« confound, and whose understanding he will bring " to nought.”

His last comparison of us in this chapter, is with Marcus, an old heretick. The agreement he makes betwixt us lies in our mutual pretences to inspiration ' and prophecy. For as he reports him to have - abused many filly women, under colour of confer

ring on them the gift of prophesying, and that he • had a familiar spirit, by which he brought himself

into credit with his deluded followers;' fo he tells us that he has had it confidently affirmed, that about • the first rise of the Quakers, in the North of Eng' land, several persons, by gloves, and ribbands, and

divers charms, were really bewitched by them. And doubtless many of their quaking fits were real pofsessions by the devil.k?

Anf. What Marcus was, is nothing to us: if he has done amiss, he has answered for it by this time. I confess I am not over fond of the characters left us of ancient hereticks, knowing what kind of creatures the best Protestants are with Papists; and what fearful monsters several sober separatists are reputed among some Protestants: but this I know, if what he hath said of several ancients be no truer than what he hath said of us, he has grossly abused their doctrines and their memories.'

For the witchcraft of gloves, ribbands, and charms, it is scarce worthy my notice; his folly in mentioning it being a sufficient reproof and confutation to himself. A story fit for none, at this time of day, to report or believe, but a man of his size.

I thought they had been worn out by this time.

But let the sober reader judge, which favours most of Satan's design, this idle, yet scandalous, story, or our · fearing and trembling at the word of the Lord, r and those terrors that broke in upon our souls, be

cause of sin and iniquity ?' It is but the old spirit of mockery, that actuated the Jews and Heathens

against the Christians, and Papists against Protestants, and too many Protestants of several sorts, against some more reformed separatists.

For had the reverent fear of God possessed our adversary's heart, in the writing of this discourse, there had been no room for such irreligious scoffs against an inoffensive people. But the devil, because he would be God, calls God the devil, and Christ Beelzebub; light, darkness; and the power of God the power of Satan; and the fear and trembling brought by the one, the possessions and witchcrafts of the other. Certainly such men live in a dry land, they see not when good cometh. But what will not an enraged tything priest do to destroy us, who, he knows, are discoverers of such deluders ?

CH A P. III.

His pretended agreement between the authors of fa

milism and the Quakers considered. His objections answered,

I

Now come to consider the reason of the title of his

book, and what ground he had to name us the revivers and propagators of familism, with the most weighty objections he makes against us; if in truth I may repute the strongest of them such ; and that with what brevity, truth, and faithfulness I can.

- The great authors of this doctrine of familism,' he says, were David George and Henry Nicholas; • but more especially the latter, as having more im

proved and disseminated the pernicious errors intro• duced by the former.' He bestows many severe expressions upon them, more, I think, than becomes a man of any charity to give. I am not their advocate; but so much spleen, and so little reason, against dead men, can be neither christian, nor manly. What he says they held, and how far we are concerned in it, it is our business to enquire.

$. 1. of Christ's ministration.

II.

And first he tells us, that H. N. should say, "That not only the law of Moses, but the ministration of < Christ and his apoftles, were only temporary things,

instituted to bring men to the perfect reign of the Spirit; and then, like horn-books and primmers to grown understandings, to be thrown away,' p. 10,

And that this is the full sense of the Quakers, says our adversary, p. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. hear John

Crook, a Quaker; “ We believe, by the same gift “ of grace, that there are several ministrations, and “ several operations, according to 1 Cor. 12. and all « by the fame Spirit; as before and after the law by “ Moses, and after by John the Baptist, and Christ “ and his apostles. And by this Spirit were the scrip“ tures given forth, and the holy men of God did

speak, prophesy, preach, and pray, as they were " moved; and to answer the service God had for “ them to do, they were to wait, as Christ com“ manded his disciples, to receive the promise of the ~ Father. And therefore as it was the practice of " the people of God, in old time, to wait for the “ moving of this Spirit, that they might speak as it

gave them utterance in the evidence and demon« stracion thereof; fo do this people, called Quakers,

now.” Upon which our adversary dares to observe, * That we, with the Familifts, deny the ministration • of Christ to be the ministration of the Spirit;' and consequently charges us with a blasphemous derogation from the honour of our blessed Saviour, who said to his apostles, John xvi. 14. “ He shall receive of " mine, and shew it unto you.

Ans. If our adversary's weakness has run him into this strange parallel, he is to be pitied; but if his envy, he is severely to be rebuked. Will any man that has sense or honesty say, it is all one to affirm that Christ's miniftration is an horn-book that time 'cafts off with infancy ;' and that it is a waiting to Vol. III,

I.

• receive

and unalterable ministration, “ Lo, I am with you to “ the end of the world, Mat. xxviii. 20. And truly thus much our adversary (p. 13.) in contradiction to himself, grants us, that the ministration of Christ

was indeed the ministration of the Spirit.' Now what scoffs, Aeerings, or insults against the sacred person of our Lord Jesus any can see in this doctrine, to incite a sober Christian to anger and disdain, I leave to any but such an angry disdainful enemy to judge.

I cannot forget this horrible lie of us, concerning the scripture, stolen probably out of an Anabaptist's lying dialogue lately printed against us. Prelaticks and fectaries can sometimes agree against Quakers. Æsop's fables have more worth in them than all the books that ever were written against the Quakers : I do not all doubt but there are twenty fables in Æsop, that, well considered, would have taught them more discretion, and (it should have been their own fault if not) more honesty too, than any or all of them have shewn in their utmost endeavours against

But that we have no more regard to, nor belief in, the holy fcriptures of truth, than in Æsop's fables,' is a story more profane and fabulous than any fable in Æsop; and God will recompence with a vengeance this defamer of an innocent people, unless diverted by his unfeigned repentance.

g. 2. Of Revelation.

He tells us, ' The second thing wherein the Fami< lists and Quakers are all one, is the pretence of <immediate revelation. Dav. Geo. and H. N. both e pretended to receive their doctrine from the angel « Gabriel. And W. Gibson, the Quaker, says, p. 16. " that the gospel which they preach they have not re<ceived it from men, nor from books, nor from wriStings, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ in them; (and then denies the scriptures of the Old and New « Testament to be the revealed will of God.'

Ans.

Ans. After what manner D. G. and H. N. received their commiflion I know not; but sure I am that W. Gibson's affertion is found. Take away revelation, and the gospel ceases of course; Christ is put beside the dignity of his prophetical and priestly office; the promises of God will be broken ; and the most excellent part of the feriptures, God's traditions, made void. Who was it said, “ A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise

up

like unto me, Deut. xviii. 18. Him shall ye hear in all things. There is a spirit in “ man; and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth “ understanding, Job xxxii. 8. As for me, this is

my covenant with him, faith the Lord, My Spirit " that is upon thee, and my words which I have put " in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth,

nor out of the mouth of thy feed, nor out of the « mouth of thy feed's feed, faith the Lord, from “ henceforth and for ever,” Ifa. lix. 21. “ I will re« veal unto them the abundance of peace and truth,” Jer. xxxiii. 6. “I thank thee, O Father, Lord of « heaven and earth, because thou haft hid these things “ from the wife and prudent, and hast revealed them « unto babes." —And no man knoweth the Father but « the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveal him.” Matt. xi. 25, 27.

No man can come unto me, except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him.” John vi. 44. “But God hath revealed them unto us

by his Spirit. For the Spirit searcheth all things,

yea, the deep things of God. For the things of “ God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God." I Cor. ii. 10, 11. chap. xiv. 30. « If any thing “ should be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the “ firft hold his peace. For when it pleased God to " reveal his Son in me.--.--For I neither received the

gospel of man, neither was I taught it, but by the “ revelation of Jesus Christ.” Gal. i. 12. 16.

any be otherwise minded, God will reveal it to “ him," Phil. ii. 15. As I said before, so again, who uttered these excellent sayings, and for what end? If no inspiration, no understanding; if no revelation, no

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