An Epistle Concerning the Government Christ

An
Epistle
Concerning the
GOVERNMENT
OF
CHRIST
AND
HIS PEACE,
of
Whose Kingdome,
THERE
Shall be no End

By George Fox.

LONDON,

Printer for Benjamin Clark, in George-yard, in Lombard-street. 1681.

Keyboarded by Keith F. Saylor 2019

An Epistle concerning the Government of Christ and His Peace, &c.

Concerning the Government of Christ and his Peace, the encrease of which there shall be no End upon the Throne of David, and upon his Kingdome to order it, and to establish it with Judgement, and Justice, from henceforth, and for ever: The Zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this.

Now Christ Jesus the Second Adam, the Lord from Heaven, It is He who Rules and Reigns, and Governs in the Hearts of His Saints, who are the Believers in His Light, the Life in Him who is the Governour and Counseller, who Died for their Sins, and is Risen for the Justification, and is the Captain of their Salvation.

And Christ’s Government in the Hearts of His People, is by His Grace and Truth, that comes from Him: And Christ Jesus by whom all things were made, doth enlighten every Man that cometh into the World, which the Light is the Life in Him, he saith, Believe in the Light, that you may become the Children of the Light, and such have the Light of Life, and by it comes under Christ’s Government and Peace, and His order in His Light and Life. Now they that hate His Light, they hate the Life in Christ the Heavenly Man; and such will hate Christ by whom all things were Made and Created; and hate his Order, and His Justice, and Judgement,and his Light and Life: And such are not like to come into His established Government and Kingdome; so Christ, who is the Governour, the Counsellor, the Orderer, He Orders and Governs with His Light, His LIfe, in the Hearts of all His Believers in the Light; and all His Believers in the Light, have the Witness in themselves of Christ their Ruler, Counseler, Orderer, Heavenly Governour, and His Judgement, Justice, and Peace; and that of the encrease of His Government, there is no End XR5521.

{Page 4} Now they that hate the Light, which is the Life in Christ the Second Adam, the Lord from Heaven, they are them that would not have Christ Rule over them, nor in them; therefore it Condemns them; and, What is the matter that all Men and Women do not see, but are blind, and are not in Unity? Is it not because they hate the Light, and the Life in the Second Adam, and will not come to the Light, nor walk in the Light? And then, Is not the Light their Condemnation, who are in Transgressing Old Adam? and, How are they like to see or believe, or have faith in Christ, that hates his Light, and will not come to it which is the Life in the Second Adam? And there all that hates his Light, which is the Life in Him, are not like to see, nor receive Faith from Him, that will not believe in His Light, nor come to it, but hate it; and therefore such will hate both his Divine Faith, and the Author of it: And therefore all that do hate the Light, which is the Life in Christ which He enlightens them withal, they hate His Order, they hate His Government, His Rule; yea Christ the Second Adam, the Lord from Heaven: And all such haters of Christ, His Light, Life, Order, Government, and Counsel, are in a false Liberty, though they may profess Christ, or His Government in Words, yet not believing in the Light, and walking in the Light, the Life of Christ, they have no true Fellowship one with another, but are in Confusion; and have no true Fellowship with the Believers in the Light, the Life in Christ, nor with the Son, and the Father; for, How should they? For until they come to Believe in the Light, the Life in the Second Adam. They cannot see their own States, they are in the blind Birth; for none sees, nor enters into the Kingdome of God, till they are Born again: and those that are Born again, are the Believers in the Light, grafted into Christ; all such do know, and see the true Liberty in Christ Jesus the second Adam: All such do see, and know, that all false Liberty is out of the Light, the Life in the Second Adam; in Old Adam in the Transgression. XR1477

And Christ that doth enlighten every Man that cometh into the World, which is the Life in Him; such comes to Christ, and are grafted into Him the Head, and so holds Christ their Head, by whom all things were made, and Created; who is over all, from Everlasting to Everlasting, the First, and the Last, the {Page 5} Beginning, and the Ending; these are they that see His Order, His Government, and His Rule in their Hearts, and receives His Law of Spiritual Life, and Live, and walks in it, which makes them free from the Law of Sin and Death. These see Christ to be the Author, and Finisher of there Holy, Divine, precious Faith: And their Faith stands in Christ, who is the Author of it, who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to Him: And the Mistery of this Faith they hold in a pure Conscience, and so know the Law of Love that God hath shed in their Hearts through Jesus Christ: and so in this Light, Faith, and Life, that they have from Jesus the Second Adam, the Lord from Heaven; they come all to be of one Faith, of one Light, and one Life; and so of one Mind, Heart, and Judgement, in this New Covenant of Light and Life; so in it they are under the Government, Counsel, and Order of Jesus, that He establishes in His Everlasting Covenant of Light and Life in their Hearts.

Secondly, The Law came by Moses, and all the Jews were to be under the Law in the Old Covenant; and this Law served till Christ (the Seed) came, in His New Covenant; He is come, and now Grace and Truth is come by Jesus Christ, the great Governour. And now this Grace, and this Truth is come from Him, into the Hearts of all His Believers.

And with, and in this Grace and Truth, Christ Rules in the Hearts of them that receives His Grace and Truth; and with this Grace and Truth, and in it, every Believer and Saint, receiveth Christ their Governour, and his Order, and his Counsel, and Heavenly Judgment, and Justice from the Heavenly Man, in his established Government, which he establishes with his Grace and Truth. Now this Grace of God which brings Salvation, which hath appeared unto all Men, which does Manifest, that all Men have a day of Grace and Favour: Now this must needs be that special Grace of God, which brings Salvation, which hath appeared unto all Men. Now then, not recieving this Grace and Favour of God, but turning this Grace into wantonness, and walking despitful against the Spirit of Grace; therein they are hardened, and blind, and turns that unto wantonness, and walks dispitefully against it; which should teach them, and bring their Salvation: and therefore such comes to be blind, and hardned against the Grace and Favour of God, that turns it in wantonness, {Page 6} as I said before, and walks despitefully against the Spirit of Grace and Truth; and such turns against God and Christ, from whence Grace and Truth comes, and from, and against his People that are established in the Grace of God, that brings their Salvation: though such may profess God and Christ in words only, and his Grace, and Truth; their profession will come to nothing, except they receive his Grace and Truth, which comes from him; they know his Government in the Truth, and in the Covenant of Grace; yea, in their Hearts. And all such that walks despitefully against the Spirit of Grace, and turns the Grace into wantonness, though such may profess God and Christ, their profession will come to nothing, and all their Liberty is false, and in the Flesh, in Old Adam in Transgression: For True Liberty is in the Grace and Truth that is come by Jesus, which Leads up into Jesus whence it come, in whom the everlasting true Liberty is.

For Christ, who is the Truth, and Holy, and Pure, he Reigns in the Truth, and in his Grace: And therefore every Man and Woman, must with his Grace and Truth in their Hearts (which they have from Christ) feel, and see Christ’s Reign, and Rule in their Hearts: And Him in his Heavenly Eternal everlasting Government.

Thirdly, The Lord spoke by his Prophet Joel, That It shall come to pass in the last Days, That God will pour out of his Spirit upon the Flesh, &c. Joel 2.28.

And Peter said, This is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel, It shall come to pass in the last Dayes (saith God) that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all Flesh, and your Sons, and your Daughters shall Prophesy: Your Young-men shall see Visions, and your Old-men shall dream Dreams; and on my Servants, and on my Hand-maids, I will pour out in those dayes of my Spirit, and they shall Prophecy, Acts 2. 17, 18.

Now it is God that pours out of his Spirit upon all Flesh, by which Sons, Daughters, Young-men, Old-men, Servants, and Hand-maids, have their Visions, and Prophecies, and Dreams: {Page 7} And these last Dayes, are the Dayes of Christ, in his Gospel, and New-Convenant.

It is said in the Old-Covenant, That God did pour out of his Spirit upon the House of Israel, and the house of Judah. But in the Dayes of the New-Covenant of Light and Grace, God poured out of his Spirit upon all Flesh, both Jews and Gentiles. Now all Flesh must come to the Spirit of God, and be led, and guided by it, if they will see Christ’s heavenly spiritual Government and Order: And with this Spirit of God, to know Christ the spiritual Man, to Rule and Govern in their Hearts. And all that by this Spirit are Circumcised, they Eat of the heavenly Passover, or their Bread from Heaven. And all that are Baptized with the Spirit, are Baptized into one Body, and do all Drink into one Spirit.

So here they are One, in the Spiritual Fellowship, which is the True Church-Fellowship: which Church is the Pillar and Ground of Truth, which Christ is the Heavenly and Spiritual Head of; and well He may: For He is the Author of their Faith, and the Author of their Light and Life, Grace and Truth, and Spirit, and Gospel of Peace and Salvation; by which He Rules in the Hearts of His Living Members, the Church. And all they that Grieve, Vex, Quench, and Rebel against the Spirit, come to be Blind, as the Jews; and will not See with their Eyes, nor Hears with their Ears, nor Perceive with their Hearts; and such may profess Christ in the New-Testament, and the Apostles Words, and the Government, and Order of Christ; as the Jews did profess the Old-Testament, and Christ to come. No more do they now, that profess he is come, who Vexes, and Quenches His Spirit, and Grieves it, and rebels against it, and Errs from it. And such are not like to Receive Christ in their Heart, nor come into his heavenly Order, and established peaceable Government; as those that are led by the Spirit of God, which are the Sons of God, and keeps the Unity of the Spirit; which Holy Spirit is the Bond of Peace amongst all Christ’s Subjects, Lambs, and Sheep, and Feed together in his Pasture of Life. For it is God that gives the heavenly Understanding of Christ’s established Government, and Order. And they that Quench, and Vex, and Rebel against the Spirit of God, will Rebel against Christ’s established Government, and {Page 8} Order; and his People that are in it, that are led by the Spirit of Wisdome and Understanding, and a sound Mind. And such as will not hear the Spirit of God in themselves, will neither hear God nor Christ, nor his Sheep, nor such as he sends, but Rebel against them XR3515.

Fourthly, Now the Gospel being Preached to, or in every Creature under Heaven; which Gospel is the Power of God to Salvation, to every One that Believes: So that all that Recieves this Gospel, the Power of God unto Salvation in their Hearts. Receives Christ the Power of God, and his Government, and Order in the Power. And Christ Reigns in their Hearts, in his Power: and such comes into the Gospel-Order. And they that come to be Heirs of the Gospel, the Power of God to Salvation; are Heirs of Christ’s peaceable established Government; and are true Subjects to Christ’s Power, and established peaceable Government: And so this Gospel, the Power of God to Salvation is Peaceable, Joyful, and Comfortable, which is the Gospel of Christ, the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven; and is not called the Gospel of Old Adam in Transgression: And this Gospel, which is the Power of God unto Salvation; it keeps all that Believes in it, in the Everlasting Gospel, which brings Life, and Immortality to Light; by which they see over the Devil, and before he was, that hath Blinded them, and Darkened them from Life and Immortality. So in this Gospel that hath brought Life, and Immortality to God’s people, both Men and Women, they are Established in the Order of it; in which, they do serve the Eternal, Everlasting God of Truth. XR5137
Now all they that do not Receive the Gospel of Christ, that Power of God to Salvation, which is Preached to, or in every Creature under Heaven, Life and Immortality is not brought to Light in them. And such the God of the World hath Blinded; and so they remain Blind under the God of the World; and such are Blind concerning the Order of the Gospel, and are ignorant of their Salvation, and of the Joy, and Comfort, and Peace of the Gospel; neither can they serve God in the Gospel, though they may profess Christ, and his Gospel in words; yet such hath no Comfort of it: And therefore, such as Disobeys the Gospel of Christ, the Power of God to Salvation; and will not Receive it, nor Believe in it; How can they Receive the Order of the {Page 9} Gospel of Christ the Heavenly Man, from whence the Gospel comes, to Receive him, to Reign in their Hearts, when they will not Receive his Gospel, the Power of God to Salvation in their Hearts. And again, How can they receive his People, or believe his People that be in the Order of the Gospel of Christ; and hath received it and Him in their Hearts? Such are not like to come into the Order of the Gospel that Disobeys it. Such will Disobey Christ, and will not Regard his People, in whom he Reigns, who walk in the Order of his Gospel, the Power of God unto Salvation. XR3494

Now its Christ the Second Adam, that Lighteth every Man, that cometh into the World, with the Light which is the Life in Himself; and every One that Believeth in the Light, and becomes Children of Light, and walks in it; they walk in Unity and Fellowship, and in the Order of the Light and Government of Christ: In such Christ doth Reign. And all them that hate this Light, and will not come to it, nor believe in it, they are Condemned by it.

Now that Grace of God that brings Salvation, hath appeared unto all Men, and all Men that Receives this Grace and Truth that is come by Jesus, they Receive Christ from whence it comes, in their Hearts; and so their Teacher, and their Salvation; and so come into Christs Government and Order, in the Truth, and into the Covenant of Grace. And they that hate the Truth, and turn the Grace into Wantonness, and walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace, they turn against Christ his Order and Government, and his Power also.
And God pouring out of his Spirit upon all Flesh: All that are Led by the Spirit of God and Christ, are the Sons of God; and such are Hearers of Christ’s spiritual Order and Government. And they that quench the Spirit of God, and Rebels against it; Rebels against Christ’s Order and Government, and him in his People; and their spiritual Fellowship, and the Gospel of Salvation being Preached to every Creature under Heaven; which Gospel, is the Power of God. Every Creature under Heaven must Receive this Gospel in their Hearts, if they Receive Christ and his Government, and his Order of the Gospel, and Him to Rule in their Hearts. XR2959

And all you that have Received it, have Received the Comfort {Page 10} of it; and those that Disobey, and Rebel against the Gospel, the Power of God; such Disobeys, and Rebels against God and Christ, and his Government, and his People, which are in the Order of the Gospel, the Power of God. And as it is said, Christ is in you, except you be Reprobates; and all that Receives Christ in them, it is by his Light, which is the Life in him, and the Grace and Truth that comes by Jesus, and the Faith that he is the Author of, and his Spirit and Gospel. This they must Receive in their Hearts, if the Receive Christ in them.

And Christ said to his Disciples and Followers, That he would send them the Spirit of Truth, and Comforter, which should proceed from the Father, and the Son, which should Lead them into all Truth. And he should Reprove the World of their Sin, Righteousness, and Judgement: So that which Leads the Believers, and Disciples of Christ into Truth, and is their Comforter; is the Reprover of the World of Sin, Righteousness, and Judgment. So here that which is the Worlds Reprover, is the Saints Comforter, and Leader into all Truth; and so into all true Fellowship, and true Liberty. And so this Holy Spirit and Comforter, does not proceed from Old Adam, nor none of his Followers; but from the Father, and the Son. And so every One is to have Oyl in your own Lamps from the Heavenly Olive-Tree, that your Lamps may Burn alwayes, both night and day in your Tabernacles, looking to your High-Priest, who will Feed your Lamps with Heavenly Oyl XR6868.

And every One have Heavenly Salt in your selves to Savour withal, what is Earthly, and what is Heavenly; and what is from Below, and what is from Above; and what is out of the Truth, and what is in the Truth.

And that every One may keep their own Vine in their own Garden, and their own Lilly in their own Field, or Orchard; which Lilly doth exceed Solomon in all his Glory: And every one have the Word of Faith in their Hearts and Mouths, to Obey, and do, which will Sanctify, and make you Holy, and to Reconcile you to God.

And every one have the Anointing, or Unction within you, which you have from the Father or Holy One; so that in it you may continue in the Father, and in the Son.

And every one continue in the Grace of God, which will Teach you how to Live, and what to deny, and will bring your {Page 11} Salvation, and establish you upon Christ, that Rock and Foundation, from whom the Grace does come.

And every one abide in the holy, and divine, and precious Faith, which you do hold in a pure Conscience, by which Faith you do Live, and have Victory over that which displeaseth God. And in this Faith you do please God, which Jesus Christ, the Lord from Heaven, is the Author, and Finisher of.

And every one that hath Digged deep, and found the Pearl of great Price; and hath sold all, and purchased the Field; then the Field, and Pearl is your own: such doth know a through Redemption.

And all you Believers in the Light, which is the Life in Christ, and are become the Children of Light, walk in the Light, the Life, and in Christ, as you have Received him.

And every one mind the Heavenly Leaven, that will Leaven you into a New Lump.

And every one keep the Feast of Christ our passover, with this heavenly Unleavened Bread, in Sincerity and Truth.

And every one mind the Light, that God hath Commanded to shine out of Darkness, and hath shined in your hearts, to give you the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God, in the Face Jesus Christ your Saviour; that the excellency of the Power, may be of God, and not of your selves. In this you are sensible of his heavenly Treasure in your own earthly Vessels; and every one have Water in your own Wells and Cestorns, and heavenly Fruit on your Trees, which God hath Planted.

Nebuchadnezzar, though his greatness reached to Heaven as a Tree, Yet he was to be hewen down, until he know the most High Ruleth in the Kingdom of Men; and that the Living may know that the most High Ruleth in the Kingdom of Men; And the God of Heaven shall set up a Kingdom which shall never be Destroyed; and the Kingdom shall not be left to other People, Dan. 2.44. And the Stone that smote the Image became a great Mountain, and filled the whole Earth, vers. 35.

They shall not hurt nor destroy in my holy Mountain: for the Earth shall be full of the Knowledge of the Lord, as the Waters cover the Sea, Isa. 11.9.

27th. 8th. Month, 1681.

THE END

Books Sold by Benjamin Clark in George-Yard in Lombard-Street, Bookseller.

• The Works of the Long. Mournful, and Solely Distressed Isaac Penington, in Folio
• George Keith, Way to the City of God Described, in Octavo.
  • Universality of the Grace of God, in Quartro.
  • The True Christ owned, in Octavo.
  • Quakerism no Popery.
• Oriental Philosophy, by Ebn-Yokden, in Octavo.
• George Fox, Testimony what we believe concerning Christ, in Quatro.
• W Shewen, The True Christian Faith and Belief, in Octavo.
• Compendium Train Linguarim, by J. Materne.
• Midnight Thoughts, being excellent Meditations, and divine Experiences of an Eminent Person, in Twelves.
• Cambridge, Bibles in Folio.
• Oxford, Bibles in Folio.
• Cambridge Bibles in Quarto.
• Oxford Bibles in Quarto.
• London Bibles in Quarto, Octavo, or Twelves, or Twenty-Fours.
• School Books of several Sorts.
• Coles English Dictionary, and Latin Dictionary.

As likewise Stationary Ware, as Paper, Paper Books. Journals, and Ledgers, and Blank-bonds of Various Sorts.