Selected quad for the lemma: truth_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A31688
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The character of a fanatick by a person of quality.
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Person of quality.
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1675
(1675)
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Wing C1972; ESTC R25980
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3,649
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9
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THE CHARACTER OF A FANATICK By a Person of Quality ICH â—† DIEN LONDON Printed in the Year 1675. THE CHARACTER OF A FANATICK HE is a person of a more exercised faith than understanding one governed by Instinct not Intellect and who like those of old never thinks he has enough of the Deity till beside himself You may call him if you please a perpetual motion or a restless whirligig ever Turning from bad to worse or the Ignis fatuus of Divinity carried about with every wind least considering whence it cometh or whether it goeth as even such likewise is every one that is born of him It may be thought the Prophet had somewhat like him in his eye in that wheel of his within a wheel for of himself he never was but ill-split from another like those imperfect dough-bak'd Creatures produced by the Sun on the banks of Nile so that his generation is founded in Corruption and his extraction of the same Parentage with Monsters not intended but produced His Principles are like the Chaos a confused lump of every thing and nothing or a Gallimofry of negatives nor this nor that nor t'other but what he is no man knows no not the Angels in Heaven nor himself to boot this only excepted that he is more party colour'd than Joseph's Coat and patch'd together of more pieces than a Taylor 's Cushion Nor is his practise much unsuitable to his principles he puts on Religion as a Cloak not a Gâ—rment and varnishes his Impostures with Holiness to the Lord Thus Absalom pretends a Sacrifice when his business is Rebellion and Herod a Worship when his design is Murther not with much wonder Machiavel the Florentine hath taught him he that would gain by deceit must first acquire a credit by at least a shew of integrity and he that would practise upon the people must follow the old rule of Finge Deum such Influence have solemn looks and verily verily upon the multitude who have little else to pass them for men but speech and figure Hence it is that he puts off his Tinsel for Standard and the Maggots of his own brain for divine Inspiration That he obtruces his Enthusiasmes for Visions and justifiâ—s Homer that even such dreams are of God That he takes a holy pride to himself and says to the rest of the world stand off that he calls the common infirmities of Mankind Crying sins National sins Bow-dyed sins and his own Mormo's but slips and failings that he can see no sin in Jacob nor iniquity â—n his Israel of God That he caâ—ls them the only Holy only Chosen only Godly only precious only spiriâ—ually-discerning people That he puts a discriminating Schibolleth on others as Formalists Carnalists dry-Moralists wither'd Fig-trees outside men negative-Holiness-men Opus-operatum-men will worshippers Laodiceans and what not That he talks of nothing but new light and Prophesie spiritual Incomes In-dwellings Emanations Manifestations Sealings and the like gibberish and canting To which also the zealous twang of the Nose adds no small efficacy That he runs Counter to all things in power and treads the Antipodes to every thing commanded and for no other reason but because commanded for it may be observed that the Lords Prayer was not so absolutely thrown out of the Kirk till recommended by its own directory In short That he calls subjection in matters of Religion a tying up the spirit and all Injunctions even in things indifferent a manifest invading the Sanctum sanctorum And now the â—reat cry is persecution for Conscience nothing in his mouth but destitute afflicted and the common Corollary but not forsaken Alas alas the habitations of Jacob are swallow'd and the places of the Assembly taken away A bow is bent against the daughter of Judah and the breach of the Virgin of Sion is like a great Sea whereas on the other hand let him be but as in the years past and that Sun once more shine on his Tabernacle This success new modess his Conscience and like Aaron's rod he swallows up every thing that lies in his way Even Princes must lay their hands on their mouths and the Nobles not speak again to his words The Poor distressed is become Hogan Mogan and the Servus servorum Dominus dominantium The little flock claims a Kingdom in condigno and the chosen generation sets up for a Royal Priesthood In short this little Horn takes a mouth to himself speaking mighty things and his language is Overturn Overturn Overturn And now he makes his Doctrine suitable to his Text and owns above-board that Dominion is founded in Grace not Nature That the goods of this world are properly the Elects That himself and his Hyperdolins are the only Israelites and all the rest Aegyptians That the new Jerusalem must be propagated as the second Temple was built with the Sword in one hand and the Trowel in t'other or as the Abbot in Hen. 3ds time gave it in absolution to the Earl of Leicester Gladium spiritualem sine gladio materiali nihil posse What shall I add He declares that quis suscitabit eum was personally meant of his Tribe And yet this man has his followers and these of the honorable Women too not a few for to say truth his conversation is much after the rate of that before the Flood the sons of God among the daughters of men Devotion in all places whether true or false being most natural to that Sex 'T was the Devil's policy to our first Parents for well he knew that to beguil Eve was the ready way to hook in Adam And thus he proves a stumbling block to the Wives and a rock of offence to the Husbands In brief like the Dragon in the Apocalyps his tail draws a third part of the stars and casts them to the Earth the reason is obvious Fortitudo ejus in lumbis ejus virtus umbilico ventris But to proceed his profession is like his Allegiance a meer Fucus yet so well laid on one at first sight could not but swear 't were natural His Common-place Polyanthea and Concordance and the height of his School-Divinity the Assemblies Catechism His Prayer a Rapsody of holy hickops sanctified barkings illuminated goggles sighs sobs yexes gasps and groans not more intelligible than nauseous However to give him his due he Prays most heartily for the King but with more distinctions and mental reservations than an honest man would have taken the Covenant From hence as out of the third Heaven he falls by head and shoulders into his preachment which what other is it than a wild career over hill and dale till the afternoon Chimes stop him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thump upon thump yelp upon yelp doctrine upon doctrine rule upon rule reason upon reason text upon text proof upon proof direction upon direction motive upon motive sign upon sign token upon token precept upon precept here a little and there a little effect upon effect and uses more than innumerable and