"Now can any man of common sense suppose that it can be outward blood
that was shed by the carnal Jews that will cleanse us from our sins?
The blood of Christ that is immortal, never can be seen by mortal
eyes. And to be Christians, we must come to see an immortal view.
After Christ had recapitulated the precepts of the law, 'Is it not
written in your law, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
but I say unto you, if a man smite thee on one cheek turn to him the
other also: and if a man take thy coat from thee, give him thy cloak
also.' Don't we see how different the precepts of the law of God are?
He tells us how we should do--we should take no advantage at all. The
Almighty visits us, to get us willing to observe his law; and if all
were concerned to maintain his law, all lawyers would be banished;
we should have no need of them; as well as of hireling Priests. We
should have no need of them to teach us, nor no need of the laws of
men, for each one would have a law in his own mind."[167]
[167] The same, p. 17.
The other points in Dutchess County visited, and involved in the
reports of sermons under consideration, were Chestnut Ridge, Stanford
and Oblong. At some of these meetings the preachers spoke more than
once. It does not appear that in the brief communications of George
Jones he either directly or indirectly referred to statements made by
Elias Hicks, or particularly sought to antagonize them. Ann Jones,
however, was not similarly considerate and cautious. Either directly
or by inference, she quite generally attempted to furnish the antidote
for what she considered the pernicious doctrine of her fellow-minister.
Speaking at Nine Partners Quarterly Meeting, Fifth month 7th, she said:
"I believe it to be right for me to caution the present company
without respect of persons--how they deny the Lord that bought
them--how they set at nought the outward coming of the Lord Jesus
Christ who died for them: they will have to answer it at the awful
tribunal bar of God, where it will be altogether unavailing to say
that such a one taught me to believe that there was nothing in this.
Oh! my friends! God hath not left us without a witness; Oh, then it
is unto the faithful and true witness, 'the testimony of Jesus, which
is the spirit of prophecy.' I am engaged in gospel love to recommend,
and to hold out unto you, that you meddle not with the things of God;
and that you cry unto him for help. For what hope can they have of
present or future good, or of everlasting happiness, if they reject
the only means appointed of God to come unto the Father through Jesus
Christ, the messenger of God, and of the new covenant?"[168]
[168] The same, p. 60.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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