think Immediate Teachings needful we cannot thence Infer them But if God had so conveyed himself he would have so ordered that all his Communications should have exactly agreed and have told us with whom we should find them Whether may not Quakerism be improved another come and Super-reform the Elders as they have done the Hat-men Mr. Jenner p. 86. The Quaker Woman at Dublin cryed up her span new light 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. Month 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 Desings 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 who take Diversity as a Charisma or gift Concerning in Faldo Q. no Christ p. 56. 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 This gaping way of Expounding was taught by Winstanley New Law of Right p. 111 all Expositions upon others words shall cease they shall wait 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 Holy Silence Silent Meeting p. 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 patrum Tom. 15. p. 622. c. He that will make or wait well 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
new Revelation of the good old things which are the Essentials of Religion The first of those two we do not plead for but the latter And elsewhere p. 33. The same Eternal Life which first breathed them forth doth either again breath or speak them forth in us or sendeth forth of his Living powerful Influences into them as they have a place in our Minds and Memories this latter as more modest is below Ellwoods purpose But though he taketh the Words and Notions of Keith the Revelation is still Immediate for their Institutor hath prettily determined Truth lifting up its head p. 38. If you would hear then acquaint your seives with such as can speak from a Testimony within for as they Received what they have from the pure teachings of the Father so this second hand teaching will be a pure Teaching unto you but be sure you do not prefer this second Teaching before the first for now the Everlasting Word and Gospel must reveal himself to you or else you cannot be satisfyed Their own or others is first and second hand teaching but instructing from the Scriptures is not so much as third hand Teaching and the Scriptures are now out of date The Writings of the Apostles are to cease Truth lifting c. p. 30. when the Lord himself who is the Everlasting Gospel doth manifest himself to Rule in the Flesh of Sons and Daughters They have no New Essentials of Religion this I thought spoke in our Acception about Fundamentals till further Converse in their Works discovered the Deceit Keith Im. Rev. p. 5. for though one tell us that less than one half of the Scriptures is a full and perfect Testimony of all the Essentials yet he spoyls all in saying That the knowledge and beliefe of the History of Christ his outward Coming Pag. 229. Birth Life Death Burial Resurrection c. are such parts of our Religion and Faith as serve to make up the Intiredness or Fulness of it yet so as true Religion may be without the express Knowledge and Beliefe of them So that a man may be a Quaker Christian without the express knowledge of Christ in the outward either of his Name Nature Laws or Offices The great Mogul hath true Religion as much as George Fox This lays aside all that Jesus Was Did Taught and Suffered and contains all Heresies in its Bowels even to the denying the Lord who bought them And another hath writ a Folio to shew that men should not be concern'd about Faith or Creeds Bishops looking glass for the times but leave all to the Conduct of the Light But what then are their Essentials of Religion nothing of Jesus our Lord and Saviour nothing that is a part of the four Gospels True Christianity and Religion may subsist without the History of Christ in the Letter to wit Im. Rev. p. 243. In the Mistery of the Life of Christ in the Spirit So that a Turk is a true Christian though he never owned but hated Christ rarely allegorized till our whole Christianity is shrunk up into those four insignificant words as so used which are fit for nothing but a Quakers Posy And George Bishop crouds all into that Everlasting Truth viz. A looking glass for the times p. 235. the Principle of God in Man which is in every man a measure thereof to lead him and guide him which is able to lead him into all truth and to deliver him from evil and which will bring him to God These are the new made Essentials of Religion which the ancient Heroes knew not of who required from all Baptised persons the Profession of their Faith about Christ in the outward who scrupled the change of one Letter in the Creed but Quakers disowning visible Baptism have sent away the Creed therewith lest the retaining of it should upbraid them In the mean time the Devil hath ordered their Scene rarely The Light Christ within renders the Christ without much useless he who shed his Blood for them is no Essential of their Religion and their Inspirations supply the place of Scripture being preferred before it So that their two Principles Im. Rev. p. p. 43. the Light and Motions fairly lessen if not discharge the Essential and Written word of God Christ in Heaven and the Scriptures on Earth signifie little to these self-made Pagans who have enough within to carry them to all that Heaven which their Faith expects But to resume the claim of renewed and Repeated Revelations a Notion so strange that nothing but a search into their Writings can Discover the sense or design of it I must take the freedom to present their thoughts of the Holy Scriptures that by such preparatory tasts we may be drawn on to swallow this Camel of Repetition To begin with their Founder men must not walk by the Scriptures Winstanley in Truth lifting up p. 39. for this is to walk by the eyes of other men and the Spirit is not so scanty that a dozen ar twenty pair of eyes shall serve the World but every Son and Daughter have light within themselves You shall feed no longer upon the Oyl that was in other mens Lamps the Scriptures In the Title page now it is required that every one have Oyl in his own Lamp within himself Some walk by Example Mistery of God p. 35. The Saints Paradise p. 1.2 and have seen very little of the anointing in them some walk more in Spirit and Truth as the anoynting of the Father teacheth them teaching from Scripture is not but speaking from their own experience that is from God The like Notion breaths in T. E. Master Keith The old Revelations given unto the Saints cannot serve our turn the Faith of another man is not sufficient unto me but I must be saved by the Faith Knowledge and Experience given me of God of the self same things the Revelation of them given of God unto others cannot suffice me nor were these things recorded in Writ that I should sit down upon the History but to point us inward to that same Principle of life revealing and working the same things in us Pag. 34. c. We find it to hurt and deaden us to think any thoughts even from the Scriptures but as the Spirit influenceth if at any time we do it we find our selves rebuked and chastized of the Lord for it and in another place we must not obey Scripture without motions but we may obey motions without Scripture At this rate write others of them to cull out some few from among many G. W. and Fox in the gag for the Q. p. 14. what Paul wrote unto the Ephesians and Colossions doth not concern this Generation That is no Command from God to me which God hath given by way of Command to another Burroughs Works p. 47. neither did any of the Saints act by the Command which was to another every one obeyed their own Commands
Answer in Writing the thing Queried G. F. They are the properest for his Spirit to undertake Clem. Recognit p. 5. The trifling question put to Barnabas was more witty 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 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 p. 229. but as the Spirit of God reveals them 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 Amcrican Jezebel Mrs. Hutchinson said That her particular Revelations about events to fall out p. 211. are as Infallible as any parts of Scripture 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 p. 47. saying 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 p. 57. which here must not be related 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 p. 58. that he was filled with abundance of quiet Peace and secret Joy 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. Fire in the Bush the Preface And elsewhere up-the same Subject he opens freely 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 4. A Sober Answer p. 56. The Ranters deluded themselves and others with this blind and Fox acknowledged the affinity of his and their Principles that black Divinity challenged
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 stumbled at this freedom of the Spirit in our days as well as in the days of Christ and yet her Inspired Doctrines were contrary to the Quakers God spoke to her p. 3 4 9 16. 36 49. shewed her Visions and the new Jerusalem a light shone she was taken into the Mount of God She was anothers voice a voice within a voice Gods Heavens came down into her Earth 5. 7. 76. she fasted 9 11 14 days c. was told by the Spirit of the Soldiers coming to London p. 4.6 7. had a Vision of the Scots over-throw before Dunbar and of the Fight with Holland of the dissolving the long Parliament 10. calling the Jews of the breaking up the Representative had a Vision against Rowse the Chair-man 13. 30. and several Visions to inform her that Oliver would be Protector which she was troubled at and fore-told Gideon's that is his being laid aside with many the like No Quakers have come nigh her Tyran detect p. 38. A Visitation of Love to the King c 4 5 p. 58.73 p. 20. p. 35. p. 15. for Ebbit's fore-telling the Firing of London was not believed by his Friends And Burroughs attempts to shew that the Quakers fore-saw the Kings Restoration came not near it She was for the Reign of Jesus destroying the fourth great Monarchy fore-told that all the Monarchies are going down Jesus was at hand Among the rest she fore-told we must have no more Kings and yet she was swallowed up of the Glory of the Lord. 9. The gifted Brethren who with the next are the most orderly of all the Pretenders else made use of this Engine by their Zealous Advocate c. Their Request was the most modest Not to lay aside the Ministers nor destroy Church-Order Blake's Embassage from the Kings of the East to his Highness Oliver Lord Protector p. 45. p. 47. they onely pleaded for an hour before or after Sermonâ— wherein they might exercise their Gifts they allowed the usefulness of Study that three hours in a day close employed therein would make a brave Preacher they offer to give Security to Preach sound and Peaceable Doctrine and begged but the liberty of a Tryal how beneficial their Model would prove offer upon misdemeanour to call in p. 42. and take back the Offenders Commission with a Dehortation to exercise any more for the present would have themselves not taken for absolute Ministers but Assistants they engage not to meddle with Administring the Sacraments or other proper Ministerial Offices with many such fanciful things in their Plat-form and yet the conceit of Inspiration together with acquired Abilities was the cause of it We leave Christs Work with you In the Epistle Churches the Spirit bid us do it the Word and Spirit and God himself is for us my Sons and my Daughters shall Prophesie p. 11. 23. p. 58. hear this day what the Spirit saith unto the Churches None must Preach by Notes we love to drink from the Fountain and yet they are for short work strive not to speak beyond the breathings of the Spirit p. 61. Hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches in England in this day of their Visitation p. 70. And the Socinians come somewhat towards this Model Cateches Eccles Polonicar in Praefatione though they deny Enthusiasms Divine Miraculous Inspirations or Prophetical Authority to be claimed by them yet they allow a great liberty of Prophecying that any one may Interpret who hath the gift of Revelation 10. The Congregation or People commonly called Considerers had recourse to this Trayte de la voye c. A Discourse of the way to the Kingdom though as sparingly as any of the others They were very much taken up in studying the Book of Nature saying that alone is enough for all men and that the study of the Prophets lay therein That Consideration was the Royal way to the Kingdom p. 76. They acknowledge the Trinity and Christs Incarnation p. 80. p. 52.90 100 used the Sacrament and the Lords Prayer meddled not with Worldly or State Affairs p. 74. were thrifty of their time Married such as they loved upon first sight 92. p. 52. were against the inclosing the Holy Spirit to any particular Sect of Men looking on the Creed as a sufficient instrument of Vnion among all Christians p. 4.88 But Immediate Inspiration was owned by them p. 4. The Voice of God that I heard said unto me Immediately God himself opened me by his Spirit p. 6. the way to the Kingdom resounding in my Heart Monck Rogers being so taken up with God p. 50. as not to remember the words a man just spoke to him is highly commended the Spirit of Wisdom and Vnderstanding hath appointed me to tell you and such lights as God infused into any of their hearts p. 72. they thought themselves bound to communicate to others p. 94. Here are Competitours sufficient that agree in one bottom though they build different and contradictory Doctrines upon it and all these likely an hundred to one and in this very Kingdom of late ten to one being the far greater number are all against the Quakers and therefore suppose the Scripture did not please me which of these Pretenders must I give Credit to The others whether old or late produce as good Proofs as T. E. can do and if I favour one side where the Evidences are equal I become partial and hold the Faith with Respect of Persons Do the Quakers say and witness their Inspirations The others do the like with an equal confidence Do they Experience it The rest come not behind them If their Refreshings perswade the Leveller and the late named Whore can use the same Topick and the Ranter is as brisk as any If some Scriptures befriend their Fancy the rest and all Hereticks and the Devil himself do bait their Hooks with wrested parcels of it In case then of different Revelations to which must I adhere Or shall I not suspend untill a third Revelation do determine which side is in the right Must we believe men meerly because they say so Or are yea yea and a few Solemn looks or wrings by the hand Evidences that the Spirit is secretly whispering They lay no Obligation on us to trust them rather than their Rivals In their Words Lives and Writings they seem at least Fallible like other men Thomas Ellwood must then produce better Evidences
than the rest otherwise we are Innocent And he hath cut himself out work sufficient 1. To prove that perpetual Inspiration is certainly promised by God to all Believers 2. He must prove that all other pretenders do ly in their claims 3. That such as deny Immediate Revelation have no share thereof 4. He must by some undoubted Evidences prove that his party are solely intrusted with this Ministration and when this is done he must leave to us the power of Tryal and the Liberty of 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 hwo 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 quodounque 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 believe 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 themselves a Christ Oh p. 50. some poor Creatures call themselves Christ because of this Oneness with Christ when thy sweet wine comes forth p. 68. then they bring in their false Wine Discourse of the way c. p. 62. p. 68. The Secretary of the Confiderers prayed God to preserve him 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 acknowled 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 bastle 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
received from God Magistrates must make Laws by Gods Spirit but not only Lawyers but Physicians also instead of Curing these Enthusiasms are themselves to turn Inspirado's Im. Rev. p. 69. He reads Hypocrates Galen and other Writers concerning Medicine and so he thinks hereby to become a Physician c. Whiles their hands are out from the Light of Christ which gives ability Dr. Gray thus pretended Revelation for the Secrets of 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 Dr. Charltons Ternary of Paradoxes being a pellucid transparent Substance 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 Gildas 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 this 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 Faldo's Appendix p. 2. nay Christian and necessary Resolves 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 superfaelation 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
Pet. 1.21 p. 237. Here he makes a wide inference because Prophecy came not by the Will of man c. Therefore the Scriptures must be understood only by the Revealings of the Spirit the Immediate influx of Prophetick light into anothers Soul is of a different nature from my sensing or understanding that Light which he received for if the Prophets could not conceive or write intelligibly what the Spirit spoke no more can Thomas Ellwood for the Spirit was as able to speak then as now and if he must interpret what he before spoke than he must be setched in to interpret that Interpretation and so on for ever Rev. 3.7 p. 238. He brings in Christ the Lamb with the Key of David opening c. begging the Question that opening signifieth Expounding whereas it denoteth Christs power in governing the Church taking in and shutting out Isa 22 20. Mat. 16.19 clavem potestatem vocat for he who hath the keys hath the House committed to him Aretas in loc T. E. by this spoils his very pretensions of the Spirits opening for this Lamb is not the Holy Ghost but the Lamb that taketh away our Sins p. 239. Mat. 11.27 he must prove the Spirit to be the Son that all Revelation is Immediate or that Text makes against him Father Son and Holy Ghost are all said to reveal and yet those Works are not to be confounded 1 Cor. 2.11 Though no man know p. 239. 266. c. yet the Spirit hath communicated some part of that knowledge v. 12. and if those cannot be understood we have no assurance that the next will be clearer but v. 13. The Apostle declares that they spoke those things which the Spirit gave them and in the Spirits words that is purposely to be understood what those things were which the Spirit taught appears by the Coherence v. 9. viz. a conviction of the Infinite Joys of Heaven Theoph. in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the Spirit teacheth such things as belong to Christs Dispensation his dying for us making us the Sons of God setting us at the right hand of his Father in himself Rev. 13.3 4. p. 243. He states the Apostacy differently both from himself and his partners and should I refer that Text to Heathen Idolatry and not to lapsed Christianicy I see not how Thomas Ellwoods Spirit could confute me Jude v. 9. 1 Thes 4.8 These Texts he applyeth severely to such as look upon the Quakers light to be Fantastical but he should first prove that God speaks by them before he make us Sin in rejecting them In Epictet l. 1. c. 22. Arrian gives a good Rule That differences arise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Application of Rules to particular cases Winstanley lays a Curse on such as will not come into the Levellers Community the hand of the Lord shall be upon that Person whosoever he be and yet no rich Quaker will think himself obliged by it New Law p. 75. 2 Tim. 3.16 the Scripture is profitable for Doctrine i.e. to Teach true Doctrine for Reproof to discover and reprove false Doctrine p. 251. Theop. Oecum in locum for Correction to Correct and amend our Evil manners for Instruction in Righteousness to direct and lead into good life and manners that the man of God may be perfect c. to furnish Timothy a Bishop and Pastor for his Office much more to instruct the People in their Duty And therefore the Apostle comforts Timothy That though he Die yet he hath the Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. which can benefit thee in my absence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are thy Counsellors instead of me Mark 13.11 That Promise belongs to the times of Persecution p. 256. and should not be inlarged to all Cases Theoph. on Mat. 10.19 gives a good Exposition of it when we speak among the Faithful we ought to premeditate and be ready for a defence as St. Peter saith but when we speak before Multitudes and Kings who rage then God doth promise his Strength that we should not fear Act. 2.4 p. 263. The Spirits giving utterance was by his Wonderful descent when the Apostles opened in such Tongues and Wisdom and Quakers have no Tongues but what they learn Rhetorical and Poetical Enthusiasms have raised men above the Quakers by Keiths Concession serious matters require premeditated Discourses and vehement Speeches more become Juglers than Wisemen as Seneca at large observeth In Epist 40. p. 263. 1 Tim. 4.13 15. The directions given to Timothy about reading are inconsistent with Instant Iuspiration but if Tymothy who had an Extraordinary Gift must Meditate c. much more must others Revelation is not capable of Rules and Instructions though ordered as for time yet it cannot be for matter And of Inspirations and infusions that come instantly and unexpectedly there can be no knowledge Thomas Ellwood talks much about Letter Sence and Spirit p. 249. which both reflects upon Gods manner of expressing his mind as if it was not open true and cordial and also casts dirt upon the Scriptures the Opposition between the Gospel and the Law or the Remnant Print and mark of Circumcision is wrested to the apparent sence of Sacred Writ and a supposedly concealed sence and this Method both Familists Libertines and others have formerly pursued a Quaker can but write words or letters but in his sence he cannot write i. e. express or give the Holy Ghost Univer Gra. p. 29. and Moses besides the outward had a Ministration in the Spirit all these Texts come not near his Design much less That Quakers are instructed with that Dispensation if it was real CHAP. XIV That Thomas Ellwoods ways of Expounding do destroy the Scripture OUR Author having represented the Bible dark to prepare the way for his suppletory Spirit as if this affront was not sufficient he doth dispersedly insinuate several things which in effect do discharge all or most of the written word 1. He declines what is urged from the Law saying p. 134. that it was to them of Old time under the Law which was a State of weakness and Childhood and so of Contention and Strife c. whereas Christ proposeth Childhood as freest from Contention Mar. 9.35 and thus the Anabastists called Concionatores looked upon the Old Testament as abrogated 2. He makes nothing of Christs Example in Preaching upon a Text Luc. 4.17 by this Art p. 200. that it was in the time of the Law and suitable to that Ministration when reading and expounding the Law and the Prophets was a part of the Jewish Service but it is not a sufficient Warrant for the like practice in the time of the Gospel a Rule that enervates Christs Example and Doctrine because done and spoke before the Law was antiquated He makes nothing of what Christ spoke to the Pharisees that about chusing the lowest room Luke 14.8 was spoke to the