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. X. Concerning their Experien∣ces.

V. THE Quakers know the Word of God and their Revelations by Experience, so Thomas Ellwood [we know that the Word of God is quick and lively by Experience.] but his Inspira∣tion misinforms him about the direct sense of that place, Heb. 4.12. For it concerns Gods Oath, v. 3. Of Unbelievers not entring into his Rest, which took hold of the Israelites, and we are warned to take heed of the like Unbelief, because the word of God is Powerful, &c. that is, his threatnings are not high ineffective words, but will seize on the impenitent, it concerns Thomas Ellwood not to despise the teaching of Jesus, least his Experience of this commination prove sad and irreversible: thus Dr. Hammond from the Scope expounds it, and so St. Chrysostome [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c. the same word which punished them will punish us, for it liveth always and is never extinguished.] but Thomas Ellwood as formerly mistakes his ground work, yet let it pass, there is not one word of Experience there, but when other Arguments fail, they cry out [We bear our Testimony, We Witness it, We Experience it, &c.] who matters that? the term Experience is un-Scriptural and indemonstrable concerning Re∣velation, and but rarely used concerning Graces, the Pharisees had that common sense, John. 8.

13. thou bearest Record of thy self, thy Record is not true, a rule that is owned by Christ Jo. 5. if I bear Witness of my self my Witness is not true, and John 8.14. But Quakers can only Wit∣ness for themselves, or at the farthest one for ano∣ther.

William Shewen in 19 Chapters conjoyns their Faith and Experience, whereas the one is matter of Perception, the other the substance of things hoped for; the Evidence of things not seen, what is seen is not hope, and what is Experienced is not Faith; but such sensual Spiritualists may say and have any thing by such Confusion. [Jesus decla∣red in general terms — leaving it to every Son, and Daughter to Declare their particular Experiences; the Scriptures are but Christ in the Letter, lying under the Experimental words of those Pen-men,] Keith saith, We know that Imme∣diate Revelation is not ceased [From the blessed Experience given us of God therein:] but, what Experiences are these? not outward and sensible, but inward and indiscernible, wherein Fancy, Na∣tural Enthusiasm and Satan, can all play Legerde∣main to purpose. Christian Experience in mat∣ters of Duty is usefull to support in their Practice; but it is to be an after Argument, come in ad cor∣roborandum, for mans nature is of a strange Com∣position. Comforts have much Dependance on the temper of the body, they are the more usual portion of Weak and young beginners, nor should we hanker so much after those real sweets or fancyful gusts; but be diligent in our Christian calling.

Inward Experience is no bottom for Inspiration Christianity was setled in an outward sensible way, to forestal this Inward Wile of Satan. Moses though he saw the bush burning, and had outward Evidences too, yet was not hasty in believing. The

Apostles, I think, demurr'd some while upon the Suggestions they received, Act. 16.10. [As∣suredly gathering.] from the Vision collates argu∣mentis colligentes, conferring and fitting as Ar∣tificers do piece to piece. Sancti non temerè Vi∣sionibus quibusvis crediderunt, they examined their very Visions, and were not hasty in Entertaining them.

Their Experiences also consist in Comfort, the meanest argument whence to infer Gods voice; [We know the Spirit of the Lord in his Shinings, Warmings, Quicknings, Waterings, and Refreshings from and by himself, sometimes, a day they could Feelingly and Experimentally speak of what God had wrought in their Souls — could tell of sweet hours of fellowship — his Revealing the hid In∣vinsible —] but others of different Judgments are as high in Experiences and Comforts, Mary Gadbury was full of singing and joy. The Level∣ler, for that Doctrine of Working in the Common, had peace of Spirit, and from that very thing (his Joy and rest in God:) he was convinced of his In∣spiration. The Ranters have store of quiet. W. B. had more Refreshings in a dum Meeting than in an hundred Sermons. The Hearers were refresh∣ed at the Dutch Womans ununderstood Preach∣ment. Newton had much Joy in his Visions; and the Ravishment and Spiritual Embraces in∣joied by the Carthusians, were a great Motive to Mr. Cressyes Revolting. Flashes and affecting Warmths are no Evidence of Truth; the Mass, or a Turkish Mosque will afford such stirrings of the lower Powers.

He who from them approves or choses his Reli∣gion is fitter to be a Palpitating Disciple of Mar∣cus, then a well-grounded Servant of the Lord Jesus.

But though they had true Experiences, that is

no satisfaction to another, for as God requires a Reasonable Religion, so a man should be able to Render a Reason of his Hope. Christianity con∣sists not in sensible Consolations, which do ebb and flow, and are oft Delusive, nor in the gratifying the inferiour Power, but in a sound Mind, a Living Faith, and a Consciencious Practice. And Enthu∣siasm hath carried others higher than the Quakers Spirit (be it what it will) hath yet carried them. Satan can [transform himself into the likeness of God himself, and Actually doth it] so that men should be cautions about their comforts.

The presenting some of their Experiences, will discover their Excellency [all that which you call the History, is all to be seen and felt within you. Adam and Christ, Cain and Abel, Abraham, Moses, Israel, Canaanites, Amalekites, Philistins, all those Armies, the Land of Canaan, Judas, &c. are all to be seen within you] rarely Experien∣ced, Devon-shire house, or the Trojan horse can∣not contain such a Company. But Keith deny∣ing the History to be conveyed by Revelation, this man makes out the Receit by Experience. He Experiences what the Devil is [I shall shew in my Experiences, what I see and know the Devil is, viz. in the full body of him he is Ʋnrighteous flesh, and the Imaginations thereof, and every Lust is a particular Devil] he truly found in his Expe∣rience that [the flaming Sword is the Enmity of Natures] which Enmity he had before Experien∣ced [to be the Devil and Murderer] and lastly [from what he had Received and seen within him, he denies a local Hell.

Shewen believes [Gods Oneness, Omnipresence, and his other Attributes from the Manifestation of him in his own Heart, so he saith, God is pure, from his Appearance so pure in his heart.] strange Ideas have they of the Divine Perfections, to measure

them by their own sensations [he truly and ex∣perimentally knoweth, that God cannot be tempted with Evil, because that Heavenly Light he is indu∣ed withall cannot be Tempted with Evil.] [he can give an experimental account of the two great Or∣dinances of Christ, Baptism and the Lords supper:] that is he hath an experimental feeling of Alle∣gories. Keiths Experience made him [know and feel the seed in others] and he experienced [the be∣lief of Christ in the outward, not to be necessary to Salvation:] and from this head he infers the Apo∣crypha [to have proceeded from a Measure of the True Spirit:] and Pennington bids [wait to feel] the glorious State of the Church before the Apo∣stacy. Such mens Faith consists in Experience, and that in Fancy, but hereby they take away the very proofs of Christianity, [Women now are Wit∣nesses of Christs Resurrection] but thus, They must [know only as they Experience.] and the knowledg of the Scriptures avails nothing [Except accompanied with a living Experience of the same power working after the same manner as it did in others, in times past who have left their Testimo∣nyes thereof upon Record.]

Notes

• p. 249.
• apud Theoph. in loc.
• Heb. 11.1.
• New Law p. 11.
• Im. Rev. Pre∣face, & pas∣sim.
• Beza in loc. & in Act. 9.29.
• Im. Rev. p. 28.
• p. 45.
• New Law p. 64. Myst. of God pref.
• Silent Meet∣ing. 5. Exomolo∣gesis. p. 631.
• Im. Rev. p. 239.
• New Law p. 97.
• Saints Para∣dise. p. 29.
• p. 47. p. 30. New Law. p. 103. True Christi∣an. faith and Experience. p. 33s 34.
• p. 106,
• p. 76.
• Univer. Gra. p. 86. p. 117.
• Univer. Gra. p. 86. p. 117.
• Quo Popery, p 30. Some Prim. 120.
• p. 96.
• Pen. in Fal. vin. of 21. Div. p. 7. True Christ, experience. p. 39.