thereof This is a Metaphorical Rule so called from the Analogy and Resemblance it hath in its use and end to a material Rule 'T is in this sense we call the Written Word a Rule of Faith and Lifâ— For as a Mason in raising a Wall a Joiner in squaring a Piece of Timber by applying the Level to the Building the Square to the Timber come to judge of the uprightness straitness and exactness of their Work So a Christian tries and examines his thoughts words and actions by the Holy Scriptures The Sacred Writings are his Square his Line and Level by which he measures and judges of Opinions and Practices Hereby he comes to know what is right and what is wrong what is duty and what is sin what is truth and what is errour All Doctrines which are to be believed all Duties which are to be performed in order to our acceptable serving of God on Earth or eternal enjoying of God in Heaven are to be measured by and conformed unto this Rule There are Three Rules which are eagerly contended for 1. The Pagans Rule The Light of Nature This Rule is good in its kind and place it discovers the Being Power Wisdom and Goodness of God so as to leave them without excuse who do not walk according to it (a) Rom. 2.14.15 1.19 20 21 32. But it cannot discover Christ by whom alone Sinners may be saved (b) 1 Cor. 1.21 2.13.14 2. The Papists Rule Vnwritten Traditions This is a Corrupt Fallible and False Rule Contradictory to the Scriptures and therefore no good Rule 3. The Quakers Rule the Light within which J. N. blasphemously calls Christ within and the Spirit of God in the Heart This is a very bad Rule to try or determine matters of Faith or Practice by God hath taught us in his Written Word to try the Spirits by the Scripture The Quakers teach their Proselytes to try the Scriptures by the Light within (c) 1 Joh. 4.1 6. which they also call the Spirit Whatever Spirit leads any against or besides the Rule of Scripture is not the Spirit of God but a lying Spirit God saith and Protestants hold that those who Speak not according to the Word have no Light in them Isa 8.20 Their pretended Light who contradict Scripture is Darkness Matth. 6.23 But Quakers impudently prefer their Dreams above the Written Word and so declare that their Light proceeds from the Father of Lies That Spirit who transformeth himself into an Angel of Light the God of this World whose Kingdom is full of Darkness blinds the Eyes of these Men of Light so that they speak against the pure Light of Scripture and prefer their Ignes Fatui before it And while they profess themselves to be wise they become Fools For loâ—â— they have rejected the Word of the Lord and what Wisdom is in them Jer. 8.9 Seeing therefore that the Pagans Rule Natural Reason and Conscience is insufficient seeing the Popish and Quaking Rules are false and uncertain it remains that the Holy Scriptures are the only Supreme Sufficient Perfect Standing Rule to try and judge all Opinions and Practices by For the Proof of this consult these following Texts 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. In this Scripture we are inform'd that the Holy Scriptures believed and obey'd are able to make wise unto Salvation That all Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof c. That the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works What plainer Proof can we desire to evince that the Scripture doth contain all Doctrines necessary to be believed and command all Duties necessary to be performed in order to Salvation And if so 't is a sufficient compleat and perfect Rule of Faith Worship and Life Hence 't is that we are commanded to Search the Scriptures John 5.39 To hear Moses and the Prophets Luke 16.29 To take heed to this sure Word of Prophecy 2 Pet. 1.19 To go to the Law and to the Testimony Isa 8.19 Hence 't is we are told The Law of the Lord is perfect Psalm 19.7 'T is for this cause the Bereans are commended for Searching the Scriptures daily Acts 17.11 Believers are said to be built upon the Foundations of the Prophets and Apostles Eph. 2.20 Ignorance of the Scriptures is the cause of Errour Matth. 22.29 Many more Places might be cited but these are sufficient to any but a Papist or a Quaker to prove that the Scriptures are the Supreme and only sufficient Rule of Faith and Life which God hath given us They are a sure and standing Rule a compleat and Perfect Rule adequate and commensurate to the things to be regulated or measured thereby From which nothing can be taken away to which nothing can be added but upon the Peril of all the Plagues and Curses in the Book of God Rev. 22.18 19. Thus a Rule is described by Phavorinus 'T is an infallible measure which admits of no addition or diminution * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that if the Scriptures were not a Perfect Rule to measure and try all Opinions and Practices by they were no Rule at all The wrangling Quakers think to evade the force of all these Texts by telling us Gospel Truths c. p. 6. line 31. That Jesus Christ is the only Rule of Faith Worship and Manners And l. 38. they bid us Turn in our Minds unto the gift of Gods Spirit in our Hearts And p. 7. l. 20. It is the Holy Ghost that teaches People good manners Quaere What Spirit teaches the Quakers who want them And by the Light within Thoughts Words and Actions are tryed And this Light of Jesus is a higher and superiour Rule Rare edifying Discourse Christ is the only Rule The gift of God's Spirit in our own Hearts is the Rule The Holy Ghost is the Rule The Light within is the Rule And the Light of Jesus is the Rule And all these are one and the same Rule which is in every Man There is no difference if you believe these acute and subtle Doctors between Christ and the Spirit and the Light within Christ and the Spirit are one and are in every mans heart and yet they pretend to own the Doctrine of the Trinity and tho' they say that Christ and the Spirit of Christ are in every Man and 't is most evident that Christ is God and Man yet contrary to their avowed Principle they break poor Priscian's Head and say thou instead of you to every man who hath Christ and the Spirit in him I grant that Christ hath given us a Rule and the Holy Spirit enables all the People of God to walk according to it but the Scripture or the Written Word is the Rule according to which we are to walk that so Peace and Mercy may be upon us The Spirit is so far from being our Rule that God hath given us the Written Word to try whether we have the
Superstition not a few of these I say at length fall to down right Quakerism And of those who fall into this Sink of Errors few return again to the Truth or take hold of the paths of Life If what I have written in this Treatise be an Antidote to any against the Infection of this spreading Evil my labour will not be lost That He who neither slumbereth nor sleepeth would rouz his Wa chmen when the Church is so besâ—t on every side That the great Shephâ—rd and Bishop of Souls would excite his faithful Pastors to a more narrow oversight of the Flock when the old roaring Lion and so many ravenous Wolves lie in wait to deceive and destroy That the weak and ignorant may be better inform'd about and confirmed in the present Truths That true Protestants may cease to bite and devour one another and having unfeignâ—d Love to the Truth and one another may contend earnestly for the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints is the Desire of One Studious to know and practice â—hâ— Doctrine according to Godliness An Ignorant QUAKER Rebuk'd Or REMARKS upon JOSEPH NOTT's Silly Pamphlet Against the Reverend Mr. GEORGE TROSS THat I may the better deal with this huffing Champion of the Quakers who Goliah-like bids defiance to the Protestant Hosts offers Violence to the Word of God and cast Fire-brands Arrows and Death at those who come near him I shall First Examine his swelling Title and shew how impertinently he hath cited Scripture Secondly I shall consider his Preface and Thirdly bestow some Notes and Reflections upon his Tâ—eatise that he and his Admirers may see his Vanity in meddling with that which is far above his Capacity SECT 1. Joseph Nott's Title Page consider'd The Title of his Pamphlet examined His impertinence in Citing Scripture repriv'd The Texts by him quoted explained With a Rebuke to such Ignorant Teachers and their giddy Hearers THE Title which this Trifleâ— prefixes to his Pamphlet is this Holy Scripture-work is better than the work of the corrupt Reasoning of Fallen Man A great Name for such a little Brat But prithee Jo. if thou wert Godfather to thy own Baby tell me How it came into thy Head to give it this Name Doth it not look like a Compliance with the Men of the World in that Babilonish Ceremony called Baptism Thy Book would better have resembled its Author if it had been sent packing without Title or Preface Thou mightest very honestly have left every Reade to have nam'd it acco ding to his own â—ight Who would have thought that a Man of thy Gravity would have trick'd up thy little Infant with Ribbons and Lace and set a high Top-Knot upon its Front How canst thou reconcile this to the Dictates of Light within and the Practice of the Brethren in other Cases Doth not this smell a little Popish and Anti-Christian Joseph if thou art breeding any more Pamphlets be rul'd by me turn 'em along without any of those Carnal Ornaments in a plain Quaking-Dress that we may know whose they are by their Garb. And why dost thou call thy Book Work Holy Work yea Holy Scripture Work Must writing at random pass for Work Commend me to those that Play or sit still Would'st fain have thy scurilous Libel Sainted He hath an Ounce of Charity for a Grain of Discretion that accounts thy Writings Sacred Unless it were the sacred Hunger of Gold which set thee about this Jobb of work I do not think there is much Holiness in the Case And who knows but the hope of Brass Farthings when Trade was low and Work scarce refin'd thy Wit and a craving Maw raised thy Fancy so that in spight of Nature and Education thou would'st become an Author Thou art Flesh and Blood as well as others And who knows but the Belly that Master of Arts as one * Magister Artis Ingeniique largitor vâ—niter Pers calls him might teach Joseph Nott to hold forth and write Replies as well as Hireling Daws and Parrots to prate and sing Thou wouldst fain shelter thy Errors under the VVord of Truth and therefore call'st thy bungling and botching Scripture-Wâ—rk We shall see in a little time what fine Work thou makest with Scripture Thou wouldst make us believe that thy Pamphlet is better than the Corrupt Reasoning of Fall'n Man But by the way thou goest to work one would think thy Noddle were Craz'd and thy Brains addle After the Title we have four Texts of Scripture cited which I come now to consider Only Reader one word by the way Let it not surprize thee to find the Quaker quoting Scripture Don't suffer thy self to be fool'd into a Belief that 't is out of Respect to the Oracles of God No have a little patience till we come to the Preface and thou wilt find that he hath a Spleen against all that Profess the Scripture to be the only Rule of Faith And directs his Reader not to the sure word of Prophecy but to the Light in his own Heart He durst not for his Ea s refer himself to the Evidence of Scripture Hold his Nose to that Grindstone and you may do what you will with him for all his prancing and sprawling If his dull Pate imagine that any Text may serve his turn it shall be welcome But if that clear â—â—ght Witness against his dark and rotten Errors then away with the Prophets and Apostles and make room for Light within to give in its Evidence 'T is no new thing to find Scripture misapplied In Mat. 4.6 you read of an old Sophister that did so long before the Days of Joseph Nott and John Gannacliff On which St. Ambrose a Man of as much Light and Honesty as either of those worthy Authors no disparagement to 'em hath this Note Non sequitur Haereticos esse doctos quod multas citent Scripturas quas Diabolus citavit non ut doceret sed ut noceret citavit truncatas praeterito sensu Scripturae ut faciunt Haeretici 'T is no Argument that Quakers are sound or learned because they cram their Preachments and stuff their Pamphlets with Quotations Satan had a Text in his Mouth not to Teach but to Tempt our Saviour Thus may Truth be abused to the Patronage of Lies and the Devil set the Stamp of Divine Authority upon his Counterfeit Coin Having given this Caution let us now come to the Texts themselves The First is Deut. 29.29 Secret things belong unto the Lord our God c. Why this Sc ipture is quoted I can't imagin If he thinks it warrants Him and such as he to expound Scripture let him peruse these following Texts which require Qualifications and a Commission neither of which he can shew us Rom. 10.15 1 Tim. 3.2 7. The Second Epistle to Timothy and the Epistle to Titus throughout Whoever reads these Epistles with Understanding will see abundant cause to admire at the presumptuous Sin and Folly of those ignorant Intruders into that
Cavil against Mr. Tross The World created long before the Son of God became Man or was actually Jesus Christ Scriptures wrested c. THE Wise Man saith Prov. 3.30 Strive not with a man without cause if he have done thee no harm and Prov. 25.8 Go not forth hastily to strive lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof when thy Neighbour hath put thee to shame Had Joseph Nott learnt this Lesson and held his peace he had better consulted his Credit and his Quiet But some People will be meddling tho' to their cost 'T is like some Spirit mov'd him but as to its Region Quality and Complexion albus an ater 't is left to the Reader 's conjecture When a furious Storm is rais'd on a sudden the Prince of the Power of the Air is thought to be going a Procession When a Fire breaks out no body knows how and threatens to consume whatever stands in its way we condemn some unseen Boutefeu To see a man that had no provocation act like a fury ranting and raving quarrelling and contending with those who had nothing to do with him makes all sober People conclude that he hath some invisible Driver But besides the External Mover it seems his very Complexion led him on Choler no doubt is his predominant Humor and he is as one said of a Goose Animal pugnacissimum Hence it was that he sent abroad his Challenges in Gospel Truths Scripturally asserted p. 6. lin 6. and in p. 23. Where is a Challenge to Mr. Hallet and all the Presbyterian Preachers in the World to Answer Joseph Nott and John Gannacliff And because neither Mr. Hallet nor any body else accepted that Challenge he hath a mind to pick a quarrel with Mr. Tross So have I seen a little contentious Cur breath forth Threats and Challenges against a generous Racer until a disdainful kick hath cool'd his Courage and sent him back howling But before he thinks fit to threaten he fawns and flatters for thus he begins J. N. We generally profess that we do believe that the Holy Scriptures were written for our Learning that is Episcalian 1 Presbyterian Independent 2 Anabaptist and Quakers c. And that we ought to prove our Doctrine and Principles by them And we also do say That if any Man do hold or endeavour to prove any Doctrine or Principle that is contrary to the Holy Scripture that we ought not to believe them 3 altho they never so Orthodoxly so called or subtâ—â— endeavours to prove their Assertion 4. Passing by the false spelling in the words mark'd 1 and 2 the false Concord in 3 them for him and the Non-sense in the two last Clauses we may observe how rudely our Paltry Author intrudes into the company of those who never sent for him He crowds himself and his Brethren the Quakers in among Protestants tho' I am persuaded they will no more own this Upstart Sect than Joseph Nott owns the Scriptures to be the only Rule of Faith and Life Yet to curry favour with them he pretends to commend the Word of God but does it after such a scurvy rate as doth sufficiently discover his kindness to it Tho' he Sacrifices it to his ador'd Light within yet he fawns upon it just as the Crocodile that weeps over his Prey his Tears being a sort of formal Grace before his intended Feast The meaning of his words seems to be this We Quakers c. i. e. Ranters Seekers Familists Adamites Muggletonians and the like do generally not universally profess to believe not without a reserve that the Scriptures are written for our Learning as was Cambden's Britannia and †Nickram'd by J.N. Verstgan pag. 8. line 21. Verstegan's Antiquities And that we ought to prove our Doctrine and Principles by them stretching and wresting them if they will not otherwise serve our turn And we also do say that we ought not to believe any Doctrine or Principle contrary to the Scriptures as expounded by our infallible Light by the help of which we make a Lesbian Rule or Nose of Wax of them and bring them to speak what we would have them That this is the meaning of this insipid Advocate for the Holy Scriptures is plain not only from what I have formerly Remark'd in the Preface where he scoffs at those who profess the Scripture to be the only Rule of Faith c. and would fain send his Reader to the Light within for Direction but much more from his Book against Mr. Joseph Hallet where he speaks his mind more freely and tells us plainly in Answer to Mr. Hallet's 3d Query That He and John Gannacliff esteem the Light within as a Rule to be preferred to and higher than the Scriptures p. 5. lin 20. and that by it Thoughts words and actions are to be tried and by it we come to understand those things which are written in the Holy Scriptures of Truth and therefore it is a higher and superiour Rule unto which we ought more especially to attend p. 7. Now wellfare Joseph Nott and John Gannacliff for their plain dealing in telling us their minds frankly and freely as to this matter What ever fine stories J. N. tells us here to insinuate his Errors and the minds of the ignorant you see his very heart in the fore-mentioned Quotations The Light within is that great Diana by whom these Jacks of all Trades have their Wealth Hence 't is that these Craftsmen speak so honourably of the Idol Great is the Quakers Light within 't is to be preferred to the Scriptures by this we are to try thoughts words and actions by this we are to understand the Scriptures This is a higher and superiour Rule to which we ought especially to attend This is one of the Foundations on which the Damnable Errors of the Quakers are built In opposition to these rotten assertions I lay down this as an undoubted Truth The whole Council of God concerning all things necessary to be believed and done by us in order to our Salvation is either expresly set down in Holy Scripture or may by good and necessary consequence be deduced from it unto which nothing at any time is to be added whether by new Revelations of the Spirit or Traditions of Men. Or in short thus The Scriptures are the only supreme and sufficient Rule of Faith and Life A Rule is a Measure by which the Quantity or Quality of another thing is sufficiently try'd and examined Sometimes the word Rule is apply'd to sensible and corporeal things Thus. e. g. John Gannacliff's Laste on which he makes his Shoes is his Rule that he works by Thus the Taylor the Brick-layer the Carpenter and other Artificers have their Rules which they apply to their Work to measure and judge of the length heighth and depth straitness or crookedness thereof This is a Proper Rule Sometimes the word Rule is apply'd to moral and spiritual things to measure and determine the Qualities Virtues and Perfections
Spirit thereby And if any Spirit would perswade us to receive any Doctrine or do any Action contrary to the Written Word we ought to abominate such a Spirit Besides the Confusion there is palpable Non-sense in these Expressions Christ is the Rule The Spirit is the Rule A Person may prescribe a Rule to another but cannot be a Rule himself any more than John Gannacliff is a Laste or the French King an Edict Yet further we have only the Quakers word for all that they affirm concerning Christs being the Rule and nothing that looks like Proof For those Scriptures which they have cited to this purpose will as well prove the Pope to be Christ's Vicar as Christ or the Spirit or Light within to be our Rule Therefore instead of following them any further in their impertinent citing and misapplying Scripture to exalt their Light within into the Throne of Christ and place of Holy Scripture I shall hint the Danger of this Opinion That the Light within every Man is the supreme Rule of Faith Worship and Manners 1. In this Opinion the Quakers join hands with the Papists and do their Work By denying the Perfection of Scripture they go about to take off People from the use of it They say the Light which is in all the Indians and Pagans is sufficient without the Scriptures No wonder then that they speak so slightly of Scripture as sometimes they do 2. They take the ready way to lull asleep their own Consciences when they alone shall be iudges of their own actions This Doctrine leaves every man to himself to believe and do what he pleases for he has no Rule to try his Spirit by 1 John 4.1 He is a Law to himself How doth this gratifie the Pride of mens Hearts when they think that they may do whatever they list And how is it possible to convince such men of their sin and folly who think themselves infallibly guided by the Spirit of Christ which as they say is the highest Rule superiour to the Letter as these Scoffers call the Written Word The Papists make the Man at Rome the Infallible Judge but every Quaker is a Pope in his own Conceit 3. According to this Opinion People are bound to receive the most absurd Notions that any Quaker shall dictate Yea they are bound to believe contradictions For the Light in one Quaker saith that the Light within is God but in another that 't is a Body as I have formerly prov'd Now suppose any Inlightned Sister at Exon should come with a Span-new-Light and tell the Quakers that 't is neither one nor 'tother they ought according to their own Principles to believe her for 't is Christ 't is the Holy Spirit that speaks by her for ought that ever they can prove to the contrary if they do not abandon this Opinion 4. This Doctrine gives up those who embrace it into the immediate hands of the Devil to receive his suggestions as inspirations and to take his impulses for the Commands of Christ and motions of the Holy Spirit But to return from thâ— Digression leaving the Quakers with their Leaden Rule and Dark Lanthorn Light Let us observe the Motions of our Author He thus proceeds J. N. Now such a one as the Latter is G. T. Prithee Joseph adorn thy Snout with that Instrument which the Men of the World call a pair of Spectacles and ken this same Passage a little Tell me if thou canst with all thy Light whom the word Latter does refer to Is G. T. a Quaker or is he a subtle endeavour or what is he where were thy Wits when this dark Expression dropt from thy Pen In thy Preface thou couldst not distinguish latter from former Here thou talkest of a latter where 't is hard to find any f rmer at all Joseph is this the way thou takest to confute Mr. Tross Get thee gone Brawl with a Tinker or squabble with a Porter but write no more Replies Thou tellest Reverend Mr. Hallet (a) Gospel Truths c. page 12. That working with his Hands was a thing he was never brought up unto And thy Pamphlet gives us to understand that thou wert never brought up to writing of Books If thou hast not some better way to get a Maintenance than by Printing Penny-Books I doubt thou wilt have but a cold Kitchen or wilt be forc'd to be chargeable to thy sound Brethren This Huckstering Trade of Retailing out thy Pamphlets at a Penny apiece will never hold long And perhaps thou mayst be called to account for making a Merchandise of the Word and seeking thy gain from thy Quarter (b) Ibid. J. N. For he greatly endeavours to prove That Jesus Christ was not in the beginning and that the World was not made by him which is contrary to the holy Scripture and he also endeavours to prove the first Day of the Week to be the Christian-Sabbath the which he hath no Scripture to prove as he himself doth acknowledge Here are the two Articles upon which Mr. Tross's Book stands indicted at the Quaker's Bar. 1. That he endeavours to prove that Jesus Christ was not in the beginning c. 2. That the first Day of the Week is the Christian Sabbath 'T is great pity Mr. Tross had not ask'd J. N's leave before he presum'd to publish such a Book in which are contained one Position contrary to Scripture and another which he hath no Scripture for if you will take J. N's honest word for it And who dares question the Truth of what a Man of Infallibity saith J. N. I shall set down some of his words in his Book First Concerning Christ Jesus in p. 4. He saith We say that it may be Orthodoxly denied and asserted That Jesus Christ did not make the World For the World was 4000 years before ever Jesus Christ was And in Pag. 5. he saith In the Old Testament Christ is prophesied of to come How could He then create the VVorld And in Pag. 12 he saith VVe have sufficiently answer'd that it was not the Lord Christ that created the VVorld And in Pag. 10. he speaking of (a) To help the halting Quak. over the Stile understand the time before the Fall of Man saith In which time there could not be so much as any need or use of a Jesus or a Christ nor was there so much as the least hint of him given by either Prophecy or Promise And then he saith Much less was he himself in Being And in Pag. 1â—0 he saith I think I have shewn that the Lord Christ did not make the VVorld See here how dextrously this new Confuter goes to work to prove that Mr. Tross holds that Jesus Christ as Mediator or God-Man did not make the World but that it was made 4000 Years before the Incarnation of God the Son How industrious hath he been to skim the Book from P. 4. to P. 130. that he may make it clear that Mr. Tross doth affirm that
is neither of these but a superiour sort of Spirit Ask him when it was created How he came to know the time And what Scripture he can bring to prove that there is any other Spirit than God Angels Devils and rational Souls except it be the Spirit of a Beast * Eccl. â— 21 that he means If it be not a Creature as Geo. Whitehead saith Christian Quaker Part 2. p. 28. Desire him to reconcile Barclay who says 't is a creature yea a Body with Whitehead who says 't is no creature Put home these Questions to him and if he doth not boggle and equivocate 't is ten to one but he will betray gross Ignorance or utter downright Blasphemy J. N. For the great Mystery which hath been hid from Ages and from Generations is Christ within the hope of Glory Col. 1.26 27. In these Verses which Joseph Nott for reasons best known to himself hath alter'd and curtail'd putting Christ within instead of Christ in you or among you as 't is in the Margin and leaving out a great part of them the Apostle informs the Colossians that the Gospel which was a Mystery lock'd up in Gods own Breast from Eternity and hid from a great part of the World in former Ages and Generations being wrap'd up in dark Prophecies and cover'd under a Vail of Legal Ceremonies was now by Christ and his Apostles made manifest to the Saints The Wall of Partition was broken down the Vail taken away and the Colossians who were in times past Idolatrous Gentiles alienated from God and enemies to God v. 21. had this Gospel which displays the Riches of Divine Grace made known to them The next clause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being as St. Peter saith of some things in St. Paul's Epistles †2 Pet. 3.16 hard to be understood this Prefacer being unlearned and unstable hath wrested it as he doth also other Scriptures to uphold his Error Being Ignorant of the Original he thinks which refers to Mystery whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being of the Masculine Gender hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for his Antecedent So Zanchy Qui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est Christus And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not will in but either inter vos among you as 't is in the Margin or in vobis in you If we follow the Maâ—ginal Reading this is the meaning Christ preached among you is the Riches of the glorious Mystery of Godliness Christ is the Sum and Substance the Pearl and Treasure of the Gospel If we read Christ in you then this is the sense Those Saving Graces Faith Love c. by which Christ dwells in your hearts Eph. 3.17 are the Evidences of your Title to and the grounds of your Hope of Eternal Glory Your hopes of Glory are founded not only upon what you have heard of the riches of Divine Grace thro' Christ in the Gospel but upon what Christ hath wrought in your hearts by the Gospel 'T is the Image of Christ the Graces of Christ which he hath wrought in you by his Word and Spirit that confirm your hopes of Heaven What Christ hath done and suffer'd for you and what he hath wrought in you His satisfaction for you and your union with him cause you to hope Thus Christ was in these Colossians thus he is in every true Believer But what is this to the Quakers light of Christ in every mans Heart and Conscience J. N. Therefore to the Spirit of God in thine own heart I do recommend thee as unto that which will give a true discerning and right understanding of the things of God as it is hearkened unto and obeyed J. N. But I advise thee Joseph and as many of thy Friends as shall read these Lines to Search the Scriptures and not to Trust your own hearts untill you have examin'd them by the Light of God's Word Lean nâ—t to your own Vnderstandings Beware least the Light within be darkness Believe not every Spirit nor every false Prophet who pretends to the Spirit of God For there are unclean lying seducing Spirits Spirits of Devils To the Law and to the Testimony Take heed to that sure Word of Prophecy as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place That Word if hearkened unto and obeyed will discover to you what the Spirit is which you are under the conduct and influence of Try the Spirit in your own hearts hereby If it shun this Light if it speak not according to this Rule 't is because 't is a black Spirit and there is no Light in it Many grieve and quench the Holy Spirit and provoke him to withdraw and then an evil Spirit enters into them blinds their eyes hardens their hearts and scars their Consciences and when such set up for Teachers of others The Blind lead the Blind and so both fall into the Ditch Thus I have at length wrought my way through the Preface And by these Notes upon the Obscure places of it he that can see beyond the top of his Nose may discern what are the chief Accomplishments of this Doughty Champion of the Quakers in the West viz. Gross Ignorance not only of the sense of Holy Scripture and its Original Languages but even plain English the only Tongue he hath a smatterring in Intolerable Pride in troubling the World with his Non-sense and Impertinence â—â—â—id Vncharitableness in railing at reviling and misrepresenting a Reverend Divine who gave him no provocation And to name but one more for by these we may take a scantling of his other good qualities Abominable Profaneness in vilifying maiming and wresting Scripture Some People blame Mr. Hallet because he did not expose the Ignorance and Error of this Joseph Nott and John Gannacliff another of the Gang in a Pamphlet of theirs written in Answer to his 27 Queries Perhaps he thought it needless seeing that Book is so horribly scurrilous and silly that it carries its confutation in its Forehead Or else he concluded it would be lost labour seeing that Tho' thou shouldest bray a Fool in a Mortar among Wheat with a Pestel yet will not his Foolishness depart from him Prov. 27.22 And were it not for that the Party are Cock-a-Hoop upon their new Authors and vaunt themselves of their Jannes and Jambres as Men of such Courage that none durst enter the Lists against them I should not have commented upon their nauseous idle Stuff I know 't is no credit to have to do with such Fellows And all the return I expect from that sort of Cattle is roaring and bellowing throwing dirt and calling all the odious Names which the Spirit who acts them shall put into their Mouths SECT III. Joseph Nott's Scurvy Commendation of Holy Scripture He and John Gannacliff elsewhere prefer the Light within before it The Scriptures prov'd to be the only supream and sufficient Rule The danger of setting the Light within every Man above God's Written Word J. N's first