CANONS AND JNSTITUTIONS Drawn up and Agreed upon By the General Assembly or Meeting of the Heads of the QVAKERS; From all Parts of the Kingdom, at their New-Theatre in Grace-church-street, in or about January 1668/9.
George Fox being their President.
London, Printed, Anno Dom. 1669.
An Introduction.
THere hath been some time spent in the Inspection of this Quakers Synod: And although all the Particulars of that Days Procedure cannot be obtained; yet so many of them as will render that Party or Sect of men for ever Infamous and Ridiculous with all Intelligent and Observant men, is with great difficulty obt [...]ned.
They had proceeded unto many other Insolencies (besides what they [Page]have laid down in these their Canons and Institutions) in the stating of their Government, had not some of them feared the Magistratical Justice. However the rest shewed their forwardness thereunto, by the Proposals were made to introduce either A New Scripture into the world, or The Old one with many & great Additions; this was urged once and again from a twofold Topick: the first was, That many places in the Old Testament did refer to several Books, which as yet were never extant; and the Supplement to the New was insisted upon, by others, who said there was, amongst others, An Epistle to the Church of Laodicea to be [...]dded to the Canon, and put into the Revelations. But it seems these things proved not so [Page]ripe as they purposed; and whether they were rejected, or left for another time, there must be new information of; not knowing as yet, if they intend to subjoyn the said Epistle to the Church of Laodicea by way of Appendix, or not.
Several Penances were done that Day, and performed after a very carnal way, however stiled by them The Condemnation and Judgment of the Spirit.
The Faults were various: Some for being too busie with Women; some for disorder in their Meetings, as keeping Hats on when others had them off, or when their Friends prayed &c. and others for want of zeal.
Some credibly report, that before many of them can make their [Page]peace with their Brethren, they were forced to bow down themselves, and by a willing subjection put their heads between (their President's for the time being) George Fox his Legs, who was President at that Days Solemnity; and whose Name is inserted as Primate and Metropolitan of the rest.
The business of Civil Matters took up a considerable part of their said Days Work; and I cannot learn that they went further than the Widows Bed and the Dead mans grave. How much the Prerogative Court would take cognizance of that affair, concerning Wills, Testaments and Legacies, is best known to themselves.
But that of Marriage, in the way and method by them instituted and [Page]explained, will be of very great concernment to all Widows, Maids and single persons of the Female sex (who have not wholly cast off that Modesty, Shamefac'dness and Bashfulness, which hath ever been esteemed as their Ornament, Virtue and Grace; whilest they must have a Jury of Witnesses to their first Conjunction, which their Third Canon makes the Ratio Formalis of Marriage;) to look to themselves; and to consider whether it would more defile the hands of the married persons that the Minister joyns in holy Wedlock, than the eyes of these 12 Spectators at their first doing together (as they call it) would.
It may now be seasonably considered, how much these sort of men have fallen from their first Principles, [Page]Mode and VVay, by resolving all things thus formally; when at first their Religion seemed a Chaos, and Darkness covered the face of their Deep, and the very Ratio Formalis of their Religion was to cry down Forms; which later practise of theirs, if it succeed no better than it hath yet, will undoubtedly break them and their Forms also; many of their own Party falling off by reason of it.
That of Doctor Smith the Physician, who was convened before one of their Private Courts, hath given his eminent dislike of their way and proceedings, by leaving behind him Ten sheets of paper, fill'd with the many Cheats, Frauds and Insolencies of his quondam Brethren the Quakers, of whom he had been for [Page]fourteen years, by which he had the most considerable opportunities to look into the Arcanaes and Secrets of their Mystery of Iniquity: And although Fourty pound was proposed to him in whose hands the Manuscript lay, by some of their Party, that the Book might never see the light; yet 'tis hoped it will be printed, and be as a standing Testimony against them, when they and their Institutions shall evanish and come to nothing.
Canons and Institutions Agreed upon at a General Meeting OF THE QVAKERS. 1669.
Friends fellowship must be in the spirit, and all Friends must know one another in the Spirit and power of God.
I. IN all the Meetings of the County, Two or Three being gathered from them to go to the General Meeting, for to give notice one to another, if there be any that walk not in the truth, and have bin convinced, and go from Truth; and so dishonoreth God: that some may be Ordered from the Meeting to go to exhort such; and bring into the next General Meeting what they say.
II. If any that profess the Truth, that follow Pleasure, Drunkenness, Gaming, or is not faithful in their Callings & Dealings, nor honest nor just; but runneth into Debt, and so bringeth a scandal upon the Truth: Friends may give notice at the next General Meeting, if there be any such; and some may be ordered to go and exhort them, to bring in their Answers at the next General Meeting.
[Page 2] III. And if any go disorderly together in Marriage, contrary to the practise of the Holy men of God, and Assembly of the Rightous in all ages, who declared it in the Assemblies of the Rightous when they took one another (all things being clear) and they both being free from any other. And when they do together, and take one another, let there not be less than a dozen friends and Relations present, according to your former order; having first acquainted the Mens Meeting; and they have clearness and unitic with them: And that it may be recorded in a Book, according to Word and Commandment of the Lord: And if any walk contrary to the Truth therin, let some be ordered to speak to them, and give notice thereof to the next General Meeting.
IV. And all that be Widdows (which have children) and do intend to Marry; let Querie be made what she hath done for her Children; if there be no Will made, then let such part of her late Husbands Estate be set out for her children, as is equal according to truth; and what they can do afterwards, let them do also; and where there is a Will made, let those Legacies and Portions [Page 3]be improved and secured before Marriage for the Children of the Deceased, with what more they can do for them; and then when these things are done, let them be recorded in a Book at the next General Meeting.
V. And also all Widdows in all your several Meetings, let them be taken notice of, and informed and incouraged in their outward business, that there be not an hindrance to them in their inward growth; and so carefully look after them, that they may be nourished and cherished and so preserved in the Truth; that Love may be increased, and if they have many Children to put out Apprentices or Servants, that may be a burthen to them to bring up; then let Friends take care to ease them, by putting them forth as may be meet: Let all this be look'd into by every Meeting, and Notice thereof given to the next General Meeting, and then some ordered to see that all things are done according to Truth and Rightousness.
VI. And all such as marry by the Priests of Baal, who are the rough hands of Esau, and fists of wickedness, and bloody hands, [Page 4]and who have had their hands in the blood of our Brethren, and who are the cause of all this banishment of our Brethren, and spoiled so many of their goods, casting into prison, and keepeth many hundreds at this day; And such as go to them for wives or husbands, must come to Judgment and condemnation of the Spirit, that lead them to Baal and Baals Priests, also, or else friends (that keep their habitations) must write against them and Baal both: For from Genesis to the Revelations you never read of any Priest that married people: but it is Gods Ordinance, and whom God joyns together, let no man put asunder: And they took one another in the Assembly of the Rightous, when all things were clear: therefore let all those things be enquired into, and brought to the General Meeting, and from thence some ordered to go to them and return what they say at your next Meeting; and all this before they or any of them be left as heathens, or written against: let them be three or four times gone to, that they may have Gospel order, so that if it be possible they may come to that which did convince them, to condemn their unrightous [Page 5]doings, that so you may not have a hoof in Egypt.
VII. And also such as wear their hats when Friends pray, and are gotten into the old rotten principle of the Ranters, who set up the wearing thereof in opposition to the power of God, and therein uphold it, which is condemned by it, and the power of God is gone over it and them; who have Ranted from the Truth, and have stopped many who were coming into it, th [...] the very world may say you are in a confusion, and divided, and gone from your first principle, who said you were of one heart, and one mind, and one soul. And therefore that spirit must be cut off by the sword of the Spirit of the Lord, that they may come to them which did at first convince them: and notice may be given to the General Meeting of all things, and from thence must be ordered to go and exhort them, that erre in such things, to come to the first principle that did at first convince them; that they may come over such things, and Friends must stand up in the Noble Seed of God to judg the world and all the fallen Angels.
VIII. And in all your Meetings let notice [Page 6]be given to the General Meeting, of all the poor, and when you have heard that there is many more poor belonging to one Meeting than to another, and that Meeting thereby burthened and oppressed; let the rest of the Meetings assist and help them, so that you may ease one another, and help to bear one anothers burthens, and so fulfill the law of Christ, and so see that nothing be lacking, according to the Apostles words, then all is well. For the Jews outward, though they were as the stars of heaven, and as the sand on the sea, yet there was not to be a beggar amongst them, according to the law of God: and amongst Christians in the first Ages, there was a Mens Meeting set up at Jerusalem to see that nothing was lacking, which was the Gospel Order according to the law of the Spirit, and thus continued as long as they lived, in the like power and Spirit of God: But when the Apostates came in, and the true Church fled into the Wilderness, who was to continue there 1260 days, and the Witnesses prophesied in Sack-cloth 1260 days, and the Beast was worshipped just so long 1260 days, and then all things went out of order, every thing was wanting [Page 7]in the time they worshipped the Dragon, and the Beast and the Devil made the world like a Wilderness. But now the Judgment of the Great Whore is come, and of the Beast, and with them the False Prophet and the Dragon, who shall be cast alive into the Lake of Fire. And the True Church come up out of the Wilderness, and the Manchild which was caught up into Heaven, come down again to Rule all Nations with a Rod of iron; and the Marriage of the Lamb is come, and the Lamb and the Saints shall have the Victory. And the everlasting Gospel is and shall be preached again, as was amongst the Apostles; the Gospel order shall be set up, as amongst them; and a Mens Meeting, as was at the first Conversion, to see that nothing be lacking in the Church, then all things is well: so there is not to be a Beggar (now amongst the Christians,) according to the Law of Jesus, as there was not to be any amongst the Jews by the Law of God.
IX. And also all men that hunt after women, from woman to woman; and also women whose affections run sometimes after one man, and soon after another, and so [Page 8]hold one another in affection, and so draw out the affection of one another, and after a while leave one another, and go one from another, do the same thing: These Doings make more like Sodom than Saints, and is not of Gods moving or joyning, then they are to be parted, for Marriage is Gods Ordinance, Gods command, and one to another, and in that they feel the Power of God.
X. And that notice be taken of all evil Speakers, backbiters and slanderers, and foolish talkers, and idle Jesters; for all these things corrupt good manners, and is not according to the Saints and Holy ones, whose words are seasoned with salt, ministring Grace to the hearers.
XI. All such as are Tale-carriers, and Railers, whose work is to sow dissention, are to be reproved and admonished; for such do not bring people into the unity of the Spirit, but by such means do lose their own condition.
XII. And all such as go up and down to cheat, by borrowing and getting of Money of Friends in by-places, and have cheated several; all such are to be stopped, and [Page 9]judged: as there is a Woman, tall in her person, freckled in her face; and also one John Harding, who are for judgment, and to be condemned.
XIII. If there happen any difference between Friend and Friend, of any matter, if it cannot be ended against the next General Meeting, let half a dozen Friends from the General Meeting be ordered to put a speedy end thereto; That Justice may be speedily done, that no difference may rise or remain amongst any: And let your General Meeting be once in every quarter of a year, and to be appointed at such place, as may be most convenient for the most of Friends to meet in; so the house may be cleansed of all that is contrary to Purity, Virtue, Light, Life and Spirit and Power of God; so that Friends may not be one anothers sorrows and troubles, but one anothers Joy and Crown in the Lord.
XIV. And all Friends see that your children be trained up in the fear of the Lord, in Soberness and Holiness, Rightousness and Temperance, Meekness and Gentleness and Lowlines and Modesty in apparel and carriage; and see to exhort your Children and [Page 10]Family, and teach your Children when they are young, then will they remember when they are old, according to Solomon, and so they may be a Blessing to you, and not a Curse.
XV. And that Ftiends do buy convenient burying places, as Abraham did, who bought a place to bury his dead, and would not bury them amongst the Egyptians and Canaanites; and Jacob was brought out of Egypt, and Joseph and they were buried in their Grandfathers and great Grandfathers burying place. And so Friends to buy decent burying places for your Meetings, and to keep out the Spirit of the Sodomites and Egyptians and Canaanites, that corrupt the earth, and let them be decently and well fenced, that you may condemn all the world in all things.
XVI. And also that Friends buy convenient Books for Registring the Births and Marriages and Burials, as the Holy men of God did of old, as you may read through the Scripture; that every one may be ready to give Testimony and Certificate thereof, if need requires, or any be called thereunto.
[Page 11] XVII. And also that all the Sufferings of Friends, and all kind of Sufferings of Friends in all the Counties be gathered up & put together, & sent to the General Meeting, & so sent to London to Ellis Hooks; that nothing of the Memorial of the blood and cruel Sufferings of your Brethren be lost, which may stand as a Testimony against the Murdering Spirits of the World: and be it to the praise of the Lords everlasting Power of the Lord in the Ages to come, who supported his, and upheld his in such Hardships and Cruelty, who is God over all blessed for ever, Amen.
XVIII. And let enquiry be made concerning all such that pay Tithes, which make void the Testimony and Suffering of all our Brethren, who have suffered many of them to death, by which many Widows and Fatherless have been made, which is contrary to the Doctrine of the Apostles, and the Doctrine of the Martyrs, and contrary to the Doctrine of the Rightous in this present Age. All such are to be enquired into, and to be exhorted.
XIX. And let Query be made concerning all Prisoners that are poor, that they [Page 12]may be Relieved, and so encouraged in their sufferings; and also that care be taken for their Wives and Families, that they do not suffer for want of supply, and outward things; and let enquiry be made how many there are in all your several Counties. Let diligent Enquiry be made into all these things, at every Meeting, and at every Quarter Meeting is to take care accordingly.
Be faithful in the service of God, & mind the Lords business; be diligent, & bring the power of the Lord over all those that have gainsaid it; & all you that be faithful, go to visit them all that have been convinced, from house to house, that if it be possible you may not leave a hoof in Egypt; and so every one go seek the lost sheep, and bring him home on your back to the Fold, and there will be more joy of that one sheep, than of the Ninety nine in the fold.
Copies of this to be sent abroad amongst Friends at their Meetings.
ALl Friends every where who are gathered in the Name of Jesus Christ, keep your Meetings as you did in the begining, betwixt the 10. and 11. hours, when the Priest is in the heat of his Worship, and so all you, be in your Meetings feeding on the bread of Life, when the Priest and his Company are in his and their Dishes and Pleasures; [Page 14]and you then to break your Meetings, as you feel the Power to order you, about the third or fourth hours, when the Priest is in the heat of his Worship, and so you may go when he is in his heat, and sits over his dishes, and go away in his heat; and this was the practise of Friends in the begining: therefore do you continue in it. Keep your Meetings on the First day, and your weekly Meetings in the Name of Jesus that never changeth.
And Friends all take heed [Page 15]of sleeping in Meetings, and sottishness and dullness; for it is an illsavory thing to see one sit nodding in a Meeting, and so to lose the sense of the Lord & shamefac'dness both; and it grieveth the Upright and watchful, that wait upon the Lord, to see such things; and for the Priests, people and others that come into your Meetings, to see you that come together to worship God and wait upon Him, to have Fellowship in His Spirit, for you to sit nodding is a shame and unseemly thing. Therefore [Page 16]be careful and watchful, and let it be amended, and mind the light and power of God, Christ Jesus in you, and that will condemn all such things, and lead you out and above all such things, and make you watchful over one another for good.
Let this be read in all your Meetings.