Epistle 271
Those who deny the power of Godliness and the light of God are judged and condemned.
George Fox emphasizes the danger of straying from the light, spirit, and power of God, leading to confusion and a lack of true form in life. He warns that those who follow their own wills and reject divine authority fall into a perverse spirit, resulting in a chaotic existence devoid of true purpose. Fox highlights the importance of maintaining the covenant with God and the necessity of both form and power in faith, as mere outward appearances without spiritual substance lead to condemnation. He calls for a return to the true forms established by God, which are essential for a sound and godly life.
Text
Those that are gone from the light, from the spirit and power of God, and so from the unity, by the light, and by the spirit, and by the power <17> are judged; and the power, and light, and spirit are over them. And they being gone into their own wills, and into a perverse spirit [Isa 19:14], then they say, they will not be subject to men's will, nor to the will of man; and that spirit leads them out of the bonds of humanity. When they are thus gone from the light, and the power and spirit of God, they go out of all true forms, into confusion and emptiness, without form; then they say, they will not be subject to forms, and cry down all forms with their darkness and a perverse spirit, and so mash all together.
For there is a form of godliness [2 Tim 3:5], and there is a form of sound words [2 Tim 1:13]; many have a form. All creatures have a form, the earth hath a form, and all things were brought into a form by the power of God; for the earth was once without form, and was void [Gen 1:2], and empty and confused.
So they that be gone out of the covenant of God and life, and out of the power of God, are gone into a confused condition without form, a state which is out of the bond of civil men and women. And so such are confused without the right form; for the form that God hath made, viz. the form of the earth, the form of the creatures, the form of men and women, the form of sound words, the form of godliness, nor the form of sound doctrine [Rom 6:17], was never denied by the men and women of God. But such as got the form only, and denied the power of godliness, those were denied, for they deny the power [2 Tim 3:5]; and do not only so, but quench the spirit [1 Th 5:19], and grieve and vex it [Eph 4:30, Isa 63:10]:, and hate the light: by which light they are condemned [John 3:19f].
G. F.
Sermon Outline
- The Condition of Those Gone from the Light
- The Form of Godliness and Sound Words
- The Consequences of Denying the Power of Godliness
- Judged by the Power, Light, and Spirit of God
- Gone into a Perverse Spirit and Confusion
- All Creatures Have a Form
- The Form of Godliness and Sound Words are Essential
- Quenching the Spirit and Grieving the Holy Spirit
- Hating the Light and Being Condemned
Key Quotes
“For there is a form of godliness, and there is a form of sound words; many have a form.” — George Fox
“When they are thus gone from the light, and the power and spirit of God, they go out of all true forms, into confusion and emptiness, without form;” — George Fox
“But such as got the form only, and denied the power of godliness, those were denied, for they deny the power [2 Tim 3:5];” — George Fox
Application Points
- We must not deny the power of Godliness and the light of God, but rather submit to it.
- We must not quench the spirit and grieve the Holy Spirit, but rather honor and respect it.
- We must not hate the light, but rather follow it and be guided by it.