Glimpses of Christian History Presents Pastwords #161: After Years of Persecution by Government and Church, Ancient Quaker Gives Advice to His Children and Grandchildren; by John Crook ©2007

An old Quaker Speaks

Dear Children,

  must leave you in a Wicked Age, but commend you to the Measure of the Grace of God in your inward Parts, which you have received by Jesus Christ; and as you love it, and mind the Teachings of it, you will find it a Counsellor to instruct you in the way everlasting, and preserve out of the ways of the Ungodly.

I have seen much in my days, and I always observed, that the Fear of the Lord God proved the best Portion, and those that walked in it, were the only happy People, both in this Life (while they continued Faithful) and when they come to dye, though they meet with many Hardships in their passage. By experience I can speak it, That the ways of Holiness afford more true Comfort and Peace to the upright Soul, than the greatest Pleasures this World can afford; the former reaches the Heart and Soul, while the Delights of this World are but a shew, and appearance only, vanishing like a Dream; and whoever believes otherwise of them, will certainly find them to be but Lying Vanities; therefore the Apostle, Rom. 6. 21. might boldly put the Question to the Converted Romans, (viz.) What Fruit had you then in those things whereof you are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death.

Therefore Dear Children, be in love with Holiness; make it your Companion, and those that walk in it; you may find Buddings of it, from an Holy Seed in your Hearts; as you mind the inner Man, the Light will manifest the Stirrings of it after God, which I felt from my tender Years; although I understood them not so plainly, till I heard the Truth declared.

I advise you to keep a pure Conscience, both towards God and Man; for if that be defiled, Hypocrisie and Formality will deprive you of all comfortable Feeling of God's Presence; and then Deadness and Dryness will be your miserable Portion.

Be careful how you spend your precious time, for an Account must be given of every Idle word, though but few regard it; but foolish Jesting, and vain Talking, are said to grieve the Spirit of God; read Eph. 4. 29, 30. But improve your time in Prayer, and Religious Exercises, &c. and be diligent in your lawful Callings, for The desire of the slothful Man killeth him, Prov. 21. 25.

Be careful what Company you frequent; for a Man is commonly known by the Company he keeps, as much as by any one outward thing; and of your Behaviour in Company; for I have found that a wise and sober Deportment, adds much to a Man's Reputation and Credit in the World.

Watch to the Light, and its discoveries of Good and Evil, that you may not be ignorant of Satan's Devices; so the Net will be spread in vain in the sight of the Bird; for Watchfulness will make you in love with a retired Estate; and the more truly and perfectly any Man knows and understands himself, the better discerning will such have of other Men; as in the beginning, when deep Silence of all Flesh was more in use, the Spirit of Discerning was more common, and quicker, than since it hath been neglected; therefore be sure you spend some time (at convenient Seasons) in waiting upon God in Silence, though it be displeasing to Flesh; for I have had more Comfort, and Confirmation in the Truth, in my inward retiring in Silence, than from all words I have heard from others, though I have often been refreshed by them also.

Love the Holy Scriptures, preferring them to all other Books whatsoever; and be careful to read them with an Holy Awe upon your Spirits, lest your Imaginations put Constructions upon them to your hurt; but exercise Faith in the Promise of Christ, who hath said, My Spirit shall take of mine, and show them unto you.

Keep constantly to Religious Meetings amongst Friends; but look to your Affections, that you respect not Persons, but the Power and Life of Truth, from whomsoever it comes; not minding the Tickling of your Affections, but the Demonstration of the Truth to your Understandings and Consciences; for that will abide, when Flashes of Affections will fade and come to nothing, after the words are ended.

Love one another truly, manifesting your Love by good Counsel, and being helpful to each other upon all Occasions; being good Examples to all you converse with, especially to your Children, and those of your own Families, that Pride and Vanity may not be countenanced by you, but rather reproved; remembring, while they are under your Government, you must give an Account of the discharge of your Duty to God towards them.

Lastly, Be always mindful of your latter end, and live as you would dye, not knowing how soon your days may be finished in this World: And while you do live in it, despise not the Chastenings of the Lord, whatever they be, he is pleased to visit you withal. I have been afflicted from my Youth up, both inwardly and outwardly, but the God whom I served, provided for me, when all my outward Relations forsook me, none of them giving me any Portion to begin the World withal. This I speak, to let you know, I shall leave more outwardly, even to the least of you, than was left me by all my Relations, &c. I need not mention, this sharp Affliction (beyond Expression) in my Old Age, because, in some measure, you know it; but I could not have been without it, as the Lord hath shewed me, for I have seen his Wonders in the Deeps: Therefore I say again, Despise not Afflictions, but embrace them as Messengers of Peace to your Souls (though displeasing to the Flesh.)

These things I commend unto you, out of true Love to your Souls, knowing how the vain Mind of Man little regards such Advice as this I leave behind me: But by this Advice I shew my true Love to you all, desiring God's Blessing upon it; to whom I commit you all, my Dear Children, and end my days.

Your Loving Father and Grand-Father,

Hertford, the 1st of the

1st Month 1698

John Crook.

The Design of Christianity

THE Name Christian, implies the Anointing; Christ being Anointed above his Fellows, Heb. 1. 2. Importing his Fellows to be Anointed also. And the Beloved Disciple John (1 Joh. 2. 27.) saith, Those to whom he writ, had received the Anointing from the Holy One, &c.to make them Holy (no doubt;) their heavenly Father being Holy, Levit. 11. 44. Which is the great Design of Christianity, as the Scripture abundantly testifies; see Levit. 19. 2. & 20. 7. I Pet. 1. 15.

Christ was also called Jesus, For he shall Save his People from their Sins, Matt. 1. 22. By abolishing and destroying them (saith Leigh, on John 1. 29. in his Crit. Sacra.) And Christ saith himself, For this end was I born, and for this end came I into the World, John 18. 37/ To bear witness of the Truth: By drinking that bitter Cup of Sufferings, Matt. 26. 39, 42. for his Sheep and Followers, for whom he laid down his Life, (and shed his most precious Blood, to restore Man to the Image of God again) that they might follow his Steps, as he had left them an Example, I Pet. 2. 21. Signifying thereby, that he was both a SaviourPattern; which being joyned together, none ought to part, or put asunder, who learn'd Obedience by the things that [he] suffered, Heb. 5. 8. And made himself of no Reputation, Phil. 2. 7. All which was not only Meritorious for all that should believe in him, but also Exemplary to them, that they should follow his Steps, in all those Afflictions and Sufferings that should betide them in following him [in the Regeneration] to fill up the Sufferings of Christ that are behind, for his Bodies sake, which is the Church, Col. 1. 24.

Not that our Sufferings, or following of him, did equalize his Sufferings, or were the meritorious Cause of Salvation, and acceptance with God, either for our selves, or others; but that we might be partakers of [God's Holiness] Heb. 12. 10. the Fulness whereof dwells in [Christ;] and that we might shew forth of the Power and Vertue of that which Christ did and suffered for us, by that Grace we receive of his Fulness, which is Grace for Grace, John 1. 16. viz.Something (as it were) of every thing that is in him, in whom we are accepted, even in his Beloved Son, Ephes. 1. 6.

Which might be figured by the Prophet's rasing the Shunamitish Woman's Child, 2 Kings 4. 34. who put his Mouth to the Child's Mouth, and his Eyes to the Child's Eyes, and his Hands to the Child's Hands, &c. So we receive Perfection of Parts, tho' not of Degrees, as to that Fulness that dwelt in Christ.

Therefore, as Holiness here, in order to our Happiness hereafter, was (a great) End of Christ's Sufferings, while on Earth; so now he is the Heavens at God's Right Hand, his Intercession, and all that doth, perfect Saints Holiness; waiting [henceforth] until (and their) Enemies be made Footstool, Heb. 10. 12, 13, 14.

Whereby it appears, there were Enemies yet to be subdued, which (doubtless) were those of a Man's own House; as the Prophet speaks of, viz. Those Lusts and Corruptions that still remained to be put under, in the Minds and Inward Parts of his People. Mic. 7. 6. Matt. 10.

Therefore Christ preached to Nicodemus the necessity of Regeneration, saying, Except a Man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God, John 3. Yet Nicodemusmade a good Confession to Christ in words, saying, Rabbit, we know thou art a Teacher come from God; for no Man can do those Miracles that thou dost, except God be with him, (a kind of a short Creed, as it were.) Christ nevertheless tells him, a Man must be Born again, &c. For that which is born of the Flesh [is] Flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit [is] Spirit. Though Nicodemus understood this Birth carnally, yet he took it to be a real Birth Christ spake of; as appears by his Question, Can a Man enter, the second time into his Mother's Womb, and be Born again?

Christ's words also signifie (so much, and no less) as if he had said, As that Birth, which is born of the Mother, is of the Nature of the Mother; so that Birth which is born of the Spirit, is Spiritual, and of the Divine Nature,2 Pet. 1. 2, 3.

Now, where this Birth is witnessed, the Design of Christianity is Answered, by keeping the Commandments of God, I Cor. 7. 19. and that's through Walking by the Rule of the New Creature, (which avails with God) as the same Apostle speaks, Gal. 6. 15, 16. Whereas a bare Opinion, and formal Performance of the things of God avails nothing.

Wherefore from the want of this Experimental Knowledge of the New Birth, proceeds Formality, Strife and Envy, about the things of God; is renewed [in Knowledge] after the Image of [him] that Created him, Col. 3. 10. [Observe] It's said to be Renewed [in Knowledge] &c. It knows and understands Divine Things [otherwise] and after another manner, than the Fleshly Birth doth: For whosoever is born of God, doth not commit Sin, for his Seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God, I John 1, 9, 10. And in this the Children of God are manifest, saith John.

So that the very End of Regeneration is Holiness and Godliness; which is to advance the great Design of Christianity in the World, and thereby Christ's Kingdom is Exalted; and himself Magnified, who is the express Image (or Character) of his Father's Glory, Heb. I. 3.

It's no wonder therefore that such as answer the Design of Christianity, viz. By living God-like in Christ Jesus, suffer Persecution.

In the next place, Holiness of Life and Conversation in Christ Jesus, is the End of the Afflictions and Exercises that befalls God's People, Isa. 27. 8, 9. as Trials of their Faith; for Tribulation works Patience, and Patience Experience.

And the Apostle James exhorts, to let Patience have its perfect Work, that they may be perfect and intire, wanting nothing, James 1. 3, 4. He stayeth his rough Wind in the day of the East-Wind; by this shall the Iniquity of JACOB be purged; and this is all the Fruit, To take away his Sin. God will render to every Man according to his deeds; to them who by patient Continuance in well-doing, seek for Glory, and Honour, and Immortality, Eternal Life: But unto them that are Contentious, and do not obey the Truth, but obey Unrighteousness, Indignation and Wrath, Rom. 2. 6, 7, 8. All which, with many like Sayings and Exhortations in Scripture, shews, Holiness and Righteousness to be the great Design of Christianity. And the Apostle, Rom. 11. saith. The Kingdom of God is not Meat and Drink, but Righteousness and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghost: [Adding] That he which in these things [serveth Christ] is accepted of God, and approved of Men: As if this was the only true Gospel-Service, and the great Design of Christianity.

Observable to this Purpose are these following Passages of Daniel Dike, a Protestant Writer, in his Book called, The Mystery of Self-deceiving, Page 62, & 63. "For (saith he) Circumcision, Baptism, Hearing, Receiving, and all such like Badges of outward Profession, they are but as the outward Garment of Christians, which may easily be put on by them that have none. And therefore, however these by many are thought sufficient to make good Christians, yet Solomon sticks not to make them the Marks of Fools, &c. as when he called God's own Sacrifices, the Sacrifices of Fools, Eccles. 5. &c because of this Foolish Conceit, which many ground upon them, &c." He saith farther - "For when the Truth of Obedience, and Power of Godliness is wanting, surely there is small difference between an Israelite, and an Ishmaelite; a Circumcised Hebrew, and an Uncircumcised Philistine; a Baptized Englishman, and an Unwashen Turk. Neither is the Barren Fig-Tree in God's Orchard in any better case, than is the Bramble in the Wilderness." He farther saith, "But here our Libertine, besides his outward formal Church-Service, urgeth his Faith in the Merits of Christ: But (saith he) his Faith is meer Fancy." Thus far Dike.

Now I appeal to all Impartial and Unprejudiced Christians, whether amongst all the Denominations of Professors of Religion, they know any People (as a People in general) that more fully answers the End of Christianity, by Holiness and Righteousness in their Lives and Conversations, than the People of God called Quakers do: Notwithstanding their being Misrepresented to the World by some, as if they were not Christians at all; because )say some) they baptize not with Water, nor use Bread and Wine as the Lord's Supper.

To which I answer, in short, for my self and Brethren, We do not refuse them out of Contempt, but upon a through Search, and serious Examination, (which ought to be allowed us) we do not find those outward and visible Signs to be required of God at our hands; which we hope None, that do, what they do, out of Conscience to God, will Condemn us for.

Now if the drift of the Scriptures, the End of God's sending his Son Jesus Christ to Bless People, not only by his dying for them, as aforesaid, but by turning every one of them from their Iniquity, Acts. 3. 26. and the End of his Life and Sufferings in the World, his Resurrection, his Ascension into Heaven, his Intercession, together with his Expectation of all his Enemies to be made his Footstool; and the End of God's Afflicting and Exercising his People, be all to advance Holiness and Righteousness in the World, as the great Design of Christianity:

How miserably mistaken are those, that content themselves with the Belief of certain Creeds, which are many in the World, (as History informs us) according to Prevailing Parties, &c. who commonly maintain (this Persecuting Principle) That an Error in Judgment, is worse than an Error in Practice.

Others contenting themselves with State Religions, and with that Christianity they received at the Font; little minding the necessity of Holiness,without which none can see, or know, the Lord. Heb. 12. 14. And the Beloved Disciple testifies, Hereby we [knew] that we [know] him, if we keep his Commandments, 1 John 2. 3. As if he had said, There is no true and saving Knowledge of God, without Holiness: To which is annexed a Promise, viz. He that doth God's Will, shall know of his Doctrine; which should rectifie the Mistake of those that study to know Doctrine, more than to practice Holiness; as also those who believe they cannot (though assisted by the Grace and Spirit of God) perfect Holiness in the Fear of the Lord, notwithstanding the Exhortations of Scripture thereunto, which, they say, are to be understood only to stir up our Endeavours, not to encourage our Faith to believe Perfection attainable, as aforesaid.

This belief of the necessity of Imperfection, is not only dangerous, but hurtful; for (instead of inciting Endeavours after Holiness, that it discourages all attempts thereunto. For what need a Man set forth towards a City, while he believes he shall never come there.

Besides, This Belief is grounded upon a great Mistake, as if Perfection in Holiness lessened the Conquest or Merits of Christ, while (indeed) it confirms them, by making his People more than Conquerors through [him] Which may be called [more] because it is a double Conquest: First, By himself, without them, as having spoiled Principalities and Powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it, Col. 2. 15. And Secondly, Because he Conquers all his People's Enemies within also; that they being delivered out of the hands of all their Enemies, might serve him (without fear) in Holiness and Righteousness before him all, the days of their Lives, Luke 1:74.

So that perfecting Holiness in the Fear of the Lord, is so far from lessening or undervaluing the Merits or Conquest of Christ, that it manifests him to be able to save to the [uttermost] all that come to God by [him] Heb. 7. 25. Not only from the Guilt, but from the Filth of Sin also; and to Sanctifie them throughout, both in Body, Soul and Spirit; and to make them whole every whit, as he did those he cured outwardly.

This Way of Holiness was the Good Old Way; for it was called so in Jeremiah's time (Chap. 6. 16.) and such as walk'd in it, found Rest for their Souls: Therefore it must needs be an Old Way, even that Old Way, in which Enoch walked with God, and Abraham instructed his Children, Gen. 18. 19. and walked in it himself, Gen. 26. 5.

And as it was the first Way described, so it is the last mentioned in Scripture, as appears Rev 22. 14. with a Blessing annexed to it, viz. Blessed are they that do his Commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life, and may enter through the Gates into the City.

But this is a narrow Way, and to be sought for amongst the Paths, as Jeremy speaks, Chap. 6. 16. as if the Reason, that it was no more beaten, was, because it was not a Common Road, but to be sought for amongst the Paths; as if it was a kind of [Shibboleth] that few could hit of, that walked in those many ways: Yet, notwithstanding, it was [amongst] the Paths, &c.

A Mystery like that which Solomon wonder'd at, and said, This Wisdom seemed great unto him, Eccles. 9. 13, 15. that was concerning the Poor Man delivering the Besieged City; concluding [that] by which he did it, was better than Strength, and better than Weapons of War: Notwithstanding the Poor Wise Man was despised [then] as the Poor in Spirit are [now] whom Christ calls Blessed, and begins his Sermon upon the Mount withal; as if all other Blessings depended upon Poverty of Spirit.

I shall conclude this Discourse with the Preacher at the end of Ecclesiastes, saying,Let us hear the Conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his Commandments, for this is the whole Duty of Man: Or as Doctor Gell reads it [All the Man] in his Essay, p. 392. And saith the Doctor, Whatever else in Man, contrary unto this, is either the Beast or the Devil.

To this may be added also the Saying of Richard Baxter (in his Sheet to the Light) The Question at the Great Day (saith he) will not be, How Righteous Christ was? But, How Righteous we were? Thus Baxter. And saith the Preacher, God shall bring every Work into Judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be Good, or whether it be Evil. With these words the Preacher ends his Ecclesiastes, after he had seen all to be Vanity, and Vexation of Spirit, under the Sun.

Hertford, the 17th of John Crook, near entering

the 12th Month, into the Eighty-second Year

1698 of my Age.

AN Epistle to Friends Belongings to HERTFORD MEETING.

DEAR FRIENDS,
BEING THE LORD'S PRISONER (BUT I HAVE A MERCIFUL KEEPER, BLESSED BE HIS HOLY NAME FOR EVER) I was moved to signifie my Remembrance of you as followeth: I beseech you be mindful of your Reconciliation with God through Jesus Christ, walking in all well-pleasing before him, that you may be kept unrebukable in his Love, for our God is a Jealous God, lest a divided Heart cause you to Err, in giving his Glory to another: But if we love him with all our Heart, and with all our Soul, we shall, in our Reconciliation to him, be reconciled to all States and Conditions that we meet withal in this present Evil World; For Fury is not in me, saith the Lord, but against the Briars and Thorns that muster up themselves in Battle against him; it is our Corrupt and Fleshly part that God fights against, that we might walk with him as Enoch did, that was not, for God took him; he took him out of Flesh into Spirit, as he doth all those that walk with God in the Light, as he is in the Light; he translates them [in Spirit] into the Kingdom of his Dear Son, as Enoch was [outwardly] into Heaven.

Dear Friends, Let us not always be [Dwarfs] in Christianity (as it were) for Christ is a [through] Redeemer [to all] that the First Adam lost; as Abraham recovered [all] for the King of Sodom, that Chedorlaomer had carried away. Therefore mind your Growth (I beseech you) from little Children to young Men, that you may overcome the Wicked One; and unto the State of Fathers (which for your time divers of you might be) that you may know him that was from the beginning, that is, Christ Jesus, yesterday and to day, the same for ever: If you are in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit, that discovers the deep things of God, that we may, after our long Wading, at last learn to Swim in those Waters, where all things live, as Ezekiel speaks, &c.

For the Barren Fig-tree in God's Orchard is in no better case than the Bramble in the Wilderness; Profession without God's likeness in Christ Jesus, will receive no better answer from God [the Judge of all] than [I know you not] if we be found Workers of Iniquity.

You have had plenty of Words outwardly, but to hearken to the Word inwardly, is better than all; for that is both able to comfort at present, and save for ever.

Dear Friends, The Visiting Hand of God is in this Town, and none of you know how soon Mortality may enter your Dwellings, therefore I beseech you live as you would die, and then Death will not be Terrible unto you; but as a Messenger of Glad-Tidings to your Inward Man, though displeasing to the Outward.

I rest your Friend and Brother in the Faith and Patience of Jesus.

John Crook
Hertford the 25th of
the 12th Month 1698