Friday, July 29, 2005

Tough Love

"Wait upon God in that which is pure. Though you see little, and know little, and have little, and see your emptiness, and see your nakedness and barrenness and unfruitfulness, and see the hardness of your heart and your own unworthiness; it is the Light that discovers all this, and the love of God to you; and it is that which is immediate."

Who said that?




Why Fox of course. Look at Fox's epistle 16.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Yup. That's the trouble with old Foxy for the contemporary Quake -- the main function of the Light in Fox's mind was showing us what dorks we are and pointing the way to being a bit more Christ-like.

Kinda takes the fun out M4W don't it?

Larry Clayton said...

M4W ???
Actually, David, I haven't read the epistle. What I quoted in the Pendle Hill pamphlet relates to someone who has hit the wall and sees no way to turn.

It seems near to my favorite (mis?)quote from Screwtape:

"Be not mistaken, Wormwood; the cause of Our Father Below is never in greater trouble than when one of these miserable Christians looks out upon a universe from which every vestige of God has disappeared---
and still obeys!!!

isn't that magnificent?

Unknown said...

yes -- i love screwtape -- better than narnia books in some ways

m4w -- sorry must be a canuck quaker thing -- meeting for worship

Unknown said...

great link for the epistles btw -- check out epistle 10:

Friends,—Whatever ye are addicted to, the tempter will come in that thing; and when he can trouble you, then he gets advantage over you, and then ye are gone. Stand still in that which is pure, after ye see yourselves; and then mercy comes in. After thou seest thy thoughts, and the temptations, do not think, but submit; and then power comes. Stand still in that which shows and discovers; and there doth strength immediately come. And stand still in the light, and submit to it, and the other will be hushed and gone; and then content comes. And when temptations and troubles appear, sink down in that which is pure, and all will be hushed, and fly away. Your strength is to stand still, after ye see yourselves; whatsoever ye see yourselves addicted to, temptations, corruption, uncleanness, &c. then ye think ye shall never overcome. And earthly reason will tell you, what ye shall lose; hearken not to that, but stand still in the light that shows them to you, and then strength comes from the Lord, and help contrary to your expectation. Then ye grow up in peace, and no trouble shall move you. David fretted himself, when he looked out; but when he was still, no trouble could move him. When your thoughts are out, abroad, then troubles move you. But come to stay your minds upon that spirit which was before the letter; here ye learn to read the scriptures aright. If ye do any thing in your own wills, then ye tempt God; but stand still in that power which brings peace.