know all things, and need not that any Man teach them, but as the anointing teacheth them of all Things? 1 John ii. 20, 27. Anf. No: The Apostle St. John doth not fay this of all Chriftians in general, and of all Ages, nor of all of that Age, but to those in particular of that Age, that knew the Truth and were true Believers, in what the Apostles' had outwardly taught them, and confirmed them in by the Miracles they wrought by the Power of the Holy Ghoft that defcended on them: Ye, fays he, have an Unction from the Holy one, and know all Things; that is, they had not only the Benefit of the miraculous Unction of the Holy Ghoft, and more plentiful Effufion of the Spirit beftowed on the Apoftles, who had inftructed them in the Knowledge of the Chriftian Religion; but they themselves alfo had a Mealure of the Unction, or Illumination of the Spirit which was given to true Believers, whereby they were further convinced of the Truth of what they had been outwardly taught. And the all Things they knew, must be restrained to the Subject Matter that he is treating of, to wit, that Jefus was the Chrift, which was denied by the falfe Teachers, and Antichrifts of that Time, ver. 22. And he does not mean that they were taught this by the Unction or Illumination of the Spirit immediately, without any outward Teaching. For when to confirm them in the Belief of the Truth, which was his Defign in writing this Epiftle, he puts them in Mind of what they had been taught, he does not refer them only to the Unction or Anointing they had received, and which he faith abideth in them, as if they had been only taught by that; but F refers refers them to that alfo, which they had heard from the Beginning; to wit, to what they had outwardly heard with their Ears of the Do&trine of Chrift, from the beginning of their having the Gofpel preached to them by himfelf, or other Apoftles and Minifters of Chrift. And therefore when he fays, they need not that any Man teach them, but as the fame anointing teacheth them of all Things, it cannot be meant of the anointing teaching them all Things, without that which they had outwardly heard, but together with it, and as accompanying it. And then if that which they had heard, and the Spirit of Chrift accompanying it, to cause them to profit by it, did abide in them, they fhould be out of Danger of Seducers, ver. 24, 26, 27. But if they had been taught all that they were to believe or do, without any outward Teaching, or had had no need to be again taught, or put in Remembrance of what they had been outwardly more fully taught before, it would have made St. John's Defign in this Epiftle needlefs; which was not to teach them, as ignorant of the Truth, but to confirm them in the Belief of what they had heard, and been taught from the Beginning, against all Temptations to Apoftacy. And therefore, this Text makes nothing for the being taught by the inward immediate Infpiration of the Spirit, claimed by the Quakers, and other Enthufiafts, whereby they would make all outward Teaching, though they own it may be profitable, of no neceffary Ufe. And all Chriftians now have fufficient Means to know that Jefus is the Christ, and all that is neceffary to their Salvation, by the Chriftian Doctrine delivered to them in the written written Word, or Sc ripture, and by the ordinary Unction, or internal Illumination of the Spirit accompanying it, as a Seal to the Truth thereof; without that extraordinary Unction, or difcerning of Spirits, and judg ing of falfe Prophets that was given to the Apostles, and fome others then in the Church, when there was greater Occafion for it before all the Scriptures were written, and when there were many truly infpired Teachers, which gave Impoftors then the more Opportunity for their obtruding their own Inventions upon the World, as divine Inspirations: Whereas now we have the whole Will and Counsel of God for our Salvation, delivered to us in the Scripture, which is our standing Rule to try all Doctrines by. And we have no ground now to look for any truly infpired Teachers, but to reject fuch as pretend to it. And it is very obfervable, that too many of them, who pretend to it now, and to know all Things by the Unction or Anointing within them, do really, with the Seducers in the Apoftles Days, deny that Jefus is the Chrift, or that Chrift is come in the Flefb, in the true and Scripture Sense of it, by his affuming Jefus his Body of Flesh into a perfonal Union with himself: For they query, Is it not a Lie to fay, that Chrift is God and Man in one Perfon? And they deny that that is the Bo- * Chrift. dy of Chrift which was not with the Father Atkins's before the World began. † Sword of the Lord + Edward Queft. Is it not a far better and more defi- drawn, rable Thing to have Converse with God im- p. 5, mediately, than only mediately, as being a higher Dispensation? || F 2 Bur. p. Anf. This is a very unfafe way of arguing: For that is not always beft that we think fo, but what God is pleafed to give us. And the having the fanctifying Gifts and Graces in the due Use of outward Means, is a better and more excellent way of Communion and Converfe with God, than the having immediate prophetical Inspirations; for thefe fimply confidered as fuch, did not make them that had them holy; for the Scripture fupposes that many may prophefy in the Name of Chrift, who may be workers of Iniquity, Matth. vii. 22, 23. Queft. Is not the Power that is among the Quakers, in their Meetings, whereby they feel fo much Joy and Delight, fufficient to affure them that the Spirit of God is with them, because of the inward Satisfaction and Comfort which they enjoy in their Communion, and which they think is not to be had any where else, and which they therefore take for a fure Sign, that they are led by the Spirit of God; for whence elfe, they fay, should fuch Refreshments come; and they think they cannot come from the evil Spirit? Anf They fhew themselves hereby ignorant of the Devices of Satan, who thus tranfforms himself into an Angel of Light; for they cannot boaft of more Attainments of this Kind, than the wildeft Enthufiafts in all Ages, who have fet up and gained Profelites upon this very Score, and have thus deceived themselves and others. And therefore the Quakers must own, that there may be a false Peace and Joy in a wrong way, that does not come from the Holy Spirit, but from a Spirit of Error and Delufion, or is the Effect of a mere heated Brain and Imagination.. Queft. Queft. Can there be any certain Marks whereby it may be known, when fuch Joys and Comforts are not well grounded, and come not from the Spirit of God? Anf. Yes, There are certain Marks whereby it may be known. For if their Joys and Comforts proceed from any falfe and antichriftian Doctrines, then fuch Peace and Joy as they have in thus believing, cannot come from the Spirit of Truth, but is a false Peace and Joy, fent in by the Spirit of Delufion, to make them reft in their Errors. Or if the Flights of Devotion, and Raptures they fometimes feel, inftead of making them better, and inclining them to love God and their Neighbour more, do only exalt them in their own Eyes, and fwell them with pharifaical Thoughts of their own Perfection, looking down upon others as Publicans, in comparison of them; then we may be fure, they come from the Spirit of Pride, and that it is a false Power that poffeffeth them; measuring the Tree by its Fruits, according to the Rule of our Saviour. Or if they make them think themselves above the Ordinances of God, and our Saviour's pofitive Inftitutions and Means of Grace he has appointed; this is the Height of spiritual Pride, and a certain Mark of a falfe Enthufiafm, and Power that does govern them. And fome that left the Quakers, and had been of Note among them, have declared, they had much greater and more folid inward Peace, Comfort and Satisfaction, than ever they had while they were among them; having better ground for it, by a better Understanding given them of God, by his Holy Spirit, in the Knowledge of Chriftian Prin F 3 ciples, |