Confutation of the Quakers, Section 8
SECT. VIII. The Quakers pretend to Miracles.
WE are forwarned by Chriſt, Matth. 24 24. That in the laſt dayes falſe prophets ſhall ariſe, that ſhall ſhew great ſignes and wonders, inſomuch, that if it were poſſible, they ſhould deceive the very Elect. And the Apoſtle Paul, 2 Theſ. 2.9. ſaith, That the coming of the man of ſinne ſhould be after the working of Satan, with all power, and ſignes, and lying wonders. It is not therefore to be thought ſtrange, if Seducers do pretend to miracles, this ſhould be ſo far from perſwading any to follow after them, that it ſhould be a greater warning to take heed of them: It is a thing known that the moſt notorious impoſters that ever were in the Church, have pretended to miracles,So the Egyptian So…cerers in Moſes time. Simon Magus, Acts 8. gave out that he was ſome great one, even the mighty power of God. Many wicked hereticks in the primitive times boaſted of great miracles done by them, as Tertull. Auguſtine, and others record; and what pretences the Papiſts make hereunto, is evident by thoſe many legends of miracles publiſhed by them, and yet to be ſeen amongſt us. Now that the Quakers may in this, as well as in other things be manifeſt to be Seducers, I ſhall ſhew what claime they make to a power to work miracles. It's true they have not yet publiſhed any volumns of their miracles to the world in print, as the Papiſts have done; and as ſome in England *The Anabaptiſts at Whatfield in Suffolk publiſhed a book called the Goſpel way confirmed by miracles the notorious falſhood of which was afterward by themſelves confeſſed before Br. Gurdon Eſq; Juſtice of the Peace there, and their confeſſion publiſhed, Anno 1649., have done in theſe times; they pretend to learn modeſty therein from the example of Chriſt who forbad the reporting of many of his miracles to the world, but they make no little uſe of them among their ſeduced ones to confirm them thereby in their deluſions, and it's not unlikely would make them more publick to the world, were it not they feared to be found liars, if they ſhould ſo do. I ſhall relate a few of thoſe pretended miracles, that I have had from ſome of them reported to my ſelf.
One of them (now or lately in priſon at Bury) being called to the Miniſtry (ſay they) and queſtioning at firſt, whether his call was from God, deſired a ſigne for the confirmation thereof, that by touching or ſpeaking to a woman, who then lay very ſick, ſhe might be recovered and reſtored to health, which doing (ſaith the reporter) ſhe immediately recovered. Another of them being put into a dungeon, and there kept for ſome days without any meat, became very hungry, whereupon he was bidden by the voice within him to ariſe and eat, and was directed to a place neer the grate, where were many ugly ſpiders, of which he took and did eate till he was ſatisfied thereby as well as if he had eaten of the wholeſomeſt food in the world. Two others of them being in priſon at Cheſter (or ſome other place in the Weſt, for the reporter could not certainly tell me what place) were ſinging of Pſalmes together, a thing they ſo highly exclaime againſt others for doing; and ſuddenly ſuch a glorious light ſhone into the priſon, as made the Jaylor to come trembling, and fall down before them, whereupon he and his houſhold were converted to them that day. One in the North, (as it was confidently reported to me by themſelves) did faſt full fourty dayes and fourty nights together, without taking any food. The wife of Coll. Benſon (ſaith the ſame reporter) being with child went to York upon ſome meſſage from God to oppoſe the Prieſts, where not being known, ſhe was caſt into Priſon, and delivered of a childe there, but before her delivery told thoſe with her, that ſhe ſhould feel no paine in her travel, and ſhould have a man-childe, whoſe name ſhould be Immanuel, which child was ſhewed afterward to the Protector for a wonder. Many aged and infirme women (ſay they) ſince they came into this way, out of weakneſſe have become ſtrong and able to travel hundreds of miles on foot.
Theſe things being objected againſt by me, as being done far of, and moſt of them in corners, and therefore far unlike the miracles done by Chriſt and the Apoſtles I deſired to hear of ſome done neerer hand, the truth of which I might finde out; whereupon I was informed of one in this Town wherein I live, and another at Norwich. That in this Town was reported to me (as neer as I can remember) in theſe very words. Was it not a Miracle for T. C. that had been brought ſo low by a Quartane Ague to be ſo ſuddenly recovered? I anſwered, it was a merciful providence, but no miracle, and further, demanded by what means he was cured? It was replyed, that Richard Hubberthorne, did but go to his door and ſpeak to him, and preſently he recovered; but afterwards enquiring of the man himſelf; what Hubberthorne ſaid to him; he told me, he ſaid nothing but bade him look to the light in him, he did not rebuke his diſtemper, nor command him in the Name of Chriſt to ariſe and walk; and ſince that time this poore man hath continued in a languiſhing condition.
That other pretended miracle at Norwich, was upon Thomas Symonds Weaver; one of their ſpeakers, a letter whereof I read, ſubſcribed with his own hand, It was this, that upon a Lords day (ſome few moneths agon) the hand of the Lord was upon him from morning to evening very ſore; and he was ſmitten with a tormenting pain in his bowels, and nothing that his friends about him applied could help him, inſomuch that they gave him over as irrecoverable; whereupon the voice within him bade him take a draught of cold water, which he doing in the obedience of faith, his ſpirits revived, and himſelf preſently recovered, and ſent out a letter of this to his friends that they might give glory for it to God, and be thereby further confirmed and eſtabliſhed in their way.
The Pawwaw do greater cures then this upon the poor Indians, to confirm them in their worſhipping of devils. Beſides this is a medicine many have been helped by, when troubled with paines upon the diſtillation of a ſalt humour upon the inward parts and therefore is no miracle.Concerning their quaking trances, viſions, rapture, and Revelations, I have not heard much in theſe parts; They knowing how prejudiciall theſe things have been to their way (as alſo their going naked) they have much left them. Only I have one memorable ſtory to relate about the ſame, which is of Atkinſon that notorious impoſtor, when he firſt came to Norwich, who pretended (and thoſe poore people did readily believe him,) that the dread of the Lord fell upon him, as he was travelling on his journey, and he was ſmitten off from his horſe (as Saul going to Damaſcus) and it was told him he was going to as ignorant and blind a City as any was in the world, and there ſhould ſuffer for Chriſt, and be impriſoned, but ſhould have unſpeakable comforts, &c. The notorious wickedneſſe of this wretch now diſcovered to all, may convince that it was no hard thing for him to invent ſuch cheats to delude poore creatures by, who are willing to be deceived
Now leaſt any weak ones ſhould be ſtumbled at theſe pretenſes of Miracles, and be thereby induced to hearken to them, I ſhall adde theſe few things for the ſake of ſuch.
1. If theſe Miracles or wonders which thoſe perſons pretend to work, were indeed true and reall, and not feigned things; yet ſeeing they are wrought to confirme lying doctrines (as the doctrines of the Quakers are before proved to be) we are not to hearken unto them, Deut. 13., 1:2. If a Prophet ſhall give a ſigne, or wonder, and it come to paſs, of it be to tempt, to follow ſtrange gods, we are not to hearken to ſuch, for the Lord permits it to try his people and prove them. It was before ſhewed that in theſe laſt dayes, this power of working Miracles is to be in the hands of falſe prophets and deceivers, Math. 24. 2 Theſſ. 2. And therefore faith Aug. tract. in Joh. 13. God hath armed us againſt ſuch Miracle-mongers by warning us, that in the latter daies falſe prophets ſhall work ſignes and wonders, &c.
2. But how evident is it, they are but lying ſignes and wonders, as the Apoſtle 2 Theſſ. 2. calls them, or (as Auſtine ſpeaks of the miracles of Hereticks in former times) either the juglings or mockeries of deceitfull men, or elſe illuſions of lying ſpirits. For, ſuch as were pretended to be wrought in theſe parts I ſhewed before thoſe to be no better; and for ſuch, as be pretended to be done in remote parts, we have reaſon enough to ſuſpect them, when we find their deceits at home, beſides it's moſt certain God will never put to his ſeale (of true miracles, which he only can work) to confirme lyes
3. The enemies of the truth in former times have wrought greater wonders by far then theſe people have pretended to; what wonders were wrought by the Egyptian Sorcerers in the time of Moſes? by many Hereticks in the primitive times: but eſpecially how many and how great miracles have been pretended to be wrought by the Papiſts? theſe being ſo eminent, we are prophetically warned of them, Rev. 13.13, 14. where we read that the ſecond beaſt, or the Pope poſſeſſing the ſeat of the firſt beaſt, or Romane Empire, ſhould do great wonders, and deceive them that dwell upon the earth by his miracles. And indeed hardly any new doctrine that the Papiſts coyned, or ſuperſtitious rites and ceremonies, but that had multitudes of pretended miracles to confirme the ſame. When they would bring into the Church Tranſubſtantiation, or the Doctrine of Chriſts bodily preſence in the Lords Supper, they have pretended their wafer-cakes have been ſeen bleeding as they were broken and eaten by them; and that heathens have come into their aſſemblies and ſeen the Chriſtians put a little pretty boy into their mouthes, &c. When they would bring in the worſhipping of Images, they have pretended that thoſe dead ſtocks have moved themſelves, could walk, could ſtirr their eyes and hands, could ſpeak, could light their owne Tapers, could heale the ſick, and raiſe the dead; how many wonderfull cures and miracles have been wrought (as they ſay) by the image of the Virgin Mary; ſome of her chappels have laid up in them very many crutches, pictures of armes leggs, &c. All which they pretend ſhe hath miraculouſly healed and recovered; they that will not believe things done beyond ſea; nay, enquire after the great miracles done here amongſt us by the Lady of Walſingham and Ipſwich, ſtrang things for Images to do; and wherefore were all theſe fained? but to draw people to worſhip Images and pray to Saints: When they would bring in Purgatory, dirges, maſſes for the dead, they have pretended the ſoules of many departed have appeared to their living friends, made dreadfull complaints to them of their puniſhments, exhorted them to have ſo many dirges ſaid for them, that they might the ſooner come out of Purgatory; when they would extoll their holy water, croſſes, &c. they have pretended devils have been driven away thereby, &c. But there are many volumnes of theſe miracles written by the Papiſts, and are yet defended by them as true, and believed by their blinded followers; and therefore if ſuch miracles will induce any to embrace lying doctrines, then there is far more reaſon to embrace Popery then Quakeriſme.
4. But if any ſhall yet deſire miracles to confirm their faith. Let them know that we have greater miracles then the Quakers or Papiſts can plead; For whilſt we hold faſt the Doctrine of Chriſt and the Apoſtles, all the miracles which they wrought are ours, for they were wrought to confirme the faith which we now profeſſe; nor let any expect a continuance of them in all ages, for if they ſhould be ſo ordinary, they would not be eſteemed miracles; who would look upon the ſtanding ſtill of the Sun in the firmament, or of the waters in Jordan, and the red ſea, as a miracle, if ordinary ſeeing the motion of the Sun, and the ebbing and flowing of the Sea are greater miracles if they were not ſo common? let us therefore confirm our faith from all thoſe former miracles, and not expect lying ſignes and wonders now; Theſe miracles of Chriſt and the Apoſtles were indeed true miracles, and beyond the power of any created being to work; they were frequently wrought in many places; and that not in corners but before multitudes, that the enemies of Chriſt could not then, nor can to this day deny them; and they continued for an age at leaſt to be wrought, and therefore be a ſufficient confirmation of the Doctrine delivered by them; but theſe pretended miracles of the Quakers are but lying ſignes and wonders (as the Scripture ſpeaks) wrought in corners, not acknowledged by any but their ſeduced followers; what folly is it then for any to believe their doctrines upon the account of ſuch miracles? And ſo much for this eighth Section concerning their pretending to miracles.