QUAKER'S FALSE INTERPRETATIONS OF Holy Scripture By THOMAS WILSON Rector of Arrow in Warwick-Shire LONDON Printed for Benjamin Harris at the Stationer's Arms in Sweetings Rents in Cornhil 1678. Imprimatur Guil. Jane QUAKER'S FALSE INTERPRETATIONS OF SCRIPTURE ONly of this at present Hereafter perhaps I may Treat of their Doctrines and their Manners All that I desire of the Reader is that in the several Texts I shall instance he consult the Bible because words separated from the Discourse may seem even to a wise man to signifie what the Inspired Authors never intended and the like expressions and sometimes tho same do mean different things as in all other Books so in holy Writ G. K. Immed Revelat. p. 21. We may not nor dare not make use of the Scripture but in the Life and Spirit as that opens and influences We dare not nor ought not to speak the Spirit 's words in our own Spirit We tie the words of Scripture unto the Spirit so as not to use them but in and by the Spirit G. K. Help in need p. 77. Away with that manner of interpreting Scripture and searching truth by drawing and knitting consequences by the fallible erring mind and natural understanding Keep close in all things to the determination of the Spirit of God and where that leads you to draw a consequence or frame an argument do it else forbear W. Duesbury's discovery p. 48. The word of the Lord came upon me in the common Gaol in Warwick 13. of 1. Moneth 1664. which constrained to be given forth from the Spirit of the Lord c. N. Love to Lost p. 1. The things following are not of Man nor did I receive them but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Atkinsons Standard of the Lord p. 30. Written from the Spirit of the Lord. Burrough's Trumpet p. 1. The Order and Authority given unto me by the Spirit of the Living God 31. of 10. Moneth in the Year 1655. about the 4th hour in the Morning when my Meditations were of my God upon my Bed in Kilkenny City at that time the word of the Lord came unto me saying Write c. Given under my hand and Sealed with the Spirit of the eternal God Foster's Guide p. 59. Do you not Professors confess your selves to be fallible If then I can prove that you have Interpreted Scripture in a false Sense you must grant that you have not Interpreted only in and by the Spirit of God but in your own and by the natural understanding and fallible erring mind And I hope if it appear to you that you have thus done you will not lay the error how little soever it may be upon that Holy One but take it to your selves though it contradict your Glorious Pretence and abate your Credit and Shame you never so much And in the name of Christ I admonish you that you do so that God be not Dishonoured and his excellent Spirit Vilified The tryal follows G. K. Im. Revel p. 72. Out of Sion shall go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem And he The word for that is his name Rev. 19. shall judge among the Nations Isa. 2 3 4. 1 Your reason why the Word of the Lord must here signifie Christ for that is it you mean viz. Because his name is the Word is infirm unless you can prove it always so signifies which it doth not as you may see in many places of Scripture particularly in this Prophet's writings Chap. 39. 5. Hear the word of the Lord of Hosts That is not Christ but this Sentence which follows Behold the day is come that all that is in thine House shall be carried to Babylon Chap. 28. 14. Hear the word of the Lord Namely this Thus saith the Lord behold I lay c. vers 16. 2 As in these former words Come and let us go up to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways He refers to God and not to house So it is manifest that in these latter For out of Sion shall go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem and he shall judge among the Nations He refers to Lord and not to the Word For 3 it had been all one if it had been only said Out of Sion shall go forth the Law of the Lord and he shall judge The Law of the Lord and the Word of the Lord being here the same And then as the Law here is not Christ so neither is the Word 4 And thus was it fulfilled concerning the Gospel as that being distinct from Christ. For it was first Preached at Jerusalem and from thence proceeded to the Gentiles Luk. 24. 47. Thus it is Written that Repentance and Remission of Sins should be Preached in Christ's Name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Thus Tertullian understands the Text. Adv. Marc. L. 3. C. 21. Ex Sion exibit lex sermo Domini ex Hierusalem Haec erit via sua novae Legis evangelium novi sermonis in Christo non in Moyse And Just. Mart. Apol. 2. p. 78 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For Out of Sion c. From Jerusalem went twelve men into the World who declared to all Mankind that they were sent of Christ to Preach the Word of God to all Ibid. p. 66. I desire the Reader to weigh what word it is David speaks so frequently of in Psal. 119. It is not any word writ any outward word or words But the eternal word which created the Heavens and Earth The word in the begining which taught him the Laws Judgments c. Jesus Christ P. 67. 68. 65. You may as well say Testimonies Statutes Judgments Commandements Law are not a written and outward word or words For they are all used promiscuously and what is spoken of the word is spoken of these As it is said I beheld the Transgressors and was grieved because they kept not thy word So Rivers of Waters ran down mine Eyes because they kept not thy Law As I rejoyce at thy word So Thy Testimonies are the rejoicing of my Heart As I have hoped in thy word So I have hoped in thy judgments As Thy word is very pure therefore thy Servant loveth it So Upright are thy judgments I love thy Commandments As For ever thy word is settled in Heaven So Thy testimonies thou hast founded for ever The word then here spoken of being the same with Testimonies Statutes Judgments Commandments Law it is as much outward written and spoken as they are and you may as well say the Testimonies Statutes c. are Christ as that this word is and that they taught the word as that the word taught them As is evident by the reading of almost any two connext verses in the Psalm and especially those single ones which contein both words for that where they thus occur there is no difference to be discerned As vers 16. I will delight my self in thy Statutes I
Heretick says Christ was without the substance of Flesh that he suffered not of the Jews but Simon in his place so that we are not to believe in him that was Crucified lest we believe in Simon Chap. 49. Valentinus the Heretick says that Christ was not in the substance of our Flesh but brought I know not what kind of Spiritual Body from Heaven and passed through the Virgin as Water through a Pipe taking nothing thence Chap. 51. Cerdon affirms him to have been only a Phantasm not to have truly suffered but as it were to have suffered not to be Born of a Virgin nor to be Born at all After these comes Apelles and he says Christ was neither in the appearance nor in the substance of a true Body but for asmuch as he descended from the superior Places in his descent he wove for himself a Flesh of the substance of the Stars and Air and in his ascent restored to each Element what he had borrowed and the parts of his Body being thus dispersed only his Spirit went to Heaven See the same Author De Carne Christi per totum Thus you have seen Antichrist hath denied Christ to have come in his Flesh And I hope therefore you will correct your assertion that he doth not denie this nor will left you should be thought to judge this monstrous error not foul enough to be called Antichristianism And thus your foundation viz. Antichrist confesses Christ to be come in his Flesh and Bodily appearance at Jerusalem being thrown down that which you have built upon it falls with it viz. That therefore Antichrist denying Christ to be come in Flesh must be understood of his coming in the Flesh of his Servants his revealing himself in the Heart I add as for Christ's coming in Flesh as this signifies his own Flesh his incarnation or his mean condition we every where read of it in Scripture As The Word was made Flesh. God sent his Son in the likeness of Sinful Flesh. God sent forth his Son made of a Woman made under the Law He was made like unto us in all things He took upon him the form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of Men. But in what places of Scripture his coming in Flesh signifies his appearance in our Hearts I require you to shew and withal what Hereticks have denied this coming as I have shewed many that have denied the former But there is another rendring of St. John's words which perhaps may give you a better understanding both of the confessing of Christ and also of his coming in Flesh viz. every Spirit 1 Joh. 4. 2 3. which confesseth Jesus Christ who came in Flesh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is of God Every Spirit which confesseth not Jesus Christ who came in Flesh is not of God And then the Sense is plainly this He is the true Prophet which confesses Christ though he was in the mean condition of a Man made Man and made a Servant And he is the false Prophet which denies him and doth so upon this account Which confession is the acknowledgment of his Person viz. That he is the Christ and the Son of God and the acknowledgment of his whole Doctrine And which denial is likewise the denial of both According to this Sense we read throughout the Epistle Verf. 14. 15. We have seen and do Testifie that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the World Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God God dwelleth in him and he in God Chap. 2. 18. 22. 23. 26. Even now are there many Antichrist's Who is a Liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ He is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son Whosoever denieth the Son the same hath not the Father These things have I written to you concerning them that Seduce you Chap 5. 1. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is Born of God Verf. 5. Who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God Verf. 20. We know that the Son of God is come Thus also in his 2 Epist. Verf. 7. Many deceivers are entred into the World who confess not Jesus Christ coming or who did come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Flesh. Verf. 9. Whosoever abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God If any bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your House In his Gospel we have the same Chap. 20. 31. These signs are written that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ. This was the principal thing to be Preached and Believed Act. 9. 20. 22. and 2. 36. Rom. 10. 9. And hereby True and False Prophets were known 1 Cor. 12. 3. No man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed anathema vile Mar. 9. 39. and no man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost This is the same with our Text. The importance then of the whole is this The true Prophets confess that Christ the Son of God is come and that Jesus who came in Flesh is he The false Prophets deny both So that according to this rendring of the words which is so much strengthened by what is so oft repeated in this Epistle and is a chief design of it your mystical interpretation can not likewise stand Christ's coming in Flesh here also plainly signifying his bodily appearance in the World in the condition of a Man and not his spiritual appearance in the Hearts of his Servants as he is a Spirit and the Word G. K. Woman Preacher p. 6. Outwardly Christ told her only concerning her Husbands that were Dead and how the man she had was not her Husband Joh. 4. 28. 29. 30. And certainly in so short a time they had together perhaps but an Hour words could not tell her half nor the hun dredth part of all that ever she did Christ therefore in her Heart told her all these things as he well could even in a moment bring all things before her and tell her all things in her Life And many an honest man says as she did who never means as you do who understand this Woman's words in the strictest Sense that Christ told her not only half but even all that she ever did in her whole Life not an ace abated and that not only belonging to her Sins but all of what nature so ever Such universals not only in our common speech but in the sacred writings have their limitation Joh. 3. 32. No man receiveth his Testimony Yet Vers. 33. He that hath received his Testimony c. And Chap. 1. 11. As many as received him to them gave he power c. Mat. 23. 3. All whatsoever the Scribes and Pharisees bid you observe observe and do Yet vers 16. They were Blind Guides and said to Swear by the Temple was nothing and taught men to break the Commandment of God and taught for Doctrine the Commandments of men Chap. 15. Again Chap.
things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses Act. 2. 38. Repent and be Baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of Sins They laboured in the Word and Doctrine and exhorted the Believers that the word of Christ should dwell in them richly By all this you may understand what is the word of Reconciliation committed to the Apostles the word of Christ the word which he spake through which his Disciples were made clean and may learn to distinguish it from himself Farnsw Priest's Ignorance p. 4. 5. The Teachers of the world say that the Spirit is the Letter and they are inseparable when the Spirit saith The Letter killeth and is Death And thou who wouldest raise the Spirit out of the dead Letter art a Conjurer They say that Salvation is in the Scripture and that the Power goeth along with the Letter which is Death Burroughs Trumpet p. 20. You say Christ commands it when the Letter doth but declare it and say in such a Verse of such a Chapter such a command is not having received the command by the same Spirit You are in Witchcraft who observe commands without from the Letter thereby drawing from the teachings within by the Spirit They that obeyed Christ were led by the Spirit and not by the Letter for they were not Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit Return to Priests about Beverly p. 10. You put the Books Matthew Mark Luke John for the Gospel which are the carnal Letter G. K. Help p. 27. The finest truest words out of a bad mans mouth can never reach the seed of God either to the raising it up or refreshing it but kills and burdens it as said the Apostle of the false Apostles who had the Letter and were Ministers of it out of the Spirit and Power The Letter Kills I begin to believe that some of you understand by the Letter and the Scriptures the very Characters and the Books forasmuch as it is usual with them to call them Ink and Paper But others of you are more skilful calling them also words spoken By which yet I hope they do not mean the sounds only which are made by the mouth which if they do they mend not the matter at all the sounds being to the Ear no other than what the characters are to the Eye but I would believe they mean as they ought to do the sense and doctrine for Scripture is all one whether it be expressed by the Pen or spoken by the Mouth or only conceived in the mind that is to say the doctrine is Now we are to consider whether the Doctrine of the Scriptures be dead and liveless carnal and killing Here you differ again some saying it is so in it self alone without the Spirit or as it is Preached from the Scriptures without immediate revelation to the Preacher though that Preacher be neither wicked nor a seducer others saying it is so as Ministred by such vile persons We are again to consider of what Scriptures or Doctrine the Apostle speaks when he saith We are not Ministers of the Letter but of the Spirit And 1 can you in good conscience say the doctrine of the Gospel is a dead and carnal word Or which is all one that those Scriptures are which express that Doctrine and that after the most lively manner even according to the mind of God himself who so delivered them by his own Spirit Thus we read there and thus it is spoken to us from thence by our Preachers Sinners you must forsake your evil ways and become new creatures not only outwardly reform but be inwardly holy and changed in your natures must cleanse your selves from all filthiness not only of the flesh but of the Spirit also you must walk in the fear of God and observe diligently all his Commandments love them and delight in them or else you cannot be saved but must burn as God hath pronounced in the Lake of Fire and Brimstone and suffer his wrath and indignation for ever His love is exceeding great to us who is not willing that any should perish but that all should have everlasting life and to that end hath given his only begotten Son to die an ignominious and painful death and to bear our sins on his own body on the Tree and to make atonement for us and hath set him upon the Throne with himself to rule over all things for our good and hath sent forth his mighty and gracious Spirit to enlighten convert strengthen and comfort us Courage poor Soul and look up Glory is provided for thee who hast offended greater than the most magnificent Prince on earth enjoys Harken to the holv Guide in thy Soul cease thy Rebellion and thou shalt inherit Heaven dwell with God in that supernal Palace beholding his Face in Peace and have fulness of joy all perfection and life for evermore Blessed art thou O man who hast subdued thy Lusts overcome the World and hast put on Jesus Christ for unto thee belongeth this blessedness Kingdom and Glory Though we Die we shall be made alive again and stand before the Judge which knoweth what we have done and what hath been in our hearts and who will accept no mans person but will render to all according to their deserts so that our portion in the end will be either that bliss or that misery and this is not our word but the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Now call you this a carnal Letter a dead insipid spiritless thing Hath it no more power in it to move the Soul than characters of Ink drawn upon a Paper It pierces the Sinner like a Sword and comforts the humble Soul more than Wine The very contrivance of the Scriptures spits shame in the face of your bold assertion they being adorned with all perspicuity that we may understand the truth and with the strongest arguments to perswade us to our duty as the love of God the Death of his Son the assistance of his Spirit the filthiness and incommodities of Vice the purity and beauty and benefits of Vertue the Resurrection and the Judgment the Glory of Heaven and the Torments of Hell And so long as men have understanding fear hope and love of themselves this word can not be as a mere block and stone to them And you may hence discern that there is a force in the very things themselves in that the same person works more upon the auditors when he Preaches clearly pertinently and the weightiest matters than when he speaks of more extrinsick Points and Doctrines of the least moment and makes Childish descants and involves all he says in obscurity I demand if the Scriptures be such a dead letter and killing thing death it self why the Apostle wrot or why do you Did he contradict his Tongue with his own hand at the same moment Did he believe that he sent the Corinthians a word as dead as his Ink and a letter that
Pet. 3. 2. Ye wives be in subjection to your own Husbands that if any obey not the word they also way without the word be wone by the conversation of the wives while they behold your chast conversation coupled with Fear v. 15. Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear c. 2. 18. Servants be subject to your Masters with all fear See 2 Cor. 7. 15. Eph. 6. 5. Understand you not the difference betwixt fearing God and fearing men If you do not but esteem the latter unlawful being now excited to use your wits I am ready to instruct you at your request But why will you not look into your Bible and consider the Text which you cite before you write Which if you had done you would have seen that the Apostle Rom. 13. 7. speaks not of God but altogether of men As the first words shew Render to all their dues And the next following Owe no man anything but to love one another Duesberry's Discovery p. 15. Now after the witnesses have sealed up their Testimony the Beast which is thy will that ascends out of the bottomless Pit of thy deceived heart hath made War against the Witnesses Christ in thee and slain them and they lie dead in the spiritual City of Sodom and Egypt where our Lord is Crucified Rev. 11. 7 8. So again p. 33. G. K. Immed Revelation p. 117. Christ's Spirit shall consume this Antichrist that sits in the Temple of God mans heart and rules as Lord there And this Antichrist is not a person or persons particular but a Spirit Joh. 4. 2. and is the spirit of Satan which rules in the children of disobedience In this Temple the heart the Whore Mystery Babylon sits as Queen 2 Thes. 2. Thanks says the Pope I and my Clergy were wont to be branded peculiarly with these ill names but it is now declared by immediate revelation that we are no more Antichrist and the Whore of Babylon than are other sinners and even those among the Heathens for a wicked spirit was in the hearts of men before we ever came to our dominion in the Church and is now in those with whom we have nothing to do as being gone out from us and in Heathens that never were of us and this Antichrist sits in every vitious mans heart and so rules in the Temple of God notwithstanding many of them are contemptible persons and have no authority over others like as we have The Beast hath Seven Heads and Ten Horns which are Seven Mountains and Ten Kings And though it be somewhat odd and I do not understand it yet now sure I am or else Revelation fails that this Beast with all his Power Pomp and Kingdoms is the will of every naughty sinner how mean and impotent soever he be And the woman the Mother of Harlots drunken with the blood of the Saints and Martyrs that sits upon the Beast the will and upon many waters is the Spirit of Satan ruling in the children of disobedience and so this Woman drinks blood in every such Childs heart and whereas one would think she shed the blood of others and those Saints and Martyrs it is only the wicked mans own blood and though it seemeth that blood is really shed and men are literally killed it is in truth quite another matter namely Christ Crucified in the wicked mans heart by lusts which we know may be without the loss of one drop of blood And though the Two witnesses prophesying and being slain hath been judged to signify something acted by men among themselves the faithful Servants of Christ contending for his Truth against a company of evil men and this evil company overcoming them and treating them with all injuries yet it only signifieth what is done betwixt Christ and the Heart Christ speaking there and the will crucifying him there viz. in the deceived heart which is the great City where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was Crucified spiritually called Sodom Good Children go on and tell the Protestants from the Spirit of the Lord that that Spirit did not point at our Papal Power in those names of Beasts Antichrist Babylonish Whore I stroak you my Dearest and lay my hands upon you and give you my Blessing Thus glories the Pope But Friends whereas St. John Prophesies of Witnesses and of a Beast and Whore and makes accurat descriptions of these can you think he means no particular persons but only speaks of the common strife of the Flesh and Spirit in men And I would have you consider whether common vitious Persons that neither propagate nor hold Errors and Heresies nor persecute and offer injuries to the Church are called in the Scripture Antichrist But albeit you say the Beast is the Will and Antichrist is not any particular person or persons yet I find one of you and he a great man contradicting telling us plainly that the Pope is the Beast and the Antichrist G. Fox Few Words p. 6. This is clear that the Pope is the VVhore and the Beast that rose out of the Earth p. 8. The Pope saith they can forgive Sins viz. his Iesuits Priests Friars Here is the Beast with his many names the many Antichrists Seeing then some of you say the Beast is the Will some the Pope some that Antichrist is not any particular persons some that he is the Pope with his Jesuits Priests and Friars I had best stop here till you are agreed And truly may some say you might have stopped long ago and even have spared all your pains for any hope you can have of convincing them who esteem themselves infallible they knowing the shame of Recantation and what injury it will be to their Credit and what dammage to their Party But I am not altogether without hope For who knows what the Lord may do However my Labour may not be in vain to some of their Followers who scarce believe what the Doctors so confidently boast of themselves And especially may it conduce to prevent the lapse of others who by reason of their glorious pretence are smitten with some admiration of their persons and their way Besides the instances which I have given of your false Interpretations I can produce near Forty more which I have observed in reading a few of your books By which any one may perceive what sad work you make with the Scriptures But these may suffice to shew that you are far from doing according to what you affirm of your selves as in the beginning I cited your own words viz. That you dare not make use of Scripture but as the Spirit opens dare not speak the words of Scripture in your own Spirit but tie them to the Spirit so as not to use them but by the Spirit do not Interpret Scripture by the fallible mind the things which you write you received by the Revelation of Jesus Christ and you are not fallible
according to you the manifestation of the Spirit doth signifie as to some men Heathens namely and the darkest and wickedest the least measure of light and the smallest spiritual operation and motion in the Heart you understanding that it is given to every man And this so ill agreeing with the Apostles discourse it was necessary that you should take away the emphasis as you have done saying a manifestation of the Spirit is given to every Man But what reason and authority you have for so doing I know not the Greek having its Article which commonly enough is emphatical 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but especially there being the greatest emphasis in the thing it self the manifestation of the Spirit the Apostle expressing it by many eminent Gifts such as Tongues Miracles c. and not saying one ordinary thing of it such namely as is the light in every man Heathens as well as Christians G. K. Help p. 2. Eating and drinking Damnation spoken of 1 Cor. 11. is where this discerning of the Lord's Body is not rightly made the Dead and Crucified Body from the Living Body the living Soul as it is first from the quickning Spirit which follows after Surely men may say any thing when they assume the liberty of proving nothing The Text is this He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh Damnation to himself not discerning the Lord's Body Not discerning it in what I demand In eating and drinking you must say if you will speak according to the Apostle I demand further in eating and drinking what This Bread and Wine you must answer which the Lord ordeined in remembrance of his Death if you will again speak as the Apostle doth Friend Dost thou eat and drink this I neither do nor will must thou reply according to thy opinion and practice I tell thee then that thou discernest not the Lord's Body according to the mind of the Apostle in this place And it is no wonder that thou hast invented a strange interpretation hereof so long as thou wilt have nothing to do with the Institution Do this in remembrance of me But since the Apostle speaks of the Lord's Supper shew that he means here that another body is to be discerned than that which is to be remembred as Crucified whereof the Bread and Wine are Symbols Shew a syllable here that intimates a spiritual body I will shew thee and I wish thou would'st learn thy duty what it is according to the Apostles mind to discern the Lords Body viz. to come to the Supper of the Lord not as to a common Feast but with heavenly affection and all due preparation of Soul minding his Death the death of so great an one as the Son of God the Lord of Glory and not of an ordinary man and that ignominious and painful the death of the Cross his Love herein and the Love of his Father and our inestimable benefit eternal Redemption so as to be sutably wrought upon by all Thus much you might have learned from the Apostle if you had observed his words who tells us that as for eating and drinking that is after the common manner we have houses to do that in but this bread is Christ's Body broken for us and this Cup is the New Testament in his Blood and we are to examin our selves and to receive these in remembrance of him shewing forth his Death herein And I pray you what is here unworthy of a Christian and unfit for you to do what that is meau and elementary and not divine enough for the best But as for your discerning of the Lord's Body his dead Body from his living Body the living Soul from the quickning Spirit as you intend it not of his Supper so hath it nothing to do with the Text. J. N. Love to the Lost p. 54. c. This was Instituted by Christ as they sate at Meat and did eat and so often as they did eat and drink thereof they were to do it in remembrance of him shewing his Death till he came And this was that the Apostles received of the Lord and was practised in the purity of the Church which breaking Bread from house to house did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart And this was to be done at all seasons when they eat and drank in their eating and drinking they were to do it to the Lord and herein to have communion with his Body and Blood Yea when they were to have communion with the Gentiles they were to partake of the Table of the Lord 1 Cor. 10. Many excess having overtaken them for want of eating always in his fear and in remembrance of his coming have put his coming afar off into another world and are become reprobate in the Faith as to his appearance and to avoid this it was that the Lord Jesus commanded his Disciples in eating and drinking to shew forth his death till he came It must needs be that they return into the pleasures of the flesh that discern not his Body in their eatings who is the Body of all creatures And this is known from the Lord in the Eternal to be the true end of the Supper of the Lord instituted and appointed that in remembrance of his death they might be kept from all excess It is easie to say This is from the Lord but nothing is more dreadful than to lay Errour upon the Holy Ghost notwithstanding the people out of reverence to that holy one believe it and reverence the Assertor Shew a syllable that intimates that our Lord instituted his Supper for a remembrance of his Death in our ordinary daily eating and drinking or that the reason he took Bread and Wine when he did eat the Passeover with his Disciples and said Take eat this is my Body Drink ye all of it for this is my Blood This do in remembrance of me was to shew us that whenever we take our common meals we should feed our selves in his fear as the remembrance of his Death requires Nothing is more clear than that he meaneth a peculiar eating and drinking For says he This is my Body This is my Blood Is all Bread and Wine his Body and Blood or do they so signify Nay though there be on our Tables neither of these creatures but only Butter and Cheese and Eggs Beer and Water and Milk Again the Apostle doth not say as oft as ye eat and drink but as oft as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup you shew the Lord's death 1 Cor. 11. manifestly distinguishing this Bread and Wine from Cabbage and Ale and whatsoever else is our common food And again 1 Cor. 10. The Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the communion of the Blood of Christ Is every Cup this And chap. 11. Let a man examine himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fit and so let him eat of this Bread and drink of this Cup. I pray you must we examine and fit our selves whenever we
For certainly they that pretend no more than the ordinary divine assistance could not have erred more grosly than you have done I wish with all my heart that you had more of the Spirit and that you were Prophets indeed that we might have more Truth and need not spend our time in correcting follies And admonish you in the Lord that you make your humble and ardent supplications for wisdom to him that giveth and upbraideth not And that withal you labour and search for her as for hid Treasure and despise not the light which Godhath set up in any who hath variously distributed his gifts as he hath the members of our Body for mutual assistance Seeing your failings watch against them and take more heed and amend To ascribe any thing that is false to the Holy Ghost you know is wicked impudence and of the worst consequence the Prophane and Atheistical being the more tempted hereby to believe there is no such Divine power How horrid is it to say that Spirit lies How nigh to which you come by asserting him to be the Author of your errors in your seriousness consider If I have erred I have erred as a man and yet I think and know I have the Spirit of God and for all the World would not be without it It would do well since you say you are Prophets like them of old sent from the Lord immediately and guided infallibly that you tell us in all your writings distinctly what the Lord saith and what you say of your selves As St. Paul gave notice when he spake his own judgment saying This say I not the Lord This not I but the Lord 1 Cor. 7. 6. 12. 25 26 40. And so much I expect of him that shall reply to what I have written and that in every particular that I may know with whom I have to do viz. that he say I have received by inspiration this Interpretation but this I have not but deliver it according to my best judgment Or else declare apertly that you write nothing at all but what you have by inspiration I admonish further that if you believe the Holy Ghost did not intend that sense in which you use the words of Scripture you plainly and honestly declare so much But then reflect whether it be not better to let the Scriptures stand in that sense which the Holy Ghost hath given them lest every one using this liberty they come at last to signifie just nothing but like the Air be blown hither and thither with every breath as every one pleaseth and be turned into all shapes like a piece of soft wax Think not that to interpret mystically is profound wisdom and ought to be admired of the People For alass they that are weakest are aptest to this and hither they fly when the Letter is too hard for them And take heed especially of thinking your selves spiritual because you talk spiritually as knowing that none are so but who are born of the Spirit and walk according to it who are Holy in their Life and holy in their Nature Which they that turn the Letter into Spirit may be as far from as the Swinish Adulterers and the Rude Swearers And now because I know not whether I shall speak to you any more take that serious word which I have sometime had in my mind to dispence to you Which is this Insist on the particular duties of a Christian man and deliver them with all perspicuity of speech as knowing they are not to be practised in Phraseology and pure mystical notion Cry not out against Ministers for taking of Tithes calling them for this cause Hirelings and Wolves Covetous Balaams Deceivers and Antichrist's since you see such walk soberly righteously and godly and seek the conversion of Sinners and would part with their Estates and Sacrifice their Lives for the sake of Christ Since you know that it is false Doctrine pernicious errors and heresies which makes the false Prophet and this may be and is found in them that take no Tithes and in them that decry them and they that do receive them may be orthodox and are so and have not the temptation to corrupt the truth for the pleasing of men that they might receive the more from them like as others have that live upon the bounty Since again you know that there are hundreds of these Tith-takers which would exchange their ten or twenty pounds a year for the maintenance of your Preachers who ride about and work not with their hands You that plead the Apostles examples consider whether they who forsook all and followed Christ turned Merchants kept Shops constantly traded in the World sought after Riches as many of your Preachers do You that condemn a Lace and the Fashions of the World should remember your bands that are broader than an Inch your Cloaks that cover not the Breast with Capes that are of no use your Gowns Hoods and Scarves your Borders and Periwigs your Coloured Garments Died by mans Invention You that plead the Spirit consider whether the manner of your writings signifie inspiration when we see exultation exasperation carping playing upon words contention about matters of no moment poor flashes of wit quibbling and evasion obscurity and impertinence and abundance of ill names poured forth without cause and provocation You that speak so much of the Law and Christ the light within should understand that all our knowledge is so in our Souls which are not in our Bibles but in our Bodies and no man ever thought that Ink fashioned into Letters can instruct him that cannot read for want of learning or for want of eyes For what is the Bible in Hebrew and Greek Characters to them that know only English know ye therefore what you talk of I would have you consider again what knowledge the World would have had what Nations had been Converted how the Gospel and Kingdom of Christ had been propagated if he and his Apostles and others had not spoken and written and men had not heard ard read or what we should come to within two ages if we should all shut our eyes and stop our ears and tie up our tongues Yet say I with you Christ is within and Christ is light Next I admonish and beseech you to bear others burdens and to help their infirmities and to know your own For we are not perfect neither we nor you Lay aside all bitterness of Spirit and censorious judging scoffes and jeers pride and haughtiness strife and vain jangling wrath and clamor love of the world and greedy pursuit after it unjust gains and base contrivances dissimulation lying backbiting contumelies and false accusations all excess and intemperance voluptuousness and drunkenness lasciviousness uncleanness fornication and adultery Speak without ambiguity seek not the praise of men receive instruction and hearken to reproof Pray in your Families and Pray in the name of the Lord Jesus and Pray for the pardon of your Sins Give thanks at your Meals