Faithful to understand those things which they received of the Apostles therefore to understand the Scriptures in those things which are necessary to Salvation with more to that purpose Vatablus on Job 32. 8. with Drusius 〈…〉 and others speak to the same effect G. Cradock a famous Independent Preacher preach'd That the Scripture is a Speechless Thing without the Spirit Ch. Goad an Eminent Separate in his Works stil'd B. D. of K. College in Cambridge and an Independent Pastor thus taught There is no Knowledge of Christ nor of the Scripture but by Revelation D. J. Owen a Man of greatest Fame among the present Independents saith The◠Publick Authentick and Infallible Interpreter of the holy Scripture is He who is the Author of them from the Breathing of whose Spirit it Deriveth all its Verity Perspicuity and Authority So that we see upon the Judgment of many considerable Persons the Scripture is no◠Rule for our believing and understanding 〈◊〉 It self and therefore not The Rule of Faith and Practice concerning the things therein declared I will give a short Instance in Christ's words about Regeneration He taught and strange it was no doubt to wise Nicodemus That unless a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God This is as plain a Proposition as can be laid down and may be credited Historically But what is that to the Knowledge and Experience of the New Birth That they are never like to be informed of there Nor can that Scripture be my Rule in that Heavenly Travel respecting the many and wonderful Trials and Exercises that are to be met with in the way to It Neither can any other Writing whatever This only is the Office of that Spirit and Word Immortal by which we are begotten again What then is my Rule to inform order strengthen and lead through the whole Operation but the Same Spirit All Doctrinal Scripture was experienced before written or they had not been true Witnesses who wrote it Now that which was their Rule can only guide us into the same Experiences nor are they to be rightly known before experienced Do my Will and you shall know more of my Doctrine saith Christ I read the History of such things This saves not Neither can the History be the Rule leading into the Mystery That belongs only to the Spirit that searcheth out the deep things of God Consequently the Spirit and not the Scripture is the Rule for So believing and living Obj. But is not this to make void the Protestants Plea against the Papists viz. That the Scriptures are the Rule of Faith and Practice Answ No such matter For the Question was not Whether the Spirit of Christ or the Scripture was the Rule But Whether the Scripture which is God's Tradition or Popish Traditions were the Rule to measure the Truth of Doctrines and Practices by We grant that particular Scriptures rightly understood may measure what is agreeable or disagreeable to them That is such Doctrines and Practices as are contrary to that part of Scripture more particularly relating to our days are questionable by the Scripture especially since all Parties pretend that what they say and do is according to Scripture Yet this concludes not the Scripture to be The General and Evangelical Rule Obj. But if God had not revealed those things that are in Scripture by it to us how could they have been known by us Answ They were known by the Light and Spirit of Christ before they were written for from being written they are called Scripture Therefore it is said That the Prophets searched diligently what and what manner of Time the Spirit of Christ tha◠was in them did signifie when it testified before hand of the Sufferings of Christ No◠are they ever the more reveal'd to the blind and dark Mind because they are written The Mysteries of Regeneration are as Puzling to Natural Wit and Earthly Wisdom as before Therefore well said Epiphanius Only to the Children of the Holy Ghost all the Holy Scriptures are Plain and Easie Mens going to hammer out Principles without this Infallible Guide and Rule hath been the Cause of that great Confusion that is over Mankind about Religion to this very day Obj. But how else could you have known those Prophesies to be true for that is not matter of Witnessing but Fore-telling Answ That is an extraordinary Revelation not falling within the Ordinary Discoveries that are absolutely necessary to Man's Salvation by which he shews his Power and Faithfulness that he is God and can foretell and will bring to pass But therefore must there be an Extraordinary Light or Spirit and not rather an Extraordinary Sight and Sense from One and the Same Light and Spirit in them Besides That which gives me to Believe and Savour it to be from the Spirit and not by Imposture is my Rule for believing it Now that the Spirit so doth both Calvin and Beza as before cited assert for me viz. The Same Spirit that spake by the Mouth of the Prophets must Pierce into our Hearts to perswade us that they Faithfully Declared that which was committed to them of God Obj. But this Light you speak of could not tell you which way Sin came into the World That there was an Adam and Eve that they fell after that manner and that Sin so entered the World That Christ was born of a Virgin suffered Death and rose again That you ought not to Swear in any case c. If the Scriptures had not told you so Answ That is boldly said But consider well Moses says the vulgar Opinion had that Account of the Creation above Two Thousand Years after it by Revelation which we find in Genesis Now that there could be no Revelation without this Divine Light or Spirit which is the Life of the Eternal Creating Word must needs be granted For saith the Apostle Paul the Spirit of God knoweth Only the Things of God and whatever makes manifest is Light And that the Spirit and Light are One tho' Two Names has been sufficiently evidenced already If then it was This Light of the Eternal Word that delivered those past things to Moses and gave that Prospect of future things to the Prophets as no doubt it was if the Scripture be Credible then to say the Light or Spirit could not do it is Blasphemous as well as absurd Again To argue because the Light does not Reveal every Circumstance of History to each Individual that hath already an Account thereof of therefore it could not is Unreasonable Were the History of the Transactions of Christ and his Followers wanting as before Moses was that of Adam and his Posterity and that the Lord saw it needful to acquaint Mankind therewith no doubt but the Light and Spirit which revealed the Account of the Creation above Two Thousand Years after to Moses and fore-told several Hundred Years many of those Transactions of Christ by the Prophets would
then Mine it must needs be I consenting thereto 6. How shall I be assured that these Scriptures came from God I am bound to try all things If all things then Them amongst the rest I would fain know what I must try them with with the Scriptures Then the Scriptures must be the Rule of my Examination and Faith concerning themselves which is improper If with the Spirit that gave them forth which searcheth the deep things of God a measure of which is given to me to profit withal Then is it most congruous to call the Spirit by way of Excellency and not the Scriptures The Rule 7. If the Scriptures are the Rule they must be so in the Original or Copies If in the Original that is not extant and so there would be no Rule in being for the last of it that was extant was the Evangelist John's History at Ephesus not seen almost these thousand Years If the Copies must be the Rule it were to be wished we knew which were the nighest to the Original there being above Thirty in Number This is undetermined and for ought we see Indeterminable And that which further confirms what I say is the Variety of Readings which we find among those Copies amounting to several Thousands And if the Copies cannot how can the Translations be the Rule so various if not differing from the true Sense of the Copies in many things and one from another Besides I would fain know of those of our present Age who thus contend for the Scriptures being the General Rule c. in Opposition to the Spirit upon what foot they receive them into this Place and Authority Is it by Tradition or Revelation I mean the Internal Testimony of the Spirit or the External Award and Determination of Men If the former they must unavoidably come over to us for then the Spirit will and must be both Rule and Judge If the Latter I ask how are they assured that they are not miserably Abused by Carelesness or Design since we see that using utmost Diligence both Translation Transcription and Printing are subject to numerous Mistakes and those sometimes very material against which the Scripture of it self can be no Fence But admit there were no Ground for any such Objection I further demand of our Adversaries if they are well assured of those Men that First Collected Embodied and declared them Authentick by a Publick Canon Which we read was in the Council of Laodicea held 360 Years after Christ though not as they are now received During which time They had been tossed and tumbled through many Hands and of many Judgments and Opinions Some were receiv'd and some rejected and doubtless many Thousands of times transcribed and it is not improbable that they were also abused If they miss in their Judgment here they are gone till they come to us I say how do they know that these Men rightly discerned true from spurious Either their Judgment was infallible in the Matter or it was not If it were then there was such a thing as Infallibility since the Apostles Days which is a Contradiction to your selves But be it so that they were infallible how came you to be assured they were so Not by Inspiration for that is dangerous Doctrine with you Which way was it then Not by Tradition Was it by the Scripture That were to say that the Scripture tells you that those Men that collected it for true were Right in their Judgment But we are yet to find any such place and if it were so that would but beg the Question I cannot see any other Ground besides your very great Indulgence to their Choice which you call Popery and believing as the Church believes in other Folks But if these Men were fallible as your Opinion makes them and their own Determinations prove them what then Doubtless your Condition will be very uncertain Now sure it is that some of the Scriptures taken in by one Council for Canonical were rejected by Another as Apocryphal and that which was left out by the Former for Apocriphal was taken in by the Latter for Canonical Now visible it is that they contradicted each other and as true that they both erred respecting the present Belief For your Canon and Catalogue vary from theirs and let me say without Offence from any Catalogue you can produce Behold the Labyrinth of Incertainties you run your selves into who go from that Heavenly Gift is your selves by which the Holy Scriptures are truly Discerned Relished and Distinguished from the Inventions and Abuses of Men 8. Furthermore If the Scriptures were the Rule of Faith and Life c. then because they cannot be the Rule in their Translations supposing the ancient Copies were Exact it cannot be the Rule to far the Greatest Part of Mankind indeed to none but Learned Men Which neither answers the Promise relating to Gospel-times which is universal nor the Necessity of all Mankind for a Rule of Faith and Life 9. That the Scriptures are not the Rule of Faith and Life is proved from those voluminous Discourses of Cases of Conscience that are extant among us For had the Scriptures been as sufficient as the Nature of the Rule of Faith and Life Requireth there had been no need of such Tracts Every Man might have read his own Condition laid down in Scripture without those numerous Supplements Doth not your own Language and Practice prove its Insufficiency to that End at what time you both exhort to and go in secret to seek the Mind of the Lord in this or that important Affair Why do not you turn to Chapter and Verse for Satisfaction if the Scripture be appointed of God for the General Rule Strange That what is so common in the Mouths of all sorts viz. God direct you which implieth Inspiration and Revelation or immediate Council or Guiding from God should not be known much less acknowledged by you in our Writings but disdained with such scaring Epithetes as Enthusiasm Familism Fanaticism Quakerism c. In short there are a * Thousand Cases and not a few occurring almost daily in which the Scripture cannot be our plain and distinct Rule and Guide Yet has not God left himself without a Witness in any Bosom for his Grace that brings Salvation has appeared unto all Men teaching them that believe in it to deny Ungodliness and worldly Lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present World And Christ Jesus the Eternal Word has for that End lighted every Man coming into the Wold viz. to Discover Reprove and Instruct about Faith and Practice But it may be and is objected by some Obj. If this Law and Light in the Conscience had been enough what need had there been of Scripture Answ The same Argument will hold against God Christ his Spirit and Grace all which are sufficient notwithstanding the Use and Benefit of Scripture The Case was this Man's Mind being estranged from the Light and
that now so lamentably Pesters the World In which State for all the External Imitations of the Ancients in some temporary and figurative Parts of Worship I am to tell such and that from the Spirit of the Lord God of all Truth They will never be Accepted The Utmost of that Literal Knowledge Historical Faith and Outward Religion is but as the Old Heavens that are to be wrapped up as a Scroul and the Old Wine and Bottles that belong not to the Kingdom of God Such Believers may slatter on themselves and at last cry Lord Lord But alas They shall never enter into the Rest that God hath reserved for his Regenerated and Redeemed Children For under such a Faith and Religion Envy Wrath Malice Persecution Pride Passion Covetousness Worldly â—â—ndedness c. may and do prevail yea and are Cloaked as with a secure Cover from the Stroak of God's Spirit insomuch as when any are moved of the Lord to Decry such Fair and Hypocritical Shews of Religion they are reputed Rash and Censorious and presently a Plea must be made on this wise Do not we follow the Commands of the Scripture Did not such and such do so and so Which at best are but the Duties of Sacrifice and not of Obedience Never regarding from what Ground the Performance springs whether it be according to the Rule of the New or of the Old Creature But abuse and vilifie us for making such Distinctions as if the Prayers Preachings Singings outward Baptizings and Suppings c. of Men in their own unsanctified Spirits Strength and Will were required and accepted of God for Evangelical Worship Thick Darkness and a Dangerous Presumption Thus are Men Out of the Way concerning both Faith and Practice and the true Rule and Judge of Them They make the former viz. Faith and Practice to lie in an Assent of the Understanding to such Propositions and in an Imitation of former Observations that were at best but Signs of good things to come and the Duties of Sacrifice which is far from the Immanuel-State And the latter viz. the Rule and Judge to be the Scriptures which is but an Account of those Things that others were Ruled to and Directed in by the Holy Spirit before they were ever Recorded or made Scripture and no other Rule or Judge can so Regulate For as the Faith and Experience so the Rule and Judge of that Faith and that Experience must be One God by his Spirit begets Faith God by his Spirit rules Faith and governs the Life of his Children for as many as are Children of God are led by the Spirit of God The Scripture much of it is but a Declaration of Faith and Experience therefore not The Rule or Judge For as Faith and Experience were before Scripture so the Rule and Judge were before Scripture because as I said before there must be a Rule and Judge where there is Faith therefore the Scripture is not That Rule or Judge And before that Declaration be answered or fulfilled by any they must come to the Faith Rule and Judge of which That is a Declaration So that Faith is yielding up to the Requirings of God's Spirit in us in full Assurance of the Remission of Sins that are past through the Son of his Love and Life Everlasting from whence daily flows Works of Holiness well-pleasing to God which is more than a meer Assent of the Understanding to a verbal though a true Proposition Again The Life of a true Christian stands not in Bodily Exercise which says the Apostle profits little Nor in an Imitation of the Ancients in Temporary and Shaddowy Things which the Hypocrite as well as the Sainâ— can do But in Self-denial and walking in the Spirit to bring forth the Fruits thereof unto all Godliness which is the pure and spiritual Obedience resulting from the Living Spiritual Faith of God's Elect and the Rule and Judge thereof is their Author and Begetter even the Spirit of Truth which alone gives saving Understanding Faith and Obedience and searcheth the deep things of God O you Professors of Religion that you would but seriously weigh these things and examine your selves in God's Sight for he respects none for their Fair Outside If this Saving Faith be your Faith and this Heavenly Life be your Life and if the Holy Spirit be your Ruler and Leader If not you are but Legal Formal and in the Oldness of the Letter and Will-worshipers which obtains not with God In which State not the Wisdom from above but that which 〈◊〉 from below of the Old Creature is your Rule In it you read Scripture Expound it Pray Preach Sing and Perform all your Duties and this is not to walk according to the Rule of the New Creature but in a Legal Spirit to make a Gospel-Profession the End of which from the Lord I am to tell you will be a Bed of Sorrow Therefore Resist not the Light and Spirit within but Turn at the Reproof thereof that you may come to walk in the Way of Life Daily Life to your Souls that so you may be quickned and made alive to God in all your Duties and live to him while you live 〈◊〉 that Life which is hid with Christ in God that being thus Born again and become Renewed in your inward Man you may perform that Pure and Spiritual Worship which is of a sweet Savour with the Lord so shall he Bless you with his Heavenly Blessing and daily Replenish your Souls with the unspeakable Joys of his Love and Salvation This I heartily desire and through all Difficulties Incessantly Travel for in Body Soul and Spirit that the All-Wise Good Omnipotent God may be Known Served and Obeyed by you to your Comfort and his Eternal Honour who alone is worthy to receive 〈◊〉 now and for ever Amen William Penn FINIS Postscript I Would not be misunderstood in what I have writ of the Excellency and Preference of the Holy Spirit of God as the first chief and general Rule of Life and Practice and as the infallible and therefore the best Judge of Controversy among Christians as if I thereby intended to lessen or undervalue the divine Authority or Service of the blessed Scriptures of Truth since we most heartily believe them to have been given forth from the same Holy Spirit and are a Declaration of the Mind and Will of God and as such are obliging upon all that have and can have them both in reference to Faith and Practice And we utterly disclaim and renounce all Doctrines and Practices repugnant to them But as the holy Spirit gave them forth through Holy Men so without the Help of the Holy Spirit they cannot be truly and spiritually understood by those that read them for their Edification and Comfort for that which writ them can best apply them Which is the Reason of that Preference we give to the Spirit of God and of our pressing People to take diligent