Epistle 406
The sermon emphasizes the importance of unity in the Lord's truth, living in the spirit and power of Christ, and answering the truth of God with a godly and holy life.
George Fox emphasizes the importance of unity and fellowship among believers in Christ, who is the unshakeable foundation of life and salvation. He expresses gratitude for the love and unity demonstrated by the Yearly Meeting and encourages the Friends to remain steadfast against unruly spirits that lack true godliness. Fox urges the community to live in Christ's grace, answer the truth of God in all people, and maintain a holy life. He also calls for prayer and supplication for those in authority, highlighting the need for righteousness in their lives. Ultimately, he seeks to glorify God through their collective actions and faith.
Text
Dear friends and brethren, in the Lord Jesus Christ, whom he hath gathered by his glorious hand and power to himself, who is the rock of ages, and the foundation of many generations, that cannot be shaken [Heb 12:27, Luke 6:48], in which you have all life, peace, rest, salvation, and eternal happiness.
Your epistle, dated the second of the Second-month, 1685, by order of your Yearly Meeting, signed in behalf of that meeting, was received and publicly read in our Yearly Meeting, and well accepted of in love and unity with the spirit that gave it forth. And Friends are very glad to hear, feel, and see your fellowship and unity in the Lord's blessed truth, and your communion in the holy ghost [2 Cor 13:14], and your care in the concerns of the holy, pure, peaceable truth. And how that you are, and have been preserved over those unruly spirits, that have been as trees without fruit [Jude 1:12[, and wells without water [2 Pet 1:17], inwardly ravening wolves, that have got the form of godliness, and the sheep's clothing [Mat 7:15/2 Tim 3:5], but are out of <293> the spirit, and power, and life of the sheep of Christ. And over such spirits, we praise God, that he hath given you dominion.
And our desire is, that you may all live and walk in Christ, and set down in him, in his grace and truth, and that you may answer the truth of God in all people with the word of life [1 Jn 1:1]; and also answer the good in all, with a godly, and a holy life and conversation.
And likewise all the magistrates and officers that are in power, you may answer the just principle in them all, and live in the spirit of supplication [Zech 12:10], and pray for all, that you may lead a righteous and a godly life under them all. So that God over all, and through you all, and by you all, may have the glory, the thanks, and the praise. To whom all is due, God blessed for ever. . . .
G. F.
Sermon Outline
- The Rock of Ages
- The Importance of Unity
- Preservation from Unruly Spirits
- Answering the Truth of God
- Answering the truth with the word of life
- Answering the good with a godly life and conversation
Key Quotes
“who is the rock of ages, and the foundation of many generations, that cannot be shaken” — George Fox
“And Friends are very glad to hear, feel, and see your fellowship and unity in the Lord's blessed truth” — George Fox
“And how that you are, and have been preserved over those unruly spirits, that have been as trees without fruit” — George Fox
Application Points
- We should strive to maintain unity in the Lord's truth and care for the concerns of the holy truth.
- Living in the spirit and power of Christ gives us dominion over inwardly ravening wolves and allows us to answer the truth of God with the word of life.
- We should answer the good in all people with a godly and holy life and conversation.