Essay of their different Doctrines it will be pleasant to consider their Carriages in such oppositions and the means they have of convincing one another for allowing no outward Rule whereby they should be concluded Spirit is opposed to Spirit and the boldest Face or the best Lungs or the strongest Interest doth carry it and should I say I wrote this tract by Inspiration upon their Principles they could not confute me and every one having the Light within the comparatively small number of the Quakers argues them to be in the wrong When differences arise among them they esteem the dissenters to be cheats Mr. Jenner p 86 the Woman at Dublin condemned their old Light producing a span new one of her own the rest were displeased saying she was a false Prophetess but she still maintained that her Light came immediately from God Living Stone to the Dissenters made this Rejoynder you are led by a private Spirit 3d. Quibble p. 19. though you pretend it to be Vniversal here is a deceitful whining Spirit rarely confuted for the other upon their Principles may better call Living-stones a private deceitful whining Spirit I declare in the name of all the right Quakers in the World it seems he knows all their Hearts and Principles but how must we do that Pens answer to Faldo p. 53. what is the Earmark of a right Quaker can any of them be in the wrong or is their perfection gone or is Thee and Thou the pure Language Hicks 2d Dialogue p. 12. the badge of a right one as Thomas Ruddyer would have it The former Author calls anothers dissent very prettily Tyran Hipo. detected p. 16. Imaginations and Whimsyes And I can as cheaply and Inspiredly call his and theirs all by the same phrases Keith in a publick dispute attempted to prove that Pen speaks by Immediate Inspiration and yet others say he is a heady rash young man Hicks 3d. Dialogue in the Preface we take no notice what he saith and Luddington looks upon him as not Catechized enough I would rather have compared him to Apollos and wishing him a little more fully instructed in the ends of Christs Life and Death Gotherson Alarums them all to purpose Q. is Paganism p. 5 6. saying That wicked men are crept in among them as Judas among the Apostles calls their Spirit a blind ignis fatuus Mr. Jenner p. 177 178 179. that they are led by Imaginations Lusts and Fancyes It is not as Roger Crab William Smith and John Dunck surmise the head of the Serpent is too powerful in Roger Crab and his followers With such like severity And no question but Crab could make the like reply and Smiths Works are since Printed as Living Divine Testimonies but whom must I trust when such as these can pass for Inspirations and Confutations of them 't is usual to call one another Antichrist Ranters Scotch-men Taylors or what will look illfavouredly John Swinton wrote a Paper in the express motion of God Tyran and Hipo. detec p. 39 42. Spirit of the Hat p. 35. who justifyed him in every tittle of it after this he retracted and denyed the Spirit in which it was Writ saying it was fit for the fire and was done in an hour of Temptation and Weakness the Account is large and deserves reading but what evidence had he he was in the right after retracting more than when asserting and if he for four or five years together took the Spirit of Delusion for the Spirit of God they can give no security but it is the same Errour that still enthralls them contradictory partyes dare both use the name of the Lord John Osgoods Marriage with R. T. was well approved of Spirit of the Hat p. 30.31 the Elder Rebeckah Travers and J. O. declared it to be of the Lord. John Bolton with two or three more opposed its passing in the name of the Lord Tyran and Hipo. detected p. 22. unless he would give Testimony against the Hat Spirit The like difference there was about the Marriage of M. B. one part declared positively from the Lord that it was to pass Briggs told the Opposers that they opposed the mind of the Lord when as the good man knew not so much as the persons he spake of Spirit of the Hat p. 33. the other part greatly opposed it under the same pretence setting the Lord against the Lord. John Whitehead wrote a Letter in the name of the Lord Tyran p. 20. Geo. Fox blotted out a line or more altering it to a quite contrary sense without any liberty from Whitehead so to do by which both the Spirit of God and the Writer were belyed and yet others of them justifyed that alteration Never did any in such a manner debase and prostitute sacred Inspiration as these Controulers and Correctors of the Spirit do But as the Romish infallibility is by some shrunk into an Indefectibility so that of the Quakers keeps a somewhat like pace Whiteheads Spirit offers it self willing to receive Information and in a Letter I have from a leading Quaker 3 Quib. p. 49. he thus write on behalf of Keith that if he have held any thing contrary to the Testimony of Holy Scriptures and sound Christian experience he will be willing to hear and be convinced by a sober Christian demonstration they either have no Inspiration or its impression is very weak for if it was real it would assure it self both to them and others and leave no such place for second thoughts and demurrings A just rebuke to 21 Divines p. 22. Pen saith we ascribe not Infallibility to men but to the Grace of God and to men so far as they are led by it for that it certainly teacheth what it doth teach an acute invention so he certainly writeth what he doth write and I am as good an Infallible as he is but this only covers and doth not cure for still the Quaery recurs how can I be infallibly assured that such a person is led by Gods Grace or not p. 7. he also calls it a being assured of what a Christian ought not to make a doubt of but Certainty is capable of degrees and there is a vast difference between actual certainty and absolute Infallibility But it is well we have got Company Whitehead at Cambr. p. 10. and Gag for Q. p. 4. Ann Pearsons warning to Judges p. 7. other Professions are to be guided by Inspiration all Acts of Parliament are to be made and 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 He reads Hypocrates Galen and other Writers concerning Medicine Im. Rev. p. 69. 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
these are so gross and palpable that an easie Learning might detect them and in a matter of such moment which the poor Quakers do implicitely believe and hug he was obliged to the severest Caution not to impose upon their tame and easie Credulity And as to us who know our selves fallible and in Gods extream account very imperfect it must be allowed for an excuse But as for him who defends perfection pleads for Immediate Revelation which his Master extends to many things which are not in Scripture so much as by Consequence Keith Im. Rev. p. 6. 2d Quib. p. 11. Others of them challenging Infallibility in all things and cases and he as a Believer pretending the Unction whereby they know all things p. 229. and yet in many discovering and in some confessing his Ignorance I know not p. 227. to him this Plea can be no Advantage it pulling down that very thing which he is building up For if there be such a standing perpetual Ordinance as Immediate Revelation Gods Veracity and Goodness is concern'd at that time to let them be Infallible when they are pleading and become the Advocates for it But it is a good Confutation when a Champion proves an Instance against himself T. Ellwood's Courage 2. As to his Courage and Confidence they are high enough shewing great dis-esteem to the Sacred Scriptures as will appear in a proper place by a Catalogue of his Rules of Exposition such certainly as the Sun never saw especially by such a pretended intimate of Heaven We shall onely now consider his Carriage to most Orders of Men in the Kingdom for he presumes to Tax our World like Augustus Caesar The King must be plainly Thou'd and the Head covered before him The Turkish Fashion they esteem most proper and the tuissare or thou'ing which in Erasmus's time was opprobious among the English is dubb'd into both Religion and Manners My Lord the King is no pleasing Dialect to these new Saints it is Old Testament Divinity Dread Sovereign and Sacred Majesty must not now be used p. 46. Who must have the Majesty then Not the King I 'le warrant you it is taken from Him to be appropriated to their own dear selves take a few of their Expressions having spoken against Magistracy and for the Destruction thereof he proceeds * Fire in the Bush p. 39. If you would find true Majesty indeed go among the poor distressed ones of the Earth †Parnel's shield of the Tr. p. 25 27. Here is the ground of all true Nobility Gentility Majesty Honour No more after the Flesh but after the Spirit Quakers are sprung of the Noble Gentile Seed ‡ In his Noble Salutation to thee Charles Stewart from the Council and Nobility of the Royal Seed the Lion of the Tribe of Judah the Everlasting King of Righteousness who reigneth in George Fox the Younger â In the Testimony from the Brethren The Quakers Ministers are the Dignities and Government and Dominion The King must not write in the Plural Number We p. 27. though he be a Publick Person and Act by Advice of his Council all that is sprung from Pride and Flattery Besides this he saucily and pragmatically medleth with the Kings Revenues the Office for first Fruits Tenths offends him p. 355. No Flower can be fair in an English Crown which was taken out of a Popes Mitre if nothing else could be said against it but that it once stuck in the tripple Crown that alone were enough to make it unworthy to be worn in an English Diadem It seems he hath more than this to Object against it such like things are frequent in their Books which stealing out into the World are apt to leaven mens Spirits with bad Principles One of them acquaints us * Parnel's shield of the Truth p. 19 25. What Magistrates they do not own but deny and testifie against and to make their Negative Power better Armed he saith The Kings and Nobles of the Earth shall be bound in Chains and Fetters of Iron This was Printed 1655. but lest it should be onely Serviceable in those times †Some Principles of the Elect People of God called Quakers p. 89. Isaac Pennington a Name deep enough certainly in Royal Blood to make it currant Quaker Doctrine now re-prints that Book in 1671. leaving out the beginning and end of it but he hath the Conscience and Confidence to re-print those very words out of what design let our Superiours Judge But lest since then so beloved a Doctrine of binding Kings should be forgot they keep up the Memory of it ‡ The true Christians Faith and Experience by Williâ—m Shâ—wen p. â—36 Another Book Printed 1675 speaks home Christ Reigning in the heart gives Power to bind Kings in Chains and Nobles in Fetters of Iron This Hâ—nour havâ— all thâ— Saints To the like contempt of Authority write several of them Howgils glory p. 107. Kings and Magistrates as Christians have no Priority but as they stand in the growth of Truth that is in Quakerism Parnel's shield p. 41. Will. Smith passim Fire in the bush p. 21 22 23. I charge you all by the Lord to take heed of medling about Religion meddle with such Affairs as you are set about Meddle not with Religion keep within your bounds And Winstanley the Instituter of their Order speaks roundly to all Four Idolized Powers must down The Imaginary Teaching Hear-say Book-studying Power or the Ministry The Imaginary Kingly Power must be shaken to pieces in all Nations The Imaginary Law of Justice which is but the declarative Will of Conquerours and buying and selling the Earth and being enslaved one to another must all be destroyed at the Resurrection of Christ and that he saith was then beginning and therefore the pretence to Revelation looks a-squint upon the safety of Kingdoms had not the Magistrates the Sword they might meet with as Reproachful words as the Ministers and had some Persons strength their Principles might carry them to repeat the Munster Tragedy If this Measure be dealt unto the Prince what will not be unto the Subjects The Peers and Lords must expect the like treatment from these Levellers Plough-men James Parnel's shield p. 24 25. Fâ—sher-men Herds-men Shepherds are Noble-men sprung of the Noble Seed here the true Honour is no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit He that boggles at using Sirs p. 46. will stumble at higher Titles and if this new Critick may be credited Titles are to cease and Epithets and Adjuncts are to succeed in lieu Which Men are at Liberty to give or not to give according to their prejudicated or capricious fancies He quarrelleth at several things established by Act of Parliament as the Book of Ordination is spurned at by degrading the Clergy the Confessing of our selves miserable Sâ—â—ners is Chastised by his Ferula p. 53. Tithes an Ancient payment of at least 800 years usage in this Nation Sir
Edw. Sandys his view of Western Religion Sect. 39. are Declared by him Popish whereas the non-payment of Tithes is grounded upon Papal exemptions And in Italy the Popes Countrey under his Nose praedial Tithes are not paid but their Clergies Maintenance consists in Glebes and Farmes which T. E. quarrels not at p. 323 324. so little is a Quaker offended with an Italian usage This Free-born Man also quarrels high that none can bind their Posterity with Tithes which strikes as fully upon Hearth-money or any descending Impositions The Judges and Courts and all Judicial proceedings lie in his way they sin and repeat sin and establish sin by Law An Oath of God must not be administred to end Strife but the Quakers Yea and Nay must be the Deciders and yet so uneven is their temper that for Interest they will take an Oath Witness the Cases of Mead Osgood and several so that their equivocating justly deserves that Brand Quakers can take an Oath and yet do not swear at all The Clergy as far as in him lieth are run down their Orders are taken away Chap. 1. Their Imployment Chap. 2 8. Their Maintenance Chap. 9. with stripes and buffettings all the way thorow Not so much as a Gentleman or stranger that ought to be called Master or Sir except in Law or Nature p. 43. but by his Model a breach of Gods Law is committed Thus is our Blessed Religion mis-represented such disservice is by Dreams done unto it excellent temptations do these propound to incline any to turn Christians when they would thus degrade and depress Men and set the Tenant on breast with his Landlord To draw Controversies to a speedy issue is good as hath been done in singling out the Romish Supremacy and Infallibility because upon the Fate of them lesser Differences depend so 't is not worth the while to stand upon thou'ing and such affected singularities the shortest cut is to examine their Revelations Infallibility Immediate Commission c. for the rest will stand or fall with these and it may prove most successful to shew that at the best they stand but on an equal level with other Men and what lower they may have depressed themselves by belying the Holy-Ghost and saying they are Prophets and are not deserves to be the matter of their sad and serious enquiry Taking then for granted That God hath revealed himself to Mankind That much thereof is committed to writing and is upon Record in the Bible as T. E. owns p. 238. That the latest of these Books have been written upon 1600 years since I shall proceed upon this and the Principles of Reason and the Judgments and Practices of the Quakers themselves extracted out of their own Works and the Works of others whom we have all the reason to believe the things being matters of Fact and the Parties offering to make good their Charge before the Lord Mayor of London Tyranny and Hypocrisie detect p. 48 49. or any Alderman on the Bench or any one of the twenty Common Council-men And the Dispute being whether the Quakers have any real Divine Revelations or not I durst refer it to the Judgment of indifferent Persons though Heathens if they understood the concern as Debates between Christians and pretenders thereto have been so ended CHAP. I. The state of the Case and the manner of proceeding THomas Ellwood in the Name of his Party claims such Communications and Heavenly Visits as good Christians are not Conscious they receive nor dare tempt God in desiring The proofs thereof he fetcheth from Scripture wherein I neither read his Name nor that of Quakers but if they conclude for him they conclude as strongly for me I profess my self a Believer in that Jesus who made those Promises and whom T. E. strangely over-looks So that of the two I am the more likely to have the greater share And untill he hath proved me no Believer which to do will exercise his Faculty of discerning of Spirits I might set my Revelation to answer his and hereby his Cause reaps no Advantage His Ghostly Father from whom his Spirit hath received much light and yet he is not so ingenuous as once to acknowledge it Declares Keith's Universal Free Grace p. 48. no Man can be bound to believe in that which comes not in a sufficient way so that it is but reasonable we should be allowed to pursue that Rule and to demand an Evidence proportionable to their soaring Claims Where our Assent is required to any thing God is pleased to afford us means for our Conviction and is satisfied with such a degree thereof as the Evidences will carry When matters of Fact are concern'd the Testimonies of our own or other Persons sences conclude us When matters of Reason thereupon using our best Faculties such a measure of Assent is sufficient as those Reasons will enforce But when one tells me He hath received Divine Inspirations thereby I am Arrested for I must not dispute any thing that is spoken by God my onely enquiry is whether God hath really so spoken as is pretended Which being a matter of great moment God hath abundantly provided that we should not be imposed on by giving us both Caution and Security And the more diligent we are in examining and trying such Claims the more is he delighted with us and will bless that Industry Wisdom and Obedience The Old and New Testament give us many warnings about Dreamers false Prophets c. Command to beware of them not to believe but try them And for matter of Security God hath abounded in that by furnishing his Messengers with such extraordinary Powers that thereby mens belief was both Commanded and Secured Mark 16.20 as they Preached every where the Lord wrought with them confirming the Word with Signs following or accompanying Nor did it seem consistent with Gods Wise Dispensation to give Immediate Revelations and not to furnish the Receiver with such Divine Testimonials as might truly satisfie him that God spoke and also command Faith and Obedience from others Gods immediate Voice hath not used to come so precariously into the World to be mis-pent and wasted for want of Evidence and it might be an intangling thought to an Inspirado would he consider it why the former old Revelations should not at this day be as good to convey the Doctrine and meaning of Christianity as the former old Miracles were and are still sufficient to settle and seal its Truth or that Miracles should be set as Seals to confirm such revealed Doctrines and yet those Doctrines in After-ages need as fresh Revelations to convey and expound them and in the mean time have no Miracles to attest the Truth of those Expositions especially when different pretenders to Revelations bring as different Expositions these do more and more ensnare but we may extricate our selves by allowing as the old Miracles to be the Seals so the old Revelations thereby attested to be the Objects of our Faith But
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
which are out of the Unity with the Body of Friends Print or cause to be Printed or published in Writing any thing which is not of Service for the Truth but tends to the Scandalizing and reproaching of faithful Friends or to beget or uphold Division and Faction then we do warn and Charge all Friends that do love Truth as they desire it may prosper and be kept clear to beware and take heed of having any hand in Printing republishing or spreading such Books or Writings And if at any time such Books be sent to any of you that sell Books in the Country after that you with the Advice of good and serious Friends have tryed them and find them faulty to send them back again whence they come And we further desire from time to time faithfull and sound Friends may have the view of such things as are Printed upon Truth 's account as formerly it hath used to be before they go to the Press that nothing but what is sound and Savory and that will answer the Witness of God even in our Adversaries may be exposed to publick Vieu 6. We do advise and counsel That such as are made Overseers of the Flock of God by the Holy Spirit and do Watch for the good of the Church Meeting together in their Respective Places do set and keeep the Affairs of it in good Order beware of Admitting or Encouraging such as are Weak and of little Faith to take such Trust upon them for by hearing things disputed that are doubtfull such may be hurt themselves and may hurt the Truth not being grown into a good understanding to judge of things Therefore We exhort That you who have received a true sence of things be diligent in the Lord's Business and keep the Meetings as to him that all may be kept pure and clean according to that of God which is just and equal We also advise That not any be admitted to order Publick business of the Church but such as have felt in a Measure of the Universal Spirit of Truth which seeks the Destruction of none but the General good of all and especially those that love it who are of the Houshold of Faith So Dear Friends and Brethren believing your Souls will be refreshed in the Sence of our Spirits and Integrity towards God at the reading of these things as ours were while we sate together at the opening of them and that you will be one with us on the behalf of the Lord and his Pretious Truth against those who would limit the Lord to speak without Instruments or by what Instruments they list and reject the Counsel of the Wise-men and the Testimony of the Prophets which God sanctifyed and sent among you in the day of his Love when you were gathered and would not allow him liberty in and by his Servants to appoint tâ—me and place wherein to meet together to wait upon and worship him according as he requireth in Spirit and calling it Formal and the Meeting of Man We say believing that you will have Fellowship with us herein as we have with you in the Truth we commit you to God and the Word of Life which hath been Preached to you from the beginning which is neither limited to place nor time nor persons but hath Power to limit us to each as pleaseth him that you with us and we with you may be built up in our most holy Faith and be Preserved to Partake of the Inheritance which is Heavenly amongst all them that are Sanctifyed Richard Farnsworth Alexander Parker George Whitehead Josiah Coale John Whitehead Thomas Loe. Stephen Crispe Thomas Green John Moon Thomas Briggs James Parkes The Summ of the Particulars handled in the preceeding Treatise DIvisions are no argument against the Truth of Christianity p. 1. The Holy Scriptures are by some thought too plain and by others too obscure p. 2. Quakers give better names to their own Books than to the Scriptures p. 3. Their beginning was in 1648. p. 4. Winstanley the Leveller was their Father p. 5. 6. They have a great resemblance to Rome p. 7. 8. The many disadvantages in Treating with them p. 9. Their unchristian temper in Controversies pag. 10. 11. They misapply Scripture words as the old Hereticks did p. 12. 13. T. Ellwood's Ignorance and Impudence about St. Basil p. 14. About St. Greg. Nazianzene and Sosiades p. 15. And in calling the Martyrs our Godly Martyrs p. 16. 17. Quakers deny themselves to be Protestants p. 16. Thomas Ellwood's sauciness towards the King p. 18 19. Quakers have dangerous Doctrines about Kings and Magistrates p. 19 â—â— Their degrading of the Nobility p 20. And contempt of other Orders of men p. 21. Thomas Ellwood's manner of claiming Inspirations concludes as much for others as for themselves p. 22. God affords sufficient means of Conviction p. 23. Immediate Revelation should be attested with Evidences p. 24. Revelation is a more easy thing than studying p. 25. The various Claimers of Infallibility confute each other p. 26. Quakers Challenge the Internal work of the Spirit but deny the External p. 27. Thomas Ellwood and his party 's high demands p. 28. His seeming Concessions p. 29. Christ was the Apostles Instructor before the Spirit p. 31. Quakers make Christs Prophetick office to signify nothing p. 32. Or confound Jesus and the Spirit p. 33. The manner of the Apostles Instructions recited p. 34. Quakers differ about the Apostles knowledge p. 35. The Apostles were certain Witnesses of Christ and the Writers of the N. T. wrote upon their certain knowledge p. 36. No new books of Scriptures can now be written 37. The Holy Spirit did inwardly pursue what Christ had outwardly delivered p. 38. Enthusiasm destroys the settled grounds of Religion p. 39. Quakers called themselves Apostles and Prophets p. 40. They make the Apostaâ—y to begin with the second Century p. 41. They are very unlike the Apostles p. 42. Successours cannot receive like predecessours p. 43. The first settling a Dispersation must not always continue p. 44. God is not prodigal of Miracles p. 45. Quakers Inspirations must be as unintelligible as those of St. Paul or others p. 46. The Texts produced by T â—â—â—wood prove against him p. 47. What was promised 〈◊〉 he Apostles shâ—uld not be inlarged to all p. 48. Quakers like Celsus and the Gnosticks pretend much knowledge p. 49 Thomas Ellwood borrows Renewing of Revelations from George Keith p. 51. Their damnable Essential of Religion p. 52. 53. Their great slighting of the Canon of Scripture p. 54. 55. Repetition of Revelation reinforces the Law of Moses p. 56. destroys the Reality of History p. 57. and the determinateness of Prophecy p. 58. Confound the Revelations of Men and Women p. 60. The Spirit doth not repeat what was spoken by himself or by other ways before p. 61. 62. Quakers pretend Revelations for Wordly matters p. 64. Gods Dispensations are Regular and Orderly p. 65. Quakers lose themselves in a Circle p. 66.
True Old Christianity neither Satan we may reasonably think hath long ago canvassed every word in the Sacred Book from thence to form Heresies and having run his round he doth oft new dress old Obsolete ones turning them into other shapes by some slender Additions to make them be the less discernible but whosoever will compare the Doctrines the Quakers with many of the rotten Condemned Hereticks with some Fancies of the Monks in later times of the Anabaptists Familists c. about the Reformation of the Seekers Antinomians Ranters Dellists and those other swarms of Locusts in this Kingdom will be forced to acknowledge that not only their Foundation is the same but that also many of their Opinions even their Phrases Words and Tearms proceed from the same Fountain Learned men do look upon them as so unreasonable and others do esteem them so Obstinate that either they are not worth medling with or that the attempts will prove fruitless But the Interest of true Religion and the good of those Souls for whom Christ dyed are so Sacred that no Endeavors to justify the one and to save the other ought to be Discouraged And whereas Hereticks have one while questioned about God at another time about Christ or the Holy Spirit sometimes the Holy Scriptures sometimes the Church the Sacraments or single Articles have been debated Quakers do ly under those sad Circumstances of having licked up the Vomit and imbibed the Errors about most of those Denying the Trinity and yet dividing the Godhead Denying Christs Body and Bodily Presence now in Heaven and our Redemption by him Confounding Christ and the Holy Ghost ingrossing Christianity to themselves so as to Paganize all other Christians and instead of them taking in the Heathen World to fill up those Vacancies they have thrust us from they being much more favourable to them as having Christ within them looking upon the Scriptures as dead Letters not the Rule either of Faith or Manners that they signify nothing to us without a new Revelation to impose them and a further one to Expound them With many the like Prevarications in the most Fundamental Articles of Religion and such Poysonous Doctrines require Warning and Antidotes from all hands This I have Related to shew the Occasion of this Tract and shall more particularly address my self to such of the Quakers as are well-meaning Persons like Absaloms men 2 Sam. 15.11 in the Simplicity of their Hearts following their Leaders but yet in Preparation of Mind being ready to embrace the Truth when fairly proposed and as I hope abhorring those Abominations which ly concealed under their Doctrines or are the direct Consequents of them The great prejudice those poor Souls ly under is That they are kept under with an Implicite Faith and scarce permitted to read Tracts against them which are supposed to be but Temptations to remove them from the Truth But if any such well designing Quakers shall meet with this I desire them seriously to lay to Heart these few following things which are not here set down to anticipate but either Briefly to represent what is proved in the following Papers or what might be more fully shewed especially in reference to that dangerous Delusion That the Light within every man is the Lord Jesus 1. That other Sects whom you Disown and Condemn have given out themselves to be Inspired as much as you do have spoken as well have continued as long have been as numerous have given as convincing Proofs as you can do and yet have been first Wandring then Fallen Stars and have come to nothing If you say That theirs were Counterfeit but yours True Lights that is a pittiful Begging the Question or If you say that their Light at first was Right but that they mistook in its use this still concludes nothing by what Arguments you would confute your Corrivals by the like we may confute you they falling as forcibly upon your selves as upon any others else 2. Consider that great Disservice which your trifling Expositions attempt to do unto Religion a tast of which we may take from your Inspired Allegorical Interpretations Recorded in Chapter the 8th The Everlasting Gospel The Tabernacle of David God Christ The Angels The Devil The Bottomless Pit The Beast with seven Heads Babylon The Mystery of Iniquity The Man of Sin The Mystery of Godliness Michael and the Dragon Fighting Antichrist The Third Heavens The Father of Lyes c. All these are made internal things so that a Quaker is well provided having within and carrying about with him all those certainly he must be an empty House that can entertain so many both things and persons and such a mixt Assembly 3. That other Nations have had their Enthusiasts there being a kind of Circulation of Errors Germany had its Anabaptists c. In the last Century and its plenty of Revealers in late times France had its Libertines Holland its Familists and what not and other Countryes had their share but the Scene at present of Fanaticism lies most in England for the Inquisition and Edicts suppressing as 't is likely the Alumbrados or Quakers in Popish Countryes they were I mean their Doctrines transplanted hither where in a Soil at that time well prepared for their reception and increase they took good Root and thence shot forth their Branches into other Nations nor must we think that Quakerism is the last Sect for though the very Dregs of many of the former are squeezed into it yet their own Divisions perpetual Changings the doating of some persons upon Novelties and the Craft of the great Enemy give us Reason to suppose that when men are grown weary of this he will prepare a new one for them 4. That you would Consider your own Alterations generally observed both in point of Doctrine and Behavior for they are a clear acknowledgment that you were mistaken at the first to challenge Divine Motions for many things and yet in a few years to recede from those Commands reflects upon the Spirit as changeable or your selves to have been Imposed upon but if you were truly Wise it would engage you unto a strict Examination both of your Foundation and the several things erected on it The old Marcionites changed thus Cottidie Reformant illud Tertuâ—â—l adv Marc. prout à nobis cottidie revincuntur daily altered their Opinions as the Arguments of the others discovered their weakness and indefensibleness So do you daily lick and new mold many of your Doctrines as you are beaten from Hold to Hold though you continue still enthralled in the main 5. That you would throughly examine the Truth or even Possibility of those two by you called Fundamental Principles 1. How your Light within can be the Christ the Savior of the World for it destroys the Reality and Truth of his Humane Nature and hereby you proclaim your selves to be Antichristian in denying or destroying his coming in the Flesh How can his Body or his Soul
Keâ—â—â— â—â—med Reâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 p 3â— p. 9 The Romanists make it difficult to be understood and dangerous to be read to make way for the Proposals and Expositions of their Infallible Head And the Quakers do use the very like Expressions and Exceptions giving great Reason to suppose that they both are Hammer'd on the same Anvil We find it to hurt and weaken and deaden us to think any thoughts even from the Scriptures but as the Life and Spirit of God influencete and concurreth If any time we do it we find our selves rebuked and chastised by the Lord for it And elsewhere Scripture words are but as a â—ounding brass and Tinkling Cymbal a killing Letter it is only the words that Christ himself speaks that are Spirit and Life and they who sâ—eâ— Life in the Letter seek the Living among the Dead for it declares of the Life but it is not therein but in him Among others Thomas Ellwood in a late Book which he calls Truth prevailing and detecting error c. makes it his profest business Chap. 8. To draw a Veil and obscurity over the Scriptures questioning and at last denying the Bible to be the Word of God p. 249. calling the Bible a dead thing the Scriptures dead letters p. 250. whereas they dare call their own Printed Works Living Divine Testimonies And T. E. upon his Principles The Works of William Smith cannot give the same Title to the Book of God which he gives to his own viz. Truth prevailing c. He further tells us that the Scriptures are not sufficient to Salvation p. 241. nor the Rule ibid. and the like Contempts are most subtilly insinuated Withal he disbands humane Learning from all Religious Concerns affirming that the Bible is a sealed Book needs the same Revelation to understand it that the Apostles had to Write it And all this is designed to usher in his partyes pretended immediate Inspirations as the only certain means of understanding any thing in Holy Writ This seeming Dishonorable to God Disgraceful to his Word Dangerous to Souls and the quiet of Kingdoms and the whole being wrongfully stated by him I have herein endeavoured an Examination of his Notions concerning this matter G. Whitehead acquaints us concerning the Quakers Writings That some of their Titles have not been strictly but figuratively placed upon their Books The Quakers plainnes detecting fallacy p. 91. a Confession which if pursued gives us great Latitude he neither naming what those Books nor Figures are a rare Art of Equivocation in the Frontispiece what figures may he pretend their Books to have within and by this sleight they may evade the most pressing Arguments And should I by this figure call Ellwoods Book Falsâ—hood prevailing and protecting Errour I should do no Injustice for it is but a pursuance of their own Concessions But to view a while his self pleasing title why it is not less Humble than Truth prevailing is this given strictly or figuratiâ—â—ly or â—â—â—oâ—ed by his so 〈◊〉 boasted of Inspiration The World is too wise to begull'd with a book that bears â—â—â—ther in its top it is truth we loâ—â— for wiâ—hin not anticipating Tâ—â—â—s without Modesty and 〈…〉 â—â—â—dred such sounding 〈…〉 prevailing c. so sound some other of their works Truth exalted and Deceit abased Truth lifting up its head above scandalls c. But he may know that enemies to God and truth have given such titles to the Creatures of their Brains which he doth to his Work Antiphon the Philosopher writ a Book against the very Providence of God Orig. Con. Cels Lib. 4. p. 176. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he denyed and attempted to take out of the World and yet he had the Confidence to call it a Discourse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concerning Truth Celsus that bitter Enemy of the Christian Religion wrote a tract against it which he named The true word or saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem Lib. 1. p. 17. 31. In his Fragments out of Eusebius p. 26 5. Hierocles also no mean person composed one against the Christians which he intituled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the lover of Truth So that bad lying Books may through confidence wear good names and yet all these three concerning Truth the True word the lover of Truth are more modest than Truth Prevailing alias Rampant but it is well Books can get Titles for T. E. is shy in giving them to men his new Heraldry and learning orders they must now have Epithetes and Adjuncts p. 45. By Thomas Elwood why Thomas he doth disown his Baptism why hath he not changed that name which is the memorial of it why nothing but Thomas Ellwood one while they were at another pass * In the plain Answer to his 18 Queries called of the World John Whitehead ‡ In his Answer to the 15 New castle ministers by one whom the World calls James Naylor †A shield of the Truth Lib. 2. Refert nosse ingenium mores ejus eum quo velis congredi written from the Spirit of the Lord by one who is known to the World by the name of James Parnell of late such alias's are omitted for they continue changing and are but yet going on unto perfection It is a Rule in the Recognitions ascribed to Clemens to know quibus sit moribus quibus artibus c. To understand the remper of that Person with whom you have to deal which must be observed and I desire the freedom of inquiring a while into the Quakers particularly into our present Author by way of Introduction and then shall address to the main Concern His Repeated Immediate and Expository Revelations and his other Notions of the like Mold For the Quakers in general two things are not unfit to be considered Their Original or standing And their Temper First for their Original It may seem more difficult to discover where Sects are not called from their Founder but some property c. It may be harder to trace them to their Head The Quakers Original In 1652 their beginning is supposed and then abouts they were so called and known but they themselves raise it four years higher John Whitehead fixes it in the year 1648. and Hâ—bberthorne in 1660. told the King that they were then twelve years standing In Mr. Faldoes Q. no Christi Discourse be the King and Hab. p. 3. p. 16. In that black year to these Kingdoms their pretended light appeared Considering these things I am inclined to affirm them an off-set of the Levellers and anon shall tender strong probabilities for it proposing them to such whose Age Experience or Circumstances have qualified them for a further Discovery onely premising somewhat which seem'd preparatory towards their appearing In the North parts of England where the Quakers were first known There were Grindletonian Familists who taught that Scripture is but for Novices The White Wolf p. 39. that their Spirit is not to be
when I find high Claims of renewed Revelations and therewith as studious an undervaluing and depressing the Honour of Miracles and withal the rejecting the Scripture from being the Rule to try the Spirits by as Quakers do and withal when I find such Caution used by Moses to satisfie himself and others that God spoke by him None especially if their Claims be really Divine can quarrel to have them examined by such means of Discovery as a wise Religion and sober Reason afford unto us Keith's Im. Rev. Title page But though T. E. was in the right that there is such a standing Ordinance in the Church of Christ of indispensable Necessity as perpetual Inspiration yet he hath but done half his work he must go write another Book to prove that among all the Societies of Christians disowning it and the various Sects of single Persons claiming it his Party having the onely inclosure thereof their Fleece to be wet when all others are dry about them till this be done his Arguments are as equally Calculated for me if I will as for himself and do conclude as forcibly for Jacob Israel or Muggleton as for George Fox It would have been an ease if his Discourse had been true meer waiting is a more facile thing than reading meditating or studying and to a weak Constitution a Supine expecting would have been far more favourable than that which wise and inspired Solomon called a weariness of the Flesh Eccles 12.12 What the Excellent Lord Falkland spoke concerning the Romish may with no alteration Of the Infallibility of the Church of Rome Sect. 36 37. be applyed to the Quakers Infallibility and Inspiration also I take no pleasure in tumbling hard and unpleasant Books and making my self giddy with Disputing obscure Questions if I could believe there should always be whom I might always know a Society of Men whose Opinions must be certainly true so as I might be excusably at ease and have no part left for me but that of Obedience which must needs be less difficult than the harsh Greek of Evagrius and the as hard Latin of Irenaeus and he would deserve not the lowest place in Bedlam that would prefer those Studies before so many so much more pleasant that would rather employ his understanding than submit it The ease then would lye in having Inspirations or sitting at the feet of such as have them rather than in employing time and strength in laborious searches only the way of Labour is the way of Gods Blessing But the whole Scene as laid by the Quakers is so distant from Gods way of Dispensation who was pleased to become God with us to live on Earth to teach us which having performed there cannot be much to be new taught now and also Immediate Revelation when in use yet being but rare conferred on some whom God used as his Mouth to communicate it to others and Religion being Published in an External sensible way and in like manner settled to prevent such delusions as might insinuate themselves under the cover of inward Suggestions we have no encouragement to sit down satisfied with these Internal and indemonstrable transactions being full of nothing but difficulties and dangers but we must take the more laborious way of searching the Scriptures praying conferring and comparing Spiritual things with Spiritual The afore-said Lord further urged Sect. 9 10. That the Romish pretence to Infallibility was but an accidental Argument because if any other Company had likewise claimed to be Infallible it had over-thrown all so proved nay it is but an Arbitrary Argument and depends upon the pleasure of the Adversary for if any Society of Christians would pretend to it the Church of Rome could make use of it no longer Now though the Disciples of Hetherington the Box-maker even before that Lord wrote to wit about 1625 had maintained Dr. Dennison's white Wolf p. 72. That they could not erre in giving deliberate Sentence in points of Divinity as H. Nicholas had done before them yet if that Noble Viscount had lived till now what would he have thought of the force of his former Argument when not onely within this Island John Reeve and Lodowick Muggleton who would be taken for the two Witnesses in the Apocalyps pretended and were owned by their few Disciples to be Infallible but the more numerous company of the Quakers do Challenge the same to their Party and out-do the Romanists in the variety of their Claims of Inspiration Immediate Revelation Apostolical Commission of Christ the light within of Infallibility and discerning of Spirits So that now on this side Dover we have Popes of both Sexes Joan belongs to England not to Mentz and we have many Johns above 24 but whilst three different if not contradictory Parties pretend to Infallibility we have Reason to suspect they are all alike Infallible The Quakers have a pretty Craft but it may easily be seen thorow The Apostles were endued with extraordinary Powers both inward and outward now they Challenge to themselves the inward as Authority Inspiration Infallibility Commission Discerning of Spirits the inward Baptism with the Holy-Ghost c. which being Internal and indiscernable may be Challenged and are not so readily confuted but then the outward as the Miraculous descent of the Holy-Ghost the gift of Tongues the visible Baptism with fire the ability of working Miracles of all sorts the Spirit of Prophecy or fore-telling future things c. these being discernable to the sense capable of an easie detection they do both deny them and speak slightly of their necessity or use Though God conferred these outward ones as undeniable proofs and convictions of the inward and without which sensible Testimonials the internal would not have had that Operation but have been like Candles under Bushels and this very Art lays no little prejudice upon their Plea T. Ellwood's Notion of Divine Revelation is put into variety of Expressions which lie dispersed in several pages his stating of things is different and the claims he makes are of several Natures I shall put them into the best Method I can more orderly to examine them We may conceive some of them to be as the ground-work whereon he builds the other as the Fabrick thereon raised His grounds are two 1. That the Apostles had an inward manifestation and Immediate Revelation of the Will and Mind of God to them by the Spirit of Truth which dwelt in them p. 227 228 233. 2. That the Apostles Successors or all Believers in an extensive Relation receive the knowledge of the Gospel in the same manner as the Apostles received it p. 228 230 233. Other things he Erecteth upon or claimeth in pursuance of these 1. They have renewed and repeated Revelations p. 238 240 243. The good Old Gospel is again revealed by the same Spirit p. 254. 256. 2. They have Immediate Revelations from the Spirit as the Apostles had p. 228. 3. They have expository Revelations the Spirit
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
ones given to Fox by Josiah Coale Augustin in Haeres 14. His Women also Administred a wild kind of Eucharist and Quakers have their she-teachers He also denyed the Resurrection of the Flesh which is Quakers Doctrine and said That Christ did not suffer truly he perverted by Charms and strange Arts Women to follow him and 't is reported how many have been subverted by the Quakers by a stedfast look or a wring by the hand c. without rational means of Perswasion the sugar'd Language he gave his Proselytes blandiens eis is imitated by ours also who give their Females these Appellations Innocent Lasses The Spirit of the Hat p. 43. and Daughters of Sion 6. The Valentinians made use of the same Plea Tertul. in Valentin Lib. 4. Quidni quum Spirituale illud semen suum in unoquoque sic recenseant si aliquid novi adstruxerint Revelationem statim appellant praesumptionem charisma Ingenium they do account the Spiritual Seed to be in every one if they do light or hit upon any thing that is new they presently call that Presumption or conceit a Revelation and their own wit they do style an immediate or extraordinary gift And the same Father elsewhere relates Omnes tument omnes scientiam pollicentur c. They are all puff'd up De praescript adver haeret promise much knowledge their Novices are perfect before they be Instructed their saucy Women dare teach heal it may be Baptize their Ordinations were confused a Presbyter to day a Lay-man to morrow Laicks do Priestly Offices c. 7. Montanus and his Party claimed Inspirations as much as any and his Sect continued some Centuries and their carriage was strangely ecstatical which shewed they were not moved from the Lord. We have the judgments of some Ancients in Eusebius concerning them Hist Eccles Lib. 5. Cap. 14 15 16 17. That Montanus being alienated and ecstatical in Spirit was Distracted and under the pretence of Prophecy or Revelation he spoke unwonted things against the Faith and Doctrine of the Church They boasted of their Martyrs and Sufferings Miltiades wrote against them so did others the whole Church or Fraternity throughout the World disowned this Prophecy as accursed He taught to dissolve Marriage had his Exactors or Collectors who gathered many Gifts and Oblations His Prophetesses had run away from their Husbands his Party grew strong they called Pepuza Tymium two little Cities of Phrygia New Jerusalem So Munster and Strasburg were called and the Quakers once Travelled towards New Malton in Search of the New Jerusalem comed down from Heaven till the mire and rain wearied out their Zeal The Pepuziani a branch of them had Women Bishops and Women Presbyters upon the same Account that our Quakers plead for their Prophetesses Epiphan Haeres 49. Ibidem Augustin Heres 27. because in Christ Jesus there is neither Male nor Female and Christ is said to appear either to Quintilla or Priscilla or both when sleeping and being Cloathed in a white Garment to Inspire Wisdom and to Reveal that to be an Holy place even the Heavenly Jerusalem And St. Hierom is sometimes confuting them that a Prophet understands what he seeth In prologis ad Naum Abacuc nec ut amens loquitur nor speaketh as distracted as Montanus and his Prophetesses doated but Quaking which was thought the sign of their conversing with God is now looked on otherwise that the Voyce of the Lord was not distinctly discerned there in stilness the mind is brought into a capacity to discern the voyce of the Lord. Living Stone in 3d Q. quib p. 4. 8. The Messalians Psalliani or Euchites laid claim to Revelations as much as any other Sect they were so assiduous in prayer that it may seem incredible to most that hear it Augus Her 57. by a misapplication of those words pray always and pray without ceasing some of them would have named themselves to be whatsoever persons you would have them art thou a Prophet he would reply I am a Prophet Epiphan Her 80. Theodoret. Hâ—st Eccl. L. 4. C. 11. art thou Christ he would reply I am Christ but besides this they were strangely Enthusiastical pretending they had the presence of the Spirit and calling their own Dreams and Fancyes Prophecyes their Opinions infected many Monasteries and several Countries they looked upon the Lords Supper to do neither good nor hurt Adelphius an old Professor among them gave this Account of their Faith That Holy Baptism profitted nothing but only that perpetual Prayer cast out that inward Devil which every one received from their first Parents that then the Holy Ghost came upon them with his sensible and invisible Presence whereby they were freed from Sin Ibidem and needed neither Fasting nor Instruction but that then they were able to foresee future things and to behold the Holy Trinity with their eyes These are to the purpose T. E. Predecessors several Bishops opposed themselves to their pernitious Doctrines and indeed we cannot do more acceptable Service to the Spirit of truth than by detecting the Spirit of Errour though it appear in the guise of an Angel of Light or have got a piece of Scripture in its mouth nay though it pretend Antiquity and get it self wrapped in old Samuels Mantle or come demurely in Sheeps cloathing 9. Aetius an Arian Heretick though one that did seperate from his Communion was at the like pass with the former Temerariâ audaciâ elatus dixit being puff'd up by a rash boldness he said Binius Tom. 1. p. 486. Deum sibi Revelasse ea quae usque ab Apostolorum temporibus hactenus occultaverat that God had Revealed those things to him which till then he had concealed from the times of the Apostles say the Fathers of the Council of Constantinople Theodor. Hâ—st Eccl. L. 2. C. 28. Histor Tâ—iparet L. 5. C. 22. apud Binium and the like words of his are elsewhere Recorded Serras though a Favourer of him accused him by a strange height of Pride or Madness to have presumed and spoke higher things that those things were now Revealed to him which God had concealed hitherto from the Apostles universis from all men And that is pretty Consonant to the Quakers Doctrine have not we had the Gospel all this time till now Answer we say no the Gospel Dispensation was lost saith Smith But Blessed be the Lord for his renewing the Spiritual Ministry in our days and Ann Wrights Letter is full about the same Since the Lord first called his Servants to publish his Everlasting Gospel the Gospel was hid from the Apostles days untill it was revived in them 10. Donatus to maintain his Schism became Enthusiastical August Epist 165. talking of Inspiration or Communications of Gods Will to him by Angels Ille eum ordinem Christianitatis Civitatis vestrae ut insinuaret jussisse sibi Angelum scribit c. that he might blast or Condemn
such things to him as his words are at large set down H. N. by the Grace and Mercy of God through the Holy Spirit of the love of Jesus Christ raised up by the highest God from the Death anointed with the Holy Ghost Elected to be a Minister of the Gracious Word In the Evangel Regni C. 1. which is now in the last times raised up by God according to his Promises in the most Holy Service of God under the Obedience of his Love and in a Manuscript Epistle written in an apish imitation of Clemens Ignatius or those times he declares his Divine Commission H. N. Jesu Christi Minister à Deo ad veritatem è Gratiae Solio Epistola H. N. ex Charitate Jesu Christi in Angl. missa c. Majestatis Dei testificandam Electus ad Bonum nuntium de Regno Dei pura Charitate retectae facici Jesu Christi super terram annunciandum ac salutem in eadem manifestandam missus quemadmodum de adventu ejusdem charitatis per Prophetas Dei Apostolos Jesu Christi prius significatum Evangelizatum fuit Nos Dei Misericordiam sacerdotale munus nostrae Administrationis sub obedientia Charitatis Jesu Christi accepimus c. And he goeth on relating the great things that God was about to do the danger in not accepting his Ministery that God was about restoring all things the Earth to be full of his Glory applying twice that in Abac. 1. and Act. 13. Behold ye Despisers c. and the late New-England Families were high in the same pretence that the Quakers have much affinity with the Familists might easily be shewed and they seem to have the most kindness for them George Whitehead makes the Familists to have better Discoveries than other men In Cambridg debate p. 63. and Keith determines that we must examine Revelations Inspirations Visions and Openings by this of Divine Love Im. Rev. p. 241. Qu. love to mankind p. 3 A Brief Rehearsal of the Belief of the Good Willing in England which are named the Family of Love Print 1575. If it be alledged that Quakers of late do not so allegorize Jesus Christ as formerly I can produce the like outward ownings of Christ by the Familists the Apostles Creed at length owned by them Jesus acknowledged to be the Son of God c. in words much like the Nicene Creed born of a Virgin out of the Seed of David in whose name only and no other they obtain Salvation and Remission of their Sins 5. Some time after the Reformation Jacob Behmen appeared who received if we will believe him his Mystical dark terms from the Father of Lights there is but a glimpse of the Mystery in these writings Signatura rerum p. 209 for a man cannot write them if any man shall be accounted worthy of God to have the Light inkindled in his own Soul he shall see unspeakable things there is the Theosophick School of Pentecost wherein the Soul is Taught of God Joh. 6.45 Joel 2.28 he that can read his own Book aright needs no other for therein lyeth the unction from the Holy one In the Preface which teacheth him aright of all things none can understand these obscurely clear Writings but they that have tasted of the Feast of Pentecost saith Ellistone the Translator and the Author himself saith I have set before the Readers eyes p. 201. what the Lord of all Beings hath given me and in the Preface to his 177 Questions without Divine Light none can be able to expound them p. 223. it is only the Spirit of Christ that gives their understanding and he wrote from his own experimental Science His Notion of the Signature opened by the Spirit imprinting his Similitude in my Similitude p. 1. 2. entring into another mans form and awakening in the other such a form in the Signature So that both forms do mutually assimilate together in one form and then there is one comprehension is much like the Quakers Seed or Birth which is the Susceptive Principle conveying Inspiration from God into the Soul there being a Revelation required as well in the Hearer as in the Speaker Theophilus had the Spirit Witnessing to the truth of the things Im. Rev. p. 209. which gave the certainty or assurance what the Apostles declared in words from the life of Jesus Christ revealed in them the same Spirit answered and testifyed to the truth of those things in their hearers It seems it was not the Apostles certain knowledge of Christ Idem p. 58. and the Miracles they wrought which inclined men to believe their Doctrine but it was a light in them which met with a Signature or Seed or a congenial Principle in others that perswaded them to become I dare not say Christians but Illuminado's Having tasted of Jacob Behmens Style and the Subject being unpleasant a cage of unclean Birds or an Herd of lying Prophets of which but one Sect be it which it will can but possibly be true Before we descend to view the last Scene of our own Countries Abominations it may be a Diversion to present some of Geo. Foxes Divinity and Oratory which if you have the Patience to read you shall not be Obliged to the pains of Studying or Understanding Some Principles of the Eâ—â—â—ct People of God called Quakers 〈◊〉 The Worlds Original is the many Languages whose Original is Babel which make Divines as they call them sit a top of Christ And the Whorâ— sits upon the Waters as it is spoken in the Revelation and John saith the Waters are Nations Mâ—lâ—itudes People and Tongues which 〈…〉 they call their Original To which Waâ—â—◠〈…〉 must be Preached before they can 〈…〉 〈…〉 are to be redeemed from Tongues and 〈…〉 shall cease saith the Apostle and so 〈◊〉 Worlds Original the beginning of which 〈◊〉 and which keeps in Babylon the Saints 〈…〉 â—â—deemed and this hath been set up as an Original among them who are alieniated from the Spirit of God in Babel where the Original of Tongues was in the days of Nimrod that Heretick who began to build Babel 〈◊〉 p. 70. The same Curious Writer hath a rare gift in proposing Queries 12. Q. Whether ever any Man came to see so far as Balaam's Ass who saw the Angel of the Lord 13. Q. What are the Graves and the Tombs and the Sepulchres and the Fowls of the Air and the Nests they sit in which Christ spake of Answer in Writing the thing Queried G. F. They are the properest for his Spirit to undertake The trifling question put to Barnabas was more witty Clem. Recognit p. 5. Why a Gnat being so small a Creature hath six feet and wings besides whereas an Elephant so bulky an Animal hath onely four feet 4. In the late unhappy Times when Hell was broke loose our own Countrey affords Instances too many being as anciently credulous in believing pretended Inspirations so
also then in their production too fertile and the Quaker is Junior to the most of them and they are all able to produce as good Evidences and Deeds so that it seems strange the Quaker should ingross both the birth-right and the blessing too from all the rest 1. The Seekers or Religious Scepticks laid Claim to Inspirations I call them so because those various differing Sectaries may be best comprized under such a general name Edward Gangre second Part p. 2. They affirm and hold they have not onely had Revelations but they have seen Visions also The means of Gods revealing himself and his mind and will to his Servants in reference to their Salvation is immediately by himself without Scripture without Ordinances without Ministers or any other means but especially many in the Army about 1645. took themselves to be intimate with God Idem p. 5. Some Officers and Souldiers affirmed That they had had Revelations and seen Visions and took upon them to Prophesie A Lieutenant a great Devoto denyed the Trinity of Persons affirming them to be three Offices he denyed that Christs presence in Heaven could be proved by Scripture p. 7. and made a great question whether there was a Resurrection or no. Mrs. Attaway the Woman-Preacher then begun to exercise Boggis wish'd he had not known so much of the Bible which he said p. 163. was but only Paper And Clarkson the Seeker vilifies the Scripture Ordinances p. 165. c. would not have People to live upon black and white and said That they of themselves were not able to Reveal God T. E. is the Successor of such Blades as these 2. The Antinomians maintained their undutiful Notions by recourse to this Armour and the Quakers have borrowed much from them as Perfection Discerning who were Elected the Notions about Christs Person and Christ within humane Learning and the like but I shall onely consider their Inspirations a large account of which we find in one who diligently traversed their Writings Rutherford's Survey of Spiritual Anti-Christ p. 173 174 175. The Witness of the Spirit is meerly Immediate without respect to Sanctification or Acts thereof all Doctrines Revelations and Spirits must be tryed by Christ rather than by the Word A Christian is not to Pray nor to do any Spiritual Acts but when the Spirit moveth him thereunto That all other askings or seekings of God which are not thus in Spirit are but the askings of Creatures as Creatures p. 222. The Scriptures are not to be understood according to Grammatical construction but as the Spirit of God reveals them p. 229. The meer Commandments of Scripture are not a Law to Christians p. 305. but the Law written in our Hearts The Holy-Ghost comes in place of the Natural Faculties of the Soul and acteth us immediately to all internal and external acts Part 2d p. 195. c. And that American Jezebel Mrs. Hutchinson said That her particular Revelations about events to fall out are as Infallible as any parts of Scripture p. 211. and that she is bound as much to believe them as the Scripture for the same Holy Ghost is the Author of both 3. The Levellers do make out their Free-born Community with Arrows fetched from this Quiver Winstanley the great Master of the Craft is exact herein New Law of Righte p. 46. This Phrase Mine and Thine shall be swallowed up there shall be no need of Lawyers Prisons or Engines of Punishment no Beggar nor cause of complaining there shall be no Buying nor Selling no Fairs nor Markets but the whole Earth shall be a common Treasury for every man The Poor upon their Commons saying p. 47. This is Ours the Earth and Fruits are common Now this Platonick fancyful Model he raiseth upon Revelation As I was in a Trance divers matters were presented to my sight which here must not be related p. 57. likewise I heard these words Work together eat Bread together declare it all abroad Likewise I heard these words Whosoever it is that Labours in the Earth for any Person or Persons that lift up themselves as Lords or Rulers over others and that do not look upon themselves equal to others in the Creation The hand of the Lord shall be upon that Labourer I the Lord have spoken it and I will do it Declare this all abroad And this very Trumpet he saith is still sounding in his Ears p. 67. Work together c. Surely the Lord hath not revealed this in vain This Heavenly Voice was so delightful that he was filled with abundance of quiet Peace and secret Joy p. 58. and he obeyed the Command of the Spirit which bid him Declare it all abroad by word of mouth and Pen and he waited till God shewed him the place and manner how to work upon the Common Lands p. 64. I will then go forth and declare it in my Action to eat my Bread with the sweat of my brows looking upon the Land as freely mine as anothers I have now Peace in my Spirit c. And elsewhere up-the same Subject he opens freely Fire in the Bush the Preface This Declaration of the Word of Life was a free gift to me from the Father himself When I had writ it I delayed the sending it almost a fortnight then the Voice was ready go send it to the Churches which he did well I have obeyed the voice and have sent this to you but what was the substance of the voice That he relates the voice is gone out Freedom Freedom Freedom he that hath ears to hear let him hear And what was this Freedom Even a setting the Earth free a breaking down all Pin-folds and laying all open to the Common Now have not I an equal if not greater Reason to believe his so particular and exact Revelations concerning Equality rather than your general and withal mixed ones concerning other matters Nay have not you as much ground to believe his pretence in this as to take the very lineaments of your Profession from him and yet herein desert him when as he Challengeth Inspiration for this as fully as for any other Doctrine But that you dare pick and chuse mangle and alter your own Revelations as well as his may in its due place appear A Sober Answer p. 56. 4. The Ranters deluded themselves and others with this blind and Fox acknowledged the affinity of his and their Principles that black Divinity challenged immediate Communications as fully as T. E. Some sweet sips of Spiritual Wine sweetly and freely dropping c. A Prophecy a Vision a Revelation and the Interpretation thereof in the Title page and as many pages as there are we have almost as much talk of the Spirit That Tract is like the other Scriptures p. 1. the Father secretly whispering would not have him set down Book Chapter or Verse though he used Scripture Language p. 2. arise out of Flesh
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
Physick The Q. Spiritual Court p. 39 40. whereas it was one Mrs. Slack of Islington who inspired him and made him pay sauce for it Paracelsus would have been a good Physician for them or Helmont who at length obtained a Vision of his Soul being a pellucid transparent Substance Dr. Charltons Ternary of Paradoxes If Hermolaus Barbarus had had this Light he needed not to have gone to the Fiend to know the meaning of Aristotles Entelechy 3. Consider the debate about the Hat and their Canons so far as Inspiration is concerned whether the Hat should be put off or no in Prayer hath caused great heats among them they who act consentaneously to their first Principles would have it left to the Spirits motions The rest who set up a Tyranny will have it off as matter of Decency as significative that the Veil is taken from their Heart as expressive Honour to God c. The thing I debate not but the Consistency of it with their Doctrines their Mournful Gildaes makes a sad Narrative of what was made known Spirit of the Hat p. 9. and manifested in him concerning the great Apostacy to wit among themselves to such a height was it carried that to keep on the Hat was a forfeiting of their Priviledges Perrot declared Tyran and Hipo. detec p. 33. I have received by express Commandment from the Lord God of Heaven in the day of my Captivity in Rome viz To bear a sure Testimony against the Customs and Traditions of the taking off of the Hat by men when they go to Pray to God the which they never had by Commandment from God And yet this Revelation is thrown by as a Delusion Fox and the ruling party having determined the Contrary but it is hence Evident that men may take that for Inspiration which is not so even among Quakers as well as other men And Ben. Furley wrote a large Letter to shew that such imposing Idem p. 67. is contrary to the Freedom or Motion of the Spirit of Life and the thing begot much confusion some taking their Hats off at wrong times c. How can I know which are the right Quakers the Hat-men or the others Spirit of the Hat p. 32. or should not I believe the Revelations of the weak side rather than the Arts and Tyranny of the stronger But the most unparallel'd Usurpation Printed at the end of the Tract and Lordliness consists in their Canons or the Testimony from the Brethren which are a direct Receding from their first Principles But experiencing the Light in every one to be the way to destroy all Government and Order they Mint a pretty thing called the Light of the Body in which the dispersed Light is concentred and to which it must be accountable we shall first consider the making and entertainment of this Testimony and then some of the matter of it The makers thereof declare that through the Lords good hand being met together were through the Operation of the Spirit of Truth In the Preamble as God hath put it into our Hearts Art 1. The Lord giving us to see being thereto encouraged by the Lord whose Presence is with us c. Which imply that Testimony to be drawn up by Inspiration Mr. Pen calls them inoffensive nay Christian and necessary Resolves Faldo's Appendix p. 2 which sinks them far below Revelation But G. Bishop who deserves as much credit as any of the party wrote a large Letter in Opposition to that Testimony having considered their Paper in the Spirit of Truth In Tyran and Hypo. detect p. 34. he was moved of the Lord to let them know c. and upon their first Principles he proceedeth shaking down what the others later Model had erected but Gods Spirit is opposed to himself and in such Wicked Debates what side must an Inquirer joyn unto or what undoubted security can one party give of their having the Spirit more than the other it being in both alike Invisible and neither submitting to an outward Rule nor giving outward proofs They enjoin them to be read in their several meetings and kept as a Testimony So W. D. sent his Papers to be read in the fear of the Lord in the Holy Assemblies of the Church of the first Born an insolent Act to impose their Motions on others who are equally taught by God their notion of the Body of Friends of good and ancient Friends the Witness of God in Friends the Judgment of the Spirit of Christ in his People good and serious faithful and sound friends the Vniversal Spirit of Truth c are such canting ways of inslaving Souls that they exceed both implicite Faith and all the Intrigues of the Conclave this being their new Maxime and Infallible Rule that the Body will have a true sence Spirit of the Hat p. 21. feeling and understanding of Motions Visions Revelations Doctrines c. and therefore safest to make her my Touchstone in all things relating to God But what signifieth the Light in every man or Immediate Revelation they are wholly useless upon these Principles for if my Revelations must be tryed by the Body what must I be guided by in the Interim till their approbation be sent in a Cloak-bag from London but who are this Body how many members go to constitute it Where is it deposited In what place lodged whence have they this Authority or how can I infallibly know when they proceed upon Inspiration are they turned into Body who were all Spirit Thomas Ellwood is a Non-conforming Brother as he states things but to have such a power over others requireth a being deputed thereto as Bishop well urged but especially the trying Divine motions in that manner requires the highest degree of Inspiration and Authority from God Never did any turn Revelation into a craft so much before the Body to be sensible of Visions c. Where is this Body one in every County or the Universal one at London such a Representative mankind never heard of The Apostles at the Council Acts 15. received their outward information from Paul and Barnabas and so proceeded but for a Body of Friends to understand the motions of all the Members makes such a trifling prodigious supersaelation of Revelations as cannot be imagined suppose the number of Quakers to be 20000. each Believer of these hath Scripture renewed hath expository Inspirations on it besides all that concern civil Life as eating drinking marrying c. Now what Body besides its own particular ones can possibly without omnisciency have a feeling of those Visions daily conferred upon each of that 20000 and if a man cannot obey his own motions till Freinds have approved his Condition is endlessly perplexed the Saints in Heaven by a repercussion or Speculum hearing their Votaries on earth is nothing so intangling as the Universal Spirits communicating all the Revelations to the Body But this expedient have they hit upon to keep
private Revelations in subjection a pack of Gypsies or Pluto's Court may wish for such Intelligence but the Christian World the Pope himself and the Saints above are yet Strangers to this new way of Communication But supposing his Body be not capable of being the Rendezvous of all Revelations but be intrusted with a discerning Spirit to discover what comes from the true Light in any They ought to produce some deputation from those they represent and certain proofs that they cannot be Mistaken in this snuffing of Lights and smelling of Opinions as they should first prove to us that they have Revelations before they require our belief the same they should make out to their Freinds that the Light in the one is darkness if the other call it to but how can I justify my subjection to the Body when contrary to my inward Light is not my Light as certain to me as theirs to them and more certain than theirs can be to me or am not I more assured of my own feelings than I can be of anothers Relations doth the Spirit jest with me in Discoveries and is he in earnest with them if the Body judg me what must judg the Body or is it so high a Tribunal that there is no appeal from it had God intrusted the Body with so vast a Power as legitimating Motions he would have provided we should have known what and where that body always is when it determineth duly and all other requisits to the submitting my sensations to their Decisions If I write a thing by the Spirit and then submit that to the Judgment of the Body I shew contempt to God and blindness of Obedience nor can I expect God should Reveal himself to me when I submit his conveyings to anothers Corrections one Infallible hath not power over another Infallible nor doth the truth of my Inspiration depend upon having others of my Judgment It is the Impression from God and not anothers acceptation which is my security for certainly I must know my own Receits better than I can do either those or the fidelity of another but if twenty single ones be not infallible those twenty when collected into one body cannot make up one infallible nor can I be satisfyed that the Light in the body is more upright than when dispersed in the members these proceed according to their supposed Receits the others in lyceâ—sing thereof proceed by Art and Interest and if one part of the Body be lyable to mistakes why not the other but they have made a good advance by removing the Light from the Members into the Body the next step conveys it into one Infallible Head and they may pass for good Catholicks of a new Order Man and Forms used to be cryed down but Canon 1 now the Ruling part are zealous for them to support Canon 2 their own grandeur Opposers are to be kept Canon 3 under with the Power of God being without they ought not to be Judges in the Church being joyned in one with Heathens and Infidels The Church hath Power without the assent of such as dissent to determine c. Mr. Pen may retract his Book of Liberty of Conscience none are to enjoy it but the Foxonian party for to that purpose Fox spoke in a selected great Assembly though many Friends have Writ for Liberty of Conscience The Spirit of the Hat p. 41. I never liked the Word it is not a good Word no Liberty to the Presbyterians no Liberty to the Papists no Liberty to the Independants no Liberty to the Baptists c. Liberty is to be only in the Truth and saith he No Liberty out of the Power Canon 5 Their Viewing Books before Printing argues their Distrust and Confusion among Pretenders and is Destructive of their main Principles For my Inspiration ought not to be Licensed or Suppressed at anothers suggestion We have no Certificate that T. Ellwoods Book was allowed by the Body and some parts of it breath not their Air would they declare what Books they own and what Authors are Spurious it might be an Act of Justice and Charity to their Proselytes but then the procedure in Condemning what came from the Lord would be ominous to their whole Platform Their setting up a Ministry is an Eclipsing if not Extinguishing the Light and Inspiration in each Believer for their Genuine Consequent is That both Scriptures and Ministers are useless and herein they are sadly divided George Bishop as moved of the Lord declares against a Ministry the Spirit of the Lord in this day Tyran Hyp. p. 35. and in the days of the Apostles bears not the same proportion â—hen were Apostles Pastors Teachers Elders â— But in this day the Spirit it self is Pastor Teacher Elder c. So that if the Spirit move any to declare or speak that is the Apostle Teacher Elder c. I know no Pastor Teacher Elder c. But as I find moving in any to any of these things The eleven Brethren from the Lord defend a stated Ministry condemning those that would limit the Lord to speak without Instruments Canon 6 or by what Instruments they list rejecting the Counsel of the Wisâ—men and the Testimony of the Prophets that doing down the Ministry is a laying wast the Heritage of the Lord Canon 1. c. Keith attempts a reconciliation of these differences that their Ministry will always be dear and comfortable to us Im. Rev. p. 215. but not absolutely necessary being come to a Teacher even the Spirit of Jesus c. but leaning to the Non-conforming side but how can the single Teachers be Inspired or be Infallible when the Body doth supervise and Correct that which they believe to be God's Spirit or if the Body be sensible of the Motions of Friends why hath it not a Prophetick glimpse of the Books and designs of Enemies but this setting up a Ministry and Canons is a receeding from their first claims and is inconsistent with T. E's Inspiration in each Believer 4. There are various other matters related to these by which we may gather their regard to Revelation they obey when no Inspiration is named supposing a man to be habitually Inspired To set down for the rareness thereof one Extravagant of George Fox In the Romish Horse-leach which can scarce be parallelled at Rome the Fryars Case was not so peremptory All Friends every where on your Signs set not up the Image or Likeness of any Creature in Heaven or in Earth but by the Power of the Lord keep down all the makers of such things for the Ground of them is from the Heathen But set up a Bed-staff Fire-shovel Saw Fork Compasses Andirons Harrow Plough or any such thing And Freinds every where admonish one another Young and Old that ye do not run after the Worlds Fashions which are invented and set up by the vain and light mind which if ye do how can ye Judge the World for
such things Away with your skimming-dish Hats and your unnecessary Buttons on your Cloaks and Coats and on the tops of your shoulders behind and on your sleeves Away with your long Slit-peaks behind on the skirts of your Wastcoats and short sleeves punishing your shoulders so as you cannot have the use of your arms Away with your short black aprons and some having none Away with your Vizards whereby you are not distinguished from bad Women and your bare-necks and your great needless flying Scarfs like Colours on your backs And so set not up nor put on that which you did once with the Light Condemn but in all things be plain that you may adorn the truth of the Gospel of Christ and Judg the World and keep in that which is comely and decent George Fox Wherein he supposeth that Bed-staffs Fire-shovels c. are none of Gods Creatures when Art hath passed over things they are no part of his Workmanship His injunctions for Habits are very Magisterial Tyran and Hyp. detect p. 11. A Maid having a slit in her Wastcoat skirt behind was commanded in Obedience to the injunction above to sew it up her reply was She saw no evil in it and James Claypool like a Primitive Quaker said She should first see the Evil of it in her self before she judged it and not saith he because we say it but for these words he was forced to acknowledg his Error Spirit of the Hat p. 42. though in private he confest it no Error but others obeyed this uninspired Injunction Fox gave out a paper Spirit of the Hat p. 42. that his Marriage was a figure of the Marriage between Christ and his Church and was above the state of Adam in his Innocency in the State of the second Adam who never fell but it was so ill resented that the Inspired mans Paper was called in again Tyran and Hypo. p. 18. and so was Eccles his explication of his Blasphemous words about Fox suppressed The Horrid words were these it was said of Christ that he was in the World Spirit of the Hat p. 27. and the World was made by him and the World knew him not so it may be said of this true Prophet Fox whom John said he was not and at another time Blessed be the man that came out of the North Tyran p. 19. Blessed be the Womb and Paps Jo. Coal Deifies him Dear Geo. Fox who art the Father of many Nations whose Life hath reached through us thy Children even to the Isles afar off viz. Barbadoes to the begetting of many again to a lively Hope for which Generations to come shall call thee Blessed whose Being and Habitation is in the Power of the Highest in which thou Rules and Gâ—verns in R ghteâ—usness and thy Kingdom is Establishâ—d in Peace and the Encrease thereof is without End A Letter of suâ—h Bâ—asphemy as isâ—â—â—â— be parallel'd unless it be in that of Joan. Baptist â—â—atum Spiritus In Fâ—wlis Histo â—f Poâ—â—â—h Trea. p. 37. presented to Pope Innocent the Tenth in allâ—sion to his 〈◊〉 Pamphilio but this Letter of Coal thâ— gâ—â—â—â—er in date is placed first in the Quakers Registry that may well be applyâ—d to them Rev. 13.1 upon his Heads the name of Blasphem and lest Fox should only be adored Tyran p. 53. Naylor is highly advanced by R.T. Preface to the possession of the living Faith I suppose Rebeckah Travers as one redeemed out of the earth in the Heavenly was his dwelling being Holy Harmless Vndefiled that he appeared in this great City in the power of an endless Life to gather us unto God and yet by good intentions or figurative expressions 't is frequent to defend such Abominations Tyran p. 45. the said R. Travers declared that if she had a motion from the Lord as she Believed yet if Fox did not own it to be so she should deny it a most insolent denying God and making another Master of her Revelations Newton did thus took the Oath of Allegiance notwithstanding his Vision but what Sin is it to deny or suppress ones own and submit to anothers Inspiration the Prophet that went to Bethel dyed for this for Revelations must be rescinded in the same way as conveyed what is inwardly injoyned must be as inwardly prohibited the Spirits of the Prophets being subject to the Prophets concerns but the time of speaking that the impulse was not so violent but it might be restrained till others had done speaking or if it should concern Tryal then the Prophets owned for such by Divine Attestations might approve and Recommend others but a denying my Motions at anothers pleasure is a contemning my Inspirer or believing my own Light how can I submit to another And when a Quaker changeth doth he believe himself to be more Iâ—fallible at one time than at another or to be more Infallible then another man and when one of their Revelation is Rescinded as that of Swintons it is not done by Command from God but by a Confession of their own Mistakes One Scripture Revelation no where offers to lessen or Invalidate another Scripture Revelation But the Quakers make sleight account of them so that it cannot be the same Spirit Thus Mr. Pen claims Revelation against the Sacraments testify's by the same Spirit Hicks 3. Dial. p. 65. by which Paul Renounced Circumcision that they are to be Rejected And others deny and sadly Juggle about them they are much fall'n away from their former Principles and Demeanors what security have we how far they will go or where they will stand and fix and in case of Difference between themselves or the Scriptures what must decide it or by what do they try the Motions of their Spirit or why may not their Immediate Revelations alter as well as their Doctrines what marks have we to know when they speak or Write by Inspiration when at their own Motion or what Reason have we to believe them when they will trust the Revelation of none of their Competitours Imme Rev. p. 223. when their Pretences differ we have no new Revelations saith T. E. we have saith Keith what Evil is this or rather is it not a blessed Dispensation Whether must carry it or must the latter be corrected by the former and if the Scripture be not the Judge by what must the Debate about Revelation be ended by the Spirit That is the thing in Question and you must first prove you have it before you can prove any thing by it Though we should 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. Mouth the word of the Lord came unto W. B. another is more exact On the 31st day of the 10th Month 1655. about 4 a Clock in the Morning the Word of the Lord came to Burroughs c. the same could have gone on to Minutes Seconds c. Revelation also is challenged for bad Designs Hicks 1 Dial. p. 26. a Quaker Debtor replyed to his Creditor 't is revealed to me I ow thee nothing p. 27. Ellis Pseudo-christus p. 27 Studelys looking glass of Schism Messages have been pretended sent from God and the person hath been proved many miles distant when the dreamer came to declare it so Holbrow and Marshal were deluded Mary Gadbury pretended a Revelation to get some Cloath from Mrs. Woodward and such a Command must be embraced Schucker beheaded his brother Leonard by Inspiration and Enoch ap Evan upon partly such a pretence killed his Mother and his Brother Kays Answ to 18. Quae. p. 5. Q. Spi. Court p. 7. 21. And two Quakers near Stokely in York-shire their Conscience bidding them destroy Original Sin they Apprehending that their Mother was the fountain thereof Murdered her Fox challenged Inspiration for the Earths being flat Spirit of Hat 27. and that it was twelve a Clock all the World over and he kept part of his Commission concealed a long time Although I have not yet told it you I do now declare it I have power to bind and to loose whom I please At this rate he may keep an Instrument for Reconciling us to Rome dormant by him And Revelations have put them both upon hardships and going naked Idem p. 20. But all these contentions are nothing to such Inspirado's they are yet Whole and Sound in the true Church unity stands in Diversityes as if they had taken the word of the Valentinians Tertul. adve Valcutin Concerning in Faldo Q. no Christ p. 56. who take Diversity as a Charisma or gift nec unitatem sed diversitatem and Pennington licks all right the doing the same thing the thinking the same thing the speaking the same thing this doth not unite here in this state in this nature but the doing the thinking the speaking of it in the same life yea though the doings or thoughts or words be divers yet if they Proceed from the same Principle or nature there is a true unity felt therein where the life alone is Judge And by this salvo all these Contradictions hurt their unity no more than taking an Oath doth prejudice their not Swearing CHAP. VIII Concerning their Expository Revelations III. THe third which these Privado's of Heaven enjoy is They have Expository Revelations so T. E. p. 238. the Scriptures are understood only and alone by the openings and discoveries of that Holy Spirit by which they were at first revealed those Divine Mysteries are Mysteires indeed and remain so as a sealed book until Christ the Lamb doth open them p. 239. nor can the Doctrine of the Gospel or the Mysteries of Gods Kingdom be known to man but by the Revevelation of the Holy Spirit Revelation is necessary yea of necessity even to understand the Scriptures the true sence man can never attain unto until the Holy Spirit Reveal it to him to the like purpose he writes p. 251 253. and 255. that the Spirits helping to understand the Scriptures is by its teaching the true sence and meaning of them by opening discovering and making known the Mind and Will of God therein exprest This is Revelation But there is a great Craft in this procedure for he beginneth with Immediate Revelation but after he Ommitteth the Word Immediate and slideth into Revelation in General But what makes he Requisite on our Part to receive this boon from the Spirit 't is summ'd up into a narrower room than the Essentials by Keith viz. waiting p. 220. desiring and waiting p. 240 but especially humane Learning is disbanded from the least concern except Translating T. Es. Spirit cannot Translate a Greek Chapter but it can Infallibly Expound an English one that is it can do nothing discernible but it can do all things Indiscernible 〈◊〉 Law of 〈◊〉 This gaping way of Expâ—unding was taught by Winstanley all Exâ—â—sitions upon others words shall cease they shall 〈◊〉 with a quiet silence upon the Lord Till he break forth within their Hearts and give them words and Power to speak You must get into the Hâ—ly Silence 〈…〉 8.9.10 and then the Spirit will Instruct you But the Rule is Elder then the Quakers Hildegardis in that her Nonsensical Vision Related to Arnold Arch-Bishop of Colen determines qui autem Vult bene Vigilare hunc intellectum Percipiat Biblio pâ—trum Tom. 15. p. 622. c. He that will make or wait wâ—â—â— shall have the Vnderstanding of her Vision And the Libertines and Swenck field the Familists and all the herd not so much as Anna Trapnel but they all are against learning and for T. Es. easy way of Inspiration or Ministers to have no help but to speak all from the light within So that there is nothing of Studying Praying Reading Meditating or Confering Required on our Part but a Supine desiring and Expecting Reasoning is outdated by Yawning and brains are Superseded by Meer Attendance Quakerism Nuzzles up in sloth and Idleness they may Rest day and night and have the Law writ in their Hearts without Exercising themselves in it their terms are so easy they will have Proselytes Danger of Enthusiasm p 71. but saith one Jacobs Venison could not be right it came so soon to hand To which we may add he lyed in saying the Lord his God brought it to him when it was his Mothers Art This waiting Prostitutes and layeth the soul open to every Impression what starts up first is thought a Divine Irradition The Devil loves a house so garnished and Empty and whilest Saul was thus waiting he started up in the Room and likeness of Samuel their Inspirations are both Writing and Seal to themselves and being in such a passive stilness they Interpret each forward Fancy to be the Whispering of the Spirit that silent Attendance throws down the mounds and Fences of our Spirits and whilst we ly waiting we shall not want the Entertainment and Variety of Suggestions but be bewildred and run on from one Imagination to another But what need T. E. wait Dr Causabons Enthu p. 162 the Spirit of Truth dwells in them p. 228. and
of Israel by Grace and that all Dispensations before were literal and carnal Henry Nicholas made seven several Dispensations but differently computed from Winstanley which likewise he shrinketh into three but the last the highest and most glorious was that which he brought by Grace and Love Jacob Israel made three Dispensations under the Emblem of three Suns the highest is Gods being in Sons and Daughters at the new Jerusalem Keith makes four Dispensations Moses and the Prophets Christ in the Flesh the Evangelists and Apostles and the Revealing now Christs inward appearance Univer Gra. p. 92. like that which the Apostles had in their day but the fullest President is that of Abbot Joachim and the Franciscan Fryars who about the year 1253. Published a Book Evangelii aeterni nomine set forth by Johannes de Parma the Design of which was to change the Gospel of Christ into the Gospel of the Spirit that as the Sun excells the Moon Bp. Vsher de Chpist Eccles p. 277. 279. or the kernel the shell Thomas Ellwood's Comparison so that of the Spirit excells the Gospel of Christ they said The Sacrament of the Church was nothing that the Gospel of the Spirit was the only Gospel ◠280. that the New Testament is to be evacuated like the Old that then men shall be in the State of the Perfect p. 281. that the Spiritual Sence of the New Testament is not committed to the Pope but the Literal p. 282. p. 283. that when the Spirit comes former things shall be counted old that the Preachers in the end of the World shall be of greater Dignity and Authority than the Apostles with much such stuff These are Thomas Ellwoods Antecessors and the Pope condemned the Books writ against this Devilish Doctrine p. 287. CHAP. X. Concerning their Experiences V. THE Quakers know the Word of God and their Revelations by Experience so Thomas Ellwood we know that the Word of God is quick and lively by Experience p. 249. but his Inspiration misinforms him about the direct sense of that place Heb. 4.12 For it concerns Gods Oath v. 3. Of Unbelievers not entring into his Rest which took hold of the Israelites and we are warned to take heed of the like Unbelief because the word of God is Powerful c. that is his threatnings are not high ineffective words but will seize on the impenitent it concerns Thomas Ellwood not to despise the teaching of Jesus least his Experience of this commination prove sad and irreversible thus Dr. Hammond from the Scope expounds it and so St. Chrysostome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the same word which punished them will punish us apud Theoph. in loc for it liveth always and is never extinguished but Thomas Ellwood as formerly mistakes his ground work yet let it pass there is not one word of Experience there but when other Arguments fail they cry out We bear our Testimony We Witness it We Experience it c. who matter 's that the term Experience is un-Scriptural and indemonstrable concerning Revelation and but rarely used concerning Graces the Pharisees had that common sense John 8. 13. thou bearest Record of thy self thy Record is not true a rule that is owned by Christ Jo. 5. if I bear Witness of my self my Witness is not true and John 8.14 But Quakers can only Witness for themselves or at the farthest one for another William Shewen in 19 Chapters conjoyns their Faith and Experience whereas the one is matter of Perception the other the substance of things hoped for Heb. 11.1 the Evidence of things not seen what is seen is not hope and what is Experienced is not Faith but such sensual Spiritualists may say and have any thing by such Confusion Jesus declared in general terms leaving it to every Son New Law p. 11. and Daughter to Declare their particular Experiences the Scriptures are but Christ in the Letter lying under the Experimental words of those Pen-men Keith saith We know that Immediate Revelation is not ceased From the blessed Experience given us of God therein Im. Rev. Preface passim but what Experiences are these not outward and sensible but inward and indiscernible wherein Fancy Natural Enthusiasm and Satan can all play Legerdemain to purpose Christian Experience in matters of Duty is usefull to support in their Practice but it is to be an after Argument come in ad corroborandum for mans nature is of a strange Composition Comforts have much Dependance on the temper of the body they are the more usual portion of Weak and young beginners nor should we hanker so much after those real sweets or fancyful gusts but be diligent in our Christian calling Inward Experience is no bottom for Inspiration Christianity was setled in an outward sensible way to forestal this Inward Wile of Satan Moses though he saw the bush burning and had outward Evidences too yet was not hasty in believing The Apostles I think demurr'd some while upon the Suggestions they received Act. 16.10 Beza in loc in Act. 9.29 Assuredly gathering from the Vision collates argumentis colligentes conferring and fitting as Artificers do piece to piece Sancti non temerè Visionibus quibusvis crediderunt they examined their very Visions and were not hasty in Entertaining them Their Experiences also consist in Comfort the meanest argument whence to infer Gods voice We know the Spirit of the Lord in his Shinings Im. Rev. p. 28. Warmings Quicknings Waterings and Refreshings from and by himself sometimes a day they could Feelingly and Experimentally speak of what God had wrought in their Souls could tell of sweet hours of fellowship his Revealing the hid Invinsible but others of different Judgments are as high in Experiences and Comforts p. 45. New Law p. 64. Myst of God pref Mary Gadbury was full of singing and joy The Leveller for that Doctrine of Working in the Common had peace of Spirit and from that very thing his Joy and rest in God he was convinced of his Inspiration The Ranters have store of quiet Silent Meeting 5. Exomologesis p. 631. W. B. had more Refreshings in a dum Meeting than in an hundred Sermons The Hearers were refreshed at the Dutch Womans ununderstood Preachment Newton had much Joy in his Visions and the Ravishment and Spiritual Embraces injoied by the Carthusians were a great Motive to Mr. Cressyes Revolting Flashes and affecting Warmths are no Evidence of Truth the Mass or a Turkish Mosque will afford such stirrings of the lower Powers He who from them approves or choses his Religion is fitter to be a Palpitating Disciple of Marcus then a well-grounded Servant of the Lord Jesus But though they had true Experiences that is no satisfaction to another for as God requires a Reasonable Religion so a man should be able to Render a Reason of his Hope Christianity consists not in sensible Consolations which do ebb and flow and are oft
then as now and if he must interpret what he before spoke than he must be fetched 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 Aretas in loc clavem potestatem vocat for he who hath the keys hath the House committed to him 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 Mat. 11.27 p. 239. 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 p. 239. 266. Though no man know 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 Christianity 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 and should not be inlarged to all Cases p. 256. 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 p. 263. Act. 2.4 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 Inspiration 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 and Moses besides the outward had a Ministration in the Spirit all these Texts come not near his Design Univer Gra. p. 29. 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 Pharisees who had an itch to take place c. but p. 41. what was it to Christs own Disciples did he ever Instruct them after this manner no such matter by which he disobligeth Christians from any Obedience to what Christ spoke to such as were not his Attendants and so demolishes a good part of the Gospels 4. Being pressed from Luc. 14.8 that there ought to be distinctions of Persons he saith p. 41. those words were not spoken with Relation to the times
kept as a Testimony among them We your Friends and Brethren whom God hath called to Labour and Watch for the Eternal good of your Souls at the time aforesaid being through the Lords good hand who hath Preserved us at Liberty met together in his Name and Fear were by the Operation of the Spirit of Truth brought into a serious Consideration of this present State of the Church of God Which in the day of her return out of the Wilderness hath not oâ—â—â— many Open but some Covert Enâ—mies to Conflict against Who are not afraid to speak evil of Dignities and dâ—spise Goverâ—mâ—nt without 〈◊〉 we are seâ—sible our Societies and Fellowship cannot be kept Holy and Inviolable Therefore as God hath put it into our hearts we do Communicate these things following unto you who are turned from Darkness to Light and Profess with us in the Glorious Gospel throughout Nations and Countries Wherein we have Travelled as well for a Testimony against the unruly as to Stablish and Confirm them unto whom it is given to believe the Truth which is unto us very precious as we believe it is also unto you who in Love have received it and understood the Principles and felt the Virtue and Operation of it In which our Spirits breath that we all may be preserved untill we have well finished our Course and Testimony to the Honour and Glory of our Lord God who is over all blessed for ever 1. We having a true sence of the Working of the Spirit which under a Profession of Truth leads into a Division from and Exaltation above the Body of Friends who never revolted nor degenerated from their Principles into marks of Separation from the Constant Practice of good and antient Friends who are found in the Faith once delivered to us And also into a slight esteem of their Declarations or Preaching who have and do approve themselves as the Ministers of Christ and of the Meetings of the Lords People whereby and wherein Friends are and often have been Preciously revived and refreshed And under Pretence of keeping down Man and Forms doing down the Ministry and Meeting or Encourage those that do the same We say The Lord giving us to see not only the Working of that Spirit and those that are joined to it that bring forth these ungrateful fruits but also the â—vil Consequents and Effects of it which are of no less Importance than absolutely tending to destroy the work of God and lay wast his Heritage We do unanimously being thereto encouraged by the Lord whose Presence is with us declares and testifie That neither that Spirit nor such as are joyned to it ought to have any Dominion Office or Rule in the Church of Christ Jesus whereof the Holy Spirit that was poured forth upon us hath made us Members and Overseers Neither ought they to act or order the affairs of the same But are rather to be kept under with the Power of God till they have an Eâ—r opâ—n to Instruction and come into Subjection to the Witness of God of the encrease of whose Kingdom and Government there shall be no end 2. We do declare and testifie That that Spirit and those that are joined to it who stand not in unity with the Ministry and Body of Friends that are constant and stedfast to the Lord and to his unchangeable Truth which we have receiv'd and are witnesses of and Ambassadors have not any true Spiritual Right or Gospel-Authority to be Judges in the Church and as the Ministry of the Gospel of Christ so as to Condemn you and their Ministry Neither ought their Judgment to be any more regarded by Friends than the Judgment of other Opposers who are without For of Right the Elders and Members of the Church which keep their Habitation in the Truth ought to Judge matters and things that differ and their Judgment which is so given therein ought to stand good and valued among Friends which though it be kickt against and disapproved by them who have degenerated as aforesaid And we do further declare and testifie That it is abominable Pride which goeth before Destruction that so puffs up the mind of any particular that he Will not admit of any judgement to take place against him For he that is not justifyed by the Witness of God in Friends is condemn by it in himself though being hardned he may boast over it in a false Confidence 3. If any Difference arise in the Church or amongst them that profess themselves Members thereof We do declare and testifie That the Church with the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ have Power without the assent of such as dissent from their Doctrine and Practices to hear and determine the same If any pretend to be of us and in case of Controversie will not admit to be tryed by the Church of Christ Jesus nor submit to the Judgment given by the Spirit of Truth in the Elders and Members of the same but kick against their judgment as only the Judgment of Man it being manifested according to Truth and Consistent with the Doctrine of such good antient Friends as have been and are found in the Faith agreeable to the Witness of God in his People then we do testifie in the Name of the Lord if that Judgment so given be risen against and denyed by the party Condemned then he or she and such as so far partake of their Sins as to Countenance and Encourage them therein ought to be rejected and having Err'd from the Truth persisting therein presumptuously are joyned in one with Heathens and Infidels 4. We do declare That if any go abroad hereafter pretending to that Weighty Work and Service who either in Life or Doctrine grieve good Friends that are stedfast in the Truth sound in the Faith so that they are not manifest in their Consciences but disagree to the Witness of God in them Then ought they whatever have been their Gifts to leave them before the Altar and forbear going abroad and Ministring until they are reconciled to the Church and have the Approbation of the Elders and Members of the same And if any that have been so approved of by the Church do afterwards degenerate from the Truth and do that which tendeth to Division and Countenance Wickedness and Faction as some have done then the Church hath a True Spiritual Right and Authority to call such to Examination and if they find sufficient cause for it by good testimony may Judge them unfit for the Work of Gods Ministry whereof they have rendred themselves unworthy and so put a stop to their Proceedings therein And if they Submit not to the Judgment of the Spirit of Christ in his People then ought they Publickly to be declared against and Warning given to the Flock of Christ in their several Meetings to beware of them and to have no fellowship with them that they may be ashamed and Lambs and Babes in Christ preserved 5. And if any man or Woman