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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A94772	The Scriptures proved to be the word of God, and the only foundation of faith, and rule for our obedience. Or, A clear conviction of the errours of those that are called Quakers. Who blasphemously affirm that the Scriptures are not the word of God, nor the foundation of faith, nor the only rule for our obedience ... / By Sampson Tounesend, minister of the Gospel, and pastor of S. Austins, and Saviours parish in Norwich.	Townsend, Sampson.	1654 (1654)	Wing T1986A; ESTC R185411	14,687	23

THE SCRIPTURES Proved to be the Word of God And the only foundation of Faith and Rule for our obedience OR A CLEAR CONVICTION Of the Errours of those that are called QUAKERS Who blasphemously affirm That the Scriptures are not the Word of God nor the foundation of Faith nor the only rule for our Obedience Against which Errours these two Propositions are maintained I. That the Scriptures contained in the Books of the Old and New Testament commonly called the Bible is the revealed Will Word of God II. That the Scriptures which is the Word of God is the only foundation for our faith and the only rule for our obedience By SAMPSON TOVNESEND Minister of the Gospel and Pastor of S. Austins and Saviours Parish in Norwich Prov. 13.13 Who so despiseth the Word of God shall be destroyed Jer. 8.9 Lo they have rejected the Word of the Lord and what wisdome is in them Exod. 32.16 And the Tables were the work of God and the writing was the writing of God graven upon the Tables 2 Pet 1.21 For the prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony If they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them London Printed by S.G. for R. Tomlins at the Sun and Bible in Pye-Corner 1654. TO CHRISTOPHER ADKINSON JAMES LANCASTER GEORGE WHITEHEAD and THOMAS SIMONDS Now in Norwich Gaol for their blasphemy and miscariages IF ever the truth of God were turned into a lye Rom. 1.25 It is by you that deny the Scriptures to be the truth of God and pretend immediate revelations to be the rule for your actions I shall mind you of a passage of a reverend minister now with God * Mr. Burroughs on Hosea 8.12 pag. 91. he saith There is a generation of men rising now if not risen that begin to have vile thoughts of the written word of God and think to understand the mind of God otherwise c. But saith he when they are rotten and it may be when their souls are perished in hell the written word of God shall stand and be honourable in the eies of all his Saints You acknowledge the Scriptures to be the trnth and yet deny them to be the word of God A strange paradox As if the scriptures which are called the truth of God And God which is the God of truth should not be the author of the truth 1 King 17.24 Rom 3.7 Deut. 32.4 Psal 31.5 Or as if man which is vanity yea a ly should yet be the onely author of the truth Upon this your error depēd your other errors of denying the scriptures to be the only ground of your faith and the onely rule for your obedience for did you believe the scriptures to be the word of God they would cleerly convince you of the errors of your judgement and practice in many things Let me reason with you a little you acknowledge the scripture to be the truth you must of necessity also grant that whatsoever is contrary to truth is an error And having granted this see what will follow upon it by way of trial of your judgement and practice It is your judgement that you are perfect and free from all sin see this to be an error contrary to the truth in Eccle. 7.20 1 John 1.8 10. You deny the power of the Magistrate in the matters of God contrary to the truth in Rom. 13.1 to 6. Joh. 31.11 28. You not only speak evill of governers but of government also contrary to the truth in Tit. 3.2 2 Pet. 2.10 Jude 8. You condemn the ministers of the Church of England and despise them as false teachers and say they know nothing of the true light although they speak nothing but what is according to the Law and testimonie of God in his word which is the rule to try all teachers by Isa 8.20 This your judgement is an error it being contrary to Tit. 2.15 and know that in thus doing ye doe not onely despise man but God I shall not foul paper 1 Thes 4.8 Luk. 10.16 in mentioning your judging censuring and condemning of both Magistrates and Ministers onely see how contrary this your practice is to truth Mat. 7.1 2. Rom. 14.10 13. Jam. 4.11 You condemn rhe ministers of the Church of England for preaching for hire whereas ye do not know their ends in preaching and thus you are become judges of evill thoughts Jam. 2.4 Contrary to the truth in 1 Cor. 4.5 Judge nothing before the time And you deny that ministers should take any wages for their work But your error herein you may easily perceive If you consider that Christ and the Apostle give strong reasons for their maintenance Mat. 10.10 Luk. 10.7 1 Tim. 5.18 1 Cor. 9.13 14. note it Likewise the Apostle himselfe took wages of the Churches to do service in the ministerie 2 Cor. 11.8 and laid an injunction upon the people to give him wages Gal. 6.6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things Mark he doth not say let him contribute as an almes but communicate as a right as wages And in the next verse Gal. 6.7 he intimates that God is mocked when his Ministers are not maintained But God will not be mocked neither will he be robbed but they shall hear ye are Cursed Mal. 3.8.9 Jer. 12.13 I shall mention no more of your errors My designe according to promise is To prove the Scriptures to be the word of God the onely ground of faith and rule for our obedience which I have here presented you with Read it examine it if it be not truth witnesse by truth against it If it be truth as undoubtedly you will find it so then submit to it be ruled by it And doubtlesse your bodies shall be freed from your deserved imprisonment and your souls from the threatned damnation against false Prophets 2 Pet. 2.1 2 3. 1 Tim. 5 12. and such as cast off their first faith I rest an enemie to error and A friend to truth Sampson Tounesend From my studie January 29. 1654 5 THE EPISTLE To the READER READER IF thy heart be not grieved to hear the blasphemy of those that deny Gods truth his messengers his ordinances thou hast much cause to suspect thy love to God his truth or ordinances The first step to errour is to have our love abated towards the truth You need not marveil if those that receive not the truth in the love of it that they may be saved but deny God to be the authour of the truth 2 Thes 2.10 11 12. that they are carried on by strong delusions to believe a lye that they might be damned the judgement is long since threatned When men forsake the right way they must needs goe astray When men forsake the fountain of

living water 2 Pet. 2.15 then doe they dig to themselves broken cisterns that can hold no water When sound doctrine will not be indured 2 Tim. 4.3 4. then such as turn away from the truth are regarded Those that deny the scriptures to be the word of God turne to be filthy dreamers despising dominion and speaking evill of dignities Iude 8. as Jude speaks they tell their dreames and pretended revelations to the people and would perswade men they are the word of God Jer. 23.25 26 27. but as the prophet Jeremiah saith The Lord is against them that prophesie false dreams Jer. 23.31 32. that use their tongues and say he saith Beloved these are the latter times prophesied of long since in which some shall depart from the faith giving heed unto seducing spirits and Doctrines of Devils For if ever there were a Doctrine of Devils 1 Tim. 4. or a Devilish Doctrine vented on earth this is one To perswade men the scriptures are not the word of God and that they must be guided only by the light within them If the Divell can but perswade men to believe this doctrine it will be easie to perswade them to deny the use of all meanes of grace and all principles of religion to be led altogether by the suggestions of Sathan while he perswades them it is the light within them by which onely they must be guided contrary to Isa 8.20 Yet these men that teach this Devilish Doctrine with many more would perswade the world although they justly suffer for their ungodly practice that they are persecuted and suffer for the cause of God But we know it is not the suffering but the cause that makes the Martyr and sure I am Mat. 5.10 they suffer not for righteousnesse sake and therefore not for the cause of God 2 Cor. 4.4 Vnlesse it be the God of this world who hath blinded their miuds c. Shall such as poysen mens bodies be punished with death And must those that poyson mens souls with Damnable doctrines goe unpunished You may read at your leasure how severe God is against seducers in Deut. 13. To conclude art thou one that standest firm in the faith pray to God thou maist keep thy standing art thou one that art wavering minded then adhere to and follow after those teachers that are sound in the faith whom God hath set over you And know 2 Pet. 2.2.14 that unstable souls are they that are beguiled by false teachers Wherefore hearken not to them and as Christ commands you Luk. 17.23 go not after them nor follow them And make use of his following antidote against them And art thou one that art already seduced into the errour of denying the scriptures to be the word of God Let me tell thee that what is written in this book shall either convince thee or be a witnesse against thee And if any one receive any benefit by these my labours all that I desire is they would blesse God for it and let him have a share in your prayers who is willing to be Your Servant in and for the truth Sampson Tounesend THE SCRIPTVRES Proved to be the Word of God DAN 10.21 I will shew thee that which is noted in the Scripture of Truth HAving undertaken to maintain against the Quakers these two Propositions I. That the Scriptures contained in the Books of the Old and New Testament commonly called the Bible is the revealed Will and Word of God II. That the Scriptures which is the Word of God is the only foundation for our faith and the only rule for our obedience I begin with the first And I shall prove that the Scriptures is the Word of God First by Scripture it self Secondly by Reason He that will not believe the Scriptures is an Infidel That will not hear the voice of Reason is a Beast The Scriptures ought to convince us as Christians Reason as rational men And I doubt not but by both to clear up to every one that resolves not to be wilfully blind that the Scriptures are the revealed Will of God 1. I shall prove that the Scriptures are the Word of God by the testimony of the Scriptures We find throughout the Scriptures in several places that God is said 1. To speak them 2. To write them or 3. To cause them to be written 4. They bear Gods name and title upon them Lastly by the titles that are given to the Ministers that declare them I shall give you several instances in Scripture for all these 1. The Scriptures declare in a multitude of places That God said the words that are therein written I shall give you some few for all Gen. 1.3 God said c. and in several places in that Chapter and throughout the Book it is often written God said and the Lord said and in Exod. 3.14 And God said unto Moses I am that I am And in many places it is said The Lord spake to Moses and it is written what God said to him Exod. 20.1 God spake all these words saying c. Lev. 10.3 This is that the Lord spake saying I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me Num. 11.25 And the Lord came down in a Cloud and spake unto him Deut. 5.22 These words the Lord spake unto all your assembly Josh 24.2 And Joshua said unto all the people Thus saith the Lord God of Israel Josh 7.13 Thus saith the Lord There is an accursed thing in the midst of thee O Israel 1 Sam. 2.30 Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith I said indeed c. 1 Sam. 15.2 Thus saith the Lord of Hosts 1 Kin. 8.15 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which spake with his mouth unto David my Father and hath with his hand fulfilled it saying c. 1 Chron. 21.9 And the Lord spake unto Davids Seer saying c. Iob 1.7 8. And the Lord said unto Satan Psal 50.1 The mighty God the Lord hath spoken c. Psal 12.5 Now will I arise saith the Lord. Isa 24.3 The Lord hath spoken this word And in many places he saith Thus saith the Lord. Ier. 1.1 2 4 9. The words of Ieremiah c. to whom the word of the Lord came c. The Lord saith unto me Behold I have put my words in thy mouth and in many places in that Book he saith Thus saith the Lord. Ezek. 7.1 The word of the Lord came unto me saying and in many places also he saith Thus saith the Lord. Hos 1.1 The word of the Lord that came unto Hosea Ioel 1.1 The word of the Lord that came to Joel Amos 3.1 Hear the Word that the Lord hath spoken and Ver. 8. The Lord hath spoken who can but prophesie And in many places he saith Thus saith the Lord. Obad. 1. The vision of Obadiah Thus saith the Lord. Ionah 1.1 Now the Word of the Lord came to Jonab Micah 1.1 The Word of the Lord that came to Micah Nabum 1.12

Word of God Reason 13. The sweet Harmony of the Scriptures prove them to be the Word of God for no writings of man do so debase man exalt God and presse men to obedience But the Pen-men of the Scriptures doe all agree together in these things and although there were many Pen-men yet there is no contradiction in their writings but the Old Testament witnesses to the New and the New to the Old It is not thus in the writings of men Therefore they must needs be the Writings of God Reason 14. If they were written by man they were written either by good men or bad men But they were not written by bad men for they hate the purity of the Scriptures and to be sure they were not written by good men as the Authours thereof for they abhor to lie and say The Lord saith if the Lord hath not said the Word Therefore they must needs be the written Word of God Reason 15. The wonderful calling of Moses the Prophets and Apostles to make known the Scriptures doe manifestly prove them to be the Word of God see for Moses how he was called Exod. 2.7 10. and 3.2 Acts 7.20 21. and Amos and divers of the Apostles were unlearned men which had not been brought up in the schools of men Amos 7 14 15. Mark 1.16 And yet these declared the Scriptures which manifest more wisdome then all the wise men in the world can declare yea the Apostles that were unlearned and ignorant men spake in several tongues the wonderful works of God to the admiration of the hearers Acts 2.11 and 4.13 this could not come from man Therefore it must needs be the Word of God Reason 16. No writings of man could declare the heavy wrath of God against sin and the remedy how to get rid of that wrath But this doth the Scriptures Psa 9.17 Rom. 5.9 1 Thess 5.9 Luke 21.36 therefore they are the Word of God Reason 17. If the Scriptures were not the Word of God but of man then certainly God would not have wrought so many miracles to confirm the truth of mans sayings But there are many miracles both in the Old and New Testament to confirm the truth of the Scriptures Therefore they are the Word of God Reason 18. No creature Angels men or Devils if all were put together could ever be able to declare before hand what particular persons should be born and what should be their names and what they should do some thousand and hundred years before their parents were born But this do the Scriptures as we read of the Messias Gen. 3.15 Isa 9.6 7. and Iosiah 1 Kings 13.2 2 Kings 23.16 17. Therefore it is the Word of God Reason 19. No man will write and declare to the world their own failings and infirmities But many of the Pen-men of the Scriptures do declare their own failings and infirmities which they would never have done had they not been moved thereunto by the Spirit of God Therefore the Scriptures must be the Word of God Reason 20. All the prophecies of the Scripture from time to time have been punctually performed and fulfilled But so are not all mans prophecies Therefore they are the Word of God Reason 21. The word of man is often broken But the Scripture cannot be broken Iohn 10.35 Therefore it is the Word of God Reason 22. If the Scriptures were not the Word of God the Churches of God would long before this time have found them out to be only the word of man as Jeremiah found out Hannaniah Jer. 28.15 16. and as the Church of Ephesus found out the false Apostles Rev. 2.2 But the truth of Gods Word in the Scriptures hath ever been held forth by the Churches of God as a Proclamation upon a pillar 1 Tim. 3.15 Now as a Proclamation receives not its authority from the pillar nor the light from the Candlestick that bears it So neither do the truths of the Scriptures receive their authority from the Church or any member thereof but from God which is the onely Authour thereof and so all Christian Churches acknowledge And thus you see that the Scriptures are the Word of God 1. Reason shews it 2. The Spirit of God perswades it Isa 59.21 3. The Scriptures themselves affirm it and 4. The Churches of God have ever received it as the Word of God Therefore it must needs be the Word of God To conclude this If the Scriptures be not the Word of God but of man only then 1. Man should teach himself his duty towards God 2. We should have no certain rule for our Faith and Religion 3. There should be no necessity of reading and hearing the Scriptures 4. If we deny the Scriptures to bee the Word of God we cast off all means which God hath appointed for eternal life Iohn 5.39 And lastly doubting of this exposes us to all Atheisme and contempt of Religion and Justice Therefore seeing as hath been fully proved the Scriptures themselves and Reason also make it apparent that the Scriptures are the Word of God let us believe they are so And as the Apostle exhorts Phil. 3.16 Let us walk by the same rule and mind the same thing And thus have I done with the first Proposition That the Scriptures contained in the Books of the Old and New Testament commonly called the Bible is the revealed Will and Word of God Prop. II. I come now to the second Proposition That the Scriptures which is the Word of God is the only foundation for our faith and the only rule for our obedience This Proposition falls into these two parts 1. That the Scriptures is the only foundation for our faith 2. That it is the only rule for our obedience I shall very briefly speak to both these things First That the Scriptures is the only foundation of our faith 1. The Scriptures are the means by which faith is wrought Rom. 10.17 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Eph. 1.13 In whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the Gospel of your salvation And saith Christ John 5.24 He that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath everlasting life And the Word is called the word of Faith Rom. 10.8 The mystery of Faith 1 Tim. 3.9 The faith of the Gospel Phil. 1.27 And all this to teach us that all true faith is wrought by and founded upon the Word of God 2. It is the very end why the Scriptures are written John 20.31 That we might make them the foundation of our faith and hope in God 1 John 5.13 These things have I written c. that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God Rom. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written afore time were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope 3. The Scriptures must needs be the only foundation to build faith on because we find the faithful in Scripture did ever

make it the only foundation of their faith Abraham the father of the faithful he believed according to that which was spoken Rom. 4.18 and David Psal 119.42 I trust in thy Word And the Disciples Iohn 2.22 they believed the Scriptures and the Word which Jesus had said And observe S. Pauls Confession Acts 24.14 15. I confess unto thee that after the way which they call Heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets and have hope towards God c. And the Bereans Acts 17.11 12. searched the Scriptures whether those things were so therefore many of them believed And thus you see they made the Scriptures the only foundation for their faith 4. They cannot have faith in Christ that believe not the Scriptures this is clearly proved by these Scriptures Ioh. 5.46 47. For had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wrote of me But if ye believe not his writings how shall ye believe my words Luke 16 31. If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rise from the dead And saith Christ Ioh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye look to have eternal life and they are they which testifie of me By these Scriptures it is clear that those that believe not the Scriptures cannot have faith in Christ by any other means And therefore the Scriptures must needs be the only foundation of faith 5. It is only faith in the written Word of God that will fill the soul with spiritual joy Rom. 15 12.13 and hence it is that David saith Psal 119.162 I rejoice in thy Word as one that findeth great spoil and saith the Apostle 1 Iohn 1.4 These things have I written unto you that your joy may be full There can be no spiritual joy in those that build not their faith in the written Word and promises of God It is by faith in the Word that believers of old and at all times obtained promises Heb. 11.33 And Christ when he was upon the Earth prayed for such as should believe on him through the Word written by the Apostles and Evangelists John 17.20 Therefore the written Word of God must needs be the only foundation of faith Lastly we are commanded to make the Word of God the ground of our faith and it is condemned as a sin not to believe the Word of God 2 Chro. 20.20 Believe in the Lord your God so shall you be established Believe his Prophets so shall ye prosper Ps 106.24 They believed not his Word Heb. 4.2 The Word preached did not profit them not being mixt with faith in them that heard it And thus you see God commands we should build our faith upon the Scriptures therefore they must needs be the only foundation of faith Before I conclude this take this Caution Although the Word of God be the only foundation for us to build our faith on Caution yet the Word as it consisteth of letters and syllables hath no strength to beget faith in mens hearts for many hear but do not believe Isa 6.9 10 And therefore it is only from the Spirits working together with the Word that faith is wrought 1 Thess 1.5 Our Gospel came not in word only but also in power and in the Holy Ghost The Word works not faith without the Spirit neither doth the Spirit work faith without the Word but the Spirit by the Word works sanctification and a lively faith founded upon the Word as ye may see in these Scriptures John 17.17 John 6.63 Isa 59.21 Hag. 2.5 And thus have I proved the first part of the Proposition That the Scriptures is the only foundation of faith Secondly I come now to the second That the Scriptures which are the Word of God are the only rule for our obedience I might for proof of this give you many testimonies of Scripture but I shall name a few for all Deut. 5.32 33. Ye shall observe to do therefore as the Lord hath commanded you ye shall not turn aside to the right hand nor to the left ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you Deut. 6.25 And it shall be our righteousness if we observe to do all these Commandments before the Lord as he hath commanded us Josh 23.6 Keep and do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses The Word of God in the Old and New Testament is a perfect Law Ps 19.7 James 1.25 Rom. 8.2 And hence it is the Scriptures are said to bee able to make the man of God perfect 2 Tim. 3.17 And it must needs be so because where there is no transgression of the Law of God there is no sin for all sin is the transgression of the Law of God 1 Ioh. 3.4 And therefore God promises to all those he enters into Covenant with To write his Law in their hearts Ier. 31.33 Heb. 8.10 And of every righteous man it is said The Law of God is in his heart Ps 37.31 By all which it appears the Word of God is the only rule for our obedience It may also yet farther appear if ye consider 1. The Lord is the only Law-giver Iam. 4.12 and his Word is the only right rule for our obedience Ps 33.4 and therefore it is called the sure Word 2 Pet. 1.19 it will never fail 2. It is an everlasting rule so long as we live on Earth 1 Pet. 1.25 The Word of the Lord endureth for ever 3. No man can be blameless in his life unless his conversation be ordered according to the Word of God Psal 119. 9 Luke 1.6 Titus 2.5 4. Every man shall be judged according to what is written in the Book of Gods Word Iohn 12.48 Rev. 20.12 Lastly there are many promises made to the keeping of Gods Word and many threatnings denounced against such as walk contrary to the rules of Gods Word Gal. 6.16 Rev. 22.14 Luke 11.28 And for threatnings read Deut. 28.15 c. Before I conclude take these two Cautions Caution 1. Although the written Word of God be a perfect rule of righteousness and the only rule for our obedience yet know that no man can or does perfectly fulfill the Law of God for Iames 3.2 In many things we offend all and Prov. 20.9 Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from sin The most eminent believer sins in many things but the unbeliever sins in all things Heb. 11.6 Yet every godly man hath respect to all and desires and endeavors to keep all the Commandments of God Ps 119.5 6. and do not willingly allow himself in any constant violation of Gods Law but delights in it in the inward man Rom. 7.15 16. and the 22 verse Caution 2. Take this Caution although believers are freed from the condemning power of the Law yet are they not freed from the commanding or directing power thereof 1 Cor. 9.21 1 Tim. 1.8 To conclude they that make not the Word of God the rule for their actions are led either by their own fancies or the Devils temptations or both FINIS