16 But as I had
forsaken the priests, so I left the separate preachers also, and
those esteemed the most experienced people; for I saw there
was
none among them all that could speak to my condition.When all my hopes
in them and in all men were gone, so that I had nothing outwardly to
help
me, nor could I tell what to do, then, oh, then, I heard a voice which
said,‘
There is one, even Christ Jesus, that can speak to thy condition.’ … and
when I heard it my heart did leap for joy. Then the Lord let me see
why there
was none upon the earth that could speak to my condition, namely, that
I
might give him all the glory. For all are concluded under sin, and
shut up in
unbelief, as I had been, that Jesus Christ might have the pre-eminence,
who
enlightens, and gives grace, and faith, and power. Thus when God doth
work, who shall let [prevent] it? and this I knew experimentally.
george fox, 1647
17
My desire after the Lord grew stronger, and zeal in the pure knowledge
of God, and of Christ alone, without the help of any man,
book,
or writing. For though I read the Scriptures that spoke of Christ
and of God,
yet I knew him not, but by revelation, as He who hath the key did
open, and
as the Father of Life drew me to His Son by His Spirit. Then the
Lord gently
led me along, and let me see His love, which was endless and eternal…
george fox, 1647
18
My relations made this cross very heavy; but as at length I happily
gave up, divested of reasonings, not consulting how to provide
for
the flesh, I received strength to attend the meetings of these despised
people
which I never intended to meddle with, but found truly of the Lord,
and my
heart owned them. I longed to be one of them, and minded not the
cost or
pain; but judged it would be well worth my utmost cost and pain to
witness
such a change as I saw in them — such power over their corruptions.
I had
heard objected against them, that they wrought not miracles; but
I said that
they did great miracles, in that they turned them that were in the
world and
the fellowship of it, from all such things. Thus, by taking up the
cross,
I received strength against many things which I had thought impossible
to deny.
mary penington c. 1625-1682
19 I found that
there were two thirsts in me — the one after
the creatures,
to get help and strength there, and the other after the Lord,
the
Creator, and His Son Jesus Christ. I saw all the world could do me
no good.
If I had had a king’s diet, palace, and attendance, all
would have been as
nothing, for nothing gave me comfort but the Lord by His power. … And
I
went back into Nottinghamshire, and there the Lord shewed me that
the
natures of those things which were hurtful without were within, in
the
hearts and minds of wicked men. The nature of dogs, swine, vipers,
of
Sodom and Egypt, Pharaoh, Cain, lshmael, Esau, etc. The natures of
these I
saw within, though people had been looking without. And I cried to
the
Lord, saying, ‘Why should I be thus, seeing I was never
addicted to commit
those evils?’And the Lord answered that it was needful
I should have a sense
of all conditions, how else should I speak to all conditions; and
in this I saw
the infinite love of God. I saw also that there was an ocean of darkness
and death, but an infinite ocean of light and love, which flowed
over the
ocean of darkness. And in that also I saw the infinite love of God;
and I had
great openings.
george fox, 1647
20
My dear hearts, be faithful every one in your particular measure
of God, which he hath given you, and in the Invisible wait in silence,
and
patience, and obedience, in that which opens the mystery of God.
margaret fell, 1654
21 It is ordered by the providence of the Lord, and by his power, to move
in the hearts of some Friends that are poor in the outward to go
for
New England, a place so far remote as that their passage will come
to a great
sum of money…which will cost when they come at London
for their
passage in the ship, five pounds a piece.…All these
things being considered,
you may all in the eternal light see it convenient, just, and equal
that there
be some general help made for them…who is willing
to offer up their
bodies, and their lives, for the service and will of the Lord, and
to answer his
motion in their hearts, without which they cannot have peace with
God.
margaret fell, 1657
22
At last after all my distresses, wanderings and sore travails, I
met
with some writings of this people called QUAKERS, which I cast a
slight eye
upon and disdained, as falling very short of that wisdom, light,
life, and
power, which I had been longing for, and searching after. … After
a long
time I was invited to hear one of them. … And indeed,
when I came, I felt
the presence and power of the Most High among them, and words of
truth
from the Spirit of truth reaching to my heart and conscience, opening
my
state as in the presence of the Lord. Yea, I did not only feel words
and
demonstrations from without, but I felt the dead quickened, the seed
raised;
insomuch that my heart (in the certainty of light and clearness of
true
sense) said, This is he, there is no other: this is he whom I have
waited for
and sought after from my childhood; who was always near me, and had
often begotten life in my heart; but I knew him not distinctly, nor
how to
receive him, or dwell with him …
isaac penington, 1667
23
But some may desire to know what I have at last met with? I answer,
I have met with the Seed. Understand that word, and thou wilt
be
satisfied, and inquire no further.
isaac penington, 1667
24
I joyfully entered prisons as palaces, telling mine enemies to hold
me there as long as they could: and in the prisonhouse I sung
praises
to my God, and esteemed the bolts and locks put upon me as jewels,
and in
the name of the eternal God I always got the victory, for they could
keep me
no longer than the determined time of my God.
william dewsbury, 1688
25
Now I was come up in spirit through the flaming sword, into the paradise
of God. All things were new; and all the creation gave unto
me
another smell than before, beyond what words cannot utter. I knew
nothing
but pureness, and innocency, and righteousness; being renewed into
the
image of God by Christ Jesus, to the state of Adam, which he was
in before
he fell. The creation was opened to me.
george fox, 1694
26
In a time of sickness with the pleurisy a little upward of two years
and a half ago, I was brought so near the gates of death that
I forgot
my name. Being then desirous to know who I was, I saw a mass of matter
of
a dull gloomy colour, between the south and the east, and was informed
that this mass was human beings in as great misery as they could
be and live,
and that I was mixed in with them, and henceforth might not consider
myself as a distinct or separate being. In this state I remained
several hours.
I then heard a soft, melodious voice, more pure and harmonious than
any
voice I had heard with my ears before, and I believed it was the
voice of an
angel who spake to other angels. The words were, “John
Woolman is dead.” I soon remembered
that I once was John Woolman, and being assured
that I was alive in the body, I greatly wondered
what that heavenly voice
could
mean. … at length I felt divine power prepare
my mouth that I could speak,
and then I said, “I am crucified with Christ,
nevertheless I live; yet not I, but
Christ liveth in me, and the life I now live in the flesh is by faith
in the Son
of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” [Gal.
2:20] Then the
mystery was opened, and I perceived that there was joy in heaven
over a
sinner who had repented and that that language John Woolman is dead
meant no more than the death of my own will.
john woolman, 1772
27 The first
gleam of light, “the first cold light of morning” which
gave promise of day with its noontide glories, dawned on me one day
at
Meeting, when I had been meditating on my state in great depression.
I
seemed to hear the words articulated in my spirit, “Live
up to the light thou
hast, and more will be granted thee.” Then
I believed that God speaks to
man by His Spirit.
caroline fox, 1841
28 One thing I understand now is that one’s intellect alone won’t
pull one through, and that the greatest service it can perform is
to open a
window for that thing we call the divine spirit.
If one trusts to it alone it’s
like trusting to an artificial system of ventilation— correct
in theory but
musty in practice. How I wish it were as easy to throw everything
open to
the spirit of God as it is to fresh air.
hilda clark, c.1908
29
Once my Divine Master sent me on His errands, and I knew His will
was good, and was happy in trying to do it. And now He has shut
me
up to an invalid life, and tells me to sit in my wheeled chair, and
to be
content to let others do His errands and carry on His work, and I
know His
will is good just the same, and am happy in trying to accept it.
hannah whitall smith, 1911
30 I was not “christened” in
a church, but I was sprinkled from
morning to night with dew of religion.We never ate a meal together
which
did not begin with a hush of thanksgiving;
we never began a day without “a
family gathering” at which my mother
read a chapter of the Bible, after
which there would follow a weighty silence. … My
first steps in religion
were thus acted. It was a religion we did together. Almost nothing
was said
in the way of instructing me. We all joined together to listen for
God, and
then one of us talked to him for the others. In these simple ways
my
religious disposition was being unconsciously formed and the roots
of my
faith in unseen realities were reaching down far below my crude and
childish surface thinking.
rufus m. jones, 1926
31 Experience
is the Quaker’s starting-point. This light
must be my
light, this truth must be my truth, this faith must be my very own
faith. The
key that unlocks the door to the spiritual life belongs not to Peter,
or some
other person, as an official. It belongs to the individual soul,
that finds the
light, that discovers the truth, that sees the revelation of God
and goes on
living in the demonstration and power of it.
rufus m. jones
32
In practice we find that divine leading is inseparable from a righteous
adjustment of our lives to our mundane surroundings, and
especially to the lives of others. Experience has shown that we cannot
draw
a line between religious and secular affairs. The service of God
may be
found in seeking work for the workless and in searching for the underlying
causes of poverty and unemployment as much as in preaching the Gospel
in England or abroad.
shipley n. brayshaw, 1933
33
I have never outgrown a sort of naive surprise and delight which
I felt when I found out that there is one single thing that one can
have
without limit and not deprive anyone
else — the
love of God, His Presence.
mildred binns young, 1961