I can find them And I must say the like of that passage of his p. 15. Priest There is nothing in man to be spoken to but man Answ How then ministred the Apostle to the spirit I cannot find where the Apostle is said to minister to the spirit 14. The next I will note is in p. 9. thus Priest The Quakers are deceived because they say Christ is within them kept down by something within them Ans Corrected by the Apostle who saith to the Saints Christ is in you the hope of glory and he was prest down as a Cart with sheaves It 's manifest that Christ is the Antecedent to He but where is that spoken of Christ The Prophet Amos not the Apostle saith in the name of the Lord Ch. 2. v. 13. Behold I am pressed under you as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves But it is referred to the Lord or Jehovah that brought them out of the land of Egypt v. 10. and not to Christ But our Prophet George will not allow the Father and the Son to be distinct but all one See p. 99. therefore frequently referrs that to Christ which is spoken only of God the Father 15. So he doth with that Text 1 Cor. 15.28 which he doth us the favour to cite Chap. and verse and to put the words in Scripture Character too for thus he saith p. 343. The promise is to the seed the seed is Christ Christ all and in all 1 Cor. 15.28 He 's very unhappy both in reciting words and Texts for the Apostle saith thus And when all things shall be subdued unto him then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him that God not Christ may be all in all He could not have done a greater Injury to the Holy Spirit 's words than thus to put Christ for God for it mades them altogether absurd but whither will not the love of a false opinion drive men 16. Thus where the Scripture saith and the word was God G.F. saith p. 350. and 61. God is the word Jo. 1.1 I would gladly know of you my friends Whether the infallible spirit that leads G.F. into all truth doth not also bring things to his remembrance if it did at the time he wrote this then he sailed through wilful disobedience if it did not then G. F. is not infallible for here either his memory or his will fail'd him And this he is chargeable with though we should suppose there were no difference in the sence but I conceive there is a difference for though the Scripture saith And the word was made or was flesh yet no considerate man will say Flesh is the word neither is it in it self true 17. It seems to proceed from the same bitter root in him that he perverts the sence by so cutting short that Scripture Rom. 1.16 saying p. 160. And immortality not come to the light through the power of God which is the Gospel And p. 4. And the Apostle saith It the Gospel is the power of God whereas the Apostle saith indeed I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth c. which is far another thing than to say simply The Gospel is the power of God for what may not a man make of Scripture if he will take to himself this kind of license Then may we say of the like phrase 1 Cor. 1.18 The preaching of the cross is foolishness and foolishness is the power of God for the preaching of the cross is both 18. And if it had not been for the confounding of the person of the Son with the Father I see no reason why he should say p. 119. His father and he is greater then all For Christ saith Joh 10.29 My Father which gave them me speaking of the sheep is greater then all What would you say of your Adversary that should deal thus with your writings as G. Fox deals with Holy Scriptures 19. And he that dares thus to add and insert another person into the Text as he hath done in that now named what marvel is it that he adds the name of a person at all adventures whether it be right or wrong Thus doth he p. 134. and so deny Christ the Lord that bought them He had heard it's like formerly that Text 2 Pet. 2.1 so render'd by some or other and therefore it must be so though Peter saith only denying the Lord that bought them which may agree as well to God the Father as to Christ his Son 20. The two last Scriptures we noted we found addition in them here we have substraction which thought it might be pardon'd in another man that appears not to have any design in it or that condemneth not severely the like in others yet in him it cannot If he will quote Scripture why not as it lies plainly especially when brevity doth not constrain him to do otherwise Thus when he saith p. 165 Christ is come to whom every knee must how and tongue confess to the glory of God why doth he neither add the father to the term God nor insert that Jesus Christ is Lord as the Apostle doth both for he saith And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father But how the truth of this Scripture can consist with their Doctrine that say the Father and the Son are all one I cannot conceive 21. The 21 th Scripture which he hath notoriously and impudently added to is that in John Ch. 15. v. 25. which according to John runs thus But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testify of me But according to George thus Christ saith he is in the Father and the Father is in him and he will send them the spirit of truth the Comforter that proceeds from the Father and the Son Now that it may appear most evidently that he quotes this as Scripture and Christ's own words I will produce a passage out of the Epistle to G. Whitehead's Divinity of Christ subscrib'd by G.F. John Stubbs where he useth the words in the letter of Scripture saying also The Scripture saith and challengeth his adversaries to give him Scripture in plain words Thus it is read But we do charge Danson and his Brethren to make this good by Scripture in plain words For the Scripture saith The Father is in the Son and the Son is in the Father the holy Ghost proceeds from them I beseech you friends consider what spirit lead G. F. when he wrote these words What! Call and clamour upon his Antagonist for Scripture in plain words and then pretend to give Reader Scripture falsify it Can you produce an Author that ever wrote so inconsiderately If this be not a plain addition to the words of Christ I pray
saith that Author of theirs the Scripture saith not When we were enemies God was reconcil'd to us but when we were enemies we were reconciled to God But may not G. F. say what him pleaseth for he speaks by an infallible spirit 43 p. 100. He introduceth the Priest saying Nor is it an essential in-dwelling of the divine nature in Gods people c. His Answ Doth not the Apostle say the divine nature the Saints was made partekers of But where doth any Apostle say so Peter saith 2 Pet. 1.4 Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature he doth not say They were was made partakers of the divine nature but They might be which may relate to the time to come after the day of Judgment and not to the present time Hewever he affirms that which is false concerning the Apostle 44. The 44 th Instance shall be that in Heb 10.26 27. which he quotes thus p. 339. And be that sinneth after he hath received the truth there remains no more sacrifice for sin but a fearful looking for of Judgment Heb. 10.27 But the Scripture saith For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth c. where it 's evident enough that the stress of this Text lies in the term wilfully which G. F. is plesed to leave quite out for so it agrees better with his Doctrine of perfection and the Scripture must be made to speak to his mind though it be false or nonsence To let pass other differences between him the Text. 45. The next Instance is rather of his ignorance and idleness in the use of Scripture than of his corrupting it by misrecital for p. 337. against his Adversary that salth that they and the Papists and Jesuites do agree all together that the Scripture is the word of God c. he saith the Minisrers of the word calls the Scripture a Declaration as ye may read Luke 1. and ye do not agree with them that set forth the Acts that called it a Treatise Acts 1. and ye do not agree with John Rev. 22 who saith the words nor with Moses nor God who spake all these words Exod. 20. In the beginning was the word and the word is God and the word liveth and abideth for ever but the Scripture is words and the Scripture cannot be broken p. 337. I suppose he has this distinction between the word and words above 20 times in his Book But if he would have looked upon his Greek Testament wherein he pretends to such skill that he often corrects the Translators he might have found that that very word which they translate Treatise Act. 1.1 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Logon which is the same which in Jo. 1.1 is translated Word so that that very Text which he produceth against the Scripture it's being call'd word is a plain Text for it and the. Translators might justly and with great reason have translated thus The former word have I made c. and then Scripture would have been call'd in English word as it is in Greek So he saith p. 68. they the Scripture are not called the written word but words and yet his Greek Testament if he have one which I much doubt would have inform'd him that Scripture is called the word written 1 Cor. 15.54 where the English read the saying that is written but in Greek it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ho logos ho gegrammenos the word written So that his distinction that he cracks so much of is come to nothing But we have little reason to expect that he that is so intolerably unfaithful in quoting the English should any way help it by the Greek which I shall show that for all his arrogant pretences he doth not at all understand 46. The A postle Paul 1 Cor. 14.31 For ye may all prophesie one by one that all may learn and all may be comforted But G. F. practice and Doctrine of the Apostles in the true church which said let all speak one by one Thus he changeth prophesy into speak as if all speaking were prophesying 47. The 47 th particular shall be that of-womens speaking in the Church which the Apostle disallows in the same 14 th Ch.v. 34 35. in as plain and express words as can well be spoken saying Let your women keep silence in the Chruches for it is not permitted unto them to speak but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the Law And if they will learn any thing let them ask their bus bands at home for it is a shame for women to speak in the Church Here if the Apostle do not command silence to women by sex in those cases wherein he allows men by sex to speak I understand nothing tht's written But G. F.p. 386. speaking of the woman that is forbid to speak in the Church saith now the woman here hath a Husband to ask at home and not usurp authority over the man but Christ in the male as in the female who redeems from under the Law and makes free from the Law that man may speak c. Here we may perceive he allows women as well as men to speak in the Church and indeed your practice shews that women are not in any case excluded from speaking where it is permitted to men Also we may perceive that by the husband that is to be asked at home he means Christ Now if we may take liberty to expound Scripture after this manner I count it utterly impossible to prove any truth by Scripture then we may as well deny Scripture as affirm it It will be a nose of wax that may be turned which way we please I do not in this particular charge G. F. with misrecital of adding or diminishing from Scripture words because he neither quotes the place nor puts the words in Scripture Character as he doth in the other instances but the exposition which he gives of it is so gross and absurd that it may well be reckon'd among his abuses of Scripture Besides it seems to be built upon a mis-reading of Husband for Husbands because Christ who is but one is made the Husbands that must be asked at home So one of your Authors saith But what husbands have widows to learn of but Christ And was not Christ the Husband of Philips 4 danghters And may not they that learn of their husbands speak then 48. The 48 th Instance of his abusing Scripture shall be that great doctrine of yours of not calling men Master and thus he saith p. 43. Priest Why may they not be called Master Answ It is his master that teacheth him to be called of men Master that is gone out of the truth but Christ said ' Be not of men called Master and wo be to them that are Matt. 23. Thus for G. Where I observe first that he puts in here of men into the Text as
THE SPIRIT OF THE QUAKERS TRIED According to that discovery it hath made of it self in their great Prophet and Patriarch George Fox In his Book Titled The great MYSTERY of the great WHORE c. In an Epistle to the said QUAKERS but especially to the honest hearted amongst them Wherein the whole Evidence except a very few things doth consist of matters of fact in about 50 Instances obvious to every one's eyes who can but read English and compare one writing with another ALSO The Judgement and Sentence is pronounced by GEORGE FOX himself against himself and party in the persons of his Adversaries By a Lover of Truth and Men. For by thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt he condemned Matt. 12.37 Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee Luc. 19.22 London Printed for Maurice Atkins 1672. THE SPIRIT OF THE QUAKERS TRIED According to the discovery it hath made of it self in their great Prophet Patriarch GEORGE FOX in his Book Titled The great Mystery the great Whore c. Beloved friends I Have of long time with much grief and sorrow of heart beheld and considered your persons and principles for whilst some of you excell in many things which are in themselves good and laudable you do by the circumstances wherein you stand and by other practices and Doctrines render your selves very dishonourable and dangerous to Christian Religion I am ready to acknowledge in you a great deal of Temperance and moderation in the use of meat drink apparel and other pleasures and ornaments but I wish your insobriety pride and Arrogance in a high conceit of your selves and contempt of others foolish boastings and braggings were not as conspicuous you are just and punctual in bargaining but are you free from making a prey upon your Neighbour's credit and taking up a slander against him You say you have put away malice envy and hatred but where shall we find more bitterness reviling and reproachful speeches than in your writings and discourses You love the Brotherhood well and are kind toward them but you disown and condemn all how vertuous and devout soever if in these times of the shining of your light they subject not themselves to the yoke of your conduct You talk much of Christ the light but you seem at least to deny his person Your affections are much on things in Heaven within you but not on things above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God You are much to be commended for your courage and patience but highly to be discommended for your superstition and gross ignorance whereby you expose your selves in great part to those labours and hardships you undergo Thus I could in many particulars set your vices and defects against your vertues and attainments but it is not my design at this time to take a full view of you And indeed I have found it very fruitless to deal with you by way of reason and Scripture for your leading men have so ordered the matter that you will not give ear to the most demonstrative arguments that are against you and you accept of the weakest reason imaginable on your side And the reason is evident for whil'st you look upon your selves as lead by an infallible spirit though it be indeed nothing but the fancy of George Fox or some other of your Teachers you must needs reject the clearest light that God has given to men or Angels when it opposes your sentiments And you are ready with your answers of This is the wisdom of the world This is natural understanding that knows not the things of God the knowledge from the letter or tradition and the like If we will not be put off so but tell you we by your own confession have the light within as well as you and that light tells us thus and thus contrary to what you assert O then you tell us alas you have the light but you have not been obedient to it you are not come to plain language you are still in the customes of the world respect of persons c. and therefore you are not to be heeded Thus you prove your selves to be in the truth and us to be in errour not by divine reason and holy Scripture but by the high opinion you have of yourselves and your low opinion of others I will not therefore now deal with you so much by arguments drawn from reason or Scripture and depending purely upon the understanding and mind but by such arguments whose evidence depends mostly upon the outward senses And I hope though you will not allow us to judge whether a mental proposition be true or false sence or nonsence yet you will not deny us capable of determining concerning matters of fact that are before our eyes That is to say if you will but allow us competent witnesses to prove that George Fox kill'd a man supposing we have seen him at noon day thrust him through the heart with a sword or if not that you will grant that we can read English or Greek that is not understand English or Greek but know A. from B. and sound them when we find them together A B. and know that A B. is not Co and the like then upon these concessions we will undertake to prove that George Fox is a false Prophet a liar or Impostor But if you will not allow us competent witnesses against George Fox either in matters of reason or sense then we beg but this favour of you that you will please to believe your own eyes and if you will not do that I hope you will excuse us from ever believing any thing that you say or affirm and from ever speaking or writing to you any more But as for those of you that have in the simplicity of their hearts by good words and fair appearances been induced to walk in your path for to such chiefly do I address my self I make no question but they will see themselves mistaken For their sincerity will oblige them to give their own consciences some satisfying account why they take George Fox for a true Prophet and his Doctrine for infallible as he pretends it is but it will be impossible for them to give themselves any such account against the evidence of their senses As for those of you that are much affected with and have a good share in the glory and honour which accrue unto them from this singular way of knowing all things and being better than all other men I may say of you as Abraham to the rich man neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead But it is time for me now to begin to make good what I have undertaken to witt To prove to your senses that George Fox who is not only a great Patriarch but also in highest esteem among you is a false Prophet liar or Impostor And thus I go about it If George Fox in matters of concernment not only to mens
effecting it So our Lord Christ saith Matt. 5.15 Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel but on a candlestick and it giveth light to all that are in the house And yet if a man shut his eyes or have very sore eyes he shall not be enlightned See also Luk. 11.33 and 36. 2. The next shall be the 7 th verse of the same Joh. 1. which he has relation to in p. 13. or else I know not where to find it where he answers thus Contrary to John's doctrin and Christ's who saith The light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world is the true light that men through the light might believe and in p. 10. cited but now that through it he might believe notwithstanding if you take the pains to read it you will find it thus that all men through him might believe and read that and the former verse and you will perceive that him refers to John Baptist and not to the light as George Fox would have it So that he doth not only change the word but brings in thereby a divers sence of his own See p. 28. and many other places 3. The Third shall be that in 2 Cor. 4.6 which he cites almost as oft as that of Joh. 1.9 but seldom right as it is but thus or the like p. 11. Ans When as Paul said that the light which shined in their hearts to give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ If it be non-sence I cannot help it p. 21. he saith which was the work of the true Apostles to bring people to the light within that shined in their hearts to give c. See p. 41 59. and 20. places more to the same purpose Only in p. 59. when he had cited the Scripture after his wonted false manner attributing that to the light which the Text attributes to God he saith Mark he saith the light is that which gives the knowledge c. What a strange degree of confidence must this man be arrived at that he should abuse his Reader with falsity and bid him Mark it too For the Apostle Paul has it thus For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ But if he had recited it right it would then have appeared not only that God is the giver of light and the light a gift but also that it is the light of knowledge and created for God commanded the light to shine out of darkness by creating it See Gen. 1.3 4. But George Fox likes none of these Doctrines therefore it was his Interest to pervert the Text. And because that Text Col. 3.10 seems to have been corrupted by him upon the same account that shall be 4. The next And have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him So saith Paul but George Fox p. 220. puts them in stead of him and so the Saints must be the Antecedent to Them whereas the new man is the Antecedent to Him and shews that the new man is created which George Fox is not willing to allow for p. 10. he corrects his Adversary for saying The light is a creature and I take it he means by the light and the new man the same thing However this is the alteration is manifest of the words and of the sence by reason thereof 5. The fifth Scripture shall be that of Deut. 30.14 where I complain of defect p. 10. for there he makes mention indeed of the words of the 12 th and 13 th verses but in the same Character with his own words but then he changes his Character whereby he intimates that he cites the very Text and saith But the word is night in thy heart Deut. 30. Moses saith But the word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayst do it To say The word is nigh thee in thy heart agrees pretty well with his Doctrine of the light within but to say The word is in thy mouth and in thy heart argues that word there spoken of is indeed such a word as is wont to be in ones mouth that is a word spoken and that our Author G. F. is not willing to acknowledge So he saith p. 47. The word of faith is within Rom. 10. This is manifest that in citing this Scripture he leaves out of the middle that which seems against him and takes the former part and the latter part that seem to be on his side Compare this with what he condemns in his Adversaries Now because it follows immediately in the same paragraph of his Books p. 10. that Text in 6. Luke ch 24. v. 5 6. shall be the sixth Scripture wherein his prevarication appears notorious For he brings in the Priest saying Christ was not in his Disciples when he said I am the light of the world And G.F. corrects him by Christ who saith I in you and you in me Then he brings in the Priest saying They that will came to Justification must go to Christs grave without c. And answers him by citing Deut. 30. as I have said And then it follows And the Angel said unto them that went to the grave without Why seek ye the living among the dead he is risen now the Angel's words run thus Why seek ye the living among the dead He is not here but is risen So G. F. leaves out He is not here out of the middle of the citation for that would have overthrown his opinion of Christ within and not without for the Angels would not say truth in saying He is not here if he was indeed there even within those that sought him 7. The Seventh Scripture follows in the same paragraph So he has abused 3. Texts of Scripture in 6. lines For it follows after He is risen and the Saints sits with him in heavenly places We must take no notice of the failure in Syntax for that 's frequent Now Paul saith Eph. 2.6 and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Now there may be a different sence of sitting with Christ and sitting in him for when an Ambassador from any State is honourably entertained and seated the people of that State may be said to be honourably entertained and to sit in him because he represents them but scarcely to sit with him But whether there be any difference or no in the phrases it 's certain that G. F. chargeth the Translators with corruption for putting with for in See p. 373. Jud. 14. The reciting of this Scripture in this manner is so frequent with him that though he use it perhaps 20 times or more yet not once I think as it is in Scripture And here give me leave to complain of him that he deals like a deceitful Chapman that would not
tell me what is It is now saith Daille of the right use of the Fathers the space of some Ages past since the Eastern Church accused the Western of having added Pilióque and the Son in the Article of the Nicene Creed touching the procession of the Holy Ghost But the Pope and his Council were never so impudent as to make that addition to the Scripture as G. Fox hath done See how upon occasion of an Inference not asserting it to be the words of Scripture G. Whitehead pronounceth the curse upon his Adversary John Newman Christ ascended c. p. 21 22. J. N. from Rev. 1.7 Those that pierced him in his body of flesh shall see that body visibly come again G. W.'s Answ These are not the words of Scripture but added although to add or diminish be forbidden under a penalty Rev. 22.18 19. Yet this mans presumption leads him to incur that What would G. W. have said to him if he had done a G. Fox has done Well! there is a righteous God that judgeth the heart and tryeth the reins and is no respecter of persons It 's true he doth not quote the Ch. and verse but more to blame he for if he had we could soon have seen his forgery whereas now perhaps not one of a Thousand that has read his Book has discovere it Or if he can tell us where those words of his are to be found in Scripture he shall escape the Curse for addition to it till then it lies upon him 22. The 22 th instance of his negligence and fallibility in quoting Scripture may be that place p. 71. of his Book where he saith and Paul declares himself take Paul's own words not of Man nor by man but by the will of God now this citation might have passed currant for Scripture though it 's no where found in this form for all I know but that he so confidently calls them Paul's own words which is false if they be not found together and not only apart 23. The 23 th this p. 68. speaking of the Churches or Temples wherein God is worshipped by some saith he Is God worshipped in Temples made with hands Is not be worshipped in the spirit and in the truth the different letter wherein he puts it intimates that he would have us take it for Scripture and there are some words like his in Joh. 4. and Acts 17. but in neither of those places are either the same words or the same sence but it 's sufficient against him that there are not the same words 24. The 24 th Scripture perverted is Joh. 7.38 He that believeth on me saith Christ as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shalt flow rivers of living water where his belly is plainly spoken of him that believeth but G. Fox applies it to the light Christ saying p. 130. and believing in the light Christ out of whose belly flowed rivers of living mater The light the light must be magnified by G. F. and the Scripture must be wrested to that purpose come on it what will 25. The 25 th instance of his fallibility or deceitfulness in the use of Scripture is taken from p. 27. where he makes the Priest say A true Church is guilty of Injury G. F. Answ Contrary to the Scriptures where the Apostle saith the Church is the pillar ground of truth without spot or wrinkle or blemish or any such thing The Apostle saith indeed Eph. 5.25 27 Christ also loved the Church and gave himself for it that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing He saith That it might and should not that it is as our G. reperesents it 26. So he abuseth us with a defective quotation of the 30 th verse of the same Eph. 5. which he has both in the 11. and 12 th pages in the same manner as in divers other places The 11 p. thus Priest They are no Christians that doth not hold Christ absent from his Church but Antichrists By the way I believe he wrongs his Adversaries in making them speak bad English Answ Which is contrary to the Scriptures which say they are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone and they are as nigh together as husband and wife But the Apostle thus For we are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones If he had not left out the former clause we are members of his body the latter clause which he takes would not so well have served his purpose and also have been more easily understood for we know it 's ordinary for a member of a Body or for the head it self of a Body which is an assembly as the word Ecclesia here rendered Church signifies to be in one Countrey when the Body or Society is at a far distance in another But this was not so discoverable in the Allegory of flesh and bones alone 27. The 27 th place shall show that our Author's memofulness or negligence as fallible rather more fallible than that of other men which is a great reflection upon his infallible spirit Thus p. 152. he saith And the Apostle said the deep things of God was revealed by the spirit of God It 's a small matter with him to make the Apostle speak bad English But the Apostle speaketh neither so nor so but God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit for the spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 And v. 11. the Apostle saith But the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God but G. Fox thus p. 39. The natural man receiveth not the things that be of God he leaves out spirit though for ought he knows there may be a vast difference between the things of God and the things of the spirit of God as there is a vast difference between blasphemy against God which may be forgiven and the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost which shall not be forgiven unto men Mat. 12.31 28. And if G. F. were a man capable either of rendring or understanding reason I would aske him why in using those words of Paul Rom. 14.9 he puts in the term God in stead of Lord for thus he saith p. 99. who Christ both died rose again that he might be God both of the dead and the living But the Apostle saith For to this end Christ both died and rose and revived that he might be Lord both of the dead and living So p. 17. Let the word of God dwell in you richly The Apostle hath Christ Col. 3.16 But this savours of his willingness to have no distinction between God and Christ For he saith p. 142. Christ is not distinct from the Father 29. And p. 160. by the Character he writes in he gives us these words for Seripture and so who is in Christ is a new creature And old things pass away But the A postle saith 2 Cor. 5.17 Therefore if any
whole phrase Who needs ever want Scripture for any thing he has a mind to say if he may abuse the words of Christ after this manner But if he or any of you think you can produce a Text that favours him more than this I will recal what I have writ on this points if not pray take notice of the grossest forgery Here I might bring in his uncouth use of those words in Isai 8.20 as another Instance but because it is not very clear that be quotes them for the very words of Isaiah I will only propose it Isaiah saith To the law ardâ—â—â—ke testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them But G.F. thus p. 75. For Isaiah bid them come to the law and the testimony and you that do not speak according to that rule it is because you hate the light in you Isaiah saith There is no light in them G. saith you hate the light in you One would have though he should have had so much respect to Scripture words as not to have said the quite contrary to them 36. The 36 th Instance of perverting Scripture shall be that in p. 280. where he hath this passage which Scriptures saith that the Holy Ghost moved in them that gave forth Scriptures which led them into all truth and did not say the Holy Ghost moved in the Scriptures but said The letter was dead and did not give life But I am to seek for that Scripture I find indeed the Apostle Paul speaking of Moses's ministration not of the writings of the new Covenant saith 2 Cor. 3.6 the letter killeth but the spirit giveth life but I think there is difference enough between The letter killeth and The letter is dead for who will fear to be killed by that which is dead for that which kills must have some activity life or power that which is dead hath none and the letter and spirit are not opposed as the one dead the other living but as the one killing the other enlivening This I say to show what a perverse sence and how contrary to the Scripture he has brought in by altering the words 37. And as if he scorned to quote Scripture right he saith p. 170. And I will slay you with the sword the words of my mouth saith the Lamb which words I cannot find in Scripture much less spoken by the Lamb I find these words Rev. 2.16 and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth Rev. 19.21 the sword-which proceeded out of his mouth but not the other Here is false quotation but I know not what bad sence therefore it is with him a small fault though it would be a great one in his Adversaries 38. But my 38 th Instance will discover both his forgery and vanity sufficiently For p. 98. he introduceth his Adversary charging the Quakers that they publickly deny the resurrection of the dead body to which among other things he answers Christ is the resurrection and the life both and thy dead body shall live with my dead body this is Scripture and they that said the resurrection was past in the days of the Apostles overthrew the faith of some In the first place I would know of any man what pertinency there is in this quotation of those words that seem to be taken out of Isai 26.19 Can any man be more certain by it than he was before of the Quakers acknowledging or denying the resurrection of the dead body or can any man tell by it what the Prophet Isaiah means by those words which are not neither the same with G. F's but thus Thy dead men shall live together with my dead body shall they arise So that besides the forgery there is the greatest vanity and lightness that I remember ever to have seen in citing of Scripture As if he would upbraid his adversaries with their respect to Scripture This is Scripture He might as well have quoted Abraham begot Isaac and have concluded This is Scripture 39. And whence it is except from his carelesness and heighth I know not that p. 279. he read thus in a Scripture letter Ans If Christ be not in you the body is dead in contradiction to the Scripture which saith Rom. 8.10 And if Christ be in you the body is dead But if it must be imputed to the Printer so he may be excused but till that appear not 40. And if he were not delighted with adding or detracting from Scripture at his pleasure why should he not quote Christ's words as they are Mat. 5.37 But let your communication be yea yea nay nay for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil But G.F. thus p. 178. He Christ says in all your communication let your yea be yea and your nay nay for whatsoever is contrary is evil Why not here as he has it afterward whatsoever is more is evil except it were that he would confound his Reader and so make him believe that the Quakers are very obedient to Christs command and perfect men though they in their communication call God to witness and assert things in the presence of God and the like phrases which other Christians take to be Oaths and dare not use them in that manner at least they are more than yea and nay which Christ saith cometh of evil but G. only whatsoever is contrary is evil as if all that is more must needs be contrary 41. And where to find that clause which he gives us for Scripture p. 250. I know not He brings in the Priest saying Sin is in the Saints for their humiliation His Ans Contrary to the Scripture which saith Christ is their humiliation And this he hath divers times as I remember but I take it for Scripture of his own making 42. There he makes Scripture here he marr's it most egregiously For p. 47. he saith And saith the Apostle God is in Christ reconciling the world unto himself where he puts is for was Sec 2 Cor. 5. the present for the past time For you must know that their opinion is as one of their great Authors expresseth it that God was in Christ reconciling men to himself ever since the fall in all ages both before and since Christ suffered in the outward and consequently the verb was doth not signify any thing past but what is also now present and ever will be as it always was By this means it may as truly be said that God is in G.F. reconciling the world to himself as that god was in Jesus reconciling c. forasmuch as Christ is so they would as truly and properly perhaps equally See p. 67. in G.F. as he was in Jesus But he has not yet done abusing this Scripture for p. 250. he saith God can do what he will who was in Christ reconciling himself to the world Is not this a large liberty that he takes to say the quite contrary to Scripture and to his own friends for
come before in your Judicatories you are not of another mind before you hear the Judgment of those your Elders and sometimes afterward also and whether you do verily believe that in all cases that have been decided by you every particular person would have been of the same mind being alone as the Society was of in their determination Nay do you not sometimes find your selves aggrieved at the Judgment of men and are you not forced sometimes to set up the Judgment of a part or of the Elder against the Judgment of another part of the people If you are then how is the light in every one of you extended to every particular case or is the light contrary to it self in this and that man or number of men And where is the Infallibility you speak of in particular persons in all cases If you consider this well I am perswaded you will perceive that the light in every man especially in those whose Judgments have been prepossed with false notions as many of you have been before you were Quakers doth not teach him all things whatsoever but all things that are necessary for him to know in order to a holy trust in God and sincere obedience in the general course of his life Besides Doth not the light in every man teach him to make use of such helps and assistances as God has afforded him And doth not the Apostle Paul say whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15.4 And the Apostle John These things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have life through his name Joh 20. 31. Now supposing the light in every man would teach him every particular thing it is always to be understood if he be obedients to what he knows and diligent in the use of those means God has afforded him of which we find the holy Scriptures are very great means and perhaps he has been negligent in the use of these indeed who can think any less of you who have suffered a Book to be set out in your names about 12 years agoe wherein I have shewed you about fifty false quorations not only false Interpretations or meanings besides non-sence and other faults and yet I am apt to think that scarce one in 500 of you that have read that Book have observed any such falsities And must we believe that God will still give you a light actually teaching you all things whatever how negligent soever you have been or are in the following of that he hath given you Must God be bound with his divine light and Inspiration to supply the defects of you Idleness and pride For when other men count it great mercy and favour in God that he is pleased through the vilest means that may be and through their earnest Study and diligence to grant them the knowledge of his will inlightning their minds by his holy Spirit you must have it like the Angels that always behold his face by immediate Revelation and without labour and Industry So now my friends I deny not that there is a light in every man which he is obliged under pain of the displeasure of the Almighty diligently to eye and follow that so doing it will lead him by degrees into all necessary truth and at length to eternal life I deny not but some of you have received and done much good by following this light but I must say again and that with great sorrow of heart that your preachers especially G. F. have greatly mistaken both the Teachings of and the Obedience to the Lights that your zeal been in great part not according to knowledge that you lay great snares in your onw way by binding your selves to those things to which God hath not bound you that in stead of worshipping God in spirit and truth you require the observation of ceremonies things in themselves neither good nor evil such are your not putting off the hat in Salutations not saying you but thou to a single person not calling him Master that is a Master and the like which your negative precepts no man in the world is one jot the better for your are the worse But above all your allegorical way of interpreting Scripture tends utterly to make it void and of no use and consequently to the ruine and overthrow of all Christian Religion Now I doubt not but there will be found among you more then one Solomon Eccles whose blood will boile within him and stir him up to the vindication of this great Prophet I can easily perswade my self that there is scarce any one of you that at least has at any time wrote any thing in your cause but he or she will think him or herself as soon they read the Title-page able to give a confuting answer to all that can be said against so worthy a person but I should think that as none of you is so able so none should be more provoked to defend him than your late Apologist William Pen who from Jenner's relation did observe that the only blasphemy was against G. Fox in speaking evilly of the Lord's servant p. 170. of that Apol. If he be moved to ingage in it I only beg of him that he would first be satisfied in his own conscience and light concerning that underta king and if he can do that I shall ever after have a better opinion of the Popish writers that ingage in defence of Transubstantiation Here I easily foresee one substantial Objection against me and Defence of George will be that I was ashamed of my name and durst not subscribe it to the charge Now I am almost ready to grant the last part of the Objection for I have some fear upon me on that acount and my reasons for it are such as these 1. There are some of your writers that make it a great part of their answers to Books the reproaching of the Author and they are very Rhetorical in that point and truly I desire rather a pertinent answer and am not willing to put into your hands an occasion for an impertinent one If you had my name then it must be considered what party I am of whether an Episcopalian Prechyterian Independent c. and accordingly all that is odious or so reputed either in the Doctrine or practice of the whole party or any particular person thereof must all be raked up against me and serve for a very plausible Answer Or if I should chance to be an old man of sixty six like your Adversary Jenner that would help as it doth against him to render me doting at every turn and be matter for a good part of an eighteen pence Apology Or if I have been a Brasier heretofore or a Tayler the world must be made to know what a pitiful mean fellow I am and must be told my name with Tinker or Tayler at the end one See the Apol. p. 2. But if this will not be enough you have a way that will serve you effectually to disgrace any man living so far as it is in your power and that is by suggesting as G. Whitehead against Mr. Danson Divinity of Christ p. 49. that he was given to Gaming Bowls and Nine-pins any crime whatsoever and when the suggestion is proved to be false if it so fall out unhappily you may come off as he by saying you did but quaere whether it was so or no you did not positively affirm it Will these things incourage any man to put his name into your hands that can keep it out Judge yee Besides I known not what disadvantage it will be to you not to know my name for what I have written will be as true without it as with it I confess that perhaps you will lose some of that sweetness of Revenge you would take in lustily bespattering me and that I am not willing to gratify you with I thank God through Jesus Christ I have a full testimony in my own Conscience both touching the causes and Inducements of my present writing viz. my hearty love and affection to Truth and your persons for whom I have longtime dayly prayed God who is light to lead you into the true light and the acknowledgment of the Mystery which was hid from Ages and Generations and also touching my faithfulness and Intergrity in the collection and Citations and Observations I have made so that whoever of you have a true discerning of spirits which you lay so great a claim to I am sure ye must justify me in what I have done and receive it as that which I was moved to in the general by the light of God and Christ in my heart But however you receive it or judge of it he that justifieth me is the Lord to whom I commit my self and it still praying for you for I am Your affectionate Friend FINIS The courteous Reader may be pleased to take notice that the words relating to Scripture in the Citations out of G. Fox should have been Printed in a different Character as they are in G o F's Book such are these p. 6.1.7 l. 12. p. 7. l. 21.14 p. 8. l. 12.13.24.25.27 p. 9. l. 15.17 them l. 30. p. 10. l. 20.29 p. 11. l. 25.26 p. 12. l. 〈◊〉 p. 13. l. 16.27 p. 14. l. 21.26 the Spirit l. 32. 82. ERRATA Page 7. l. 33. non read not p. 11. l. 18. r. found there p. 13. l. 〈◊〉 for I am only to 1. It 's enough that l. p. 31 l. 12 for 1 far p. 38. l. 25.1 think * In his Book called The Quakers Challenge thus Stand up Muggleton the sorcerer whose mouth is full of Cursing Lies and Blasphemy who call st thy last Book A looking Glass for George Fox whose name thou are not worthy to take into thy mouth who is a Prophet indeed and hath been faithful in the Lords business from the begâ—nning It was said of Christ That he was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not So it may â—o said of this true Prophet whom John said he war not but thou wilt feel this Prophet one day as heavy as a milstone upon thee and although the world know him not yet he is known