That All Should Know the Way to the Kingdom

By George Fox

Whether they are in forms, without forms, or are above all forms. A direction to turn your mind within, where the voice of God is to be heard, whom you ignorantly worship as afar off; and to wait upon him for the true wisdom. That you may know truth from error, the word from the letter, the power from the form, and the true prophets from the false. Given forth by one of those whom the world in scorn call Quakers. George Fox

Christ said, unless a man is born again of water and of the spirit, [spiritual water] he cannot see the kingdom of God, nor enter into it, John 3:3,5,8. So no man in his first natural birth can see the kingdom of God, nor enter into it, nor know the things of God. For those who see the kingdom of God, they must come to the spirit of God, and the spiritual birth by which the things of God are known, and the kingdom of God; and John the divine said, he was in the kingdom, Rev 1:9, then he saw it. And the apostle Paul said, God has translated us into the kingdom of his dear son. And so then these [John, Paul, and others] saw the kingdom, and were in it, Col 1:13.

And as many as receive Christ, he gives them power to become the sons of God; even to them that believe on his name, which were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God, John 1:12-13. This is the birth that sees, and enters God's kingdom, [while alive on the earth].

I am the light of the world, said Christ, who enlightens every one that comes into the world. Christ has enlightened every one that has come into the world, you that love that light, which Christ has enlightened you withal, you bring your works to the light, that your deeds may be proved that they are wrought in God; and he that walks in the light, there is no occasion of stumbling in him; it teaches righteousness and holiness; it will keep you from lying, and not let you lie, and keep you in tenderness of conscience towards God and man, and never let you swear; it will check you if you do. The light will not let you take God's name in vain; it will let you see that if you do, you must not go unpunished; and it will never let you follow drunkenness, nor vain company; for who lives in that nature, are without God, and shall never inherit the kingdom of God. Therefore beware, this light will keep you from adultery and whoredom, for such will God judge; and the light will keep you from theft, quarrelling and fighting, and abusing yourself with mankind, and envy, and it will keep in the fear of God. This light which is of God, lets you see all the works of the world, and draws you out of the worships of the world, and keeps you in the fear of God; where the true wisdom is made manifest. The pure wisdom is made manifest to the pure, and put into the pure heart, and then your own wisdom you will see with the light, arising out of the earthly part in you; which wisdom is sensual, and devilish, and earthly. For while there is envy in you, there lodges the man slayer, and all the wisdom is from below while that nature stands. There are sects, and there are opinions; and there are conceivings arising out of this earthly part, where lodges this wisdom, and self-conceit, and pride; and by this wisdom the living God is not known. So all who dwell in this wisdom, put the letter [Bible] for the word [Spirit of Christ], and give meanings and expositions upon it, and so gather together with the outward letter, not having the power and life that gave it forth. So there are castles built, and strong holds, and fenced cities, and high walls, as the Jews, who had the outward form of that which was given forth from the power; the form of the prophets, and Moses and David, and Abraham, who saw Christ, but whom lived in power. But the Pharisees and the Priests, getting their words, did not know Christ. So it is now with this generation of the world. For you say, you know Christ, as the Jews said, they were of Abraham. So they had gotten the letter, and others' words which had the power; and all these are but imitations and likenesses which are above, lifted up above the pure spirit; and here lodges the serpent in this earthly part. But as the eternal light which Christ has enlightened you withal, is loved, minded, and taken heed unto, this earthly part is wrought out; the daily cross is taken up, the fear of the Lord grows, the true wisdom increases, the errors of the wicked are discovered and made manifest, the unjust comes to be slain, the just comes to reign, the wisdom of the world comes to be confounded, then the heathen begin to rage, then tumults arise.

But dwelling in the light, all sects, and all opinions and religions are discovered, and stand naked before the Lord; (and before all who are of God, and are seen with the eternal eye) that arise out of the earth, and the earth is but one, and all such do raise their ground from the letter, which was given forth from the power of God. Now dwelling in the power, in the eternal light, all sects, and opinions come to be judged and overturned, and seen to be chaff that is to be burned, with that which cannot be quenched; for the light is but one, which is Christ, who enlightens everyone, and all are enlightened with one light; everyone taking heed to that light which Christ has enlightened you withal, it leads you out of sects, out of forms, out of the beauty of the world, to live in life and power. And waiting in the light which Christ has enlightened you withal, you come to be disciples of Jesus Christ, and servants to the truth, and not to serve the lusts, nor the desires, nor pleasures, but the light judges them. For serving the desires and the lusts, you turn into the beastly nature in the world, and into the flesh, and come to be darkened and veiled. Then your throat is an open sepulcher, so that you drink up iniquity as it were water. But dwelling in the light, it judges all that; and all your works and actions come to be judged by that light. And all walking in this light which Christ has enlightened you with, you all walk in unity and sameness of mind, and lay away all guile, sin, and uncleanness, and are all taught to fear the Lord God. And it will lead you to the Church of God, from the church of the world, and from your teachers, to cease from men, to be taught alone of God, who teaches eternal things eternally; and leads the mind up out of external things.

And dwelling in the light, there is no occasion at all of stumbling, for all things are discovered with the light. You that love it, here is your teacher. When you are walking abroad, it is present with you in your bosom; you need not to say, lo here, or lo there. And as you lay in your bed it is present to teach you, and judge your wandering mind, which would wander abroad, and your high thoughts and imaginations, and makes them subject; for following your thoughts, you are quickly lost. But dwelling in this light, it will discover to you the body of sin, and your corruptions, and fallen estate, where you are, and multitude of thoughts. In that light which shows you all this, stand, neither go to the right hand, nor to the left. Here is patience exercised, here is your will subjected, here you will see the mercies of God made manifest in death. Here you will see the drinking of the waters of Shiloh, which run softly, and the promises of God fulfilled, which are to the seed, which seed is Christ. Here you will find a savior, and the election you will come to know, and the reprobation, and what is cast from God, and what enters. He who can acknowledge that can own [acknowledge what Fox says to be true] me, and receive my testimony into his heart [is convinced that Fox's testimony is true], the immortal seed is born up, [words spoken from the Sprit bring the seed alive] and his own will thrust forth. For it is not him that wills, nor him that runs, but the election obtains it, and God that shows mercy. For the first step of peace is to stand still in the light, (which discovers things contrary to it); for power and strength to stand against that nature which the light discovers. Here grace grows. Here is God alone glorified and exalted, and the unknown truth, unknown to the world, made manifest, which draws up that which lies in the prison, and refreshes it in time, up to God, out of time, through time.

Whom God loves, he loves to the end, where the eternal unity is. There is all peace, all clean, no jar, who are all of one mind, hidden from the world's wisdom, knowledge, comprehension, and thoughts which can never enter. As it is written, the world by wisdom knows not God, and he is coming to confound the wisdom of the wise. The Church in God, is not in imitation, gathered from the letter [Bible]; nor is it a high-flown people in their imaginations, but the Church is they who are born again of the immortal seed, by the word of God, which lives and endures forever, which the world knows not. For the word cuts asunder; hews down all wickedness, corruption, pride, and honor of men, that all the honor and glory may be given alone to God. He hews down the first birth, that he may establish the second, and raise up the second. The word of the Lord is a fire, which burns up all the corruptions and burns up all that is hewn down. The word is as a hammer to beat down, that nothing can stand it; and this is the word by which the saints are born again. You are born again by the immortal word, which lives and endures forever; and you are feeding upon the milk of the word, which word is God, which word became flesh, and dwelt among us. So he (Christ) is the head of the Church, and they are living stones; but all you now who put the letter for the word, and have got it in your minds, and gather assemblies by it; this you cannot witness. And it is ignorance for you to say that the letter (Bible) is the word; when the letter (Bible) says, God is the word. And it is a lie to speak and say that the steeple-house is the church; or to say, those who are gathered by the form of the letter, is the Church of God; for the Church is the pillar and ground of truth, gathered by the eternal power that was before letter [Bible] was; and all who are in this church, as it is called of the world, and live in the comprehension of the letter (Bible), and the earthly part yet standing, there is devilishness in your minds, and earthliness, and pride, and filth. If you hearken to that light in your conscience, it will let you see so; and while those are standing, such whose sacrifice God accepts not, and praises (while nature is standing) God accepts not, which is Cain's, to which God has no respect, but only to Abel's.

And God is coming to judge the great whore, all manner of opinions, and all manner of sects and fellowships, (as you call them), all manner of her forms. For every one that lives in God is coming to overturn and overthrow, for all the sects lodge in the great whore; all the sects' foundations are in the earth, and earthly wisdom, gathered in the earthly nature. He will overturn them, that he may establish his own truth, his own truth in righteousness, his own kingdom. Now the stone cut out of the mountain without hands, begins to strike at the feet of the image, (that the head of gold begins to fall, and the breast of silver, and thighs of brass, and feet part iron, and part clay,) and his dominion is a dominion forever over all. And all who dwell not in this light, which Christ has enlightened you withal, you will be found too lightweight, for he is coming to weigh all things in this balance, and before him the hills shall move, and the mountains shall melt, and the rocks shall cleave, who measures the waters in the hollow of his hand, and his thunders begin to utter their voices, that the mysteries of God may be opened, and the carnal hearts rent. Great earthquakes shall be, the terrible day of the Lord draws near, the beast shall be taken, and the false prophet; into the fire must they go, for the beast and the false prophet have gone together, the one has held up the other. Now is the Lord coming to sit as judge, and reign as king, who is the law giver which shall go forth of Zion. Now shall Zion arise and thresh to beat the hills, and thresh the mountains; now is the sword drawn, which glitters and is furbished, the sword of the Almighty, to hew down Baal's priests, corrupt judges, corrupt justices, corrupt lawyers, fruitless trees which cumber the ground. Drunkard, you cannot hide yourself; cursed speaker, you cannot hide yourself; whoremonger, you cannot hide yourself. Awake, awake all people everywhere who live in forms, see what you possess, not having that eternal spirit that gave forth the scriptures; all your formal prayers, formal preaching, formal singing, will be found as the chaff, which is for the unquenchable fire. For Christ is risen, the true light shines, the glory of the Lord appears, and you are discovered to him, to be empty of that eternal spirit in your understandings, which gave forth the scriptures. I am the light, said Christ, which enlightens everyone; that light you hate, and all who hate this light, set up teachers without them; but all who love this light, are of God, and lead to God, which is a cross to all the world, and this light is in everyone; wait in it to receive Christ. And as many as receive Christ, to them he gives power to become the sons of God, which are not born of the will of man, nor by the will of man, but by the will of God; and these are they who are out of imitations, and have no images, nor likeness of truth, but are in it, and possess it. Glory, glory to the Lord God forever, who governs his people, and is the head of the church; Christ is the head of the man, God is the head of Christ. He that can receive this, if he had not known the letter, let him. He has come, who was before the letter was written. In the beginning was the word.

Now all you that hate the light, your deeds are evil. Christ said, he is the light of the world, and he enlightens every one that comes into the world. The one he loves the light, and brings his works to the light, and walks in it; there is no occasion of stumbling in him.The other he hates the light, and will not bring his works to the light to be made manifest, because his deeds are evil, and the light will reprove him. You that say, the light is natural, and say that Christ does not enlighten every one that comes into the world, you are a liar, and blasphemer, and denier of Christ's words, and lays waste the scripture. And you that say the light is natural, you put the letter for the light, which is natural. Darkness (true it is) cannot comprehend this light, but the light makes manifest darkness, and this is the condemnation of the world; the light that you hate, this light you have. Christ said, swear not at all; the light will say the same to you, in you. Christ said, he that lusts after a woman commits adultery with her in his heart; this light will tell you the same, bringing your works to it, and loving it. Christ cried woe against the Pharisee, the hypocrite; this light will let you see the same. Christ will say, go you cursed workers of iniquity; this light will say the same to you, in you, who are a worker of iniquity. Here shall you be condemned with the light, and judged with the light out of your own mouth; this light will let you see all your hard speeches, your venomous thoughts, your evil intentions, and covetous desires, which is idolatry, and dissembling, and deceit, to be works of darkness, and let you see that all those things are evil. There you have learned your condemnation; there is your teacher, that would teach you to know God; there is your condemnation, hating that light that will condemn you from him. You will say, you know in your conscience that drunkenness is sin; here you love darkness rather than the light that shows it to you, and lying, and swearing, and cursed speaking is sin; and yet you follow it, and pleasures. There you love darkness rather than the light that shows you them, because your deeds are evil; and there you have learned your condemnation; when God's righteousness shall be revealed in flames of fire, you shall witness I speak truth. You know theft is sin, and all unrighteousness God forbids; you will say something in your conscience tells you so; if you hearken to that, it will exercise your conscience, and bring you to repentance. Christ said, I call sinners to repentance. That light in you calls you to repentance, and if you hearken to that call, you hearken to Christ; and if you hate that call, you hate Christ, and God. Then you turn into sorcery and evil, into all uncleanness, and then God is not in your thoughts; and then you are the disobedient one, which disobey the light which God has enlightened you with; and there the wrath of God abides on you, and the prince of the air rules in you, as he does in all the children of disobedience, who hate this light.

Now do not think that I hold free will here, man's free will; I speak of that which is contrary to man's will, and loving the light it will keep your wills from running, and your wills from willing anything, and keep them in subjection. But he that hates this light, and makes a profession of God and Christ, and says that the Bible is the word, and the four books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John is the gospel, he knows not Christ which is glad tidings, the lamb of God, which takes away the sins of the world; for the Bible does not take away sin. And you that say you had not come to repentance, if you had not known the Bible, you deny Christ, who came to call sinners to repentance before the Bible existed. It is Christ who calls sinners to repentance, and not the Bible; but the Bible is a declaration of the word, God is the word; and the Bible is a declaration of the light, Christ is the light; and the Bible is a declaration of the spirit, but the spirit is not the Bible; the Bible is a declaration of power, but the power is not it. The power, and the life, and the light, was in them that spoke it forth, whom the world always hated. Therefore waiting in the light, which Christ has enlightened you with, that is scripture within you, and that will open the scripture, (according as you grow in the light,) and the saint's conditions, as you are sanctified, and as you are cleansed and made free by the son of God, for it is he that makes free. Who are made free from sin, and from the world, are made free by the son of God; and blessed be the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has raised him from the dead, and by him raised us up from the dead.

And to you who tempt God, and ask the Lord to give you a sight of your sins, priests and people; does not the light, which Christ has enlightened you with, let you see your sins, that lying and swearing, cursed speaking, theft, murder, and whoredom, and covetousness, and pride, and lust, and pleasures, all these to be the works of flesh, and fruits of darkness? This light within you lets you see it, so you need not tempt God to give you a sight of your sins, for you know enough; and waiting in the light, power and strength will be given to you; for those who wait upon the Lord, their strength shall be renewed; and living in the light, and walking up to God, it will bring you to true hunger and thirst after righteousness, that you may receive the blessing from God; and rise over tempting of God, as if he had not given you a sight of your sins. And to all you who say, God give us grace, and we shall refrain from our sin; this is using a customary word in a tempting manner, for the free grace of God has appeared to all men, and the grace of God shows you your ungodliness and worldly lusts. Now you that live in ungodliness, lying, and swearing, and theft, and murder, and drunkenness, and filthy pleasures, and lusting after the world; you are he that turns the free grace of God into wantonness, [ a license to sin] and casts his laws behind your back, and walks despitefully against the spirit of grace; here the scripture is fulfilled upon you! Oh vain man! Yet you can say, God is merciful; he is merciful and just; and that mercy and justice you shall see, when destruction comes upon you. For you can say, God is merciful, yet you live in your wickedness, passing your time without the fear of God, sporting yourself in your wickedness. Oh you covetous proud priests, who deceive the nation, who mind earthly things, whose God is your belly, whose glory is your shame. You are enemies of the cross of Christ; your destruction is coming, that you shall not make a prey upon the people any longer; the Lord has spoken it.

Oh you great men, and rich men of the earth, weep and howl for your misery is coming, who heap up treasure for the last day! Your gold and silver shall eat you up as the rust and the canker; the fire is kindled, the day of the Lord is appearing, a day of howling will be among your fat bulls of Bashan, that all the tall cedars and strong oaks must be hewn down, and all the loftiness of men must be laid low; then shall the Lord alone be exalted.

The free grace of God is the saints' teacher, which teaches them to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, to live righteously and godly (like God) in this evil present world, denying all the world's lusts, and world's ways, and world's teachers, and works of darkness, which grace is turned into wantonness, [a license to sin], by those who follow the course of the world, and the works of darkness, drunkenness, and uncleanness; and such are they who cannot abide sound doctrine; which heap up teachers, having itching ears. And all who turn from this grace of God, into wantonness, [lack of restraint or a license for continuing to sin] , deny it to teach them, and they live in their worldly lusts and ungodliness. Oh how does the land mourn because of oaths! Oaths are heard in the streets openly belched forth. Oh how does the pride and haughtiness of men and women abound, that scarcely know how to walk in the streets! Oh how does oppression and tyranny rule, that the cries of the poor are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabbaths! Oh how does drunkenness and drunkards walk abroad in the streets, which devour the creatures! The Lord is rising, and surely he will be avenged of all his adversaries. He is come to sweep the land of evil-doers, that the earth shall yield her increase, and the land enjoy her sabbaths. He will sit judge, and righteousness shall run down our streets, and God alone be magnified and glorified, to whom it alone belongs forever. Oh how does all the creation groan under this bondage of corruption! The Lord is pouring out his spirit upon all flesh, that his sons and daughters may prophesy up and down this great city, and none shall make them afraid, crying for justice, crying for righteousness, crying for equity.

For the cry of the great whore is come up before the Lord, who is adulterated from the truth; they who hate this light, hate Christ which is the husband, and go from him; they who love the light, have the husband which is Christ, but the judgment of the great whore is come, who made all nations to drink of the cup of her fornication, who must drink of the cup of the indignation of the wrath of God poured out without mixture, who must have it filled double. Rejoice, rejoice all you prophets and holy men of God, triumph in glory. Sing aloud praise to the Lord God Almighty, and Omnipotent, who is come to reign. Rejoice over the world, over the false prophets, over the beast, over the whore, which is adulterated from the light, and tells all her lovers that the light is natural, and so denies the husband Christ Jesus, and lives in fornication. But all who love the light, and walk in the light, witness Jesus Christ to be the husband, and this light is spiritual. Now she is convinced of her adultery, of her witchcraft, of sorcery, and that which does convince her is the light which Christ has enlightened her with, and this is her condemnation. And now the judgment of the great whore is come, God will be avenged on her, who has drunk the blood of his saints, who dwelled in the light, and loved the light.

All who hate this light, they set up to be their light such as are called of men masters, have the chief places in the assemblies, stand making long prayers, lay heavy burdens upon the people, which devour widows' houses (the widow has not a husband) all are as widows who are devoured of such; but who loves the light which Christ has enlightened them with, it joins them to Christ, and then they witness him to be their husband, and such as are not devoured of them. And who hate this light, hold up them who bear rule by their means; which Jeremiah, who dwelled in the light, was sent to cry out against. And those who hate this light, hold up them that cry for their gain from their quarters, and never have enough, which Isaiah, who dwelt in the light, was sent to cry out against. And those who hate the light go after the error of Balaam, and hold up such who love the wages of unrighteousness; and all who hate this light have the spirit of error, and those who dwell in the light, know the spirit of error, and what the spirit of error follows; and all who hate this light, hold up the hirelings that Micah cried against, and such as call for the fleece, and clothe themselves with the wool, that Ezekiel cried against, who was in the light, and full of the spirit. Now where the same light is made manifest, as was in the prophets which saw Christ the light, and in the apostles the same light which gave forth the scripture, all the scripture is witnessed; and here we are grounded upon the prophets, upon the apostles, and Christ the cornerstone, in the eternal light, by which we see the priests bear rule by their means now, and seek for their gain from their quarters now, and are greedy dumb dogs now, no worse than Balaam, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, (Num 22:6-14), but dare not take it; but these sue men at the law for it; worse than Simon Magus, who would have bought the gift of the spirit, but these sell the letter. This corrupt practice has long reigned, but now is made manifest. And in this light we see the hirelings that preach peace, but he that puts not in their mouths, they prepare war against him; and by this light, we see teachers who profess they are sent of Christ, to be in the seat of the Scribes and Pharisees, and are called of men masters, and have the chief places, going in their long robes, love salutations in the markets, have the uppermost seats at feasts, and under pretence making long prayers, devouring widows' houses, which Christ cried woe against.

And such we cannot own as sent from Christ, nor hold up; for if we should, we should deny the scriptures, and hold up that which Christ forbids; and if we should hold up them who rule by their means, we should deny Jeremiah to be a true prophet, who cried against such. And if we should hold up such as cry for gain from their quarters, we should deny Isaiah, who was sent to cry against such. And if we should hold up such as go for gifts and rewards, who love the wages of unrighteousness, we should deny the apostle, who cried against such. For the same light is manifest, (praised be the Lord God,) by which they are seen and cannot be owned, but must be denied, as they were by the prophets, by Christ, by the apostles. And if we should hold up such that say, revelations are ceased, we should deny the son as they do. For none knows the father but the son, and he to whom the son reveals him; and so we deny those to know Christ, or to be sent of Christ, which deny the son, and deny revelations; for the apostle, (who was a minister of God), was not a minister of Christ, until the son was revealed in him, and then he preached him, and preached the kingdom of God. So all who deny revelations, deny the son and the father both, and live in their imaginations of the letter. And the apostle exhorts the saints to have the loins of their minds girded up, and hope to the end for the grace that was to be brought to them at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Now he was a minister, and he did exhort to wait for the revelation of Jesus Christ; but now you that deny revelations, do declare yourself openly, to be no minister, and erase yourself out from among the ministers of Christ. And you that go in the ways of Cain, you are raised away from Abel, for in your heart lodges persecution, and your mouth utters it, and your hands act it.

And you that speak a divination of your own hearts, are raised out from them who speak from the mouth of the Lord; for the prophets of the Lord ever cried out against such, and so they do now; and you that seek for gain from your quarter, are those who are shut out from the true prophets of God. The prophets cried out against you, and the same light cries out against you now, otherwise the prophets should be made of no effect, for they spoke forth freely, and so they do now that speak forth from the same light. The light is free, which has enlightened every one that comes into the world. You that hate it have learned your condemnation. The light lets you see all the evil deeds of your heart. And the gospel is free to every creature, not to be bought and sold for money. Oh shameless men, that tell people the letter is the word, and buy and sell it for money, which is a declaration of the living word. And the grace is free, which has appeared to all men, which is the saints' teacher, and you need not have any other teacher. If you own the grace, which shows your ungodliness and worldly lusts, this grace will teach you to deny them. And the light, which has enlightened everyone that comes into the world, is everyone's condemnation in particular that hates it, and is everyone's teacher who loves it; which light is but one, and will open all the figures, and the parables and types to you. And waiting in this light, it will guide you to God; there is your teacher, but there is your condemnation who hate it. Everyone of you shall eternally witness this; to that which should exercise your conscience do I appeal, for now the mighty day of the Lord is coming; meet him, by putting off your works of darkness.

God that made the world and all things in it, dwells not in temples made with hands, neither will he be worshipped with men's inventions; but Israel, when he had forgotten his maker, built temples; and Judah built fenced cities; but the Lord will send a fire to devour them, and all your songs shall be turned into mourning; the mouth of the Lord has spoken it. O then all you that profess, see that you possess, and profess no more than you are.

All who stumble at the light are without, and are not come to repentance, and so all who stumble at the light, stumble at the door; the door is known by the light which comes from Christ. And all who stumble at the light, stumble at the way; for Christ has enlightened everyone, so that with the light he might see the way (which is Christ) to the Father. So all who stumble at the light, stumble at the scriptures, and know not the meaning of them; for that eye that is turned from the light is the blind, and leads into the ditch, and is to be condemned with the light from Christ. And all who stumble at the light, never knew the hope which purifies, nor the faith which purifies, nor the belief which overcomes the world; but he walks in darkness, and does not know where he goes. And the children of light, which dwell in the light, to him their condition is unknown, for he hates that which they walk in; so with that light he is condemned. And to you all this is the word of God. And all who stumble at the prophets' words, and cannot understand the words of them, spoken from the light which was in them; and all who stumble at the light, stumble at the apostles' words, which were declared from the light which was made manifest in all consciences, which ministered to the spirits in prison; so all who stumble at the light, they are to be condemned with the light from the life of the prophets and apostles, (who dwelled in the light), with the rude wicked world. And here every one shall witness his condemnation to be just, and see it just, with the light which shows him his evil deeds; and that Christ's words are true, and to own his condemnation that hates it. And they are the children of the light that love it, and believe in it, and with the light they see their deeds are wrought in God, to the praise of God, and joy, and comfort of themselves.

George Fox