Epistle 229
George Fox emphasizes the importance of letting our knowledge, fellowship, and affections be guided by the Holy Spirit, rather than by human reasoning or fleshly desires.
George Fox preaches about the importance of living in the spirit rather than the flesh, emphasizing the need to set our affections on heavenly things and subject our souls to the higher power of truth. He urges believers to maintain spiritual minds above earthly concerns, highlighting the significance of true worship in spirit and truth. Fox also stresses the unity in the spirit as the bond of peace, fellowship in the gospel, and the liberty found in perfect unity above bondage.
Text
Friends,--Let not your knowledge be after the flesh [2 Cor 5:16], but in the spirit. Let not your fellowship be in the flesh, but let it be in the spirit, and in the gospel. Let not your affections be in the flesh, and on things below, but let them be set on things that are above [Col 3:2], and on things that <243> are heavenly, above the things below. Let not your souls be subject to the lower power of darkness, which is out of the truth, lest you bring destruction upon your own selves [2 Pet 2:1]; but let your souls be subject to the higher power [Rom 13:1], that is above the lower power of darkness. Let your acquaintance and familiarity be in the spirit, over that which would ensnare or entangle you, and bring you into bondage [Gal 2:4]. Let all your minds be heavenly, and not earthly.
Let all your minds be spiritual, and kept above all that which is carnal; then they are kept out of death, in life, and in peace [Rom 8:6].
For . . . the true worship in the spirit and in the truth [John 4:24] is above the false, which is out of the spirit and the truth [John 8:44], and the true belief and faith and hope are above the false belief, which is unbelief, and the living faith is above the dead faith [Jas 2:17], and the hope that is the anchor, both sure and steadfast, anchors the soul [Heb 6:13] in the great sea, the world, when the leviathan maketh a storm, among the tongues, peoples, nations, and languages, which are as waters [Rev 17:15]; then the true hope standeth and stayeth, and is sure and steadfast, and keeps the soul up to God, atop of the sea, when the false hope of the hypocrite sinks therein [Job 8:13], which are the waters, and it goes over them, and in it they are swallowed up.
The unity in the spirit is the bond of the Prince of princes' peace [Eph 4:3, Dan 8:25], and the fellowship in the gospel [Phil 1:5], and the liberty in it is a perfect one [James 1:25], above the imperfect, where is bondage.
G. F.
Sermon Outline
- Let not your knowledge be after the flesh, but in the spirit
- Let not your souls be subject to the lower power of darkness
- Let your acquaintance and familiarity be in the spirit
- Let not your fellowship be in the flesh, but in the spirit, and in the gospel
- Let not your affections be in the flesh, and on things below, but let them be set on things that are above
- But let your souls be subject to the higher power
- That is above the lower power of darkness
- Over that which would ensnare or entangle you, and bring you into bondage
Key Quotes
“Let not your knowledge be after the flesh, but in the spirit.” — George Fox
“The unity in the spirit is the bond of the Prince of princes' peace.” — George Fox
“The true worship in the spirit and in the truth is above the false, which is out of the spirit and the truth.” — George Fox
Application Points
- Let your knowledge, fellowship, and affections be guided by the Holy Spirit, rather than by human reasoning or fleshly desires.
- Submit to the higher power of God to avoid being subject to the lower power of darkness.
- Cultivate true worship in the spirit and in the truth, and avoid false worship that is guided by human reasoning or circumstances.