Keâ—â—â— â—â—med Reâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 p 3â— p. 9 The Romanists make it difficult to be understood and dangerous to be read to make way for the Proposals and Expositions of their Infallible Head And the Quakers do use the very like Expressions and Exceptions giving great Reason to suppose that they both are Hammer'd on the same Anvil We find it to hurt and weaken and deaden us to think any thoughts even from the Scriptures but as the Life and Spirit of God influencete and concurreth If any time we do it we find our selves rebuked and chastised by the Lord for it And elsewhere Scripture words are but as a â—ounding brass and Tinkling Cymbal a killing Letter it is only the words that Christ himself speaks that are Spirit and Life and they who sâ—eâ— Life in the Letter seek the Living among the Dead for it declares of the Life but it is not therein but in him Among others Thomas Ellwood in a late Book which he calls Truth prevailing and detecting error c. makes it his profest business Chap. 8. To draw a Veil and obscurity over the Scriptures questioning and at last denying the Bible to be the Word of God p. 249. calling the Bible a dead thing the Scriptures dead letters p. 250. whereas they dare call their own Printed Works Living Divine Testimonies And T. E. upon his Principles The Works of William Smith cannot give the same Title to the Book of God which he gives to his own viz. Truth prevailing c. He further tells us that the Scriptures are not sufficient to Salvation p. 241. nor the Rule ibid. and the like Contempts are most subtilly insinuated Withal he disbands humane Learning from all Religious Concerns affirming that the Bible is a sealed Book needs the same Revelation to understand it that the Apostles had to Write it And all this is designed to usher in his partyes pretended immediate Inspirations as the only certain means of understanding any thing in Holy Writ This seeming Dishonorable to God Disgraceful to his Word Dangerous to Souls and the quiet of Kingdoms and the whole being wrongfully stated by him I have herein endeavoured an Examination of his Notions concerning this matter G. Whitehead acquaints us concerning the Quakers Writings That some of their Titles have not been strictly but figuratively placed upon their Books The Quakers plainnes detecting fallacy p. 91. a Confession which if pursued gives us great Latitude he neither naming what those Books nor Figures are a rare Art of Equivocation in the Frontispiece what figures may he pretend their Books to have within and by this sleight they may evade the most pressing Arguments And should I by this figure call Ellwoods Book Falsâ—hood prevailing and protecting Errour I should do no Injustice for it is but a pursuance of their own Concessions But to view a while his self pleasing title why it is not less Humble than Truth prevailing is this given strictly or figuratiâ—â—ly or â—â—â—oâ—ed by his so 〈◊〉 boasted of Inspiration The World is too wise to begull'd with a book that bears â—â—â—ther in its top it is truth we loâ—â— for wiâ—hin not anticipating Tâ—â—â—s without Modesty and 〈…〉 â—â—â—dred such sounding 〈…〉 prevailing c. so sound some other of their works Truth exalted and Deceit abased Truth lifting up its head above scandalls c. But he may know that enemies to God and truth have given such titles to the Creatures of their Brains which he doth to his Work Antiphon the Philosopher writ a Book against the very Providence of God Orig. Con. Cels Lib. 4. p. 176. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he denyed and attempted to take out of the World and yet he had the Confidence to call it a Discourse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concerning Truth Celsus that bitter Enemy of the Christian Religion wrote a tract against it which he named The true word or saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem Lib. 1. p. 17. 31. In his Fragments out of Eusebius p. 26 5. Hierocles also no mean person composed one against the Christians which he intituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lover of Truth So that bad lying Books may through confidence wear good names and yet all these three concerning Truth the True word the lover of Truth are more modest than Truth Prevailing alias Rampant but it is well Books can get Titles for T. E. is shy in giving them to men his new Heraldry and learning orders they must now have Epithetes and Adjuncts p. 45. By Thomas Elwood why Thomas he doth disown his Baptism why hath he not changed that name which is the memorial of it why nothing but Thomas Ellwood one while they were at another pass * In the plain Answer to his 18 Queries called of the World John Whitehead ‡ In his Answer to the 15 New castle ministers by one whom the World calls James Naylor †A shield of the Truth Lib. 2. Refert nosse ingenium mores ejus eum quo velis congredi written from the Spirit of the Lord by one who is known to the World by the name of James Parnell of late such alias's are omitted for they continue changing and are but yet going on unto perfection It is a Rule in the Recognitions ascribed to Clemens to know quibus sit moribus quibus artibus c. To understand the remper of that Person with whom you have to deal which must be observed and I desire the freedom of inquiring a while into the Quakers particularly into our present Author by way of Introduction and then shall address to the main Concern His Repeated Immediate and Expository Revelations and his other Notions of the like Mold For the Quakers in general two things are not unfit to be considered Their Original or standing And their Temper First for their Original It may seem more difficult to discover where Sects are not called from their Founder but some property c. It may be harder to trace them to their Head The Quakers Original In 1652 their beginning is supposed and then abouts they were so called and known but they themselves raise it four years higher John Whitehead fixes it in the year 1648. and Hâ—bberthorne in 1660. told the King that they were then twelve years standing In Mr. Faldoes Q. no Christi Discourse be the King and Hab. p. 3. p. 16. In that black year to these Kingdoms their pretended light appeared Considering these things I am inclined to affirm them an off-set of the Levellers and anon shall tender strong probabilities for it proposing them to such whose Age Experience or Circumstances have qualified them for a further Discovery onely premising somewhat which seem'd preparatory towards their appearing In the North parts of England where the Quakers were first known There were Grindletonian Familists who taught that Scripture is but for Novices The White Wolf p. 39. that their Spirit is not to be
p. â— 6. and kept the Gospel exactly to a Letter not breaking so much as a jott or tittle of it If Quakers receive the Gospel from the Lord so did he have they Revelations both he Dominick and Ignatius Loyola are equal with them Loyola wrought Invisible Miracles as well as the Quakers and Dominick clear out went them for he received the Holy Ghost with the same Glory of a staming Tongue as the Apostles did and had also the Gift of Tongues given him by inspiration Dr. Stilling-fleet's Idola p. 273. If Quakâ—â—s refuse to Salute or put off the Hat they have a good Pâ—esident for the Founder of the Jesuites refused to put off his Hat or give any civil Titles to Men The like Example they have for refusing an Oath in Judgment for not onely the M nists of late but the Beguardi or Spiritual Brethren of the Franciscan Order made the like d nyal Idem p. 255. The Maintenance which the Quakers allow unto their Ministers is much like unto that of the Franciscans who â—o about without their Purse and Scrip and are bare-foot also carrying Altaria portatilia little Massing Altars Confessing People and taking what they can get among them The Dominicans got also by this Voluntary Service had no Rents yet most Money no Lands and yet most Corn. Such gratis Preachers as the Quakers pretend to desiâ—e we find far earlier than those Orders even the old false Prophets Ezâ—k 13.19 who took handfuls of Barley and pieces of Bread And the Pseudo-Apostles who because St. Paul Preached gratis to some Churches endeavoured to imitate him therein 2 Cor. 11 12. That wherein they Glory they may be found even as we because the Devil knew that the Men of this World are most taken when Teachers take nothing St. Chrysos Apud Theophyl in locum Oecumenius in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he taught the false Apostles to imitate or counterfeit that also The false Apostles abounding in Riches took notheng and Gloried upon that account Do the Quakers look upon others as Dunces who follow not their Method Keith Im. Rev. p. 68. Your Wisdom is foolishness your knowledge is Darkness So did the Franciscan Fryars to purpose Your Parish Priest is Idiota nunquà m Theologiam audivit Bishop Usher de Christianarum Ecclesiarum â—uccessione statu p. 273. c. A Fool that knows nothing of Divinity Blind leaders of the Blind come to us to whom the High the difficult Dei Secreta patuerunt to whom the Secrets of God are unfolded And as the Quakers do now insinuate and creep into other Mens cures so then did the Monks intrude themselves into the places of the secular Clergy So that many even Noble Persons Spretis propriâ—s sacerdotibus made these Vagabond Fryars their Teachers The same Franciscans also above four hundred years ago were busie in making the new and highest Dispensation to wit the Evangelium Spiritus or Evangelium Aeteâ—num the Eternal Gospel of the Spirit which should succeed the Gospel of Christ and that the Quakers come near them in licking up their Vomit 2. The Quakers Temper will in its proper place appear As for their Temper in the most it discovers it self very unlike the Rationaâ— Humble and sweet Spirit of Christianity and tâ—â—â— is more disadvantage in treating with them than any other Party For We have no Solemn Publick Instrument of theirs containing theiâ— Faith Thâ—ir Judgments in Theological points their way of Worshiâ—ping God c. agreed upon by them to which they will engage to stand and by which for the future th y will be concluded but each Writer states things according to hiâ— own conceit Learning or Advantage and withal they have rare Arts of Equivocation under colour of Figurative Expressions and curious Salvoes to bring one another off from the brink of Blasphemy It will be hard to find another Party that in so few years hath stated things with so much diversity as they have done And it is as difficult to discover one good Notion wherewith they have bettered the World since their first appearing Some of them give us reason to think that their Light was made to be kept dark Geo. Bishops Looking-glass for the Times p. 1. and that we must never know their Opinions There is no Religion under the Sun or no prescription that ought to be as to any thing that relates to the Worship of God but what is within in Spirit and in Truth Away with all Jewish and outward Worship Forms Constitutions Canons Orders Decrees Directories Catechisms Confessions of Faith Idem p. 4. Synods Councils Prescriptions Ordinances of Men all imitations of Christ and his Apostles and doing things by Example of them where the same Spirit of Jesus is not the Leader Away with all National Religions and Worship Christ the Substance the true Jew inwardly the Circumcision in the Spirit Christ the Publick Worship in Spirit and in Truth is come So that if we know not a Quakers heart we cannot know his Religion within it And this he tells he wrote as moved of the Lord and doing his will p. 236. There is no certain stated owned Rule Penningtons Naked Truth p. 22. whereby they will be tâ—yed The Scriptures are excluded from Tryal of the Spirits the Spirit they say must do that Wherein they beg the Question and should give some Evidence they have the Spirit before they try Scriptures by it So that they devolve all upon their inward Motions which being invisible and indemonstrable to us and hugely dissonant among themselves discover their right Father and hereby we who deny new or renewed Revelations are debarred from having any Rule at all Their Style is so bitter so stuffed frequently with cursing and railing that they may well think themselves Conquerours when they have the last word and keep the Field with scolding The want of Arguments is supplyed by the want of Modesty and louder Clamours stand for calmer Reasons James 3.13 1 Pet. 3.15 Instead of the meekness of Wisdom and rendring a Reason of their Hope with meekness and fear Dirt and Rubbish is too oft thrown upon Men their Credits blasted their Souls damned and their Livelihoods Substracted To single out some few Evidences of their Temper If a Man be infirm or sickly A Gagg for the Quakers p. 12. they say he is tormented for writing against them If a Man be Aged then he is called and treated as a Dotard that was the Civility bestowed on Mr. Jenner Or if he dye during the Debate with them as that Person did then they Triumph They sent such an Answer as broke his Heart it seems their Works are a Killing Letter also To one a great Name threatens Reason against Rayling p. 180 181. That his Head shall not go down to the Grave in Peace and by that he shall know that not a lying or delusive but a true and infallible Spirit hath spoken
second Immediate Teaching to give their meaning but our Diligence in the use of means blessed by Gods Ordinary Assistance do give us such an understanding of them as upon our Obedience thereto God will accept to our Salvation nor can we think it likely that the Extraordinary Visibles as Tongues c. should be all ceased and the Extraordinary invisibles c Immediate Teaching c. should still all continue The Unintelligibleness of the Scriptures the Letter as Different from the Spirit c. have been so much insisted on that I am forced to lay foundations and premise a few things which seem to command assent upon hearing 1. That God that Infinite Wisdom and Goodness is able to Express his mind so as his Words may be understood 2. His Willingness to do it appears by what he hath actually done having revealed much to men is Comprised in the Bible 3. His Truth and goodness will not allâ—w him to put a trick upon his Creatures to speak words of a different reserved or contrary sence from common acception usage of Speech or their Importance So that we cannot suppose that the Scripture the Instrument in order to our Salvation should be involved or designedly unintelligible but the plainer part should unfold the obscurer Haworths converted p. 22. In. univ gra and Jo. Crook confesseth The Scriptures are true as God means-them not as man by his conceâ—vings interprets them and Keith oft Refereth to the Truth Sincerity and Righteousness of God in his â—ffers 4. God having conveyed his mind by words the understanding of his words must be the best help to the understanding of his mind and if by words Inspired then by those Inspired ones written for writing neither destroys their sence nor Obligation 5 〈…〉 Holy Spirit doth not Improve in knowâ—◠〈…〉 was as able to conser true meaning one thousand six hundred years ago as he is at this â—ay 6 That the Sacred Pen-men were sober underâ—â—â—â—â—ng persons and even without supernatural assistance could Speak and Write Intelligibly 7. That the Supervening of the Spirit doth not make men Fools but betters and Improves them ascertaining the Truth giving clearer Perceptions of it and Ability fitly and aptly to Express it they not receiving words without Sence 8. That words spoke or heard may be Written being Written they may be preserved thousands of years and still be understood allowing for change of times Customs Idioms c. And that the Orignal Language be not Extinguished 9. That those to whom the Scriptures were spoke understood their Sence though they did not see the Persons oâ— Times in which accomplished the Law was so understood that the Tabernacle was built and the Common-Wealth ordered according to its Prescription so that the Writing was Intelligible Spiritual matters being therein veil'd but the literal Sence still abiding 10. That it is Reasonable to suppose the Book of God to be understood by such helps as other books are as the Phrase the Scope the Coherence c. And being a Publick lasting Revelation Reason inclines to Judge it should be more Intelligible than any Private one 11. That the Bible is as Intelligible as any Book of that Age Considering its greatness several Pen-men Variety of matter the Distance from us of the things therein Transacted the short way of Expressions used by those Easterns the Customs Proverbs c. therein Referred to especially the Sublimity of the Matter that therein God addresseth himself to men speaks in the Language of the Sons of men That the Heavenly light assumes a covering c. 12. That we may allow God to use ornaments and graces of Speech and Figurative Expressions as well as other Authors for the Scriptures give understanding Psal 19.7 Making wise unto salvation 13. Having abundantly Expresseth all the parts of duty we may allow him sometimes to dwell in the thick darkness and be content if some things exceed our reach as is done with the Phoenomina of Nature So the likeliest Instances may Satisfy in the Application of Prophecies where we mix Humility with Diligence God will pardon though we miss of the Prime Intendment and if not future Ages yet the next Word will read us such things as Ezekiels measures c. These and the like satisfy me of the no necessity of the second Expository Revelations for if God have made them dark it is to Conciliate our Reverence that we may know our Distance to whet our Industry c. But if one Scripture Revelation need another to Explain it that other will need a third to Expound it and that third a fourth and so forward For we cannot Reasonably think that the Spirit Improves in speaking plainly or that my single Inspiration should be more clear than the Publick Apostolical But this is the smallest part of the Trouble for if I need a fresh Inspiration to explain I need another to ascertain that to be a Right Exposition a third to attest the second to be Right and so in infinitum Nay there will be an endless Complication of them I shall need a Revelation to ascertain this to be the Scripture then I need an Expository Revelation to understand that Revelation and the Scripture then I need an assuring Revelation to confirm those Expositions then further Expositions to understand those Assurances and so on for ever Every Expository will need a further Expository and assuring Revelation and every assuring Revelation will need the like Assurance and Explaining So that if I do not stand to the certainly attested Revelations but call for more both to prove and Expound them I shall cut my self out work for ever and such piling one Inspiration upon another will multiply Difficultyes but Remove none But though these Expositions were not only necessary but actually conferr'd the former difficulty Returns viz. Certain Evidence that God by the Quakers only sends his Inspired Expositions into the World The Prophets suppose the Law to be Intelligible Rescuing it from Corrupt and false Glosses and Pressing to its Practice One Prophet though taking somewhat from another yet Imployed not his Prophetick Light in writing Coments upon the preceeding Luc. 24.27 But the Doctors c. pressed and opened to the People that which the Prophets received Immediately from God Christ Expounded Moses and the Proâ—â— shewed them fulfilled in himself and 〈◊〉 tâ—ose Divine Expositions are not Exâ—anâ— Pâ—tiâ—â—â— â—th There are hard things in Pauls Epistiâ—◠〈…〉 no Exposition of them nor 〈…〉 nameth which are they though wreâ—â—◠〈…〉 Damnation Hezekiah and Josiah c. 〈…〉 of the Law and the Prophets and the people thought they understood the meaning of the words and God accepted their Reformation And the new Testament which is fuller of light is not more dark certainly it is at least as serviceable to us as the old was to the Jews Christ having taken the Veil from the face of Moses hath not another drawn over his own How much is the Spirit
different from the Letter or the Veiled Sence how far it is distant from the Apparent you put the World in bad Circumstances in debarring us to Expound the letter and Challenging to your selves the Spirit Pray what Teachings have you by the Spirit which we find not in the Letter but you have need to make so great a Distance your Expositions are so wide for they do not appear to us in the letter and yet they do not look like the Spirit But is there not a letter in your Revelations as well as a Spirit are yours all kernel but the Scripture wrapped up in a thick husk and shell you dare not say so God I dare say could speak as plain to St. Paul as to Ellwood We know your Opinions by words and letters may we not know Gods in the like Manner Assert what difficulties you will in the letter I dare make out that your Inspirations supposing them Real labour under the like and greater Prejudices but by Gingling thus with misunderstood terms men run themselves out of their Religion and Reason Doth God send his love Letters into the World and men can make nothing of it when they have it his Style is not so dark as yours Perfect pha p. 3. that needs a Lexicon to explain yours phrases you think God to be such an one as your selves Psal 50.21 Pretending equality with him I have observed as much sence and life in a Chapter of St. Matthew as in any part of Truth Prevaling nor can I work my self off but that I can understand a Revelation made to Paul as soon as one made to T. E. supposing I had them both before me and the Apostles were as like to have clear Inspiratitions as any other Persons Did not Christ speak Intelligibly to such as heard him have not the Apostles plainly and faithfully set down his words or though he had spoke darkly yet the Spirits descent made things clearer so that the darkness cannot yet continue We shall find some and those no believers who understood Christs words so as to leave them without Excuse Pilate the Pharisees Scribes Sadduces Officers with the other Jews though no Disciples understood his Language Their sin is heightned not from want of knowing what he spoke but non-Entertainment of what was so convincing Judas his Sin was heinous and yet the Holy Ghost was not then given This Notion draws a strange cloud over Gods Proceedings making all sins alike except in the degree of the Revelation for where that is not there being no knowledge there can be no sin and where Immediate Revelation is it makes each sin to be the Sin against the Holy Ghost Whatever Ignorance we have in Scriptures upon Thomas Ellwood's Principle is solely Imputable to the Spirit not moving Waiting makes us Innocent God cannot damn any but such as have Immediate Inspirations and to hear and not understand though taken for a sin yet is not so much as a punishment by this mans Divinity so that a Quaker need not go to the Temple or Altar but Cripple like to wait for the moving of the waters If Revelation come he sets up for an Inspired Expositor if not still he contiues an innocent Ignoramus Laws are penned in an Intelligible style else they are snares and men know not when to yield Obedience and the Scriptures were taken for a Law The Apostle is for an understood Language in Church-assemblies much more then in the Divine Oracles which are Designed for the Generality Ignorant as well as Learned and so can have no crafty concealed or reserved Sence in them The matters of Necessary Duty and Faith may be soon known and the Spirit Inclines to love Practise and believe them and in the more Difficult things he so Blesseth the means that we shall either know them or be pardoned it is not necessary to Salvation to be able to Explain each Verse in Scripture a man may have the true Spirit of God and yet not understand the Apocalypse exactly God Requires Holy Living more than Accurate Interpreting and an honest heart at the last day will go further than either a Critical or an Inspired head Quakers also should not urge that Scripture to us which they deny to be the Rule But Thomas Ellwood's manner of Proving is strangely wild he affirmeth Scripture cannot be understood without Inspiration and to prove it produceth Scripture which cannot be understood without that Inspiration which we deny we have Are those Texts so plain that they prove it in our way or doth Inspiration light on those who Dispute against against it Except it can be understood without Inspiration he should not Produce it to those who deny it for the proof of it and as long as the manner of Interpreting Scripture is under Debate they should not produce one Text of it till that debate be ended but his Proving from it supposeth it plain and full for that purpose and is the direct confutation of his own notion Nor have Quakers shewed so much gratitude for the Scripture Discoveries that God should discover more unto them Nay what need of Scripture if they must be Renewed and cannot otherwise be understood God had better have left men to their inward Conductor than to make a book as a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bal of strife about the sence of which they are quarelling but can do nothing really with it when they have it Nor did the Apostles signify any thing upon their Principles Revelation being required in the Hearers as well as in the Speakers Saints Paradise p. 84. By the Anointing ye can speak the mind of the Scriptures though you never see nor hear nor read the Scriptures from men How can we hear Christ if his words be unintelligible but Thomas Ellwood 2 Quib. p. 34. Imme Rev. p. 131. Truth Exalted p. 9. is singular others bid us Bring◠plain Scripture saith Fox mark this saith Keith read with Vnderstanding saith another What need of any Translations the Spirit can Expound Originals as well as English They used to Renounce all Interpretations and Inferences but now give them without any security they come from God there is much labour and Trouble in the trying of Inspirations and much danger also so that we have Reason to bless God in settling Religion in such a manner leaving us his Word as the Record of his Will and giving us sound minds and sober Reasons therewith If I see not sufficient Proofs that you are Inspired I shall sin in so tame an assenting to your naked Proposals and God who Commands us not to believe every Spirit but try them will never damn me for searching and Examining what is pretended to come from him He that Injoyns us to search his own Revelations will not be displeased if we use the severest Caution about others he who questions must needs be in a safer state than he who easily believes and he that compares and weighs will be freer from Errour
than he who waits and Entertaines the first comer Their two Principles of Christ the Light and Immediate Teaching are either Inconsistent or the one is superfluous for in making but one Essential they Invalidate one of their two Principles How do they understand their great Text. John 1.9 that Christ is a saving Light in every man if by Immediate Revelation then the light doth not discover all things but needs another to discover it self if the Light Interpret it in Reference to it self as most Properly it should all Power in Heaven and Earth being given unto it Then something is known without Inspiration Immediate If he makes them both one then he confounds Keiths two Principles Hath any Quakers known the Idioms Customs Proverbs Rites Histories c. of Scripture by an Instant Discovery I think that they are least learned and most Inspired men either could not expound or would sadly differ if an Experiment was made of their Ability an Externall Proposal hath hitherto been the means of conveying Christianity If any Heathen did suddenly become an Inspired Christian this might befriend them but their English'd Hai Ebr Yokdan was not so And the Quakers are men who read and hear and withal fancy and so form their Notions Whither may not a man hit upon those sences by Study for which they Challenge Inspiration to single out Doctor Hammond as the fittest because he hath Premised a Discourse to his Annotations on the New Testament in Opposition to their very Pretentions Is there not one True Paraphrase or Interpretation in that book Say so and you Confute your selves for Doctor Hammond Expounds the seventh Chapter to the Romans to be understood of a man in an unconverted Estate and Keith owns that as the Right sence using the same term metaschematismos Q no Popery p. 39. 40. an usual figure the Apostle Rom. 7th from verse 14 to 25 describing not his present Condition but the Condition of others and himself as they were in the strugling c. Whence it follows that either a man may attain to the true sence of the Scripture without Inspiration or may have it though he do not know but Disown and Write against it which is not likely the Impression of the Spirit in such matters being strong and curious but in either way we are sufficiently secure and God will not damn any for want of that which floweth meerly from his Grace I cannot discover how I can understand the Quakers Books for though they seem to use inferences so that I may consult my Reason yet they being usually writ from the Spirit of the Lord I need an Inspiration to understand them as much as any Verse in the Bible and another to ascertain them to be Divine and so all the former difficulties recur a Papist is much more modest for though he make his Church or its Head Infallible yet he will confess his single self Fallible and Infallible claims needing Infallible Evidences we can never be certain of your Inspirations without Publick outward Demonstrations of them Truth loves calmness and the still voyce Lo here or there is Christ are not its Watch-word modest demands go furthest when backed with strong Proofs I have the Liberty to try and judge rational Expositions whereas your Inspired ones impose upon me but the Design is crafty it is a kind of Sacriledge to Dispute that which saith It comes from God So that this pretence insconces them rendring those moving Oracles Sacred and Venerable and 'T is better to buy their Divine Living Testimonies than a dark Lettered Bible But I am at a loss to know whether their Receits are for their own use or to Benefit and Oblige mankind Other Quakers made the Spirit the Judg the Instructer the Rule the Guide c. Thomas Ellwood hath got him a further Office to be the Expositor but can his Inspirations which die if he do not speak or write them be plainer than those in Scripture which are given to all and have the advantage in Design in Continuance in so many Expositions already upon them some of which must be Divine by T. Ellwoods Doctrine Peter was sent to Cornelius Ananias to Paul c. There was a mistake certainly in such outward conveyances and attestations the shortest and the safest cut had been to direct them to within it would have saved charges their vitious Circle also intangles me for I cannot discover whether they know the Spirit or the Scriptures first they say They know these to be the Scriptures by the Spirit but then how do they know there is a Spirit that they must not prove from those Scriptures whether do they believe the Scriptures before the conferring these Expositions or no if before then they believe they understand not what nor wherefore if after then the gloss is conferred before the Text Secret things are made known to Infidels and Pearls are thrown before Swine But T. Ellwood doth not walk in that way he prescribeth others to instance in two or three which fall short of Inspired Expositions p. 35. may not improbably refer to that great Persecution raised upon Stephens Death p. 40. Goodwins Antiquities produced about the Pharisees who the Elect Lady was p. 47. in what Relation John stood to her or how far her Temporal Power might extend does not appear In a Discourse of Inspiration as sole Expositor he is faln to it may not improbably does not appear and borrows some Aegyptian Jewels let him blot these out for they cut the throat of his Book Universal free Grace p. 75. Keith is more sober these plain Testimonies of Scripture needs no explication nor application of mine what more plain and evident can more emphatical and significant expressions be used by men and he gives some good ways of interpreting Scripture used by us that general Maxime of understanding Scripture Idem p. 15. is That its words are to be understood in their whole Latitude and extent where no Cogent Reason moves to the contrary they pass from the sence which the words plainly import p. 31. and seek out another sence to the words not from any necessity but because it pleaseth not their Corrupt Judgment plain and full Scripture Proofs p. 39. there is abundant matter in the words or before or after to evince the truth we are to take the most usual and proper signification of the word p. 43. p. 15. 46. 53. 61. 68. 101. 102. 106. where no cogent reason moves to the contrary With several of the like Nature so that he hath destroyed Thomas Ellwoods notion of the obscurity of the Scripture and Expository Revelations of its sence Having Considered their Doctrine let us briefly view their Practice in a tast of some few out of many of their Inspired Expositions and this sad Account we may give of them That if they had been hired to subvert true Religion they could not have done it more effectually by
giveth the true sence and meaning of Scripture immediately p. 238 239 251 253 255. 4. The Gospel is now Preached in the demonstration of the Spirit and Power p. 244. and they are the Persons without question who Preach it 5. They know the Word of God by Experience p. 249. 6. The Primitive Christians had the knowledge of the Gospel by the immediate Revelation of the Spirit as the Apostles had p. 233 245. and the Quakers now receive it in the same manner 7. They receive it by the gift of God p. 245. 8. They have heard the voice of God speaking in them p. 249. 9. Divine Revelation consists in opening and discovering p. 249. 253 255. that is in expounding And all this is done without any help of Humane Learning which is not so much as to appear between the first of Genesis and the last of the Revelations but hath its Circle assigned beyond which it must not step reduced to its proper station and service which is to be conversant in Natural Civil or Humane Affairs p. 218 Humane Learning is to do the Drudgery of Translating to put an English Bible into a Quakers hand and must presently with-draw the pretended Spirit then supervening and opening each Text of Scripture truly to them These are different Notions and are too great favours for any Party on this side Heaven but it s subtilly done to chuse so many to leave room for escaping that if some prove deceitful the rest may support their Partners We must attend his Motions and examine them one by one giving his own words under each head onely some few things must be premised in passage 1. I think he seldom or never names our Lord Jesus Christ who dyed at Jerusalem as concerned in the revealing of Gods will His Prophetick Office is destroyed or weakned by this Sect and the Spirit is substituted in his place Thus p. 245. when he saith the Author of our Faith is the same the Finisher of it is the same alluding to Heb. 12.2 Where Jesus to wit the Son of the B. Virgin is named yet he takes no notice of him but turns it another way They received their Faith namely by the gift of God they received their Faith he saith there in the same manner that the Primitive Christians received it of old Now how that was he tells us p. 233 From the Immediate teachings of the Holy Spirit which dwelt in them So that he either lays aside our dearest Saviour or Confounds Jesus Christ and the Holy-Ghost as one and the same which he doth to purpose p. 233. Paul received the knowledge of the Gospel from Christ revealed in him thence he presently infers thus The Apostles did receive the knowledge of the Gospel from the immediate teachings of the Holy Spirit making Christ revealed in Paul and the Holy Spirit to be the same 2. He seems to make some concessions to inform within what bounds they keep denying new Revelations and yet he either hath new ones or none as from his Principles will be proved p. 237. they expect not a Revelation of any other Gospel of any other way of Salvation of any other Essentials in the Christian Religion they have but renewed Revelations p. 238. Truths formerly revealed p. 254. The same good old Truths p. 243 The good old Gospel again revealed a concession that destroys his design for having no new ones the old do neither need nor are capable of Repetition The true Christians Faith and Experience 3. He appropriates these receits to himself and Party We p. 237 245 249. Vs 254 256 to all Believers 228. that is to himself and Friends for they are the onely true the others but Titular and Nominal Christians saith Will. Shewen frequently The Testimony from the Brethren they are the Church of God returned out of the Wilderness And this is large enough Moses wish fulfilled Numb 11.29 All the People of the Lord are Prophets Are all Apostles Are all Prophets 1 Cor. 12.29 Yes among the Quakers Had he Challenged some few Inspirations in pursuance of the former or some rare single notices from good Angels they had been more Modest or an Immediate Revelation to ascertain him which Books were Divinely inspired and which not it should have been confessed that some have gone that way before him Vindication of the Protestants grounds of Faith second Discourse p. 308 Sect. 4. not onely the Enthusiasts and some Calvinists but the Popish Guide in Controversies in Dr. Stillingfleet saith That the ultimate Resolution of a Christians Divine Faith is into that particular Revelation first made known to him But supposing there was such a Supernatural and infused assurance given yet it is not rational and discursive saith Mr. Chillingworth it may be an assurance to a mans self but it is no Argument to another But one single immediate Revelation is too scant for T. E. during his whole life time He must put God upon Miracles and unnecessaries have what hath been before Revealed though translated into the vulgar Tongue renewed repeated re-revealed in the same manner and he must have Expository Revelations given him of the Sacred Books besides So that his own words contain the best his own Character p. 101. he treadeth an unbeaten path p. 246. he seems not rightly to understand Revelation but rather to have taken in some strange Notion concerning it CHAP. II. How the Apostles came to the Knowledge of the Gospel HIS first rise is That the Apostles had an inward manifestation and Immediate Revelation of the Mind and Will of God to them by the Spirit of Truth which dwelt in them p. 227. this he would have and so craftily brings in as if the Friendly Conference had so meant If by all those ways he intends no more than an inward manifestation But supposing this was true as he states it yet it is not Large nor Comprehensive enough For the Apostles had another Teacher even an outward one both before and besides the Holy Spirit and what Christian did ever yet lay aside or overlook the Personal Oral Teaching of their Lord Jesus If Quakers delight to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Irenae ad Heres L. 1. C. 1. the Spiritual and perfect from their supposed Teacher the Spirit as the Scholars of Valentinus did we must adhere to our elder name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from that Author and Finisher of our Faith If Quakers first make no distinction between the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and then would lay aside the God-Man Jesus by making the Spirit inwardly supply all we Christians are instructed to hearken unto that Prophet whom God raised up like unto Moses Deut. 18.15 and T. E. can scarce make Moses and the Holy-Ghost alike we do Believe in and Obey that Beloved Son upon whom the Blessed Spirit descended Mat. 3.17 for we are commanded to hear him Mat. 17.5 he discharged his Prophetick as well as Priestly Office in our Humane
But though he taketh the Words and Notions of Keith the Revelation is still Immediate for their Institutor hath prettily determined If you would hear Truth lifting up its head p. 38. then acquaint your selves with such as can speak from a Testimony within for as they Received what they have from the pure teachings of the Father so this second hand teaching will be a pure Teaching unto you but be sure you do not prefer this second Teaching before the first for now the Everlasting Word and Gospel must reveal himself to you or else you cannot be satisfyed Their own or others is first and second hand teaching but instructing from the Scriptures is not so much as third hand Teaching and the Scriptures are now out of date The Writings of the Apostles are to cease Truth lifting c. p. 301. when the Lord himself who is the Everlasting Gospel doth manifest himself to Rule in the Flesh of Sons and Daughters They have no New Essentials of Religion this I thought spoke in our Acception about Fundamentals till further Converse in their Works discovered the Deceit Keith Im. Rev. p. 5. for though one tell us that less than one half of the Scriptures is a full and perfect Testimony of all the Essentials yet he spoyls all in saying That the knowledge and beliefe of the History of Christ his outward Coming Pag. 229. Birth Life Death Burial Resurrection c. are such parts of our Religion and Faith as serve to make up the Intiredness or Fulness of it yet so as true Religion may be without the express Knowledge and Beliefe of them So that a man may be a Quaker Christian without the express knowledge of Christ in the outward either of his Name Nature Laws or Offices The great Mogul hath true Relâ—gion as much as George Fox This lays aside all that Jesus Was Did Taught and Suffered and contains all Heresies in its Bowels even to the denying the Lord who bought them And another hath writ a Folio to shew that men should not be concern'd about Faith or Creeds Bishops lâ—oking glass for the times but leave all to the Conduct of the Light But what then are their Essentials of Religion nothing of Jesus our Lord and Saviour nothing that is a part of the four Gospels True Christianity and Religion may subsist without the History of Christ in the Letter to wit Im. Rev. p. 243. In the Mistery of the Life of Christ in the Spirit So that a Turk is a true Christian though he never owned but hated Christ rarely alâ—egorized till our whole Christianity is shrunk up into those four insignificant words as so used which are fit for nothing but a Quakers Posy And George Bishop crouds all into that Everlasting Truth A looking glass for the times p. 235. viz. the Principle of God in Man which is in every man a measure thereof to lead him and guide him which is able to lead him into all truth and to deliver him from evil and which will bring him to God These are the new made Essentials of Religion which the ancient Heroes knew not of who required from all Baptised persons the Profession of their Faith about Christ in the outward who scrupled the change of one Letter in the Creed but Quakers disowning visible Baptism have sent away the Creed therewith lest the retaining of it should upbraid them In the mean time the Devil hath ordered their Scene rarely The Light Christ within renders the Christ without much useless he who shed his Blood for them is no Essential of their Religion and their Inspirations supply the place of Scripture being preferred before it So that their two Principles Im. Râ—v p. p. 43. the Light and Motions fairly lessen if not discharge the Essential and Written word of God Christ in Heaven and the Scriptures on Earth signifie little to these self-made Pagans who have enough within to carry them to all that Heaven which their Faith expects But to resume the claim of renewed and Repeated Revelations a Notion so strange that nothing but a search into their Writings can Discover the sense or design of it I must take the freedom to present their thoughts of the Holy Scriptures that by such preparatory tasts we may be drawn on to swallow this Camel of Repetition Winstanley in Truth lifting up p. 39. To begin with their Founder men must not walk by the Scriptures for this is to walk by the eyes of other men and the Spirit is not so scanty that a dozen ar twenty pair of eyes shall serve the World but every Son and Daughter have light within themselves You shall feed no longer upon the Oyl that was in other mens Lamps the Scriptures In the Title page now it is required that every one have Oyl in his own Lamp within himself Some walk by Example and have seen very little of the anointing in them Mistery of God p. 35. The Saints Paradise p. 1. 2. some walk more in Spirit and Truth as the anoynting of the Father teacheth them teaching from Scripture is not but speaking from their own experience that is from God The like Notion breaths in T. E. Master Keith The old Revelations given unto the Saints cannot serve our turn the Faith of another man is not sufficient unto me but I must be saved by the Faith Knowledge and Experience given me of God of the self same things the Revelation of them given of God unto others cannot suffice me nor were these things recorded in Writ that I should sit down upon the History but to point us inward to that same Principle of life revealing and working the same things in us Pag. 34. c. We find it to hurt and deaden us to think any thoughts even from the Scriptures but as the Spirit influenceth if at any time we do it we find our selves rebuked and chastized of the Lord for it and in another place we must not obey Scripture without motions but we may obey motions without Scripture At this rate write others of them to cull out some few from among many G. W. and Fox in the gag for the Q. p. 14. Burroughs Works p. 47. what Paul wrote unto the Ephesians and Colossions doth not concern this Generation That is no Command from God to me which God hath given by way of Command to another neither did any of the Saints act by the Command which was to another every one obeyed their own Commands an excellent Engine towards God and man no Act of Parliament can bind a Quaker except he be expressly named George Whitehead Thomas Ellwood c. You by name must do so and so this becometh the Majesty of the Quakers Smiths morn Watch. p. 75. Smiths Demonstrat passim in their papers The Scriptures are other mens Traditions other mens lives and Labours the Spirit of God must try all Spirits the Scriptures are but a report
Prophecyes could be renewed it cannot be proved that one Prophet had the Visions of another Prophet repeated to him no nor that the same received the same exact Vision twice so little is it probable that a thousand can have the same for ever renewed downwards This pretence in the Issue destroyeth Christianity for suppose that Mat. 1.23 a Virgin shall be with Child be renewed then Jesus is not yet born when a Vision is fulfilled 't is Impossible to have another that it shall be fulfilled or to desire one to inform that it is fulfilled is a like folly It is equally as reasonable to expect a Revelation that there was a K. Henry VIII as that Jesus died at Jerusalem for it makes Prophecy to have no fixed determinate sence or completion Suppose the Revelations be repeated then no part of them is yet fulfilled for what hath been done cannot be scened or staged as undone and further it renders the Scriptures useless for what need I buy a sealed Book not to be understood when I have it line by line inwardly rehearsed by a supervening power to my own Spirit Repetition also would swallow up that Blessed Grace of Faith the believing things credible as credible and turn it into sense and Vision so that the desiring it if possible is either the Mother or Daughter of Infidelity There being also in tract of time some few Variae lectiones crept into the Sacred Volume T. E's Spirit if right will make a stand at the wrong ones so that he can inform infallibly which is the best Copy and where words are to be inserted altered or omitted Upon his Principles Revelations made to Women must be renewed to men which in Case of Conception or Child-Birth would look strangely though of all persons they seem the fittest for it your Mother the Pope saith Father Fox Lambs Officer p. 18. Winding sheet for Controv p. 1. Im. Rev. p. 118. Some Principles of the Elect p. 95 96. Her is He sometimes then He may be an Her at other times Blessed are the pure in Heart for they shall see Her in Imitation of Bonaventures change in the Psalms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic haec Homo as Dewsbury observes who attempts to baffle St. Paul about Womens not speaking in the Church making the Woman to signifie either Sex in which Christ is not the Head such chops as those would make a man think them nearest a Kin to Tiresias the Prophet There are many particular Revelations concerning places as Nineveh Tyre c. Persons as King Ahaz Zedechiah c. Can these be reacted when both Kings and Kingdoms are extinguished but it is not worth the while to hunt this fly or pursue so serious a folly Only these few things shall conclude it That if he speak Truth he must have received all the Revelations conferred to the Saints of Old before and after the Flood those written in Scripture and the unrecorded ones or if only those in the New Testament then those of Christ the Apostles particularly S. John S. Paul the 70 Disciples and those mentioned in the 1 Cor. chap. 14. that which was the Work of many Ages Periods and Persons is in a trice Acted before him which if it was really done I verily think he could not live The Divine Light was so strong in a Prophets Soul that he could not long continue under it but fell into Consternations or his Vision declined into a Dream all the Scripture Revelations if the thing was possible yet for length of time cannot be renewed to him since his turning Quaker in 1659. He must have time to recruit his Spirit between Vision and Vision allow Liberty for other intervening Affairs converse sometimes as a man and not always as a Prophet And Prophecyes in their preparatoryes and effects in their solemnity and dress are not so soon gone thorow Hosea was some 70 years a Prophet and yet hath but left some 14 little Chapters Isaiah was 45 years between the 6th and 36th Chapters which allows a year and a half to each Chapter Let Ellwood Study such things as these and the Nature of the Prophetick light it will make his Spirit be humble and modest and will Convince him that his Hairs will be gray before he see to the far end of the Revelations But possibly he foresaw not the Monsters he was hatching let us turn the Notion into what other more favourable shapes we can as First what was Revealed by several ways before is now renewed to him by the Spirit This is nothing better must the Holy Spirit repeat what was spoke by Angels Urim Signs Voices Visions Dreams Prophets Nay the very words of Christ I lay down my Life My Flesh is meat indeed I ascend to my Father c. can the Spirit repeat these for shame to Imbarque in such a leaky Vessel But Secondly what was Revealed by the Spirit at the first is by the Spirit renewed to him now try this also and he will reap no Advantage The Spirit said to Phiâ—ip Go near and joyn thy self to this Charet Act. 8.29 is this renewed or is he Philip â—s Candace now alive oâ— her Eunuch 〈◊〉 to Jâ—rusalem to Worshâ—p The Spirâ—t said unto Peter Behold three men seek thee Act. 10.19 is this renewed then Cornelius is alive and Ellwood is turned the Apostles Curate Agabus by the Spirit signified that there should be great Dearth throughout all the World which came to pass in the days of Claudius Caesar Acts 11.28 If this be Repeated then Paul is yet alive and Claudius hath not yet began his Reign But now the Spirit reveals to him that he did Reveal the Scriptures but this reacheth not his purpose renewing or repeating old Revelations is a distant thing from one single inspiring Assurance But the Spirit now renews to him those Expositions which he made to others this he cannot mean for those Expositions are not in Scripture and his are but the Repetition of what is therein Recorded Withal he supposeth the Spirit to turn Expositor of the Sacred Text but doth not prove it speaking of Scripture Revelations he should use the Word in the proper Sense for the Subject matter by God Revealed and not foyst in an uncouth Notion of his own That Revelation is Exposition turning the Spirit into a Glossary So the Revelation of John the Divine is the Exposition of John the Divine but this Fancy will be elsewhere met with Clements Recogn L. 8. What Peter in the Recognitions is related to have spoken that those things which are Revealed to others some do apply as spoken to themselves doth well befit this novel Fancy of Repetition Christianity being a Certain True and Determinate Religion so done and spoken as is related is not capable of Repetition the things of Jesus were True Real and Substantial not performed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 its Faith which makes them certain and even present to us
into Spirit out of Form Type and so into Power Truth c. p. 4. 48. passim hear what the Spirit saith p. 10. The Doctrine turned into a Prayer is a brisk one Fall upon them while they are eating and drinking without p. 13. let them eat and drink within bread in the Kingdom and drink Wine new in the Kingdom even new in the Kingdom new in the Kingdom not in the oldness of the Letter but in the newness of the Spirit The Elements p. 6. Formal Prayer Baptism Supper c. shall melt away into God and at this rate he proceeds he Loved also a Woman Prophetess even his dear Friend p. 46. Mrs. T. P. I had as live hear a Daughter as a Son Prophesie and I know that Women that stay at home divide the Spoyl Male and Female are all one in Christ 5. The Fifth Monarchy Mâ—n were not onely Citizens of the New Jerusalem but Candidates of Heaven receiving much Intelligence from thence Their Prophet for I know not what Sect else he should belong to had several Visions of what the All of All things was bringing to pass The pouring forth of the seventh Vial upon all Flesh The Father spoke to him as he lay in a Trance almost dead for 22 hours in the Preface Being chosen to declare those things and publish them as being what the Prophets pointed at his Name was changed from George in a Vision to Jacob Israel Foster and so saith he I subscribe or George Foster or Jacob Israel Foster His Visions are too many to be set down as if he strove both to imitate and out-do St. John some few we shall take a taste of for their curiosity He had a Vision of the calling of the Jews p. 19. under the Emblem of a man that went up and down gathering men together So that the Jews now dispersed among the Gentiles were to return to their own City p. 33. p. 41. p. 55. and there the Lord would Reign among his Saints in Mount Sion for Judea was the place where both God and his Spouse were to rest Heaven or the third and highest Dispensation must be about Jerusalem for the Credit of our Nation the Chief or Principal Leader of this Expedition into the Holy Land p. 39. must be an English man whom God hath chosen for that Work When they came to Jerusalem they were to dye and presently to rise up again and never to dye more and the time of restitution is to be in the year 7000. after which there is neither Hell nor Devils left p. 40 with very many Visions of the like Nature delivered in such exact Circumstances with so set and composed a Countenance and under such variety of Emblems and Figures that he deserves as much regard as any other in the whole herd of Enthusiasts 6. William Franklin Mary Gadbury and their Proselytes put in as strongly and produce as good proofs for Inspiration as T. E. can do some take them for Quakers but the name was not then known nor do I think they will own them But be their Sect without name or what else I am not concern'd it is onely their Revelations I must consider for they had drunk their share of the Spirit of Delusion then poured forth Franklin affirmed Humphrey Ellis his Pseudo Christus p. 7. His Receit of Revelations and Visions which he endeavoured to countenance with fair and seeming Gospel Expressions he pretended to Prophesie to fore-tell things to come to speak with new Tongues p. 36. and babled out uncouth words He also forgave Sins and his Proselytes as Spradbury and the rest were drawn unto him by Sights and Voices with several strange Relations His Whore Mary Gadbury called him the Son of God p. 31. the Christ the Lamb slain c. She pretended to Visions Voices and Revelations was full of comfort p. 8. joy and singing had strange trembling Fits She saw a Light as big as the Moon and many Stars p. 10. p. 18. she had a voice sometimes to seal up the Vision and then would not speak she slighted Sacred Scripture and yet delivered her Revelations in its Language p. 15. They were commanded in a Vision to go into the Land of Ham which by a sutable Exposition they Interpreted Hampshire Their Proselytes like the Disciples of Marcus had Voices p. 22 28. Visions and Glories insomuch that both a Minister Mr. Woodward and his Wife were deluded by them he hearing Voices and seeing Glories and she seeing Visions To this hight they had quickly arrived till the Vigilance of the Magistrates suppressed them That Whore with whom Franklin lay as a fellow-feeler of her Misery called her self the Spouse of Christ p. 50. the Lady Mary the Queen the Bride and the Lamb's Wife Had she not been ten years too forward she would have been a fit Match for apretty pragmatical thing of G. F. which begun to bleat in 1659. called the Lamb's Officer gone out with the Lamb's Message 7. Lodowick Muggleton and John Reeve giving out themselves as the two last Witnesses Rev. 11.3 as the Prophets of Christ and the Sealers of the Fore-heads of the Elect and the Reprobate appeared much contemporary with the Quakers being equal to them both in their Claims and Proofs of Inspiration But the Devils Malice herein out-run his Wit for setting up so many contradictory Competitours in Revelation about the same time one of them is a sufficient confutation of another whereas had but one single Sect put in and ingrossed the favour of that immediate Heavenly converse weak and simple Souls might thereby have been sooner deluded but to considering minds their so fertil multiplication is their mutual Destruction In what terms Muggleton Challenged Inspiration is not now proper to relate for seeing that the Fire hath of late deservedly by publick Order done Execution upon his Works 't is not manners to rake such putrid stuff out of its ashes Let all the like Tracts and Pretentions meet with the like Purgation Only by way of Tryal take this whatever the Learned men of this World Dream of finding out the Invisible things of Eternity Reeves and Muggleton's Divine Looking-glass Cap. 36. p. 145. by searching into the Scripture Records and comparing them togeher the Divine Majesty hath lock'd up all the Principal Secrets of the Scriptures in his own Spiritual Breast that he by any Immediate Revelation may dispose of them into the Spirits of Elect Men and Angels most advantagious for his own Glory and their Consolation 8. Anna Trapnel exceeds both the Quakers and most of the other Pretenders in excessive fastings Poetical Enthusiasms lucky hits upon several things that came to pass afterwards rapturous Devotions The cry of a stone Title Preface c. She was in the Visions of God by an Inspiration extraordinary and full of wonder England was the Valley of Vision the wise have
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
private Revelations in subjection a pack of Gypsies or Pluto's Court may wish for such Intelligence but the Christian World the Pope himself and the Saints above are yet Strangers to this new way of Communication But supposing his Body be not capable of being the Rendezvous of all Revelations but be intrusted with a discerning Spirit to discover what comes from the true Light in any They ought to produce some deputation from those they represent and certain proofs that they cannot be Mistaken in this snuffing of Lights and smelling of Opinions as they should first prove to us that they have Revelations before they require our belief the same they should make out to their Freinds that the Light in the one is darkness if the other call it to but how can I justify my subjection to the Body when contrary to my inward Light is not my Light as certain to me as theirs to them and more certain than theirs can be to me or am not I more assured of my own feelings than I can be of anothers Relations doth the Spirit jest with me in Discoveries and is he in earnest with them if the Body judg me what must judg the Body or is it so high a Tribunal that there is no appeal from it had God intrusted the Body with so vast a Power as legitimating Motions he would have provided we should have known what and where that body always is when it determineth duly and all other requisits to the submitting my sensations to their Decisions If I write a thing by the Spirit and then submit that to the Judgment of the Body I shew contempt to God and blindness of Obedience nor can I expect God should Reveal himself to me when I submit his conveyings to anothers Corrections one Infallible hath not power over another Infallible nor doth the truth of my Inspiration depend upon having others of my Judgment It is the Impression from God and not anothers acceptation which is my security for certainly I must know my own Receits better than I can do either those or the fidelity of another but if twenty single ones be not infallible those twenty when collected into one body cannot make up one infallible nor can I be satisfyed that the Light in the body is more upright than when dispersed in the members these proceed according to their supposed Receits the others in lyceâ—sing thereof proceed by Art and Interest and if one part of the Body be lyable to mistakes why not the other but they have made a good advance by removing the Light from the Members into the Body the next step conveys it into one Infallible Head and they may pass for good Catholicks of a new Order Man and Forms used to be cryed down but Canon 1 now the Ruling part are zealous for them to support Canon 2 their own grandeur Opposers are to be kept Canon 3 under with the Power of God being without they ought not to be Judges in the Church being joyned in one with Heathens and Infidels The Church hath Power without the assent of such as dissent to determine c. Mr. Pen may retract his Book of Liberty of Conscience none are to enjoy it but the Foxonian party for to that purpose Fox spoke in a selected great Assembly though many Friends have Writ for Liberty of Conscience The Spirit of the Hat p. 41. I never liked the Word it is not a good Word no Liberty to the Presbyterians no Liberty to the Papists no Liberty to the Independants no Liberty to the Baptists c. Liberty is to be only in the Truth and saith he No Liberty out of the Power Canon 5 Their Viewing Books before Printing argues their Distrust and Confusion among Pretenders and is Destructive of their main Principles For my Inspiration ought not to be Licensed or Suppressed at anothers suggestion We have no Certificate that T. Ellwoods Book was allowed by the Body and some parts of it breath not their Air would they declare what Books they own and what Authors are Spurious it might be an Act of Justice and Charity to their Proselytes but then the procedure in Condemning what came from the Lord would be ominous to their whole Platform Their setting up a Ministry is an Eclipsing if not Extinguishing the Light and Inspiration in each Believer for their Genuine Consequent is That both Scriptures and Ministers are useless and herein they are sadly divided George Bishop as moved of the Lord declares against a Ministry the Spirit of the Lord in this day Tyran Hyp. p. 35. and in the days of the Apostles bears not the same proportion â—hen were Apostles Pastors Teachers Elders â— But in this day the Spirit it self is Pastor Teacher Elder c. So that if the Spirit move any to declare or speak that is the Apostle Teacher Elder c. I know no Pastor Teacher Elder c. But as I find moving in any to any of these things The eleven Brethren from the Lord defend a stated Ministry condemning those that would limit the Lord to speak without Instruments Canon 6 or by what Instruments they list rejecting the Counsel of the Wisâ—men and the Testimony of the Prophets that doing down the Ministry is a laying wast the Heritage of the Lord Canon 1. c. Keith attempts a reconciliation of these differences that their Ministry will always be dear and comfortable to us Im. Rev. p. 215. but not absolutely necessary being come to a Teacher even the Spirit of Jesus c. but leaning to the Non-conforming side but how can the single Teachers be Inspired or be Infallible when the Body doth supervise and Correct that which they believe to be God's Spirit or if the Body be sensible of the Motions of Friends why hath it not a Prophetick glimpse of the Books and designs of Enemies but this setting up a Ministry and Canons is a receeding from their first claims and is inconsistent with T. E's Inspiration in each Believer 4. There are various other matters related to these by which we may gather their regard to Revelation they obey when no Inspiration is named supposing a man to be habitually Inspired To set down for the rareness thereof one Extravagant of George Fox In the Romish Horse-leach which can scarce be parallelled at Rome the Fryars Case was not so peremptory All Friends every where on your Signs set not up the Image or Likeness of any Creature in Heaven or in Earth but by the Power of the Lord keep down all the makers of such things for the Ground of them is from the Heathen But set up a Bed-staff Fire-shovel Saw Fork Compasses Andirons Harrow Plough or any such thing And Freinds every where admonish one another Young and Old that ye do not run after the Worlds Fashions which are invented and set up by the vain and light mind which if ye do how can ye Judge the World for
which the rest had never seen nor heard of and cryed down their old light as darkness pretending to have hers Immediately And 't is hard to discover how upon their principles they can confute her Rationally sometimes they stop the Mouths of such Tyran 15. Silent meet a wounder p. 10. as offer to speak in the name of the Lord. So Ann Mud c. Was pulled away by violence they are very curious in the time when the Spirit seizeth on them the 22. day of the 7. Mouth the word of the Lord came unto W. B. another is more exact On the 31st day of the 10th Month 1655. about 4 a Clock in the Morning the Word of the Lord came to Burroughs c. the same could have gone on to Minutes Seconds c. Revelation also is challenged for bad Designs Hicks 1 Dial. p. 26. a Quaker Debtor replyed to his Creditor 't is revealed to me I ow thee nothing p. 27. Ellis Pseudo-christus p. 27 Studelys looking glass of Schism Messages have been pretended sent from God and the person hath been proved many miles distant when the dreamer came to declare it so Holbrow and Marshal were deluded Mary Gadbury pretended a Revelation to get some Cloath from Mrs. Woodward and such a Command must be embraced Schucker beheaded his brother Leonard by Inspiration and Enoch ap Evan upon partly such a pretence killed his Mother and his Brother Kays Answ to 18. Quae. p. 5. Q. Spi. Court p. 7. 21. And two Quakers near Stokely in York-shire their Conscience bidding them destroy Original Sin they Apprehending that their Mother was the fountain thereof Murdered her Fox challenged Inspiration for the Earths being flat Spirit of Hat 27. and that it was twelve a Clock all the World over and he kept part of his Commission concealed a long time Although I have not yet told it you I do now declare it I have power to bind and to loose whom I please At this rate he may keep an Instrument for Reconciling us to Rome dormant by him And Revelations have put them both upon hardships and going naked Idem p. 20. But all these contentions are nothing to such Inspirado's they are yet Whole and Sound in the true Church unity stands in Diversityes as if they had taken the word of the Valentinians Tertul. adve Valcutin Concerning in Faldo Q. no Christ p. 56. who take Diversity as a Charisma or gift nec unitatem sed diversitatem and Pennington licks all right the doing the same thing the thinking the same thing the speaking the same thing this doth not unite here in this state in this nature but the doing the thinking the speaking of it in the same life yea though the doings or thoughts or words be divers yet if they Proceed from the same Principle or nature there is a true unity felt therein where the life alone is Judge And by this salvo all these Contradictions hurt their unity no more than taking an Oath doth prejudice their not Swearing CHAP. VIII Concerning their Expository Revelations III. THe third which these Privado's of Heaven enjoy is They have Expository Revelations so T. E. p. 238. the Scriptures are understood only and alone by the openings and discoveries of that Holy Spirit by which they were at first revealed those Divine Mysteries are Mysteires indeed and remain so as a sealed book until Christ the Lamb doth open them p. 239. nor can the Doctrine of the Gospel or the Mysteries of Gods Kingdom be known to man but by the Revevelation of the Holy Spirit Revelation is necessary yea of necessity even to understand the Scriptures the true sence man can never attain unto until the Holy Spirit Reveal it to him to the like purpose he writes p. 251 253. and 255. that the Spirits helping to understand the Scriptures is by its teaching the true sence and meaning of them by opening discovering and making known the Mind and Will of God therein exprest This is Revelation But there is a great Craft in this procedure for he beginneth with Immediate Revelation but after he Ommitteth the Word Immediate and slideth into Revelation in General But what makes he Requisite on our Part to receive this boon from the Spirit 't is summ'd up into a narrower room than the Essentials by Keith viz. waiting p. 220. desiring and waiting p. 240 but especially humane Learning is disbanded from the least concern except Translating T. Es. Spirit cannot Translate a Greek Chapter but it can Infallibly Expound an English one that is it can do nothing discernible but it can do all things Indiscernible 〈◊〉 Law of 〈◊〉 This gaping way of Expâ—unding was taught by Winstanley all Exâ—â—sitions upon others words shall cease they shall 〈◊〉 with a quiet silence upon the Lord Till he break forth within their Hearts and give them words and Power to speak You must get into the Hâ—ly Silence 〈…〉 8.9.10 and then the Spirit will Instruct you But the Rule is Elder then the Quakers Hildegardis in that her Nonsensical Vision Related to Arnold Arch-Bishop of Colen determines qui autem Vult bene Vigilare hunc intellectum Percipiat Biblio pâ—trum Tom. 15. p. 622. c. He that will make or wait wâ—â—â— shall have the Vnderstanding of her Vision And the Libertines and Swenck field the Familists and all the herd not so much as Anna Trapnel but they all are against learning and for T. Es. easy way of Inspiration or Ministers to have no help but to speak all from the light within So that there is nothing of Studying Praying Reading Meditating or Confering Required on our Part but a Supine desiring and Expecting Reasoning is outdated by Yawning and brains are Superseded by Meer Attendance Quakerism Nuzzles up in sloth and Idleness they may Rest day and night and have the Law writ in their Hearts without Exercising themselves in it their terms are so easy they will have Proselytes Danger of Enthusiasm p 71. but saith one Jacobs Venison could not be right it came so soon to hand To which we may add he lyed in saying the Lord his God brought it to him when it was his Mothers Art This waiting Prostitutes and layeth the soul open to every Impression what starts up first is thought a Divine Irradition The Devil loves a house so garnished and Empty and whilest Saul was thus waiting he started up in the Room and likeness of Samuel their Inspirations are both Writing and Seal to themselves and being in such a passive stilness they Interpret each forward Fancy to be the Whispering of the Spirit that silent Attendance throws down the mounds and Fences of our Spirits and whilst we ly waiting we shall not want the Entertainment and Variety of Suggestions but be bewildred and run on from one Imagination to another But what need T. E. wait Dr Causabons Enthu p. 162 the Spirit of Truth dwells in them p. 228. and
of Israel by Grace and that all Dispensations before were literal and carnal Henry Nicholas made seven several Dispensations but differently computed from Winstanley which likewise he shrinketh into three but the last the highest and most glorious was that which he brought by Grace and Love Jacob Israel made three Dispensations under the Emblem of three Suns the highest is Gods being in Sons and Daughters at the new Jerusalem Keith makes four Dispensations Moses and the Prophets Christ in the Flesh the Evangelists and Apostles and the Revealing now Christs inward appearance Univer Gra. p. 92. like that which the Apostles had in their day but the fullest President is that of Abbot Joachim and the Franciscan Fryars who about the year 1253. Published a Book Evangelii aeterni nomine set forth by Johannes de Parma the Design of which was to change the Gospel of Christ into the Gospel of the Spirit that as the Sun excells the Moon Bp. Vsher de Chpist Eccles p. 277. 279. or the kernel the shell Thomas Ellwood's Comparison so that of the Spirit excells the Gospel of Christ they said The Sacrament of the Church was nothing that the Gospel of the Spirit was the only Gospel ◠280. that the New Testament is to be evacuated like the Old that then men shall be in the State of the Perfect p. 281. that the Spiritual Sence of the New Testament is not committed to the Pope but the Literal p. 282. p. 283. that when the Spirit comes former things shall be counted old that the Preachers in the end of the World shall be of greater Dignity and Authority than the Apostles with much such stuff These are Thomas Ellwoods Antecessors and the Pope condemned the Books writ against this Devilish Doctrine p. 287. CHAP. X. Concerning their Experiences V. THE Quakers know the Word of God and their Revelations by Experience so Thomas Ellwood we know that the Word of God is quick and lively by Experience p. 249. but his Inspiration misinforms him about the direct sense of that place Heb. 4.12 For it concerns Gods Oath v. 3. Of Unbelievers not entring into his Rest which took hold of the Israelites and we are warned to take heed of the like Unbelief because the word of God is Powerful c. that is his threatnings are not high ineffective words but will seize on the impenitent it concerns Thomas Ellwood not to despise the teaching of Jesus least his Experience of this commination prove sad and irreversible thus Dr. Hammond from the Scope expounds it and so St. Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the same word which punished them will punish us apud Theoph. in loc for it liveth always and is never extinguished but Thomas Ellwood as formerly mistakes his ground work yet let it pass there is not one word of Experience there but when other Arguments fail they cry out We bear our Testimony We Witness it We Experience it c. who matter 's that the term Experience is un-Scriptural and indemonstrable concerning Revelation and but rarely used concerning Graces the Pharisees had that common sense John 8. 13. thou bearest Record of thy self thy Record is not true a rule that is owned by Christ Jo. 5. if I bear Witness of my self my Witness is not true and John 8.14 But Quakers can only Witness for themselves or at the farthest one for another William Shewen in 19 Chapters conjoyns their Faith and Experience whereas the one is matter of Perception the other the substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 the Evidence of things not seen what is seen is not hope and what is Experienced is not Faith but such sensual Spiritualists may say and have any thing by such Confusion Jesus declared in general terms leaving it to every Son New Law p. 11. and Daughter to Declare their particular Experiences the Scriptures are but Christ in the Letter lying under the Experimental words of those Pen-men Keith saith We know that Immediate Revelation is not ceased From the blessed Experience given us of God therein Im. Rev. Preface passim but what Experiences are these not outward and sensible but inward and indiscernible wherein Fancy Natural Enthusiasm and Satan can all play Legerdemain to purpose Christian Experience in matters of Duty is usefull to support in their Practice but it is to be an after Argument come in ad corroborandum for mans nature is of a strange Composition Comforts have much Dependance on the temper of the body they are the more usual portion of Weak and young beginners nor should we hanker so much after those real sweets or fancyful gusts but be diligent in our Christian calling Inward Experience is no bottom for Inspiration Christianity was setled in an outward sensible way to forestal this Inward Wile of Satan Moses though he saw the bush burning and had outward Evidences too yet was not hasty in believing The Apostles I think demurr'd some while upon the Suggestions they received Act. 16.10 Beza in loc in Act. 9.29 Assuredly gathering from the Vision collates argumentis colligentes conferring and fitting as Artificers do piece to piece Sancti non temerè Visionibus quibusvis crediderunt they examined their very Visions and were not hasty in Entertaining them Their Experiences also consist in Comfort the meanest argument whence to infer Gods voice We know the Spirit of the Lord in his Shinings Im. Rev. p. 28. Warmings Quicknings Waterings and Refreshings from and by himself sometimes a day they could Feelingly and Experimentally speak of what God had wrought in their Souls could tell of sweet hours of fellowship his Revealing the hid Invinsible but others of different Judgments are as high in Experiences and Comforts p. 45. New Law p. 64. Myst of God pref Mary Gadbury was full of singing and joy The Leveller for that Doctrine of Working in the Common had peace of Spirit and from that very thing his Joy and rest in God he was convinced of his Inspiration The Ranters have store of quiet Silent Meeting 5. Exomologesis p. 631. W. B. had more Refreshings in a dum Meeting than in an hundred Sermons The Hearers were refreshed at the Dutch Womans ununderstood Preachment Newton had much Joy in his Visions and the Ravishment and Spiritual Embraces injoied by the Carthusians were a great Motive to Mr. Cressyes Revolting Flashes and affecting Warmths are no Evidence of Truth the Mass or a Turkish Mosque will afford such stirrings of the lower Powers He who from them approves or choses his Religion is fitter to be a Palpitating Disciple of Marcus then a well-grounded Servant of the Lord Jesus But though they had true Experiences that is no satisfaction to another for as God requires a Reasonable Religion so a man should be able to Render a Reason of his Hope Christianity consists not in sensible Consolations which do ebb and flow and are oft
then as now and if he must interpret what he before spoke than he must be fetched in to interpret that Interpretation and so on for ever Rev. 3.7 p. 238. He brings in Christ the Lamb with the Key of David opening c. begging the Question that opening signifieth Expounding whereas it denoteth Christs power in governing the Church taking in and shutting out Isa 22 20. Mat. 16.19 Aretas in loc clavem potestatem vocat for he who hath the keys hath the House committed to him T. E. by this spoils his very pretensions of the Spirits opening for this Lamb is not the Holy Ghost but the Lamb that taketh away our Sins Mat. 11.27 p. 239. he must prove the Spirit to be the Son that all Revelation is Immediate or that Text makes against him Father Son and Holy Ghost are all said to reveal and yet those Works are not to be confounded 1 Cor. 2.11 p. 239. 266. Though no man know c. yet the Spirit hath communicated some part of that knowledge v. 12. and if those cannot be understood we have no assurance that the next will be clearer but v. 13. The Apostle declares that they spoke those things which the Spirit gave them and in the Spirits words that is purposely to be understood what those things were which the Spirit taught appears by the Coherence v. 9. viz. a conviction of the Infinite Joys of Heaven Theoph. in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the Spirit teacheth such things as belong to Christs Dispensation his dying for us making us the Sons of God setting us at the right hand of his Father in himself Rev. 13.3 4. p. 243. He states the Apostacy differently both from himself and his partners and should I refer that Text to Heathen Idolatry and not to lapsed Christianity I see not how Thomas Ellwoods Spirit could confute me Jude v. 9. 1 Thes 4.8 These Texts he applyeth severely to such as look upon the Quakers light to be Fantastical but he should first prove that God speaks by them before he make us Sin in rejecting them In Epictet l. 1. c. 22. Arrian gives a good Rule That differences arise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Application of Rules to particular cases Winstanley lays a Curse on such as will not come into the Levellers Community the hand of the Lord shall be upon that Person whosoever he be and yet no rich Quaker will think himself obliged by it New Law p. 75. 2 Tim. 3.16 the Scripture is profitable for Doctrine i. e. to Teach true Doctrine for Reproof to discover and reprove false Doctrine p. 251. Theop. Oecum in locum for Correction to Correct and amend our Evil manners for Instruction in Righteousness to direct and lead into good life and manners that the man of God may be perfect c. to furnish Timothy a Bishop and Pastor for his Office much more to instruct the People in their Duty And therefore the Apostle comforts Timothy That though he Die yet he hath the Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. which can benefit thee in my absence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are thy Counsellors instead of me Mark 13.11 That Promise belongs to the times of Persecution and should not be inlarged to all Cases p. 256. Theoph. on Mat. 10.19 gives a good Exposition of it when we speak among the Faithful we ought to premeditate and be ready for a defence as St. Peter saith but when we speak before Multitudes and Kings who rage then God doth promise his Strength that we should not fear p. 263. Act. 2.4 The Spirits giving utterance was by his Wonderful descent when the Apostles opened in such Tongues and Wisdom and Quakers have no Tongues but what they learn Rhetorical and Poetical Enthusiasms have raised men above the Quakers by Keiths Concession serious matters require premeditated Discourses and vehement Speeches more become Juglers than Wisemen as Seneca at large observeth In Epist 40. p. 263. 1 Tim. 4.13 15. The directions given to Timothy about reading are inconsistent with Instant Inspiration but if Tymothy who had an Extraordinary Gift must Meditate c. much more must others Revelation is not capable of Rules and Instructions though ordered as for time yet it cannot be for matter And of Inspirations and infusions that come instantly and unexpectedly there can be no knowledge Thomas Ellwood talks much about Letter Sence and Spirit p. 249. which both reflects upon Gods manner of expressing his mind as if it was not open true and cordial and also casts dirt upon the Scriptures the Opposition between the Gospel and the Law or the Remnant Print and mark of Circumcision is wrested to the apparent sence of Sacred Writ and a supposedly concealed sence and this Method both Familists Libertines and others have formerly pursued a Quaker can but write words or letters but in his sence he cannot write i. e. express or give the Holy Ghost and Moses besides the outward had a Ministration in the Spirit all these Texts come not near his Design Univer Gra. p. 29. much less That Quakers are instructed with that Dispensation if it was real CHAP. XIV That Thomas Ellwoods ways of Expounding do destroy the Scripture OUR Author having represented the Bible dark to prepare the way for his suppletory Spirit as if this affront was not sufficient he doth dispersedly insinuate several things which in effect do discharge all or most of the written word 1. He declines what is urged from the Law saying p. 134. that it was to them of Old time under the Law which was a State of weakness and Childhood and so of Contention and Strife c. whereas Christ proposeth Childhood as freest from Contention Mar. 9.35 and thus the Anabastists called Concionatores looked upon the Old Testament as abrogated 2. He makes nothing of Christs Example in Preaching upon a Text Luc. 4.17 by this Art p. 200. that it was in the time of the Law and suitable to that Ministration when reading and expounding the Law and the Prophets was a part of the Jewish Service but it is not a sufficient Warrant for the like practice in the time of the Gospel a Rule that enervates Christs Example and Doctrine because done and spoke before the Law was antiquated He makes nothing of what Christ spoke to the Pharisees that about chusing the lowest room Luke 14.8 was spoke to the Pharisees who had an itch to take place c. but p. 41. what was it to Christs own Disciples did he ever Instruct them after this manner no such matter by which he disobligeth Christians from any Obedience to what Christ spoke to such as were not his Attendants and so demolishes a good part of the Gospels 4. Being pressed from Luc. 14.8 that there ought to be distinctions of Persons he saith p. 41. those words were not spoken with Relation to the times
The light within and Inspirations from without are too much for one man p. 67. Growth is not consistent with Immediate Revelation p. 68. Enthusiasts have out gone Quakers p. 69. Satan would counter work God with Inspirations p. 70. Such appeared in the Apostles days p. 71. Several pretended to it as the Gnosticks p. 72. Cerinthus p. 72. Elxai p. 73. Marcus p. 74. The Valentinians p. 75. The Montanists p. 75. The Messalians p. 76. Aetius an Arian p. 77. Donatus p. 78. The Church of Rome a favourer of Revelations p. 79. St. Hildegardis and others spoke much like Quakers p. 80. 81. The Council of Lateran defends them p. 82. The Anabaptists pretended Inspirations p. 82. The Libertines p. 83. Casper Swenckfeild p. 84. The Familists p. 85. Jacob Behmen p. 86. G. Fox his Mystical Language p. 88. The English Enthusiast as Seekers p. 89. Antinomian p. 89. Levellers p. 90. Ranters p. 92. Fifth Monarchy men p. 92. Franklyn and the Hamp-shire Revealers p. 94. Muggleton p. 95. Anna Trapnel p. 96. The Gifted Brethren p. 96. The Considerers p. 97. Any of these Competitours deserve as much regard and credit as the Quakers p. 98. Some English Enthusiasts from their Spirit condemn the Quakers p. 100. The late German Prophets do the like p. 101. The numerousness of Quakers is no proof for them p. 102. They confess themselves to be not always Inspired p. 103. The danger in trusting them upon that account p. 104. Their many Contradictions in Doctrine p. 105 110. Their strange ways of confuting one another in case of such differences p. 110. 111. Their boldness in rescinding and altering Revelations p. 112. Inspiration is by them made Requisite to other professions p. 113. The Debate about the Hat considered p. 114. Their Constitutions inquired into p. 115. The unreasonableness of their newest Doctrine that the body of antient Friends is to be the tryer of Inspirations discovered p. 116. 118. Their Viewing and Licensing of Books before that they be Printed p. 119. Their differences about their Ministery p. 120. A Pope like decretal Epistle of George Fox p. 121. That uninspired injunction observed p. 122. Their Blasphemous letters p. 123. Divine Revelations ought not to be altered p. 124. Inspiration pretended for bad Designs p. 125. Their Vnity consists in Diversities p. 126. Thomas Ellwood makes the Spirit to be the sole Expounder of Holy Scripture p. 127. And that desiring and waiting are the onely requisites on our part to receive those Expositions p. 128. The dangerousness of that Fancy discovered p. 129. other means requisite besides waiting p. 130. The style of the Scriptures is intelligible p. 133. New Revelations must proceed in Infinitum p. 136. The Letter and the Spirit are not contrary p. 137. Christ spoke so as to be understood p. 138. The Scripture being a Law ought to be intelligible p. 139. The Light and Revelation are too much p. 141. Vninspired men may expound rightly p. 142. The Quakers Circle p. 143. T. E. receedes from his own and his Friends Doctrine p. 144. Some of the Quakers Expositions presented p. 145. The Demonstration of the Spirit and Power explained p. 148. Quakers do undervalue Miracles p. 151. Miracles are necessary now to attest their Doctrine p. 152. The Quakers new Dispensation p. 154. Their Forefathers therein p. 155. Their inward Experiences reflected on p. 157. Religion not to be entertained upon that account p. 158. Others plead Experiences as much p. 159. Some of their Experiences instanced in p. 160 The Fathers expound Scriptures unlike the Quakers p. 162. The Reformers did not challenge T. E's Revelations p. 164. Quakers hear Gods voice p. 166. Receive the Gospel by Gods gift p. 167. Confound Revelation and Exposition p. 168. Thomas Ellwood mistakes the sence of Joel 2.28 p. 169. And of several other Texts p. 171. His rules of Expounding destroys the Scriptures p. 176. Inspired Expositions upon the Bible will be T. Ellwood's most convincing Employment p. 179. But he must give evidence of their Divine Original p. 180. The Quakers Testimony or constitutions p. 182. FINIS
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
when I find high Claims of renewed Revelations and therewith as studious an undervaluing and depressing the Honour of Miracles and withal the rejecting the Scripture from being the Rule to try the Spirits by as Quakers do and withal when I find such Caution used by Moses to satisfie himself and others that God spoke by him None especially if their Claims be really Divine can quarrel to have them examined by such means of Discovery as a wise Religion and sober Reason afford unto us Keith's Im. Rev. Title page But though T. E. was in the right that there is such a standing Ordinance in the Church of Christ of indispensable Necessity as perpetual Inspiration yet he hath but done half his work he must go write another Book to prove that among all the Societies of Christians disowning it and the various Sects of single Persons claiming it his Party having the onely inclosure thereof their Fleece to be wet when all others are dry about them till this be done his Arguments are as equally Calculated for me if I will as for himself and do conclude as forcibly for Jacob Israel or Muggleton as for George Fox It would have been an ease if his Discourse had been true meer waiting is a more facile thing than reading meditating or studying and to a weak Constitution a Supine expecting would have been far more favourable than that which wise and inspired Solomon called a weariness of the Flesh Eccles 12.12 What the Excellent Lord Falkland spoke concerning the Romish may with no alteration Of the Infallibility of the Church of Rome Sect. 36 37. be applyed to the Quakers Infallibility and Inspiration also I take no pleasure in tumbling hard and unpleasant Books and making my self giddy with Disputing obscure Questions if I could believe there should always be whom I might always know a Society of Men whose Opinions must be certainly true so as I might be excusably at ease and have no part left for me but that of Obedience which must needs be less difficult than the harsh Greek of Evagrius and the as hard Latin of Irenaeus and he would deserve not the lowest place in Bedlam that would prefer those Studies before so many so much more pleasant that would rather employ his understanding than submit it The ease then would lye in having Inspirations or sitting at the feet of such as have them rather than in employing time and strength in laborious searches only the way of Labour is the way of Gods Blessing But the whole Scene as laid by the Quakers is so distant from Gods way of Dispensation who was pleased to become God with us to live on Earth to teach us which having performed there cannot be much to be new taught now and also Immediate Revelation when in use yet being but rare conferred on some whom God used as his Mouth to communicate it to others and Religion being Published in an External sensible way and in like manner settled to prevent such delusions as might insinuate themselves under the cover of inward Suggestions we have no encouragement to sit down satisfied with these Internal and indemonstrable transactions being full of nothing but difficulties and dangers but we must take the more laborious way of searching the Scriptures praying conferring and comparing Spiritual things with Spiritual The afore-said Lord further urged Sect. 9 10. That the Romish pretence to Infallibility was but an accidental Argument because if any other Company had likewise claimed to be Infallible it had over-thrown all so proved nay it is but an Arbitrary Argument and depends upon the pleasure of the Adversary for if any Society of Christians would pretend to it the Church of Rome could make use of it no longer Now though the Disciples of Hetherington the Box-maker even before that Lord wrote to wit about 1625 had maintained Dr. Dennison's white Wolf p. 72. That they could not erre in giving deliberate Sentence in points of Divinity as H. Nicholas had done before them yet if that Noble Viscount had lived till now what would he have thought of the force of his former Argument when not onely within this Island John Reeve and Lodowick Muggleton who would be taken for the two Witnesses in the Apocalyps pretended and were owned by their few Disciples to be Infallible but the more numerous company of the Quakers do Challenge the same to their Party and out-do the Romanists in the variety of their Claims of Inspiration Immediate Revelation Apostolical Commission of Christ the light within of Infallibility and discerning of Spirits So that now on this side Dover we have Popes of both Sexes Joan belongs to England not to Mentz and we have many Johns above 24 but whilst three different if not contradictory Parties pretend to Infallibility we have Reason to suspect they are all alike Infallible The Quakers have a pretty Craft but it may easily be seen thorow The Apostles were endued with extraordinary Powers both inward and outward now they Challenge to themselves the inward as Authority Inspiration Infallibility Commission Discerning of Spirits the inward Baptism with the Holy-Ghost c. which being Internal and indiscernable may be Challenged and are not so readily confuted but then the outward as the Miraculous descent of the Holy-Ghost the gift of Tongues the visible Baptism with fire the ability of working Miracles of all sorts the Spirit of Prophecy or fore-telling future things c. these being discernable to the sense capable of an easie detection they do both deny them and speak slightly of their necessity or use Though God conferred these outward ones as undeniable proofs and convictions of the inward and without which sensible Testimonials the internal would not have had that Operation but have been like Candles under Bushels and this very Art lays no little prejudice upon their Plea T. Ellwood's Notion of Divine Revelation is put into variety of Expressions which lie dispersed in several pages his stating of things is different and the claims he makes are of several Natures I shall put them into the best Method I can more orderly to examine them We may conceive some of them to be as the ground-work whereon he builds the other as the Fabrick thereon raised His grounds are two 1. That the Apostles had an inward manifestation and Immediate Revelation of the Will and Mind of God to them by the Spirit of Truth which dwelt in them p. 227 228 233. 2. That the Apostles Successors or all Believers in an extensive Relation receive the knowledge of the Gospel in the same manner as the Apostles received it p. 228 230 233. Other things he Erecteth upon or claimeth in pursuance of these 1. They have renewed and repeated Revelations p. 238 240 243. The good Old Gospel is again revealed by the same Spirit p. 254. 256. 2. They have Immediate Revelations from the Spirit as the Apostles had p. 228. 3. They have expository Revelations the Spirit
had been with seen heard and known Jesus God would not send that Religion into the World which was to be the perpetual Rule of all mankind and command others to trust the bringers upon their inward manifestations which would have exposed rather than have propagated Truth but what they spoke they attested as matter of Fact and Knowledge all the twelve having had personal converse with Jesus upon whom the Holy Ghost visibly descended audible voices were heard his Doctrine was delivered before multitudes of Witnesses men were perswaded by outward sensible even bodily evidences and not barely left to internal suggestions in which there may be great danger of Delusion And not only the Apostles Preached but all the Pen-men of the New-Testament wrote upon their certain knowledge S. Mathew S. John S. James S. Peter and S. Jude had personal Conversation with and attendance on Christ were able to testify both what they saw and heard S. Luke wrote part from his own knowledge and part from certain Information The like Antiquitie testifyeth concerning S. Mark S. Paul had that want of personal attendance and acquaintance supplyed by Christs appearing and speaking to him Acts 22.14 15. 26.16 and in many other places Cateches 10. Hence Cyril of Jerusalem rationally infers That the Testimony of Paul being an Enemy and Persecutor before must needs be undeniable though some suspicious person should alledge that Peter and John 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were Familiars and Domesticks yet the Testimony of Paul first an Enemy to Jesus and then a Martyr for him cannot be denyed And this he assigns as the Reason why Paul wrote more Epistles than the rest because being a Persecutor before his Doctrine could not be doubtful but commanding of our Belief and therefore when Quakers think there may be new Inspired Books now That the closing up the Canon of Scripture is a limiting God from moving or Inspiring any men in any Age of the World to come Quakerism no Popery p. 62. to write any Book or Books which may be of equal Authority with the Scriptures They proceed upon gross mistakes for unless Christ converse on Earth again and Ellwoods Monstrous fancy of Repetition prove a real Certainty there can be no such Inspired Books as the new Testament gives us to be written in these Ages or unless there be another Dispensation viz. that of the Spirit yet to commence which Dream is the most of all Destructive to Christianity Thus was Christianity made known and settled in the World not by Philosophy or Rhetorick or any Humane Art but by two such Methods as Heaven and Earth cannot afford greater which S. John calls the Witness of men and the Witness of God the Witness or Testimony of men is this already given And Religion being entertained upon that Account to tell us of new Revelations now is a renouncing of the Faith of Christ which doth command Belief not only by inward teachings but outward proofs But lest this Witness of so many men might have been rejected as proceeding from Delusion or Design the Witness of God interposed in so Publick visible and audible ownings both of Christ and his Religion that the World was not capable of receiving more unexceptionable and convincing proofs And further as for the Teachings of the Spirit which T. E. only mentions they were of a different Nature from what he drives at the supervening of the Spirit was not to evacuate or obliterate what Christ on Earth had spoken The Testimony of the Apostles and the Spirit are conjoyned John 15.26 27. he conferring extraordinary gifts to engage men to believe what they delivered from their own personal or certain knowledge and where there were inward teachings there were outward powers to testifie thereof to others and still the Spirit did but pursue Christs teachings acted in his Name took of his and shewed it to them opened such things as they understood not re-called to remembrance such as they had forgotten and instructed in such things as before they could not bear as about the Sabbath Circumcision Christian Liberty and the like Though I think that Christ in our Nature in discharge of his Prophetick Office Publickly and Audibly made known all the Essential Eternal Duties or all the parts of Everlasting Righteousness And possibly in strict speaking that Inspiration which the Apostles had ought not to be called Immediate especially not in every thing Because it was conferr'd but in pursuance of what our Lord had before orally delivered in matters of Duty for certain knowledge destroys not Inspiration nor Inspiration certain knowledge Nor is the use of former helps rejected but taken hold of by the Spirit Thus were the Apostles instructed thus was our Religion settled thus must our Saviours Prophetick Office be secured and his and the Spirits workings must not be confounded And T. Ellwood's Method of the Apostles coming to the knowledge of the Gospel is not the Method of God's making And let it be further considered if herein Satans policy do not appear what he cannot effect by Atheism and Prophaneness he attempts by Enthusiasm under the pretence of an higher Religion to root out the old one so Divinely and firmly settled for the taking away the rational motives to Faith and the sensible grounds of Religion And devolving the belief and understanding of Sacred things upon their pretended Revelations Witnessings and Experiences renders Religion both uncertain and indemonstrable And while Men observe the Differences Contradictions and Ungroundedness of such Claims they will be apt to entertain the like prejudices against the Christian Religion it self Supposing that it relies upon such grounds as their Witnessings and invisible Inspirations for so they bear the World in hand Fox love to Mankind p. 11. What the Apostles said we do by the same Power and Spirit And in a little time by such Arts Religion will be in danger to be fatally undermined all being rejected together as relying upon a like bottom But if T. Ellwood's Castle in the Air be erected it is not material though Christianity be blown up and if his Dreams be admitted he seems not concern'd what disservice is done to the other though blessed be Gods goodness he hath rooted his Gospel in a different manner as if purposely to prevent Satans transforming himself into an Angel of Light and those pretences to Inspirations which he hath all along fomented But though there were real Revelations now yet T. E. is the unlikeliest Person to be favoured with them For he first enervates the written Word as will in its place appear and withal over-looks the Essential Word taking no notice of him whom God the Father sent into the World and sealed endeavouring to annihilate that Jesus as to his Prophetick Office however in whom the whole Covenant of Grace is founded and in and by and through whom all Blessings whatever are conveyed to us And this is a sad stumbling upon the very threshold a fit Pillar
and not Hystrionical Representations Our Holy Religion is a rational thing not a Drammatical Imaginary shew to be done over and over as in a Scene Christ lived on Earth Taught Instructed and lastly Dyed but once which Faith so receives and Entertains but Fancy cannot renew as dayly in doing that will destroy the reality of the History and make the very Religion to expire with it If Ellwood then feel such a thing as renewing former Revelations it is either Satans Delusion or his own Fiction of Imagination CHAP. V. Concerning their Immediate Revelations II. BEsides their Repetition they have Immediate Revelations The Apostles had an Immediate Revelation of the Mind and Will of God to them and these Successors receive in the same manner p. 228. The Ministration of the Spirit by Divine Revelations was not to cease but continue in the Church p. 227. inward and immediate teaching p. 229. The Revelations made to the Prophets and Apostles confirm'd by Miracles and Believed by Christians we own But for any further ones we can discern no Necessity thereof or if there was we cannot discern that God by you sends them to us It is not reasonable we should believe you in such a Concern meerly upon your own Witnessings nor will God I hope Damn him who died before the Quakers or never heard of them or doth seriously search into and yet disbelieve them and to call them Immediate must needs reflect upon the Scriptures which are Means appointed by God or else are nothing Keiths Title page Immediate Revelation remains a Standing and Perpetual Ordinance in the Church of Christ and of indispensible Necessity to every true Believer Living stone in 3d. Q. Quibbles p. 11. just such another Ordinance as giving the Hand and pulling off the Hat which are to continue in the true Church To what end they enjoy this Ordinance is differently related between the Tutor and his Pupil the latter claims it to the renewing old Scripture Revelations denying they have any new ones as to substance p. 237. but Keith is open-hearted tells what plenty they have and to what purpose things relating to our Conversation in the World Commanding or Forbidding Im. Rev. p. 5. 6. or Licensing us how to carry and be conversant about them as in eating drinking marrying or giving in marriage plowing digging or any other employment going coming to a place abiding therein things Revealed to them from the Lord which are not to be found in the Scriptures particularly not so much as by consequence Happy men they cannot do Ill certainly who eat drink get Children and know who get them c. by Revelation 'T is strange to see men who are Wise in the World to be so Fancyfull in Religion to Intitle God to the Risings and Bublings of their own Spirits they shut up those Reasonable Souls which God gave them as Spirits in Prison Anima suilla pro sale a Swines Soul serves for Salt and a Quakers doth no more just keeps his Body from Corruption How low and cheap is Inspiration made when the Holy Spirit must be Imployed in Inviting men to Dinner and they must be carryed on by Wires and Pullyes and not proceed by Humane measures T. E. hath such Immediate teachings as the Apostles had ask a Proof thereof the return is They Witness it but they will not swear it and I think it unreasonable to believe them on easier terms than our Lord himself was believed upon But whilst good Men are baffling Atheism with the rational grounds of Christianity Satan tacks about and would baffle Christianity by Impostures Is Inspiration grown so common that every one must have it Or is God so Prodigal of Miracles to exceed his regular Dispensations St. Paul who healed the Sick exerted not that Power on Believing Timothy Trophimus and Epaphroditus Christ increased the Loaves and yet commanded the fragments to be gathered up Hebron was promised unto Caleb for an Inheritance God could have ordered the Lot to fall upon it and yet it was settled by vertue of the Promise Where things can be had in an ordinary way it is not Gods Method to exceed nor heap Miracle upon Miracle his works are perfect and immediate answers were never common the Lot must not pass upon that which was promised before that would have been irreligion or a Tempting God There are no need of Teachers or Scriptures if all receive immediate Instructions The Ancients were too curious in their esteem of the Bible and the Traditores had too harsh Measure Though all Bibles were burnt a Quakers Light could verbatim write a new one as Jeremy gave Baruch the same words a second time The Jews say one Prophet who hath the Testimony of another Prophet is true I can discern no such attestation among them as S. John gave to Jesus but they first make themselves Prophets and then give Honour one to another Till they produce some undoubted Evidence I am guilty of no sin in denying I must either see some Miracles or have an Immediate Revelation my self to assure me that each of them hath such and such Inspirations and it being difficult to distinguish between the Dictates of spirits and the Fancies and Motions of a Man 's own upper and lower Soul Quakers will need a second Revelation to ascertain them of the first and a third to ascertain them of a second and so forward which is like the dancing of Fairies a skipping and running round but an advancing nothing And they are got into such a Circle wherein they may run themselves blind They believe the Scriptures from their Inspirations and those again from the Scriptures making one to prove another The Spirit ascertains them it is Gods Word and from thence T. E. attempts to prove they have the Spirit In that Debate at Jerusalem Acts 15. it was not the Immediate Inspiration which was the Rule which certainly would if every one had been so fitted but it was the Epistle from the Council that concluded all Set up this Notion and there would be none to be Ruled nor any such thing known as Obedience either in Church or State for Immediate Instruction must not be controlled by any thing below it self nor is it reasonable the Divine Voice should be prescribed to So that this pretence hath an evil aspect upon Kingdoms which have been frequently disturbed thereby Admit T. E. to be Heavens Privado to receive immediate Communications from thence we have no security but the same impetus may carry him on to imitate the Prophets words I have an Errand unto thee 2 King 9.5 O Captain and to interrupt the Lineal Succession for George Fox deserves as much to be King of New Jerusalem as John of Leyden and a Shoe-maker is as fit to wield a Scepter as a Taylor Religion also can never be fixed or known where Enthusiasm is avowed for this days perswasion may be out-dated by to morrows fresh Suggestion The Quakers are much
gone from themselves and they give no warrant but they will change and super-reform till this weeks Idol proves the next weeks Abomination They seem also too Covetous in their Claims the Light and Inspiration are too much for one Person he that carries that Vrim in his Bosom needs no other Suggestions and he who hath Heaven open over him darting in minutely Rays need not repair to his inshrined Light or call for help bring hither the Ephod to resolve him but between them both their Reason is extinguished Thus among Pagans and others when Visions and Revelations have run highest Reason hath suffered by them but 't is the more plausible way to be intimate with God looks better than to search and prove to wait and tamely believe what starts up first is more easie than to weigh discourse and judge aright but when Men grow Credulous and slothful departing from sober Reason and known Rules presently they strike in with Motions and Suggestions and it is a most gustful Idolatry to adore the Creatures of their own Fancy But while they with the Egyptians dare enshrine Apes and Worship such Counterfeits as Satan or their Souls afford sober Christians will adhere to a sound Mind and a discerning Spirit conducted by owned and certain Revelations Dr. Causabon Enthus 170. thinking that Rational intellectual Christian Knowledge is above all Prophecy What may not a Quaker vent under pretence of Revelations if trusted without Evidence That which comes immediately is conferred instantly and is at its full strength when first given as Tongues Miracles c. True Judgment in the Title page But Quakers grow up into their knowledge To them who are growing up into discerning and Judgment which he was moved to write for the simple ones sake p. 1. We do grow daily into the knowledge of the Truth King and R. H. p. 6. in our Exercise and Obedience to it Not being grown into a good understanding to judge of things Canon 6. There is Child-hood Youth and Old Age in the anointing Fox makes the Soul to be a part of God and of Gods Being New Law p. 19. without beginning and Infinite Then certainly such an Infinite Eternal Being is equally Omniscient and need not a perpetual flux of Revelation to increase its knowledge Christopher Taylor hath the strangest Argument for Revelation that can be produced A true and faithful witness to the Light p. 5. no Man knows the particular thoughts and intents of another Mans heart but by the Revelation of God's Spirit therefore it must needs be the Revelation of God's Spirit that makes manifest to a Man his own inward thoughts the Soul it seems is a sleepy thing privy to none of its own transactions a Mans Reason and Conscience help him no more at home than they do to discover the bosom designs of others such dark Souls as these need all the light they can set up for their direction they call the Apostles true Enthusiasts Q. no Popery p. 20. Q. is Pagan p. 93. Im. Rev. p. 293. assert and contend for it in the best acceptation and withal acknowledge the great power of Satan about Enthusiasms who transforms himself not onely into the likeness of an Angel of Light but of God himself and herein he works most Mysteriously takes upon him to open the Scriptures unfold the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God reveal the hidden things of Nature teach things to come and hath hereby deceived and ensnared many Souls This is the root of false Enthusiasms that they have their Raptures and Extasies and strange workings accompanied with a wonderful readiness of utterance promptness of Speech and Elocution either in Poetry or otherwise So that by this Concession Enthusiasm hath enabled Men to do more than the Quakers spirit hath enabled them as yet and therefore we want a rational Satisfaction why yours which is less should be Divine and the other which is greater should be Diabolical when as this hath better Proofs and both are equally invisible Ibidem The loving God above all is no Touchstone of Immediate Inspiration the Familists and others will snatch that from you and till I can discern your love I must not trust your Inspirations Quakers then must either do some Miracles as Seals that God speaks by them or we must have undoubted Revelations to assure us that they have true ones else all their heats and sensations must be ranked among Enthusiasms or if Scripture-promises be concluding those must be such as none are concern'd in but themselves by name and which I can understand without a Revelation or am assured to be attended with an Inspired Exposition of in the very reading which by its strength and clearness shall force my understanding to a submission Till this appear I am innocent in esteeming the Quakers but equal at most and in some things inferiour to their many Corrivals To discover the weakness and danger of this pretence 1. I shall instance in several Competitors who have made the same Claim and produce equal if not stronger Motives of believing them 2. Examine the Quakers carriages one to another in this matter by which it will appear they cannot believe themselves but make an Art and Interest of it their Contradictions and strange carriage about their Inspirations are a convincing Proof against them CHAP. VI. Concerning their Partners and Competitours in Revelation 1. AS for their Competitours they are both many and of different Judgments and if I believe one Party witnessing they have it I am equally obliged to believe anothers witnessing also As Satan is Gods Ape in many things so especially in Revelation he gull'd the Heathen World by Oracles Enthusiastick Prophets and the like Mahomet pretended as high thereto as T. E. and was able to produce as good Evidence Success is the Quakers Argument Many there are among us Whitehead's Q. plainness p. 33. gathered out of other Churches who are living Witnesses both of the blessed Operation and effects of the Power and Ministry of Christ Jesus among us and we have a Record in many Consciences In the Cambridge Dispute p. 34. which very Argument he had elsewhere urged and Mahomet may urge it to infinite more advantage But from them let us look into the Christian World where we shall find Satan turned his Makers Rival countermining God with Revelations gulling all Ages of the Church with Enthusiasts and imitating Miracles with his lying Wonders for Enthusiasm is Satans Engine renewed often by him called in to untie a knot to make good an otherwise indefensible Pass and to supply the want of better Arguments Revelations being as common with them as Reasons are with other Men. The pretenders to Inspiration are many I shall single out some in these several Periods In the Primitive Church in the Romish Church at the time of the Reformation and in the late unhappy Tâ—mes in this Kingdom and each of these doth produce as good
ones given to Fox by Josiah Coale Augustin in Haeres 14. His Women also Administred a wild kind of Eucharist and Quakers have their she-teachers He also denyed the Resurrection of the Flesh which is Quakers Doctrine and said That Christ did not suffer truly he perverted by Charms and strange Arts Women to follow him and 't is reported how many have been subverted by the Quakers by a stedfast look or a wring by the hand c. without rational means of Perswasion the sugar'd Language he gave his Proselytes blandiens eis is imitated by ours also who give their Females these Appellations Innocent Lasses The Spirit of the Hat p. 43. and Daughters of Sion 6. The Valentinians made use of the same Plea Tertul. in Valentin Lib. 4. Quidni quum Spirituale illud semen suum in unoquoque sic recenseant si aliquid novi adstruxerint Revelationem statim appellant praesumptionem charisma Ingenium they do account the Spiritual Seed to be in every one if they do light or hit upon any thing that is new they presently call that Presumption or conceit a Revelation and their own wit they do style an immediate or extraordinary gift And the same Father elsewhere relates Omnes tument omnes scientiam pollicentur c. They are all puff'd up De praescript adver haeret promise much knowledge their Novices are perfect before they be Instructed their saucy Women dare teach heal it may be Baptize their Ordinations were confused a Presbyter to day a Lay-man to morrow Laicks do Priestly Offices c. 7. Montanus and his Party claimed Inspirations as much as any and his Sect continued some Centuries and their carriage was strangely ecstatical which shewed they were not moved from the Lord. We have the judgments of some Ancients in Eusebius concerning them Hist Eccles Lib. 5. Cap. 14 15 16 17. That Montanus being alienated and ecstatical in Spirit was Distracted and under the pretence of Prophecy or Revelation he spoke unwonted things against the Faith and Doctrine of the Church They boasted of their Martyrs and Sufferings Miltiades wrote against them so did others the whole Church or Fraternity throughout the World disowned this Prophecy as accursed He taught to dissolve Marriage had his Exactors or Collectors who gathered many Gifts and Oblations His Prophetesses had run away from their Husbands his Party grew strong they called Pepuza Tymium two little Cities of Phrygia New Jerusalem So Munster and Strasburg were called and the Quakers once Travelled towards New Malton in Search of the New Jerusalem comed down from Heaven till the mire and rain wearied out their Zeal The Pepuziani a branch of them had Women Bishops and Women Presbyters upon the same Account that our Quakers plead for their Prophetesses Epiphan Haeres 49. Ibidem Augustin Heres 27. because in Christ Jesus there is neither Male nor Female and Christ is said to appear either to Quintilla or Priscilla or both when sleeping and being Cloathed in a white Garment to Inspire Wisdom and to Reveal that to be an Holy place even the Heavenly Jerusalem And St. Hierom is sometimes confuting them that a Prophet understands what he seeth In prologis ad Naum Abacuc nec ut amens loquitur nor speaketh as distracted as Montanus and his Prophetesses doated but Quaking which was thought the sign of their conversing with God is now looked on otherwise that the Voyce of the Lord was not distinctly discerned there in stilness the mind is brought into a capacity to discern the voyce of the Lord. Living Stone in 3d Q. quib p. 4. 8. The Messalians Psalliani or Euchites laid claim to Revelations as much as any other Sect they were so assiduous in prayer that it may seem incredible to most that hear it Augus Her 57. by a misapplication of those words pray always and pray without ceasing some of them would have named themselves to be whatsoever persons you would have them art thou a Prophet he would reply I am a Prophet Epiphan Her 80. Theodoret. Hâ—st Eccl. L. 4. C. 11. art thou Christ he would reply I am Christ but besides this they were strangely Enthusiastical pretending they had the presence of the Spirit and calling their own Dreams and Fancyes Prophecyes their Opinions infected many Monasteries and several Countries they looked upon the Lords Supper to do neither good nor hurt Adelphius an old Professor among them gave this Account of their Faith That Holy Baptism profitted nothing but only that perpetual Prayer cast out that inward Devil which every one received from their first Parents that then the Holy Ghost came upon them with his sensible and invisible Presence whereby they were freed from Sin Ibidem and needed neither Fasting nor Instruction but that then they were able to foresee future things and to behold the Holy Trinity with their eyes These are to the purpose T. E. Predecessors several Bishops opposed themselves to their pernitious Doctrines and indeed we cannot do more acceptable Service to the Spirit of truth than by detecting the Spirit of Errour though it appear in the guise of an Angel of Light or have got a piece of Scripture in its mouth nay though it pretend Antiquity and get it self wrapped in old Samuels Mantle or come demurely in Sheeps cloathing 9. Aetius an Arian Heretick though one that did seperate from his Communion was at the like pass with the former Temerariâ audaciâ elatus dixit being puff'd up by a rash boldness he said Binius Tom. 1. p. 486. Deum sibi Revelasse ea quae usque ab Apostolorum temporibus hactenus occultaverat that God had Revealed those things to him which till then he had concealed from the times of the Apostles say the Fathers of the Council of Constantinople Theodor. Hâ—st Eccl. L. 2. C. 28. Histor Tâ—iparet L. 5. C. 22. apud Binium and the like words of his are elsewhere Recorded Serras though a Favourer of him accused him by a strange height of Pride or Madness to have presumed and spoke higher things that those things were now Revealed to him which God had concealed hitherto from the Apostles universis from all men And that is pretty Consonant to the Quakers Doctrine have not we had the Gospel all this time till now Answer we say no the Gospel Dispensation was lost saith Smith But Blessed be the Lord for his renewing the Spiritual Ministry in our days and Ann Wrights Letter is full about the same Since the Lord first called his Servants to publish his Everlasting Gospel the Gospel was hid from the Apostles days untill it was revived in them 10. Donatus to maintain his Schism became Enthusiastical August Epist 165. talking of Inspiration or Communications of Gods Will to him by Angels Ille eum ordinem Christianitatis Civitatis vestrae ut insinuaret jussisse sibi Angelum scribit c. that he might blast or Condemn
of Jesus to bear Witness to her Doctrine Worship and Discipline and to this purpose gives in a list of her Prophets and of their Wonderful Predictions And this very Argument is used by the Quakers Jesus Christ revealed in man or Immediate Revelation is the Foundation of the true Church and of every member thereof in particular and therefore if the true Church remain this must remain also Session the 11. under Leo the 10. And the Councel of Laterane having prescribed Rules for the Preachers addeth an exception Caeterum si quibusdam c. But if to some the Lord shall Reveal by Inspiration certain Future things in his Church as he hath promised by Amos the Prophet and Paul saith despise not Prophecying we will not have such to be numbred amongst Fabulous or lying People or otherways to be disturbed Here is a Council defending Immediate Revelation and if I credit a Quakers pretensions that way I am in point of Justice equally bound to believe the Romish and the Doctrines thereby confirmed nay I am more bound in that the Romish Church hath used this claim much longer and pretends to more Caution in examining the things thereby brought 3. At the Reformation this pretence was industriously set up and carried on by Satan to weaken or defeat the endeavours of those Worthy Heroes Calvin in the preface saith That for twenty years Satan endeavoured to extinguish stifle or defame that Evangelicall Doctrine which he saw appearing Adver Libertin they called them Literal Reformers who had but faint and small discoveries of the Spirit c. Muncer said the first Reformers were not sent of God Bullinger Adver Anabap. L. 1. C. 1. nor preach'd the True Word of God c. Of these Conceited Devoto's there were several sorts which did split and subdivide more and more afterwards 1. The Anabaptists flew high with this claim and it was the stale to cary on each design Their Founder Nicholas Stork John Davyes Apocalypse had his visions and God Communicated Himself to Thomas Muncer John Matthiz the Baker had Secrets revealed to him which God had not Revealed to others He being Enoch the second High-Priest of God Herman the Cobler professed himself a true Prophet and the true Messiah c. Their Storyes are so known that it is superfluous to relate them John Buckhold had Revelations as plentiful as Mahomet This King of Justice Minted his Money with this Impression Verbum caro factum quod habitat in nobis that is the Word was made Flesh which dwelleth in us which is the Doctrine of Winstanley and of his Disciples that God is manifested in the Flesh of Sons and Daughters New Law of Righte p. 33. or in many Bodyes as Christ or the Anointing was poured on that Humane Body Jesus the Son of man and dwelt Bodily there for a time So that Quakers are Christs now as much as Jesus was on Earth only he was one single Christ but this spreading power of Righteousness makes them many Christs in many Bodyes But if there was perpetual Inspiration Reason would adjudge the Anabaptists and the others being contemporary with the Reformation more likely to have a share thereof than others at a great Distance from it And so little did the first Reformers favour them that Luther Writ to the Senate of Mulhusium to beware of such Wolves and Melancton expressly declares against them Anabaptistae fingunt expectandas esse novas Revelationes c. De numero Sacramentorum The Anabaptists feign that there are new Revelations and Illuminations to be expected from God and that these are to be obtained with great Bodily severities as the Monks and Enthusiasts of old Feigned These Fanatical dotages are accursed we contrarily do think that God out of his Infinite Goodness having Revealed his Will to us in the Gospel other Revelations or Illuminations are not to be expected 2. The Libertines took themselves to be Inspired Calvin Advers Libertinos C. 2. and galled the Church much totus eorum sermo de Spiritu est Calvin Advers Libertinos c. 2. c. all their Discourse was of the Spirit Sometimes they used strange Words to bring their hearers into Admiration and cast a mist about them at other times they used common words Sed significationem eorum deformant altering their signification c. 7. when any place of Scripture was urged their Answer was nos Literae minimè obnoxios esse c. 9. that they were not concern'd in the Letter thereof but were bound to follow the Spirit that quickneth It was their Principle that the Scripture in its natural Sence was a dead Letter and therefore was not to be regarded but to observe the quickning Spirit saying Sublimiùs speculemur let us look for higher things than what the Letter affords and let us seek new Revelations They scarce spake two Clauses but the word Spirit was in their mouths C. 10. and made no Account of the name Christian in compare to the name Spiritual perswading their hearers that they were Spiritual purely Dâ—vine Et jam cum Angelis semiraptos esse Antonius Pocquius a great man among them said Aspicite adest tempus c. Behold now the time is at hand wherein the Disciple of Elijah begged the double Portion of the Spirit and that was the time which Christ meant when he said I have many things to say unto you c. Qualis ego sum such a Teacher did Pocquius boast himself to be but he would not speak out donec tempus advenerit 3. Casper Swenckfield for thirty years together troubled the Church with his Dreams he called for Spiritualness Rutherford p. 15. Ex schlus Selburgio and the Spirit and the internal word that we must not depend on the External Word he took several things from Papists Anabaptists and Calvin making a mixture of Opinions he accused the Reformed Pastors that no man was better for their Preaching extolling the Spirit as doing all The Reformed Divines admonished and refuted him his monstrous Opinions were Condemned by a Synod at Norinburg and by the Divines of Mansfield and he still persisted in them He made the Gospel to be the Essence of God which is the Doctrine of Winstanley the Lord himself Truth lifting up its head p. 30. who is the Everlasting Gospel he made Faith and Conversion to be wrought Immediately taught that we must try the Word by the Spirit and not the Spirit by the Word that no Doctrine Sacraments or any things written in Scriptures do conduce to Salvation but God is to be sought in his naked Majesty in Dreams Inspirations and Revelations of the Spirit 4. Henry Nicholas In the answer to the Families Supplication the first Illuminated Elder of the Family of Love put in as high for Visions and Revelations as any of the rest the power of the highest came upon his Godded man H N. and did instruct and speak such and
stumbled at this freedom of the Spirit in our days as well as in the days of Christ and yet her Inspired Doctrines were contrary to the Quakers God spoke to her p. 3 4 9 16. 36 49. shewed her Visions and the new Jerusalem a light shone she was taken into the Mount of God She was anothers voice a voice within a voice Gods Heavens came down into her Earth 5. 7. 76. she fasted 9 11 14 days c. was told by the Spirit of the Soldiers coming to London p. 4. 6 7. had a Vision of the Scots over-throw before Dunbar and of the Fight with Holland of the dissolving the long Parliament 10. calling the Jews of the breaking up the Representative had a Vision against Rowse the Chair-man 13. 30. and several Visions to inform her that Oliver would be Protector which she was troubled at and fore-told Gideon's that is his being laid aside with many the like No Quakers have come nigh her Tyran detect p. 38. A Visitation of Love to the King c 4 5 p. 58. 73. p. 20. p. 35. p. 15. for Ebbit's fore-telling the Firing of London was not believed by his Friends And Burroughs attempts to shew that the Quakers fore-saw the Kings Restoration came not near it She was for the Reign of Jesus destroying the fourth great Monarchy fore-told that all the Monarchies are going down Jesus was at hand Among the rest she fore-told we must have no more Kings and yet she was swallowed up of the Glory of the Lord. 9. The gifted Brethren who with the next are the most orderly of all the Pretenders else made use of this Engine by their Zealous Advocate c. Their Request was the most modest Not to lay aside the Ministers nor destroy Church-Order Blake's Embassage from the Kings of the East to his Highness Oliver Lord Protector p. 45. p. 47. they onely pleaded for an hour before or after Sermon wherein they might exercise their Gifts they allowed the usefulness of Study that three hours in a day close employed therein would make a brave Preacher they offer to give Security to Preach sound and Peaceable Doctrine and begged but the liberty of a Tryal how beneficial their Model would prove offer upon misdemeanour to call in p. 42. and take back the Offenders Commission with a Dehortation to exercise any more for the present would have themselves not taken for absolute Ministers but Assistants they engage not to meddle with Administring the Sacraments or other proper Ministerial Offices with many such fanciful things in their Plat-form and yet the conceit of Inspiration together with acquired Abilities was the cause of it We leave Christs Work with you In the Epistle Churches the Spirit bid us do it the Word and Spirit and God himself is for us my Sons and my Daughters shall Prophesie p. 11. 23. hear this day what the Spirit saith unto the Churches None must Preach by Notes p. 58. we love to drink from the Fountain and yet they are for short work strive not to speak beyond the breathings of the Spirit p. 61. Hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches in England in this day of their Visitation p. 70. And the Socinians come somewhat towards this Model though they deny Enthusiasms Divine Miraculous Inspirations Cateches Eccles Polonicar in Praefatione or Prophetical Authority to be claimed by them yet they allow a great liberty of Prophecying that any one may Interpret who hath the gift of Revelation 10. The Congregation or People commonly called Considerers had recourse to this Trayte de la vaye c. A Discourse of the way to the Kingdom though as sparingly as any of the others They were very much taken up in studying the Book of Nature saying that alone is enough for all men and that the study of the Prophets lay therein p. 76. That Consideration was the Royal way to the Kingdom They acknowledge the Trinity and Christs Incarnation p. 80. p. 52 90 100 used the Sacrament and the Lords Prayer meddled not with Worldly or State Affairs p. 74. were thrifty of their time Married such as they loved upon first sight 92. p. 52. were against the inclosing the Holy Spirit to any particular Sect of Men looking on the Creed as a sufficient instrument of Vnion among all Christians p. 4. 88. But Immediate Inspiration was owned by them p. 4. The Voice of God that I heard said unto me Immediately God himself opened me by his Spirit p. 6. the way to the Kingdom resounding in my Heart Monck Rogers being so taken up with God p. 50. as not to remember the words a man just spoke to him is highly commended the Spirit of Wisdom and Vnderstanding hath appointed me to tell you and such lights as God infused into any of their hearts p. 72. they thought themselves bound to communicate to others p. 94. Here are Competitours sufficient that agree in one bottom though they build different and contradictory Doctrines upon it and all these likely an hundred to one and in this very Kingdom of late ten to one being the far greater number are all against the Quakers and therefore suppose the Scripture did not please me which of these Pretenders must I give Credit to The others whether old or late produce as good Proofs as T. E. can do and if I favour one side where the Evidences are equal I become partial and hold the Faith with Respect of Persons Do the Quakers say and witness their Inspirations The others do the like with an equal confidence Do they Experience it The rest come not behind them If their Refreshings perswade the Leveller and the late named Whore can use the same Topick and the Ranter is as brisk as any If some Scriptures befriend their Fancy the rest and all Hereticks and the Devil himself do bait their Hooks with wrested parcels of it In case then of different Revelations to which must I adhere Or shall I not suspend untill a third Revelation do determine which side is in the right Must we believe men meerly because they say so Or are yea yea and a few Solemn looks or wrings by the hand Evidences that the Spirit is secretly whispering They lay no Obligation on us to trust them rather than their Rivals In their Words Lives and Writings they seem at least Fallible like other men Thomas Ellwood must then produce better Evidences than the rest otherwise we are Innocent And he hath cut himself out work sufficient 1. To prove that perpetual Inspiration is certainly promised by God to all Believers 2. He must prove that all other pretenders do ly in their claims 3. That such as deny Immediate Revelation have no share thereof 4. He must by some undoubted Evidences prove that his party are solely intrusted with this Ministration and when this is done he must
leave to us the power of Tryal and the Liberty â—â— Judgment For if each must follow the Light we are Innocent who do but follow our own Convictions and our case is infinitely more safe for all partyes agree that the Light of Scriptures by which we are guided is Divine but your new Light may prove false or Darkness for any assurance you can yet give us to the contrary There are all these Co-claimers who both say and shew as much as Quakers and so each single party are an equal ballance to them much more all of them together do strangely out-weigh the Quakers next to youngest claims unless the Rule be now inverted verum quodcunque prius and what is latest must necessarily be truest which could only hold until a fresher Sect suppose the sweet Singers of Israel or any such pretty name do start up and out-date the Quakers but though all the other Competitors were in the wrong that doth not infer T. E's Friends to be in the right for they may be equally mistaken with the others in the like Bottom unless they can produce some indisputable Divine Amulet or Preservative which the others cannot Nor can I find any solid Reason why I should belive the English and disbelieve the Spanish Alumbrados when their Doctrines are much alike and their Evidences are exactly equal And further one of these who can set as good a face on his cause and use as brisk a confidence and who excels Thomas Ellwood as much as one of the two Witnesses in the Revelations exceeds the Witnesses in general viz. Lodowick Muggleton from his supposed Spirit pronounceth a Sentence and a Curse upon the Quakers 3d Q. Quibbles p. 32. Because I saith he have passed Sentence upon the Quakers they shall never grow to have more Experience in Vision and Revelation but shall wither which Curse from their Proteus like changing the Disciples of Muggleton may conclude to have seized on them Others that are Juniors or Co-temporary with the Quakers from their Spirit Condemn the Quakers The cry of a Stone p. 20. So Anna Trapnel Let them tell him viz. Oliver of his Sins and tell him with Humility and tears not as those deluded Spirits that go running about the streets and say We have such Visions and Revelations who come out with their great speeches of Vengeance Judgment and Plagues Oh but thine that come from thee thou givest them Humility Meekness Bowels Tears Thou art called only a Form they call thâ—â—ves a Christ Oh p. 50. some poor Creatures call themselves Christ because of this Oneness with Christ when thy sweet wine comes forth then they bring in their false Wine p. 68. The Secretary of the Confiderers prayed God to preserve him Discourse of the way c. p. 62. p. 68. for ever having the Spirit of the Quakers he had high thoughts of their way at the first till he did discern the tracts of the evil Spirit that guided them several Instances of which he enumerates and saith The Spirit of Wisdom appointed him to tell those things to make them better advised in the choice of true ways and in the distinctions of Lights p. 72. And I have heard of a single Devoto herded with none of the former with the greatest Confidence affirm That God had Revealed to her that the Quakers would leave their Errours and return to the Church and Truth again But beyond these because we in these Kingdoms may be interested and partial not passing right judgment the Illuminados in another Country who not being engaged against ours deserve more regard do expressly declare the Quakers to be Impostors and I suppose their Opinions in other points of Religion to be more sound in that they deluded the Learned and useful John Amos Comenius The late German Enthusiasts are the persons His Revel edit per J. A. C. 1659. p. 189. In Dr. Spencers vulgar Prophecyes p. 6 7. and their Condemnation of the Quakers I shall transcribe from a worthy hand my Circumstanstances not affording me as yet a sight of the Book They tell the World that by how much the nearer that great day of the Lord is the more evidently and familiarly doth he excite his Prophets and that they understand the frequent possessions Witch-crafts and fanatical Enthusiasms of the Quakers Satanicas esse praestigias quibus opera Dei obfuscare nituntur ut olim James Jambres Mosi resistêre to be the delusions of the Devil whereby they endeavour to obscure the works of God as James and Jambres withstood Moses of old all these Condemnations of the Quakers from the Spirit should have force with them who acknowâ—ed Revelations at this day What if the Quakers be more numerous than some others of the like Kidney That is no Argument of Truth else others would soon wrest it from them as some places so some times are more prepared for productions of Monsters than others and the late unhappy times had piled up such Materials that it was easy for the Quakers to arrive at that Height by starting up as the scum and froth of them all Montanus spread his Poyson through Phrygia Donatus through Africa the Messalians through Syria Pamphylia c. And Arius through the World The Familists T. E's Grandfathers are next to gone and I hope his Inspirations will run the same Fate and expire like theirs and the Company called Considerers foretell your extinction Traite de la Voye Au Royaume p. 18. time shall make you of the number of things past CHAP. VII Concerning their own contradictory different and designed Revelations WOuld a man be tamely satisfyed with Keiths Confutation that the Enthusiasts against whom Luther wrote were not true Enthusiasts as the Apostles were Quakerism no Popery p. 20. but such as under a pretence of Enthusiasm both taught and practised evil things and baffle each in the former list thereby he must allow me with equal reason to turn it upon themselves that Quakers are not right Enthusiasts as the Apostles were For it confutes themselves as much as others and is a Conviction on either hand equal with mentiris Bellarmine But supposing my temper or other motives incline me to overlook the rest and become favourable to T. E's Friends so as to Fancy or Wish that they really have what they pretend my next Inquiry is to whom must I turn to the Conforming or Non-conforming Quakers to some single teachers or to the Body of Antient Friends and how can I infallibly know where that supposed Body lodgeth or who are the Members of it or when these little talkative Oracles speak by Inspiration and when by their own afflatus I would have a Reasonable Religion understand what to believe do and pray and then proceed accordingly but if the Spirit that guides be inshrined in such a Body against which so many prejudices lie the case of those Souls is very sad whose Directions flow from so foul a
Fountain That they do not always act by Inspiration Im Rev. p. 36. we have a full Confession not as if in every thing-we did act think speak or write infallibly nor as if in nothing we could act in a disjunction from the Spirit for we do freely acknowledge we are capable to run out and both think speak write and do things that are not only not infallible but may be wrong and false Only what is done in conjunction with the Spirit of God and in his Immediate manifestation and co-operation in us is infallible And elsewhere he makes the like acknowledgement we are conscious to our selves that both in speaking and writing Q. no Popery p. 33. it is possible for us in some measure more or less to decline from those infallible leadings and consequently both to speak and write in a mixture How can I then infallibly know when the Conjunction is or be able in that mixture to seperate the Divine from the Humane or to know the Prophet from the man it may prove an Opposition or side Aspect when I expected a Conjunction I may take him to be inspired when he writes of himself and his Wine may have a mixture of Water if not Poyson If one Chapter or Section be writ in Conjunction and another not he must both make an unequal Yoking and also affront the Spirit in not distinguishing this I received from above this I invented of my self he also deludeth others who in such mixtures do wrong on one hand they in swallowing the whole as Divine we in rejecting the whole as worse than Humane Let him acquaint by some marks which parts are so and so that we may pay our respects accordingly Their manner also of wording the Receit as I find it with me I find it in my heart I find it rising up in me c. Look more like an Answer from Pythia which ascended up from the Feet unto the Breast then Divine Inspiration which is an illapse or influx from Heaven We are told that the Children of God do infallibly know one another Im. Revel p. 118 189. and hence have Vnity Peace and Concord one with another If this be true Quakers will scarce pass for Gods Children for among themselves they are as much distant as the Poles and as other Sects crumbled the Anabaptists into 70 and the Familists into very many among the rest into those of Caps his Order so there are Quakers of the Hat the prevailing party of the Foxonian Order and the Murmerers under the Banner of George Bishop and his associates Their mutual Carriages are unlike those of inspired men and he who believes their Witnessings must swallow contradictions they set Spirit against Spirit the same against it self and that bad Language which they first poured on others is now bestowed on their own dissenters Their Contradictions Carriages and Expressions are smartly exposed in three little Tracts which make unnecessary any large account thereof here The Quakers Quibbles in 3 parts only I shall observe some in prosecution of their Inspirations and digest them into what Order so much Variety and confusion will permit 1. We shall consider their Contradictions or Differences in Doctrine 2. Their Carriages therein and means of convincing one another 3. Consider the debate about the Hat and their Canons so far as Inspiration is concern'd 4. Present other matters that are subservient thereto 1. Their Contradictions and Differences in Doctrine To begin with T. Ellwood's Tutor Vniversal Grace p. 6. who in a Book which he wrote from the Lord produceth twice or thrice Joel 2.28 for his purpose wherein are mentioned Visions Dreams and Prophecyes and yet he denyeth or minceth their having any of them For Visions and Dreams he avoids them nor Dreams and Visions upon the imagination in the night season Im. Rev. p. 7. nor yet by Trances so called which is by a cessation of the exercise of all the outward Senses and for the other he denyeth the necessity thereof as signifying p. 2. foreseeing or foretelling things to come but the rest do not digest such Doctrine Will. Shewin outgoes St. Paul ten years I knew a man twenty four years ago who had Heavenly Sights The true Christians Faith and Experience p. 130. and Revelations and Raptures into the Third Heaven and heard and saw things unutterable and all before his Conversion and Regeneration strange Doctrine indeed an unclean thing to enter into the Third or Highest Heaven p. 129 131. he names their Visions also Smiths Wife had a Vision In her Letter signifying to her her Husbands Death which brought her into the Stillness They also challenge Prophecyes Some Principles p. 26. Noble Salutation p. 7. Sons and Daughters do Prophesy in our age as formerly among the Apostles The Lord raised up many Servants and Prophets but least Prophecy should not be taken in the proper sense for foretelling they speak out to that pupose Some Principles p. 18. Preface to living Faith The Glory of the true Church p. 27. it to wit the light will shew you things to come saith Fox Naylor often Prophesied as of things which we have seen come to pass The Spiritual through the Spirit of Prophecy see when Bells Hourglasses Pulpits c. shall be no more adored Thomas Ellwood seems to limit his Inspirations to such as are recorded in Scripture p. 237. Keith enlargeth them to all Humane concernments as eating Im. Rev. p. 6. going c. which are not in Scripture particularly no not so much as by consequence Th. Ellwood is for the Immediate Teachings of the Spirit without any help from Humane Learning towards the understanding of the Bible others are more Wise p. 219. Im. Rev. p. 39. Winding sh for controv ended p. 4. do not exclude and shut out the Service and usefulness of all means and Instruments whatsoever whether Books or Men and another as freely acknowledgeth we cannot call it our faith or knowledge till quickned to it by that eternal Spirit be it mediately or be it Immediately but here lieth the Fallacy it is Immediate though with means with and without are all one such a way of Communication Im. Rev. p. 42. though it be through a means yet this hinders it not in a true sence to be Immediate to palliate this Paradox the better we are informed that Dreams and night Visioâ—s those secret ways whereby God did communicate his mind were but very shadowy and remote Idem p. 17. and rather Mediate than Immediate and if this liberty of confounding be thus used they may pass for Prophets when they please p. 162. Keith allows the Disciples to learn something from Christ Thomas Ellwood makes the Spirit to confer all the knowledge so that Christs words were unintelligible a meer gibberish or Jargon Thomas Ellwoood makes the whole Scripture Revealed or conveyed by Immediate Revelation and what is not so renewed is not
understood Keith is far more prudent I grant that the History p. 232. or Historical part of the Scriptures is not conveyed unto us nor unto any ordinarily by Immediate Revelation Winding sh 5. Now the Gospels are undoubtedly Historyes of Christ what he was said did and suffered Mr. Pen calls one of them Johns History and the rest deserve that name as much so that they receive not the Gospels by Immediate Revelation And the whole Bible is transmitted to us as matter of History wherein such Commands Promises c. are comprized And this concession of Keiths pulls down Ellwoods whole Fabrick T. Ellwood doth strangely interfere with himself p. 223. p. 221. p. 235. p. 211. p. 231. he makes Tongues necessary to Preach to all Nations and yet confesseth it might be done by an Interpreter oft takes Notice of our owning the assistance of the Spirit and yet cryes out not a word of the Spirit of God but Humane Learning all in all he makes knowledge to be both the cause and the effect being strangely blundered to make out their Apostolical Inspirations without the Testimonials thereof Miracles and Tongues Lastly he makes the Gospel in all Ages revealed in some degree or other p. 237. which he anon retracts p. 243. Revealed in the first ages of Christianity and then brings on a long night of thick darkness and a general Apostacy Others of them are not more Harmonious it was never his to wit Christs Faith to sue Naylors living Faith p. 7. contend c. Sheild of the Truth p. 3. we sue no man at the Law but are sued by them but Thomas Ellwood is differently minded in civil cases it is no injustice for a man to recover his due by Law going to War is by some Condemned p. 361. Bishops looking glass p. 203. Barclay in Q. no Popery p. 100. Tyran Hipo. detected p. 22. Wars belonged to the Jewish Administration which had its end Quakers deny that it is Lawful for Christians to fight and kill one another in fighting Others of them have both allowed and followed Wars and John Thompson owned by others as a Quaker was Master of a Ship fought stoutly and killed many of the Dutch one while they were against all forms Great Mystery p. 16. Christ is the end of outward forms Paul brought the Saints off from things that are seen and water is seen and its Baptism but now they are hugely formal True Christian Faith p. 187. 189. Godliness is not manifested without a form in thy Holy form of Godliness led into by the power Justification by that Righteousness which Christ fulfilled for us wholly without us was one while esteemed a Doctrine of Devils Q is Paganism 8. 9. 10 11. Prin. his satisfaction counted irreligious and irrational that he fulfilled the Law only as our pattern and that Justification is by works but the horridness thereof is now mollifyed The Spirit Pennington's naked truth p. 35. the Life the Blood of the Lord Jesus justifieth Justification and the things accompanying it are the benefits of Christs death The same person renounceth all merit and debt strictly taken defines justification as it hath respect to what Jesus did and suffered for us without us Uni grace p. 103. Q. no Popery p. 47. 51. c. The procuring cause being Christ alone who became the expiatory Sacrifice and Propitiation unto God for our Sins Shewen dawbs it over by affixing an ill Doctrine on us that Christs Sanctification without us True Christian Faith p. 69. is imputed to a man whilst unsanctified which is not so bad as his own being taken into the third Heaven when unregenerate Fox at sometimes calls the Scripture a Rule the Scriptures shall buffet you about Epis to G. W Divin of Christ Q. no Pope p. 24. in 3d. Quib. p. 36. and you shall be whipped about with the Rule Keith calls it a compleat external secondary Rule Mr. Pen saith the Scripture is much like to the shadow of the true Rule c. a very great Honour do they advance it to to be much like the Shadow but not the Substance nor the shadow T. Ellwood daubs will allow it to be profitable and so are Tullyes Offices p. 241. but not to be a perfect and sufficient Rule in order to Salvation and yet he hath nothing Revealed but what is in Scripture so that if this be not sufficient the Repitition thereof must be as defective and having no new Essentials of Religion lesser than Inspiration might convey the others but at the last their kindness allows the Scripture to be a Rule in Cursing and Railing let it suffice that we give no harder names than the Scripture by Rule allows Hicks 3d Dialogue p. 40. With full mouth they declaim against Judicial swearing and yet for interest they can take an Oath some of them would have no Creeds nor Catechisms others compose such things They are much intangled when to Date that Apostacy of Christianity which they fancy Some make it to come before miraculous gifts ceased just upon the Apostles death In Mr. Jenner p. 116. Fiery darts p. 26. So Joseph Frice Since the Apostles days there hath been a great Apostacy and a true Church of Christ could not be found during all which time the true Church hath been in a Wildernessed Estate Christ had not a Visible Church in the World saith Farnsworth G. W. and G. F. reply at Cambridge Gag for the Q. p. 5. Howgils Glory of the Church p. 6. and yet they quote broken sayings of the Ancients who were within the Apostacy others of them do qualify the severity of the former the Church of Christ was glorious the first hundred years after his Manifestation in the Flesh and Keith more enlargeth the purity of the Church the Testimony of Antiquity in the purest times especially the three or four first Centuryes Q. no Popery p. 69. Spirit of the Hat p. 9. which at length they retort home concerning the great Apostacy in this day among themselves In 3d. Quib p. 36. G. Whitehead durst one while write That which was spoken from the Spirit of truth in any is of as Great Authority as the Scriptures and Greater c. Which being odious to all good minds he declares confidently the contrary as if our observations were as stupid as his Conscience nor did we ever prefer our Books before the Bible but do prefer the Bible before all other Books extant in the World one while man must be thou'd because God is so Q. plainness p. 70 71. anon the Hat must not be put off to man The true Christians Faith p. 187. that must be reserved to God alone as a necessary piece of his Worship These and many such are the crooked ways and interfering paths wherein their private Spirit is bewildred Spirit of the Hat p. 25. 2. Having taken an
Physick The Q. Spiritual Court p. 39 40. whereas it was one Mrs. Slack of Islington who inspired him and made him pay sauce for it Paracelsus would have been a good Physician for them or Helmont who at length obtained a Vision of his Soul being a pellucid transparent Substance Dr. Charltons Ternary of Paradoxes If Hermolaus Barbarus had had this Light he needed not to have gone to the Fiend to know the meaning of Aristotles Entelechy 3. Consider the debate about the Hat and their Canons so far as Inspiration is concerned whether the Hat should be put off or no in Prayer hath caused great heats among them they who act consentaneously to their first Principles would have it left to the Spirits motions The rest who set up a Tyranny will have it off as matter of Decency as significative that the Veil is taken from their Heart as expressive Honour to God c. The thing I debate not but the Consistency of it with their Doctrines their Mournful Gildaes makes a sad Narrative of what was made known Spirit of the Hat p. 9. and manifested in him concerning the great Apostacy to wit among themselves to such a height was it carried that to keep on the Hat was a forfeiting of their Priviledges Perrot declared Tyran and Hipo. detec p. 33. I have received by express Commandment from the Lord God of Heaven in the day of my Captivity in Rome viz To bear a sure Testimony against the Customs and Traditions of the taking off of the Hat by men when they go to Pray to God the which they never had by Commandment from God And yet this Revelation is thrown by as a Delusion Fox and the ruling party having determined the Contrary but it is hence Evident that men may take that for Inspiration which is not so even among Quakers as well as other men And Ben. Furley wrote a large Letter to shew that such imposing Idem p. 67. is contrary to the Freedom or Motion of the Spirit of Life and the thing begot much confusion some taking their Hats off at wrong times c. How can I know which are the right Quakers the Hat-men or the others Spirit of the Hat p. 32. or should not I believe the Revelations of the weak side rather than the Arts and Tyranny of the stronger But the most unparallel'd Usurpation Printed at the end of the Tract and Lordliness consists in their Canons or the Testimony from the Brethren which are a direct Receding from their first Principles But experiencing the Light in every one to be the way to destroy all Government and Order they Mint a pretty thing called the Light of the Body in which the dispersed Light is concentred and to which it must be accountable we shall first consider the making and entertainment of this Testimony and then some of the matter of it The makers thereof declare that through the Lords good hand being met together were through the Operation of the Spirit of Truth In the Preamble as God hath put it into our Hearts Art 1. The Lord giving us to see being thereto encouraged by the Lord whose Presence is with us c. Which imply that Testimony to be drawn up by Inspiration Mr. Pen calls them inoffensive nay Christian and necessary Resolves Faldo's Appendix p. 2 which sinks them far below Revelation But G. Bishop who deserves as much credit as any of the party wrote a large Letter in Opposition to that Testimony having considered their Paper in the Spirit of Truth In Tyran and Hypo. detect p. 34. he was moved of the Lord to let them know c. and upon their first Principles he proceedeth shaking down what the others later Model had erected but Gods Spirit is opposed to himself and in such Wicked Debates what side must an Inquirer joyn unto or what undoubted security can one party give of their having the Spirit more than the other it being in both alike Invisible and neither submitting to an outward Rule nor giving outward proofs They enjoin them to be read in their several meetings and kept as a Testimony So W. D. sent his Papers to be read in the fear of the Lord in the Holy Assemblies of the Church of the first Born an insolent Act to impose their Motions on others who are equally taught by God their notion of the Body of Friends of good and ancient Friends the Witness of God in Friends the Judgment of the Spirit of Christ in his People good and serious faithful and sound friends the Vniversal Spirit of Truth c are such canting ways of inslaving Souls that they exceed both implicite Faith and all the Intrigues of the Conclave this being their new Maxime and Infallible Rule that the Body will have a true sence Spirit of the Hat p. 21. feeling and understanding of Motions Visions Revelations Doctrines c. and therefore safest to make her my Touchstone in all things relating to God But what signifieth the Light in every man or Immediate Revelation they are wholly useless upon these Principles for if my Revelations must be tryed by the Body what must I be guided by in the Interim till their approbation be sent in a Cloak-bag from London but who are this Body how many members go to constitute it Where is it deposited In what place lodged whence have they this Authority or how can I infallibly know when they proceed upon Inspiration are they turned into Body who were all Spirit Thomas Ellwood is a Non-conforming Brother as he states things but to have such a power over others requireth a being deputed thereto as Bishop well urged but especially the trying Divine motions in that manner requires the highest degree of Inspiration and Authority from God Never did any turn Revelation into a craft so much before the Body to be sensible of Visions c. Where is this Body one in every County or the Universal one at London such a Representative mankind never heard of The Apostles at the Council Acts 15. received their outward information from Paul and Barnabas and so proceeded but for a Body of Friends to understand the motions of all the Members makes such a trifling prodigious supersaelation of Revelations as cannot be imagined suppose the number of Quakers to be 20000. each Believer of these hath Scripture renewed hath expository Inspirations on it besides all that concern civil Life as eating drinking marrying c. Now what Body besides its own particular ones can possibly without omnisciency have a feeling of those Visions daily conferred upon each of that 20000 and if a man cannot obey his own motions till Freinds have approved his Condition is endlessly perplexed the Saints in Heaven by a repercussion or Speculum hearing their Votaries on earth is nothing so intangling as the Universal Spirits communicating all the Revelations to the Body But this expedient have they hit upon to keep
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
being Resyant a short Attendance might be Sufficient Christ thus dwelt in the Holy Maid Catherine of Jesus as well as in Quakers and their Inspirations coming to none but Expecters that is a sign of their Wrong Original for we cannot Imagine that God will Reveal his mind to such as do nothing sooner than to such as read and pray The ground for this Waiting is taken from Acts 1.4 where the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to tarry or bodily to stay there till the Spirit descended as the last verses of Chronicles are resumed at the beginning of Ezra So the History Luc. 24.49 where the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reside or sit you down there is resumed Acts. 1. But it is not waiting in their sence but bodily staying and the very time is limited ver 5. not many days hence Cateches 16 how many days must we wait ten or more why goes not T. E. to Jerusalem and there attend at the right place and time Cyril of Jerusalem saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those very words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. which he renews Cat. 17. and applyes those Texts of John wrested by T. E. to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and makes the Visible descent of the Holy Ghost on them to be their being baptized therewith and with fire Saint Paul advized Timothy to other means than waiting and whether is likelier to know Gods mind he who in pursuance of his waiting entertaineth in the mildest terms the first motions of his own Spirit as Divine discoveries and so quicquid dixerint hoc legem Dei putant ad sensum suum incongrua aptant testimonia ad-Voluntatem suam sacram Scripturam repugnantem trahunt take what they say St. Hierome in his Epistle to Paulinus to be Gods Law c. or he who looking on the Scriptures as the word of God Reads Compares searches out their sence taking the draughts of their Religion thence and leading a Conversation suitable Theophylact was of a different mind from Quakers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Argumento Epis ad Rom. c. the dayly constant Reading of the Scriptures brings unto the knowledge of them for he cannot ly who said Seek and you shall find knock and it shall be opened unto you T. E. doth also Contradict himself making the Spirit alone to Reveal and yet p. 238. he saith Christ the Lamb doth open them for he cannot make that Lamb whom John Baptised and pointed at to be that Holy Ghost that descended on that Lamb though he make no Distinction between Father Son and Spirit yet he must not confound the Visible Lamb with the Invisible Spirit but whilst he Repaires his sandy Foundation we shall view his Structure raised Cateh Eccl. Po. lon C. 3. The Socinians for the Explaining of Prophecies especially the obscurer where Divine men have not already done it or given some hints that way or where the event doth not unfold them require the peculiar help of the Divine Spirit Mr. Boyls style of Scrip. p. 38. applying 2 Pet. 1.21 to that purp se and all may accord with that noble person that Oâ—scureness is wont to attend prophetick Raptures and the assigning the exact completion of many of them hic labor hoc opus est but whether the History or their Motions be more truly serviceable thereto may appear in this Chapter But Thomas Elwood excepts no part the whole is a Sealed Book to him even that David begat Solomon till his supposed Interpreter unfold it The Difference then is whether the Scriptures be penned in such a Style that they need a second Immediate Revelation to confer their true Sence and that Art Study Industry or humane learning which is to be conversant in natural humane or civil affairs p. 218 219. are no wayes serviceable which T. E. maintains which though it was true yet we have no evidences to satisfy that the Quakers Inclose and are Intrusted with handing these Inspired Expositions to mankind for taking our selves for Believers we might put in for our share rather than they we owning the Scriptures and those he calleth Martyrs more than they do and so granting his whole Article we are no nearer Satisfaction with whom that whole sole Power is lodged Protestants on the other hand assert That the Scriptures are so penned that weaker Parts upon reading hearing the word praying and endeavouring may attain so much knowledge as will save their souls and that the more Recondite and abstrucer parts may be understood by such helps as God hath afforded and doth bless to his Church as Tongues Historys Idioms Comparing obscurer with clearer texts c. So far as is necessary to Salvation it not being required thereto to to be able to give an Infallible Exposition on each line in those sacred pages Now 1. This doth not Exclude Holyness of life as a help to discern the Excellency of Divine truths His secret is with the Righteous Prov. 3.32 with them that fear him Psal 25.14 if any man do his will he shall know of the Doctrine whether it be of God Joh. 7.17 Sapientia Christiani est timor est amor Christi Salvian 2. Nor Indifferency of Judgement in our search Mr. Mede Mr. Chillingworth freedom from the Studium partium or the travellers Indifferency as two great names worded it 3. Nor the Assistance of the Spirit which assists to know as well as to will or do inclines inlightens gives a Right Judgment in all things he seeth necessary going along from the first preventing to the utmost Persevering but the Difference lyeth in the kind and the manner of its operation This Secret Working and Breathing or as Mr. Pen words it more safely than T. E. secret strivings Winding sh p. 4. discoveries and operations fresh and lively touches is as much different from Immediate Apostolical Inspiration as Gods minutely Concourse is from the Power of Miracles when he alters or exceeds the Regular Established course of Nature so that we allow the Spirit to all purposes but assert God doth not Multiply things unnecessary T. E. folds his hands and waits and Inspired Expositions drop into him we are gratefull for Scripture and use our best means to Understand it and think the Spirit helps the most when we are the most Diligent he is for such Revelations as the Apostles had conferred instantly we are for Gods ordinary Assistance to our Endeavours which yet Render us more Infallible than his calls do offer Violence to our Wills We take the means and the Sâ—â—rit together his Spirit Resolves all withoâ—â— means we joyn the Spirit and means together as plowing c. on mans part and Rain c. on Gods do Concur to the producing Corn. T. E. â—â—d have the best crop an hundred sold but the Rain must do all he cannot Dig or Sow yet his Increase is no less than Apostolical The Divine Books are so composed that they need not a
transforming Histories and Prophecies as those in Daniel the Revelations c. into internal things and making them vanish in frothy Allegoryes Phil. 3.21 Changing vile Bodies is when Oppression and Injustice shall cease 1 Cor. 2.15 New Law p. 42. p. 40. The Spiritual mans Judging is according to the Law of Equity and Reason But it is different from T. Ellwoods Inspiration Job 1.6 Beelzebub sat among the Sons of God that is among the five Senses Saint Parad. p. 29. Fire in the Bush p. 35. Im. Rev. p. 11. New Law p. 22. p. 132. 134. 1 Cor. 15.24 Putting down all Rule is destroying all Government and Ministry 2 Cor. 12.3 The Seed or Birth is that 3d. Heavens in which Paul on Earth saw and felt things unutterable John 14.2 the spreading Power of Christ in all is the Fathers House in which are many Mansions the New Covenant is Christs spreading himself in mankind Psal 24.1 the Earth is the Lords that is mans Humble Request to Lawyers c. p. 2. p. 6. p. 4. Univer Or. p. 55. p. 44. Noble Salutation p. 9. Saint Parad. p. 45. Christs speech to the young man to sell all concerns all people Isa 2.4 Ezech. 36.34 35. Belong to the taking-in of Commons Heath and wast Land for all poor people The Light within is the Everlasting Gospel which the Angel Preached The Tabernacle of David is explained by the slain Image of God in man or as another words it it is Gods own Eternal Witness in men God himself is the tree of Life and the Gospel Christ is the Image of God in Man he breathed in him the Breath of Life then the Lamb was not slain Christ is the true Jew inwardly the Circumcision in the Spirit Im Rev. p. 71 the publick Worship in the Spirit and Truth Angels are Heavenly Principles and Graces Looking glass p. 4. Saint Parad. p. 66 67. p. 129. p. 37. Howgils Glory p. 7. Saints Paradice p. 19. Some Principles p 68 and men taken up into God as Moses and Christ were The Lambs Book of Life is his Divine Nature and Spirit The proud Flesh is the Devil or Father of Lyes Rev. 12.1 The Woman cloathed with the Sun brought forth the Holy Child Jesus that is Jesus was Born after Johns Banishment into the Isle of Patmos the Bottomless Pit is Corrupt Flesh the Form of sound words is yea and nay or thou as T. Ellwood seems to intimate p. 27. there is no Devil but Flesh and outward Objects Dan. 73. the four Beasts are the four Powers which are to be destroyed Fire in the Bush p. 74. p. 23. that is Magistracy Ministry Law and Propriety the Beast slain Dan. 7.11 is all imaginary selfish power hear what the Spirit speaks Dan. 9.24 True Christian Faith p. 58. New Law p. 32. the finishing transgression c. is having the mind truly turned to the appearance of God in Christ within Rev. 13.1 the Flesh is the Beast with seven heads but differently expounded by T. Ellwood p. 243. Rev. 3.7 8. the Beasts having power over Tongues is fulfilled by Masters of Arts Truth exalted p. 8. Batchelors of Arts Vice-Chancellors over Colledges and others The Light interpreted these two Texts Rev. 9.4 Saint Parad. 126. green grass is the tender Sons of Christ Matth. 12.31 that old pusling Text Sin here is the Serpent the Holy Ghost is the anointing or Spirit Ruling in Flesh the two Witnesses New Law p. 80. are Christ in one Body and Christ in many Bodyes or as another will have them to be Christ the Light within and Immediate Revelation which have been slain in man Babylon is the great City of Fleshly confusion the Mystery of Iniquity Univer Gra. p. 5. Nsw Law p. 43. p. 94. Fire in the Bush p. 11. and the Man of Sin are the first Adam the Mystery of Godliness is the second Adam Michael and the Dragon do fight in mankind the Battle between them is in the Heart the Temple of God 2 Thes where the man of Sin sits is mans Heart there he is Worshipped in the degenerate State Im. Rev. p. 86. p. 194. True Christ p. 185. Im. Rev. p. 194. Truth lifting p. 50. Fire in the Bush p. 58. Antichrist is not a Person or persons particular but a Spirit the very Spirit of Satan the Sin against the Holy Ghost is Sinning against that Beloved Son or Body in whom the Father dwells Bodily time is Monarchy times are Popery and Reformed Episcopacy the dividing of times is Presbytery Independency and State Government These are enough to cloy Thus the men of Revelations do expound CHAP. IX Of their Demonstration of the Spirit and new Dispensation IV. TO appear like the Apostles Successors the better Univer Gr. In the Title they challenge the Evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit of Truth worded by T. Ellwood p. 244. thus that the Gospel should be preached in the Demonstration of the Spirit and Power after the Apostacy as well as before And this belongs to them who are emerged out of the Apostacy and are the Church returned out of the Wilderness they fancy themselves to be like the Apostles they Witness the Spirit of God fallen upon them Some Princ. p. 48. Smiths Gospel tydings p. 36. as formerly among the Apostles the Gospel is now Preached in the same Power as formerly but their claim is ill bottomed and their demonstration indemonstrable First therefore we shall search into the sense of that phrase Secondly give the Quakers opinion of Miracles Thirdly Supposing that their Principles were right thence infer that Miracles are as necessary now as ever 1. As for the meaning of Demonstration of the Spirit and Power 1 Cor. 2.4 't is misunderstood by T. Ellwood if he think they have it like the Apostles Words and this Demonstration are by the Apostle opposed not with enticing words with excellency of Speech or Wisdom that is Ver. 1.4 5. with Oratory or Philosophy and Quakers bring no more than Words and those misapplyed and inward heats like the Disciples of Marcus c. but their internal sentiments or Consolations are not the Scriptures Power Demonstration is not a thing of outward words or inward feelings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nomine utitur Beza in his shorternotes in Locum quo significatur probatio quae fit certis necessariis rationibus Demonstration is a certain proof by necessary and concluding Reasons habent Mathematici c. the Mathematicians have their Demonstrations Grot. in Locum c. how much greater is that Demonstration by such and so great Miracles Dr. Ham. Not in Rhetorical Proofs or probable Arguments but in plain Demonstration So that it did not consist in inward but in outward Evidences and Proofs Gro◠Theo. cum in Loc. what those were we have recorded ver 1. declaring to you the Testimony of God that is the Gospel of Christ or his Death
but that which was delivered by the Apostles as certain eye and ear Witnesses of it and to confirm that certain Testimony of theirs God superadded the Demonstration or Evidence of the Spirit and Power which by an Hebraism may be conjoyned Evidencing the Spirit by Power Theo. in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Power of Miracles were an Evidence that the Spirit owned and confirmed their certain Testimony or we may take Spirit and Power as two distinct Proofs of their outward attestations 1. Spirit the Evidence of that consisted in shewing the Old Testament Prophecyes were fulfilled in Christ this Origen makes the demonstration of the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. 1. con Cels apud Dr. H. in Loc. c. Prophecyes that are able to give assurance of the things that belong to Christ and thus Rev. 19.10 the Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy the Series of all the Prophecyes so wonderfully fulfilled are an Evidence for him or it may take in the New Testament Prophecyes which are an Evidence for Christ The Revelations were by him committed to an Angel and so to John or Spirit may refer to those visible Demonstrations when the Blessed Spirit visibly descended upon Christ and the Apostles and so are that Immediate Evidence the Spirit gave to Christ Dr. Ham. or that Record the Spirit bore so clearly explained in Dr. Patricks Witnesses to Christianity Power that hereby are meant Miracles is indisputable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Origen ubi Supra those Miraculous stupendious actions whose footsteps yet remain per figna virtutes c. by the Holy Spirit and by the Signs and Powers done by him we bring you Arguments or Evidences that we speak the truth Oecum in loc Ita. Grot. c. that by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is meant either sanationes healings in particular or Miracles in general will be evident by a little observing its use Mar. 9.39 no man which shall do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Miracle in my name spoke with reference to such as did cast out Devils in the Name of Christ and did not follow him Mat. 7.22 in thy name have done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many wondrous Works answerable to those preceeding Prophecying and casting out Devils Luke 10.13 if the mighty Works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had been done in Tyre and Sydon 1 Cor. 12.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after that Miracles As Mat. 11.21.23 13.54 58 14.2 Mar. 6.2 5 14. 9.39 Luc. 5.17 6.19 19.37 Act. 2.22 8.13 passim in all which and many other places too long to be set down it signifieth Miraculous Works or that Divine Power which was the Evidence or Seal of the Holy Ghost The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not only set single but with others that do expound it Rom. 15.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through mighty Signs and Wonders by the Power of the Spirit of God that is those Signs wrought by the Power of the Spirit and Evidences of it Better Signs of his Divine Commission than the Bells and Pomegranates were to the High-Priest c. 2 Cor. 12.12 Truly the Signs of an Apostle were wrought among you in all Patience in Signs and Wonders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in mighty Deeds These are the Signs of an Apostle and yet our new Apostles and their Successors do no such things and fully 1 Thes 1.5 Our Gospel came not to you in word only but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance that is in the Power of the Holy Ghost which is a plerophory or which gives much assurance by transposing the words of which many instances are in Grot. on John 35. But Quakers have words meerly without Signs or Wonders or certain Sensible Testimonies or Humane Learning One of them acknowledgeth they can give no outward Evidence seeing our Opposers require of us Q. no Popery p. 62. 63. to show or evidence unto them some Infallible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we have the Spirit of God I would have J. M. to know that the same difficulty recurreth as to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Scriptures it being a thing which cannot be shown or made to appear by any Evidence unto the carnal mind which yet is evident unto the Spiritual that is like the old Hereticks they are the Spiritual others not of their mind are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Animal or Carnal but his Evidence for Inspiration is far inferiour to the Scriptures Authority And in that very Text Rev. 14.6 produced by T. Ellwood of the Preaching the Everlasting Gospel after the Apostacy there is no mention of Demonstration or Inspiration c. nor was there any need thereof the corrupt Church among much dross preserving those very Books whereby her Errors were detected and that was when all Learning began to revive true Religion and Learning moving in equal lines 2. But Quakers have the demonstration Qu. looking glass A true Narrative though they slight the Miracles thereby implyed some attempts have been made thereto by Charles Baylyes stroaking Richard Andersons Cursing the Womans pretending to raise the interred Corps which were reinterred when her folly had appeared In Mr. Jenner p. 93. Nicholas Kate of Harwell said That when the fulness of time was come Sober Answer to Speed p. 76. New Law p. 37. he should work Miracles which yet is not come to pass but the fulness of time with such bears a strange date the fulness of time is when the first man hath filled the Creation full of his filthiness and all places stink with unrighteousness but visible Miracles failing they turn it another way they work Invisible Miracles or Miracles in Spirit so did Ignatius Loyola and doubtless to reach to the Soul to quicken it to cure its Diseases Pennington's naked truth p. 28. is greater than the outward and was signifyed by the outward They work Miracles in a Spiritual way T. Ellwood makes Tongues to be be but mediums to convey their Message to others p. 231. 3d. Qâ—il p. 75. as if he durst out-face the Apostle who declares them to be a Sign to such as Believed not 1 Cor. 14.22 Keith prettily daubs it over that they witness the Power working Miraculously in their Hearts Im. Rev. 〈◊〉 200. raising to Life the dead Souls c. and these are the greatest Miracles of which the outward were but a figure William Shewen almost bids defiance to them we read not of very many converted by outward Miracles which are not of absolute necessity in the Church True Christians Faith p. 150. 157. but the inward are the greater Miracles which Christ promised that those who believed in him should do So that they do no Wonders Title of a Book Truth exal p. 11. yet have Silent meetings which are a Wonder to the World and do Preach the Gospel
foretells of false Prophets but no where promiseth a succession of new ones Nor is it possible Christianity being entertained upon their Personal knowledge of Christ and the Visible Evidences of the Spirit which also inwardly inclined men to search into to approve and chose what the Apostles c. outwardly proposed and now Learning and Meditation supply to us what the Spirit Immediately vouchsafed to them In Epistle ad Paulinuim as St. Hierom saith quicquid enim aliis exercitatio quotidiana in lege meditatio tribuere solet istis hoc Spiritus sanctus suggerebat Thomas Ellwood makes some attempts of proof about the Reformation as from Tindal p. 273 but neither renewed Immediate nor Expository Revelations are therein owned nor doth it concern Notional about which our debate is but Practical knowledge he deals very unfaithfully with Bishop Jewel who proves from the Antients That many things are easy in the Scripture p. 393. and he strikes in with Harding about the darkness of Scriptures and the understanding of them not by reading but by special Revelation and Miracle p. 394. And that which the Bishop calls Help and Prompting Thomas Ellwood transforms into Inspiration and Revelation of the Divine Spirit p. 275. Without humane Learning Study or natural abilities and the Answer of Alphonsus the Spanish Fryar to Mr. Bradford becomes Thomas Ellwood's Mouth You must be as it were a Neuter as one standing in doubt Pray Fox his Mart. Vol. 3. p. 299. and be ready to receive what God shall Inspire for in vain laboureth our tongue to speak else But none of his Proofs concern Perpetual Immediate Inspiration for the Spirit giving assurance of the Scriptures is a thing of a different nature The sence of the Reformers is discerned from the Homily in the Exhortation to the reading of the Scriptures which requires our humility and diligent search and often reading And John Olde a Famous Divine in Edward the sixths days declares how they proceeded in interpreting Scripture Touching the Interpretation of the Scriptures it must be expounded according to the Proprieties of the Tongues in which it was first written In Dr. Holdsworth praele◠Theolog. p. 435. and by diligent Weighing of sayings that go before and that follow after withall the Circumstances and also according to other places that are more plain or like or contrary and where the Fathers the Doctors of the Holy Church have Interpreted the Scriptures after this manner and have in no wise blanched or swerved from this Rule there we do with heart and good will acknowledge and take them for faithful and diligent Interpreters of the Scriptures and honorable Instruments of the Holy Ghost whose painful labours and Industryes our Lord God hath used in the Church to the Glory of his own Name and the profit of his flock c. this was Printed 1554. CHAP. XII Of their hearing the Voice of God and some other Claims THomas Ellwood to all these Superadds other Priviledges as first their hearing Gods Voice blessed be the Lord we have heard the Voice of God and when the Lord hath spoken in us p. 249. Implying in a Distinct Articulate Voice spoken within and heard by them a most dangerous Delusion and contrary to Gods manner of Proceeding who rarely or never spoke to men without some internuntius or medium his Voice being dreadfull no man can hear it and live Exod. 20.19 Deut. 18.16 So that either Angels or God Incarnate signifyed his Pleasure The Motions and Whispers of the Spirit are not an audible Voice the manner of Gods speaking is related thus The Word of God speaketh forth it self at first simply in Power Univ. Grace p. 87. 88. Vertue Light and Life rather than in words and afterwards words are given and that very Distinctly heard and apprehended So that the Quakers Inspirations come rather at first by signs and Symbols than Words and that is a darker way of Expression Im. Re. p. 171. 58. For the Plainest words cannot give the knowledge of the things and words even the best cannot give the knowledg of God c. that must be strange which words cannot express though they pretend to receive it from the Mouth of the Lord or vivâ voce from him Q. no Christ p. 121. 272. New Law 96 Parnels shield 38. Im. Rev. 14. Q. spi Court p. 7. but they may questionless hear his Voice for they can see the Invisible he sees his maker and lives in the light some of them have had appearances of God the Saints have an intuitive knowledge of God in this life so that though Fox in the Divine Light could never see Angels nor Spirits yet they can see and hear God and they succeed several herein Theod. Eccl. Hist l. 4. c. 11. Dr. Causabons Enth. p. 103. 161 163 164. The Messalians did behold the Trinity with their eyes God did talk with Ignatius Loyola and the Holy Maid saw God Heaven and Hell and the Soul of Christ in its Purity And that strange Enthusiast in Acosta talked of conversing with God and the Alumbrados or Spanish Quakers said They might see God Visibly in their Ecstacyes 2. They receive the Gospel by the Gift of God p. 245. from the Divine Power it self p. 232. not once naming in this regard that great Prophet who in the days of his flesh taught us but these are two general words technically to Imply the manner of Inspiration for every good and perfect gift comes from God and yet it is not handed down by Revelation 3. Divine Revelation consists in opening discovering or expounding Teaching the true sence and meaning of Scriptures by opening discovering and making known the Will of God therein exprest this is Revelation for whatsoever is discovered or made known is Revealed p. 255. a new Notion by which the Apocalypse must be the easiest book and the Revelation of John must be the Exposition of John but he useth the word doubly sometimes properly as p. 238. for Gods conveying such a Message unto a man at other times he takes it loosly for the understanding the Message so brought Whereas Divine Revelations do not depend upon our right understanding them but upon Gods conveying them unless he be of the Jesuits mind that the Scripture not being understood is no Scripture and if discovering be Revealing then every Artist or Inventer is a Revealer So Dr. Harvey was a Revealer of the Circulation of blood Pecquet the Revealer of the passage of the Chyle Vesputius or Columbus were the Revealers of America and the Discoverer of the Isle of Pines was such a Revealer as Thomas Ellwood and by this there will be plenty of books of Revelations Univer Gra. p. 24. The book of Creation being a sealed book till the Divine and Spiritual Illumination of the Holy Spirit of God do unseal it Reveal and open and make known the things that are therein contained CHAP. XIII Of the Texts of Scripture Produced by
him TH. Ellwood representing the Holy Scriptures dark and unintelligible attempts to prove his Immediate Teachings from those dark texts which he saith cannot be understood without Immediate Inspiration and which we deny the having of 't is a manner of proceeding that makes the Scriptures confute themselves and supposeth men fools who must admit that which cannot be understood Yet so far to be understood as to be a proof against it self and no further other proofs of Inspiration are only in this case proper but seeing he hath no Evidences else let us try those Expositions his Spirit gives of some places This Prophecy he confesseth begun to be fulfilled at Pentecost but denyeth that it is yet ended Joel 2.28 p. 270. but Joel foretells not the reacting of old Prophecyes only that after its cessation for many years there should be another more plentifull Effusion of the Spirit then had been before St. Peter an Inspired Interpreter refers it to that very thing the Descent of the Spirit Act. 2.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this is that c. in the present tense and dare Thomas Ellwood sence it otherwise Well may they controll Expositions of men when they contradict that of the Spirit if it belong to all than the Papacy had it and Thomas Ellwood will lose his share we being flesh and he Spirit but the Apostle makes that very days Wonder to be the fulfilling of it which he uttered upon receit of the Gift of Tongues before other Miracles were wrought why is not the Spirit as Visible now as in that Chamber in Sion why do Quakers deny Prophecyes Visions Dreams strictly taken and insist for Revelation not there named Joel hath afterwards which Peter adapting to the Jewish State calleth the last days the Scripture sence thereof will clear it that last days refer to some determinate period of time reason will tell us for that last days should signify all time is not possible for the now last are before the succeeding last and each taking his own for the last days nothing could be certain thus H. Nicholas applyed the last days to his Prophecy upon an hundred and twenty years agon New Law p. 11. Glory of Church 8. The Leveller took latter times to support his own fancy Howgil in 1661. called those the last days So did Truth Exalted in 1658. p. 1. but latter days is an Old Testament phrase Gen. 49. 1. Num. 24.14 Isa 2.2 Referring oft to the last days of the Jewish Government within which Christ was to appear but to inlarge last days to all the periods of Christianity is very improper and will leave nothing determinate Thus Heb. 1.2 God hath in these last days c. i. e. not in our last which may not be the last by many hundreds but in those last a while before the throwing down of the Jewish inclosure St. Peters last days 2 Pet. 3.3 are followed v. 13. with looking for a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness that refers not to the day of Judgment when we look for no new Earth but to the state of Christianity the Jewish last days being out a new Holy State of Christianity should commence this is that World to come Heb. 2.5 which is not put in Subjection to Angels as the Jewish World was Christ the Everlasting Father Isa 9.6 is the Father 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this Future 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Period Age World or State which is to be Everlasting never antiquated by any supervening Dispensation These two States of Moses and Christ are conjoyned 1 Cor. 10.11 the ends of the World are come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon the Apostles the extreams of those two periods met the ends of those two States concentred and concurred So Heb. 9.26 he hath once in the end of the World not of this World Christ is not to die again but at the end of the Jewish World he dyed at the close or shutting up of that State and St. John surviving them all calls it the last hour all flesh refers to Gentiles as well as Jews some of all Ages some of all Sexes c. at the return of the Spirit of Prophecy should be so Inspired If T. Ellwood inlarge this to all he must confute St. Peters Present Tense he must produce visible Proofs of the Spirit as the Apostles did and lastly both as to this and other Texts shew his party to be wholly intrusted with the Revelations therein supposed Ephes 1.17 The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation or the Wisdom and Revelation of the Spirit but Immediate p. 227. instant conferring is not named or if it was it had been sutable to that first Plantation or if you have it at present then we desire Evidences of such before we give Credit but the word either implyes ability of Exposition of the figures of the Old Testament Dr. Ham. Grot. or the foretelling Future things which man cannot find out but the Spirit still reveals to us gradually in Blessing the used means inlightning our minds c. Rom. 8.9 p. 232. All true Believers received and must receive the Spirit but it doth not require of Immediate instant Inspiration but the Spirit of Sanctification and Adoption v. 10 13. c. 2 Cor. 4.6 God hath shined in our hearts but it doth not say Immediately p. 232. the Gospel which is outwardly proposed is a Glorious Light when it is inwardly entertained but it was by the Ministry of Paul they received that Light Grot. v. 7. that Treasure being brought them in earthen vessels in the face of Jesus that is by Jesus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a Person it is id omne quod sensibus exterioribus percepitur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophil p. 233. Gal. 1.16 Thomas Ellwood crowds together several things which are not in that Text but the Apostle shews how he received the Gospel not of man by certain ear Testimony as St. Luke and St. Mark did but from Jesus Christ himself who called him and taught him Act. 9. 22. and 26. In me is either unto me or by me or if in me yet not so as to destroy Christs outward calling and commissionating him p. 233. Ephes 3.3 7. He sets this in the Margin without the Words which concern only the Revelation of that Mystery viz. the taking in the Gentiles to be Fellow heirs v. 6. which Revelation is oft referred to and implyed in Scripture p. 237. 2 Pet. 1.21 Here he makes a wide inference because Prophecy came not by the Will of man c. Therefore the Scriptures must be understood only by the Revealings of the Spirit the Immediate influx of Prophetick light into anothers Soul is of a different nature from my sensing or understanding that Light which he received for if the Prophets could not conceive or write intelligibly what the Spirit spoke no more can Thomas Ellwood for the Spirit was as able to speak
of the Gospel nor directed to the Disciples by which he dispatcheth also much that Christ spoke 5. To do that more effectually he breaks all in pieces with this reply p. 37. it was under the Law before the One offering was actually offered up making what Christ spoke whilst alive and Executing his Prophetick Office to signify nothing to us 6. He makes the Apostles to speak by way of condescension to take in others and omit themselves p. 77. which though sometimes used yet must not be pressed when such terms as we All Jam. 3.2 do include themselves as well as others 7. He declines the Lords Prayer as taught p. 81. when the Disciples were young and weak c. which equally destroys the whole Sermon on the Mount at the same time delivered Thus David George and the Familists said the Scripture was given to Novices 8. He changeth Tenses p. 137. is should be read was an alteration which if allowed may be serviceable to strange purposes 9. He inlargeth to his party the particular Promises made to the Apostles p. 228. and the Commands as Matth. 10. about meat and drink 10. He conceals the unkind parts of a Text which favour not his Pretensions p. 230. this he conceals with an c. he shall bring to your remembrance all things c. and quoting John 16.13 he wholly omitteth the last word he shall shew you things to come and yet challengeth all the other Promises 11. He gives Christs words a downright denyal p. 20. to that Command Mat. 23.3 to do whatsoever they bid them he replyes nay hold there we have had too much of that already He fastens also a Ridiculous Command upon God whilst he saith to challenge a property in mans Labour c. is ridiculous p. 335. when as the Priests by Gods Command had a Property therein receiving the Tenth of that Increase obtained by sweat care industry c. And he saith That Christs Excellency lay not in Humane Learning p. 207. had he said His Commission lay not there he had spoken like a Schollar of so All knowing a Master He that made the Eye shall he not see c. Suppose a man be pressed to any Duty Thomas Ellwood hath furnished him with evasions the Law doth not oblige nor what Christ spoke before his Death this discards the Old Testament and the Gospel and the Remainder may be avoided by his Rules as spoke to such as were weak or under the Law or by way of Condescension or if none cut the knot yet the last breaks the Bonds insunder Nay hold there we have had enough of that already thus whilest he is pleading men may live without Sin he enervates that Doctrine which was designed to keep them from it and his New Light attempts to turn true Old Religion out of the World The Conclusion HAving Considered his Pretence to Inspirations I think it not necessary now to view his Notion of Humane Learning that being in Effect yielded up by acknowledging that Learning must Translate put an English Bible into his hand for his Spirit if true is as able Immediately to do the one as the other When Thomas Ellwood considers Sacred Geography Historyes Prophecyes Chronology the Fabrick of the Temple the dispersion of People over the World Numbers Weights Coins Measures Customs Rites Proverbs with many such he must acknowledg the usefulness of Learning in other concerns besides bare translating the most convincing and beneficial Employment for him will be to let the World see the noble Fruits of his Interpreting Spirit for the Ministration of the Spirit being given to every one to profit withal 1 Cor. 12. he is bound to acquaint the World with his Inspired Expositions and if he please as a Specimen to begin with the Chronicles from what he doth perform In Prolâ—go we may be induced to change our thoughts about their Pretensions St. Hierom saith the Book of Chronicles is such that without it if a man arrogate to himself the knowledg of Scriptures he doth but abuse and delude himself and Dr. Lightfoot thinks that a close Comment on it would contribute much Light to the other Scriptures when we see solid Interpretations and not Allegorical Fancyes proceed from him we may entertain better Opinions but he must borrow none of our Aegyptians Jewels nor go to the Philistins Forge to sharpen his Weapons nor with David make use of the Sword of Goliath though wrapt in a Cloth behind the Ephod and that there be none like it For our security of his Faithful performing when he discerns his Spirit to seize on him let him repair to some Justice of peace or his Parish-Priest that by them he may be certifyed of the Truth or if his Spirit be indisposed like Baal be talking pursuing in a Journey or in a sleep and must be awaked we shall have patience a while till he be better fitted such a Specimen as above will for a while imploy us but I suppose he need no protracting of time the Spirit of Truth dwelling in them and suffering no recess he must be always ready but if he will bury that his Talent in a napkin and think a rejoynder sufficient I desire he will Demonstrate the Fruits of the Spirit in his proceedure The Jews put off difficult things till there stood up a Priest within Vrim and Thummim and afterwards till the coming of Elias if Quakers speak true better than those are now come among us 't is but a Reasonable Request we make viz. Apostolical Proofs of his Apostolical Inspirations or convincing Evidences to remove those many Reasons drawn up against his claims but he must not make out his pretensions from those Sacred Scriptures which he denies to be the Rule and looks upon as unintelligible without Inspiration and when they are produced do cunclude as fully for any other party as for his when he Demonstrates his Spirit some other way it will deserve another manner of discussion but besides Miracles he must produce the Spirit of Prophecy or certain proofs like Daniels weeks c. That this is the foretold Season when the Dispensation of Christ in the inward or in the Spirit was to Commence and withal Evidence that our English Quakers and Positively whether the Conforming or Non-conforming party are the Persons intrusted with the delivery of it or if he except against their being the off-spring of Winstanley it no way can prejudice us we having as much reason to believe a Levellers Inspirations as a Quakers There having been in the Preceeding Discourse Reference sometimes made to the Quakers Testimony or Constitutions and those being Destructive both of the Light in each man and of Thomas Ellwood's Immediate Revelation in each Believer they are here verbatim Presented A Testimony from the Brethren who were met together at London in the third Month 1666. to be Communicated to the Faithfull Friends and Elders in the Countries by them to be Read in their several Meetings and
kept as a Testimony among them We your Friends and Brethren whom God hath called to Labour and Watch for the Eternal good of your Souls at the time aforesaid being through the Lords good hand who hath Preserved us at Liberty met together in his Name and Fear were by the Operation of the Spirit of Truth brought into a serious Consideration of this present State of the Church of God Which in the day of her return out of the Wilderness hath not oâ—â—â— many Open but some Covert Enâ—mies to Conflict against Who are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities and dâ—spise Goverâ—mâ—nt without 〈◊〉 we are seâ—sible our Societies and Fellowship cannot be kept Holy and Inviolable Therefore as God hath put it into our hearts we do Communicate these things following unto you who are turned from Darkness to Light and Profess with us in the Glorious Gospel throughout Nations and Countries Wherein we have Travelled as well for a Testimony against the unruly as to Stablish and Confirm them unto whom it is given to believe the Truth which is unto us very precious as we believe it is also unto you who in Love have received it and understood the Principles and felt the Virtue and Operation of it In which our Spirits breath that we all may be preserved untill we have well finished our Course and Testimony to the Honour and Glory of our Lord God who is over all blessed for ever 1. We having a true sence of the Working of the Spirit which under a Profession of Truth leads into a Division from and Exaltation above the Body of Friends who never revolted nor degenerated from their Principles into marks of Separation from the Constant Practice of good and antient Friends who are found in the Faith once delivered to us And also into a slight esteem of their Declarations or Preaching who have and do approve themselves as the Ministers of Christ and of the Meetings of the Lords People whereby and wherein Friends are and often have been Preciously revived and refreshed And under Pretence of keeping down Man and Forms doing down the Ministry and Meeting or Encourage those that do the same We say The Lord giving us to see not only the Working of that Spirit and those that are joined to it that bring forth these ungrateful fruits but also the â—vil Consequents and Effects of it which are of no less Importance than absolutely tending to destroy the work of God and lay wast his Heritage We do unanimously being thereto encouraged by the Lord whose Presence is with us declares and testifie That neither that Spirit nor such as are joyned to it ought to have any Dominion Office or Rule in the Church of Christ Jesus whereof the Holy Spirit that was poured forth upon us hath made us Members and Overseers Neither ought they to act or order the affairs of the same But are rather to be kept under with the Power of God till they have an Eâ—r opâ—n to Instruction and come into Subjection to the Witness of God of the encrease of whose Kingdom and Government there shall be no end 2. We do declare and testifie That that Spirit and those that are joined to it who stand not in unity with the Ministry and Body of Friends that are constant and stedfast to the Lord and to his unchangeable Truth which we have receiv'd and are witnesses of and Ambassadors have not any true Spiritual Right or Gospel-Authority to be Judges in the Church and as the Ministry of the Gospel of Christ so as to Condemn you and their Ministry Neither ought their Judgment to be any more regarded by Friends than the Judgment of other Opposers who are without For of Right the Elders and Members of the Church which keep their Habitation in the Truth ought to Judge matters and things that differ and their Judgment which is so given therein ought to stand good and valued among Friends which though it be kickt against and disapproved by them who have degenerated as aforesaid And we do further declare and testifie That it is abominable Pride which goeth before Destruction that so puffs up the mind of any particular that he Will not admit of any judgement to take place against him For he that is not justifyed by the Witness of God in Friends is condemn by it in himself though being hardned he may boast over it in a false Confidence 3. If any Difference arise in the Church or amongst them that profess themselves Members thereof We do declare and testifie That the Church with the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ have Power without the assent of such as dissent from their Doctrine and Practices to hear and determine the same If any pretend to be of us and in case of Controversie will not admit to be tryed by the Church of Christ Jesus nor submit to the Judgment given by the Spirit of Truth in the Elders and Members of the same but kick against their judgment as only the Judgment of Man it being manifested according to Truth and Consistent with the Doctrine of such good antient Friends as have been and are found in the Faith agreeable to the Witness of God in his People then we do testifie in the Name of the Lord if that Judgment so given be risen against and denyed by the party Condemned then he or she and such as so far partake of their Sins as to Countenance and Encourage them therein ought to be rejected and having Err'd from the Truth persisting therein presumptuously are joyned in one with Heathens and Infidels 4. We do declare That if any go abroad hereafter pretending to that Weighty Work and Service who either in Life or Doctrine grieve good Friends that are stedfast in the Truth sound in the Faith so that they are not manifest in their Consciences but disagree to the Witness of God in them Then ought they whatever have been their Gifts to leave them before the Altar and forbear going abroad and Ministring until they are reconciled to the Church and have the Approbation of the Elders and Members of the same And if any that have been so approved of by the Church do afterwards degenerate from the Truth and do that which tendeth to Division and Countenance Wickedness and Faction as some have done then the Church hath a True Spiritual Right and Authority to call such to Examination and if they find sufficient cause for it by good testimony may Judge them unfit for the Work of Gods Ministry whereof they have rendred themselves unworthy and so put a stop to their Proceedings therein And if they Submit not to the Judgment of the Spirit of Christ in his People then ought they Publickly to be declared against and Warning given to the Flock of Christ in their several Meetings to beware of them and to have no fellowship with them that they may be ashamed and Lambs and Babes in Christ preserved 5. And if any man or Woman
which are out of the Unity with the Body of Friends Print or cause to be Printed or published in Writing any thing which is not of Service for the Truth but tends to the Scandalizing and reproaching of faithful Friends or to beget or uphold Division and Faction then we do warn and Charge all Friends that do love Truth as they desire it may prosper and be kept clear to beware and take heed of having any hand in Printing republishing or spreading such Books or Writings And if at any time such Books be sent to any of you that sell Books in the Country after that you with the Advice of good and serious Friends have tryed them and find them faulty to send them back again whence they come And we further desire from time to time faithfull and sound Friends may have the view of such things as are Printed upon Truth 's account as formerly it hath used to be before they go to the Press that nothing but what is sound and Savory and that will answer the Witness of God even in our Adversaries may be exposed to publick Vieu 6. We do advise and counsel That such as are made Overseers of the Flock of God by the Holy Spirit and do Watch for the good of the Church Meeting together in their Respective Places do set and keeep the Affairs of it in good Order beware of Admitting or Encouraging such as are Weak and of little Faith to take such Trust upon them for by hearing things disputed that are doubtfull such may be hurt themselves and may hurt the Truth not being grown into a good understanding to judge of things Therefore We exhort That you who have received a true sence of things be diligent in the Lord's Business and keep the Meetings as to him that all may be kept pure and clean according to that of God which is just and equal We also advise That not any be admitted to order Publick business of the Church but such as have felt in a Measure of the Universal Spirit of Truth which seeks the Destruction of none but the General good of all and especially those that love it who are of the Houshold of Faith So Dear Friends and Brethren believing your Souls will be refreshed in the Sence of our Spirits and Integrity towards God at the reading of these things as ours were while we sate together at the opening of them and that you will be one with us on the behalf of the Lord and his Pretious Truth against those who would limit the Lord to speak without Instruments or by what Instruments they list and reject the Counsel of the Wise-men and the Testimony of the Prophets which God sanctifyed and sent among you in the day of his Love when you were gathered and would not allow him liberty in and by his Servants to appoint tâ—me and place wherein to meet together to wait upon and worship him according as he requireth in Spirit and calling it Formal and the Meeting of Man We say believing that you will have Fellowship with us herein as we have with you in the Truth we commit you to God and the Word of Life which hath been Preached to you from the beginning which is neither limited to place nor time nor persons but hath Power to limit us to each as pleaseth him that you with us and we with you may be built up in our most holy Faith and be Preserved to Partake of the Inheritance which is Heavenly amongst all them that are Sanctifyed Richard Farnsworth Alexander Parker George Whitehead Josiah Coale John Whitehead Thomas Loe. Stephen Crispe Thomas Green John Moon Thomas Briggs James Parkes The Summ of the Particulars handled in the preceeding Treatise DIvisions are no argument against the Truth of Christianity p. 1. The Holy Scriptures are by some thought too plain and by others too obscure p. 2. Quakers give better names to their own Books than to the Scriptures p. 3. Their beginning was in 1648. p. 4. Winstanley the Leveller was their Father p. 5. 6. They have a great resemblance to Rome p. 7. 8. The many disadvantages in Treating with them p. 9. Their unchristian temper in Controversies pag. 10. 11. They misapply Scripture words as the old Hereticks did p. 12. 13. T. Ellwood's Ignorance and Impudence about St. Basil p. 14. About St. Greg. Nazianzene and Sosiades p. 15. And in calling the Martyrs our Godly Martyrs p. 16. 17. Quakers deny themselves to be Protestants p. 16. Thomas Ellwood's sauciness towards the King p. 18 19. Quakers have dangerous Doctrines about Kings and Magistrates p. 19 â—â— Their degrading of the Nobility p 20. And contempt of other Orders of men p. 21. Thomas Ellwood's manner of claiming Inspirations concludes as much for others as for themselves p. 22. God affords sufficient means of Conviction p. 23. Immediate Revelation should be attested with Evidences p. 24. Revelation is a more easy thing than studying p. 25. The various Claimers of Infallibility confute each other p. 26. Quakers Challenge the Internal work of the Spirit but deny the External p. 27. Thomas Ellwood and his party 's high demands p. 28. His seeming Concessions p. 29. Christ was the Apostles Instructor before the Spirit p. 31. Quakers make Christs Prophetick office to signify nothing p. 32. Or confound Jesus and the Spirit p. 33. The manner of the Apostles Instructions recited p. 34. Quakers differ about the Apostles knowledge p. 35. The Apostles were certain Witnesses of Christ and the Writers of the N. T. wrote upon their certain knowledge p. 36. No new books of Scriptures can now be written 37. The Holy Spirit did inwardly pursue what Christ had outwardly delivered p. 38. Enthusiasm destroys the settled grounds of Religion p. 39. Quakers called themselves Apostles and Prophets p. 40. They make the Apostaâ—y to begin with the second Century p. 41. They are very unlike the Apostles p. 42. Successours cannot receive like predecessours p. 43. The first settling a Dispersation must not always continue p. 44. God is not prodigal of Miracles p. 45. Quakers Inspirations must be as unintelligible as those of St. Paul or others p. 46. The Texts produced by T â—â—â—wood prove against him p. 47. What was promised 〈◊〉 he Apostles shâ—uld not be inlarged to all p. 48. Quakers like Celsus and the Gnosticks pretend much knowledge p. 49 Thomas Ellwood borrows Renewing of Revelations from George Keith p. 51. Their damnable Essential of Religion p. 52. 53. Their great slighting of the Canon of Scripture p. 54. 55. Repetition of Revelation reinforces the Law of Moses p. 56. destroys the Reality of History p. 57. and the determinateness of Prophecy p. 58. Confound the Revelations of Men and Women p. 60. The Spirit doth not repeat what was spoken by himself or by other ways before p. 61. 62. Quakers pretend Revelations for Wordly matters p. 64. Gods Dispensations are Regular and Orderly p. 65. Quakers lose themselves in a Circle p. 66.
tryed by the Scripture that we must now go by motions not by motives that when God comes to dwell in a man he so fills the Soul that there is no more lusting with such like When Hell was broke loose these and some others were maintained in 1645. which are suck'd in by the Quakers as Edwards 2d part of Gangraena p. 2d That Christs Presence in Heaven cannot be proved by Scripture they pretended Revelations and Visions God conveys his Will immediately not lawful to give Thanks after Meat that they are acted by Christ in all that some are as perfect here as ever they shall be in Heaven Tho. Hall the Pulpit guarded in the Epistle Such a Catalogue we find in another with Additionals which I shall not stand to transcribe But the very draughts and even Body of Quakerismly in the several Works of Gerrard Winstanley a zealous Leveller wherein he tells of the arising of new Times and Dispensations The New law of Righteousness dated Jan. 26. 1648 and challengeth Revelation very much for what he writ The Humane Body was not the Christ but the Spirit in that Body in the Preface p. 11. Christ the anointing shall dwell in every one as he dwelt in the man Christ Jesus p. 13. the Rising up of Christ in Sons and Daughters is his second coming the ministration of Christ in one single person is to be silent p. 21. Father and Son are all one only the Father is the Vniversal power in the whole Globe the Son is the same Power drawn into and appearing in a single person p. 53. Priests teach for hire Tithes brought in by the Pope p. 61. The Resurrection is begun p. 85. Without Voice Vision or Revelation men know not what they speak p. 103. The Righteous at Death enter into the Father himself p. 111. all Expositions are to cease and we are to wait with a quiet silence p. 112. Speak from the Original lâ—ght within The Saints Paradise Pag. 1. Teaching out of Scripture is but mans teaching p. 14. the anointing teacheth without the Scriptures p. 23. you Idolize Scripture p. 73. The Father lies buried under the Vnrighteous fleshly power p. 81. Jesus Christ is now upon his rising from the dead the time is come p. 83. Jesus is the light within every one p. 94. the Holy Law is not the Letter of the Scripture but the Spirit The Mystery of God revealed to his servants P. 7. God will dwell in every Man and Woman as he did in Christ the Pledge or first fruits He maketh seven several dispensations the fifth is p. 31. Gods manifesting in the flesh of Christ the 6th is p. 32. Gods appearing in the Flesh of his Saints tell the Resurrection day which he makes a clearer Dispensation than the former Truth lifting up his head above Scandals Octob. 16. 1648. P. 11. A Christ within is thy Saviour p. 16. the Apostles seeing Christ ascend was a declaration in Vision of the Spirits rising up p. 18. Christs body went into the four Elements to purify them p. 19. his Spirit went into his Father p. 29. Father Son and Spirit are three names of one power p. 46. Magistrates have nothing to do in matters of Religion p 70. you must have a command within p. 73. Humane Learning quarrelled at Fire in the Bush P. 20. The Law Spirit God Christ Heaven within you p. 33. Christ the anointing within leads into all truth p. 46. the Seed or Christ is to be seen within he is no Saviour that is at a distance Jâ—sus at a distance from thee will never save thee With many such expressions over and over repeated That these are the Quakers Principles is well enough known allowing some little alterations as few Sect-Masters but have their Doctrine varied by their Proselytes And the Religious Orders of the Church of Rome have suffered super Reformations Now considering these Opinions the Year the Country as the Mystery of God is Dedicated to his beloved Countrymen of the County of Lancaster the Printer Giles Calvert New Law c. p. 44 ad 75. Fire in the Bush p. 64. ad sinem An Humble Request to Ministers and Lawyers all over and that several Levellers settled into Quakers incline to take them for Winstanleys Disciples and a branch of the Levellers And what this man writes of levelling mens estates of taking in of Commons that none should have more ground than he was able to Till and Husband by his own labour Proving unpracticable by reason of so many tough old Laws which had fixed Propriety yet it is pursued by the Quakers as near as they well can in Thou'ing every one in denying Titles Civil Respects and terms of Destinction among men and at the first they were for Community A Faithful Discovery of Mistical Antichrist c. p. 39. thinking it unreasonable that one man should have so much and another so little and some of them were not free to be tenants to other men And George Fox said one man ought not to be above another Informat at Lancaster Octob. 5. 1652. Besides these the Quakers have some other Opinions most what Negative like touch not tast not handle not which are the distinctive Shibboleths of the Sect yet possibly they may be in other of the works of Winstanley however he gives in these some hints towards them New Law c. p. 125. Truth lifting up c. p. 43. p. 28. p. 68. His new Spiritual man will neither Preach nor Pray nor say Grace when he sitteth down to meat as the Custom of Professors is Christ and his Apostles did not Preach and Expound any Text Customarily as the Parish Gods do the second man will change Times and Customs all these outward Forms and Customs are to cease and pass away viz. Ordinances Sacraments Sabbaths c. And herein the Quakers do follow him and others of their Opinions might be added or improved by their After teachers and if we assert that Rome had an Agency therein at least as a pattern likely we should not be mistaken Trembling and Quaking was kown before their Appearance Thomas Newton had a Vision by night of the Virgin Mary appearing to him and saying Newton John Gee foot out of the Snare p. 63. 64. see that thou do not take the Oath of Allegiance He had other Visions besides that which if he should repeat would make a man Tremble and Quake The Alumbrades or Spanish Quakers that are Seniors to ours above twenty years had Burnings Tremblings or Quakings Dr. Causabons Enthusiasm p. 174. Idem p. 161. and Swounings The Holy Maid or Sister Katherine of Jesus began her fit in the Church with trembling So that she let her wax Candle fall to the ground from that time her Visions began to be very frequent The Quakers cannot well out go St. Francis in perfection for he was like Adam in Innocency Mr. Fowlis Hâ—st Popish Treasons