A collection of the several books and vvritings, given forth by that faithful servant of God and his people, George Fox, the Younger

A Word to the People of the World, who hate the Light, to be witnessed by the Light in them all; VVherein is shewed unto them, what the Light is, which is the con∣demnation of the VVorld with its deeds; and what the Spirit of Truth is, and what it leads them into, who are led by it; and what the Spirit of Error is, and what it leads them into, who are led by it: And also they are here exhorted to repent whilst they have the Light, to believe and walk in the Light, lest darkness come upon them, and they into it be cast, where there shall be weep∣ing and gnashing of teeth. Also a few Queries to such Professors as stumble at the Light, the Word, the King∣dom, and Spirit of God within, and tell People that none can be free from sin in this Life, and yet say, that they own the Scriptures.

LIght is come into the VVorld, and the VVorld hates it, Joh. 8.12. and the whole World lyeth in wickedness, 1 Joh. 5.19. And this is the Condemnation of the VVorld, that Light is come into the VVorld, and men loved the Darkness rather than the Light, because their deeds were evil (saith Christ) Joh. 3.19, 20. And every one that doth evil, hateth the Light, neither cometh to the Light, lest his deeds should be reproved; But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the Light; for whatsoever doth make manifest is Light, Eph. 5.13. and Christ Jesus he is the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the VVorld, Joh. 1.9. Drunkard, thou hast a Light given thee which comes from Christ; and that is the Light which lets thee see that thou shouldst not be drunk; so here thou hast learn∣ed thy Condemnation (which is the Light) Swearer, and Lyar, and Fighter, and Quarreler, thou hast a Light given thee which comes from Christ (who saith, Swear not at all) and with this Light, thou seest thou

shouldst not swear, nor lye, nor fight, nor quarrel, for the Light in thee witnesseth against these things; so here thou hast learned thy Condemnation (the Light) Scoffer, Scorner, Mocker, Railer, cursed Speaker, foolish Iester, vain Talker, Couzener and Cheater, the Light that shines in thy Conscience, though thou canst not comprehend it (Joh. 1.5.) because thou art darkness, it is pure and eternal, and never consented unto evil, but stood and stands a VVitness for God, against all evil; (Mark) this Light, this pure VVitness often∣times hath appeared and doth appear unto thee, and in thee, and lets thee plainly see that thou shouldst not act any of these evils before mentioned, and it often checks and reproves in secret, when thou dost so act; so here thou hast learned what Condemns thee, (which is the the Light) Eph. 5.5, 13. Proud one, Wanton one, Lustful one, Covetous one (who art an Idolater) Back∣biter, Whoremonger, Gamster, Sporter, and Pro∣phane one, who walkest on in laciviousness and excess of the Creatures, in Revellings, Banquetings, and abomi∣nable Idolatries, and whoever thou art that acts any manner of unrighteousness whatsoever, it is sin, and it is of the Devil; but the Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the VVorld, that is the Son of God, who is made manifest for this very end, that he might destroy the works of the Devil, 1 Joh. 3.8. and He (mark) the Son of God, hath given thee a measure of his Light, and that is the measure of his Light in thee, which lets thee see that thou should not act any of these abominations before-mentioned, but it oft appears in thee to convince thee of thy evil deeds, and reproves thee, and judgeth thee for thy wickedness; so here thou hast learned thy Condemnation, which is the Light, which makes manifest unto thee thy abominations.

And thou who makest a Profession of the Saints words,

but art found to be out of their Life, and in thy dark carnal mind and imaginations run'st into their words (the Scriptures) and calls them the VVord of God, and thy Rule, and the way to know God (and yet thou livest contrary to the Scriptures, and art out of the knowledge of God, whom to know, is life eternal) Mark, the Light wherewith thou art enlightned withal, it comes from Christ (who lighteth every man that cometh into the VVorld, and his Name is called the VVord of God, Rev. 19.13. and he is the way to God, and no man knoweth the Father save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him) Mat. 11.27. and this Light which comes from the Son of God, oftentimes appears in thee, and shews thee that thou art out of the Saints Life (though thou profess their VVords) and the Light lets thee see that thou art a Thief and a Robber, and art climbing up another way (in thy imaginations) than by the Door, (Joh. 10.1.) which is Christ (from whence the Light doth come) and this Light in thee, which makes manifest to thee thy condition, it oftentimes con∣founds thee and thy imaginations (which thou hast raised out of thy dark mind, concerning the Scriptures, which were given forth in the true Light) and the Light oftentimes convinceth, reproveth, and judgeth thee, of and for thy hypocrisie, and dissimulation, and feigned love, and humility, and will-worship; and lets thee see that thy worship is not that Worship which the Lord re∣quireth; for that is in the Spirit, and in the Truth which God requireth, Joh. 4.22, 23, 24. and thou being out of the Light (not being guided by it) art out of the Spirit, for the Spirit is Light, and the Light is the Truth, and so out of the true Worship in the false, wor∣shipping thou knowst not what; so here with the true Light thou art condemned, and so hast learned but thy Condemnation.

Therefore all People, both young and old, high and low, rich and poor, bond and free, who yet live in any of these evil deeds before-mentioned; mind that which makes manifest your evil deeds unto you, which is the measure of the pure God, which he hath given you to profit withal, and this measure in you convinceth you of sin, and reproves you for it; now mind to stand in that which doth convince; for that is the Power: and as you stand and believe in that which doth con∣vince you, it will lead you into true Repentance never to be repented of; for it will bring you to repent of, and to forsake all your evil deeds and hard speeches (Jud. 15.) which you will see in the Light (which never consented unto sin) that you have acted and spoken against the living God; so believe in the Light, which shews you sin and evil, and wait in the Light as it ariseth and appears in you, to shew you your estates and conditions; now if you believe in the Light, and wait in it, you will come to receive Power from Christ (from whence the Light doth come) to overcome evil, and to withstand the Tempter, when he appears to tempt you to evil; and the Light (believing in it) will preserve you out of the evil, and lead you out of the death and loss that ye are in, unto Christ the life and Saviour of the Soul.

But if you hate the Light (which shews you sin and evil) you hate Christ; for I am the Light, saith Christ, John 8.12. and if you hate the Light, you hate the way to the Father, for I am the way to the Father, saith Christ, who is the Light, Joh. 14.6. and if you hate the Light, you hate the Truth, and you hate the Life, for I am the Truth and the Life, saith Christ, the true Light, who lighteth every man that cometh into the World, Joh. 1.9. and 12.46. and if you hate the Light, you hate the Covenant of God; for I will give

him for a Covenant to the People, and for a Light to the Gentiles, saith God, Isa. 42.6. and 49.6. and if you hate the Light, you hate the Power, for all Power is gi∣ven unto me both in Heaven and in Earth, saith Christ the Light, Mat. 28.18. and if you hate the Light, you hate the Word of God, and so you hate God and Christ (who are One, John 10.30.) Mark, for in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; all things were made by it, and without it nothing was made that was made, in it was Life: (Mark, in the Word was Life) and the life (of the Word) was the Light of men; and John, a man sent of God, bare witness of the Light, that all men through Him might believe (Mark) through Him, who lighteth every man that cometh into the World, John 1.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. and God is Light, 1 Joh. 1.5. and God and Christ are One, Joh. 10.30. 1 Joh. 5.7.

So you that be turned from the Light (which shews you sin and evil, mark what you are turned from) you are turned from the Way, and from the Truth, and from the Life, and from the Covenant of God, and from the Power of God, and from the Word of God, and so from God and Christ, from whence the Light doth come, and into the Darkness you are turned and gone, and the Prince of Darkness ruleth in you (Eph. 2.2.) that so you cannot find any power over your own per∣verse Wills, nor over your Lusts, nor over any Sin there, being gone from the Light in your own particu∣lars; in which Light, if you believed and waited in it, you would receive power to overcome sin; but you not believing in the Light, you believe in him who leads you from the Power of God into sin, and there he perswades you that you must live (in sin) so long as you live upon the Earth; and you have believed and re∣ceived this Doctrin of him, and you teach it to others,

and so are become the Devils Ministers, and so you de∣ny the end for which the Son of God was made manifest, which was to destroy the Works of the Devil, and to take away sin, 1 Joh. 3.8. Mat. 1.21. and yet many of you feed your selves with hopes of Life and Salvation, but your hopes are vain and will perish; be not decei∣ved, God will not be mocked, for such as you sow, such shall you reap, Gal. 6.7, 8. Ye that live after the flesh, fulfilling the lusts thereof, you shall surely dye (if ye repent not speedily) Rom. 8.13. and you that sow to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap Corruption; The day of the Lord hasteth greatly, wherein you must give an ac∣count unto him, who will judge you righteously, and reward you according to your deeds done in the Body; and all you who have been slothful, and have hid that in the Earth which the Lord gave you to profit withal, you will be turned into utter darkness, Mat. 25.30. John 12.35. Therefore while you have the Light, be∣lieve and walk in it, lest thick darkness come upon you, even such darkness as may be felt; the day of your Visi∣tation prize, lest the things that belong to your peace, be wholly hid from your eyes: Consider there is a time when the Candle is lighted, and when you may see (if you search with it) what is in the house; but mark, this time will not alwayes continue with the wicked, for the Candle of the wicked shall be put out, Prov. 24.20. Yea, the Spirit of the Lord shall not alwayes strive with man, Gen. 6.3. Therefore cease from your dark ima∣ginations, which several of you have got into; for who∣soever followeth the imaginations and thoughts of his own heart (which all who believe not in the Light do) they run on in darkness, and know not whether they go; and such are under the wo, putting darkness for Light, & Light for darkness, calling the Spirit of Truth, the Spirit of Error, and the Spirit of Error, the Spirit

of Truth, Isa. 5.20. as all the world do, who lye in wickedness, and hate the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the Word; which Light re∣proveth you for your wickednes; and this Light you call a Spirit of Delusion and Error; and you say, that those who are guided by it, are deluded and led into Error: Oh! take heed of Blasphemy against the pure God, who is Light; Mark, the Spirit of Error, what it is, and what it leads into; it is that which abode not in the Truth, and it is a Murderer, and was so from the Be∣ginning; and they who walk not in the true Light, they walk and are guided by this Spirit, and some by it are led to murder, some to steal, some to be drunk, to swear, to lye, to cheat and cozen one another, to fight, to game, and some it leads into vain laughter, foolish jesting, corrupt communication, cursed speaking, wanton∣ness, lust, whoredom, fornication, and into covetousness, [which is Idolatry] into pride, variance, strife, railing, back-biting, envy, wrath and malice, false accusing the Innocent, and into all manner of ungodliness, into feign∣ed love, self-seeking, dissimulation, hypocrisie and feigned flattery, and to hate the very appearance of Truth, Eph. 4.29. and 5. Gal. 5.19, 20. Now examine with that which reproves you for sin in secret, and it will let you see that you bring forth many of these cursed Fruits before-mentioned, and so are deluded and guided by the Spirit of Error; now the true Light [which lighteth every man that cometh into the World] comes from the Spirit of Truth, and that is the Truth, and it wit∣nesseth against all these evil deeds before-mentioned, [which are out of the Truth] and they who believe in the Light [which makes manifest sin and evil] and wait in it, they receive power from him from whence the Light came, John 1.12. to abstain from evil, and to overcome sin and evil, [and this I witness] and that Spi∣rit

which tempts the Creature to evil, is the Spirit of Error: So we who believe in the true Light, which is the manifestation of the Spirit of Truth, which is gi∣ven to every man to profit withal, 1 Cor. 12.7. we by it are led out of Error and Delusion, into the perfect Truth of God, and to act those things which are well-pleasing in his sight, Mat. 11.29. they being learned and wrought in the Light which comes from the Son, in whom the Father is well pleased, Joh. 3.21. and this true Light in us is our Guide and Teacher, and this brings us who wait in it, to understand the Scriptures of Truth; which was given forth from the Spirit of Truth, and it brings us into that which the Scriptures speaks of, into the Life and Power of God and to witness that which the World talks of; for they will talk of Faith in Christ Jesus, though they witness not what they speak: but we who believe in the Light, are made (by the power of God) Children of the Light; and we witness Faith in Christ, which Faith purifies our hearts, and gives us victory over the World, Act. 15.9. 1 Joh. 5.4. and the Light leads us into meekness, into soberness and love unfeigned, into holiness and uprightness, into sound and pure Judgement, into Mercy, into Patience, when we are reviled and persecuted (and at all times) into long-suffering and Truth in the inward parts, to do unto all men, as we would they should do unto us; yea, it leads us who abide in it, into all Truth, Joh. 16.13. and this is not of our selves, for it is the free Gift of God, who freely gave his Son for a Covenant of Light, which ligheth every man that cometh into the World; and we who have received the Gift of God (the Light) by the Gift we are brought to bring forth these fruits, which are contrary to those which the Spirit of Error leads the Children of disobedience to bring forth, Gal. 5.22, 23. For although we the Children of Light, are ac∣counted

to be in Delusion and Errour, Gal. 5.22.23. yet it is but by you who bring forth the Cursed fruits, which the Spirit of Errour leads you to bring forth; so in the Light, Life and Power of God we stand over all false Accusations and Reproaches, and Persecutions, and in the patience of Gods Lamb we bear them all, and our love goes forth to your Souls, who wilfully oppose your selves, and we declare unto you that the long-sufferings of the Lord towards you, is to draw you to Repentance, Rom. 2.4. and I have directed you to that which will shew you, what you ought to repent of.

Therefore consider your wayes speedily, all you that forget God, lest he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver you, Psal. 50.22. for verily, this I de∣clare unto you in the presence of the Lord, that if you go on and continue in stubbornness and Rebellion against the Pure God, and despise his love, and reject his counsel, and still refuse to hearken to the Light of his Son in your Consciences (which reproves you for Sin, and is freely given to you, to lead you out of Sin unto God, if you wilfully do not resist it) Mark, when the measure of your iniquity is filled up, then will he arise upon you at unawares in his fury, & Wrath, & Indignation, Mat. 24.50.51. and his eye shall not at all pitty you, but he will bring his Plagues and Righteous Judgements upon you, which shall consume you both root and branch, if you will not be gathered in the day of his long patience and for∣bearance, which is the day of your Visitation, wherein you may come to know the things belonging to your peace, if you do not wilfully resist the Power that is offered and committed unto you; But if you resist the Power, then the Lords righteous Judgements will assu∣redly come upon you, and you will receive to your selves Condemnation; and if you continue in your wic∣kedness until the day of your visitation be past, then

shall the Light in all your Consciences (which hath often∣times shewed unto you your evil deeds) arise and wit∣ness to the Judgements of God that they are just, Zek. 2.7. so whether you will hear or forbear, Remember you are warned in your Life time.

By a Friend to your Souls, and a Lover of the Creation of God, GEORGE FOX, the Younger.