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ever were. The only difference is, that, as all false pretension overacts and becomes more such in appearance than that which is true, Quakerism claims more, and that much more importunately, than real inspiration does! George Fox has almost every sentence first or last fenced with the averment, "The Lord said to me; the Lord told me; the Lord showed me ;" and such like claims to an inspiration of the highest kind, that of direct suggestion, plenary, constant, perfect, reaching to all his INSPIRED ACTIONS as well as all his words; and (as Barclay claims) becoming alone competent as the rule of universal practice. This then is "adding" with a witness! On supposition that their claims are delusive and false, they are in a condition at once most guilty and horrible-none the less because they "say, peace and safety." I press the power of this dilemma; for it is no fiction, or invention, or artifice, but the solemn truth of the matter. If their preachers and authors are inspired, their communications are, as Penn declares, confirming the oracles of another spiritual ventriloquist, of equal, yea, "greater authority;" because more immediately' or recently given if not inspired, they are entitled to all the plagues written in this book! Reader, on which horn do you prefer to swing? I know with what lubricity they can manage to slip away from the conclusion-but I know too that there are others who care for the truth. But the scriptures may be mutilated, and the sin and peril incurred, (2) By subtracting from their finished code. For "if any man shall take away from the words of the book

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of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book." This is plainly a threat of equal awe. I ask; Are Friends exposed to it? Is there any sense in which they "take away from" the canonical scriptures ? I answer, There are several; first, They supersede them with their own spurious inspiration, in whole or in part, in principle or in effect, by pre-occupying the minds of the people and bewitching them with their ephemeral and fresh supplies of inspiration! Second, They give the people such an idea of THE NATURE OF INSPIRATION, against its true dignity and perfection, by intruding their miserable specimens continually on their notice, that the conclusion is natural, and even necessary, that all inspiration is equally childish, moonstruck, insipid! and this is "taking away" from the true "oracles of God" their proper excellency and use. Third, It comes to pass by the whole influence of their notions and their scheme that "the holy scriptures" are VERY MUCH REDUCED in value and in efficacy, in the practical estimate of their people, especially their youth; who, with some rare exceptions, are proverbially ignorant and almost paganized in respect to the contents of that book of God! They have no catechisms or creeds; no bible-classes of parochial exercise and insight in the treasures of the truth; no Sunday-schools (unless quite recently "provoked" to that good work-though quakerized) in which to teach their children; and no pastoral care, instruction, and sound indoctrination on "the Lord's

day." The scriptures are NOT read at all in their public meetings: nor have they any such thing as the domestic altar or regular family religion, or social worship of any kind in their domestic scenes— except some equally few and fitful visitations of travelling inspirati, now and then, to teach them comparatively nothing. To "take away" from "the holy scriptures" their admirable use, is richly to deserve the curse written for the deed! It is to entail curses by wholesale on the souls of sinners around us! It is to marshal the way of the unreconciled, in everlasting deviation from God! And it is to satisfy and to secure them with a piece of hateful treachery within them, by which they are to walk, as "a more noble and excellent rule!" Hence, in effect, in ways other than I have here mentioned, (that I know,) in the common sentiments and conversation of many of them, they take away from "the word of God" all its proper virtue, all its best results, all its glorious hopes! Is this no sin? "For I TESTIFY," says Jesus Christ, "unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book!" HE testifies the sin of mutilation, and the doom of its perpetrator!

Very well do I know, here and elsewhere, what Friends allege against these charges. They say; Why, we do verily esteem the scriptures as the noblest writings in the world; we read them frequently, and exhort our youth to do the same, as they all can witness: so that it is rank calumny thus to blaze us abroad as contemners of the scriptures. This is perhaps the substance of their an

swer, as I have often "witnessed" it. Well, grant that this is all to some extent-possibly-true: I will tell you, Friends, what else ye do, abrogating all the good. You tell them (1) That they are only "a secondary rule;" a good book, but not "the word of God." (2) That each of them has their paramount in his own heart, "by attending to whose clear manifestations "than which a worse error could scarcely be told to them, or believed by them! (3) That inspiration has not ceased at all; but that the writings of inspired Friends are very 'profitable,' being fresher "given forth" by the same Spirit, and worthy to be pondered by all Friends. (4) That Friends value the scriptures, not as the priests and hirelings and world's people do; since the Bible is not the gospel, but only a record of the things of previous ages and dispensations in relation to the living principle, "a measure of which is given to all to profit with." Penn. And, (5) You DO NOT TELL THEM, for this is contrary to your principles, of THE INFINITE IMPORTANCE of becoming acquainted with their contents! the guilt and sin of their condition, till converted heartily to God! the certain perdition of their "dying in their sins!" the necessity of loving that truth identically, which is there revealed, in order to the existence of piety in the soul! the fact that God uses his written truth as the universal instrument, directly or indirectly, of all the ascertained piety in the world! the evil of ignorance, error, indifference, and unbelief; and the utter hopelessness of continuing in impenitence! the necessity of application, without prejudice, indolence,

or intermission; and the equal necessity of prayer, hearty believing prayer, to "the Father of lights and the Maker of mind, without impiously waiting for "a special impulse" to pray, in order to proficiency in the knowledge of the truth. And (6) you give them no adequate helps, motives, and really learned instruction, calculated to interest their minds and affect their thoughts and attach their feelings with practical intensity. How could you give, what you do not possess; or adequately recommend what you never experienced? Hence there is next to none of sound biblical instruction enjoyed by your children; while they are conscientious against trusting all it says, lest they should fall into the snare of preferring it to the inward light; which is "a more noble and excellent rule!" This I know is fact!

The conclusion is that the charge of mutilation of the scriptures is good against you! and now I increase it perhaps, by adding my own conviction that no other heresy does this more effectually; and that the good things, that you say in praise of the Bible and compound with your poisonous heresy, only enhance the evil! for no one then suspects you of any injurious influence. "Art thou in health, my brother?" You kiss while you betray the Son of man! You smile when you stab him to the heart! You very sincerely "crucify him afresh and put him to an open shame!" While doing the work of an enemy, you claim to be pre-eminently a friend! You prevent, in your own incomparable way, that just estimate of "the oracles of God," without

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