The journal of George Fox, vol. 1 of 2 : $b Being an historical account of his life, travels, sufferings, and Christian experiences.Fox, George
Religion
The journal of George Fox, vol. 1 of 2 : $b Being an historical account of his life, travels, sufferings, and Christian experiences.
Fox, George
Fox, George, 1624-1691
“Therefore love the light, which Christ hath enlightened you withal,
who saith, ‘I am the light of the world,’ and who doth enlighten every
one that cometh into the world. One loves the light, and brings his
works to the light and there is no occasion at all of stumbling; the
other hates the light, because his deeds are evil, and the light will
reprove him. Thou that hatest this light, thou hast it; thou knowest
that lying, drunkenness, swearing, whoredom, theft, all ungodliness,
and all unrighteousness, are evil. Christ Jesus hath given thee light
enough to let thee see these are evil. This light, if thou lovest it,
will teach thee holiness and righteousness, without which none shall
see God; but if thou hatest this light, it is thy condemnation. Thus
are Christ’s words found to be true, and fulfilled among you; you that
hate this light, set up hirelings, and idols’ temples, and such
priests as bear rule by their means; such shepherds as hold up such
things; who are called of men masters, and have the chiefest place in
the assemblies, whom Christ cried woe against, Matt, xxiii.; such as
go in the way of Cain in envy, and after the error of Balaam for
wages, gifts, and rewards; these have been your teachers; and these
you have held up. But they who love the light, are taught of God; and
the Lord is coming to teach his people himself, and to gather his own
from the hirelings, and from such as seek for their gain from their
quarter, and from such as bear rule by their means. The Lord is
opening the eyes of people, that they may see such as bear rule over
them. But all, whose are shut, are such as the prophet spoke of, that
‘have eyes and see not,’ but are foolish, upholding such things.
Therefore, poor people, as ye love your own souls, consider the love
of God to your souls, while ye have time, and do not turn the grace of
God into wantonness. That which shows you ungodliness and worldly
lusts, should and would be your teacher, if ye would hearken to it;
for the saints of old witnessed the grace of God to be their teacher,
which taught them to live soberly and godly in this present world. Ye
that are not sober, this grace of God hath appeared unto you, but you
turn it into wantonness, and so set up teachers, who are not sober,
not holy, not godly. Here you are left without excuse, when the
righteous judgment of God shall be revealed upon all who live ungodly.
Therefore to the light in you I speak; and when the book of conscience
shall come to be opened, then shall you witness what I say to be true,
and you all shall be judged out of it. God Almighty direct your minds
(such of you especially who love honesty and sincerity,) that you may
receive mercy in the time of need. Your teacher is _within you_; look
not forth; it will teach you both lying in bed, and going abroad, to
shun all occasion of sin and evil.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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