- Home
- Speakers
- Isaac Penington
- Testimony Of George Fox Concerning Isaac Penington
Isaac Penington
Isaac Penington (1616 – October 8, 1679) was an English preacher and writer whose calling from God within the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) profoundly shaped early Quaker theology and practice through preaching and prolific writing across the mid-17th century. Born in London, England, to Isaac Penington, a Puritan merchant and Lord Mayor of London (1642–1643), and Abigail Allen, he was the eldest son in a prominent family. Educated at the Inner Temple (admitted 1634) and St Catharine’s College, Cambridge (matriculated 1637), he was called to the bar in 1639 but abandoned a legal career after a spiritual quest led him to reject formal religion, embracing Quakerism by 1658 following his 1654 marriage to Mary Proude Springett, a widow with similar spiritual leanings. Penington’s calling from God emerged after encountering Quakers like George Fox, prompting him to preach an inward faith rooted in the "light of Christ within," a message he shared through sermons at meetings and writings despite six imprisonments between 1661 and 1670 for refusing oaths and attending banned gatherings. His sermons, delivered with a gentle yet convicted tone, called for a direct experience of God, free from outward forms, influencing Quakers like William Penn, his stepdaughter Gulielma’s husband. A key author, he penned works like The Way of Life and Death (1656) and The Scattered Sheep Sought After (1659), with over 100 titles, many written from prison cells in Aylesbury and Reading. Married to Mary, with whom he had five children—John, Isaac, William, Edward, and Mary—he passed away at age 63 at Goodnestone, Kent, and was buried at Jordans Quaker Burial Ground in Buckinghamshire.
Download
Topic
Sermon Summary
Isaac Penington, a beloved minister of the gospel, has passed away, leaving behind a legacy of faith and service to the church of Christ. His life and works were a testimony to the power of God and the victory found in living by faith. As believers, we are called to live in a way that magnifies Christ, whether in life or death, knowing that we belong to the Lord. Penington's memory is blessed, and his life serves as an example of living in righteousness and dying in the Lord, precious in God's sight.
Testimony of George Fox Concerning Isaac Penington
CONCERNING our dear brother Isaac Penington, who is lately deceased, and whom the Lord hath lately taken away from among his people, and from his wife and children; he was a serviceable minister of the gospel of salvation, and of the word of life, which did spring through him often, to the refreshing and comforting of the church of Christ, and to his own comfort, and to the praise and glory of the Lord God. Amen. And now all must be content with and in the will of the Lord God, who giveth and taketh at his own pleasure; who hath all breath and life, and the length of days in his hand. And so he is well in the Lord; blessed be the name of the Lord, who is over all for ever. For, as John saith; "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, from henceforth: "yea, saith the spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works do follow them." You may see what a cloud of witnesses the apostle speaketh of, which died in the faith, and obtained a good report; which holy and divine faith is the victory. In this faith they pleased God; and by this faith, the gift of God, they had access to God, and so died in the Lord, and have his blessing from him, the fountain then and now. And so all true Christians are to live, that Christ may be "magnified in their bodies, whether it be by life or death," as the same apostle saith, Phil. 1:20. And the same apostle saith to the saints; "None of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself; for whether we live, we live unto the Lord, and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live, therefore, or die, we are the Lord's." Rom. 14:7-8. And Christ saith, "Whosoever liveth and believeth in me, shall never die. Believest thou this?" John 11:26. For they are grafted into Christ by believing in his light, which is the life in him. The memorial of the just is blessed: "Even the Lord God of hosts, the Lord is his memorial." Hos. 12:5. "But the name of the wicked shall rot." Prov. 10:7. "and his memory shall be cut off from the earth." Psal. 109:15. So ye may see the memorial of the just is recorded by the just in Holy Scriptures of Truth. But my desire is, that all may see their names written in the <2> Lamb's book of life, before the foundation of the world, and rejoice in that, "and praise God, that their life is hid with Christ in God." Col. 3:3. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." Psal. 116:15. Therefore live the holy and righteous life, that ye may die the death of the righteous. It is now above twenty years since Isaac Penington came among God's people, and since that time he has gone through many exercises and trials and temptations and snares, both by them that are without, and false brethren; besides all his sufferings, and cruel and tedious imprisonments, and persecutions, for the name and life of Jesus Christ, and true Christianity; which in the end, some years before his death, the Lord, in and with his power, set him free from; and gave him dominion over all, and established him upon his living rock and foundation, to praise his holy name in his church, and among his saints and people, in the Lord's fresh living power and spirit. And he did freely minister of his living bread and water, which he had received from above, from the living God and his Son, to the comfort of them that fear the Lord, and keep their habitation in the truth, in meekness and in humility. I do know that he is well in the Lord, and in peace with him through the Lord Jesus Christ. Such as are puffed up, and do swell in their notions, may rejoice and be glad that he is taken out of their way; and they may think they will have the more liberty; because that he, being a living stone, and member of the living head, had no fellowship nor unity with such as were full of high swelling words, without the life of Christ, the heavenly and spiritual man; but did reprove such, and admonish them: but such their gladness and joy will be turned into bitterness and sorrow and mourning in the end. Therefore, let all such take heed and be warned, lest the hand of the Lord do suddenly turn against them. For I could desire, that all were in that innocent life that he departed out of this world in: and I know that he died in the Lord, and is blessed. So let his works follow him, who is well, and at his rest with the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the rest of all his faithful people. To him be glory and honor, thanks and praise, now and forever. Amen.
- Bio
- Summary
- Transcript
- Download
Isaac Penington (1616 – October 8, 1679) was an English preacher and writer whose calling from God within the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) profoundly shaped early Quaker theology and practice through preaching and prolific writing across the mid-17th century. Born in London, England, to Isaac Penington, a Puritan merchant and Lord Mayor of London (1642–1643), and Abigail Allen, he was the eldest son in a prominent family. Educated at the Inner Temple (admitted 1634) and St Catharine’s College, Cambridge (matriculated 1637), he was called to the bar in 1639 but abandoned a legal career after a spiritual quest led him to reject formal religion, embracing Quakerism by 1658 following his 1654 marriage to Mary Proude Springett, a widow with similar spiritual leanings. Penington’s calling from God emerged after encountering Quakers like George Fox, prompting him to preach an inward faith rooted in the "light of Christ within," a message he shared through sermons at meetings and writings despite six imprisonments between 1661 and 1670 for refusing oaths and attending banned gatherings. His sermons, delivered with a gentle yet convicted tone, called for a direct experience of God, free from outward forms, influencing Quakers like William Penn, his stepdaughter Gulielma’s husband. A key author, he penned works like The Way of Life and Death (1656) and The Scattered Sheep Sought After (1659), with over 100 titles, many written from prison cells in Aylesbury and Reading. Married to Mary, with whom he had five children—John, Isaac, William, Edward, and Mary—he passed away at age 63 at Goodnestone, Kent, and was buried at Jordans Quaker Burial Ground in Buckinghamshire.