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  EPISTLE 248
  by George Fox
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Summary: George Fox's Epistle 248 calls for active participation in
God's service, emphasizing the roles of both men and women in the church
community.

Topics: "Spiritual Growth", "Church Order"
Scripture References: Psalm 8:2, Jeremiah 9:3, Matthew 20:3, 1 Corinthians 1:24, Galatians 3:28, 1 Thessalonians 5:19, 1 Timothy 5:13

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DESCRIPTION
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George Fox emphasizes the importance of keeping meetings in the power of
the Lord, encouraging the congregation to not quench the spirit or
despise prophesying, but to maintain their testimony in both public and
private settings. He urges the community to allow everyone, regardless
of gender or age, to contribute to the service and to be valiant for the
truth of the Lord on earth. Fox specifically addresses women's meetings,
urging women to embrace virtue, love truth, and walk in God's service to
fulfill their role in their generation and in the practice of pure
religion.

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CONTENT
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Friends,--Keep your meetings in the power of the Lord God, that hath
gathered you; and none quench the spirit, nor despise prophesying [1 Th
5:19f], but keep up your testimony in public and private. Let not the
mouths of babes and sucklings [Psa 8:2] be stopped, nor the seed in male
or female [Gal 3:28], but all be valiant for the Lord's truth upon the
earth [Jer 9:3]. Concerning the women's meetings; encourage all the
women of families, that are convinced, and mind virtue, and love truth,
and walk in it; that they may come up into God's service, that they may
be serviceable in their generation, and in the creation, and come into
the practice of the pure religion, which you have received from God,
from above; that every one may come to know their duty in it, and their
service in the power and wisdom of God [1 Cor 1:24]. For now the
practical part is called for. For people must not be always talking and
hearing, but they must come into obedience to the great God of heaven
and earth.

And so that none may stand idle out of the vineyard [Mat 20:3,6], and
out of the service, and out of their duty; for such will talk and tattle
[1 Tim 5:13], and judge with evil thoughts, of what they in the vineyard
say and do. . . .

G. F.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/george-fox/epistle-248/
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