I was born in the month called July, in the year 1624 at Drayton in the Clay, in Leicestershire. My Father's name was Christopher Fox: he was by profession a weaver, an honest man; and there was a Seed of God in him. The neighbors called him Righteous Christer. My mother was an upright woman; her maiden name was Mary Lago, of the family of the Lago's, and of the stock of the martyrs.
In my very young years, I had a gravity and stayedness of mind and spirit, not usual in children; insomuch, that when I have seen old men carry themselves lightly and wantonly towards each other, I have had a dislike thereof risen in my heart, and have said within myself; I ever I came to be a man, surely, I should not do so, nor be so wonton.
When I came to eleven years of age, I knew pureness and righteousness: for while I was a child, I was taught how to walk to be kept pure. The Lord taught me to be faithful in all things, and to act faithfully tow ways; viz. inwardly to God, and outwardly to men; and to keep to yea and nay in all things. For the Lord showed me, that though the people of the world have mouths full of deceit, and changeable words, yet I was to keep to yea and nay in all things; and that my words should be few and savory, seasoned with grace: and that I might not eat and rink to make myself wonton, but for health, using the creatures in their service, as servants in their places, to the glory of him that hath created them: they being in covenant, and I being brought up into the Covenant, as sanctified by the Word, which was in the beginning, by which all things are upheld; wherein is unity with the creation.
But people, being strangers to the Covenant of Life with God, they eat and rink to make themselves wanton with the creatures, devouring them upon their own lusts, and living in all filthiness, loving foul ways, and devouring the creation, and all this in the world, in the pollutions thereof without God: and therefore I was to shun all such.
Afterwards, as I grew up, my relations thought to have made me a priest; but others persuaded to the contrary. Whereupon I was put to a man, that was a shoemaker by trade, and that dealt in wool and used grazing, and sold cattle; and a great deal went through my hands. While I was with him, he was blessed: but after I left him, he broke, and came to nothing. I never wronged man or woman in all that time: for the Lord Power was with me, and over me, to preserve me. While I was in that service, I used in my dealings the word "verily," and it was a common saying among people, that knew me, if George says "verily," there is no altering him. When boys and rude people would laugh at me, I let them alone, and went my way: but people had generally of love to me, for my innocency and honesty.
When I came towards nineteen years of age, I being upon business at a fair, one of my cousins, whose name was Bradford, (being a professor, and having another professor with him) came to me, and asked me to drink part of a jug of beer with them; and I, being thirsty, went with them: for I loved any, that had a sense of good, or that did seek after the Lord. And when he had drunk a glass a piece, they began to drink healths, and called for more drink; agreeing together, that he that would not drink, should pay for all. I was grieved, that any, that made professions of religion, should offer to do so. They grieved me very much, having never had such a thing put to me before, by any sort of people. Wherefore I rose up to be gone; and putting my hand into my pocket, I took out a Groat, and laid it down upon the table before them, and I said, if it be so, I'll leave you. So I went away: and when I had done, what I had to do, I returned home: but did not go to bed that night, nor could not sleep; but sometimes walked up and down, and sometimes prayed, and tried the Lord, who said unto me; thou see, how young people go together into vanity and old people into the earth; and thou must forsake all, both young and old, and keep out of all, and be as a stranger unto all.
Then at the command of God, one the ninth day of the seventh month, 1643 I left my relations, and broke off all familiarity or fellowship with young or old. And I passed to Lutterworth, where I stayed some time; and from thence I went to Northampton, where also I made some stay: then passed from thence to Newport-Pagnel in Buckinghamshire; when, after I had stayed a while, I went unto Barnet, and came thither in the fourth month, called June, in the year, 1644. And as I thus traveled through the countries, professors took notice of me, and sought to be acquainted with me; but I was afraid of them: for I was sensible, they did not possess, what they professed. Now during the time, that I was at Barnet, a strong temptation to despair came upon me: and then say, how Christ was tempted; and might troubles I was in. And sometimes I kept myself retired in my chamber, and often walked solitary in the chase there, to wait upon the Lord.
And I wondered, why these things should come to me, and I looked upon my self, and said, was I ever so before? Then I thought, because I had forsaken my relations, I had done amiss against them, So I was brought to call to mind all my time, that I had spend, and to consider, had I wronged any? But temptations grew more and more, and I was tempted almost to despair. I was about twenty years of age, when these exercises came upon me; and for some years I continued in that condition, in great troubles; and fain I would have put it from me. And I went to many a priest to look for comfort, but found no comfort from them.
From Barnet I went to London, where I took a lodging, and was under great misery and trouble there: for I looked upon the great professors of the city of London, and I saw all was dark, and under the chain of darkness. And I had an uncle one Pickering, a Baptist (and they were tender then:) yet I could not impart my mind to him, nor join with them: for I saw all, young and old, where they were. Some tender people would have had my stayed, but I was fearful, and returned homeward to Leicestershire again, having a regard upon my mind unto my parents and relations, lest I should grieve them, who, I understood, were troubled at my absence.
When I was come down in Leicestershire, my relations would have had me married: but I told them, I was but a lad, and I must get wisdom. Others would have had me into auxiliary band, among the solderiery; but I refused: and I was grieved, that they proffered such things, to me, being a tender youth. Then I went to Coventry, where I took a chamber for a while at a professor's house, till people began to be acquainted with me; for there were many tender people in that town. And after some time, I went into my own country again, and was there about a year, in great sorrows and troubles, and walked many nights by myself.
Then the priest of Drayton (the town of my birth) whose name was Nathaniel Stevens, would come often to me, and I went often to him; and another priest sometimes would come with him: and they would have given place to me, to hear me; and I would ask them questions, and reason with them. And this priest Stevens asked me a question, viz. why Christ cried out upon the cross, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And why he said, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not my will, but thine be done? And I told him; at that time, the sins of all mankind were upon him, and their iniquities and transgressions, with which he has wounded; which he was to bear, and to be an offering for them as he was a man, but died not, as he was God. And so, in that he died for all men, and tasted death for every man, he was an offering for the sins of the whole world. (This I spoke, being at that time in a measure sensible of Christ's sufferings, and what he went through.) And the Priest said, it was a very good, full answer; and such a one, as he had not heard. And at that time, he would applaud and speak highly of me to others: and what I said in discourse to him on week days, that he would preach on the first days; for which I did not like him. And this priest afterwards became my great persecutor.
After this, I went to another ancient priest at Mansetter in Warwickshire, and reasoned with him about the ground of despair and temptations; but he was ignorant of my condition; and he bid me take tobacco, and sing psalms. Tobacco was a thing I did not love; and psalms I was not in an estate to sing: I could not sing. Then he bid me come again, and he would tell me many things. But when I cam again, he was angry and pettish: for my former words displeased him, and he told my troubles, and sorrows, and griefs to his servants, so that it was got among the milk lasses; which grieved me, that I should open my mind to such a one. I saw, they were all miserable comforters: and this brought my troubles more upon me. Then I heard of a priest living about Tamworth, who was accounted an experienced man; and I went seven miles to him: but I found him but like an empty, hollow cask. Then I heard of one called Doctor Cradock of Coventry; and I went to him, and I asked him the ground of temptations and despair; and how troubles came to be wrought in man? He asked me, who was Christ's mother and father? I told him, Mary was his mother, and that he was supposed to be the son of Joseph; but he was the Son of God. Now as we were walking in his garden, the ally being narrow, I chanced, in turning, to set my foot on the side of a bed; at which the man was in such a rage, as if his house had been on fire. And thus all our discourse was lost, and I went away in sorrow; worse than I was, when I cam. I thought them miserable comforters: and I saw, they were all as nothing to me; for they could not reach my condition. After this I went to another, one Machem, a priest of high account: and he would needs give me some physic, and I was to have been let blood: but they could not get one drop of blood from me, either in arms or head (though they endeavored it) my body being, as it were, dried up with sorrow, grief and troubles, which were so great upon me, that I could have wished, I had never been born to see vanity and wickedness; or that been born blind, that I might never have never have seen wickedness; and deaf, that I might never heave heard vain and wicked words, or the Lord's Name blasphemed. And when the time, called Christmas, came, while others were feasting and sporting themselves, I would have gone, and looked out poor widows from house to house, and have given them some money. And when I was invited to marriages (as I sometimes was) I would go ton one at all; but the next day or soon after I would go, and visit the,: and if they were poor, I would give them some money; for I had, wherewith to keep both myself from being chargeable to others, and to administer something to the necessities of others.
About the beginning of the year 1646 as I was going to Coventry, and entering towards the gate, a consideration arose in me, how it was said, that all Christians are believers, both Protestants and Papists. And the Lord opened to me, that if all were believers, then they were all born of God, and passed from death to life; and that none were true believers, but such: and though others said, they were believers, they were not. At another time, as I was walking in a filed on a first day morning, the Lord opened unto me, that being bred at Oxford and Cambridge, was not enough to fit and qualify men to be ministers of Christ: and I stranged at it, because it was the common belief of the people. But I saw it clearly, as the Lord opened it to me, and was satisfied; and admired the goodness of the Lord, who had opened this thing unto me that morning: which struck at priest Stevens his ministry, namely, that to be bred at Oxford or Cambridge was not enough to make a man fit to be a minister of Christ. So that which opened in me, I saw, struck at the priest's ministry. But my relations were much troubled at me, that I would not go with them to hear the priest: for I would get into the orchard, or the fields, with my Bible, by myself. And I told them, did not the Apostle say to the believers, that they needed no man to teach the, but as the anointing teaches them? And though they knew, this was Scripture, and that it was true; yet they would be grieved, because I could not be subject in this matter, to go to hear the priest with them; for I saw, that a true believer was another thing, than they looked upon it to be, and I saw, that being bed at Oxford or Cambridge, did not qualify or fit a man to be a minister of Christ; and what then should I follow such for? So neither them, nor any of the dissenting people, could I join with; but was as a stranger to all, relying wholly upon the Lord Jesus Christ.
At another time it was opened it me, that God who made the world, did not dwell in temples made with hands. This, at the first, seemed a strange word, because both priests and people used to call their temples or churches, dreadful places, and holy ground, and the temples of God. But the Lord showed me, so that I did see clearly, that he did not dwell in these temples, which men had commanded and set up; but in people's hearts. For both Stephen and the Apostle Paul bore testimony, that he did not dwell in temples made with hands; not even in that, which he had once commanded to be build; since he put an end to it: but that his people were his temple; and he dwelt in them. This opened in me, as I walked in the fields to me relations house. And when I came there, they told me, that Nath. Stevens, the priest, had been there, and told them, he was afraid of me, for going after new lights. And I smiled in my self, knowing, what the Lord had opened in me concerning him and his brethren: but I told not my relations: who though they saw beyond the priests, yet they went to hear the, and were grieved, because I would not go also. But I brought them scriptures, and told them, there was an anointing within man, to teach him; and that the Lord would teach his people himself. And I had great openings concerning the things written in Revelations; and when I spoke of the, the priests and professors would say, that was a sealed up book; and would have kept me out of it. But I told them, Christ could open the seals; and that they were the nearest things to us: for the epistles were written to the saints, that lived in former ages; but the Revelations were written of things to come.
After this I met with a sort of people, that held, women have no souls; (adding in a light manner) no more than a goose. But I reproved them, and told them, that was not right: for Mary said, my soul doth magnify the Lord, and my Spirit has rejoiced in God my savior.
And removing again to another place, I came among a people, that relied much on dreams. And I told them; except they could distinguish between dream and dream, they would mash or confound altogether; for there were three sorts of dreams; for multitude of business sometimes caused dreams: and there were whisperings of Satan in man in the night season; and there were speakings of God to man in dreams. But these people came out of these things, and at last became Friends.
Now though I had great openings, yet great trouble and temptations came many times upon me; so that when it was day, I wished it was night, and when it was night, I wished for day. And by reason of the openings I had in my troubles, I could say as David said, day unto day utters speech, and night unto night shows knowledge. And when I had openings, they answered one another, and answered the Scriptures: for I had great openings of the Scriptures. And when I was in troubles, one trouble also answered to another.
About the beginning of the year 1647 I was moved of the Lord to go into Darbyshire, where I met with some friendly people, and had many discourses with them. Then passing further, into the peak country, I met with more friendly people, and with some in empty, high notions. And traveling on through some parts of Leicestershire, and into Nottinghamshire, there I met with a tender people, and a very tender woman, who name was Elizabeth Hooten; and with these I had some Meetings and discourses. But my troubles continued, and I was often under great temptations; and I fasted much and walked abroad in solitary places many days, and often took my Bible, and went and sat in hollow trees, and lonesome places, till night came on; and frequently, in the night, walked mournfully about by myself: for I was a man of sorrows, in the times of the first workings of the Lord in me.
Now, during all this time I never joined in profession of religion with any, but gave up myself to the Lord; having forsaken all evil company, and taken leave of father and mother, and all other relations, and traveled up and down as a stranger in the earth, which way the Lord inclined my heart; taking a chamber to myself in town, there I came, and tarrying sometimes a month, sometimes more, sometimes less in a place: for I dared not stay long in any place, being afraid both of professor and profane, lest, being a tender young man, I should be hurt by conversing with either. For which reason I kept myself much as a stranger, seeking heavenly wisdom, and getting knowledge from the Lord; and was brought off from outward things, to rely wholly on the Lord alone. And though my exercises and troubles were very great, yet were they not continual, but that I had some intermissions; and was sometimes brought into such a heavenly joy, that I thought, I had ben in Abraham's bosom. And I cannot declare the misery I was in, it was so great and heavy upon me; so neither can I set forth the mercies of God unto me in all my misery. Oh! the everlasting love of God to my soul, when I was in great distress! when my troubles and torments were great, then was his love exceeding great. Thou, Lord, makes a fruitful field a barren wilderness, and a barren wilderness a fruitful field! thou brings down and sets up! Thou kills and makes alive! all honor and glory be to thee, Oh Lord of Glory! The knowledge of thee is the spirit of life: but what knowledge is fleshly, works death. And while there is this knowledge in the flesh, deceit and self will not conform to any thing, and will say yes, yes, to that it does not know. The knowledge which the world has, of what the prophets and apostles spoke, is a fleshly knowledge; and the apostles from the life, in which the prophets and apostles were, have gotten their words, the Holy Scriptures, in a form, but not in all their life, nor spirit, that gave them forth. And so they all lie in confusion, and are making provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof; but not to fulfil the law and command of Christ in his power and spirit: for that, they say, they cannot do; but to fulfil the lusts of the flesh, that they can do with delight.
Now after I had received that opening from the Lord, that to be bred at Oxford or Cambridge, was not sufficient to fit a man to be a minister of Christ, I regarded the priests less, and looked more after the dissenting people. And among them I saw, there was some tenderness: and many of them afterwards came to be convinced; for they had some openings. But as I had forsaken all the priests, so I left the separate preachers also, and those called the most experienced people: for I saw, there was not among them all, that could speak to my condition. And when all my hoped in the, and in all men was gone, so that I had nothing outwardly to help me, nor could tell what to do; then, Oh! then I heard a voice, which said, there is one, even Christ Jesus, that can speak to thy condition: and when I hear it, my heart did leap for joy. Then the Lord did let me see, why there was none upon the earth, that could speak to my condition? namely, that I might give him all the glory. For all are concluded under sin, and shut up in unbelief, as I had been; that Jesus Christ may have the preeminence; who enlightens, and give grace, and faith and power. Thus when God does work, who shall let it? And this I knew experimentally. My desires after the Lord grew stronger, and zeal in the pure knowledge of God, and of Christ alone, without the help of any man, book, or writing. For though I read the Scriptures, that spoke of Christ, and of God; yet I knew him not, but by revelation, as he, who has the key, did open, and as the Father of Life drew me to his Son by his Spirit. And then the Lord did gently lead me along, and did let me see his love, which was endless and eternal, and surpasses all the knowledge, that men have in the natural state, or can get by history, or books. And that love did let me see myself, as I was without him; and I was afraid of all company: for I saw them perfectly, where they were, through the love of God, which let me see myself. And I had not fellowship with any people, priests nor professors, nor any sort of separated people; but with Christ, who hath the key, and opened the door of Light and Life unto me. And I was afraid of all carnal talk and talkers; for I could see nothing but corruptions, and the Life lay under the burden of corruptions. And when I myself was in the deep, under all shut up, I could not believe, that I should ever overcome; my troubles, my sorrows and my temptations were so great, that I thought many times, I should have despaired, I was so tempted. But when Christ opened to me, how he was tempted by the same devil, and had overcome him, and bruised his head; and that through him and his power, light, grace and spirit, I should overcome also; I had confidence in him. So he it was, that opened to me, and gave me hope, which is himself, revealed himself in me, and gave me his spirit, and gave me his grace, which I found sufficient in the deeps and in weakness. Thus in the deepest miseries, and in the greatest sorrows and temptations, that many times beset me, that Lord in his mercy did keep me. And I found, that there were two thirsts in me; the one after the creatures, to have gotten help and strength there; and the other after the Lord, the Creator, and his son Jesus Christ. And I saw, all the world could do me no good. If I had had a King's diet, palace and attendance, all would have been as nothing: for nothing gave me comfort, but the Lord by his power. And I saw professors, priests and people were whole and at ease in that condition, which was my misery; and they loved that, which I would have been rid of. But the Lord did stay my desires upon himself, from whom my help came, and my care was cast upon him alone. Therefore all wait patiently upon the Lord, whatsoever condition you be in; wait in the Grace and Truth, that comes by Jesus: for if ye so do, there is a promise to you, and the Lord God will fulfil it in you. And blessed are all they indeed, that do indeed hunger and thirst after righteousness; they shall be satisfied with it: I have found it so, praised be the Lord, who fills with it, and satisfies the desires of the hungry soul. Oh let the house of the spiritual Israel say, his mercy endures forever! It is the great love of God, to make a wilderness of that, which is pleasant to the outward eye and fleshly mind; and to make a fruitful field of a barren wilderness: this is the great work of God. But while people's minds do run in the earthly, after the creatures, and changeable things, and changeable ways and religions, and changeable, uncertain teachers, their minds are in bondage, and they are brittle and changeable, and tossed up and down with windy doctrines and thoughts, and notions and things; their minds being from the unchangeable Truth in the inward parts, the Light of Jesus Christ, which would keep their minds to the unchangeable, who is the way of the Father; who in all my troubles did preserve me by his Spirit and Power, praised be his Holy Name forever!
Again I head a voice, which did say, Thou serpent! Thou does seek to destroy the Life; but can not: for the sword, which keeps the tree of life, shall destroy thee. So Christ, the Word of God, that bruised the head of the serpent, the destroyer, preserved me; my inward mind being joined to his good Seed, that bruised the head of this serpent, the destroyer. And this inward Life did spring up in me, to answer all the opposing professors and priests, and did bring in Scriptures to my memory to refute them with.
At another time I saw the great love of God; and I was filled with admiration at the infiniteness of it. And then I saw, what was cast out from God; and what entered into God's Kingdom: and how by Jesus, the Opener of the Door by his heavenly key, the entrance was given. And I saw death, how it had passed upon all men, and oppressed the Seed of God in man, and in me: and how I in the Seed came forth; and what the promise was to. Yet is was so with me, that there seemed to be two pleading in me: and I was tempted again to despair, as if I had sinned against the Holy Ghost. And I was in great perplexity and trouble for many days; yet I gave up myself to the Lord still. And one day, when I had been walking solitarily abroad, and was come home, I was taken up in the Love of God, so that I could not but admire the greatness of his love: and while I was in that condition, it was opened unto me by the Eternal Light and Power, and I therein clearly saw, that all was done, and to be done in and by Christ; and how he conquers and destroys this tempter, the devil, and all his works, and is a top of him; and that all these trouble were good for me, and temptations s for the trial of my faith, which Christ had given me. And the Lord opened me, that I saw through all these troubles and temptations: my living faith was raised, that I saw, all was done by Christ, the life, and my belief was in him, and when at any time my condition was veiled, my secret belief was stayed firm, and hope underneath held me, as an anchor in the bottom of the sea, and anchored my immortal soul to its Bishop, causing it to swim above the sea, the world, where all the raging waves, foul weather, tempests and temptations are. But Oh! then did I see my troubles, trials and temptations more than ever I had done. As the Light appeared, all appeared, that is out of the Light, darkness, death, temptations, the unrighteous, the ungodly; all was manifest and seen in the Light: then, after this, there did a pure fire appear in me: then I saw, how he sat as a refiner's fire, and as the fuller's soap. And then the spiritual discerning came into me, by which I did discern my own thoughts, groans, and sighs; and what it was, that did veil me, and what it was, that did open me. And that which could not abide in the patience, nor endure the fire, in the Light I found to be the groans of the flesh (that could not give up to the will of God) which had veiled me; and that could not be patient in all trials, troubles, and anguishes and perplexities, and could not give up self to die by the Cross, the power of God, that the living and quickened might follow him , and that that, which would cloud and veil from the presence of Christ, that which the sword of the Spirit cuts down, and which must die, might not be kept alive. And I discerned the groans of the Spirit, which did open me, and made intercession to God: in which Spirit is the true waiting upon God, for the redemption of the body, and of the whole creation. And by this true Spirit, in which the true sighing is, I saw over the false sighings and groanings. And by this invisible Spirit I discerned all the false hearing, and the false seeing, and the false smelling, which was atop, above the Spirit, quenching and grieving it; and that all they, that were thre, were in confusion and deceit, where the false asking and praying is, in deceit and atop, in that nature and tongue, that takes God's holy Name in vain, and wallows in the Egyptian Sea, and asks, but has not; for they hate his Light, and resist the Holy Ghost, and turn the grace into wantonness, and rebel against the Spirit, and are erred from the faith they should ask in, and from the Spirit they should pray by: he that knows these things in the true Spirit, can witness them. The divine Light of Christ manifests all things, and the spiritual fire tries all things, and severs all things. Several things did I then see, as the Lord opened them to me: for hie showed me that, which can live in his holy refining fire, and that can live to God under his law. And he made me sensible, how the Law and the Prophets were until John; and how the least in the everlasting Kingdom of God, is greater than John. The pure and perfect law of God is over the flesh, to keep it, and its works, which are not perfect, under, by the perfect law: and the law of God, that is perfect, answers the prefect principle of God in everyone: and this law the Jews, and the prophets, and John were to perform and do. None knows the giver of this law, but by the Spirit of God; neither can any truly read it, or hear its voice, but by the Spirit of God: he that can receive it, let him. John who was the greatest prophet that was born of woman, did bear witness to the Light, which Christ, the great heavenly prophet, has enlightened every man, that comes into the world, withal, that they might believe in it, and become children of Light, and so have the Light of Life; and not come into condemnation. For the true belief stands in the light, that condemns all evil, and the devil, who is the prince of darkness, who would draw out of the light into condemnation. And they that walk in this Light, come to the mountain of the house of God, established above all mountains, and to God's teaching, who will teach them his ways. These things were opened to me in the Light.
And I saw the mountains burning up, and the rubbish; and the rough and crooked ways and places made smooth and plain, that the Lord might come into his tabernacle. These things are to be found in man's heart: but to speak of these things being within, seemed strange to the rough and crooked, and mountainous ones. Yet the Lord says, Oh earth, hear the word of the Lord! The law of the spirit crosses the fleshly mind, spirit and will, which lives in disobedience, and does not keep within the law of the Spirit. And I saw, this law was the pure love of God, which was upon me, and which I must go through; though I was troubled, while I was under it: for I could not be dead to the law, but through the law, which did judge and condemn that, which is to be condemned. I saw, many talked of the law, who had never known the law to be their school master: and many talked of the Gospel of Christ, who had never known life and immortality brought to Light in them by it. You that have been under the school master, and the condemnation of it, know these things (for though the Lord in that day opened these things unto me in secret, they have since by published by his Eternal Spirit, as on the house top.) And as you are brought into the law, and through the Law to be dead to it, and witness the righteousness of the law fulfilled in you; you will afterwards come to know, what it is, to be brought into the faith, and through faith from under the law. And abiding int he faith, which Christ is the author of,, ye will have peace and access to God. But if ye look out from the faith, and from that which would keep you in the victory, and look after fleshly things or words, ye will be brought into bondage to the flesh again; and to the law, which takes hold upon the flesh and sin, and works wrath, and the works of the flesh will appear again. The law of God takes hold upon the law of sin and death: but the law of faith, or the law of the Spirit of Life, which is the love of God, and which comes by Jesus (who is the end of the law for righteousness sake) this makes free from the law of sin and death. This law of life fleshly minded men do not know; yet they will temp you, to draw you from the Spirit into the flesh, and so into bondage. Therefore ye, who know the Love of God, and the law of his Spirit, and the freedom that is in Jesus Christ, stand fast in him, in that divine faith, which he is the author of in you; and be not entangled with the yoke of bondage. For the ministry of Christ Jesus and his teachings, brings into liberty and freedom: but the ministry that is of man, and by man, and which stands in the will of man, brings into bondage, and under the shadow of death and darkness. And therefore none can be a minister of Christ Jesus, but in the eternal Spirit, wich was before the Scriptures were given forth: for if they have not his Spirit, they are none of his. Though they may have his Light to condemn them, that hate it; yet they can never bring any into unity and fellowship in the Spirit, except they be in it. For the Seed of God is a burdensome stone to the selfish, fleshly, earthly will, which reigns in its own knowledge and understanding, and must perish, and in its wisdom, that is devilish. And the Spirit of God is grieved, and vexed, and quenched with that which brings into the fleshly bondage; and that which wars against the Spirit of God, must be mortified by it: for the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other. The flesh would have its liberty; and the Spirit would have its liberty: but the Spirit is to have it liberty; and not the flesh. If therefore ye quench the Spirit, and join to the flesh, and be servants of it, they ye are judged and tormented by the Spirit: but if ye join to the Spirit, and serve God in it, you have liberty, and victory over the flesh, and its works. Therefore keep in the daily cross, the Power of God, by which you may witness all that to be crucified, which is contrary to the will of God, and which shall not come into his Kingdom. These things are here mentioned and opened for information, exhortation and comfort to others, as the Lord opened them to me in that day. And in that day I wondered, that the children of Israel should murmur for water and victuals; for I could have fasted long without murmuring, or minding victuals. But I was judged sometimes, that I was not contented to be sometimes without the water and bread of life, that I might learn to know, how to want, and how to abound.
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