by Margaret Fell Fox
Our monthly and quarterly meetings were set up for reproving and looking into superfluous or disorderly walking, and such to be admonished and instructed in the truth, and not private persons to take upon them to make orders, and say this must be done and the other must not be done: and can Friends think that those who are taught and guided of God can be subject and follow such low mean orders?
So it’s good for Friends of our country to leave these things to the Lord, who is become our leader, teacher and guider, and not to go abroad to spread them, for they will never do good, but has done hurt already: we are now coming into … that which Christ cried woe against, minding altogether outward things, neglecting the inward work of almighty God in our hearts, if we can but frame according to outward prescriptions and orders, and deny eating and drinking with our neighbours, in so much that poor Friends is mangled in their minds, that they know not what to do.
For one Friend says one way, and another another; but Christ Jesus saith that we must take no thought what we shall eat, or what we shall drink, or what we shall put on: bids us consider the lilies, how they grow in more royalty than Solomon. But, contrary to this, we must look at no colours, nor make anything that is changeable colours as the hills are, nor sell them, nor wear them: but we must be all in one dress and one colour. This is silly poor gospel!
It is more fit for us to be covered with God’s eternal Spirit, and clothed with his eternal Light, which leads us and guides us into righteousness, and to live righteously and justly and holily in this present evil world. This is the clothing that God puts upon us, and likes, and will bless. This will make our light shine forth before men, that they may glorify our heavenly Father which is in Heaven, for we have God for our teacher, and we have his promises and doctrine, and we have the Apostles’ practice in their day and generation: and we have God’s holy Spirit, to lead us and guide us, and we have the blessed truth, that we are made partakers of, to be our practice.
And why should we turn to men and woman teaching which is contrary to Christ Jesus’ command, and the Apostles’ practice? …Friends, we have one God, and one mediator betwixt God and man, the man Jesus Christ; let us keep to him or we are undone.
Written in 1700. Quoted by Isabel Jane in post entitled “A Few Historical Quaker Plain Dress References: Easily Proving Quaker Plain Dress is not a Recent Invention, Fiction, Misinterpretation or Fantasy” on her Quaker Jane blog.