THE Snake in the Grass Further Discovered OR THE QUAKERS No Christians Proving out of their own WRITINGS that they Deny I. The Scriptures to be the Word of God II. Baptism and the Lord's Supper III. The Manhood of Christ c. With an Account of their Canons Constitutions Ecclesiastical Order and Discipline LONDON Printed for J. F. and are to be Sold by A. Baldwin in Warwick-lane 1698. TO THE READER THE Proofs I have given in this Book of the Quakers Principles being taken out of divers particular Authors of theirs it may be objected That it is not reasonable that what is Asserted by any one particular or private Person should be imputed to a whole Party of Men who go under the same Name To which I answer That if we take not the Writings of particular Quakers for the Quakers Principles in general we must be altogether uncapable of finding them The Quakers pretending all their Ministry to be Infallible they themselves own as well as their Writings and Declarations to be infallibly true Yea they affirm them to speak and write by Divine Inspiration as the Prophets and Apostles in the Old and New Testament Whatever is in their Writings and Declarings though they may deny our Sence of them they own the Words as from the Lord. J. F. QVAKERISM NO CHRISTIANITY PART I. CHAP. I. The Explanation of the Title SECT I THat I may inform my Reader of the true state of the Controversie agitated in the ensuing Treatise I hold my self bound as a rational man and as a Christian the Controversie being of a Religious Concern both to state the main Question to which I shall endeavour that all those which are subordinate or by me pretended to be so may be plainly reducible and also to open the terms that I may neither write nor my Reader be led into a thicket of impertinencies but as it may be clear and conspicuous whereof I affirm so also the Reader may be able to judge how much what is offered is to the purpose I need not trouble the Reader with any further § 2 account of the Question then the Title wherein I affirm that Quakerism is no Christianity which if it be not only sufficiently proved and clearly but also abundantly I shall not doubt but all honest hearts who shall peruse this Discourse will be irreconcileably alienated from all appearances of so horrid an Imposture And I am not altogether out of hope that many of those who have inclined or adhered to those woful Tenets or persons here discovered with a design to elevate their Christianity to a higher Standard of Purity will be convinced that instead thereof they have but plunged themselves into the ditch of the grossest delusions and made work for Repentance For the term Christianity we are not to understand SECT II by it all those matters of faith and practice which Christianity doth oblige us unto for Christianity is a large and noble thing which is not only a curious Garden which hath in it that which common Fields yea and common Inclosures are not furnished withal but also doth take in beside what is peculiar to its self all that is worthy in those Religions which it hath superseded and outstript yea whatever is good and commendable among the very Heathen according to that of the Apostle Finally Brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pure whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any virtue if there be any praise think on these things Christianity in a full sense consists of those principles of Faith and Life that Worship Order and those Ordinances which have not only a respect to Jesus Christ the Mediator between God and Man in his lapsed state but also that frame of them which is proper to the Gospel or New Testament-Administration which was constituted by Christ while he was manifest in the flesh and after he had actually finished the meritorious part of our Reconciliation and Salvation and as God-Man united in one Person was invested with all Power both in Heaven and Earth according to that Scripture All Power is given unto me in Heaven Mat. 28. 18 and in Earth and that full Text to this purpose And being found in fashion as a man he humbled PhIl 2. 10 11. himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name c. A Christian in the narrowest sense is one that owns the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent to be the Lord and Saviour That this account of Christianity may be understood § 2 aright I shall spend a few lines and as few as I can to inform of the difference between Christianity as such and those other things which Christianity obliges to which yet may be where there is not any the least footsteps of Christianity To know and acknowledge in some way the § 3 one and only true God Creator of all things or dependance on and subjection to him the love of God our Neighbour and our selves Justice Temperance and all other duties which by the Light and Law of Nature we may be convinced of these a man may be exercised in and yet be nothing of a Christian and so were some of the Heathens who not only were altogether ignorant of Christ but also opposed him and the Christian name To come yet nearer the Church of Israel under § 4 Moses's Administration who had not only the Moral Law or Law of Nature given forth by God himself but also the Promises Descriptions Types and Shadows of Christ the Redeemer through the faith of whom all them that were saved came by their salvation yet their state was not in a strict sense Christian nor the Law and Administration under which they lived and to which they subjected Christianity which I shall confirm by some essential excâ—ptions Christianity necessarily includes the faith and belief § 5 of Christ already come a Christ crucified that died rose again from the dead is ascended c. Without Controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God was manifest in the flesh justified in the spirit believed on in the World received up into Glory 1 Tim. 3. 16. This was Christian Godliness But we preach Christ crucified to the Jewes a stumbling blocâ— this Christ as come and crucified was the main basis of the Gospel and Christianity Christianity necessarily includes the beleif of that Particular and numerical man Christ Jesus who § 6 was born of the Virgin Mary and was of the seed of Abraham according to the flesh to be the Christ of God that was promised to come in due time I said therefore unto you that you shall die in your sins for if ye believe not that I am he ye shall die in your sins John 8. 24. Therefore let all the House of
Moses and other Prophets were seized with at the appearance of God The Truth No other but Christ the light within Speaking Truth Truly When it is spoken from immediate inspiration and motion of the Spirit but however true without these it is falsly spoken Witnessing to the Truth Declaring or suffering for the light within and its dictates V The flesh of the Vail The Body wherein Christ dwelt and tabernacled which for a while he took of the Virgin Mary but at the death of that left it no body knows where The Vail is over them The belief of the Man Christ Jesus which was of our Nature to be the Christ and now existing in Heaven in that body of flesh of our Nature which he took of the Virgin Mary The Vessel The Body wherein for a while Christ dwelt also our bodies Victory over the devil sin flesh world Perfection in this life resulting from the travail of the light within In the Vnbelief Not acknowledging the light within to be the only Teacher and Saviour whatever the faith and life otherwise may be The Vncircumcised and Vnclean All that are not Quakers Vngodly The same Vnlearned and without Vnderstanding To be without the light within its teachings and immediate Revelations The Voice of the Lord. The secret immediate lively touches and teachings within W Hirelings serving for Wages Ministers who receive maintenance little less then Robbery at least very Jewish and Antichristian Wait on the light Desisting from a search after Truth by any external means and passively attending to the motions and teachings within Watch to the light To be so listning and attentive to the inward teachings as not either to let slip any of its motions or reject them Blind Watch-men Those Ministers who see and warn by Scripture-light and not their light within Watch to the Morning To be diligent to observe and improve the first breakin gs forth of the power of the light within The Way CHRIST The way of Truth Those into which they are led by the pure light within The Whore of Babylon All forms of Worship visible Worship all that is believed or practiced from the written Word Will of God The Commands from within from the light Will of Man Will of the Flesh All that we chuse by the direction of the understanding or in which the humane faculties have any thing to do Will-worship Whatever Worship is not from the motions of the light within Children of Wisdom The Quakers born to the light within We Witness We experience we speak it from the testimony and feeling of the light and motions within And Pen saith This is right witnessing to witness what they experience But they that testifie what they believe from the Scriptures and right rational demonstrations go by hear say and reports but cannot witness it The Word The Word of God The Word of the Lord. No other but Christ the Eternal God The secrets of the Work of God The inward power and motions neither wrought nor perceived by or with the use of the humane understanding and will Righteousness of Works Whatever man hath any hand in or doth chuse The World All that are not Quakers Worship in Spirit Not the Worship where the heart and will goes along with the outward appearance but what is from the motions of the light within Wrath of God Day of Wrath. The inward judgings and terrours by the Light Christ within and that in this world The Writings when spoken diminishingly The Scriptures or written Word I have the Witness of my Conscience that I have not in this Key in any measure abused or wronged the Quakers but have declared what in their Writings and Verbal Converse I have found to be true and could have proved by particular instances but for being too large They who weigh what is written in the Body of the Book may find satisfaction in the most if not all of them THE CONCLVSION I Have not in this Treatise dealt with the more minute and light Errours and Absurdities of the Quakers because they would amount to too large a Volume for this Subject and I love not to Tythe Mint Annis and Cummin where weightier matters call forth my thoughts Where the Lord shall make what hath been written convincing and effectual those Superstructures and Appendices of the conceit of Perfection denying the sober use of Civil Ceremonies unnecessary scrupling at modest Ornaments Pedantick Words Phrases and Gestures obstinate Jewish and Ceremonious respect to this or that place for Worship and a multitude more will quickly and easily dissolve of themselves I doubt not but all whose Judgments are not in § 2 captivity to the silliest Errours will conclude with me that Quakerism is no Christianity yea Not consistent with Christianity being no more capable of dwelling together in one Breast than light and darkness in their absolute and supreme Dominion I am perswaded that all who have honest meanings among the Quakers little think that in turning to Quakerism they turn Christianity out of doors yet it is a truth a sad truth that calls for more serious notice than themselves or most others afford it who profess and that sincerely a love to Truth and Souls My greatest discouragement in writing this Treatise § 3 was from the sense of the Quakers being out of the reach of Scripture and Reason to almost or altogether a Spiritual Delirium Yet I was not without some encouragement from my hopes that the Lord would bless it to the informing and securing of many whose feet are yet out of their snare I have not a little been amazed to read in their Authors such Expressions as prompt us to divest our selves of being men that we may be Christians As if Rational and Spiritual God and the Scriptures Understanding and Christianity were mortal Foes I intended a Chapter by it self to demonstrate Quakerism to be no Christianity from its excluding right Reason any thing called Reason from having to do in the search after Christianity its Choice Defence or Approbation I care not if I collect a few for my Readers satisfaction § 4 Smith's Prim. pag. 56. Quest How do you manifest this inward foundation which you say is Christ to be the true and only foundation which God hath laid Answ From the feeling we have of it by which we know that it is sure in us and from the sure and certain knowledge which we have of it in the feeling we manifest it from its own Nature and Being to its own Nature and Being You may here perceive what a reasonable Religion the Quakers is whose demonstration is nothing else but sense and feeling and this sense and feeling nothing is capable of but the very nature and being of this Foundation He proceeds further pag. 65. Quest And can § 5 none have true Faith unto Salvation and Life Eternal but such as are of your Opinion Answ We are not in any Opinion but in the principle of Life by which we are
place when it began to take place I know none that assert Heathenism or the state of the Saints before the flood or of the Patriarchs after the flood or of the Israelites under Moses's Administration to be in a proper and strict sense Christian except some of the Quakers who date it from the reign of the light within their onely Christ and will needs have not onely Jews but Heathen and especially Adam in innocency to be under that dispensation Yet I doubt not to prove both from Scripture and also from their own Writings by necessary consequence that Christianity is not so old as the formentioned nor yet so young as Qâ—akerism Some though but few date Christianity from the § 2 Birth of Christ Others with much more reason from the Resurrection of Christ when he had finished his Transactions for the merit of our salvation in the Person of God-Man and from that Declaration he made of the possession of the power committed to him Matth. 28. 18. All Power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth But all agree who make any distinction that it began immediately upon the abrogation and dissolution of the Mosaical Administration and Temple-Worship which was above sixteen hundred years since although as the Scripture speaks The Disciples were called Christians first at Antioch Acts 11. 26. But the thing Christianity might well be before the name Christian so short a space And that the Christian Name had about that time its Beginning appears by the reply of Agrippa to Paul Almost thou preswadâ—st me to be a Christian Acts 28. 8. which then it seems was the common appellation of Believers and Professors of the Fath of Christ But if all this will not convince I will adde one Text more to make down-weight Yet if any man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed 1 Pet. 4. 16. Here Christianity is distinguished both from Heathenism and Judaism Both the Gentiles and the Jews were bitter enemies to the Christian Name and that not for the Name but the things sake the Gentiles for their denying Idol-worship the Jews for their deserting the Mosaical Constitution the Gentiles for their only worshipping the only true God the Jews for worshipping the true God by and through Jesus Christ the Mediator And I Brethren if I yet preach Ciroumcision why do I yet suffer persecution then is the offence of the Cross ceased Gal. 5. 11. Having adjusted the entrance of Christianity into § 3 the world in point of time lâ—t us now compare Notes whether it agree with the Birth of Quakerism I know but of two Arguments such as they be upon which they build their Antiquity and by both of them they date their Christianity either from Adam or Eternity The first is from Christ the Light who was in the Beginning with God But if they make the being of their Christianity commensurate with the being of Christ as God I confess 't is but folly for any other to number dayes with it But besides the notorious absurdity of this Fancy at first view to those that dream not waking I have already proved that Christianity had a beginning and that long since the Creation The other Argument is from Inspirations and § 4 immediate teaching which next to the light within is the main principle of Quakerism To this I answer by way of grant and concession that there was immediate teaching and revelation very early in the world but that wherever and whenever there was immediate teaching then and there was Christianity is a thing that men who have better skill in the Scriptures and more use of their reason then they will be ashamed to attempt the proof of But if it were granted That Inspirations divine and immediate did constitute Christianity and that all who are or were thereby conducted are to be accounted Christians it will be long enough ere the Quakers prove they are the persons and not long before I have proved that they are not as will appear when you come to that point handled at large in this Treatise But beside the notoriousness of the Quakers novelty § 5 I shall fully prove it from their own Assertions and if they oppose one another let them look to that and agree among themselves as well as they can It is now about seven years since the Lord raised Mystery of the great Whore Epist 1659. us up in the North of England and opened our Mouths in this his spirit By the date of the Impression it should be about 51 that Quakerism brake forth in this Nation and England hath this unhappiness that it was the first Breeder of this Sect and the North of England the part first infected I remember there is an old Proverb I suppose grounded on manifold experiences All evil comes out of the North. But against this it may be objected that although they were the first in England and of late generations yet the Religion it self is ancient Let us therefore follow it to the root by their own direction After these things in the year 1648. God who § 6 had compassion on his people did cause a branch to Jo. Whithead small Treat p 4 spring forth of the root of David which was filled with vertue for the Covenant of Life and Peace was with him and he spread and shot forth many branches which did partake of the fatness of the Root and the weary came to rest under his branches in him also was the Word of Reconcilation which turned the hearts of the Fathers to the Children and the disobedient to the Wisdome of the just Observe the blasphemy of these expressions § 7 many of which are by the Scripture spoken of Christ and agreeing to him only but applied by this Wretch to the first of their Sect brought forth in their Spirit in the year 1648. Who it should be except James Naylor I cannot guess and follows immediately And in the Year 1655 I being a branch of this Ibid. Tree viz. the Branch aforesaid the life of its Root caused me to blossom and bring forth fruit for the Spirit of the Lord come upon me c. So that whatever was the Root the first branch of this degenerate Vine sprung forth in 48. And if the words immediately foregoing those § 8 I here quote signifie any thing it must be a new Administration for which the Lord was against them the publick Pastors and brought night upon them that their vision ceased Then those Pastors had sometime the Vision and presence of God with them who never preached the light within to be the only Rule the only Redeemer nor pretended to minister from immediate Inspirations but from the Scriptures by which they were directed and which were the Treasury out of which they brought forth whatever they handed as from the Lord to the people but about the year 48 or 50 that way of ministration was cryed down and those principles called Quakerism by you inserted in
There are two words in the Greek which are Translated § 10 and signifie the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first is sometimes used for Christ the personal Word but the other never And have tasted of the good Word of Heb. 6. 5. Eph 6. 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza renders it Gladium spiritualem the spiritual Sword God And also And the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God A little skill in the Original would free them from this and many more mistakes What I have done here will be to such as are willing to understand good measure pressed down shaken together and running over As for those who are of a perverse mind until the Lord give them a better frame I shall not wonder if they wink out the Sun at noon-day I shall next and briefly say somewhat of the written Word which we are greatly concerned to be satisfied in to be the Word of God for that we have no other § 11 standing Word as our Testimony of Gods revealed Will but what is written or printed which is all to a like purpose the one being by an impression of the Pen the other of Stamps This the Quakers deny with the addition of many absurdities arising from so calling and owning it Where saith one of them and a Chief readest Ja. Naylor Sauls Errand to Damascus p. 33. thou in the Scriptures of a written Word it will be no hard matter to find an Answer to this Question I have written to him the great things of my Law but they were accounted as a strange thing A sharp rebuke to the Objectors The Ten Commands or words according to the Hebr. as I have already shewed were written by the Finger of God himself and Exo. 31. 18. John 5. 47. Thou hast printed my words Naylor afterward by Moses The Law of Moses is called his Writings If ye believe not his Writings And if the matter and sense be the Word of God before surely when it is written which any word that ever I heard may be it is a word written or a written word which you will Some there are who have written against the Quakers SECT V who judge that although the Quakers will not admit of this Appellation of the Scriptures yet in other terms they allow them such titles as amount to as much and that the difference is rather verbal then real But let me tell such that besides the imprudence and danger of removing the ancient Land-Marks and not holding fast the form of sound words there is a wide difference and great shortness in the best titles they will afford them yea take them altogether from this Appellation and therefore I shall examine the◠and discover their defects herein First they will allow them to be of God So they affirm their own Writings and Sayings to Morning Watch. 52. be also of God And let not this seem small in your eyes ye shall you all one day know that the Lord hath spoken it not only in some sense but in a higher then the Scriptures at least with respect to them and the times wherein we live But this phrase to be of God is of so large an import that the silliest Worm and the basest clod of Clay we tread on may claim a share in the Priviledge yea nothing in the whole Creation but will bear this expression sin only excepted in Rom. 11. 36. its obliquity for of him are all things Secondly the Scriptures of truth § 2 This is ground enough for us to deal with them by the Authority of the Scriptures but there are many other Writings that are true and if you take the Scriptures to be understood by way of Eminency the Scriptures of truth so as no other Writings extant are so absolutely and divinely true they will utterly disclaim such a sense Thirdly They are the Experiences of the Saints and § 3 what they witnessed This is with them a very common phrase Though A true Testimony of what the Saints were made witnesses of Smith Prim. p. 10. this be true of some part of the Scriptures especially the Book of Psalms it is too narrow a title by far for the whole Body of the Scriptures And for that part of the Scriptures which expresses the Experiences of the Saints it hath somewhat more as its end then a meer witnessing or expressing how it was with them But I do not wonder that they so much delight in this phrase when I consider that they themselves restrain almost all the Concerns of Religion to their Experiences yea things Historically related that were done without them long ago and are never again to be acted on the stage of this world and things Prophetically related in the Scriptures which shall not have a being until the end of the world They experience the Birth Righteousness Sufferings Death Burial Resurrection Alcension and Exaltation of Christ They experience the downfall of Babylon the Day of Judgment Heaven Hell and all within them and not with respect to some effects impressions and similitudes of these things but really and almost if not altogether exclusively of any other meaning all of which you will find proved in the following Discourse But this is far short and wide of owning the Scriptures to be the Word of God There are no Saints but have their Experiences both good and bad but he that should write them and affirm them to be the Word of God as they are the Experiences of the Saints will fall with Rev. 22. 18. 19. Deut. 4. 2. a witness under that severe censure of that true and legitimate Word of God Fourthly They call them a Declaration of the Mind § 4 of God This all things considered is the highest expression of their esteem of the Holy Scriptures and Word of God for so I will call them whether they will or no but so were some part of the Writings of the Heathen-Idolaters who knew not the true God Yea many things which they spake of as the Duty of Man and against many immoral Vices The Apostle sayes no less when he quotes such Passages out of such Heathen-Authors Evil communications 1 Cor. 15. 33 corrupt good manners This is found in the Comedy of Menander called Thadia For we are also his off-spring Acts 17. 28 is a Declaration of God Jovis omnia plena Virg. And some such things they have not only dictated for the matter but have also pressed them as the mind of God according to those notions they had of him And much more may the large and precious Sermons and Writings of the Servants and Ministers of Christ whose Discourses are grounded on the Holy Scriptures yet he that should call them the Word of God in a strict sense deserves correction A man may declare his mind yea or some things of the mind of God by gestures nods becks frowns smiles yet they are not to be
equalled by the expression of his mind by his Word they being much more imperfect and unintelligible then words the holy conversations of the sound and godly do eminently and effectually declare the mind of God yet had we them in its stead we should be great losers Not only the Writings and Sayings of intelligent § 5 creatures but also the inanimate part of the Creation is a Declaration of God and of his mind also in many things Psal 19. 1 2. And those Psalms wherein they are called upon and are said to praise the Lord. Rom. 1. 19 20. Acts 14. 17 The Heathen were blamed for not learning the Lesson taught by them after their kind no better yet who will say that the Declaration made by them is of equal value with the Word of God either for matter stile manner or perspicuity Fifthly They are a Declaration of the Word of God § 6 By the Word of God they mean Jesus Christ This is a true Character of a considerable part of the Scriptures but not of all and they often restrain them to this as if it were all the use were to be made of them So much of them the Scriptures as was given Smit◠Cat. p. 14. forth by the Holy Men of God through the Inspiration of the Almighty they testifie of Christ and that is only their service in their place You may observe what a skeleton they make of the Scriptures so much of them as if all of them were not of the same divine Abstract They say the Letter is it the Word which doth but Morning-Watch Farnworth Light out of darkness declare of it They do but testifie of me They testifie of him and it is with a but lest you should take them to have any more hand in conveying Christ and his benefits to the souls then a meer witness of who is or what is the Christ To clench the Nail I have been driving hitherto SECT VII I must demonstrate that to deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God is to deny the Scriptures which I shall do three ways in few words First to deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God is to deny them that title by which they are commonly known and distinguished from and lifted up above all other Writings whatsoever I will ask any man who understands sense and hath but one grain of reason if to deny the Supreme Magistrate of Great Britain to be the King of England were not to deny the King though he that doth so should allow him to be entituled a Man a Gentleman yea a Nobleman or Duke which are titles common to him with others or below him sure I am we Christians are else under an old musty mistake and guilty of great slander for affirming the Turks to deny Christ because they will not own him to be greater then their Prophet Mahomet or to be the Saviour of mens souls while they own him to be not only a Man but also a great Prophet and next to Mahomet himself I suppose a Quaker whose Child should own him to be a Man and a good man too and one that provides well for him and yet say He is not his Father and stand to it in earnest would say that Son denies him and is a naughty wicked Child It is said of the Jews they denied him in the Act. 13. 13 presence of Pilate vers 14. they denied the Holy One and the just Did they deny him to be a man or some common thing No they denied him to be Christ the Saviour and loaded him with reproaches in stead of his glorious and peculiar titles and this the Holy Ghost calls denying him To deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God § 2 is to deny that Appellation on which their Authority is grounded and which puts an awe upon the Consciences of men Though all truths as such so far as they are apprehended carry with them the countenance of Authority yet how much more when a Command Promise Doctrine c. comes with this written on its forehead the Word of God the Word of the Lord 't is said Where the Word of a King is Eccles 8. 4. there is Power and who shall say unto him What doest thou 't is natural to men to despise the best and most excellent things under common and contemptible titles It is all one in a plain and true construction as to § 3 deny that the matter and sense expressed by them was ever spoken by God Experience hath sufficiently taught this that no sooner this principle is taken in but the Scriptures become with such as weak as a burnt thread and whatever you may pretend to we know and shall prove that after this title is put off they become like Sampson when God was departed from him The Papists who are the more subtil will tell us that in their Image-worship they terminate their worship in God alone but alas the common people are for downright language and they poor souls being exhorted to worship the Images do it devoutly and think no◠on God all the while It is no otherwise in the present case people will understand after the common sense and acceptation of words I have sometimes been amazed and not without § 4 good Company and consideration that men of such dexterity in matters that concern not Religion should be so prodigiously blind and besotted as to deny this truth hitherto vindicated But since I have been better acquainted with their principles I find it to be the most necessary to maintain and support their Great delusion viz. The light within For that they do hereby rob the Scriptures of abundance of places wherein that phrase The Word and The Word of the Lord is found and deck their Idol with them And indeed so many are the excellent Characters given to the Scriptures under that notion that if they wear them and shine in their lustre the Quakers Glow-worm must sparkle no-where but in the dark and may still keep its Court and Confines in the Heathen-world CHAP. IV. The Quakers equal their own Writings and Sayings with the Scriptures and prefer them before the Scriptures I Need not spend time with those who are yet in SECT I their wits to prove that they who fall under the Charge expressed above deny the Scriptures To take all rubs out of the way I shall furnish you with a few Demonstrations First This is to unhallow them and make them common things or worse with the conceits of any who shall be so presumptuous as to pretend to Inspirations and Revelations and of this sort there are a crowd among the Men and Women also of the Quakers If they declare if they write yea whatever religious Action they move in they pretend all to be from the immediate Guidance and Impulse of the Spirit of God and that in as ample a manner as ever the Apostles and Prophets could pretend unto So that this principle being as
universally entertained as the name of Christ it might be said without an Hyperbole that the whole World could not contain the Pamphlets that would be written and called The Word or Words of the Lord and of what value the Holy Scriptures would be in such a crowd of its pretended betters it is not hard to conclude Naylor Love to the Lost Pref. W. D. printed in the year 1663. Hear what James Naylor saith The things following which I have declared of are not the things of man nor by man did I receive them but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ The Word of the Lord to his beloved City c. This is the Title He concludes Through your Brother and Companion in the Tribulation and Kingdom of Patience in the Lord Jesus imitating the words of John in Rev. 1. 9. This I say in Parnel shield of the Truth p. 41. the Presence of the living God and by the Spâ—rit of the living God Give a most undeniable Exposition of a Scripture against their way the Answer is thy carnal minde discerns not the things of God Thou puttest thy meanings to the Scriptures the Scriptures must be judged of by the light or the Spirit from whence they came but thou art in neither If we bring a plain text in so many words against their Tenets and practices the Answer then is Thou art in the Letter And therefore Penington prays seriously My Penington qu. p. 12. upright desire to the Lord for you is That he would strip you of your knowledge of the Scriptures according to the flesh By Flesh their sense is the use of our understandings though sanctified as will appear in the KEY at the end of this Book to which I must referre you for construing all such ambiguous and Parnel Christ exalted p. 3. hard words and Parnel stigmatizes those who prize them Doting on the Scriptures with your dark minds That the Quakers do thus equal their Writings and SECT II Sayings c. with the Scripture shall appear by four undeniable things First they pretend to Infallibility This they assert to be necessary in all their Ministers who ordinarily declare or write and that without it it were impossible to be fitted for that work Hear what the chiefest of their Apostles saith How can ye be Ministers of the Spirit and not of the Letter G. Fox great myst c. p. 12. if ye be not infallible And how can they but delude people who are not infallible and George Whitehead in a Letter to me writes thus Quest Whether Infallibility be attainable by any in these dayes which we affirm is to true believers which if thou deniest we question thy Call to the Ministry They pretend to speak and write by the immediate Inspiration of God and this is another part whereby they aspire to equality The Apostle Paul gives this Character of the Scripture All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God 2 Tim. 3. 16 c. And the Apostle Peter For the Prophesie came 2 Pet. 1. 21. not in old time by the Will of Man but holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost Let us now compare Notes and see how far in these respects the Quakers will give the Scriptures the upper hand of their sayings or Writings And F. H. one of Antichrists Voluntiers defeated P. 18. how should he do otherwise seeing he hath denied the infallible spirit from which all the Ministers ministred and all the Prophets prophesied and spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost He was here pleading for their Mens and Womens prophesying and concludes that to deny the Infallible spirit to be and speak in the Quakers was to deny the infallible spirit by which all the Prophets prophesied c. Therefore may I say much more it is not in the Power Jo. Story short Discovery in Answer to Christian Queries of that little Book either to throw down self-will in any in whom it is not yet subdued or to exalt the truth in general because its only Queries gathered by the Author from the Letter of the Scriptures without and no Message of heavenly Prophesie Doctrine or Exhortation received by the Author from the Lord through the divine Inspiration of his light and spirit within therefore I say it is a very vain and idolatrous Exhortation The Writings of the Quakers are full to this purpose but my business in these instances being to prove matter of Fact only this may suffice Thirdly they pretend the Spirit of God to be in § 3 them in an essential consideration and in all his devine Properties and that it is Gods indwelling in them thus considered from which their sayings and writings proceed In this they arrogate to themselves and their expressions more then any of the Prophets and Apostles durst once imagine All they believe and declare they say is from the light within yea it is the light within that reveals it and not they and therefore they will not call them their sayings ordinarily but such as pass through them as if God spake through them as one may speak through a Trunk which is only a passage for the voice but no proper Organ of speech Through your Brother and Companion c. The W. D. Conclusion Voice of the Son of God was uttered forth through him by which the dead was raised And indeed this light within they pretend to be both Father Son and Life of Ed. Burroughs Spirit for they make no distinction But this being matter of fact I shall prove it out of their writings yet you must not suppose that I shall find any such words as essential or properties in their Authors for such words are too proper for them and expressive of the truth to such who understand them yet I shall find the things as very God cloathed with those Attributes which are peculiar to him And whoever reads what immediately follows and considers the Evidences to be but the Quakers own Confessions and shall not be touched with horrour and indignation against their principles let that man or woman know that a Conscience seared with a hot iron is too soft a term for their insensibleness G. B. true saith of the Gospel of Peace p. 18. Every man hath that which is one in union and like the Spirit of Christ even as good as the Spirit of Christ according to its measure Child I am sensible that there is something in my Smith Prim. p. 14. Conscience that lets me see my secret Thoughts and the Intents of my heart c. Father That is the true light of Christ within that lets thee see the thoughts and the intents of thy heart and God hath freely given in unto thee and requires thy obedience to it Ch. But if I should turn unto it and obey it when it reproves me for sin is there Power in it to save me from my sin Answ All Power in Heaven
only the 36. Chap. of Genesis wherein is contained Esau's posterity and how many Dukes there were of his Race Yet I shall produce your arguments for the Readers satisfaction that he may believe his own eyes and I shall be more honest than to frame a meer whimsie out of my own head to abuse you and say after this lofty manner of disputing you undertake our overthrow which is your guilt in the fourth page of your Book Your first proof you pretend from Gen. 6. 1. And SECT III the Lord said my Spirit shall not always strive with man for that he also is flesh yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years I will for once transcribe your Argument verbatim that it may be notorious how loftily you dispute If God's unerring Spirit has been wont to strive with men either to convince them of or convert them from the evil of their thoughts words or deeds or else to provoke them yet more fully to do the will of God so as to press on from one degree of glory to another then men hâ—ve had an unerring Spirit to be their Teacher and Judge and Rule and Guide of that Truth concerning that Faith and in that most holy way which leads to Eternal Life But the Scripture proves the first Proposition that Gods Spirit hath frequently strove with men and for the ends before-mentioned and câ—nsequently they have not been without an holy unerring Spirit to teach judge regulate and guide them If I should only say your whole Argument is a § 2 meer confused thicket of impertinencies and non seâ—uitur's I believe your conclusion would be most absolute that it was for want of eyes and that I dare not touch a bough of it for fear of pricking my fingers A man had need of good Arithmetick also to numbâ—r the terms You tell us the Scripture proves your first Proposition You are a non Such for diving if you can fetch up from this Scripture what is expressed in your first proposition especially the latter member of it It is more than probable that the Spirit did strive with them to make them better than they were yet none of those ends are expressed in the Text but that it should be that they might more fully do the Will of God and press on from one degree of Glory to another is a guess wonderfully well becoming your infalliblity Why did you not say or to turn them into Suns Moons and Stars which were all out as much in the Text as the other and I dare say some of your Friends would have taken themselves bound to believe it who find no fault with greater absurditiâ—s dropt from their admired Dictâ—tors but Quos Dâ—us vult perdere hos dementat There were eight persons saved in the Ark but one Noah said to be righteous before God and all the â—est overwhelmed by the Deluge for their extreme impieties yet these were pressed on from one degree of Glory to another The consequence of your first Proposition is all manner of Fruits which you had a mind should be grafted on this Stock but as the Text will not impart its Sap to your Proposition so your Proposition is as dry to your Consâ—quence but that 's no matter if they will not grow one upon another you 'l make them hang together right or wrong Yea and if the Spirit do but strive it must be how you will have it and for what ends you please or you 'l rack the letter for it but the'res no cruelty to a dead letter Bâ—t Mr. Pen if your conscience have any eyes § 3 I intreat you make use of the light here afforded you to compare the Text and what you lay at its doors and see how alike they look Your Question is of the Spirits teaching among men c. indefinitely and your proof speaks of the Spirits striving with wicked men Your aim is to prove it an immediate and peculiar Teacher c. of Gods people the Text speaks of neither If I affirm the Spirit strove with them by providential Chastisements ominous presages of Calamities at hand by his goodness which leads to Reâ—entance by the Ark which Noah built moved by faith and fear and by which he condemned the unbelieving besotted World by his Preaching righteousness I can prove my being guided therein by the unerring Spirit of God at another rate than you 2 Pet 2. 5. can your contradiction But your wandrings from truth and reason can § 4 hardly have a higher instance and evidence than that you should be so infatuated as to conclude from a Text which saith my Spirit shall not always strive with man that it doth now teach c. and God hath not left his people in our present nor will in future ages without his Spirit to teach them immediately and solely which is in your Question or your prosecution of it and should have been expressed there if you had had so much ingenuity Instead of being angry that I have shewed your vanity and made your folly in this argument such a spectacle to the world you have reason to give me thanks that I examine it no further However before we part I will try you at another SECT III weapon which you forge out of Neh. 3. 19 20. Yet thou in thy manifold mercies forsookest them not in the wilderness the pillar of the Cloud departed not from them by day to lead them in the way c. This part of your quotation is not onely no friend to your affirmation and principles but an invincible adversary No man in his wits will say the pillar of the cloud and fire were the Spirit of God and if God led his people by them they were not led onely and immediately by the Spirit of God It may be the latter part of your citation may do more for you Thou gavest also thy good Spirit to instruct them This good Spirit was mainly the Spirit of God which he put upon Moses and Joshua and some other their chief Persons by God's appointment as is evident from these Texts And I will take off the Spirit which is upon thee and § 2 will put it upon them and they shall bear the burthen of the people with thee Num. 11. 17. And the Lord said unto Moses take thou Joshua the Sun of Nun a man in whom is the Spirit and lay thy hand upon him Num. 27. 18. Thou leadest thy people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron Psal 77. 20. Now God is said to give them his good Spirit to instruct them by bestowing it in such a way and measure on their instructers and guides though I deny not but every true Israelite had the Spirit also dwelling in him yet they were never the less but the more submiss to the conduct of their mediat or if you will men-teachers and guides for that Your third chosen Scripture for your service is SECT III But there is a Spirit in man
rant and charging your adversary with infatuation that he hath given himself the lie and and you the cause as if thereby he acknowledg'd the light within you to be so alsufficient as you pretend and that if a man can judg infallibly when he reads and compairs a few written or printed lines whether they agree in the same words The Quakers light must needs be infallible and indefinitely and without any bounds at least in Religious and Divine Concerns But above all let me intreat you that if your § 5 Adversary give you your due saying moreover The light â—n every man is not to be extended to all cases whatever as if every man that attends to the Light in him did certainly know what is good what is evil right or wrong in every case That then you will not gratifie him with such Reason and Rhetorick as in the following words of yours I heartily pity the man and am really afraid he has overcharged the strength of his brain for with me such manifest contradiction is but a smaller degree of distraction I would fain have a rational answer from him if he be yet capable of one How can the Light be a Judge of good and evil and not be so and all within the space of ten lines If the Light as by him acknowledged be a Judge of good from evil and the contrary then in all cases wherein good and evil right and wrong make up the Question the Light cannot be secluded as wanting in â—rue judgment because good and evil are part of the Question in the granted Proposition deny that the Light is sufficient in any case of right and wrong and deny all Verily Mr Pen you seem to lay a plot here to § 7 blow at least all the Judges off from the Bench to make room for any Quaker though the most witless of them all For if he can but discern right and wrong in any case suppose whether in changing a shilling he hath wrong done him if he receive but two groats for it and right if he receive three he can then discern right and wrong in all cases whâ—â—soever and he that shall say the contrary you will chastise him with Sarcasms as keen as a Badg 〈…〉 Teeth Though I am a little pleasant for I cannot sudare § circa nuces pray bear with me I assure you I have had some heart-akes for you when I have deeply considered that a man of your hopes should be thus left of God I fear for pride and giddiness as to be made a Pillar of Salt to caution others to take heed lest they fall into the same snare which whatever conceit you may have of your self is too apparent Do not affect to be a Chief of a Party learn that Lesson by Scripture-light It is better to hear the rebukes of the wise I mean Eccles 7. 5. not my self than for a man to hear the Song of Fools It is great pity that what parts God hath given you should be fettered and smeared with the polluted Chains of the grossest delusions expect no other but that God will wither you in your Rationals more and more if you will needs Deifie such a poor Creature as Natural Conscience and reduce so much within the compass of a poor Earthen defiled Vessel But if you are resolved to go on at this rate let the Title of your next Book be instead of The Spirit of Truth c. The Spirit of Babel and this will much more properly express the Contents of it Note Confusion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from Babel in the Hebr. comes our English word Bable The Pretences of the Quakers to Apostolical and immediately Divine Inspirations considered and a Spiritual and Rational account of truly Apostolical men and their immediate Inspirations NExt to their Tenet of the Light within every SECT I man to be the Christ and God essentially considered this of its immediate Dictates which they hold to be as purely Divine as any the Apostles had or the Scriptures express is the grand Pillar of their other opinions and practises called Religious This Pretext according to an Author of their own E. H. one of Antichrists Voluntiers defeated pag. 5. gives the credit to what they affirm And yet would fasten all these upon the Lord so that his deceit might be of more Authority and none might question the matter thereof because the Lord always moveth to Truth and Righteousness Well then if we can prove that the Quakers are not inspired persons but far otherwise we shall prove them gross Impostors abominable persons slanderers and blasphemers of the Holy and Divine Spirit and break that snare by which their poor deluded Proselites are fast bound and chained to their Dictates But sure you will judge that they who pretend thus high have somewhat like a Reason for what they affirm The main Props of this opinion of themselves I shall bring to light and examine The first is a Prophesie of the pouring out of the § 2 Spirit Joel 2. 28. I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh and your Sons and your Daughters shall prophesie c. Let us consider how much this will befriend them They will not say I am perswaded that all flesh in the Text is to be understood without any limitation at all for then Sheep and Oxen must prophesie nor yet will they allow that the Spirit shall be poured forth upon all men and women old and young without some limitation for then the most wicked and sottish must be of the number yea those who are the keeâ—est Adversaries to their Doctrine among which I doubt not they will give me a room but if they say every one hath the Light within which is a principle capable of this Character if they gave heed to it and set it at liberty I answer so had all men this principle ever since the world began if what they say themselves be true but the Prophesie saith It shall come to pass after those days So that it must needs be meant of a time then to come but if it be to be understood as without doubt it is as well of some particular persons and not all Universally as of some Age or Ages and not all Universally They must bring some proof that they are the persons intended or give us leave to tell them they have herein stoln the words of the Lord which belonged not to them by falsly applying it to themselves And if the Exposition which Peter the Apostle gives of this Prophesie be worth the heeding it was fulfilled at least in a good measure 1600 years since and whether the World shall ever hereafter behold the like in that part of it I shall not assert Act. 2. 16 1. and so on But this is that which was spoken by the Prophet Joel c. What They spake with other Tongues about fifteen in number the wonderful works of God and this was ushered in by Signs from heaven A
of divine things Inwardly ravening from the Spirit A recourse to the Scripture or any thing else except their spirit for sight and understanding in the things of God Carnal reasonings Reasonings of the Flesh All use of the understanding and judgment of man for searching and finding out truths about Divine and Spiritual things Received from the Lord. By immediate Revelation Reconciliation Giving up themselves to the light within The Word of Reconciliation Christ the light within The Lords Redeemed Those who are conformed to the light within Redemption A being reduced into the state of Adam in Innocency not what was wrought by Christ in the Flesh 1600 years since The Redeemer Not that Jesus Christ who is ascended above and beyond the Stars but the light and power within every man as such Refreshings in Spirit Something they are pleased with they know not why and come by they know not how As the Quakers who were refreshed at the Dutch-womans declaring while they understood not a word she spake The New man CHRIST The rest of the people of God A quiet and peace within though from a blind deluded conscience The Resurrection of Life Obedience to the light in this world Resurrection of the Body Resurrection of the light within to a dominion in the man for with them the Body is Christ and Christ is the light within Also the Body which was a servant to sin being acted by the light and power within Revelations Not Scripture-Revelations but what come by immediate inspiration to them Righteous ones Such as are without sin Righteâ—usness of Christ That which is wrought by the power and conduct of their Christ the light within The Root of Jesse The Light within The Royal Seed Christ and every Quaker They who run and not sent All that teach the Gospel from the Scripture and not by Immediate Inspiration Reprobation Sin S The Sabbath Every day the present Rest and Heaven of the Quakers The Sacrifice of Christ The light within obeying or they obeying in the light within Having Salt in themselves Having Christ in themselves The Salt of the Earth Christ the light within Salvation Conversion to the obedience of the light within Sanctification All one with Justification all one with Christ obedience to the light Building on the Sand. Making the Scripture a Rule of Faith and Life The Saviour The light within every man According to the Scriptures By immediate inspiration as the Prophets and Apostles received the mind of God The Seed The light within or the Christ essentially within the Eternal Word that which was in the beginning with God The Seed of Abraham according to the Flesh The Eternal Word Christ as God Self-righteousness All that is not from the immediate motions within Shadows All Forms and external worship The Scriptures which Pen saith are as the shadow of the true Rule viz. living touches Idol-Shepherds The Ministers who have a mediate Call or teach out of the Scripture Shut out of the Scriptures Cannot understand them have nothing to do with them Signs and Miracles in Spirit No body can tell what All flesh must be silent Nothing must be said but what comes by immediate revelation from the Spirit for all else is the voice of man and of the flesh In the Simplicity Without the use of humane understanding or if you will out of your wits To live in Sin Sinners Such as have any remains of sin in them or do at any time in any sort commit sin Slâ—ying the Witnesâ— Disobeying the light within but especially a resolved rejecting it as our only Rule Teacher and Saviour Sons of God Only the Quakers Soul A part or measure of God Speaking in the Spirit By immediate Inspiration Spirit of Antichrist That which leads to Forms though Christ's and Gospel-Forms All that opposes the light within to be Christ False Spirits They that ground their Doctrine on the Scripture or any mediate thing Spirit of Bondage Being under the power of any sin Spirit of God The light within every man God the Father Son Holy Ghost without distinction Spirit of the World Whatever is not conformable to the light within as Christ The Spiritual man Christ or Christ in every Quaker The Lord hath Spoken What comes to them by immediate inspiration The Lord hath not Spoken Whatever is not by immediate inspiration though it be written in the Scripture A true Christians State Being taught by God immediately not by the Letter The statutes of God The Law in the heart or within They steal my word every one from his Neighbour Teaching Doctrines as the Word of the Lord taken out of the Scripture Stoln words All that we have out of the Scriptures and not by immediate inspiration to our selves In the Stilness An unactive attending to the light within Standing in the Counsels of God Conformity to the Teachings of the light within and abiding therein Studying for Divine Knowledge and what comes thereby from the Scripture Carnal toil birth and wisdom of the flesh Scraping in the Scriptures The Woman in Subjection Weakness must subject it self to the man Christ The Supper of the Lord. Spiritual joy or joy in the Spirit from the presence and influence of the light within all eating and drinking to God and in remembrance of Christ Sword of the Spirit Christ the light within What is declared by immediate inspiration of the Spirit Synagogues of Satan The Assemblies of any sort of people for Divine Worship who are not Quakers T Christ Tabernacling in the outward Vessel Christs dwelling for a little time in the body born of the Virgin Mary The like of every Quaker Taking away the Tables All Forms and Books as useless in the things of God Taught of God Taught immediately from the light within Teachings of Men. All that is not immediately inspired though the sense and words of the Scripture Cease from man From the Teaching by Man Outward Court of the Temple given to the Gentiles All forms of Worship all visible Worship being the Worship of Heathens not of Christians Testifie to the light in the Conscience Appealing or speaking to Christ the light within Bearing Testimony to the light Declaring for and from the light within The Testimony and the Testaments Christ the Light and Law within Thanksgiving Give thanks in Spirit or inwardly Thieves and Robbers All that are Teachers by a mediate Call All Ministers but the Quakers All that walk by Scripture-light Traditions of men The Scripture or written Word Trading with the Scripture Having maintenance for a Ministry Ministring from the Scripture or written Word The Birth In Travel The time of wrestling betwixt convictions of the light within and perfection Trembling and Quaking The horrour and consternation that they are under from as they say the wrath of God while the flesh is judged and they are in the hell of condemnation which is all the bell they hold that I can find aâ—d this trembling and quaking they say is such as