p. â— 6. and kept the Gospel exactly to a Letter not breaking so much as a jott or tittle of it If Quakers receive the Gospel from the Lord so did he have they Revelations both he Dominick and Ignatius Loyola are equal with them Loyola wrought Invisible Miracles as well as the Quakers and Dominick clear out went them for he received the Holy Ghost with the same Glory of a staming Tongue as the Apostles did and had also the Gift of Tongues given him by inspiration Dr. Stilling-fleet's Idola p. 273. If Quakâ—â—s refuse to Salute or put off the Hat they have a good Pâ—esident for the Founder of the Jesuites refused to put off his Hat or give any civil Titles to Men The like Example they have for refusing an Oath in Judgment for not onely the M nists of late but the Beguardi or Spiritual Brethren of the Franciscan Order made the like d nyal Idem p. 255. The Maintenance which the Quakers allow unto their Ministers is much like unto that of the Franciscans who â—o about without their Purse and Scrip and are bare-foot also carrying Altaria portatilia little Massing Altars Confessing People and taking what they can get among them The Dominicans got also by this Voluntary Service had no Rents yet most Money no Lands and yet most Corn. Such gratis Preachers as the Quakers pretend to desiâ—e we find far earlier than those Orders even the old false Prophets Ezâ—k 13.19 who took handfuls of Barley and pieces of Bread And the Pseudo-Apostles who because St. Paul Preached gratis to some Churches endeavoured to imitate him therein 2 Cor. 11 12. That wherein they Glory they may be found even as we because the Devil knew that the Men of this World are most taken when Teachers take nothing St. Chrysos Apud Theophyl in locum Oecumenius in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he taught the false Apostles to imitate or counterfeit that also The false Apostles abounding in Riches took notheng and Gloried upon that account Do the Quakers look upon others as Dunces who follow not their Method Keith Im. Rev. p. 68. Your Wisdom is foolishness your knowledge is Darkness So did the Franciscan Fryars to purpose Your Parish Priest is Idiota nunquà m Theologiam audivit Bishop Usher de Christianarum Ecclesiarum â—uccessione statu p. 273. c. A Fool that knows nothing of Divinity Blind leaders of the Blind come to us to whom the High the difficult Dei Secreta patuerunt to whom the Secrets of God are unfolded And as the Quakers do now insinuate and creep into other Mens cures so then did the Monks intrude themselves into the places of the secular Clergy So that many even Noble Persons Spretis propriâ—s sacerdotibus made these Vagabond Fryars their Teachers The same Franciscans also above four hundred years ago were busie in making the new and highest Dispensation to wit the Evangelium Spiritus or Evangelium Aeteâ—num the Eternal Gospel of the Spirit which should succeed the Gospel of Christ and that the Quakers come near them in licking up their Vomit 2. The Quakers Temper will in its proper place appear As for their Temper in the most it discovers it self very unlike the Rationaâ— Humble and sweet Spirit of Christianity and tâ—â—â— is more disadvantage in treating with them than any other Party For We have no Solemn Publick Instrument of theirs containing theiâ— Faith Thâ—ir Judgments in Theological points their way of Worshiâ—ping God c. agreed upon by them to which they will engage to stand and by which for the future th y will be concluded but each Writer states things according to hiâ— own conceit Learning or Advantage and withal they have rare Arts of Equivocation under colour of Figurative Expressions and curious Salvoes to bring one another off from the brink of Blasphemy It will be hard to find another Party that in so few years hath stated things with so much diversity as they have done And it is as difficult to discover one good Notion wherewith they have bettered the World since their first appearing Some of them give us reason to think that their Light was made to be kept dark Geo. Bishops Looking-glass for the Times p. 1. and that we must never know their Opinions There is no Religion under the Sun or no prescription that ought to be as to any thing that relates to the Worship of God but what is within in Spirit and in Truth Away with all Jewish and outward Worship Forms Constitutions Canons Orders Decrees Directories Catechisms Confessions of Faith Idem p. 4. Synods Councils Prescriptions Ordinances of Men all imitations of Christ and his Apostles and doing things by Example of them where the same Spirit of Jesus is not the Leader Away with all National Religions and Worship Christ the Substance the true Jew inwardly the Circumcision in the Spirit Christ the Publick Worship in Spirit and in Truth is come So that if we know not a Quakers heart we cannot know his Religion within it And this he tells he wrote as moved of the Lord and doing his will p. 236. There is no certain stated owned Rule Penningtons Naked Truth p. 22. whereby they will be tâ—yed The Scriptures are excluded from Tryal of the Spirits the Spirit they say must do that Wherein they beg the Question and should give some Evidence they have the Spirit before they try Scriptures by it So that they devolve all upon their inward Motions which being invisible and indemonstrable to us and hugely dissonant among themselves discover their right Father and hereby we who deny new or renewed Revelations are debarred from having any Rule at all Their Style is so bitter so stuffed frequently with cursing and railing that they may well think themselves Conquerours when they have the last word and keep the Field with scolding The want of Arguments is supplyed by the want of Modesty and louder Clamours stand for calmer Reasons James 3.13 1 Pet. 3.15 Instead of the meekness of Wisdom and rendring a Reason of their Hope with meekness and fear Dirt and Rubbish is too oft thrown upon Men their Credits blasted their Souls damned and their Livelihoods Substracted To single out some few Evidences of their Temper If a Man be infirm or sickly A Gagg for the Quakers p. 12. they say he is tormented for writing against them If a Man be Aged then he is called and treated as a Dotard that was the Civility bestowed on Mr. Jenner Or if he dye during the Debate with them as that Person did then they Triumph They sent such an Answer as broke his Heart it seems their Works are a Killing Letter also To one a great Name threatens Reason against Rayling p. 180 181. That his Head shall not go down to the Grave in Peace and by that he shall know that not a lying or delusive but a true and infallible Spirit hath spoken
transforming Histories and Prophecies as those in Daniel the Revelations c. into internal things and making them vanish in frothy Allegoryes Phil. 3.21 Changing vile Bodies is when Oppression and Injustice shall cease 1 Cor. 2.15 New Law p. 42. p. 40. The Spiritual mans Judging is according to the Law of Equity and Reason But it is different from T. Ellwoods Inspiration Job 1.6 Beelzebub sat among the Sons of God that is among the five Senses Saint Parad. p. 29. Fire in the Bush p. 35. Im. Rev. p. 11. New Law p. 22. p. 132. 134. 1 Cor. 15.24 Putting down all Rule is destroying all Government and Ministry 2 Cor. 12.3 The Seed or Birth is that 3d. Heavens in which Paul on Earth saw and felt things unutterable John 14.2 the spreading Power of Christ in all is the Fathers House in which are many Mansions the New Covenant is Christs spreading himself in mankind Psal 24.1 the Earth is the Lords that is mans Humble Request to Lawyers c. p. 2. p. 6. p. 4. Univer Or. p. 55. p. 44. Noble Salutation p. 9. Saint Parad. p. 45. Christs speech to the young man to sell all concerns all people Isa 2.4 Ezech. 36.34 35. Belong to the taking-in of Commons Heath and wast Land for all poor people The Light within is the Everlasting Gospel which the Angel Preached The Tabernacle of David is explained by the slain Image of God in man or as another words it it is Gods own Eternal Witness in men God himself is the tree of Life and the Gospel Christ is the Image of God in Man he breathed in him the Breath of Life then the Lamb was not slain Christ is the true Jew inwardly the Circumcision in the Spirit Im Rev. p. 71 the publick Worship in the Spirit and Truth Angels are Heavenly Principles and Graces Looking glass p. 4. Saint Parad. p. 66 67. p. 129. p. 37. Howgils Glory p. 7. Saints Paradice p. 19. Some Principles p 68 and men taken up into God as Moses and Christ were The Lambs Book of Life is his Divine Nature and Spirit The proud Flesh is the Devil or Father of Lyes Rev. 12.1 The Woman cloathed with the Sun brought forth the Holy Child Jesus that is Jesus was Born after Johns Banishment into the Isle of Patmos the Bottomless Pit is Corrupt Flesh the Form of sound words is yea and nay or thou as T. Ellwood seems to intimate p. 27. there is no Devil but Flesh and outward Objects Dan. 73. the four Beasts are the four Powers which are to be destroyed Fire in the Bush p. 74. p. 23. that is Magistracy Ministry Law and Propriety the Beast slain Dan. 7.11 is all imaginary selfish power hear what the Spirit speaks Dan. 9.24 True Christian Faith p. 58. New Law p. 32. the finishing transgression c. is having the mind truly turned to the appearance of God in Christ within Rev. 13.1 the Flesh is the Beast with seven heads but differently expounded by T. Ellwood p. 243. Rev. 3.7 8. the Beasts having power over Tongues is fulfilled by Masters of Arts Truth exalted p. 8. Batchelors of Arts Vice-Chancellors over Colledges and others The Light interpreted these two Texts Rev. 9.4 Saint Parad. 126. green grass is the tender Sons of Christ Matth. 12.31 that old pusling Text Sin here is the Serpent the Holy Ghost is the anointing or Spirit Ruling in Flesh the two Witnesses New Law p. 80. are Christ in one Body and Christ in many Bodyes or as another will have them to be Christ the Light within and Immediate Revelation which have been slain in man Babylon is the great City of Fleshly confusion the Mystery of Iniquity Univer Gra. p. 5. Nsw Law p. 43. p. 94. Fire in the Bush p. 11. and the Man of Sin are the first Adam the Mystery of Godliness is the second Adam Michael and the Dragon do fight in mankind the Battle between them is in the Heart the Temple of God 2 Thes where the man of Sin sits is mans Heart there he is Worshipped in the degenerate State Im. Rev. p. 86. p. 194. True Christ p. 185. Im. Rev. p. 194. Truth lifting p. 50. Fire in the Bush p. 58. Antichrist is not a Person or persons particular but a Spirit the very Spirit of Satan the Sin against the Holy Ghost is Sinning against that Beloved Son or Body in whom the Father dwells Bodily time is Monarchy times are Popery and Reformed Episcopacy the dividing of times is Presbytery Independency and State Government These are enough to cloy Thus the men of Revelations do expound CHAP. IX Of their Demonstration of the Spirit and new Dispensation IV. TO appear like the Apostles Successors the better Univer Gr. In the Title they challenge the Evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit of Truth worded by T. Ellwood p. 244. thus that the Gospel should be preached in the Demonstration of the Spirit and Power after the Apostacy as well as before And this belongs to them who are emerged out of the Apostacy and are the Church returned out of the Wilderness they fancy themselves to be like the Apostles they Witness the Spirit of God fallen upon them Some Princ. p. 48. Smiths Gospel tydings p. 36. as formerly among the Apostles the Gospel is now Preached in the same Power as formerly but their claim is ill bottomed and their demonstration indemonstrable First therefore we shall search into the sense of that phrase Secondly give the Quakers opinion of Miracles Thirdly Supposing that their Principles were right thence infer that Miracles are as necessary now as ever 1. As for the meaning of Demonstration of the Spirit and Power 1 Cor. 2.4 't is misunderstood by T. Ellwood if he think they have it like the Apostles Words and this Demonstration are by the Apostle opposed not with enticing words with excellency of Speech or Wisdom that is Ver. 1.4 5. with Oratory or Philosophy and Quakers bring no more than Words and those misapplyed and inward heats like the Disciples of Marcus c. but their internal sentiments or Consolations are not the Scriptures Power Demonstration is not a thing of outward words or inward feelings 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nomine utitur Beza in his shorternotes in Locum quo significatur probatio quae fit certis necessariis rationibus Demonstration is a certain proof by necessary and concluding Reasons habent Mathematici c. the Mathematicians have their Demonstrations Grot. in Locum c. how much greater is that Demonstration by such and so great Miracles Dr. Ham. Not in Rhetorical Proofs or probable Arguments but in plain Demonstration So that it did not consist in inward but in outward Evidences and Proofs Gro◠Theo. cum in Loc. what those were we have recorded ver 1. declaring to you the Testimony of God that is the Gospel of Christ or his Death
But though he taketh the Words and Notions of Keith the Revelation is still Immediate for their Institutor hath prettily determined If you would hear Truth lifting up its head p. 38. then acquaint your selves with such as can speak from a Testimony within for as they Received what they have from the pure teachings of the Father so this second hand teaching will be a pure Teaching unto you but be sure you do not prefer this second Teaching before the first for now the Everlasting Word and Gospel must reveal himself to you or else you cannot be satisfyed Their own or others is first and second hand teaching but instructing from the Scriptures is not so much as third hand Teaching and the Scriptures are now out of date The Writings of the Apostles are to cease Truth lifting c. p. 301. when the Lord himself who is the Everlasting Gospel doth manifest himself to Rule in the Flesh of Sons and Daughters They have no New Essentials of Religion this I thought spoke in our Acception about Fundamentals till further Converse in their Works discovered the Deceit Keith Im. Rev. p. 5. for though one tell us that less than one half of the Scriptures is a full and perfect Testimony of all the Essentials yet he spoyls all in saying That the knowledge and beliefe of the History of Christ his outward Coming Pag. 229. Birth Life Death Burial Resurrection c. are such parts of our Religion and Faith as serve to make up the Intiredness or Fulness of it yet so as true Religion may be without the express Knowledge and Beliefe of them So that a man may be a Quaker Christian without the express knowledge of Christ in the outward either of his Name Nature Laws or Offices The great Mogul hath true Relâ—gion as much as George Fox This lays aside all that Jesus Was Did Taught and Suffered and contains all Heresies in its Bowels even to the denying the Lord who bought them And another hath writ a Folio to shew that men should not be concern'd about Faith or Creeds Bishops lâ—oking glass for the times but leave all to the Conduct of the Light But what then are their Essentials of Religion nothing of Jesus our Lord and Saviour nothing that is a part of the four Gospels True Christianity and Religion may subsist without the History of Christ in the Letter to wit Im. Rev. p. 243. In the Mistery of the Life of Christ in the Spirit So that a Turk is a true Christian though he never owned but hated Christ rarely alâ—egorized till our whole Christianity is shrunk up into those four insignificant words as so used which are fit for nothing but a Quakers Posy And George Bishop crouds all into that Everlasting Truth A looking glass for the times p. 235. viz. the Principle of God in Man which is in every man a measure thereof to lead him and guide him which is able to lead him into all truth and to deliver him from evil and which will bring him to God These are the new made Essentials of Religion which the ancient Heroes knew not of who required from all Baptised persons the Profession of their Faith about Christ in the outward who scrupled the change of one Letter in the Creed but Quakers disowning visible Baptism have sent away the Creed therewith lest the retaining of it should upbraid them In the mean time the Devil hath ordered their Scene rarely The Light Christ within renders the Christ without much useless he who shed his Blood for them is no Essential of their Religion and their Inspirations supply the place of Scripture being preferred before it So that their two Principles Im. Râ—v p. p. 43. the Light and Motions fairly lessen if not discharge the Essential and Written word of God Christ in Heaven and the Scriptures on Earth signifie little to these self-made Pagans who have enough within to carry them to all that Heaven which their Faith expects But to resume the claim of renewed and Repeated Revelations a Notion so strange that nothing but a search into their Writings can Discover the sense or design of it I must take the freedom to present their thoughts of the Holy Scriptures that by such preparatory tasts we may be drawn on to swallow this Camel of Repetition Winstanley in Truth lifting up p. 39. To begin with their Founder men must not walk by the Scriptures for this is to walk by the eyes of other men and the Spirit is not so scanty that a dozen ar twenty pair of eyes shall serve the World but every Son and Daughter have light within themselves You shall feed no longer upon the Oyl that was in other mens Lamps the Scriptures In the Title page now it is required that every one have Oyl in his own Lamp within himself Some walk by Example and have seen very little of the anointing in them Mistery of God p. 35. The Saints Paradise p. 1. 2. some walk more in Spirit and Truth as the anoynting of the Father teacheth them teaching from Scripture is not but speaking from their own experience that is from God The like Notion breaths in T. E. Master Keith The old Revelations given unto the Saints cannot serve our turn the Faith of another man is not sufficient unto me but I must be saved by the Faith Knowledge and Experience given me of God of the self same things the Revelation of them given of God unto others cannot suffice me nor were these things recorded in Writ that I should sit down upon the History but to point us inward to that same Principle of life revealing and working the same things in us Pag. 34. c. We find it to hurt and deaden us to think any thoughts even from the Scriptures but as the Spirit influenceth if at any time we do it we find our selves rebuked and chastized of the Lord for it and in another place we must not obey Scripture without motions but we may obey motions without Scripture At this rate write others of them to cull out some few from among many G. W. and Fox in the gag for the Q. p. 14. Burroughs Works p. 47. what Paul wrote unto the Ephesians and Colossions doth not concern this Generation That is no Command from God to me which God hath given by way of Command to another neither did any of the Saints act by the Command which was to another every one obeyed their own Commands an excellent Engine towards God and man no Act of Parliament can bind a Quaker except he be expressly named George Whitehead Thomas Ellwood c. You by name must do so and so this becometh the Majesty of the Quakers Smiths morn Watch. p. 75. Smiths Demonstrat passim in their papers The Scriptures are other mens Traditions other mens lives and Labours the Spirit of God must try all Spirits the Scriptures are but a report
kept as a Testimony among them We your Friends and Brethren whom God hath called to Labour and Watch for the Eternal good of your Souls at the time aforesaid being through the Lords good hand who hath Preserved us at Liberty met together in his Name and Fear were by the Operation of the Spirit of Truth brought into a serious Consideration of this present State of the Church of God Which in the day of her return out of the Wilderness hath not oâ—â—â— many Open but some Covert Enâ—mies to Conflict against Who are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities and dâ—spise Goverâ—mâ—nt without 〈◊〉 we are seâ—sible our Societies and Fellowship cannot be kept Holy and Inviolable Therefore as God hath put it into our hearts we do Communicate these things following unto you who are turned from Darkness to Light and Profess with us in the Glorious Gospel throughout Nations and Countries Wherein we have Travelled as well for a Testimony against the unruly as to Stablish and Confirm them unto whom it is given to believe the Truth which is unto us very precious as we believe it is also unto you who in Love have received it and understood the Principles and felt the Virtue and Operation of it In which our Spirits breath that we all may be preserved untill we have well finished our Course and Testimony to the Honour and Glory of our Lord God who is over all blessed for ever 1. We having a true sence of the Working of the Spirit which under a Profession of Truth leads into a Division from and Exaltation above the Body of Friends who never revolted nor degenerated from their Principles into marks of Separation from the Constant Practice of good and antient Friends who are found in the Faith once delivered to us And also into a slight esteem of their Declarations or Preaching who have and do approve themselves as the Ministers of Christ and of the Meetings of the Lords People whereby and wherein Friends are and often have been Preciously revived and refreshed And under Pretence of keeping down Man and Forms doing down the Ministry and Meeting or Encourage those that do the same We say The Lord giving us to see not only the Working of that Spirit and those that are joined to it that bring forth these ungrateful fruits but also the â—vil Consequents and Effects of it which are of no less Importance than absolutely tending to destroy the work of God and lay wast his Heritage We do unanimously being thereto encouraged by the Lord whose Presence is with us declares and testifie That neither that Spirit nor such as are joyned to it ought to have any Dominion Office or Rule in the Church of Christ Jesus whereof the Holy Spirit that was poured forth upon us hath made us Members and Overseers Neither ought they to act or order the affairs of the same But are rather to be kept under with the Power of God till they have an Eâ—r opâ—n to Instruction and come into Subjection to the Witness of God of the encrease of whose Kingdom and Government there shall be no end 2. We do declare and testifie That that Spirit and those that are joined to it who stand not in unity with the Ministry and Body of Friends that are constant and stedfast to the Lord and to his unchangeable Truth which we have receiv'd and are witnesses of and Ambassadors have not any true Spiritual Right or Gospel-Authority to be Judges in the Church and as the Ministry of the Gospel of Christ so as to Condemn you and their Ministry Neither ought their Judgment to be any more regarded by Friends than the Judgment of other Opposers who are without For of Right the Elders and Members of the Church which keep their Habitation in the Truth ought to Judge matters and things that differ and their Judgment which is so given therein ought to stand good and valued among Friends which though it be kickt against and disapproved by them who have degenerated as aforesaid And we do further declare and testifie That it is abominable Pride which goeth before Destruction that so puffs up the mind of any particular that he Will not admit of any judgement to take place against him For he that is not justifyed by the Witness of God in Friends is condemn by it in himself though being hardned he may boast over it in a false Confidence 3. If any Difference arise in the Church or amongst them that profess themselves Members thereof We do declare and testifie That the Church with the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ have Power without the assent of such as dissent from their Doctrine and Practices to hear and determine the same If any pretend to be of us and in case of Controversie will not admit to be tryed by the Church of Christ Jesus nor submit to the Judgment given by the Spirit of Truth in the Elders and Members of the same but kick against their judgment as only the Judgment of Man it being manifested according to Truth and Consistent with the Doctrine of such good antient Friends as have been and are found in the Faith agreeable to the Witness of God in his People then we do testifie in the Name of the Lord if that Judgment so given be risen against and denyed by the party Condemned then he or she and such as so far partake of their Sins as to Countenance and Encourage them therein ought to be rejected and having Err'd from the Truth persisting therein presumptuously are joyned in one with Heathens and Infidels 4. We do declare That if any go abroad hereafter pretending to that Weighty Work and Service who either in Life or Doctrine grieve good Friends that are stedfast in the Truth sound in the Faith so that they are not manifest in their Consciences but disagree to the Witness of God in them Then ought they whatever have been their Gifts to leave them before the Altar and forbear going abroad and Ministring until they are reconciled to the Church and have the Approbation of the Elders and Members of the same And if any that have been so approved of by the Church do afterwards degenerate from the Truth and do that which tendeth to Division and Countenance Wickedness and Faction as some have done then the Church hath a True Spiritual Right and Authority to call such to Examination and if they find sufficient cause for it by good testimony may Judge them unfit for the Work of Gods Ministry whereof they have rendred themselves unworthy and so put a stop to their Proceedings therein And if they Submit not to the Judgment of the Spirit of Christ in his People then ought they Publickly to be declared against and Warning given to the Flock of Christ in their several Meetings to beware of them and to have no fellowship with them that they may be ashamed and Lambs and Babes in Christ preserved 5. And if any man or Woman
Keâ—â—â— â—â—med Reâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 p 3â— p. 9 The Romanists make it difficult to be understood and dangerous to be read to make way for the Proposals and Expositions of their Infallible Head And the Quakers do use the very like Expressions and Exceptions giving great Reason to suppose that they both are Hammer'd on the same Anvil We find it to hurt and weaken and deaden us to think any thoughts even from the Scriptures but as the Life and Spirit of God influencete and concurreth If any time we do it we find our selves rebuked and chastised by the Lord for it And elsewhere Scripture words are but as a â—ounding brass and Tinkling Cymbal a killing Letter it is only the words that Christ himself speaks that are Spirit and Life and they who sâ—eâ— Life in the Letter seek the Living among the Dead for it declares of the Life but it is not therein but in him Among others Thomas Ellwood in a late Book which he calls Truth prevailing and detecting error c. makes it his profest business Chap. 8. To draw a Veil and obscurity over the Scriptures questioning and at last denying the Bible to be the Word of God p. 249. calling the Bible a dead thing the Scriptures dead letters p. 250. whereas they dare call their own Printed Works Living Divine Testimonies And T. E. upon his Principles The Works of William Smith cannot give the same Title to the Book of God which he gives to his own viz. Truth prevailing c. He further tells us that the Scriptures are not sufficient to Salvation p. 241. nor the Rule ibid. and the like Contempts are most subtilly insinuated Withal he disbands humane Learning from all Religious Concerns affirming that the Bible is a sealed Book needs the same Revelation to understand it that the Apostles had to Write it And all this is designed to usher in his partyes pretended immediate Inspirations as the only certain means of understanding any thing in Holy Writ This seeming Dishonorable to God Disgraceful to his Word Dangerous to Souls and the quiet of Kingdoms and the whole being wrongfully stated by him I have herein endeavoured an Examination of his Notions concerning this matter G. Whitehead acquaints us concerning the Quakers Writings That some of their Titles have not been strictly but figuratively placed upon their Books The Quakers plainnes detecting fallacy p. 91. a Confession which if pursued gives us great Latitude he neither naming what those Books nor Figures are a rare Art of Equivocation in the Frontispiece what figures may he pretend their Books to have within and by this sleight they may evade the most pressing Arguments And should I by this figure call Ellwoods Book Falsâ—hood prevailing and protecting Errour I should do no Injustice for it is but a pursuance of their own Concessions But to view a while his self pleasing title why it is not less Humble than Truth prevailing is this given strictly or figuratiâ—â—ly or â—â—â—oâ—ed by his so 〈◊〉 boasted of Inspiration The World is too wise to begull'd with a book that bears â—â—â—ther in its top it is truth we loâ—â— for wiâ—hin not anticipating Tâ—â—â—s without Modesty and 〈…〉 â—â—â—dred such sounding 〈…〉 prevailing c. so sound some other of their works Truth exalted and Deceit abased Truth lifting up its head above scandalls c. But he may know that enemies to God and truth have given such titles to the Creatures of their Brains which he doth to his Work Antiphon the Philosopher writ a Book against the very Providence of God Orig. Con. Cels Lib. 4. p. 176. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he denyed and attempted to take out of the World and yet he had the Confidence to call it a Discourse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concerning Truth Celsus that bitter Enemy of the Christian Religion wrote a tract against it which he named The true word or saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem Lib. 1. p. 17. 31. In his Fragments out of Eusebius p. 26 5. Hierocles also no mean person composed one against the Christians which he intituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lover of Truth So that bad lying Books may through confidence wear good names and yet all these three concerning Truth the True word the lover of Truth are more modest than Truth Prevailing alias Rampant but it is well Books can get Titles for T. E. is shy in giving them to men his new Heraldry and learning orders they must now have Epithetes and Adjuncts p. 45. By Thomas Elwood why Thomas he doth disown his Baptism why hath he not changed that name which is the memorial of it why nothing but Thomas Ellwood one while they were at another pass * In the plain Answer to his 18 Queries called of the World John Whitehead ‡ In his Answer to the 15 New castle ministers by one whom the World calls James Naylor †A shield of the Truth Lib. 2. Refert nosse ingenium mores ejus eum quo velis congredi written from the Spirit of the Lord by one who is known to the World by the name of James Parnell of late such alias's are omitted for they continue changing and are but yet going on unto perfection It is a Rule in the Recognitions ascribed to Clemens to know quibus sit moribus quibus artibus c. To understand the remper of that Person with whom you have to deal which must be observed and I desire the freedom of inquiring a while into the Quakers particularly into our present Author by way of Introduction and then shall address to the main Concern His Repeated Immediate and Expository Revelations and his other Notions of the like Mold For the Quakers in general two things are not unfit to be considered Their Original or standing And their Temper First for their Original It may seem more difficult to discover where Sects are not called from their Founder but some property c. It may be harder to trace them to their Head The Quakers Original In 1652 their beginning is supposed and then abouts they were so called and known but they themselves raise it four years higher John Whitehead fixes it in the year 1648. and Hâ—bberthorne in 1660. told the King that they were then twelve years standing In Mr. Faldoes Q. no Christi Discourse be the King and Hab. p. 3. p. 16. In that black year to these Kingdoms their pretended light appeared Considering these things I am inclined to affirm them an off-set of the Levellers and anon shall tender strong probabilities for it proposing them to such whose Age Experience or Circumstances have qualified them for a further Discovery onely premising somewhat which seem'd preparatory towards their appearing In the North parts of England where the Quakers were first known There were Grindletonian Familists who taught that Scripture is but for Novices The White Wolf p. 39. that their Spirit is not to be
tryed by the Scripture that we must now go by motions not by motives that when God comes to dwell in a man he so fills the Soul that there is no more lusting with such like When Hell was broke loose these and some others were maintained in 1645. which are suck'd in by the Quakers as Edwards 2d part of Gangraena p. 2d That Christs Presence in Heaven cannot be proved by Scripture they pretended Revelations and Visions God conveys his Will immediately not lawful to give Thanks after Meat that they are acted by Christ in all that some are as perfect here as ever they shall be in Heaven Tho. Hall the Pulpit guarded in the Epistle Such a Catalogue we find in another with Additionals which I shall not stand to transcribe But the very draughts and even Body of Quakerismly in the several Works of Gerrard Winstanley a zealous Leveller wherein he tells of the arising of new Times and Dispensations The New law of Righteousness dated Jan. 26. 1648 and challengeth Revelation very much for what he writ The Humane Body was not the Christ but the Spirit in that Body in the Preface p. 11. Christ the anointing shall dwell in every one as he dwelt in the man Christ Jesus p. 13. the Rising up of Christ in Sons and Daughters is his second coming the ministration of Christ in one single person is to be silent p. 21. Father and Son are all one only the Father is the Vniversal power in the whole Globe the Son is the same Power drawn into and appearing in a single person p. 53. Priests teach for hire Tithes brought in by the Pope p. 61. The Resurrection is begun p. 85. Without Voice Vision or Revelation men know not what they speak p. 103. The Righteous at Death enter into the Father himself p. 111. all Expositions are to cease and we are to wait with a quiet silence p. 112. Speak from the Original lâ—ght within The Saints Paradise Pag. 1. Teaching out of Scripture is but mans teaching p. 14. the anointing teacheth without the Scriptures p. 23. you Idolize Scripture p. 73. The Father lies buried under the Vnrighteous fleshly power p. 81. Jesus Christ is now upon his rising from the dead the time is come p. 83. Jesus is the light within every one p. 94. the Holy Law is not the Letter of the Scripture but the Spirit The Mystery of God revealed to his servants P. 7. God will dwell in every Man and Woman as he did in Christ the Pledge or first fruits He maketh seven several dispensations the fifth is p. 31. Gods manifesting in the flesh of Christ the 6th is p. 32. Gods appearing in the Flesh of his Saints tell the Resurrection day which he makes a clearer Dispensation than the former Truth lifting up his head above Scandals Octob. 16. 1648. P. 11. A Christ within is thy Saviour p. 16. the Apostles seeing Christ ascend was a declaration in Vision of the Spirits rising up p. 18. Christs body went into the four Elements to purify them p. 19. his Spirit went into his Father p. 29. Father Son and Spirit are three names of one power p. 46. Magistrates have nothing to do in matters of Religion p 70. you must have a command within p. 73. Humane Learning quarrelled at Fire in the Bush P. 20. The Law Spirit God Christ Heaven within you p. 33. Christ the anointing within leads into all truth p. 46. the Seed or Christ is to be seen within he is no Saviour that is at a distance Jâ—sus at a distance from thee will never save thee With many such expressions over and over repeated That these are the Quakers Principles is well enough known allowing some little alterations as few Sect-Masters but have their Doctrine varied by their Proselytes And the Religious Orders of the Church of Rome have suffered super Reformations Now considering these Opinions the Year the Country as the Mystery of God is Dedicated to his beloved Countrymen of the County of Lancaster the Printer Giles Calvert New Law c. p. 44 ad 75. Fire in the Bush p. 64. ad sinem An Humble Request to Ministers and Lawyers all over and that several Levellers settled into Quakers incline to take them for Winstanleys Disciples and a branch of the Levellers And what this man writes of levelling mens estates of taking in of Commons that none should have more ground than he was able to Till and Husband by his own labour Proving unpracticable by reason of so many tough old Laws which had fixed Propriety yet it is pursued by the Quakers as near as they well can in Thou'ing every one in denying Titles Civil Respects and terms of Destinction among men and at the first they were for Community A Faithful Discovery of Mistical Antichrist c. p. 39. thinking it unreasonable that one man should have so much and another so little and some of them were not free to be tenants to other men And George Fox said one man ought not to be above another Informat at Lancaster Octob. 5. 1652. Besides these the Quakers have some other Opinions most what Negative like touch not tast not handle not which are the distinctive Shibboleths of the Sect yet possibly they may be in other of the works of Winstanley however he gives in these some hints towards them New Law c. p. 125. Truth lifting up c. p. 43. p. 28. p. 68. His new Spiritual man will neither Preach nor Pray nor say Grace when he sitteth down to meat as the Custom of Professors is Christ and his Apostles did not Preach and Expound any Text Customarily as the Parish Gods do the second man will change Times and Customs all these outward Forms and Customs are to cease and pass away viz. Ordinances Sacraments Sabbaths c. And herein the Quakers do follow him and others of their Opinions might be added or improved by their After teachers and if we assert that Rome had an Agency therein at least as a pattern likely we should not be mistaken Trembling and Quaking was kown before their Appearance Thomas Newton had a Vision by night of the Virgin Mary appearing to him and saying Newton John Gee foot out of the Snare p. 63. 64. see that thou do not take the Oath of Allegiance He had other Visions besides that which if he should repeat would make a man Tremble and Quake The Alumbrades or Spanish Quakers that are Seniors to ours above twenty years had Burnings Tremblings or Quakings Dr. Causabons Enthusiasm p. 174. Idem p. 161. and Swounings The Holy Maid or Sister Katherine of Jesus began her fit in the Church with trembling So that she let her wax Candle fall to the ground from that time her Visions began to be very frequent The Quakers cannot well out go St. Francis in perfection for he was like Adam in Innocency Mr. Fowlis Hâ—st Popish Treasons
these are so gross and palpable that an easie Learning might detect them and in a matter of such moment which the poor Quakers do implicitely believe and hug he was obliged to the severest Caution not to impose upon their tame and easie Credulity And as to us who know our selves fallible and in Gods extream account very imperfect it must be allowed for an excuse But as for him who defends perfection pleads for Immediate Revelation which his Master extends to many things which are not in Scripture so much as by Consequence Keith Im. Rev. p. 6. 2d Quib. p. 11. Others of them challenging Infallibility in all things and cases and he as a Believer pretending the Unction whereby they know all things p. 229. and yet in many discovering and in some confessing his Ignorance I know not p. 227. to him this Plea can be no Advantage it pulling down that very thing which he is building up For if there be such a standing perpetual Ordinance as Immediate Revelation Gods Veracity and Goodness is concern'd at that time to let them be Infallible when they are pleading and become the Advocates for it But it is a good Confutation when a Champion proves an Instance against himself T. Ellwood's Courage 2. As to his Courage and Confidence they are high enough shewing great dis-esteem to the Sacred Scriptures as will appear in a proper place by a Catalogue of his Rules of Exposition such certainly as the Sun never saw especially by such a pretended intimate of Heaven We shall onely now consider his Carriage to most Orders of Men in the Kingdom for he presumes to Tax our World like Augustus Caesar The King must be plainly Thou'd and the Head covered before him The Turkish Fashion they esteem most proper and the tuissare or thou'ing which in Erasmus's time was opprobious among the English is dubb'd into both Religion and Manners My Lord the King is no pleasing Dialect to these new Saints it is Old Testament Divinity Dread Sovereign and Sacred Majesty must not now be used p. 46. Who must have the Majesty then Not the King I 'le warrant you it is taken from Him to be appropriated to their own dear selves take a few of their Expressions having spoken against Magistracy and for the Destruction thereof he proceeds * Fire in the Bush p. 39. If you would find true Majesty indeed go among the poor distressed ones of the Earth †Parnel's shield of the Tr. p. 25 27. Here is the ground of all true Nobility Gentility Majesty Honour No more after the Flesh but after the Spirit Quakers are sprung of the Noble Gentile Seed ‡ In his Noble Salutation to thee Charles Stewart from the Council and Nobility of the Royal Seed the Lion of the Tribe of Judah the Everlasting King of Righteousness who reigneth in George Fox the Younger â In the Testimony from the Brethren The Quakers Ministers are the Dignities and Government and Dominion The King must not write in the Plural Number We p. 27. though he be a Publick Person and Act by Advice of his Council all that is sprung from Pride and Flattery Besides this he saucily and pragmatically medleth with the Kings Revenues the Office for first Fruits Tenths offends him p. 355. No Flower can be fair in an English Crown which was taken out of a Popes Mitre if nothing else could be said against it but that it once stuck in the tripple Crown that alone were enough to make it unworthy to be worn in an English Diadem It seems he hath more than this to Object against it such like things are frequent in their Books which stealing out into the World are apt to leaven mens Spirits with bad Principles One of them acquaints us * Parnel's shield of the Truth p. 19 25. What Magistrates they do not own but deny and testifie against and to make their Negative Power better Armed he saith The Kings and Nobles of the Earth shall be bound in Chains and Fetters of Iron This was Printed 1655. but lest it should be onely Serviceable in those times †Some Principles of the Elect People of God called Quakers p. 89. Isaac Pennington a Name deep enough certainly in Royal Blood to make it currant Quaker Doctrine now re-prints that Book in 1671. leaving out the beginning and end of it but he hath the Conscience and Confidence to re-print those very words out of what design let our Superiours Judge But lest since then so beloved a Doctrine of binding Kings should be forgot they keep up the Memory of it ‡ The true Christians Faith and Experience by Williâ—m Shâ—wen p. â—36 Another Book Printed 1675 speaks home Christ Reigning in the heart gives Power to bind Kings in Chains and Nobles in Fetters of Iron This Hâ—nour havâ— all thâ— Saints To the like contempt of Authority write several of them Howgils glory p. 107. Kings and Magistrates as Christians have no Priority but as they stand in the growth of Truth that is in Quakerism Parnel's shield p. 41. Will. Smith passim Fire in the bush p. 21 22 23. I charge you all by the Lord to take heed of medling about Religion meddle with such Affairs as you are set about Meddle not with Religion keep within your bounds And Winstanley the Instituter of their Order speaks roundly to all Four Idolized Powers must down The Imaginary Teaching Hear-say Book-studying Power or the Ministry The Imaginary Kingly Power must be shaken to pieces in all Nations The Imaginary Law of Justice which is but the declarative Will of Conquerours and buying and selling the Earth and being enslaved one to another must all be destroyed at the Resurrection of Christ and that he saith was then beginning and therefore the pretence to Revelation looks a-squint upon the safety of Kingdoms had not the Magistrates the Sword they might meet with as Reproachful words as the Ministers and had some Persons strength their Principles might carry them to repeat the Munster Tragedy If this Measure be dealt unto the Prince what will not be unto the Subjects The Peers and Lords must expect the like treatment from these Levellers Plough-men James Parnel's shield p. 24 25. Fâ—sher-men Herds-men Shepherds are Noble-men sprung of the Noble Seed here the true Honour is no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit He that boggles at using Sirs p. 46. will stumble at higher Titles and if this new Critick may be credited Titles are to cease and Epithets and Adjuncts are to succeed in lieu Which Men are at Liberty to give or not to give according to their prejudicated or capricious fancies He quarrelleth at several things established by Act of Parliament as the Book of Ordination is spurned at by degrading the Clergy the Confessing of our selves miserable Sâ—â—ners is Chastised by his Ferula p. 53. Tithes an Ancient payment of at least 800 years usage in this Nation Sir
when I find high Claims of renewed Revelations and therewith as studious an undervaluing and depressing the Honour of Miracles and withal the rejecting the Scripture from being the Rule to try the Spirits by as Quakers do and withal when I find such Caution used by Moses to satisfie himself and others that God spoke by him None especially if their Claims be really Divine can quarrel to have them examined by such means of Discovery as a wise Religion and sober Reason afford unto us Keith's Im. Rev. Title page But though T. E. was in the right that there is such a standing Ordinance in the Church of Christ of indispensable Necessity as perpetual Inspiration yet he hath but done half his work he must go write another Book to prove that among all the Societies of Christians disowning it and the various Sects of single Persons claiming it his Party having the onely inclosure thereof their Fleece to be wet when all others are dry about them till this be done his Arguments are as equally Calculated for me if I will as for himself and do conclude as forcibly for Jacob Israel or Muggleton as for George Fox It would have been an ease if his Discourse had been true meer waiting is a more facile thing than reading meditating or studying and to a weak Constitution a Supine expecting would have been far more favourable than that which wise and inspired Solomon called a weariness of the Flesh Eccles 12.12 What the Excellent Lord Falkland spoke concerning the Romish may with no alteration Of the Infallibility of the Church of Rome Sect. 36 37. be applyed to the Quakers Infallibility and Inspiration also I take no pleasure in tumbling hard and unpleasant Books and making my self giddy with Disputing obscure Questions if I could believe there should always be whom I might always know a Society of Men whose Opinions must be certainly true so as I might be excusably at ease and have no part left for me but that of Obedience which must needs be less difficult than the harsh Greek of Evagrius and the as hard Latin of Irenaeus and he would deserve not the lowest place in Bedlam that would prefer those Studies before so many so much more pleasant that would rather employ his understanding than submit it The ease then would lye in having Inspirations or sitting at the feet of such as have them rather than in employing time and strength in laborious searches only the way of Labour is the way of Gods Blessing But the whole Scene as laid by the Quakers is so distant from Gods way of Dispensation who was pleased to become God with us to live on Earth to teach us which having performed there cannot be much to be new taught now and also Immediate Revelation when in use yet being but rare conferred on some whom God used as his Mouth to communicate it to others and Religion being Published in an External sensible way and in like manner settled to prevent such delusions as might insinuate themselves under the cover of inward Suggestions we have no encouragement to sit down satisfied with these Internal and indemonstrable transactions being full of nothing but difficulties and dangers but we must take the more laborious way of searching the Scriptures praying conferring and comparing Spiritual things with Spiritual The afore-said Lord further urged Sect. 9 10. That the Romish pretence to Infallibility was but an accidental Argument because if any other Company had likewise claimed to be Infallible it had over-thrown all so proved nay it is but an Arbitrary Argument and depends upon the pleasure of the Adversary for if any Society of Christians would pretend to it the Church of Rome could make use of it no longer Now though the Disciples of Hetherington the Box-maker even before that Lord wrote to wit about 1625 had maintained Dr. Dennison's white Wolf p. 72. That they could not erre in giving deliberate Sentence in points of Divinity as H. Nicholas had done before them yet if that Noble Viscount had lived till now what would he have thought of the force of his former Argument when not onely within this Island John Reeve and Lodowick Muggleton who would be taken for the two Witnesses in the Apocalyps pretended and were owned by their few Disciples to be Infallible but the more numerous company of the Quakers do Challenge the same to their Party and out-do the Romanists in the variety of their Claims of Inspiration Immediate Revelation Apostolical Commission of Christ the light within of Infallibility and discerning of Spirits So that now on this side Dover we have Popes of both Sexes Joan belongs to England not to Mentz and we have many Johns above 24 but whilst three different if not contradictory Parties pretend to Infallibility we have Reason to suspect they are all alike Infallible The Quakers have a pretty Craft but it may easily be seen thorow The Apostles were endued with extraordinary Powers both inward and outward now they Challenge to themselves the inward as Authority Inspiration Infallibility Commission Discerning of Spirits the inward Baptism with the Holy-Ghost c. which being Internal and indiscernable may be Challenged and are not so readily confuted but then the outward as the Miraculous descent of the Holy-Ghost the gift of Tongues the visible Baptism with fire the ability of working Miracles of all sorts the Spirit of Prophecy or fore-telling future things c. these being discernable to the sense capable of an easie detection they do both deny them and speak slightly of their necessity or use Though God conferred these outward ones as undeniable proofs and convictions of the inward and without which sensible Testimonials the internal would not have had that Operation but have been like Candles under Bushels and this very Art lays no little prejudice upon their Plea T. Ellwood's Notion of Divine Revelation is put into variety of Expressions which lie dispersed in several pages his stating of things is different and the claims he makes are of several Natures I shall put them into the best Method I can more orderly to examine them We may conceive some of them to be as the ground-work whereon he builds the other as the Fabrick thereon raised His grounds are two 1. That the Apostles had an inward manifestation and Immediate Revelation of the Will and Mind of God to them by the Spirit of Truth which dwelt in them p. 227 228 233. 2. That the Apostles Successors or all Believers in an extensive Relation receive the knowledge of the Gospel in the same manner as the Apostles received it p. 228 230 233. Other things he Erecteth upon or claimeth in pursuance of these 1. They have renewed and repeated Revelations p. 238 240 243. The good Old Gospel is again revealed by the same Spirit p. 254. 256. 2. They have Immediate Revelations from the Spirit as the Apostles had p. 228. 3. They have expository Revelations the Spirit
giveth the true sence and meaning of Scripture immediately p. 238 239 251 253 255. 4. The Gospel is now Preached in the demonstration of the Spirit and Power p. 244. and they are the Persons without question who Preach it 5. They know the Word of God by Experience p. 249. 6. The Primitive Christians had the knowledge of the Gospel by the immediate Revelation of the Spirit as the Apostles had p. 233 245. and the Quakers now receive it in the same manner 7. They receive it by the gift of God p. 245. 8. They have heard the voice of God speaking in them p. 249. 9. Divine Revelation consists in opening and discovering p. 249. 253 255. that is in expounding And all this is done without any help of Humane Learning which is not so much as to appear between the first of Genesis and the last of the Revelations but hath its Circle assigned beyond which it must not step reduced to its proper station and service which is to be conversant in Natural Civil or Humane Affairs p. 218 Humane Learning is to do the Drudgery of Translating to put an English Bible into a Quakers hand and must presently with-draw the pretended Spirit then supervening and opening each Text of Scripture truly to them These are different Notions and are too great favours for any Party on this side Heaven but it s subtilly done to chuse so many to leave room for escaping that if some prove deceitful the rest may support their Partners We must attend his Motions and examine them one by one giving his own words under each head onely some few things must be premised in passage 1. I think he seldom or never names our Lord Jesus Christ who dyed at Jerusalem as concerned in the revealing of Gods will His Prophetick Office is destroyed or weakned by this Sect and the Spirit is substituted in his place Thus p. 245. when he saith the Author of our Faith is the same the Finisher of it is the same alluding to Heb. 12.2 Where Jesus to wit the Son of the B. Virgin is named yet he takes no notice of him but turns it another way They received their Faith namely by the gift of God they received their Faith he saith there in the same manner that the Primitive Christians received it of old Now how that was he tells us p. 233 From the Immediate teachings of the Holy Spirit which dwelt in them So that he either lays aside our dearest Saviour or Confounds Jesus Christ and the Holy-Ghost as one and the same which he doth to purpose p. 233. Paul received the knowledge of the Gospel from Christ revealed in him thence he presently infers thus The Apostles did receive the knowledge of the Gospel from the immediate teachings of the Holy Spirit making Christ revealed in Paul and the Holy Spirit to be the same 2. He seems to make some concessions to inform within what bounds they keep denying new Revelations and yet he either hath new ones or none as from his Principles will be proved p. 237. they expect not a Revelation of any other Gospel of any other way of Salvation of any other Essentials in the Christian Religion they have but renewed Revelations p. 238. Truths formerly revealed p. 254. The same good old Truths p. 243 The good old Gospel again revealed a concession that destroys his design for having no new ones the old do neither need nor are capable of Repetition The true Christians Faith and Experience 3. He appropriates these receits to himself and Party We p. 237 245 249. Vs 254 256 to all Believers 228. that is to himself and Friends for they are the onely true the others but Titular and Nominal Christians saith Will. Shewen frequently The Testimony from the Brethren they are the Church of God returned out of the Wilderness And this is large enough Moses wish fulfilled Numb 11.29 All the People of the Lord are Prophets Are all Apostles Are all Prophets 1 Cor. 12.29 Yes among the Quakers Had he Challenged some few Inspirations in pursuance of the former or some rare single notices from good Angels they had been more Modest or an Immediate Revelation to ascertain him which Books were Divinely inspired and which not it should have been confessed that some have gone that way before him Vindication of the Protestants grounds of Faith second Discourse p. 308 Sect. 4. not onely the Enthusiasts and some Calvinists but the Popish Guide in Controversies in Dr. Stillingfleet saith That the ultimate Resolution of a Christians Divine Faith is into that particular Revelation first made known to him But supposing there was such a Supernatural and infused assurance given yet it is not rational and discursive saith Mr. Chillingworth it may be an assurance to a mans self but it is no Argument to another But one single immediate Revelation is too scant for T. E. during his whole life time He must put God upon Miracles and unnecessaries have what hath been before Revealed though translated into the vulgar Tongue renewed repeated re-revealed in the same manner and he must have Expository Revelations given him of the Sacred Books besides So that his own words contain the best his own Character p. 101. he treadeth an unbeaten path p. 246. he seems not rightly to understand Revelation but rather to have taken in some strange Notion concerning it CHAP. II. How the Apostles came to the Knowledge of the Gospel HIS first rise is That the Apostles had an inward manifestation and Immediate Revelation of the Mind and Will of God to them by the Spirit of Truth which dwelt in them p. 227. this he would have and so craftily brings in as if the Friendly Conference had so meant If by all those ways he intends no more than an inward manifestation But supposing this was true as he states it yet it is not Large nor Comprehensive enough For the Apostles had another Teacher even an outward one both before and besides the Holy Spirit and what Christian did ever yet lay aside or overlook the Personal Oral Teaching of their Lord Jesus If Quakers delight to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Irenae ad Heres L. 1. C. 1. the Spiritual and perfect from their supposed Teacher the Spirit as the Scholars of Valentinus did we must adhere to our elder name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from that Author and Finisher of our Faith If Quakers first make no distinction between the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and then would lay aside the God-Man Jesus by making the Spirit inwardly supply all we Christians are instructed to hearken unto that Prophet whom God raised up like unto Moses Deut. 18.15 and T. E. can scarce make Moses and the Holy-Ghost alike we do Believe in and Obey that Beloved Son upon whom the Blessed Spirit descended Mat. 3.17 for we are commanded to hear him Mat. 17.5 he discharged his Prophetick as well as Priestly Office in our Humane
Nature to this the Prophecies and Promises refer and we must render to each their due in the work of our Instruction to the Son as well as to the Spirit T. E. hath made the most untrue and desperate choice that could be the Apostles to receive the knowledge of the Gospel by the Immediate Revelacion of the Spirit what is become of all the Promises of the Messiah John 4.25 I know that Christ when he is come he will tell us all things saith the Woman of Samaria But by Ellwoods model he is com'd and gone and hath taught the Disciples nothing why did Christ chuse the Apostles Live Converse with and betwixt three or four years Instruct them in the things of Gods Kingdom if they were no better for all those Divine Lessons which came from him whom never man spoke like unto what quarrels have the Quakers against Jesus of Nazareth Luke 24.19 that Prophet or ' Divine Teacher mighty in Deed and Word before God and all the People that they must lay aside his Person or his Office either substituting the holy Spirit in his place or making their great Idol the Light or Christ within to do all the necessary work of Instruction Cannot T. E. permit Jesus to be the great Law-giver and Teacher and then upon his bodily removal from the earth the Holy Spirit to descend and build upon Christ the Foundation but as far as in him lies in imitation of the Heathens quarrels among their Deities he must have the Spirit to drown the Word the outward incarnate Christ to signify nothing but the inward Manifestation to Communicate all Was it the Holy Ghost who assumed our flesh lived and preached and Sealed the truth of his Doctrine with his Blood or it was the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who performed all those things and of whose fulness we receive were they the Apostles of the Spirit or the Apostles of Christ Jesus who breathed on them gave them Authority and sent the Holy Ghost to inable them to execute their Commission Why do the Quakers thus confound the works of the Word and the Spirit like the Libertines qui nihil ponunt inter filium Dei Calvin adversus Libertin Cap. 10. Spiritum ejus discriminis but suppose they were right about the Holy Unity that there is no destinction of Persons in the Godhead but that they are only different names of the same one Subsistence yet T. E. hath laid a wrong Foundation for it was not this Spirit which inwardly did all But it was Jesus the Son of Mary be he but a piece of the Christ or have he an Heavenly body sheathed up within that which he took of the Virgin or however else for they know not what to make of him nor do with him The man Jesus who was as truly visible in Jewry as Ellwood was in the House of Pennington stands much in their way and hinders their Light or Christ within who called the Apostles taught and instructed them as appears from the Series of the four Gospels which we shall adhere to rather than to these who do but dream dreams while they conceit that they see Visions This being the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is the procreative cause of so many delusions viz. a Disregarding Christs Personal Prophetical Office and placing their supposed Spirit in his room I shall make a short Narrative how the Apostles came to the knowledge of the Gospel how Religion was delivered by Christ that it was settled in an outward Bodily and Sensible way and thereby Ellwoods account of the Spirits doing the work by his inward Immediate teaching will appear not only distant from truth but the very subverter of the Christian Religion God having at sundry times and in divers manners made known his Will unto the Fathers at the last in the highest Dispensation which is never to be out dated he spoke unto us by his Son whom he hath appointed Heir of all things that is by the God-man Christ Jesus who took our flesh and blood and was of the same nature with us this Son of God was God himself who came to visit the earth and be his own Interpreter yet still he discharged this Office whilst he was Tabernacling in our Flesh He was God with us instructing us in the likeness and true Nature of man of a Reasonable Soul and Humane Flesh subsisting And thus I suppose those Prophecyes were fulfilled Taught of the Lord or Taught of God he had the Spirit without measure he was the very Temple of God the Holy of Holyes in and by whom the Divine Oracles were made known to Mortals The Divine Majesty resided in this man Jesus all the former owned ways of Revelation came to attend him into the World to usher him into his Office and give Credence to what he spoke and yet excepting some short Sentences serving as Testimonials to him they were all silent while he was Teaching but still Jesus in Humane Nature took the Chair and was Gods mouth and voice unto mankind as might be more fully and advantageously shewed The Apostles conversed with Christ saw heard eat drunk and lived with him how oft is this referred to of their being Eye and Ear Witnesses of what he did and said he taught them by Sermons Parables Conferences explaining things privately to them during the whole Term of his Ministry and after his Resurrection And must his whole Prophetick Office be thought nothing and can such select Scholars be still non-proficients under so powerful and so diligent an Instructer other Quakers think contrarily to T. E. and let one Infallible buffet another Whilst Christ abode with them in his bodily appearance they had some knowledge till the manifestation of the Spirit they were ignorant of many things many is not all that is for their knowledge and for their life he saith elsewhere the very Disciples themselves while they followed Christ outwardly were truly Religious and another of them surely none will or can deny Idem p. 230. who profess Christianity but the Apostles Taylors Faithful and True Witness the Light c. p. 12. in some measure before Christs outward departure from them had the Comfort of the Holy Spirit in them and were both Believers and obedient Children in their measure c. What though the Apostles being involved in the fatal prejudices of their Nation were ignorant of some things as about the Kingdom of God the Resurrection c. must they therefore know nothing of Faith Repentance a Christian Life or Duty Christ who knew them the best speaks otherwise John 17.6 7 8. they have kept thy word they have known they have believed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost apud Theâ—p in locum having known by my words and by my Doctrine The Apostles were as certain knowing Witnesses of Christ as we can be of any matters of Fact and the Christian Religion was entertained upon their Testimony that they
ones given to Fox by Josiah Coale Augustin in Haeres 14. His Women also Administred a wild kind of Eucharist and Quakers have their she-teachers He also denyed the Resurrection of the Flesh which is Quakers Doctrine and said That Christ did not suffer truly he perverted by Charms and strange Arts Women to follow him and 't is reported how many have been subverted by the Quakers by a stedfast look or a wring by the hand c. without rational means of Perswasion the sugar'd Language he gave his Proselytes blandiens eis is imitated by ours also who give their Females these Appellations Innocent Lasses The Spirit of the Hat p. 43. and Daughters of Sion 6. The Valentinians made use of the same Plea Tertul. in Valentin Lib. 4. Quidni quum Spirituale illud semen suum in unoquoque sic recenseant si aliquid novi adstruxerint Revelationem statim appellant praesumptionem charisma Ingenium they do account the Spiritual Seed to be in every one if they do light or hit upon any thing that is new they presently call that Presumption or conceit a Revelation and their own wit they do style an immediate or extraordinary gift And the same Father elsewhere relates Omnes tument omnes scientiam pollicentur c. They are all puff'd up De praescript adver haeret promise much knowledge their Novices are perfect before they be Instructed their saucy Women dare teach heal it may be Baptize their Ordinations were confused a Presbyter to day a Lay-man to morrow Laicks do Priestly Offices c. 7. Montanus and his Party claimed Inspirations as much as any and his Sect continued some Centuries and their carriage was strangely ecstatical which shewed they were not moved from the Lord. We have the judgments of some Ancients in Eusebius concerning them Hist Eccles Lib. 5. Cap. 14 15 16 17. That Montanus being alienated and ecstatical in Spirit was Distracted and under the pretence of Prophecy or Revelation he spoke unwonted things against the Faith and Doctrine of the Church They boasted of their Martyrs and Sufferings Miltiades wrote against them so did others the whole Church or Fraternity throughout the World disowned this Prophecy as accursed He taught to dissolve Marriage had his Exactors or Collectors who gathered many Gifts and Oblations His Prophetesses had run away from their Husbands his Party grew strong they called Pepuza Tymium two little Cities of Phrygia New Jerusalem So Munster and Strasburg were called and the Quakers once Travelled towards New Malton in Search of the New Jerusalem comed down from Heaven till the mire and rain wearied out their Zeal The Pepuziani a branch of them had Women Bishops and Women Presbyters upon the same Account that our Quakers plead for their Prophetesses Epiphan Haeres 49. Ibidem Augustin Heres 27. because in Christ Jesus there is neither Male nor Female and Christ is said to appear either to Quintilla or Priscilla or both when sleeping and being Cloathed in a white Garment to Inspire Wisdom and to Reveal that to be an Holy place even the Heavenly Jerusalem And St. Hierom is sometimes confuting them that a Prophet understands what he seeth In prologis ad Naum Abacuc nec ut amens loquitur nor speaketh as distracted as Montanus and his Prophetesses doated but Quaking which was thought the sign of their conversing with God is now looked on otherwise that the Voyce of the Lord was not distinctly discerned there in stilness the mind is brought into a capacity to discern the voyce of the Lord. Living Stone in 3d Q. quib p. 4. 8. The Messalians Psalliani or Euchites laid claim to Revelations as much as any other Sect they were so assiduous in prayer that it may seem incredible to most that hear it Augus Her 57. by a misapplication of those words pray always and pray without ceasing some of them would have named themselves to be whatsoever persons you would have them art thou a Prophet he would reply I am a Prophet Epiphan Her 80. Theodoret. Hâ—st Eccl. L. 4. C. 11. art thou Christ he would reply I am Christ but besides this they were strangely Enthusiastical pretending they had the presence of the Spirit and calling their own Dreams and Fancyes Prophecyes their Opinions infected many Monasteries and several Countries they looked upon the Lords Supper to do neither good nor hurt Adelphius an old Professor among them gave this Account of their Faith That Holy Baptism profitted nothing but only that perpetual Prayer cast out that inward Devil which every one received from their first Parents that then the Holy Ghost came upon them with his sensible and invisible Presence whereby they were freed from Sin Ibidem and needed neither Fasting nor Instruction but that then they were able to foresee future things and to behold the Holy Trinity with their eyes These are to the purpose T. E. Predecessors several Bishops opposed themselves to their pernitious Doctrines and indeed we cannot do more acceptable Service to the Spirit of truth than by detecting the Spirit of Errour though it appear in the guise of an Angel of Light or have got a piece of Scripture in its mouth nay though it pretend Antiquity and get it self wrapped in old Samuels Mantle or come demurely in Sheeps cloathing 9. Aetius an Arian Heretick though one that did seperate from his Communion was at the like pass with the former Temerariâ audaciâ elatus dixit being puff'd up by a rash boldness he said Binius Tom. 1. p. 486. Deum sibi Revelasse ea quae usque ab Apostolorum temporibus hactenus occultaverat that God had Revealed those things to him which till then he had concealed from the times of the Apostles say the Fathers of the Council of Constantinople Theodor. Hâ—st Eccl. L. 2. C. 28. Histor Tâ—iparet L. 5. C. 22. apud Binium and the like words of his are elsewhere Recorded Serras though a Favourer of him accused him by a strange height of Pride or Madness to have presumed and spoke higher things that those things were now Revealed to him which God had concealed hitherto from the Apostles universis from all men And that is pretty Consonant to the Quakers Doctrine have not we had the Gospel all this time till now Answer we say no the Gospel Dispensation was lost saith Smith But Blessed be the Lord for his renewing the Spiritual Ministry in our days and Ann Wrights Letter is full about the same Since the Lord first called his Servants to publish his Everlasting Gospel the Gospel was hid from the Apostles days untill it was revived in them 10. Donatus to maintain his Schism became Enthusiastical August Epist 165. talking of Inspiration or Communications of Gods Will to him by Angels Ille eum ordinem Christianitatis Civitatis vestrae ut insinuaret jussisse sibi Angelum scribit c. that he might blast or Condemn
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 Regni C. 1. which is now in the last times raised up by God according to his Promises in the most Holy Service 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 Deo ad veritatem è Gratiae Solio Epistola H. N. ex Charitate Jesu Christi in Angl. missa c. Majestatis Dei testificandam Electus ad Bonum nuntium de Regno Dei pura Charitate retectae facici Jesu Christi super terram annunciandum ac salutem in eadem manifestandam 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. Qu. 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 in these writings Signatura rerum p. 209 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 none can be able to expound them p. 223. 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 imprinting his Similitude in my Similitude p. 1. 2. 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 Theophilus had the Spirit Witnessing to the truth of the things Im. Rev. p. 209. 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 some 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 Some Principles of the Eâ—â—â—ct People of God called Quakers 〈◊〉 The Worlds Original is the many Languages whose Original is Babel which make Divines as they call them sit a top of Christ And the Whorâ— sits upon the Waters as it is spoken in the Revelation and John saith the Waters are Nations Mâ—lâ—itudes People and Tongues which 〈…〉 they call their Original To which Waâ—â—◠〈…〉 must be Preached before they can 〈…〉 〈…〉 are to be redeemed from Tongues and 〈…〉 shall cease saith the Apostle and so 〈◊〉 Worlds Original the beginning of which 〈◊〉 and which keeps in Babylon the Saints 〈…〉 â—â—deemed 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 〈◊〉 p. 70. The same Curious Writer hath a rare gift in proposing Queries 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 Answer in Writing the thing Queried G. F. They are the properest for his Spirit to undertake The trifling question put to Barnabas was more witty Clem. Recognit p. 5. Why a Gnat being so small a Creature hath six feet and wings besides whereas an Elephant so bulky an Animal hath onely four feet 4. In the late unhappy Times when Hell was broke loose our own Countrey affords Instances too many being as anciently credulous in believing pretended Inspirations so
into Spirit out of Form Type and so into Power Truth c. p. 4. 48. passim hear what the Spirit saith p. 10. The Doctrine turned into a Prayer is a brisk one Fall upon them while they are eating and drinking without p. 13. let them eat and drink within bread in the Kingdom and drink Wine new in the Kingdom even new in the Kingdom new in the Kingdom not in the oldness of the Letter but in the newness of the Spirit The Elements p. 6. Formal Prayer Baptism Supper c. shall melt away into God and at this rate he proceeds he Loved also a Woman Prophetess even his dear Friend p. 46. Mrs. T. P. I had as live hear a Daughter as a Son Prophesie and I know that Women that stay at home divide the Spoyl Male and Female are all one in Christ 5. The Fifth Monarchy Mâ—n were not onely Citizens of the New Jerusalem but Candidates of Heaven receiving much Intelligence from thence Their Prophet for I know not what Sect else he should belong to had several Visions of what the All of All things was bringing to pass The pouring forth of the seventh Vial upon all Flesh The Father spoke to him as he lay in a Trance almost dead for 22 hours in the Preface Being chosen to declare those things and publish them as being what the Prophets pointed at his Name was changed from George in a Vision to Jacob Israel Foster and so saith he I subscribe or George Foster or Jacob Israel Foster His Visions are too many to be set down as if he strove both to imitate and out-do St. John some few we shall take a taste of for their curiosity He had a Vision of the calling of the Jews p. 19. under the Emblem of a man that went up and down gathering men together So that the Jews now dispersed among the Gentiles were to return to their own City p. 33. p. 41. p. 55. and there the Lord would Reign among his Saints in Mount Sion for Judea was the place where both God and his Spouse were to rest Heaven or the third and highest Dispensation must be about Jerusalem for the Credit of our Nation the Chief or Principal Leader of this Expedition into the Holy Land p. 39. must be an English man whom God hath chosen for that Work When they came to Jerusalem they were to dye and presently to rise up again and never to dye more and the time of restitution is to be in the year 7000. after which there is neither Hell nor Devils left p. 40 with very many Visions of the like Nature delivered in such exact Circumstances with so set and composed a Countenance and under such variety of Emblems and Figures that he deserves as much regard as any other in the whole herd of Enthusiasts 6. William Franklin Mary Gadbury and their Proselytes put in as strongly and produce as good proofs for Inspiration as T. E. can do some take them for Quakers but the name was not then known nor do I think they will own them But be their Sect without name or what else I am not concern'd it is onely their Revelations I must consider for they had drunk their share of the Spirit of Delusion then poured forth Franklin affirmed Humphrey Ellis his Pseudo Christus p. 7. His Receit of Revelations and Visions which he endeavoured to countenance with fair and seeming Gospel Expressions he pretended to Prophesie to fore-tell things to come to speak with new Tongues p. 36. and babled out uncouth words He also forgave Sins and his Proselytes as Spradbury and the rest were drawn unto him by Sights and Voices with several strange Relations His Whore Mary Gadbury called him the Son of God p. 31. the Christ the Lamb slain c. She pretended to Visions Voices and Revelations was full of comfort p. 8. joy and singing had strange trembling Fits She saw a Light as big as the Moon and many Stars p. 10. p. 18. she had a voice sometimes to seal up the Vision and then would not speak she slighted Sacred Scripture and yet delivered her Revelations in its Language p. 15. They were commanded in a Vision to go into the Land of Ham which by a sutable Exposition they Interpreted Hampshire Their Proselytes like the Disciples of Marcus had Voices p. 22 28. Visions and Glories insomuch that both a Minister Mr. Woodward and his Wife were deluded by them he hearing Voices and seeing Glories and she seeing Visions To this hight they had quickly arrived till the Vigilance of the Magistrates suppressed them That Whore with whom Franklin lay as a fellow-feeler of her Misery called her self the Spouse of Christ p. 50. the Lady Mary the Queen the Bride and the Lamb's Wife Had she not been ten years too forward she would have been a fit Match for apretty pragmatical thing of G. F. which begun to bleat in 1659. called the Lamb's Officer gone out with the Lamb's Message 7. Lodowick Muggleton and John Reeve giving out themselves as the two last Witnesses Rev. 11.3 as the Prophets of Christ and the Sealers of the Fore-heads of the Elect and the Reprobate appeared much contemporary with the Quakers being equal to them both in their Claims and Proofs of Inspiration But the Devils Malice herein out-run his Wit for setting up so many contradictory Competitours in Revelation about the same time one of them is a sufficient confutation of another whereas had but one single Sect put in and ingrossed the favour of that immediate Heavenly converse weak and simple Souls might thereby have been sooner deluded but to considering minds their so fertil multiplication is their mutual Destruction In what terms Muggleton Challenged Inspiration is not now proper to relate for seeing that the Fire hath of late deservedly by publick Order done Execution upon his Works 't is not manners to rake such putrid stuff out of its ashes Let all the like Tracts and Pretentions meet with the like Purgation Only by way of Tryal take this whatever the Learned men of this World Dream of finding out the Invisible things of Eternity Reeves and Muggleton's Divine Looking-glass Cap. 36. p. 145. by searching into the Scripture Records and comparing them togeher the Divine Majesty hath lock'd up all the Principal Secrets of the Scriptures in his own Spiritual Breast that he by any Immediate Revelation may dispose of them into the Spirits of Elect Men and Angels most advantagious for his own Glory and their Consolation 8. Anna Trapnel exceeds both the Quakers and most of the other Pretenders in excessive fastings Poetical Enthusiasms lucky hits upon several things that came to pass afterwards rapturous Devotions The cry of a stone Title Preface c. She was in the Visions of God by an Inspiration extraordinary and full of wonder England was the Valley of Vision the wise have
leave to us the power of Tryal and the Liberty â—â— Judgment For if each must follow the Light we are Innocent who do but follow our own Convictions and our case is infinitely more safe for all partyes agree that the Light of Scriptures by which we are guided is Divine but your new Light may prove false or Darkness for any assurance you can yet give us to the contrary There are all these Co-claimers who both say and shew as much as Quakers and so each single party are an equal ballance to them much more all of them together do strangely out-weigh the Quakers next to youngest claims unless the Rule be now inverted verum quodcunque prius and what is latest must necessarily be truest which could only hold until a fresher Sect suppose the sweet Singers of Israel or any such pretty name do start up and out-date the Quakers but though all the other Competitors were in the wrong that doth not infer T. E's Friends to be in the right for they may be equally mistaken with the others in the like Bottom unless they can produce some indisputable Divine Amulet or Preservative which the others cannot Nor can I find any solid Reason why I should belive the English and disbelieve the Spanish Alumbrados when their Doctrines are much alike and their Evidences are exactly equal And further one of these who can set as good a face on his cause and use as brisk a confidence and who excels Thomas Ellwood as much as one of the two Witnesses in the Revelations exceeds the Witnesses in general viz. Lodowick Muggleton from his supposed Spirit pronounceth a Sentence and a Curse upon the Quakers 3d Q. Quibbles p. 32. Because I saith he have passed Sentence upon the Quakers they shall never grow to have more Experience in Vision and Revelation but shall wither which Curse from their Proteus like changing the Disciples of Muggleton may conclude to have seized on them Others that are Juniors or Co-temporary with the Quakers from their Spirit Condemn the Quakers The cry of a Stone p. 20. So Anna Trapnel Let them tell him viz. Oliver of his Sins and tell him with Humility and tears not as those deluded Spirits that go running about the streets and say We have such Visions and Revelations who come out with their great speeches of Vengeance Judgment and Plagues Oh but thine that come from thee thou givest them Humility Meekness Bowels Tears Thou art called only a Form they call thâ—â—ves a Christ Oh p. 50. some poor Creatures call themselves Christ because of this Oneness with Christ when thy sweet wine comes forth then they bring in their false Wine p. 68. The Secretary of the Confiderers prayed God to preserve him Discourse of the way c. p. 62. p. 68. for ever having the Spirit of the Quakers he had high thoughts of their way at the first till he did discern the tracts of the evil Spirit that guided them several Instances of which he enumerates and saith The Spirit of Wisdom appointed him to tell those things to make them better advised in the choice of true ways and in the distinctions of Lights p. 72. And I have heard of a single Devoto herded with none of the former with the greatest Confidence affirm That God had Revealed to her that the Quakers would leave their Errours and return to the Church and Truth again But beyond these because we in these Kingdoms may be interested and partial not passing right judgment the Illuminados in another Country who not being engaged against ours deserve more regard do expressly declare the Quakers to be Impostors and I suppose their Opinions in other points of Religion to be more sound in that they deluded the Learned and useful John Amos Comenius The late German Enthusiasts are the persons His Revel edit per J. A. C. 1659. p. 189. In Dr. Spencers vulgar Prophecyes p. 6 7. and their Condemnation of the Quakers I shall transcribe from a worthy hand my Circumstanstances not affording me as yet a sight of the Book They tell the World that by how much the nearer that great day of the Lord is the more evidently and familiarly doth he excite his Prophets and that they understand the frequent possessions Witch-crafts and fanatical Enthusiasms of the Quakers Satanicas esse praestigias quibus opera Dei obfuscare nituntur ut olim James Jambres Mosi resistêre to be the delusions of the Devil whereby they endeavour to obscure the works of God as James and Jambres withstood Moses of old all these Condemnations of the Quakers from the Spirit should have force with them who acknowâ—ed Revelations at this day What if the Quakers be more numerous than some others of the like Kidney That is no Argument of Truth else others would soon wrest it from them as some places so some times are more prepared for productions of Monsters than others and the late unhappy times had piled up such Materials that it was easy for the Quakers to arrive at that Height by starting up as the scum and froth of them all Montanus spread his Poyson through Phrygia Donatus through Africa the Messalians through Syria Pamphylia c. And Arius through the World The Familists T. E's Grandfathers are next to gone and I hope his Inspirations will run the same Fate and expire like theirs and the Company called Considerers foretell your extinction Traite de la Voye Au Royaume p. 18. time shall make you of the number of things past CHAP. VII Concerning their own contradictory different and designed Revelations WOuld a man be tamely satisfyed with Keiths Confutation that the Enthusiasts against whom Luther wrote were not true Enthusiasts as the Apostles were Quakerism no Popery p. 20. but such as under a pretence of Enthusiasm both taught and practised evil things and baffle each in the former list thereby he must allow me with equal reason to turn it upon themselves that Quakers are not right Enthusiasts as the Apostles were For it confutes themselves as much as others and is a Conviction on either hand equal with mentiris Bellarmine But supposing my temper or other motives incline me to overlook the rest and become favourable to T. E's Friends so as to Fancy or Wish that they really have what they pretend my next Inquiry is to whom must I turn to the Conforming or Non-conforming Quakers to some single teachers or to the Body of Antient Friends and how can I infallibly know where that supposed Body lodgeth or who are the Members of it or when these little talkative Oracles speak by Inspiration and when by their own afflatus I would have a Reasonable Religion understand what to believe do and pray and then proceed accordingly but if the Spirit that guides be inshrined in such a Body against which so many prejudices lie the case of those Souls is very sad whose Directions flow from so foul a
understood Keith is far more prudent I grant that the History p. 232. or Historical part of the Scriptures is not conveyed unto us nor unto any ordinarily by Immediate Revelation Winding sh 5. Now the Gospels are undoubtedly Historyes of Christ what he was said did and suffered Mr. Pen calls one of them Johns History and the rest deserve that name as much so that they receive not the Gospels by Immediate Revelation And the whole Bible is transmitted to us as matter of History wherein such Commands Promises c. are comprized And this concession of Keiths pulls down Ellwoods whole Fabrick T. Ellwood doth strangely interfere with himself p. 223. p. 221. p. 235. p. 211. p. 231. he makes Tongues necessary to Preach to all Nations and yet confesseth it might be done by an Interpreter oft takes Notice of our owning the assistance of the Spirit and yet cryes out not a word of the Spirit of God but Humane Learning all in all he makes knowledge to be both the cause and the effect being strangely blundered to make out their Apostolical Inspirations without the Testimonials thereof Miracles and Tongues Lastly he makes the Gospel in all Ages revealed in some degree or other p. 237. which he anon retracts p. 243. Revealed in the first ages of Christianity and then brings on a long night of thick darkness and a general Apostacy Others of them are not more Harmonious it was never his to wit Christs Faith to sue Naylors living Faith p. 7. contend c. Sheild of the Truth p. 3. we sue no man at the Law but are sued by them but Thomas Ellwood is differently minded in civil cases it is no injustice for a man to recover his due by Law going to War is by some Condemned p. 361. Bishops looking glass p. 203. Barclay in Q. no Popery p. 100. Tyran Hipo. detected p. 22. Wars belonged to the Jewish Administration which had its end Quakers deny that it is Lawful for Christians to fight and kill one another in fighting Others of them have both allowed and followed Wars and John Thompson owned by others as a Quaker was Master of a Ship fought stoutly and killed many of the Dutch one while they were against all forms Great Mystery p. 16. Christ is the end of outward forms Paul brought the Saints off from things that are seen and water is seen and its Baptism but now they are hugely formal True Christian Faith p. 187. 189. Godliness is not manifested without a form in thy Holy form of Godliness led into by the power Justification by that Righteousness which Christ fulfilled for us wholly without us was one while esteemed a Doctrine of Devils Q is Paganism 8. 9. 10 11. Prin. his satisfaction counted irreligious and irrational that he fulfilled the Law only as our pattern and that Justification is by works but the horridness thereof is now mollifyed The Spirit Pennington's naked truth p. 35. the Life the Blood of the Lord Jesus justifieth Justification and the things accompanying it are the benefits of Christs death The same person renounceth all merit and debt strictly taken defines justification as it hath respect to what Jesus did and suffered for us without us Uni grace p. 103. Q. no Popery p. 47. 51. c. The procuring cause being Christ alone who became the expiatory Sacrifice and Propitiation unto God for our Sins Shewen dawbs it over by affixing an ill Doctrine on us that Christs Sanctification without us True Christian Faith p. 69. is imputed to a man whilst unsanctified which is not so bad as his own being taken into the third Heaven when unregenerate Fox at sometimes calls the Scripture a Rule the Scriptures shall buffet you about Epis to G. W Divin of Christ Q. no Pope p. 24. in 3d. Quib. p. 36. and you shall be whipped about with the Rule Keith calls it a compleat external secondary Rule Mr. Pen saith the Scripture is much like to the shadow of the true Rule c. a very great Honour do they advance it to to be much like the Shadow but not the Substance nor the shadow T. Ellwood daubs will allow it to be profitable and so are Tullyes Offices p. 241. but not to be a perfect and sufficient Rule in order to Salvation and yet he hath nothing Revealed but what is in Scripture so that if this be not sufficient the Repitition thereof must be as defective and having no new Essentials of Religion lesser than Inspiration might convey the others but at the last their kindness allows the Scripture to be a Rule in Cursing and Railing let it suffice that we give no harder names than the Scripture by Rule allows Hicks 3d Dialogue p. 40. With full mouth they declaim against Judicial swearing and yet for interest they can take an Oath some of them would have no Creeds nor Catechisms others compose such things They are much intangled when to Date that Apostacy of Christianity which they fancy Some make it to come before miraculous gifts ceased just upon the Apostles death In Mr. Jenner p. 116. Fiery darts p. 26. So Joseph Frice Since the Apostles days there hath been a great Apostacy and a true Church of Christ could not be found during all which time the true Church hath been in a Wildernessed Estate Christ had not a Visible Church in the World saith Farnsworth G. W. and G. F. reply at Cambridge Gag for the Q. p. 5. Howgils Glory of the Church p. 6. and yet they quote broken sayings of the Ancients who were within the Apostacy others of them do qualify the severity of the former the Church of Christ was glorious the first hundred years after his Manifestation in the Flesh and Keith more enlargeth the purity of the Church the Testimony of Antiquity in the purest times especially the three or four first Centuryes Q. no Popery p. 69. Spirit of the Hat p. 9. which at length they retort home concerning the great Apostacy in this day among themselves In 3d. Quib p. 36. G. Whitehead durst one while write That which was spoken from the Spirit of truth in any is of as Great Authority as the Scriptures and Greater c. Which being odious to all good minds he declares confidently the contrary as if our observations were as stupid as his Conscience nor did we ever prefer our Books before the Bible but do prefer the Bible before all other Books extant in the World one while man must be thou'd because God is so Q. plainness p. 70 71. anon the Hat must not be put off to man The true Christians Faith p. 187. that must be reserved to God alone as a necessary piece of his Worship These and many such are the crooked ways and interfering paths wherein their private Spirit is bewildred Spirit of the Hat p. 25. 2. Having taken an
Physick The Q. Spiritual Court p. 39 40. whereas it was one Mrs. Slack of Islington who inspired him and made him pay sauce for it Paracelsus would have been a good Physician for them or Helmont who at length obtained a Vision of his Soul being a pellucid transparent Substance Dr. Charltons Ternary of Paradoxes If Hermolaus Barbarus had had this Light he needed not to have gone to the Fiend to know the meaning of Aristotles Entelechy 3. Consider the debate about the Hat and their Canons so far as Inspiration is concerned whether the Hat should be put off or no in Prayer hath caused great heats among them they who act consentaneously to their first Principles would have it left to the Spirits motions The rest who set up a Tyranny will have it off as matter of Decency as significative that the Veil is taken from their Heart as expressive Honour to God c. The thing I debate not but the Consistency of it with their Doctrines their Mournful Gildaes makes a sad Narrative of what was made known Spirit of the Hat p. 9. and manifested in him concerning the great Apostacy to wit among themselves to such a height was it carried that to keep on the Hat was a forfeiting of their Priviledges Perrot declared Tyran and Hipo. detec p. 33. I have received by express Commandment from the Lord God of Heaven in the day of my Captivity in Rome viz To bear a sure Testimony against the Customs and Traditions of the taking off of the Hat by men when they go to Pray to God the which they never had by Commandment from God And yet this Revelation is thrown by as a Delusion Fox and the ruling party having determined the Contrary but it is hence Evident that men may take that for Inspiration which is not so even among Quakers as well as other men And Ben. Furley wrote a large Letter to shew that such imposing Idem p. 67. is contrary to the Freedom or Motion of the Spirit of Life and the thing begot much confusion some taking their Hats off at wrong times c. How can I know which are the right Quakers the Hat-men or the others Spirit of the Hat p. 32. or should not I believe the Revelations of the weak side rather than the Arts and Tyranny of the stronger But the most unparallel'd Usurpation Printed at the end of the Tract and Lordliness consists in their Canons or the Testimony from the Brethren which are a direct Receding from their first Principles But experiencing the Light in every one to be the way to destroy all Government and Order they Mint a pretty thing called the Light of the Body in which the dispersed Light is concentred and to which it must be accountable we shall first consider the making and entertainment of this Testimony and then some of the matter of it The makers thereof declare that through the Lords good hand being met together were through the Operation of the Spirit of Truth In the Preamble as God hath put it into our Hearts Art 1. The Lord giving us to see being thereto encouraged by the Lord whose Presence is with us c. Which imply that Testimony to be drawn up by Inspiration Mr. Pen calls them inoffensive nay Christian and necessary Resolves Faldo's Appendix p. 2 which sinks them far below Revelation But G. Bishop who deserves as much credit as any of the party wrote a large Letter in Opposition to that Testimony having considered their Paper in the Spirit of Truth In Tyran and Hypo. detect p. 34. he was moved of the Lord to let them know c. and upon their first Principles he proceedeth shaking down what the others later Model had erected but Gods Spirit is opposed to himself and in such Wicked Debates what side must an Inquirer joyn unto or what undoubted security can one party give of their having the Spirit more than the other it being in both alike Invisible and neither submitting to an outward Rule nor giving outward proofs They enjoin them to be read in their several meetings and kept as a Testimony So W. D. sent his Papers to be read in the fear of the Lord in the Holy Assemblies of the Church of the first Born an insolent Act to impose their Motions on others who are equally taught by God their notion of the Body of Friends of good and ancient Friends the Witness of God in Friends the Judgment of the Spirit of Christ in his People good and serious faithful and sound friends the Vniversal Spirit of Truth c are such canting ways of inslaving Souls that they exceed both implicite Faith and all the Intrigues of the Conclave this being their new Maxime and Infallible Rule that the Body will have a true sence Spirit of the Hat p. 21. feeling and understanding of Motions Visions Revelations Doctrines c. and therefore safest to make her my Touchstone in all things relating to God But what signifieth the Light in every man or Immediate Revelation they are wholly useless upon these Principles for if my Revelations must be tryed by the Body what must I be guided by in the Interim till their approbation be sent in a Cloak-bag from London but who are this Body how many members go to constitute it Where is it deposited In what place lodged whence have they this Authority or how can I infallibly know when they proceed upon Inspiration are they turned into Body who were all Spirit Thomas Ellwood is a Non-conforming Brother as he states things but to have such a power over others requireth a being deputed thereto as Bishop well urged but especially the trying Divine motions in that manner requires the highest degree of Inspiration and Authority from God Never did any turn Revelation into a craft so much before the Body to be sensible of Visions c. Where is this Body one in every County or the Universal one at London such a Representative mankind never heard of The Apostles at the Council Acts 15. received their outward information from Paul and Barnabas and so proceeded but for a Body of Friends to understand the motions of all the Members makes such a trifling prodigious supersaelation of Revelations as cannot be imagined suppose the number of Quakers to be 20000. each Believer of these hath Scripture renewed hath expository Inspirations on it besides all that concern civil Life as eating drinking marrying c. Now what Body besides its own particular ones can possibly without omnisciency have a feeling of those Visions daily conferred upon each of that 20000 and if a man cannot obey his own motions till Freinds have approved his Condition is endlessly perplexed the Saints in Heaven by a repercussion or Speculum hearing their Votaries on earth is nothing so intangling as the Universal Spirits communicating all the Revelations to the Body But this expedient have they hit upon to keep
private Revelations in subjection a pack of Gypsies or Pluto's Court may wish for such Intelligence but the Christian World the Pope himself and the Saints above are yet Strangers to this new way of Communication But supposing his Body be not capable of being the Rendezvous of all Revelations but be intrusted with a discerning Spirit to discover what comes from the true Light in any They ought to produce some deputation from those they represent and certain proofs that they cannot be Mistaken in this snuffing of Lights and smelling of Opinions as they should first prove to us that they have Revelations before they require our belief the same they should make out to their Freinds that the Light in the one is darkness if the other call it to but how can I justify my subjection to the Body when contrary to my inward Light is not my Light as certain to me as theirs to them and more certain than theirs can be to me or am not I more assured of my own feelings than I can be of anothers Relations doth the Spirit jest with me in Discoveries and is he in earnest with them if the Body judg me what must judg the Body or is it so high a Tribunal that there is no appeal from it had God intrusted the Body with so vast a Power as legitimating Motions he would have provided we should have known what and where that body always is when it determineth duly and all other requisits to the submitting my sensations to their Decisions If I write a thing by the Spirit and then submit that to the Judgment of the Body I shew contempt to God and blindness of Obedience nor can I expect God should Reveal himself to me when I submit his conveyings to anothers Corrections one Infallible hath not power over another Infallible nor doth the truth of my Inspiration depend upon having others of my Judgment It is the Impression from God and not anothers acceptation which is my security for certainly I must know my own Receits better than I can do either those or the fidelity of another but if twenty single ones be not infallible those twenty when collected into one body cannot make up one infallible nor can I be satisfyed that the Light in the body is more upright than when dispersed in the members these proceed according to their supposed Receits the others in lyceâ—sing thereof proceed by Art and Interest and if one part of the Body be lyable to mistakes why not the other but they have made a good advance by removing the Light from the Members into the Body the next step conveys it into one Infallible Head and they may pass for good Catholicks of a new Order Man and Forms used to be cryed down but Canon 1 now the Ruling part are zealous for them to support Canon 2 their own grandeur Opposers are to be kept Canon 3 under with the Power of God being without they ought not to be Judges in the Church being joyned in one with Heathens and Infidels The Church hath Power without the assent of such as dissent to determine c. Mr. Pen may retract his Book of Liberty of Conscience none are to enjoy it but the Foxonian party for to that purpose Fox spoke in a selected great Assembly though many Friends have Writ for Liberty of Conscience The Spirit of the Hat p. 41. I never liked the Word it is not a good Word no Liberty to the Presbyterians no Liberty to the Papists no Liberty to the Independants no Liberty to the Baptists c. Liberty is to be only in the Truth and saith he No Liberty out of the Power Canon 5 Their Viewing Books before Printing argues their Distrust and Confusion among Pretenders and is Destructive of their main Principles For my Inspiration ought not to be Licensed or Suppressed at anothers suggestion We have no Certificate that T. Ellwoods Book was allowed by the Body and some parts of it breath not their Air would they declare what Books they own and what Authors are Spurious it might be an Act of Justice and Charity to their Proselytes but then the procedure in Condemning what came from the Lord would be ominous to their whole Platform Their setting up a Ministry is an Eclipsing if not Extinguishing the Light and Inspiration in each Believer for their Genuine Consequent is That both Scriptures and Ministers are useless and herein they are sadly divided George Bishop as moved of the Lord declares against a Ministry the Spirit of the Lord in this day Tyran Hyp. p. 35. and in the days of the Apostles bears not the same proportion â—hen were Apostles Pastors Teachers Elders â— But in this day the Spirit it self is Pastor Teacher Elder c. So that if the Spirit move any to declare or speak that is the Apostle Teacher Elder c. I know no Pastor Teacher Elder c. But as I find moving in any to any of these things The eleven Brethren from the Lord defend a stated Ministry condemning those that would limit the Lord to speak without Instruments Canon 6 or by what Instruments they list rejecting the Counsel of the Wisâ—men and the Testimony of the Prophets that doing down the Ministry is a laying wast the Heritage of the Lord Canon 1. c. Keith attempts a reconciliation of these differences that their Ministry will always be dear and comfortable to us Im. Rev. p. 215. but not absolutely necessary being come to a Teacher even the Spirit of Jesus c. but leaning to the Non-conforming side but how can the single Teachers be Inspired or be Infallible when the Body doth supervise and Correct that which they believe to be God's Spirit or if the Body be sensible of the Motions of Friends why hath it not a Prophetick glimpse of the Books and designs of Enemies but this setting up a Ministry and Canons is a receeding from their first claims and is inconsistent with T. E's Inspiration in each Believer 4. There are various other matters related to these by which we may gather their regard to Revelation they obey when no Inspiration is named supposing a man to be habitually Inspired To set down for the rareness thereof one Extravagant of George Fox In the Romish Horse-leach which can scarce be parallelled at Rome the Fryars Case was not so peremptory All Friends every where on your Signs set not up the Image or Likeness of any Creature in Heaven or in Earth but by the Power of the Lord keep down all the makers of such things for the Ground of them is from the Heathen But set up a Bed-staff Fire-shovel Saw Fork Compasses Andirons Harrow Plough or any such thing And Freinds every where admonish one another Young and Old that ye do not run after the Worlds Fashions which are invented and set up by the vain and light mind which if ye do how can ye Judge the World for
which the rest had never seen nor heard of and cryed down their old light as darkness pretending to have hers Immediately And 't is hard to discover how upon their principles they can confute her Rationally sometimes they stop the Mouths of such Tyran 15. Silent meet a wounder p. 10. as offer to speak in the name of the Lord. So Ann Mud c. Was pulled away by violence they are very curious in the time when the Spirit seizeth on them the 22. day of the 7. Mouth the word of the Lord came unto W. B. another is more exact On the 31st day of the 10th Month 1655. about 4 a Clock in the Morning the Word of the Lord came to Burroughs c. the same could have gone on to Minutes Seconds c. Revelation also is challenged for bad Designs Hicks 1 Dial. p. 26. a Quaker Debtor replyed to his Creditor 't is revealed to me I ow thee nothing p. 27. Ellis Pseudo-christus p. 27 Studelys looking glass of Schism Messages have been pretended sent from God and the person hath been proved many miles distant when the dreamer came to declare it so Holbrow and Marshal were deluded Mary Gadbury pretended a Revelation to get some Cloath from Mrs. Woodward and such a Command must be embraced Schucker beheaded his brother Leonard by Inspiration and Enoch ap Evan upon partly such a pretence killed his Mother and his Brother Kays Answ to 18. Quae. p. 5. Q. Spi. Court p. 7. 21. And two Quakers near Stokely in York-shire their Conscience bidding them destroy Original Sin they Apprehending that their Mother was the fountain thereof Murdered her Fox challenged Inspiration for the Earths being flat Spirit of Hat 27. and that it was twelve a Clock all the World over and he kept part of his Commission concealed a long time Although I have not yet told it you I do now declare it I have power to bind and to loose whom I please At this rate he may keep an Instrument for Reconciling us to Rome dormant by him And Revelations have put them both upon hardships and going naked Idem p. 20. But all these contentions are nothing to such Inspirado's they are yet Whole and Sound in the true Church unity stands in Diversityes as if they had taken the word of the Valentinians Tertul. adve Valcutin Concerning in Faldo Q. no Christ p. 56. who take Diversity as a Charisma or gift nec unitatem sed diversitatem and Pennington licks all right the doing the same thing the thinking the same thing the speaking the same thing this doth not unite here in this state in this nature but the doing the thinking the speaking of it in the same life yea though the doings or thoughts or words be divers yet if they Proceed from the same Principle or nature there is a true unity felt therein where the life alone is Judge And by this salvo all these Contradictions hurt their unity no more than taking an Oath doth prejudice their not Swearing CHAP. VIII Concerning their Expository Revelations III. THe third which these Privado's of Heaven enjoy is They have Expository Revelations so T. E. p. 238. the Scriptures are understood only and alone by the openings and discoveries of that Holy Spirit by which they were at first revealed those Divine Mysteries are Mysteires indeed and remain so as a sealed book until Christ the Lamb doth open them p. 239. nor can the Doctrine of the Gospel or the Mysteries of Gods Kingdom be known to man but by the Revevelation of the Holy Spirit Revelation is necessary yea of necessity even to understand the Scriptures the true sence man can never attain unto until the Holy Spirit Reveal it to him to the like purpose he writes p. 251 253. and 255. that the Spirits helping to understand the Scriptures is by its teaching the true sence and meaning of them by opening discovering and making known the Mind and Will of God therein exprest This is Revelation But there is a great Craft in this procedure for he beginneth with Immediate Revelation but after he Ommitteth the Word Immediate and slideth into Revelation in General But what makes he Requisite on our Part to receive this boon from the Spirit 't is summ'd up into a narrower room than the Essentials by Keith viz. waiting p. 220. desiring and waiting p. 240 but especially humane Learning is disbanded from the least concern except Translating T. Es. Spirit cannot Translate a Greek Chapter but it can Infallibly Expound an English one that is it can do nothing discernible but it can do all things Indiscernible 〈◊〉 Law of 〈◊〉 This gaping way of Expâ—unding was taught by Winstanley all Exâ—â—sitions upon others words shall cease they shall 〈◊〉 with a quiet silence upon the Lord Till he break forth within their Hearts and give them words and Power to speak You must get into the Hâ—ly Silence 〈…〉 8.9.10 and then the Spirit will Instruct you But the Rule is Elder then the Quakers Hildegardis in that her Nonsensical Vision Related to Arnold Arch-Bishop of Colen determines qui autem Vult bene Vigilare hunc intellectum Percipiat Biblio pâ—trum Tom. 15. p. 622. c. He that will make or wait wâ—â—â— shall have the Vnderstanding of her Vision And the Libertines and Swenck field the Familists and all the herd not so much as Anna Trapnel but they all are against learning and for T. Es. easy way of Inspiration or Ministers to have no help but to speak all from the light within So that there is nothing of Studying Praying Reading Meditating or Confering Required on our Part but a Supine desiring and Expecting Reasoning is outdated by Yawning and brains are Superseded by Meer Attendance Quakerism Nuzzles up in sloth and Idleness they may Rest day and night and have the Law writ in their Hearts without Exercising themselves in it their terms are so easy they will have Proselytes Danger of Enthusiasm p 71. but saith one Jacobs Venison could not be right it came so soon to hand To which we may add he lyed in saying the Lord his God brought it to him when it was his Mothers Art This waiting Prostitutes and layeth the soul open to every Impression what starts up first is thought a Divine Irradition The Devil loves a house so garnished and Empty and whilest Saul was thus waiting he started up in the Room and likeness of Samuel their Inspirations are both Writing and Seal to themselves and being in such a passive stilness they Interpret each forward Fancy to be the Whispering of the Spirit that silent Attendance throws down the mounds and Fences of our Spirits and whilst we ly waiting we shall not want the Entertainment and Variety of Suggestions but be bewildred and run on from one Imagination to another But what need T. E. wait Dr Causabons Enthu p. 162 the Spirit of Truth dwells in them p. 228. and
second Immediate Teaching to give their meaning but our Diligence in the use of means blessed by Gods Ordinary Assistance do give us such an understanding of them as upon our Obedience thereto God will accept to our Salvation nor can we think it likely that the Extraordinary Visibles as Tongues c. should be all ceased and the Extraordinary invisibles c Immediate Teaching c. should still all continue The Unintelligibleness of the Scriptures the Letter as Different from the Spirit c. have been so much insisted on that I am forced to lay foundations and premise a few things which seem to command assent upon hearing 1. That God that Infinite Wisdom and Goodness is able to Express his mind so as his Words may be understood 2. His Willingness to do it appears by what he hath actually done having revealed much to men is Comprised in the Bible 3. His Truth and goodness will not allâ—w him to put a trick upon his Creatures to speak words of a different reserved or contrary sence from common acception usage of Speech or their Importance So that we cannot suppose that the Scripture the Instrument in order to our Salvation should be involved or designedly unintelligible but the plainer part should unfold the obscurer Haworths converted p. 22. In. univ gra and Jo. Crook confesseth The Scriptures are true as God means-them not as man by his conceâ—vings interprets them and Keith oft Refereth to the Truth Sincerity and Righteousness of God in his â—ffers 4. God having conveyed his mind by words the understanding of his words must be the best help to the understanding of his mind and if by words Inspired then by those Inspired ones written for writing neither destroys their sence nor Obligation 5 〈…〉 Holy Spirit doth not Improve in knowâ—◠〈…〉 was as able to conser true meaning one thousand six hundred years ago as he is at this â—ay 6 That the Sacred Pen-men were sober underâ—â—â—â—â—ng persons and even without supernatural assistance could Speak and Write Intelligibly 7. That the Supervening of the Spirit doth not make men Fools but betters and Improves them ascertaining the Truth giving clearer Perceptions of it and Ability fitly and aptly to Express it they not receiving words without Sence 8. That words spoke or heard may be Written being Written they may be preserved thousands of years and still be understood allowing for change of times Customs Idioms c. And that the Orignal Language be not Extinguished 9. That those to whom the Scriptures were spoke understood their Sence though they did not see the Persons oâ— Times in which accomplished the Law was so understood that the Tabernacle was built and the Common-Wealth ordered according to its Prescription so that the Writing was Intelligible Spiritual matters being therein veil'd but the literal Sence still abiding 10. That it is Reasonable to suppose the Book of God to be understood by such helps as other books are as the Phrase the Scope the Coherence c. And being a Publick lasting Revelation Reason inclines to Judge it should be more Intelligible than any Private one 11. That the Bible is as Intelligible as any Book of that Age Considering its greatness several Pen-men Variety of matter the Distance from us of the things therein Transacted the short way of Expressions used by those Easterns the Customs Proverbs c. therein Referred to especially the Sublimity of the Matter that therein God addresseth himself to men speaks in the Language of the Sons of men That the Heavenly light assumes a covering c. 12. That we may allow God to use ornaments and graces of Speech and Figurative Expressions as well as other Authors for the Scriptures give understanding Psal 19.7 Making wise unto salvation 13. Having abundantly Expresseth all the parts of duty we may allow him sometimes to dwell in the thick darkness and be content if some things exceed our reach as is done with the Phoenomina of Nature So the likeliest Instances may Satisfy in the Application of Prophecies where we mix Humility with Diligence God will pardon though we miss of the Prime Intendment and if not future Ages yet the next Word will read us such things as Ezekiels measures c. These and the like satisfy me of the no necessity of the second Expository Revelations for if God have made them dark it is to Conciliate our Reverence that we may know our Distance to whet our Industry c. But if one Scripture Revelation need another to Explain it that other will need a third to Expound it and that third a fourth and so forward For we cannot Reasonably think that the Spirit Improves in speaking plainly or that my single Inspiration should be more clear than the Publick Apostolical But this is the smallest part of the Trouble for if I need a fresh Inspiration to explain I need another to ascertain that to be a Right Exposition a third to attest the second to be Right and so in infinitum Nay there will be an endless Complication of them I shall need a Revelation to ascertain this to be the Scripture then I need an Expository Revelation to understand that Revelation and the Scripture then I need an assuring Revelation to confirm those Expositions then further Expositions to understand those Assurances and so on for ever Every Expository will need a further Expository and assuring Revelation and every assuring Revelation will need the like Assurance and Explaining So that if I do not stand to the certainly attested Revelations but call for more both to prove and Expound them I shall cut my self out work for ever and such piling one Inspiration upon another will multiply Difficultyes but Remove none But though these Expositions were not only necessary but actually conferr'd the former difficulty Returns viz. Certain Evidence that God by the Quakers only sends his Inspired Expositions into the World The Prophets suppose the Law to be Intelligible Rescuing it from Corrupt and false Glosses and Pressing to its Practice One Prophet though taking somewhat from another yet Imployed not his Prophetick Light in writing Coments upon the preceeding Luc. 24.27 But the Doctors c. pressed and opened to the People that which the Prophets received Immediately from God Christ Expounded Moses and the Proâ—â— shewed them fulfilled in himself and 〈◊〉 tâ—ose Divine Expositions are not Exâ—anâ— Pâ—tiâ—â—â— â—th There are hard things in Pauls Epistiâ—◠〈…〉 no Exposition of them nor 〈…〉 nameth which are they though wreâ—â—◠〈…〉 Damnation Hezekiah and Josiah c. 〈…〉 of the Law and the Prophets and the people thought they understood the meaning of the words and God accepted their Reformation And the new Testament which is fuller of light is not more dark certainly it is at least as serviceable to us as the old was to the Jews Christ having taken the Veil from the face of Moses hath not another drawn over his own How much is the Spirit
but that which was delivered by the Apostles as certain eye and ear Witnesses of it and to confirm that certain Testimony of theirs God superadded the Demonstration or Evidence of the Spirit and Power which by an Hebraism may be conjoyned Evidencing the Spirit by Power Theo. in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Power of Miracles were an Evidence that the Spirit owned and confirmed their certain Testimony or we may take Spirit and Power as two distinct Proofs of their outward attestations 1. Spirit the Evidence of that consisted in shewing the Old Testament Prophecyes were fulfilled in Christ this Origen makes the demonstration of the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 L. 1. con Cels apud Dr. H. in Loc. c. Prophecyes that are able to give assurance of the things that belong to Christ and thus Rev. 19.10 the Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy the Series of all the Prophecyes so wonderfully fulfilled are an Evidence for him or it may take in the New Testament Prophecyes which are an Evidence for Christ The Revelations were by him committed to an Angel and so to John or Spirit may refer to those visible Demonstrations when the Blessed Spirit visibly descended upon Christ and the Apostles and so are that Immediate Evidence the Spirit gave to Christ Dr. Ham. or that Record the Spirit bore so clearly explained in Dr. Patricks Witnesses to Christianity Power that hereby are meant Miracles is indisputable 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Origen ubi Supra those Miraculous stupendious actions whose footsteps yet remain per figna virtutes c. by the Holy Spirit and by the Signs and Powers done by him we bring you Arguments or Evidences that we speak the truth Oecum in loc Ita. Grot. c. that by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is meant either sanationes healings in particular or Miracles in general will be evident by a little observing its use Mar. 9.39 no man which shall do 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Miracle in my name spoke with reference to such as did cast out Devils in the Name of Christ and did not follow him Mat. 7.22 in thy name have done 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 many wondrous Works answerable to those preceeding Prophecying and casting out Devils Luke 10.13 if the mighty Works 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had been done in Tyre and Sydon 1 Cor. 12.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after that Miracles As Mat. 11.21.23 13.54 58 14.2 Mar. 6.2 5 14. 9.39 Luc. 5.17 6.19 19.37 Act. 2.22 8.13 passim in all which and many other places too long to be set down it signifieth Miraculous Works or that Divine Power which was the Evidence or Seal of the Holy Ghost The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not only set single but with others that do expound it Rom. 15.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through mighty Signs and Wonders by the Power of the Spirit of God that is those Signs wrought by the Power of the Spirit and Evidences of it Better Signs of his Divine Commission than the Bells and Pomegranates were to the High-Priest c. 2 Cor. 12.12 Truly the Signs of an Apostle were wrought among you in all Patience in Signs and Wonders 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in mighty Deeds These are the Signs of an Apostle and yet our new Apostles and their Successors do no such things and fully 1 Thes 1.5 Our Gospel came not to you in word only but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost and in much assurance that is in the Power of the Holy Ghost which is a plerophory or which gives much assurance by transposing the words of which many instances are in Grot. on John 35. But Quakers have words meerly without Signs or Wonders or certain Sensible Testimonies or Humane Learning One of them acknowledgeth they can give no outward Evidence seeing our Opposers require of us Q. no Popery p. 62. 63. to show or evidence unto them some Infallible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we have the Spirit of God I would have J. M. to know that the same difficulty recurreth as to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Scriptures it being a thing which cannot be shown or made to appear by any Evidence unto the carnal mind which yet is evident unto the Spiritual that is like the old Hereticks they are the Spiritual others not of their mind are the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Animal or Carnal but his Evidence for Inspiration is far inferiour to the Scriptures Authority And in that very Text Rev. 14.6 produced by T. Ellwood of the Preaching the Everlasting Gospel after the Apostacy there is no mention of Demonstration or Inspiration c. nor was there any need thereof the corrupt Church among much dross preserving those very Books whereby her Errors were detected and that was when all Learning began to revive true Religion and Learning moving in equal lines 2. But Quakers have the demonstration Qu. looking glass A true Narrative though they slight the Miracles thereby implyed some attempts have been made thereto by Charles Baylyes stroaking Richard Andersons Cursing the Womans pretending to raise the interred Corps which were reinterred when her folly had appeared In Mr. Jenner p. 93. Nicholas Kate of Harwell said That when the fulness of time was come Sober Answer to Speed p. 76. New Law p. 37. he should work Miracles which yet is not come to pass but the fulness of time with such bears a strange date the fulness of time is when the first man hath filled the Creation full of his filthiness and all places stink with unrighteousness but visible Miracles failing they turn it another way they work Invisible Miracles or Miracles in Spirit so did Ignatius Loyola and doubtless to reach to the Soul to quicken it to cure its Diseases Pennington's naked truth p. 28. is greater than the outward and was signifyed by the outward They work Miracles in a Spiritual way T. Ellwood makes Tongues to be be but mediums to convey their Message to others p. 231. 3d. Qâ—il p. 75. as if he durst out-face the Apostle who declares them to be a Sign to such as Believed not 1 Cor. 14.22 Keith prettily daubs it over that they witness the Power working Miraculously in their Hearts Im. Rev. 〈◊〉 200. raising to Life the dead Souls c. and these are the greatest Miracles of which the outward were but a figure William Shewen almost bids defiance to them we read not of very many converted by outward Miracles which are not of absolute necessity in the Church True Christians Faith p. 150. 157. but the inward are the greater Miracles which Christ promised that those who believed in him should do So that they do no Wonders Title of a Book Truth exal p. 11. yet have Silent meetings which are a Wonder to the World and do Preach the Gospel
Delusive nor in the gratifying the inferiour Power but in a sound Mind a Living Faith and a Consciencious Practice And Enthusiasm hath carried others higher than the Quakers Spirit be it what it will hath yet carried them Satan can transform himself into the likeness of God himself Im. Rev. p. 239. and Actually doth it so that men should be cautions about their comforts The presenting some of their Experiences will discover their Excellency all that which you call the History New Law p. 97. is all to be seen and felt within you Adam and Christ Cain and Abel Abraham Moses Israel Canaanites Amalekites Philistins all those Armies the Land of Canaan Judas c. are all to be seen within you rarely Experienced Devon-shire house or the Trojan horse cannot contain such a Company But Keith denying the History to be conveyed by Revelation this man makes out the Receit by Experience Saints Paradise p. 29. He Experiences what the Devil is I shall shew in my Experiences what I see and know the Devil is viz. in the full body of him he is Vnrighteous flesh and the Imaginations thereof and every Lust is a particular Devil he truly found in his Experience that the flaming Sword is the Enmity of Natures which Enmity he had before Experienced to be the Devil and Murderer and lastly from what he had Received and seen within him p. 47. p. 30. New Law p. 103. True Christian faith and Experience p. 33s 34. he denies a local Hell Shewen believes God 's Oneness Omnipresence and his other Attributes from the Manifestation of him in his own Heart so he saith God is pure from his Appearance so pure in his heart strange Ideas have they of the Divine Perfections to measure them by their own sensations he truly and experimentally knoweth p. 106 that God cannot be tempted with Evil because that Heavenly Light he is indued withall cannot be Tempted with Evil. he can give an experimental account of the two great Ordinances of Christ Baptism and the Lords supper p. 76. that is he hath an experimental feeling of Allegories Univer Gra. p. 86. p. 117. Keiths Experience made him know and feel the seed in others and he experienced the belief of Christ in the outward not to be necessary to Salvation Univer Gra. p. 86. p. 117. and from this head he infers the Apocrypha to have proceeded from a Measure of the True Spirit Quo Popery p 30. Some Prim. 120. and Pennington bids wait to feel the glorious State of the Church before the Apostacy Such mens Faith consists in Experience and that in Fancy but hereby they take away the very proofs of Christianity p. 96. Women now are Witnesses of Christs Resurrection but thus They must know only as they Experience Pen. in Fal. vin of 21. Div. p. 7. True Christ experience p. 39. and the knowledg of the Scriptures avails nothing Except accompanied with a living Experience of the same power working after the same manner as it did in others in times past who have left their Testimonyes thereof upon Record CHAP. XI How the Primitive Christians came to the knowledge of the Gospel VI. THomas Ellwood is the Successour of the Primitive Christians as well as of the Apostles and he informs that the Primitive Christians did receive the knowledge of the Gospel from the Immediate Teachings of the Holy Spirit p. 233. to the like purpose p. 245. which he enlargeth from the Primitive Christians to have been in all ages Revealed to the Saints in some Degree or other p. 237. This is matter of Fact and the Truth of it Depends upon Proof from History not one word thereof is produced and the former Instances about St. Basil Nazianzene c. do not encourage us to trust either his Learning or Infallibility We are now upon the Negative and it belongs to him to prove out of undoubted Histories that the Gospel came to be known in all Ages by Immediate Revelation we find the Fathers very learned and coming thereto by Study and using such means of expounding as Protestants do We find their Expositions differing both among themselves and from the Quakers let Thomas Ellwood shew which Fathers were Inspired which of their Works were writ by it how we must understand those Inspired Expositions of theirs for they seem likelier to have Immediate Revelation than any in this Age In Epist ad Paulin. St. Hierom makes that Prophecy of Joel 2.28 fulfilled super 120 credentium nomina effusum iri in caenaculo Syon upon those 120 Names in Act. 1. and at the descent upon the Apostles Act. 2. Cateches 17. And Cyril of Jerusalem refers it to the coming upon Peter and the Apostles And Theodoret makes it to receive its Evident Comment in loc and literal accomplishment at the day of Pentecost Thomas Ellwood inlargeth it to all Believers and all Ages Whom shall we trust But he making them Inspired I have more Reason to believe such great names rather than his Conceit The Pretence to Revelation was all along disowned in the true Church after the settlement of Christianity Cont. Haeres 48. Epiphanius condemns the Montanists for bringing in new Prophets post terminum Propheticorum donorum after the Expiration of Prophetical Gifts and saith They bring alios prophetas post prophetas would introduce a new brood or Series of them The Prophets of the New Testament are oft by name recorded l. 5. c. 19. which is not done to any other of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this was urged by Miltiades in Eusebius adding to them Ammias of Phyladelphia and Quadratus and that if the Montanists challenge Prophecy after the Prophets others by the like rule may challenge it after the Montanists and so in infinitum We are certain that the Extraordinary Visible gifts are ceased and thence we infer that the Invisibles bore at most but an equal date with them and that Miracles continued longer in the Church than Immediate Inspiration is apparent in that we find footsteps of the one after the other was disowned and the Divine will might soon be made known whereas the continuance of its Testimonials in the World some while after was more necessary Tertullian called his by the name of Nova Prophetia New Prophecy an Evidence that the old was ceased and how he was disowned by the Church is Notorious Though there were many succeeding Prophets under the Law that doth not infer it must be so under the Gospel for those Prophets brought in Light by degrees and prepared the way for Christ but then Prophecy lay Silent for about 400 years before his appearing a sign that he came to fulfil and Seal up all and when God himself took the chair and in our nature discharged his Office it fastens Imperfection on him to maintain a Series of Prophets to explain what he spoke or relate what he omitted The new Testament
of the Gospel nor directed to the Disciples by which he dispatcheth also much that Christ spoke 5. To do that more effectually he breaks all in pieces with this reply p. 37. it was under the Law before the One offering was actually offered up making what Christ spoke whilst alive and Executing his Prophetick Office to signify nothing to us 6. He makes the Apostles to speak by way of condescension to take in others and omit themselves p. 77. which though sometimes used yet must not be pressed when such terms as we All Jam. 3.2 do include themselves as well as others 7. He declines the Lords Prayer as taught p. 81. when the Disciples were young and weak c. which equally destroys the whole Sermon on the Mount at the same time delivered Thus David George and the Familists said the Scripture was given to Novices 8. He changeth Tenses p. 137. is should be read was an alteration which if allowed may be serviceable to strange purposes 9. He inlargeth to his party the particular Promises made to the Apostles p. 228. and the Commands as Matth. 10. about meat and drink 10. He conceals the unkind parts of a Text which favour not his Pretensions p. 230. this he conceals with an c. he shall bring to your remembrance all things c. and quoting John 16.13 he wholly omitteth the last word he shall shew you things to come and yet challengeth all the other Promises 11. He gives Christs words a downright denyal p. 20. to that Command Mat. 23.3 to do whatsoever they bid them he replyes nay hold there we have had too much of that already He fastens also a Ridiculous Command upon God whilst he saith to challenge a property in mans Labour c. is ridiculous p. 335. when as the Priests by Gods Command had a Property therein receiving the Tenth of that Increase obtained by sweat care industry c. And he saith That Christs Excellency lay not in Humane Learning p. 207. had he said His Commission lay not there he had spoken like a Schollar of so All knowing a Master He that made the Eye shall he not see c. Suppose a man be pressed to any Duty Thomas Ellwood hath furnished him with evasions the Law doth not oblige nor what Christ spoke before his Death this discards the Old Testament and the Gospel and the Remainder may be avoided by his Rules as spoke to such as were weak or under the Law or by way of Condescension or if none cut the knot yet the last breaks the Bonds insunder Nay hold there we have had enough of that already thus whilest he is pleading men may live without Sin he enervates that Doctrine which was designed to keep them from it and his New Light attempts to turn true Old Religion out of the World The Conclusion HAving Considered his Pretence to Inspirations I think it not necessary now to view his Notion of Humane Learning that being in Effect yielded up by acknowledging that Learning must Translate put an English Bible into his hand for his Spirit if true is as able Immediately to do the one as the other When Thomas Ellwood considers Sacred Geography Historyes Prophecyes Chronology the Fabrick of the Temple the dispersion of People over the World Numbers Weights Coins Measures Customs Rites Proverbs with many such he must acknowledg the usefulness of Learning in other concerns besides bare translating the most convincing and beneficial Employment for him will be to let the World see the noble Fruits of his Interpreting Spirit for the Ministration of the Spirit being given to every one to profit withal 1 Cor. 12. he is bound to acquaint the World with his Inspired Expositions and if he please as a Specimen to begin with the Chronicles from what he doth perform In Prolâ—go we may be induced to change our thoughts about their Pretensions St. Hierom saith the Book of Chronicles is such that without it if a man arrogate to himself the knowledg of Scriptures he doth but abuse and delude himself and Dr. Lightfoot thinks that a close Comment on it would contribute much Light to the other Scriptures when we see solid Interpretations and not Allegorical Fancyes proceed from him we may entertain better Opinions but he must borrow none of our Aegyptians Jewels nor go to the Philistins Forge to sharpen his Weapons nor with David make use of the Sword of Goliath though wrapt in a Cloth behind the Ephod and that there be none like it For our security of his Faithful performing when he discerns his Spirit to seize on him let him repair to some Justice of peace or his Parish-Priest that by them he may be certifyed of the Truth or if his Spirit be indisposed like Baal be talking pursuing in a Journey or in a sleep and must be awaked we shall have patience a while till he be better fitted such a Specimen as above will for a while imploy us but I suppose he need no protracting of time the Spirit of Truth dwelling in them and suffering no recess he must be always ready but if he will bury that his Talent in a napkin and think a rejoynder sufficient I desire he will Demonstrate the Fruits of the Spirit in his proceedure The Jews put off difficult things till there stood up a Priest within Vrim and Thummim and afterwards till the coming of Elias if Quakers speak true better than those are now come among us 't is but a Reasonable Request we make viz. Apostolical Proofs of his Apostolical Inspirations or convincing Evidences to remove those many Reasons drawn up against his claims but he must not make out his pretensions from those Sacred Scriptures which he denies to be the Rule and looks upon as unintelligible without Inspiration and when they are produced do cunclude as fully for any other party as for his when he Demonstrates his Spirit some other way it will deserve another manner of discussion but besides Miracles he must produce the Spirit of Prophecy or certain proofs like Daniels weeks c. That this is the foretold Season when the Dispensation of Christ in the inward or in the Spirit was to Commence and withal Evidence that our English Quakers and Positively whether the Conforming or Non-conforming party are the Persons intrusted with the delivery of it or if he except against their being the off-spring of Winstanley it no way can prejudice us we having as much reason to believe a Levellers Inspirations as a Quakers There having been in the Preceeding Discourse Reference sometimes made to the Quakers Testimony or Constitutions and those being Destructive both of the Light in each man and of Thomas Ellwood's Immediate Revelation in each Believer they are here verbatim Presented A Testimony from the Brethren who were met together at London in the third Month 1666. to be Communicated to the Faithfull Friends and Elders in the Countries by them to be Read in their several Meetings and
which are out of the Unity with the Body of Friends Print or cause to be Printed or published in Writing any thing which is not of Service for the Truth but tends to the Scandalizing and reproaching of faithful Friends or to beget or uphold Division and Faction then we do warn and Charge all Friends that do love Truth as they desire it may prosper and be kept clear to beware and take heed of having any hand in Printing republishing or spreading such Books or Writings And if at any time such Books be sent to any of you that sell Books in the Country after that you with the Advice of good and serious Friends have tryed them and find them faulty to send them back again whence they come And we further desire from time to time faithfull and sound Friends may have the view of such things as are Printed upon Truth 's account as formerly it hath used to be before they go to the Press that nothing but what is sound and Savory and that will answer the Witness of God even in our Adversaries may be exposed to publick Vieu 6. We do advise and counsel That such as are made Overseers of the Flock of God by the Holy Spirit and do Watch for the good of the Church Meeting together in their Respective Places do set and keeep the Affairs of it in good Order beware of Admitting or Encouraging such as are Weak and of little Faith to take such Trust upon them for by hearing things disputed that are doubtfull such may be hurt themselves and may hurt the Truth not being grown into a good understanding to judge of things Therefore We exhort That you who have received a true sence of things be diligent in the Lord's Business and keep the Meetings as to him that all may be kept pure and clean according to that of God which is just and equal We also advise That not any be admitted to order Publick business of the Church but such as have felt in a Measure of the Universal Spirit of Truth which seeks the Destruction of none but the General good of all and especially those that love it who are of the Houshold of Faith So Dear Friends and Brethren believing your Souls will be refreshed in the Sence of our Spirits and Integrity towards God at the reading of these things as ours were while we sate together at the opening of them and that you will be one with us on the behalf of the Lord and his Pretious Truth against those who would limit the Lord to speak without Instruments or by what Instruments they list and reject the Counsel of the Wise-men and the Testimony of the Prophets which God sanctifyed and sent among you in the day of his Love when you were gathered and would not allow him liberty in and by his Servants to appoint tâ—me and place wherein to meet together to wait upon and worship him according as he requireth in Spirit and calling it Formal and the Meeting of Man We say believing that you will have Fellowship with us herein as we have with you in the Truth we commit you to God and the Word of Life which hath been Preached to you from the beginning which is neither limited to place nor time nor persons but hath Power to limit us to each as pleaseth him that you with us and we with you may be built up in our most holy Faith and be Preserved to Partake of the Inheritance which is Heavenly amongst all them that are Sanctifyed Richard Farnsworth Alexander Parker George Whitehead Josiah Coale John Whitehead Thomas Loe. Stephen Crispe Thomas Green John Moon Thomas Briggs James Parkes The Summ of the Particulars handled in the preceeding Treatise DIvisions are no argument against the Truth of Christianity p. 1. The Holy Scriptures are by some thought too plain and by others too obscure p. 2. Quakers give better names to their own Books than to the Scriptures p. 3. Their beginning was in 1648. p. 4. Winstanley the Leveller was their Father p. 5. 6. They have a great resemblance to Rome p. 7. 8. The many disadvantages in Treating with them p. 9. Their unchristian temper in Controversies pag. 10. 11. They misapply Scripture words as the old Hereticks did p. 12. 13. T. Ellwood's Ignorance and Impudence about St. Basil p. 14. About St. Greg. Nazianzene and Sosiades p. 15. And in calling the Martyrs our Godly Martyrs p. 16. 17. Quakers deny themselves to be Protestants p. 16. Thomas Ellwood's sauciness towards the King p. 18 19. Quakers have dangerous Doctrines about Kings and Magistrates p. 19 â—â— Their degrading of the Nobility p 20. And contempt of other Orders of men p. 21. Thomas Ellwood's manner of claiming Inspirations concludes as much for others as for themselves p. 22. God affords sufficient means of Conviction p. 23. Immediate Revelation should be attested with Evidences p. 24. Revelation is a more easy thing than studying p. 25. The various Claimers of Infallibility confute each other p. 26. Quakers Challenge the Internal work of the Spirit but deny the External p. 27. Thomas Ellwood and his party 's high demands p. 28. His seeming Concessions p. 29. Christ was the Apostles Instructor before the Spirit p. 31. Quakers make Christs Prophetick office to signify nothing p. 32. Or confound Jesus and the Spirit p. 33. The manner of the Apostles Instructions recited p. 34. Quakers differ about the Apostles knowledge p. 35. The Apostles were certain Witnesses of Christ and the Writers of the N. T. wrote upon their certain knowledge p. 36. No new books of Scriptures can now be written 37. The Holy Spirit did inwardly pursue what Christ had outwardly delivered p. 38. Enthusiasm destroys the settled grounds of Religion p. 39. Quakers called themselves Apostles and Prophets p. 40. They make the Apostaâ—y to begin with the second Century p. 41. They are very unlike the Apostles p. 42. Successours cannot receive like predecessours p. 43. The first settling a Dispersation must not always continue p. 44. God is not prodigal of Miracles p. 45. Quakers Inspirations must be as unintelligible as those of St. Paul or others p. 46. The Texts produced by T â—â—â—wood prove against him p. 47. What was promised 〈◊〉 he Apostles shâ—uld not be inlarged to all p. 48. Quakers like Celsus and the Gnosticks pretend much knowledge p. 49 Thomas Ellwood borrows Renewing of Revelations from George Keith p. 51. Their damnable Essential of Religion p. 52. 53. Their great slighting of the Canon of Scripture p. 54. 55. Repetition of Revelation reinforces the Law of Moses p. 56. destroys the Reality of History p. 57. and the determinateness of Prophecy p. 58. Confound the Revelations of Men and Women p. 60. The Spirit doth not repeat what was spoken by himself or by other ways before p. 61. 62. Quakers pretend Revelations for Wordly matters p. 64. Gods Dispensations are Regular and Orderly p. 65. Quakers lose themselves in a Circle p. 66.
also then in their production too fertile and the Quaker is Junior to the most of them and they are all able to produce as good Evidences and Deeds so that it seems strange the Quaker should ingross both the birth-right and the blessing too from all the rest 1. The Seekers or Religious Scepticks laid Claim to Inspirations I call them so because those various differing Sectaries may be best comprized under such a general name Edward Gangre second Part p. 2. They affirm and hold they have not onely had Revelations but they have seen Visions also The means of Gods revealing himself and his mind and will to his Servants in reference to their Salvation is immediately by himself without Scripture without Ordinances without Ministers or any other means but especially many in the Army about 1645. took themselves to be intimate with God Idem p. 5. Some Officers and Souldiers affirmed That they had had Revelations and seen Visions and took upon them to Prophesie A Lieutenant a great Devoto denyed the Trinity of Persons affirming them to be three Offices he denyed that Christs presence in Heaven could be proved by Scripture p. 7. and made a great question whether there was a Resurrection or no. Mrs. Attaway the Woman-Preacher then begun to exercise Boggis wish'd he had not known so much of the Bible which he said p. 163. was but only Paper And Clarkson the Seeker vilifies the Scripture Ordinances p. 165. c. would not have People to live upon black and white and said That they of themselves were not able to Reveal God T. E. is the Successor of such Blades as these 2. The Antinomians maintained their undutiful Notions by recourse to this Armour and the Quakers have borrowed much from them as Perfection Discerning who were Elected the Notions about Christs Person and Christ within humane Learning and the like but I shall onely consider their Inspirations a large account of which we find in one who diligently traversed their Writings Rutherford's Survey of Spiritual Anti-Christ p. 173 174 175. The Witness of the Spirit is meerly Immediate without respect to Sanctification or Acts thereof all Doctrines Revelations and Spirits must be tryed by Christ rather than by the Word A Christian is not to Pray nor to do any Spiritual Acts but when the Spirit moveth him thereunto That all other askings or seekings of God which are not thus in Spirit are but the askings of Creatures as Creatures p. 222. The Scriptures are not to be understood according to Grammatical construction but as the Spirit of God reveals them p. 229. The meer Commandments of Scripture are not a Law to Christians p. 305. but the Law written in our Hearts The Holy-Ghost comes in place of the Natural Faculties of the Soul and acteth us immediately to all internal and external acts Part 2d p. 195. c. And that American Jezebel Mrs. Hutchinson said That her particular Revelations about events to fall out are as Infallible as any parts of Scripture p. 211. and that she is bound as much to believe them as the Scripture for the same Holy Ghost is the Author of both 3. The Levellers do make out their Free-born Community with Arrows fetched from this Quiver Winstanley the great Master of the Craft is exact herein New Law of Righte p. 46. This Phrase Mine and Thine shall be swallowed up there shall be no need of Lawyers Prisons or Engines of Punishment no Beggar nor cause of complaining there shall be no Buying nor Selling no Fairs nor Markets but the whole Earth shall be a common Treasury for every man The Poor upon their Commons saying p. 47. This is Ours the Earth and Fruits are common Now this Platonick fancyful Model he raiseth upon Revelation As I was in a Trance divers matters were presented to my sight which here must not be related p. 57. likewise I heard these words Work together eat Bread together declare it all abroad Likewise I heard these words Whosoever it is that Labours in the Earth for any Person or Persons that lift up themselves as Lords or Rulers over others and that do not look upon themselves equal to others in the Creation The hand of the Lord shall be upon that Labourer I the Lord have spoken it and I will do it Declare this all abroad And this very Trumpet he saith is still sounding in his Ears p. 67. Work together c. Surely the Lord hath not revealed this in vain This Heavenly Voice was so delightful that he was filled with abundance of quiet Peace and secret Joy p. 58. and he obeyed the Command of the Spirit which bid him Declare it all abroad by word of mouth and Pen and he waited till God shewed him the place and manner how to work upon the Common Lands p. 64. I will then go forth and declare it in my Action to eat my Bread with the sweat of my brows looking upon the Land as freely mine as anothers I have now Peace in my Spirit c. And elsewhere up-the same Subject he opens freely Fire in the Bush the Preface This Declaration of the Word of Life was a free gift to me from the Father himself When I had writ it I delayed the sending it almost a fortnight then the Voice was ready go send it to the Churches which he did well I have obeyed the voice and have sent this to you but what was the substance of the voice That he relates the voice is gone out Freedom Freedom Freedom he that hath ears to hear let him hear And what was this Freedom Even a setting the Earth free a breaking down all Pin-folds and laying all open to the Common Now have not I an equal if not greater Reason to believe his so particular and exact Revelations concerning Equality rather than your general and withal mixed ones concerning other matters Nay have not you as much ground to believe his pretence in this as to take the very lineaments of your Profession from him and yet herein desert him when as he Challengeth Inspiration for this as fully as for any other Doctrine But that you dare pick and chuse mangle and alter your own Revelations as well as his may in its due place appear A Sober Answer p. 56. 4. The Ranters deluded themselves and others with this blind and Fox acknowledged the affinity of his and their Principles that black Divinity challenged 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