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Text Sermons : George Fox : Epistle 391

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Now, dear friends, the Lord having drawn you by his spirit to his son Christ Jesus, in whose name ye come to be gathered [Mat 18:20], in whose name ye have salvation, and not in any other name under the whole heaven: [Acts 4:12] so that now you come to know Christ your saviour, who destroys the destroyer, the devil and his works [Heb 2:14/1 Jn 3:8]; and it is he, that brings forth everlasting righteousness, that makes an end of sin, and finishes transgression [Dan 9:24]. So that now, you may live and walk in the everlasting righteousness of Christ Jesus, who is your priest that is made higher than the heaven [Heb 7:26], Heb. vii. and who is your prophet, that God has raised up, and not man, whom ye must hear in all things [Acts 3:22], Acts iii. 22. and vii. 37. who were as lost sheep gone astray; but are now returned to the chief priest and bishop of your souls [1 Pet 2:25]; namely, Christ Jesus. 1 Pet. ii. 25. And Christ saith, he is the true shepherd, that hath laid down his life for his sheep [John 10:15]; and his sheep know his voice and follow him [John 10:4]: who is the holy and just one [Acts 3:14], and never guile was found in his mouth [1 Pet 2:22]. And Christ says, no man comes to the Father but by me [John 14:6]. So he is the new and living way [Heb 10:20]; and God has given him for a leader and counsellor [Isa 9:6], to counsel his people; who is the holy living rock and foundation, which is above all the rocks and foundations below: for he the rock and foundation is from above, whom all the children of the light, that believe in his light [John 12:36], which is the life in him, and are grafted into him [Rom 11:17], do build upon. And so, the Lord God Almighty with his eternal power support you all, in all your afflictions and sufferings, trials and temptations, that you may be built and settled upon this rock [Mat 7:24] and foundation, that cannot be shaken [Heb 12:27f]. . . .

And, that ye may walk righteously, justly, and holily in all your words, dealings, and doings; that his name you do profess now, may be honoured, and you may reach, by your righteous godly lives and conversations, the good in all your patrons, and in all others; so that you may show forth the fruits of the spirit [Gal 5:22f], and the fruits of christianity; and that you are the possessors of Christ Jesus your mediator [1 Tim 2:5], who has made peace <248> betwixt you and your God. And as you have received Christ, so walk in him [Col 2:6], and know him to rule in your hearts by faith [Eph 3:17]. For herein (as Christ said) is my Father glorified; that you bring forth much heavenly fruit [John 15:8], and that your spiritual and heavenly light may shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven [Mat 5:16].

And now, friends, we understand, that some that have come lately among you, have been under great sufferings and abuses by their patrons, because they cannot honour them with that honour as other slaves do, or as they have done before. Now, if you wait in patience upon the Lord [Psa 37:7] in his truth, (for you are to buy the truth, and not to sell it [Prov 23:23]; and truth is that that is stronger than all [1 Esd 4:41] ,) the Lord in his time, (though he may try you,) can mollify that nature in them there, as he hath done in other places, where he hath tried his people with such things. And when they have seen, it is for conscience' sake towards God, and it is from the principle of truth and the spirit; in which spirit and truth they worship [John 4:24] the Most High God [Gen 14:18-20, etc], who is an eternal, incomprehensible spirit, who is God in heaven and God in the earth, and dwells by his spirit in his humble people, they have been overcome.

And now, friends, consider, they are blessed that suffer for Christ's sake [Mat 5:10-12]; and it is not only given you to believe, but to suffer for his name [Phil 1:29]. ‘And they that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution [2 Tim 3:12].’ But the apostle says of the true christians, ‘Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distresses, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? [Rom 8:35] As it is written, for thy sake are we killed all the day long: we are counted as sheep for the slaughter [Rom 8:36/Psa 44:22]; in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord [Rom 8:37-39].’ Rom. viii. 36. 39.Psalm xliv. 22.

Now, dear Friends, you may see here was a godly sincerity [2 Cor 1:12], fervency, steadfastness, and resolution in the true christians, which ought to be in all such now, without boasting. And the apostle says, ‘Rejoice, forasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings, that when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy: for if ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye: for the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified [1 Pet 4:13f] . 1 Pet. iv. 13, 14, 15.

And so, dear friends, be wise, that you may give no just occasion [1 Tim 5:14]: and keep low in the humility; for such learn of Christ, and the meek follow him [Mat 11:29]. And so my desire is, that you may all be preserved to the <249> glory of God, and that you may be valiant for the truth upon the earth [Jer 9:3], and spread it abroad, that all may come to the spirit of God, that God poureth upon all flesh [Joel 2:28], and to serve and worship him. And so that all flesh may see the glory of God [Isa 40:5], by his spirit; and that all might come to the light, which is the life in Christ [John 1:4] the word, by whom all things were made and created [John 1:3], with which light he enlighteneth every man that comes into the world [John 1:9], to believe in, and to love it, and to try their works, ‘whether they be wrought in God, yea or nay [1 Jn 4:1/John 3:21].’ 1 John iii. 19, 20, 21.

And that all might come to the grace of God, which hath appeared to all men, and brings salvation, which will teach to live godly, righteously, and soberly, and deny unrighteousness [Tit 2:11f]. This is the true christian's teacher, which brings salvation, and teacheth to deny that which would lead them into destruction, into ungodly, ungracious ways and words; but this grace teacheth the saints to walk in gracious ways, and their words come to be seasoned with grace [Col 4:6], which teaches them, and brings their salvation. So that which is the true christian's teacher, brings their salvation. . . .

G. F.





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