tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43864920381068884142024-02-20T12:34:07.822-08:00Inshining LightSometime around the year 1654, a group of people came together in England calling themselves "Children of Light." These people gathered together out of a shared direct and unmediated experience of the "inshining Light" itself in itself anchoring and informing their conscience without regard to outward professions, institutions, ideologies, theologies, similitudes, icons, economies, politics, or social forms. The inshining Light itself was sufficient guide and teacher.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-86264496117835059242017-10-14T17:51:00.001-07:002022-09-11T08:50:12.447-07:00To all that would know the way to the Kingdom, whether in forms, without forms, or got above all forms.<center>
To all that would Know the WAY TO THE KINGDOME,<br />Whether they be In Forms, Without Forms, <em>or</em> Got above all Forms</center>
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<br />A Direction to turn your minds within, Where the voice of God is heard, whom whom you ignorantly worship as afar off; and To wait upon him for the true Wisdom.</center>
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<br />That you may know <em>Truth </em>from <em>Errour,</em> the <em>Word </em>from the <em>Letter, </em>the <em>Power </em>from the <em>Form,</em> And the <em>true Prophets </em>from the <em>false.</em></center>
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<em>Given forth by those whom the world in scorn calls</em> QUAKERS.</center>
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<br />Printed at <em>London, </em>1655.</center>
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<br />Keyboarded from Facsimile of Original by Keith Saylor 2017</center>
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A warning to all sorts of people who live in sin and uncleanness, For the wicked must be turned into hell, and all that forget God: And who are workers of iniquity are accursed from Christ: for saith he, <em>Go yet cursed, ye workers of iniquity into utter darkness.</em><br />
<em><br /></em> I am the light of the world, and enlightens every one that cometh into the world: Christ hath enlightened every one that comes into the world; thou that loveth that light, which Christ hath enlightened thee withall, thou brings thy works to the Light, that thy 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 teacheth righteousness and holiness, it will keep thee from lying, and not let thee lye, and keep thee in tenderness of conscience towards God and man, and never let thee swear, it will check thee if thou dost; the light will not let thee take Gods name in vain, it will let thee see if thou dost, thou must not go unpunished; And will never let thee 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 thee from adultery and whoredom for such will God Judge; and the light will keep thee from theft, quarrelling and fighting, and abusing thy self with mankind, and envy, and will keep thee in the fear of God, this light which is of God, and let thee see all the works of the world and draw thee out of the worships of the world, and keep thee 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 thy own wisdom thou wilt see with the light, arising out of the earthly part in thee; which wisdom is sensual, and devilish and earthly; for while there is enviousness in thee, there lodegth the manslayer, and all the wisdom is from below, while that nature stands: there’s Sects, and there’s Opinions, and theres conceivings ariseth out of this earthly part, where lodgeth this wisdom, and self-conceit, and pride, and by this wisdom the living God is not known, and so all who dwells in this wisdom put the <em>Letter </em>for the <em>word, </em>and give meanings and expositions upon it, and so gathers together the outward <em>Letter, </em>not having the power and life that gave it forth; so theres castles builded, and strong holds, and fenced cities, and high walls, as the <em>Jews, </em>who had the outward form of the which was given forth from the power, the form of the Prophets, and <em>Moses, </em>and <em>David, </em>and <em>Abraham, </em>who saw Christ, who loved in the power, but the <em>Pharisees </em>and the Priests getting their words, knew not Christ: so it is now with this generation of the world: for you say, ye know Christ: the <em>Jews </em>said, they were of <em>Abraham, </em>the same; so they had gotten the <em>letter, </em>and other words which had the power, and all these are but imitations and likenesses which are above, lifted up above the pure, and here lodgeth the serpent in this earthly part; but as the eternal light which Christ hath enlighten you withall is loved, minded, and taken heed unto, this earthly part is wrought out, that daily cross is taken up, the fear of the Lord grows, the true wisdom increaseth, the errors of the wicked are discovered and made manifest, the unjust comes to suffer, the just comes to reign, the wisdom of the world come to be confounded, that the heathen begin to rage, then tumult arise. And 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 seen with the eternal eye, which ariseth out of the earthly part, and the earth is but one, and all they do raise their ground from the <em>Letter, </em>which is given forth from the power. Now the power dwelling in it, in the eternal light, all Sects and Opinions come to be judged and overturned, and seen to be chaff and is to be burned with that which cannot be quenched, for the light is but one which is Christ, who enligheneth every one, and all are enlightened with one light, every one taking heed to that light which Christ hath enlightened you withall, it leads you out of Sects, out of form, out of the beauty of the world, to live in live and power: and waiting in the light which Christ hath enlightened you withal, you come to be Disciples of <em>Jesus </em>Christ, and servants to the truth, and not to serve the lusts, not the desires, nor pleasures, but the light it judgeth them, for serving the desires and the lust, thou turns into the beastly nature in the world, and into the flesh, and comes to be darkened and vailed, then thy throat is an open Sepulchre, that thou drinketh up iniquity as it were water: but dwelling in the light, it judgeth all that; and all thy works and actions come to be judged by that light, and all walking in this light which Christ hath enlightened your with, you all walking in unity and oneness of mind and lay alway all guile, sin, and uncleanness, and 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 teacheth eternal things eternally, and leads the mind up out of external things: and dwelling in the light, there’s no occasion at all of stumbling, for all things are discovered with the light: thou that lovest it, here’s they teacher, when thou art walking abroad, its present with thee in thy bosom, thou need not say <em>Lo here, </em>or, <em>Lo there: </em>and as thou liest in thy bed its present to teach thee, and judge thy wandring mind; which would wander abroad, and thy high thoughts and imaginations, and makes them subject; for following thy thoughts thou art quickly lost: dwelling in this light, it will discover to thee the body of sin, and thy corruptions, and fallen estate where thou art, and multitude of thoughts: in that light which shews thee all this, stand, neither go to the right hand, nor the left: here’s patience exercised, here’s thy will subjected, here thou wilt see the mercies of God made manifest in death; here thou wilt see the drinkings of the Water of <em>Shiloah, </em>which run softly, and the promises of God fulfilled, whichk are to the seed, which seed is Christ: he that can own me here, and receive me into his heart, the immortal seed is born up, and thy own will thrust forth, for it is not him that willeth, nor him that ruineth, but the election obtaineth it, and God that shews 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’s 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 refresheth it in time, up to God, out of time, through time.<br />
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Whom God loves he loves to the end, where the eternal unity is, where is all peace, all clean, no jarre, who are all of one mind, hid from the worlds wisdom, knowledge, and comprehension, and thoughts can never enter, as it is written, <em>The world by wisdom knows not God, </em>and he is coming to confound the wisdom of the wise. And the Church in God, is not in imitation, gathered from the <em>Letter, </em>and a high-flown people in their imaginations, but are them who are born again of the Immortal Seed, by the word of God, which lives and endures for ever, which the world knows not; for the Word cuts asunder, hews down all wickedness, pride, and honour of man, that all honour and glory may be given alone to God; he hews down the first, that he may establish the second, and raise up the second; and the Word of the Lord is a fire, burns up all corruptions, burns up all that it has hewn down, and 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 for ever, and feeding upon the milk of the Word, which Word is God, which Word became flesh and dwelt among us; so he is the Head of the Church, and they are lively stones, but all you now, who put the Letter for the Word, and have gotten it in your minds, and gather Assemblies by it; this you cannot witness, and it is blasphemy for you to say, the Letter is the Word, when the Letter saith, God is the Word; and it is a lie to speak and say, the Steeple-house is the Church; or to say, them that 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 before the Letter was; and all who are in this Church, as it is called of the world, and live in the comprehension of the Letter, and the earthly part yet standing, there is devilishness in your minds, and earthliness, and pride, and filth; and do but hearken to that in thy conscience, and it will let thee see so: and while that is standing, God accepts not; and praises, while the nature is standing, God accepts not, which is <em>Cains, </em>which God has no respect, but to <em>Abels</em>: 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 Forms, several, as every one livs in, God is coming to overturn and overthrow, for they alle lodge in her; all the Foundation of them is 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 of Iron, and part Clay, & his Dominion is a Dominion for ever over all. And all who dwells not in this light, which Christ hath enlightened withal, you will be found too light, for he is coming to weight all things in the balance, & before him the Hills shall move & the mountains shall melt, & the rocks shall cleave, who measures the water in the hollow of his head, and his thunders begin to utter their voyces, that the mysteries of God may be opened, and the carnal hearts rent; great Earth quakes shall be, the terrible day of the Lord draws neer the Beast shall be taken, and the false Prophet, into the fire they must go, for the Beast and the false Prophet hath gone together, the one has holden 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 <em>Zion. </em>Now shall <em>Zion </em>arise and thresh to beat the hills and thresh the Mountains, now is the Sword drawn, which glitters and is fourbushed, the Sword of the Almighty, to hew down <em>Baals </em>Priests, corrupt Judges, corrupt Justices, corrupt Lawyers, fruitless Trees which cumber the ground. Drunkard, thou canst not hide thyself, cursed speaker, thou canst not hide thy self; Whoremonger, thou canst not hide thy self. Awake awake all people every where who live in Forms, see what ye 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 the eternal spirit to be born up in your understandings, which gave forth the Scriptures, I am the light which enligheneth every one, that light you hate, and all who hate this light set up Teachers without them, but all who love this light is of God, and teacheth to God, which is a Cross to all the world, and this light it is in every one, waiting in it to receive Christ; and as may 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: but these are them who are out of imitations, and have no Images, nor no 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 Christ, he that can recieve this, if he had not known the Letter let him, he is come before the Letter was written. <em>In the beginning was the word.</em><br />
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To all you who hate the light, your deeds are evil: Christ saith, <em>He is the light of the world, and enlighteneth ever one that comes into the world: </em>The one he loves the light, and bring 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. Thou that saith Christ doth not enlighten every one that comes into the world, thou art a lyar, and denier of Christ words, and laies waste the Scripture; and thou that saith this light is naturall, thou puts the letter for the light, which is natural; true it is, darkness cannot comprehend this light but the light makes manifest darkness and this is the condemnation of the world, the light, thou that hatest this light, thou hast it. Christ saith, <em>Swear not all all, </em>the light will say the same to thee, in thee, <em>Christ </em>saith, <em>He that lusteth after a Woman committeth adultery with her in his heart</em>: This light will tell thee the same, bringing thy works to it, and loving it. Christ cryed woe against the <em>Pharisee, </em> the Hypocrite; this light will let thee see the same. Christ will say, <em>Go ye cursed</em> workers of iniquity, his light will say the same to thee, in thee, who art a worker of iniquity; here shalt thou be condemned with the light, and judged with the light out of thy own mouth; this light will let thee see all thy hard speeches, thy venomous thoughts, thy evil intentions, and covetous desires, which is Idolatry, and dissembling and deceit, to be works of darkness, and let thee see that all those things are evil; there thou hast learned thy condemnation, there is thy teacher, that would teach thee to know God, there is thy condemnation, hating that light it will condemn thee from him: Thou wilt say, thou knowest in thy conscience that drunkenness is sin, here thou lovest darkness rather than the light that shews it thee, and lying and swearing, and cursed speaking in sin and yet thou followeth it, and pleasure, there thou lovest darkness rather than the light that shews thee them, because thy deeds are evil, and there thou hast learned thy condemnation, when Gods righteousness shall be revealed in flames of fire, thou shalt witness I speak truth. Thou knowest theft is sin, and all unrighteousness God forbids, thou wilt see something in thy conscience, and bring thee to repentance. Christ saith, <em>I call sinners to repentance, </em>that in thee calls thee to repentance, and if thou hearken to that, thou hearkens to Christ, and it thou hate that, thou hates Christ, and God, than. thou turns into the sorcery, into all uncleanness, and then god is not in thy thought, and then thou art the disobedient one, which disobeys that light which God hath enlightened thee with, and there the wrath of God abides on thee, and the Prince of the Air rules in thee, as he doth in all the children of disobedience, who hates this light. Now do not think that I hold free-will here, mans free-will, I speak of that which is contrary to mans will, and loving the light it will keep your wills from running, and your wills from willing any thing, and keeps it in subjection; but that hates this light, and makes a profession of God and Christ, and saith, that letter is the word, and the four Books, <em>Matthew, Mark, Luke </em>and <em>John, </em>is the gospel, thou knowest not Christ, which is glad tidings, that Lamb of God, <em>which takes away the sins of the world</em>; for the letter takes not away sin; and thou that sayest thou had not come to repentance, if thou had not known the letter, thou denist Christ, who comes to call sinners to repentance before letter was, but it is he that calls to repentance sinners, and not the letter, but the letter is a declaration of the word, the book(?), God is the word; and it is a declaration of the light, Christ is the Light, and a declaration of the Spirit; but the Spirit is not in it; a declaration of power, but the power is not in it; the power, and the life, and the light, was in them that spoke it forth, which ever the world hated; there fore waiting in the light, which Christ hath enlightened you with, that’s Scripture within you, and that will open the Scriptures according as you grow in the light, the Saints conditions; as you are sanctified, and as you are cleansed and made free with the Son of God, for it is he that maketh free, who are made free from sin, from the world, are made free by the Son of God; and Blessed be the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath raised him from the dead, and by him raised us up from the dead.<br />
And to you that tempt God, and say, the Lord give us a sight of our sins, Priests and people, does not the light, which Christ hath enlightened you with, let you see your sin, that lying, and swearing, cursed speaking, theft, murder, and whoredom, and covetousness, and pride, and lust, and pleasures, all these to be the <em>works of flesh, and fruits of darkness? </em>This light within you lets you see it, so you need not tempt God to give you a sight of your sins, for ye know enough, and waiting in the light, power and strength, shall be renewed and living in the light; and walking up to God, it will bring you to true true hunger and thirst after righteousness, that you may receive the Blessing from God, and give over your tempting of God, to give you a sight of your sins. And to all ye that say, God give us grace, and we shall refrain from our sin, there ye have got a tempting customary word, for the free grace of God hath appeared to all men, and this is the grace of God, which shews thee ungodliness and worldly lusts. Now thou that liveth in ungodliness, lying, and swearing, and theft, and murther, and drunkenness, and filthy pleasures, and lusting after the world, thou art he <em>that turns the free grace of God into wantoness, and casts his laws behind thy back & </em>walkest despightfully against the spirit of grace; here the Scriptures is fulfilled upon thee Oh vain man! Yet thou canst say, God is merciful; he is mercifull and just, and that shalt thou see, when destruction comes upon thee; for thou canst say, God is merciful; yet lives in the wickedness, passing on thy time without fear of God, sporting thy self in thy wickedness. Oh ye covetous proud Priests! which deceives the Nations, who mind earthly things, whose God is your belly, who glory in your shame, enemies of the Cross of Christ, your destruction is coming, that ye shall not make a prey upon the people any longer the <em>Lord hath spoken it.</em><br />
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Oh ye great men, and rich men of the earth! weep and howl, for your misery is coming, who heaps 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 amongst your fat Bulls of <em>Basham, </em>that all the tall Ceders and strong Oaks must be hewn down, and all the loftiness of men must be laid low, then shall the Lord alone be exalted.<br />
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The free grace of God is the Saints teacher, which teacheth them to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, to live righteously and godly, like God, in this evil present world, denying all the worlds lusts, and worlds waies, and worlds teachers, and works of darkness, which grace is turned into wantoness, 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 heaps up teachers, having itching ears, And all who turns this grace of God into wantonness, deny it to teach them, and they live in their worldly lusts and ungodliness. Oh how doth the Land mourn because of Oaths? Oaths are heard in the streets openly belched forth. Oh how doth the pride and haughtiness of Men and Women abound, scarce know how to walk in the streets? Oh how doth Oppression and Tyranny Rule, that the cries of the poor are entered into the Ear of the Lord of Sabboths? Oh how doth drunkenness and drunkards walk abroad in the streets, which devoures 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 his increase, and the Land enjoy her Sabbaths: And he will sit a Judge, and righteousness shall run down our streets, and God alone be magnified and glorified, to whom it alone belongs for ever. Oh how doth all the creation groan under this bondage of corruption? the <em>Lord </em>is pouring out his Spirit upon all flesh, that his sons and daughters may prophesie 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 goes from him: they who love the light, have the Husband which is Christ, but the Judgement of the great Whore is come, who made all Nations to drink 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, Rejoyce, rejoyce all ye Prophets and holy men of God, triumph in glory: sing aloud praise to the Lord God almighty and Omnipotent, who is come to reign; rejoyce over the world, over the false Prophets, over the Beast, over the Whore, which is adulterated from the light, and tels all her lovers that the light is natural, and so denies the husband of Christ Jesus, and lives in Fornication but all who loves the light, and walks in the light, witness Jesus Christ to be the husband, and this light to be spiritual: Now she is convinced of her adultery, of he witchcraft, of her socery, and that which doth convince her is the light which Christ hath enlightened her with, and this is her condemnation. And now the Judgement of the great Whore is come, God will be avenged on her, who has drunk the blood of all his Saints, who dwelt in the light, and loved the light.<br />
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All who hate this light, they set up to be their light, such as are called Man Masters, have 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 widows who are devoured of such; but who love the light which Christ hath enlightened them with, it joyns them to Christ, and then they witness him to be their husband, and such are not devoured of them. And who hate this light, hold up them who bear rule by their means, which <em>Jeremy, </em>who dwelt in the light, was sent to cry against. And they that hate this light, hold up them that cry for their gain from their quarter, and never have enough, which <em>Isaiah </em>who dwelt in the light was sent to cry out against. And they that hate the light go after the error of <em>Balaam, </em>and hold up such who love the wages of unrighteousness; and all who hate this light have the spirit error, and what the spirit of error follows, And all who hate this light, hold up the Hirelings that <em>Micha </em>cryed against and such as call for the Fleece, and cloath themselves with the wooll, that <em>Ezekiel</em> cryed against, who was the Light, and full of the spirit. Now where the same light is made manifest, as was in the Prophets which saw <em>Christ </em>the light; and the <em>Apostles </em>in the same light, which gave forth the Scripture, all the Scripture is witnessed; and here we are grounded upon the Prophets, upon the <em>Apostles </em>and <em>Christ </em>the Corner-stone, in the eternal light, by which we see tthe Priests bear rule by their means now, and seek for their gain, form their, Quarter now, and are greedy dumb Dogs now, ney worse than <em>Balaam, </em>who loved the wages of unrighteousness, but durst not take it; but these sue men at the Law for it; worse then <em>Simon Magos, </em>who would have bought the spirit, but these fell the letter: this corrupt doctrine hath 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 which light, we see teachers who profess they are sent of <em>Christ </em>to be in the seat of the Scribes and Pharisees, and are called of men Masters, and have the chiefest 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 cryed woe against, and such we cannot own as sent of Christ, not 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 <em>Jeremiah </em>to be a true Prophet, who cryed 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 <em>Apostle, </em> who cryed against such; for the same light is manifest, praised be the Lord God, by which that are seen and cannot be owned, but must be denied, as they were by the Prophets, by Christ, by the <em>Apostles; </em>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 any thing of Christ, or to be sent of Christ, which deny the Son, and deny Revelations; for the <em>Apostle, </em>which was a Minister of God, he was not a Minister of Christ, till 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 <em>Apostle </em>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 has was a Minister, and did exhort to wait for the Revelation of Jesus Christ: but now thou that denies Revelations, dost declare they self openly, to be no Minister, and raceth thy self out from among the Ministers of Christ, and thou goest in the waies of <em>Cain, </em>thou art raced out from <em>Abel, </em>for in thy heart lodgeth Persecution, and thy mouth utters it, and thy hands Acts it. And you that speak a Divination of your own heart, are raced out from them who speak from the mouth of the Lord; for the Prophets of the Lord cried out ever against such, and so they do now: and yet that seek for gain from your quarter, are they that are raced out from the true Prophets of God; they cryed out against you, and the same light cries out against you now, otherwise the Prophes should be made of none effect, for they spoke forth freely and do they do now that speak forth the same light; the light is free, which hath enlightened every one that comes into the world: thou that hates it, has learned thy condemnation; it lets thee see all the evil deeds of the 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 but a Declaration of the Word, and the Grace is free, which hath appeared to all men, which is the Saints teacher, and you need not have any teacher if you own the Grace, which shews your ungodliness and worldly lust; this Grace will teach you to deny it, and the Light which hath enlightened every one that comes into the world, there’s every one of you condemnation in particular that hates it; and there’s every one of your teachers that loves it: which is but one, and will open all the Figures, and the Parables, and Types to you: and waiting in it, it will guide you to God, there is your teacher: there is your condemnation: every one of you shall eternally witness me, to that which exerciseth your conscience do I speak, 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 be worshipped with mens inventions; but <em>Israel, </em>when he had forgotten his Maker, builded Temples, and <em>Judah </em>builded 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 hath spoken it. Oh then, all ye that profess, see that you possess, and profess no more than you are.<br />
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All who stumbles at the light are without, and are not come to repentance, and so all who stumbles at the light, stumbles at repentance: All who stumbles at the light, stumbles at the door, the door is known by the light which comes from <em>Christ</em>: And al who stumbles at the light stumbles at the way; for <em>Christ </em>hath enlightened every one, that with the light he might see the way (which is <em>Christ</em>) to the Father. So all who stumbles at the light, stumbles at the Scriptures, and not know 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 <em>Christ: </em>And all who stumbles at the light never knew Hope which purifies, nor Faith which purifies, nor the belief which overcomes the world; but he walks in darkness, and doth not know whether he goes, and the Children of light which dwels in the light, to him their condition is unknown, for he hates that which they walk in: So with that he is condemned, and to you all this is the word of God; And all who stumbles at the Prophets words, and cannot understand the words of them, spoken from the light which in them was; And all who stumbles of the light, stumbles at the Apostles words, which were declared from the light which was made manifest in all Consciences which ministred to the Spirits in Prison: So all who stumbles at the light, they are to be condemned with the light from the life of the Prophets and Apostles, which dwelt in the light with the rude wicked world. And here every one shall witness his condemnation just, and see it Just, with the light which shews his evil deeds, and <em>Christs </em>words true, and to own his condemnation.<br />
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To all that denies that light the enlightens the conscience to be the light of Christ, and all who say that light which enlightens the conscience is natural, <em>Isaiah </em>the 5 and 10. and to all that builders that denies the Corner-stone.<br />
<em>1. How is Christ the light of the world, and how doth he enlighten every one that comes into the world, if it be not in the conscience? </em>John 8. 12. John 1. 9.<br />
2. <em>How doth the spirit of Christ reprove the world of sin, of righteousness, and of Judgement, if it be not in the conscience? </em>John 16.8.<br />
3. <em>How doth the spirit of Christ guide into all truth, and shew things to come, if it be not within the conscience? </em>John 16.13.<br />
4. <em>How are all the Children of God taught of God, if it be not by the light of God in the conscience, and how do they hear his voyce, if not in the soule and spirit within? </em>Isaiah 59. 13. John 6. 45.<em> </em><br />
5. <em>How that can be said to be a naturall light which bears witness to God in that which is Holy, and against all the natural inclinations of false man, seeing the Scripture saith; the natural man receives not the things of the spirit of God. </em>1 Corinthians 2. 14<br />
6. <em>If that be a natural light which enlightens the conscience of every one, and manifests the deeds of darkness, sin and evil in them, and that they are fallen from God, and in them dwells no good thing, then wherein doth Christ enlighten every one that comes into the world, and how do you distinguish of that natural light, from the light of Christ, by their several operations? John 1.9.</em><br />
7. <em>How Christ is given for a light to the Gentiles, who had not the Letter, and whether that [be] not the light of Christ which shewed them the law of God written in their hearts, who had not the law without, by which light they did the things contained in the law: and whether any Light lead to do the things contained in the law, but the light of Christ. </em>Acts 26.23. Isaiah 49.3. Romans 2.15.<br />
8. <em>How is the Gospel of Christ Preached to every creature under heaven, if it be not the prescripts of the light in the conscience, it being that many never come to read or hear of the Scriptures? </em>Romans 10.18. Colossians 1.23.<br />
9. <em>If that which accuseth or excerseth and so is Judge in the conscience, be a natural light, then all Judgement is not committed to the Son, But you set up another judge in the conscience before him? </em>Romans 2.15. John 5.22.<br />
10.. <em>If that be a naturall light which Checks and bears Rule in the conscience, then is not Christ alone King in the conscience, but another Ruler is set up before Christ be owned? </em>Matthew 2.6.<br />
11. <em>If that be a natural light which excuseth, and so gives peace in the conscience, then you set up a peace before Christ come, and here you deny him to be the foundation and Prince of peace? </em>Zechariah 9.10. Ephesians 2.14.<br />
12. <em>If that be a natural light which shews the way towards God in the conscience, reproves the untoward wayes, then is not Christ alone the way to the Father, but you set up another way before him? </em>John 14.6<br />
13. I<em>f that by which all shall be Judged and condemned, be any outward teaching from the letter, or by man, then of what was the Gentiles condemned, who had not the law, letter, or outward teaching, and yet was to perish, not doing the things contained in the law? </em>Romans 2. 12, 13, 14.<br />
14. <em>Is there any other thing that convinceth of unbelief but that which convinceth of sin in the conscience, seeing Christ saith he shall convince the world of sin, because they believe not in me? </em>John 16.8.9. Ephesians 5.13 14.<br />
15. <em>If there be something in the conscience naturally which is light, then how is it that the scripture concludes [not readable] in their natural estate, and have not recieved the light of Christ, and how is Christ said to give light to them that sit in darkness. </em>Ephesians 5.8. Luke 1. 79.<br />
16. <em>Whether in the Scriptures do you find any light that Convinceth the conscience but the light of Christ, which shews the Law of God in the heart, and the Beach of it?</em><br />
17. <em> Is not that good which beareth witness in the conscience against all evil; which if it be, and be not the light of Christ, but a natural light, then man is not wholy fallen, but is something good in man before Christ come? </em>Matthew 19.17.<br />
18. <em>How Christ is tendered a Covenant of the Father freely to every creature, if it be not in the conscience, and if it be not tendered to every creature, then what shall be the Condemnation or Salvation of those to whom he was never tendered; and how it will stand with the Impartial God to tender Christ to some and not to others, and to condemn for unbeliefs, those to whom the light of Christ was never tendered. and how such can be said to be unbelievers? </em>Genesis 9.9.10. John 3.18.19.<br />
19. <em>And now you that talke of a natural light, and a spiritual light. Produce one scripture that speakes of a natural light, But you who see with natural light, eye and minds not that in the conscience are Ignorant of this spiritual light, for darkness cannot comprehend the light, thought it shine in it. And here all you who denies Christ to be the light of the world, are seen to all who have the light to be children of Darkness, and are in that generation who hate the light, and put light for darkness and darkness for light, and here you are shut out of the Scriptures: And the Woe is to you, And the true light you deny, by which the Saints have judged, and have been guided in all ages, and you cannot judge of the things of god, nor his people</em>. Isaiah 5.20.<br />
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To all who denies the teaching of God in Spirit, and would keep people in the teachings of men from the letter, ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.<br />
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1. What and where that <em>New Jerusalem </em>is, <em>which came came down from Heaven, in which there is no night, neither needs it light of Sun, Moon, or candle, but the Lord God is the Light thereof: and into which shall in no wise enter any thing that defileth, worketh abomination, or maketh a lye, but whose names are written in the Lambs Book of Life? </em>Revelation 21.<br />
2. <em>What & where that </em>Sion <em>is to which all Nations shall flow, where the Lord shall teach of his waies, and fom whence the Law of God and his word shall go forth; after which they shall learn war no more, but shall say, Come let us walk in the light of the Lord. Isaiah 2. Micah 4</em><br />
3. <em>What and where that covenant is wherein the Lord will write his Law in peoples hearts and put it in their inward parts: and they shall no more teach every one their nighbour and brother; saying, Know the Lord, for all shall know him from the least to the greatest: and whether any may expect to come into that Covenant in these daies? </em>Jeremiah 31. Hebrews 8.<br />
4. <em>What and where that unction and anointing is, by which the Saints knew all things and needed not that any should teach them, but as that anointing taught them of all things which was true, and it was no lye: and whether it be of the same effect in these daies?</em><br />
5. <em>What and where that comforter is, which doth reprove the world of sin, of righteousness and Judgement, and doth guide into all Truths, and shews things to come, and shews the things of Christ, and glorifies him: and whether that comforter may be expected in these daies? </em>John 1.9.<br />
6. <em>Whether any of the Saints of God may expect, and wait to recieve his word from his mouth immediately, as all the Messengers of God did in all ages: or there must be no word now but the Letter taken out of Books, and which hath been formerly spoken to others? </em>Jeremiah 23.<br />
7. <em>Whether any may wait for that promise fulfilling in these daies, That all the children of God shall be taught of God; and whether that teaching be sufficient to salvation, without any humane help or learning from man? </em>Isaiah 54.13. John 6.45.<br />
8. <em>What and where the word is that people shall hear behind them, saying This is the way walk in it, when they turn to the right hand or to the left, and what that teacher in the midst of them is, which shall be no more in corners: and whether any may expect that word and Teacher in these daies? </em>Isaiah 30.<br />
9. <em>What that word of faith is, which needs none to say, who shall ascend up into Heaven, or into the depth, to fetch Christ from above or below, but which was nigh in the heart, which the Apostles preached to them which had it in their hearts: and whether the same word be not in the hearts of people now, though they mind it not? </em>Deuteronomy 30. Romans 10.<br />
10. <em>What that voice of Christ is which his sheep knows and how they come to know it from all other voices and which all that hear it, will no more hear the voice of a stranger, hireling, or thief, but by that voice are brought to follow Christ alone; And whether Christs sheep hear the same voice now, and know it from all false voices? </em>John 6.10. [John Chapter 10]<br />
11. <em>What that way in the wilderness is, which is called the way to all holiness, which the unclean shall not pass over, but it shall be for the wayfaring men, and fools shall not err therein: in which way the redeemed shall walk, and the ransomed of the Lord shall come up to </em>Sion; <em>And whether any may find that way who are strangers and fools in these daies? </em>Isaiah 35.<br />
12. <em>What that Ministration of spirit is which is given to every one to profit withall; and whether there can be any profiting without it: and whether it be not of it self an infallible guide in all the waies of God according to its manifestation. </em>1 Corinthians 12.7.<br />
13. <em>What and where that worship of God in spirit and truth is, which God alone seeketh to be worshipped in; and whether any can worship in Spirit, but he who is born of the spirit; and whether he that is born of the Spirit needs any guide in that spiritual worship but that spirit of which he is born, according to its measure, and whether such worshippers have not been and are now different from all other worships, and therefore hated by them in all ages.? </em><br />
14. <em>What and where that is which enlightens every one that comes into the world, and is the condemnation of all that lives darkness, because of their evil deeds: and whether there be any other condemantion but this light to all who believe not in it, but hate it?</em><br />
15. <em>What that Law of the spirit of life is, which after </em>Paul’s <em>warfare did set him free from the Law of sin and death, which formerly had led him captive into the Law of sin, and made him wretched; and whether any now in these daies may look to be set free by the Law of the Spirit of life from the said wretched condition, who find themselves in it?</em><br />
16. <em>What that grace of God is which bringeth salvation and hath appeared to all men, and teacheth the Saints to deny all ungodliness and worldly lusts, and whether it would not teach all the same, if they did not turn in into lasciviousness and they need no other teacher?</em><br />
<em>The </em>LIGHT <em>in your consciences the true Teacher.</em><br />
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<em>Friends. </em>You that look out at teachers without you consider what you have been doing all this while, and what you have learned, and you will see your selves to be strangers from the <em>Covenant </em>of promise, by which all comes to the know the Lord, and need not teach one another; this <em>Covenant </em>of peace you are strangers from who owns not the light, which Christ doth enlighten every one that cometh into the world withal, to teach you, if you have the light which Christ doth enlighten every one with, which shews you sin, and evil, and the deceits of your heart, and how you have spent your time, and how you spend it, and whom you have served, and whom you do serve, that light is your teacher to teach righteousness, for it is righteous; that light will be your condemnation hating it, and you set up such teachers as hates the light, that are called of man Masters, have the chief places in the Assemblies, which Christ cried woe against, and so doth not own that Christ which the Scripture speaks of, but sets up such as Christ cried wo against: as you may try your Spirits, read <em>Matth. </em>23. If you will own the Scriptures; and if ever you will own God; you must own that light in your conscience which Christ hath enlightned you withal: and if ever you see God, you must see him with that light which Christ hath enlighten you with; for it is the Eye, and if ever you see the Church which is in God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, it must be with this light which Christ hath enlightned you with; but hating this light, you run to the teachers of the world, and worships of the world, and so from god, and the Church in God, and this light will be your condemnation that hates it. Now if you love the light, it will teach you when you lie in bed, and shew you where your heart is, where your treasure is, and what your thoughts are upon, and all the deceits of your hearts, and bring you to stand in the counsel of God, to receive instruction from God, and direction how to walk before him; and as this light doth shew you sin, and the deceits of your hearts; stand still in the light, and will nothing: but wait for the power of God to stand against that nature which the light of Christ discovers in you, and here is your first step to peace.<br />
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<em>And eternally you shall witness what is spoken: for to that in your consciences do we speak.</em><br />
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<em>FINIS.</em></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-32148925273582458202017-07-16T10:26:00.002-07:002022-09-11T08:53:04.098-07:00Message to Political Activists, Religious Adherents, and those who gain meaning purpose, and identity in their professions and hobbies. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/ty5enmdk7lcayiw/File%20Jul%2016%2C%2010%2020%2024%20AM.jpeg?raw=1" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="240" src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/ty5enmdk7lcayiw/File%20Jul%2016%2C%2010%2020%2024%20AM.jpeg?raw=1" width="320" /></a></div>
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Stream Orchid - Image by Keith F. Saylor</div>
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A Spirit is come in this world that is calling people out of a way of life that anchors meaning, purpose, and identity in outward forms and activities. People find themselves caught up in or enchanted by the conjurations of political, religious, social, and secular leaders. These leaders conjure up outward political, religious, or social ideological constructs to enchant people and lead them into identification with that which they advocate. These outward professors promise meaning and purpose if only their conjurations are embraced and identified with. Their are those who have been captivated by these leaders, but who sense, at the margins of their soul, a disaffection with the purveyors of a process wherein personal identity, meaning, and purpose is anchored in the embracement and coming into identification with outward political, religious, social, and economic constructs.<br />
I have seen, with my own eyes, those disaffected drop their political signs and banners and walk away when the message of the sufficiency of inshining Spirit is come to them and they are come into a different immanent habitation and the conjurations of political and religious and social leaders lose power. Those disaffected or disenchanted with political and religious leadership that are come into the flawed process of identification with outward forms and ideological constructs, are the focus of this testimony. <br /><a name='more'></a>
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Throughout the history of human being, these outward leaders have, in one way or another, promoted and encouraged the process of identification with outward ideologies, practices, and institutions to anchor and inform human relationships. Throughout, human history this process of identification with outward ideologies, practices, and institutions has proved unsustainable and essentially flawed. The answer (in the face of crumbling forms and institutions) of these leaders of this flawed process is not to question the process itself but to conjure up and establish another set of outward political, religious, and social constructs and lead people into identification with them. This cycle of conjuration, and people's embracement of it, is the source of the power of these outward leaders. Innately and intuitively each person, to one degree or another, has glimpsed the flaw of this process and has sensed disenchantment with it. Intuitively people experience or glimpse an impulse shining somewhere deep in the corner of their conscience. This inshining impulse is the way out of the need to sacrifice human consciousness and conscience at the alters of political, religious, and social institutions and follow the teachings of those leaders who promote and profess the need for adherence to their outward conjurations. Experientially, each of us senses their is a way out of this process and out of enchantment with outward constructs and institutions and the leaders who promote and are are empowered by the flawed process.<br />
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The way out is to mind that inshining impulse that is available to each person. It is unrelated to any outward political, religious, and social construct or those who promote them. The inshining Impulse is right there in the conscience of everyone in all circumstances and in all things. For those who are come into disaffection with the process of identification with outward forms, their a an answer, a different way ... a way that is sustainable and not conditioned upon circumstance or the outward teachings or institutions.. No matter where you are. No matter what your circumstance or condition. Right now, you can turn and mind that inshining Impulse in your conscience. Lay down identification with all outward political, religious, and social forms and mind and wait upon only the inshining Light and an increased illumination will happen and there is a coming out of outward forms and into the inshining Impulse itself in itself. Personal identity, meaning, and purpose comes into relationship with and participation in the inshining Light itself in itself. Personal identity is existence itself in itself. The ideological and institutional mirrors through which we once could 'see' ourselves are shattered and we are come into a different habitation. The Life itself in itself is our Life, meaning, purpose, and identity and we truly know a new 'I am.' To speak I am is to speak that which we share with all other human beings. "I am the Light and the Light is in me and you are the Light" is not heard through the physical ear, it is experienced directly and heard in the inner ear and, in the speaking, we experience the Light itself in itself in our own conscience. <br />
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To those disaffected with outward political, religious, and social ideological, theoretical, and institutional forms, there is another way. You can fully come out being enchanted by the outward conjurations of the purveyors of a process of identification with outward forms and come into the Life itself in itself as it takes its place anchoring consciousness and informing the conscience and guiding your relationships and interactions with other people without regard for an outwardly based flawed process and those who nurture that process. Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-52867694120585003362017-07-14T09:58:00.001-07:002022-09-11T08:54:05.126-07:00The Mystery - I am the Light<center><img src="https://www.dropbox.com/s/h7malgwc7623k9r/File%20Jul%2013%2C%205%2002%2027%20PM.jpeg?raw=1" id="id_e8ac_add7_991_5fcf" style="width: 420px; height: auto;"></center>
<h1 style="text-align: center;"><font size="1">Photo by: Keith F. Saylor - Free to use with Credit</font></h1><h1>The Mystery - I am the Light<br></h1>
<h2>Introduction<br></h2>
<p>An important part of my experience or witness of the inshining motion of Presence is self-awareness being led out of dependency upon outward forms and into an embracement of and a growing into dependency upon immanent Presence itself in itself. This dependency is the experience of awareness anchored in immanent Presence itself in itself so that which I am is immanent Presence. It is a coming into unity with and in the inshining Light itself in itself. In fact, that is the power of the experience. I am coming out of a way of being that is dependent upon outward forms as mirrors through which being is reflected to see or be aware of self. In this experience, the Light is and I am the Light. I have been asked whether this means speaking the experience of who I am in the Light itself in itself is the same as calling or making myself God. Christ did not say the person in that specific body who is named Keith Saylor is the Light. Christ is the Light and the Light is in me and as I am come into the Light, I am the Light and you are the Light. This experience of identification in and with the Light itself in itself is not an experience of Keith Saylor in the flesh being God, it is the experience of coming into a way of being that you know is shared by all other human beings. So that, when one person says "I am the Light," it is recognized in another as if the words were coming from themselves. When the inward Spirit itself in itself speaks "I am" all others who are of the same witness hear it as being spoken from within themselves.<br> </p><a name='more'></a>
<h2>Unity<br></h2>
<p>I am the light and the light is in me and you are the light and the light is in you. The mystery of a conscious anchored in and a conscience informed by inshining Light itself in itself is the appearance of the image of Christ. In this appearance, we come into the experience of being the image and knowing the image within our consciousness, In this knowing, we no longer are in relationship with divine Presence as at a distant but as who we are in ourselves. We are come into divine being and divine being is in us and we are divine being. That which I am, you are. I am the light itself and in the Light you are. Immanent participation in the Light discovers unto us the only source wherein we can truly be at one with one another. Shared outward Political, social, and religious forms, methods, and practices, are not the stuff of spiritual oneness. I am the Light and you are the Light proclaims the only source of Unity. To mind the Light is to mind unity with one another and to speak to and through one another.<br> </p>
<h2>Idolatry<br></h2>
<p>To affirm I am the Light and the Light is in me is sometimes reflected on by others as a claim of being God and that there is a separation between God and human beings. A claim by a particular person in physical form to be God himself in himself is the manifestation of drawing the conscious and conscience of people into idenitification with a particular outward form. This is a form of conjuration designed to enchant the conscious and conscience of people to a particular figure or type. Again, Christ did not say that Keith Saylor, for example, is the way, the truth, and the Light. Christ said, I am the Way. When a person claims to be the Light in his or her particular outward physical body, that person makes an idol of his or her body and is idolatrous and brings those who regard him or her into idolatry.<br></p>
<p>To affirm I am the Light and the Light is in me and you are the Light is not a fashioning of a particular body or personality into an idol and the drawing of people into identification with that physical body or personality for meaning, purpose, and identity. The affirmation that I am the Light and the Light is in me and is in you and your are the Light is the witness that Christ is Spirit and the throne of the Light is in the conscience and conscious. The witness of I am the Light and the light is in me and you are the light is the coming into identification with the Spirit itself in itself is our conscience. This identification with the Spirit is a drawing of the self-conscious out of identification with outward forms and not one of idolizing outward persons, places, ideologies, or theologies.<br> </p>
<h2>Separation<br></h2>
<p>The mystery of a conscious anchored in and a conscience informed by inshining Light itself in itself is the witness of a bridging between the Light as an object and the Light as immanent within the conscious and conscience of human being. The Throne of Christ is the conscience. Christ Jesus is no longer participated in as distinct being once his inshining Spirit illuminates the conscious and fills the conscience. His image is our image in the conscience. By the power of this bridging human being is come into a witness of that which is shared by one another and is the only source of sustainable unity and relationship between human beings. Identification with all outward forms (which is relationship from a distance) is separation from both the Light itself and other human beings and humane relationships.</p>
<h2>Invitation to the Life itself in itself</h2>
<p>Each one of us can witness within themselves the transformation of the very foundation of their conscience and consciousness and be gathered into a different way of relationship with other human beings. To experience coming into the invisible gathering or habitation in the inshining Life and LIght itself in itself, there is no particular practice or method. Simply begin to lay down identification with outward forms as a source of meaning and person and wait upon the appearance of the image of Jesus Christ in you conscience and consciousness. In this patient waiting the grace of inshining Light will appear in your conscious and conscience and will reveal, according to the measure given, the inward rule and government of the Spirit of Christ itself in itself and you will take up habitation in the inward eternal way of the invisible gathering. </p><p>Also published on QuakerQuaker:</p><p><a href="http://www.quakerquaker.org/profiles/blogs/the-mystery-i-am-the-light-and-you-are-the-light">http://www.quakerquaker.org/profiles/blogs/the-mystery-i-am-the-light-and-you-are-the-light</a></p><p><br></p>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-76995113588524303192017-02-03T20:22:00.001-08:002022-09-11T08:55:21.033-07:00A Response to Source: <a href="https://hyesungfrancis.com/2017/02/01/this-has-always-been-the-cost/">https://hyesungfrancis.com/2017/02/01/this-has-always-been-the-cost/</a><div><br></div><div><p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Some text pulled from "The Christian Quaker ..." written in 1680 by William Rogers, for your consideration and recommendation. Spelling and Usage has not been updated.</span></p></div><div><br></div><div><div>We acknowledge that we owe Obedience either Active or Passive unto this Magistracy; and that such obedience is as well grounded in the Light of Christ within, as warrantable from the Scriptures of Truth without; for when the Magistrate doth command Obedience unto any Law, which is agreeable to the Law of God (as indeed no Laws of England according to the Constitution of its Government, and those maxims which are declared for Law, ought to be contrary thereto) then we ought to yield Active Obedience; and whilst the Magistrates are in Execution of such Laws, they are (as occasion requires) Punishers of those that do Evil, and a Praise unto them that do well[1]; which is agreeable unto the testimony of the Apostle's touching Magistracy, unto whom in such cases Active Obedience is to be given for the Lord's sake.</div><div><br></div><div>Obj. You speak very well so far as you have limited your Obedience to Good Laws; but what if those in power should make such Laws, which you account bad, and not grounded on the Law of God, but directly against those whom you term God's People; dare you then say that 'tis agreeable unto the Light of Christ within, and Scriptures of Truth without, to yield Obedience in such cases?</div><div><br></div><div>To this we answer, 'tis agreeable to the Light within, and the Scriptures of Truth without, that a Christian yield Passive Obedience, since for Conscience sake (chusing rather to obey God than man, which was the Apostle's Case)[2] he cannot yield_ Active Obedience: For we find the Counsel of Christ to be on this wise;_Resist not evil; but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other[3]; which clearly shews 'tis against the Doctrine of Christ to resist; and so consequently we ought to be Passive; and therefore, since we have not at any time pleaded for any other Light within, save the Light of Christ; it is as well agreeable unto the Light of Christ within, as with the Counsel of Christ in the Scriptures of truth without, that men, under the profession of _Christianity, put in practice that wholsom Counsel, which was given by Christ the Son of God, whose ways are unchangeable, _viz.<a name='more'></a> Resist not evil. </div><div><br></div><div>The Christian Quaker ... William Rogers, published 1680. Second Part pg. 30, 31</div><div><br></div><div>The Outward Government is represented by Visible Persons, invested with Power to execute Outward laws, visible by our carnal Eyes, and is suffered by Almightly God, to be executed under variety of Forms, and diversified of Laws, and for divers ends, which we do not now pretend to be reveal'd to us; but yet we believe it to be our duty either actively or passively to submit unto the Outward Government, under which we live, without designing to work our own deliverance (from under such Laws which we have or may account oppressive) by outward force or Violence, which is as much as is with us to say on this occasion, with respect of Outward Government.</div><div><br></div><div>The Inward Government chiefly designed to be treated upon is, the Government of Christ, which we do not believe to be represented by visible persons, certainly known by outward Names, distinguish'd by outward marks and tokens, and invested with Power form him to execute Outward Laws, in a Outward Form of Government, visible by our Carnal Eyes, as aforesaid. </div><div><br></div><div>The Christian Quaker ... William Rogers, published 1680. Third Part pgs. 3,4.</div><div><br></div><div>----------</div><div><br></div><div><p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I appreciate the use of "Passive Obedience" in Rogers quote above. He does not use "Passive Resistance." He, in fact, goes so far as to highlight Christ's words "resist not evil." In Passive Obedience, the focus is on obeying the appearance of the inshining Light in our conscious and conscience. The focus is not on resistance to anything. Instead, the focus is on obedience to the inshining impulse of the Light of Christ. This shift in mind or conscious is the difference between trampling over the prerogative of Christ's rule in our conscience and giving the prerogative to Christ's inshining impulse. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">If we as Quakers are engaged in "passive resistance" **against** a government or government leader we have labeled (demonized or villainized) as, for example, Fascist, we are not of the mind of Christ and have trodden upon the prerogative of the inshining Light itself in itself </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">to rule our minds and hearts. When our minds and hearts are settled down into the foundation of Christ's inshining Impulse onto our conscious and conscience and **embrace** Passive Obedience to that impulse then we know a Pure Mind in the rule and government of the Light itself in itself ... that knowing is the coming of Heaven on Earth. </span></p></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div>[1]: 1 Pet. 2. 13, 14.</div><div><br></div><div>[2]: Act. 5. 28, 29.</div><div><br></div><div>[3]: Mat. 5. 39.</div></div><div><br></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-83898776753427454902016-11-05T17:30:00.001-07:002016-11-05T17:30:05.816-07:00Update - William Rogers Project<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Update - 11.5.2016</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">William Rogers Project</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There has been a number of folks interested in studying Rogers' text, however, they report difficulty or frustration over reading the facsimile copy. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It has been part of of William Rogers Project to manually retype the entire manuscript. My intent to re-type was two-fold. 1. To completely immerse myself in the manuscript through the activity of re-typing the document. 2. To transform the manuscript into a research document that is easily searchable and allowing for more precise annotation etc. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The text will be re-typed without editing original spelling, capitalization, syntax, sentence structure, and type-set. The re-typed manuscript will have line numbers inserted into the body of the text to make for easier reference and cross-reference. It is my belief that the first re-typing the manuscript should be true to the original. I personally find the use of various type-set helpfully to understanding the meaning and the importance of some words and ideas over that of others.</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">However, because of the input of others, I have now integrated a 3rd reason to re-type Rogers' manuscript. That being to create a copy of the manuscript that is easier to read. I have decided to leave off some of the research I am currently engaged in (relative to William Rogers) to produce the re-typed manuscript earlier than I originally intended. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Here is a link to re-typed draft copy of the Preface of William Rogers "The Christian Quaker ..." for your perusal. </span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">PDF of Re-typed Preface from Facsimile hosted on Dropbox:</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">https://www.dropbox.com/s/wxstsrkuadriztu/draft%20rogers%20preface.pdf?dl=0</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Please feel free to email me your comments and suggestions at </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">kfsaylor@gmail.com</span></p>
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<p style="margin: 0px; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; font-family: Helvetica;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Keith F. Saylor</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-39912451751751395292016-05-07T09:43:00.004-07:002022-09-11T08:57:28.412-07:00Living and sustaining in by the Source itself in itself.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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The circumstances of my life at this moment is that I spend a much time in the natural world and with many people. In these meetings and greetings with individuals and the various forms in the natural world, there is an ever-present and abiding grace. There was a time when the visible things of the natural world (through the bodily senses) and the world of people and the institutions we build formed my conscious and informed my conscience. In ever-present and abiding grace the outwardly given things no longer serve such a purpose. Presence itself in itself (imminent awareness) has replaced outwardly given things so that conscious, conscience, meaning, purpose, and identity is sustain without reference to any outward form. In the photograph above there is the Semipalmated Plover in the foreground, and the Dunlin flying, and the Western Sandpiper feeding in the background and the large bird is a Marbled Godwit; then there is the sand and the water and the bubbles floating on the water. The grace of imminent awareness itself in itself is a life or consciousness that exists and sustains in between all those given things. In this new life, we know the Source directly and in all things and circumstances; without reference to the outwardly given things. In this different life, being or awareness exists all around and within the given things. The light shines itself in itself. The lighted things no longer serve as reflectors of the light so that consciousness happens. This new life or consciousness is salvation and eternal life even here on this earth. Each one of us partakes in the imminent awareness in a certain measure. Each one of us can know this new life in fullness and live in the spirit that breezes and breathes between and within. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-53184030115223134422016-04-23T08:39:00.000-07:002016-04-23T08:39:05.601-07:00A meditation toward imminent awareness (the Holy Spirit or the inshining Light).<div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18.2px; margin-bottom: 1em; min-height: 1em; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static !important; vertical-align: baseline;">
There are many of us who are witnessing (living in) an existence wherein our conscious, conscience, meaning, purpose, and identity is established in imminent awareness itself in itself without regard to outward ideas, institutions, scriptures, persons, in political, religious, or economic contexts. To testify to this way of existence is not in itself an act of judgementalism against an existence anchored in outward forms. Here is a testimony that may open a passage wherein imminent awareness (the inshining Light) may break in or reach into your conscious and conscience and show some of what is of the nature of imminent awareness. There is no specific place or context wherein it is better to engage in this meditation. Anywhere or anyplace and under any circumstance is as good as any other. This meditation is a mere testimony to a way of existence witness directly and that is open to anyone. The testimony itself is of no value in itself and should be summarily disregarded if there is no opening to imminent awareness itself in itself. What matters is not the testimony or meditation but the actual and real witness (experience) of the inshining Light itself in itself.</div>
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Consciousness is lost upon the death of the physical body for those whose consciousness is anchored in the outward forms or outward nature. I am testifying to a reality that can be tested on a personal level by anyone when they consider their selves without physical sight, physical hearing, physical smell, physical touch, physical taste, and physical brain to mirror ideas, emotions, and desires. Imagine your self without these. Then ask the simple question: "What is left?" I there anything to hold on to? Is there awareness or consciousness? If your answer is no, know that others have witnessed (experienced) a way of being wherein awareness is no longer dependent upon the sensations, ideations, and will of the body or outward nature. This way of awareness or being that sustains even upon the death of the body is open to anyone without regard to circumstance or condition and, in the act of imagining existence without the bodily or outward nature, you have come right up against eternity. Look at the hands you call your hands or the arms you call your arms and ask "who or what is looking at those hands or arms?" Again, take the time to really, really, really, ask yourself "who or what is looking at those hands or arms?" Do you "feel" or "sense" that otherness looking at those hands or arms? In the very act of experiencing that who or what, you are experiencing or witnessing or in awareness of that which sustains upon the death of the physical body. The hands or arms you call your hands or arms are not truly you ... you are that which is looking at those hands or arms. When those hands or arms no longer function and decay ... that which is right now looking at them is your eternal nature. To live and move and have being and awareness in that which is looking at those hands is to come into eternity. </div>
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Daily rest in the act a living in that which is looking at your hand and arms. Slowly, in due time and with patience, you will begin to experience that which is looking at those hands when you are looking at your husband or wife or mother or father. You will then experience that which is looking at those hands when you look at trees, flowers, buildings, animals, doors, and when you are mopping the floor or <strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 1em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 1em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 1em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static !important; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">reading scripture</span></em></strong> you will witness that which is looking at those hands or words. Then, in all things and circumstances, you will experience that which is looking at those hands. Your identity, meaning, and purpose will become more and more ordered in the Light of that which is observing those hands and arms. That which is observing those hands and arms will become more and more imminent in all those things you do and observe in daily life. </div>
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Then, when you imagine being without eyes for seeing, ears for hearing, nose for smelling, tongue for taste, nerves for touch, and a brain for ideation, emotion, and will you will know and experience that which looks at eyes, nose, tongue, ears, nerves, brain is that which sustains even upon the loss of these upon physical death. For you will know and experience the being or awareness that is the <span style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 1em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static !important; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 1em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static !important; vertical-align: baseline;">withness</strong></span> or witness behind or before the bodily or outward nature. </div>
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The <b><u>withness</u></b> in all things and circumstances in daily life is the testimony of a Witness which is a new way of awareness or being and it is wonderful to live in the glory of this grace that is upon each and every one of us. It is just right there and all we do is take a moment and live in that which is <em style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 1em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static !important; vertical-align: baseline;"><strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 1em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: static !important; vertical-align: baseline;">doing</strong></em> the seeing, thinking, feeling, tasting, smelling, touching, hearing and to rest in that instead of a way of existence that is anchored in the outward manifestations like hands and arms. </div>
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Eternal life or awareness itself in itself is so close and it is upon each one of us ... there is no special place or time or event or institution, or testimony, practice, or tradition, or idea, or theology that captures this witness (experience) or that is needful. The witness (experience) is with us right now and in our place and circumstance and offers a new way of existence without regard to political, religious, and economic, tradition, practice, faith, institution, or tradition ... a way of existence free from faith and hope in the outward nature but that is faithful and hopeful in the actual witness of imminent awareness that shatters the conscious, conscience, meaning, purpose, and identity, bound to the outward manifestation of politics, religion, and economics. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-71274472866692712362016-04-09T08:37:00.000-07:002016-04-09T08:37:29.369-07:00To those whose living Witness is our testimony and who are being led out of outward forms.There are many of us today whose way of existence or awareness on earth is inherently anchored. That is, our conscious or awareness is inherent in itself and our conscience is formed or informed inherently; our identity, meaning, and purpose is in direct and unmediated awareness itself in itself. This inherent existence is sufficient in itself to sustain awareness and to sustains our identity, meaning, and purpose in all things on this earth. We experience life on earth somewhat like this:<br />
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"When mopping the floor ... I am. When speaking to students on Natural History ... I am. While watching hummingbirds build their tiny nests ... I am. When I read scripture ... I am. While watching a Pileated Woodpecker pair feeding their young in a nest cavity ... I am. While attending local theater ... I am. While worshipping in a church building or Meeting House ... I am. As I garden ... I am. While I work on an upholstery project ... I am."<br />
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"<span style="background-color: #f5f6f5;">I am in all things and circumstances and I am none of those things and circumstances. I am predicated to no-thing, tradition, or institution."</span><br />
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For the purposes of this letter, I will use the phrases "inherent existence" and "imminent awareness" interchangeably. Anywhere these two phrases are used, the terms and phrases, such as God, Christ, inward Light, etc. can be replaced for clarity.<br />
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I am inherent existence experienced directly in the conscious and guiding the conscience. Inherent existence is sufficient in itself (without regard to outward forms, people, things, circumstances, community, etc.).<br />
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Be ever watchful and vigilant over losing your witness in the face of anger, innuendo, and misrepresentation.<br />
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To those who witness or experience (or who are coming into this witness) the sufficiency of imminent awareness without regard to outward forms, traditions, institutions, or the professors of form and go about testifying about this witness, there will be those who, by their own admission, do not share our Witness and who are skeptical as to the reality of that which we witness and testify. They will affirm their need for outward forms in regard to matters of the conscious, conscience, identity, meaning, and purpose. They will then argue that because their <span style="background-color: #f5f6f5;">conscious, conscience, identity, meaning, and purpose is bound to outward form, they cannot imagine otherwise. Some (not all, by any means) will become angry, frustrated and even hostile and lash out with various accusations, innuendo, etc. In these circumstances, those of us who experience imminent awareness in all things and circumstances must be ever watchful and vigilant concerning our witness. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #f5f6f5;">It is important that we do not become so caught up in our testimony that it takes the place of our actual witness (inherent existence). One way to know this is happening is that we are no longer in the witness when we speak or write our testimony. That is, we become defensive and overly concerned with our testimony. The testimony solidifies and awareness hardens into it. Then, when we are attacked by those who do not share a sustained life in the </span>sufficiency<span style="background-color: #f5f6f5;"> of inherent existence itself as our identity meaning and purpose, we will often </span>respond from the hardened brick of testimony and not from our witness itself ... imminent awareness. Under these circumstances, we have lost our witness. That is, we are no longer living in or witness (experiencing) inherent existence itself. It is very easy to become enchanted by our testimony which is then Witness lost.<br />
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<i>Note: Very early in Quaker history, a rift happened between those founding Quakers who established outward forms amongst those gathered in the inshining Light and those who did not accept the establishment of outward forms like Monthly Meeting, Quarterly Meeting, Yearly Meeting, Men and Women's Meeting, set time for worship, etc. because they affirmed the sufficiency of inherent existence (the inward Light) to guide them in matters of <span style="background-color: #f5f6f5;">conscious, conscience, identity, meaning, and purpose without regard to outwardly established forms. They testified to their Witness (experience) that they were led out of a dependency on outward forms in matters of </span><span style="background-color: #f5f6f5;">conscious, conscience, identity, meaning, and purpose and that, for conscience sake, they would not participate in the forms other founding Quakers established. William Rogers' book written in 1680, entitled "The Christian Quaker ..." documents the testimony of the latter. The book is a wonderful testimony to their Witness of the sufficiency of the inshining Light itself in itself in matters of </span><span style="background-color: #f5f6f5;">conscious, conscience, identity, meaning, and purpose. It also illustrates (not on purpose) the pitfalls of Witness lost in the face of criticism and angry backlash from those founding Quakers who institutionalized the Witness. The established forces were brutal in their angry criticism of those who spoke out for the sufficiency of the Witness itself regarding </span><span style="background-color: #f5f6f5;">conscious, conscience, identity, meaning, and purpose; and the latter responded in kind ... Witness (inherent existence) Lost. There is much we, who share the Witness of those founding Quakers who testified against those other founding Quakers who institutionalized the gathering; both edifying and unedifying. </span></i><br />
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This is where watchfulness and vigilance are important. When imminent awareness is no longer Witnessed while writing or speaking and anger and frustration lead our response, it is time to stop writing and speaking and to re-turn into your Witness (experience) and to let go of your testimony. That is, we must lay down the hardened testimony we have idolized and break it apart in and through our Witness in inherent existence.<br />
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Our living Witness is our <span style="background-color: #f5f6f5;">conscious, conscience, identity, meaning, and purpose is independent of outward forms and our testimony must ever come out of that Witness. After all, if we lose our Witness (direct inherent existence or imminent awareness) we allow our testimony to turn us back again in that which we have been led out of in inherent existence.</span><br />
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In all things and circumstances, even in the face of angry criticism, we hold to our Witness and testify to it in and through the Light of the Witness itself. It is not ours to expect acceptance or to judge the anger and frustration of others, ours is to lay down our tender Witness before others and without expectation.<br />
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In our living Witness, we have victory over all circumstances and events is our lives and inherent existence is ever before us which is the joy and peace of heaven.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-5626266939616252582016-03-30T13:00:00.001-07:002016-03-30T13:00:40.977-07:00Do not Borrow or Steal in the face of ridicule, innuendo, and characterization.When the measure of presence or illumination of the inshining Light is so strong and bright that identity, meaning, and purpose, is complete in the Light ( or inherent self-existence) itself without reference to any other outward forms, traditions, feelings, ideologies, institutions, practices, etc., then ridicule, mischaracterization, innuendo, caricature, and illusions, do not deflect or turn from direct Witness (or inherent self-existence) itself in itself. That is, the heritage of inherent self-existence is not enchanted. <div>
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When our Witness of the sufficiency of the inshining Light itself in our conscious and conscience is darkened by the enchantment of outward forces like ridicule, our Witness is further darkened by reflections in the mirrors of anger, frustration, hurt, and on and on. These mirrors manifest through ridicule and innuendo which are engendered and nurtured by the person or people who ridicule. We then further lose our Witness by focusing upon these mirrors of anger, frustration, and hurt. In watchfulness, we are able to recognize our enchanted conscious and conscience, and then, acknowledging the reality of these mirrors before us, we re-turn to our faith in the Light itself by entering into patient and quiet waiting. In this waiting, we gaze upon the manifestations of anger, pain, and frustration, that others have successfully transferred upon us through their ridicule and accusation. In holding to the Quiet itself, the inshining Light begins to re-fill again into dark spaces and corners of our conscious and conscience. Only then, when our Witness of the sufficiency of the direct and unmediated experience of the inshining Light itself in itself, are we in a position to respond. However, even then, the only true opening to respond comes when the Light itself remains and guides the conscious and conscience in the very act of speaking and writing the response. The relative increase, decrease, or stasis, of the Light itself anchoring our conscious and informing our conscience is our guide. The extent to which we are unable or able to respond in the sustained Light itself, in the very activity of responding, is the extent to which we are open to respond.</div>
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To respond outside the covering of the Light itself, is to borrow or steal from the underlining anger of those who ridicule as an excuse to response. Ours is not to borrow or steal from others to excuse turning from our Witness of the sufficiency of direct and unmediated experience of the inshining Light itself anchoring our conscience and informing our conscience as our guide. Ours is to hold and to sustain in the inshining Light itself is all circumstance and in all things without regard to person.</div>
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This is the peace of Heaven on earth. The Kingdom is come and is coming. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-60386362041613244262016-03-15T09:31:00.000-07:002016-03-15T09:31:18.716-07:00Conscience ... the throne of ChristJames Nayler writes of the:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
... Light shining into the conscience* [the throne of Christ] ....</blockquote>
William Rogers writes:<br />
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Oh Friends, let the Remembrance of this Day come before you, and consider further, what was the voice of the Eternal Power unto such, who were struck of the Power of God; I well remember the voice was on this wise, To your own, to your own, to your own. Meaning thereby that they should turn in their minds to the Light of Christ in their consciences ... Source: <i>The Christian Quaker </i>... the preface pg. 38</blockquote>
Immersion into the writings of the founding Children of inshining Light reveals the working of the inshining Light upon the conscience as the foundation of their experience. They are ever referencing the inshining Light itself illuminating the conscience as sufficient teacher and guide without regard to outward forms. However, once it is known that the term "conscience" (see footnote below) was more nuanced in meaning in the 17th century, the transforming and revolutionary significance of their witness and testimony is revealed.<br />
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Conscience in the 17th century did not reference the mere moral component that it does today. It also carried the meaning ... conscious. That is, when the word conscience was used by the founding Quaker it also meant conscious. When Nayler writes the inshining Light in the conscience which is the throne of Christ, he is saying the inshining Light into the conscience and conscious is the throne of Christ. He has not only witnessed the inshining Light being throned upon his conscience (moral) but his very conscious. That is, his conscious or awareness is anchored is the inshining Light and his conscience is informed by the inshining Light. Furthermore, he is saying the gathering of the Children of Light is anchored in mutual inshining knowledge and experience of the inshining Light. The gathering is conscious and conscience in the inshining Light itself and not in outward ritual, ideology, practice, institutions, or instrumentalities.<br />
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The mystery of a faith which is held in a pure conscience is this: consciousness is anchored in and conscience is informed by the inshining Light itself. This pure conscience is awareness in the inshining Light itself without regard to outward forms and persons. There are two ways of consciousness. A consciousness that is based on outward forms and a conscience that is founded upon the inshining Light in the conscious and conscience.<br />
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A common phrase used by many of the founding Children of Light (called Quaker by those who opposed them) out of their witness of a faith anchored in the mystery of a pure conscience. For example, James Nayler writes:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
... that faith stands in that which is pure, and the mystery of it is held in a pure conscience...</blockquote>
George Fox Writes:<br />
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... this is the faith which all the household of faith are to contend for, this one faith which Christ Jesus is the author of; which faith is the gift of God, and is held in a pure conscience. And it is called the mystery of faith ; for no natural men, with all the arts, languages, and wisdom upon the earth, can find it out, or know this mystery, nor make it ...</blockquote>
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... the mystery of which is held in a pure conscience ; in which faith it hath its true liberty ...</blockquote>
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So an everlasting fellowship in the everlasting power of God, that will out-last the power of darkness; for it was before it was. And also, their unity was to be in the precious divine faith, which Christ was the author and finisher of; the mystery of which was held in a pure conscience; and their worship was in the spirit of God, and in truth.</blockquote>
Isaac Penington writes:<br />
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The faith which gives victory over the world; the faith which feeds the life of the just, and slays the unjust;<u><b> the faith which is pure, the mystery whereof is held in a pure conscience; the faith which gives entrance into the rest of God</b></u>; the faith which is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen ; this hath been lost, and is not yet to be found among those who go for Christians. For those who challenge the name of Christians, and say they believe in Christ, and have faith in him, cannot with their faith overcome the world; but are daily overcome by the world. Where is there a Christian, but he is either in the honors, or in the fashions, or in the customs, or in the worships of the world, if not in them all ? He is so far from overcoming these, that he is overcome with them; yea, so overcome, so drunk therewith, that he hath even lost his senses, and thinks he may be a Christian, and in a good state while he is there. And the life of the just is not fed by their faith, but the unjust nature is fed, and the righteous witness, which is raised up and lives by the true faith, is kept down, and cannot bring forth his life in them, because of their unbelief; for that is the proper name of their faith; for being not true faith, it is not faith, but unbelief. And the faith of Christians (so called) is not a mystery (t<b><u>hey know not the mystery of it, which is held in a pure conscience</u></b>), but consists in believing an historical relation, and in a fleshly improving of that, and can be held in an impure conscience. Neither are they entered into rest by their faith; for they know not the sabbath in the Lord, but are still in a shadowy sabbath. <u><i>Source: The Works of Isaac Penington: A Minister of the Gospel in the Society of Friends : Including His Collected Letters, Volume 1 pgs. 72.73</i></u></blockquote>
Penington also writes:<br />
<blockquote>
Now that which they preach to is men's consciences in the sight of God. They open the truth which they know; they give their testimony in the moving, leading, and power of the Spirit, and leave it to the same Spirit to demonstrate it to men's consciences as it pleaseth. They are nothing, they can do nothing, they cannot convert any man to God; but the power that speaketh by them, the same power worketh in other men's consciences at its pleasure. And here is the beginning of the government of Christ in the heart; when his truth carries conviction with it to the conscience, and the conscience is drawn to yield itself up to him, then he lays his yoke upon it, and takes upon him the guiding of it; he cherisheth it, he cleanseth it, he comforteth it, he ordereth it at his pleasure; and he alone preserveth it pure, chaste, gentle, meek, and pliable to the impressions of his Spirit. And as the conscience is kept single and tender to Christ, so his government increases therein ; but as it becomes hard, or subject to men's wills, so another spirit gets dominion over it. <u><i>Source: The Works of Isaac Penington: A Minister of the Gospel in the Society of Friends : Including His Collected Letters, Volume 1 pg. 460</i></u></blockquote>
James Nayler writes:<br />
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You call, but receive no answer: but did you but mind that in your conscience which is pure, you would see how often he hath called to you, and checked you for sin, but you have not answered: there might you read the cause why you call, but he doth not answer; as he hath said, because I called, and you would not answer, therefore when you cry, I will not answer.<br />
And thus it is with you who observe the outward worships, but mind not the spirit which is given to profit withal in the worship; and though all have a measure, yet you that hide your talent, cannot pray with the spirit, nor with the understanding; and so your fellowship is with the form, but not in the power; with men in words, but not with God; and so your times are in your own hands; and you have resolved them before hand; and you have a time to pray, and a time to play; a time to abstain from your lusts, and a time to fulfil your lusts; a day to abstain from the world, and a day to conform to the world; and thus not being guided with that spirit which is before all, to lead and bring you out of time, you are still in observations, and your times of religion, and your times in the world; your customs in religion, and your customs in the world, are both in your own will, and corrupt nature, and so your prayers are abomination, and your ploughing sin: but the times of sons and daughters are not in their own hands; and this we have learned of Jesus in spirit not to please ourselves, nor be men-pleasers, but to be obedient to another principle, which moves contrary to the will of men, for him we witness, who is not born after the will of man, but which the fieshly will of man could never own, who by the wills of men ever suffered,where he is born into the world; and the same this day is manifest, a seed contrary to the seed of evil-doers, and a righteousness that exceeds the righteousness of the world, that which is amongst the greatest professions; and this is that holiness without which none shall see God.***</blockquote>
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And this further is given me to say to every particular person, to whom this writing shall come, whatever is thy condition, <span style="background-color: yellow;">wait in the light which lest thee see it</span>; there is thy counsel and thy strength to be received, to stay thee, and to recover thee. Art thou tempted to sin‘? <span style="background-color: yellow;">Abide in that which lest thee see it</span>, that there thou mayst come to feed on the right body, and not on the temptation; for if thou mindest the temptation it will overcome thee, but in the light is salvation: or having sinned, art thou tempted to despair or to destroy thy self. Mind not the temptation, for it’s death that sin hath brought forth; feed not on it nor mind it, least thou eatest condemnation, for that’s the wrong body.<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background-color: yellow;"> </span><span style="background-color: yellow;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: yellow;">The body of Christ is felt in the light</span>, in which is life from death, grace and truth to feed on, which will overcome for thee being followed; but if thou followest the temptation, fear and condemnation will swallow thee up; <span style="background-color: yellow;">if there appear to thee voices, visions and revelations, feed not thereon, but abide in the light and feel the body of Christ</span>, and there wilt thou receive faith and power to judge of every appearance and spirits, the good to hold fast and obey, and the false to resist. Art thou in darkness? Mind it not; for if thou dost, it will fill thee more; but stand still and act not, and wait in patience till light arise out of darkness to lead thee.— Art thou wounded in conscience? Feed not there, but <span style="background-color: yellow;">a</span><span style="background-color: yellow;">bide in the light, which leads to the grace and truth, which teaches to deny and put off the weight, and removes the cause, and brings saving health to light</span>; yea, this I say to thee in the name of Jesus Christ, that though thou hast made thy grave as deep as the nether-most hell, or were the afflictions as great as Job’s, and thy darkness as the depth of the sea, yet if thou wilt not run to vain helps, as I have done, but stay upon the Lord, till he give thee light by his word (who commands light to shine out of darkness) from thence will he bring thee forth, and his eye shall guide thee, and thou shalt praise his name, as I do this day, glory for evermore! And this word is nigh thee which must give thee light though darkness comprehends it not. ****</blockquote>
The inshining Light in the conscious and conscience (the throne of Christ) is eternal life. It is the distinguishing experience of the inward life over the outward life of forms. For those of you who have come to feel the body of Christ in the inshining Light upon your conscious and conscience and the conviction it brings, wait patiently in the Light, even in your successes and failures, wait patiently in the Light and feel the body of Christ and you will know the seconding coming of Christ and the sufficiency of the inshining Light to anchor you very awareness, meaning, purpose, and identity in itself. The promise of reconciliation and salvation is right there shining into your very conscious and conscience. Watch and wait upon it in all things and all circumstances.<br />
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* Conscience<br />
In the 17th century, the word conscience carried a much more nuanced meaning than it does today. Conscience also carried the interwoven sense of conscious or consciousness which was a shared inward knowledge with others. The Oxford English Dictionary establishes the "obsolete" definition as:<br />
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1. Inward knowledge, consciousness; inmost thought, mind.<br />
a.. Inward knowledge or consciousness; internal conviction.<br />
b.. Internal or mental recognition or acknowledgement of something.<br />
2. Inmost thought; mind 'heart'<br />
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*** Conscious<br />
The Oxford English Dictionary establishes the "obsolete definition as:<br />
1. Knowing or sharing the knowledge of anything, together with another; privy to anything with another.<br />
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The obsolete definition of "Consciousness" in the Oxford English Dictionary is "joint or mutual knowledge."<br />
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You can read more on this here:<br />
<a href="http://www.quakerquaker.org/profiles/blogs/conscience-conscious-consciousness-self-conscious-toward-a-deeper" target="_blank">Conscious and Conscience: Toward a deeper understand of early Quakers</a><br />
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** From James Nayler's essay: "<i>A discovery of the wisdom which is from beneath, and the wisdom which is from above: or the difference between the two seeds, the one after the flesh, the other after the spirit.</i>"<br />
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*** From James Nayler's essay "<i>Salutation to the Seed of God</i>"<br />
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**** From James Nayler's recantation.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-52893734813192670622016-03-14T21:56:00.002-07:002016-03-14T21:56:39.030-07:00Sitting Down in Form<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">THERE was a glorious day, and bright appearance of Truth in the times of the apostles. They had the true Comforter, who led them into all Truth, and kept them alive in Truth, and Truth alive in them. By this Spirit, they, as living stones, were built up a spiritual house, founded upon Sion, the holy mount; into Jerusalem, the holy city, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of Truth. And here they had their conversation in heaven, with God, the judge of all; with Christ, the Mediator; and with the spirits of just men and the holy an gels, which always behold the face of God. They lived in the Spirit, they walked in the Spirit, they prayed in the Spirit, they sung in the Spirit, they worshipped in the Spirit, and in that understanding which the Truth had made free, and had God dwelling in them, and Christ walking in the midst of them ; and, by the presence and power of his life in them, were truly dead unto sin, and alive unto God; they being not strivers against sin with man's legal spirit, but by the power of grace, which made them more than conquerors through him that loved them. This was part of the glory of that state, in the day of the sunshine of the gospel. </span></div>
<b id="docs-internal-guid-517487b4-78a1-66b2-7c8a-19d9b6c51cb3" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But, behold ! a thick night of darkness overspread the beauty of this! Some false brethren went out from the true church into the world, getting the sheep's clothing, making a great outward appearance, and drew the world after them; yea, and some from the very churches themselves. (How hard was the apostle Paul obliged to plead with the Corinthians about his own apostleship and doctrine, that he might preserve that church from the false apostles!) And when they had gathered a sufficient party in the world, they made head against the true sheep and lambs of Christ, fought with them, and overcame them. And when they had overcome them that had the living testimony of Jesus, and the true power and presence of the Spirit among them, then they set up their own dead form, making a cry all over the nations of the earth: "Revelation is ceased! there is no looking now for such an infallible Spirit, and such immediate teachings as the Christians had in the apostles' days, who had the anointing to teach them all things;" but they pointed men to traditions, to the church, as they called it (which title the whore hath engrossed since the days of the apostles), or to searching of the scripture, and reading expositions upon it, and bodies of divinity, formed by the understanding-part in man to instruct the understanding-part. Thus the whole course of religion, and of the knowledge of God, came to be out of that Spirit and life wherein it first came forth (and wherein it first stood), and consisted in doctrines of men, and a form of worship and knowledge which the wisdom of man had framed, in an imitation of that which formerly stood in the life.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And now men being gone from the life, from the Spirit, and his immediate teachings, into an outward form of knowledge and worship of God in the wrong nature, anti christ is got up, and the dragon sits in the temple, appearing there as if he were God, giving out laws and ordinances of worship in public, and putting men upon duties and exercises of devotion in private, and he is obeyed and bowed down to in the observation of these; but the true, living God is not known, nor his secret, still voice which calls out of these heard; because of the great noise which the dragon makes in his temple (for so it is now, he having gained it, though it was once God's), about his laws and ordinances of worship, which he would have all compelled to, and none suffered to testify against them that they arc his, and not the Lord's. Yet it pleased the Lord, all the night of this darkness, to raise up some witnesses against the dragon, and all his invented forms of worship; though they were still hunted, persecuted, knocked down, and their testimony cried out against, as error, heresy, schism, and blasphemy; and the ways, worships, and ordinances of the whore, the beast, and dragon, still cried up as the truth. Thus the Papists cried out against the Protestants as heretics and schismatics, who were witnesses against them; and the Protestants cried out against the Non-conformists, Separatists, and Brownists, who were witnesses against them; and every sect cries out most against them who are led further from the apostasy, and raised up by the Lord, as witnesses against them, against their sitting down in their forms, and not pursuing the guidance of that Spirit, which would lead them quite out of the darkness, and not have them sit down by the way.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now the Lord God, in these latter days, hath not only raised up witnesses against the whore, the dragon, the beast, the false prophets, with all their inventions which they have set up instead of the truth; but hath assayed, and begun to deliver his people out of this Egyptian darkness, and to bring them back to the light of the land of Canaan. And now great enemies have appeared ; the sons of the night exceedingly strengthening themselves to keep out the day light, everyone crying up his own form, and all joining hand in hand against the power: yea, and that spirit which first tempted from God is exceeding busy to cause those whom the Spirit of the Lord hath been drawing out of the land of darkness, to make a captain to return to Egypt; or at least to sit down in some form, or some pleasant notion of things by the way, and not to follow the Lord through all his intricate leadings in the vast, howling wilderness, till he bring them into the possession of the true rest. What a work was there to quench that spirit which stirred in the Protestants against Popery, and to fix them in Episcopacy, and in the use of the' common prayer-book! When that was detected, and turned from, the Presbytery endeavored to take its place, and to bring in its directory; but the pursuit of the Lord was so hot against that, that it sunk presently, and his mighty hand would not suffer it so much as to arise. Much about the same time Independency and Anabaptism appeared and contended; and there was a more simple and honest thing stirring there, than in the other: and accordingly the blessing of the Lord (which was not to the form, but to the life which was stirring within) did appear more among them. But they fixing there, lost the life and simplicity to which the blessing was, and met with the death and the curse, which is the proper reward of the form: for any form, out of the life, kills the life; and its reward is death to itself. The form kills the life, which stirred under neath, and made it appear with some freshness ; and when the life, from which it had its seeming beauty and lustre, dies, then it soon withers and dies also: so that the living principle being once slain, there remains nothing but the dead spirit, feeding on the dead form. There was one more pure appearance, and nearer to the kingdom than all these; which was of seeking and waiting: but death overcame it also, making a form of it, and stealing in some observations, from the letter of the Scriptures, concerning the kingdom, whereby their eyes were withheld from beholding the inward principle and seed of life within, to look for some great appearance of power without (such as was among the apostles), to set things to rights; and so they were held captive by the same spirit, in their seeking and waiting, whereby the others are held in their forms. Thus have persons generally missed the following of that good Spirit, which began to lead them out of Egypt, the dark land ; and losing their guide, have fixed somewhere or other by the way; resting in some form, or in some notion or expectation of things (according as in their wisdom they have imagined from their skill in the letter), short of the life itself. Thus have their carcasses fallen in the wilderness.</span></div>
<b style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></b>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now this I have to say to you all : all you who rest in any form whatsoever, or rest in any notion or apprehension of things short of the life itself, ye had even as good have stayed in Egypt, as to fix by the way, and to take up a rest in the wilderness, short of Canaan. In plain terms, ye had as good have abode in Popery or Episcopacy; ye had been as acceptable to God there as here. Not that I say your forms of Independency, Anabaptism, or Seeking, are as bad as Popery, Episcopacy, or Presbytery: nay; they are all somewhat nearer, and the last of them very much nearer: but your fixing there, and the dead spirit feeding there on the dead thing, is as remote from life as if it had gone quite back again. And this dead spirit is as hateful to God here, as it is among the Papists ; yea, and in one sense more, be cause it makes a pretence beyond them.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And the truth is, ye have gone back again, though not in the direct form, yet into that very spirit wherein Popery's strength and kingdom lie ; and so are become one of the beast's names; and your strength and defence lie in the beast's horns, either in the outward powers of the earth, or in that inward knowledge of things and wisdom from the letter, which is out of the life, and so are not yet come out of the city of Babylon. For mark : the spirit that fixeth in a form short of the life, is the same that whored from the life: and the same spirit is the whore still, in what form so ever she be. The Spirit that rose up in the life, against the death and corruption whereof Popery wholly consisted, was a good Spirit; and this Spirit would pass through all forms, till it meet with the life. It is the other spirit that says to thee, Thou hast gone far enough; and so tempts thee to stay by the way. And he who hearkens to this spirit, and stays any where by the way, is caught with the old whore in a new dress, and is drinking the cup of fornication afresh. And then, like the Papists, he runs to the powers of the earth, to defend his form against the witnesses of God (and that is his cover under which he persecutes, and there he lies hid), or at least to his own wisdom and reason, to strengthen himself with arguments for fixing here, and against going any further. And then he grows wise in the flesh, and cries against them who are still led by the same Spirit to press on further, as weak, silly, giddy, unsettled, seduced people, that can never know when they are well. Thus the wise Episcopalians reviled the simple-hearted Non-conformists, who pursued further than they. And the Non-conformists, when they lost their simplicity, and be gan to stick, reviled those that pursued beyond them. And thus at this day, those who are pressing on in the Spirit, are disdained by those who have taken up their station in the flesh ; and with their two great horns of earthly power and earthly wisdom, are they pushing at them.</span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Look about ye, look about ye, all sorts of devout profes sors; see where ye are! Are you not dead in your forms? Is not the good old Puritan principle (wherein once was true life in its measure) dead and buried there? Consider with yourselves ; hath that grown in your forms? Or hath it been slain there? Speak the truth in your own hearts; can ye truly say, from a sensible feeling in the life, that that principle is still alive in you? If it were so, ye could never be drawn to persecute, no, nor suffer persecution, ye that have power to hinder it: but if that seed be choked, then ye may well connive at, if not further the enemy, and plead for him, and join interests with him. While Abel lived in you, Cain could not rise up in his dominion; but now the right seed is slain, the murdering nature appears. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Oh hasten out of this spirit! Hasten out of Babylon! Cast off the spirit of Popery: return to the old Puritan principle: do not cry it up in deceit, to oppose the present appearance of truth, which is grown up further in it; but subject that dead, formal, earthly spirit to it, which is fallen beneath it. And when ye are come to a true touch of life there, ye may be able to own the same truth in its growth to a further measure. But while thou art in the dead understanding, and from the power and life of truth in thine own particular, dost thou think to be able to measure truth aright in others? Nay; thou measurest by a false appearance of things in the fallen understanding, and in the wisdom which thou hast gathered there, since thou thyself fullest from the living principle: and this must needs commend that most which is nearest to it, and not that which is nearest to truth. And this is the great error of this age; men, with a gathered knowledge from scripture words, without the true faith and life, go about to measure that life and knowledge which come from the faith ; and because it suits not with the apprehensions which they have taken into their minds, they condemn it. And thus, being in the stumbling wisdom, and way of observation to which truth was never revealed, but was ever an offence, they stumbled at it : and so men generally dash and split themselves against the same rock now, as the Pharisees did of old. Now this understanding must perish, and this wisdom in men be brought to nought, before that can be raised up which can judge aright.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These things following strike at the king of Babylon himself; yea, even at the very root of the antichristian spirit in every man; which ho that can mildly receive the stroke of, may feel the true Spirit of life (which lies underneath) spring up in him, and give life to his soul : which, when it is delivered, will be able truly to know, and rejoice in the Lord his Saviour. And when the root of that spirit is cut down (which never brought forth sweet, pleasant fruit unto life ; but only sour fruit, finely painted and dressed for the eye and palate of death), its body, branches, leaves, and fruit will wither and die daily, and truth come to grow safely.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-52060340449042438302016-03-14T21:49:00.001-07:002016-03-14T21:49:52.736-07:00George Fox on the Sufficiency of the inshining LightSource: <i>A Collection of Many Select and Christian Epistles, Letters, and Testimonies, Written on Sundry Occasions by that Ancient, Eminent, Faithful Friend, and Minister of Christ Jesus, George Fox.</i> Vol. Two, Philadelphia and New York, 1831<br /><br /><blockquote>
Therefore, there is joy when the day star appeareth and the day dawn ; there is great cause of joy for all the sons of God, when the day star appears, and for them to sing together; for long nights of trouble and travel have they been in. ' The path of the just is a shining light,' the path of the unjust is darkness. So there are but two paths. Now the unjust cannot abide to hear talk of the light, but call it natural, and created and made, or conscience, they do not know what to call it, whose darkness cannot comprehend the light, though it shines in the darkness ; and so, the path of the just being 'a shining light, which shines more and more unto the perfect day ;' signifying that the day is come, that the just hath his path, and his path is a shining light; and so increaseth, shineth more and more unto the perfect day. pg. 7</blockquote>
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So the just man's path is sufficient, a shining light : for it shines more and more, it increaseth, it it is sufficient, and brings to the perfect day. Now the unjust, whose path is darkness, say, 'It is not sufficient,' but such cannot abide the light, cannot abide the just man's path, nor the just neither, but hate both, and speak against him and his path, with his darkness, that cannot comprehend the light, though light shines in his darkness ; and therefore if he cannot comprehend the light with his darkness, (how can he comprehend the prophets', and apostles', and Christ's words?) but calls light darkness, and darkness light, and calls it natural, or created, or made, or conscience; and so this comes to be fulfilled on them, as John said, who with their darkness could not comprehend the light, yet they would be talking of the saints' words, law and prophets, with their darkness, which could not comprehend the light. pg.8</blockquote>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-36839040327798053072016-03-09T11:58:00.000-08:002016-03-09T11:58:34.015-08:00Contending over the Shell and not the KernelIn William Roger's preface to his historical documentation (Written in 1680) of the disunity that arose within the gathering of the Children of Light (Quaker) over the establishment of outward frameworks to assist governance of the gathering as a whole he writes:<br />
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[The institution builders say] ... "<b>let us have an eye to the Brethren</b>: <i>Further insinuating, as if God, had ordained Ministers amongst them, that are to see and hear for the</i> Body, <i>and common Members of the Churches, ... I cannot but be full of Jealousy*, that these Things have a Tendency, to insinuate</i> Submission <i>without</i> Conviction, <i>to nurture up</i> Ignorance <i>instead of</i> Wisdom, <i>and to introduce</i> Bondage <i>instead of</i> Freedom in Christ,<i> as much as ever was under the Cover of a</i> Black-coat, <i>in the Dark Night of</i> Apostacy ... "<br />
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There is so much here that illustrates the nature of the disunity between those who were Jealous to build outward institutional frameworks and those in the gathering who were Jealous to for the establishment of the inshining Light itself in itself as the sole guide in the conscience** and conscious*** (Please read the definitions and discussion in the footnotes below). There were those Jealous to keep attentiveness upon the inshining Light itself in the conscious and conscience. That is, those whose inward knowledge (conscience) and whose shared or mutual inshining knowledge (conscious) in the unmediated and direct experience of the inshining Light itself did not value outward assistance of established forms and guides. The inshining Light itself in-formed their conscience and established them in a shared mutual inshining knowledge (conscious). This informed conscience and inshining conscious is what established them mutually.<br />
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When the institution builders manifested in the gathering of the Children of Light, they began telling the gathering to "have an eye to the Brethren, meaning, adhere to the outward doctrine and institutions the Brethren establish and attend your conscience (inward knowledge) and your conscious (shared inshining experience) to those outward leaders and ministers for they have been ordained by God (inherent self-existence) and they see for the Gathering and hear for the Gathering. Such adherence to outward forms and teachers was not of the conscious (mutual experience) and the conscience (inward knowledge) by which the Children of Light were initially established. To attend to the Brethren was to deflect attention away from a conscious anchored in and a conscience informed by the inshining Light itself resulting in submission to the outward forms of the institution builders without conviction in and by the presence of the inshining Light itself in mutual knowledge of the direct and unmediated experience of the inshining Light itself. These outward forms of the institution builders also nurture Ignorance of the inshining Light instead of wisdom in the inshining Light itself and introduced bondage to the forms of the institution builders rather than freedom in the inshining light that fills the gathering with unity in mutually shared unmediated experience of the inshining Light itself, upon which there is no occasion for disunity. The outward forms of the institution builders are nurseries for disunity and conflict because they mediate that should be unmediated. The outwardly established forms and instrumentalities or mediations of the institution builders are a black coat blanketing and overshadowing the inshining Light itself in the conscious and conscience in a dark night.<br />
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For example, outward notions like equality and inclusiveness are mediations that supplant the direct experience of the inshining Light itself as guide and teacher in the conscious and conscience. These notions replace the inshining Light itself in the conscious and conscience. They become established as an outward source of mutual knowing (conscious) and inward knowledge (conscience) taking the place of the inshining Light itself in the conscious and conscience.<br />
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In the third part of his historical documentation of the disunity among those in the early years of the gathering of the Children of Light Roger's writes:<br />
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"As to the word Established, we further add, That the word ... is disowned by us; for though the Children of God may be Instruments in the hand of the Lord, to establish one another in the Faith of God's Elect, yet 'tis not in their power, or any one of them, positively and without exception, to establish what ought to be believed and practiced, whether it respect Doctrine, or Discipline: and if any one or more have attempted so to do , it may Justly be said of such, that he or they have endeavoured to invade Christ's Prerogative." (William Rogers - Christian Quaker - Part Three - page 32<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16.8px; line-height: 32.7928px;">.</span>)<div>
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Essentially, there were many in the early gathering of the Children of Light that were Jealous against the manifestation of institution builders. Because, by establishing outward forms, they were endeavoring to invade the prerogative of the inshining Light itself as the ruler and governor of mutually shared inward experience (conscious) and inward knowledge (conscience).</div>
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Along these lines Isaac Penington wrote:</div>
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"I have smarted deeply for these things, and have been taught by the briars and thorns of the wilderness, whereby my ears came to be opened, to hear the sound of the everlasting gospel, to which they were before through ignorance stopped. For I also did believe and expect great things in a church-state and way of worship; and in simplicity of heart did I enter into it, and walk in it, and was not without knowledge, warmth, and experiences there. But all this the Lord broke down by a strong hand, in one moment; and hath taught me since to throw away all my gains here, and elsewhere, and to count them but dross and dung, for the excellency of the knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord. And having tasted, having seen, having felt, having handled, I cannot but commend the life; and dissuade all men from all knowledge, all worship, all religion, all ways, and practices (though ever so taking, pleasant, and promising), out of the life. And this is to know Christ; namely, to know the life: and this is to obey Christ, to obey the life: and this is the kingdom of Christ which is to come, to have the life reign in power and great glory. But the knowing or believing of a history concerning Christ, this is not the knowledge or the faith: antichrist all along the apostasy, in all his various forms and dresses, hath known and believed thus: and this kind of knowledge must pass away, further than it can find a place and service in the life. Be not angry at my testimony; it flows from pure love, and comes forth in great good-will to your souls.<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.6667px; white-space: pre-wrap;">"</span></div>
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It must be acknowledged here that Penington later tempered these words in Light of the disunity that the establishment of outward forms manifested among the Children of Light. Penington is said to have suffered personally over this disunity.<br /><br />Roger's write further in his Preface:</div>
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A "great Part of the Contention of one Party with another, seems to be but about the Shell, and the Kernel: My Meaning thereby is, about Outward Forms and Methods, ... as if Hells Gates must be opened to receive all such, as walk not in the Outward Path, which ... hath been prescribed by" ... [the institution builders.]<br /><br /><div>
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* Jealousy. The Oxford English Dictionary establishes the "obsolete" or antiquated definition as:<br />
1. Zeal or vehemence of feeling against some person or thing; anger, wrath, indignation.<br />
2. Zeal or vehemence of feeling in favor of a person of thing; devotion, eagerness, anxiety to serve.<br />
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** Conscience<br />
In the 17th century, the word conscience carried a much more nuanced meaning than it does today. Conscience also carried the interwoven sense of conscious or consciousness which was a shared inward knowledge with others. The Oxford English Dictionary establishes the "obsolete" definition as:<br />
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1. Inward knowledge, consciousness; inmost thought, mind.<br />
a.. Inward knowledge or consciousness; internal conviction.<br />
b.. Internal or mental recognition or acknowledgement of something.<br />
2. Inmost thought; mind 'heart'<br />
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*** Conscious<br />
The Oxford English Dictionary establishes the "obsolete definition as:<br />
1. Knowing or sharing the knowledge of anything, together with another; privy to anything with another.<br />
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The obsolete definition of "Consciousness" in the Oxford English Dictionary is "joint or mutual knowledge."<br />
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You can read more on this here:<br />
<a href="http://www.quakerquaker.org/profiles/blogs/conscience-conscious-consciousness-self-conscious-toward-a-deeper" target="_blank">Conscious and Conscience: Toward a deeper understand of early Quakers</a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-19824310377759174602016-03-06T22:19:00.001-08:002016-03-06T22:19:37.240-08:00The Inshining Light as sufficient teacher.<div style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt;">
Now, reader, whosoever thou art that readest this following volume, if thy mind be sober, and thy heart right towards God, thou may come to a good understanding of the ground and cause of this great controversy, between the priests and the professorship of this nation, and us who are in scorn called Quakers, for it is not unknown to nations. Of this great debate and battle, now for some years of continuance in this nation, no man can be ignorant. What putting in prisons, and what persecuting, and what preaching and printing against us, and what reports and fame have been through this nation for some years past! And the Quakers, so called, have written, and spoken, and printed against the priests, and their worships, and ways, and doctrines, and declared against them, as deceivers and false prophets, and such as never were sent of God. And on the other hand, thus have the priests, and more abundantly, cried out against, and printed against the Quakers, as heretics, and deceivers, and witches, and all that they could say that was evil. And these things being not unknown, but publicly brought to pass, it will be good to discover unto every man, the <span class="c0" style="background-color: lime;">first ground and cause of this great strife,</span> and the matter of it, and its beginning, so that all may know the certainty of these things, and know they are not without good ground and sufficient reason on our part, to wit, that we have just cause to do, and strive against that generation of priests and teachers, and that we do nothing rashly, and without sufficient reason.</div>
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It is now about seven years since the Lord raised us up in the north of England, and opened our mouths in this his spirit; and what we were before in our religion, profession, and practices is well known to that part of the country; that generally we were men of the strictest sect, and of the greatest zeal in the performance of outward righteousness, and went through and tried all sorts of teachers, and run from mountain to mountain, and from man to man, and from one form to another, as do many to this very day, who yet remain ungathered to the Lord. And such we were, (to say no more of us,) that sought the Lord, and desired the knowledge of his ways more than any thing beside, and for one I may speak, who, from a child, even a few years old, set my face to seek and find the saviour, and, more than life and treasure or any mortal crown, sought with all my heart the one thing that is needful, to wit, the knowledge of God.</div>
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And after our long seeking the Lord appeared to us, and revealed his glory in us, and gave us of his spirit from heaven, and poured it upon us, and gave us of his wisdom to guide us, whereby we saw all the world, and the true state of things, and the true condition of the church in her present estate. First the Lord brought us by his power and wisdom, and the word by which all things were made, to know and understand, and see perfectly, that <span class="c0" style="background-color: lime;">God had given to us</span>, every one of us in particular, <span class="c0" style="background-color: lime;">a light from himself shining in our hearts and consciences; which light, Christ his son, the saviour of the world</span>, had lighted every man withal; <span class="c0" style="background-color: lime;">which light in us we found sufficient to reprove us, and convince us of every evil deed, word, and thought, and by it, in us, we came to know good from evil, right from wrong, and whatsoever is of God, and according to him, from what is of the devil, and what was contrary to God in motion, word, and works</span>. And this light gave us to discern between truth and error, between every false and right way, and it perfectly discovered to us the true state of all things; and we thereby came to know man, what he was in his creation before transgression, and how he was deceived and overcome by the devil, and his estate in transgression, and in disobedience, and how he is driven and banished from the presence of the Lord, and the sorrow and anguish which he is in and to undergo. And also by the light in us, we perfectly came to know the way of restoration, and the means by which to be restored, and the state of man when come out of transgression and restored. These things to us were revealed by the light within us, which Christ had given us, and lighted us withal; what man was before transgression, and what he is in transgression, and what he is being redeemed out of transgression. And also as our minds be came turned, and our hearts inclined to the light which shined in every one of us, the perfect estate of the church we came to know; her estate before the apostles' days, and in the apostles' days, and since the days of the apostles. And her present estate we found to be as a woman who had once been clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, who brought forth him that was to rule the nations; but she was fled into the wilderness, and there sitting desolate, in her place that was prepared of God for such a season, in the very end of which season, when the time of her sojourning was towards a full end, then were we brought forth. If any have an ear they may hear. So that all these things concerning man, and concerning the times and seasons, and the changing and renewing of times, and all things that pertain to salvation, and redemption, and eternal life, needful for man to know, all these were revealed, discovered, and made known to us, by the light which was in us, which Christ had lighted us withal.</div>
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<span class="c0" style="background-color: lime;">And we found this light to be a sufficient teacher, to lead us to Christ, from whence this light came, and thereby it gave us to receive Christ, and to witness him to dwell in us; and through it the new covenant we came to enter into, to be made heirs of life and salvation. And in all things we found the light which we were enlightened withal, (which is Christ,) to be alone and only sufficient to bring to life and eternal salvation; and that all who did own the light in them which Christ hath enlightened every man withal, they needed no man to teach them, but the Lord was their teacher, by his light in their own consciences, and they received the holy anointing.</span></div>
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<span class="c0" style="background-color: lime;">And so we ceased from the teachings of all men, and their words, and their worships, and their temples, and all their baptisms and churches; and we ceased from our own words, and professions, and practices in religion, in times before zealously performed by us, through divers forms, and we became fools for Christ's sake, that we might become truly wise</span>. And by this light of Christ in us were we led out of all false ways, and false preachings, and from false ministers, and we met together often, and waited upon the Lord in pure silence from our own words, and all men's words, and hearkened to the voice of the Lord, and felt his word in our hearts, to burn up and beat down all that was contrary to God; and we obeyed the light of Christ in us, and followed the motions of the Lord's pure spirit, and took up the cross to all earthly glories, crowns, and ways, and denied ourselves, our relations, and all that stood in the way betwixt us and the Lord; and we chose to suffer with and for the name of Christ, rather than enjoy all the pleasures upon earth, or all our former zealous professions and practices in religion without the power and spirit of God, which the world yet lives in. And while waiting upon the Lord in silence, as often we did for many hours together, with our minds and hearts toward him, being staid in the light of Christ within us, from all thoughts, fleshly motions, and desires, in our diligent waiting and fear of his name, and hearkening to his word, we received often the pouring down of the spirit upon us, and the gift of God's holy eternal spirit as in the days of old, and our hearts were made glad, and our sum/ life and immortality were brought to light, power from on high and wisdom were made manifest, and the day everlasting appeared unto us, and the joyful sun of righteousness did arise and shine forth unto us and in us; and the holy anointing, the everlasting comforter, we received; and the babe of glory was born, and the heir of the pro mise brought forth to reign over the earth, and over hell and death, whereby we entered into everlasting union, and fellowship, and cove nant with the Lord God, whose mercies are sure and infinite, and his promise never fails. We were raised from death to life, and changed from satan's power to God, and gathered from all the dumb shepherds, and off all the barren mountains, into the fold of eternal peace and rest, and mighty and wonderful things hath the Lord wrought for us, and by us, by his own outstretched arm.tongues loosed, and our mouths opened, and we spake with new tongues, as the Lord gave us utterance, and as his spirit led us, which was poured down upon us, on sons and daughters. And to us hereby were the deep things of God revealed, and things unutterable were known and made manifest; and the glory of the Father was revealed, and then began we to sing praises to the Lord God Almighty, and to the Lamb for ever, who had re deemed us to God, and brought us out of the captivity and bondage of the world, and put an end to sin and death; and all this was by and through, and in the light of Christ within us. And much more might be declared hereof, that which could not be believed if it were spoken, of the several and particular operations and manifestations of the ever lasting spirit that was given us, and revealed in us. But this is the sum/ life and immortality were brought to light, power from on high and wisdom were made manifest, and the day everlasting appeared unto us, and the joyful sun of righteousness did arise and shine forth unto us and in us; and the holy anointing, the everlasting comforter, we received; and the babe of glory was born, and the heir of the pro mise brought forth to reign over the earth, and over hell and death, whereby we entered into everlasting union, and fellowship, and cove nant with the Lord God, whose mercies are sure and infinite, and his promise never fails. We were raised from death to life, and changed from satan's power to God, and gathered from all the dumb shepherds, and off all the barren mountains, into the fold of eternal peace and rest, and mighty and wonderful things hath the Lord wrought for us, and by us, by his own outstretched arm.</div>
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From Edward Borrough's Epistle to the Reader in:</div>
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The Works of George Fox, Vol. 3 (Gould and Hopper 1831) pages 11-14</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-66455992922703383792016-03-05T22:31:00.001-08:002016-03-05T22:31:24.687-08:00Against a Universal Unity with the Assistance of Outward Instruments<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">William Rogers wrote in 1680:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I doubt not but there are many who are ready to conclude, That an Universal Unity ought to be established in the Churches, by the Assistance of outward Instruments; that as we are Members of one Body, so we may not only be one in Faith, one in Doctrine, but also one in Practice, with relation to </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Discipline, Order</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Outward Forms of Government</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> My soul should rejoice to see that Day, wherein we might all be so led by the appearance of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Christ’s Spirit</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in us, under his Government, which ought to be exalted over all, as that this Oneness might thereby be witnessed amongst all the Families of God’s People at this Day. But since it is so with the Church of God at this day, as it was with the Church in the Primitive Days, viz. that there are </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">diversities of Administrations</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">diversities of Gifts and Operations</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> in the Body, and through the same Spirit; it behooves every one diligently to watch, that we Judge not one another by reason of these differing exercises; as if these things consisted not with the Unity of the Body.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> And since also it is so, that </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">amongst the primitive Believers there were such as practices Circumcision, some made Conscience of keeping a Day, and some that Abstained from eating flesh, and others that did not, and yet a Christian – Liberty and Forbearance was so exercised, as that they were not to be Judging one another about these things, and that we find not that these differing exercises in a Christian – Liberty, did subject any of those Believers exercised therein to the Censure of being out of the Unity of the Body</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; I therefore do reasonably conclude, that the infallible Mark, whereby any member of the Body is known to be in true Unity with the Body, doth not consist in Profession of Belief of certain Principles and Doctrines, and Practices depending thereon; nor in Obedience to the Measures of others; but in the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Circumcision of the heart</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Answer of a good Conscience toward God</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and that every Member keeps his own order, Office and Place in the Body, through his Obedience to the Measure and Gift of Grace in himself, which he hath received from God to Profit withal. </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The most infallible mark and token of a Member in the true Unity with the Body of Christ, is an inward invisible mark that cannot be stamped on any, but by the impression of God’s Power on the heart</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; and therefore is it, that the outward endeavors of all such Christian Professors, as have been and are in the Apostasy, instead of attaining to an </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Heavenly Union in the Spirit</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, have at most but aspired to an </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Outward Unity</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, consisting in their Outward Conformities and Uniformities, according to the Commands, Traditions, Decrees, or Examples of Men.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> When in the Ages and Generations past, the Apostasy first entered as a Flood, I am persuaded, that all who have known the Truth, and have had the Consideration and true Sense thereof upon their Spirits, do conclude, that the Cause thereof sprang through an Inward Departure from the Anointing in themselves (Obedience whereunto according to the respective Measures of Grace given of God, and received by each Member, was a manifestation of that wherein the Unity of the Body stands) and as the Apostasy entered, no doubt but the Traditions and Rudiments of Men came to be exalted; against which the Apostle Paul cautioned the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Colossians</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, saying, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Col. 2.8. Beware lest there be any that spoil you through Traditions of Men, according to the Rudiments of the World, and not after Christ</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; but yet notwithstanding, I Question, whether any have been greater </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pretenders of Unity</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, than those who have been </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">exalting the Traditions of Men</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">; and shall leave it to the Judicious Reader to consider, whether a sufficient Evidence hereof appears not in divers Apostatized Churches professing Christianity, wherein is established by Outward means what is to be Believed, and what is to be practiced; and yet doubtless as remote from the Unity, wherein the Fellowship of the Saints in Light doth consist, as the East is from the West, and so in their Unity (being but Outward) have found no more acceptance with the Lord, that the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Unworthy Eaters</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> did, whilst they </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">discerned not the Lord’s Body</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Many of God’s People yet in the Body are Witnesses that, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">one part of the Testimony which accompanied the Servants of the Lord in those latter Days was against Outward Forms, Traditions, Prescriptions, Decrees, Ordinances of Men, with relation to Matters Spiritual and Divine, and wherein the Consciences of God’s People might be concerned</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, as being those Rudiments of the World, and of which he hath determined to gather his People (for to the Children of Light they appeared more agreeable to the Nature, and Tenor of the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">First Covenant</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> than the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Second</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) and not only so, but to establish his Church on the Rock Christ, that so, as they received him, they might walk in him, according to their respective Measures of Grace given them of God to profit withal, and which, as the Apostle declared, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">was sufficient for them</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.</span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 11pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, Inasmuch as the Testimony of Truth hath been, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">that what God leads out of, he rarely leads into again;</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> I appeal to God’s Witness in all Consciences, whether Indispensable </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Establishment</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Outward Orders, Prescriptions</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Decrees</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> for the Members of the Church of Christ to walk by, and submit unto, at this Day, and wherein the Liberty of their Consciences may be invaded (of which my meaning is no other Liberty than what the Gospel allows) doth not seem to exalt that sort of Unity, wherein the Fellowship of the Saints in Light doth not consist, and so consequently may become the means to draw the Minds of God’s People </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">outward</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, and so cause them to look at </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Outward</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">things</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (under the notions of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Things established in the Church</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">) more than to the Anointing in themselves; lest God’s Witness in every Conscience Judge.</span></div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-7d57440b-4a8f-2a21-c758-4b32448f1cc9"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: Arial; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">From: The Christian Quaker - By: William Rogers - Part 3 pgs. 82-85 - Published 1680</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-29462266703452532752014-03-01T20:56:00.001-08:002022-09-11T08:58:53.501-07:00Home in Presence<div style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
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Yesterday I spent time observing the territorial and migratory behaviors of the Rufous and Allens Hummingbirds.</div>
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It happened that I came across this beautiful species of lichen commonly called Candy Lichen. The scientific name is Icmadophia <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="06d2aac9-357a-4225-b37e-a09aecab0701"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="e8fc6bb8-d057-4594-be81-a9625fcb0b36"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="25bb7c7a-d31d-415d-af5b-1475a5892fa9">ericetourm</span></span></span>.</div>
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This lichen is not uncommon here in Oregon, however, it is a favorite of mine. I sat next to the lichen beneath a large <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="5fe5cde8-0d64-4ec0-9177-ace7933b394a"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="4ab0ce45-cbb7-4086-b6d4-f10c52e9aaab">manzinita</span></span> shrub with a male Allen's Hummingbird performing his aerial display above me. </div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/gWhc*8EYmk*vQtDSnKxZHmKvZKZTutAhXFfRAsxcRBC6rh2KF6gnl*WhscQMPeENwQB4AQbkvoPSfTRF2CD84hP7QrI1qMgA/DSCN0731_crop_sm.jpg" href="http://api.ning.com/files/gWhc*8EYmk*vQtDSnKxZHmKvZKZTutAhXFfRAsxcRBC6rh2KF6gnl*WhscQMPeENwQB4AQbkvoPSfTRF2CD84hP7QrI1qMgA/DSCN0731_crop_sm.jpg" target="_self"><img class="align-center" data-mce-src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/gWhc*8EYmk*vQtDSnKxZHmKvZKZTutAhXFfRAsxcRBC6rh2KF6gnl*WhscQMPeENwQB4AQbkvoPSfTRF2CD84hP7QrI1qMgA/DSCN0731_crop_sm.jpg" src="http://api.ning.com/files/gWhc*8EYmk*vQtDSnKxZHmKvZKZTutAhXFfRAsxcRBC6rh2KF6gnl*WhscQMPeENwQB4AQbkvoPSfTRF2CD84hP7QrI1qMgA/DSCN0731_crop_sm.jpg" style="border: 0px; clear: both; cursor: default; display: block; margin: 5px auto 10px;" width="500" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
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All the while, I was present in the Presence and such spirit of thanksgiving can upon me <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="d1647dd7-e32f-4550-8827-2acb5164f85b">for</span> the certain knowledge of a renewed mind<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="e5d45f3f-576f-4267-876d-d997b1abf6ae">...</span> <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="e5d45f3f-576f-4267-876d-d997b1abf6ae"></span>of a consciousness and <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="22a706b4-880d-4298-b876-21e4a19b216e">conscience no</span> longer anchored in the things of the world, but anchored in eternity even as I walk amongst and observe the beauty of the natural world. To know eternity in mutability is a blessing. I became mindful of Emerson's Poem:</div>
<h3 style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", Times, "Times New Roman", serif; margin-bottom: 1em;">
GOOD-BYE</h3>
<div class="lg" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13px;">
<div class="line">
GOOD-BYE, proud world! I'm going home:</div>
<div class="line">
Thou art not my friend, and I'm not <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="17b65f92-0e78-4cc5-aef7-2b35dad5359f">thine</span>.</div>
<div class="line">
Long through thy weary <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="32c7520d-19e6-4a1e-a6a7-01fb418fdefc">crowds I</span> roam;</div>
<div class="line">
A river-ark on the ocean brine,</div>
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Long I've been tossed like the driven foam;</div>
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But now, proud world! I'm going home.</div>
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<div class="lg" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13px;">
<div class="line">
Good-bye to Flattery's fawning face;</div>
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To Grandeur with his wise grimace;</div>
<div class="line">
To upstart Wealth's averted eye;</div>
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To supple Office, low and high;</div>
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To crowded halls, to court and street;</div>
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To frozen hearts and <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="4e4a89e0-4dc3-4acb-9c78-aeeac13257b2">hasting</span> feet;</div>
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To those who go, and those who come;</div>
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Good-bye, proud world! I'm going home.</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="lg" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, "Palatino Linotype", Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 13px;">
<div class="line">
I am going to my own <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="4b7fefdf-e5b7-4e3b-9cd0-3cbf6aaf494c">hearth-stone</span>,</div>
<div class="line">
Bosomed in yon green hills alone,—</div>
<div class="line">
A secret nook in a pleasant land,</div>
<div class="line">
Whose groves the frolic fairies planned;</div>
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Where arches green, the livelong day,</div>
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Echo the blackbird's roundelay,</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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And vulgar feet have never trod</div>
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A spot that is sacred to thought and God.</div>
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<br /></div>
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O, when I am safe in my sylvan home,</div>
<div class="line">
I tread on the pride of Greece and Rome;</div>
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And when I am stretched beneath the pines,</div>
<div class="line">
Where the evening star so holy shines,</div>
<div class="line">
I laugh at the lore and the pride of man,</div>
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At the sophist schools and the learned clan;</div>
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For what are they all, in their high conceit,</div>
<div class="line">
When <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="4b3ea1ff-43f4-48b2-83bd-11af14d8e1db">man</span> in the bush with God may meet?</div>
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Then it came upon me. I'm no longer going home. I am home! Presence is home! Presence is <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="dee53c37-4bd8-4e9f-bd56-585f9d6d8bd6"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="5528ccdb-0ac6-4187-99a7-0b2bcafbd015"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="85f4eed2-2de4-4d04-bf1b-1bddf4bf3637">sufficent</span></span></span>! I am "safe in my sylvan home" by the power and strength of the Spirit's presence within me and my presence in the Spirit. I am home both literally and figuration. </div>
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<a data-mce-href="http://api.ning.com:80/files/gWhc*8EYmk9wvO6Ilb6XRsyQjRb0il8P6nESJUmMQvVBsRSk75Ov2oszuRttt2Ec4s368deeW-LPmjtSoIqRLGT-1KvyJ*Bk/DSCN0734_sm.jpg" href="http://api.ning.com/files/gWhc*8EYmk9wvO6Ilb6XRsyQjRb0il8P6nESJUmMQvVBsRSk75Ov2oszuRttt2Ec4s368deeW-LPmjtSoIqRLGT-1KvyJ*Bk/DSCN0734_sm.jpg" target="_self"><img class="align-center" data-mce-src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/gWhc*8EYmk9wvO6Ilb6XRsyQjRb0il8P6nESJUmMQvVBsRSk75Ov2oszuRttt2Ec4s368deeW-LPmjtSoIqRLGT-1KvyJ*Bk/DSCN0734_sm.jpg" src="http://api.ning.com/files/gWhc*8EYmk9wvO6Ilb6XRsyQjRb0il8P6nESJUmMQvVBsRSk75Ov2oszuRttt2Ec4s368deeW-LPmjtSoIqRLGT-1KvyJ*Bk/DSCN0734_sm.jpg" style="border: 0px; clear: both; cursor: default; display: block; margin: 5px auto 10px;" width="500" /></a></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-88760396665989969332014-02-28T20:48:00.000-08:002016-03-17T20:54:03.296-07:00Watching against those who have an aversion to immediacy so that the pottage does not slip between.<div style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Early in John Wilbur's labors against those who did not have faith in a consciousness anchored in and a conscience informed by the immediacy of Presence, Betsy Purinton wrote these words to him in a letter:</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 1em;">
The longer I live, the more I feel the necessity of a deep indwelling with the spirit of Divine life, and as my dear, aged kinswoman, (Comfort Collins,) used to say, neither ' borrow nor steal,' however in want ; and this is not all, but to be content with our little, and neither suffer ourselves to be bought or sold, to gain the popular ity of the world, or the applause of men. I speak not, my dear cousin, these things for thee, but in general ; being what I have often to watch against, lest, in my manifold weakness, the mess of pottage may slip between me and my Divine Master, against which the injunction remains to be good — " Watch."</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 1em;">
Source: "Journal of the life of John Wilbur" page 122</div>
</blockquote>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
It is a challenge to not let the pottage slip between me and Presence when suffering the aversions of those who cannot abide the testimony and affirmation of immediacy in a lack of faith and aversion for a consciousness anchored in and a conscience informed by Presence.</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Turning again to the Presence, the inward Light fills consciousness and conscience so that there is no need to borrow or steal from the outward to mediate a lack of faith in immediacy. Consciousness and conscience in the Presence is not bought or sold by identity and bondage to the outward professors. In thankfulness and gratitude, strength is Presence girding a new consciousness and conscience. </div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
I watch.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-38424168963818465012014-02-26T10:30:00.000-08:002016-03-17T10:31:04.560-07:00Political Activism: A Lack of Faith in the sufficiency of a consciousness anchored in and a conscience informed by Presence ... the seed of Christ in human being.<div style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Political Activism: A Lack of Faith in the sufficiency of a consciousness anchored in and a conscience informed by Presence ... the seed of Christ in human being.</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Political activism is the agitation of human being to anchor consciousness and inform conscience in outward political agenda. It is a lack of faith in the immediacy of Presence as the anchor and guide of human being in human and worldly events.</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Political and religious professors and activists seek to avert human being from Presence; offering a sense of meaning and purpose through devotion to and the imposition of outward political ideological constructs and outward institutional discipline.</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
This usurpation of Presence in human being is the idolatry of modern human beings. These outward ideological idols sap Presence and enchant consciousness and conscience.<br />Political agendas (often couched in religious contexts) calling for the external institutionalization of abstract concepts (idols or memories) like freedom, liberty, peace, equality, hope, love, social justice, economic freedom, etc. Are merely the transference of professed memories (ideological constructs) of leaders over against Presence. Followers, averted from Presence, become borrowers dependent on the reflected experience or outward abstract concepts (idols or memories) of those they follow.</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Presence is peace, hope, freedom, justice, equality, love, in all things and events; bad and good. Political activism seeks to bind consciousness and conscience to outward ideological forms and artificially impose the birthright of Presence. Presence is in inequality and equality, freedom and bondage, love and hate, justice and injustice. The outward institutional imposition of a consciousness anchored in and a conscience informed by Presence is an aversion and idolatry. Faith is Presence is iconoclastic. Presence in human being is the Principle and the Rule. Presence is Being. Presence is unmediated activism.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-74700298191359223372014-02-24T10:28:00.000-08:002016-03-17T10:29:05.165-07:00The Living Gospel unhinged from outward worldly and bodily religious forms.<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
The Living Gospel unhinged from outward worldly and bodily religious forms.</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Or</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
The Message of Christ free from canonical testimony in Immediacy.</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Or</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
The Message Unmediate</div>
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<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Normally, consciousness is anchored in and conscience is informed by external forms or by externalized borrowed experience in the form of the writings of others. This normal consciousness need mirrors to “see” or “to be.” The five senses of the body anchors normal consciousness and is its mirror. Normally, consciousness and conscience cannot sustain without a functioning body.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
To test this, just take an hour and imagine your Self without sight, sound, touch, taste, smell. Now add to your imagining, your Self without a functioning brain reflecting thoughts, feelings, desires. For normal consciousness this is death. Consciousness goes dark. The fear of death is the fear of loss of consciousness.</div>
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<br /></div>
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If you deepen further into this imagining and wonder who or what is “imagining” you begin to experience directly an immediate Presence behind the imagining. This Presence is always right there in the things sensed and reflected thoughts and feelings. This Presence is in everyone.</div>
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<br /></div>
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To know a sustained consciousness, even when the body no longer functions, is consciousness anchored in the Presence rather than the mirrors of the body and the world. A consciousness anchored in and a conscience informed Presence in the world is freedom from fear. As Presence anchors and informs, a new Self is born into the world of form.</div>
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<br /></div>
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There are many people who have no faith in the sufficiency of a consciousness anchored in and a conscience informed by Presence. These people anchor consciousness and inform conscience in outward form. They have faith in reflected consciousness; a conscience informed by outward principles and codes sought with borrowed experience professed by others. They prefer and cultivate a consciousness and conscience mediated and <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="82dc4e8e-5986-447f-90dc-48921011065a">bound</span>. Salvation from the fear of death and loss of consciousness is taught as anchored in a mere belief in outward biblical testimony. This is tyranny against a free consciousness and conscience. It promises salvation from the loss of consciousness in death by binding consciousness and conscience to a normal consciousness that is not sustainable upon the death of the body.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
To know a consciousness anchored in and a conscience informed by the immediacy of Presence is to know through direct personal experience a sustainable consciousness and conscience even when the body tires and no longer functions (Eternal Life and Salvation), and it is to know it while in the world and in the body<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="55d784f5-c2b0-4aaa-81ac-f3e605c2228e">…</span> <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="55d784f5-c2b0-4aaa-81ac-f3e605c2228e"></span>new and ever renewing Being.</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span id="docs-internal-guid-4197517a-64f3-7f5a-348e-80a5eb902cd7"><br />I know a sustainable consciousness and conscience by deepening down into the Quiet and feeling for the Presence in all things experienced while in the body and the world.</span></div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="142a132d-b4c3-4a0d-8d86-45498a84fb72">Disclaimer</span>: The above is not to suggest that any individual or group of individuals should or, would be better off if they did, follow the conscious and conscience experience merely reflected in these outward words. There is no wish, intention, or agenda, to impose a conscience on another. The intention is to express my conscience in the quiet of Presence and that is all.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-13153620096637166522014-02-23T10:27:00.000-08:002016-03-17T10:27:58.116-07:00Observation of the natural world and Sanctuary.<div dir="ltr">
There was a time in my life when the observation of the natural world was Sanctuary (among other outward activities like the Church, or teachings of others, or political activism) and the immediacy of Christ was secondary.</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://api.ning.com/files/fweuCOUfGgaPHrDDfIEl-kC3Nn9QqwBovdnpe-BxAnBGCm30zpJ9Pgtoa8m8qAfHDAyE2s*c*J1*DS5Bwhyib8ZPuaB2Y8xD/DSCN0684.JPG" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://api.ning.com:80/files/fweuCOUfGgaPHrDDfIEl-kC3Nn9QqwBovdnpe-BxAnBGCm30zpJ9Pgtoa8m8qAfHDAyE2s*c*J1*DS5Bwhyib8ZPuaB2Y8xD/DSCN0684.JPG?width=520" width="520" /></a></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="312ad1f4-36db-48a3-b63f-3448c609ddee">Third month</span> is almost here and the Allen's and Rufous hummingbirds will return to the south coast of Oregon. I will spend considerable hours in the field observing their <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="adf1bfeb-be25-4836-87b3-6947aad4789b">migrational</span>, territorial and nesting behaviors. For me, there is nothing more centering and tendering than spending up to 8 hours a day for over a month sitting in one place watching a wild bird build its nest, tend to its young, protect the nest from predation, and watching the behavior of the young in the nest as they grow toward fledging.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<iframe frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.viddler.com/embed/4cbbae2b/?f=1&autoplay=0&player=full&secret=72436179&loop=false&nologo=false&hd=false" width="437"><br/> </iframe> </div>
<div dir="ltr">
This nesting season will be different, as has been the few previous seasons. The immediacy of Christ will be <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="3381389b-9d28-4b45-9dfa-fc4333d52b83">primary</span> in the act of observing the natural world. <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="d90c4ca6-7776-438c-bcce-894053b3cb51">Sanctuary</span> is in the Presence not in the natural world. I will be present in the Presence while observing the natural world. That is, consciousness will be anchored in and conscience informed by Presence and not the objects I am observing. Perspective has shifted <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="b5ce563e-bbbf-4409-ae1b-60fa8b9391da">…</span> I now show up in the activity of observing <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="0868c256-800e-46b6-9698-e68922c5b86b">…</span> it is no longer the outward object observed that anchors and informs consciousness and conscience. The self-conscious ego anchored in and informed by <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="5fec0f2d-d331-4bc5-ae36-ebc69b6f36fa">itself</span>, Presence, rather than the mirrors of the world.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
This nesting season, I drink from a new <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="d7a7824b-1f1c-4cfd-b3c2-8035b8ff1cd9">wineskin</span> and am clothed in eternal threads. I will worship in silence and solitude for hours and hours daily, guided by and becoming ever more acquainted with the Presence <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="21a99c52-1910-4fd2-bfb2-e44dc7a0b262">…</span> my Sanctuary.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="392b8747-9238-4fa4-8099-ea370c4311ac">Sanctuary</span> is every place and every occasion, in the Presence, I show up. Presence is not a denial of the outward… it is the fulfillment of the eternal birthright of human being <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="8360fe6c-6a15-4376-bcff-e535597b8ec8">…</span> pure consciousness and pure conscience <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="aa2035db-c663-4cb0-9a6c-464316eaea1b">…</span> Liberty <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="937c8217-ea64-4bfd-af2b-97c5bd5ab52c">…</span> human Being born again into the world of <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="da44860f-d78e-453f-8e7d-cdeba3c082a4">created</span> things not bound but unbound and free.</div>
<span id="docs-internal-guid-6ae2f36e-5f0e-8747-2fc2-0643eb01b44c">What a blessing to know Life Eternal in the world.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kfsaylor/10106793226/" title="Humpback Whale by Keith F. Saylor, on Flickr"><img alt="Humpback Whale" class="align-center" height="315" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7369/10106793226_f78d4d7699.jpg" width="500" /></a></div>
Video and Photo Content - All rights reserved - Keith F. SaylorUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-2791096900534518112014-02-20T10:24:00.000-08:002016-03-17T10:25:31.535-07:00Daily Happenings in Presence<div style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Happenings in Presence.</div>
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Much of life was spent relatively speaking, outside the Presence. Life is now, relatively speaking, in the Presence. Here is how life, relatively speaking, manifests, for me, in daily life.</div>
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I recently re-upholstered a wing-backed recliner for a family member. She has lower back problems so a <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="66147bb4-9bf3-4930-9839-f08786d8e839">bolster</span> was created (tailored to her needs) to support her lower back and give her comfort while in the recliner. An arm organizer was created so she had things she uses often, while reading, in an easily accessible place.</div>
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<a data-mce-href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-UHchQWvg6iU/UwIRjaeV--I/AAAAAAAAL8o/N802CsogWTw/w513-h595-no/DSCN0680_crop.jpg" href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-UHchQWvg6iU/UwIRjaeV--I/AAAAAAAAL8o/N802CsogWTw/w513-h595-no/DSCN0680_crop.jpg" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" data-mce-src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-UHchQWvg6iU/UwIRjaeV--I/AAAAAAAAL8o/N802CsogWTw/w513-h595-no/DSCN0680_crop.jpg?width=500" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-UHchQWvg6iU/UwIRjaeV--I/AAAAAAAAL8o/N802CsogWTw/w513-h595-no/DSCN0680_crop.jpg?width=500" style="border: 0px; clear: both !important; cursor: default; display: block !important; margin: 5px auto 10px !important;" width="500" /></a></div>
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The project was given over to the Presence before <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="62763ac8-e97a-4676-a3b8-83ed3b9df31e">beginning</span> and prayer was offered for strength to hold in the Light to the completion. A compelling and <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="78918ccf-f5ff-40b9-a273-5d1517125fd2">beautiful quiet</span> bolstered the various activities involved in the project. At one point during the process, I had difficulty getting a front panel on the arm to lay properly. A spirit of frustration manifested before me. With intention and watchfulness, I acknowledged it. Then took it up and sort of <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="3d4a3f1e-bb6f-4d38-bd51-c182a51fc25d">played</span> with it. Conscience is not bound to <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="5f65ef0a-0664-44b6-9b0c-afa018cd8f6a">frustration</span> in the acknowledging, conviction happens when the spirit of frustration takes hold of consciousness and informs conscience, so that life is no longer Presence but bound to outward events and circumstance manifesting frustration. In the Light, frustration stays before me and I continue to acknowledge it. Slowly, it withdraws to the horizon by the power of watchfulness and Presence.</div>
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These little moments happen throughout the day. In is these little moments, two lessons are learned. The Presence will readily yield to the various spirits that seek to draw you outside the Life if consciousness and conscience are given over. In watchfulness, the Presence will readily strengthen you in the Quiet so that consciousness and conscience hold to the rock of ages un-battered by the waves and winds of daily life that threaten Presence.</div>
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In thankfulness and gratitude for a consciousness and conscience in the world, but not of it, relatively speaking.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-17735173607521872202014-02-14T10:22:00.000-08:002016-03-17T10:23:07.720-07:00Shedding the cloak of religious words and baggage.<div style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
There is another way:</div>
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Short-form<br />A consciousness anchored in and a conscience informed by the activity of intuition.</div>
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Long-form<br />A consciousness anchored in the activity of observation and thinking (not anchored in the things observed and thoughts about the things observed); and a conscience informed by the activity of intuitive imagination (not the morals or ethics from sources outside pure intuition).</div>
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To experience such a consciousness and a conscience is transparent Being.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-4096197415251716962014-02-14T10:20:00.000-08:002016-03-17T10:21:31.218-07:00Not me, but I AM in me.<div style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Jesus is a noun, Christ is a being verb.</div>
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Not me, but Christ in me</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
Not me, but I am in me.</div>
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Not anger, but I am.</div>
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Not joy, but I am.</div>
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Not peace, but I am.</div>
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Not ideals, but I am.</div>
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Not morals, but I am.</div>
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Not occupation, but I am.</div>
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Not community, but I am.</div>
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Not institution, but I am.</div>
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Not individual, but I am.</div>
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Not politics, but I am.</div>
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Not theology, but I am.</div>
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Not ideology, but I am.</div>
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Not agenda, but I am.</div>
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Not relationships, but I am.</div>
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Not frustration over another's fault, but I am.</div>
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Not frustration over my fault, but I am.</div>
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Not happiness over another's success, but I am.</div>
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Not happiness over my success, but I am.</div>
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Not desire, but I am.</div>
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Not feelings, but I am.</div>
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Not <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="0bcf29b3-0e7a-4073-a288-ed991f1ba718">will</span>, but I am.</div>
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Not the words of scripture, but I am.</div>
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In Christ, I am. I AM is Christ.</div>
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If you would know Christ <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="587589d5-b9e9-4bad-b066-4135364af208">...</span> show up <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="681690c7-fc32-4741-8e8b-82ca01750de4">...</span> Presence.</div>
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In the beginning, I am.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-13074861926944731122014-02-10T10:18:00.000-08:002016-03-17T10:19:11.765-07:00Thankful for and faith in the immediacy of the Spirit of Christ that was present in the historic Jesus.<div style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
I acknowledge those who have no or fragmented faith and trust in the immediacy or direct experience of the Presence anchoring consciousness and informing conscience. </div>
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While I acknowledge there are those who hold to outward form to anchor or help anchor consciousness and inform conscience, the Presence within me has, from the age of 16, <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="e95cd0d3-b824-429c-8544-d552f9fdc03c"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="e779e1ec-764a-4342-986d-98ff0ab4882d">candled</span></span> a way anchoring consciousness and informing conscience not beholden to outward form. My life has been a gradual growing into a relationship with the Presence through my turnings away and re-turnings. Gradually, the Light filled the nooks and crannies of consciousness and conscience<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="a8597f98-64ff-410b-aa7b-d461ee9ed181">...</span> <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="a8597f98-64ff-410b-aa7b-d461ee9ed181"></span> more and more guiding and informing from immediacy rather than the mediation of outward form. </div>
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There was a time when observation and study of the natural world was sanctuary. The activity gave consciousness a foothold and meaning and spoke to my conscience. The outward forms of the natural world filled my consciousness and gave form to being.</div>
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There was a time when religious institutions, doctrine, theology, and scripture was sanctuary. They gave consciousness a foothold and meaning and informed my conscience. To repeat, These outward forms filled and anchored consciousness and guided my conscience.</div>
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There was a time when political institutions and ideas were <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="275cbd93-7095-4606-b4ee-924d462188f9"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="49767732-9f73-4257-a0cf-20057a0bfb56">sanctuary</span></span>. They anchored consciousness and informed conscious. These outward forms filled my consciousness and guided my conscience.</div>
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There was a time when <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="e558cae7-fcb4-40d0-9729-413e9f5e7a62">philosophic study</span> was sanctuary. It filled consciousness and informed conscience. The outward "isms" gave shape to <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="58d8e60e-03d9-4f8b-a654-01ae28661242">being</span>.</div>
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And on and on<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="bb2b1c8d-affb-4749-a66d-1b7cc8bc4f33"></span><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="bb2b1c8d-affb-4749-a66d-1b7cc8bc4f33">...</span><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="bb2b1c8d-affb-4749-a66d-1b7cc8bc4f33"></span></div>
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However, in the midst of it all, the candling Presence was ever there, nudging toward re-cognition and I would sometimes re-turn in thirst of Being, consciousness, and conscience unbound from these outward anchors and informers. Sometimes religious professors of various outward forms would capture my consciousness and conscience and I would embrace their commodities and then, again, re-turn to the immediacy of the Presence and drink.</div>
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Life has been an embracing of the Presence anchoring consciousness and conscience; the Life not mediated by the outward. Then turning away to hold to form, a denial of the sufficiency and the immediacy of the Spirit of Christ within; anchoring consciousness and the rule of conscience. My consciousness and conscience has been mostly bound to the outward as the Presence slowly enlightened the darkness within <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="ab3f9ebd-3dc9-461c-9896-81c28557a2eb">bound</span> to outward institutions, doctrines, ideas, feelings, etc. </div>
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It has taken around 35 years for the Presence within to gain the upper hand and become the my consciousness' primary anchor and the primary Principle of conscience. Long and rocky, with heartbreaking ups and downs, has been the journey. </div>
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One of the beautiful threads the early Quakers frequently wove into the tapestry of their writings reads:</div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 1em;">
... <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="4ffb84da-1dac-4fc7-a047-f50dc1318e7e">the</span> mystery of which faith is held in a pure conscience<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="5e553716-7e1f-43f5-b043-02668f1d0320">...</span><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="5e553716-7e1f-43f5-b043-02668f1d0320"></span></div>
</blockquote>
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In the Presence, we know the mystery in a pure consciousness and conscience, anchored and informed, by direct and immediate experience of the Spirit of Christ within. This faith and trust in the immediacy of the Presence <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="4406c106-c1bb-43fc-9cfa-50316eddde29"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="739526ff-2500-4ccd-9370-cf0f59df4910"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="fb871d5f-e6c7-4fc8-bff9-746d6507b557">is</span></span></span> salvation and eternal life. It is the realm of God on earth. It is a blessing to be one among those who have faith in and affirm the Presence within consciousness and conscience as the one true Guide leading to the experience of eternal life and the realm of God here on earth.</div>
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I trust and have faith in the sufficiency of the Spirit of Christ as my sole guide and teacher (the Principle and the Rule), shedding faith and trust in any outward institutions (religious or secular), doctrine, <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="43eb3bac-6c35-4625-84b2-3387089c4bd7"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="87313de0-2700-423c-a9a5-6e8407c7f2bf">etc</span></span> . In gratitude and wonderment.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4386492038106888414.post-34387416734143734912014-02-07T10:16:00.000-08:002016-03-17T10:16:59.474-07:00One outcome of the immediacy of the Spirit ... A free thought exercise.<div style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span data-mce-style="text-decoration: underline;" style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Note: Conscienceness is a term I’ve coined blending conscious, self-conscious, or consciousness with <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="e46c2f0d-fe2c-49d3-aae4-618b31d15512"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="7a89309d-d742-45c6-b47b-dc90f0d08e65">conscience</span></span>. <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="0753fe16-7f9d-4c09-a5c1-b17d0b7ac427"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="635c1514-bccc-4608-88aa-e4162c3920f6">Conscienceness</span></span> means both consciousness and conscience.</strong></span></div>
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In the Presence, I am not sad, happy, mad, frustrated. In the Presence<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="28afbddb-75f9-48c8-a7a6-e6de353bdb90">...</span> <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="28afbddb-75f9-48c8-a7a6-e6de353bdb90"></span>I am.</div>
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When the Presence fills and anchors consciousness and conscience (<span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="3fbfaf6d-7483-4cea-8427-3286576afe7a">conscienceness</span>), one result is the emotions that arise from outward happenings no longer enter and take hold of <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="974e2a05-40cd-465a-b5ad-ff639fb7a3d7">conscienceness</span>. We “see” the emotions, but we are not predicated by them. What this means is in the Presence we acknowledge joy, anger, frustration, etc., but they do not hold <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="7dc43515-6be2-47e3-98ca-6086e7cce36a">conscienceness</span>.</div>
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We do not experience: “I am angry” we experience “Anger approaches me.”</div>
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We do not experience: “I am happy” we experience “Happiness approaches me.”</div>
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This is how the spirit of Christ purifies <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="d7c08590-53aa-497c-a011-8fa8362d5f55">conscienceness</span>.</div>
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When “I am angry” or “I am happy” <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="5d8bd9b7-8b82-433e-9f62-5940fcd438be">conscienceness</span> has turned from the Presence.</div>
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When “Anger is around” or “happiness approaches” we are present in the Presence. That is, <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="fb70b218-d9a9-4dae-b61b-e39c5207091a">conscienceness</span> is in the Presence.</div>
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This is not a denial of emotion. It is an acknowledgment without turning <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="aa5bd5f3-8ba4-4596-9d5e-d262c39ef57b">conscienceness</span> from the Presence.</div>
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The is one result of the freedom and liberty of <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="ec253b0a-5a0b-47c1-baf1-0ff0cde3ffce">conscienceness</span> in the Presence.</div>
<div style="font-family: Georgia, Palatino, 'Palatino Linotype', Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 1em;">
This is <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="e05eeeb4-0e5f-4be7-8b40-624dafc22d8a"><span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="3b47ca3d-4650-4a7f-b5d9-d993d72a65f5">observation</span></span> in <span class="GINGER_SOFTWARE_mark" id="1f6c0004-228e-4f55-9f88-e73a24419136">conscienceness</span>.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0