Stablishing against shaking: or, A discovery of the Prince of Darkness (scarcely) transformed into an angel of light, powerfully now working in the deluded people called, Quakers: with a sober answer to their railings against ministers for receiving maintenance from their people. Being the substance of one sermon preached Feb. 17. 1655. at Shalford in Essex. / By Giles Firmin (pastor of the church there) upon occasion of the Quakers troubling those parts.Stablishing against shaking: or, A discovery of the Prince of Darknesse (scarcely) transformed into an angel of light, powerfully now working in the deluded people called, Quakers: with a sober answer to their railings against ministers for receiving maintenance from their people. Being the substance of one sermon preached Feb. 17. 1655. at Shalford in Essex. / By Giles Firmin (pastour of the church there) upon occasion of the Quakers troubling those parts.
Giles Firmin 1614–1697London: printed by J.G. for Nathanael Webb, 1656
[8], 56, [2] p. ; · 22k words · Wing F967 · ESTC R202074
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
I know Satan can speak rationally, & sense also, which makes us wonder what he means to take such instruments, unless it be because he is at the last, seeing witty Jesuits cannot do the business, now try if foolish Quakers can do it: this also I know, that reason being a beam of God, there can be no true reason for sin or error. Also, though abundance of Gods people are weak and shallow, yet they never speak truth, but they speak sense, and reason.
I know Satan can speak rationally, & sense also, which makes us wonder what he means to take such instruments, unlesse it be because he is at the last, seeing witty Jesuits cannot doe the businesse, now try if foolish Quakers can doe it: this also I know, that reason being a beam of God, there can be no true reason for sin or errour. Also, though abundance of Gods people are weak and shallow, yet they never speak truth, but they speak sense, and reason.
But here we have a pack, mightily insulting over the Ministers ⟨p. 47⟩because they do not assume to themselves the infallible Spirit, in that notion which the Quakers boast they have it, and yet cannot speak rationally. Let us hear a little.
But here we have a pack, mightily insulting over the Ministers ⟨p. 47⟩because they doe not assume to themselves the infallible Spirit, in that notion which the Quakers boast they have it, and yet cannot speak rationally. Let us hear a little.
, &c. to prove the maintenance of Ministers: They that preach on the Gospel must live upon the Gospel. This scripture shames you, and shows your Gospel will not maintain you, but you seek to Magistrate s•• and the Ministers of the Gospel are ashamed of such a pack of teachers. This is his answer, so, He that thresheth, thresheth in hope: Oh how have they threshed in hope all this while, and got forth no corn, but are fain to seek to the Magistrates for me•nes and food. So, Thou shalt not muzzle the month of the Ox: Oh you shameless teachers, your mouths must be muzzled, have been treading all this while, and no corn trodden out to feed you, but are fain to seek to the Magistrates. Do not these men speak gallantly? Is not here evidence of the infallible Spirit? But if these Quakers would have spoken like men, thus ye should have said: True, those who preach the Gospel, those who thresh, those who tread out, &c. that is, those who do perform the work of the Lords Ministers, in teaching, Jabouring faithfully, they may challenge maintenance by these Scriptures. But you do not thresh, labour, &c. in the Lords work. Therefore you cannot claim maintenance from these Scriptures; now you had spoken rationally, and there had been matter of shame indeed that we should have called for corn, and not wrought: but now you have cast all the shame upon the people, that we preaching, labouring, threshing, &c. are denied our corn, our maintenance, and are forced to go to the Magistrates our nursing fathers,
. for it. Like a man who hath been ploughing and threshing half a year for another, when he comes to demand his wages, he is denied: the man goeth to the Magistrate to be helped, the Quakers cry out, Oh thou shameless man, hast thou been ploughing and threshing so long, and now art fain to go to the Magistrate? &c. Doth the man deserve shame, or he who deny him his due? So here.
Qua: gl•: of God, p 3, 4. there they undertake to answer the arguments the Apostle brings, 1 Cor. 9.9, 10, 11, &c. to prove the maintenance of Ministers: They that preach on the Gospel must live upon the Gospel. This scripture shames you, and shews your Gospel will not maintain you, but you seek to Magistrat s•• and the Ministers of the Gospel are ashamed of such a pack of teachers. This is his answer, so, He that thresheth, thresheth in hope: Oh how have they threshed in hope all this while, and got forth no corne, but are faine to seeke to the Magistrates for me•nes and food. So, Thou shalt not muzzle the month of the Oxe: Oh you shamelesse teachers, your mouthes must be muzled, have been treading all this while, and no corne trodden out to feed you, but are faine to seek to the Magistrates. Doe not these men speak gallantly? Is not here evidence of the infallible Spirit? But if these Quakers would have spoken like men, thus ye should have said: True, those who preach the Gospel, those who thresh, those who tread out, &c. that is, those who doe perform the work of the Lords Ministers, in teaching, Iabouring faithfully, they may challenge maintenance by these Scriptures. But you doe not thresh, labour, &c. in the Lords work. Therefore you cannot claim maintenance from these Seriptures; now you had spoken rationally, and there had been matter of shame indeed that we should have called for corn, and not wrought: but now you have cast all the shame upon the people, that we preaching, labouring, threshing, &c. are denied our corn, our maintenance, and are forced to goe to the Magistrates our nursing fathers, Isa. 49 v. 23. for it. Like a man who hath been plowing and threshing halfe a yeare for another, when he comes to demand his wages, he is denied: the man goeth to the Magistrate to be helped, the Quakers cry out, Oh thou shamelesse man, hast thou been plowing and threshing so long, and now art fain to goe to the Magistrate? &c. Doth the man deserve shame, or he who deny him his due? So here.
Thus, Priests Igno: p. 2. The teachers of the world sprinkle Infants, telling people its an Ordinance of God, which is contrary ⟨p. 48⟩to the Scriptures; and quotes in his margin Gal. 3.1. Luc. 1.26.36. Let any one read those Scriptures, and see how they oppose it: he quotes no other Scriptures.
Thus, Priests Igno: p. 2. The teachers of the world sprinkle Infants, telling people its an Ordinance of God, which is contrary ⟨p. 48⟩to the Scriptures; and quotes in his margent Gal. 3.1. Luc. 1.26.36. Let any one reade those Scriptures, and see how they oppose it: he quotes no other Scriptures.
In the next: The teachers of the world call people unto a Sacrament, for the which there is no Scripture, here they act contrary to the Scriptures: quoting Gen. 29.28. the words are these, and Jacob did so and fulfilled her week, and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also, and Gen. 10. but no verse. These are all the Scriptures. Here you see the Priests ignorance, and the Quakers knowledge laid together.
In the next: The teachers of the world call people unto a Sacrament, for the which there is no Scripture, here they act contrary to the Scriptures: quoting Gen. 29.28. the words are these, and Iacob did so and fulfilled her weeke, and he gave him Rachel his daughter to wife also, and Gen. 10. but no verse. These are all the Scriptures. Here you see the Priests ignorance, and the Quakers knowledge laid together.
So let any one that hath reason read Naylor his Answer to Jo: Reyners Queries. Parnell against Dr. Draton, and then see if it be not a woeful judgment of God to let a Nation be overrun, and people catched, with such witless, brainless fellows, besides their gross, abominable principles, that destroy Scriptures, Ordinances, Churches, civil States, &c.
So let any one that hath reason reade Naylor his Answer to Io: Reyners Queries. Parnel against Dr. Draton, and then see if it be not a wofull judgment of God to let a Nation be overrun, and people catched, with such witlesse, brainlesse fellowes, besides their grosse, abominable principles, that destroy Scriptures, Ordinances, Churches, civil States, &c.
Conclusion. Since then the Light which the Quakers boast come from the infallible Spirit in them, is thus, irrational, brutish, &c. I conclude, their Light is from Satan, not from Christ.
Conclusion. Since then the Light which the Quakers boast come from the infallible Spirit in them, is thus, irrationall, brutish, &c. I conclude, their Light is from Satan, not from Christ.
Argum: 12
Major. That Light which affirmeth sound believers, walking (evangelically) in obedience to Gods commandments to be in a state of condemnation, that Light is from Satan, not from Christ.
Minor. But so do the Light of the Quakers: Ergo.
Argum: 12
Major. That Light which affirmeth sound believers, walking (evangelically) in obedience to Gods commandements to be in a state of condemnation, that Light is from Satan, not from Christ.
Minor. But so doe the Light of the Quakers: Ergo.
Minor. 1But the Quakers Light affirmeth sound believers, and persons who walk in obedience &c. to be in a state of condemnation.
1They do not say this in so many words, but by consequence; for the persons who are such, and they cannot disprove it, they affirm to be in that condition.They doe not say this in so many words, but by consequence; for the persons who are such, and they cannot disprove it, they affirm to be in that condition.
For we are assured there are hundreds of sound believers in Christ in England, that fear to sin, walk with the Lord, (and that more close than the Quakers) who do detest and abominate the Quakers doctrines, principles, and practises; but the Quakers say of those who come not amongst them, that they shall be damned, perish, &c. This is their common language about us.
For we are assured there are hundreds of sound believers in Christ in England, that fear to sinne, walke with the Lord, (and that more close than the Quakers) who doe detest and abominate the Quakers doctrines, principles, and practises; but the Quakers say of those who come not amongst them, that they shall be damned, perish, &c. This is their common language about us.
Thus J. Toldervy, Ep. 17.18. told his Master Col. Web. Thus Mason p. 8. speaking to the Ministers, whom he calls Merchants of Babylon, bid us read our doom, in Revel. 18.7.8. yet among these I am sure are very sound believers, and very holy men, if they may be tried by the word: which shall try them, yea and you Mason, and all your Quakers, notwithstanding your boastings of the infallible Spirit.
Thus I. N. p. 17. F. Harris makes this Query, Whether it be safe for Christians to forsake and let go those Gospel-dispensations of the Spirit of Truth, in which God hath blessedly appeared, &c?
Thus I. N. p. 17. F. Harris makes this Querie, Whether it be safe for Christians to forsake and let goe those Gospel-dispensations of the Spirit of Truth, in which God hath blessedly appeared, &c?
The sum of his answer is this, that all those who deny the light of Christ, and the infallible spirit (in their sense this must be taken, else we do say, some truth is in this) have nothing but the spirit of delusions: but then adds, without the infallible spirit there is no promise nor word, but what is stolen from others, or out of a book, and had thou had no book thou had no voice nor promise. Here is brave stuff: the promises then in the Bible, are little worth; if I. N. can find any promises out of this book, let him take them for me.
The summe of his answer is this, that all those who deny the light of Christ, and the infallible spirit (in their sense this must be taken, else we do say, some truth is in this) have nothing but the spirit of delusions: but then adds, without the infallible spirit there is no promise nor word, but what is stolen from others, or out of a booke, and had thou had no booke thou had no voice nor promise. Here is brave stuffe: the promises then in the Bible, are little worth; if I. N. can finde any promises out of this book, let him take them for me.
Let the Quakers tell us what is faith, according as the Lord Christ declares it in his Word, (not their infallible Spirit without the Word) tell us what it is to walk holily, as the holy men in Scripture have done, and see if there be not many hundreds that answer that faith and holiness.
Let the Quakers tell us what is faith, according as the Lord Christ declares it in his Word, (not their infallible Spirit without the Word) tell us what it is to walk holily, as the holy men in Scripture have done, and see if there be not many hundreds that answer that faith and holinesse.
The author
Giles Firmin 1614–1697
PuritansEngland/New England
Physician and minister; author of The Real Christian.
