Memoirs of the lives and persecutions of the primitive Quakers / exemplifying the obedience of faith in some of the early members of the Society

Contents

Introductory Chapter . . . . xi

Chapter I

Birth of George Fox, p. 1. Brief review of public affairs, p. 3. First solemn impressions of George Fox, p. 5. He quits home, p. 6. But returns again, p. 7. His new views of the ministry, p. 8. Again quits home, p. 10. Further impressions, p. 11. Dependence on Christ, p. 12. Scope of George Fox's ministry, p. 14. Offence at his mode of speech, p. 15. Taken into custody, p. 16. The Sheriff of Nottingham, p. 18. Fox ill-used by the people, p. 19. Comes to Derby, p. 20. Imprisoned there, p. 21. Writes to the Society, p. 22. Convictions of the gaoler, p. 26. Society uninjured by Fox's absence, p. 27.

Chapter II

Parliamentary soldiers desire Fox for their captain, p. 29. Final release from Derby prison, p. 30. Francis Howgill, p. 32. Memorable meeting in Westmoreland, p. 35. George Fox's sermon on that occasion, p. 36. Edward Burrough, p. 38. Margaret Fell, p. 39. Her first impressions on hearing George Fox preach, p. 40. Displeasure of her husband, p. 42. Judge Fell pacified, p. 43

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CONTENTS.

George Fox countenanced by Judge Fell, p. 44. Persecution against friends continues to increase, p. 46. Cruel treatment of Fox and others, p. 48. Remarkable aid extended to Fox, p. 49. The people thereby subdued, p. 50. Again ill used, p. 51. Appears at the sessions at Lancaster, p. 52. Addresses the magistrates, p. 54. Satisfactorily discharged, p. 55. Review of the probable cause of his being persecuted, p. 56.

Chapter III

Justice Pearson's address, p. 59. Fox in Carlisle prison, p. 61. James Parnell, p. 62, Extraordinary effect of silence, p. 67. Friends' honesty in trade, p. 69. Care of their poor, &c. p. 70. George Whitehead, p. 71.

Chapter IV

Edward Burrough, p. 89. Howgill and Burrough travel in company, p. 91. Persecution at Bristol, p. 92, Francis Howgill, p. 93. Death of Edward Burrough, p. 94. Oliver Cromwell, p. 95. Oliver Cromwell's funeral, p. 96, Edward Burrough, p, 97. Howgill's testimony to Edward Burrough, p, 106.

Chapter V

Francis Howgill, p. 110. Extracts from his epistles to Friends, p. 114, His epistle to his daughter, p. 110. His tract on the grace of God, p. 120. His death, p. 122.

Chapter VI

Fox brought before Colonel Hacker, p. 125. Taken to

CONTENTS.

vii

London, p. 1*27. George Fox and Oliver Cromwell, p. 128. Curious paper of George Fox's, p. 131. Imprisoned in Cornwall, p. 133. James Naylor, p. 134.

Chapter VII

George Fox holds a conference with a Jesuit, p. 160. Fox's letter to Lady Claypole, p. 165. Persecution of friends in America, p. 167. Its probable cause, p. 170. Act against the Quakers, p. 171. Robinson and Stevenson, p. 173. Trial of the Quakers at Boston, p. 174. Their execution, p. 176. Unexpected reprieve of Mary Dyar, p. 177. Her letter to the court of Boston, p. 179. Her return to Boston and execution, p. 180. William Leddra, p. 182. William Brend, p. 183. Trial of Leddra, p. 184. His farewell letter to friends, p. 185. His execution, p. 187. Friends appeal to the king, p. 188 ; and obtain a mandamus, p. 189. Which is brought to Boston, p. 190. And the imprisoned Quakers liberated, p. 191.

Chapter XI

George Fox writes to the king, p. 254. Fox's manifesto, p. 255. George Fox ordered to be brought to London, p. 257. Error in the writ detains him prisoner, p. 258. He comes to London, p. 260. Richard Hubberthorn and the king, p. 261. Insurrection of the Fifth-monarchy-men, p. 264, Fox expostulates with religious professors, p. 265,

Chapter XII

George Whitehead and others imprisoned and tried in Norfolk, p. 268. Released by proclamation, p. 270. George Fox on the question of oaths, p. 271. Isaac Penington's views on the question of oaths, p. 272 ; and on tithes, p. 277.

CHAPTER XIIL

Examination of George Fox at Houlker-hall, p. 280. Lancaster sessions, p. 282. Trial of Margaret Fell, p. 283. Trial of George Fox, p. 287, Errors in his indictment, p. 289. Anger of the judge, p. 291. Fox re-committed to prison, p. 292. Answers several books, p. 293. Conveyed to Scarborough castle, p. 294. Visited by Dr. Cradock, p. 295. Released from prison, p. 296.

Chapter XIV

George Whitehead's memorial of the plague, p. 298; and of the fire in London, p. 300, Remarkable prophcfy relating thereto, p. 301. George Fox marries Margaret Fell, p. 304.

CONTENTS.

ix

Chapter XV

David Barclay, p. 306. Barclay the Apologist, p. 310. Silent worship, p. 312. Robert Barclay, p. 316. Friends persecuted in the north of Scotland, p. 320. Princess Elizabeth, p. 322. Sufferings in Scotland, p. 324. Letter of Isaac Penington, p. 325. Friends accused of Popery, p. 327. Robert Barclay addresses Archbishop Sharpe, p. 328. Matthew Hide, p. 331.

Chapter XVI

William Penn, p. 336. Admiral Penn's last counsel to his son, p. 340. John de Labadie, p. 343. Princess Elizabeth, p. 344. Friends hold a meeting with Princess Elizabeth, p. 346. Princess Elizabeth and the Friends, p. 348.

Chapter XVII

Disciples of de Labadie, p. 354. Their religious experience, p. 356. William Penn relates to them his experience, p. 360. Second visit of friends to Princess Elizabeth, p. 364. William Penn's address to the Graef of Donau, p. 366. Friends' farewell interview with Princess Elizabeth, p. 367. William Penn's letter to the Countess de Homes, p. 369. His tribute to the memory of Princess Elizabeth, p. 371.

Chapter XVIII

Letter of Robert Barclay to Princess Elizabeth, p. 375. Death of David Barclay, p. 379. Robert Barclay ,'p. 383.

X

CONTENTS.

His death, p. 385. George Fox writes to his widow, p. 386. William Penn's character of Robert Barclay, p. 388, Robert Barclay's address to Charles II. p. 389.

Chapter XX

Elizabeth Hutton, p. 424. George Fox again in prison, p. 429. His trial, p. 431. Released by proclamation, p. 432. George Fox to Princess Elizabeth, p. 433. Friends address to the king, p. 435.

Chapter XXI

Declining health of George Fox, p. 438. His anxiety for Friends' principles, p. 439. Last illness and death of George Fox, p. 440. William Penn's testimony to him, p, 441. Margaret Fox's testimony to her husband, p. 445. Remarks on the character of George Fox, p. 446. Margaret Fox, p. 450. Her death, p. 456.

Concluding Address to the Society of Friends, p. 457.

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

" We walk by faith," says the apostle, " and not by sight;" (2 Cor. v. 7.) Now, the obedience which results from the walk of faith, differs from that w hich merely springs from attention to an external rule, in the same way as the motions of an automaton differ from those of a living man.

For, as the automaton, by means of certain springs, may imitate some of the actions of a living man ; so, by adhering to certain religious precepts, may the obedience which is required from the creature to the Creator, be partially represented also. But, as in the case of the automaton, t'.ie nalure of the living man cannot possibly in any measure be obtained by the means used ; so neither in that of the obedience which is produced only by the sight of a rule, can the least degree of the love of a child of God exist ; and it can require but little reasoning to demonstrate, that it is love alone which can give life, power, and acceptableness, to any act of duty. That husband, or father, or master of a family, whose will was obeyed by wife, children, or servants, not because they loved him, but xu

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

because it was their interest to yield him obedience, and who gave it according to the measure and kind, which written regulations from him, stipulated as his right ; such an one, we say, would have small occasion to congratulate himself upon their services; seeing how devoid they were of the lovely and endearing nature which can alone give value to any obedience.

" Love is the fulfilling of the law ;" and love to God is no natural feeling ; assuredly it is not born with us; neither is it a thing to be acquired, " If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned," (Sol. Song, viii. 7.) Love, in short, is a living thing — " God is love" — and God is life— eternal life— and it is by this living principle of love, that such an obedience as is acceptable to the Creator, and profitable to the creature, can alone be wrought out.

We must have the divine life then, before we can perform the functions of it. The natural will not reach to the sw/)er-natural. We may love our friends and kindred with such a love as fallen humanity is capable of ; but to love God, we must have a new and a divine nature, since like can only have affinity with like ; and hence the indispensable necessity of our being born again. " Except a man be born again," says the Saviour, " he cannot see the kingdom of God." The question is not whether he wishes it or not; he cannot — his present condition, as an unregenerated man, renders it impossible.

Now, as it is clear to demonstration, that life wher-

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

xiii ever it exists, is always evolved out of its own proper germ, are we to suppose that the divine life, (of which we must be born, and of which our Lord speaks, in John, iii.) is an exception to this universal law ? — Is it said, " We must be born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible," (1 Pet. i. 23,) and yet that there exists not in our fallen nature any portion of this incorruptible seed ?

The scriptures do not warrant such an assumption ; on the contrary, they repeatedly testify to its presence in the soul. Various names they give to it : such as " the word of the kingdom ;" the " word nigh in the heart ;" " the ingrafted word which is able to save the soul ;" " the voice of the good Shepherd," &c. — but that by which its full sufficiency and appointed office is the most frequently exhibited, appears to be that of light.

" That was the true light which lighteth every man that Cometh into the world." (John, i. 9.)

" But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light; for whatsoever doth make manifest is light."

" Wherefore he saith, awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead ; and Clirist shall give thee light." (Eph. v. 13, 14.)

And who is there, it may be confidently asked, that has not, at times, been made deeply sensible of the presence of this " true light" in his soul, manifesting there the darkness and disorder of the passions, and with " a

b xiv

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

still small voice," calling upon him to renounce their Egyptian slavery ?

Who is there that can be considered as serious in thought or feeling, that has not had cause to rejoice in obeying the call of this inward illuminator P and who, that has faithfully followed as far as it has pleased to lead him, but has found it to be a deliverer from sin, and a" guide into all truth ?"

Let all those who question its power in this respect, Jirst answer to their own consciences, how of/en and how sincerely they have submitted to its yoke, and borne its burden, before they venture to decide upon its not being that incorruptible seed of the kingdom of God, of which, and into which, they are to be born again.

" I am come a light inio the world," says the Redeemer thereof, " that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." Again he says, " if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins."

Now, dear reader, what is it to believe in Jesus Christ ? a question which may be answered by another: What is it to believe in anything spiritual? What is it to believe in love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance ? Is it not to be sensible, and feelingly conscious of the blessed nature of these heavenly fruits ? Can these divine qualities be even understood, unless the affections are in some degree partakers of their character ? And how, or where, is their power to be felt, but in

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

XV the heart, that desert land, vvliich tlieir presence makes to " blossom as the rose ?"

The fact tlien is, that we can no otherwise have faith in Jesus Christ, " the light of the woild," but as we kiioic the power of his life-giving spirit revealed in our own souls. We may read descriptions of this divine life, and we may desire to possess it; but if we seek for it in this or the other " outward observation," we are hut wandering from the point, and spending ourselves in taking profitless steps, which all must be retraced, and our fugitive souls brought home, to sweep the house o f the heart, and look for the lost piece of silver there — or it never will be found.

In no other way can that obedience which befits a child, be born ; for, in no other way can the " obedience of faith" result. We must know in whom we have believed ; we must have proved the nature of that Being to whom we can unhesitatingly, and with loving confidence, resign ourselves. " Therefore thus saith the Lord God, behold I lay in Zion for a foundation, a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone, a sure foundation :" and everlastingly true is it, that those who have built their house upon this rock, have found, upon their own experience, that the stone which the builders in every age of the church have rejected, is nevertheless, " the head of the corner."

But as living illustrations offer the most forcible of all arguments in support of truth, 1 have been induced to compile the following narrations; of which I shall only say, that, if the reader receives from the perusal, xvi

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

as much valuable enjoyment as it has been permitted me to experience in the writing of them, he will rise from liis occupation with feelings of no ordinary esteem for the principles of the individuals herein recorded.

Yet, although I cannot doubt of obtaining the sympathy of many sincere Christians, in the tender and grateful interest wherewith I myself contemplate the memory of these departed saints; I am nevertheless prepared to find some doubts here and there entertained, as to their having been called by the will of God, into many things to which they believed themselves so called, seeing that they were thereby often led into circumstances, which, in human estimation, appeared as unnecessary, as they were strange.

But to the pious and humble minded (and it is chiefly to such that a work of this kind can be acceptable) it will surely be enough to say, that God requires obedience of his creatures, and not reasonings. Besides, that it ill becomes beings of our limited capacity, to say what is, or is not strange ; seeing that since, if we would even understand the simplest fact in its origin, such for instance as the means whereby we are enabled to lift our hand to our head, we come in contact with something too strange for us to comprehend, and of which we are constrained to say, " such knowledge is too wonderful for me ; it is high, I cannot attain unto it;" — we also find, and that almost invariably, that when it pleases the Most High to manifest his mighty power, and " make bare

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

xvii his arm in the midst of the nations," He does it in a way to confound the pride of reason. " I will overturn— overturn — overturn" — this is his language, and this his mode of action.

What could exceed in strangeness to human comprehension, the requirements that were laid upon Abraham, Moses, the prophets, and many others too numerous to mention ?

The submission of the heart was what these holy men concerned themselves with ; not the strangeness of the mode in which that noble and God-glorifyingprinciple of obedience was outwardly to be exhibited. They were used to strange things, — to terrible things to flesh and blood, when they came to deal with the Father of Spirits.

They found it to be God's way to break, and bruise, and batter and confound " the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent," by requiring them to submit to strange and humbling proceedings. How often do they testify to this!

" By terrible things wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation," says the psalmist. (Ps. Ixv. o.)

Again, " Thou hast showed thy people hard things ; thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment." (Ps. Ix. 3.) " He breaketh me with breach upon breach," says the patriarch Job; " he runneth upon me like a giant." (Job, xvi. 14.)

" He hath enclosed my ways with hewn stone ; he hath made my paths crooked. He was unto me as a

INTRODOCTORY CHAPTER.

bear lying in wait, and as a lion in secret places," says Jeremiah. (Lam. iii. 9, 10.)

In fact, it is generally through obedience to some strange thing, that the very stroke is given, whereby the slift-necked, stiff-willed, old Adam-nature is to be crucified and slain.

Certainly, it never did, nor ever will please God to accept of such a righteousness, and such a conformity to the image of his self-denying and suffering Son, as can be wrought out according to the conceptions of reason, which, at the very onset, and as a necessary consequence of its own nature, can see nothing but strangeness, and irrationality, in the need of a self-denying or suffering Saviour at all.

No ; we must cast dow n " reasonings," with every other high imagination that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, before we are in any capacity to judge of the fit or the unfit, in these deeply spiritual matters. Every thing is lit, that makes the heart a meet haV)itation for the Spirit of God ; and obedience, when it is the result of the " faith which worketh by love," is eminently powerful to cleanse and purify and prepare this living temple, for its appointed and legitimate sovereign.

That there have been instances, in which persons, acting under a profession of the principles here advocated, have assumed to have done so in obedience to the will of God, when they have been manifestly in error, is not to be denied. But it will generally

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

xix be fcund on examination, that such individuals were possessed of hasty and forward spirits; and being too bold and confident to abide in the meekness and fear of the true teacher, they have made " shipwreck of the faith," just as they would, in their unhumbled condition, have made shipwreck of their talents, their opportunities, or any other precious thing entrusted to their keeping.

Nothing is safe from the assaults of evil, however exalted may be its own nature, whilst humanity is what it is, and the enemy of humanity has any power to practise upon its frailty. But because there are hypocrites who pretend to be virtuous, shall we doubt whether any man is conscientiously honest and true ? And because Satan has always endeavoured to overturn a real work of the Spirit of God, as soon as it appears upon earth, by inviting bis own ministers to imitate it; shall we say there never was such a thing since the apostles' days, as a ministration of the Holy Ghost, and that the case of the persons herein recorded, was one of delusion and imposture ?

Assuredly, if they had not well known in whom they had believed, they had been of all men, not only the most miserable, but also the most foolish and besotted ; seeing how great a sacrifice, not only of those things which the world esteems, but even of such as it is considered amiable and wise to respect, they were well contented to make, in order to preserve inviolate their principles of faith.

II XX Introductory Chapter

A man may endure much in the service of error, when his sufferings tend to aggrandize him in the eyes of his fellow-creatures ; but willingly " to become a fool, and to be made the off-scouring of all things" can only be the result of a sincere fellowship in the Sjjirit, and in the sufferings of a lowly-minded Lord and Saviour.

Away, then — and for ever away, with that cold, comfortless, death-like unbelief, which questions and cavils at, the thought of a God so near to us, and which would send us out of ourselves, for our king and our kingdom. No ! let the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, that same who said, " I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward !" — that same who still says, " Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world !" — let him be known as the Christian's glorious dwelling-place; and let all his loving children say, " This God is our God for ever and ever, he will be our guide even unto death !"

M. A.K.

THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH.

Chapter I

In observing the dealings of Providence towards the human race, we generally discover that the most important consequences have resulted from what, in common estimation, are considei'ed as very inefficient causes; and that material revolutions have been effected in the moral and religious condition of mankind, by the instrumentality of persons whom the greater part of their fellow-creatures account to be mean and insignificant.

Perhaps there are few instances in which this is more obvious, than in the rise and progress of the Society of Friends: a community, which devoid of any advantages on the side of worldly power, were enabled, under the severest pressure of the persecuting spirit of the times, not merely to stand their ground, but to substantiate themselves into a body, which, as to its principles, may justly challenge the world to produce any more truly in accordance with the pure and meek reli-

BIRTH OF GEORGE FOX.

gioii of the holy Jesus. The chief instrument in the organization of this society, was George Fox, a man of humble birth, and of little or no education; but manifestly endowed with extraordinary powers of mind, both as to intellectual and moral qualities.

The portion of his history which in the course of this narration it may be desirable to give, cannot be more appropriately presented to the reader, than in his own words, which I therefore use, abbreviating them when not material to the subject.

I was born," he says, " in the month called July, in the year 1624, at Drayton in the Clay, in Leicestershire. My father's name was Christopher Fox : he was by profession a weaver ; an honest man — the neighbom-s called him ' Righteous CJirister.'' My mother was an upright woman, and of the stock of the martyrs."*

Then, proceeding to speak of his nature and disposition, " in my very young years," he says, " I had a gravity and stayedness of mind and spirit, not usual in children. While I was a child, I was taught how to walk to be kept pure. The Lord taught me to be faithful in all things, and to act faithfully hco ways ; viz. mwardly to God, and outv> ardly to man ; and to keep to yea and nay in all things."

* G. Fox's Journal, p. 1. And it may suffice here to say, that w henever George Fox's words are quoted, they are taken from his own Journal.

BRIEF REVIEW OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

It seems to have been the intention of his parents to bring him up to the church ; or, as he expresses it, " my relations thought to have made me a priest, but others persuaded to the contrary. Whereupon, 1 was put to a man that was a shoe-maker by trade, and that dealt in wool, and used grazing, and sold cattle, and a great deal went through my hands. I never wronged man or woman," he observes, "in all that time, for the Lord's power was with me, and over me, to preserve me. While I was in that service, I used in my dealings the word Terihj : and it was a common saying among people that knew me, ' If George says verily, there is no altering him.' When boys and rude people would laugh at me, I let them alone and went my way. But people had generally a love to me for my innocency and honesty."

In this way he appears to have passed his time, till the nineteenth year of his age, when a revolution of such importance occurred in his habits of life, as gave the colour not only to his own destiny, but to that of thousands besides. Before,* however, we enter upon this part of our nan'ation, it will be desirable to take a brief review of the situation of public affairs at that period.

A variety of mistakes, and worse than mistakes, on the part of that unhappy monarch, Charles I. and his advisers, had, about this time, issued in the* beginning of a civil war, in which religion had a share — the people disliking, and the well-principled clergy resisting, the many indications of a

B 2

4 BRIEF REVIEW OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

return to Popery, which most of the bishops evinced. In Scotland, endeavours were made to bring in Episcopacy, which caused so great a ferment among the people, as to amount to an insurrection. But not to involve myself, or my reader, in the wars betweenCharles and his parliament, I would merely say, that in order to sympathize with the feelings of George Fox, and others similarly affected with himself, we must contemplate them as not merely actuated by religious zeal in the abstract, but religious zeal awakened in times of oppression and darkness, when a mighty struggle for truth and moral liberty was to be made by every valiant soldier of Jesus Christ. Much indeed had been done in the preceding century, by those faithful reformers who sealed their honest testimony with their blood ; but much yet remained to do : — they had, as it were, but secured the pass ; " the sword of the Lord and of Gideon" had yet the battle to fight. It was a great and glorious victory which they indeed had accomplished, in as- ■^erting and maintaining the right of every individual to follow the dictates of his own conscience, and in liberating their country, in so great a degree, from the insupportable yoke of religious fraud and superstition ; but still further advances into a pure and spiritual worship were yet required by that Great Being, who, as a Spirit, can only be acceptably worshipped " in spirit and in triithr (John, iv. 24.)

It was about the period when the contest was

FIRST SOLEMN IMPRESSIONS.

warmest between the king and the parliament, and when, as yet, neither side had preA'ailed, that George F(j^, guided by that invisible hand which " shapes our ends, rough hew them how we will," was led, in the course of events, to abandon his occupation, and enter upon the work which occupied his whole future life.

The immediate occasion of his throwing up his employment, was the disgust he received from the conduct of some persons who made a profession of religion, and whom he accidentally met at a fair, where he w-as transacting his master's business.

" When I came towards nineteen years of age," he says, " being ujjon business at a fair, one of my cousins, whose name w'as Bradford, (being a professor, and having another professor with him,) came to me, and asked me to drink part of a jug of beer with them ; and I, being thirsty, went in with them, for I loved any that had a sense of good, or that did seek after the Lord; and when we had drunk a glass a-piece they began to drink healths, and called for more drink ; agreeing together, that he that would not drink should pay for all. I was grieved that any that made profession of religion should offer to do so : wherefore I rose up to be gone, and putting my hand into my pocket I took out a groat, and laid it down upon the table before them, and said, ' If it be so I will leave you :' so I w ent away, and when I had done what business I had to do, I returned home, but did uot

QUITS HOME.

go to bed that night, but sometimes walked up and down, and sometimes prayed, and cried to the Lord, who said to me, ' Thou seest ^ow young people go together into vanity, and old people into the earth, [earthly things,] and thou must forsake all, both young and old, and keep out of all, and be as a stranger unto all.'"

This secret admonition, which he believed to come from God, so deeply affected him, that he resolved to separate himself from all his connexions^ to renounce familiar intercourse either with young or old, and to leave his dwelling-place ; which resolution he fulfilled, by departing first to Lutterworth, from thence to Newport Pagnell, in Buckinghamshire, and finally to Barnet, where he arrived in June 1644, being then near twenty years of age.