Three Apostles of Quakerism: Popular Sketches of Fox, Penn and BarclayRhodes, Benjamin
History
Three Apostles of Quakerism: Popular Sketches of Fox, Penn and Barclay
Rhodes, Benjamin
Barclay, Robert, 1648-1690; Fox, George, 1624-1691; Penn, William, 1644-1718; Society of Friends
George Fox writes from Swarthmore, 10th of 10th month, 1675, a long
letter to Robert Barclay, but evidently intended as a circular letter
to Friends in Scotland. Its opening has been quoted already, pp. 84,
85. It is rich in its glowing and powerful statement of Gospel truth.
After relating the vision of the condition and future blessedness of
Scotland, he states how he was taken before the Council in Edinburgh
and banished the nation, "but I staid three weeks after, and came to
Edinburgh and had meetings all up and down." He sets forth in quaint
scripture metaphors the hopes of the spiritual life which he was raised
up to preach. "With the spiritual eye the virgins will see to trim
their heavenly lamps, and see their heavenly olive-tree from which
they have their heavenly oil, that their lamps might burn continually
night and day and never go out. So that they may see the way and enter
into the heavenly Bridegroom's chamber, which is above the chambers of
death and imaginery." "And soe away with that chaf that would not have
perfection here, for he that is perfect is risen, and that (which) is
perfect is revealed." "It is the spirit of truth that leads into all
truth. And they that are not led by this spirit as Christ hath sent and
sends, they are led by the spirit of the false prophet, beast, whore.
Though in that spirit they may profess the scriptures from Genesis to
the Revelations, that spirit shall lead them into the ditch together,
where they shall be consumed by God's eternal fire without the heavenly
Jerusalem, as all the filth was consumed by fire without the gates of
the outward heavenly Jerusalem."
"And now, Robert, concerning the things thou speaks of about thy
books. I say it is well that they are sent. Keep within the rules of
the spirit of Life which will lead into all truth, that all may be
stirred up in your nation to walk in it, for they have been a long time
asleep. For the Gospel bell does ring and sound to awaken them out of
sin to righteousness. So all that have the instrument to work in God's
vineyard be not idle, but be diligent that you may have your penny. For
God's gospel trumpet is blown, and his alarum is sounding in his holy
mountain. That makes that mind and spirit that inhabits the earth to
tremble, and that they must all doe, before they inhabit and inherit
eternity."
The language here may be quaint and the figures sometimes strained; but
the spiritual truth is clearly seen and vigorously put, and Barclay
would readily recognise its fitness to the times.
David Barclay writes to his son from Aberdeen prison on 12th of 3rd
mo., 1676, in a strain of mingled trust and resignation. He writes,
"we are all in health, and refreshed daily by the Lord's powerfully
appearing in and amongst us, and in a wonderful and unexpected way
visiting us by his overcoming love to the gladdening of our hearts and
making us not only to believe but to suffer for His name's sake; living
praises!"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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