and his gospel is a free gospel and his mercies are free and his grace is free. His gospel is free to every creature and his grace is free to every creature. His grace is not the letter, his gospel is not the letter, his glad tidings is not the letter, for many poor troubled souls may be under death and condemnation and have the letter and these teachers of the letter, and there lie wounded but no peace.

So all people consider and see if you can witness your souls raised out of death and you brought into the everlasting covenant. So who can witness their souls brought out of death are come into the beginning, but thou that hast nothing but the letter and art spending thy money and thy labour and not satisfied, thou art following the greedy dumb dog which can never have enough.

Jangling about the Scriptures.

None upon the earth comes to witness the spirit of wisdom and of understanding and a sound mind, but who first comes down to the witness of God in him, the spirit of God which gave forth the scriptures, with which he comes to have unity with God and scriptures and one another with which spirit they worship him and all evil doers and transgressors upon the earth go from the spirit of God in them and the light.

And all janglings about religion upon the earth, and differences about scriptures which the higher power goes upon, given forth from the spirit of God, amongst teachers, professors and people and churches is that they be out of the spirit of Christ the prophets and apostles were in, that gave forth the scriptures, and the servants of God in which spirit they had unity. For the fellowship is in the light, and the unity is in the spirit, and that is the bond of peace amongst people. But people out of that professing the scriptures and every one being exalted from the measure of the spirit of God in him and boasts of other men’s lives and labours, are from the bond of peace which is in the spirit and so are in the confusion.

Knowing the Scriptures.

And you that have the Scriptures from Genesis to the Revelations yet you know them not with your natural spirit of understanding, nor by all the tongues and languages since Babel; for none knew them but by the spirit of inspiration that gave them forth.

He that hath the son of God he hath life eternal; and he that had not the son of God let him profess all the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation he had not life.

Possessing the Scriptures.

And ye are sanctified through the obedience of the spirit, and so come to witness the scriptures pure and clear as they are without any mixture as holy men possessed them and gave them forth, so holy men possess them and give them forth again and witness them again. Oh, do not read these things without, nor look at them to be hard, but at the love of God to thee in showing thee thy condition. For all the scriptures were given forth from an inward principle.

VIII.
Sin.

Pleading for Unholiness.

When I was in prison, diverse professors came to discourse with me; and I had a sense, before they spoke, that they came to plead for sin and imperfection. I asked them, Whether they were believers and had faith? And they said Yes. I asked them, In whom? And they said, In Christ. I replied, If ye are true believers in Christ, you are passed from death to life and if passed from death, then from sin that bringeth death. And if your faith be true, it will give you victory over sin and the devil; for they said they could not believe that any could be free from sin on this side the grave. I bid them give over babbling about the Scriptures which were holy men’s words, whilst they pleaded for unholiness.

Perfection.

There came a priest and some people with him to me and he asked me if I was grown up to perfection and I said I was what I was by the grace of God; and the common-prayer priest said it was a civil answer and he said that if we do say that we have no sin, the truth is not in us; what did I say to this? And I said if we say that we have not sinned we make him a liar who came to destroy sin and take away sin and so there is a time to see that people have sinned and that they have sin and to confess their sin and to forsake it; and the blood of Christ to cleanse from all sin. And it was asked him whether Adam was not perfect before he fell, and all God’s works were they not perfect? And the priest said yes. But the priest said we might always be striving and this was a sad striving and never overcome. But I told him that Paul that cried out against the body of death after thanked God, through Jesus Christ who gave him the victory; and there was no condemnation to them that was in Christ Jesus. So there was a time of crying out and a time of praising. And the priest said there might be a perfection as Adam and a falling from it and I said there was a perfection in Christ beyond Adam and should never fall; and it was the work of the ministers of Christ to present every man perfect in Christ and for the perfecting of them they had their gifts from Christ and they that denied perfection they denied the work of ... (illegible) the gifts of Christ who was for that end for the perfecting, broken.

A Customary Word.

And to all ye that say, God give us grace and we shall refrain from our sin, there ye have got a tempting customary word, for the free grace of God hath appeared to all men and this is the grace of God hath appeared to all men and this is the grace of God which shows the ungodliness and worldly lusts.

Temptation.

Whatever ye are addicted to, the tempter will come in that thing; and when he can trouble you then he gets advantage over you, and then ye are gone. Stand still in that which is pure after ye see yourselves, and then mercy comes in. After thou seest thy thoughts and the temptations do not think but submit, and then power comes. Stand still in that which shows and discovers, and there doth strength immediately come. And stand still in the light, and submit to it and the other will be hushed and gone, and then content comes. And when temptations and troubles appear sink down in that which is pure and all will be hushed and fly away. Your strength is to stand still after ye see yourselves. Whatsoever ye see yourselves addicted to, temptations, corruption, uncleanness, etc., then ye think ye shall never overcome. And earthly reason will tell you what ye shall love; hearken not to that but stand still in the light that shows them to you and then strength comes from the Lord and help, contrary to your expectation. Then ye grow up in peace and no trouble shall move you.

Never heed the wicked’s tempest, storm nor hail, nor his instruments of cruelty. Let not the back and the hair the cheek and the shoulder be ever turned from him.

Look (over all the wicked’s prisons) at the seed of God, Christ, which was before they were, and will stand when they are all gone.

Let all haste and run for their lives into Adam that never fell, out of Adam that fell.

To All that be in the Fall.

And I was moved to declare to the people how all people in the fall were from the image of God and righteousness and holiness, and they was as wells without the water of life, clouds without the heavenly rain, trees without the heavenly fruit and in the nature of beasts and serpents, and tall cedars and oaks, and bulls and heifers, so they might read this nature within as the prophet described to people that were out of truth, and how that they was in the nature of dogs and swine biting and rending, and the nature of briars, thistles and thorns, and like the owls and dragons in the night, and like the wild asses and horses snuffing up, and like the mountains and rocks and crooked and rough ways, so I exhorted them to read these without and within in their nature and the wandering stars, read them without and look within all that was come to the bright and morning star, so as their fallow ground must be ploughed up before it beared seed to them, so must the fallow ground of their heart be ploughed up before they bear seed to God. So all these names were spoken to man and woman since they fell from the image of God. And as they do come to be renewed again up into the image of God they come out of the nature and so out of the name.

A place of repentance ye cannot find, though ye wash your altar with tears, being in the stained life.

Discouragement.

And, friends, though you may have tasted of the power and been convinced and have felt the light; yet, afterwards, you may feel a winter storm, tempest, hail (and be frozen), frost and cold and wilderness and temptations, be patient and still in the power and still in the light that doth convince you. Keep your minds unto God, in that be quiet that you may come to the summer, that your flight be not in the winter. For if you sit still in the patience which overcomes in the power of God there will be no flying. For the husbandman after he hath sown his seed he is patient, for by the power and by the light you will come to see through and feel over winter storms tempests and all the coldness barrenness, emptiness; and the same light and power will go over the tempter’s head which power and light was before he was. And so in the light standing still you will see your salvation, you will see the Lord’s strength, you will feel the small rain, you will feel the fresh springs.

Despair.

Now to all you who are convinced and have your understandings enlightened. Beware ye enter not in the temptation to lust after the creature and give not way to the lazy dreaming mind for it enters into the temptations. So there thou wilt be polluted with the pollutions of the world; then thou wilt be tempted to despair and the devil there gets power upon thee.

The End of Sin.

This spirit baptiseth into the one body and this spirit is the unity of the saints though they be absent in body, yet present in spirit all being made to drink into one spirit. And this spirit circumciseth and puts off the body of sin.

IX.
Slavery.

Enslaved Races.

I am moved to write these things to you in all the plantations. God that made the world and all things therein and giveth life and breath to all is the God of spirits of all flesh and is no respecter of persons. He hath made all nations of one blood. And he doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world. And the gospel is preached to every creature under heaven, which is the power that giveth liberty and freedom and is glad tidings to every captivated creature under the whole heavens.

X.
War.

So the keeper of the house of correction was commanded to bring me up before the commissioners and soldiers in the market-place and there they proffered me perferment because of my virtue as they said, with many other compliments, and asked me if I would not take up arms for the Commonwealth against the King. But I told them I lived in the virtue of that life and power that took away the occasion of all wars; and I knew from whence all wars did rise; from the lust according to James his doctrine. And still they courted me to accept of their offer, and thought that I did but compliment with them, but I told them I was come into the covenant of peace which was before wars and strifes was. And they said they offered it in love and kindness to me because of my virtue and such like, and I told them if that were their love and kindness I trampled it under my feet.

Strife.

Come out of the bustlings you that are bustling and in strife one against another, whose spirits are not quieted, but are fighting with words, whose hearts burn against each other with a mad blind zeal, who are up in your wantonness, lightness and pleasures who set the whole course of nature on fire, among whom the way of peace and that which is perfect is not known.

There is no one strikes his fellow servants but first he is gone from the pure in his own particular. He goeth from the light he is enlightened withal when he strikes. Then he hath his reward.

XI.
Concerning Women.

Marriage.

For man and woman were helps-meet in the image of God and in righteousness and holiness, in the dominion before they fell; but after the fall in the transgression the man was to rule over his wife; but in the restoration by Christ into the image of God and his righteousness and holiness again in that they are helps-meet, man and woman, as they were before the fall.

And there was a great marriage of two friends the next day, and there came some hundreds of beggars. And friends refreshed them instead of the rich. And in the meeting before the marriage I was moved to open to the people the state of our marriages, how the people of God took one another in the assemblies of the elders, and how God did join man and woman together before the fall, and man had joined in the fall, but it was God’s joining again in the restoration and never from Genesis to the Revelation did ever any priests marry any.

DEAR RICHARD ,

With my love to thee and to thy wife and to all the rest of Friends in the holy seed of life, now dear Richard Richardson I desire that thou would search all the libraries concerning marriages, and what they do say of them; and the Fathers and how they did before the monkish sort came in in the Britons’ time and when marrying with the priest came in. So search histories and laws and see what thou canst bring out both good and bad and which maketh a marriage and do what thou canst in this thing, for it hath been upon me some time to write to thee of this thing and did receive thy letter by R. Bartlett which I did let Thomas Lowson see. It is a notable thing, so in haste with my love

gff.

Swarthmore, 8 mo., 16, 1679.

( Journal Friends’ Hist. Soc. , Vol. I., p. 63, from MSS.)

Man, born of Woman.

And some men may say man must have the power and superiority over the woman, because God says, “The man must rule over his wife” and that “man is not of the woman, but the woman is of the man.”

Indeed, after man fell, that command was; but before man fell there was no such command. For they were both meet-helps and they were both to have dominion over all that God made. And, as the apostle saith, “for as the woman is of the man,” his next words are, “so is the man also by the woman; but all things are of God.”

Women are heirs of life as well as men ... they must all give an account of their stewardship and are to be possessors of life and light and grace and the gospel of Christ, and to labour in it and to keep their liberty and freedom in it as well as the men.

A Churlish Husband.

You may see Abigail, that honourable woman’s wisdom, how she saved her family and her house from destruction. Yet she did not go to ask her husband (old churlish Nabal) at home, but she who was innocent and wise, took it upon herself; and you may see what a brave sermon she preached to David, who heard her patiently.

Unregenerate Sociology.

And when the apostle spake to the Corinthians how that he would have them to know that God was the head of Christ, and Christ was the head of the man and the man was the head of the woman, and the woman was made for the man and not the man for the woman and he is the image and glory of God and she is the glory of the man, this the apostle spake to the Corinthians who were not come to the state of Adam and Eve before they fell.

Women and Dish-washing.

Now Moses and Aaron and the seventy elders, did not say to those assemblies of the women, We can do our work ourselves and you are more fit to be at home to wash the dishes, or such-like expressions; but they did encourage them in the work and service of God, in those things which God had commanded them in the time of the law.

Restoration of Womankind.

But this Coleman and others in their opposition asked me whether it was not the command of God that a man must rule over his wife, and he would rule over his wife; and did not the apostle say I permit not a woman to teach, and where did we read of women elders and women disciples? and it was an abuse to the elders to set up a women’s meeting.

But I told him and them that he and they was but an elder in the fall, ruling over their wives in the fall; but he nor they must not rule over widows and young women and other men’s wives. And I showed him that Dorcas was a disciple and the apostle commands that the elder women should be teachers of good things to the younger, and though the apostle said, I permit not a woman to teach nor usurp authority over the man, as also saith the law, for Eve was first in transgression and such teaching as Eve taught her husband and usurped authority over the man is forbidden.

But the apostle also says that daughters and handmaids should prophesy which they did both in the time of the law and gospel and man and woman was meet helps before they fell, in the image of God and righteousness and holiness; and so they are to be again in the restoration by Christ Jesus.

And thy ruling over thy wife and eldership is in the fall for thou art in the transgression and not an elder in the image of God and righteousness and holiness before transgression and the fall was, nor in the restoration where they are helps meet in the righteousness and image of God and in the dominion over all that God made.

Now, you women, though you have been under reproach, because Eve was first in transgression, the promise was “The seed of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head.” And this promise of God is fulfilled.... Now here comes the reproach to be taken off women.

The Testimony of Women.

Let your women learn in silence, with all subjection; I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but ask her husband at home. That which usurps authority the law takes hold of, but if you be led by the spirit, then you are not under the law. Christ in the male and in the female is one which makes free from the law. “I will pour out my spirit upon sons and daughters and they shall prophesy” and if they will learn anything let them ask their husbands at home for it is a shame for a woman to speak in the church which the law forbids; it is a shame to suffer them to speak in the church. What? Came the word of God out from you or came it unto you only?

Paul, according to the measure given to him, in all his epistles speaking in them of things of which some are hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest to their own destruction.

You that cannot own the prophesying of the daughters, the women-labourers in the gospel, you are such as the apostle speaks of in the same chapter, which serve not the Lord Jesus Christ but your own bellies, and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

Be ashamed for ever and let all your mouths be stopped for ever that despise the spirit of prophecy in the daughters, and do cast them into prison and do hinder the women-labourers in the gospel.

Mothers in the Church.

And the elder women in the truth were not only called elders, but mothers. Now a mother in the church of Christ and a mother in Israel is one that gives suck and nourishes and feeds and washes and rules, and is a teacher in the church and in the Israel of God and an admonisher an instructor and exhorter.

PART III.
SOCIAL LIFE.

I.
Social Life.

Bringing up Children.

Some among you breed up your children not as when you were in a profession only, in such a rude, heady way that when they grow up they do not matter you nor care for you.... In many things they are worse than many of the world’s, more loose, stubborn and disobedient ... so that when they come to be set to prentice many times they run quite out into the world.... Therefore while they are young restrain them ... in all things keep your authority which is given to you of God.

Youth.

Youth if they be let loose are like wild asses and wild heifers, and such many times bring a great dishonour to God by running into looseness; which are more fit to be under rule and order than to rule; and through a foolish pity of some they let up a great deal of airiness and wildness.

Youth should be kept under a bridle and restraint and be nurtured and trained up in the fear and wisdom of God, that the power of God and God’s truth may have its passage through all and over all, and all lightness frothiness wildness and looseness may be kept down.

Behaviour of School-children.

If any mar their books and blot their books through carelessness, let them sit without the table as disorderly children. And if any one turns from these things and mendeth and doeth so no more and then if any do accuse them of their former action after they be amended, the same penalty shall be laid upon them as upon them that is mended from his former doings. And if any be known to steal let him write without the table and say his lesson and show his copy without the bar. And all must be meek, sober and gentle and quiet and loving and not give one another bad word no time in the school nor out of it least.

That they be made to say their lesson or show their copy-book to the master at the bar and all is to mind their lessons and be diligent in their writings. And to lay up their books when they go from the school and their pens and ink-horns and to keep them so, else they must be looked upon as careless and slovens, and so you must keep all things clean, sweet and neat and handsome.

Apprentices.

All the legacies that are given to the men’s or women’s meetings let them be kept as a public stock for the setting forth of apprentices and setting them up.

The Children of the Poor.

Now all you that do murmur against people that have many children and do complain and say that they do fill your towns, cities and countries with children; and many times you that do so complain have few or no children, and you are afraid that they should come to want and then you must be fain to relieve their necessities. And what then? What you do give to the poor you lend to the Lord, and he will repay it to you again, if they cannot. And this wanting mind is for want of faith in God who gives the increase of all and is rich unto all that call upon him. And the Lord would have you to take notice that children are the heritage of the Lord. The Lord that doth increase the children of his heritage he will take care for his heritage whether that murmuring, complaining mind against poor people of having so many children, you relieving them or no, he will take care for his heritage.

And that will be a happy day when they come to nurse Christ’s chickens, doves, lambs, babes and little children.

Homeless Women.

Friends to have and provide a house or houses where a hundred may have rooms to work in and shops of all sorts of things to sell, and where widows and young women might work and live.

Care of the Aged.

Care of the Mentally Deranged.

Friends to have and provide a house for them that be distempered and not to go to the world.

Dangers of Ease and Plenty.

And so, now you that are settled in those parts, who have had a testimony from the Lord to bear to people of the truth, you should spread abroad God’s eternal truth; and have meetings (as I said before) with the Indian Kings and people; so that all the earth may come to look unto the Lord for salvation. For if ye should settle down in the earth and have plenty and be full, and at ease for a time and not keep in the power and service and spirit of God, you would quickly come to lose your condition, as some did in Rhode Island when settled down in the earth after a while, and then turned to jangling about it, and some ran out one way and some another.

Beware of Worldly Entanglements.

O Friends, do not die from the good through the wantonness of fleshly lusts, neither be choked with the cares of this life, nor fear the shearers, neither let the heat scorch your green blade; but dwell under the shadow of the Almighty who will shade you from the heat and cold. Neither be cumbered nor surfeited with the riches of this world, nor bound, nor straitened with them, nor married to them.

Every one strive to be rich in the life and in the Kingdom, and things of the world that hath no end.

Riches and Poverty.

And in the old parliament’s days many people that used to wear ribbons and lace and costly apparel and followed junkettings and feasting with priests and professors came to leave it off when they came to be convinced of God’s eternal truth and to walk and serve God in the spirit as the apostle did, they left off their curious apparel and ribbons and lace and their sporting and feasting with priests and professors and would not go to wakes nor plays nor shows as they formerly had used to do and would not wear gold nor silver nor lace nor ribbons nor make them.

And then the priests and professors raged exceedingly against us and printed books against us and said that our religion lay in not wearing fine clothes and lace and ribbons and in not eating good cheer, .... And we told them that when they went to their sports and games and plays and the like that they had better serve God than spend their time so vainly; and that costly apparel with lace that we formerly had hung upon our backs that kept us not warm, with that we could maintain a company of poor people that had no clothes.

And so our religion lay not in meats and drinks, nor clothes, nor thee nor thou, nor putting off hats nor making curtseys at which they were greatly offended because we thee’d and thou’d them and could not put off our hats nor bow to them. And therefore they said our religion lay in such things but our answer was, nay, for though the spirit of God led into that which was comely and decent and from chambering and wantonness and from sporting and pastimes and feasting as in the day of slaughter and from wearing costly apparel as the apostle commands and from the world’s honour fashions and customs. But our religion lies in that which brings to visit the poor and fatherless and widows and keeps from the spots of the world, which religion is pure and undefiled before God, and this is the religion which we own which the apostles was in above 1600 years since, and do deny all vain religions got up since which are not only spotted with the world but pleads for a body of sin and death to the grave, and their widows and fatherless lies begging up and down the street and countries.

Relationships.

Knowledge and familiarity is as grass that withers; but the word of the Lord endureth for ever.

Idleness.

None may stand idle out of the vineyard, and out of the service and out of their duty; for such will talk and tattle and judge with evil thoughts of what they in the vineyard say and do.

Scattered Minds.

Oh friends, look not out; for he that doth is darkened. And take heed of lightness. Take heed of the world and of busying your mind with things not serviceable. A wise man’s eye is in his head, but a fool’s eye is gazing up and down.

Evil Humours.

For all distractions, distempers, unruliness, and confusion is in the transgression which transgression must be brought down before the principle of God.

Judgments.

Take heed of judging the measures of others, but everyone mind your own, and there ye famish the busy minds and high conceits, and so peace springs up among you and division is judged.

Differences.

All differences to be made up speedily that they do not fly abroad to corrupt people’s minds.

Scandal.

Singleness.

Keep single unto God and single-hearted to man and plain in all things, and low.

Love.

Live in peace and love and patience with one another, for that doth edify the body and strife doth not, but doth eat out the good. For the body doth edify itself in love, in which there is nourishment and virtue and life.

Unity.

Mind the light, that all may be refreshed one in another and all in one. And the God of power and love keep all friends in power, in love, that there be no surmisings, but pure refreshings in the unlimited love of God, which makes one another known in the conscience to read one another’s hearts; being comprehended into this love, it is inseparable and all are here one. And keep in the oneness and note them that cause dissension contrary to the gospel ye have received, that one pure faith may be held in all, to guide and preserve all in the unity of the spirit and bond of peace; all one family of love, children of one father and of the household of God.

II.
General Exhortations.

The throne of iniquity must be brought down, and the chamber of imagery in every heart, for the Lord must have the heart.

Reason not with flesh and blood that shall never enter, take not counsel with that which lies in thy bosom for that draweth thee nearer to carnal things, and draws thee to consult with reason and so draws thy eye and mind to visible things, and so wanders from going on thy journey.

Man’s pride is not the higher power. In humility we find a power above pride, higher than oppression, higher than men’s wills, higher than the lusts of the eye, yea, higher than all that in man would exalt against it. So we deny the lower that we may subject our souls to that which excelleth and which is ordained of God.

And to every ordinance of man we are subject for the Lord’s sake. But should we bow to the spirit of pride we should betray the Lord and give his honour to another and that is not for the Lord’s sake. So what we see for the Lord and of him in every ordinance of man we subject to for the Lord’s sake, and what is against him for his sake we deny and with him suffer under it as witnesses for him against it.... Is there anything honourable in man but the image of God?

And so the Lord arm friends with his light and shield of faith that they may stand in the daylight of the son of God and keep their first habitation and hold Christ their head by which the body is united together by bands and joints, from whom they receive their nourishment and the love of God which edifies the body and unites it to Christ their heavenly head, which all the apostate Christians being several bodies without this head and not owning his light, grace and truth that comes from him the head by which they should be joined and united. And therefore are they like so many monstrous bodies without the heavenly head, but what they have of their own making; so often their heads go off their bodies.

Keep in the power of the Lord which will bring you over all to the fine linen, the righteousness of the saints.

Pray to the Lord to give you dominion over all, and that in his power and life and seed ye may live and reign. And all friends submit yourselves to one another in the fear of God and be one with the witness of God in all and look at that and that will keep you down from looking at the bad, but looking at the good keepeth your minds over the bad, with the Lord.

Fear not the face of man, but fear and dread the Lord God, then his presence and wisdom and counsel thou shalt have to throw down the rubbish and quell all the bad spirits under thy dominion and fear them about thee. Live in the Lord’s power and life, then to thee he will give wisdom and the pure feeling thou wilt come into whereby thy soul will be refreshed.... Things all will be made plain before thee, for thee and to thee from the Lord God. In what thou doth for the Lord God thou shalt have peace and the blessing; and in that so doing all the sober true-hearted people will be one with thee in all travails, sorrows and pains.... And the helping arm and hand that stretcheth over all the nations in the world thou wilt feel it.

Church faith changeth, directory changeth, common prayer changes and mass changes and here is the four religions got up since the apostles days which they have fought for and killed one another about, but the pure religion doth not change.

The hireling is fled and flies because he was an hireling, whose religion was for the summer; whilst the sun shined; but in a storm, a tempest, a mist, or the sun clouded, their religion they flee from; his flight is in the winter. So the day manifests all things. Our religion is in the power of God before winter storms and tempests were; mists, fogs or clouds. In the light which shines over them all is our religion that does not change, in which there is fruit borne in the winter; by which power of God all their religions are seen, which must have an end and will have an end, which people run into. But in the power of God and his righteousness and holiness which was before the fall was, live; which power of God never alters nor changes in which is both life and peace which remains for ever.

And so every one is to have oil in your lamps from the heavenly olive tree, that your lamps may burn always both night and day in your tabernacles, looking to your high priest who will feed your lamps with heavenly oil.

And every one have heavenly salt in yourselves to savour withal what is earthly and what is heavenly, and what is from below and what is from above and what is out of the truth and what is in the truth.

And that everyone may keep their own vine in their own garden and their own lily in their own field or orchard, which lily doth exceed Solomon in all his glory. And every one have the word of faith in their hearts and mouths to obey and do, which will sanctify and make you holy and reconcile you to God. And every one have the anointing or unction within you which you have from the Father or Holy One so that in it you may continue in the Father and in the Son.

And every one continue in the grace of God which will teach you how to live and what to deny and will bring your salvation and establish you upon Christ the rock and foundation from whence the grace does come. And every one abide in the holy divine and precious faith which you do hold in a pure conscience by which faith you do live and have the victory over that which displeaseth God, and in this faith you do please God, which Jesus Christ, the Lord from heaven, is the author and finisher of.

And every one that hath digged deep and found the pearl of great price and hath sold all and purchased the field, then the field and pearl is your own, such do know a thorough redemption.

And all you believers in the light (which is the life in Christ) that are become the children of light, walk in the light, and in Christ, as ye have received Him.

And every one mind the heavenly leaven that will leaven you into a new lump. And every one keep the feast of Christ our passover, with his heavenly unleavened bread in sincerity and truth.

And every one mind the light that God hath commanded to shine out of darkness and hath shined into your hearts, “to give you the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, (your saviour) that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of yourselves,” in this you are sensible of His heavenly treasure in your earthly vessels. And every one have water in your wells and cisterns, and heavenly fruit on your trees which God hath planted.

Christ saith to his disciples, go, teach all nations and go into all nations to preach the gospel.... And God would have all men to be saved. Mark, all men.

FOOTNOTES

RELIGION OF LIFE SERIES

Edited by
RUFUS M. JONES, M.A., D.Litt.

Other volumes in this series:

A Little Book of Selections from the Children of the Light. By Rufus M. Jones, M.A., D.Litt.

Isaac Penington: Selections from his Writings and Letters. By Henry Bryan Binns .

William Penn: Selections from his Writings. By Isaac Sharpless .

Sir Thomas Browne. Selections from his Writings. By Lewis Townsend .

Clement of Alexandria: Selection from his Writings. By Rufus M. Jones, M.A., D.Litt.

Cloth, 1s. net. Leather, 2s. net.

LONDON:
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BISHOPSGATE, E.C.

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	PAGE
Introduction	7 - 14
PART I.
Narrative Passages	17 - 28
PART II.
Special Testimonies	31 - 90
1. BUSINESS LIFE	31
2. THE INWARD LIGHT	35
3. JUSTICE	41
4. MEETINGS AND MINISTRY	46
5. OATHS	64
6. RESPECTING PERSONS	66
7. THE SCRIPTURES	69
8. SIN	74
9. SLAVERY	81
10. WAR	82
11. WOMEN	84
PART III.
Social Life	93 - 109
1. SOCIAL LIFE	93
2. GENERAL EXHORTATIONS	103