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
At another time it was opened in me, “That God, who made the world, did
not dwell in temples made with hands.” This at first seemed a strange
word, because both priests and people used to call their temples or
churches, dreadful places, holy ground, and the temples of God. But the
Lord showed me clearly, that he did not dwell in these temples which men
had commanded and set up, but in people’s hearts: for both Stephen and
the apostle Paul bore testimony, that he did not dwell in temples made
with hands, not even in that which he had once commanded to be built,
since he put an end to it; but that his people were his temple, and he
dwelt in them. This opened in me as I walked in the fields to my
relations’ house. When I came there, they told me that Nathaniel
Stevens, the priest, had been there, and told them “he was afraid of me,
for going after new lights.” I smiled in myself, knowing what the Lord
had opened in me concerning him and his brethren; but I told not my
relations, who though they saw beyond the priests, yet they went to hear
them, and were grieved because I would not go also. But I brought them
Scriptures, and told them, there was an anointing within man to teach
him, and that the Lord would teach his people himself. I had also great
openings concerning the things written in the Revelations; and when I
spoke of them, the priests and professors would say that was a sealed
book, and would have kept me out of it: but I told them, Christ could
open the seals, and that they were the nearest things to us; for the
Epistles were written to the saints that lived in former ages, but the
Revelations were written of things to come.
After this, I met with a sort of people that held women have no souls,
(adding in a light manner,) no more than a goose. But I reproved them,
and told them that was not right; for Mary said, “My soul doth magnify
the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.”
Removing to another place, I came among a people that relied much on
dreams. I told them, except they could distinguish between dream and
dream, they would confound all together; for there were three sorts of
dreams; multitude of business sometimes caused dreams; and there were
whisperings of Satan in man in the night-season; and there were
speakings of God to man in dreams. But these people came out of these
things, and at last became Friends.
Now though I had great openings, yet great trouble and temptation came
many times upon me; so that when it was day, I wished for night, and
when it was night, I wished for day: and by reason of the openings I had
in my troubles, I could say as David said, “Day unto day uttereth
speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge.” When I had openings,
they answered one another, and answered the Scriptures; for I had great
openings of the Scriptures: and when I was in troubles, one trouble also
answered to another.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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