Gleanings From The Works Of George Fox - free ebook by George Fox

GLEANINGS FROM THE WORKS OF GEORGE FOX

BY DOROTHY M. RICHARDSON AUTHOR OF “ The Quakers: Past &amp; Present .” LONDON: HEADLEY BROTHERS, BISHOPSGATE, E.C. LONDON: HEADLEY BROTHERS, BISHOPSGATE, E.C....

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I.

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

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II.

To the present writer George Fox appeals not only by the inherent strength of his mystical genius, not only because amongst his fellows in the mystical family he is, characteristically, the practical western layman, the market-place witness for the spiritual consciousness in every man, but also because he is, essentially, the English mystic—because he represents, at the height of its first blossoming, the peculiar genius of the English “temperament.” He is English particularism, English independ

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III.

This particularist genius and his fellows represent the keenest moment in one of those periods in its religious experience when humanity becomes aware of the wider life to which it belongs, when working on, God-led and God-inspired, part blind, part seeing, making in dark and desert places the uttermost venture of faith, suddenly, on an instant, it finds God. A subsequent enormously enhanced fruitfulness, the amazing development of “thought” and “science,” our long sojourn amidst the great deser

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IV.

Fox’s message found instant response from the heart of the most vital religious life of his day. From the midst of the small isolated groups who—surrounded by the institutional and doctrinal confusion following immediately upon the decentralization of authority in the art and science of the religious life, and persisting throughout the post-reformation century—were feeling their own way to God, his followers came forth. They, these friends of truth as they called themselves, were to live out the

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V.

If Fox had been only the liberator of the mystical forces moving and quickening under the drying crust of official and authoritarian theology, he would have left on the outward form of the religious life of his country as little mark as did his great brother Boehme on his. But he was more than liberator. He was also steersman. It was his organizing genius that laid the foundation of a new religious culture; a culture in which sacraments and symbols, politics and authoritarianism should play no p

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VI.

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

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NOTE.

The reference “C.J.” indicates the Cambridge edition of Fox’s Journal , compiled from original MSS. (Cambs. Univ. Press. 1911); “Works,” refer to the Philadelphia edition of Fox’s printed works. Punctuation, which varies in the different editions and is almost lacking in MSS. and of course in literal transcripts, has been altered or inserted by the compiler, as seemed needful....

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Narrative Passages.

Then the Lord gently led me along, and let me see His love, which was endless and eternal, surpassing all the knowledge men have in the natural state or can obtain from history or books, and that love let me see myself as I was without him. I was afraid of all company, for I saw them perfectly where they were, through the love of God which let me see myself. I had not fellowship with any people, priests or professors or any sort of separated people, but with Christ, who hath the key, and opened

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I. Business Life.

And is it not more savoury to ask no more than you will have for your commodity [2] ; to keep yea and nay in your communication, and here will be an equal balancing of things and a consideration before you utter words and a using of this world as though you used it not; and a possessing as though you possessed not. ( Works , IV., p. 100, slightly condensed.) But at the first convincement when friends could not put off their hats to people nor say you to a particular but thee and thou, and could

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II. The Inward Light.

God hath dealt to every man a measure of faith. ( Works , VIII., p. 68.) Let everyone keep his habitation and stand in his lot, the seed. ( Works , VIII., p. 30.) The first step of peace is to stand still in the light. ( Works , IV., p. 16.) Oh wait upon God for his power, for there is a seed of God in thee. Oh take heed of thy own wisdom, for that thou wilt find to be an enemy, or the comprehending the things of God in thy mind. (C. J., I., p. 98.) Now if thou waitest in Christ and mindest him

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III. Justice.

Now if a law be made over the conscience that is pure, that law is against God. (C. J., I., p. 96.) How hast thou strengthened the hands of the evil doers and been a praise to them and not to them that do well. How like a mad man and a blind man didst thou turn thy sword backward against the saints, against whom there is no law. How wilt thou be gnawed and burned one day when thou feels the flame, and hast the plagues of God poured upon thee, when thou beginnest to gnaw thy tongue for the pain,

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IV. Meetings and Ministry.

My dear friends, keep your meetings, and ye will feel the seed to arise, though never a word be spoken amongst you. ( Works , VII., p. 115.) So, friends, the word of the Lord to you all in all meetings you come into when they are sitting silent. They are many times in their own. Now a man when he is come out of the world he cometh out of the dirt, then he must not be rash, for now when he cometh into a silent meeting, that is another state; then he must come and feel his own spirit how it is whe

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V. Oaths.

Dear friends and brethren in all your words, in all your business and employment, have a care of breaking your words and promises to any people; but that you may consider beforehand, whether you may be able to perform and fulfil both your words and promises, that your yea be yea, and nay, nay in all things; which Christ hath set up instead of an oath and swearing. ( Works , VIII., p. 219.) For swearing by Baal and swearing by the temple or swearing by the altar or by the gift that was offered th

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VI. Respecting Persons.

And so as you honour God, with God shall you be honoured. But seek it as eagerly as you will without him it will fly from you. Through flattery you may obtain which will corrupt your judgment and let in upon you everlasting dishonour. Wherefore turn to the Lord with your whole hearts and seek his glory alone. (C. J., I., p. 134.) Take heed of being corrupted by flatteries. They that know their God shall be strong. ( Works , VII., p. 18.) Be not carried away by good words and fair speeches, nor t

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VII. The Scriptures.

In the beginning was the word and none knows this word but who are come to the beginning. Now, all people and priests, who can witness this? Who are come hither? Who are come hither into the beginning? What our hands have handled and what our eyes have seen what was from the beginning. The word of life this declare we unto you. Who know this word are pure are made clean through the word, are washed by the word, are sanctified by the word, are cut to pieces by the word and are divided asunder by

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VIII. Sin.

When I was in prison, diverse professors came to discourse with me; and I had a sense, before they spoke, that they came to plead for sin and imperfection. I asked them, Whether they were believers and had faith? And they said Yes. I asked them, In whom? And they said, In Christ. I replied, If ye are true believers in Christ, you are passed from death to life and if passed from death, then from sin that bringeth death. And if your faith be true, it will give you victory over sin and the devil; f

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IX. Slavery.

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

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X. War.

So the keeper of the house of correction was commanded to bring me up before the commissioners and soldiers in the market-place and there they proffered me perferment because of my virtue as they said, with many other compliments, and asked me if I would not take up arms for the Commonwealth against the King. But I told them I lived in the virtue of that life and power that took away the occasion of all wars; and I knew from whence all wars did rise; from the lust according to James his doctrine

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XI. Concerning Women.

For man and woman were helps-meet in the image of God and in righteousness and holiness, in the dominion before they fell; but after the fall in the transgression the man was to rule over his wife; but in the restoration by Christ into the image of God and his righteousness and holiness again in that they are helps-meet, man and woman, as they were before the fall. ( Works , VIII., p. 39.) And there was a great marriage of two friends the next day, and there came some hundreds of beggars. And fr

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I. Social Life.

Some among you breed up your children not as when you were in a profession only, in such a rude, heady way that when they grow up they do not matter you nor care for you.... In many things they are worse than many of the world’s, more loose, stubborn and disobedient ... so that when they come to be set to prentice many times they run quite out into the world.... Therefore while they are young restrain them ... in all things keep your authority which is given to you of God. ( Works , VIII., p. 23

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II. General Exhortations.

The dead make dead ways for the dead to walk in. ( Works , VIII., p. 28.) Hardness of heart is worse than an outward plague. ( Works , VII., p. 274.) The hard-hearted are not sensible. ( Works , VIII., p. 116.) The throne of iniquity must be brought down, and the chamber of imagery in every heart, for the Lord must have the heart. ( Works , VII., p. 275.) Leave off all your bustling and come to Christ. ( Works , V., p. 171.) Reason not with flesh and blood that shall never enter, take not counse

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