{Page 410} But as my Spirit was concerned on the behalf of Friends, with respect to their outward Suffering by the Persecutors without; so an Exercise also came weightily upon me at this time, in the sense I had of the Mischievous Working of the Adulterated Spirit, which being gone out from the heavenly Unity, and having drawn out some, that profest Truth, into Enmity and Opposition against Friends, endeavoured to trouble the Church of Christ with their Janglings and Contention. And as a further Discovery of the Workings of that Seducing Spirit, and a Warning to all Friends to beware of it, I was moved to write the following Epistle, Directed thus:
To all the Elect, Faithful, Called and Chosen of God, who are the Flock and Heritage of God, who have been acquainted with the Dealings of the Lord, and have kept your Habitations in his Life, Power, and Truth, being built upon the holy and heavenly Rock and Foundation, Christ Jesus, who was the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles; which Foundation stands sure.
Many Foundations have been laid since the Apostles Days, by such, as have gone from Christ, the {Page 410} true and sure Foundation: and their Foundations have proved Rotten, and come to nought; and they themselves have come to Loss. And many, since the Day of Christ, and the Truth hath appeared in this Nation, have come out, and have had some Openings and Sights, and come among us for a time; and then gone out from us again: who have been the Comers and Goers, like such as were in the Apostles Days. Such have had an outward Profession of the Truth, and such have gone from the true Foundation, Christ Jesus, and so from the heavenly Society and Unity of the Saints in Light. And then they set up Foundations of their own: and having a Form of Godliness, but out of the Power thereof, out of the Order thereof; such have turned to Janglings and vain Disputings. This sort of Spirit you have been acquainted with, who have kept your Habitations in Christ Jesus, the First and the Last. And you are not insensible of the scurrilous and filthy Books and Lies And Defamations, which have been spread abroad in this Nation, and beyond the Seas, against the Faithful: and it is very well, that the Lord hath suffered them to Publish their own Shame in Print, that Truth’s Enemies may be discovered, that their Fruits and Spirits have appeared, and manifested themselves both in Print and otherwise. And I do believe, that the lord will yet suffer this Spirit, that it shall so publish forth its Fruits, to its publick Shame and nakedness, to Professor and Prophane, and to all sober, moderate and innocent People; that its Shame and Nakedness shall more fully appear. And though for a time it hath been hid and covered with the Fig-leaves and an outward Professsion, and sometimes with fawning and flattering words, (as at other times it hath discovered it self by rough, lying and defaming words;) yet the Lord God will blast all such vain Talkers, that do not walk in the Order of Life, Truth and the Gospel. And therefore {Page 411} ye, that are Faithful, stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free in his government; It is upon his Shoulders; he bears it up: Of the Increase of it, and of its Peace there is no end. For all the Quarrellers against his Order and Government are without him, and without his heavenly, spiritual Government and Peace. And therefore, ye Faithful Ones, who have had the Trial through many Persecutions, Imprisonments, Spoilings of Good, you know, that there is a Crown of Glory laid up for you: and you that Suffer with Christ, shall reign with him in his Kingdom of Glory; and ye that die with Christ, shall live with Christ in the Eternal Life, in the World, that hath no End. Who have gone through the Sufferings without; and within by false Brethren, by Comers and Goers, that have caused the Way of Truth to be evil spoken of, and have been the Persecutors of the Faithful with their Tongues (though they have not had power to do it with their Hands.) And by printing and publishing their lying, defaming Books against the Faithful, they have stirred up the Magistrates and Priest; who were willing to get any occasion to speak evil of the right Way, and precious Truth of Christ, by which his People are made free: Such had better, they had never been born. But God hath brought them to light, and their Fruits and ravenous Spirit is seen, savored and known who are become Judases, and Sons of Perdition, to betray Christ now within (where he is made manifest) to the Priests, Magistrates and Prophane, as Judas did betray Christ without to the Priests and Pilate: Though some of the Magistrates, and sober People do see the Envy and Folly, and that they have more Malice, than Matter against the Faithful. But the Lord will consume the Judas, or Son of Perdition! The Lord will consume him with the Spirit of his Mouth, and shall destroy him with the brightness of the Coming! And so let all the Faithful {Page 412} look unto the Lord. And let that wicked Son of Perdition know, though he may be got as high as Judas without (who was partakers of the ministry with the Apostles) The Lord will consume him with the Spirit of his mouth, and destroy him with the brightness of his Coming: That is his Portion. So the brightness of the Lord will destroy him: And when he is destroyed and consumed, there will not be a Son of Perdition to betray Christ in his People, and his People, that live and walk in Christ, who hath all power in Heaven (mark, in Heaven) and in Earth given to him; and with his holy and glorious Power he limits and orders: So that nothing shall be done against his People, but what is suffered for their Trial and for their Good, neither by Apostates, Persecutors with the Tongue, Judases, Sons of Perdition to betray; or the outward Powers to Imprison, or spoil Goods: All these are limited by Christ’s Power, who hath all Power in Heaven and Earth given to him. And every one’s Faith is to stand in him and his Power, and rejoice in his Power, and see the increase of his righteous, holy, heavenly, spiritual, peaceable Government, in which the glorious, holy Order of Life is lived and walked in by all his Sons and Daughters: And in his Spirit is the holy Unity and Bond of Peace. Though ye be absent in the Body or Flesh one from another, yet all joying and rejoicing, being present in his Spirit, and beholding in the same Spirit your spiritual Order, Unity, and Fellowship, and the steadfastness of your Faith in Christ Jesus, who is steadfast for ever, the First and the Last, whose Presence is among his People, and who is their Head. Here is heavenly Sion known, and heavenly Jerusalem and the innumerable Company of Angels (which are Spirits) and the Spirits of the just men made perfect. Here is the general Assembly, or general Meeting, and a general, heavenly, holy and spiritual joy and rejoicing, lauding and praising the Lord, the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb, that lives evermore, Amen.
London, the 14th of the 8th Month, 1683.
G.F.
Read this in your Assemblies amongst the Faithful.
[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. 409-413]
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