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  EPISTLE 289
  by George Fox
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Summary: Be faithful to God and stand firm in faith, even in times of
want and persecution, for it is through suffering that we identify with
Christ and are ultimately rewarded.

Topics: "Faithfulness To God", "Persecution And Suffering"
Scripture References: Psalm 37:25

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DESCRIPTION
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George Fox preaches about the importance of faithfulness to God, urging
believers to be true witnesses to Him and Christ Jesus, storing up
riches and treasure for times of trouble. He emphasizes the need to
stand firm in faith, even in the face of storms and tempests, unlike
those who only profess faith in good times. Fox draws inspiration from
the faith of David, highlighting God's faithfulness to never forsake the
righteous. He encourages believers to endure persecution and suffering
for the sake of the Lord, reminding them that those who suffer with
Christ will reign with Him.

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CONTENT
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Dear friends every where, be faithful to God, who hath been faithful and
true [Rev 3:14] to you; therefore be you true to God, and faithful
witnesses to him, and to Christ Jesus; that now ye may all have riches
and treasure laid up in store, against a time of want, storms and
tempests, that you may stand; for if you do not stand now, you are as
bad as such professors, who stood only when the sun shined, and crept
out when it was fine and fair weather, but when a storm or tempest came,
then they ran creeping into their holes and corners, and skulking into
by corners and fled by back doors, who were ashamed of their religion,
and what they professed; but when the sun did shine, then they showed
their enmity to the righteous.

And therefore by you of the faith of David, and of his spirit, who said,
'I was young, and now am old. I never saw the righteous forsaken, nor
his seed begging bread [Psa 37:25];' and the Lord, (to encourage his
people,) saith, 'In all their afflictions he was afflicted, and the
angel of his presence saved them [Isa 63:9];' and Christ tells you, it
is he that suffers and is persecuted, when his children are persecuted
[Mat 25:40].

And so it is for the Lord's sake that the just suffer by the unjust [1
Pet 3:18]; and you read how such as suffered the spoiling of their goods
[Heb 10:34], and scoffing and mocking, yet they were not to forsake the
assembling themselves together [Heb 10:25],  as the manner of some was;
for they that suffer with Christ shall reign with him [2 Tim 2:12]; for
the Lord may try you, (who hath blessed you with outward things,)
whether your minds do stand with him, or in the outward things.

G. F.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/george-fox/epistle-289/
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