considered as the Rule of life Swenckfield saith they make an idol of the word Mr Rutherford Surv when the Authors by him Cited in the Margeâ—t part â—â—ch p. 3. who esteem it as the Power of God through faith unto salvation i. e. who esteem it as the meanes whereby the spirit worketh grace in the heart of the hearer he goeth through Sweden Normberg Vlms Tubingia in private houses accusing the pastors that no man was the better for their preaching extolling the spirit that doth all understand without the word as the meanes The Libertines denyed all preaching by Officers Sacraments Church-assemblies singing of Psalmes they accounted the scripture as a dead letter neglected it pretending to follow the spirit yet they used it in speaking and writing because through the peoples good opinion thereof they found it a fit meanes to insinuate themselves with their diabolicall opinions into their heart they rejected the scripture and pretended the spirit for their rule Concerning the Magistrates Muncer defameth detracts from the ministers of the Gospel afterwards falls with like violonce upon the Magistrate hoping by making void these two orders they should prevaile upon the flock he teacheth parity rejection of dignities Those in Germany held that none with good conscience could exercise the power of a magistrate that is none but such who were of their mind witness both their doctrine practice in Munster and else where they held also that it was lawfull for the people to depose their Magistrates being unbelievers and they counted all unbelievers who were not of their mind They pretended an immediate mission to act from the spirit and by vertue of an immediate command above the triall of the scripture Muncer said that by his divine revelations he must Judge of the Bible They carryed it in the beginning very faire before all men for they had alwayes in their mouths the faith and fear of God the mortification of the flesh mention of the cross They affected a grave countenance posture wore plain apparell used few words cryed in the streets repent repent they were reserved as to the discouery of their mysteryes untill they were hopefully assured of their follower they studyes to speak equivocally so as their words might carry divers sences they lifted up themselves above others gloryed to be called spirituales men of the spirit The fourth order of the Libertines for they had many orders was of the holy and sinlesse ones The tenets of the Quakers concerning the same heads of Religion Concerning the Trinity they acknowledg that there is one God and three viz the Father Son and Holy-Ghost but they deny that these three are distinct Persons Concerning Christ they deny Christ to be God man in one Person they deny Christ to be a distinct Person from the Person of the Father The tenents here mentioned appear from published papers with the names of the Authors affixed or by word of mouth they deny Christ to be a distinct Person from any of his members they acknowledge such a Christ as unchrists Christ when they say Christ manifest in the flesh they meane not according to the sense of the scripture but fallaciously Concerning the Scripture considered as the Rule of life They deny the scripture or written word to be the Rule of life make the light within them the spirit without the scripture to be their guide They account Church-instituted-worship waiting upon God for the efficacious presence and co-operation of the Spirit of grace in the ministery of the word and Sacraments for conversion edification to be idolatry And the political Order of Church-Officers and members they affirme to be an Image Concerning the Magistrate they own none as lawfull Magistrates who are not of their way Their non-acknowledgement of the Magistrate as now established in all christian states is more then manifest They pretend unto an Immediate call to act from the spirit and an infallible light within them above the triall of the scripture they will not acknowledge that they sin but profess perfection of degrees in this life and publish smart sarcasticall invectives against ministers who teach the Contrary How farre the deportment of the Quakers answereth to the outward guise and gest of the sectaryes in Germany the low-countreyes prementioned he that seeth the one heareth of the other may easily Judge The premises show the Quakers to be rather imitators of the Enthusiasts Libertines then Innovators That the persons thus opinionated are called Quakers is not from their tenets but from the gesture where with they are acted at or about the time of the reception of their revelations or when else in reference to credit their doctrines This very gesture as circumstanced renders their way in no small degree suspitious it being the ancient and known manner of Satan when he inspired his Enthusiasts to afflict the bodyes of his instruments with paines those often in their bowells and to agitate them with Antick and uncouth motions in particular with this of quaking trembling thereby to amuse ignorant spectators with a superstitious astonishment and so to dispose them to the expectation of some strange discovery preter-humane in pretence divine but indeed diabolicall Seneca presenteth the Sybil i. e. Satans prophetess at the act of receiving her Oracles from the revelation of the Devil pale-faced with eyes wrung in an unwonted and fearfull manner Seneca in Agâ—mem as also quaking trembling Silet repente Phoebus pallor genas Creberque totum possidet Corpus tremor Horat. lib. 1. Ode 16. Noâ— adytis quatit c At Pythia a place in Phocis Apollo that is the Devil is reported by the Poet to cause his Priest to quake Gregory of Nice speaking of this subiect beside the hair hanging down about their eares loose eyes averse maketh mention of foaming at the mouth and much like hereunto is what we read in Chrysostome of a woman inspired understand by Satan panting and having her head Contort that is wryed in so strange a manner as was affrighting to behold Many instances of this nature might be produced but I shall only further mind the Reader of the custome of the Powa's or Indian Wizards in this wilderness whose bodies at the time of their diabolicall practises are at this day vexed and agitated in a strange unwonted dreadfull manner This verifieth that old proverb that Satan is Gods ape yet the examples of Isaiah going naked barefoot i. e. in a bare habit like a poore slave or bond man that is carryed into captivity Chap 20.2 Of Ezekiel smiting his hand and stamping with his foot Ezek. 6.11 Of Daniel's great quaking which fell upon him at the sight of that vision Dan 10.7 with the like do not justifie this gesture Their causes were divine circumstanced to edification and extraordinary not customary to the Prophets themselves Concerning three distinct Persons in the divine
Essence Who being the brightness of his glory and the express Image of his Person Heb 1.3 The first manner of existence in the Divine Being is here called Hypostasis which imports a distinct subsistence If the Father viz. the Correlate be a distinct subsistence there is the same reason of the Son vâ—z the Relate If the Father be a distinct subsistence the Son is a distinct subsistence If the Son be a distinct subsistence the Father is a distinct subsistence the Son is as distinct from the Father August de trinit lib. 7 c. 4. as the Father is from the Son that which the Greek calls hypostasis the latine calleth persona from which last is our English word person Christ speaking of the Father Iohn 5.32 calleth him another there is another that beareth witness of mee likewise speaking of the Holy-Ghost he calleth him another Iohn 14.16 I will pray the Father he shall give you another Comforter this predicate another is unintelligible of the Essence for so the Father Son Holy-Ghost are one Iohn 10.30 1 Iohn 5.7 therfore it must proceed concerning the Subsistence what is more manifest then that another Subsistence and another subsistence speake distinct subsistences The distinction of the persons or Subsistences is manifest from the relative properties of begetting being begotten and proceeding Psal 2.7 Iohn 15.27 Begetting is distinct from being begotten being begotten from begetting both from proceeding A personal act is God necessarily relatively and in an Incommunicable manner acting within or upon himselfe Now these acts of the Persons one upon another argue the distinctnes of the subsistences viz to beget being begotten proceeding God in the first manÌ„er of subsistence is considered as acting upon himselfe in a way of understanding in the second manner of Subsistence as reflecting upon himself understood August de trinit lib. 5. c. 11 lib. 6. c. 5. in the third manner of subsistence as willing of delighting in himselfe Hence the Spirit is called the hand of the Trinity proceeding from the two other persons as the Love of them both which selfe-sufficient and infinitely blessed Communion of God in and with himself before there was either mountain or hill while as yet he had not made the earth wee read of Prov. 8.30 Then was I by him as one brought up with him I was dayly his delight rejoycing alwayes before him The distinction of the Persons further appeares from the order of their operations upon the creature held forth in their mission or sending the second Person is sent from the Father Iohn 8.42 Iesus said unto them if God were your father yee would love mee for I proceeded forth came from God neither came I of my selfe but he sent mee The Holy-Ghost is sent from the Father the Son whom the Father will send John 14 26. whom I will send John 15.26 Sending imports two things First an eternall relative property of the Divine Essence the order original whereof is not of it self Secondly a designation of the Person distinguished by this relative property unto some work concerning the creature to be performed in time Now evident it is that he which sendeth and he which is sent are distinct That the Father sending the Son sent by the Father the Father and Son sending the Spirit and the Spirit sent by the Father Son are distinct subsistences and not the same Concerning satisfaction to some Objections Object 1 The Church was without the Scripture or written Word for the space of 2454 yeares untill Moses during which space the Doctrine of Life was communicated VOCALLY by the Patriarches Therefore there is no need of the Scripture or written Word Answ There are many Reasons obvious why the Tradition of the Rule of life by word of mouth might better suit the state of the Church in the time of the longâ—evity of the Patriarchs then now as also why God saw not good to continue unto after ages such and so frequent extraordinary manifestations of himself as wee read of in those elder times Why God dispensed the Rule of life then by word of mouth not by writing a principal reason thereof was his good pleasure The same good pleasure may stand for a principal reason way he dispenseth the Rule of life now by the word written and not by vocall tradition Even so Father because it pleaseth thee Distinguish between necessity absolute necessity according to Divine constitution God according to his absolute power can communicate the rule of life by what means he pleaseth therefore the scripture is not necessary absolutely But Gods will being to communicate the Rule of life by his written word hence the scripture is necessary by necessity of divine constitution or appointment Whilest Israel was in the wilderness God give them Manna bread from heaven in an extraordinary manner After their comming into Canaan he changeth his dispensation and giveth them bread in the ordinary way of agriculture or tillage He could still have supplyed them in an extraordinary way out he would not The Maana ceased Josh 5.12 Not the letter without the mind of the Author nor the Spirit without the letter but the Scripture i. e. the word-written as including the sense of the author is the Rule of life Distinguish between Moral-obliging-power and strengthning-Physical-power All the strengthning-Physical-power whereby we are enabled to obey the Rule is from the Spirit but the Moral-obliging-power is from the Scripture it self or CoÌ„mand as denoting the will of God signifyed thereby Surely they are under a Rule who have not the Spirit Since the Canon of the Scripture is closed so farr is the Spirit from being a Rule of life that to us it is not the Spirit but as it moves agreeably to the written word Hereby we are taught to discerne between the Spirit of trueth and the Spirit of error Object 2 The words of the Scripture are to be taken simply without interpretation or consideration of what is signifyed by them Answ This Objection exposeth Scripture to the imputation of non-sence which cannot be without at least the reflexion of blasphemy interpretative upon the author It was wont to be said Scripture lyeth not in the Sound but in the Sence They are not the inkie characters without the mind of the author that can constitute Scripture But taking the mind of the objection more favourably as proceeding only against any other sense or interpretation to be given of Scripture then according to the sound of the words in a proper or according to some in a literall sence yet it unscriptures a considerable part of the Scripture unto us becommeth a fruithfull womb of confusion error and absurdity should it stand in force The example those words that they may be one as wee are one John 17.22 give an uncertain sound Nay the Papists Transsubstantiation Origen's castration are hence warrantable Distinguish between no interpretation mis-interpretation sound
then hanged in iron cages the King in the midst higher then the rest by the height of a man he endured the first three pinches in silence afterwards cryed out for mercy till he was dispatched John Matthiz a Baker of Harlem a Prophet after a revelation from heaven Commands all books to be burnt except the Bible Herbert Truteling a smith hereupon called them dirty Prophets Therefore Matthiz shot him dead This Matthiz by the impulse of the Spirit without the Scripture taketh a long spear runneth up and down Munster crying out that he had received a Commandement from the Father to repulse the enemy from the Cittie He no sooner approacheth the Camp then a Souldier one Misnicus faceth him and shoots him dead At Sengal in Helvetia 1527 Thomas Schucker with a sword beheads his own brother Leonard in the presence of his Father Mother by the impulsion of the Spirit without Scripture Upon the place of execution he shewed no remorse but professed that it was the will of God revealed to him from heaven Coppius a Flanders man Quintinus a Taylor of Picardie Claudius Persevatus Pocquius a Priest who conitnued still to say Mass in Holland Brabant and other parts of the Low-countrys and in France seduced above four thousand in Calvin's time All the murders whoredomes villainies saith M. Rutherford practised by Muncer John Becold David George Swenckfield they fathered on the Spirit without the Scripture or on such an allegorick sense as their unclean spirit expounded the word by so as a man knows not when they sin when they serve God I shall take off my pen from transcribing any more of these examples many wherof are at hand What further troubles were caused by these factious spirits in Moravia Bohemia Poland Hungarie Austria Silesia Westphalia Freizland Holland and Brabant in France I leave the studious Reader to inform himself from the histories of those times Did Luther in those times write to the Senate of Mulhusen to beware of the wolfe Muncer and have not we cause now to beware of the spirit of Swenckfield Muncer Becold Quintinus more then reviving in this present doctrine of confusion Iliad ψ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rem Regem Regimen Regionem Relligionem Tollere tentarunt Region Estate Rule Civil Divine Religion ALL they seek to undermine Amongst these three wayes of teaching Authority Reason Example the last is peculiarly accommodated to the capacitie nature of man as that which both inlightens affects Examples make difficult things plain and doubtfull things certain Hence they are aptly called the Pledges of speech delivered for the assurance of the mind of the hearer concerning the subject spoken of upon the reception whereof all experience attests unto a perswasive operative influence concomitant in rational subjects It were a great violation of charitie to looke at all seduced as thus minded we know the very method of the Masters of Spirituall pestilence sufficiently admonisheth us that their novices are not arrived at the heights of the mystery of their iniquity 'T is probable that many of their considerable proficients are not alike insighted into these secrets of darkness Yea that not a few of them would readily really profess their detestation of the perpetration of the villanies forementioned All which notwithstanding it were great defect of prudence after so fair or rather formidable warnings past and such prodigious apparitions present not timously to put our selves into a regular and necessary posture of defence Alas men know not their deceitfull hearts At the same time we may both hear Hazael saying But what is thy servant a dog that he should do this great thing and see the man of God weep foreseeing the evil that he would do unto the children of Israel Be it so that many are led away in their simplicity yet a discerning spirit may well doubt that neither Achitophels head nor heart is wanting in the design Besides why should not men of the same Spirit temptation opportunity concurring be looked at as too like to walk in the same steps From the same root reason teacheth us if not maturely prevented to expect the same fruits from the same principles the same issues from the same cause the same effects To give warning is the duty of the watchman to take warning is the duty of the Citty The experiences of generations foregoing are the instructions of generations following The history of the experiments of others is our advantage The improvement thereof in season will be not only our duty and wisedom but also a token of mercy The woe 's of Ancestors ought to be the warning of Successors CHAP 4. Of the Remedy against Heretical doctrines and in particular against the doctrine of the Quakers NOtwithstanding manifold evils prevailing threatning yet the Prophet will not admit that there is no Balm in Gilead that there is no Physician there Though Christ hath not seen good to exempt his with a preservative from exercise by temptation yet hath he so provided as to supply them with a defensative against the evill of temptation There was not more sicknes amongst the people then there was healing vertue in the Disciples gift Mat 10.1 A venimous Serpent may be brought into Crete or Ireland but may report be credited no such can live there The wiles of the Devil are Serpentine and malignant yet not to be compared to the wisdom of Christ The Serpent's head is poysonous but thanks be to God through Jesus Christ his malignity is both antidated antidoted I will put enmity between thee the woman between thy seed her seed It shall bruise thy Head Gen 3.15 The Saviour of his people hath smitten Satan long agoe in his intellectuals His plots are foreseen and the remedy hath prevented the disease To Christ belongs the prerogative of being the only Politician Now a compleat Polity exhibiteth meanes sufficient as to the sufficiency of meanes for the defence of the Law and of all those that are loyal subjects thereunto Would the Patient but regularly attend the prescript there is no stratagem can infest the Churches in reference whereunto wee may not still boldly say yet there is hope in Israel cōcerning this thing Surely there is no inchantment against Jacob neither is there any divination against Israel According to this time It shall be said of Jacob of Israel what hath God wrought Num. 23.33 mine eye affects my heart Lam. 3.51 A due sight of the Spirit of errour heresie is a great help to affect a Christian Spirit therewith Monsters in nature are eye sores The face of death that King of Terrours the living man by instinct turneth his face from An unusual shape a Satanical phantasm a ghost or apparition affrights the disciples The vision of sin unto a spiritual eye is an object of much more abhorrence then the former But the face of heresie is of a more