An exhortation to families who have desires to serve the Lord God in their several places that they may all learn in the light of Christ Jesus, the wisdome and power of God, who is the true teacher.

An exhortation to families who have desires to serve the Lord God in their several places that they may all learn in the light of Christ Jesus, the wisdome and power of God, who is the true teacher.

Table of contents

An Exhortation to Families, who have desires to serve the Lord God in their several places, that they may all learn in the light of Christ Jesus, the Wisdome and Power of God, who is the true Teacher.

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An Exhortation to Families, who have desires to serve the Lord God in their several places, that they may all learn in the light of Christ Jesus, the Wisdome and Power of God, who is the true Teacher.

O Ye Fathers, and Mothers, stand in the pure fear of the Lord, and wait in his light, that ye may receive his living Wisdom, and live in it, that so ye may be ordered by it, and with it order all things to Gods glory, and bring up your children in the fear of the Lord, watching over them in the seasoned savoury Life of God, not suffering them to live to wildness, nor idleness, nor vain talking (unreproved;) but in the sober, meek spirit, and in the Authority of Gods Lamb, reprove them, and that will reach the Witness of God in them, and correct them in the Fear, and Wisdom, and Freedom of God, in the patience, and follow not their foolish wills, neither correct them in your own wills, nor in hastiness, rashness, or passion; for if ye do, then that will use the Rod, which is to be beaten with the Rod of God, and that will make your children more stubborn and wicked, and this will offend God; but stand ye in Gods Counsel, and discourage nothing in your children, but evil, and let them have that which is meet, just and reasonable, and no more, that none of Gods creatures be wasted; and be ye patterns and good examples (in all holiness, gravity and uprightness) unto them, and let them have sufficient liberty to go to godly Meetings, and rather stir them up and incourage them to go to such, then hinder or discourage them, and keep your minds out of them unto the Lord, and let your love to them be in the Lord, that so ye may feel his blessing coming upon you, and them.

And all ye Children who have Parents, honour (and be obedient unto) them, in the Lord, and mind the light of Christ (in you) and that will not suffer ye to be wild, nor wilful, stubborn, nor vain, but it will check and reprove ye for all evil, and if ye will own its reproof, and believe and wait in it, it will lead ye out of all evil, and it will bring ye into soberness and meekness, tenderness and innocency, and preserve ye in it, and it will bring ye to know and remember your Creator in the dayes of your youth, and it will reveal Gods Power and wisdom in ye, whereby ye will be kept in true order: So suffer not your minds to follow vanity, neither walk in stubbornness towards your Parents, (nor others;) I warn ye in Gods fear, lest he shorten your dayes, and cut ye off by his righteous Judgements; but mind his fear, and wait therein, that ye may feel his grace, and be taught by it, and be obedient unto it, and then ye will feel the mercy and blessing of the Lord.

And all ye that are Masters and Dames, wait in the true Light, that ye may feel Christ the Power and Wisdom of God, to be your Master, that so ye may rule in your places, in his Fear and Wisdom; and lay no more upon your servants then ye would be willing should be laid upon you, if ye were in their places and conditions: (Mark that) and forbear threatning them, and be not hasty to turn them away, if they bee willing to abide with you, but in patience and meekness shew them their place and service, and therein teach them, if they know it not, and let them have for their service that which is convenient, just and reasonable, that they may have no just cause to murmure or complain; and keep out of covetousness, lest that hinder you from giving them sufficient liberty (who desires it) for going to the Meetings of the people of the Lord; and if in the Wisdom of God ye see freedom to turn any away, give them sufficient warning, that they may provide themselves other wayes, for this is but just and reasonable; and be not hasty nor rash with them, nor run into jangling with them, but if ye have cause to reprove them, let it be in the Fear and Wisdom of God, in the Freedom and Authority of the Truth, and that will reach unto the Witness of God in them; so be not high-minded, but fear, and be patterns unto them in the lowly, meek and quiet spirit; and bear with the weak, and forgive them that trespass against you, and render not evil for evil to any, but overcome evil with that which is good, and live in that which overcomes evil, that so the Truth of God may be exalted over all.

And all ye that are servants, live in the fear of the Lord, and wait in his Light, and be obedient thereunto, and also be obedient (in your places) unto those that are your Masters and Dames (according to the flesh) not onely to the good and gentle, but also to the froward, serving them in faithfulness and uprightness of heart, doing what ye do for them, as diligently, faithfully and willingly, as ye should do any thing to the Lord, for this is right in the sight of God; and take heed that none of Gods Creatures be lost, or wasted under your hands, through your neglecting them, or slothfulness in your places; and do not falsly accuse any, or speak evil behind any ones back, thereby thinking to get the favour or love of any, or upon any other account, for that is evil; and be as diligent in your places, when your Masters or Dames are absent, as when they are present, for this is just and right; and be not stubborn nor wilful, neither use many words to your Masters or Dames, and if ye know not well how to perform your service aright, then in true humility be willing to learn, and take heed of high-mindedness and pride, or of being wise in your own eyes; and when you have any spare time allowed ye, (being free from outward imployment) see that ye spend it in the fear of the Lord, in waiting upon him in his Light, that so all vain talking, corrupt communication, foolish jeasting, and all vanity may be kept out of; and give ye not way to that mind which is unstable, which would be oft shifting, and going from place to place, for this is not right in the sight of God, but wait in the Light, that ye may be staid, and setled in your minds; and if ye see freedom in the fear of God (mark that) to go to another place, then give your Masters or Dames sufficient notice of it; and if any of you, who know the truth, come to be moved of the Lord to go to any place his service, be faithful to the Lord, and when your service which hee required of you is done, then return to your places again (except it be otherwayes ordered in the Fear and Wisdom of God) and be diligent in your places, doing the same that ye would others should do unto you in the like condition; and mind the Lord in all things, and above all things, and be faithful unto him, and he will be your reward.

And all ye Fathers, and Mothers, and Children, and Masters, and Dames, and Servants, who have the Creatures of God to buy or sell, or to exchange, live in the fear of the Lord, that ye may feel his wisdom to guide you in your trading, and do not speak better or worse of the creatures then you know them to be, thereby to get the greater gain, for that is Idolatry, it arising from covetousness; but wait to feel Gods Spirit to bridle your tongues, and use but few words in your trading; and if ye ask a question therein, do it in simplicity, and keep in the light which is equal, that when ye offer or ask a price for the creatures, it may be in equality, and let that be your rule, and not the price of the Market, except that be equal, that so ye may reach the equal principle one in another; and then stand to your word, and here your yea will be yea, and your nay will be nay, and so ye will be kept in the Doctrine of Christ, with his light, out of all evil; and ye abiding in the light, it will bring ye to do to every one, as ye would be done unto; and take heed that ye stir not up the impatient crooked disorderly nature, one in another, with your words or actions; but bear one with another, and forgive one another, and when ye tell each other of a fault, do it in the Fear, and Wisdom, and meek Spirit of Gods Lamb, that so ye may restore each other therein; and when ye have any convenient time, assemble your selves together in the Name and Fear of the Lord, and wait every particular in the measure and gift of God in you, which is given ye to profit withal; and all wait together in the light, and believe in it, that ye may be children of the Light, and therein watch unto prayer, and one over another, and this will beget ye into unfained love, and walking in the Light ye will have true unity, and fellowship one with another; and the blood (which is the Life) of Jesus Christ you will feel cleansing you from all sin, and so ye will come into the unity with God. Also, to feel his Word, his Power, and Wisdom (in you) by which all things were created and made, and are upheld, that therein ye may be ordered in the particular, and that therein ye may use and order all Gods creatures, to his glory; and then all false Weights, and Measures, and Wayes, and Worships will be destroyed, and then shall Truth, Equity, Righteousness, and true Order and Mercy prosper, and run down as a River: So let your Faith stand in Christ Jesus the Light, and Wisdom, and Power of God, and then true Worship, true Weight, true Measure shall be set up and established, and then shall the Lord be exalted over all the works of his hands, and so ye will feel his blessing; unto him belongeth the Dominion and Honour, for he is worthy of it for evermore, Amen.

By GEORGE FOX, the younger in the Truth.

Information about this book

Title statement

An exhortation to families who have desires to serve the Lord God in their several places that they may all learn in the light of Christ Jesus, the wisdome and power of God, who is the true teacher.

Fox, George, d. 1661.

Edition statement

1659

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2009-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A40337

ID [STC]

Wing F2001

ID [STC]

ESTC R28020

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

10329729

ID [OCLC]

ocm 10329729

ID [VID]

44872

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This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A40337)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 44872)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1384:37)

Source

— An exhortation to families who have desires to serve the Lord God in their several places that they may all learn in the light of Christ Jesus, the wisdome and power of God, who is the true teacher., Fox, George, d. 1661..

Extent

1 broadside.

s.n.,. [London? :: 1659?]. (Signed: By George Fox, the younger in the truth.) (Reproduction of original in the Huntington Library.)

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