The reviler rebuked: or, A re-inforcement of the charge against the Quakers, (so called) for their contradictions to the Scriptures of God, and to their own scriblings,: which Richard Farnworth attempted to answer in his pretended Vindication of the Scriptures; but is farther discovered, with his fellow-contradictors and revilers, and their doctrine, to be anti-Scriptural, anti-Christian, and anti-spiritual. By John Stalham, a servant of the great bishop and shepherd of souls, appointed to watch his little flock at Terling in Essex.

(2.)

Their corrupt Tenents are built upon false and novel-In∣terpretations.

Witness Tho: Lawson his doctrine of Perfection, which he bottoms upon his Gloss g 1.1 on 1 Pet. 4. 7. The end of all things is at hand. What is this but Christ? If he be the end of all things, then of sin. Taking it upon trust He is there meant by the Apostle, when as he speaks of the Judai∣cal state and worship, more strictly; and if it be under∣stood more largely, it is but as much as if he had said, All things are coming to their end, in a short time.

Another instance, is Richard Farnworths endeavor h 1.2 to avoid the dint of that place, 2 Cor. 12. 7. and 10. (where Paul after his Revelations and Rapture was in danger of be∣ing self-exalted, and was sensible of his infirmities) by feign∣ing the man caught up into the third heaven, to have been some intimate friend of Paul: when as to the most ordinary understanding it appears, the blessed Apostle in modesty speaks in the third person, Ironically, as of another, yet re∣ally of himself. The after-part of the story concerneth Paul; it was He that had the prick in the flesh; it was He that had the messenger of Satan to buffet him, lest he should be ex∣alted; it was He that prayed thrice unto the Lord, that it might be removed, and to whom the Lord answered, My Grace is sufficient for thee, &c. And therefore the forepart of the chapter & story is to be understood of him also; even of strong Paul, and of weak Paul; strong in the Lord, weak yet in and of himself, and willing to glory in this, that he knew himself to be weak and nothing; As he * 1.3 that said,

when he had attained to no small measure of mortification, in the eyes of others, I thank God I know my self to be a sin∣ner; while these proud up-starts think many of them have reached to the highest pitch of Perfection.

Notes

• g 1.1

  The Lip of truth opened. page 41.
• h 1.2

  Truth clea∣red of Scan∣dals. p. 29, 30
• * 1.3

  M. Nicholas Price, of Lyn-Regis.