The journal of George Fox, vol. 2 of 2 : $b Being an historical account of his life, travels, sufferings, and Christian experiences.Fox, George
Religion
The journal of George Fox, vol. 2 of 2 : $b Being an historical account of his life, travels, sufferings, and Christian experiences.
Fox, George
Fox, George, 1624-1691
“And the apostle exhorts the Christians, and saith, ‘If it be
possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men:’
this should be the endeavour of all Christians. For it is no
honour to Christ, that Christians should war and destroy one
another, that profess his name, who saith, ‘He came to save men’s
lives, and not to destroy them.’ Christians have enemies enough
abroad without them, and therefore they should love one another,
as Christ commands, who saith, ‘By this ye shall be known to be my
disciples, if ye love one another.’ For Christians are commanded
to love enemies; therefore much more, one another. And Christ
saith, ‘As the Father hath loved me, so I have loved you: continue
ye in my love,’ John xv. 8, and ‘By this shall all men know that
ye are my disciples, if ye love one another,’ John xiii. 35. But
if Christians war and destroy one another, this will make Jews,
Turks, Tartars, and Heathens say, that you are not disciples of
Christ. Therefore, as you love God, and Christ, and Christianity,
and its peace, all make peace, as far as you have power, among
Christians, that you may have the blessing. You read, that
Christians were called the household of faith, the household of
God, a holy nation, a peculiar people: and they are commanded to
be ‘zealous of good works,’ not of bad: and Christians are also
commanded not to bite and devour one another, lest they be
consumed one of another.
“Is it not a sad thing for Christians to be biting and consuming
one another in the sight of the Turks, Tartars, Jews, and
Heathens, when they should ‘love one another, and do unto all men,
as they would have them do unto them?’ Such devouring work as
this, will open the mouths of Jews and Turks, Tartars and
Heathens, to blaspheme the name of Christ, who is the King of
kings, and Lord of lords, and cause them to speak evil of
Christianity, for them to see how the unity of the Spirit is
broken among such, as profess Christ and Christ’s peace. Therefore
all Christians are to mind God and Christ’s teaching, who teacheth
Christians to love one another, yea enemies; and persuade all
kings and princes, to give liberty to all tender consciences in
matters of religion and worship, they living peaceably under every
government: so that for the time to come, there may be no more
imprisonment and persecution among Christians, for tender
consciences about matters of faith, worship, and religion, that
the Jews, Turks, Tartars, and Heathens, may not see how Christians
are persecuting one another for religion: seeing, from Christ and
the apostles, Christians have no such command, but on the
contrary, to love one another; and knowing, that Christ said to
such as would have been plucking up tares, ‘Let the tares and the
wheat grow together till the harvest (which is the end of the
world) lest they plucked up the wheat;’ and at the end of the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account