Since it hath pleased the Lord to work in my soul by his holy Spirit, and hath translated me in some measure from darkness to light, I have seen and heard, that such things have been done by those who did once pretend themselves to be the servants of Jesus Christ, that it hath made me marvel: Partly, while I have beheld the vile conversation of some, and also the seeming legal-holiness of others, together with their damnable doctrine; which have, notwithstanding their professions, made shipwreck of the Faith, both to themselves, and their followers. I having had some in-sight into such things as these, was provoked to publish a small treatise touching the fundamentals of Religion, supposing that God might add his blessing thereto, both for the establishing of some, and the convincing of others; which things I doubt not but they have been accomplished; and will be still more and more. But as it was in former days, so it is now: That is, some in all former ages have been on foot in the world, ready to oppose the truth: So it is now, there are certain men newly start up in our days, called Quakers, who have set themselves against the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ, and do in very deed deny, that salvation was then obtained by him, when he did hang on the Cross without Jerusalems gate. Now these men do pretend, that they do verily and truly profess the Lord Jesus Christ; but when it comes to the trial, and their principles be throughly weighed, the best that they do, is to take one truth, and corrupt it, that they may thereby fight more stoutly against another. As for instance: They will own that salvation was obtained by Christ, this is truth, that ⟨image 3⟩salvation was obtained by Christ, but come close to the thing, and you will find, that they corrupt the word, and only mean thus much, That salvation is wrought out by Christ as he is within; and by it (though not warranted by the Scripture) they will fight against the truth: Namely, that salvation was obtained for sinners, by the man that did hang on the Cross on mount Calvary, between two thieves, called Jesus Christ. I say, by what he did then for sinners in his own person, or body, which he took from the Virgin Mary, according to the Word of God.
SInce it hath pleased the Lord to work in my soul by his holy Spirit, and hath translated me in some measure from darknesse to light, I have seen and heard, that such things have been done by those who did once pretend themselves to be the servants of Jesus Christ, that it hath made me marvel: Partly, while I have beheld the vile conversation of some, and also the seeming legal-holinesse of others, together with their damnable doctrine; which have, notwithstanding their professions, made shipwrack of the Faith, both to themselves, and their followers. I having had some in-sight into such things as these, was provoked to publish a small treatise touching the fundamentals of Religion, supposing that God might adde his blessing thereto, both for the establishing of some, and the convincing of others; which things I doubt not but they have been accomplished; and will be still more and more. But as it was in former daies, so it is now: That is, some in all former ages have been on foot in the world, ready to oppose the truth: So it is now, there are certain men newly start up in our daies, called Quakers, who have set themselves against the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ, and do in very deed deny, that salvation was then obteined by him, when he did hang on the Crosse without Jerusalems gate. Now these men do pretend, that they do verily and truly professe the Lord Jesus Christ; but when it comes to the trial, and their principles be throughly weighed, the best that they do, is to take one truth, and corrupt it, that they may thereby fight more stoutly against another. As for instance: They will own that salvation was obtained by Christ, this is truth, that ⟨image 3⟩salvation was obtained by Christ, but come close to the thing, and you will finde, that they corrupt the word, and onely mean thus much, That salvation is wrought out by Christ as he is within; and by it (though not warranted by the Scripture) they will fight against the truth: Namely, that salvation was obteined for sinners, by the man that did hang on the Crosse on mount Calvary, between two thievs, called Jesus Christ. I say, by what he did then for sinners in his own person, or bodie, which he took from the Virgin Mary, according to the Word of God.
