for nothing but a Monstrous Fabrick But to use his own words Had he not been a Quaker he could not have given such an Answer CHAP. III. Whether Quakers be the Apostles Successors and receive the Gospel in the same manner as the Apostles did II. THE other Pillar is as rotten that the Apostles Successors or all Believers do receive the knowledge of the Gospel in the same manner as they did In which three things are couched 1. That all Believers or the Quakers are the Apostles Successors 2. That these Successors receive in the same manner as the Apostles 3. The proofs produced to make out this claim 1. That all Believers or Quakers are the Apostles Successors if the first then he argues for all Parties as well as for â—imself and their Revelations will out-weigh his a Turk is a Musulman or Believer in the light within him withall he makes Christ to have a Monstrous Body if all Believers be the Apostles Successors But his Charity without question designed the latter by using the first Person We and Us The Apostles Successors p. 228 truly the Apostles Successors in Faith and Doctrine p. 230 233 but he should first have proved it and not have begged the question The Lamb's Officer p. 11. The Apostles Successors a great Humility Lately they were higher even true Prophets and Apostles now they are dwindled into Successors not Apostoli but Apostolici They succeed them in Inspiration Infallibility Divine Commission Discerning of Spirits he does well to add in Faith and Doctrine Pray proceed you succeed in their Chairs in their Bishopricks in their Power of binding and loosing and prove it all by succeeding in their Miraculous Powers But how do you succeed the Apostles You differ vastly among your selves what time the Apostacy entred into the Church but stating it as some do to commence at the entry of the first Century Smith's Spiritual glass opened p. 36 Keith's Universal Free Grace 92. then for 1548 years the Gospel Dispensation was lost and is now revealed Christs Spiritual Dispensation is now again revealed in this day after the Apostacy And so many years make an hiatus large enough to disturb Succession 'T is not the Apostles but Winstanley whom you succeed In the year 1648 God did cause a branch to spring forth out of the root of David which was filled with Vertue J. Whitehead in Mr. Faldo's Q. no. Christ p. 16. for the Covenant of Life and Peace was with him he spread forth many Branches which did partake of the fatness of the Root the weary came to rest under his branches with him was the Word of Reconciliation And to that purpose the Blasphemous Harangue proceedeth so that you do but succeed that Leveller as Whitehead did in 1655. Ibid. Being a branch of this Tree viz. the branch afore-said the life of its Root caused me to blossom and bring forth fruit c. It is the Spirit of Winstanley whereby you are Acted and whether that be the Spirit of God deserves your diligent enquiry But supposing with the Socinians that Doctrinal Succession is sufficient without Personal we can discern no likeness between their and your Doctrine You Allegorize that Baptism and the Lords Supper which they practised you set up that Christ within whom they saw ascending into Heaven there to abide till the day of Judgment You make but small esteem of those Scriptures which they wrote or commended as able to make the Man of God wise unto Salvation They did eat and drink with Christ you have scarce allowed him to be a distinct Person from you They make Christ the Redeemer of Men you must have him to Redeem himself even a lost God and a lost Christ They expected Justification by the suffering Jesus that you make a Doctrine of Devils and will be saved by your own Works or by a Christ within you They believed Christ to be made a Sin-offering for them you entertain him but as your Pattern They believed their dead Bodies should rise again you do style it a Carnal Resurrection with several such irreconcileable differences between their Doctrines and yours There are other Fathers whom you succeed even many of the old Hereticks as might easily be shewed but especially Henry Nicholas is your Grand-father the Life and Spirit of Familism runs through your writings you have taken many things from the Libertines Swenckfeldians and Anabaptists the Antinomians also as Saltmarsh in his Sparkles of Glory and others of them contributed towards your Original for those and other Sects agree much in one bottom that of Immediate teaching these prepared the Materials out of which your Father Winstanley formed the most part of your Opinions which being thrown together in a confused manner you fancy the result to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Image fallen down from Jupiter and prettily style your selves the Successors of the Apostles in Faith and Doctrine by Immediate Revelation But supposing out of an excess of Charity that you are the Apostles Successors The next is more Prodigious 2. That these Successors receive in the same manner as the Apostles in the same manner he prints in a different Character p. 228 230 233. to shew the stress lyeth there and he affirms it to be no presumption ungodliness or absurdity in those who are the Apostles Successors in Faith and Doctrine to expect to receive the knowledge of the Gespel in the same manner as they received it p. 228 230 233. Expect and think what he please Sober men can judge the thought to be no less than madness and the thing a meer impossibility for unless Christ be now on Earth or T. E. was alive when Christ was on Earth and did personally attend him he cannot have received as the Apostles did no not though it was possible daily to repair to Jacob Behmen's Theosophick School of Pentecost But T. E. hath out-gone that Father who being 1300 years nearer Christs time might have been sooner qualified for it he hath seen Christ on Earth heard Paul in the Pulpit and by this token then he saw Rome in its Glory Did S. Mark know the Gospel in the same manner as S. Matthew Or came S. Luke to it by the same means as S. John 1 John 1.1 The one saith That which we have seen looked upon and handled The other Luke 1.2 They that were eye-witnesses have delivered them unto us And if the difference in coming to the knowledge of the Gospel was so early then Quakers can receive like none but false Apostles now John 20.9 our Lord pronounceth a blessedness on such as have not seen and yet have believed Some saw Christ and some saw the Apostles who had seen Christ c. The Doctrine of the Gospel was transmitted from certain eye and ear-witnesses who had Divine Inspiration also and so much as God thought necessary for his Church was written by those Divine Pen-men and is contained and conveyed down to us
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
and not Hystrionical Representations Our Holy Religion is a rational thing not a Drammatical Imaginary shew to be done over and over as in a Scene Christ lived on Earth Taught Instructed and lastly Dyed but once which Faith so receives and Entertains but Fancy cannot renew as dayly in doing that will destroy the reality of the History and make the very Religion to expire with it If Ellwood then feel such a thing as renewing former Revelations it is either Satans Delusion or his own Fiction of Imagination CHAP. V. Concerning their Immediate Revelations II. BEsides their Repetition they have Immediate Revelations The Apostles had an Immediate Revelation of the Mind and Will of God to them and these Successors receive in the same manner p. 228. The Ministration of the Spirit by Divine Revelations was not to cease but continue in the Church p. 227. inward and immediate teaching p. 229. The Revelations made to the Prophets and Apostles confirm'd by Miracles and Believed by Christians we own But for any further ones we can discern no Necessity thereof or if there was we cannot discern that God by you sends them to us It is not reasonable we should believe you in such a Concern meerly upon your own Witnessings nor will God I hope Damn him who died before the Quakers or never heard of them or doth seriously search into and yet disbelieve them and to call them Immediate must needs reflect upon the Scriptures which are Means appointed by God or else are nothing Keiths Title page Immediate Revelation remains a Standing and Perpetual Ordinance in the Church of Christ and of indispensible Necessity to every true Believer Living stone in 3d. Q. Quibbles p. 11. just such another Ordinance as giving the Hand and pulling off the Hat which are to continue in the true Church To what end they enjoy this Ordinance is differently related between the Tutor and his Pupil the latter claims it to the renewing old Scripture Revelations denying they have any new ones as to substance p. 237. but Keith is open-hearted tells what plenty they have and to what purpose things relating to our Conversation in the World Commanding or Forbidding Im. Rev. p. 5. 6. or Licensing us how to carry and be conversant about them as in eating drinking marrying or giving in marriage plowing digging or any other employment going coming to a place abiding therein things Revealed to them from the Lord which are not to be found in the Scriptures particularly not so much as by consequence Happy men they cannot do Ill certainly who eat drink get Children and know who get them c. by Revelation 'T is strange to see men who are Wise in the World to be so Fancyfull in Religion to Intitle God to the Risings and Bublings of their own Spirits they shut up those Reasonable Souls which God gave them as Spirits in Prison Anima suilla pro sale a Swines Soul serves for Salt and a Quakers doth no more just keeps his Body from Corruption How low and cheap is Inspiration made when the Holy Spirit must be Imployed in Inviting men to Dinner and they must be carryed on by Wires and Pullyes and not proceed by Humane measures T. E. hath such Immediate teachings as the Apostles had ask a Proof thereof the return is They Witness it but they will not swear it and I think it unreasonable to believe them on easier terms than our Lord himself was believed upon But whilst good Men are baffling Atheism with the rational grounds of Christianity Satan tacks about and would baffle Christianity by Impostures Is Inspiration grown so common that every one must have it Or is God so Prodigal of Miracles to exceed his regular Dispensations St. Paul who healed the Sick exerted not that Power on Believing Timothy Trophimus and Epaphroditus Christ increased the Loaves and yet commanded the fragments to be gathered up Hebron was promised unto Caleb for an Inheritance God could have ordered the Lot to fall upon it and yet it was settled by vertue of the Promise Where things can be had in an ordinary way it is not Gods Method to exceed nor heap Miracle upon Miracle his works are perfect and immediate answers were never common the Lot must not pass upon that which was promised before that would have been irreligion or a Tempting God There are no need of Teachers or Scriptures if all receive immediate Instructions The Ancients were too curious in their esteem of the Bible and the Traditores had too harsh Measure Though all Bibles were burnt a Quakers Light could verbatim write a new one as Jeremy gave Baruch the same words a second time The Jews say one Prophet who hath the Testimony of another Prophet is true I can discern no such attestation among them as S. John gave to Jesus but they first make themselves Prophets and then give Honour one to another Till they produce some undoubted Evidence I am guilty of no sin in denying I must either see some Miracles or have an Immediate Revelation my self to assure me that each of them hath such and such Inspirations and it being difficult to distinguish between the Dictates of spirits and the Fancies and Motions of a Man 's own upper and lower Soul Quakers will need a second Revelation to ascertain them of the first and a third to ascertain them of a second and so forward which is like the dancing of Fairies a skipping and running round but an advancing nothing And they are got into such a Circle wherein they may run themselves blind They believe the Scriptures from their Inspirations and those again from the Scriptures making one to prove another The Spirit ascertains them it is Gods Word and from thence T. E. attempts to prove they have the Spirit In that Debate at Jerusalem Acts 15. it was not the Immediate Inspiration which was the Rule which certainly would if every one had been so fitted but it was the Epistle from the Council that concluded all Set up this Notion and there would be none to be Ruled nor any such thing known as Obedience either in Church or State for Immediate Instruction must not be controlled by any thing below it self nor is it reasonable the Divine Voice should be prescribed to So that this pretence hath an evil aspect upon Kingdoms which have been frequently disturbed thereby Admit T. E. to be Heavens Privado to receive immediate Communications from thence we have no security but the same impetus may carry him on to imitate the Prophets words I have an Errand unto thee 2 King 9.5 O Captain and to interrupt the Lineal Succession for George Fox deserves as much to be King of New Jerusalem as John of Leyden and a Shoe-maker is as fit to wield a Scepter as a Taylor Religion also can never be fixed or known where Enthusiasm is avowed for this days perswasion may be out-dated by to morrows fresh Suggestion The Quakers are much
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
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
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
again with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven And at this Rate they may say or be any thing Demonstrate though they cannot shew having the Power but not the thing 3. Supposing the Quakers Principles true Miracles are more necessary now than ever For 1. God wrought Miracles to convince Unbelievers and in the Quakers Charity we are no better come you un-Christians saith the curious Pen of Fox William Shewen calls us 2d Quib. p. 66. Pennington concerning peâ—â—ec Prof. Barclay in Q. no Popery p. 106. titular and nominal Christians through his whole Book Christians according to the Letter who are as great Enemies to the Spirit and Power as ever the Jews were Worldly literal Christians both Papists and Protestants now being such Miracles are infinitely necessary to disabuse and to remove us from the Letter into the Spirit a mistaken Christianity being more obstructing and prejudicial than meer Heathenism 2. If Miracles were necessary when the Scriptures were Writ which are a dead Letter a Sealed Book and worse then are they much more necessary when Inspired Expositions thereof are given To allude to T. Ellwoods terms of shell and kernel c. God would not give a Demonstration the shell was his and leave us at a loss whether the kernel was his also if he send Evidences along with the bark rind c. he would do the same much more with the Substance The Apostacy continuing 1548 years we need signs that this is the same Doctrine with the old especially if the Scripture the Repository of that Doctrine cannot be understood without Inspiration there being many Pretenders we need a Sign more at the unsealing than at the sealing of that Book if to receive the Letter much more to understand the Spirit the sence when given as from God needs most of all his Attestation to it for the pretending to give an Inspired Exposition of the Scriptures is more than the bringing new Scriptures and needs greater Attestations as much as the sense is better than the Letter And Thomas Ellwood knows not what he hath but if he have Revelations they must be new ones for Revelation being necessary to understand the Scriptures those Expositions Thomas Ellwood receives must be new the Repetition is the reacting the old but then the Expounding is the conferring new which are not to be found within the Bible 3. The debate being whether or no they be Inspired upon their grounds nothing can end it but the interposing of Gods Power For to say They Witness it is a begging the Question and to credit those Witnessings will expose to delusions to produce Scripture disowned by them as the Rule is improper and concludes nothing being it cannot be understood without Inspiration when produced or if it could still it concludes as equally for any other Pretender as for them 4. He who abrogates a Divine Law must produce greater Authority for so doing than that by which at first it was instituted Thus Christ taking down or altering that way of Worship which had been set up by a Power of Miracles in Moses produced greater Evidences than Moses that he was sent from God And that Quakers do abrogate Christs Commands is evident from slighting his Sacraments c. Thus Shewen concerning Baptism and the Disciples and Apostles having Baptized some proceeds not discerning the times and seasons True Christians Faith p. 79. and the divers Dispensations of God towards mankind since the fall nor perceiving the end of them lays hold of the shadow and figure instead of the Substance c. Allegorizing and abrogating Christs Institutions 5. He who brings a newer and an higher Dispensation must produce visible Evidence for so doing in this indeed the Quakers are much divided Some making theirs a new Dispensation new Heavens and a new Earth Pennin Conc. Persecu Pref. Idem in Faldo Quak. no Chris p. 17. New Law p. 14. the former Dispensation was swallowed up by the breaking forth of a more Lively Dispensation This Fancy runs through the Works of Winstanley the Ministration of the Spirit is now rising up claims its due right by course And having received it from God he thus writeth there are seven Dispensations 1. to Adam 2. the Seed of the Woman from Adam to Abraham Mistery of God p. 21. 3. From Abraham to Moses 4. From him to Christ. 5. God in Christ. 6. God in the Flesh of his Saints as before in Christ which holds till the day of Judgment which is the 7th these he contracts into three Moses New Law p. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 120. Christ the Spirit and as Moses gives way to Christ so that single Body Jesus gives way to the Holy Ghost or spreading Power in Sons and Daughters and this begun in 1648. and every such Dispensation is a full period or term of Time Mistery of God p. 38. 40. Im. Rev. p. 18. p. 49. others makes theirs to be an higher Improvement of the former Dispensation the more Gospel times that were to come in the latter daies A spiritual Ministry a Gospel Ministry a powerful Ministry is come and coming or they would have it a reviving the Dead or a restoring of the former lost Dispensation Universal free Grace 92. Christs Spiritual inward and powerful appearance is now again revealed in this day after the Apostacy but every several way of stating makes it high Howgils Glory of the true Church 32. for the Everlasting Gospel was a thing beyond above and before the Writings of the new Testament and it requires the Spirits owning it before any should entertain it for it is a mighty alteration from a Bodily Christ without to an Invisible one within and if the Man Christ wrought Miracles much more should Christ the Spirit Act. 2.22 the visible Christ was a man approved of God by Miracles Wonders and Signs which God did by him in the midst of them as they also knew the new Invisible Christ hath nothing to approve him but words and fancyes but either at bringing as Moses at reviving as Elias or at changing as Christ of a Dispensation Miracles were necessary and though John the Baptist wrought no Miracles yet his coming was Prophecyed of by Esaias and Malachy nor did he bring in a new Dispensation only he prepared for it but the Quakers pretending to the highest Dispensation that of Christ in the Spirit which is never to be out-dated are to do greater works than Christ in the Body and Miracles being the Work of the Spirit they being more necessary to it than to the Dispensation of Christ Quakers are to have its Demonstration both to usher in its Dispensation and also to assure us that they are the sole Persons intrusted with the bringing of it But whence had they this Notion there are Presidents enough for what is evil Montanus and Mahomet made use of this Weapon David George took himself for the true Spiritual David sent to Restore the House