appear at all in my words or expressions concerning those enslaved creatures And thus trusting to my God and desiring his holy and blessed assistance withall intending a publick good as I spake I have thought best for the more clear manifestation of this mystery of iniquity to lay it down in several particular operations and workings according to my knowledg and understanding therein and that observing altogether this order 1. Laying down the Mystery or Work it self 2. Shewing what ground or colour Satan findeth out for the same in Scripture-words and instance 3. In giving my own once uncomfortable experience and testimony unto the said Works 4. To give in the way and manner of the teaching of the Spirit of God to each particular in its place Although I am ignorant whether the Lord hath drawn forth the heart of any man in all the Regions of our Gospel-professions to write and speak against this subtle archievment of Antichrist or no yet in this me thinks I am conscientious to my self that there is hardly a man to be found that hath been so much ensnared as I have been and delivered through divine love by reason whereof I am best able to give the truest demonstration and for ought that I do at the present know this might be one end in the Lord to suffer me to wade so far in that troubled Sea that I might afterward give an experimental testimony of the great danger and trouble thereof for the sake of others that they may learn to beware the same danger Faelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum Praemonitus praemunitus If Dives being in torment parabolically seemeth to discover so much natural affection as to desire his brethrens timely admonition and caution it would be a strange thing and miserable if any of the Lords servants should want what such a one should have while the law of nature teacheth us to be Alteri quod nobis that to another which we would have another be to us These considerations make me willing to use my best endeavour for a full and profitable unfolding of this secret work with all possible plainness and fitted language for the meanest capacities and so to return unto particular Demonstrations Demonstrat 1. It must needs be the spirit of Antichrist and delusion A misinformation of the understanding that doth misinform the heart and so maketh it judg amiss of things for the soul being possessed with an understanding of any thing accordingly discovereth it self while it is sincere and void of hypocrisie and by reason of this wrong information it proceedeth to wrong judgment disowning and condemning what it ought to own and approve and contrariwise owning and approving what it ought to disown and condemn This base deceit doth Antichrist bring forth in the hearts of those people called the Quakers who are so clearly mistaken in judgment that they call evil good and good evil knowing not what they say nor whereof they affirm they do judg the ways actings and practices of all people to be abominable Antichristian and unjust except their own and above all people do they cry out against and disown such who by the world are reproached and disowned as the Church and Disciples of CHRIST But I need not speak of the mistake in them in order to other people while I have so clear a testimony thereof in relation to my self for however I may be ignorant what is in the hearts of some others yet I cannot be altogether ignorant of my own because the spirit that is in man knoweth his heart and manifesteth the hidden things thereof 1 Cor. 2.11 I have been charged and accused by Letters from several of them First of Hypocrisie My own first charge was Hypocrisie now the Lord knoweth and I my self know how hatefull a thing hypocrisie dissimulation and double dealing both with God and man hath ever been unto me even in those days while I lived onely in the light life power and gifts of the first Adam And therefore knowing my own heart in this thing to be free I do clearly apprehend them to be mistaken and to judg with unrighteous judgment which a knowing man will confess to be of Antichrist Secondly they charge and accuse me for acting against my own conscience meaning my living For acting against my own conscience dwelling and preaching constantly unto a particular people in a publick meeting-place this they say is against my own light and convictions of heart as though they knew my conscience better than my self hereby do I see again they are acted through delusion and mistake for they urge that with confidence such as it is which I can with much more confidence and boldness in the Lord deny and justifie the the contrary hereof for I do with much peace of minde and that in the Lord I bless him for it preach that part of the Gospel which I have received from him unto this people with much tenderness of affections and out-goings of my heart towards them as they are my witnesses and it is noted and observed by this people generally I do not say how much more by my self that I am carried forth to speak unto them far more powerfully from time to time and more prevailingly upon their affections and understandings since I did freely knowingly and considerately in publick manner renounce Tyths than ever I did before Now let any sober man observe by what power these creatures are acted while they charge me with doing this against my conscience and light seeing the Lord qualifieth me more and more for the work and attends it with greater blessing Thirdly they charge me with being an Enemy to the Lords people meaning themselves I suppose I confess they are the Lords creatures To be an Enemy to the Lords people but how to call them in their present Apostacy and delusion properly his people I know not yet as they are his creatures I hate them not for I have not so learned Christ but rather to love and to desire to do good in my place unto all but to shew the world their great delusion and mistake in this I have had something from divine grace always working in me while I was not under this temptation of theirs an holy tenderness and honorable respect unto all that which I could discern to be the work of the Father through his Son upon the hearts of any people in whatsoever form they walked And I am perswaded the Churches of mine acquaintance in all countreys where I have been to see observe the work of God among them will witness on my behalf in this thing for this thing they did and I hope do still love tender me although I never did walk with any of them in their Church order since I came forth of Legalism Yet notwithstanding I am able to speak this truth from my own heart which is better known unto me than any of them and beside the testimony of
the Churches wherein I am bold these poor beguiled creatures through that mysterious spirit of deceit and lying in them do lay this thing unto my charge Fourthly they charge me that I never passed the new birth but am onely acted by my natural parts to all that I do If it be so Not passing the new birth I wish all natural men were so acted too that they might bear witness unto what they affirm Although I do know that a natural man may make a very large progress in a Gospel profession and conversation yet I am through the rich grace and love of God shed abroad in my heart able to give a perfect and experimental discovery unto such who are able to judg thereof by that one Spirit we have both received of that new birth or creation in Christ 2 Cor. 5.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for otherwise there could be but little sound peace or joy in my soul seeing I know very well how little satisfactory the utmost attainments in the first creation would be unto me that have so much knowledg in the second Adam if my knowledg were meerly notional and formal and besides I hope there hath been long ago and many times good satisfaction given unto most of the Lords servants with whom there hath been mutual givings and receivings of testimonies and manifestations in that one common grace of God in Christ to the rejoycing of each others hearts and the building up of one another in that grace and faith wherein we were called But were it so that I lived in a Wilderness and all the men in the World were unsatisfied and ignorant in this thing so that I my self were knowingly satisfied and that upon good grounds it would be sufficient for my faith and hopes of an eternal weight of glory at the righteous revelation of the Judg of Heaven and Earthe and therefore let this unjust Charge prove a blank for all uses beside proving its original to be a spirit of Anitchrist and delusion Fifthly they charge me with back-sliding indeed in their senfe they may do so justly Back-sliding For it is the great mercy of God unto me I was delivered from under those grievous delusions and temptations unto which they are yet in bondage but that which they call back-sliding is my retuming back unto my God and my holding fast and contending for that faith which I had once received Jude 2. according to the minde of the Lord discovered Heb. 3.6 concerning the holding fast of confidence of rejoycing of hope firm unto the end Thus you may see that which they reckon my judgment is my mercy and that which they call my back-sliding is my owning and receiving my former principles and teachings according to truth Now let him that hath an eye see and who so hath an heart let him judg whence cometh this great mistake unjust judgment c. and when ye have well weighed these things ye shall finde it cannot stand with the honor of God to teach a people things which are not true as to my comfort and their shame doth clearly appear notwithstanding they pretend and say they were made to write these things as from the Lord. These five acousations are most that I have received from any of them and I suppose the most they were prompt with all from that spirit of deceit for had there been any more given in unto them it is like they would have disclosed it as well as this And it is not onely to myself they write thus but unto most people of any note or quality above others especially amongst those that make any profession of the ways of the Lord differing from the men of the world as I hear by several and by their own confession to myself formerly And I would have all the world observe how they write with abundance of railing and clamorous words and unjust accusations as you have heard me prove and their language is much after the same sort unto whom they write which maketh me note that they are exemplary one to another in their writing taking up the same form of words and it teacheth me also to consider how Satan is no Niggard as we say of his skill and power for they pretend they are abundantly filled up with matter of that nature as though they could never vent themselves of it all Now I have laid down the work or deceit it self in this nature I will return unto my second Rule The second Rule to find the colour in the Scripture which to finde out where Satan doth colour over and blinde this fallacy with some Scripture words or instances First for their railing and reviling language they will not own it as such but count it a sharp rebuking and reptoving men as though they had some special authority or power of truth in them acting of them thereunto and so Satan doth hide this deceit under that command which Paul giveth Titus in Chap. 1. vers 13. where he biddeth him rebuke the Cretians and others sharply and Chap. 3.15 he biddeth him rebuke with all authority and they observe the Prophet Nathans coming unto David and saying Thou art the man and why may not they who say they are sent of the Lord as Nathan was speak in that manner unto men be they Rulers or others seeing that God is no respecter of persons and besides this Satan cannot be ignorant of the manner of Christs reproving Peter when he called him Satan These and such like Examples carry out the deceit very fairly unto such who are ignorant of his devices Secondly as for their charging men with hypocrisie backsliding and being but onely in the first Adam for they judg all beside themselves to be ignorant of the new-birth be they never so well gifted and taught of God and the like it proceedeth from that blindness which Antichist hath cast in upon their understandings from whence they cannot chuse but speak evil of the things they know not Jude 10. And so judging all men to be in this estate they take the Example of CHRIST in calling them Hypocrites as he did the Scribes and Pharises and pronouncing Woes against them as they do against many people and places as they have told me themselves how they have declared Judgment and Woes against a place called Kendall in the North I know not well in what County it is but I will onely say this one word unto ye O people of Kendall if it be for your holding fast unto the faith of the Gospel and your bold courage to withstand Antichrist and all his mysterious actings of unrighteousness that you are so vilified and disowned by them it may be your grace and glory but if it be through a kinde of wilfulness and spirit of malice revenge and bitterness against the poor creatures that you are so carried against them I commend you not Therefore look unto it O what a vail or cover hath Satan got himself here under
the patern of Christ himself Yet let all people understand that such as Christ did call Hypocrites and his Enemies were so indeed as he proved by long experience but such as these creatures call so are the most precious and eminent and faithfull friends that the Lord hath amongst all the sons of men therefore now judg of the delusion Now followeth the third Rule of disclosing this secret which is my own experience in order to this particular The third Rule in Demonstr 1. is my own experience while I lay under these temptations Experence I have in this thing sufficiently although I was never carried much forth into any such practice for although I have had many movings and stirrings in my heart to write to some particular men with all possible haish language and unjust accusations as I now see yet the Lord did by one secret means or other prevent me onely once I wrote unto several people with abundance of bitter expressions and yet all exact Scripture-language and as I gave an hint before how they have told me that sometimes when they are made to write in this nature they are so siled up with matter and phrases of Scripture for their purpose that they know not how to make an end even so it was with me at that time when I wrote that Letter for I do at this time perfectly remember that I told them the very next time I saw them how I was made to write to such a people at such a time and in such a place such and such things and I said I was so filled and the Scriptures were so tumbled in upon me that I could have dictated fast enough for four Pens to have writ and I think I left three parts of four that were as it were laid open before me to pick and chuse unwrit Else beside this Letter I do not remember that ever I wrote any of that nature but I wrote several Letters to whole Congregations and private persons in high expressions in Scripture-phrase for it is the Devils policy to keep close to that and in high commendation of that dispensation as I then judged it and called it of God with many encouraging Arguments unto the people to whom I writ to wait and look for that glorious way and discovery of divine light and power to be brought forth among all the children of the Most High O Mystery Babylon Lastly we will make known the very truth of this delusion by comparing these kinde of actings and teachings of the heart The fourth Rule in Demonstr 1. is the teaching of the Spirit of God with those that the Spirit of Truth in the Lord was and is wont to bring forth in the souls of his people in this particular thing 1. Whereas these people are mistaken in their judgment and made to accuse and condemn people for what they ought not you shall finde the Spirit of God teaching his servants in another manner according to the promise of being guided by that Spirit into all truth and like that which the Lord maketh concerning his people Mal. 3. ult They shall discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not If any shall say this was a promise God made with some particular men as the Prophets or Christ or his Apostles c. You shall finde in reading that place that it was spoken to all the people of the Lord upon that great acceptation the Lord had of them upon the account of their meeting often together and speaking one to another c. And besides you shall finde the Apostle 1 John 2. writing unto all sorts of Gods people and telling them v. 27. that they have received such an holy anointing from the Spirit of the Lord which should teach them all things for in it there was no Lie and therefore they needed not that any man should teach them And furthermore if you do but observe you shall see when any poor sinners heart is called into and filled with the knowledg of the love of God as it is given forth through Christ A description of the new birth and is engaged in his desires and affections to the Lord that every such sinner thus converted is presently able to judg such a people to be indeed in truth the children of God and he is likewise able to judg on the other side that all such who are not brought in with the love and desire of their souls and in that love made one with his servants are yet in the first estate and so strangers to that dispensation or covenant of free grace in Christ. Although this alteration or change be but of a short time for he is become a new creature as Paul saith in 2 Cor. 5.17 New as well in his judgment apprehensions of the differing estates of the first and second Adam as well as new in his practice and conversation 1 Cor. 2.14.15 For though the natural man discerneth not these things yet consequently he that is baptized with that precious and holy anointing of the Spirit doth know and apprehend them for he judgeth all things although he himself or rather his new birth be no rightly judged of any man not under that divine operation 2. Whereas they are filled up with railing harsh and clamorous language it is but what is incident to such a mis-lead people 1 Tim. 6.4 5. 2 Tim 3.4 I finde here when once a people are drawn from sound Doctrine they may be brought to any thing but however they are continually acted thus against those whom they apprehend do oppose them and their deceits yet it is said of the Lord JESUS CHRIST Jude 9 that when he was disputing with the Devil about the body of Moses he durst not bring any railing accusation against him but said The Lord rebuke thee Yet these creatures do adventure to do what Christ would not Moreover we finde what counsel Paul giveth Timothy in 2 Tim. 2.24 25 28. The servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach patient in meekness instructing them that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil who are taken captive at his will and Paul in his 1 Tim. 5.19 biddeth him that he should not receive any accusation against an Elder except it were before two or three witnesses and yet these people when they receive no accusation at all before any witness do through the imagination of their own hearts or rather the suggestions of Satan send most railing and unjust ones against such who are not onely Elders but Pillars of the Truth in the Church of Christ. Thirdly in as much as they say and I know it is true that they are filled up with matter Scripture and expressions yet note these two differences 1. When they are
made thus to write abundantly unto men charging and accusing of them without knowledg or truth they are not able to justifie and make good their wrongfull accusations but when any man is moved of the Lord to write unto a man or people telling them in love and according to truth of their transgressions or failings he is able to justifie what he hath writ and to declare the truth of things more fully and that with so much power and majesty that it doth beget an acknowledgment commonly or filence in the heart of the transgressor but when they write especially unto people of sound judgment and well grounded and established in the faith of Christ it is so far from begetting any silence or convictions upon them that it doth rather discover it self to be what it is indeed delusion and good for nothing but to be returned back and strongly resisted in the Name and power of the Lord 2. This kinde of writing I know what I speak by experience is with such a kinde of lording and vain-glorying over the estate of such unto whom it is written as though they were not worthy to be writ unto I can hardly tell how to express this deceit in words it is with so much undervaluing and vilifying of men that in cannot match it self with the teachings of God in this kinde but when the soul is moved hereunto from that power as it cometh purely from God it is mixed with so much love and tenderness it remembers it self and remembers anothers condition it doth make anothers condition its own and its own anothers and so it was wont to work in the hearts of the servants of Christ as we may find by Pauls words when he saith Gal. 6.1 2. Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted And as for that fulness of knowledg and words and the like which is a most strong and prevailing delusion and carrieth more the heart of a creature away than any other thing I know as yet manifested whither it be the heart of him in whom it is already conceived or of another that shall once clearly know it to be so for to see one as it were yesterday not able to write or say any thing although to a mean capacity to be able this day to write in such a large manner as I my self know some it begetteth abundance of admiration and silence for a time in the beholders especially such who are of small knowledg and understanding in mysterious things But let not this blinde any man you shall finde it nothing but delusion in considering these Particulars 1. It is like a lightning from the Sky come and gone in a little time for at another time as they confess themselves they cannot do so much if it were to gain the world and yet at that very instant of time while this deceitfull power worketh them thereunto they must do so nay if it be to rise of their beds and if they be not very observative hereunto they shall be made to suffer most unheard of troubles agonies and passions as they have often told me untill they do yield obedience unto that wicked spirit and then they apprehend themselves at very much peace for a time untill Satan have a desire to make use of them again Now that fulness of knowledg and words which are wrought in the soul from the power of truth is more lasting and durable it is the owners to day and to morrow the Lord doth not use to steal away his truth and his knowledg from his servants in this manner but if they see good and just ground of writing or speaking once they can do so twice or thrice or oftner and I have this thing to bless the Lord for in a special manner I cannot say that I do remember the time since I was in any noted and considerable measure endowed with the gifts of God through his beloved Son that ever I did want matter or expressions either to write or speak in publick or private to many or to few but have always found my self abundantly furnished with some kinde of experimental knowledg in order to one particular truth or other whereof I was to deliver my self that I needed not to go and create things by long digested serious meditations readings writings and the like for in my apprehensions it is very easie for a man to divulge that which he is truly and soundly taught of God as the Apostle saith 1 John 1.2 3. That Life and Light which we have seen and heard declare we unto you But I must confess that I do very well know it to be a difficult thing for such who are untaught in that thing they are to communicate unto others while they must be digging for it out of earthly mines 2. Me thinks if these creatures were moved and necessitated in this nature from the power and Spirit of God to write and speak such sharp things in such a terrible and threatning manner unto particular souls or people that their writing and speaking would be of great power and prevalency with them that they should be convinced by it and should not be able to defie it as delusion and madness When Nathan was sent in such a particular manner from the Lord unto David it presently convinced him and when Jonah was sent to Nineveh with that sad news from God they were presently convinced by it but I see no conviction or subjection or fear or love or any such thing wrought by it it being like the chirping of Birds in the air for matter of weight and worth which maketh me judg and so may any man else that hath his judgment rectified by divine Light that all this fulness of words and expressions as I have mentioned are meerly suggested and inspired into their hearts by Antichrist disguised This shall suffice for the Examination and Trial of the first Demonstration and I will now proceed to a second The second Demonstration of this deceit is thus to be considered It must needs be the power of Antichrist working through deceit that robbeth and depriveth the soul of all those former ways and means wherein the Lord did work faith Domonstr 2. is a robbing the soul of its former knowledg c. knowledg and enjoyments in the hearts of his children nay and which robbeth them of all those former excellent things which were brought forth in them by the power of Truth and as it stealeth away all those ways wherein God hath manifested his love and grace to them so it hath deprived them of the use of those ways of walking wherein they have manifested any love or obedience to God so that they are people bereaved of all things of this nature and they reckon it their happiness and their perfection so to be and I have heard them complain exceedingly that they were not wholly taken
Darkness and Valley of Death Fourth Rule is the manner of the Teaching of God and his holy and blessed Spirit The fourth Rule in Demonstr 3. about this thing First where as they compare their sufferings and Agonies with those of CHRIST and say they must suffer the wrath of God and the like as he did and yet reckon themselves the servants of the Lord the Spirit of God will prove this to be a horrible Lie and delusion because that CHRIST suffered for his servants and bore the wrath and curse of God for them and made satisfaction to his Fathers Law and Justice in his own Bloud and his Father was pleased to accept it and so forth indeed it is true of the damned that they shall undergo the eternal wrath and justice of God upon their own consciences because they refused to believe love and obey the will of CHRIST concerning them and made known in them that so they might have had the benefit of that sacrifice which Christ gave unto his Father for the sins of others But this is not true concerning the Lords faithfull ones and that any judicious man may see by these ensuing testimonies of Scripture Isai 53. all that Chapter Reade O ye people all this blessed Truth and give your mindes to believe and by believing it let your souls love him that did so much for the sinfull sons of men and in loving of him give him up willing and chearfull obedience which if you shall continue unto the end your souls shall know in the testimony of Truth what this Scripture is worth and you shall be able through the witness of the Holy Spirit of Promise to say and prove it is a most devilish Lie and delusion to conceive that any who are one with God in Christ shall undergo the wrath of God in that manner that they speak of by this they make the Death of Christ of none effect Reade also about this matter the ninth Chapter to the Hebrews and when you have weighed it see whether it can stand with the Lords Justice to call any of his servants to hear so in their bodies and spirits as they do his Justice and exact Judgment untill he have wrought out of them his own satisfaction recompence in that nature But if Satan shall teach them a point of Sophistry and make them say they do not undergo this Wrath and Torment for Satisfaction but for Sanctification yet it will be a Lie and delusion that way for the Spirit of the Lord when it sanctifieth the hearts of his servants doth not go about to tear their hearts out of their bodies and their flesh off their bones in that nature And although it be compared and many times called Fire in the Scripture it is rather from the work wrought than from the manner of its working and therefore the Holy Spirit is compared unto Water Isai 55. John 4. And the Apostle saith concerning the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6.11 that they were washed from their former transgressions by the Spirit of the Lord by which seemingly contrary expressions an impartial man may judg that the Spirit of the Lord worketh sanctification in the soul in a blessed sweet moderate and peaceable manner First as it is a Light so it discovereth unto the soul the dangerousness and ugliness of sin and the unpleasingness thereof unto the Lord. The manner of the Spirit sanctifying the heart Secondly when it hath thus discovered it it bringeth the soul to a disliking thereof it begins to take away the affections and the delights of the heart from it Thirdly in as much as the Spirit of the Lord is called a quickening Spirit it doth raise up the soul to the contemplations of heavenly ways and duties wherein the Lord would have his people to walk and engageth the heart to love them and so in an holy blessed alluring manner stealeth the heart away to God who in the manifestation of that Spirit of Light is made appear to the soul more lovely excellent rich satisfactory and the like than all those former things were they riches or profane pleasures wherein the soul delighted it self before herein I appeal to the witness of such who have tasted of that Spirit hence it is that the Lord is said to allure his Church and to speak kindly unto her and you shall finde how blessedly the Lord speaketh unto a back-sliding people the worst of all sorts upon their returnings unto him Hosea 14.4 I will heal their back slidings I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from them Me thinks if the Lord would have used such fiâ—e and fagot like burnings upon the hearts and consciences of any people for to have sanctified them withall it should have been upon such a people as these are But to end this which the Saints know by experience and most others by report to be true I shall turn over all that reade my Book unto that Parable of the polluted childe in Ezek. 16. from the beginning to vers 15. where you shall finde both the Lords purpose for acceptation of that polluted Babe and his powerfull operations for its sanctification in vers 9. and others Moreover if they shall urge Davids complaining that his bones were broken and his flesh would scarce cleave unto them and how he had no free part in his body and the like It is far from me to think that this was under an apprehension of wrath or that his soul did now bear the weight of Justice for its transgressions or so for David had long before said and known that the Lord was wont to cover the sins of his people and not to impute them to their charge and therefore he calls them blessed Psalm 32.1 2. and from this conifortable Doctrine of free forg veness and acceptation he concludeth his Psalm with this Be glad in the Lord and rejoye O ye righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart for as he saith in the beginning of the next Psalm Praise is comely for the upright so is a chearfull spirit upon this account I rather take Davids complaining thus to be for want of his communion with God as he seemeth to teach in that word Thou hidest thy face and I was sore troubled I am sure the soul that hath had sweet communion and refreshment with and from the Lord in the want of this will complain heavily as you may finde in Psalm 42. throughout And by the Spouse running so earnestly after CHRIST when she had lost him Cant. 3. in the beginning And this made her cry out she was sick of love for Christ. Was it not the want of the continued enjoyment of that extraordinary apprehension of love and glory in the presence of God that made Paul complain 2 Cor. 12.7 and suffer temptation which he calleth a messenger of Satan Shall any man think that he suffered this for his sanctifying Nay will you now in the last place
off such things but they did finde as they were wont to say their hearts hanging upon old dispensations ways discoveries and the like All these things they say must be burnt up in them and destroyed and because there is so much hereof remaining they understand it is that they are brought into so great sufferings agonies and passions which they reckon the fiery work going on to perfect what is amiss in them They esteem also the more the heart is brought off from the meditations and considerations of Gods former dealings and the more negligent it is become in hearing reading praying or any such heavenly and their own once exercise the more pure and perfect it is become and they say if it were so with them they could altogether cease from these things it would be well with them waiting onely for that great and mighty power which they say is of God to act them unto any such consideration or meditation reading praying or the like for they think that all that acted them hereunto formerly was the power of the first Adam and therefore being not of Christ it ought to be denied and thrown away as an abominable thing Thus in brief they are acted in judgment and practice in this particular here is the work or mysterious deceit let us now proceed to our second Rule which is to finde where Satan hath Scripture and instance to help himself and hide his deceit in this thing The second Rule Demonst 2. is the Scripture and instance First then whereas they exspect and desire the dying and perishing of all such former ways of God to them Satan covereth himself in these words Isai 65.17 Behold I create new Heavens and a new Earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into my minde And that of Paul 2 Cor. 5.17 18. Lo old things are done away and all things are become new and all things are of God here is a deep and dangerous covert that he hath got Secondly for the giving over all those practices and exercises of the soul unless it be when they are so moved as they say you shall finde Satan coloring over this business very fairly with that instance and writing of St Paul Phil. 3.7 8. in saying that all which was once his gain he now counted loss for Christ for the sake of whose excellent knowledg he did desire to count all his former righteousness but loss and dung A dangerous place while it is so mistaken And there is a saying of Christs own mouth which through the deceitfull unfolding thereof by Antichrist doth much blinde them John 4 21 22 23. The hour cometh and now is saith Christ that neither in this Mountain nor eke at Jerusalem shall the Father be worshipped for he is a Spirit and he will be worshipped in spirit and truth And besides these they are beguiled by the instance of Pauls conversion and the command that Christ gave the Twelve to go unto Jerusalem and there to stay untill they should receive such a measure of the spirit as is there mentioned Acts 2. from the beginning to v. 20. together with the mis-apprehending of Joels Prophesie in that place No question if Satan had need he could finde out more hiding places than these but these I am sure he maketh great use of as I my self do very well know My own experience in this thing maketh me speak what I do for had I received these things by relation onely I should have judged it untrue But I will shew plainly and orderly the thoughts of my own heart about this thing The third Rule in Demonstr 2. my own experience while I was so much under those dark clouds Although I was not wholly deprived or taken off my former experiences of the ways of Gods dealing with me neither was I made wholly to cease from the use of those ways of manifesting love and obedience to my God which I had lived in and owned of long time before yet I reckoned it my weakness and imperfectness that I was not and although I did without any intermission continue speaking and praying with my people in publick so that they perceived not any thing at all yet I was exceedingly tempted to have denied it and given it over and I was wont to complain very much of the hardness of my own heart that I would not yield unto that thing being in my then apprehension utterly condemned onely there was a mighty power of God keeping that little spark of light alive in me by his own breathing upon it and I was not aware that I might say Surely God was in this place and I knew it not for I am perswaded if the Lord had suffered me to have been overcome in this temptation I had been wholly carried away as the lest are and had been to this hour for ought I know in bondage with them but the wisdom and love of God which kept me is too deep to be spoken of in this nature onely I tell all the world that I am not able to tell them what a mighty warfare I did undergo many days and weeks about that thing but Michael the Archangel who was most worthy had the preeminence in that duel all honor and praise be given unto him for ever and ever And note this thing further while I lay under this temptation I did finde some power denying me to use those gifts and graces I had so that although they were alive in me and me thinks I could have prayed and have spoke as I was wont yet there was something turning me aside and as it were forbidding me which I did most of all hearken unto and yield unto for the greatest part except it were on the first days among my people in publick Thus I do well remember it was with me in order to this deceit as I may justly so call it because I know it to be so through a most powerfull manifestation of Truth Rule 4. in Demonstr 2. is the reaching of the Spirit of God I am now come unto the Fourth Rule which I observe in my method and that is the way of the teaching of the Spirit of God in Truth in order to these things and Scriptures whereby Satan hath beguiled the hearts of poor creatures First in as much as they reckon it their perfection and happiness to be deprived of all as you have heard The Spirit of God doth neither so act nor so teach but on the contrary bringeth forth more and more ways and manifestations and fresh experiences of his love into the hearts of his people and David was glad many times to remember the antient loving kindnesses of God and because of the excellency and comforts that arise from much knowledg and remembrance of Gods love and formermercies the Apostle prayeth so as he did for the Colossians that they might increase and be filled up with all knowledg and spiritual understanding strengthened with all might Col. 1.9
10 11. They desite to become fools and to be made weak and I know not what And they had one expression which did stumble me a great while and it was this That the best things that ever we received from God mentioning knowledg and faith and high enjoyments as I well remember yet their words must be burnt up and destroyed this I thought to be a very strange kinde of language and indeed so it is when it is compared with that of the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8.9 where the Holy Ghost commandeth the servants of the Lord to be carefull to seek after the increasings of grace in their hearts and telleth them that while such things shall increase it will make them be fruitfull but if they shall lack these things it will cause them to be blinde that they shall not be able to see far off and truly so are these people that are thus misled for they are so far from being able to see things a far off that they cannot see the present horrible and devilish delusions under which they live and this is the just recompence of reward for such creatures who will negligently use those gifts and graces they have once received It is no marvel they say they have lost all their former experiences and enjoyments and the like for CHRIST taught so much in the Parable of the Talents where we may learn that idle sluggish people who will not improve their Talents shall have them taken away from them The understanding of this moved the Apostle Paul to give such a strict charge unto his Scholar Timothy 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15 16. Till I come give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine not neglecting the gift that is in thee c. and meditate upon these things and give thy self wholly unto them that thy profiting may appear unto all and further saith he Take heed unto thy self and unto thy Dectrine continuing in them for in so doing thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee Here we finde the Holy Ghost judgeth it meet and convenient that all care and diligence should be used both in reading exhorting one another and in the exercising of those graces where with the Lord had â—â—dowed the soul that so they might be kept alive but these beguiled wretches pretend they must not reade or speak a good word to one another or do any thing of this nature unless they can finde as they pretend themselves moved thereunto of the Spirit as it were by some extraordinary and immediate revelation or inspiration but the Spirit of the Lord teacheth his servants to know that it is always the minde of the Lord that those measures and proportions of grace which he hath bestowed should beused to the utter most of their extentâ— and it is the nature of the grace of God manifessed in CHRIST to enable and quicken the soul for a constant course of obedience and holy exercitations A description of spiritual prayer and therefore the Spirit of CHRIST is called a quickning Spirit and hence the Apostle biddeth the people to pray always with all manner of prayer and supplication in the Spirit Ephes 6.18 that is with that life power and strength which remains in the heart from that measure and operation of divine grace or love already received and saith he in this place Watch thereunto with all perseverance And again 1 Thess 5.17 Pray without ceasing 19. Quench not the Spirit These teachings you see of the Spirit of God are altogether contrary unto this negligence in them and a vain deceitfull waiting for a power as they call it if it be so they have no power the greater and more miserable is their loss I said before that when I lay under these kinde of Temptations my self that I did not finde my power gone but me thoughts I could have prayed and have spoken at some other times yet me thinks my will and desire was very cold thereunto and I found something disswading of me from the using of my gifts c. And as they are thus deprived of all abilities as they say themselves for reading and praying and the like so they say they have no freedom to speak admonish or discourse about any thing that they may glorifie the Lord or do good unto others but rather say that they must cease from their own words and wait till they have some immediate stirring or working of the Spirit as they fancy it for that purpose also How contrary this is unto the minde of the Lord you shall see 2 Tim. 4.2 Be instant in season and out of season to preach reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine and as Paul saith 2 Tim. 1.13 Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me And v 6 7. Stir up the gift of God which is in thee for God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound minde Here is you may easily finde such a vasâ— difference between both these sorts of Teaching and Language that without all dispute there can be but one of them the Language and Teaching of Christ the other must needs be the Teaching and mysterious deceits of Antichrist I will now end this and proceed to a third Demonstration Demonst. 3. Which I gather from those strange and unheard of Passions and Agonies those great burthens and exercitations of body in so much that they are sometimes in Trances or Sounings and if they are not brought unto such a state of deadness as it were yet they suffer most extreme Tortures of body that hath been visible to me and several others many times nay so much extremity that it maketh them roar out for very bitterness and I do clearly judg that if the Lord did not limit the Devil in their behalf as he did for Job saying Thou shalt not touch his life it would be impossible for their concaves to hold their in wards in those violent motions for they are made under those Agonies to tremble and quake as though their flesh must part from their bones and ligatures like unto men in the strongest fits of an Ague that ever you saw as though they had seen Belshazzars Vision Dan. 10. that made his knees smite one against another in these strange Passions they are exercised with so much heat I know not of what sort that it maketh them cry out for Drink and maketh them sweat like men in most violent Feavers now they call these Agonies the fiery Trial and they fay it is the power of the Holy Ghost burning up and destroying their corruptions and purifying them like Gold that is tried seven times in the fire and that which is very strange when they are thus in the midst of these extreme Shakings Quakings Trials Roarings and Perplexities that one would think there could not be more Torment upon the damned spirits than is upon them at the present yet many times
about their increasings and if it shall stumble any one to see a few drawn in by them while they act but as Ministers of Righteousness hardly come up to that perfection of deceit to be either Apostles or false Christs then when they are come to this it may be a stumbling unto many and they may draw whole multitudes of unstable wretches for ought I know into their damnable ways But you have a fair warning therefore take heed I am now come to the last thing in the Text 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose end shall be according to their works The very thoughts of this already do begin to sadden my spirits but according to my former method I will proceed The Doctrine from the whole is thus Such as Satan shall beguile by transforming himself into an Angel of Light unto them untill they transform themselves as Ministers of Righteousness and then as false Apostles shall come to an end suitable to their works now let us examine their works and then we shall know their end 1. Their works are deceitfull so their end will be for whereas they themselves have sometimes thought whatsoever they do now I know not and others likewise concerning them that they might have ended this their earthly being with a great deal of comfort peace and joy to themselves and others I am afraid they and others will be deceivers 2. Their works are railing and disowning the power and Spirit of Truth so I am afraid their end will be a railing and speaking against the pure and holy being of God 3. Their works are cruel torturings and perplexities both of body and minde so it is to be doubted their consciences will be in their dissolution However if any of them shall escape this that the word of the Apostle may be true and receive no prejudice by any private interpretation their end at the best must be according to their works for as their works are odious and shamefull unto all that know of what nature they are because they are brought forth through the power of Antichrist so their end must be if they are brought from under that power for it will be a great deal of shame and trouble to them to see how they are beguiled by their Enemy as it is unto my self when I consider thereof although there was no more in me but an approbation thereof and a desire after it and the like the power thereof was through the Lords goodness to my soul kept from me Yet my former thoughts and expressions upon their end have a strong confirmation from that place of Paul Heb. 6.4 5 6. It is impossible for those who who were first enlightned and have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come if they shall fall away to renew them again unto repentance seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to open shame Now these people as far as I am or ever was able to discern them were endued and that in a large measure with those things the Apostle mentioneth I mean many of them that I know whom I took in my former intimacy and communion with them to have received much of the power of Truth through Christ and to have much communion with God and large experiments of his love but as for many others of them they were never judged by me or the rest to be any more than a willing people to inquire after the ways of the Lord and as for such this Scripture doth not touch him But yet let us examine this Scripture a little farther for I know it is a very mysterious one and hath much puzled the thoughts of many good men and in my apprehension there are two wrong judgments given upon it by most men The one is they generally take this Scripture to speak forth nothing but eternal death and damnation to all such who shall sin and fail as the Apostle doth there speak whereas the Apostle saith not any such thing but onely it is impossible to renew them unto repentance and although it be true of men in general without repentance there can be no salvation yet Paul doth not here speak of men that never had received CHRIST but of men that had fallen away from and lost what they had received and therefore I hold good in the speaking upon this Scripture to look distinctly upon the two conditions of inegeneration and apostacy A second wrong judgment given upon this Scripture as I conceive is that this sin here spoken is the sin against the Holy Ghost which I do not so apprehend and me thinks it will appear not to be so from the last words in that place for the utmost the Apostle reckons it unto is but the crucifying the Son of God afresh that is the crucifying of a Christ without or as he is in the heart of another not his own that doth it and we know that Christ himself saith All manner of blasphemy and sin against the Son of man shall be forgiven Matth. 12.31 32. Here CHRIST himself doth not make any sin against himself that is as he is not living and dwelling in the soul to make a man without all conditions utterly uncapable of salvation for ever for then all the world were uncapable of life because they sin against that CHRIST which liveth and dwelleth in the hearts of his servants But he maketh onely the sin against the Holy Ghost that is as I apprehend Discovery of the sin against the Holy Ghost a wilful sinning against the present operation and power of Christ or his Spirit against a living Christ within not a Christ without to render a man beyond and without all conditions whatsoever utterly uncapable of salvation and this is the sin which the Apostle John saith is unto death and therefore ought not to be prayed for 1 John 5.16 So that I cannot finde that the Apostle doth in these words point out any thing but such a desperate and dangerous Kinde of apostacy as that he who shall be so qualified as there he speaketh and yet fall away cannot possibly be brought to repentance or out of that condition of apostacy while he continueth this being and under this kinde of apostacy I finde many of these poor deluded creatures as for those that never received the grace of God in power and truth they cannot be said to fall from that they never had and so their condition is not the same but for the rest of them I am afraid they will never be brought from under that delusion while they live in their earthly tabernacles for I see the presence and Spirit of CHRIST is wholly with drawn from them and Satan he hath afterwards stollen away out of their hearts all those blessed operations of his presence as faith knowledg sobriety and enjoyments and the like and hath given them
rewards they judg not the fatherless neither doth the cause of the widow come before them therefore saith the Lord I will ease me of mine adversaties and avenge me of mine enemies And I would desire you to reade judiciously over most part of the second Chapter of Isaiah there you shall finde the minde of God against self-seeking and pride c. But that my counsel may appear more fully I shall desire you to give me leave to instruct you with much love and single-heartedness in these two things First that you will carefully in the fear of the Lord see to your selves and your ways that these people may not charge you justly with any coverousness pride vain-glory self-seeking oppression or injustice or profane and loose walking and in so doing you will in a most victorious manner disarm them of their offensive weapons Secondly that you would with all possible diligence seek for the armour of Christ Jesus and have your selves strengthned with that faith and knowledg which comes from him and these will be your defensive weapons and then by that time you shall have disarmed them and armed your selves in this kinde I know you will prove so able to deal with them your selves that you will never need to cry for your Sergeants and Officers to imprison them This I apprehend to be the most Gospel-like and most honourable way for Magistrates Ministers and People to take against the Quakers I have now through the good hand of the Lord attained unto the end of my thoughts and mediatations about this mysterious work and workers and have no more behinde but a few single words and then I have done Let not any wonder while I am speaking some particular words in a particular manner that I have not a word for the Quakers seeing they have been the whole object of my discourse my reason is because I finde the strongest of them to be beyond all hopes of returning or being convinced by such means for I have had some trial by reasonings with them and writings unto them and I finde it bringeth forth nothing in them but more obdurateness of heart and some railing unchristian-like expressions in their Letters so that I chuse rather to leave them to the wisdom and power of God in this thing and shall onely give these Cautions to such younglings of them who never were yet in any powerfull working of the Truth and Light of Christ and are but as it were entring into that deceitfull condition 1. With speed forsake their society wholly both in publick and private manner for although they may not prevail upon a knowing Christian yet they may easily carry away your hearts 2. Adjoyn your selves unto the societies of such people especially who walk according to the most plain and sure Rules of the Gospel and they are the Baptists so called 3. If there be any power or faculty to pray left in you I would have you use it to the utmost desiring the Lord in sincerity and with diligence from time to time to teach and shew you the ways that you shall chuse and then to establish and keep you in the same and undoubtedly if the Lord through his mercy will be pleased to help you to observe these three things it may be much for his glory and your comfort First a word to the Seekers so called You are that progeny of mankinde or parentage of people that have born forth unto the world that uncomfortable fraternity of Quakers and Ranters These brethren in iniquity are now in a state of desperate apostacy who were once a people of most blessed principles and great attainments for which things sake I was in my affections and judgment engaged to maintain fellowship and society with them in a special manner above and beyond all other people professing the ways of the Lord for the space of six years compleat For the worth of those principles sake which did so much affect me I shall make bold to mention three above the rest in this place 1. Was their readiness and willingness to own and receive any farther manifestations or appearances of God in power and truth that he should be pleased to shew unto them and this was no small mercy or attainment when I consider how many other poor creatures are possessed with a selfish rigid principle crying out against any farther manifestations or operations of God than what they have received as Heresie Error and the like 2. Was their chearfull owning and embracing all the workings of the grace of God in truth that did appear in the hearts of any poor creatures with much love and tender-heartedness towards them This was much compared with the frame of spirit that possesseth most professors 3. Was a greater careand seeking after a power life and spirit from the Lord to perform their worship and duty withall then standing upon the form or outward appearance of such worship or duty Which 3. Principles as I did so I do own them and judg them to be very heavenly and spiritual onely by these poor creatures sad example I hope I shall be more carefull to try well what I receive under either of them As you see these to be very high and spiritual so they ly very open to temptation and deceit And I will shew all people how Satan hath insinuated himself into the hearts of these people under every one of these principles and that with a very fair and unknowne guile First whereas they were ever ready and willing to receive all further discoveries and manifestations from the Lord he transforming himself into an Angel of Light that so he might seemingly act the part of God hath presented some new things or ways and operations un o them more seemingly spiritual than any they had before such as you have seen throughout this book and so easily engageth their hearts to receive what their principles led them unto Secondly they being very tenderly affected to all such whom they judged to be sincere although under the lowest discovery of truth Here Satan deceiving of them maketh them to become very much affected with the carnal creatures of the world and to disown such as they formerly owned and tendered under small attainments as though they were in a worse estate than meer carnal and atheistical persons Thirdly in as much as they did more look after the power of godliness than the form and more after spiritual enablings of the soule to duties than its going forth in its own strength Here the Deceiver beguileth them and carrieth them first away from that form they did use and secondly under waiting for spiritual endowments he suggesteth by fits much power of speaking and praying likewise for he can enable men to pray as well as to speak rumable words I know this to be true for when some of them have been under the greatest delusion that might be in speaking they have been carried out to pray in as ample manner and as good