The several kinds of inspirations and revelations pretended 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.

CHAP. IX. Of their Demonstration of the Spirit, and new Dispensa∣tion.

IV. TO appear like the Apostles Successors the better, they challenge [the Evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit of Truth] word∣ed by T. Ellwood, p. 244. thus [that the Gospel should be preached in the Demonstration of the Spi∣rit and Power, after the Apostacy as well as be∣fore.] And this belongs to them, who are emer∣ged out of the Apostacy, and are the Church re∣turned out of the Wilderness, they fancy them∣selves to be like the Apostles [they Witness the Spirit of God fallen upon them, as formerly among the Apostles] [the Gospel is now Preached in the same Power as formerly] but their claim is ill bot∣tomed and their demonstration indemonstrable. First therefore we shall search into the sense of

that phrase. Secondly, give the Quakers opinion of Miracles. Thirdly, Supposing that their Prin∣ciples were right, thence infer that Miracles are as necessary now as ever.

1. As for the meaning of [Demonstration of the Spirit and Power, 1 Cor. 2.4.] 'tis misunderstood by T. Ellwood if he think they have it like the Apo∣stles: Words and this Demonstration are by the Apostle opposed [not with enticing words, with excellency of Speech or Wisdom] that is, with Ora∣tory or Philosophy, and Quakers bring no more than Words, and those misapplyed, and inward heats, like the Disciples of Marcus, &c. but their internal sentiments, or Consolations are not the Scriptures Power. Demonstration is not a thing of outward words, or inward feelings [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 nomine utitur, quo significatur probatio, quae fit certis & necessariis rationibus.] Demonstration is a certain proof by necessary and concluding Reasons [habent Mathematici, &c. the Mathe∣maticians have their Demonstrations, &c. how much greater is that Demonstration by such and so great Miracles.] [Not in Rhetorical Proofs, or probable Arguments but in plain Demonstration.] So that it did not consist in inward, but in out∣ward Evidences and Proofs, what those were, we have recorded, ver. 1. declaring to you the Te∣stimony of God, that is, the Gospel of Christ, or his Death, but that which was delivered by the Apostles, as certain eye and ear Witnesses of it, and to confirm that certain Testimony of theirs, God superadded, the Demonstration or Evidence of the Spirit and Power, which by an Hebraism may be conjoyned [Evidencing the Spirit by Power,] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the Power of Miracles, were an Evidence that the Spirit own∣ed and confirmed their certain Testimony, or we

may take Spirit and Power, as two distinct Proofs of their outward attestations.

1. Spirit, the Evidence of that consisted in shewing the Old Testament Prophecyes were ful∣filled in Christ: this Origen makes the demonstra∣tion of the Spirit [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. Prophecyes that are able to give assurance of the things that belong to Christ] and thus Rev. 19.10. the Testimony of Jesus, is the Spirit of Pro∣phecy, the Series of all the Prophecyes so wonder∣fully fulfilled are an Evidence for him: or, it may take in the New Testament Prophecyes, which are an Evidence for Christ. The Revelations were by him committed to an Angel, and so to John: or Spirit, may refer to those visible Demon∣strations, when the Blessed Spirit visibly descen∣ded upon Christ and the Apostles, and so are that Immediate Evidence, the Spirit gave to Christ, or that Record the Spirit bore so clearly explained in Dr. Patricks Witnesses to Christianity. [Power] that hereby are meant Miracles is indisputable; [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, those Miracu∣lous, stupendious actions, whose footsteps yet re∣main;] [per figna & virtutes, &c. by the Holy Spirit, and by the Signs and Powers done by him, we bring you Arguments or Evidences that we speak the truth, &c.] that by the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is meant either sanationes, healings in particular, or Miracles in general, will be evident by a little observing its use. Mar. 9.39. [no man which shall do 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a Miracle in my name,] spoke with reference to such as did cast out Devils in the Name of Christ, and did not follow him, Mat. 7.22, [in thy name have done 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, many wondrous Works;] answerable to those preceeding, Prophecying, and casting out Devils, Luke 10.13. [if the mighty Works, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, had been done in Tyre and Sydon.] 1 Cor. 12.28. [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉,

after that Miracles.] in all which and many o∣ther places, too long to be set down, it signifieth Miraculous Works, or that Divine Power which was the Evidence or Seal of the Holy Ghost. The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is not only set single, but with others that do expound it, Rom. 15.19. [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, through mighty Signs and Wonders, by the Power of the Spi∣rit of God.] that is, those Signs wrought by the Power of the Spirit, and Evidences of it. Better Signs of his Divine Commission, than the Bells and Pomegranates were to the High-Priest, &c. 2 Cor. 12.12. Truly the Signs of an Apostle were wrought among you, in all Patience, in Signs and Wonders 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and in mighty Deeds. These are the Signs of an Apostle, and yet our new Apostles and their Successors do no such things: and fully 1 Thes. 1.5. Our Gospel came not to you in word only, but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance, that is, in the Power of the Holy Ghost, which is a plerophory, or which gives much assu∣rance; by transposing the words, of which many instances are in Grot. on John 35. But Quakers have words meerly without Signs or Wonders, or certain Sensible Testimonies, or Humane Learning. One of them acknowledgeth, they can give no outward Evidence [seeing our Opposers require of us, to show, or evidence unto them, some Infalli∣ble 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that we have the Spirit of God, I would have J. M. to know, that the same difficulty re∣curreth, as to the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the Scriptures, it be∣ing a thing which cannot be shown, or made to ap∣pear by any Evidence unto the carnal mind, which yet is evident unto the Spiritual.] that is like the old Hereticks, they are the Spiritual, others not of their mind are the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Animal or Carnal; but his Evidence for Inspiration is far inferiour to the Scriptures Authority. And in that very

Text, Rev. 14.6. produced by T. Ellwood of the Preaching the Everlasting Gospel after the Apo∣stacy, there is no mention of Demonstration or In∣spiration, &c. nor was there any need thereof, the corrupt Church among much dross preserving those very Books, whereby her Errors were dete∣cted, and that was when all Learning began to re∣vive, true Religion and Learning moving in equal lines.

2. But Quakers have the demonstration, though they slight the Miracles thereby implyed, some at∣tempts have been made thereto by Charles Bay∣lyes stroaking, Richard Andersons Cursing, the Womans pretending to raise the interred Corps which were reinterred when her folly had appear∣ed. Nicholas Kate of Harwell said [That when the fulness of time was come, he should work Mi∣racles,] which yet is not come to pass, but the ful∣ness of time with such, bears a strange date [the fulness of time is, when the first man hath filled the Creation full of his filthiness, and all places stink with unrighteousness.] but visible Miracles failing, they turn it another way, they work Invi∣sible Miracles, or Miracles in Spirit, so did Ignati∣us Loyola, and [doubtless to reach to the Soul, to quicken it, to cure its Diseases, is greater than the outward, and was signifyed by the outward.] They work Miracles in [a Spiritual way] T. Ellwood makes Tongues to be be but mediums to convey their Message to others, p. 231. as if he durst out∣face the Apostle, who declares them to be a Sign to such as Believed not, 1 Cor. 14.22. Keith pret∣tily daubs it over [that they witness the Power working Miraculously in their Hearts, raising to Life the dead Souls, &c. and these are the great∣est Miracles, of which the outward were but a figure.] William Shewen almost bids defiance to them [we read not of very many converted by out∣ward

Miracles — which are not of absolute necessi∣ty in the Church, but the inward are the greater Miracles, which Christ promised that those who believed in him should do.] So that they do no Won∣ders, yet have [Silent meetings which are a Won∣der to the World,] and do [Preach the Gospel again with the Holy Ghost sent down from Hea∣ven.] And at this Rate they may say or be any thing, Demonstrate though they cannot shew, ha∣ving the Power but not the thing.

3. Supposing the Quakers Principles true, Mi∣racles are more necessary now than ever: For,

1. God wrought Miracles to convince Unbelie∣vers, and in the Quakers Charity we are no bet∣ter [come you un-Christians] saith the curious Pen of Fox [William Shewen calls us, titular and nominal Christians] through his whole Book [Christians according to the Letter, who are as great Enemies to the Spirit and Power, as ever the Jews were.] [Worldly literal Christians both Papists and Protestants] now being such, Miracles are infi∣nitely necessary, to disabuse and to remove us from the Letter into the Spirit, a mistaken Christianity being more obstructing and prejudicial than meer Heathenism.

2. If Miracles were necessary when the Scrip∣tures were Writ, which are a dead Letter, a Seal∣ed Book and worse; then are they much more necessary, when Inspired Expositions thereof are given: To allude to T. Ellwoods terms of shell and kernel, &c. God would not give a Demonstrati∣on, the shell was his, and leave us at a loss, whe∣ther the kernel was his also, if he send Evidences along with the bark, rind, &c. he would do the same much more with the Substance. The Apo∣stacy continuing 1548 years, we need signs, that this is the same Doctrine with the old, especially if the Scripture, the Repository of that Doctrine

cannot be understood without Inspiration; there being many Pretenders, we need a Sign, more at the unsealing than at the sealing of that Book: if to receive the Letter, much more to understand the Spirit, the sence when given as from God, needs most of all his Attestation to it, for the pre∣tending to give an Inspired Exposition of the Scrip∣tures, is more than the bringing new Scriptures, and needs greater Attestations, as much as the sense is better than the Letter. And Thomas Ell∣wood knows not what he hath, but if he have Re∣velations they must be new ones, for Revelation being necessary to understand the Scriptures; those Expositions Thomas Ellwood receives must be new, the Repetition is the reacting the old, but then the Expounding is the conferring new, which are not to be found within the Bible.

3. The debate being whether or no they be In∣spired, upon their grounds, nothing can end it, but the interposing of Gods Power: For to say, They Witness it is a begging the Question, and to cre∣dit those Witnessings will expose to delusions, to produce Scripture disowned by them as the Rule, is improper, and concludes nothing; being it can∣not be understood without Inspiration when pro∣duced; or if it could, still it concludes as equally for any other Pretender as for them.

4. He who abrogates a Divine Law, must pro∣duce greater Authority for so doing, than that by which at first it was instituted. Thus Christ ta∣king down or altering that way of Worship which had been set up by a Power of Miracles in Moses, produced greater Evidences than Moses that he was sent from God. And that Quakers do abro∣gate Christs Commands, is evident from slighting his Sacraments, &c. Thus Shewen concerning Bap∣tism, and the Disciples and Apostles having Bap∣tized some, proceeds [not discerning the times

and seasons, and the divers Dispensations of God to∣wards mankind since the fall, nor perceiving the end of them lays hold of the shadow and figure in∣stead of the Substance, &c.] Allegorizing and ab∣rogating Christs Institutions.

5. He who brings a newer and an higher Dis∣pensation, must produce visible Evidence for so doing, in this indeed the Quakers are much di∣vided. Some making theirs a new Dis∣pensation [new Heavens and a new Earth;] [the former Dispensation was swallowed up — by the breaking forth of a more Lively Dispensation.] This Fancy runs through the Works of Winstanley, [the Ministration of the Spirit, is now rising up, claims its due right by course.] And having recei∣ved it from God, he thus writeth, there are seven Dispensations [1. to Adam. 2. the Seed of the Wo∣man from Adam to Abraham. 3. From Abraham to Moses. 4. From him to Christ. 5. God in Christ. 6. God in the Flesh of his Saints, as be∣fore in Christ, which holds till the day of Judgment, which is the 7th:] these he contracts into three, [Moses, Christ, the Spirit: and as Moses gives way to Christ, so that single Body Jesus gives way to the Holy Ghost, or spreading Power in Sons and Daughters, and this begun in 1648.] and every such Dispensation is a full period or term of Time: others makes theirs to be an higher Improvement of the former Dispensation, [the more Gospel times that were to come in the latter daies.] [A spiri∣tual Ministry, a Gospel Ministry, a powerful Ministry is come and coming] or, they would have it a reviving the Dead, or a restoring of the former lost Dispensation. [Christs Spiritual, inward and powerful appearance, is now again revealed in this day after the Apostacy] but every several way of stating makes it high, [for the Everlasting Gospel was a thing beyond, above and before the Writings

of the new Testament.] and it requires the Spirits owning it, before any should entertain it; for it is a mighty alteration, from a Bodily Christ without, to an Invisible one within; and if the Man Christ wrought Miracles, much more should Christ the Spirit, the visible Christ was a man ap∣proved of God, by Miracles, Wonders and Signs, which God did by him, in the midst of them as they also knew; the new Invisible Christ hath no∣thing to approve him, but words and fancyes, but either at bringing as Moses, at reviving as Elias, or at changing, as Christ of a Dispensation Mira∣cles were necessary: and though John the Baptist wrought no Miracles, yet his coming was Prophe∣cyed of by Esaias and Malachy; nor did he bring in a new Dispensation, only he prepared for it, but the Quakers pretending to the highest Dispensati∣on, that of Christ in the Spirit, which is never to be out-dated, are to do greater works than Christ in the Body, and Miracles being the Work of the Spirit, they being more necessary to it, than to the Dispensation of Christ, Quakers are to have its Demonstration, both to usher in its Dispensation, and also to assure us that they are the sole Persons intrusted with the bringing of it.

But whence had they this Notion? there are Presidents enough for what is evil, Montanus and Mahomet made use of this Weapon; David George took himself for the true Spiritual David, sent to Restore the House of Israel by Grace, and that all Dispensations before were literal and carnal; Hen∣ry 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 Daugh∣ters

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, 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, or the kernel the shell (Thomas Ellwood's Compa∣rison) 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, that the New Testament is to be evacuated like the Old, that then men shall be in the State of the Perfect, that the Spiritual Sence of the New Te∣stament is not committed to the Pope, but the Li∣teral, 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 Au∣thority than the Apostles] with much such stuff. These are Thomas Ellwoods Antecessors, and the Pope condemned the Books writ against this De∣vilish Doctrine.

Notes

• Univer. Gr. In the Title.
• Some Princ. p. 48. Smiths Gos∣pel tydings, p. 36.
• Ver. 1.4; 5.
• Beza in his shorternotes in Locum.
• Grot. in Lo∣cum.
• Dr. Ham.
• Gro••▪ Theo. cum. in Loc.
• Theo. in loc.
• L. 1. con. Cels. & apud. Dr. H. in Loc.
• Dr. Ham.
• Origen ubi Supra.
• Oecum. in loc. Ita. Grot.
• As, Mat. 11.21.23, & 13.54, 58, & 14.2. Mar. 6.2, 5, 14. & 9.39. Luc. 5.17. & 6.19. & 19.37. Act. 2.22. & 8.13. & passim.
• Q. no Pope∣ry, p. 62. 63.
• Qu. looking glass. A true Nar∣rative.
• In Mr. Jen∣ner, p. 93.
• Sober An∣swer to Speed. p. 76. New Law, p. 37.
• Pennington's naked truth. p. 28.
• 3 ^d. Q••il. p. 75.
• Im. Rev. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 200.
• True Chri∣stians Faith, p. 150. 157.
• Title of a Book. Truth exal. p. 11.
• 2d. Quib. p. 66. Pennington concerning pe••••ec. Prof. Barclay in Q. no Popery, p. 106.
• True Chri∣stians Faith, p. 79.
• Pennin. Conc. Persecu. Pref. Idem in Fal∣do Quak. no Chris. p. 17. New Law, p. 14.
• Mistery of God. p. 21.
• New Law, p. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 120.
• Mistery of God. p. 38. 40. Im. Rev. p. 18. p. 49.
• Universal free Grace, 92.
• Howgils Glo∣ry of the true Church. 32.
• Act. 2.22.
• Univer. Gra. p. 92.
• Bp. Ʋsher de Chpist. Eccles. p. 277. 279.
• ••. 280.
• p. 281.
• p. 282. p. 283.
• p. 287.