[YOUR BITTER CUNNING SHAFTS WILL RETURN
UPON YOUR OWN HEADS]
A Sermon Delivered by ANN JONES at the Yearly Meeting of Men
Friends, London, 6th month, 1836.
The Friend (Philadelphia) Vol. 45 No. 2 (9th month 2, 187.)
This is The Quaker Homiletics Online Anthology, Part 3: The 19th Century.
I can truly say I came into this meeting, not knowing that I should have anything
to communicate; but my mind has been impressed, as I have sat for a short time
in silence among you, and I was willing to become a fool for the Lord Jesus
Christ's sake; would that there were more among you who were willing to
become fools for His sake. There are those amongst you, who are encouraging a
carnal wisdom, a head knowledge, an outward learning, which exalteth itself and
is ever endeavoring to find out the way of salvation by the study of the
scriptures. This spirit has spread, even among those who are making a high
profession; men who are robbing Christ. They talk much of belief in the Atoning
Sacrifice, but are setting at nought and despising Christ in his inward
appearance, and apply them in a carnal sense. Such was not the way in which
our worthy predecessors acted. The Lord raised our predecessors in the Truth, to
be a light in a dark, degenerate age, and through their instrumentality, He was
pleased to reprove the carnal professors of the outward letter in their day; but
there are some among you, who are holding up to scorn the acts and writings of
these our worthy predecessors, and are endeavoring to cast disrespect upon
them. Take care, as you will have to give account in the awful day of righteous
retribution, I charge you, take care how you hold up them and writings to
derision; they are resting from their labors far beyond the reach of your derision;
you bitter cunning shafts will return upon your own heads. Beware, then, how
you, with unhollowed feet, trample over the ashes of your worthy predecessors,
or attempt to cast a shadow over the brightness of their character. These
expressions may appear strong, but I cannot choose my own words as a minister
of the gospel. I always desire to be the instrument through which the Lord shall
speak, and not a word more than he shall give me, and to declare to you the
whole counsel of god, so that I may be clear of your blood. The Lord hath a
controversy with the spirit that has crept into this Society, and which is sitting in
the judgment seat. The Lord I say hath a controversy with these, but he hath a
still greater controversy with those who are seeking to please both parties. What
concord hath Christ with Belial, what union between the temple of God and
idols. But I have a word of comfort to the little remnant whom the Lord hath yet
among His people; may He grant you his spirit to discern and avoid the grievous
errors which abound. And the Lord God Almighty will show himself valiant on
your side, and will arise for your signal deliverance.