Journal Entry 6th Month 1677

An Epistle concerning true Fasting, true Prayer, true Honour, and against Persecution, and for the true Liberty in Christ Jesus and that all may have a care, that the Apostle hath not bestowed his Labour in vain upon you in your observing of Days, Months, Times, Feasts, And Years, and of coming under the beggarly Elements, and the Yoke of Bondage again, and of bringing and forcing People into them.

Where did ever Christ or His Apostle Command any Believers or Christians to observe Holy-Days or Feast Days? and let us see, where it is written in the Scriptures of the New Testament, in the Four Evangelists, or the Epistles, or the Revelation, that ever Christ or his Apostles gave the Christians any such Command, that they should observe the Time called Christmas, or a Day for Christ’s Birth? or that they should observe the Time called Easter, or Whitsuntide, or Peter or Paul’s, or Mark or Luke’s Days, or any other Saint’s Day?

Now you, that profess your selves to be the Reformed Churches from the Papists, Jews, and Heathen, and the Scriptures to be your Rule, and are Professors of the New Covenant, where do you prove out of the Scriptures of the New Testament, that the Apostles and the Primitive Church practices or forced any such thing, or that Christ and his Apostles gave any such Command to the Churches, that they should practice and observe any such Days? Let us see where this Command is written. For did not the Apostle say unto the Galatians in the fourth Chapter; But now after that ye have known god, or rather ye are known of god, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly Elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? Ye observe Days, and Months, and Times, and Years; I am afraid of yo.u, lest I have bestowed upon you Labour in vain. And in the Third of Galatians it is said; O foolish Galatians, who have bewitched you, that you should not obey the Truth, &c. And in Galatians the Fifth, the Apostle exhorts them to stand fast in the Liberty, wherewith Christ has made them free: And moreover said, Be not entangled again with the yoke of Bondage.

Now doth not this manifest, that there were some Teachers, that were drawing the Church of the Galatians into these beggarly Elements, and bringing them again into bondage, in observing of days, Months, Times and Years? for it was the Apostle’s Work to bring them out of those Bondages and beggarly Elements; and therefore, when they were going back into observing Days, Months, Times, and Years. He was afraid, that he had bestowed his Labour upon them in vain: and he exhorts them, to stand fast in the Liberty, wherewith Christ Jesus hath made them free, and not to be entangled again with the Yoke of Bondage: And again signifies, That they had been once entangled with the Yoke of Bondage and beggarly Elements. But O! how are People, called Christians, since the Apostles days gone again under this Yoke of Bondage, and these beggarly Elements, in observing Days, Months, Times and Years, let their practice declare. Nay, do not both Papists and Protestants force People to observe Days, Months, and Times? &c. And therefore is not the Apostles Labour and Travel bestowed upon Christendom in vain, which was to bring People from under such beggarly Elements and that Yoke of Bondage, (which the Law did require;) to stand fast in the Liberty, wherewith Christ hath made them free, and not to be entangled again with the Yoke of Bondage? So it was and is Christ, that hath made and doth make his People free, from these things and beggarly Elements. And therefore they that are Redeemed, are to stand fast in that Liberty, wherewith Christ hath made them free. And this Liberty, which all true Christians are to stand fast in, they are made free by Christ, and not by Man; for Man without the Spirit and Mind of Christ, seeks to force and compel Christ’s Followers, and such as he hath made free {Page 563} from the Yoke of Bondage, to outward things, that the Law commanded, and to the observing of Days, Months, Times, Feasts and Years: such weak, beggarly Elements, them that know God, or are known of God and Christ, are to stand fast in their Liberty, and not come under, not be entangled with the Yoke of Bondage of such things again, seeing, he hath made them free. For they that are in such things, and would force others to them, are gone from that, which gives them the Knowledge of God; and have not stood in the Liberty, wherewith Christ makes free.

And now concerning Prayer, we do not read, that ever Christ or his Apostles did Compel by force any to Fast or Pray, and make a Law to strain the Goods of such, as would not observe Days to Fast and Pray with them. But Christ taught them, how they should Pray, and be distinct from the Hypocrites; and Christ’s words are as followeth: When thou prayest, thou shalt not be, as the Hypocrites are; for they love to stand praying in the Synagogues, and in the Corners of the Streets, that they may be seen of Men, &c. But when thou prayest, enter into they Closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father, which is in secret, and thy Father, that seeth in secret, will Reward thee openly. But when you Pray, use not vain Repetitions, as the Heathen do; for they think, that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like them; for your Father knoweth, what things ye have need of, before ye ask him, &c. So as the Apostles and Saints did, so do we; we pray in Secret, and we pray in Publick, as the Spirit gives us utterance, which helps our Infirmities, as it did the Apostles and true Christians: and after this manner we pray for our Selves, and pray for all Men both high and low.

Concerning Fasting, Christ saith, Moreover when ye Fast, be not as the Hypocrites of a sad Countenance; for they disfigure their Faces, that they may appear unto Men to Fast. But when thou fasteth, anoint thy Head, {PAGE 564} and wash thy Face, That thou appear not unto Men to Fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall Reward thee openly.

And likewise you may see in Isaiah the 58th, what the true Fast is, the lord requires: where it is said to the Prophet; Cry aloud, and spare not, lift up thy Voice like a Trumpet, and shew my People their Transgression, and the House of Jacob their sins; yet they seek me daily, and delight to know my ways, as a Nation that did Righteousness, and forsook not the Ordinance of their God: they ask of me the Ordinances of Justice, they take delight in approaching to God. Wherefore have we fasted, say they, and thou seest not? wherefore have we afflicted our Soul, and thou takest no knowledge? Behold, in the day of your Fast ye find pleasure, and exact all your Labours. Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the Fist of Wickedness; ye shall not fast, as ye do this day, to make your Voice to be heard on high. Is it such a Fast, that I have chosen? A day for a Man to afflict his Soul? Is it to bow down his Head as a Bull-rush, and to spread Sackcloth and Ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a Fast, and an acceptable Day to the Lord; To loose the Bands of Wickedness, to undo the heavy Burdens, and to let the Oppressed go free, and that ye break every Yoke? So this fast that the lord requires, is not to lay Yokes, and Oppress and lay Heavy burdens, and to make fast the Bands of Wickedness; but to loose and to break such things.

And further, Concerning the true Fast the Lord requires; Is it not, to deal thy Bread to the Hungry, and that thou bring the Poor, that are cast out, to thy House? When thou seest the Naked, that thou cover him, and that thou hide not thy self from thy own Flesh? (Do you keep this true Fast?) Then shall thy Light break forth as the Morning, and thine Health shall spring forth speedily: and thy Righteousness {Page 565} shall go before thee, the Glory of the Lord shall be thy Re-ward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord shall Answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, here I am: If thou take away from the midst of thee the Yokes, the putting forth of the Finger, and speaking Vanity: And if thou draw out thy Soul to the Hungry, and satisfie the afflicted Soul; then shall thy Light arise out of obscurity, and thy Darkness be as the Noon-day. And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfie thy Soul in drought, and make fat thy Bones: and thou shalt be like a watered Garden, and like a Spring of Water, whose Water fail not, &c.

Now here is the practice of the true Fast the Lord requires of his People; and they that observe this Fast, the Lord saith; When they call, he will Answer. and you may see what glorious and happy Comforts they do receive from the Lord, and that keep this true Fast; but such as fast for Strife and Debate, and smite with the Fists of Wickedness, to make their Voices to be heard on high, and afflict their Souls for a day, and bow down their Head as a Bull-rush, and looses not the Bands of Wickedness, and does not undo every heavy Burden, and break off every Yoke, and let the Oppressed go free, and does not deal his Bread to the Hungry, and clothe the Naked, and bring the Poor to his House, but hides himself from his own Flesh, and clothes not the Naked: Such Fasts And Fasters the Lord doth not accept, neither hath he chosen them. But these appear to Men with their disfigured Faces, and hanging down their Heads as a Bull-rush for a Day, like the Hypocrites to Fast, as Christ speaks of in Matth. 6.

And is it not the Command of Christ, that in their Fast they should not appear unto Men to Fast? And now you, that would force us to shut up our Shops on Fasting-days, or for a Day, does not this Fast appear to Men? and is not this the Fast, that the Lord saith in Isaiah, he doth not accept? for he saith; Is this the Fast That I have chosen, a Day for a Man to afflict his Soul, and bow down his Head, as a {Page 566} Bullrush, &c. Wilt thou call this a Fast, and an acceptable Day to the Lord? Isai. 58.

And therefore all Gods People are to keep the true Fast of the Lord from Debate and Strife, and the Fists of Wickedness; and that Fast, that breaks the Bands of wickedness, and undoes every heavy Burden, and breaks the Yoke, and lets the Oppressed go free, and deals Bread to the Hungry, and cloaths the Naked, and brings the Poor that are cast out, to his own House. So every one that help this true Fast, their Health shall grow, and when they Call, the Lord will hear them; and the Lord will be their Guide continually, and satisfie their Souls in drought, and make their Bones fat, and shall be like a watered Garden, and like a Spring of Water, whose Waters fail not. Now you, that keep not this true fast, when you call upon the lord on your own fasting-days, does the Lord Answer you, and say, Here I am? doth the lord guide you continually? and is your Bones made fat by him, and your Souls satisified in drought? and are you like a watered garden, and like a Spring, whose Wates fail not? But you that keep not this true Fast, do you not want these Waters, which fail not? so your Souls are not satisfied in drought, but your Bones are lean, and you hear not the Voice of the Lord, who saith, Here I am: and so you lose the Heritage of Jacob, and ride not upon the high-places there; but come under. And therefore every Man and woman, shut your Hearts against all manner of Evil whatsoever, and trade not with Babylon’s Merchants of Confusion; but keep the Supernatural Day of Christ, that is spring from on high, that is, by believing and walking in the Light of Christ and being grafted into him: and this will bring you to the true Fast, from feeding upon any Evil, and to the true praying in the Spirit, as Christ and the Apostles has taught: which Fruits of the Spirit, is Love, &c. which Birth of the Spirit is not a persecuting Birth. But he that is born of the Flesh {Page 567} will persecute him that is born of the Spirit, because he will not follow the Birth of the Flesh, with its weak, beggarly Elements, that entangles with its Yoke of Bondage, and its observing of Days, Months Times, Fasts, Feasts and Years; which the Birth of the Spirit is to stand fast against in the Liberty, wherewith Christ hath made it free.

And do you not know, that the very Turks keep their Sabbath on the Sixth Day, and the Jews upon the Seventh Day, and the Christians meet together on the First-Day of the Week? And that Day, which the Turks keep, the Jews and Christians Shops are open; and the First-Days, that the Christians keep, both Jews and Turks Shops are open? and so the Turk does not force the Jews nor the Christians to shut up their Shops on their Meeting-Days, but lets them have their Liberty in the Turks Country. And where do you read, that ever the Turks forced any Christians to observe any of their Holy-Days, or Fasts, or Feasts? And if not, should not Chrisitans be beyond the Turks in giving Liberty to all tender Consciences to serve God, seeing Christ and the Apostles command not, nor force People to observe Holy-Days, or Times, or Months, or Years, but should pray always in the Spirit, and fast always from Strife and Debate, from all manner of Sin, and Evil; and that will keep down the Fist of Wickedness, and the Bond of Iniquity? &c. And why should not People, that be of a tender Conscience, have their Liberty to exercise their Consciences towards God, that they may have a good Conscience always, towards God and Man, to that which God requires, and to do unto all men as they would have them to do unto them, and to love their Neighbors as themselves; seeing that there are so many debauched, evil and seared Consciences, as with an hot Iron, have the Liberty in their loose Lives and Conversations, and in their loose Words, whose tongues are at Liberty to Swear and Curse, {Page 568} and their Spirits are at Liberty in Drunkenness and Uncleanness? So let the Magistrates look and see, how this evil, seared Conscience hath its Liberty to be Exercised in all manner of evil things, yea all Christendom over; which is a great Shame and Dishonour to God and Christ, and Christianity, yea and Humanity. And therefore, why should not God’s People have their Liberty to Exercise their good and tender Consciences towards God and Man? For the Mystery of Faith, which Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of, is held in a pure Conscience. And should not the Work of the true Christian Magistrate be to encourage the Exercise of this pure Conscience towards God and Man, and to discourage the Exercise of this evil, seared Conscience, that dishonours both God and Christ, and true Christianity? If not, how are they a Praise to them that do well, and a Terrour to Evil-doers?

And now Concerning the not putting off Hats, for which many, that goes under the Name of Christians, have taken Offence at us, because we could not put off our Hats, and bow down to them: For which we find no such Command from Christ or his Apostles; but rather to the contrary. For Christ saith; I receive not honour of Men (Mark, he did not receive Honour of Men:) And further Christ saith; How can ye believe, which receive Honour one of another, and seek not the Honour, that comes from God only? Now Christ declares it to be a Mark of Unbelievers, that seek Honour one of another, and seek not the Honour, that comes from God only; and is not the putting off the Hat, and Bowing with it, an Honour of Men, which they seek one of another, and are offended, if they have it not? Nay, have they not Fined, Persecuted and Imprisoned some, because they did not put off their Hats to them? Nay, do not the very Turks mock at the Christians in their Proverb, saying; That the Christians spend much of their times in putting off their Hats, and shewing their bare Head to one another? {Page 569} But should not the Christians be beyond the Turks, that bear that noble Name of Christian, of seeking Honour one of another, and Persecuting them that will not give it them, when all true believing Christians should seek the Honour, that comes from God only? which is the Duty of all true Believers in Christ Jesus, for he would not receive Honour of Men. And he that beleiveth on the Son of God, hath everlasting Life: and he that believeth not the Son, shall not see life; but the Wrath of god abideth upon him, John 3.36. And now, is not the Turks Proverb a Reproach to the Christians, who say, That the Christians spend much of their time in putting off their Hats, and shewing their bare Head one to another? Nay, have you not Fined, and Imprisoned many, because they would not put off their Hats to you, and shew you their bare Heads? Nay, in many of your Courts they shall not have Right and Justice, nor Liberty and Freedom in Cities and States, tho’ they have truly served their Time, and are honest and civil Men, unless they will put off their Hats, and shew you their bare Head? And have you not made a Law, against such, as will not put off their Hats, and shew you their bare Heads’ and that they must forfeit two Gilders, if they did it not? Yea, and to compel and force them to do it, and fine such as do not, as at Lansmeer in Waterland? And is not this the Honour, that you seek one of another? Did not the Pharisees and Jews do the same.

Now as for your saying, The Apostle commands to honour all Men; and such as rule well, are worthy of double honour: Now, if this honouring all Men, were to put off their Hats to all Men, and shew all Men their bare Heads, then this Command you break your selves; for you do not do this to all Men generally: and if they that rule well, must have double Hat-honour, then they must put off their Hats twice, and shew them their bare Heads . Now, if this Hat-honour, and shewing the bare Heads, be an invention of Men, and not from God, and ye cannot prove it {Page 570} by Scripture, and yet say, It is your Rule; then you act beside the Rule, and compel People to act contrary to your Rule. For where did ever the Prophets, Christ or the Apostles Command any such thing? Let us see a Command, a Practice and an Example for it. Nebuchadnezzar, who was a Persecutor, and cast three Children of Israel into the fire with their Hose, Cloaks and Hats, we do not read that he was offended at them, because they did not put off their Hats, and shew him their bare hands; but because that they would not bow to his Image. And is it not said in the Margent of the Bible, where it is said, Honour all Men, (it is said) Have all Men in esteem? Then they that rule well are worthy of double Esteem; and this Esteem must be truly in the heart, without any Envy, Malice or Hatred. As all men are the Workmanship of God, they are to be esteemed in the Heart with the Spirit of God, and they that rule well, are worthy of double Esteem: and here is true Honour from the Heart both to God and Man, his Workmanship. For People may put off their Hats, and shew their bare Heads one to another once, or twice to the Officers and Magistrates, and yet be full of Envy, and Malice and Hatred, and Murder in their Hearts one against another; and give them that Honour, as you call it, and yet speak or wish bad things of them, when they have turned their Backs on them: which the true Honour or Esteem in the Heart to all Men, as they are God’s Creation, is without any Evil Wish or Thought in the Heart to all Men, and to them that rule well; which have the double Esteem, whom God hath placed over the People. There is no Evil in the Heart, that gives this Respect, Esteem, or Honour, and brings them to love their Neightbors, as themselves, and to do unto all Men, as they would have them do unto them, in that they esteem all Men, and they have a double Esteem to them that rule well: and this is beyond all the Honour of putting off the Hats once to all Men, and twice to them that are worthy {Page 571} of the double Honour, as you may call it. But we would ask the Christians, that practice this Hat-honour, and shewing one another their bare Heads, Who did invent the single Honour, and double Honour, that they should put off their Hats one to another, and shew their bare Heads, seeing, that they cannot prove that ever Christ or the Apostles did command or practice any such thing; or Moses in the time of the Law? Now, do not say or think, we had this Practice of not putting off the Hats from the Turks; for we were moved by the Spirit of the Lord to it, before ever we heard of the Turks Proverb and Practice, to leave the honour that is below, and seek the Honour that comes from above, when we came to be true belivers in Christ Jesus.

Now concerning Persecuting, Imprisoning and Banishing God’s People, in whom Christ is manifest and dwells in their Heart: Doth not Christ tell you, that you Imprison him? and then do you not banish him, and persecute him out of your Cities and Corporations? And how can you enter into his Kingdom, and have a share of his Kingdom, though you may profess him in Words? And do not they go into Everlasting Punishment, that did not visit Christ in Prison? Then what will become of you, that do banish and imprison him, where he is manifest in his Members, nor suffer them to meet together to enjoy him amongst them, according to his Promise? And therefore you, that will not let Christ reign in his People, and have his Liberty in them in your Cities and Countries, to exercise his Offices, you will not have you Liberty in Heaven: and you that will not let Christ reign in his People here upon the Earth in this World, in your Kingdoms; you will not reign with Christ in Heaven in his Kingdom, nor in the World without end.

And so you, that banish the Truth out of your Cities or Countries, or his people for its sake, you {Page 272} do banish the Truth and Christ out of your Hearts from ruling there: and so you your selves are not the Temples of God. And then, when you have banished Christ and his Truth out of your own Hearts, then you do banish such, in whom he rules, out of your Estates and Country: and then see, what Judgments the Lord doth bring upon you, when you are left to your selves; yea, Fears and Troubles, and one Judgment after another, that come upon you, you are even filled with them. But the Banished and Sufferers for Truth and Christ’s sake have a peaceable Habitation in the Truth, which the Devil is out of, and cannot get in: which Habitation will out-last all the Habitations of the Wicked and Persecutors, though they be never so full of Words without Life and Truth. So the Life and the Truth will out-last all airy Notions, and Christ the Lamb and patient Seed, will overcome the Devourer, and the impatient Seed: and they that have the garments, the Righteousness of Christ, which is the fine Linnen, it will out-last all the Rags and Inventions of Men. For Christ saith to his Learners, Be of good chear, I have overcome the World, the Persecuting World: and so he said unto his Disciples; Marvel not, if that the World hate you, for it hated me before you. And therefore let all that profess themselves Christians lay away Persecution about Religion, Churches or Worship, Fasting or Praying Days; for you have no Command from Christ and his Apostles to persecute any. For Christ, who is the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, when they called him a Deceiver, and blasphemed him, and said, He had a Devil; he did not persecute any of them for it, nor force or compel any to hear and believe him, nor the Apostles after him; but he bad them, that would have been plucking up the Tares, Let the Tares and the Wheat grow together until the Harvest. So you have no Command from Christ or his Apostles to persecute, imprison, or banish; or spoil the Goods {Page 573} of any, for matter of pure Conscience and Religion, Worship, Faith and Church in the Gospel-times.

Harlingen in Frierland, the 11th of the 6th Month, 1677.

G.F.

[Source: A Journal or Historical Account of the Life, Travels, Sufferings, Christian Experiences and Labour of Love in the Work of Ministry, of that Ancient, Eminent and Faithful Servant of Jesus Christ, George Fox: Who departed this Life in great Peace with the Lord, the 13th of the 11th Month 1690, Vol. 2. 1709 edition pgs. 561-573]