1677.—George Fox sails for Holland, with several other Friends, and
lands at Briel—attends the Quarterly Meeting at Amsterdam—writes
an epistle to Friends against the spirit of separation—writes to
the Princess Elizabeth—her answer—a monthly meeting is
established at Frederickstadt—Friends are imprisoned and
banished from Embden, and suffer greatly—a Monthly Meeting
settled at Harlingen—a priest assents to the doctrine
promulgated by George Fox—he is questioned for it by his
hearers—George Fox writes an epistle to Friends respecting the
seducing spirit—he writes an epistle of encouragement to Friends
under suffering at Dantzic—and again to Friends respecting the
spirit of separation—spends considerable time at Amsterdam in
writing on Truth’s account—a warning to the magistrates and
people of Oldenburg—an epistle concerning fasts, prayers,
honour, persecution, true liberty, and the observance of days
and times—a warning to the magistrates, priests, and people of
Hamburg—to the ambassadors met to effect a treaty of peace in
the city of Nimeguen—completes his travels in Holland—writes a
book addressed to the Jews.
After the meeting at Harwich we returned to John Vandewall’s, where
I had lodged; and when the boat was ready, taking leave of Friends,
we that were bound for Holland, went on board about nine in the
evening, on the 25th of the 5th Month, 1677. The Friends that went
over with me, were William Penn, Robert Barclay, George Keith and
his wife, John Furly and his brother, William Tallcoat, George
Watts, and Isabel Yeomans, one of my wife’s daughters.
About one in the morning we weighed anchor, having a fair brisk
wind, which by next morning brought us within sight of Holland. But
that day proving very clear and calm we got forward little, till
about four in the afternoon, when a fresh gale arose, which carried
us within a league of land. Then being becalmed again, we cast
anchor for that night, it being between the hours of nine and ten in
the evening: but William Penn and Robert Barclay, understanding that
Benjamin Furly was come from Rotterdam to the Briel to meet us, got
two of the boatmen to let down a small boat that belonged to the
packet, and row them to shore; but before they could reach it the
gates were shut; and there being no house without the gates, they
lay in a fisherman’s boat all night. As soon as the gates were
opened in the morning, they went in and found Benjamin Furly, with
other Friends of Rotterdam, that were come thither to receive us;
and they sent a boat, with three young men in it, that lived with
Benjamin Furly, who brought us to the BRIEL, where the Friends
received us with great gladness.
We stayed about two hours to refresh ourselves, and then took boat,
with the Holland Friends, for ROTTERDAM, where we arrived about
eleven that day, the 28th of the Month. I was very well this voyage,
but some of the Friends were sea-sick. A fine passage we had, and
all came safe and well to land; blessed and praised be the name of
the Lord for ever!
Next day, being First-day, we had two meetings at Benjamin Furly’s,
where many of the town’s-people and some officers came in, and all
were civil. Benjamin Furly or John Claus, a Friend of Amsterdam,
interpreted, when any Friend declared. I spent the next day in
visiting Friends there. The day following, William Penn and I, with
other Friends, went towards Amsterdam with some Friends of that
city, who came to Rotterdam to conduct us thither. We took boat in
the afternoon, and, passing by OVERKIRK, came to DELFT, through
which we walked on foot; and then took boat again to LEYDEN, where
we lodged that night at an inn. This is six Dutch miles from
Rotterdam, which are eighteen English miles, and five hours’ sailing
or travelling; for our boat was drawn by a horse that went on the
shore. Next day taking boat again, we went to HAARLEM, fourteen
miles from Leyden, where we had appointed a meeting, which proved
very large; for many of the townspeople came in, and two of their
preachers. The Lord gave us a blessed opportunity, not only with
respect to Friends, but to other sober people, and the meeting ended
peaceably and well. After it we passed to AMSTERDAM, accompanied by
several Friends of that city and of Alkmaar.
Next day was the quarterly meeting at Amsterdam, to which came
Friends from Haarlem and Rotterdam, and with them those of our
company, whom we had left at Rotterdam, viz.: Robert Barclay, George
Keith and his wife, &c. The meeting was at Gertrude Dirick Nieson’s
house. A very large and serviceable one it was; for both William
Penn and I were drawn to open many things concerning the order of
the gospel, and to show the benefit and service of yearly,
quarterly, and monthly meetings of men and women. We had another
meeting at Gertrude’s the next day, more public, and very large, at
which were professors of several sorts, unto whom the way of life
and salvation was largely and livingly opened; which they hearkened
very attentively to, none making any objection to what was declared.
In the afternoon we had another meeting in the same place, but less,
and more private. The day following we had a meeting of Friends
only, wherein by joint agreement were settled several meetings; to
wit, monthly, quarterly, and a yearly meeting, to be held at
Amsterdam for Friends in all the United Provinces of Holland, and in
Embden, the Palatinate, Hamburg, Frederickstadt, Dantzic, and other
places in and about Germany; which Friends were glad of, and it has
been of great service to truth.
Next day an exercise came upon me concerning that deceitful spirit,
which wrought in some to make divisions in the church; and the care
of the churches being upon me, I was moved to write a few lines to
warn Friends of it, as follows:—
“All Friends, keep over that spirit of separation and division, in
the peaceable truth, and in the Seed of life, which will wear it
all out and outlast it. For the Lamb will have the victory over
all the spirits of strife, as it hath had since the beginning; and
they will wither, as others have done; but all that keep in the
Seed, which is always green, shall never wither; as Friends have
been to this day kept. And if any have backslidden, and thrown off
the cross, are grown loose and full, and are gone into strife and
contention with their earthly spirits, and therein plead for a
liberty, this spirit taketh with loose, earthly spirits, and cries
imposition to such as admonish them to come to the life, light,
Spirit, and power of God, that they may be alive, and may live
again with the living. Upon this admonition, their spirits rise
into contention, strife, and separation, turning against the
living, in their loose, earthly spirits, which would have the name
of truth, but are not in the nature of it, but are for eternal
judgment of the living Seed. This is it which doth deceive; but it
is judged by that which doth undeceive and save.”
G.F.
Amsterdam in Holland, the 5th of the 6th Month, 1677.
This being First-day, we had a very large meeting again, there
coming to it a great concourse of people of different opinions, as
Baptists, Seekers, Socinians, Brownists, and some of the collegians.
Robert Barclay, George Keith, William Penn, and I, declared the
everlasting truth among them; opening the state of man in the fall,
and showing by what way man and woman may come into the restoration
by Christ Jesus. Indeed, the mystery of iniquity, and the mystery of
godliness, were very plainly laid open; and the meeting ended
quietly and well.
The day following, George Keith, Robert Barclay, and William Penn,
leaving me and some other Friends at Amsterdam, set forward towards
GERMANY; where they travelled many hundred miles, and had good
service for the Lord; Benjamin Furly going with them and
interpreting.
That day and the next I stayed at Amsterdam, visiting Friends, and
assisting them in some business concerning their meetings. Three
Baptists came to discourse with me, to whom I opened things to their
satisfaction, and they parted from me in kindness. I wrote a letter
also to the Princess Elizabeth, which Isabel Yeomans delivered to
her, when George Keith’s wife and she went to visit her:—
“PRINCESS ELIZABETH,
“I have heard of thy tenderness towards the Lord and his holy
truth, by some Friends that have visited thee, and also by some of
thy letters, which I have seen. It is indeed a great thing for a
person of thy quality to have such a tender mind after the Lord
and his precious truth, seeing so many are swallowed up with
voluptuousness, and the pleasures of this world; yet all make an
outward profession of God and Christ one way or other, but without
any deep, inward sense and feeling of him. For it is not many
mighty, nor wise of the world, that can become fools for Christ’s
sake, or can become low in the humility of Christ Jesus from their
mighty state, through which they might receive a mightier estate,
and a mightier kingdom through the inward Holy Spirit—the divine
light and power of God; and a mightier wisdom which is from above,
pure and peaceable. This wisdom is above that which is below; that
is earthly, sensual, and devilish, by which men destroy one
another, yea, about their religions, ways, worships, and churches;
but this they have not from God nor Christ. The wisdom which is
from above, by which all things were made and created, which the
holy fear of God in the heart is the beginning of, keeps the heart
clean: and by this wisdom are all God’s children to be ordered,
and with it to order all things to God’s glory. This is the wisdom
that is justified of her children. In this fear of God and this
wisdom, my desire is, that thou mayest be preserved to God’s
glory. For the Lord is come to teach his people himself, and to
set up his ensign, that the nations may flow unto it.
“There hath been an apostacy since the apostles’ days, from the
divine light of Christ, which should have given them ‘the light of
the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus;’
and from the Holy Spirit, which would have led them into all
truth; and therefore have people set up so many leaders without
them, to give them knowledge; and also from the holy and precious
faith, which Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of; which
purifies the heart, and gives victory over that which separates
from God; through which faith they have access to God, and in
which they please God; the mystery of which is held in a pure
conscience. And also from the gospel which was preached in the
apostles’ days (which gospel is the power of God,) which brings
life and immortality to light in man and woman, by which people
should have seen over the devil that has darkened them; which
gospel will preserve all them that receive it, in life and
immortality. For the eyes of people have been after men, and not
after the Lord, who writes his law in the hearts, and puts it into
the minds of all the children of the new covenant of light, life,
and grace, through which they all come to know the Lord, from the
least to the greatest; so that the knowledge of the Lord may cover
the earth, as the waters do the sea.
“This work of the Lord is beginning again, as it was in the
apostles’ days. People shall come to receive an unction in them
again from the Holy One, by which they shall know all things, and
shall need not any man to teach them, but as the anointing doth
teach them; and also to know what the righteousness of faith
speaks, the Word nigh in the heart and mouth, to obey it and to do
it. This was the Word of faith the apostles preached; which is now
received and preached again, and which it is the duty of all true
Christians to receive. Now people are coming out of the apostacy
to the light of Christ and his Spirit, and to receive faith from
him, and not from men; to receive the gospel from him their
unction from him, the Word; and as they receive him, they declare
him freely, as his command was to his disciples, and is still to
the learners and receivers of him.
“For the Lord God and his Son Jesus Christ, is come to teach his
people, and to bring them from all the world’s ways, to Christ,
the way, the truth, and the life, who is the way to the Father;
and from all the world’s teachers and speakers, to him the Speaker
and Teacher, as Heb. i. 1.; and from all the world’s worshippers,
to worship God in the Spirit and in the truth, (which the devil,
the destroyer, is out of;) which worship Christ set up above
sixteen hundred years ago, when he put down the Jews’ worship at
the Temple at Jerusalem, and the worship at the mountain where
Jacob’s well was; to bring people from all the world’s religions,
which they have made since the apostles’ days, to the religion
that was set up by Christ and his apostles, which is pure and
undefiled before God, and keeps from the spots of the world; to
bring them out of all the world’s churches and fellowships, made
and set up since the apostles’ days, to the church that is in God,
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; (Thess. i. 1,) and to bring
to the unity and fellowship in the Holy Spirit, that doth mortify,
circumcise, and baptize, to plunge down sin and corruption, that
has got up in man and woman by transgression. In this holy Spirit
there is a holy fellowship and unity; yea, it is the bond of the
Prince of princes, and King of kings, and the Lord of lords’
peace; which heavenly peace all true Christians are to maintain
with spiritual weapons, not with carnal.
“And now, my friend, the holy men of God wrote the Scriptures as
they were moved by the Holy Ghost; and all Christendom are on
heaps about those Scriptures, because they are not led by the same
Holy Ghost as those were that gave forth the Scriptures; which
Holy Ghost they must come to in themselves, and be led by, if they
come into all the truth of them, and to have the comfort of God,
of Christ, and of them. For none can call Jesus Lord, but by the
Holy Ghost; and all that call Christ Lord without the Holy Ghost,
take his name in vain. Likewise all that name his name are to
depart from iniquity; then they name his name with reverence, in
truth and righteousness.
“O therefore, feel the grace and truth in thy heart, that is come
by Jesus Christ, that will teach thee how to live, and what to
deny. It will establish thy heart, season thy words, and bring thy
salvation; it will be a teacher unto thee at all times. By it thou
mayest receive Christ from whom it comes; and as many as receive
him, to them he gives power, not only to stand against sin and
evil, but to become the sons of God; if sons, then heirs of a
life, a world, and kingdom, without end, and of the eternal riches
and treasures thereof. So in haste, with my love in the Lord Jesus
Christ, who tasted death for every man, and bruises the serpent’s
head, who is between man and God, that through Christ man may come
to God again, and praise him through Jesus Christ, the Amen; who
is the spiritual and heavenly rock and foundation for all God’s
people to build upon, to the praise and glory of God, who is over
all, blessed for evermore.”
GEORGE FOX.
Amsterdam, the 7th of the 6th Month, 1677.
“_Postscript._—The bearer hereof is a daughter-in-law of mine,
that comes with Gertrude Dirick Nieson and George Keith’s wife, to
visit thee.”
G.F.
_The Princess Elizabeth’s answer._
“DEAR FRIEND,
“I cannot but have a tender love to those that love the Lord Jesus
Christ, and to whom it is given, not only to believe in him, but
also to suffer for him; therefore your letter and your friends’
visit have been both very welcome to me. I shall follow their and
your counsel as far as God will afford me light and unction;
remaining still your loving friend,
ELIZABETH.”[43]
Herford, the 30th of August, 1677.
Next day John Claus and I took a boat and passed to BUYCKSLOTE,
thence to PURMEREND, where having refreshed ourselves, we went by
waggon to ALKMAAR, about thirty miles from Amsterdam. We went to a
Friend’s house there, whose name was William Williams, where I had a
meeting that night. I had another next day, which was larger; for
several professors came, and all was quiet and well. After the
meeting, I visited some Friends; and then, taking boat, passed to
HOORN, which is counted the chief city in North Holland. We lodged
at an inn; and, taking waggon early next morning, passed to
ENCKHUYSEN, where we took ship for FRIESLAND; and landing in the
afternoon at WORKUM, took waggon and rode upon the high bank of the
Friezen Seas, till we met two Friends coming with a waggon to meet
us; with whom (discharging our waggon at Mackum, a village hard by,)
we went to HARLINGEN, the chief seaport town in Friesland. We went
to Hessel Jacobs’, whither several Friends came to visit us that
night. Next day we visited the Friends of the place; and I wrote a
paper, “To all them that persecute Friends for not observing their
fast-day.”
The day following being First-day, Friends had a meeting there, to
which we went, and many professors came to it. I declared the
everlasting gospel amongst them, John Claus interpreting. They were
all very civil, and heard attentively; and when it was done,
departed peaceably, without making any opposition. After meeting I
went to Hessel Jacobs’ again, whither after a while came a Calvinist
to ask me some questions, which I answered to his satisfaction; and
he departed friendly. Soon after he was gone, a preacher of the
collegians came to discourse with me, who seemed well satisfied
also, and we parted lovingly. That evening I had another meeting
with the Friends there, and next morning, when we had taken our
leave of them, we passed to LEEUWARDEN, the chief city in FRIESLAND,
and lodged that night at a Friend’s house there, whose name was
Sybrand Dowes.
Next morning early, taking boat, we passed to DOCKUM, and walking
through the city, took boat again to STROBUS, which is the utmost
part of Friesland. There we baited at a commissary’s house; and then
taking boat again, passed to GRONINGEN, the chief city of the
province of Groningland. One of the magistrates of that city came
with us from Leeuwarden, with whom I had some discourse on the way,
and he was very loving. We walked nearly two miles through the city,
and then took boat for Delfziel; and passing in the evening through
a town called APPINGDALEM, where had been a great horse-fair that
day; there came many officers rushing into the boat, and being
somewhat in drink, they were very rude. I spoke to them, exhorting
them to “fear the Lord, and beware of Solomon’s vanities.” They were
boisterous fellows; yet somewhat more civil afterwards. We landed at
DELFZIEL about ten at night, having travelled about fifty English
miles that day. We went to an inn to lodge, and as we passed through
the guards, they examined John Claus, whether I was not a militia
soldier; and when he had told them I was not, they let us pass
peaceably.
DELFZIEL stands on the river Ems, over which we passed next day to
EMBDEN, a place where Friends had been cruelly persecuted, and from
which they had been often banished. I went to an inn, where I dined
with some men that understood English, with whom I had a fine time,
and they were loving. Meanwhile John Claus went with his wife to her
father’s, in Embden; whither, after I had dined, I went also,
understanding the old man was desirous to see me. In the afternoon
John Claus and I walked through the city to the place where the
waggon, which he had hired, was to meet us; and while we waited for
it, the Friends that were in the city came to the house where we
were, and we had a little meeting. When it was over, and the waggon
came not, we sent to know the reason. The master of it sent us word,
that he durst not let it go; for the bishop of Munster’s soldiers
were up in the country, and he was afraid they would take away his
horses. So being disappointed of our passage, we returned to John
Claus’s father-in-law’s house, where I left him, and went to my inn
at night.
We took shipping next day, and passed about fifteen miles upon the
river Ems, to a market-town in East-Friesland, called LEER, where
lived a Friend that had been banished from Embden. When we had
visited him, we hired a waggon in that town, and passed to a
garrisoned town, called STRIKEHUYSEN, where the guards examined us;
and then went on to DETEREN, where, hiring another waggon, we passed
to another garrisoned town, where we were very strictly examined.
Thence we passed to APEN, where we lodged that night. In our
travelling this day, we met the Earl of Oldenburg, going to the
treaty of peace at Lembachie.
Next day, we passed by waggon to OLDENBURG, lately a great and
famous place, but then burnt down, and but few houses left standing
in it. At this place we hired another waggon, and went to
DELMENHORST; where, after we had been examined by the guards, we
went to a burgher-master’s to lodge, whose house was an inn. There
being many people I declared the way of truth to him and them,
warning them of the day of the Lord that was coming upon all
evil-doers.
We passed next day by waggon to BREMEN, a stately city in GERMANY;
and thence, after a double examination, we went to a water called
OVERDELAND, and there took boat to FISHERHOLDER; where, finding many
people together, I declared the way of God to them, and exhorted
them to fear the Lord. There we took waggon again, and travelled in
the bishop of Munster’s country to CLOSTERSEVEN; and, having no
inclination to stay there, got fresh horses, intending to travel all
night. We went a little way, but it quickly grew so dark, and rained
so hard, that we thought it best to turn back again; for our waggon
being open, we had no defence against the rain, and our clothes were
already wet with what had fallen for several days before. So we went
to an inn, and got a little fresh straw, upon which we lay till
about break of day; and then set out and travelled to BUXTEHUDE.
The people in the bishop of Munster’s country were very dark. As we
passed amongst them, I preached truth to them, warning them of the
great and notable day of the Lord; and exhorting them to soberness,
and to mind the good Spirit of God in themselves.
It was on a First-day that we went through Buxtehude; and without
the walls there was a great fair of sheep and geese that day. We
stayed a little to refresh ourselves, and went on as fast as we
could to HAMBURG, partly by waggon, and partly by water. We reached
the city in time enough to get a meeting there that evening; and a
good and glorious one it was. There were at it, amongst others, a
Baptist teacher and his wife, and a great man of Sweden and his
wife; and all was quiet, blessed be the Lord, whose power was
exalted over all. Yet a dark, hard place this is, and the people are
much shut up from truth.
At Hamburg was a woman that had spoken against me in John Perrott’s
time, though she had never seen me till now. She had been troubled
for it ever since, and now was glad of an opportunity to acknowledge
her fault; which she very readily did, and I as readily and freely
forgave her.
We stayed that night at Hamburg, encouraging and strengthening the
Friends there in their testimony to the truth; and betimes next
morning set forward towards Frederickstadt, two long days’ journey
from Hamburg. We went the first day to ELMSHORN, where we baited;
and then rode on through a garrison-town of the king of Denmark’s;
and passing by the monument of the Earl of Rantzow, came to the city
of ITZEHOE, where we lodged that night. I had some service in the
evening among the people in the inn, whom I exhorted to soberness,
and to live in the fear of the Lord. Next morning we travelled to
HOGHENHORN, where we dined at an inn with one of the council of
Frederickstadt; to whom, and to the rest of the people present, I
declared the truth, with which they seemed to be affected. Then
travelling on, we came to a river called Eyder, where we took boat
and so went to FREDERICKSTADT, to William Paul’s, where several
Friends came to us, for there is a pretty company of Friends in that
city. We had a fine refreshing meeting together that evening, which
made us forget our weariness; for we were indeed very weary, having
travelled hard two days, and being wet through our clothes, having
had much rain in our open waggons. But the Lord made all easy and
good to us; and we were well, and glad to see Friends; blessed be
his holy name for ever!
This city is in the Duke of Holstein’s country, who would have
banished Friends out of the city and country, and sent to the
magistrates of the city to do it; but they said, they would lay down
their offices rather than do it; inasmuch as Friends came to that
city to enjoy liberty of conscience. Friends still enjoy their
liberty there, and truth and they are of good report amongst the
people, both in city and country.
On First-day I had a meeting here, to which many people came, and
some rough spirits; but the power of the Lord bound them down, and
the Seed of life was set over all. While I was here I had a
discourse with a Jew that was a Levite, concerning the coming of the
Messiah, and he was much confounded in what he said; yet he carried
himself lovingly, and invited me to his house. I went, and there I
discoursed with another Jew, who showed me their Talmud and many
other Jewish books; but they are very dark, and do not understand
their own prophets.
There was at this city a Baptist teacher, who had reproached and
belied Friends; wherefore John Claus went with two Friends of the
town, to the house where he lodged, and cleared truth and Friends
from his reproaches; and laid his lies and slanders upon his own
head, to his shame.
Before we left this place I had another meeting with the Friends
only, wherein I laid before them the usefulness and benefit of a
monthly meeting, for looking after the poor, and taking care that
marriages, and all other things relating to the church, were
performed in an orderly manner. The thing answered the witness of
God in their consciences, so that they readily agreed to have
monthly meetings thence-forward among themselves, that both men and
women might take care of the outward concerns of the church.
After this meeting, feeling my spirit clear of that place, we took
leave of Friends there, whom we left in good order, and turned back
again for Hamburg. When we had travelled one day’s journey, and were
come to an inn at night to lodge, I enquired whether there were any
tender people in the town that feared God, or that had a mind to
discourse of the things of God? The innkeeper told me there were few
such in that town. Next night we got to HAMBURG; and having passed
the guards, went to a Friend’s house, being very weary; for we had
been up those two mornings before three o’clock, and had travelled
each day hard and late. Here we met with John Hill, an English
Friend, who had been travelling in Germany, and being in a ship
bound for Amsterdam, that waited for a wind, he had lain sick on
board about two weeks. Hearing I was in the country, he left the
ship and came hither to meet me, and go along with me.
The day after we came to Hamburg we had a very good meeting, and
very peaceable. After it I had discourse with a Swede, an eminent
man in his own country; who, having been banished thence on the
account of his religion, was come to Hamburg, and was at the meeting
I had there before. When I had done with him, I had another
discourse with a Baptist concerning the sacraments, so called; in
both which I had good service, having opportunity thereby to open
truth unto them.
Being clear of Hamburg, we took leave of Friends there, whom we left
well; and taking John Hill with us, passed by boat to a city in the
Duke of LUNEBERG’S country; where, after we were examined by the
guards, we were had to the main-guard, and there examined more
strictly; but after they found we were not soldiers, they were
civil, and let us pass. In the afternoon we travelled by waggon, and
the waters being much out, by reason of heavy rains, when it drew
towards night, we hired a boy on the way to guide us through a great
water we had to pass. When we came to it, the water was so deep
before we could come at the bridge, that the waggoner had to wade,
and I drove the waggon. When we were come on the bridge, the horses
broke part of it down, and one of them fell into the water, the
waggon standing upon that part of the bridge which remained
unbroken; and it was the Lord’s mercy to us that the waggon did not
run into the brook. When they had got the horse out, he lay a while
as if dead; but at length they got him up, put him to the waggon
again, and laid the planks right; and then, through the goodness of
the Lord to us, we got safely over.
After this we came to another water, which finding to be very deep,
and it being in the night, we hired two men to help us through, who
put cords to the waggon to hold it by, that the force of the water
might not drive it from the way. But when we came into it, the
stream was so strong, that it took one of the horses off his legs,
and was carrying him down the stream. I called to the waggoner to
pluck him to him by his reins, which he did, and the horse recovered
his legs, and with much difficulty we got over the bridge, and went
to BORMER-HAVEN, the town where the waggoner lived. It was the last
day of the 6th month that we escaped these dangers; and it being
about eleven at night when we came in here, we got some fresh straw
and lay upon it, till about four in the morning. Then getting up, we
set forward again towards Bremen, by waggon and boat. On the way I
had good opportunities to publish truth among the people, especially
at a market-town, where we stayed to change our passage; where I
declared the truth to the people, warning them of the day of the
Lord, that was coming upon all flesh; and exhorting them to
righteousness, telling them, “that God was come to teach his people
himself,” and that they should turn to the Lord, and hearken to the
teachings of his Spirit in their own hearts.
At BREMEN, after we were examined, we went to an inn, and stayed
till another waggon was provided to carry us further. Though I felt
the Lord’s power was over the city, and kept the wicked and unruly
spirits down, yet my spirit suffered much in this place for the
people’s sake. When our waggon was ready, we left Bremen and
travelled to KEBY, where we lodged at an inn, and early next morning
set out for OLDENBURG. It was a lamentable sight to see so great and
brave a city burnt down. We went to an inn, and though it was
First-day, the soldiers were drinking, and playing at shovel-board;
and at the few houses that were left, the shops were open, and the
people trading one with another. I was moved to declare the truth
among them, and warn them of the judgments of God; and though they
heard me quietly, and were civil, yet I was burdened with their
wickedness. Many times in mornings, noons, and nights, at the inns
and on the ways as I travelled, I spoke to the people, preaching the
truth to them, warning them of the day of the Lord, and exhorting
them to turn to the light and Spirit of God in themselves, that
thereby they might be led out of evil.
Next day, passing through many great waters, we came at night to
LEER, and the day following to EMBDEN, where John Claus’s wife’s
father lived; at whose house, when we went into Germany, we left a
young man sick, who travelled with me, and used to write for me;
whom now we found pretty well recovered. John Claus went to his
father-in-law’s; John Hill and I to an inn, where we dined. After
dinner we went also to John Claus’s father’s, and had a good meeting
there in the evening.
The day following we took shipping at Embden, passed to DELFZIEL,
and went to an inn, where a Friend came to us that then lived there,
having been often banished from Embden; he was a goldsmith, and had
a house and shop in Embden; and still as they banished him, he went
again. Then they imprisoned him, and fed him with bread and water;
and at length took his goods from him, and banished him, his wife,
and children, leaving them neither place to come to, nor anything to
subsist on. We comforted and encouraged him in the Lord, exhorting
him to be faithful, and stand stedfast in the testimony committed to
him. When we had taken leave of him, we took boat, and passed the
same day to GRONINGEN, where we met with Cornelius Andries, a Friend
that had also suffered much by imprisonment and banishment at
Embden. We went with him to his house, and next day had a good
meeting in that city, to which several professors came, who were
very peaceable and attentive. After meeting we passed by boat to
STROBUS, and so to DOCKUM, where we lodged at an inn. Taking boat
again next morning we passed to LEEUWARDEN, the chief city of
Friesland, where I found my daughter Yeomans, who was come from
Amsterdam to meet me. That day we had a precious meeting at Sybrand
Dowes’s house. After the meeting I had discourse with some that were
at it, who had been formerly convinced of truth, but were not come
into obedience to it. We stayed there that night; but John Hill left
us and went that day to Harlingen, and so to Amsterdam.
Next day we passed down the river to the lake of HEMPEN-SARMER, and
thence by the lake LUGMER, and so to a town called ANDERIGO; whence
sailing through the lake WHISPOOL, we came to GARDICK within night.
We lodged at an inn; and next day being First-day, we were at
Friends’ meeting there, which was very large, many of the
town’s-people coming in; amongst whom I declared the truth, in the
power of the Lord that was upon me, which tendered the people, and
they were very sober. After it we stayed a little while to refresh
ourselves, and then went to take boat again; but the people
observing us, gathered together at a bridge, which we were to pass;
and there I spoke unto them again, declaring the way of life and
salvation; and they were very attentive and civil.
We went back that evening to LEEUWARDEN, twenty-seven miles; but
before we could reach it, the gates were shut, and the bridges drawn
up, so that we could not get into the city, but lay in the boat all
night. Next morning, there having been a man killed in the city that
night, it was late before the gates were opened. When we could get
in, we went to a Friend’s house, where we stayed a while; then
taking boat again, we passed through FRANEKER to HARLINGEN, to
Hessel Jacobs’s, where we found several Dutch Friends, who were come
to be at the meeting there next day. In the evening William Penn
came to us from Amsterdam; who having returned two or three days
before out of Germany, had been at a large meeting at Amsterdam on
First-day; and after it, understanding I was at Harlingen, he came
thither to me.
The next day was the monthly meeting for the men and women, to which
we went; it was large and good. And there it was agreed, that “a
meeting should be held there once a month, both for the men and for
the women, to take care of the outward concerns of the church.”
In the afternoon we had a public meeting, to which came people of
several sorts, Socinians, Baptists, Lutherans, &c., amongst whom
were a doctor of physic and a priest. After I had declared the truth
pretty largely to the people, opening the happy state that man and
woman were in, whilst they kept under God’s teaching, and abode in
the Paradise of God; and on the other hand, the woe and misery that
came upon them when they went from God’s teaching, hearkening to the
Serpent’s—when they transgressed God’s command, and were driven out
of Paradise; and then came to set forth the way, whereby man and
woman might come into that happy state again—the priest, an ancient,
grave man, stood up, just as I had done speaking, and putting off
his hat, said, “I pray God to prosper and confirm that doctrine, for
it is truth, and I have nothing against it.” He would willingly have
stayed till the meeting ended, but having to preach that evening, he
could not stay longer, the time for his own worship being come.
Wherefore when he had made confession to the truth, he hastened
away, that he might come again; and did come, it seems, to the
meeting-place, but the meeting was ended first. After meeting we
went to Hessel Jacobs’s, where I had a meeting with Friends, and the
doctor of physic came thither to discourse with William Penn, who
had a good opportunity to open the truth to him. By this doctor the
priest sent his love to me, wishing him to tell me, that he had left
preaching that evening half an hour sooner than he used to do, that
he might come to our meeting again, to hear more of that good
doctrine. I heard afterwards that his hearers questioned him, for
what he had said in our meeting; and that, he standing by his words,
they had complained of him for it to the other priests of the city,
who called him to account about it; but the result I could not
learn.
Early next morning William Penn, taking John Claus with him, passed
from Harlingen to Leeuwarden, where he had appointed a meeting;
intending after that, to travel into some other parts of Germany, to
visit a tender people there. I with those Friends that were with me,
took ship the same day for AMSTERDAM, where we arrived a little
after midnight, but the gates being shut, we lay on board till
morning; then went to Gertrude Dirick Nieson’s, where many Friends
came to see us, being glad of our safe return. Next day, feeling a
concern upon my mind, with relation to those seducing spirits that
made division among Friends, and being sensible that they
endeavoured to insinuate themselves into the affectionate part, I
was moved to write a few lines to Friends concerning them, as
follows:—
“All these that set up themselves in the affections of the people,
set up themselves, and the affections of the people, and not
Christ. But Friends, your peaceable habitation in the truth, which
is everlasting, and changes not, will outlast all the habitations
of those that are out of the truth, be they ever so full of words.
So they that are so keen for J.S. and J.W. let them take them, and
the separation; and you, that have given your testimony against
that spirit, stand in your testimony, till they answer by
condemnation. Do not strive, nor make bargains with that which is
out of the truth; nor save that alive to be a sacrifice for God,
which should be slain, lest you lose your kingdom.”
G. F.
Amsterdam, the 14th of the 7th Month, 1677.
On the First-day following, I was at Friends’ meeting at Amsterdam,
to which many people came, and were very civil and attentive,
hearing truth declared several hours. John Roeloffs interpreted for
me. Before this time, several of the Friends that came over with me,
were returned to England, as Robert Barclay,[44] George Keith’s
wife, and others; and now my daughter Yeomans went back also; so
that I was left alone at Amsterdam.
While I was there, it came upon me to visit my suffering Friends at
Dantzic with a few lines, to encourage and strengthen them in their
sufferings, as follows:—
“DEAR FRIENDS,
“To whom is my love in the Lord’s truth, that is over all, and by
which all God’s people are made free men and women, being thereby
set free from him that is out of the truth; that walking in the
truth, they may answer the witness of God in all people; which
truth all must come to if they be made free. Therefore be faithful
unto what the Lord makes known unto you. I am glad the Lord hath
witnesses in that city, to stand for his glory and name, and for
Christ Jesus, the great Prophet, whom God hath raised up, who is
to be heard in all things; so that ye need none of the prophets,
which men have raised up. Therefore, stand faithful to Christ
Jesus, your Shepherd, that he may feed you; hear his voice, and
follow him, who laid down his life for you: but follow none of the
shepherds and hirelings, that are made by men, though they be
angry, because you will not follow them to their dry and barren
mountains; who have been, and are the thieves, persecutors, and
robbers, that climb up another way, than by Christ. Set up Christ
to be your Counsellor and Leader, and then, ye will have no need
of any of the counsellors and leaders of the world; for Christ is
sufficient, whom God has given you. Set up Christ Jesus to be your
Bishop and Overseer, who is sufficient to oversee you, that ye go
not astray from God; by which ye may see over all the
hireling-overseers made by men, who keep the people that they do
not go astray from the rudiments and formalities, fashions and
customs of the world; which hath been and is their work. I am glad
ye are come to own Christ Jesus, your High Priest, who is holy,
harmless, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens,
as the church and the apostle owned him in their days, Heb. vii.,
who is the High-Priest over the household of faith; which faith,
Jesus Christ is the author and finisher of: and this do all the
children of the new covenant witness, who walk in the new and
living way.
“Therefore my desire is, that ye all may be steadfast, whether in
bonds or out, in the faith of Christ Jesus, which is the gift of
God; by which faith all the valiants overcame the devil and all
their enemies; in which faith they had victory and access to God;
and in that was their unity: which mystery of faith is held in a
pure conscience, hidden from the world. I do believe that your
imprisonments and sufferings in that place will be for good in the
end, as it hath been in other places, ye standing faithful to the
Lord who is all-sufficient. For your sufferings and trials will
try their teachers and religions, churches and worships, and make
manifest what birth they are of; even that which persecutes him
that is born of the Spirit: for ye know that there is no salvation
by any other name under the whole heaven, than by the name of
Jesus; therefore it is time to leave them, when there is no
salvation by or in any of them.
“Now, Friends, I desire that you would take a list of the names of
all those that belong to the king of Poland, and where they live,
and how ye may send books or epistles to them, and keep a
correspondence with them: also the name of the bishop or cardinal
that I heard was with you; and if ye can, get any of them that
belong to the king to come and visit the prisoners, that they may
inform the king of their cruel sufferings. Also I desire you to
get as many books of mine as you can dispose of, that set forth
your sufferings, and the cruelty of the magistrates of Dantzic;
and give them to the king, his council, attendants, and bishops.
And some of the women may speak to the queen, if they can, that
she may signify to the king their cruel sufferings; and especially
some of the sufferers’ wives, if there be any of a capacity to do
it. You may likewise give his attendants any other Friends’ books;
what books ye lack, send for to Amsterdam, where ye may be
furnished with them, to answer every tender desirer, and inquiring
mind after the Lord. So let your minds be bended with the Lord’s
power, to spread his truth abroad; and where ye hear of any, or
have any correspondence in outward trading with any sober people,
far or near, send them books, that their understandings may be
opened after the Lord.
“The Lord God Almighty preserve you! To his protection, in his
eternal power, do I commend you all, in bonds or at liberty, with
my love to you in the everlasting Seed of God, Christ Jesus, who
bruises the head of the serpent that makes you suffer. Christ is
over him, and will be when he is gone; who is First and Last, over
all, from everlasting to everlasting, in whom ye have life,
knowledge, wisdom, and salvation; and through him live to the
praise and glory of God, who is blessed for evermore. Amen.”
G.F.
Amsterdam, the 18th of the 7th Month, 1677, English style.
Next day, the fourth of the week and 19th of the month, I had a
large meeting at Amsterdam, many professors being at it; and truth
was largely opened to them, in the demonstration of the heavenly
power. The day following I went by boat from Amsterdam, many Friends
going with me, to LANDSMEER in Waterland (a town in which, they say,
there are above a hundred bridges,) where I had a very good meeting,
to which several professors came. After it I returned with Friends
to AMSTERDAM, where I stayed till the First-day following, and went
to their meeting, which was large. Many professors of several sorts
were at it, and heard the truth declared with great attention.
I tarried there next day, and in the night following had a great
exercise upon my spirit concerning that loose spirit, that was run
out into strife and contention among Friends, and had drawn some
after it into division and separation; the way, work, and end
whereof the Lord opened to me: wherefore feeling the motion of life
upon me, I got up in the morning and wrote the following epistle to
Friends:—
“MY DEAR FRIENDS,
“Keep your first love in the truth, power, and Seed of life in
Christ Jesus; for this last night, as I was lying in my bed at
Amsterdam, I had a great travail in the holy Seed of life and
peace, and my spirit was troubled with that spirit of strife and
separation. I saw it was a destroying spirit, and did seek not
only to get over the Seed, but to destroy it, and to eat out the
minds of people from it by strife and contention; and, under
pretence of standing for the ancient truth, its work is to root it
out, and destroy the appearance of it, to set up itself. It is a
creeping spirit, seeking whom it can get into; and what it cannot
do itself, it stirreth up others to do, and setteth their spirit
afloat, with the dark wisdom to destroy the simple. This spirit is
managed by the prince of the air, and leadeth some to do things
which they would have been ashamed to have done as men, which doth
unman them; and they would not have suffered them if they had kept
to the tender principle of God, which leadeth to peace. It is a
despising, backbiting, secret-whispering spirit, a sower of
dissension, and a taker of advantage of all prejudiced spirits,
that are disobedient to their first principle, and love of truth,
and begetteth into hatred; so it begetteth all into that spirit,
whose work is to destroy both the good within, and the good order
without. Nay, it would, if it could, destroy the government of
Christ, and the order of the gospel, to set up its own will and
spirit, which is not of God; and, under pretence of crying down
man, is setting up man, and gathering into a separation of
disobedient men, who float above their conditions. This spirit
which neither liveth in the truth nor its order, but opposeth them
that do, I cannot express it, as I see it and its work, whose end
will be accordingly.
“Therefore, Friends, I am to warn you all, that have not lost your
simplicity, not to touch it, nor to have any unity with it, lest
you be defiled, and lose your conditions of your eternal estate
and everlasting portion; and that your inward man, which is after
God, may be preserved, and Christ may reign in all your hearts. It
will be very hard for those that are joined with them, ever to
come down to truth in themselves, to see their own conditions, and
to have that spirit of strife and contention (which eateth as a
canker) brought down in them; which is carnal and slayeth the
tender babe, which was once begotten in themselves. The Philistine
is got up in them, that stoppeth the wells and springs, maketh a
great bustle, and is crying up men, and pleading for them instead
of Christ. So, Friends, strive not with them, but let those take
them that cry them up. Keep you to the Lord Jesus Christ with his
light, that cometh from him, that he may be your Lord; and ye in
him may be all in unity, in one light, life, power, and dominion,
in Christ, your head. The God of peace and power preserve you all
in Christ Jesus, your Saviour; and out of and from that
mischievous spirit, which is idle and slothful as to the work of
the power, and Spirit, and light of God and Christ. Its very act
worketh strife and disturbance against the peace of the church of
Christ. It thinks in its wilfulness, stubbornness, and unruliness,
to set up itself, and in that to have peace; but destruction will
be the end of it, and it is sealed for the fire and eternal
judgment. Therefore, let Christ, the Seed, be the head and crown
of every one of you, that nothing may be between you and the Lord
God.
Be not deceived with vain, feigned, or rough words; for Satan is
transforming himself, as an angel of light, to deceive; but God’s
foundation standeth sure, and God knoweth who are his, and will
preserve them upon the rock and foundation of life, in his
peaceable truth and habitation, that in the same they may grow.
Keep out of strife and contention with it, after ye have borne
your testimony in the Lord’s power and truth against it, then keep
in the truth; for it hath a life in scribbling, strife and
jangling, and would bring others into its misery with the airy
power, and would get power over the good, disjoin people from it,
and so commit rapes upon the simplicity by its subtilty. But I do
believe the Lord will defend his people, though he may try them
and exercise them with this spirit for a time, as he hath done in
days past, in other vessels it hath made use of, as it doth of
these now; who have a more seeming fair outside, but foul, rough,
and rugged enough within, against the Seed, Christ, as ever were
the Pharisees to destroy it. They, under a pretence of preaching
Christ, are destroyers and crucifiers of him, and killers of the
just, not only in themselves, but are endeavouring with all their
might, to destroy it in others, where it is born. Pharaoh and
Herod slay the young Jews in the Spirit, as the old did; I feel it
worrying them. That is got up to be king which knew not suffering
Joseph. But God will plague him, and the Seed will have more rest,
and be better entertained in Egypt, than under Herod, into whom
old Pharaoh’s spirit is entered.
“He that hath an ear to hear, let him hear: and an eye to see, let
him see, how this spirit hath transformed in all ages against the
just and righteous; but mark, what hath been its end? The Seed
reigneth; glory to the Lord God over all for ever! His truth
spreadeth, and Friends here are in unity and peace, and of good
report, answering the good, or that of God in people. My desires
are, that all God’s people may do the same in all places, that the
Lord may be glorified in their bringing forth much fruit that is
heavenly and spiritual. Amen.”
G.F.
Amsterdam, the 25th of the 7th Month, 1677.
After I had given forth the foregoing epistle, whereby my spirit was
in some measure eased of the weight that lay upon it, I went in the
afternoon to the monthly meeting of Friends at Amsterdam, where the
Lord was present with us, and refreshed our spirits together in
himself.
I had thought to go next day to Haarlem; but a fast being appointed
to be kept that day, I was stopped in my spirit, and moved to stay
at Friends’ meeting that day at Amsterdam. We had a very large
meeting, a great concourse of people coming to it, and amongst them
many great persons. The Lord’s power was over the meeting; and in
the openings thereof I was moved to declare to the people, “that no
man, by all his wit and study, nor by reading history in his own
will, could declare or know the generation of Christ, who was, not
begotten by the will of man, but by the will of God.” After I had
largely opened this unto them, “I showed them the difference between
the true fast and the false; manifesting, that the professed
Christians, Jews, and Turks, were out of the true fast, and fasted
for strife and debate, being under the band and fists of iniquity
and oppression, wherewith they were smiting one another; but the
pure hands were not lifted up to God. And though they did all appear
to men to fast, and did hang down their heads for a day like a
bulrush, yet that was not the fast which God did accept; but in that
state all their bones were dry, and when they called upon the Lord,
he did not answer them, neither did their health grow; for they kept
their own fast and not the Lord’s. I exhorted them to keep the
Lord’s fast, which was to fast from sin and iniquity, from strife
and debate, from violence and oppression, and to abstain from every
appearance of evil.” These things were opened to the astonishment of
the fasters; and the meeting ended peaceably and well.
I went to HAARLEM the day following, having before appointed a
meeting. Peter Hendricks and Gertrude Dirick Nieson went with me;
and a blessed meeting we had. There were professors of several
sorts, and a priest of the Lutherans, who sat very attentive for
several hours, while I declared the truth amongst them, Gertrude
interpreting. When the meeting was done, the priest said, “he had
heard nothing but what was according to the Word of God; and desired
that the blessing of the Lord might rest upon us, and our
assemblies.” Others also confessed to the truth, saying, “they had
never heard things so plainly opened to their understandings
before.”
We stayed that night at Haarlem at a Friend’s house, whose name was
Dirick Klassen; and, returning next day to AMSTERDAM, went to
Gertrude’s house; where we had not been long, before a priest of
great note, who had formerly belonged to the Emperor of Germany, and
with him another German priest came, desiring to have some
conference with me. I took the opportunity to declare the way of
truth unto them, opening unto them “how they might come to know God
and Christ, and his law and gospel;” and showing them that “they
could never know it by study, nor by philosophy, but by divine
revelation through the Spirit of God, opening to them in the
stillness of their minds.” The men were tender, and went away well
satisfied.
On the First-day following I was at Friends’ meeting at Amsterdam;
where, amongst several sorts of professors that were present, was a
doctor from Poland, who for his religion was banished the place he
lived in; and being affected with the testimony of truth in the
meeting, he came afterwards to have some discourse with me; and
after we had been some time together, and I had opened things
further to him, he went away very tender and loving.
While I was at Amsterdam, I spent much of my time in writing books,
papers, or epistles on truth’s behalf. I wrote several epistles from
Amsterdam to Friends in England and elsewhere, on several occasions,
as the Lord moved me by his Spirit thereunto. I wrote also from
thence, “A Warning to the Inhabitants of the City of Oldenburg,
which was lately burnt down;” also, “A Warning to the Inhabitants of
the City of Hamburg,” both of which were as follows:—
“_A Warning to the Magistrates and People of the City of
Oldenburg._
“FRIENDS,
“Have you not seen and felt the judgments of God upon your city,
the Lord sending lightning from heaven that destroyed and burnt
it? As I passed through your city on a First-day of the week,
which you call your Sabbath, I saw some drinking, and soldiers
playing at shuffleboard, and others with their shops open and
trading, when they should have been waiting upon God and
worshipping him; and your people were light and vain, without any
sense of God’s judgments or repentance. O therefore repent, lest
the all-seeing God, who sees all your actions and is over all,
bring swift judgment upon you in his wrath, fury, and indignation.
Repent, and lay aside all manner of evil and wickedness,
ungodliness, and unrighteousness; for the day of the Lord will
come upon all that do evil, all the workers of iniquity. This
mighty day of the Lord will find them all out, and will burn as an
oven, and burn up all the proud and wicked, and neither leave them
root nor branch.
“Therefore, all ye magistrates, priests, and people, search in
yourselves to find out the cause, and what evil you have
committed, that has brought the wrath, vengeance, and judgment of
God upon you and your city, in burning it. All return, and come to
the light of Christ in your hearts, and to God’s Spirit, and to
the grace and truth in your hearts, that comes by Jesus Christ;
that with it ye may search your hearts. Do not grieve, nor vex,
nor quench God’s good Spirit in your hearts, and walk not
despitefully against the Spirit of grace, nor turn from it into
wantonness; and yet make a profession of God and Christ in words,
when your hearts are afar off, living in pleasures and wantonly
upon the earth, sporting yourselves, killing the just, crucifying
to yourselves Christ afresh, and putting him to open shame; and so
dishonouring God, and Christ, and Christianity, and making a
profession and a trade of the Scriptures, keeping people always
learning, that they may be always paying.
“Cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils, and look unto
the Lord, all ye ends of the earth, and be saved; for the Lord God
of heaven and earth is come, to teach his people himself by his
light, Spirit, grace, and truth, and to bring them off from all
the world’s teachers. God hath raised up Christ Jesus, his
Prophet, whom people should hear; and saith, ‘This is my beloved
Son, hear ye him’; and Christ saith, ‘Learn of me, I am the way,
the truth, and the life; and no man comes to the Father, but by
me.’ There is no salvation by any other name under the whole
heaven than by the name of Jesus, who saith, ‘I am the Good
Shepherd, and have laid down my life for my sheep; and my sheep
hear my voice and follow me, and will not follow the hireling’;
for Christ feeds them in the pastures of life that will never
wither. God hath anointed Christ Jesus to preach, if you will hear
him; and God hath given Christ for a Counsellor and a Leader, if
you will be led and counselled by him; and God hath given Christ
for a Bishop to oversee you, and a King to rule you, if you will
be overseen and ruled by him. You that will not have Christ, who
never sinned, nor was guile found in his mouth, to rule over you,
you may read his sentence in the New Testament upon such. Is not
Christ a sufficient teacher, whose blood was shed for you, and who
tasted death for every man?
“Doth not Christ say to his ministers, ‘Freely ye have received,
freely give?’ And the apostle saith, ‘We covet no man’s gold,
silver, or apparel.’ They laboured with their hands, and kept the
gospel without charge. Have they that are called ministers amongst
you done the same, and kept this command of Christ Jesus? Let them
be examined and examine themselves. Have you not trimmed your
outsides? but look within with the light and Spirit of Christ
Jesus, and see if your insides be not black and foul. For Christ
Jesus, who doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world,
with the life in himself, saith, ‘Believe in the light, that ye
may become children of the light.’ With the light ye may see all
the evil and ungodly deeds that ye have committed; all your
ungodly words you have spoken; and all your ungodly thoughts ye
think; that ye may turn from them to Christ, from whom the light
comes; who is your Saviour and Redeemer, who hath given you a
light to see your sin, and that you are dead in Adam; that with
the same light you may see Christ, the quickening Spirit, who
makes you alive to God, and saves you from your sin. But if you
hate the light, which is the life in Christ, the Prince of Life,
and love the darkness and the prince of darkness more than the
light or the life in Christ, because it will reprove you; Christ
tells you, ‘This light will be your condemnation,’ John iii.
“Therefore be warned now in your day, and while you have time,
turn to the Lord. Do not quench the Spirit of the Father by which
he draws to the Son; nor hate the light of Christ; for if you do,
you hate the life in Christ, and so remain under condemnation from
God and Christ with the light, who now speaks to his people by his
Son, as he did in the apostles’ days; the same God, that was the
speaker by the prophets to the fathers, and speaker to Adam and
Eve in Paradise; and happy had Adam and Eve, and the Jews, and all
Christians been, if they had kept to this speaker, and not
followed that serpent, that false speaker, and his instruments.
And now God is the true speaker by his Son, who bruises the head
of the serpent, the false teacher, who is the head of all false
ways, false prophets, false churches, and false religions and
worships. So God in Christ is bringing people to the pure and
undefiled religion, that will keep them from the spots of the
world, into the new and living way, Christ Jesus; and to the
church in God, which Christ is the head of, as he was in the
apostles’ days; and to worship God in the Spirit and in truth,
which worship Christ set up above sixteen hundred years since.
Therefore must all people come to the grace and Spirit of truth in
their own hearts, to know the God of truth, who is a Spirit; and
in the Spirit and truth to worship, serve, honour, and glorify the
living God, who is over all, and worthy of all, blessed for
evermore. Amen.
“Ye magistrates and officers, read this in all your assemblies,
and cause all your priests to read it in their churches; that they
and you, and all people may hear and fear the God of heaven, as
you will answer it at the great and terrible day of judgment, and
vengeance of the Lord God Almighty. This is in love to your souls,
and for your temporal and eternal good.”
G.F.
Amsterdam, the 19th of the 7th Month, 1677.
“_A Warning to the Magistrates, Priests, and People of the City of
Hamburg, to humble themselves before the Lord, and not be
high-minded._
“FRIENDS,
“You have painted and garnished the inside of your outward houses
and high places; but look within your hearts with the light of
Christ, which he hath enlightened you and every man that cometh
into the world withal, and with it you may see how foul your
hearts and insides are with sin and evil, which Christ tells you
ye should make clean; who told the Pharisees how they ‘painted the
sepulchres of the righteous,’ and they themselves were full of
rottenness and corruption. Therefore look into yourselves and your
own hearts, what you are full of. To paint the sepulchres of the
righteous apostles, and make a trade and a profession of their
words, without the same Holy Ghost, and power, and light, and
truth which they were in, will not stand the day of God’s
vengeance.
“Therefore repent while you have time, turn to the Lord with your
whole hearts, and do not think yourselves secure, without his
immediate almighty protection. For not all your works, nor all
your own strength, and power, and defence can protect you; it is
not for you to look at them, and think yourselves secure, to sit
down in your security, and in it let your hearts be merry, and at
rest and ease. But when the Lord brings a scourge upon you, that
you are filled with terrors and fears, remember you were warned,
that you were set down, but not in the true rest. Then all your
own strength and force will stand you in no stead; and you will
acknowledge that it must be God that must protect you. Therefore
take warning; for your priests and people are too high, and are
swallowed up too much in this world. The vanities of it carry your
minds away from God, and your care is more for the world than for
God, and more after the riches of this world, than after the
riches of the world that has no end. Know you not, that all your
heaps of outward treasure must have an end, and that you must
leave them all behind you?
“Therefore I am to warn and advise you, both high and low, priests
and people, to come to the grace, light and truth, that comes by
Jesus Christ; to the manifestation of the good Spirit of God,
which is given to you to profit withal; that with this grace, and
truth, light, and Spirit of Christ, you may turn to Christ Jesus,
from whence it comes, who saith, ‘Learn of me;’ and God saith,
‘This is my beloved Son, hear ye Him.’ So all the children of the
new covenant, that walk in the new and living way, hear Christ
their Prophet, that God has raised up, and anointed to be their
Teacher and Priest. So now, God doth speak to his people by his
Son, as he did in the apostles’ days. The Lord is come to teach
his people himself by his grace, light, truth, and Spirit, and to
bring them off all the world’s teachers that are made by men since
the apostles’ days; who have kept people always learning, that
they may be always paying them. He is come to bring them off all
the world’s religions, to the religion that he set up in the
apostles’ days, in the new covenant, which is pure and undefiled
before God in his sight, and keeps from the spots of the world,
&c. And the Lord is come to bring them off all the world’s
churches, to the church in God, which Christ the heavenly man is
head of; and to bring them off all the world’s worships, to
worship God in Spirit and in truth, which Christ set up above
sixteen hundred years since. So all men and women must come to the
Spirit and truth in their hearts, by which they must know the God
of truth, who is a Spirit; and then in the Spirit and in truth
they will worship him, and know what and whom they worship. Also
the Lord is come to bring his people off all the world’s temples,
that with the Spirit they may know their bodies to be the temples
of the Holy Ghost. And the Lord is come to bring his people off
all the world’s crosses, pictures, images, and likenesses, to know
that the power of God is the cross of Christ, which crucifies them
to the world, and brings them up into the likeness and image of
God, that man and woman were in before they fell; and so to Christ
that never fell.
“This work must all know in their hearts, by the light of Christ
Jesus, who ‘is the true light, that lighteth every man that cometh
into the world.’ It is called the light in man and woman, and the
life in Christ the Word: and Christ saith, ‘Believe in the light,
that ye may be the children of light.’ And the light lets you see
all your evil actions, that you have committed; your ungodly ways
you have walked in; and your ungodly words and thoughts. If you
hate this light, and love the darkness, and the prince of it, more
than this light, which is the life in Christ, the Prince of Life,
and will not come to it, because your deeds are evil, it will
reprove you; Christ tells you, ‘this light is your condemnation.’
Then what is all your profession good for, when you remain under
the condemnation of the true light, in which you should believe;
and so become children of light, and out of condemnation?
Therefore everyone must believe in the light, if they receive
Christ Jesus; and as many as receive him, he gives them ‘power to
become the sons of God.’ He that hath the Son of God, hath life;
and they that have not the Son of God, have not life: if then you
have not life, what good doth all your profession of the
Scriptures from Genesis to Revelations do you, any more than the
Jews, Scribes, and Pharisees, that would not receive Christ the
life, upon whom God brought his overflowing scourge?
“Therefore do you take heed, for your strength will be no better
than theirs, if you have not God and Christ’s supporting power,
when God’s scourge comes upon you, and you are filled with horrors
and fears. My desires are, that you may all repent, even from the
highest to the lowest, and not grieve, nor quench, nor vex, nor
rebel against, God’s good Spirit in you, nor ‘walk despitefully
against the Spirit Of Grace,’ which would teach you, and bring
your salvation; nor turn from it unto wantonness. If you do, how
can you escape the overflowing scourge of the Almighty, and the
wrath of the Lamb? My desires are, that you may all obey God’s
good Spirit of truth, which will lead you out of all evil into all
truth, and reprove you for your own righteousness, and for your
own judgment and sin. It will bring you to cleave to that which is
good, to forsake that which is evil, and to turn to the Lord, who
will receive you in his mercy and kindness; by which means you may
escape the overflowing scourge in the day of vengeance, which
dreadful day is coming upon all evil-doers. This is a warning to
you, both for your temporal and eternal good; to read in your
assemblies, and your priests in their churches, that all people
may hear and fear; as you will answer it at the terrible and
dreadful day of judgment.”
G.F.
Amsterdam, the 19th of the 7th Month, 1677.
I wrote also an Epistle to the ambassadors that were treating about
a peace at Nimeguen,[45] as follows:—
“_For the Ambassadors, that are met to treat for Peace at the
City of Nimeguen, in the States’ dominions._
“Christ Jesus saith, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall
be called the children of God,’ Matt. v. 9, so all Christian men
are to forsake evil, and do good, to seek peace and follow it, if
they will ‘love life, and see good days,’ 1 Pet. iii. 11. God hath
called all true Christians unto peace, 1 Cor. vii., and therefore
all Christians ought to follow this peace, which God calls them
to. They should let the peace of God rule in all their hearts;
which is above the peace of this world, that is so soon broken.
For the apostle commands the Christians to let the peace of God
rule in their hearts, to which all Christians should be subject.
The practice of this should be among all that profess
Christianity; and this peace is above that, which Christ takes
from the earth, Rev. vi., which is the peace of the wicked. And
the apostle saith to the Christians, ‘Be at peace among
yourselves,’ 1 Thess. v. Now all Christians should obey this
command, and be at peace among themselves; not in wars and strife.
And further, the apostle exhorts the Christians to ‘keep the unity
of the Spirit in the bond of peace.’ So this unity, this bond of
peace, should be kept (and not be broken) by all that bear that
noble name, Christian. They should keep the unity of the Spirit of
Christ in the bond of the Prince of princes, King of kings, and
Lord of lords’ peace, which is the duty of all true Christians to
keep. Herein they may honour Christ, in bringing forth the fruits
of peace, which are love and charity. For the apostle tells you,
‘The fruit of the good Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering,
gentleness, goodness,’ &c., Gal. v.
“And the apostle exhorts the Christians, and saith, ‘If it be
possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men:’
this should be the endeavour of all Christians. For it is no
honour to Christ, that Christians should war and destroy one
another, that profess his name, who saith, ‘He came to save men’s
lives, and not to destroy them.’ Christians have enemies enough
abroad without them, and therefore they should love one another,
as Christ commands, who saith, ‘By this ye shall be known to be my
disciples, if ye love one another.’ For Christians are commanded
to love enemies; therefore much more, one another. And Christ
saith, ‘As the Father hath loved me, so I have loved you: continue
ye in my love,’ John xv. 8, and ‘By this shall all men know that
ye are my disciples, if ye love one another,’ John xiii. 35. But
if Christians war and destroy one another, this will make Jews,
Turks, Tartars, and Heathens say, that you are not disciples of
Christ. Therefore, as you love God, and Christ, and Christianity,
and its peace, all make peace, as far as you have power, among
Christians, that you may have the blessing. You read, that
Christians were called the household of faith, the household of
God, a holy nation, a peculiar people: and they are commanded to
be ‘zealous of good works,’ not of bad: and Christians are also
commanded not to bite and devour one another, lest they be
consumed one of another.
“Is it not a sad thing for Christians to be biting and consuming
one another in the sight of the Turks, Tartars, Jews, and
Heathens, when they should ‘love one another, and do unto all men,
as they would have them do unto them?’ Such devouring work as
this, will open the mouths of Jews and Turks, Tartars and
Heathens, to blaspheme the name of Christ, who is the King of
kings, and Lord of lords, and cause them to speak evil of
Christianity, for them to see how the unity of the Spirit is
broken among such, as profess Christ and Christ’s peace. Therefore
all Christians are to mind God and Christ’s teaching, who teacheth
Christians to love one another, yea enemies; and persuade all
kings and princes, to give liberty to all tender consciences in
matters of religion and worship, they living peaceably under every
government: so that for the time to come, there may be no more
imprisonment and persecution among Christians, for tender
consciences about matters of faith, worship, and religion, that
the Jews, Turks, Tartars, and Heathens, may not see how Christians
are persecuting one another for religion: seeing, from Christ and
the apostles, Christians have no such command, but on the
contrary, to love one another; and knowing, that Christ said to
such as would have been plucking up tares, ‘Let the tares and the
wheat grow together till the harvest (which is the end of the
world) lest they plucked up the wheat;’ and at the end of the
world Christ would send forth his angels, and they should sever
the wheat from the tares. So Christ tells you, that it is the
angels’ work at the end of the world, and not men’s work, before
the harvest at the end of the world. Hath not all this
persecution, banishing, and imprisoning, and putting to death,
concerning religion, been the pretence of plucking up tares? and
hath not all this been before the harvest, before the end of the
world? And therefore have not all these been actors against the
express command of Christ, the king of Heaven?
“All kings and rulers, especially they that call themselves
Christians, should obey their Lord and Saviour’s command; ‘Let the
tares and the wheat grow together, till the harvest;’ and the
harvest is the end of the world. Christ also told some of his
disciples, that in their zeal would have had fire to come down
from heaven, to destroy such as would not receive him, ‘That they
did not know what spirit they were of;’ and rebuked them, and
said, ‘He came not to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.’ And
therefore all such as have destroyed men’s lives concerning
religion, and the worship of God, have they known what spirit they
have been of? Have they not done that which they should not do?
done that which Christ forbade, who saith, ‘Lest ye should pluck
up the wheat with the tares,’ and saith, ‘It is the angel’s work
at the end of the world?’ And hath not God showed unto man what is
good, and his duty, ‘To love mercy, to do justly, and to walk
humbly with his God?’ which man is to mind.
“And the apostle exhorts Christians, ‘To follow peace with all
men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord,’ Heb.
xii. 14. Why should Christians war and strive one with another,
seeing they all own in words one King, Lord, and Saviour, Christ
Jesus, whose command is, that they should ‘love one another;’
which is a mark that they shall be known by, to be Christ’s
disciples, as I said before. And Christ, who is the King of kings,
and Lord of lords, saith, ‘This is my commandment, that ye love
one another, as I have loved you,’ John xv. 12, and John xiii. And
the apostle saith, Christians ought to ‘be patient towards all
men,’ 1 Thess. v. 14.
“From him, who is a lover of truth, righteousness, and peace, who
desires your temporal and eternal good; and that in the wisdom of
God, that is from above, pure, gentle, and peaceable, you may be
ordered, and order all things, that God hath committed to you, to
his glory; and stop those things among Christians, so far as you
have power, which dishonour God, Christ, and Christianity!”
G.F.
Amsterdam, the 21st of the 7th Month, 1677.
To the magistrates and priests of Embden I wrote, showing them their
unchristian practices in persecuting Friends.[46] And several other
books I wrote, in answer to priests and others of Hamburg, Dantzic,
and other places, to clear the truth and Friends from their charges
and false slanders.
“_An Epistle concerning true Fasting, true Prayer, true Honour,
and against Persecution, and for the true Liberty in Christ
Jesus; that all may have a care, that the apostle hath not
bestowed his labour in vain upon you in your observing of Days,
Months, Times, Feasts, and Years, and of coming under the
beggarly elements and the yoke of bondage again, and of bringing
and forcing people into them._
“Where did ever Christ or his apostles command any believers or
Christians to observe holidays or feast-days? Let us see where it
is written in the Scriptures of the New Testament, in the four
Evangelists, or the Epistles, or the Revelation, that ever Christ
or his apostles commanded Christians to observe the time called
Christmas, or a day for Christ’s birth? or to observe the time
called Easter, or Whitsuntide, or Peter’s or Paul’s, Mark’s,
Luke’s, or any other saint’s day?
“You, that profess yourselves to be the reformed churches from the
Papists, Jews, and Heathens, and the Scriptures to be your rule,
and are professors of the new covenant, where do you prove out of
the New Testament, that the apostles and the primitive church
practised or forced any such thing, or that Christ and his
Apostles gave any such command to the churches that they should
practise and observe any such days? Let us see where this command
is written. Did not the apostle say unto the Galatians in the
fourth chapter, ‘But now, after that ye have known God, or rather
ye are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly
elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe
days, and months, and times, and years; I am afraid of you, lest I
have bestowed upon you labour in vain.’ And in the third of
Galatians it is said, ‘O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched
you, that you should not obey the truth,’ &c. And in Galatians the
fifth, the apostle exhorts them to ‘stand fast in the liberty
wherewith Christ had made them free;’ and moreover said, ‘Be not
entangled again with the yoke of bondage.’
“Now doth not this manifest, that there were some teachers, that
were drawing the church of the Galatians into these beggarly
elements, and bringing them again into bondage, in observing days,
months, times, and years? It was the apostle’s work to bring them
out of those bondages and beggarly elements; and therefore, when
they were going back again into observing days, months, times, and
years, he was afraid that he had ‘bestowed his labour upon them in
vain;’ and he exhorts them to ‘stand fast in the liberty wherewith
Christ Jesus hath made them free, and not to be entangled again
with the yoke of bondage,’ and again signifies, that ‘they had
been once entangled with that yoke of bondage and beggarly
elements.’
“But O! how are people, called Christians, since the apostles’
days, gone again under this yoke of bondage, and these beggarly
elements, in observing days, months, times, and years, let their
practice declare. Nay, do not both Papists and Protestants force
people to observe days, months, and times? And therefore is not
the apostle’s labour and travail bestowed upon Christendom in
vain, which was to bring people from under such beggarly elements,
and that yoke of bondage (which the law did require), to ‘stand
fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free, and not
to be entangled again with the yoke of bondage?’ It was and is
Christ, that hath made and doth make his people free from these
beggarly elements; therefore, they that are redeemed, are to
‘stand fast in that liberty wherewith Christ hath made them free.’
This liberty all true Christians are to stand fast in; they are
made free by Christ and not by man; for man, without the Spirit
and mind of Christ, seeks to force and compel Christ’s followers,
such as are made free from the yoke of bondage, to outward things
that the law commanded, to the observing of days, months, times,
feasts, and years. From such weak, beggarly elements, they that
know God, or are known of God and Christ, are to stand fast in
their liberty, and not come under, nor be entangled with the yoke
of bondage to such things again, seeing he hath made them free.
For they that are in such things, and would force others to them,
are gone from that which gives the knowledge of God, and have not
stood fast in the liberty wherewith Christ makes free.
“Concerning Prayer, we do not read that ever Christ or his
apostles did seek by force to compel any to fast or pray with
them. But Christ taught them how they should pray, and be distinct
from the hypocrites. His words are as follows:—‘When thou prayest,
thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are; for they love to pray
standing in the synagogues, and in the corners of the streets,
that they may be seen of men,’ &c. ‘But thou, when thou prayest,
enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to
thy Father, which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in
secret, shall reward thee openly. But when ye pray, use not vain
repetitions, as the heathen do; for they think they shall be heard
for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them; for
your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask
him,’ &c. As the apostles and saints did, so do we; we pray in
secret, and we pray in public, as the Spirit gives us utterance,
which helps our infirmities, as it did the apostles and true
Christians; after this manner we pray for ourselves, and for all
men both high and low.
“Concerning Fasting, Christ saith, ‘Moreover when ye fast, be not
as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance; for they disfigure their
faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. But when thou
fastest, anoint thy head and wash thy face, that thou appear not
unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret; and thy
Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.’
“You may see in Isaiah the lviiith., what the true fast is which
the Lord requires; where it is said to the prophet, ‘Cry aloud,
and spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and show my
people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins; yet
they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways as a nation that
did righteousness, and forsook not the ordinance of their God;
they ask of me the ordinances of justice; they take delight in
approaching to God. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou
seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our soul, and thou takest
no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your fast ye find pleasure,
and exact all your labours. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate,
and to smite with the fist of wickedness, ye shall not fast, as ye
do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high. Is it such a
fast that I have chosen? A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is
it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread sackcloth and
ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day
to the Lord? Is not this the fast that I have chosen, saith the
Lord; to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy
burthens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break
every yoke?’ So this fast that the Lord requires, is not to lay
yokes, to oppress, and lay heavy burthens, and to make fast the
bands of wickedness; but to loose and to break such things.
“And further, concerning the true fast the Lord requires, ‘Is it
not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou bring the poor,
that are cast out, to thy house? When thou seest the naked, that
thou cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thy own flesh?
(Do you keep this true fast?) Then shall thy light break forth as
the morning, and thine health shall spring forth speedily; and thy
righteousness shall go before thee, the glory of the Lord shall be
thy rereward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall answer;
thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am; if thou take away
from the midst of thee the yokes, the putting forth of the finger
and speaking vanity; and if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry,
and satisfy the afflicted soul, then shall thy light arise out of
obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon-day. And the Lord shall
guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make
fat thy bones; and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a
spring of water, whose waters fail not,’ &c.
“Now here is the practice of the true fast the Lord requires of
his people; and to them that observe this fast, the Lord saith,
‘When they call, he will answer.’ You may see what glorious and
happy comforts they receive from the Lord, that keep this true
fast; but such as fast for strife and debate, smite with the fists
of wickedness, and make their voices to be heard on high; who
afflict their souls for a day, bow down their head as a bulrush,
and loose not the bands of wickedness; who do not undo every heavy
burthen, break not off every yoke, nor let the oppressed go free;
who do not deal their bread to the hungry, clothe not the naked,
nor bring the poor to their house, but hide themselves from their
own flesh:—such fasts and fasters the Lord doth not accept,
neither hath he chosen them. But these appear to men with their
disfigured faces, and hang down their heads as a bulrush for a
day, like the hypocrites, to fast, as Christ speaks in Matt. vi.
“And is it not the command of Christ, that in their fast they
should not appear unto men to fast? And now you that would force
us to shut up our shops on fasting-days, or for a day, does not
this fast appear to men? and is not this the fast that the Lord
saith in Isaiah he ‘doth not accept?’ for he saith, ‘Is this the
fast that I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul, and
bow down his head as a bulrush?’ &c. ‘Wilt thou call this a fast,
and an acceptable day to the Lord?’ Isa. lviii.
“Therefore all God’s people are to keep the true fast of the Lord
from debate and strife, and the fists of wickedness; that fast
that breaks the bands of wickedness, and undoes every heavy
burthen; breaks every yoke, and lets the oppressed go free; deals
bread to the hungry, clothes the naked, and brings the poor that
are cast out to his own house. Every one that keeps this true
fast, their health shall grow, and when they call, the Lord will
hear them; he will be their guide continually, satisfy their souls
in drought, and make their bones fat; and they shall be like a
watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
Now you, that keep not this true fast, when you call upon the Lord
on your own fasting-days, does the Lord answer you, and say, ‘Here
I am?’ Doth the Lord guide you continually? Are your bones made
fat by him, and your souls satisfied in drought? Are you like a
watered garden, and like a spring, whose waters fail not? But you
that keep not this true fast, do you not want these waters, which
fail not? so your souls are not satisfied in drought, but your
bones are lean, and you hear not the voice of the Lord, who saith,
‘Here I am;’ so you lose the heritage of Jacob, and ride not upon
the high places there; but come under.
“Therefore every man and woman, shut your hearts against all
manner of evil whatsoever, and trade not with Babylon’s merchants
of confusion; but keep the supernatural day of Christ that is
sprung from on high, that is kept by believing and walking in the
light of Christ, and being grafted into him. This will bring you
to the true fast, from feeding upon any evil, and to the true
praying in the Spirit, as Christ and the apostles have taught. The
fruit of the Spirit is love, &c. The birth of the Spirit is not a
persecuting birth; but he that is born of the flesh, will
persecute him that is born of the Spirit, because he will not
follow the birth of the flesh, with its weak, beggarly elements,
that entangles with its yoke of bondage, and its observing of
days, months, times, fasts, feasts, and years; which the birth of
the Spirit is to stand fast against in the liberty wherewith
Christ hath made it free.
“Do you not know, that the Turks keep their Sabbath on the sixth
day, the Jews upon the seventh day, and the Christians meet
together on the First-day of the week? And that day which the
Turks keep, the Jews’ and Christians’ shops are open, and that day
the Jews keep, Christians’ and Turks’ shops are open; and the
First-days that Christians keep, both Jews’ and Turks’ shops are
open? The Turk does not force the Jews nor the Christians to shut
up their shops on their meeting-days, but lets them have their
liberty in Turkey. And where do you read, that ever the Turks
forced any Christians to observe any of their holidays, fasts, or
feasts? If not, should not Christians be beyond the Turks in
giving liberty to all tender consciences to serve God, seeing
Christ and the apostles command not, nor force people to observe
holidays, or times, or months, or years, but that they should pray
always in the Spirit, and fast always from strife and debate, from
all manner of sin and evil; and that will keep down the fist of
wickedness, and the bond of iniquity, &c.
“Why should not people of a tender conscience have their liberty
to exercise their consciences towards God, that they may have ‘a
good conscience always towards God and man,’ to perform that which
God requires, and to ‘do unto all men, as they would have them to
do unto them, and to love their neighbours as themselves;’ seeing
so many debauched, evil, and seared consciences, as with a hot
iron, have liberty in their loose lives and conversations, and in
their loose words, whose tongues are at liberty to swear and
curse, and their spirits at liberty in drunkenness and
uncleanness? Let the magistrates look and see, how this evil,
seared conscience hath its liberty to be exercised in all manner
of evil things all Christendom over; which is a great shame and
dishonour to God, and Christ, and Christianity, yea, and humanity.
Therefore why should not God’s people have their liberty to
exercise their good and tender consciences towards God and man?
For the mystery of faith, which Jesus Christ is the author and
finisher of, is held in a pure conscience; and should not the work
of the true Christian magistrate be to encourage the exercise of
this pure conscience towards God and man, and to discourage the
exercise of this evil, seared conscience, that dishonours both God
and Christ, and true Christianity? If not, how are they a praise
to them that do well, and a terror to evil-doers?
“Concerning the not putting off our hats to men. Many that go
under the name of Christians, have taken offence at us, because we
could not put off our hats, and bow down to them; for which we
find no command from Christ or his apostles, but rather to the
contrary. For Christ saith, ‘I receive not honour of men’ (mark,
he did not receive honour of men); and further Christ saith, ‘How
can ye believe which receive honour one of another, and seek not
the honour that comes from God only?’ Now Christ declares it to be
a mark of unbelievers, that seek ‘honour one of another,’ and seek
not that ‘honour that comes from God only;’ and is not the putting
off the hat, and bowing with it, an honour to men, which they seek
one of another, and are offended if they have it not? Nay, have
they not fined, persecuted, and imprisoned some, because they did
not put off their hats to them? Nay, do not the very Turks mock at
the Christians in their proverb, saying that ‘the Christians spend
much of their time in putting off their hats, and showing their
bare head to one another?’ But should not those be beyond the
Turks, that bear the noble name of Christian, above seeking honour
one of another, and persecuting them that will not give it, when
all true believing Christians should seek the honour that comes
from God only? which is the duty of all true believers in Christ
Jesus, for he would not receive honour of men. And ‘He that
believeth on the Son of God, hath everlasting life; and he that
believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God
abideth on him,’ John iii. 36. Is not the Turks’ proverb a
reproach to the Christians, who say ‘that the Christians spend
much of their time in putting off their hats, and showing their
bare heads one to another?’ Have you not fined and imprisoned
many, because they would not put off their hats to you, and show
you their bare heads? Nay, in many of your courts they shall not
have right and justice, nor liberty and freedom in cities or
states, though they have truly served their time, and are honest
and civil men, unless they will put off their hats and show their
bare heads? Have you not made a law against such, that they must
forfeit two guilders if they do not? Do you not seek to compel and
force them to do it, and fine such as do not, as at Lansmeer in
Waterland? Is not this the honour that you seek one of another?
Did not the Pharisees and Jews do the same?
“As for your saying, ‘the apostle commands to honour all men; and
such as rule well are worthy of double honour.’ If this ‘honouring
all men,’ were to put off their hats to all men, and show all men
their bare heads, then this command you break yourselves; for you
do not this to all men generally; and if they that rule well must
have double hat-honour, then they must put off their hats twice;
and show them their bare heads. If this hat-honour, and showing
the bare head, be an invention of men, and not from God, and ye
cannot prove it by Scripture, yet say, ‘it is your rule;’ then you
act beside the rule, and compel people to act contrary to your
rule. For where did ever the prophets, Christ, or the apostles
command any such thing? Let us see a command, a practice, and an
example for it. Nebuchadnezzar, who was a persecutor, and cast the
three children of Israel into the fire with their hose, cloaks,
and hats, we do not read that he was offended at them, because
they did not put off their hats, and show him their bare heads;
but because they would not bow to his image. And is it not said in
the margin of the Bible, where it is said, ‘honour all men,’ ‘have
all men in esteem?’ Then they that rule well are worthy of double
esteem; and this esteem must be truly in the heart, without any
envy, malice, or hatred. As all men are the workmanship of God,
they are to be esteemed in the heart with the Spirit of God; and
they that rule well, are worthy of double esteem; here is true
honour from the heart, both to God, and man, his workmanship. For
people may put off their hats, and show their bare heads one to
another, once or twice to the officers and magistrates, and yet be
full of envy, and malice, and hatred, and murder in their hearts
one against another; and give them that honour, as you call it,
and yet speak or wish bad things to them, when they have turned
their backs on them.
“The true honour or esteem in the heart to all men, as they are
God’s creation, is without any evil wish or thought in the heart
to any men, and especially to them that rule well, who have the
double esteem, whom God hath placed over people. There is no evil
in the heart that gives this respect, esteem, or honour, and
brings them to love their neighbours as themselves, and to ‘do
unto all men, as they would have them do unto them;’ in that they
esteem all men, and have a double esteem for them that rule well.
This is beyond all the honour of putting off the hats once to all
men, and twice to them that are worthy of the double honour, as
you may call it. But we would ask Christians that practise this
hat-honour, and show one another their bare heads, Who invented
this single honour and double honour, seeing they cannot prove,
that ever Christ or the apostles did command or practise any such
thing, or Moses in the time of the law? Now, do not say or think
that we had this practice of not putting off our hats from the
Turk; for we were moved by the Spirit of the Lord, before ever we
heard of the Turks’ proverb and practice, to leave the honour that
is below, and seek the honour that comes from above, when we came
to be true believers in Christ Jesus.
“Now concerning persecuting, imprisoning, and banishing God’s
people, in whom Christ is manifest, and dwells in their hearts;
doth not Christ tell you, that in so doing you imprison him? Then
do you not banish him, and persecute him out of your cities and
corporations? And how can you enter into, and have a share in his
kingdom, though you may profess him in words? Are not such to go
into everlasting punishment, that do not visit Christ in prison?
Then what will become of you that banish and imprison him, where
he is manifest in his members, and suffer them not to meet
together to enjoy him amongst them, according to his promise?
Therefore you, that will not let Christ reign in his people, and
have his liberty in them, in your cities and countries, to
exercise his offices, you will not have your liberty in heaven.
You that will not let Christ reign in your hearts, nor suffer him
to reign in his people here upon the earth, in this world, in your
kingdoms;—you will not reign with Christ in heaven in his kingdom,
nor in the world without end.
“You, that banish the truth out of your cities or countries, or
its people for its sake, banish the truth and Christ out of your
hearts from ruling there; so you yourselves are not the temples of
God. When you have banished Christ and his truth out of your own
hearts, you banish such in whom he rules out of your estates and
country, then see what judgments the Lord doth bring upon you,
when you are left to yourselves; yea, fears and troubles, one
judgment after another, come upon you; you are even filled with
them. But the banished, the sufferers for truth and Christ’s sake,
have a peaceable habitation in the truth, which the devil is out
of, and cannot get into; which habitation will outlast all the
habitations of the wicked and persecutors, though they be ever so
full of words without life and truth. The life and the truth will
outlast all airy notions, and Christ, the Lamb and patient Seed,
will overcome the devourer and the unpatient seed; and they that
have the garment, the righteousness of Christ, which is the fine
linen, will find it to outlast all the rags and inventions of men.
For Christ saith to his learners, ‘Be of good cheer, I have
overcome the world,’ the persecuting world. He said also to his
disciples, ‘If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before
it hated you.’ Therefore let all that profess themselves
Christians lay aside persecution about religion, churches, or
worship, fasting or praying days; for you have no command from
Christ and his apostles to persecute any. Christ, who is the King
of kings and Lord of lords, when they called him a deceiver, and
blasphemed him, and said, ‘He had a devil,’ did not persecute any
of them for it, nor force or compel any to hear and believe him,
nor the apostles after him; but he bade them, that would have been
plucking up the tares, ‘Let the tares and wheat grow together
until the harvest.’ So you have no command from Christ or his
apostles to persecute, imprison, banish, or spoil the goods of
any, for matter of pure conscience and religion, worship, faith,
and church, in the gospel-times.”
G.F.
Harlingen in Friesland, the 11th of the 6th Month, 1677.
After some time George Keith and William Penn came back from Germany
to Amsterdam, and had a dispute with one Galenus Abrahams (one of
the most noted Baptists in Holland), at which many professors were
present; but not having time to finish the dispute then, they met
again two days after, and the Baptist was much confounded, and truth
gained ground.[47] Between these two disputes we had a very great
meeting at Friends’ meeting-place, at which many hundreds of people
were, and some of high rank in the world’s account. An earl, a lord,
and divers other eminent persons, were present, who all behaved
themselves very civilly. But when the meeting was ended, some
priests began to make opposition; which, when William Penn
understood, he stood up again, and answered them to the great
satisfaction of the people, who were much affected with the several
testimonies they had heard declared. After the meeting several of
them came to Gertrude’s, where we were, with whom George Keith had
much discourse in Latin.
Having now finished our service at Amsterdam, we took leave of the
Friends there, and passed by waggon to LEYDEN, about twenty-five
miles; where we stayed a day or two, seeking out and visiting some
tender people we heard of there. We met with a German, who was
partly convinced. He informed us of an eminent man that was
inquiring after truth. Some sought him out, and visited him, and
found him a serious man; I also spoke to him, and he owned the
truth. William Penn and Benjamin Furly went to visit another great
man, that lived a little out of Leyden, who, they said, had been
general to the King of Denmark’s forces. He and his wife were very
loving to them, and heard the truth with joy.
From Leyden we went to the HAGUE, where the Prince of Orange kept
his court; and we visited one of the judges of Holland, with whom we
had pretty much discourse. He was a wise, tender man, and put many
objections and queries to us; which when we had answered, he was
satisfied, and parted with us in much love. Leaving the Hague, we
went to DELFT, and thence to ROTTERDAM that night, where we stayed
some days, and had several meetings. While I was here I gave forth a
book for the Jews; with whom, when I was at Amsterdam, I had a
desire to have some discourse, but they would not. Here also I
reviewed several other books and papers which I had given forth
before, and which were now transcribed.
-----
Footnote 43:
Elizabeth, Princess of the Rhine, was the eldest daughter of
Frederick V., Elector Palatine, and King of Bohemia—her mother
being a daughter of king James I. of England. This excellent
princess is spoken of as a woman of great amiability and religious
character. She possessed only a small territory; but she governed
with great judgment, and attention to the happiness of her
subjects. She made it a rule to hear, one day in the week, all
such causes as were brought before her. On these occasions, her
wisdom, justice, and moderation were very conspicuous. She
frequently remitted forfeitures, in cases where the parties were
poor, or in any respect worthy of favour. It was remarkable that
she often introduced religious considerations, as motives to
persuade the contending parties to harmony and peace. She was
greatly beloved and respected by her subjects; and also by many
persons of learning and virtue not resident in her dominions; for
she patronised men of this character, whatever their country or
their religious profession.
The respect in which this exemplary Christian held Friends and
their principles, was unreservedly expressed in her letters to
individuals connected with the English court; and her good offices
were more than once exerted to preserve this persecuted people
from the penalties of those laws which interdicted the exercise of
public worship in conventicles, as all meeting-houses were then
denominated. William Penn and Robert Barclay paid her two visits.
She received them with great openness, and was much affected by
the interview which, on the second visit, took place, as is
related by William Penn. They went from Amsterdam to Herwerden,
the residence of the Princess and of her intimate acquaintance,
Anna Maria, Countess de Hornes, who dwelt much in her house, and
was, as well as herself, a woman seeking after the best things,
and a favourer of such (says Penn) as separate themselves from the
world for the sake of righteousness.
The visitors were welcomed by the Princess and her friend the day
after their arrival, and were invited to dine with them. They held
a religious meeting together, which was so satisfactory that the
Princess desired another might be appointed, at which several
persons were present. William Penn thus speaks of it:—“The eternal
word showed itself as a hammer this day; yea, sharper than a
two-edged sword, dividing asunder between the soul and the spirit,
between the joints and the marrow. Let my right hand forget its
cunning, and my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, when I
shall forget the loving-kindness of the Lord, and the sure mercies
of our God, to us that day.” The following day they paid two
visits at this little court; and the day after, which was the
first of the week, they held a meeting there, appointed by the
direction of the Princess, which several others attended besides
those of her household. Of this meeting W. Penn says: “The
quickening power and life of Jesus wrought and reached them; and
virtue from him, in whom dwelleth the Godhead bodily, went forth.”
After this meeting, which was held late in the evening, the
visitors took their leave, but not before they had been witnesses
of the tender disposition of mind of the Princess; who, attempting
to set forth her sense of the power and presence of God prevalent
among them, could not proceed, but turned herself to the window,
and said, “My heart is full, I cannot speak to you.” W. Penn, on
another occasion, says, “I cannot forget her last words when I
took my leave of her: ‘Let me desire you to remember me, though I
live at so great a distance, and you should never see me more. I
thank you for this good time. Be assured, though my condition
subjects me to divers temptations, yet my soul has strong desires
after the best things.’”
The Princess Elizabeth lived to the age of 60, departing this life
in 1680, as much lamented, as she had been beloved, by her people.
Footnote 44:
This being the last mention of Robert Barclay in these volumes,
the following brief particulars may interest the reader who is not
already acquainted with his history. He was the son of Colonel
David Barclay, descended from the Barclays of Mathers, an ancient
and honourable Scotch family, and of Katharine Gordon, from the
Gordons of the house of the Duke of Gordon. He was born at
Edinburgh in 1648, educated in France, and returned to Scotland in
1664. His father having joined the despised Quakers, Robert
Barclay, though uninfluenced by him, soon followed his example,
and came forth a zealous witness for the truth, receiving a gift
in the ministry, in which he laboured to bring others to God. He
was much exercised in controversy, from the many contradictions
that fell upon truth, and upon him for its sake. He published
several works in defence of the principles he had espoused, which
he believed to be those of the New Testament, as promulgated by
Christ and his apostles. His chief work was his _Apology for the
True Christian Divinity_, which has gone through many editions,
and remains uncontrovertible.
In common with the early Friends, Robert Barclay suffered
imprisonments and ill-usage, which he bore with exemplary
patience. He travelled extensively to spread the gospel of Christ,
for he loved the truth above all the world; not ashamed of it
before men, but bold and able in maintaining it, sound in
judgment, strong in argument, of a pleasant disposition, yet solid
and exemplary in his conversation. He was a learned man, a good
Christian, an able minister, a tender and careful father, and a
good and kind neighbour and friend. His last illness was short.
James Dickenson of Cumberland, in his journey in Scotland,
visiting him when on his deathbed, as he sat by him, the Lord’s
power and presence bowed their hearts together, and Robert Barclay
was sweetly melted in the sense of God’s love, and, with tears,
expressed his love to all faithful brethren in England; and adding
a message of love to dear George Fox, he said, “God is good still,
and though I am under great weight of sickness and weakness as to
my body, yet my peace flows, and this I know, whatever exercises
may be permitted to come upon me, it shall tend to God’s glory and
my salvation, and in that I rest.”
He died at his own house, at Ury, in Scotland, in 1690, aged
forty-two, leaving behind him four sons and three daughters.
Footnote 45:
These ambassadors were deputies from the King of France, the
United Netherlands, and several other potentates of Europe, who
met to consult the peace of Christendom. George Fox’s _Epistle_ to
them was translated and printed in Latin. Robert Barclay also
wrote a treatise in Latin, which was addressed and presented to
each of the ambassadors, with a copy of his principal work, _An
Apology for the True Christian Divinity_. In the former, Barclay
strongly urged them to promote the good work for which they were
assembled, pointing out the true causes of war, and its
incompatibility with Christian principles. Before the year ended,
a peace was concluded.
Footnote 46:
William Penn also addressed the Council and Senate of the city of
Embden, relative to the sufferings of Friends there. Though these
appeals did not procure any immediate relief, yet, in about ten
years after, Friends enjoyed perfect liberty there.—See Sewell’s
_History_, vol. ii., 420-425.
Footnote 47:
It appears that Galenus Abrahams asserted that nobody in the
present day could be accepted as a messenger of God, unless he
confirmed his doctrine by miracles.—See Sewell’s _History_, vol.
ii., 366-368.