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According to Scottish history that is how Lilias Skene (1626-1697) is remembered - she is remembered as a Poet, Prophet and Preacher.
Lilias is remembered for the many hymns and prayers that she wrote - hymn and prayers of great strength and beauty that were a reflection of her profound spiritual experiences with the Lord. And, she is remembered as Aberdeen's first woman Poet. Poems that spoke of the trials and tribulations that she and the other Quakers were subjected to. Poems of God's loving kindness and faithfulness throughout those trials.
Lilias was known as the fearless and strongest outspoken advocate for the Quaker men who had been imprisoned to the point of death for their faith. This was indeed remarkable for at the time it was unheard of for a woman to rebuke, let along publicly rebuke, Government Leaders or Pastors.
And, as such, to this day there is a plaque dedicated to Lilias on a wall near the entrance of the Crown Street Meetinghouse in Aberdeen, Scotland as well as mention of her at the Tollhouse were the men were imprisoned.
Like Lillias my writings are directly related to my own spiritual experiences as well as to the historical events that was taking place in America during my own personal lifetime - a period during which like Lillias I found myself passing through the fires of persecution heaped upon me by the government, organized religion and from members of my household - all who raised a loud war cry against me. Jeremiah 12:5-6
There are probably many women like me who are direct descendants of Lilias who are able to relate to Lilias and the many trials and tribulations she endured. I know that I can personally relate to the following excerpt from one of the many poems written by Lilias my Scottish Foremother.
From the "Darkest Hour": The darkest houre is ever nearest day; And tryallis (trials) deep for mercies great make way, When powers of darkness, hell, and death assaile, When hope is gone, and human help doth faille, The Lord is neare, His present help appears, Gives secret strength, our doore of error clears.
And, like Lillias I know that the day is coming when it will please the Lord our God to bring me - a long-tossed vessel upon the waves of many afflictions to the sweet harbour of His everlasting rest.
Lillias Skeen, the Woman Preacher, Prophetess and Poet of Aberdeen
Psalm 68:11-14 reveals that Great was the Host of Women who Bear and Published the good news that the Lord would deliver them from their enemies.
Psalm 68:11-14 11 The Lord gives the word [of power]; the women who bear and publish [the news] are a great host. 12 The kings of the enemies’ armies, they flee, they flee! She who tarries at home divides the spoil [left behind]. 13 Though you [the slackers] may lie among the sheepfolds [in slothful ease, yet for Israel] the wings of a dove are covered with silver, its pinions excessively green with gold [are trophies taken from the enemy]. 14 When the Almighty scattered kings in [the land], it was as when it snows on Zalmon [a wooded hill near Shechem]. AMPC
So it was with Lillias who published the Good News in Aberdeen, Scotland that the Lord would deliver her, her husband, son, son in law and the Quakers from their enemies!
In the late 1600's Lilias found herself thrown into a situation wherein she had to contend most earnestly for the faith and liberty of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The circumstances were so dire that Lillias knew that if something was not done - the Quakers including her husband, son, son-in-law and many other Quakers would either die or suffer great harm.
Writing and Publishing was at the heart of Lilias' vigorous and aggressive crusade to win the release of her husband, son and son in law as well as all other Quaker men who had been imprisoned because they opposed the manmade traditions of the Presbyterian Church that nullify the Word of God.
And, rising to the occasion, like the great host of women that Psalm 68:11 speaks of, Lillias picked up her pen and wrote letters that were "anointed by the Lord" to her persecutors which included the Magistrates, Pastors and Inhabitants of Aberdeen, Scotland and prophesied that the Lord would deliver she and her loved ones out of the hands of their civil and religious oppressors.
And, the amazing thing about Lillias' crusade to secure the release of her loved ones is that - in the context of the time - women in Aberdeen, Scotland were expected to be silent in the Church - as well as in public.
However, by all accounts, Lilias was not the typical everyday Scottish woman who was bound up by the traditions of man that nullify the Word of God. Quite the contrary, Lillias was the woman that God called her to be - she was the Psalm 68 woman who published the Word that God gave her to publish!
Like, the other Quaker women, Lillias spoke not from her flesh but as quickened by the spirit of God. And, like the women of Psalm 68 Lillias published the Word that God quickened her to.
And, publish she did!
In 1677 when Lilias' husband, son and son-in-law were imprisoned to the point of death Lilias did the unthinkable for an Aberdeen woman. She stepped forward and in a searing letter Lillias publicly rebuked the Magistrates, the Pastors and inhabitants of Aberdeen. The "Word of Warning to the Magistrates and Inhabitants of Aberdeen" was such a powerful and passionate word that the local newspapers published it. And, this particular word as well as other letters and her 33 poems have been memorialized in various books for all time to come.
How blessed we, her sons and daughters are, that God ensured that our Scottish foremother's letters and poems wherein Lillias' so lovingly pours out her heart to the Lord were preserved. Like Abel's blood that still speaks from the grave - Lillias' writings that speaks of her trust in the Lord will forever bear witness of her love for the Lord.
Lillias' formal declaration to the Magistrates, Pastors and Inhabitants of Aberdeen as well as her poems were extremely unexpected and extraordinary. But it took an extraordinary woman like Lillias to become the spokesperson and Advocate for the Aberdeen Quakers.
Along with her husband Alexander and her son John - Lillias played a leading role in Scotland's history of civil and religious liberty.
In fact, in addition to "William Penn" and George Keith who were personal friends of Lillias multiple resources include Lillias as one of the great leaders of the Quaker movement as well.
A written rebuke published in the newspaper such as Lilias' warning was extremely rare for a woman. And, it would have taken a great deal of courage for Lilias to challenge her former Pastor to debate Quaker principles with her. Yet she did just that!
It was unthinkable that a male Quaker would challenge a Presbyterian pastor to a debate let alone a woman. For a woman to challenge a university educated and church sanctioned clergyman to a debate - well that was unthinkable. It was unthinkable that a woman would place herself on the same level as a Presbyterian Pastor - it was unheard of. The Presbyterian pastor would have taken Lilias' challenge as an insult and offensive to say the least.
But then, a woman like Lillias who had experienced the presence of the Lord was not at a disadvantage with a man or Presbyterian Pastor with nothing more than an argument and head knowledge.
And, I encourage all of Lillias' daughter even those that have yet to be born to pause and think about that great company of women that Psalm 68:11 speaks of because like Lillias, many of you will be called by God to join the great company of women to publish the good news that God will deliver you from the armies of your enemies. This is good news indeed! Psalm 68:12
However, just as the civil and religious enemies of the cross tried to silence Lillias from speaking be aware, they will try and silence your voice. And, I say that because of my own personal experiences.
Just as Satan twisted Scripture when he tempted Christ - the enemies of the cross will twist Scriptures like 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 to try and silence women from speaking.
At first glance, 1 Corinthians 14:33-35 seems to imply that Paul was forbidding women from speaking in the church. However, we know that's not the case because in 1 Corinthians 11:5, the Apostle Paul tells us that every woman that prays or prophesies should cover her head which means that Paul was not forbidding women from ever speaking in the assembly. Furthermore, in verses 39-40 of 1 Corinthians Paul encourages both men and women to be eager to prophesy but to do so in properly and in order.
So we know that Paul was not saying that women were to remain silent at all times in all services. But the fact remains that there were times when the men as well as the women at Corinth were to remain silent. Why?
In the context of 1 Corinthians 14 it's obvious that the meetings at Corinth were not orderly assemblies. It seems that a spirit of confusion and division was operating within their midst which meant that no one at Corinth was being edified or instructed. And, to resolve this problem, Paul admonished both men and women to be careful to minister in the gifts of the Spirit in an orderly fashion. And, this meant that at certain times and under certain conditions that both men and women were to be quiet.
And, Paul tells us that Priscilla, not just Aquilla, explained the way of God to the great Appolos more accurately. Acts 18:24-26
And what about Phoebe, a servant (Deaconess) of the church in Cenchrea. According to the Bible dictionaries "servant" is a reference to a Deacon or/and minister. Romans 16:1-2
And, consider "Junia" who Paul considered noteworthy among the Apostle of the church in Rome (Romans 16:7). Well, Junia is a woman's name. Several translations changed the original text to read Junias, the masculine form of Junia - however the original text stands. Paul was speaking of a woman not a man.
It's obvious from Lillias' writings that she was well versed in Scripture and she knew what God's Word revealed about women speaking in the assembly. All of Lillias' writings, including her warning to the Magistrates, Pastors and Inhabitants of Aberdeen were all based on her own spiritual trials and struggles - the persecution she and her family endured at the hands of the Church. Because Lillias knew "what" she believed and "why" she believed it. Lilias was never at a disadvantage with those who persecuted her.
I encourage you to pause and meditate on "ALL" the Scriptures that the great Apostle Paul himself wrote concerning the importance of women in the Church. Know what you believe and why you believe it!
But, Oh, pause and meditate on the numerous Scriptures concerning the importance of the role of women in the life of Jesus Christ.
The Woman of Samaria: Pause and think about how the very evidence of the Divinity of Christ is always associated with a woman. The first person that Jesus revealed His divinity to was the Samaritan woman at the well John 4:25-26.
John 4:24-26 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. 25 The woman saith unto Him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when He is come, He will tell us all things. 26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am He. (KJV)
Consider that among all the faithful women who went to the Cross only one Discipline was there. The women remained by the cross until His body was taken down from the cross and placed in the garden tomb. Matthew 27:62; Mark 15:47 and Luke 23:55
The women were the ones who brought sweet spices that they might come and anoint the body of Jesus. Mark 16:1 In the earliest dawn the women came to the tomb where they found it empty.
Consider all the women who travelled with Him and took care of His needs out of their own resources. Luke tells us that Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Susanna traveled with Jesus as He journeyed throughout Israel. And, these same women were the one to provide financial support out of their own means for Jesus and His twelve disciples Luke 8:1-3 And, it was the women who accompanied Jesus on His last journey to Jerusalem. Matthew 27:55; Mark 15:41; Luke 23:55
He rises from the tomb and Mary Magdalene is the first person the risen Jesus appears to. It is a woman who was the first to know that the Christ had risen. And, she was to go tell others of this good news. She was the first to publish the good news of the Gospel?
And, like the woman at the tomb and the woman at the well must go tell others the good news. John 20:17
The Woman Preacher of Samaria: It's profound that the Woman at the well was the first person that Jesus revealed Himself to. And, it's also profound that after He revealed Himself as the Messiah the Samaritan woman left and immediately began telling the people about Jesus - and many Samaritans believed in Jesus because of this woman's testimony. She was the "first" person to go and tell others about the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In essence the Samaritan woman was the first Preacher. |
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The Woman Preacher of Samaria Proclaimed "Is not this man the Christ"
John 4:29 29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? (KJV)
The Woman at the well was the first person that Jesus revealed Himself to and after He revealed Himself as the Messiah the Samaritan woman left and immediately began telling the people about Jesus - and many Samaritans believed in Jesus because of this woman's testimony.
It's important to note that Christ Jesus tells her that God is a Spirit and those that worship Him "Must Worship Him" in "Spirit and in Truth" which was the desire of Lillias' heart. And, you cannot worship the Lord in spirit and in truth through the man made traditions of the Church. And, like the Samaritan woman Lillias went and told others about Jesus - Lillias too bid them to come and see for themselves.
There is no doubt that women played a major role Jesus' life and earthly ministry.
I've included an article written by George Keith, a personal friend of Lillias' titled "THE Woman-Preacher OF SAMARIA; A Better Preacher, and more Sufficiently Qualified to Preach than any of the Men-Preachers of the Man-made-Ministry in these Three NATIONS".
This particular article is so profound that the only way to do it justice is to include the article in its entirety. The article in is entirety is included at the end of this section. George Keith - The Woman Preacher of Samaria Pause and think about all the other women in the Bible that God called to be part of the mighty army of women who He called to proclaim the good news.
To publish - to tell others” is the very essence of the gospel. Beautiful are the feet of the great company of women who publish the good news.
And, like all the women of the Bible that proclaimed the Good News, Lillias was a woman whose very heart was to preach the Good News of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
You daughters of Lillias, "Go and tell others". Go into all the world and proclaim the good news. Like your foremother Lillias, go tell them that the armies of the enemies have fled and this is indeed good news!
All of Lillias' writings, including her warning to the Magistrates, Pastors and Inhabitants of Aberdeen were all based on her own spiritual trials and struggles - the persecution she and her family endured at the hands of the Church.
Her writings reveal her struggle for spiritual freedom - to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth. Her poems speak of the times she and her family passed through the fires of persecution. But more importantly is her insight into the Scriptures - how she relies on Scripture to tell us how she feels and from which she finds comfort.
From her many writings we know that from her childhood she was a true lover of that called the glorious gospel. Lilias wrote that the messenger's feet that published it were beautiful to her so long as the ordinances of men were unto her as the ordinances of God
Psalm 68 speaks of a holy war and of the female "Army of Preachers" there was a great host.
In her heartfelt letter to the Magistrates, Pastors and Inhabitants of Aberdeen that was published in the Aberdeen newspaper Lillias sounded the battle cry and warned them to let her people go lest they have blood on their hands.
And, history bears witness that it was through Lillias' Literary Campaign that she did win the prisoners' release. Her relentless crusade was an expression of her genuine faith and desire to worship the Lord in Spirit and in Truth.
And, upon reading her letter, the Magistrates were so shaken by Lillias' prophetic warnings - in an attempt to silence Lillias they came to the conclusion that it would be wise to let her husband and four other Quakers go free. Just as the Lord told her - the Magistrates let her people go.
By the resurrection power of Christ Jesus Lillias' spiritual enemies were made to flee.
In time the power of the Magistrates and the Presbyterian pastors was broken and they were never again able to hurt the Quakers whose faith when tested was proven to be genuine. When their faith was tested the Quakers grew so strong in their faith that they were willing to die if need be and this is something that those who persecuted the Quakers had not counted on.
The Magistrates of Aberdeen thought that if they oppressed the Quakers that the movement would fail and the Quakers would return to the State sanctioned Presbyterian Church. However, after Lillias published her letter it became clear to the Magistrates that it would be difficult to suppress the Quakers if even the women were undeterred by the severities placed on their husbands, their sons and fathers. And, the reality, that even the women were ready to brace the worst that the Magistrates could do to them, in the hope of procuring the liberty of conducting the worship of God as their consciences dictated, shook the Magistrates.
The Magistrates had not planned on so fearless an advocate like Lillias Skene, who would rebuke those in power at the risk of personally incurring their wrath. It was because of the devoted courage of Lilias and the other women who believed that they were under divine protection that the Quakers were able not only survive the persecution but they grew stronger in their faith.
According to all accounts, during the whole period of their persecution, while their husbands and all the leading men were detained in prison the women continued to assemble for worship, at the stated times and at the appointed places, so that the utter fruitlessness of the attempts of the magistrates to suppress Quakerism became visible even to themselves. The Magistrates had to admit that during the entire time they persecuted the Quakers and imprisoned the men, they had never been able to prevent the women from holding even one of the public assemblies of the Quakers.
Because of Lillias' devoted courage in the face of danger and her determined spirit to defend the Quakers whose only defense was to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth she found herself in a position of great influence. Lillias was a "powerhouse". She was an inspiration and motivating force behind the Quaker movement in Aberdeen, Scotland.
In fact, according to numerous accounts, like William Penn who was a close personal friend of Lillias, she too was recognized as one of the Leaders of the Quaker movement in Aberdeen, Scotland. Lillias was a pioneer in Aberdeen who was able to secure both civil and religious freedom for the Quakers.
Her writings were those of a Prophetess, Poet and Preacher whose very heart was to preach the Good News that there is Victory in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 52:7 7 How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth! (ASV)
Lillias is quoted as saying "I was one who, according to my education and information, and inclination from my childhood, a true lover of that called the glorious gospel - the messenger's feet that published it were beautiful to me so long as the ordinances of men were unto me as the ordinances of God".
Like so many other spirit led Believers, Lillias was frustrated because the ordinances of the Presbyterian Church were not in accordance with the ordinances of God. And, she was frustrated with the on-going disputes within the Presbyterian Church whose members couldn't even agree among themselves on any particular ritual. For example, there was fighting within their congregation as to whether a baby should have one or one hundred god fathers at its baptism. Or, should the Lord's supper be taken kneeling or sitting. Needless to say, the focus on the ritual as to whether they kneel or sit was an ordinance of the Church that threatened the very essence of the real meaning of the Lord's Supper.
Jesus said "Do this in remembrance of Me"!
Given that Scripture reveals the Believers celebrated the Lord's Supper in their homes where they came together to worship the Lord - it's unthinkable that the Quaker men were actually imprisoned for holding worship services inside their homes. And, to add insult to injury, Alexander's prison sentence was extended on several occasions because Lillias continued to hold worship services in their home while Alexander was in prison.
Sadly, the people called Quakers who worshipped the Lord in spirit and in truth were severely persecuted by the Magistrates, the Presbyterian Pastors and the Inhabitants of Aberdeen, Scotland. And, sadly, their own relatives were among those who persecuted them.
Alexander, Lillias and their son John left the Presbyterian Church because they wanted the Lord more than the man made traditions (ordinances) of the Presbyterian Church that nullify the Word of God. They hungered to worship the Lord in Spirit and in Truth. They understood that their relationship with the Lord was a personal relationship.
Like the great army of the women of old that sounded the battle cry and published the tidings of victory - in her letter of warning to the "Magistrates, Pastors and Inhabitants of Aberdeen", Lillias sounded the battle cry demanding they let her people go lest they have blood on their hands. And, in this same letter that was published in Aberdeen's news paper Lillias proclaimed the good news that the Lord would bring them victory.
And, in the mighty Name of Christ Jesus, Lillias was Victorious!
And, oh, what a victory. Because of her warning that the news paper published - the Magistrates were to taken aback that they let her husband and several other Quakers go free and relaxed the severity of their cruel treatment to those Quakers who remained in prison.
Read the following excerpts from pages 453-461 of the Third Series - Volume VII of the "Churchman's Companion" published in 1873. The author describes the persecution suffered by the Quakers (Friends), Lilias' character and her courage in the face of danger and the Magistrates response to Lillias' warning as such:
page 453: "The doctrines of Quakerism are too well known to require any such proof, but the calumnies of the ministers prevailed at the time, and were generally believed. The natural effect soon followed, and the Friends were mobbed, and insulted, and even stoned and beaten, in the streets of Aberdeen, which proceedings the magistrates, incited by the ministers, rather countenanced than attempted to check. A regular persecution was soon commenced, and the leading Friends were imprisoned and fined, in the hope of deterring others from joining them. In this case, however, as in all similar ones, the opposite effect seemed to be produced, for the sect grew and prospered, under persecution, more even than it had before.
Such was the state of things at Aberdeen in the year 1669, about which time occurred the convincement of a lady, who subsequently occupied a rather conspicuous position among the Friends, and displayed a strength of character, and devoted courage in the face of danger, which gives an interest to her life which it would not otherwise have possessed. Lilias Gillespie was at this time about forty-three years of age, and was the wife of Alexander Skene, of Newtyle, one of the magistrates of Aberdeen, for which reason she is generally mentioned in the writings of the Friends at Aberdeen by her married name as Lilias Skene. She had been distinguished from her youth for her pious spirit, and was much esteemed by the ministers of the city for her religious attainments. …..
page 455 -456: ….. The magistrates of Aberdeen, however, saw their advantage, and proceeded at once to persecute and oppress the Quakers, whether outlawed or not. So precipitate were they in their zeal against them that, ….. they proceeded to imprison the leading Friends, and so active were they and their officers in hunting out the objects of their malice, that, in the space of two months, they had committed to the Tolbooth thirty-four gentlemen of Aberdeen, for no other offence than being members of the Society of Friends, and having attended their meetings for worship. Of this number was Alexander Skene, the husband of Lilias Gillespie.
Page 457: The liberation so procured was of little real advantage to the Friends, for, as they of course resumed their meetings for worship, as soon as they were set at liberty, they were always liable to a repetition of their former hard usage. A year had harley elapsed ere Lilias found herself once more deprived of her husband's company, and saw him again imprisoned on the same charge as before. And, on this occasion, the prisoners were treated with increased severity. They were crowded into small and airless cells, the windows of which were boarded up in order to preven them from communicating with the passers by in the streets, and which were consequently almost entirely dark. These hardships, to which the poor Friends were subjected, induced some of their fellow-citizens, who, although they did not agree in the religious views of the Friends, were yet men of a compassionate spirit, to apply to the magistrates entreating that the severity, with which they were treated, might be mitigated. But one of the bailies, by name Burnet, who seems to have taken the chief charge of this matter, answered, "that he would pack them like salmon in a barrel, and that, though they stood as close as the fingers on his hands, they should have no more room, and that, if they had not room in the chambers they might lie on the stairs," which were so narrow that one person could hardly pass another.
The severity with which her husband was not treated seems, at length, to have been too much for the patience of even so sincere an adherent of Quaker principles as Lilias Skene, and to have called into action the boldness and contempt of personal danger, for which this remarkable woman was distinguished. During the whole period of the persecution, when the men of the Sockiety of Friends passed from one imprisonment and spoliation to another more severe one, the women had continued their peculiar worship, quietly and unobtrusively, as best they could, but now Lilias Skene came forward as the spokeswoman of his sisters in affliction, determined to brave the malice of their enemies, in hopes of inducing them to pause in their course. Regardless of the probability that, by so doing, she would make herself the especial object of their enmity, she addressed a written remonstrance to the people of Aberdeen. This remarkable document is still extant, and is well worthy of perusal, though it is, unfortunately, much too long for insertion here. The character of the writer shines out of every line of it, and however little we may agree in the distinctive tenets of the sect to which she belonged, it is impossible to withhold our admiration at so singular a display of devoted self-abnegation, and contempt of personal suffering, combined with a boundless love of souls extending even to the enemies who were at that very time despitefully using and persecuting herself and those dearest to her. She makes no attempt to conceal that her heart bled for the sufferings of those she loved, yet she seems almost as strongly moved by a sense of the danger which the persecutors incurred, of drawing down the wrath of GOD on themselves by their cruelty. She commences in these words, "A warning to the Magistrates and Inhabitants of Aberdeen written the 31st of the 1st Month, 1677.
"At several times, and in divers manners, I have witnessed against the will worship and blind obedience of the inhabitants of this city since the LORD opened my eyes, and drew me out f that fearful pit. So, at this season, I am moved in the same zeal for the Truth and compassion towards your souls, Magistrates, Preachers and People, to bear an open testimony against the spirit of persecution, whereunto ye are now arrived , in such a measure, as doth exceed the bounds of humanity, and the severity of your predecessors.
Wherefore, in the fear of the LORD, and in tender love towards you, I warn you to consider what you are doing; that you draw not upon yourselves and this city innocent blood; for assuredly the Lord will not hold you guiltless. Every one of you will find it so, according to the measure of your accessions, when the LORD deals with you: truly you will have enough to account for, thought you keep your hands free from the blood of the innocent people who suffer for conscience' sake.
O consider, if the righteous scarcely be saved, where will the ungodly and unmerciful sinner appear?"
In this strain she proceeds, fortifying her argument with instances from Scripture history, and warning the persecutors of the hopelessness of all their efforts to overcome the faith of the Friends, as she writes, "But no all that ye say, or that ye act, against the LORD's work and witnesses, will discourage a remnant from desiring to be faith even unto death. For my part, your severities and cruelties are a confirmation unto me that Truth is not on your side, who are persecutors, for, in all ages, he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit."
The termination of this remarkable letter shows how clearly the writer saw the danger she was incurring to herself personally, by thus standing forth to rebuke those in power. She concludes, "And now, having exonerated my conscience toward you by obedience towards GOD, and love towards the inhabitants of Aberdeen, I hope the LORD shall enable me to bear what He may permit you to do towards me or mine, even with that patience which becomes a disciple of the crucified JESUS, and nevertheless, to remain your sould's well-wisher, LILLIAS SKENE."
This striking remonstrance was not without a certain effect upon those to whom it was addressed. Upon some it acted merely as an incentive to further virulence against the Friends. This increased hatred, however, manifested itself in a way, the absurdity of which showed how difficult their enemies found it to devise any plausible ground of attack against the Friends. A report was now industriously circulated that the Quakers were Popishly affected, and advancers of the interests of the Church of Rome, than which a more groundless imputation cannot be conceived. There is not probably one of the Protestant sects whose principles were more irreconcilably at variance with those of the Romanists than the Friends.
Upon those in power, however, the effect of Lilias Skene's warning seems to have been very different. They appear to have seen the difficulty of suppressing a sect, of which even the women, undeterred by the severities practised on their husbands and faiths, were ready to brace thw worst that could b e done to them, in the hope of procuring the liberty of conducting the worship of GOD as their consciences dictated. At least, it is impossible not to see in the next step that was taken by the authorities an attempt to silence so fearless an advocate of the oppressed as Lilias Skene. That no threats would compass this they had clearly seen, they now tried the effect of relaxing the persecution against her own family in particular. I the month of February 1677, the Commissioners of the Countil met at Ellon, and ordered her husband, Alexander Skene, and four others of the imprisoned Quakers, to be liberated from prison, but to be confined to their country houses, and prohibited from holding meetings in their own homes, or attending them elsewhere. They also took steps to mitigate the severity of the imprisonment against those who were still to be detained. The five Friends so liberated, on being informed o the restrictions laid upon them, answered that "they accepted their liberty, but as to the restriction enjoined upon them, they must act as they should find it their duty." …..
This relief was, however, but of short duration, for as the Friends, according to their invariable practice, resumed their meetings for worship as soon a sthey were at liberty, the year 1677 had not come to an end before Alexander Skene and some others were again imprisoned. …..
The year 1679 witnessed the close of the persecution of the Quakers in Aberdeen, when all of them still in custody were liberated, and allowed thenceforward to conduct their worship in their own way and unmolested. This happy change in their condition is ascribed, by their Apologist, to the direct influence of the Duke of York, afterwards James II. Looking back on the period of their sufferings, the Friends were inclined to consider themselves under the express protection of Divine providence, for not only had the individual members of their community been strengthened to bear the severe suffering, to which they had been subjected, but the sect itself had survived a persecution, that might have been expected to extinguish it altogether.
This had been mainly brought about by the devoted courage of the women, among whom, as had been shown, the determined spirit and loving heart of Lilias Skene had raised her to a position of great influence.
During the whole period of the persecution, while their husbands and all the leading men of the sect were in prison, they had continued to assemble for worship, at the stated times and at the appointed places, so that the utter fruitlessness of the attempts of the magistrates to suppress Quakerism became visible even to themselves, as they obliged to confess, that, during the whole of that stormy time, they had never been able to prevent the holding of nay one of the public assemblies of the Friends.
From this period the Friends lived in peace, and the last seventeen year of the life of Lilias Skene presents, therefore, nothing worthy of record. Her husband, Alexander Skene, died in 1693, and, after a few years of widowhood, she herself died in 1697. Her death is thus recorded in the archives of the Meeting to which she had belonged.
Upon the 21st of the 4th month, 1697, it pleased the LORD our GOD to bring to the sweet harbour of His everlasting rest, a long tossed vessel upon the waves of many afflictions - namely; Lilias Skene-Gillespie, the widow of Alexander Skene, sometime Bailie of Newtyle. A woman of a serious life, from her childhood, attended with much sickness of body and exercise of mind, afflictions of many sorts. Among the professors she was one of the most eminent; was brought out from them, by a strong hand, into the precious truth about the year 1667; in which she lived about thirty years, in a true measure of honesty, thos attended with temptations and tribulations; and died in the 71st year of her age. Her body was buried on the 24th at Kingwells, beside that of her husband. End of excerpts from The Churchman's Companion Vol. VII 1873
Of the female preachers there was a great host. Like the great army of the women of old that sounded the battle cry and published the tidings of victory - Lillias Skene had indeed joined their ranks. Sons and daughters - pause and think about that! When Lillias raised the battle cry to Let her People go - the Magistrates let her husband, son, son-in-law and several other Quakers go.
Oh, that we too join that great host of women.
That like our Forebear Lillias we too can claim victory - to publish the fact that the battle cry has been sounded. To bid those valiant men like our Forefathers Alexander and John to stand firm in their faith for the Gospel of Jesus Christ even if it means imprisonment to the point of death. O, that we may witness this same zeal in the church to-day.
Oh, the Victory that we have in Jesus! As ministers of Christ we are His soldiers and we war a good warfare because our weapons are not carnal, but spiritual, and mighty through God, and they are made to triumph in Christ where ever we go.
When God commanded His people to go out to battle, and to take with them the ark, the women that were with them - the singers - were ready to make known the proclamation; to celebrate the will of the Lord by songs and dances; to cheer and encourage their husbands, brothers, and fathers, as they went out to the conflict. And, so it was with Lilias. Like the "great company" of women in Psalm 68, Lilias stood ready to communicate or to "publish" through her letters and poems the good news that the Lord would bring them victory.
It was through her style of writing whether it be poetry or letters that at times were cautionary and at times inspirational that Lilias was able to share her deepest and most personal feelings and experiences. Her surviving or known prose dates from the crisis of 1676-1679, when she took the lead in the literary campaign to win the prisoners' release and gain religious freedom for the Friends also known as Quakers. It was to that end she wrote a series of letters and poems.
All of Lillias' writings, including her warning to the Magistrates, Pastors and Inhabitants of Aberdeen were all based on her own spiritual trials and struggles - the persecution she and her family endured at the hands of the Church.
Her writings reveal her struggle for spiritual freedom - to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth. Her poems speak of the times she and her family passed through the fires of persecution. But more importantly is her insight into the Scriptures - how she relies on Scripture to tell us how she feels and from which she finds comfort. |
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Lillias Skene, The Quaker Preacher, Poetess, Prophetess
In 1666 when Lilias joined the Society of Friends (Quakers) like the others who had already left the Presbyterian Church and met in their homes to worship the Lord, she too was persecuted.
They were persecuted because, at that point in time, the Presbyterian Church was Scotland's State Church which meant, by law, everyone had to attend the Presbyterian services or face state prosecution.
According to the Council Register of the Burgh of Aberdeen that met on December 16, 1663, the Counsel determined that those Quakers who continued to meet in their homes to worship the Lord were in violation of the law (the Act of Council) and if they continued to meet in their homes they would be fined, imprisoned or banished from the community.
And, prosecuted they were. Lilias like the other Quakers were considered to be rebels against the State.
By all accounts, Lilias was not the typical everyday Scottish woman. And, in 1677 when Lilias' husband, son and son-in-law were imprisoned to the point of death Lilias did the unthinkable for a woman. She stepped forward and publicly rebuked the Magistrates, the Pastors and inhabitants of Aberdeen. In a prophetic sermon Lilias delivered "A Word of Warning to the Magistrates and Inhabitants of Aberdeen" and it was such a powerful and passionate word that the local newspapers published it.
Lilias' became the Spokesperson for the Aberdeen Quakers. She became their Advocate.
Along with her husband Alexander and son she played a leading role in Scotland's history of civil and religious liberty
A written rebuke published in the newspaper such as Lilias' warning was extremely rare for a woman. And, it would have taken a great deal of courage for Lilias to challenge her former Pastor to debate Quaker principles with her. Yet she did just that!
It was unthinkable that a male Quaker would challenge a Presbyterian pastor to a debate let alone a woman. For a woman to challenge a university educated and church sanctioned clergyman to a debate - well that was unthinkable. It was unthinkable that a woman would place herself on the same level as a Presbyterian Pastor - it was unheard of. The Presbyterian pastor would have taken Lilias' challenge as an insult and offensive to say the least.
All of Lillias' writings, including her warning to the Magistrates, Pastors and Inhabitants of Aberdeen were all based on her own spiritual trials and struggles - the persecution she and her family endured at the hands of the Church.
Her writings reveal her struggle for spiritual freedom - to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth. Her poems speak of the times she and her family passed through the fires of persecution. But more importantly is her insight into the Scriptures - how she relies on Scripture to tell us how she feels and from which she finds comfort.
The following excerpts from "Edinburgh Companion to Scottish Women's Writing Spirituality" written by Sarah M. Dunnigan are quite interesting concerning her perspective into Lilias' writings as well as Lilias' profound walk with the Lord.
Page 11: "When Lilas Skene, a late seventeenth century Quaker from Aberdeenshire, confesses that though all the capacity, theory, and eloquence of men were in one person, he could not draw or describe Christ's love and the Believer's happiness in Him in all its lineaments', she sums up the paradox facing the writer of any spiritual experience: how to put the inexpressible into words.
Skene's reflection on how that which is infinite is of too great extent for finite reach informs any attempt to circumscribe or define spiritual writing; "spirituality" is a diverse and nebulous term describing emotional experience, devotional practice, or a system of belief which may conform to or resist orthodox or institutional practice.
The desire to know God, to enter into union with the divine, is often figuratively expressed by these women through the most intimate and intense of relationships: that of a lover and beloved. The precedent: the Biblical Song of Solomon
Page 15: When Skene describes her redemptive union with Jesus Christ', she does so through a paradigm drawn from romance or myth: to be brought from a dunghill, from bondage and slavery and innumerable fears, to be a princess, to give love and to receive love of the most pleasant and glorious object in earth or heaven. It is the humanity of the man Christ, Emanuel, God-man and yet His uniqueness (I have found Him speak as never man spoke) which transforms Him into an intimate yet unfathomable object of love.
The identification of Christ as lover helps familiarise or personalise the divine into a series of relationships which defines those women's lives.
When Skene told her husband that the Lord was dealing thus bountifully with me, her relationship with Christ assumes an equal, if not superior, role to that marital bond; indeed, in exceeding these earthly relations', the bond means He serves as an all sufficient father, husband, shepherd.
Although Christ may be a husband whose demands are exacting, the role of earthly wife and the bonds of secular marriage are almost gladly renounced or negated.
The contract and ritual of this new spiritual marriage is often emphasied Skene's anxiety about how the finite resources of can articulate the infinits nature of the divine generates a particular need for self-justification in early women writes for whom notions of authorship and creativity are especially complex in the context of spiritual literature. Page 18: This extraordinary passage from Skene, for example, cndenses multiple citations from, and allusions to, the Song of Solomon, the gospel of Luke, the books of Jonah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel:
"What are the trees of the wood to the apple tree? The bramble to the vine? A night gourd to the shadow of a great rock in a weary land? The brooks of Teman that run dry in summer to rivers of water in a dry and thirsty land? What are broken cisterns to the fountain of living waters? What is the flower of the grass that fades to the noble plant of renown, who is the Eternal? To tell what this of love is, a theme above the theory of angels.
This is not to diminish the extent to which these women forge an independent spiritual voice, for they do; but they often refer to, and therefore implicitly suggest the influence of other religious works such as those by minister Samuel Rutherford.
In that respect, this body of writing is deeply inter textual, drawing on a shared pool of imagistic and metaphorical allusions, mostly biblical in origin. In recasting these sources within their own work, writers enter into a process of reimagining that attests the extent and nature of their own spiritual and emotional response to scriptural language.
… are conscious of how their words serve God and strive to reflect divinely creative power.
page 19: For refusing to swear the Oath of Allegiance and for her attendance at conventicles, Skene was instructed to "depart this kingdom"; her memoirs powerfully record her resistance to conformist preaching: 'It was a dead sound to me', a 'polluted ordinance'.
In closing, I am Blessed to be one of the Daughters of Lilias Skene, Preacher, Prophetess and Poet who was among the Great Host of Women who Bear and Publish the Good News that there is Victory in the Gospel of Jesus Christ
By the resurrection of Christ Jesus Lillias' spiritual enemies were made to flee, the power of the Magistrates and the Presbyterian pastors was broken and they were never again able to hurt the Quakers whose faith when tested was proven to be genuine. When their faith was tested the Quakers grew so strong in their faith that they were willing to die if need be.
The Magistrates of Aberdeen thought that if they oppressed the Quakers that the movement would fail and the people would return to the State sanctioned Presbyterian Church that placed man made traditions over what the Word of God allowed. However, after Lillias published her letter it became clear to the Magistrates that it would be difficult to suppress the Quakers if even the women were undeterred by the severities placed on their husbands, and fathers. And, the reality, that even the women were ready to brace the worst that the Magistrates could do to them, in the hope of procuring the liberty of conducting the worship of God as their consciences dictated, shook the Magistrates.
The Magistrates had not planned on so fearless an advocate like Lillias Skene, who would rebuke those in power at the risk of personally incurring their wrath.
It was because of the devoted courage of the Quaker women who like Lilias believed that they were under divine protection that the Quakers were able not only to survive the persecution but they grew stronger in their faith.
According to all accounts, during the whole period of their persecution, while their husbands and all the leading men were detained in prison the women continued to assemble for worship, at the stated times and at the appointed places, so that the utter fruitlessness of the attempts of the magistrates to suppress Quakerism became visible even to themselves. The Magistrates had to admit that during the entire time they were severely persecuted, the Magistrates had never been able to prevent the women from holding even one of the public assemblies of the Quakers.
Because of Lillias' devoted courage in the face of danger and her determined spirit to defend the Quakers whose only defense was to worship the Lord in their homes she found herself in a position of great influence. Lillias was a "powerhouse". From all accounts she was an inspiration and motivating force behind the Quaker movement in Aberdeen, Scotland.
Like William Penn who was a close personal friend of Lillias, and who recommended her son John as Lieutenant Governor of West New Jersey, she too was recognized as one of the most influential Leaders of the Quaker movement in Aberdeen, Scotland. Lillias was a pioneer in Aberdeen. She was able to secure both civil and religious freedom for the Quakers.
Sadly, the people called Quakers who worshipped the Lord in spirit and in truth were severely persecuted by the Magistrates, the Presbyterian Pastors and the Inhabitants of Aberdeen, Scotland because they rejected the man made doctrine of the Presbyterian Church not because they were in violation of Scripture.
Alexander, Lillias and their son John left the Presbyterian Church because they wanted the presence of the Lord in their lives more than the man made traditions (ordinances) of the Presbyterian Church that nullify the Word of God. They hungered to worship the Lord in Spirit and in Truth. They understood that their relationship with the Lord was a personal relationship.
Lillias and the other Quakers in Aberdeen did not leave the national Church of Scotland to follow the doctrine of the Quakers - they joined the Quakers in worship because those called Quakers were just like Alexander and Lillias - they were all led by the Hold Spirit. In fact, Lillias explained it this way - she was a Quaker even before she knew the Quakers existed.
Lillias and Alexander didn't adopt the views of the Quakers - they joined the Quakers in worship because they were like minded.
Interestingly, Lillias' first exposure to the Quakers was quite accidental. She had been taken ill and while staying with a friend who was taking care of her, some Quakers met at her friend's house and she couldn't help but over hear them as they were worshipping. And, as she listened to them worship the Lord, she realized they were just like her.
Unlike the Presbyterians whose worship was based on the manmade traditions of the Presbyterian Church - Quakerism was based on Scripture - Quakers would only allow what the Word of God allowed.
And, it was when the Presbyterians were going to celebrate the Lord's Supper based on the manmade traditions of the Presbyterian Church and not based on Scripture that the Lord called Lillias out of the Presbyterian Church.
Without a doubt, like the great host of women who published, writing was at the heart of Lilias Skene's vigorous and aggressive crusade to win the release of her husband, son and son in law as well as all other Quaker men who had been imprisoned for their religious beliefs. And, her relentless crusade was an expression of her genuine faith and desire to worship the Lord in Spirit and in Truth. Lillias had the revelation of God within her. She walked the talk.
History bears witness that it was through Lillias' Literary Campaign that she did win the prisoners' release. And, I know that her Literary Campaign was successful because she drew upon her own personal spiritual experiences. And, the only way that Lilias or anyone can convey their own personal spiritual experiences is through the use of Scripture.
The following excerpts are from several articles written about Lilias.
One author wrote the following: Lilias language is enlivened and confirmed by many appropriate passages from the Scriptures - for it appears she was especially versed in her writings, and had much improved in her understanding and application of them, by obeying the dictates of the Spirit of Christ. She wrote poetry relating to her spiritual experiences.
By using Scriptural themes and imagery in her poems and letters she was able to create a certain spirituality amongst its readers who were being "Spiritually" persecuted. Their persecution was not just persecution - it was a "Spiritual" persecution - hence her use of Scripture. The use of Scripture was the only way that Lillias could even begin to convey what they were experiencing.
Like the Gospel writers, Lillias made use of significant characters, themes and imagery all taken from the Old Testament.
Lillias was able to convey that God was aware of their persecution - that He is a real God that interacts with His people in real situations. That there was a spiritual aspect of their persecution and that the Lord would intervene on the behalf of her family and make the Magistrates let her family go.
The Trials and Afflictions of Alexander, Lillias and their son John Proved that their Faith was Genuine 1 Peter 1:6-7
"On Growing Trials" was only one of the many heart wrenching poems written by Lillias Skene that speaks of her inner turmoil because of the persecution that she and her family endured at the hands of the Magistrates, Pastors and many of the inhabitants of Aberdeen, Scotland who at one time had been their dear friends. Heart wrenching - yet so full of hope as she poured out her heart to God - from whence came her help!
Her poems speak of her inner turmoil and the deep sorrow she felt because of the nonstop attacks from the Presbyterian Church - the congregation that she once was a part of. Her heart was broken because at one time her enemies were those that she used to worship with.
The enemy - who at one time were her friends were now their mortal enemies. But, even though she was downcast they put their hope in God, and continued to praise Him - He was their Savior and their God and Lillias was confident that the Lord would rescue she and her family from their enemies.
Her poems and writings bear witness that at the heart of each poem is Lillias' undying trustfulness in God. His presence was with Lillias - a woman who knew His presence in her youth.
The trials that Alexander, Lillias and their son John had to endure for a little while - proved that their faith was genuine. Scripture reveals that their faith was more precious than gold that is tested and refined by fire. 1 Peter 1:6-7
Lillias' prayer was that as they passed through the fires of persecution - let it be a refining fire - not a consuming fire.
In one of her poems Lillias wrote the following about the refining fire:
If in a flaming chariot I To heaven must hye; Lord, let that flame refine me, but Consume me not; Guide thou the coadh through all the nine Still rowling arches chrystalline.
In this poem Lillias pours out her heart to the Lord. She understood that when people are struggling for spiritual freedom they can expect as illustrated in Scripture history, greater griefs and tyrannies than usual to befall them.
And, with their faces set like flint she and her loved ones conquered all.
It has been written that six of her poems referred directly to events in the history of the Quakers between 1668 and 1681, a period during which they passed through the fires of persecution heaped upon them by the kirk, students, inhabitants and civil powers of Aberdeen - they passed through the fires of persecution with a firmness and persistence which conquered all.
We know from James 1:3 that when their faith was tested their endurance had a chance to grow. And, when their endurance was fully developed they were made perfect and complete needing nothing. James 1:2-4 And from all accounts, their faith not only remained strong but they became much stronger because of the many trials they endured.
And, as they were being transformed into the image of Christ Jesus the glorious Spirit of God rested upon them. 1 Peter 4:12-14 12 Dear
friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if
something strange were happening to you. 13 Instead,
be very glad—for these trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering,
so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing His glory when it is
revealed to all the world. 14 So
be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious
Spirit of God rests upon you. (NLT) Writing was at the heart of Lilias Skene's vigorous and aggressive crusade to gain the release of her husband, son, son-in-law and all other Quaker men who had been persecuted and imprisoned for their religious beliefs. And, even to this day her works continue to be recognized and analyzed by many historians.
Even though Lillias herself was never imprisoned the magistrates punished her by extending her husband's period of imprisonment and increasing the fines levied against him.
Nonetheless, Lillias continued to hold worship services in her home while her loved ones were in prison even though it was against the law. And, she did so because Lillias knew that they were to obey God and not man.
"On Growing Tryalls" was more than just a poem. It was through her writings that Lillias was able to pour out her heart unto the Lord. Her poems and the letter of warning that she wrote to the Magistrates, Pastors and Inhabitants of Aberdeen as well as the letter she wrote to Robert, a man who was once her dear speaks of her "Spiritual Growth" and development that came as a direct result of the trials and persecution she and the other Quakers went through because they chose to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth and not according to the traditions of man that nullify the Word of God.
Lillias understood the Biblical principle that they like the Apostles and Disciples of Jesus Christ that if they pick up their cross and follow the Lord they will be persecuted and face many trials. Lillias understood that even though they were being tossed about by the waves of affliction that the day would come when they would exchange the sorrows of time for the joys of eternity.
Her poem "On Growing Tryalls" gives a clear indication of her tendencies at that period. Being a godly ballad on how when people are struggling for spiritual freedom they cannot but expect, as illustrated in Scripture history, greater griefs and tyrannies than usual to befall them. But Why - Why would the Lord allow us to be "Long Tossed Vessels upon the Waves of Many Afflictions".
The answer is one that we all should rejoice in.
And, when we understand that the true Believer's faith will be made sure by the trials we experience so that we rest in the knowledge that it is real and will last forever - then that is when knowledge becomes pleasant to our souls!
Trials develop godly character, and that enables us to "rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us” (Romans 5:3-5). Jesus Christ set the perfect example. "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
Lillias saw a direct parallel between her own experiences and those of the biblical Israelites and saw themselves as inspired by the same spirit that had inspired the prophets. Lillias was able to express her inner most emotions through the Old and New Testament references and themes she wove into her poems and letters. And, in her desire to write about their spiritual experiences Lillias used scriptural images of suffering and salvation. Like the Apostles, Lillias made use of significant characters, themes and imagery, taken from both the Old and New Testament.
It's because we go through the same ordeals of the men and women of old that Lillias' was able to draw upon Scripture as she poured out her heart unto the Lord.
Hebrews 11:39-40 39 All these were approved through their faith, but they did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, so that they would not be made perfect without us. (HCSB) Following is the Article written by George Keith "The Woman Preacher of Samaria.
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George Keith and the Woman-Preacher of Samaria
THE Woman-Preacher OF SAMARIA; A Better Preacher, and more Sufficiently Qualified to Preach than any of the Men-Preachers of the Man-made-Ministry in these Three NATIONS. Psalm 71. v. 15
(So the Ancient Latine, and so the Septuagint, in some Copies, and so the Hebrew itself, being rightly Transla∣ted) In English thus. Because I know not Letters I will enter into the Powers of the Lord.
By George Keith.
Printed in the Year 1674.
COme hither all you Men-Preachers, of a Man-made-Mi∣nistry, in the three Nations; whether Conformists, or Nonconformists unto the present way of the Ministry, and Worship in these Nations Established by an Humane Law, who cry out against Womens Preaching, and Speaking, and say, Women ought not to Preach, There should not be Women Preachers, They should keep them to the Affairs within the House, and not meddle with our holy Function.
The Woman Preacher of Samaria
Behold, a Woman-Preach∣er! the Woman of Samaria (Iohn 4.) who may be an Example unto you all; and the best of you, and most Learned and Quali∣fied of you all, have need to learn of her how to Preach.
This Wo∣man of Samaria may be your School-Mistress to teach you to Preach; and it were good for you to learn of her, who though being dead, yet speaketh unto you.
Verily, she is a witness for God, unto the true way of Ministry, and Preaching, against you all, and against all your false and invented ways. Oh for shame let alone your cry∣ing out against Women-Preachers; while you are short, exceed∣ingly short of this Woman-Preacher of Samaria: and, first of all, learn the true silence, and to have that mouth in you stopped, which God hath never opened; that the true mouth which is of His opening, you may come to witness, or else for ever to be silent: that Him you may know to open your Mouths, who hath the Key of David, who shutteth, and no man openeth; and openeth, and no man shutteth.
The Woman then left her Water-pot, and went her way into the City, and saith unto the Men,
Then they went out of the City, and came unto him, &c. Iohn 4.28, 29, 30.
Here she Preached Christ in few words, but very effectually, and with good success.
Come, See a Man that told me all things that ever I did, is not this the Christ?
These were her words, few and short, but very material, and Pertinent; and very powerful and effectual, as appeared by the good success her words had upon the men of the City: for it is said, Then (to wit, after her speaking to them) they went out of the City, and came unto Him: and v. 39. it is said,
but v. 41. it is said, and many more believed, because of His own Word.
But, How came this Woman to be a Preacher of Christ?
First, Who taught her?
Secondly, Who called her?
Verily she was not taught by Men, nor by Men was she called, but by Christ.
She had not been learned at the University, neither got she her Ordination, either by the laying on of hands, of a Bishop, or company of Men, called a Presbytery: yea we find no hands that Christ laid upon her in the outward, but spoke unto her, and talked with her, and she with Him.
So then she was taught of Christ Himself, that He was the Messiah, or the Christ.
She had heard of the Messiah that was to come, but she knew not that He was come, or who He was: yea for some time, though He was speaking unto her, she did not know Him to be the Christ; but when He said unto her, I that speak unto thee am He, then she believed, and went her way into the City, and Preached Him unto the men of the City.
So first of all,
This is an excellent Pattern, and Example unto all true Ministers, and Preachers of Christ▪
And this same Method Paul followed; who, of a Persecutor of Christ, became a Preacher of Him.
When it pleased God, said he, to reveal his Son in me, that I should Preach Him to the Gen∣tiles.
And Secondly, he was a believer in Him, as he said himself, We having received the same Spirit of Faith, we believe, therefore we speak; and, said David, I believe, therefore have I spoken. And what sort of Faith was this?
Historical Faith verses Inward Faith
Was it only an Historical Faith, which Hypocrites, and ungodly Men have, whereof Paul and David spake?
Nay surely, it was the true, saving, renewing, and sanctifying Faith, and according unto this, none ought to preach, who have not a measure of true and saving Faith, and who are not truly in some measure Sanctified and renewed, and by being Sanctified and renewed through Faith by the operation of the Holy Spirit, are fitted and prepared for the work of the Ministry.
Now, by these two qualifications of a true and right Preacher of Christ, let us try the Ministers and Ministry of those called Preachers in these Nations; both Conformists, and Non-Conformists, Both of them affirm, and hold it as their Principle, That true and saving Faith is not necessary unto a Mans being a Preacher: It's true they say, if he be a true Believer, and godly Man, he will be the better Preacher, but a true and Lawful Preacher he is, and ought to be followed, and heard, and maintained, though he be not in the least a godly Man, or true Believer, if he be a Scholar, and can Preach in a Form of Sound words, if he have Latine, Greek, and a little Hebrew and Logick, and such like Natural Arts and Sciences, it is enough to qualify him to be a Preacher; and this Principle Iames Durham, a great Presbyterian, expresly holds in his Book, called, An Exposition upon the Revelation, in his digression concerning the Ministry, and I myself have had sundry debates, with both Conformists, and Non-Conformists so called, touching this same thing; both affirming that true Faith and Piety was not needful to a Mans being a Preacher, but that Letter Learning was needful; so that he could not be a Preacher without Letters, but he could be a Preacher without Faith and Piety. Oh abominable Doctrine! And this same Rule both follow, in their trying of mens qualifications unto the Ministry; they try what knowledge they have in strange Languages, and Arts and Sciences Natural, and what they can say upon pages of Scripture, but never one word they question them concerning the work of God in their hearts, or concerning their Faith and Piety.
But alas! how can they try them concerning the work of Grace in their Hearts, seeing they acknowledge they have not a discerning themselves, whereby to know them surely and infallibly; yea, they affirm there is no such discerning in these days, as whereby men can be known to be truly gracious. And doth not sad Experience show it, that the generality of those Preachers have not true Faith and Piety, their Lives and Conversations are so gross and Carnal? Yea, do not many of themselves see it, and have they not complained of it? And yet doth not this Principle of theirs, That wicked Men may be Preachers, and ought to be Received, lay a Foundation for a wicked ___? And ____ being laid with their own Hands, will not wicked Men come in thick and throng? And will not these _______ to have all like themselves? If they can have a wicked Man will not the wicked prefer him to another that but seems to be a godly, and may, or may not be, and thus in process of time the whole Ministry will consist of ungodly men, the wicked being still preferred by the wicked; and carrying it by most Votes, as among them called Presbyterians, or by the Authority of the Bishop, as among the Episcopal. Oh! for shame never say, that you are for a godly Ministry, while you both lay such a Foundation for the ungodly.
And Secondly, as both sorts hold that true Faith and Piety is not necessary to a Mans being a Preacher, so they hold that immediate revelation, and to be immediately taught by Christ Himself, is not necessary, either to his being, or better being, yea, they wholly exclude it, and affirm that all immediate Revelation and Teaching by Christ Himself, so as to teach Men the Truths of the Gospel, is ceased since the Apostles days, and is no more to be expected while the World lasts; so Iames Durham, concerning Prophesying in his afore said Book, and in the first Page of that Book, he saith, God hath spoke His last words to his Church, by John, in the Revelation; and so the Church nor any in the Church is not to hear any word from God, or Christ Himself; nay, He hath spoken His last words sixteen hundred Years ago. Oh gross blindness and darkness! Is the Lord wholly absent from His Church? Or if He be present with her, and in her, doth He never speak Himself? Hath he lost the power of His Speech, or His willingness to speak, that He hath been so long silent? Surely, nay, as it is written, Our God will speak, and not keep silence, He is not so unkind, nor hard-hearted, as those Men would make Him, so as not to speak Himself.
And as concerning the immediate Teachings of Christ, who is such a Stranger unto them, and their Principles, who know not that they deny them, and are Enemies unto them, and that one of the main things of Controversie betwixt them and us lyeth here; they say, the immediate Teachings of Christ are all ceased, since the Apostles days;
We say, not, and we are Witnesses of the contrary in our Experience, who witness the New Covenant fulfilled, they shall be all taught of the Lord, that is, immediately, else what doth the new excel the old, and first Covenant in? For under the old they were taught of the Lord immediately, as by Moses and the Prophets; but under the new, they are taught of God himself, who dwelleth in them, and walketh in them, and is their Teacher, Shepheard, and Husband.
And now, How can these Men be taught of the Lord himself, or immediately to Preach Christ, who deny the thing itself? How can we have Charity unto them to believe they are so taught, while they deny that any are so taught in those days?
And then what is their Preaching of Him? it is but by hearsay, and report; they are all short of this Woman, She both heard Christ Himself, and saw Himself, which none of them, (as they confess,) have ever done:
they say they have never seen Him, nor heard Him, nor spoken with Him, and yet they preach;
whereas she both heard Him, and saw Him before she Preached Him;
and thus did John, and the Apostles Preach Him: That which was in the beginning, which we have seen with our eyes, and heard with our ears, and our hands have handled of that Word of Life we declare unto you; for the Life was manifested, and we have seen it, and declare it unto you, that you may have fellowship with us, &c.
Now which of the two ways of Preaching are the best;
Surely this was the best, and therefore this Woman is a better Preacher, than all your University men, and Doctors, and Bachelors: she learned more of Christ from Himself, in that small time, (perhaps not one hours length) than your Doctors, and University men have yet learned, for all their many years Studying laboring, Reading, and Hearing: As Christ, upbraided the Jews, that they had neither heard his Fathers Voice, nor seen His shape; so it may be said of them; yea, they say it themselves, they have neither heard Him, nor seen Him. Alas for such Teachers! What should men hear them for? they can tell us no more of Him, but as they have heard it from men, or read it in the Scripture; and all their knowledge is from the Scripture, and all have the Scripture as well as they, and so without them, by the Scripture, may know as much of Christ as they, and save both their pains, and their Money.
And as concerning this Woman, it is manifest, that as she heard Him, and saw Him outwardly, so she both heard Him, and saw Him inwardly, and was taught by His spirit in her heart; for had she not been inwardly taught, and heard inwardly, she could not have believed on Him, which she did: neither had the outward hearing and seeing made her blessed; for many heard and saw Him outwardly, and yet were not blessed: But, said Christ to his Disciples, Blessed are your eyes, for they see, and blessed are your ears, for they hear; this was inwardly, they both heard and saw inwardly, and this made them blessed, whereas others heard and saw outwardly, and therefore were not blessed, as the Disciples, and this Woman was.
Yea that she was taught inwardly, and that more largely, and fully, than by what she heard outwardly it doth manifestly appear from her words, in that she said, He hath told me all things that ever I did: now this could not be outwardly, for he told her but some things outwardly, as concerning her husband's that were dead, and how the man she had, was not her Husband; and certainly, in so small a time as they had together, words outwardly could not have told her the half, yea, not the hundred part of all that ever she did; she was therefore inwardly taught by him, and told all these things.
Christ Jesus the Word, the Life, the Light in her heart told her, as He well could, even in a moment or the twinkling of an eye bring all things before her, and tell her all things in her whole life; and certainly this was it that made her to believe Him, to be not only a Prophet, but more than a Prophet, even the true Messiah, or Christ. He who hath told me all that ever I did, this must be Christ, this cannot but be more than any of the Prophets, who told me some things, but no Prophet could tell me all but Christ only, who is the true God, and knoweth all things, and searched all my inward parts and thoughts.
As concerning her Call, (as was said) she had it not from Men, and indeed we read not of any outward Call she had from Christ; but certainly He who taught her inwardly, called her also inwardly, by his Holy Spirit; yea, so powerful was her inward Call, and the motion of the Spirit of Christ within her, that it caused her to make hast, she tarried not to carry home her water pot, for it is said expressly, she left here water-pot, and went in∣to the City, and said unto the Men, Come, see a Man, &c.
But as for their Call, it is wholly from Men, and by Men; for as they deny all immediate Teaching, so they deny immediate Calling unto the Ministry; yea, their Principle that immediate Revelation is ceased, and that the Scripture is the only Rule, obliged them to deny all immediate Calling, as well as immediate Teaching.
Behold then how she hath this third qualification of a true Preacher which they want; she was called immediately by the Spirit of Christ in her heart; she ran not unsent, it appears the Lord sent her, and was with her by His Spirit, by the good effect her Testimony had; for, as it is said, many of the Samaritans of that City believed on Him, &c.
And this was through her Preaching.
They did not despise her because she was a Woman, they did not say unto her (as many now say) thou art a Woman, thou should not Preach; neither did they say unto her, thou art but Ignorant and unlearned, as Men commonly say now unto our Friends whom God hath taught, by His Holy Spirit, though they have not the Tongues, nor the Natural Arts, and University Learning; Why do ye Preach who are unlearned, and have not been at the University?
I say, these Men, they neither upbraided her with her being a woman, nor secondly, with her being unlearned; nor thirdly, that she wanted her Call, and was idle, or meddled with a business that did not concern her; they did not say unto her, Go home to your wheel, and your Spinning, and such like words, as men commonly now say to Women Friends, whom the Lord hath taught and Called by his Spirit to testify of Him, as He did this Woman of Samaria. Nor fourthly, did they upbraid her with the place, as men commonly also now do, who wonder, and gaze, and mock, and scorn, if they see or hear any speak anything of Christ in the streets; O, say they, this is not the Church, go to Church, if ye would Preach, this is not a fit place to Preach in. These Men of the City did not so unto this Woman, though she came unto them, and spoke unto them, where she first found them, which might be in the streets or anywhere else.
Also, this Woman, no doubt very unexpectedly, and far from any design she had before had unto this work, became a Preacher, little knew she, or little did she think, before she met with Christ, and heard Him, that she should preach Him, nay verily, she knew nothing of it at all, nor had she any such design before hand; far contrary unto these Preachers of the Man-made-Ministry, who have designed it long before hand, and it was a design of their Parents and Relations even from their Childhood: Yea, this was the end, and final moving cause, of their being sent first to the Grammar-School, and then to the University; a design they should be Preachers: Quodest ultimum in Executione, est primum in intentio∣ne: i. e. what is last in Execution is first in intention, so it was first of all intended. A Father hath three Sons, one of them he thinks may be fit to be made a Lawyer, another to be a Doctor of Physics, a third (and that commonly the greatest Dunce or Dolt of the three, finding him not so fit for other things) he resolves he will have him a Minister, or Preacher, that it may be a Living to him; and so away be send them all to the Grammar School, and from that to the University; and thus one becomes a Preacher only by that which is Natural and Artificial, as the other two becomes the Lawyer and Physician, here is nothing of God or Christ seen more in the one than in the other: Is it not so generally among them?
They are become Preachers by a design or contrivance of their Parents, or themselves. As soon as they become but so old,
for if he had been of never so mean a degree, and of the most abject and mean Parents in all the Country, yet to become a Preacher, makes him to be esteemed a Gentleman, and be called Sir; and perhaps, to be advanced to be a Bishop, and then he will be called, my Lord.
But how many either of one sort or another of them, whether Episcopal or Presbyterian, are to be found, who have been called from some other Calling or Occupation they were in before, to leave it, and go to Preach Christ, as this Woman was called from her Water Pot immediately to go Preach him, in a City of Samaria, called Sychar?
And yet thus were the true Servants of the Lord called, who were Mechanick Men, and Tradesmen, both Prophets, and Apostles; Elisha was called from the Plough, Amos from the Heard, who was an Herd-man, and a gather of Sycomore Fruit; and the Apostles, many, or most of them from their Fish-Nets, who were Fishers; Matthew from the Receipt of Custom, who was a Publican, and Luke was a Physician, and Paul a Tent-maker: and so most part of all whom God ever sent to Preach had their Employments before, and not one ever became a Preacher by an Humane design or intention before hand in order unto a Living, and to get money as they do: and so this is a fourth difference betwixt this Woman-Preacher of Samaria and them, wherein she excelled them. Her Preaching was not any Humane design, either of her, or any Man, or men else, but it was wholly Divine, it was of the Lord alone, He designed it, and not Man; whereas their preaching commonly and generally is a
She preached Christ freely, as she had freely receiv∣ed, so she freely gave;
She did not begin to Contract, or Covenant, or bargain with them before hand, for money, or for any Worlds good; she said not unto them, what money or Hire will ye give me, and I will preach Christ unto you?
Nay, nay, she was not of such a Mercenary Spirit, she was more Noble; far unlike the preachers of the Man-made-Ministry in these days, whether Episcopal, or Presbyterian, as well as Popish, where all is done for money, no money, no preaching, as the old proverb is, No penny, No Pater Noster; And was it not so generally among the Presbyterians, while they had the public places, and the Law of the Nation to stand by them, and for them, who of them all preached without a stipend?
Which is in plain English, Wages or Hire; for stipend being a Latin word, signified properly Wages or Hire, but they will not have it called Wages or Hire, lest they should seem to be Hirelings; they will take the Hire, they will seek it, yea, exact it, yea, strain and distrain, and poind, and cast into prison for it, and take away a poor man's pot or pan, or platter for it, as was done to some of our Friends in the Presbyterian time, and this to pay those men's stipend, who were called Godly men of the finest sort of the Presbyterians: A strange thing of exacting wages of them, and forcing them to give them money, who never hired them, nor heard them, and so took none of their Merchandise, and yet thus it was, as they are living at this day, who can witness it done thus unto them, so (as is said) they would take the Hire, and force it, but they will not have it called Hire, but stipend; they must put a Latin face upon it, that it may not appear in it's own deformed and ugly shape, it must be called stipend, and not Hire, whereas the proper English of stipend, is Hire; And now that they are out of their public places, having gone out through fear, if any of them preach now and then in private places, without a set stipend, that is but in order to propagate, and carry on the Presbyterian design, that they may be set up again, and recover their places, and Hires again. But which of them can say in the sight of God, at this day, they preach freely without an eye to money or outward reward? So that if they got nothing by it yet preach they must: Who of them all can say, Woe unto us if we Preach not the Gospel, for a necessity is laid upon us to Preach; Who of them have got their mouth opened by Him to Preach, who opened and no man shut, and shut and no man opened? Has not Man, and the power and dread of Man, oft shut their mouths, and Man, with a little of his forbearance, or winking at them, opened them again? how much of this has been seen these years by past among these called, or accounted the best sort of them? where were they to be found in times of hazard, when the power and dread of man threatend them to suffer imprisonment, or Fining, or the like; so that it was likely they would be apprehended, and haled to prison, to lay there they knew not how long, or have a Fine taken of them.
Did they preach then openly and in view? Could their voice be heard in the streets? No surely. But if an Indulgence come, or that the Magistrates wink a little at them, and they observe it, then they will come out of their holes, and creep forth a little into common view or observation. And thus man shut them, and man open them; for they know not Him nor his opening, who opened and no man shut, and shut and no man opened.
And doth not all this exceedingly betray and discover them to be of a Covetous, and Mercenary Spirit, Hirelings indeed, who flee from the sheep in a time of hazard, whereas the good Shepherd lay down His life for the sheep.
Surely this Woman of Samaria was of a more noble Spirit, who Preached both freely, and boldly.
Though she was a Woman, yet she was not afraid to bear Testimony of Christ, she did not call them, to whom she preached into a Cellar, or Vault under the ground, or some private place, but openly, and publicly she preached Him to a great company, so many heard and believed because of her saying, and yet no doubt there was a hazard so publicly to confess Him, and own Him in that day; and though some believed in Him, yet others were enemies to Him, who were Samaritans.
The Manner how she preached Christ, is observable,
Also it is observable, the pithy and effectual way of hear reasoning, by Question, or Interrogation, which implies both a strong affirmation, and a clear inference or induction from the premises, leaving it as it were unto themselves to judge, or conclude, Is not this the Christ, who has told me all that ever I did? this cannot be a meer man, this cannot be only a Prophet, this must be the Christ, seeing He hath told me all that ever I did.
How effectually doth she reason, as she was taught by the Spirit of Christ in her, though she never learned the Art of Logic, yet surely she reasoned most effectually, and saw more into the reason of the thing, than all the University men have done unto this day, by all their artificial Logic.
And her Reason, or Argument runs thus. He who tells a man or woman all that ever they have done, must be Christ: but this man has told all that ever I have done, therefore this is the Christ, or is not this the Christ? The first Proposition is clear unto all men, because it is He only who is God, that knows all the doings of a man, so it is he only who can tell them all unto them, and so this He, who hath told me all that ever I did, must be more than any Man, or Prophet, who may know some things, but know not all, He must be Christ, who is God. And as I said before this was inwardly, and not outwardly, He could not tell her outwardly all that ever she did in so short a time, but inwardly He could in a moment; even as the outward light of the Sun in a moment represents things unto our eye in the outward, and lets us see in a moment, all at once, as it were a thousand things; and thus she was taught, and thus she reasoned concerning Him: And thus also hath the Lord taught us to reason concerning Him. He who hath inwardly convinced us of our sins, and told us all the sins that ever we did, and brought them to remembrance before us, when we had forgotten them, or cast them behind our backs, this is the Christ, this Light in us must be the Light of Christ; or this He in us must be the Christ, and not any mere human, or natural Light, this must be Divine, Spiritual, and saving, yea, the Savior, the Christ: so she Preached Him, and so the Lord hath taught us to Preach Him. But so do not these Men of the Man-made-Ministry Preach him; Nay, but the contrary: for, say they, That is not Christ which convinces every man of his sins, and tells him all that ever he did, it is but a humane principle, not Divine; it is but Natural, not Spiritual; a natural Light, and so instead of Preaching him thus, as He is in the hearts of People convincing them of sin, and showing them their sins, they plainly deny Him, they confess them without, but deny Him within; and so deny His Divinity, and Divine power and Godhead: for if He be God, is He not within? and that both in Believers, and Unbelievers, doth He not by His Spirit convince the world of Sin?
Is he not the Light of the world, who lighteth every man that cometh into the world, that all men through Him might believe? as John declared, Chapter 1 Yea, so contrary are they unto the being of Christ within, that they plainly, and openly deny Him, to be really and properly, and immediately, or essentially within his Saints; yea, to say, that He is, they call it Blasphemy: O, say they, He is in us by His Graces, and by His Operations, or Virtue, but not immediately, or essentially: He is in us, say they, immediatione virtutis, but not immediatione suppositi: i. e. he is in us immediately by his Virtue, but not by Himself; as the Sun appears in us by His Virtue or heat: yea, the real in-being of the Spirit of God by Himself, they have generally denied, and judged some among themselves who have affirmed it: And yet how clear and full is the Scripture unto this Truth; that Christ is not only in all men by his Light, but also upholds all things by His Word and Power, which cannot be separated from Him; and if He were not everywhere, He could not be infinite; and as He is in all, so He hath His several ways of operation, and manifestation in all, in Unbelievers after one manner, and in Believers in another, according unto their several capacities, and conditions.
She Preached Him as One they could both come unto, and see immediately, as she had heard Him, and seen Him herself, so she had a great desire that they also might see Him, Come and see, (said she) she did not thus Preach unto them, it is enough for your Faith, O ye men of Samaria, that others have heard of Christ, and seen Him, and from what they have heard and seen, to have reported of Him unto you; Oh! Nay, but Come and see, And after this manner did all the true Servants of God, Preach unto People, O taste and see, said David that which we have heard and seen, we declare unto you (saith John in the Name of all his Brethren) that you may have fellowship with us; that ye may hear with us, and see with us, and handle with us, of that Word of Life: But so do not these Men of the Man-made-Ministry; neither Episcopal, Presbyterian, nor Independent, so called; None of them all say or Preach, Come and see Christ himself, or hear himself; Nay, nay, that is all ceased (say they) Christ is gone into Heaven, and will not come again till the last day, He has left us the Scriptures, and the Sacraments in His room we cannot know Him otherwise, but by these visible things, we cannot see himself, nor hear himself, all immediate Revelation is ceased, there is no Vision of God or Christ to be expected in this life nor immediate teaching, or hearing of Christ himself O sad, and Comfortless Doctrine! but this is their Doctrine, nor Christ's.
I will rather hear this Woman of Samaria, than hear them, She bids Come and see Christ Himself; they say there is no seeing of Him, nor hearing of Himself, so long as we live upon earth: Oh blind and deaf men, who because they have neither heard him, nor seen him, therefore deny this blessed privilege! Oh that people should follow after them, and not see these blind men! What great matter can they tell of Christ? what great or excellent thing can they attain by their Preaching, who deny that they can either hear Him, or see Him while they are upon Earth? But who, in some measure hear Him not, nor see Him while on Earth, be this told unto you as from the Lord, it will be in vain for you to think to hear Him, or see Him to your Comfort and Joy hereafter.
Again, the Method of this Woman's Preaching was not like their School Method, who make a Tale of an hour's length, and yet never come to the matter itself; who take a Text from some place of Scripture, and raise from it so many points of Doctrine, which they have studied so long before hand; and must study a day, (and some perhaps two or three days) to preach one hour, and then to deliver off unto the people that dry, dead and barren stuff, that they have scraped and gathered together out of so many old and Worm eaten Authors, which they cannot say is their experience, and have not received it from the Lord.
But they are Thieves, and have stolen it, yea perhaps it is an hundred times stolen, having come through so many hands; who have stolen the words of God concerning the conditions, and experiences of the Saints, as the false teachers, and Prophets of old, of whom the Lord said Jeremiah 23 - Behold I am against these Prophets who steal my Words. They shall not profit the People at all. And is not this fulfilled abundantly? Where is the profiting of the people? do they not remain still in their sins and wickedness? And as for these made, and composed Sermons; by art and cunning of man's wisdom and Spirit, it is plain deceit, and is expressly so called in Scripture, where the Apostle said, That with feigned words the false Teachers should make merchandize of the People. according unto the Greek properly and truly it is thus: With made, or composed Speeches, or Discourses, they shall make Merchandise of you. And so it is seen at this day: for as they make their Sermons by Art, and take great pains (as they say) to Compose, and Frame them, so they make Merchandise of them, and sell them unto the people for Money; yea, cause people to give them Money, over, and over again for the same; and thus they beguile them, and make Merchandise of them also:
Her Preaching had this good effect, They came unto Him saw Himself, and heard Him; and as some believed because of the Woman's saying, so it is said,
Many more believed because of His own word, and then their Faith had sure footing, and found the right Foundation, to wit, His own word: then they generally came to hear Himself, and so believed, because they heard Himself, as they declared themselves; yet she was an occasion unto them by her speaking:
But whom hath these of the Man-made-Ministry brought this length, that they are come unto Christ Himself, and heard Him, and seen Him? nay, both Teachers and People cry out generally, this is not to be expected in this Life, all Vision, and Revelation is ceased: And no doubt as they came unto Him outwardly, and heard Him, and saw Him outwardly; so they came unto Him, and heard, and saw Him inwardly, otherwise they could not have believed in Him, nor loved Him as they did, nor been blessed by Him, if they had not seen Him, and heard Him with another eye than the outward, which many heard Him, and saw Him with, who remained Unbelievers, and were not blessed.
And so now by these Ten Instances, it is manifest, how this Woman-Preacher of Sa∣maria, was a better Preacher than any of the Men-Preachers of the Man-made-Ministry, who called the men of Sychar out of the City unto Jacob's Well to see Christ: now Sychar signifieth Drunkenness, and doth fitly answer unto the natural, and unconverted state, and now Jacob's Well Typified the Spirit of Christ, which is the Well of Living-water in true Believers, and so out of the natural state, and Spirit of this World, she called them unto the Spirit of Christ, there to come unto Him, and to see Him.
The 29th of the First Month, 1673.
Post-script.
BUT say, the Men-Preachers of the Man made-Ministry, Women ought not to Preach, because the Apostle expresly saith, But I suffer not a Woman to teach, nor to usurp Authority over the Man, but to be in silence.
To which I say, first, what if I should understand by the Woman in this place, the flesh, as Bernard, an Ancient Father in the Church, (who is of great account both among them called Papists and Protestants) doth understand it; for thus he writeth about five hundred years ago, In For the Flesh ought to be Converted unto the Spirit, that she may serve, and not be served; that the Spirit may say unto his Servant, come, and it cometh; do this, and it doth it; for so our Wife shall be, as a fruitful Vine, and shall be saved by bearing of Children, which are good works, if she be indeed in the sides of our House, that is, in a secret, and low place; but let the Soul remain in the midst, as a Mistress, as a Master of the Family, as a Judge. Behold, how Bernard understandeth by the Woman (which Paul suffereth not to teach) our flesh, and Paul speaking of this Woman, that she shall be saved in Child-bearing; Bernardex∣poundeth these Children to be good works, notwithstanding she shall be saved (saith Paul) in Child-bearing, or in bearing of Children, if they continue in Faith and Charity, and Holiness, with Sobriety, 1 Timothy 2.12, 13, 14, 15. And that the Apostle saith, if they continue what is to be understood by these words?
Whether outward and Natural Children; or such Children as Bernard expoundeth to be good works? Or is a Woman saved by bearing outward, and Natural Children, to wit, Male, or Female Children, or can the Faith and Holiness of these Children save the Woman? I have made use of the Authority of Bernard, in this place, not as if I would have People believe this Exposition simply or mainly because Bernard hath said so; But indeed, because the Men of the Schools, and those called Clergy-Men, lay such weight upon the Authority of the Fathers, who commonly say, We are to receive the Exposition of the Scripture from the Fathers, and (if the Expo∣position of a Scripture be called in question) we are to hear, what such an Ancient Father, as Bernard, or Agustine or Jerome saith upon it, and that is to determine the Case, if especially the Scripture it self say nothing to the contrary; Let them hear therefore Bernard in the Case and leave off their proud and insolent words against the People called in derision Quakers, as if they understood the Scriptures all contrary to the mind of the Ancient Fathers, (for let this be told them, that not only in this particular, but in most of all the things of weight, wherein we differ from the present Clergy-men so called, we have the Ancient Fathers more on our side, than they have, as it may be made appear (if God permit) in due season. And also let those weak and illiterate Man made-Ministers, who pretend so much to Learning, and reading (and yet have so little of it) forbear their frothy jearings, and mockings of our Friends as touching the meaning of the Scriptures, lest in so doing they be found mockers of them whom they call their Fathers, of whom either mediately or immediately they borrow, or rather steal anything they have to say, though oft knowing neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm, I have had an occasion given me, not long ago by some of these Men to return them this advice: some of them going about to represent it, as a most ridiculous, and inconsistent Exposition to expound, by the Woman (which Paul permitted not to speak) the flesh; for, say they, If the Woman be the flesh, then, who is the fleshes Husband? Now, let them hear Bernard (a Man I am verily persuaded far excelling them both in Piety and Learning) who saith, the flesh is to be subject to the Spirit (or Spiritual part in us) and so she shall be our Wife, a fruitful Vine in the sides of our House: by which flesh, is not to be understood sin, or sinful Concupiscence, but the animal or inferior part of a Man, which is the Creature of God, and is of good use unto them who are Sanctified and renewed. And as concerning the Woman mentioned by Paul, in his first Epistle to Timothy, Chapter 2. v. 12, 13, not only Bernard, as I have shewed, but Augustine(who Lived twelve hundred Years ago, and one of the most Renowned Fathers in the Church in those days, and who is of great account at this day both among Papists and Protestants) doth by the woman understand the flesh, and by her Children, he doth understand good works; for thus he writeth, Libro de trinitate. 12. upon the words of the Apostle to Timothy; She shall be saved by bearing of Children: In that Sex of Male and Female (saith he) the Apostle Paul from this may be understood to have figured the Mystery of something more secret; his words in Latine run thus: In isto Sexu Masculi & Faeminae Apostolus Paulus occultioris cujusdam rei fi∣gurasse Mysterium, vel hinc intelligi potest.
And again, the same Augustine writeth thus, Tractatu in Psalm 83 the Woman therefore shall be saved, which is taken in the Type of the flesh, by the Generation of Children, that is, if she do good works.
I Answer, secondly, If I should so far condescends, or agree unto them, as to take the words of Paul, for Women, in the common sense of speech, what will they gain by it? That no Women are to speak in the Church; or that Women in no case are to speak in the Church? if so, why then are they sound so great and palpable transgressors themselves, who not only permit, but command Women frequently to speak in their own Churches, even in their most public Assemblies. And verily, if the thing were not so public and ordinarily practised in this Land. I should almost be ashamed to mention it, the matter itself is so shameful a thing. How is it, I say (to you I speak who are called Ministers of the Kirk of Scotland) that ye not only permit, but command, yea, and force Women, and that of the worst sort, to wit, Whores, and Adulterous Women, and who have committed Fornication again, and again, and that without any real signs of true Repentance, to come in before the Face of the whole Congregation, to speak. And the place wherein they are appointed to stand, is not much unlike to your Pulpits, but that it is larger, that it may hold three or four; and I myself, as many with me, have seen it filled, with as many as it could well hold, and these unhonest Women are commanded to speak publicly in the Church; yea, the Preacher, (after he himself hath made an end,) called them by their particular Names one by one, and bids them speak to the Edification of the Congregation; and so they must all speak one by one, to the Edification of all; and those who are most impudent, and least sensible either of their sin, or their shame, will readily speak most, but in great Hipocrisie and deceit, for you your selves know, that a true Penitent is rarely to be found among them. If you say, This is not Preaching or Teaching, but only a confessing of their sins, and asking God Mercy, and the like; I answer, Is not confessing their sins, speaking, and asking Mercy of God (so that the Congregation may hear) is not this speaking? Now, the Apostle saith, 1 Corinthians 14.34. Let your Women keep silence in the Churches, for it is not permitted unto them to speak. So the Apostle uses this general word (to speak) And yet surely confessing of sin, and praying for forgiveness, so that the Congregation may hear, is speaking; yet it is permitted unto these▪ Whorish and Dishonest Women at that time to exhort the People, and warn them to beware of the snares of the Enemy, and the like words; and this is a sort of Teaching: and I myself have heard some of them, who had learned the knack of it, more than others, speak by way of Exhortation, and Instruction, that she seemed to speak almost as well, and to as good purpose, as the Preacher himself. Now, let all Sober, and Impartial People judge in this Case, betwixt those Men, and us; they not only permit, but command dishonest Women, (who have been Whores,) to speak in the Church, whereas we command no Woman at all to speak in the Church; but this we say, if God by his Spirit move or command a godly, sober, Religious Woman to speak in the Church, we are not to forbid her, yea, we are to hear her, and we may be both edified, and refreshed by her Testimony, it being the spirit of God which speaks unto us, in her, and by her.
Yea, That the Apostle did not forbid all Women in all cases to speak, is plain, for in the same Epistle, chapter 11. v. 5. he sheweth, how the Woman is to be covered, that Prays or Prophesies, which plainly holdeth forth, that some Women at least, did both Pray, and Prophecy in the Church, in his day, (yea, and ye your selves allow Women to Sing in the Church, which is a sort of speaking, and if they sing publickly in the outward hearing, why may they not pray publickly in the outward hearing, for both is a sort of speaking, seeing in both they utter words.)
What sort of Women then is it, whom Paul doth not permit to speak in the Church? in these two places above-mentioned, 1 Corinthians 14.34. and 1 Timothy 2.12, 13 taking them for Women in the common literal sense) Verily, let us but look into the Context, or words going before, in both places, and that will clear it: for they are such women, as need to be taught themselves; even,
so read the words going before, and behind, in both places, and you may observe, that a seven fold sort of Women are not permitted by Paul to speak in the Church, and as is said, no doubt there were of all these sorts of Women among them of Corinth, and Ephesus, who were not permitted to speak, who had need of these Instructions, for commonly such particular Instructions are not given, concerning such things, where there is not need, or where none are guilty. But what if Paul had said so concerning all the Women at Corinth, and Ephesus,(where Timothy at this time was when he wrote to him, concerning Women) that he did not permit them to speak, will it therefore follow that no Women are to speak in any Case in the Church? I will put you in mind of one of your School Rules, which is this, a particularibus ad universale non val t consequentia, i. e. from particulars unto universal the consequence is not valid: therefore, though it had not been permitted either unto some or all of these two particular Churches of Corinth, or Ephesus, to speak (because they might at that time, being but young, not have the requisite qualifi∣cations) it will not follow, that Universally all Women every where else ought not to speak; yea, these called Presbyterians may remember, how they have both allowed, and countenanced Women both to Pray, and speak of their Experiences▪ in their private Meetings, and yet they cannot deny, but their private Meetings are a Church; for indeed a Church, according to the Greek, and Latin word, is nothing else but a Convention, or gathering of the People, whether few, or many; so that Three, Six, or Twelve, is as really a Church, as 300, 600, or 1200.
And further, let us once more take notice of the Apostles words, and we shall find, that they do not signify, an absolute forbidding of Women in any case to speak, teach, or Preach in the Church; I permit or suffer not a Woman (said he) to teach in the Church, but if they will learn anything, let them ask their Husbands at home; For the better understanding of which, I am to remember you, that even according unto Paul's own words, there was in that day a two-fold manner of speaking in the Church:
and this distinction Paul himself useth, writing unto the Corinthians, when he said, as touching some particular things, 1 Corinthians 7.6. But I speak this by permission (said he) and not of Commandment; also in divers other places, he writes thus, I say, not the Lord, now this sort of speaking was used in the Church, in two particular Cases;
1. In the propounding, or asking of a Question, for there were in the Church, some who asked Questions, and some who Answered, the Unlearned Asked, and the Learned Answered, which is the most proper way of Catechising.
2. This sort of speaking, to wit, by Permission, was used in the Church in matter of Advice, and Counsel, relating to the affairs of the Church, where men (according to the Wisdome given them of God) finding the Spirit of the Lord present with them, enlighten them, and directing them, might speak their mind, in Cases, by way of Counsel and Advice, as seeing the Expediency and use of it, for a certain time, though they were not to enjoy it as a Command. And Paul himself useth this same Distinction, distinguishing betwixt things lawful, and things expedient; so that some things may be lawful which are not expedient, and some things may be both lawful and expedient, and yet not commanded of God; and a man (as immediately taught by the Spirit of the Lord in his heart) may see, both the lawfulness, and expediency of a thing, and may speak by the spirit of the Lord moving him, in the Church, concerning both the lawfulness and expediency of that thing, and yet he may say, I speak not this by Commandment, as if what he said were a Commandment unto them; yea the Spirit of the Lord may command and move him to declare unto them, that the thing in hand before them, is not a Command, but an Expedient thing, and fit to be done at that time. Now in these two Cases of speaking by Permission in the Church, as first in that of asking Questions; and, secondly, in that of giving Advice or Counsel simply, by a permission: if they would contend, that Women ought not to speak in the Church, all that they can pretend with any shew, or color of Reason, at most is, That Women are not to speak in the Church by permission: if they speak, they are not to do it by permission, but by commandment, whereas it is permitted unto Men, at times to speak in the Church by permission, when not by commandment: an unlearned man may be permitted to ask a Question in the Church, which is not permitted unto a Woman, nor is it needful, for she may ask her Husband at home.
But if the Spirit of the Lord Command or move a godly and Spiritually Learned Woman to speak, in this case she is the Lords, more than her Husbands, and she is to speak, yea, though the Husband should forbid her, for she ought rather to obey God than Man. And in Christ Jesus there is neither Male nor Female but all are one in Him as the Apostle said.
So both these Cases are in a matter of Freedom or Permission, not in a matter of Necessity or Command: therefore though Women may not speak by permission, which Men may do, yet they may speak by Command, as when the Lord command or moves them by His Spirit.
And that Women spoke in the Church, is most evident, from the second Chapter of Acts, which was a very solemn time, and also a very solemn Convention, for the Scripture saith Expressly, Acts 1.14. that among the Apostles, Mary with other Women were present, and it is said, Acts 2.4. And they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other Tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. So here the Women were filled with the Holy Ghost, and spake, as the Apostles did; for it is said so of them all universally: and it appeareth further, that the women spoke, in this solemn Assembly from the Apology of Peter, which he made in the defense of the women's Prophesying or speaking, out of Joels Prophecy, where it was Prophesied by Joel, that the Lord would pour out His Spirit upon all Flesh, both Male and Female Sons and Daughters, Men Servants and Maid-Servants, and they shall Prophecy; and so that Prophecy was eminently fulfilled at that time as at other times afterwards. And also before this time, the Lord made use of women, to witness, speak, or declare, and that unto the eleven Apostles, that Christ was risen from the dead,
https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo/A47200.0001.001/32:3?vid=109573 Luke 24.9, 10. And was not this Convention a Church? And did not the Lord after His Resurrection first of all appear unto a woman, to wit, Mary Magdalene? And did not He command her to speak unto the Apostles, and Instruct them concerning his Resurrection? Go (said He) unto my Brethren, and say unto them, I ascend to my Father, and your Father, and to my God, and your God. Yea, and not only the Scripture, but also the Church History tells us of women, who taught and Instructed Men, as particularly that woman, who converted the Nation of the Iberians unto the Christian Faith, as Eusebius relateth.
FINIS.
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Following is documentation from the "Dairy of Alexander Jaffray" written by John Barclay concerning Lilias' Expostulatory Epistle written to Robert Macquare, a man who at one time was a close friend but now an enemy.
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Her letter of Rebuke to the Magistrates, Pastors & People of Aberdeen
Following is a copy of the Letter that Lillias wrote to the "Magistrates, Pastors & People of Aberdeen. Reference: Diary of Jaffray by John Barclay: |
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Copy of a Commemorative Plaque at the Friends House in Aberdeen, Scotland and an incredible Memorial to Lilias Skene in an Exhibition at the Tolbooth Prison |
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Commemorative Plaques Record Details Lilias Gillespie Skene (1626 - 1697)
Location : Religious Society of Friends’ Meeting House, Crown Street Area : Central Aberdeen Plaque Type :Yellow
About Lilias Gillespie Skene :Quaker Poet. She joined Aberdeen’s Quaker community in 1666 at a time when the sect was subject to prolonged persecution and her husband, Baillie Alexander Skene of Newtyle, was imprisoned in the Tolbooth for his religious beliefs. The author of a volume of poems and godly ballads entitled On Growing Tryalls, she also wrote several other poems relating to the history of the Quakers in the period 1668-1681. She is buried in the Quaker cemetery at Kingswells. |
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Memorial to Lilias
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Following are from the Memorial to Lilias Skene in an Exhibition at the Tolbooth Prison |
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Deborah a "Mother in Israel” - the Poet and Prophetess who judged Israel, was a woman of exceptional character. Deborah was a woman who identified with the people in their pain and suffering. She was a woman whose strong leadership and bravery aroused the leaders of the tribes of Israel to wake up and confront their oppressors who had brought war to their gates. Her enthusiasm inspired the people to rise up and fight for their nation.
And so it was with Lilias Skene, Prophetess, Pastor and Poet. Those who personally knew Lilias or knew of her wrote of her exceptional character - a woman who was held in the highest of esteem because of her profound walk with the Lord. History tells us that like Deborah - Lillias also identified with the people's suffering. A woman whose bravery shook the Magistrates, Pastors and Inhabitants of Aberdeen. And, it was because of her strong leadership and bravery that Lillias helped win the Quakers freedom from their oppressors who had imprisoned them. That she was a woman whose enthusiasm inspired the other Quakers to rise up and fight for their cause. By virtue of her bravery, her leadership and inspiration Lilias Skene was truly "A Mother of Israel"! A woman who worshipped the Lord in spirit and in truth.
It's obvious from Lilias' letters and poems that she saw a direct parallel between her own experiences and those of the Biblical Israelites. And, as such, when writing, whether it be letters or poems, Lilias relied on Biblical allusion and imagery drawn from the Old Testament to describe the trials and tribulations that she and the other Quakers were being subjected to.
"Inspired Poetry": The Song of Deborah was a Victory Poem written and sung by Deborah to commemorate God's faithfulness for granting them victory over their enemies.
And, as a spirit led Believer Lillias knew that the same spirit that had inspired the prophets of old was the same Holy Spirit that inspired the prophets and prophetess of Christianity. Lillias was able to express her inner most emotions through the Old and New Testament references and themes that she so skillfully wove into her poems and letters - because they were inspired. In her desire to write about their spiritual experiences Lillias used scriptural images of persecution, betrayal, suffering and salvation as quickened by the Lord. Like Deborah of the Old Testament and the Apostles of the New Testament, Lillias made use of significant characters, themes and imagery, taken from both the Old and New Testament.
"A Mother of Israel" is a Jewish concept - a concept that a Jewish Believer could relate to in a way that a Gentile Believer would not relate to. And, it's obvious from their writings that Lilias and Alexander both had the mindset of a Jewish Believer which may puzzle a Gentile Believer. One may ask the question "Don't all Believers believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ"?
Yes, whether someone is a Jewish Believer, Gentile Believer, the Carnal Christian or the Spirit led Christian that Paul spoke of in 1 Corinithians 3:1 we all believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. As Believers each of us believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that all it stands for. And, each of us have our Salvation.
On the other hand - not all Believers worship the Lord in spirit and in truth. For example, it's a fact that while the mainstream Church celebrates Easter many Christians like myself, observe the Saturday Sabath and the Feast of the Lord as commanded in the Old Testament and were never done away with.
For example, like the Apostle Paul and Peter who continued to celebrate the Feasts of the Lord even after Christ died, many of us celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ at "Passover" which was when Christ was actually crucified, buried and resurrected. On the other hand the mainstream Church, like the Biblical Galatians went back to their pagan customs and substituted Passover with the pagan holiday Easter. Not surprisingly, they were rebuked by the Apostle for doing so.
Galatians 4:8-11 8 Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. 9 But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? 10 Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. 11 I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.
Paul made it clear that Christian Believers should not be observing days, months, season and years that have their roots in paganism.
Like the Galatians who were Gentile Believers, the Roman Catholic Church which was comprised of Gentile Believers went back to their pagan celebrations and incorporated them into their worship services - all under the guise of Christianity. Sadly, when those now called Protestants separated out from the Roman Catholic Church they kept the pagan customs introduced into the
Not only did the Apostle Paul continue to keep the Saturday Sabbath and observe the Feast of the Lord as commanded by Moses - Paul encouraged the Corinthians Believers who were Gentiles to observe Passover as well.
1 Corinthians 5:6-8 6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? 7 Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth
It's a Biclical fact, that even after Christ died and rose from the grave His Disciples and the early Church established and made up of Jewish Believers all continued to observe Saturday as the Sabath and continued to celebrate the Feasts of the Lord as commanded in the Old Testament. Even though the Disciples of Christ and the Apostles understood and taught that salvation doesn't come from observating the Law - they also taught that Christ did not come to do away with the Law.
There's several reasons why the Lord never did away with the Saturday Sabbath and the Feasts of the Lord. But, for the purpose of this chapter I want to point out that every Feast of the Lord pointed to Jesus Christ. For example, when Christ was crucified at Passover - Scriptpure likened Him to to the Passover Lamb. In Acts 2 we find that it was on the day of Pentecost that the Disciples were Baptized in the Holy Spirit and the Church was born. And, the Feast of Tabernacles or Ingathering, that has yet to be fulfilled is proably the time that Christ will return for His people.
Passover was and is an important Festival for the Jewish peope - including the early Church as clearly revealed in Scritpure. When Paul established the Church not only did all the Jewish followers continue to observe the Feasts of the Lord - the Apostle Paul taught the Gentile Believers to do so as well. 1 Corinthains 5:7-8
In addition to encouraging the Corinthians to keep the Feast of Passover - Acts 20:13-16 reveals that Paul was in a hurry to get to Jerusalem in time to celebrate Pentecost.
Acts 18:21 tells us that the Apostle Paul sailed from Ephesus so that he could "Keep the Feast" in Jerusalem.
Acts 18:21 21 but took leave of them, saying, "I must by all means keep this coming feast in Jerusalem; but I will return again to you, God willing." And he sailed from Ephesus. (NKJV)
And, the list goes on.
More to the Point: The first Christians were Jewish Believers and the first Church was established by Jewish men like Christ continued to keep the Sabbath and the Feasts of the Lord even after the death and resurrection of Christ Jesus. Yet, like the Galatians the mainstream Protestant Churches still perfer the pagan customs introduced into the Church by the Roman Catholic Church.
And, without a doubt theApostle Paul as well as others who helped establish the Church - like Lillias - when writing the New Testament drew imagery from the Old Testament.
Back to Alexander and Lilias - a Mother of Israel.
So much of Lillias' writing and imagery was steeped with Biblical allusion and imagery drawn from the Old Testament because she was able to spiritually relate to the Biblical principles and promsies in the Old Testment.
It's obvious from her writings that Lilias Skene believed that God would avenge His people, the Quakers, and destroy their enemies in the same way that He had destroyed the enemies of the Old Testament Israelites. And, this is a concept that many Christians cannot grasp.
For example, Lilias warned the magistrates and inhabitants of Aberdeen that the Lord would "rise up against Babylon … a destroying Wind" and that the "Hills and Mountains will not cover you" from the coming wrath of God since "assuredly the Lord will not hold you guiltless".
Unlike most Quakers, Lillias used imagery connected with battle and warfare when writing about the persecution of Quakers. And, this too - the reality of "Spiritual Warfare" - is not a Biblical principle understood by mainstream Christianity. Ephesians 6
for His spiritual warfare hath trained bands And their provision keeps in His own hands A house of Magazine well furnished where For every soldier He hath weapons there For some a battle axe, a sword a bow As Hehath service, weapons He'll bestow With some He'll wound the beast, by others kill it
In another poem Lilias called on the Quakers to join in the Lamb's War. A "Spiritual War" that mainstream Christianity denies.
….. The Lord will bath His sword in Edoms blood And vengeance recompense on all her brood Who have engaged in this holy war. And followers of the Lamb accounted are.
Like many other Quakers Lilias saw direct parallels between her/their own experiences and those of the Biblical Israelites. And, Lilias the Prophetess, believed that she and others who were prophetic were as inspired by the same spirit that had inspired the prophets of the Bible. Which brings me back to the account of "Deborah" - A Mother of Israel, Poet and Prophetess as recorded in the Book of Judges 5.
Alexander Skene refers to Scotland as "Our Israel" - he states:
"This city hath not been a barren mother or nurse in our Israel, in bringing forth and breeding up many eminent men and brave spirits, ..... "
Alexander's choice of words "mother" and "our Israel" in the same sentence reveals two very specific things about Alexander's mindset: A Mother of Israel is a Biblical concept that not all Christians relate to. However, it is obvious that Alexander not only understood what it meant to be a "Mother of Israel" but could relate to a Mother of Israel on a personal level - as his wife Lillias had all the qualities of a "Mother of Israel".
The author of the "Diary of Alexander Jaffray" wrote: Her (Lilias) language is enlivened and confirmed by many appropriate passages from the Scriptures - for it appears she was especially versed in her writings, and had much improved in her understanding and application of them, by obeying the dictates of the Spirit of Christ.
By using Scriptural themes and imagery in her poems and letters she was able to create a certain spirituality amongst its readers who were being "Spiritually" persecuted. Their persecution was not just persecution - it was a "Spiritual" persecution - hence her use of Scripture. The use of Scripture was the only way that Lillias could even begin to convey what she and the other Quakers were experiencing both on a personal level as well as a corporate level.
Like the Gospel writers, Lillias made use of significant characters, themes and imagery all taken from the Old Testament. Lillias was able to convey that God was aware of their persecution - that He is a real God that interacts with His people in real situations. Lillias understood that there was a spiritual aspect of their persecution and believed that the Lord would intervene on the behalf of her family and make the Magistrates let her family go. And, that's exactly what happened.
The Lord raised up Deborah - a woman - for the deliverance of His people. Although Barak and the men from the other tribes of Isarel went out to battle with the prophetess - it was not Barak nor the men - but the woman Deboarah who secured the victory for Israel. Likewise, it was Lillias who secured the prisoners release from the the Tolbooth after writing a letter rebuking the Magistrates, Preachers and citizens of Aberdeen admonising them to let "her people go".
Like Deborah, Lillias Skene was considcered as one of the Quaker's Leaders alongside William Penn founder of the state of Pennsylvan and George Keith.
Like Deboaah whose "Song of Deboarh" is a masterpiece of Old Testament poetry - Lilias was known for the vivid imagery by which her poems portrayed the Quakers victories. Like Deborah - Lillias' poems and songs gave God all the glory for their victories.
It's because we like Lillias go through the same ordeals of the men and women of old that we too are able to draw upon Scripture as we pour out our hearts unto the Lord.
Throughout her poems Lillias would use imagery from the Old Testament to express her belief that God would deliver the Quakers from the persecution and oppression they were suffering under. And, like Deboarah - Lilias is credited of being the catalyst for the Quakers being set free from the oppression of their enemies.
Unlike other Quakers Lillias wrote quite a bit concerning "Spiritual Warfare". Like the great warrior Deborah - Lillias understood the necessity of Spritiual Warfare. Ephesians 6
How Blessed I am to be a Daughter of Lillias - a Mother of Israel.
Like Deborah - Lillias Skene was a "Spiritual Warrior" who took her Stand against the "Spiritual Wickedness" in High Places
And, so it is today, when we are faced with "Spiritual Battles" we too will need "Spiritual Strength" and "Spiritual Courage" to take our stand against the wiles of the enemy and the "Spiritual Wickedness" in High Places.
The Lord equipped both Deborah and Lillias with "Divine Strength" to take their stand against the Spiritual Wickedness of their enemies. From everything I have read about Lillias it's obvious that just as the Apostle commanded - Lillias put on the "Whole Armor of God" to take her stand against the "Spiritual Wickedness" in high places - against the principalities, powers and rulers of the darkness of this world that were influencing and operating through those who were persecuting the Aberdeen Quakers. And, after all that she could do - Lillias stood there and maintained her ground - like Deborah - not yielding or fleeting. We know from her own writing that Lillias waited upon the Lord to intervene and deliver them! Ephesians 6
And, just as it was for Deborah and Lillias so it is for us. Through the grace of God, the strength of our spiritual enemies will be trodden down.
Like Deborah Lillias found herself in a crisis that compelled her to step forward. Lilias' became the Spokesperson for the Aberdeen Quakers. She, a woman, of all people, became their Advocate. Along with her husband Alexander and son she played a leading role in Scotland's history of civil and religious liberty
It was unusual for a woman to be a Military Leader - but Deborah was no ordinary woman. And, by all accounts, Lilias was not the typical everyday Scottish woman. In 1677 when Lilias' husband, son and son-in-law were imprisoned to the point of death Lilias did the unthinkable for a woman. She stepped forward and publicly rebuked the Magistrates, the Pastors and inhabitants of Aberdeen. In a prophetic sermon that was so powerful and passionate that the local newspapers published it Lilias delivered "A Word of Warning to the Magistrates and Inhabitants of Aberdeen". It was a word that shook the Magistrates!
A written rebuke published in the newspaper such as Lilias' warning was extremely rare for a woman. And, it would have taken a great deal of courage for Lilias to challenge her former Pastor to debate Quaker principles with her. Yet she did just that!
It was unthinkable that a male Quaker would challenge a Presbyterian pastor to a debate let alone a woman. For Lillias, a woman, to challenge a university educated and church sanctioned clergyman to a debate - well that was unthinkable. It was unthinkable that a woman would place herself on the same level as a Presbyterian Pastor - it was just unheard of. The Presbyterian pastor would have taken Lilias' challenge as an insult and offensive to say the least. However, a woman like Lilias, who had been to the mountain top and had experienced the Glory of the Lord, that woman will never be at a disadvantage with a Pastor or Magistrate with an argument. Lilias knew who she was in the Lord!
Her writings reveal her struggle for spiritual freedom to worship the Lord in spirit and in truth. Her poems speak of the times she and her family passed through the fires of persecution. But more importantly is her insight into the Scriptures - how she relies on a Rhema Word from the Scriptures to tell us how she feels and from which she finds comfort.
Lilias thrived on the Word of God (the Sword of the Spirit). From all accounts from her childhood she loved what she called "The Glorious Gospel". To her, the messenger's feet that published the Good News of the Gospel were beautiful to her so long as the ordinances of men were unto her as the ordinances of God.
Both Deborah and Lillias were women of extraordinary knowledge, wisdom, and piety - both instructed in divine knowledge by the Spirit and accustomed to interpret His will; who acquired an extensive influence, and both were held in the highest esteem.
The lives of both Deborah and Lillias provides a picture of leadership that wasn't normally seen in the society of their times. Very few women in Scripture or Aberdeen rose to positions of leadership. Both stand out due to their spiritual and civil leadership.
Compare Ephesians 6 with that of Judges 4-5. We know from Ephesians 6 that, as Christians, our weapons are not carnal. And, when entering the war Deborah and the men of Israel had no weapons. It was only after God intervened and threw Israel's enemies into a panic that the Israelites used the enemies own weapons to kill them.
Judges 4:14-16 14 Then Deborah said to Barak, “Get ready! This is the day the LORD will give you victory over Sisera, for the LORD is marching ahead of you.” So Barak led his 10,000 warriors down the slopes of Mount Tabor into battle. 15 When Barak attacked, the LORD threw Sisera and all his chariots and warriors into a panic. Sisera leaped down from his chariot and escaped on foot. 16 Then Barak chased the chariots and the enemy army all the way to Harosheth-haggoyim, killing all of Sisera’s warriors. Not a single one was left alive. NKJV
They Fought from the Heavens: The panic and terror was produced by a supernatural panic. Deborah's weapons were Divine Weapons.
Judges 5:13 13 "Then the survivors came down, the people against the nobles; The LORD came down for me against the mighty. ….. 20 They fought from heaven; the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. KJV
Judges 5:8 8 They chose new gods; Then there was war in the gates; Not a shield or spear was seen among forty thousand in Israel. NKJV
Verse 8 reveals that Israel's sin of Idolatry was the cause of the foreign invasion they were now facing - and because of their Idolatry at that point in time - the Israelites did not have the leadership or weapons to resist their enemies. That is until God equipped Deborah with the ability and Divine Strength and Courage to take a stand against their enemies.
The Account of Deborah as recorded in the Book of Judges is a Memorial to her life.
And, in addition to the numerous books detailing the life of this remarkable women - there are at least two different Memorials to Lillias Skene in Aberdeen, Scotland that you can visit.
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Religious Society of Friends' Meeting House, Crown Street, Aberdeen by: Aberdeen City Council
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The Tollbooth Prison
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The Dictionary of National Biography is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. Both Lilias & Alexander are listed in the "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography" Reference Entry for Lillias:
Skene [née Gillespie], Lilias [Lillias Skein] (1626/7–1697), Quaker preacher and poet
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