immortal power which is over all Transgressors and above the Devil contrary to which the Rulers Act through their corruptions and to which those higher powers are to be subject G. F. Catech. p. 71. If they were acquainted with the Gospel Christ Jesus which is the power of God Rom. 1. 16. they would be all in unity The Text says not I am not ashamed of the Gospel Christ but the Gospel of Christ so distinguishing it from him As St. Paul again doth when he faith Christ hath brought Life and Immortality to to light through the Gospel And God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel Left the Reader should think the Printer hath omitted the word of let him know that they frequently thus write Return to Priests about Beverly p. 10. You have put the Books Mathew Mark Luke John for the Gospel which are the carnal letter and part of the declaration of the Gospel which Gospel is Christ. G. F. Catech. p. 59. The Teachers of the World say To the Law and to the Testimonie and they call the Scripture so The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy and the Scriptures are not the Spirit and the Law is Light Rev. 19 10. Pro. 6. 23. And the Testimony was put in the Ark and the pot of Manna was laid up before it unto it the Tribes went up unto Jerusalem and the Testimony Jehojada brought sorth and gave it to Jehoash The Spirit of Prophecy was not put in the Ark nor the pot of Manna laid up before it nor to it went the Tribes unto Jerusalem nor did Jehojada bring forth the Spirit of Prophecy and give it unto Jehoash Again the Gentiles had not the Law we are not now under it we are delivered from it But the Gentiles had the Law within which is Light and we are still under this we are not delivered from it Again the Law is Light Then we may be sure that is so which Moses wrot sorasmuch as that is the Law The just conclusion therefore is that there are more Laws and Lights and Testimonies than one Yes and more Testimonies of Jesus there are than the Spirit of Prophecy for the Scriptures testifie of him and you your selves say they are not the Spirit Well be it known unto you that as there is a Law within so there is a Law without and this is a greater and more perfect Light being added to that within since the corruption of it by the Fall for the better information of mankind insomuch that all that partake hereof are in a better condition than they that want it as partaking of a peculiar priviledge and special benefit This was the difference of the Jews and Gentiles they had the Law these not And what I pray you was this Law which the Jews enjoyed but that which was published by Moses and the Prophets for as for the internal that the Gentiles had as well as they Rom. 2. 14. When the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things conteined in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves Chap. 3. 1 2. What advantage then hath the Jew much every way chiefly that unto them were committed the Oracles of God Chap. 9. 4. To them was the giving of the Law and the Services of God and the Promises Now when God saith to the Jews to the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no Light in them Isa. 8. 20. Let any man judge whether he sends them for the knowledge of his Will to the Law of the Gentiles or to that given by Moses which is peculiarly called their Law It is written in your Law Joh 8. 17. and 10. 34. Moses gave you the Law Chap. 7. 19. whether to the Light of their own hearts or to his Oracles Statutes and Judgments as they were externally published Or when he says the same to us Christians whether he sends us to the Light in us that we may know whether this Doctrine or the other which Men Teach be the Truth or to the Scriptures the Light especially in every one to whom this is said being not perfect especially not so perfect as the Scriptures in which God hath declared all his Will every one being not like Moses and the Prophets Christ and his Apostles Let any man judge since God hath sent Prophets and by them hath published his Will and that in writing he yet sends us to the Light in us for the knowledg of his Will and for the determination of all controversies And whether if he had not externally published a Law and Testimony by his Servants the Prophets he would say to us To the Law and Testimony Let me know whether the Light in the Jews told them God would have them circumcise burn incense offer sacrifice and slay such and such Beasts and not others keep holy the seventh day abstein from several sorts of Meats from Blood and things strangled and if a controversie should arise about these whether they were to go to the written Law of Moses or to the unwritten Law of Light in every one of their own Hearts Let me know whether the Light within sufficiently tells us that the Meslias is come or indeed that one was promised that Jesus Born of Mary is he or indeed that he was Born at all of a Woman and had real Flesh that he Died and by that Death redeemed us and through his Blood shed we are Saved upon our Repentance and an holy Life that our Spirits do not Die we shall be made Alive again and rise from the Grave the Wicked shall have endless Torment the Righteous endless Joy insomuch that if Christ and his Apostles had never spoken a word and we had never received the Scriptures nor had heard a syllable of all this Preached by Men we should have known it all and as firmly have believed it as now we do For it is said we are built upon the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles And Jesus Christ hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel The Life was manifested and we have seen it and shew unto you the Eternal Life which was with the Father and was manifested unto us The mystery hid from Ages is now made manifest The things which God hath prepared for us have not entred into the heart of Man but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit And these things were Preached unto others that they might know them and believe and have Eternal Life Lastly the Spirit of Prophecy in the Text you cite Rev. 19. 10. is not the Spirit as it is in every man as you understood it unless you will say contrary to St. Paul all are Prophets 1 Cor. 12. 29. Eph. 4. 11. for it is the Spirit as Prophesying and that in the strict signification of the word which is to praedict as the Angel and St. John
QUAKER'S FALSE INTERPRETATIONS OF Holy Scripture By THOMAS WILSON Rector of Arrow in Warwick-Shire LONDON Printed for Benjamin Harris at the Stationer's Arms in Sweetings Rents in Cornhil 1678. Imprimatur Guil. Jane QUAKER'S FALSE INTERPRETATIONS OF SCRIPTURE ONly of this at present Hereafter perhaps I may Treat of their Doctrines and their Manners All that I desire of the Reader is that in the several Texts I shall instance he consult the Bible because words separated from the Discourse may seem even to a wise man to signifie what the Inspired Authors never intended and the like expressions and sometimes tho same do mean different things as in all other Books so in holy Writ G. K. Immed Revelat. p. 21. We may not nor dare not make use of the Scripture but in the Life and Spirit as that opens and influences We dare not nor ought not to speak the Spirit 's words in our own Spirit We tie the words of Scripture unto the Spirit so as not to use them but in and by the Spirit G. K. Help in need p. 77. Away with that manner of interpreting Scripture and searching truth by drawing and knitting consequences by the fallible erring mind and natural understanding Keep close in all things to the determination of the Spirit of God and where that leads you to draw a consequence or frame an argument do it else forbear W. Duesbury's discovery p. 48. The word of the Lord came upon me in the common Gaol in Warwick 13. of 1. Moneth 1664. which constrained to be given forth from the Spirit of the Lord c. N. Love to Lost p. 1. The things following are not of Man nor did I receive them but by the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Atkinsons Standard of the Lord p. 30. Written from the Spirit of the Lord. Burrough's Trumpet p. 1. The Order and Authority given unto me by the Spirit of the Living God 31. of 10. Moneth in the Year 1655. about the 4th hour in the Morning when my Meditations were of my God upon my Bed in Kilkenny City at that time the word of the Lord came unto me saying Write c. Given under my hand and Sealed with the Spirit of the eternal God Foster's Guide p. 59. Do you not Professors confess your selves to be fallible If then I can prove that you have Interpreted Scripture in a false Sense you must grant that you have not Interpreted only in and by the Spirit of God but in your own and by the natural understanding and fallible erring mind And I hope if it appear to you that you have thus done you will not lay the error how little soever it may be upon that Holy One but take it to your selves though it contradict your Glorious Pretence and abate your Credit and Shame you never so much And in the name of Christ I admonish you that you do so that God be not Dishonoured and his excellent Spirit Vilified The tryal follows G. K. Im. Revel p. 72. Out of Sion shall go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem And he The word for that is his name Rev. 19. shall judge among the Nations Isa. 2 3 4. 1 Your reason why the Word of the Lord must here signifie Christ for that is it you mean viz. Because his name is the Word is infirm unless you can prove it always so signifies which it doth not as you may see in many places of Scripture particularly in this Prophet's writings Chap. 39. 5. Hear the word of the Lord of Hosts That is not Christ but this Sentence which follows Behold the day is come that all that is in thine House shall be carried to Babylon Chap. 28. 14. Hear the word of the Lord Namely this Thus saith the Lord behold I lay c. vers 16. 2 As in these former words Come and let us go up to the house of the God of Jacob and he will teach us of his ways He refers to God and not to house So it is manifest that in these latter For out of Sion shall go forth the Law and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem and he shall judge among the Nations He refers to Lord and not to the Word For 3 it had been all one if it had been only said Out of Sion shall go forth the Law of the Lord and he shall judge The Law of the Lord and the Word of the Lord being here the same And then as the Law here is not Christ so neither is the Word 4 And thus was it fulfilled concerning the Gospel as that being distinct from Christ. For it was first Preached at Jerusalem and from thence proceeded to the Gentiles Luk. 24. 47. Thus it is Written that Repentance and Remission of Sins should be Preached in Christ's Name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem Thus Tertullian understands the Text. Adv. Marc. L. 3. C. 21. Ex Sion exibit lex sermo Domini ex Hierusalem Haec erit via sua novae Legis evangelium novi sermonis in Christo non in Moyse And Just. Mart. Apol. 2. p. 78 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For Out of Sion c. From Jerusalem went twelve men into the World who declared to all Mankind that they were sent of Christ to Preach the Word of God to all Ibid. p. 66. I desire the Reader to weigh what word it is David speaks so frequently of in Psal. 119. It is not any word writ any outward word or words But the eternal word which created the Heavens and Earth The word in the begining which taught him the Laws Judgments c. Jesus Christ P. 67. 68. 65. You may as well say Testimonies Statutes Judgments Commandements Law are not a written and outward word or words For they are all used promiscuously and what is spoken of the word is spoken of these As it is said I beheld the Transgressors and was grieved because they kept not thy word So Rivers of Waters ran down mine Eyes because they kept not thy Law As I rejoyce at thy word So Thy Testimonies are the rejoicing of my Heart As I have hoped in thy word So I have hoped in thy judgments As Thy word is very pure therefore thy Servant loveth it So Upright are thy judgments I love thy Commandments As For ever thy word is settled in Heaven So Thy testimonies thou hast founded for ever The word then here spoken of being the same with Testimonies Statutes Judgments Commandments Law it is as much outward written and spoken as they are and you may as well say the Testimonies Statutes c. are Christ as that this word is and that they taught the word as that the word taught them As is evident by the reading of almost any two connext verses in the Psalm and especially those single ones which contein both words for that where they thus occur there is no difference to be discerned As vers 16. I will delight my self in thy Statutes I
will not forget they word vers 160. Thy word is true from the begining and every one of thy Righteous judgments endureth for ever Vers. 172. My Tongue shall speak of thy word for all thy Commandments are Righteous That what is spoken of the word of the Lord in this Psalm cannot agree to a written and spoken word to such Promises Statutes Judgments Law and that Christ of necessity must be understood I believe you will no sooner prove than that Thou shalt not Kill There is one God Trust in the Lord God forgiveth Sins He will bless thee And the like Commandments Promises and Doctrines were not written and spoken and that they are Christ and they Created Heaven and Earth And that such is the word here is again manifest enough in that David says I will keep it and meditate in it My Tongue shall speak of it For all thy Commandments are Righteous One thing more I will inform you of viz. That Word in several places of this Psalm signifies Gods Promise and particularly to David As vers 65. Thou hast dealt well with thy Servant according to thy word Vers. 170. Deliver me according to thy Word Vers. 49. Remember thy word unto thy Servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope Vers. 38. Stablish thy word unto thy Servant Compare herewith 2 Sam. 23. 5. Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure And Chap. 7. 25. The word which thou hast spoken concerning thy Servant and concerning his house establish it for ever And that was this Vers. 12. I will set up thy Seed after thee and establish his Kingdom My mercy shall not depart away from him Now is this word Christ Did this Word create Heaven and Earth This I will set up thy Seed c And was it not an outward word spoken by Nathan Ibid. p. 69. Pro. 6. 24. Reproofs of instruction are the way of Life to keep thee from the evil Woman That is the false deceitful Whorish Spirit the Spirit of this World which bewitches the whole Earth That it is a real Woman I am as sure as that any Whore in England is a Woman For the discourse being continued thus it is said Vers. 29. He that goeth in to his Neighbour's Wife shall not be innocent Vers. 32 33 34. Whoso committeth Adultery with a Woman lacketh understanding A wound and dishonour shall he got for Jealousy is the Rage of a Man therefore he will not spare in the day of Vengeance And thus Chap. 7. where the same Woman is spoken of as appears vers 5. She caught the Young man and Kissed him and said I have decked my Bed with Tapestry and perfumed it with Myrrhe come let us take our sill of Love until the Morning for the Goodman is not at home c. Now prove you if you can that the Holy Ghost meaneth by the Whorish Woman in this place a Whorish Spirit the Spirit of error If I should say Heb. 13. 4. Whoremongers and Adulterers God will Judge that is Idolaters I believe my reason would be as good as yours For yours I question not is because St. John in the Revelations speaks of a Whore of Babylon and mine would be because Ezekiel in his Prophecy speaks of committing Adultery with Idols and going a Whoring after the Heathen But then he that readeth what goeth before my Text viz. Marriage is honourable in all and the Bed Vndesiled would wonder at my interpretation So no less may he wonder at yours when he reads what follows your Text viz. He that goeth into his Neighbour's Wife c. Or if this be not the reason of your Interpretation produce what is and I question not but I can give you as good for mine And so likewise for this other Pro. 31. 4. It is not for Kings to drink Wine that is the Wine of Fornication which the Whore of Babylon poureth forth the Doctrine of the false Prophet Ibid. p. 75. The seven Spirits of God are one Spirit Angels are spirits And as it is said of these seven that they stand before the Throne and are sent forth into the Earth Rev. 1. 4. and 5 6. So is the same said of Angles Chap. 5. 11. Heb. 1. 14. Now whether St. John mean by these seven Spirits Angels or the Holy Ghost is to be considered And 1 to say that the Holy Ghost stands before the throne seems harsh and we read not so elsewhere 2 They are called Angels Chap. 8. 2. I saw the seven Angels that stood before God Which refers to the seven Spirits oft before mentioned as standing before the Throne Chap. 5. 6. and 4. 5. and 1. 4. Ibid. p. 6. 7. The Seed and Birth of God is not an Accident but a substance It is not a particle of the God-head but it is of the Heavenly Spiritual and Invisible substance and being that is the most Glorious being and principle in which God as Father Son and Holy Ghost doth dwell and tabernacle and thine forth in the most Glorious Brightness Beauty Sweetness and Majesty that the noblest of Creatures in the highest supernatural elevation can reach unto behold him and have fellowship with him which is the Holy of Holies and the Heaven of Heavens or that third Heaven in which Paul on Earth saw and felt things unutterable And out of these Heavens c. Of your opinion that the new birth is a substance and of that spiritual substance in which God dwells the Heaven of Heavens perhaps I may speak another time As to your interpretation of 2. Cor. 12. 2. 1 Why say you St. Paul was on Earth when he heard the unspeakable words when he tells you that himself knew not for his words are these I knew a Man whether in the Body I cannot tell or whether out of the Body I cannot tell God knoweth Such an one caught up to the third Heaven Which must signifie whether this was really done or whether it was only a vision he knew not 2 But suppose he was really caught up in the Body which for ought any man knows he was how could that be if he remained still on Earth and was not removed an inch from his place 3 And yet how caught up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even unto the third Heaven which signifies the greatest distance and yet not removed for according to your Opinion Heaven is as near to us as our own Souls for where the new Birth is there it is that birth being as you say of the same spiritual substance in which God dwells which is Heaven 4 And then St. Paul having that Birth before was in Heaven before he was caught up thither and so is every regenerate man at present So that it is no strange or peculiar thing which our Saviour said of himself viz. that he was then in Heaven whilst he discoursed with Nicodemus Joh. 3. 13. 5 And I would then know how
am righteous without any corruption I keep the Commandments fulfil the Law answer every demand of Justice without any sin and failing The motions of the flesh do sometimes stir and tempt me to commit sin but they do not at any time prevail so that I commit it I do not any of those things which I ought not to do But if thus thou darest not say of thy self and yet so interpretest St. John's words then must thou likewise conclude from him that thou art not born of God but art of the Devil And if thou wilt say thus of thy self but wilt not affirm the same of every Child of God the newly regenerate and the weakest and the ignorantest then must thou confess that St. John is not so strictly to be understood for he speaks without limitation Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin 1 Joh. 3. 9. And that indeed he is not so to be understood is evident from many places of Scripture which affirm that the regenerate have weakness imperfection corruption and fall into sin and do things which they ought not to do Eccl. 7. 20. There is not a just man upon earth which doth good and sinneth not Mat. 15. 16. Are ye also yet without understanding c. 17. 17. O faithless and perverse generation how long shall I be with you how long shall I suffer you Why could not we cast him out And Jesus said unto them Because of your unbelief Mar. 4. 40. Why are ye so fearful How is it that you have no faith c. 8. 33. He rebuked Peter saying Get thee behind me Satan for thou favourest not the things of God but the things that be of men Luk. 9. 55. He rebuked the Disciples and said ye know not what manner of Spirit you are of c. 22. 24. There was a strife among them which of them should be greatest Ye shall not be so Jam. 3. 2. In many things we offend all 1 Cor. 3. 15. If any mans work shall be burnt he shall suffer loss but he himself shall be saved yet so as by Fire Heb. 5. 12. when for the time ye ought to be Teachers ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the Oracles of God St. John spake his mind plain enough to deliver you from mistake if you would consider his letter and not speak all without Book chap. 2. 29. Every one that doth righteousness is born of him But is every one that doth any one righteous act so born No but as he saith c. 1. 6. If we walk in the light c. Again you may perceive his mind by what he saith a little before the Text in debate v. 3. Every man that hath this hope in him purisieth himself And ver 8. He that committeth sin is of the Devil or which is the same He is a Child of the Devil ver 10. Is every one so that committeth one act of the least sin No but Scripture teacheth us thus They are of their Father the Devil that will do his lusts joh 8. that walk according to that Prince according to the course of this world Eph. 2. that are servants of sin Rom. 6. Again says he after the Text v. 10. Whosoever doth not rightcousness is not of God And c. 5. 19. We know that we are of God and the whole world lieth in wickedness So that St. John by committing sin meaneth such sinning as not to do righteousness not to walk in the light not to purify our selves but to lie in wickedness And as in this aggravated sense we in common speech use the same expression so doth the Scripture most frequently As Heb. 3. 17. VVith whom was he grieved forty years was it not with them that sinned whose carkasses fell in the wilderness You know it means a stubborn people that hardened their hearts for whose great provocations God swore in his wrath that they should not enter into hir rest v. 8. 10 11. I thought every one had known the difference betwixt sinning and sinning sinner and sinner Rom. 2. 9. Tribulation and anguish upon every Soul of man that doth evil v. 12. As many as have sinned without Law shall perish without Law Must all be damned that have an evil thought or word or deed No we read what he meaneth when it is thus written immediately before v. 4. 5 8. Despisest thoss the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance but after thine hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath To them that are contentious and do not obey the Truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath Thus again we read Ezek. 18. 20. The Soul that sinneth shall die That is as it follows The wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth he shall die in his trespass and sin Since no man knoweth how oft he offendeth Psal. 19. Since if we know nothing by our selves yet hereby we are justified but he that justifieth is the Lord 1 Cor. 4. Since he is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things 1 Joh. 3. I advise you to pray always Our Father which art in Heaven forgive us our Trespasses And as the Psalmist Lord cleanse us from our secret faults And since our Saviour hath said Ask and ye shall receive And St. John If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins forbear not asking pardon lest you receive it not confess your sins lest God should not forgive them remembring St. James's word Ye have not because ye ask not And what Solomon says He that covereth his sins shall not prosper And know ye that it is better that men reckon us like others to have failings and not to live altogether so exactly as we ought so that we have pardon than that they look upon us as absolutely pure and perfect and we be thrust away from God without it like proud Pharisees W. M. Lament over England p. 17. We freely give Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custome to whom Custome Fear to whom Fear Honour to whom Honour Rom. 13. 7. Now all this doth not belong to Caesar for Fear belongs to God and therefore we cannot give all to Caesar. Tribute and Custome we give and in that with obedience to all his just commands we honour him But it is written Fear God Yes and so it is written Honour the Lord and yet it is written too Honour the King and you acknowledge Honour due to him and give it him So though it be written Fear God yes and more than that I add Fear not Man yet it is written also Ye shall fear every man his Mother and his Father Lev. 19. 3. And Let the VVife see that she reverence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fear her Husband Eph. 5. 33. 1