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
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