Autobiographical narrations of the convincement and other religious experience of Samuel Crisp, Elizabeth Webb, Evan Bevan, Margaret Lucas, and Frederick Smith

Front matter

Class I

Book— L_ i&

AUTO-BIOGRAPHICAL NARRATIONS, •fee. &c.

Letter III ".'. 29 A Plea for the Truth, and an earnest Exhortation to he

found walking therein 31

On Divine Worship, Grospel Ministry and the true Church 36 A Warning given to the present generation to consider their ways ; wherein they are reminded of the late

dreadful Tempest of Wind 40

LETTER FROM ELIZABETH WEBB,

His Answer thereto 80

MEMOIR OF EVAN BEY AN, With his Letter to a Friend on his Convincement 85

ACCOUNT OF THE CONVINCEMENT AND CALL

TO THE MINISTRY OF MARGARET LUCAS 101

His Letter to the Children and Youth of the Society of

Friends - 251

His Letter to Parents and others who have the care of

Youth in the Society of Friends 260

LETTERS

EXTRACTS FROM A TREATISE

WRITTEN BY

TO WHICH IS PREFIXED

A SHORT MEMOIR OF HIS LIFE.

PROVE ALL THINGS ; HOLD FAST THAT WHICH 13 GOOD. — 1 Thess. V. 21.

MEMOIR OF SAMUEL CRISP.

Samuel Crisp, previous to his joining the Society of Friends, resided in Norfolk. He was educated at college, and took the order of deacon in the church of England (so called) ; after which he officiated as a parish curate, also for a very short time, as chaplain in a private family.

In the year 1700, being then resident in London, and about thirty years of age, he was convinced of the truth, as professed by Friends, in the manner described in his first Letter. Soon afterwards he was engaged as an assistant to Richard Scoryer, a Friend who kept a large boarding-school at Wandsworth. In this situation he did not remain long, and subsequently opened a school on his own account, at Stepney, near London.

His adoption of the views and principles of Friends, drew on him, not only remonstrances, but also contumely and slander. On his first showing an inclination to unite with them, an acquaintance of his, a priest of the church of England, who was anxious to prevent his so doing, proposed to introduce him to a person, who, he said, was so well acquainted with their writings, that he did not doubt of his receiving satisfaction. Samuel Crisp, desirous of being rightly informed, and of exercising due consideration before

b 2 taking so important a step, accepted the offer. He was accordingly taken to the proposed instructor, who proved to be no other than Charles Lesly, the writer of that notorious work called The Snake in the Grass* It seems this person succeeded in putting him to a stand for a very short time ; but he soon discovered the fallacy of his arguments and insinuations, and forthwith joined in communion with the people to whom he had felt attracted — and this, as he feelingly acknowledged, from " a sincere love of the Truth, and pure regard to his own soul." Soon after this interview, two Letters were addressed to him by Lesly, to the first of which he sent a Reply, accompanied with a copy of a Paper written by Eichard Scoryer, proving the falsehood of an assertion contained in The Snake, that the Bible was never read in his school . This correspondence, (with a Preface, to which the title belongs rather than to the Letters,) was published in the following year (1701), under the title of The present State of Quakerism in England. Upon occasion of the Relapse of Samuel Crisp to Quakerism.

These Letters to Samuel Crisp are, as might be expected, of much the same character with the writer's former scurrilous work, both as regards the manner in which the doctrines of Friends are vilified, and S. C/s conduct relative to his convincement, is maligned.

Some time afterwards, Samuel Crisp published a refutation in detail, of the charges preferred against

* This book, which came out in the year 1696, was published anonymously : the author, who was a " non-juring parson," was employed by some of the clergy, in this way to render Friends and their principles odious to the world. His misrepresentations were disproved, and his crafty imposture manifested, by Joseph Wyeth and George Whitehead, in a book, entitled, A Switch for the Snahe.

MEMOIR OF SAMUEL CRISP. O

him by this opponent, as fickleness, enthusiasm, &c., with an able defence of some of the principles of Friends, in a Treatise of three-and-a-half sheets, 12mo, entitled A Libeller exposed ; being a Vindication of the people called Quakers, against the malicious attempts and foul aspersions of a booh entitled, u The Present State of Quakerism in England"

This little work, however the circumstance which called it forth is to be repudiated, furnishes interesting information, and a clear exposition of some important points of doctrine ; various extracts from it, are therefore given in the present compilation. From this source we obtain the following particulars and remarks, relative to Samuel Crisp's withdrawing from the communion of the established church, and the stations he occupied therein. u As to my leaving the church of England, God is my witness I did it in pure obedience to the convictions of my own mind ; and the peace which I have often felt returned into my bosom, is more than I can express : I have had a great and abundant reward from the Lord for what I have done in this matter.

" I desire to fear God, and am heartily sorry that I have spent so much time in the vanities and impertinencies of this sinful world j taking things upon trust, swayed by temporal interests, and following the prejudices of my education. It is true I was in the order only of deacon, and I bless God that I went no farther in such orders. Then I pretended to preach, and could make shift to patch together an hour's discourse, with something that I got from others, and something that I had read from the Bible, filling up the vacancy with the dark conceivings of my own brain — and this was my gospel. I could talk much of Christ ; and heaven and hell, and extolled the

6 MEMOIR OF SAMUEL CRI&P.

Scriptures highly, which were nevertheless a sealed book to me ; for though I read them often, both in public and private, yet my mind being outward, and not waiting in silence upon that Holy Spirit that gave them forth, I knew not the Scriptures nor the power of God : so then the power of death and darkness ruled in me. I had cure of souls, (as they call it,) but was a physician of no value. I knew, indeed, that I had served my time at the university, as apprentices do to a trade ; and that I had passed the examination and the ceremony of ordination — and I thought this would do ; but as for any immediate call or appointment of God, to the work of the ministry, I knew nothing of it. I had the care of two parishes committed to me, by the bishop of the diocese, but had never any call from God to go and preach to that people. So I was like those prophets Jeremiah speaks of, chap, xxiii. 21, who ran before they were sent, and therefore they could not profit the people at all. I was a superstitious bigot — a poor dark creature — a hireling — a blind leader of the blind. I expected thirty pounds a year for preaching — that was my wages ; and if any should question my commission, I knew I had a little piece of paper to shew, which I called my orders, if that would satisfy them ; so brutish was I in my understanding. And yet God did not leave himself without a witness; for in the midst of all this darkness and ignorance, I can truly say, there was a measure of sincerity in me ; and good desires, and earnest cries and breathings were oftentimes raised in me, that I might once know the Lord and serve him, and see his glory, and witness peace and joy, and health and rest, and salvation to my soul, before I went off the stage of this world ; that so I might live with him in that world which never shall have an end, when time here shall be no more. And God was not unmindful of the travail of his own seed in that day ; for blessed be his name, he heard the groanings of it under a great deal of rubbish, and he revealed his Son in me, at the brightness of whose appearance the clouds are scattered and shadows flee away. May the sense of his goodness and tender mercy never depart from me, so long as I have an hour to live, or a minute to breathe in this world. Even to the same God that had compassion on Israel of old, when they sojourned m a strange land, where the Egyptians and Pharaoh oppressed them with much cruel and hard bondage — to that God I ascribe my deliverance, who alone is worthy to be praised, magnified and adored by all who make mention of his name. He remembered us when we were in trouble, and anguish, and deep affliction ; being scattered upon the dark and barren mountains, as sheep without a shepherd ; wandering from mountain to hill, from one form and empty profession of religion to another ; even there did he find us, and his eye pitied us, and he said to the dry bones, Live ; for his mercy endureth for ever."

His office as chaplain, (in which it seems he continued but ten days), proved particularly irksome and unsatisfactory ; and it is probable that the circumstances connected with it, strengthened, in no small degree, his desire to be disengaged from the forms and ceremonies in which he had been educated. On alluding to his situation in that capacity, he states, that he has had to wait three or four hours at a time, to know when the family would go to prayers ; and that his task was not finished when the prayers were ended, as he was expected to wait, to be ready when called for, in an adjoining room, where servants and others were often passing, and company comingin ; and that he was sometimes thus kept in waiting, from morning till night. As he had occasion for some employment by which to procure a livelihood, such inconveniencies as these would probably have been borne till an appointment less wearisome presented, could he have continued here, and at the same time have enjoyed peace of mind ; but, " I left my chaplain's place," he writes, u purely upon a foot of conscience; the lustre of mamyrwn* could not keep me there; and this was some months before I came amongst the people called Quakers, or had the least thoughts that way. I lived some time privately in London, inquiring after the best things. There was then a great noise about the Quakers, and George Keith (who was just then ordained deacon) was the talk of the town. So meeting one day with Robert Barclay's works, in a bookseller's shop, and understanding that

* S. C. in his Reply to Lesly r s first Letter, tad stated, that his " way being cleared up and the Truth shining out again in great lustre, he found a necessity to return into the strait and narrow path, where he hoped to continue," &c. His opponent tauntingly alludes to this expression by saying, " At last we heard you were established as usher to the grand Quaker-school at Wandsworth, and you told us your lustre was come ! I will not be so uncharitable as to suppose it was the lustre of. mammon, for the sake of sucha provision ; you being destitute before."

It is pleasant to turn from such a prejudiced, ill-conditioned judge, to one whose testimony savours of truth and love. Samuel Bownas, in an account of a journey which he took in the early part of the year 1702, from London to the west of England, on religious service, says, he " had in company a young man that had been bred at college, his name was Samuel Crisp- — a pretty, meek- spirited youth, and rightly convinced :" and a short time afterwards, when engaged in like manner in Hertfordshire, he speaks of him as " a sweet companion, having received the knowledge^ the truth the right way."— See Life of Samuel £evmas^ he was a Quaker, and an eminent writer amongst them, I had a great desire to read him ; which I did in the fear of God, and with an humble mind ; and thereby was so fully convinced of the truth of the Quakers' principles, (notwithstanding the clamour of the world against them), that from that day to this, I have never once communicated in the church of England. And though I was then destitute of any outward business, yet I did not doubt but the Lord would some way provide me a competent subsistence in this world, which was all I desired — and this accordingly came to pass ; for within a few weeks I was recommended to Wandsworth school, Richard Scoryer being then in want of an usher. But, just upon my convincement, two things offered to draw me back again into the world : one was, to read prayers in an apothecary's house in Huntingdon — ■ and the other, to be chaplain to one called the Lady Molesworth, as I remember. Here was some prospect of preferment, and that before I heard of Wandsworth school, or knew any thing of it. So that if 1 had been so greedy of mammon as our author's charity would seem to represent me, I might have smothered my convictions and turned back into Egypt again. But blessed be God, who preserved me in that day, and kept me low before him ! I trusted to his kind providence, who knew the sincerity of my heart ; and I chose rather to be poor and destitute with a good conscience, than to have all the riches and honours of the world without it. I had found the pearl of great price, and I knew I must sell all to purchase it. Truth was my greatest treasure ; that was my chiefest joy : ' For,' as the apostle says, ' our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world.' "

This brief Memoir of Samuel Crisp, considered in connexion with the sincerity, humility, and genuine piety which his Letters, &c, exhibit, shews that he had begun to build on the one sure Foundation, and that he bade fair to become a truly serviceable member in the church. But any hopes of this kind that had been cherished by his contemporary friends, were only realized to a very limited extent ; inasmuch as it pleased the All- wise Disposer of events to cut short the thread of his life. He died of the small-pox, at Stepney aforesaid, on the 7th of the Fourth Month, 1704, aged 34 years.

LETTEES OF SAMUEL CEISP.

[The three following Letters of Samuel Crisp were written about the year 1702 ; the first and second on the occasion of his withdrawing from the church of England (so called) to join the Society of Friends, These have passed through several editions together, as a pamphlet. The third Letter, a copy of which has been kindly transmitted by a Friend, to the Editor of the present volume, and which, it will be seen, contains the expression of his religious feelings to a fellow-professor of the Truth, is now printed for the first time : this, although very short, is not without its value, showing, as it does, the writer's conviction, that his having so far yielded to apprehended duty, as to unite in religious fellowship with Friends, furnished no ground for relaxing in watchfulness, and diligence in the christian warfare.]

Letter I

I received a letter from thee, the week before last, which was sent by thy uncle Bolton : there were a great many kind expressions in it, and in thy sister Clopton's likewise. I acknowledge myself much obliged to you both, and to the whole family, for many repeated kindnesses ; and if my school had not engrossed so much of my time, I would have taken opportunity to answer my dear friend's letter now, and upon that account my delay will be the more excusable.

The news thou hast heard of my late change is really true — I cannot conceal it, for it is what I glory in— neither was it any prospect of temporal advantage that induced me to it, but a sincere love to the truth, and pure regard to my own soul. Neither can I be sufficiently thankful to God, that he hath let me live to this glorious day, and not cut me off in the midst of my sins and provocations against him. He is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. He hath brought me off from the forms and shadows of religion, and let me see, in a more illustrious manner, what is the life and substance of it, as he found me in some degree faithful to that measure of light and knowledge he had bestowed on me, whilst I was in the communion of the church of England : therefore he was pleased of late, as I humbly waited upon him, to make know r n to me greater and deeper mysteries of his kingdom. And I can truly say, that I find by daily experience, as I keep low and retired unto that pure gift which he hath planted within me, things are more and more cleared up to me, and the truth shines and prevails greatly over the kingdom of darkness ; and if I should now turn my back upon such manifestations as these, and entangle myself again with the yoke of bondage, surely I should grieve the Holy Spirit, so that he might justly withdraw his kind operations, and never return more to assist and comfort me. For God is not mocked : religion is a very serious and weighty thing : repentance and salvation are not to be trifled with ; nor is turning to God to be put off till our own time, leisure, or convenience : but we must love and cherish the least appearance of Christ, not slighting or despising the day of small things, but embrace the first opportunity of following Christ in any of his commands.

When he speaks, it is with such force and authority, that we cannot stand to cavil, dispute, or ask questions : for unless we will be so obstinate as to shut our eyes against the sun, we must needs confess to the truth of his doctrine, and presently strike in with it. And, therefore, when for several weeks I had lived more privately and retiredly in London, than was usual, fasting tw r ice or thrice in a week, and sometimes more, spending my time in reading the Scriptures and in prayer to God, this was a good preparation of my mind to receive the truth w r hich he was then about to make known to me. I lamented the errors of my past life, and was desirous to attain a more excellent degree of holiness than I had discovered in the church of England. In this religious retirement God knew the breathings of my soul, how sincere I was, and resigned to him when alone. I wanted him to set me free, and to speak peace and comfort to my soul, which was grieved and wearied with the burden of my sin : for though I had strictly conformed myself to the orders and ceremonies of the church of England, and had kept myself from running into any great or scandalous enormities, (the fear of the Almighty preserving me), yet still I had not that rest and satisfaction in myself which I desired, and greatly longed for. I found when I had examined my state and condition God-ward, that things were not right wdth me.

As for a sober and plausible conversation in the eye of the w r orld, I knew that was a very easy attainment : a good natural temper, with the advantage of a liberal education, will. quickly furnish a man with abilities for that ; so that he shall be looked upon as a saint, and very spiritual, when perhaps in chains of darkness, in the gall of bitterness, and in the very bond of iniquity. If this sort of righteousness would have done, perhaps I might make as fair pretensions that way as some others ; but, alas ! I quickly saw the emptiness and unsatisfactoriness of those things : this is a covering that will not protect or hide us from the wrath of the Almighty, when he comes to judgment. It is not a mans natural temper, nor his education, that makes him a good christian : this is not the righteousness the gospel calls for, nor is this the "truth in the inward parts" which God requires. The heart and affections must be cleansed and purified before we can be acceptable to God ; therefore it was death to me to think of taking up my rest in a formal pretence of holiness, wherein yet I saw to my grief, abundance of people wrapped themselves, and slept securely and quietly, dreaming of the felicity of paradise, as if heaven were now their own, and they needed not trouble themselves any more about religion. I could not entertain so dangerous an opinion as this; for then I should be tempted to take up my rest by the way, whilst I was travelling towards the promised land.

I think I made a little progress in a holy life, and through God's assistance I weakened some of my spiritual enemies, whilst I lived in the communion of the national church. I thank my God, I can truly say, whilst I used those prayers, I did it with zeal and sincerity, in his fear and dread : but still I ceased not my earnest supplication to him in private, that he would show me something more excellent ; that I might get a complete victory over all my lusts and passions, and might perfect righteousness before him. For I found a great many sins and weaknesses daily attending me ; and though I made frequent resolutions to forsake those sins, yet still the temptation was too strong for me ; so that I had often cause to complain with the apostle, in the bitterness of my soul, " wretched man that I am 1 who shall deliver me from the body of this death V Who shall set me free, and give me strength to triumph over sin, the world, and the devil ; that I may in every thing please God, and there may not be the least thought, word or motion, gesture or action, but what is exactly agreeable to his most holy will, as if I saw him standing before me, and as if I were to be judged by him for the thought of my heart next moment ? divine life ! seraphic soul ! that I could always stand here ! for here is no reflection, no sorrow, no repentance ; but at God's right hand there is perfect peace and a river of unspeakable joy. that we might imitate the life of Jesus, and be thoroughly furnished unto every good word and work ! This was the frequent breathing of my soul to God when I was in the country, but more especially after I had left my new preferment of a chaplain, and took private lodgings in London. In this retirement I hope I may say without boasting, I was very devout and religious, and found great comfort and refreshment in it from the Lord, who let me see the beauty of holiness : the sweetness that arises from an humbled, mortified life, was then very pleasant to my taste, and I rejoiced in it more than in all the delights and pleasures of the world.

And now it pleased God to show me, that if I would indeed live strictly and holily as becomes the gospel, then I must leave the communion of the church of England ; but I knew not yet which way to determine myself, nor to what body of men I should join, who were more orthodox and more regular in their lives. As for the Quakers (so called), I was so great a stranger to them, that I had never read any of their books, nor do I remember that ever I conversed with any one man of that communion in my whole life. I think there was one in Foxly, whilst I was curate there ; but I never saw the man, though I went several times to his house on purpose to talk with him, and to bring him off from his mad and wild enthusiasm, as I then ignorantly thought it to be. As for that way, I knew it was everywhere spoken against : he that had a mind to appear more witty and ingenious than the rest, would choose this for the subject of his profane jests and drollery ; with this he makes sport, and diverts the company, for a Quaker is but another name for a fool or a madman, and was scarcely ever mentioned but with scorn and contempt. As for drollery, I confess I was never any great friend to it ; but indeed, if all was true that was laid to the Quakers' charge, I thought they were some of the worst people that ever appeared in the world, and wondered with what face they could call themselves christians, since I was told they denied the fundamental articles of the holy faith, for which I ever bore the highest veneration and esteem. And, notwithstanding, I had always lived at the greatest distance from that people, and was very zealous in the worship of the church of England, and upon all occasions would speak very honourably of it, moreover was content to suffer some few inconveniences upon that account, (as thou very well knowest), yet my father still looked upon me as inclining to the Quakers ; and some years ago signified to a friend, he was afraid I would become an enthusiast : and whilst at Bungan school, he sent me two books to read that were written against the Quakers, one of which was

John Faldo's, who hath been sufficiently exposed for it by William Penn.

Whilst I lived in London, in that private, retired manner I was just now speaking of, walking very humbly in the sight of God, and having opportunity to reflect upon my past life, as I had occasion to be one day at a bookseller's shop, I happened to cast my eye on Barclay's works ; and having heard in the country, that he was a man of great account amongst the Quakers, I had a mind to see what their principles were, and what defence they could make for themselves ; for sure, thought I, these people are not so silly and ridiculous, nor maintainers of such horrid opinions, as the author of The Snake and some others would make us believe. I took Barclay home with me, and I read him through in a week's time, save a little treatise at the end, which finding to be very philosophical, I omitted ; but, however, I soon read enough to convince me of my own blindness and ignorance in the things of God, There I found a light to break in upon my mind, which did mightily refresh and comfort me in that poor, low, and humbled state in which I then was ; for indeed I was then, and had been for a considerable time before, very hungry and thirsty after righteousness ; and therefore I received the truth with all readiness of mind. It was like balm to my soul, and as showers of rain to the thirsty earth, which is parched with heat and drought. This author laid things down so plainly, and proved them with such ingenuity and dexterity of learning, and opened the Scriptures so clearly to me, that without standing to cavil, dispute, raise argument or objection, or consulting with flesh and blood, I presently resigned myself to God ; and weeping for joy that I had found so great a treasure, I

c often thanked him with tears in my eyes for so kind a visitation of his love, that he was graciously pleased to look towards me when my soul cried after him. So, though before I was in great doubt and trouble of mind, not knowing which way to determine myself, yet now the sun breaking out so powerfully upon me, the clouds were scattered. I was now fully satisfied in my own mind which way I ought to go, and to w r hat body of people I should join myself.

So I immediately left the communion of the church of England, and went to Gracechureh Street Meeting. After I had read Barclay, I read some other books of that kind, among which was an excellent piece, though in a small volume, called No Cross, No Grown. Thus I continued reading and frequenting meetings for several weeks together, but did not let any one soul know what I was about. The first man I conversed with was George Whitehead ; and this was several weeks after I began to read Barclay, and frequent [Friends'] meetings. By him I was introduced into more acquaintance ; and still the farther I went, the more I liked their plainness, and the decency and simplicity of their conversation. They do not use the ceremonies and salutations of the church of England, but shake hands freely, and converse together as brothers and sisters, that are sprung of the same royal seed, and made kings and priests unto God. the love, the sweetness and tenderness of affection I have seen among this people ! " By this," says Christ, " shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." " Put on therefore," says the apostle, " (as the elect of God, holy and beloved) bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering."