that time her Visions began to be very frequent The Quakers cannot well out go St. Mr. Fowlis Hâ—st Popish Treasons p. 2. 6. Francis in perfection for he was like Adam in Innocency 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 outwent them for he received the Holy Ghost with the same Glory of a slaming Tongue as the Apostles did and had also the Gift of Tongues given him by inspiration If Quakers refuse to Salute or put off the Hat Dr. Stillingfleet's Idola p. 273. they have a good President 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 Menists of late but the Beguardi or Spiritual Brethren of the Franciscan Order made the like denyal Idem p. 255. The Maintenance which the Quakers allow unto their Ministers is much like unto that of the Franciscans who go 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 desire we find far earlier than those Orders even the old false Prophets Ezek. 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 successione 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 propriis 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 Aeternum 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 Rational Humble and sweet Spirit of Christianity and there is more disadvantage in treating with them than any other Party For We have no Solemn Publick Instrument of theirs containing their Faith Their Judgments in Theological points their way of Worshipping God c. agreed upon by them to which they will engage to stand and by which for the future they will be concluded but each Writer states things according to his 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 tryed 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
they though wrested to some mens Damnation Hezekiah and Josiah c. read the words 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 phaâ— 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 â—â—â—â—ediate 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 a-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
CHRISTIANITY NO Enthusiasm OR The Several KINDS of Inspirations and Revelations Pretended to by the QUAKERS Tried and found Destructive TO HOLY SCRIPTURE AND True Religion In Answer to Thomas Ellwood's Defence thereof in his Tract Miscalled Truth Prevailing c. Rev. 2.2 Thou hast tryed them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them Liars LONDON Printed by T. D. for Henry Brome at the Gun at the West end of St. Pauls 1678. Imprimatur Guil. Sill. Aug. 30. 1677. The Epistle To the READER THere coming lately to my hand a Book called Truth Prevailing and detecting Error c. written by Th. Ellwood pretending to be an Answer to a certain Tract named a Friendly Conference between a Minister and a Parishioner of his enclining to Quakerism c. Composed by a Respected Friend of mine and understanding how that by the Quakers it was esteemed as one of their strongest pieces and by them thrust into the hands both of some Magistrates and other persons of several Qualityes into whose acquaintance they could insinuate I set my self to the perusal of it The Cavils Sleights false Quotations and Untruths in several parts thereof were easily discoverable but the Pretence to Immediate Revelation and Inspiration did most nearly affect me that being a tender matter which ought not to be claimed without the Greatest Certainty nor so much as mentioned without the Highest Regard because the Glory of God the Authority of the Scriptures the state and welfare of Humane Societies The Souls of all especially of those who are so facil as to Believe such pretences and the interest of the Christian Religion are all deeply Ingaged and Concerned in those Demands And having observed these and the like things 1. That Bad men Evil Designs Inward Heats Meâ—ancholy Fancies Satans Suggestions the want of better Arguments or the like have â—requently in all the Ages of the Church taken Sanctuary unâ—er so Sacred a cover as by â—he Catalogue given Chapter â—he Sixth doth sufficiently appear Which if necessary might be inlarged in those several Periods downwards to our own late licentious times when Inspirations and Heavenly Impressions were made the Common stale for many purposes 2. That the same Grounds which can induce any man to incline to Quakerism do as strongly ingage him both to Believe and own the several other Persons and Sects which makâ— use of the very same claim botâ— with an equal right and witâ— an equal confidence for wheâ— the Demands Proofs anâ— Reasons are alike the Reception and Entertainment therâ— of should be Answerable 3. Having Considered Th. Ellwoods manner of Stating the Case viz. That all Believers in all Ages p. 228. 229. in some Degree or other have inward Teachings and Immediate Revelations from the Spirit of God which dwells in them By which way of procedure he hath done as much disservice to that Cause he designed thereby to support as if he had been Hired professedly to subvert it for until he hath proved all other Persons in the World to be no Believers either not to have right Articles of Faith or which is more difficult to discover That their Hearts are not sincere and true in the Belief of them he hath argued them into Inspirations as good as his own and there are many such men who do profess and will make out themselves to be as True Believers as he is or can be and so at least by his own Rule they must have an Equal share of Inspirations with him whereby the Revelations of one side will be endlessly clashing against the Revelations of the other and in such Contests men will not know which party to adhere to Such things as these being weighed I determined to Examine his Pretensions in this matter and in Order thereto cast some thoughts together chiefly in reference to the Person and Prophetick Office of our Lord Jesus which by their Conceit of the Light sufficient within every man and a perpetual Flux of Inspiration from without are destroyed or rendred unnecessary This being done I was not satisfied merely from Thomas Ellwood to take my measures nor by one Writer to judge of an whole Sect though we may justly fasten upon such a Party as challengeth Immediate Revelation both to the whole Body and every Believer and Member of it whatever is written in matters of Religion especially in this highest part thereof by any of their number They also using such Caution about Licensing and Printing their Books as will appear from their 5th Constitution I therefore resolved to discover the Doctrine of Thomas Ellwood 's Brethren and accordingly searched into such of their Works or those they were concerned in as in this Country I could obtain it was some trouble to learn their Names and then procure them and when had it was but small pleasure to peruse them for whereas other Discourses do improve delight and reward these did little better than amuse Their Tearms were so wrested and their Style so forced and improper that we may apply to them what Martial said of Sextus his Books Non Lectore tuis opus est sed Apolline Libris St. In Praef. ad Libr. 1. Irenaeus took the pains to Discourse with to Examine the words and opinions of the Valentinians and such like Hereticks and even to read Commentarios ipsorum the very Books in which their Doctrines were contained though they were of so strange and disgustful a composure that as Erasmus observes in his Dedicatory Epistle before it none could read them without weariness unless he was armed with a mighty Patience quos nemo nisi patientis stomachi poterit absque toedio revolvere Whereupon Tertullian saith Adv. Valent. p. 287. That he was omnium doctrinarum curiosissimus explorator And as those Fathers observe some Opinions are so Monstrous so Trifling and contrary to sound Doctrine that they do offend and jade the Reader but withal the very opening of such Ware is a sufficient discovery of its Vileness and I think it is as easy a Work to understand the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. of the Valentinians these were their Tearms of Art and taken from the Scriptures also but most horribly wrested and perverted by them as to apprehend some of the first Books of the Quakers which are full of such Scripture words but new molded into their Sences The Result of that Search with Respect to the Subject matter is here presented and their Doctrines did prove much worse than I expected to have found them greater depths of Satan higher Mysteries of Iniquity more Equivocations and un-Christian Tenets did appear than my Charity thought them guilty of Amongst other pieces I think I have hit upon that which may be called their New Gospel and have discovered their very Head and Founder but if they like him not for their Father I think we need not to be much at a Loss to find out others For besides some few Singular Fancies there is
visibly in their exstacyes c. that all things ought to be done by Immediate Motions and Inspirations c. The Church of Rome proves her self the Temple of the Living God from these Revelations Borius de Signis Eccles L. 6. C. 2. in Dr. Spencers Prophecyes p. 15. Keiths Im. Rev. p. 99. or the voice of his Oracles heard therein she hath she tells us the Spirit of Prophecy called the Testimony 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 Jâ—sus 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 And the Councel of Laterane having prescribed Rules for the Preachers Session the 11. under Leo the 10. 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 Adver Libertin stifle or defame that Evangelicall Doctrine which he saw appearing 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 Winstaenley 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 De numero Sacramentorum Anabaptistae fingunt expectandas esse novas Revelationes c. 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. â— and galled the Church much totus corum 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 corum deformant C. 7. altering their signification when any place of Scripture was urged C. 9. their Answer was nos Literae minimè obnoxios esse 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 Divine 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 Rutherford p. 15. Ex schlus Selburgio he called for Spiritualness 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
immediate Communications as fully as T. E. Some sweet sips of Spiritual Wine sweetly and freely dropping c. A Prophecy a Vision a Revelation and the Interpretation thereof in the Title page and as many pages as there are we have almost as much talk of the Spirit That Tract is like the other Scriptures p. 1. the Father secretly whispering would not have him set down Book Chapter or Verse though he used Scripture Language p. 2. arise out of Flesh 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 Men 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. p. 40. after which there is neither Hell nor Devils left 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
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 O 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 erafty 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.
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 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 Prologo 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 Fancves 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 with 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 conclude 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
by such as were knowing Witnesses thereof If the Spirits inward Work chiefly consisted about such things as Christ had be fore outwardly delivered and if his inward Immediate Teachings might have been made out to Inquirers by outward Proofs If our Christian Religion was settled by such Eye and Ear Testimony and its whole Dispensation established by outward and sensible Evidences If the old Rule be true Ecclesia ab Apostolis Apostoli à Christo Christus à Deo that the Church received her Faith from the Apostles they from Christ and he from God as certainly this whole heap of Evidences is true and many more such might be added and their force can never be shaken Then Quakerism which tempts us with another kind of Christ and another Scheme of Religion is as Damnable and pernitious an Heresy as hath assaulted Christianity at any time The Introduction In which an Account is given Of the Quakers Original and Standing Page 5 Of their Temper in Debates Page 8 Of T. Ellwood's Learning and Honesty Page 13 Of his daring Confidence Page 18 The Contents CHAP. I. The State of the Case and the Manner of Proceeding Page 22 CHAP. II. How the Apostles came to the Knowledge of the Gospel Page 31 CHAP. III. Whether the Quakers be the Apostles Successours and receive the Knowledge of the Gospel in the same manner as the Apostles did Page 40 CHAP. IV. Of the Quakers Renewed or Repeated Revelations Page 51 CHAP. V. Of their Immediate Revelations Page 63 CHAP. VI. Of their Partners and Competitours in Revelation Page 70 CHAP. VII Of their contradictory different and designed Revelations Page 102 CHAP. VIII Of their Expository Revelations Page 127 CHAP. IX Of their Demonstration of the Spirit and new Dispensation Page 147 CHAP. X. Of their Experiences Page 157 CHAP. XI How the Primitive Christians came to the Knowledge of the Gospel Page 162. CHAP. XII Of the Quakers hearing the Voyce of God and some other claims Page 166 CHAP. XIII Of the Texts of Scripture produced by T.E. p. 169. CHAP. XIV Of his Destructive Rules of expounding Scripture Page 176 The Conclusion Page 179 The Author living at a great Distance these Errata's have escap't which the Reader is desired to mend with his Pen Pag. 17. lin 1. r. the Catholicks Nov. p. 21. l. 18. Dreamers p. 23. l. 7. there upon p. 24. l. 21. withal a. ib. l. 34. sects or ib. l. 35. have p. 41. l. 10 end p. 46 l 32 an inference p 47 l 2 Porphory p 50 l 17 sole teacher p 55 l 17. lines p 61 l 11 dele some p. 78. in marg aginst l. 1. Principles of the Elect. p. 48. ib. aginst l. 3. Pen. naked Tr. p. 25. ib. against l. 5. In Mr. Jenner p. 173. p 80 l. 31 Inspired p. 81 in marg l. 11 Bozius p. 92 l. 21. dele and so p 100 l. 9. indisputably p 101 l 5 from ib. l. 13. dele of p. 104 l. 4. this p. 105 l. 6. contradictious p 114 l. 15. of Hon. p 117 l. 7. superfaetation ib. l. 27. this p. 123. Baptista catum Syritus p 126. in marg Valentin p. 127 l. 4. third Favour p. 128 l. 18. wake p. 129 l. 3 diation p. 131. l. 26 dele whole p. 132. ult no more p 133. l. 31. which is p. 135. l 25 ssed ib. l. 31 dele the. p. 139. l. 8. continues p. 141. l. 28 that their l. 36 Eben p. 145 l 6. tually than by p. 148. marg Occum p. 159 l. 3. collatis ib. l. 17 invisible ib. l. 24 dumb p. 160. l. 6. powers p. 166. l. 11. dele in ib. l. 31. too general p. 175. l. 19. Remanent p. 178. l. 4. Thus he ib. l. 15. in a. p. 180 l. 1. Aegyptian ib. l 2. no nor p. 184. l. 24. meetings p. 186 l 7. dele which ib. l 16. condemned CHRISTIANITY NO Enthusiasm The Introduction THE Divisions among Christians being fomented by the Enemy of Souls are as Industriously retorted upon the very Profession as they were vigorously promoted hereby some are encouraged to Separation and others hence take the Confidence to dispute the truth of the Religion it self because of the various Sentiments of such as own it Celsus the Heathen Objected this early to which * Origen Cont. Cels p. 117 118. Origen gives a Satisfactory Reply And Vasens the Arian pretending to be offended at the same was satisfied by the Oration of Themistius †Socrat. Hist Eccl. l. 4. c. 27. 1 Cor. 11.19 That there were fewer Differences among Christians than among Philosophers Sozomen Histor Eccles l. 6. c. 36. The Apostle having fore-told that there must be Sects or Heresies instead of being an Argument against Christianity they prove one for it all Callings or Professions have their various Rules and Methods few Laws are made which meet not with various Expositions Exact Agreement seems more like a Design or Compact It is more possible to be at one in the ways of Errour and in darkness Men will stick closer together Whereas the more there is of Light and Truth Satan is the more concern'd against them and among such various Educations Interests and Tempers it cannot be Morally expected but that some singular Sect-Masters Masters will appear and toll in Proselytes And though our Differences are too many at present yet we can scarce pitch on any time during the Purity of the Church especially when Christianity was generally entertained wherein there were not as many different formed Parties as are now among us But whilst the sence of some Texts or Articles have been Debated the Sacred Scriptures themselves have met with severe measure By some their Authority and Truth have been disputed by others their Phraseology and Style One while their Language is too plain not Courtly enough nor strewed with Rhetorical Flowers The Heathens Objected this betimes That the Pen-men were unlearned Arnob. L. 1. Ab hominibus indoctis rudibus Scripta sunt trivialis sordidus sermo est Barbarismis Solaecismis obsitae res vestrae vitiorum deformitate pollutae the Style ordinary or mean that there were Barbarisms and Incongruities in those Books that their address is fitted to the Generality or Common People This Weapon was made use of sometimes Lactant. Lib. 5. C. 1. Haec imprimis causa est Scriptura Sancta fide careat quod Prophetae communi ac simplici sermone ut ad populum sunt locuti Nihil audire vel legere nisi expolitum volunt Minutius Faelix hath the like Cavil of Caecilius and in Clemen's Recognitions L. 1. The like is insisted on Simpliciter absque ullo dicendi fuco and Satan who is expert at the repeating his Old Stratagems hath new managed it in the mouths of Prophane Persons But his Arts also are many and his Methods contradictory He turns the Reverse as one while the Book of God is quarrelled at for plainness anon it is rejected in regard of its
Obscurity and Darkness The Romanists make it difficult to be understood Fiat lux Cap. 3. Sect. 15. p. 192. Sure footing in Christianity Sect. Dis p. 12 13. G. Keith Immed Revel not ceased p. 34. p. 96. 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 influenceth 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 sounding brass and Tinkling Cymbal a killing Letter it is onely the words that Christ himself speaks that are Spirit and Life and they who seek 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. The Works of William Smith upon his Principles 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. The Quakers plainness detecting fallacy p. 71. Whitehead acquaints us concerning the Quakers Writings That some of their Titles have not been strictly but figuratively placed upon their Books 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 Falsehood prevailing and protecting Errour I should do no Injustice for it is but a pursuance of their own Concessions But to new a while his self pleasing title why it is not less Humble than Truth prevailing is this given strictly or figuratively or imposed by his so much boasted of Inspiration The World is too wise to be gull'd with a book that bears a feather in its top it is truth we look for within not anticipating Titles without Modesty and Reason go further than a hundred such sounding Brasses or tinkling Cymbals Truth 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. 14. 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 dis own 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 temper 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 In Mr. Faldoes Q. no Christi Discourse bethe King and Hub. p. 3. p. 16. John Whitehead fixes it in the year 1648. and Hubberthorne in 1660. told the King that they were then twelve years standing 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
manner And what may not be made of any Book even of the very Bible when it is transposed inverted and single Phrases or Sentences disjoyned from the rest being chosen receive such or such an impress and are brought in to speak to such a purpose This Old Art Irenaeus well Illustrates by the semblance of such as transformed the Picture of a King into the likeness of a Dog or Fox by changing the scite and posture of the Gemms and Parts Quomodo si quis Regis Imaginem c. Lib. 1. C. 1. As if any should take the Picture of a King well made by a Wise Artist out of Precious stones and destroying the Figure of the Man should transfer these Jewels and by altering them make it into the form of a Dog or Fox and when they were so badly disposed yet still to say this is that good Picture of the King which such a Wise Artist made shewing those Jewels which at the first were well made up into the Picture of the King but were badly afterwards chop'd and translated into the Image of a Dog c. In like manner do these transgress the Order and context of the Scriptures and as much as in them lieth do dissolve the Members of the Truth and by such chopping and mangling do make one thing out of another and so seduce many Several also of the words used by the Valentinians and their Predecessors are used by the Quakers as terms of Art with their Signature upon them as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Prenae Lib. 1. Cap. 1. Epiphan Haeres 31. Word Life Power Spirit perfect or perfection so they called themselves The Seed of Election man Earth and Mankind are frequent and synonimous in Winstanley stilness depth silence which are Mystical words among the Quakers entring into the stilness meeting God in silence and the like See Mr. Faldoes Key They had also unscriptural terms of Art Achamoth Jaldabaoth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. And the Quakers have choice of theirs as Ravend ravening brain inwardly ravening from the Spirit Vulturous Eye the Seed in Prison invisible Miracles or Miracles in Spirit the Royal Noble Gentile Seed taking away the Tables and many such like 2. From them we shall now pass to make a few Remarks in the entrance upon Thomas Ellwood both as to his Honesty and Learning and also his Courage and Confidence in striking blind-fold about him As to his Honesty and Learning T. Ellwood's Honesty Learning There is a Vein of Sophistry and tripping that runs through his Tract and when the paint is off it is full of furrows and deformity there are many gross escapes which look ominously in a Treatise for Immediate Inspiration so that his search seems not to be after Truth but Victory I had thought that after his Book had been several Months Publick some Friend or himself might have observed the great unfaithfulness in many parts of it But meeting the 30th day of March with a Letter of his in which he seems well satisfied with his Atchievements that is Glories in his shame I found it convenient to hasten the Examination of part of his Work Part of the Letter is here inserted as a specimen of his temper Some thou sayest will needs have me to be a Jesuite and why Because of a little Learning Must none then have Learning but they and Jesuites This is the common but poor shift of Priests hard beset When they cannot maintain their ground they cry out their Opponent is a Jesuite as if none could be too hard for them but Jesuites by whom to be worsted they are not ashamed to think it no shame the more shame for them Well Truth is too hard for them and Jesuites too But whilst with some I pass for a Jesuite with others it seems I am but a Counterfeit The Name they think is feigned there 's no such Man c. If this were true what then There 's such a Book to be sure if there were no such Man as bears that name yet there must needs be such a Man as wrote that Book for the Book could not write it self But a third sort I perceive would not allow me to be a Quaker and why Because they think a Quaker could not have given such an Answer That proceeds from their Ignorance of Truth and the power of it And indeed the contrary is most true Had I not been a Quaker I could not have given such an Answer And at that rate he goes on ascribing his imaginary Triumphs to that powerful Arm which gave both the Weapon and therewith skill and strength to use it Now that this is a down-right Fathering Lyes upon God will be evident from three or four Instances out of many 1. He deals unfaithfully with St. Basil Sirnamed the Great p. 165. bringing him into the Council of Chalcedon refusing to swear and commending Clinias for the like denyal Whereas if the thing had been true it had not much pressed us for what signifieth the Example of one Pythagorean Philosopher to the Laws of a Christian Empire Or what availed one Basil though Great to a whole Council of six hundred and thirty Bishops Geo. Bishop in his Looking-glass p. 168. Though a Quaker cry out against that Council What cluttering what clamouring what being more like a company of Geese gigling their noises than a Council of grave Men and sober Christians But the thing it self is untrue for St. Basil was dead about seventy three years before that Council He flourished in the time of Valens dyed about the year 378. The Council of Chalcedon was held say some Anno Christi 455. or at the soonest by Justell's and Beverig's Computation 451. under the Emperor Marcian if he had looked into his Brother Geo. Bishop as much as I have done by comparing p. 122. and 166. together it might have revealed something better to him But poor George was one of the Nonconforming Quakers Dr. Lightfoots Harm of the O. T. and so his works are out of Vogue Now this is a lying Wonder to purpose Christ raised Lazarus four days dead the Witch of Endor brought up a supposed Samuel nigh two years after the Death of the true one But T. E. haleth St. Basil out of his Grave where he had rested between 70 and 80 years and brings him into the Council with a Quaker-like sullenness speaking against the Laws and Constitutions of the Empire He deals as dishonestly with the formers dear Friend St. Gregory Nazianzene whom he quotes p 186. thus in his Dialogue against swearing whereas the very Title of that Jambick 20th is ΠP O Σ ΠO Λ γ O P K O γ Σ adversus eos qui frequenter jurant against those who swear Frequently Customarily often not against Judicial swearing before Authority as he belyeth the Title so also he abuseth the Dialogue it self and that Eloquent Father who there expressly allows swearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
new Revelation of the good old things which are the Essentials of Religion The first of those two we do not plead for but the latter And elsewhere p. 33. The same Eternal Life which first breathed them forth doth either again breath or speak them forth in us or sendeth forth of his Living powerful Influences into them as they have a place in our Minds and Memories this latter as more modest is below Ellwoods purpose But though he taketh the Words and Notions of Keith the Revelation is still Immediate for their Institutor hath prettily determined Truth lifting up its head p. 38. If you would hear then acquaint your seives 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. 30. 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 Religion 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 looking 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 allegorized 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 viz. A looking glass for the times p. 235. 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. Rev. 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 To begin with their Founder men must not walk by the Scriptures Winstanley in Truth lifting up p. 39. 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 Mistery of God p. 35. The Saints Paradise p. 1.2 and have seen very little of the anointing in them 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. 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 Burroughs Works p. 47. neither did any of the Saints act by the Command which was to another every one obeyed their own Commands
our Wills We take the means and the Spirit together his Spirit Resolves all without 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. will have the best crop an hundred fold 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 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 allow 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 Qconverted p. 22. In. univ gra and Jo. Crook confesseth The Scriptures are true as God means them not as man by his conceivings interprets them and Keith oft Refereth to the Truth Sincerity and Righteousness of God in his offers 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. That the Holy Spirit doth not Improve in knowledge but was as able to confer true meaning one thousand six hundred years ago as he is at this day 6. That the Sacred Pen-men were sober understanding 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 or 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 Prophets shewed them fulfilled in himself and yet those Divine Expositions are not Extant Peter saith There are hard things in Pauls Epistles yet he makes no Exposition of them nor so much as nameth which are
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 such things to him as his words are at large set down H. N. by the Grace and Mercy of God through the Holy Spirit of the love of Jesus Christ raised up by the highest God from the Death anointed with the Holy Ghost Elected to be a Minister of the Gracious Word In the Evangel Regm C. 1. which is now in the last times raised up by God according to his Promises in the most Holy Scrvice of God under the Obedience of his Love and in a Manuscript Epistle written in an apish imitation of Clemens Ignatius or those times he declares his Divine Commission H. N. Jesu Christi Minister à Dco ad veritatem è Gratiae Solio Epistola H. N. ex Charitare Jesu Christi in Angl. missa c. Majestatis Dei testificandam Electus ad Bonum nuntium de Regno Dei ura Charitate retectae faciei Jesu Christi super terram annunciandum ac salutem in eadem manifest andam missus quemadmodum de adventu ejusdem charitatis per Prophetas Dei Apostolos Jesu Christi prius significatum Evangelizatum fuit Nos Dei Misericordiam sacerdotale munus nostrae Administrationis sub obedientia Charitatis Jesu Christi accepimus c. And he goeth on relating the great things that God was about to do the danger in not accepting his Ministery that God was about restoring all things the Earth to be full of his Glory applying twice that in Abac. 1. and Act. 13. Behold ye Despisers c. and the late New-England Families were high in the same pretence that the Quakers have much affinity with the Familists might easily be shewed and they seem to have the most kindness for them George Whitehead makes the Familists to have better Discoveries than other men In Cambridg debate p. 63. and Keith determines that we must examine Revelations Inspirations Visions and Openings by this of Divine Love Im. Rev. p. 241. Q◠love to mankind p. 3 A Brief Rehearsal of the Belief of the Good Willing in England which are named the Family of Love Print 1575. If it be alledged that Quakers of late do not so allegorize Jesus Christ as formerly I can produce the like outward ownings of Christ by the Familists the Apostles Creed at length owned by them Jesus acknowledged to be the Son of God c. in words much like the Nicene Creed born of a Virgin out of the Seed of David in whose name only and no other they obtain Salvation and Remission of their Sins 5. Some time after the Reformation Jacob Behmen appeared who received if we will believe him his Mystical dark terms from the Father of Lights there is but a glimpse of the Mystery Signatura rerum p. 209 in these writings for a man cannot write them if any man shall be accounted worthy of God to have the Light inkindled in his own Soul he shall see unspeakable things there is the Theosophick School of Pentecost wherein the Soul is Taught of God Joh. 6.45 Joel 2.28 he that can read his own Book aright needs no other for therein lyeth the unction from the Holy one In the Preface which teacheth him aright of all things none can understand these obscurely clear Writings but they that have tasted of the Feast of Pentecost saith Ellistone the Translator and the Author himself saith I have set before the Readers eyes p. 201. what the Lord of all Beings hath given me and in the Preface to his 177 Questions without Divine Light p. 223. none can be able to expound them it is only the Spirit of Christ that gives their understanding and he wrote from his own experimental Science His Notion of the Signature opened by the Spirit p. 1. 2. imprinting his Similitude in my Similitude entring into another mans form and awakening in the other such a form in the Signature So that both forms do mutually assimilate together in one form and then there is one comprehension is much like the Quakers Seed or Birth which is the Susceptive Principle conveying Inspiration from God into the Soul there being a Revelation required as well in the Hearer as in the Speaker Im. Rev. p. 209. Theophilus had the Spirit Witnessing to the truth of the things which gave the certainty or assurance what the Apostles declared in words from the life of Jesus Christ revealed in them the same Spirit answered and testifyed to the truth of those things in their hearers It seems it was not the Apostles certain knowledge of Christ Idem p. 58. and the Miracles they wrought which inclined men to believe their Doctrine but it was a light in them which met with a Signature or Seed or a congenial Principle in others that perswaded them to become I dare not say Christians but Illuminado's Having tasted of Jacob Behmens Style and the Subject being unpleasant a cage of unclean Birds or an Herd of lying Prophets of which but one Sect be it which it will can but possibly be true Before we descend to view the last Scene of our own Countries Abominations it may be a Diversion to present fome of Geo. Foxes Divinity and Oratory which if you have the Patience to read you shall not be Obliged to the pains of Studying or Understanding The Worlds Original Some Princi ples of the Elect People of God called Quakers p. 51. is the many Languages whose Original is Babel which make Divines as they call them sit a top of Christ And the Whore sits upon the Waters as it is spoken in the Revelation and John saith the Waters are Nations Multitudes People and Tongues which Tongues they call their Original To which Waters the Gospel must be Preached before they can be established And ye are to be redeemed from Tongues and Tongues shall cease saith the Apostle and so from this Worlds Original the beginning of which is Babel and which keeps in Babylon the Saints are Redeemed and this hath been set up as an Original among them who are alieniated from the Spirit of God in Babel where the Original of Tongues was in the days of Nimrod that Heretick who began to build Babel The same Curious Writer hath a rare gift in proposing Queries Ibidem p. 70. 12. Q. Whether ever any Man came to see so far as Balaam's Ass who saw the Angel of the Lord 13. Q. What are the Graves and the Tombs and the Sepulchres and the Fowls of the Air and the Nests they sit in which Christ spake of