Epistle 289
Be faithful to God and stand firm in faith, even in times of want and persecution, for it is through suffering that we identify with Christ and are ultimately rewarded.
George Fox preaches about the importance of faithfulness to God, urging believers to be true witnesses to Him and Christ Jesus, storing up riches and treasure for times of trouble. He emphasizes the need to stand firm in faith, even in the face of storms and tempests, unlike those who only profess faith in good times. Fox draws inspiration from the faith of David, highlighting God's faithfulness to never forsake the righteous. He encourages believers to endure persecution and suffering for the sake of the Lord, reminding them that those who suffer with Christ will reign with Him.
Text
Dear friends every where, be faithful to God, who hath been faithful and true [Rev 3:14] to you; therefore be you true to God, and faithful witnesses to him, and to Christ Jesus; that now ye may all have riches and treasure laid up in store, against a time of want, storms and tempests, that you may stand; for if you do not stand now, you are as bad as such professors, who stood only when the sun shined, and crept out when it was fine and fair weather, but when a storm or tempest came, then they ran creeping into their holes and corners, and skulking into by corners and fled by back doors, who were ashamed of their religion, and what they professed; but when the sun did shine, then they showed their enmity to the righteous.
And therefore by you of the faith of David, and of his spirit, who said, 'I was young, and now am old. I never saw the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread [Psa 37:25];' and the Lord, (to encourage his people,) saith, 'In all their afflictions he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them [Isa 63:9];' and Christ tells you, it is he that suffers and is persecuted, when his children are persecuted [Mat 25:40].
And so it is for the Lord's sake that the just suffer by the unjust [1 Pet 3:18]; and you read how such as suffered the spoiling of their goods [Heb 10:34], and scoffing and mocking, yet they were not to forsake the assembling themselves together [Heb 10:25], <39> as the manner of some was; for they that suffer with Christ shall reign with him [2 Tim 2:12]; for the Lord may try you, (who hath blessed you with outward things,) whether your minds do stand with him, or in the outward things.
G. F.
Sermon Outline
- Faithfulness to God
- Standing in Times of Want
- The Lord's Suffering and Persecution
- Christ suffers and is persecuted when His children are persecuted
- The just suffer by the unjust for the Lord's sake
Key Quotes
“I was young, and now am old. I never saw the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.” — George Fox
“In all their afflictions he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them.” — George Fox
“It is he that suffers and is persecuted, when his children are persecuted.” — George Fox
Application Points
- We should strive to be faithful to God and stand firm in our faith, even in the face of adversity.
- Suffering can be a way of identifying with Christ and ultimately being rewarded, as promised in Scripture.
- We should not forsake the assembling ourselves together, even when we are suffering, but rather continue to gather with other believers.