I tarried amongst Friends there next Day, and in the Night following had a great Exercise upon my Spirit concerning that loose Spirit, that was run out in Strife and Contention among Friends, and had drawn some after it into Division and Separation; the Way, Work and End whereof the Lord opened to me: wherefore feeling the Motion of Life upon me, I got up in the Morning, and wrote the following Epistle to Friends.
My Dear Friends,
Keep your first Love in the Truth, and Power and Seed of Life in Christ Jesus: for this last Night, as I was lying in my Bed at Amsterdam, I had a great Travel in the holy Seed of Life and Peace, and my Spirit was troubled with that Spirit of Strife and Separation. I saw, it was a destroying Spirit, and did seek not only to get over the Seed, but to destroy {Page 310} it, and to eat out the Minds of People from it by Strife and Contention: and under pretence of standing for the ancient Truth, its work is to root it out; and destroy the Appearance of it, to set up it self XR6933. And it is a creeping Spirit, seeking, whom it can get into; and what it cannot do it self, it stirreth up others to do, and setteth up their Spirits on float with the dark Wisdom, to destroy the Simple. And this Spirit is managed by the Prince of the Air, and leadeth some to do such things, which they would have been ashamed to have done, as Men, which doth Unman them: and they would not have suffered them, if they had kept to the tender Principle fo God, which leadeth to Peace. And it is a despising, backbiting, and a secret—whispering Spirit, and a Sower of Dissension, and a Taker of advantage of all prejudiced Spirits, that are disobedient to their first Principle and Love of Truth, and begatteth all into that Spirit, whose Work is to destroy both the Good within, and the good Order without XR4965: Nay, it would, if it could, destroy the Government of Christ, and the Order of the Gospel, to set up its own Will and Spirit, which is not of God: and under pretence of crying down Man, are setting up Man, and are gathering into a Separation of disobedient Men, who float above their Conditions XR5235. And this Spirit, which neither liveth in the Truth, nor its Order, but opposeth them that do, I cannot express it, as I so see it, and its Work, whose end will be accordingly XR5852. And therefore, Friends, I am to warn you all, that have not lost your Simplicity, not to touch it, nor to have any Unity with it; lest you be defiled, and lose your Conditions of your Eternal Estate, and your Everlasting Portion: and that your Inward man, which is after God, may be preserved; and Christ may reign in all your Hearts. And they that are joined with them it will be very hard for them ever to come down to Truth in themselves, and to see their own Conditions, and to have that Spirit of Strife and {Page 312} Contention (which eateth as a Canker) to be brought down in them; which is carnal, and slayeth the tender Babe, which was once begotten in themselves: and the Philistine is got up in them, that stoppeth the Wells and Springs, and maketh a great Bustle; and are crying up Men, and pleading for them instead of Christ. And so, Friends, strive not with them; but let them take them, that cry them up: and keep you to the Lord Jesus Christ with his Light, that cometh from him; that he may be your lord, and ye in him may be all in Unity, in one Light, Life, Power, and Dominion in Christ, your Head. And so the God of Peace and Power preserve you all in Christ Jesus, your Saviour; and out of and from that mischievous Spirit, which is idle and slothful, as to the Work of the Power, and Spirit, and Light of God and Christ, and its very Act is that which worketh Strife and Disturbance against the Peace of the Church of Christ, and thinks in its Wilfulness, and Stubborness, and Unruliness to set up it self, and in that to have peace: but Destruction will be the end of it: and it is sealed for the Fire and Eternal Judgment. And therefore let Christ the Seed be the Head and Crown of every one of you, that nothing may be between you, and the Lord God. And be not deceived with vain Words, or fainted Words, or rough: for Satan is transforming himself, as an Angel of Light, to deceive; but God’s Foundation standeth sure, and God knowest, who are his, and will preserve his upon the Rock and Foundation of life, in his peaceable Truth and Habitation; that in the same they may grow. And so keep out of Strife and Contention with it, after that ye have born your Testimony, in the Lord’s Power and Truth, against it; and then keep in the Truth: for it hath a Life in Scribling, Strife and Jangling, because it would enlarge its Hell, and bring others into its Misery, with the airy Power, and would get Power over the Good, and disjoin People from it; and so to make Rapes upon the Simplicity by its {Page 313} Subtilty. But I do believe, the Lord will defend his People, though he may try them, and exercise them with this Spirit for a time, as he hath done by it in days past, in other Vessels it hath made use of, as it doth of these now; who have a more seeming fair Outside, but foul, and rough, and rugged enough within, against the Seed, Christ, as ever were the Pharisees to destroy it: And they, under a pretence of Preaching Christ, are the men, that are the Destroyers and Crucifiers of him, and Killers of the Just not only in themselves, but endeavouring with all their Might to destroy it in others, where it is born; Pharoah and Herod, to slay the young Jews in the Spirit, as the old did: I do feel it Worrying of them; and it is got up to be King, which knew not suffering Joseph. But God will plague him; and the Seed will have more rest, and be better entertained in Egypt, than under Herod, into who Old Pharoah’s Spirit is entred. He that hath an Ear to hear, let him hear; and a Eye to see, let him see, how this Spirit hath Transformed in all Ages against the Just and Righteous: but mark, what hath been its end. But the Seed reigneth; Glory to the Lord God over all for ever! and his Truth spreadeth: and Friends here are in Unity and Peace, and of good Report, answering the Good, or that of God in People. And so my Desires are, that all God’s People may do the same in all Places, where-ever they be, so that the Lord may be glorified, in their bringing forth much Fruit, that is Heavenly and Spiritual, Amen.
Amsterdam the 2th of the 7th Month, 1677.
G.F.
[Source: A Journal or Historical Account of the Life, Travels, Sufferings, Christian Experiences and Labour of Love in the Work of Ministry, of that Ancient, Eminent and Faithful Servant of Jesus Christ, George Fox: Who departed this Life in great Peace with the Lord, the 13th of the 11th Month 1690, Vol. 2. 1709 edition pgs. 310-313]
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