D-46 
 
 -^I^T^s 
 
 Ellas Hloks 
 
 A Defence of the 
 Christian DoctriTies 
 of the • 
 Society of Friends 
 
rJ) rs 
 
 OF THE 
 
 CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES 
 
 SOCIETY OF FRIENDS; 
 
 BEING A REPLY TO TBE CHAUGE OP DEXTIXQ 
 
 THE THREE THAT BEAR RECORD IN HEAVEN, 
 
 THE DIVINITY AND ATONEMENT OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS 
 
 CHRIST, AND THE AUTHENTICITY AND DIVINE AUTHORITY OF 
 
 THE HOLY SCRIPTURES, 
 
 HrCE^TLX HETITED AGAINST THE EARLY aTJAKEBS, BY THE FOLtOWEIlS OB 
 
 SLZAS HICKS. 
 
 EN TWO PARTS. 
 
 THE FIRST PART CONTAINING 
 
 A refutation of a Pamphlet lately publiaiied, entitled " The Sandy Founda- 
 --Tion ShaKen^Src. to which are added, Extracts from the writings of divers 
 of our primitive Friends on the Divinity of Christ, Atonement, the Scrip- 
 tures, &c.;" in which the compilers' mutilations and perversions of the lan- 
 guag-c and meaning of the authors whom they quote, are detected and exi 
 posed, 
 
 PART SECOND, CONSISTING flif 
 
 .Extracts from the writings of FOX, PENN, BARCLAY, PENNINGTON, 
 VYHITEHEAD, CLARIDGE and ollicrs, showing tlic consistency of then- 
 be\ief with the doctrines of HOLY SCRIPTURE. 
 
 I'JIILADELFIIL^. 
 
 18^5. 
 
 ■? 
 
^ 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 A PAMPHLET has recently made its appearance in this city, 
 entitled ** The Sandy Foundation Shaken, kc. hy Wm. Penn, 
 to which are added, Extracts from the writings of divers of 
 our primitive Friends on the Divinity of Christ, Atonement, 
 the Scriptures, &c.;" the obvious intention of wUicli, is to 
 make it appear, that tjie worthy founders of the Society of 
 Friends, concurred with the Socinians and modern Unitarians, 
 in denying these important doctrines of the Christian religion. 
 
 It is now incontrovcrtibly established by the writings, as 
 well as the public preaching of Eiias Hicks, that he denies the 
 miraculous conception, and the divinity of our Lord and Sa- 
 viour Jesus Clirist ; tlie virtue of that most satisfactory sacri" 
 fice for sin, which be made of himself upon the cross, without 
 the gates of Jerusalem, and likewise the authenticity, genuine- 
 ness, and authority of the Holy Scriptures of IVuth. His 
 adherents being no longer able to deny these charges, nor to 
 screen him, by saying that he is misunderstood; are now at- 
 tempting to prove, that in thus rejecting some of the most 
 important and precious doctrines of the Christian religion, ho 
 does no more than w as done by tlic early Quakers. 
 
 This w as a task not to be performed without much labour 
 and contrivance — full and fair cpiotations would not answei*^ 
 their purpose, but prove the contrary of that which they wish- 
 ed to establish, and tliereforc the compilers of this pamphlet, 
 have resorted to the disingenuous stratagem of mutilating^ al' 
 tenng, and grossly ])ervcrting the language and obvious mean- 
 ing of the authors, whose writings they quote. In the following 
 pages weshall bring ample proof of the validity of these charges, 
 and show that they have committed acts of great injustice to- 
 wards those worthy men, whose names they have adduced, to 
 sanction doctrines which they declared they never held nor 
 owned. Our present remarks will be conlined to the contra- 
 dictions and misrepresentations contained in their preface. 
 
 It is a truth established by long ex])crience, that not only a 
 frequent recurrence, but also afirm adherence, to its original prin- 
 ciples, is essentially necessary to the prcsei'vation of every reli- 
 gious society. But in order to realize the advantages of this 
 important truth, it is absolutely necessary for the members of 
 every such society, to be able to dcterniine, what those orif 
 
IV rREFACE. 
 
 ginal principles are ; and it is evident that for this purpose they 
 must be in possession of some declaration wliich can inform 
 them, what the peculiar points of belief or practice were, 
 which formed the great terms of the compact into which their 
 predecessors entered, and in wliich themselves have now be- 
 come parties. Hence the obvious necessity, according to the 
 maxim laid down by the authors of the preface, that eve- 
 ry society should have its declaration of faith. Obvious 
 Ijovvever as this is, and indispensable as the authors have thus 
 made it, they seem soon to have forgotten, or else not perceiv- 
 ed their own admission ; for immediately after, they assert that 
 the Quakers rejected all creeds and confessions of faith. How 
 then we would ask, do the authors determine, what those ori- 
 ginal principles ai'e which they recommend us to recur to; or 
 how do they ascertain, that Elias Hicks does not " hold and 
 propagate docti'ines and opinions contrary to the doctrines and 
 opinions of primiti\ e Friends." 
 
 The word creed, signifies no more than a form of words, ex- 
 pressive of the belief of a person or society ; aiid is synony- 
 mous with confession of faith. Every declaration whether 
 oral or written, which contains any thing heliered, is a creed; 
 it is a confession of faith ; and consequently if, (as the authors 
 assert) the early Quakers rejected all creeds and confessions of 
 faith, it follows that they had no first principles or belief what- 
 ever. To recommend us, therefore, to recur to " original princi- 
 ples" and to assert that the doctrines of E. H. are coincident 
 with those of the early Friends ; and at the same time to deny 
 that the early Friends had any principles or doctrines, is a 
 palpable exhibit of absurdity and contradiction. 
 
 The authors assert, that the individuals composing the So- 
 ciety in its commencement, " had become disgusted with the 
 many palpable errors in faith and practice prevalent among 
 religious professors." Now if they withdrew from the com- 
 munion of other religious professors, in consequence of their 
 many errors in faith as well as practice, it must have been, be- 
 cause these errors in faith, were inconsistent with their own 
 doctrines ayid belief; and the Quakers must have had some writ- 
 ten declaration of their own faith, whereby they showed that 
 they did not hold those errors. This then was their creed and 
 confession of faith ; and how can the authors assert that they 
 rejected all creeds and confessions of faith ? Their own asser- 
 tions mutually prove each other to be untrue. 
 
 The authors also tell us that '* they sought for, and embraced 
 only, what they believed to be substantial truths, and the realities 
 of religion." How> we would ask, do they ascertain that the 
 Quakers embraced substantial truths, or that they believed 
 their doctrines to be the realities of religion, if they had re- 
 
PRBFABE. V 
 
 jected all creeds and confessions of faith ? Could the early 
 Quakers have embraced or believed in any substantial truths, it 
 they had rejected all belief? The sources whence the autliors of 
 the preface, derive the knowledj^c of those substantial truths, 
 and realities of religion, which tliey say tlie Society of Friends 
 embraced, are undoubtedly those w ritings in \vhich they declare 
 what they did believe ; and these are as certainly their confes- 
 sions or declarations of faith. 
 
 Again, say the authors, " a zealous adherence to their prin- 
 ciples, and a faithful discharge of their religious duties, soon 
 rendered them obnoxious to the derision and persecution of both 
 priests and people." Now we can readily believe that the faith- 
 ful discharge of religious duties, rendered them obnoxious to 
 scorn and suffering j but we are at a loss to comprehend how 
 the Quakers could zealously adhere to principles^ when they had 
 none ; or how such an adherence, to principles of which the 
 world could know nothing, (since they rejected all creeds and 
 confessions of faith,) should render them obnoxious to derision 
 and persecution. 
 
 If the Quakers confessed no belief — if they owned no creed, 
 if they declared no particular faith, the world could not 
 know that they had any. Such are the strange contradictions 
 and absurdities, which these authors have run themselves into, 
 in their anxiety to apologize for the unbelief of Elias Hicks. 
 
 The authors are either ignorant of the history of the peo- 
 ple, whose faith they pretend to give us^ or what is still more 
 culpable, wilfully misrepresent them ; when they assert, that 
 they rejected all creeds and confessions of faith. 
 
 Not only individuals, but the society, has at different peri- 
 ods published to the w orld, full and ample confessions of their 
 faith, on various important points of christian doctrine : some 
 of which we shall notice. 
 
 In 1658, but a few years after the rise of the society, Richard 
 Farnsworth, a distinguished minister, published a '* Confession 
 and profession of faith in God, &c." In 16G8, William Pcnn, 
 being imprisoned in the Tower, upon the charges of denying 
 the divinity of Christ, and of being a Socinian, published a 
 declaration of his faith in God, and in Jesus Christ our Lord, 
 which is included in his '* Innocency with her Open Face, or 
 an Apology for the Sandy Foundation Shaken ;" Apart of which, 
 the compilers have inserted in their pamphlet. It begins thus : 
 "1 sincerely own and unfeigiiedly believe," &c. SVc would 
 ask, is not this a creed or confession of faith ? 
 
 In the year 1671, George Fox wrote a declaration or con^ 
 fession of the faith of the Society of Friends, addressed to the 
 Governor and Council, 6cc. of JJai-badoes; in order to dear 
 himself and his brethren, from the false accusation of those. 
 
VI fREFACJii 
 
 who said they " denied God, Christ Jesus, and the Scriptdres 
 of Truth." — In 1682 he published another, embracing other 
 points of christian faith, which may be seen in his answer to 
 to all such as falsely say the Quakers are no christians, &c. 
 
 In 1673, Robert Barclay published his treatise, entitled A 
 Catechism and Confession of Faith, &c., as held by the people 
 called Quakers ; which was, and continues to be, fully owned 
 and approved by all true Quakers. It has been several times 
 I'cprinted by order of the Society. 
 
 In 1689, G. Whitehead, and others, drew up a declaration, 
 or confession of faith, to be subscribed to by Friends, in order 
 that they might avail themselves of the benefit of the act for 
 granting liberty of conscience, passed in the reign of William 
 and Mary. This confession included a belief in the Holy 
 Three that bear record in Heaven — the Godhead and man- 
 hood of Jesus Christ, and the authenticity of Holy Scripture. 
 
 In the year 1692, a declaration and confession of faith, 
 signed by eight distinguished Friends on behalf of the Society, 
 was published in London ; and Francis Bugg, an apostate 
 Quaker, having charged the Quakers with holding Socinian 
 notions, denying the divinity of Jesus Christ, &c. ; a short de- 
 claration of faith was drawn up in the same year, signed by 
 thirty-one Friends, on behalf of the Society, and published. It 
 contains a clear confession of their full belief in the divinity 
 and atonement of Jesus Christ and the authenticity of Holy 
 Scripture. We could, if it were needful, refer to other decla- 
 rations of the kind, which the Society has had occasion to re- 
 vive from time to time. Sewell, in his history of the Quakers, 
 speaking of the charges alleged against them by George 
 Keith, says : ** And since he [G. K.] had contradicted that, 
 which formerly he had asserted, and defended in good earnest; 
 and charged the Quakers, with abelief which they never owned 
 io he theirs ; they found themselves obliged, publickly to set 
 forth their faith anew in print, which they had often before as- 
 serted, both in words andin writing, thereby io manifest that their 
 belief was really orthodox, and agreeable with the Holy Scrip- 
 tures,'^ This confession of faith which Sewell alludes to, may 
 be seen at length, in the 2nd vol. of his History, p. 499, and 
 seq. 
 
 Thus we see, that it is both untrue, and unfair, to charge 
 the primitive Quakers, with "rejecting all creeds and confes- 
 sions of faith," as though they either denied all doctrines of 
 every kind, or were indifferent what faith their members adopt- 
 ed. Such is not the case. There was no society, who more 
 frequently declared to the world, the consistency of their doc- 
 trines with the Holy Scriptures ; invariably making these the 
 test in all controversies with their opponents, and declaring 
 
PREFACE. Vll 
 
 that wiiatsoever was contrary thereto, though offered under 
 the sacred sanction of inward, immediate revelation, tliey ut- 
 terly rejected and denied. The teaching and doctrine of their 
 ministers, was founded upon, and proved hy the Bible ,• and 
 sortie of them carried them in tlieir pockets, when out from 
 home upon gospel missions, and preached with them in their 
 hands. We have several instances of this kind, in our honour- 
 able Elder George Fox, who was a man mighty in the scrip- 
 ture. 
 
 Tlie object of the authors, in making this unfounded accu- 
 sation, can only be to break down the barrier of sound doc- 
 trine, and make way for the rejection of those primary and 
 fundamental articles of christian faith, which all true Quakers 
 have ever held and owned; that are the very basis, upon 
 •which the society was first founded, and on which, if it stand 
 at all, it must continue to be built. This foundation, together 
 with the Holy Scriptures, Elias Hicks is striving to destroy, 
 and to aid him in this attempt, the authors and compilers of 
 this book, present us with their garbled and interpolated, and 
 perverted extracts. But happily, this very book itself, de- 
 feats their purpose : — Mangled and distorted as it is, the sys- 
 tem of doctrine which it presents, is widely different from that 
 of Elias Hicks j while the unmanly shifts which the compilers 
 have stooped to, in order to force the authors to speak their 
 language; is a sure indication of the weakness; nay, worse, 
 the turpitude of their cause. 
 
 They have betaken themselves to the same arts, as were 
 practised by the persecutors and opponents of Friends, in the 
 beginning ; have adduced, in many cases, the same passages, 
 and all to prove the very same ?.ccusations, viz : a denial of 
 the divinity of Christ — of his atonement, and of the authority 
 of Holy Scripture. Thus they have fairly entered the ranks 
 of calumniators, and classed themselves with T. Hicks, Vin- 
 cent, Maddox, Itcs, Brown, Bugg, Laslie, Faldo, Mitchel!, 
 Clapham and Keith ; and more recently, their w orthy col- 
 league in the work of misrepresentation, William Craig 
 Brownlee. 
 
 That the primitive friends, believed the revelation of the 
 Holy Spirit of Christ Jesus in the soul, to be the foundation 
 of true and living faith, is readily admitted ; for it is indeed, 
 the very corner stone of our holy profession : but tlicy also de- 
 clared as positively, to speak in tlic language of Barclay, 
 that *' these divine inward revelations, which we make abso- 
 lutely necessary, for the building up of true faith ; neither dOf 
 iwr can ever contradictf the outward testimony of the scriptures, 
 or right and sound reason." 
 
 William Pcnn, defending himself against the exceptions of 
 
via PREFAAE. 
 
 the Bishop of Cork, to a paper called " Gospel Truths, &c." 
 says, — ** Now if being general, and keeping to the terms of 
 scripturef be a fault; we are like to be more vile with the Bish- 
 op : For, thanks be to God, that only is our creed; and with 
 good reason too, since it is fit, that should onlj conclude, and 
 be the creed of Christians^ which the Holy Ghost could only 
 propose and require us to believe. — For if the comment is made 
 the creed, instead of the text ; from that time we believe not 
 in God, but in man." Works, fol. ed. vol. ii. 896. 
 
 It is therefore in vain, for Elias Hicks, or his followers, to 
 screen their unbelief, by pleading further revelation or great- 
 er light. — If they have seen beyond the scriptures, they are not 
 Quakers J for Barclay positively asserts, that all such preten- 
 ces, are mere delusions of the enemy. The Quakers have al- 
 ways appealed to the Bible, for the proof of their doctrine ; 
 and it is a sure indication, that they are neither Quakers nor 
 Christians, who are afraid to submit their doctrines to its 
 test. 
 
 When we reflect upon the awful defection in faith and in 
 practice, which the principles of Elias Hicks have introduced 
 into the society, we can cordially reciprocate the mournful lan- 
 guage of the authors of the preface. The demoralizingf the 
 disorganizing effects of his sentiments are becoming every day 
 more and more obvious ; and while we view the diminution of 
 religious w atchfulness and holy circumspection, which is ap- 
 parent in many who have adopted them ; whose minds in ear- 
 lier and better days, were deeply imbued with the fear of 
 God, and the love of Christ, and whose daily prayer was, 
 that they might be preserved in humility, and in faithful de- 
 votion to the Lord's cause: -when we remember the days of 
 their espousals, and the peaceful ness and holy quiet which they 
 then enjoyed, we are ready indeed to say, *' how is the gold 
 become dim, how is the most fine gold changed." 
 
 How many are there, who, deceived by specious pretences to 
 greater spirituality, and to the guidance of the Holy Spirit ; 
 lured by the unlawful love of novelty, and a restless desire to 
 be prying into the inscrutable mysteries of God, have left that 
 precious state of humble dependence and holy faith, that true 
 tenderness of spirit, that teachableness and conscientious fear 
 of doing wrong, which they knew something of in the day of 
 their early visitation ; and are now determined to choose for 
 themselves 5 to believe what they please, and deny what they 
 dislike, — until they have at last come to reject the doctrines of 
 Holy Scripture, to deny the Lord that bought them, and are 
 " rapidly merging into the popular doctrines" of infidelity. 
 They are not only " receding from genuine quakerism," and 
 
PREFACE. IS 
 
 approaching the communion of modern unhelievers, but by the 
 most unfair means, are endeavouring to press into their company, 
 many iionourabie christian Quakers, who have long since fallen 
 asleep in Jesus ; and who in life, and in death, declared that 
 they had no fellowsliip with such unfruitful works of dark- 
 ness. 
 
 It is not, however, surprising that those who have thus 
 swerved from the ancient faith of the gos])el, as held forth by 
 this society, are anxious to gloss over their pernicious princi- 
 ples, and to plume themselves with the credit of antiquity and 
 the authority of ** primitive friends." There is something so 
 forbidding — so unpromising, so utterly comfortless and una- 
 miable, in the principles and cliaractcr of an unbeliever, that 
 few have been found, who were bold enough to throw off the 
 mask, and voluntarily to embrace it. They have generally 
 souglit to soften down the term, and to give their doctrines a 
 more inviting aspect, by pretending that they differed not in 
 essentials from sound christians ; that they only stripped cJiris- 
 tianity of human trappings, and taught it " in its native ex- 
 cellence and purity," and that many pious men were of their way 
 of thinking. But the veil is too thin to conceal the deformity 
 which lies beneath. Infidelity, in its most specious forms, has 
 been too often detected, and too fully exposed, to give them 
 any hope of success, and the time is at hand, when they will be 
 made fully manifest. 
 
 The society of Friends, holds the same relation to other 
 christian professors, that ever it did. William Penn, in his 
 ** Testimony to the truth as held by the people called Quakers," 
 written in 1698, says, "Because we are separated from the 
 publick communion and worship, it is too generally concluded, 
 that we deny the doctrines received by the church, and conse- 
 quently introduce a new religion; whereas we differ least, 
 where we are thought to differ most. For, setting aside some 
 school terms, we hold the substance of 'those doctrines^ be- 
 lieved by the Church of England, as to God, Christ, Spirit, Scrip- 
 ture, repentance, sanctijication, remission of sin, holy living and 
 the resurrection of the Just and 'unjust to eternal rexvards and 
 punishments. But that wherein we differ most, is about wor- 
 ship, and conversation, and the inward quaUfication of the soul, 
 by the work of God's Spii'it thereon, in pursuance of these good 
 and generally received doctrines.^' 2d vol. fol. p. 881. 
 
 It is the certain effect of a faithful submission to the leadings of 
 the Holy Spirit of Christ, to bring its followers into an humble 
 and sincere belief in the sublime doctrines of the christian reli- 
 gion; and as occasion requires, to (jualify them earnestly to con- 
 tend for that precious faith once delivered to the saints, against 
 those who are labouring to destroy it. Hence, it is not sur- 
 
prising, that the doctrines of Elias Hicks liavebeen criticalJ*' 
 examined ; and their numerous inconsistencies, and contradic- 
 tions of Holy Scripture, plainly exposed. It is what every 
 man must expect, w hen he attempts an innovation upon the es- 
 tablished doctrines, and discipline, of the society, of which he 
 has professed himself a member. In perusing these inquiries 
 into the nature and effects of his principles, we have not per- 
 ceived, that any unfair or harsh measures have been pursued^ 
 or any opprobrious epithets cast upon hinj. It is true his 
 views have been proved to be coincident with those held by 
 most deists j but this coincidence is his fault, not the fault of 
 his reviewers. 
 
 The authors of the preface say, that the Reviews are ** teem- 
 ing with misrepresentations and perversions;" but they pru- 
 dently decline attempting to give any examples. The charge 
 is so manifestly unfounded, t!iat it does not need a serious re- 
 ply; and as the best refutation of it, we earnestly recommend 
 a candid perusal of the Reviews themselves. Their assertion, 
 that '* his private letters have been surreptitiously obtained," 
 must recoil with double force upon themselves. It is well 
 known that a part of Elias Hicks' letter to William B. Irish, 
 was printed in New York by his own friends, more than three 
 years ago, and many manuscript copies of it industriously cir- 
 culated by them ; that addressed to Dr. N. Shoemaker, was 
 shown to many persons, in the original; copies were taken by 
 Elias Hicks' particular friends, and handed about, with high 
 encomiums, for its excellence and the purity of the doctrines it 
 contained ; and before it was printed, was so effectually pub- 
 lished by his own adherents, that hundreds of persons, in re- 
 mote parts of the country, as well as in the city, were acquaint- 
 ed with its contents ; that to Dr. Atlce was Jii'st printed, pub- 
 lished, and widely circulated by his own friends; and, indeed, 
 in every instance within our knowledge, his letters have been 
 extensively known abroad, before they were put into print. 
 
 The authors of the preface, could not be ignorant of these 
 facts ; and it ill becomes them, to assert that the letters >vere 
 surreptitiously obtained, when it is so clearly apparent, that 
 while they could be circulated, without an antidote to their 
 poisonous contents, and while their errors and contradictions 
 were not exposed; the friends of Elias Hicks, were forward 
 in disseminating them, and were not sparing in their encomi- 
 ums, of what they now wish to apologize for, by telling us 
 that they " are mere sketches of his views," " insufficiently 
 guarded." Elias Hicks, however, who is the best judge in 
 this matter, tells us, they are the result of due consideration and 
 reflection. 
 
 The authors tell us, they have compiled their pamphlet to 
 
PREFACE. XI 
 
 mesctie Elias Hicks from inirncritcd censure. Do they sup- 
 pose, that to stigmatize primitive Friends, with the unjust odi- 
 um of holding; antichristian tenets, will extricate Elias Hicks, 
 from the dilemma in which he has involved himself? His prin- 
 ciples merit censure; and to free iiimself from it, he must ahan- 
 don those principles. The authority of their names, could he 
 Justly adduce them, would iiot make his principles correct. 
 But why should so mucii pains and labour he bestowed, to 
 support the tottering fabrick of Elias Hicks's doctrine, when 
 his followers profess to considei* doctrines of no importance? 
 Why do his advocates, wring and torture the writings of " pri- 
 mitive Friends," in the vain hope of extracting some senti- 
 ment, that will yield them the semblance of authority ; and 
 yet shrink, with conscious fear, from the sure test of Holy 
 Scripture? Why do they struggle so hard to make their muti- 
 lated extracts from Friends' writings, the test of doctrines, 
 when they disclaim any test at all ? There is a sentiment of 
 the learned and pious Locke, which so well describes the cause 
 of that repugnance, whicii Elias Hicks and his fastidious fol- 
 lowers, manifest to the scriptin-es, that we are induced to quote 
 it. ** But the great antipathy, (says he,) wiiich a thoughtless 
 tribe among us, (for simple apprehension is a very metaphysi- 
 cal kind of thinking,) professes against the scriptures, is best 
 accounted for, from hence ; because they make us acquainted 
 with ourselves, and teach us sundry unfashionable duties, 
 which they are determijied, never to copy after; and, therefore, 
 as,it happens in too many other cases, the scriptures being 
 against them, they are against the scriptures." 
 
 The compilers invite their readers to examine the works of 
 primitive Friends, assuring tliem that their extracts *'have 
 been carefully transcribed and compared." This looks like 
 candour, but, as it is only the semblance o£ it, is, therefore, the 
 inoi'e injurious, and the more criminal. The works of the 
 authors ii'om whom they quote, are accessible to comparatively 
 but a small number ; and few of these have time or inclination 
 to read them carefully ; and where a pamphlet is put forth to 
 the world, containing numerous garbled or perverted quota- 
 tions, under the imposing aspect of candour and honesty, a 
 great proportion of undiscerning readers may be deceived. 
 The compilers have not tiiouglit proper to state the doctrines 
 of Elias Hicks, as contained in his letters, tljat the reader 
 might compare them with the sentiments exhibited in the com- 
 pilation ; and the danger of deception is thus rendered greater, 
 as many may be induced to imagine that the extracts are a 
 faithful delineation of tlicin. 
 
 We unite with tlie authors of the preface in affectionately in- 
 viting the candid and uprightf^io read carefully the extracts 
 
Xll VKEFACE. 
 
 which the compilers have made to support the principles of Elias 
 Hicks, and to notice^ especially, the mutilation of many of the 
 sentences, and the violence which is done to the authors' mean- 
 ing, in many places, hy the omission of parts which are imme- 
 diately in connexion with what they have quoted, and which 
 are necessary to understand the true meaning of the writer. We 
 would also invite the reader to observe, that many of the omit- 
 ted sentences, contain clear declarations of the belief of the 
 author, in those very doctrines, which the compilers are endea- 
 vouring to make them deny ; and hence it is not difficult to see 
 •why they have not had the honesty to quote them Jnlly and 
 fairly. Thus, the reader will be enabled to decide whether 
 some have not " obviously departed, not only from the original 
 grounds of faith assumed by our pious and enlightened prede- 
 cessors," but also from that regard to truth, strict integrity, 
 and justice, by w hich those dignified sons of the morning were 
 so honourably characterized. 
 
 How high soever infidelity may rear her haughty crest, or 
 however her votaries may vaunt themselves over the humble 
 Christian, one thing is certain ; her reign has ever been short. 
 For the religion of Jesus Christ, and for the doctrines of the 
 Bible, we have nothing to fear. We repose ourselves, in re- 
 verent confidence, upon the unfailing promises of God, who has 
 solemnly assured us, that they shall prevail. Much as the 
 freethinker boasts of his enlightened views, and liberal senti- 
 ments, and free inquiry, he has never yet been able to stand 
 the test of fair investigation. The Bible has stood the storms 
 of ages, and tlie cavils and criticisms of unbelievers, who could 
 summon to tlieir aid the richest stores of human learning; but 
 their greatest ingenuity, sliarpened by the most inveterate 
 malice, has only served to show the impregnable strcngtli of 
 the basis upon which it is founded. It still stands; and it will 
 continue to stand, when all the flimsy systems which have been 
 arrayed against it, shall have mouldered away into irreparable 
 ruin, and the remembrance of them be blotted out from under 
 Heaven. 
 
 We have no personal enmity to Elias Hicks. We utterly 
 disclaim any such feeling. It is the doctrines, not the man, 
 that we oppose. We often deeply deplore his lamentable apos- 
 tacy from that holy faith which we believe was once committed 
 to him ; we mourn over his aberration from the path of Christian 
 humility and obedience ; and we mourn, too, for the many inno- 
 cent and unwa>-y souls whom he has allured, to tread with him, 
 the tiiorny paths of unbelief, and whom he has robbed, we feai-, 
 of that sustaining hope, and holy confidence, which they once 
 enjoyed, in the Captain of tlieii" salvation. Had he stood as a 
 little child in the obedience <tt' faith, relying upon Jesus Christ;^ 
 
PREFABE. Xiii 
 
 instead of leaning to his own understanding, lie might, at this 
 <lay, have been a pillar in the house of God, tliat should go no 
 more out. The Lord, of his infinite mercy, grant that he may 
 yet be brouglit to see, and to tremble, at tlic awful gulf upon 
 tlie very brink of which he now totters ; tliat, through unfeign- 
 ed repentance, the evil heart of unbelief may be removed, and 
 a capacity graciously given, to look with full faith to the Lamb 
 of God who takes away the sin of the world ; that thus, 
 through the merits and mercies of a crucified Redeemer, he 
 may finally obtain that eternal life, which remains to be " the 
 gift of God, through Jesus Christ our Lord." 
 
 We shall now close with the following extract from a ser- 
 mon, delivered at Bristol, England, the 19th of 5th month, 
 1767, by that eminent minister of the gospel, Samuel Fother- 
 gill^ in which he beautifully and feelingly declares his full 
 and firm belief, as also that of the society of Friends, in those 
 very doctrines which Elias Hicks denies. We earnestly ex- 
 hort our readers to compare the sentiments in this extract, and 
 indeed throughout the whole volume of his sermons, with 
 those contained in Elias Ilicks* sermons, lately published in 
 this city. The contrast is truly affecting. 
 
 " We follow not formally, but we believe in, and are con- 
 Ainced, fully convinced, of the doctrines of the Christian re- 
 ligion ; the incarnation, glory, life, death, mighty miracles, 
 and various circumstances relative to the holy life of Jesus, 
 "as in the volume of the book it is written ;' and can, in an 
 awful and reverent sense, commemorate those vast and most 
 interesting events. We admire, with humble hearts and minds, 
 the awful transactions of that time, when sweat, like drops of 
 blood, ran from the face of the Holy Jesus ; when being in ago- 
 ny, he prayed more earnestly; wlien he was betrayed, his sa- 
 cred head crowned with thorns, his face spit upon, he was most 
 ignominiously treated, and as a sheep before her shearers is 
 dumb, he complained not. 
 
 *• We beiiold him in his agonies on Calvary's mount, offering 
 himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world ; that he 
 might purify us, by the shedding of his precious blood.' *More 
 precious than tiie blood of bulls and goats,' or any other that 
 was shed under the law. AVe believe in his amazing mercij in 
 offering himself there, when laden with the immense weight of 
 the sins of mankind, and the immediate sense of the Father's 
 presence withdrawn, he was left to suffer alone; under this 
 extreme pressure crying out, * Eloi, Eloi, lama sabacthani,' 
 was crucified, dead and buried. 
 
 *' Here pause a little, I beseech you. Contemplate the ado- 
 rable theme! Acknowledge, Oh man, that unbounded grati- 
 tude which is ever due from thee : Oi«, my soul, * how much 
 
SlV PKEFAUE. 
 
 owest thou unto thy Lord.* I know we have been stigmatized^ 
 as disbelieving; the truths of the Christian religion. However 
 I call the divine Record, the Saviour of the world, that was 
 offered a sacrifice without the gates of Jerusalem^ to witness for 
 my belief; that he was sent from God to do the ' Father's will ;* 
 and I do, without controversy, believe that he was * God mani- 
 fest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, believed on in the 
 world, and received up into glory.' We do not at all doubt 
 that God was ' in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself j' 
 
 * that Christ gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due 
 time, and that * with his stripes we were healed.^ 
 
 ** By virtue of that holy sacrifice^ the remission of sins is gained; 
 the awakening power of that sentence which is due to sin, is felt 
 in a state of alienation from God ; and as we believe that, * if 
 one died for all, then were all dead,' so we believe, that he who 
 was crucified, dead, and buried, likewise triumphed over the 
 grave, and now * sitteth at the right hand of God,' in a glorified 
 body, to make intercession for man; in order that he might ef- 
 fectually purchase, and redeem to himself, a people to the 
 praise of his name; and diffuse throughout his universal em- 
 pire, a similarity of opinion and nature, arising from the ex- 
 perience of his universal redeeming love. 
 
 ** / am no Jlrian — far from it. I believe in the clear, empha- 
 tic testimonies, laid down in holy writ, that Christ was more 
 than a prophet. I repeat my belief, that he suffered, died, as-, 
 cended, and is now come, * the second time, without sin unto 
 salvation,' in order to reconcile the world to himself. I know 
 many are willing to admit that he died for all, as all were 
 in a state of death ; and that by the imputation of his righteous- 
 ness, all are justified in the sight of God. Whereas, I think 
 it more just to proceed in the language of the holy, inspired 
 apostle, 'that they which live, should not henceforth live to 
 themselves, but to him who died for them, and rose again ;' 
 that there may be an effectual redemption, a thorough change; 
 jiot the imputation of righteousness xvithout works, but a real 
 substantial righteousness, in heart and life; which may ope- 
 rate upon, and regulate the mind and will, and lead us to a con- 
 formity to his divine nature: not a righteousness imputetfto 
 us, from what Christ did and suffered without us, but a riglit- 
 eousness raised by him within us, through our surrendering 
 ourselves to his government, and yielding entire submission to 
 his heart-cleansing, refining power. 
 
 " However this doctrine may relish with some, I am con- 
 vinced he died for all, that all should be saved ; that through 
 him, we might be justified in the sight of God, that we might 
 
 * put on the J^ord Jesus Christ, with all his divine affections.' " 
 Pages 33, 34, 35, 5C. Again in the same sermon, page 41, 
 
PREFACE. XV 
 
 " Our sins have been great, and oiir transgressions never 
 could have been obliterated^ had not Christ done it for us ; let us 
 therefore no h)nger dwell upon the rock of presumption^ with Sa- 
 tan, who hath been a liar from the beginning; but let us rather 
 descend into the valley of humility and peace, and settle ac- 
 counts witli the God of our lives ; from whom I had strayed 
 to that degree that my life became a burden to me, and I have 
 wished that I had never been born; but Christy who was a 
 friend to the publicans and sinners, is now become the rock of my 
 salvation ; he hath caused me to trust in him, and to seek the 
 Lord my God. The debt I owe is infinite. I desire ever to 
 acknowledge it with all possible gratitude, and to do my ut- 
 most towards the discharge of it, while I have my being." 
 
4 
 
 f 
 
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS, 
 
 It is no new thing for tlie writings of the early Quakers to be mu- 
 tilated and perverted, in order to prove iheir denial of the doctrines 
 of our Lord Jesus Christ and his apostles. Among the many accu- 
 sations and calumnies which were heaped upon this despised people, 
 there was none more frequently reiieiafed, nor more fully refuted 
 and denied, than this, which the compilers of the pamphlet arc now 
 endeavouring to support; and it is a fart, that, in order to sustain it, 
 the enemies of the society have alivays been compelled to resort to 
 garbling or misrepresentation of their language. 
 
 It is well known ihat the fundamental principle of the Society, is 
 a belief in, and an obedience to, the sensible iiilluences of the holy 
 spirit of Christ, in the soul. At the time of its first rise, this im- 
 portant doctrine was too little known or believed in, while great 
 dependence was placed upon the observation of mere outward ri'es, 
 and a bare historical belief in the life, suiferinjj, and death of Chri>t; 
 the scriptures being considered as the word of God, and the alone 
 treasury of that knowledge which gives life eternal. Hence it was, 
 that the Society of Friends, strenuously enfoiced the necessity of 
 coming to the real experience of the work of regeneration in the 
 heart ; to feel Christ ruling there by his spirit ; that so the blessed 
 and most comfortable truths of Holy Scripture might be sealed in 
 their experience, by the revelation of that power which gave the 
 scriptures forth. Now, because Friends preached the necessity of 
 coming to know Christ within, tliey were charged witli denying 
 Christ without, and with believing in Christ no otherwise than as rhe 
 spirit in man. And because they taught the necessity of the new birtli 
 in the soul, and a realchange of heart, whereby all things came (obe of 
 God, they were accused of slighting, or wliolly denying, (he virtue 
 of all tliat the Son of God had done for them, without them. 
 
 These several accusations they again and a<jnin refuted ; declaring 
 that while they enforced the necessity of the inward icork, they 
 were so far from deuijing the outward, 'hat they "ere tauiiht by the 
 Holy Spirit, most reverentl;/ and ^rntefutly to believe and acknuW' 
 ledge all that was done by Jesus Lyirist without them ^ and that al- 
 though, with the apostle, they believed the spirit of Chiist was in all 
 men, who were not reprobates, yet, so far from doubting, they were 
 taught by this verv spirit, unfeignedly to believe and own, both tlic 
 Godhead and manhood of Jesus Christ, his miraculous conception, 
 holy life, miracles, propitiatory sacrifice, death, resurrection, H.^cen- 
 sion, mediation and intercession ; and openly to avow t'leir full faith 
 in all that was contained in the Holy Scriptures of truth. 
 
 So repeatedly has the Society declared its belief, in all these doc- 
 trines of the Christian religion, that the generality of liberal minded 
 men have been convinced of the soundnesg of its faith, and of its 
 
 C 
 
SVUl INTUODUCTORY REMARKS. 
 
 consistency with Holy Scripture ; and the invidious charge of So- 
 cinianism had ceased to be anay'd against them, until renewed by 
 "Willianrt Craig Brownlee, and his coadjutors, the compilers of the 
 pan)phlet which we are replying to. We do not, however, regret the 
 coalition. It is a favourable circumstance that they agree so nearly, 
 in endeavouring to prove the Society "ab origine, Socinian ;" since 
 the same reply will serve for both : though, as the most suitable re- 
 buke for their calumny, we would advise them to read the replies to 
 Bugg and Leslie, and the " Switch for the Snake." 
 
 It is certainly not consistent with fair dealing, to pass over the 
 many plain and clear declarations of faith, which the Society of 
 Friends have at different times published, with the false assertion 
 that they rejected all creeds and confessions of faith ; and to cull 
 from their controversial writings, mutilated sentences, and publish 
 them as exhibiting the true doctrines of the society. Controversial 
 writings are more generally written to ref"ute and expose the errors 
 of an opponent, than fully to set forth the belief of the writer. There 
 are some observations in a reply to the " Snake in the Grass," which 
 are so peculiarly applicable to the compilers of the pamphlet, that 
 we shall quote them. They are inserted in Gough's History. 
 
 "As to this envenomed performance, it was remarked: 1. That 
 the matters therein charged upon us, (Friends,) are generally the 
 same that have been charged on us heretofore, by Faldo, Hicks, and 
 other adversaries, and always refuted, over and over, both formerly 
 and of late. 2. That the things thev charge on us, as errors and 
 heresy, are not pretended to be proved, by any plain, express po- 
 sitions or assertions of ours, but from our adversaries' own perverse 
 vieanings and wrested constructions of our words, ahvays denied 
 and rejected by us. 3. That the words and passages brought by our 
 adversaries, for proof of their charges against us, are not taken out 
 of our doctrinal treatises, or declarations of faith and principles ; but 
 for the most part, out of controversial books, wherein, oftimes, the 
 scope and aim of the author is not so much to assert, or express, his 
 own principles or doctrines, as to impugn and expose his adversa- 
 ries; by showing the contradictions, absurdities, and ill consequences 
 of his adversaries' opinions; from whence positively to conclude the 
 author's own judgment, is neither safe nor fair. 4. That, however 
 any of our former adversaries might have been misled in their judg- 
 ments concerning us, George Keith, who hath now moved this con- 
 troversy against us, knows full wellythat we do not hold those things, 
 either generally, as a people, or as particular persons, rvhich he has 
 charged on us as errors." ''Besides this, (says Gough,) as George 
 Keith had done before, in his quotations, and references to their wri- 
 tings, he stuck at no unhandsome nor unfair means to represent this 
 people io the most ridiculous, absurd, and disadvantageous light. He 
 mutilated their ea^pressions, by omitting the leading or concluding 
 parts of a sentence, or passing over some in the middle ; whereby, in 
 most cases, ttu-y made a sense quite different from the author's in- 
 tention."— Yk]e Gough's History, vol. iii. p. 392, 393, 394. 
 
 In order to enable our readers, to compare the sentiments of 
 Elias Hicks, with those of the authors who are quoted in the 
 
INTRODUCTORY REMarr.3. XlX 
 
 following pages, and to give a clear view of the gresjt discrepancy 
 and contradiction between them; we subjoin the follovvhig extracts 
 from his letters, sermons, &c. viz: 
 
 SENTIMENTS OF ELIAS HICKS. 
 
 "I dont admire at the difficullies thou hast had to encounter, in 
 regard to the mode nj' vedemptUm, gpnenilbj fipld hi/ professing chr'is- 
 tians, as being eftt'cted by tl^e death or outward dying of Jesus 
 Christ upon the outward wooden cross T/tis, as it re<iaids the re- 
 demption of the immortal soul from the bondage of sin, I consider 
 a vulgar error, that came in vvith the apostacy from primitive Chris- 
 tianity. The redemption effectod by this outward offering, would 
 ONLY, according to the true analogy of things, be a redemption of the 
 outward bodies; for, as under the legal dispensation, there were ma- 
 ny legal institutes, tiiat were binding upon the people of Israel, and 
 on no other people, and a breach of these, produced legal crimes to 
 which penalties were attached, and these inflicted on the bodies of 
 the Israelites; now I consider that the offering of the body of Jesus 
 Christ on the outward cross applied only as a matter of redemption 
 to the Israelites ; redeeming them from the curse of that covenant and 
 the penalties attendant on every breach thereof, and this outward re- 
 demption was the top stone of that figurative dispensation, as by it 
 that dispensation with all its legal rites and ceremonies was abolish- 
 ed and done away." — Ellas Hicks' letter to William B. Irish. 
 
 " Why shouldst thou think it cruel or painful, that God sent his 
 Son into the world, and when in the world, permitted him to suft'er 
 death by the hands of wicked men, when history informs us that 
 many thousands of righteous men and womenhave, by the permission 
 of the Almighty, been persecuted to death by wicked men; yet, never- 
 theless, we do not believe that God sent any of these into the world 
 purposely to sutTer death, in the cruel way they did, by the cruel 
 power of (he wicked ; neith r do I believe that God sent Jesus Christ 
 into the world purposely to suffer death in the way he did, anymore 
 than all them ; for 1 do not believe that God created any rational be- 
 ing and sent him into the world, to suffer death for other men ; be- 
 cause they were wicked and he was righteous; but that it was the right- 
 eousness of all these that aggravated the wicked, and was the procur- 
 ing cause of tlieir hatred and vengeance toward them when they cru- 
 elly persecuted them to death. But their sufferings was entiiely op- 
 posite to, and inconsistent with, the purpose and will of God, for if 
 it was not, the perpetrators of these dreadful crimes, and most atro- 
 cious deeds, would all stand justified in his sight." — Ibid. 
 
 " Hence we conclude, that God never sent his Son, Jesus Christ, 
 nor any of his rational creation, purposely into the icorld to suffer 
 death, by crue! men, but only in his free and voluntary choice to at- 
 tend to and do his holy will' in all things, and thereby glorify and 
 enjoy him, which all agree to be the chief end and design of man's 
 creation." — Ibid. 
 
 " But as divine wisdom foresaw that his people Israel, would re- 
 volt from his commandments, and rebel against his law, and become 
 cruel and hard hearted, so likewise he foresaw that the wicked among 
 
XX xmrRoBUftTORr REMARKS. 
 
 them would cruelly persecute and day many of the righteous ; and 
 hi-i son, Jesus Chrisf, among the rest, tljercfore he inspired many of 
 his servfjots to tcf^tify of these </«i7?^s among them, before they came 
 to pass — rts a warning and caution, that so those who were seeking 
 after the right way, might be preserved from taking any part there- 
 in ; while those who wilfully hardened their hearts against reproof, 
 mhzh' suffer the penalties resulting from their crimes, which they had 
 commitfed in their own free choice, contrary to the counsel and will 
 of their Cteator." — Ibid. 
 
 In an essay entitled " Wisdom Justified of all her Children," 
 after speaking of Christ as the Jewish Messiah, in which capacity he 
 fulfilled the law and did it away, which was the first part of his work, 
 &c. he proceeds: — 
 
 " And, secondly, after having finished the law, John's water 
 Baptism being the last ritual he had to conform to, after which he 
 immediately received the descending of the Holy Spirit of God upon 
 him, 9gree»bly to the abnve Prophet y of Isaiah ; by ivhich he became 
 a partaker of the divine nature of his Heavenly Father, and by this 
 spiritual birth, became the son of God, zvith power ; and thereby 
 fully qualified for his Gospel Mission, and went forth, clothed with 
 the spirit and power of God, preaching the gospel to the poor. 
 
 " Hence, we see another instance of the consummate wisdom of 
 the Highest, in leading his beloved son, qualified only as a real and 
 true Israelite, first to fulfil in that state all the righteousness of the 
 law, before the pouring forth of the Holy Spirit upon him, which 
 is the peculiar privilege of the gospel state, but which no individual 
 is prepared to receive, until, Ike Jesus, he has fulfilled all the right- 
 eousness of the moral law. For, had this diffusion of the spirit 
 been conferred upon him while engaged in the fulfilment of that out' 
 ward covenant, he would not have been any example to that people ; 
 as it would have proved that it required greater ability than the Israel- 
 ites had received, to perform the same; and would thereby impeach 
 the Lord of being an hard master, in requiring more than he had 
 given ability to perform, Butj by withholding the diffusion of the 
 spirit, until he had fulfilled the law of the outward covenant, ivith 
 the same ability that every Israelite had conferred upon him for the 
 same purpose; he thereby justifies his heavenly Father, and proves 
 his impartiality towards the children of men, and stands as a per- 
 fect example in that relation, to all succeeding ages, who come to 
 the knowledge of it. And then by the pouring forth of his spirit 
 upon him, shows his readiness to do the same to every other of his 
 rational crmfion, according to their several needs, to enable them to 
 fulfil, as Jesus has done, all the righteousness of the gospel — who 
 had previously come up in the same way of faithfulness, in fulfilling 
 the rightedusness of the law. And when he had finished his out- 
 ivard ministration, he then gave himself up to the power of his ene- 
 mies; although it was a very severe and trying baptism for his hu- 
 man nature to bear; having a clear prospect of his suiferings and 
 death, cryiiig out that the spirit was willing, but the fiesh was iveak : 
 but by his willing surrender to his heavenly Father's will, he has set 
 Bs a perfect example that we should account nothing too dear, not 
 
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. XXl 
 
 even our bodily lives, to surrender for the gospel sake, and the testi- 
 mony of a good conscience." — IVisdom Justijied. 
 
 " First, By wliat means did Jesus suifer ? The answer is plain, by the 
 hands of wicked men, and because his works were righteous, and theirs 
 were wicked. Query. Did God send him into the world, purposely to 
 sufttjr death by the hands of wicked men ? By no means, but to live 
 a righteoiia and godly life, {iihich ivas the design and end of God's 
 creating man in the beginning.) and theieby be a perfect example to 
 such ot" mankind as should come to the knowledge of him and of his 
 perfect life. For if it was the purpose and will of God, that he 
 should die by the hands of wicked men, then the Jews, by crucify- 
 ing him, would have done God's will, and of course would ail have 
 stood justified in his sight, which could not be. But it was permit- 
 ted so to be, as it had been with many of the prophets, and tvise and 
 good men that were before /urn, who suft'ered death by the hands of 
 wicked men for righteousness sake, as ensamples to those that came 
 after, that they should account nothing too dear to give up for the 
 truth's sake, r\ot even their own lives." — Letter to Dr. J\f. Shoemaker. 
 
 " But 1 DO NOT CONSIDER THAT THE CUUCIFIXION OF THE OUT- 
 WARD BODY OF FLESH AND BLOOD OF JESUS ON THE CROSS, WAS AN 
 ATONEMENT FOR ANY SINS BUT THE LEGAL SINS OF THE JEWS ; for aS 
 
 their law was outward, so their legal sins and their penalties were 
 outward, and these could be atoned for by an outward sacrifice ; and 
 this last outward sacrifice was a full type of the inward sacrifice that 
 every sinner must make, in giving up that sinful life of his own will, 
 in and by which he hath from time to time crucified the innocent life 
 of God in his own soul, and which Paul calls, the old man with his 
 deeds, or the man of sin and son of perdition, who hath taken God's 
 seat in the heart, and there exalteth itself above all that is called 
 God or is worshipped, sitting as judge and supreme. Now all this 
 life, power, and will of man, must be slain and die on the cross spir- 
 itually,as Jesus died on the cross outwardly, and this is the true atone' 
 ment, which that outward atonement was a clear and full type of. 
 This the apostle Paul sets forth in a plain manner. Romans, vi. 3, 4. 
 Know ye not that so many of us as were baptised into Jesus Christ, 
 were baptised into his death ? Therefore, we are buried with him by 
 baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead, 
 (outwardly,) by the glory of the Father, even so we, having by the 
 spiritual baptism witnessed a death to sin shall know a being raised 
 up spiritually and walk in newness of life." — Ibid. 
 
 ''And inasmuch as those idle promulgators of original sin, believe 
 they are raade sinners, without their consent or knowledge, which, 
 according to the nature and reason of things, every rational mind 
 must sec is impossible ; so likewise, they are idle and ignorant 
 enough to believe they are made righteous without their consent 
 or knowledge, by the righteousness of one who lived on the earth near 
 two thousand years before they had an existence ; and this by the 
 cruel hands of wicked men, slaying an innocent and righteous one ; 
 and these are bold and daring enough, to lay this cruel and unholy 
 act in the charge of divine justice as having purposely ordained it to 
 be so : but what an outrage it is against every righteous law of God 
 
XXll INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 
 
 and man, as the scriptures abundantly testify. See Exod. ch. 23, v. 
 7. " Ke»^p thee far from a false matter, and the innocent and right- 
 eous slay ihou not, for I will not justify the wicked." Deut. 27 ch. 
 25 V. "Cursed be he that taketh reward, to slay an innocent per- 
 son ;" and much more might be produced to shovv the loickedness and 
 absurdity of the doctrine, that would accuse the perfectly just 
 all-wise and merciful Jehovah of so barbarous and cruel an act as 
 that of slaying his innocent and righteous son, to atone for the sins 
 and iniquities of the ungodly. 
 
 " Surely is it possible, that any rational being, that has any right 
 sense of justice or mercy, that ivoidd be willing to accept forgive' 
 ness of his sins, on such terms! Would he not rather go forward 
 and otfer himself wholly up, to suffer all the penalties due to his 
 crimes, rather than the innocent should sufier ? Nay, was he so har- 
 dy. a.s to acknowledge a willingness to be saved through such a me- 
 dium, would it not prove, that he stood in direct opposition, to eve- 
 ry principle of justice and honesty, of mercy and love, and show 
 himself to be a poor, selfish creature, and unworthy of notice !" 
 Ibid. 
 
 Elias Hicks, in his letter to Thomas Willis, on the miraculous con- 
 ception of the Lord Jesus Christ, says : 
 
 "Finding this to be the case, / examined the accounts given on 
 this subject, by the four Evangelists, and according to my best judg- 
 ment on the occasion, 1 was led to think there was considerable more 
 scripture evidence for his being the son of Joseph than otherwise; al- 
 though it has not yet changed my belief, are the consequences which 
 follow much more favourable; for as the Israelitish covenant rested ve- 
 ry much upon external evidence by way of outward miracle, so I 
 conceive this miraculous birth was intended principally to induce the 
 Israelites to believe he was their promised Messiah, or the great 
 jprophet, Moses had long before prophesied of, that should come, like 
 unto himself. 
 
 " But, when we consider that he vi^as born of a woman that was 
 joined in lawful wedlock with a man of Israel, it would seem that it 
 must shut the way to the enforcing any such belief, as all their 
 neighbours would naturally be led to consider him the son of Jo- 
 seph, and this it appears very clear they did, by the scripture testi- 
 mony : and although it has not, as above observed, given cause as 
 yet, to alter my views on the subject, as tradition is a mighty bul- 
 wark, not easily removed, yet it has had this salutary effect, to deli- 
 ver me from judging my brethren and fellow creatures who are in 
 that belief, flwrf can feel the same flow of love and unity with them, 
 as though they were in the same belief ivith myself; neither ivould I 
 dare to say, positively, that it would be my mind, they should change 
 their belief, unless 1 could give them much greater evidence than 1 
 am at present possessed of, as 1 consider in regard to our salvation, 
 they are both non-essentials ; and I may further say, that I believe it 
 woidd be much greater sin in me, to smoke tobacco that was the pro- 
 duce nf the labour of slaves, than it would be to believe either of these 
 positions s"—iiee. Letter to T. Willis. 
 
 "I admit that I did assert, and have long done it, that we cannot 
 
INTRODUCTdnV REMARKS. XXiil 
 
 believe what we do not understand ; this the scripture affirms ; Deut» 
 xxix. 29. ' The secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but the 
 things that are revealed belong unto us, and our children forever, that 
 we may do all the words of thi- law;' and all that is not revealed 
 is to us the same as a nonentity, and will forever remain so, until it 
 is revealed; and that which is revealed enables us, agreeably to the 
 apostle's exhortation, to give a reason of the hope that is in us, to 
 honest inquirers." — E. Hicks^ Letter to Dr\ E. Ji. Atlep. 
 
 "As to what she [Anna Braithwaitp,^ relates as it regards the 
 manner of our coming into the world in our infiuit state, it is my be- 
 lief that we come into the world in the same state of innocence, and 
 endowed with the same propensities and desires, that our first pa- 
 rents were, in their primeval state ; and this Jesus Christ has estab- 
 lished, and must be conclusive in the minds of all true believers, 
 when he took a little child in his arms, and blessed him, and said to 
 them around him, that except they were converted, and became as 
 that little child, they should in no case enter into the kingdom of 
 heaven. Of course, all the desires and propensities of that little 
 chihl, and of our first parents, in their primeval state, must have 
 been good, as they were all the endowments of their Oeator, and 
 given to them for a special and useful purpose. But it is the impro- 
 per and unlawful indulgence of them that is evil." 
 
 " I readily acknowledge I have not been able to see or understand 
 how the cruel persecution and crucifixion of Jesus Christ, by the 
 wicked and hard hearted Jews, should expiate niy sins; and I never 
 have kno7im anif thing to effect that for me. but the grace of God, 
 that taught me, agreeably to the apostle's doctrine, to deny all un- 
 godliness and the world's lusts, and to live soberly, righteously and 
 godly, in this present world; and as I have faithfully abode under its 
 teachinjrs, in full obedience thereto, I have been brought to believe 
 that my sins were forgiven, and I permitted to sit under the Lord's 
 teaching, as saith the prophet, that the children of the Lord are all 
 taught of the Lord, and in righteousness they are established, and 
 great is the peace of his children. And so long as I feel this peace, 
 there is nothing in this world that makes me afraid, as it respects my 
 eternal condition. But if any of my friends have received any 
 known benefit from any outward sacrifice, I do not envy them their 
 privileges. But surely they would not be willing that I should ac- 
 knowledge, as a truth, that which I have no kind of knowledge of" 
 —Ibid. 
 
 We shall now quote some extracts from Elias Hicks' sermons, re- 
 cently delivered in the city of Philadelphia, and the neiglibouring 
 counties, which will be found to correspond with the sentiments 
 expressed in his letters. 
 
 Sermon L at Arch street, pages 10, 11. Speaking of Christ, he 
 said, " Who was his father? He was begotten of God. JFe cannot 
 suppose that it was the outward body offfesh and blood that was be- 
 gotten of God, but a birth of the spiritual life in the soul. We must 
 apply it internally and spiritually. For nothing can be a son of 
 God, but that which is spirit: and nothing but the soul of man is a 
 • ecipieut for the light and spirit of God. Therefore, nothing can be 
 
IXIV INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 
 
 a son of God hut that which is immortal and invisible. JVothing 
 visible can be a son of God. Every visible thing must come to an 
 end, and we must know the mortality of it. Flesh and blood can- 
 not enter into Heaven. By the analogy of reason, spirit catinot be- 
 get a material body, because the thing begotten must be of the same 
 nature with its father. Spirit cannot beget any thing but spirit ; it 
 cannot beget flesh and blood. No, my friends, it is impossible." 
 
 Sermon 111. Western District, Twelfth street, pages 50, 51. — 
 "We must never look for the way without us; ' 1 am the way, ihe 
 truth, and the life,' Jesus declared, when he was outwardly present 
 as a teacher and Messiah to Israel. They did not look any higher. 
 He was their director, their Saviour. He it was that saved t/iem 
 from their outward sicknesses. He was only an outward Saviour, 
 that healed their outward diseases, and gave them strength of body 
 to enjoy that outward good land. This was a figure of the great 
 comforter, which he would pray the Father to send them ; an in- 
 ward one, that would heal all the diseases of their souls, and cleanse 
 them all from their inward pollutions; that thing of God; that thing 
 of eternal life. It was the soul that wanted salvation ; but this no 
 outward (SVa'tour could do ; no external Saviour could have any hand 
 in it. It was altogether inward, for as God is a spirit, invisible to 
 all our exernal senses, he is incomprehensible to all rational crea- 
 tures. The work must be by some secret thing in the soul, and ev- 
 ery one to whom it is communicated has a soul in which it dwells." 
 
 Sermon IX. Middletown. "As man gains honour by victories in 
 worldly things, so we may consider it in a religious sense. When 
 we meet with that which would lead us from the divine law, insti- 
 tuted by perfect wisdom ; if we meet it with firmness, and stand our 
 ground against all the allurements to vice and temptation to evil, 
 we come to be in a degree like our great pattern, who rose iip to a 
 situation fit to be a communicant with the great Creator in the 
 realms of eternal happiness." — Pages 231, 232. 
 
 Sermon X. Falls. "This animal body of Jesus Christ, was born 
 of the Virgin Mary, and therefore must be nothing, as to the visi- 
 ble part, but flesh and blood ; as nothing else could emanate from her 
 but what was of her. So here, now, this outward body, this flesh and 
 blood, was born of a woman, which shows us why Jesus always calls 
 himself the son of man — because he was verily and actually so, for 
 he could not use evasions. Now, I have heard suggestions from ra- 
 tional beings, that Jesus mentioned this, to deceive the people ; to 
 turn them away; to make them believe something that was not cor- 
 rect; that it was only a speech that did not apply to him. But it 
 was the truth, for he could speak nothing but the truth, and he knew, 
 with a full certainty, that he was the son of man, as well as any of us 
 can know so; and therefore he asserted it abundantly. And the 
 highest station he assumed, while in that prepared body, was, that 
 he was not only the son of man, but the son of God. Here, now, we 
 learn, as rational beings, by his own testimony, what it is that makes 
 a son of God. We see that this flesh and blood never could have 
 been in a strict sense the son of God, but a creature created by 
 God, by his power, b^cau^Q spirit and matter cannot be imited to- 
 
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. XXV 
 
 gcther, and make a being, nor make a son of God. Nothing but the 
 rational souls of men and women can come to know a birth of God : 
 and the rational soul never was created bv tlesh, or through flesh. 
 The animal part is taken, and created tiesh, by the power of 
 God." ' ^ i 
 
 In the same sermon, speaking of "the life which was the light of 
 men," he says, " Here now are we all to have a portion of the same 
 light, for the life was the light of men, and it remains eternally so. 
 It all comes from God, and is dispensed to the children of men, and 
 it was to.Tesus Christ likewise, as man, in the same proportion as to 
 inscrutable wisdom seemed necessary and consistent, to eflect the 
 great design in the creation and redemption of the children of men." 
 
 " So here we see Jesus made lower than the angels, on account of 
 his suffering death. He was tempted in all points, as we are. Now, 
 how could he be tempted^ if he had been fixed in a state of perfec- 
 tion in which he coidd not turn aside? Can you suppose, as rational 
 beings, that such a being could be tempted .►" No, not any more 
 than God Almighty could be tempted. Perfection is perfection, 
 and cannot he tempted. It is impossible: and here it is proved to 
 a demonstration, that he came to be an example to the cliildren of 
 men ; a great high priest and teacher in tliose things wliich concern 
 the salvation of the children of men. And here he did his office, as 
 a great high priest of the Jewish covenant, in that outward dispensa- 
 tion, in which he was limited to the Jewish people as a child of 
 Abraham ; to sum up all the righteousness of the law ; by faithfulness 
 to it : and when he had effected that part, hij the grace of God that was 
 upon him, for we read that he grew in stature and in favour with God 
 and man ; and the grace of God was upon him.' Then it was not his 
 grace, but the grace of God, communicated to him, as it was co^nmu- 
 nicated to the rest of Mr aham's children / to every one in a sufficient 
 degree to enable them to come up to the law and commandments 
 given them. It will not do for us to suppose, for a moment, that the 
 Almighty, when he gave this law, did not at the same time give them 
 ])Ower to fulfil it in all its parts. For if he did not, they could not 
 be accountable for a neglect. But we see that he did this, for here 
 was a child of Abraham, endued icith his spirit, ivhich he has given 
 to every rational »reature te profit with. He lived up to the law and 
 covenant given by the Father, ami in this he justified his heavenly 
 Father in giving thi>; law and covenant, and thereby condemned the 
 Israelites for not fulfilling it. Well, when he had done this, for we 
 hear of 7io miracles till after all this was done, ntwie at all ; nor any 
 thiing of his righteousness or acts ; but now, when he went into the 
 last institute of the legal dispensation, which was called watery bap- 
 tism, and the ministry of Joiin, his forerunner, was nearly at an end, 
 divine wisdom thought fit to reveal to John, by what medium he 
 should know who it was that was to baptize with the Holy Ghost. It 
 was him on whom the spirit should be seen descending and resting 
 upon him. 
 
 " Now, we find, that when he came up out of the water, John hav- 
 ing baptiz,ed him. the Holy Ghost descended in bodily shape like a 
 dove, and rested upon him. Now, whether this vras open to John's 
 
 D 
 
XXVI INTRODUCTORY REMARKb. 
 
 external eye, or whether it might not rather be an expression of 
 John's, that as the dove is the most innocent creature of the feather- 
 ed race, he made use of it, to express what he beheld in hiui, and in 
 this power that descended upon him. This was a power from hea- 
 ven — an additional power and gift from heaven ; as by his righteous- 
 ness in fulfilling the law, he was prepared to enter into a higher dis- 
 pensation. 
 
 " I consider, according to the tenor of the law, that the whole de- 
 sign was to lead up some of the Israelites into this state of perfec- 
 tion, and fulfilment of the law ; and then that it should be abolished, 
 rieoce, the fulfilment of the law was the abolishment of the law. 
 He abolished it by nailing it to his cross. Oh ! had the professors of 
 Christianity left it there, and been willing to go forward, under the 
 illumination of the Holy Ghost, which alone could qualify Jesus to 
 be a gospel minister; so likewise, according to his own testimony, 
 nothing ever did or can qualify for the ministry, but the descending 
 of the Holy Ghost from heaven, upon rational creatures. And, there- 
 fore, in the same proportion as we have the descending of the holy 
 spirit upon us, in the same proportion, till we gain a conquest over 
 our passions and propensities, we shall be more tempted and tried. 
 So it was with Jesus, when this holy spirit descended upon him, the 
 spirit drove him info the wilderness to be tempted of Satan. 
 
 "Now, let us pause a little, and consider what is here meant. Can 
 it be supposed that he was driven into an outivard wilderness ? Or 
 shall we not suppose, that he was brought, by the power of divine 
 light, to see the iciiderness state in his own mind? Because, in the 
 outward wilderness a man loses his way, and meets with many trials; 
 and so there is a spiritual wilderness, where man is tempted and 
 tried. Here the natural propensities which are fixed in man, no 
 doubt for an excellent purpose, rise up and attempt to gain an as- 
 cendency over us. Here we find it in all things in us. The pro- 
 pensity to thirst — what does it do? It is a gift of God to the chil- 
 dren of men. It leads them to do that which might sustain their 
 natural life. But if not regulated and kept under subjection by the 
 immortal soul, which is placed in us to regulate these animal desires 
 and propensities, it will become injurious to us, by being indulged to 
 excess. For you know we have many propensities ; many that are 
 necessary to us : for we could not eat or drink, or have a desire to do 
 it, if we had not a propensity to it. We could not fulfil the com* 
 mand, to increase and multiply, and replenish the earth, had we not 
 a desire which led to it. These propensities are all good in their 
 place ; and we could not answer the end of our creation without them. 
 As it is not in bones to think, or flesh to reason, so there is no bounds 
 to our natural desires: but the soul must wait for counsel from on 
 high, and direct tlie body, and by faithfulness to it, regulate all these 
 desire?, and keep them within the bounds of reason and truth. This 
 ■was the case with the blessed Jesus, so that he never offended in 
 any one point ; but learnt obedience by the things he suffered. He 
 had all these desires. The desire after knowledge, and the things of 
 thv world, presented itself to his animal part ; and thus it is said to 
 have driven him into the wilderness: that is. he felt that wilderness 
 
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. XXVU 
 
 %vhich man feels, while in a state of probation. It is the way in 
 whicli divine wisdom speaks of the church, ' I will allure her, and 
 draw her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her.' I 
 will allure her — see, I will draw her. Now what wilderness was 
 this? It was not an outward wilderness; but the same which Je- 
 sus was led up into: and here it was that he was fried. Here the 
 tempter led him up to aspire after the glory of the world. He told 
 him if he vvould fall down and worship him, that he could arrive 
 at it — if he would only submit to this desire, and full down and wor- 
 ship it, all should be his: biit you see how ready he was to reply to 
 this temptation. Tho divine law always gives us an answer, and if 
 we are faithful, toe shall be like Jesus; when we are tempted to as- 
 pire after the glories of ihe world. We shall be always able to give 
 a righteous answer, if we are faithful to the truth in our own minds, 
 as fully as he teas, no doubt ; because he is our example, and we are 
 to folloAV his steps. Jesus said, ' Get thee behind me, satan.' Oh ! 
 how often has my poor soul been brought to this point, when tempta- 
 tions have arisen, 'Get thee behind me, satan.' Oh ! I have seen that 
 it was mine enemy; the light of truth has revealed it to me ; and I 
 have felt sometimes, in a degree, like the blessed Jesus. 1 have seen 
 that mine enemy hath wanted to exalt me: but I could ask no honour 
 or power, for I knew that he had none to give, nor any power to pre- 
 serve me one moment. 
 
 " ' Get thee behind me, satan : for it is written, thou shalt worship 
 the Lord tliy God, and him only shalt thou serve.' Is not this the 
 case with all of us ? Have we not this language in our souls; that 
 sometimes tells us it is not right to serve any thing else in this world. 
 Here, if we are faithful to the divine light, we shall in proportion 
 be ai>le to withstand every temptation that may assail us in our state 
 of wilderness, travel, and probation. 
 
 " We read that he was taken up and set upon a pinnacle of the 
 temple. And do you suppose there was some power vvhich actually 
 took him up, and set him upon a pinnacle ? No, I hope there are 
 none so ignorant as to suppose so. It was a temptation to exalt him- 
 self, for his righteousness — his goodness. And have you not, many 
 of von, been set upon this pinnacle of High honour? Have you not 
 a little religious pride? What was that saying then to the tempter? 
 He was placed in a dangerous situation ; but not more so than the 
 soul is when tempted to aspire in consequence of its righteousness. 
 The tempter ' saith unto him, if thou be the son of God, cast thy- 
 self down : for it is written, he shall give his angels charge concern- 
 ing thee; and in their hands shall they bear thee up, lest at any time 
 thou dash thy foot against a stone.'" Pages 252 to 259. 
 
 Sermon XI. Trenton. Page 292. "If we believe that God is 
 equal and righteous in all his ways ; that he has made of one blood 
 all the families that dwell upon the earth, it is impossible that he 
 should be partial; and therefore, he has been as willing to reveal his 
 ■will to every creature, as he was to our first parents, to Moses and 
 the prophets, to Jescjs Chuist, and his apostles. He never can set 
 ANY of these above us, because, if he did, he would be partial. His 
 love is the same for all, and as no man can save his brother, or give 
 
3XVU1 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. 
 
 a ransom for his soul, therefore (he Almighty must be the only deli- 
 verer of his people." 
 
 Sermon V. Germantown. " All must go away. We must wo 
 longer look to the letter, let it come from what source it may, it is no 
 difference. He directed them to wait for the spirit. 'I will pray (he 
 Father, and he will send you another comforter;' another than the 
 letter, and different from any that you ever heard veibally /rom ??i?, 
 or from men ; for it is all hut letter ; all that can come to you through 
 your external senses. But the will of God manifested within us 
 never can come through the external senses, it must come through 
 the spiritual senses: and then it will quicken the soul, open the 
 blind eye and deaf ear of (he soul, so that it can see and hear the 
 things of God clearly. The tinie has come, I believe, when it is ne- 
 cessary to give up all our old foundations, and suffer them, my friends, 
 to pass under judgment, that judgment may pass upon all, and 
 that this truth may be revealed. It is expedient that I go away: for 
 if I go not away the Comforter will not come, but if 1 go away I 
 will pray the Father, and he will send you another Comforter.^ An- 
 other, in what respect? A spiritual one disencumbered with any 
 thing corporal ; entirdy spiritual and nothing else. Why r — Because 
 the soul of man is purely spiritual, and nothing can liave communion 
 with the Father but that which is spiritual, an immortal soul. Evtri/ 
 thing thpM derived from the letter^ must come through the external 
 senses, anrf can only answer for the outward creature : but when the 
 spiritual senses are quickened by the coming in of the spirit of God, 
 and the shining of his light upon the soul, it opens a renewed inter- 
 course with his creature man, as he did with our first parents in the 
 beginning in Eden's garden." Pages 112, 113. 
 
 Same sermon, page 119. "We have a gracious God to do w'ith, 
 who is able to give all that is necessary. If the Scriptures were abso- 
 lutely necessary, he had power to communicate them to all the nations 
 of the earth. For he has his way as a path in the clouds ; he knows 
 how to deal out to all his rational children. But they were not ne- 
 cessary, and perhaps not suited to any other people than they to 
 whom they were written. Is it to be supposed that he has neglected 
 any nation ? Can we suppose that he has forgotten the rest of the 
 nations of the earth? No, he has dispensed a suitable law, to answer 
 every purpose, as completely as the law to the Israelites answered 
 for them ; for otherwise he is a partial God. 
 
 Sermon VI. Abington. "The New Testament so called, which is 
 usually bound up in the book called the Bible, comprehends no cove- 
 nant; there is nothing in it that appertains to a covenant. It consists 
 chieffy and principally in a biographical account of the birth, the 
 miracles, and the excellent life of Jesus Christ, the son of Mary, and 
 of the epistles and writings of his apostles. But the covenant made 
 with Israel, as comprehended in what is called the Old Testament, 
 was a real covenant, and was bound in a very solemn manner, and 
 had its witnesses." Page 124. 
 
 Sermon VIl. page 163. "Nothing can write God's law upon 
 our hearts but the finger of God, There it it is, then, that we 
 must gather, as the only place of safety j there the work is to be 
 
INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. XXIX 
 
 done. It is there, we find our enemy, if we have any, and there 
 we must find our friend. But people are too generally looking 
 outward to find God ; and in this outward looking, they are told about 
 a devil ; some monstrous creature, some self-existing creature, that 
 is terrible in power. Now all this seeking to know God, and this 
 devil or the serpent without, is the work of daikness, superstition, 
 and tradition. It hath no foundation; it is all breath and wind, 
 without the power. We need not look without for enemies or friends, 
 for we shall not find them witliout. Our enemies are those of our 
 own household, our own propensities and unruly desires, are our 
 greatest, and I may almost say, our alone enemies." 
 
 Sen., on XI. Trenton, 293. " There is nothing can give us faith 
 but God. Faith is the gift of God. But this faith in creeds and the 
 traditions of our fathers, what is it ? It is worse than nothing. We had 
 better have no faith at all. It is no better than the faith of devils. Thou 
 bflievest that there is one God ; thou dost well : the devils also, 
 believe and tremble." Who are the devils? — Apostate men and 
 women, who go contrary to God. They are all devils. Every 
 thing that is in opposition to the will of God is a devil. In short, 
 they are nothing but what opposes the law of light and the spirit of 
 truth in the heart; nothing but what is in opposition to the law of 
 God ; and that devil is in us all ; as sure as the kingdom of Gucl is in 
 nSy so sure the devil is in us. Were you ever tempted by any devil 
 but one in your own souls? No: you never were. — There it is that 
 we come to know God, and no where else. It is the only place 
 where he is manifested." 
 
 Such are the absurd, inconsistent, and antichristian sentiments of 
 Elias Hicks; and to support these, the compilers of the pamphlet 
 have adduced their quotations from the writings of primitive Friends. 
 It being iuUy proved, and well known, that not only Elias Hicks, 
 but many of his adherents, do openly and publickly deny the niiracu- 
 lous conception, divinity, and atonement of Christ, and the autiien- 
 ticity, and divine authority of Holy Scripture; ,and the compilers 
 having made their extracts purposely to prove that our early Friends 
 were coincident in their faith; we consider, that the publication of 
 the pamphlet, is, undeniably, a renewal of the often refuted charge 
 against the Society, of denying the doctrines of the christian reli- 
 gion. 
 
 iVb^e. — The limits of this work will not admit of extending our 
 quotations from the Sermons to great length. We can enibrace bid 
 few of the objectionable sentiments with which the ivhole volume is 
 replete. Those we have quoted, are amply sutlicient to show the 
 striking contrast between the christian doctrines of the Quakers, and 
 the notions of Elias Hicks. The books from which we have made 
 our extracts are easily accessible to all, and we respecffiilly recom- 
 mend those persons who read them, to compare the sentiments they 
 contain, with those asserted by "primitive Friends," in the extracts 
 given in the following pages. 
 
A VINDICATION ^ 
 
 OF THE QUAKERS, &c. 
 
 CHAPTER L 
 
 Defence of M'^illiam Penn, from the charg-es of denying' the Three that bear 
 record in Heaven — the Godhead of Jesus Christ — his Propitiatory Sacrificej 
 »nd the Authenticity of Holy Scripture, &c, 
 
 SECTION I. 
 
 OF THE " SANDY FOUNDATION SHAKEN." 
 
 In the year 1666, William Penn was convinced of the truth of the 
 principles held by the Society of Friends, and joined himself to their 
 religious communion. Possessing an active and uncommonly vigor- 
 ous mind, cultivated by a liberal education, and disciplined in the 
 school of Christ, he was eminently qualified for promulgating, and 
 successfully defending, the doctrines of the christian religion. The 
 seventeentli century is knovi^n to have been remarkable for the dis- 
 sensions which existed in England, among the different denomina- 
 tions of religious professors. Publick disputes upon the subject of 
 christian faith, were very common, and it too frequently happened, 
 that tliey were managed without due regard to that divine charity 
 which is pure, gentle, and easy to be entreated. An extraordinary de- 
 gree of interest seemed to be awakened in many persons, relative to the 
 important concerns of the soul's salvation, and many were seeking 
 after the knowledge of the truth, with hearts humbly disposed to era- 
 brace it, in full faith. 
 
 The religious Society of Friends, then in its very infancy, had ra- 
 pidly increased in numbers; and as its doctrines were but little un- 
 derstood, and often misrepresented ; its members were frequently 
 engaged, publickly to defend themselves from the aspersions of their 
 enemies. Hence, they were often involved in disputations, in the 
 management of which, as well as in their controversial writings, 
 they used expressions which may sound harsh to modern ears; 
 great allowance, however, is certainly to be made for the improve- 
 ment in language, and the refinement in taste and manners since 
 their day. 
 
 It was not to be supposed, that a mind like Penn's would long re- 
 main an idle spectator of the commotions which prevailed among his 
 
32 
 
 fellow professors of the christian name. Called of God to the 
 ministry of the gospel, animated by an ardent desire for the good 
 of souls, he soon became a zealous preacher of the religion of Je- 
 sus Christ; and very early in life, was engaged publickly to de- 
 fend the Society, against the calumny of its accusers. 
 
 Two of the hearers of one Thomas Vincent, a presbyter in the 
 Spittle Yard, London, having gone over to the Quakers, their former 
 pastor took offence thereat, and charged the Society, with holding 
 " the most erroneous and damnable doctrines." ft was not long be- 
 fore Penn heard of this, and in conjunction with his intimate friend, 
 George Whitehead, demanded an opportunity of publickly vindica- 
 ting their injured christian reputation. A conference accordingly 
 took place, in which several pinnts of faith were discussed, some- 
 what at length, but nothing finally concluded upon. William Penu 
 finding that they were not likely to be fairly or decently heard, de- 
 termined upon statin^ the grounds of the controversy between them 
 and Vincent, in another manner ; and with this view, wrote his trea- 
 tise entitled "The Sandy Foundation Shaken, &c.;" which was pub- 
 lished in 1668, within two years after he had joined the Society of 
 Friends, and when he was only in the twenty-fourth year of his 
 age. 
 
 No sooner was this work published, than William Penn was ac- 
 cused of being a Socinian, denying the divinity of Christ, &c. and 
 committed close prisoner to the Tower; and it is somewhat surpris- 
 ing, that notwithstanding he has often denied and repelled the 
 charge, yet, to this day, the Sandy Foundation is adduced to prove 
 him a Socinian. The compilers of the pamphlet are not the first 
 who have quoted this book of William Penn's, to sanction their apos- 
 tacy from the christian doctrines of the Quakers. About the year 
 1801, Hannah Barnard, a minister of the Society of Friends, being 
 then in England, on a religious errand, adopted notions somewhat 
 similar, though far more rational and consistent, than those now pro- 
 mulgated by Elias Hicks; and was disowned from the Society there- 
 for. A writer under the name of " Verax," undertook the defence 
 of her doctrines, and published a work to show their consistency with 
 those of primitive Friends ; asserting that they were all Socinians; 
 and among the authorities which he quoted to confirm this, he placed 
 particular stress upon Penn's Sandy Foundation Shaken. He was 
 ably refuted by John Bevans, and the doctrines of (he early Qua- 
 kers proved to be scriptural, in a work known under the title of 
 " Bevans' defence of the Society of Friends." Notwithstanding this 
 refutation, the compilers now present us with a new edition of a 
 part of the Sandy Foundation Shaken, as authority for Elias Hicks' 
 denial of the divinity and atonement of Jesus Christ. 
 
 Such a construction of William Penn's argument, can only pro- 
 ceed from ignorance or wilful perversion; since it is obvious, from 
 his own statement of the dispute, that neither of the above articles of 
 faith, were discussed in the conference with Thomas Vincent, nor 
 treated of by Penn in his book. The title page alone, is sufficient 
 evidence of this assertion — it runs thus, "The Sandy Foundation 
 Shaken; or those so generally believed and applauded doctrines, of 
 
33 
 
 One God, subsisting in thhee distinct and separate persons; the 
 impossibility of God's pardoning sinners, withouf a plenary satisfac- 
 tion ; and tlie justification of impure persons., by an imputative 
 righteousness; refuted fron^ the authority of scripture testimonies, 
 and right reason." 
 
 In stating the argument in relation to the Trinity, William Penn 
 says : "The question was this, Whether we ov/ned One Godhead, sub- 
 sisting in three distinct and separate persons,-^ &c.; and lest in treat- 
 ing upon the subject, he should have used any expression, which 
 mi^ht be considered as a denial of the scripture doctrine of the 
 " Three that bear record in Heaven;" he very prudently guards the 
 reader against such a misconstruction of his meaning, by this cau- 
 tion, " Mistake me not, ive never have disowned a Father, Word and 
 Spirit, which are One ; but men^s inventions J'^ 
 
 Besides the clear testimony of William Penn, on this subject, we 
 have the collateral evidence of his companion, George Whitehead. 
 It appears that Thomas Vincent, their opponent, put the same con- 
 struction upon Penn's language as our compilers now do, and charged 
 him with a denial of the doctrines of the christian religion. To defend 
 Penn and himself against this illiberal opinioji, George Whitehead 
 wrote and published a book in 1699, which he entitled, "The Divi- 
 nity of Christ and Unity of the Three that bear record in Heaven ; 
 with the blessed end, and eftects, of Christ's appearance, coming in 
 the flesh, suffering, and sacrifice for sinners, confessed and vindicat- 
 ed by his followers, called Quakers."* 
 
 In this treatise, he states the objection made by William Mad- 
 dox, one of Thomas Vincent's coadjutors, as follows : " You, by re- 
 fusing to call them the three divine Hees, have made it manifest, 
 that your quarrel is not with the word " person," as some thea 
 apprehended; but with the doctrine, or fundamental truth expressed 
 by the three persons, viz: the modal distinction, and essential union, 
 er oneness of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost :" To which George 
 Whitehead answers — " It is manifest that some of the hearers, that 
 were present at our debating this matter, had a better apprehension 
 and understanding of us, than you prejudiced opposers had : for 
 some of them apprehended, that we opposed your unscriptu- 
 ral terms ; and words put upon the Deity, and not that we oppos- 
 ed e\iher the Divinity, or Union of Father, Son, or Holy Ghost; 
 neither did we in the least, go to quarrel with any fundamental 
 truth. Yea, and it was evident to many, that we found fault, with 
 your miscalling and misrepresenting the Father, the Word an«l Spi- 
 rit; and never in the least opposed, nor questioned their being Three 
 such as mentioned in the scripture ; to wit. The Father, Son, and Ho- 
 ly Ghost; but there opetdy confessed to the fundamental truth of 
 them, in scripture terms." p. 23. 
 
 Again — "And as for his (T. Vincent's) railing against William 
 Penn, and accusing him, with denying that the Lord Jesus Christ is 
 God, and of denying the Divinity of Christ, and Holy Ghost; and 
 with thrusting the Lord Jesus Christ oft", from the throne of his God- 
 
 • See «* Bevans' defence of Friends," pages 38, 39, 40, 41, 
 E 
 
34 
 
 head, &c. I have not yet perceived any strength, or weight of argu- 
 ment, from either T. Vincent, or his brethren, that has convicted 
 William Penn as guilty herein; his showing the absurdity of T. 
 Vincent's doctrines, and both unscriptura! and unreasonable distinc- 
 tions, and his denial thereof; is neither a denial of the Son, nor Spi- 
 rit, nor the divinity of either: but the apparent falseness of these 
 railing accusations, with the consequences thereof, against William 
 Penn in this thing, touching the divinity of Christ, &c. appears in his 
 [William Penn's] own book, (viz. Sandy Foundation, &c.) p. 14. 
 "Of Christ being the only God, and the divine nature being insepa- 
 rable to each, (whom they call) person ; each person having the 
 whole divine nature, 'lie Son in the Father, and the Spirit in the 
 Son, unless the Godhead be as incommunicable to the person (so call- 
 ed), as they are reported to be among themselves," "^aith William 
 Penn. Doth not William Penn herein, own the divinity of Christ, 
 and Holy Spirit ? Let the indifferent judge how T. Vincent hath 
 wronged him; and then William Penn's admonition, page 15, saith; 
 " Apply thy mind unto the light and grace, which brings salvation, 
 that by obedience thereunto, those mists, tradition hath cast before 
 thy eyes, may be expelled, and thou receive a certain knowledge ot 
 that one God, whom to know is life eternal, not to be divided, 
 but One pure, entire and eternal Being; who, in the fulness of time, 
 sent forth his Son, as the true light, which enlighteneth every man, 
 that whosoever followed him (the light), might be translated from 
 the dark notions, and vain conversations of men, to this holy light, 
 in which only sound judgment and eternal life are obtainable; he 
 [Christ Jesus] testified the virtue of if, and has communicated unto 
 all, such a proportion as may enable them to follow his example." — 
 [Thu^s tar William Penn.] "Now mark, whether herein he has not 
 owned the divinity of the Son, when thus plainly he hath confessed 
 to his light, both as to its extent and virtue." 
 
 George Whitehead then complains of T. Vincent's falsely compar- 
 ing William Penn to Arius, and thus proceeds — ''But further, how 
 evidently has W^illiam Penn, in his 18, 19, 21 pages, owned and con- 
 fessed Christ, the Son of God, and his light and grace, both for re- 
 mission of sins, reconciliation, salvation of men, life eternal, and as 
 he is the only begotten of the Father, the gift and expression of eter- 
 nal love, for salvation. Now can any thing have, or work, these ef- 
 fects, that is not divine? Is not Christ's divinity, virtue, divine 
 light, and power, plainly confessed by William Penn herein, as also to 
 his being God, page 21. How grossly have these Presbyterians wrong- 
 ed him, in charging the contrary upon him; and are not they rather 
 justly chargeable herein, with denying the divinity of Christ, in set- 
 ting so slight, by his light in every man, as they have done ; one call- 
 ing it an idol, another cautioning not to follow its guidance — but the 
 divinity of Christ, and the honour due to him, far be it from us to de- 
 ny, as these men have done : and the scripture instances in that case, 
 we both know and own. John iii. IS, viii. 58. Rom. ix. 5i Phil. 
 ii. 6, 10. Coloss. i. 16, 17. Heb. i. 3, 8." 
 
 In reply to the charge of Socinianism, George Whitehead re- 
 marks, " 1 have heard of some, beyond the sea, that went under that 
 
35 
 
 name, Socinians; who were accused with denying the divinity of 
 Christ; but I know of none here, that either deny the divinity of 
 Christ, or him to be of one substance with the Father; if our oppo- 
 sers do know of any such, (hey may tell them of it, and nor accuse the 
 innocent with the guilty, as they have done to us. We had no! our 
 principles either from Arius or Socinus, neither did we ever deny 
 the divinity of Christ, or his being of the same substance with the 
 Father, as Arius, Socinus, and others are accused ; so that therein 
 we are very unjustly compared and misrepresented, for which I can 
 say, the Lord forgive these our prejudiced opposers. But it is no 
 strange thing for us to be called by nicknames, by these and such 
 false accusers ; for one while, they were wont to revile us for wanting 
 learning, being illiterate, &c. another while, they accused us falsely, 
 with being Free-Willers, Arminians, &c. because we plead for the 
 free grace of God, to all men; and now we are falsely reckoned So- 
 cinians, and most injuriously accused with denying the divinity of 
 Christ, the Son of God, which vve are ever always clear of; still . on- 
 fessing him, according to the Scripture.-, bofl; in his sufferings, do- 
 minion, and glory, who is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever." 
 — Tf Whitehead's Divinity of Christ, pages 32, S3, 34, 38, 39.— ^e- 
 vans' Defence, page 41. 
 
 Now, it must certainly be admitted, that one who was so inti- 
 mately acquainted with William Penn ; who w^as associated with 
 him in the dispute with Thomas Vincent ; and who had heard Wil- 
 liam Penn himself, declare his sentiments upon these important 
 doctrines then discussed; must be a more competent, and credible 
 witness, of the real belief of this worthy man, than our modern 
 compilers, or any of those who unite with them in accusing William 
 Penn of denying the divinity and atonement of Jesus Christ. 
 
 Francis Bugg, who used great exertions to injure the character of 
 the early Friends, appears to have coincided with the compilers, in 
 their construction of William Penn's argument. He publickly charg- 
 ed him with unbelief, in his libellous treatise, entitled "Quakerism 
 Drooping;" to which Richard Claridge," a learned and highly esteem- 
 ed writer" in the Society of Friends, thus replies, in " An Essay on 
 the Doctrine of Christ's Satisfaction, &c." 
 
 "That which William Penn refuted, was not the doctrine of the 
 Holy Trinity, as it is declared of in the Scriptures of truth ; but the 
 notion of three distinct and separate persons, as Jie title page plainly 
 shows ; or the trinity of distinct and separate persons in the unifi/ of 
 essence, page 12. l^ie imagined trinity, page 16. For fi'illiani 
 Penn sincerely owned, and doth own, the Scripture trinity. Father, 
 Son, and Holy Ghost. Matt, xxviii. J9, &c." Richard Claridge 
 then proceeds to make many Scripture quotations, to show that the 
 Three are one. In a note upon this pas^ajje, he gives the following 
 extract from William Penn's Key, page 17, edit. 1693. "They, 
 (the Quakers,) believe in the Holy Trinity of Father, Word, and 
 Spirit, John i. I. xiv. 9. Rom. ix. 5. 1 John v. 7. And that these 
 Three are truly, and propeilv One." "They own the Scripture 
 Trinity, or Holy Three, f-f Father, Word, and Spirit, to be truly 
 and properly One. That Christ is God, and that Christ is man : that 
 
36 
 
 he came in the flesh, died, rose again, ascended and sits on God's 
 right hand, the only sacrifice and mediator for man's happiness." — 
 Ibid, pages S3, 34. 
 
 We shall now adduce the explanations which William Penn has 
 given, in regard to his belief in the divinity of Christ, and the object 
 of his argument, in the Sandy Foundation Shaken. Soon after the 
 publication of this work, he was committed to the Tower ; and while 
 a prisoner there, he wrote his essay entitled, " Innocency with her 
 open face, presented by way of Apology for the book entitled the 
 Sandy Foundation Shaken, &c." in which he thus alludes to the 
 cause of his confinement: "That which I am credibly informed to 
 be the greatest reason for my imprisonment, and that noise of blas- 
 phemy which hath pierced so many ears of late, is my denying the 
 divinity of Christ, and divesting him of his eternal Godhead ; which 
 most busily hath been suggested, as well to those in authority, as 
 maliciously insinuated amongst the people." He then enters into an 
 argument of considerable length, to prove the Godhead of Jesus 
 Christ, which he thus concludes: — "In short, this conclusive argu- 
 ment for the proof of Christ, the Saviour's, being God, should cer- 
 tainly persuade all sober persons of my innocency, and my adver- 
 saries malice. He that is the everlasting Wisdom, divine Power, 
 the true Light, the only Saviour, the creating Word of all things, 
 whether visible or invisible, and their upholder, by his own power, 
 is, without contradiction God — but all these qualifications, and divine 
 properties, arc by the concurrent testimonies of Scripture, ascribed 
 to the Lord Jesus Christ; therefore, without a scruple, I call and 
 believe him, really to be, the mighty God. And for a more ample 
 satisfaction, let but my reply to J. Clapham be perused, in which 
 Christ's divinity and eternity is very fully asserted." — Vol, I. page 
 268. : 
 
 Again, in the same treatise, he says, "And, (to shut up my apolo- 
 gy for religious matters,) that all may sec the simplicity. Scripture 
 doctrine, and phrase of my faith, in the most important matters of 
 eternal life, I shall here subjoin a short confession. 'I sincerely 
 own, and unfeignedly believe, (by virtue of the sound knowledge 
 and experience received from the gift of thaf holy unction, and di- 
 vine grace, inspired from on high,) in one, holy, just, merciful, al- 
 mighty, and eternal God; who is the Father of all things; that ap- 
 peared to the holy patriarchs and prophets of old, at sundry times 
 and in divers manners; And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the everlast- 
 ing Wisdom, divine Power, true Light, only Saviour and Preserver 
 of all ; the same one, holy, just, merciful, almighty, and eternal God; 
 who in the fulness of time, took, and was manifested in the flesh; at 
 which time he preached, (and his disciples after him,) the everlasting 
 gospel of repentance, and promise of remission of sins, and eternal 
 life, to all that heard and obeyed ; who said " he that is with you (in 
 the flesh) shall he in you (by the Spirit;) and though he left them (as to 
 the flesh,) yet not comfortless ; for he would come to them again (in the 
 Spirit ;) for a little while, and they should not see him (as to the 
 flesh;) again a little while and they should see him (in the 
 spirit;) for the Lord (Jesus Christ) is that Spirit, a manifestation 
 whereof is given to every one to profit withal ; In which Holy Spirit, 
 
37 
 
 I believe, as ihe same almighty and eternal God, wlio as in those 
 times he ended all shadows, and became the infallible guide to them 
 that walked therein ; by which they were adopted heirs and co-heirs 
 of glory ; so am la living witness, that the same holy, just, merciful, 
 almighty, and eternal God, is now as then (after this tedious night of 
 idolatry, superstition, and human inventions, that hath overspread 
 the world,) gloriously manifested to discover, and save from all ini- 
 quity, and to conduct unto the holy land of pure and endless peace, 
 in a vvord to tabernacle in men. And I also firmly believe, that with- 
 out repe!j(ing, and forsaking of past sins, and walking in obedience 
 to this heave). ly voice, which would guide into all truth, and estab- 
 lish there; remission and eternal life can never be obtained; but un- 
 to them that fear his name, and keep his commandments, they, and 
 they only, shall have right unto the tree of life; for whose name 
 sake, I have been made willing to relinquish and forsake all the 
 vain fashions, enticing plea'^ures, alluring honours, and glittering 
 glories of this transitory world, and readily to accept the portion of 
 a fool, from this deriding generation, and become a man of sorrows 
 and a perpetual reproach to my familiars; yea, and with the greatest 
 cheerfulness, can obsignate and confirm (with no less seal than the 
 loss of whatsoever this doting world accounts dear) this faithful con- 
 fession ; having my eye fixed upon a moie enduring substance, and 
 lastino; inheritance; and being most infallibly assured, that when 
 time shall be no more, I shall, (if faithful hereunto,) possess the man- 
 sions of eternal life, and be received into his everlasting habitation 
 of re«* and glory.'" Pages 269, 270. 
 
 William Penn having referred to his reply to Jonatlinn Clapham, 
 for a more ample declaration of his belief in Christ's eternal divinity, 
 we shall extract the following: — "Thou must not, reader, frcm my 
 quer^'ing thus, conclude we do deny, (as he has fiilsely charged us,) 
 those glorious Three which bear record in heaven, the Father, Word, 
 and Spirit; neither the infinity, eternity, and divinity of Jesus Christ, 
 for that we know he is the mighty God ; nor what the Father sent his 
 Son to do, on the behalf of lost man; declaring to (he whole world 
 we know no other name, by which atonement, salvation, and plente- 
 ous redemption comes; but by his name, are, according to our mea- 
 sures, make sensible of its mighty power." — Works, Vol.IL page 14. 
 Again to Jonathan Clapham's charge, that the Quakers openly deny 
 the doctrine of the Tiiniiy ; after declaring this is not a Scripture 
 phra><e, but an invented term, Penn proceeds, " Yet if by Trinity, he 
 understands those three Witnesses in heaven, Father, Wor«l, and 
 Spirit; he should have better acquainted himself with what we 
 disown, ihan ignoran<ly thus to blnze abroad our open denial of what 
 we most absolutely credit and believe. '''' Ibid, page 18. 
 
 We appiehend that we have adduced suflioient evidence from 
 William Penn and his cotemporary writers, to show clearly 
 that he was a firm believer in the Holy Sciipture Trinity of 
 Three that boar record in heaven ; and also in the manhood, and 
 6forf/iea(/ of Jesus Christ. It now only remains for us to show that 
 in his aigutnent on the doctrine of satisfaction and justification, he 
 not only had no intenrion to undervalue, or to deny, that holy otter- 
 ing of the body of Christ Jesus for sin, or the imputation of Christ's 
 
, 38 
 
 righteousness to the saints ; but that these formed no part of the sub- 
 ject under discussion. We shall again avail ourselves of Richard 
 Claridge's defence of William Penn. 
 
 He says, " And as we distinguish between a Scripture Trinity, Fa^ 
 ther, Son, and Holy Ghost, which we nnfeignedly believe; and that 
 humanly devised Trinity, of three distinct and separate persons, which 
 we receive not, because the Holy Sciiptu res mak^ no n.eiuion of ii: 
 so we distinguish between Scripture redemption, and the vulgar doc- 
 trine of satisfaction. The first we receive, ihe second we reject. And 
 because Francis Buggharh deal unfaithfully wiih William Penn, in 
 not citing William Penn's account of the vulgar doctrine of satisfac- 
 tion, which he only oppugns ; and Francis Bugg could not but be sen- 
 sible, if cued, would have cleared up the matter to every judicious 
 and impartial reader, I shall therefore transcribe it in William Penn's 
 own words, as followeth: — 'That man having transgressed the 
 righteous law of God, and so exposed to the penalty of eternal 
 Wrath, its altogether impossible for God to remit, or forgive, without 
 a plenary satisfaction; and that there was no other way, by which 
 God could obtain satisfaction, or save men, than by inflicting the 
 penalty of infinite wrath and vengeance^ on Jesus Christ, the second 
 person of the Trinity ; who for sins past, present, and to come, hath 
 wholly borne and paid it, (whether for all or but some,) to the of- 
 fended infinitejusticeof his Father.' — Satuly Foundation, page 16. 
 
 " So that by this it appears evidently, that it was not the doctrine 
 of satisfaction, taken simply, and according to the true sen^e of 
 Scripture, (though the word satisfaction is no Scripture word, and 
 were better to be omittt'd than used,) but the vulgar doctrine of it, 
 which hath no foundation in Scripture, and containeth several things 
 in it, that many, both ancient and modern writers, do not allow." — 
 See Works, pages 423, 424. 
 
 Again, on page 437, Richard Claridge adds, "It was not the doc- 
 trine of satisfaction, taken simply, and in the true sense of 
 Scripture, that William Penn opposed, as I said before, page 424, 
 but the vulgar and mistaken doctrine of it, viz. The impossibility of 
 God's forgiving sin upon re[-:entance, without Christ's paying his 
 justic-e, by suffering infinite vengeance, and eternal death, for sins 
 past, present, and to come; a rigid satisfaction. And therefore says 
 he, [William Penn,] 'I can boldly challenge any person, to give me 
 one Scripture phrase, which does approach the doctrine of satisfac- 
 tion, (much less the name,) considering to what degree it's stretched ; 
 not that we do deny [mark that] but reaUy confess, that Jesus Christ 
 in life, doctrine, and death, fulfilled his Father^ s tvill, and offered up 
 a most satisfactory sacrifice; but not to pay God, or help him, (as 
 otherwise being unable,) to save men.* 
 
 " So that, 'tis as apparent as the sun shining at noon-day, that 
 William Penn neither denies the Scriptuie Trinity, or holy Three 
 of Father, Word, and Spirit; nor satisfaction truly stated, according 
 to the Scripture ; but sincerely ow ns all that the Scriptures do tes- 
 tify of them; and if any thing besides, oi contrary to tlie Scriptuies, 
 be required of us, as an article of faith in rommon to be believed, as 
 necessary to salvation, we reject it." page 437. He then recites the 
 article of the Church of England respecting the Scripture, &c. and 
 
39 
 
 quotes Bishop Burnet's exposition thereof, after which he thus pro- 
 ceeds: "But notwithsfanding all this, Francis Bugg is pleased to 
 say, the Quakers deny the Trinity, and the satisfaction n»ade for the 
 sins of mankind. When we oion the scripture Trinity and satisfac- 
 tion; but not our adversaries' unscriptural and imaginary terms and 
 notions, in the stating and explicating of them." 
 
 " As to the doctrine of Christ's satisfaction for the sins of mankind, 
 that we imfeigTiedly embrace^ according to the scriptures; and there- 
 fore Francis Bugg hath done us wrong, in saying tlie contrary of us. If 
 he had had any n-gard to truth, and intended to have dealt plainly in 
 the controversy, he should have distinguished between the vulgar doc- 
 trine of satisfaction, which, as stated by William Prnn,and asserted 
 by some of our adversaries, we do not receive ; and the doctrine oi 
 satisfaction according to the scriptures, which we do receive. But 
 instead of this, he conceals the account William Penn gives, 
 of the vulgar doctrine of satisfaction, which carries its confutation 
 with it, and cites only the title of that section, where it is set down 
 and refuted, and then conpludcs, we deny the satisfaction made for 
 the sins of mankind ; whereas, if he had dealt fairly by us, and con- 
 cluded as he ought to have done, his conclusion should have been, 
 that ice deny the vulgar doctrine^ and nothing else ; for the premi- 
 ses will bear no other conclusion, according to the true and just 
 rules of reasoning. So that his conclusion is fallacious, and sophis- 
 tical ; and proves no more against us than that we deny the vulgar 
 and erroneous doctrine of satisfaction." Page 439. 
 
 From the Sandy Foundation itself, it appears that William Penn, 
 so far from denying the scripture doctrine of the propitiation of Je- 
 sus Christ, fully beTieved, and sincerely owned it; since he adduces 
 those very texts of Holy Scripture, which forcibly inculcate this doc- 
 trine, to refute the absurd and inconsistent notions which he was com- 
 batting. Thus, on pages 10 and 11 of the compilers' pamphlet, Wil- 
 liam Penn has quoted these striking passages. 
 
 " ' For God so loved the world, that he ^nuehis only begotten son, 
 that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlast- 
 ing life.' John iii. 16. By which it appears that God's love is not 
 the effect of Christ's satisfaction, but Christ is the proper gift, and 
 effect, of God's love." 
 
 '"To him, give all the prophets witness, that through his name, 
 whosoever believeth in him, shall receive remission of sins.' Acts x. 
 43. So that remission came by believing his testimony, and obeying 
 his precepts, and not by a strict satisfaction." 
 
 '"If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not 
 his own son, but delivered him up for us all.' Romans viii. 31, 32. 
 Which evidently declares it to be God's act of love; otherwise, if 
 he must be paid, he should be at the charge of his own satisfaction ; 
 for he delivered up the son." 
 
 "'And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself 
 by Jesus Christ, aiid hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 
 to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not 
 imputing their trespasses unto them:' 2 Cor. v. 18, 19. How unde- 
 niably apparent is it, that God is so far from standing off", in high 
 
40 
 
 ■^ displeasure, and upon his own terms, contracting with his Son for a 
 satisfaction, as being otherwise incapable id be reconciled^ that he be- 
 came himself the reconciler by Christ, and afterwards by the apos- 
 tles, his ambassadors; to whom was con>mitted the ministrj of re- 
 conciliation." 
 
 "•' In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgive- 
 vessof sins, according to the riches of his grace.' Ephes. i. 7. Now 
 what rdalion satisfaction has to forgiveness of sins ; or how any can 
 construe grace, to be strict justice, the meanest understanding may 
 determine." 
 
 "' But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal 
 glory by Christ Jesus.' 1 Peter, v. 19. He does not say that God's 
 justice: in consideration of Christ's satisfaction, acquitted us from 
 sins past, present, and to come, and therefore hath called us to his 
 eternal glory ; but from his grace." 
 
 " 'Tn this was manifest the love of God towards us, because that 
 God sent his only begotten son into the world, that we might live 
 through Him.' 1 John iv. 9. Which plainly attributes Christ, in his 
 doctrine, life, miracles, death and sufferings to God, as the gift and 
 expression of his eternal love for the salvation of men." 
 
 We have already quoted sufficient to prove to every unprejudiced 
 mind, that William Penn was perfectly consistent with scripture in 
 believing unfeignedly in the Holy Three, that bear record in heaven, 
 the divinity and propitiatory sacrifice of our Lord and Saviour Je- 
 sus Christ; we shall, however, add to our quotations on this subject, 
 some extracts from his letter, dated 11th mo. 22d, 1673, to Dr. John 
 Collenges, whohad taken exceptions to the Sandy Foundation Shaken, 
 and charged William Penn with denying these doctrines. It will, 
 we apprehend, do away every shadow of' excuse for ranking him 
 among the believers in the notions of Elias Hicks, and rescue his 
 Christian character from the insinuations of the compilers' pam- 
 phlet. 
 
 "The matter insisted upon, relating chiefly to us, on this occasion, 
 was, that ive, in common %vith Socinians, do not believe Christ to be 
 the Eternal Son of God ; and I am brought for proof of the charge. To 
 this hath been already answered, that my book, called ' The Sandy 
 Foundation Shaken,' touched not upon this ; but Trinity and separate 
 personality, &c. But this will not serve thy turn, thou must both 
 accuse us, and then wring and rack our books to maintain it. I 
 have two things to do; first, to show I expressed nothing that divest- 
 ed Christ of his divinity; next, declare my Irue meaning and 
 faith in the matter. I am to suppose, that when any adversary goes 
 about to prove his charge against me, out of my own book, he takes 
 that which is most to his purpose : now, let us see what thou hast ta- 
 ken out of that book, so evidently demonstrating the truth of thy 
 assertion. I find nothing more to thy purpose than this, that I deny 
 a Trinity of separate persons in the Godhead. Ergo — what.^ Ergo 
 — William Penn denies Christ to be the only true God ; or that 
 Christ, the Son of God, is from everlasting to everlasting, God. Did 
 ever man yethear of such argumentation? Doth Dr. Collenges know 
 logic no better ; but (which is more condemnable in a minister,) hath 
 
41 
 
 he learned charity so ill ? Are not trinity and personality one thing, 
 and Christ's being the Eternal Son of God another ? Mu-^t I, there- 
 fore, necessarily deny his divinity, because I justly reject ihe popish 
 school personality? This savours ..f such weakness, or disingenuity, 
 as can never stand with the credit of so great a scribe to be guil- 
 ty of." 
 
 William Penn,then instances the cases of Paulus Samosatenus and 
 Sabellius, and proceeds to give the following declaration of his faith. 
 *' And now I will tell thee my faith in tliis matter; I do heartily believe^ 
 that Jesus Christ is the only true and everlasting God, by whom all 
 things were made, that are made, in the heavens above, or the 
 earth beneath, or the waters under the earth ; that he is, as omnipo- 
 tent, so omniscient, and omnipresent, therefore God. This is con- 
 fessed by me, in two books, printed a little before the Sandy Foun- 
 dation Shaken, viz: Guide Mistaken, page 28, and Truth Exalted, 
 pages 14, 15; also at large, in my " Innoiency with her Open Face." 
 I think I have dealt very honestly with thee, I am sure to the satis- 
 faction of my own conscience, and if is not my fault, if it be not to the 
 better information of thine. But as thou confessest the scripture 
 hath no word for Trinity, so thou undertakest to prove personality 
 from it, and callest it a foundation. But certainly this retorts 
 with great sharpness upon thee ; for first, this being a foundation, as 
 thou sayest, it follows, that there is a necessity of its being known 
 and believed, in order to salvation ; but I do aver, first, that there is 
 no scripture for it; next, that ten thousands, yea, millions of people 
 called christians, neither do understand, nor (which is more) ran 
 understand any such thing; so mean are their capacities, and so in- 
 tricate and obscure is the thing itself. 
 
 "What dangerous inquiry, and wanton curiosity is that, which can- 
 not set down with this scripture definition, There be Three that bear 
 record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit? It is more 
 truly religious, if not to deride, at least to reject, human inventions and 
 pagan philosophy, the chief ingiedients that irrake up the school de- 
 finitions; and acquiesce in the naked text of holy writ, unless the 
 comment were more clear and unquestionable : clear it is not, and 
 for unquestionable, the present protestant nation, call it Popery; as 
 if it were an infallible mark of ^oiind doctrine, to cry up tJiefaUi- 
 bility of all doctrine; a piece of new fashioned divinity that is not 
 two removes from atheism." 
 
 William Penn, then goes to disprove the ascsrtion of J. Collenges, 
 that "there be Three individual, intelligent, incommunicable, sub- 
 stances" in the Deity, which, not being necessary to insert here, we 
 omit. He then says: "For satisfaction, thou knowest, or oughtest 
 to do, that is a term belonging to the civil law, and was never read 
 in scripture : I have this to say, that the Friend took me right ; name- 
 ly, that I chiefly opposed the impossibility of God's otherwise par- 
 doning, &c., and thou shewest great acquaintance with some late 
 writers, and such, too, as go for no small divines ;" [here he inserts 
 their names] and proceeds — " He that would not have me mistaken, 
 on purpose to render his charge against me just, whether it be so or 
 no, may see in my apology for the Sandy Foundation Shaken, that I 
 
42 
 
 otherwise meant, than I am charactered. In short, I saj, both as to 
 this, and the other point of justification ; that Jesus Christ ?t7«s a sa- 
 crijicefor sin, that he was set forth to be a propitiation for the sins 
 of the whole world; to declare God's righteousness for the remis- 
 sion of sins that are past^ Sfc. to all that repented, and had faith in 
 his Son. Therein the love of God appeared, that he declared his 
 good will thereby to be reconciled ; Christ bearing aivuy the sins 
 that are past, as the scape-goat did of old, not excluding inward 
 work ; for, till that is begun, none can be benefited, though it is not 
 the work,bnt God's free love that remits and blots out, of which, the 
 death of (Christ, and his sacrificing of himself, was a most certain 
 declaration and confirmation. In short, that declared remission, to 
 all who believe and obey, for the sins that are past; which is the 
 first part of Christ's work, (as it is a king's to pardon a traitor, be- 
 fore he advanceth him,) and hitherto, the acquittance imputes a 
 righteousness, (inasmuch as men, on true repentance, are imputed as 
 clean of guilt as if they had never sinned,) and thus far justified ; 
 but the completing of this, by the working out of sin inherent, must 
 be by the power and spirit of Christ in tlie heart, destroying the old 
 man and his deeds, and bringing in, the new and everlasting righte- 
 ousness ; so, that which I writ against, is such doctrine as extended 
 Christ's death and obedience, 7iot to the first, but this second part of 
 justification; not the pacifying [of] conscience, as to past sin ; but 
 to complete salvation, without cleansing and purging, from all filthi- 
 ness of fiesh and spirit, by the internal operation of his holy power 
 and spirit; concerning these points, I refer thee to two books, writ- 
 ten not long since by me, called " Quakerism, a New Nickname for 
 Old Christianity," and "Reason against Railing;" in which, these 
 points are fully discussed, as also "The Divinity of Christ," written 
 by George Whitehead. — See Penn's Works, vol. ii. pages 165, 166, 
 167. 
 
 Such is the abundant, and conclusive testimony, to the scriptural 
 soundness of William Penn's belief, in the doctrines of the christian 
 religion. The compilers of the pamphlet, have undoubtedly examin- 
 ed his works, and the very extracts which they have made, prevent 
 them from pleading that they were ignorant of the earnestness with 
 which he defended himself, against the charge of Socinianism. They 
 must have known well, that he had been accused of entertaining 
 the same unscripfural, and antichristian notions, which they are now 
 endeavouring to force upon him, by adducing partial scraps of his 
 writings, as authority for the unbelief of Elias Hicks, and that he 
 had uniformly, and peremptorily denied them. It is therefore disin- 
 genuous in them, to print his Sandy Foundation Shaken, without the 
 statement of the argument on the Trinity; and also to omit the in- 
 sertion of those explanatory observations, which he afterwards wrote, 
 to clear himself from these insinuations. By pursuing this course, 
 they have sufficiently evinced, that their object is not so much to in- 
 form us what William Penn really believed, as to make it appear 
 that he held those very sentiments which he so repeatedly disavow- 
 ed, and thus to sustain if possible, the credit of Elias Hicks, by the 
 authority of so great a name as that of Penn. 
 
43 
 
 But happily, this excellent man, has more than once, indignantly 
 sepelledthe charge of unbelief ; and nobly refused to lend his sanc- 
 tion to such unhallowed sentiments. Klias liicks denies the miraculous 
 conception and the divinity of Jesus Christ; he makes him a mere 
 man, endued with a portion of the spirit of God ; and says, that he 
 came only to Ao that which every man is called to do ; that his death, 
 was no more availing to redemption, than the exit of any one of the 
 martyrs, and that the hope of forgiveness, through his propitiatory 
 sacrifice, is wicked and absurd. That such are not the doctrines of 
 William Penn, we have already proved by our quotations from his 
 works. The Sandy Foundation alone, is, indeed, amply suificient 
 to show, that William Penn was widely different in his views ; and 
 in the course of the following pages, we shall have occasion to ad- 
 duce other extracts, clearly elucidating the same fact. 
 
 SECTION II. 
 
 Remarks upon the extracts made by the compilers, from the works of \Vil« 
 
 liam Penn. 
 
 The nest extract from the works of William Penn, is to be found 
 on page 25 of the compilers' pamphlet. It is taken from an essay 
 written by William Penn in the year 1698, headed, " A Defence of 
 a paper entitled ' Gospel Truths,' against the Bishop of Cork's excep- 
 tions." " Gospel Truths" is a declaration of faith, or a creed, con- 
 sisting of eleven articles, setting forth the belief of the Society of 
 Friend?, in various points of christian doctrine, signed by William 
 Penn, Thomas Story, Anthony Sharp, and George Rook. 
 
 The extract made by the compilers, appears to be designed to 
 convey the idea, that William Penn considered the benefits and 
 blessings of the outward manifestation of the Son of God in the 
 flesh, to be wholly confined to the Jews. Presented as it is by them, 
 disconnected from parts which are necessary to explain the author's 
 meaning, it might possibly be wrested to bear such a construction. 
 But it was far, very far from the meaning of William Penn ; as will 
 be seen when we quote the whole paragraph. He is replying to the 
 eighth exception, which includes the Bishop's objections to the fifth, 
 sixth, and seventh articles of the Gospel Trutlis, all which treat of 
 the manifestation of Christ Jesus in the soul, by this Holy Spirit, 
 agreeably to the testimony of the apostle John, "That was the 
 true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." 
 
 William Penn says, " I know some read this text otherwise, as 
 indeed he (the Bishop,) did to me in Cork, viz. "That was the true 
 light, that coming into the world, lighteth all men;" referring the 
 word coming.^ to Christ, and not to man. But all the versions 1 ever 
 met with, and I have seen more than twenty, render the verse as it 
 is in our English translations; and all critics and commentators, ex- 
 cept the followers of Socinim^ read and render it as we do. And 
 while we have so much company, and so great authority, i think we 
 
44 
 
 need not be solicitous about the success of this point. But besides 
 that the foregoing verse tells us, that the divine life of the Word-God, 
 is the light of men ; which shows all mankind have it in them, (for it 
 is the light of their minds, and not of their bodies;) it is impossible 
 that interpretation should be true, in a strict sense:* |C7*[for the 
 coming of Christ in that blessed manifestation, xvas to the Jews only : 
 he sa;^s it himself, "he was not sent but to the lost sheep of the 
 house of Israel ;" Matt. xiii. 24. Again, He came unto his own, and 
 his own received him not; John i. ll.]«£3| And ivithin that narrow 
 compass, he could not be said to be the light of all mankind, that 
 had, did, and should, come into the world ; for so both the fourth 
 and ninth verse plainly import, viz. Tlie light of mankind without 
 restriction to this or that manifestation of God to men." Vol. II. 
 page 897. 
 
 Now we would ask, is it consistent with the rules of fliir quota- 
 tion, thus to mutilate the sentences, and change the sense, of an au- 
 thor's essay, in order to make him speak a language which he never 
 intended.'* The words, '■'his appearance inthe fie shy" inserted in the 
 quotation in the pamphlet, are not in the original, but have been 
 supplied by the compilers. 
 
 The sentiment which William Penn expresses, is easily under- 
 stood. It IS a fact, recorded in Scripture, that Jesus Christ, while 
 personally on earth, walked almost exclusively among the Jews, and 
 wrought his miracles principally for their benefit. To this circum- 
 stance William Penn alludes, and argues from i^, that as regarded 
 that outward body, separate from his Divinity, he could not be the light 
 of the world, since its travels and labours were confined within so 
 narrow a compass. But this is quite another thing from confining 
 the benefits which accrued from that outward appearance, to that 
 nation only, which tlie compilers evidently wish to do; from the un- 
 warrantable liberty they have taken with Thomas Story, in the next 
 following quotation, upon the same subject, (adding a whole line to 
 a part of a sentence of his; thereby making him speak a similar 
 sentiment, and directly deny what he has just asserted in the same 
 paragraph.) "We are not ignorant, that these mutilations are made 
 to support Elias Hicks in his opinion, that Christ's whole mission 
 was limited to the Jews, and that the advantages of it terminated 
 there; calling him merely, "the Jewish Messiah." But William 
 Penn had a more reverent regard, and just sense, of the unspeaka- 
 ble benefits which resulted to mankind from the coming of Jesus 
 Christ in the flesh; as will appear by the following quotation from 
 the paper entitled " Gospel Truths." 
 
 1. "It is our belief. That God is; and that he is a rewarder of all 
 them that fear him, with eternal rewards of happiness: and that 
 those that fear him not, shall be turned into hell. Heb. xi. 16. Rev. 
 xxii. 12. Romans ii. 5, 6, 7, 8. Psalm ix. 17. 
 
 2. " That there are Three that bear record in heaven, the Father, 
 
 • Tl'.roughout the following pages, those parts of the quotations which the 
 compilers have extracted, are enclosed in brackets, with an indez> or hand, 
 to distinguish them from such as they have omitted to give. 
 
45 
 
 the Word, and the Spirit; and these Three are really One. 1 John 
 
 V. 7. 
 
 3. That the word was made flesh; and dwelt among men ; and 
 was, and i«, the Only Begotten of the Father ; full of grace and truth ; 
 his beloved Son, in whom he is well pleased, and whom we are to 
 hear in all things; who tasted death for every man^ and died for sin, 
 that we might die to sin, and by his power and spirit, be raised up 
 to newness of life here, and to glory hereafter. John i. 14. Matt, 
 iii. 17. Heb. ii. 9. 
 
 4. That as we are on^y justified from the guilt of sin, by Christ, 
 the propitiation, and not by works of righteousness that we have done: 
 so there is an absolute necessity that we receive and obey, to unfeigned 
 repentance, and amendment of life, the holy light and spirit of Jesus 
 Christjin order to obtain th^t remission andJ?(S^(^caiiow from sin: since 
 no man can be justified by Christ, who walks not after the spirit, 
 but after the flesh ; for whom he sanctifies, them he also justifies ; 
 and if we walk in the light, as he is liglit, his precious blood cleans- 
 eth us from all sin ; as well from the pollution as guilt of sin. Rom. 
 iii. 22—26. viii. 1—4. 1 John v. 7."— Vol. ii. 885. 
 
 The authors then proceed to declare, that he is the true light, 
 which lighteth every man that cometh into the world, &c. From all 
 which the reader may at once perceive, that William Penn had no 
 intention of limiting the benefits of the blessed manifestation of the 
 Son of God in the flesh to the Jewish nation; in which respect, as 
 well as most others contained in the above extract, the Christian 
 faith of William Penn, and the dogmas of Elias Hicks, are quite at 
 variance. 
 
 The compilers have inserted a long extract from " The Christian 
 Quaker," on their 25, 26, and 27th pages ; which we shall next no- 
 tice. One Thomas Hicks, a bitter opponent of the Quakers, having 
 written a calumnious essay in the form of a fictitious dialogue, be- 
 tween a Christian and a Quaker; one object of which was to prove 
 that the Quakers denied Jesus Christ, and the Holy Scriptures ; 
 William Penn, in the year 1674, wrote the first part of that excel- 
 lent reply to the aspersions of Hicks, entitled "The Christian Qua- 
 ker and his divine testimony vindicated;" a work which is replete 
 with the most unequivocal and solemn declarations of his full faith, 
 in all the circumstances recorded in Holy Scripture, relative to the 
 life of Jesus Christ ; in his divinity, and in his various oftices i 
 the accomplisliment of man's salvation; both as relates to that re- 
 demption, which he purchased for all mankind, when, through the 
 eternal spirit, he offered up his holy body, an acceptable sacrifice for 
 the sins of the world ; and also in the completion of the great work 
 of regeneration in the soul, by the gift of his holy spirit; whereby he 
 is eniphatically, that great "Light which lighteth every man that com- 
 eth into the world." 
 
 It is not a little surprising, that a work so truly scriptural in the 
 doctrines which it teaches, and which was written to show that the 
 Society of Friends were really Christians, should now be adduced 
 as proof that the Quakers were not Christians. We rejoice, how- 
 ever, ia being able to siiow by William Penn's own language, that 
 
:? 46 
 
 the tenor of the Christian Quaker is directly the reverse of the sys- 
 tem of unbelief which Elias Hicks has revived : and we are persuad- 
 ed that the only way in which his disciples can obtain the shadow of 
 support from William Penn,is by the misconstruction, or perversion, 
 of the great truths which this treatise contains. 
 
 'The extract given by the compilers, appears designed to represent 
 William Penn, as believing that mediation, atonement, and redemp- 
 tion by Jesus Christ, are exclusively inward and spiritual, without 
 any reference to what he did and suffered for us, in his body of flesh. 
 Hence, they have omitted to quote a part of William Penn's chap- 
 ter, (from which the extract the) give is made,) in which he most ex- 
 plicitly declares the extent and benefit of that work which Christ 
 did in the flesh. It would seem that they wish'lo make it appear, that 
 Christ was no more our Saviour, than any other great and good man 
 who lived before, or has lived since, the days when he was person- 
 ally on earth. Such, however, were not the sentiments of William 
 Penn. The quotation is made from the seventeenth chapter. It is 
 thus headed; " The fourth part of the objection stated and consider- 
 ed — Christ's death and sufferings confessed to, and respected ; they 
 were beneficial to salvation: the light of Christ within, is the effi- 
 cient cause to salvation, completely taken." 
 
 From this, it must be evident, that while William Penn justly as- 
 serted, that "salvation completely taken " or in its full sense, was 
 attributable to the "light of Christ as the efficient cause;" yet he 
 does, also, fully own and confess the sufferings of the holy manhood 
 to have been " beneficial to that salvation ;" and as his object in 
 this chapter is to prove the former, so the next, or eighteenth 
 chapter, is appropriated to a most full and reverent confession of 
 his regard and gratitude for the great benefits of that outward 
 sacrifice. 
 
 The seventeenth chapter thus commences: "Having considered 
 the third part of this great objection, I am now come to what chiefly 
 stumbles the people, with respect to the light within ; at least, as I 
 apprehend ; and that in this fourth and last particular, viz. <But if 
 the light in every man be Christ, how does it bear our sins, and are 
 our iniquities laid upon it? And how can we be said to be justified, 
 redeemed, or saved by its blood ; since all these things are spoken 
 by the holy penmen of the man Christ, or Jesus, born at Bethlehem ? 
 Surely you wholly invalidate his life, death, resurrection, ascension, 
 and mediation, by this belief of yours in the light within.' 
 
 " This I take to be the very stress of the matter, collected out of 
 the most forcible writings of our adversaries ; to which I answer, and 
 let him that reads understand. 
 
 " It must be considered, in this last part of the objection, how those 
 questions can be applicable to the light, and yet be reconcileable with 
 those srriptures, that seem to attribute all to his bodily sufferings. I 
 hope to make appear, that as we exalt the first, so we dare not, by 
 any means, to slight the last." 
 
 " The light, or rather he that is light, in man, for so I have always 
 desired to be understood, (light being a metaphor or a word, taken 
 from the outward day, and chiefly so termed because of man's dark- 
 
47 
 
 ness, which is thereby discovered,) hath been, according to scripture, 
 as a lamb slain since the foundation of the world. That i?, the world 
 had not been long created ; before man, being envied by Lucifer ^the. 
 fallen angel, was betrayed of his innocency by him ; and sin by diso- 
 bedience, prevailing, the light or principle of life, under whose holy 
 leadings man was placed, became resisted, grieved, and as it were, 
 slain ; (which word slain is also metaphorical ;) that is to say, the in- 
 nocent, pure life was, as it were, wounded unto death, through diso- 
 bedience ; and, that lamb-like image, in which Adam was created, by 
 him, through rebellion, lost. Thus, that holy principle, which God 
 placed in the heart of Adam, in which was true light, life, and pow- 
 er, bore the sin. was pressed under it, as a cart under sheaves, griev- 
 ed exceedingly, and as it were, quenched with iniquity. 
 
 " This hath been the condition of that precious and elect Seed, 
 spirit, light, life, truth, or whatever name, equivalent, any may 
 please to give it, ever since that first rebellion, to this \ery day. 
 And as in wicked men, God's holy light and spirit, or that principle 
 which is so called, hath been deeply wounded, yea, as one slain, so 
 in good men, that have had a sense of the world's abomination, hath 
 it also borne many burdens and weights. For the light and life, is 
 one in all, thoug,i not treated alike in all. And those who have been 
 reformed by it, and joined to it, have been as one spirit, and have 
 not been without their share of the liord's heavy sufferings, from 
 the ungodly vvm Id ; whicli was as well a tilling up of Christ's sufter- 
 ings, Hiat were before his outward coming, as what to this genera- 
 tion, are yet behind to be completed." — Vol. i. pages 573, 574. 
 
 We have here, a very full acknowledgment from William Penn, 
 of the fall of Adam, through the temptations uH he devil ^ and a just 
 desc'-iption of the lost condition of his unregenerate descendants, 
 in wliom that measure of the holy spirit, which comes through Jesus 
 Christ, " the glorious luminary of the intellectual world," is resisted, 
 pressed down, obscured, and quenched. We have also a clear tes- 
 tiniony fro:n him, that Jesus ('hrist has been the Saviour of man, 
 through all ages of the world, one and the same, by his htily spirit, 
 in all, corresponding with his own blessed testimony, " Before Abra- 
 ham was, I an.;" and that those who dwelt with this seed of grace, 
 and uffeved with it, were fdting up their measure of the sufferings 
 of C/hrist, tor his body's sake, which is liis church. 
 
 Immediately following the last quotation, comes the first para- 
 graph which the compilers have inserted in their pamphlet, viz: — 
 
 |C7* [" And as at any time, disobedient men, have hearkened to 
 the still voice of the Word, that messenger of God in tlicir hearts, 
 to be affected and convinced by it, as it brings reproof for sin, which 
 is but a fatherly chastisement; so upon true brokenness of soul, and 
 contrition of spirit, that very same principle, and Word of life in 
 man, has mediated and atoned; and God has been propitious, lifting 
 np the light of his countenance, and replf ni'-hing such humble peni- 
 tents, with divine consolations. So that still the same Christ, Word- 
 God, who has lighted all men, is by sin grieved and burdened, and 
 bears the iniquities of such as so sin, and reject his benefits. But as 
 any hear his knocks, and let him into their hearts, he first wounds. 
 
W 48 
 
 and then heals. Afterwards he atones, mediates, and reinstates tnan^ 
 in the holy image he is fallen from by sin. Behold, this is the state 
 of restitution ! And this, in some measure , was witnessed by the holy 
 patriarchs, prophets, and servants of God in old time; to whom 
 Christ was substantially the same Saviour, and seed, bruising the 
 serpent's head, that he is now to us, what difference soever there 
 may be in point of manifestation."]cr:3i 
 
 This is, indeed, a beautiful description of "salvation complete," 
 or the work of regeneration, and restitution into that divine image 
 which man lost by the fall ; and which was, in some measure, wit- 
 nessed by the holy patriarchs, and prophets ; the same Christ or 
 Word-God, bearing and atoning for the sins of repenting transgress- 
 ors, in all ages; not a justification or atonement by any works of 
 righteousness they could do, but a real putting on the righteousness 
 of the Lord Jesus Christ ; yet not to the exclusion of what he did 
 for man without them, who has ever been, and continues to be, the 
 Saviour of his people from their sins. For as we believe him, to 
 have been with God from all eternity, and to be that divine and ef- 
 fective Word, by whom all things were made, so also, we believe, that 
 so soon as man had fallen, he became the propitiation, mediator, re- 
 deemer, and sanctifier, that thus he might restore man into a state 
 of purity, fitted for the enjoyment of the glory and harmony of 
 Heaven. 
 
 Although William Penn wrote the chapter, from which we are quo- 
 ting, with the express intention of unfolding the sufferings and ope- 
 rations of the light, or seed in man ; yet, lest he should be thought, 
 tiiereby to slight or undervalue "Christ's 6oc?i/?/ sufferings;" he stops 
 in the midst of his discourse, to make the following clear and expli- 
 cit declaration of his christian belief in their inestimable value and 
 extent. 
 
 "But notwithstanding it was the same Light, and Life, with that 
 which afterwards clothed itself with that outward body, which did 
 in measure inwardly appear for the salvation of the souls of men; 
 yet, as I have often said, never did that divine life so eminently 
 show forth itself as in that sanctified and prepared body. So that 
 what he then suffered and did, in that transcendent manifestation ^ 
 may by way of eminency, have the credit of the ivhole work unto 
 itself, that he ever did before, or might do afterivards for man's sal- 
 vation. For, doubtless, the very same light, life, and power, which 
 dwelt in that fleshly tabernacle, eminently was the Convincer, Con- 
 demner, Saviour, and Redeemer: yet not only as confined to that 
 blessed body, but also as revealed in the hearts of men ; as he was 
 in Paul, who, not consulting with flesh and blood, against the Lord 
 of Glory; did willingly receive him in, to bind the strong man, 
 spoil his goods and cast him out ; that he might reign, tt'/jose right it 
 was. And that the divine life, light, spirit, nature or principle, 
 which resided in that body, was the efficient cause of salvation, ob- 
 serve the title that is given him, from the great work he was to do, 
 namely, to save his people from his sins; there is not one word of 
 wrath, but consequentially. Now, since that sin, is in the heart and 
 conscience of mankind, nothing but a divine light, spirit or power. 
 
49 ^ 
 
 can reach and convey purity into those inward parts, and conse- 
 quenly that must be the Redeemer and S;ivionr from sin. But, in- 
 deed, those who have a mind to natuialize that strange figure, into 
 the language of the holy truth ; I mean, that to be saved, is only to 
 be saved from wrath and not from sin, whose assured wages is wrath ; 
 may have some interest, though no reason, for their implacable enrai' 
 ij against an inherent holiness." 
 
 After the quotations made by the compilers, we tliink the omis- 
 sion of so impoitant a declaration as thf foregoing, was not doing 
 justice to William Penn, inasmuch as he appears to have designed it 
 to guard against the supposition that he meant, in any degree, to 
 slight or undervalue the outward manifestation, and propitiatory 
 death, of Jesus Christ in the fle^h. To what Chvhtthen did and suf- 
 fered, he attributes the credit of the wholp. tvork, that he ever did 
 before, or might, afterward, by his spirit do, toward ihe salvation 
 of men ; thus unequivocally acknowledging the transcendency of his 
 sufferings over every thing that the most enlightened and redeemed 
 Chri-itian could ever possibly experience. 
 
 The following paragraph is the second quoted by the compilers, 
 and commencing with the words, " But I further confess," would 
 seem to refer to the one which they place immediately preceding; 
 whereas in William Penn's work, they are separated by that which 
 we last quoted, and which they have omitted entirely. 
 
 |CP'["But. I further confess, that his righteous life, with respect 
 " to its app^jarance in that holy body, was grieved by sin, and that 
 " the weis^ht of the iniquity of the whole world, with the concern- 
 " ment of its eternal well being, lay hard upon him, nor was his 
 " manhood insensible of it: under the load of this did he travail ; he 
 " alone trode the wine-press ; that is, all others were then insensible of 
 " that eternal wrath which would be the portion of the impenitent 
 ^•persons, as well as that it was his great care and deep travail, that 
 " the holy, yet oppressed seed, might arise over the pressures of ini- 
 " quity in the hearts of men, to bruise the serpent's head in all. And 
 «' as outwardly, he ^ave his outward life for the world, so he might 
 " inwardly shed abroad in their souls, the blood of God ; that is, the 
 " holv, purifying life, and virtue which is in him, as the Word-God, 
 " and as which, he is the Light and Life of the world. "^I.^OI 
 
 *J\rote. — We have compared the extracts from the Christian Qua- 
 ker, as inserted in the compilers' pamphlet, with the first edition of 
 that work, published in 1674, with the Kssay as inserted in the folio 
 edition of his works ; with the same, in his select works, in folio and 
 octavo, and with a new edilion of the Christian Quaker, lately pub- 
 lished in Philadelphia, by the friends of Elias Hirks. In collating 
 the other editions, with tlie Philadelpliia, we find that a very unusual 
 and unjustifiable liberty has been taken with the autiior's work, as it 
 agrees with none of the editions previously published, but is a medley 
 of the whole. Some expressions which are fnuiul in the first edition, 
 and which were omitted in the subsequent corrected editions, are 
 retained in this, and many others not in the first edition, but in- 
 serted in the corrected editions, are also found in this. 
 
 G 
 
50 
 
 We have here a striking testimony to that great work which the 
 Son of God came down from heaven to accomplish; to his offeiing 
 
 To make the matter clearer we may state, that in the year 1699, 
 twenty-five years after the iirst edition was printed, and nineteen 
 years before William Penn's death, a new edition of the tirst 
 part of the Christian Quaker, written by him, was published: in 
 1726 (he complete edition of his works, in folio, was printed, and in 
 1771, his select works were published. Now, as these latter 
 editions are alike, and are considerably amended from the first, and 
 as the second edition, in 1699, was published many years before the 
 author's death, there cannot be a doubt but the alterations were made 
 by himself, and therefore it must be considered and received as the 
 author's second corrected edition. If the publisher of the new 
 Philadelphia edition designed to print the first edition of 1674, 
 which it would seem he did, by his inserting this date upon (he title 
 page, he should strictly have adhered to it. Instead of this, how- 
 ever, there are numerous discrepancies between the two. In the 
 Philadelphia, the first three chapters of the first edition, are con- 
 densed into an introduction, commencing the body of the work with 
 what ft)rmed the fourth chapter of the original : in this it agrees with 
 no edition extant, that we can find. In the language too, there is 
 much difference; we counted thirty-five discrepmcies, more or less 
 important, in the space of two pages; which, however, as they stand 
 in his edition, correspond with the corrected editions. But on compar- 
 ing the Philadelphia edition with the connected ones, we find also nu- 
 merous variations. The preface is ins^eried in it, which the others 
 omit, and several expressions contained in the old edition, which were 
 omitfed or amended in the subsequent, are again replaced in the new, 
 especially some which might be misconstrued to lessen the value of 
 the propitiation of Christ, &c. Now a printer is certainly at liberty 
 to publish any edition he pleases of an author's work, though cour- 
 tesy should induce him to use that which the writer had endi-avoured 
 to make most perfect; but certainly no one can justify the amalga- 
 mation and confounding of two editions of a book, so as to make one 
 different from all the preceding copies, and different too, from any 
 one which the author ever wrote. To publish such a book to the 
 world, with the name of William Penn affixed to it, is little less 
 than a forgery, since, as the Philadelphia edition stands printed, it 
 was nevei' written by William Penn. 
 
 We think it right to stale thus much, for the information of the 
 public, that they may be on their guard, how (hey receive, as the 
 genuine "writings of primitive Friends," books which have thus 
 been manufactured in their names. 
 
 The compilers have used the Philadelphia edition in their extracts, 
 and they have quoted correctly, with some small exceptions. The 
 most material of these is in their third and last paragraph, where the 
 article the, is substituted for the definitive adjective that, in the sen- 
 tence where William Penn speaks of Christ's "living that most un- 
 blemished life." Jiie most unblemished life, may allude to the ho- 
 liest life that men usually live, whereas William Penn confines it to 
 that most unblemished life which Christ, and he alone, lived. 
 
51 
 
 wp his precious life for the sins of the whole world, when the iniquKy 
 of all mankind lay hard upon him, and he alone was sensible of that 
 eternal wrath which would be the portion of inipenitent sinners, and 
 under the agonizing weiglit of suifering, " trode the wine press alone." 
 This is a different kind of belief from that of Ellas Hicks ; viz. that he 
 did not come to offer tip hU life for sin ; that God never sent him in- 
 to the world for any such purpose ; that his death was exactly pa- 
 rallel to that of every other martyr ; that his sacrifice was not an 
 atonement for any sins^ but the legal sins of the Jews, and that it 
 is cruel and unholy to believe that he suffered for the sins of others. 
 For proof that such are the sentiments of Elias Hicks, we refer to 
 our extracts from his letters^&c. inserted in the introduction to this 
 work. How striking is the contrast between the two. William Pena 
 reveretitly acknowledges all that Christ did for us in the flesh ac- 
 cording to the scriptures, Elias Hicks anathematizes this very doc- 
 trine which Penn so devoutly believed, and says, " Surely is it possi- 
 ble that any rational being that has any right sense of justice or mer- 
 cy, that would be willing to accept forgiveness of his sins on suck 
 terms! Would he not rather go forward, and offer himself wholly up, 
 to suffer all the penalties due to his crimen, rather than the innocent 
 should suffer ! ! Nay, was he so hardy as to acknowledge a willingness 
 to be ^a\ed, through such a me<\\um, would it not prove that he stood 
 in direct opposition to every principle of justice and honesty, of 
 mercy and love, and show himself a poor, selfish creature, and un- 
 worthy of notice." According to these sentiments, William Penn 
 must have been destitute of any right sense of justice and mercy, 
 and a poor, selfish creature, unworthy of notice. 
 
 The third and last paragraph quoted by the compilers, appears to 
 be designed by the author, to poinr out the distinction between the 
 manhood and the Godhead of the Lord Jesus Christ. To the latter 
 he "chiefly appropriates the work of salvation," as to that vvliich fit- 
 ted the blessed manhood for its glorious mission, by which he wrought 
 his mighty miracles, lived that most spotless life, and patiently en- 
 dured that most ignominious death on the cro-;s for our sakes, and 
 afterwards raised up his body, as a most irrefragable proof that He 
 was the only begotten of the Father, endued witi) omnipotent power, 
 and filled with the spirit witliout measure. Such was VVilliam Penn's 
 reverence for that transcendent manifestation in the flesh, »hat he 
 declares, he " dare not by any means slight it," or rob it of whatever 
 was its due, nor yet attempt to separate what God had joined to- 
 gether. He concludes the seventeenth chapter thus: "To be brief, 
 that I may yet again express our reverent sense of Clu'ist's manifes- 
 tation, so far as relates to that holy thing that should be born of 
 Mary, take these few particulars in my next chapter." 
 
 "Chapter XVIII. — ^ confession, in particular, to redemption, re- 
 mission, justification and salvation by Christ. 
 
 " I. Though we believe the Eternal Power, Life and Light which 
 inhabited that holy person, who was born at Bethlehem, was and is 
 chiefly and eminently the Saviour, " for there is no Saviour besides 
 roe," saith God, yet we reverently confess the holy manhood was 
 Jnstrumentally a Saviour, as prepared and chosen for the work that 
 
Christ, the Word-God, had then to do in \t, which was actualir 
 tathe salvation ofsome, and intentionally of the v/hole world, then, 
 and in ages to come ; suitable to that scripture, " Lo, in the volume 
 of the book it is written, I come to do thy will, (0 God,) a body hast 
 thou prepared me," &c. Heb. x. 5. 7. ' 
 
 "II. That as there was a necessity that one should die for the 
 people, so whoever then or since believed in him, had and have a. 
 seal, or confirmation of the remission of their sins in his blood; and 
 that blood, alluding to the custom of the Jetinsh Sacrifices, shall be 
 an utter blotting out of former iniquities, carrying them as into a 
 land of forgetfulness. This great assurance of remission, from the 
 wrath due upon the score of former offences, do all receive in the 
 ratifying blood of Christ, who, repenting of their sins, believe and 
 obey the holy Light with which he ha(h lighted them. For Paul's 
 being turned from darkness to the light in his heart, was one and 
 ths same with his believing in the Son of God revealed in his heart. 
 
 " III. This more glorious appearance ended that less glorious ser- 
 vice of the Jews; for the figures being completed, the shadows fell. 
 He, in that body, preached and lived beyond those beggarly ele- 
 ments. He drew religion more inward, even into the secret of the 
 heart, and made it to consist in an higher state of righteousness, called 
 evangelical ; and at once became both the author of a more heavenly 
 dispensation, and therein an example to all, as well Jews as Gentiles : 
 sealing such a common and general religion to both, with his blood, 
 as would forever end the difference and slay the enmity, that they 
 might be all one in Christ. Thus did he end the Jews' external 
 services, and overturn the Gentiles' idolatries, by his one most 
 pure and spiritual offering and worship. 
 
 "IV. It plainly preaches thus much to us, that as he, whose body 
 the Jews outwardly slew, was by wicked works crucified in the 
 streets of Sodom and Egypt spiritually so called, viz: our polluted 
 hearts and consciences; so, unless we come to know the power and 
 benefit of this inward life, answering to and expressed by that out- 
 ward life he gave for the world, that will avail us little. For so it 
 is, and very marvellous in our eyes, that the life of the crucified can 
 only save those who may well be reputed the crucifiers. Oh myste- 
 ry ! And because those that did not actually slay him outwardly, 
 have slain him inwardly, that is, by their evil spirits resisting and 
 quenching his spiritual appearance to their souls, therefore must 
 such really know that divine life inwardly raised and shed abroad 
 for sanctification and redemption from sin. Oh, how great was his 
 love to man ! Truly larger than man's cruelty; who, whilst he died 
 by wicked men, died for them; and when dead, they could not hin- 
 der him from rising to do them good, who had done their worst for 
 his destruction, thereby showing mercy to those who showed they 
 had no mercy for him nor themselves. "O Jerusalem ! Jerusalem ! 
 how often would I have gathered thee, and thou wouldst not," &c. 
 
 "V. That expression of his is greatly worth our notice, "I lay down 
 my life for ttie world." All he did was for the good of the world, 
 and particidar/y the laying down of his life, that he might both ex- 
 press his love and our duty. Had he not desired man's salvation, 
 
53 
 
 and for that purpose prepared a body in which to visit him, and bj 
 his daily labours among men to further their eternal happiness, the 
 Jews had never been able to put him to death. But being come, and 
 when come so hardly used, herein did he recommend his great love to 
 us, that besides the inward weights of sin he bore with his deep con- 
 cernment for man's eternal well-being, he cheerfully q^ererf up his 
 bodily life, to recommend and ratify his love for the remission of sin, 
 and gave us an holyexample to follow his steps. But these words will 
 bear another sense too, as do those he spoke to the Jews : " Unless ye 
 eat my flesh, and drink my blood, you have no life in you." John 
 vi. 51, 52, 53, 54, 62, 63.— Where we may plainly see, that as the 
 Jews vainly and carnally fancied he meant his outward body only, 
 to which they opposed the impossibility of the thing ; so Christ de- 
 clares their mistake of his meaning, to his disciples, in these few but 
 deep words : " the flesh profiteth nothing ; it is the spirit that quick- 
 eneth." So that the words are true and weighty in both senses. 
 
 "VI. And we further acknowledge, that in that holy body the Di- 
 vine principle of light and life did discover the depths of satan's 
 darkness, encounter hell, death, and the grave, and every tempta- 
 tion it was possible for the serpent, with all his power and subtility, 
 to beset him with, (in which sense he was made like unto us in all 
 things, sin excepted, that he might be sensible of our infirmities,) 
 yea, the Divine life travailed under all, administering strength to, 
 and supporting the outward man, that it might answer the end of its 
 appointment, and in the end utterly defeat and for ever overcome 
 the power of the tempter, bruising the serpent's head in general, as 
 prince of darkness, and God of the world, and in a plain combat 
 giving him that foil, which in good measure shook his foundation, 
 divided his kingdom, chased away his lying oracles, and proved a 
 very fatal blow to his whole empire. Which holy conquest, obtain- 
 ed by sweat of blood, and deepest agonies, with holy patience, may 
 not unfitly be compared to that of some worldly prince, maintaining 
 a righteous cause against an usurper of his territories, whom he 
 puts to rout in the open field, (by which I understand the general 
 conquest,) yet, many towns, and cities, and citadels, remaining 
 strongly garrisoned, (by which 1 understand, particular men and 
 women enslaved by sin,) they are not thereby overcome, though the 
 approach be easier to them, and that they are truly more ac- 
 cessible than before. 
 
 "The One Seed, who is Christ, who is God over all blessed for 
 ever, though he gave this proof of his everlasting arm, that it has 
 brought a general salvation, by a plain overthrow of the god of this 
 world, the enemy of his glory, and thereby weakened his power, as 
 in himself, (which is the single battle fought in garments rolled 
 in blood between the two seeds, spirits, natures, and jjowers, God 
 and mammon, Christ and belial,) yet there are also many towns, ci- 
 ties, and citadels to vanquish, which are strongly garrisoned by this 
 God of the world, to wit, the souls of men and women possessed and 
 enslaved by him. So that though their hearts are more acces- 
 sible bv that general victory over the very spirit of darkness, and 
 that liglit may be more clear and broken forth, yet unless those par- 
 
54 
 
 ticiilar places or persons are besieged and taken, their goods spoil 
 ed, and houses sacked of all their strange gods, and so come to be 
 redeemed from under the yoke of that Pharaonian task master, re- 
 claimed, renewed, sanctified, and divinely naturalized and brought 
 into an holy subjection to him, who is Lord from Heaven, the right 
 Heir of all things, and receive his mark, and bear his image, those 
 places or persons must needs be under the power of the prince of 
 darkness, the god of this world, who reigns and rules in the hearts 
 of the children of disobedience. 
 
 " To conclude, we say, though this general victory was obtained, 
 and holy privileges therewith, and that the holy body was instru- 
 mentally a sharer therein, jet both the efficient or chiefest cause 
 was the divine light or life, that so clearl}^ discriminated and deeply 
 wounded this mystery of iniquity; and that none can be thereby be- 
 nefited, but as they come to experience the Holy Seed of Life, who 
 is God's mighty arm of power, revealed to effect the same salvation 
 from sin, in each particular conscience, and which none can fail of, 
 who first receive it as a light that manifesteth and reproveth every 
 evil way, and continue to walk up to it in all its holy manifestations. 
 
 " VII. But there is ypt a farther benefit that accrueth by the blood 
 of Christ, viz : that Christ is a propitiation and redemption to such 
 as have faith in him. For though I still place the stress of feeling 
 of a particular benefit, upon the light, life, and spirit revealed and 
 witnessed in every particular person, yet in that general appearance 
 there was a general benefit justly to be attributed unto the blood of 
 that very body of Christ, (which he offered up through the eternal 
 Spirit,) to wit, that it did propitiate. For, however it might draw 
 stupendous judgments u\)on the heads of those who were authors of 
 that dismal tragedy, and bloody murder of the Son of God, and di- 
 ed impenitent, yet doubtless it thus far turned to very great ac- 
 count, in that it was a most preci&t^s offering in the sight of the 
 Lord, and drew God's love the more eminently unto mankind, at 
 least such as should believe in his name, as his solemn prayer to 
 his Father at his leaving the world, given us by his beloved disciple 
 doth plainly witness. 
 
 " For how can it otherwise be, but that it should render God 
 most propitious to all such as believe in Christ, the Light of the 
 world, when it was but placing of his only begotten Son's sufferings 
 truly on their account, that should ever believe and obey him. Yea 
 doubtless, greatly did that sacrifice, influence to some singular tender- 
 ness, and peculiar regard unto all such who should believe in his name, 
 being the last and greatest of all his external acts, viz: the resisting 
 unto blood, for the spiritual good of the world, thereby offering up 
 his life upon the cross, through the power of the eternal spirit, that 
 remission of sin, God's bounty to the world, might be preached in 
 his name, and in his very blood too, as that which was the most ra- 
 tifying of all his bodily sifferings. And indeed, therefore might it 
 seem meet to the Holy Ghost, that redemption, propitiation, and re- 
 mission should be declared, and held forth in the blood of Christ un- 
 to all that have right faith therein, as saith the apostle to the Ro- 
 mans : " whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith 
 
55 
 
 in his blood." Rom. iii. 25. And to the Ephesians: "in whom we 
 liave redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins," &c. 
 Eph. i. 7. — Because it implies a firm belief that Christ was come in 
 the flesh, and that none could then have him as their propitiation 
 or redemption, who withstood the acknowledgment of, and belief in 
 his visible appearance, which John tells us, some denied. 2. That 
 he came in order to the remission, redemption, and salvation of the 
 world. 3. That his so dying, was both an evident token of his love, 
 and strong argument of confirmation of his message and work. 
 4. That it might the better end the Jews' shadowy services, by an 
 allusion to the way of their temporary and typical sacrifices, as the 
 whole epistle to the Hebrews showeth. 5. And that by bringing, 
 through the holy light in every particular, into the acknowledgment 
 of, and belief in the blood, which was ratifying of that whole appear- 
 ance, men might be brought unto the knowing Christ after a more in- 
 ward and spiritual manner, suitable to Christ's own words: "It is 
 the Spirit that quickens ;" and the apostle avers, that " the Lord 
 from heaven is that quickening Spirit;" by which eternal Spirit he 
 ottered up himself without spot. Nor can any reasonably suppose, 
 that when Christ so spoke to his disciples, explanatorily of what he 
 had obscurely and in parables said to the Jews, that he meant not 
 something more hidden and divine than what they and the Jews 
 saw ; yet that which hindered those Jews from the knowledge or be- 
 nefit thereof, was their stumbling at him, without a confessing of 
 whom, they could never come into the beholding or experiencing of 
 his Divine life in them. 
 
 "To conclude. That body was the Divine Life's: "a body hast 
 thou prepared me," therefore all that was done by that body to- 
 wards the redemption of mankind, was eminently the Divine Life's. 
 Yet because often times actions are denominated from, or appropri- 
 ated to the instrument, as the next cause, though not the efficient 
 or most eminent cause, therefore the scripture speaks forth, (as in- 
 deed is the propriety of both the Hebrew and Greek tongues,) par- 
 abolically, hyperbolically, metaphorically, the inward substance and 
 hidden life of things, by things more exterior and obvious to the 
 sense, to the end that such mysteries might be the better accommoda- 
 ted to vulgar capacities. Consider what I say, with this qualifica- 
 tion, that ultimately and chiefly, not . ivholly and exclusively, the 
 Divine life in that body was the Redehner. For the sufferings of 
 that holy body of Jesus had an engaging and procuring virtue in 
 them, though the Divine life was that fountain from whence origi- 
 nally it came. And as the Life declared and preached forth itself 
 through that holy body, so who did then come to the benefit procu- 
 red by the Divine life, could only do it through an hearty confes - 
 sion to it as appearing in that body, and that troni a sense first be- 
 gotten by a measure of the same in themselves. 
 
 "This is the main import of those places: "whom God hath set 
 forth to be a propitiation," and " in whom we have redemption 
 through faith in his blood." Rom. iii. 25. — For who is this He 
 whom God hath set forth, and in whom is redemption? Certainly 
 the same He that was before Abraham, the Rock of the fathers, that 
 
56 
 
 cried : " Ld, I come to do thy will, (O God,) a body hast thou pre- 
 pared me," (Heb. x. 5. 7,) which was long before the body was 
 conceived and born. But may some say, how is it then his blood ? 
 Why, just as the body is his body. 
 
 " Those who had faith in that blood believed his visible appear- 
 ance, inasmuch as they acknowledged that great seal and ratifica- 
 tion of it, to wit, the shedding of the blood of His body, who came 
 to save the world, and who alone is the propitiation, redemption, 
 and salvation of all who had and have right faith in that appear- 
 ance and message so confirmed, and therefore so often expressed 
 by it, as including all his whole life and sufferings besides. And 
 this is my reason for it, — that it was impossible for any man in that 
 day, to confess to, and believe in the Divine light and life which 
 appeared in that prepared body, but from the inward discoveries! 
 and operations of the Divine light with which Christ, the Word - 
 God, who took flesh, had enlightened him. 
 
 " However, though the apostles might then so express themselves, 
 thereby to assert and recommend unto the faith of all, that eminent 
 and blessed manifestation, and the great love of Christ therein, as 
 the visitation of the heavenly life through that prepared body, and 
 the deep sufferings of both for the world, being true and spiritual 
 witnesses thereof; yet it was never intended that any should bare- 
 ly rest there, but press after the knowledge of Christ, by faith in 
 something farther, and beyond that body in which he appeared, not 
 excluding our belief in that too. They who knew Christ after the 
 flesh, were to press after some more spiritual discovery of him; and 
 it was expedient that they who almost doated upon his outward mani- 
 festation should be weaned from it, to the end his more interior, and 
 indeed, beneficial revelation of himself, might be witnessed by the 
 soul. 
 
 "Faith in his blood was requisiie, that they might confess him 
 whose body and blood it was, to be the Christ, who is God over all, 
 blessed forever; which was the great question with the Jews, 
 whether God was truly manifested in that body of flesh, which 
 they saw? So that the stress lies in confessing to the Divinity 
 come in the flesh: otherwise they would have rejected not only the 
 most signal suffering of the whole manifestation, but consequently, 
 that itself. To conclude, we confess. He who then appeared, ivas, 
 and is, the propitiation, &c. and in him was redemption obtained, by 
 all those who had such true faith in his blood. But still it is to be 
 understood, that there must be a witnessing of a measure of the 
 same light, spirit, and power, to appear for redemption of the soul 
 from the pollution of sin, in each particular. 
 
 " VIll. That justification came by faith in his blood, is clear in a 
 sense; for "by the law could no flesh be justified." That is, the 
 law being added because of transgression, certainly the transgres- 
 sor could not be justified, whilst such, by that law which condemned 
 him for being such. Which puts ine upon distinguishing betwixt 
 justification, as it is sometimes taken, viz: for remission, pardon or 
 forgiveness of sin past upon repentance, and that justification which 
 implies an acceptance with, and an access to God as a keeper of the 
 
57 
 
 law of the spirit of life, which is to be made inherently just, right- 
 eous, or holy, 
 
 " In the first sense, since all have sinned, no man can be justified 
 by the law he has transgressed. Therefore, that great favour and 
 mercy of lemission, pardon, and forgiveness, was (mly then gene- 
 rally /)re«c/' erf in the name of Jesus, which such as believed in liis 
 message should obtain. Thus "by the works of the law shall no 
 flesh be justified," because all the righteousness man is capable of, 
 cannot make satisfaction for any unrighteousness he hath com- 
 mitted ; since what he daily doth, is but what lie daily owes. But 
 still such as keep the law are justified. For that a man should be 
 con<lemned both for transgressing; ;ind keeping the law too, would 
 be very hard. What shall we say tlien, but that justification in the 
 first sense, since Adam's day to this, hath been GofPsfree love upon 
 repentance ; and above all, that by Christ's visible appearance and 
 suffering, and in his name, was remission, pardon, or forgiveness 
 preached, or held forth to the whole world, upon their believing 
 therein, more eminently than ever. 
 
 " But in the last sense, no man can be justified but as he is made 
 just, and is found actually doing the toil I of God. That justifies — 
 that is it which gives acceptance with, and access to God. In this 
 sense it was the apostle said, such as are "the doers of the law shall 
 be justified," and not from the guilt of what they formerly did 
 against it, by their after keeping it ; for that is thejree love of God 
 alone, upon the repentance of the creature; which hath been in all 
 former ages, but never so eminently held forth to the world, as by 
 the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in the flesh. 
 
 " So that thus far we can approach the honester sort of pro- 
 fessors of religion, or rather, we were herein never at a distance f-om 
 them, viz : that men may be reconciled, and in a sense justified^ 
 while sin may not be totally destroyed. That is, God upon their re- 
 penting of past sins, though not then clearly purged from the ground 
 of evil, may, and we believe, doth remit, pardon, or forgive former 
 oftences, and is thus far reconciled ; that is, he ceaseth to be angry, 
 or at a distance from them, as when they went on in a state of diso- 
 bedience to the light. Yet forever we must affirm, that no man or 
 woman can be made a child of God, but as the new birth, regenera- 
 tion, and the divine and heavenly image comes to be witnessed 
 through the putting oiV the old man and his deeds, and being bapti- 
 zed bv the Holy Ghost and fire into the one holy body, of which Christ, 
 the immaculate Lamb of God, is Head and Lord. So that all tliose 
 who apply to themselves, or others, the promises due to this state, 
 unto that before mentioned, heal themselves or others deceitfully; 
 and God will judge for those things. So let all people consider 
 with sobriety and moderation, if the things we assert are not most 
 agreeable to the scripture, and that light of truth which is in their 
 own consciences, unto which we most of all desire to be made 
 manifest. 
 
 " IX. Nor is this all the good, the coming and sufferings of that 
 blessed manhood brought unto the world. For, having been ena- 
 bled so effectually to perform the will of God living, and having so 
 " H 
 
58 
 
 patiently suffered the will of wicked men, dying, therein /rce/i/ oj- 
 jering up his most innocent life for the world, he certainly obtained 
 exceeding great and precious gifts, which as every man comes to 
 believe in the light wherewith Christ Jesus hath enlightened him, 
 and to be led by it, he shall assuredly feel a particular benefit to 
 himself, accruing from that general one procured by Christ, who so 
 laid down his life for the world. 
 
 "In short, as we cannot but acknowledge him a Saviour in that 
 very manifestaiioyi, or coming in that prepared body, who appeared 
 so extraordinarily to visit the world with his marvellous light and 
 truth, and to turn their minds from error and darkness, and who 
 actually converted and reclaimed many, and endued his followers 
 with his own heavenly light, life, and power, whereby to supply his 
 exterior absence with a most lively, piercing, and effectual minis- 
 try, for the completing of the rest, from generation to generation ; 
 so must we needs attribute this, chiefly, to the Divine light, life, and 
 power, that through the manhood of both Lord and servants, shift- 
 ed forth and revealed itself to the salvation of the world. 
 
 " Nor are we jet, as hath been often liinted, to speak strictly, to 
 ascribe the particular salvation of every man's soul, to the appear- 
 ance of that same light in nature, in either Lord or servant, (albeit 
 many were reached into their very hearts and consciences at that 
 time, and great and mighty things were generally procured, and 
 Christ in thai manifestation becanie the mithor of salvation unto ma- 
 ny;) but rather, as he is the light of men individually, he both then 
 did, and now doth appear in the hearts and consciences of men, unto 
 the awakening of them, and turning their minds from the darkness 
 of tradition, formality, and sin, which had and doth overcast and 
 darken the soul, to that blessed light in men, that thereby, (as to 
 them,) suffered and doth jet suffer, so great and tedious an eclipse. 
 I say, this is the efficient cause of salvation, and all other exterior 
 visitations, ministries of assistance, though from the same light, 
 are in respect of the light in every single man or woman buiinsiru- 
 mental, and secondary, 
 
 " In this sense, then, man is only a saviour instrumentally, but 
 Christ, both with reference to his bodily appearance, and in the mi- 
 nistry of his servants, is the most excellent means, and the only effi- 
 cient cause of salvation, as revealed and obeyed in the consciences 
 of men. So that the question is not, whether Quakers deny any 
 benefit to redound by Christ's bodily sufferings.'^ But whether 
 the professors allow and acknowledge the main of the work to the 
 Divine life and light ? 
 
 "In short, he was the general Saviour in that eminent appear- 
 ance at Jerusalem, in which he did so many great and good things 
 for mankind; an<l is an effectual Saviour to every par ticidar person, 
 as we find him in our hearts, an holy light, sho?ving sin, reproving 
 for it, and converting from it, into the holy nature of the light, 
 Christ Jesus to be flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone. 
 
 " Thus have 1 declared, according to my understanding, ground- 
 ed upon my experience and that illumination God has given me, in 
 love and moderation, tlic very truth, v/eight. and tendency of the 
 
59 
 
 outward coming of Christ, and his deep sufferings by and for the 
 world. And also the nature of his inward coming into the souls 
 of men to expel the darkness that lodged there, and give unto 
 them the light of life. In both which respects, I confess him to be 
 the Saviour of the world in general, and the Saviour of each man 
 in particular. But that the benefit according to men from him, as 
 the general Saviour, is only known and received by such as wit- 
 ness him a particular Saviour; and this I will abide by. For 
 "Christ in man" becometh "the hope of glory," and man's being 
 " changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by 
 the Spirit of the Lord,'''* (2 Cor. iii IB,) is the salvation and perfec- 
 tion of every true christian." — Vol. i. 575 to 581. 
 
 The compilers next introduce to our notice, four paragraphs, 
 marked as quotations from Wiiliam Penn's works, in these words: 
 " William Penn quotes the following, in defence of his doctrine" — 
 See pamplilet, pages 34, 35, 36. What the doctrine of William 
 Penn is, insupport of which lie adduces these authorities, we are not 
 informed by the compilers, and as their book professes to be made 
 up of the writings q( primitive Friends, and these paragraphs are pla- 
 ced at some distance apart, it is calculated to make the impression 
 that these authors, whom William Penn has quoted, were Quakers, 
 whicli, however, they are not. The first is from Bishop Jewell's 
 sermon on John, vi. 1,2, 3, and is merely a testimony to the truth of 
 the apostle Paul's doctrine, that Christ has been the spiritual bread 
 of his saints in all ages of the world, and that that flesh and blood 
 on which his church was to feed, were pre-existent to his outward 
 manifestation in the flesh — a doctrine little coincident with the no- 
 tion, that he was a mere Israelite, destitute of the holy spirit of grace 
 until after the baptism of John.* 
 
 The remaining three, are taken by William Penn, from the 
 works of " some considerable separatists," pointing out the scriptu- 
 ral distinction between the Godhead of Christ, as he was from all 
 eternity Divine ; and that holy manhood with which he afterwards 
 clothed himself. The doctrines promulgated by our early Friends, 
 were so new to many of their cotemporaries, and were so bitterly op- 
 posed by many high professors of the christian name, that they not 
 unfrequently availed themselves of the coincident testimony of other 
 protestant writers, who had in some degree, owned the same doc- 
 trines, though their language and sentiments miglit not, in all re- 
 spects, be strictly consonant with what the Quakers approved. 
 
 But while the compilers make William Penn accountable for the 
 sentiments in the quotations, justice demanded that they should 
 have given William Penn's account of the doctrine, in support of 
 which he adduced them ; especially as it immediately precedes the 
 parts extracted by the compilers; in this solemn confession of faith 
 on behalf of himself and the Quakers, viz: 
 
 " I will end my part herein, with our most solemn confession, in 
 the holy fear of God ; that we believe in no other Lord Jesus Christ, 
 
 • See extract from ♦• Wisdom Justified of her children," &c. in oui- intro- 
 duction. 
 
60 
 
 than he \vho appeared to the fathers of old, at sundry times and m 
 divers manners; and in the fuhipss of time, took flesh of the seed 
 of Abraham and stock of David, became Immanuel, God manifest 
 in flesi), through which he conversed in the worhl, preached /?is ever- 
 lasting gospel, and by his divine power, gathered faithful witnesses; 
 and when his hour wa« come, was taken of cruel men, his body wicked- 
 ly slain, ivhicli life he^ave, to proclaim upon faith and repentance, a 
 general ransom to the ivorld ; the third day he rose again, and 
 afterwards appeared among his disciples, in whose view, he was re- 
 ceived up into glory; hut returned again, fulfilling (hose scriptures, 
 HE that is with you, shall he in you ; I will not leave you comfort- 
 less, I will come to you again, and receive you unto myself, John xiv. 
 3, 17, 18., and that he did come, and abi<le as really in them, and 
 doth now in his children by measure, as ivithout measure in that bo- 
 dy prepared to perform the will of God in ; (hat he is their King, 
 Prophet, and High Priest, and intercedes, and mediates on their be- 
 half; bringing in everlasting righteousness, peace and assurance for 
 ever, unto all their hearts and consciences, (o whom be everlasting 
 honour and dominion. Amen." — Vol. ii. page 420. 
 
 We have here another striking proof, of the incongruity of the 
 truly christian doctrines of William Penn and the early Quakers, 
 with the notions of Elias Hicks. They believed that the Lord 
 Jesus Christ, the eternal Word, took flesh of the seed of Abra- 
 ham. Elias Hicks declares this to be impossible. They believed Je- 
 sus Christ to be the Immanuel. Elias Hicks, that he was the Son 
 of Joseph, and no more than any Israelite — devoid of the eftusion of 
 the Holy Ghost, until he was thirty years of age. They believed 
 that he preached the everlasting gospel, granted repentance and 
 forgiveness sins. Elias Hicks asserts, that he was a mere outward 
 Jewish Messiah ; that his work was wholly limited to healing the 
 diseases of the body; and (hat he had not power to heal the soul. 
 They believed that the sacrifice of his bodily life on (he cross, was 
 a general ransom and atonement for the sins of the tchole ivorld. 
 Elias Hicks asserts, positively and unconditionally (hat it was not an 
 atonement for any sins, hut the legal sins of the Jews. They believ- 
 ed that He that was with his disciples in the flesh, was the pro- 
 mised Comforter, who came in the spirit. Elias Hicks asserts that 
 it was not the same, but another and a different one. They believed 
 that Christ Jesus had the spirit without measure, and is made unt© 
 his saints. Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption. 
 Elias Hicks asserts that he had only a portion of the spirit ; and (hat 
 we by obedience may attain to as great degrees of righteousness as 
 he did.* Let the unprejudiced and honest reader judge, "heth- 
 er there is any more agreement between Quakerism and the dogmas 
 of Elias Hicks, than there is between light and darkness ; and whe- 
 ther the latter are not worse than mere " innovations on the doctrine 
 of primitive Friends." 
 
 The next quotation from William Penn, is on pages 37 and 38, of 
 
 • See the extracts from his letters and sermons, in the introduction to this 
 work. 
 
61 
 
 the compilers' pamphlet. It is taken from the second part of " A 
 Serious Vpf)h)o;y for the principle-; and practices of the people call- 
 ed Quakers," which was written by William Penn in 1670, while 
 confined in Newgate, for attending a religious meeting. It was de- 
 signed by the author, as a defence of that people, "against the mali- 
 cious aspersions, erroneous doctrines, and horrid blasphemies of 
 Thomas Jenner and Timothy Taylor," who had greatly misrepre- 
 sented their tenets, in a book which they called " Quakerism Anato- 
 mised and Confuted." The paragraphs quoted by the compilers are 
 from the fourth chapter, in which William Penn vindicates the Society 
 from Thomas Jenner's accusations of denying Christ, &c. The 
 compilers have here quoted unfairly from William Penn, as will ap- 
 pear by the insertion of the following extract. The parts which they 
 have inserted, are enclosed in brackets marked with a hand. 
 
 "First, he gCT» [takes up an whole chapter, in his endeavours to 
 " prove that we deny the Lord that bought us, though very falsely, 
 "and equally unsuccessful. 
 
 " Because ive deny that person, {the Son of God^) that died at Je- 
 " rusalem, to be our redeemer." 
 
 " Which most horrid imputation has been answered more, (I be- 
 " lieve,) than a thousand times, by declaring, that he that laid down 
 « his life, and suffered his body to be crucified by the Jews, without 
 "the gates of Jerusalem, is Christ, the Only Son of the raost Higli 
 " God : But that the outward person, which suffered, was properly 
 "the Son of God, we utterly deny, and it is a perfect contradiction 
 " to their own principles ; a body thou hast prepared me, said the 
 "Son, then the Son was not the body, though the body was the 
 " Son's,],aCJi this brings him, [Jenner,] more under the charge of 
 making him buta mere man, than us ; who acknowledge him to be One 
 with the Father, and of a nature eternal and immortal ; for he was 
 glorified with the Father, before the world was." — Vol. ii. page 65. 
 
 Here is a very material omission, and it a cannot be without de- 
 sign. The compilers stop at a comma, as may be seen by the brack- 
 ets, carefully omitting the latter and important clause of the sen- 
 tence, where William Penn repels the charge of making our Saviour 
 a mere man, and adds so sound and Scriptural a confession of his 
 faith in Jesus Christ. Now, as this omission could not have occurred 
 "by accident," we would ask any unprejudiced reader, whether 
 leaving out so necessary a part of William Penn's reply, does not 
 carry irresistible evidence that the carvers deny the doctrine which 
 it asserts, and were sensible it was directly contrary to the dogmas 
 of Elias Hicks, and would serve to show the discrepancy, rather 
 than the coincidence, of the doctrines of the Quakers with his no- 
 tions. 
 
 What principally induced the compilers to quote the passage, 
 was, probably, the assertion that the Quakers do not consider the 
 outward person to be, in the highest sense of the term, the 
 Son of God. But if they think to prove thereby that William 
 Penn denied, or undervalued the manhood of Jesus (Christ, or to 
 draw therefrom an excuse for lessening our veneration for the out- 
 ward appearance of Christ ia the flesh, William Penn has himself 
 
62 
 
 prevented them, since he denies the same charge alleged by Jenner, 
 calling it a "most horrid blasphemy that had been answered he be- 
 lieved more than a thousand times." Had we been selecting; passa- 
 ges to show that Elias Hicks denies peremptorily what William Penn 
 as positively asserts, we should have considered this reply of Wil- 
 liam Penn to Jenner, well adapted to our purpose, since he fully 
 acknowledges in it the divinity and eternity of our blessed Lord. 
 
 The author of the Snake in the Grass, adduces the same passage 
 from the writings of William Penn, and apparently to make the 
 same impression respecting his belief, as the compilers wish to do 
 by the manner in which they have italicised his words. To the 
 charge and insinuation of the author, Joseph Wyeth thus replies: 
 " Against this false and unjust imputation, I shall first give William 
 Penn's words in the page quoted ; from whence the impartial reader 
 may be able to take William Penn's meaning from himself, and then 
 observe somewhat upon the Snake's perversion." He then inserts 
 Jenner's charge and William Penn's reply, and adds,*' Thus William 
 Penn; wliose plain meaning is no other than that the outward per- 
 son, that body which our Lord did take of the Virgin, was not pro- 
 perly the Son of God by eternal generation, and was not glorified 
 with the Father before the world began. He is here distinguishing 
 between the Divinity and Manhood of our Saviour, and that accord- 
 ing to Scripture. The Divinity was from everlasting, the Manhood 
 not so; that was taken up in the fulness of time appointed by God, 
 born of Mary, nourished, and 'increased in stature,' strength, &c. 
 according to nature's law and course. This body when Christ 
 laid it down,/o?' the sins of the world, he did thereby consecrate 
 for us, a new and living way through the vail, that is to say his flesh, 
 Heb. X. 20, and here the flesh or body of Christ is called a vail ; by 
 allusion to the vail mentioned Exodus xxvi. S3, which did divide 
 between the holy place and the vwstholy, and this the apostle shows 
 Heb. ix. 24; "For Christ is not entered into the holy places, made 
 with hands, which are the figures of the true, but into heaven itself, 
 now to appear in the presence of God for us." And in this sense, 
 and NO OTHER, have ice ever used the words vail or garment, in this 
 case, and not as is falsely alleged by the Snake to signify, " a body 
 in which angels appear for a time, and throw them oft" again." — 
 Switch, pages 201, 202. 
 
 The next objection of Jenner William Penn thus states : gcr'["Se- 
 "condly, But he says, that we deny Christ to be a distinct person, 
 " therefore we deny the Lord that bought us. In answer to this, 1 
 "shall make these three offers: First, if he will but bring me one 
 " Scripture, (for he calls it his guide and rule,) that has directed him 
 " to such a phrase as distinct person, or that says, 1 and my Father 
 " are two, instead of I and my Father are one: Secondly, if he will 
 "but bring me one piece of antiquity, for the first two hundred 
 "years, that used any such expression : Thirdly, and if he can deny 
 " that the popish school men, (through the assistance of the Aristote- 
 " lian or infidel philosophy, were not the grandfathers and promoters 
 "of such like monstrous terms, and uncouth phrases, I will be con- 
 " tented to take the sliame upon me of denying, proper, apt, and sig- 
 " nificant phrases.]^,r3| — Vol. II. page 65. 
 
63 
 
 William Penn then enters into an argument to prove that there 
 cannot l)e distinct personality in the Deity, a doctrine which the 
 Quakers have never professed. The paragraph is thus concluded 
 by William Penn : — " Let Jenner turn to the ffth chapter of John's 
 first Ejnstle, where he may find our faith at large in the point, and 
 if he is not satisfied therewith ; his refusal shall set the very letter of 
 the Scriptures, (his pretended rule) over his head, that he would 
 suggest we deny." This chapter contains the declaration that 
 there are "Three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, 
 and the Holy Ghost, and these Three are One." 
 
 The third objection is, " He saith that we own Christ to be but 
 mere man, and that he had his failings in the world, therefore we 
 deny him." To which William Penn answers, "Indeed if this were 
 as true, as it is false, his consequence would be just; but methinks 
 he should have better studied his own reputation, than to assert any 
 thing so contradictor}' to his preceding sense of us. For no far- 
 ther oft" than the same page, he affirms we deny that person to be 
 Christ, that suffered without the gates of Jerusalem, and now, he 
 charges us with disowning him to be Christ, on any other account, 
 than that of mere humanity. So that his charge is briefiy this, They 
 own the true Christ not to be a man ; — but however they own the 
 true Christ to be only a mere man; anjl they hold a peifection, and 
 yet say that Christ had his failings. Horrid weakness and contra- 
 diction." — Vol. II. page 66. 
 
 We are not surprised that the compilers have passed over this 
 third charge of Jenner's. in silence; for untrue and slanderQUs as it 
 is, when applied to our early Friends, it comes home very closely to 
 Elias Hicks, as the following expressions of his will fully show. — 
 Speaking of the liglit, he says, " It all comes from God, and is dis- 
 pensed to the children of men, and it was to Jesus Christ likewise 
 as man; in the same proportion as to inscrutable wisdom seemed 
 necessary and consistent, to effect, the great design in the creation, 
 and redemption of the children of men. — Sermons, page 253. "He 
 was tempted in all points as we are. Now how could he be tempted 
 if he had been fixed in a state of perfection, In which he could not 
 turn aside." — Ibid. See also pages 258, 259, Sermons. Elias 
 Hicks speaking of the temptation of Jesus, on page 253, says, " Per- 
 fection is perfection, and cannot be tempted. It is impossible." — 
 Now, as he asserts that Jesus was tempted, it follows from his own 
 reasoning on the subject, that Christ was not perfect, since "perfec- 
 tion cannot be tempted," else he could not have been templed; and 
 if he was tiot perfect, he must have had his failings. Thus we see 
 how far Elias Hick's is from coinciding with our ancient Friends in 
 their belief respecting Christ. 
 
 The fourth objection of Jenner is, "Tliat we hold, ' All that Christ 
 did in the world, was only as a figure and example ; therefore we deny 
 the Lord that bought us.'" To which William Penn replieJ^, "This 
 language he cannot produce in any author, that is an acknowledged 
 true (Quaker; for we affnm he did many things wherein he icas 
 neither a figure nor example; though in some sense he may be the 
 former, and in many the latter : For in him we have life, and by 
 
64 
 
 Jnithf atonement in his blood: yet 'twas the language of the apdstie 
 Peter, ' For even hereunto were ye callerl, bccunsc Christ aisn suffered 
 for us ; leaving us an example, that we should follow his -^t^ ps, 1 Pet. 
 ii. 21, "page 66. 11" the compiler? of the pamphlet had designed to tell 
 the world what Elias Hicks' belief concerning the outward appear- 
 ance of Christ was, thej should have copied Jenner's charge, to 
 which William Penn is here replying, since there is scarcely any 
 point which Elias Hicks more strenuously inculcates, than that Je- 
 sus was only our pattern and example — fhat he was under the dis- 
 pensation of types and shadows, a'ld was himself a mere type, a fi- 
 gure. His public discourses are peculiarly marked with this feature. 
 Now, William Penn says, that such a sentiment cannot be found 
 upon any acknowledged true Quaker, for they affirm that he did 
 many things in which he was neither figure nor example; and as an 
 instance, adduces his being the atonement for sin, through faith in 
 his blood ; and also the divine life of the righteous. This acknow- 
 ledgment of the atonement of Christ, is another evidence of Elias 
 Hicks' innovation upon the acknowledged doctrines of the Society, 
 since he declares the doctrine to be wicked and absurd. 
 
 The compilers have wholly omitted the fourth objection and an- 
 swer, and give us the fifth and last, viz. 5. ic?" [" 'I'hat we deny 
 "justification by the righteousness which Christ hath fulfilled in his 
 "own person for us, (wholly without us,) and therefore deny the 
 <' Lord that bought us." William Penn replies, "And indeed this we 
 " deny, and boldly affirm it in the name of the Lord, to be the doc- 
 " trine of devils, and an arm of the sea of corruption, which does now 
 "deluge the whole world."].cr08 — iHc?, page 66. 
 
 The reply of William Penn to this objection, the compilers have 
 completely italicised, by which we are to understand, that they con- 
 sider it a very apt quotation, and doubtless, with their great teacher, 
 would have it stand as an anathema against all those who believe in 
 the scripture doctrine of the propitiation of Jesus Christ, which Elias 
 Hicks has taught them so stoutly to deny. It is, however, some- 
 what surprising, that persons who have assumed the task of select- 
 ing from the writings of primitive Friends, a creed for the followers 
 of Elias Hicks, should evince so little true discernment of the com- 
 mon signification of terms, or of the notions which they wish to 
 support. The justification of impure persons by an imputed right- 
 eousness, wholly ivithoiit them, has no more connexion with the doc- 
 trine of propitiation by the sacrifice of Christ, than the dogmas of 
 Elias Hicks have to do with genuine Quakerism. The Quakers re- 
 verently embrace and own the latter, and ever have done so, but 
 reject the former. Now Elias Hicks entirely rejects both, and de- 
 nies them in terms of the greatest contempt. William Penn is, 
 therefore, no authority for him; as in this reply to Jenner he alludes 
 ivholli/ to that which Friends have always denied, viz. the justifica- 
 tion of sinners in their sins, and not to the propitiation of our bless- 
 ed Lord, as we shall now prove. 
 
 To what we last quoted, William Penn adds, "I shall not much 
 insist upon this, [Jenner's fifth objection,] as I have not upon the 
 other four particulars, they having been irreconfutably considered and 
 
65 
 
 answered, by my friend and partner in this discourse, in his first part 
 of this apology: only this I shall observe and add — First, "no man 
 can be justified without faith, (says Jenner.) No man hath faith 
 without works, (any more than a body can live without a spirit,) says 
 James. Therefore the works of rigliteousness by the spirit of Christ 
 Jesus are necessary to justification. Secondly, if men may be jus- 
 tified whilst impure^ then God quits the ^-z/t//^, contrary to the scrip- 
 ture; whicli cannot be. Thirdly, death came by actual sin, not impu- 
 tative in his sense; therefore justification tinto life, comes by actual 
 righteousness, and not imputative. Fourthly, this speaks peace to the 
 wicked, irhilst wicked; but there is no peace to the wicked saith my 
 God. Fifthly, men are dead and alive at the same time, by this doc- 
 trine; for they may be dead in sin, and yet alive in another's right- 
 eousness, not inherent; and consequently men may be damned actu- 
 ally, and saved imputatively. Sixthly, but since men are to reap what 
 they sow, and that every one shall be rewarded, according to his 
 works; and that none are justified but the children of God ; and 
 that none are children but who are led by the spirit of God ; and 
 that none are so led but those that bring forth fruits thereof, which 
 is holiness; 'tis not the oil in another's lamp, but in our own only, 
 which will serve our turns ; I mean, the rejoicing must be in our- 
 selves, and not in another; yet to Christ's holt/ power alone, do we. 
 ascribe it, who works all our works in us and for us." 
 
 This were proof sufficient to show that William Penn was treat- 
 ing upon a doctrine entirely different from that of the propitiation, 
 and one which no society of Christians, that we are acquainted with, 
 now hold. But there is yet further evidence in vindication of Wil- 
 liam Penn. Thomas Hicks, a bitter opponent of Friends, thinking, 
 as our compilers have since done, that the sentence which they have 
 italicised, was well adapted to this purpose, quotes it, in his dia- 
 logue between a Christian and a Quaker, makingthe latter use it, in 
 reply to the query of the former — to this William Penn, among oth- 
 er observations, rejoins. 
 
 " If any living, will produce me but one passage out of scripture, 
 that tells of a justification by such a righteousness, as is wholhj 
 without us, I shall fall under its authority; but if we on/y deny 
 men's corrupt conceits, and sin-plcnsing^ glosses, and they otter us 
 nothing to our confutation or better information, we shall not think 
 bare quotations of our books to be sufficient answers." In a note at 
 the bottom of the page, William Penn adds, 
 
 " If wholly without us, then none of it within us. It was such a jus- 
 tification, as respected being made just, by the destruction of sin in- 
 herent, by the spirit and power of Christ Jesus; and not being ac- 
 counted just from the guilt, and former sins freely remitted in his 
 blood, as an offering for sin once for all, to every one that truly re- 
 pents." — Works, vol. ii. page 52'-2. 
 
 This explanation may serve to slutw the compilers, how little Wil- 
 liam Penn is to be relied upon, as an authority for P'lias Hicks, 
 opinions; since he always adheres to sound scripture doctrine, and 
 makes that his test; they could not, however, be ignorant, at the 
 very time they were copying the fifth objection, that William Penn 
 
66 
 
 did not design fo deny the atonement of Christ, since the fourth ob- 
 jection and reply, which they have injuriously suppressed, fully sets 
 forth his faith in it. At the bottom of the very same page from 
 which their quotations are made, William Penn has subjoined a short 
 but full creed, declaratory of the faith of the Quakers; and if the 
 compilers had honestly intended to give us the "doctrines of pri- 
 mitive Friends," they v\'ould better have served the cause of truth 
 by making use of it; though we suppose it were sufficient reason 
 with them to reject it ; because it so directly impugns the notions of 
 Elias Hicks. It is as follows : 
 
 " To conclude this brief account, 1 am constrained, for the sake 
 of the simple hearted, to publish to the world, of our own faith in 
 God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit. 
 
 " We do believe, in one, only, holy God Almighty, who is an Eter- 
 nal Spirit, the Creator of all things. 
 
 " And in One Lord Jesus Christ, his only Son, and express image 
 of his substance; who took upon him flesh, and was in the world ; 
 and in life, doctrine, miracles, death, resurrection, ascension and 
 mediation, perfectly did, and does continue to do, the will of God ; 
 to whose holy life, power, mediation, and blood, we only ascribe 
 our sanctification, justification, redemption and perfect salvation. 
 
 " And we believe, in One Holy Spirit, that proceeds and breathes 
 from the Father and the Son, as the life and virtue of both the 
 Father and the Son ; a measure of which is given to all to profit 
 with ; and he that has one has all, for those Three are One, who is 
 the Alpha and Omega — the first and the last, God over all blessed 
 for ever. Amen." — Pages 66, 67, vol. ii. 
 
 We would ask — could Elias Hicks, or any of his initiated follow- 
 ers, in truth, subscribe to this christian confession of faith ? 
 
 On page 46, of the compilers' pamphlet, we have a short extract 
 from Penn's works, taken from the nineteenth chapter of the Chris- 
 tian Quaker, page 213 ; asserting as the sentiments of William Penn; 
 That |C7* [" All imputation of general acts of righteousness, per- 
 *' formed by Christ without us, will avail nothing for salvation, in the 
 *' great and terrible day of God's inquest and judgment, when all 
 " shall be j udged , not by the deeds any other hath done for them, (wholly 
 « without them,) but, according to the deeds done in their own mortal 
 " bodies. "]„^:3| On referring to his works, we find that the compilers 
 have shan>efully garbled the passage, commencing at a comma, in 
 the middle of a sentence, preceded by the words, ^^ and without 
 which;" that connect it with, and refer to the conditions upon 
 which we receive the benefits of Christ's sufferings and death, as 
 stated in the part which they have thought proper unjustly to with- 
 hold. We shall quote the whole, in order, clearly to place before 
 our readers, the unwarrantable mutilation of the language of Penn. 
 It is as follows, viz: 
 
 "We shall conclude, then, that Christ, the Word-God, is the 
 light of the world, and that all are enlightened by Him, the Eter- 
 nal Sun of Righteousness ; therefore the light of men is Christ, (for 
 to Him) Christ, or the true light, John testified ; who gives Avicked 
 men to see their unrighteousness, and who leads good men on in the 
 
67 
 
 way of holiness, which persevered in, brings unquestionably, to 
 Eternal happiness, and witlioiit ivhich, 10°" ['' all imputation of ge- 
 *' neral acts of righteousness, performed by Christ without us, will 
 " avail nothing for salvation, in the great and terrible day of God's 
 " inquest and judgment, when all shall be judged, not by the deeds 
 "any other hath done for them,, {icholbj without them,) but accord= 
 " ing to the deeds done in their own mortal bodies. "]rii:58 
 
 By thus dissecting the sentence, the compilers have made it con- 
 vey the sentiment, that the imputation of Christ's righteousness, 
 will on no terms avail any thing for salvation ; which is contrary to 
 what Penn held or expresses, and, therefore, a libel upon his chris- 
 tian character; since he has repeatedly declared, in various parts of 
 his works, that we are not justified by any works of righteousness 
 that we can do, but that he and all true Quakers, attribute their sal- 
 vation to the Holy life, spirit, power, mediation and propitiating 
 blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. No farther than the next preceding 
 (eighteenth) chapter, he fully sets forth his belief, that Jesus Christ of- 
 fered up his bodily life, a sacrifice for the sins of the ungodly ; that the 
 blood of Christ shed at Jerusalem, shall be an utter blotting out, of 
 all former iniquities, and that upon unfeigned repentance we are there- 
 by assured of remission from the wrath due to all our past offences. 
 
 And, although William Penn places the stress of particular bene- 
 fit, upon obedience to the Holy Spirit in the heart; yet he also 
 asserts, that there was a general benefit, justly to be attributed, to 
 the blood of that very body of Christ, which he offered up through 
 the Eternal Spirit, viz: that it did propitiate ; greatly, says he, did 
 that sacrifice influence to some siugidar tenderness, unto all such who 
 believed in his name, being the last and greatest of his external 
 acts, viz : the resisting unto blood, for the spiritual good of the 
 world, thereby offering up his life upon the cross, through the eter- 
 nal spirit; that remission of sins, God's bounty to the world, might 
 be preached in his name, and in his very blood too, as that which 
 was the most ratifying of all his bodily sufferings. Such was Penn's 
 belief, as contained in his eighteenth chapter of the Christian Qua- 
 ker, which we have inserted on our 51 — 59 pages. 
 
 After this full confession to the virtue of the "general acts of 
 righteousness, performed by Christ without us,"can any person, how- 
 ever prejudiced, hazard the unfounded assertion, that William Penn 
 believed these will avail nothing to the saint's salvation, in the day 
 of righteous retribution. The compilers could not be ignorant of 
 what William Penn had asserted, respecting the outward offering of 
 Christ, in his eighteenth chapter ; for they quote from the seven- 
 teenth and nineteenth chapters, immediately preceding and follow- 
 ing it. Could a mind, impressed with a conscientious regard for 
 strict justice and undisguised truth, consent thus to pervert the 
 meaning of an author, by mutilating his sentences, and impose upon 
 the world as his sentiments, what he never believed ? Certainly not. 
 It is not only far beneath the uprightness and magnanimity of a 
 true christian, but beneath the dignity and honourable feelings of an 
 honest man. If the principles of KWiis Hicks and his adherents, 
 3anction the iise of such means, to propagate and support them, rot- 
 
68 
 
 ten, indeed, must be tlieir foundation, and certain and irretrievable 
 their approaching ruin. 
 
 The next quotations from the works of William Penn, are upon 
 the subject of tlie Scriptures, and extracted from his essay entitled 
 "A Discoursse of the General Rule of Faith and Practice, and 
 Judge of Controversy," written in the year 1673. 
 
 In order to form a correct opinion of the object William Penn 
 had in view in this tract, and of the point, to prove which, his whole 
 argument was directed, it is important that we should know what he 
 means by the terms " General Rule," and '* Faith;" since upon these 
 two words, the principal stress of his reasoning is founded. He says, 
 
 " By general rule, &c. we understand that constant measure or 
 standard, by which men, in all ages, have been enabled to judge of 
 the truth or error of doctrines, and the good or evil of thoughts, 
 words, and actions." "By faith, we understand, an assent of the 
 mind, in such manner, to the discoveries made of God thereto, as to 
 resign up to God, and have dependence upon him, as the great Crea- 
 tor and Saviour of his people; whicli is inseparable from good 
 works." 
 
 However clear it may appear to us, that the Holy Scriptures are 
 not siLch a rule, of such a faith, as William Penn here describes ; and 
 much as we may be surprised that he should have thought it neces- 
 sary to write a treatise to prove what appears so self-evident; it is 
 nevertheless true, that one great objection which other religious pro- 
 fessors n^ade to tlie principles of the Quakers, was their denying the 
 Scriptures to be this general and primary, and only rule of faitli and 
 manners. Impressed with a belief that all immediate revelation 
 ceased when the canon of Scripture was completed, protestants ge- 
 nerally held, that the Scriptures were the only medium through which 
 the will of God was communicated to mankind, and the only means 
 by which the saving knowledge of God, and of Jesus Christ our Lord, 
 could be obtained. Contrary to this opinion, the Society of Friends 
 believed and taught, that Jesus Christ by his Holy Spirit, enlightens 
 all men ; that through this sacred medium a channel of intercourse 
 is opened between the soul and its Maker ; whereby the will of God 
 may be savingly and immediately revealed or communicated. That 
 this Spirit not only shows to man his sins, and reproves and chas- 
 tens him therefor, but also secretly unfolds his religious duties, both 
 toward his great Creator and his fellow men. Since then salvation 
 is to be attributed to the saving light and free grace of God ; revealed 
 through our Lord Jesus Christ in the soul of man, as the foundation 
 of all true and living faith, the Quakers could not but acknowledge 
 and declare, that this Holy Spirit was the primarij and general rule 
 of faith and manners, and the Scriptures under its guidance, a se- 
 condary or written rule. 
 
 Deeply impressed, by heartfelt experience, with the great impor- 
 tance of these views, they apprehended that professing christians, by 
 rejecting and denying the sensible influences of the Spirit of Christ, 
 and exalting the Scriptures into its place; were prevented from 
 coming to the knowledge of that complete redemption from sin, and 
 perfect obedience to the will of God, which completes the saints' 
 
69 
 
 sanctification, and which the gospel of Jesus Christ was so eminent- 
 ly calculated to produce. Hence it was, that William Penn and 
 his fellow members, considered it of primary importance, earnestly 
 to call the attention of the people to the manifestation of the Light 
 of Christ in the soul, and to labour to convince them, that an entire 
 dependence for salvation upon the Scriptures as the primary rule of 
 life, would eventually be found to be unavailing. But while they 
 did this, the Quakers evinced by practice as well as precept, that 
 they were far from denying the true value of the Bible, declaring on 
 all occasions, that through the faith which is in Christ Jesus, they 
 were able to make wise unto salvation, being profitable for doctrine, 
 for reproof, for instruction in the work of righteousness, that the man 
 of God may be perfect and thoroughly furnished unto all good 
 works. This they proved from the Bible itself; always referring to 
 it, as the evidence of the soundness of all their doctrines, quoting 
 them more largely, both in writing; and preaching, than any other 
 denomination of christians ; refusing to admit as an article of faith, 
 any thing not found therein, nor to be proved thereby; and always 
 declaring that they considered all pretensions to the Spirit itself, 
 which were incompatible with the sacred record?!, to be dangerous 
 delusions and errors. 
 
 Such were the views and the objects for which the discourse of 
 William Penn was written; not to undervalue the Scriptures, but to 
 put them in their proper place, viz. subordinate to the Spirit. Iti 
 controverting the popular opinion, that the Scriptures were the gene' 
 ral and onli/ ride, he contends that as there was a faith before the 
 Scriptures were written, and that faith must have had a rule, there- 
 fore they were not the primary rule, yet admits they are a secondary 
 and declaratory rule to all those who have them. In the same trea- 
 tise from which the compilers have made their quotations, he says, 
 " Jl rule and the rule are two things. By the rule of faith and prac- 
 tice, I understand, the living, spiritual, immediate, omnipresent, dis- 
 covering, ordering spirit of God; and by a rule, 1 apprehend some 
 instrument, by and through which, this great and universal rule may 
 convey its directions. Such a subordinate, secondary, and declara- 
 tory rule, we never said several parts of Scripture icere not; yet we 
 confess, the reason of our obeilience, is not merely because they arc 
 there written, (for that were legal) but because tliey are the eternal 
 precepts of the spirit, in men's consciences, there repeated and de- 
 clared. It is the testimony of the Spirit wliich is the true rule for 
 believing and understanding of the Scripture; therefore, not the 
 Scripture, but the spirit of truth, must be the rule for our believing 
 and understanding them." — Vol. i. page 599. 
 
 Now, as William Penn here acknowledges, in the very same trea- 
 tise from which the compilers have made their extracts, that the 
 Scriptures contain the eternal precepts of the Spirit in men's con- 
 sciences, it will at once bft seen that he fully believed them to be a 
 secondary rule; since if the precepts contained in tliem are eternal, 
 they cannot alter nor be done away; and if they are the precepts of 
 the Spirit, the Spirit being unchangeable, cannot contradict itself, 
 nor teach noiv, or at any future time, any precept inconsistent with 
 
70 
 
 what it taught in former ages. Therefore as William Penn here de- 
 clares, they are a subordinate, secondary, and declaratory rule, it is 
 therefore obligatory upon all who are blessed with a knowledge of 
 them, to believe in and conform to them. 
 
 With the views which we have here stated, the extracts of the 
 compilers are perfectly reconcileable. They are principally taken 
 from nine reasons which William Penn gives, why the Scriptures 
 cannot be " the rule." We must recollect here that they are not 
 reasons whvthe Scriptures are not to be esteemed, beVieved, read, or 
 obeyed; but why they are not the rule, "a living, spiritual, imme- 
 diate, omnipresent, discovering, ordering, spirit of God," which he 
 says " the rule" is. We shall take up the extracts in the order in 
 which they stand in his treatise. 
 
 On page 49, pamphlet, we have the following quotation from his 
 third reason, viz. |C7*[" The scriptures, however useful to edijica- 
 " tion and comfort, seem not in their own nature and frame to have 
 " been compiled, and delivered as the general rule, and entire body 
 " of fO'ith, but rather written upon particular occasions and emer- 
 "gencies. The doctrines are scattered throughout the scriptures, 
 <' insomuch that those societies who have given forth verbal confes- 
 *'sions of their faith, have been necessitated to toss them to and fro, 
 " search here and search there ; to lay down this or the other princi- 
 " pie, and then as like the original text as their apprehensions can 
 " render it: whereas, were it as plain and distinct as the nature of 
 "a rule requires, they needed only to have given their subscription 
 " for a confession. Besides, here they are proper; there metapho- 
 " rical : in one place literally, in another mystically, to be accepted : 
 " most times points are to be proved by comparing and weighing 
 " places coherent; where to allude aptly, and not wrong the sense, 
 " is difficult, and requires a clear and certain discerning, notwith- 
 " standing the clamours upon us about infallibility. Now, from all 
 " this, with abundance more, that might be said, plain it is, that the 
 "scriptures are not plain, but to the spiritual man: thus Peter said 
 " of Paul's writings, that ' in many things, they were hard to be un- 
 " derstood ;' therefore, not such a rule, which ought to be plain, pro- 
 " per, and intelligible."],^^! — Vol. i. 594. 
 
 It will be seen from this, that while William Penn asserts they are 
 not the primary rule, he acknowledges the scriptures to be useful for 
 edification and comfort ; and that a clear and certain discerning, 
 and comparing the difterent parts, give to the spiritual man an un- 
 derstanding of the sound doctrines which they contain. We see 
 nothing, in all that he has said, derogatory to the true value and 
 authority which (hey justly possess among all sober Christians. 
 
 Immediately following the last quotation comes the first paragraph 
 of William Penn's fourth reason, viz. |C7;'["4. Again, the scrip- 
 " ture cannot be the rule of faith, because it cannot give faith ; for 
 " faith is the gift of God, which overcomes the world. Neither 
 " of practice, because it cannot distinguish of itself, in all cases, 
 " what ought to be practised, and what not, since it contains as well 
 "what ought not to be practised, as what ought."] .i::::^ — Vol. i. 
 page 594, 
 
71 
 
 That the Holy Scriptures cannot give faith, is true according to 
 their own testimony; and though, of themselves, they cannot distin- 
 guish in all cases; yet, since William Penn asserts that they contain 
 not only what ought, but ivhat ought not to be practised, they are 
 certainly a broad and very comprehensive rule, which, under the 
 guidance of the spirit must be obligatory upon all true believers. 
 
 The next quotation of the compilers comprises the fifth and sixth 
 reasons, viz. |Cr'["5. These very men that say it is the rule of 
 "faith and life, deviate in their proof from their assertion, for the 
 " scriptures, nowhere say so, of themselves. Here they fly to mean- 
 "ings and interpretations: the question arises, not about the truth 
 *' of the text, for that is agreed on all hands, but the exposition of it ; 
 " if then, I yield to that man, do I bow to the letter of the text, ot 
 " to his intei'pretation ? If the latter, as manifestly I do; is the scrip- 
 *' ture, or that man's sense of it, my rule.'' Nay, the person so in- 
 " terpreting, makes not the scripture his rule, but his own apprehen- 
 " sion, whatever he may say to gain credit to his conceptions, with 
 " others ; then mine it must need be, I consenting thereto. 
 
 " 6. How shall I be assured that these scriptures came from God r 
 " I am bound to try all things : if all things, then them amongst the 
 <' rest. I would fain know what I must try them with ? With the 
 " scriptures ? Then the scriptures must be the rule of my examina- 
 " tion and faith concerning themselves, which is improper. If with the 
 *• spirit that gave them forth, which searcheth the deep things of God, 
 " (a measure of which is given to me to profit withal,) then is it most 
 " congruous to call the spirit, by way of excellency,* and not the 
 "scriptures, the rule "'],^£:j% — Vol. i. 595. 
 
 In these paragraphs William Penn enforces the necessity of hav- 
 ing the aid and assistance of that spirit which gave the scriptures 
 forth, in order to be enabled rightly to expound the true meaning of 
 them, and hence, by way of excellency, he calls that spirit, the rule. 
 The question, he says, arises not about the truth of the text, for that 
 is agreed on all hands; and for good reason, since he asserts that the 
 spirit which searcheth the deep things of God, gave them forth ; 
 which shows plainly how far he was from lessening the authenticity 
 or divine authority of the sacred volume. 
 
 Thomas Hicks, in his abusive pamphlet against Friends, entitled 
 a Dialogue between a Christian and a Quaker, puts the following 
 questions to the latter : " Do you believe the scriptures to be the true 
 sayings of God ?" To which he makes the Quaker reply, " Yea, so 
 far as they agree with the light within." To this unjust insinua- 
 tion William Penn indignantly exclaims, "An arrant forgery!!" 
 Again he questions the Quaker — " How shall I know that ?" Qua- 
 ker — I witness it. Must I believe thee upon thy own words? Qua- 
 
 * The compilers of the pamphlet have taken their quotations from a late 
 edition of the Christian Quaker, and Discourse on the Rule of Faith, he. print- 
 "■■d in Philadelphia. In this edition, the words " by ivay of excellency" in this 
 last sentence, are omitted. The folio edition of William Penn's works, pub- 
 lished in 1726, being printed from the last and best editions of William Penn's 
 Treatises, as affirmed by the editors of it in their address to the reader, we 
 Munk it proper to adhere to it, in all our quotations. 
 
72 
 
 ker — 1 would have thee do so. AVilliam Penn adds, " Abominable 
 forgery !"— Vol. ii. 552. 
 
 Those in the present day who would have us think that no man is 
 bound to believe the scriptures, unless they are specially revealed to 
 him, may perceive, from hence, with what honest indignation the 
 early Quakers would have rejected such a notion. 
 
 The next quotation on pages 50, 51, 52 of the pamphlet, compri- 
 ses William Penn's 7th and 8th reasons, why the scriptures are not the 
 Bide. The objections which the author urges in these two sections, 
 against the doctrine of the scriptures being the primary and general 
 rule, are such as arise from the possibility of errors having occurred 
 in transcribing and printing, and from the various copies and read- 
 ings. Although the compilers may consider them as conclusive tes- 
 timony against the divine authority of holy scripture, yet William 
 Penn is far from supporting them in such an opinion. For he does 
 not state them as actually existing, but reasons upon the possibility 
 that they might occur, solely to counteract the opinion of those who 
 asserted that " the scriptures are the General Rule, &c., in opposi- 
 tion to the spirit" and to show the doubts they might be introduced 
 into, " who had gone from that heavenly gift in themselves, by which 
 the Holy Scriptures are truly discerned, relished, and distinguished 
 from the traditions of men." He expresses, himself, not the slightest 
 doubt of their authenticity or genuineness, nor of the correctness 
 of our present translation, but in the most unequivocal manner as- 
 serts that they were given forth by the Holy Spirit of God ; and that 
 "the question arises not about the truth of the text, since that is 
 a'l-reed on all hands," which alone, is positive evidence of his unsha- 
 ken belief in their authenticity and genuineness. To confirm his 
 assertion, we shall add to it, the following satisfactory testimony, 
 given by one of the most learned biblical critics that the world has 
 ever produced, which will corroborate Penn's belief that there can 
 be no question about the correctness of the text. We allude to 
 the indefatigable Thomas Hartwell Home, to whose extensive and 
 profound researches, the christian world is indebted for much valua- 
 ble information on the subject. In his " Introduction to the Holy 
 Scriptures, &c." a work which we do earnestly recommend, to the 
 careful perusal of all our readers; he makes these excellent remarks, 
 viz: 
 
 « Although the various readings which have been discovered by 
 learned men, who have applied themselves to the collation of every 
 known manuscript of the Hebrew Scriptures, amount to many thou- 
 sands, yet these difterences are of so little real moment, that their 
 laborious collations aftord us scarcely any opportunities, of correct- 
 ing the sacred text in important passages. So far, however, are 
 these extensive and profound researches from being either trivial or 
 nugatory, that we have, in fact, derived from them, tliegreatest advan- 
 tage which could have been wished for, by any real friend of revealed 
 religion ; namely, the certain knowledge of the agreement of the copies 
 of the ancient scriptures, now extant in their original language, ivith 
 each other, and with our Bibles."— jHorne's Introduction, vol. i. page 
 114,4th edit. 
 
73 
 
 Of the New Testament, he says — " The manuscripts of the New 
 Testament, which are extant, are far more numerous, than those of 
 any single classic author whomsoever ; upwards of three hundred 
 and fifty were collected by Griesbach, for his celebrated critical 
 edition. These manuscripts, it is true, are not all entire: most of 
 lliem contain only the Gospels; others, the Gospels, Acts of the Apos- 
 tles, and the Epistles, and a few contain the Apocalypse or Revela~ 
 tion of John. But they were all written in very ditterent and distant 
 parts of the world ; several of them are upwards of twelve hundred 
 years oldy and give us the books of the New Testament, in all 
 essential points, perfedli/ accordant with each other: as any person 
 may readily ascertain, by examining the critical editions published 
 by Mill, Kuster, liengel, Wetstein, and Griesbach. The thirty 
 thousand various readings, which are said to be found in the manu- 
 scripts, collated by Ur. Mill, and the hundred and fifty thousand 
 which Griesbach's edition is said to contain, in no degree whatever, 
 affect the general credit and integrity of the text." 
 
 *' In fact, the more copies are multiplied, and the more numerous 
 the transcripts and translations from the original, the more likely is 
 it, that the genuine text, and the true original reading, will be inves- 
 tigated and ascertained. The most correct and accurate ancient 
 classics, now extant, are those, of which we have the greatest num- 
 ber of manuscripts ; and the most depraved, mutilated, and inaccu- 
 rate editions of the old writers, are those of which we have the few- 
 est manuscripts, and perhaps only a single manuscript, extant. 
 Such are Athenaeus, Clemens Romanus, Hesychius, and Photius. 
 
 " But of this formidable mass of various readings, which have 
 been collected by the diligence of collators, not one tenth, nay, 
 not one hundredth part, either makes, or can make, any perceptible, 
 or at least any material alteration in the sense in any modern ver- 
 sion. They consist, almost wholly, of palpable errors in transcrip- 
 tion, grammatical and verbal differences, such as the insertion or 
 omission of an article, the substitution of a word for its equivalent, 
 and the transposition of a word or two in a sentence." 
 
 "Even the few that do change the sense, affect it only in passages 
 relating to unimportant, historical, and geographical circumstances, 
 or other collateral matters; and the still smaller number, that make 
 any alteration in things of consequence, do not on that account, 
 place us in any absolute uncertainty." — page 117, 118. — On the same 
 page, 
 
 " The very worst manuscript extant, uould not pervert one arti- 
 cle of our faith, or destroy one moral precept. All the omissions of 
 the ancient manuscripts put together, could nut countenance the omis- 
 sion of one essential doctrine of the gospel, relating either to faith, or 
 morals; and all the additions', countenanced by the whole mass of 
 manuscripts, already collated, do not introduce a single point es- 
 sential either to faith or manners, beyond what may be found in the 
 Complutensian or Elzevir editions. And though for the beauty, em- 
 phasis, and critical perfection of the letter of the New Testament, 
 a new edition formed on Griesbach's plan, is desirable ; yet from 
 such an one, infiddity can expect no help ; false doctrine no support ; 
 
 K 
 
 ^ 
 
74 
 
 and even true religion, no accession to its excellence— -as indeed it 
 needs none. 
 
 ^^ The general uniformity^ therefore, of the manuscripts of the 
 New Testament, which are dispersed through all the countries in 
 the known world, and in so great a variety of languages, is truly as- 
 tonishing; and demonstrates both the veneration in which the scrip, 
 tures, have uniformly been held, and the singular care which was 
 taken in transcribing them ; and so far are the various readings, con- 
 tained in these manuscripts, from being hostile to the uncorrupted 
 preservation of the books of the New Testament, (as some sceptics 
 Aavf6oW^yq^7'merf, and some timid christians have apprehended,) that 
 they afford us, on the contrary, an additional and most convincing 
 2)roof, that they exist at present, in all essential points, precisely the 
 same as they were, when they left the hands of their authors.'^ — pages 
 118, 119. 
 
 We have only to add to this conclusive testimony, our earnest 
 wish that Elias Hicks, and his followers, would take the pains to 
 read the able and interesting works, which have been written in de- 
 fence of the sacred volume ; and to examine for themselves the very 
 great weight of evidence, amounting to absolute certainty, that such 
 of the inspired writings, as we have received, are preserved to us, 
 in a state of purity and completeness; which, amidst the revolu- 
 tions of empires, the fall of governments, ayid all the changes which 
 this transitory world is subject to, can only be attributed to the mi- 
 raculous interference of that Almighty Providence, at whose hand 
 we have received the blessing ; and to whom we shall as certainly 
 have to account for the right use of it. We are fully persuaded 
 that the weak and childish objections, that " they were altered by 
 the Pope," and " written by nobody knows who" — and such like un- 
 founded cavils, can only proceed from downright ignorance, to 
 which unbelief has added its usual concomitants, presumption and 
 arrogance. 
 
 The next extract of the compilers, in the order of William Penn's 
 treatise, is at the bottom of page 48 of the pamphlet, viz ; |CT"[" Christ 
 "left nothing in writing for the rule of faith and practice, that we 
 *' hear of; and it is not to be thought, that he was less faithful in his 
 "house than Moses; and doubtless, had he intended the rule of his 
 *' followers to have been a written rule, he would have left it upon 
 '"record with all punctuality; this must be believed, and that done, 
 " on pain of eternal death. Nor did his followers write, in the me- 
 " thod of a rule, as the law was written, nor did they so call or re- 
 " commend what they writ."],aOi — Vol. i. 597. 
 
 That our blessed Lord left behind him any of his own writings, we 
 have no evidence to prove. This, however, forms no argument against 
 the reverent esteem and proper use of those invaluable books, which 
 he was pleased to influence and inspire the holy men of old to write, 
 for our learning and comfort. We have both his example and pre- 
 cept for the use of them, since he often quoted them, and even conde- 
 scended to do it in order to convince the unbelieving Jews that he 
 was indeed the Christ. And though he was Lord of all, and had 
 in his hand all power in heaven and earth, though the very object qf 
 
75 ^ 
 
 liis mission was to introduce a higher and more glorious dispensa- 
 tion than that of the law of Moses; yet to give irrefragable proof 
 that the revelations of his holy spirit never could contradict eacli 
 other; he told the Jews, when delivering his memorable sermon on 
 the Mount, "Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the 
 j)vophets; I am not come to destroy, but \o fulfil." On another oc- 
 casion he declared to them, "the scripture cannot be broken" — and 
 again to his disciples, after his resurrection from the dead, "These 
 are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that 
 all things must be fulfilled^ ichich were written in the law of Moses ^ 
 and in the prophets, and in the psalms concerning; me. Then open- 
 ed he their understanding, that they might understand the scrip- 
 tures ; and said unto them, thus it is written, and thus it behoved 
 Christ to sufter, and to rise from the dead the third day, and that 
 repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name 
 among all nations, beginning at Jerusale n." — Luke xxiv. 44 — 47. 
 
 What higher sanction could we have for the truth of Holy Scrip- 
 ture, than he has thus been pleased to give us, by his own testimony, 
 and although William PennV remark, that; hk left nothing in writing 
 as the rule of faith and practice, may hav^: much weight against 
 the opinion which he was opposing, it is far from proving that Wil- 
 liam Penn had any design to derogate from the inestimable value 
 of Holy Scripture — he was not contending against the reverent use 
 and esteem of them, but on the other hand, enforces it upon his rea- 
 ders in this very essay. 
 
 There cannot be a stronger argument in favour of (he divine 
 authority of the Sacred Writings, than the fact that Jesus Christ 
 and his apostles constantly appealed to them, as furnishing decisive 
 proof of the coming of the Messiah, and of all the important parti- 
 culars relative to his holy life, death, and resurrection ; showing, in 
 the most clear and convincing manner, that the prophecies of the 
 prophets had been literally fulfilled in Him, and that the glorious day 
 of Gospel Light, had dawned upon the world, and thus evincing that 
 those prophecies were written under the guidance of the Holy 
 Ghost. 
 
 The next, and last extract from this treatise, is inserted on the 
 top of page 49 of the pamphlet. It is taken from the conclusion of 
 a long paragraph, and is similar in its arguments to those we have al- 
 ready noticed. It is a little remarkable how close the compilers 
 have clipped the last sentence, closing at a comma, with &c., doubt- 
 less in fear, lest they should quote any thing that would serve to 
 show the incongruence of Elias Hicks' opinions, with the belief of 
 William Penn. The last sentence stands thus in Penn; "Now his- 
 tory, though it inform me of others' actions, yet it does not follow 
 that it is the rule of duty to me ; since it may relate to actions not 
 imitable, as in the case of Adam and Eve, in several respects, [here 
 the compilers stop with &.c. Penn proceeds,] and Christ's being born 
 of a virgiuy dying for the sins of the u'orld,ik,c. wherefore tliis can- 
 not be the rule of duty." This last they omit entirely, and it is not 
 difficult to see why, when we observe that it contains a declaration 
 of belief in the miraculous conception and atonement of our bless- 
 
76 
 
 ed Lord ; two points which Elias Hicks notoriously denies. Had 
 the omitted part inculcated contrary sentiments, the compilers,, 
 doubtless, would have been careful to present it to us, duly itali- 
 cised. 
 
 It would have been more consistent with justice to the Christian 
 character of William Penn,and the early Quakers, had the compi- 
 lers, while they professed to furnish the faith of the Society, in rela- 
 tion to the Holy Scriptures, resorted to such of their writings as are 
 declaratory of their belief on the subject, disconnected" from extra- 
 neous argumentation. They certainly have acted unfairly towards 
 William Penn, in not inserting such parts of the present treatise, as 
 defend him from the imputation of doubting the authenticity, or di- 
 vine authority of the sacred text. Aware of the misconstructions to 
 which controversial essays were liable, where the scope of the argu- 
 ment was directed to expose the errors and inconsistencies of an op- 
 ponent, rather than simply to declare the writer's views, and to pre- 
 vent his language from being wrested to prove what he never intend- 
 ed ; William Penn stales the following objection to his own essay — » 
 " But do you not turn the scriptures ott" /or an uncertain and unser- 
 viceable writing ; and as good as reject and deny them altogether r" 
 To which he replies — 
 
 " Some, indeed, to render us odious to all protestants, have said 
 as muc/i^in our names, as the consequence of our principles^ but not 
 without great injustice to us. The scriptures aie uncertain upon 
 their foundation, but not upon ours. Doth our manifesting their 
 Jai^/i concerning the scriptures, to be grounded upon their own imagi- 
 nations, or human traditions, make void the scriptures, or render them 
 uncertain? By no means, for we would have them received, upon 
 the spirit's testimony and evidence, which gave them forth. And 
 though we cannot allow them to be the rule oj faith and life, under 
 the dispensation of the gospel, which is power and life itself; yet are 
 they to be reverently read, believed, and fulfilled under the gospel. 
 For notwithstanding the law written upon stone was not Paul's rule, 
 after the Son of God was revealed in him ; yet the Son of God taught 
 Paul to fulfil the righteousness declared by that law. If it be to 
 deny and reject, (as some have enviously said of us,) yea, to vilify the 
 scripture, because we cannot allow it to be the rule, &c. Paul then 
 may be said to deny, reject, and vilify the written law, at what time 
 the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus became his rule. 
 
 " There is a great difference between asserting that the spirit is the 
 rule, and casting away and vilifying of scripture. And indeed, it is 
 but an old fetch of the devil's, to pretend honour to the letter, that 
 he might, the more unsuspectedly, oppose the bringing in of the dis- 
 pensation of the spirit ; whjch the letter itself testifies of and to. 
 They that come to be led of the spirit, arrive at the end for which 
 the scripture was given forth: the apostle John did as good as say 
 the same thing, when he told them to whom he wrote, that the anoint- 
 ing which they had received, and abode in them, would lead them in- 
 to all truth; and that they needed not that any man should teach 
 them : 
 
 " To deny this to have been the saints' teacher, is to deny as plain 
 
77 
 
 a proposition, as is in the whole Scripture : and that one age of 
 Christianity should have one rule, and another age another rule, that 
 age the Spirit, and this but the letter, is more than any man can 
 prove: yet did John so writing to ihebeWevevs^ invalidate the Scrip- 
 ture, or vilify his own epistle';^ I would think none could talk so 
 idly. How then doth our exalting the light and Spirit of Christ, 
 which fulfils the Scriptures^ (by bringing such as are led by it, to 
 enjoy the good things therein declared,) reject and vilify the Scrip- 
 tares? Does our living up to them, by an higher rule, make us deny 
 and reprobate them? Erasmus and Grotius think them then to bt 
 most valiiedy when men are witnesses of their truth in themselves; 
 See them on 2 Peter i. 19, 20. 
 
 "I do acknowledge, they contain an account of several heavenly 
 prophecies, godly reproofs, instructions, and examples, that ought to 
 he obeyed and followed." — Vol. i. page 599. 
 
 In reply to the objection, that his doctrine makes void the protes- 
 tants' plea against the Papists, " that the Scriptures are the rule of 
 faith and practice" William Penn says, " Answer, JV*o such matter: 
 for the question was not, whether the Spirit of Christ or the Scrip- 
 ture was the rule; but whether the Scripture, which is God's tradi- 
 tiony or popish traditions, were the rule to measure the truth of doc- 
 trines and practice by. We grant that particulor scriptures, rightly 
 understood, may measure what is agreeable or disagreeable to them : 
 that is, such doctrines and practices as are contrary to that part of 
 scripture, more particulaily relating to our days, are (piestionable, 
 by the scripture; especially since all parties pretend, that what they 
 say and do, is according to scripture. Yet this concludes not the 
 scripture to be the general and evangelical rule." — Page 601. 
 
 We have confined our quotations to the same treatise, as the com- 
 pilers have taken theirs from, and apprehend we have adduced 
 sufficient proof, that William Penn was far from according with 
 Elias Hicks in his denial of the authenticity, divine authority, and 
 true value of the sacred writings. We shall have occasion to give 
 other extracfs from Penn's Works on the subject, which will fully 
 confirm this fact. The devil must have had ill success, we think, 
 with his "old fetch of pretending honour to the letter," in order to 
 oppose the Spirit, since he is now practising the more specious and 
 sanctimonious " fetch" of pretending great honour to the Spirit, in 
 order that he utay more successfully destroy all regard to the Holy 
 Scriptures ; and thus, open the way to the greatest libertinism in 
 doctrine and practice. 
 
 On page 52 of the compilers' pamphlet, we have the following sen- 
 tence quoted from William Penn's works, as though it were approv- 
 ed and adopted by him, viz. 
 
 ICT^L" George Whitehead says, ' That which was spoken from 
 " the spirit of truth in any, is of as great autl\ority as the scriptures, 
 "or chapters are, and greater, as proceeding immediately from that 
 " Spirit, as Christ's words were of greater authority when he spoke, 
 "than the Pharisees reading the letter. William Penn's Works, 
 "Vol. ii. page 674."]^£:,t 
 
 The passage is extracte<l from a tract written by William Penn, 
 
78 
 
 in 1676, called " A brief Answer to a false and foolish libel, called 
 the Quakers' Opinions," the object of which as stated by the author, 
 is to reprove the libeller, and hinder others from being abused by 
 him, that the Quakers' innocency may be delivered from the mis- 
 takes of kis ignorance and the reflections of his malice. 
 
 Among other ^^ mistakes and reflections'" which William Penn re- 
 futes, is the author's alleged doctrine of George Whitehead, viz- 
 " that which is spoken from the spirit of truth in any; is of as great 
 authority as the scriptures, yea, greater;" in proof of which he cites 
 the expression of George Whitehead, as quoted by the compilers. — 
 William Penn repeats the language of George Whitehead, in order 
 to show the libeller's unfair deduction from it, and to vindicate the 
 injured character of his friend, from the base insinuation of his ac- 
 cuser. The compilers have italicised the words " and greater," and 
 omitted the explanation of William Penn, immediately following, 
 whence it is evident they would impress upon the public the same 
 unfair sentiment as the libeller had done, and impose it as being the 
 belief, not only of George Whitehead, but William Penn also. But 
 it will appear from William Penn's defence, that they have greatly 
 wronged both him and his friend. He says : — 
 
 " Now I appeal to the just witness of God in every conscience, if 
 this adversary was not very disingenuous^ to take no notice of this 
 distinction : For in short, two things are in our friend's words; first, 
 that what comes from the same spirit of truths is of the same autho- 
 rity ^ and who denies that? Nobody, that is in his senses. Next, 
 that what is spoken by the immediate motion, life, and power of the 
 Spirit, is of more authority; (that is, force and efficacy to move, 
 quicken, enliven, or operate upon the hearers,) than the hare reading 
 of a chapter in the scripture, especially by such as the Pharisees 
 were; as a letter cannot give that impression, which we may justly 
 suppose, the lively presence, mind, and voice of the person that writ 
 it, might. But the end of our adversary plainly is this, to make 
 us undervalue the truth of the scripture, and to debase the authority 
 of the scripture, with relation to its verity ; as if what was said now, 
 by the spirit of truth, in any godly man, were more true than that 
 which was spoken by the same spirit in former ages, ivhich is a gross' 
 suggestion. The difference lying in these two things, first,, whether 
 Christ's words, spoken by his own mouth, were not of greater force, 
 vigour, and authority, to influence or quicken an auditory, than the 
 same words, written and now read. Secondly, whether the ivords 
 of Christ when spoken by his own mouth, were not of more life and 
 authority, than the scriptures read by the Pharisees. The first is 
 true, and much more the last ; let this adversary then be ashamed of 
 his injustice. Christ said of the words that he spoke, the words 
 that 1 speak they are spirit and they are life, [Elias Hicks asserts 
 that Christ's words were "all but letter." See Sermons, page 11 3. j 
 that is as they proceeded from his gracious lips, and as they were 
 uttered from that divine power, glory, and authority, which dwelt in 
 him." — Vol. ii. page 674. 
 
 William Penn was the intimate friend and frequent companion of 
 George Whitehead ; they were often engaged together both in oral 
 
79 
 
 and written controversies, and he must certainly be a more correct 
 judge of his real meaning and sentiments, than either the libeller or 
 the modern compilers ; consequently, this defence must completely 
 vindicate him from the unjust imputation designed by the quotation 
 in the pamphlet. 
 
 William Penn wrote several essays in 1692, in defence of the 
 Quakers, against some aspersions contained in a paper called " The 
 Athenian." Speaking of the belief of Friends in the Holy Spirit, 
 and their exalting it as the primary rule of faith and practice, he 
 says: " This is the doctrine that is our crime, our enthusiasm, our 
 error; and we are seducers, deceivers, and what not ; for asserting, 
 recommending, and pressing it. But if this be to be vile, we are 
 like to be more vile ; for we must bear witness to that which the 
 scripture testifies of, viz. the spirit; and prefer it before the scrip- 
 ture, when the scripture does so of itself. No mau's letter is himself, 
 nor so noble as himself. The scripture ^ is as the letter or epistle oj' 
 the Holy Ghost, to men ; but for that reason 'tis not the Holy Ghost, 
 nor to be instead of the Holy Ghost to us ; nor to be sure, to be pre- 
 ferred before the Holy Ghost. We bless God for the scriptures ; 
 'ive read them with comfort and advantage ; and they are profitable, 
 to the perfecting of the man of God, through the assistance of the 
 spirit : The scriptures declare the things of God ; but cannot work 
 them in the man : The spirit only can do that ; for which cause we 
 honour, exalt, and prefer the spirit, as that which filjils the scrip- 
 ture; and invite all to receive it, that it may make people spiritual, 
 for to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Wherefore, as often 
 as any of our expressions, are construed to lessen the Holy Scrip- 
 tures ; we ask it as a piece of justice, from all our readers, to take 
 this caution with them ; we speak comparatively, not with our books, 
 or with men, but with Christ, his Light and Spirit, from whence the 
 scriptures came. And in this sense it is, that R. Barclay, and others, 
 on the like occasion, express themselves, when supposed to abate of 
 the common opinion of the scriptures. For as face answers face in 
 a glass, so we say and know, the spirit and scripture ansicer each 
 other. And, therefore, the comfortable evidence of a christian man, 
 is the testimony of the spirit of God within him and the scriptures of 
 truth without him. Let it not, then, be any more a fault in us to direct 
 people to the spirit of God, by which only they can come to the 
 possession of the good things the scriptures speak of; for though they 
 exhort, rebuke, instruct, &c., yet tcithout that great agent, the spirit, 
 influencing and enabling the creature, he shall never experience the 
 truth of the scriptures, to himself, in the most relative and excellent 
 parts of it." — Vol. ii. page 799. 
 
 Again, in the same paper, " But for equalling our writings with 
 scripture, we have no such expressions or thoughts ; it is a word of 
 your own, and nconceitand inference of our old adversaries. There 
 are degrees, as well as diversity of manifestations and operations, 
 but the same Lord, and the same Spirit : Yet, if it will satisfy you, 
 u'e have ever preferred the Bible to all books and writings of saints 
 and good men." — Ibid, page 800. 
 
 We hope that the readers of the pamphlet, will comply with the 
 
so 
 
 reasonable request of this worthy man, on behalf of the Quakers, 
 and avoid the unfair construction which Penn complains of. It 
 would have been well if the compilers had done them that justice^ 
 which their " old adversaries" seem to have had so little regard for, 
 and from the want of which, so many false " conceits and inferences," 
 were injuriously put upon their words, to make them convey a mean- 
 ing, which, though contrary to the true intent of the authors, yet serv- 
 ed the purpose of those who cared not how erroneous and inconsistent 
 the persecuted Quakers appeared, so that their own evil designs 
 were answered. If such are willing to be satisfied at all, as to the 
 true faith of the Quakers respecting the scriptures, we hope " it 
 will satisfy themio know" what Penn here says of them, a more 
 honourable confession than which, could not be made. 
 
 It is a circumstance peculiarly favourable to the cause in which 
 we are engaged, that the enemies of the Society of Friends, for se- 
 veral years after its origin, reiterated against them, the unjust accu- 
 sation of entertaining those opinions which Elias Hicks now advances 
 —and they adduced as proof of it, several of the same quotations which 
 the compilers of the pamphlet have now selected. The Society could 
 not but view the accusation, as one which essentially affected their 
 christian character, and were, therefore, prompt and decisive in de- 
 nying and refuting it. Those who will take the pains to peruse their 
 replies to the various libels published against them, will find abun- 
 dant proof of this fact. The passage quoted by the compilers, from 
 William Penn's work, to show that George Whitehead uudervalued 
 the Holy Scriptures, was adduced for the same purpose, by George 
 Keith, and by the author of the Snake in the Grass, — a most scurril- 
 ous and invidious publication. This coincidence enables us to give 
 additional testimony to counteract the impression which the compi- 
 lers would wish to make, as Joseph Wyeth and George Whitehead 
 replied to the accusation, in a work entitled " The Switch for the 
 Snake and a Supplement." 
 
 Joseph Wyeth, states the charge of the Snake, viz: that Friends 
 preferred " not only their own ivritingSy but extempore preach- 
 ments," and all that they-said, to the holy scriptures, which he de- 
 clares to be boldly and impudently asserting a notorious lie, and adds 
 ■ — " Reader, I cannot here omit, a serious appeal to thyself, on the 
 great injustice andfalsehood of this adversary ;and if thou art one, who 
 by conversation with us,or our books, hast any knowledge of us, thou 
 dost know the charge of this adversary is false : And I do truly declare 
 that our value and esteem for the books of the Old and New Tes- 
 tament, is much greater than for any other book extant in the world, 
 and this George Whitehead doth freely own, and hath declared as 
 much. So, also, in this particular, I will show his falsehood and 
 perversion of George Whitehead's words in the place quoted, which 
 the Snake has injuriously curtailed." He then quotes the passage, 
 and thus explains : — " So that according to George Whitehead's 
 words, that speakings or reading of the scriptures, which is denied to 
 be of authority ; is, when spoken or read by such, in whom that spirit 
 speaketh not, that gave forth the scriptures ; and we have good au- 
 thority for this, for thus our Saviour, Matt. xxii. 24, denied the Sad- 
 
81 
 
 ducees, when they spoke and repeated tlie law, mentioned, Deut, 
 XXV. 5, and Ihus he also denied the devil, Matt. iv. 6, when the de- 
 vil repeated the prophesy of the Psalmist, xci. n, and thus also he de- 
 nied the Pharisees, of wl)ich are divers instances." — Switch, pages 
 170, 171. 
 
 In the Supplement, Georj^e Whiteliead thus replies to the same 
 charge, viz — " Thisalso is notoriously false,t)oth in charge and quota- 
 tion, as is manifest in my answer, '• Antidote, page 43, viz : He (^the 
 Snake] very perversely wrongs George Whitehead in all these ex- 
 pressions; for there is not a word of preferring our ivritings to 
 the Holy Scriptures^ much less of all, whatsoever we speak, thereto ; 
 but a preferring the Holy Spirit, and its iitmiediate teaching in man, 
 to the letter of the scripture: and preaching in the true sense of the 
 spirit, with divine power and authority, (according as Christ did,) 
 to the hare reading the letter, as the Pharisees did." — page 510. 
 
 Again, on page 493, George Whitehead says — " For my part, as I 
 am not in the least conscious to myself, of the least contempt of Ho- 
 ly Scripture, nor yet of the Bible, /f>r 1 have ahvays preferred it to 
 all other books extant in the world, and more affected reading there- 
 in, than any other book, even from my childhood, and often bless 
 Divine Providence, for preserving to us The scriptures ; so I know 
 of NONE among us guilty of contemning them : Neither is what's 
 said from any contempt of scripture, no moie than it is of the earth 
 and the heavens to say, " they shall wax old and perish, but the 
 Word that made them endureth, Psalm, cii. 25,26. Heb. i. 11, 12. 
 But say what we can in this case, to clear ourselves of any contempt 
 to the Holy Scrip'ures, this our uncharitable judge and accuser will 
 not believe us : He's bent to asperse, he has swallowed down so much 
 of the sour leaven of the malice of a feic false brethren, persecutors 
 and apostates, from whom he derives much of his authority, and thus 
 scurrilously and most falsely imposes upon me, viz: " And there- 
 fore, George, Hotwithstanding all thy mealy modesty, it is, it is, in- 
 deed, George, it is the very doctrine of the scriptures which you blas- 
 pheme as dust, and death, and serpents' meat, on purpose to bring 
 men off from trying your pernicious heresies by those sacred ora- 
 cles." " This is a pernicious abuse and calumny against myself and 
 others of u«-, to outface us agaitist our very sense and consciences ^ and 
 in good conscience, 1 testify against it ; it never entered into my in- 
 tention or thought*, so to blaspheme the doctrine of the scriptures as 
 to term or deem it dust, death, or serpents' meat: the Lord rebuke 
 this lying envious spirit. 
 
 " Neither do I vilify the written doctrine and precepts of God in 
 comparison of our new light, (as he falsely calls it, puge 177,) but 
 reverently esteem them* The man makes no conscience of delaining 
 us. Neither do we quarrel with the law and the testimony; nor yet 
 with writing or scripture, as 'tis in ink and paper, but distinguish 
 
 • We request our readers to compare with this confession of George White- 
 head's, the epithets by which Ellas Hicks characterises one of the plainest 
 and most sacred doctrines of Holy Scripture, viz : the propitiation of Jesus 
 Christ, in his letter to Dr. Nathan Shoemaker, calUn^ it wicked and ah 
 surd, &c. 
 
82 
 
 between the writing and the things written, which is no contempt to 
 either. fFe are thankful to Divine Providence, for both the scripture 
 or writing, and the Holy doctrine, and divine precepts therein writ- 
 ten, for they testify unto Christ our light, and our light to the truth 
 of them." — pages 493, 494. 
 
 We are presented, on pages 58 and 59 of their pamphlet, with an 
 extract on the subject of ihe scriptures, taken from an essay written 
 by William Penn, styled " The invalidity of John Faldo's vindica- 
 tion of his book, called 'Quakerism no Christianity,'" &c. dated 
 1673. We shall insert the whole paragraph, as the compilers have 
 unfairly omitted a part of it. The part they have quoted is inserted 
 in brackets, &c. It is as follows: 
 
 "In short, |cir'[the scripture is not the rule, but declaration 
 •' of faith and knoivledge : that only must be the rule of faith, which 
 <'gave and ruled the faith of those that gave forth scripture. And 
 *' because none can give or work faith now, but what did give and 
 " work faith then ; 'tis not the scripture, but that which was before 
 " the scripture, even the Spirit of Truth, which vvas the author, rule, 
 "and finisher of their faith. And if our faith in this age be the same 
 " with the holy men's of old, that gave forth the scriptures, they are 
 " no more our rule now, than they were their's then, wlio had a rule 
 " and a faith before them. But as it urns a declaration of wimt they 
 " believed, knew, and ivitnessed ; so it is a declaration of what rve 
 " now believe, and desire to know and witness: John's epistle was not 
 " writ to be the saints' rule; [the compilers have made it, John's 
 " epistle was writ by the saints' rule,] for he directed them to tlie 
 " anointing ;]sa£;:3| yet their faith and life, of which the anointing 
 was the rule, icas according to John's epistle. Again, the declara- 
 tion, in time, was after the faith declared of; but where there was 
 faith, there was a rule; consequently, that declaration which vvas af- 
 ter that faith and rule, was not that rule, so that the most that can be 
 said against us, is this : the scriptures cannot be a declaration of your 
 faith, till you come to such a belief of the truths thereby expressed, 
 as they had who writ them ; and a great truth it is. But then, say 
 we, the spirit must work that faith, before the scriptures can be ac- 
 counted a declaration of our faith ; or we interested in them : and 
 because that faith has a rule, so soon as it has a being, it must needs 
 follow, that the declaration of that faith cannot be either the author 
 or rule of it. Here lies the mistake of my adversary, and many 
 more; that because what a man does is according or agreeable to a 
 thing, therefore that is the rule of the thing done." — Vol. ii. page 338. 
 
 It is worthy of notice, how carefully the compilers have avoided 
 giving anything in their extracts which was obviously opposed tOjthe 
 favourite sentiments of Elias Hicks. It is well known that there is 
 scarcely any thing which disturbs him more, than an attempt to try 
 his notions by the test of scripture. It at once refutes him, and 
 therefore his policy is, to inculcate the idea that a man is to run law- 
 less, in doctrine, if he is only confident enough to assert that he is 
 guided by the spirit. To avoid any thing like discredit to this con- 
 venient libertinism, the compilers stop their quotation in the middle 
 of a sentence, at a semicolon, when William Penn is declaring, that 
 
83 
 
 although John's epistle was not written to be the saints' rule, since 
 he directed them to the anointing, yet their faith and life, of which 
 the anointing was the rule, was according to John's epistle ; which 
 important clause they leave entirely out. 
 
 Now, it is most clear, that if that faith and life, of which the 
 anointing is the rule, is according to scripture ; then that faith or life 
 which is not according to scripture^ is not ruled or produced by the 
 anointing or Holy Spirit ; and hence, it is easy to see that as Elias 
 Hicks' doctrines are contrary to scripture, and he asserts they are 
 not to be judged by it, therefore they cannot be proiluced or sanc- 
 tioned by the Holy Spirit. 
 
 They have altered the words of William Penn : he says, "John's 
 epistle was not writ to he the saints' rule ;" they say, " John's epistle 
 was writ by the saints' rule" — and though the difference is not mate- 
 rial, yet it serves to show how little confidence is to be placed upon 
 the accuracy or honesty of their quotations. 
 
 It is exceedingly to be regretted that their cause is such as to 
 oblige them to resort to so mean a shift, as the omission we have 
 just noticed, in order to make out the appearance of support for it. 
 Justice to the character of those exemplary Christians and true 
 "Gospel Ministers," whose writings they pretend to quote; and es- 
 pecially a regard for the cause of Christ, and the unwary souls whom 
 they would fain beguile of their Christian faith, induce us to expose 
 the unwarrantable and unjust liberties, which they have taken with 
 " the writings of primitive Friends," that their Christian character 
 may be rescued from aspersion. 
 
 The sentiments contained in the whole extract, are very simi- 
 lar to those we have before noticed. William Penn shows that the 
 scriptures are not "the rule," that is, the primary and only rule; 
 but yet he expressly says, they are a declaration of what those holy 
 men believed and knew, who gave them forth, and a declaration too 
 of what the ((nakers believed, and desired to know and witness. 
 Now as Elias Hicks declares his disbelief of the doctrine of the 
 scriptures in several respects, and is so far from desiring to witness 
 tliose things which they set forth, that he asserts the scripture doc- 
 trine of the atonement to be wicked and absurd ; it is as clear as de- 
 monstration can make any propositi(m, that he is not one in faith with 
 the " primitive Friends." As the compilers have introduced this es- 
 say of William Penn into notice, we shall make a few short extracts 
 from the third chapter of it, viz, 
 
 " 1 do declare to the whole world, that we believe the scriptures 
 to contain a declaration of the mind and will of God, in and to 
 those ages in which they were written ; being given forth by the 
 Holy Ghost, moving in the hearts of holy men of God: that they 
 ought also to be read, believed, and fulfilled, in our day ; being use- 
 ful for reproof and instrcrtion, that the man of God n\ay be per- 
 fect." Page 324. Again, on page Ti'ir, after speaking of the apos- 
 tacy from the Holy Spirit, under the darkness of which men put the 
 scriptures into the place of the spirit, and canonized and worship- 
 ed them; he adds — "They are a declaration and testimony of hea- 
 venly things; but not the heavenly things themselves, and as such 
 
84 
 
 we carry an high respect unto them. TFe accept them as the word§ 
 of God himself: and by the assistance of his spirit, they are read 
 with great instruction and comfort. I esteem them the best of 
 writings, and desire nothing more frequently, than that I nvay lead 
 the life rhey exhort to; and whatever slight apprehensions my disin- 
 genuous adversary is pleased to have of these kind of acknowledg- 
 ments, I write the naked truth of my heart, knowing I must give aa 
 account to God." — Page 327. 
 
 Again on pages 337 and 338, the very same from which the com- 
 pilers have quoted, after affirming that the spirit of Christ alone, can 
 unfolt! the mysteries contained in the Scriptures; he adds, " Where- 
 fore we affirm, that repentance, faith, sanctitication, justification, re- 
 demption, regeneration, &c are all a mystery, never to be disclosed, 
 but by the revelation and operation of the spirit of God in man ; the 
 scripture can only testify to such things, that they are ; but it is the 
 spirit alone that works them, and illuminates, guides, governs, and 
 rules the soul, in and about such things. Tis truey all the spirit 
 leads to is according to thk scriptures; it overturns them not; 
 for they declare of most of these operations ; yet because we be- 
 lieve, know and witness them, from the conviction and operation 
 of the spirit, before we can possibly understand them in scripture; 
 therefore the scripture is but a declaration, and not the rule of faith, 
 &c." 
 
 The nest quotation from William Penn, is on pages 60 and 61 of 
 the pamphlet, being extracted from the second part of " A Serious 
 Apology for the Principles and Practices of the People called Qua- 
 kers, against the malicious aspersions, &c. of Thomas Jenner and 
 Timothy Taylor, &c." William Penn in replying to an answer of 
 his opponents, to a pretended objection of the Quakers, divides it 
 into two parts, the first of which is, " They who formerly spoke by 
 immediate revelation, as Moses and the prophets, Christ and the 
 apostles, did confirm what they said by miracles; the consequences 
 are plainly this, that there is a mediate revelation." 
 
 " To which I reply, That iO°'[greater impertinency no man can 
 "be guilty of, than to affirm or teach that there is a revelation not 
 "immediate; it is a direct contradiction in terms, for that which is 
 " revealed must be immediately, or else it cannot rationally be a re- 
 " velation, but tradition rather. Nay, the scriptures cannot be proper- 
 " ly styled the revelation of the will of God, till they are first open- 
 " ed by Him, who was found worthy to unseal the book, that spirit of 
 " truth, that opens and none shuts; and shuts and none opens. 
 
 "The scripture give this testimony to what I affirm, That 'tis the 
 "inspiration of the Almighty which gives understanding: And none 
 " can come to the Father but by me : None knows the Father, but 
 "the Son, and he to whom the Son reveals him: None knows the 
 "things of God, save the spirit of God: I will be with you to the 
 " end : If any be otherwise minded, God will reveal it to him, with 
 "many, the like expressions, which aftbrd us thus much, viz. That 
 "since no man knows the mind and will of God, neither can rightly 
 "discern of spiritual matters, but as they are revealed and mani- 
 "fested by the spirit of God — the very scriptures themselves are not 
 
85 
 
 "'a revelation to him ; but the sense and purpose of them, so imme- 
 "diatelj revealed by the eternal spirit is the only true revelation, 
 " and the scriptures but a godly tradition. 
 
 " Moses did not conclude his predecessors ignorant of the will of 
 " God, who were without a written law. Nor did Job say that the 
 " naked books of Moses, were able to give understanding, but the 
 *' inspiration of the Almighty ; neither did Christ bid them read the 
 "scriptures that the Father might be revealed to them; nor the 
 « apostles require the churches to have recourse to their writings, 
 *' (then scattered amongst them) as what would only reveal to them 
 " the mind of God. But as they affirmed and preached the impos- 
 " sibility of knowing the things of God, any other way, than that of 
 <' revelation from God ; so did they attribute all such science; not 
 "to their writings, but to his spirit; directing all to the grace, 
 <' spirit and anointing, as their most infallible teacher. 
 
 " Nay, tiie Lord in his wisdom, apprehending that the people 
 •' would not believe Moses, unless they had some sensible and con- 
 " vincing evidence, was therefore pleased to say to Moses, Lo I 
 " come in a (hick cloud, that the people may hear, when I speak 
 *' with thee, and believe thee forever: Exod. xix. 9. This was far 
 « from God's speaking, so as that the people should not hear as well 
 « as Moses, or the prophets."]e£3| — Vol. ii. page 37. 
 
 The compilers have italicised the words "godly tradition," to 
 make them emphatical, doubtless supposing that William Penn by 
 using the term designed to lessen the true value of the Holy Scrip 
 tures. But it must be remembered that the word tradition, was not 
 so frightful a term in his days, as the fanatacism of some modern 
 professors has made it — divested of the extraneous ideas which of 
 latter times have been connected with it, the term means no more 
 than something delivered, or handed down from generation to gene- 
 ration. Now a. godli/ tradition, or as he calls it in the extract on 
 our 77th page, "God's tradition," and " the letter or Epistle of the 
 Holy Ghost;" is no less than something communicated by God him- 
 self to man, and transmitted from generation to generation, which is 
 indeed giving them, a most exalted, though strictly true character. 
 
 John Faldo, an illiberal opponent of our early friends, took occa- 
 sion to traduce the Society in consequence of William Penn's use 
 of this very term, and construed it, as the compilers would have us 
 do, into an expression of disrespect towards the sacred volume- 
 William Penn replied to Faldo's book in 1673, in an essay entitled 
 " Quakerism a new nick-name for old Christianity, &c. from which 
 we extract the following: — 
 
 "John Faldo, page 86, [says,] Traditions of men, that is, says he 
 the scripture or written word." William Penn. " Show us that in any 
 book that is subscribed by an acknowledged Quaker. Tradition is a 
 delivering anything down from one generation to another ; and as 
 such the word is inoffensive: but to say, they are the traditions of 
 men, in the sense Christ reproved the Pliarisaical religion, God for- 
 bid: I had rather my tongue were cut out of my head. Oh! base 
 man! To abuse an innocent people thus grossly. The scripture 
 is a godly tradition, or writing, given forth by inspiration, and pre- 
 
86 
 
 served through generations, which we read, believe, and desire to 
 fulfil through the jjower of God." — Vol. ii. pas:e 312. 
 
 The sentiments which William Penn asserts in the above quo- 
 tation, are similar to those we have before commented upon. To 
 show that while he urged the propriety of considering the Spirit of 
 Christ, as the primary rule of faith and practice, he was not for re- 
 jecting, or lessening our esteem for the scriptures, we shall quote 
 the following, from the same essay, and the very same page on which 
 the compilers' extracts are found. After asserting that the belief of 
 Friends in the Spirit, did not do away the advantages to be derived 
 from outward teaching, he adds: — 
 
 " Nor would we be thought to lessen the virtue, use and reputa- 
 tion of the Holy Scriptures, whilst we endeavour the vindication of 
 the Holy Spirit, in his office of revelation to believers — 
 
 " They are useful in two eminent respects-— 
 
 "First — Historically; as giving a true narrative of the transac- 
 tions of those ages of the world, in reference to the Church, or state 
 of both Jews and Christians, their trials, troubles, temptations, 
 lapses, i-ecoveries, and perfect victories. 
 
 " Secondly — Doctrinally ; as presenting us with a true account of 
 the principles and doctrines of the people of God; their holy faith 
 and patience; I cannot phrase it better than a divine glass, in which 
 we see, (I say we see, who first have that heavenly organ, and eye 
 opened by inspiration and revelation ;) the states and condition of 
 the primitive saints, which is matter of unspeakable comfort and 
 confirmation, as well as of good example to us ; yet still, the effi- 
 cient cause of all, is the convincing revelation, and operation of the 
 Eternal Spirit of God ; and the Scriptures are only useful, as un- 
 folded by the inspiration of the same" — page 37. Again, in page 
 42, in reply to Jenner, William Penn says :— • 
 
 " His other Scriptures are as little to his purpose, viz: "Keep 
 this commandment, until the appearance of our Lord Jesus Christ; 
 the things which thou heardst from me, the same commit thou to 
 faithful men, who shall be able to teach others — contend for the faith 
 which was once delivered to the saints. Hold the traditions which 
 ye have been taught, that ye may be able by sound doctrine, both 
 to exhort and convince gainsayers." After expressing that he is 
 weary with wondering at the folly of his opponent, William Penn 
 adds : — 
 
 " But 1 answer. Did ever any Quaker in the world deny the scrip- 
 tures quoted? Do they not own that the commandments should 
 be kept forever ; that Timothy did well to commit the wholesome 
 doctrine, he had heard of Paul, to others ; and that the faith should 
 be contended for; and the Tradition, or those Holy Truths, decla- 
 red by the apostle, should abide with them to whom he spoke; and 
 WITH us TOO, FOR EVERMORE. But what has this to do with the ne- 
 cessity of Revelation ? Does not the same apostle expressly say, 
 the Spirit of God only, can give to discern the things of God, and 
 that if any man is otherwise minded, God will reveal it to him" — 
 page 42. 
 
87 
 
 In concluding the chapter, from which we have taken the forego- 
 ing quotations, William Penn says: — "We end the chapter with 
 this brief summary of the whole — 
 
 " First, That by Revelation, we understand the discovery and il- 
 lumination of the Light and Spirit of God, relating to those things, 
 that properly and immediately concern the daily information and 
 satisfaction of our souls, in the way of our duty to Him and our 
 neighbour. 
 
 "Second, That we renounce all fantastical and whimsical intox- 
 ications, or any pretence to the revelation of new matter in opposi- 
 tion to the ancient gospel, declared by Christ Jesus and his apostles: 
 and therefore not the revelation of new things, but the renewed revela- 
 tion of the eternal ivay of truth. 
 
 "Third, That this revelation, is the life, virtue, condition, and 
 very soul of the gospel, and second covenant. 
 
 "Fourth, That none oppose this, but such as the God of this 
 world has blinded ; and that through their ignorance of the spiritu- 
 ality of the evangelical dispensation, are, (whilst they pretend to be 
 under it,) sticklers for a more embondaged state than that of the 
 ancient Jews" — page 48. 
 
 From this second article, it is clearly apparent, that all the pre- 
 tended revelations, furtlier openings, and greater advances, that 
 Elias Hicks and his followers boast of; which go to overturn or 
 contravene the ancient gospel of Jesus Christ and his apostles, as 
 laid down in the holy scriptures, are contrary to the faith of the 
 primitive Quakers ; and the foolish notion that he is an hundred 
 years ahead of the ancient or modern friends, can only be correct, 
 when applied to those ''fantastical and whimsical intoxications, and 
 pretences to the revelation of new matter,'''' v/hich those pious chris- 
 tians so devoutly renounce. Again, in the same essay, page 62, af- 
 ter giving his reasons why they are not the complete rule, lie adds 
 — "But, methinks, this our demonstration, should satisfy all; when 
 neither man nor scriptures are near us, yet there continually at- 
 tends us, tliat spirit of truth, that immediately informs us, of our 
 thoughts, words, and deeds, and gives us true directions what to do, 
 and what to leave undone ; is not this the rule of life.'' If ye are 
 led by the spirit of God, then are ye sons of God ; let this suffice, 
 to vindicate our sense of a true and unerring rule, which we assert, 
 not in a way of derogation from these holy writings, which icith re- 
 verence ive read, believe, and desire always to obey, the mind and will 
 of God therein contained, and let that doctrine be accursed, 
 that would overturn them." 
 
 On page 69 of the pamphlet, we are referred to the Christian 
 Quaker, for an extract on the subject of the scriptures, to prove 
 what is very true, that those who made great pretence to the scrip- 
 tures, woufd not come to Christ, but rejected and crucified him. 
 Pretenders to the scriptures, as well as pretenders against the scrip- 
 tures have always rejected Christ ; while those who have had a sin- 
 cere and humble belief and -godly esteem of those invaluable 
 writings, and have waited to know them fulfilled by the holy Spirit 
 
88 
 
 of Christ, have ever found their faith in them, strengthened and 
 owned by God himself. The quotation is as follows — 
 
 |Ci^["They were the greatpretenders to scriptures, that would not 
 " come to Christ : the traditional, literal, and ordinance men, who also 
 " rejected and crucified him. On the other hand, had not Cornelius, 
 " and the centurion, with many others, been upright livers to the light 
 " within; neither had Peter been so received by the one, nor Christ 
 "so followed by the other. But that measure of the divine light, 
 "which they had hitherto obeyed, as ' the more sure word of prophe- 
 "cy,' led them naturally unto the rising of the 'day star;' which, 
 " though a more glorious manifestation, yet not of another light, life 
 "or spirit ; for there are not two lights, lifes, natures, or spirits, in 
 "God. He is one forever in himself; and his light is one in kind, 
 "however variously he may have declared himself; or manifested 
 " it at sundry times of the world."]oC3^ 
 
 It is quite as easy to be pretenders to the spirit, as to the Scrip- 
 tures, and the state of such is the more dangerous, because the de- 
 ception is the more complete, and the hypocrisy and security more 
 fatal. Had the temptation for the enemies of Christianity to cloak 
 themselves under false pretences to the spirit, been as specious and 
 as powerful then as it is now, doubtless, they who crucified Christ, 
 would have availed themselves of it ; and yet if they had, it would 
 form no argument against the certainty or absolute necessity of im- 
 mediate Divine revelation, since the abuse of a blessing is no valid 
 objection against the proper and grateful use of it. 
 
 The object of William Penn in the paragraph quoted, is evident- 
 ly from the context, to show that a manifestation of the Holy Spirit 
 was the guide to all those who lived upright and godly lives, both 
 Jews and Gentiles, and that they were led by it, more readily " to 
 acknowledge that glorious appearance of Light when in the flesh ;" 
 to wit, the outward coming of Jesus Christ, than did the Pharisees 
 and elders of Israel, who were great pretenders to the letter. As 
 evidences of the truth of this fact, he adduces the cases of the Cen- 
 turion and Cornelius, and argues that had not they been obedient to 
 the light vv'ithin, Christ would not have been so followed by the one, 
 nor Petei so received by the other. 
 
 The case of Cornelius is beautifully illustrative of the great duty 
 of making diligent use of the Holy Scriptures. As certainly as he 
 would have missed of the blessings which he obtained by obedience 
 to the Light, in making use of those external means, which it 
 pleased the Lord to ordain for his instruction, and would have 
 sinned against the Holy Spirit ; so certain it is, that if we refuse 
 and reject the instruction and benefit which the Lord has designed 
 for us, by a proper esteem and use of the Holy Scriptures ; we shall 
 not only lose the enjoyment of the blessing, but also rebel against 
 the Light. It is a truth, that all those, who are " upright livers to 
 the light within," cannot, nay, dare not, slight or neglect any of 
 those gifts, which HE, from whom the Light comes, has been pleas- 
 ed to bestow — and of these gifts, the Holy Scriptures are among 
 the most invaluable. 
 
89 
 
 The Light of Christ was as all-sufficient for salvation in the days 
 of Cornelius as it is now; It could as easily have unfolded to him, 
 the counsel of God, as to bid him send for Peter to tell him what he 
 ought to do. But because the Lord ordained the use of instrumental 
 means, was it any reason, why Cornelius should reject the teaching 
 of Peter, as being subordinate to the Spirit? If when Peter 
 came, Cornelius had said to him, I have the Light in myself — this 
 is all-sufficient for my direction and government ; I " have no need 
 to go to books or men ;" thou may go thy way, I have no need of 
 any human teaching ; would this have been honouring and rever- 
 encing the Light, or is it probable that Cornelius would have been 
 favoured with its further illuminations ? Certainly not — it would 
 have been pretending honour to the Spirit, while at the same time, 
 he was despising those very means which the Spirit of Christ had 
 sanctified for his use. 
 
 Let those in the present day, who are making use of this specious 
 but dangerous and delusive reasoning, against the use of the Sacred 
 Volume, remember, that in all ages and dispensations of the world, 
 it has pleased Almighty God to teach his people not only immedi- 
 ately but instrumentally — immediately by his grace and good spirit, 
 and instrumentally by the Holy Scriptures and his faithful servants. 
 Both of these are blessings, sanctified and given for our use; and al- 
 though the revelations of the Holy Spirit are above all other teach- 
 ings, yet they are not at our command ; and if we slight and reject 
 the secondary means, which are given forth by the same spirit for 
 our instruction in righteousness, we do as certainly rebel against, 
 and deny the Holy Spirit, and whatever pretences we may make 
 to the contrary, set up in its stead, our own self-confident spirit as 
 judge in the case. 
 
 The next quotation, on page 72 of the pamphlet, is taken from 
 "William Penn's " Guide Mistaken, and Temporizing Rebuked, or 
 a brief reply to Jonathan Clapham's book, entitled, A Guide to 
 the True Religion." It is contained in his 12th section or para- 
 graph, in which he discusses the Guide's first article of true reli- 
 gion ; viz. that there is one God, of an infinite, perfect, and spiritual 
 nature, subsisting in three glorious persons. To which distinction 
 oi persons William Penn replies — 
 
 " As for his strange distinction of the Deity, which he enforces 
 on the faith of all that value their eternal welfare, I cannot find 
 one Scripture that will bear him out ; and if they had been of so 
 much credit with this Guide, as to have been by them led into their 
 undeniable form of sound words, he would not have intruded tradi- 
 tion for Scripture, to the creed of any, but rather have inserted the 
 text or phrase itself, whose authority might have commanded an 
 assent: and it had become him to give the world a reason for his 
 requiring a submission to, and credence of his doctrine, rather than 
 barely to draw up so many articles, and thus imperiously to call 
 on alt for a subscription, as they would be saved; especially since 
 he cannot but know how strongly these very points have been de- 
 bated in ancient councils, and not less controverted by modern per-, 
 sons of reputation and learning." [Here William Penn introduces 
 
 M 
 
90 
 
 the different opinions of Arius, Crellius and others, then proceeds.^ 
 "But because the Scriptures do not warrant that division into, and 
 appe'latjon of, Three persons; and that he slightly passes over this 
 weii^rty matter, recommending it for an article of faith, but never 
 arming him with reasons, that receives it, for his defence against 
 the strength and great subtilty of his adversaries. I here shall of- 
 fer him by way of query, what every sober person would desire 
 satisfaction in, before he etertains his principle." — Vol. ii. p. 11. 
 
 It must be manifest to every discerning reader, that William 
 Penn does not mean in this paragraph, to call for reasons, why 
 Christians should adopt, as the expression of their faith, " the undeni- 
 able form of sound words," contained in Scripture; but as the 
 Guide had " intruded tradition for Scripture,''^ and chosen to desig- 
 nate the dread Majesty of heaven, by terms not applied to Him in 
 the Sacred volume, William Penn very justly calls upon him to 
 give a reason, why Protestants should copy after him, in his devia- 
 tion from the text or phrase itself, which might have commanded 
 an assent from all. 
 
 Since the Guide had departed from the Scriptural form of sound 
 words, William Penn proposes to him six queries, for his considera- 
 tion and reply, predicated upon his notion of Three distinct per- 
 sons, and calculated to show its absurdity. They relate to the Unity, 
 Infinity, Eternity, &c. of the Supreme Being ; and, having pro- 
 pounded them, he proceeds to consider an objection which the 
 Guide may make to answering ; as quoted by the compilers, viz : 
 
 |Cj°" [_" If he will tell me, it is a mysterious point, and therefore 
 " he did forbear a farther description of it : I answer, it did the 
 "more require his explanation; for that I conceive a religion 
 " or hope will do a man but little good, for which he has not a rea- 
 " son in himself; and to believe things by rote, is quite as ineffec- 
 " tual as not to believe at all. If he shall say that reason is not to 
 " be consulted or rendered in this case, I answer, that either it is 
 " what deserves silence, and so condemns himself amongst those 
 " fools that will be meddling; or if it is to he pried mto, then to be 
 " understood before believed ; or else his three philosophical acts 
 " of ejection are defeated."]aaCJi — Vol. ii. p. 12. 
 
 We are well aware that Ihe compilers have made this extract, with 
 the vain expectation, that it would corroborate that fundamental 
 axiom of unbelief, so strenuously enforced by Elias Hicks and his 
 disciples, that we are not to believe what we cannot comprehend. 
 To facilitate such an inteipietation of William Penn's words, they 
 italicise some of them, suppress all allusion to the subject under 
 discussion, and leave us to guess what the ^^ mysterious point" was, 
 of which the author was speaking. This was certainly very unfair 
 toward* William Penn, and shows clearly, that they wished to pre- 
 sent him to the world, as asserting that there are no mysteries in re- 
 ligion, and that human reason is to be the criterion of our articles of 
 faith. This, however, was far from William Penn's sentiment, as is 
 apparent from a fair exposition of the extract made by the compi- 
 lers, as well as the quotation which we shall insert hereafter. 
 
91 
 
 William Penn does not call for reasons why we should believe hi 
 the doctrine of the scriptures, or for the Guide's explanation of the 
 solemn truths revealed there, for he has already granted, that the 
 authority of scripture commands assent. But he demands a reason 
 why protestants should differ from the scripture; and an explana- 
 tion of that point wherein they aie to differ. And wliere he says, 
 *'that religion or hope will do a man but little good, for which he has 
 not a reason in hiniself;" he is evidently alluding to the expressions 
 of the Apostle Peter; who exhorted the believers; "sanctify the 
 Lord God in your hearts, and be always ready to give an answer to 
 every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with 
 meekness and fear." This is quite another thing from comprehend- 
 ing the mysteries of God's kingdom by human reason, and William. 
 Penn, no more than the Apostle Petei, intended to inculcate so ab- 
 surd and dangerous an opinion. 
 
 When the Apostles were questioned respecting their hope in the 
 Gospel of Jesus Christ our Loid, it was a sufficient reason for them, 
 that all the law and the prophets testified of Christ, and that 
 they had the evidence of His spirit, bearing witness with their spi- 
 rits, to those sublime truths which they so reverently and joyfully 
 embraced. They professed not to comprehend them by their own 
 powers; but on the contrary declared, that the world, by wisdom^ 
 knew not God ; that the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ, 
 was foolishness to human wisdom; and that the natural man could 
 not comprehend those glorious truths, which were revealed to the 
 believing disciples of the Lamb of God ; and hence the Apostle Paul 
 exhorted them that their faith should not stand in the wisdom of 
 men, but in the power of God. And to this day it remains to be 
 sufficient authority for every hunjble Christian to believe in the truths 
 recorded in the bible, to know that God has revealed them there, and 
 he cannot give a better or a higher reason for the faith and hope that 
 is in him, than to say, God hath been pleased to reveal it, therefore 
 1 believe; though at the very same time, not only the thing revealed, 
 but also the very act of revelation itself, may be utterly incompre- 
 hensible to his own reason. 
 
 Every proposition which is offered for belief, must be couched in 
 such terms, that we may ascertain what the truth is, which we are to 
 believe; but this is very different from comprehending that truth. 
 Did we fully comprehend all that we believe, there could be no ex- 
 ercise of faith, since faith is the assent of the mind to those truths 
 which cannot be made out, or proved by the deductions of reason, 
 but which are received upon the credit of him who communicates 
 them. If there are no mysteries in the religion of Jesus Christ, why 
 did he thank the Father, that he had hid them from the wise and pru- 
 dent of this world ; and if they are only revealed to babes, it is most 
 clear, that reason is not the key which opens thein, else there would 
 be no need of a revelation to unfold them. William Penn does 
 not say in the compilers' extract, that e\e.yy thing is to be under- 
 stood, before believed ; and though the compilers have italicised 
 the words, yet when fairly considerfv!, they make nothirjg for them. 
 Speaking of the Guide's " mysterious point," which is no other 
 
92 
 
 than the notion of one Deity, existing in three glorious persons ; 
 William Penn says, " if he shall say, reason is not to be consulted, 
 or rendered in this case, I answer, that either it's what deserves si- 
 lence," " or if Ws to be pried into, then to be understood before be- 
 lieved." William Penn would silently and reverently have accord- 
 ed with the Guide's exposition of the mysterious point, had he kept to 
 the "undeniable form of sound words:" he would not have asked to 
 have any other reason rendered for the doctrine, than that it was re- 
 vealed in the bible; but the Guide being disposed to pry into the mys- 
 tery, further than the Holy Ghost had revealed it in the scriptures of 
 truth, W. Penn very properly says ; " if it's to he pried into;" if we 
 are to leave God's revelation, and follow human exposition ; " then to 
 be understood before believed :" that is, though we are willing hum- 
 bly to follow the revealed will of God, without consulting flesh and 
 blood ; yet, if we are called upon to believe mere human assertions, 
 we demand an understanding of the matter before we assent. 
 
 W. Penn is very clear on the subject of mysteries. In tlie same es- 
 say, he says, " Since Paul, who very well knew the mind of God, has 
 left it as the spirit's record in the scriptures, that the deep things of 
 God knoweth no man, but the spirit of God, and looking on the true 
 religion to be what he intends by these following expressions ; the 
 mysteries of God's kingdom, heavenly things, hidden wisdom, re- 
 demption from all ini<]uity,all things to become new, to be dead with 
 Christ to the world, and risen with him, to seek the things that are 
 above ; in short, by the revelation of the Eternal Spirit, to fathom the 
 deep and behold the mysterious things of God, so as thereby to be 
 translated from darkness into his most glorious kingdom, ot right- 
 eousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit ; I can by no means sub- 
 scribe my assent to this Guide's proposition, that man, with his tall- 
 est wisdom, distinct from that light, or pure capacity, [which] the 
 Quakers affirm God has enlightened and invested all men with, is 
 able to wade securely into the depths of divine mysteries, nor allow 
 him that arbitrium of working out in his own strength, time, and 
 mediums, the knowledge of true religion ; much less can I concur 
 with his esteeming any wise, in rightly choosing what religion they 
 would embrace, since it doth not limit him to what is true, in which 
 the choice can only be called right: but rather seems to give him the 
 liberty of choosing ivhere he will, in which no election ought to be 
 judged true or wise." — Vol. ii. page 5. 
 
 At the bottom of page 73, of the pamphlet, we have an extract 
 from the 6th section of the second part of William Penn's address 
 to Protestants, which, as is usual with the compilers, is presented 
 with great unfairness. The section from which it is taken, is a trea- 
 tise on "The propagation of faith by force ;" or the interference of 
 the civil power to coerce people into an assent to peculiar tenets, 
 or the observance of the same form of worship. Had the compilers 
 been as honestly disposed to do justice to William Penn, as they 
 seem anxious to procure some authority to support the opinion, 
 that it is immaterial what doctrines we hold, or whether any, and 
 that none should be separated from the communion of Christian 
 
93 
 
 Society, however erroneous their notions may be j they would have 
 linished out the paragraph which they began to quote, and not sup- 
 pressed the closing sentence, where he exphiins what he is alluding 
 to. We shall quote the two preceding paragraphs, and the whole of 
 that which they have mutilated. The parts they extract, will, as 
 usual, be enclosed in brackets, designated with a hand. 
 
 " Bui, methinks I hear a stout objection, and 'tis this : " At this 
 rate you will overthrow all church discipline, all censure of errors f 
 if no man or men can determine." — My answer is ready and short. 
 No scripture church discipline, is hereby oppugned or weakened : let 
 not the sentence, end in violence upon the conscience, unconvinced : 
 Let who will, expound or determine, so it be according to true 
 church discipline; which can be exercised, on them only, who have 
 willingly joined themselves in that covenant of union; and which 
 proc.eds only to a separation from the rest, a disavowing or disown- 
 ing, and that only in case of falling from principles or practices 
 once received; or about known trespasses: But never, to any cor- 
 poral or pecuniary punishment, the two arms of antichrist, or rather 
 of the great beast which carries the whore. 
 
 " But let us observe "-hat sort of church government the Apostle 
 recommends. Avoid foolish questions, and genealogies and conten- 
 tions, and strivings about the law, for they are unprofitable and vain. 
 A mrtn that is an heretic, after the first and second admonition, re- 
 ject, knowing ihat he that is such, is subverted and sirmeth, being 
 coiiilemned of (or in) himself." Then follows the paragraph select- 
 ed by the compders, viz: ICT'^^^ It's very remarkable, first, that this 
 "gieit Apostle, instead of exhorting Titus to stand upon niceties, 
 *' and sacrifice men's natural comforts and enjoyments, for opinions 
 "of religion, enjoins him to shun disputes about them; leaving the 
 " piMtple to their own thoughts and apprehensions in those matters, 
 ** as reputing the loss of peace in striving, greater than the gain that 
 *' could arise from such an unity and contormity. Which exactly 
 "agrees with another passage of his, Let us, therefore, as many as be 
 " perfect be thus minded, and if in any thing ye be otherwise mind- 
 "ed, God shall reveal even this untoyou.^^ol He did not say, you 
 shall be fined, pillaged, excommunicated and flung into prison, if 
 ye be not of our mind." — Vol. i. pages 804, 805. 
 
 It will at once appear, from this extract, that William Penn, so 
 far from reprobating, cordially approves of the exercise of that 
 christian discipline, whose object is, to preserve an orderly conver- 
 sation, and sound christian faith, among the members of the same 
 society. Our primitive Friends sutfored greatly from the cruel ex- 
 ecution of oppressive laws, enacted to compel a conformity to the 
 established religion of England ; and it was not until many years af- 
 ter this essay was written, that the act for tolerating dissenters was 
 passed. It is'to the cruel finings, imprisonments, whippings, and other 
 pecuniary and corporal punishments which they endured for non- 
 confii; mity, that W. I*, alludes. He was too great a friend to the pre- 
 servation ofright order, too well versed in the great truths of the chris- 
 tian faith, ind too intimately acquainted with the nature and de- 
 sign of religious compacts, to advocate a doctrine that would tole- 
 
94 
 
 rate within the pale of a christian society, persons who denied and 
 impugned those very fundamental christian principles, which they 
 had associated to propagate and maintain. 
 
 Every religious society has certain principles and doctrines which 
 it holds sacred, and necessary to be believed, as being sanctioned by 
 the spirit of God, and the revelation of Holy Scripture. A conform- 
 ity to these doctrines and the code of discipline which it has institu- 
 ted, are indispensable to the rightful enjoyment of the privilege of 
 membership. They are the terms upon which membership i* gmnted, 
 and upon which only it can be maintained. Preposterous, indeed, 
 would it be, to suppose that an individual, after having voluntarily 
 embraced those principles, and trained admission upon those terms, 
 should claim it as his right to continue to exercise and enjoy the 
 privileges of communion, after he had openly denied and rejected 
 those fundamental principles, on profession of which he was rereiv- 
 ed a member; and for the maintenance of which the society was 
 formed. 
 
 The very act of renouncing the doctrines or discipline of the So- 
 ciety, is a virtual relinquishment of the right of membership, as com- 
 pletely so, as a refusal to conform to the stipulated terms of any civil 
 association. And to disown such is no oppression — no persecution — no 
 infringement of liberty of conscience ; since those, who so dissent 
 from the body of consistent professors, are at liberty to withdraw 
 and to attach themselves to any other denomination, whose princi- 
 ples, or in other words, whose terms of communion, more nearly ac- 
 cord with those which they have recently imbibed. 
 
 The compilers seem determined to secure the authority of Wil- 
 liam Penn, in support of their views, without regard to the means by 
 which they obtain it. On page 74, they give another garbled extract 
 from his writings, with a view of enfoicing the same disorganizing 
 sentiments as the last. To defend William Penn from the charge, 
 they would allege against him, we have only to quote his own words 
 fairly. The part extracted by the compilers is in brackets with an 
 index. Fie says : 
 
 "Now it may be expected, I should here set down what sort of 
 authority is exercised by this people, upon such members of their So- 
 ciety as correispond not in their lives with their profession, and that 
 are refractory to this good and wholesome order, settled among 
 them ; and the rather, because they have not wanted their reproach 
 and suffering from some tongues upon this occasion, in a plentiful 
 manner. 
 
 " The power they exercise, is such as Christ has given to his own 
 people to the end of the ivorld, in the persons of his disciples, viz : 
 to oversee, exhorf, reprove, and after long suffering and waiting up- 
 on the disobedient and refractory, ' to disown them as any more of 
 their communion, or that they will any longer stand charged in the 
 sight and judgment of God or men, with their conversation or beha- 
 viour, as one of them, until they repent.' The subject matter about 
 which this authority, in any of the foregoing branches of it is exer- 
 cised, is, first, in relation to common and general practice : and se- 
 condly, about those things that more strictly refer to their own 
 
95 
 
 character and profession^ and distinguish them from all other pro- 
 fessors of Christianity ; avoiding two extremes upon which many 
 split; viz. persecution and libertinism. A coercive power to whip 
 people into the temple ; that such as will not conform, though against 
 faith and conscience, shall be punished in their persons or estates; 
 or leaving all loose and at large as to practice, unaccountable to all 
 but God and the magistrate. To which hurtful extreme, nothing 
 has more contributed than the abuse of church power, by such as 
 suff'er their passions and private interests to prevail with them to 
 carry it to outward force and corporal punishment ^ a practice they 
 have been taught to dislike by their extreme sufterings, as well as 
 their known principle for an universal liberty of conscience." 
 
 " On the other hand, they equally dislike an independency in So- 
 ciety ; an unaccountableness in practice and conversation, to the 
 terms of their own communion^ and to those that are the members of 
 it. ICPC'fhey distinguish between imposing any practice that im- 
 " mediately regards faith or worship, (which is never to be done, 
 " nor suffered, or submitted unto) and requiring christian compliance 
 " with those methods that only respect church business in its more 
 " civil part and concern, and that regard the discreet and orderly 
 " maintenance of the character of the Society, as a sober and reli- 
 "gious community.],a£:3| In short, what is for the promotion of 
 holiness and charity, that men may practice what they profess, live 
 up to their own principles, and not be at liberty to give the lie to 
 their own profession without rebuke. They compel none to them, 
 but OBLIGE those that are of them, to walk suitably, or they are de- 
 vied by them: that is all the mark, they set upon them, and the pow- 
 er they exercise or judge a christian Society can exercise, upon those 
 that are members of it." — Preface to George Fox's Journal, pages 
 33, 34. 
 
 It is easy to perceive from the ungenerous and unfair manner 
 in which the paragraph of William Penn is mutilated by the compi- 
 lers of tlie pamphlet, that they were conscious at the very time they 
 were quoting it, that if William Penn's sentiments were fully and 
 fairly exhibited, they would operate directly against them, and well 
 may tliey blush with confusion and shame, at the unholy doctrines, 
 and the unrighteous means, by which they have sought to traduce the 
 christian reputation of this great and good man. 
 
 The sentiments of William Penn as expressed in the extracts we 
 have inserted, define clearly the nature and extent of the discipline 
 of the Society of Friends. First, it is a christian authority, instituted 
 by Christ Jesus himself, to oversee, exhort, reprove, and after due 
 labour to reclaim tiie offender, it proving ineffectual, to disown from 
 their religious communion, consonant with the expression of our bless- 
 ed Lord, " Let him be te thee as an heathen man, or as a publican," 
 Second, as regards its extent; it includes not only general practice, 
 but what is particidarly to be noticed in this case, as it seems to be 
 that which the compilers are most anxious to overturn; also, "those 
 things that more strictly refer to their own character and profession, 
 and distinguish them from all other professors of Christianity ; avoid- 
 
96 
 
 ing two extremes upon which many split, viz. persecution and liber- 
 tinism." 
 
 What then are those things, which distingui>^h the profession of 
 the Society of Friends from that of all other professors of Christiani- 
 ty. Most certainly, they are their doctrines and principles ; those 
 "substantial truths and realities of religion" which the authors of the 
 preface to this very pamphlet, tell us, "they sought for in humility, 
 and embraced." To a denial or direliction from these, William Penn 
 declares the exercise of the discipline is to be extended, and in en- 
 forcing its salutary regulations, he cautions them to avoid two ex- 
 tremes, persecution and libertinism. Now it is important for us to 
 know what he means by these tvvo words; and we are happy in hav- 
 ing his own definitien at hand. Persecution he defines, as the exer- 
 cise of a coercive power to whip people into the temple, or punishing 
 them in their persons or estates for nonconformity in matters of 
 faith and conscience. Libertinism, is leaving all loose and at large ; 
 an unaccountableness, in practice and conversation, to the terms of 
 their own communion, and those that are consistent and orderly 
 members of it; which he declares the Quakers equally dislike, with 
 persecution, or the application of outward force, and corporal pun- 
 ishment. This libertinism then, which the primitive Friends so dis- 
 liked, is the very thing which the followers of Elias Hicks contend 
 for; and to support which, our compilers have garbled these two 
 extracts from William Penn; crying out that disownment for doc- 
 trines, is persecution. But William Penn thought not so. He states 
 it as a legitimate subject, upon which to exercise the discipline, 
 and where the party will not conform "to the terms of their own 
 communion," they are to be disowned ; which he is so far from con- 
 sidering as persecution, that he calls it "good and wholesome or- 
 der." He says they compel none to them, they oblige none who art 
 with them to remain ; if they are not united in their principles, they 
 leave them at liberty to join any other communion, or to withdraw 
 from all, as they may please, but on the other hand, he says as posi- 
 tively that " they oblige those that are of them, to walk suitably, or 
 they are denied by them." As the compilers are so much attached to 
 the authority of Penn, as to be determined to press him into their 
 service at the hazard of all honest principle, we could wish they 
 would conform to the excellent regulations which he has here set 
 down ; it would be to their own credit, and greatly to the benefit and 
 order, and good government of the Society. 
 
 Such has been the order and discipline of the Society since the 
 earliest period of its existence. Though they have not demanded 
 of their members a subscription to any particular articles of faith, 
 yet they have always expected those who hold communion with them, 
 unfeignedly to believe in the doctrines of the christian religion. The 
 following rule of discipline issued by the Yearly Meeting in the year 
 1694, will confirm what we say. 
 
 "If there be any such gross errors, false doctrines, or mistakes 
 held by any professing truth, as are either against the validity of 
 Christ's sufferings, blood, resurrection, ascension, or glory in the 
 heavens, according as they are set forth in the scriptures ; or any 
 
97 
 
 ways tending to the denial of the heavenly Man, Christ ; such persons 
 ought to be diligently instructed and admonished by faithful friends, 
 and not to be exposed by any to public reproach ; and where the er- 
 ror proceeds from ignorance and darkness of their understanding, 
 they ought the more meekly and gendy to be informed : But if any 
 shall wilfully persist in error in point of faith, after being duly in- 
 formed, then such to he further dealt with according to gospel order ; 
 that the truth, church, or body of Christ, may not suffer by any par- 
 ticular pretended member that is so corrupt." — See Extracts. 
 
 This single quotation of the rule of discipline, made at so early a 
 period after the rise of the Society, is a conclusive answer to all the 
 assertions of the friends of Elias Hicks, that he and they are one in 
 doctrine with the early Quakers. This rule shows clearly that the 
 primitive Friends would have disowned any and all of their pretend- 
 ed members, who persisted in holding the notions which Elias Hicks 
 now promulgates. We have other rules and advices of a similar 
 nature, which have continued in force from that time to the present, 
 of which we could give extracts if necessary. 
 
 We have now gone through with the quotations from William 
 Penn, and have showed that in various instances the compilers of the 
 pamphlet have unjustly altered and perverted bis meaning, in order to 
 present him as holding sentiments coincident with those of Elias 
 Hicks. But we trust that we have also proved in the clearest man- 
 ner, that in every instance where he has been permitted to speak for 
 himself, he has denied and repelled the injurious accusation. We 
 have seen him declaring repeatedly his unshaken belief in the Holy 
 Three that bear record in heaven, in the Divinity and manhood, the 
 miraculous conception, holy life, and propitiatory death of our Lord 
 and Saviour Jesus Christ; and likewise in the authenticity and di- 
 vine authority of Holy Scripture. He has again and again asserted 
 his firm faith in all these particulars, in the most solemn and un- 
 equivocal manner, " as knowing that he must give an account unto 
 God." When charged by his illiberal opponents with entertaining 
 doubts respecting these important and holy doctrines, which Elias 
 Hicks now impugns, he uniformly repelled it with honest indigna- 
 tion, as a most false and malicious libel. To associate his name at 
 the present time with the same principles, to pervert or alter his 
 language in order to make him speak those sentiments which he 
 then denied with abhorrence, is certainly most injuriously casting a 
 shade over the memory of a sound and practical christian, and fixing 
 an unmerited stigma upon his reputation and religion. 
 
 N 
 
98 
 
 CHAPTER 11. 
 
 Eeraai'ks upon the Extracts made by the Compilers, from the works of 
 Stephew Chisp. 
 
 On the 25tli page of the pamphlet, we find a quotation of two 
 lines, said to be taken from Stephen Crisp's works, new edition, 
 page 125. It stands thus, " The light, wherewith all are enlighten- 
 ed, is the life of Jesus ; John i. 4. which he hath given a ransom 
 for man." On page 33, we find what is intended to be the same 
 quotation, extended to about four lines ; in the beginning of which, 
 the compilers have made a slight variation, so that it reads — " This 
 light wherewith we are enlightened, is the life of Jesus, which he 
 hath given a ransom for man. And that was not natural, as some 
 foolishly imagine ; for if it were natural, it could not be a ransom 
 for man out of sin." — p. 125. 
 
 Thus in two quotations the compilers give the same sentence dif- 
 ferently ; in one it is The light wherewith all are enlightened — iu 
 the other, This light wherewith we are enlightened ; but what is 
 more singular, neither of them are correct: since Stephen Crisp has 
 it, This light wherewith thou arf enlightened, &c. 
 
 Besides this alteration in two instances, the extract is made with 
 great unfairness, as it begins after a semicolon, omitting the copula- 
 tive conjunction "and ;" which connects both the words and the 
 sense with what precedes ; and the second quotation on page S3, of 
 their pamphlet, closes at a semicolon, just where Stephen Crisp is 
 proceeding to explain his views more fully. We shall quote the 
 passages more at length, that the reader may have an opportunity of 
 understanding the subject upon which the author is treating; and 
 also of noticing the manner in which the compilers have mutilated 
 his sentences. The parts which they have extracted are enclosed 
 in brackets, designated with a hand. 
 
 " And therefore consider this, that every good and perfect 
 gift Cometh from above, from the Father ot Lights and Spirits, 
 who would not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should 
 turn and live. And therefore hath he out of his infinite love, and 
 tender mercies to the sons of men, prepared a way to draw nigh 
 unto them, even while they are in their sins, which he doth not 
 I)ut through Jesus Christ, tlie mediator of the new covenant, whom 
 he hath freely given to be a light unto the dark world ; and 
 that he should enlighten every one that cometh into the world, 
 John i. 9. of which number thou art one, whoever thou art, and 
 art enlightened by Christ, though thou be yet darkness thyself as 
 the Ephesians once were ; yet the light shineth in thy darkness, 
 or else there would not be two contrary natures and seeds found 
 
99 
 
 working in thee, as there are ; and |CT°[this light wherewith 
 "thou art enlightened, is the life of Jesus, John i, 4. which he hath 
 "given, a ransom for man. And that was not natural, as some fool- 
 " ishly imagine ; for if it were natural, it could not be a ransom for 
 " man out of sin (jj;^^ for the sin to be natural, and that which re- 
 proves it natural, is contrary to the apostle, who said, they two that 
 warred in the creature were contrary, and called the one flesh, or 
 natural, and the other spirit or spiritual ; and Christ Jesus called 
 that which should reprove the world of sin, the Spirit of Truth, and 
 Antichrist and his ministers call it, a natural insufficient light, &c. 
 But know tliis, thou that art enquiring, that that in thee which doth 
 make manifest things to thee that are reproveable, that is the light 
 wherewith Christ Jesus hath enlightened thee withal, as the apostle 
 of Clirist said in his epistle to the Ephesians, v. 13, 14." 
 
 It will be seen by the first part of our quotation, that Stephen 
 Crisp has made a full acknowledgment of his belief in that means 
 of salvation, which God hath been pleased to ordain through his 
 son Jesus Christ ; for he asserts that he hath " out of his infinite 
 love and tender mercies fo the sons of men, prepared a way to 
 draw nigh unto them, even while they areyet in their sins, which he 
 doth not, but through Jesus Christ, the Mediator of the new cove- 
 nant, whom Ae hath freely given, io be a light unto the dark world." 
 Here is sufficient testimony in the very same paragraph from 
 which the compilers have quoted, to show that the author was iar 
 from denying or doubting the great truths of the Christian religion. 
 
 The garbled extracts inserted in the pamphlet, appear to be pre- 
 sented to the public with the intention of conveying the idea that 
 the author believed in no outward sacrifice for sin. It must be ob- 
 vious, however, upon the slightest consideration of the text, that 
 Stephen Crisp was treating of quite another thing, than the propi- 
 tiatory offering of Jesus Christ. He uses the word ransom, to sig- 
 nify that measure of the Holy Spirit, which is given to every man, 
 to redeem him out from under the dominion of his own sinful pro- 
 pensities. Hence it is, that he speaks of the ransom reproving for 
 sin, — from which it is most apparent, he was not then alluding to 
 the great sacrifice, but the inward work. 
 
 George Keitli, wlio had apostatized from the doctrine and dis- 
 cipline of tiie early Quakers, and become a bitter opponent, and a 
 tradiicer of their principles, publishetl a book entitled " A Serious 
 Call to the Quakers, &c." in wiiicli he adduces this same passage 
 which our compilers liave quoted from Stephen Crisp, to prove that 
 the author held those very principles, which they would n(»w have 
 us to infer froui their extracts. To George Keith's Serious Call, an 
 answer was returned by several Friends, entitled, "A Serious Ex- 
 amination, &c." from which we take the following : After noticing 
 a variation which George Keith has made in quoting it, they say, 
 1st. " In him, in Christ the Word, was life, and the life was (he light 
 of men," John i. 4. In George Keith's quoting this among mon- 
 strouaidoctrines or vile errors, he has condemned the Divine doc- 
 trine of John the Evangelist. 2ndly. That this Life or Light of 
 
100 
 
 Jesus Christ, is not natural, but spiritual and divine, is no vile er- 
 ror, but true doctrine. Sd. Which he hath given a ransom for man ; 
 is true in that sense, as given to guide, and actually to redeem man 
 out of darkness, sin, and all iniquity, for so Christ doth lead and de- 
 liver all true believers. 4th. Man's redemption and salvation hath 
 respect, both to Christ's suffering and giving himself a ransom for 
 all men, by his ONE OFFERING WITHOUT MEN, and also his 
 work in men, in redeeming them from all iniquity, which is not ef- 
 fected without their believing in his Light." — p. 20. Edit. 1707. 
 
 The following quotations will serve to show the scriptural sound- 
 ness of Stephen Crisp's faith. In the postscript to his essay, enti- 
 tled "An Alarm Sounded in the borders of Spiritual Egypt;" af- 
 ter stating that it is the appearance of Christ Jesus that has brought 
 professing Christians off from their sins, which they could not do 
 themselves ; that it is the grace of God that leads to perfection ; 
 that it is Christ, who is the unfailing preserver and helper of all those 
 that trust in him, and that he only, is able to keep them from fal- 
 ling, and to present them faultless before the throne of his glory, 
 with exceeding joy. He adds — 
 
 " So here you may see that the bringing to the state of perfection, 
 and the keeping from falling from it again, is both the work of 
 Christ ; and yet this is not a perfect salvation ; for this does not put 
 away the former sins." But thirdly, " Whoever comes to perfect 
 saU^ation, he comes to know Christ to be an offering for sin, and to 
 obtain reconciliation with God, and forgiveness of his former sins : 
 for all the holy conversation and perfection of Life, can be counted 
 no more but his duty ; and therefore he cannot obtain remission of 
 one of his former sins ; but those that confess their sins and forsake 
 them, such come <o forgiveness by Jesus Christ, and come to know 
 his blood cleansing them from all their former sins ; and so they 
 come to perfect salvation by grace, not by works, but by faith, that 
 works in the love of God unto obedience ; without which, faith is 
 but dead, and makes no man saved ; but those that have this true 
 faith and hope in them, they purify themselves as he is pure, 1 John 
 iii. 3. And he that has not this hope, does not purify himself, 
 neither does he believe that he can do it ; and by this we know the 
 true believers from the false, and by this sinners are made mani- 
 fest, that cannot stand in the congregation of the righteous. Psal. 
 i. 5. 
 
 " So now let all the pleaders for sin, stop their mouths forever, 
 and let the devil stand for himself and plead his own cause ; and 
 henceforth do not despise and revile the innocent, (that are travail- 
 ing and striving after perfection, with a faith to obtain it) that 
 they think to be saved by their own works; for we hope for no other 
 salvation, but that which is in and by Jesus Christ, the eternal Son 
 of God, who is the first born of every creature, that brings many 
 sons and daughters unto glory, but not by leaving them in their sins ; 
 but his name is Jesus, and he saves people from their sins." — j). 229. 
 
 This extract will evince that the author, though a firm believer 
 in the necessity of the new birth unto righteousness, was equally 
 
101 
 
 firm and clear, in his belief of the virtue and efficacy of that pre- 
 cious sacrifice, which Christ Jesus made of himself for sin. 
 
 On page 70 of the compilers' pamphlet, they have given us an 
 extract from Stephen Crisp's " Description of the Church of Scot- 
 land," wherein he is opposing the notion of three distinct and se- 
 parate persons in one Godhead. The (quotation proves nothing more 
 than his denial of this doctrine, and although the compilers have 
 italicised the words " the Christ," as if to insinuate his denial of 
 the divinity of Jesus Christ, yet no such inference can justly be 
 drawn from them. The following extracts from his Sermons will 
 sufficiently show that the author was far from denying either his 
 divinity, manhood, or atonement. 
 
 " The same Almighty power, that said in the creation, * let there 
 be light, and it was so, he hath shined into our hearts, and the way 
 by which he hath done so, is through the Mediator, through Jesus 
 Christ the Redeemer, in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwells'' 
 —1692, Vol. i. page 91, edition 1822. 
 
 " When there is no hope of atonement and reconciliation with 
 God, by all those offerings under the law, he tells you of one offer- 
 ing of the Son of God himself, through the Eternal Spirit, by which 
 he became a propitiation : for thus will it do, if I believe that Christ 
 offered a holy offering to the Father for my sins, / believe he offer- 
 ed his body ; and that through the Eternal Spirit, that he might be 
 a propitiation for sin, and take away sin, and have power over sin 
 and death, and conquer death and darkness. The apostle carries 
 the matter further — You must come to the inward work of this out- 
 ward offering, this eternal offering, that was in due time offered to 
 God. You must come to know the operations of it, by the sprink- 
 ling of the heart from an evil conscience : so that there was to be an 
 applicatory faith, for the offering of that. The way to a Saviour was 
 not made by man, any more than the way of salvation by Christ, was 
 found out by man : any more than the application of the benefits is 
 effected by man" — page 123, Vol. i. 1692. 
 
 "This IS no new doctrine. We see the new and living way; it 
 was an old way to old Christians, and a new way to the new ; and 
 so, a thousand years hence, if the world last so long, men will see 
 that they cannot do any thing pleasing to God, but as they are ga- 
 thered into Christ. They will see that their own righteousness, 
 works and doings, will avail them nothing at all. This is all laid 
 at the feet of Jesus, whom God hath exalted to be a Prince and a 
 Saviour, to be Lord and Kiyig''^ — page 129, Vol. i. 1692. 
 
 Speaking of the works wrought by Satan, he says — " Why doth 
 not God destroy those work*;, when he is Almighty and al)le' to do 
 it? Very true, God is so, but he hath offered to mankind, tlirou"-h 
 the Son of his love, a way and means, whereby man may come to be 
 purged and cleansed from the evil that the devil hath wrought in 
 him, and may come to be reconciled to God. God hath not chosen 
 the way of coercion and force, and to work altogether by irresisti- 
 ble power, that man shall go to heaven, whether he will or not. 
 There was no force used for his going to hell and darkness, but it 
 was the choice of his will j the devil could not have forced him. 
 
102 
 
 and led him away out of covenant with God ; he could not compel 
 him to break the holy command of God ; but the devil tempted him 
 and he yielded to the temptation, and now man is driven out of the 
 presence of God ; yet God hath found out a way,for the sons and 
 daughters of men to turn again to him. What ! by force and coer- 
 cion, and irresistible power ? No ; but the scriptures saith, He hath 
 offered faith and salvation to all men : He hath freely given the Son 
 of his love, out of his ownbosom,ivho, making himself an offering for 
 sin, hath presented a way and means for mau^s returning again to 
 God. How doth God present Christ to us ? He presents him to 
 the view of every one's mind, to the understanding of every soul; 
 he offers and presents him for salvation to the ends of the earth. 
 There is a damnation come in by man's being subject to Satan ; but 
 salvation comes in, by his being subject to Christ ; as damnation 
 came in by his being defiled, so salvation came in by his being cleans- 
 ed. As the devil is the defiler, so Christ is the cleanser, and man 
 is the object upon which both do work ; and they that have been de- 
 filed and corrupted, as we all have, by the unclean spirit, can any of 
 us give a reason why we should not be cleansed by the Holy Spirit ? 
 
 " We have lost our right to heaven by sin and transgression in 
 the first Adam ; and can any give a reason, why we should not 
 be restored and redeemed by Jesus Christ, the second Ada,m ? No 
 reason can be given for our redemption, but that God is free in his 
 love, and Christ in his offering: he hath offered himself a sacrifice 
 for sin: every priest hath something to offer, this man, the Man 
 Christ Jesus, offered himself, through the Eternal Spirit, a sacrifice 
 for sin ; and now the sacrifice is offered, and a door is opened, and 
 a new and living way consecrated through the vail, that is to sav 
 his flesh"— pages 143, 144, 145. 1692. 
 
 " God, who at sundry times and in divers manners, spake in times 
 past, unto the fathers, by the prophets; hath in these last days, spo- 
 ken to us by his Son. But where is his Son r you will say. He is 
 in heaven. But though He is the High and Lofty One that inha- 
 bits eternity yet he dwells with meek, humble, and contrite hearts, 
 that tremble at his word. If I be one of the number of those that 
 tremble at God's word, I have that promise that he will come home 
 to me, and dwell with me. It is well for thee, if the overruling 
 power of God, hath prevailed upon thee, that thou canst be willing 
 to be at God's disposal, and say. Lord, what wouldst thou have me 
 me to dor"~Page 160. 1692. 
 
 "To the Lord I leave you, to his favour and protection I commit 
 you. liemember that there is no salvation but by Jesus Christ: and 
 none to be had by Christy i\\\ you come to believe in him. To hin) that 
 searcheth the heart and trieth the reins, that pardoneth iniquity, 
 transgression, and sin, for the sake of Christ Jesus the Mediator, to 
 Him 1 do commit you, not doubting that he who hath begun a good 
 work in you, will at last complete and finish it, to his own praise 
 and your salvation."— Page 362, 363. 1691. 
 
 " The institution of the Christian Religion was for this purpose, 
 that holiness and righteousness might be brought forth in the earth ; 
 
103 
 
 that God, through his Son Jesus Christ, might take delight in the 
 sons and daughters of men, that they might be reconciled to him ; 
 for that which the law could not do by reason of its weakness, God 
 hath had zl purpose to do by his Son; and to Himhe gave all potver 
 in heaven and earth, that thereby he might be enabled to perform 
 the great work of God in establishing righteousness, and in bring- 
 ing forth a holy people, to serve a Holy God. This is the great 
 blessing that is come to us, and to all mankind, through our blessed 
 Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; that came to turn every one from 
 the evil of his ways. That is the way and method by which our 
 Lord Jesus accomplished the end of his coming, and the will of his 
 heavenly Father. Moses and all his washings, and offerings, and 
 sacrifices, could not make clean and purge the conscience; and by 
 all his offerings and sacrifices he could not reconcile us to God : but 
 Jesus by his once offering himself^ did forever perfect them that are 
 sanctified^ and by one offering reconciled us to the Father, and so 
 brings forth a holy generation unto God, through regeneration and 
 the santification of the Spirit."— Pages 386, 387. 1692. 
 
 Again, in the second volume; "I'he Apostle alludes (o this bap- 
 tism ; for he speaks in a figure of the eight persons that were saved 
 in Noah's ark ; then he brings down the allegory to Christian bap- 
 tism ; not only the baptism of John, the forerunner of Christ, wlio 
 preached of Christ, but to the Christian baptism itself: by the like 
 figure, whereof baptisrn now saveth us, saith the Apostle, not the 
 putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good con- 
 science. What doth he mean by baptism saving us ? He means the 
 answer of a good conscience towards God, through the resurrec- 
 tion of Christ from the dead; so that Christian baptism did bring 
 along with it, the cleansing and putting away of all sin out of the 
 conscience, that might bring them under doubts and scruples; and 
 then there is an arising of Jesus the Saviour, in the conscience, the 
 mediator, that bought them, to answer for them in the sight of God, 
 for if people be conscious of sin, and do leave oft" their sin, thin doth 
 not yet cleanse the conscience, for there still remains a conscience of 
 sin : 'tis not the leaving off of our sin that makes our atonement with 
 God, or that expiates our gidlt, or doth away the guilt of the sins 
 that we have committed ; but there must be a forsaking and a leaving 
 off'of sin, by the virtue and power of the spirit, by which we are not 
 only enabled to leave oft" sin, but are guided and directed to the Me- 
 diator, whose blood alone reconcileth us to God, and cleanseth us 
 from all sin. 
 
 ^^ If I should never commit a sin ivhile 1 live, it is not this simply in 
 itself, that ivill make me have the ansiver of a good conscience in the 
 sight of God; for there remains the guilt of sin, contracted in the 
 days of unbelief, which is a bar and hindrance, that none can ap- 
 proach the holy God, but in the atonement and salvation that comes by 
 Jesus Christ ; for all that believe and obey the gospel are accepted in 
 Christ, and upon the account of ChrisCs precious blood, that cleanseth 
 us from all sin and unrighteousness. Whom doth it cleanse .►* Those 
 only that forsake their sin, and who, by his power, are brought to a 
 
104 
 
 fiolj life, they, by the virtue of his power, and the cleansing of his 
 blood, come to have their former sins removed from them, as far as 
 the east is from the west." — Pages 53, 54. 1687. 
 
 It needs no argument to prove that Stephen Crisp did not coin- 
 cide with the dogmas of Elias Hicks. These extracts strongly as- 
 sert his full belief in the divinity and propitiatory sacrifice of our 
 blessed Saviour, Jesus Christ, and the whole volume of his sermons 
 is fraught with those very doctrines which are so unequivocally de- 
 nied by Elias Hicks. 
 
105 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Remarks upon the Quotations from Thomas Stort. 
 
 The compilers of the pamphlet have inserted about three lines, 
 on their twenty-fifth page, which are marked as a quotation from the 
 Journal of Thomas Story, page 385. After a careful examination, 
 it appears that no such expressions are to be found there. Whether 
 this false reference was made, purposely to lead the reader away 
 from a very able argument by that excellent man, upon the charac- 
 ter, divinity, and glorious mission of Jesus Christ, as well as the 
 general fundamental principles of the Christian religion, we cannot 
 determine; certain it is, however, that their reference does not lead 
 to the quotation. 
 
 If we turn to page 333 of Thomas Story's Jourqal, we find there 
 a part of the sentence printed by the compilers ; the remainder they 
 have added themselves; tlius most unjustly making him avow a sen- 
 timent, which it is plain from the context he never intended to im- 
 ply. To render their garbling and interpolation more clearly appa- 
 rent, we shall quote what they have printed, viz. " The prophecies 
 concerning the advent of the Messiah was fuljilled to the Jews ; to 
 whom alone he teas sent, and appeared in the dai/s of his flesh" 
 The great length of Thomas Story's argument, (eiglit folio pages,) 
 prevents our inserting the whole, though we sincerely wish it may be 
 carefully perused by every person interested in the subject; the fol- 
 lowing extract will illustrate his views. The part enclosed in 
 brackets, with a hand, is that which the compilers have taken out. 
 
 "And the goodness and mercy of God appeareth still further in 
 this, that in the fulness of tin)e, many ages after that first promise, 
 the Lord added other promises to mankind, both Jeivs and gentileSy 
 even unto all nations, the ivhole posterity of Mam ; when, unio the 
 Jew he saith, Theretore the Lord himself shall give you a sign ; be- 
 hold a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name 
 Immanuel. And unto both the Jew and gentile, he saith, behold my 
 servant, whom I uphold, mine elect in whom my soul delighteth ; I 
 have put my spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgment to the 
 gentiles. Again — I, the Lord, have called thee in righteousness, and 
 will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a 
 covenant of the people,/or a light of the gentiles. To open the blind 
 eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in 
 darkness, out of the prison house. Which fCj" [was fulfilled unto 
 " the Jews, to whom alone he was sent aiid appeared, in the days ot 
 "'his fiesh,],t;£3| where it is said, the people who sat in darkness, 
 saw a great light, and to them who sat in the region and shadow of 
 death, light is sprung up. 
 
106 
 
 *' And that i( might be certainly known, in the fulness of time un- 
 to all mankind, who this sacred person is, and what is the manner of 
 his con)it)g antl appearance both to Jew and gentile; he was to be 
 made manifest unto the Jews tirst, under the name and character of 
 Jesus, (a Saviour ;) and being anointed of God, with all the divine iu' 
 dwelling fulness^ is thereby called Christ; and under both, is railed 
 Jesus Christ, the anointed Saviour; proposed as the object of faith, 
 vnto all nations ; first unto the Jews in the flesh, as born of the vir- 
 S;in ; and secondly, unto the gentiles ; as the true light, who lighteth 
 every man who cometh into the world. 
 
 " First — the testimony of good old Simeon, concerning him, 
 through the Holy Ghos^, is, that he is a light to lighten the geiitiles : 
 and in that respect, their light and salvation, according to the pro- 
 mif«e of the covenant of God aforegoing. 
 
 " Secondly — the evidence of John, where he is full and express, 
 saying, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, 
 and the Word was God. In him was life, and the life was the light 
 of men. That was the true light, which lighteth every man who 
 cometh into the world : and the Word was made (or assumed,) flesh, 
 and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the on- 
 ly begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. And of his ful- 
 ness have all we received, and grace for grace. 
 
 "Thirdly — the witness of Christ himself, where he saith, I am the 
 light of the world, he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, 
 but shall have the light of life. Again — Jesus said unto them, yet a 
 little while is the light with you; walk while ye have the light, lest 
 darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness, knowetU 
 not whither he goeth. While ye have light, believe in the light, that 
 ye maybe the children of light. 
 
 "And as the Father hath promised, and offered his Son, as he is 
 that light, and as his new and everlasting covenant with mankind, in 
 order to their restoration and establishment; not of works, but of 
 life; so whoever will enter into this covenant with God, must first 
 believe in him ivhom God hath fent ; and in the way and manner in 
 which he hath sent him, according to his promises. 
 
 " Now a covenant is not on one side only, but on two, at the least ; 
 and, therefore, God, who is divine Eternal Love, infinite in goodness 
 and mercy, is pleased of his own nature and love to mankind, thus 
 to send his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ into the world ; who by a vo- 
 luntary death upon the tree of the cross, according to the fore-deter' 
 mined counsel and purpose of the Father, declared his mercy, and 
 free pardon of the sins of the whole ivorld ; upon terms suiting the 
 state, reason, and understanding of mankind : that is to say, upon 
 faith in God the Father of all, and in Jesus Christ the Son of God, 
 (as I have already declared,) and repentance from dead works, as 
 the reasonable and necessary terms required of mankind, on our side 
 or part of this covenant ; that we may be restored to the knowledge of 
 God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, his Son ; and made capable of be- 
 ing united unto God, through Christ the J^Iediator between God and 
 man, in this covenant; by and through whom, we are brought into it, 
 and stand therein stedfast and immoveable forever. 
 
107 
 
 " We must then receive the Saviour in the way in wliicii he is sent 
 and proposed unto us; not only cm he. is offered upon the cross for 
 the expiation of the sins that are past ; but also as he is the divine 
 light, enlightening our minds and understandings, as directed by 
 Christ himself, wliere he saith, VVliile ye have liglit, believe in 
 the light, that ye may be the children of light, (hat is, children of 
 God, who is that Light. So that as Adam fell from the true know- 
 ledge of God, and sense of his divine love, presence, goodness, and 
 other attributes through unbelief; we his posterity after the flesh, 
 may all arise and be restored by faith in Christ, the second Adam, 
 the Lord from Heaven, that quickening Spirit; not into the animal 
 life which by nature we already have, and in which we are averse 
 to God, and all his ways; but unto life eternal, that we may all 
 know what that word meaneth, As in Adam all die, even ^o in 
 Christ shall all be made alive. And as by the oftence of one, 
 judgment came upon all men to condemnation, even so by the right- 
 eousness of one, the (vee gift came upon all men unto justification ol 
 life." — Journal, pages 332, 333, 334. 
 
 It will be seen from this quotation that the words " The prophe- 
 cies concerning the advent of the Jlessiah" with which the compi- 
 lers begin their pretended quotation, are entirely of their own mak- 
 ing, and are not to be found in Thomas Story's argument. It is 
 important too, to observe their design in thus foisting in, words 
 ^'hich Thomas Story never wrote there, and the meaning which 
 they thus put upon the sentence. The fair inference from it, as gi- 
 ven by them is, that all the prophecies relative to the advent of the 
 Son of God, were fulfilled to the Jews only ; and thus to do away 
 the necessity of the Gentile world believing in him, or the possibil- 
 ity of their deriving any benefit from his glorious manifestation in 
 the flesh. Now this is not only, not the meaning of Thomas Story, 
 but directly contradicts his own declarations, in the very same par- 
 agraph from which they have carved out their few words. 
 
 in the beginning of that paragraph he says, " other promises were 
 added, to all mankind, both Jews and Gentiles, even unto all nations, 
 the whole posterity of Mam:" — and where he says Christ was sent 
 unto the Jews alone, he expressly declares his meaning to be as re- 
 gards his personal appearance, alluding to Christ's declaration, no 
 doubt, that he was not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the house of Is- 
 rael, which jidainly implies, as to his bodily appearance. It is, (here- 
 fore obvious, that the compilers have i)ut down language of their 
 own, as being Thomas Story's, and have thereby forged in his name, 
 a direct contradiction of what he has asserted in the very same 
 paragraph. Surely, if such liberties as these are to be taken by 
 transcribers, the most christian author, may be made to utter the 
 most pernicious sentiments, and to deny every truth in the religion 
 of Jesus Christ. Even the Bible itself, might then be safely addu- 
 ced as the best autliority for Deism or Atheism. 
 
 The language of Thomas Story, wliich we have quoted, is widely 
 different from Elias Hicks'denial of the divinity and sacrifice of our 
 blessed Lord, and how unworthy a subterfuge is it, to alter and add 
 
108 
 
 to the words of so christian a writer, in order to make him speak the 
 language of unbelief. 
 
 On page 7S, of the compilers' pamphlet, we are furnished with an 
 extract from a sermon preached hy Thomas Story, in which he treats 
 upon the necessity of cultivating that divine charity, which our bless- 
 ed Lord enjoined upon his disciples in these words — " this is my 
 commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you." He 
 tells us, that under the influences of this heavenly love, we shall not 
 personally hate those, who may differ from us in religious opinion ; 
 but that as God loved us, while we were in sin, and was kind toward 
 us, so we should be, toward those whose opinions we may consider 
 erroneous ; yet, he adds, we may and ought to persuade one another 
 in love, with a single eye to the convincement, conversion, and sal- 
 vation of those with whom we reason. With these sentiments, we 
 do most cordially unite : — we consider them coincident with that di- 
 vine command, "love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do 
 good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully 
 use you, and persecute you." It must, however, be remembered, 
 that the same divine love which can only enable us to do this, does 
 as certainly, prevent us from uniting with wicked men, or join- 
 ing ourselves to their society. It leads us to pray for the persons, 
 but to abhor and to protest against their evil practices. It enjoins it 
 as an imperative command, " come out of her, my people, that ye be 
 not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." 
 
 While, therefore, we earnnstly desire to fulfil the important pre- 
 cept of loving all, we are far from thinking, that our blessed Lord 
 enjoined it upon his followers, to have unity and church fellowship , 
 with all. Those, who, by the temptations of a cunning adversary, 
 have been allured into the mazes of unbelief, and are denying the 
 Lord that bought them, we can truly commiserate, well knowing 
 how painful and comfortless a path they tread — we mourn over their 
 errors, and under the influence of this divine charity, we desire ever 
 to pray earnestly, for their restoration to the faith of the gospel of 
 Jesus Christ ; but we cannot, nay, we dare not, unite with them in 
 their unbelief. We feel it our incumbent duty, in meekness and 
 christian boldness to expose their errors, not only to clear our own 
 hands of the evil, but also to free our christian profession from the 
 reproach. 
 
109 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Of the compilers' quotations from the works of Isaac PENNixaxoN. 
 
 The first quotation which the compilers have made from the works 
 of this faithful servant of Jesus Christ, is to be found on page 27 of 
 their pamphlet. It is extracted from a short essay, entitled, " An 
 Incitation to Professors, seriously to consider, whether they or we^ 
 fail in the true acknowledgement^ and owning of the Christ, which 
 died at Jerusalem." From an essay headed with such a title, it was 
 not to be supposed that much could be extracted, which would go to 
 prove that the author denied Christ; and accordingly the quotation 
 made by the compilers, so far from proving I. Pennington to coincide 
 in the unbelief of Elias Hicks, evinces in the clearest manner, his 
 full faith both in the manhood and Godhead of our blessed Lord. 
 He commences the essay thus : — 
 
 " We who are commonly called Quakers, being a people whom 
 the Lord hath gathered, out of the wanderings, out of the many pro- 
 fessions, (out of the several scattered estates and conditions wherein 
 his eye pitied us, and his love found us out,) into a measure of the 
 eternal rest ; where we have found that life, that power, than mani- 
 festation of the Eternal Spirit, and that redeeming virtue which we 
 never were before distinctly acquainted with, I say having tasted of 
 this, having known (his, having felt this, and come to a real enjoy- 
 ment of it, in some degree in our several measures; we could not 
 possibly conceal this treasure, but in bowels of love, (and in the 
 niovings of the life and power of the spirit) have been drawn to tes- 
 tify of it to them who are left behind, grovelling under the burden of 
 corruption, and crying out because of the sin and bondage from the 
 powers of darkness ; v.'ho have in a mist withheld their eyes from 
 beholding that living virtue which is able to save, (and doth save, 
 blessed be his name,) therefrom. Now this we have often found; that 
 this our testimony hath not been received in the same spirit and 
 love, wherein it hath gone forth; but the enemy, (by his subtilty,) 
 hath raised up jealousies concerning us, and prejudices against us, 
 as if vje denied the scriptures and ordinances of God, and that Christ 
 that died at Jerusalem; professing him only iu ivords, (to win upon 
 others by) but denying him in reality and substance. 
 
 " To clear this latter, (for my heart is only at this present, drawn 
 out concerning that,) we have solemnly -professed in the sight of the 
 Lord God, (who hath given us the knowledge of his Son in life and 
 power,) these two things. 
 
 " First, That we do really, in our hearts, own that Christ, who 
 came in the fulness of time, in that prepared body, to do the Father's 
 will (his coming into the world, doctrine, miracles, sufferings, death. 
 
110 
 
 resurrection, &c.) in plainness and simplicity of heart, according as 
 it is expressed in the letter of the scriptures. 
 
 " Secondly, That we own no other Christ than that, nor hold forth 
 no other thing for Christ, but Him who then appeared and was made 
 manifest in the flesh." — Vol. iii. pages 58, 59. 
 
 The following is the quotation made by the compilers, viz. 
 |C?^[" Now that professors generally, have not received their knovv- 
 " ledge of Christ from the spirit, or from scriptures opened in the 
 " spirit, (and so know not the thing, but only such a relation of the 
 " thing, as man's reasoning part may drink in from the letter of the 
 " scriptures) is manifest by this, in that they are not able in spirit 
 *' and understanding to distinguish the thing itself, from the garment 
 " wherewith it was clothed, though the scriptures be very express 
 "therein. Speak of Christ according to a relation of the letter; 
 " there they can say somewhat, but come to the substance, come to 
 " the spirit of the thing, come to the thing itself, there they stutter 
 " and stammer, and show plainly that they know not what it is. — 
 « Now the scriptures do expressly distinguish between Christ and 
 " the garment which he wore, between him that came, and the body 
 " in which he came, between the substance which was veiled, and 
 " the veil which veiled it. "Lo! I come; a body hast thou prepared 
 " me." There is plainly he, and the body in which he came. There 
 " was the outward vessel, and the inward life. This we certainly 
 " know, and can never call the bodily garment Christ, but that 
 " which appeared and dwelt in the body. Now if ye indeed know 
 '" the Christ of God, tell us plainly what that is, which appeared in 
 '« the body ? — Whether that was not the Christ before it took up the 
 ** body, after it took up the body, and forever? And then their con- 
 '' fining of Christ to that body, plainly manifesteth that they want 
 " the knowledge of him in spirit. For Christ is the Son of the Fa- 
 "ther; he is the Infinite Eternal Being, one with the Father, and 
 " with the Spirit, and cannot be divided from either; cannot be any 
 " where, where they are not, nor can be excluded from any place 
 " where they are. He may take up a body, and appear in it; but 
 " cannot be confined to be no where else but there; no, not at the 
 " very time while he is there. Christ while he was here on earth, 
 " yet was not excluded from being in heaven with the Father, at the 
 '' very same time ; as he himself said concerning himself, ' the Son of 
 " Man, which is in heaven.' John iii. 13. Nor was the Father ex- 
 " eluded from being with him in the body, but the Fatiier was in him 
 " and he in the Father: whereupon he said to Philip, ' He that hath 
 "seen me hath seen the Father.' What! did every one that saw 
 "that body see the Father also? Nay not so, but he that saw 
 " Christ the Son of the living God, wiiom flesh and blood revealed 
 "not, but the Father only, Matt. xvi. 16, 17, he saw the Father 
 " also."],,£3|— Page 61. 
 
 The compilers seem to evince but little perception in some of the 
 passages which they have selected, and this among the number. It con- 
 tains a most full and positive declaration, of the doctrinesof "the three 
 that bear record in heaven ;" the ordained appearance of Jesus Christ in 
 the flesh, and his eternal divinity and manhood. Scarcely could a pas- 
 
Ill 
 
 sage be selected more directly at variance with the dogmas of Ella's 
 Hicks. It contradicts his assertion?, that Jesus Christ was not the Son 
 of God, until after the baptism of John ; that he was liable to fall 
 like other men ; that he was no more than a man ; that the same 
 power that made Christ a Christian, must make us Christians ; and 
 that it was impossible the Word could take, or be made flesh ; all 
 which, Elias Hicks has repeatedly asserted. — See " lietters and Ob- 
 servations, &c. with the review of his Letter to Dr. N. Shoemaker." 
 
 To those who will read the essay of I. Pennington, carefully and 
 candidly, it must be apparent that he has in view, to recommend to 
 all professors, an inward and living acquaintance with Jesus Christ, 
 by the revelation of his own holy spirit ; to draw them oflffrom a de- 
 pendence for salvation, upon a mere literal knowledge of the ap- 
 pearance of the Son of God in the Hesh, without coming to witness his 
 power and life revealed in the soul ; and mainly to clear himself and 
 his brethren, the Quakers, from that very imputation which the compi- 
 lers insinuate against them, by adducing him as authority for Elias 
 Hicks' doctrines, viz. denying the scriptures, and the divinity and 
 atonement of that Christ, who died at Jerusalem. 
 
 The compilers have italicised those parts of their extract where 
 I. Pennington speaks of the distinction between the Christ of God, 
 and the body of flesh ; but they might have saved themselves the 
 trouble, since Friends have always professed a belief, both in the 
 manhood and in the Godliead of Christ, and this is the real meaning 
 of I. Pennington; which is very different from the notion, that he was 
 a mere fallible man, endued with a portion of the spirit, commensu- 
 rate with the work he was called to, and that he was no otlierwise 
 divine, than as this spirit dwelt in him, or as every other Christian is. 
 1. Pennington thought not so meanly of his Saviour, as is evident 
 from the exalted epithets which he bestows upon him, in this very 
 essay. 
 
 Francis Bugg, and after him, the author of the Snake in the Grass, 
 quoted the parts of this extract which the compilers have italicised, 
 in order to prove that the Quakers denied the proper humanity of 
 the Lord Jesus. Joseph Wyeth and George Whitehead both replied 
 to this aspersion. The following observations of G. Whitehead, 
 may serve to show, that the meaning which the compilers would 
 have us draw, from I. Pennington's Iangua2;e, is not what was intend- 
 ed by the author. After reciting the Snake's charge, he says — 
 
 " We know best our own meaning, being well satisfied that it is 
 according to Holy Scripture. VV^here is then the difference ? He 
 then quarrels with our meaning, not with the words here, but else- 
 where ; he doth as his author, F. Bugg, has done with the words, 
 •'veil and garment," in L Pennington's question to professors; but 
 this author yields the point ; he assents to both ; as our soul is clothed 
 with our body, as with a garment or veil, and so of Christ ; which 
 warrants L Pennington's question, against his author, F. Bugg, and 
 himself, at least so far as not to make a subject of any further con- 
 tention against us." — See page 499. 
 
 Again on page 505: " Now, though our adversary has made a deal 
 of dispute and quarrel with us about calling Christ's flesh the vail, 
 
112 
 
 as in Hebrews x., yet he is tain to grant that Christ's body is called 
 a vail, in relation to its type, the vail of the temple, but he'll have 
 this not to be in the Quaker's sense. They call it a vail; that is, 
 saith he, a garment, in contradistinction to its being Christ's sub- 
 stance, and of his nature. Whereas it's rather in contradistinction 
 to its being his divine nature; or to its being, in the iirst plac^*, or 
 principally, or chiefly, Christ himself, (who is the Son of God,) for 
 whom the body was prepared ; because he did pre-exist it, or was in 
 being before he took upon him that body, even in his Father's glory, 
 before the world began, wherewith he is glorified. However, the 
 vail which was Christ's flesh, through which he set open the new and 
 living way, we never deny to he Christ's body, or to be a real body, 
 but own it was; and never believed it to be a fantastical body, as I 
 have often said ; but that Christ, the Son of God, took upon him real 
 flesh and blood of our nature, yet pure and iincori'upted, in him. 
 And as his flesh was called the vail, it answers its tj^pe or figure, 
 viz. the vail of the most holy place, or oracle, where God gave an- 
 swers. 1 Kings vi. 20. viii. 6, 8. SChron. iii. 10, 16. And these 
 most holy places in the tabernacle and temple, being places of divine 
 service, then peculiar to the high priest to enter into, their antitype is 
 in Christ Jesus, the newcovenant, where in spirit and in the truth, God 
 is truly worshiped, and meets with and speaks to his people, even by 
 Christ Jesus, their High Priest, who is present, in the midst of his 
 church, and assemblies of his people, the true and spiritual wor- 
 shipers, who meet in his name, spirit and power, whose light and 
 truth brings its followers unto his holy tabernacles. — Psalm xliii. 3. 
 
 "And as to Christ's substance and nature, what does our opposer 
 mean thereby? How has he distinguished in this point.'' Christ has 
 in him, a divine nature, as tvell as that of man, which he hath also in 
 the purest sense. But which is the greatest.'' Is not the divine na- 
 ture, the Deity in him, greater than the manhood ? As he said, 'My 
 Father is greater than all, greater than I.' John x. 29. Neverthe- 
 less, as our gieat and only Mediator and Intercessor, if teas necessa- 
 ry he should be man, as he is the most glorious heavenly Man ; and 
 as the Christ of God, he is spiritually in us, in the saints and mem- 
 bers, in some measure, by his spirit, light, life, and power, even as 
 the incorruptible, immortal seed in man, is of the Father, Son, and 
 Holy Ghost; and therein all true spiritual believers do, in measure, 
 partake of the divine nature, being born again of this incorruptible 
 seed." — See also Switch, 202. 
 
 These very clear remarks of George Whitehead, must satisfy eve- 
 ry candid reader, that by the use of the words garment and veil, the 
 early Quakers never designed any thing more, than to distinguish be- 
 tween the essential divinity and manhood, of the Lord Jesus Christ. 
 The manhood they could not consider as exclusively the Christ, nor 
 yet the divinity exclusively, but gave the term Jesus Christ to both, 
 <leclaring that what God had joined together, they could not separate, 
 though they believed that the fulness of the Godhead, which dwelt 
 in the manhood, was chiefly and eminently the Saviour. 
 
 The next quotation which we have from Pennington, is on pages 
 28 and 29, of the compilers' pamphlet. It is from a treatise entitled 
 
113 
 
 '* Lite and Immortality brought to light by the Gospel. Being a 
 true discovery of the nature and ground of the Religion and King- 
 dom of Christ, &c." It is divided into sections and chapters ; and 
 the extract is taken from the eleventh chapter, entitled " Of the 
 threefold appearances of Christ, to wit : under the lavi^, in a body 
 of flesh, and in his spirit and power." And from the second section, 
 " concerning Christ's appearance in a body of flesh." 
 
 A very important part of this section is omitted, although it im- 
 mediately precedes and follows the extract, and, commences and 
 concludes the section. We would call the attention of the reader 
 particularly, to the parts left out, as from the explicit testimony 
 which they contain to the eternity. Godhead, and manhood of Jesus 
 Christ; his humbling himself unto death for our sakes, and ottering 
 his life a sacrifice for sin ; his ascension to the bosom of the Father ; 
 and glorification at the right hand of the throne of God in the hea- 
 vens ; it is but too clearly apparent, why they did not think proper 
 to quote the whole fairly. They could not but know that if I. Pen- 
 nington was permitted to speak for himself, he would directly con- 
 tradict the sentiments avowed by Elias Hicks, and thus defeat the 
 very object which they had in view, when making their extracts. 
 
 Isaac Pennington, after speaking of the shadowy dispensation of 
 the law, says, " Secondly ; Concerning Christ'' s appearance in a 
 body of flesh. When the time of these shadows drew towards au 
 end, and the fulness of time was come, he who thus appeared in se- 
 veral types and shadows, among that people of the Jews, under the 
 law, he noia came down from the Father, debased himself, and 
 clothed himself like a man, partaking of flesh and blood; and was 
 in all things, made like unto us (excepting Sin, for he was the 
 Lamb without spot) humbling himself to come under the law, and 
 under the curse, that he might redeem those that are under the law, 
 (and under the curse) by fulfilling the righteousness thereof, and 
 bringing them through into the righteousness everlasting, 
 
 jC7*[" Now while he was in the body, his glory did shine to the 
 " eye of the children of the true wisdom : his disciples (to whom not 
 *' flesh and blood, nor the wisdom and knowledge which they could 
 " get from the letter, but his Father revealed him) they saw the hid- 
 ** den glory ; they saw through the veil of his flesh, and beheld him 
 '• as the only begotten of his Father, full of grace and truth. Now 
 " in this body he finished the work, which his Father gave him to 
 " do; he fulfilled all righteousness, (the righteousness of the letter, 
 " the righteousness of the Spirit) that he might brin^ his, through 
 " the righteousness of the law or letter, into the rig-liteousness of 
 " the Spirit and power, into the righteousness of the new life; and 
 " here that Scripture is read and fulfilled, " I through the law am 
 *• dead to the law, that I might live to God." So his whole life was 
 " a doing the will of the Father which sent him. 
 
 " When he was but twelve years old, he disputed with the doc- 
 " tors and teachers of the law, hearing and asking them questions 
 *' {discovering the pure ivisdom of the Father which dwelt in him) 
 " because it was his Father's business which he was to be about, as 
 " he told his mother. Luke ii. 49. And when the Lord led him into 
 
 P 
 
114 
 
 " the wilderness to be tried, he went and was tempted, that he might 
 " fight the battle against his great adversary. And when the Spirit 
 " of the Lord was upon him, moving him to preach the gospel, he 
 " preached the gospel, in the spirit and power of the Father, and 
 " went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the 
 " devil, as his Father's Spirit led and guided him : for he did no- 
 " thing of himself, or in his own will or for himself, but all in the 
 *' will and time of the Father. • Mine hour is not yet come,' 
 " said he to his mother, when she was hasty to have him do that 
 " miracle of turning water into wine. John ii. 4. And so when his 
 " brethren urged him to go up to the feast. John vii. 3, 4. ' My 
 " time,' said he ' is not yet come, your time is always ready,' verse 
 
 " Thus he did always please his Father, and seek the honour of 
 him that sent him; and was obedient to death, even the death of 
 the cross, being willing to drink of the cup, which Ills Father gave 
 him to drink ; and so having finished his work, he returned from 
 •whence he came, and sat doivn at the right hand of the Majesty on 
 high, being exalted above all principalities, and poivers, and domin- 
 ions, both in this world and in that which is to corned — See Vol. iv. 
 pages 98, 99, 100. 
 
 Isaac Pennington here closes his remarks upon " Christ's ap- 
 pearance in the body of flesh," and immediately proceeds to treat 
 of his third or Spiritual appearance in the Soul. The parts extract- 
 ed by the compilers are enclosed in brackets ; and it will be observed 
 that they are preceded and followed by a paragraph, each containing 
 very important evidences of the soundness of his faith. Is it not 
 doing great injustice to Isaac Pennington, thus to cull out a part ol 
 his remarks upon a subject, omitting that which precedes and fol- 
 lows, and is necessarily connected with it, and without which he 
 cannot be fully understood ; and in this mutilated state to publish 
 them as a complete exposition of the author's sentiments ? Is such 
 a course kind, or ingenuous ? Does it not betray a consciousness 
 of the weakness of tlie cause in which the compilers are engaged .-• 
 
 The purport of the omitted portions is worthy of particular no- 
 tice. If Elias Hicks, and his friends, the compilers, believe in the 
 divinity, manhood, or glorious offices of the Son of God, why do 
 they, thus omit the paragraphs, which bear testimony to any of 
 these? Why are they so fearful of quoting passages, where these 
 are clearly and unequivocally acknowledged ? Mutilated, how- 
 ever, as the quotation is, it does not accord with the notions of Elias 
 Hicks. Isaac Pennington, in the compilers' extract, calls our blessed 
 Lord " the only begotten of his Father, full of grace and truth." 
 Elias Hicks says that the Scripture evidence, proves he was the son 
 of Joseph ; and that he was no otlierwise the Son of God than every 
 good man is. Isaac Pennington says, that at twelve years of age, 
 the pure wisdom of the Father dwelt in him. Elias Hicks asserts 
 that the Holy Spirit was not conferred upon him until the baptism 
 of John, when he was thirty 3'ears of age — that then and not till 
 then, he became the Son of God, and that " we hear of no miracles 
 till after all this was done, none at all, nor any thing of his right- 
 
115 
 
 eousiiess or acts." Query — Was it no miracle for a child of twelve 
 years of age to confute the reasoning of the learned Scribes and 
 Pharisees, and doctors of the law ? Was it no righteousness, to be 
 earnestly engaged in doing the willof his heavenly Fatlier? " Wist ye 
 not, said he, that I must be about my Father's business r" Was this 
 no miracle in a child so young? Was it no righteousness, no act? 
 
 I. Pennington says, the Lord led him into the wilderness to be 
 tempted. Elias Hicks declares that it was not an outward wilder- 
 ness he was led into, but the wilderness state of his own mind. I. 
 Pennington acknowledges the existence of an evil spirit or devil. 
 Elias Hicks denies that there is any such being as a devil. See his 
 sermons lately printed, especially those at Byberry and Falsing- 
 ton. 
 
 The next extract from I. Pennington, is on page 29 of the pam- 
 phlet; it is taken from a tract entitled "A Question to the Profess- 
 ors of Christianity, whether they have the true, living, powerful, sa- 
 ving knowledge of Christ, or no ?" In this, as in several other 
 of his essays, he enforces the necessity, of coming to know Christ re- 
 vealed in the heart, by his spirit, asserting that icithout this, the 
 mere historical knowledge of him, diawn from reading Holy Scrip- 
 ture, though true in itself, will never save the soul. The preface to 
 it begins thus: 
 
 <'This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true 
 God J and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." Whom did the Fa- 
 ther send? Did he not send the Son of his Love? From whence did 
 he send him .''Did he not send him out of his oivn bosom? Whither did 
 he send him? Did he not send him into the world, to take upon him 
 a body, and glorify the name of the Father, doing his will therein? 
 He laid down his glory, stripping himself oi the form of God, and ap- 
 pearing in habit as a man, in their raiment, with tiieir garment up- 
 on him, in which, as a servant, the Seed, (the Heir of all,) served the 
 Father; and now his work being as good as done, he looks back at 
 the glory which he had laid down for tlie Father's sake, looking up 
 to the Father, for the restoring of it to him again. " I have glorified 
 thee on the earth, saith he, I have finished the work which thou 
 gavest me to do, and now, Father, glorify thou me with thine 
 own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was, 
 John xvii. 4, 5." — Vol. iii. page 25. 
 
 This short extract alone, is sufficient to decide the question whe- 
 ther 1. Pennington believed in the sentiments asserted by Elias 
 Hicks. Every unprejudiced person, who reads it, must be convinc- 
 ed that he does not ; for the author makes a most explicit declaration 
 of his belief in the eternity and divinity of our blessed Lord ; in 
 his being sent into the world by the Father, laying aside his glory — 
 clothing himself with a body like our's, doing tiie will of the Father 
 in all things, and finally laying down tiie humanity and returning 
 again to the bosom of the Father, and entering into the glory whicli 
 he had with Him before the world began. From an essay preface<l 
 with so sound and scriptural a confession of faith in Christ, it was 
 not to be supposed that the compilers could fairly extract any thing, 
 that would favour the notions of Elias Hicks, and accordingly we 
 
116 
 
 find, that they have had recourse to the most unjust mutilation and 
 perversion of the author's language and meaning. We shall notice 
 the extracts separately, and quote at length, in order tully to show 
 their alterations and omissions — the parts which they quote are en- 
 closed in brackets. 
 
 The pious author begins his es«ay with stating the question which 
 he is going to discus?, viz: "The question is not, whether they 
 know what is said of Christ in the scriptures, but whether they know 
 it savingly, truly, livingly, powerfully?" — And then proceeds to en- 
 force this latter kind of knowledge — on page 29, he says: 
 
 " Our knoAvledge is in a principle, wherein we receive our capaci- 
 ty of knowing, and wherein the Father, (from whom the principle 
 came,) teacheth us. And this is his way of teaching us, by making us 
 one with the thing he teacheth. Thus we learn Christ, by being 
 born of him, by puttirsg him on. Thus we know his righteousness, 
 iiis life, his wisdom, his power, by receiving a proportion of them, 
 which giveth an ability to discern and acknowledge the fulness. 
 ' And in this, we receive the understanding of the scriptures, and 
 know the seed of the woman, (which bruisetli the serpent's head,) by 
 receiving the seed, by feeling its growth in us, and its power over 
 the enemy. Then we know the thing; likewise we know the wo- 
 man, that brings forth this seed after the Spirit, which is the Jeru- 
 salem above ; and ue know also, and singly acknowledge the bring- 
 ing forth of it outwardly^ after the flesh. This seed we know to be 
 the seed of Abraham, the seed of David after the flesh, and the seed 
 of God after the power of the endless life ; and we are taught of 
 God to give the due honour to each .,• to the seed of God in the first 
 place, to the seed of Davidin the second place. There vvas the seed that 
 wrought the thing, which seed was the life, and |C?°[the seed,].QO| 
 in which he wrought it, which |cr'[" was formed into a vessel like 
 " ours, but without sin, in which the pure Lamb appeared in the 
 " pure power of life, which kept the vessel pure, and so he, (who 
 '• vvas to be the first fruits,) had the honour above all his brethren, be- 
 *' ing anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows. 
 
 " But we also are born of the same seed. He is formed in us; 
 '' we are formed of him ; we are as well of his flesh and blood, as he 
 " was of ours. And by being thus formed, and feeling him grow 
 " up in us, and receiving an understanding from him, and in him^ 
 " thus we come to know him, and to understand the words of scrip- 
 '• ture concerning him. By feeling and knowing the Lamb in our 
 " vessels, we know also what was the Lamb in his vessel. "j^Ol 
 
 " Thus we know things in the certainty and demonstration of God's 
 Spirit, even in the light which shines from him, and in the life which 
 he begets ; and we speak of things as they are, and as we feel them 
 to be in the true life, which the Spirit of Christ hath begotten in us. 
 And we can truly say concerning the scriptures, That now we be- 
 lieve, not so much because of the relation of things concerning 
 Christ, which we have found in them ; but because we have seen 
 and received the thing, which the scriptures speak of, and find it to be 
 the very thing indeed, the very Christ of God, the spotless one, the 
 living garment of righteousness and salvation, wherein God findeth 
 
117 
 
 no fault, and in which the soul appears without blame before him."— 
 Vol. iii. page 30. 
 
 From this extended quotation of Isaac Pennington's language, the 
 reader will at once perceive, how far he is from holding the doctrines 
 of Elias Hicks, and also the great injustice which the compilers have 
 done hira by altering and garbling his sentences in order to force 
 upon them their oivn, not his meaning. They commence quoting 
 after a semicolon, omitting the copulative conjunction ^^ancl" which 
 connects the sense with what precedes; take in two words, "f/ie 
 seed" then omit six words, which are necessary to define I. Pen- 
 nington's meaning. What confidence can be placed in the (luotations 
 of men who can thus deliberately change the language of an au- 
 thor, to make him speak sentiments, suited to their own pur- 
 poses, without regarding, yea, even changing his own assertions? 
 Where was the integrity and honesty of the compilers, when en- 
 gaged in this work ? 
 
 It is curious to see the pains they have taken to avoid inserting the 
 preceding part of the paragraph, in which the author expresses his be- 
 lief in both the divinity and manhood of the Lord Jesus. He defines 
 two seeds; one the everlasting Seed of the kingdom, the eternal 
 Word, by whom the worlds were made; the other, the seed of Abra- 
 ham and David after the flesh, the manhood, in which the Holy Seed 
 or Godhead dwelt in fulness. Both these, he says, the Quakers were 
 taught, singly to own and acknowledge ; to confess Christ, both as he 
 appeared in the flesh, and as he is come in the spirit, giving due 
 honour to each seed, to the seed of the kingdom in the first place, to 
 the seed of Abraham and David in the second place. The true 
 Quakers, he declares, were taught to know Christ by being born of 
 him, by putting him on; and by obeying that proportion of divine 
 light received from Him, they were taught to discern and acknow- 
 ledge the fulness which is in Christ Jesus. He confesses their be- 
 lief in all that is declared in the scriptures concerning his outward 
 manifestation in the flesh, and that these very scriptures were living- 
 ly opened and confirmed to their minds, by the operation of that 
 Holy Spirit which gave the scriptures forth. Now if the light of 
 Christ Jesus thus taught the early Quakers to own Christ botli out- 
 wardly and inwardly, and to believe in all that is written concerning 
 him in the sacred volume, it is evident that their pretended succes- 
 sors, who are denying these solemn truths, cannot be guided by that 
 unerring spirit which never can contradict itself. They have swerved 
 from the ancient faith of the gospel, and departed from that religious 
 profession for which our worthy predecessors suffered so deeply.— 
 Let the reader compare the sentiments of Elias Hicks, with those ac- 
 knowledged by L Pennington, the contrast will be strikingly ob- 
 vious! 
 
 On pages 29 and SO of the pamphlet, we have another extract from 
 the same essay of L Pennington, in making which, the compilers 
 have again omitted a considerable part of the paragraph, which is 
 immediately connected with what they quote, and necessary to give 
 the true sense of the whole. The paragraph is as follows; — the 
 
118 
 
 part quoted bj the compilers is enclosed in brackets, designated by 
 a hand. 
 
 " And this may be a great evidence to professors, that they know 
 not indeed Christ in his nature, spirit, life, and power; because they 
 speak not of him, as persons who feel the thing, and speak from the 
 present sense of it, and acquaintance with it, but only as persons 
 that bring forth a notion, they have received into their understand- 
 ings. And yet they fail therein also, for they speak not of Christ 
 according as the scriptures hold him forth, compared one with an- 
 other, but as they have grossly apprehended concerning him, from 
 some scriptures as the Jews outward did. For the scriptures speak not 
 only of a body, but also of Him that appeared in the body; nor only of 
 bodily flesh, blood and bones, but also of such flesh and bones whereof 
 Christ and his church consist. He is Christ (say the scriptures) who 
 is one with the Father, who came from the Father, in whom the Father 
 was, and who was in the Father; so said Jesusof himself, (lifting up his 
 eyes to heaven and praying to the Father of his disciples, and the 
 children whom the Father had given him.) more than once in that sev- 
 enteenth chapter of John. Yea, he is Christ whom a man cannot see, but 
 he must see the Father also; and whom, whosoever seeth the Father, 
 seeth; who was before Abraham was; whom no man could know 
 whence he was, even as no man can know whence the Father is. — 
 ICT'C^hrist granted the Jews that they knew him, and whence he 
 " was, as to his body ; and yet for all that, he was the Christ who 
 " was to come, whom no man knew, from whence he was. What was 
 *' that, Christ called me, speaking to Philip? ' Hast thou not known 
 "me, Philip, hast thou not seen me? What, dost thou know me 
 " after the flesh, after the body? Dost thou take that for me? Have 
 " I been so long with you, and do you know me no better than so ? 
 " The body is from below, the body is like one of yours, (only sancti' 
 f'Jied bij the Father, and preserved without sin ;) but I am the same 
 '* spirit, life, and being with the Father. We are one substance, 
 " one pure power of life, and we cannot be divided ; but he that 
 " sees one, must needs see both ; and he that knows one must needs 
 " know both. This is the Lamb of God which John bare witness of. 
 " which he said was before him, John i. 15, which the body was 
 •' not."].aOJ— Pages 31, 32. 
 
 The partial extract made by the compilers does not by any means 
 coincide with the notions of Ellas Hicks, which it is adduced to sup- 
 port. I. Pennington sufficiently expresses a belief in the Godhead 
 and Manhood of Jesus Christ; his oneness in nature, spirit, life, and 
 being with the Father; his existence before his appearance in 
 the flesh, and his being the Lamb of God, which taketli away the sin 
 of the world. And while he distinguishes between the Godhead and 
 Manhood of Christ, and says, "the body is like one of yours;" lest 
 it should thence be inferred, that he made it no holier than any other 
 human body, he reverently adds, " only sanctified by the Father and 
 preserved without sin;" which shows how far he was from equaliz- 
 ing Christ with man, even as related to his humanity only. 
 
 Another quotation from the same essay, occurs on page 30 of the 
 pamphlet, and presents us with a still more open and direct perver- 
 
119 
 
 sion of the doctrines of I. Pennington, than we have yet had occa- 
 sion to notice. 
 
 It appears there were some illiberal persons, coteinporary with 
 Isaac Pennington, who like our compilers, accused the Quakers, 
 of denying the scripture testimony, to that Christ who died at Je- 
 rusalem, &,c. ; and in order to clear himself and his brethren from 
 so foul an aspersion, he gives forth a declaration of his belief, re- 
 specting the Lord Jesus Christ. This declaration consists of three 
 articles, all of which are necessary, fully to give his faith on the 
 subject; and we could scarcely have supposed that the compilers 
 would have stooped to so great an outrage upon the Christian cha- 
 racter of this good man, as to mutilate and garble a declaration of 
 his faith, to prove his denial of Christ ; when that very declaration 
 was put forth by the author, to prove that he did not so deny. True 
 it is, that they fail in their object, even with all their unfairness, but 
 this is to his credit, not theirs. The turpitude of their design is 
 none the less apparent. The following quotation will prove the 
 truth of what we say — the compilers' extract is enclosed in brackets : 
 
 " Now, a little further to remove the scruples and prejudices, out 
 of the minds of such, as sometimes have been*touched with the 
 power of truth, and have had the witness of God reached to, in their 
 hearts; but afterwards the enemy hath raised mists and cast blocks 
 in their way, stirring up in them, hard thoughts against us, as if we 
 denied what the scriptures affirm in this thing, and indeed, (in ef- 
 fect,) that Christ which died at Jerusalem, and set up a natural 
 principle within, instead thereof. To remove this out of the minds 
 of the honest-hearted, (who, in the guidance of God, might light on 
 this paper,) I shall o/jen my heart nakedly herein. 
 
 First — We do own that the Word of God, (the only begotten of the 
 Father,) did take up a body of the flesh of the Virgin Mary, who was 
 of the seed of David, according to the scriptures, and did the will 
 of the Father therein, in holy obedience unto him, both in life and 
 death. 
 
 Secondly — That he did offer up the flesh and blood of that body, 
 (though not only so; for he poured out his soul, he poured out his 
 life,) a sacrifice or offering for sin, (do not. Oh ! do not stumble 
 at it ; but rather wait on the Lord to understand it ; for we speak 
 in this matter what we knou^ :) a sacrifice unto the Father, and in 
 it, tasted death for every man ; and that it is upon consideration, (and 
 through God''s acceptance of this sacrifice for sin,) that the sins of 
 believers arc pardoned, that God might be just, and the justifier of 
 him which believeth in Jesus, or who is of the faith of Jesus. 
 
 Thirdly — " [|C7^What is attributed to that body, we acknowledge, 
 " and give to that body, in its place, according as the scripture attribut- 
 " eth it, which is through, and because of that which dwelt and act- 
 "ed in it. But that which sanctified and kept the body pure, (and 
 "made all acceptable in him,) was the life, holiness, and righteous- 
 '•ness of the Spirit ; and the same thing that kept his vessel pure, 
 "it is the same thing that cleanseth us. The value which the natu- 
 "ral flesh and blood had, was from that; in its coming from that; 
 "in its acting in that; in its suft'ering through that: yea, indeed. 
 
120 
 
 " that hath the virtue ;"]aaL:3i that is it which is of an unchangea- 
 ble nature, which abideth forever; which is pure, and maketh pure 
 forever, and it is impossible for a man to touch it, but he must feel 
 cleansing by it. Now this living virtue and power, man was shut 
 out. from by the fall; but through the true knowledge of the death of 
 Christ, the way is made open for it again, and man brought to it to 
 be baptised, washed, cleansed, sanctified, fitted for, and filled with, 
 life. So that this it is, that doth the thing ; this is it from whence 
 Christ had his own flesh and blood, (for we are taught both by the 
 Spirit and by the scriptures, to distinguish between Christ's own 
 flesh, and that of ours, which he took up and made his ;) which flesh 
 and blood we feed of in the Spirit ; which they cannot feed on, 
 which serve at the outward tabernacle, nor they neither which know 
 only the outward body; but they only that feed in the Spirit." — 
 Vol. iii. pages 33, 34. 
 
 By noticing where the brackets are placed, the reader will per- 
 ceive that the compilers omit the two first articles of the confes- 
 sion, and close their extract at a semicolon, taking in only six words 
 of a sentence, which begins after a colon, and in which 1. Penning- 
 ton is declaring thfe immutability, eternity, and purity of the Holy 
 Spirit of Christ — then follows his assertion of the fall of man, and 
 the restoring virtue of the sacrifice of Christ, all which, is purpose- 
 ly omitted by the compilers. The two first articles of this confes- 
 sion of faith are particularly full and clear — they assert the belief 
 of the early Quakers in the scripture testimony, that the Word of 
 God, took up a body*of flesh of the Virgin Mary, and did the will 
 of the Father therein ; that he offered up the flesh and blood of thai 
 very body, a sacrifice for sin, and in it tasted death for every man ; 
 that it is upon consideration, and through God's acceptance of this 
 sacrifice, that the sins of believers are pardoned. This is the doc- 
 trine of the early Quakers, and lest any who were striving to com- 
 prehend it in their own reason, should be tempted to deny it, the 
 author exhorts them, to wait on the Lord to understand it, for they 
 spake what they knew herein. How evident it is, that the dogmas 
 of Elias Hicks, are not only innovations upon the ancient faith of 
 the Society of Friends; but direct contradictions, and bitter ana- 
 themas, against some of its most sacred and solemn truths. 
 
 Even the mutilated quotation of the compilers, does not accord 
 with the unbelief of Elias Hicks, since I. Pennington declares in it, 
 the belief of Friends, in all that is attributed to that holy body of 
 Christ, in the scriptures of truth, and to its being miraculously con- 
 ceived ; likewise to the value of the sacrifice of the natural flesh and 
 blood. Now, every one who has read the letters and sermons 
 of Elias Hicks, must see that he denies much that is attributed to 
 the body of Christ in the sacred volume, especially its miraculous 
 conception, and the efficacy of the propitiatory sacrifice, declaring 
 that it is not an atonement for any sins, but the legal sins of the 
 Jews. 
 
 The next quotation, given by the compilers, is from Isaac Pen- 
 nington's " Epistle to all such as observe the seventh day of the 
 week, for the Sabbath of the Lord." The object of the author, in 
 
121 
 
 this essay, is to show that the dispensation of the law of Moses is 
 abolished by the coming and death of Christ, and that the new and 
 more glorious dispensation of the gospel is now come. He points 
 out some of the rituals of the law, as being typical of the more ex- 
 cellent, spiritual things of the gospel, and concludes with enforcing 
 the necessity of witnessing the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ 
 Jesus, to set free from the law of sin and death ; that thus the soul 
 may realize the living substance of those things, which the types of 
 the law shadowed forth. 
 
 The extract inserted by the compilers makes nothing for their 
 cause, and yet such is their aptness at disjointing sentences, that 
 they have commenced after a comma, left out the leading part of 
 the author's sentence, without which his meaning cannot be under- 
 stood, and placed it in their pamphlet as though it were complete 
 in itself, and fairly extracted. This will be seen by reference to 
 the following, where the part they have inserted is enclosed in 
 brackets. 
 
 "Now the sum or substance of this law of the spirit, may out- 
 wardly be signified, in divers short words ; as love, that comprehends 
 the whole of it ; so dotli fear; there is the whole wisdom and course 
 of the life, comprehended also; or thus, 'Thou shalt not lust ;' (thus 
 is was administered to Paul ; Romans vii.) or ' thou shalt keep the 
 Sabbath;' or 'believe in the light, follow the light.' The observing 
 of any one of these, in the spirit, is the keeping of the lav/ ; for ev- 
 ery breach of the law is out of the love ; out of the fear; the lust of 
 the fleshly spirit ; a transgression of the Sabbath, or spiritual rest to 
 God, out of the light, and out of the faith. But if ye will read this 
 in the spirit, and come to the true righteousness of tlie faith, which 
 is received in the obedience of faith to the law of the spirit, |CP[ye 
 " must come to the word of faith; to which Paul directs, Romans x. 
 " 6, by the hearing whereof is the justific;ition, and not by a bare 
 "believing that Christ's blood was shed ; for it is the virtue of the 
 *^ blood which saves, which virtue is in the living Word, and is felt 
 *' and received in hearing, believing, and obeying that Word, thereby 
 " bringing into unity and conformity with him, both in his death, and 
 " in his resurrection and life. This is the only way to life; be not 
 *' deceived ; there is not, nor ever was, any other.3,uD| Oli wait on 
 the Lord in his fear! that it may be opened to you, and that slain in 
 you which cannot bear the straitness thereof, and with which there 
 is no erring." — Pennington, Vol. ii. pages 58, 59. 
 
 Such are the liberties which these compilers take with the com- 
 position of their authors; and what may they not thus make them 
 express ? It is well to observe, that in their own extract I. Penning- 
 ton declares, that it is the virtue of the blood of Christ that saves the 
 soul ; though he also very properly remarks that the blessed benefit 
 of it, can only be known and felt, by yielding obedience to the Holy 
 Spirit of Christ Jesus, inwardly revealed. Now Klias Hicks not on- 
 ly denies that there is any redeeming virtue to the soul, in the p-e- 
 cious blood of Christ, but anathematizes the doctrine of the propitia- 
 tory sacrifice, as wicked and absurd. — See the Review of his Jjctter 
 to Dr. N. Shoemaker, and his Sermons, recently printed. 
 
 Q 
 
122 
 
 We have next, on pages 30, 31, a quotation from an essay by the 
 same author, entitled, " Some questions and answers for the direc- 
 tion, comfort, help, and furtherance of God's spiritual Israel," &c. in 
 which he declares the state of man in the fail, his blindness, igno- 
 rance, and darkness, while in it, and the impossibility of his bringing 
 himself out of it. He then queries — . 
 
 " What is the work of redemption ? Answer. — To purge the old 
 leaven out of the vessel, to purify the vessel from all the false ap- 
 pearances of light, to batter down all the strong holds of the ene- 
 my in the mind, all the leasonings, thoughts, imaginations, and consul- 
 tations, which are not of the pure, or in the pure; and so to new 
 create and new form the vessel, in the image of the wisdom and pu- 
 rity wherein it was at first formed. 
 
 Question. — Who doth this work, or |Cr°[who is man's Redeemer 
 "out of the fall? 
 
 " A. — The Efernal Word, or Son of the Father, even the wisdom 
 " and power which went forth from the Fountain in the creation, the 
 " same goeth forth from the bosom of tlie Father, to purify the crea- 
 " ture, and so bringeth the creature back, being purified and cleans- 
 " ed, into his bosom again. 
 
 " Q.— With what doth this Word, or Redeemer, redeem ? 
 
 " A, — With his own life, with his own blood, with his own eter- 
 "nal virtue and purity. He descendeth into the lower parts of the 
 "earth, becomes flesh there, sows his own seed in his prepared earth, 
 " begets of his flesh and of his bone, in his own likeness, and nour- 
 " isheth up his birth, with his flesh and blood unto life everlasting. 
 
 " Q. — What is this life.^ or how doth it first manifest itself in the 
 "darkness? 
 
 "' A. — It is the light of men. It is that which gave light to Adam 
 " at first, again to him after the fall, and to all men since the fall. 
 " It enlightens in nature; it enlightened under the law ; it did en- 
 " lighten under the gospel before the apostacy, and again, since the 
 " apostac3^ 
 
 " Q. — How doth the light enlighten ? 
 
 " A. — By its shining. The eternal word moves, the life opens, 
 " the light shines: this, in the least degree is a beginning of redemp- 
 " tion; in its fulness it is redemption perfected."]„,£::^Vol. ii. p. 281. 
 
 The object of I. Pennington in these queries, is to describe the in- 
 ward work of redemption out of the fiill ; out of the thraldom of sin 
 inherent, by the power and spirit of Jesus Christ our Lord. This 
 is evident, from the first query and answer which we have extracted, 
 and lest the readers of their pamphlet should perceive the true 
 intent and meaning of Isaac Pennington, the compilers omit the 
 first query, which describes what he is about to treat of in the 
 others, and also cut oft' a part of the second question, viz. " Who 
 doth this work," doubtless with the same view. These little indica- 
 tions of unfairness and want of integrity, would of themselves, be 
 quite suflicient to destroy the credit of their pamphlet, in the esti- 
 mation of every generous and candid mind. I. Pennington reite- 
 rates the declararion again and again, in his works, that a belief in 
 the necessity of the inward work, did not in any degree invalidate 
 
123 
 
 the faith of Friends, in the outward sacrifice, but taught them, reyp- 
 rentlj to esteem and own it, and to feel grateful therefor, to him 
 H'ho has ordained it. 
 
 Upon the same page of the pamphlet, we have a quotation from 
 1. Pennington's " Salutation of love and tender good will to the com- 
 missioners of the peace, in the county of Bucks;" in which he so- 
 lemnly warns them of the necessity of a real change of heart, and 
 of the insufiiciency of all things else, to save the soul. The compi- 
 lers close tlieir quotation at a semicolon ; but the sentiments con- 
 tained in it are so truly excellent, and so opposite to those of Elias 
 ilicks, that we are pleased with the opportunity of presenting the 
 whole paragraph to eur readers, viz. 
 
 |C7'[" There is no way of avoiding the eternal, insupportable 
 " wrath of God, but by travelling out of that nature, spirit and 
 " course, which it is to. Him that sowed to sin and corruption 
 " under the Law, the sacrifices would not save then ; nor him that: 
 " soweth to sin and corruption under the Gospel, the sacrifice of 
 " Christ will not save now; but he that is saved by Christ, must 
 " be sanctified and redeemed from sin and corruption by him ; 
 " which Christ worketh by his principle of life sown in the 
 " heart ;"],-Z::i| which principle turneth against the contrary prin- 
 ciple discovering its nature, and evil dark ways, and drawing from, 
 and leading out of them. Oh ! therefore let me in love entreat you, 
 all my dear countrymen, (indeed I have no end in it but your good) 
 to mind that in your hearts, which discovers your evils to you, that 
 therein ye may feel the power of life drawing you from them, and 
 helping you against them. Greater is the power in this, than the 
 power that is in the contrary principle ; as those that hearken to 
 it, and become subject, by experience feel. And what if ye lose 
 a few fond pleasures for the present, (which indeed are beneath the 
 true state of a man) ye will lose a great deal of misery too, and your 
 gain at last will be exceeding great." — Vol. ii 389. 
 
 From this language of Isaac Pennington, it is most evident, that 
 while he asserts, that lie who soweth to sin and corruption, shall not 
 be benefited by the s.icrifice of Christ; he does clearly imply, that 
 he who soweth to the Spirit, shall as surely partake of the benefits 
 of that holy offering for sin. This is the true doctrine of Quaker- 
 ism. — Hovv different it is from that of Elias Hicks, the reader must 
 at once perceive. 
 
 Page 32 of the compilers' pamphlet, presents us with three lines, 
 extracted from an essay of Isaac Pennington's, entitled "The Holy 
 Truth and People Defended," in which he is replying to a number 
 of charges made against Friends by one, who like our compilers, 
 would make it appear, that they denied redemption and justification 
 by Christ, &c. To the first he replies — 
 
 " And as for denying redemption by ike blood of Christ, oh ! how 
 will he answer this charge to God, when none upon the earth, (as 
 the Lord God knoweth) are so tauu,ht, and <lo so rii^htly and fully 
 own Redemption by the blood of Christ, as the Lord liath taught us 
 to do ! for ive own tlie bl lud of the Lord Jesus Christ, both out- 
 wardly and inwardly ; both as it was shed on the cross, and as it is 
 
124 
 
 sprinkled in our consciences ; and know the cleansinff virtue there- 
 of in the everlasting covenant, and in the light which is eternal ; 
 out of which light, men have but a notion thereof, but do not truly 
 know nor own it. And let him consider, before the time of Anti- 
 christ, it was a great matter to know and own Christ outwardly, as 
 he appeared in that body ; but since the Antichristian Spirit hath 
 got that, the distinguishing knowledge and owning of Christ is, to 
 know, and own him inwardly. The outward knowledge and con- 
 fession now, (as it is generally separated from, and held forth in 
 way of distinction from the inward,) is but the knowledge and con- 
 fession of Babylon, and not the true, living knowledge and confes- 
 sion of Christ, in and by the Spirit of the Father, which is the know- 
 ledge and confession of all the children of the true and heavenly 
 mother, which is the mother of all that are born of the Spirit."— 
 Vol. iii. pages 234, 235. 
 
 At the time when Isaac Pennington wrote this essay, too many 
 professors were placing their whole dependence for salvation, 
 upon a bare historical knowledge of the coming and death of the 
 Son of God, vainly expecting justification from the guilt of sin, 
 whilst they continued in the commission of it, and denying entirely 
 the sensible influences of the Holy Spirit. This knowledge and 
 confession of Christ, by those who rejected him and his govern- 
 ment, Isaac Pennington calls the knowledge and confession of 
 Babylon, that the antichristian spirit had got ; and he exhorts 
 them to come to that inward and living acquaintance with him, 
 which would enable them from their own experience, to set their 
 seals to the truth of all that is declared of him in Holy Scripture. 
 
 It is sorrowful to observe, that in the very society of which he 
 was BO honourable a member, the day that he alludes to seems to 
 have come, when it is " a great matter to know and own Christ 
 outwardly, as he appeared in that body." The Antichristian Spirit 
 Avhich then led the unwatchful, to place undue confidence in the 
 knowledge of Christ outwardly, in this day, is seducing many into 
 a denial of this blessed manifestation in the flesh, under the speci- 
 ous and delusive pretence, of exalting his inward appearance; though 
 in truth, they are thereby denying and rejecting both. The extract 
 we have given, is so pertinent a reply to the compilers, for their en- 
 deavours to prove that he rejected redemption by Christ, that it is 
 well worthy of their serious perusal. The three lines given by them, 
 are taken from Isaac Pennington's reply to the following objection, 
 viz : 
 
 " He [an opponent] saith hefeareth lest Imake this life and virtue 
 our righteousness, which is indeed the fruits of it. 
 
 " Answer. — Who is this that darkeneth counsel, by words without 
 knowledge, and runneth out from the truth into his own imagina- 
 tions ? |[:7^[" What was Christ's righteousness ? Was it not the 
 " life, the virtue, the Spirit of the Father in him, he being one with 
 " it, in the faith of it, and in the obedience to it r"]«Of And is not 
 the righteousness of the Head, and the body the same, communicat- 
 ed from the Head to the body? Are they not all o/ one, and the 
 righteousness one and the sanie in both .'' So much of Christ's spirit. 
 
125 
 
 so much of his righteousness; and out of his spirit, out of his right- 
 eousness for evermore. For the righteousness of the Son is revealed, 
 and communicated from faith to faith, in his Spirit ; and so Christ 
 is indeed 77iade righteousness to thein that are found in his Spirit ; 
 and they are covered with the garment of righteousness and salva- 
 tion, who are covered with his Spirit." — Vol. iii. p. 236. 
 
 On page viS8, 1. Pennington remarks — 
 
 " He [the opponent] saith. Were we godly before, or at that 
 time, it were no act of grace to pronounce us righteous. 
 
 " Answer — He that witnesseth Salvation in Christ Jesus, witnes- 
 seth it to be a continued act of grace. Grace appears to the soul, 
 grace teacheth, grace enableth, grace maketh a change from the un- 
 graciousness of the heart and state, and then grace, (or God by his 
 grace, in and through Jesus Christ) forgiveth the sins that were 
 committed before. For though the Lord visit me with life, quick- 
 en me thereby, make a change in my heart, and state, yet it is his 
 mercy to accept me, and to pass by for his name sake, my former 
 debts and trespasses against him. Alas ! the new covenant, is 
 wholly a covenant of grace and mercy ; and the giving of Christ, 
 drawing the mind to him, accepting and justifying in Him, are 
 works of grace and mercy towards his. So the Spiritual Israel, 
 may well sing this song in the land of holiness and redemption .; 
 " O praise the Lord ! for he is good, and his mercy endureth for- 
 ever ! I can truly set my seal to this thing ; that the more holy and 
 righteous, the Lord maketh me in his Son, the more sensible am I of 
 his love, grace and mercy, in justifying of me ; and it is precious to 
 me, to witness justification and acceptance with him, in and through 
 his iSbn." 
 
 Such is the holy and devout language of this experienced ser- 
 vant of God ! — How directly the reverse of the sentiments of Elias 
 Hicks in his letter to Drs. N. Shoemaker and E. A. Atlee. 
 
 The next quotation from Isaac Pennington, is on page 42 of the 
 compilers' pamphlet. It is taken from a work entitled " Some of 
 the Mysteries of God's Kingdom glanced at, &c." — the preface to 
 it, begins with these remarkable words — " None but Christ, none 
 but Christ, saith my soul, from the sense of my continual need of 
 him, and from the deep love of my heart unto him. Now there is a 
 twofold way of knowing Christ, both which are of use, and have 
 their service, in their several seasons, according to the estate and con- 
 dition of the soul, and according to the dispensation, which it 
 pleasetli God to set up among his people ; the one whereof is literal, 
 the other spiritual ; the one is according to a description of hun, 
 received into the understanding ; the other is according to the re- 
 velation or unveiling of him in the heart.'' — Vol. ii. p. 405. 
 
 He tluMi proceeds to exemplify these two ways of knowing Christ, 
 nnd insists upon the great necessity of witnessing him, inwardly re- 
 vealofj in the heart. The work itself commences thus : 
 
 " What is Christ ? Answer. He is the immediate offspring of 
 {'Eternal life in himself, and the fountain or spring of life unto the 
 creation. * Kven as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to 
 
12S 
 
 the Son to have life in himself;' and in and through his Son, he com- 
 municateth of his life, UBtohis creatures." — page 407. 
 
 Of repentance, he has the following excellent observations: — 
 "What is repentance? Answer. It is Christ's turning of the heart 
 from the dead nature, and from the dead works, towards the living 
 principle, and the living works thereof. 
 
 "Question 2. — Cannot a man turn fromsin, and turn to God when 
 he will? 
 
 "Answer. JV*o. — Man is a captive; his understanding captive; 
 his will captive; all his aftections and nature in captivity; and no- 
 thing can turn him towards God, but that which is stronger than 
 that power which captivateth him. 
 
 " Question 3. — How is repentance wrought? 
 
 " Answer. — It is Christ's gift, whom God hath appointed a Prince 
 and Saviour, to give repentance and remission of sins, who giveth it 
 in his enlightening and drawing virtue, wherein sin's nature is open- 
 ed and the bent of the soul, by him, secretly turned against it."— 
 page 410. 
 
 Under the head of obedience, after declaring that it " is the obedi- 
 ence of the seed conveyed into the creature by the seed" that forms 
 the obedience of the true child of God ; he adds these truly sublime 
 and evangelical remarks. 
 
 " Mark how every thing in the kingdom, every spiritual thing, re- 
 fers to Christ and centres in him. His nature, his virtue, his pre- 
 sence, his power, makes up all. Indeed, he is all in all to a believer, 
 only variously manifested and opened in the heart, by the Spirit. He 
 is the volume of the whole book, every leaf and line whereof speaks 
 of him, and writes out him in some or other of his sweet and beauti- 
 ful lineaments." — page 417. 
 
 In the same essay, treating of justification, he thus beautifully 
 sets forth his faith, in the virtue of the atoning blood of Jesus 
 Christ. 
 
 " Question 5. — How is this justification wrought? 
 
 " Answer, — 'By faith in the virtue which fioiveth from Christ. God, 
 letting in, of the nature of his Son into the heart, and begetting therein, 
 somewhat oi his own likeness, in which he draweth, and which he 
 giveth to believe in : this faith is imfuted by God /or righteousness, 
 in every heart, wherever it is found : and where this faith in the living 
 virtue is found, there God blotteth out the iniquities for his name 
 sake ; yea and remission is felt in that which is made living. And 
 there is one near who hath power to bind or loose, in tlie conscience, 
 according to the nature of the dispensation ; and who doth bind or 
 loose in every dispensation as he findefh cause. But all loosing of 
 sins, is for Christ's sake, and through his blood ; thotigh every one, 
 in every dispensation, is not able distinctly so to read it. Yea, un- 
 der the law, the reviission was by this sacrifice ; though many of 
 the Jews could not read the type. The promise is to the seed of 
 the kingdom, and to man in the seed; and there it reacheth him, 
 whenever it findeth him : for in all his gatherings into, and being 
 found in that, he is blest." — pages 422, 423. 
 
 We should not have supposed that an essay, so fraught with the 
 
12T 
 
 holiest doctrines of tiie scriptures of truth, would have been refer- 
 red to by the compilers, to support a system of unbelief. But as it 
 often happens in such a cause, the weapons used for its defence, turn 
 against itself. 
 
 I. Pennington queries. What is redemption ? This he defines to be 
 "the purchasing of the vessel, out of the captivity and misery of 
 death, into the liberty and blessedness of the divine life, sown, re- 
 vealed, grown up, and perfected in the heart." This then is com- 
 plete sanctification, which Friends have never believed to be ef- 
 fected by the outward offering only. They believe that this Holy 
 sacrifice procured the remission of sins and opened a new and liv- 
 ing way for the people of God to approach unto Him, but that com- 
 plete sanctification is never to be obtained but by yielding obedience to 
 the grace or good spirit of the Son of God, in the heart. That I. 
 Pennington had no intention of denying the virtue of Christ's death, 
 will appear, from what immediately follows the compilers' quota- 
 tions, viz: 
 
 " When Sion, in any heart is built up, it is natural to the Lord 
 to appear there in his glory, and the pure eye sees it, and the 
 pure heart enjoys, and is one with it. So that as there is a true 
 entrance into fellowship in, and enjoyment of, the death af Christ, 
 so is there also of the resurrection and glory of the redeemed 
 life; which is the portion and inheritance, which God hath pre- 
 pared for Sion, after her long desolation and sore widowhood ; 
 which he will give unto her in the sight of all the world, where- 
 by she shall become the beauty, joy, and praise of the whole earth ; 
 who hath hitherto been the reproached, despised, and afflicted, 
 and made a prey of, by the several sorts of devouring spirits." — 
 Vol. iii. pages 427, 428. 
 
 In the next quotation from I. Pennington, pages 47, 48, of the 
 compUers' pamphlet, we have a full acknowledgment of the propiti- 
 atory sacrifice of Jesus Christ, of the good pleasure of the Father in 
 his offering up himself on the cross, and of the great efficacy it 
 had, in the redemption of fallen man. I. Pennington refers to those 
 forcible expressions of the apostle Paul in Romans, v. 18, 19. 
 " Therefore, as by the offence of one, judgment came upon alt men to 
 condemnation ; even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift 
 came upon all 7nen unto justification of life. For, as by one man's 
 disobedience, many were made sinners ; so by the obedience of one, shall 
 many be made righteous." It is a little remarkable, that the compi- 
 lers, in order to prove that I. Pennington rejected this doctrine 
 should adduce a quotation from an essay, which he wrote to set 
 forth his full belief and firm fiiith in it. The essay from which the 
 extract is made, is entitled " Life and Immortality brought to light 
 by the Gospel, &c." and the eighteenth section, containing the quo- 
 ted sentence, is thus headed : " Some observations concerning the 
 Priesthood of Christ, from several passages in the Hebrews." We 
 shall insert some parts of it. He thus commences : 
 
 "Observation l.— Who is the Apostle, and High Priest of our pro- 
 fession? It is Jesus Christ the Son of God, whom God hath appoint- 
 
128 
 
 ed Heir of all things, by whom he made the worlds, and who is the 
 express image of his Father's substance, &c. Heb. i. and iii. 1. 
 
 "Observation 2. Why this High Priest was to suffer death? which 
 was, that he might taste death for every man, and so through suffer- 
 ing, become a perfect Saviour, or perfect Captain of Salvation, to 
 all the sons that were to be brought by him to glory, ii 9, 10. 
 
 " Observation 3. Why he partook of flesh and blood ? one reason 
 whereof was, because the children (and that therein he might show 
 them an example of righteousness, that he might condemn himself in 
 the flesh) were partakers of flesh and blood ; for that was the very 
 ground or reason, that he took part of the same : another reason was, 
 that which was mentioned before; that he might taste death, and 
 through death destroy him, who had the power of death, and so break 
 open the prison doors, and deliver those who were captives under 
 him, ii. 14, 15. 
 
 "Observation 4. Why he was, tempted, and why in all things, it 
 behoved him to be made like unto his brethren? Which was, " that 
 he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining 
 to God; to make reconciliation for the sins of the people." For his 
 own suffering under temptations, (even the sense thereof,) renders 
 him merciful, tender, faithful, and ready to help, and succour his, in 
 all their temptations, ii. 17, 18. 
 
 " Mark ; Christ was not only to die, and so offer up a sacrijice of 
 atonement, but he was also to make reconciliation by it, ever after- 
 wards for his children, (in case of transgression,) whenever occasion 
 should be. So saith John, "If any man sin we have an Advocate 
 with the Father," (to plead for the forgiving and blotting out of the 
 sin,) "and he is the propitiation, (or reconciliation) for our sins;" as 
 the old translation renders it, I John ii. 1, 2. — Vol. iv. pages 121, 
 122. 
 
 " Observation 16. That this High Priest needeth not to offer ma- 
 ny sacrifices to atone by, as the priests under the law needed to do 
 often: for he was a perfect Priest, and offered up one perfect, spot- 
 less sacrifice; and ' is a propitiation for the sins of the whole world," 
 vii. 27, 28. 
 
 "Observation 23. For what cause, Christ was Mediator of tlie New 
 Testament? which was, that by means of death, for the redemption 
 of the transgressors under the first testament, they which are called 
 might receive the promise of eternal inheritance, verse 15. For God 
 hath made Chr\st, a propitiation for all men, both Jews and Gentiles, 
 that through faith in his blood, his righteousness might be declared, 
 for remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God, 
 that he might be just, and a justifier of him, who is of the faith of 
 Jesus. Rom. iii. 15, l6. So that they that were under the first cove- 
 nant, hearkening unto him, and believing in him, were justified from 
 all things, from which they could not be justified by the law of Mo- 
 ses, Acts xiii. 39. 
 
 " Observation 24. The necessity of Christ's death ; which was, be- 
 cause he was to make way by his own blood into the holiest, to ap- 
 pear before God for us, and to sprinkle the heavenly things with the 
 blood of a Sacrifice, of an higher and better nature, than the blood of 
 
129 
 
 bulls and goats was; for that was the blood of the covenant which 
 was to pass away; but he was to sprinkle his, with the blood of the 
 everlasting covenant; and by this his death and blood, (sprinkled 
 upon the hearts of his,) his covenant comes to be of force, Hebrews x. 
 16 to 25, and xiii. 20, 21. 
 
 " Observation 25. — That tliis High Priest need not often offer sacri- 
 iices to put away sin, as the priests of the law did ; because this one 
 offering is sufficient ; and the blood thereof sprinkled upon the con- 
 science, is able to purge away dead works, wherever it is sprinkled. 
 There needeth not anij other offering, nor any other blood to do it; 
 but all that is now further needed, or to be expected by his, is his ap- 
 pearing the second time, without sin, unto salvation, in the pure vir- 
 tue, power, and life, of his own spirit — Verse 25 to the end. 
 
 " Observation 26. — |ri?'[VVhat it was, that was the thing of great 
 "value with the Father, in Christ giving up himself to death.*' It 
 " was his obedience. He did obey his Father in all things, not do- 
 " ing his own will, but the will of him that sent him. ' He was 
 " obedient to death, even the death of the cross :' and so, as by one 
 " man's disobedience, death came upon all, so by the obedience of 
 "one, the free gift came upon all; which free gift is unto life; for 
 '• life comes upon all that come to him, and believe in him, through 
 " the fvee gift, which is freely tendered to, and come upon all. — 
 "Rom. v. 18, 19. 
 
 " Observation 27. — That God took away sacrifices and burnt ofFer- 
 " ings, which were appointed by the old covenant ; that he might es~ 
 "tablish this obedience among all his children. Christ led the way, 
 " and all are to follow him in the new obedience, and to walk in 
 " newness of spirit before the Lord. — Verse 9. 
 
 "Observation 28. — That we are sanctified by the same will by 
 " which Christ was sanctified, or sanctifidh himself. In subjection 
 "to the same will which the head obeyed, (even in denying them- 
 " selves, taking up the cross to their own wills and submitting to 
 *'God,) are the members sanctified, ]^£:]| The spirit of God works 
 them into holiness, by this will of God, and through the offering of 
 the body of Jesus Christ once. — Verse 10. John xvii. 19. 
 
 "So mark: there is the will of God, the offering up the body of 
 Jesus, the pouring out the spirit of grace, the new covenant, and faith 
 in Christ, &,c. Jill these tend to work out one and the same thijig^ 
 and they all concur thereto in their several orders and places." — 
 Vol. iv. page 128. 
 
 The reader will now perceive what part of the observations of I. 
 Pennington the compilers have thought proper to extract, and it is 
 worthy of particular notice, that they close their quotation within 
 two lines of the end of a paragraph, omitting the remainder of it, 
 and also the concluding paragraph of the observation. And why, we 
 would ask, do they omit these ? Because they assert the author's belief 
 in the propitiatory sacrifice of the body of the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 and directly contradict the positive denial of that offering whicii 
 Elias Hicks so often makes. It is indeed mournful to see men who 
 profess a regard to honourable principles, thus mutilating the lan- 
 guage of an author, to make him speak sentiments directly the re- 
 
 R 
 
130 
 
 verse of what he holds. Isaac Pennington is one of those liurnbJc^ 
 believing Christians, who receive with reverent gratitude the glo- 
 rious doctrine of pardon and redemption, through the blood of Jesus 
 Christ, (he Lamb of God ; a doctrine whose professors Elias Hicks 
 is pleased to call " idle and ignorant," " bold and daring," " desti- 
 tute of any right sense of justice and honesty, mercy and love." 
 
 The next (juotation made by the compders, is from the preface to 
 a treatise by I. Pennington, entitled " The consideration of a posi- 
 tion concerning the book of common prayer." The compilers have, 
 as usual with them, treated him unfairly, by taking their extract 
 from a paragraph, the different sentences of which are connected 
 so as to be necessary to the full understanding of the author's mean- 
 ing. We shall insert the whole paragraph, enclosing the compilers* 
 quotation in brackets. 
 
 " Christ, tll^ Eternal Son of God, the substance of all the types 
 and shadows of the law, was made a Priest to God, not after the law 
 of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. 
 He came in the power of the Father, he received the power, he minis- 
 tered the power, and in the power. Thus he gathered together living 
 stones, built them into a living temple for the Father of life to dwell in, 
 that they may be filled with the power, dwell in the power, and be 
 to the glory of the povver. The church of Israel, the church of the 
 old testament, the church of Moses, was gathered by the letter; was 
 to be ordered by the letter ; was to keep and observe the law of the 
 letter ; was to have priests and sacrifices according to the letter ; but 
 the new testament church was to be of true Jews; of Jews gather- 
 ed in the power, circumcised by the povver, renewed in the power. 
 &c. So that he is not a Jew any longer, who is one outward, nor 
 that circumcision which is outward in the flesh ; but he is a Jew who 
 is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, 
 and not in the letter. We are the circumcision, saith the Apostle, 
 which vvorshipGod in the spirit, and have no confidence in the flesh. 
 |ni/°'[The new testament state, is a state of substance, even of that 
 " Spiritual Substance which the law held out in shadows. The Jew 
 " is inward, the circumcision inward, the sacrifice inward, the church 
 " inward, the ministry inward, the worship inward : all is in spirit, 
 ''in life, in power, in virtue; the whole state is answerable to the 
 " Hiiih Priest of our profession, even after the power of the endless 
 " life. By the eternal spirit was he made a minister, by it he preach- 
 " ed, ('the spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed 
 " me to preach the gospel,' &c. Luke iv. 18.) ' through it he offered up 
 '• himself, a sacrifice without spot to God.' Heb. ix. 14. And in the 
 " same power runs the vein of the whole dispensation of the gospel, 
 " for it is a ministration of the spirit. 2 Corinth, iii. 8, Take away 
 "the life; take away the spirit; ye take away the stones of this 
 "building; ye take away the church ; ye take away the ministry; ye 
 "takeaway all." — <cO|Vol. ii. pages 115, 116. 
 
 The reader will observe that there is nothing like coincidence 
 with Elias Hicks' principles, in this extract from I. Pennington. He 
 calls Chri>t Jesus, the Eternal Son of God; whereas Elias Hicks 
 says, he was not the Son of God, until after the baptism of John. 
 
131 
 
 I. Pennington describes him as the substance of all tiie types ami 
 shadows of tiie law. Elias Hicks says he was himself but a type 
 under the law. 1. Pennington asserts him to be the High Priest of 
 our holy profession, after the power of an endless life. Elias Hicks 
 says he was no more than an Israelite. I. Pennington declares that, 
 through the Ktcrnal Spirit, he offered himself up, a sacrifice unto God 
 for the sins of the people : Elias Hicks says. His death was no more 
 than that of a martyr, and that he was not an atonement for any 
 sins but the legal sins of the Jews. 
 
 The next quotation, on pages 43, 44, of the pamphlet, is marked 
 "Pennington on Christ," but no page given, which would enable us 
 to refer to the part of his works, in which it was contained. So 
 much has I. Pennington written "on Christ," and so repeatedly has 
 he declared his full faith, in all his glorious offices and attributes ; 
 that we were not a little at a loss, where to look for the compilers' 
 quotation. After a careful examination, however, we have at length 
 succeeded, and unravelled the whole mystery. On a comparison of 
 the original with the pretended extract, we find that they have so 
 altered and garbled the text, that it bears, at first sight, so little re- 
 semblance to the original, that we passed it over, as not being the one 
 we were in search of. No wonder that the compilers omKted the 
 page whence it was manufactured ; we commend them for the faint 
 traces of shame which the concealment indicates. 
 
 It is painful to us to be obliged, again and again, to remark upon 
 their unfair and mutilated quotations. It is wearisome and disgust- 
 ing — but it is a duty we owe to the public, and to the worthy authors, 
 whom they thus misrepresent. Such wanton and unjustifiable per- 
 version of a writer's meaning and language, is the very worst spe- 
 cies of detraction ; because the vilified author is not present to de- 
 fend himself ; and by such unfair means, he may be presented to the 
 world as holding the most unchristian principles; principles which 
 his very soul abhorred, and which the whole tenor of his writings, 
 his godly life, and triumphant death, directly contravened. 
 
 The extract is from the essay entitled " A question to the Profes- 
 sors of Christianity," &c. from which they have before given us a 
 garbled extract. The reader will observe that the scraps which they 
 have taken out and joined together are all enclosed in brackets. 
 
 |0°'[" The question is not whether they know what is said of 
 " Christ in the scriptures, but whether they know it savingly, tru- 
 "li/, livingly, powerfully f]aJ^i Yea they may know what is said 
 of him, and yet not knoiv him, of whom those things are said. As 
 it was with |Ci°'[the Scribes and Pharisees, they knew what was 
 "said of Christ in the law and prophets; but they knew not him- 
 " self when he appeared in that body of flesh. So men may now 
 "know what the apostles and the evangelists have said]a£3| con- 
 cerning his appearance in a body of flesh, ICT'Cconcerning his birth, 
 " circumcision, baptism, preaching, doctrine, miracles, death, resur- 
 " rection, ascension, intercession, &c. ; and yet not know him, of 
 " whom these things are said.]a:£:3| Yea they may know what 
 is said concerning the Word which was from the beginning, and yet 
 not know the Word, the power, the life itself. Since the prevailing 
 
132 
 
 of the apostles' testimony, |C7*[the way of the enemy hath not beeu 
 " directly to deny Christ, but to bring men into such a knowled"-e 
 "of Christ as saves not. And as the enemy did own Christ when 
 " he appeared in that body of flesh, saying, ' T know thee who thou 
 " art, the Holy One of God ;' so he hath found it for his advantage 
 " almost ever since, to own that appearance of his. So that this he 
 " doth not oppose, nor men's knowledge and understanding of scrip- 
 " tures, so as to confirm them in this, but the saving knowledge, the 
 "true knowledge, the living knowledge, the powerful knowledge of 
 " truth, that he always opposeth ; for that alone overturns and de- 
 " stroys his kingdom in man, and brings man out of his reach. ]qO| 
 Now there is a vast difference between knowing the relations 
 concerning a thing, and knowing the thing related of. And there 
 is also a great deal of difference, between believing the relations 
 concerning a thing, and believing in the thing, which is related of. 
 
 "Spiritual things cannot be savingly known but in union with 
 them, in the receiving of them. A man can never really know the 
 Spirit of God by all that can be said, concerning it, but he must 
 first feel, somewhat of it, whereby he may truly know it. So the 
 peace, the joy, the life, the power, they pass the understanding, and 
 a man can never rightly know them by reading, or comprehending 
 ever so much concerning them; but by coming out of himself and 
 travelling thither, where they are given and made manifest he may 
 come into acquaintance with them. |C?^[And if the peace which 
 " Christ gives, the joy, the life, the power, cannot be thus known bv 
 " literal descriptions, how can he who is the fulness of ain,oD| the 
 fountain of them all, the treasury of all perfection, |C?"[in whom are 
 "hid all the riches and treasures of wisdom and knowledge, how 
 "can he be known by outward and literal descriptions ?"]a30| — 
 Vol. iii. pages 28, 29. 
 
 It is easy to perceive what mangling of sentences and para- 
 graphs is here made by the compilers. They might almost as well, 
 forge an essay in Isaac Pennington's name, as thus to change and 
 re-model one of his own. There is one part of the paragraph which 
 we have quoted, that furnishes us with a decisive proof of I. Pen- 
 nington's full belief, in the scripture testimony, to the coming, suf- 
 fering, death, and various offices of Jesus Christ. At the time in 
 which he lived, professors of religion, were so firmly established in 
 all these points ; and the necessity of believing them, was so stren- 
 uously enforced by the ministers of all denominations, that he re- 
 marks, " since the prevailing of the apostles'' testimony, the way of the 
 enemy hath not been, directly to deny Christ." He considered the 
 inspired writings of the holy Evangelists and Apostles, to be so 
 full, clear, and indisputable, as to aiford the enemy little hope of 
 success, in tempting men to deny them. Judging from his own 
 sincere conviction of their truth, he supposed few persons would be 
 found, so hardened in unbelief, as to call in question the glorious 
 manifestation of the Son of God in the flesh, or to reject the bene- 
 fits of what he then did, on behalf of a lost world. Hence he argues, 
 that as Satan found itJ to his advantage, to acknowledge Christ when- 
 personally among men, so it had been to the interest of his king- 
 
133 
 
 •loin, to appear to do so ever since, and by this stratagem to lead 
 men into such a belief in him, as saved not. 
 
 But the times are altered. The enemy is ever ready to accom- 
 modate himself to circumstances, and to suit his wiles to the dispo- 
 sition and favourite notions of poor man. Hence he is now trans- 
 forming himself into an angel of light; pretends to be a mighty ad- 
 vocate for the Spirit, and a great opponent of traditional believers, 
 and letter-learned christians ; and by these devout appearances, is 
 seducing and leading away many passive and credulous followers, 
 into an open denial of the solemn truths of holy scripture ; persuad- 
 ing them meanwhile, that by thus denying the written testimony of 
 the Holy Spirit, they are becoming more conformable to the inward 
 light. But alas! they know not what Spirit they are of: they see 
 not the cunning working of this subtle serpent. He delights in these 
 pretences to the guidance of the Spirit of Truth, he glories in their 
 boasted revelations, and clearer views, because he knows, that so 
 long as he can feed them with these, and keep alive within them, 
 that evil heart of unbelief which rejects the truths of Christ's gos- 
 pel, so long they are securely his. So long as he can satisfy them 
 with the likeness, and keep them from coming to the thing itself, it 
 is easy to persuade them, that they are advancing in their heaven- 
 ward journey, and becoming wise in the mystery of God's salvation, 
 when in truth they are blind as the sorcerer who groped at noon- 
 day, and are not among the number of those " babes and sucklings," 
 to whom only, the Father revealeth the gospel of his dear Son. 
 
 Could Isaac Pennington see the use which the compilers are now- 
 making of his writings, how mournful would be his feelings. Sure- 
 ly he would conclude that the power of delusion had prevailed to a 
 most fearful degree, when the professors of that religion for which 
 he suffered so deeply, are not only denying those doctrines which 
 he held so sacred, but are mutilating his writings, and perverting 
 his meaning, in order to make him do the same. 
 
 On page 44 of the pamphlet, we have another quotation from the 
 18th chapter of Isaac Pennington's essay, entitled "Life and Im- 
 mortality brought to light, &c," a considerable portion of which, we 
 have already (quoted. The compilers have extracted only the last 
 sentence of the concluding paragraph of the 32nd observation, omit- 
 ting some preceding matter which seems necessary to explain the 
 author's meaning. We shall transcribe the whole, viz: 
 
 " Whither they came in the apostles' days, who knew Christ as 
 the High Priest and Mediator, and who partook of the blood of 
 sprinkling ? They came to spiritual Mount Sion, and to the city of 
 the Living God, the heavenly Jerusalem — Heb. xii. 22. Observe, 
 likewise, where they walked, who felt the virtue of Christ's blood 
 cleansing them; which was 'in the light as God is in the light,' 1st 
 Jolm, i. 7." 
 
 Now, what light is that which the redeemed are to walk in.'^ Is 
 it not the light of the LAMB'S city; the new Jerusalem? Is it 
 not the light thereof, that the nations of them that are saved must 
 walk in r — Rev. xxi. 24. Yea, this light, this city, and the holy 
 waters of the sanctuary, which flow and stream from tiie river of 
 
134 
 
 life there, were in measure known and experienced in the days ol 
 old ; which David prayed for, and experienced a sense of — Psalm 
 xliii. 3, xlvi. 4. Yea, he knew also the blood of the everlasting co- 
 venant, praying and waiting to be sprinkled, and cleansed therewith 
 —Psalm li. 6. For he looked through the outward figure, to what 
 his soul needed to purge and wash it inwardly ; which outward 
 hyssop, or outward water of purification, he knew would not do; 
 for he that saw through the ouiv.ard sacrifices, to the inward, could 
 not choose but see through these also. But that power, virtue 
 and life of God's spirit, which could 'create a clean heart and re- 
 new a right spirit in him ;' and bring him into God's presence, 
 where he might feel the upholdings of his free spirit, and partake 
 of the joy of God's salvation and deliverance from that which had 
 defiled him; this was it he prayed for; knowing assuredly, he 
 should here meet with the true hyssop, and water of life, and blood 
 of the covenant, which purgeth the heart and conscience from dead 
 works, and maketh it whiter than the snow in God's sight, v. 10, 
 11,12. |CIP[" For he that delighteth not in sacrifice nor burnt 
 " offerings, neither could he delight in hyssop, or water, or blood, 
 " outward or natural; but infthat which melteththe heart, and puri- 
 " fieth the conscience, from that which is dead and unclean, in that 
 " is God's delight ; and in that which is melted, broken and purified 
 " by it."]«Ci|— V. 16, 17. Vol.iv. p. 129, 130. 
 
 We have next, a quotation from Isaac Pennington's answer to 
 such as objected that the Quakers preached a new way, &c. We 
 shall quote the paragraph at length, that the author's meaning may 
 be better understood. 
 
 " Object. It is objected against us, that this which we testify to, 
 hold forth, and practice, is a new way, sprung up of late, never 
 known nor heard of in the world, till some few years ago. 
 
 Ans. The Light eternal, when it shineth out of the darkness, af- 
 ter the great apostacy from the spirit and life of the apostles, is new 
 indeed to those that were overwhelmed and buried in the darkness 
 of the night, and so never saw or heard of it before ; but it is not new 
 in itself, but the same that it was from the beginning. |G="[" This 
 Seed of life, this Seed of blessing, is the same that was promised at 
 first to bruise the serpent's head. The same which was promised 
 to Abraham when the gospel was preached to him. The same that 
 saved all (that believed in it) under the law; for it was not the 
 types and shadows, and outward ordinances, which saved the soul 
 then, but the Seed, who was the Saviour from the beginning, and is 
 the Saviour all along, even to the end : and it was the same, which 
 was the Gospel in the days of the Apostles. They preached the 
 Seed also, the Word of faith ; Christ the way, Christ the power. 
 Yea all along the times of the apostacy, this was the thing that pre- 
 served the vv'itnesses, saving them from being swallowed up in 
 the darkness, and keeping them alive in their testimony. And 
 there is no other thing held forth now, bj' those who are in the 
 truth, and raised up by the power of God in it, to give testimony to 
 it. This is it, from whence life hath sprung, in any that have fel 
 life, in all ages and geuerations.3«£3l This is the Boot and Off- 
 
135 
 
 spring of David, the bright and the morning Star. This is the De 
 sire of all nations (Oh that they knew their desire,) and their sav- 
 ing health too, without wliich they can never be healed !" — Vol. iv. 
 pages 12, 13. 
 
 It will be observed, that the compilers, by stopping their quota 
 tion at " generations," have omitted a very important part of Isaac 
 Pennington's definition of that Holy Seed of life^ -which has been 
 the Way to Salvation in all ages of the world. As the account 
 stands in I. Pennington's essay, it forms a beautiful description of 
 Him, who is " the way, the truth and the life," and who declared, 
 " before Abraham was, I am." He is indeed " the Root and Off- 
 spring of David," an expression which acknowledges both his God- 
 head and manhood — the bright and the morning Star, the Desire of 
 all nations — terms which are used in Scripture exclusively, to de- 
 signate Jesus Christ the Eternal Son and sent of God. 
 
 Isaac Pennington's views will be more clearly explained, by in- 
 serting a short paragraph from the eleventh chapter of his Essay, 
 entitled "Life and Immortality brought to light by the Gospel." — 
 Speaking of the appearance of Christ under the Law, he says, 
 " Various were the appearances of Christ, sometimes as an angel 
 in the likeness of a man ; so to Abraham, and so to Jacob, when Ja- 
 cob wrestled with him and prevailed, and had overcome; so to 
 Joshua, or the captain of the Lord's host, at his besieging Jericho; 
 so to Moses in the bush, he appeared as an angel. Acts vii. 35, so 
 likewise in visions. — Those glorious appearances of God to the pro- 
 phets in visions, were the appearances of Christ; as particularly, 
 that glorious appearance of God, sitting upon a throne, and in his 
 train filling the temple, and the Seraphims crying " Holy ! Holy ! 
 Holy is the Lord of Hosts, his glory is the fulness of the whole 
 earth !" Isaiah vi. This was an appearance of Christ to Isaiah, as 
 is manifest, John xii. 41. where the evangelist (relating to that 
 place) useth this expression: " These things (said Isaiah) when he 
 saw his glory, and spake of him." — So he was the Angel of God's 
 presence, which went before the Jews, in all their journeyings and 
 travels out of Egypt, flirough the sea and in the wilderness, and in 
 the time of the judges ; and wrought all their deliverances for them 
 as is signiiied, Isaiah Ixiii. 9. " In all their afflictions he was af- 
 flicted, and the angel of his presence saved them," &c. So with the 
 three children, he appeared in the midst of the fiery furnace, " in 
 a form like the Son of God'"' — as Nebuchadnezzar judged. Dan. 
 iii. 25."— Vol. iv. p. 94. 
 
 From the manner in which the primitive friends used the term 
 Seed, to denote that holy gift of light and grace which in some mea- 
 sure was vouchsafed to mankind, under the former dispensations, 
 but more fully and gloriously in this gospel day ; asserting that it 
 had, in all ages been the Saviour of men, they were accused of de- 
 nying that the promise made to Adam, foretold, or was fulfilled in, 
 the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Thus the " Snake in the 
 Grass," p. 140, says, "They have evaded the most express texts, 
 for Christ's humanity, even that. Genesis iii. 15. his being the Seed 
 of the woman : they allegorize that too, into a spiritual sense, quUe 
 
136 
 
 away from the letter, and to mean nothing else in the world, but 
 their light within." To which the author of the Switch replies, — ■ 
 " We have not evaded any text of Scripture for Christ's hunjanity, 
 therefore not that of Genesis iii. 15. wherein HE is testified of, as 
 the Seed of the woman : Nor have we allegorized it into a spiritual 
 sense, beyond the authority of express texts of Scripture, much less 
 quite away from the letter ; but as ive noiv do, so we alwaxjs since a 
 ■people, have owned that it did mean something more than the mani- 
 festation of the Spirit or Light of Christ in man." 
 
 The Snake to prove his charge, quoted a paragraph from W. P's. 
 Christian Quaker (see works. Vol. i. p. 572.) i,n which he states that 
 as the serpent was a spirit, so nothing could bruise his head, but 
 something internal and spiritual, &c. The author of the Switch 
 recites the passage, and adds — 
 
 " Thus W. P. from which the Snake says, his consequence is, that 
 that the promised Seed, was not any person, but a principle. "SVhich 
 consequence is falsely drawn by the Snake from W. P's. words ; the 
 consequence of them being more truly, that the promised Seed was 
 not only that, but also a principle of light, life and power, which I 
 shall now further show, as it is also declared by T. Ellwood (Truth 
 Defended, p. 113, 114.) "That the scope and design of W.P. in those 
 words, was to prove, against his opponents, that the Son of God, 
 who in the fulness of time took upon him a body of flesh, in which 
 he suffered on the cross, was, and was properly called, Christ, be- 
 fore he appeared in that outward body ; which his opponents de- 
 nied, not owning Christ as Christ, to have any existence before that 
 body, which was born of the virgin, but confining Christ to <hat 
 body. And because all acknowledge, the promised seed, to be 
 Christ, William Penn used that as a medium to prove that Christ 
 was before that outward appearance. Now this affirming Christ to 
 be the Seed, and that seed to be inward and spiritual, is not a de- 
 nial of Christ having a bodily existence without us, for \\e.may have, 
 and hath, a bodily existence without us ; and yet may be, and is, 
 spiritually within us : it is true he denied, that that body, which 
 Christ had from the virgin, strictly considered as such was the 
 Seed, and he gave divers reasons for it, and which are mentioned 
 page 94, &c." 
 
 " From the consequence, which the Snake hath falsely drawn from 
 W^illiam Penn's words : viz. that the Seed is not a person but a 
 principle ; He goes on fighting against the bugbear which himself 
 hath conjured up, and declares it to be a supposition of so perni- 
 cious a nature, that it unchristians any who hold it ; for the faith 
 of christians is built upon that man Jesus Christ, as the seed pro- 
 mised to bruise the serpent's head. 
 
 " His supposition, so far as respecting us, the Quakers, and Wil- 
 liam Penn, in particular, is false : " For we believe the manhood of 
 Christ, gloriously united with the Godhead, to be the Seed promised, 
 Genesis iii. 15 ; and also that that Seed, being of a divine and spi- 
 ritual nature, did inwardly work against the serpent, and did bruise 
 his head, and break his strength and power in some measure, in the 
 holy men and women, in all generations." (T. E. Truth Defended, 
 
137 
 
 page 1 14. ;) and by this, their inward experience of his spirit and 
 power, he was the object of their ftiith, to be made manifest in God's 
 due time. And he isnow,the object of the faith of all true Christians ; 
 not only as born of the virgin, &c. but also as known and witnessed 
 in his inward and spiritual appearance in man, to bruise the ser- 
 pent's head, power and strength, wliich has had dominion and rule 
 in man. io tliis sense, our Saviour himself, does also explain the 
 spiritual nature of the seed, the Word of God, Luke viii. 11." — 
 ifwitchfor the Snake, pages 212 to 215. 
 
 The next quotation of the compilers from I. Pennington, is insert- 
 ed on page 45, of their pamphlet. It is from an essay entitled " An 
 Examination of the Grounds and Causes which are said to induce 
 the Court ot Boston, to make that order or law of banishment upon 
 pain of death, against the Quakers." To the charge that they deny 
 the person of Christ, he replies, as quoted by the compilers, viz : 
 
 IC?'["Tliey, [the Quakers,] believe that Christ is the eternal 
 *' Light, Life, Wisdom, and Power of God, which was manifested in 
 " that body offiesh which he took of the virgin: that he is the King, 
 "Priest, and Prophet of his people, and saveth them from their sins 
 <' by laying down his life for them, and imputing his righteousness 
 ^^to them; yet not without revealing and bringing forth the same 
 " righteousness in them, which he wrought for them. And by ex- 
 " perience they know, that there is no being saved, by a belief of his 
 " death for them, and of his resurrection, ascension, intercession,, 
 " &c., without being brought into a true fellowship with him in his 
 '•death, and without feeling his immortal seed of life raised and 
 " living in them. And so they disown the faith in Christ's death, 
 " which is only received and entertained, from the relation of the 
 '' letter of the scriptures, and stands not in the divine power, and 
 •' sensible experience of the begotten of God in the heart. 
 
 " Now they distinguish according to the scriptures, between that 
 " which is called the Christ, and the bodily garment which he took.* 
 " The one was ilesl), the other spirit. ' The flesh protiteth nothing, 
 " (saith he,) the spirit quickeneth,and hethateateth me shall live by 
 " me, even as 1 live by the Father,' John vi. 57, 63. This is theman- 
 " na itself, the true treasure ; the other, but the visible or earthen 
 " vessel which held it. The body of flesh was but the veil, Heb. x. 20. 
 " The eternal life, was the substance veiled. The one he did partake 
 " of, as the rest of the children didj the other was he which did par- 
 " take thereof, Heb. ii. 14. The one was the body which was prepared 
 "Jfor the life, for it to appear in, and be made manifest, Heb. x. 5. The 
 "other was the life or light itself, for whom tiie body was prepared, 
 " who took it up, appeared in it to do the will, Psal. xl. 7, 8, and was 
 " made manifest to those eyes which were able to see through the 
 " veil, wherewith it was covered, John i. 14."]«0| Vol. i. page 360. 
 It needs not much comment, to convince any reasonable person, 
 who has any acquaintance with the doctrines of Elias Hicks, that 
 this extract from I. Pennington, is totally at variance with them. 
 
 • We have already given an explanation of the meaning of the early Qua- 
 kers, in the use of the words garment and veil. See our 112th page. 
 
 S 
 
138 
 
 It is one that we should have selected to show that he, [E. H.] had 
 swerved from the ancient faith of the Quakers. I. Pennington de- 
 clares in it, their belief in the Eternity, Divinity, and Manhood of 
 the Lord Jesus Christ — acknowledging his miraculous conception — 
 his laying down his life a sacrifice for sinners, and imputing his 
 righteousness to believer?, "yet not without revealing and bringing 
 forth the same righteousness in tliem, which he wrought for them ;" 
 and that he is the King, Priest, and Prophet of his people. How differ- 
 ent is this christian belief, from the notions of Elias Hicks, who de- 
 nies the divinity, the miiaculous conception, and the atonement of 
 Jesus Christ, and declares the doctrine of the imputation of his right- 
 eousness to be wicked and absurd. 
 
 I. Pennington says, the Quakers disown that faith in Christ's death, 
 which is only received and entertained from the letter of the scrip- 
 tures ; and stands not in the divine power and sensible experience 
 of 'he begotten of God in the heart. The compilers have made the 
 V'ord rfisoiC/'?i emphatical, as though they would make it appear that 
 the Quakers denied all faith in tlie blood of Christ — but it alludes 
 only to that mere literal faith, which is not accompanied by works 
 of obedience; and while they reject this, they have always sincere- 
 ly owned that faith in the propitiatory sacrifice, mediation, and in- 
 tercession of our blessed Lord, which rfoes stand in the divine power 
 and sensible experience of the Holy Spirit. This Elias Hicks re- 
 jects, and consequenly denies and condemns that very doctrine which 
 the " primitive Friends," so strongly recommended. 
 
 The next extract is found in an essay entitled, "Some Queries 
 concerning Christ and his appearances; his taking upon him flesh, 
 &c." which he thus commences : 
 
 "Query 1. — "Whether there was not a necessity of Christ's taking 
 upon him our flesh, for the redemption of those that had sinned, and 
 the satisfaction of the justice offended ? 
 
 " Query '2. — Whether the Father did not, accordingly, prepare a 
 body for him, to do his will in all things in ; and jmrticulariy Xo offer 
 up to him, the acceprable sacrifice for the sins of the whole world 9 
 
 " Query 3. — Whether it was not necessary, in this respect also, 
 that Christ should take upon him our flesh, that he might have expe- 
 rience of our temptations, and infirmities, and become a merciful and 
 faithful High Priest and Intercessor for us? 
 
 " Query 4. — Wherein lay the value and worth of his sacrifice, and 
 of all he did? Did it lie chiefly on the thing done, or in the life 
 wherein he did it ; in that he did it, in the pure faith afid obedience 
 to the Father, He became obedient unto death, even the death of 
 the cross ; and he, through the Eternal Spirit, offered himself without 
 i-pot to God. 
 
 "Query 5. — What was He, for whom the Father prepared a bo- 
 dy, and who took it up to do the will, and did the will in it ? Was 
 lie not the Arm of God, the power of God, the Saviour and Salvation 
 of God, the Jesus and Christ of God ?" — Vol. iii. pages 45, 46. 
 
 The compilers have selected as best adapted to their purpose, the 
 twenty-fourth Query, viz : 
 
 |C?'["Is not the substance, tlje life, the anointing, called Christ, 
 
139 
 
 ••■ wherever it is found ? Doth not the name belong to the whole body, 
 " (and every member in the body,) as well as to the Head ? Are they 
 "not all of one; yea, all one in the anointing? Was not this the 
 "•great desire of his heart to the Father, that they all might be one, 
 " even as the Father and Christ were one, John xvii. 21, 23? And 
 " so being one in the same spirit, (one in the same life, one in the 
 •' same divine nature, 2 Peter, i, 4, even partakers of God's holi- 
 " ness, Ileb. xii. 10.) Christ is not ashamed to call them brethren, 
 " Heb. ii. 11. nor is the apostle ashamed to give them tiie name 
 *' Christ, together with him, 1 Cor. xii. 12. The body is the same 
 " with the head, one and the same in nature ; and dotli not the name 
 " belong to the nature in the whole ? So that the name is not given 
 " to the vessel, but to the natuie, to the heavenly treasure, to that 
 *' which is of him ^ in the vessel, to that which the Lord from Heaven 
 "begets in his own image, and likeness of his own substance, of 
 " his own seed, of his own spirit and pure life"]i30i ^ol. iii. page 
 54. 
 
 I. Pennington, as is very plain to be understood, is here speaking 
 of the oneness in nature, of that spirit or grace of God, which is in 
 the hearts of all true believers, and of their uniti/ in it. Thus he 
 says, they are one in the anointing, in the divine life and nature ; 
 and thf divine anointing, life or nature, is one in all. The name, 
 Christ, he says, is not given to the vessel — to tlie creature, but to the 
 heavenly treasure, which we have in our earthen vessels ; and hence 
 he cites the Apostle's expression, in Corinthians, to show that he 
 gives this divine spirit or nature in all, the same name, calling it 
 Christ ; the same in nature, but not in degree, in the Head and all the 
 members. The text is, " For as the body is one and hath many 
 members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are 
 one body; so also is Christ, for by one spirit we are all baptised in- 
 to one body." — 1 Cor. xii. 12. 
 
 The compilers have italicised tjje word Christ, where I. Penning- 
 ton speaks of its applicatfon to tlie body or church of Christ, by the 
 Apostle; as tlmugh theyWouhl have us tliink, he thereby meant to 
 equal men with their Saviour; but that I. Pennington was very far 
 from any such intention, is obvious from the glorious attributes which 
 he gives him, in the extracts we have already made, as well as the 
 following quotation out of the same essay. 
 
 " Now, as the Father sent the Son, and yet was with and in the 
 Son ; so the Son seiuling the spirit, he also is with and in the spirit. 
 And as it is the Father's will, that the same honour be given to the 
 Son, as is given to Him; so it is the Son's pleasure, that the same 
 honour be given to his spirit, as is given to him. Ye;i, as he that will 
 worship the Father must worship the Son, must come to him in the 
 Son, must appear before him in the Son, must reverence and kiss 
 the Son, so he that will come to Christ, ivill worship him, must 
 come to him in the spirit, must bow to him in the spirit. Yea, he 
 that will know and worship Christ in his fulness, (in the majesty of 
 his glory, dominion and power,) must learn to bow, at the lowest 
 appearance of his light and spirit, even at the very feet of Jesin} 
 hn- that is the lowest part of the body." — Vol. iii. page 50. 
 
140 
 
 The early opponents of the Society of Friends charged them with 
 applying the name Christ, to the members of his church, as mean« 
 ing to equal them with him, the Holy Head ; but they always 
 positively denied any such meaning. Thus, the Snake say?, page 
 125, "But for the same reason, they take the name Christ to 
 themselves, and say that it belongs to them, as well as to Jesus," &c. 
 To which Joseph Wj'eth thus replies ; " Jesus Christ, when he ascend- 
 ed upon high, he led captivity captive, and did give gifts unto men j 
 the gifts of his holy spirit, of which the apostle hath testifred, Ephes. 
 iv. 7. But unto every one of us is given grace, according to the 
 measure of the gift of Christ. Thus much, we have often declared^ 
 and that truly: but it is falseh/ said and charged, that we take the 
 name of Christ to ourselves, or say it belongs to us in any other man- 
 ner than in these and other scriptures is mentioned. We say that 
 Christ, by his ascension into glory, hath given the gift of his spirit 
 to men, to which, as they are obedient, they will witness the power 
 of the spirit of Christ in them, to bring e\ery thought into subjec- 
 tion ; and when, through the assistance of this spirit, they thus have 
 got the victory over their own corruptions and lusts, they will truly 
 say, It is no more I, but Christ in me; yet the name Christ cannot 
 hereby be supposed to belong to such, nor was it ever said by any of 
 uSf that it did belong to us, in such manner as to Jesus; for to him 
 it belongs by origination, to us only by participation, througl) him: for 
 he, by partaking of our nature, made thereby mankind partakers of his 
 spirit; (I say this with respect to the generality of the gospel dis- 
 pensation, for there were many particular persons, not within the 
 covenant of the law in the time of the law, who had manifestations 
 of the spirit of Christ,) and in no other sense have we ever taken 
 the name of Christ to ourselves." — Switch, page 194. 
 
 To the same unfounded accusation George Whitehead replies: 
 
 " But even in the same article, quoted against me, I do not allout 
 any member to be called Christ, bj^t e;j£pressly disallow it, though I 
 confess how Christians have some interest ft his name, but not to be 
 called Jesus, but Christians. The explanatory part of my confes- 
 sion in the said tenth article, disingenuously left out by this scoffer, 
 is in these words, viz. But tliat the divine anointing, (to which name 
 Christ hath relation,) virtually is, in some measure or degree, afford- 
 ed to every member of his body, but not so amply as to him, the 
 head; nor for any member to be called Christ, but a.CIiristian, be- 
 cause Christ received the anointing, the Holy Spirit, not by measure, 
 but in fulness, and because he is the Head of the body, the church."— 
 Supplement to the Switch, page 490. 
 
 To the charge that the Quakers give to themselves, and to one 
 another, the most peculiar titles of Christ, as that of the Branch, 
 and the Star, and the Son of God, &c. George Whitehead re- 
 plies : 
 
 " Here this credulous adversary has accepted and promoted 
 Bugg's false quotation and charge against us, though over and over 
 detected, as fiis notorious refuted lies, which this adversary is, (as 
 'tis told him in the Antidote,) so shamefully credulous of; and that 
 we positively deny ^mi]^ those peculiar titles of Christ, to ourselves. 
 
141 
 
 or to one another, (as he falsely prate?,) and Bugg has been over and 
 over charged therewith, and cannot prove them, (i. e. that we) give 
 those said titles either to G. Fox, or to one another ; and that George 
 Fox is not so much as mentioned in that epistle of E. Burroughs, out 
 of which those titles, the Branch, the Star, and the Sun of Righte- 
 ousness, are taken, which are peculiar, and intended to Christ, and 
 no other." — Ibid, pages 510, 511. 
 
 The next extract from I. Pennington is the same as repeated on 
 pao-e 30 of the pamphlet, and on which we have already comment- 
 ed, see page 118. 
 
 At the bottom of page 47, the compilers present us with a short 
 quotation, contradicting the notions of Elias Hicks respecting the of- 
 fering of Christ. In reply to the question, " What if there be diso- 
 bedience?" I. Pennington answers: 
 
 |Ci^[" The seed itself cannot disobey, but the vessel in which it is 
 " sown, and to which it is united, may prove weak, frail, brittle, yea, 
 " sometimes stubborn ; the weight and chastisement whereof, the seed 
 " also bears, and in patient suffering, helps and cleanses the vevssel, 
 " through the virtue of the blood of Jesus, which is felt in the seed 
 " which comes from Jesus. And here is the blood of sprinkling 
 " known, in the soul, which cleanses the conscience from dead works, 
 "and washes away the iniquity thereof."]aO|Vol. ii. page 338. 
 
 This is, indeed, a beautiful illustration ot the doctrine of the re- 
 mission of sins for Christ's sake. The Holy Spirit of Christ cannot 
 sin ; but if a man sin, and repent thereof, this blessed seed bears the 
 weight and chastisement of the sin, and by its own divine power ap- 
 plies the cleansing efficacy and virtue, of the precious blood of Christ 
 to the soul, thereby washing it from the guilt and stain of transgres- 
 sion. Hence he says, that the virtue of the atoning blood ot Christ, 
 "is felt in the seed which comes from Jesus;' now can those who 
 deny the efficacy and virtue of this blood, and say they have no 
 kind of knowledge of it, and do not see how it can expiate their 
 sins; can these, be " in that seed which comes from Jesus," since 1. 
 Pennington says it is in this, tliat the virtue of the blood is fclt.^— - 
 The compilers have italicised the word ^^ virtue," in the expression, 
 "through the virtue of the blood of Jesus." This is well, it will 
 serve to show, more clearly, the great contrast between the doctrines 
 of Isaac Pennington, and those of Klias Hicks, who denies that it 
 has any virtue in it. 
 
 At the top of page 48 of the pamphlet, we have a short extract 
 from an essay of 1. Pennington, entitled " A Treatise concerning 
 God's Teachings and Christ's Law. The compilers not having quo- 
 ted enough to give the proper meaning of the author, we shall insert 
 the whole paragraph, enclosing the part copied by them in 
 brackets, marked with a hand. It i* from the eighth chapter, " Con- 
 cerning Christ's Righteousness, which is the righteousness of all his 
 Saints." 
 
 " Christ is the Head, his saints tlie body ; and do they not all par- 
 take of one nature, one spirit, one virtue, one life, one righteousness ? 
 Doth not Christ give tliem of his own righteousness, even of (he 
 righteousness which his Father gave him? And is not that righte- 
 
142 
 
 ousncss which Christ giveth them, their righteousness? What was 
 Christ's righteousness? Was it not the righteousness of God reveal* 
 ed in him, communicaled to him, and made his? And what is their 
 righteousness? Is not the same righteousness revealed in them, 
 communicated to them, and made theirs, in and by Christ ? Are not 
 they made partakers of the divine nature, in and through him ; and 
 made the righteousness of God in him? |c?^[Christ trusted his 
 " Father, and obeyed his Father in all things. Now was not that 
 "an effect of the righteous nature and spirit of his Father in him? 
 " ' He became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross' — and 
 "Oh! how was his Father pleased therewith! Did not he say to 
 "him, as to Abraham in the like case? 'Because thou hast done 
 " this thing, in blessing I will bless thee,],;£:3| and in multiplying I 
 will multiply thy seed, and thou shalt see of the travail of thy soul 
 and be satisfied:' for theu shalt not only gather the 'dispersed of 
 Israel;' but 'inherit the Gentiles' also; 'and have the uttermost 
 parts of the earih for thy possession.'" — Vol. iv. pages 303, 304. 
 
 Let the reader particularly notice the unhandsome manner in 
 which the compilers have treated this worthy christian. They close 
 their quotation from liis essay with an See. stopping at a semicolon, 
 in the midst of an important sentence, where I. Pennington is ex- 
 pressing the Father's good pleasure in the obedience of the Son, in 
 offering up his precious life, a sacrifice for sinners; and is reciting, 
 and applying to Christ, some of those beautiful passages in tiie Pro- 
 phets, where the propitiatory offering, and subsequent glory and do- 
 minion of our blessed Lord are so clearly set forth. Such omissions 
 evince, but too clearly, that the compilers are willing, on all occa- 
 sions, to rob the Saviour of those sublime expressions, which char- 
 acterize him as the mighty God, and the Prince of Peace. 
 
 As the compilers, in the course of their extracts, have evinced a 
 determination to make it appear, if possible, that Isaac Pennington 
 allegorized away the outward offering of the body of Jesus Christ 
 for sin, and esteemed that body no more than common flesh and 
 blood ; we think it proper to quote some observations of I. Penning- 
 ton's, in reply to Thomas Hicks, who most unjustly accused iiim of 
 the same unchristian sentiments. 
 
 "In the second part of Thomas Hicks' ' Dialogues,' called ' Con- 
 tinuation,' page 4, he niaketh his personated Quaker speak thus : 
 ' Thou sayest we account the blood of Christ, no more than a com- 
 mon thing; yea, no more than the blood of a common thief.' To 
 which he makes his personated christian answer thus: 'Isaac Pen- 
 nington, (who I suppose is an approved Quaker,) asks this question; 
 Can outward blood cleanse? Therefore, saith he, we must inquire, 
 whether it was the blood of the veil, that is, of the human nature, or 
 the blood widiiii the veil. viz. of that spiritual man, consisting of 
 flesh, blood, and bones, which took on him the veil, or human na- 
 ture. It is not the blood of the veil, that is but outward ; and can 
 outward blood cleanse?'" 
 
 I. Pennington, after noticing Thomas Hicks' unfairness, in mak- 
 ing him speak ichat he never intended, respecting the spiritual man, 
 Christ Jesus, &c. adds — 
 
143 
 
 '• And then, besides his alterations at the beginning, putting in only 
 tour words of my query, and leaving out that which next follows, 
 (which migfit have manifested my drift and intent in them,) he puts 
 in an affirmation which was not mine, in these his own words: 'It 
 is not the blood of the veil, that is but outward;' and then annexetb 
 to this affirmation of his own, the words of my former query, ' Can 
 outward blood cleanse?" as if these words of mine, (can outward 
 blood cleanse,) did necessarily infer, that the blood of Christ is but a 
 common thing. 
 
 " Herein he represents me ivicked, and makes me speak, by his 
 changing and adding, that which never was in my heart, and the 
 contrary whereto, I have several times affirmed in that very book, 
 where those several queries were put, out of which he forms this his 
 own query, giving it forth in my name. For in the tenth page of 
 that book", beginning at line third, I positively affirm thus; That 
 Christ did oftlsr up the flesh and blood of that body, (though not only 
 so, for he poured out his soul, he poured out his life) a sacrifice or of- 
 fering for sin, a sacrifice unto the Father, and in it, tasted death for 
 every man ; and that it is upon consideration, (and through God's ac- 
 ceptance of this sacrifice for siji,) that the sins of believers are pardon- 
 ed, that God might be just, and the justiiier of him who believeth in Je- 
 sus, or who is of the faith of Jesus. Is this common flesh and blood? 
 Can this be affirmed of common flesh and blood? Ought not he to have 
 considered this ; [and ought not the compilers too,] and other passages 
 in my book, of the same tendency, ajid not thus have reproached me, 
 and misrepresented me to the world? Is this a christian spirit; or 
 according to the law or prophets, or Christ's doctrine ? Doth he 
 herein do as he would be done by? Oh ! that he had a heart to con- 
 sider it ! 
 
 "I might also except against these words; <= Human nature,' 
 (which he twice putteth in,) being not my words, nor indeed my 
 sense ; for by human nature as I judge, is understood more than the 
 body ; whereas I, by the word veil, intended no more than the flesh, 
 (or outward body.) whicli in scripture, is expressly so called, Heb, 
 X. 20, " through the veil, that is to say, his flesh." — Vol. iii. pages 
 406, 407, 408. 
 
 In the preface to this reply to the aspersions of Thomas Hicks, 
 I. Pennington says, " I have had experience of that despised people, 
 [the Quakers.! for many years, and I have often heard them, eveii 
 the ancient ones of them, own Christ both imvardly and outivardly. 
 Yea, I heard one of the ancients of them, thus testify in a public meet- 
 ing, many years since, that if Christ had not come in the flesh, in 
 the fulness of time, to bear our sins, in his oivn body on the tree, 
 and to ofter himself up a sacrifice for mankind, all mankind had ut- 
 terly perished. Wliat cause then have we to praise the Lord God 
 for sending his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for what his 
 Son did therein! Oh I professors, do not pervert our words, by 
 reailing them with a prejudiced mind, quite contrary to the drift of 
 Gad's Spirit by us! if ye should thus read the Holy Scriptures, yea, 
 the very words of Christ himself therein, and give that wisdom of 
 yours, which fights against «■?, scope to comment upon them, and 
 
144 
 
 perverts them after this manner, what a strange and hideous appear- 
 ance of untruth and contradiction, to the very scriptures of the Old 
 Testament, might ye make, of that wonderful appearance of God? 
 For the words of Christ seemed so foolish and impossible to the 
 wise men of that age, that they frequently contradicted, and some- 
 times derided him." — Pages 403, 404. 
 
 This forcible and earnest expostulation with the former opponents 
 of the Society, is so directly applicable to the compilers of the pam- 
 phlet, that it forms of itself, both a contradiction to the sentiments 
 which they would force upon the primitive Friends, and a severe, 
 though just rebuke, for the means which they have resorted to, in or- 
 der to effect their purpose. On the same page I. Pennington adds : 
 
 "Oh! T. Hicks, dost thou believe the eternal judgment at the 
 great day? Not outwardly only in notion, but inwardly m heart .' 
 Oh ! then consider, how thou wilt answer it to God, for saying so 
 many things in the namenf a people, as their belief and words, which 
 never were spoken by any one of them, nor ever came into any one of 
 their hearts!.' Innocency in me, Life in me, Truth in me, the chris- 
 tian spirit and nature in me, is a witness against thee, that thou wro- 
 test thy dialogues, out of the christian nature and spirit / and thy 
 brethren, W. K. and the rest, who have stood by thee, to justify 
 thee, (or at least seemed so to do,) must take notice of these things, 
 and condemn them in thee, or they will expose themselves and their 
 religion, to the righteous judgment of God, and of all who love truths 
 
 and HATE FORGERY AND DECEIT." 
 
 The next extract on page 48, is from an essay, "Concerning the 
 True Church, and Ministry;" in which I. Pennington says, three 
 things are necessary; to the riglit qualification of true gospel minis- 
 ters, which he proceeds to treat of, in as many sections. The first 
 of these sections, the compilers have quoted and joined to it, only 
 the heading of the second. The extract does not appear to relate, 
 in any way, to the controversy about Elias Hicks' doctrines, being 
 merely a statement of the necessity of a divine call to the ministry 
 of the gospel, and an obedience to the call, in that ability which 
 comes from God. 
 
 The two quotations next following, on page 53, are taken from 
 the preface to a treatise entitled, " The New Covenant of the Gos- 
 pel distinguished from the Old Covenant of the Law," &c., in which 
 the author sets forth the great advantage of reading the sacred vo- 
 lume, with a mind, illuminated by a portion of the same Holy Spi- 
 rit, that gave the scriptures forth, and laments the great loss which pro- 
 fessors sustain, by reading them without this. The compilers ap- 
 pear to have quoted the sentences in their pamphlet with a view to 
 show, that he considered the Holy Scriprures to be of little value, 
 when the teachings of the spirit were come to, but in this L Pen- 
 nington himself contradicts them. As they have not done him jus- 
 tice in their quotation, we shall extend it a little, in order to give 
 his true meaning. 
 
 " Oh ! how long have christians, (so called,) wanted the Spirit! 
 |Cr°[How have they wearied themselves, in running to and fro, 
 -about the letter to find out the mind of God, and are still unsatis- 
 
145 
 
 .'♦Bed concerning it, and even drowned in fleshly imaginations, and 
 *• contentions about it.]«r::j| They seek to have that satisfied which 
 is not to be satisfied : they seek to have that know, which is not to 
 know : they ofter to God the service, faith, and obedience of that 
 which he will not accept, and keep that from him which he calls for. 
 They seek for the spirit in the letter^ according to the manner of 
 the law; but wait not to feel it in the seed, quickening the seed, 
 raising up the seed, and dwelling in the seed, whither Christ and 
 his apostles directed to wait for it." — Vol. ii. pages 35, 36. 
 
 He goes on to describe the various kinds of knowledge, which 
 men have gathered by their own unenlightened reason and wisdom, 
 in opposition to the Holy Spirit ; declaring that the true knowledge 
 of God and of Jesus Christ, which gives Life Eternal, can only be 
 obtained from the Holy Spirit itself: and then adds: 
 
 " These are strange things to the several generations of the chris- 
 tians of this age, who commonly know no more of them, than ac- 
 cording to the apprehensions they have taken in concerning them; 
 even from that tcisdom and understanding which hath not a capaci- 
 ty in it, to receive them^ but must he destroyed^ before these things 
 can be understood aright, 1 Cor. i. 19. Oh, that ye could read, ia 
 the eternal light of life. |CF'[Oh ! christians, christians! Oh I that 
 "ye could see how your understandings and knowledge from the 
 " letter, stand as much in your way as ever the Jews did in theirs; 
 *' and must be broken down as flat as ever theirs was, before the 
 »' foundation of the kingdom can be laid, and the building of eternal 
 " life reared up in your hearts."3,aO| 
 
 By closing the quotation here, the compilers have left I. Penning- 
 ton's meaning obscure, whereas it will be seen by the following, that 
 it was not the scriptures which he was contending against, but that 
 knowledge of them, which opposed the Holy Spirit ; for he adds: 
 
 " Be not offended at my zeal for the Lord my God, and for your 
 souls. It hath cost me very dear, what I testify to you in the sim- 
 plicity and integrity of my heart ; and this I know to be most cer- 
 tainly true, that that spirit of man, which, without the leadings of 
 the eternal light, hath nestled itself in the letter, got a seat of wis- 
 dom and knowledge there, raised up a building from thence, either 
 of inward or outward worship, will be dissettled and driven thence, 
 even by that very spirit which gave forth the letter. ' And when 
 this is done, and God's spirit again openeth the letter. Oh .' how siveet, 
 how profitable, how clear, how refreshing, will it 6?, being read in 
 the light of the spirit, and in the faith which is in Christ Jesus, 
 which is begotten in tlie heart by the word of faith which is nigh 
 there." — Vol. iii. pages 35, 30, 37. 
 
 We have here, anotlier specimen of the great injustice of the quo- 
 tations made in the pamphlet, and the violence which is done there- 
 by to the author's meaning. 
 
 At the top of page 54, we are presented with a quotation from I. 
 Pennington, for which we are referred to his second volume, page 
 310. Upon examination, we find that the compilers have taken 
 parts of two paragraphs from different essays, and different pages of 
 hia work, and joined them together as one. The first paragraph is 
 
146 
 
 from ail essay, entitled " Some Queries to the Strict and Zealous 
 Professors of this ap;e, such as stick in the letter, but are strangers 
 to the life and poiver ; to provoke them to jealousy," &c., in which 
 he treats of the superior glory of this gospel dispensation; and the 
 necessity of going beyond the law of Moses, into an obedience to 
 the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus. — On page 362, he says: 
 "Is there any uniting with God, or enjoying of God, but by his 
 spirit r Is there any receiving of God's spirit, but within the heart? 
 Doth he not appear there, by his light, and in his power? What if 
 God please to give forth o measure of his eternal light, in the heart 
 of his chosen, to open that to them, which they could never see be- 
 fore, and to bring them into a nearer unity with them, than ever they 
 knew before ; may he not do it? Nay, is not such a thing needful, to 
 lielp out of the deep and intricate apostacy, wherein have been so 
 many twistings and twinings of the subtil serpent, about every step 
 or appearance of reformation ; and to gather the wandering sheep 
 who were scattered up and down, and sorely distressed for want 
 of the tongue of the learned, to speak a word in season, to their 
 states and conditions? |C7*[H[ave not every sort bent the scriptures, 
 *' in the reasonings of their own minds, and made them speak accord- 
 " ing to their own hearts' lusts ? And is not every one wise in his 
 " own eyes, and strong in his own tower and fenced city ? Surely there 
 <' was great need of an appearance of the Lord, to shut out the 
 " wisdom of man, and to help the poor, the needy, the fatherless, 
 " the weak panting babes.^oaC^ And blessed be the Lord God, who 
 hath appeared; and blessed are those, who have seen his light, and 
 bowed at the feet of his living appearance, and felt the virtue of his 
 saving arm, scattering their lusts and corruptions ; yea, also raising 
 up, and bringing forth, his pure seed in the fresh power, dominion, 
 and authority of his perfect life, which reigneth in the hearts, which 
 the Lord hath regenerated and sanctified for ever more." — Vol. ii. 
 pages 362, 363. 
 
 It will be remembered that these queries were addressed by I. Pen- 
 nington, "To the Strict and Zealous Professors of his age, who 
 stuck in the letter, but were strangers to the life and poiver." He is 
 speaking to those, whose dependence was placed entirely upon out- 
 ward means, for all the religion they possessed ; and who, in oppo- 
 sition to the light of the glorious gospel, which in a remarkable man- 
 ner, then appeared in that nation, were withstanding the day 
 of their visitation. Hence he was led to inculcate the necessity of 
 humbly and simply receiving the grace and spirit of God extended 
 to all, declaring that they, and they only, who thus received and 
 obeyed it, were true believers in Christ Jesus. Is it not too obvi- 
 ous, that some in this day, as well as in that, are striving to " bend 
 the scriptures, in the reasonings of their own minds, and to make 
 them speak" a language, accordant with tlieir own impure designs, 
 and when they find the testimony of those sacred records too plain 
 and positive to admit of their false glosses, are denying it alto- 
 gether. 
 
 For the remainder of the paragraph, we must turn to page 309 of 
 this volume. It is taken from the postscript to " Some questions 
 
147 
 
 and answers for the direction, help, and furtherance of God's Spirit = 
 ual Israel, &c." In this postscript, he urges "four propositions 
 relating to the right knowledge of the things of God ;" the first of 
 which is, " That the knowledge of the things of God, comes from 
 the Spirit, ^is the scriptures themselves came from, the Spirit, so 
 the true knoivledge of them, is alone given, to any man which 
 receiveth it, by the same Spirit. And no man living can know 
 the mind, of the words which the Spirit spake, but as the same 
 Spirit which spake them, gives the meaning of them." On the 
 same page, in his third proposition, he has the words quoted by 
 the compilers, vi?: : " Likewise, |C7^[in my reading of the scrip- 
 " tures, I lay open to this great snare, of reading in my own will, 
 "and of gathering from thence in mine own understanding, and so 
 "growing wise concerning the things of God, after the flesh: for 
 " though at that time, I was not without living knowledge, and ex- 
 " periences of God, yet I knew not how to turn from the death, 
 " nor to keep to the life ; and so the bad, the lean, the earthly, the 
 "ill-favoured, overgrew the good, and well-pleasing to God, and 
 " brought it into bitter misery and death.],^-: .t Oh ! that ye knew, 
 being begotten of the will of the Father, and keeping to the will of 
 the Father, and receiving the bread daily from his hand !" — Pages 
 309, 310. 
 
 The meaning of Isaac Pennington in these remarks is so clear, 
 that none but those who were determined not to understand him 
 aright, could mistake it. The evil which he writes against, is wrest- 
 ing the scriptures, according to the corrupt reason of men, and turn- 
 ing away from the Holy Spirit which livingly opens the true sense 
 and purport of them, and gives infallible demonstration that they 
 are of divine authority. 
 
 Immediately after the foregoing quotation, on page 54, we have 
 a few lines taken from an essay, called " Life and Immortality 
 brought to light by the gospel," &c. Isaac Pennington is pointing 
 out the cause of the difterence, between the views of Friends, and 
 many other professors of their day, in doing which, he says : — 
 
 " And truly, this is the ground of the great difference between us 
 and others, about the things of God ; for though we own the same 
 things, and speak of the same things, yet we own them not alike, 
 nor speak of them alike. Why so ? Because we see them with 
 different eyes, and so have a different sense of them. |C7'[0thers 
 "call things true, and so acknowledge them, as they apprehend 
 "them from the letter; we call things true, as they are demonstra- 
 " ted to us by God's Spirit, and as we feel the virtue, life and pow- 
 " er of them, from God in our hearts."]cOS — Vol iv. p. 176. 
 
 The next quotation on page 54, is from the same treatise : The 
 compilers have mutilated it, in such a manner, that it does not con- 
 vey the true meaning of the author. It is taken from the 18th 
 chapter, in which he is describing the condition which he and ma- 
 ny others were in, when it pleased the Lord to reveal his Spirit in 
 their hearts ; and also his gracious dealings with them, in bringing 
 them out of it. The parts which the compilers have taken out, are 
 enclosed in brackets, designated vvith a hand. 
 
148 
 
 *' There are chambers of imagery, in many people; and strong 
 holds, and reasonings, and imaginations, and high thoughts, exalted 
 above the pure seed ; and measure of life in their hearts. For eve- 
 ry true christian, every true believer, hath received somewhat of 
 Christ's Spirit, some proportio7i of gra.ce and truth, from the fulnesa 
 of Christ, which is as leaven and salt, to leaven the heart, and sea- 
 son the mind and Spirit with. 
 
 " But all do not distinctly know this, nor are all that do know it, 
 subject to it; so that this doth not lead, and command, and rule in 
 all ; but there is somewhat which holds captive, and the enemy of 
 the soul hath the rule, and dominion in many men's spirits, profes- 
 sing godliness ; whereby the seed is kept under in them, and their 
 souls kept back from that redemption, and deliverance which they 
 should partake of, in and with the seed. So ICT^Cmany talk of the 
 " gospel and speak great words of Christ, and redemption by him, 
 " who knew not immortality brought to light, nor the dead raised by 
 " it, to live to God and praise his name. 
 
 " Now in these chambers of imagery, in these strong holds, there 
 " are many pleasant pictures, many images of the heavenly things, 
 '' wliich men form in their minds, from their own apprehendings and 
 " conceivings upon the scriptures. For men reading the scriptures, 
 " not in the life, Spirit, and Power, which gave them forth; but with 
 •' that which is natural, they come not to the true, pure, heavenly, 
 " living knowledge, but only obtain a natural knowledge, according 
 " to which they believe and worship ; and so fall down before, and 
 " according to, the apprehensions and imaginations of their own 
 " minds ; and so one believes and worships one way, and another 
 " believes and worships another way. And truly, here men wor- 
 *' ship they know not what ; but they that are the true Jews, know 
 •' what they worship : for salvation is of the true Jews ; who w or- 
 •' ship neither at this mountain, nor at the other mountain ; but on - 
 " ly in spirit and in truth,],Tr:i| even i?i the life and power of our 
 Lord Jesus Christ.^^ — Vol. iv. pages 131, 132. 
 
 We have here another instance of garbling : The compilers 
 begin to quote after a conjunction, which connects the sentence with 
 what precedes, taking in only two lines of a paragraph, and con- 
 necting it with the one following, in order to make the expression 
 " chambers of imagery," apply to "speakingof Christ, and redemp- 
 tion by him, without knowing his power ;" doubtless thinking, there- 
 by to cast some slight upon the doctrine of Christian redemption. 
 The most remarkable mutilation, however, is their closing their ex- 
 tract at a comma, when they are within eleven words, not only of 
 the end of the sentence, but the termination of the whole paragraph. 
 From this circumstance, we may suppose they have a particular an- 
 tipathy to these few words, the reason of which must be the same 
 that Locke gives, why some men are so opposed to the scriptures. 
 The words being against them, they are against the words. The 
 matter is, that the words inculcate a doctrine which they, with 
 Elias Hicks seem determined not to believe, viz : The Divinity 
 of our blessed Lord ; and the manner in which they have clipped 
 them off, and shut up the sentence with a period ; as if it were com- 
 
149 
 
 Klete, is a mortifying proof, of the littleness and selfishness, of the 
 uinan mind, even in things professedly religious. 
 
 The next quotation is from Isaac Pennington's " Short Cate- 
 chism for the Sake of the Simple hearted," in which he treats par- 
 ticularly, upon the lost condition of man in the fall, and the neces- 
 sity of a divine power to redeem him out of it; declaring that this 
 power is the Spiritof our Lord Jesus Christ, inwardly revealed, de- 
 stroying the works of sin and changing the sinful nature. He ear- 
 nestly recommends to all professors, a close attention, and humble 
 obedience, to the manifestation of this Holy Spirit in the soul, en- 
 deavouring to draw them from such a dependence upon the mere 
 literal knowledge derived from reading the Scriptures, as diverts 
 them from this heavenly teacher. But it will be seen how far he 
 is from undervaluing the Scriptures, as he asserts in the extract 
 made by the compilers, that the " saving knowledge of Christ" 
 " is also revealed in the Scriptures." as well as by the spirit of 
 Christ in the heart, but that professors, too generally, by looking for 
 'nothing further than the letter, miss of it and cannot see it. 
 
 The part which the compilers seem to lay the most stress upon, 
 is the conclusion of the answer to the second question, viz: — 
 |CP[" But now this principle is made manifest, their reading and 
 " setting up a knowledge of the Scriptures without this, (which was 
 " the thing, even then, from whence they had their life) yea, in op- 
 " position to this ; this increaseth their death and bondage, and shuts 
 ♦' them out of life.].aC^ — Vol. i. page 141. 
 
 The last twelve words they have italicised, as though they would 
 have us understand, that Isaac Pennington thereby sets aside the 
 use of the Scriptures, since the spirit was poured forth. But 
 it is evident that he is alluding only to that use of the Sacred 
 volume which is in opposition to the Holy Spirit ; which quali- 
 fication destroys any hope of support which the compilers might 
 have had from it. So in the next query and answer, where he asks 
 •' wilt thou keep to the Scriptures in opposition to that light, which 
 alone, can give the knowledge of the Scriptures r" it is plainly to 
 be seen, that it is the abuse, and not the reverent and christian pe- 
 rusal of the Holy Bible, to which he objects. It is reading it w ith 
 an intention to gather therefrom, a knowledge which is opposed to 
 the Spirit of Christ. 
 
 On the same page of the pamphlet, we are presented with a quo- 
 tation from an essay, entitled " An Examination of the grounds 
 and causes, which are said to induce the Court of Boston, in New 
 England, to make that order or law of banishment against the 
 Quakers." The third of these grounds or causes, was, that the 
 Quakers denied the Holy Scripture to be the perfect rule of faith and 
 ife ; to which Isaac Pennington replies — 
 
 |C?^[" The new covenant is the covenant of the Gospel, which 
 " is a living covenant, a spiritual covenant, an inward covenant, and 
 " the law or rulcof it, cannot be written outwardly. Read the tenor 
 " of the new covenant, lleb. viii. 10. ' I will put my laws into their 
 " minds, and write them in their hearts.' If God himself should 
 '• take the same laws, and write them outwardly, vet so written 
 
150 
 
 " they are not tiie new covenant, at most they would be but an out- 
 " ward draft of laws, written in the New Covenant."]c50l And 
 mark, this is one difference given between the new covenant and the 
 old; the laws of the one were written outwardly in tables of stone, 
 the laws of the other were to be written in the heart. That is the 
 book wherein the laws of the new covenant, were promised to be 
 written, and there they are to be read. So that he that will read and 
 obey the laws of the covenant of life, must look for them in that 
 book, wherein God hath promised to write them; for though in other 
 books he may read some outward descriptions of the thing, yet here 
 alone, can he read the thing itself. " Christ is the way, the truth, 
 and the life." What is a Christian's rule ? Is not the way of 
 God his rule ? Is not God's truth his rule ? And is not the truth 
 in Jesus, where it is taught, and to be heard, and to be received, 
 even as it is in Jesus ? Ephes. iv. 22. Is not he the King, the Priest, 
 the Prophet, the Sacrifice, the Way to God, the Life itself, the 
 Living Path out of Death ; yea, all in all to the believer, whose 
 eye is opened to behold him ? The Scriptures testify of Christ, but 
 they are not Christ ; they also testify of truth, and are a true testi- 
 motiy, but the Truth, itself, is in Jesus ; who, by his living spirit, 
 writes it in the heart, which he hath made living. And so a Chris- 
 tian's life is in the spirit : ' If we live in the spirit, let us also walk 
 in the spirit,' Gal. v. 25. The whole life and course of a Christian, 
 is in the volume of that book, as the Lord opens the leaves of it, in 
 him. The gift of God, the measure of faith, given him by God, 
 that is his rule ; that is his rule of knowledge, of prophesying, of 
 obedience, Heb. xii. Rom. i. 4. xii, 6. If he keep there, if he walk 
 according to the proportion of it, he errs not ; but out of the faith, 
 in the error, in all he knows, in all he believes, in all he does." — 
 Vol.i. pages 361,362. 
 
 We have enclosed the part of this paragraph extracted by the 
 compilers, in brackets, designated with a hand It will be seen 
 that they have omitted the most important part of the examination 
 into this subject: a part, in which Isaac Pennington declares Jesus 
 Christ, to be King, Priest, Prophet, Sacrifice, the Way, the Truth, 
 and the Life; yea all in all to the believer; and that the Scrip- 
 tures, are a true testimony of Christ and of the Truth ; although they 
 are not Christ himself. We cannot be at any loss to decide, why 
 the compilers omitted this paragraph: — the doctrines it contains, 
 are too scriptural and christian, to answer their purpose ; and hence 
 they have suppressed the whole and joined the preceding and fol- 
 lowing parts of the paragraph together, as though they were imme- 
 •liately connected in Isaac Pennington's works, which is not the 
 case, as they are separated by that portion wiiich they omit. They 
 then give us the following: 
 
 |C}°'[" The new creature, that which God hath new created in 
 " the heart, in which life breathes, and nothing but life breathes, 
 " which is taught by God, and true to God, from its very infancv ; 
 " that is his rule whereby he is to walk ; the apostle expressly calls 
 " it so — Gal. vi. 15, 16. That which is begotten by God is a Son, 
 "' and the Son, as he is begotten by the breath of the Spirit, so he 
 
151 
 
 ** is preserved arid led by the same breath, and such as are so led are 
 " sons, and none else ; for it is not reading of scriptures, and gather- 
 " ing rules out thence, that makes a son ; but the receiving of the 
 " Spirit, and the being led by the Spirit — Rom. viii. 14, 15. And 
 " being, the whole worship of the gospel, is in the Spirit, there is a 
 " necessity of receiving that in the first place, and then in it the 
 " soul learns to know and wait for its breathings and movings, and 
 " follows on towards the Lord in them. The Spirit cannot be with- 
 " held from breathing on that which he hath begotten, and that breath 
 " is a guide, a rule, a way, to that which it breatheth upon. Now 
 " this is most manifest, even from the scriptures themselves ; they 
 " expressly calling Christ the way, the truth, &c. the new creature, 
 *' the rule, the faith, grace, or gift given to be the rule, testifying the 
 *' heart to be that, which God hath chosen to write his laws in ; but 
 " when do they call themselves a perfect rule of faith and obedience ? 
 "They are they, (saith Christ,) which testify of me: and ye will 
 " not come to me that ye might have life — John v. 39, 40. Life 
 " cannot be received from the scriptures, but only from Christ the 
 "fountain thereof; no more can the scriptures give the rule, but 
 "point to the fountain, of the same life, where alone the rule of life, 
 " as the life itself, can be received. The scriptures cannot ingraft 
 " into Christ, nor give a living rule to him that is ingrafted ; but he 
 " that hath heard the testimony of the scriptures, concerning Christ, 
 " and hath come to him, must abide in him, and wait on him, for the 
 " writing of the law of the Spirit of Life in his heart ; and this will 
 " be his rule, from the law of sin and death ; even unto the land of 
 " life.]<aL::i| Now, if men have mistaken, in the night of darkness, 
 and put the scriptures out of their place, (even in the place of the 
 Spirit,) and so have become ministers, not of the Spirit but of the 
 letter, whereas the apostles were made ' able ministers of the New 
 Testament, not of the letter but of the Spirit' — 2 Cor. iii. 6. Let 
 them not be offended at the Spirit of God, for teaching us otherwise, 
 nor at us for learning as the Spirit of God hath taught us ; the scrip- 
 tures also testifying, that this is the rule, but no where setting up 
 themselves for the rule. And it is the same Spirit which would 
 now fcx men in the scriptures, to keep men from Christ the Living 
 Rule, and only way to Life Eternal, as formerly kept them by tra- 
 ditions, from the scriptures, though it is hard for them, who are en- 
 tangled in this deceit to see it." — Pages 361, 362, 363. 
 
 From this extended quotation it is apparent, that Isaac Penning- 
 ton had no design to lessen the true value of the Holy Scriptures, but 
 only to draw people oft', from an undue reliance upon them, in op- 
 position to the Spirit ; and from exalting tiiem into that place, which 
 the Spirit alone ougiit to occupy. While he contends against the 
 erroneous idea, that they are the perfect and only ride of faith, he as- 
 serts that they point to the fountain, and hear testimony unto Christ. 
 and that such as hear this testimony and come unto Christ, will 
 know him to be their perfect rule, and deliverance from the law of 
 sin and death. 
 
 On pages 59 and 61 respectively, we have a short extract from 
 this same treatise, in which L Pennington speaks of the Spiritual 
 
152 
 
 nature of that perfect rule of faith, which is to be followed and obey- 
 ed under this gospel dispensation. The arguments which he enfor- 
 ces, are substantially the same, as those in the last quotation we 
 have made. 
 
 It will be remembered, that the persons whose opinions I. Pen- 
 nington was combatting, denied the sensible influences of the Holy 
 Spirit, and contended that the scriptures were the only means 
 whereby the saving knowledge of God and of Christ could be ob- 
 tained. Hence they denominated them the Word of God — the key 
 of David, and gave them other exalted epithets which Friends be- 
 lieved to be justly and properly applicable to Christ alone. It was in 
 consequence of this great unwillingness among professors general- 
 ly, to believe in the fundamental doctrine of internal revelation, and 
 their placing entire dependence upon the scriptures, interpreted by 
 their own reason, as a guide in the great work of salvation, that 
 our ancient Friends wrote so much upon this subject, and were so 
 unwearied in their exertions to draw professors to the divine Life 
 and power in the soul. Their expressions, therefore, when they 
 say they are not the rule, are to be understood of that general, pri- 
 mary, and perfect rule of faith and manners, which they consider- 
 ed the Holy Spirit only to be. In this same essay I. Pennington 
 calls the scriptures an outward rule, and says that Paul taught 
 nothing but Moses and the prophets — that the scriptures are the 
 words of the Spirit, and that by exalting them into the place of the 
 Spirit, professors miss of the true use, benefit, and intent of the 
 scriptures. 
 
 On page 61 of the pamphlet, we have a short extract on the sub- 
 ject of the scriptures, taken from an essay entitled "The way of 
 life and death made manifest, and set before men," &c. I. Pen- 
 nington's reply to the following objection, will serve to show clear- 
 ly, the views of the primitive Quakers, upon this important subject. 
 " Objection — But are not the scriptures the word of God? And is 
 not the word of God to be a christian's rule ? If every one should 
 be left to his own spirit, what confusion and uncertainty would this 
 produce ? 
 
 ♦• Answer — The scriptures are not that Living Word, which is 
 appointed by God, to be the rule of a christian, but they contain 
 words, spoken by the Spirit of God, testifying of that Word, and 
 pointing to that JVord, which is to be the rule. ' Search the scrip- 
 tures, for in them ye think to have eternal life, and they are they 
 which testify of me, and ye will not come to me, that ye may have 
 life' — John v. 39, 40. The scriptures are to he searched, for the tes- 
 timony which they give of Christ ; and when that testimony is re- 
 ceived, Christ is to be come to, and life received from him. But 
 the Pharisees formerly, and christians since, (I mean christians in 
 name,) search the scriptures, but do not come to Christ for the life, 
 but stick in the letter of the scriptures, and oppose the Life with the 
 letter, keeping themselves from the life, by their wisdom, and know- 
 ledge in the letter. Thus they put the scriptures into the place of 
 Christ, and so honour neither Christ nor the scriptures. It had 
 been no honour to John to have been taken for the light ; his ho- 
 
153 
 
 nour was to point to it : nor is it any honour to the scriptures to be 
 called the Word of God ; but their honour is to discover and testi- 
 fy of the Word." — Vol. i. pages 14, 15. 
 
 He proceeds to describe the Word of God, in the language of Ho- 
 ly Scripture, "quick and powerful, and sharper than any two edged 
 sword," to which he recommends the attention to be chiefly directed. 
 He then says : 
 
 "He that hath an ear, let him hear. 'Examine yourselves 
 whether ye be in the faith : prove your ownselves. Know ye not 
 your ownselves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be repro- 
 bates ?' 2 Corinth, xiii. 5. Are ye in the faith? Then Christ is in 
 you. Is not Christ in you ? Then ye are in the reprobate state, out 
 of the faith. |C7'[Is Christ in you, and shall he not hold the reins, 
 "and rule? Shall the living Word be in the heart, and not the rule 
 " of the heart? Shall he speak in the heart, and man or woman in 
 " whom he speaks, run to the words of scripture formerly spoken, to 
 "know whether these be his words or no? Nay, nay; his sheep 
 " know his voice better than so. Did the Apostle John, who had 
 " seen, and tasted, and handled, and preached, the Word of life, 
 " send Christians to his epistles, or any other part of scripture, to 
 " be their rule? Nay, he directed them to the anointing, as a suffi- 
 "cient teacher.Jcod 1 John ii. 17. He that believeth on me, as the 
 scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. 
 John vii. 38. He that hath the fountain of life in him, issuing out 
 rivers of living water continually, hath he need to go forth to fetch 
 in water?" — Images 16, 17. 
 
 It must be evident to every candid reader, that I. Pennington is 
 here alluding to the impropriety of setting the sacred volume, above 
 the revelation of the Holy Spirit of Christ in the soul ; and to prove 
 that he had no intention of derogating from the true value of the 
 scriptures, we subjoin the following extract from the same essay. 
 
 Page 17, he says, "But to cry up these, [the scriptures,] not un- 
 derstanding their voice, but keej|)ing at a distance from the thing that 
 they invite to, the words hereby are put out of their place, out of 
 their proper use and service, and so attain neither their end, nor their 
 glory. And though man put that upon them, which seems to be a 
 greater glory, namely, to make them his rule and guide ; yet it being 
 not a true glory, it is no glory, but a dishonour both to them and to 
 the spirit, who gave them to another end." 
 
 Page 20, he says, " In my heart and soul 1 honour the scriptures, 
 and long to read them throughout, with the pure eye, and in the pure 
 light of the living spirit of God : but the Lord preserve me from 
 reading one line of them, in my own will, or interpreting any part 
 of them, according to my own understanding:, but only as I am 
 guided, led, and enlightened by him, in the will and understanding 
 which comes from him. And here, all scripture, every writing of 
 God's spirit, which is from the breath of his life, is profitable to 
 build up and perfect the man of God ; but the instructions, the re- 
 proofs, the observations, the rules, the grounds of hope and comfort, 
 or whatever else, which man gathers out of the scriptures, (he him- 
 self being out of the life,) have not the true profit, nor build up the 
 
 U • 
 
151 
 
 frue thing, hat both the gatherings and the gatherer, are for destruc- 
 tion. And the Lotd will case the scripture of (he burden of man's 
 formings and inventions from it, and recover its hunotir again, by 
 the living presence and power of that spirit that wrote it, and then 
 it shall be no longer abused, and wrested by man's earthly and unlearn- 
 ed mind, but in (he hands of the spirit, come to its true use and ser- 
 vice, to the seed and to the world." 
 
 In a " Reply to some Animadversions," he says, " Yet, (though we 
 do own Christ to be the rule,) we do not deny making use of the 
 sciptures, to try doctrines and forms of religion by : but know that 
 what is of God, doth and ivill agree therewith, and what doth not 
 ^agree therewith, is not of God; ?nd that our forefathers in the faith 
 were led to batter the superstitions and idolatries of the papists, by 
 the testimony of (he scriptures. And we have also the testimony 
 of the scriptures with us, both to the light and spirit within, and 
 against forms, formerly invented or now practised, out of the life 
 and power. But we believe (he spirit to be a touchstone beyond the 
 scriptures, and to be that, which giveth ability to try, and discern not 
 only words, but spirits; whereas a man may hold the form of doctrine 
 and godliness, and yet want the power : in which case, nothing can try 
 such a spirit, but the spirit of God, which is in the spiritual man. And 
 for calling the scriptures the Word of God, we cannot but look upon 
 it as an improper expression ; they being many words, not the one 
 Word,; and Christ is called in the scripture, not only the Word-God, 
 but the Word of God. And if, in the fear of the Lord, and true 
 sense, we keep herein to the expressions of scripture, and its form 
 of words, which are sound, sme\y we cannot justly l)e blamed for 
 so doing." — Vol. iv. pages 208, 209. 
 
 In comparing the sentiments of I. Pennington, respecting (he Ho- 
 ly Scriptures, with those of Elias Hicks on the same subject, we are 
 forcibly struck with the wide difference between them. I. Penning- 
 ton not only says, that he loves and honours them, in his heart and 
 soul, and that they are profitable to -build up and perfect the man of 
 God. but he declares his belief, that they are a rule to try doctrines 
 and forms of religion by; that whatsoever is of God doth and will 
 agree thereivith ; and whatsoever doth not agree thereivith is not of 
 God. This simple declaration is sufficient to convince any reason- 
 able person, that Isaac Pennington and Elias Hicks are not of one 
 religious profession ; since the latter not only denies the scriptures 
 to be a test of doctrines, but even rejects doctrines which they teach 
 in the most solemn and positive manner. 
 
 If whatsoever does not agree with scripture is not of God, as I. 
 Pennington unequivocally asserts; it follows, most certainly, that 
 the notions which Elias Hicks is now promulgating, as the product 
 of revelation, cannot be of God, nor owned by him, but are phan- 
 toms of the imagination of man, produced by the mists of error and 
 delusion; since they do directly deny and invalidate iwany of the 
 most positive and solemn declarations, which the Holy Spirit, through 
 the inspired penmen, has recorded in the pages of the sacred vo- 
 lume. 
 
 At the top of page 72, t>f the compilers' pamphlet, we are referred 
 
155 
 
 to Isaac Pennington's works, for an extract on the subject of the 
 Trinity. It is taken from a tract, which we have had occasion se- 
 veral times to notice, entitled " An Examination of the grounds 
 and causes, &c." . The compilers have not presented the quotation 
 fairly, having greatly altered the sentence, so as to obscure the au- 
 thor's meaning ; we shall therefore insert Isaac Pennington's re- 
 marks more at length, enclosing the parts which the compilers have 
 selected, in brackets, designated by a hand. It is his reply to the 
 first cause, alleged for persecuting the Quakers, viz : — their denial 
 of the Trinity. 
 
 ICT^C" 1st. Concerning the Sacred Trinity. They (the Quakers) 
 " generally, both in their speakings and in their writings, set their seal 
 " to the truth of that Scripture, 1 John, v. 7. That " there are Three 
 •* that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy 
 " Spirit. That these Three are distinct, as three several beings, or 
 "persons; this they read not; but in the same place, they read, 
 " that ' they are one.' And thus they believe, their being to be one, 
 " their life one, their light one, their wisdom one, their power one : 
 " and he that knoweth and seeth any one of them, knoweth and 
 " seeth them all, according to that saying of Christ's to Philip, • He 
 " that hath seen me, hath seen the Father."]„30l — John xiv. 9. 
 Three there are, and yet one ; thus they have read in the Scriptures, 
 and this they testify they have had- truly opened to them by that very 
 spirit, which gave forth the Scriptures, insomuch that they cer- 
 tainly know it to be true, and own the thing from their very hearts : 
 ICT'L" but as for this title of Sacred Trinity, they find it not in 
 " Scripture ;"]«0| and they look upon Scriptuj-e words as fittest 
 to express Scripture things by. And surely if a man mean the same 
 thing as the Scripture means, the same words will suffi.ce to express it: 
 but the papists and school men, having missed of the thing which 
 the Scripture drives at, and apprehended somewhat else, in the wise 
 imagijiing part, have brought forth many phrases of their own in- 
 vention, to express their apprehensions by, which we confess we; 
 have no unity with ; but are content with feeling the thing which 
 the Scripture speaks of and with the words whereby the Scriptures 
 express it " — Vol. i. p. 358. 
 
 We have here one of the most palpable instances of garbling, 
 ■with a view to obscure an author^ meaning, Avhich we have yet had 
 occasion to notice. We are aware that in quoting from any author, 
 there must be some discretionary power used; as it could not be 
 expected that a compiler, should always insert whole paragraphs or 
 essays- When the scope of the author's meaning is strictly, and 
 honestly preserved, no objection can arise from the brevity of the 
 extract ; but when a sentence is mutilated, a paragraph curtailed, 
 or words interpolated, with a manifest design to change the sense, 
 or to render it ambiguoiis, and thus to inculcate a doctrine which 
 the author never held, such perversion and garbling, must ever be 
 considered as unjust and dishonourable. 
 
 It must be remembered, that the compilers have set out, with 
 the professed intention, of giving us an exposition of the tloctrines 
 and principles of primitive Friends. I^et us then examine, how 
 
156 
 
 fairly they have done this, in the present instance. Isaac Penning 
 ton is asserting the belief of himself and his cotemporary friends, 
 in relation to the doctrine of the Trinity; which he declares they 
 own, when expressed in the terms of Holy Scripture. This the 
 compilers quote, and continue their extract through that part, where 
 he is proving the Holy Three to be one being, &c. but there they 
 stop, omitting an important part, where he asserts that they are not 
 only one, but Three, viz : " Three there are, and yet one; thus they 
 [the Quakers] have read in the Scriptures, and this they testify, 
 they have had truly opened to them, by that very spirit, which gave 
 forth the Scriptures, insomuch that they certainly know it to be true, 
 and own the thing from their very hearts.''^ 
 
 This surely is an important declaration of their doctrine on 
 the point in question, and had the compilers been honestly desirous 
 of exhibiting the principles of the early Quakers faithfully, they 
 could not have omitted it; — especially as they resume their quota- 
 tion from a colon, in order to take in that part of a sentence, where 
 Isaac Pennington objects to the term " Sacred Trinity ;" viz. 
 " but as for this title of Sacred Trinity, they find it not in Scrip- 
 ture ;" Here they stop at a semicolon, join the fragment to the 
 preceding sentence, as though they were immediately connected 
 in the treatise, and close up their quotation with a period, as if it 
 were the termination of the sentence ; whereas I. Pennington goes 
 on to declare, that though thej reject the term as unscriptural, yet 
 they own the doctrine fully, viz: "and they look upon Scripture 
 words, as fittest to express Scripture things by. And surely if a man 
 mean the same thing as the Scripture means, the same words will 
 suffice to express it." We will leave our readers to judge whether 
 this kind of mutilation, does not betray more of a desire to wrest 
 the sentiments of primitive Friends, so as to make them agree with 
 the opinions of Elias Hicks, rather than to state them with truth and 
 candour. 
 
 On pages 72 and 73 of the pamphlet, we have another quotation 
 from Isaac Pennington, which, as it stands there, is scarcely intel- 
 ligible. On referring to the essay from whence it is taken, we find 
 that the author is treating upon the mysterious contents of the Re- 
 velations of John the Divine. We shall insert the paragraph at 
 length, and enclose the parts which the compilers have extracted, 
 in brackets, as usual, in order that the reader may decide how truly, 
 or clearly they represent the sentiments of primitive Friends. 
 
 " Now whereas many say, that the book of the Revelations is such 
 a mystical book, that it is not to be understood ; to what end then 
 was it written ? It was the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God 
 gave unto him to show unto his servants, things which must shortly 
 come to pass, ch. i. 1. ; and would Christ give them forth in such 
 words as could not be understood ? Again it is said verse 5th, 
 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this 
 prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein, for the 
 time is at hand. iCF^CHow can any be blessed in the reading, or 
 " how can any keep what is written therein, without understanding 
 
157 
 
 -' the things contained in it ? How can any follow the true Church 
 " into the wilderness ; or avoid being taken with the golden cup ot 
 *' fornications of the false church, or refuse the mark of the beast, 
 " (that he take it neither on his. forehead nor hand, nor have the 
 " name of the beast upon him, nor so much as the number of his 
 " name) unless he truly and rightly understand these warnings and 
 " descriptions of the Holy Spirit of God, given forth in the book, 
 " to preserve in the way of truth,],^iI3| in the way of life, (thougli 
 through great sufferings and tribulations) out of the way of spiritual 
 whoredom and death ? For mystical Babylon, the nations of the 
 earth, and great ones (generally) commit fornication with. Rev. xvii. 
 2. and xviii. 3. Indeed this book is a mystery to rnaiv's wisdom, 
 for it was not given to the wisdom of this world, but is hid from 
 that ; but God gave it [to] Christ, to give to his servants ; and it is 
 not a mystery (but opened and revealed by the Father's Spirit) to 
 the children of the true wisdom, who are instructed and taught of 
 God, to escape the bed of whoredom, and spiritual fornication, 
 which the earthly wisdom (in the wisest men of this world,) is en- 
 tangled in." — Vol.iv. p, 72. 
 
 It will be perceived, that by the manner in which the compilers 
 have quoted from this paragraph, the meaning of I. Pennington's re- 
 marks is totally lost. No person could imagine from their extract, 
 what subject he was writing upon. The compilers have adduced it 
 to support the idea, that we are not to believe what we cannot un- 
 derstand, as is obvious from their italicising the word understand in* 
 two places. They must, however, have been fully aware at the time, 
 that they were doing the greatest violence and injustice to the sen- 
 timents of I. Pennington, since he declares " the Book" to be a mys- 
 tery to man's wisdom — incompreiiensible to the reason of the wisest 
 men, and only opened and revealed by the Father's spirit. This is 
 quite another thing from understanding all that we believe, since in 
 this case no revelation would be necessary. So far from giving us 
 the opinions of Isaac Pennington in this instance, they have closed 
 th'ir quotation at a comma, and pointed it with a period, lest the 
 subject upon which I. Pennington was speaking, should be discover- 
 ed, and the total irrelevance of his observations, to their purpose, 
 fully set forth. We could say much upon the unrighteousness of 
 such conduct, but we prefi'r leaving it to the honest determination of 
 every upright and enlightened mmd. I. Pennington was far from 
 entertaining "so irreligious an opinion, as that the great mysteries of 
 the gospel of Christ, were to be scanned by human powers; on the 
 other hand, he repeatedly declared that they were utterly incompre- 
 hensible to human reason, and could only be known, as they were 
 unfolded by the revelatiod*^^of that Eternal Spirit, which searcheth all 
 things, yea, the deep things of God. 
 
 The compilers conclude their pamphlet with an extract from an 
 essay, by 1. Penningfon, upon the important subject of church unity. 
 The sentiments it contains are well adapted to the state of brethren 
 jof the same family, and household of faith ; those who can in sinceri- 
 ty of soul, adopt the lanojuage of the primitive believers, "Our fel- 
 lowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ." Among 
 
158 
 
 such only, can true unity subsist; and to these, and none others, do 
 the exceilent observations of I. Pennington apply. Those who deny 
 the very foundation of this precious unity, viz. the union of Fattier, 
 Son, and Holy Spirit, as our blessed Lord, in that most holy prayer, 
 was pleased to set forth: "That they all may be one, as thou, Fa- 
 ther, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us, (bat 
 the world iiiay believe, that ihou hast sent me;" such can have no 
 claim to the privileges of that happy state. 
 
 I. Pennington says in the extract, that harsh interpretations, con- 
 cerning any thing relating to one another,_is unworthy to be found 
 in an Israelite toward an Egyptian; but exceeding shameful and 
 inexcusable to be found in one brother toward another. Harsh in- 
 terpretations we entirely disapprove: but when actions speak in a 
 lane;uage so plain and positive, as to require no iiiterpretation, it 
 surely cannot be a breach of christian charity to designate (hem by 
 the name which they give themselves. When our friends err 
 through inadvertency, it is our duty ever to view their failings in the 
 most favourable light that a conscientious regard to truth will admit 
 of; but when those errors become notorious, and are obstinately per- 
 sisted in, it is incumbent upon us, to speak the truth without hypo- 
 crisy. We are not, however, to suppose that one who might be called 
 an Egyptian, is to be placed on an equality with false brethren. No. 
 Those who have swerved from tlie ancient faith of the gospel, and, 
 while professing the name of Jesus Christ, are denying his divinity 
 'and atonement, and secretly and assiduously striving to annul the 
 only sure bond of religious communion, and to draw the- unwary 
 from their steadfastness in Christ; such, are more to be avoided than 
 open unbelievers. They can have no valid claim to the appellation 
 of brethren, however they may assume the outward appearance, and 
 seek to pass themselves as members of the true church. 
 
 The author of the essay exclaims, " How many weaknesses doth 
 the Lord pass by in us!" and we reverently adopt the grateful lan- 
 guage, for his mercy indeed endureih forever. But is this to be made 
 a screen and an excuse for pi inciples and practices subversive of the 
 holiest doctrines and precepts of the gospel of Christ? Then Christ 
 .may have fellowship with Belial, and light hold communion with 
 darkness. 
 
 I. Pennington says, where the^e is any evil manifest, wait, Oh 
 wait, to overcome it with good ! This is peculiarly proper and be- 
 coming, as relates to personal injuries or offences. But it is not to 
 deter the sincere christian from earnestly contending for that holy 
 faith once delivered to the saints. He is not to set down in careless 
 indifference, and suffer the most pernicious and destructive doctrines 
 to be disseminated, without animadversiornbr opposition. This would 
 be nothing short of betraying his Lord and Master ; nothing less than 
 denying Him, before men. Such supineness would, doubtless, be 
 viewed with great complacency, by those whose ambitious desires, 
 and towering pride, prompt them to resort to every stratagem to 
 pronaote their own views, and to gain partisans to their cause.—' 
 These, have ever been the first to raise the cry of persecution against 
 those who were honestly engaged to support the law and the testi- 
 
159 
 
 inony, and who dare not forsake the cause of Jesus Christ. They 
 have stigmatized these as spiritual inquisitors; opposed the whole- 
 some order of the church, as tyranny and oppression ; and pretended 
 great concern that liberty of conscience might be preserved, while, 
 in truth, they are too often actuated by no better motive, than the 
 desire to gain popularity and power, and elevate themselves into 
 stations where they may lord it over the heritage of God. 
 
 I. Pennington, who knew well the subtle workings of this deceit- 
 ful spirit, was far from intending to afford any shelter to its advo- 
 cates, as he solemnly testified against them, in several of lu!^ writings. 
 In his reply to some misrepresentations of John Pennyman, who en- 
 deavoured to show, that I. Pennington disapproved of church go- 
 vernment, we find the following pertinent remarks. — After declar- 
 ing that all worldly ambition, and wisdom, and power, is to be ex- 
 cluded from the true church, and the Lord's power alone to be 
 exalted, he says — 
 
 *' But doth all this hinder, deny, or oppose Christ's spirit, Christ's 
 power, Christ's truth and grace, from arising in the church, in a way 
 of spiritual and holy government? Because man is not to aspire, 
 nor take upon him, to reign or rule because of grace, gifts, or know- 
 ledge received ; shall not therefore the head govern the body? Shall 
 not life and truth, and the wisdom of God, spring in the church, to 
 order and govern the church ? But must every man be left to the 
 dictates of what he calls, light in him, and not to be reproved or tes- 
 tified against, though the spirit of God manifest it (to them that are 
 indeed in the light, life, spirit, and power,) that it is not light, as 
 persons m^Lj pretend and imagine, but real darkness, gross darkness, 
 darhiess that may he felt, even by the least babes that are in the 
 true, living sense .^" — Vol. iv. page 383. 
 
 Again, in the same essay : 
 
 " But if the Lord hath taught a man, opened the same eye in 
 !iim, that he opened in others, and brought into unity and uniformi' 
 tif with the church, in the practices which the Lord hath taught it ; 
 and he afterwards let in another spirit, and fall from these practi- 
 ces, and judge the very church itself for continuing in them ; may 
 not the church testify to this person, that heis erred from his guide, 
 hath lost the light in himself and so judgeth amiss, both concern- 
 ing himself and concerning the church of God ? This hath been the 
 state of some who went out from among us formerly, and may also 
 be the state of some who go out from us now. For as there is 
 one that gathers to the true church, so there is another that endea- 
 vours to draw and scatter from it, and then, to cause men to turn 
 head against it, as if it were not of God, but apostatised from the 
 spirit and principle of truth, which indeed is their own state and. 
 ''ondition, in God's sight, but not the cJiurch's, which was gathered 
 and preserved by him, glory to the Lord, over all the accusations of 
 'he accuser through tvhat mouth soever he uttered them forth." — 
 Vol. iv. page|l90. 
 
 After speaking of the great value of liberty of conscience, he 
 says : 
 
 "Concerning what conscience is tliis to be understood ? Is it to 
 
160 
 
 be understood of the tender and weak conscience? Or of the hard 
 and seared conscience ? For the conscience which God once made 
 tender, may afterwards come to be seared and hardened. And is 
 the church of Christ, which is guided by the spirit and wisdom of 
 God, taught and required by him, so to act toward the hard and sear- 
 ed conscience, as it is toward the tender and weak conscience? Is 
 the hard and seared conscience, which hath forsaken tlie true light, 
 spirit, and power, and turned against the truth, and is in a wrong, 
 stiff, wilful, hardened liberty, and subtilty, to be left to its liberty, 
 and to that spirit which draweth it out, and hardeneth it in a wrong 
 liberty? Can there be any nnity, in the light and in the spirit, had 
 with those who are erred from the light and from the spirit, and are 
 deceived in their own hearts concerning it, and do but only pretend 
 to it? Can they walk sweetly and harmoniously together in differ- 
 ing practices, who differ also in the ground., and are not one in the 
 foundation, even in the true light and spirit of the Lord ? Ought 
 not the church to judge this spirit, with its liberty and evil con- 
 science, (for that spirit will make the consciences of all that let it 
 in, evil,) as well as, to the utmost, to cherish the liberty of the ten- 
 der consciences, in and to the Lord ? Read and consider these 
 scriptures following, Tit. i. 15. 1 Tim. i. 19, iv. 2." — pages 395, 
 396. 
 
 In some considerations on church government which he added to 
 the former essay, he makes the following objection, viz : 
 
 " Objection. — But have I not been taught to be subject to the light 
 in my own heart, and to make that my judge? And is not this ano- 
 ther, or new, or different doctrine from that, — now to tell me I must 
 subject to the light of God's spirit in his church ? Suppose that 
 which the church requires, or orders, or holds forth, be different 
 from my light, or be not yet revealed to me by the light wherewith 
 God hath enlightened me, must I deny the light wherewith God hath 
 enlightened me, and subject to the church's light? Or must I practice 
 as the church orders, before I have light and faith in my own par- 
 ticular?" 
 
 To this objection he replies in several paragraphs, the fifth of 
 which we quote. 
 
 " Great sobriety is needful in such cases, wherein men are too 
 prone to be judging others, especially the church of God. Everyman 
 is to take heed of thinking of himself more highly than he ought to 
 think, but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every 
 man, the measure of faith, Rom. xii. 3. And the young men who have 
 not the experience of the aged, and are most apt to confidence and 
 excursions, are in a special manner to be exhorted to be sober mind- 
 ed, Tit. ii. 6. Men may easily judge that others err, and that they 
 themselves keep to the light and measure of truth in their own par- 
 ticulars^ but it is hard to do it. But they that indeed do it, abide in 
 the humility and innocency and Iamb-like spirit, which would give 
 no offence in any thing, neither to Jew nor Gentile, ndlto the church 
 of God. If it will go so hard with him that offends one of Christ's 
 little ones, how will it go with him that offends His church, wherein 
 his power and glory riseth, and is established ? The church is not 
 apt to be such an erring body, from the light, spirit, and power of 
 
161 
 
 the Lord Jesus, as many who mistake concerning the light in their 
 own particulars, are too apt to suppose." — Vol, iv. page 413. 
 
 Among the many authors, with which the early history of the So- 
 ciety of Friends, has made us acquainted, there are few to be found, 
 whose controversial writings evince a more meek and heavenly 
 temper, or whose doctrines are more pure, evangelical and scriptu- 
 ral, than I. Pennington's. He had largely tasted and handled of the 
 good word of life, had learned his relieion in the school of Jesus 
 Christ, and was taught by experience, the preciousness of those glo- 
 rious doctrines which are so clearly set forth in the sacred volume. 
 Amidst all calumnies of envious accusers, the treachery of false bre- 
 thren, and the storms of cruel persecution which fell to the lot of 
 this good man, he evinced the most Iamb-like patience and resigna- 
 tion, the most christian forbearance and good will toward all; yet 
 as one whose hope and confidence was immoveably fixed upon Christ 
 Jesus, the Rock of ages, he forsook not the faith, he swerved not 
 from those precious truths which he had learned through suffering, 
 but nobly vindicated himself and his brethrn from the charge of de- 
 nying them. 
 
 His writings are richly replete with christian instruction ; and 
 those who will peruse them attentively, will find that in all the fun- 
 damental principles of the gospel of Christ, he is remarkably sound, 
 clear, and scriptural. It is, therefore, ungenerous in the compilers 
 of the pamphlet, to adduce his name at the present day, as authori- 
 ty for sentiments which are directly subversive of the whole tenor 
 of his writings, which contravene those tenets which he strenu- 
 ously contended for, and in support of which, he endured the loss of 
 much of his temporal estate, and many long and painful imprison- 
 ments. 
 
 X 
 
162 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Observations on the extracts made by the Compilers of tlie Pamphlet frcrni 
 the works of George Whitehead. 
 
 The first quotation which we are presented with, from the works 
 of this distinguished meinber of the Society of Friends, is taken 
 from the second part of the "Christian Quaker." The chapter in 
 which it is found, treats of " Justification and Imputation," the ques- 
 tion under discussion, being, " Whether impure, that is, unsanctified 
 persons, while such, be justified by the imputation of Christ's right- 
 eousness?" George Whitehead thus objects to his opponent's doc- 
 trine : 
 
 *' You have lived in sin and disobedience all your life long, and 
 have preached to others, that perfect freedom from sin and corrup- 
 tion, is not attainable, in this life, by any, either in the beginning or 
 end of life, but have preached many into more looseness and liberty 
 of sinning, by telling them that it is God's good pleasure not to re- 
 move the being of sin in this life, but to suffer corruptions to remain 
 in his saints, to keep them humble; so no part of your life is pure 
 or clean, but corrupt and sinful^ what have you to plead or say for 
 yourselves, why sentence of damnation should not pass upon you ?" 
 His opponent pleads in reply — 
 
 " Christ's holy life and suffering is our only defence or apology, 
 against this charge. Though I am guilty, yet satisfaction hath been 
 made for that guilt; because, therefore, the same fault cannot be 
 twice punished, after satisfaction, 'tis as if it never were : this is the 
 only way of defence we have at God's tribunal. Christ's sufferings 
 are they, for which God will justify us — they have /«% satisfied jus- 
 tice for our sins; we maybe confident, they will secure us from con- 
 demnation, it being against justice to punish those sinners a second 
 time, that have been punished to the full already." 
 
 The nature of the question, will, we apprehend, be fully under- 
 stood by our readers, after the foregoing statement. The extract 
 given by the compilers, is taken from George Whitehead's rejoinder 
 to the answer of his opponent ; and to make his meaning more clear, 
 we shall take in the whole of the paragraph. The part which the 
 compilers have selected,. is enclosed in brackets, designated by a 
 hand. 
 
 " To all which, it may be justly replied, and reflected upon you, 
 who are thus pleading and making your apology, in your sins and 
 unholy life, this will not cover nor excuse you in your sins, if you 
 live and die in sin, your riiouths will be stopped, you will not be able 
 to plead Christ's holy life and sufferings, to rescue you from con- 
 demnation ; except you repent, ye shall all likewise perish : what in- 
 
163 
 
 lluence or effect hath Christ's holy life or sufferings upon you, only 
 you profess and plead them ? So it may be said, Christ was ever holy, 
 but you were never holy ; Christ was a sacrifice of a sweet smelling 
 savour to God, which neither your life nor actions seem any thing of, 
 but contrariwise, are a bad savour to him. Christ was an holy and 
 perfect example, which you never followed, nor ever intend to follow, 
 so long as you live, (for you do not believe it is attainable;) Christ 
 came to condemn sin in the Hesh, which you keep alive {and plead 
 for,) in your flesh as long as you live: Christ also came to fulfd the 
 righteousness of the law in us, who walk not after the flesh, but af- 
 ter the spirit : but you do not own nor believe its fulfilling to be in 
 your persons, but only in Christ's person : Christ's blood was not on- 
 ly for remission of sins past, but is to cleanse from all sin, and to 
 purge the conscience, sanctify, &c. This you reject, and in your 
 sins, and defiled consciences trample the blood of the covenant un- 
 der foot, and add to the sufferings of Christ, and the sin of his perse- 
 cutors, by adding sin unto sin, and so grieving his spirit all your days, 
 and pleading his holy life for your defence therein ; and so the guilt 
 of his blood will be charged upon you, in the day of judgment, if you 
 repent not. And further, $cy^[_yo\i blasphemously charge divine jus- 
 " tice with punishing your sins to the full, in Christ, or punishing 
 •'him that was ever innocent, to the full, for your sins; so that you 
 "account it against justice to punish your sins again in you, though 
 "you live and die in them. And yet you think it an excellent piece 
 " of justice to punish the innocent to the full, for the guilty. But 
 "your mistake herein is gross, as will further appear, and you will 
 " not be acquitted nor cleared hereby. This will not prove you, in- 
 " vested with Christ's everlasting righteousness, nor will this cover 
 "your own filthy rags, or hide your shame. 
 
 " And while you think that you are secured in your sins, from the 
 " stroke of justice, as having been fully executed, and that, by way of 
 " revenge, upon the innocent Son of God, in punishing your sins to the 
 "full upon him; I say, 7vhile you state this as the nature of the satis- 
 " faction by Christ's suffering in your stead, the whole world may as 
 " well acquit itself thereby from punishment as you :for he diedfor all, 
 " and is ' the propitiation for the sins of the ivhole world.' And, 
 " therefore, if this must be looked upon, as the full punishment 
 "of sin, laid upon Christ, and that 'the sin cannot be twice pun- 
 " ished after such satisfaction,' this may make a merry world in 
 "sin; once punished to the full in Christ, never to be punished 
 " again upon the otfender, which the law directly takes hold of. Oh, 
 " sinners' soothing doctrine ! the plain effect of which is, to make 
 "the wicked world rejoice in a sinful state, and say. Oh I admirable 
 "justice, that was pleased thus to revenge thyself upon an innocent 
 " man, that never sinned, and to punish our sin to the full upon him ! 
 " Oh ! transcendent mercy ! that hast found out this expedient that we 
 "might be fully acquitted, pardoned, and discharged from the penal- 
 " ty, that is just and due to us, for all our sins, past, present, and to 
 " come. Oh! what glad tidings are these to the hypocrites and drunk- 
 " ards,].,j2:n| &c. ! And how merry they are apt to be in their" sins, 
 upon their ministers proclaiming such an act of indemnity of all of- 
 
164 
 
 lenccs and injuries past, present, and to come, not only against their 
 neighbours, but against God himself. But if it be objected, that 
 without sound faith, (which is a working faith) men have not an 
 interest in Christ's obedience, righteousness, or satisfaction, nor are 
 we invested with any thing for which God should pronounce us 
 righteous, &c. 
 
 " From hence it follows then, that if they remain in unbelief, they 
 have no interest in Christ's righteousness or satisfaction ; and then 
 the consequence is, Christ did not make satisfaction in our stead, 
 nor was punished, for the sin of unbelief, nor for the effects of un- 
 belief, to acquit us therein ; for what sins then, was he punished to 
 the full ?"— 1st Edit. p. 195, 196. 
 
 From the quotation we have given, it will appear that George 
 Whitehead was only contending against the vulgar, and now gene- 
 rally abandoned, doctrine of justifying sinners in their iniquities, 
 and thereby tolerating every species of wickedness. — Such a doc- 
 trine as made people think they could get to heaven while laden 
 with crimes, under the delusive notion that another had been pun- 
 ished to the full in their stead. But while George Whitehead thus 
 opposes this sin pleasing idea, he is careful y^//?/ to acknowledge, his 
 belief in the atonement of Christ, confessing that his blood was not 
 only shed for remission of sins, but also inwardly sprinkled, to 
 purge and purify the conscience: that he died for all, and is the 
 propitiation for the sins of the whole world." — This is fully conso- 
 nant with Scripture. 
 
 The great contradiction between George Whitehead and Elias 
 Hicks, is strikingly apparent. — For it is not the former sin-pleas- 
 ing doctrine merely, which Ellas Hicks denies, but also the sacri- 
 fice, and propitiation of our blessed Lord, which George Whitehead 
 is so careful to distinguish from the other, and to assert liis firm 
 belief in, — this Scripture doctrine it is, that Elias Hicks calls wick- 
 ed and absurd, an outrage against every righteous law of God and 
 man. In vain then, do the compilers adduce this passage to show 
 that the Christian belief of that worthy man, corresponded with the 
 dogmas of Elias Hicks. Their own quotation proves in the clear- 
 est and most unequivocal manner, that they are at variance, and 
 that the latter has really swerved, from the ancient and evangelical 
 faith of the founders of this Society. 
 
 The next page of the pamphlet, presents us with a short quota- 
 tion from the second part of the Christian Quaker, by G. Whitehead, 
 in these words : " H all had walked in his light within, he (Christ) 
 had not been persecuted and murdered." These words are taken 
 out of the middle of a long paragraph, beginning after a semicolon, 
 and ending at a semicolon ; in which disjointed position they pre- 
 sent a meaning, which, though strictly true in itself, is quite differ- 
 ent from that, intended by the autlior. We shall quote the whole 
 paragraph, to render his argument clear, and as usual, insert the 
 extracts of the compilers in brackets, marked with a hand. He is 
 replying to Thomas Hicks' reasoning against the influence of the 
 Holy Spirit, whose third argument is — 
 
 " If the light within be sufficient to save men, then it renders 
 
165 
 
 Christ's coming and suffering, needless." To which G. Whitehead 
 answers — 
 
 "This is a blind inference ; still opposing the lightof Christ within, 
 (yea, and all that is of God in man,) as insufficient, and so as neither 
 discovering Christ's coming, nor the effect of his suffering ; or as 
 if men might be saved by his coming and suffering, without respect 
 to his light within, which shows gross darkness, as if there were 
 not a concurrence between the light within, and the end of Christ'<i 
 coming and suffering; and he might as well say, that if the en- 
 grafted IVord which is within, be able to save the soul, then Christ's 
 coming and suffering was needless ; he should rather have said that 
 Christ's coming and suffering without, was because men were 
 turned from his light within; for |C7*[if all had walked in his 
 " light within, he had not been persecuted and murdered ;]]aO| but 
 this man's argument, supposeth Christ's coming and suffering to be 
 for the supply of some great defect or insufficiency, of his light with- 
 in; as if man had so tvell improved it, a^nd found it too scanty or 
 insufficient; and, therefore, by this, Christ must suffer and die, for 
 his own light within, to supply it; whereas Christ died for the un- 
 godly, for all men that were dead in sin, who had disobeyed and 
 transgressed his light within ; and though there be a reconciliation 
 by his death, yet the being saved is by his life, whose life is the light 
 of men, which for men to be turned to, in themselves, and therein 
 to live to God, varies not from the blessed end of ChrisVs coming 
 find suffering, while he works in man, by his light and power with- 
 in, both in showing him sin, and saving him from it, as he believes 
 in the light, becomes a child of the light thereof, as Christ exhorted : 
 and if we walk in the light of God, the blood of Jesus Christ his 
 Son, cleanseth us from all sin." — Pages 16, 17. 
 
 From tlie manner in which the compilers have garbled their quo- 
 tation, and the italicising of some words, it is readily seen that they 
 design to make it convey the idea, that Christ's offering himself 
 up a sacrihce for sin, was a mere adventitious circumstance, not 
 necessarily connected with the plan of Christian redemption. Now 
 that- this is not the meaning of George Whitehead, is evident from 
 the context. He contends, that the Light or Spirit of God was all- 
 sufllcient for salvation from the beginning, and that had all men 
 walked in obedience to it, from Mam to the jrresent time; then 
 Christ would not have been persecuted and murdered. But men 
 having rebelled, and turned away from the light within ; that re- 
 bellion and disobedience to the light, rendered Christ's coming and 
 suffering in the flesh necessary, to restore them to the state from 
 which they have fallen ; which is the obvious meaning of his words, 
 when he says, " he should rather have said, that Christ^s coming and 
 suffering without, ivas because men were turned from the light 
 within ; for had all walked in his light within, he had not been per- 
 secuted and murdered :" the whole of which results in this, that 
 if man had not fallen, there would not have been occasion for the 
 outward manifestation of the Son of God in the flesh. The extract 
 we have given, contains a very full confession of faith, in the pro- 
 pitiatory sacrifice and atonement, made by our blessed Lord, for an 
 
166 
 
 ungodly and wicked world ; which is in contradiction to the notion 
 of Elias Hicks, that he was not an atonement for any sin, but the 
 legal sins of the Jews. George Whitehead says, there is a concur- 
 rence between the outward offering and the work within, and that 
 our being savad by the life of Christ, varies not from the blessed 
 end of Christ's coming and suffering in the flesh, for if we walk in 
 the Light of God, the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us 
 from all sin. 
 
 Immediately following the last, we have another quotation from 
 the same work, uppn the subject of Satisfaction, in which we think 
 the compilers have done great injustice to George "Whitehead ; by 
 mutilating the sentence, so as to obscure and conceal the doctrine 
 which he was asserting, in opposition to that of a full, rigid, and 
 complete satisfaction for sin. We shall state the controversy in his 
 own language, and enclose the parts quoted by the compilers, in 
 brackets: oi his opponent, Henry Grigg, he says— 
 
 " He is very inconsistent, in his saying, " that redemption and 
 justification, have been fully completed, and finished by our Lord 
 Jesus for us, once for all ; and that the debt is paid, and satisfaction 
 madeP while yet he grants that " ignorance and unbelief, as chains 
 and fetters, bind many in Satan's kingdom ;" for did you ever know 
 of any, so fully in a redeemed a,nd justified estate, while so actually 
 under Satan's chains and fetters in his kingdom ? Or that any 
 should be thus detained in prison, so long after the debt is paid, and 
 satisfaction made, as he imagines : |G^[" But in this notion of 
 " satisfaction, he appears very short and shallow, though it be not 
 " a Scripture phrase, as T. Danson grants ; and though it depends, 
 '' but upon some notions of law, as Dr. Owen saith. Now that all 
 " men's debt should be so strictly paid, or such a severe satisfaction 
 " made to vindicate justice, by Christ in their stead ; {which God 
 *' never imposed upon the son of his love) and that for sins past, 
 " present, and to come, (as some say) how inconsistent is it .^"]<aO| 
 Besides the gross liberty this gives to sin, how agrees it, with his 
 teaching them to pray, forgive us our debts. Matt. vi. 12.; for what 
 needed that, if they be all so strictly paid in their stead ? Howbeit, 
 that Christ in another, or more acceptable sense, ivas a most satis- 
 factory offering, and sacrifice for mankind,for a sweet smelling sa- 
 vour to God, Ephes. v. 2. This we confess and own; and that he 
 tasted death, not only for some, but for every man ; and is apropitia- 
 iionfor the sins of the whole ivorldP — p. 83, 90. 
 
 It will appear from this extended quotation, which includes no 
 more than the same paragraph, from which the compilers have taken 
 their extract; that they have greatly misrepresented G. Whitehead, 
 by omitting his statement of the " notion of satisfaction," as held 
 by his opponent ; and the conclusion of the paragraph, in which he 
 asserts, that though he denies their vulgar notion of rigid satisfac- 
 tion, yet he and his fellow professors, the Quakers, do own and con- 
 fess that Christ was " a most satisfactory offering and sacrifice for 
 mankind," " and that he tasted death, not for some only, but for 
 every man, and is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world." 
 
167 
 
 This doctrine, which George Whitehead says the Quakers confess 
 and own, is the very same that Elias Hicks has stigmatised with the 
 most opprobrious epithets in his letter to Dr. Shoemaker. He calls 
 the believers in it, idle and ignorant, bold and daring; and the doc- 
 trine itself wicked and absurd. 
 
 Let the reader now "judge impartially upon comparison, whether 
 Elias Hicks does" not "hold and propagate doctrines and opinions 
 contrary to the doctrines and opinions of primitive Fiiends." Nay, 
 whether he has not sufficiently declared that " those who have always 
 been acknowledged to be among the best and most approved authors 
 of the society," are destitute of "any right sense of justice or mer- 
 cy," "standing in direct opposition to every principle of justice and 
 honesty, of mercy and love," and are "poor selfish creatures and un- 
 worthy of notice." This he declares to be the condition of all those 
 who acknowledge a willingness to accept the forgiveness of their 
 sins, or the hope of salvation, upon those terms which the early Qua- 
 kers, with unfeigned gratitude, most reverently embraced ; and yet 
 after this positive denunciation against them, the compilers of the 
 pamphlet, can coolly and unblushingly tell us in their preface, that 
 Elias Hicks is now only reviving the same views and belief as they 
 propagated. 
 
 On page 33 we have two quotations from George Whitehead's 
 •' Light and Life of Christ within, &c." In the first of these the be- 
 ginning of the paragraph is omitted, which contains a very clear and 
 full acknowledgment of the author's belief in the manhood and mira- 
 culous conception of our blessed Lord. We shall insert the whole, 
 enclosing, as usual, the conjpilers' extracts in brackets. George 
 Whiteliead states the following objection, alleged against the Qua- 
 kers by William Burnet, viz. 
 
 "Baptist. They do deny that man Christ, or that God-Man, that 
 was born in Bethlehem, of the Virgin Mary." 
 
 George Whitehead answers, " We never denied the man Christ, 
 nor that he took upon him flesh, or was born of the Virgin, according 
 to the flesh, nor did ive ever deny Christ to be the Saviour; but as 
 for those expressions, 'God-Man, being born of Mary,' we do not 
 find them in the scriptures, nor do we read that Mary was the mo- 
 ther of God, but in the Pope's canons, articles, &c. Though William 
 Burnet has pretended the Scripture to be his rule, as if he would be 
 exact in squaring his work thereby; here his work is contrary to his 
 rule. Again he says, |C7°[' Christ was seen with a carnal eye, and 
 "his voice heard with a carnal ear.' Whereas Christ said, He that 
 " seeth me, seeth my Father also. Now dare he say, that God is such 
 " a visible object as may be seen by a carnal eye ? Surely nothing 
 " is obvious to the carnal eye, but that which is carnal or outward : 
 " but so is not the invisible. But indeed if the body that Christ took 
 " upon him in the Virgin, and which was afterwards crucified and 
 " put to death, was God, (for he tells of God-man, being born of the 
 " Virgin,) then tliis would make God visible and to die, when that 
 *' body was put to death ; which were no less than blasphemy, wherc- 
 "as God was manifest in flesh. Christ came in the flesh, 1 Tim. 
 
168 
 
 »• iii. I John iv. and so did bear the name Christ as he was in the 
 " flesh. "].ol:^— Page 35. 
 
 We know not with what view this extract has been presented by 
 the compilers, unless it be to support Elias Hicks in his denial that 
 Jesus is the Christ ; because George Whitehead has said, that (Christ, in 
 that sense in which he was one with the Father was not, neither could 
 be, seen with human eyes. The whole of his answer, as we have 
 quoted it, is a most clear and full acknowledgment of the belief of 
 the early Quakers, in the miraculous conception, Manhood and God- 
 head, the sufferings and death of the Lord Jesus Christ. The au- 
 thor declares they never denied the man Christ, as he took flesh of the 
 virgin, nor yet that Christ was the Saviour; but believed that he 
 was God manifest in the flesh, and as such was truly and properly 
 the Christ. This is different from making him a mere man, endu- 
 ed with only a portion of the spirit, commensurate with the work 
 which he had to perform, and brought into the world in the same 
 way and for the same purpose that all other men are; — and that in- 
 stead of being the Saviour, he himself had need to be saved by the 
 same power, that all men are saved by. Such are the sentiments of 
 Elias Hicks ! how great is the contrast. 
 
 The next extract is in reply to the following objection, viz: 
 |Ci°'[" Baptist — He was that day born a Saviour ; but had the light 
 " within been the Saviour, or the Spirit, or the Godhead, then this 
 " had not been that day born. 
 
 " Answer. — Hereby has he denied the spirit, the light within, 
 ** Or the Godhead to be the Saviour, and so has gone about to make a 
 *' separation between Christ, the Spirit, tiie Light, and Godhead: 
 " Whence then came this Christ? And by whose power was he a 
 " Saviour ? Had he any power but what was given him of the Fa- 
 " ther ? But a Saviour was born : what was he born for but to bear 
 *' witness to the Truth ? And by whose power and spirit but by the 
 " power and spirit of the Father? and what he did and wrought, it 
 *' was what God did by him. And though that day was born, in 
 '* the city of David, a Saviour, was he a Saviour distinct from ei- 
 *' ther Light within, Spirit, or Godhead ? What manner of Saviour 
 *' was he then ? This is sad doctrine to exclude Spirit, Light within 
 "and Godhead from being a Saviour; surely flesh and darkness is 
 " not the Saviour, but the Holy thing, (spoken of,) which was of the 
 '^ Holy Ghost."]„o|--Pages 46, 47. 
 
 This and the subsequent quotation which the compilers have giv- 
 en, are of the same import, being designed only to show the great 
 absurdity of William Burnet's doctrine, that the body of Christ 
 aloney without the Godhead which dwelt in fulness in him, was the 
 Saviour. The reply of George Whitehead to this absurd notion of 
 his opponents, shows clearly how firm a believer he was in the divini- 
 ty of our blessed Lord, and how greatly he objected to separating 
 what God himself had joined together, viz: The divinity and hu- 
 manity of the Son of God. We need not point out how different 
 this is from the dogmas of Elias Hicks, since it must be plain to all 
 who are acquainted with the principles of the latter. 
 On page 36, of the pamphlet, we have another quotation from the 
 
169 
 
 same essay, the first part of which, is merely an expose of van'ou 
 contradictory statements, made by William Burnet, relative to the 
 vulgar doctrine of satisfaction, as we have before stated it. The se- 
 cond part is George Whitehead's reply, to the accusation of his op- 
 ponents, that tlie Quakers asserting '• the blood which sprinkles the 
 conscience, cleanseth from sin, sanctifieth, &c., is the Life or is of 
 the spirit, and that it is the blood of the covenant," is "gross mistake," 
 "mere fable," &c. 
 
 To which *G. Whitehead rejoins — |C?^[" Here is no mistake, nor 
 " fables proved against us, for the Spirit, the water, and the blood, 
 " agree in one, and by walking in the light, is the blood of Christ 
 '' known to cleanse from all sin. Now the blood that sprinkles the 
 *' conscience, cleanseth, &c. is as truly spiritual as the water is, 
 •' which Christ giveth, and by which he washeth his church through 
 "the Word. For we are not to suppose two kinds of Saviours and 
 " Sanctifiers.that is, both a natural (which is not in being, as is said of 
 " the blood that was shed,) and the Spirit which still liveth. And 
 " though Christ, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, 
 '' suffered without the gates — Heb. xiii. I hope it will not be denied but 
 " this work of sanctiiication is wrought and fulfilled within by the 
 '• Spirit, and that sprinkling and purging the conscience is inward; 
 " and then where the blood is said to do it, that must needs be spi- 
 *' ritual ; for surely the blood shed outwardly, must needs have a 
 " spiritual signification as well as the water and the cross had : and 
 " the apostle attributes washing or sanctifying, to water as well as 
 " blood.3eDi Again, it is confessed, that God by his own blood 
 purchased to himself a church — Acts xx. 28. Now the blood of 
 God, or that blood that relates to God, must needs be spiritual, he 
 being a spirit ; and the covenant of God is inward and spiritual, and 
 so is the blood of it. But our opposer confesses ' he is as ignorant of 
 any such blood as may be.' And indeed so he is like to be, while 
 he sets himself to contend against the very mystery of God, and 
 against plain scripture ; telling us that ' God hath not blood' con- 
 trary to Acts XX. 28— Zech. ix. 11."— p. 48, 49. 
 
 The object of George Whitehead in the reply which we have 
 quoted, appears to be to assert the doctrine, that the work of sanc- 
 tification, redemption, sprinkling the conscience, &:c. is an inward 
 work, and that the atoning and cleansing virtue of the blood of 
 Christ is only known, when applied by the Holy Spirit to the soul. 
 But while doing this, he is careful not to do away the outward of- 
 fering ; acknowledging that Christ Jesus suftered without the galea 
 of Jerusalem, that he might sanctify his church with his own blood. 
 ilere is no denial of the propitiation of Jesus Christ, but a full con- 
 fession to its blessed efficacy and virtue. 
 
 On the same page of the pamphlet, we have anothor quotation 
 from the same work, which the compilers have mutilated, by stop- 
 ping at a comma ; in order to suppress the author's declaration of 
 his faith in the atoning sacrifice of our blessed Lord. We shall 
 quote the whole; and request our readers to notice how unfairly 
 they deal with George Whitehead. If as they tell us, their "ex- 
 tracts have been carefully transcribed and compared," we think 
 
 Y 
 
170 
 
 Iheir principal care has been, to suppress and conceal every thing 
 which would oppose the notions of Elias Hicks ; to wrest the au- 
 thor's language in such manner as to make it bear the strongest re= 
 semblance to his dogmas, without regard to the sense of the writers or 
 the principles and doctrines which they held. The parts extracted 
 by the compilers are enclosed in brackets marked with a hand. 
 
 , The Baptist objects — "Now the Quakers would be so far from 
 directing men to go to the material temple, that they make it but a 
 vain thing, to look to Jerusalem, to the antitype of Ihat temple, 
 viz : to Jesus Christ, as he was there crucified j or to that blood that 
 was there shed for justification. 
 
 " Answer — |C?^[The Quakers see no need of directing men to 
 *' the type for the antitype, viz: neither to the outward temple, nor yet 
 *' to Jerusalem, either to Jesus Christ or his blood ; knowing that nei- 
 " ther the righteousness of faith nor the word of it, doth so direct — 
 " Romans x. And is it the Baptist's doctrine to direct men to the 
 *' material temple, and Jerusalem, the type for the antitype ? What 
 *' nonsense and darkness is this ! And where do the scriptures say,. 
 " the blood was there shed for justification, and that men must be di- 
 " rected to Jerusalem to it ? (whereas that blood shed is not in be- 
 " ing, page 40, [says the Baptists,] ) but the true apostle directed 
 " them to the Light, (which is so much opposed by the Baptist,) to 
 " walk in the light /or the blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse them from 
 " all sin,]«£3| — ^Ist John i. and he died for our sins, hut rose again 
 for our justification, which resurrection surely was after the shed- 
 ding of the blood outwardly." 
 
 In order to understand the object of George Whitehead in this 
 reply, it is only necessary to recur to the opinion which he is op- 
 posing, as they are stated in the Baptist's objection to the Quakers. 
 It is, the necessity of directing men to look to Jerusalem, to be 
 justified by that blood which was shed there. G. Whitehead in 
 his reply, endeavours to show that there is no necessity for direct- 
 ing men to Jerusalem, to look for Christ there, but to recommend 
 them to seek after an acquaintance with him by the revelation of 
 the Spirit ; and instead of looking to Jerusalem for the blood, to 
 wait to know the Holy Spirit, to apply its pardoning virtue to the 
 soul and conscience, which he enforces where he recommends them 
 to walk in the Light that they may know the blood of Jesus Christ 
 to cleanse them from all sin. 
 
 In the same book from which the comf^lers have quoted these 
 passages, we find a number of accusations against Friends, made 
 by William Burnet ; to which G. Whitehead replies. Some of 
 these, may well apply to the case in hand, and serve to show that 
 the early Quakers did not hold the sentiments which the compilers 
 would have us think they did. G. Whitehead says : — 
 
 " It is false that ♦ the Quakers slight the scriptures' — 
 
 " It is false that * the Quakers' Christ is not God's Christ, or that 
 they deny the Man Christ, or the Christ that is in the heavens.' 
 
 "A slander also, * that we trample under foot the blood of the co- 
 venant, and make the offering of the Cross, a mere fiction of the 
 
171 
 
 brain ;' for we have a reverent esteem of both. Also we do not de- 
 ny the resurrection, as falsely we are accused." — Pages 8, 9. 
 IV, William Burnet, having charged the Society with owning only an 
 imaginary God, Christ, and Spirit, George Whitehead replies: 
 
 "That God, Christ, and Spirit, the Quakers own is no other but 
 the true God and Christ, even that God that cannot bexonfined, 
 circulated, nor limited to a place of residence, seeing the neaven of 
 heavens cannot contain him ; and that Christ, which ascended up 
 far above all heavens that he might fill all things, who is God over all, 
 blessed forever" — Page 35. 
 
 The next quotation from George Whitehead, is taken from his 
 Christian Quaker. The compilers have not stated it in the language 
 of the original. Henry Grigg, against whom George Whitehead is 
 writing, asserted that " the spirit or blessed comforter cannot be the 
 Saviour;" which George Whitehead proved to be contradictory to 
 another assertion of his, viz: 
 
 " Till the coming of his spirit and grace with power, in my heart, 
 for the binding of the strongman, satan,and killing my corruptions, 
 my soul was not brought out of the horrible pit ; having wrought this 
 glorious work of regeneration, &c." Henry Grigg denied that there 
 was any contradiction betweth these two assertions of his, to which 
 George Whitehead, rejoins : 
 
 " The contradiction is very obvious, to say the spirit cannot 
 be the Saviour, when it can save the soul out of the horrible pit ; can 
 it save and not be a Saviour? Or can it bind the strong man, or kill 
 man's corruptions, and yet not save him ? And if the Father, the 
 Word, and the Holy SpiritbeGod,cannotGodbe the Saviour? When 
 as Christ's being the author of faith, giving power to others, to be- 
 come the sons of God, is a proof of his being God. And Christ 
 said, the Son can do nothing of himself, &c., the Father that dwell- 
 eth in me, he doth the works, John v. 19,30. viii. 28. xiv. 10. 
 And the Holy Spirit, where received, also maketh intercession accor- 
 ding to the will of God, and by this spirit, Christ prayed unto the 
 Father ; but to say the spirit, or blessed comforter, cannot be the Sa- 
 viour, is also to deny Christ, in his spiritual appearance, to be a Sa- 
 viour, and so confine the saving work to him, only as man, or in the 
 flesh, without, (or separate from,) us, whereas he said, I will not 
 leave you comfortless, I will come to you, John xiv. 18, which plain- 
 ly denotes him to be the comforter, in that spiritual appearance, 
 wherein he that ivas with them, promised to be in them ; and as re- 
 vealed in them, his appearance was another or diverse to his out- 
 ward appearance in the flesh. Whereas Henry Grigg saith, "Are 
 there not Three that bear record in Heaven ? I say yes ;— |C5°'[and 
 " these Three are One ; and is not Christ, (the Saviour,) that Word, 
 " which is One of the Three, which are but one divine being, thing 
 "or substance, though revealed under several considerations and di- 
 " versities of manifestations and degrees of discoveries ? Yet all 
 '< one divine Life and Being; as God is ihe Word, the Life, the 
 « Light, and so is Christ ;]o3Dt and the Holy Spirit, is Life to the 
 righteous, and so is Christ the Way, the Truth, and the Life : In 
 him was Life and the Life the Light of men j the Life affordeth 
 
172 
 
 Light to all, and the Light, Life to all that obey if, and in it follow 
 Christ, such receive the Light of Life and come to walk in the 
 Light of the living; as the Light of Life is received unto justification 
 and peace, the Holy Spirit is received in that glorious ministration 
 as comforter, after a state of desolation and sorrow^, of whom Christ 
 said, He shall receive »if mine and show it unto you, John xvi. 13" 
 —Pages* 27, 128, 129. 
 
 We have marked the extract of the compilers, by enclosing it in 
 brackets with a hand. They begin with saying, "There are Three 
 that bear record in Heaven ;" but this form of expression is not found 
 in the original, though the substance is the same. George White- 
 head has it — " Whereas Henry Grigg saith, * Are there not Three 
 that bear record in Heaven ?' I say, yes — and these Three are one," 
 &c. So it is evident that the compilers have changed George 
 Whitehead's language, though the sense is still preserved. We 
 thought it proper to give the whole quotation at length, in order 
 that the reader may observe that it contains a full ackowledgment 
 of the scripture doctrine of the Trinity, as set forth in the seventh 
 verse of the fifth chapter of John's first Epistle. That there arc 
 Three and yet One. 
 
 Henry Grigg having taken exception to some of the writers 
 among the Quakers, calling the body of Christ, his garment, asks 
 this question, " If that body that was nailed to the cross, was but 
 as a garment, which the true Christ did wear, or as a house in 
 which he did dwell ; why may not any other man in whose flesh 
 Christ is manifested, and doth dwell, be called the Christ, as well 
 as Jesus of Nazareth r" 
 
 George Whitehead answers — "There's not the same reason for 
 any other man to be called the Christ. 
 
 " First. — Because of his divine pre- existence, both before he took 
 upon him that body or flesh, and before man or other things were 
 made, which God created by Jesus Christ. 
 
 " Secondly. — Because of his miraculous conception, as concerning 
 that body. 
 
 " Thirdly. — Because he was anointed with the oil of gladness 
 above his fellows. 
 
 Lastly. — He that compared that body or flesh, which He took 
 upon him, to a garment or house, intended no detraction from the 
 honour or dignity of the true Christ; for his flesh was called the 
 veil ; his body, the body of Jesus ; this temple, the form of a servant ; 
 and his saints are his members." — Pages 154, 155. 
 
 S. Scandret, wrote a book against George Whitehead, in which 
 he states the following argument — " No righteousness wrought by 
 us, is of that worth, as to redeem our lost souls, nor for that are 
 we justified, therefore, the sufferings of Christ only, &c. — This ar- 
 gument, (says he,) God enabled me, the first dispute, to press with 
 full enlargement on the consciences of the people, to secure them 
 from the soul-destroying error of this man, [G. W."] To which 
 George Whitehead replies. 
 
 "This accusation upon me, is both groundless, false, and mali- 
 cious — for, First, — I never affirmed any such doctrine, as that any 
 
173 
 
 rigliteousness wrought by the creature, doth redeem man's lost soul 
 to God ; nor place any such infinite worth, price or merit, upon any 
 temporal actor work of man ; but Christ Jesus, who is God's right- 
 eousness, is the Redeemer, Deliverer, and so the Redemption of the 
 soul to God, by whom also the soul is enabled to true obedieace. It 
 is by grace in him, through faith, that we are sayed, not of ourselves, 
 it is the gift of God ; 7ior of works, lest any man should boast ; 
 howbeit, good works, are ordained of God that we should walk in 
 them ; for we are his workmanship, created in Christ again unto 
 good works. See Eph. ii. 8, 9, 10. 
 
 "Secondly — I never undervalued the worth of Christ'' s sufferings in 
 the flesh ; far be it from me so to do ; though yet, I cannot own this 
 man's, [S. S.] placing men's absolute justification on them, and 
 from thence shutting out Christ^ s inward work of sanctijication : 
 yet thereto, both the travail of his soul, intercession, sufferings, and 
 sacrifice, had a lively tendency, seeing that both remission and sanc- 
 tifcation is known through faith in his blood, which both purgeth 
 the conscience, sanctifieth, and justifieth. I do confess, that as the 
 redemption of the soul, or its salvation, is of infinite value; so the 
 price that procures it, must be equivalent, and nothing short of in- 
 finite. — page 217. 
 
 In summing up the controversy between Samuel Scandre and 
 himself, George Whitehead states a number of questions, to which 
 he has given answers, containing, as he says, " a plain intimation of 
 his sense," concerning the points therein treated of. We shall quote 
 some of them, viz. 
 
 "Question 1. — What was the nature and extent of Christ's suf- 
 ferings? 
 
 " Answer. — Not an undergoing, infinite wrath, or vindictive jus- 
 tice, (so called,) at the hands of his Father, (for that is the just 
 reward of rebels against God, Christ, and free grace ;) but first, the 
 weight and burthen of sin and grief of sou!, because thereof, as see- 
 ing the punishment and wrath incurred by the rebellious. Second, 
 the fury of his persecutors, in his undergoing that cruel death of the 
 cross, inflicted on his body, by wicked hands and murderers ; so that 
 his sutt'erings were twofold, both inward and outward. Third, his 
 real desire, travail of soul, and good will, through all, was for the 
 benefit and good of all mankind, even for the whole world, for tvhom 
 he suffered and died, that all vvho receive him, might be spiritually 
 influenced with his holy life, and partake of his mind and will, which 
 stooti in subjection to the Father. 
 
 " Question 2. — What was the true signification, intent and ends of 
 Christ's sufferings ^ 
 
 " Answer. — First, to evince God's long suffering towards all men, 
 for whom Christ gave himself a ransom for a testimony in due time. 
 Second, the appeasement of wrafli and severity, so far as to grant re- 
 mission on true repentance. Third, the end of the law and first co- 
 venant, and the shadows and curse of it, as threatened, to impose the 
 terms of it. Fourth, to introduce the new covenant administration ; 
 Christ being the Mediator of it. Fifth, to show God's great conde- 
 scension to receive poor lost man again, on the terras of this new 
 
1T4 
 
 covenant, reinforced by the death of his Son, that man coming into 
 this new covenant, he might experience a real agreement with God, 
 even in the Son of his love." 
 
 " Question 3. — How far the light in man is necessary, and an- 
 swers the intent and ends of Christ's sufferings ? 
 
 " Answer. — It is absolutely necessarry to salvation, being that di- 
 vine principle of light within, which directly guides all them that 
 obey it, into the way and dispensation of the new covenant, whereby 
 they secretly experience the real intent, virtue,and ends of Christ's 
 sufferings and blood." 
 
 [Query — Can those who deny the real intent, virtue, and ends of 
 Christ's sufferings and blood, be guided by the light, since George 
 Whitehead says that this light, when obeyed^ leads all into the expe- 
 rience of them.] 
 
 "Question 6. — The satisfaction, what? And in what did it con- 
 sist? 
 
 " Answer.-^First, Not rigid payment from Christ to God. Second, 
 Not of the nature of payment for all sins past, present, and to come, 
 (as stated by sin pleasers.) Third, Not Christ's undergoing infinite 
 wrath or revenge from his Father, for these were never exacted nor 
 required of him ; but the satisfaction was in Christ, as the Son of 
 the Father's love, the delight of his soul, and as he was a sacrifice of 
 a sweet smelling savour to Him : both t-he Father and the Son, con- 
 descended, in one and the same infinite love for man's recovery, out 
 of sin and death, and for his deliverance from wrath to come; being 
 confessed to be equally kind to man, and equally angry at man's sin ; 
 God so loved the world that he freely sent his only begotten Son, &c. 
 And in the same love, the Son freely gave his life, yea, even himself, 
 a ransom for all, for a testimony in due time. 
 
 "Question 7. — What is true justification? 
 
 " Answer. — It is properly and strictly, a making man just, (viz. 
 through the washing of regeneration.) It is, also, not only God's par- 
 doning sins past for Christ's sake, through faith in his name; but, 
 also, God's absolute accepting^, owning, and blessing all them who 
 faithfully obey, persevere, and walk in the light and law of the new 
 covenant. 
 
 "Question 8. — What is the true or real imputation of righteous- 
 ness ? 
 
 " Answer. — It is the same with justification, as it relates to 
 God's reckoning or esteeming that man righteous, that partakes of 
 the everlasting righteousness of Christ, by a living faith in him : and 
 so the same righteousness and holiness of Christ, as inwardly reveal- 
 ed, and brought forth in the new creature, that is made conformable to 
 his image ; and so all the blessed fruits and effects of Christ's power 
 and inward work of righteousness, as true faith, love, obedience, sin- 
 cerity, holiness, integrity of spirit to God, are acceptable to him, ac- 
 counted of, and reckoned unto his people for righteousness, and all 
 still for Christ's sake, who is the Author and Finisher of true, living, 
 saving, justifying faith ; as Abraham believed God, and it was reckon- 
 ed to him for righteousness, we say then that Abraham's faith was so 
 reckoned or imputed to him. It has been by some confest, (as be- 
 
175 
 
 tween God and the creature,) that there can be no liking one another, 
 without likeness of disposition ; nor doth God receive man into ac- 
 tual friendship with himself, without being renewed after his image." 
 Pages 239, 240, 241. 
 
 The compilers of the pamphlet having quoted from George White- 
 head, to prove that his belief was similar to Elias Hicks*, we'have 
 thought it proper to add the foregoing to their extracts. We leave 
 the reader to make the comparison of the sentiments of the two 
 persons, being fully convinced that every candid mind, will at once 
 perceive that the doctrines are entirely different. 
 
 To satisfy every reader that George Whitehead fully believed in 
 the outward manifestation in a body of flesh, as well as the inward" ap- 
 pearance of our blessed Lord, we subjoin the following declaration 
 of his faith, with which he concludes his Supplement to the Switch 
 for the Snake; viz. 
 
 " Seeing our adversary, and his confederates, so much insist upon 
 the words without us, Christ as without us, (and sometimes gives 
 him the character of an outward Christ, as if he were not an inward 
 Christ, inwardly anointed,) I may take leave a little to follow them 
 in their terms; yet with a real respect and honour to the true Mes- 
 siah, the very Christ, the anointed of God, of whom all his holy pro- 
 phets gave witness, Acts x. 4. namely, we believe and confess, that 
 this very Christ of God, tlie only begotten son of God, was conceiv- 
 ed by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary without its, that 
 he was born in Bethlehem of Judea without us, that he lived an in- 
 nocent, sinless life, preached most blessed and excellent doctrine 
 without us, that he wrought most eminent and wonderful miracles 
 without us, that he went about doing good withoiit us, that he was 
 crucified, and put to death, by wicked hands, (without the gates of 
 Jerusalem,) without us, that by the power of God, he revived and 
 rose again the third day, without us, that after he was raised from 
 the dead, he showed himself alive after his passion, by many infalli- 
 ble proofs, unto his disciples, without us, being seen of them forty 
 days, after which he ascended into heaven, being seen to ascend, with- 
 out us, and a cloud received him out of their sight, who beheld him 
 ascend. Unto whom it was said, by the two angels present. This 
 same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in 
 like manner, as ye have seen him go into heaven, Acts i. 3,9, 10, 
 11, and doubtless, when he so comes, and all his mighty angels with 
 him; it will be in great glory and open triumph; and he will in that 
 day be greatly glorified in his saints, and admired in all of them that 
 believe. 2 Thes. i. 7, 8, 9, 10. 
 
 " But now I must not stop here, we must not leave this same Je- 
 sus Christ all without us, we must humbly consider, and own him, as 
 he is within us also. As Christ is the Word of God, that true light 
 which enlightens every man coming into the world, John i. 9. He is 
 within us. As in him was life, and the life was the light of men, he 
 is within us ; his life, as the light of men is within us, John i. 4. As 
 Christ is the light of the world, given to lead men out of darkness, 
 and to give the light of life to all who follow him, John viii. 12. He 
 is within men, icithin us, to lead us out of that darkness and cor- 
 
176 
 
 I'uption that was in us. As Christ is given for the light of the gen* 
 tiles, and for a covenant unto the people, and to be God's salvation 
 to the ends of the earth, Isa. xlii. 6, and xlix. 6. Acts xiii. 47. 
 He must be known as such within them. Seeing his roming, was 
 that we might have life, and that we might have it more abundantly, 
 John X. 10. This life we must have ivithin us. Jesiis said, If a man 
 love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him, and 
 we will come unto him, and make our abode with him, John xiv. 23. 
 which must be ivitliinns. Abide in me, and I in you, (saiih Christ,) 
 as the branch cannot bring forth fruit of itself, except it abide in the 
 vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me, John xv. 4. There- 
 fore, if we abide in Christ, he abides in ns. The branches must 
 abide in the vine, to partake of the life and virtue thereof in them, 
 to cause fruit. John xiv. 18. I will not leave you comfortless, I will 
 come to you, {said Christ.) Verse 20. At that day ye shall know that 
 1 am in my Father, and you in me, and 1 in you. Therefore we 
 must know Christ within us, if we be his trpe followers. John xvii. 
 22, 23. Where Christ saith. And the glory which thou gavest me, I 
 have given them, that they may be one, even as we are one. I in 
 them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one, that the 
 world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as 
 thou hast loved me. And verse 26. And I have declared unto them 
 thy name, and will declare it, that the love wherewith thou hast loved 
 me, may be in them, and I in them. What's more clear, than 
 Christ's own testimony for his being within lis, i. e. ivithin all his 
 true followers especially. 2 Cor. xiii. 5. Examine yourselves, 
 whether ye be in the faith ; prove your own selves : Know ye not 
 your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be repro- 
 bates. Therefore, they who are not reprobates, but in the faith, know 
 that Jesus Christ is within them. Colos. i. 27. To whom God would 
 make known, what is the riches of the glory of this mystery, which 
 is Christ in you the hope of glory. Therefore, the saints know 
 Christ within them, to be the hope of glory to them. Gal. iv. 6. 
 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son 
 into your hearts, crying Abba Father. The Son of God is, therefore, 
 by his spirit within us^ who are sons of God. Galat. iv. 19. My lit- 
 tle children, of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed 
 in you. Rom. viii. 29. For whom he did foreknow, he also did pre- 
 destinate, to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be 
 the firstborn in many brethren. Therefore the son of God is within 
 them. 
 
 "Rev. iii. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock, if any man 
 hear my voice, and open the door, 1 will come in to him, and will 
 sup with him, and he with me. Was not this the Son of God, the 
 faithful and true witness, who thus spake, verse 14? And where is 
 that door that must be opened unto him.^ Many more instances 
 might be shown for the nearness of Christ, with, and in his faithful 
 followers and members : And blessed are they who truly believe in 
 his name, and follow him in the regeneration." — Page 544.' 
 
 To the last quotation from George Whitehead, the compilers have 
 appended the following note : 
 
177 
 
 •• The authenticity of this text, was doubted by Richard Claridg^, 
 a learRcd aud highly esteemed writer among primitive Friends, and 
 it is now admitted to be spurious, even by many Trinitarians." 
 
 The text here alluded to is 1 John v. 7. " For there are three that 
 bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost; 
 and these three are one." 
 
 After a careful examination of the writings of Richard Claridge, 
 we do not find he has declared that he ever entertained any such 
 doubt. 
 
 In his " Essay on the Doctrine of the Trinity," he has placed this 
 text on the title page as a motto, with the usual reference of chap- 
 ter and verse, which it is higlily improbable so "learned and highly 
 esteemed a writer" would have done, if he had doubted its authenti- 
 city. He commences the treatise with these words : " Although it 
 be, doubtless, the duty of every Christian man unfeignedly to believe 
 the testimony of the Holy Scripture, concerning the Father, Son, and 
 Holy Ghost, yet the notion of three distinct persons, subsisting irt 
 the unity of the Godhead, having its rise not from the Holy Scrip- 
 tures, but from men's imaginations, is not necessarily to be received. 
 * For whatsoever is not read therein, viz. the Holy Scriptures, nor may 
 he proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should be 
 believed as an article of faith, or be thought necessary, or requisite to 
 salvation, as the sixth article of the Church of England declareth. And 
 as in our doings, that will of God is to be followed, which we have ex- 
 expressly declared unto us in the word of God ;' article 17, so in a 
 point of faith proposed to us, as necessary to be believed in order to 
 eternal salvation, it should be expressly declared in the Holy Scrip- 
 tures. For ' as works done before the grace of Christ, and the inspira- 
 ration of the spirit, are not pleasant to God, forasmuch as they spring 
 not of faith in Jesus Christ,' article 13 ; so, according to this article, how 
 can that faith be pleasant unto God, which is not expressly declared 
 of in the Holy Scriptures, which the Church of England itself says, 
 are the only rule of faith .^ There is sufficient reason to dissent from 
 her, in this point, even upon her own articles. Her doctrine of the 
 Trinity, as delivered and explained, article 1, and in the confession 
 commonly called the creed of Athanasius, is not expressly declared 
 in the Holy Scriptures, and because it is not, may therefore, accord- 
 ing to her own principles, be justly rejected. I am of Hierom's 
 mind in things of this nature, ' We do not believe them, because we 
 do not read them in the sacred records.' Again, a little before, he 
 saith, ' As we deny not those things which are written there, so we 
 refuse those that are not written ; for all that we speak,' saith he, 'we 
 ought to affirm from the Holy Scriptures.' For they are a sufficient 
 declaration, of all the necessary and fundamental articles of the 
 Christian religion, in common to be believed ; and the best otitward 
 rule or standard, extant in the world, to examine the principles and 
 doctrines of men by; and therefore, nothing ought to be required or 
 imposed, as a common article of the Christian religion, which is not 
 expressed in plain scripture terms," — \yorks, pages 389, 390. 
 
 He then proceeds to state the ground of his dissent from the 
 doctrine of the Church of England on this point, from which it ap 
 
178 
 
 pears, that it arises wholly, from the use of the unscriptural term 
 Trinity, and the notion of Three distinct and separate persons in 
 one Godhead. After treating these points at some length, and ad- 
 ducing the testimony of several protestant writers, to show, that 
 they have given rise to many inconsistent and erroneous ideas up- 
 on this solemn and mysterious subject, he concludes very properly 
 that it is safest and most becoming, for men to express their belief 
 in those terms, which the Holy Ghost has been pleased to reveal. — 
 On page 414, he says — 
 
 " By keeping to scripture revelation we shall declare our faith 
 in a form of sound and safe words ; but if we go beyond those sa- 
 cred records for our creed, there may quickly be as many symbols 
 of faith, as there are fond and ambitious innovators. 
 
 " Therefore in this, and all other articles of faith and doctrines 
 of religion, in common to be believed, in order to eternal salvation, 
 let not the opinions, explications, or conceptions of men, which are 
 often dubious, various, or erroneous, be esteemed as a rule or stan- 
 dard, but let every one rely upon the divine testimony of the Holy 
 Scriptures, which declare that " God is one, and there is none 
 other besides him ; and that the one God is Father, Son, and Holy 
 Spirit : or, as it is expressed 1 st John v. 7 — The Father, the Word, 
 and the Holy Ghost. Though that text is suspected by many learn- 
 ed men, it being not met with, as Poole informs us, in Nazianzen, 
 Athanasius, Didymus, Chrysostom, Cyril, Hilary, Augustine, and 
 Bede ; nor urged in the Nicene Council against Arius ; for though 
 it quote verse 6, yet it omits verse 7th, either because they found 
 it not in the original, or doubted its authority. 
 
 " Neither is it found in many ancient Greek and Latin copies, 
 nor in the Syriac, Arabic, or Ethiopic versions, nor in some ancient 
 Greek impressions, as that of Strasburg by Wolfius Cephalinus, 
 1524, and that of Paris by Simon Colinaeus, 1534, nor in the Ger- 
 man version of Martin Luther, as Erasmus, the Divines of Lovain, 
 Beza, and others, have observed. 
 
 " Nor is it, as Dr. Hammond says, in the King's manuscript at 
 St. James. See also what Franciscus Junius, Selden, Paulus Colo- 
 mesius, and Bishop Burnet say of the omission of it. 
 
 " But whether that verse be dubious or authentic, is not much ma- 
 terial, because in other places of scripture the substance of it is re- 
 corded.^^ — Pages 414, 415. 
 
 We suppose that this last quotation from Richard Claridge has 
 induced the compilers to make the assertion, that he doubted the 
 authenticity of this text in 1st John. It will at once be seen, how- 
 ever, that Richard Claridge himself, does not say that Ae doubted its 
 authenticity ; but merely that this text was suspected by many 
 learned men, and gives their reasons for so doing. Had the rea- 
 sons, which induced them to suspect (not actually to doubt) the pas- 
 sage, produced the same impression on his mind, he would not have 
 concluded the statement in the manner he has ; for to say, " whe- 
 ther it be dubious or authentic, is not much material," is an expres- 
 sion, which shows that he had not decided it to be dubious ; since 
 jt might be safely used, in the sense he has it, by one who was con- 
 
179 
 
 tending for its authenticity. The most, therefore, that can be drawn 
 from all that he has said on its doubtfulness, is that he asserted ma- 
 ny learned men suspected it. 
 
 The concluding pai-agrapli above quoted, is however, a strong 
 proof of his belief in its genuineness, when viewed in connexion 
 with the fact, that he has not only placed it as his motto on the ti- 
 tle page of his book, but also declared in this essay, that it is the. 
 fittest language whereby to express our belief in the Holy Three. 
 It is scarcely to be supposed, that so learned a writer, would ha- 
 zard the credit and force of a controversial essay, on so momen- 
 tous and serious a subject, by building its authority, upon a text of 
 scripture whose authenticity he doubted. It would certainly be an 
 evidence of great weakness in him, and augur very unfavourably of 
 the cause for which he was contending. A further confirmation of 
 this view, is afforded by the great care he takes, to guard his read- 
 ers against denying the doctrine, in consequence of any doubt 
 which some might have, of the authenticity of the text. For after 
 stating the suspicion of these learned men respecting it, he adds — 
 " But ivhether thai verse be dubious or authentic, is not much mate- 
 rial, because in other places of scripture, the substance of it is record- 
 ed ;^^ thus clearly showing, that he was an unfeigned believer in the 
 doctrine which it contained. 
 
 From the note made by the compilers of the pamphlet on the sub- 
 ject, and their unqualified assertion, that he doubted its authenti- 
 city, as well as from the object of their work ; viz: to prove that 
 " primitive friends," concurred with Elias Hicks, in denying the 
 doctrine which is inculcated in the text, and the divinity of Jesus 
 Christ ; it might possibly be inferred, by some uninformed readers, 
 that Richard Claridge did not believe in the doctrine of the " Three 
 that bear record in Heaven ;" but for proof that this was not the 
 case, the extracts which we have here given, as well as those from 
 his defence of William Penn and the early Quakers, against the in- 
 vidious accusations of Francis Bugg, inserted in our first chapter, 
 are amply suflicient. His " Essay on the Trinity," concludes with 
 this excellent paragraph : — 
 
 " The Holy Scriptures are the great Charter of the Christian 
 Faith and doctrine, and unto them, should all appeals be made in 
 matters relating unto both. So was it observed by the Ancient Fa- 
 thers and by the first Reformers : they constantly appealed to scrip- 
 ture, in all questions and controversies of religion. And though in 
 sundry instances, they deviated from the path of truth, it was not be- 
 cause they appealed to scripture, but because they attended not to 
 the teaching of the Spirit of Truth, in their own hearts, whose pre- 
 rogative it is, to open and guide the understandings of those infal- 
 libly therein, who humbly wait for, and faithfully follow its con- 
 duct."— Page 419. 
 
 The compilers likewise inform us in their note, that the verse in 
 question, ''is now admitted to be spurious, even by many Trinita- 
 rians." We grant that some persons who are denominated Trini- 
 tarians, have been so far influenced by the objections which have 
 been made to the passage, as to be induced to suspect its authenti- 
 
180 
 
 city. It is equally true however, that the number of these is small 
 when compared with those who are satisfied of its genuineness. 
 The learned bishop of St. David's, who has devoted much time and 
 attention to this subject, and whose extensive research, entitles his 
 opinion to great weight, has this observation respecting it ; "I can 
 say with truth, that every renewed examination of the subject has 
 added to my convictions of its authenticity." Nolan in his pro- 
 found and interesting " Inquiry into the integrity of the Greek 
 Vulgate," after stating the internal and external evidence in sup- 
 port of the text, adds — " I trust nothing further can be wanting, to 
 convince any ingenuous mind that 1st John v. 7, really proceeded 
 from St. John the Evangelist." Dr. Hales in a very able and learn- 
 ed work on the subject of the Trinity, speaks with equal confidence 
 of the authenticity of the verse. " To the authority of Griesbach 
 on this question, (he says) I shall not hesitate to oppose and prefer 
 the authority of a celebrated German editor and critic, the learned 
 Ernesti, with whose observations I shall close this minute and ela- 
 borate survey, of the whole external and internal evidence, which I 
 humbly trust, will be found exhaustive of the subject, and set the 
 controversy at rest in future." Grier, in his reply to Dr. Milner's 
 " End of religious controversy," after noticing " the invincible ar- 
 guments^^ of Nolan, says, " I feel compelled to abandon my former 
 prejudices against the verse, and to think, that a person should al- 
 most as soon doubt the genuineness of the rest of St. John's Epis- 
 tle, as that of the disputed passage." A late edition of the Greek 
 testament by Edward Valpy, a very learned Greek scholai', retains 
 among other passages 1st John v. 7. 
 
 It may be proper to remark, that the investigation of the subject 
 is still industriously continued; and as there are yet to be examined, 
 many hundred ancient manuscripts in the Vatican, and other libra- 
 ries, many of which may be still older than those we are at present 
 possessed of; we should certainly have the most positive evidence 
 of corruption or interpolation, to induce us to abandon a passage so 
 veil supported, by internal and external evidence, and which in the 
 deliberate and sober judgment, of many of the most learned bibli- 
 cal critics, is equally genuine with any ot the apostle John's writings. 
 Should it however happen, that future researches, present us with 
 evidence, sufficient to invalidate the great weight of testimony by 
 which it is now supported, the absence of the text will not diminish 
 the irresistible evidence, for the doctrine which it teaches, since 
 other unsuspected passages, prove it in the most clear and unequi- 
 vocal manner. 
 
181 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Remarks upon the Quotations made by the Compilers of the Pamphlet, from 
 the works of Wiu-iam Batit. 
 
 The compilers have presented us with several extracts from the writ- 
 ings of this author, the object of which we are at a loss to determine, 
 since they do not favour a denial of the divinity or atonement of our 
 blessed Lord, but, on the contrary, afford sufficient proof of his 
 sincere faith in both, and are, therefore, no evidence in support ol 
 the notions of- Elias Hicks. 
 
 The lirst of them is on pages 38, 39, of the pamphlet, and is a re- 
 ply to an objection made by some of the opponents of Friends, that 
 they seldom addressed their prayers to God, in the name of Jesus 
 Christ. To this William Bayly answers : 
 
 |C?°[" First, I do affirm, that they who preach and pray in the 
 " spirit, and power, and light, and wisdom of God, do pray in the 
 " name of Jesus ; for Jesus is but a name which was given unto that, 
 " which was before that name was, which the angel called a holy 
 " thing, and also said, that holy thing which shall be born of thee, 
 " shall be called the Son of God. And also, it is written, behold a 
 " virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they 
 " shall call his name Immanuel, which being interpreted, is God with 
 " us. So that this one holy thing, in process of time, according to 
 *' the knowledge of his works and operations, in and by many, hath 
 " several, many, and various names given unto it."]«cii| Page 158. 
 
 It is obvious that William Bayly fully asserts his belief in the 
 Godiiead and pre-existence of our Lord Jesus Christ, and his mira- 
 culously taking flesji of the Virgin Mary, in this very passage which 
 the compilers have quoted. In the subsequent paragraph he calls 
 him the Seed of the Woman, the Word of God, the faithful and true 
 Witness, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, the Lion 
 of the tribe of Judah, the Lord our Righteousness, the Prince of 
 Peace, the tried Stone and Rock, the Mediator, the Child, the Morn- 
 ing Star, and the good Shepherd, that lays down his life for the 
 sheep. He then argues, that as the name Jesus was given to this 
 holy thing, which in different ages had been characterized by these 
 glorious titles, so those who prayed to him, in his name or power, 
 under any of these various characters, did pray in the name of Je- 
 sus, though they might not always use this word to designate him 
 by. The great difference between the Christian doctrines of Wil- 
 liam Bayly and the dogmas of Elias Hicks, is sufficiently proved by 
 the extracts which the compilers have made, since the latter declares 
 our blessed Saviour was not the Son of God, until after the baptism 
 of John, denies his miraculous conception, and so far from admitting 
 
182 
 
 that he is the mighty God, says, that the spirit, or light, was dis= 
 pensed to him as man, in such proportion as was necessary for the 
 work he had to perform. Now as a proportion, or part of any thing, 
 cannot be the whole, so it j[ol[ows, from the assertion of Elias Hicks, 
 that the fulness of the Godhead did not dwell in him, and that he 
 was no otherwise divine^ than as every Cliristian is. 
 
 The next quotation from William Bayly is taken from his reply 
 to the following objection, viz. " But how could Adam be in Christ, 
 before Christ came into the world, or was born of the Virgin, seeing 
 Adam was made in the image of God long before ? Could he be made 
 in Christy or by Christ, before Christ ivns? How can these things 
 be ? Answer. IC?'[" The word Christ, in letters CHRIST, was not 
 " known, (neither was there any occasion of them,) before man had 
 ^^transgressed, and lost that life, in and by which he was created ; 
 *' but the power, which was in that man, or body, which suffered 
 " without the gate of Jerusalem, was before the body or creature was 
 " made ; and it was the power of the Most High, which overshadow- 
 " ed the Virgin ; and said he, a body hast thou prepared me ; mark, 
 " this was the Life and Power in the body, which spoke, in whom 
 "the fulness of the Godhead dwelt: and he spake, and prayed to 
 <' his Father, which was in him : so though he was not known by them 
 " letters, or the name Christ, yet he was with the Father, glorified 
 " before the world began, and was the Word in the begiiining, by whom 
 « the world was made, who said ' Before Abraham was. Tarn ;' but the 
 "name, or letters, Christ, was not until many hundred years af- 
 " ter :],i£3| So thou mayst see, that the Christ of God, the Word, by 
 whom all things were made ; was, before it was made, glorified with 
 the Father, before Abraham, and Adam, and Moses, and the names 
 or letters, were ; the image of God, the blessed seed." — Page 94. 
 
 This quotation furnishes us with another full confession of the 
 faith of William Bayly, in the pre-existence of our blessed Lord, as the 
 Eternal Word, by whom all things were made ; in his miraculous 
 conception. Godhead, and Manhood, which suffered witliout the gates 
 of Jerusalem ; and presents a striking contrast with the dogmas of 
 Elias Hicks, who^ as we have repeatedly shown, denies both of the 
 former, making Jesus Christ no more than a man. 
 
 On the same page of the pamphlet, we have a short quotation, in 
 which the author declares that there are but two seeds, the seed of 
 the serpent or devil, and the seed of the woman, Christ Jesu', the 
 same yesterday, to day, and forever; who, by a manifestation of his 
 Holy Spirit, is now appearing in the hearts of ten thousands of his 
 saints. Here are two points in which he differs from Klias Hicks. 
 The existence of the devil, and Christ being the seed of the woman, 
 promised to Adam and Eve after they had fallen. 
 
 At the top of page 40, of the pamphlet, we find a short quotation 
 from William Bayly, in which he applies the term " Elder Brother" 
 to the person of Jesus Christ. The compilers have italicised these 
 words, as if they would have us to infer from tlience, that he con- 
 siders our Lord to be no more than a man. In this, however, they 
 are greatly mistaken, since, in the very paragraph from which they 
 have garbled their quotation, beginning it at a semicolon, and end- 
 
183 
 
 ing it at a comma, he fully acknowledges his divinity. It is as foi- 
 lows, viz : — 
 
 " This we do declare, and that, in and by the spirit of the Lord, 
 that we are, in our measures, redeemed by the precious blood of his 
 Sou, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God that takes away the sin, and re- 
 conciles unto Him, and to all men, from that nature and spirit of 
 enmity from whence the wars and fightings come ; |CP[and we are 
 " taught, led, and guided by, and are possessors of a measure of 
 " the same spirit of grace and truth, that was in that person, Christ, 
 " our Elder Brother, that suftered patiently, the contradictions and 
 <' false accusations of sinners, as a Lamb, without the gates of Jeru- 
 " salem, of whose resurrection and life we are eye witnesses,],^^! 
 even of his majesty and glory, and the coming of his kingdom with 
 power, full of grace and truth, so that the tree being now made good, 
 the fruit is the same also; and a good tree cannot bring forth evil 
 fruit, viz. wickedness, enmity, mischief, or violence, against any of 
 the children of men, upon the face of the earth : so we have not only 
 the name, or outward profession of Christ, in words, as it is in the 
 world, but we are made partakers of a measure of the same divine 
 nature; and we are now, (being regenerated, raised, and renewed into 
 his own image of truth and love, righteousness and peace,) his off- 
 spring, and HE is our God and Father, who rebukes the strong na- 
 tions, and makes wars to cease, to the ends of the earth, glory 
 and honour be to Him in the highest, overall, forever." — Pages 169, 
 170. 
 
 It will be seen by the brackets, which enclose the compilers' quo- 
 tation, that they have omitted the leading part of the paragraph, and 
 ended their extract at a comma; thus concealing those parts where 
 William Bayly declares his belief in the divinity, majesty, and glo- 
 ry of the Lord Jesus Christ. The injustice of this garbling is great- 
 ly increased, by the sentiment which they thus attempt to force upon 
 him, which is no less than a denial of his eternal divinity. The 
 term Elder Brother is strictly confined, to the person or man- 
 hood of Christ, and is evidently not at all intended to equalize him 
 with man, since, in the same sentence, he asserts that ive have only 
 a measure of that spirit, which dwelt in fulness iq, Him, speaks of 
 him in language, which can only be applicable to the Deity, and 
 closes the paragraph by styling him, "our God and Father," "glory 
 and honour be to him in the highest, over all, forever." So that it is 
 manifest he was a firni believer in all that is declared of him in 
 Holy Scripture. 
 
 It is but proper to remark, however, that the appellation of elder 
 brother, even when applied soleb/ to the humanity of our blessed and 
 adorable Redeemer, is very seldom used by any of the early Friends. 
 \Ve have never met with it but in one instance, except in the works 
 ol this author. — And although our Lord was pleased to call his dis- 
 ciples, " my brethren," and condescendingly to say, " Whosoever shall 
 do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, 
 and sister, and mother;" yet Friends considered it more becoming 
 the dependent and unworthy condition of man, to adopt that form 
 of expression, which he was pleased to commend in his immediate 
 
184 
 
 followers, " Ye call me Master and Lord, and ye say well, for so I 
 am." 
 
 Immediately following this extract, we have another from the same 
 author, in which he addresses those, who are living above the just 
 \vitness for God in the soul, and oppressing and persecuting it by 
 their wicked works, assuring them that Christ without, will be of no 
 benefit to them, unless they become obedient to the manifestation of 
 his Holy Spirit within. He also asserts, that whosoever "preacheth 
 any other Saviour, Gospel, or way to eternal salvation, but the Im- 
 manuel, the Son of God ; his life, power, and wisdom in him, to re- 
 deem his soul (which is in him,) from the curse, wrath, and power of 
 darkness, which is in man ; — yea, I say, if an angel should preach con- 
 trary to this Gospel, the light and power of God, which is everlasting, 
 whose foundation in man is already laid; I say, from the presence of 
 tlie Lord God he is accursed, 8cc." This gospel which William 
 Bayly preached, was the same that the apostles of the Lord Jesus 
 Christ preached, and concerning which, Paul declared that man ac- 
 cursed, who preached any other. Surely, then, the language both of 
 this eminent apostle, and of William Bayly, contain a most solemn 
 sentence upon all those who are rejecting the holiest doctrines of 
 that very gospel, and even denying him who gave it to the world, 
 and ratified it with no less seal, than the sacrifice of his own pre- 
 cious life. 
 
 The quotation closes, with his testimony against those who taught 
 people, that they might be saved by Christ without them, while the 
 light of Christ in the conscience, condemned them ; and persuaded 
 them to hazard the eternal welfare of their souls by trusting solely 
 to a redemption, wrought by Christ without them, while their sins 
 remain in them ; and that redemption from sin could not be witness- 
 ed in this life : such he declares to be ministers and messengers of 
 Satan. It will appear from this, that while William Bayly denies 
 the possibility of redemption by the blood of Christ, without repen- 
 tance and amendment of life ; he is far from rejecting the virtue and 
 efiicacy of that blood, to all those who come in faith unto God, by 
 Christ. Because he preached so strenuously, the indispensable ne- 
 cessity of knowing the inward work, it does not follow, that he de- 
 nied the outward, though the compilers would, doubtless, have 
 us think so, from the manner in which they have italicised his 
 words. This unjust and uncharitable construction was put upon his 
 words, by an illiberal opponent of the early Quakers, of which Wil- 
 liam Bayly complains, as being an injurious reflection upon his chris- 
 tian reputation. We sincerely wish that the compilers may profit by 
 what he says. The essay in which it is contained is entitled, " The 
 True Christ Owned, in a few plain ivords of truth, by way of reply 
 to all such, professors or profane, who lay to the charge of the elect 
 people of God, called Quakers, that they deny the blood of Christ, 
 and his body and resurrection, and that they deny the Lord that 
 bought them, and trample the blood of the covenant under their feet." 
 It is inserted in his works, page 573 and seq. The following de- 
 claration of William Bayly's faith, concerning Christ Jesus, is ex- 
 tracted from it, viz. 
 
185 
 
 "The second query and charge, ' But do you own salvation by the 
 Man Christ, that was born of the Virgin Mary, and that was baptized 
 of John in Jordan, and that preached in the world, and was crucified, 
 dead and buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into 
 heaven, and there sitteth, at the right hand of God, and shall come 
 again to judge the world ?' [Answer] — (Now mark, if we speak the 
 truth in the iiprightnefis of our hearts, and say yea to alt this; it 
 doth not at all satisfy them,) but they further proceed with terms 
 beyond what «s written : [viz.] ' But do you believe in the visible man 
 Christ with flesh and bones, which the people fastened their eyes on, 
 when he read in the book of Isaiah ? So that Christ Jesus was a vi- 
 sible man, \v\t\\ flesh and bones, a.s he himself said to Thomas, a spi- 
 rit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have ; so they did see him 
 after he was risen from the dead, and this was visible. Do you, 
 Quakers, own salvation alone by this visible person, Christ Jesus ? 
 For we believe you do not, because you preach up a light within and 
 not the visible man, Christ, for salvation ; and so we publish you to 
 be them, that deny the Lord that bought them, and so are of anti- 
 christ and false prophets.' 
 
 " Answer — The foinier part is here answered already, with a word 
 of truth, YEA; and as to the latter part thereof, I have this to say, 
 that we do not deny but own and believe, that he was the Son of 
 God, and the true Christ and the Saviour of the world, that did ap- 
 pear to his disciples, and did eat and drink with them, and talk with 
 them, after he was risen from the dead : who said, A spirit hath not 
 flesh and bones as ye see me have; and all that is, or was spoken, 
 and written by the prophets, and apostles of Christ, concerning him, 
 what he was, or what he did or said, we do really believe without 
 any equivocating, as some of you usually charge us with, and ivith 
 reservations ; to which we may say, as the apostle, if our gospel be 
 hid, or reserved, it is hid to them that are lost, whose minds the god 
 of this world hath blinded, that do not believe, lest the light of the 
 glorious gospel of Christ who is the image of God, should shine unto 
 them: read 2 Cor. iv. throughout; you that talk against the light 
 within, and understand what ye read, and what ye are crying out 
 against. It's no less than the Son of God, if you will believe Paul, 
 who witnessed the Son of God revealed in him, and Christ, the Son 
 of God, said, I am the light of the world. 
 
 " But as to your charge, I say further, that we own salvation by no 
 other Christ than Him, the true apostles preachei!, nor no other gos- 
 pel, or name under heaven by which men shall be saved, but by Je- 
 sus Christ ; who is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever. And 
 for the word visible, its yours, and not Christ's, nor his apostles', nor 
 mine, and so I leave it out, and keep to the form of sound words, as 
 the apostle exhorts, and not meddle with if, lest I add to his words, 
 and he reprove me; — but he that took upon him the likeness of sin- 
 ful flesh, and the form a servant, and was found in fashion as a man, 
 and made in the likeness of men, being in the form of God, thought 
 it no robbery to be equal with God ; this Christ Jesus we own, and 
 witness salvation by, and by no other: And though Christ Jesus 
 spoke at that time, and upon that occasion, of his flesh and bones, 
 
 A a 
 
186 
 
 that they miglit believe, that it was he, that was risen from the dead, 
 whom the chief-priests, Scribes, Pharisees, and elders had caused to 
 be crucified, which before he had declared to them, and so upbraid- 
 ed them with their unbelief in that particular; yet we need not be 
 upbraided with unbelief, by any, as you have done, saying, we deny 
 the resurrection of the body ; but we do really believe that Christ is 
 risen from the dead, and entered into his glory, according to the 
 scriptures, who said to his disciples at the supper, "I will not drink 
 henceforth, of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it 
 new with you, in my Father's kingdom, and that after he was risen 
 from the dead, he v/ould go before them into Galilee: so these things 
 they did witness fulfilled, according as he had said, whose cup of 
 blessing which they blessed, was it not the communion of the blood 
 of Christ, &c.? And did not his blood cleanse them from all sin, as 
 they walked in the light, in which their fellowship and communion 
 was? Head with understanding in the fear of the Lord: and so 
 mark your great argument upon what occasion he thus appeared, 
 and spoke; A spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have: 
 Did he thus speak, that his disciples should always look after flesh 
 and bones to appear amongst them, and to be with them, asid comfort 
 tliem forever? or did he not appear to them in another form, and last 
 of all did he not appear to Paul, who was called Saul, as to one born 
 out of due time, and how did he appear to him? — Mark, when it 
 pleased God to reveal his Son in me, ifcc." — Pages 582 — 585. 
 
 It will be seen from this declaration that William Bayly sincere- 
 ly and unfeignedly, without any shuffling, equivocating, or reser- 
 vation, owned Jesus Christ both outwardly and inwardly, as the 
 true Saviour and Redeemer, and held forth no other thing whatever 
 as the Saviour, but HE that took upon him that body of flesh, and 
 was oifered up without the gates of Jerusalem, a propitiation for the 
 sins of the world. Let the reader compare these doctrines with 
 those avowed by Elias Hicks in his sermons and letters, and he will 
 at once perceive how great the contrast is between his notions, and 
 genuine Quakerism. 
 
 From the same essay which we have here quoted, the compilers 
 of the pamphlet have extracted some queries, which William Bayly 
 addressed to the opposers of the Society of Friends with whom he 
 had the dispute, which gave occasion for writing the essay. Mat- 
 thew Caffin, one of the disputants, asserted — " My Saviour that I 
 own salvation by, is that visible Man Christ, that is ascended up into 
 heaven, and there sitteth at the right hand of God, that visible many 
 with the ssLxneJlesh and bones, which he took of the Virgin Mary."-»- 
 This he said in opposition to the doctrine of the apostle, that the 
 Word was nigh in the heart and in the mo^h, even the engrafted 
 word which was able to save the soul ; wholly denying the latter, 
 and asserting that the visible man of flesh and bones was the alone 
 Saviour. This occasioned William Bayly to query with them. 
 
 |C7°[" 1st. Whether there be any more Saviours of the immor- 
 *' tal soul but one, that is able to save it, or to bring salvation to it — 
 *• Yea or Nay? If you say nay, there is but one able to save, and 
 ^* able to destroy as the Lord said, Beside me there is no Saviour. 
 
187 
 
 " and there is no other name under heaven by which men can be sav 
 " ed, but Jesus Christ. 
 
 " 2d. Then, whether the visible person of flesh and bones, be the 
 " only Saviour, seeing the apostle saith. The engrafted word is able 
 " to save the soul, and the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath 
 " appeared to all men ? And who was Enoch's Saviour and the 
 " prophets', who were before that visible flesh and bones was? 
 
 " 3d. Whether the visible person of flesh and bones, be the en- 
 •' grafted Word ? Or whether Ihat person, hatli appeared to all 
 " men, seeing that which bringeth salvation hath ? I leave it to the 
 " witness of God in you all, to consider and judge. For if you say, 
 " the visible man, with visible flesh and bones, is the alone Saviour, 
 " (as you have said,) then whether this visible man be in the hearts 
 " of people ? For the apostle preached Christ, the Word nigh 
 " in the heart,^and in the mouth ; and the ingrafted Word is able 
 " to save the soul ; so he did not preach a visible Christ with flesh 
 " and bones as you do, (which W. B. [slu. opponent] said was not 
 " Christ ; but the Word.].aC3| And Paul preached God, that made 
 the world, &c. that was not far from every one of us, the invisible 
 God, but you preach a visible man, with flesh and bones at a great 
 distance from all people, above where the sun, moon, and stars are, 
 as Matthew Caffin said, his Saviour was, which he owned for salva- 
 tion."— pages 600, 601. 
 
 The candid reader will at once discern the real meaning of Wil- 
 liam Bayly in these queries. It is not to deny or undervalue the 
 outward coming of the Lord Jesus Christ in the flesh, but to show 
 the inconsistency of that doctrine, which would make the manhood 
 alone the Saviour, distinct entirely from the eternal divinity, the 
 fulness of the Godhead which dwelt in the manhood ; for this was 
 the opinion of his opponent. 
 
 The compilers have italicised the words "he did not preach a 
 visible Christ, with flesh, and bones," &c. alluding to the apostle 
 Paul. They would doubtless have us construe this, into a denial 
 of the manhood of the Lord Jesus, and to conclude that the Qua- 
 kers believed in Christ, no otherwise, than as he is the Word, nigh 
 in the heart. Such, however, was not the meaning of William Bay- 
 ly, as we shall presently prove. George Keith, after he had apos- 
 tatised from the true Quaker doctrine, quoted this very passage 
 from William Bayly, and charged him with holding those senti- 
 ments which the compilers would have us to infer from it. See 
 Keith's " Serious Call." The reply to Keith after quoting the pas- 
 sage, adds : — 
 
 " 1st. If this be truly cited, the first part is according to plain 
 scripture, that the apostles did so preach Christ, the Word nigh, 
 and the ingrafted Word — See Romans x., James i. 21. Therefore, 
 Georgfe Keith, in placing this among fliose, he terms, vile and mon- 
 strous doctrines, has accused tlie holy apostles, with vile and mon- 
 strous doctrines, to show his own vileness. 2d, ' He did not preach 
 a visible or fleshly Christ as you do ;' ^s who do ? Doubtless 
 they were such opposers of Christ in spirit, or his light in man, as 
 preached Christ only in the Jlesh, and only far remote from men. 
 
188 
 
 Whereas the holy apostles preached him both as come in the flesh, 
 and in the Spirit ; both without and within also." — Serious Exami- 
 nation of G. Keith, pages 20, 21. 
 
 It will thus appear, that neither W. Bayly, nor any of the early 
 Quakers, preached Christ within^ to the exclusion of Christ without; 
 but sincerely owned him, both as he appeared at Jerusalem, without 
 them, ill the flesh, and also as he is revealed by a measure of his 
 Holy Spirit in the hearts of his people. But we have yet further 
 evidence upon the subject, from W. Bayly himself, who seems to 
 have been aware that illiberal opposers might pervert the true mean- 
 ing of his words, in order to traduce his christian reputation. He, 
 therefore, states the following objection and answer, in the very 
 same essay, from which the compilers have extracted; and only two 
 pages from their quotation, viz: 
 
 " But some may say, if God and Christ, and Justification and sal- 
 vation, and all must be known within ; then what benefit have you 
 by the death and sufferings of Clirist? And for what end came 
 he into the world ? And what advantage have any people by these 
 things } 
 
 " Answer. — Much every way ; for first. He, in his birth, and com- 
 ing in theilesh, was the opening of a door, (though under a veil to 
 the carnal eye,) to see into the mysteries of his kingdom ; which was 
 at hand, as he told them ; as his being born of a virgin, and then be- 
 ing carried into Egypt, and then being brought back again, as also 
 his being kept out of the inn, which ivas full of guests in the days 
 of taxing, and his being wrapped in swaddling clothes, and laid in a 
 manger, showed his entertainment in the world, and among the 
 professors of all sorts, that saw not the invisible Life, but looked 
 at the visible appearance, and so his face was more marred than any 
 man's — and his form more than the sons of men. 
 
 " And then in his preaching, he told for what end he was born, and 
 came into the world, to bear witness to the truth; and so he fulfilled 
 all the types and shadows, and sacrifices under the law, by his offer- 
 ing once for all, and ended them forever; and so a body was prepar- 
 ed ; to do his Father's will, who would not have any more such sacri- 
 fices and offerings, but a new and living way must be consecrated for 
 the people, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh, which 'Was offered 
 up once for all : So here, all the outward offerings, (which were many 
 and often,) ended; and now the offering is in righteousness, in that 
 which exceeds the Scribes and Pharisees; and the true worship is 
 now, as he said, in the spirit and in the truth. And so, as they of- 
 fered the blood of bulls and goats, and such like things, in their sa- 
 crifices for sin and transgression, so Christ, at his death and suffer- 
 ings, offered up a body ^ flesh and blood, which was prepared, (as 
 I said,) TO THAT END OF HIS FATHER; SO lie did his Father's will, 
 with which He was well pleased, saying;-, this is my beloved son, hear 
 ye him ; so that God is in Christ, reconciled ; and out of ium there is 
 no reconciliation, nor acceptable sacrifice. And now, all must hear 
 him, who said lam the Way, the Truth and the Life, and lam the Light 
 of the world ; believ>^ in the Light; whose name is called the Word 
 of God ; which his ministers, in his stead, preached, nigh in the 
 
189 
 
 heart and in the mouth, and forbad saying, Who shall ascend up into 
 Heaven to bring him down, or descend to fetch him up, &c. ? But 
 the Word of reconciliation they had, and this they preached, that 
 people might come to Christ, and be reconciled to God ; and their 
 fellowship was with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ, and 
 the blood of Christ did cleanse them ; and yet they desire to know 
 him no more after the iiesh ; but these things are parables to the 
 wise men of the world. Therefore, I may conclude as the apostle 
 did, without controversy great is the mystery of godliness ; God 
 was manifest in {the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, 
 preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up 
 into glory : and so he is out of your sight who deny the Light with- 
 in, for that gives the knowledge of his glory in the face of Jesus 
 Christ, as ye may read, 2 Cor. iv. 6." — pages 602 to 604. 
 
 From this extract it is apparent, how careful the primitive Qua- 
 kers were, while they enforced that great fundamental doctrine 
 of the christian religion, the manifestation of the spirit of Christ 
 Jesus, given to all men to profit with, to guard against giving any 
 just ground to suspect, that they in any degree lessened, or slighted 
 the unspeakable blessings which resulted to mankind, from the out- 
 ward coming, and sufferings, and death of the Son of God in the 
 flesh. And although their writings have often been misconstrued to 
 convict them of this most unchristian doctrine, yet their accusers, 
 whether open enemies, or pretended friends, have always been ob- 
 liged to resort either to mutilation of their writings, or to perver- 
 sion of their true meaning. When permitted to speak for them- 
 selves, they declare to the satisfaction of every candid and ingenu- 
 ous mind, that they believed without any equivocation or reserva- 
 tion, in all that the scriptures testify concerning the coming, suffer- 
 ings, death, resurrection, mediation, and intercession of our Lord 
 and Saviour Jesus Christ. 
 
 On page 41, of the pamphlet, we are presented with a quotation 
 from an essay of W. Bayly's, entitled " A Salvation to the breath- 
 ing Seed of Israel." The section which contains the extract, is enti- 
 tled " Concerning Christ's second coming and Kingdom and Reign, 
 and of the Kingdoms of this world becoming his Kingdoms" It 
 commences thus : 
 
 «* I never read in all the scriptures, as I can remember, of a third 
 coming of Christ personally, in his own single person, or of a per- 
 sonal reign, besides what shall be in his saints. But I have read 
 of his coming the second time, without sin, unto salvation, &c., 
 which the apostles in their days did witness, yea, even his coming 
 and kingdom, as may be mentioned hereafter. I believe most peo- 
 ple, in that called Christendom, who have read the scriptures, will 
 confess Christ is come once already, even when he had the body pre- 
 pared, which he laid down, and took up, without the gates of Jeru- 
 salem ; 4his I grant teas a personal comings or the Godhead dwelt in 
 that person^ bodihj ; tliis we conclude was his first coming, to be ma- 
 nifest in these days ; and we believe all the things that are written 
 of him to be reaUi/ true, and that whatsoever he did or said, must be 
 f.dfillcd. &c." ' 
 
190 
 
 " But now, this being his first coming^he ttlhh'is disciples while he 
 was yet with them, that '' he must go away, and that it was expedi- 
 ent that he should go away, or else, said he, the Comforter will not 
 come, the which if I go away, /shall send unto you, even the Spirit 
 of Truth, which shall abide with you forever, &c. Yet, notwith- 
 standing sorrow had filled their hearts, though He tells them he 
 would co/ne again unto them, and their hearts should rejoice, and their 
 joy no man should take from them : This was his promise to his dis- 
 ciples, while HE was yet personally with them, and to comfort and 
 strengthen them yet more, yet he told them, that he that was with 
 
 THEM, SHOULD BE IN THEM." pageS 306, 307. 
 
 The substance of this confession to the personal and spiritual ap- 
 pearance of our blessed Lord, is so truly scriptural, that we wish to 
 call the attention of our readers particularly to it. So well was the 
 author grounded in the sacred truths recorded in Holy Scripture, so 
 clear and unequivocal did they" appear to him, that he supposes 
 most people in Christendom, will confess Christ is come already, 
 in that prepared body, which he laid down and took up again, with- 
 out the gates of Jerusalem. To such a sincere and believing chris- 
 tian, how painful would it be to know, that many of the professed 
 members of that Society, which above all others he loved, as the 
 household of true faith; and for whose doctrines he endured cruel 
 persecution and imprisonments; had not only departed from the 
 confession of that Christ which died at Jerusalem, but were quoting 
 his works to prove that he did the same ! I 
 
 He makes a full acknowledgment, not only to all the circumstan- 
 ces relative to the birth, life, and death of the Holy Jesus, confess- 
 ing to all that the scriptures testify of him ; but what is especially 
 worthy of remark, he declares that the same Comforter that was out- 
 wardly with his disciples in the flesh, did afterward come again to 
 them in the spirit. That Christ himself, sent them this Comforter, 
 even the Spirit of Truth that should abide with them forever."— 
 There is a striking contrast here, between the belief of W. Bajly 
 and Elias Hicks, since the latter asserts that it was not the same 
 Comforter who was afterward sent to the disciples, but another, dis- 
 tinct from Jesus Christ, as is set forth in various places in his ser- 
 mons. 
 
 Immediately following what we last quoted, comes the paragraph 
 which the compilers have selected ; in which W. Bayly speaks of the 
 attachment which the disciples of Christ had for his person, which 
 he thinks to have been for the sake of the excellent spirit which 
 dwelt in him — though he says he means not to slight the person. — 
 The part which the compilers seem to consider peculiarly adapted 
 to this purpose, is his enjoining it on his disciples, to pray to their 
 Father who was in Heaven. He says, |CP['" And so he taught them 
 "to pray, Our Father, Sec, not to look at his person, and pray to 
 ^' him as a person, ivithout them, but bid them piay to their Father 
 " which seeth in secret, who would reward them openly; and he 
 " that seeth in secret, searcheth the heart and trieth the reins :]<ol:::i| 
 And he bid them pray, thy kingdom come ; and the kingdom of Hea- 
 ven is within, and the heart and reins, and the searcher of them, is 
 
191 
 
 within ; and he bid them wait at Jerusalem, till they were endued 
 with power from on hi;;h; and the kingdom of God consisteth in 
 power, &c. So they waited for his coming and kingdom^ \n their 
 days, after his bodily departure from them, and also came to enjoy 
 what they ivaited for, and to receive the promise of the Father, 
 which was fuliilled unto them, and in them : For saith the Apostle, 
 We wait for his Son from Heaven ; this was after he had suffered, 
 and was departed from them; and at length said. The Son of God 
 is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we know him 
 that is true, and are in him that is true ; this is the true God and 
 Eternal life, and this life is in his Son." — page 308. 
 
 It is evident from the context, that William Bayly had no inten^ 
 tion to inculcate the idea ; that prayers were not to be otFered up 
 to (^hrist, or to the Father, in his name. For though he says, the 
 disciples were not to look at his person, or pray to him as a person 
 ivithoiit them, yet the clear distinction which he makes between the 
 Manhood and Godhead, shows that he alluded only to the former — 
 the outward person ; and in the same paragraph, he inculcates the 
 necessity of witnessing the Son of God to be come, and recites 
 that passage of John's Epistle, where he is styled, the true God 
 and eternal life, that everlasting and glorious Being to whom all 
 prayers must ascend, and to whom all adoration and praises forever 
 belong. "I have chosen you, said the Holy Jesus, and ordain- 
 ed you ; that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father, in my name, he 
 may give it you :" hence all our petitions to the throne of grace, 
 must be offered in the name of Jesus Christ, and they that ask not 
 in his name, their prayers will not be answered, because they ask 
 amiss. 
 
 We shall conclude our remarks, with the following extract from a 
 work by (his author, entitled "The Lamb's Government to be Exalt- 
 ed over all, in Israel." The sentiments which it contains, respect- 
 ing the divinity and offices of Jesus Christ, will strikingly contrast 
 with those of Elias Hicks, and completely acquit William Bayly 
 from the charge of coinciding in his antichristian notions, viz : 
 
 " Jksus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, the Holy Seed, the 
 Laujb slain from the foundation of the world, (that lies in wicked- 
 ness,) in whose mouth guile is not found, whose name is called the 
 Word of (rod, whom all are to hear, whose kingdom is not of this 
 world, whom God the. Father hath raised from the dead, and ap- 
 pointed Heir of all things, and Head over all to his Church, and giv- 
 en Him a name above every name, that at His name, every knee 
 should bow, r»f things in Heaven and things in the earth, and every 
 tongue cofifess him to be Lord, to the glory of God the Father; 
 whom he hath orivon for a Leader and Comman«ler of the people, in 
 whom alone is redemption and snlvatlon, and not in any other, — this is 
 the Captain of thy host. Oh Israel, This is thy King and Lawgiver, thy 
 Judge and Saviour, and every spirit, seed, motion, or thought, which 
 is contrary, opposeth, or riseth against the life of this pure, righteous, 
 precious Seed, (wheresoever or in whomsoever it is, or appeareth,) is of 
 antichrist, whicli the Lord God will consume by the Spirit of his 
 mouth, and destroy by the brightness of his coming, (without respect 
 
192 
 
 of persons,) and this hath been the testimony of the servants of the 
 Loifl in ages past, and this hath been, and is, our testimony, (who 
 are his servants,) unto the world in this age, which work he is now 
 cutting short in righteousness, for his Elect Seed's sake, in whom 
 alone, he is well pleased, which has long been pierced, wounded, 
 grieved, and oppressed, by the contrary seed of evil doers, which has 
 always opposed and exalted itself, above all that is called God, and 
 would not, that he should reign, (who is the truth, the resurrection, 
 and the life,) whose right alone it is, and for whose sake, the Lord 
 God Almighty will overturn, overturn, overturn, till he possesses it, 
 unto the ends of the earth." — pages 347, 348. 
 
193 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Remarks upon the Quotations made by the Compilers from the writings of 
 
 Geokge Fox. 
 
 This eminent minister and servant of Jesus Christ, was the ho- 
 nourable instrument, whom it pleased the Lord to make use of, in 
 the convincement and gathering of the first members of the So- 
 ciety of Friends. He descended from a respectable family in 
 Leicestershire, and his parents being persons of a religious cha- 
 racter, endeavoured to give him, as well as the rest of their chil- 
 dren, a guarded and pious education, according to the established 
 religion of the nation. His opportunities of literary instruction 
 were very limited, and hence his manner of writing is sometimes 
 ambiguous and rather unpolished, but being naturally of a sound 
 understanding and vigorous mind, and deeply versed in that know- 
 ledge, which is only to be acquired in the school of Christ, he became 
 an eminent preacher of the gospel of Life and Salvation, skilful 
 both in word and doctrine. 
 
 It pleased the Lord very early in life, to impress upon his mind, 
 the great fundamental doctrines of the Christian Religion, and to 
 give him a clearer and more spiritual view of the nature of the gos- 
 pel dispensation, than was then known by the different denomina- 
 tions of professors. 
 
 In speaking of these divine openings into the mysteries of the 
 kingdom of heaven, which were graciously vouchsafed to him, he 
 informs us, that althougli (hey were not always communicated to 
 him, through the medium of the sacred volume, vet they all answer- 
 ed to the testimonies of Holy Scripture, and were in accordance 
 with it. 
 
 Soon after his mind came under religious exercise, he was brought 
 to see, and reverently to acknowledge tlie unspeakable mercy of 
 God in giving his dear Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to 
 be a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world; and when question- 
 ed on this subject by Nathaniel Stevens, he gave a remarkably clear 
 and full testimony to his belief in the atonement, which he has re- 
 corded in his Journal, p. 86. 
 
 His writings are remarkable for the abundant testimony which 
 they bear, to the Divinity and various offices of our blessed Lord, 
 and although the state of the Christian world at that time requir- 
 ed that the doctrine of his second coming, by his Holy Spirit in the 
 souls of all mankind, should be peculiarly enforced, yet he was 
 ever careful to give, when occasion demanded, his unequivocal and 
 positive declaration, to the unspeakable blessings which flowed from 
 his transcendant manifestation in the body of tlesh. 
 
 In the year 167$, being in the island of Barbadoes, and man-^ 
 
 Bh 
 
194 
 
 iiiisrepresentations of the Society of Friends being then circulated 
 there, with the design of rendering them odious in the estimation 
 of the people, he addressed a letter to the Governor and Council, in 
 which he makes a full confession of the belief of the early Quakers, 
 in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Scriptures ; for which see the 
 conclusion of this chapter, and page 147 of the second volume of 
 his Journal. In 1682 he issued a pamphlet, entitled, " Something 
 by way of answer to all such as falsely say, the Quakers are no 
 christians," M^hich contains a declaration of the belief of the Socie- 
 ty, in the Holy Three which bear record in heaven, the Divinity and 
 Atonement of Jesus Christ, and the authenticity and divine author- 
 ity of Holy Scripture. 
 
 George Fo^ died in the year 1690, and as we have these two de- 
 clarations of the soundness of his faith, together with that to priest 
 Stevens in 1644, they alone, if we had no other proof, (though there 
 are volumes beside,) are amply sufficient, to show in the most indu- 
 bitable manner, that he was not a believer in the antichristian no- 
 tions of Elias Hicks. If, therefore, the compilers had been able to 
 adduce from his controversial writings, any passages which could be 
 misconstrued to favour a contrary opinion, it would not be any evi- 
 dence of his coinciding in the sentiments which they wish to force 
 upon him, unless they could make it appear that he denied at one time 
 what he solemnly professed at another; and if they could do this, 
 the authority of such a man would be of little moment. But George 
 Fox was too deeply versed in the sacred truths of christian re- 
 demption, and too largely experienced in the work of salvation, to 
 evince so changeable a disposition, or to entertain a doubt of any 
 of the doctrines of the gospel of Christ. His religion was of the heart, 
 not of the head. He had tasted, and handled, of the good Word 
 of life, and spake from experimental knowledge of that salvation, 
 which was purchased for mankind, by the coming, and suiFering, and 
 death of the adorable Son of God. 
 
 Most of the extracts made by the compilers, are taken from two 
 controversial books by George Fox, entitled " Saul's Errand to.Da- 
 mascus," and the " Great Mystery," &c. Both of the books are so 
 badly printed, as to render their authority, in many places, doubt- 
 ful ; they have now become scarce, and are accessible to but few of 
 the members of the Society of Friends. It would seem that the com- 
 pilers have not considered George Fox as very good authority for 
 their principles, since their extracts from his works, are generally 
 very short, several of them greatly mutilated, and taken from pie- 
 ces, by no means so fully declaratory of his faith, as other essays 
 which he wrote ; particularly some inserted in his Journal. Some 
 of the passages quoted in the pamphlet, are such as the enemies of 
 Friends adduced, in order to prove that he was not a christian ; a 
 circumstance by no means favourable to the cause in which the 
 compilers have embarked. 
 
 We shall now proceed to an examination of the quotations of the 
 compilers, and trust we shall be able to show, that in all they have 
 gleaned from him, there is nothing which will support the anti- 
 christian dogmas of Elias Hicks. The first extract on page 46 of 
 
195 
 
 the pamphlet, is from an essay, entitled " Saul's Errand to Da- 
 mascus," page 12, viz : 
 
 |C7^[" Question, Whether a believer be justified by Christ's 
 *' righteousness, imputed — Yea or No ? 
 
 " Answer, He that believeth is born of God ; and he that is born 
 " of God is justified by Christ alone, without imputation."]t>Oi 
 
 Our present business is only to inquire how far the sentiments 
 here expressed by George Fox, accord with those of Elias Hicks 
 upon the same subject. George Fox says, " he that is born of God 
 is justified by Christ alone without imputation." Now if the believer 
 *' is justified by Christ alone" it is evident, he is not justified by 
 any works of his own, but by Christ's righteousness; and whether 
 we say this righteousness is imputed, applied, or put on, all which 
 terms the scriptures warrant, the doctrine is the same, the expres- 
 sion changes it not. The meaning of George Fox, therefore, is sim- 
 ply this, that the believer is made righteous, by and in Christ, which 
 is strictly accordant with that declaration of the apostle Paul, concern- 
 ing Christ, where he says, " who of God, is made unto us wisdom, and 
 righteousness, and sanctification and redemption ;" and again, " For 
 he hath made him to be sin, who knew no sin, that we might be made 
 the righteousness of God, in him." This doctrine, Elias Hicks re- 
 jects in his letter to Dr. Shoemaker, in terms of the strongest disappro- 
 bation and contempt. The early Quakers objected to the term imputa- 
 tion, in the sense in which it was almost wholly used in that day, viz. 
 the accounting of wicked persons holy, while they continued in their 
 sins; but though they denied this as a most dangerous and delusive 
 doctrine, yet they sincerely owned that imputation which the Holy 
 Scriptures so clearly sets forth. The remaining' part of the quota- 
 tion is from page 14 of the same book, viz. — 
 
 |C7^[" Question — Whether Christ in the flesh be a figure or not, 
 »' and if a figure, how and in what ? Answer — Christ is the substance 
 " of all figures; and his flesh is a figure, for every one passeth through 
 " the same vvay, as he did, who comes to know Christ in the flesh : 
 " there must be a suffering with him, before there be a rejoicing with 
 " him; Chiist is an example to all to walk after: and if thou knewest 
 •'what an example is, thou wouldst know what a figure is, to come 
 " up to tiie same fulness."]«3r3| — Page 14. 
 
 The reply of George Fox to the proposed question, is divided into 
 two parts : the query is, " whether Christ in the flesh, be a figure or 
 not?" To this he plainly replies, " that Christ is the substance of 
 all figures;" therefore it follows, that Christ in the flesh was not a 
 figure, but the substance typified by the figures. He then adds, 
 " Christ's ^es/i is a figure." 
 
 It is evident that George Fox uses the word figure here, as sy- 
 nonymous with example; for he says, "Christ is an example, to all 
 to walk after, and if thou knewest what an example is, thou would 
 know what a figure is" He was y^vy far, however, from consider- 
 ing that Christ, or his suiFerings, in the flesh, was no more than a 
 figure; for on page 98 of his Great Mystery, we find him thus se- 
 verely reprimanding a priest for saying so: viz. 
 
196 
 
 " And he satth, Christ in the flesh, his sufferings, was but an cs- 
 ample and a figure." 
 
 "Answer — Christ ended all figures, in suffering, and examples 
 and patterns; yet he is the saint's pattern and example, as the Scrip- 
 ture witnesses ; and there is no other example nor pattern to be 
 heeded, but Christ alone, which they are to learn of; but to say he is 
 nothing but a figure, for that, thou and yoa all will be judged: for 
 he ended all figures, and 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." The latter part of this was in reply 
 to the charge of denying the resurrection ; and George Fox proceeds 
 to answer some other charges alleged, as denying Christ came in the 
 flesh, &c. in which he very justly asserts his belief in the divinity of 
 Jesus Christ. 
 
 In consequence of the use of the expression which the compilers 
 have italicised, viz. "Christ's flesh is a figure," the enemies of the 
 Society of Friends took occasion to misrepresent them, as though 
 they considered the outward manifestation of our blessed Lord to be 
 nothing more than a figure or type of his inward appearance in the 
 soul of man. This accusation, (now revived by the compilers,) was 
 alleged by Francis Bugg, the author of the Snake, George Keith, 
 and others: — the following reply to the Snake, by George White- 
 head, will fully vindicate the early Quakers from the aspersion. In 
 repelling the accusation that they used the words, " figure and veil," 
 in order to derogate from the true value of Christ's outward appear- 
 ance; he alludes to the use of the word veil by the apostle Paul in 
 the Hebrews; and then says — 
 
 " But herein he [the accuser,] would place on me a misapplication of 
 the words, ' Who being found in the shape or figure of a man,' &c. 
 and therefore saith, ' VVhat relation has this, to the calling 'Christ 
 Jesus a type or figure of their light within, which I have shown above, 
 out of the Quaker's books?' And I have denied this as a falsehood 
 before, and now declare against his manifest perversion and injury 
 to me, and my words herein : For as I sincerely disown the words 
 charged, viz. " the calling Christ Jesus a type or figure of our light 
 within," so I could not apply the words before, in the text, Philip, ii. 
 to have any relation thereto, and much less as proof of that, which 1 
 never hold : And I know none o/?<s, that doth so call Jesus Christ, a 
 type of our light within; he being i\\Q fountain thereof; nor that 
 Chriat is only a figure, as falsely charged by Francis Bugg. Which 
 perversion, so far as I can find, was brst forged from these words in 
 the book, "Saul's Errand," viz. ' Christ in the flesh, without them is 
 their example or figure; which is both one.' For his being their ex- 
 ample, I Pet. ii. 21, iv. 1. i. 15, John xiii. 15, are quoted. See also 
 Luke ii. 31. He was called a sign; now hence to say he was only 
 a sign, were a gross perversion; Christ was our example, now 
 hence to say he is nothing else but an example, were an abuse, and 
 to lessen his dignity, and a variation from the sense; as our adver- 
 sary has done, upon trust of his author Francis Bugg; upon his false 
 report, which is besides all justice, tnorality, and judicial proceed- 
 
197 
 
 ings. Now the question is, whether figure may be made synony 
 mous to example, for the words example or figure as before ? I con- 
 ceive it may." 
 
 George Whitehead then proceeds to give examples, where the 
 Greek word for type or figure, is also rendered example. He then 
 concludes: " That is, exemplum, exemplar, hath a threefold signifi 
 cation in scripture : First, it signifies a type or figure of things, 
 either past or to come. Second, an example of imitation. Thirds 
 an example of warning or caution. 
 
 " Now see how synonymously the terms type, figure, pattern, and 
 example, are rendered in scripture, and of what extent, not only in 
 relation to the types under the law, but in some respect to Christ, and 
 his ministers, though he be also confessed to be the antitype, sub- 
 stance, and end, of all legal shadows, types, and figures. But I have 
 not called Christ himself a type of our light within, nor justified the 
 same." — Page 502, Switch and Supplement. 
 
 It must be evident to every unprejudiced reader, from this expla 
 nation of George Whitehead's, that our early Friends used the 
 terms figure, and example, in much the same sense, when ap- 
 plied to Christ, and that they had no intention whatever of limiting 
 him to be no more than a figure or example. 
 
 The next quotation from this author, inserted in the pamphlet, is 
 extracted from his Great Mystery, page 307. He is replying to 
 John Stillom, who aflirmed, " Not any man knows him, speaking of 
 Christ, to be God, till he find him in scripture, and saith, as deep 
 things as the spirit hath revealed, they are all in the scripture." — 
 George Fox answers, " Many knew God and knew Christ, and yet 
 had not written scripture to tell them of those things, as Enoch and 
 Abel ; and many again hath scripture, speaking of God and Christ, 
 and yet doth not know God and Christ, and doth not find him in 
 scripture : as instance, |CI7°[the Pharisees knew not God and Christ, 
 " which had the scripture, and had not life until they came to Christ, 
 " the scripture speaks of: and many things the spirit did reveal, 
 " which was not written in the scriptures ;]«Ol and was spoken to 
 the saints." — Great*Mystery, page 306. 
 
 It will be seen, that even in this short quotation, the compilers 
 have mutilated tlie sentence. They begin after a comma, leaving 
 out the leading part of the paragraph, where George Fox has laid 
 down his proposition, and merely take in a part of the example, 
 which he gives, of the truth of his assertion. This they close at 
 a comma, and italicise the last seven words, in order to make 
 it appear that George Fox thought the spirit would reveal ma- 
 ny things, which are not declared in the scripture, and thus 
 produce his authority for pretended new revelations, which con- 
 tradict and overturn the sacred volume. That George Fox in- 
 tended no such thing is very clear. He is speaking of the days 
 of Christ's personal appearance, when the books of the New Tes- 
 tament were not written, and uses the past tense, vi^. many 
 things which were not then written, confining it to that time of which 
 he was then speaking ; adding that these things, *• was spoken to the 
 saints." If these things, which were spoken to the saint=, had not 
 
198 
 
 been written in the New Testament, George Fox could not have 
 known that thej were so spoken ; so that it is evident he was allud- 
 ing to the history, precepts, and doctrine, which were then spoken to 
 the saints, and written in the New Testament. The compilers were 
 aware, no doubt, that these last six words would destroy the con- 
 struction \vhich they wished to force upon his expression, and have, 
 therefore, omitted them. To show that George Fox had no slight 
 esteem of the sacred volume, we shall subjoin the following short 
 extract from the same work. Samuel Eaton objected, " The devil 
 shows his spite and spleen, in them who say they have the Word, as 
 it was in the beginning, against the scriptures," &c. 
 
 George Fox. " Answer. — That is not so, for they that have the 
 Wordy as was in the beginning, own the scriptures, and are not 
 against them^ but are in that which fulfils them." — Great Mystery, 
 page 4. 
 
 Hence, it is clear, that they who do not own the scriptures, but are 
 opposed to them, and preach doctrines contrary to them, and refuse 
 to have their doctrines tried by them, have not that Word which was 
 in the beginning. Again, in his answer to Enoch Howett, who made 
 the scriptures " to be the only iveapon whereby Christ overthrew the 
 devil." George Fox said — 
 
 "Who (Christ) bruiseth his head, and was before scripture was; 
 yet the scriptures is for correction and doctrine, furnishing the 
 man of God in his place; and Christ, the Seed, was before scrip- 
 ture was: and all them that hath scripture, and not Christ, cannot 
 overcome the devil, you and the papists doing his work; for they 
 that overcome him, it is with the power, and those have the scrip- 
 tures of truth, which the devil is out of." — Pages 14, 15. 
 
 The remainder of the quotation, on page 55 of the pamphlet, is 
 from George Fox's reply to Ambrose Dickinson, who asserted that 
 " there is no knowledge of Christ, in this generation, but by the scrip- 
 ture." Answer. lO^C" Many may have the scriptures, and not 
 "know Christ; they will not give the knowledge of Christ; that 
 " which comes from him and shines in the heart, doth give the know- 
 " ledge of Christ, the Light. And the Jews had the scriptures, but 
 " had not the knowledge of Christ,],QOl as you that doth not know the 
 light, that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, the 
 ear being stopped to that of God in you, and eyes closed; and it is 
 not the spirit; and the letter of it cannot give life." — Page 245. 
 
 Here again the compilers close at a comma, taking in only thirteen 
 words of a sentence beginning after a period, which they have 
 changed to a comma, and omitted the conjunction "and." Although 
 these alterations do not change the sense, yet they serve to show the 
 liberties which the compilers take with the text. It is obvious that 
 George Fox says nothing in this quotation which lessens the value 
 or authority of Holy Scripture. He simply states a fact which his- 
 tory has*recorded, and which the experience of every day confirms, 
 viz. that men may abuse the choicest blessings of heaven, and thus 
 deprive themselves of the inestimable advantages which Divine Pro- 
 vidence has designed for them. The scriptures will not give the 
 knowledge of Christ, unless they are read under the sacred influence 
 
199 
 
 of liis spirit, and then, the Apostle declares, they are able to make 
 wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 
 
 At the bottom of pages 55, 56, of the pamphlet, about four lines 
 are inserted, which the compilers have taken out of the following 
 replies of George Fox to the assertion of Thomas Leadger, viz. 
 
 " T. L. — The scripture is the lanthorn of obedience, and it directs 
 men to Jesus, and he calls the scripture, the ivord of God, the sum 
 of truth ; and they could not have known there had been a Christ, 
 or a Mediator, or grace, or glory, or worship, qjuFather, or Spirit, or 
 Light, but as it is declared in scripture." 
 
 "Answer. — I do believe you, who are got up since the days of 
 the Apostles, in the apostacy, inwardly ravening from the spirit of 
 God ; you had not known there had been a Father, or Spirit, or grace, 
 or worship, if the scripture had not declared it; but ICT^ithey that 
 " had not scripture, had faith, had tiie Holy Ghost, had the Father, 
 " knew the Father, knew Christ, knew the Spirit,]],ar;::j| they that had 
 the scripture, the Pharisees, knew not the. Father, knew not the Ho- 
 ly Ghost, nor the Redeemer, but resisted, (as it was in Stephen,) knew 
 not Father, nor Christ, the author of it, [scripture,] knew not him 
 that was born of the Spirit." George Fox proceeds to state that 
 those who had the scriptures, and obeyed the Light of Christ, came 
 to know all these mysteries of redemption, while the Pharisees, 
 though they had the scriptures, yet, refusing to come to Christ, were 
 not profited by them. He then takes up Thomas Leadger's next as- 
 sertion, viz. 
 
 T. L. — The gospel is the scripture. 
 - G. F. — " Answer. |0^[Many may have the scripture, and deny 
 " the power of God, which is the gospel,],QO| many had the scrip- 
 ture and the form, and stood against the Son of Truth, Christ Jesus, 
 the power of God, the g#pel ; and as for thy other lies and slanders, 
 which are not worth mentioning, which comes from thy drunken spi- 
 rit, when the spirit is awakened that sufters by it, thou shalt feel 
 every word of thy own, thy burthen, and thou that doth set the scrip- 
 tures above Christ, and God, and the Spirit, art a heathen." — Pages 
 ^56, 257. 
 
 The reader will observe by the brackets marked with a hand, that 
 the compilers have mutilated the replies of George Fox. Although 
 his style is here somewhat ambiguous, yet there is no difficulty in un- 
 derstanding his real meaning, lie is informing those whp denied the 
 revelation of the Holy Spirit in the soul, that the scriptures without 
 this, will not bring them to the saving knowledge of our Lord and 
 Saviour Jesus Christ. In his reply to the first assertion he gives full 
 proof how highly he valued the sacred writings, calling them the 
 words of God. given forth by the Holy Ghost. That he is far from 
 lessening or disesteeming the Holy Scripture, will appear from the 
 following quotations. 
 
 Richard Baxter, writing against Friends, called the scriptures 
 •' tlte temporal word;" to which George Fox replies. "Now see if 
 tlus be not an undervaluing the scriptures of truth, and the words of 
 (iod and Christy and the prophets and apostles, which cannot he hro- 
 
200 
 
 ken ; lie calls it a temporal ivord, which the scripture teacheth no 
 such doctrine, but thy lying spirit." — Page 29. 
 
 Again, in reply to some who objected that " for people to be 
 led by a light within, is to make the scriptures useless." He 
 says, '*No, this lets [us] see the scriptures in their place, and the 
 fulfilling of them, which was given forth to be believed^ practised^ read 
 and fuelled J not for men to make a trade of them, and call people 
 from the light within, with which they should see the scriptures; and 
 none comes into c^lfenant with God, with their hearts and <heir 
 minds; that they need not say, one to another, know the Lord, that 
 they may be always living under man's teaching." — Page 74. 
 
 On page 122, he says," Whoever owns the Word of God, that re- 
 conciles to the Father, and hammers down, and brings out of the 
 fall, and cuts down and burns up; they must know their salvation 
 wrought out with fear and trembling: and these owns the word 
 of God, and the words of God the scriptures ^ and these owns this 
 trembling." 
 
 He says, " Christ's name is called the Word of God ; his name is 
 above every name, and over all things he must have the pre-emi- 
 nence, words and names. Vet I say, the scriptures of truth, given 
 forth from the spirit of truth, are the words of God : God's words, 
 which Christ, the Word, fulfilled by him, in whom they end, who 
 was before the words were spoken forth." — Page 110. 
 
 The next quotation from G. Fox, is from page 217, of his " Great 
 Mystery." An opponent of the early Quakers, had written a book 
 railing against their doctrines and principles ; among other charges 
 which he alleged against them, was this — "To say Christ is within, 
 is never to mention Christ without." To this unjust accusation, G. 
 Fox replies in these strong terms — |C?^" There's none knows 
 « Christ within, but he knows himivithou0^ the same yesterday, to 
 "day, and forever; and there's none knows him but they know him 
 " within, revealed of the Father, which is beyond flesh and blood. "Ja^of 
 
 It appears that this opponent, suspected the early Quakers of 
 what Elias Hicks, now openly acknowledges to be his doctrine, both 
 in his letters and preaching; and to tliis suspicion G. Fox replies, 
 that none know Christ within ; none come to the revelation of the 
 Holy Spirit, but they know and acknowledge him without also, and 
 this not by human testimony, or merely because it is declared by ano- 
 ther, but by the revelation of the Father's Spirit within them. It 
 would seem very clear from this, that those who deny Christ with- 
 out, cannot truly know and acknowledge him within. G. Fox was 
 far from denying the outward manifestation of our blessed Lord, 
 or his death upon the cross, as will be seen by the following extracts 
 from this book. In reply to one who asserted " that every man in 
 the world, should not have his sins pardoned" — he replies : 
 
 " Christ ^are himself, his body, for the life of the whole world; 
 he was the offering for the siws of the whole world ; and paid the 
 debt, and made satisfaction ; and doth enlighten every man that 
 comes into the world, that all, through him, might believe ; and he 
 
 THAT DOTU NOT BELIEVE IN THE OFFERING, IS CONDEMNED ALREADY." 
 
 — Page 63. What would G. Fox have said to the unqualified and 
 
201 
 
 bold denial of belief in that most precious offering, which Elias 
 Hicks has so often deliberately made, in his letters and preaching? 
 «*/<e tkat doth nut believe in the offering, is condemned already." 
 
 On page 72, lie says, " Reprobates may talk of justification : did 
 not Christ work justification, without them, upon the earth, for man- 
 Lind, and brought righteousness ? .And where there is Christ made 
 manifest within, is not their justification wrought there from Heaven, 
 within ? Where faith is witnessed within, doth not that justify? And 
 none knows justification in truth, but ivhere it is wrought within." 
 
 In reply to one, who said " Christ was a sinner by imputation," 
 he remarks — "The Scripture doth not speak such kind of words; 
 but that he knew no sin ; no guile was found in his mouth : a Lamb 
 without spot or blemish, though it pleased the Father to lay the ini' 
 fjuity upon him; by his stripes we are healed. And by the one of- 
 fering [he] perfected forever, them that are sanctified ; made himself 
 an offering for the sins of the whole world / who breaks down the 
 partition wall betwixt Jews and Gentiles, slays the enmity among 
 men, reconciles in one, unto the Father by his body, his death up- 
 on the cross." — page 158. 
 
 We have next about aline and a half, quoted from the commence- 
 ment of a paragraph of considerable length, in which G. Fox asserts 
 that none can come savingly to witness the sufferings of Christ, but 
 through obedience to the Holy Spirit within. The compilers have 
 done him great injustice, by closing their quotation at a semicolon, 
 and excluding the explanation which he gives of his meaning. The 
 part inserted in the pamphlet is enclosed in brackets, with a hand, 
 viz: 
 
 lO^C" There is none knows Christ nor his suffering, but with the 
 " Spirit of God within ;]QOi f«i' ^^^Hh the Spirit of God in the pro- 
 phets, and the holy men, tl)ey knew Christ that was to come to suffer; 
 with the Spirit of God in the apostles, they knew that was the 
 Christ, that did suffer ; with the same Spirit of God within people, 
 they now come to see him, and enjoy him, and receive him, the same 
 that did suffer, which none doth, that are out of the Spirit. And 
 the Pharisees that had scriptures, knew him not, who were gone as- 
 tray from the Spirit; nor the gentiles though they had scriptures; 
 neither doth the apostates who are inwardly ravened from the Spirit 
 of God, though they have all the sheep's clothing,know ihe light that 
 doth enlighten every man that cometh into the world, though they 
 be for multitude as the sands on the sea shore; nor doth any knowr 
 it, and receive it, but who comes to that which they ravened from." 
 —page 142. 
 
 It must be apparent to every reader, that the compilers have mu- 
 tilated their quotation, in order to make G. Fox inculcate the idea 
 that there was no offering for sin, but in the soul of man. This was 
 certainly very unfair, since in the same sentence, he acknoxvledges 
 that the prophets, under the influence of the Holy Ghost, prophesi- 
 ed of Christ that was to come to siffer, that when he came, the apos- 
 tles were convinced by the same spirit, that it was he who had been 
 piophesied of, that did suffer, and that those who have this spirit 
 now, come to see and enjoy him. This is so far from a denial of 
 
 C c 
 
202 
 
 the outward oft'ering of Jesus Christ, that it is asserting it upon the 
 highest authorify and sanction; and plainly implies that all those 
 who have not come to see and enjoy him, who so sufl'ered, cannot 
 have that Holy Spirit, which led the prophets to foretel his com- 
 ing. ^ 
 
 V^e have next, two short quotations from the same work, upon 
 the subject of the scriptures, in which G. Fox asserts, that the spirit 
 and life, are not in the scriptures, but were in them that gave the 
 scripture forth. In the same paragraph from which this is taken, 
 the author asserts that they are the words of God. As God's words 
 cannot contradict each other, but must alwiays be in accordance, it 
 is manifest that every thing which contradicts the testimony of the 
 sacred volume, must proceed from that spirit which opposes God's 
 words, and is at enmity with him. 
 
 On page 67, of the pamphlet, we are presented with an extract, 
 from an essay by G. Fox, entitled " A testimony concerning the Blood 
 of the Old Covenant, and the Blood of the New Covenant," &,c. : 
 inserted in his doctrinals, page 643 and seq. The quotation as made 
 by the compilers is very far from giving us the true sense of G. Fox, 
 upon this very important subject. They have omitted all the first 
 part of the essay, containing a description of the blood shed under 
 the law, and the precious blood of Christ which he freely poured 
 out for the sins of the whole world. But after the many proofs we 
 have had of the partiality and injustice of the compilers, we could 
 not expect them to extend their extract further, as it would com- 
 pletely have contradicted the favourite notions of Elias Hicks; to 
 stipport which, they seem fully prepared to sacrifice all principles of 
 fair and honourable quotation. 
 
 We shall now permit G. Fox to speak for himself, and the reader 
 will have an opportunity of observing the nature of the doctrine con- 
 tained in the suppressed parts. The compilers' extract is enclosed 
 in brackets, with a hand. 
 
 The writer commences his essay, with describing the manner of 
 sprinkling the blood of the sacrifices under the law, which blood 
 could not take away sin. "But, says he, in the new covenant it is 
 written. Forasmuch as we are not redeemed with corruptible things, 
 nor with silver nor gold, from our vain conversations, or tradition of 
 our forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a Lamb with- 
 out blemish or spot, which Lamb wsls foreordained before the foun- 
 dation of the world, and was manifested in the Apostles' time and 
 days, which he calls (he last times. Silver and gold are corruptible 
 things, which cannot redeem from corruption, nor the blood of 
 bulls, goat?, or other creatures which will corrupt, but the blood 
 of the Lamb, which was ordained before the foundation of the world, 
 and manifested in the last times, in the new covenant ; this precious 
 blood of the Lamb, without spot or blemisii, Christ Jesus, doth not 
 corrupt, for it doth redeem from the traditions of our forefathers, 
 the Jews, in the old covenant, and the corruptible blood of bulls, 
 goats, and other creatures, that could not take away sin. And so 
 by the blood of the Lamb, Christ Jesus, the saints are redeemed 
 
203 
 
 from their vain conversation and corruptible life, (o a conversation in 
 Heaven, and incorruptible life. 
 
 " And as Moses in the old covenant sprinkled the people with 
 the blood, the life of beasts; so Christ, our High Priest, sprinkles 
 the hearts and consciences of his people, in the new covenant, with 
 his blood, his life, from their dead works, that they may serve the 
 living God, in newness of life : And as the blood of tlie old cove- 
 nant was the life of the beasts, so the blood of the everlasting cove- 
 nant, is the life of Christ the Lamb, ordained before, the foundation 
 of the ivorld, who is the great Shepherd of his sheep ; through the 
 blood of his everlasting covenant, he makes his saints perfect in 
 every good work, to do his will, working in them that which is well 
 pleasing in his sight. 
 
 " So it is clear, the blood of the everlasting new covenant, is the 
 life of Christ Jesus ; and the blood of the old covenant was the life 
 of the beasts, and the bodies of those beasts in the old covenant 
 were burnt without the Jews' camp, and the blood was brought in- 
 to the sanctuary by the High Priest, as an atonement for the sins of 
 the priests and people ; where/ore Jesus also, (hat he mi^iht sanctify 
 his people with his own blood, suffered without the gates of Jerusalem : 
 let us go, therefore, unto him, (to wit, Christ,) without the Jews' 
 camp, bearing Christ's reproach, who was reproached, who sancti- 
 fies with his blood, his life, which dedicates the new covenant; so 
 that all may come to Jesus, the Mediator of the new covenant, and 
 his blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than thai of Abel, 
 or of the blood of bulls and goats, the liie of beasts ; for Christ be- 
 ing a High Priest, and of a more perfect tabernacle than that which 
 was made with hands, in the old covenant, did not enter into the 
 holy place made with hands, by the blood of bulls, goats, and 
 calves, as the priests of the old covenant did. But Christ, the 
 Lamb of God, ordained before tiie foundation of the world, which 
 was manifested in time, by his own blood, his life, entered once in- 
 to the holy place, into heaven itself [now to appear in the presence 
 of God for us.) having obtained eternal redemption for us : so it is 
 the blood, the life of Christ, in the new covenant, that cleanseth 
 from all sin, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unthout 
 spot to God, to purge our consciences from dead works, to serve the 
 living God : for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament. 
 
 " And so Christ «'«s once offered for sin, ivho tasted death for eve- 
 ry man ; so he takes away the first covenant, that he may establish 
 the second, and by one offering he hath perfected forever, them that 
 are sanctified ; so it is by the blood of Christ, by which all his peo- 
 ple's sins are washed away, who did, and do confess, that Christ 
 had redeemed them to God by his blood, and their garments were 
 made white with the blood of the Lamb. 
 
 " So |CP[the blood of the old covenant, was the life of the beasts 
 " and other creatures, and the blood of the new covenant, is the life 
 " of Christ Jesus, who saith, except ye eat my flesh and drink my 
 " blood, ye have no life in you, John vi. 53. So the blood of the 
 " new covenant, is not according to the old ; and so with this blood 
 " of the now rovenant, must every one feel their hearts sprinkled if 
 
204 
 
 •' they have life ; and in this new covenant, they shall all know the 
 " Lord, &c. And by this blood of Jesus, his life, in the new cove- 
 " nant, they are justified, in lohom we have redemption, andthefor- 
 " giveness of sins ; and Christ hath purchased his Church with his 
 " own blood, his life, and their faith doth stand in his blood, which 
 "is the life of the Lamb,]c£i::^ Therefore the apostle saith, if ye 
 walk in the light, as HE is in the light, then have ye fellowship one 
 with another, and the blood of Christ Jesus, His Son, cleanses from 
 all sin. 
 
 " So it is not the blood of bulls, goats, or the blood of other crea- 
 tuyes, which was the blood of the old covenant, nor their outward 
 washings in it, that takes away sin ; but the blood of the new co- 
 venant, which is the blood of the Lamb without blemish, Christ Je- 
 sus, the blood of the Lamb, the Life of the Lamb, with which Christ, 
 the High Priest, sanctifies, cleanses, and redeems ; and he washes 
 with his own life, his blood, yea he sprinkles the altar of their hearts 
 that they may ofter a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, 
 the fruits of our lips, giving thanks to his name. 
 
 " So you are bought and purchased with the blood of Christ, the 
 life of Christ, w^'/jo has died for you, and risen for your justifica- 
 tion, that all might live to him, and not to themselves, and glorify 
 HIM, in body, soul, and spirit, which are his, who \\sS\ purchased 
 you with his blood, liis life ; so worthy is the Lamb, to receive glory 
 and honour, who hath redeemed us to God by his blood, and hath 
 washed us from our sins by his blood, and our garments are made 
 white by the blood of the Lamb. So the saints do overcome by the 
 blood, the life of the Lamb, who was dead, and is alive again, and 
 lives forevermore.^^ — Pages 643, 644, 645. 
 
 The reader will perceive how far George Fox is from denying, or 
 slighting, that most acceptable sacrifice of Christ's body upon the 
 cross. He acknowledges Jesus Christ to have been fore-ordained 
 before the foundation of the world, and manifested in the apostles* 
 times; that he offered himself up without the gates of Jerusalem, a 
 Lamb without spot unto God, an offering for the sins of the whole 
 world, tasting death therein for every man. Now Elias Hicks denies 
 that he was sent into the world to suffer death, or that he made 
 atonement for any sins but the legal sins of the Jews. He calls the 
 doctrine of propitiation and atonement, which George Fox has so 
 beautifully set forth in this essay, an outrage against every righteous 
 law of God and man. He rejects the very principle of atonement, 
 terming it wicked and absurd ; and denounces all those who would 
 be willing to accept the forgiveness of their sin thereby, as "bold 
 and daring," destitute of "any right sense of justice or mercy," and 
 standing "in direct opposition to every principle of Justice and ho- 
 nesty, of mercy and love." What " a poor selfish creature, and how 
 unworthy of notice" does Elias Hicks thus make George Fox to have 
 been. 
 
 In the next two quotations, on page 68 of the pamphlet, the com- 
 pilers have acted with no greater justice toward George Fox. They 
 have mutilated their extracts, so as to make them convey a meaning 
 directly the reverse of what George Fox has fully declared in the 
 
205 
 
 same essay. They are taken from his " Answer to the declaration 
 of the great Turk." To render the intentions of the compilers more 
 clearly apparent, we enclose their quotations in brackets, and insert 
 all the intermediate matter which they have unfairly omitted, viz. 
 
 |C7*[" Now whereas the Emperor of the Turks saith, that he is 
 " commander and guardian of the christians' crucified God. Now in 
 " this he is mistaken, for the eternal, incomprehensible, invisible, 
 "everlasting God; whose divinity extends throughout the whole 
 " earth, who is God in heaven above, and in the earth beneath, to 
 « whom all nations are but as the drop of a bucket; this is the true 
 " christians' God, whom they serve and worship, in his spirit and 
 "truth, which the Jews did not crucify, nor could they crucify; 
 " and it is blasphemy for the Jews, or any, to say, that they did 
 " crucify the true christians' eternal, invisible God ; and great igno- 
 " ranee for any to say that the true christian's God was crucifi- 
 " ed,3cC< or that the eternal, incomprehensible, immortal God, the 
 creator of all, who is the God of the spirits of all liesh, and the breath 
 of all mankind is in his power, so that poor mortals or externals 
 should say, think, or imagine, that the eternal, invisible, everlasting, 
 immortal, incomprehensible God, was or can be crucified, which they 
 cannot comprehend, which is the true christians* God. 
 
 " But Christ, which was made of the seed of David, according to 
 the flesh, who took not upon him the nature of angels, but the seed 
 of Abraham ; he suffered for us in the jlesh. And so as Christ also 
 hath once suffered for sitts in the flesh; he, the just for the unjust, 
 that Christ might bring us to God, so God was not cruciiied, but 
 Christ, being put to death, or crucified in the flesh, but quickened 
 again in the spirit, and rose again ; and sits at the right hand of 
 God; this Peter, (one of the apostles of Jesus,) testifieth, and the 
 true christians now believe it: and though Christ was crucified 
 through weakness, that is through the flesh, yet he is alive and liveth 
 by the power of God, 2 Corinth, xiii. 
 
 "So it is clear that the eternal and invisible, incomprehensible 
 God was not, nor cannot be crucified; but Christ, the Son of God, 
 suffered according to the flesh, not in his Godhead : So Christ died 
 for our sins, according to the scripture of the Old and New Testa- 
 ment; for as in Mam all died, so even in Christ shall all be made 
 alive; and that Christ by the grace of God, shoidd taste death for 
 every man: so it was not the invisible, eternal, incomprehensible 
 God, that was crucified and died, and did taste death for every man, 
 but Christ according to the flesh, who was manifest to take aicaij our 
 sin; and in him there was no sin ; so Christ was manifest to destroy 
 the works of the devil, and Christ through his death, destroys death, 
 that sin brought, and the devil, the power of death. And about the 
 ninth hour, (when Jesus Christ hanged upon the cross,) he cried 
 with a loud voice, saying. My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken 
 me. So it is clear the eternal God did not die, nor was cruci- 
 fied, but Christ was put to death in the flesh; this testifies Matthew, 
 one of Christ's apostles: So he 7vas the one offering, who made an 
 end of all the offerings among the Jews, through the offering tip of 
 the body of Jesus once for all : so the man Christ Jesus offered up 
 
206 
 
 himself, one sacrifice for sins; so by that am offering he hath per- 
 fected forever them that are sanctified; so he is the propitiation^ of- 
 fering, and sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, yea, Jesus 
 Christ which was of the seed of David: and so according to the 
 scripture, Christ died for our sitis, and he was buried and rose 
 again the third day according to the scriptures; and after he was 
 risen from the dead, he was seen of the apostles; and again he was 
 seen of above five hundred brethren at once, that were believers in 
 him; and this was after he was dead, buried, and risen : but none of 
 the princes of the world knew him, for had they known Christ, they 
 \vouId not have crucified him ; but we know now, tliat Christ being 
 raised from the dead, dies no more, and death hath no more dominion 
 over Christ, in that he died unto sin, and for the sins of the whole 
 world ; but now he being raised from the dead he is set at the right 
 hand of God ; and therefore ICF'CJesus of Nazareth, a man,approv- 
 " ed of God, by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did by him, 
 " this Jesus, the son of Mary, the Jews with their wicked hands did 
 " take, crucify, and slay;]^Oi b"^ it was God, who loosed the pangs 
 of death, because it was not possible, that he should be holden of it : 
 and though the Jews did crucify Jesus, and slew him, and hanged 
 him on a tree ; yet God hath raised him up the third day, and God 
 hath exalted him at his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, to 
 give repentance, Sfc. and forgiveness of sins ; so Christ's apostles 
 were witnesses, how God raised him from the dead ; so you may see 
 here, it was not God that was crucified and died, for lie raised 
 Christ from the dead, on tlie third day, and showed him openly to his 
 apostles, and they did eat and drink with Jesus Christ, after that 
 God had raised him up from the dead ; and he commanded his apos- 
 tles to preach to the people, and testify that it was he, that was or- 
 dained of God, to be judge of the quick and dead; and to him gave 
 all the prophets, (and apostles,) of God witness, that through the 
 name of Jesus, ichosoever believed in him should receive remission of 
 sins, neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other 
 name under heaven, given amongst men, whereby we must be saved, 
 but by Jesus of JS^azareth, whom the Jews crucified; whom God 
 hath raised from the dead ; for God said to David, that of the fruit 
 of his loins, (according to the flesh,) God would raise up Christ to 
 sit on his throne. 
 
 " And David, he seeing this before, spake of the resurrection of 
 Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither did his flesh see 
 corruption. So, though the Jews crucified him, and a soldier thrust 
 a spear into his side; and though he was crucified and hanged on a 
 tree, and slain, dead, and buried, Him did God raise up the third 
 day, and he appeared to his apostles and disciples, and did eat and 
 diink vvith them after he was risen, who were the faithful witnesses 
 that God raised him up from the dead ; who is ascended up info hea- 
 ven, at the right hand of God ; who being the brightness of God's 
 glory, and the express image of his substance, and upholding all 
 things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our 
 sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, whom the 
 heavens must receive, until the time of the restitution of all things, 
 
207 
 
 which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets, since 
 the world began j and he that descended, is the same also that as- 
 cended, far above all heavens, that he might fill all things, who led 
 captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men, &c. 
 
 " And we have redemption through Christ's blood, even forgive- 
 ness of our sins, who hath delivered us from the devily (the power ot 
 darkness,) who is the Seed of the icoman, which bruiseth the old ser- 
 pent's head, which deceived Adam and Eve ; which God promised 
 to Adam, that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's 
 head ; in which Seed, viz. Christy all nations are blessed, who is the 
 image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature; for by 
 him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in the 
 earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions, 
 principalities or powers, all things were created by Him and for Him^ 
 and he was before all things, and by Him all things consist; and 
 Christ saith in his prayer to his Father, this is eternal life, that they 
 might know the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast 
 sent. And Jesus desired of God his Father, saying, that those whom 
 God hath given liim, might be with him, where he vvas, that they might 
 behold his glory, which God hath given him; for he loved him before 
 the foundation of the world ; therefore, saith Christ, Now, Oh ! Fa- 
 ther, glorify thou me, with thy own self, with the glory which I had 
 with thee, before the world was; and Christ said, to his disciples, 
 after he was risen from the dead, all power, in heaven and in earth, 
 is given unto me ; and he bid his disciples go into all the world, and 
 preach the gospel to every creature, &c. And then, after the Lord 
 Jesus Christ had spoken to his disciples, he luas received up into 
 heaven, and sate down at the right hand of God. 
 
 " And now ive, ivJio are the believers in Christ Jesus, and true 
 Christians, we do live unto him, and if we die, we die unto the Lord, 
 whether we live or die we are the Lord's ; for this end Christ both 
 died, revived and rose, that he might be Lord both of the dead and 
 of the living; and he is Judge both of quick and dead, who is the on- 
 ly one Mediator betwixt God and man, even the Man Christ Jesiis, 
 who makes intercession to God for his people, and is able to save to 
 the utmost, all that come to God by him, who ever lives to make in- 
 tercession for them, who is sate down at the right hand of God in hea 
 ven, who is the Prince of the kings of the earth ; who said to John, 
 lam the first and the last, I am he that liveth and was dead, and be- 
 hold, I am alive for evermore."— 1006, 1007, 1008. . 
 
 We have here no indications of doubting, or denying, either the di- 
 vinity or atonement of the Lord Jesus, or any of his glorious offices in 
 the great work of man's redemption. From this essay, so fraught 
 with Christian doctrine, the compilers have most unfairly extracted 
 two short and incomplete sentences, and placed them in their pam- 
 phlet in such a position, as to make it appear as though the worthy 
 author did not believe in the divinity of tiie Saviour. They place 
 iirst, that part where George Fox denies that God was crucified, or 
 could be put to death, and immediately below this introduce these 
 expressions ; " Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God, by mira- 
 cles, wonders and signs, which God did by him ; this Jesus, the son 
 
208 
 
 of Mary, the Jews with their wicked hands did take, crucify, and 
 slay ;" here they stop, omitting all the intermediate and succeeding 
 part, in which he asserts the glorious and divine attributes of this 
 same Jesus. In this disjointed situation, separated from all the ex- 
 planatory matter, with which they are immediately connected in the 
 original, they present an aspect which might induce some readers, 
 who were ignorant of the character of George Fox, to suppose that 
 he considered Jesus Christ no more than a man approved of God ; 
 and it is obvious that such is the impression which the compilers, 
 most unjustly, wish to produce. This design must forcibly strike 
 every ingenuous person who examines their pamphlet, and we 
 doubt not but among those who may even favour the principles which 
 the compilers contend for, there are many, very many, who will turn 
 away with disgust and indignation, at the unmanly artifices which 
 have been resorted to, in order to support the tottering cause of un- 
 belief. 
 
 It is not a little curious to observe tiie great difficulties which the 
 compilers encounter in mustering up some mutilated extracts which 
 may have the semblance of support for Elias Hicks' opinions. Their 
 ingenuity seems to have been put to the rack, especially in the pre- 
 sent case. Anxious to grace their book with so dignified a name as 
 that of Fox, they seem resolved to put down something, however ir- 
 relevant to the purpose. But after ransacking his controversial pa- 
 pers, mutilating and garbling his sentences and meaning, they do 
 not at last present us with one extract by which a single point of 
 Elias Hicks' unbelief can be supported, while, if George Fox is only 
 permitted to speak out fairly, he totally condemns and rejects as anti- 
 christian, the notions which they so strenuously contend for. 
 
 In their next quotation they have taken about four lines out of a 
 paragraph, with the view to prove by it, that George Fox denied the 
 outward offering of Christ ; whereas he wrote the essay from which 
 it is taken, in order to repel " the many lies and false reports which 
 had been cast upon the Quakers, that they do slight, deny, and un- 
 dervalue the blood of Christ Jesus ;" and although the essay is head- 
 ed with these words, the compilers have most unjustly adduced the 
 quotation from it, to confirm these " lies and false reports." We 
 shall quote the whole paragraph, and insert the part extracted by 
 the compilers in brackets marked with a hand, viz : 
 
 " Thus the first covenant was dedicated with the blood, which 
 was the life of all flesh ; but |Cj°'[the new and second covenant is 
 " dedicated with the blood, the life of Christ Jesus, which is the alone 
 " atonement unto God, by which all his people are washed, sancti- 
 " fied, cleansed, and redeemed to God ;]«Ol so that their faith and 
 testimony stands in the blood of the Lamb, the life of Christ Jesus, 
 foreordained before the world was, a Lamb without blemish, guile, 
 spot or sin, which cleanses from all spots and sin, and washes and 
 makes clean the garments. And Christ abolishes both the blood of 
 beasts, and the altar and all the traditions in the law, and their of- 
 ferings and sacrifices before the law, by the offering up of hifnself, 
 once in the end of the ivorld, a Lamb ordained before the foundation 
 of the ivorld, therefore must every one^s faith and testimony stand in 
 
209 
 
 hiin and his blood. And who are the true witnesses of this, but they 
 only that have drunk of the blood of Christ, and eaten of his flesh, 
 which he gives for the life of the world, not such as talk of it only.^' 
 — Page 646. 
 
 We have here a full confession of faith in the Lamb of God, fore- 
 ordained to take away the sin of the world, and oft'ered up upon the 
 cross, once in the end of the world. How contrary is the irreverent 
 denial of this most precious doctrine, made by Elias Hicks in his 
 letter to Dr. Shoemaker — let the reader contrast them. 
 
 The compilers have revived the old objection to George Fox, so 
 much harped upon by the enemies of Friends, that he said he 
 was equal with God. In this they have again identified themselves 
 with Bugg, Keith, and the Snake. The malicious accusations and 
 aspersions of these illiberal opponents having been repeatedly an- 
 swered, we shall merely quote some passages from the replies ; as 
 they will furnish a full defence of the expressions of George Fox. 
 Joseph Wyeth after reciting the charge of the Snake ; that George 
 Fox, when before the Justices at the Lancaster Assizes, asserted 
 " that he was equal with God," adds — 
 
 " Pray reader observe, had this been true that George Fox had so 
 answered, as the Snake says he did, in the presence of three Justi- 
 ces, what need was there for Marshal and Altan to swear it against 
 him ? — Since the Justices, if tliey had heard it themselves, might have 
 convicted him thereof upon their own personal hearing, without other 
 evidence. Or how likely is it that Colonel ^A'est and Thomas Tell, 
 both Justices upon the bench at this trial, should sign a supersedeas, 
 which both of them did, for his acquittal : if either of them had heard 
 him say the words charged ^ Or how could he have been discharg- 
 ed for want of another evidence, when his adversaries might have 
 brought in the three Justices against him, had it been true, that they 
 had heard him themselves. But besides, there are two lies in this 
 paragraph ; the first is, there was not any Justice of the Peace, or 
 Colonel named Tell. Secondly, George Fox did not answer that 
 he was equal with God. But thus it was ; there were eight several 
 charges against him ; the fourth of which was, that he had said, he 
 was equal with God, which being asked in court, he made the fol- 
 lowing answer : George Fox, ' That was not so spoken by me : 
 But he that sanctifieth, and he that is sanctified, is all of one, Heb. ii. 
 11. It is God and Christ that sanctifieth, and the saints are all one, 
 in the Father and the Son ; they are of his bone and of his flesh — 
 Kphesians v. 30. And the Father and the Son are one; and they 
 are the sons of God — Galatians iv. 6. And as they that are joined 
 to the Lord are one spirit, so they that are joined to an harlot, are 
 one flesh, 1st Cor. vi. 16, 17. This the scriptures witnesseth and I 
 witness.' This answer is scriptural, and is directly opposite to 
 what he was then charged witli, as it also is, to what the Snake's 
 pamphleteer, says he did then answer." — Switch, page 63. 
 
 The Switch for the Snake was published in 1699, and the defence 
 of George Fox, which we have quoted, is quite suificient to clear 
 iiim of any design to equal himself, or the saints, with the Almigh- 
 lv Creator. ^ 
 
 nd 
 
210 
 
 George Whitehead in the Supplement to the Switch, thus replies 
 to the same charge — " Which is also a false charge and quotation 
 against George Fox ; who being charged by his persecutors with 
 professing himself to be equal with God, positively denies the charge, 
 as not so spoken, as that George Fox was equal with God, but that 
 the Father and the Son are one; and that Christ and the Holy Spirit 
 are equal with God — Saul's Errand to Damascus, p. 5, 6. See al- 
 so. Just Enquiry, p. 1 2." — Page 509. 
 
 To George Keith's charge that the Quakers made themselves 
 equal with God ; the authors of the " Serious Examination," reply : 
 
 " This charge is falsely cited ; and the words as printed even in 
 ' Saul's Errand,' are misprinted, or by some accident defective, be- 
 ing these, viz : * He that hath the same Spirit that raised up Jesus 
 Christ, is equal with God ;' being not the Quakers^ doctrine or prin- 
 ciple, as well as contrary to George Fox's answer to his persecutors, 
 lo the matters falsely charged upon him, Saul's Errand, p. 3, his 
 words should be thus rendered, or understood, * He that hath the 
 same Spirit which raised up Jesus Christ ; hath that which is equal 
 with God ;' as most agreeable to his own answer to his persecutors ; 
 who in their petition, charged him with professing and avowing 
 that he was equal with God,' which he positively denied, in sundry 
 places of Saul's Errand, p. 2, 5, 10, though now falsely quoted 
 against him; to which his answer further was; ' But the Father 
 and the Son are one; I and my Father are one ; and he that sancti- 
 iieth, and they that are sanctified, are all of one, and they that are 
 joined to the Lord are one Spirit, p. 6, for the same Spirit, where it 
 IS, is equal vvith God." There's one ' is' again lacking in the im- 
 pression ; (Note, the said ' Saul's Errand' was printed in 1654, and 
 not so well and carefully as it should have been, and so were divers 
 others by Giles Calvert, in those early days,) and being equal with 
 God, is ascribed to Christ, Phil. ii. 6, and no otherivise intended^ 
 though misplaced as before ; and not that they (the Quakers) ascribe 
 it to themselves, as falsely charged. 
 
 " The matter appears plain, being impartially compared, that the 
 equality intended, is not between mayi and his Maker, but between 
 God and his Holy Spirit, bteween the Father and the Son. Besides, 
 the people called Quakers, are fully cleared in this point from any 
 such pretence of equality with their Maker ; but that they are par- 
 takers of his Spirit, and of the divine nature and image, as is fully 
 answered by George Whitehead, in his 'Antidote against the ven- 
 om of the Snake in the Grass, page 25, &c.' '* — page 9, 10. 
 
 The reply of G. Fox, to the charge that he was as upright as 
 Christ, contains nothing in it that can be construed as equalling 
 himself with our blessed Lord, though the compilers seem to have 
 quoted it with this view. He says in it, that the saints, are made 
 the righteousness of God; that they are one, in the Father and the 
 Son ; and that all the teaching of Christ, is to bring the saints to 
 perfection, even to that measure of the stature of the fulness of 
 Christ, which He designs for them. 
 
 The following extract, from a declaration of Faith, addressed" 
 by George Fox, to the Governor, Council, and Assembly of Barba- 
 
211 
 
 does, will completely clear him from the unjust imputation, of co 
 inciding in the antichristian sentiments of Elias Hicks, viz : 
 
 " Whereas, many scandalous lies and slanders, have been cast 
 upon us, to render us odious ; as that, we deny God, Christ Jesus, 
 and the Scriptures of Truth, &c. This is to inform you, That all 
 our books and declarations, which for these many years have been 
 published to the world, clearly testify the contrary. Yet for your 
 satisfaction, we now plainly and sincerely declare — 
 
 " That we own and believe, in the Only, Wise, Omnipotent, and 
 Everlasting God, the Creator of all things in Heaven and earth, 
 and the Preserver of all that he hath made ; who is God over all 
 blessed forever, to whom be all honour, glory, dominion, praise^ and 
 thanksgiving, both now and for ever more ! — 
 
 " And we own and believe in Jesus Christ, his beloved, and only 
 begotten Son, in whom he is well pleased, who <l^as conceived by 
 the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary ; in whom we have 
 redemption, through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins ; who is 
 the express image of the invisible God, the First-Born of every 
 creature ; by whom, were all things created that are in Heaven and 
 in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, dominions, 
 principalities, or powers, all things were created by Him. 
 
 " And we own and believe, that he was made a sacrifice for 
 sin, who knew no sin; neither was guile found in his mouth; that 
 he was crucified for us, in the flesh, without the gates of Jerusalem ; 
 and that he was buried and rose again, the third day, by the power 
 of his Father, for our justification, and that he ascended up into 
 Heaven, and now sitteth at the right hand of God. 
 
 " This Jesus, who was the foundation of the holy prophets and 
 apostles, IS ouii foundation ; and we beliuve, there is no other foun- 
 dation, to be laid, but that which is laid, even Christ Jesus who 
 tasted death for every man, shed his blood for all men, is the projnti- 
 ationfor our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the 
 whole world : according as John the Baptist testified of Him, when 
 he said, ' Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sins of the 
 world, John i. 29.' 
 
 " We believe that He alone is our Redeemer and Saviour, the 
 Captain of our Salvation, who saves us from sin, as well as from 
 hell and the wrath to come, and destroys the Bevil and his works ; 
 He is the Seed of the woman, that bruises the serpent's head, viz: 
 Christ Jesus, the Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last. He is, 
 (as the scriptures of truth say of him,) our wisdom, righteousness, 
 justification and redemption, neither is there salvation in any other, 
 for there is no other name under Heaven, given among men, where- 
 by we may be saved. He alone is the Shepherd and Bishop of our 
 souls : He is our Prophet whom Moses long since testified of, saying 
 ' A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you, of your bre- 
 thren like unto me; Him shall ye hear in all tilings, whatsoever 
 HE shall say unto you : And it shall come to pass that every soul 
 that will not hear that Prophet, shall be destroyed from among the 
 people,' Acts ii. 22, £3. 
 
 •• He is now come in spirit, * and hath given us an understanding 
 
212 
 
 that \vc know him that is true.' He rules in our hearts by his law of 
 love and life, and makes us free from the law of sin and death. We 
 have no life, but by him, for he is the quickening Spirit, the second 
 Adam, the Lord from Heaven, by whose blood we are cleansed and 
 our consciences sprinkled from dead works to serve the living God. 
 He is our Mediator, who makes peace and reconciliation, between 
 God, oSended, and us, otFending, He being the Oath of God, the New 
 Covenant of light, life, grace and peace, the author and finisher of 
 our faith. This Lord Jesus Christ, the heavenly Man, the Imman- 
 iiel, God Avith us, we all own, and believe in; He whom the High 
 Priest raged against, and said, he had spoken blasphemy, whom the 
 priests and elders of the Jews took counsel together against, and 
 put to death, the same ivhom Judas betrayed, for thirty pieces of 
 silver, which the priests gave him, as a reward for his treason ', who 
 also gave large msney to the soldiers, to broach a horrible lie, name- 
 ly, that his disciples came and stole him away by night, while they 
 slept. After he was risen from the dead, the history of the Acts 
 of the Apostles sets forth, how the chief priests and elders, perse- 
 cuted' the disciples of this Jesus, for preaching Christ and his re- 
 surrection. This toe say, is that Lord Jesus C/irist whom we own 
 to be our life and salvation. 
 
 " Concerning the Holy Scriptures ; We believe they were given 
 forth by the Holy Spirit of God, through the holy men of God, 
 who, (as the scripture itself declares, 2 Pet. i. 21,) spoke as they 
 were moved by the Holy Ghost ; .we believe they are to be read, 
 believed, and fulfilled, (he that fulfils them is Christ,) and they are 
 profitable for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righte- 
 ousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished 
 unto all good works, 2 Tim. iii. 19 ; and are able to make wise un- 
 to salvation, through faith in Christ Jesus. We believe the Holy 
 Scriptures are the words of God, for it is said in Exodus xx. I., 
 " God spake all these words saying, &c." meaning the ten com- 
 mandments given forth upon Mount Sinai. And in Rev. xxii. 18., 
 saith John, "I testify to every man that heareth the words of the 
 prophecy of this book, if any man addeth unto these, and if any man 
 shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, (not the 
 Word,) &c." So in Luke i. 20, because thou believest not my words ; 
 and in John v. 47, xv. 7, xiv. 23, xii. 47 : So that we call the Holy 
 Scriptures, as Christ, the x\postles and holy men of God called 
 them, viz : the words of God." — G, Fox's Journal, pages 145, 146, 
 147. 
 
 If there was not to be found in all the writings of G. Fox, any 
 other confession of his christian faith, than that which we have here 
 quoted, it would be amply sufficient to evince in the clearest man- 
 ner, that so far from coinciding with Elias Hicks in his denial of 
 the doctrines of the gospel of Christ; he was a firm believer in all that 
 is set forth in the Holy Scripture, and especially in those very points, 
 which Elias Hicks rejects, in language so irreverent and contemp- 
 tuous. The paltry and mutilated scraps which the compilers have 
 extracted from the writings of this honourable Elder, prove nothing 
 in their favour, but on the other hand, serve to show how little they 
 
213 
 
 could find in in his works, which could be manufactured to suit 
 their purpose. The contrast between the doctrines of George Fox 
 and the opinions of Elias Hicks, is too strongly pourtraje.d upon 
 every page of his writings, to give the compilers the least hope of 
 securing him as an advocate for their cause. He not only dissents 
 from them, but condemns their principles in the strongest terms. 
 
 George Fox was a man of solid religious experience, firmly ground- 
 ed in the christian religion, and by no means changeable in his dis- 
 position or doctrines. He did not contradict or deny at one time, 
 opinions which he had openly asserted at another. After labouring 
 many years in the work of the ministry, he did not turn about, and 
 propagate a system directly subversive of his former principles, under 
 profession that it was more rational and consistent than the ancient 
 gospel, and the result of clearer views, or more easily comprehended 
 by the wisdom of men. He was not afraid to come out openly with 
 all his sentiments ; he did not conceal, or disguise them under a 
 pretence tliat the minds of the people were not prepared to receive 
 them. No, he preached the gospel of Christ — not the mere inven- 
 tions of a depraved imagination, but the unchangeable truth as 
 it is in Jesus. He never refused to bring his doctrines to the test 
 of the sacred volume, but was ever the first to appeal to it, not only 
 to prove the truth of all that he asserted, but to refute the er- 
 rors of his adversaries. He sought not to lessen a proper regard 
 and esteem of those invaluable records, by denying the solemn 
 truths and holy precepts which they contain, or telling the people 
 " they were altered by the PopeP or " written by nobody knows who," 
 nor yet to apologize for his constant appeal to them, by saying that 
 he did it on account of the ignorance and superstition of his hear- 
 ers, and " to draw them off from the scriptures by degrees.^^ No. he 
 needed no such flimsy coverings; — he was above such unmanly arti- 
 fices ; — he was open — plain — honest — sincere in all he did ; and 
 great as was his service, honoured and beloved as he justly was by 
 all who truly knew him ; so far from seeking to undervalue Christ 
 Jesus and his blessed offices, and to draw the people to himself, or 
 get himself a part}", and a great name among men, he accounted it 
 his highest honour to turn the minds of all his hearers to Jesus Christ, 
 and him crucified — to the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of 
 the world, in whom he felt it to be his greatest joy and noblest privi- 
 Io";e, to be a humble, devoted, and true believer. 
 
214 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Remarks upon the Quotations made by the Compilers from the works of 
 Edward BvaRotroH. 
 
 ■On page 47 of the pamphlet, we are presented with a short ex- 
 tract, from the works of this excellent man. He was one of those 
 who were early engaged, in defending the society of Friends from 
 the unjust accusations of its enemies, who laboured industriously, to 
 fix upon its members the odious character of denying the doctrines 
 of the christian religion. — It is from a work of this description, that 
 the compilers have taken their first quotation, and by a most unfair 
 mutilation, have endeavoured to support the very charge which it 
 was written to repel. 
 
 One Christopher Fowler published a book against the Quakers, 
 in Avhich he exhibits a number of charges, in the form of syllogisms ; 
 the third of which is — " They that do not own the Lord Jesus 
 Christ to be God by nature, are hoirible blasphemers : But those 
 called Quakers do not own the Lord Jesus Christ, to be God by 
 nature : therefore they are blasphemers." 
 
 From Edward Burrough's reply to this high charge, the extract 
 in the pamphlet is copied ; and in order to enable the reader to 
 judge more correctly, of the injury which they have done him, we 
 shall insert the whole of his reply, and enclose their quotation in 
 brackets, viz. 
 
 " Answer to the third position ; In this, thou hast falsely accused ; 
 but yet, let us consider thy words ; lO^Cthere was a nature, in 
 " that man, Jesus Christ, that was born of the Virgin, that was sub- 
 " ject to cold, heat, thirst and hunger, and subject to be tempted of 
 " the devil ; and this nature was not God ; whose nature is infi- 
 " nite, eternal, unmeasurable, not subject to hunger nor thirst, nor 
 " to heat and cold, nor subject to temptations ;]<aCJ| so that a man 
 may say lawfully, and be no blasphemer, that there was a nature 
 in him, which was not God ; and yet the fulness of the Godhead dwelt 
 in him too, and he is the Everlasting Father, and the Father is in 
 him, and he in the Father : and thus by a sound interpretation of 
 the word, (God by nature) thy major, and minor, and conclusion, 
 are all made void." — Page 637. 
 
 The manner in which the compilers have garbled this answer of 
 E. B. in order to force upon him a denial of the divinity of our 
 blessed Lord is really disgraceful. — They commence and end at a 
 semicolon, omitting both the leading and concluding parts of the 
 sentence, in which he denies the charge which they insinuate 
 against him ; by an open confession of his full belief in the God- 
 head of Jesus Christ. This partial quotation they place in their 
 pamphlet, as though it were full, fair and complete.— By such un- 
 
215 
 
 righteous means, the early Quakers, or any religious writer, might 
 be made to avow the most unchristian doctrines ; since if they did 
 but recite the words of an opponent, or state a position to be dis- 
 cussed and refuted, it might be adduced by our compilers to prove 
 that they held the very doctrines which they were opposing. 
 
 The sentiments which E. B. has asserted in the answer quoted, 
 must be admitted to be sound and scriptural by every christian reader. 
 He positively denies the charge of C. Fowler, as a false accusation. 
 This then at once contradicts the same charge, alleged by the com- 
 pilers. — He then proceeds to describe the manhood and Godhead 
 of Jesus Christ, asserting that the former was not the latter, which 
 must certainly be admitted to be correct ; but that he may not 
 thereby be construed to deny the Divinity, he asserts his belief in 
 this also, in the most unequivocal terms. He acknowledges that 
 the fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him, that he was the everlasting 
 Father, and that the Father was in him, and he in the Father ; all 
 which is according to Scripture, and directly contrary to the notion of 
 E. Hicks, that Christ was no more than an Israelite, endued with 
 a portion of the Spirit. 
 
 On the same page of the pamphlet, we have about three lines, 
 extracted from the middle of a long paragraph, on p. 56 of E. Bur- 
 rough's journal, in which he is replying to an opponent, who charg- 
 ed the Quakers with " not only neglecting the weightier matters of 
 the law, but the law itself, teaching men so to do ;" and this, be- 
 cause they affirmed, that the Scriptures were not the primary rule of 
 faith and life. E. B. clears the Society, from the charge of neglect- 
 iiig the precepts of the law, and then adds, |CPC" and this again I 
 affirm, asj^oCl before I did in thy hearing, |C?='t"that the Scripture 
 is not the Saint's rule, but the Spirit which gave forth the Scripture, 
 as the Scripture itself witnesses."]aaOi 
 
 The compilers have omitted the words " before I did in thy hear- 
 ing," and inserted in their place " I have done before." The extract 
 they make, proves nothing more, than that Edward Burrough asserted 
 the scriptures were not the primary and only rule of the saints, 
 which the Quakers never believed they were. On the same page he 
 says in reply to his opponent : 
 
 "I answer, the scriptures we own, and by that spirit which speaks 
 them forth, we witness them to be tme, and they are ours ; and though 
 you say they are the savour of death to us that perish, yet thou art 
 found a liar, for we are saved out of the perishing state, and death 
 is destroyed through death, through faith ; and thou hast diminished 
 from that scripture, 2 Tim. iii. 15, false prophet like again, and so 
 art both an adder [to] and a diminisher ; and thou maijst read thy por- 
 tion inRev.xxii. 18, 19." 
 
 No less than five times, on this and the following page, does Ed- 
 ward Burrough declare that the Quakers own the scriptures. 
 
 The following extract, from his treatise entitled " A Standard lift- 
 ed up," &c. will show fully the opinions of " primitive Friends," up- 
 on the subject of the Holy Scriptures, viz. " Concerning the Word of 
 God, and concerning the scriptures, this testimony I give unto all 
 the world. 
 
216 
 
 -• The Word of God was in the beginning, before any creatures 
 uere made ; and by it all things stand and remain unto this day ; and 
 the Word endures forever, and by it all things in heaven and in 
 earth are brought to pass, which God doth ; and it is from everlast- 
 ing to everlasting, witliout beginning and without end; and the Word 
 is powerful, dividing and discerning all things, even the secret 
 thoughts of every man's heart ; it is as a two edged sword, and as a 
 fire, and like a hammei, to cut up, to burn, and to beat down ; the 
 Word of the Lord reconciles man again to Him ; and this Word is 
 in the mouth and in the heart, and the servants of the Lord handled, 
 tasted, saw, and felt the Word ot Life ; and frovi it^ spoke forth the 
 scriptures, as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, through the eter- 
 nal spirit; and it is a declaration of the Word of Life, which was 
 in the beginning, and endures forever; and it declares what the 
 saints received, believed and enjoyed, and none can understand it, 
 without the same spirit that gave it forth, and to such who have the 
 same spirit, the scripture is profitable: the Word of God, which 
 was in the beginning, and which endures forever, is not the scrip- 
 ture ; which was not in the beginning, neither can it endure forever; 
 but the scripture testifies of that Word, and that Word, witnesses 
 to the scriptures ; and they are not contrary one to the other, 
 but gives witness each of other ; but many hath the scripture that 
 hath not the Word, neither knows it; but they that have the 
 WORD, CANNOT BUT OWN THE SCRIPTURES ; and this is the truth as it 
 is in Jesus, testified to all the world by us; who doth deny them that 
 hereof gives any other testimony." — Page 249. 
 
 Here are some very plain declarations, which look but little like 
 coinciding with Elias Hicks' denial of the sacred volume. Edward 
 Burrough asserts that the scriptures are the declaration of the Word 
 of Life, given forth by holy men, as they were moved by the Holy 
 Ghost, that the Word, witnesses to the scripture; that they are not 
 contrary one to the other; and that they u'ho have the Word, cannot 
 but own the scripture, and lastly, that the Quakers deny those who 
 give any other testimony of them. According, therefore, to Edward 
 Burrough's knowledge of the early Quakers, they not only denied the 
 principles of Elias Hicks on this subject, but also those persons who 
 held them. 
 
 In a paper entitled " Some considerations presented to the King 
 of England," &c. he says — 
 
 " I do testify unto the King, and before the whole world, that we 
 Rhe Quakers] do profess and believe, concerning the Father, Son and 
 Spirit, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the blessed gospel, and the Ho- 
 ly Scriptures ; I say we do believe, and make profession in truth and 
 righteousness, concenni)^ all these things ; and by our doctrines and 
 instructions, do persuade all people to believe; and not seduce any 
 from these truths of the gospel, and this is knoivn, through these king- 
 doms, concerning us, though we stand now accused falsely, concern- 
 ing these matters befoie the king. But as for the scriptures being 
 the rule of life, we say the spirit of God that gave forth the scrip- 
 tures, is the rule of life and faith, unto the saints, and leads not 
 
217 
 
 CONTRAUy, BVT ACCORDING UNTO THE SCRIPTURES; iil the BELIEF 
 
 and practice of whatsoever the scripture saith." — Page 758. 
 
 It will necessarily follow from this declaration of Edward Bur- 
 rough, on beliajf of " primitive Friends," that those doctrines which 
 some, professing to be Quakers, are now promulgating, contrary to 
 the scriptures, are not sanctioned by that spirit of God which is the 
 saints' rule, and consequently are directly in opposition to the Chris- 
 tian principles of our worthy ancient Friends. 
 
 On page 71 of the pamphlet, the compilers have inserted a part of 
 E. Burrough's reply to Samuel Eaton, who contended that " the 
 sanctification of the first day of the week, had put an end to the 
 sanctification of the seventh," &c. To this Edward Burrough ob- 
 jects, because the scriptures no where tell us, that under the gospel 
 dispensation, one day has any more inherent holiness, than another, 
 but that all days are to be sanctified unto the Lord. 
 ' It was an opinion very common among the various denominations 
 of professing Christians, in his time, that the first day of the week 
 was the gospel Sabbath, or true saints' rest, typified by the seventh 
 day Sabbath, under the law; and that hence, the obligation to refrain 
 from every species of labour on the first day, was equally as obliga- 
 tory upon Christians; as the rigid observance of the seventh was 
 upon the Jews. This notion, and the severity of the existing laws, 
 in England, subjected our early Friends to much suffering, from the 
 malice of persecuting informers, who falsely accused them of viola- 
 ting the Sabbath, when only engaged in the necessary and unavoida- 
 ble duties of domestic life. 
 
 Convinced in their own minds, that the true gospel rest had a more 
 spiritual and inward signification, and that it was to be witnessed in the 
 secret of the soul ; the early Quakers endeavoured to convince other 
 professors, that from various passages in the sacred volume, it was 
 evident, that with all their veneration of holy days, they were miss- 
 ing the real enjoyment of the saints' rest, and too much confiding in 
 the mere outward form without knowing the life and power. 
 
 But while they did this, they were religiously careful to be dili- 
 gent and punctual in their attendance at their places for divine wor- 
 ship; and as scrupulously guarded against the performance of 
 manual or sei,-vile labour, other than was indispensable, on that day, 
 as those of other denominations. This is repeatedly asserted in their 
 writings, when defending themselves from the charge of totally ne- 
 glecting the observance of the Sabbath. 
 
 It is clearly apparent that the compilers design to make the im- 
 pression, by their extract, that this charge was true — that our an- 
 cient Friends made no distinction between the first day and other 
 days of the vveek. To do this the more effectually, they have added 
 a note at the bottom of the page, stating that the sentiments of Ed- 
 ward Burrough were advanced and defended by all,the early writers 
 in the Society of Friends. It may be very true, that most, or all, of 
 the early Friends, held the same sentiments respecting the sanctifi- 
 cation of the first day of the week, as Edward Burrough' did ; and a 
 number of writers have defended them ; but it is certainly true, that 
 the compilers' construction of those sentiments, was neither advan- 
 
 Ee 
 
218 
 
 ced nor defended by any of the Quakers or their writers. They have 
 referred to several books, and to numerous pages, to support their 
 illiberal insinuation, which we have examined with some care, and 
 find them to treat almost exclusively on the nature of the spiritual 
 Sabbath, under the gospel, and the doctrine of inherent holiness 
 in the first day of <he week. But we find not one word in any of the 
 writings they refer to, or any where else, which encourages the mem- 
 bers of the Society of Friends to open their shops, or pursue their 
 ordinary avocations, upon this day of the week. 
 
 The compilers refer particularly to Isaac Pennington's works, 
 quarto, vol. i. page 349, &c. where they say, " the subject is discuss- 
 ed at length, and many objections clearly and satisfactorily answer- 
 ed." This assertion is certainly untrue, with their construction of 
 it J as any person may readily see by turning to Isaac Pennington's 
 works. The pages they refer to, include four essays; the first is 
 entitled, "The New Covenant of the Gospel, distinguished from the 
 Old Covenant of the Law, and the Rest or Sabbath of Believers, from 
 the Rest or Sabbath of the Jews, &c." the second is, " An Epistle to 
 all such as observe the Seventh day of the week, for the Sabbath of 
 the Lord;" the third is an answer to, "Some queries sent in writing, 
 upon occasion of an Epistle, directed to all such as observe the Se- 
 venth day of the week, for a Sabbath;" and the fourth is " A Brief 
 Explication of the Mystery of the Six days Labour, and Seventh 
 day's Sabbath, &c." In all these essays, as the reader may perceive 
 from the titles of them, the subject treated of, is the christian's sanc- 
 tified, spiritual rest, and the appointed Sabbath of the Jews: and not 
 one word is said throughout the whole, against the sober and regular 
 observance of the first day of tlie week, as a day of religious worship 
 and cessation from bodily labour. 
 
 Among other early writers in the Society of Friends, wliom the 
 compilers unjustly cite, in order to prove their non-observance of the 
 first day of the week; (with a view of procuring some authority for 
 the known violation of it by Elias Hicks,) they refer to R. Barclay. 
 We shall quote his words, in order that the reader may see, how 
 contrary the principles and practice of the early Quakers were to 
 those of Elias Hicks on this subject. In his essay entitled, " William 
 Mitchell Unmasked," to which the compilers refer, Robert Barclay 
 says— 
 
 " His 13th head, is concerning the Sabbath, or First day of the 
 week's being so, as to which, I desire the reader first to fake notice ; 
 that as we believe the apostles and primitive christians did meet this 
 day to worship God; so we as following their example, do the like, 
 and forbear working, or using our lawful occasions upon that day, 
 as much as our adversaries: so that the debate is orili/. Whether 
 there be any inherent holiness in this day, more than in another? or 
 if there be any positive command for \tfrom scripture? particularly 
 if the fourth command bind us to the observation of it?" — Barclay's 
 Folio Works, page 91. 
 
 The compilers also refer to his Apology, from which we shall quote 
 his observations on this subject, v'r/.. 
 
 I*' We not seeing any ground in scripture for it, cannot be so su- 
 
219 
 
 perstitious as to believe, that either the Jewish Sabbath now con- 
 tinues, or that the first day of the week is the antitype thereof, or 
 the true christian Sabbath, which wi(h Calvin we believe to have a 
 more spiritual sense: and therefore we know no moral obligation by 
 the fourth command, or elsewhere, to keep the first day of the week 
 more than any other, or any holiness inherent in it. Hut first, foras- 
 much as it is necessary that there be some time set apart for the. 
 saints to meet too;ether to wait upon God; and that secoodiy, it is 
 Jit at some times then be freed from their other outward affairs ; and 
 that, thirdly, reason and equitij doth allow that servants and beasts, 
 have some time allowed (hem, to be eased from their continual la- 
 bour; and that fourthly, it appears that the apostles and primitive 
 christians, did use the first day of the week for these purposes; we 
 find ourselves sufficiently moved for these causes to do so also, with- 
 out superstitioujily straining the scriptures for another reason ; which, 
 that it is not to be there found, many protestants, yea, Calvin him- 
 self, upon the fourth command, hath abundantly evinced. And 
 thougli we therefore meet, and jxbstain from ivorking upon this day, 
 yet doth not that, hinder us, for having meetings also for worship at 
 other times." — Barclay's Apology, pages S49, 350. 
 
 George Keith, having falsely accused the Society of Friends with 
 disregarding the observance of the First day of the week, the au- 
 thors of the "Serious Examination," replied to the charge; and af- 
 ter stating reasons why it is not the christian Sabbath, &c. they con- 
 clude thus — 
 
 " But to conclude this point, we grant as George Keith hath done ; 
 ' And that besides other times set apart for the worship of God, both 
 in public and private, it is commendable in christiajis, to set apart 
 the First day of the week, from common and ordinary labour ; not 
 only for an ease to their servants and cattle, but also that they may 
 with the more freedom, and cheerful readiness attend upon the 
 I^ord and his service leithout all incumbrance' — Presb. and Indep. 
 vis. churches. And vve further add, that we may be truly thankful^ 
 that there are laws, to restrain the people of this nation, from their 
 common servile work on the First days of the iceek ; and that God 
 has put it into the hearts of the government, to grant liberty for the 
 subjects, (especially all protestants,) to resort to such religious meet- 
 ings, (on the first days and others,) as they are in conscience per- 
 suqded unto : Blessed be our God, for such liberty-and such oppoV" 
 tunities." — Pages 47, 48. 
 
 Again, on page 72, George Keith says, " They, [the Quakers,] 
 allou; doing servile work, as opening shop on the Lord's day, to 
 sell goods, and taylors to mend clothes on that day ;" — to which the 
 authors of the Examination reply — 
 
 " We know no such allowance given by the said jyeople. called 
 Quakers ; and their practice shows the contrary: Flow many of their 
 shops has this adversary seen open, and how many taylops employed 
 by them, on that day, he calls the Lord's day?" — Page 72, 
 
220 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Remarks upon the Quotations from Humphrkt Smith, 
 
 On page 47 of the pamphlet, the compilers have inserted a short 
 quotation from the " True Rule Discovered," by Humphrey Smith ; 
 the object of which, we are at a loss to discover, as the doctrine it 
 teaches, is perfectly consonant with the Holy Scriptures. We shall 
 insert the passage a little more at length, viz : 
 
 " And now the light is in man, and so that he, that is with His, io 
 the end of the world, is the light of the world who is the resurrec- 
 tion and the life, who was dead and is alive, and I say, he liveth fore- 
 ver more, who hath finished his work*, in the outward things, to wit : 
 Circumcision, Baptism, the Supper, and death on the cross tvithout 
 the gate i and is now revealed within, and worketh all our works in 
 us, and ever liveth to make intercession for us, Isaiah, xxvi. 12;'Heb. 
 vii. 25, in whose hearts he is now crying, Abba, Father ; and he that 
 hath the Son, hath also the Father ; to whom be eternal domi- 
 nion, glory, honour, and humble obedience, forevermore. And so 
 ICTP^" Christ Jesus, being guided by that of God, or ra.thev the fulness 
 " of God in him, whereby he finished his work, and departed away 
 " from among them, and bid them wait for that which should abide 
 " with them forever ;]<.;£I3| and said, these things have I spoken un- 
 to you, being yet present with you, but the Comforter, whom the 
 Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, John 
 xiv. 16, 25, 26, and that which teaches all things, was to be re- 
 vealed within, &c." — p. 149. 
 
 From this extract, it is cleasly apparent, that Humphrey Smith 
 believed fully, both in the outward coming, and sufferings, &c. of 
 our blessed Lord, his mediation and intercession on behalf of sinful 
 man, and also his spiritual appearance in the soul. He acknow- 
 ledges the Divinity as well as manhood, asserting that the fulness 
 of the Godhead dwelt in him, and that the Father sent the Com- 
 forter in Christ's name. This extract alone is amply sufficient to 
 show, how directly opposite his belief was, to the notions now pro- 
 mulgated by Elias Hicks ; who asserts that our blessed Lord had 
 the Spirit communicated to him only, as man, in such proportion di% 
 seemed necessary, and that God never set him above us. — See his 
 Sermons. 
 
 The next quotation from this author, is on the subject of the scrip- 
 tures beings the'primary and only rule of Faith and Life. The fol- 
 lowing extract will explain his meaning, viz : — 
 
 " But say the people, though they did walk, and direct others to 
 walk by the Spirit, yet are not we now to walk by the scriptures ? 
 And is not the scriptures now to be our rule ? and are we not to be 
 led by that ? 
 
221 
 
 '' To which I answer, That |r:!r"[God changcth not ; and where 
 " doth the scriptures say, that the scripture is to be a rule, to walk 
 " or be led by ? And the ministers of Christ did not say. As eve- 
 " ry man hath received the scriptures, so walk ; but as every man 
 " hath received Christ, (and he is the light,) so walk"l«Oi — Co- 
 lossians, ii. 6. Consider there is first somethin^pto be received, and 
 then, there is to be a walking in the power and strength of that re- 
 ceived, &c." — p. 150. 
 
 It is evident that Humphrey Smith is only contending against the 
 erroneous idea, that under the dispensation i{ the gospel, the Holy 
 Scriptures are to he preferred before the Spirit of Christ Jesus, in- 
 wardly revealed, and made the alone rule of the saint's faith and 
 life. But, that he was far from disesteeming the sacred volume, or 
 endeavouring to lessen a true regard for it in others, will be appa- 
 rent from the following quotation from page 152, of the same book. 
 After defending the revelations of the blessed Comforter, as the guide, 
 and rule under the gospel, and declaring that he fulfils that, which 
 is written without, viz : in the scriptures, he says: — 
 
 " What then ? do I herein, in the least make void, contemn, slight, 
 vilify, or deny the scriptures, ? God forbid ; nay, I had rather my 
 pen might fall out of my hand, or my arm from my shoulder, or my 
 tongue cleave to the roof of my 7nouth forever, than f should go about 
 to make void the scriptures of truth, (and is a true declaration, Luke 
 i. 1.) which was given forth from that which is my life, which is hid, 
 not in the scriptures, but with Christ in God, Colos. iii. 3. and the 
 Word was God, and that which was God, is God, John i. 1 ; but if 
 I should say the scriptures is God, I should be a blasphemer, like 
 unto others : Do I herein deny the scriptures ? Nay, rather, I es- 
 tablish the scriptures in its place, and make use of it, as a cloud of 
 witnesses by me, in directing all people unto that which tiie scrip- 
 tures testify of, and was given forth from; John v, 39, &c." — * 
 Page 152. 
 
 * As we had not in our possession, a copy of the works of Humphrey Smith, 
 we have not the opportunity of comj)aring the above quotations with the ori- 
 ginal, but have no doubt whatever of their perfect accuracy. The compilers 
 have inserted on page 32 of their pamphlet, two short extracts from the wri- 
 tings of THOMAS ZACHARY. On examining " Whiting's Catalogue," we 
 find that the whole amount published by this author, was four quarto sheets. 
 As we have not been able to obtain these, we cannot say, whether the extracts 
 in the pamphlet are fairly made. If they are, however, they do not prove any 
 thing in favour of the doctrines of Elias Hicks. Tn the first, the author says, 
 he came to see the idolatry of professors, respecting the body, flesh, and 
 blood of Christ ; this is, as he himself explains it, placing all their faith on this 
 ulonn, without regarding the invisible power, the Godhead which dwelt in him, 
 which was the Life, Power, and Ann of God. But this does not make our 
 blessed Lord to be a mere man ; it does not rob him of his equahty with the 
 Father, but confesses to his Manhood, as well as Eternal Divinity. In the 
 next quotation Thomas Zachary says, there is no serving God aright, but in a 
 measure of that Spirit, wherewith Christ served him. This all Christians rea- 
 dily admit ; but observe he does not say we are to be equal with Christ, and 
 that God never set Christ above us, as does Elias Hicks ; but that through the 
 assistance of a measure, of the same Spirit which our blessed Saviour had in 
 fulness, we we to be qualified for the performance of all our religious duties. . 
 
222 
 
 There could scarcely be a more reverent confession to the incs 
 timable value of the sacred volume, than is here made by Humphrey 
 Smith. Let the reader compare it with the li^rht manner in which 
 Elias Hicks speaks of them, and undervalues their authority — tell- 
 ing the people they were altered by the Pope, and " written by no- 
 body knows who"*-and boldly denying the most precious and sa- 
 cred doctrines which they teach. 
 
223 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Remarks upon the Quotations from the Works of Samuei, Fisheh. 
 
 The compilers have inserted on p. 48 of the pamphlet, a short 
 quotation, on the subject of imputation, which they inform us is 
 from Samuel Fisher's Works — but give no page. We have care- 
 fully examined the volume published by this author, and cannot dis- 
 cover that he ever vv^rote any such passage. • He has written about 
 forty pages on the subject of justification and the atonement by 
 Christ, in which he makes frequent acknowledgment of his christian 
 belief in both. If there be any thing like the compilers' extract, in 
 his works, we imagine it must be altered, so as to bear little resem- 
 blance to the original — and whenever they think proper to inform us 
 where it may be found, we shall be ready to reply to it. 
 
 The following extracts will serve to show the scriptural soundness 
 of S. Fisher's belief. 
 
 " And because we make mention of Christ in us, and the right- 
 eousness of the law as necessary in order to salvation, to be per- 
 formed and fulfilled in our own persons, as Paul does, Romans viii. 
 4. though we mean no other righteousness than the same that is in 
 Christ, and is wrought in us, by no other power than that of Christ, 
 and that same Christ too, of whom the Scripture speaks, that " to him 
 give all the prophets witness. Acts x. that in his name and through 
 faith in his name alone, whoever believeth, shall receive remission of 
 sins ; than which Christ and his 7iame, there is no other under hea- 
 ven, given among men, lohereby they must be saved ; they belie us 
 both to God and men, as denyers of Christ, and of his righteousness, 
 and of justification by Christ alone; witness one Ackworth of Ro- 
 chester, who was once heard by the writer hereof, deprecating and 
 declaring against the Quakers in these words to God himself, in his 
 public prayer, viz. Above all things Lord, (quoth he,) deliver this 
 poor city from the Quakers ; tliey are a people. Lord, that deny 
 God, deny Christ, deny the righteousness of Christ, deny justifica- 
 tion by Christ alone." — Page 34. 
 
 vS. F. proceeds to state that he offered to prove tliese charges 
 false at the time they were made, but was not permitted ; and he 
 gives also, other instances in which the same unfounded accusations 
 were alleged against friends, all which he denies to be true. 
 
 On p. 654, in arguing against the notion that Christ died only on 
 belialf of some, and that he was a sacrifice for the sins of believers 
 only, he says, 
 
 « Argument 11th. If all men are not put into a possibility of 
 life by Chrisfs dying intentionally /or every one of them, if them- 
 selves choose not death ; then it could not be said, As by sin, con- 
 demnation is come on all men, so justification of life is come on all 
 
224 
 
 men ; and that the gift of God's grace, and gift of God in Christ, 
 and the benefit and blessing, is, every way, at least as large, and 
 some ways larger and abounding, beyond the mischief and curse 
 that comes by the sin. 
 
 " But it is in effect so said, Romans v. 15. xviii. 23. Therefore 
 all and every man, is made as capable to be saved by Christ, as 
 every man is liable to be damned by reason of the sin. 
 
 "Argument 12th. Christ could not be truly or properly said to 6«/Ae 
 propitiationfor the sins of the whole world, nor the Saviour of the whole 
 luorki ; to be given a covenant to the people ; a witness to the peo- 
 ple, a Leader and Commander to the people, a light to the nations, 
 God's salvation to the ends of the earth; much less could ^11 peo- 
 ple, in any consistency with mercy, or (as before) without foolery 
 and mockery of most men, in the midst of their remediless misery, 
 be bid to behold him, or all the ends of the earth, be summoned 
 with promise, yea, assurance'of salvation, if they do, and on pain 
 of more cruel damnation, if they do not ; to look and come to Him, 
 for it, and hearken to his voice, (or else, be cut off,) in all things 
 whatever he saith to them, and such like, unless he were truly, pro- 
 perly, and intentionally at least, given to be all this, to all men ; 
 all the people, the whole world, and every man in it." 
 
 From these short quotations, (and there is much more of the same 
 import in his writings,) it is sufficiently evident, that S. F. did 
 believe in the propitiatory sacrifice of our blessed Lord, for the sins 
 of t\\e whole ivorld ; a doctrine which E. Hicks, does positively 
 reject, and therefore dissents entirely from the acknowledged tenets 
 of the early Quakers. 
 
 On p. 61 and 62 of the pamphlet we have another quotation from 
 the works of this author, in which he objects to the numerous com- 
 mentaries, which have been written upon the text of holy Scripture, 
 as tending rather to obscure than render them more perspicuous; 
 and likewise against that undue reverence for the Scriptures them- 
 selves, which leads men to place them above the Holy Spirit of God^ 
 and to honour the gift, more than the giver. — It is worthy of remark, 
 that in the commencement of the treatise, from which the compilers 
 have taken their extract, he lays it down as a certain position, that in 
 all he says on the Scriptures, " it is the letter and not the matter, the 
 luritings, and not the subjects, things, truths, doctrines or Word, 
 written of, that is the subject to come under consideration," between 
 him and his opponent, and therefore he does not in the least degree 
 impugn any doctrine or precept contained in the sacred volume. — 
 The following quotations will acquit him from coinciding with E. 
 Hicks in a denial of the doctrines of Christ and his apostles, viz. 
 
 " The outward Scripture I say, is profitable, to such as Timothy 
 was ; to men of God,' to make them who are wise in the Spirit, wiser 
 and wiser, through their faith in the light, to their oivn and others^ 
 salvation ; and to furnish such a minister as Timothy was, who 
 knows when, (and being in the Spirit) how, and how far forth to use 
 it, for every good rvork in his ministry. And such as are full of 
 might and power first by the Spirit of the Lord upon them, as Mi- 
 cah was, Micah iii. and as Apo*Ios was, are mighty also in the Scrip' 
 
225 
 
 Hire, and furnished mightily,, to confound the scripture searching 
 scribes, and all gainsayers of the light, as they were in their times." 
 — Page 453. 
 
 " As for our obedience to the letter; we are by the Spirit, so bound 
 io that, not so far only as we are willing, as thou beliest us, but in a 
 cross to our own wills, that while ivewalk in the Spirit, which is our 
 ride, loe cannot disobey the letter, bid fulfil it ; while yourselves, 
 who prate of your being bound to obey it, walk at large after your 
 own wills, and lusts, in the liberty of the flesh, and through your 
 boundless boasting of that, ye as boundlessly break, do dishonour 
 both God and yourselves. 
 
 " As for our going about to deceive the simple, we deny all de- 
 ceivers, and deceit ; teaching no other doctrine nor gospel, than what 
 Paul delivered, than which, whoever it is that brings or broaches 
 another, whether it be we who are hated as devils, or you who are 
 honoured as angels of light from heaven, by such as dwell in the 
 depths and darkness of hell, I say with Paul, let him be accursed ; 
 but those are now marked and manifested plainly enough, who 
 cause the divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine the Saints 
 learned of old ; and by the children of the day are avoided also ; for 
 they that are such, serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own 
 bellies, and yet by good words and fair speeches, deceive the hearts 
 of the simple, Rom. xvi. 17, 18." — Page 458. 
 
 Again, on page 667, " Objection — The Letter kills — cannot give 
 life. 
 
 " Reply. — True, but why is it? but becauseits disobeyed, and can- 
 not give ability to any, to do what it requires — The law, or light, and 
 gospel, and all, kills such as transgress it, I say the gospel itself con- 
 demns ; but whom is it? None but such as hate, and take not heed 
 to it, that thereby they may come from under the curse and death, 
 into the life it calls for; else, it being the power of God to the sal- 
 vation of such as believe in it, life should be by the light one way 
 more, than it could come by the letter; for the Utter could keep 
 them, that keep t7, from the curse denounced in it, to the breakers of 
 it, yet cannot give any, an ability to keep it : But the light is not on- 
 ly able to acquit, justify, clear, absolve, secure, and save from wrath, 
 ail such as believe in, and obey it, but also to enable such as look to 
 it, and impovver them, more and more to obey and walk by it; and 
 consequently by the letter, ivliich cannot he transgressed by such as 
 abidein the light; all such as singly come to it, and continue wait- 
 ing on the Lord in it." 
 
 In answer to the question, " Whether are the Spirit of God, the 
 Spirit of man, and the Spirit of the devil, three distinct Spirits? S. 
 Fisher replies, " Yea, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of the devil, and 
 the Spirit of n»an are three distinct Spii'its." — page 846. 
 
 Here are several points, in which S. Fisher is directly at variance 
 with the notions of Elias Hicks. He acknowledges the usefulness 
 of the Holy Scripture; that they are profitable (o make wiser, even 
 those who are already wise in the Spirit, and to furnish the man of 
 God unto every good work ; whereas, f'llias Hicks asserts that since 
 the Spirit has come, we should be better without the scriptures. S. 
 
 Ff 
 
226 
 
 Fisher says, the early Quakers were bound by the Spirit, to be obedi- 
 ent to the letter, not so far as they were willing only, but in the cross 
 to their own wills — that they could not disobey the /efto*, but fulfil 
 it ; but Elias Hicks does disobey it, by teaching many notions which 
 directly contradict its sacred testimony. S. Fisher says, if any man 
 preach any other gospel, than that which Paul preached, let him be 
 accursed — yet Elias Hicks does teach doctrines entirely different and 
 opposite to that gospel which Paul preached — and " contrary to the 
 doctrine which the saints learned of old." S. Fisher says, that 
 those who receive and obey the light, and abide in it, cannot trans- 
 gress the letter, or scriptures, therefore it is clear, that " the dan- 
 gerous innovations" of Elias Hicks, are positively condemned in the 
 rnost solemn manner, by the very authors whom the compilers 
 quote. Another point of difference, is the existence of an evil Spi- 
 rit, distinct from the propensities and will and spirit of men, 
 which Elias Hicks has long notoriously denied, but which S. Fisher 
 here asserts — From all which it is fully proved, that Elias Hicks 
 has really swerved from the ancient faith of the Society, and is pro- 
 mulgating notions, subversive of those precious testimonies and doc- 
 trines, in support of which, our worthy predecessors suffered the 
 loss of all that this world accounts most dear. 
 
227 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Observations upon the Compilers' Extracts from the Writings of Richabc 
 
 HUBBERTHORN. 
 
 On page 53, of the pamphlet, the compilers have given us tw^o 
 quotations, from the works of this author, each about three lines. 
 They are parts of replies to the objections of the two opponents, 
 who denied the doctrine of the influence of the Holy Spirit, and 
 contended that the Scriptures were the only rule of faith and life. 
 
 The first is from his answer to John Stelham, viz : 
 
 "Further, he, [John Stelham,] saith, the scriptures are a rule 
 above the saint's light, and unto it ; and not so, their light above the 
 scriptures;" to which R. Hubberthorn rejoins," this is confusion, and 
 he knows not whereof lie affirms ; |C7^[for the Spirit of God is the 
 "saint's rule, and that is greater than the scriptures, and the rule 
 '• of the Spirit of God, is above the scripture :]«h:^ but such as John 
 Stelham, who talks of scriptures to be a rule, and yet acts these 
 things, which the scriptures declare against, are but found in deeper 
 hypocrisy ; for he that is ruled by the ^Spirit of Gody walks %tp in the 
 fulfilling of Scripture." — Works, page 142. , 
 
 It was well for the compilers' cause, that they closed their quota- 
 tion at the semicolon ; since if they had extended it but a few lines 
 further, they must have included a declaration of R. Hubberthorn's, 
 which is in direct opposition to Elias Hicks. If "he that is ruled 
 by the Spirit of God, walks up, in the fulfilling of Scripture," as 
 this author says; it follows that such as do not fulfil, but reject and 
 deny the scriptures, are not ruled by the spirit of God. Hence we 
 may readily see, that as Elias Hicks does reject and deny the testi- 
 mony of scripture, as relates to the miraculous conception, divinity, 
 and propitiation, ike. of Jesus Christ, he cannot be in unity with the 
 faith of the ancient Quakers. 
 
 The next quotation is from the same treatise, viz: 
 
 " Further, he, [J. Stelham,] saith, |C?*['he scripture was given by 
 " the spirit for a rule ; this, [says R. Hubberthorn,] we desire a proof 
 " of by plain scripture, and till then, we deny it."]QOS — page 145. 
 
 The reader will see, that in this reply, R. Hubberthorn, so far 
 from denying scripture, lays it down as the test of the truth or er- 
 ror, of his opponent's assertion — which is certainly making it a stan- 
 dard for the soundness of doctrine. His opponent says, " the scripture 
 was given by the spirit for a rule." — R. Hubberthorn demands proof 
 of it by plain scripture, and until he produce this, denies it. The 
 passage, so far from undervaluing the scriptures, gives them a \ery 
 high character, and commits to their decision the question in dis- 
 pute between himself and his opponents. 
 
 To infer from a short reply, to the erroneous assertion of an oppo- 
 
228 
 
 nent; that this worthy rnan denied the authenticity or authority of 
 Holy Scripture, as the compilers would have us to do, from their quo- 
 tations, would be an act of great injustice to him. The whole tenor 
 of his writings directly contradict sucli a conclusion. The follow- 
 ing may be sufficient to show this. Thomas Winterton made the 
 following charge against the Society, viz : 
 
 " That noiv, the scripture is no more a guide for us to walk by, 
 nor nothing without them, but the light within them, and he that 
 seeks after any other guide but that within him, is in the flesh still." 
 To this R. Ilubberthorn replies — 
 
 " Which words are thy own, and was not so spoken, by any of 
 vs. But to thee I say, that the scripture, which did foresee that 
 which we now do see, ive oicn to be one with the light, which was 
 before the letter, and to be our guide in the way of truth : and this 
 guide is within us; but by the scripture letter, without thee, thou 
 neither sees nor foresees the things which belong to eternal life, 
 which, if ever any come to see, it must be by the light of Christ 
 within them; and all who own this light, and with it is guided, can- 
 7iot deny the scriptures which was spoken forth from the light within.^'' 
 Pages 7&, 77. 
 
 This short quotation speaks a direct denial and condemnation to 
 the dogmas of Elias Hicks. Since R. Hubberthorn says positively, 
 that all ivho own and are guided by the Light of Christ, cannot deny 
 the scriptures. 
 
 On page 117, after having ansv/ered a number of erroneous no- 
 tions, advanced by John Stelham, and proved their unsoundness from 
 scripture authority, Richard Hubberthorn adds, "In reading of this 
 let all people take notice, that in the several and particular heads of 
 John Stelham's book, where he saith he hath contradicted us, he is 
 proved himself to contradict the scriptures ; and so far as he contra- 
 dicts the scriptures, in those particulars; so far, he may say he con- 
 tradicts us; our testimony being one with the scriptures in those 
 things." 
 
 If the reader will take the pains to refer to Richard Hubberthorn's 
 works, he will find that " the several and particular heads of John 
 Stelham's book," comprehend the fundamental doctrines of the 
 Christian faith, in regard to which R. Hubberthorn says that the 
 Quakers' testimony is one with the scriptures. So far, then, as Elias 
 Hicks contradicts the scriptures, which he does in many of the pri- 
 mary and fundamental articles of the doctrine of Christ and his 
 apostles, so far he contradicts the early Quakers, and proves that he 
 has swerved from the ancient faith of the society. 
 
 In a discourse which R. Hubberthorn had with King Charles II. 
 the latter asked him — 
 
 " Hnv/ did you first come to believe the scriptures were truth ?" 
 
 R. H. — " I have believed the scriptures, from a child, to be a de- 
 claration of truth, when I had but a literal knowledge, natural edu- 
 cation, and tradition ; but nojv I know the scriptures to be true, by the- 
 manifestation and operation of the spirit of God, fulfilling them in 
 me."— Page 271. 
 
 Is then the spirit of God changed ? Or doth it teach now contra- 
 
229 
 
 ry to what it taught in the time of Richard Hubberthorn ? Or, seeing 
 God is unchangeable, and cannot lie ; cannot deny what he has once 
 asserted, is it not clearly evident, that those who plead the guidance 
 of the spirit of truth, for their denial of the most solemn declara- 
 tions of Holy Scripture, are under delusion and error, and are not 
 led by that spirit of truth which guides into all truth ? 
 
 We have a quotation fiom the same author, inserted on pages 52, 
 53, of their pamphlet, designed to convey the idea that the early 
 Quakers denied the existence of any other heaven or hell, than what 
 is in man ; which, of course, the compilers must consider as one of 
 the tenets of Elias Hicks. The quotation is as follows : 
 
 " And again, as concernir||g hell, Clapham |i::j°'[saith, that men are 
 " not in hell while they are upon earth. 
 
 " Answer.- — The prophet said, while he was upon earth, thou hast 
 " redeemed my soul out of hell ; and Jonah said, out of the belly of 
 " hell, cried I unto thee, and so the believers' doctrine was contrary 
 " to Clapham's ; for they knew both heaven and hell, while they were 
 " upon earth, and a redeeming out of the one into the other, by Jesi'.s 
 " CAmf. "]«Ci|— Works, page 33. 
 
 The assertion of J. Clapham, and the reply of R. Hubberthorn, 
 furni-h no ground whatever, for supposing that the latter denied that 
 heaven was a place of eternal rewaids to the righteous, and hell a 
 place where the impenitent sinner shall endure everlasting torment, 
 where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. The an- 
 swer is no more than an assertion, that the Royal Psalmist, and the 
 prophet Jonah, experienced a foretaste, while here on earth, of the 
 terrors and woe of that interminable punishment prepared for the 
 wicked hereafter. But this does not imply that there is no future 
 state or place, where just retribution will be rendered to every man, 
 according to his deeds. Richard Hubberthorn has sufficiently denied 
 the construction which the compilers would put upon his words, in 
 his reply to J. Clapham, who alleged the same false charge against 
 him, viz : 
 
 " And whereas many other accusations are charged upon u^false- 
 lif, for the name of Christ, by the priest ; yet seeing Christ, the true 
 Prophet, hath said it should be so, because they know not the Father, 
 nor Him who haUi pnlightoned every one that cometh into the world ; 
 therefore, can we bear all )hiii(j'^, being manifest un'o God, and to all 
 men, to be witnesses of those things which he saith we deny. 
 
 " His accusations are these, that we deny the resurrection of the 
 body, the last judgment, heavtn and hell, are enemies to all the ordi- 
 nances of Christ, are not true morlifiecl persons, and our doctrine 
 tendeth not to destroy sin ; that we are the common sink of all her- 
 esies and enemies to civility and good manners. 
 
 " Answer — Our doctrine is the same as is testified of in the scrip- 
 ture of truth ; and where it is received, remission of sins is received ; 
 it being the same that our example, the First Born amongst many 
 brethren, the First Begotten from the dead, preached, which gospel 
 we preach to every creature; which gospel is the power of God, and 
 where it is received doth both destroy sin, and sanctify them through- 
 out in body, soul, and spirit, and by it, is the members which arc 
 
280 
 
 upon the earU), iiioitificd: for this is the power that raised up Jesua 
 from the dead, and doth also quicken our mortal bodies, by his Spirit, 
 that dwelleth in us, in wliich the scripture is witnessed, which was a 
 treatise of those things which was known and surely believed amongst 
 the saints; and which saith, they that are asleep in the dust of the 
 earth, shall rise, some to everlasting life, and some to everlasting 
 shame and contempt: and from the true foundation, witnessing these 
 doctrines, which the apostles did not lay again the foundation of; 
 repentance from dead works, and faith towards God, of the doctrine 
 of baptisms, and laying on of hands, and of the resurrection from the 
 dead, and of eternal judgment, Heb. vi. 12, for we, having learned 
 what it is to be baptized for the dead, ^ny such as say there is no 
 resurrection of the dead ; the first fruits of this resurrection is Christ, 
 1 Cor. XV. 22, of which they that are of Christ, are witnesses of these 
 things, and they come to know each seed in the light, through the 
 figures, and through the parables." — Pages 39, 40. 
 
 He then proceeds to speak more at large, upon the subject of the 
 resurrection, and in conclusion declares, that by the Spirit of the 
 Lord, the Quakers have received the knowledge, and are made wit- 
 nesses of those things which the prophets and apostles of Jesus Christ 
 testified of in the scriptures, whatever envious opposers may say to 
 the contrary. It is obvious from the above quotation, that Richard 
 Hubberthorn was far from denying a day of eternal judgment, or 
 that heaven and hell were places in which the righteous enjoyed ev- 
 erlasting rewards, and the wicked endless woe and misery; since, 
 when he was charged with holding such sentiments, he declares it to 
 be false, and asserts that the doctrine of the Quakers is the same as 
 is testified of in the Holy Scriptures. It follows therefore, that 
 whatever doctrines are not coincident with the testimony of Holy 
 Scripture, are not those held by the primitive friends. 
 
 Among the numerous calumnies which George Keith heaped upon 
 the Quakers, after he had apostatised from their christian principles, 
 we find the very same, as the compilers would have us to infer from 
 their extract from Richard Hubberthorn. George Keith says " They 
 deny any other heaven or hell than what is ivithin men, calling all 
 other Mahometanism." To this, the authors of the Serious Examina- 
 tion reply — 
 
 "This is also unfairly stated: For though both heaven and hell 
 may in some sense and degree, be in men ; that is, a degree of heaven 
 or heavenly places, in the righteous, in Christ Jesus; and some de- 
 gree of hell, terrors, tribulation and anguish in the wicked, even in 
 this life : yet heaven [is] not wholly within one, nor hell tvholly with' 
 in the the other, in this life, but an earnest thereof; for heaven is both 
 within a7id icithout, and so is hell; yet both are discovered within, 
 before fully entered into ; both the joy of the one, and unto many, the 
 terrors of the other: And how can treacherous Judases, and envious 
 apostates, escape the damnation thereof? 'Tis certain that the chil- 
 dren of the light and of the day, have no utter darkness, (where 
 hell is,) within them, they being delivered out of the kingdom of 
 darkness, into the kingdom of the dear Son of God," — Serious Ex- 
 amination, pages 71, 72, 
 
231 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Remarks upon the quotations from the works of William Dewsbvht. 
 
 The compilers have inserted upon page 53 of their pamphlet, a 
 short quotation, of about three lines, from the works of William 
 Devvsbury, designed to convey the idea, that this worthy man, had 
 a light esteem of the sacred volume. They have made the extract 
 '.vith great unfairness as will be seen from the following quotation. 
 The part which they have selected, is enclosed in brackets as usuaL 
 
 " And this I declare to all the inhabitants in England, and all that 
 dwell upon the earth, that God alone is the teacher of his people, 
 and hath given to every one a measure of grace, which is the light 
 that comes from Christ, that checks and reproves for sin, in the se- 
 crets of the heart and conscience ; and all that wait in that light which 
 comes from Christy (which is the free grace of God,) for the power of 
 Jesus Christ to destroy sin, and to guide them in obedience to the light, 
 so shall they come to know the only true God, and Father of light 
 in Christ Jesus, who is the way to him: iCT'QAnd this I witness to 
 <' all the sons of men, that the knowledge of eternal life, I came not 
 " to, by the letter of the scripture, nor hearing men speak of the name 
 *' of God ;]cd -f came to the true knowledge of the scripture, and 
 the eternal rest, (they testify it in Christ,) by the inspiration of the 
 spirit of Jesus Christ, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, who alone is 
 found worthy to open the seals of the book; and I witness, none else 
 can, for he alone opened the seals of the book in me, and sealed it up 
 to my soul, by the testimony of his own spirit, according to his own 
 promise, 1 will bind up the testimony, and seal the law amongst my 
 disciples ; and I will write my law in their hearts, and put my spirit 
 in their inward parts, and they shall not depart from me; neither 
 shall they need to teach every man his neighbour, and every man 
 his brother, for all shall know me from the least of them to the great- 
 est, for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins 
 and iniquities will I remember no more, and all my children shall be 
 taught of me, isaith the Lord God, and great shall be the peace of 
 my children; and this here declared, the scriptures witness, and J 
 ivitness the scriptures fulfilled in me; praises, praises, hallelujah 
 and eternal praises, be unto the Lord God Almighty, who hath 
 Taken unto thee thy great power to sit upon thy throne, and to the 
 \ J AMP> forever more." — pages 54, 55. 
 
 The extract made by the compilers closes at a semicolon, where 
 William Dewsbury is declaring that he came to the true knowledge 
 v>f the scriptures, and the eternal rest, which the scriptures testify 
 
232 
 
 of, by tlie inspiration of the Spirit of Jesus Christ. There is suffi- 
 cient in the paragraph we have quoted, to show, how far he was 
 from undervaluing the sacred volume ; but the following declaration 
 is so very forcible, and applies with such precision to the present sub- 
 ject, that we think proper to insert it. It is taken from an essay, en- 
 titled " Christ Exalted, &c. ;" in which William Dewsbury refuted 
 a number of false accusations, preferred against the Quakers by John 
 Timson, and also answers several questions, among which is the fol- 
 lowing : — 
 
 " Whether any other revelations and observations, not to he found 
 in the scripture^ be binding to the consciences of those persons, that 
 have the benefit of the scripture ; or whether such revelation, or 
 dictates within a man's heart and soul, be as binding to the con- 
 science, and to be urged to a man's self, or others, as the scrip- 
 tures are ? 
 
 " Answer, The Revelations of Jesus Christ, is according 
 TO Scripture, which revelation hinds up the testimony, and seals 
 the law, in the hearts of his disciples ; and ivhat dictates, is in the 
 conscience or hfart of man, contrary to the law and testimony, is not 
 to be regarded, hid disoivned and judged, with the Light which 
 comes from Christ, the Saints' Life, who guides them in a pure life 
 and holy conversation, according to Scripture — Isaiah viii. 20.'* 
 — Works, pages 148, 149. 
 
 This query and answer is a most triumphant refutation of all the 
 pretensions of Elias Hicks and his, friends, to coincidence in doc- 
 trine with the early Quakers. William Dewsbury declares that 
 the revelations of Jesus Christ are according to scripture — it follows 
 that what is not according to scripture, is not the revelation of Jesus 
 Christ, but a delusion. Again he says, that whatever dictates, in the 
 heart and conscience of man, are contrary to scripture ; they are not 
 to be regarded, but disoivned and judged, by the Light which comes 
 from Christ. Now as the doctrines of Elias Hicks are not accord- 
 ing to scripture — they cannot be the revelations of Jesus Christ ; 
 and as they contradict and deny the testimony of the scriptures of 
 truth, they ought not to be regarded or followed; but are condemn- 
 ed by that light which comes from Jesus Christ, and which accord- 
 ing to William Dewsbury, always leads its followers into a life and 
 conversation ivhich accords with the testimony of the sacred volume. 
 Thus we see that the very authors whom the compilers have addu- 
 ced, as authority for the innovations and unsound doctrines of Eli- 
 as Hicks, judge and condemn him, in the most decisive and positive 
 manner, as one who has gone from the leadings of the Holy Spirit, 
 and wandered into the mazes of error and «l(»ubt. 
 
 Page 66 of the pamphlet has a quotation from William Dewsbury, 
 which the compilers have, as usual, mutilated. AVe shall insert the 
 whole paragraph, and enclose their extract in brackets with a hand. 
 It is from the reply to John Timson, viz : — 
 
 " The sixth false accusation ; thou sayest we boast that we are as 
 ^rfect as Christ that died at Jerusalem. 
 
 " Reply — Thy charge is false, boasting we deny, or any perfec- 
 tion that is of self; |Ci°'[our righteousness, without Christ, is as a 
 
233 
 
 " filthy rag, and a menstruous cloth ; Christ our righteousness, who 
 " is the true light that lighteth every one that comes into the world, 
 ** John i. 9, we witness him the same Christ as was in that body that 
 " suffered at Jerusalem ; and every one of the children of light in 
 " the measure of growth in Him, the same mind is in them, that was 
 " in Christ Jesus, Phil. ii. S]..:^::^ who is the brightness of the Fa- 
 ther's glory, Heb. i. 3."— -Works, p. 120. 
 
 This answer, furnishes us with an acknowledgment of several im- 
 portant points of christian doctrine. It appears from it, that the 
 early Quakers denied as false, the accusation of professing them- 
 selves as perfect as Jesus Christ. Elias Hicks maintains, that by 
 faithfulness we may attain to as great a degree of righteousness as 
 he did. The Quakers believed that their own righteousness, was of 
 no value, without Christ — 'and that Christ was their righteousness; 
 but Elias Hicks condemns this doctrine of being made righteous by 
 the righteousness of Christ. The Quakers declared they witness- 
 ed, that he who enlightened them by his Spirit, was the same Lord 
 Jesus Christ, who died at Jerusalem, and that the children of this 
 Holy Light, according to their measures of growth, were in Him, 
 who is the brightness of the Father's glory. 
 
 It seems difficult to conjecture for what purpose the compilers 
 have selected this extract, since it is so far from according with the 
 doctrines which they wish to support, that it is directly contrary to 
 them. It is, however, by no means so difficult to see why they have 
 cut oft' the last eight words of the paragraph, and closed at a com- 
 ma. It is a true saying, that a straw will show which way the wind 
 blows ; and small as the omission seems, it clearly evinces how wil- 
 ling they are to suppress those parts of sentences, where the Divi- 
 nity of the Saviour is recognised. Justice to the religious senti- 
 ments of W. Dewsbury, should have induced them to exhibit that 
 part, since he quotes from and refers to, a part of the scriptures 
 where the Godhead and glorious attributes of our Lord and Sa- 
 viour Jesus Christ, are set forth in the most unequivocal language. 
 
 Immediately following the paragraph last quoted, we have an- 
 other accusation and reply, viz. 
 
 "The seventh false accusation; thou sayest, we say that he that 
 trusts in Christ, that died at Jerusalem, for salvation, shall be de- 
 ceived." 
 
 Reply. — " This charge is false as the other, in the presence of 
 God, we witness against Ihee ; no other Christ we bear testimony oJ\ 
 to be the salvation of lost man and woman, but that Christ, accord- 
 ing to scripture testimony, wlio was born of the Virgin, and made a 
 good confusion before Pilate, and suffered at Jerusalem^ and rosn 
 again the third day, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right 
 hand of God; and this Christ we witness the true light, who lighteth 
 every one that comes into the world, and saith, I stand at the door 
 and knock ; who opens, I will come into him, and sup with him, and 
 he with me ; Rev. iii. 20. and we witness him faithful : and as many 
 as receive him, to them he gives power to become the sons of God ; 
 and this is the condemnation of all, because they believe not in thai, 
 John xii."— Pages 120, 121. 
 
234 
 
 CHAPTER Xni. 
 
 Observations upon the Quotation from the Journal of Richaed Davies. 
 
 The compilers of the pamphlet have extracted a paragraph from 
 the Journal of Richard Davies, in whicli he recites an opinion deliver- 
 ed by an Independent preacher, at a meeting where R. Davies was 
 present; which was, that the time would come, when there would be 
 no need of the scripture, any more than another book: this senti- 
 ment very much stumbled R. Davies, who queried with him, when that 
 time would be ; to which the preacher replied, when the Lord would 
 make a new covenant with his people, as is foretold in Jeremiah xxxi. 
 23, 34, which contains the prophecy respecting the diffusion of the 
 Holy Spirit. It will be sufficient for us to remark that Richard Da- 
 vies was not in profession with the Society of Friends at that time, 
 nor until two years after; and the opinion of an Independent teacher 
 is no authority for the doctrine of primitive Friends. 
 
 The high estimation in which Richard Davies held the sacred vo- 
 lume, may be seen by any one who will peruse the work from which 
 the extract is made. His religious education had been among a peo- 
 ple whose entire dependence for instruction in the way of righteous- 
 ness, was placed upon the Holy Scriptures, and the teaching of their 
 ministers ; for they did not believe in the immediate influence of 
 the Holy Spirit, as that Comforter, which was to lead the followers 
 of Jesus Christ into all truth, and to bring all things to their remem- 
 brance. 
 
 His mind having been awakened to a lively concern relative to the 
 great work of salvation, and being earnestly engaged in seeking after 
 the knowledge of those things which belonged to his soul's peace, he 
 found the insufficiency of all those means, which he had formerly de- 
 pended upon, as the only medium of right instruction. In this state, 
 it pleased the Lord to reveal himself to him, by his Holy Spirit, and 
 to give him a clear sight of the inward work of regeneration ; and 
 by yielding in obedience to the manifestations of divine light, he was 
 brought to see, that although a mere literal acquaintance with the 
 sacred volume could not save the soul, yet when it was opened by 
 that Holy Spirit, under whose divine inspiration and direction it was 
 written, it was not only profitable for doctrine, correction, reproof, 
 and instruction in righteousness, but through faith, which is in Christ 
 Jesus, able to make wise unto salvation. He thus writes — 
 
 "I, with many more, was under that mistake that the Jews were 
 in, who thought they might have Eternal Life in the Scriptures; 
 Christ saith, John v. 39, Search, or ye search the scriptures, for in 
 them ye think ye have Eternal Life, and they are they which testify 
 of me, and ye will not come to me that ye might have life. As he 
 is the life, so he is the way to the Father; I am the way, and the truth. 
 
235 
 
 and the life : no man cometh unto the Father but hi/ me. John xiv. 6. 
 As for the scriptures, I was a great lover, and a great reader of 
 them, and took great pleasure in searching of them, thinking thai 
 would make me wise unto salvation, as Paul said to Timothy, and 
 that from a child thou hast known the scriptures, ivhich are able to 
 make thee wise unto salvation, through faith, ivhich is in Christ Je- 
 sus. 2 Tinf. ill. 15. This main thing was wanting, the true and sav- 
 ing faith, which is the gift of God. It is by grace we are saved, 
 through faith, not of ourselves, it is the gift of God. Ephes. ii. 8. 
 So it is the grace of God that b'ings salvation, and not the bare his- 
 torical knowledge of the scriptures. 
 
 " Too many take a great deal of pride in a literal knowledge of 
 them; some for their gain and profit ; others take pleasure in them, 
 by wresting them to vindicate their false and erroneous opinions., that 
 gender to strife and contention, and take litde or no notice of 
 that meek, holy, and lovely spirit of life, that gave them, forth, for 
 they are of no private interpretation ; but holy men of God spake 
 them, as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. 2 Pet. i. £0, 21. 
 
 " Men may liave a great literal knowledge of the scriptures, and 
 yet remain in error, because they know them not as they ought to do, 
 nor the power that was in the holy men that gave them forth; so I 
 may say, as Christ said to the Jews, You err, not knowing the scrip- 
 tures, nor the power of God. Matt. xxii. 29. So that which gives 
 the true knowledge of God, and a right understanding of the scrip- 
 tures, is the power of God; and I may say with the apostle, '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 .Testis Christ, 2 Corin. iv. 6. And as men and women 
 come to mind this light, that is, the Spirit of God, and to obey it, they 
 shall come to the comfort of the Scriptures, as the same apostle says, 
 " For whatsoever things ivere ivritten aforetime v)ere written for our 
 learning, that we through patience, and comfort of the Scriptures, 
 might have hope, Rom. xv. 4, 
 
 " And being under a serious consideration of what I read in the 
 Scripture, believing the Spirit of the Lord to be the interpreter 
 thereof, those great mysteries, that were hid from ages and gene- 
 raiions, ajul are hid now in this our age from many, are come to be 
 revealed by the Spirit of God ; and if they would have comfort in 
 reading the Scriptures, they must wait in that 7Wfase<re of the spirit, 
 which God hath given them, which is the only key that opens them 
 to the understanding of those, that are truly conscientious in the 
 reading of them ; and though I read them formerly, as many do 
 now, without a true sense and a due consideration, yet notv lean bless 
 God for them, and have a great comfort in the reading of them; they 
 bein^ no more as a sealed book unto me, and many more who wait 
 for the assistance of God's hol}^ Spirit, in all their duties and per- 
 formances, that the Lord requires of them, for without him we 
 know that we can do nothing that is pleasing unto him: though 
 formerly we ran, in our own time and wills, to preach and pray, 
 not having such a due regard to the leading and moving of the Spirit 
 of the Lord; yet I bless God it is not so now." — Pages 12, 13, 14. 
 
2S& 
 
 Thus this worthy man, instead of lessening the true value of the 
 inspired writings, gives them a very exalted character, as proceed- 
 ing from the immediate revelation of the Holy Ghost, and when 
 read under its guidance, proving a comfort and encouragement to 
 the humble christian ; for which inestimable blessing he could truly 
 bless God. 
 
231 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Quotations from Robert Barciax's Apology. 
 
 Among the many amiable and pious characters, which adorned 
 the Society of Friends, in the period of its infancy, and who were 
 eminently useful under the divine blessing, in promoting a know- 
 ledge of those precious truths, which were then peculiar to the Qua- 
 kers, there were few more honourably distinguished than Robert 
 Barclay. 
 
 His extensive natural endowments, had been cultivated and im- 
 proved by a liberal education ; and very early in life, he yielded to 
 the secret, though powerful influences of heavenly grace, by which 
 they were sanctified, and prepared for extraordinary service, in 
 the glorious cause of the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
 Christ. He joined in religious communion with the Society of 
 Friends about the year I667, when in the 19th year of his age ; 
 and a gift of the gospel ministry being committed to his trust, he 
 was for many years actively engaged in the exercise of it, as well 
 as in writing in defence of the principles and practices, of the So 
 ciety of which he was a member. He suffered much for his I'eligion.. 
 being frequently imprisoned and otherwise cruelly persecuted, but 
 he endured all with christian patience and resignation, esteeming it 
 all joy to be accounted worthy to suffer for his crucified Lord and 
 Saviour. — He died in 1690, in the 42d year of his age. 
 
 Robert Barclay was the author of a number of valuable works. 
 His Apology for the true Christian Divinity, &c. and his Catechism 
 and Confession of Faith, are doctrinal treatises of the highest autho- 
 iity, both among ancient and modern Friends. The Apology is in- 
 deed, the most comprehensive and complete exposition and defence 
 of the christian faith of the Quakers, and the grounds upon which 
 they dissent from other denominations of religious professors, 
 which has ever been published. To show the high esteem in which 
 it was held by the founders of the Society, we shall quote a part of 
 the excellent preface to his works, written by William Penn, viz. 
 
 " I am now come to his elaborate apology, published in 1675, 
 entitled, '' An Apology for the true Christian Divinity, as the same 
 is held forth and preached by the people called in scorn Quakers, 
 &c. dedicated to King Charles the Second." It was the most com- 
 prehcmive of all his pieces, published in Latin, Dutch and English, 
 and at least twice printed in our own tongue. It came out at the 
 close of a long and sharp engagement between us, of this kingdom, 
 and a confederacy of adversaries of almost all persuasions. It was 
 his happiness both to live in a more retired corner, and to enjoy at that 
 time, a space of quiet above his brethien : which, with the conside 
 
338 
 
 ration of their three or four years toil, and a sense of service in 
 himself, put him upon undertaking and publishing this discourse, 
 as an essay towards the prevention of future controversy. It first lays 
 down, our avowed principles of belief and practice, distinguished 
 from what our enemies are pleased to say in our names, who by ma- 
 king us erroneous, give themselves the easier task to confute us ; 
 and then triumph. After he has stated our principles, he has put 
 the objections which he had collected out of our adversaries' books, 
 or that he did apprehend might be made, to those principles ; and 
 answers them : and lastly cites divers authors, both ancient and 
 modern, especially some of the primitive ages, for further illustra- 
 tion, and confirmation of our said belief and practice. 
 
 "The method and style of the book, may be somewhat singular, 
 and like a scholar; for we make that sort of learning no part of our 
 divine science. But that was not to show himself, but out of his 
 tenderness to scholars, and as far as this simplicity and purity of the 
 truth would permit, in condescension to their education, and way of 
 treating of tliose points, herein handled ; observing the Apostle's ex- 
 ample of becoming all unto all, (where there was nothing in himself 
 to forbid it,) that he might win some. In fine,i/te hook says so muck 
 for us, and itself too, that I need say the less ; but recommend it to 
 thy serious perusal, reader, as that which may be instrumental, with 
 God's blessing, to inform thy understanding, confirm thy belief, 
 and comfort thy mind, about the excellent things of God's kingdom. 
 To be sure, thou wilt meet with the abused and disguised Quaker, in 
 his own shape, complexion, and proper dress : so that if thou art not 
 one of them, thou needest not longer follow common fame or pre- 
 judice, against a people, though afflicted from the first, yet not for- 
 saken, to this day : Ever blessed, be the name of the most High God, 
 for he is good, for his mercy endures forever." — Preface, pages 21, 23. 
 To this preface, is added the following testimony, viz : 
 " According to that true and sincere love in the Lord, which we 
 had to our dear brother, Robert Barclay, and christian respect which 
 lives in us, to his blessed memory, and our real esteem and value of 
 his faithful testimony,greatindustry, and labour of love, for promoting 
 the ever living truth as it is in Christ, in his day and time: We, 
 whose names are under-written, do sincerely oum, and have satis- 
 faction and unity in truth, with this foregoing preface and relation, in 
 the behalf of him, the said Robert Barclay, and his great and memor- 
 able service, labours, and travels, in the gospel of our Lord and Sa- 
 viour Jesus Christ; to whom, be the glory and dominion for ever! 
 
 " George Whitehead, Patrick Livingston, Alexander Seaton, 
 Benjamin Antrobus, Francis Stamper, John Vaughton, and John 
 Field. 
 
 " London, 15th of 7th mo. 1691." 
 George Fox in his testimony concerning him, says : 
 " A testimony, concerning our dear brother in the Lord, Robert 
 Barclay, who was a wise and faithful minister of Christ, and writ 
 many precious books, in the defence of the truth in English and Latin, 
 and after translated into French and Dutch. He was a scholar, and 
 a man of great parts, and underwent many calumnies, slanders and 
 
239 
 
 reproaches and sufferings for the name of Christ; but the Lord gave 
 him power over them all." 
 
 William Penn, in his " testimony to the memory of R. Barclay," 
 has these observations — 
 
 " He was much exercised in controversy, from the many contradict 
 tions that fell upon the truth, and upon him for its sake, in his own 
 country chietlj, in which he ever acquitted himself with honour to the 
 truth; particuiarlif by his ayolgy for the christiar. divinty professed 
 by the people called Quakers, which contains a collection of our prhi' 
 ciples^onr enemies' objections, and our answers, augmented and il- 
 lustrated, closely and amply, with many authorities for confirmation. 
 Also his book of church government, distinguishing between tyran- 
 ny and anarchy, imposition and lawlessness, occasioned by the scru- 
 ples of some, and partialities of others, that had a tendency to a di- 
 vision among us : They are standing books of sound judgment, and 
 good service to the truth and church of God. JVor must his Scripture 
 Catechism be forgotten, in that it opens the mind of truth, upon points 
 of doctrine, in tfie words of the Holy Ghost; excluding all human 
 glosses or interpretation ; which is an easy, safe, and peaceable me- 
 thod, the tendency of it, being, to silence, and commend the curiosity 
 of man to the text, which all own ; and there leave controversy, 
 as the best method to unity and peace, next that of the spirit itself. 
 And indeed, it was exactly suitable to bis own disposition, that pre- 
 ferred truth before victory, and peace and unity, before niceties, and 
 a good life before worldly learning." 
 
 Patrick Livingston, says of him : 
 
 " Both as to the inward and outward, he was a blameless man in 
 his conversation ; and he was both solid, sound, and comprehensive 
 in his writings. And as for his doctrine he was plain and clear to 
 the meanest capacity, discreet and obliging therein." 
 
 Andrew Jaffray, makes these remarks : 
 
 "He was a man that laid out himself in the ability of the large 
 understanding given him, to set forth the beauty, and i) fallibility of 
 the grounds, and excellent principles of truth, and to open and prove 
 the same over all opposition of gainsaijers, to the reaching of the 
 understanding of many of the great and learned of the world, both 
 at home and abroad, and to the begetting a better opinion and judg- 
 ment, concerning both the principles and practices of God's people, 
 (called in derision Quakers,) than had been held forth by the ciaft 
 and malice of the priests and others, to be in the beginning, as fools, 
 madmen, &c., and holding nonsensical and unreasonable, as well as 
 unscriptural whimsies, J^c." 
 
 Speaking of the doctrine of the influence of the Holy Spirit, he 
 says: " Which is our testimony and holy principle we direct all un- 
 to ; and which this blessed servant of the church, laid out himself in 
 his many excellent writings, [especially hii Jlpology,) to promulgate 
 through the ivorld, xvith blessed success, not only in printing, but in 
 travelling, having gone through a great part of Germany, Holland, 
 and other countries, in the service of the truth : And the Lord blessed 
 him every way therein." 
 
 These excellent testimonies, evince both how highly the individ- 
 
a4o 
 
 ual was. esteemed, and what full credit and authority his writings 
 obtained among those who were the earliest ministers and labourers in 
 tlie Society of Friends. From the time the Apology was first print- 
 ed down to the present period, it has been repeatedly sanctioned by 
 the Society in its collective capacity, both in England and America, 
 and appealed to, as containing the best and most approved de- 
 claration of theii- christian belief. It was first printed in 1675, and 
 in 1705, had reached the fifth edition in English, beside several in La- 
 tin, French, and Dutch, &c. It was written soon after the Society 
 was settled, and referred to by the early Quakers for information 
 concerning their principles, and its language quoted in their defence 
 against the accusations of invidious enemies. This book has now 
 passed through more than twelve editions in our own tongue, beside 
 being translated and published in many foreign languages ; and from 
 the universal credit which it has ever obtained from the Society, 
 collectively, and all those who were in unity with it ; from the pains 
 they have been at in circulating it ; from its full acknowledgment by 
 the early Quakers, ai«d repeated sanctions by their successors, it is 
 evident that no book ever printed by them, is so justly entitled to 
 the character of " A confession and defence of their faith, doctrines, 
 and religious practices." 
 
 If the doctrines of Elias Hicks were really coincident with those 
 of the early Quakers, the compilers need have gone no further for 
 proof of it than Barclay's Apology. As this contains the tenets of 
 true Friends, both ancient and modern, they might have saved them- 
 selves the trouble of searching over their controversial and occasional 
 essays, and culling from so many volumes, the fragments which bore 
 the semblance of authority for their notions. But the friends of Elias 
 Hicks are well aware, that Barclay is too clear and christian a writer, 
 too plain and positive in his assertion of the principles of Quakerism, 
 and too cogent and scriptural in his arguments to establish them, to 
 serve as authority for their dogmas. Unwilling, however, to lose 
 the name of so distinguished and learned a writer, and probably 
 fearing that the entire omission of so generally received and authen- 
 tic a work, as the Apology, might excite some well founded suspi- 
 cions that they did not acknowledge it — they have given place to 
 some quotations on the subject of the scriptures, and the spiritual 
 body and blood of our blessed Lord. We shall be able to show the 
 reader, that these quotations are made with great unfairness, and do 
 not exhibit, by any means, the faith of this society upon the points to 
 which they relate. 
 
 The first proof of a want of candour in the compilers, is the en- 
 tire omission of the whole of Barclay's proposition relative to the 
 Holy Scriptures, which contains his declaration of what the Quakers 
 believe them to be, and what they are not ; and the introduction to 
 his argunient, where he states at how high a rate they value them. 
 The compilers then insert a considerable part of the argument, where 
 he is showing, that the Holy Scriptures are not the primary rule of 
 faith and life, which the Quakers have never believed they were. In 
 doing this they have mutilated his sentences, and omitted parts 
 of paragraphs explanatory of his meaning, so as greatly to obscure 
 
241 
 
 the true design of the author. We shall insert some of the parts 
 which they have omittetl. The proposition, and introduclion to the 
 argument are as follows. After speaking of the inward, immediate 
 revdrations of the Holy Spirit, he says — 
 
 '•Proposition third, concerning tiie scriptures. 
 
 "From these revelations of the Spirit of God to the saints, have 
 proceeded, the scriptures of truth, which contain, 
 
 " I. A faithful historical account of the actings of God's people 
 in divers ages; with many singular and remarkable providences at- 
 tending them. 
 
 " II. A prophetical account of several things, whereof some are 
 already past, and some yet to come. 
 
 "III. A full and ample account of all the chief principles of the 
 doctrine of Christ, held for^h in divers precious declarations, exhor- 
 tations and sentences, which by the moving of God's spirit, were at 
 several times, and upon sundry occasions, spoken and written unto 
 some churches arid their pastors. 
 
 " Nevertheless, because they are only a declaration of the fountain, 
 and not the fountain itself, therefore they are not to be esteemed the 
 principal o-round of all truth and knowledge, nor yet the adeqiiatej 
 primary rule, of faith and manners. Yet because they give a true 
 and faithful testimony, of the first foundation, they are and may be 
 esteemed, a secondary rule, subordinate to the Spirit, from which 
 they have all their excellency and certainty: for as by the inward 
 testimony of the Spirit we do alone truly know them, so they testify, 
 that the Spirit is that guide, by which the saints are led into all truth ; 
 therefore according to the scriptures, (he spirit is the first and prin- 
 ciple leader. Seeing tlien that we do therefore receive and believe 
 the scriptures because they proceeded from the Spirit, for the very 
 same reason, is the Spirit more originally and principally the rule, 
 according to the received maxim in tiie schools, Propter quod unum- 
 quodcjue est tale, illud ipsum est magis tale: that for which a thing- 
 is such, that thing itself is more such." 
 
 He then proceeds to the argument, viz : — 1st, " The former part 
 of this proposition, though it needs no apology for itself, yet it is a 
 good apology for us, and will help to sjoeep away, tha^, among ma- 
 ny other calumnies, wherewith we are often loaded, as if we were vi- 
 lifyers and deniers of the scriptures ; for in that which we af- 
 firm of them, it doth appear at what high rate we value them, ac- 
 counting them without all deceit, or equivocation, the most excellent 
 writings in the world ; to which not only no other writings are to be 
 preferred, but even in divers respects not comparable thereto. For 
 as we freely acknowledge, that their authority doth not depend upon 
 the approbation or canons of any church or assembly ; so neither 
 
 CAN WE SUBJECT THEM TO THE FALLEN, COKRUPT, AND DEFILED KKA- 
 
 soN OF MAN : and therein as we do freely agree with the Protes- 
 tants, against the error of the Romanists, so on the other hand, we 
 cannot go the length of such Protestants, as make their authori- 
 ty to depend upon any virtue or power that is in the writings them- 
 selves ; but we desire to ascribe all to that Spirit from which they 
 proceeded." — Pages 81, 82. 
 
 Hh 
 
242 
 
 We should not have supposed, that Robert Barclay would have 
 been produced at the present day, as authority for supporting that 
 calumny of which he here complains, viz : that the Quakers ailifi" 
 ed and denied the scriptures; or that the compilers could nave 
 omitted to notice this full assertion of the belief of the Society of 
 Friends in their divine original, authentity and authority; and in- 
 comparable superiority over all other books in the world. Such, 
 however, is the case ; without even noticing this, the compilers un- 
 genei-ously commence with the next paragraph, take in six lines, 
 stop at a semicolon ; then omit two pages — take in about half of page 
 85, then omit the statement of the nature of the argument, viz : that 
 they are not the principal ground of faith and knowledge ; pass over 
 to page 86 ; take in about four lines and stop at a colon, omitting 
 a sentence explanatory of R. Barclay's views, which concludes a 
 paragraph ; then on page 87 omit seventeen words at the beginning 
 of the next paragraph ; and commence where there is no stop in the 
 sentence, take in about one third of the page, leave out the remain- 
 der and go to page 88, take in about nine lines, then pass over 
 to page 93, take about half a page, then drnit eight lines and begin 
 after a comma, taking in the remainder of page 93, and about four 
 lines on page 94, then omit nine lines, and resume the quotation 
 which is continued to page 97, where they close their extracts. 
 
 The several parts of this mangled extract, are placed in immedi- 
 ate succession to each other, as though they were regularly con- 
 nected in the author's treatise, without any mark which would de- 
 note that any intervening parts are left out, and punctuated and di- 
 vided into paragraphs as though they regularly commenced after, 
 and closed with a full period. We leave our readers to judge foi 
 themselves how far such quotations as these can be considered as 
 authority for the sentiments of Robert Barclay, or the early Qua- 
 kers ; they need but little comment since every upright man must 
 see that by such means, an author may be made to speak almost any 
 sentiments. 
 
 Immediately succeeding the paragraph with which the compilers 
 close, we have the following, viz : 
 
 § V. " If it be then asked me. Whether I think hereby to ren- 
 der the scriptures altogether uncertain or useless ? I answer ; Not 
 at all. The proposition itself declares how much I esteem them ; 
 and provided, that to the Spirit frcm which, they came, be but 
 granted, that place, the scriptures themselves give it; /(/o yrce/y 
 concede to the scriptures the second place, even whatsoever they say 
 of themselves, which the apostle Paul chiefly mentions in two pla- 
 ces, Romans xv. 4, Whatsoever things were written aforetime, were 
 written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of 
 the scriptures might have hope. f2d Tim. iii. 15^ 16, 17, The ho- 
 ly scriptures are able to make wise unto salvation through faith, 
 which is in Jesus. Christ All scripture given by inspiration of God, 
 is profitable for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the 
 man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good 
 work." 
 
243 
 
 Robert Barclay then proceeds to describe the several ways in 
 which Christians may derive benefit from the pious perusal of the 
 sacred volume; and after asserting that the society are ever willing 
 to have all their doctrines and practices tried by them, he considers 
 the various texts adduced by other protestant professors, to prove that 
 they are tlie only and primary rule of faith and manners. In his 
 ninth section, he thus replies to an objection : 
 
 " The last, and that which at first view seems to be the greatest 
 objection, is this : 
 
 "If the scripture be not the adequate, principal, and only rule, 
 then it would follow that the scripture is not complete, nor the canon 
 filled; that if men be now immediately led and ruled by the spirit, 
 they .may add new scriptures of equal authority with the old, where- 
 as every one that adds is cursed : yea, what assurance have we, but^ 
 at this rate, every one may bring in a new gospel, according to his 
 fancy ? 
 
 "The dangerous consequences insinuated in this objection, were 
 fully answered in the latter part of the last proposition, in what was 
 said a little before, offering freely to disclaim all pretended revela- 
 tions contrary to the scripture. 
 
 " Objection 1. — But if it be urged, that it is not enough to deny 
 these consequences, if they naturally follow from your doctrine of 
 immediate revelation, and denying the scripture to be the only rule: 
 " I answer, we have proved both these doctrines to be true and ne- 
 cessary according to the scriptures themselves ; and therefore, to 
 fasten evil consequences upon them, which we make appear do not. 
 folloWj is not to accuse us, but Christ and his apostles, who preached 
 them. But, secondly, we have shut the door upon all such doctrine 
 in this very position, affirming that the scriptures give a full and am- 
 ple testimony, to all the principal doctrines of the Christian faith. 
 For we do firmly believe that there is no other gospel or doctrine 
 to be preached^ but that which uas delivered by the apostles ; and do 
 freely subscribe to that saying, let him that preacheth any other gos- 
 pel than that which hath been already preached by the apostles, and 
 according to the scriptures ,6e accursed. 
 
 •' So we distinguish betwixt a revelation of a new gospel and new 
 doctrines^ and a new revelation of the good old gospel and doc- 
 trines; the last we plead for, but the first we utterly deny. For we 
 firmly believe that ' no other foundation can any man lay than that 
 which is laid already.' But that this revelation is necessary we have 
 already proved ; and this distinction doth sufficiently guard us against 
 the hazard insinuated in the objection." — Apology, pages 104, 105. 
 
 Barclay then goes into tlie consideration of the question, whether 
 the scripture be a filled canon or not, which concludes the chapter. 
 Our readers will at once perceive, that while this excellent man, 
 and able theologian, contended firmly against the erroneous idea, 
 that the Holy Scriptures are the only, or the primary rule of faith 
 and life; he does positively assert, on behalf of the Society of 
 Friends, that they utterly renounce and deny all pretensions to the 
 revelation of any new doctrine ; that the sacred vplume contains all 
 doctrines necessary in common to be believed, and that they freely 
 
244 
 
 subscribe to the sayings let him that preacheih any other gospel than 
 that which hath been already preached by the apostles, and according 
 to the scriptures, be accursed. 
 
 This doctrine the society has again and again sanctioned, both in 
 England and America, and given it their approbation in the most un- 
 equivocal manner; and consequently, as Elias Hicks and his friends 
 do teach doctrines which directly contradict the Holy Scriptures, it 
 follows that ihey are not one in faith with the Society of Friends, 
 ancient or modern. 
 
 On page 66, of the compilers' pamphlet, we have three short quo- 
 tations, from the second section, of the thirteenth proposition and 
 argument of the Apology, which treats of the " communion, or par- 
 ticipation of the body and blood of Christ." We are at a loss to 
 discover what object the compilers had, in selecting these passages, 
 unless it be to make it appear, that R. Barclay denied the manhood 
 of Jesus Christ. But whatever might have been the design, it is cer- 
 tain that the quotations are made very unfairly, as will appear from 
 the following extracts, in which the parts selected by them, are en- 
 closed in brackets with a hand. The second proposition thus com- 
 mences : 
 
 "§ II. iC3°'[The body,]„£:3| then, ICT'Cof Christ, which believers 
 "partake of, is spiritual and not carnal; and his blood which they 
 " drink of, is pure and heavenly ,~l«30l and not human or elementa- 
 ry, as Augustin also affirms of the body of Christ which is eaten, in 
 his Tractat Psal. xcviii. Except a man eat my flesh, he hath not 
 in him life eternal : and he saith. The words which I speak unto you, 
 are spirit and life; understand spiritually what I have spoken. Ye 
 shall not eat of this body which ye see, and drink this blood 
 which they shall spill, which crucify me. I am tl)e living bread, who 
 have descended from Heaven. He calls himself the bread, who de- 
 scended from Heaven, exhorting that we might believe in him, &c. 
 
 "If it be asked then. What that body, what that fiesh and blood 
 is? 
 
 " I answer ; ICF'CIt is that heavenly seed, that divine, spiritual, 
 " celestial substance, of which we spake before, in the fifth and sixth 
 " propositions. ]„^r:^ This is that spiritual body of Christ, whereby 
 and through v\hich,he communicateth life to men, and salvation to 
 as many as believe in him, and receive him ; and whereby also, 
 man comes to have fellowship and communion with God." — page 
 460. 
 
 The first sentence which the compilers have taken, comprises 
 about three lines of the Apology, and closes at a comma — this they 
 have pointed with a period, and omitting twelve lines, take in about 
 three lines more, in the next paragraph, joining the two together as 
 though regularly connected in the Apology, and appearing in their 
 pamphlet as one continuous quotation. 
 
 R. Barclay, then proceeds to recite the principal part of the sixth 
 chapter of John, from verse 32 to the end, and to explain and apply 
 it to the communion of the body and blood of the Lord Jesus, which 
 the saints partake of. Having done this, he draws (he following 
 conclusion, a part of which the compilers quote, viz : 
 
245 
 
 '^ |C?*[From],^£j| this large description of |CI?»[the origin, na= 
 • ture, and effects, of this body, flesh, and blood of Christ, it is ap- 
 " parent that it is spiritual, and to be understood of a spiritual body, 
 " and not of that body, or temple of Jesus Christ, which was born 
 "of the Virgin Mary, and in which he walked, lived, and suffered, in 
 " the land of Judea ;]«C^ because it is said, that it came down from 
 Heaven; yea, that it is he that came down from Heaven. Now all 
 christians at present, generally acknowledge, that the outward body 
 of Christ came not down from Heaven ; neither was it that part of 
 Christ which came down from Heaven. And to put the matter out 
 of doubt, when the carnal Jews, would have been so understanding 
 it, he tells them plainly, verse 63, It is the spirit that quickeneth, 
 but the flesh profiteth nothing. 
 
 " |CIP[This is also founded upon most sound and solid reason ; 
 " because it is the soul, not the body, that is to be nourished by this 
 " flesh and blood. Now, outward flesh cannot nourish nor feed the 
 »' soul ; there is no proportion nor analogy betwixt them ; neither ig 
 *'the communion of the saints with God, by a conjunction and mu- 
 " tual participation of flesh, but of spirit :'].^£:ji he that is joined to 
 the Lord, is one spirit, not one flesh." — page 462. 
 
 R. Barclay, then goes on to explain the subject further, and to 
 draw a distinction between the spiritual flesh and blood and body 
 of Christ, and that body of outward flesh which he took from the 
 Virgin Mary, in which the Word of God appeared and was mani- 
 fested. This distinction of spiritual and fleshly bodies, is the most 
 that can be inferred from the sentences, which the compilers have 
 mutilated, and since R. Barclay acknowledges in one of them, the 
 miraculous conception of our blessed Lord, it furnishes us with an- 
 other instance of disagreement between him and Elias Hicks, the 
 latter aflSrming that the scripture testimony proves Jesus Christ to be 
 the son of Joseph. 
 
 To show clearly, that Barclay was a firm believer in all that the 
 scriptures set forth, concerning the coming, and suffering, and death, 
 &c., of the Son of God, (though this has already been sufficiently 
 evinced from his declarations respecting the sacred volume,) we 
 shall insert the following paragraph from his proposition on univer- 
 sal and saving light. After largely enforcing the necessity and suf- 
 ficiency of the Holy Spirit graciously vouchsafed to all men, the au- 
 thor adds : 
 
 " § XV. Fourthly. — We do not hereby intend, any ways, to les- 
 sen or derogate from the atonement and sacrifice of Jesus Christ ; 
 but on the contrary, do magnify and exalt it. For as we believe all 
 those things to have been certainly transacted, which are recorded 
 in the Holy Scriptures, concerning the birth, life, miracles, suffer- 
 ings, resurrection, and ascension of Christ; so we do also believe, 
 that it is the duty of every one to believe it, to whom it pleases God 
 to reveal the same, and to bring to them the knowledge of it ; yea, 
 we believe it were damnable unbelief, not to believe it, when so de- 
 clared ; but to resist that holy seed, which as minded would lead 
 and incline every one to believe it, as it is offered unto them, though 
 it revealeth not in everyone, the outward and explicit knowledge of 
 
246 
 
 it, nevertheless \t always assenteth to it, where it is declared. Ne- 
 theless as we firmly believe it was necessary, that Christ should 
 come, that by his death and sufferings, he might offer up himself a 
 sacrifice to God for our sins, who his own self bare our sins in his 
 own body on the tree, so we believk that the remission of sins 
 
 WHICH ANY partake OF, IS ONLY IN AND BY VIRTUE OF THAT MOST SA- 
 TISFACTORY SACRIFICE, AND NO OTHERWISE. For it is by the obedience 
 of that one, that the free gift is come upon all, to justification. For 
 we affirm, that as all men partake of the fruit of Adam's fall, in that, 
 by reason of that evil seed, which, through him, is communicated un- 
 to them, they are prone and inclined unto evil, though thousands of 
 thousands be ignorant of Adam's fall, neitheir ever knew of the eat- 
 ing of the forbidden fruit; so also many may come to feel the influ- 
 ence of this holy and divine seed and light, and be turned from evil 
 to good by it, though they knew nothing of Christ's coming in the 
 flesh, through whose obedience and sufferings it is purchased unto 
 them. And as we affirm it is absolutely needful, that those do be- 
 lieve the history of Christ's outward appearance, whom it pleased 
 God to bring to the knowledge of it ; so we do freely confess, that 
 even that outward knowledge, is very comfortable to such as are 
 subject to, and led by, the inward seed and light. For not only 
 doth the sense of Christ's love and sufferings tend to humble them, but 
 they are thereby also strengthened in their faith, and encouraged to 
 follow that excellent pattern, which he hath left us, who suffered for 
 us, as saith the apostle Peter, 1 Pet. ii. 21, leaving us an example that 
 we should follow his steps: and many times we are greatly edified 
 and refreshed, with the gracious sayings which proceed out of his 
 mouth. The history then is profitable and comfortable with the mys- 
 tery, and never without it; but the mystery is, and may be profita- 
 ble, without the explicit and outward knowledge of the history."— 
 pages 155, 156. 
 
247 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 observations on \.)t§ extracts from the writings of Fhancis Howoiii. 
 
 The compilers have inserted on their 69th page, a quotation from 
 a controversial essay, written by Francis Hovvgill, by which it would 
 seem, they wish to make it appear, that this author considered the 
 saints to be equal with God. We have already replied to a similar 
 charge alleged against George Fox; and have proved from the evi- 
 dence of his cotemporary Friends, that he meant far otherwise, thau 
 his enemies pretended ; and that the early Quakers never profess- 
 ed so blasphemous a doctrine. 
 
 Francis Howgill does not assert, that the saints are equal with 
 God, but that they are«in that, which is one in nature with him. He 
 quotes the language of the apostle, " He that is joined to the Lord 
 is one spirit," and adds, " there is unity, and the unity stands in 
 equality itself." It is evident from the manner in which he uses 
 the term, that he means no more by equality thsm oneness in nature, 
 and this is further shown in the subsequent sentence. " He that is 
 born from above," says he, " is the Son of God ; and he said, I and 
 my Father are one. And when the Son is revealed and speaks, the 
 Father speaks in him, and dwells in him, and he in the Father." 
 The compilers have here, as in the paragraph from George Fox, on 
 the same subject, omitted the usual form of commencing the word 
 Son, (when applied to our blessed Lord,) with a capital letter, doubt- 
 less intending to*make it apply to those who are called sons of 
 God by adoption. But it will be seen that Francis Howgill pre- 
 vents this construction of his expression, by using the past tense, 
 " Who sairf," and reciting the express words of our Lord, which 
 proves that he alluded to him only. Francis Howgill adds, "In 
 that which is equal; IN equality itself; there is equality in,77a- 
 iure, though not in stature.^^ 
 
 The intention of the author in these expressions, appears to be 
 in consonance with that saying of our blessed Saviour, " I am the 
 vine, ye are the branches, and my Father is the husbandman. As 
 the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine, no 
 more can ye except ye abide in me." Hence every true disciple 
 of the Lord Jesus, must abide in him — and he that abides in him, 
 in Christ, is in that, which is equal with God, for said he, " I and 
 my Father are One." But Francis Howgill is careful to distinguish 
 between equality in nature and equality in degree, and in the former 
 sense only, he uses it when applied to the saints ; and in both when 
 speaking of Jesus Christ. The same passage as the compilers have 
 quoted in their pamphlet, was adduced by the Snake, to prove 
 that Francis Howgill, equalled himself with God. The reader may 
 see the reply, in Joseph Wyeth's Switch, p. 60. 
 
248 
 
 Page 7-2 of the pamplilet, we have a quotation from Francis How- 
 gill's works, which seems to be lughly valued by the compilers, as 
 they have printed a part of it in large capitals. It is upon the sub- 
 ject of understanding what we believe ; and we cannot but smile at 
 their want of perception in construing it into a defence of their 
 great axiom, that man's reason is to comprehend the mysteries of re- 
 ligion. As they have garbled the passage in order to make it fa- 
 vour their notions, we shall quote the whole paragraph and doubt 
 not but we shall convince every man, of common understanding and 
 candour, that Francis Howgill is writing against the very notion, 
 which they quote this mutilated sentence, to support. This extract 
 is, as usual, enclosed in brackets. 
 
 The essay from which it is taken, is entitled, " The true rule, 
 judge, and guide, of the true Church of God, borne testimony unto, 
 what it is, and wherein it consisteth." This was written in reply 
 to a treatise by Robert Everard, in which the latter asserted, that 
 as "all dissenting judgments grant there must be a way, and a rule, 
 appointed to teach us, to decide all doubts, to judge of all matters, 
 and to teach us the true way to heaven wifh certainty ,: but who 
 this rule or judge is ; is not agreed upon by all ;" he has collected 
 the different opinions respecting it, into four heads — " First, Some 
 set up the Spirit to direct them, and to be this means — Secondly, 
 another will have every man's oivn natural reason to be this rule and 
 judge. Thirdly, others will set up sole scripture. And the fourth, 
 assigns the Holy Catholic Church to be that Judge and director." 
 
 Robert Everard argues against either of the first three, being that 
 rule, and establishes, as he thinks, " the fourth to be that way, and 
 rule, and judge, and governing power, to decide all doubts, as that 
 "whereby all are obliged to submit unto, as to Christ himself." He. 
 states that he always esteemed the Quaker's light, to be the spirit, 
 or natural reason ; but which, he did not know ; %nd therefore this 
 being the point in which he wished satisfaction, he waved all con- 
 troversy respecting their doctrines, and confined his observations 
 and inquiries to this one subject. Francis Howgill replies to his 
 arguments severally: On page 634, he says — 
 
 "The next thing which Robert Everard saith he considered, was, 
 That (he nutural reason of every man, could not possibly be the 
 rule and judge that I sought for; for, (saith he.) if reason were to be 
 rule and judge, then it would follow, contrary to scripture, that it's 
 not impossible ta please God ivithout faith, and it would likewise 
 follow, that every religion would be truth, consequently, contradic- 
 tions would be true, consequently, there would be many religions, 
 and no faith all, for reason excludes faith as in the 26th page of his 
 [Robert Everard's] book. To this Francis Howgill answers: — 
 
 " Thy tongue is thv own, and thou art at liberty and goest whither 
 thou wilt, and speakest what seems good in thy own eyes, and hast 
 never yet known another to gird thee, and lead thee whither thou 
 wouldst not; I stand not to vindicate every man's judgment, neither 
 to prove other men's conceptions; but seeing thou hast taken in hand 
 to lay all mountains waste before thee; that stand in thy ways, thou 
 hast raised up some in thy discourse for others to stumble at, and 
 
249 
 
 hast spoken many false things without distinguishing, and putting a 
 difference between light and darkness, between natural reason and 
 spiritual reason, I could not choose but say somewhat. 
 
 " Although it is no part of my belief that the nat^iral reason of any 
 man, or every man, is able to be ride, judge, and guide to any man 
 in the things of God; yet faith is not in opposition unto pure reason, 
 neither is pure and spiritual reason in opposition to true faith, but 
 in harirtbny with it, and one with another, as they are the gifts of (iod ; 
 but the natural reason of all the fallen sons of Jidam is corrupted, 
 and is too short and too narrow, too cross, and too perverse to be rule 
 and judge in the things of God ; for the natural man by all his en- 
 dowments, in the transgression, perceives not the things of God, for 
 they are spiritually discerned, and the things of God, that are spiri- 
 tual and eternal, are above the reach of natural reason, and 
 yet thy consequence is false, ior faith doth not exclude pure reason ; 
 and faith doth not make blind the understanding hut enlightens it, 
 and though it is impossible to please God without faith, yet it is 
 impossible, that that taith should be ivithout reason; the apostle de- 
 sired to be delivered from unreasonable men, that had not faith, so 
 it is manifest, they that have faith have reason, and they that have 
 no faith, are unreasonable: And |CT°'[where thou hast borrowed this 
 " rule 1 know not, that a man must believe that he doth not underr 
 *' stand, seeing the Apostle saith to the Romans, even of the Gen- 
 *' tiles, who had not the law nor the scripture, ' that that which may 
 *' be known of God was manifest in them : for by that it is manifest, 
 "they understood the mind of God, and knew him; for Paul saitii 
 " further, when they knew God they glorified him not as God, but 
 " were unthankful, &c. ; and again he that believes, must know that 
 *' God is, for none can believe in that which is not; for, to persuade anv 
 " to believe in uncertainties which are not manifest in the under- 
 " standing, doth rather beget unbelief and doubting, than true 
 «' faith,].c£i:j| but thy paths, are so full of darkness, I shall not tra- 
 duce them, and thy consequences aie false ; iov pure reason teachetli 
 not contradictions, neither doth teach that there is no faith at all, 
 neither is faith excluded by pure reason, as thou ignorantly sayesc 
 in the 26th page; and is it »iot reason, that I should believe in him, 
 whom I know is the Creator, and Governor of all the world; and 
 pure religion is so far from excluding faith, that tiiey that have true 
 faith have reason, and stand not in opposition to faith; but this I 
 conclude, that the reason of fallen men is corrupted and is an iincer- 
 tain thing to rely upon, and so not a copipetent judge in matters of 
 so high concernment, as touching everlasting salvation." 
 
 It must require but a very moderate share of discernment, to ena- 
 ble any candid reader, to perceive the true meaning of Francis How- 
 gill in this argument. The author against whom he was contending, 
 being a member of the Church of Rome, lays it down as a maxim, 
 that every thing propounded by her, as an article of faith, however 
 absurd and contradictory to revelation and pure reason, is to be be- 
 lieved, upon the credit of her infallibility ; therefore he rejects all other 
 rules for judging controversies or doctrines, but her dictum. This 
 notion Francis Howgill contends against as false and antichristian- 
 
 f i 
 
250 
 
 In replying to the argument of Robert Everari], he censures him, for 
 not distinguishing between light and darkness, natural reason and spi- 
 ritual reason, which is to say, that though spiritual reason is light, yet 
 natural reason is darkness. He then declares that it is no part of his 
 belief, that the natural reason of any man, is able to be rule, judge 
 and guide to any man in the things of God. Now if not the natu- 
 ral reason of any man, then, not the natural reason even of the saints, 
 is adequate to this great business, of judging in the things of God, 
 and consequently something higher than reason is essentially neces- 
 sary, to lead us aright in the mysteries of religion. 
 
 To prove his assertion that natural reason is not adequate, he says 
 it is " too short and too narrow," as well as "too cross and too per- 
 verse, to be rule and judge in the things of God." If it is too short 
 and too narrow, then it is not able to comprehend those things of 
 God, which it is necessary for man to know in order to salvation, 
 and a jnore comprehensive and noble principle is necessary to guide, 
 and govern, and direct. If a man is to believe those things of God, 
 which natural reason is too short and too narrow to comprehend, 
 which Francis Howgill asserts; then man is to believe what his na- 
 tural reason cannot comprehend or judge of, and hence it is that he 
 adds, " for the natural man, by all his endowments, in the transgres- 
 sion, perceives not the things of God, for they are spiritually discern- 
 ed." If then man, by cdl his endowments, perceives not the things 
 of God, consequently, reason, though ever so much cultivated, is in- 
 capable of discernmg or comprehending them ; and must remain for- 
 ever ignorant of them, unless they are opened by that spirit of 
 truth, which alone is able to unfold the mysteries of the kingdom of 
 heaven. 
 
 But we have yet a more positive declaration from Francis How- 
 gill of the incapacity of human reason, to scan the deep things of 
 God. In the same sentence he says, '' the things of God, that are 
 spiritual and eternal, are above the reach of natural reason;" now if 
 they are above the reach of natural reason, it follows that natural 
 reason cannot comprehend nor understand them ; therefore, if they 
 are believed, as they must be, in order to salvation, a man must be- 
 lieve what his reason cannot comprehend. 
 
 But Francis Howgill says it is a false inference to conclude from 
 hence, that faith excludes reason; which is certainly frue, since, if 
 man had not reason, that noble faculty which distinguishes him fronni 
 the inferior orders of the animal creation, he could not have faith. 
 But this is a truth not at all connected with the axiom of unbelief, 
 that a man must not believe what he cannot comprehend. 
 
 If we believe that God is a God of truth, that he is ever unchange- 
 ably the same, then it is perfectly consistent with pure reason, that 
 we should implicitly believe whatever he is pleased to reveal to us, be- 
 cause we know that he cannot lie. Hence, faith does not exclude 
 pure reason, but is in harmony with it, though the truth which he re- 
 veals, and which we thus receive, and believe, in consequence of our 
 faith in Him, may be utterly incomprehensible by our own puny pow- 
 ers. Thus God has seen meet to reveal to us that he is an eternal. 
 
251 
 
 self-existent, uncreated being; without beginning and without end, 
 infinite in all glorious attributes and perfections ; omniscient and 
 omnipresent ; and that all time, past, present, and to come, is ever 
 present with him, and open to liis view. Now if we have faith in 
 Ilim^ that faith which is his own blessed gift, we must reverently as- 
 sent to all this; we must believe him to be what he has declared he is; 
 and in humility we can worship and adore him as such ; but yet we 
 cannot comprehend even one of these, his exalted attributes; nor with 
 all our puny powers have the least adequate idea of it. He is infinitely 
 exalted above all our finite conceptions and narrow powers of com- 
 prehension, higher than the heavens are above the earth ; and yet it 
 is reasunable, nay, it is our indispensable duty to believe not only that 
 he is, but that he is, ivhat he has declared himself to be. 
 
 We now come to the consideration of that part of F. Howgill's ar- 
 gument which the compilers have extracted. He says to his opponent, 
 •' And where thou hast borrowed this rule, I know not, that a man 
 must believe that he doth not understand." It is proper to notice, in 
 the first place, that this rule was adduced by R. Everard,as a reason 
 why people should assent to the absurd notions which the church of 
 Rome propounded to the belief of her members, and to which she 
 required their assent upon the bare credit of her assertion, however 
 contradictory they might be to the doctrines of Holy Scripture, and 
 the immediate revelation of the spirit of God. 
 
 In opposition to this, Francis Howgill says, " he knows not where 
 he has borrowed this rule," and then gives, as a proof of the neces- 
 sity of understanding what we believe, that " the apostle saith to the 
 Romans, even of the gentiles, who had not the law, nor the scrip- 
 ture, that that which may be knoivn of God, was manifest in them" 
 When we consider this explanation of what Francis Howgill intends, 
 by '-understanding what is believed," and compare it with his pre- 
 vious assertion, that the things of God are above natural reason, it 
 must be evident that he alludes only to that revelation of the things 
 of God, by the spirit of God, through which they were made mani- 
 fest in the minds of the gentiles, as well as the Jews. He could not 
 allude to comprehending them by natural reason ; or coming to know 
 them, through that medium, else he would thereby contradict his 
 many positive assertions in the preceding and concluding parts of the 
 same paragraph. 
 
 This is still more evident by what immediately follows the last 
 sentence, viz,. " for by that, it is manifest, they understood the 
 mind of God, and knew him, for Paul saith further, • when they 
 knew God, they glorified him not as God but were unthankful,' &c. 
 And again, he that believes, must know that God is, for none can 
 believe in that which is not.^^ 
 
 Now to understand the mind of God, and know him, he has al- 
 ready declared, to be beyond the reach of natural reason ; and con- 
 sequently he cannot allude to this, as the means of their knowledge. 
 —It is obvious too, that if reason had given them the knowledge of 
 God, and of his will, the same reason would have taught them to 
 obey it, whereas, though they knew God, yet they glorified him not 
 as God, but were unthankful. 
 
252 
 
 From the whole paragraph, it is clearly apparent, that when the 
 author speaks of understanding, he means no more than that know- 
 ledge of any mystery, duty, or command, which through the reve- 
 lation of the Holy Spirit, God is pleased to unfold to the mind of 
 man, and make manifest there. And this he asserts, in opposition 
 to the notion that we are to believe or practice things, contrary to 
 reason and scripture, merely because the church of Rome has com- 
 manded them. He winds up the whole argument with this result : 
 " but this I conclude, that the reason of fallen men is corrupted, and 
 is an uncertain thing to rely upon, and so NOT A COMPETENT 
 JUDGE in matters of so high concernment as touching everlasting 
 salvation.'*^ 
 
 The compilers have done great injustice to Francis Howgill, by 
 mutilating the sentence, so as to force upon him, if possible, an opi- 
 nion directly the reverse of that which he was contending for ; and 
 one which he declares to be no part of his belief. 
 
 In the course of the essay from which the extract is made, he as- 
 serts, that " they that teach a contrary doctrine to the doctrine of 
 Christ and his apostles, they have the spirit of error; p. 633. 
 " Again we have this to say, he that teacheth a contrary doctrine 
 than that which was once delivered unto the saints, is a deceiver and 
 deceived ; and this was Christ's doctrine, once delivered unto the 
 saints, &c." P. 631. Those who are now promulgating sentiments 
 which are directly contradictory to the doctrines of Christ and his 
 apostles, may perceive from this, how far F. H. is from coinciding 
 with them ; while these assertions, will fully acquit him from in- 
 tending to insinuate that man by his ov/n reason and wisdom may 
 understand the mysteries of redemption, in direct opposition to the 
 declarations of our blessed Lord, who said, they were hid from the 
 wise and prudent of this world, and of the apostles, who declared 
 the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God, and the 
 world by wisdom knew not God. 
 
 In conclusion he declares, that Christ is the way to the Father 
 and to the kingdom, the rule of his church and the Head by which 
 it is governed, that he is the Lawgiver and Judge, for the Father 
 hath committed all judgment unto the Son, who alone propounds 
 truth sufficiently, and is the Author of true, living, saving faith- 
 
253 
 
 CONCLUSION. 
 
 We have now concluded our examination of the Extracts made 
 by the Compilers, from the writings of our " primitive Friends ;" 
 and have proved by abundant and conclusive testimony, from the 
 very authors whom they quote, that the alleged charge of coinci- 
 ding with Elias Hicks, in denying the Three that bear record in 
 heaven, the Divinity and Atonement of our Lord and Saviour Jesus 
 Christ, and the authenticity, and divine authoiity of the Holy 
 Scriptures, is unfounded and untrue. 
 
 We have shown from the writings of the early Quakers, that 
 when charged with holding the sentiments which Elias Hicks now 
 avows, they promptly denied and repelled it as a false and mali- 
 cious accusation ; and we have presented to the reader, numerous 
 declarations of faith, put forth by them, evincing in the clearest 
 manner, their firm belief, in all the doctrines of the christian reli- 
 gion, as laid down by our blessed Lord and his apostles, in the sa- 
 cred volume ; from which it is apparent, that E. Hicks and his ad- 
 herents, have widely swerved from the original principles " of our 
 pious and enlightened predecessors." 
 
 In examining the extracts made by the compilers, we have had 
 to notice many instances, where they have garbled or interpolated 
 the writings, which they have quoted, so as to obscure, or entirely 
 pervert, the true sense, and meaning of the authors. We cannot 
 but view these unjustifiable liberties, as greatly beneath the true 
 dignity of honest men, and the uprightness of the christian charac- 
 ter, and as furnishing decisive proof, that they are advocating a 
 cause, which cannot be defended by fair and honourable means ; 
 yet we are not so uncharitable, as to suppose that all those, who 
 may be favourable to Elias Hicks, approve of the ungenerous means 
 to which the compilers have resorted, in order to force upon the 
 early Quakers, sentiments, which it is incontestibly evident, 
 they never held. — We trust that the number who would thus iden- 
 tify themselves with such dishonourable practices, is very small — 
 for we are persuaded that every liberal and enlightened mind, 
 whatever may be its bias, in favour of the opinions which the com- 
 pilers wish to support, will disclaim with noble indignation, any 
 participation in such measures. 
 
 In treating upon the several points embraced in the pamphlet, 
 to which we have replied, the sameness of the subjects rendered it 
 impossible to avoid frequent repetition; but we apprehend, the pe- 
 culiar circumstances of the case, will form a sufficient apology to 
 the candid reader. — In making our extracts, we have been careful 
 to omit no part, requisite to give a just view of the author's sentl- 
 
254 
 
 ments ; and though the limits of the present volume, would not ad- 
 mit of the insertion of more than a small part, of the very abun- 
 dant evidence, for the soundness of the doctrines of primitive 
 Friends ; yet we hope the quotations which we have exhibited, will 
 not only satisfy our readers that they were real Christians, but ex- 
 cite them to a serious examination of their acknowledged doc- 
 trinal treatises ; of which the most full and clear are Penn's Pri- 
 mitive Christianity Revived, his Key opening the way to distin- 
 guish between the Quaker's religion and the perversions of it, and 
 his Testimony to the Truth, &c. and Barclay's Catechism and 
 Apology. 
 
 From an extensive and careful research into the works of the 
 early Quakers, we are fully satisfied, without the shadow of a doubt, 
 that they were, what they ever professed to be, sincere and un- 
 feigned believers, in all the doctrines of Holy Scripture, undenia- 
 bly so, as regards those points which Elias Hicks now positively re- 
 jects ; and that they w^ere ever ready and willing to have all their 
 "tenets tried by the testimony of the Sacred volume. We fear not, 
 but that we shall, on all occasions, be able to prove and establish 
 this, in the most satisfactory manner, by the evidence of their own 
 writings. 
 
 The compilers of the pamphlet inform us, that their extracts, 
 " have been carefully transcribed and compared; if, however, [say 
 they] any alterations, or inaccuracies, appear, they are to be attri- 
 buted solely to accident, and not to design." 
 
 We appeal to the sober judgment of every upright man, whether 
 this sentence, does not evince in the clearest manner, that they 
 knew at the time they were printing the pamphlet, that they had 
 unjustly altered the language of the primitive Friends ; and were 
 anxious by this flimsy apology, to screen themselves from the me- 
 rited odium which such conduct* must inevitably receive. We can 
 readily attribute literal inaccuracies, ^nd typographical errors to 
 accident, and make every reasonable allowance for them, because 
 we know, that even where much care is taken, they will frequently 
 occur; but deliberately to assert, that alterations, and such altera- 
 tions too, as the compilers have made, leaving out necessary parts 
 of sentences, adding whole lines to the language of the writer, and 
 by the most unfair garbling, entirely perverting the meaning of the 
 text ; to tell the public, that these alterations " are to be attributed 
 solely to accident, and nqt to design;''"' is so palpable an instance of 
 disregard to truth, as must put to the blush, every advocate for the 
 cause in which they are engaged. Such alterations could not possi- 
 bly occur, by accident, as the compilers well knew, when they were 
 writing this sentence. They evince a deliberate design, to lay waste 
 the christian character of the Society of Friends, and to fix the odi- 
 ous stigma of unbelief, upon those worthy and pious men, who were 
 its original founders. 
 
 We doubt not, but the compilers have " carefully compared 
 their extracts ;" but we have >hown enough in the present volume, 
 to convince any one, that the care in comparing, has been taken, not 
 to render them faithful delineations of the sentiments contained in 
 
255 
 
 the originals, but to mutilate or alter them, so as to present the 
 most favourable construction, in support of the sentiments of Elias 
 Hicks. They seem themselves to have been fully aware of this, 
 and as if to deprecate the just retribution of censure and contempt, 
 which they knew must await detection, they put in the plea of ac- 
 cident. The alterations say they, occurred by accident. But surely, 
 this is adding effrontery to unfairness. What opinion would a ju- 
 dicial tribunal form of a man, who, when arraigned on trial for a 
 forgery, should plead that he did it, solely by accident, not by de- 
 sign ? Would not such a paltry excuse yx%i\y be esteemed an ag- 
 gravation to the offence ? and yet a man so circumstanced, might 
 with as much truth, set up such a pretence, as do the compilers for 
 the alterations, which they have wittingly made. 
 
 It is cause of deep regret to us, that persons professing them- 
 selves members of a religious society, once honourably distinguish- 
 ed by its conscientious regard to truth and integrity, should have 
 given occasion for the remarks which we have been obliged to make; 
 and especially when under the pretence ot advocating religious 
 principles. Great indeed must be their defection from the sincerity 
 of our worthy predecessors ! We know not who the compilers 
 are, and consequently cannot be actuated by personal feelings, in 
 aught we have said. The task of exposing their errors has been 
 by no means a pleasant one ; but when we remembered how prompt 
 and decided the early Quakers were, in replying to every accusa- 
 tion alleged against them, and how zealously they vindicated their 
 infant society from the charges which are now revived by the com- 
 pilers ; justice to the memory of these worthy christians, love to the 
 Society of Friends, as well as a sense of duty, impelled us to en- 
 gage in the present work. We have endeavoured to state the truth 
 honestly, though plainly, and trust that in so doijig, we have been 
 actuated only by upright motives. 
 
 The following accusations f)eing substantially the same as those 
 insinuated in the pamphlet ; and the replies to them, asserting the 
 true belief of the primitive Friends, may properly claim a place in 
 this conclusion, viz : 
 
 " It hath been an objection often made, sometimes foolishly, some- 
 times enviously, but always falsely ; that we deny the holy Three, 
 ijientioned 1 John v. 7, which bear record in heaven : because we 
 cannot but think the word « Person," too gross to express them. 
 We own their distinction in all the instances of it, recorded in Holy 
 writ ; and have a thousand times declared our sincere belief, in Al- 
 mighty God, the creator of all things; and in Jesus Christ his eter- 
 nal Son, by whom all things were made, and in the Holy Spirit, pro- 
 ceeding trom the Father and the Son."— Switch for the Snake, p. 
 184. 
 
 " Snake, p. 121. — The Quakers and Socinians, acknowledge a 
 Three, but deny a trinity, which is to confess the same thing in 
 English and to deny it in Latin : fortrinitasis only Latin for three 
 — But the meaning is, they would not have the Three in heaven to 
 be Three persons. Though they cannot make sense of Three what 
 they are, if not Three Persons." To whicii Joseph Wyeth replies : 
 
256 
 
 •' What the Socinians acknowledge is not my business to en- 
 quire. But for ourselves, TFe acknowledge the Three mentioned in 
 Holy Writ, which bear record in heaven, and we need not the pe- 
 dantry of the Snake, to translate the word into Latin : and the 
 sense we make of the Three, so bearing record, is the same which 
 is declared by the Holy Ghost ; and when the Snake shall show that 
 the Holy Ghost hath declared them, Three Persons, we will not 
 fail so to express them." — Pages 186, 187. 
 
 " According to what has been already spoken in the foregoing 
 sections, occasionally, concerning the Divinity and incarnation of 
 Christ, I do here of set purpose declare it as a truth, which notv is, 
 and always hath been, since we were a people, believed and declared 
 by us : That the Word which was in the beginning with God, by 
 which all things were made ; did in thefidness of time, according to 
 the appointment of the Father, take flesh, and was born of the Virgin 
 Mary, and that in that body of flesh, the fidness of the Godhead 
 dwelt bodily. Thus in the largeness of the expression, and sense 
 of Scripture, we do truly and sincerely oi^^n, according to John i. 14. 
 that the Word was made flesh, ^c. dwelt on the earth, and took on 
 him, not the nature of angels ; not any aerial or fantastical body : 
 but the seed of Mraham and David ; and this he did for the same 
 reason and behoof mentioned by the apostle, Heb, ii. 17, 18. 
 Wherefore in all things it behoveth him to be made like unto his 
 brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in 
 things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the 
 people. For in that he himself hath suffered, being tempted, he is 
 able to succour them that are tempted. For which infinite love of 
 Jesus Christ, in being both the Saviour and Reconciler, of men to 
 God, through himself we sincerely say with the apostle, Heb. iii. 3, 
 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inas- 
 much as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the 
 house. 
 
 •' Reader, these, and all ether testimonies recorded in Holy Writ, 
 testifying to the manhood as well as the divinity of Jesus Christ, ive 
 do, and always did sincerely own: so that should our books, in 
 which is treated directly on this subject, and abundantly more 
 largely, and particularly than here it can be, be collected, they would 
 make m.nny volumes. Yet such hath been, and is the inveterate ma- 
 lice of our enemies, that our writings no m'ore than our words, must 
 not mean what ive so often and solemnly have declared we do mean by 
 thejn ; but what our adversaries will have them to mean, that so they 
 may not seem to want proofs for these their false and envious charges. 
 W^hat now remains for us to do ? But still to persevere in our true 
 and scriptural belief ^ and to repeat our testimonies of it to the envi- 
 ous objections of enemies ; and for the satisfaction of the sober en- 
 quirer."— p. 191, 192. 
 
 " In the section immediately foregoing, the divinity and incarna- 
 tion of Christ, is largely treated of, and I have therein shown that 
 we own and believe both, as declared ftdly and truly in the holy 
 Scriptures, and also that our books, rescued from the perversions of 
 this our adversary, do speak according to that acknowledged rule. 
 
257 
 
 It remains, that in this, I now show that we have, always owned in 
 like scriptural sense ; that Jesus Christ, in life, doctrine, and death, 
 did fulfil his Father^ s will, and did offer up himself, a most satisfacto- 
 ■ry sacrifice for the sins of mankind ^ in opposition to the false insin- 
 uations of the Snake herein, who says, p. 151, Herein the Quakers 
 are direct Socinians, for they positively deny the satisfaction. 
 
 " Under which cloudy charge, he insinuates as if we did deny what 
 the scriptures do declare herein : ichich is false, and he might with 
 equal sincerity have said, the Church of England do deny the satis- 
 faction. For to come nearer, the satisfaction which is positively 
 denied by us, is as positively denied by the Church of England, 
 which is, that rigid and strict notion of satisfaction, which some had 
 doctrinally, but unscripturally laid down, in the terms following, viz: 
 — [Here the author inserts William Penn's description of the doc- 
 trine, for which see page 38 of this work.] 
 
 " This, reader, is the satisfaction, or strict and rigid notion of it 
 which we do deny, and which William Penn as quoted by the 
 Snake, p. 154, does totally exclude, as anon I shall have occasion 
 more largely to show. But that we do from hence deny the satis- 
 faction which Christ did make, and which the Father did accept^ as 
 mentioned and declared in Holy Writ, is very false. For we do believe 
 that as our Saviour does declare, John x. 18, ' No man taketh it from 
 me, (speaking of his life,) but I lay it down of myself : I have power 
 to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command- 
 ment received I of my Father.' I say, we do believe that as Christ 
 had this commandment and power from the Father, so by his pure, 
 divine, free and voluntary resignaf ion, ' not as I will, but as thou 
 wilt,' Matt. xxvi. 42, he did, thereby endear the Father^s love unto 
 him, as himself declares, verse 17, Therefore doth my Father love 
 me, because I lay down my life. And this his free, and uncon- 
 strained, voluntary offering of himself as a ransom for all, did in- 
 clude his agony on the mount, and his agony on the cross ; in fine, 
 it includes all his sufferings, both inward and outward, ivhereby he 
 became a complete, perfect, and satisfactory sacrifice, and as such was 
 accepted of the Father. This briefly, but truly, and according to 
 scripture, is a short account of the satisfaction lohich ive do positive- 
 ly own: as the former is an account of the satisfaction which we do 
 positively deny" — Pages 230, 231, 232. 
 
 " The Quakers dispute against these, (viz: the outward sufferings 
 and death of Christ,) and place the merit and satisfaction, in the alle- 
 gorical sufferings and blood of their light ivithin, inwardly shed, &c. 
 
 " This assertion of the Snake, is not allegorically, but literally a 
 fie; for we acknowledge the satisfaction made by Christ to his Father, 
 but we do deny that groundless and dangerous notion, of his having 
 paid, and his Father exacted, that strict and rigorous satisfaction, 
 by undergoing the self-same punishment and pains that the damned 
 suffer in hell. 
 
 " TP'e own the merit of his outward death and sufferings, but dis- 
 pute, against the misapplication oj that merit, to ungodly men, con- 
 tinuing impenitently in their sins. 
 
 " We own and believe, that men by continuing impenitently in 
 
 K. k 
 
258 
 
 their sins, do press, as with sheaves, the Holy Spirit, and by such, 
 their despite to the Spirit of grace, do grieve the good Spirit of God, 
 which he hath shed abroad upon the hearts of men in order to their 
 regeneratioh. But have never said or believed, that the satisfaction 
 made by Christ to the Father, and the merit thereof, consisted in any 
 allegorical suffering and blood of the Light within, inwardly shed. 
 
 " We own and believe, that men through obedience to the spirit 
 of grace, may come to have their consciences sprinkled from dead 
 works, to serve the living God ; and may through the blood of the 
 everlasting covenant, be made perfect in every good work to do the 
 will of God, through Jesus Christ. But have never placed, or be- 
 lieved the possibility thereof, did consist in such allegorical death and 
 sufferings, as the Snake does insinuate against us ; no more than 
 the apostle, in these and other places of Holy Writ, where he di- 
 rects men to the Word, Christ, in them, can be supposed to under- 
 value the outward death, and sufferings of Christ, at Jerusalem, and 
 to place the satisfaction he made to the Father, and the merit of it, 
 to consist in these his spiritual appearances, by the Holy Spirit, in 
 the hearts of men." — Switch, pages 7, 8. ' 
 
 " We have always testified according to 2 Tim. iii. 16. Ml scrip- 
 ture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable, for doctrine, 
 for reproof for correction, for instruction in righteousness. And 
 the reason of this is, because according to 2 Pet. i. 21. T/ie 
 prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but Holy 
 men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. And 
 therefore, it is, that we have constantly directed men, to the Holy 
 Spirit for the true understanding of them ; by the movings whereof 
 they were at first written. For as they do contain a true declara- 
 tion of the things of God, so they are not to be truly understood, but 
 by the Spirit of God. How much the contrary of this can be prov- 
 ed by this Snake, I shall now examine. 
 
 " Snake, page 85. — The Quakers' notion of the Light within, (as 
 before explained,) must necessarily cut off our dependence upon the 
 Holy Scriptures, as a rule either of faith or manners. 
 
 " The Light within, Christ in us, as before I have explained, as it 
 is not contrary to the scriptures ; so it does not cut them off from be- 
 ing useful, as before declared^ viz : for doctrine, reproof, correction, 
 &c. For though the Holy Spirit is as infallible now as ever, and 
 it is the same Holy Spirit, (manifested in the hearts of men at this 
 day,) by which the holy men did write the scriptures, yet the mani- 
 festations thereof to them, being in greater degree, we justly give 
 them the priority ; tW\t, with respect to the writings of anyfaitliftU 
 servant of Christ at this day. But with respect to the Holy Spirit, 
 that being, (as I have just now said,) as infallible now as ever; it 
 roust of necessity also follow, that whosoever, through obedience, 
 follows the guidings of it, must have as sure, (because the same,) 
 rule as the prophets and apostles had. And tliis is no more contradic- 
 tory, than the parable of the talents, Matt, xxv., in which our Saviour 
 shows the different proportions of trust of the same treasure: and 
 the one talent, had it been employed in tlie same way, which the 
 five were, it would as certainly have gained profit. Thus they who 
 
259 
 
 through obedience, improve their talent, and are in the apostle^s 
 phrase, 2 Cor. vi. 1, workers together with Christ, they shall witness 
 a growth in his grace ; and who do so grow, have the same sure rule 
 of the Holy Spirit, to read and understand the scriptures by, even 
 the same sure rule, which the prophets and apostles had, when 
 they writ them. Hence it is, that he that hath, and obeys the least 
 measure of this sure rule, the Holy Spirit in himself, will easily and rea- 
 dily acknowledge and consent, to the further degrees of the revealed 
 will of the Holy Spirit, recorded in the scriptures of truth." — pages 
 150, 151. 
 
 Such are the doctrines and principles which the Society of Friends 
 has ever maintained, and which all those who are consistent mem- 
 bers of it, do still maintain, notwithstanding the many contrary as- 
 sertions which invidious opposers, or pretended friends have been 
 pleased to make in their name. And however its christian reputa- 
 tion may be eclipsed by the sorrowful defection of some nominal 
 members, from that holy faith which in so remarkable a manner 
 was committed to our worthy predecessors, the profession whereof 
 they held fast, through a long scene of cruel persecution and grievous 
 suffering, we reverently rejoice in the unshaken belief that our chris- 
 tian doctrines will never fall to the ground — but that He who raised 
 us up to be a people, and so signally blessed us with the Holy Spirit, 
 will still continue to preserve faithful witnesses unto himself, who 
 amid all the storms of calumny, and the reproaches of that spirit 
 which still delights to be the accuser of the brethren, will stand no- 
 bly and firmly for the support of the glorious gospel of our Lord 
 and Saviour Jesus Christ. 
 
 To conclude, we sincerely adopt the following expressions of 
 the great and dignified Penn, in his address to the Bishop of Cork : 
 
 " That God, that has upheld us by his free spirit to this day, through 
 many and great afflictions, we firmly believe, will suffer nothing to 
 attend us, that shall not in the conclusion work for his glory and our 
 good, if we continue stedfast to the end, in the blessed way of right- 
 eousness, wherein he has so often and signally owned and preserved 
 us; notwithstanding the violence of open enemies, and the treach- 
 erous and restless endeavouis of false friends." — Vol. ii. page 915. 
 
PART SECOND. 
 
 SELECTIONS FROM THE WRITINGS OF 
 
 TOX, PENN, BARCLAY, PENNINGTON, WHITEHEAD, CLARIDGE, 
 CROOK, BURROUGH, 
 
 AND OTHER DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS 
 
 SOCIETY OF FRIENDS, 
 
 StlRWIXG THE CONSISTENCY OF THEIR FAITH AND DOCTRINES WITII 
 THE DIVINE TESTIMONY OF THE HOLY SCIPTURES. 
 
J^ote. — The following selections, from the writings of many an- 
 cient, and honourable members of the Society of Friends, will fully 
 establish the assertion, that since its first rise, the same doctrines 
 have ever been held and promulgated by all those who were in unity 
 with the body ; and that, whatever calumnies might be raised against 
 them, whether by open enemies, pretended friends, or apostatized 
 members, the true Quakers have ever been sincere believers, in all 
 the doctrines of the Christian religion, as they are set forth in the 
 Holy Scriptures. 
 
 The limits of the present volume will admit of inserting but a 
 small part of the abundant testimony, which goes to prove this point, 
 jn the most conclusive manner. So frequently and fully did our pre- 
 decessors assert the soundness of their belief, in the Three that bear 
 witness in heaven ; the divinity, atonement, mediation, and inter- 
 cession of our blessed Lord; and the inestimable value of the Holy 
 Scriptures, that if these declarations were all collected, they would, 
 alone; fill a large volume. 
 
GEORGE FOX. 
 
 On page 86 of George Fox's Journal, we find the following; 
 
 " This priest Stevens a'^ked ine, ' Why Christ cried out upon tlie 
 cross, " My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?'" and why 
 he said, ' If it be possible, let this cup pass from me, yet not my will 
 but thine be done?' I told him, at that time the sins of all mankind 
 were upon him, and their iniquities and transgressions, with ivhich 
 he was wounded ; which he was to bear, and to be an offering for, as 
 he was man, but died not as he was God ; so in that he -died for all 
 men, tasting death for evert/ man, he was an offering for the sins of 
 the whole world. This I spoke, being at that time, in a measure, sen- 
 sible of Christ's sufferings." — 1644. 
 
 •' Though I had great openings, yet great trouble and temptations 
 came many times upon me, so that when it was day I wislied for 
 night, and when it was night, I wished for day ; and by reason of 
 the openings I had in my troubles, I could say as David said, 'Day 
 unto dav uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge.' 
 When i had openings, they ansivered one another, and answered the 
 scriptures, for I had great openings of the scriptures, and when I 
 was in troubles, one trouble also answered to another." — Page 90. 
 1646. 
 
 " The ranters pleaded that God made the devil : I denied it ; and 
 told them I was come into the power of God, the Seed, Christ, which 
 was before the devil was, and bruised his head ; and he became a de- 
 vil by going out of truth; and so became a murderer and a destroyer. 
 I showed them that God did not make him a devil ; for God is a God 
 of truth, and made all things good, and blessed them ; but God did 
 not bless the devil. And the devil is bad, and was a liar and a mur- 
 derer from the beginning, and spoke of himself, and not from God." 
 Page 278. 1655. 
 
 " I turned the people to the divine light, which Christ, the heaven- 
 ly and spiritual Man, enlightenetli them withal, that with that light 
 they miojilt see their sins, and that they were in death and darkness, 
 and without God in the world, and might also see Christ, from whom 
 it Cometh, their Saviour and Redeemer, vvho shed his blood and died 
 for them, who is the way to God, the truth, and the life." — Page 299. 
 1655. 
 
 In a general epistle to the yearly meeting of Friends, in London, 
 he says — 
 
 " As the gospel is preached again, if your fai.th doth not stand in 
 the power, but in men, and in the wisdom of words, you will grow 
 carnal ; and such are for judgment, ivho cry up Paul or Apollo<^ 
 
264 
 
 AND NOi CHRIST, the autlioT of your faith. Those, that love to he 
 popular^ would have people's faith standin them, such do not preach 
 Christ, but themselves. But such as preach Christ and his gospel, 
 would have every man and woman to be in the possession of it, and 
 every man's and woman's faith to stand in Christ, the author of it, 
 and in the power of God ; in which, as their faith stands, nothing can 
 get betwixt them and God ; for if any should fall amongst us, as too 
 many have done, that leads its followers either into the waters, or in- 
 to the earth." — Vol.ii. page 213. 1676. 
 
 In a paper which he wrote, " concerning the true church," &c. he 
 says — 
 
 "Christ took upon him the seed of Abraham; he doth not say the 
 corrupt seed of the gentiles ; so, according to the flesh, he was of 
 the holy seed of Abraham and David, and his holy body and blood 
 was an offering and a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world, as a 
 Lamb without blemish, whose flesh saw no corruption. By the one 
 offering of himself, in the new testament, or new covenant, he has 
 put an end to all the oflerings and sacrifices, amongst the Jews in the 
 old testament. Christ, the holy Seed, was crucified, dead, and bu- 
 ried, according to the flesh, and raised again the third day, and his 
 flesh saw no corruption. Though he was crucified in the flesh, yet 
 quickened again by the spirit, and is alive, and liveth forevermore, 
 and hath all power in heaven and earth given to him, and reigneth 
 over all, and is the one Mediator between God and man, even the 
 man Christ Jesus. Christ said, ' he gave his flesh for the life of the 
 world;' and the apostle saith, 'his flesh saw no corruption;' so that 
 which saw no corruption, he gave for the life of the corrupt world, 
 to bring them out of corruption. Christ said again, ' He thateateth 
 my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life, for my flesh is 
 meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. And he that eateth my 
 flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwclleth in me, and I in him.' He 
 that eats not his flesh, and drinks not his blood, which is the life of 
 the flesh, hath not eternal life. As the apostle saifh, 'All died in 
 Adam,' then all are dead. Now all coming spiritually to eat the 
 flesh of Christ, the second Adam, and drink his blood, his blood and 
 flesh, give all the dead in Adam, life, and quicken them out of their 
 sins and trespasses, in which they were dead ; so they come to sit 
 together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesns, and are living mem- 
 bers of the church of Christ that he is the Head of, and are clothed 
 with the Sun of righteousness, the Son of God, that never changes, 
 and have the changeable moon under their feet, and all changeable 
 worldly things, inventions, and works of men's hands." — Vol. ij. 
 pages 384, 385. 1686. 
 
 In an essay entitled the*." Royal Law of God Revived," &c. he 
 says, 
 
 " And further saith the apostle in 1st John i. 1, 2. ' We have en ad- 
 vocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and lie is the pro- 
 pitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but for the sins of the 
 whole world.'''' 
 
 " Now mark, this is a large word for all people to take notice of, 
 That Jesus Christ is the propitiation for the sins of the whole world. 
 
265 
 
 riierefore every one of you, in your own particulars, know this, 
 that Christ Jesus who is crowned with glory and honour, did taste 
 death for every man; mark, for every man; and whosoeveu de- 
 nies this doctrine IS AN ANTICHRIST, AND PREACHES ANOTHER, IS 
 
 A FALSE PREACHER AND SEDUCER, and brings people to trouble and 
 loss, from that which is right, and their due, in which is their satis- 
 faction: so these are universal things to all mankind, whereby all 
 mankind might come out of the earthly old Adam, in the fall and 
 transgression, to Ami that hath died for them all, and purchased 
 them all, and tasted death for all, and enlightened them all, and gave 
 his grace to them all ; and he willeth that all might be saved, and 
 come to the knowledge of the truth of Christ, who doth this : ^nd 
 whoever teacheth another doctrine, brings people into sects and con- 
 fusion, to destroy one another, where they have not natural affec 
 tions, and will do that to another, which they would not have, 
 others do unto them, who break the bonds thereby of civil commerce 
 amongst mankind, and the religions, ways and Worships of all such, 
 are no worships, religions, nor ways to God, but set up by a dark, 
 peevish, spirit, by which they destroy one another, which are God's 
 creatures, about them ; all which come from him, who is out of the 
 truth, whom Christ came to destroy."' — Page 19. 1671. 
 
 In his "answer to all such as falselj say, the Quakers are no 
 Christians," written from Worcester Prison, and printed in the 
 year 1682, he has the following declaration, viz : 
 
 " And Christ hath purchased his Church with his own blood. Acts 
 XX. 28. • And we give thanks unto the Father, which hath made 
 us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, 
 who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath trans- 
 lated us into the kingdom of his dear Son, in tvhom we have re- 
 demption through his blood, that is, the forgiveness of sins, who is 
 the image of the invisible God, the first begotten of every creature ; 
 for by him were all things created, which are in Heaven, and which 
 are in earth, things visible, and invisible, whether they be thrones, 
 dominions, principalities, or powers, all things were created byhiiu 
 and for him ; antl he is before all things ; and in him, and by him, 
 all things consists; and he is the Head of the body, (the Church) 
 who is the beginning, and the first begotten from the dead, that in 
 all things he might have the pre-eminence ; for it pleased the Fa- 
 ther, that in him should all fulness dwell. Col. i." And many 
 other scriptures we might bring, which do prove that Christ is the 
 Head of the Church, 
 
 " And Christ saith, all power in Heaven and in earth is given to 
 me. Matt, xxviii. 18. And we know that the ISon of God is come, and 
 hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is 
 true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ; 
 this is the true God, and eternal life, 1st John v. 20. And Christ 
 and the Apostles in their days, did not set up one man to be Pope 
 (nor set a triple crown on his h'-ad) to be Christ's vicar and vice- 
 gerent upon earth, nor set him above the Apostles, &,c. : but on the 
 contrary, Christ said, it was the Gentiles that exercised lordship, 
 and are called gracious lords ; but said Christ, he that will be the 
 
 LI 
 
266 
 
 greatest among you, let him be servant unto all : not Pope oi 
 Lord over all, but servant unto all. And Christ gave the keys and 
 power to others of his disciples, as well as Peter, to bind and loose. 
 Matt, xviii. 19. And so Christ prayed for all his disciples and fol- 
 lowers, that G(»d had given him, that he would keep them from the 
 evil of the world ; and not only for Peter, as may be seen in John 
 xvii. 9. And we own the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, as 
 the Apostles have declared. 
 
 "When the fulnessof time was come, God sent forth his Son made 
 of a woman, made under the law, that he might redeem them that 
 were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 
 Gal. iv. 4, 5. And by the grace of God, Christ tasted death for 
 euerj/jnan, Heb. ii. 9. And how that Christ died for our sins, accord- 
 ing to the scriptures ; and that he was buried, and rose again, ac 
 cording to the scriptures, 1st Cor. xv. 3, 4. For other foundation 
 can no man lay than that is laid, Jesus Christ, 1st Cor. iii. 11. And 
 so we believe those 'things lohich God before hath showed^ by the 
 mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, and he hath 
 thus fulfilled it, and is risen from the dead, and is at the right 
 hand of God, who is alive again, and lives for evermore ; and will 
 reward every man according to his deeds, and is the Judge both of 
 the quick and dead, and his sheep now hear his voice, and follow 
 him, as in the Apostles' days. Acts iii. Rev. i. 18. Neither is there 
 salvation in any other than in the name of Jesus ; for there is none 
 other name given under Heaven among men, whereby we must be 
 saved, Acts iv. 12. And without controversy, great is the Mystery 
 of Godliness, God manifested in the flesh, justified in the spirit, 
 seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the 
 world, and received up into glory, 1 Tim. iii. 16. And it is the 
 spirit that bcareth witness, because the spirit is truth ; for there 
 are Three that bear record in Heaven, the Father, the Word, and 
 the Holy Ghost, and these Three are one ; and there are Three which 
 bear record in earth, &c. which we own, 1st John v. 6, 7. And now 
 let none be oft'ended, because we do not call them by those unscrip- 
 tural names of Trinity, and Three Persons, which are not scrip- 
 ture words ; and so do falsely say, that we deny the Father, the 
 Word, and the Holy Ghost, which Three are one that bear record 
 in Heaven, See. ivhich Three tve own with all our hearts, as the apos- 
 tle John did, and as all true Christians ever did, and 7iow do, and if 
 you say, we arc not Christians, because we do not call the Father, 
 Son, and Holy Ghost, the trinity, distinct and separate persons : 
 then you may as well conclude tiiat John was no Christian, who did 
 not give the Father, Word, and Holy Ghost, these names. 
 
 " We believe concerning God the Father, Son, and Spirit, accord- 
 ing to the testimony of the Holy Scripture, which we receive and 
 embrace as the most authentic and perfect declaration of Christian 
 faith, being indited by the Holy Spirit of God, that never errs : 1st, 
 That there is one God and Fathei:,- of whom are all things; 2ndly, 
 That there is one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom all things were 
 made, John i. and xvii. Rom. ix. who was glorified with the Father 
 before the world began, who is God over all, blessed forever, John 
 
267 
 
 xiv. That there is one Holy Spirit, the promise of the Father and 
 the Son, and leader, and sanctifier, and comforter of his people, 
 1st John V. And we further believe, as the Holy Scriptures soundly 
 and sufficiently express, that these Three are one, even the Father, 
 the Word, and Spirit. 
 
 " And in the fulness of time according to the promise of the Fa- 
 ther, Christ was manifested in the ilesh, and by the grace of God 
 tasted death/or every man, as before, is risen, and ascended, and 
 sits on the right liand of God in Heaven, and is the only Mediator 
 between God and mati ; and that he exercises his prophetical, 
 kingly, and priestly office, now in his church, and also his offices, as 
 a Covmsellorand Leader, Bishop, Shepherd and Mediator,he (to wit) 
 the Son of God, he exercises these offices, in his household of faith, 
 whi»se house we are, that are believers in the light, and by faith en- 
 grafted into Christ, the Word, by whom all things were made ; and 
 80 ;ire heirs of eternal life, being elected in him before the world 
 began. And we do not matter if this Jewish spirit saith now of 
 us, as it did formerly of the followers of Christ, that none but ac- 
 cursed people followed him, that knew not the law; and if you 
 say as Nathaniel said, John i. 46, can there any good thing come 
 out of Nazareth? We say with Philip, come and see." — Pages 26j 
 -17, 28. 
 
268 
 
 ROBERT BARCLAY. 
 
 " Question. — What are they that bear record in heaven ? 
 
 " Answer. — There are Three that bear record in heaven, the Fa- 
 ther, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these Three are One." — 
 Catechism, page 2. 
 
 After reciting the texts which prove the pre-existence of our bless- 
 ed Lord, he thus queries — 
 
 "Question. — These are very' clear, that even the world was crea- 
 ted by Christ: But what scriptures prove the divinity of Christ 
 against such as fabely deny the same? 
 
 " Answer. — And the Word was God. Whose are the fathers, and 
 of whom, as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all God 
 blessed forever. Amen. Who being in the form of God, thought 
 it no robbery to be equal with God. And we know that the Son of 
 God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know 
 him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Je- 
 sus Christ: this is the true God and eternal life." — Page 8. 
 
 " Question. — After what manner doth the scripture assert the 
 conjunction and unity of the eternal Son of God, in and with the 
 Man Christ Jesus? 
 
 " Answer. — And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among u?, 
 (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the 
 Father,) full of grace and truth. For he whom God hath sent, speak- 
 cth the words of God ; for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto 
 him. How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost 
 and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all that 
 Ivere oppressed of the devil ; for God was with him. For it pleased 
 the Father that in him siiould all fulness dwell. For in him dwel- 
 leth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. In him are hid all the 
 treasures of wisdom and knowledge." — Page 11. 
 
 "For the infinite, and most wise God who is the foundation, root, 
 and spring of all operation, hath wrought all things by his eternal 
 Word and Son. This is that Word that was in the beginning with 
 God, and was God, by whom all things were made, and without 
 whom was not any thing made that was made. This is that Jesus 
 Christ, by whom God created all things, by whom and for whom all 
 things were created that are in heaven, and in earth, visible and in- 
 visible, whether they be tlirones, or dominions, or principalities, or 
 powers, Coloss. i. 16. Who therefore is called the First-Born of every 
 creature, Coloss. i. 15. As then that infinite and incomprehensible 
 fountain of life and motion operatetlUn the creatures by his own eter- 
 nal word and power, so no creature has access again unto him but in 
 and by the Son, according to his own express words, ' No man 
 
269 
 
 knowelh the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal 
 him,' Matt. xi. 27, Luke x. 22. And again he himself saith, <I am 
 the \vay, the truth, and the lite : No man comelh unto the Father, but 
 by ine,' John xiv. 6. 
 
 " Hence he is fitly called the Mediator betwixt God and man : for 
 having been with God from all eternit)', being himself God, and also 
 in time, partaking of the nature of man, through him, is the goodness 
 and love of God conveyed to mankind, and by him again, man re- 
 ceiveth and partaketh of these mercies." — Apology, page 27. 
 
 After speaking at large of the Holy Spirit of Christ, wherewith all 
 men are enlightened for their salvation and redemption, he adds — 
 
 " But by this as we do not at all intend to equal ourselves to that 
 Holy Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, who was born of the Virgin Mary, 
 in whom all the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily; so neither do 
 we destroy the reality of his present existence, as some liave falsely 
 calumniated us. For though we affirm that Christ dwells in us, yet 
 not immediately, but mediately, as he is in that seed which is in us; 
 whereas he, to wit, the Eternal Word, which was with God, and was 
 God, dwelt immediately in that holy Man. He then is as the head, 
 and we as the members, he the vine, and we the branches. Now 
 as the soul of man dwells otherwise, and in a far more immediate 
 manner in the head and in the heart, than in the hands or legs; and 
 as the sap, virtue and life of the vine, lodgeth far otherwise in the 
 stock and root, than in the branches, so God dwelleth otherwise in 
 the man Jesus, than in us. We also freely reject the heresy of 
 Appollinarius, who denied him to have any soul, but said the body 
 was only actuated by the Godhead. As also the error of Eutyches, 
 who made the manhood to be wholly swallowed up of the Godhead. 
 Wherefore, as we believe he was a true and real man, so we also believe 
 that he continues so to be glorified in the heavens, in soul and body, 
 by whom God shall judge the world, in the great and general day of 
 judgment." — Apology, page 139. 
 
 " First then, as by the explanation of the former thesis appear?, 
 we renounce all natural power and ability in ourselves, in order to 
 bring us out of our lost and fallen condition, and first nature; and 
 confess, that as of ourselves we are able to do nothins; that is good, 
 so neither can we procure reunssion of sins or justification by any 
 act of our own, so as to merit it, or draw it as a ilebt from God due 
 unto us, but we acknowledge all to be of and from his love, which 
 is the original and fundamental cause of our acceptance. 
 
 *' Secondly: God manifested this love towards us, in the sendin"' 
 of his beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into the world ; who gave 
 himself for us, an ottering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet smel- 
 ling savour; and having made peace through the blood of his cross, 
 that he might reconcile us unto himself, and by the Eternal Spirit, 
 offered himself without spot unto God, and suR'ered for our sins, the 
 just for the unjust, that he might bring us unto God. 
 
 "Thirdly then. Forasmuch as all men v/ho have come to man's 
 estate, (the man Jesus only ex-7epted,) have sinned, therefore all have 
 need of this Saviour, to remove the wrath of God from them, due to 
 their offences : in this respect he is truly said to have borne the ini^ 
 
270 
 
 quities ol us all, ia his body on the tree, and therefore is the onlj 
 Mediator, having qualified the wrath of God towards us ; so that our 
 former sins stand not in our way, being, bij virtue of his most satis- 
 f'actori/ sacrifice, removed and pardoned. Neither do we think that 
 remission of sins is to be expected, sought, or obtained, any other 
 way, or by any works or sacrifice whatsoever, though as has been 
 said formerly, they may come to partake of this remission, that are 
 ignorant of the history. So then, Christ, by his death and sufferings 
 hath reconciled us to God, even while we are enemies; that is, he 
 offers reconciliation unto us; we are put into a capacity of being re- 
 conciled; God is willing to forgive us our iniquities, and to accept 
 us, as is well expressed by the apostle, 2 Cor. v. 19, God was in 
 Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their tres- 
 passes unto them, and hath put in us the word of reconciliation. And 
 therefore the apostle, in the next verses, entreats them in Christ's 
 stead to be reconciled to God ; intimating that the wrath of God be- 
 ing removed by the obedience of Christ Jesus, he is willing to be re- 
 conciled unto them, and ready to remit the sins that are past, if they 
 repent. 
 
 " We consider then, our redemption in a twofold respect or state, 
 both which in their own nature, are perfect, though in their applica- 
 tion to us, the one is not, nor can not be, without respect to the other. 
 
 " The first, is the redemption performed and accomplished by 
 Chi'ist for us, in his crucified body, without us : the other is the re- 
 demption wrought by Christ in us ; which no less properly is called 
 and accounted a redemption than the former. The first then, is 
 that, whereby a man, as he stands in the fall, is put into a capacity 
 of salvation, and hath conveyed unto him, a measure of that power, 
 virtue, spirit, life, and grace, that was in Christ Jesus, which as the 
 free gift of God, is able to counterbalance, overcome and root out 
 the evil seed, wherewith we are naturally, as in the fall, leavened. 
 
 " The second is that, whereby we witness and know this pure 
 and perfect redemption in ourselves, purifying, cleansing, and re- 
 deeming us, from the power of corruption, and bringing us into uni- 
 ty, favour and friendship with God. By the first of these two, we 
 that were lost in Adam, plunged into the bitter and corrupt seed, un- 
 able of ourselves to do any good thing, but naturally joined and uni- 
 ted to evil, forward and prepense to all iniquity, servants and slaves 
 to the power and spirit of darkness, are notwithstanding all this, so 
 far reconciled to God, by the death of his Son, while enemie-, that we 
 are put into a capacity of salvation, having the glad tidings of the 
 gospel of peace offered unto us, and God is reconciled unto us, in 
 Christ, calls and invites us to himself, in which respect we unrler- 
 stand these scriptures, ' He slew the enmity in himself. He loved 
 us first ; seeing us in our blood, he said unto us, live ; He who did 
 not sin, his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree ; and 
 he died for our sins, the just for the unjust.' " — p. 202, and seq. 
 
 " In this respect above mentioned then, we have shown what ser- 
 vice and use the Holy Scriptures, as managed, in and by the spirit, 
 are of to the Church of God ; whereiore we do account them a se- 
 condary rule. Moreover because they are commonly acknowledg- 
 
271 
 
 ed by all, to have been written by the dictates of the Holy Spirit, 
 and that the errors, which may be supposed by the injury of times 
 to have slipped in, are not such but that there is, a sufficient clear 
 testimony left to all the essentials of the christian faith ; we do look 
 upon them as the only fit outward judge of controversies among 
 christians ; and that whatsoever doctrine is contrary unto their tes- 
 timony, may therefore justly be rejected as false. And for our 
 parts we are very willing that all our doctrines and practices be 
 tried by them ; which we never refused, nor ever shall, in all contro- 
 versies with our adversaries, as the judge and test. We shall al- 
 so, be very willing to admit it as a positive, certain maxim, that 
 whatsoever any do, pretending the spirit which is contrary to the 
 scriptures, be accounted, and reckoned a delusion of the devil. For 
 as we never lay claim to the Spirit's leadings, that we may cover 
 ourselves in any thing that is evil, so we know that as every evil, 
 contradicts the scriptures, so it doth also the Spirit, in the first 
 place, from which the scriptures came, and whose motions can never 
 contradict one another, though they may appear sometimes to be 
 contradictory to the blind eye of the natural man, as Paul and 
 James seem to contradict one another.-*— Page« 85, «6, 
 
jn2 
 
 WILLIAM PENN, 
 
 In- his Testimony fo <he Truth as held by the people called Qua- 
 kers, written in 1698, has these declarations: 
 
 " Concerning the Father, the Word, and the Spirit. Because we 
 have been very cautious in expressing our faith concerning that great 
 mystery, especially in such school terms, and philosophical distinc- 
 tions as are unscriptural, if not unsound, (the tendency whereof 
 hath been to raise frivolous controversies and animosities amongst 
 men.) we have, by those that desire to lessen our christian reputa- 
 tion, been rpreesented as deniers of the Trinity at large : Whereas 
 we ever believed, and as constantly/ nmintained, the truth of that 
 blessed Holy Scripture, Three that bear record in Heaven, the 
 Father, the Word, and the Spirit, and that these Three are One; the 
 which we both sincerely and reverently believe according to 1 John 
 V. 7. And this is sufficient for us to believe, and know, and hath a 
 tendency to edification and holiness; when the contrary centres on- 
 ly in imaginations, and strife, and persecution, where it runs high 
 and to parties, as may be read in bloody characters in the ecclesias- 
 tical histories." — Vol. ii. page 879. 
 
 " Of Christ's coming, both in flesh and spirit. Because the ten- 
 dency, (generally speaking,) of our ministry, is to press people to 
 the inward and spiritual appearance of Christ, by his spirit and 
 grace in their hearts, to give them a true sight and sense of, and sor- 
 row for sin, to amendment of life, and practice of holiness : and be- 
 cause wehave often opposed that doctrine,of being actuallyjustified by 
 the merits of Christ, whilst actual sinners against God,by living in the 
 pollutions of this wicked world : We are by our adversaries render- 
 ed such, as either deny or undervalue the coming of Christ without 
 us, and the force and efficacy of his death and sufferings, as a propi- 
 tiation for the sins of the whole world. Whereas we do, and hope 
 we ever shall, as we always did, confess the glory of God the Fa- 
 ther, and the honour of his dear and beloved Son, that he, to wit, 
 Jesus Christ, took our nature upon him, was like us in all thing?, 
 sin excepted: that he was born of the Virgin Mary, went about 
 amongst men doing good, and working many miracles : that he was 
 betrayed by Judas into tlie hands of the chief priests, &,c., that he 
 suffered deatli under Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor, beingcru- 
 citied between two thieves, and was buried in tlie sepulchre of Jo- 
 seph of Arimathea : rose ajain the third day from the dead, and as- 
 cended into Heaven, and sits at God's right hand, in the power and 
 majesty of his Father, and that by him, God the Father, will one 
 day judge the whole world, both of 'qaick and dead, according to 
 their works."— pages 880, 881. 
 
 " Of Christ's being our example. Because in some cases we have 
 
273 
 
 said the Lord .Jesus, was our great example, and that Ids obedience 
 to his Father, doth noi excuse owrs, but as by keeping his command- 
 ments, he abode in his Father's love, so must we follow his exanr|)le 
 of obedience, so abide in his love ; some have been so ignorant, (or that 
 \vhich is worse,) as to venture to say for u«, or in our name, that we 
 believe our Lord Jesus Christ, was in all things but an example. 
 Whereas we confess liim to be so much more than an example, that 
 we believe him to be, our most acceptable sacritice to God his Father, 
 who, for his sake, will look upon fallen man, that hath justly merit- 
 ed' the wrath of God, upon his return by repentance, faith, and obe- 
 dience, as if he had never sinned at all; 1 John ii. 12. Rom. iii. 26, 
 X. 9, 10. Heb. V. 9."— page 880. 
 In his " Primitive Christianity Revived," we find the following : 
 *' We do believe, that Jesus Christ was our holy sacrifice, atone- 
 ment and propitiation; tiiat he bore our iniquities, and that by his 
 stripes we were healed of the wounds Adam gave us in his fall ; and 
 that God is just in forgiving true penitents upon the credit of that 
 holy offering,Christ made of himself to God for us, and that what he did 
 and suftered, satisfied and pleased God, and was for the sake of fal- 
 len man, that had displeased God: And that through the offering up of 
 himself once for all, through the Eternal Spirit, he hath forever per- 
 fected those, (in all times,) that were sanctified, who walked not 
 after the flesh, but after the Spirit, Rom. viii. 1. Mark that. 
 
 " In short, justification consists of two parts, or hath a twofold 
 consideration, viz: Justification from the guilt of sin, and justifica- 
 tion from the power and pollution of sin, and in this sense justifica- 
 tion gives a man a full and clear acceptance before God. For want 
 of this latter part it is, that so many souls, religiously inclined, are 
 often under doubts, scruples, and despondencies, notwithstanding 
 all that their teachers tell them of the extent and eificacy of the first 
 part of justification. And it is too general an unhappiness among 
 the professors of Christianity that they are apt to cloak their own 
 active and passive disobedience, with the active and passive obedi- 
 ence of Christ. The first part of justification, we do reverently and 
 humbly acknowledge, is only for the sake of the death and sufferings 
 of Christ : nothing we can do, though by the operation of the Holy 
 Spirit, being able to cancel old debts, or ivipe out old scores : it 
 is the power and efficacy of that propitiatory offering, upon faith 
 and repentance, that justifies us, from the sins that are past ; and it 
 is the power of Chrits's spirit in our hearts, that purifies and makes 
 us acceptable before God. For 'till the heart of man is purged 
 from sin, God will never accept of it. He reproves, rebukes, and 
 condemns those that entertain sin there, and therefore, such cannot 
 be said to be in a justified state, condemnation and justification be- 
 ing contraries : so that they that hold themselves in a justified state 
 by the active and passive obedience of Christ, uhile they are not 
 actively and passively obedient to the spirit of Christ Jesus, are 
 under a strong and dangerous delusion ; and for crying out against 
 this, sin-pleasing imagination,\iOt to say doctrine ne are staged and 
 reproached as deniers and despisers of the death and sufferings of 
 our Lord Jesus Christ. But be it known to such, they add to Christ's 
 
 M m 
 
274 
 
 sufteriMis and crucify to themselves afresh the Son of God, and tram- 
 ple the blood of the covenant under their feet, that walk unholily, un- 
 der a profesision of justifiration ; for God will not acquit the guilty, 
 nor justify the disobedient and unfaithful. Such deceive themselves, 
 and at the j^reat and final judgment their sentence will not be, "come 
 ye blessed," because it cannot be said to them, " Well done good 
 and faithfid," for they cannot be so esteemed, that live and die in a 
 reprove^ble and condemnable state; but '• Go ye cursed, &,c." — pa- 
 ges 867, 868. 1696. 
 
 In his " Christian Quaker," published in 1673, he says — 
 " Further Christ himself says, " I am the light of the world,'* 
 which is as much as if he had said, " 1 have lighted, or shined forth 
 to the world ;" therefore the light which shines in the hearts of 
 mankind, is Christ, though we do not say that every particular il- 
 lumination is the entire Christ, for so there would be as many 
 Christs as men, which ivere absurd and blasphemous." — Vol. i. 
 p. 569. 
 
 In his " Key, &c." printed 1692, we find the following — 
 " Perversion 2nd. The Quakers hold, that the light within them 
 is God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit, so that every Quaker has whole 
 God, Christ, and holy Spirit in him, which is gross blasphemy. 
 
 " Principle. This is also a mistake of their belief: TViey yiever 
 said that every divine illumination, or manifestation of Christ, in the 
 hearts of men, was ivholc God, Christ, or the Spirit, which might 
 render them guilty of that gross and blasphemous absurdity, some 
 would fasten upon them : But that God who is light, or the Word 
 Christ, who is light, styled the second Adam, the Lord from hea- 
 ven, and the Quickening Spirit, who is God over all, blessed for- 
 ever, hath enlightened mankind, ivith a measure of ssix'mg light; 
 Who said, I am the light of the world, and they that follow me, 
 ^hall not abide in darkness, but have the Light of Life. So that 
 the illumination is fiom God, or Christ the Divine Word ; but not 
 therefore that ivhole God or Christ is in every man, any more than 
 the whole sun or air, is in every house or chamber. There are 
 710 fuch harsh and iinscriptural words in their writings. It is only a 
 frightful perversion of some of their enemies, to bring an odium upon 
 their holy faith. Yet in a sense, the scriptures say it, and that is 
 their sense in which only they say the same thing. I will walk in 
 them and dwell in them. He that dwelleth with you shall be in you. 
 I will not leave you comfortless, I will come to you : I in them and 
 they in me ; Christ in us the hope of glory. Unless Christ be in you, 
 ve are reprobates. Little children of whom I travail again in birth, 
 until Christ be formed in you. Now if they who denied his coming 
 in the flesh, though high professing Jews, were to be accounted anti- 
 christs, because enemies to that appearance and dispensation of God 
 to men ; what must they be reputed, who as stiffly disown his inward, 
 nearer, and more spiritual coming, formation, and dominion in the 
 soul, which is to be sure, the higher and nobler knowledge of Christ ? 
 Yea, the mystery hid from ages, an<^^~iow revealed to God's people : 
 the riches of the glory of the mystery, which God reserved to be 
 made known to the Gentiles, of whose stock we are. Certainly 
 
275 
 
 though they are called christians they must be no whit less anti- 
 christs than those obstinate Jews of old that opposed his more visi- 
 ble and bodily appearance." Vol. ii. p. 780. 
 
 In his " Testimony to the Truth, &c." he thus speaks of the belief 
 of Friends in the Scriptures — 
 
 " Concerning the Holy Scriptures. Because we assert the Holy 
 Spirit to be the first, great, and general rule and guide of true chris- 
 tians, as that, by which God is worshipped, sin detected, conscience 
 convicted, duty manifested, scripture unfolded and explained, and 
 consequently the rule for understanding the Scriptui-es themselves, 
 (since by it, they were at first given forth ;) from hence our adversa- 
 ries are pleased to make us blasphemers of the Holy Scriptures, un- 
 dervaluing their authority, preferring our own books before them, 
 with more to that purpose : Wtiereas tve in truth and sincerity be- 
 lieve them to be of divine authority, given by the inspiration of God, 
 through holy men, they speaking or writing them, as they were 
 moved by the Holy Ghost : that they are a declaration of those things 
 most surely believed by the primitive christians, and that as 
 they contain the mind and will of God, and are his commands to us ; 
 so they in that respect are his declaratory ivord ; and therefore are 
 obligatory on us, and are projit able for doctrine, reproof, correction, 
 and instruction in righteousness, that the man of God, may be per- 
 fect, and thoroughly furnished to every good work. 
 
 " Nay, after all, so unjust is the charge, and so remote from our 
 belief, concerning the Holy Scriptures, that we both love, honour, 
 and prefer them, before all books in the world ; ever choosing to 
 express our belief of the christian faith and doctrine, in the terms 
 thereof, and rejecting all principles or doctrines whatsoever, that 
 are repugnant thereunto. 
 
 " Nevertheless we are well persuaded, that notwithstanding there 
 is such an excellency in the Holy Scriptures, as we have above de- 
 clared, yet the unstable, and unlearned in Christ's school, too often 
 wrest them to their own destruction. And upon our reflection on 
 their carnal constructions of them, we are made undervaluers of 
 Scripture itself. But certain it is, that as the Lord hath been 
 pleased to give us, the experience of the fulfilling of them in mea- 
 sure, so it is altogether contrary to our faith and practice to put any 
 manner of slight or contempt upon them, much more, of being guilty 
 of what maliciously is suggested against us ; since no society ^pro- 
 fessed christians in the world, can have a more reverent and honour- 
 able esteem for them than ice have ; John iv. 24. xvi. 8. Rom. i. 19, 
 Luke i. 1, 2. Tim. iii. 16. 17. 2 Pet. iii. l6."--Vol.ii. p. 878. 
 
276 
 
 GEORGE WHITEHEAD. 
 
 George Whitehead being questioned bj a priest as to his belief 
 in the Trinity, gives this reply : 
 
 " I answered him in terms of Holy Scriptures, viz : that I really 
 own and believe the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, are the 
 Three which bear record in Heaven ; the Father, the Word, and 
 the Holy Ghost : and these Three are One, according to the doc- 
 trine of John the Evangelist, 1st John v. 7." — W^orks, page 168. 
 1659. 
 
 " The Holy Scripture Trinity, or Three thereby meant, we never 
 questioned, but believed ; as also the unity of Essence; that they 
 are one substance, one Divine infinite being, and also we question 
 not, but sincerely believe, the relative properties of Father, Son, 
 and Holy Ghost, according to Holy Scripture testimony, Matt, 
 xxyiii. 19, and that these Three are One, 1st John v. 7." — Page 195. 
 
 In order that the diiFerent denominations of Protestants might 
 avail themselves of the benefit of the act of toleration, they were 
 obliged to subscribe to a declaration of their christian belief. The 
 form required by the committee of Parliament, not being agreeable 
 to Friends, they proposed a substitute ; George Whitehead, speak- 
 ing of the subject, says— 
 
 " Yet to prevent any such from being stumbled or ensnared by 
 some expressions in the aforesaid profession or creed, (which ap- 
 peai'ed unscriptural) in the said bill, we, instead thereof, did pro- 
 pose and humbly offer, as our own real belief of the Deity, of the 
 Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, viz : 'I profess faith in God the Fa- 
 ther, and in Jesus Christ his Eternal Son, the true God, and in the 
 Holy Spirit, one God blessed forever : and do acknowledge the Holy 
 Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, to be given by Divine 
 inspiration.' 
 
 " Which declaration, John Vaugliton and I, delivered to Sir Tho- 
 mas Clergis, who with some others, were desirous we should give 
 in such confession of our Christian belief, that we might not lie un- 
 der the unjust imputation of being no Christians, nor thereby be 
 deprived of the benefit of the intended law for our religious liber- 
 ty. We were therefore of necessity, put upon offering the said 
 confession, it being also our known professed principle, sincerely 
 to confess Christ, the Son of the living God, his divinity, and as he 
 is the eternal Word, and that the Three which bears record in Hea- 
 ven, the Father, the W^ord, and the Holy Ghost, are one ; one Di- 
 vine being, one God, blessed forever."— ^Page 635. 1689. 
 
 To the Question 1st, " Whether Jesus Christ hath a body, glori- 
 fied in the heavens, distant and distinct from the bodies of his 
 saints here below .^" George Whitehead answers — 
 
277 
 
 '• Answer. — Yea, as a glorified body is distinct from natural, or 
 earthy bodies, and heaven from the earth. 
 
 " Second. — Whether the blood that Jesus Christ shed at Jerusa 
 lem, is the blood that believers are justified by ? Or whether he 
 dies in men for their justification? 
 
 " Answer. — Both sanctification, forgiveness of sins, cleansing 
 from sin, and justification, are sometitnes ascribed to the blood of 
 Christ, and to the spirit of our God, and our Lord Jesus Christ; 
 which effects, works, and manifests the same in all true believers. 
 
 " But here are two questions put for one ; the first, appears not 
 a scriptural, or proper question ;. where does the Scripture use 
 those words, viz : ' the blood that Jesus Clmst shed .^' Seeing ' twas 
 by wicked hands, he was put to death, and his blood shed upon the 
 cross r Yet as the blood of Jesus Christ, is put for, or represents 
 his life, which he laid down, and even the offering and sacrifice of 
 himself at Jerusalem, thai was a most acceptable sacrifice and of a 
 sweet smelling savour to God, for mankind; respecting his great 
 dignity and obedience, who humbled himself even to the death of 
 the cross, and gave himself a ransom for all men, for a testimony in 
 due time ; and his sacrifice, mediation, and intercession, hath open- 
 ed a door of mercy for mankind to enter in at, through true repen- 
 tance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ, which 
 are wrought in man, (that obeys his call thereto) only by his grace 
 and good spirit unto sanctification and justification in the name and 
 power of our Lord Jesus Christ, who of God is made unto us, wis- 
 dom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. God's great 
 love toward mankind, was manifest, in his dear Son Jesus Christ, 
 and God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, not im- 
 puting their trespasses unto them, S Cor. v. 19. 
 
 " The latter question of the second, is groundless and perverse. 
 We know neither scripture, nor minister among us, that asserts 
 Clirist^s dying in men, for their justification, but that once he died, 
 that is, /or our sins, and rose again for our justification, and that/«e 
 ever lives to make intercession ; and death has no more dominion 
 over him. Christ Jesus lives and reigns forever in the power and 
 glory of the Father, although some are said to crucify to themselves 
 the Lord of life afresh, and to tread under foot the Son of God, 
 which cannot be taken properly in a literal sense, but by their 
 contempt of truth and doing despite to his spirit of grace, as some 
 malicious apostates have done, not to their justification, but condem- 
 nation. 
 
 " What any of us, or among us, have spoken or written of the 
 Seed or W^ord, which the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, sows in men's 
 hearts, and uf the same being oppressed, or suftering in some, or as 
 being choaked with worldly cares, and the love of riches in others, 
 &c. These and many such like expressions may have been used, 
 according to the parables, and similitudes, which Christ Jesus him- 
 self spake, relating to the kingdom of heaven, the wind, or seed of 
 life and grace, sown by him in men's hearts; and likewise of griev- 
 ing, vexing, and quenching his spirit in them, by their disobedience ; 
 and yet by all these never to intend or mean, that Christ himself 
 
278 
 
 propciiy dies in men lor their justification, although his spirit be 
 both grieved and quenched in many ; and many do lose the true 
 «cnse"of his living word in themselves, by suffering their souls' ene- 
 my, to draw out their minds from that Seed, that Word, that Light, 
 that Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ in them, which (in itself, in its 
 own being) never dies. The immortal Seed, the immortal Word, 
 is of an immortal being, though many be dead thereunto in their 
 trespasses and sins." — Pages 149, 150, 151. 
 
 '' And if God spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for 
 us all, how shall he not with him also, freely give us all things i*"— 
 Rom. viii. 32. 
 
 " Jesus Christ showed his own and heavenly Father's great love 
 to all men, as he is the Light of the world, and given for a light un- 
 to the gentiles, and to be God's salvation to the ends of the earth; 
 and also in his dying for all men ; by the grace of God tasting death 
 for every man ; giving himself a ransom for all men, and in making 
 intercession, both for transgressors and for the saints; also accord- 
 ing to the will of God, even in Heaven itself, he appears in the pre- 
 sence of God for us, and also by his holy spirit in all true believers : 
 his spirit maketh intercession, helpeth our infirmities, moves and as- 
 sists us in prayer. They who are sons of God, are sensible that he 
 hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into their hearts, crying, Abba, 
 Father. Galat. iv. 6. 
 
 *' The humility, mercy, and condescension, of Jesus Christ, our 
 blessed Mediator, are such that he is touched with a feeling of our 
 infirmities, weaknesses and temptations, and ready to succour, help, 
 and relieve all them that are tempted, even by his grace and good 
 spirit in (heir drawing near to the throne of his mercy and grace. 
 
 " faithful Creator, O King of Saints, O merciful High Priest, O 
 compassionate Mediator, let thy light and thy truth shine forth more 
 and more to the glory of thy great and excellent name and power, 
 and expel the great darkness of apostacy that has covered many 
 nations and proifessions of Christianity, and greatly appeared in these 
 latter times against (hy light, thy truth and people, whom thou hast 
 called and delivered out of darkness, into thy marvellous light. 
 Glory and dominion be to thy great name and power, forever and 
 ever."— Pages 211, 212. 1654. 
 
 " I always had a love to the bible, and to reading therein, from my 
 childhood, yet did not truly understand nor experience those doc- 
 trines essential to salvation, nor the new covenant dispensation, un- 
 til my mind was turned to the light of Christ, the living. Eternal 
 Word, the entrance whereof giveth light and understanding to the 
 simple. Yet I do confess it was some advantage to me frequently 
 to read the Holy Scriptures when I was ignorant, and did not under- 
 stand the great* and excellent things or matters therein testified of; 
 for when the Lord had livingly,in some measure, opened my under- 
 standing in the Holy Scripture, by my often reading the same be- 
 fore, having the better remembrance thereof, it was a help and ad- 
 vantage to my secret meditations, when a lively sense and comfort 
 of the scriptures was in measure given me by the spirit, and thereby 
 I was the more induced to the serious reading and consideration of 
 
279 
 
 what I read in the Holy Scriptures, and the comfort thereof made 
 known by the Holy Spirit enlightening the understanding: all the 
 promises of God, which are yea and amen in Christ Jesus, being truly 
 comfortable, when applied by the same spirit, for that will make no 
 wrong application thereof; that spirit will never apply peace to the 
 wicked, nor to persons living in their sins, nor tell the unjust that 
 they are just or righteous in God's sight. 
 
 " It is through faith, which is in Christ, that the Holy Scriptures are 
 said to make the man of God wise unto salvation, and profitable to 
 him, for doctrine, reproof, admonition, and instruction in righteous- 
 ness, that he maybe perfect, and thoroughly furnished in every good 
 word and work. Doubtless Paul esteemed Timothy's knowing the 
 Holy Scriptures from a child, to be some advantage and help to him, 
 but it was principally through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. 
 
 " These things considered, I would not have Christian parents re- 
 miss, in educating and causing their children to read the Holy Scrip- 
 tures, but to induce them, both to learn and frequentbj to read there- 
 in, (that is the bible.) It may be of real advantage and profitable 
 to them, when they come to have their understandings enlightened, 
 and to know the truth as it is in Christ Jesus." — Pages 15, 16. 
 
 *' Question 2. — Whether the scriptures be the rule to try doctrines 
 and spirits? 
 
 " Answer. — The Holy Scriptures are tridy owned and esteemed a 
 rule subordinate to the Holy Spirit, from which they were given 
 forth, and by the help of the same spirit, doctrines and spirits may 
 be tried ; but the spirit is the supreme, universal guide and rule, 
 which affords light and understanding to discern and try both spirits 
 and doctrine, to the truly spiritually minded; for discerning of spi- 
 rits is a spiritual gift of the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor. xii. 10." — Pages 190, 
 191. 
 
 " VVlien a person, fearing God and loving our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 in sincerity and truth, confesseth his or her real belief", faith or hope, 
 in terms of Holy Scripture, it is sufficient; whether it be of the suf- 
 fering, death, resurrection or ascension, of our Lord Jesus Christ 
 into heaven and glory, or of his body being spiritual and glorious in 
 heaven. And as the saints being spiritually united to him are his 
 church and body also, and esteemed mystical, while here on earth, so 
 their low or humble body shall be changed and fashioned like unto 
 his glorious body: and of the resurrection of the dead, both of t!ie 
 just and unjust, and of eternal judgment, according to Holy Scrip- 
 ture; 1 say, whosoever, fearing God, or friends of truth, are at any 
 time questioned about these things, it will be sufficient and ought to 
 be satisfactory, to answer them in plain scripture language, and keep 
 to the same : and / ivotdd advise all Friends to keep to the ivords, 
 terms, language, and doctkine of Holy Scripture, and not to be 
 wheedled or drawn from the same, nor siijfer themselves to be im- 
 pospd «;;c»», either with unscriptural terms or unlearned questions, by 
 any contentious or carping adversaries, whatsoever. For foolish and 
 sinlearned questions, as well as profane and vain babbling, must be 
 avoided."— Pages 183, 184. 
 
280 
 
 ISAAC PENNINGTON. 
 
 In " An Epistle to all serious professors," he has these remarks ; 
 
 " The first is concerning the Godhead, which we own as the 
 scriptures express it, and as we have the sensible, experimental 
 knowledge of it. In which there are Three that bear record in hea- 
 ven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit, and these Three 
 are One, 1st John v. 7. This I believe from my heart, and have in- 
 fallible demonstrations of; for I know Three, and feel Three in 
 Spirit, even an Eternal Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, which are 
 but one Eternal God. And I feel them, also One, and have fellow- 
 ship with them, through the tender mercy of the Lord, in their life, 
 and in their redeeming power. And here I lie low before the Lord 
 in the sensible life, not desiring to know and comprehend notion- 
 ally ; but to feel the thing inwardly, truly, sensibly, and effectual- 
 ly ; yea, indeed, this is to me far beyond what I formerly knew 
 notionally concerning them, and I cannot but invite others hither. 
 
 " Now consider seriously, if a man from his heart believe thus 
 concerning the eternal power and Godhead ; that the Father is God, 
 the Word God, the Holy Spirit God ; and that these are one 
 Eternal God, waiting so to know God, and to be subject to him ac- 
 cordingly ; is not this man in a right frame of heart towards the 
 Lord, in this respect ? Indeed, friends, we do know God sensibly 
 and experimentally, to be a Father, Word, and Spirit, and we wor- 
 ship the Father in the Son by his own Spirit, and here meet with 
 the seal of acceptance with him. Nor would we contend with you 
 about your crimes in this respect, but that ye provoke us thereunto, 
 in laying to our charge, as if we denied the thing; whereas we do 
 not, nor can deny the expressions which the scripture useth, nor 
 our own sense and experience concerning the thing. I pray let 
 this suffice and let us all strive to know God and his Son Jesus 
 Christ, in his life, spirit, and power, wherein is unity and true de- 
 monstration, and not contend about such expressions concerning 
 things, as are beside the scriptures. For would not ye yourselves 
 think it hard, (I mean, such of you, as read the scriptures serious- 
 ly, desiring to understand and observe what is written therein,) to 
 have a belief of things imposed on you, otherwise than is there 
 written, and otherwise than ye have the sense, knowledge and ex- 
 perience of them from the Lord ? 
 
 " The second is concerning the offering of the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 without the gates of Jerusalem. I do exceedingly honour and es- 
 teem that offering, believing it had relation to the sins of the whole 
 world, and was a propitiatory sacrifice to the Father, therefor. And 
 surely he that is redeemed out of the world, up to God, by Christ, 
 cannot deny thai Christ was his ^aiisom, and that he was bought 
 
281 
 
 with a price, and therefore is to glorify God, with his body aad spi- 
 rit which are God's, 1st Cor. vi. 20. And saith the apostle Peter, 
 ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as sil- 
 ver and gold from your vain conversation, &c. but with the precious 
 blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot, 1st 
 Pet. i. 18, 19, who so offered himself up to God through the Eter- 
 nal Spirit, Heb ix. 14. This we do own singly and nakedly, as in 
 the sight of the Lord ; though I must confess we do not lay the sole 
 stress upon that which is outward and visible, (though we truly and 
 fully acknowledge it, in its place,) but upon that which is inward 
 and invisible ; upon the inward life, the inward power, the Spirit 
 within; knowing and experiencing daily, that that is it, which doth 
 the work. The outward flesh is not the meat indeed, nor the out- 
 ward blood the drink indeed, but it is the spirit, the life, the sub- 
 stance, which the birth that is born of the Spirit feeds upon and 
 lives by. Oh ! consider seriously, and wait on the Lord rightly to 
 understand that scripture, John vi. 63. It is the Spirit that quick- 
 eneth, the flesh profiteth nothiug; the words that I speak unto 
 you, they are Spirit and they are life. What doth this scripture 
 lay the stress upon? Is it not upon the quickening spirit, and the 
 words which the quickening spirit speaketh to the soul, which are 
 living, and give life to those that hear them ? ' Hear and your soul 
 shall live !' Hear his voice who giveth life and your souls shall live 
 by him ; but can any one live without hearing the voice of him, who 
 alone is able to quicken and raise the soul from death and out of 
 the grave of sin ?" — Vol iv. pages 450, 452. 
 
 In his treatise entitled, " The flesh and blood of Christ, &c." af- 
 ter speaking largely, of that mystical body and blood of Christ, 
 which the saints feed upon, and asserting the necessity of a parti- 
 cipation in it, he adds — 
 
 " Now as touching the outward which ye say we deny, because of 
 our testimony to the inward, I have frequently given a most solemn 
 testimony thereto; and God knoweth it to be the truth of my heart; 
 and that the testifying to the inward, (from which the outward came,) 
 doth not make the outward void, but rather establish it, in its 
 place and service. God himself who knew what virtue was in the 
 inward, yet hath pleased to make use of the outward, and who may 
 contradict or slight his wisdom and counsel therein ? Glorious was 
 the appearance and manifestation of his Son in flesh, precious 
 his subjection and holy obedience to his Father ; his giving himself 
 up to death for sinners was of great esteem in his eye ! It was a 
 spotless sacrifice of great value, and effectual for the remission of 
 sins : and I do acknowledge humbly unto the Lord the remission 
 of my sins thereby, and bless the Lord for it ; even for giving up his 
 Son to death for us all, and giving all that believe in his name and 
 power, to partake of remission through him." — Vol. iii. p. 415. 
 
 " In the postscript to a work entitled ' Remarks upon some pas- 
 sages in a book, entitled Antichrist's transformations within, &c.' 
 we find the following, viz : 
 
 " First, As to his main controversy with Friends about the Christ 
 that died at Jerusalem, he affirming that neither justification nor 
 
 Kn 
 
2^2 
 
 condemnation is by him, and reproaching Friends as having gone 
 back to the professors' Christ and Saviour, who died without the 
 gates oF Jetusaleoi ; this is in my heart to say — 
 
 " Is Christ divided ? Is there one Christ that died without the 
 gates of Jerusalem, and another that did not die? Or is it not the 
 same Lord Jesus Christ who died without the gates of Jerusalem, 
 according to the flesh, and yet was then alive in the Spirit? Do we 
 affirm that the Godhead died? (No — we do not so much as affirm 
 that his soul died, as he doth page 19,) but according to the flesh he 
 died ; that is, he who was the resurrection and the life, laid down his 
 life, and took it up again according to the commandment of his Father. 
 
 " Thus we have been taught of God to believe, and thus to hold it 
 forth. And we have no other Justifier, Condemner, Saviour, or In- 
 tercessor than HE that laid down the life of the body, ottering it up 
 a sacrifice to his Father without the gates of Jerusalem. ' Who is 
 he that justifieth ?' Is it not God, in and through him ? * And who is 
 he that condemneth ?' lis it not ' Christ that died ?' And where did he 
 die? Was it not without the gates of Jerusalem? ' Yea, rather that 
 is risen again,' &c. Rom. viii. 33, 34." — Vol. iv. page 570. 
 
 In an essay entitled, " A Visit of Tender and Upright Love," &c. 
 he says — 
 
 " We do indeed really, heartily, singly as in God's sight, own the 
 scriptures; the Scriptures written by the prophets and holy men of 
 God under the law; the scriptures written by the evangelists and 
 apostles in the time of the gospel; and we read them with delight 
 and joy, and would draw no man, from a right reading of them to 
 the benefit of his soul ; but only from giving their own judgments on 
 them without the Spirit of God ; lest in so doing, they wrest them to 
 their own destruction. 
 
 "This is that which the Lord hath drawn us from, and which we 
 know it would also be profitable to others, to be drawn from too; to 
 wit, from imagining, and guessing at the meaning of scriptures, and 
 interpreting them, without the opening of that Spirit from which 
 they were given forth ; for they who so do, feed that part, (with a 
 gathered knowledge) which should be famished, die, and perish, that 
 another thing might come to live in them, and they in it." — Vol. iii. 
 page 184. 
 
 RICHARD CLARIDGE, 
 
 In his essay on the doctrine of" Christ's satisfaction," says — 
 " And as we distinguish between a scripture Trinity, Father, Son, 
 and Holy Ghost, which we unfeignedly believe; and that humanly 
 devised trinity of three distinct and separate persons, which we re- 
 ceive not, because the Holy Scriptures make no mention of it: So 
 ■we distinguish between scripture redemption and the vulgar doctrine 
 of satisfaction. The first we receive, the second we reject." — Page 
 423. 
 
283 
 
 He then proceeds to show the unfairness of Francis Bugg, in his 
 accusations against Friends, for which see pages 35, 38, and 39, of 
 this book. After stating the doctrine of rigid satisfaction, as held 
 by some professors of that day, and ably refuting it, from sound scrip- 
 ture arguments, he declares the belief of Friends, concerning Christ 
 Jesus and his sufferings, in the following words — 
 
 " We do believe that he suffered under Pontius Pilate, was cruci- 
 fied dead and buried, that he is the propitiation for our sins, and not 
 for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world, 1 John ii. 2. 
 That it is through his blood that we have redemption, even the for- 
 giveness of sins. Col. i. 14. We do believe that as he was delivered 
 for our offences, so he vvas raised again for our justification, Kom. iv. 
 25, and ever liveth to make intercession for us, Heb. vii. 25. W^e do 
 also believe, that he was and is, both God and man, in wonderful 
 union, not a God by creation or office, as some hold ; nor man by the 
 assumption of an human body only, without a reasonable soul, as 
 others; nor that the manhood was swallowed up of the Godhead, as 
 a third sort grossly fancy : But God uncreated, see John i. 1, 2, 3; 
 Col. i. 17; Heb. i.'s, 10, 12. The true God, 1 John v. 20. The great 
 God, Tit. ii. 13. The Lord of glory, James ii. 1. King of kings, 
 and Lord of Lords, Rev. xix. 16, Which is, and which was, and 
 which is to couie, the Almighty, Rev. i, 8. The same yesterday, to- 
 day, and forever, Heb. xiii. 8. And man conceived by the Holy 
 Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary, see Luke i. 31, 35. Who suf- 
 fered for our salvation. Halh given himself for us, an offering and 
 a sacrifice to God, for a sweet smelling savour, Eph. v. 2. And by 
 his own blood he entered in once, into the holy place, having obtain- 
 ed, or found, as the word signifies, eternal redemption for us, Heb. 
 ix. 12. It was (see 1 Tim. ii. 5.) the Man Christ Jesus, the one 
 Mediator between God and men, that vvas conceived, born, suffered, 
 died, and gave himself a ransom for all ; for through the Eternal Spi- 
 rit, he offered himself without spot to God, Heb. ix. 14. Though by 
 •wicked hands he was crucified and slain, Acts ii. 23. And in the 
 offering of himself, he was a true and real sacrifice and propitiation 
 for sin, acceptable and satisfactory to God. But he was not a sinner 
 or reputed by God as such ; for the apostle saith expressly. That he 
 knew no sin, 1 Cor. v. 21. was without sin, Heb. iv. 15. was holy, 
 harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, Heb. vii. 26. But it was 
 by wicked men, that esteemed and condemned him, the Just and 
 Holy One, as a sinner, and numbered him with the transgressors, 
 Isaiah liii. 12."— Pages 441—443. 
 
 He then cites the testimony of some protestant writers, to show 
 that Christ did not so take the sinner's guilt upon him, as to suffer 
 the very same eternal punishment that is due to the wicked, and then 
 adds : — 
 
 " As it was the main design of Christ's life, doctrine, and miracles, 
 to call men to repentance, faith, and obedience; so it was also the 
 great end of his sufferings and death, to accomplish the same glo- 
 rious design. For he gave himself f'-r our sins, that he might deliver 
 us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our 
 Father, Galat. i. 4. He loved the church and gave himself for it ; 
 
284 
 
 (hat he niigiit sanctify and cleanse it, with the washing of water, by 
 the Word ; that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not 
 having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing: but that it should be holy 
 and without blemish. Eph. v. 25, 26, 27. He gave himself for us 
 that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself 
 a peculiar people, zealous of good works, Tit. ii. 14. This was a 
 principal end of liis giving of himself for us, or offering himself a sacri- 
 fice of propitiation for the sins of mankind. For he died for all, that 
 they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto 
 him which died for them, and rose again, 2 Cor. v. 15. This is the 
 argument that the apostle much insisted upon, and for the further 
 enforcing of it, I shall mention but two places more ; Ye are bought, 
 saith he, with a price, therefore glorify God in your body, and in your 
 spirit which are God's, 1 Cor. vi. 20. And you that were sometimes 
 alienated, .-^nd enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath 
 he reconciled, in the body of his flesh through death, to present 
 you holy, and unblameable, and unreproveable in his sight, Col. i. 
 21, 22."— page 444, 445. 
 
 In stating the belief of Friends on the subject of justification, in 
 an argumemt which he had with an Antinomian Baptist, he says : 
 
 " In a word, if justification be considered in its full and just lati- 
 tude, neither Christ's work without us, in the prepared body, nor his 
 work within us, by his holy spirit, are to be excluded ; for both have 
 their place and service in our complete and absolute justification. 
 
 " By the propitiatory sacrifice of Christ without us, we, truly re- 
 penting and believing, are, through the mercy of God, justified from 
 the imputations of sins and transgressions, that are past, as though 
 they had never been committed ; and by the mighty work of Christ 
 within us, the power, nature, and habits of sin are destroyed, that as 
 sin once reigned unto death, even so now grace reigneth, through 
 righteousness, unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. And all 
 this is effected, not by a bare or naked act of faith, separate from 
 obedience; but in the obedience of faith, Christ being the author 
 of eternal salvation to none but those that obeyjiim." — page 79. 1699. 
 
 The following is the preamble to his last will, dated the 18th of 
 the month called April, 1723, viz: 
 
 " Forasmuch as all men, the Man Christ Jesus excepted, have 
 sinned and come short of the glory of God, and there is none other 
 name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved, 
 but that of Jesus Christ, who was delivered for our offences, and was 
 raised again for our justification, and is able to save them unto the 
 uttermost, that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make 
 intercession for them: My faith and hope are in God alone, for the 
 free and full remission of all my transgressions, through sanctifica- 
 tion of the spirit unto obedience, and sprinkling of the blood of Je- 
 sus Christ, who is the Word, the Light, the Way, the Truth, and the 
 Life, the one Mediator and Advocate with the Father, and the pro- 
 pitiation for my sins, and not for my sins only, but also for the sins 
 of the whole world ; that being thoroughly washed, sanctified, and 
 justified in his name, and by the spirit of my God, I may be received 
 into that everlastingly glorious rest, which he hath prepared for his 
 
285 
 
 people, not for any works of righteousness which I have done, bu( 
 according to the exceeding riches of" his free grace and mercy, in and 
 through Christ Jesus, the Son of his infinite love, into whose hands 
 I humbly commend my immortal spirit, earnestly and fervently be- 
 seeching him, to keep me by his power, through faith, in love to him 
 above all, and to my neighbour as myself, walking, through the as- 
 si.stance of his grace in righteousness and holiness, before him all 
 the days of mine appointed time here upon earth, waiting in pa- 
 tience and resignation to his holy will, and watching and praying al- 
 ways, with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, that my soul 
 maybe ready, through his preparing power whensoever my earthly 
 house of this tabernacle shall be dissolved, to enter into that build- 
 ing of God, the house not made with hands, eternal in the Hea- 
 vens. 
 
 '♦ My body I commit to the earth, froni whence it was taken, be- 
 lieving that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust." 
 —Pages 331,332. 
 
 In his " Treatise of the Holy Scriptures," he thus states the faith 
 of the Society of Friends respecting them, viz : 
 
 *' We doifincerely and unfeignedly believe the following proposi- 
 tions : 
 
 " 1. That the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, 
 were not of any men's private setting forth, but were given by inspi- 
 ration of God. 
 
 " 2. That they do contain a clear and sufficient declaration of all 
 doctrines, in common to be believed, in order to eternal life and sal- 
 vation. 
 
 " 3. That the Holy Scriptures are the best outward rule and stan- 
 dard of doctrine and practice. 
 
 " 4. That whatsoever either doctrine or practice, though under 
 pretensions to the immediate dictates and teachings of the spirit, is 
 contrary to the Holy Scriptures, ought to be rejected and disowned, 
 as false and erroneous: For ' whatsoever is not read therein, nor may 
 be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man, that it should 
 be believed as an Article of Faith.' — See Art. vi. of the Church of 
 England. 
 
 " 5. That the Holy Scriptures contain the sayings or words of 
 God, are divine writings, which claim the precedency of all others; 
 and we do esteem them as such ourselves, and under this character re- 
 commend them to others. 
 
 " 6. That there ever was, and is, a most sweet concord and har- 
 mony between the teachings of the Spirit, and the testimony of the 
 Holy Scriptures; and that there is no inconsistency or contradiction 
 between the one and the other, notwithstanding that great diversity 
 of men's opinions and sentiments, under the profession of christian- 
 ty. For we do believe, that if pride, prejudice, and self-interest 
 were laid aside, and men v/ould, in humility of mind, sincerity of heart, 
 and abasement of self, wait upon the Lord for the teachings of his 
 spirit, they would be taught by him the very truth, as it is in Jesus, 
 and come to know that blessed and heavenly unity in the things of 
 
286 
 
 God, from vv hich tiiey now are so divided and subdivided both among 
 themselves and in opposition to one another, 
 
 " 7. That, thoug,h the manifestation of the spirit, is given to eve- 
 ry nian,botl) Jew and Gentile, to profit withal, and the grace of God 
 which bringeth salvation, hath appeared unto all men, so that all 
 have means sufficient afforded them for tl^eir present and eternal 
 welfare, if they neglect not the means, nor slight the day of God's 
 gracious visitation; yet it is a great mercy to us, and all those that 
 make a right use of it, that it hath pleased God to afford unto us the 
 Holy Scriptures, whicii he hath withheld from many others: And 
 we do believe, that having the advantage of the Holy Scriptures, 
 more is required of us, than of those to whom they are not com- 
 municated ; for, to whom much is given, from them much is requi- 
 red. 
 
 " 8, That as the Holy Scriptures have God alone for their author, 
 so the spirit of God alone is their certain and infallible interpreter. 
 For except the spirit which he hath promised, and we ought to wait 
 for, expound them to us, we can never spiritually or savingly under- 
 stand or apply them. The certain knowledge, therefore, and under- 
 standing of them, must be waited for, of the same spiiit by which 
 they were dictated and committed to writing." 
 
 EDWARD BURROUGH. 
 
 In an essay entitled " Satan's design defeated, &,c." we find 
 the follovi'ing accusations and replies — viz. 
 
 " They [the Quakers] do deny the doctrine of the Trinity, and 
 that Christ is God and man in one person. 
 
 " Answer. As for the word Trinity, it is invented and he hath 
 learnt it out of the mass book, or common prayer book, hut wt own 
 the doctrine of the Gospel of Christ, that Christ is God, mid the Spi- 
 rit is God ; and there are Three that bear record, the Father, Son 
 and Spirit, and these are one, but God and the Spirit are not per- 
 sons, but infinite beings, and the Scripture nowhere in true trans- 
 lations expresseth God under the name person, for person is too 
 carnal to express God, and Christ, and the Spirit by : But God was 
 in Christ reconciling the world, and this we believe and acknowledge 
 according to the Scriptures; but for this word, " doctrine of the 
 Trinity," the Scriptures know no such word, but the truth toe own, 
 and the Gospel, and the Scriptures too.''^ 
 
 " They hold that Jesus Christ died only signally, or exemplarily, 
 and that we are justified by the suffering of Christ in us ; and to be 
 healed by his stripes, is to be stripped off or from sin. 
 
 " Answer. Jesus Christ died, and rose again, and ascended ac- 
 cording to the Scriptures, this we do believe : And Christ was and 
 is the substance, the end of all signs and examples, yet was he an 
 
287 
 
 Example to the Saints ; and the apostle exhorted to walk as they 
 had Christ for an example ; and while he was in the world, he did, 
 and spoke and acted many things, as parables, signs and examples, the 
 substance of which is to be received in the Saints, and known by 
 them through the Spirit ; and we believe saints are justified by Christ, 
 and tkrough faith in Him, which was and is and is to come, who is 
 blessed forever j and none are justified by his death and suffering 
 and blood without them, but who witness Christ within them ; for 
 all are reprobates and to be condemned, and cannot be justified, that 
 have not Christ in them ; as thou mayst read, except Christ be in 
 you, you are reprobates, and all that believe in Christ and receive 
 him, they are healed through his sufferings and stripes ; for he sanc- 
 tifies them, and gives them remission of sin, and justifies them, and 
 in him, the saints are complete, and the new man, the regenerate, 
 is justified ; and the old man is in the degeneration, and knows not 
 Christ in him, and hath not received him, but only heard of him with- 
 out him, and believes the relation : but this faith doth not justify; 
 for all the false christians upon earth have this faith : but that faith 
 alone justifies which gives to receive Christ, and him to live in us, 
 and to dwell in us by that faith. 
 
 " They utterly renounce the doctrine of Justification, by the im- 
 putation of the righteousness of Christ, or by the obedience he per- 
 formed, or sufterings he sustained or underwent, in his own per- 
 son without us. 
 
 " Answer. This is partly true, and partly a lie. We do indeed 
 renounce the profession of Justification, by the imputation of Christ 
 or his righteousness performed without men, by men while they arc 
 in the degenerated estate, and unconverted, and unreconciled, and un- 
 born again, for by such profession of justification, many deceive 
 their souls : but yet, we say, that righteousness is imputed to us, 
 and reckoned unto us, who believe in Christy and have received him ; 
 even the obedience and sufferings, that he performed withotit us, is 
 ours, who have received him within us, and witnesseth, Christ in us, 
 and therefore we are not reprobates ; yet we do acknowledge, he 
 wrought perfect righteousness by obedience, and sufferings without 
 us, and that righteousness is ours, by faith ; which faith, hath recei- 
 ved Christ to dwell in us ; and he and his righteousness, his obedi- 
 ence and sufferings, we enjoy in us, in spirit; if any can receive it, 
 let them ; for that he wrought righteousness, this is acknowledged : 
 but who have a part in this righteousness, that is disputable." — 
 Page 515, 516—1659. 
 
 The Quakers hold, " That the Holy Scriptures are not the word 
 of God, nor the saints' rule of faith and life, neither is it the duty 
 of every one to search them. 
 
 " Answer. Tiie Holy Scriptures that were given forth by the 
 Spirit of the I^ord, as holy men of God were moved, they 
 are the words of God, and a declaration and a treatise, Luke i. 
 1. and that which the saints had handled and tasted of the word 
 of life, that they declared forth in words and writings. Acts i. 1. 
 and the Scriptures as they were given forth by the Spirit of God, 
 are are a true declaration of what is to be believed wid practised, in 
 
288 
 
 relation to eternal salvation : It is a true testimony concerning God 
 and his mighty works, and of truth and righteousness ; and it is a 
 testimony also of the devil, and what he is, and of his deceits and 
 errors, and unrighteousness : So the Scriptures are words given 
 forth by the Spirit, but Christ is the Word, that was before the 
 Scriptures were, for in the beginning was the Word of God, and 
 the world was made by it, and the Word shall endure forever, and 
 Christ's name is called the Word of God : And though the Scrip- 
 tures are profitable, and were given forth to be read, and to be ful- 
 filled, yet they are not the rule and guide of faith and life unto the 
 Saints, but the Spirit of God, that gave forth the .Scriptures, that is 
 the rule and guide, the teacher and leader into all truth ; and them 
 that are led by the Spirit of God, are the sons of God ; and if you 
 walk in the spirit, saith the apostle, you shall live, and as many as 
 walk according to this (to wit, of the spirit) peace is upon them ; and 
 so the Spirit of God is the rule of the saint's faith and life ; and the 
 spirit leads them to walk in the fidjilling of the Scriptures, and ac- 
 cording to thetn.''^ — Page 514 — 1659. 
 
 In " Adeclaration to all the world of our faith, and whatwebelieve 
 who are called Quakers," published in 1658, we find the following— 
 
 " Again, concerning Christ we believe, that he is one with the 
 Father, and was with him before the world was ; and what the Fa- 
 ther worketh it is by the Son, for he is the Arm of God's salvation 
 and the very power and wisdom of the Creator, and was, is, and 
 is to come, without beginning or end. 
 
 And, we believe. That all the prophets gave testimony of him, 
 and that he was made manifest, in Judea and Jerusalem, and did 
 the work of the Father, and was persecuted of the Jews, and was 
 crucified by his enemies, and that he was buried, and rose again, 
 according to the Scriptures. 
 
 " And we believe. He is now ascended on high, and exalted at 
 the right hand of the Father for evermore ; and that he is glorified 
 with the same glory, that he had before the world was, and that 
 even the same that came down from heaven is ascended up to hea- 
 ven, and the same that descended is he that ascended. 
 
 " And we believe, even that He that was dead, is alive, and lives 
 for evermore, and that he cometh, and shall come again, to judge the 
 whole world with righteousness, and all people with equity, and 
 shall give to every man according to his deeds, at the day of judg- 
 ment, when all shall arise to condemnation or justification ; he that 
 hath done good shall receive life, and he that hath done evil, ever- 
 lasting condemnation. 
 
 " And we believe. He is to be waited for in spirit, to be known 
 after the spirit, as he was before the world was, and that is the know- 
 ledge unto eternal life, which all that believe in him do receive, 
 he subdues death, and destroys him that hath the power of it, and 
 and restoreth from death to life, and quickeneth by his Spirit, all 
 that tlie Father hath given him : And we believe such he justifieth 
 and sanctifieth, and such are taught of him ; but he condemns all 
 that believe not, but continue in unbelief, and are not taught of him. 
 And this we faithfully believe. — Page 440. 
 
289 
 
 FRANCIS HOWGILL. 
 
 In an Essay entitled " The Heart of New England hardened," 
 replying to one who had misrepresented the Society of Friends, he 
 says — 
 
 " First, Concerning the Trinity, thou sayest ' they confess the 
 Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and yet they deny the Trinity, and 
 those to be three distinct persons ;' for confutation of this, thou 
 bringest Heb. i. & iii. He is the express image of his Father's 
 person. 
 
 " Thy Trinity is an old popish term, and we love to keep to 
 sound words ; but by Trinity, I suppose thou meanest three, and 
 thy own words shall confute thee. Thou confessest we say, there 
 is Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and yet but one God, or one 
 eternal being or substance, in which they all subsist; but thy word 
 ' distinct' is thy own, and not the Spirit's, yet, to distinguish be- 
 twixt Father, Son, and Spirit, we deny not ; and as for Heb. i. it 
 is in another translation rendered, the express image of his sub- 
 stance ; for person is too gross a word, as to express an eternal and 
 Divine Being in ; and if tTiou dost hold three distinct substances, 
 thou errestin tliy judgment, for that were to make three Gods." 
 
 " Secondly, They deny Christ to be God and man in one person, 
 and Christ to be a distinct person from the Father, and they ac- 
 knowledge such a Christ, as unchrists Christ; and when they say, 
 Christ manifest in the flesh, they mean not as the scripture, but 
 fallaciously." 
 
 " Answer. — We say, according to the Scripture of Truth, and not 
 according to thy fallacy, that in the man, Christ, did the fulness of 
 the Godhead dwell, and God was in Christ, reconciling the world 
 unto himself, and he saith, I and my Father are one, and the Fa- 
 ther, the Son, and the Spirit, subsist in one Eternal Power, 
 Life and Glory, which thou with all thy stupid generation, are igno- 
 rant of, and that Christ we acknowledge, is such a Christ as is able 
 to save to the utmost, them that come unto him, and receive him, 
 and believe in him ; and is such a Christ as is able to raise them 
 that have been dead, and such a Christ giveth eternal life to 
 them that believe ; and so that Christ that we own, doth not un - 
 christ Christ, but by your doctrine, who plead imperfection, and the 
 continuation thereof, and a continuation in sin for term of life, as 
 one of thy ovvn said, * Siti will dwell in the house, 'til the house 
 be pulled down,' speaking of the natural bo-iy, which some other 
 of thy own generation have called, the body of Sin ; and so it is you 
 that hold such a Christ as unchrists the true Christ, in thy own 
 words; and when didst thou enter into our thoughts, and into our 
 heart, or with what dost thou search, that thou sittest as judge over 
 
 Oo 
 
290 
 
 the heart, who knowest not judgment in thyself, nor what spirit 
 thou art of, and so thy lies and deceit are turned upon thee. 
 "When we say, Christ manifest in the flfsh, we say that holy thing 
 which was brought forth, and born of a virgin, and conceived of 
 the Holy Ghost, in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwells, in 
 w horn the eternal power of the Father was manifested, that he was 
 the Christ which was manifested in the flesh and justified in the 
 spirit, preached among the Gentiles, seen of angels, and received 
 up into glory, and this is according to the Scripture of Truth, and 
 thyjudgmentraust be judged." — Page SOS, 304. 1659. 
 
 In a treatise entitled " The True Rule, Judge, and Guide of the 
 True Church Discovered," we find these observations, viz : 
 
 " Thirdly, The Scriptures testify of Christ, and were written 
 that they might be believed, and received, and read, that thereby 
 every one that believed, might be made wise to salvation, through 
 faith in Christ Jesus, 2 Tim. iii, and instructed in righteousness, 
 that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished with all 
 good works ; and whosoever doth teach any doctrines, contrary un- 
 to the holy men ot God, who spake as they were moved by the Spi- 
 rit of God, which dwelt in them ; the scriptures are witnesses 
 against such, that they have not the Spirit oi God, but are led by 
 another spirit, which brings forth contrary doctrine, and another 
 faith, than was once delivered among the saints ; and whosoever 
 brings in, sets up other precepts, constitutions, orders, and prac- 
 tices, in point of worship in opposition and contrary unto those 
 practices, which were held forth in the primitive times, and wotdd 
 set up other traditions than the apostles delivered, either by word 
 or writing, such are manifest to have the spirit of error, and are in- 
 novators, and bringers in, of other things as necessary in point of 
 worship among Christians, which the apostles and ministers of 
 Christ, did not see necessary then, and yet they wanted no part of 
 the counsel of God ; for Paul said, he had declared the whole coun- 
 sel ot God ; and furthermore they said, we have the mind of Christ, 
 and Christ's mind is not variable. 
 
 " Fourthly, Though divers of the writings of the prophets and 
 apostles be lost, doubtless, as is evident by divers places of scrip- 
 ture; yet blessed be God that there are those preserved which do 
 hear witness of the one thing absolutely necessary unto salvation ; 
 and of the ministrations that were appointed of the Lord, for the 
 church of God to observe, both in the first and second covenants ; 
 so that Christians of this last age are not left without example and 
 precedent, which all ought to have an eye unto; and a diligent re- 
 gard ; and though there be divers copies of that which is called the 
 original tongue, and divers translations, yet he unto whom the spi- 
 rit of God is given, and waiteth in the measure of Christ's light, 
 shall receive it; doth see, and shall see the mind and will of God 
 in every age, and the mind and intent of the Spirit in them that 
 spoke forth the Scripture, and can receive the matter therein con- 
 tained, as though they had heard them speak that spoke it at the 
 first; and though the' translators were men, yet 1 have such an ho- 
 nourable esteem of their labour, that I believe they have not varied 
 
291 
 
 v/ittingly and willingly from the best copies, that were extant in 
 their age, neither that they were altogether void of the Spirit of 
 God in such a good work, which conduced to the benefit of man- 
 kind, but were assisted by it for so good work ; and there be many 
 figures and tropes, improprieties of speech, mysteries and difficul- 
 ties, yet all these come to be made easy and plain to them that are 
 witnesses of the same spirit that gave them forth ; and though there 
 be diversity of judgments, and professions of religion, one clashing 
 against another, thwarting and contradicting another, and all will 
 seem to bring the scripture for their proof, which yet cannot main- 
 tain and prove every thing good, especially when their doctrmes con- 
 tradict one another ; tliis is granted, it is only their private interpre- 
 tation^ and not the scripture ; and for want of that spirit that gave it 
 forth, for that alone, gives the true understanding of it; and they 
 that are without this, are like to kill one another, about words and 
 names, sounds, titles and iotas, but still want the key that opens, 
 and gives an entrance into the knowledge of the things of God, which 
 alone is the spirit of God that gave forth the scriptures." — Pages 636, 
 6S7. 1665. 
 
 GEORGE FOX, THE YOUNGER, 
 
 [n his works, page 51, saya, " But further, in the fear and wisdom 
 of God, for the satisfaction of the simple, I do declare, in plain word, 
 that I do believe in the true Christ, the Lord of Life, who was glo- 
 rified with the Father before the world began, and I do believe that 
 he was in due time made manifest in that body of flesh, who was call- 
 ed Jesus, and that in him the fulness of the Godhead dwelt bodily, 
 who was supposed to be tlie carpenter's sou, whom the Jews crucified 
 without the gates of Jerusalem ; and I have remission of sins through 
 his blood, who is the Lord of liife, and he was buried, but he is risen, 
 and ascended and sits on the right hand of the Majesty on high ; this is 
 the Christ I own, who also was and is crucified in Sodom and figypt, 
 by tlie rebellious ; yea, he is crucified afresh, and put to open shame 
 now, by those that trample the blood of the covenant, the Light of 
 Life, under their feet, and count it an unholy, or a natural thing, 
 and such act despitefully against the spirit of grace; and such mur- 
 der the seed which keeps the commands of God ; and such will God, 
 the Light, overthrow and burn to ashes, as he did Sodom and Gomor- 
 rah ; but all that love and obey the true light, (which is the fire,) shall 
 be saved and preserved by it, and shall remain unhurt ; but all that 
 hate and disobey the light in them, that is their condemnation, the 
 liight." 
 
 From a piece entitled " A message of tender love unto such pro- 
 fessors as have attained any true sincerity, simplicity, and zeal for 
 God, in their professions," &c. we extract the following: 
 
 " Friends, the Eternal Being, which giveth being to all his crea- 
 
292 
 
 tures, hath largely manifested his love unto the world, in giving his 
 Only Begotten to be the Light of the world, (who doth enlighten eve- 
 ry one that cometh into the world, that all through him might be- 
 lieve,) and inasmuch as he, in the fulness of time, sent forth his Only 
 Begotten, (full of grace and truth,) into the world, in a body which 
 he hath prepared him, therein to do his will, which body the only be- 
 gotten of the Father freely gave and offered up for a sacrifice for sin, 
 and so, according to his grace, he tasted death for every man, and by 
 his offering himself once for all, he hath put an end to all the sacri- 
 fices and offerings mentioned in the law, which could not make the 
 comers thereunto perfect, (nor those that offered them,) as apper- 
 taining to the conscience : so Christ, the one offering, is become the 
 propitiation for the sins of the ivhole world, who wrought eternal 
 salvation for all them that obey him : and here is the one offering 
 which perfects forever them that are sanctified. And he having ac- 
 complished the will of the Father, in that body which was prepared 
 him of the Father, (in which he came into the world,) he again left 
 the world, (he not being of the world,) and ascended unto the Fa- 
 ther, (from whence he proceeded,) and sate down on the right hand of 
 the Majesty on high, and is now glorified with the same glory that he 
 had with the Father, before the world began ; yea, the same that de- 
 scended into the lower parts of the earth, is also the same tliat ascend- 
 ed far above all heavens, that he might fill all things : and being one 
 with the Father, and in the Father, and the Father in him, his presence 
 filleth heaven and earth; and being the Son in the Father, he hath pow- 
 er as the Father, to quicken whomsoever he will, that all men might 
 honour the Son as the Father, by whom all things were made that 
 were made, in whom we live, move, and have a being: and he hath 
 a name given him above ^\ery name, (to which all things must bow,) 
 which is called the Word of God, or Jesus, because he is a Saviour, 
 and saveth his people from their sins. This is he that is given to be 
 the Head of the body, which is the congregation of the righteous, the 
 fulness of him that filleth all in all ; that he, in all things, [in whom 
 all fidness dwells,) might have the pre-eminence, being the express 
 substance of the Father's glory, and the very virtue of his being, one 
 with him in nature, and one in name: for as the Father is divine, so 
 the Son is also divine ; and as the Father is called the Light, so the Son 
 is also called the Light ; the Father is called the Mighty God, so is 
 the Son also ; yea, the Son's name is called (Wonderful) the Mighty 
 God, the Everlasting Father, (mark that,) the Prince of Peace, of 
 whose government there shall be no end. 
 
 " Now in the Father there is Life, and in the Word, the Son, there 
 is life, and this is one ; and this life, proceeding from the Father and 
 the Son, is that one Eternal Spirit, which is not to be limited : yea, 
 God is a Spirit, and Christ is the Lord, that Spirit; yea, he is the se- 
 cond Adam, the Lord from heaven, the quickening Spirit, by whom 
 the free gift is come upon all men, to justify them that believe in the 
 Life: and he that believeth not, he is condemned by the Life, which 
 is the light that doth enlighten everyone that cometh into the world : 
 so the gift that is come upon the unbeliever, that condemns him, be- 
 
293 
 
 cause he believeth not in the Light, but loves the darkness better." 
 
 To this piece is appended the following note : 
 
 " So that none shall be able in the day of tlie Lord to plead or 
 say, Lord, because our first parents fell from thee, and became dead 
 unto thee, and so were driven out from thy presence, and we being 
 brought forth in this unreconciled state, there was no way left unto 
 us to approach or come near unto thee, to lay hold of the grace that 
 thou ofterest unto all, by reason of thine anger; I say, none shall be 
 able thus to plead : for Christ the Father's love, hath consecrated a 
 way, by his freely giving up himself a propitiatory sacrifice, which 
 appeaseth God, and therefore it is said, that God was in Christ re- 
 conciling the world to himself, not imputing sin unto them. So, he 
 that perisheth, it shall be for his own sins, nor for his parents; but 
 because he believed not in Christ, who hath freely made a way for 
 him to come unto God, and by the power of his life visiting him, puts 
 him in a capacity to receive the free grace, which bringeth salvation, 
 which toali men hath appeared." — Works, pages 152, 153, 154, 155. 
 1660. 
 
 George Fox, the younger, wrote the following confession of his 
 faith, in four particulars ; "For the satisfaction of some tender, con- 
 scientious persons who had heard false reports of him, and others of 
 his judgment touching the things above written," which are as fol- 
 lows — 
 
 " 1. — Concerning Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. 
 
 "2. — Concerning justification. 
 
 "3. — Concerning the resurrection. 
 
 "4. — Concerning everlasting glory and eternal misery. 
 
 " First, As concerning Jesus Christ, that was supposed to be Joseph, 
 the carpenter's son, who, as concerning the flesh was crucified, and 
 put to death at Jerusalem, between two thieves, upon the cross at 
 Mount Calvary; I do believe he was the Son of God ; and that that 
 very body that the soldiers pierced, was the very body that was pre- 
 pared by the Father for Christ, the true Saviour, to come in, to do 
 the will of the Father that sent him : and I do believe that, by the 
 grace of God,/ie tasted death for evert/ man, that as many as believe 
 in and obey him, whose soul was made an ottering for sin, nuight have 
 eternal life, through him, who gave his precious life a lansom for 
 many. 
 
 '• Secondly, I do believe that no man can be justified by the works 
 of the law, nor by any work of his own, but he or she that is justi- 
 fied in the sight of God ; it is freely of his grace, through faith in 
 Christ Jesus, who creates such unto good works, which God hath or- 
 dained, that they that are justified should walk in. 
 
 " Now God, through his free love, hath made me a witness of true 
 justification: and I testify in the Lord, that it is not my works that 
 justify me ; but it is the Lord alone, who worketh my works in me, 
 and for me, according to his own good pleasure ; who loved me, be- 
 fore I loved him, and manifested his love to me in the covenant of 
 light, whereby he drew nie after himself, and gave me strength to 
 obey and follow him in the manifestation and drawings of his love; 
 which, whilst I did reject, T was justly condemned of the Tiord. and 
 
294 
 
 could not witness justification in that state, although I sought it, and 
 talked much of it, as many professors now do: but God, who is rich 
 in mercy and love, showed me how he had given me power and abil- 
 ity to receive his truth in the love of it, through which I am now sa- 
 ved and justified. 
 
 "Thirdly, Touching the resurrection: it is a mystery which the 
 carnal mind can never comprehend, but they that come to witness a 
 part in the first resurrection, which is Christ Jesus, the Light of 
 Life ; they in his light may come to perceive the mystery of the re- 
 surrection; but if truth can be received and understood, then it 
 will appear and be manifested to such, that 1 do not deny the resur- 
 rection : for I do verily believe, that the hour is coming, in which all 
 that are in the graves shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and 
 shall come forth ; they that have done good unto the resurrection of 
 life, and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of condem- 
 nation : but to fools that say that this body of natural flesh and bones 
 shall be raised, I say, that body which is sown, is not that body that 
 shall be ; but God giveth a body as it pleaseth him, yet to every seed 
 its own body : now, there is the seed of the serpent, and the seed of 
 Christ ; and they that can discern the body of each seed, are not the 
 fools which are questioning how the dead shall be raised, and with 
 what bodies they shall comer for they know all mankind will be 
 found to be one of these seeds, and that every seed shall have its 
 own body. 
 
 " Fourthly, Truly, if I did not believe that there was a glory to 
 come, more than what is here, surely although the good presence, 
 peace and consolation of God is in me, and his glory rests richly up- 
 on me, yet I should think myself to be in a more miserable condi- 
 tion than very many ; but for the glory that is set before me, which 
 Christ in me is the hope of, (which anchors and stays my soul) I am 
 content to endure the cross, and patiently to bear the aflHiction and 
 suiFerings of this present life, notcounting them worthy (though ever 
 so great,) to be compared to that eternal weight of glory, which I 
 do believe shall be revealed and given unto me in the world to 
 come. 
 
 " And as I do steadfastly believe, that there is a glorious state to 
 be entered into after this life, by all them that shall be found in the 
 immortal seed, wherein they shall be swallowed up of life, glory, 
 and immortality ; so I certainly believe, that there is a woful, 
 dreadful, horrible state to be entered into after this life, by all them 
 that shall be found in the seed of the serpent, wherein they shall 
 be swallowed up of perpetual torment and misery, whei e the worm 
 dieth not, but shall gnaw everlastingly, and the fire goeth not out." 
 •—Works, pages, 194, 195, 19G, 197. 1661. 
 
295 
 
 JOHN WHITEHEAD, 
 
 In " A small treatise, wherein is briefly declared some of those 
 things which I have heard, and seen, and learned of the Father, &c." 
 
 After speaking of Jesus Christ, the true Liglit, as the only begot- 
 ten of the Father, the first born of every creature, which is the be- 
 ginning and end of all things, the rock of ages which followed 
 Israel in the wilderness, and hath appeared unto all men, &c. he 
 goes on to say :— 
 
 " I also saw how in his humiliation he was in fashion as a man, 
 compassed by the virgin's womb, brought forth, and touched with a 
 feeling of our infirmities, yet without spot of sin, perfect in holiness 
 having the Spirit without measure, and the fulness of the Godhead 
 in him : Yet was he a man of sorrows, rejected of men, judged a 
 blasphemer, and not worthy to live, by the chief priests and phari- 
 sees that had tiie scriptures ; and Pilate that had natural learning, 
 Hebrew, Greek, and Latin, delivered him to be crucified ; and after 
 he had witnessed a good confession before him, he tasted death for 
 every man, of which it was impossible for him to be held ; therefore 
 he rose by the power of God, and in divers manners appeared to his 
 disciples ; after which, he that descended did ascend far above all 
 heavens into the glory of the Father, with which he is glorified as 
 he was before the world began, having that name, (which is before 
 every name,) that he had in the beginning, which is the Word of 
 God, the Eternal Life, that was with the Father, which doth en- 
 lighten men, that through him, who is the Way, Truth, and Life, man 
 may be reconciled and have access unto God, who only hath Im- 
 mortality, dwelling in the Light to which no mortal eye can ap- 
 proach, and without wliich no man hath seen or shall see God. 
 Therefore, man ! whose soul is immortal, wait to have its eye 
 opened in the Light, that thou mayest see God, and walk with him 
 in the garden, as in the beginning, before the fall and separation 
 was, or ever the evil eye was open, or the immortal eye oversha- 
 dowed by death." — Works, pages 93, 94. 1661. 
 
 From a treatise entitled " A manifestation of Truth," we ex- 
 tract the following, viz: 
 
 " Concerning salvation by Christ, We say and believe, that with- 
 out the sufferings and death of Christ at Jerusalem, no man can be 
 saved, justified, or sanctified ; and therefore do thei/ malicioKsli/, or (at 
 least,) ignoranthj, slander us, who say we expect not to be saved by 
 ChrisVs sufferings at Jerusalem, but by Chrisfs sufferings in ics ;Jor 
 such words did never proceed from us, though we say that it is not 
 an historical knowledge and belief of what Christ said and suffered 
 at Jerusalem, sixteen hundred years ago, that can or doth save any 
 man without feeling of his Spirit, power, and life made manifest . 
 
296 
 
 within, to make them conformable to him in his death, and raise 
 them together with him to live in the virtue of his life, by which life, 
 we, as well as the ancient christians are saved, and we are sanctifi- 
 ed and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of 
 our God, which mightily worketh in us, and all his works are per- 
 fect ; and therefore, I do distinguish betwixt the righteousness 
 which is of Faith, which the Spirit worketh, and the righteous- 
 ness which is of the law performed by man's own strength ; for 
 though the one be as filthy rags, yet so is not the other ; therefore is he 
 the enemy of righteousness that mingles them both together, and 
 treads them under foot as dung and dross ; therefore let all that love 
 their souls, love Christ the righteousness of God, and follow after 
 him, that they may be made righteous, and have that boldness in the 
 day of judgment which the ancient christians had, because, (said 
 they) as He is, so are we in this world.— Works, pages 134, 135-. 
 1662. 
 
 CHARLES MARSHALL, 
 
 in a piece, entitled, " The way of Life revealed, and the way of 
 Death discovered, &c." speaks thus : — 
 
 " The travail in spirit of the messengers and servants of the Most 
 High in ages past, was the same as now it is, viz: To turn people 
 from darkness unto light, and from the power of Satan to the pow- 
 er of the Living God ; thereby in no wise invalidating Christ Jesus, 
 his manifestation in that bodily appearance, neither his sufferings, 
 death, resurrection, or ascension; but brings all people, guided 
 thereby, unto that which will open the eyes of their understandings, 
 whereby they all come unto such a condition, and spiritual under- 
 standing, as to see and know their benefit by that appearance of the 
 Saviour of the world ; for this we testify. All are perfected by that 
 one offering that are sanctified. But here ariseth another objection 
 by some, who may come so far as to own and confess, that there is 
 a principle or light in man, that discovereth sin, and teacheth man 
 to do justly and equally, (which some call morality,) but that this 
 light or principle in man is of a saving property, and of the nature 
 and quality of the Divine Being, many for want of understanding 
 do deny, and so are found opposers of truth itself, and stumble at the 
 corner-stone, which indeed in all generations hath been to many men 
 a stone of stumbling and rock of offence, which thousands, (giving 
 themselves up to be guided by their own wisdoms and prudence,) re- 
 ject ; yea, those accounted the wise master builders, professors of 
 God and Christ, being ignorant of the Root and Offspring of David, 
 have, and yet do reject this corner- stone. 
 
 •' Now for the sake of all who do or may desire after the true and 
 saving knowledge of Christ Jesus, it is on my spirit yet further to 
 
297 
 
 open and manifest the nature and property of this principle and 
 ■ light ; whose Fountain is the Eternal Being, and Everlasting Ocean 
 of Divine Fulness, and its nature and quality is one with this 
 Fountain from which it comes : John testified, In the Beginning was 
 the Word, and the Word was with God, &c. In him was Life, and 
 the Life was the Light of men. — He also testified, that he was not 
 that Light, but came for a Witness, to bear witness, that that was 
 the True Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world : 
 so the original of this Light is Christ Jesus, the Word. 
 
 " But some may query thus, Is Christ the Light in every man ? 
 To which I answer: Christ doth appear by his light in every man ; 
 and the Light which comes from Christ is in every man ; as is 
 clearly demonstrated from the Scriptures of Truth ; and though I 
 account it unnecessary to answer the curious inquiries of such, 
 (who seeking to know much, do not walk answerable to what they 
 know ;) yet for the sake of such, whose understandings are not 
 opened, and yet are inquiring the way to Sion, I add this simili- 
 tude : The natural Sun is placed by the Creator to lighten the out- 
 ward world, and doth extend from its body, a measure of its light 
 and natural property, shining on the just and the unjust, and so doth 
 daily give forth of that virtue which is inherent in itself; when the 
 sun shineth on any object whatsoever, we sometimes say, the Sun 
 there appears, and other times we say, there is the Sun ; the 
 propriety of either of which manner of expressions, I sup- 
 pose, none will question ; for light in that appearance is seen, 
 and virtue is felt, penetrating to the refreshment of our natural 
 bodies ; and this light and heat is inseparable from the fulness ; 
 and notwithstanding it daily shineth and displays its virtuous life 
 into, and over all the earth and its inhabitants, yet its body is not 
 any way exhausted or altered through ages and generations. And so, 
 I say, that Christ, the universal Fountain of Life, the Sun of Right- 
 eousness, the Ocean and fulness of spiritual light, life, and virtue, 
 (from whence is communicated a measure of his nature, property, 
 and quality) is given of the Father, to enlighten all the sons and 
 daughters of men, who accordingly are all enlightened with his 
 spiritual appearance, and though this appearance cannot be called 
 the fulness, yet being a measure of that fulnesSj it is one in nature 
 and property with, and inseparable from, the fulness; and though 
 through its virtue life is daily communicated unto the sons of men 
 (who waiting for the appearance thereof, as for the morning light, 
 cannot live unto God without it) yet doth he admit of no diminu- 
 tion, alteration or change ; but all fulness of divine light, life and 
 glory, doth and shall, through every age and generation, remain 
 with him : and albeit the veil of darkness hath overshadowed the 
 hearts of some, so as when we give testimony unto the universal 
 appearance of the Sun of righteousness, in the hearts of all the sons 
 and daughters of men, they are ready to say, such a testimony leads 
 to the diminishing of that glory and honour which belongs unto him, 
 as he is the Fulness, and sitting at the right hand of the Father ; 
 inferring from such our testimony, as if, wliilst we testify to his ap- 
 pearance in our hearts, we exclude his presence elsewhere; which 
 
298 
 
 inference, I say, is as irrational, as it would be for any to conclude, 
 that because we say of the shining and appearance of the Sun, there 
 is the Sun ; or the Sun there appears ; therefore we exclude the 
 Being of the Sun elsewhere. For its virtue is communicated to 
 our natural bodies, every one having in measure, some enjoyment 
 of the virtue or light of the natural Sun, which is light to the eye, 
 even as the outward eye is light to, or of the natural body; and 
 whosoever they are, whose invisible senses are quickened by the 
 influencing virtue which proceeds from the eternal Sun of right- 
 eousness, do thereby see and discern, that these things are accord- 
 ing to the clear manifestation of Truth in their inward parts ; and 
 from a true sense thereof, can of a truth give this certain testimony, 
 that Christ, the Lord, by his holy, quickening spirit, hath appeared 
 in them, to the quickening of their immortal souls ; and that through 
 believing in the light, and obedience to his appearance, being come 
 out of that state which is reprobated by the Lord, can of certain ex- 
 perimental knowledge say, Clirist is in us the hope of glory. And 
 so when we diiect people to this Word, Light, Law, Grace and Spi- 
 rit, we do not thereby intend, that Christ Jesus, the Light of the 
 World, and Gift of God, is not the true Saviour, Redeemer, and 
 Reconciler of mankind unto God." — Works, page 71 to 71 . 1673. 
 
 In a piece entitled " A Warning unto the Rulers and People of 
 England, &c." C. Marshall speaks thus — 
 
 " In the tender love of God, unto whose ears the misrepresenta- 
 tions, vilifications or aspersions underwritten, have or may come — 
 Give ear, and hear, all you rulers and inhabitants of these northern 
 islands: God Almighty, even the God of Abraham, Isaac and Ja- 
 cob, in this later age of the world is risen and arising, and cau- 
 sing his ancient horn of salvation to be revealed : of whom all the 
 holy men, prophets and servants of God gave testimony, through 
 ages and generations, to be that Holy One, on whom he hath laid 
 help, who is miglity to save, Christ Jesus the Lord ; of whose spi 
 ritual appearance and coming Me are witnesses this day; and by 
 the arm of his eternal power are raised up, to declare him unto 
 these Northern Islands of the Gentiles, as their Light to lighten 
 them, according to the prophet's testimony, of John, old Simeon, 
 Christ Jesus, the Apostles and messengers of God Almighty, 
 through many ages and generations, of which many demonstrative 
 testimonies, in the evidence and demonstration of the spirit and 
 power of Christ Jesus, have been, and are daily borne both by word 
 and writing; against which holy, certain testimonies, men of the 
 spirit of Jannes and Jambres, men of corrupt minds have risen up 
 to withstand, and by lies, slanders, misrepresentings, &c. ^have 
 endeavoured their utmost to veil and cloud this testimony ; which 
 work and way of theirs God hath beheld, and hath determined to 
 blast, because in their right hand hath been found a lie, and' the 
 poison of asps is under their tongues, to reproach, vilify, and mis- 
 represent the servants and people of God, under hideous and odious 
 disguises, that they might thereby (as much as in them lies) effect 
 such a work, as the old heathens did on the Christians ; namely, 
 by putting lions' skins and bearskins on them, that thereby they 
 might cause the dogs to take hold on them : so hath there been an 
 
299 
 
 endeavour in our day, to misrepresent the servants and people of 
 the Lord, as deniers of salvation by Jesus Christ ; making his birth 
 in Bethlehem of Judea, his travails, sufferings, blood, death, resur- 
 rection and ascension, of no value ; deniers of the scriptures ot 
 truth ; and instead thereof, preaching up salvation by meritorious 
 works of our own ; and in short, representing us as enemies to 
 Christianity : concerning which charges, and every particular of 
 them, full, clear and demonstrative answers have been and are giv- 
 en, unto which I refer all unsatisfied persons. — That which lies on 
 my spirit at this time, is to declare in the presence, name and 
 power of the Everlasting God, that these things spoken and writ- 
 ten of us, are as false as the accusations of the Pharisees concern- 
 ing Christ Jesus, and as false as the accusations of the Jews con- 
 cerning the Apostles — For 
 
 •• 1st, We declare to all nations, tongues, and languages, that 
 we believe in the One, Holy, Everlasting God — 
 
 " 2d, We believe concerning him, that he is a spirit ; and con- 
 cerning his worship, that it is in Spirit, and spiritual — 
 
 " 3d, We believe, preach, and publish salvation, in or by no other 
 name, but in, by, and through Him, of whom all the prophets gave 
 testimony, the apostles preached, the primitive saints believed and 
 received, namely, Jesus Christ — 
 
 ** 4th, We declare we are so far from denying or having any light 
 esteem of that holy, honourable record, viz. the Scriptures of Truth, 
 that we are often greatly bowed and tendered in spirit, in the sense 
 ■ of the great mercy and love of our God ; that although the wicked 
 have been suffered to persecute, revile and evily to represent the 
 way of life and salvation believed and preached by them, and also 
 have proceeded to kill the bodies of the prophets of God, of Christ 
 Jesus our Lord, his apostles and faithful servants ; that yet such 
 hath been his great and unexpressible love, to preserve their pre- 
 cious testimonies unto our age and generation. 
 
 " And now, ye rulers and people of these Northern Islands ; in 
 the universal love of the God of the spirits of all flesii, I warn you, 
 that as any thing comes unto your ears of us, contrary to this our 
 faith and belief in God, that you be so noble, as to do that which is 
 but just and equal for you to do, viz. to keep one ear for the accu- 
 sed, to hear with diligence and without partiality : And let none be 
 like those ignoble people ot Thessalonica, who being moved with 
 envy, refused to hear the Apostle's doctrine; but be like those wor- 
 thy Bereans, whose nobility is recorded, because they received the 
 word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures dai- 
 ly, to see whether those things were so or no." — W'orks, pages 127 
 to 130—1674. 
 
 HENRY TUKE, 
 
 In his tract entitled, " The Faith of the people called Quakers, 
 See." p. 24, 25, quotes the following declaration, from a paper 
 
aoo 
 
 entitled " The Quakers' Vindication," which was presented by 
 Friends to the members of Parliament in 1693— viz. 
 
 " We whose names are underwritten, being in christian society 
 with the people called Quakers, do in good conscience, declare and 
 certify all persons concerned ; 
 
 " 1st. That we sincerely believe and confess that Jesus of Naza- 
 reth, who was born of the Virgin Mary, is the true Messiah, the 
 very Christ, the Son of the living God, to whom all the prophets 
 gave witness. And we do highly value his death, sufferings, works, 
 offices, and merits, for the redemption and salvation of mankind, 
 together with his laws, doctrines and ministry. 
 
 " 2d. That this very Christ of God, was and is the Son of God, 
 that takes away the sins of the world, who was slain and is alive, 
 and lives for evermore, in his divine, eternal glory, dominion, and 
 power with the Father. 
 
 " And we know of no other doctrine or principles, preached, main- 
 tained^ or ever received among or by uSy since we were a people, con- 
 trary to these aforesaid.''^ 
 
 Signed on behalf of the said people by thirty-one Friends. 
 
 JOHN BURNYEAT AND JOHN WATSON, 
 
 In an essay entitled " The holy truth and its professors defended," 
 make the following declarations, viz. 
 
 "He (^an opposer,] charges us with denying the Trinity, as he 
 terms it. 
 
 " Answer. — We do really own the Tliree that bear record in hea- 
 ven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, and these Three are 
 one, John v. 7. And we also own the three that bear witness in 
 earth, the spirit, the water, and the blood, and these Three agree in 
 one, as verse 8, and so we do, and always did believe, according to 
 the Holy Scriptures. 
 
 *' He charges us with denying the Scriptures to be the Word 
 of God. 
 
 "Answer. — We believe the scriptures to be what they call them- 
 selves, a testimony or declaration, as in Luke i. 1. John v. 39. But 
 Christ we own and believe to be the Word of God, according fo 
 John i. and Rev. xix. 13. So we own the Word of the Lord, that 
 came unto the prophets, saying, as in Ezek. vii. 1, and in divers 
 other places; and we own and believe the sayings of the Word, as 
 recorded in the Holy Scriptures. So the Word that came unto the 
 prophets was the saver, or that which spake unto them; and the 
 scriptures are the words or sayings which the Word, or spirit of 
 Christ, spake unto and through the prophets, as is evident from the 
 testimony of the apostle, 1 Peter i. 10, 11." — J.Burnyeat's Works, 
 page 224. 1688. 
 
 On page 251, in the same essay, replying to the same opposer, they 
 say— 
 
301 
 
 ■■•'When he saitli, * As far as he understands, our principles and 
 practice are according to Christ's institution, which he doubts not 
 but we will make good upon occasion ;' thou, in answer, sayest, thou 
 knowest our practice well enough : which, if true, and if so bad as 
 thou endeavourest to make people believe of us, why hast thou 
 brought none of them to make good thy charges against us ? And 
 as for our principles, thou sayest thou never heard'st we. had any. 
 Then thou must needs be ignorant of our way and religion: and 
 therefore, in thy speaking evil of it, thou speakest evil of things thou 
 understandest not, and so art of that generation spoken of, 2 Peter 
 ii. 12. Jivd as for our faith and principles, they have been publish- 
 ed to the ivorld both by ivords and writing, they have not been hid in 
 a corner ; so that any that had a mind to concern tliemselves against 
 us, and yet as wise men, would not judge without an understand- 
 ing, lest like thee, they should speak evil of the things they did 
 not understand, might easily be informed what our principles are. 
 However, we are a people that believe in the Lord Jesus Christ ; and 
 that the Father sent him into the ivorld, to lay down his life a ran- 
 som for all men; that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, 
 but have eternal life : that he was crucified without the gates of Je- 
 rusalem, and so became a propitiation for the sins of the whole 
 world: and that after he had suftered, and was buried, God the Fa- 
 ther raised him again by his Eternal Spirit, after which he showed 
 himself unto many witnesses, and then a'^cended into heaven, and is 
 glorified with the Father, with that glory he had with him before the 
 world was made. And we further believe, that he is the liight of 
 the world, and that he ought to be followed according to his own 
 words, John viii. 12; and that he lighteth every man that comefh in- 
 to the world, according to John i. 9, and that this light, wherewith 
 he lighteth every man, all ought to believe in, that they may be chil- 
 dren of the light, according to John xii. 36. And so we believe in 
 his spiritual appearance, according to his promise who said. He would 
 pray the Father, and he should send them another Comforter, even 
 the spirit of truth, according to John xiv. 16, 17; and this was his 
 ows spirit, for he is the Truth; and of this the saints were wit- 
 nesses, as the apostle saith. Gal. iv. 6. And because ye are sons, 
 God hath sent forth the spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying Ab- 
 ba, Father. And thus was Christ, in the saints, the hope of jrlory, 
 according to Coloss. i. 7. And thus believing and witnessing the 
 truth of the scripture, we wait upon God for his spirit, that we may 
 worship him therein, according to the institution of his Son, Christ 
 Jesus, as in John iv. 23, 24 ; and that we may pray with the spirit, 
 and sing with it, according to 1 Cor. xiv. 15. For the apostle ex- 
 horted the saints to be filled with the spirit, Eph. v. 18. And the 
 saints were to pray in the Holy Ghost, Jude 20. So our faith stands 
 in the power of God, which is that, the apostle laboured that the 
 saints' faith might stand in, as thou mayest see, 1 Cor. ii. 5. Believ- 
 ing that there shall be a resurrection, both of the just and unjust, 
 they that have done good unto the resurrection of life, and they that 
 liave done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation, according to John 
 v. 29."— Pages 251, 252. 1688. 
 
302 
 
 JOHN BANKS, 
 
 In a ]iapei', eutitled, " A true and faithful testimony for the true 
 and living God, and the all -sufficiency, and unchangeableness of his 
 power and spirit, against the Devil, and his dark power and spirit, 
 by which he rules in the hearts of the children of disobedience, with 
 all his cunning and subtility in his instruments," &c. writes as fol- 
 lows, viz : 
 
 " And now, dear friends, although the devil, the old liar, be at 
 work in this day, in a great mystery, even in the mystery of iniqui- 
 ty, by his evil power and rending spirit, heed him not, nor the strong- 
 est of his instruments ; for the power of God is over him and them 
 all, yea, over all that is contrary unto it; for this is He that was the 
 first, and will be the last, who said, I am the Alpha and Omega, 
 the beginning and the end ; and he will tread down Satan shortly, 
 and all his agents of mischief; he was promised to bruise the ser- 
 pent's head, which daily is a fulfilling, by the dominion of his pow- 
 er and holy spirit, over hell, death, and the grave, and every foul, 
 unclean, dark, quibbling spirit ; for that is appointed for the fire of 
 eternal wrath and judgment, whose end is to devour, kill, and 
 destroy, and make rents and breaches among God's people, where it 
 gets an entrance whatever it pretends, which I am to warn Friends to 
 beware of; and do say, this is one of the devil's last shifts, to appear in 
 the name of light and ancient power and truth, as it was in the begin- 
 ning ; a transformation to cover his dark power and spirit, which 
 creeps so cunningly in the dark, to deceive the simple on this wise." 
 — Journal, p. 119. 1678. 
 
 In an epistle which he wrote to the inhabitants of Carlisle, after 
 earnestly exhorting them to believe in Jesus Christ, as revealed in 
 their hearts by the Holy Spirit, or just Witness for God, which 
 would lead them out of all sin, he adds : — 
 
 " Is not this at the door of your hearts to call you to repentance 
 by his light, grace and Holy Spirit ? And if there be not such a be- 
 lieving in him by the same, what availeth his death and suffering to 
 you, and the shedding of his precious blood for you ; if sin be not fi- 
 nished here and transgression put to an end ? Ephes. v. 5, and read 
 to the 21st verse. No unclean thing can enter into the kingdom 
 of Christ and of God. Did not he suffer for the sins of all, that all 
 through him, might believe? John iii. 18, and they that believe not 
 are condemned already. 
 
 " I say was not sin the cause, wherefore he suffered? and if the 
 cause, sin, through faith in him be not taken away, how shall the ef- 
 fect cease ? But if the cause through faith in him be taken away, 
 then the effect ceaseth, and everlasting felicity, world without end, 
 ensueth."— P. 174. 1684. 
 
303 
 
 JOHN WHITING, 
 
 in his address to Edward Ancketyll, on the subject of Tythes, 
 says :— 
 
 " And therefore, Christ being come in the flesh, 1st John iv. 2, and 
 offered up himself a most acceptable sacrifice to God, for the sins 
 of the whole world, in the fulness of time appointed of the Father; 
 and having put an end to all those offerings, and according to the 
 will of God, abolished and changed the law and priesthood, which 
 commanded and took tythes : He is become ' the end of the law for 
 righteousness, to every one that believeth,' in him, Rom. x. 4. I 
 say again, Christ being come in the flesh ; and offered up himself 
 through the eternal Spirit, once for all, 2d John 7, he hath put an 
 end to the Levitical Priesthood, tythes and offerings, and is become 
 an High Priest forever, ' not after the order of Aaron, but after the 
 order of Melchisedec,' who is without beginning of days or end of 
 life : not like those priests who could not continue by reason of 
 death, but liveth and abideth a priest forever, to make intercession 
 for us ; and such an High Priest becometh us, who is holy, harmless, 
 undefiled, and separate from sinners : who is made a priest, not af- 
 ter the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an 
 endless life : And is become the minister of the sanctuary, and true 
 tabernacle which God hath pitched, and not man : and dwells not 
 in temples made with hands, Heb. vii. 11, 16, 23, 25, 26; viii. 2, 
 but is long since departed from them. Who, when he ascended up 
 on high, led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men, for the per- 
 fecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying 
 of the body of Christ; Acts vii. 48; Ephes. iv. 8, 12. Who saith, 
 freely ye have received, freely give. Matt. x. 8. Of whom the Lord 
 saith, This is my beloved Son, hear ye him, Mark ix. 7." — P. 80, 
 81. 1680. 
 
 *3 Declaration oj' the Christian Doctrines of the Society of Friends^ 
 issued in 1693. 
 
 In the year 1693, the Society of Friends being greatly misrepre- 
 sented and traduced as denying the doctrines of the christian reli- 
 gion, the following declaration of faith was drawn up, and published 
 by them. After stating the causes which led to its publication, they 
 thus proceed; viz. 
 
 " We are, therefore, tenderly concerned for truth's sake, in behalf 
 of the said people, (as to the body of them, and for all o! them who 
 are sincere to God, and faithful to their christian principle and pro- 
 
304 
 
 fession,) to use our just endeavours to remove the reproach, and all 
 causeless jealousies concerning us, touching those doctrines of Chris- 
 tianity, or any of them pretended, or supposed, to be in question in 
 the said division; in relation whereunto we do in the fear of God, 
 and in simplicity and plainness of his truth received, solemnly and 
 sincerely declare what our christian belief and profession has been, 
 and still is, in respect to Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God, 
 his suffering, death, resurrection, glory, light, power, great day of 
 judgment, &c. 
 
 " We sincerely profess faith in God by his only begotten Son Je- 
 sus Christ, as being our light and life, our only way to the Father, 
 and also our only Slediator and Advocate with the Father. 
 
 "That God created all things, he made the worlds, by his Son 
 Jesus Ciirist, he being that powerful and living Word of God by 
 whom all things were made ; and that the Father, the Word, and 
 Holy Spirit are one, in Divine Being inseparable; one true, living 
 and eternal God, blessed for ever. 
 
 " Yet that this Word, or Son of God, in the fulness of time, took 
 flesh, became perfect man, according to the flesh, descended and 
 came of the seed of Abraham and David, but was miraculously con- 
 ceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary. And also 
 further, declared powerfully to be the Son of God, according to the 
 spirit of sanctification, by the resurrection fFom the dead. 
 
 " That in the Word, (or Son of God,) was life, and the same life 
 was the light of men ; and that he was that true light which enlight- 
 ens every man coming into the world ; and therefore that men are to 
 believe in the light, that they may become the children of the light; 
 hereby we believe in Christ the Son of God, as he is the light and life 
 within us ; and wherein we must needs have sincere respect and ho- 
 nour to, and belief in, Christ, as in his own unapproachable and in- 
 comprehensible glory and fulness; as he is Ihe fountain of life and 
 light, and giver thereof unto us; Christ, as in himself, and as in us, 
 being not divided. And that as man, Christ died for our sins, rose 
 again, and was received up into glory in the heavens. He having, 
 in his dying for all, been that one great universal offering, and sa- 
 crifice for peace, atonement and reconciliation between God and 
 man ; and he is the propitiation not for our sins only, but for the sins 
 of the whole world. We were reconciled by his death, but saved 
 by his life. 
 
 "That Jesus Christ, who sitteth at the right hand of the throne of 
 the majesty in the heavens, yet he is our King, High-Priest and Pro- 
 phet, in his church, a Minister of the sanctuary, and of the true ta- 
 bernacle which the Lord pitched, and not man. He is Intercessor 
 and Advocate with the Father in heaven, and there appearing in the 
 presence of God for us, being touched with the feeling of our infirmi- 
 ties, sufferings and sorrows. And also by his spirit in our hearts, 
 he niaketh intercession according to the will of God, crying, Abba, 
 Father. 
 
 " For any whom God hath gifted, and called sincerely to preach 
 faith in the same Christ, both as within and without us, cannot be to 
 preach two Christs, but one and the same Lord Jesus Christ, having 
 
305 
 
 respect to those degrees of our spiritual knowledge of Christ Jesus 
 in us, and to his own unspeakable fulness and glory, as in himself, 
 in his own entire being, wherein Christ himself and the least mea- 
 sure of his light or life, as in us or in mankind, are not divided nor 
 separable, no more than the sun is from its light. And as he ascend- 
 ded far above all heavens, that he might fill all things, his fulness 
 cannot be comprehended, or contained in any finite creature; but in 
 some measure known and experienced in us, as we are capable to 
 receive the same, as of his fulness we have received grace for grace. 
 Christ our Mediator, received the spirit, not by measure, but in 
 fulness; but to everyone of us is given grace, according to the mea- 
 sure of his gift. 
 
 " That the gospel of the grace of God should be preached in the 
 name of the Father, vSon, and Holy Ghost, being one in power, wis- 
 dom and goodness, and indivisible, or not to be divided, in the great 
 virork of man's salvation. 
 
 " We sincerely confess and believe in Jesus Christ, both as he is 
 true God and perfect Man, and that he is the Author of our living 
 faith in the power and goodness of God, as manifested in his Son 
 Jesus Christ, and by his own blessed spirit, or divine unction, re- 
 vealed in us, whereby we inwardly feel and taste of his goodness, 
 life, and virtue; so as our souls live and prosper by and in him : and 
 the inward sense of this divine power of Christ, and faith in the same, 
 and this inward experience, is absolutely necessary to make a true, 
 sincere and perfect christian in spirit and life. 
 
 "That divine honour and worship is due to the Son of God ; and 
 that he is, in true faith to be prayed unto, and the name of the Lord 
 Jesus Christ called upon, as the primitive christians did, because of 
 the glorious union or oneness of the Father and the Son ; and that 
 w'e cannot acceptably offer up prayers and praises to God, nor re- 
 ceive a giacious answer or blessing from God, but in and through 
 his dear 8on, Christ. 
 
 "That Christ's body that was crucified, was not the Godhead, yet 
 by the power of God was raised from the dead ; and that the same 
 Christ that was therein crucified, ascended into heaven and glory, 
 is not questioned by us. His flesh saw no corruption, it did not cor- 
 rupt ; but yet doubtless his body vvas changed into a more glorious 
 and heavenly cundition tiian it was in when subject to divers suffer- 
 ings on earth ; but how and what manner of change it met withal 
 after it was raised from the dead, so as to become such a glorious 
 body, as it is declared to be, is too wonderful for mortals to conceive, 
 apprehend or pry into, and more meet for angels to see: the scrip- 
 ture is silent therein, as to the manner thereof, and we are not cu- 
 rious to inquire or dispute it ; nor do we esteem it necessary to make 
 ourselves wise above what is written, as to the manner or condi- 
 tion of Christ's glorious body, as in heaven ; no more than to inquire 
 how Christ appeared in divers manners or forms; or how he came 
 in among his disciples, the doors being shut; or how he vanished out 
 of their sight after he was risen. Flowever, we have cause to believe 
 his body, as in heaven, is changed into a most glorious condition, far 
 transcending what it ;7a3 in on earth, otherwise how could our low 
 
 Qq 
 
306 
 
 body be changed, so as to be made like unto his glorious body; for 
 when he was on earth, and attended with sufferings, he was said to 
 be like unto us in all things, sin only excepted ; which may not be 
 so said of him as now in a state of glory, as he prayed for ; other- 
 wise where would be the change both in him and in us ? 
 
 "True and living faith in Christ Jesus the Son of the living God, 
 has respect to his entire being and fulness, to him entirely as in him- 
 self, and as all power in heaven and earth is given unto l)im ; and 
 also an eye and respect to the same Son of God as inwardly making 
 liimself known to the soul, in every degree of his light, life, spirit, 
 grace, and truth ; and as he is both the word of faith, and a quicken- 
 ing spirit in us; whereby he is the immediate cause, author, object, 
 and strength of our living faith in his name and power; and of the 
 work of our salvation from sin and bondage of corruption : and the 
 Son of God cannot be divided from the least or lowest appearance 
 of his own divine light, or life in us or in mankind, no more than the 
 sun from its own light; nor is the sufficiency of his light within, by 
 us, set up in opposition to him the Man Christ, or his fulness, consi- 
 dered as in himself, as without us; nor can any measure or degree 
 of light, received from Christ, as such, be properly called the fulness 
 of Christ, or Christ as in fulness, nor exclude him, so considered, 
 from being our complete Saviour; for Christ himself to be our light, 
 our life, and Saviour, is so consistent, that without this light we 
 could not know life, nor liim to save us from sin or deliver us from 
 darkness, condemnation, or wrath to come: and where the least de- 
 gree or measure of this light and life of Christ within, is sincerely 
 waited in, followed and obeyed; there is a blessed increase of light 
 and grace known and felt; as the path of the just, it shines more and 
 more, until the perfect day; and thereby a growing in grace, and in 
 the knowledge of God, and of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 
 hath been, and is truly experienced. And tiiis light, life or spirit of 
 Christ within, (for they are one divine principle,) is sufficient to lead 
 unto all truth ; having in it the divers ministrations both of judgment 
 and mercy, both of law and gospel, even that gospel which is preach- 
 ed in every intelligent creature under heaven : it does not only, as in 
 its first ministration, manifest sin, and reprove and condemn for sin ; 
 but also excites and leads them that believe in it to true repentance ; 
 and thereupon to receive that mercy, pardon, and redemption in 
 Christ Jesus, which he has obtained for mankind in those gospel 
 terms of faith, in his name, true repentance and conversion to Christ, 
 thereby required. 
 
 " So that the light and life of the Son of God within, truly obeyed 
 and followed, as being the principle of the second or new covenant, 
 as Christ the light is confessed to be, even as He is the seed or word 
 of faith in all men, this does not leave men or women, who believe 
 in the light, under the first covenant, nor as the sons of the bond- 
 woman, as the literal Jews were, when gone from the Spirit of God, 
 and his Christ in them; but it naturally leads them into the new 
 covenant, in (he new and living way, and to the adoption of sons, to 
 be children and sons of the free-woman, of Jerusalem from above. 
 
 " It is true, that we ought not to lay aside, nor any way to under- 
 
307 
 
 value, but higlily to esteem, true preaching and the Holy Scriptures i 
 and the sincere belief and I'ailh of Christ, as he died for our sins, and 
 rose again for our justification ; together with Christ's inward and 
 spiritual appearance, and work of grace in the soul ; livingly to open 
 tlie niysiery of his death, and perfectly to ellect our reconciliation, 
 sanctitication, and justification; and wherever Christ qualities and 
 calls any to preach and demonstrate the mystery of his coming, 
 death, and resurrection, &c. even among the Gentiles, Christ ought 
 accordingly to be both preached, believed, and received. 
 
 " Yet supposing tliere have been, or are such pious and conscienti- 
 ous Gentiles, in whom Christ was, and is, as the seed or principle of the 
 second or new covenant, the lighf, the word of faith ; (as is granted,) 
 and that such live uprightly and faithfully to that light they have, or 
 to what is made known of God in them, and who, therefore, in that 
 state cannot perish, (but shall be saved,) as is also confessed; and 
 supposing these have not the outward advantage of preaching, scrip- 
 ture, or thence the knowledge of Christ's outward coming, being 
 outwardly crucified and risen from the dead ; can such, (thus consi- 
 dered,) be justly excluded Christianity, or the covenant of grace, (as 
 to the virtue, life, and nature thereof,) or truly deemed no christians, 
 or void of any christian faith in the life and power of the Son of 
 God within, or be only sons of the first covenant, and bond-woman, 
 like the literal, outside Jews; or must all be excluded any true 
 knowledge or faith of Christ within them, unless they have the 
 knowledge of Christ as without them ? No sure, for that would im- 
 ply insufficiency in Christ and his light, as within them, and to frus- 
 trate God's good end and promise of Christ, and his free and uni- 
 versal love and grace to mankind, in sending his Son. We charita- 
 bly believe the contrary, that they must have some true faith and in- 
 terest in Christ and his mediation, because of God's free love in 
 Christ to all mankind, and Christ's dying for all men, and being gi- 
 ven for a light of the Gentiles, and for salvation to the ends of the 
 earth. And because of their living up sincerely and faithfully to 
 his light in them : their being pious, conscientious, accepted, and sa- 
 ved, (as is granted,) we cannot reasonably think a sincere, pious, or 
 godly man, wholly void of Christianity, (of what nation soever he be,) 
 because none can conie to God or godliness but by Christ, by his 
 light and grace in them : yet we grant if there be such pious, sincere 
 men or women, as have not the scripture or knowledge of Chiist,as 
 outwardly crucified, &,c., they are not perfect christians in all per- 
 fections, as in all knowledge and understanding, all points of doctrine, 
 outward profession of Christ; so that they are better than they profess 
 or pretend to be ; they are more Jews inward, and Christians inward, 
 than in outward show or profession. These are christians sincere and 
 perfect in kind or nature, in life and substance, though not in know- 
 ledge and understanding. A man or woman having the life and fruits 
 of true Christianity, the fruits of the Spirit of Christ in them, that can 
 talk little thereof, or of creeds, points, or articles of faith, (yea, ma- 
 ny that cannot read letters,) jet may be true christians in spirit and 
 life ; and some could die for Christ, that could not dispute for him ; 
 and even infants that die in innocency, are not excluded the grace 
 
30& 
 
 oi God, or salvation in and by Christ Jesus, the image and natuic 
 of the Son of God, being in some measure in them, and they under 
 God's care and special Providence. See Matt, xviii. 2. 10. 
 
 "And though we had the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New 
 Testament, and a belief of Christ crucified and risen, &c., we never 
 truly knew the mystery thereof, until we were turned to the light of 
 his grace and spirit within us ; we knew not what it was to be recon- 
 ciled by his death, and saved by his life, or what it was to know the 
 fellowship (tf his sufferings, the power of his resurrection, or to be 
 made conformable unto his death ; we knew not, until He opened our 
 eyes, and turned our minds from darkness unto his own divine life 
 and light within us. 
 
 " Notwithstanding, we do sincerely and greatly value the Holy 
 Scriptures, preaching and teaching of faithful, divinely inspired, 
 gifted and qualified persons and ministers of Jesus Christ, as being 
 great outward helps, and instrumental in his hand, and by his spirit, 
 for conversion, where God is pleased to afford those outward helps and 
 means, as that we neither do, nor may, oppose the sufficiency of the 
 light or spirit of Christ within, to such outward helps or means, so 
 as to reject, disesteem, or undervalue them ; for they all proceed 
 from the same light and spirit, and tend to turn men's minds there- 
 unto, and all centre therein. 
 
 " Nor can the Holy Scriptures or true preaching without, be just- 
 ly set in opposition to the light or spirit of God or Christ within ; for 
 his faithful messengers are ministers thereof, being sent to turn peo- 
 ple to the same light and spirit in them. Acts xxvi. 18. Rom. xiii. 2. 2 
 Cor. iv. 6. 1 Pet. ii. 9. 1 John ii. 8. 
 
 " It is certain, that great is the mystery of godliness in itself, in 
 its own being and excellency : namely, that God should be and was 
 manifest in the flesh, justified in the spirit, seen of angels, preach- 
 ed unto the gentiles, believed on in the world, and received up into 
 glory. 
 
 " And it is a great and precious mystery of godliness and Christi- 
 anity also, that Christ should be spiritually and effectually in men's 
 hearts, to save and deliver them from sin, satan,and bondage of cor- 
 ruption, Christ being thus revealed in true believers, and dwelling i)i 
 their hearts by faith, Christ within the hope of glory, our light and 
 life, who of God is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctifica- 
 tion, and redemption, 1 Cor. i. 30. And therefore this mystery of 
 godliness, both as in its own being and glory, and also as in men, (in 
 many hid, and in some revealed,) hath been and must be testified, 
 preached, and believed ; where God is pleased to give commission, 
 and prepare people's hearts for the same, and not in men's wills, 
 
 "Concerning the resurrection of the dead, and the great day of 
 judgment yet to come, beyond the grave, or after death, and Christ's 
 coming without us, to judge the quick and the dead : (as divers 
 questions are put in such terms,) what tlie Holy Scriptures plainly de- 
 clare and testify in these matters, we have great reason to credit, and 
 not to question, and have been always ready to embrace, with respect 
 to Christ and his apostles' own testimony and prophecies. 
 
 <• 1. For the doctrine of the resurrection ; if in this life only we 
 
309 
 
 liave hope in Christ, we are of all men the most miserable, 1 Cor. 
 XV. 19. We sincerely believe, not only a resurrection in Christ from 
 the fallen sinful state here, but a rising and ascending into glory 
 with him hereafter; that when he at last appears, we may appear 
 with him in glory. Col, iii.4. 1 John iii. 2. 
 
 " But that all the wicked, who live in rebellion against the light of 
 grace, and die finally impenitent, shall come forth to the resurrec- 
 tion of condemnation. 
 
 " And that the soul or spirit of every man and woman shall be re- 
 served in its own distinct and proper being, (so as there shall be, as 
 many souls in the world to come, as in this,) and every seed, (yea, 
 every soul,) shall have its proper body, as God is pleased to give it, 
 1 Cor. XV. A natuial body is sown, a spiritual body is raised ; that 
 being first which is natural, and afterward that which is spiritual. And 
 though it is said, this corruptible shall put on incorruption, and this 
 mortal shall put on immortality; the change shall be such, as flesh 
 and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither doth corrup- 
 tion inherit incorruption, 1 Cor. xv. We shall be raised out of all 
 corruption and corruptibility, out of all mortality; and the children 
 of God and of the resurrection, shall be equal to the angels of God 
 in Heaven. 
 
 " And as the celestial bodies do far excel terrestrial, so we expect 
 our spiritual bodies in the resurrection, shall far excel what our bo- 
 dies now are; and we hope that none can justly blame us for thus 
 expecting better bodies than now they are. Howbeit we esteem it 
 very unnecessary to dispute or question how the dead are raised, or 
 with what body they come : but rather submit that to the wisdom and 
 pleasure of the Almighty God. 
 
 "2. For the doctrine of eternal judgment ; 
 
 "God hath committed all judgment unto his Son Jesus Christ; 
 and he is both Judge of quick and dead, and of the states and ends 
 of all mankind, John v. 22, 27. Acts x. 42. 2 Tim. iv. 1. 1 Pet, 
 iv. 5. 
 
 " That there shall be hereafter a great harvest, which is the end of 
 the world, a great day of judgment, and the judgment of that great 
 day, the Holy Scripture is clear. Matt. xiii. 39, 40, 41, x. 15, and 
 xi. 24. Jude 6. ' When the Son of Man cometh in his glory, and 
 all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his 
 glory, and before him shall be gathered all nations, &c.' Matt, xxv. 
 .'>1, 32, to the end, compared with ch. xxii. 31. Mark viii. 38. Luke 
 ix. 26. 1 Cor. XV. 52. 2 Thes. i. 7, 8, to the end, and 1 Thes. iv. 16. 
 Uev. XX. 12,13, 14, 15. 
 
 " That this blessed heavenly Man, this Son of Man, who hath so 
 deeply suffered and endured so many great indignities and persecu- 
 tions from his adversaries, (both to himself, and his members and 
 brethren,) should at last, even in the last and great day, signally and 
 manifestly appear in glory and triumph, attended with all his glori- 
 ous, heavenly host and retinue before all nations, before all his ene- 
 mies, and those that have denied him ; this will be to their great ter- 
 ror and amazement, that this most glorious heavenly Man, and his 
 br'',thren,that have been so much contemned and set at nought, should 
 
310 
 
 be thus esalled over their enemies and persecutors, in glory and tri- 
 umph, is a righteous thing with God ; and that they that sufter with 
 him, should appear with hirn in glory and dignity when he thus ap- 
 pears at laet. Christ was Judge of the world, and the prince there- 
 of, when on earth, John ix. 39, and xii. 31. He is still Judge of the 
 world, the wickedness, and prince thereof, by his light, spirit, and 
 gospel in men's hearts and consciences, John xvi. 8, 11. Matt. xii. 
 20. Isa. xlii. 1. Rom. ii. 16. 1 Pet. iv. 5. And he will be the 
 judge and final determiner thereof in that great day appointed ; 
 God having appointed a day wherein he will judge the world in right- 
 eousness by that Man whom he hath ordained. Christ foretold, it 
 shall be more tolerable for them of the land of Sodom and Gomor- 
 rah in the day ofjudgment, than for that city or people that would not 
 receive his messengers or ministers, &c. Matt. x. 15, and see ch. xi. 
 24, and Mark vi. 11. Luke x. 12, 14. It is certain that God knows 
 how to deliver the godly out of all their trials and afflictions, and at 
 last to bring them forth, and raise them up into glory with Christ; 
 so he knoweth also how to reserve the unjust and finally impenitent 
 unto the day of judgment to be punished, 2 Pet. ii. 9. He will bring 
 them forth unto the day of destruction. Job xxi. 30. The Lord can 
 and will reserve such impenitent, presumptuous, and rebellious cri- 
 minals, as bound under chains of darkness, as were the fallen an- 
 gels, unto the judgment of the great day, Jude 6. Matt. xxv. 30. 
 It is not for us to determine or dispute the manner how they shall 
 be so reserved ; but leave it to God, he knows how." 
 
 »3 Postscript relating to the doctrine of the Resurrection and Eter- 
 nal Judgment. 
 
 "At the last trump of God, and the voice of the archangel, the 
 dead shall be raised incorruptible, the dead in Christ shall rise first, 
 1 Cor. XV. 52. 1 Thes. iv. 16, compared with Matt. xxiv. 31. 
 
 "Many are often alarmed in conscience hereby the word and 
 voice of God ; who stop their ears and slight those warnings ; but the 
 great and final alarm of the last trumpet, they cannot stop their ears 
 against, nor escape, it will unavoidably seize upon, and further awa- 
 ken them finally to judgment. They that will not be alarmed in 
 their consciences unto repentance, nor out of their sins here, must 
 certainly be alarmed to judgment hereafter. , 
 
 '• Whosoever do now wilfully shut their eyes, hate, contemn, or 
 shun the light of Christ, or his appearance within, shall at last be 
 made to see, and not be able to shun or hide themselves from his glo- 
 rious and dreadful appearance from Heaven with his mighty angels, 
 as with lightning and flaming fire, to render vengeance on all them 
 that know not God, and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, 
 1 Thes. iv. 16. Matt. xxiv. 27. Luke xvii. 24. Dan. x. 6. Job 
 xxxvii. 3. 
 
 "And though many now evade and reject the inward convictions 
 and judgment of the light, and shut up the records or books thereof 
 in their own consciences, they shall be at last opened, and every 
 one judged of these things recorded therein, according to their 
 works, Rev. sx. 12, IS, 14, 15. 
 
311 
 
 ''Signed in behalf of Chrouristian profession and people aforesaid, 
 " George Whitehead, Ambrose Rigge, William Fallowfield, James 
 
 Parke, Charles Marshall, John Bowater, John Vaughton, William 
 
 Bingley." 
 
 " Now since Francis Bugg, an envious apostate, charged the Qua- 
 kers with some Socinian notions ; and being set on by some church- 
 men, endeavoured also to render them odious with the government, 
 the following confession of faith, signed by one and thirty persons, 
 of which G. Whitehead was one, was in December presented to the 
 parliament : 
 
 " Be it known to all, that we sincerely believe and confess, 
 
 " 1. That Jesus of Nazareth, who was born of the Virgin Mary, 
 is the true Messiah, the very Christ, the Son of the living God, to 
 whom all the prophets gave witness : and that we do highly value 
 his death, sufferings, works, offices, and merits for the redemption of 
 mankinri, together with his laws, doctrine, and ministry. 
 
 " 2. That this very Christ of God, who is the Lamb of God, that 
 takes away the sins of the world, was slain, was dead, and is alive, 
 and lives for ever in his divine eternal glory, dominion, and power 
 with the Father. 
 
 " 3. That the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, 
 are of divine authority, as being given by inspiration of God. 
 
 "4. And that magistracy or civil government, is God's ordinance, 
 the good ends thereof being for the punishment of evil doer?, and 
 praise of them that do well." 
 
 WILLIAM EDMUNDSON, 
 
 In an address to one of the Irish Bishops, has these remarks con- 
 cerning the Society of Friends : 
 
 " Be pleased to hear a few sentences, though in a plain dress, 
 yet true in themselves : We are Christians ; and hold the Faith 
 and doctrine as delivered by our Saviour Christ Jesus and his apos- 
 tles, before the apostacy and falling away, according as it is left on 
 record in Holy Scriptures, and we are conscientious in our duty, as 
 much as in us lies, to educate and train up our children according- 
 ly."— Page 254. 1702. 
 
 Speaking of himself he says — 
 
 " Now in the eighth month, in the year 1704, and in the 77th 
 year of my age, being under much affliction and weakness of body, 
 I was resigned unto the blessed will of the Lord : yet were it his 
 time, would gladly have been dissolved, and at ease, where the 
 weary are at rest, and the wicked cease from troubling. For I was 
 not afraid of death or the grave, but could say, through the tender 
 mercy of God, Death where is thy sting? Grave, where is thy vic- 
 tory ? Throxigh stedfast faith and hope in my Lord and Saviour 
 
312 
 
 Jesus Christ, who silvered for me, and whom death or the grave 
 could not hold ; hut rose again, and appears before the Father for me, 
 as Advocate, Mediator, and Interceder ; who in my youthful days, 
 was pleased to visit me with the appearance of his holy spirit, to 
 turn me from the evil of my ways, making me sensible of his judg- 
 ments and mercies, calling me by his grace to a reformation, and 
 also put me into his service, of the ministration of the Word of 
 Life, and doctrine of his kingdom, endowing me with a talent of 
 his Holy Spirit, of understanding in doctrine and discipline, for the 
 benefit of his church, in which 1 have laboured for the space of 
 above fifty years, according to my strength and ability, through 
 many troubles, deep exercises, and perils of divers kinds, met with 
 by sea and land, which fell to my lot in my line of the Lord's ser- 
 vice, both in the wilderness by robbers, and blood thirsty murder- 
 ers, by open opposers, and enemies to truth, and worst of all, by false 
 brethren under the same profession. These things, and many other 
 great exercises and straits, the Lord's arm and gracious providence 
 have still preserved me through, and supported me over in the 
 faith that gives victory, having blessed his work and given the tes- 
 timony of his truth, dominion to this present time." — Page 269, 
 270. 
 
 He thus commences an Epistle which he wrote to Friends, viz: 
 " Christ Jesus, the promised Seed, that bruises the Serpent's head, 
 of whom the law and prophets gave testimony, according to the 
 promise of the Father, came in due time, in that prepared body, to 
 do the will of God for man's redemption, which, when he had fi- 
 nished, and tasted death for us, he ascended up on high, and gave 
 gifts to men, and peculiar gifts to believers ; to some apostles, to 
 some prophets, and to some Evangelists, pastors, and teachers, dis- 
 oerners of spirits, help-meets in governments, and several other 
 gifts gave he to his gathered flock that believed in him, for the edi- 
 fying and building them up in the precious faith which he is the Au- 
 thor of, that they may come to the perfect knowledge of God, and 
 Christ, in the measure and stature of the fulness in him, and be 
 established in him, the Head and Foundation, and grow up in him, 
 in all virtue and godliness, in gospel order." — Pages 341, 342, 
 1694. 
 
 JOHN GRATTON; 
 
 In his reply to some queries propounded to the Quakers, by a 
 Clergyman, says — 
 
 " Thou beginncst thus : What Jesus Christ is it that he preached ? 
 I told thee before, but that it seems would not satisfy thee, and 
 therefore I sav, 
 
 " That we preach the same Jesus Christ, that ivas conceived by the 
 Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pi- 
 
313 
 
 late, was crucified, dead, and buried, rose again the third day, as- 
 cended into heaven, and is on the right hand of the Majesty on 
 iiigh, and will come to judge quick and dead ; this is our Interces- 
 sor, Jidvocute with the Father, our Mediator betwixt God and man, 
 the Man Christ Jesus ; this is He who of God is made unto us wis- 
 dom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, the 
 Author and Finisher of our faith, our hope of glory, our life, light, 
 strength and salvation ; our captain, ensign, deliverer, preserver, 
 and helper; without him we are as nothing, and can do nothing; 
 He is the mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the King of Kings, 
 and Lord of Lords." — Journal, p. 352, 353. 1703. 
 
 " As to thy fifth query, I answer, the revealer of the will of God 
 contained in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, 
 is a sufficient infallible rule of faith and life ; and consequently 
 for a good conscience ; and all scripture given by inspiration of 
 God, is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for 
 instruction in righteousness ; and is the best secondary rule in the 
 world." — Ibid. 353, 354. 
 
 From a treatise concerning the death and sufferings of Christ, we 
 extract the following : 
 
 " But some are ready to object, and say, ' You Quakers do 
 mightily preach up the light witliin, but you say little of the death 
 and sunerings of Christ, without the gates of Jerusalem, &c." 
 
 '• Answer. — We have many accusers, that say all manner of evil 
 against us, which we patiently bear, knowing it is for his sake, 
 that suffered for us, who is become not only our light, but also our 
 salvation, as we abide in him, as he hath commanded us. And we 
 declare, that as he, by the grace of God tasted death for every man; 
 so every man hath this benefit by it ; that he may now come to him, 
 receive him, and la him ; receive power to become a child of God : 
 therefore when he came into the world, there was great joy, for 
 the angel that appeared unto the shepherds, said unto them, fear 
 not, for behold 1 bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be 
 to all people ; and there was with the angel a multitude of the hea- 
 venly host, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest,, 
 and on earth peace, good will towards men. 
 
 " Here is universal love, for God so loved the world, that he gave 
 his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not 
 perish, but have everlasting life : So all the ivorld are put into a ca- 
 pacity by the death and siifferings of Christ, to come to him, and he 
 that comes to Christ, he will in no wise cast out ; for God is no 
 respecter of persons, but in every nation he that fears him and 
 •works righteousness, is accepted of hiui. So we say it is Christ, 
 that sufferedfor us, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to 
 God, being joi<Z to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit, 
 yea, he laid down his life a Ransom for all, who himself bare our 
 sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead unto sin, should 
 live unto righteousness, by whose stripes we are healed ; yea, whilst 
 we were sinners Christ diedforiis, and by himself, purged our sins: 
 forasmuch tiien as the children are partakers of fiesli and blood, he 
 also himiself, likewise took part of tlie same, that through death he 
 
 Rr 
 
314 
 
 miglit destroy hiin that had the power of death, that is, the devil ; 
 and deliver them, who through fear of death were all their lifetime 
 subject to bondage. 
 
 " Thus now I declare, we own the death and sufferings of Christ, 
 according to the Holy Scriptures ; and that he, and him only, that 
 suffered loithout the gates of Jerusalem, hath been our peace-maker; 
 and is now come by his light, and spirit, to give us the knowledge 
 of God, and what he hath done for us ; so that in his light, we see 
 Him who is our Light and our Salvation, as Isaiah said, he hath 
 borne our sorrows, and carried our griefs, which were the sad ef- 
 fects of our sins, so that now, remission of sins that are past, is 
 freely preached unto all men through him, and all mankind are in- 
 vited to come to him, and all the ends of the earth to look unto him 
 and be saved."— 390, 392. 1690. 
 
 In an Essay entitled " Christ is All in All, &c." after recount- 
 ing the miracles, and mighty works, and gracious acts of our bless- 
 ed Lord, while personally on earth, he adds — 
 
 " But what shall I say, who can declare the good he did ? It is 
 undeclarable, his goodness surpasses the understanding of all man- 
 kind, he fulfilled the law of Moses to a jot or tittle, and was so 
 holy, harmless, righteous, just and good, that no man could con- 
 vince him of sin, he was and is the end of the law for righteous- 
 ness to every one that believeth; he suffered for us, the just for the 
 unjust, that he might bring us to God; he laid down his life, a Ran- 
 som for all, and tasted death for every man; he offered up himself a 
 Lamb without spot unto God, he poured out his soul unto death, 
 and became an offering for sin, and was a propitiatory sacrifice, our 
 passover sacrificed for us, offered up himself once for all, and by 
 one offering hath perfected forever them that are sanctified : those 
 who receive him in the love of God, he works in them and for them, 
 makes them new creatures, quickens them who were dead in tres- 
 passes and sins ; he is the resurrection and the life, he that believes 
 in me (saith he) though he were dead, yet shall he live ; and he that 
 liveth and believeth in me, shall never die. 
 
 " He is our Peace-Maker, the Prince of Peace, our Reconciler to 
 God, the Word of Reconciliation ; he is the true light that lighteth 
 every man that cometh into the world, he that believeth in him 
 shall not abide in darkness, but shall have the light of life. He is 
 our Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification and Redemption, our 
 Life, Strengtl), and Waj^ to God, our All in All. 
 
 "Oh ! the benefits, advantages, favours, blessings, and mercies ac- 
 cruing, by the coming of Christ into the world, by his living and 
 dyin<^ in it, and for it, perfecting the work of our salvation, without 
 any merit of mankind; for all had sinned, and fallen short of the 
 glory of God, there were none (in that state) righteous, no not one : 
 there were none that did good, they were altogether become un- 
 profitable, the way of peace they did not know, there was no fear 
 of God before their eyes, yet when we were without strength, in 
 due time Christ died for the ungodly; but God commendeth his 
 love towards us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for 
 us ; here is the Love, not that we loved him, but God so loved us. 
 
315 
 
 that he gave his only begotten Son, that he by the grace of God 
 should taste death for every man: the love of Christ constraineth 
 us, because we thus judge, that if one died for all men, then were 
 all dead, and that he died for all, that they who live should not 
 henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him, that died for them, 
 and rose again, so all things are of God, and nothing of man, in 
 this great work of salvation, but all of God, who hath reconciled us 
 unto himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given unto us the ministry 
 of reconciliation, viz : that God was in Christ reconciling the 
 world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and 
 hath committed unto us, the word of reconciliation : Now then we 
 are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, 
 we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God, for he hath 
 made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made 
 the righteousness of God in him. 
 
 *' Now it appears very fully by the Holy Scriptures, that after 
 Christ had abundantly benefited the world while he lived in it, he 
 also by his death hath done much good to all mankind, beyond utter- 
 ance, yea, beyond the understanding o( ma.n ! What, to all mankind ? 
 Yea, to enemies, to sinners, to ungodly men, as is clear from Rom. 
 V. 6. to the end, as aforesaid, " for if when we were enemies, we 
 were reconciled to God by the death of his Son ; much more being 
 reconciled we shall be saved by his life. So now we joy in God 
 through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have received the 
 atonement. Here is good will to men, yea, to enemies." — Pages 
 423, A-^5. 1700. 
 
 He thus concludes the Essay — 
 
 "Its clear from what hath been said, that Christ is all, in all his 
 people, viz : their wisdom, strength, power, righteousness, light, 
 life, peace, sanctification, justification, consolation and salvation : 
 with him we have all things ; without him, we can do nothing: in 
 him allfidness dwells ; that though he was ricli, yet/or our sokes he 
 became poor, that we, through his poverty, might be rich. And he 
 who is Heir of ail things, was once offered to bear the sins of many ; 
 and unto them that look for him, shall he appear the second time 
 without Sin unto Salvation. Blessed are they who love his appear- 
 ance : they are ready to say, come Lord Jesus, come quickly. Arise 
 O Lord, and let thy enemies be scattered ; make haste and come 
 away. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done." — Page 432. 
 
 JOHN CROOK. 
 
 In the year 1698, shortly before the decease of this worthy man, 
 he reprinted a declaration of tlie early faith of the Society of 
 Friends, to which he prefixes the following note, viz. 
 
 " It being allowed by some late adversaries, that we are more 
 
816 
 
 sound m the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith, than they 
 thought of; yet they persist to object, that we have altered our reli- 
 gion, and that our ancient Friends held grievous errors: I am there- 
 fore willing, in the eighty-first year of my age, that this following 
 treatise sliould be reprinted, that they may see what myself, with our 
 ancient Friends, held in the year 1663. 
 
 "John Ckook. 
 
 « Hertford, the lOth of the lOth month, 1698." 
 
 From the declaration or confession v\hich is entitled "Truth's 
 Principles," we extract the following. After speaking largely of the 
 gift of the Holy Spirit, dispensed to all mankind, he adds — 
 
 " By this grace and gift within, we believe, that to us, though in 
 the world there be lords many, and gods many, there is but one God, 
 the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, witnessed within man, only by 
 the spirit of truth, that manifests both the Father and the Son ; and 
 these Three are one, and agree in one; and he that honours the Fa- 
 ther, honours the Son that proceeds from him ; and he that denies 
 the spirit, denies both the Father and the Son, and is antichrist; but 
 he that believes in the spirit, and is led by it, is the Son of God ; 
 Rom. viii. 14. 'And as many as are the sons of God, are led by the 
 spirit of God.' 
 
 **VVe believe, the scripturesbear witness unto, and testify of Christ; 
 but they say, the witness of God is greater than them ; the spirit it- 
 self bearing witness with our spirits, that we are the sons of God : 
 for it is not the scriptures without the spirit, nor the spirit contrary 
 to the scriptures; but the spirit's discovering the will of God in the 
 heart, or opening of the scriptures in it own time and way, and not 
 in or by the will of man, but as itself pleaseth, who searcheth all 
 things, even the deep things of God, and manifests them unto the 
 soul, which giveth the perfect, sound, and saving knowledge : for, 
 said Christ, the spirit shall take of mine, and show them unto you : 
 and as holy men gave forth the scriptures, 2 Pet. i. 21, so holy men, 
 and they only, come truly to understand them ; and not proud or un- 
 godly, because their hearts and lives do not answer the hearts and 
 lives of those that gave them forth, as face answereth face in a glass. 
 And this we believe to be the reason, why so long preaching, by men 
 of corrupt minds, who have and do handle the words deceitfully, for 
 selfish ends, and filthy lucre sake, hath brought forth so little fruit, 
 and been to so little purpose, except to their purses and bellies; for 
 *had they believed, and therefore spoken, and stood in God's coun- 
 sel, they should have profited their hearers,' Jer. xxiii. 2), 22, 23, to 
 the end. 
 
 " Through this gift we believe, that Christ Jesus, the Son of God, 
 was manifested in the flesh, in the fulness of time. And this we 
 know by the same spirit, by which our fathers believed he was come, 
 and Abraham saw his day ; by the same we do believe he is come, 
 and do see his day ; as also by the prophets and apostles' writings : 
 which twofold cord is not easily broken. 
 
 "We believe also, according to the scriptures of truth, that this 
 same Jesus hath God highly exalted, and given him a name above 
 every name, that whosoever believes in him, shall not perish, but 
 
317 
 
 hfrve everlasting life ; and that there is not another name, whereby 
 man can be saved, than this name of Jesus Christ; nor is remission 
 of sins to be preached by any other name. But as we do not believe, 
 that the outward letters and syllables are that name, that are to be 
 bowed unto by the outward knee, no more than the letters or sylla- 
 bles in the words, God or Spirit, seeing the scripture saith,'Unto 
 God, who is a spirit, every knee shall bow,' Isa. xlv. 23. But that 
 name which saves, is the power and arm of God, that brings salva- 
 tion from sin, and makes every soul that names it, to depart from in- 
 iquity. This is that name which was preached, and which is preach- 
 ed, through faith; in which name, remission of sins is obtained: 
 therefore was the outward word Jesus given him, as his outward 
 name; thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people 
 from their sins : (mark) for he shall save, Sec. So that which saves, 
 is the name, which is to be believed in, which is that arm of God 
 that brings salvation, when no eyepities, neither is there any to help ; 
 the power of God that then saves, is that grace that comes from the 
 fulness of Christ the Saviour: and without this virtue, Christ and 
 Jesus are but empty names, 1 Cor. xii. 3. ' No man can say, that 
 Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.' 
 
 " We believe also, that this Jesus died for, or because of sin, and 
 rose again for the justification of those that believe in him, as well 
 as to manifest to all the world, that he was the Soyi of God, and that 
 he thereby spoiled principalities and powers, and triumphed over 
 them openly, and led captivity captive in his own person ; yet we 
 believe and know, by his grace in our hearts, that as his name Jesus, 
 without virtue and power, is but an empty word ; so his dying, with- 
 out man's conformity to his death, or being planted in the likeness 
 thereof, or being crucified with Christ, as saith the scripture, Rom. 
 vi. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Gal. ii. 20. will not profit man, as to the salvation 
 of his soul, no more than the naming of his outward name, Jesus, 
 doth at this day make people to depart from iniquity. For we be- 
 lieve, and are sure, that man must die inwardly, as well as Christ 
 died outwardly, and must be put to death in his ilesh, as Christ was, 
 in his: for ' he that is in the flesh cannot please God,* Rom. viii. 8. 
 'neither cease from sin;' but 'he that is dead, is freed from sin,' 
 Rom. vi. 7. And yet man's dying unto sin, and the root and prin- 
 ciple of it in himself, is so far from making void Christ's death in 
 his own person, that it establisheth it to all those ends and purposes, 
 for which it was intended of the Father. As the cures which the 
 physician doth, manifest and establish his skill and ability ; so doth 
 man's dying unto sin and self, and living unto God, manifest and es- 
 tablish the virtue and power of Christ's death : for as man manifests 
 his being risen with Christ, by his seeking the things that are above, 
 Col. iii. 1, 2. so doth he manifest his knowledge of the death of 
 Christ, by his being crucified with Christ, and bearing about in his 
 body, the dyings of the Lord Jesus ; for as it is not an outward be- 
 lief, gathered from the letter, that will change the heart and life, 
 though the judgment and opinion it may, so is it not a belief from 
 the history, or letter only, that can give man a saving knowledge ol 
 tho death of Christ; but he must have the same glory and powr oi 
 
318 
 
 the Father in measure^ working in hitn there, to beget faith in his 
 heart, that he may believe unto salvation from his own filthiness and 
 righteousness, as well as confess with his mouth, Rom. x. and must 
 have that spirit in him, quickening his mortal body, as well as to be- 
 lieve that it was in Christ, 'and raised up him from the dead,' Rom, 
 viii. 11. And this man, whoever he be, bond or free, that thus be- 
 lieves the death of Christ, and its satisfaction to God, as well as its 
 usefulness to man, cannot make it void, nor divide it and its virtue 
 upon the soul that thus knows it : but will say, here is a dying man 
 witnessing the death of Christ, and nevertheless the same man living 
 with Christ, and concluding, if Christ liad not died, man must have 
 perished in his sin; this being the ivay found out by God to recover 
 him: whereby he knows Christ, and him crucified, and what the 
 preaching of the cross of Christ is, which is foolishness to them that 
 perish, but to them that are saved, the wisdom of God, and the pow- 
 er of God, 1 Cor. i. 18. 
 
 " By this gift of God in our hearts, we further believe, that Christ 
 Jesus rose again from the dead, according unto the scriptures, and 
 sits at God's right hand in a glorious body j and we believe that our 
 low estates and bumbled bodies, shall be made like unto his glorious 
 body, through the working of his mighty power, whereby he is able 
 to subdue all things unto himself; and that this mortal shall put on 
 immortality. For though we believe that Christ Jesus hath lighted 
 every man with his light, whereby man may come to know himself 
 lost and undone, as before is said ; yet therefore is not every man 
 saved, though the grace that appears to all men is sufficient in itself; 
 but some have the grace of God bestowed on them in vain, not liking 
 to retain God in their knowledge, though something within them 
 shows them what is good; ' but they reject the counsel of God with- 
 in, or against themselves, to their own destruction,' Luke vii. 30. 
 (see the margin.) And yet it doth not follow, that the grace is in- 
 sufficient itself, no more than it follows that Christ's death is insuffi- 
 cient, because he tasted death for every man, and yet every man is 
 not saved. Neither doth regeneration, or the believing in the light 
 of Christ within, make void the death and sufferings of Christ with- 
 out at Jerusalem, no more than believing the scripture-testimony 
 without, concerning Christ's death, makes void the work of regene- 
 ration and mortification within ; but as the apostle saith in another 
 case, so say I in this, for as the man is not without the woman, 
 neither is the woman without the man in the Lord ; even so is not the 
 death and sufferings of Jesus Christ without at Jerusalem, to be made 
 void and of none effect by any thing within; neither doth the light 
 within make that of none effect without, but both in the Lord answer 
 his will : for though there is, and may be, a knowledge and belief of 
 what Christ did and suffered without the gates, in his own body up- 
 on the tree, and yet sin alive in the heart, and the work of regenera- 
 tion not known ; yet it cannot be so, where the light within is be- 
 lieved on, and obeyed, so as to have its perfect work in the heart, to 
 regenerate and make all things new, and to be of God; this man 
 can never make void what Christ hath done and suffered icithout : 
 and yet this new birth, or Christ formed within, and dwelling in the 
 
S19 
 
 heart by faith, doth not limit or confine Christ to he only within, 
 and not without also, but both within and without, according to the 
 good pleasure of the Father, to reveal and make him known ; for, 
 " He fills all things, and the heaven of heavens cannot contain him," 
 and yet he is at God's right hand, far above all heavens, in a glori- 
 ous body. 
 
 " And we also believe the resurrection of the just and unjust, the 
 one to salvation, and the other to condemnation, according unto the 
 judgment of the great day ; and then shall every seed have its own 
 body, according to 1 Cor. xv. 36, 37, 38. which we verily believe : 
 for if the dead arise not, we are, of all men, most miserable. But 
 because we dare not be so foolishly inquisitive, as to say. With 
 v/hat bodies shall they arise ? Therefore do some say. We deny 
 both the resurrection of the body of Christ, and of all that shall or 
 will be dead : but this also is false ; for " every man shall be raised 
 in his own order ; but Christ the first fruits," 1 Cor. xv. 23. And 
 we believe they shall be raised with the same bodies, so far as a na- 
 tural and spiritual, corruptible and incorruptible, terrestrial and 
 celestial can be the same. 
 
 " We further believe, according unto the scriptures, concerning 
 faith. That tiiat faith is only true which is God's gift, and hath 
 Christ Jesus, the power of God, for its author and object, and is 
 distinguished from the dead faith, by its fruits : for though in^ des- 
 cription and and definition they may carry a resemblance, yet in 
 nature are as different as a living man is from a dead, which wants 
 not form or shape, but life and power. So saith the apostle James, 
 " As the body without a spirit is dead, so is faith without works ;" 
 even so is that faith which stands in the wisdom of words, and not 
 in the power of God : by the one, man is kept in captivity to the 
 world, and the things of it ; but by the other he hath " victory over 
 the world," 1 John v. 4. and the seal and witness thereof in his 
 own heart, whereby it is purified, and God is seen ; for the pure in 
 lieart see God, Matt. v. 8. This faith differs men now, and theii 
 worships, as it did Cain and Abel ; for, " by faith Abel offered up 
 a more excellent sacrifice than Cain," Heb. xi. By this living faith, 
 Abel saw beyond the sacrifice unto Christ, the first-born of God ; 
 beyond the firstling of the flock, which he offered ; and therefore 
 God had respect unto Abel and his offering ; but God rejected Cain 
 and his offering, though he had faith to believe it to be his duty, 
 yet sticking in the form, and not flying on the wing of faith unto 
 Christ the one offering, he missed the mark, as all have done ever 
 since, that have gone in Cain's way of worshipping, as well as kil- 
 ling men about worship. But we believe that faith to be only true 
 and saving, that flies over self-righteousness, as well as filthincss, 
 unto the fountain of life in Christ ; which fiiith hath nothing of man 
 in it, but is as the breath of life, by which the soul lives ; not a bare 
 assent to the truth of a proposition in the natural understanding, 
 but the soul's cleaving unto God, out of a naturalness between 
 Christ and the soul ; and so lives rather by relation, than bare cre- 
 dit, or desperate adventure and hazard; not looking at its doing 
 to commend it, but God's love and bounty in Christ the light, to 
 
320 
 
 receive it; and yet holiness is its delight, and he can no more live 
 out of it, than the fish upon the dry land. 
 
 " We believe, That this faith keeps the mind pure, the heart 
 clean, through the sprinkling of the heart from an evil conscience, 
 by the blood of Jesus, which remits the sin, and justifies the soul, 
 through the virtue of this blood received into the heart by this liv- 
 ing faith, which receives all its power and virtue from Christ, in 
 whom it abides as its root and object, whereby justification is wit- 
 nessed " from sin, not in sin." Rom. vi. 22. " But now being made 
 free from sin, and become servants unto God, you have your fruits 
 unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 
 
 " We believe, That justification and sanctification are distin- 
 guished, but not divided : for as he that sanctifieth and justifieth is 
 one, so do these go together; and when the soul hath the greatest 
 sense of justification upon it, through the virtue of the blood of Je- 
 sus by the living faith, then is it most in love with holiness, and at 
 the greatest distance from sin and evil ; and whenever there is a 
 failing in sanctification, there is also some eclipse of justification 
 in the eye of the soul ; until faith hath recovered its strength again, 
 which it lost by sin's prevailing. For as the farthest and clearest 
 sight is in the brightest day, so is it with the soul, when it is most in 
 the brightness and beauty of holiness, its justification appears most 
 glorious, and its union and communion most sweet and lasting ; 
 and so, like two twins, as they are much of an age, so they are like 
 one to the other; and " what God hath joined together, let no man 
 put asunder. 
 
 " We also by this light believe. That acceptance with the Father 
 is only in Christ ; and by his righteousness made ours, or imputed 
 nnto us : not by the creaturely skill, but by the applicatory act of 
 God's gift of grace, whereby the soul feels the difference between 
 self-applying by its own faith, and God applying bj' his Spirit, and 
 so making Christ unto the soul, wisdom, righteousness, sanctifica- 
 tion, and redemption : so that we believe, and are sure, that there is 
 a great difference between imputation, as it is the act of man's spi- 
 rit, and as it is the act of free grace, without man's forcing. And 
 so we distinguish between imagination and imputation, between 
 reckoning or imputing that is real, and reckoning or imputation that 
 is not real, but a fiction and imagination in the creaturely will and 
 power : and because we are against the latter, we are clamoured 
 upon, as if we denied the imputation of Christ's righteousness, 
 when it is only unto those that are not made righteous by it, to walk 
 as he also walked : for, as the scripture saith. It is not he that saitli 
 he is righteous by the imputation of Christ's righteousness, but " He 
 that doth righteousness, is righteous, as Christ is righteous," 1 John 
 iii. 7. he that believes otherwise is deceived. And yet it is not acts 
 of righteousness, as done by us, nor as inherent in us, as acts, by 
 which we are accepted of God, and justified before him ; but by 
 Christ, the author and worker of those acts in us and for us, where- 
 by we know that we are in him, and he in us, and we hold him as 
 our head ; into whom all things are gathered together in one, 
 even in him." 
 
32 1 
 
 THOMAS ELLWOOD. 
 
 George Keith having written a book against Friends, entitled, 
 " The Deism of William Penn and his brethren, &c." Thomas 
 EUwood replied to it, in 1699, from which we take the following ex- 
 tract : — 
 
 " The word Deism being somewhat an uncommon term, may not 
 perhaps be readily understood by every reader. As it has been op- 
 posed to Atheism, it has been taken in a good sense ; but as it is now 
 used, it is taken in an ill sense, as importing an acknowledgment 
 or owning of God only ; or of the Godhead, but not of Christ, with 
 respect to his incarnation, or being manifest in the flesh for the re- 
 demption of man : So that to charge any one now with Deism, is to 
 charge him with denying that Christ is come and hath suffered in the 
 flesh. Now herein George Keith's both injustice and malice is the 
 greater, in charging William Penn, and his brethren the Quakers with 
 Deism ; inasmuch as he assuredly knows, (which some other adver- 
 saries have not had the like opportunity to know, as he hath had,) by 
 certain experience, drawn by so many years intimate conversa- 
 tion with William Penn and the Quakers, in free and familiar con- 
 ferences, and in reading their books; that William Penn and the 
 Quakers both in word and ivriting, publicly and privately, have al- 
 loays, and on all occasions, confcst, acknoictedged, oivned, as well as 
 believed the incarnation of Christ, according to the Holy Scriptures, 
 viz : ' That the Word was made flesh,' John i. 14. Tiiat when the 
 fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, 
 made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, Gal. 
 iv. 4, 5. That Christ Jesus being in the form of God, and thinking 
 it no robbery to be equal with God ; made himself of no reputation, 
 and took upon him tlie form of a servant, and was made in the 
 likeness of men; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled 
 himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, 
 Phil. ii. 5, 6, 7, 8. Christ died for our sins, according to the scrip- 
 tures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day, 
 according to the scriptures, 1st Cor. xv. 3, 4. That he ivas deliver- 
 ed for our offences, and was raised again for our justitication, Rom. iv. 
 25. That he is the propitiation for our sins ; and not for ours only, 
 but for the sins of the whole world ; 1st John ii. 2. That he ascend- 
 ed up, far above all heavens, that he might fill all things, Ephes. iv 
 10. That he is the one Mediator between God and men, 1st Tim. ii, 
 5. That he is at the right hand of God, and maketh intercession for 
 us, Rom. viii. 34, And is our ,ddvocate with the Father, 1st John ii. 1, 
 And that it is HE which was ordained of God to be the Judge of 
 quick and dead. Acts x. 42. These things, 1 say, George Keith 
 certainly knows, have been constantly held, believed, professed, and 
 
 Ss 
 
322 
 
 owned by William Penn, and his brethren the Quakers in general, both 
 privately and publicly in word and writing. These things are so of- 
 ten testified of in our meetings^ and have been so fully and plainly as- 
 serted and held forth in our books, that we might call in almost as 
 many witnesses thereof, as have frequented our meetings, or atten- 
 tively read our books." — T. EUwood's Journal, old ed. pages 443, 
 444, 445. — Again on page 451, alluding to George Keith, having 
 once been in membership with Friends, he says — 
 
 " Yet he himself well knows that neither he, nor William Penn, nor 
 any of the Quakers ever were Deists ; ever did deny, disown, or dis- 
 believe, the coming, incarnation, sufferings and death of Christ, as man, 
 outwardly in the flesh, his resurrection, ascension, and mediatorship ; 
 and he himself has undesignedly acquitted William Penn from his 
 present charge of Deism, by a story he told in his first narrative, p. 38. 
 That upon some urging him to give an instance of one English Qua- 
 ker, that he ever heard pray to Christ; William Penn being pre- 
 sent, said, I am an Englishman, and a Quaker, and 1 own, I have 
 oft prayed to Christ Jesus, even him that was crucified. This he 
 says, was in the year 167B, which was five years after the publish- 
 ing of that book, [y\x : William Penn's discourse of the General 
 Rule of faith and life,] from which he attempts to prove him a De- 
 ist ; that is, a denier of the man Christ Jesus that was crucified." 
 
 In an " Answer to some objections of a Moderate Enquirer," T, 
 Ellwood says — 
 
 *' The second objection is. You deny the scriptures to be any rule 
 for man or woman to walk by, so as to direct them to the saving of 
 their souls. 
 
 " Answer — In this we are misrepresented. We sincerely own, 
 love, and regard the Holy Scriptures, believing with the apostle that 
 they were given by inspiration of God, and are profitable for doc- 
 trine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in inghteousness, 
 that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all 
 good works, 2d Tim. iii. 16, 17, and that they are able to make wise 
 unto salvation, through faith that is in Christ Jesus, verse 15. Jlnd 
 great benefit and delight, we find in them,, reading them in the open- 
 ings of that Divine Spirit by which they were given forth. W^e are 
 so far from denying them to be any rule, &c. that we acknowledge 
 them to contain many excellent rules, precepts, doctrines, and instruc- 
 tions, directing man and woman, how to walk that they may obtain 
 the salvation of their souls. Yet we do not say, (as some have done,) 
 that the scriptures are the 07ily rule, or the chief and principal rule : 
 because we dare not give the honour and office of the Holy Spirit, 
 unto the scriptures ; for the scriptures themselves declare, that it 
 is the office of the Holy Spirit to guide believers into all truth, John 
 xvi. 13. And indeed the true meaning and benefit of the scriptures 
 themselves is not attained to, in the reading of them, unless the 
 Spirit that gave them forth, do open them, and unseal the mysteries 
 contained in them. So that the Holy Spirit is greater than the 
 scriptures, and therefore we cannot but give the chief place unto him. 
 For he is able to manifest himself unto man, and to lead man into 
 the way of salvation, either with and by the scriptures, or without 
 
323 
 
 them as he pleases : but the scriptures cannot do that, without the 
 operation of the Holy Spirit. Justly, therefore, do we affirm the 
 Spirit of God to be the chief rule, and yet acknowledge the Holy 
 Scriptures to be a true rule, and proper instrument in the hand of 
 the Spirit to direct men and women how they ought to walk, to ob- 
 tain salvation to their souls, as the Spirit of the Lord makes use of 
 the scriptures to that end." — Pages 3, 4. 
 
 THOMAS STORY, 
 
 Being on a religious visit in America, with Aaron Atkinson, gives 
 the following account, viz: 
 
 " The priest was then silent as to that point, [viz. election, ^ and 
 in an angry manner affirmed, that we as a people deny Christ; and 
 pretended he could prove it, being furnished, as we perceived, with 
 his pretended proof, out of that lying, perverting, scandalous book, 
 called the Snake in the Grass, which as we were informed, he used to 
 read often among his people: and his pretended proof amounting to 
 no more than false accusation, we rejected and exposed it as such. 
 Then his last shift was to call upon us for a confession of our own 
 faith; and directed his demand, to our friend Richard Johns in par- 
 ticular, with whom he was acquainted. 
 
 " We denied that he had any authority to make any such demand 
 from us, nor should we, on his own account take any notice of him 
 therein, he appearing as an adversary and perverter; but for the 
 sake of the people, were willing to say, what might be sufficient to 
 satisfy such, as were not prepossessed or prejudiced against us: 
 And then Richard Johns began and proceeded after this manner: 
 ' We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, who was born of the Virgin 
 Manj, being conceived by the power arid influence of the Holy 
 Ghoat, is the true Messiah, and Saviour ; that he died upon the cross 
 at Jerusalem^ a propitiation and sacrifice for the sins of all man- 
 kind ; that he rose from the dead the third day, ascended, and sit- 
 teth on the right hand of the majesty on high, making intercession 
 for lis, and in the fulness of time shall come to judge both the liv- 
 ing and the dead, and reward all according to their works:' All 
 which, being more tully spoken to, by Roger Gill, we asked the 
 people if they were satisfied with that confession, and they general- 
 ly, from all quarters, answered, yea, yea, yea ; it is full, no man can 
 deny it.»--pages 173, 174. 1G99. 
 
324 
 
 THEODOKE ECCLE8T0NE, 
 
 In his testimony concerning John Crook, savs: 
 
 "Among other, his faithful brethren, he had a reverent esteem of 
 the coming of Christ, antl his sufferings in the days of his flesh, and 
 knew well how to distinguish his great work of redemption and sal- 
 vation, as he died for all men, or was a sacrifice for sin : and also 
 as he was a sanctifier and redeemer out of sin : the fruit and benefit 
 of the one, being not obtained without the other. 
 
 "And were our adversaries duly sensible what great things Christ 
 both doth in us, as well as did for us, surely they would be humbled 
 under his mighty hand, and leave off" their slight esteem of his spir- 
 itual work in us, and not suppose the one to be in opposition to the 
 other. 
 
 "The apostle Peter saith, ' He bore our sins in his own body on 
 the tree, that we being dead unto sin, should live unto righteous- 
 ness.' And how can we die unto sin and live unto righteousness, 
 but by his assistance inwardly manifest in his light, grace, and Holv 
 Spirit. 
 
 " Our being born again, not ofcorruptible seed, but of incorruptible, 
 by the Word of God, which lives and abides forever, doth not hin- 
 der his being made sin for us, who knew no sin, that we may be made 
 the righteousness of God in him. 
 
 "Our owning we are sanctified by the work of his spirit, in our 
 inward parts, hinders not our having remission of sins in his name. 
 
 " He having left us an example, that we should follow his steps, 
 bars him not at all from being our King, and Captain of Salvation : 
 though he is a condemner of sin in the flesh, yet he is also our Ad- 
 vocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 
 
 " Our owning him, a sacrifice for sin, hinders not at all, his being 
 our great High Priest. 
 
 " Our acknowledging he was tempted in all points, like as we 
 are, doth not prevent his being able to succour us, when we are 
 tempted. Thus our preaching him, the true light, which llghtetli 
 every man that cometh into the world, doth not divest him of any 
 of his blessed attributes, or offices, worthily bestowed upon him in 
 Holy Scripture ; as the Seed of the woman, the Word, Emanuel, In- 
 terpreter, One among a thousand, Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty 
 God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, Lamb of God, Jesus, Sa- 
 viour, the very Christ, the Anointed, and many more : yea, he be- 
 comes all these to us as we walk in his light, who was given for a 
 Light to lighten the Gentiles, that he might be God's salvation to 
 the ends of the earth." — pages 48, 49. 1700. 
 
325 
 
 CHRISTOPHER STORY. 
 
 This worthy man and his friends having experienced some very 
 rough treatment from the people of Canonsby, in consequence of a 
 misaoprehension of the doctrines of the Quakers, addressed a letter 
 to them, in which he declares the nature of the doctrines preached by 
 him at the meeting which had been disturbed by them. We extract 
 the following, viz : 
 
 " That there iy not another name given under Heaven by which 
 men can be saved, but by the name of Jesus, unto whose name eve- 
 ry knee must bow, and tongue confess, either in judgment or in 
 mercy ; and that it was the same Jesus Christ who v/as born of the 
 Virgin Mary, in Bethlehem in Judea, whose life Herod sought, who, 
 after he had wrought many miracles, suffered the contradiction of 
 sinners, and whose precious blood tvas shed without the gates of Je- 
 rusalem, that tasted death for mankind ^ that he might be a propitia- 
 tion for the sins of the whole world ; who was laid in the new se- 
 pulchre, rose again the third day ; who after his appearing unto his 
 disciples, as the Scripture makes mention, was received into a cloud 
 out of their sight, and sits at the right hand of the Father. Ml which 
 testimonies, recorded in the scriptures of truth, from the time of 
 the Virgin Mary's being overshadowed by the Holy Ghost, and the 
 child Jesus being brought forth in Bethlehem of Judea, unto that day 
 the cloud received him out of the disciples' sight, all christians that 
 ever 1 met with agree in ; and we are of the same belief. And this 
 being part of what was upon my mind at that time, another thing 
 that followed was, that after Christ Jesus ascended up on high, he 
 gave gifts unto men, some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, 
 &,c. (Read the fourth chapter of the Ephesians.) 'Till we all come 
 in the unity of the faiih, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, 
 unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness ot 
 Christ, saitli the Apostle. And the same Apostle writing to the Co- 
 rinthians, in chapter twelfth, concerning the diversities of gifts, but 
 the same spirit; saith, that a 'Manifestation of the spirit is given to 
 every man to profit withal ;' and this makes good the words of our 
 Lord and Saviour to his disciples, John xvi. * Nevertheless, (saith 
 he,) I tell you the truth ; it is expedient for you that I go away ; 
 for if I go not away, the comforter will not conae unto you ; but if I 
 depart,! will send him unto you: And when he is come, he will 
 reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment, &c., 
 and will guide you into all truth.' 
 
 " And seeing that which is to be known of God, is manifested in 
 man, (God hath showed it unto them as in Romans chap, i.) it is 
 our message toyoa and all people, wherever we come or go, to direct 
 all to the spirit of truth that convinceth of sin, as aforesaid, and 
 
326 
 
 leads into all tiutli. And this is the word nigh even iu thy heart 
 and thy mouth, Rom. x., which the apostle preached ; and that eve- 
 ry one that hath an ear, might hear what the spirit saith, is no new 
 doctrine, * tor as many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the 
 sons of God,' Rom. viii. 14. Why we should be reviled and abused 
 for exhorting people that have believed in God, and in Christ Jesus, 
 to be led by the Holy Spirit of God, so as that thereby they may work 
 out their own salvation, with fear and trembling; do ye judge: and 
 though we have been unchristianly treated by you, once and again, 
 yet we do suppose you know us not, and therefore we can pray and 
 say in reality, ' Lord forgive them ; they know not what they do ;' for 
 all that have persecuted God's people in every age, such was their 
 blindness and hardness of heart, that they knew them not, as they 
 were really concerned on the Lord's account." — Journal, pages 82 
 to 84. 1701. 
 
 JOHN STODDART. 
 
 John Stoddart in his preface to William Edmundson's Journal, 
 has these remarks : — 
 
 "The visible dispensations of God to men, have been various, as 
 by angels, the law from Mount Sinai, the ministry of the prophets, 
 and John the Baptist, sent in the spirit and power of Elias, to pre- 
 pare the way of the Lord : all which dispensations had a glory in 
 them for their time, though but preparative for one more glorious, yet 
 to be revealed. Then in the fulness of time, Christ Jesus the Seed 
 of the woman, the Messiah and Hope of Israel, was manifested in 
 the flesh, whose day many prophets and righteous men desired to 
 see, and could not, only by faith, at a distance, by reason of death. 
 
 " Now was salvation brought nigh, the kingdom of heaven at hand, 
 and the glad tidings of the gospel preached to the seed of Abraham, 
 the glory of former dispensations began to wax dim to such as beheld 
 His glory, that excelled, even the glory of the Only Begotten of the 
 Father, full of grace and truth ; yet many of the Jews could not see 
 it so, nor understand his voice, preaching the kingdom of God in 
 parables, and uttering things that had been kept secret from the 
 foundation of the world; or believe on him, concerning whom, Mo- 
 ses in the law, and the prophets did write ; but despised and rejected 
 him, although the mighty works, and great miracles which he wrought 
 among them, by the power of his Father, declared him to be the Son 
 of God. 
 
 " Howbeit the most glorious gospel day was not yet fully revealed, 
 at least with respect to the Gentiles, whilst our Saviour was in the 
 prepared body, sent only to the house of Israel, in the form of a 
 servant, to fulfil the law and prophets, and things that were written 
 concerning him ; but after he had done that work which the Father 
 
327 
 
 had given him to do, in that holy body, and ftnished the same by the 
 offering up of himself unto God, as a Lamb without spot, a propiti- 
 ation for the sins of the lohole ivorld, rose again frotn the dead, ap' 
 peared to confirm his disciples, and ascended into glory, at the right 
 hand of his Father: then an open door was set before both Jews and 
 Gentiles, by Jesus Christ, who had consecrated a new and living way 
 through the veil, that is to say, his flesh, and abolished the old cove- 
 nant, sacrifices, ceremonies and hand writing of ordinances, taking 
 it out of the way, and nailing it to his cross, and openly triumphed 
 over principalities and powers. 
 
 " Now the old covenant was to pass away, and the new covenant 
 to be established, and the priesthood clianged by the great High 
 Friestyivithoiit sin, and higher than the heavens, made not after the 
 law of a carnal commandment, but by the power of an endless life ; 
 a Priest forever, after the order of Melchisedec; and the law now to 
 go forth of Zion, from the great Lawgiver, and written in the heart, 
 even the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus, that sets free from the 
 law of sin and death. Now was the Spirit poured forth from on high 
 in a more plentiful manner upon mankind, than in former dispensa- 
 tions, and eminently on believers; whereby many were qualified and 
 anointed both of Jews and Gentiles, as priests and ministers of the 
 Lord, to attend at his holy altar, in his temple not made with hands, 
 and to ofter up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jysiis Christ. 
 And the holy apostles commissioned and endued with power from on 
 high, were to teach all nations, baptizing them into tl)e name of the 
 Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, having assurance 
 from Christ, of his being with them to the end of time. And by 
 their ministry, and otiiers whom the Lord sent forth, many were 
 converted to God and added to the church, both of Jews, Greeks, and 
 other nations, being all baptized by one Spirit into one body, or 
 church, which was glorious in that day, as a woman clothed with the 
 sun, having the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of 
 twelve stars, and she brought forth a Man-child, who was to rule ail 
 nations, but he was caught up unto Go<l, and to his Throne, from" 
 the great red dragon, that sought to devour him as soon as he was 
 born."— Page 4 to 7. 
 
 " And now the Man-child, the Lord from heaven, is again revealed 
 in many of his saints, who by the breath of his mouth, and brightness 
 of his coming, shall destroy the man of sin, tiiat hath wrought with 
 all deceivableness of unrighteousness, by signs and lying wonders in 
 them that perish. And the true church is returning out of the wil- 
 derness leaning on her beloved ; and shall again appear in her come- 
 liness and beauty, as a bride adorned for her husband : to her light 
 shall the Gentiles come, and kings to the brightness of her rising, for 
 tl\e glory of the Lord shall arise upon hei-, and his light shine therein 
 forever. Theg;lorious prophecies of the holy prophets and servants 
 of the Lord, concerning the latter days, must be fulfilled. The 
 knowledge of the Lord shall fill the earth as the waters cover the 
 sea. The abundance of the sea, or multitudes of people shall be con- 
 verted to Sion, the nations shall How together to the goodness of the 
 Lord, and be gathered to Jerusalem, that is from above, to worship 
 
328 
 
 the f^reat king, the Lord of Hosts upon his holy mountain, that shall 
 be established on the top of the mountains, and exalted above the 
 hills, and no hurt or destruction shall be there. The Lamb shall lead 
 his people, and feed them in the pastures of life, and bring them to 
 living fountains of water. The Heir of all things shall inherit his 
 right and possess the gates of his enemies, who, in due time, shall all 
 be put under his feet. He shall judge araon» the nations and rebuke 
 many people. They shall beat their swords into plough-shares, and 
 spears into pruning hooks, and come under the peaceable govern- 
 ment of the Lamb. For He is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, 
 and of the increase of his government and peace, there shall be no 
 end. And blessed be the Lord, many in this day have in measure, 
 witnessed the fulfilling of many of these prophecies, (as they relate 
 to particulars) and do know that the Son of God is come, who hatli 
 given them an understanding, whereby they know him that is true, 
 and that they are in him that is true, even JESUS CHRIST the 
 true God, and eternal life, in whom all the promises of God, are 
 and shall be fulfilled in their season." — Pages 10, 11. 1714. 
 
 8AMUEL FULLER, 
 
 In his " Serious Reply," to some abusive queries proposed to the 
 Society of Friends, written in 1728, page 27, says — 
 
 " We believe the Holy doctrines of the Old and New Testament, 
 to be given by Divine inspiration ; and therefore of Divine autho- 
 rity, and preferable to all other writings extant ; though we cannot 
 think it any affront or undervaluing of those heavenly oracles, that 
 rare gift, to prefer the mouth and giver whence they came, and 
 which alone can certainly expound, bless, and make them profita- 
 ble to those great and good ends, which the Almighty, in his mercy 
 and favour, to the Christian Church, above others, has been gra- 
 ciously pleased to vouchsafe and appoint those sacred oracles. 
 
 " Forasmuch as the penmen of the Holy Scriptures, particular!}' of 
 the New Testament, were entrusted to transmit to posterity the 
 transactions, with relation to the birth, miracles, sufferings, resur- 
 rection and ascension of our blessed Lord, with the precepts, ex- 
 hortations, and gracious sayings, that proceeded from his mouth 
 whilst here on earth ; as also those excellent and evangelical truths, 
 revealed to them by the light of the glorious gospel, which they 
 were commissioned to preach to the nations ; in these respects, and as 
 being prime ministers in God's house, and persons qualified by a 
 much greater measure of the same divine spirit, to be the first wit- 
 nesses and dispensers of that glorious dispensation ; their writings 
 challenge, and justly ought to have the first and chief place, as a 
 rule of faith and practice, next [to] the holy spirit by which they 
 
329 
 
 were inspired : and which leads us into a high esteem of those ex- 
 cellent writings, as being so valuable an effect of so great a cause. 
 
 " We also believe, the Holy Scriptures contain a clear testimony to 
 all the essentials of the Christian faith; that they are the only fit out- 
 ward judge of controversy among Christians ; that whatever doc- 
 trine is contrary unto their testimony, may therefore be justly rejected 
 as Jalse ; and that whatsoever any do, pretending to the spirit:, 
 which is contrary to the Scriptures, ought to be accounted a delu- 
 sion of the devil ; Jor ^tis impossible, that the spirit of God, which 
 we believe all Christians should be led by, should contradict itself, 
 or any of its former revelations in the Holy Scriptures : hence we are 
 far from equalling, much less preferring, our suppositions, speeches, 
 pretences, writings, acts or facts, to the sacred writings, that we 
 submit all to them, as the only fit outward judge of controversy.'''^ 
 
 On page 82, he says, " We, sincerely believing the divine inspi- 
 ration and authority of the Holy Scriptures, cannot deny any thing 
 therein recorded concerning our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, 
 his blood, ascension, and coming again to judgment. 
 
 " We do, we bless God, religiously believe and confess to the 
 glory of God the Father, and the honour of his dear and beloved 
 Son ; that Jesus Christ took our nature upon him, and was like 
 us in all things, Sin excepted ; being wonderfully conceived by the 
 Holy Ghost, his Divinity and Manhood wonderfully united, for in 
 him dwelt the fulness of the Godhead bodily ; he was born of the Vir- 
 gin Mary at Bethlehem, about 1700 years ago, wrought many wonder- 
 ful miracles in the land of Judea, lived a life of sanctityand perfect 
 obedience, died the shameful death of the cross under Pontius Pilate, 
 the Roman Governor, whereby he became an offering of atonement, 
 propitiation and full satisfaction for the sins of all \xi^x\, on condition 
 of faith and repentance ; was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arima- 
 thea, rose again on the third day, and afterwards ascended into hea- 
 ven, and sits on the right hand of God, our Mediator, and great In- 
 tercessor, and there remains, that heavenly Glorified Man ; who 
 will descend (in like manner as he ascended) to be judge botli of 
 quick and dead, just and unjust, at that great, general, and final 
 day of judgment. All which we confirm by the authority of the 
 Holy Evangelists. 
 
 To the charge tliat the Quakers deny any locality to heaven or 
 hell, and that therefore they must in eflect deny the eternal re- 
 wards and punishments of the life to come, he says — 
 ? " No — were that our faith, I would deny the consequence ; but wc 
 deny both the premises and the consequences aforenamed : for we 
 believe that heaven is both a place and state of inexpressible and 
 endless joy for the godly ; and hell, a place and state of inexpres- 
 sible and endless misery for the wicked, and such as forget God ; 
 an earnest of each may be witnessed in this life, but the fulness in 
 the world to come." — Page 128. 
 
 Among other authories which he cites in proof of this being the 
 belief of Friends, are the following, viz : 
 
 " We do not confine all our expected attainments of heaven and 
 glory, to within us, in this life, but the wav to attain more thereof 
 
 Tt 
 
330 
 
 ill that which is to come, is to partake ot some share thereof in 
 Christ Jesus, even in this life; and where Christ is enjoyed, there 
 heaven and glory is, in measure, spiritually enjoyed, there being 
 inward and spiritual heavens, as well as natural ; here we enjoy 
 heaven, or hell but in part ; hereafter, in the fulness of endless joy 
 and happiness, or woe and misery. — George Whitehead's Antidote, 
 page 110. 
 
 " Question — What is hell ? Answer — A place and state of mis- 
 ery, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched, Mark 
 ix. 41." — S. Hunt's Instructions for cliildren. 
 
 " We own, the one Mediator betwixt God and man, the man 
 Christ Jesus, who maketh intercession for man in heaven, with- 
 out us.''"' — ^John Field's True Christ Owned, p. 22. 
 
 " In full assurance, that when our testimony is finished, and this 
 mortal life ended, we shall have n dwelling place in that kingdom of 
 Glory, which Christ Jesus hath prepared for us, and purchased by 
 his own blood ; by ivhom we only expect to enjoy the same, when 
 we shall rest from our labours and sufterings, and give glory to our 
 God and to the Lamb, who is worthy of dominion forever. Amen.'* 
 — Testimony to Authority, in 1685. — [.S'ee Fuller^ s Beply, p. 130, 
 131. 
 
 In the same volume we find the following confession of faith on 
 behalf of the Society of Friends, by Thomas Beaven, viz : 
 
 "To give them the true sense of that people (the Quakers) I say, 
 that as I, so they believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy 
 Ghost, Almighty, All -seeing, Omnipresent, One God, the creator of 
 all things, both in heaven and earth : that the Son, in the fulness of 
 time, came down from heaven, and took upon him, not the nature 
 of angels, but the Seed of Abraham ; was born of the Virgin Mary; 
 suffered under Pontius Pilate, the cruel and shameful death of the 
 cross, to be a propitiation and atonement for the sins of the whole 
 world ; but he rose again the third day from the dead, and ascended 
 into heaven, and is the Intercessor, Advocate, and Mediator, be- 
 tween God and man ; the King, Priest, and Prophet of his Church, 
 the only Author of Salvation, unto all that obey him, true God and 
 perfect man. 
 
 «' That the Holy Ghost proceed eth from the Father and the Son, 
 the Lord and Giver of light to the minds and consciences of men ; 
 the sanctifier of the heart ; the inward comforter of good men, and 
 condemner of evil men, the safe leader into all necessary truth ; 
 the guide sent us from heaven to lead us thither. That God hath al- 
 ways had a church or people in the world, consisting of believing 
 and obedient souls, according to the best light, and knowledge re- 
 ceived from him, of whatsoever nation or different profession. 
 
 " That all the members of Christs' Church are baptized by him, 
 with the Holy Ghost and fire, thereby giving them a new heart and 
 putting a new spirit within them, by which they are born again, and 
 become new creatures. 
 
 " That these have communion and fellowship together in the eat- 
 ing the flesh of the Son of Man, and drinking his blood by faith, 
 in receiving and partaking of the bread of God, that comes down 
 
331 
 
 from heaven, and wine of the kingdom, from the immediate hand 
 of Christ, the minister of the sanctuary and true tabernacle which 
 the Lord hath pitched, and not man ; these sup with Jesus, and he 
 suppeth with them. 
 
 " That God hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world 
 in righteousness, by Jesus Christ, and that then all in the graves 
 shall hear his voice, and come forth, they that have done good to 
 the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil to tiie resur- 
 rection of damnation ; then this corruptible shall put on incorrup- 
 tion, this mortal, shall put on immortality; the body is sown a na- 
 tural body, shall be raised a spiritual body. 
 
 " That there is an eternal rest prepared for the people of God, 
 the glorious kingdom and inheritance of heaven, the joys of which 
 infinitely surpass all the pleasure of this world ; but as for them 
 that live and die unholy and impenitent, the wicked and all them that 
 forget God, they shall be turned into hell, where is weeping and 
 gnashing of teeth, with torment and that forever and ever. 
 
 " That the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are 
 of divine authority, because holy men of God wrote them as tliey 
 were moved by the Holy Ghost ; wherefore they are profitable for 
 doctrine, for reproof, and instruction in righteousness, to the end 
 the man of God may be thoroughly furnished unto all good works, 
 able to make wise to salvation, through faith in Jesus Christ, and that 
 they are therefore the only extei'nal rule of faith and manners." — 
 Pages 144, 145, 146. 
 
 ALEXANDER ARSCOTT, 
 
 In his treatise on the Efficacy and Internal Evidence of the 
 Christian Religion, says — 
 
 " Christianity is a divine institution by which God declares him- 
 self reconciled to mankind, for the sake, and on the account of, his be- 
 loved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and what HE did and suffered 
 for theni ; on condition of repentance, amendment of life, and per- 
 severance in a state of holiness ; for which end he also offers them 
 the help of his grace, and good Spirit, which is sufficient for that 
 end : all which taken togetiier may be called salvation ; though in 
 a proper sense, salvation consists in the last, viz,, in that help which 
 men receive from the grace and good Spirit of God, according to 
 the words of the Apostle, Rom. v. 10. " It" when we were enemies, 
 we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, be- 
 ing reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." Again, Ephes. ii. 8. 
 
 " By grace are ye saved through faith ; and that not of yourselves, 
 it is the gift of God." Tit. iii. 5. " According to his mercy he saved 
 us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy 
 
 Ghost." Now by considering this distinction, it may be observed, 
 that the christian religion so far as concerns the great and good 
 
SS2 
 
 ends of its institution, consists of two parts ; first, what our Lord 
 Jesus Christ did and suffered for mankind in the days of his flesh 
 without them ; and secondly what he did, and continues to do for 
 them, in them ; or in other words, what they are enabled to do for 
 themselves, through that help and assistance which he is pleased to 
 afford them. The first includes the several particulars of his holy 
 life ; the good works which he wrought, in which, he is our exam- 
 ple ; the miracles which he did for the confirmation of his doctrine, 
 and divine mission ; his death, by which through the appointmeyit 
 of God, he became a propitiatory sacrifice for the sins of mankind ; 
 his resurrection, by which he was fully declared to be the Son of 
 God with power ; all which, though the effects of them are lasting 
 and permanent, yet were then done, once for all, and no more to be 
 repeated. But the second, namely, what Chiist does for mankind, 
 in them, or what they are enabled to do for themselves through his 
 help, in order to repentance and conversion, and perseverance in a 
 life of true piety and holiness ; this being the standing experience 
 of believers in him, throughout all generations, remains to be more 
 particularly considered in this place, being that whereby all the 
 good ends of religion are answered to mankind : the first of these 
 
 1 call, the external, historical part of Christianity, the last, the in- 
 ternal, experimental part. And though I consider them for dis- 
 tinction sake, as two parts, yet, as they have a near relation and 
 dependance, one upon the other, they are not to be divided, in the 
 influence they have on man's salvation, the one, being the effect or 
 consequence of the other : according to these scriptures. Tit. ii. 14. 
 " He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, 
 and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." 
 
 2 Corinth, v. 15. " He died for all, that they which live should not 
 henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him that died for them 
 and rose again." So that all the blessings of the gospel, which are 
 comprehended in these particulars, remission of sins that are past, 
 redemption from the power of sin, being purified, sanctified and 
 justified, all are conveyed to us by Jesus Christ, and are the effects 
 and consequence of what he did and suffered in his own person 
 without us, but yet wrought in us, by his good spirit; which I 
 mention once for all, that when I speak of these experiences, it 
 may be so understood." — New edit. p. 7, 8, 9. 
 
 BENJAMIN HOLME. 
 
 From a piece entitled a " Serious Call, &c." we extract the fol- 
 lowing : — 
 
 " 1. Concerning the universality of God's Love in sending his 
 Son to die for all men. 
 
 " We freely own that it is the duty of the children of men to be- 
 lieve in Christ, as he did outwardly appear ; and we hold it to be 
 
333 
 
 absolutely needful, that they believe his death and sufferings, and 
 what he has done for them, without them, where it has pleased God 
 to afford them the benefit of the Holy Scriptures that declare there- 
 of : yet we believe this outward knowledge is not so absolutely es- 
 sential to salvation but t!iat men may be saved by the Lord Jesus 
 Christ that suffered upon the cross for them, if they are subject to 
 his Spirit in their hearts, although their lots may be cast in those 
 remote parts of the world, where they are without the benefit of 
 the Holy Scriptures, and may know nothing of the coming of Christ 
 in the flesh ; for the apostle Paul in the fifth of the Romans saith. 
 As by the offence of one, judgment came upon all men to condem- 
 nation, even so by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon 
 all men to justification of life ; for as all men partake of the fruit of 
 Adam's fall, by reason of that evil seed, which through him is com- 
 municated unto them, which inclines them unto evil, although ma- 
 ny thousands of them never heard of the fall of Adam, nor of his 
 eating of the forbidden fruit : So we believe many may, and do re- 
 ceive benefit by the Lord Jesus Christ, as they take heed to that di- 
 vine light and grace, which is communicated to mankind univer- 
 sally, through him, although they may know nothing of his coming 
 in the flesh. Now though we hold it absolutely needful, that men 
 believe in the death and sufferings of Christ, where they have the 
 benefit of the Holy Scriptures that declare thereof, as is before ob- 
 served ; yet all this knowledge will not entitle to a part in the king- 
 dom of God, unless they know him that died for them, to save them 
 out of those things that unfit them for that Holy Kingdom, into 
 which nothing that is unclean can enter. 
 
 " But because we bear testimony to the inward appearance of the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, by his light and spirit in men's hearts, some 
 have been so unkind and unjust, that they have not stuck to say, 
 that we denied the Lord Jesus Christ, that suffered without the 
 gates of Jerusalem for us; which is a very great abuse upon us, for 
 we firmly believe in him that was born of the Virgin Mary, that suf- 
 fered upon the cross for the redemption of mankind universally, and 
 we are so far from denying him that died for us, and rose again, and 
 ascended into heaven, and is come again by his Spirit into our 
 hearts, that ive hold forth his death and sufferings in afar more ex- 
 tensive manner thanmany others do ; for a great many will have it, 
 that Christ only died for the believers, and a part of mankind ; but we 
 believe, according to the scripture that he tasted death for every 
 man : But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower tlian the an- 
 gels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour, that 
 he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. My little 
 children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not ; and if any 
 man sin we have an Advocate with the Fatlier, Jesus Christ the 
 righteous ; and he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours on- 
 ly, but also for the sins of the whole world. Here is the wonderful 
 love of God set forth to mankind universally ; Therefore, as by the 
 offence of one, judgment came upon all to condemnation ; even so 
 by the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men to jus- 
 tification of life. So that the plaster is as broad as the sore. Now 
 
334 
 
 although we believe that Christ has by his offering up of himself 
 once for all, cleared the score, so far upon the account of infanta 
 and mankind in general, that no man will perish because of the sin 
 of Adam; yet we do not believe that the death and sufferings of 
 Christ without the gates of Jerusalem, will render men justified, and 
 acceptable in the sight of God, except they know him that died for 
 them, to redeem them out of actual sinning, and from those things 
 that unfit thera for the kingdom of God : Know ye not saith the 
 apostle, that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God ? 
 be not deceived ; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, 
 nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, 
 nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall in- 
 herit the kingdom of God ; and such were some of you, but ye arc 
 washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the 
 Lord Jesus Christ, and by the Spirit of our God. Here the apostle 
 has clearly set forth how men are justified. Now this is what we 
 are concerned for, that all people may come to know the Lord to 
 work a change in their hearts, and wash them by his Spirit ; He 
 saved us by the washing or regeneration, and the renewing of the 
 Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ 
 our Saviour. Now here is salvation and justification by Christ up- 
 on a true and right foundation . And she shall bring forth a Son, and 
 thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their 
 sins. Mark, that salvation from sin, is the way for men to be sav- 
 ed by Christ, from the wrath to come ; for we read that tribulation 
 and anguish will be upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew 
 first, and also of the Gentile. There is therefore now no condemnation 
 to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but 
 after the spirit. As men come to witness a being washed and sanc- 
 tified, and brought into Christ, and know their abiding to be in him, 
 they are redeemed out of those things that bring condemnation." — 
 Works, pages 96, 97, 98, 99. 
 
 Concerning the Holy Scriptures : — 
 
 " Although some have misrepresented us, as though we underva- 
 lued or disesteemed the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Tes- 
 tament ; yet we do bless the Lord, and have great cause so to do, 
 that the excellent counsel therein contained, which proceeded from 
 the Spirit of God, is preserved upon record to this day ; and it is a 
 great favour that we live under a government, where we have the 
 liberty to read them, this being a privilege that many called chris- 
 tians are deprived of, in some other countries ; and I wish that all 
 would be frequent in reading of them : The apostle Paul com- 
 mended Timothy, in that from a child he had known the Holy 
 Scriptures, which, saith he, are able to make thee wise unto salva- 
 tion, through faith, which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture given by 
 inspiration of God, is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correc- 
 tion, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God niay be 
 perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Search the 
 scriptures, saith Christ, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, 
 and they are they which testify of me, and ye will not come to me 
 that ye might have life. They are greatly to be valued, in that they 
 
335 
 
 testify of Christ, in whom there is power to givQ men victory over 
 their corruptions and passions, and enable them to do the will of 
 God ; we read that Christ came unto his own, and his own receiv- 
 ed him not ; but as many as received him, to them gave he power to 
 become the Sons of God. Tliey that receive Christ by his Spirit 
 into their hearts, they receive power ; for Christ's Spirit is a chris- 
 tian's strength : 1 can do all things, saith the apostle, through Christ, 
 which strengthens me. We read, that no prophecy of the scrip- 
 tures is of any private interpretation : for the prophecy came not in 
 old time by the will of man, but holy men of God, spake as they 
 were moved by the Holy Ghost. 
 
 " Now we say, the most true interpreter of the Holy Scripture 
 is the Holy Ghost, or Spirit, from which they did proceed. We 
 read, that the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of 
 God, neither can he know them, saith the text, and there is a strong 
 reason laid down for it, because they are spiritually discerned ; 
 they are beyond his reach and comprehension ; For what man 
 knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of a man which is in 
 him ; even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of 
 God. This is the key which opens the mysteries of the kingdom 
 of God to men ; I take this to be the great reason why there are 
 such great mistakes about religion, and why many put such gross 
 constructions upon many parts of the Holy Scriptures, as they do, 
 because they do not come to that divine Spirit which gives a right 
 and true understanding; as Elihu said, There is a spirit in man, 
 and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. 
 Till men come to the Holy Spirit of God in themselves, they can 
 neither know God, nor the things of God ; for we read, that no man 
 knoweth the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son 
 will reveal him. Now if revelation was ceased as some do image it 
 is, what a sad condition would mankind be in? For we read, the 
 world by wisdom knows not God ; there is no knowledge of God, 
 but by the revelation of his Son ; and it is as men come to have an 
 inward knowledge of God, that they come to have a right under- 
 standing of the Holy Scriptures, Avhich proceeded from the good 
 Spirit of God, wherefore we highly value them ; though it is to be 
 feared some called christians do disbelieve many of the great truths 
 therein contained ; for i believe that a man, through okten 
 
 REBELLING AGAINST THE HoLY SpiRIT OF GoD IN HIMSELF, MAY 
 ARRIVE AT SUCH A DEGREE OF WICKEDNESS THAT HE MAY RE- 
 JECT THE SCRIPTURES, AND COUNT THEM BUT FABLES ; and may 
 
 be so far from owning of any thing of God in man, as to deny the 
 Lord that bought him, and according to Psalm xiv. 1. he may say 
 in his heart, there is no God. It is the work of the enemy of all 
 righteousness, to persuade men that there is no God, and that the 
 Scriptures are but a fiction, and that men are not accountable for 
 their words or actions, and that there are no future rewards and 
 punishments ; that they might walk at large and take their full 
 swing in wickedness. — It is greatly to be desired, if there be any 
 such now living, whose day of mercy is not wholly over, that have 
 arrivpd to such a degree of hardness and wickednoss a«j this i'*. that 
 
336 
 
 they may be brought to a sense of their iniquity and error, and be 
 so trulv humbled in soul because thereof, that if possible they might 
 find m'ercy at the Lord's hand. THE BETTER CHRISTIAN 
 THAT ANY MAN IS, THE MORE TRUE AND REAL VA- 
 LUE HE HAS FOR THE HOLY SCRIPTURES."— Works, 
 pages 105, 106, 107. 
 
 Extracts from a volume containing Sermons preached by the early 
 
 Quakers. 
 
 WILLIAM DEWSBURY. 
 
 " Away with all your own wills, and your pride and haughtiness, 
 and your hypocrisy and deceit, and all dependency upon any quali- 
 fication of your own ; you must come to have your life separated from 
 you, else you will all perish. Those that will die with Christ, and 
 be willing to die for him, to them he is revealed as a Saviour. He 
 ivas before us in the days of his flesh , and complied with his Father's 
 will. He was nailed to the cross. The Son of God, when he was 
 come to the depth of his sufferings, what was his cry? My God, my 
 God, why hast thou forsaken me ! This was for thy sake, and my 
 sake, and every man and woman's sake, that do believe in him. He 
 drank the cup which his Father gave him to drink: if it was done 
 thus unto the green tree, what shall be done unto the dry? He went 
 before us, and when he cometh again, he will take us to himself, and 
 take us from the filth of sin, that we may be made new creatures." 
 Pages 9, 10. 1688. 
 
 From his prayer after sermon : " We desire to give thee honour 
 and renown, and praise and thanksgiving, for thy renewed mercies 
 and spiritual blessings in Christ Jesus^for whom we bless thee, and 
 in whom we desire to be found, not having our oivn righteousness. 
 To HIM, with Thyself, and thy holy, Eternal Spirit, be glory for- 
 ever. Amen." — Page 18. 
 
 RICHARD ASHBY, 
 
 In his prajer after sermon : " Lord, thou hast revealed thy glo- 
 rious arm and power, to thy people, in their many travails, exercises 
 and afflictions, that have come upon them for the trial of their faith, 
 and the exercise of their patience and humility, and other graces. 
 Let our patience have its perfect work, and let the trial of our faith 
 be found unto praise, honour and glory, at the appearance of Jesus 
 
•337 
 
 Christ ; and let our humility lay us low before thee, that being hum- 
 bled under thy mighty hand, we may be exalted in due time, /or the 
 sake of Jesus Christy whom thou hast exalted at thine own right hand 
 to be a Prince and a Saviour^ to give repentance to us, and remis- 
 sion of sins." — Page 49. 
 
 Again on page 50 : " Now, Lord, for all thy mercies and benefits, 
 and blessings renewed to us from day to day, and from one season to 
 another, we desire to offer up to Thee, a pure and living sacrifice of 
 praise, and love, and thanksgiving; for thou alone art worthy, who 
 art God over all ; who, with thy blessed Son and Eternal Spirit^ 
 livest and reignest forever, and ever, One God, world without end. 
 Amen." 1693. 
 
 WILLIAM BINGLEY. 
 
 " How, and by what means, must sin be done away ? God, ever- 
 lasting, in his infinite love, hath ordained a way, because he would 
 not have man to perish and remain in a state incapable of answering 
 the end which God ordained him to. And what is that way ? The 
 Lord Jesus Christ. God hath sent him into the world in a two-fold 
 manner. 
 
 First, He sent him into the world in a holy body, which he had 
 prepared for him, as it is written : ' Lo, it is written in the volume of 
 the book, I come.' What for? 'To do thy will, Oh, God!' What 
 is God's will? and what is the reason of Christ's coming into the 
 world ? That he might die for every vian, and be a sacrifice for sin, 
 and redeem man to God ; this was the work that God gave him to do, 
 in that appearance. 
 
 " Secondly, There is another coming of Christ, a coming in the 
 spirit, for the first opened a door for lost man, that shut himself out, 
 and by his sin put a bar to his drawing near to God. The first com- 
 inz of Christ, 1 say, opened a door, for he became a sacrifice and an 
 offering, and atonement for mankind, and thereby opened a new and 
 living way for man's coming to God. And his second coming is 
 without sin to salvation; and to bring all mankind that believe and 
 obey him, into this way or door, and to have an entrance into this 
 new and living vvay, which he has opened ; and thereby to have the 
 benefit of that one offering and sacrifice which he hath made for sin- 
 ners, and God hath revealed and made tliis known, to the sons and 
 daughters of men." 
 
 " Blessed be the name of God ! that Christ is come in the spirit; 
 that he hath sent his spirit into our hearts ; that he hath given us a 
 measure of his spirit to profit withal. The Son of God is come to 
 wash and purge men from their sins, and to destroy the works of the 
 devil, and to waste and consume that nature, that hath separated 
 man from God, and the root and ground of that, which hath hindered 
 our approaching near to God. Christ is come to finish transgression, 
 
 IJu 
 
338 
 
 and to make an end of sin, to take it awaj,and to bring in everlast- 
 ing righteousness." — Page 54, 55. 1693. . 
 
 SAMUEL WALDENFIELD. 
 
 "And what if I should say, comparatively, there is a veil over the 
 hearts of many that are called Christians, that hinders them from 
 seeing the beauty and excellency of Christ. They do not know the 
 power of Christ, nor the government of his spirit in their hearts ; 
 for people may profess Christianity as long as they will, if they do 
 not know Christ to govern them, they are not true Chrii«tians. For 
 one of the prophets among the Jews, could prophecy and forefel of 
 him ; let us consider it and find out a right and true interpretation of 
 it, and apply it unto our own souls. Isa. is. 6. For unto us a child is 
 born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his 
 shoulder; and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the 
 Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace. Of the in- 
 crease of his government and peace, there shall be no end, the gov- 
 vernment shall be upon his shoulder. All these appellations and ti- 
 tles are ascribed to Christ Jesus. He hath the government upon 
 him, to lead and guide them in the way wherein they should go. 
 
 " Government is an extensive word ; it imports government, and 
 authority, and rule. This is applicable to Christ, and teacheth that 
 dignity which was conferred upon Christ, and was really due to him. 
 No man can parallel it, by any expression ; there is reason in it, 
 there is justice in if, there is right and equity in it. Christ hath 
 right to reign and rule forever. I do not speak of outward govern- 
 ment, but of the goveinment of Christ in the souls of men ; and 
 here the devil was the first usurper. He usurped authority in the 
 hearts of the children of men; and Christ was forsaken and desert- 
 ed : people went from him : for Christ was in the beginning of the 
 world, the world was made by him. Christ's divinity was from eter- 
 nity. He was before Abraham was. The world was made by him ; 
 and when he was in it, the world did not know him ; and when he 
 came into the world, many were not willing that he should reign 
 over them : said the Jews, we will not have this man to reign over 
 us."~Pages 78, 79. 
 
 *• I would speak a little of the government of Christ, with some 
 evidence and demonstration, and in a twofold manner, that you might 
 more easily distinguish. There are some Christians that expect that 
 Christ shall come, and reign on the earth, and then fhey hope to be 
 under his government ; but it may be, they are not so careful to mind 
 the present time, and to know his reign and government now. There 
 are another sort of people, whom God, in his infinite mercy hath 
 reached to their consciences, and convinced them that Christ hath a 
 right to reign now. He had a right to reign from the beginning; he 
 
339 
 
 always had a right, never forfeited it, never was deprived of it. He 
 hath a twofold right to reign over the sons and daughters of men. 
 
 *' The first is, by the right of creation. He created us. None deny, 
 I hope, that the world was created by Christ; therefore he hath a 
 right to govern in it. This is an undeniable argument ; no man can 
 gainsay it, that there is a right and justice belongs to him, to rule 
 and govern that which he hath made ; therefore it is the most un- 
 grateful and unnatural thing for men to oppose the reign and goverh- 
 ment of Christ. 
 
 " Secondly. — Christ hath a right to reign over the sons and daugh- 
 ters of men, on the account of /lis purchase. He did only create 
 them, but he did also purchase them, at the dearest rate, with the 
 price of his own precious blood! We were not redeemed with cor- 
 ruptible things, as silver and gold, or house, land, or earthly treasure ; 
 but with the precious blood 0/ Christ as of a Lamb without blemish 
 and without spot. He gave himself to be a ransom for mankind. He 
 tasted death for every vian. One would think that every moutli 
 should be stopped ; so there is a twofold right, that Christ our re- 
 deemer liatb, to reign over us, yet many will not not let him reign, 
 nor let him exercise his dominion. What do you think of these ? 
 What will become of them ?"— pages 81, 82. i693. 
 
 JOHN BUTCHER, 
 
 After speaking of the inward and spiritual appearance of Jesus 
 Christ in the soul, he says: 
 
 " Friends, I would not be mistaken. I do not preach Christ as the 
 Light of the world, in opposition to his outward appearance, and be- 
 ing manifested in the flesh in that prepared body, wherein he did his 
 Father's will when he was on earth. Jll true christians do esteem, 
 and reverence Christ's appearance in the body, wherein he suffered 
 death, and became a sacrifice for our sins, as the Apostle saith, 
 Eph. V. 2. Christ hath loved u<, and hath given himself for us, an 
 offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour." 
 
 '• If I esteem the appearance of Christ in my own heart,l shall be 
 so far from having a light esteem of his bodily appearance, and of 
 his being manifest in the flesh, that I shall admire and reverencethe 
 great mystery of godliness ; and bless God for the record given 
 thereof in the Holy Scriptures, which the light of Christ is a key to 
 open ; even the great mysteiies of the kingdom, which men by their 
 parts and acquirements, cannot attain to. For God hath not made 
 known these great things to the wise and prudent, as we may gather 
 from Christ's own prayer, Matt. xi. 25. ' I thank thee oh Father! 
 liord of Heaven and earth, because those hast hid these things from 
 the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes, even so, 
 Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight.'" — pages 102, 103. 1693. 
 
340 
 
 JOHN BOWATER. 
 
 " I do not question but here are many tender-hearted ones, that 
 have tender desires and breathings of soul after God ; that desire to 
 know peace with God and reconciliation with their Maker. Now my 
 friends, there is not another Mediator, besides Jesus Christ. He is 
 the alone Mediator and Redeemer, it \s he that gave himself a ran- 
 som for us; it is he that reconciles man to God ; and we must be 
 found in him, if we will come to have acceptance with God: So let 
 every one of you consider with yourselves, how far you are broken 
 off" from your evil ways. We are all, by nature, children of wrath ; 
 consider how far you are broken off" from the wild olive tree, from 
 that which is corrupt by nature, and whether you be grafted into 
 Christ. If thou art grafted into him, thou receivest strength and 
 nourishment and ability from him; and for this end we have waited, 
 after we have believed ; we have waited for power." — page 1 14. 
 1693. 
 
 FRANCIS CAMFIELD. 
 
 " You have often heard by the servants of the Lord, that have gi- 
 ven testimony to Jesus, the only and alone Saviour. You have often 
 heard the report, and the report is true, that there is no name 
 nnder Heai'en, by which any man can be saved, but the name of Je- 
 sus. And you have oftentimes read also in the Holy Scripture, of 
 this Jesus, the only and alone Saviour. All the holy prophets gave 
 testimony that he should come; and when he was come, all the ho- 
 ly apostles and ministers of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, gave 
 testimony that he was come, and they were made able ministers of 
 the New Testament ; and their great business was, as instruments 
 in the hands of the great God, to turn men from darkness to light, 
 and from the power of satan to the power of God ; that they may 
 receive forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them that are 
 sanctified. You know the scripture speaks plentifully after this 
 manner." — page 135. 1693. 
 
 In his prayer, after sermon — " Father of Life ! preserve all thine 
 that have waited on thee. Thou art a God that changest not; there- 
 fore we are not consumed. Glory, honour, and praise, be rendered 
 to Thee, for all thy love and favour, blessings and benefits, vouch- 
 safed to us, and for all the opportunities which we have had for our 
 souls. Break and soften the hearts of all thy children ; and kindle 
 in their souls, a sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving — that we may 
 
341 
 
 say, it is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes — that we 
 may rejoice and triumph in thy great salvation through Jesus Christ, 
 mho alone is ivorthy^ and God over all blessed forever and ever. 
 Amen." — page 142. 
 
 JOHN VAUGHTON. 
 
 " Friends, our justification is, indeed, in and through and by the 
 Lord Jesus Christ; for his sake, not our own. Any thing that we 
 have done or can do, will not have a tendency to make our peace 
 with God, seeing that we can do nothing ourselves tliat is acceptable 
 and well pleasing to God. Therefore we cannot in the least, as hath 
 been unjustly charged upon us, disesteem, or put a light esteem on 
 what the Lord Jesus Christ hath done for us, in his oivn person 
 without us, nor upon what, by his own power and spirit, he hath 
 wrought in our hearts. But we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 both as to his outward appearance, as he was God manifest in the 
 flesh, and also in his imvard and spiritual appearance in our souls. • 
 
 " We believe in him that hath appeared by his light, and grace, 
 and truth, in our hearts; and we know the effectual working and 
 operation of the Divine Power to sanctify, and cleanse, and purify 
 our souls. And thereby we come to have a real sense of the benefit 
 and advantage that the souls of the children of men have, in and by 
 the death and sufferings, resurrection, and ascension, of our Lord 
 and Saviour Jesus Christ." — pages 155, 156, 157. 
 
 " Till people come to believe in his spiritual appearance by his 
 light and grace, and truth, in our hearts, and to receive him and 
 entertain him, and let him have a place in their souls, that he by his 
 power may purge away sin and transgression ; while men remain rebel- 
 lious and stubborn, and will not let him in when he stands and knocks 
 at the at the door of their hearts, that he come in and sup with them, 
 and they with him— when men rebel against his heavenly light with 
 them, and turn away from his divine grace and holy spirit, and turn 
 the grace of God into wantonness, lascieveousness, and men into 
 uncleanness, drunkenness, pride, envy, malice, and bitterness, and 
 into those things that are abominable and evil in the sight of (he 
 Lord ; these men have no real advantage or benefit by the death and 
 sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the satisfaction and atone- 
 ment he hath made for our sins, by that one offering and sacrifice of 
 liimself. And they do not truly know the blessed end and design of 
 his appcarence and coming into the world: For this purpose was 
 the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the 
 devil; that he might finish trangression, and make an end of sin, and 
 bring in everlasting righteousness." 
 
 " When we come to believe in the inward and spiritual appear- 
 ance of Christ, and to know the work of sanctification, we cannot 
 
342 
 
 HAVE A SLIGHT ESTEEM OF, NOR DISBELIEVE OR UNDERVALUE, what 
 
 the Lord Jesus Christ hath done without us, in his person ; for we 
 shall come to find the benefit, gain, advantage, and profit of it, re- 
 dounding to our souls, through that one offering, when he offered 
 himself, through the eternal Spirit, as a Lamb without spot.. He 
 offered himself once for all, and we have the benefit of it, when we 
 come to receive him, live in obedience to him, and answer his re- 
 quiring, and walk in the spirit. And then as the apostle saith, if 
 we walk in the spirit, we shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh ; for 
 all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, 
 and the pride of life, and is not of the Father, but is of the world, 
 and the world passeth away, and the lust thereof, but he that doth 
 the will of God abideth forever."— Pages 158, 159. 1694. 
 
 JAMES PARK. 
 
 *' Now, my friends, hearken and incline your ears from t;me to 
 time, unto what the Lord shall say. He will speak peace unto his 
 people and to his saints ; but let them not return again unto folly. 
 Whoever you are that are true^ real. Christians, you have peace 
 with God, through Christ Jesus, the peaceable Saviour, fre are 
 accepted of God, in the Beloved, and have peace with God, in and 
 through Christ Jesus, who is the great peace -maker and Prince of 
 Peace. It is by his meritorious death, and sufferings, and satisfac- 
 tion made to Divine Justice, that we are reconciled icnto God. I never 
 did desire to hear any thing, Sr speak any thing, that had the least 
 tendency to undervalue the death, sufferings, satisfaction, mediation 
 and intercession of our Lord Jesus Christ; but have always owned, 
 believed, and preached these great truths.''^ — Pages 178, 179. 1694. 
 
 FRANCIS STAMPER, 
 
 In a Sermon preached at Devonshire House, 5th mo. Sd, 1594, 
 says thus — 
 
 God hath laid help upon one that is mighty, to save to the utter- 
 most all that come unto God by him. 
 
 " This Mighty one, that the Almighty Lord Jehovah hath laid 
 help upon for man, is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of his love; 
 and they are blessed of God that come to partake of the help that is 
 in him, who said to his disciples in the days past, without me ye can 
 do nothing.''^ Friends this is a deep and a very near word ; and it 
 stands us all upon to consider whether we have him or not j for we all 
 
343 
 
 owe service, a duty, and a worship, to the everlasting God, and of 
 ourselves we cannot perform it^ without the help and assistance of his 
 beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ ; and the comfort of all that 
 believe in him, is this, that He is not only able to help, but willing 
 to help." 
 
 " And O Friends ! what greater love could the Lord God have shown 
 to the lost sons of Adam, than to have sent his Son, ' his only begot- 
 ten Son, from the bosom of his heavenly love, to redeem man up to 
 God again — to restore man again — and bring him back again out of 
 that alienated state, and out of that undone condition, that He was 
 fallen into, by his disobedience and transgression against the 
 Lord. God hath laid help upon one that is mighty, able to save. 
 Therefore, children of Sion, look unto the Lord Jesus Christ, that 
 mighty one, upon whom help is laid, in whom is divine strength and 
 power, and from whom you may have divine assistance, that we 
 may perform the good which is required at our hands, and which is 
 incumbent upon us, and which we owe to our Creator — that we may 
 worship Him from day to day, and from one time to another." 
 
 We shall conclude with the following extract from a declaration 
 of the ancient faith of the Society of Friends, viz. 
 
 " Tlie Primitive Testimony of the people called QiiakerSy Sfc. 
 
 " Dear Friends, — To have right sentiments of God the great Au- 
 thor of our being, and of our duty to him as men and christian:^, and 
 to believe, live and act accordingly, is without doubt a matter of the 
 greatest consequence to us, respecting our happiness in this life, and 
 that life which is to come. And as we fervently desire that this hap- 
 piness may be the lot and portion of all mankind, and especially those 
 who with us make profession of the christian religion, and of that 
 holy principle of grace and truth, which, through Jesus Christ, is 
 given to mankind, for their instruction, help and preservation in the 
 things of God, and in the vvay of virtue and godliness ; we are at this 
 time concerned in that love of God, which seeks the good of all, to 
 recommend a few necessary things to your serious consideration ; in 
 order that both christian knowledge and practice may be maintained 
 and increased among us, as a people, for the good of ourselves and 
 our posterity after us. 
 
 " In the first place then (not to enter into the various opinions of 
 men of nice speculation and curiosity, which have tended rather to 
 perplex peoples minds, than to build ti)em up in christian know- 
 ledge) these are evidently right sentiments of God, to believe him to 
 be a Being of infinite purity and goodness, as well as wisdom and 
 power. And therefore in order that mankind may be acceptable to 
 him, 'tis necessary that they should be pure also. And as it is evi- 
 dent that all men have, more or less, sinned, and fallen short of this 
 state, in order to redeem them from it. and restore them to his favour 
 
344 
 
 and acceptance, 'tis necessary both that their past sins should be re^ 
 mitted and forgiven; and also that they should be washed, sanctified 
 and purified from their defilements, v/ithout which, men will never 
 be made partakers of remission of sins that are past, and consequent- 
 ly of favour and acceptance with God. 
 
 " Now as these things are all that mankind wants, so God has 
 provided a means for both these ends, (viz.) the Lord Jesus Christ, 
 in whose name, and for whose sake, remission of sins that are past is 
 preached, and reconciliation unto God promised ;and for overcoming 
 sin in the lust of it, and purifying and sanctifying the hearts of men, 
 God through Jesus Christ, offers to mankind the help of his good spi- 
 rit, as a lively principle of virtue, power and efficacy, for these good 
 purposes; So that Christianity is in all respects a perfect institution, 
 completely answering all the ends of religion, which are the glory of 
 God and the happiness of mankind. And therefore, in the entrance 
 of this our friendly advice, we earnestly recommend to you, that you 
 have a reverend regard to the christian doctrine in e\ery part of it, 
 and that you be humbly thankful to God, who in his Providence has 
 cast your lot in such an age and country, wherein the doctrine of 
 Jesus Christ is publicly and freely preached, and the means of salva- 
 tion taught through him. 
 
 "And inasmuch as the evidence or our holy religion is such, both 
 from the real excellency of it, as well as the external testimonies 
 concerning it, recorded in the Holy Scriptures, which we have the 
 greatest reason to believe, not only from the credibility of the histo- 
 ry, (in which there is the completest evidence that can reasonably 
 be required of any matters of fact at so great distance of time) but 
 also, from the inward testimony of the Holy Spirit, sealing unto our 
 spirits the truth of the gospel, in that blessed experience of the good , 
 fruits and effects of it, which is witnessed by all those who sincerely 
 apply their hearts to believe its doctrines and obey its precepts: 
 We therefore caution you to be very watchful and careful how you 
 admit any doubts or questionings concerning it, in giving way to 
 gome pernicious notions, of late published to the world, least the 
 sin of unbelief, in opposition to such clear evidence, should be at 
 last charged upon such to their utter confusion and condemnation. 
 We request you therefore that none be willingly ignorant or unbe- 
 lieving, but that all apply themselves, not only to believe the great 
 saving truths of the christian religion, but put in practice its pure 
 and holy precepts, which have the truest tendency of any that were 
 ever published to the world, to the perfecting human nature, and 
 rendering mankind holy and happy. 
 
 " Havins; said thus much of the christian doctrine and precepts in 
 general, we take the liberty to put you in remembrance of some par- 
 ticulars of our belief and practice agreeable thereto, 
 
 "First, We put you in mind of our ancient and constant faith in 
 God the Father, and in Jesus Christ his eternal Son the true God, 
 and in the Holy Spirit, one God blessed for ever more; and that our 
 Society always did and still do, acknowledge the Holy Scriptuiesof 
 the Old and New Testament to be given by divine inspiration. And 
 we earnestly exhort you stedfastly to maintain and keep the same 
 
345 
 
 faith pure and inviolable. And by all means we pray you avoid the 
 corrupt doctrines of deism and infidelity, which tend to irreligion 
 and a vicious ungodly liberty; a liberty not from sin, but to sin and 
 wickedness ; a liberty to pull doion all rdigiony and to set up none 
 in the stead thereof, for ought that yet appears to the world, to the 
 shame and scandal of all religion, and even of human wisdom and 
 nature itself. 
 
 Secondly, We put you in mind of our steadfast and constant tes- 
 timony to the coming of Jesus Christ our Lord in the flesh, above 
 seventeen hundred years ago, according to the christian account, 
 when he was conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, and born 
 of the Virgin Mary, and after a life in this world as man, during the 
 space of about three and thirty years, in the three last of which 
 years (which was the time of his ministry) he wrought many real 
 mighty miracles, lived a most exemplary life, and taught a most 
 heavenly doctrine, gave himself up unto the shameful death of the 
 cross, under Pontius Pilate the Roman Governor, then in Judea, 
 and became a most satisfactory sacrifice and propitiation for the sins 
 of the whole world, upon condition that men sincerely repent of 
 their sins and truly turn to the Lord, by forsaking them, and amend- 
 ing and reforming their lives, and receive him as their Lord and 
 Master, submitting themselves to the conduct of his Light and Spirit, 
 in their minds and consciences; who was buried and rose again the 
 third day from the dead by the power of the Father, and appeared 
 oftentimes to his disciples after his resurrection, and gave them com- 
 mission to preach the gospel unto all nations, baptizing them in, or 
 into the name (that is power and virtue) of the Father, Son, and 
 Holy Ghost, as Peter did the first Gentiles which believed, who 
 said, as I began to speak the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at 
 the beginning; then, said he, remembered I the word of the Lord, 
 how that he said, John indeed baptized with water, but ye shall be 
 baptized with the Holy Ghost: He ascended into heaven about forty 
 days after his resurrection, and sat down at the right hand of God 
 the Father, making intercession for men, and giving gifts to them, 
 yea to the rebellious also, that he by the sanctifying virtue of these 
 gifts might prepare their hearts for himself, to dwell among them 
 and in them by his most Holy Spirit : And from heaven he shall 
 come to judge the living and the dead, in the great and general day 
 of judgment, when all that are in the graves siiall hear his voice and 
 come forth, they that have done good to the resurrection of life 
 (eternal) and they that have done evil to the resurrection of damna- 
 tion. And all these doctrines we profess according to the plain 
 literal sense of the Holy Scriptures, which therefore we earnestly 
 exhort you steadfastly to believe, and zealously to maintain to the 
 very end of your lives, notwiliistanding all the opposition and cun- 
 ning craftiness of deists and infidels who lie in wait to deceive you, 
 men of corrupt minds, and reprobate,or of no judgment, concerning 
 the faith. 
 
 " Thirdly, We put you in mind, that our friends from the begin- 
 ning, have constantly held and maintained, that according to the 
 Holy Scriptures, Christ Jesus our Lord, the Eternal Word, and 
 
 Xx 
 
346 
 
 Wisdom of God, is the true Light (called so on account of his di* 
 vine excellency), who enlighteneth every man that cometh into the 
 world, John i/9. with a Light or Gift, of his own Nature, the Life 
 in him being the Light of men, John i. 4. and therefore superior to, 
 and distinct from the more human light of our natural faculties ; 
 because it is no constituent part of men, as creatures, but purely 
 the gift of God, superadded to them by Jesus Christ, for their infor- 
 mation and assistance, in matters of religion, regarding the favour 
 of God and their eternal salvation. 
 
 " And therefore believe them not. who tell you, there is no need of 
 the grace or help of Jesus Christ to deliver you from the bondage 
 and corruption of your depraved and sinful, because fallen, nature ; 
 but that you are self-sufficient, or able of yourselves, alone to save 
 yourselves, without the assistance of Jesus Christ, or his grace, 
 which doctrine he, of his infinite mercy, preserve us all from, as be- 
 ing inconsistent with, and destructive of true religion ; and teach 
 both you and us, and all men, to abstract our thoughts frequently, 
 but especially in our solemn meetings, from all worldly things, and 
 earthly ideas, to attend devoutly and sincerely, on the teaching and 
 guidance of this heavenly principle, and gift of God, through Jesus 
 Christ, his beloved Son, our Lord, to know and witness his blessed 
 work of regeneration; which none can know and witness without 
 him and his help, mortifying our sensual and sinful appetites and 
 actions, called in the sacred writings, the deeds of the body, that 
 we may live eternally, and raising in us heavenly desires, and bring- 
 ing forth in us holy actions, since without holiness, no man shall 
 see the Lord. 
 
 " And therefore we beseech all those who make profession with 
 us, of the excellency and sufficiency of this divine principle and 
 salutary grace, which during the time of God's kind visitations to the 
 souls of men, is always near to them, to help them, by the strength 
 thereof to keep their hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of 
 God, from wandering from it ; in a stayed state on God, especially 
 in our solemn assemblies, for this is worshipping him in spirit and 
 truth, as our Saviour taught, John iv. 23. This is the way to have our 
 hearts washed from wickedness, airiness, and wantonness, and in- 
 stead thereof, to have Christ formed in us. Gal. iv. 19. and to be 
 blessed with those habits of virtue and piety, which are necessary 
 for rendering us children of God, and qualifying us for heirs of 
 heaven. 
 
 *' Fourthly, We stir you up by way of remembrance, that on our 
 first becoming a separate people, for the service of God from other 
 societies, our primitive Friends were very remarkable for their up- 
 rightness and honesty, in commerce and converse; they were very 
 exact in performing their words and promises, without shuffling and 
 evasive excuses, and insincere dealings, to the credit and reputa- 
 tion of the Society ; much less did they by wheedling and deceitful 
 pretences, involve themselves in a multitude of things and affairs, 
 which they had not understanding and stock of their own to ma- 
 nage ; and contract great debts which they knew they were not 
 able to pay, and thereby impose upon, and cheat their honest neigh- 
 
347 
 
 bours, under sanctified pretences of religion and holiness ; which 
 abominations, we find ourselves obliged to solemnly testify against." 
 It thus concludes, 
 
 " And now, Brethren, we commend you to God, and to the word 
 of his grace, which is able to build you up, and give you an inheri- 
 tance among all them which are sanctified, through faith, in our 
 Lord Jesus Chiist. 
 
 <' Published at our Men's Meeting, in the city of Bristol, the 3d 
 of the nth month, 1731. And at their appointment, signed on their 
 behalf. ALEX. ARSCOTT." 
 
Notwithstanding considerable care has been taken in examining the sheets, 
 we regret to find that some typographical errors have escaped notice. Though 
 none of them materially affect the sense, yet we have thought it best to col- 
 lect them as an Errata. 
 Page 6, hne 13 from the bottom, omit in before writing: 
 
 24, 6 insert that, between station and he. 
 " 18 from the top, all from rend from all. 
 
 25, 4 for created fesh re^d created from the earth 
 " 7 for are we all to have read we all have. 
 
 " 12 from the bottom, insert o/ before it. 
 
 27, 9 for 252 read 250. 
 
 28, 16 from the top, for this truth read his truth. 
 " 18 omit «/0M before a«oiAer. 
 
 " 22 for spiritual read a spiritual. 
 
 33, 1 from bottom, for of read -with. 
 
 42, 26 insert two before points. 
 22 for Vol. II. read Vol. I. 
 
 54, 22 for it thus read it is thus. 
 
 58, 23 for to read ^^nto. 
 
 " 25 for them read whom. 
 
 60, 18 from top, read into for mito. 
 
 66, 12 omit the word own. 
 
 73, 4 for collected read collated. 
 
 85, 32 for page 77 read page 79. 
 
 86, 16 i'or givins;- a re'dd givitig us a. 
 88, 13 for lig-ht is one read lis^ht one. 
 90, 27 for description read discussion. 
 
 93, 25 after himself insert or self condemned. 
 
 103, bottom line, for si?i read sins. 
 
 105, 14 from the bottom, for when read where. 
 
 123, 6 from the top, for in read /or. 
 
 129, 19 from the bottom, for God read God's. 
 
 130, 17 for sacrifce read sacrifices. 
 
 132, 11 from the top, for man out oyread man from out of. 
 
 133, 11 from the bottom, for the High Priest read tfieir High Priest. 
 
 134, 18 from the top, for delighteth read delighted. 
 1j6, 15 omit that. 
 
 141, 10 for page 118 read page 121, 
 
 151, 15 for whe7i read where. 
 
 156, 2 from the bottom, omit the before reading. 
 
 161, 11 from the top, for all calumnies read all the calumnies. 
 
 170, 21 for Baptists read liaptist. 
 
 " 28 for opinions read opiriion. 
 
 " 5 from the bottom, for the Scriptures read Scriptures. 
 
 171 16 for so confine read so to confine. 
 
 189 19 for salvatio7i read salutation. 
 
 194 6 from the top, fcr page 147 read page 145. 
 
 196 13 from the bottom, for hold read held. 
 
 200 6 for ivhole world read world. 
 
 227 3 from the top, for the two opponents read two opponents 
 
 230 10 from bottom, for within one read witfdn the one. 
 
 " 9 for the the other read the other. 
 
 238 16 from the top, for this read the. 
 
 240 12 from the bottom, for this Society read the Society. 
 
 245 19 from the top, for Spirit read the Spirit. 
 
 255 2 from ijottom, for three what, read what three.