be within every one of you make out this and it will be an equal Evidence for Transubstantiation but undoubtedly it dethrones Christ from Gods Right Hand and destroys our Faith our Hope and our very Religion even the whole Covenant of Grace all which are founded in the Reality of his Person as our Teacher and Redeemer and we may apply to you what the former Father urged ibid. quali habitu quonam impetu vel temperamento quo in tempore diei noctis ve descenderit in what Habit Manner Condition in what Hour of the day or night did he Descend who saw him descend who related it who asserted such a thing as should not easily be credited when asserted Proculus affirmed he saw Romulus ascend to Heaven but the Christ of God hath none to Witness his descent into your Souls but this strange Principle of taking the Light of Nature the Dictates of Conscience and the Treasures of Knowledge reposited in the Soul for the Son of the Most High God who also was the Son of Man tends to Repaganize mankind and your disowning Baptism wherein the Devil the World and even Gentilism it self were renounced is a fit preparation to make men Heathens a second time 2. Your other Principle of Perpetual Immediate Inspiration as to the whole Body of the Church in general Im. Rev. in the Title Page and to every Member thereof and to every true Believer in particular lays aside the necessity or usefulness of the Sacred Scriptures for what signifieth the Bible if it oblige none except it be renewed to them nor can then be understood until the Spirit come to expound it the having no written Book but Immediate Teaching in all would by your model have been far more beneficial and your Revelations about Worldly things Idem p. 6. as Plowing Digging going to a place abiding in it c. lays aside the use of your Reasons takes away the Comfortable trusting and relying upon Providence looks like a new way of knowing your Fortunes and exposes the Soul to the Delusions of Fancy and Evil Spirits whereby Satan may get that employment which is assigned to Reason become the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Coachman or Driver get into the Box and hurry you at his pleasure 6. That the great Testimonies of our Lords Prophetick Office are by himself given John 5.31 40. the first is in v. 33. Ye sent unto John and he bear Witness unto the Truth Pointed out the Person of Christ who was a man as truly as himself But Christ did not stand barely upon John's Testimony v. 34. no nor did he bear Witness of himself v. 31. But besides those which might have been rejected as the Testimonies of men he appealed to three undeniable Evidences that God spoke by him The first is in v. 36. the Works which the Father hath given me to finish the same Works that I do bear Witness of me that the Father hath sent me that is the Power of Miracles was one evidence of his being sent from God The Second is in v. 37. Mat. 3.17 17.5 John 12.28 The Father himself which hath sent me hath born Witness of me by those audible voices from Heaven he gave Credence that Jesus was his Beloved Son and commanded Hear him The third is in v. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Eternal Life and they are they which testify of me unto which that Text Rev. 19.10 is like The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy or the punctual fulfilling in Christs Person Doctrine Life Death c. What had by a Series of Prophets several hundred years before been predicted concerning him proved him to be the true Messiah But Quakers pretending the Christian Religion to have been lost for above 1500 years then giving out themselves to be the onely true Christians that after the long night of thick Darkness p. 243. which hath covered the Earth and that general Apostacy the Gospel is now again Revealed by them give us no proofes of what they say except a train of Misapplyed words formerly used by other Enthusiasts and which for the future will not be forgot by their successors in the like claims but they produce no Divine Attestations not one hair turned black or white by them or if they did that alone would be no Evidence so certain is that Observation of Tertullian edicens multos venturos Adv. Marc. L. 3. signa facturos virtutes magnas edituros aversionem etiam Electorum nec ideo tamen admittendos temerariam signorum virtutum fidem ostendit ut etiam apud Pseudo-Christos facillimarum Christs foretelling that false Christs would come and work Wonders shews the uncertainty and rashness of Believing them upon that account the strongest proof is that of Prophecy that more sure word of Prophecy 2 Pet. 1.19 even more sure than the Voice from the Excellent Glory v. 17. and therefore Tho. Ellwood should produce as Determinate Prophecyes as those which limited the time of Christs coming to prove it to have been foretold that after 1548 years the so long lost Gospel was to be published in the same Demonstration of the Spirit as at the first and when that year in which our late Gracious Sovereign was Martyred is undeniably made out to be the precise time he must proceed by some certainly Divine Testimonies to prove that He and his party are the sole Persons whom God hath raised up for the Redelivery of the Gospel and that all other their Competitors are but raised up by Satan to darken those Truths which the Quakers now bring unto Mankind As for us we do not deny God's Gracious Communications nor restrain his Influences upon mens Souls he may by Angels or what ways of notice he please signify particular messages to some persons but it is the claim of Immediate Inspiration now in the conveying renewing or expounding matters of Religion which cannot be too much disowned as the Subverter of our whole Christian Dispensation and the Introducer of that dangerous dotage concerning the Seculum Spiritûs Sancti For the Prophecyes and Promises of the old Testament foretelling the coming of the Christ He accordingly coming at the time foretold and when come he being truely God and yet instructing us in the true nature of man which humane nature he then had still retaineth and for ever will retain his Person being seen heard and conversed with his Miracles done before Multitudes of people his Doctrine delivered by him whilst he was on earth and heard not onely by Disciples and Enemies but by 12 Select Apostles appointed purposely for that very end as Witnesses If the things of Jesus were transacted outwardly and publickly as the things of men are even his most concealed Transfiguration was done before 3 Ey-Witnesses If the History of Christ was recorded by such as were knowing Witnesses thereof If the Spirits inward Work chiefly consisted about such
Essay of their different Doctrines it will be pleasant to consider their Carriages in such oppositions and the means they have of convincing one another for allowing no outward Rule whereby they should be concluded Spirit is opposed to Spirit and the boldest Face or the best Lungs or the strongest Interest doth carry it and should I say I wrote this tract by Inspiration upon their Principles they could not confute me and every one having the Light within the comparatively small number of the Quakers argues them to be in the wrong When differences arise among them they esteem the dissenters to be cheats Mr. Jenner p 86 the Woman at Dublin condemned their old Light producing a span new one of her own the rest were displeased saying she was a false Prophetess but she still maintained that her Light came immediately from God Living Stone to the Dissenters made this Rejoynder you are led by a private Spirit 3d. Quibble p. 19. though you pretend it to be Vniversal here is a deceitful whining Spirit rarely confuted for the other upon their Principles may better call Living-stones a private deceitful whining Spirit I declare in the name of all the right Quakers in the World it seems he knows all their Hearts and Principles but how must we do that Pens answer to Faldo p. 53. what is the Earmark of a right Quaker can any of them be in the wrong or is their perfection gone or is Thee and Thou the pure Language Hicks 2d Dialogue p. 12. the badge of a right one as Thomas Ruddyer would have it The former Author calls anothers dissent very prettily Tyran Hipo. detected p. 16. Imaginations and Whimsyes And I can as cheaply and Inspiredly call his and theirs all by the same phrases Keith in a publick dispute attempted to prove that Pen speaks by Immediate Inspiration and yet others say he is a heady rash young man Hicks 3d. Dialogue in the Preface we take no notice what he saith and Luddington looks upon him as not Catechized enough I would rather have compared him to Apollos and wishing him a little more fully instructed in the ends of Christs Life and Death Gotherson Alarums them all to purpose Q. is Paganism p. 5 6. saying That wicked men are crept in among them as Judas among the Apostles calls their Spirit a blind ignis fatuus Mr. Jenner p. 177 178 179. that they are led by Imaginations Lusts and Fancyes It is not as Roger Crab William Smith and John Dunck surmise the head of the Serpent is too powerful in Roger Crab and his followers With such like severity And no question but Crab could make the like reply and Smiths Works are since Printed as Living Divine Testimonies but whom must I trust when such as these can pass for Inspirations and Confutations of them 't is usual to call one another Antichrist Ranters Scotch-men Taylors or what will look illfavouredly John Swinton wrote a Paper in the express motion of God Tyran and Hipo. detec p. 39 42. Spirit of the Hat p. 35. who justifyed him in every tittle of it after this he retracted and denyed the Spirit in which it was Writ saying it was fit for the fire and was done in an hour of Temptation and Weakness the Account is large and deserves reading but what evidence had he he was in the right after retracting more than when asserting and if he for four or five years together took the Spirit of Delusion for the Spirit of God they can give no security but it is the same Errour that still enthralls them contradictory partyes dare both use the name of the Lord John Osgoods Marriage with R. T. was well approved of Spirit of the Hat p. 30.31 the Elder Rebeckah Travers and J. O. declared it to be of the Lord. John Bolton with two or three more opposed its passing in the name of the Lord Tyran and Hipo. detected p. 22. unless he would give Testimony against the Hat Spirit The like difference there was about the Marriage of M. B. one part declared positively from the Lord that it was to pass Briggs told the Opposers that they opposed the mind of the Lord when as the good man knew not so much as the persons he spake of Spirit of the Hat p. 33. the other part greatly opposed it under the same pretence setting the Lord against the Lord. John Whitehead wrote a Letter in the name of the Lord Tyran p. 20. Geo. Fox blotted out a line or more altering it to a quite contrary sense without any liberty from Whitehead so to do by which both the Spirit of God and the Writer were belyed and yet others of them justifyed that alteration Never did any in such a manner debase and prostitute sacred Inspiration as these Controulers and Correctors of the Spirit do But as the Romish infallibility is by some shrunk into an Indefectibility so that of the Quakers keeps a somewhat like pace Whiteheads Spirit offers it self willing to receive Information and in a Letter I have from a leading Quaker 3 Quib. p. 49. he thus write on behalf of Keith that if he have held any thing contrary to the Testimony of Holy Scriptures and sound Christian experience he will be willing to hear and be convinced by a sober Christian demonstration they either have no Inspiration or its impression is very weak for if it was real it would assure it self both to them and others and leave no such place for second thoughts and demurrings A just rebuke to 21 Divines p. 22. Pen saith we ascribe not Infallibility to men but to the Grace of God and to men so far as they are led by it for that it certainly teacheth what it doth teach an acute invention so he certainly writeth what he doth write and I am as good an Infallible as he is but this only covers and doth not cure for still the Quaery recurs how can I be infallibly assured that such a person is led by Gods Grace or not p. 7. he also calls it a being assured of what a Christian ought not to make a doubt of but Certainty is capable of degrees and there is a vast difference between actual certainty and absolute Infallibility But it is well we have got Company Whitehead at Cambr. p. 10. and Gag for Q. p. 4. Ann Pearsons warning to Judges p. 7. other Professions are to be guided by Inspiration all Acts of Parliament are to be made and received from God Magistrates must make Laws by Gods Spirit but not only Lawyers but Physicians also instead of Curing these Enthusiasms are themselves to turn Inspirado's He reads Hypocrates Galen and other Writers concerning Medicine Im. Rev. p. 69. and so he thinks hereby to become a Physician c. Whiles their hands are out from the Light of Christ which gives ability Dr. Gray thus pretended Revelation for the Secrets of
these are so gross and palpable that an easie Learning might detect them and in a matter of such moment which the poor Quakers do implicitely believe and hug he was obliged to the severest Caution not to impose upon their tame and easie Credulity And as to us who know our selves fallible and in Gods extream account very imperfect it must be allowed for an excuse But as for him who defends perfection pleads for Immediate Revelation which his Master extends to many things which are not in Scripture so much as by Consequence Keith Im. Rev. p. 6. 2d Quib. p. 11. Others of them challenging Infallibility in all things and cases and he as a Believer pretending the Unction whereby they know all things p. 229. and yet in many discovering and in some confessing his Ignorance I know not p. 227. to him this Plea can be no Advantage it pulling down that very thing which he is building up For if there be such a standing perpetual Ordinance as Immediate Revelation Gods Veracity and Goodness is concern'd at that time to let them be Infallible when they are pleading and become the Advocates for it But it is a good Confutation when a Champion proves an Instance against himself T. Ellwood's Courage 2. As to his Courage and Confidence they are high enough shewing great dis-esteem to the Sacred Scriptures as will appear in a proper place by a Catalogue of his Rules of Exposition such certainly as the Sun never saw especially by such a pretended intimate of Heaven We shall onely now consider his Carriage to most Orders of Men in the Kingdom for he presumes to Tax our World like Augustus Caesar The King must be plainly Thou'd and the Head covered before him The Turkish Fashion they esteem most proper and the tuissare or thou'ing which in Erasmus's time was opprobious among the English is dubb'd into both Religion and Manners My Lord the King is no pleasing Dialect to these new Saints it is Old Testament Divinity Dread Sovereign and Sacred Majesty must not now be used p. 46. Who must have the Majesty then Not the King I 'le warrant you it is taken from Him to be appropriated to their own dear selves take a few of their Expressions having spoken against Magistracy and for the Destruction thereof he proceeds * Fire in the Bush p. 39. If you would find true Majesty indeed go among the poor distressed ones of the Earth †Parnel's shield of the Tr. p. 25 27. Here is the ground of all true Nobility Gentility Majesty Honour No more after the Flesh but after the Spirit Quakers are sprung of the Noble Gentile Seed ‡ In his Noble Salutation to thee Charles Stewart from the Council and Nobility of the Royal Seed the Lion of the Tribe of Judah the Everlasting King of Righteousness who reigneth in George Fox the Younger â In the Testimony from the Brethren The Quakers Ministers are the Dignities and Government and Dominion The King must not write in the Plural Number We p. 27. though he be a Publick Person and Act by Advice of his Council all that is sprung from Pride and Flattery Besides this he saucily and pragmatically medleth with the Kings Revenues the Office for first Fruits Tenths offends him p. 355. No Flower can be fair in an English Crown which was taken out of a Popes Mitre if nothing else could be said against it but that it once stuck in the tripple Crown that alone were enough to make it unworthy to be worn in an English Diadem It seems he hath more than this to Object against it such like things are frequent in their Books which stealing out into the World are apt to leaven mens Spirits with bad Principles One of them acquaints us * Parnel's shield of the Truth p. 19 25. What Magistrates they do not own but deny and testifie against and to make their Negative Power better Armed he saith The Kings and Nobles of the Earth shall be bound in Chains and Fetters of Iron This was Printed 1655. but lest it should be onely Serviceable in those times †Some Principles of the Elect People of God called Quakers p. 89. Isaac Pennington a Name deep enough certainly in Royal Blood to make it currant Quaker Doctrine now re-prints that Book in 1671. leaving out the beginning and end of it but he hath the Conscience and Confidence to re-print those very words out of what design let our Superiours Judge But lest since then so beloved a Doctrine of binding Kings should be forgot they keep up the Memory of it ‡ The true Christians Faith and Experience by Williâ—m Shâ—wen p. â—36 Another Book Printed 1675 speaks home Christ Reigning in the heart gives Power to bind Kings in Chains and Nobles in Fetters of Iron This Hâ—nour havâ— all thâ— Saints To the like contempt of Authority write several of them Howgils glory p. 107. Kings and Magistrates as Christians have no Priority but as they stand in the growth of Truth that is in Quakerism Parnel's shield p. 41. Will. Smith passim Fire in the bush p. 21 22 23. I charge you all by the Lord to take heed of medling about Religion meddle with such Affairs as you are set about Meddle not with Religion keep within your bounds And Winstanley the Instituter of their Order speaks roundly to all Four Idolized Powers must down The Imaginary Teaching Hear-say Book-studying Power or the Ministry The Imaginary Kingly Power must be shaken to pieces in all Nations The Imaginary Law of Justice which is but the declarative Will of Conquerours and buying and selling the Earth and being enslaved one to another must all be destroyed at the Resurrection of Christ and that he saith was then beginning and therefore the pretence to Revelation looks a-squint upon the safety of Kingdoms had not the Magistrates the Sword they might meet with as Reproachful words as the Ministers and had some Persons strength their Principles might carry them to repeat the Munster Tragedy If this Measure be dealt unto the Prince what will not be unto the Subjects The Peers and Lords must expect the like treatment from these Levellers Plough-men James Parnel's shield p. 24 25. Fâ—sher-men Herds-men Shepherds are Noble-men sprung of the Noble Seed here the true Honour is no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit He that boggles at using Sirs p. 46. will stumble at higher Titles and if this new Critick may be credited Titles are to cease and Epithets and Adjuncts are to succeed in lieu Which Men are at Liberty to give or not to give according to their prejudicated or capricious fancies He quarrelleth at several things established by Act of Parliament as the Book of Ordination is spurned at by degrading the Clergy the Confessing of our selves miserable Sâ—â—ners is Chastised by his Ferula p. 53. Tithes an Ancient payment of at least 800 years usage in this Nation Sir
Nature to this the Prophecies and Promises refer and we must render to each their due in the work of our Instruction to the Son as well as to the Spirit T. E. hath made the most untrue and desperate choice that could be the Apostles to receive the knowledge of the Gospel by the Immediate Revelacion of the Spirit what is become of all the Promises of the Messiah John 4.25 I know that Christ when he is come he will tell us all things saith the Woman of Samaria But by Ellwoods model he is com'd and gone and hath taught the Disciples nothing why did Christ chuse the Apostles Live Converse with and betwixt three or four years Instruct them in the things of Gods Kingdom if they were no better for all those Divine Lessons which came from him whom never man spoke like unto what quarrels have the Quakers against Jesus of Nazareth Luke 24.19 that Prophet or ' Divine Teacher mighty in Deed and Word before God and all the People that they must lay aside his Person or his Office either substituting the holy Spirit in his place or making their great Idol the Light or Christ within to do all the necessary work of Instruction Cannot T. E. permit Jesus to be the great Law-giver and Teacher and then upon his bodily removal from the earth the Holy Spirit to descend and build upon Christ the Foundation but as far as in him lies in imitation of the Heathens quarrels among their Deities he must have the Spirit to drown the Word the outward incarnate Christ to signify nothing but the inward Manifestation to Communicate all Was it the Holy Ghost who assumed our flesh lived and preached and Sealed the truth of his Doctrine with his Blood or it was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who performed all those things and of whose fulness we receive were they the Apostles of the Spirit or the Apostles of Christ Jesus who breathed on them gave them Authority and sent the Holy Ghost to inable them to execute their Commission Why do the Quakers thus confound the works of the Word and the Spirit like the Libertines qui nihil ponunt inter filium Dei Calvin adversus Libertin Cap. 10. Spiritum ejus discriminis but suppose they were right about the Holy Unity that there is no destinction of Persons in the Godhead but that they are only different names of the same one Subsistence yet T. E. hath laid a wrong Foundation for it was not this Spirit which inwardly did all But it was Jesus the Son of Mary be he but a piece of the Christ or have he an Heavenly body sheathed up within that which he took of the Virgin or however else for they know not what to make of him nor do with him The man Jesus who was as truly visible in Jewry as Ellwood was in the House of Pennington stands much in their way and hinders their Light or Christ within who called the Apostles taught and instructed them as appears from the Series of the four Gospels which we shall adhere to rather than to these who do but dream dreams while they conceit that they see Visions This being the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is the procreative cause of so many delusions viz. a Disregarding Christs Personal Prophetical Office and placing their supposed Spirit in his room I shall make a short Narrative how the Apostles came to the knowledge of the Gospel how Religion was delivered by Christ that it was settled in an outward Bodily and Sensible way and thereby Ellwoods account of the Spirits doing the work by his inward Immediate teaching will appear not only distant from truth but the very subverter of the Christian Religion God having at sundry times and in divers manners made known his Will unto the Fathers at the last in the highest Dispensation which is never to be out dated he spoke unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things that is by the God-man Christ Jesus who took our flesh and blood and was of the same nature with us this Son of God was God himself who came to visit the earth and be his own Interpreter yet still he discharged this Office whilst he was Tabernacling in our Flesh He was God with us instructing us in the likeness and true Nature of man of a Reasonable Soul and Humane Flesh subsisting And thus I suppose those Prophecyes were fulfilled Taught of the Lord or Taught of God he had the Spirit without measure he was the very Temple of God the Holy of Holyes in and by whom the Divine Oracles were made known to Mortals The Divine Majesty resided in this man Jesus all the former owned ways of Revelation came to attend him into the World to usher him into his Office and give Credence to what he spoke and yet excepting some short Sentences serving as Testimonials to him they were all silent while he was Teaching but still Jesus in Humane Nature took the Chair and was Gods mouth and voice unto mankind as might be more fully and advantageously shewed The Apostles conversed with Christ saw heard eat drunk and lived with him how oft is this referred to of their being Eye and Ear Witnesses of what he did and said he taught them by Sermons Parables Conferences explaining things privately to them during the whole Term of his Ministry and after his Resurrection And must his whole Prophetick Office be thought nothing and can such select Scholars be still non-proficients under so powerful and so diligent an Instructer other Quakers think contrarily to T. E. and let one Infallible buffet another Whilst Christ abode with them in his bodily appearance they had some knowledge till the manifestation of the Spirit they were ignorant of many things many is not all that is for their knowledge and for their life he saith elsewhere the very Disciples themselves while they followed Christ outwardly were truly Religious and another of them surely none will or can deny Idem p. 230. who profess Christianity but the Apostles Taylors Faithful and True Witness the Light c. p. 12. in some measure before Christs outward departure from them had the Comfort of the Holy Spirit in them and were both Believers and obedient Children in their measure c. What though the Apostles being involved in the fatal prejudices of their Nation were ignorant of some things as about the Kingdom of God the Resurrection c. must they therefore know nothing of Faith Repentance a Christian Life or Duty Christ who knew them the best speaks otherwise John 17.6 7 8. they have kept thy word they have known they have believed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost apud Theâ—p in locum having known by my words and by my Doctrine The Apostles were as certain knowing Witnesses of Christ as we can be of any matters of Fact and the Christian Religion was entertained upon their Testimony that they
also then in their production too fertile and the Quaker is Junior to the most of them and they are all able to produce as good Evidences and Deeds so that it seems strange the Quaker should ingross both the birth-right and the blessing too from all the rest 1. The Seekers or Religious Scepticks laid Claim to Inspirations I call them so because those various differing Sectaries may be best comprized under such a general name Edward Gangre second Part p. 2. They affirm and hold they have not onely had Revelations but they have seen Visions also The means of Gods revealing himself and his mind and will to his Servants in reference to their Salvation is immediately by himself without Scripture without Ordinances without Ministers or any other means but especially many in the Army about 1645. took themselves to be intimate with God Idem p. 5. Some Officers and Souldiers affirmed That they had had Revelations and seen Visions and took upon them to Prophesie A Lieutenant a great Devoto denyed the Trinity of Persons affirming them to be three Offices he denyed that Christs presence in Heaven could be proved by Scripture p. 7. and made a great question whether there was a Resurrection or no. Mrs. Attaway the Woman-Preacher then begun to exercise Boggis wish'd he had not known so much of the Bible which he said p. 163. was but only Paper And Clarkson the Seeker vilifies the Scripture Ordinances p. 165. c. would not have People to live upon black and white and said That they of themselves were not able to Reveal God T. E. is the Successor of such Blades as these 2. The Antinomians maintained their undutiful Notions by recourse to this Armour and the Quakers have borrowed much from them as Perfection Discerning who were Elected the Notions about Christs Person and Christ within humane Learning and the like but I shall onely consider their Inspirations a large account of which we find in one who diligently traversed their Writings Rutherford's Survey of Spiritual Anti-Christ p. 173 174 175. The Witness of the Spirit is meerly Immediate without respect to Sanctification or Acts thereof all Doctrines Revelations and Spirits must be tryed by Christ rather than by the Word A Christian is not to Pray nor to do any Spiritual Acts but when the Spirit moveth him thereunto That all other askings or seekings of God which are not thus in Spirit are but the askings of Creatures as Creatures p. 222. The Scriptures are not to be understood according to Grammatical construction but as the Spirit of God reveals them p. 229. The meer Commandments of Scripture are not a Law to Christians p. 305. but the Law written in our Hearts The Holy-Ghost comes in place of the Natural Faculties of the Soul and acteth us immediately to all internal and external acts Part 2d p. 195. c. And that American Jezebel Mrs. Hutchinson said That her particular Revelations about events to fall out are as Infallible as any parts of Scripture p. 211. and that she is bound as much to believe them as the Scripture for the same Holy Ghost is the Author of both 3. The Levellers do make out their Free-born Community with Arrows fetched from this Quiver Winstanley the great Master of the Craft is exact herein New Law of Righte p. 46. This Phrase Mine and Thine shall be swallowed up there shall be no need of Lawyers Prisons or Engines of Punishment no Beggar nor cause of complaining there shall be no Buying nor Selling no Fairs nor Markets but the whole Earth shall be a common Treasury for every man The Poor upon their Commons saying p. 47. This is Ours the Earth and Fruits are common Now this Platonick fancyful Model he raiseth upon Revelation As I was in a Trance divers matters were presented to my sight which here must not be related p. 57. likewise I heard these words Work together eat Bread together declare it all abroad Likewise I heard these words Whosoever it is that Labours in the Earth for any Person or Persons that lift up themselves as Lords or Rulers over others and that do not look upon themselves equal to others in the Creation The hand of the Lord shall be upon that Labourer I the Lord have spoken it and I will do it Declare this all abroad And this very Trumpet he saith is still sounding in his Ears p. 67. Work together c. Surely the Lord hath not revealed this in vain This Heavenly Voice was so delightful that he was filled with abundance of quiet Peace and secret Joy p. 58. and he obeyed the Command of the Spirit which bid him Declare it all abroad by word of mouth and Pen and he waited till God shewed him the place and manner how to work upon the Common Lands p. 64. I will then go forth and declare it in my Action to eat my Bread with the sweat of my brows looking upon the Land as freely mine as anothers I have now Peace in my Spirit c. And elsewhere up-the same Subject he opens freely Fire in the Bush the Preface This Declaration of the Word of Life was a free gift to me from the Father himself When I had writ it I delayed the sending it almost a fortnight then the Voice was ready go send it to the Churches which he did well I have obeyed the voice and have sent this to you but what was the substance of the voice That he relates the voice is gone out Freedom Freedom Freedom he that hath ears to hear let him hear And what was this Freedom Even a setting the Earth free a breaking down all Pin-folds and laying all open to the Common Now have not I an equal if not greater Reason to believe his so particular and exact Revelations concerning Equality rather than your general and withal mixed ones concerning other matters Nay have not you as much ground to believe his pretence in this as to take the very lineaments of your Profession from him and yet herein desert him when as he Challengeth Inspiration for this as fully as for any other Doctrine But that you dare pick and chuse mangle and alter your own Revelations as well as his may in its due place appear A Sober Answer p. 56. 4. The Ranters deluded themselves and others with this blind and Fox acknowledged the affinity of his and their Principles that black Divinity challenged immediate Communications as fully as T. E. Some sweet sips of Spiritual Wine sweetly and freely dropping c. A Prophecy a Vision a Revelation and the Interpretation thereof in the Title page and as many pages as there are we have almost as much talk of the Spirit That Tract is like the other Scriptures p. 1. the Father secretly whispering would not have him set down Book Chapter or Verse though he used Scripture Language p. 2. arise out of Flesh
such things Away with your skimming-dish Hats and your unnecessary Buttons on your Cloaks and Coats and on the tops of your shoulders behind and on your sleeves Away with your long Slit-peaks behind on the skirts of your Wastcoats and short sleeves punishing your shoulders so as you cannot have the use of your arms Away with your short black aprons and some having none Away with your Vizards whereby you are not distinguished from bad Women and your bare-necks and your great needless flying Scarfs like Colours on your backs And so set not up nor put on that which you did once with the Light Condemn but in all things be plain that you may adorn the truth of the Gospel of Christ and Judg the World and keep in that which is comely and decent George Fox Wherein he supposeth that Bed-staffs Fire-shovels c. are none of Gods Creatures when Art hath passed over things they are no part of his Workmanship His injunctions for Habits are very Magisterial Tyran and Hyp. detect p. 11. A Maid having a slit in her Wastcoat skirt behind was commanded in Obedience to the injunction above to sew it up her reply was She saw no evil in it and James Claypool like a Primitive Quaker said She should first see the Evil of it in her self before she judged it and not saith he because we say it but for these words he was forced to acknowledg his Error Spirit of the Hat p. 42. though in private he confest it no Error but others obeyed this uninspired Injunction Fox gave out a paper Spirit of the Hat p. 42. that his Marriage was a figure of the Marriage between Christ and his Church and was above the state of Adam in his Innocency in the State of the second Adam who never fell but it was so ill resented that the Inspired mans Paper was called in again Tyran and Hypo. p. 18. and so was Eccles his explication of his Blasphemous words about Fox suppressed The Horrid words were these it was said of Christ that he was in the World Spirit of the Hat p. 27. and the World was made by him and the World knew him not so it may be said of this true Prophet Fox whom John said he was not and at another time Blessed be the man that came out of the North Tyran p. 19. Blessed be the Womb and Paps Jo. Coal Deifies him Dear Geo. Fox who art the Father of many Nations whose Life hath reached through us thy Children even to the Isles afar off viz. Barbadoes to the begetting of many again to a lively Hope for which Generations to come shall call thee Blessed whose Being and Habitation is in the Power of the Highest in which thou Rules and Gâ—verns in R ghteâ—usness and thy Kingdom is Establishâ—d in Peace and the Encrease thereof is without End A Letter of suâ—h Bâ—asphemy as isâ—â—â—â— be parallel'd unless it be in that of Joan. Baptist â—â—atum Spiritus In Fâ—wlis Histo â—f Poâ—â—â—h Trea. p. 37. presented to Pope Innocent the Tenth in allâ—sion to his 〈◊〉 Pamphilio but this Letter of Coal thâ— gâ—â—â—â—er in date is placed first in the Quakers Registry that may well be applyâ—d to them Rev. 13.1 upon his Heads the name of Blasphem and lest Fox should only be adored Tyran p. 53. Naylor is highly advanced by R.T. Preface to the possession of the living Faith I suppose Rebeckah Travers as one redeemed out of the earth in the Heavenly was his dwelling being Holy Harmless Vndefiled that he appeared in this great City in the power of an endless Life to gather us unto God and yet by good intentions or figurative expressions 't is frequent to defend such Abominations Tyran p. 45. the said R. Travers declared that if she had a motion from the Lord as she Believed yet if Fox did not own it to be so she should deny it a most insolent denying God and making another Master of her Revelations Newton did thus took the Oath of Allegiance notwithstanding his Vision but what Sin is it to deny or suppress ones own and submit to anothers Inspiration the Prophet that went to Bethel dyed for this for Revelations must be rescinded in the same way as conveyed what is inwardly injoyned must be as inwardly prohibited the Spirits of the Prophets being subject to the Prophets concerns but the time of speaking that the impulse was not so violent but it might be restrained till others had done speaking or if it should concern Tryal then the Prophets owned for such by Divine Attestations might approve and Recommend others but a denying my Motions at anothers pleasure is a contemning my Inspirer or believing my own Light how can I submit to another And when a Quaker changeth doth he believe himself to be more Iâ—fallible at one time than at another or to be more Infallible then another man and when one of their Revelation is Rescinded as that of Swintons it is not done by Command from God but by a Confession of their own Mistakes One Scripture Revelation no where offers to lessen or Invalidate another Scripture Revelation But the Quakers make sleight account of them so that it cannot be the same Spirit Thus Mr. Pen claims Revelation against the Sacraments testify's by the same Spirit Hicks 3. Dial. p. 65. by which Paul Renounced Circumcision that they are to be Rejected And others deny and sadly Juggle about them they are much fall'n away from their former Principles and Demeanors what security have we how far they will go or where they will stand and fix and in case of Difference between themselves or the Scriptures what must decide it or by what do they try the Motions of their Spirit or why may not their Immediate Revelations alter as well as their Doctrines what marks have we to know when they speak or Write by Inspiration when at their own Motion or what Reason have we to believe them when they will trust the Revelation of none of their Competitours Imme Rev. p. 223. when their Pretences differ we have no new Revelations saith T. E. we have saith Keith what Evil is this or rather is it not a blessed Dispensation Whether must carry it or must the latter be corrected by the former and if the Scripture be not the Judge by what must the Debate about Revelation be ended by the Spirit That is the thing in Question and you must first prove you have it before you can prove any thing by it Though we should think Immediate Teachings needful we cannot thence Infer them But if God had so conveyed himself he would have so ordered that all his Communications should have exactly agreed and have told us with whom we should find them Whether may not Quakerism be improved another come and Super-reform the Elders as they have done the Hat-men Mr. Jenner p. 86. The Quaker Woman at Dublin cryed up her span new light