The Quakers' Spriritual Court Proclaimed by Nathaniel Smith

The Quakers' Spiritual Court Proclaimed

Title Page

THE

QUAKERS

Spiritual Court

PROCLAIM'D

Being an exact NARRATIVE of two several Trials had before that New-High-Court of Justice, at the Peele in St. John's Street; Together with the Names of the Judges that sate in Judgment, and of the Parties concern'd in the said Trials: Alsosundry Errors and Corruptions, in Principle and

Practice among the QUAKERS, which were never till now made known to the World. Also a Direction to attain to be a QUAKER, and Profit by it. All which, with many new matters and things of Remark among those Men, are faithfully declared and testified.

By Nathaniel Smith Student in Physick, who was himself a Quaker, and conversant among them for the space of about XIV. Years.

LONDON,

Printed for L. C. and are to be Sold by the Book-Sellers of London, 1669.

Dedication

To the Right Honourable GEORGE, LORD DELAMER OF Dunham-Massey, in the County Palatine of Chester.

Although the Author of the following treatise doth give the world a good account, concerning a court spiritual, lately erected among the men called Quakers, by their own usurped prerogative royal; yet I hear no news of any court of honour, held in that society, except that sordid principle and practice of theirs be one whereby they arraign, censure, and condemn all great and honourable names, by which the King (the critical fountain of honour) is pleased to dignify, and distinguish many noble, reverend, and worthy persons in Church and State. Shall I therefore (my Lord) have leave to offer a few words from the scriptures of truth, to these men in justification of titles, gestures, and other significations of honour; which I apprehend myself somewhat concerned to do for these three reasons:

1. That I might give you your due and proper title (my Lord) not by way of flattery and complement, but according to duty and judgement. And

2. That these great pretenders to light (if possible) might be enlightened, in the point of honour, which they have been taught (but not of God) to disuse, yea, to despise and vilify.

3. That I may maintain the honour and reputation of true religion which doth not teach men to be clowns, but is in truth the best breeding, and most exact education in the whole world; teaching us how to behave ourselves with reverence and Godly fear towards God, and with all due respect to all men, especially to superiors in church, state, and families. Let Jacob, a person of signal piety towards God, and of very great civility to man, be well weighed by those that profess to be in his seed.

Moses in his first book called Genesis in the 32 and 33 Chapters, has recorded at large the prudent, decent, civil, courtly carriage of Jacob towards his brother Esau, when Esau and he were on their march to meet each other, and at their meeting and interview. It is to be seen in those two chapters, that Jacob did call himself five times Esau's servant; and called Esau eight times, my Lord Esau; and bowed himself seven times to the ground when he came into the presence of Esau.

To me (my Lord) it is very evident that this lofty language, and lowly gesture of Jacob, came only from his great prudence; thus to pacify the imposed displeasure and wrath of Esau, and from his well-informed conscience, which told him, it was his duty to honour his elder brother Esau, upon the account of seniority, and primogeniture. For,

1. The Love of God mentioned in Malachi, and the promise made to Rebecca, as recited by St. Paul, Rom. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, seem to single out, and solely refer to the person of Jacob, not of Esau. When Rebecca had conceived by one, even by our Father Isaac, it was said unto her (by the Lord himself, Gen. 25.23,) The elder shall serve the younger, as it is written (Mal. 1.23,) Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.This promise and declaration of God, seems to absolve Jacob from all service and homage to Esau, and to oblige Esau to serve and bow before Jacob, as his Lord and superior; but it is apparent, that though the names of the two twins, Jacob and Esau, are only named, yet not their persons, but their respective posterities are intended, as any man may easily see, that will compare Rom. 9.10. &c; Mal. 1.2, 3; Gen. 25 21, 22, 23; that Jacob understood the promise made to his mother, not of any personal election of Jacob, or reprobation of Esau; nor of personal subjection and submission of the elder brother to the younger, Jacob's fact fully shows: who did, notwithstanding the promise aforesaid, serve and honour Esau, as he was Jacob's first-born brother; and as Esau has now grown great, rich, and potent.