Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	king_n	kingdom_n	majesty_n	5,039	5	6.1083	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A34044	Christianity no enthusiasm, or, The several kinds of inspirations and revelations pretended to by the Quakers tried and found destructive to Holy Scripture and true religion : in answer to Thomas Ellwood's defence thereof, in his tract, miscalled Truth prevailing, &c.	Comber, Thomas, 1645-1699.	1678 (1678)	Wing C5441; ESTC R11386	138,622	238

with Humane Learning thus unsuccessfully and worse But his talk of Inspiration confutes it self and his own Example is the best proof that as yet it hath not advanced beyond a Dream But if that be pleaded which he suggests That in the Country for want of Books In the Preface he was forced to take some few Quotations upon Trust but yet using much Caution in his Choice It is Replyed that 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 nor 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 2. T. E'lwood's Courage 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 T●ou'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 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 William Shewen p. 136. 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 Honour have all the 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 I charge you all by the Lord Parnel's shield p. 41. Will. Smith passim Fire in the bush p. 21 22 23. 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 Ploughmen James Parnel's shield p. 24 25. Fisher-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

an excellent Engine towards God and man no Act of Parliament can bind a Quaker except he be expressly named George Whitehead Thomas Ellwood c. You by name must do so and so this becometh the Majesty of the Quakers Smiths morn Watch. p. 75. Smiths Demonstrat passim in their papers The Scriptures are other mens Traditions other mens lives and Labours the Spirit of God must try all Spirits the Scriptures are but a report or declaration of the Condition of those who received them a true Testimony of what the Saints were made Witnesses of no command in Scripture is any further obliging upon any man Smith Pen. in Faldoes vind of 21 Div. p 97. Faldo Q. no Chris ch 12. than as he finds a Conviction upon his Conscience direct old Libertinism and Ranterism They make it Idolatry to follow the Precepts or Examples in Scripture Having thus depressed the written Word of God yet to keep up some seeming Honour to it In his Letter though to use T.E's. words it be an Hosannah in the morning that ends in a Crucifige ere night they find out this Expedient the Scripture as the Codex wherein Gods will is Recorded binds them not but they have it renewed and repeated to them or as Naylor words it God speaks to us by Scriptures when they are given by Inspiration to us Light of Christ p. 29 So that Repetition is but laying the top-stone and improving or pursuing their other claims T. E. is so confident that he asserts p. 239. Revelation is necessary yea of necessity even to understand the Scripture absolutely necessary p. 238. so received and understood and not otherwise p. 251. he must then have every line in the Old and New Testament repeated not so much as Abraham begat Isaac is to be omitted else it is not understood by him a thing that is so Impossible and so Impracticable that it affords fresh evils each time it is considered I might make short Work what need the renewing of that to him which he looks upon as not obliging as in its place will appear or as his Landlord conceits the one thing necessary to Salvation Penningtons naked truth p. 23. not being contained in the Scriptures the Repetition thereof if true yet would be ineffectual but in regard this fancy hath been considered by none I know of I shall a while view it as that which makes the confusedst work in Prophecyes Historyes and all the parts of Christianity In brief it revives the Ministry of Angels as the Conveyers of Gods Will in the Christian State it sets up Moses to be a Teacher reinforceth Circumcision the Tabernacle the Jewish Common-Wealth and the Law of Sacrifices it raiseth up Multitudes of Persons out of their Graves where they have rested some thousand years it sets up the Kingdoms of Egypt Assyria Syria and the rest that bordered on the Holy-Land it musters a great part of the World together Kings and Kingdoms to come and stand before him it lays aside Christianity destroys the Motives of Believing it making such a Miscellaneous hotch-potch of Religion as Mahomet did not hit on it makes the whole Scripture Scenical a Theatrical thing that like a Puppet-play goes round is renewed repeated in plain English acted over before him The Portentousness of this chimaera will appear by looking on its Aspect upon the old and new Testament wherein we may consider Historyes Prophecyes and other mixt matters and discover whether they be capable of Repetition For History hath God renewed to T. E. that Command of putting off his shoes from off his feet which was enjoyned to and done by Moses have the Tempests Thunderings Voices which were at the giving the Law been heard by him can God speak to him from between the Cherubims and from the Door of the Tabernacle which are not now in being hath he received with David Answers from the Vrim or need he some outward light from the Breast-Plate who hath such a Light within have the Angels Revealed those Messages to him which they did to Abraham Lot and others then Sodom was but fired the other day or things are burnt in Effigie before him Have the Voices to Samuel been rehearsed to him or that to Elijah 1 King 19.15 then Jehu and Hazael are now alive and T.E. is an anointer to Kingdoms The like might be shewed of all Scripture-Histories that this Dream destroys or confounds and intangles the Truth of all For History relateth things done Repetition looks on them as undone and in doing confounds times past present and future disorders and mixeth both Persons and Matters and by making nothing distinct leaves nothing true Nicodemus came to Jesus by night Thomas put his hand into Christs side c. If these which we know from Scripture be repeated then those persons must be now alive if they be not repeated they are not understood Is it not enough to have all these recorded in a Divine History for our Admonition and Example but these old Revelations must be new Revealed and Acted over to gratify a morose Illuminado This fancy doth as much disservice to the Truth and certainty of Prophecyes hath T. E. laid 390 days upon one side in a Visionary Siege against Jerusalem gone to the River Chebar beheld the draughts of a most glorious Temple c. with Ezekiel or hath he had the Revelation of St. John repeated before him Vision after Vision This Supervisor general need but move a pin and all the Prophecyes present themselves before him I have seen some Printed papers joyned at the end of a Quakers Bible containing the Epistle of Paul to the Laodiceans the life of Paul a Catalogue of several Scriptures which are mentioned but not inserted in the Bible as the Prophecy of Enoch cum-multis aliis several Scriptures corrupted by the Translators most of which are where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rendred otherwise than In and Lastly the Differences betwixt the Old English Translation and the New All which reflects both upon the version now used bu especially are designed to render the Saored Scripture defective that there are other Revelations besides those therein consigned and hereby to pave the way for the Belief and Admittance of what they pretend to bring from Heaven to us The same Confidence and Principles may carry such persons on to such words as the Vision of Isaiah which he saw in the days of Izziah or The Testimony from the Brethren the Revelation of Jesus Christ signifyed to his Servant John to annex such like claims as this which Visions or Revelations begun to be renewed and repeated to the Quakers in England who are the Church returned out of the Wilderness in the year 1648. Can T. E. have had the Prophecies of Daniel reacted as that St. of old had then dead Belshazzar is now afoot and Nebuchadnezzar weilds his Scepter the 70 weeks are never begun nor never ended the Messiah must be uncut off each

I have an Errand unto thee 2 King 9.5 O Captain and to interrupt the Lineal Succession for George Fox deserves as much to be King of New Jerusalem as John of Leyden and a Shoe-maker is as fit to wield a Scepter as a Taylor Religion also can never be fixed or known where Enthusiasm is avowed for this days perswasion may be out-dated by to morrows fresh Suggestion The Quakers are much gone from themselves and they give no warrant but they will change and super-reform till this weeks Idol proves the next weeks Abomination They seem also too Covetous in their Claims the Light and Inspiration are too much for one Person he that carries that Vrim in his Bosom needs no other Suggestions and he who hath Heaven open over him darting in minutely Rays need not repair to his inshrined Light or call for help bring hither the Ephod to resolve him but between them both their Reason is extinguished Thus among Pagans and others when Visions and Revelations have run highest Reason hath suffered by them but 't is the more plausible way to be intimate with God looks better than to search and prove to wait and tamely believe what starts up first is more easie than to weigh discourse and judge aright but when Men grow Credulous and slothful departing from sober Reason and known Rules presently they strike in with Motions and Suggestions and it is a most gustful Idolatry to adore the Creatures of their own Fancy But while they with the Egyptians dare enshrine Apes and Worship such Counterfeits as Satan or their Souls afford sober Christians will adhere to a sound Mind and a discerning Spirit conducted by owned and certain Revelations Dr. Causabon Enthus 170. thinking that Rational intellectual Christian Knowledge is above all Prophecy What may not a Quaker vent under pretence of Revelations if trusted without Evidence That which comes immediately is conferred instantly and is at its full strength when first given as Tongues Miracles c. True Judgment in the Title page But Quakers grow up into their knowledge To them who are growing up into discerning and Judgment which he was moved to write for the simple ones sake King and R. H. p. 6. p. 1. We do grow daily into the knowledge of the Truth in our Exercise and Obedience to it Not being grown into a good understanding to judge of things Canon 6. There is Child-hood Youth and Old Age in the anointing Fox makes the Soul to be a part of God and of Gods Being New Law p. 19. without beginning and Infinite Then certainly such an Infinite Eternal Being is equally Omniscient and need not a perpetual flux of Revelation to increase its knowledge Christopher Taylor hath the strangest Argument for Revelation that can be produced A true and faithful witness to the Light p. 5. no Man knows the particular thoughts and intents of another Mans heart but by the Revelation of God's Spirit therefore it must needs be the Revelation of God's Spirit that makes manifest to a Man his own inward thoughts the Soul it seems is a sleepy thing privy to none of its own transactions a Mans Reason and Conscience help him no more at home than they do to discover the bosom designs of others such dark Souls as these need all the light they can set up for their direction they call the Apostles true Enthusiasts Q. no Popery p. 20. Q. is Pagan p. 93. Im. Rev. p. 293. assert and contend for it in the best acceptation and withal acknowledge the great power of Satan about Enthusiasms who transforms himself not onely into the likeness of an Angel of Light but of God himself and herein he works most Mysteriously takes upon him to open the Scriptures unfold the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God reveal the hidden things of Nature teach things to come and hath hereby deceived and ensnared many Souls This is the root of false Enthusiasms that they have their Raptures and Extasies and strange workings accompanied with a wonderful readiness of utterance promptness of Speech and Elocution either in Poetry or otherwise So that by this Concession Enthusiasm hath enabled Men to do more than the Quakers spirit hath enabled them as yet and therefore we want a rational Satisfaction why yours which is less should be Divine and the other which is greater should be Diabolical when as this hath better Proofs and both are equally invisible Ibidem The loving God above all is no Touchstone of Immediate Inspiration the Familists and others will snatch that from you and till I can discern your love I must not trust your Inspirations Quakers then must either do some Miracles as Seals that God speaks by them or we must have undoubted Revelations to assure us that they have true ones else all their heats and sensations must be ranked among Enthusiasms or if Scripture-promises be concluding those must be such as none are concern'd in but themselves by name and which I can understand without a Revelation or am assured to be attended with an Inspired Exposition of in the very reading which by its strength and clearness shall force my understanding to a submission Till this appear I am innocent in esteeming the Quakers but equal at most and in some things inferiour to their many Corrivals To discover the weakness and danger of this pretence 1. I shall instance in several Competitors who have made the same Claim and produce equal if not stronger Motives of believing them 2. Examine the Quakers carriages one to another in this matter by which it will appear they cannot believe themselves but make an Art and Interest of it their Contradictions and strange carriage about their Inspirations are a convincing Proof against them CHAP. VI. Concerning their Partners and Competitours in Revelation 1. AS for their Competitours they are both many and of different Judgments and if I believe one Party witnessing they have it I am equally obliged to believe anothers witnessing also As Satan is Gods Ape in many things so especially in Revelation he gull'd the Heathen World by Oracles Enthusiastick Prophets and the like Mahomet pretended as high thereto as T. E. and was able to produce as good Evidence Success is the Quakers Argument Many there are among us Whitehead's Q. plainness p. 33. gathered out of other Churches who are living Witnesses both of the blessed Operation and effects of the Power and Ministry of Christ Jesus among us and we have a Record in many Consciences In the Cambridge Dispute p. 34. which very Argument he had elsewhere urged and Mahomet may urge it to infinite more advantage But from them let us look into the Christian World where we shall find Satan turned his Makers Rival countermining God with Revelations gulling all Ages of the Church with Enthusiasts and imitating Miracles with his lying Wonders for Enthusiasm is Satans Engine renewed often by him called in to untie a knot