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
the order or Profession of Christianity used by your City he writes that an Angel Commanded him whereas thou dost not profess the Christianity of thine own City but that of the whole World wherefore if that Angel had stood besides thee whom he by a Crafty Novelty as we think doth feign to have stood by him for thy sake and if the Angel had spoke those words to thee which he saith he doth at the Command of him insinuate or convey to thee thou oughtest to have been mindful of that Apostolical Sentence though an Angel from Heaven c. It was their usual saying Gal. 1.8 Oravit Donatus ei respondit Deus è Caelo God from Heaven gave an Answer to the Prayers of Donatus his Intimacy therewith made him to be the Oracle of those times and the Circumcellions a branch of them were mad with a fanatick Zeal These Instances are sufficient for the first Period whereby we may discern that bad Designs sheltered themselves under this cover and T. Ellwood is either not Learned or not Faithful in affirming that in all Ages the Saints have had Revelations in some Degree or other for true Christians disowned them pag. 237. and only Hereticks or Schismaticks had recourse to them but whilst new Heresies were superinduced over the former Euseb Hist Ecol L. 4. C. 7. which got the Custom but were still subdivided into new Branches and several kinds the true Church increased in Vnity and Glory and if I be obliged to believe T. E's Inspiration because he Witnesseth he hath it I am equally concern'd to Credit the Proposals of a Donatist or a Messalian c. 2. The Church of Rome hath Plowed much with this Heifer several Religious Orders and Doctrinal points have been hereby entertained Dr. Stillingfleet's Collections concerning this are Copious but I shall Observe some few received by such as belonged to our Country Thomas Becket Divinâ Revelatione confortatus est In the Breviary of Sarum upon his day c. was Comforted or Strengthened by a Divine Revelation a Sign from Heaven being shewed unto him that he should return unto his Church with Glory and then by the Crown of Martyrdom go unto the Lord two Catholick Maids were cast into Ecstatical Raptures Jo. Gee Foot out of the Snare p. 59 and possessed with the Virgin Mary Michael the Arch-Angel John the Baptist c. and those Glorious guests did enter into them and inhabit them this is somewhat like the Light within but the next speaks home Edward Hanz said he was Corporally possessed with the Blessed Trinity Idem p. 60. 61. he received Oblations suffered others to kneel before him and said I God the Father I God the Son do give you my Blessing and do command you to adore me he relateth that he was in a Trance and his Soul did see very supernatural and admirable Joys Vnless God Almighty do take the Creature and speak in him and then it is Gods own Word and not the Word of the Party Here was Revelation Light and the Worship of it like the Hosanna to James Naylor The Virgin Mary appeared to Thomas Newton P. 63 64. about the Oath of Allegiance he was a very Holy man and had other Visions besides that and Mary Wiltshire saw a strange Vision many of their Revelations are put together called Admirable and Notable Prophecyes P. 109. uttered by 24 Roman Catholicks Printed 1615. and Mr. Burton in his Book of Melancholy gives the Reason whence they are so Subject to such Conceits Besides these we may take a Tryal of some few others St. Hildegard is learned whatever she wrote ex Revelatione Divinâ she did not speak or write ought that should be called into Question Trithemius she spoke Latin by the Spirit Her Writings were Publickly read and approved by Eugenius the third in the Council of Tryers which Eugenius seems also to be chosen Pope by Revelation The Cardinals being Divino nutu perciti made choice of the most Holy Eugenius Platina in ejus vita to take a tast of her Revelations In her Letter to Eugenius O mitis Pater c. O mild Father I a pityful poor form have written these things to thee in a true Vision in or by a Mystical breathing as God would teach me O bright Father In the Bibliotheca patrum Tom. 15. in thy name thou camest into our Land as God predestinated and thou sawest of the Writings of true Visions as the living Light taught me and thou heardest that Light with the Embraces of thy heart now is part of this writing finished but still the same Light hath not left me but burns in my Soul as I have had it from mine Infancy c Good Quaker like Language This Inspirado Lady in an Epistle to Pope Alexander determines for the Popes Supremacy tibi specialiter Idem verbum claves Regni coelestis concessit And to a certain Priest she determines for Transubstantiation In vera Visione vigilantibus oculis de Sacramento Dominici Corporis haec verba audivi vidi c. Another Holy Maid called Sister Katharine of Jesus had many Revelations and strong Exstacies Dr. Causabons Enthusiasm p. 162. 163. which held her 3 or 4 hours she thought her self sometimes to be in Heaven and often saw and sometimes suffered through fright the pains of Hell she saw the Soul of Christ in its purity which drew her into an operation of the Holy Trinity she said God doth put his Power in me God doth put his Wisdom in me and his Knowledge John Waldesso in his Divine Considerations Rutherfords Survey of the Spiritual Antichrist p. 191. saith a Christian having served himself with Holy Scriptures as with an Alphabet he afterwards leaves them to serve for the same effect to Beginners he attending to the inward Inspirations having for his proper Master the Spirit of God and serving himself with Holy Scriptures as with an Holy Conversation and which causeth Refreshment to him altogether putting from himself all these Writings which are written with an Humane Spirit The Alumbrado's before named held vocal Prayer and all other outward dutyes of Religion Superstitious or unprofitable Dr. Causabons Enthus p. 174. they thought those Quakings which they did find in themselves were a sufficient Token of Grace and ours have called it that Holy Duty of Quaking and Trembling and that they needed nothing else Fisher in 3d. Quib. p. 3. that had attained unto them they pretended that they might see God visibly in their exstacyes c. that all things ought to be done by Immediate Motions and Inspirations c. The Church of Rome proves her self the Temple of the Living God from these Revelations Borius de Signis Eccles L. 6. C. 2. in Dr. Spencers Prophecyes p 15. Keiths Im. Rev. p. 99. or the voice of his Oracles heard therein she hath she tells us the Spirit of Prophecy called the Testimony
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
But though he taketh the Words and Notions of Keith the Revelation is still Immediate for their Institutor hath prettily determined If you would hear Truth lifting up its head p. 38. then acquaint your selves with such as can speak from a Testimony within for as they Received what they have from the pure teachings of the Father so this second hand teaching will be a pure Teaching unto you but be sure you do not prefer this second Teaching before the first for now the Everlasting Word and Gospel must reveal himself to you or else you cannot be satisfyed Their own or others is first and second hand teaching but instructing from the Scriptures is not so much as third hand Teaching and the Scriptures are now out of date The Writings of the Apostles are to cease Truth lifting c. p. 301. when the Lord himself who is the Everlasting Gospel doth manifest himself to Rule in the Flesh of Sons and Daughters They have no New Essentials of Religion this I thought spoke in our Acception about Fundamentals till further Converse in their Works discovered the Deceit Keith Im. Rev. p. 5. for though one tell us that less than one half of the Scriptures is a full and perfect Testimony of all the Essentials yet he spoyls all in saying That the knowledge and beliefe of the History of Christ his outward Coming Pag. 229. Birth Life Death Burial Resurrection c. are such parts of our Religion and Faith as serve to make up the Intiredness or Fulness of it yet so as true Religion may be without the express Knowledge and Beliefe of them So that a man may be a Quaker Christian without the express knowledge of Christ in the outward either of his Name Nature Laws or Offices The great Mogul hath true Relâ—gion as much as George Fox This lays aside all that Jesus Was Did Taught and Suffered and contains all Heresies in its Bowels even to the denying the Lord who bought them And another hath writ a Folio to shew that men should not be concern'd about Faith or Creeds Bishops lâ—oking glass for the times but leave all to the Conduct of the Light But what then are their Essentials of Religion nothing of Jesus our Lord and Saviour nothing that is a part of the four Gospels True Christianity and Religion may subsist without the History of Christ in the Letter to wit Im. Rev. p. 243. In the Mistery of the Life of Christ in the Spirit So that a Turk is a true Christian though he never owned but hated Christ rarely alâ—egorized till our whole Christianity is shrunk up into those four insignificant words as so used which are fit for nothing but a Quakers Posy And George Bishop crouds all into that Everlasting Truth A looking glass for the times p. 235. viz. the Principle of God in Man which is in every man a measure thereof to lead him and guide him which is able to lead him into all truth and to deliver him from evil and which will bring him to God These are the new made Essentials of Religion which the ancient Heroes knew not of who required from all Baptised persons the Profession of their Faith about Christ in the outward who scrupled the change of one Letter in the Creed but Quakers disowning visible Baptism have sent away the Creed therewith lest the retaining of it should upbraid them In the mean time the Devil hath ordered their Scene rarely The Light Christ within renders the Christ without much useless he who shed his Blood for them is no Essential of their Religion and their Inspirations supply the place of Scripture being preferred before it So that their two Principles Im. Râ—v p. p. 43. the Light and Motions fairly lessen if not discharge the Essential and Written word of God Christ in Heaven and the Scriptures on Earth signifie little to these self-made Pagans who have enough within to carry them to all that Heaven which their Faith expects But to resume the claim of renewed and Repeated Revelations a Notion so strange that nothing but a search into their Writings can Discover the sense or design of it I must take the freedom to present their thoughts of the Holy Scriptures that by such preparatory tasts we may be drawn on to swallow this Camel of Repetition Winstanley in Truth lifting up p. 39. To begin with their Founder men must not walk by the Scriptures for this is to walk by the eyes of other men and the Spirit is not so scanty that a dozen ar twenty pair of eyes shall serve the World but every Son and Daughter have light within themselves You shall feed no longer upon the Oyl that was in other mens Lamps the Scriptures In the Title page now it is required that every one have Oyl in his own Lamp within himself Some walk by Example and have seen very little of the anointing in them Mistery of God p. 35. The Saints Paradise p. 1. 2. some walk more in Spirit and Truth as the anoynting of the Father teacheth them teaching from Scripture is not but speaking from their own experience that is from God The like Notion breaths in T. E. Master Keith The old Revelations given unto the Saints cannot serve our turn the Faith of another man is not sufficient unto me but I must be saved by the Faith Knowledge and Experience given me of God of the self same things the Revelation of them given of God unto others cannot suffice me nor were these things recorded in Writ that I should sit down upon the History but to point us inward to that same Principle of life revealing and working the same things in us Pag. 34. c. We find it to hurt and deaden us to think any thoughts even from the Scriptures but as the Spirit influenceth if at any time we do it we find our selves rebuked and chastized of the Lord for it and in another place we must not obey Scripture without motions but we may obey motions without Scripture At this rate write others of them to cull out some few from among many G. W. and Fox in the gag for the Q. p. 14. Burroughs Works p. 47. what Paul wrote unto the Ephesians and Colossions doth not concern this Generation That is no Command from God to me which God hath given by way of Command to another neither did any of the Saints act by the Command which was to another every one obeyed their own Commands an excellent Engine towards God and man no Act of Parliament can bind a Quaker except he be expressly named George Whitehead Thomas Ellwood c. You by name must do so and so this becometh the Majesty of the Quakers Smiths morn Watch. p. 75. Smiths Demonstrat passim in their papers The Scriptures are other mens Traditions other mens lives and Labours the Spirit of God must try all Spirits the Scriptures are but a report
or dâ—claration of the Condition of those who received them a true Testimony of what the Saints were made Witnesses of no command in Scripture is any further obliging upon any man Smith Pen. in Faldoes vâ—nd of 21 Div. p 97. Faldo Q. no Chris ch 12. than as he finds a Conviction upon his Conscience direct old Libertinism and Ranterism They make it Idolatry to follow the Precepts or Examples in Scripture Having thus depressed the written Word of God yet to keep up some seeming Honour to it In his Letter though to use T. E's words it be an Hosannah in the morning that ends in a Crucifige ere night they find out this Expedient the Scripture as the Codex wherein Gods will is Recorded binds them not but they have it renewed and repeated to them or as Naylor words it God speaks to us by Scriptures when they are given by Inspiration to us Light of Christ p. 29. So that Repetition is but laying the top-stone and improving or pursuing their other claims T. E. is so confident that he asserts p. 239. Revelation is necessary yea of necessity even to understand the Scripture absolutely necessary p. 238. so received and understood and not otherwise p. 251. he must then have every line in the Old and New Testament repeated not so much as Abraham begat Isaac is to be omitted else it is not understood by him a thing that is so Impossible and so Impracticable that it affords fresh evils each time it is considered I might make short Work what need the renewing of that to him which he looks upon as not obliging as in its place will appear or as his Landlord conceits the one thing necessary to Salvation Penningtons naked truth p. 23. not being contained in the Scriptures the Repetition thereof if true yet would be ineffectual but in regard this fancy hath been considered by none I know of I shall a while view it as that which makes the confusedst work in Prophecyes Historyes and all the parts of Christianity In brief it revives the Ministry of Angels as the Conveyers of Gods Will in the Christian State it sets up Moses to be a Teacher reinforceth Circumcision the Tabernacle the Jewish Common-Wealth and the Law of Sacrifices it raiseth up Multitudes of Persons out of their Graves where they have rested some thousand years it sets up the Kingdoms of Egypt Assyria Syria and the rest that bordered on the Holy-Land it musters a great part of the World together Kings and Kingdoms to come and stand before him it lays aside Christianity destroys the Motives of Believing it making such a Miscellaneous hotch-potch of Religion as Mahomet did not hit on it makes the whole Scripture Scenical a Theatrical thing that like a Puppet-play goes round is renewed repeated in plain English acted over before him The Portentousness of this chimaera will appear by looking on its Aspect upon the old and new Testament wherein we may consider Historyes Prophecyes and other mixt matters and discover whether they be capable of Repetition For History hath God renewed to T. E. that Command of putting off his shoes from off his feet which was enjoyned to and done by Moses have the Tempests Thunderings Voices which were at the giving the Law been heard by him can God speak to him from between the Cherubims and from the Door of the Tabernacle which are not now in being hath he received with David Answers from the Vrim or need he some outward light from the Breast-Plate who hath such a Light within have the Angels Revealed those Messages to him which they did to Abraham Lot and others then Sodom was but fired the other day or things are burnt in Effigie before him Have the Voices to Samuel been rehearsed to him or that to Elijah 1 King 19.15 then Jehu and Hazael are now alive and T. E. is an anointer to Kingdoms The like might be shewed of all Scripture-Histories that this Dream destroys or confounds and intangles the Truth of all For History relateth things done Repetition looks on them as undone and in doing confounds times past present and future disorders and mixeth both Persons and Matters and by making nothing distinct leaves nothing true Nicodemus came to Jesus by night Thomas put his hand into Christs side c. If these which we know from Scripture be repeated then those persons must be now alive if they be not repeated they are not understood Is it not enough to have all these recorded in a Divine History for our Admonition and Example but these old Revelations must be new Revealed and Acted over to gratify a morose Illuminado This fancy doth as much disservice to the Truth and certainty of Prophecyes hath T. E. laid 390 days upon one side in a Visionary Siege against Jerusalem gone to the River Chebar beheld the draughts of a most glorious Temple c. with Ezekiel or hath he had the Revelation of St. John repeated before him Vision after Vision This Supervisor general need but move a pin and all the Prophecyes present themselves before him I have seen some Printed papers joyned at the end of a Quakers Bible containing the Epistle of Paul to the Laodiceans the life of Paul a Catalogue of several Scriptures which are mentioned but not inserted in the Bible as the Prophecy of Enoch cum multis aliis several Scriptures corrupted by the Translators most of which are where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred otherwise than In and Lastly the Differences betwixt the Old English Translation and the New All which reflects both upon the version now used bu especially are designed to render the Sacred Scripture defective that there are other Revelations besides those therein consigned and hereby to pave the way for the Belief and Admittance of what they pretend to bring from Heaven to us The same Confidence and Principles may carry such persons on to such words as the Vision of Isaiah which he saw in the days of Uzziah or The Testimony from the Brethren the Revelation of Jesus Christ signifyed to his Servant John to annex such like claims as this which Visions or Revelations begun to be renewed and repeated to the Quakers in England who are the Church returned out of the Wilderness in the year 1648. Can T. E. have had the Prophecies of Daniel reacted as that St. of old had then dead Belshazzar is now afoot and Nebuchadnezzar weilds his Scepter the 70 weeks are never begun nor never ended the Messiah must be uncut off each time this Vision is renewed but as a Mass-Priest dayly kills and butchers Christ who yet lives for all that Cruelty so this renewing makes all things Scenical in Prophecy but proves and settles nothing The Prophets name their Parents Places with such Circumstances owning it as a Vision made to themselves Moses the Prophets the Psalms are distinctly named this day saith Christ this Scripture is fulfilled but not any Indication that those
Fountain That they do not always act by Inspiration Im Rev. p. 36. we have a full Confession not as if in every thing-we did act think speak or write infallibly nor as if in nothing we could act in a disjunction from the Spirit for we do freely acknowledge we are capable to run out and both think speak write and do things that are not only not infallible but may be wrong and false Only what is done in conjunction with the Spirit of God and in his Immediate manifestation and co-operation in us is infallible And elsewhere he makes the like acknowledgement we are conscious to our selves that both in speaking and writing Q. no Popery p. 33. it is possible for us in some measure more or less to decline from those infallible leadings and consequently both to speak and write in a mixture How can I then infallibly know when the Conjunction is or be able in that mixture to seperate the Divine from the Humane or to know the Prophet from the man it may prove an Opposition or side Aspect when I expected a Conjunction I may take him to be inspired when he writes of himself and his Wine may have a mixture of Water if not Poyson If one Chapter or Section be writ in Conjunction and another not he must both make an unequal Yoking and also affront the Spirit in not distinguishing this I received from above this I invented of my self he also deludeth others who in such mixtures do wrong on one hand they in swallowing the whole as Divine we in rejecting the whole as worse than Humane Let him acquaint by some marks which parts are so and so that we may pay our respects accordingly Their manner also of wording the Receit as I find it with me I find it in my heart I find it rising up in me c. Look more like an Answer from Pythia which ascended up from the Feet unto the Breast then Divine Inspiration which is an illapse or influx from Heaven We are told that the Children of God do infallibly know one another Im. Revel p. 118 189. and hence have Vnity Peace and Concord one with another If this be true Quakers will scarce pass for Gods Children for among themselves they are as much distant as the Poles and as other Sects crumbled the Anabaptists into 70 and the Familists into very many among the rest into those of Caps his Order so there are Quakers of the Hat the prevailing party of the Foxonian Order and the Murmerers under the Banner of George Bishop and his associates Their mutual Carriages are unlike those of inspired men and he who believes their Witnessings must swallow contradictions they set Spirit against Spirit the same against it self and that bad Language which they first poured on others is now bestowed on their own dissenters Their Contradictions Carriages and Expressions are smartly exposed in three little Tracts which make unnecessary any large account thereof here The Quakers Quibbles in 3 parts only I shall observe some in prosecution of their Inspirations and digest them into what Order so much Variety and confusion will permit 1. We shall consider their Contradictions or Differences in Doctrine 2. Their Carriages therein and means of convincing one another 3. Consider the debate about the Hat and their Canons so far as Inspiration is concern'd 4. Present other matters that are subservient thereto 1. Their Contradictions and Differences in Doctrine To begin with T. Ellwood's Tutor Vniversal Grace p. 6. who in a Book which he wrote from the Lord produceth twice or thrice Joel 2.28 for his purpose wherein are mentioned Visions Dreams and Prophecyes and yet he denyeth or minceth their having any of them For Visions and Dreams he avoids them nor Dreams and Visions upon the imagination in the night season Im. Rev. p. 7. nor yet by Trances so called which is by a cessation of the exercise of all the outward Senses and for the other he denyeth the necessity thereof as signifying p. 2. foreseeing or foretelling things to come but the rest do not digest such Doctrine Will. Shewin outgoes St. Paul ten years I knew a man twenty four years ago who had Heavenly Sights The true Christians Faith and Experience p. 130. and Revelations and Raptures into the Third Heaven and heard and saw things unutterable and all before his Conversion and Regeneration strange Doctrine indeed an unclean thing to enter into the Third or Highest Heaven p. 129 131. he names their Visions also Smiths Wife had a Vision In her Letter signifying to her her Husbands Death which brought her into the Stillness They also challenge Prophecyes Some Principles p. 26. Noble Salutation p. 7. Sons and Daughters do Prophesy in our age as formerly among the Apostles The Lord raised up many Servants and Prophets but least Prophecy should not be taken in the proper sense for foretelling they speak out to that pupose Some Principles p. 18. Preface to living Faith The Glory of the true Church p. 27. it to wit the light will shew you things to come saith Fox Naylor often Prophesied as of things which we have seen come to pass The Spiritual through the Spirit of Prophecy see when Bells Hourglasses Pulpits c. shall be no more adored Thomas Ellwood seems to limit his Inspirations to such as are recorded in Scripture p. 237. Keith enlargeth them to all Humane concernments as eating Im. Rev. p. 6. going c. which are not in Scripture particularly no not so much as by consequence Th. Ellwood is for the Immediate Teachings of the Spirit without any help from Humane Learning towards the understanding of the Bible others are more Wise p. 219. Im. Rev. p. 39. Winding sh for controv ended p. 4. do not exclude and shut out the Service and usefulness of all means and Instruments whatsoever whether Books or Men and another as freely acknowledgeth we cannot call it our faith or knowledge till quickned to it by that eternal Spirit be it mediately or be it Immediately but here lieth the Fallacy it is Immediate though with means with and without are all one such a way of Communication Im. Rev. p. 42. though it be through a means yet this hinders it not in a true sence to be Immediate to palliate this Paradox the better we are informed that Dreams and night Visioâ—s those secret ways whereby God did communicate his mind were but very shadowy and remote Idem p. 17. and rather Mediate than Immediate and if this liberty of confounding be thus used they may pass for Prophets when they please p. 162. Keith allows the Disciples to learn something from Christ Thomas Ellwood makes the Spirit to confer all the knowledge so that Christs words were unintelligible a meer gibberish or Jargon Thomas Ellwoood makes the whole Scripture Revealed or conveyed by Immediate Revelation and what is not so renewed is not
foretells of false Prophets but no where promiseth a succession of new ones Nor is it possible Christianity being entertained upon their Personal knowledge of Christ and the Visible Evidences of the Spirit which also inwardly inclined men to search into to approve and chose what the Apostles c. outwardly proposed and now Learning and Meditation supply to us what the Spirit Immediately vouchsafed to them In Epistle ad Paulinuim as St. Hierom saith quicquid enim aliis exercitatio quotidiana in lege meditatio tribuere solet istis hoc Spiritus sanctus suggerebat Thomas Ellwood makes some attempts of proof about the Reformation as from Tindal p. 273 but neither renewed Immediate nor Expository Revelations are therein owned nor doth it concern Notional about which our debate is but Practical knowledge he deals very unfaithfully with Bishop Jewel who proves from the Antients That many things are easy in the Scripture p. 393. and he strikes in with Harding about the darkness of Scriptures and the understanding of them not by reading but by special Revelation and Miracle p. 394. And that which the Bishop calls Help and Prompting Thomas Ellwood transforms into Inspiration and Revelation of the Divine Spirit p. 275. Without humane Learning Study or natural abilities and the Answer of Alphonsus the Spanish Fryar to Mr. Bradford becomes Thomas Ellwood's Mouth You must be as it were a Neuter as one standing in doubt Pray Fox his Mart. Vol. 3. p. 299. and be ready to receive what God shall Inspire for in vain laboureth our tongue to speak else But none of his Proofs concern Perpetual Immediate Inspiration for the Spirit giving assurance of the Scriptures is a thing of a different nature The sence of the Reformers is discerned from the Homily in the Exhortation to the reading of the Scriptures which requires our humility and diligent search and often reading And John Olde a Famous Divine in Edward the sixths days declares how they proceeded in interpreting Scripture Touching the Interpretation of the Scriptures it must be expounded according to the Proprieties of the Tongues in which it was first written In Dr. Holdsworth praele◠Theolog. p. 435. and by diligent Weighing of sayings that go before and that follow after withall the Circumstances and also according to other places that are more plain or like or contrary and where the Fathers the Doctors of the Holy Church have Interpreted the Scriptures after this manner and have in no wise blanched or swerved from this Rule there we do with heart and good will acknowledge and take them for faithful and diligent Interpreters of the Scriptures and honorable Instruments of the Holy Ghost whose painful labours and Industryes our Lord God hath used in the Church to the Glory of his own Name and the profit of his flock c. this was Printed 1554. CHAP. XII Of their hearing the Voice of God and some other Claims THomas Ellwood to all these Superadds other Priviledges as first their hearing Gods Voice blessed be the Lord we have heard the Voice of God and when the Lord hath spoken in us p. 249. Implying in a Distinct Articulate Voice spoken within and heard by them a most dangerous Delusion and contrary to Gods manner of Proceeding who rarely or never spoke to men without some internuntius or medium his Voice being dreadfull no man can hear it and live Exod. 20.19 Deut. 18.16 So that either Angels or God Incarnate signifyed his Pleasure The Motions and Whispers of the Spirit are not an audible Voice the manner of Gods speaking is related thus The Word of God speaketh forth it self at first simply in Power Univ. Grace p. 87. 88. Vertue Light and Life rather than in words and afterwards words are given and that very Distinctly heard and apprehended So that the Quakers Inspirations come rather at first by signs and Symbols than Words and that is a darker way of Expression Im. Re. p. 171. 58. For the Plainest words cannot give the knowledge of the things and words even the best cannot give the knowledg of God c. that must be strange which words cannot express though they pretend to receive it from the Mouth of the Lord or vivâ voce from him Q. no Christ p. 121. 272. New Law 96 Parnels shield 38. Im. Rev. 14. Q. spi Court p. 7. but they may questionless hear his Voice for they can see the Invisible he sees his maker and lives in the light some of them have had appearances of God the Saints have an intuitive knowledge of God in this life so that though Fox in the Divine Light could never see Angels nor Spirits yet they can see and hear God and they succeed several herein Theod. Eccl. Hist l. 4. c. 11. Dr. Causabons Enth. p. 103. 161 163 164. The Messalians did behold the Trinity with their eyes God did talk with Ignatius Loyola and the Holy Maid saw God Heaven and Hell and the Soul of Christ in its Purity And that strange Enthusiast in Acosta talked of conversing with God and the Alumbrados or Spanish Quakers said They might see God Visibly in their Ecstacyes 2. They receive the Gospel by the Gift of God p. 245. from the Divine Power it self p. 232. not once naming in this regard that great Prophet who in the days of his flesh taught us but these are two general words technically to Imply the manner of Inspiration for every good and perfect gift comes from God and yet it is not handed down by Revelation 3. Divine Revelation consists in opening discovering or expounding Teaching the true sence and meaning of Scriptures by opening discovering and making known the Will of God therein exprest this is Revelation for whatsoever is discovered or made known is Revealed p. 255. a new Notion by which the Apocalypse must be the easiest book and the Revelation of John must be the Exposition of John but he useth the word doubly sometimes properly as p. 238. for Gods conveying such a Message unto a man at other times he takes it loosly for the understanding the Message so brought Whereas Divine Revelations do not depend upon our right understanding them but upon Gods conveying them unless he be of the Jesuits mind that the Scripture not being understood is no Scripture and if discovering be Revealing then every Artist or Inventer is a Revealer So Dr. Harvey was a Revealer of the Circulation of blood Pecquet the Revealer of the passage of the Chyle Vesputius or Columbus were the Revealers of America and the Discoverer of the Isle of Pines was such a Revealer as Thomas Ellwood and by this there will be plenty of books of Revelations Univer Gra. p. 24. The book of Creation being a sealed book till the Divine and Spiritual Illumination of the Holy Spirit of God do unseal it Reveal and open and make known the things that are therein contained CHAP. XIII Of the Texts of Scripture Produced by