The Worlds Wonder OR THE QUAKERS BLAZING STARR WITH An Astronomical Judgment given upon the same from 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. Proving them to be altogether deluded by Satan both in their judgments and walkings Together with a probable conjecture of the end of the World and the estate of things in the interval By EDMUND SKIPP Preacher of the Gospel unto the People at Bodenham in Herefordshire Matth. 24.24 There shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders in so much that if it were possible they shall deceive the very elect LONDON Printed by Henry Hills and are to be sold at the Sign of Sir John Oldcastle near Py-corner 1655. To all those who are willing to hold fast the Faith of the Gospel and to be guided by the Truth Grace Mercy and Peace from God the Father and the Lord JESUS CHRIST TWo things have much moved my affections unto this Work following 1. The one that herein I might shew an humble acknowledgment of love unto the Lord who delivered my soul from under those obscurities which would utterly have disabled me from being good to my own heart or others 2. That I might herein become a means of staying and directing many an unestablished soul to beware of those horrible Delusions and mysterious Deceits which I have in this ensuing Treatise with as much plainness and brevity as I judged convenient demonstrated for the sake of all who are unacquainted with these Apostacies and are willing to search out untill they gain an establishment in the knowledg of the truth as it is in Christ Jesus For it would have been great unworthiness in me if when I was brought so experimentally to the knowledg of these unheard-of ways of Satans deceiving the hearts of poor Creatures under fair pretences and glorious shews of righteousness and doing great signs and wonders I should have concealed from my generations such things that were never yet manifested in such a manner The writing of common experiences either of good or evil operations would neither have been an incitement to my Pen or my Readers attention but having an extraordinary understanding in an extraordinary apparition of a prodigious Comet whose beautifull scintillations make all the World to wonder what might be her fate I durst not for fear of wronging my own conscience but put my Light like a Candle upon the house-top that so it might be seen into all the Regions of Gospel-professions manifesting unto them that this Monster amongst men or this unnatural and unparalleld Planet promiseth nothing but Vae misero mihi sadness and loss of all the riches of Gods grace unto every soul that liveth under its malevolent and contagious influences My Book will expound my Allegory therefore I leave my Readers to that and rest Their Servant in the Gospel-service Edmund Skipp To the Reader COurteous Reader I have here presented thee with a little Tract as my New-years Gift unto thee and must desire thee to carry a favorable aspect in thy judgment towards it and me although thou maist finde it unpolished and void of such a method and eloquence of words as thou mightst judg would better have become me and it as well as many an acute Genius that shall honor it in the reading But give me leave to tell thee truth I have had but a fortnights time to begin and finish these lines which time I have through much difficulty borrowed from my other Studies and Employments and they are now calling upon me for a recompence with double diligence which hath been so little that I have not had time to write any one line from the first to the last twice but am necessitated to send forth these Conceptions of mine thus Embrio-like into the open view of the world and therefore I desire to receive from thee what I shall be willing to give unto thee or any other in the like ease a candid censure desiring also for thy good that thou maist have an heart more ready to receive sound judgment from it than to give a wrong judgment upon it I rest Ever willing to serve thee in the Lord Edmund Skipp From my Study at Bodenham this New-years day so called in the year 1654. The Worlds Wonder OR The QUAKERS Blazing Starr A sensible Discovery of some high and spiritual Delusions wrought by Antichrist in the hearts of of many poor Creatures and especially those that go under the notion of QUAKERS BY that power which bringeth good out of evil it cometh to pass that afflictions fallings back temptations overwhelmings of the soul with a deluge of spiritual troubles dejections and disconsolations are many times profitable and teaching to the hearts of the Lords sincere ones who are kept by himself through faith unto salvation and they are laid in as so many several advantages and as it were Land-marks to direct the soul in the perfect paths of peace that they turn not aside either to the right hand or to the left so that it may make the children of the Most High admire his continued faithfulness in his love and watchfulness manifested in their behalf while they are run a whoring after their own inventions Satans deceivable transformings of himself into glorious appearances words and actings If a reasonable heart should but digest it self into a methodical observation of the Lords Law of Retaliation Lev. 26.14 to 34. and correspondent dealings unto the standings and fallings of his creatures it might be overcome in the apprehensions of that great patience long-suffering and gentleness of the Lord to Apostates and unstable-minded people who have itching ears carried about with every winde of Doctrine But to the end he may gain himself a name in Judah is he pleased to wait upon poor sinners to be gracious unto them and to suffer many of them to fall to be tempted to be darkned with cloudy and obscure apprehensions of the eternal being that so their weakness and his strength their nothingness and his all-sufficiency their sluggishness and his watchfulness might more clearly appear in their proper place and to make good his former word and practice in gathering his servants together out of all Lands whither they had been scattered in the dark and cloudy day And surely were it not for the hopes of some such glorious and wise end that the Lord doth now intend in the fulness of time to make known amongst the sons of men it would minister cause of most unspeakable sorrow unto such who are established in the faith of our Lord JESUS CHRIST to see so many forsaking their faith and former knowledg and profession of the truth and instead hereof believing lyes 2 Thess 2.11 1 Tim. 4.1 and giving heed unto Doctrines of Devils walking according to the suggestions of the Prince of Darkness and every foolish idle fantastical imagination of their own deceitfull hearts These things do apparently teach the world to see how vigilant that great Enemy of mankinde
the patern of Christ himself Yet let all people understand that such as Christ did call Hypocrites and his Enemies were so indeed as he proved by long experience but such as these creatures call so are the most precious and eminent and faithfull friends that the Lord hath amongst all the sons of men therefore now judg of the delusion Now followeth the third Rule of disclosing this secret which is my own experience in order to this particular The third Rule in Demonstr 1. is my own experience while I lay under these temptations Experence I have in this thing sufficiently although I was never carried much forth into any such practice for although I have had many movings and stirrings in my heart to write to some particular men with all possible haish language and unjust accusations as I now see yet the Lord did by one secret means or other prevent me onely once I wrote unto several people with abundance of bitter expressions and yet all exact Scripture-language and as I gave an hint before how they have told me that sometimes when they are made to write in this nature they are so siled up with matter and phrases of Scripture for their purpose that they know not how to make an end even so it was with me at that time when I wrote that Letter for I do at this time perfectly remember that I told them the very next time I saw them how I was made to write to such a people at such a time and in such a place such and such things and I said I was so filled and the Scriptures were so tumbled in upon me that I could have dictated fast enough for four Pens to have writ and I think I left three parts of four that were as it were laid open before me to pick and chuse unwrit Else beside this Letter I do not remember that ever I wrote any of that nature but I wrote several Letters to whole Congregations and private persons in high expressions in Scripture-phrase for it is the Devils policy to keep close to that and in high commendation of that dispensation as I then judged it and called it of God with many encouraging Arguments unto the people to whom I writ to wait and look for that glorious way and discovery of divine light and power to be brought forth among all the children of the Most High O Mystery Babylon Lastly we will make known the very truth of this delusion by comparing these kinde of actings and teachings of the heart The fourth Rule in Demonstr 1. is the teaching of the Spirit of God with those that the Spirit of Truth in the Lord was and is wont to bring forth in the souls of his people in this particular thing 1. Whereas these people are mistaken in their judgment and made to accuse and condemn people for what they ought not you shall finde the Spirit of God teaching his servants in another manner according to the promise of being guided by that Spirit into all truth and like that which the Lord maketh concerning his people Mal. 3. ult They shall discern between the righteous and the wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not If any shall say this was a promise God made with some particular men as the Prophets or Christ or his Apostles c. You shall finde in reading that place that it was spoken to all the people of the Lord upon that great acceptation the Lord had of them upon the account of their meeting often together and speaking one to another c. And besides you shall finde the Apostle 1 John 2. writing unto all sorts of Gods people and telling them v. 27. that they have received such an holy anointing from the Spirit of the Lord which should teach them all things for in it there was no Lie and therefore they needed not that any man should teach them And furthermore if you do but observe you shall see when any poor sinners heart is called into and filled with the knowledg of the love of God as it is given forth through Christ A description of the new birth and is engaged in his desires and affections to the Lord that every such sinner thus converted is presently able to judg such a people to be indeed in truth the children of God and he is likewise able to judg on the other side that all such who are not brought in with the love and desire of their souls and in that love made one with his servants are yet in the first estate and so strangers to that dispensation or covenant of free grace in Christ. Although this alteration or change be but of a short time for he is become a new creature as Paul saith in 2 Cor. 5.17 New as well in his judgment apprehensions of the differing estates of the first and second Adam as well as new in his practice and conversation 1 Cor. 2.14.15 For though the natural man discerneth not these things yet consequently he that is baptized with that precious and holy anointing of the Spirit doth know and apprehend them for he judgeth all things although he himself or rather his new birth be no rightly judged of any man not under that divine operation 2. Whereas they are filled up with railing harsh and clamorous language it is but what is incident to such a mis-lead people 1 Tim. 6.4 5. 2 Tim 3.4 I finde here when once a people are drawn from sound Doctrine they may be brought to any thing but however they are continually acted thus against those whom they apprehend do oppose them and their deceits yet it is said of the Lord JESUS CHRIST Jude 9 that when he was disputing with the Devil about the body of Moses he durst not bring any railing accusation against him but said The Lord rebuke thee Yet these creatures do adventure to do what Christ would not Moreover we finde what counsel Paul giveth Timothy in 2 Tim. 2.24 25 28. The servant of the Lord must not strive but be gentle unto all men apt to teach patient in meekness instructing them that oppose themselves if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil who are taken captive at his will and Paul in his 1 Tim. 5.19 biddeth him that he should not receive any accusation against an Elder except it were before two or three witnesses and yet these people when they receive no accusation at all before any witness do through the imagination of their own hearts or rather the suggestions of Satan send most railing and unjust ones against such who are not onely Elders but Pillars of the Truth in the Church of Christ. Thirdly in as much as they say and I know it is true that they are filled up with matter Scripture and expressions yet note these two differences 1. When they are
Darkness and Valley of Death Fourth Rule is the manner of the Teaching of God and his holy and blessed Spirit The fourth Rule in Demonstr 3. about this thing First where as they compare their sufferings and Agonies with those of CHRIST and say they must suffer the wrath of God and the like as he did and yet reckon themselves the servants of the Lord the Spirit of God will prove this to be a horrible Lie and delusion because that CHRIST suffered for his servants and bore the wrath and curse of God for them and made satisfaction to his Fathers Law and Justice in his own Bloud and his Father was pleased to accept it and so forth indeed it is true of the damned that they shall undergo the eternal wrath and justice of God upon their own consciences because they refused to believe love and obey the will of CHRIST concerning them and made known in them that so they might have had the benefit of that sacrifice which Christ gave unto his Father for the sins of others But this is not true concerning the Lords faithfull ones and that any judicious man may see by these ensuing testimonies of Scripture Isai 53. all that Chapter Reade O ye people all this blessed Truth and give your mindes to believe and by believing it let your souls love him that did so much for the sinfull sons of men and in loving of him give him up willing and chearfull obedience which if you shall continue unto the end your souls shall know in the testimony of Truth what this Scripture is worth and you shall be able through the witness of the Holy Spirit of Promise to say and prove it is a most devilish Lie and delusion to conceive that any who are one with God in Christ shall undergo the wrath of God in that manner that they speak of by this they make the Death of Christ of none effect Reade also about this matter the ninth Chapter to the Hebrews and when you have weighed it see whether it can stand with the Lords Justice to call any of his servants to hear so in their bodies and spirits as they do his Justice and exact Judgment untill he have wrought out of them his own satisfaction recompence in that nature But if Satan shall teach them a point of Sophistry and make them say they do not undergo this Wrath and Torment for Satisfaction but for Sanctification yet it will be a Lie and delusion that way for the Spirit of the Lord when it sanctifieth the hearts of his servants doth not go about to tear their hearts out of their bodies and their flesh off their bones in that nature And although it be compared and many times called Fire in the Scripture it is rather from the work wrought than from the manner of its working and therefore the Holy Spirit is compared unto Water Isai 55. John 4. And the Apostle saith concerning the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6.11 that they were washed from their former transgressions by the Spirit of the Lord by which seemingly contrary expressions an impartial man may judg that the Spirit of the Lord worketh sanctification in the soul in a blessed sweet moderate and peaceable manner First as it is a Light so it discovereth unto the soul the dangerousness and ugliness of sin and the unpleasingness thereof unto the Lord. The manner of the Spirit sanctifying the heart Secondly when it hath thus discovered it it bringeth the soul to a disliking thereof it begins to take away the affections and the delights of the heart from it Thirdly in as much as the Spirit of the Lord is called a quickening Spirit it doth raise up the soul to the contemplations of heavenly ways and duties wherein the Lord would have his people to walk and engageth the heart to love them and so in an holy blessed alluring manner stealeth the heart away to God who in the manifestation of that Spirit of Light is made appear to the soul more lovely excellent rich satisfactory and the like than all those former things were they riches or profane pleasures wherein the soul delighted it self before herein I appeal to the witness of such who have tasted of that Spirit hence it is that the Lord is said to allure his Church and to speak kindly unto her and you shall finde how blessedly the Lord speaketh unto a back-sliding people the worst of all sorts upon their returnings unto him Hosea 14.4 I will heal their back slidings I will love them freely for mine anger is turned away from them Me thinks if the Lord would have used such fiâ—e and fagot like burnings upon the hearts and consciences of any people for to have sanctified them withall it should have been upon such a people as these are But to end this which the Saints know by experience and most others by report to be true I shall turn over all that reade my Book unto that Parable of the polluted childe in Ezek. 16. from the beginning to vers 15. where you shall finde both the Lords purpose for acceptation of that polluted Babe and his powerfull operations for its sanctification in vers 9. and others Moreover if they shall urge Davids complaining that his bones were broken and his flesh would scarce cleave unto them and how he had no free part in his body and the like It is far from me to think that this was under an apprehension of wrath or that his soul did now bear the weight of Justice for its transgressions or so for David had long before said and known that the Lord was wont to cover the sins of his people and not to impute them to their charge and therefore he calls them blessed Psalm 32.1 2. and from this conifortable Doctrine of free forg veness and acceptation he concludeth his Psalm with this Be glad in the Lord and rejoye O ye righteous and shout for joy all ye that are upright in heart for as he saith in the beginning of the next Psalm Praise is comely for the upright so is a chearfull spirit upon this account I rather take Davids complaining thus to be for want of his communion with God as he seemeth to teach in that word Thou hidest thy face and I was sore troubled I am sure the soul that hath had sweet communion and refreshment with and from the Lord in the want of this will complain heavily as you may finde in Psalm 42. throughout And by the Spouse running so earnestly after CHRIST when she had lost him Cant. 3. in the beginning And this made her cry out she was sick of love for Christ. Was it not the want of the continued enjoyment of that extraordinary apprehension of love and glory in the presence of God that made Paul complain 2 Cor. 12.7 and suffer temptation which he calleth a messenger of Satan Shall any man think that he suffered this for his sanctifying Nay will you now in the last place
appear at all in my words or expressions concerning those enslaved creatures And thus trusting to my God and desiring his holy and blessed assistance withall intending a publick good as I spake I have thought best for the more clear manifestation of this mystery of iniquity to lay it down in several particular operations and workings according to my knowledg and understanding therein and that observing altogether this order 1. Laying down the Mystery or Work it self 2. Shewing what ground or colour Satan findeth out for the same in Scripture-words and instance 3. In giving my own once uncomfortable experience and testimony unto the said Works 4. To give in the way and manner of the teaching of the Spirit of God to each particular in its place Although I am ignorant whether the Lord hath drawn forth the heart of any man in all the Regions of our Gospel-professions to write and speak against this subtle archievment of Antichrist or no yet in this me thinks I am conscientious to my self that there is hardly a man to be found that hath been so much ensnared as I have been and delivered through divine love by reason whereof I am best able to give the truest demonstration and for ought that I do at the present know this might be one end in the Lord to suffer me to wade so far in that troubled Sea that I might afterward give an experimental testimony of the great danger and trouble thereof for the sake of others that they may learn to beware the same danger Faelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum Praemonitus praemunitus If Dives being in torment parabolically seemeth to discover so much natural affection as to desire his brethrens timely admonition and caution it would be a strange thing and miserable if any of the Lords servants should want what such a one should have while the law of nature teacheth us to be Alteri quod nobis that to another which we would have another be to us These considerations make me willing to use my best endeavour for a full and profitable unfolding of this secret work with all possible plainness and fitted language for the meanest capacities and so to return unto particular Demonstrations Demonstrat 1. It must needs be the spirit of Antichrist and delusion A misinformation of the understanding that doth misinform the heart and so maketh it judg amiss of things for the soul being possessed with an understanding of any thing accordingly discovereth it self while it is sincere and void of hypocrisie and by reason of this wrong information it proceedeth to wrong judgment disowning and condemning what it ought to own and approve and contrariwise owning and approving what it ought to disown and condemn This base deceit doth Antichrist bring forth in the hearts of those people called the Quakers who are so clearly mistaken in judgment that they call evil good and good evil knowing not what they say nor whereof they affirm they do judg the ways actings and practices of all people to be abominable Antichristian and unjust except their own and above all people do they cry out against and disown such who by the world are reproached and disowned as the Church and Disciples of CHRIST But I need not speak of the mistake in them in order to other people while I have so clear a testimony thereof in relation to my self for however I may be ignorant what is in the hearts of some others yet I cannot be altogether ignorant of my own because the spirit that is in man knoweth his heart and manifesteth the hidden things thereof 1 Cor. 2.11 I have been charged and accused by Letters from several of them First of Hypocrisie My own first charge was Hypocrisie now the Lord knoweth and I my self know how hatefull a thing hypocrisie dissimulation and double dealing both with God and man hath ever been unto me even in those days while I lived onely in the light life power and gifts of the first Adam And therefore knowing my own heart in this thing to be free I do clearly apprehend them to be mistaken and to judg with unrighteous judgment which a knowing man will confess to be of Antichrist Secondly they charge and accuse me for acting against my own conscience meaning my living For acting against my own conscience dwelling and preaching constantly unto a particular people in a publick meeting-place this they say is against my own light and convictions of heart as though they knew my conscience better than my self hereby do I see again they are acted through delusion and mistake for they urge that with confidence such as it is which I can with much more confidence and boldness in the Lord deny and justifie the the contrary hereof for I do with much peace of minde and that in the Lord I bless him for it preach that part of the Gospel which I have received from him unto this people with much tenderness of affections and out-goings of my heart towards them as they are my witnesses and it is noted and observed by this people generally I do not say how much more by my self that I am carried forth to speak unto them far more powerfully from time to time and more prevailingly upon their affections and understandings since I did freely knowingly and considerately in publick manner renounce Tyths than ever I did before Now let any sober man observe by what power these creatures are acted while they charge me with doing this against my conscience and light seeing the Lord qualifieth me more and more for the work and attends it with greater blessing Thirdly they charge me with being an Enemy to the Lords people meaning themselves I suppose I confess they are the Lords creatures To be an Enemy to the Lords people but how to call them in their present Apostacy and delusion properly his people I know not yet as they are his creatures I hate them not for I have not so learned Christ but rather to love and to desire to do good in my place unto all but to shew the world their great delusion and mistake in this I have had something from divine grace always working in me while I was not under this temptation of theirs an holy tenderness and honorable respect unto all that which I could discern to be the work of the Father through his Son upon the hearts of any people in whatsoever form they walked And I am perswaded the Churches of mine acquaintance in all countreys where I have been to see observe the work of God among them will witness on my behalf in this thing for this thing they did and I hope do still love tender me although I never did walk with any of them in their Church order since I came forth of Legalism Yet notwithstanding I am able to speak this truth from my own heart which is better known unto me than any of them and beside the testimony of
made thus to write abundantly unto men charging and accusing of them without knowledg or truth they are not able to justifie and make good their wrongfull accusations but when any man is moved of the Lord to write unto a man or people telling them in love and according to truth of their transgressions or failings he is able to justifie what he hath writ and to declare the truth of things more fully and that with so much power and majesty that it doth beget an acknowledgment commonly or filence in the heart of the transgressor but when they write especially unto people of sound judgment and well grounded and established in the faith of Christ it is so far from begetting any silence or convictions upon them that it doth rather discover it self to be what it is indeed delusion and good for nothing but to be returned back and strongly resisted in the Name and power of the Lord 2. This kinde of writing I know what I speak by experience is with such a kinde of lording and vain-glorying over the estate of such unto whom it is written as though they were not worthy to be writ unto I can hardly tell how to express this deceit in words it is with so much undervaluing and vilifying of men that in cannot match it self with the teachings of God in this kinde but when the soul is moved hereunto from that power as it cometh purely from God it is mixed with so much love and tenderness it remembers it self and remembers anothers condition it doth make anothers condition its own and its own anothers and so it was wont to work in the hearts of the servants of Christ as we may find by Pauls words when he saith Gal. 6.1 2. Brethren if a man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spiritual restore such a one in the spirit of meekness considering thy self lest thou also be tempted And as for that fulness of knowledg and words and the like which is a most strong and prevailing delusion and carrieth more the heart of a creature away than any other thing I know as yet manifested whither it be the heart of him in whom it is already conceived or of another that shall once clearly know it to be so for to see one as it were yesterday not able to write or say any thing although to a mean capacity to be able this day to write in such a large manner as I my self know some it begetteth abundance of admiration and silence for a time in the beholders especially such who are of small knowledg and understanding in mysterious things But let not this blinde any man you shall finde it nothing but delusion in considering these Particulars 1. It is like a lightning from the Sky come and gone in a little time for at another time as they confess themselves they cannot do so much if it were to gain the world and yet at that very instant of time while this deceitfull power worketh them thereunto they must do so nay if it be to rise of their beds and if they be not very observative hereunto they shall be made to suffer most unheard of troubles agonies and passions as they have often told me untill they do yield obedience unto that wicked spirit and then they apprehend themselves at very much peace for a time untill Satan have a desire to make use of them again Now that fulness of knowledg and words which are wrought in the soul from the power of truth is more lasting and durable it is the owners to day and to morrow the Lord doth not use to steal away his truth and his knowledg from his servants in this manner but if they see good and just ground of writing or speaking once they can do so twice or thrice or oftner and I have this thing to bless the Lord for in a special manner I cannot say that I do remember the time since I was in any noted and considerable measure endowed with the gifts of God through his beloved Son that ever I did want matter or expressions either to write or speak in publick or private to many or to few but have always found my self abundantly furnished with some kinde of experimental knowledg in order to one particular truth or other whereof I was to deliver my self that I needed not to go and create things by long digested serious meditations readings writings and the like for in my apprehensions it is very easie for a man to divulge that which he is truly and soundly taught of God as the Apostle saith 1 John 1.2 3. That Life and Light which we have seen and heard declare we unto you But I must confess that I do very well know it to be a difficult thing for such who are untaught in that thing they are to communicate unto others while they must be digging for it out of earthly mines 2. Me thinks if these creatures were moved and necessitated in this nature from the power and Spirit of God to write and speak such sharp things in such a terrible and threatning manner unto particular souls or people that their writing and speaking would be of great power and prevalency with them that they should be convinced by it and should not be able to defie it as delusion and madness When Nathan was sent in such a particular manner from the Lord unto David it presently convinced him and when Jonah was sent to Nineveh with that sad news from God they were presently convinced by it but I see no conviction or subjection or fear or love or any such thing wrought by it it being like the chirping of Birds in the air for matter of weight and worth which maketh me judg and so may any man else that hath his judgment rectified by divine Light that all this fulness of words and expressions as I have mentioned are meerly suggested and inspired into their hearts by Antichrist disguised This shall suffice for the Examination and Trial of the first Demonstration and I will now proceed to a second The second Demonstration of this deceit is thus to be considered It must needs be the power of Antichrist working through deceit that robbeth and depriveth the soul of all those former ways and means wherein the Lord did work faith Domonstr 2. is a robbing the soul of its former knowledg c. knowledg and enjoyments in the hearts of his children nay and which robbeth them of all those former excellent things which were brought forth in them by the power of Truth and as it stealeth away all those ways wherein God hath manifested his love and grace to them so it hath deprived them of the use of those ways of walking wherein they have manifested any love or obedience to God so that they are people bereaved of all things of this nature and they reckon it their happiness and their perfection so to be and I have heard them complain exceedingly that they were not wholly taken
10 11. They desite to become fools and to be made weak and I know not what And they had one expression which did stumble me a great while and it was this That the best things that ever we received from God mentioning knowledg and faith and high enjoyments as I well remember yet their words must be burnt up and destroyed this I thought to be a very strange kinde of language and indeed so it is when it is compared with that of the Apostle Peter 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7 8.9 where the Holy Ghost commandeth the servants of the Lord to be carefull to seek after the increasings of grace in their hearts and telleth them that while such things shall increase it will make them be fruitfull but if they shall lack these things it will cause them to be blinde that they shall not be able to see far off and truly so are these people that are thus misled for they are so far from being able to see things a far off that they cannot see the present horrible and devilish delusions under which they live and this is the just recompence of reward for such creatures who will negligently use those gifts and graces they have once received It is no marvel they say they have lost all their former experiences and enjoyments and the like for CHRIST taught so much in the Parable of the Talents where we may learn that idle sluggish people who will not improve their Talents shall have them taken away from them The understanding of this moved the Apostle Paul to give such a strict charge unto his Scholar Timothy 1 Tim. 4.13 14 15 16. Till I come give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine not neglecting the gift that is in thee c. and meditate upon these things and give thy self wholly unto them that thy profiting may appear unto all and further saith he Take heed unto thy self and unto thy Dectrine continuing in them for in so doing thou shalt both save thy self and them that hear thee Here we finde the Holy Ghost judgeth it meet and convenient that all care and diligence should be used both in reading exhorting one another and in the exercising of those graces where with the Lord had â—â—dowed the soul that so they might be kept alive but these beguiled wretches pretend they must not reade or speak a good word to one another or do any thing of this nature unless they can finde as they pretend themselves moved thereunto of the Spirit as it were by some extraordinary and immediate revelation or inspiration but the Spirit of the Lord teacheth his servants to know that it is always the minde of the Lord that those measures and proportions of grace which he hath bestowed should beused to the utter most of their extentâ— and it is the nature of the grace of God manifessed in CHRIST to enable and quicken the soul for a constant course of obedience and holy exercitations A description of spiritual prayer and therefore the Spirit of CHRIST is called a quickning Spirit and hence the Apostle biddeth the people to pray always with all manner of prayer and supplication in the Spirit Ephes 6.18 that is with that life power and strength which remains in the heart from that measure and operation of divine grace or love already received and saith he in this place Watch thereunto with all perseverance And again 1 Thess 5.17 Pray without ceasing 19. Quench not the Spirit These teachings you see of the Spirit of God are altogether contrary unto this negligence in them and a vain deceitfull waiting for a power as they call it if it be so they have no power the greater and more miserable is their loss I said before that when I lay under these kinde of Temptations my self that I did not finde my power gone but me thoughts I could have prayed and have spoken at some other times yet me thinks my will and desire was very cold thereunto and I found something disswading of me from the using of my gifts c. And as they are thus deprived of all abilities as they say themselves for reading and praying and the like so they say they have no freedom to speak admonish or discourse about any thing that they may glorifie the Lord or do good unto others but rather say that they must cease from their own words and wait till they have some immediate stirring or working of the Spirit as they fancy it for that purpose also How contrary this is unto the minde of the Lord you shall see 2 Tim. 4.2 Be instant in season and out of season to preach reprove rebuke exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine and as Paul saith 2 Tim. 1.13 Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me And v 6 7. Stir up the gift of God which is in thee for God hath not given us the spirit of fear but of power and love and a sound minde Here is you may easily finde such a vasâ— difference between both these sorts of Teaching and Language that without all dispute there can be but one of them the Language and Teaching of Christ the other must needs be the Teaching and mysterious deceits of Antichrist I will now end this and proceed to a third Demonstration Demonst. 3. Which I gather from those strange and unheard of Passions and Agonies those great burthens and exercitations of body in so much that they are sometimes in Trances or Sounings and if they are not brought unto such a state of deadness as it were yet they suffer most extreme Tortures of body that hath been visible to me and several others many times nay so much extremity that it maketh them roar out for very bitterness and I do clearly judg that if the Lord did not limit the Devil in their behalf as he did for Job saying Thou shalt not touch his life it would be impossible for their concaves to hold their in wards in those violent motions for they are made under those Agonies to tremble and quake as though their flesh must part from their bones and ligatures like unto men in the strongest fits of an Ague that ever you saw as though they had seen Belshazzars Vision Dan. 10. that made his knees smite one against another in these strange Passions they are exercised with so much heat I know not of what sort that it maketh them cry out for Drink and maketh them sweat like men in most violent Feavers now they call these Agonies the fiery Trial and they fay it is the power of the Holy Ghost burning up and destroying their corruptions and purifying them like Gold that is tried seven times in the fire and that which is very strange when they are thus in the midst of these extreme Shakings Quakings Trials Roarings and Perplexities that one would think there could not be more Torment upon the damned spirits than is upon them at the present yet many times
consider how St Paul doth reckon the fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 23. The fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance c. Now compare their shakings roarings out through extremity cruel torturings of body and minde which they call the fruits and operations of the spirit with these fruits and operations which the Spirit of the Lord doth assume and take unto it self and then tell me which you will judg to be delusion for one must because they are so contrary Demonstr 4. From that great bondage and slavery which is laid upon them they are captives by Satan at his will and made to suffer more cruel burthens than the Israelites were under Pharaoh in Egypt as you may see in these Particulars First whatsoever journey Satan shall suggest unto them they must undertake it if it be an hundred or two hundred miles as I hear some have gone from some parts of the North unto London two hundred miles an end and they must go with all expedition upon his command and many times shall not have so much leasure as to dress them first an hard Master surely Christ was not wont to be so cruel unto his servants and they say they are commanded to go but whither to go or to whom or what to do they know not yet they must go like a blinde-folded man that knoweth not where his mark is yet I suppose Satan who is the greatest Traveller himself that ever was for he is ever compassing the Earth to and fro and doth know all the parts thereof and observeth the temperature of the peoples hearts in every corner of the Earth when he sendeth them his poor beguiled Vassals upon such designs he sendeth them unto such persons be they many or few that are ready to be overcome and to yield unto such temptations as are offered unto them by these creatures and so they seldom miss of drawing some unstable hearts into bondage with themselves under fair notions and pretences unless it be where Satan himself is mistaken concerning the faith and stedfastness of some soul for what he does is at forte fortuna hit or miss for they have come sometimes unto me and to some others whom I know pretending they were sent of God in a special manner with a message to deliver but I know they were deceived and therefore by Satan for the Lord is not wont to do things ignorantly and to deceive his servants in that nature and sometimes they have not power to speak and therefore you may see how well the Lord sent them and if they be able to speak yet they are told their language is the Devils and they come with a Lie in hypocrisie Satan I suppose will not send very often where his Ministers finde no better welcome Secondly the poor creatures are made to fast from all manner of food sometimes three days and three nights and sometimes as I have heard by them when they have fasted those three days and nights he commandeth them to fast three more unto that and when they do eat any thing it is with so much penuriousness and scarcity that they are brought most feeble and wretched creatures by that means contrary to the law and wisdom of nature which would teach a man to nourish and cherish his poor body if it were but with moderation but as I said once before The Devil knows no mean but is all upon extremes either he maketh men meerly Gluttonous as your Drunkards and Belly-gods that can never hold till their bellies and chins do almost meet or else he maketh other poor wretches sterve themselves he doth so far deprive them of natural affection which you may well know to be his work if you consider of what kinde of people the Apostle Paul speaketh Rom. 1. Thirdly he maketh them go naked as I have seen in some of their Books and herein they glory by their expressions and speak how triumphantly they were made to come up naked into some Ministers Pulpits in the North and this I finde Satan doth act in them for these two Reasons 1. Because the people who are naturally novitatis avidi greedy of news might take these things to be as pety wonders or miracles and indeed it cannot chuse but make many simple people admire to see creatures fast so long and be able to go naked hereby I do apprehend Satans design is to bring on these people to false works as the Apostle calleth them and as I do intend to shew when I come directly upon that Doctrine 2. Satan doth labor by weakning and disabling their poor bodies in this nature to bring them the sooner to their dissolution if the Lord prevent not that so he might exercise his will more fuily upon them for certainly as the servants of Christ while they bear about them their earthly tabernacles are not so capable either of glorifying God or bearing the glory of God so the Ministers of Antichrist in this their being are not so fit to act or suffer what he would appoint them Thirdly they are made to deny their Callings Professions and honest Imployments many or most of them and to neglect and disregard their Families and new Relations and to say it is the language of Antichrist that biddeth a man take care for his own houshold and family and some of them have said to me when I have been inquiring what our families should do if all Callings and Labors should be so neglected that truly they must shift for themselves which I thought was very strange teaching for my heart was very tender of my near alliances in the flesh and they are a people for as many as I know of them that are wholly possessed with a principle of idleness and going about from place to place pretending that they are so moved of the Lord to go hither and thither and if they are set about any honest work or design I mean in civil affairs if Satan do but suggest any thing to the contrary they neglect it and give it over presently if it be of never so great concernment this I know by them saying They must leave all to obey the voice of CHRIST and to follow him to whatsoever he commandeth them and they are become altogether unprofitable to their generations and fit for nothing but to carry about the abominable deceits suggestions and Lies of Antichrist The second Rule which is my experience herein Rule 2. in Dem 4. is Experience and that through mercy is not much besides the understanding of this deceit from them onely in the business of Fasting my fancy was somewhat carried away for I could have forborn Eating and Drinking me thoughts for a great while but through the perswasions of my Table-companions I would eat more than I had a desire to because I would not give them offence but I am perswaded had I been left to my own freedom I should have brought my self unto a
very low condition of body But as for the giving over of laboring and following of worldly business I could bear with them in that me thoughts for when I considered that most men are overcome and surfeited with the care and love of the things of this life I thought the people of God should be upon the extreme on the other hand The third Rule is to consider by what Scripture and Example Satan doth conceal this his deceit Rule 3. Demonstr 4. First for his acting of them to go and to run up and down an hundred or two hundred miles somtimes more sometimes less and to go they know not whither nor to what end he blindeth them with the Lords sending the Prophets from place to place as you reade of Jonahs going to Niniveh Jon. 1. and the Prophet Ezekiels being sent to and fro between Judea and Chaldea and then for their coming together and sitting like a company of dumb creatures for I know not how long and sometimes it may be they say nothing at all when they are come together and come to the place or person where they pretend they are sent of God And for this deceit you shall finde it coloured over with that instance of the Prophet Ezekiel who when he came to the captives at Telâ—abib that dwelt by the River of Kebar was constrained to wait in great amazement for the space of seven days before the Lord was pleased to manifest his minde concerning that people Ezek. 3.15 16. Now this coloureth over their dumbness and silence pretending they wait for the Vision Inspiration or Revelation as that Prophet did And they have also a Gloss put upon the words of CHRIST to his Disciples when he bade them Take no care what to speak for it should be given them in the same hour what to say Then for that gesture and principle of going naked they have a colour from that instance of Saul stripping off his cloathes and prophesying naked 1 Sam. 19.24 And they may finde the Apostle when he is speaking of the persecutions say that sometimes he suffered hunger and cold and nakedness c. Lastly for that deceit of theirs in giving over all care and callings and their honest imployment in the world they are made to mis-apprehend the teachings of CHRIST in Matth. 10.37 38. He that will not take up his Cross and follow me is not worthy of me here they think that CHRIST doth engage his people to leave off all care and diligence c. And those words of CHRIST in Matth. 6.31 34. where he biddeth his Disciples take no thought what they should eat or drink or wherewith they should be cloathed neither would he have them take thoughts for to morrow for to morrow saith he shall take thoughts for it self and such other like Scriptures as these which Satan is well acquainted withall But such who are kept under the power and teachings of the Spirit of God do know the minde of Christ about the outward things The fourth Rule is the teaching of the Spirit of God in such things as these are Rule 4. in Demonstr 4. 1. As to their going from place to place far remote and likewise to particular persons we know that the Lord was wont to make great use of his servants in this nature Moses was sent into Egypt to deliver the Embassie of God unto Pharaoh but he would not hearken so say they it may fall out many times that our message will not be received Ezekiel was sent to the captives by the River of Chebar but the Lord had told him they should shew themselves a rebellious people and would not hearken so it may be with them they say Christ himself spake with authority and in such a manner that most that heard him wondered yet how doth he complain of the unbelief and hardness of the people hearts so they speak many times as though it were with authority and I believe it is with a great deal of impudency and boldness for I reade in what an insolent proud and authentick manner the Devil spake unto the face of Christ Mark 5.7 saying I adjure thee by God that thou torment me not and is it any marvel if he shall act his servants and ministers to speak with such audaciousness sometimes unto the Disciples of Christ seeing they are not above their Master The Lord also sent Ananias to Paul Acts 9. Peter was likewise sent to Cornelius by Vision Acts 10. Philip was sent by special command unto the Eunuch as he was travelling Nathan was sent to David Jonah to Nineveh Paul himself was bound in spirit to go unto Jerusalem and from hence they suppose they have ground sufficient for going to particular persons by Vision or Revelation as well as these whom God sent so making themselves to be either Prophets or Apostles But let him that would know this delusion mark these differences First the Lord sending these last mentioned servants of his to these several and particular men You finde the power of God so much manifested in them and by them that the Word of the Lord was blessed and made succesfull unto the hearts of those unto whom it was brought But these deluded creatures although they come with as a fair pretence and gloss as the other did for Antichrist in this fitteth in the seat of God in a special manner yet their word proveth but a Lie or an imagination of their own brain Secondly observe that if they do prevail upon any poor souls by this high mystery of deceit they are either 1. Such as are meerly ignorant unestablished and unacquainted both with the ways of Christ or Antichrist in this nature or 2. They are such who are meer Notionalists that have been full of brave words but have had but little if any of the powerfull actings of Truth and Grace in their souls not walking and maintaining close communion together in any visible exemplary and justifiable way and order of the Gospel And therefore let it not be thought so strange to see such carried away for they have been but like clouds without water as Jude saith and so might easily be blown about with every winde of doctrine but blessed be the Lord I do not hear or know any that have been well grown and experienced Christians walking and maintaining a close and strict communion and fellowship together according to those exemplary ways of Christ and his Disciples that are thus overcome and betrayed by the subtil wiles of the Devil and this I would have all the world to take special notice of and so it may be a means of unvailing unto their understandings that close and dangerous deceit under pretence of being sent with a special word from the Lord unto such a person people or place 3. Let this be also well observed these Dreamers say notwithstanding they pretend it is the Lord by some special Revelation or Inspiration or Operation be it what it will the Lord
is going about compassing the earth to and fro like a roaring Lion ever seeking whom he may devour and finding many poor souls easily enticed by him and made his captives at his will he ensnares them with his deceits and engageth them ever more and more surely for himself untill he maketh them his servants in willing obedience Rom. 6.16 When a judicious man shall take a prospect of the state and condition of all men living under the Gospel-profession what a sad thing it will be to consider how much Satan hath beguiled the hearts of poor creatures through his lying vanities and specious pretences of one sort or other while he can beguile men with putting pleasant colours upon that ugly Monster sin and unrighteousness he will but where he findeth himself too short in this then will he seek another way and transform himself into an Angel of light that so under pretence of righteousness he may beguile those that would not yield unto unrighteousness This did Paul understand by the teachings of the Holy Ghost in his soul when he spake so unto the Church of Corinth in 2 Cor. 11.13 14 15. For such are false Apostles deceitfull workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ c. Here the Apostle speaketh forth the mystery of that great deceit which Satan is now working as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Angel of light and sheweth us that like Teacher like Principle like Master like Servant for if he be transformed himself 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is no great thing if his Ministers be transformed into Ministers of Righteousness The word which the Apostle doth use for transformation if it be etymologically noted is something teaching for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which cometh from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Habit us aut vestimentum corporis the cloathing or apparelling of the body and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trans round about or over and over which being put together you shall finde that Satans transformation of himself is his feigning or dissembling of himself to be what he is not for whereas he is indeed and in truth one that acteth lying unrighteousness and iniquity now being transformed or turned round about as it were he acteth seemingly Truth Righteousness and Piety And for as much as the Apostle calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Angel of light it is to help the people something the better to understand the mystery of his deceit for generally he was I suppose by the people of that time taken to be an Angel of darkness as he is by the greatest part of the people of our age but indeed according to my understanding of the nature of Angels The Angels as well as Man were capable of alteration in their creation he was created an Angel of Light and not of Darkness and so prima ab origine or naturally he is an Angel of Light but yet from the beginning as I conceive capable of altetation as man was And if he be called or reckoned an Angel or Prince of Darkness it is either Because he liveth in the dark as unto the apprehensions of Divine Love towards himself or Because he doth chiefly since his Apostacy being an utter Enemy to all the Image of God which is Light and Purity delight to act and bring forth in the conceptions and conversations of men such abominable things as are called Works of Darkness Rom. 13.12 13. such as rioting and drunkenness chambering and wantonness strife and envy these may well be called Works of Darkness for they are acted of men against that light they have in the first Adam and they are not willing to be seen in the practice thereof But leaving of such particular verbal observations I will proceed to shew what the Apostle would have to be summarily taught from his apprehensions and expressions upon that mystery of deceit in order whereunto I have for method and rule sake resolved upon these ensuing Doctrines Doctrine 1. That when Satan sindeth a people living so strictly and exactly in that light and power they have received that he cannot prevail upon them by temptations of a gross sort such as are those provocations unto open profareness covetousness and pride and the like then he concludeth upon another way by suiting himself for their dispositions and capacities if it be to transform himself into the likeness of God and as it were to act the part of God seemingly under fair pretences heavenly words self-denying actions righteous conversations and the like that so by this means he may at last insinuate himself into their understandings and affections for he will not leave any thing unattempted that may if it be but in probability of it serve to seduce a poor people especially such as are nearest unto the Lamb desiring to follow him whithersoever he goeth This maketh him come forth thus disguised as an Angel of Light to work through a mysterious vail under which he would not be seen to be himself upon the hearts and mindes of those that he can by no other means overcome for I am perswaded this way of working is very much contrary to his Apostatized condition as it may appear in that he doth so little and hath so seldome used it for when do we hear or reade of any age if it were not that of Christ and his Apostles wherein he was so necessitated and did so boldly and audaciously act in this nature except this of our time among those poor beguiled wretches called Quakers This in a general discovery is that disguised angelical and mysterious deceitfull operation of Antichrist there spoken of by Paul and which is now so much practiced by that Enemy of poor mankinde yet seeing in what I am going about the Lord is my witness I intend the real good and clear understanding both of Truth and Falshood that so the one may be avoided the other by all possible endeavours attained unto and kept fast by all people and that as freely as I can from all manner of prejudice or heart-burning unto those people whose sad and ever to be lamented condition hath moved my heart hand pen and all to this Paper Although I have had I confess great and manifold occasions offered by them unto my poor weak and sinfull heart by reason of their clamorous railing Letters and unjust accusations and charges to have carried it forth into passion and harsh language towards them and I have been sorely tempted herewith several times but the Lord to the praise of his grace I speak it hath had mercy on me and hath carried me above these temptations and hath filled my heart with moderation and tenderness pitying their condition and I am so far perswaded of his love that as he hath drawn forth and enlarged my heart to discover what I know concerning this matter so he will in his truth and wisdom guide me untill I have finished that neither gall of bitterness or any manner of revenge or self