The cure of church-divisions, or, Directions for weak Christians to keep them from being…

I have many a time my self conversed with persons of great honesty and piety (though of no great judgment) who have some of them affirmed that they had angelical revelations, and some of them thought that the Spirit of God did bring this Scripture or that Scripture to their mind in answer to their prayers; and were so very confident that what they affirmed was the certain truth or voice of God, that I have been stricken with a reverence to their professions, and with a fear lest I should resist God in resisting them. But resolving to take none on earth for the master of my faith, but to try the Spirits whether they be of God, by going to the Law and Testimony, I was constrained to turn my reverence into pity. For I found that their seeming revelations were some of them Scripture-doctrine, and some of them contrary to the Scripture: As for that which is already in the Scripture, what need I further revelation for it? Is it not there sufficiently revealed? Can their words add any authority to the Word of God? And have I not Gods own Ministers and ⟨p. 166⟩means to help me to the knowledge of his word? And as for that which is contrary to Scripture, I am sure that it is contrary to the will of God: And if an Angel from Heaven should preach another Gospel to me, I must hold him accursed: Gal. 1. 7, 8. so that if these persons should have the appearance & voice of an Angel speaking to them. I would despise it as well as the words of a mortal man, if they be against the recorded word of God.

But by what I have seen and heard, I know that it is a great temptation to some weak Christians to hear one that is much in prayer, say, Take heed what you do: Have no Communion with this sort of men, nor in this or that way of worship; nor in this or that opinion; for I am sure it is against the mind of God: I once thought as you do, but God hath better made known his mind unto me.