written for the ends above specified in the Scriptures mentioned yet will it not follow that it was intended for the Rule to the Church much less the only perfect Rule or Standard of Faith and Life because God did not give order for â—s so to be but assured her before the Scripture was at all as much as God thought sufficient to create and preserve faith in the Gospel she had before she had it written in an outward Letter viz. the inward Light Word and Spirit that was in the beginning from which the Letter came And p. 43. to make a Rule much more then the only sâ—anding Rule exclusively of all other of all internal Light Word Spirit Revelation as JO. and T.D. both hold the Scripture to be is necessary Gods appointment of a Writing to that end to which he did and even in the Scripture it appears appoint the Spirit and inward Light and Word as I shew'd above but never at all appointed the Scripture it self And p. 17 18. of T. D's 2 d. Pam. the difference lyes in God's Arbitrary dispensation who from of old disposed the Light Word and Spirit alone to be the Rule without and before the Letter as being far more excellent and fully sufficient without it as to the nature and being of a Rule but never ordered intended designed appointed or established the Writing alone as the Rule as my two Vniversity Antagonists dispute without and câ—â—lusively of the other And as for the third and fourth Classis of J. O's Scriptures which seeing they are so near a kin to these of the first therefore I shall consider them here before those of the second they are of the same kind so that the same general Answer might satisfie sapienti cui verbum sat but seeing such stress is put on them by J.O. to the stablishing of a wrong Standard which iâ— of so great concernment to be stated right or else all the Building faulters I am free to insist a little more particularly on them then else I need to do They contain as thou sayest J.O. commendations of the Scriptures as to all uses of Religion both by the practises and precepts of Christ and the Apostles searching and expounding proving and trying all things by them themselves and also commending and commanding the searching of them and the trying of all things by them in and among all others Rep. That all the places enumerated by thee do contain any such matter at all I utterly deny for some of those thou citest as well as sundry of those afore spoken to neither expresly nor intentionally relate to the Writing or Scripture but onely to the Word of God and the Things and Truth and Commands of God written of onely in the Letter which things in what Text soever thou find'st them talkt of thou present'y run'st blundering on in thy wonted blindness which discerns no difference between the Writing and things written interpreting them without more ado of the Scripture as namely Deut. 28.58 whereby the words written in that Book is not meant the Writings but the Commandmenâ— therein rehearsed the Ceremonials and Morals of which they were to observe before that Booke of Deuteronomy was penn'd which is a story of Moses his repetition by word of mouth a little before his death of such things as he had from the Lord enjoined them to observe and some of them God also from his own mouth well-nigh forty years at least before that was penned Also that in Acts. 26.22 where Paul sayes he witnessâ—d no other things or truths as to the substance and matter of them though the manner was different the one testifying de Christo exhibendo the other exhibito one saying they should come t'other they were come then what the Prophets and Moses said should come Which things Paul could now witness were come if he had not seen their witness that they should And what mention is there of the Scripture at all in that Scripture Also John 1.7 where it s said of John Baptist he was not that Light but came to bear witness of that light which John Baptist wrote no Scripture at all that I know of which Light he testified to was not the Letter or Scripture but the same the Qua. bear witness to even that measure of its light within wherewith he inlightneth every man that comes into the world so that there is no Scripture mentioned or so much as meant in that Scripture Wherever thou seest in thy Concordance the word Scripture written of in the Scripture thou art ready to think straightway it Concuâ—r'â— and hath no â—mâ—l Concordance with thy cause and where thou findest the Words Rule Foundation Law and Prophets of God Light Word Commands Statutes Testimony Prophesie and such like thou as rashly and rawly imaginest the Scripture or meer outward Writing meant and mentioned by them in what ever is predicated of them and that it makes something for thy bâ—inde business of the Scriptures being the only standing Rule and Foundation But alas hoc aliquid verè nihil est this something is plainly nothing at all to that purpose for as it makes not a mice toward the proof thereof as appears above because the Scriptures were written for good ends and are prefiâ—â—blâ— to such and such good uses unless God had Canonized them as a Rule so neither doth it that Christ expounded the Scriptures and that some did search them and were mightily read in them as some are at this day who are supposed to deny them to the confounding the Scribes that searched them daily and therein lookt for life as their only Rule but never came to him that they might have life who was the Life and Light they came from but never heard him whom they testified of that his voice was now to be heard in whom God who under the Law before his coming spake in his servants the Prophets speaks under the Gospel as by his only Son 'T is true Abraham who lived long after Moses and those Prophets whose Writings ye have were born in that Parable which illustrates a precious truth that as to the mystery of it lyes yet hid from thee is brought in by Christ as saying of the Rich mans brethren by way of prevention of their coming into torment They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them if not they 'l not be perswaded by a miraculous message of one to them from the dead but what iâ— this to prove what thou here alledgest it for and more largely inferrest from it p. 63 64 65 66 67. where thou preachest on that Text a Sermon as long as little to thy purpose improving it and that of 2 Pet. 1.19 to the utmost to prove Moses and the Prophets Writings to be the best and most effectual means of bringing men to repentance on which that and all faith is immediately to be grounded and to prove the Scriptures to be that alone which we are sent to to be more effectual
about the manner and means and true bounds thereof for as to the Question whether it be a Canon that is a Rule at all yea or not I may defer it also to another place let me Expostulate with thee I O. yet more about it yet how and by whom your Standard comes to be so Bounded as ye say it is and to be limited to those Demensions of Latitude Longitude and Profundity that ad amussim exact Measure Heighth Depth Length and Breadth that is allotted to it as without the Apocripha it stands bound up within your late bound Bibles I mean that such and such Parcels Prophesies Proverbs Histories Epistles Holy Sentences Sacred Sayings shall stand Owned Honoured Signed and Authorized with the Sacred High and Holy Titles of Gods Word Gods Witnesse Foundation Rule inalterable Standard and not one piece of Holy Writing more or lesse then those already so Consecrated and Canonized so that such and such puta those that ye now commonly call Canonical shall shand as the Standard and all others viz. those called Apocryphal and whatever are mentioned in that Scripture ye so own shall stand out of and off from it as no part of the Standard while the World stands Who was it Was it God or was it Man that set such distinct Bounds to the Scripture so as to say such and such a set number of Books viz. Those those that are sum'd up together before your Bibles excepting the Apocrypha which stands between them shall be owned as Canonical and the rest though such as were of the same divine Inspiration be rejected as humane and no otherwise accounted on then other meer mens Writings not to be received with such high respect as the other Whence hast thou this Conceit that God himself Commanded the Close of the Canon of the Old Testament to be Malachi and the bounds of it to consist of such Books of the Prophets as ye now have exclusively of such Prophesies therein mentioned as ye have not and the Close of the Canon of the New to be the Revelation and the bulk of it to be those few Histories and Apostolical Epistles as ye have exclusively of such even therein mentioned as ye have not Who was it that said to the Spirit of God O Spirit blow no more inspire no more men make no more Prophets from Ezra's dayes and downwards till Christ and from Iohns dayes downward for ever But cease be silent and subject thy self as well as all Evil Spirits to be tryed by the Standard that 's made up of some of the Writings of some of those men thou hast moved to write already and let such and such of them as are bound up in the Bibles now used in England be the only means of measuring all Truth for ever Who was it God or Man the Spirit in the Scripture it self or the Scribes in their Synods Councels and Consistories that so Authorized or Canonized these and expunged those Was it not meer Men in their Imaginations Doth the Scripture do the Spirit and the Apostles therein give any order for or make any such mention in the least of such a matter Is it not meer man in his Imaginations that hath taken upon him according to the good or ill Conceit that he hath taken to him of these or those respectively to say which thou sayest is a Contradiction to say he will give Authority to the Scriptures Is it not man in his proud mind that comes in with his sic volo sic Iubeo so I 'le have it thus it shall be Saying to the Books of Scripture as God sayes to the Waves of the outward Ocean hitherto shall ye come and no further So many of the Prophets and Apostles Writings shall be in the Authority Nature Vse and Office of the Supream Determiner of all Truth for ever and all others even such as are written by the same men in the motion of the same Spirits shall be but as common mens Writings and be look'd on afar off as Apocryphal i.e. hidden or unknown Writings that no such notice shall be â—aken of as of the other And as for the Books which ye sprinkle with that Name of Apocryphal and give leave to to have a standing with it but not so as to make any part of your Standard What think ye of them upon second Thoughts Are they fit for nothing but to be Cashiered and cast out of your Canon by whole sale by Tradition one from another without trying them Is there nothing among them that may be judiciously Iudged to be of as divine an Original and Authority as some of those particular Letters to private men as that of Paul to Philemon about private personal or Domestick matters which ye own in such a transcendent manner as ye do Surely if some of hem be fictitious or fabulous or but humane so that ye will say no better of them then Vox hominem sonat yet is there none or nothing among them all that is to be noted or counted upon as of divine Authority and Original and of as self-evidencing Efficacy as some of those ye own None that ye can see cause to sign meliore lapillo with some better Name then ye vouchsafe them and standing in the Church then ye allow them As if they were a certain mongrel seed between that of Canaan and Ashdod that ye know not well what to make of nor how to entreat so ill altogether as not to afford them a middle place in some of your Bibles between the Old Testament Writings and those ye call the New nor yet so well as to entertain them into your Canon neither Surely there be some of them which when ye look them over again not so cursorily as to over-look them as ye ordinarily do ye may find ground to receive as such as have as fair a stamp of the beaming Majesty Truth Holinesse and Authority of God and his Spirit as some at least not to say the most of those ye ascribe to God as their main or only Author and that do favour as much of I. O's so much insisted on Theo-pneusty as some other Historical Doctrinal and Prophetical parts of your acknowledged divinely derived Scripture do of which what Infidels soever ye are as concerning them yet I together with many others whereof some are as Booklearn'd as your selves can say Credo Equidem nec vana Fides genus esse Deorum 'T is indeed the Faith or rather Infidelity of such as call themselves Reformed Churches that all those Books called the Apocrypha without exception are in no wise of such divine Original as them ye call Canonical but who first set the one upon the Bench and the other at the Bar I am yet to learn but this I know that howbeit ye second their depression and digradation of the one so far below the other yet as neither one nor t'other were ever Canonized by God himself if we speak of the Outward Text only about which
only as that of Baâ—uch also is the Holy man that wrote much for that Prophet and of that Prophecy of Ieremiah most pretiously both Doctrinal and Prophetical but also extant in the Hebrew as well as Greek and Latine and that of Ecclesiasticus was written Originally in Hebrew witnesse Iesus the Son of Syrach who himself confesseth in his Prologue he Translated it out of the Hebrew Text and if ye say that 's but a Translation then at best and so not Canonical Scripture I Reply Two things thereto First This argues ad hominem against I O. then Tittles and Iotaes of the Hebrew Text are lost since the giving out thereof at first Secondly That either Translation must be owned as Canonical with you as well as the first Original Manuscripts and your Original Transcripts or else it must be concluded what ever you Linguists have yet the People that live upon your Lips not being able to read Hebrew and Greek have no Canonical Scripture at all to read The Second Argument that is supposed to be of weight against the Divine Original of the Apocryphal Scriptures Broughton in his Sinai Sights touches upon them both is because no Writers in the New Testament Cite or Quote any of them any otherwise then they do Heathen Authors But I marvel not fith the wise men are to be befooled that prudent Broughton should be so blind as not to see how Paul Heb. 1 3. quotes out of Wisd. 7.26 And Heb. 11.5 quotes Wisd. 4.10 And 1 Cor. 6.2 quotes Wisd. 3.8 And Heb. 11.35 quotes 2 Maccab. 7.7 Yea and Christ himself Matth. 23.36 37 38. quotes 2 Esdras 1.30 And Rev. 7.9 answers to 2 Esdras 2.41 42 43 44 45 46. besides many other Passages in the Scriptures of the New Testament but especially in the Revelation relate to their Paralels in that Second Book of Esdras which is the Fourth at least of that man Ezra or Esdras his Writing whereof that some should be received as of divine Original and some that have as truly spiritual a Tincture on them as the other or any in all the Scripture as that Fourth of Esdras hath wherein also he declares his Visions and Revelations he had from God in which he would not sain and Lye for then he were not fit to have his Two First Books owned as from God should be rejected as meerly humane I see not any solid Ground for it Yet such is the divine The-anthropical Wisdom of our meer humane Divines that Two of that same mans Books who wrote all the Four for the Identity of the Person that Pen'd them all every Believer may easily believe are Canonized as divine and the other Two Condemned as but humane Thus though I.O. prates so much for the whole Book of Gods being providentially preserved so that we may have full assurance that we enjoy the whole Revelation of his Will that is with him all the Writings that ever were written by Inspiration from the Spirit fit to stand among those that he makes the Standard in the Copies abiding amongst us and contends that the whole Scripture entire as given out from God without any losse of so much as one Letter Tittle or Iota remains and is preserved in the Copies yet extant among us to this day which is that Arch-Assertion in which having at first over shot himself in blindly bolting it out rather then endure that honourable shame of owning his own Ignorance he as blindly posts on to maintain pag. 153.162.169.181.203 Yet upon I know not what frivolous Conceits and prejudicate Surmises possessing the minds of himself and his Brethren of both the Convocational and the Congregational way among which blind Custome more then clear sight I believe to be none of the least which are so far from enjoying the whole Book of Scripture wherein the Mind and VVill of God lyes declared by his own Inspiration of the Penmen that no small part of that Scripture that was written by men divinely inspired and so providentially preserved he refuses to enjoy or own as of such divine Descent from God as other parts of the Scripture are but Rejects and Contemnes it as Apocryphal that is so altogether hidden from him that he knows not very well what to make on 't But suppose he should own and take all the Apocryphal Writings into his Standard and Canon as he calls it of the Scriptures does that and all the rest both Old and New that are bound up in old English Bibles with it Constitute the utmost Bounds of his Canon Doth his Standard stand in so little room Is it Closed within so narrow a Corner Consists it of so few so small a Company of Holy mens Writings and Scriptures as are Comprehended in no greater a Compasse then that Book called the Bible contains to Is that the whole Book of God the whole outward Declaration of his Will by the Writings of Holy men at his own motion The whole Scripture entire that was ever so given out from God without any losse of any of the Integral parts of it so much as of one Letter Tittle or Iota Is all Extant All Remaining All Preserved to this day that was Written by Holy men as moved by the holy Spirit And is that all of the Inspired Scripture which we now have and enjoy in our present Bibles Was there no more of the Old Testament Scripture then the Apocrypha and that which is commonly counted to the Canon And is the Revelation the Close of the immediate Revelation of his Will to Holy men and of his moving them to write it out by his Holy Spirit Num tam Pellibus exiguis arctatur Spiritus ingens Two things I.O. at least I have to say to the Contrary First That is not all of the Old nor all of the New Scriptures that were by Inspiration Written before Christ and after him to the same use ends and purposes as the rest were Written until Iohns Writing the Revelation Secondly That as there was much more then that ye wot of which was Written as the Spirit moved from Moses to the Revelation so there hath been more since then so Written and more is and will yet be in time to come before as near as it is to it the World that now waxes Old towards it be at an end First There 's not all in your Bibles by much and by how much who knows That was given out upon Inspiration of God when as to say nothing of the Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs now extant there is not all the inspired Scripture by much which that inspired Scripture ye have makes mention of Where 's the Book of Nathan the Prophet the Book of Ahijah the Book of Iddo 2 Chron. 9.29 the Book of Shemaiah 2 Chron. 12.15 the Book of Iehu the Prophet 2 Chron. 20.34 1 King 16.1 the Book of Gad the Seer 2 Chron. 29.29 the Book of Iasher 2 Sam. 1.18 Of which it may well be supposed that he was a
true participation of the others essential properties or nature so that â— like the Fisâ— Caepia that being pursued by its adversaries flings a flood of black inky stuff behind it to hide it self from being seen and taken by a blind blending and cloudy confounding of things together which being treated of formaliter and discoursed of divisim each under its own peculiar form and proper name and nature both thy own folly and the falseness of thy propositions should be discovered yea by pidling and pedling and playing fast and loose thou seem'st to puzzle the minds and put out the eyes of such as shall ever prosecute thee for thy rotten principles insomuch that I may truly say of thee what thou untruly utterest concerning the Qua. pag. 69. of thy Latine Tract viz. Quaenam sit horum hominum sententia haud facile quis declarabit c. And so mutatis mutandis turning all thy Verbs out of the 3 d. person Plural into the 2 d. person singular I may safely sing back to thee in thy own words as follows viz. What thy mind J.O. is in this Question Whether the Scripture be the Word of God or no one can hardly declare for besides that thou agreest not with thy self thou dost so foolishly and nauseously prate in the opening of thy mind and meanings and playest about in words of an uncertain and dubious signification and usest for the most part certain forraign phrases containing no sâ—und sence that can well be understood by any that are well in their wits which are enough either to astonish or bewitch unskilful men so that it 's more easie to confute thy Arguments then conceive thy meaning yea when thy Opinion is so foul and dishonest that if the fair pretences and covers be removed and it distinctly unfolded it sufficiently destroyes it self amongst all honest men that are not openly dishonest endeavouring what thou canst so delude either thou speakest is not out openly or else manglest it to pieces in such a sticht and patcht up forme of speech that can signifie well-nigh nothing at all and so darkening thy Counsel by words without knowledge thou seemest to be afraid of nothing more then least thou shouldst be understood In such wise as this I.O. dost thou proceed in thy present Paper Works that are now under Examination having in thy hast heedlesly uttered forth some faucied high-flown falsities about the bare Letter and meer outside of the Scriptures and every Tittle and transcribed Iota thereof viz. That these are the true spiritual Light and Authoritative Powerful Word of God and such like and after fearing the falshood of such forward expressions from which as most of thy fellow wise men are in the like case who though they are foolish and ignorant enough yet of all things in the world are loath to seem and even abhor to be accounted so to be thou art ashamed totally to recede and recant so as altogether to go back which rather then do when ye are once over Shooes thou and thy generation chuse to be over Boots also thou staggerest and reelest now this way now that and to mend and moderate the rigidity of thy Positions about the Scripture for the saving of thy credits sake as far Salva celâ—itudinis ac celeberrimae sapientiae tâ—ae gloriâ as is consistent with thy credit another way thou wheelest about and frequently foisting in the Predicate into the place of the Subject and that Term the Word of God in the room where this Term only viz. the Scripture should stand even while thou art but in thy proof of the Scripture to be the Word thou darknest thy counsel by words utterly without knowledge and rendrest thy self ambedextrously and ambiguously that thy Reader may not well read thy meaning in what thou writest nor whether when thou avowest the Scripture to be the Word of God and powerful c. thou intend'st the Scripture it self that one individual thing call'd the Letter or Writing which alone is the very formality of the Scripture or the other individual thing which is not at all the outward Scripture though so called often by thee viz. That Word of which the Scripture only speaketh for one while thou singlest out that grand subject of thy Dispute i. e. the Scripture and setting it apart from the Doctrine Faith Divine Truth and VVord it writes of seemest as if all along thou wouldest discuss the things thou praedicatest of it under that single notion of its being an external Writing apart from the Doctrine and Word of Faith written of therein as Tr. 1 C. 1. S. 12 13. expressing thy self thus viz. not onely the Doctrine in it but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very writing writings book it self is so and so thereby leading thy Reader up and down by the Nose up into the air into a high expectation of thy handling the Scripture formally quatenus Scripta as a Writing as written which is the onely subject promised to be treated on and for in the Title pages and of thy proving it as suchâ— to be the Word and mighty power of God from whence thou tumblest him down again and frustrating those his former expectations other while conjangletim thou jumblest these two as Synonomaes into one in many such or the like expressions viz. the writing or wâ—rd written the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Doctrine as written and Tr. 1. C. 4. S. 2. the Scripture or written VVord of God and S. 6. Now the Scripture the VVord of God is light the innate Arguments that the Word of God is furnisht withall for its own manifestation contain the full or formal grounds of our answer to that question why we receive the Scripture see how these terms are twisted one into another to be the word of God Tr. 1. C. 4 S. 1. Thus thou usest them so promiscuously as if they being with thee entirely one 't were indifferent and no matter at all which of the two thou expressest thy self by saying sometimes the Scripture is a light a moral and spiritual not a natural Light as Tr. 1 C. 4. S. 8 9. The Scripture makes a proposition of it self as the VVord of God Tr. 1. C. 4. S. 14. for the proof of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures if the Booke be brought to him or them that acknowledge it not c. the VVord there thou goest off again left with them it will evidence it self S. 15. The Scripture it enroll'd among things that are able to evidence themselves S. 16 17. Iâ— i.e. the Scripture is absolutely called the Power of God S. 18. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament do abundantly and uncontroulably manifest themselves to be the Word of the living God so that meerly upon that account of their proposal of themselves to us in the Name and Majesty of God as such without contribution of help or assistance from any thing else without themselves we are obliged upon the penalty of
the things written in this book meaning that particular Writing he was now in hand with not if any man shall write any more Scripture with so high a pretence as by Revelation from the Spirit or loose or shut out any of the Scriptures that are already written by inspiration from the Canon for if he had meant so then as brisk as ye are to breath out Threatnings and Plagues and Curses to such as pretend to write any thing by inspiration revelation or motion from the holy Spirit since the dayes of the complearing and closing of your Canon as you call it which you count from Iohns writing his Revelation though ye are far from adding any inspired Scripture to the Bible but only such Scripture as is the fruit figment and imagination of your own hearts which thou confessest to be the Fountain of all that other men that are not Apostles as ye say ye are not do deliver p. 9. not daring to pretend to the infallible guidance of the infallible Spirit in your Ministry yet yee 'l not scape the taking your names out of the Book of Life and from the good things written in the Revelation for your fault of taking away detracting and diminishing from the Scriptures for ye exclude from your Canon very much of that inspired Scripture that was written some of which is extant at this day too or hath been shewed before But considering the nature and true being of your guilt I confess in this case of varying from the Rule if that were the onely standing Rule of the outward Scripture should be found to be much more in the Ablative than in the Dative Case But of this more hereafter These are J.Os. inartificial Arguments or Testimonies of Scripture used by him as mediums of artificial ones that may be drawn from thence of which Scriptures he affirms that they are as commonly cited so already vindicated à nosâ—â—i Theologis by our Divines from exceptions of Papists and others that hee need not insist any more on them to name them of which say I as he Communiter citantur nonproprie they are commonly but not properly cited but not yet vindicated from the exceptions of all I shall now come to consider his more Artificial Arguments drawn â—rom some of these and some other Scriptures by the Cart Ropes of J.Os. Carnal Reasonings in proof that the inward Light Word Spirit and its Revelations are not at all but the outward Letter Text Writings Scriptures are only and altogether the standing Rule to the Church and all men of all Truthss Doctrines and things that are to be done beleeved tried or determined in point of Gods worship and our obedience J. O s. Arg. 1. The first is on this wise Ex. 3. s. 28. Si Revelatio c. If the Revelation of the will of God in the Scripture be so perfect compleat and every way absolute that there is no need of any other Revelation by the Spirit and Light within Enthusiasm Heavenly breathing discsurses with Angels fained or true to instruct us in the knowledge of God 〈…〉 in order â—o the attaining eternal life then its plain that all those wayes and means of knowing God and his will which the Fanaticks fain to be the means thereof are uncertain dangerous unprofitable and in no wise necessary thereunto and therefore to be rejected and detested But it s so c. Therefore c. Rep. Oh full of all fallacy as well as falsity folly and blindness in the things of God of whom I may truly say Et si non casâ—etamen cause thou art not so little honest in it but thou art well-nigh as much crafty to hide what thou canst the dishonesty of what thou holdest not only from the Qua. as thou thinkest in the Latine language but also from all that would handle thee for thy ill handy-work by thy dark discoursing in words of a double and doubtful reference and signification that thou mayest the more privily pervert the right wayes of the Lord and prepagate thy perverse Propositions the more securely to the prejudice of them what means else thy foisting in of that foolish phrase quae simulant fanatici by the inserting whereof thou mayest either intend thus viz. that all wayes that are fained by the Qua. are unprofitable unnecessary and to be rejected and detested and so creep thy neck out of the collar and shelter thy self from that censure of falshood thou fore-sawest would else befall the minor for meer fained mediums of knowing God and his will wherever found are to be rejected as useless unnecessary and no less then detestable indeed that is true enough who doubts it but then withall how Serpent-like wouldest thou hereby subtilly insinuate it into the younger sort to whose use thou devotest this thy peece of dotage under that Vnive sâ—y vendible Title of Theological determinations Theses or Apologetical exercitations pro Sâ—ripturis as if the Qua. professed means were but a fained Light and Spirit as if thou foughtest against nought but the Qua. fictions and not any true internal Light or Spirit of God or heavenly Revelations or inspirations but only such meer imaginary spiritual Divine motions and notions as the Qua. fain or falsely fancy so to be Whereas no figmentitions matters are found formented or sought for by the Qua. to be the Rule but only the true Revelations Light and Spirit of God himself within the heart Or else thou mayest intend thus as thy words express that forenamed clouding clause being excluded viz. That the Scriptures alone make such an absolutely perfect Revelation of Gods will that there is no need at all of any other Revelation by the Spirit and Light of God within which the Qua. affirm to be useful and needful to instruct in the knowledge of God and his will to the attainment of life eternal but those are uncertain perillous unnecessary means of knowing our duty and so to be rejected and detested in which way understanding thy minde there is so much the less fallacy indeed but the more falsely even so much as amounts to little less then great blasohemy and so thy minor is to be denied with a witness ex duobus malis absurdis hisie unum saltem est elegondum utrum horum mavis accipe if the first which is fallacy and foolery it s the least and the best yet too bad if the last which is falshood and blasphemy it s so bad that its worse then nought yet judging by thy undertaking to prove thy minor which else were true and needing no proof thou intendest the Letter which is the greater of the evils I enter the lists with thee about that and deny utterly thy minor which thou proceedst in proof of by man particular confiderations viz. 1. Of the Author of the Scriptures namely God from whom sayest thou Nothing can come that is imperfect any way much less in respect of that end to which he decrees any work J.O. from a
another that as the most must needs be false so 't is enough to confound and amaze mens minds they are so many to meddle to finde which is true among their meanings and to set a man out of his own senses to set himself so several are they to seek out their several senses on the Scriptures many bumbling Volumes larger then the Bible it self being written or some one Text of Sripture Is it for want of power or efficacy in the Letter Yea that is one reason for howbeit I.O. sayes It is absolutely called the power of God and effectual to salvation yet to his own confutation I. O sayes the Letter is dead and without the Spirit of no efficacy for the good of souls But another and that not the least is because they live in Rebellion against the light which while they turn not to though Moses is read and the Prophets also and all the Letter or Old Testament yet the Vail remaineth over Moses and the Prophets faces and as over the Iewes over the heart of these Christians also which Vail is done away only in Christ and in turning to his Light and the Spirit within their minds are blinded being off from the Light so that they know neither Christ nor Moses nor the Voyces of the Prophets that are so often read which through ignorance they fulfill as the Iews did in condemning Christ and putting him to open shame in his Light Doctrine and Disciples Nevertheless if their heart shall yet turn to the Lord that Spirit and to his Light which is within that vail shall be taken away and they shall see with open face behold the glory of God and be changed into his Image be led indeed to that true Repentance that is never to be repented of but if they continue in their unbeleef in the Light and their hearturn not to the Lord in and by the Light in the time and space that is given them for that Repentance yet at least the face of the covering that is now cast over all people and the vail that is yet spread over all Nations shall be so far removed and destroyed at last that there shall be repentance enough to no purpose when it is too late when the Gulph is once fixed and Abraham is seen by these rich worldlings and Belly-gods afar or and Lazarus in his bosome when every eye that look's for him shall see him who now cometh in the Clouds and they also that have pierced him and all Kindreds of the earth that are no kin to him shall wail because of him Even so AMEN The Fourth Apologeticall and Expostulatory Exercitation CHAP. I. NOw to proceed in way of answer to I. O's Arguments for the Scriptures and Letter and Book and Bible and Texts and outward Writings of Moses and the Prophets as the onely Rule in alterable Standard now compleated Canon Touchstone of all Truth to which since its close and consignation after Iohn had written no new Revelations Writings or Scriptures of the old Truth as from the old Spirit of it are to be added no immediate manifestations inspirations motions missions from God as of old to be expected or if pretended to be admitted or owned but to be damned down as Delusion Fanaticism Enthusiasm Quakerism Diabolism vain uncertain unprofitable fancy figment detestable meraae tenebrae caecitas fines salutares quod attinet as to salvation meere darknesse and blindnesse it self and what not that 's naught Seeing it is so as abovesaid that all these false Prophets and Divines can prevail no further then to tangle and hamper and hinder men and to hide the truth by that hideous heap of unharmoneous Heterogeneous Heterodox more then Orthodox volumes of Divinity and to smoother darken confound and drive men away from the naked truth and draw them off from the Scriptures themselves that are plain and cleare to honest and plain-hearted men by their Smoak and Clouds and Circumferences and by that boundlesse bottomlesse incomprehensible chafly Chaos of their contradictory and confused Commentaryes with which the world is now burdened even beyond what it can well bear and contain sith I say there 's none to guide these poor erring lost perishing and as yet more deformed then reformed Nations into the life of God and power of godlinesse from which they are alienated because of the blindnesse of their hearts among all the Sons whom they have brought forth Isa. 51.18 Neither any that can take them by the hand and lead them in the true way of eternall life of all the Sons whom they have brought up at their Vniversities who sit together with them under the shaddow of death notwithstanding all their Tumbling ore of so many Tames about the Scripture is it then for want of true Prophets or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men divinely inspired and sent of God to call people to Repentance and to turn them to that light of God within that leads to Repentance by voice and writing to them as them elves have had the true way thereof manifested in them by the light as themselves being taught of God have learned and practiced it and are moved of the holy Spirit to preach and presse the practice of it upon others according to the scope of the Scriptures No! For there are many in England at this very day speaking reproving writing and prophecyâ—ng from the same light and by the same Spirit that the Scriptures came forth from and as themselves have received and heard from the voice and mouth of God and seen felt and handled of the word of life as the Prophets Amos 7. and the Messengers and Ministers of God and Christ of old Act. 26.16 17 18. 1 Ioh. 1.1 2 3 4 c. The Spirit of the Lord is not more straitned in these days from blowing where it lists then it was in the dayes of old howbeit because it lists not much as it never did to blow upon or inspire the learned Scribes Hypocritical Pharisees chief Priests aspiring Rabbies Divinity Doctors Proud Diotrepheses preheminence loving Praters hireling Preachers Fawning prudentiall Parasites Politicall Polliticians and such like but mostly upon a meaner sort of men as to outward account these wise men are most hardly brought to beleive it to be so and so as said the Priests Scribes Pharisees Rabbies and Doctors of old of Moses and the Prophets we own them know them and their Scriptures which yet they knew not nor the power of God We are their Disciples wee 'l stick to their writings that 's our compleat Canon our stable Standard our immutable measure to which nothing must be added and of Christ and his in the dayes of his flesh we know God spake to Moses as for this fellow and his fellows we know not whence he is and whence they are they are of the Devill have a Devill and are mad Why hear ye them they speak blasphemous words against Moses and the Law and this place the holy Temple and
that if is hold not in this light he confesses himself and all such as side 〈◊〉 him to be Coâ—founded and at a losse as to all their Faith and unquestionable knowledge of any Saving Truth to this day For asmuch then as I saw the Sâ—â—rs so Blind as not onely not to distinguish oâ—èr which yet sometimes J. O. does but that 's to the further discovery of his own Confusion and Self-contradiction when at other times he does not between the Word or Truth it self which was in mens hearts before the Text which Truth is by the Quakers not denyed to be properly Gods Word The Foundation what ever else J. O. falsly affirms the Text to be and the Text it self which in time came from it and does but teâ—l of the Word and Truth to be nigh in the heart but also Extolling those Externalls with such Extream Rigidity as aforesaid Sith also the fight is about no lesse then the very Fundamentalls of the very Clergy and University mens Faith it self which is the most Immediate Foundation of the Faith of most other man who Pin their Faith on their Sleeves and believe Implicitly at a venture as their Ghostly Fathers and Holy Mothers believe and so miscarry and drop into the ditch with them if those their Blind Guides happen to be out I was much Prest in Spirit in words at length and not in Figures As to sheâ—â— both the Faultiness of the One aâ—d the Falseness of the Other that I might â—â—mind them of the onely True Foundation of All Truth which in the 3d. Exereiâ—â—tion is proved to be not the Text or Letter which yet is owned as useful in its place but that Inward Light Word and Spirit I. O. jeers at and does all the despight to that almost is possible to be done to it by any that do nâ—t as be sayes Falsly the Quakers do Ex. I. S. I. delight in doing the Devils Work of Defiance to the Word of God So not to leave him wholly Unanswered nor yet Answered only by the halves though in Answering him I should make my self more like him therein then I am in his Flood of Folly and Absur'd Assertion of the necessity of every Tittle of the Greek and Hebrew Text to the being and abiding among men of all Sacred Saving Truth This is the Respect in which though else my Life and Delight lyes not at all in Penning and Printing ought about such Impertinencies as these I had not only a Liberty lent me but also a certain Load laid on me from the Lord which Led me into so large an Examination of J. O's Lost Labour about the Letter and to become a Fool among Fools at this time so far as to Busy my self with them in their Bawbles if by any means I might gain some of them to a Sight of their Vanity Madness and Folly and to a Sober Solid Seeking after the more Sure and Serious Things of the True Wisdom it self viz. The Fear of the Lord Which is to depart from all that his Light in their Own Hearts makes manifeâ—t to be evil and to dwell not so much in the Seeing Knowing and Talking of Trivial Temporall Tittles as in Walking in the Eternal Truth Which is the beginning of that Wisdoâ— which is Folly to the Fools that yet walk in Darkness but doth in Truth Excel their University Wisdom or Science falsly so called as far as Light Excelleth Darkness And as to the Bigness of the Book which calls for so much the more Cost from him that Buyes it and so much the more Pains from him that 's willing to Busie himself in it If that trouble any one it shall not trouble me who have now gone through the Toyl of that Attendance to it which were it not freely for Truths sake alone I should in no wise take again upon me though to gain much more then the whole Impression of it amounts hitherto to the Charge of such as have carried it throw the Presse The Truth is I once intended no more then to have set out some single Sheets to J. O's Anti-Quakerism onely but it so falling out that before I was well warm in that Work after two or three Publike Disputes at Sandwich held by Three of us call'd Quakers viz. R. H. G. W. My self with Tho. Danson and sundry of his Associates there crept out two Quarrels of T.D. against Quakerism as he calls it much what to the same Truthlesse Tune as J. O's was and by and by another peice Patcht up tâ— the same purpose from Those Two Brethren J. T. and R. Baxter that were once beating each other for some Years together about Infant Baptism but are now both as One Man Biting the Quakers as ' tâ—ere with their Teeth which are as Spears and their Tongue which is as a sharp Sword and Baiting at that Truth that 's Testified by them and finding that these Four however oft contradicting each other were All carried about in the same Cloudy Circuit and Whirl-wind of Doctrine and did all Center in the same Sinck of Absurdities in their own Sayings and of Abominable Abuses of the Quakers and among them all so fuly in one Synod Sounding out the whole Sense and Leven of the whole Lump That Nilâ— fere dicendum est quod non dictum prius there can sâ—arcely any Thing henceforth be said against Vs and Truth which is not said before by them Instead of setting my self to enter the Lists with J. O. in a Single Conflict I saw it more serviceable to single out these Four as Four of their Choiâ—est Champions from among their Felâ—owes and under the Form of a Reply directed by Name more Particularly to These Four to give This ouâ— as a General Account of our Own Principles and Conâ—uâ—ative Answer to the Contrary Principles of aâ— Mens And this occasioned what was in my Intent set ouâ— at First and smaller Systeme to swell out at last into so large a Size Besides As 't is the very Life of Collegians and Clergy-men to busie themselves most in their Musing Places where they may have most Book-room being apt to think alâ— Lesser Paâ—â—ers Pedling and unfit for Them to find ought in that may be Answerable to the Vast Voluminousness of their Inventionâ—â— So J.O. Iudges the Quakers to be as it were but in Jest and to Trifle with Him when they take him in Hand and Talk of his Long Tales in two or three Words â—nely and would not have his Matters medled with unlesse more fully Witnesse Epist. p. 28. 29. Where quoth he One of â—ate not understanding Me nor the Thing he Writes about his mind for Opposition was to be satisfied I wish I could Prevail with those whose Interest compells them to choose rather to be Ignorant than to be Taâ—gin by me to let my Books a one Another in Answer to a Book of anâ— 140 Sheets of Paper Returns a Reply quoth he to â—o much of it as was written in a quarter
same Fate in that kind hath attended this of mine which hath ever yet attended both the Scripture and His I. T 's and all other Books too of any Bulk in their passage through the Press As for the Faults that have befallen this as they are not very many considering the greatness of the Impression and the smalness of the Print so they are too many to passe altogether Unmended Unminded Unmentioned also Whereupon excepting such as being more gross are with a Pen already rectified to the Readers hand of such as are not mended I shall mention some wishing Him to mend the rest in his own mind Yet some of these hereunder noted were espied and amended before they were wrought off wholly at the Press In the 1. Exercitation page 24. line 13. read Kings p. 28. l. 18. r. stout standing p. 70. in the Margent r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 80. l. 10. r. there p. 90. l. 3. r. life p. 116. l. 31. r. if all p. 144. l. 15. 16. r. more then good ones evill once for more the good ones evil which is set twice ore In Exerc. 2. p. 12. l. 30. r. thou shootest p. 66. l. 11. 12. r. live in sin p. 137. l. 21. r. Rounds p. 164. l. 33. r. and l. 35. r. such silly In Ex. 3. p. 5. M. for emulâ—ate â—enuclâ—ate p. 35. l. 7. r. stirs strifes M. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 64. M. for ut r. at p. 37. mar r. divinus p. 312. mar r. Scripturae Author p. 132. l. 19. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 136. l. 12. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 13. r. upholder p. 141. l. 5. r. for the Scriptures l. 14. r. malicious p. 154. mar r. Synonimous p. 174. l. 8. r. more then thâ—se p. 187. l. 17. r. streining In Exerc. 4. p. 3. 1. 12. blot out we p. 9. 1. 20. blot out of p. 13. 1. 17. r. no indirect l. 39. r. but by p. 133. l. r4 r. Apage p. 16. l. 18. r. and in p. 205. l. 9. r. denomination p. 221. mar r. Israél Midian Ahaz In the Appendix p. 24. l. 13. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the two sheets at the end p. 1. l. 18. for have have r. have Sundry more Typâ—graphical Errors probâ—bly there are uncorrected then I can on a sudden cast my eyes on by some of which possibly the sense is interrupted but of all that are I may safely Say with I. O. in his Vindication of the Entireness to a Tittle of the Originall Texts bate all such as are Evident mistaâ—es consisting only in superfluity and redundancy of unnecessary â— deficiency of words necessary to the sense of the place that is to say Aâ— of what sort soever and then there will be few or none at all In a word Let Every Reader do the Printers that wonted Right of Winking at their wonted doing Wrong And as I by their Failing have fallen under the Common Fate so I ask no more but that Common Favour of Non-Imputation of their Faults to Me â— as Mine Typographi â—e Reputentur Amici S. F. THE PREFACE John Owen who hast been stiled Doctor in Divinity and Dean of Christ-Church Coll. Oxon. and Thomas Danson stiled M. A. Minister of the Gospel at Sandwich in Kent and late Fellow of Magdalen Coll. Oxon. I Have taken a view of three books of you two lately extant against the People commonly called Quakers namely of thy threefold Thing I. O. or double-tongu'd piece of Divinity doings about the Letter and the Light lyingly relating in other parts of it partly and in its Latine part principally to the Quakers Also T. D. of thy two little fardâ—es of much falshood generally superscribed with these two untrue Titles viz. 1 The Qua. folly made manifest to all men in Auswer to R. Hub. 2 The Qua. Wisdome descends not from above in Answer to G. Whit. replying to the other For the Truths sake which now lies at stake openly between you two and them I am minded as moved in way of Reply to say something to both your Books and to your selves and the world also about them I intend not a total Translation of that forraign Language wherein that foresaid Latine part of thine I. O. in which thou fight st most fiercely with thy fore-nam'd Friends was written so much of that shall serve as will serve the turn of such Truths as I hâ—ve plead against thee in the service of nor a total transcription of either of your books they are not worth it not yet an Answer to every falsity that is found therein Hoc opus luc labor est they are more then my measure of Arithmetick can easily reach to reckon up But a due Expostulation with you both on the Quakers and the Truths behalf an Animadversion of some at least of those many absolute absurdities follies confusions false doctrines flat contradictions to yourselves which are eveâ— and anon therein uttered by you a Subversion of your Topsie-Turvies who set the chief things ye have to do withall Aâ—chi-podialiter as it were with the heels upwards a Blowing away of those blasphemies lies calumnies opprobrious titles disdainful subsannations unjust accusations spiteful aspersions abominable abuses breatâ—d out by you against the people abovesaid whom all that curse shall once see and say are a Seed whom God hath blessed and to be short an Examination of many such matters in every part of both your Books how scamblingly soever they lye here some and there some in them as I find bear any reference to the Qua. or to those Doctrines viz. 1 Of Iustification by the Righteousness of Christ in us 2 Of the Letters not being the only Foundation and Rule of Faith and holy life 3 Of the Infallible Spirits Inspiration and Infallible direction of his Ministry at this day 4 Of the Vniversal love and grace of God to all men 5 Of the True saving Light of Christ enlightning every man in the world 6 Of the Attainableness of perfect purity or freedome from sin in this life in each of which ye differ from them and which against you both and your Adherents are held forth by them Sundry false and grosly absurd businesses against the Light and its Children may not improbably be briefly noted as they lye most notably obvious to every common capacity in the nine Sermons of Iohn Tombs B.D. which came piping hot from the Press while this of mine to you two is coming to it put out by R. Baxter which pair of blind Brethren as much enmity threatning and Thunder without Lightning as hath been between them hitherto against each other are it seems like Herod and Pilate now made friends together against Christs Light so as to make one Head though two Horns wherewith to thrust it down if they could for which a Rod a Rod in the Lords hand is already ready for the back of Baxter who and his once Heretical and Heterodox but now Reverend and
and perfected as he shall be by him who is said to perfect for ever all such as are so far as they are for ever Sanctified by him nor yet but that thy senses are sodden so as to Take or rather Rake or Scrape things for granted to thee before they are so given did or do I grant as thou there tatlest sâ—me persons to be justified who never did fulfil the Law personally for though I told thee indeed as thou truly tel'st it again to the world there are but two Estates Iustification and Condemdation and now I tell thee over again that there is no medium between these for every one stands either Iustified or Condemned Guilâ—y or not Guilty before God as his Law which is the Light is broken or fulfil'd by him and he that stands by the Light in his own Conscience by which God Judges him in any Particular Cleared or Iustified stands before God so far uncondemned how ever Judged by man therefore wherein David was clear in himself though clouded with mens false accusations of him he could and did with boldness appeal to God to Iudge and Reward him in that case still according to the integrity of his heart and innocency of his hands in Gods sight and so Abimelech and others see Psal. 25.21 26.1 6.11 18.26 Gen. 20.5 1 Kings 9.4 But he that by the same Light which is no lye in the Conscience of ether Godly or Wicked as T.D. little less then perswades men it often is in both p 19. stands Condemned within himself and so consequently before God whose witness that in him is let him flatter himself as he will let T.D. and all men sing Lullaby and Prophecy as smooth things to him as they can so far as in any Case or Cases he Rebels against the Light is so far inexcusably till he repents and returns to it in such wise condemned by it in the sight of God whereupon even David himself where his heart smote him for iniquity regarded in it and he that does it let him dote the contrary if he dare does I say assuredly so far regard it could stand in no more boldness and guiltlesness in his sight then Adam could after he had fed on the forbidden fruit for which he fled Gods face and where he fell short of that uprightness he sometime stood Iustified in and by before and fail'd so fowly as that flawes fainirgs and falshood were found in him as if ever there were in all his dayes it was in that unjust matter of Vâ—iah and his Wife in which yet even while he was guilty thereby T. D. most impudently affirms he stood with God not in a condemned but in a justified estate there let T. D. lye as he lifts yet David declares when he had done that wickedness in his sight God did not onely speak in wrath and judge him but was worthy to be though himself was justly condemned by it to be justified and cleared in so doing Psal. 51.4 I ay though I said there were but two states in one of which every man is as he does good which since the fall he cannot do but by the Power of Christ or evil at the suggestion of the Dâ—vil viz. Iustification or Condemnation yet I deny any person to be justified in whom the Law which can't be by the weakness of the flesh is not by the Power and Spirit of Christ fulfilled neither do I Imagine as thou imaginest I did a mixture of sin with Believers Grace for though they that drink of the Whores Cup of abomination and fornication which is full of such kind of trashy doctrines and mixtures and medleys which they ministes and measure out to one another supposing I see with such eyes as themselves suppose such a mixâ—ure and suppose I suppose it too yet I neither suppose nor own such mingled messes of doctrine but know that no more then Iron is truly mixed or can cleave into one compositum with miâ—y clay and no more then God and Idols light and darkness Christ and Belial can be mingled into agreement no more mixture is there of the sinners sin which is of the Devil with the Saint's Grace which is of God and so whereas thou thoughtest thou hadst caught me as thou there sayest in a manifest contradiction thou hast but according to thy common custom in that kind caught thy self instead of winding my self out of which contradiction of thy meer coining though thou sayest I replyed not but saâ—e down on the Top of a Seat like a man astonisht and under the Hereticks Iudgement i e. self-condemned yet thou feest I have here so well wound my self out of it as to manifest it to all men that I were never in it and to leave thee in the lurch under the Hereticks Iudgement of self-condemnation for thy folly and fictions about it which are hereby also manifest to all for verily if I were at all astonished at any of the three dayes Disputes thou miserably mistook'st the manner of it it being not at all as the Iewes were at the Wisdom of Christs but as oft as it was at the stupidity of thy understanding and answers Thirdly and lastly From thy foregoing Grant to us which is more then we say and would have thee say That the Gospel gives life upon imperfect obedience let it be well remembred by thee sith it s agreed on all hands that all the obedience that Christ yielded to the Law in that person called Christ without us was perfect and in no wise imperfect that then that imperfect obedience as thou call'st it which the Gospel gives life upon as thou sayest can be no other then that which is inherent in us in ourpersons onely and not his in whom all that is inherent thou darest not on pain of Blaspemy deny but that it was perfect and if so then see how with thy wining to and fro and running up and down round about thou hast at last brought thy Hogs as they say to a fair Mâ—rkâ—â— even till thou hast drawn the dirt of thy fal'd charge of Popery as thou callest that Doctrine of Life upon our imperfect works which thou threw'st at me who never held it by anâ— but Christs perfect obedience upon thy Own indirectly-driving-self so that if any man enquire who is it that holds that Popery of Life Iustification upon Our imperfect obedience T. D. tells it that himself is the man in whose Book p. 45. it is written as legibly to all as if it were branded upon his Bâ—ow as his own Doctrine That the Gospel gives Life upon imperfect obedience â— and if he will take his Term of imperfect and Translate it better by the Term of perfect obedience wrought by Christ in his Saints I 'le give him his word again with all my heart and can afford it for if so he gives me no less then the Question it self which is affirmed by us and not denied if so by himself concerning lifes coming upon
applicable to the very best But whether thou intend one or two only or all these Three throughout thy Book when thou contendest for the Scriptures to be now entire to a tittle as at first giving forth to be the Light Word Power of God and such like is not easie to learn If ever we hear of thee again about the Scriptures I desire thee to speak home as to these particulars and to write thy mind more fully and plainly and singly out as in all places of thy Book thou hast not done but as one that hates the Light and is not willing to come to close pinchest in thy mind and winkest and twinklest and triflest and keepest back as if thou wert afraid as no doubt thou art though he that doth truth is not Ioh. 3.20 21. to look the Light too fully in the face or Ex. 4 S. 14. Subtilius Disputare to dive too deep in thy Dispuration about the Light or as the Elephant to drink more then needs must in fair water for fear of seeing a foul face but veritas non quaerit Aâ—gulos For my part I shall deal ingnuously with thee in this There are some things thou affirmest of the Scriptures which I can grant to be true of some one of these Three viz. of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that are not true of either the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Translations And there be some things to be said truly of these two that are not true of the first and some things of the second that are not true of the first nor of the third and somewhat of the third that 's not true of either of the other But when thou scarest so high as to affirm the Scriptures as thou dost in general to be the same in every tittle syllable and iota as at first to be the Word of God the Living Word the Spiritual Light the Power of God and much more as will appear when I come to Reckâ—n up and rank the things thou Praedicatest of the Scriptures in Order in order to my Answering of them I who shall ever put a difference between the Writing of the Word and the Word it self Written of do absolutely deny all these things of all the Three sorts above mentioned and if it stand so as that thou understandest all these Three as thou dost of one of them at least and that of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Transcriptions if but of one the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or first Manuscripts being all lost and mouldred and Translations all corrupted by thy own confession when thou affirmest all these things of the Scripture then so let it stand for me till I have tryed the truth of thy Positions after which I hope all that stands not upon good ground will of it self to the ground come tumbling down And as by the Word Scripture I mean excepting where such things only are Praedicated as are peculiar only to either One or Two of them and not to all the Three no less then all these three sorts of Scripture in the main Controversie with thee so no more then these three sorts and these not one jot more not yet any farther then quâ tales 1 So far only as they are Scriptures properly truly and formally so called and considered or outward Writings Expressions or Declarations ad extra by Letters legible to our bodily eyes however extant upon what ever outward matter capable to receive their impression Tables of Stone Walls Skin Parchment Paper by the finger of God or hands of men whether Writing the issue of which is Propriissime stiled Scripture or Cutting Graving Stamping Printing in which way since that Art came up the Scriptures are now most extant the effect of which though most properly it be called Print or Scuâ—pture yet not to be too close and curious in Criticizing about Cockle-shells shall be allowed by me as to our purpose properly enough to passe under that name of Scripture I say then 't is the Letter and not the Matter the Writings and not the Subjects Things Truths Doctrins or Word written of that is the Subject to come under Consideration between us whatever those things are that are therein declared though 't is like we shall not passe them by neither without taking some useful notice of them yet that makes nothing to us in the State of our Question as it stands before us nor will all thy tumultuous hudling it over in haste hinder this nor thy shuffles about it shuffle it off it is the Declaration that thy Disputation with the Quakers is about considered as abstract from what is thereby declared for by the Scripture I intend not the Law it self written nor the Gospel nor the Light nor the Faith therein exhibited to us and held forth to be read of in the Writing for these are not the Scripture nor is the Scripture any of these but the Writing it self that holds these forth I call no other thing the Scripture then that which is truly the Scripture and that is no other thing then the Scripture it self I call the Scripture or the outward Declaration no other things and by no other Names then those it calls it self by or are truly answerable to its nature and that is no other then the Scripture a Declaration of those things that were believed and of the Word of the Faith that was preached a Letter a Writing Holy Scriptures Scriptures of Truth Books of Writing that consist Treat of and Declare in forms of plain true suitable and sound words various true things sound Doctrines by which many unsound Doctrines of Divels of false Prophets Priests Scribes and Pharisees of false Brethren ungodly Men that creep in and turn the Grace of God into lasciviousness of false Apostles that brought in Doctrines contrary to that at first delivered and served their own bellies and not Christ Taught for Doctrines Traditions of men of Iannes and Iambes that resisted the Truth of Baldam the Nicolaitans of Iezebel and Satan which are all written of and declared in the Scriptures of Truth as well as those of God Christ the Spirit the Light and Truth it self do stand not approved but reproved and condemned useful Histories of what was done and spoken in sundry times and ages past by God and Christ and the Divel himself and Men good and bad and by Balaam and his Asse also Pretious Prophesies of things viz. of good to the good of bad to the bad Comfortable Promises to the seed that is the Heir of them Terrible Threatnings to the seed of Evil doers and Woes to the Wicked Profitable Epistles to such as they were Wrote to Blessings Curses Prohibitions Commands Copies of Psalms and Songs that were sung Proverbs that were spoken Letters that were written from men to men some by good men at the motion of the Spirit of God some by Evil men out of malice against Gods Servants at the motion of the Devil Some not without
the Spirit by such as lived and walked in the Spirit and were in all they did led by the Spirit to some private Christians about some worldly Affairs as that of Paul to Philemon Some by Chief Captains to their Presidents and by Presidents to their Princes about Prisoners and Tumults and divers other sorts of passages So that as written in the Spirit the Holy Scriptures may be said to be Homogeneous Writings all of one kind but in respect of the several businesses written of therein they are at Heterogeneous I a body or bulk of as various Writings as any extant in the World-besides them Now by the Scriptures I mean these Writings that contain the matters abovesaid and many more and not the matters themselves therein contained And if thou mean by the Scriptures any other things then the Scriptures themselves as like a Reed shaken with the wind thou seemest sometimes to do and again sometimes not to do and which things the Scriptures are not or by any other things which are not the Scriptures when thou speakest of them viz. the Law Word of God the spiritual Light c. meanest the Scripture as sure enough thou dost well-nigh throughout thy confused discourses and disputations about it then thy meanings are too mean to be any otherwise at all then meanly accounted on among any that mean honestly and plainly and know the Truth as it is in Jesus By us when we talk of the Scriptures to use thy own words onely vice versa Ex. 1. Sect. 26. non sanctissima ista veritas seu materia Scripturarium sed scriptura formaliter considerata intenditur honestly and plainly we intend that onely which is so even the form of writing it self and not the matter or holy truths of the Scripture the Scripturam and not the Scriptum or at most the Litteram Scriptam not the rem scriptam not the Verbum Scriptum the Declaration and not the Doctrine declared the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the letter in the oldnesse of which thou art yet serving who knowest not the newness of the spirit the Scripture or Writings of the Prophecy and not the Prophesie of or contained in the writing nor the Prophetical VVord the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the writing for so the word is there translated truly 2 Chron. chapter 21. not the VVord Written or word of Prophesie that came to Elijah and was sent in a Writing to the King which thou falsly sayest p. 12. that Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for in that Text and every wise man that is truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 especially in a dispute where the Question is whether the writing of the Word of God be the Word of God Written of or no while sub judice lis est will till the thing in debate one way or other be clearly determined remember still to keep these two things as two asunder So thou dost thy self while thou art well in thy wits witness thy words above cited by myself Ex. 1. S. 28. where thou puttest a plain difference between the Scripture it self formally considered and the most Holy Truth or matter therein delivered yea when ever thou keepest in any measure of sober-mindednesse thou keep'st these two as distinct in thy discourse as the two sticks of Iudah and Ioseph Ezek. 37 19 17. that were superscribed with two several superscriptions vouchsafing to each its own proper name and not communicating the name of either unto the other but clearly dividing between them so as that any one may see thou thy self dost not believe one of them to be the other nor yet darest affirm them to be Synonymous witness p. 12 13. where thou makest them two and writest of one of them all along as in contradistinction to the other in these Terms viz. not the Doctrine in it but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it self The Providence of God no lesse concerned in the preservation of the writings then the Doctrine contained in them the Writing it self being the product of his Counsel for the preservation of his Doctrine Satan hath no lesse raged against the Book then against the Truth contained in it it was no lesse crime of old to be Traditor libri then to be Abnegator fidel which sour last Assertions of thine though they are all four false tales for Providence is not so much concerned to preserve the Writings as the Doctrine neither is the Writing so necessary for the preserving of the Doctrine that as thou there hintest it must it must needs perish if the Writings perish for it was before them and may be without them and will be after them Neither thirdly is the malice of Satan so much against the Book called the Bible as against the Doctrine of the truth for he is willing to let hypocrites alone long enough to carry gaudy Bibles under their arms so be they serve him and abide not in Christs Doctrine nor in the Truth the Scripture tells of neither 4ly is it or ever was it so great a Crime to betray the Book called the Bible as to deny the Faith and the Word of Faith therein written of for the Book is not worth a Pin as to salvation without the Faith but the Faith is sufficient thereto without the Book and was so before the Book was witnesse the Worthies from Abel to Moses whose sufficient faith is written of Heb. 11. and would be if the Pope and the Devils rage should reach so far as to burn all the Bibles in the World so here 's four utter untruths asserted together neverthelesse as they are Tru-lies yet are they true enough to serve the truth I here summon them in proof of viz. that thou thy self who countest it as bad not to be as trusty to the Bible as to the Truth that 's in it as it is to betray the Truth and deny the Faith dost deny the Book or Scripture the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Writing to be one and the same with the Faith Truth and Doctrine or the Doctrine to be the Writing or that these can truly be denominated each of other I say then that here being more sober minded as to thy discerning between the writing and the written verity though drunk enough elsewise to lay so many lyes or at least so many tales that are not true upon the top one of another in so small a space as one short Section thou art freely willing fairly to distinguish them into two Yea further yet that thou dost not judge these two to be one it may appear plainly to thy self or any that are free to peruse the places in the 16. and 17. Sections of the same first Chapter for if thou didst then in the enjoyment of the one thou wouldest be satisfied as
judging thy self consequently enjoying the other but that thou art not in any wise for howbeit by thy own confession there Sect. 16. Capellus grants thee that the full enjoyment of the saving Doctrine of the Scripture is yet to be had or obtained by such as look chiefly after that let the Letter be never so corrupted yet thou art at no hand content with this but piteously pinest after something else which is not this saving Doctrine of the Scripture nor the Doctrine in it but another thing from which this contained Doctrine is distinguished and that is the Scripture it self which thou judged thou hast not notwithstanding thou hast its Doctrine unless thou have the Letter or Writing also and that so exactly and entire without alteration and ablation that not a tittle of it nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be found lacking these are thy words Sect. 17. Nor is it enough to satisfie us that the Doctrines mentioned are preserved entire every tittle and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture in that Writing see Sect. 13 in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we have must come under our care and consideration and to say the truth as thou putest a difference between the Scriptures of Truth and the Truth written of in the Scriptures sometimes as I ever do so it is the Scriptures of the Truth more then the Truth it self of which they are the Scriptures that thou mostly scrawlest for in those thy Scriptures for them which yet as is said above are not more for in shews and words then in deed and in truth they are against them nor is it the most substantial parts of that bare Letter that thou wranglest for so much as for the more accidental parts thereof viz. the points trivial tittles and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So then it is concluded hitherto on both hands First by thy self as well as â—ly by me that the Scripture and its Doctrine are not one but two several businesses whereof the First viz. the Scriptures are the subject matter so contended about between thee and the Quakers As for T.D. he draws his neck out of the Coller here and after he had engaged me to discourse it publickly with him whether the Scripture were the Word of God or not and at the dispute desiring to know what I held about it when he heard how I on the Quakers behalf declared what we meant by the Scriptures viz. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Writing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. the Letter and that we onely deny that Denomination of the Word of God to that not to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Word or Doctrine or Truth of God written therein he gave us the Question without more ado saying thus You cannot believe us to be so simple surely as to affirm the Scriptures in that sense the Word of God but we mean the matter contained in the writing whether that be our Rule of Faith and Life P. 26. of his first Pamp. which subject matter or Doctrine and Truth contained in the Writing and testified to in it which was before ever the Writing was and is as to the substance of it eternally and unchangeably the same Christ the Word the Wisdom Righteousnesse of God the War Truth Life both yeaster-day to day and for ever we never denyed to be the Word and Rule and Foundation and what ever else I.O. and the whole School of our English Scribes do ignorantly and falsly say the Scripture is though we are mistaken by most as denying the holy Matter it Treats of so to be but the matter is not the Writing or the Scripture but that which is onely written oâ— in it but the outward written Letter or Scripture much more the Book in which the writing is which I.O. is so busy for and for every point written title and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this not onely we deny to be the Word of God but all our rash reproachers of us as denying the Scripture to be the Word when we come to their faces are fain to fall in and deny the same with us also so Christopher Fowler after a long hot Publick Dispute at Reading with E.B. and my self upon this question Whether the Scripture be the Word of God or no in which he contended a great while together it was at last confessed openly and plainly before all the People and Magistrates there present that the Scripture or Writing and I know not what else is properly and truly the Scripture but the Writing is not the Word of God after which concession of C.F. they would hear no longer dispute but the Quakers were driven out of doors But I.O. standeth stifly to it that the Word of God is the Proper Name of the Scripture and even of every tittle and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it against the Quakers for that the Truth and Doctrine of it or of Christ declared in it is Spiritual Powerful saving Perfect so that Cursed will he be that adds to or detracts from it no Quaker will deny and to fight for the perfection and integrity of that with them is but to fight without an Adversary Howbeit I.O. when thy Brains as it were begin to crow as they often do like a man in a maze thou fetchest another turn back again upon the wheel and as inconsiderately as contradictorily to thy self thou blendest and confoundest these two sundry things that were before so severed by thy very self into one again so that as the two sticks aforesaid became one in the Prophets hands so these two that were sometime put asunder and with thy own hand inscribed with different Titles are joyned Indentically Intituled denominated each of other as Synonymous of two that stood divided made one individual of two sticks become one under thy own hand which writes of the writing and the thing written as of one and in its handling of them handles and feels no such matter of distinction between the Scripturam and the Scriptum the Literam Scriptam and the rem or Doctrinam or veritatem Scriptam the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Scriptiunculam Verbi de Verbo and the Verbum Scriptum the Letter or VVriting and the Doctrine or Truth written the Scripture of or concerning the Law Light Gospel and VVord of God and the Law Light Gospel and VVord of God it self of which the Scripture is but a true writing or Declration Yea whereas in that one single Section lastly cited Tr. 1. ch 1. S. 13. thou makes distinction in thy sound no lesse then four times between them first the VVritings and the Doctrine secondly the Writing and the Doctrine thirdly the Book and the Truth fourthly the Book and the Faith in the very Section immediately foregoing viz Sect. 12. which is as small as this thou all things well considered as they stand therein almost if not altogether as frequently dost confound them
of the Scriptures but say only in words of truth and sobernesse that they are not to be so exceedingly Adored and Idolized by men as theyâ—â—re by you who make them little lesse then All in all things to the Church the Papists speak much in disparagement of the Scriptures in which we say they do but blasphemously babble against them viz. That they are inferrior to the Humane Traditions of their Church or at least to the unerring breast of their Ghostly holy Father without whom opening and authorizing them they are of no more use nor authority then Aesops Fables and such like Reply 3. Whereas thou art ashamed to Relate the horrid foolish Titles of the Quakers Books in proof of their blasphemies against the Scriptures I believe that 's true indeed though all the rest are palpable Lyes for if thou shouldest Relate the Titles of the Quakers Books in proof of the Truth of this thy Charge of them which is utterly false then thy Lye which is plain enough already would be seen more plainly then it is for in all the Titles of the Quakers Books that ever I read who have read Ten times more of them I believe then thou hast done as I have seen Christ only exalted on the Throne and the Scripture owned in its place so I never saw and am perswaded also thou never hast seen any thing Written by the Quakers that borders on the foresaid Iewes and Papists blasphemings of the Holy Scriptures and therefore as I cannot much marvel at it that thou art ashamed to do it so I do not much blame thee that it doth so much shame thee as thou sayest to Relate the most foolish of them If it were true there was malice enough in thee I.O. to provoke thee to have instanced some Particulars in proof of this parcel of Scandal to the fuller shame of the Quakers whom to scandalize what thou canst is thy chief design and to have named those blasphemers and their Books but pudet referre sayest thou I am ashamed to Relate c. Thou art loath to be too punctual in thy Proof lest it proving too short of thy Charge the stain thou wouldest have stuck upon the Truths Friends should be stricken back upon thy self and the Lye come to lye at thy own door for if sounded out too loudly and distinctly it might Eccho and rebound home again to thee the Author and so redound to thy dishonour so thou fold'st thy self like the Serpent whose seed thou art in indefinite complexes or at least lapest thy self up in Universals and darest not lay thy self out at length nor grow too far into Particulars for dolus later in universalibus quae nunquam bene sentiuntur nisi ex particularibus suis as Deceit lyes most securely and keeps best hid in Universals which are not clearly perceived but by the Particulars in which they exist so by being beheld in the said Particulars both they and the Lyes that lye often in them undiscerned come more unavoidably to be discryed Reply 4. Whereas thou saiest thou thinkest meet to set down our Opinion as Collected out of our own Books and Speeches and accordingly dost declare what we hold as concerning the Scriptures thou most plainly Confutest thy self as to the Lyes thou tellest of us for thy self acknowledgest of us that we own that the Scriptures do contain a true Declaration of the Will and Mind of God proceeding from the spirit of Christ inspiring the Writers that thus far we are right and that we stand to this Confession without any renouncing it only that we would have wholly rejected the Scriptures without doubt but that things have not fell out according as we could wish do deny them to be the ordinary inalterable perfect and standing Rule of Gods Worship and our Obedience without the Revelations of the spirit and such like And this sayest thou is the summe of these mens Iudgements c. Which if it be where 's the wicked Blasphemy all this while wherewith thou Chargest us For there 's none as shall appear in the worst of this which yet thou settest down as gathered out of the Quakers Books and Speeches which thou sayest bear blasphemous Titles against the Scriptures but pudet referre I blush to set them down must answer all These things I O. do convict thee of telling many notorious Lyes against the Quakers even too many for a man to tell that calls himself a Minister of Christ and D. D. though not all by very many which thou tellest in thy Book some of which lyes yet left they should not be loud enough ' to come under every ordinary Readers Observation if told but once are either expresly or implicitly two or three times over related J. O. The Jewes Papists and Quakers differ among themselves it so falls out that they who in all other matters are most different in Opinion conspire altogether in this blasphemy viz. against the Scriptures The Papists and Enthusiastical Fanaticks do perpetually War against each other they mutually devote each other to destruction They are not acted by the same Reasons but those for their Traditions these for their Enthusiasms and Revelations Contending tooth and nail and so like Sampsons Foxes with their Tayles turned to each other bringing fire-brands on the Churches Bread-Corn they all attempt together very friendly to thrust down the holy Scripture from its Place The Papists do earnestly endeavour to detrude the Scripture out of its proper Place in the Church our Fanaticks tread in the same foot-steps with them into which wickednesse those among the Papists that are called the Spiritually have led them the way And elsewhere thou Reckon'st us up among the rest as Enemies of Gods Word and haters of the Scriptures Reply 1. Howbeit I. O. thou who in thy Epistle pretendest it to be thy aim and intention in thy Discourse to discover the Reproach that is cast by many upon the Scripture to its disparagement and to vindicate it therefrom dost as in most things else wherein thou bend'st at us discharge thy Bow at a venture so as at Random to rank us as joynt Abettors with them in grosse in that one grosse and common Cause of Caluminating Vilifying Decrying Denying the Scriptures among Atheists Pagans New Testament Contemning Iewes Papists and the whole Rabble of Rude Reproachers thereof whether in Whole or Part as if we were if not the Ring leaders yet at least the Rere-ward of the Ragged-Regiment of Anti-scripturists of what ever sort yet in this thou hast most grosly abused us and thy self also by thy false Accusing and Belying of us to the world in that Particular and must most assuredly come into Condemnation in â—he Judgement for Condemning the Generation of the Just for however thou mis-reportest of us to the causing of many to mistake us yet of a truth we are no such manner of People as thou wouldest make men believe we are but such as shall manifest our selves
everlasting to everlasting is unchangeably Authoritative over all inviolably pure every way entire and absolutely perfect as God is whose Word it is and so we assault it not in its Name nor in the Thing as thou sayest for we know and never did yet deny unlesse 't were before we knew it and while we were the same with you who yet know it not nor never heard it from his own mouth the Word of God to be the Word of God And also though thou Scandalize us so grossely as to say Satan sets us on work to bereave the Scripture of the glorious Title of the Word of God as its own Proper Name That 2. is also false for at the Will of God and in service and obedience to him and not of Satan we strip the meer Letter of that Glory wherewith thou unduly dost invest it and take it down from that high Throne and Authority wherein Satan sets thee on work to set it up â—that men may do homage to it and so run a Whoring after it from the Word of Life it only points at as Israel did after the Brazen Serpent and dance about it in their Idolatrous hearts as the God that must save and deliver out of Egypt But 3. Were that true yet howbeit we own the Word of God to be as truly and properly called the Word of God as in truth it is so and give to that still its own due proper Name of the Word of God somewhat more then yourselves do who call that by the Name of and make that Title of the Word of God the very proper Name of another thing which is not it but as inferiour to it as the Effect is to the Cause it came from viz. the outward Letter or Scripture that came forth from it and is but a Copy and Declaration or Images of it as much in worth and dignity below it as the painted Picture of a fire or a man on a Wall is to the true fire or Person which they do but outwardly represent And 4. As for the Writing or Scripture which thou sayest we deprive of its proper Name because we call it not the Word of God and by all those glorious Titles and Epithites thou stilest it by which we confesse are due to the Word viz. Light Living powerful Quickning Foundaiton most Perfect Rule and many more as we shall see anon thou sayest most falsly in that for these are as truly due so properly due to and the Proper Names of the Word it self only of which the Writing is but a Writing or meer Scriptural Declaration and not the Proper Name nor Properties of the Scriptures I.O. Thou tellest Ep. pag. 30. That the whole truth about the Word of God which thou falsly Slanderest us as confusedly opposing thou hast endeavoured to comprize in thy Theses Reply Thy Asserting that the Scripture ought to be called the Word of God as its proper Name and that it is in esse reali cognoscibili the Word of God and known so to be and consequently the Light Foundation Rule and whatever else the Word is known to be which is the main matter thou affirmest and puzlest thy self to prove against us is so far from being the whole Truth about the Word of God that it hath no Truth at all in it but in plain Truth is wholly a Lye in esse reali cognoscibili also to all but such as know not as thy self dost not in this point either what they say or whereof they affirm J. O. Thou sayest thou compleatest in thy Theses the Doctrine of the Scripture concerning the Scripture Reply Thy Doctrine concerning the Scripture which is that it is the Word of God and known so to be and is to be called or else it s stript out of its own proper Name this is not the Doctrine of the Scripture concerning it self but thy own Doctrine which though thou dignifie it with the Title of Pro Scripturis in thy Latine Title Page is more Con Anti then either Cum or Pro yea much more against then either according to or for the Scriptures I.O. Thou speakst of the Quakers as altogether rejecting the Word of God i. e. with thee the Scripture as to its whole use of spoiling the holy Scriptures of All Vse Authority Perfection And as those who if things had succeded according to their desires would no doubt long since have have utterly rejected them Yea as those who wish them quite blotted out that all men might more attend to the Light within themselves Reply Though what Use Authority and Perfection the Scripture is owned by us to be of will appear more anon in its proper place yet that we deny it not to have an Authority and Perfection and precious Use I here declare to the undeceiving of such as are deceived by thy Deceits and Lyes much lesse do we reject as thou falsly objects against us the Word of God it self which is a greater matter and of more moment then the Scripture as to its whole Vse and in proof of it against thy self that we own the very Bible and Letter to be of use and do also much use it as occasion is I shall here Cite I O. to give account to I.O. of this Lye that against I.O. I O. himself hath forged Yea I shall go no further at present then to thy self who as in at least Twenty things more in thy self-confounding Fardel thou dost confutest thy self as to this Lye in those very parcels above quoted For mark Art not thou the man who as brisk as thou art in bedirting us with this Slander of rejecting the Scripture which thou falsly callest the Word of God as to all its use its whole use and that altogether could we have had our Wills yet to the Contradicting of thy self which is as ordinary with thee as to eat and drink confessest and Commendest us thus far before all as follows in thy Latine piece where thy words Englished are to this purpose Ex. 1. S. 7. That the Quakers professe the Holy Scriptures to contain a certain Revelation of Gods Will and so far to have come forth from God as it proceeded from that inward Light which was from Christ in those who wrote those Books which ye name the Scriptures And Ex. 5. S. 18. That the Quakers acknowledge the Scriptures to contain a Manifestation of the Will and Mind of God both in respect of those who wrote them and of those also to whom they were delivered from the beginning and that this Declaration therein held proceeded from the Spirit of Christ which was so with the Writers thereof that they could declare the infallible Truth and that the things written therein are an undoubtedly true Declaration of the Mind of God And dost thou not add thus much That thus far we are right and that none that own them thus far can altogether reject the Scriptures unlesse he will declare himself to be
had never done so before till then Did not God speak in his Prophets and by them to the men of their several Ages from Moses upwards as well as from Moses downwards Did he not speak in Enooh the seventh from Adam in Noah in Abraham Isaac Iacob Lot and Iob who lived before Moses if Catholick Tradition be to be Credited in one thing as well as another and whose Book who ever Pen'd it whether himself or some other for ought thou knowest was written before Mosâ—s who thou thinkest wrote the first of the Scripture either lived or wrote and by them who were upright righteous just and walked with God to the wicked unrighteous Worldlings and wantons who walked with the Devil in their Generations who all were before Moses as well as by Moses and those that lived after him 2. Why sayest thou downwards to the Consignation and Bounding of the Canon in Ezra's days as if between his dayes and the dayes of Christs flesh the Spirit of the Lord was straitned as it never is Mic. 2. and God had limitted and bound up himself from manifesting his mind cut of his own mouth to any men at all for so many Hundred years together because some Prophets had been moved by him to commit to Writing or at least to permit to be Written by others some few of those things they saw and said concerning partly their own and partly the after times and other Nations Doth not Wisdom say of her self That in all Ages entering into holy Souls she maketh them friends of God and Prophets Wisd. 7.27 And were there no Holy men of God in those dayes wherein ye imagine all Gods speaking in and by any Prophets then was ceased in and by whom he manifested his Mind as he moved them to speak and write as immediately as he had done others before them And who told thee That the Canon as thou call'st it or full standing Rule of Tryal or infallible Touch-stone of the Old Testament Scripture to which nothing must or might be added after it till the time of Christ in the flesh was Compleated and after its Consignation and Bounding by them delivered to the Judaical Church in the dayes of Ezra alias Esdras and his Companions the men as of your own heads ye are pleased to term them of the great Congregation Whence hast thou these fancies of thine Or suppose they be not simply Suppositions but real Truths whence dost thou fetch or take them to be so but from the untrusty-Traditional-Tales of thy Forefathers and such Iewes as are little lesse then unerring Oracles with thee when saying ought that suits with thee yea thou callest pag. 203. the Assertion of Iustin Martyr of the Iewes corrupting the Bible out of their hatred to Christians An Incredible Figment yet little better but much worse then ordinary Infidels men feeding themselvns with vain fables desperate cursed Opposers of Truth mischievous in their devices against the Gospel of a profound Ignorance in all manner of Learning and Knowledge but only what concerns their own Dunghil Traditions addicted to monstrous Figments bewitching bewitched with Traditions Idolaters Magicians blind crafty raging fools sets full of deceitfulness froth venome smoke nothing but faithlesnesse and infidelity it self what not that 's nought where any thing issues from their most Catholick Testimony that makes against thee Pag 241.242.244.303 Yea whence knowest thou who art easily apt to Question when it serves thee so to do whether there ever were such men as the 70. and such men as the Tiberian Massorites in Rerum Natura pag. 243.336 that ever there was such a thing in Rerum Naturâ as that Great Congregation thou art every where in thy Book so greatly taken with and ever and anon betaking thy self to for Refuge but only from thy putting more confidence in thy own uncertain Conjectures together with the Catholick Tradition of the with thee creditlesse Iewes and Christians then in the Conjectures of the Prolegomenâ as Learned as thy self at least who oppose thee in it For there 's not so much as any Scripture at all that mentions such a set Sanydrim of Ezra Nehemia Ioshua Zacharia Haggai c. as thou settest it down in the Book of thy own Brain and the Counting-house of thy own conceit that there was pag. 302.303 And let it be as it can be no more then imagined there was such a great Congregation which it being as not possible to know it so nor here nor there to mine or any mans Salvation I 'le not search into so far as to put my self into any Capacity of either saying or gain saying it that there was and to ground any as I. O. does many things upon its being so as he but thinks is as he sayes in another case pag 293. to build Towns and Castles of Imaginations which may be as easily cast down as they are erected yet when all 's done whence had that Sanydrim such Authority as to confine and bound out that Canon and Canonize some of the Writings of such Prophets as ye wot are Canonical and Cashiere the rest of the Writings of the same Prophets and all the Writings of some other Prophets as of no such divine Authority as to Command with their fellows in Gods Name as his Word and to abrogate them as Apocryphal as ye speak and disband them from the bench of Iudicature and to bind the sweet Influences of the holy Spirit so as to say O Spirit of God be silent now blow no more nor make any more Prophets now for these many hundred years to come but become subject thy self to be tryed by the Touchstone of the Writings of such Prophets as thou hast already moved to write Gods Mind or so many at least as it seems good to us now to Authorize and Establish into a standard for the Tryal of thy self as well as all false Spirits And if I. O. say as he does pag. 303. That was not called the Great Congregation from its Number but Eminency of Persons yet I say are any Persons so Eminent if I.O. be not a Lyar pag. 35. as to have Authority from God to Authorize and Canonize casting aside what they like not what seems good to them into the Name to bespeak I. O in his own feigned phrase of the Word of God that they themselves must be subject to the Authority of and of the Rule that themselves must be Ruled by and of the Foundation that themselves and all others must be built on and of the Basis of their own belief It is indeed quoth I.O. pag 35.36 a Contradiction for men to say and if for other men then for I.O. say I who sayes the same yet sees it not They give Authority to the Scriptures they Bound the Canon and deliver to the Church what it shall be which it hath antecedently to their Charter and Concession And again Moreover to say the same of his supposed Sanydrim that I O sayes to the digrading
of the Septuagint from that high Conceit some have of them and eminent Account some have them in pag. 339. If the Ability of the men be granted yet what security have we of their Principles and Honesty Oh much every way thinks I.O. for though when he is pleased to speak diminitively of men the Care and Fidelity and Pains of whom in Translating we have as good ground to believe was as great to the full as any of that of those he Commends in Transcribing he disparages it into Oscitancy Inadvertency Negligence Ignorance the Wisest not seeing all and such like pag 319. yet when he speaks of the Care Pains and Fidelity of men in Transcribing which is a Work as lyable to mistakes as the other that he may keep up the honour however of his infallible Transcripts to this day then he utters himself more Hyperbolically and as for Ezra and his conjectured Companions he makes their labour to Reform the Church and all the Corruptions crept into the Word as he speaks though if the Letter were the Word it were not lyable to Corruption little lesse then Monstrous and their care in restoring the Scripture to its purity mark extraordinary pag. 171 308. Yea of the Points which yet he is to prove Coaevous with the Consonants and as old as any Scripture I doubt not quoth he but of that we shall yet manifest that they were compleated it should seem then that every Tittle is not now a◠at first giving out of the Letter if the Vowels were incompleate till Esdros dayes by the men of the great Synagogue Ezra and his Companions guided by the infallible direction of the Spirit of God I might as I. O. does often beg or take it crave leave to Answer this Conjecture with another pag. 146. and fling back I. O's as well as T. D's Fortè ita with so much at least as Fortè non but ipse dixit J.O. sayes he doubts not their infallibility so I who had rather be silent then disparage Ezra will add no more to I. Os Rex sum then nil ultrae quaeio Plebeius And now I am upon a Consideration of the Canon of the Scripture let me here make an end with thee I.O. as concerning this Cogitation of thine about the Consignation of the Canon of both the Old and that thou callest the New Testament of which New thou sayest pag. 27. That what thou hadst spoken of the Scripture of the Old Testament viz. as to its immediate emanation from God and its being canonized together with it into a standard the same must be also affirmed of the New with this addition of advantage and preheminence above the Old That it began to be spoken by the L O R D himself And as for thy Canon of the outward Scriptures of both sorts one of which thou callest the Old the other the New Testament after the Bounding Compleating and Consignation of which in their Respective Junctures and Seasons and the delivery of it so Canonized to the Church or Churches Respectively as their Eternal Infallible Touchstone Rule Foundation Testimony Standard no more must be owned on such a high Account as it s Authorized into as of divine Original nor be added by either God or man while the world stands I would sain find from thee if yet thou art able thy self to fathom to the bottom of thy own Faith or rather Fancy in this point where thou findest and whence thou foundest all thy confused Communications and crude Conceptions about this Canonization of such and such outward parcels of holy mens Writings into a Rule or Standard and disfranchizing such and such of others as holy as those from a standing within the Bounds of this Magna Charta that certain Synods and supposed Sanydrims of thou knowest not whom have given and do as thou deemest give and grant thereunto together with them Where learnest thou all these Lessons but from the Lectures and lying Legends and voluminous Lexicons of the illiterate Literatists of the world that are alwayes laying on and loading one another with their endlesse boundlesse and bottomlesse Scribles about the outward Original Text and Transcriptions and Translations of the Scripture in their tedious Tomes Talmuds and Talmudical Traditions till they are lost from the very Letter much more the Life it calls to so that they have no leasure to live or learn others to live thereafter in the inextricable laborynth of their own Labours about it Who leads thee into the vain Imaginations of these things but thy own and other mens well nigh innumerable and invincible inventions What Tangles thee and others in such trifling Talkings and Treatings one to another of things that none of ye all can have any infallible Evidence or yield to any infallible Assurance of but a croud of Conceits and Catholick Traditions with which the world and ye in it are so overcharged that ye cannot contain them now without infinite frothy and fruitlesse contendings about them and obtruding your own Observances imposing your own Supposings and thrusting each upon other your own bare thred-bare Thoughts of things that ne flocci facit it amounts not to the value of a lock of Wooll as to Salvation whether they be known or not till being throng'd and thrust into the thorny Thicket of your own Thoughts you there tear one another to pieces about the Scripture insomuch that I truly may and plainly shall be so bold as flatly to Contradict what thou sayest falsly of thy Canon and Standard since the closing and compleating of it that t is a means to end all strife it is rather throw the folly of its Ministers the means of all strife and Confusion in the Christian World Thou sayest indeed of the Writings of the Old Testament that the Canon thereof had its Consignation Bounding and Delivery to the Church as its Rule so that from thenceforth nothing Written either from Moses upward or to Christs time downward must be admitted to be owned as Canonical or inspired Scripture And thou sayest pag. 27.28 That God who himself began the Writings of the Word with his own finger after he had spoken it appointing and approving the Writing of the rest that followed i.e. from Genesis to the Revelation as they are ordinarily numerated in our Bibles except the Books called Apocrypha for I reckon all those are reckoned by thee as the Books thou speakest of Epist. Ded. pag. 3. Never indited by the Holy Spirit as remote from being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth lastly command the close of the immediate Revelation of his Will to be written in a Book Rev. 1.11 and so gives out the whole of his Mind and Counsel unto us in Writing as a merciful and stedfast relief against all Confusion darknesse and uncertainty but what a Relief it is against Confusion I shall shew more hereafter And as to thy Scriptures Canonization or the Consignation compleating Bounding of the Canon of it a few words here
my businesse with I.O. lyes into that Name of his Word and into the Authority of the Foundation of Faith the infallible Rule of Interpretation of itself of Tryal and Examination of Spirits Doctrines c. of the Supream Iudge also by which all Controversies of Religion are to be determined the only pure Authentical Standard unto which the Church is finally to Appeal in whose Sentence it is to Rest into which all Faith is finally to be Resolved so if such Synods of men either Antient or Modern as have shouldred out all those at once from sharing with the other Writings in what they can lay just claim to had been as Spiritually discerning as they were Spiritually blind shallow and undiscerning they would have seen cause to have joyned some at least of those Apocryhal Scriptures to an Equal Participation of that Plea of divine Original and inspiration with the rest as without Cause they justled them all out from it by their joynt Consent And though it be the declared Faith of that Assembly of Divines that both Houses of Parliament advised with 1648. and of the Congregational Churches in England whose Confession is put out this instant 1659. as to that Article about the Scriptures word for word in the same words with the other That the Books commonly called Apocrypha not being of divine Inspiration are no part of the Canon of the Scriptures and therefore are of no Authority in the Church of God nor to be any otherwise approved or made use of then other humane Writings yet this I declare to the whole World as my Faith concerning them that though I own neither them nor the best bare Wriing or outward Text or Letter of the other Scripture at so high a Rate as I.O. does who makes the naked Letter in all things equivolent to the holy matter yet whatever is truly to be praedicated of the one or can solidly be pleaded on the behalf of the one which ye call your Canon as to the divinity of their Original the same may be pleaded on the behalf of not a few of the other And as they all that in general are stilled Apocryphal can plead their Authority from long before the Apostles dayes and also the special Care and Providence of God which is an Argument of such weight with I.O. and T.D. pag. 27. as swayes them not a little into their frivolous Faith about the rest in the preservation of them to this very day So that all of them have been kept by the Church that kept the rest bound up and Translated into various Languages and as publickly allowed to be publickly Read as the rest and highly esteemed by Austin and other Fathers ye Divines cannot easily be ignorant And as for sundry of them ye are ignorant with a witnesse if ye see them to be as ye say they are not of divine Inspiration or see them not to be of as divine an Original as some or even any of the other which ye own so to be As for that Fourth Book of Esdras which is but the Second as it stands in the Apocrypha besides that it s acknowledged by Clem Alexandrinus Faber and many more men of Renown among you and by many Holy men in these latter times as well learned as your selves at least in the Wisdom of Gods Spirit to be written by his immediate Inspiration so is it such a plain Prophecy consistent of many Particular Praedictions of things to be fulfilled in these last Ages as the like to it or a least clearer is hardly to be found in all the Scripture besides it insomuch that he who reads it in the 11 12 13 16 Chapters of it and some other places and sees not the beams of a divine Majesty in it and sees not the Matters now managing upon the Stage in the World that are there foretold in it reads not in the Light of that Holy Spirit that moved in the Writing both of that and all other Holy Scripture and may come before he is well aware to feel ere long the dint of that divine displeasure that is denounced against the Sinners of the latter Ages and thereby come to be convinced of the Divinity and Truth of that Scripture which our Divines that usually see altogether by the lump and are loath to see any Truth Sigillatim till they are all made to see it whether they will or no will hardly yield to if they be their Old-wonted-selves till very Necessity forces and frights them into the Faith of it And the same may be said as to the divine Original of Ieremiahs Epistle which was written and sent to them that were to go Captive into Babylon and of Ecclesiasticus and the Wisdom of Solomon which favours so much of the Wisdom of the Spirit that he is yet in that Wisdom only which is from beneath which is Earthly Animal Deceitful who doth not acknowledge the finger of God writing those deep and precious Truths and Praedictions in the heart of him whose hand was the Committer of them to outward Writing which whether it were not Solomon after whom it was so Entituled Nil ultra quaero he uttered 3000 Proverbs whereof scarce 300 are extant in that Book of his Proverbs some of which as standing inserted there in the Hebrew Text are not the Original Copy but a Transcript only at best out of that or some Second hand Copies taken and Copied cut long after Solomons dayes by the men of Hezekiah 8 or 9 Generations from him Prov. 25 1. The 30 Chapter of which Book also are the Words of one Aguâ— the son of Iaketh but sure I am that Book of Wisdom was inspired or breathed into the Penman that expired or breathed it out from no lesse then that Wisdom which is from above The main Argument that ever I have seen against the divine Original of these Books are First Their being not written in the Hebrew Tongue which what a poor pedling piece of Disproof it is he is no wiser then he should be that does not see for what warrant is there that all that was not Pen'd in the Hebrew Tongue is no Scripture of divine Inspiration Or if there be is it not as conclusive against much of the Scripture which I.O. counts Canonical the whole of wch he reckons at random was wrote in the Hebrew Tongue since its evident that much of that Book of Hester 9 Chapters and 3 Verses of which are set among the Canonical Scripture and oh the Wisdom the other 6 Chapters and 10 Verses of the 10 Chapter by you self-will'd Choppers and Changers because written in Greek are reckoned and rank'd with the Apocryphal was written not in the Hebrew but in the Caldee as much of Ezra Nehemiah and Daniel also were And besides if being written Originally in the Hebrew will avail toward the evincing of them to be Canonical this will help some of your Apocrypha into your Canon since that of Tobit or Tobias is not
very Antient Writer since those that wrote Ioshua who ere they were for himself it was not that wrote it all at least as Moses not all Deuteronomie unlesse he wrote of his own Death and Burial before he died See Iosh. 24.29 do quote him Iosh. 3.10 Where 's that part of Ieremiah the Prophet wherein he spake that which Matthew cites Matth. 27.9 10. about the giving the 30 pieces of Silver the price that Christ was sold at for the Potters field for howbeit Zachary the Prophet Zach. 11.12 speaks of the same thing who was in his work an Exalier of God in his time which the Name Ieremiah seems to signifie and so may be called Ieremiah which is not likely to be Matthews meaning yet in all the Prophesies of Ieremie extant in your Bibles there 's no such thing spoken And for you to say either that Matthew was mistaken quoting throw forgetfulness one Prophet for another or that the Transcribers of the Copies of their Original out of Matthews Original Copy failed so fowlly in their Transcribings for all your Copies that ever I saw so read as to write Ieremie for Zachary will be for I.O. upon his Principles who stands to plead every Letter Tittle and Iota that was in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be now in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as sorry a shift and miserable remedy as he makes for himself and finds who leaps out of the frying pan into the fire Where 's the Prophecy of Enoch spoken of Iude 14. out of whose Prophesie the Iewes can tell you more then ye wot of from that of Iude And as for Ezra or Esdras and his true Companions of whom thou sayest truly enough if not truer then thou art aware of that their care in restoring the Scripture to its Purity when it had met with the greatest Tryal that it ever underwent in this world considering the Paucity of the Copies then extant was great and that the Consignation and Bounding of the Canon delivered to the Judaical Church was in their dayes and that they did labour to reform all the Corruptions crept into the Word of God And that they compleated the Punctation the compleatnesse of which then was not Coaevous with the Text as at first Written in Hebrew as thou contendest to the Consuring of thy self here and that they were guided herein by the infallible direction of the Spirit of God Pag. 177. 211. 302. 303. Did not they in the Spirit and Power of God Write many more Books even 204. most of which are not in your Bibles Read 2 Esdras 14. throughout the Chapter Where are all these and sundry more Scriptures some as and some more Antient then Moses of which I will not now speak particularly And as to the New Where is that First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians mentioned in the first of those Two that we have 1 Cor. 5.9 And that First Epistle of his to the Ephesians for its evident he wrote One to them before That mentioned in that One which ye have Ephes. 33 And that Epistle of his to the Laodiceans mentioned Col. 4.16 Besides several to Seneca Neros Tutor and other of Pauls Writings who was doubtlesse far more Voluminous in his Writings then that poor pittance of Epistles to Churches and Ministers and the Letters to Philemona Tradesman about a Domestick businesse of Receiving his Servant Onesimus that had ben unserviceable to him amounts to of whole Spiritual Scriptures and Speeches that fell from him at his Martyrdom that were taken by such as were present at it some in these dayes have seen more then that which was Written of him by Luke in the Acts and Written by him in the Epistles ye count a part of your Canon And whether that which Iohn wrote to the Church mentioned by him in the 9th vers of his Letter to Gaius were no other then the first of those Three Recorded And whether that of Iude whereof Iude 3. he sayes in the Praeterimperfect Tense When I gave all diligence to write unto you of the Common Salvation it was needful for me to write unto you c. were not One he wrote before This which was now but under his hands is more then all you Sayers of what ye think only are able groundedly to gain-say And whether Clements Epistle whose name was in the Book of Life and that Church of Rome to Corinth wrote 30 years after Pauls may not Challenge to be ranck'd among the rest is worth your enquiry And what think ye of that sweet shorr pretious Reply of Christ Iesus himself in his Letter to Agbarus King of Edessa who wrote so loving'y and beleevingly to him about the Malady that lay upon him as it stood Recorded in the Roles of that City and may do still for ought ye know which is to be read and many other pretious passages about that businesse in the Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius Pamphilius Is it not as Christian as Divinum Spiritum non hominem sapiens and worthy as particular as it is to stand in your Standard and claim a room in your Canon as that particular Letter of Paul to Philemon What is become I say of all these and more then may now be mentioned none of which is within the Confines of your Congregationally Constituted Synodically Composed Ecclesiastically Authorized Clerically Conceived Canon 1. Were they not divinely Inspired That were to Render doubtful your undoubted Divine Original of what you have Since some of them are quoted in these you have 2. Are they all utterly lost That were to loose himself much more in his Cause who is lost too much already for I.O. to say so sith more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one jot or one Tittle is then passed away and perished from the Law if the Letter be it not one jot or one Tittle of which Letter quoth I.O. wofully mis-interpreting that of Matth. 5.18 for the lotaes and Tittles of the meer Text and Letter which Christ utters only of the Doctrine Truth and Holy Matter of the Law is to passe away till Heaven and Earth which are yet standing are past away 3. Or did not God Himselfe intend to Dignifie these with the same honour and Crown them with so high an Account as those though as well descended and as immediately derived from him as the rest or did he not design them to the same Spiritual Ends and Renowned Uses with their fellows 4. Or were these Books out of the way and not present at the time and place of the first setting up of your Standard by such Synods and Sanydrims as took on them to stablish Sign Seal and Authorize what Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles should and what should not stand under that honourable Title of the stedfast Standard and so were Censured and Sentenced for ever for not appearing at that sacred Session and high Court of Iudicature which was to Iudge what Books should be from thence-forth
English J. O's Latine so unhappily stupid or self-will'd that they will be indoctrinated by no reason nor experience but as if themselves aboue must over-top all being puft up with a vain perswasion of their own Faith they obstinately persist in the contempt of such things as they understand not and so with the Comedian cry out Let who will say what he will from this Opinion we will not be removed T.D. at last denyes the Consequence saying pag 28. Suppose we should grant you there were such an Epistle legitimate yet it will not follow that it was intended for a Rule to us And why so may any Rational Reader say For this Reason quoth T.D. which Reason is as silly as if he had said because it will not for we have already as much as God thought sufficient God did not give order for any more then them we have to be our Rule what Order he gave for any writing at all to be the Rule or Canon will be seen anon or whether man did not give order for the Canonizing of that that is Authorized as the Rule but how appears it that God gave order for some Holy Scriptures and not some some Holy mens Writings some of Pauls Epistles and not othersome hereby quoth T D. Read Iob. 20.30.31 and many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his Discip'es which are not written in this Book but these are Written that ye might believe c. Reply In which Scripture T. D's Reason why Pauls other Epistles are Authentick and Canonical but that of his to Laodicea though as legitimate as the rest must not be so lyes so close hid up that a man may sooner find the way of a Bird in the Air or of a Serpent upon a Rock or a Fish in the Sea then find it or any thing that hath the least Iota of a Reason of such a matter Quis nist mentis inops c. Who but a man besides his wits can see either Sense or Reason in this Reason Iohn sayes Christ did more things then he Wrote of in that Book therefore Pauls Epistle to Laodicea i not so Canonical as his other Epistles But to take it as it comes consider first Iohn speaks of that particular History that he was then in hand with Secondly He speaks of Signes and not of Scriptures Thirdly Though he affirms that more were done by Christ then were written in his Book yet many might be and were Written by Matthew Mark and Luke that were not by him so that every way that Scripture makes against T.D. For first If Iohns Writing that Book were Exclusive of any of Pauls legitimate Epistles it must be of them all and of all legitimate Scripture that was wrote after this and so of his own Three Epistles and of his Revelation also from the Canon what mad work will T.D. make that way and what a fowl flaw will he make in his Canon by medling to exclude one Book of the New Testament excluding well nigh all Iohns Book was sufficient therefore no more need be written this is the Inference according to T. D. and not Iohns was sufficient therefore Pauls to Laodicea only so illegitimate that it must have no room in the Rule nor standing in the Standard though all other his Epistles now extant may 2. Iohn speaking that all the Signs Christ did were not written is no Argument to prove that all that was Written by the Spirit was not as equally useful as some of it and all alike designed and ordered to the same Ends so that if some were intended for a Rule the rest must be yea faith not the Scripture thus Rom. 15.4 1 Cor. 18.11 Whatever was Written aforetime was Written for our Instruction that we by it might have Hope Saith it not All Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is profitable for Doctrine Exhortation Instruction in Righteousnesse c. 2 Tim 3.16 2 Pet. 1.20 Saith it not that no Prophecy of Scripture which with I.O. is the Scripture of the Prophecy must be Interpreted as private Discourses that all Holy men of God spake as moved of the Holy Spirit Was not all then that was Written before Christ and since intended to one and the self same End though all that was done was not Written I understand not therefore the force of this Argument of T. D. All that was done was not Written Therefore much of that which was Written is of no use or not intended to the same use to the Church as the rest was 3. It perfectly confirms against T. D. what we Assert against him viz. That Pau's Writing to Laodicea and whatever else of Holy mens Writings that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and can be found have Caeteris Paribus One as much Authority as the Other being all alike legitimate For Iohn sayes of what ere is Written if T.D. will stretch Iohns saving beyond the bounds of that individual Book he was then writing it was written All to the same End i.e. That men might believe which with you not us is as much as to say to be a Rule of Faith One thing more I must not let slip here though T. D. did in his Account of the Dispute viz. That when T.D. had no more to say against that Argument from Paul Epistle to the Laodiceans one of his Associated Assistants R. Wilkinson asked Whether we had more Scripture in the Greek Tongue now extant then is in their Greek Testaments For that to Laodicea being here but Englished it would not down with them Reply was made Yea so naming a Verse between the 5 and 6 Verses of the 6 Chapter of Luke which is in some Greek Copies not theirs and a Verse of the Original Text wanting makes still against I. O.'s Arch-Assertion of the Scripture of both Testaments remaining in the Copies they now have entire to a Tittle as it first given out without any losse pag. 173. I repeated it in English thus out of the Greek in which Greek Tongue I have also read it Iesus seeing a certain man Working on the Sabbath day said unto him O man If thou knewest indeed what thou dost thou were happy but if thou knowest not thou art accursed and a Transgressor of the Law And so I have proved against T. D. That there 's much Scripture of Holy men which was as much designed in its first giving out to be the Rule as 〈◊〉 which is in modern Bibles wanting and lost some whereof yet is Extant in some Bibles at this day in which Confutation of T.D. I.O. is further Confuted as to all those many places of his Book wherein he avers over and over again with exceeding earnestnesse his Arch-Assertion viz. That not one iot nor Tittle of divinely inspired Scripture is lost but every Apex and Letter of it as at first Writing is Transcribed downward to us and preserved without any losse in the Copies we now have pag. 13 19. 173. And so this might stand
I. O. I am to Answer him in else-where So say I to I.O. T. D. or any other Thinkers or Seemers to themselves to see Proferant Fantastisi c. let these Pretenders to the Vision of this matter produce but one place of the Holy Scripture or any Testimony from Heaven but such a one from above they can't who deny Gods Spirit so speaking in these dayes as of old wherein God Christ or the Apostles set out the distinct bounds of their Canon Directory or Standard of the Old or New Testament by such a precise parcel of Books as are in your Bibles and exclusively of any other holy Writ whether mentioned or not mentioned therein and wee l not say but they have Cause in this Case though if 't were as they say they must hang down their heads with shame in 20 more to triumph in earnest Si autem de suo tantum loquuntur mendaces sunt neque verum est eorum Testimonium if they talk of their own heads of things about the Scripture which the Scripture Testifies not of it self they are Lyars and their Testimony is not true As to the Canon as ye call it or Standard of the Old Testament there 's not the least Tittle of Tendency to any such thing hinted there that it should consist of so many Books and such shall stand in it and such other though as legitimate and mentioned to be of God therein as well as the rest shall be shut out and stand by And in very Ezra alias Esdras his dayes when there was such a Paucity of Copies as thou well sayest I.O. Pag. 177. That in very deed the who'e Law was burnt as to the Originals its like at least 2 Esdras 14. 21 22 c. The Care of him and his Companions was great as thou sayest as to the Restoring of the Scripture to its Purity when it had met with the greatest Tiyal that ever it under-went before insomuch that what Books could be gotten together were copied cut or else written de novo by the light of understanding kindled in Esdras his heart by the Lord and many excellent thing done as to the Recovery of the Law into more purity in the very Letter of it out of the Babilonish rubbish c. but what 's all this as to the settling of this and that and t'other Prophecy into the distinct measure of a Standard by divine Appointment and dis-Canonizing all others save such as are in your Bibles called Canonical whether those of the Seers Gad Nathan Iddo and the rest abovesaid that are specified in your Bibles or those later which are allowed a room and standing in your Bibles though not a room and standing in your Rule and Standard thereof called Apocryphal of which some were Esdras his own as well as some of the rest Besides 't is evident that Esdras and his Companions if the Consigration and Bounding of the Canon were in their dayes or by their Sanydrim set a work and ordered by the insallible Spirit of God therein wrote a number more of Books 2 Esdras 14. 42. 44. then are now Extant in your Bibles which if all lost it makes against I.O. still that sayes not an Apex of what was by divine inspiration is lost and so his great Engine out of which he shoots short against the Truth his Standard and Canon comes still lame and short and halting home And also though Esdras and his Company Compiled many yet the last Volume of the Psalmes is more credibly supposed if I would enter into I. O's Work of Answering Conjecture with Conjecture to be truss'd up together in the dayes of the Maccabees but all here is uncertain and carried to and fro by Conjectures and so there 's nothing sure on I. O's side And as to the newer and later Scripture since Christ where is the least touch of such a businesse of Constituting some few certain Books of those many more then we have which were then written into a Canon and discarding othersome whether such as we want or such legitimate ones as we have as that to Laodicea from within the Coasts and Quarters of your Canon Nay rather the Scripture of the New sayes as in the places above Cited Rom. 15.4 1 Cor. 10.11 2 Tim. 3.16.17 2 Pet. 1.20.21 That all Scriptures that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given or written by Inspiration of old time were to the same purpose that any at all were so that if any of it all then all of it is to be listed into that Lydium Lapidem and to be Confederate with the rest and to come by right into the Confines of your Canon all what ever was so written being alike written for our Instruction alike profitable alike publick and none of it of a more private Interpretation then the rest Does that of T. D's Citing and I. O's also Ex. 3. 26. viz. Iob. 20.30.31 prove any such thing If that be Exclusive of any Scripture at all it must be of all that which was written after it forasmuch as according to T. Ds. Exposition of it it intimates a sufficiency in that which was already written and if wee l be befool'd with his sinister senses and mindlesse meanings on the Scripture that when he had written that there was as much as God himself thought sufficient to be written at all as a rule of Faith or in order to mens beleeving pag. 28. These are Written that ye might be'eeve and have Life as if he should say Here 's enough what need more And as the Preacher said of old Of making many Books there 's no end by these be thou Admonished they are words of Truth therefore heed no more Eccles. 12.10.12 Will any of you say that in Iohn yet T. D twines it such a way will bear such a Construction as to be Conclusive of some Scriptures of Spiritually Inspired men into the use of a Canon or Standard and exclusive of others as much of God as those On this account as one might Interpret Solomon as cutting off from the Canon all the Prophets Writings that succeeded his in the Old Testament Scripture so one must Interpret Iohn as Excluding out of the Standard of the New Testament all ensuing Writings of Holy men but his own and his own Epistles and Revelation also which were Posterior or Successive to his History then in hand as utterly uselesse and superfluous Credat Apelia Doth that Gal. 6. 16 As many as walk according to this Rule or Canon do it which blind Guides and People so hastily patter over as if that mentioned the whole Bible and all that Writing and not a Tittle more then what 's bound up in it besides the Apocrypha when I shall shew in its proper place it s spoken of no External Scripture of Writing at all I say will that prove some to be Authorized of God for the Standard and some even of the same Holy mens Writings though yet extant not to be so Is there
any such distinction in the sound of that Term This Rule whereby if it were meant of Scripture as it s nothing lesse to give us to discern that Paul in that Expression includes his Two Epistles to Corinth and that one to Ephesus and this to Galatia and the rest of his own and other Apostles Writings even the Revelation it self that was not wrote in his dayes that are Concincinated in your Copies as intended of God to be the Standard and excludes his first to Corinth his first to Ephesus and that to Laodicea as not intended of God to stand in the Standard but to stand below it to be tryed and judged by it Or by this Rule did he mean no more then what was already Written which of you Wise men that render in your Interpretations that Term Rule there of an outward Letter can Riddle me this If so as ye say then he quite cuts off what should be Written after this either by himself for any other Inspired Writer and so all Iohns Epistles and his Revelation rom coming into that right it hath to Rule as the Standard among the rest Or if no then that place and indeed it doth not makes not at all to I. O's purpose who yet quotes it in proof of his Canon as carelesly as others do for customs sake among a vast Company of other Texts that he crowds on a heap one a top of another not one of which proves the Point he there Propounds viz. Scripturam post completum ejus Canonem esse Regulam perfectissimam ita ut nullae Revelationes sint admittendae That the Scripture is so perfect a Rule or Canon that after the Compleating of its Canon which was not when Paul wrote to Galatia if Iohns Epistles and the Revelation be a part of it mark that no more Revelations must be admitted See Ex 3. S. 25 26. not one iot more then the Green Circle that is seen about it in some misty Nights proves the Moon to be made as they say of Green Cheese And now I am upon that Term of thine I. O. Post completum ejus Canonem let me take it while it is in my mind I much muse what ye mean by this so often Compleating and Bounding of your Canon and marvel what Epoche Iuncture and Period of time this perfecting of your Canon and Standard as to all its Integral parts must take its being and beginning as such and be counted from so that before that time it can't be called a perfect Rule or Standard If it be from that time which I. O. calls the Close of the immediaâ—e Revelation of Gods Will Pag. 28. made when Iohn had written the Revelation after which I.O. thinks nothing more was ever to be added by way of new Inspination which Thought of I. O's I shall think to talk with hereafter it from that time I say and not before then t was not compleat it seems when Iohn wrote that Iob. 20.31 nor yet when Paul wrote that Gal. 6.16 And so neither of those Two places cited by both I.O. or T. D do prove their Rule-perfect as to its Integrals and compleat already when Paul and Iohn wrote them And yet for all that I can find by I.O. and T.D. both they not only count their Canon compleat and perfect at the time of the Writing of those Two verses but likewise produce those very Two verses viz. I.O. both and T D. one of them viz. Joh. 20.31 and expresly and in effect the other to prove their Rule to be a most perfect Rule and compleat Canon already long afore the supposed Close thereof in the Revelation yea counting from the time of the Penning of that place Ioh. 20.30 31. we have already quoth T.D. Pag. 28. as much as God thought sufficient as if that History of Iohn had pin'd the Basket and brought up the Recto all the whole Standard of outward Scripture and compleated it alâ—eâ—â—y as sufficiently as God thought fit it ever should be yea so sufficient as that all that should be written after should be held superfluous No more then a most perfect Rule it is now a compleat Canon sufficient Standard adaequate to all Cases that come to be tryed by it inalterable Touchstone immutable Measure to measure all Spirits by to which nothing may be added and I confesse if the Writing be the Rule Standard Measure true Word of God which its but a Writing of it ought to remain from the first to the last ad amussim exactly the same as to its Measure as well as to its Nature and to have not one iot not an inch not a tittle added to it to make it larger longer or wider then at very first Canonizing and Authorizing into its Office it ought to be steady and standing stedfastâ—y the same within it self as well in its Quantity as Quality as a Substantive and not such an Adjective as can't stand by it self without more and more and more Words and Writings still from time to time newly adjoyned to it to shew its sense and signification about those things its to measure determine and to be the All in All even both the Rule and the Iudge of as ye make it I say it can be no more now it s thus compleated as it is by successive Additaments from Moses himself to the Revelation and not one jot lesse it was according to you conceited Canonizers thereof before Iohn or Paul or any of the New Wâ—iters ever wrote no lesse then a perfect Standard that had its Consignation and Canonical Bounding and its borders so set out that what came not to hand what appeared not at the Session of that Sanydrim that sate in Ezraes dayes to Try and Iudge on and Authorize what was fit to be the Iudge and Rule for themselves and all after Ages to be Tryed by must be Condemned as Apocryphal for ever and no lesse then so that little was that was in the dayes of Isaiah before himself or any of the Prophets aâ—ter him had Written To the Law to the Testimony cry out Anti-Testimonists from Isa. 8. 20. like Rooks and Frogs that gape and croak all alike for Companâ—es sake to the same Tune as if that were that little of the Letter only that then was which I shall shew anon was another matter and no lesse then a compleated Canon that little was that was in Davids dayes which was little more then the meer Five Books of Moses if Ioshua and Iudges and Ruth were then written the Word was a Light to Davids feet the Law the Commandement of God David said was perfect converting the Soul enlightning the Eyes rejoycing the Heart giving wisdom to the Simple say the Simpletons of these times never heeding that that Commandement is the Lamp Prov. 6.23 and the Law that Light in the Heart the Quakers speak of Maâ—th 25.8 Luâ—e 12 35. and that Word by which the young Man was to walk and cleanse his way and that was a
for Money as Ministers do now adayes And if I. O. insist upon the next words viz. 2 Tim. 3.15 which place mentions the Holy Scriptures and is mentioned I know not how many times over in I. O's Book in proof of that which it in no wise evinces and must be more plainly spoken to by me in due place Rep. I Confess that next Verse doth mention the Scriptures but more against then to J. O's purpose and more disproves then proves what he draws from the other yea it assures us that it was not the Scriptures in any wise meant in the 14. Verse for Paul saith to Timothy That from a Child he had known the Holy Scriptures i.e. of the Old Testament for those of the New were not as yet Canonized nor All Written if any of them were at all Written in Timothies Nonage but the Things he had heard and learned of Paul and was bid to continue in and commit to other faithful men to Teach were such as he had come into the Knowledge and Assurance of after he was taken by Paul Acts 16.1 2 3. to Travel with him which was not till he was grown past a Child If that Expression Knowing of whom thou hast learned Vers. 14. be granted to relate to Paul which yet for ought you Literatists are able to gain say may rather relate to the Lord himself by the Gift of whose Grace i e the Light and Spirit in him Timothy was and yet according to the Scriptures taught both more lately 1 Tim. â— 14 and from a Child So that neither of these two Texts teach any such matter as any of the outward Text of the New Testament Scriptures being either Canonized by the Apostles in their dayes or ordered by them to be stated as a Standard in the Councels of succeeding Ages And whatever men did de facto that way in the Second or Third Centuries the Antiquity whereof as venerable as it is to some Anti-Scriptural and Anti-Spiritual Antiquaries is with us but Novelty and Superstition if it appear not to descend de Iure from the first yet we Quary still quo Iure by what Authority from God Christ or the Apostles the Synods and Men that so Authorized and Canonized what Scriptures seemed to them as Challenging so high a Title and Office as the Word of God Rule Foundation Canon Standard and such like secluding other Writings as Holy as these were Authorized or Commanded so to do themselves Neverthelesse how weakly doth I O. Confessing first That it doth not appear that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the several Writers of the Scriptures of the New Testament and the same say I of the first Manuscripts of the Old which were burnt and lost and scambled away before Ezraes Sâ—nydrim if the Consignation and Bounding of the Canon thereof was done by him and his Companions as I.O. sayes were ever gathered into one Volume there being now no one Church to keep them for the rest and that the Epistles though immediately transcribed for the use of other Churches Col. 4.16 as I. O. thinks at least all were because some were were doubtlesse kept in the several Churches whereto they were directed which Confession if true as sure enough it is clears it that the Original Copies were never viewed together in one Bulk by any Councel or Synod whereby to put it into a Capacity to Iudge and Determine of their fitnesse to make a Canon of but only mens Copies of the Original which but that every man will think his Think and I.O. think as well as may be of it yet who can assuredly insallibly uncontroleably tell as I O. sometimes though sometimes again he will seem but to Think so undertakes to do in his grand Assertion that they answer the first Original in every Tittle and Iota I say before-hand Confessing all this how weakly doth I.O. Assert with Confidence his Thoughts in this as a point of Faith Pag. 166 167. that from those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there were quickly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Transcribed Copies given out to faithful men whilst the infallible Spirit continued yet his guidance in an extraordinary manner alluding to 2 Tim. 2.2 as his only Proof thereof out of which Original Copies or rather Copies of the Originals so Transcribed for the Originals themselves never came together to be considered of by any Councel this supposed Canon was Composed by the Annexing of the Revelation to the rest by I O. said to be finally Compleated Paâ— 28. God quoth he doth Command the close of the immediate Revelation of his Will to be Written in a Book Rev. 1 â—â— And so gives out the whole of his Mâ—nd and Councel to us in Writing as a stedfast Relief against all Confusion Darknesse Vncertainty c. Reply As if all Canonical certainty were no where but in a Written Letter then which in regard of its liablenesse to be altered easily many wayes by lewd Criticks whom I. O. Teaches to do it Pag. 21 22 23 24 25. As also by meer mis-Transcriptions mis-Translations misâ—Constructions nothing is more uncertain to make a Standard of unlesse it be the unutterably erring Breast or Head of that Harlot that Rides the Beast and the unwritten Traditions that are Traducâ—d ad infinitum from the same 2. As if the Light and Spirit that shines and breaths in the Hearts of all but most brightly and powerfully in the Hearts of such as heed it were not more infallibly self evidencing and certainly and stedfastly demonstrative of the Mind and Will of God when looked on in its naked Native lustre then when beheld thorow the vail of a Letter which while Moses put over his face the Children of Israel could never see certainly nor distinctly discern nor look stedfastly to the end of that which is abolished but were blind in their minds as our Ministers of the Letter are at this day upon whose hearts the vail is untaken away and ever will be till according to the Call of the Letter they turn to the Light within that comes from and leads to the Lord himself Christ Iesus that Spirit in whom only the vail is done away 2 Cor. 3. Per totum 3. As if the truest and most infallible Demonstration were Non ex veris prioribus certioribus notioribus causis internis Scripturae but Ex fallibilibus flexibilibus posterioribus obscurioribus effectis not by the internal Causes the Truth and the Word it self the Scripture came from which are before it more certain and known then it save to such as are willingly ignorant of them but by the Scripture which is but Effectus per emanationem the Effect that externally flowes from it flexible fallible as alterable at Criticks Wiâ—ls and unavoidably by mens weaknesse in Transcribing Translating Expounding c. at a Nose of Wax a Lesbian Rule more obscure yea obscurity iâ—leâ—f in the most plain Places to the Seers that search it not in the Light and
Shall we Think Pag. 168. against others strong Arguments to the contrary First It is urged and that with no little shew of Truth that the old Hebrew Letters being those the Samaritan Pentateuch is written with at this day and that the Samaritan Letters having alwayes been and still being without Points it must follow that the Points are an Invention and Innovation of a later date then the change of the Letters which was not till Ezraes dayes and not Goaeuous with the first Scripture Pag. 260. in which the Consequence being undeniable thou makest bold to think the Antecedent may be false and among a deal more of doubtful stuffe to say that 't is most uncertain when and in what Character the Samaritans received the Pentateuch P. 261. that the Letters thereof were the Antient Hebrew Letters As for what Eusebius Hierom and some of the Rabbins Report it seems to thee on the best Enquiry thou art able to make a groundlesse Tradition and meer sable because though Eusebius affirmed it was so affirmed yet tells not on what ground And though Hierom himself be positive in it yet he might be mistaken in this as well as he was in some other things like to it as Pag. 234. he saw not all things and that the Talmud is of no weight with thee Reply What pedling Disproof is here of I.O. pushing against Two Antient Fathers Positions and the Testimony of the whole Talmud of the Rabbins with no more then the Bean-stalk of his own Suppositions and slender Sayings It 's of no weight with me It seems to me a Tradition pag 262. and It doth not appear to me whence this Change of Character should arise The Jewes are thought and said in the Captivity to have forgot their own Character and learn'd the Caldean so as to adhere to it in their Return but that the men of one Age should forget the use of their own Letters is incredible Yet say I more then Credible yea certain it is that though the Antients alive at the burning of the First and building of the Second Temple did not likely forget their own yet in and after the Captivity the Chaldean Character was used witnesse the Books of Daniel Ezra Nehemiah Ester in which much is written in Chaldee I say then what straw and stubble and unsteady stuffe is all this which our Doctoral Students in Divinity stand so upon as to stiffen themselves by it against each other in their sturdy Disputes about their stupidities yet so far are solid Saints from putting any stresse much more so much as I.O. who states and trusts no lesse then whole sacred Truth thereon upon such Ticklish Pinnacles and Points or from strengthning themselves in their Faith towards God thereby that it s even a stink to them to see any so senslesse as so to do on either hand Pag. 263. 2. The Argument for the Novelty of the Points from the Antient Iudaical Coines found with Samaritan Characters upon them is refel'd with the Rush of thy own ridiculous and reasonlesse Fancies which sith they are too frivolous to Rehearse I refer the Reader that is minded to be so foolish as to follow thee in that high Road as thy self there callst it and so savest me the labour of sprinkling it into that Name of Forgeries and Fables in which thy self as well as those thy Opponents are altogether to Pag. 264 265 266 267. where he may Read thee Rendring of simple Supposition against Supposition or rather against Position disproving Ignotum per magis ignotum dubium per magis dubium pelting back out of thy Pot-gun such brown Paper as this at the Probable Arguments of others viz. May we not think c. It is not improbable that it was so old nor is it improbable that 't was so c. I cannot think the Greeks of old used only the Vncial Letters which yet we know some did c. I shall crave leave to Answer this Conjecture with another and grant that such a Change was made yet this prejudices not them in the least who affirm Ezra and the men of the Great Congregation to have been the Authors of the Points Nay it casts a probability on the other hand namely That Ezra laying aside the Old Letters because of their difficulty together with the other introduced the Points to facilitate their use And Lastly To bring up the Reerward of thy manifold Fictions foisted out against the urgings of that probable Proof from the Characters upon the Coines after thou hadst prosecuted them a while passim testaque lutoque thou Concludest thus viz. Now let any man Iudge from this heap of Vncertainties of which say I I. O's there accumulated are I know not how many to one of the other any thing can arise with the face of a witnesse to be admitted to give Testimony on either hand say I much lesse on I. O's whos 's own heap of confessed uncertain Conjectures is manifold more Massy then that of his Antagonists yea as weighty as the very Wind it self He that will part with his Possession on such easie Terms quoth I.O. there never found much benefit by it And say I He that will part with much Labour and Pains to find out the Antiquity of this Possession of Hebrew Letters Points and Tittles and think to get much benefit by purchasing it to himself therewith as Râ—ch and Ancient an Inheritance as I. O. pretends it is Pag. 252. 318. and as many Millions as he sayes Pag. 176. look'd on and enjoyed it for many Ages as their chiefest Treasure Pag. 163. he shall assuredly have his labour for his pains And if I may crave leave to interpose so far as to Answer I. O's many uncertain Ones with one more certain Conjecture I tell I O. that he hath himself Conjectured away the very thing he Conjectured for and tost his own Cause so long to and fro among the multitude of his uncertain Thoughts Conjectures and Suppositions till unawares to himself in the Crowd thereof he hath lost it altogether and supposed it into the very bosom of his Opponents for if Ezra and his Congregation were the Authors of the Points and introduced them as he sayes the Argument from the Characters on the Coines renders it probable that they did Pag. 266 as is abovesaid then proculdubio for certain and of a Truth it may both be Conjectured and must be credibly and infallibly believed that they are so far from being Coaevous with the first Manuscripts that they were invented and introduced though before the Tiberian Massorites yet after all that he owns as the Canonical Scripture of the Old Testament was first written and so he gives it in for granted that they are a Novelty and not a thing that was from the beginning of the Scripture which is that he is to prove or else it comes short of his purpose so as to adde an inch to his Arch Assertion of a non Alteration of the Text
opened by the shining out of that Light in it that lyes yet smoothered and then thy misery will be so great upon thee that as I told thee above what thou sayest of the Pope for his misuse of Scripture will be verified not on him only in so much the greater measure by how much his Vilislations and Violations of it may be greater then thine but in some measure also upon thy self so that as thou together with me sayst Papae so say I Et Tibi Tempus erit quo magno optaveris Emptam Scripturam intactam It will once repent thee not a little in thy own Spirit that ever thou appearedst in publick in such a proud and peevish Prate against its purest Friends so pretensively only but not properly for and so piteously and unpolishedly about the Scriptures Now as to thy Vindication or Plea it self for the present Integrity and Indentity of the Text of your Copies with those Original Copies that were first given out which thou positively hadst before Asserted thou failest and fallest short so in thy Confidence of what thou hadst so peremptorily propounded for Truth in ipso limine at the very threshold and entrance thereinto as to stile it no other then an Account of thy Apprehensions a delivery of thy Thoughts and a runing the Hazard of giving out thy Thoughts and of what thy own Thoughts suggested to thee pag. 146 147 149. 163 and a discovery of thy Thoughts 151. As also thy First Treatise wherein thou talkst of the samenesse of the Letter in every Tittle and Iota to what it was at first so Authoritatively so Positively so Impositively so seemingly Infallibly and Uncontroulably a publication of thy Thoughts Though I had thought a Minister of Christ or Doctor in that thing cal'd Divinity especially about the Foundation of all his Faith and in that Chapter where he layes the Basis of his Businesse and of hâ—s building should have bâ— thought himself better before-hand and have saâ—e down and counted his cost and cast it in his mind before he Printed his Propositions out in such peremptory terms as thou dost in this case of non-Alteration of one jot or Tittle of the first divinely inspired Scripture pag. 13 14 28 whether it would hold it out in such a height for certain or no without parching it up with So I think and such loose Conjectures and Imaginaâ—ions as are attended with such great uncertainty that himself confesses as thou dost pag. 297. They ought not to be admitted to any Plea or Place one way or other in so wâ—ighty a cause and Propound things that are false as boldly as undoubted Truths and then puâ—s off such as expect hiâ— pâ—oof with weak Conjectures and his Conceits â—eâ—t men mock him saying This man began to build but was not able to finish Yet now I bethink my self thou pretendest to be no divinely Inspired Prophet nor one that owns any such to be now a dayes but one of those Other men thou speakest of pag. 9. The Pigment and Imagination of whose hearts are the fountain of all that they speak and so no better can be expected from them 2. Thou grantest that ye have not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 13 Nay It is granted sayest thou pag. 163. that the Individual 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Moses the Prophets and the Apostles are in all probability and as to all that we know utterly perished and lost out of the world As also the Copies of Ezra the Reports mentioned by some to the contrary are open fictions The individual Ink and Parchment the Roâ—es or Books that they wrote could not without a Miracle have been preserved from mouldring into Dust before this time Nor doth it seem improbable that God was willing by their losse to Reduce us to a neerer Consideration of his Care and Providence in the Preservation of every Tittle contained in them Had those individual Writings been preserved men would have been ready to adore them as the Jewes do their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Synagogues Reply How like a Child dost thou talk in that groundlesse guesse of thine that God was willing to let the losse of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be for such an end as in thy foolish vain mind thou imaginest and fondly fanciest What a bawbling and blerting dost thou make of thy boyish bolts out of the Cross bow of thy crooked Conceit both here and else-where up and down thy Book Who told thee that trifling Tale which thou tellest for probable Truth that God let all the first Writings be lost for this end to reduce men in the latter Ages to a neerer Consideration of his Care in Preserving every Tittle till now that was contained in them When yet we know as I told thee above and prove by and from that little of the first Scripture that hath happened to come to our hands which ten parts to one of the World never saw neither that not Tittles only but many whole Books of the first divinely inspired Scripture that belonged to the Bulk of Holy mens Writings by the Spirit are not preserved but perished for ought thou knowest both the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of them also Did God himself tell thee this to tell for Tsruth or did the Serpent suggest it to thy Thoughts that suggests a legion more oâ— the like lying vanities Even he surely insinuated this into thy Imagination that crowded those other crude Conceptions and Conjectures which thou hast and holdest out to such Tom of Bediams as will take them for Truth from thee So in pag. 12 14 34. where perking up into Gods privy Councel as if thou wer't one that fate in his Bosom from which thou art yet as far being from the Light as the Rich Gâ—utton was from Abrahams where poor Lazarus saâ—e whom he dispised saving that the gulf was fix't against his passage whereas there 's hope concerning thy coming thither if yet in time thou tern and take hold on Truth and intruding thy seâ—f into what thou hast not seen vainly pufâ— up in thy fleshly mind thou proudly falst a Pratin◠〈◊〉 Propounding for Truth what swims and floats in the Cock-boat of thy Fancy viz pag. â—2 That the Writing was the product of Gods Eternal Councel for the preservation of the Doctrine after a sufficient discovery of the Insuffiency of all other means for that end and purpose Reply Into which piece of Gods Eternal Councel I trow who or what Spirit or Scripture or Key of any kind did ever let in I. O. who Proposes it so peremptorily in his Preachings as if God had discovered something by experience after a while that he was not so well acquainted with before namely that manifesting his mind by Dreams Visions Voices Word of Mouth was after his tryal thereof sufficiently â—ound by the Lord to be an insufficient means to save his Word from loosing which means he intended once to that end and
ye all falsly say it is that is the Word of God Witnesse not only that so much esteemed Divine in his dayes viz. Ball in his Catechisme but also the Confession of Faith of the Assembly of Divines presented to the Parliament and that of the Congregationals which is verbatim the same also therewith who all unanimously in that Article of the Scripture wherein they falsely affirm it to be the Word of God declare thus in the fifth head viz. by the heavenlinesse of the matter efficacy of Doctrine majesty of the stile excellency and perfection of the whole it doth abudantly evidence it self to be the Word of God yet notwithstanding our full perswasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof i.e. of the Scripture is from the inward work of the holy Spirit bearing witnesse by and with the word in our hearts But thou in page 90. and thorowout thy fifth chapter of thy first Treatise excludest the witnesse of the Spirit immediately in the heart at all or at least the usefulnesse much more the necessity of any such Testimony making as here page 34. the Authority of God shining in it self alone and exclusively of the spirits and words witnesse in our hearts the sole medium of all that evidence which man can have of its being what ye call it viz. The Word of God but as for God and the Spirit who within do give all the evidence that they give at all of the Scriptures being what in truth is is viz a true writing of the truth what if they are willing to grant an evidence within and to afford more then thou talkst of wilt thou bind limit and forbid them so to so who 〈◊〉 unlimitedly here declarest that God is willing to afford and grant no more must not the Spirit blow where it lifts without thy leave or acquainting thee first who art no Prophet with what he will do And this may serve as a sufficient Answer to thy vain Opinion in it it being worth no better to that whole Chapter of thine concerning the Testimony of the Spirit though whether it shall or no so that I 'le say no more to thee about that Chapter is more then I le tell thee here that I may be at liberty to do as I see occasion Only thus much is spoken to that saying of thine above pag. 34. to shew how Majestically still for the eternal Truths of God thou tellest thy own meer trashy untrusty Traditions of which sort I say is that above p. 163 which I am yet in hand with viz. that God probably suffered the losse of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reduce us to a Consideration of his Care in preserving every Tittle that was in them to this day in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Copies we have But I O. seems to take another Reason out of the bottomlesse pit of his own infinite Fancy and Imagination why God was as willing to let the first Manuscripts perish as careful to preserve every Apex thereof in their adored Transcripts and successively Crowned and Canonized Copies to this day viz. left if the immediate individual Writings had been preserved men would have been ready to adore them as the Jewes to adore their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Synagogues Reply Which if it be Cogent or have any Reason at all in it to prove a willingnesse in God to let the first Writings be left hath it not as much to the full to evince God Regardlesnesse of your so copiously regarded Copies upon if there were no other the very self-same Account as he was so carelesse of the other But I. O. is so totally Talpified that as Eagle-eyed as he is abroad to spie a hole in the Iewes Coat he can't see that Iewish Idolatry neerer home For if God to prevent Adoration of that Brazen Serpent and Idolized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Scripture was so regardlesse of it as to permit it to perish and be brought to nothing is there not as much reason why he should be as Carelesse of your remote tottered Transcripts and false Translations ye are so carkingly careful of as to let what will become of them notwithstanding your uncessant pining and whining and whoring after them and solicitous scoldings and tearings one of another so much about them For as much as though ye Confesse ye have but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet so it is that ye Adore and even Idolize them as much as ye would or likely could the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 themselves had you them to bustle and busie your minds about and as much as the Iewes though ye advance them the Right way no more then they do theirs as I have told you at large above do their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Synagogues Suppose ye had here the very Hand writings of Moses and the old Prophets and the individual Letters and Stories that the Evangelists and Apostles pen'd with their own hands yea the very Two Tables of Stone superscribed with Gods own finger which was a Figure and Type of that Hand-writing of his Law in the fleshly Tables of your hearts by his living Spirit the Truth and Anti-type of which ye as little heed as ye heedlesly over-value the other What could you Ministers of the Letter and not the Spirit and your Literal and Formal more then Powerful and truly Spiritual Professours say or do more unlesse you would down on your Knees to them so soon as ever ye see them in way of outward Honour and Adoration thereof then ye do to your falsified Transcripts and your People to the more unspeakably false Translations which they take for Truth but by Tradition and meer implicite Faith from your selves Le ts Reason and Reckon with you here a little while about your Transcripts and Translations which are all that are extant and enjoyed at this day the first by you that have skill in Hebrew and Greek the second by your Independent on God but on their Priests lips dependent People As for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Memorandum Oh all People by whom these presents shall ever happen to be read I. O. hath quite quitted the World of them Confessing they are all utterly perished and long since past away and lost So that 't is opon Fiction or miracuâ—ous with him for any one to affirm that there 's any one individual Role Writing or Book that was Pen'd by the Holy men that in their several successive Ages wrote the Scripture now alive and not mouldred into dust So that the World hath done with them and they with us so as never to come within our Ocular Inspection more whereby to try whether our Doctors and Divines Adored Transcripts do to a little agree as I. O. absolutely affirms they do with the Touchstone yea or nay so as to believe our own eyes or any otherwise then as I O. who first positively Asserts it doth after as improbly conclude
own nor hold their Iâ—o in that height of honour as they do nor fall down and worship that golden corruptible Image that they set up though they honour the Truth that 's told in the Scripture and submit to it as the euerlasting powerful Word of God What are thy high English Transcendant Treatises about and thy exceeding ample Apologetical Latine Exercitations and thy many Execrations Anathcmaes thundred out and Subpoenaes pag 31.34 56. 59.60 81. sent abroad in those and sundry other Pages of thy Paper Summoning and Requiring all men as from God to the Subjection and Submission of Soul to the Scriptures which is due only and alone to the Word of God on peril pain and penalty of inexcusablnesse in damnable unbelief damnation eternal damnation eternal displeasure of God eternal Ruine c. in case it be not own'd as so What are all thy excessiue Commendations and direful Comminations and Condemnations denounced by thee against all that Commend it not so ignorantly as thy self and thy many needlesle Negotiations and pitiful Proofs and Pragmatical Pratings and prehemineâ—t Pleas for its Reception in Comparison with and Opposition to all other wayes of coming to the knowledge of God and Attendance and Submission to its Supream uncontroleable Authority pag 57.58 upon the account of its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or divine inspiration as being the most perfect Rule firm Foundation staple Standard infallibly true Touâ—hstone entirely in every Tittle to the least 〈◊〉 the Word of the Great God the Writing that comes immediatly from God to us who live to many 〈◊〉 after the mouldring of the first Manuscripts of it without the leâ—st interveniency of any medium obnoxious to fallibility or capable to give Change to the least sota or Syllable of it pag 113. The Book which God wrote or at least immediately indited and commends men it thou could tell where to receive as his under the penalty of his eternal displeasure which Book makes a sufficient discovery of it self to be his pag â—20 reveals and â—clares and professes it self from the beginning to the ending that no where 〈◊〉 I shall shew anon to be unquestionably the Word of God pag. 140. And avers it self in euery place and that every place with 7 0. himself is 1.0 place at all if Ex. 1. Self 28 be true as will be seen anon to be the Word of God pag 117 the most glorious Light in the World above t'e Sun dearer to God then all the World besides and scores more of wonderful strict strains of Talk in which thou stretchest the Text and letter beyond its liue and screwest the Scripture within Diana's Shrine till thou crack'st thy own Credit with uttering ten times more then thou art ever able to stand under the tryal of or any wise man is to understand 〈◊〉 what is all this Adoratory ado thou makest about Is it not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 57. the Writing And what Writing Is it not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only confessing that all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is long since lost And if thou should spend so much time as to Talk to this Age of that as the Rule Foundation Touchstone Standard that is not now standing but fallen and that as the inalterable incorruptible Word of God and yet whether the Decalogue of Gods own Writing were not as incorruptible as thy cobled Copies of it let who will judge that is already altered yea corrupted wholly out of the World thy folly would more fully shew it self Is it not if not the totteâ—ed Translations which the people at least magniste and make a God of as much as thou of the other thy meer Perigraphy or rather Typography that passes from under not the Pens of careful faithful infallible Transcribers but the Presses of carelesse fallible falsifying faithlesse Printers whose hands few Pamphlets passe without need of an after Errata sic Corrigas Thy meer Typographically correctible corruptible Copies of the Text are the Common Theame of all thy Laudatory labours and truthlesse Treatises and Theses that are thrust out about them As for all Translations that I may not wrong thee but give thee thy due thou givest them their due I confesse in some measure so as to slate them a little lower then either the true Word of God or the first true immediate Manuscripts of it either Yea I must needs say that though by some EXPRESSIONS and DENOMINATIONS thereof as namely that of the Word of God partly at least thou settest them above themselves yet thou pullest them down so far below thy Idolized meer imperfect Images of the frost Writings that to say the Truth within a little thou as much disparagest the very best of them as they are commonly counted as beyond measure thou manifiest thy own insomuch that well-nigh the whole Scene of Sections in thy last Chapter of thy Second Treatise seems to be set to drive on no other Design then a louder decrying of all Translations then that of theirs whom thou cryest out on for decrying thy Transcriptions or then thy own crying up of them Yea thou dost not more strictly and absolutely avouch that untruth concerning the absolute unity of your Copies of the Original both with the first Originals and among themselues without any discrepancy in the least then in that Chapter principally and partly elsewhere viz. pag. 15. thou avowest and purtest thy self to prove that vast variety that is in all Translations among themselves and that deep discrepancy that is in them also from both the first Original Text and your Transcripts of it which variety discrepancy and corruption yet that is in them thou art so far from covering from the view of the Vulgar whose Souls Interest lies mainly in Translations they being not able to read the Original Text as their Soul sayst thou and bodily Interests also say I are concerned in your Transcription that thou openly proclaimest it that all may see it as it were upon the house top and lest any should be startled at so strange a sight as thou presentest them with in that Chapter as that vast variety of Translations of the Text from the Originals of it and each from other and begin to question whether that be the incorruptible Word of God or no which so many Corruptions could creep and are crept into thou art so shamelesse as to help an Old lame Dog ore a stile as the Proverb is so as to render these so many mis-representations of the literal sense and meaning of the Original Words which the Translators moped into till they have torn and twined the Waxen Nose of your naked Letter whereby â—e may see what a sixt and firm Foundation true Touchstone stable Standard inalterable Rule infallible Guide incorruptible Word of God ye have among you while you trust and stand to no other Word then your outward Letter defying that within in the heart which the Quakers point you to into more then twice if not
O. what Text of Scripture God ever made such a Promise in concerning the Text or the Scripture that he would in his Care and Providence preserve every Titt'e of that outward Writing for his Church and his Words sake which was written at the motion of his Spirit so that it never should be so mis-transcribed in any Tittle of it but that in the Greek and Hebrew Copies not English mark that nor any Translated but only Transcribed Copies he would keep it from being so adulterated vitiated altered depraved and interpolated as not to be every jot the same verbatim as at first I say I. O. where is that Promise so made to this purpose which his Providence is so engaged to answer Is it in Isa. 59.22 the place thou quorest together with a whole nest of others to the same end p. 155. viz. Matth 5.18 1 Pet 1.25 1 Cor. 11. Matth. 28.20 not one of which make one jot of mention of the Letter Text or any Tittle thereof at all That in Isaiah there cited is hinted at and harp upon to the same Tune in 7 or 8 pages in thy 2d Treatise viz. 155 167 168 169 273 317 319. In all which more or less in whole or part thou talkest much of the Transcribers lying under a loving and careful aspect from the Promise and Providence of God in beir transcribing alluding all along to Iâ— 59.12 as if God had there engaged himself by Promise as it were to guide their hands that they should not erre in a Tittle for his Word and Churches sake but is there the least Tittle of such a Promise there made and look it â—ore again and see if there be such a thing touche upon in the least either expressly or implicity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as thou speakst or by consequence either immediate or far fetcht the words are these to the Church under the new Covenant or Gospel My words which I have put into thy mouth shall not depart out of the Mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed from henceforth for ever Here I confesse is a promise to keep his words in the mouths of his Servants under the Gospel in the latter dayes especially so that they shall by word of mouth and writing bear Testimony against the world to his Truth and Name even the whole seed of the Righteous successively for ever without fail as now they begin to do even â—abes and Sucklings out of whose mouths and stammering lips the Lord is speaking to reprove the world and the proud Doctors Pharisaical self-seeking Teachers and to convince all ungodly ones of their ungodly deeds and hard Speeches they speak against him in his Saints in whom he comes to Judgement but what 's this to the preservation of I. O's Greek and Hebrew Texts to a Tittle without alteration This is not spoken of the continuance of any outward Scripture but of that word of Faith in the heart and mouth which the Apostles Rom. 10. preacht to turn men to telling them 't was nigh and they need not look without for it was ever man so bemoped as to draw such a Conclusion as thou dost from that Scripture viz. that every Tittle of the Text of Scripture given out of old should be secured without one jot of losse to the worlds end and if that were the promise there made it was never made good since as is shewed above the Scriptures of sundry whole prophecies and Epistles written by inspiration are lost since then nay rather and indeed that Text produces a Truth which thou deniest that in the last dayes his word and Spirit shall be de novo so poured out shed abroad and planted in the heares of his handmaids and servants Sons and Daughters that they shall Prophesie and reach as of old by word of Mouth his word as put into them by God himself Yet I. O. I know not how often betakes himself to that Text to make good his talk of the eternal Entirenesse to a Tittle of his outward Text in the Greek and Hebrew Transcripts thereof without which the word is as true entire and secure as it is when the Text is entire when the Text is torn to pieces and every Tittle of it mouldred away Beside if that were a promise of preserving the Text it must evince the Text is to endure for ever world without end as the word it self doth for its never to depart for ever from the seed that it 's there promised to but I. O. confesses the Scripture is not to abide for ever in its use which is onely faith he Ex. 3. S. 39. presenti statui c. suited to our present state and say I as it shall cease as to it's use so once to its esse or very being Obj. And if I. O. urge as he does in effect that it 's true the Word and Doctrine and Truth is the thing promised to be continued for ever primarily but consequentially the Letter and it's Tittles for as much as without it be preserved in that and that be preserved entire to a Tittle the word it self cannot be preserved from corruption Rep. He had as good have told me as soon I should have believed him in it that because Moses by Gods appointment made an Ark to lay the Book Tables and Letter in the two Tables and Letter written on it could not last any longer then the Ark or be kept from being lost any where be not kept so entire that not one bit or scrap of it be broken or lost there is no hopes that ever the light should shine out or be kept alive or be beheld yea if one inch of horn or a nail or the least Pin about the Ark had happened to be shattered or got any knock or any odd corner of it be broken off with being carried jumbled or tossed to and sro between Israel and the Philistines there had been no means of preserving the Letter from being lost or as if one should say the glasse window is set up that the Sun may shine through it therefore suppose that to be crackt or to have any flawes in it or to suffer the losse of but one little piece of a pane there 's no likelihood of enjoying the clear bright Beams of the Sun more distinctly or at any certainty nor can I be satisfied unquestionably that the Sun it self remains inviolate unlesse ye can assure me that there is every barley-corns bredth of the glasse-window without any losse as it was at first setting up though yet we see now the Sun both is the same and is better seen when beheld without a glasse then thorough it and is most clear when the glasse window is taken down and it beheld more immediately in the light that shines from it self he were fit to be Canonized for a fool that would count him a very wife man at least as to that affair that should so affirm so let who will esteem of I.
wherewith thou standest out Pushing and Warring on in vindication of thy Assertion which looses ground more and more at the tayl of which thou again usherest in thy Conclusion viz. The Iewes silly superstitious sayings and doings which thou minglest with thy own shall we thinks as if thou didst not only justifie and side with them in their Absurdities but also build much as to the Evincing of thy Position thereupon there lacks little to be Replyed as to the Routing of them every one that hath any little solidity in him being easily capable to see and feel the foppicalnesse thereof yet at least I shall do thee so much Right who perhaps placest more in them then many a wise man would do as to nominate them The Iewes sayest thou pag. 169 170 171 173. have a Common saying That to alter one Letter of the Law is no lesse sin then to set the whole World on fire The truth is they are prodigious things that are Related of the Exact Diligence and Reverential Care of the Antient Jewes in this Work Ben Asher spent many years in the Careful Exact Writing out of the Bible Let any consider the things which they affirm to Prophane a Book or Copy One is if but one Letter be wanting and Another if but one Letter be Redundant and shall we think that is Writing it they took no more Care then a man would do in Writing out Aristotle or Plato Considering that the Word to be Transcribed was every Tittle and Iota of it The Word of the great God c. that if any failings were made innumerable Eyes of men owning their Eternal Concernment to lye in that Word were open upon it to discover it c. It is no hard work to prove their Care and Diligence to have out-gone that of Common Scribes of Heathen Authors Even among the Heathen we will scarce think that the Roman Pontifices going solemnly to Transcribe Sybills Verses would do it either negligently or Treacherously or alter one Tittle from what they found written And shall we entertain such Thoughts of them that knew they had to do with the living God in and about that which is dearer to him then all the World besides Let men then Clamour as they please and cry out of all as ignorant and stupid which will not grant the Corruptions of the Old Testament they plead let them propose their Conjectures of Mistakes crept into the Original Copies with their Remedies as Capellus We shall acknowledge nothing of this nature but what they can prove by undeniable and irrefragable instances which as to any thing done by them appears upon the matter to be nothing at all It can then with no colour of Probability be Asserted which yet I find some Learned men too free in granting namely that there hath the same Face attended the Scripture in its Transcription as hath done other Books Let me say without offence this Imagination seems to the to border on Atheism Surely the Promise of God for the Preservation of his Word with his Love and Care of his Church of whose Faith and Obedience the Word is the only Rule require other Thoughts at our hands We adde that the whole Scripture entire as given out from God without any losse is preserved in the Copies of the Originals yet remaining What varieties there are among the Copies themselves shall be afterwards declared in them all we say is every Letter and Tittle of the Word Reply Because the Children of the Letter of the Old Testament nor of the Gospel the Spirit and the New are so sortish and senslesse as to surmise that the bare Copies of the Letters and Points and Tittles and loâ—aes are dearer to God then all the World besides so that its a greater sin to mis-transcribe one Letter by either Alteration Ablation or Addition which change by Deficiency or Redundancy may befal the most Critical Curious Careful Scribe that ever was does prophan a Copy so that it s not the Holy Scripture for Prophane and Holy are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is as great a sin and a matter of as much moment as the fiâ—ing the whole World and upon such uncircumcised Conceits are men Excrementiâ—ously exact and diligent to very doâ—age and careful of Pins Points Vowels Accents Tittles Iotaes Apices and Letters of the Text ad Extra not Tantamount to the least of the Truths therein contained no not to so â—uch as Tyth while the Law for it stood of Mint Anâ—is and Commin to utter Carelesnesse of the grand Truths and reverentially respectful to their Book as they were of old to their Brazen Serpent of as divine Original and to as divine an end as the Letter is to very idolatry and spending their time in tedious transcribings of every Apex to the very total loss of many years from the more weighty matters of Judgement Mercy Righteousnesse Faith and Truth which the Text doth but testifie of and prodigious to very Superstition I say because that blinded Generation of men viz. the Iewes whom sometimes thou seemest to tax for their undue Veneration of the Letter and over-weenings of it pag. 236. and to set them at nought as men feeding themselves all their dayes with vain Fables addicted to figments profoundly Ignorant Idolatrous full of foolish Contradictious Triflings bewitched with their Dunghilly Traditions doing how seriously of nothing how Childishly in serious things fools sots froth smoke nothing whose sayings and doings are no more to be heeded then that of wick'd blind mad-men c. pag. 236 239 242 243 246 247. do so adore the letter and dote on the Tittles of it must thou needs be foolish and doting and sottish and superstitious and Idolatrous and so Childishly serious in taking up thy Time and Thoughts so totally and piningly after Toyes and Trifles and Iots and Tittles together with them Vin tu Curtis Judaeis oppedere c. Wilt thou sometimes flert at the Iewes Fancies and Fopperies and odde Conceits and over-curious Carriages of themselves in Boyes Toyes and at that which is the fruit of their fidling minds as not fit to be any other then forgotten and yet forget thy self so other whiles as to entertain their vain Thoughts so as to own them as thine own and own them as thy grounds and foundations to frame thy Arguments upon so as both â—o think the same with them and from thence to impose upon the thoughts and faith of others for if thou judg them ridiculous why dost thou alledge them in so serious a Case as thou dost and if thou justifie them art thou not one with them and because thou think'st as they so superstitiously think and from thence thrusts out thy confident Conclusions in that thy wonted Interrogative way of shall we think this and that shall we entertain such Thoughts can it be imagined c. or if positively then thus it is not unprobable it can with no colour of probability be Asserted this or that
Syllable or Tittle in any Book that varieth from the common received Copy though manifestly a mistake superfluous deficient consistent or inconsistent with the sense of the place yea Barbarous be imposed on us as such it being not every variety or difference in a Copy that should presently be cryed up for a various Reading p. 19â— 194. for that were to create a Temptation that nothing is left sound and entire in the word of God and so overthrow our Assertion which we stand so strictly to maintain and so to them tha rightly ponder things there will arise nothing at all to the prejudice of our Assertion p. 193. yea then 't will quickly appear p. 181. 201. 202. how small the number is of those varieties which may pretend unto any consideration under the state and Title of various Lections and of how very little Importance they are to weaken in any measure or impaire in the least the Truth of my former Assertion quoth he concerning the Care and Providence of God in the preservation of his Word that is the Scripture with I. O. and every Tittle and Letter thereof In all which sayings collectively considered I.O. had as good have said in short do but yield it that all the varieties mistakes corruptions barbarisms of what sort or notion soever fewer or more greater or lesser hurting or not hurting the sense of the place old or new by superfluity or defect of words crept in from Heriticks or however are not varieties c. and then our Assertion holds good and true viz that there is none at all or thus count not such as are of more and lesse importance prejudicing or not prejudicing the sense for corruptions and then there will be found few or no corruptions in our Copies at all or thus forasmuch as they onely deserve to be considered as various Lections where no mistake can be discovered as their cause and these not to be admitted as such which are occasioned but by mistakes take away all that were but mistakes from that Title of various Lections and all such too as were not mistakes but evidently intended as Expository of difficulties or supplyed purposely to make out the sense of the places p. 180. 181. 206. and then there will appear to be few or no various Lections or in a word excepting all those that are there 's none at all As if a man that owes but twenty shillings should say to his Creditor bate me but twenty shillings and I 'le pay you all But we must not let it go so I.O. by whole sale though as Lot pleaded for little Zoar to be spared that his soul might live so thou for sparing the imposition and imputation of little impurities to thy Copies that thy grand Assertion which else must dye may live which is that in the least Syllable Tittle Letter and Iota thy Transcripts are true and entire as the first Manuscripts yet we must not separate from our Anti-Assertion the mentioning of the mistakes in Iods and Vau's and Tittles and Iota's and Syllables and Vowels and single Letters and such like unlesse thou wilt remove from they Arch-Assertion thy strict positive affirmings that your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Copies contain every Iota and Tittle that was in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that Haebraea volumina nec in uâ—â dictione corrupta inâ—enienda sunt and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. not one Iot or Tittle of the Text passed from what ever was written by inspiration under the Law and that ye have all every Tittle without any losse or any change or alteration to the least Iota or Syllable and much more id genus p. 13. 153. 173. 317. and if thou recede from and recant that Reasonlesse Rigidity of thy Position about the truth of thy Text in Tittles we shall supersede from our reasonable Reply to thee concerning the corruption and mistranscription of thy Text in sundry Tittles in which it seems thou art forced to confesse to us that some Tittles are amisse for while thou standest so strictly upon the entirenesse of each Tittle as thou sayest of the Jewes p 240. so I of thee while thou keepest the Scripture we shall never want weapons out of thy own Armory for the destruction of thy haughty Assertion like the Philistine thou carryest the weapon that will serve to cut off thy own head for while I.O. asserts the Text to be entire to every Tittle wee 'l tell I.O. out of his own Book that I.O. tells an untruth in that for if I. O. be to be believed by himself he o're and o're confesses mistakes in Tittles Iots Vowels Syllables and single Letters But if I. O will agree to a cessation of Armes and Arguments about Tittles then we shall Restipulate with him there and because he doth little lesse then cry Peccavi in that and keeps such an imperious Begging and beseeching that all varieties in Tittles that are of no importance at all may not be reckoned on as various Lections I here 〈◊〉 him to wit that we can here also afford well enough to abate him all different places in meer Tittles and Accents that intrench not on the sense and yet have enough left to lay sure siege with against his Assertion if hee 'l hold it about matters of importance onely and such as are inconsistent with and intrench on the sense of the place and that no further off then I.Os. own Book which ever furnishes us wherewith to answer him out of his own Armory for in that p. 193 he writes thus of variety viz. those which are of importance have been already considered by others especially Glassius and thus p. 200. Let those be removed and not counted on that are deficient in words evidently necessary to the sense of their places it evidently imports no lesse then this that I.O. owns some varieties to be of importance and such as do intrench on the sense in their stations and so if we seclude all that are of lesse or no importance with him he stands still where he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned and confounded every way where ever he flyes or followes in the service of his Arch Assertion if he had no man to fight against him besides himself And if he say those of importance and that intrench on the sense are but few I say if any at all they are many enough upon his predicted principles to pluck up all the fabrick of his form of Religion faith about Truth and the very foundation it 's all framed upon by the roots as to any certainty that he hath of his standing while he stands leaning to no more but his naked Letter and can plead their Original no higher then from the ticklish Transcripts of his pretended Original Text. And that this may appear let what followes be serious considered by any who have not utterly lost their understanding 1. That the main Assertion I O. makes so much ado about the
maintaining of is this viz. that though the first and immediate Manuscripts and individual writings of Moses and the Prophets the Apostles and Evangelists are all utterly lost and perished out of the world p. 13. 163. 164. yet the Hebrew and Greek Copies of them that remain exâ—ant at this day do contain every Letter Apex Syllable Accent Iota Tittle Point that was in them without any addition of the Points ablation alteration variation change or corruption by mistake or mis-transcription in the least notwithstanding the hands of so many Transcribers as they have passed thorow and that the Text in the Original Languages hath been both promised to be and accordingly hath bin providentially preserved in Gods Love and care to his Word and Church so that the same fate hath not attended the Scripture as to mis-transcription or alteration any way in the Original Copies of it through any miscarriages mistakes oscitancy negligence ignorance sloth carelesnesse unfaithfulnesse much lesse treacherousnesse in Transcribing thereof as hath attended other Books in their Editions and Transcribings p. 13. 14. 153. 155. 156. 164. 168. 170. 171. 173. 177. 203. 206. 213. 317. 319. in all these pages and many more where the particularities of it are sprinkled up and down this general grand Position is to be apprehended as affirmed by him and undertaken to be vindicated to a Tittle 2. That this position is not onely thus punctually propounded by I.O. for Truth but also avouched with that extremity rigidity and strictnesse that it s made the very Basis of all true Belief and of all that whole businesse that he calls divine saving sacred Truth Religion Worship Knowledge Service of God duty of man towards him c. so that in case these his Thoughts Apprehensions Position and Assertion as he often calls it p. 146. 149. 163. 181. 193. 202. 203. proves not true firm sound but false faulty and faultring and if it ever appear that there are corruptions crept into the Text of Scripture by either the addition of the Hebrew points Accents or punctation since the beginning of the first writing thereof immediately from God as a late novell invention of some Iudaical Rabbins viz. the Tiberian Massorites by whom they are judged to have been added or else by the oscitancy carelesnesse negligence ignorance treachery weaknesse or wilfulnesse of the Transcribers mistaking mis-transcribing and thereby occasioning variations in the Copies of the Original so that the Text of Scripture is not wholly pure and entire or that we may if we please reject the Points and read otherwise Actum est Imus Imus praecipites what pernitious what devious wayes must men run scarce a Chapter a Verse a word left free from perplexing contradicting conjectures nothing but Fruitlesse Contests nothing but humane fallible perswasion to be fixed on for the sense A firebrand is brought into the Churches bread-corn the consequences are so desperate that he dares not mention them he cannot but tremble to think what is the issue of this imagination of such a supposition that the Points Vowels Accents are no better guides then so it renders questionable the foundation of all ejects as uselesse the whole Scripture it 's a pestilent poysonsome undervaluing the Originals crept in now among Protestants themselves though this comfort is left yet that the generality of learned Protestants are not yet infected with this Leven but if it should by a change of Iudgement break in so on the Protestant world as to be avowed in publike works the end will be a frightning poor unstable souls into the hands of the pretended infallible guide a return to Rome under the pretence of the Scriptures corruption in the Original Text as there was a passing from thence under the purity thereof yea 't is not known whether this inconvenience will grow yea once suppose corruptions crept into the Original Text and the pretended novelty of the Hebrew punctuation and then the wells and fountains from whence ye should draw all your soules refreshment are utterly stopt Ep p. 19. 20. so p. 196. 206. 207. 208. 209. 212. 213. 214. 215. 216. 218. 219. 220. 221. better all the works like to the Biblia Polyglotta were out of the world then this opinion of the â—Texs non-integrity to a Tittle or the novelty in Points should be embraced with its consequences that unavoidably attend it that if those seeming difficulties of Scripture to reconcile wch some look on as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or irreconcileable though some learned Iewes and Christians have been well exercised to reconcile and give fair account of them may by a liberty given be looked on as corruptions how ye shall be able to stay till ye come to the bottom of questioning the whole Scripture he knows not p. 347. 3. Let it be considered how eminently he stands concerned upon the confession that his foundation is not firm in case a Tittle of the Text be wanting or the Points added to it since its first giving out to make it out not probably onely but unquestionably clear and certain that the Text hath every Tittle and Iota and that the Points are no novelty but of equall Antiquity with the Text it self or else begin again with the Qua. at his A.B.C. in the things of God and lay a surer bottom for his building and foundation for his Faith then ever he hath laid to this day 4. Whether I. Os proof be infallible or but fallible of Divine certainty or meer humane conjecture self-conceit thought apprehension and imagination onely and whether the Text be so firm and entire to a Tittle as he affirms it to be yea rather that it is not let it be considered by all who read my examination of it in this now welnigh ended exercitation wherein the contrary is both apparently and abundantly evidenced his whole Regiment of Reasons by him rendred in proof thereof disproved and all that defensive stragling straw that hangs about them dispelled as chaffe as not onely falling short of infallible scientifical demonstration but also as not amounting to so much as a probable evidence that either the Points are coaevous wâ—â—h the Consonants which is sometimes no lesse then asserted or so high as Ezra which is undertaken to be manifested and are not rather a novelty no elder then the Massorites which with such affrightments at the consequences of such a Clergy-confounding conclusion is denyed and yet as to that reviving thereof whereby we now enjoy them acknowledged also by I O. or that the Text is in its most Original Copies wherein we now have it is the same as at first it was without any various Lections or unchanged Thus I have traced after I.O. in his Treatings and twinings too and fro in vindication of the integrity of his Greek and Hebrew Text and have evidently proved that there are not onely many whole Books of that Scripture which holy men were moved to write both before and since Christ wanting to his compleated Canon as
he calls it but also that there are many mistakes in those Books that are out of his own hand writing which is no better then snares and bands a certain piece of contradictory net-work of his own composing to the catching and binding down himself wherein he hangs hampered intangled and tumbled up and down in his own fruitlesse contests fallible perswasions and perplexing self-contradicting conjectures so that there 's scarce a Chapter or so much as a Lection in it fully free from or rather not fully fraught with some or other of his uncertain conceits and certain confusions about the defending of his Assassinated Assertion one while Asserting and striving stiffly to maintain it in the very rigidity universality and utmost strictnesse of it that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. not the Iot or Tittle of the Original Text is added altered lost mis-transcribed sometimes Assenting to the contrary onely begging that all various Lections of what sort soever one or other without exception may be excepted from the account of various Lections and then Asserting that his Assertion on that condition will stand entire concerning the entirenesse and integrity of his Text to a very Tittle Now then since it is so 〈◊〉 at the outward Letter of the Scripture not only in its Translations which I.O. himself Asserts to be so universally altered and corrupted from the Originals but a little also in its Copies of the Original is by I.Os. own confession both so abundantly altered by the addition of the Points since the first writing and the Variations of so many severall kinds as himself enumerates and at best so easily so infinitly alterable as that at the wills of men exercising their critical faculties about the Text it may by Transposition and Transcription of one Letter for another or supposition and subscription of one Vowel for another be turned divers contrary wayes and subverted in its sense so exceedingly that some one word instancing in that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. p. 24. may as it may be pointed or printed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afford no lesse then eight severall senses as distant from one another as life and death seeing also that there is no relief against all that huge heap of uncertainty that is found among the founders that are continually confounded within themselves about their sickle foundation unlesse they will be perswaded to come to that firm inâ—allible sure foundation and inalterable Rule of all Truth the light word and spirit of God in the heart but their own vain empty groundlesse confused thoughts imaginations conceits fancies fallible perswasions and opinions taken up by Tradition from each others Tomes Treatises Targums and Talmudical twatlings as if there were neither Light nor Spirit nor word of God throughout the whole world whereby any soul saving Truth can possibly come to be known or entertained at any certainty further then the Text-tâ—ining Text-men tell and teach it forth either by their Oralâ— Talkings for Tythe or manifold Translatings of it out of their falsely supposed entirely Transcribed Copies Shall we then think because I O. to the contradiction of himself so thinks and imposes his own thoughts on us as uncontroulable proofs that there is no variation in the Copies we have from the first Manuscripts of the Scripture but that they are come to us without the least interveniency of any such mediums or wayes as are capable of giving change or aâ—teration or obnoxious to fallibility in the least Syllable or Iota p. 10. 153. or that the some varieties that I. O confesses R. Aaron and R. Moses found in their exact consideration of the Bible were small and of no importance to the sense of any word p. 179 especially since with I.O. if a body might take his Tattle for Truth every Letter Tittle Iota there Transcribed was a part of the word yea no lesse then the Word of the great God wherein the eternall concernment of all soules dothâ—lâ—e p 168. 169 Shall we think because I.O. thinks so p. 17. that there is not any colour or pretence nor any tollerable evidence from all the discrepancies in the Copies themselves that are extant that there ever were any other in the least differing from these extant in the world Shall we think because I. O so thinks p. 181. 193. that all that yet appears impairs not in the least the Truth of his Assertion that every Tittle and Letter that was in the Original Copies remaines in the Copies of the Original to this day without any losse or any alteration or passing away of one iot thereof and that with them that rightly ponder things abovesaid there thence ariseth nothing at all to the prejudice of that his so often o're and oâ—re again affirm'd Assertion And if men must deal by instances in this case as he sayes and not by conjectures though himself gives us no instance of any one Copy of which he can say unlesse he had the Autographa by him that it agrees every Accent and Syllable therewith upon any better ground then his own bare conjectures yet if I had not given him instance enough of whole words verses books prophesies c. lost of inspired mens Scriptures doth not I.O. himself give us instanâ—es enough of variety of Lection to the assuring us of the falsenesse of his first Assertion which instances of his own insisting on are obvious to all Readers of his Book and believed by us to be true rather then his idle talk to the contrary of his Texts integrity to a Tittle And is there any reason as he sayes of himself and his adherents Ep. p. 28 that we should be esteemed Ridiculous because believing our own eyes we will not believe the Testimony of I.O. imagining otherwise then the case is according to his own instances dealing by conjectures against his own instances a man deservedly of no credit with us running in ridiculous rounds and asserting that to be Truth which we know from his own Book to be utterly false Shall we think that the literal Text in the very Transcripts he so talkâ— for is any other then he cals it as to its most ancient Translation a corrupt stream a Lesbian â—ule p. 15. 16 or any other then some call it a nose of wax no certain stable 〈◊〉 or standard to try all Truth by guide throughout in the knowledge of the will of God Shall we think because I.O. thinks so strangely that so corruptible and corrupted a stream as the meer Letter now is since vitiated and interpolated can be judged a fit means to judge the fountain by i. e the Light Word and Spirit it came from and a fit measure to correct and authoritatively to examine and determine those Originals by Shall we think because I.O. hath and uttereth such high and hyperbolical thoughts apprehensions and affirmations of
1. c. 2. s. 3. opened the manner of the Words coming forth from God to prove the Scriptures of the old and new Testament to be the VVord of God much of which makes against himself at large in a long Train of perplexive prittle prattle throughout his whole second third and fourth Chapters from the self-evidencing property and efficacy of the Scriptures which aforehand still he calls the VVord of God but to shut it all up together in short to this purpose viz. That which evidenceth it self to be the Word of God that is and is known assuredly to be the Word of God But the Word of God doth evidence it self unto us to be the Word of God therefore the Word of God is and is known assuredly to be the Word of God The minor in this Syllogisme none denieth it being true in those termes it here stands in◠yet it is false and sophistical as falling from him who by that term the Word of God in the sore part of the Proposition means the Scriptures the utter falshood of which minor and so consequently of the conclusion which is now true but aliud a negato would have too plainly appeared if he had not sophistically placed that subject i.e. the Word of God as it stand formost in both in the room of the right subject i.e. the Scriptures or if he had not changed his minor term but exprest himself thus viz. But the Scriptures do evidence themselves to be the Word of God therefore the Scriptures are and are known assuredly to be the Word of God And to prove that minor J.O. useth another medium viz. Gods magnifying his Word above all his Name by which à minore ad majus i.e. from the self-evidencing power of smaller matters as he counts them i.e. the Works of God and the Light in the conscience the Law written in the heart and the notions inlaid there with his own finger which he calls the voice of God in nature for these are low ◠darke obscure principles and means of revealing God and his will with J.O. in comparison of the writings and letters that are inlayed in parchment and paper with the finger of meer man which low principles yet are able to plead their own divine original and evince them to be of God he argues at large that the Word of God Scripture again he should have said doth much more evidence it self to be his Word and to put his lax and loose words into a narrower room and into a more Argumentative or Syllogistical posture thus viz. If those inferiour Names of God whereby he makes himself known even his works without and his Light his Law written in the heart and conscience to which there need be no other Witness that when they testifie God's Righteousness or Holynesse and call for moral obedience which is eternally and indispensably due to him they speak from God do evidence themselves to be what they are and to be of him then much more his Word the Scripture he should have said which God magnifies over all his Name must evidence it self to be his Word But those inferionr Names do evidence themselves and therefore much more doth the Word of God the Scriptures again he should have said evidence it self to be the Word of God Rep. What a strange story is here as if a man should tell a tale of two things a Cock and a Bull metamorphos'd into one whereof the one having been as confidently as untruly avowed to be assuredly known to be the other viz. The Cock to be a Bull is being denied as Ridiculously as Reasonlesly profer'd to be proved in this illegal and illogical way of Argumentation viz. That which evidenceth it self to be a Bull both is and is assuredly known to be a Bull but the Bull alias the Cock for so he means should say evidenceth himself to be a Bull Therefore the Bull or the Cock both is and is assuredly known to be a Bull. In this shameful manner and sorry sort doth I.O. having once audaciously avouch 't it go about to prove the Scriptures to be and to be assuredly known to be the VVord of God by Anticipation sophistically substituting that subject the Word of God in his disputation for it in the room of the legal subject i.e. the Scriptures taking it perforce from such as give it not for granted that it is so while to them-ward it s yet no more but the thing in Question and utterly unproved so to be which question I.O. not onely begs but also begs so unworthily and basely that I never saw the like to it but once before in all my life and the like to it can't likely be seen again unless a man should beg it on his knees little less then plainly confessing that unless it be aforehand granted him that the Scripture is the Word of God he cannot possibly prove it so to be What wise man that is as willing to do the Truth Right as thee I.O. no wrong can make any better construction of thy own words as they are to be read in the ◠sect of the 4. chap. of thy first Treatise where professing that in the remainder of thy Discourse thorowout that Treatise which is all in proof of the Scriptures being assuredly the word of God thou shalt endeavour to clear and vindicate the self evidencing efficacy of the Scripture and the grounds thereof by such common Mediums as shall as well reach the Reasons of such men as acknowledge not the Scripture to be the Word of God as of such as do thou desirest in effect onely to have thus much first granted thee that thou mayest have leave the Scripture being that out of which thy proofs for and grounds of this self-evidencing efficacy of the Scripture to be the Word of God are to be taken to consider the Scripture as 't is the written word of God or else all thy proofs will be weak and able to prove just nothing This onely quoth I.O. to recite his own words I shall desire to promise that whereas some grounds of this efficacy seem to be placed in the things themselves contained in the Scripture I shall not consider them abstractedly as such but under their formality of being the Scripture or written Word of God without which consideration and resolution the things mentioned would be left naked and utterly divested of their Authority and Efficacy pleaded for and be of no other nature and importance then the same things found in other Books Which is as much as to say Being by the Scripture to prove the Scripture or writing both to be and to evidence it self to be the Word written or the written Word of God let such as deny it deny that their denial of it and but first own it with me that the Scripture or writing formaliter is the written Word of God and let us but under that name nature notion and formality consider it and then let
Doctrines Instructions stories Promises Prophesies given out by the Writers of the Scripture were not their own conceived in their minds nor form'd by their Reasonings nor retained in their memories from what they had heard nor by any means before-hand comprehended by them 1 Pet. 1.10 11. But were all of them immediately from God so as that there was onely a Passive concurrence of their Rational faculties in their reception without any such Active obedience to as by any Law they might be obliged pag. 5 6. Rep. Many things in this Parcel are utterly false being uttered as they are of the whole Scripture and all its first Pen-men for what is said of the Old as to the immediate manner of its giving forth is said also saist thou pag. 9.27 of the New insomuch that it s not onely very fond but savouring also of no small ignorance both of and in the Scripture for any such Minister of no more then the meer Letter of it as our Divineâ— are much more below the Ministers of the Spirit to hold out for truth or so much as to imagine within themselves and as they are utter untruths so much lesse are they of force to evince that false Assertion to be Truth which thou J.O. wouldst conclude from thence viz That their Writings are uncontroulably known to be the Word of God 1. What a crude conception of thy vain mind is this that the Laws Doctrines Instructions Stories Promises Prophesies written which I confess were not their own formed as many if not most of thy false Doctrines and strange stories about the Scriptures are thine own formed by unreasonable Reasonings were not so much as conceived in the minds of the Pen-men Were they not conceived in them by the Holy Spirit And â—ly by them so as that for the most part at least they understood knew and believed them as Truths before they committed them to Writing as they were moved by the Spirit of God to do for the use of others And though they wrote not but at the Will of God and his spirit pressing them thereunto and under the burthen of the Word of the Lord that lay upon them till they had discharged themselves of it yet art thou so silly as to conceive they delivered things before they were conceived in them So far at least they were conceived in and by them too as to prove thy saying little less then senselesse and absurd 2. VVhereas thou sayest they were not retained in their memories from what they had heard nor by any means before-hand comprehended by them Is not that as absolutely absurd and false as the rest Did they in writing declare things for truth and teach Doctrines and give out Instructions and tel stories relate passages before they had so much as heard of or seen or believed or embraced what things they wrote rehearsed or entertained them as such or by any means beforehand comprehended them Is not this directly contrary to what the Apostles say who had and wrote from the same spirit of Faith with them of old who write thus 2 Cor. 4.13 As it is written Psal. 16. 10. I believed and therefore have I spoken so we also believe and therefore speak c. 1 Joh. 1.1.3 That which we have heard which we have seen with our eyes look's on and handled declare we to you And when Isaiah wrote things of Christ did he not see his glory Isa. 6.1 Iob. 12.40 41. Lev. 1.2.11.19 Is Iohn commanded to write anything in his Booke but what he had seen And did he write or bear record of the Word of God or the Testimony of Iesus that he did by no means before-hand comprehend or of any things but those he saw And is not seeing one means of comprehending 3. Sith thou saist The things they wrote were not retained in their memories from what they had heard Did they first heare and see and believe and comprehend and entertain them into their memories and then not retain but let them slip and quite forget them before they wrote and then began to write when they had and not before they had remembred to forget them For of the things thou writest this is the sum the whole sum of which though 1 Pet. 1.10 11. is cited to add weight to it which gives not the least dram of evidence to the truth of one tittle of it is found by such as weigh it in the Ballance of right Reason to be a lye and lighter then vanity it self Belike then according to thy fancy Paul when he wrote to Timothy to bring his Books and Pâ—rchments Cloak left at Troas with Carpus wrote that not as a matter conceived in his mind or retain'd in his memory but as a thing forgotten that he had no comprehension of afore-hand Did he not write that and a hundred more matters as retain'd in his memory And though he wrote them as mov'd by the spirit in the wisdom of which he liv'd walk't and did all he did as he saw service in it yet did he not write of his Revelations and Temptations after them by the thorn in the flesh 2 Cor. 12.1 c. and of his many perils and hazards he had gone through and his whippings and stonings and shipwracks and other sufferings and services 2 Cor. 11. as things retained in his memory though some of them fourteen years behinde And when he wrote of the Fornication 1 Cor. 5. and the Divisions 1 Cor. 11. that were among the Corinthians did he not write of them as things he had by hear-say and common Report And did he not retain in his memory what was told him by them of the House of Cloe and thereupon wrote to them thereof as of a matter heard remembred and afore-hand believed For L partly believe it quoth he and comprehended aforehand VVhat innumerable instances of the like fort of stories written as retained in the memories of holy VVriters might be given out of both the Old Testament and the New But this little is enough if thou be not wilfully blind to bring thee into a remembrance of thy babling about the Bible of the writings whereof thou writest as if thou hadst never read it all but in a dream And when Matthew the Publican wrote of his own being called from the Receit of Custom and of his entertaining Christ in his house Matth. 9.9 Did he it not on the account of his retaining that passage in his memory And whereas thou saist they wrote all immediately from God so as that there was onely a passive concurrence of their rational faculties in their reception without any such active obedience as by any Law they might be obliged to I say thou renderest thy self as Ridiculous oâ— Reasonlesse in this thy Reasoning as if thou wert one that had never read any otherwise then at random For hadst thou been as observans as thou art oscitant in thy Readings and Writings of the Scripture thou wouldst
have seen and remembred that several Stories Proverbs Doctrines Prophesies and other parcels and passages as they stand recorded in thy Rule or Canon were not written so immediately from God as thou imaginest that in the first reception as well as in the first Scription of some of them there was an Active and not onely a Passive concurrence of the Rational Faculties of the Writers and also such an Active obedience as by some Law they might be obliged to 1. How immediately from God dost thou deem were the Writings of sundry of those Genealogies in the Letter of the Iewish Law about which there are among many such Ministers as thy self such foolish questions and contentions and endless strivings which Paul bids those two Ministers viz Timothy and Titus not to give heed to but avoid as unprofitable and vain and fables and things that Minister matter of question and vain jangling rather then godly edifying 1 Tim. 1.4.6 Tit. 3.9 And also of those Chronologies and Nomenclators and to us impertinent Catalogues of Names of such as came out of Babylon at first with Zorobabel and then with Ezra and of such as had married strange VVives and of such as sealed the Covenant and of the Levites in their several Offices and Orders of singing-men and Porters and Priests that could not find their Pedigree and of the children of Solomons servants and of the builders of the wall and many more particular nominations and enumerations of that sort that are in the Chronicles Ezra and Nehemiah which whatever use they were of under the Iewish Paedagogie make little to us now as to a punctual observation of them much less so much as thou I.O. of whose Foundation Rule Cannon and Standard they are no small part supposest insomuch that on any corruption supposed therein as there well may be and contradiction too if the Books of Samuel the Kings and Chronicles be critically or but carefuâ—ly considered 1 Sam. 16.9 10 11. 1 Sam. â—â— 12 14. compared with 1 Chron. 2.13 14 15. the certainty of all saving Doctrine is consequently supposed to be lost I say how immediately are these Writings and things written from God without any active concurrence of the rational faculties of the Writers in the wâ—iting of them May it not very well be supposed that some of these things were written at first if by such holy men as all the Iews were not that were very zealous of the Letter of the Law and in writing the deeds done in their Nation yet at least in such wise onely as holy men may without immediate reception of every Tittle as thou twatlest they did from God and by the active concurrence of their rational faculties write a story of what is done in their sight or of what they have by hear-say or find in the Books of the Chronicles of things done in such or such Nations May it not be supposed that some of those Stories and Genealogies and Chronicles and Catalogues and Proverbs and Prophesies pertaining to the Old Testament and some of the Stories of the New too were written though not without the spirit moving the holy men to it that liv'd in the spirit yet so as not without a retaining them in their memories and an active concurrence of their rational faculties and such an active obedience as by some Law they might be obliged to Yea how frivolously foolish art thou in the uttering of thy self Is not the very moving of the spirit it self in which thou ownest they wrote and the Law of the spirit obliging thereto 2. And what thinkest thou of the History of Iohn Mark which some have in that respect stiled Sacrum furtâ—m a kind of holy Theft is it not possible but that it might be some Abbreviation of Matthew's story concerning Christ there being little in it but what is well-nigh word for word in the other Though some Ancients have related it to be given forth by Peter and by Mark onely written from his mouth either of which if it was then was it not so immediately from God as thou I.O. guessest as to the Writing of it the Pen-man taking it either out of anothers Writing or else from the mouth of another man that had it more immediately then he and yet neither of them so immediately from God as that there was onely a passive concurrence of their Rational faculties in the reception of it for whether it were Mark writing out of Matthew or from Peter's mouth or of himself as it seemed good to him to set down 't was but a History of such things as he was well acquainted with either as an eye or ear-witness thereof or as one that had it sufficiently attested to for him to undertake to write it out as truth and so not without an active concurrence of his rational faculties in the reception of what he wrote as well as not without a moving thereto by the holy spirit in which he lived and in the light of which he saw it might be serviceable And on such an account as this rationally reckoning within himself it might be useful so to do Luke the Physician wrote his two Histories of the Acts of Christ and of his Apostles in which Book called the Acts many if not most of the matters mentioned by him were about Paul whose Companion he was in several of his Travels excepting some passages about the beginning of it concerning all the Apostles and some touches concerning Barnabas and Silas and some others upon occasion of their being here and there with Paul in some services but as for the Apostles after whom his Book is called the Acts of the Apostles there 's scarce the one hundredth part of what they all did nor of those travels and sufferings that they sustained medled with at all by Luke who took notice of little more then what he knew as he was a fellow traveller with Paul And that his Writings were of no other nature then thus appears plainly by his Preface to the first of them which ye call The Gospel of St. Luke where Luke 1.1 2 3 4. he writes on this wife Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a Declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us even as they delivered them unto us which from the beginning were eye-witnesses and Ministers of the Word it seemed good to me also having had a perfect understanding of things from the beginning to write unto thee in orderâ— most excellent Theophilus that thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed Which words many have taken in hand to declare what was delivered to them by the eye-witnesses and it seemed good to me also to write to thee c. sound forth That howbeit the spirit of God might move him so to do for service sake to the truth yet as others had done before him of whom whether Mark were one yea or nay it matters not much to me so
and doth God reveal the hidden mysteries of the Gospel any way but by his Spirit to his Saints which searcheth all things even the deep things of God and doth any know the things of God but the Spirit of God and the spiritual men who in it and not by the letter which letter the world hath yet hath not the other have minde of Christ 1 Cor. 2.9 to the end And in that of Peter coted by thee is there the least hint of the Scriptures or of the Prophets searching the Scriptures or of any signification of the things they ministred to others in their writings by the Scriptures but only by the Spirit And as for Daniel it is true he understood by the books of Jeremiah the cerâ—ain number of seventy years how long the Captivity should last but what of that num ex puris particularibus aliquid sequitâ—â— universale Wilt thou argue from one to all much more wilt thou infer from thence that neither Daniel nor any other Prophets understood their own writings but by the Scriptures of the other Prophets which is the absurdity thou assertest And as for Davids saying Through thy Precepts I get understanding Hast thou got no more understanding yet then to beleeve that the Precepts Statutes â—udgements Laws Commandments Testimonies Word Ordinances Wayes Truth Name one or other of which names is either in the singular or in the plural number used in every individual verse excepting two throughout that long 119. Psalm consisting of an 176. verses no other thing is meant but the outward letter writing or Scripture of Moses five books very little more than which was extant in Davids dayes wherein the ten words which God wrote with his own hand and a few more Ceremonious matters were recorded by the hand of Moses Is not the Commandement or Word or Law of God as the letter speaks the Lamp or Light that the letter only speaks of Psal. 19.7 c. 119.105 Prov 6.23 And if all the other Prophets that succeeded Moses studied the writingâ— of Moses and one another in order to the knowledge of their own Prophetical writings without which they understood them not savingly as thou sillily sayest yet I wonder what other Prophets writingâ— Moses himself who was one of the Prophets not excepted by thee searched and studied that he might get a saving understanding of that truth that was penn'd by himself sith as thou thinkest at least there were no Scriptures extant before him for Enochs Prophesies have no standing in your Standard I wonder Quae colliquia cum Angelis vel ficta velfacta quis enthusiasmus quis afflatus caelestis aut reapse vis mali spiritus did suggest these fantasms into thy fancy Ex. 1. Ex. S. â—8 thou hast little need to detest the Qua. as Enthusiasis that entertainest and utterest to the world as undoubted truths such Amick Enthusiasmes as these Sundry other such shallow furmises and suppositions are very positively propounded and set down by thee in thy first Chapter of thy first Treatise which I shall let pass here some of which may possibly be touch't on elsewhere But this may suffice to give a taste of that untruth which thy two Treatises are under-propt with whereby from the falsenesse faultinesse foolishnesse and unsoundness of thy ground-work and foundation and from the brittleness of thy Basis so thou call'st p. 1.28.30 this Original part of thy Book concerning the Divine Original and immediate manner of the Scriptures coming forth from God to us the reasonable Reader may read aforehand what a Come-down Castle the rest of thy Babylonish Building is like to be for howbeit I grant that the Word of God and the holy truth in its first coming forth from God to the holy Pen-men that heard his voice and so wrote it as moved by him was of an immediate Divine original in which respect it is said no Prophesie of the Scripture is of private Interpretation or to be counted no more upon than a private mans wriâ—ing which writes of his own head as thou dost the figment and imagination of whose heart fancies thoughts are the fountain of all that is uttered but as that which holy men of God were moved to write and the outward Scripture it self may be said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. penned by men as they were inspired by God or the fruit and effect of no self-afflation but according to the motion or inflation of the holy Spirit yet that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou makest such a deal of work about as the Original of the Copies of the Original of the Scripture and their coming forth from God was not so immediately from God to those that lived when they were first given out much less to us now as thou imaginest in thy vain mind who dotest that every Apex of that Text is equally Divine and as immediately from God to us as the very voice of God in the Prophets was to them without the least mixture or interveniency of any mediums or wayes obnoxious to fallibility or capable of giving change or alteration to the least 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or syllable thereof pag. 10.30.153 for that came from God at first excepting the Decalogue and that little to Belshazzar which ye have now but remote Copies of not without the interveniency medium and way of mans hand-writing which is it were as being infallibly guided by the Spirit obnoxious to no fallibility yet as it comes to you who own that and no other to be your inalterable Standard it s far from coming immediately from God sith it is not without the interveniency of the hands of welnigh innumerable unknown Transcribers the very first and best of whom were so far from non-obnoxiousness to fallibility that thou thy self sayest pag. 167. that neither all nor any of them were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infallible or divinely inspired so that it was impossible for them to mistake and that religious care and diligence in their works with a due reverence of him with whom they had to do is all thou ascribest to them and p. 10. that the wisdome truth integrity knowledge and memory of the best of all men is obnoxious 〈◊〉 fallibility and also that it s known they did fail Neither if the Question were about the Autographae or first Manuscripts that were far more immediate then thy far fetcht Apographae or modern Copies are howbeit thy main business is about the magnifying thy confestedly mistranscribed Transcripts and fallible Copies and not the other which being acknowledged by thee to be lost perished and mouldred out of the world nemo post homines natos aequè ac tu delerasse censendus esset si pro scripturis ipsis scriptis hisce argumentare statueris thy dotage would justly be deemed of a deeper die than any mans to argue for them if he be a fool of al fool that fightâ— for the non-corruptibility of what is long since corrupted but I say were thy
contradicts himself ye are for all your siding to vindicate the same Points of false Doctrine against the Qua. so frequently sound contradicting each other that in order to the consutation of you both a man may finde contradiction enough either in each of your Writings within themselves or in the Writing of one of you unto the other and so 't is in this case for I.O. owns no other Principle or Foundation of discovery of Divine Truth then the Scriptures for the Faith to stand on p. 18. But thou ownest the Spirit to be the Principle of obedience 2. If the phrase denotes the Principle only and not the Rule as it does not for it denotes both yet the other places mentioned do denote more expresly the Light and Spirit and not the Letter to be the Rule which said Light and Spirit that is the Power of God to say the truth is both the Principle upon which all true Faith is founded and is to stand 1 Cor 2.5 in the movings of which obedience is to be acted and also the Rule according to which as it moves leads guides directs impowers and no otherwise all things that are at all are to be both done and believed And no less do all those phrases however denote viz Rom. 8. 1.4.5.13 Who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit then a being taught led guided ruled directed by as well as moved acted and enabled from the Spirit so or so to believe or do for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Praeposition though join'd with the Genitive signifies contra against as Gal. 5. The flesh lusteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against the Spirit yet with the accusative is secundum after according to so that the Light and Spirit of Christ within is not onely the Foundation upon which the Principle from which but also that in which the Standard Measure Guide and Rule of direction by after or according to which the Saints are to walk believe and do whatever they do in order to their pleasing of God and standing uncondemned in his sight And no less then so doth Phil. 3.16 import where Paul to the Saints at Philippi with the Bishop and Deacons according to their several statures and degrees of growth in the Light and Spirit of Christ wishes all that were perfect as every one is that is faithful to his own measure to be so minded as himself yet leaving every one to believe and judge by his own measure of Light not binding any one to his till God himself should reveal things as he knew them to those that were yet otherwise minded Neverthelesse quoth he whereunto we have already attained let us walk or steere our course by the same Rule let us mind the same thing Which same Rule or same thing that he wills all though their measures of Light may be different to mind and walk by He that shall dream it to be the Letter of the Scripture without and not the inward Light Grace and Spirit of Christ a measure and manifestation of which is according to the measure of the gift of Christ distributing to every one severally as he will to some more some less some one some two yet to every one one talent at least given to every man to profit withall to improve trade with and thrive by Matth. 25.15 Rom. 12.3.6 1 Cor. 12. 7.11 Eph. 4.7 8. compared with Psal. 68.18 Gifts to the Rebellious also 1 Pet. 4.10 11. I shall deem him to be more deservedly denominated a Doter then a Doctor in Divinity or a true Teacher of the things of God and the Gospel seeing the so-call'd Scripture-Rule or Canon so much counted on as that no other neither inward light nor Word nor Revelations of the Spirit Post completum ejus Canonem as J.O. sayes are at all to be admitted to the Name Title Honour and Authority of a Rule to the Church according to J. O's and T. D's Principles was not yet bounded nor compleated nor come to its full Coronation Canonization Consecration and Consignation by any Clerical Convocation of Divines as it did afterwards while Paul wrote thus to the Philippians there being more of his own and other holy men's Writings penned after this besides the Revelation of John which J.O. on his own head p. 18. calls the Close of the immediate Revelation of Gods will in that way of Writing And whether the Philippians had seen any Scripture at all much lesse any of the Books ye call the New-Testament more then this that Paul now wrote when he wrote this to them unless it may be conjectured from Ph. 3.1 that he himself wrote to them before to the same purpose as now and therefore sayes to write the same things to you is safe for you is questionable and more then J.O. and T.D. with both their heads laid together are able to prove therefore the same Rule he bids them all walk by according to their respective measures and the same thing he bids them mind was not the Scripture but the Light and Spirit which having reveal'd something to them would as they walked perfectly by the Rule thereof reveal all things to them in due time that he knew and they were ignorant of For though the Rule appointed design'd and authoriz'd by God for all men to mind as one man and to walk by from the beginning of the World to this day is but one i. e. the Light Word and Spirit in the heart and conscience yet the Degrees in which it is dispenced are different and every one that is found faithful in the improvement of what is committed to him be it little or more is crowned with the just account of Faithfulness V prightnesse and Perfection and title to the joy and right to have more committed to him Yea as if any man walk up to what he hath already attained to the understanding of the same shall have more abundance If any will do his will saith Christ i.e. so far as he knows the same shall know of the Doctrines that are taught whether they are of God or whether the Teachers thereof speak of themselve Joh. 7.15.16 Such shall discern and distinguish and see and grow into the Spirit of Iudgement and of a sound mind and into a cleare sight of the mind of God who manifests himself to such as he does not to the world who receive not the Spirit of Truth which he gives to all in some measure to convince them of sin righteousnesse and judgement and so to guide them out of sin but that some resist him but to such as own truth as receive him and love and come to the Light which â—evil ones hate loving flesh and darknesse more then it because it reproves their ill deeds that their deeds may be manifested more and more and come to be wrought in God he leads into all truth while such proud Pharisaical Praters as Vniversity-bred Schollars stubborn Students and rebellious Rabbies Scripture-searching
of which no inward Light or Spirit or new Revelations about the faith and Divine worship of the Saints are either to be expected or admitted it lyes more in the negative then the positive or affirmative consisting for more largely of disproofs such as they are of any inward Light Spirit or spiritual Revelation to be at all then of proofs of the Letter or Scripture yet some pedling ones are puzled out to such a purpose to be altogether and alone the Rule of faith holy life and divine worship He professes to prove the inward Spirit or Light the Qua. plead for not to be the Rule and that the Scripture or Letter is so two wayes first Authoritative or by the Scripture it self 2. Rationative or by a Rational way of Argumentation But though I own the Authority and veracity of the Scripture so far that if I.O. could produce any place of the Bible as he pretends to do many wherein the Scriptures do ascribe to themselves the Honor Authority and Title of the onely perfect Rule either in terminis or by any such due deduction as is not more duely deniable then so much as probale to a prudent man indeed I should truly submit to one such testimony being perswaded that the Scriptures are writings of truth where not altered and not adulterated by mens mistakings and mistranscribings yet the Scriptures being wrested besides all sense and reason by J.O. and the Theologians he adhears to to that end I deny his proofs to be either Athoratative or Rational The testimonies he urges the Authority of to prove the Text to be in the Authority of the only Rule he casts into four Classes the first sort of which consist of such places as expresse as he sayes and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel per immediatam cousequentiam perfectionem hanc Scripturis ascribunt do expresly verbatim or else by immediate consequence ascribe such a perfection as of the only Rule to the Scriptures The second such as expresly reject all Additions to the Text and Word of God whatever The third such as contain the examples of Christ and the Apostles trying and commanding to try all things by the Scriptures The fourth such as commend the holy Scriptures to all Religious uses Of the first sort he impannels eleven in all not being able it seems to pick out a whole Jury to serve his turn howbeit I acknowledge these if they would as freely as he forcibly would have them pass their verdict for him to be enough being all of them good and true witnesses in another case then he calls them for they stand all together in Ex. 3. s. 26. viz. Joh. 2. ult 2 Tim. 3 13 14 15 16. Psal. 19.18 Luke 1.3 4. Luke 16.29 Act. 1.1 Rom. 10 17. Eph. 2.19 20. 2 Pet. 1.19 2 Cor. 3.24 Gal. 6 16. Of the second seven viz. Deut. 4.2.12.32 Rev. 22 18. Gal. 1.8 Mat. 15.6 1 Cor. 4.6 Isa. S. 20. Of the third four viz. Luke 16.28 29 30 Act 17.11.21 Act. 18.24.28 Act. 26.22 with intimation of very many more commonly cited as he saith to that purpose Of the fourth seven viz. Joh. 1.7 Deut 28.58 Luke 24 27. Joh. 5.39 Rom. 15.4 Phil. 3.1 1 Joh. 1.4 It may do well to take some notice of them at least and hear their evidence I shall draw them up into the form of an Argument and then we shall see what expressnes in them or immediate consequence there is from them to the Scriptures being the only Rule Arg. John sayes Jesus did more signs then are written in his Book or History of him but what he wrote was that men might beleeve that Jesus is the Son of God and beleeving might have life through his Name David that the Law of God is perfect converting the soul the Testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple the Statutes of the Lord pure enlightning the eyes Luke that it seemed good to him also seeing some others had taken in hand such a worke having had perfect understanding from the first of the things Iesus did and taught to write an orderly Declaration thereof to Theopilus whether a particular person so called or any lover of God who can tell for so is the name by interpretation that he might know the certainty of the things wherein he by which it seems rather to have been some eminent man had been before in part informed and Christ said Men must hear Moses and the Prophets or else will not be perswaded to repent if one rise to them from the dead Peter that the Saints have a more sure word of Prophesie to which they do well that they take heed as to a light that shineth in a dark place till the day dawn and the day star arise in their hearts Paul to the Romans That faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God To the Corinthians that the minds of the Jews were blinded for until this day the vail remaineth on their hearts untaken away in the reading of the Old Testament which vail is taken away in Christ. To the Galathians that as many as walk according to this Rule peace shall be on them and Gods Israel To Timothy that evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived willing him to continue in the things he had learned and been assured of knowing of whom he had learnt them and that from a childe he had known the holy Scriptures which were able to make him wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Iesut that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine Reproof Correction Iastruction in Righteousness that the man of God might be perfect throughly furnished to all good works To the Ephesians that they were no more strangers and forrainerâ— but fellow-citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ being the chief corner stone God forbids to adde to his Word he commandeth and threatens to adde Plagues to them that so do Paul sayes Let him be accuâ—sed who ever brings another Gospel then that he had preached to the Galathians though the Apostles themselves or an Angel from heaven Christ asked the Pharisees Why they made Gods Commands void by their Traditions Paul sayes He in a figure transferred to himself and to Apollo the things that he had wrote to Corinth that none of them might think of either of them above that which he wrote of them as meerly Ministers by whom they beleeved and not be as they were very apt to be puâ—t up for one of them against the other and glorying in man God bids seek not to Wizzards that peep and mutier but to himself his Law and Testimony The Berean searched the Scriptures daily whether the things were so or no the Apostles preached Apollos was mighty in the Scriptures and as mightily confounded the Jews proving thereby that Jesus was Christ.
Paul said no other things then what Moses and the Prophets said should come John Baptist came for a witness to bear witness of the light that all through him might beleeve God sayes If the Israelites observe not all the words of the Law written in that Book of Deuteronomy he would make their Plagues wonderful Christ expounds to his Disciples all the Scriptures in Moses and the Prophets concerning himself bids Search the Scriptures as testifying of him Paul sayes Whatsoever was written afore time was for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope He says To write the same things to the Church is safe John sayes he writes his Epistles to the Saints that their joy might be full Therefore the outward Letter of the Scripture is the onely Rule of all faith and Divine worship and not the Light and Spirit of Christ ye only call to nor any internal Revelation whatsoever ficta vel facta In which of all these Scriptures the Title and Authority of the only most perfect standing Rule of Faith Life and Worship is either expresly or by any true mediate much more any immediate consequence ascribed to the Scriptures who can finde but he 's that not blinde There is but one of all the places viz. Gal. 6.16 where that term Rule is at all expressed by which as I have said and shewed above is not at all intended the Scriptures but Christ the Light and his Spirit and some of them mention expresly neither the term Scripture nor Rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and such as have in them terms equivalent to that of the Rule neither express nor imply at all the Letter of the Scripture as that of Psal. 19.7 8. and that of Isa. 8.19 20. and that of Rom. 10 17. and that of Eph. 2.19 20. where by the Law and Commandment and Testimony and Statutes of the Lord rejoicing the heart converting the soul enlightening the eyes making wise the simple is expressed the Lamp and the Light Prov. 6.23 and by the Word in the hearing of which Faith comes the Word hid in the heart nigh in the heart and mouth to hear and do Psal. 119.105 Deut. 30.12.14 Rom. 10.8 The Law in the heart Isa. 5 1.7 Psal. 37.31 The Law in the mind which the Law of sin and death in the members wars against Rom. 7.23 The Law of the spirit of life which is in Christ the life and light whose life is the light of men that made Paul free from the other Rom. 8.2 Which light shines in the darknesse that is in our very Doctors hearts but the darkness comprehends it not The Statutes of God and Judgements to be put into the minds of men according to the tenour of the New Covenant typified by the Old where the Statutes were with Pen and Ink written and engraven on Tables of stone and by the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Eph. 2. Christ the Light as is above declared and not the Writing and Letter and Text in which the internal truth is but ad extra declared and by that sure Word of Prophesie ' 2 Pet. 1. not the Scripture but somewhat within as I shall shew more abundantly by and by and by Moses and the Prophets Luke 16. Writings within as I shall shew anon All which were and were the onely perfect pure right inalterable standing Rule long before any external Text or Letter was and have not ceased so to be by the coming in of the outward writing with which they are since clothed upon nor yet have surrendered their ancient Authority of being the onely Rule by which all speakings and writings and doctrines are to be tryed nor resigned up that their Right to the Writing that testifies to their suprrmacy veracity and dignity above it self to this very day Nor have they submitted themselves that were once the chief Judge and Rule for the tryal of Truth to be now tryed ruled over judged sentenced and ultimately determined authoritatively to be received or rejected as true or false of God or the Devil Divine or diabolical Delusion Enthusiasme Figment Fanaticism and what nick-name men lift to stile them by in their learned lusts by the fallible Transcriptions Translations and Expositions of miserably mistaking men in which ways only and meerly some of that Scripture that was of old written by holy men as the spirit moved them is transmitted downward to these modern ages And as for those Texts that do make express mention of the Scriptures and outward Writings of the Apostles and of Moses and the Prophets and the Old Testament as Iohn 20. ult Luke 1.3 4. 16.29 Acts 1.1 2 Cor. 3.24 2 Tim. 3.14 15 16. do there is not the least considerable much less any cogent necessary or immediate consequence in any of them to conclude the outward Letter of the Scriptures to be the onely most perfect standing Rule Touchstone for all Truth to be tryed by so exclusively as I.O. states them Spiritus verbi Luminis cujuscunque tandem generis interni Revelatienis c. Of all inward Spirit Light Word or Revelation of what sort soever For what 's the vail's being over the Iews hearts in the reading of the Old Testament which Vail is done away in turning to Christ the Light to evince any such matter Doth it not rather evidence the very contrary For if the Old Testament which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Letter written with Ink or Pen or engraven on stones is as a Vail over the hearts of such as read it as the Iews do of whom I.O. sayes pag. 236. They read it without the administration of the Spirit so that its a dead Letter of no efficacy for the good of souls Which Vail is to be and is done away no otherwise then in Christ the Light and by turning to the Lord that Spirit as Paul sayes it is then doth it not rather appear that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Letter written and engraven outwardly is not the onely most proper standing Rule but Christ's Light the Spirit and the measure and manifestation thereof within given to every man to profit withal And what though Paul to Timothy doth commend the inspired Scripture if yet we shall take that for the outward Writing as profitable to make the man of God who onely knows how to use it wisely more and more wise and to furnish him perfectly to exhort c. and every good work against the gainsayers as I have shewed above that I deny not the outward Scripture so to be to such a one And what though Christ saies in order to escaping the place of torment Let men hear Moses and the Prophets if yet we shall take Moses and the Prophets for their outward Writings And what though John sayes Christ did more then he wrote of him as well he might For Matthew Mark and Luke wrote many things that he did not and others wrote other matters that were written by none of
Doctrine Divine Worship c. as I.O. states it to be and T.D. also exclusively of the internal Light Word Spirit c. And what though we should grant you that Christ sayes to the Scribes Search the Scriptures Well he might for they testifie of him as the life whom they never came to for it who if they had known either the Scriptures aright they so search't in and scribled about or the Power of God they could not have erred from the knowledge of him in his Light as they did Matth. 22.29 We say the same to you Schollars that think you study and know the Scriptures more then any men as Christ to them and as I.O. to all by way of command whereas some can't read it in his Title-page to flourish his Frontispiece and vent his vindication pro Scripturis more then ought else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Search the Scriptures for they testifie of Christ the Light the Word that Spirit Way Life Truth we talk of they send ye to the same Light and inward Word in the heart as the Rule to walk by as the Qua. do and as Christ said of them Ioh. 5.46 47. having told them they needed no other to accuse them then Moses in whom they trusted Had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wrote of me but if ye believe not his Writings how should ye believe my word So say I of you Ye need no other witness against you though ye have another even the Light within which ye despise then the Letter in which ye trust for did you believe the Letter ye would believe in the Light for it writes of the Light the Qua. call ye to and write of but if ye believe not the Writing ye so write for how shall ye believe in the light Howbeit when all 's done as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being both the Indicative and Imperative Mood will as well bear it so the Context doth much more clear it that the Verb is rather indicative of their doting doings then imperasive of their duty and is rather to be rendred ye search then search ye the Scripture and contains rather matter of condemnation of them for that profitable deal of Do they made in their busie minds about the outward Scriptures while in the mean time they heeded not Gods own voice nor regarded the inward words abiding in them then either commendation of their great fruitless pains that way or commendation of the Scripture to them to search or commandment of them who were too mad already for the Scripture as their grand Idol receiving it as thou faist p. 236. with the honour and veneration due to God and his living word alone to search therein Yea verily both that verse and those about it do all consist of matter of sad complaint against them for their ever-reverencing the Scripture and negecting to receive or rather refusing and rejecting the Word of Life it self to any single eye ye have saith Christ to them of the Father neither hear his voice at any time nor seen his shepe Joh. 47. and 38. Ye have not his word abiding in you vers 39. Ye search the Scriptures ye look there often for in them ye think but mistake your selves to have eternal life and true enough they are they which testifie of me as the way to life and yet ye will not come to me that ye might have the life On this wise doth Christ rather expostulate with them for their ignorance and negligence of the Word then either command or commend any searchings of the Scriptures And as to the second Classis of Texts cited by the J.O. in proof of the Scriptures being the only standing Rule in which Texts all additions whatsoever to the written Word of God are expresly rejected I answer what though God doth reprove condemn threaten to plague and curse such as adde to his Word bring any other Gospel then what Paul preached make void his Commands by their Traditions enjoyn men to seek not to such as peep and mutter but to the Lord himself Paul would not have the Corinthians think of him and Apollo above what he writes of himself and him as men only by whom as means they beleeved which is the summe of the seven Scriptures by thee produced to that purpose what proof at all is there in all this such a way it is true enough there must be no adding to the Word Gospel Commandement Testimony of God or alterings or varyings or detractings therefrom in a tittle but is any of this intended of the outward Writing Letter or Scripture which are not that Word Gospel Commandement but only declare this and other things concerning it Is the Scripture that only set firm fixt standing Rule that may neither be augmented nor diminished on pain of Plagues and cursing as ye say it is then tell me 1. How much Scripture or Writing hath been added to the five Books of Moses since Deut. 4.2.12.32 was written wherein it is said Ye shall not adde to the word I command you neither shall you diminish from it and since that of Prov. 30.6 was written where it is said Adde thou not unto his Word lest he reprove thee and thou be found a liar And since Isa. 8.20 where it is said To the Law and Testimony And since that Gal. 1.8 where it is said Let him be accursed that brings other then we have preacht though we or an Angel from heaven 2. Whether were the Prophets and Apostles that have added so many books since those prohibitions justly reproveable and accursed as Lyars 3. If ye say nay they were not lyars nor to be reproved nor accursed then tell me as to the measure and bounds and close of your Canon which ye suppose to be the Revelation why he that by the same Spirit moving shall in writing reveal the same truths now is accursed reproved plagued for adding to the Word and Gospel upon the account of Johns saying Rev. 22.18 If any man shall adde unto these things God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this booke any more then Iohn himself who added his Scripture and Revelation after Pauls Epistle to the Galathians or Paul who added his Scriptures after Isaiahs or Isaiah and the other Prophets who added theirs after Solomon or Solomon that added his Writings after â—â—sâ—s hiâ— inhibition in Deuteronomy 2. Beleeve it that the Scripture is not that thing nor standing Rule to which no more must be added and from which no new Scripture may be diminished on pain of cursing and plagues but the Word Doctrine Gospel Commandement Law Truth told in it to which cursed be he that addes another or any new Word Gospel Doctrines c. or detracts a Tittle from that And so John sayes If any adde to these things and take away from the words of this Book God shall adde plagues and take away his part out of the book of life and from
let it stand and pass on about my business concluding against thee I.O. in thy own words for the Light and Spirit to be that Rule thou sayest the Letter is from its perfection ab Authore A causa perfecta c. From a perfect voluntary cause nothing but what is perfect can be expected for nothing can hinder God being willing to reveal his will from revealing it perfectly as before the Letter was so now where the Letter is not among heathens by his Light and Spirit by which thou confessest he reveals it very far in the words forecited but either because he cannot which denies his infinite Wisdome and Omnipotency or because he will not which agrees not with his goodness and grace Therefore God hath and doth give out by his Light and Spirit within a perfect Revelation of his will so that they consequently must be secundum te by thy own Argument J.O. the only perfect standing Rule for there are not two so far is the Letter that came from them from being so as thy fancy fancies it to be alone and exclusively of them as uncertain useless needless perillous and detestable The second medium by which thou goest about to prove the foresaid conclusion viz. That the Letter or Scriptures are the only perfect Rule Revelation of God his will and our duty that gives to know him to eternal life and not the Spirit and light which as Enthusiasm dubious useless figment c. are with thee to be detested is A naturâ librorum sacrae Scripturae c. from the nature of the books of the holy Scripture which are sayest thou those of the Old and New Testament so sayest thou the Apostle clearly dilates of the Old Testament 2 Cor. 3.14 in the reading of the Old Testament of the New there 's the same reason vers 6. Now every Testament sayest thou alluding to but not quoting Gal. 3.15 though but a mans is perfect and being once confirmed no man disanulleth or superaddeth thereunto Reply Never did I discern such absolute self-overturnings proceed from a professed Doctor as do from J.O. thick and threefold in the very cause he prosecutes whose proofs of his own producing do as frequently confound him and as fully foil him as to the matter he would prove thereby as any that can likely be produced against him by those he opposes and yet I verily beleeve he speaks the sense wellnigh of the whole Vniversity it self in which he hath in the late clawing cringing corresponding and climing times atchieved to become a Chieftane And that it may appear le ts reason J.O. hereabout a little with thee let me ask thee Is the Gospel is the New Testament Letter Scripture external Text and outward Writing as the Old Testament is Is it such a passing perishing dark low obscure thing as writing or graving of Points Tittles and Iotaes in Tables of stone though with the singer of God himself much more it such a mouldring matter for so thy self callest the most Original Copies of the external Text of the holy Scripture that ever was in the world p. 167.164 and therefore well may I so call thy best bare transcribed copies of it as Writings with inke and stamping with Lamb-black in Roles and Books and Papers and Parchments with press hands and tools which cannot be preserved so long as from Ezra till now from mouldring without a Miracle Is the Gospel the New Testament no more than such as thou talkest of Is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Typography which meer men can take and turn and translate and tumble to and fro and transcribe and tear and dash out and do what they will with Is it outward writings of Epistles and Recommendations and Histories and Letters as that of Paul to Philemon about private personal and domestick affairs and such like Is it not an Epistle of Christ in the table of the heart though ministred sometimes by man at the motion of his Spirit or if a Writing yet not with Inke but with the Spirit of the living God in fleshly Tables of the heart 2 Cor. 3. Is is as the Old Testament as all meer writing ad extra only is whether of old or since Christ and all outward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Letter only that cannot quicken nor cure but killeth such as serve as thou yet doest in the oldness of it Is it not Spirit Light and Life Is it not the Words of Christ spoken by the Lord himself alone which are Spirit and Life in newness of which the true children of the New Covenant that are more then Bastards that pretend to it do serve and not in the oldness of a letter or that old way of the old Scribes that came no nearer to Christ the Life then the outside of the outward Scripture which was wrote of him Is it any of these things are not these the best Instruments of the Old Testament foolish Shepherds wherewith for a time they were suffered to feed who made the poor of the flock the flock of the slaughter taken up again since Christ directly beside the intent of Christ and such as wrote the later Scriptures by our Idol Shepherds that leave the flock to starve so they can be better fed themselves who are not behinde those of old in feeding with Gall and Wormwood the flock of the slaughter in not pitying but slaying them and yet holding themselves not guilty for which the sword of the Lord is now upon their arm and upon their right eye so that their Arm or Power is now to be clean dryed up and their right eye utterly darkned Ah poor be-wildred be-nighted blind-guides of your blindly-guided people that by custome and tradition from your mouths who take it so to be by tradition from your Fore-fathers are now naturallized into a naming the naked dead letter by the name of the living Word of the living God and the four mis-transcribed and mis-translated Copies of Matthew Mark Luke and Iohns Manuscript of what Christ did in that body wherein he was born at Bethlehem and dyed at Ierusalem by the name of the Gospel and those four bare Books with the rest of those few that follow fardelled together with them in what fashion men most fancy and bound up as the Bible sellers please by the name of the New Testament So thou talkest I.O. telling the world of the nature of the Books of the Scripture as ye now have it is this they are the Old Testament and the New so thou intendest in thy saying Sunt autem veteris novi Testamenti 1. Citing Paul who calls the Books of Moses the Old Testament 2 Cor. 3.14 as â—â—ll well he might for the Old Testament was indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Letter or Writing writen with Inke and Pen or ingraven outwardly on Tables of stone and not Spirit or writing with the Spirit of the living God in the fleshly Tables of the heart as the New is which the
Saints are under who are therefore said to serve Rom 7.6 not in the oldness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the letter but in the newness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Spirit And then secondly asserting that Novi Testamenti â—adem est ratiâ— the case is the same between the Old Testament and the New which is most false as to the thing in hand and 3. Citing 2 Cor. 3.6 in proof of it By which thou shewest thy folly for thou couldest not have well found out a fitter Text for its disproof whether thou who citest it for borest to set it down yea or nay for fear its should be seen how far it contradicts what thou citest it for I will not say but I am sure a man that is but minded to miss the meaning of it may run and read how that verse subverts the busines thou bringest it in for yea verily so far is that Apostle who truly calls the Old Testament by the names of Book Heb 9.19 and Letter written engraven in stones and such like from affirming with thee that the case is the same with the new Testament as to the name and nature thereof that both in that verse and in the third veâ—se also he more then intimates yea plainly expresses that of the Old and New Testament in that particular more than any diversâ— est raâ—io the case is diverse yea so far different that he flatly opposes the one to the other as things that however agreeing otherwise viz. in their being both glorious in som degree though the New in a far greater degree then the other as a beautiful picture may agree in respect of beauty glory comeliness and compleat resemblance in some degree with the substantial person that is it paâ—tâ—rn of yet disâ—agree in this that the one is Letter Outward writing printing and ingraving c. visible and legible by the outward eye the other not so but internal invisible spiritual written with the Spirit in the heart yea Spirit it self which while the Letter is dead and killing is only living quickning and giving life Yea two varying Ministration doth the Apostle make them not onâ—y as one is that of death and condemnation to the children of it of whom on pain of perishing it requires the living of a life which it gives no ability to and which the other i e. the Spirit only gives and inables to live the other that of Spirit Life Liberty Righteousness Glory but also as the one that is the Old is a writing ad extra only the other that is the New a writing a Scripture only ad intra though written of by that without that he absolutely asserts a present inconsistency since the doing away of the Old between a mans being a Minister now of both as once and that posita novo tollitur vetus the new being now come in full force and confirmed by the Testators death the Old Testament and its Ministry is disanulled in regard of its weakness and unprofitableness however profitable as a Type in its time for many uses to bring immediately to the life so that he who is the Minister of the one i.e. of the Old Testament i.e. of the Letter Outward writing Text or Scripture is not a Minister of the other i.e. of the New i.e. of the Gospel Righteousness Glory liberty life and Spirit and Retro he who is a true Minister of the Gospel or New Testament as now standing in the force and substance it self out of the figure and shadows wherewith it was vailed of old is not though he may utter things as moved of the Spirit that are written in the Letter as Christ himself and the Apostles did a Minister of the Old as the Old Word-stealers Jer. 23. were and our Modern Text-takers and Scripture-sellers are Paul taketh away the one from him on whom he stablisheth the other denies the one of whom he affirms the other and opposes the New Testament which he stiles the Spirit to the Letter by which name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he denominates only the Old God saith he hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life 2. Here is not all nor yet not half of that absurdity and falshood that I.O. in his folly flings abroad in that small parcel above which I am yet under the animadversion of for whereas he sayes I am vero omne Testamentum est perfectum every Testament is perfect intending it both of the Old Testament and the New and not only so but of such a perfection as avails in hunc finens ut assequamur vitam aeternam to this very end viz The obtaining the life eternal it self for so is his assertion of the Books of the Scriptures which he describes as to their nature and concludes under that name of the Old and New Testament his Positiâ—n is so wofully false that himself is as wonderfully foolish who sees it not flatly contradictory to the Scripture for howbeit the very Old Testament or outward letter is duly owned by us to be a Ministration of God from whom nothing can come as is abovesaid but what is perfect praesertim respectu finis cui opus quodcunque deflinat in reference to that end for which he appoints it absolutely perfect to that end for which it is given forth of God which is to be an A B C or elementary help or outward worldly Rudiment to indoctrinate younglings in their â—â—nage concerning the inward Light and Spirit as the only way that leads to Christ the Life from whom the Light comes and is lent as a line or clew of thread that followed conducts through the valley and shadow of death to the Life it self in which respect the Letter of the Law is called a School-master Tutor Governour under whose Tuition the under aged imbondaged ignorant ones may be trained up into a true understanding of the Truth as it is in Jâ—sus as by a Shadow Type Figure Festraw or Finger that points the Primarian Professors more distinctly to that they are to eye and aim at more then it self and by such as are in the faith and obedience to the light may be used too to make them wiser toward salvation and more perfectly furnish◠〈◊〉 every good work as he that is past a novice and is become a well-studied Scholar can and may but must is another matter read in the Horn-book as well and better than when he learned in it yet as to its being so omnibus numeris absoluta perfecta as thou bablest making it so perfect as to bring to the life that is a meer Antiscriptural fiction of thy own fancy for though a man may by the Horn-book learning become the more dispositively fitted to read in the Bible and other books of Latine or Logick and so by degrees come at last to the capacity and degree of a Doctor in the Vniversiâ—y yet he
that shall say the Horn-book is per saltum perfect to this end that without need of reading or learning any other books a person may by it alone become capable immediately of Commenâ—ing Dr. in Divinity shall by my consent be counted as ridiculous silly and senseless as such as side with J. O s. sayings are who say of the Scripture or Letter alone exclusively of the Spirit and Light within it calls to walk in that by it men may have the Life it gives the Life it is the only most perfect standing Rule of faith and life yea is so perfect and absoluâ—â— in all respects that there is no need of any other Revelation by the Spirit or Light within to instruct us in the knowledge of God and our duty to this end that we may obtaine eternal life yea all these means of knewing God and his will are uncertain dangerous unprofitable in no wise necessary and therefore to be rejected and detested as Fanatick figment For the foresaid honâ—urer of the Horn-book in his Hyperbolical adoration of it would be as contrary to common sense and reason as I.O. and T.D. in their absolute admirations of the Scripture and abominations of the Spirit and Light within for its sake are both to sense and reason and the common Testimony of the Scripture it self also which testifies every where concerning the Old Testament or Letter which I confess to be profitable perfect and absolutely able to the ends and uses of Gods appointment as a Typical testimony of those things which were to be spoken after that is weake imperfect and unprofitable as to that end for which I O. asserts it per salium to be so absolutely able powerful and perfect to that is to say to salvation and eternal life for it faith that it is the Light and Spirit that give the life and the liberty from the lust and sin to which the mother that is under the Old Testament or Letter of the Law is yet in bondage with her children and that the Old Testament or Letter lyes only in eatings and drinkings and diverse Baptisms and carnal Ordinance imposed only till the time of Reformation Heb. 9 10 in weakè and beggerly rudiments or elements of the world unto which who having once begun in the Spirit are tuâ—ned aside to are foolish and bewitched and disobedient to the Truth and do but think in vain to be made perfect by the flesh and desire again to be in bondage and know not yet Christ formed in them but know him only outwardly and after the flesh Gal. 1.3.4.9 19. 2 Cor. 5.16 18. are Iews outwardly only not truly nor inwardly nor circumcised with the Circumcision made without hands which is that of the heart in the Spirit not of letter whose praise is not of men but of God but Concis'd and conformâ—d according to the outward bodily exercises found in the letter loving the praise of men more than the praise of God and according to the law of a carnal Commandement not the inward worship of God in Spirit nor after the power of that endless life the light leads to That the law of the Letter which had but the shadow of good things and not the very image of the things themselves could never make the corners thereunto perfâ—ct as pertaining to the conscience Heb 9.9.10.11 That the Old Testament was faulty and failing and defective whereupon Gâ—d made a new one that could bring to life as it could not for if there had been a Law which could have given life verily righteousness should have come by it Gal. 3.21 for if it had been faultless or perfect or could have made perfect or given life there had been no occasion for the second Heb. 8.7 8. That there is a disanulling of the Commandement going before which was attendance to an outward letter because of the weakness and unprofitablness thereof because it could make nothing perfect but only was the ushering in of a better Hope even of the Light and Spirit by which we may draw nigh to God who is Light Heb. 7.16 18 19. and with whom no Letter lauder that lives beside the light the mystery of the Letter also can have any fellowship at al. And lastly as to thy saying that every Testament if it be but mans is perfect so that when once confirmed none may disanul or addâ— to it I answer no perfect Testament is to be dianulled when confirmed and in full force as it is only by the death of the Testator but that shews thy assertion to be false who sayeâ— that every Testament is perfect inasmuch as the Old Testament or Letter was disanulled which secundum te could not have been if it had been perfect and so omnibus numeris absolute as thou sayest in regard of the weakness unprofitableness of it to bring to life and for the the faultiness and imperfection of the first God himself whose Testament it was dedicated with the blood of Bulls Goats Lambs and Calves for the time then being only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as intended for a while only 't was called a Ceremony takes it away that he might establish the second Heb. 7.18 19.8 7 8 9. that is perfect to the giving of the life which is ignorantly asserted by thee of the Letter for the Letter that was perfect to its own end as a shadow was altogether imperfect thereunto And that nothing is to be added to any Testament once come in full force and vertue by the death of the Testator as all Testaments do then and never till then for Heb. 9.16 17. where a Testament is there must of necessity also be the death of the Testator for a Testament is of force after men be dead otherwise it is of no strength at all whilst the Testator liveth This I freely grant as a truth but utterly overturns all thou contendest for which that is the Books of the Apostles and Evangelists which were all written after Christ the Testators death ' are the New Testament which how they can possibly be if thy own Position be true as it is that to a Testament if but mans when confirmed as it only and alwayes is by the Testators death much more God's New Testament after once confirmed by the Death of Christ the Testator as it was before one letter of that Scripture thou callest the New Testament as written nothing must be added thereto let all who are not void of judgement judge For if the writings of the Apostles and Evangelâ—sts which were all added and penned after Christs death the Testator of it by whose death it came into full force and strength be the New Testament an outward literal Declaration of which New Testament I know it is as the Writings of Moses and the Prophets also are both which are but the Letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Old Testament that in an external way declares the New with this difference only that the writing before Christ declared
is the Rod of power which God promiâ—ed to send out of Sion even the Rod and sharp Sword of his mouâ—h and breath of his lips wherewith he will now smite the Nations and slay the wicked and reprove with equity on the behalf of the meek of the earth whom the proud oppress even the word of his mouth which he will put into the mouths of his sucklings and their seed and seeds seed out of which he ordains strength to the perfecting his own praise against the persecutor This and not the weak dead letter Bible or Scripture thou so labourest bablest and scriblest for is that Power and Authority of God Able as the outward Writing is not to make it self known so to be for the letter is as lifeless helpless powerless as any other Book Writing or dumb Idols that men adore and receive aâ— ye with the Iews of whom thou speak'st p. 237. do the Bible at this day with the honour and veneration due to God that cannot stir from the place where it s set as neither can the Scripture from where it s laid no more than the Turkish Alcoran yeâ— as Jeremiah in his Epistle saiâ—h of the weakness and vanity of all the Idols of the heathen whom they make powerful Gods of Thâ—se Gods quoth he cannot save themselves from rust and moths though they be covered with purple they wipe them because of the dust of the Temple when there is much upon them men put the Scepter in their hands as if they were the Iudge of the Country and Daggers and Axes but they cannot deliver themselves from Theeves nor of themselves put to death one that offends them as a useless vessel worth nothing when broken so it is with their Gods they are as the beams of their Temples upon their bodies and heads Strâ—Bats Swallows Birds and Cats they are things in which is no breath yet they set and sell and buy them at a high price they are carried having no feet â—o walk with if they fall to the ground they cannot rise up again of themselves the same together with what follows caeteris paribus Baruch 6. may be said of the adored Best Copies of the Great Bibles that lye in the great old mouldy Popish Parish Mass-houses now called the Protestant Churches where the Bells hang the Ministers of the Letter not the Spirit the elder sort of which are Priests by Ordinatioâ—â— fit in their Temples and roar and cry the Word of God the Law the Light the way to life the Gospel the power of God to salvation as the Iews do when their Copy is carried about but these Gods of those Idol Shepherds that leave their poor flock at any time for another that hath a better fleece can do nothing at all cannot withstand any King or enemies are not able to escape either from Theeves or Robbers nor when fire falleth on the houses where they are to help or save themselves or flye away how then shall we think they the Books called Bibles the Scriptures are so powerful and effectual not only in themselves but also in respect of us as without any other helps or advantages to shew themselves to be the great Authority and Power of God vis virtus Dei to our salvation as I.O. dreams If he say he means not the Text but the Word it talks on let him say so then when he writes again and then we will take it for granted he gives the cause in question to the Qua. whom he quarrels with for denying the Bible Letter Scripture outward Writing to be the living effectual able powerful word of God that gives life and saves and such like and so we shall meddle no more with him as to that matter but so long as he will needs damn down the Qua. as denyers of Scriptures and the Word of God too because they deny the Letter or Text to be properly the truth or Word of God it doth but declare and talk on we must thereby understand him to intend the Letter which he talks for Moreover as to the Light of God and Word nigh in the heart which the Apostles preached to turn men to and taught them as the Scripture also doth in its Testimony there to to attend to as the Rule of faith and life this is that Word of the truth of the Gospel which is V is virtus Dei the Power of God by the vertue of which Power it brought forth fruit in the Collossians and in all the World where it so came when it came unto them in the Ministry thereof which was the means by which they heard of it first and then came themselves to hear it and to know the grace of God in truth even that grace that bringeth the salvation and appeareth to all men effectually instructing as well without as with the outward Letter of it all that leâ—rn at it to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world which is the Light of God in the conscience called the goodness of God or grace given to lead them to repentance who despising the riches of it are not led by it to repent and so treasure up wrath to themselves c. Tit. 2 11 12. Rom. 2.4 5. This is it which brought forth fruit in the world without Sword Miracles humane wisdome oratory or any inducements or motives but what are meerly and solely taken from it self consisting in things which eye hath not seen ear heard nor the heart of the animal natural man or of any but the spiritual man that by the Spirit which only searcheth and revealeth them discerneth the deep things of God can discern or conceive This is that that hath exerted its power and efficacy to the conquest of the world so far as it hath been capâ—ivated in the high proud thoughts of it to the true obedience of Christ causing men of all sorts times and places so to fall down before its Divine Authority as to renounce all that its dear undergâ—â— all that it dreadful and destructive to nature in its dearest concernment As for the Letter the Scripture which thou speakest of in a sense abstract from all other helps and advantages as that which without need of any other Revelation by the spirit and light within for these thou call'st superfluous mediums doth plead for reception not onely in comparison with but also opposition to all other wayes of coming to the knowledge of God his mind and will founded thereon and calls for attendance and submission with supreme and uncontroulable Authority 57 58. as that which hath brought forth so much fruit and exerted so much power What power hath it put forth to conquer the world into such submission to the truth as it is in Iesus as Christ requires or as the Letter it self either calls for what fruits of righteousnesse hath it brought forth in the world cal'd Christian to the glory of God for all its being
it self and the very Devil for he that owns the Letter aright must own come to beleeve in follow the Light that shines from Christ and shews the good and the evil in his own by the fall darkned heart defiled blinded and benighted conscience sith the Letter testistes of and calleth men to this Light As he cannot be said to fulfill and live according to the Letter that lives besides the Light it calls to so cannot he be said not to fulfill or to live beside the Letter who lives according to the Light it came from But not upon this account can he bee said to rebel against the Light who rejects the Letter because the letter and light are one and the self-same thing viz the Letter the light and the Light the letter as I.O. dreams for howbeit that be his sense yet assuredly neither is the Letter the light nor the Light the letter but they are two distinct things that are no more Synonamous or one in name then they are in their essential properties and proper natures and that however in some generals they may be one and so omnia ' quia entia sunt quid unum is in reality not at all And lastly in what sense soever such as reject the Letter may be called Lights Rebels which is in no wise in respect of the letter and lights being individually the same yet as is said above they are in no wise so called in that of Job and if the Light had been as much heeded by I.O. as the Letter is lookt in by him without the Light which only leads into the true meaning of it yea if common reason had but ruled him hee would have seen by the word Light the Letter is not intended for to let pass other considerations that might be as cogent in this case when ever or by whomsoever that History or Book of Job was written whether in his dayes or after by himself or any other yet that Chapter being a part of Jobs speech to his friends it must be spoken in his dayes whom Jerom on Genesis Augustine Ambrose Philo Plato and most antient Fathers and Writers Luther on Gen. 36. observe to have lived long before Moses whom ye judge the first Scripture-writer carried Israel out of Egypt and so consequently before any of your Scripture or Letter which ye now call the Light was written and that Job should denominate the wicked of his dayes under the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lights Rebels rebellious against the letter long before any letter was written unless his own book which yet if in his days must be written after that was spoken is such a trim peece of Teachment and credible conceit as I could say more to had I to do with another man but to him I shall say no more but that which is his usual saying of what is at no hand to be beleeved p. 244. Credat Apella Thus much of the first of I.Os. Texts Now as to the next that follow viz. Psal. 19.8 Psal. 119.105.130 Prov 6.23 I have said so much to some of them already above as may stand as a sufficient answer to the rest viz. that by Word Words Law Commandements Statutes Iudgements Testimonies Precepts c. In all those Scriptuâ—es is intended not the Scriptures themselves in which these things are declared of but the Word Law Commandement written in the heart and the Iudgements ministred by the light on the evil deeds in the conscience declaâ—ed of only in the letter which letter bears no other respect or proportion toward that Word or Law which is the light then the lantborn doth to the light that is contained in it and displayes it self somwhat diaily thorow it or the Glas-window doth to the Sun that shines shews it self throw it yet more obscurely then when it s immediately lookt upon in its native luâ—â—re for there 's a time wherein we see the Sun through a glass darkly and Christ through the vail that is to say his fleâ—h and the light and things of the Spirit in the shadow of the Scripture or letter wherewith it is overcast where the Sun shines more immediately to the eye and the vail of his flesh and letter and carnal Ordinance is rent a more new and living way is consecrated thereby into the Holy of holies it self where more immediately or face to face then before whilst in a Glass beholding the glory of God there is a more perfect transformation into the image of his glory which is fulness of grace and truth a glory that the world owns not but the Saints saw in Christ Joh. â— 14. even by the Spirit of the Lord or the Lord that Spirit 2 Cor. 3. ult so I shall need to say no more to to those Texts in this place nor yet to that Psal. 43.3 which is of the same nature whereby the Light and Truth that David if it were his Psalm desires God to send out could not be intended the Letter and Text for so much of that as he made use of for his own condition was sent out before which was but little more then the five books of Moses perhaps Joshua Judges Ruth and Job and t is but folly to fancy that he prayed that more Letter might be given out to guide him who had so much of the light and spirit that by it hee wrote much of the Letter himself or if he did pray for more letter to guide him then was I know no more was granted him unless what Psalms hee wrote himself which the Spirit mov'd him to write for the good of others for that of Samuel the Seer is mostly of him and those of Nathan and Gad were so also See 1 Chron. 29.29 And if Nathan and Gad wrote any to bee Davids guide they are none nor of yours being not in you Bibles and so that light and letter he prayed for is not the letter yee have and talk for nor doth the Letter and Text lead any to the holy hill of God and his Tabernacle but to the light and truth it came from which is it only and not the letter as ye have it that came immediately from God so only leads immedlately unto him As to Isa. 9 2. to which though thou writing them in the rank wherein they stand in thy Concordance severest them by the interposition of a text in Hosea between them yet I must joyn Mat. 4.16 sith they both in the self-same termes relate to the self-same thing and time I marvel not a little but that God is now proceeding according to his promise Isa. 2.9 to do that marvellous thing even that marvellous work wonder and turning the wisdom of the wise into foolishness and bringing to naught the understanding of the prudent I should much more marvel then I do to see a professed Doctor in Divinity residing at the well head of learning and Religion dwell so deeply in the darkness and in the Region and shadow of death as to
from it plead for it are proud of it yea who more busie about the Bible and in a more uncessant search of endless scraping for more the Scriptures then licentious luxurious lascivious ambitious unrighteous murderous envious maliciou lying persecuting Schollers and Bible-binders that hate light which reproves their evill deeds which those that love truth in the inward parts love and come to yea our professing Christians that say they are the Iews and are not but do lye and are the Synagogue of Satan are Iews in this pâ—iâ—t at least of searching Scripture and looking into the Letter for life which testifie of Christ as the life to whom they will not come in his own light that they may have it and of talking from the Letter of Christ the Son of God yet refusing to hear his voice when hee speaks to them in their own hearts and thereby leaves them without cloak for their sin and seeing and hating both Christ and his Father in the light that shews them as much as Christ and his children hate the Devil and his deeds Finally as the Text sayes every evill doer in the world hates the light but there are millions of evill doers that neither love nor hate the Letter nor the Bible which they never so much as saw or heard of therefore the Letter cannot be the light here spoken of men cannot hate that they have no way heard of as neither can they love or desire it for there is no odium toward that at all which is no way known at all neither savingly nor otherwise as there is ignoti null a cupido A word lastly to 2 Pet. 1.19 and then I have done at present with I. Os. whole dozen of his own chusing which agree altogether as one to give their Iudgement or juridical verdit against him As to this Text therefore which with the 20 and 21. vers is no less then nine or ten times over rehearsed one where or others in thy book I have had it so often under my eye that I have hardly forbore so long from talking with thee about it and there is yet a place behinde whereunto I thought I might have reserved the examination of it it being there urged with two more in the way thou callest Inartificial â—in proof of the Scriptures being the Word of God p. 65 66. But now I shall here consider it whilst it s under my hand where it s urged in vindication of the Letter to bee the Light which Letter if it be the Light there spoken of then I will yeeld it to be the Word of God there spoken of also for I shall grant its both of these if either and if it be not both thou must needs grant its neither the verse runs thus But we have a more sure word of Propesie or Prophetical word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to which ye do well to give heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts And the two that follow it thus for no Prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation for the Prophesie came not at any time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Spirit Rep. Thy often repetition of this Scripture upon every occasion imports the great stress thou puttest upon it and how great store thou settest by it as to the proof of the Scriptures being the Word of Prophesie and the light shining in the dark place of mens hearts here mentioned which Text with the Context both which thou improvest to the uttermost will sâ—rve us rather to reprove thy ignorance of Gods Word by and to prove thy heart to bee still a dark place then serve thee from which to prove the Scripture to bee the Word of God or to be the light here said to shine in the dark place there spoken of which is the heart Exitus acta probat From this Text considered together with the Context thou confidently concludest assertest and insistest on five things 1. That all the Scripture Letter or Writing in the original Texts of it which is now bound up in your Bibles and commonly called the Scriptures was written at fiâ—st by holy men as they were acted in it by the immediate inspiration of the Spirit of God and this I shall neither deny nor put thee to prove though if I should I see where thou wouldest falter and be foundred in it but to let that pass here this I am sure enough of that this place proves no such matter as that as t is above laid down neither in Terminis nor by Consequence for though it sayes holy men of God spake of old i.e. Prophesied as moved by the holy Spirit yet it from thence follows not that all that ever holy men of God wrote in point of History Chronicle c nor Prophesie neither was written by the same immmediate impulse of the Spirit on the spirits of the Penmen of all that is there for some was written from the mouth of such as were inspired by the hands of others that were not the men inspired nor moved to give forth the burden of the word of Prophesie that was on them as Baruch wrote from Ieremies mouth Tertius from Pauls and so others what they spake and was written by and from them was one thing and the Writing or Scripture of that true Word is another which yet I own to bee of God as far as ye can from it or any other rationally assert the Text to be even in matter of Chronicle or Story wherein men may possibly write true Scriptures of things done in their times and times before them from Records and other principles without that immediate inspiration or dictation of every Iota or Tittle to them as thou Tatlest somewhere from the holy Spirit of God And lest thou shouldest not take this for truth to me who am here in contest with thee being prejudiced against me hear what thy felâ—ow-fighter against the Qua. T.D. sayes for I can almost at any time as Paul did the Pharisees and Sadduces who when they were both upon the back of him threw a bone that set them together by the ears between themselves and so save himself add his testimony to the truth from them both Act. 23.6 7 8 9 10. set our Stribes Pharsees and Seducers at oddes within themselves and send them to learn the truth we tell and they will not take from us from the testimony of one another which T.D. saith it follows not that because Books are the Books of Prophets therefore they are divinely inspired for they might as well write from their own spirits or upon human credit as sometimes speak from their own spirits p 43. of his 1. Pamph. 2. That none of all the Scripture Letter or Writing aforesaid is of private interpretation that iâ— neither to be interpreted as meer private mens Writings written as other mens are
innate or ingrafted light of nature the voice of God in nature and common nâ—tions and general presumptions of God and his Authority inlaid in the natures of rational creatures and innate principles of reason and conscience and such like as if they were so de naturae de esse hominis so flowing from the meer natural being of men that they can be no more said to be supernaturally of God then the very natural faculties of reason understanding and conscience it self of which more an on both with thee and T.D. also though it be indeed that very way of supernatural Revelation which thou sayest p. 47. the Scripture is that as now in the world is handed to thee by the meer improvement of menâ— natural faculties in the way of transcribing printing re-printing as also studied by the meer improvement of your natural faculties of reading remembring understanding Hebrew Greek Latine English c. to the begetting of a meer animal or natural knowledge whereby yee know things meerly naturally speaking evil of what yee know not and corrupting your selves in what ye do know naturally as bruit Beasts for as a Horse or Bullock can finde the way to the Pasture where hee hath often been so the Priests by use course custome and concordance more than the work of the Spirit bringing all things to their remembrance can turn readily to Chapter and verse Which forsaid Voice or Light that God as thou sayest truly p. 43. hath indelibly implanted in the minds of men for the minde heart and conscience is as a dark place as to all spiritual moral and supernatural knowledge without the Law or Light of God shining in it and shewing good and evill is by thy own further Confession to thy own further confusion accompanied with a moral instinct of good and evil seconded by that self-judgement which God hath placed in us in reference to his own over us and that by which God reveals himself to the sons of men and that indispensable moral obedience which he requireth of us as his creatures subject to his Law and which is as effectual to reveal God as his works are to which there is need of nothing as thou sayest but that they be represented or objected to the consideration of rational crtatures and bears Testimony to the being righteousness power Omniscience Holiness of God himself and calls for moral obedience which is eternally and indispensably due to him and so shews the work of the Law written in the heart and is that by which the Gentiles or Nations that have not the Law in a letter are a Law to themselves and more then all this by thy own absolute acknowledgement whereby 't is evident that it even that thou callest the Voice of God and the Law written in the hearts of the very Gentiles and not the Letter of the Law written without with ink and pen is that ingrafted word by every one to be received with meekness Jam. 1.21 which is able to save the soul and that sure word as to it its evidencing it self to us or light shining in the dark place of the heart and that more firm stedfast constant standing permanent Word or Light or rule of life to us then that infallibly sure and certain though passing and transient Voyce that in the audience of Peter Iames and Iohn came from God himself that is here spoken of The said voice or light in the heart declares it self to be from God by its own light and Authority so that there is no need to convince a man by substantial witnesses that what his conscience speaks it speaks from God what ever testimony it bears or what ever it calls for from us in his name and so speaks and declares it self not only more constantly as it s ever with men but as to its certainty also that without further evidence or reasoning without the advantage of any considerations but what are by it self supplied it discovers its Author from whom it is and in whose name is speaks and is inlaid by the hand of God to this end to make a Revelation of him as to the purposes mentioned is able to evince its own divine original without the least contribution of strength or assistance from without and therefore I adde without an outward Letter undoubtedly though as undoubtedly an outward Letter cannot do all nor any of all this without the Light or said Voice Word or Spirit of Christ within which only doth and can evidence it unto the conscience that the Letter Scripture and doctrines declared therein are of so divine an original as they are Thus I have done with that Eminenâ— Text which is so much talked on so little to their own purpose by the most eminent talkers for the Text of the Scripture as that thing therein recommended to us to bee taken heed to as the most sure word of Prohesie the light shining in the dark place of mens hearts the Prophesie of the Scripture that is not of private interpretation but spoken forth in writing in the movings of the holy Spirit under which termes the holy Apostle intends not the outward Text in which as well as otherwhile by word of mouth the holy men testified to it and held it forth but that inward Word Light Spirit of Prophesie Truth witness and testimony of Iesus in the conscience which their outward voice words witness and writings were but a Testimony unto and an external means to turn men to upon the account of which Text in Peter and the 11. other aforesaid which I.O. impannels as his Jury to judge the case in question whether the Letter outward writing or Scripture is the spiritual Light or Word of God yea or nay I.O. makes such a full account to carry it his way and to have their unanimous universal verdict for him that the Letter is the Light and consequently the most perfect Rule and consequently the Word of God that in his blind hasty confidence he cannot stay from stiling it so till the trial about it be ended and while the cause is sub-judice and he but in his prosecution of the proof thereof but by way of Anticipation as it were throughout his whole book which is written mostly in ordine ad probationem as an enquiry after and examination of the matter he very often here and there if not as frequently and commonly as by its own proper names of Letter Writing Text or Scripture stiles and denominates it under the foresaid names of of the Light Rule Foundation Witness VVord of God as its nomen prâ—prium which hee will never prove to bee Proper to it whilest hee breathes And so hee runs on blindly in such over ample applaudings and most mighty magnifications of the Scripture that is the subject about which the Argument is driven on by what termes soever whether of the Truth the Foundation the power of God the Rule the VVitness of God the VVord of God c. hee expresses it by
future and if he be indeed so blinde as he makes himself and so mean of memory as not to remember any name whereby the Lanthorn or Letter can bee called but that name of the light and VVord though himself calls it not the light or word only but by the name of lanthorn letter or Scripture also save that Trapezantius-like who in a long fit of sickness forgot his own name I.O. forgets himself and heeds not that himself often calls the letter as others do by its only due and proper name of letter or Scripture 't is fit he should be plainly told what to call it and minded of it as I here do tell and minde I.O. who calls to the Qua. to tel him what to call the letter that the name of Lanthorn by which though he forget that hee doth so himself doth call the lanthorn and the name of Scripture by which he though heâ— forgets it calls the Scripture is a more proper name then those of light and the Word of God and the most proper names that can possibly bee given to them And if for all this he will obstinately oppose the truth and wilfully wa'k on without wisdome then nescio quid indeed the dotage being so deeply dyed into him that its scare like to depart if he be brayed in a Morter I know not what more to say but Nescioan Anticcyram ratio illidestinet omnem Now I.O. ne Kideas be not so merry about the mouth for such a man there is and nigher to thee too then thou thinkest he is so nigh that thou canst not step an inch from him -- nete quaesiveris extra hee is a well known to thee as any man in thy cloaths and thou canst not bee ignorant of him if thou be not willingly ignorant of thyself yea verily Thou art the man that art found in that folly and falsehood that is aforesaid about the lanthorn and the light as is shewed so abundantly above that there needs little more to be said in proof thereof Tu Dominus Tu vir aut Doceas nos quid sibi vuls santa blateratio mugitus c. what means such a blâ—ating and bellowing out for the letter such a pleading it to be the true light which it doth but plead for such a striving to have it stiled the light and the meer writing and every tittle of it to be called the Word of God which bears in truth caeteris paribus but such a reference to the true light and Word of God respectively as the lanthorn doth to the light of the candle which is set up and held forth in it Quid sibi vuls detestaâ—io execratio tanta c. what means such direful detestation extrâ—am execration and thundring out of little less then Anathama Maranathaes against the light within and word within and all that confess to it as I.O. himself doth too but that hee forgets it and so curses himself by craft Ex. 1. s. 4. as Fantastical foolish deluded Enthusiastical enemies to denyers and reproachers of the Scripture because they deny the letter to bee that light and Word of God which as through a lanthorn glass or vail and not so brightly but more dimly then when viewed with open face as shining in the heart are seen and shew themselves through it siccine se gerunt ministri lucis sicut vosmet vos geritis O ministri literae tantaene a nimis caelestibus irae Quid sibi vuls tanta terminorum transpositio verborum ista tua mutatio mussitatio mangonizatio c. supradicta If there bee not such a man and I.O. be not he teach us I.O. plainly what thou meanest by that peeping and muttering out of thy minde by that mumbling and fumbling in such foul fallacious wayes about things wherein if thou wert not minded to mask over thy meaning that men may not minde too much where thy lame cause halteth nor finde where its false and falters thou mightest have made it fairer in it self I cannot say for the fairer and fuller thy openings of it are the falser and fouler it appears but tenfold fairer to bee seen in its falsness and foulness then now it is tell us what means that mess of medley that Mangonization and mixture thou makest of both thy matter and thy meaning that Tohu Vabohu that tangled and tangling kinde of talk that thy Treatises do consist of wherein not only like him that talks up the lanthorn into the name of the light and talks down the light as nothing thou triest to turn the outside inwards and that which should be uppermost downwards i.e. the light within which is the Truth it self out of doors and the outward letter which is but a Writing of it in its room place power use and name but also in the proof and prosecution of that most subsenseless subversion dost in one place or other one place well compared with another subvert thy self by thy own sayings and unsayings how much more I cannot say but little less I dare say then twenty times over tumbling about like a Bull in a net turning things to and fro transposing thy termes and introducing the prime praedicate in place of its own prime subject one while using the terme Scripture Letter Writing which witness thy â—itle pages is the sole subject expected by thy Reader according to thy intimation of no less to be proved to be the Word of God and treated on without varying from it under that terme of Scripture Letter Writing other while in thy very Argumentation for the Truth of thy untrue affirmation which is that the Scripture in esse both reali cognoscibili is the Word and in answer to that queston how is it known that the Scripture is the Word of God promiscuously putting all these termes viz Book Faith Bible Truth Writing Doctrine Letter Light Scripture Word of God Declaration minde will of God and things declared together again as if 't were already out of question which is the matter in question that these are all one thing and termes Synonymous and compounding and confounding them into one Chaos or lump of confusion chopping and changing popping out and pulling in mounting up and then dropping down as if thou wert sensible of being got too high then hiding they head again and there as those that are afraid out of their close places moving out of thy ho'e as a worm of the earth and twining every way fair or soul to secure the main chance and to make good thy bad cause and carry what thou contendest for which yet when all 's done beside the getting to thy self among seeing men the blot of blindness ignorance weakness folly falshood fallacy and confusion thou wilt which way soever thou orderest or disorderest thy Arguments for it even by thy own Management of it bee on the losing hand till at last thou hast lost it altogether for though thou makest as much of it to the utmost as another can well do that hath taken
prove that general ignorant audacious Assertion of thine Doth any one of them respectively prove the particulars thereof that it is particularly alleadged to Doth Gal. 1.8 because it is said If we or any man or Angel from heaven bring any other Gospel then what we have preached to you twice over let him be accursed prove him cursed that writes more Scriptures of the same Gospel by the same Spirit if so was not Iohn hereupon accursed that wrote more Scriptures of it after Paul was dead by a new Revelation not the same and was not Paul if he wrote any Epistle after to Galatia cursed out of his own mouth by saying though wee bring any other Gospel let us be accursed if that were his meaning ' that no more Scripture must be written is every new Revelation and new writing by way of Revelation of the old Gospel a new Gospel or doth Rev. 22.18 prove there must be no more Scripture nor Revelation within nor new outward Scripture and Revelation of the Gospel by motion from the Spirit after by Iohn because he saith If any shall adde to the words of this Booke God will adde the plagues of it to him Said he therein any more then what was said long before Deut. 4.2.12 ulz. Prov. 30.6 Adde thou not to his words lest he reprove thee and thou be found a liar were all those adders to Gods Word or words and reprobate and liars as they must be if the Scriptures bee Gods Word and the adding of more Scripture be additament to his Word that added all that Scripture which was written after Deuteronomy and the Proverbs and if the Scripture were the Word of God is not taking away his name out of the Book of Life threatned to him that takes away from the words of that Book as well as plagues to him that addes and so ye in that ye discanonize most of what was writ there by the Prophets are discarded from the comforts of the Scripture by the places of you own quotation Doth Col. 2.18 twice over cited and allowed two votes in this Section vote either of those particulars it is cited for Doth the Spirit there condemn Angelorum alloquia alias called by thee Colloquia Angelica s. 28. all conference with Angels or only that worshipping of Angels forbid more expresly as I hinted to thee before in Rev. 19.10.22.9 where I also told thee of the lawfulness of talking with Angels or receiving of Revelation of the truth from Angels unless thou wilt Tax such as received the Law which was given by the disposition of Angels and Daniel and Mary and Zachary Cornelius and Paul and Iohn that wrote the Revelation and Christ himself who all were spoke to and ministred to by Angels were these all guilty of sin and condemnation Look again I.O. on the words in English which thou Greekest out perhaps to the further hoodwinking of Idiots that ken not Greek lest they should finde out thy folly who settest it for a Cypher if rendred in plain Latine which to give thee the reading as they stand in your Translations run thus Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility or worshipping of Angels Is the talking of Angels to men here deeply damned by the Spirit of God as thou dreamest And 2. what 's that Text to prove there must be on pain of cursing no additament of more Scripture or Writing to that Scripture that is in your Bibles with pretence of immediate Revelation of the same Doctrine Truth or Gospel there taught from the same inward Light and holy Spirit which is the second purpose for which it s cited a second time And again as to Heb. 1.2.4 cited Heb. 1.1 3. for thus thou citest that twice to the 2. same purposes with Col. 2. what hath that in it to the evincing the Spirits damning of either all talk with Angels or addition of more Scripture thereof from the Revelation motion or inspiration of the same holy Spirit to that Scripture of the Truth that is now truss'd up as the close of the whole Councel of God that ever must be declared in writing or counted upon as part of your Canon according to the Clergies Councel who first caused that consignation of it by Book-binders within the bounds of your Bibles thus run the words God who at sundry times and in diverse maners spake in times past the Fathers to the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken to us in his Son who is better then the Angels c. Must not his eyes be out that sees any such things hinted at here as those above the proof of which I.O. intends by this quotation Because Angels are here named inferiour unto Christ therefore Anathematized is he that hears or heeds any thing that shall be spoken to him by an Angel though he reveal the same Truth and not another seeing that truth is already written in the Scripture yea cursed be hee from henceforth even for ever there 's one of I.Os. Concâ—usions who consequently concludes Iohn accursed that wrote the Revelation from thenceforth even after this of Paul to the Colossians and the Hebrews were written from whence forward I.O. drives his execration downward to this day sith the said Iohn had his Revelation immediately from an Angel by whom Christ who had it from the Father sent and signified it to his servant Iohn Rev. â— 1 And because Christ is better then the Angels and God in these last dayes speaks in and by him his only begotten Son the light of the world the great Shepherd and Over-seer of the soul whose own voice his Sheep hear warning all to hear him to hear his voice in all things what ever he sayes on pain of being cut off from among his people therefore the Scripture must have no more writing though of the same truth that is there added to it on pain of damnation for ever there 's the t'other of I.Os. Conclusions from Heb. 1. from which Conclusion I can much more clearly conclude that a cloud of darkness is drawn over I.Os. understanding and that a beam is in his eye then draw such an untruth as that no more Scripture since Iohns time was to be written by the holy Spirits moving and added to that from that Text which tells the truth if I.O. would once heed it viz. that the hour now is wherein God speaks to the Sons of men in and by his own Son whom he hath given to be a Light and Leader to all people wherein the dead must hear his voice before ever they live to God who since God speaks by him and hee by his own light Spirit Voice in I.Os. conscience why doth not I.O. heed him then but scoffe at him in his inward Light and Spirit the Qua. call to as at Christum quendam Imaginarium infallibilem Doctorem nescio quod lumen scu verbum internum nescio quem Deum seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deoforsan quopiam
Psalmist they can perswade others from what they have seen felt and handled of Gods Word and his Iudgements which are a gâ—eat deep yet to the rest that live alienated from the Light and by them have bâ—en purged from their filth and warned from the wickedness of their way and of simple been made wise of which precious uâ—e Gods Iudgements are to all that thus witness and know them as Psa. 19. Yea these are that Nation of Israel and not that which is now become a curse and perished out of what ever outwaâ—d Nation or People they are gathered into the one Light and Spirit of whom it s said Who is like unto thee O Isâ—ael â— a people saved by the Lord who rideth on the Hâ—avens for thy help And in that of these mens quoting Deuter. 4.8 What Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Iudgements so righteous as all this Law which is set before them in the light their keeping and doing of which shall be their wisdome and understanding in the sight â—f those Nations which though now they count them fools shall at last see themselves to have been infatuaated and say of Gods now dispersed and despâ—sed Seed of Israel after the Spirit Surely this great Nation is a wise and understanding people And as for others though as R. B I. T. T. D. and ye all say God hath not dealth so richly with any as he does with them that receive the riches of his Grace and they have not known his Iudgements in such a measure as these know them yet all as they heed the Light in that may know them as in some degree the Heathen heeding the Light are said to do Rom. 1. and degrees never vary the nature of a case neither follows it that because some know not so much as some therefore many neither do nor for want of Light can know nothing of the Gospel or Saving Truth of God at all The 30th from Rom. 7.7 is thus The Light within neither did to Paul nor doth nor can discover sin even the sin of Lust without the Law therefore the Light within each person is not a sufficient guide of it self to lead to God and to warrant mens actions without the written Word i. e. Scripture with them Rep. Why not as well as before the Law was written in an outward Letter at all if by the Law ye will needs understand nothing but outward Scripture for some sure knew lust before Moses wrote the Law But in very deed how deeply soever ye dream in this as ye do in most things this Law without which the Lust is not well known is no other then the Light it self within for the Letter sayes lust is a sin but 't is the Light that shews thy lust to filth envy or any evil to be thy sin within thy self and that Law by which the knowledge of sin comes is that Law and Commandment which Prov. 6.23 is said to be the Light and the Lamp even the wâ—rd that David hid of him that he might see the way of covetouâ—ness that was eâ—sewise hid in his heart and so not sin against Gâ—d by which only the young man in whom lust is strong taking heed thereunto shall come to cleanse his way which is never clean while he hangs only on the lips of Letter-stealers and meer Letter-lauders who lauding the holy life they liâ—e not in are at best but lyars when they preach the Tâ—uth But this being elsewhere handled I shall need to say the less of it here So having done with these two mens thirty Arguments a few words more to their ten wâ—aâ— Reasâ—ns against the true Light in all men and then I have done with them as to that Reason 1. Because what each man conceives according to his Light within him cannot be right and â—rue for one mans conceits do sometimes contradict anothers Nor are thâ— Quak. all of one mind when they follow the Light within them Rep. This is one of your own croâ—ked odd conceits indeed but far from truth and good consequence that the Light or Rule it self cannot be true or right or a safe rule because mens conceits of things to be or not be according to it may be contradictory one to another and so not both true 'T is true contradictoâ—y conceivings abâ—ut one Rule cannâ—t be both true but he contradicts aâ—l truth and common reasâ—n who conceives the Rule or Light it self to be ere the worse or ere the less a true Rule or Light because of that Two men may have contradictâ—ry thâ—ughts and conceits whereof one must needs be false about a piece of Cloths agreeing or nor agreeing with the yaâ—d or measure but it follows nor therefore from any thing but these faithless mens false and foolish fancies that the Taâ—d is not a Yard or no good rule or measure and if this were good consequence R. B. and I. T. but that they are blind still might see it conclude more strongly against their Letters being as they plead it to be the only true Light or Rulâ— then against the Light since there 's as many silly senses misty meanings and contradictory conceits in the minds of them that are Ministers of it almost as they are Ministers of it For whereas they tell us of two Qua. contradicting one another I have told these four men I.O. T.D. R.B. I.T. of contradicting one another many times o're in their books against us and shall do yet a little more before this book I here write be at an end yea â—n truth as I have shewed already before and shall do more behind there 's little else then confusion and contradiction to themselves by our men called Clergy well nigh in all the Doctrines they have to do with besides this reaâ—on rendred by them is not at all against the Light of God but against mens meer conceits which we are more against then any men whatever calling men out of their own conceivings into Gods own Counsel the Light So quid hoc ad rem Reas. 2. Because that which unvariable and alterable cannot be a persons Rule for its the property of a Rule to be invariable and the same at all times Rules Measures Weights Dials Squares and what other things are made if they be varied câ—ase be Rules Rules should be fixt and certain but nothing more variable then mens light in them Rep. Igrant that 's no rule which is variable and alterable and therefore have above from hence concluded and do here again from your own premises conclude the Letter the Rule ye talk for more then walk by not to be that only Rule of Faith and Life as ye would have it but Gods Light in the heart which the Letter came from sith as I. O. teaches us in his Epistle though he will not learn the same lesson himself but teaches in his book as much against it as he does for it that the Letter in the very Original copies of it
not in Heaven within but on earth without so to him that stands as T.D. doth on his head with his heals upwards and his head down towards the Earth where his feet and heels onely should be as downward seems to be upward so does upward to be downward But so it seems to the great Whore that rides the Beast or that Woman that 's cloathed in Scarlet and for a time tramples the Holy City under feet Rev. 17.4.11.2 yet things seem no otherwise then they are to the Woman cloathed with the Sun who hath her head Crowned with the Starrs and all fading sublunary Glory and the Moon it self under her feet Rev. 12.1 As to T. Ds. trifling reply to what R H. urg'd from Heb 12 23. where Paul sayes the Saints were come to mount Sion the City of the living God the New Ierusalem into which let T.D. esolve himself whether any uncleannesse or defilement can enter from Rev 21.7 and to Myriards of Angels and to the general Assembly and Church of the 1st being whose Names are written in Heaven And to God and to Iesus and to the Spirits of Just men perfected with all whom let T. D. who sayes that place imparts not the perfection of any man on earth Resolve himself whether one dram of darkness or uncleanness can enter into Communion if 2. Cor. 6.14.15.16.17.18 and 1 Iohn 1.3.4.5.6.7 be true much more so as to make one body with them as T.D. Divines it doth as to that I say so far as it is fit to be replyed to G.W. hath done it whose reply stands unshaken by that feminine tempest or stood of impertinent words wherewith T.D. who sayes much to as litle purpose would seem to patch up a return and what G W said in short the body of Christ is perfect may be ventured among wise men to stand as it does against T D's little less then Blasphemous Counter-position that the body of Christ is not perfect for his particle yet whereby he mends that matter saying not yet perfect because some that belong to it are yet unborn this helps him not a tittle who holds with I O. the Scripture to have bin of old from Moses a perfect Rule and Canon I speak ad hâ—minem their own sense not mine whilst many books of it were yet not written and so I shall vouchsafe it no more then so and the rather because that reply of T D to G W was replyed to some months since but that it was neglected to be printed by such as were intrusted to see it done and whether it yet may or may not be printed before this of mine be out I cannot say Unspeakably much more might be said both in disproof of such Toyes as our Dâ—vines talk against it by and in proof of that possibility of a perfect living without sin before death then I shall here take notice of yet 3. or 4 things that are upon me I am free to give some small bint of T D tells us God will have us excercis'd in that work of mortifying sin while we live therefore lest we should have no more worke to do nor worlds to conquer there must be no full conquest over the world nor perfect mortification of the lust of it till we be dead so some tell us Gods Children would be proud if he should not keep them down corruption as well as affliction being a most effectual means to make ashamed God will leave as he did once Caananites to excerise the Israelites and he as Thorns in their sides some sins in his Saints unsubdued as long as they love to humble and prove them and shew them what is in their hearts and such like Rep. But I trow where would pride it self be which is none of the least sins if the Saints come by the Blood and Power of Christs Light and Grace which only humbles to be fully freed and cleansed from all sin and uncleannesse of flesh and spirit and to perfect holiness in the fear of God will not pride it self then be brought down as well as other sins and Humility alone be Exalted Some tells us from 1 Kings 1 48. The man lives not that sins not Rep We say that ther 's no man that lives who hath not sinned and as Iohn sayes he is a lyar that sayes otherwise of himself but because men have sinned and have sin must they never be purg'd is there a necessity that they who now have it and now sin must needs have it and must needs sin till they dye and if they may cease from sinning as our Divines also but that they forget themselves tell us they may yea must or dye for ever every tree lying for ever as it falls and there being no Purgatory after death I say if they may and must before they dye is it then unpossible that they should and if they may ne'r so little before they dye suppose a day a week a year leave sinning may they not by the same power and light live without it 2 3 or many years before but that as the plain truth is they are in love with it and loath to part with it till it parts with them and to take heed to that light and grace that is given of the Lord to lead them out of it to repentance from it and to learn them to deny it and to live without it Godly Righteously and soberly in this present world in which neglect the hands of the evil doer are strengthned by our dirty dawbers who tell them they must leave sin all sin little sins and yet to go round again that they cannot possible leave all while they live So strengthening the hands of the wicked that he can't return from his wickedness by such pleasing sing-songs and lullabies as these not a just man uppon earth that does good and sins not and the Saints have their infirmityes and David himself was overtaken with Adultery and Murder and yet stood accepted with God and was even when under the guilt of those gross sins not in a condemned but in a justified estate and Prov 29. who can say I have made my heart clean and such like Not heeding that though none can nor do we assert any such thing that we have any sufficiency of our selves to good yet alsufficiency is in God and his grace is sufficient so that God can if men look to him in his light make clean the heart and man a young man in whom youthful lusts are strong by the Power of God and taking heed to his way by his word in his heart may cleanse his way and so some do though they are but few nor does Who can say I am clean from mine iniquity not one Exclude all from cleannesse implying only as often such interogations do no otherwise then thus viz that few can for though an interogation affirmative of this sort for the most part concludes negatively yet not alwayes universally so but some are included in
Vowels and Points to facilitate to themselves the reading of any Character whatsoever as if it must be some more then orâ—inary divine and Supernatural work to devise the shape of the Hebrew Vowels more then 't is for the Greek or English or others to devise theirs whereas if I. O. had not for hast run himself out of the Remembrance of things that are so obvious and ordinary that none but Ignoramus and Trapezuntius himself could easily forget them what more common and frequent then for men that are ignorant and enmity against God to have the skill and faculty of inventing not only tittles accents points and vowels but also Letters Consonants and Characters Figures and those of diverse sorts and shapes long and short hand to expresse themselves by in writing and printing in their respective native Languages I trow who invented 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and our a e i o u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at oi eu ou and the several kinds of figures for different sounds and what Nation hath not some of that wit that England hath so much of as to find out many sorts of Chirography and Brachography for their own conveniences and who invented first that so great so skilful so useful and eminent work of Typography it selfe so many exact wayes of cutting and setting and stamping so many different Characters of all Languages might it not be done by men who heeded not the inspirations of the Spirit by men moved meerly with love of mony and hope of gain in which way the Bible comes out lyable to the common fate of all other Books as to matter of falsification by misprinting How many differing Characters and sorts and sizes of Letters of Greek Hebrew English are and have our Bibles themselves been written and printed in and doth not I. O. himself p. 227. tell us of an universal Character attempted by diverse and ready to be brought forth by his Dr. Wilkz Ward whereby to expresse all his Apert Simple and Double sounds Vowels and Dipthongs which I. O. says will doubtlesse give universal satisfaction to learned and prudent men when he shall communicate his thoughts on it and yet I. O. denyes Wilkins Ward or any man else in these dayes to be inspired or guided by the infallible Spirit How worthlesse and frivolous then what childishnesse lightnesse what froth smoake nothing are the thoughts of I. O. and his Co-Conjecturor Dr. Lightfoot whom he there cites p. 247. who can scarce beleeve it possible that the Points should hominem sapere proceed from such a School as the Tiberian University or savour of the work of any Humanists or wicked men or of any other then the Spirit of God But if this Argument of I. O. had any such force in it as were worth reselling as indeed it hath not yet if we should say nothing to it I. O. backs it with another so strongly that he breaks the very back of this so that it can bear nothing of the burden he layes on it nor be of the least import whilest after all his talk of the wickednesse of these men in proof of their unfitnesse and unlikelinesse to be the Authors of such a businesse as the Points least this should fail To go round again still he adds this as another Argument thereof viz The likelinesse of it that there were never any such men as these Massorites in the world at all So odde and Antick is I. Os. extream eagernesse in driving on his design against them that talk of the Tiberians as the Authors of his Superlatively prized Points that rather then any should imagine those men to have invented them he streins and stretches his twatling strings so far as not to deny but own â—nd tell us 1. that there was an University and School of such Tiberians and so describes the men who and what they were and when they liv'd viz after the finishing of the last Talmud p. 240 241 242. Only that they were men so and so and so ill mannered and qualified Idolateâ—s Magicians c. and what not that 's evill as not likely to be Inventers of so rare a businesse as Vowels and Accents Secondly Lest all this should not be of force enough next by a denyall of it to fright souls into a faith and fancy that there were never any such men in the world at all to which purpose he uses such suppositive doubtful negative expressions concerning it as whereby to cause it to become questionable and render it doubtfull whether there ever were any such or nay Men they were quoth he if any such were who were so and so â— 240. and 243. Of all the Fables that are in the Talmud I know noâ—e more incredible than this story quoth he that men who cannot bâ—y any story Mark he sayes it appears not by any story there were such and yet in the very line above sayes 't is a story in the Talmud Was there ever any man found so self confounding in a Treatise asâ— I. O. and so ready in this work of running the Rounds or other record be made to appear that they ever were in rerum natura not observed not taken notice of by any learned man Iew or Christian should find out so great so excellent a work To which say I That though of all the Contradictions that I. O. gives to himself this is not the first nor greatest nor clearest to say as he does p. 246. 247. that learned Dr. Lightfoot observes and takes notice of the University and School at Tiberias and of the greâ—t Doctors among the Tiberians by name out of the Talmud viz R. Iuda R. Chamina R. Chsija Barba R. Iochannan R. Ionathan and the rest of the Râ—bbins Gemarists and Mâ—ssorites of whom I. O. sayes the Jewes generally beleeve not only that there were such men but also that the Points had a reviving by them according to the observation and notice of R. Azarias and yet p. 243. to say as he does that it cannot be made to appear by any story or other Record that ever there were such and that they are unobserved and not taken notice of by any learned man Iew or Christian yet of all the ridiculous passages that are in the Talmudical Treatise of I. O. this is not the least not to say the most incredible that men of whom it cannot by any story or other record be made to appear that they ever were in rerum natura should according to or by I. Os. strange story of them be made to appear to any reasonable man to be Idolaters Magicians wicked blind and mad men c. Surely they must first appear and be observed to be in rerum naturâ before they can to or by any save such blind Seers as can see nothing at all better then they can see things as they are appear be observed much more described by name to be in natura hominum improboruÌ„ and if any man beleeve with
dim no light truly such is to be rejected Philosopphers light guided men well in some things yet to go round again in most did lead them into crooked and dangerous wayes Which position of these blind Guides is such an Ignis fatuus such a Will with a wish or whimsicall piece of guidance as they falsly render the light it self to be which they call so as if one and the same light of God should be a safe and sure guide at one time and such a misleading unsafe guide and foolish fire at another as p. 84. will lead into nothing but Bags Praecipices or as if the least measure of the light of God could lead any man into the least measure of iniquity Yea somtimes they call this light of God in the Conscience which is Gods own voyce in Nature at least as I.O. sayes his Law and most immediate Counsell to a man no other then mans own counsell way 〈◊〉 that leads to cursing Witnesse p. 45 40. Where they say thus To leave a person to his own imagination lust to walk in his own counsell his own way which is all one as to leave him to the light within him is the greatest curse and judgment to a man from God for refusing to hearken to Gods voyce Therefore the light within each person is of it self no safe guide and the Qua prescribe that to men as their rule which God counts their curse yet to go round again p. 55. the light within each person is by creation and inward work of the Spirit So to be left to the inward work of the Spirit is it seems with these men the greatest curse yet to go round again as before p. 41. The Qua charge publick preachers with denying the light within each man whereas such light is not at all denyed by them but is acknowledged to be a great benefit to mankind and p. 84. It concerns those who own Christ as their light to judge themselves and their wayes by his light And the light within is his light witnesse Baxt. Epist. above cited This light is from Christ both as the Authour and Restorer of nature all this light within us and without us is to be hearkened to and obeyed it s the greatest benefit of light that it doth make manifest by the light of Christ the evill of our wayes is reproved the wayes of God approved we know the righteousness of God and our own unrighteousness this is no small benefit to have light to discern our own errours which without light from Christ and his light within say I by which only every man knowes de facto what he is we should never have understood a wise Christian therefore will be often judging himselfe And self judgment saith I. O. is from the light indelebly implanted by God within each mans conscience by the light of the Law Which law is light saith the letter Prov. 6. 23. discovering his transgressions yet to go round again p. 85. Oh that all that talk of the light within them would follow the light about them Light within you whatever the Qua tell you will leave you in perplexity when you shall have most need of comfort but to go round again if you believe in the Light of Christ as it s held out to you in the Gospell That is the letter with them which letter yet testifies the light of the Gospell of Christ to be shining from God within mens hearts 2 Cor. 4. you shall see the light of life Therefore to go round again be perswaded Cry they and so they conclude their Book to disclaime the pretended new light within you as your sufficient guide to God and chuse the light of Christ from Heaven in his Gospel to walk by Which Christ say I speaks and shines from heaven to men now no where immediately but in mens hearts and consciences though men write and speak as from him here on earth whom speaking there by his spirit from heaven it 's more dangerous to turn away from then from them that speak but on earth and it say they and so say I will guide and comfort you surely and sweetly to eternall life So I have shewed how these two children of the night and darknesse R B. an I. T. who were wont to bite and tear one another about the Tradition of Infant Baptisme do both concurr in their divinity doings against the Qua and the light within to bawl out somthing uno ore against both far better then their joynt dis-joynted talk concurres together within it self and so run the Rounds and dance the Hay up and down in and out and somtimes round about that the Reader of them can hardly discern or find whether they be fuller of concessions to the Qua by their confessions to and commendations of the light within or of denyalls contemnings and condemnations of it for at severall times somtimes more Expressly somtimes more implicitly they are found in both in a most egregious manner One while as if parturirent montes mightily magnifying the light within for a great way together as if we might warrantably take them to be some trusty friends to it Another while minifying vilifying nullifying it into nothing but some blind lump of darknesse like the Lizard making many good prints upon it with their fore-feet in that sandy way wherein they passe and then dashing them all out again with a long bushy Tail or Tale of it to the contrary like the blind night Bâ—t flying and fluttering up into the Air with a mighty humming noyse of Encomiums about it and then dropping down into a piece of Cow dung As the Devill serv'd him who is the Author of it who after he had set him upon the highest pinnacle of the Temple he would fain have thrown down thence to destruction so deal these by the inward light or Word of Gods speaking in the heart which after in words they with I. O. have magnified over all Gods name they thrust it down as he does below every name yea and every thing almost that hath any name at all and as I. O. after in a sound of words they have set it out as glorious next to God as the Sun in its brightnesse render it under many reviling opprobrious Titles well nigh as odious as Satan himself in his Princely and their own Priestly blindnesse So that which side soever of those two sides and sorts of sayings or double tongu'd talk of the light the Truth stands on yet unlesse contradictories can it 's certain all cannot be true which they utter of it And if the worst should be true as absit blasphemia far be it from any good man to beleeve their blasphemies of it are then the best is false and that at best proves themselves no better then Self-confounders but if the best they say of it be true as most true it is then R. B. and I. T. till they both repent in dust and ashes before the
in his name and done great things nevertheless for as much as they departed not from iniquity they shall be doom'd from Christ with Dâ—part from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not 16. Then shall the whole multitude of Transgressors of the Law i. e. of the Light of God in the conscience by which all even those that have not the Law written in an outward letter are a Law to themselves having the work of the Law written in their hearts that the Lamb of God came not to tolerate but to take away the sin of the world and that Iesus was sent not to give liberty to sin but to set his people at liberty from their sins and that in the greatest liberty wherwith Christ freeth his people there is the least licence and that the Father having raised up his Son hath sent him to blesse men they turning away every one of them from his iniquitie that those blessed ones to whom the the Lord imputeth not sin whâ—se iniquities aâ—e forgiven whose sin is covered are such in whose Spirit there is no guile and that there is in no wise any remission of sins unto those who still accustome themselves to a dayly commission of them 17. Moreover the great and terrible day of the Lord now cometh wherein the Light which is risen in the conâ—ciences of men shall dayly more and more clearly shine forth in which also the â—he book of conscience must be opened that â—ut of it all men may be judged according to all things that are written therein where by the Light which is Gods faithfull witness all sin is written down in the sight of God as with a Pen of Iron in which day by the Light God will come night to us to judgement and then the righteousness grace and mercy of God shall be revealed towards all who standing still in his Light wait for him to come as a Redeemer to them from their impieries that they may be saved from the wrath that is to come upon all the children of disobedience by which light the wrath of God shall be manifested from Heaven in their own conâ—ciences against all ungodliness unrighteousness of men who retain the Truth in unrighteousness in which day God will reign down upon the wicked Snares Fire Brunstone and an horrible tempest all which things shall be the portion of their Cup. 18. Moreover in the hand of God there is now a cup and the Wine thereof is Red and it is full of mixture and he poureth one of the same and Iudgment is begun at the House of God and God hath begun to bring evil upon the people upon whom his Name is written and his Nature Image is imprinted they whose portion it is not in such a measure as they have drunk of the Cup of abomination and fornication have drunk also of the Cup of indignation and wrath before they could take the Cup of Salvation and praiâ—e the name of the Lord in no wise therefore shall the wicked go unpunished but the worshippers of the Beast and those that receive his image must drink also of this wine which is poured one of the mixture into the cup of his indignation and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angells and of the Lamb yea the very dregs hereof the top whereof the Children of the Light and of the Day have tasted the Children of the Night and of the Darkness that is all the wicked ones of the earth shall drink and wring them out 19. Wherefore whilst in the long suffering of God opportunity is not wanting unto you whilst the day of your Visitation is neer unto you from God let my councell be accepted of you All and turn your selves to the light of Christ in your own consciences and take councell thereat for ever which seriously and sincerely minding you shall be taught by Christ himself whose Testimony to you from heaven that is to your both externall internall and eternall Peace and Salvation and shall be brought to Christ himself and to see him and his Father from both whom it comes to the saving knowledg of whom there can be no coming any other way whatsoever for as the Sun of this outward world is not seen but by that Light which flows from it self unto us so neither is the Sun of righteousnesse but by that measure of Light how little soever it be that shines from him in the heart 20. For although the Scripture which speakes of the Light and directs to the Light maketh mention of the Father and of the Son so that there ye may read of them and speak of them also according to what ye there read yet this the Scripture it self witnesseth that none can know either the Father or the Son but he to whom the Father and the Son do mutually reveal each the other whose revelation also is made within for that which may be known of God sufficient to Salvation is manifest in men saith Paul for God doth manifest it in them and the Gospell is preached in every creature which is under heaven by the Light of God in the conscience so that they are left inexcusable before God who else would be excusable blameless forasmuch as though they know God yet they glorify him not as God neither like to retain God in their knowledge but knowing the judgement of God that they which do such things as they do are worthy of death yet not onely do the same but have pleasure in those that do them 21. In the mean while we do not affirm Christ himself to be in all men who yet is known to be in all that are not Reprobates as that hope of glory nevertheless all for there is no difference but what is made by different degrees of light which do not vary the nature of the thing have some measure or other of his Light at least one Talent committed to them that they may trade therewith to profit withall which using well and doubling they have entrance into the joy of their Lord but hiding of which and not gaining therewith they shall be thrust out at last from the light they have into the utter darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth This Light therefore shines in all even the heatheâ— in some measure although not in all in the same measure 22. To the measure of which Light of Christ which in you is you will do well to take heed while you have it as unto a light shining in a dark place to give you the knowledge of your Salvation and guide your feet in the way of peace and that you may find true rest to your burdened and wearied souls and lest darkness come upon you for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whether he goeth nor at what he stumbles 23. This Light is the Law of God for the law is light saith the wise man written not
Scripturarum c. Sect. 21. Haec summa horum hominum sententia Sect. 22. * Inter se distant Judaei Pontifices Fanatici Ex. 3. S. 2. Qui in rebus aliis omnibus diversissimè sentiant in hanc blasphemiam conspirent omnes S. 14. Perpetuo invicem digladiantur Pontificii atque Fanatici 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ex. 3. S. 2. Internecioni se mutuo devovent S. 3. Caeterum non iisdem rationibus ducti sed illi pro traditionibus bi pro Enthusiasmis atque Revelationibus suis tanquam pro aris focis contendentes atque ita non secus ac Sampsonis vulpeculae obversis Caudis ignitas faces in segetes Ecclesiae ferentes cuncti amicissimè è loco suo sacram Scripturam deturbate aggrediuntur S. 4. Eam a loco suo in Ecclesia depellere satagunt iisdem vestigiis insistunt Panatici nostrates quibus ad nequitiam hanc viam patefecerunt qui inter Pontificios spirituales dicuntur Ex. 3. S. 10 11. Adversus verbi sui hostes Ex. 3. S. 16. Contra quosvis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. 26. * As J.O. does in his late shuttling sheet of Answers to some Queries about Tythes * Ex. 1. S. 4. Non tantum Scripturas omni suâ Authoritate spoliare easque è loco suo mouere sed ipsum Christum Personalitate suâ atque divinâ existentiâ exuere hoc unico stratagemate intendunt conantur * De nomine Scripturae proprio contra Fanaticos nostrates c. I am to encounter our Fanaticks at present about the proper Name of the Scripture the part of the Question which is about the proper Name of the Scripture respects the Quakers Ex. 1. S. 12. * Ipsum Verbum Dei omnem ejus usum quod attinet penitus respuere c. Ex. 2. S. 27. * Apparet eos omni usu authoritate ac perfectione sacras Scripturas spoliare Ex. 3. S. 22. Nullt dubium esse possit quin si res eorum secundum vota successissent eas dudum penitùs rejectssent Ex. 3 S. 19. Utinam deleantur inquiunt Fanaticorum nonnulli ut omnes ad lumen illud quod in iis est attenderent magis Ex. 3 S. 13. * Ex. 2. S. 28. Enimvero si omnium seculorum omnium qui unquam extiterunt Christianorum experientia si ea quae ipsi vident spectant audiunt quotidie ullius apud eos ponderis essent aut momenti usum necessitatem fructum interpretationis Scripturarum per solennem verbi praedicationem expositionem viva voce aut scriptis factam negare verecundarentur spectemus utique utrumque gregem cùm illum qui verbo licet fruantur interpretatione ejus destitutus est tum illum qui una cum verbo Dei aliis etiam mediis cultus divini quae in verbi interpretatione plurimum consistant fruitur si modo ex fructibus arbor dignoscenda fit bona apparebit illa quae istiusinodi fructus cientiae Dei tulit quibus ubique progerminavit legitima Scripturae interpretatio * For every Prophet did not write down either all he said in his dayes nor all that which in writing is set down of his seeings and sayings doings sufferings with his own hands witnesse Jeremiah for whom Baruch wrote and who wrote the latter end of the 5 Books of Moses which ye dream he wrote every little and Iota of himself Deut. 34.5 to the end Did he write of his own Death and Burial and of Israels Mourning for him after he was dead * Pag. 3. So Ex. 3. S. 27. Post completum quem vacant ejus canonem nullae novae revelationes circa fidem coÌ„munem Sanctorum aut Dei cultum aut expectandae sint aut admittendae credimus prositemur * It seems then thy Word of God so called may be and was corrupted i.e. the Scripture secundum te who sometimes sayest it can't be corrupted in its Original Text and is not to this day But were it the Word of God indeed as that is it speaks of and as thou sayest it self is it were incorruptible indeed * Mark The Salvation of God was Common to all men then however it s now Impropriated by the Personal Electionists unto themselves * See I. O's words pag. 13. Hebraea Volumina nec in Vnica dictione corrupta invenies Citing Pagn and Matth. 5.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Pag. 316. 317. Speaking of the bare Copies of the Scripture Doth not our Saviour himself affirm quoth he of the Word that then was among the Jewes that not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sof it should passe away or perish Where let not the Points but the Consonants themselves and their Apices be intended or alluded to in that Expression yet of that Word which was Translated by the 70. according to this Hypothesis not only Letters and Tittles but Words and that many are concluded to be lost And say I Speaking not of Translations all of which I.O. seeks to prove deficient from Pag. 320. to Pag. 344. See it at large in above 24 Pages together but of the Original Text it self which he Pleads the Entirenesse and Integrity of without loss to a Tittle that upon this Hypothesis that all the fore-mentioned Books are lost not only Points and Consonants and Apices and Letters and Tittles and Iotaes but Words that many yea Books and that many are contrary to his Arch-Assertion concluded to be utterly lost * Though this I consesse which makes little for J.O. but much against him where he talks as one that meddles with what 's out of his reach of Gods putting every word so into their mouths and speaking by them in every Tittle they wrote that somethings in Pauls Writings he as himself sayes spake and not the Lord 1 Cor. 7.12 * Though I affirm it is not from Laodicea were it truly rendered being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 4.16 which Arias Montanus renders more rightly Quae est Laodicensium or Quae est Laodiceae the Epistle which belongs to the Laodiceans or is of or to Laodicea * Quid vero cum iis agamus qui adeo infeliciter stupidi sunt ut nulla ratione nec experientia c. Dicat quod quisque volet ex hâc Opinione non dimovebimur Ex. 2. S. 28. * Hoc Nâ—men viz. Verbum Dei Proprium sibi Vendiâ—at Scriptura I. O. Ex. â— S. 1 2 3 26 27. * For shall we Think quoth he Pag. 168. and so on many pages c. * Pag. 240. Whilst they keep the Scripture we shall never want Weapons out of their own Armory for their Destruction Like the Philistims they carry the Weapon that will serve to cut off their own heads quoth I O. of the Iewes and I of himself and his fellow Students * Quamvis enim ex justo Dei Iudicio sermo eis non est unicus imo ita sunt inter se confusi ut vix intelligant alter sermonem
of an Hour This is the manner of not a Few in their Writings I am therefore minded quoth â—he to Abstain from such Engagements Upon such Considerations was I enticed on the Enter â— and Trace further and farther After Him so that This may satisfie such as would haue had it shorter But to be short with such If the Authors Pains and Pay in Fenning and Printing be not worth the Readers Patience in Perusing and Purchasing who will may let it wholly alone for me He that likâ—s not the length of it hath enough of the same to make it shorter to himself however and may look upon as little of it as he lists Thirdly Now O ye Priests and Universally Erring University Leaders of All other People in Things of the Soul and its Salvation I shall say the lesse to you here by how much the whole following Fabrick Relates to you more Particularly then to any Though it harâ— noâ— only a General Respect to you All in Regard of your Brotherly Relation to those more Specially spoken to but a General Respect in some sort also unto All men Whether I am in more Opposition to your Principles or Pitty to your Persons I â—an scarcely say since I seek the Destruction of Nothing but what Destroyes you whose Souls I am sure I Love as much as I Loath those Light-lesse Laborinths of your Learning falsly so called in which you Loose you selves and Perish Marvel not that My Self and other man of more mean as count then your selves Meddle so much with the Maâ—ty Matters of your Ministry who have so long Excluded all Mechanicks and Plain Country Creatures from the Close Conclave of your Clerical and Collegian Counsells But know assuredly that the Day of God is Dawned upon the Earth Wherein from his Own Light which ye Labour against in the Firâ— of your Furious Minds Wearying your selves for very Vanity to Blow it Out It shall be Fill'd with the Knowledge of his Own Image and Glory as the Waters Cover the Sea Wherein as ye have Fought his Fear after your Own Precepts Traditions whereby ye have Turned his â—â—uth upside down so he is as he Threatned in that kind Isa. 29. bringing the Wisdom of you Wise Men and the Understanding of you Prudent Ones to nought so that your Turning of Things upside down shall be Esteemed as the Potters Clay Wherein as ye have Divided Jacob from his God and Scattered Gods Israel from their Dwelling which is the Light itself in the hearts of men in which God is and Dwells with Those who there Dwell with him which Light Christ and his Ministers seek to Draw All to and by it unto God and which it 's the Devils Work from the beginning to Seperate men from in your Anger which is Fierce and in your Wrath which is Cruel like that of Levi after whom you are called So he will â—iâ—iâ—e you in Jacob and scatter you in Israel Wherein as ye are become Bruitish Pastor's and have not Sought the Lord so ye shall not Prosper but All your Flocks shall be Scattered from you Wherein the Lord of Hosts is coming Down to Fight for Mount Sion to fetch his Flock froâ— between your 〈◊〉 and like as a Lyon Peâ—â—ring on his Prey when a Multitude of Shepheards is called forth against him he will not be affraid of your Voice nor Abase himself in the â—ost of his Holy Ones wherein he appears against you for the Noyses ye make against his Holy Truth But as ye have Provoked him to Wrath by your own Inventions and False Worships so he will Provoke you to Iealousy by a Foolish Nation and Weary you by such as are no People in your eyes and by 〈◊〉 Mean Weak Foolish Nothings Confound your Mighty Things that Are So that it shall be 〈◊〉 of the Learned Linguists and Greeks that seeâ— after Wisdom whereâ— the Scribe where 's the Disputer of this World◠〈◊〉 not God made Foolish the Wisdom of this World who by â—s Wisdom knew not God this by that Foolishnesse of Preaching whereby he Saves thâ—â— that believeâ— How are the hidden things of Esau searched 〈…〉 no more in Tema◠〈…〉 is 〈◊〉 up Thy sonâ— O Sion against Thy Sons O Grâ—â—â—d and â—aking them against thee O Greece as the Sword of a Mighty Man in his Hand and 〈◊〉 the Foundations of thy Faâ—ed Faith and Shaking all thy Supertitious 〈◊〉 iâ— the Ground And as to the Eâ—postulations that are hold hereafter with you O Scholasticks Boâ—be iâ— iâ—â— in pave about the Body yet it s Principally about the preâ—ended Bottom of all your Babyloniâ—â— Buildings in which if your Basis were not so Brittle as it is and must be being by your own Confession but the outward Teâ—â— of that â—â—ward Truth which you Teâ—â— meâ— while you talk of it 〈◊〉 Toâ—â—ly out of must needs be by so much an Unstable Standard by how much by your selves by the Pens of your University Doctors in their Choicest Divinity Disputes undertakings and fencing for the Fumâ—ess of it it 's yielded to be as Alterable in the very Greek and Hebrew Copies of it as the Letters Vowells Accents and lotaes of it are Lyable to be Chang'd in Sound or Shape at the wills of Criticks Witnesse the Acknowledgements of J.O. that Lately Choice Oxoâ—ian Champion and Latine Labourer Pro Scripturis against the Quakers whose Scribling so much on behalf of the Scriptures and the Integrity of the outward Text and the Word of God against us who are Truer Friends to Both then himself which was the first Occasion of this Rescription and is very largly Replyed to in the 2d and 3d. of these 4. Ensuing Exercitations Concerning whose Work tosâ— many of you Rabbies whom he Reasons for and Represents I shall here Subject onely these Three things which Consideratis Considerandis will shew that by your own Concessions to Vs about the Outward Transcripts or Texts of the Scripture if they â—â— they are Pâ—ofess'd to be beâ—t â—e Onely Rule and Rooâ— of All that ye call your Religion ye grant your Rule to be not Infallibly Right and your Root which is but a Mouldring and Mouldred Writing to be but Rottenesse and so Consesequently that at last your Blossom must go up as the Dust. 1. Let it be â—eeded how J. O. as is aforesaid and hereafter 〈◊〉 at large Pleads the Absolute Necessity of the Integrity of the present Text to be in the Hebrew and Greek Transcriptions though Translations which are the Peoples Scriptural Rule himself proves to be most exceedingly Corrupted Entire to every Tittle as at 〈◊〉 giving out without any losse so Strictly that if it be not so but it appear to have been Altered by Ablation or Addition of the Points by the Tiberians 〈◊〉 Cessarum â—eft he utterly gives up for Gone All Gospel-Godliness Cryes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Where shall we Stand. And sees no way to be Delivered from utter Uncertainty in and about all
and write as if with thee they were as one for besides thy stiling the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Writing or Scripture which is well-nigh the total Subject Treated on in that Section by these names viz. the Prophecy of Scripture the word of Prophesie the written VVord the Word of God and thy loud lying in saying that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is above fifty times in the New Testament put absolutely for the Word of God not proving it to be so put so much as once not being able sure I am to prove it to be half so often if thou couldest as I shall shew elsewhere prove it so to be put an hundred fifty times all that would prove nothing to thy chief purpose which utter untruth must be more talk't with in another place thou twice there makest one of them as explanatory onely of thy mind and of what thou meanest by the other in these Terms viz. the writing or written word the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it self or which or is there more conjunctive then disjunctive the Doctrine as written also thou makest the one but explicatory of the other in many other places viz. Ep. Ded. P. 20. Tr. 1. ch 4. S. 2. S. 19. and Ex. 1. S. 24. where thou writest of them not Sâ—orsim as of two but conjunctim as of one and the self same thing thus Scripturam sacram seu verbum Dei scriptum the Scripture or written Word of God sacred Letters the written Word Nâ— so incogiaant art thou as not onely both to divide into two and confound again into one these two distinct Subjects viz. the Scripture and the Word of God the writing and Doctrine of Christ therein declared within so small a compass as the space of two small Sections standing both together but thou both dividest and confoundest them within the little corner of one single sentence witnesse the last clause of the twelfth Section of the first chapter of thy Treatise above cited where thou expressest thy self thus viz. not onely the Doctrine in it but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it self or the Doctrine as written is from God 1 as his Word for so thou meanest still by that term from God in the first part of which the Doctrine written in the Scripture and the Scripture it self are made two in the latter the Scripture the Doctrine written as written in it are made one which is the same Doctrine still as well when considered as written as when considered as not Written and is neither more nor lesse of God whether written or not written and under both these notions a distinct thing from the writing evermore If the Serpent can hansomly and fairly twine himself out here from the just censure of a self confounder let him scape scot-free this once and in this one thing for me but if he cannot do it without dawbing and dribling and shuffling and shifting and cutting and lying against the Light within then let him hang there for me in his Fetters of darknesse till he learn to speak without confusion for I know not how in a way of honesty to help him out or take him down CHAP. II. HAving shewed what truly and properly the Scripture is and what we the Quakers intend and I.O. also if we may take him as meaning what he mostly sayes by that Term Scripture when we deny it to be what thou contend'st it to be and pleadest against us for as its Proper Name viz. the Word of God c. I come next to those base abuses put upon us and false matters charged against us partly by T.D. in his first Pamphlet but principally by thee I.O. as concerning our carriage toward the Scriptures Principally in thy Latine Legend wherein thou lyest more at liberty then in thy two English pieces of emptinesse and the more securely by how much thou seemest to thy self at least to lye more hidden or more obscurely out of the reach of their rebuke whom thou reproachest in that Latine Language then in the other insomuch that by thy own speeches we may conclude that thy whole work as relating to the Quakers which is fronted but fronti nulla fides with Pro Scripturis Adversus Fanaticos for the Scriptures against the Fanaticks with which new nick-name the Quakers by many more besides thy self who Arbitrio Diabolico wast one of the first Imposers of it on that truly enlightned people begin now to be abusively branded seems to be designed more to the sporting thy own and thy School-fellowes leâ—d spightful Spirits by playing upon the Quakers in secret in your dark Divinity cels among your selves then either to convince them to their faces of such errors as thou erroneously accusest them of or by thy crude Theological Disputations Determinations tumultuarie sane fatis conscriptas as thou callest them ad lectorem to confute the Quakers plainly and openly before Plain-hearted people witnesse thy own saying to the like effect which I shall first enter at as it lies in thy little Latine Lecture Ad Lectorem J.O. The Fanaticks or with thee the Quak who are in these dayes most notable in their errors and foolishnesse we here Principally assault But no man could be deemed to dote so much as my self if I aimed at the convincing of them by what I here write sith they no more understand the speech we here use then we at any time can perceive that indigested sound of words void of all sound sense whereby they when they speak seem to noise it out to not onely one another but all others also Ex. 2. Sect. 23. They the Quakers are well nigh all unlearned and skild no further then their mother Tongue Rep The more shame for thee I.O. if the Quakers be all so unlearned and utterly unintelligent in the Latine Tongue as thou sayest that thou talkest therein against them as thou dost and chargest them with much more error in Doctrine and evil in life then will ever be made good against them by thy self or any of thine Abetrours or stand approved for Truth while the world stands among spiritually understanding and honest minded men when they come to be divested as hereby they are to be our of that disguise thou dressest them our in to thy Iunior Ieerers at Christs own Image which is seen upon them Was it not enough for thee to have belved them in English as no lesse then twice ore thou hast done in thy Epistle Dedicatory of thy Dean-like doings to thy Reverend Friends the Prebends and Students in Divinity in that Society so called of Ch. Church Col. in Oxford where thou wast lately Dean but quo jure divino I yet know not but thou must likewise needs lay at them and lye in ambush and talk and take on against them in a Tongue wherein if thy surmise of their Vniversal ignorance of thy Latine Lyes had been as sound as it seemed to be they
again when they have done yet was it a gift obtained in the way of such active obedience to God as by the said Law or light of God in the heart men stand obliged to and to be coveted and desired and was given in a certain way that ye are so far out of that ye hate it of holy waiting on God and learning of him alone in silence in all subjection in order thereunto for which work there are now as there were of old but those are not Oxford and Cambridge Vniversities as it were Schools and Nurseries of young Prophets at Iericho and Bethel alias by interpretation the House of God where Truth and true Wisdom and true Religion was and is learnt as truly and fully as it is falsly taught or rather fully and universally forgotten at our now Vniversities or Nursing-mothers of that Wisdom and Religion from beneath which is but earthly sensual or animal and deceitful See 2 K. 2.7.15 2 King 6.1 2 K. 9.1 yea in order to Gods manifestation of himself to men in such wise as he will not to World that lyes in wickedness it 's required that men keep his commandments so far as they are made known already in the light in the conscience Ioh. 14 and seperate themselves from the sensual ones that have not the spirit and not together with them from the truth Prov. 18.1 2. and that they come out of all that defileth and become holy for no defiled thing falls into Wisdom but in all ages this as well as any of old though ye own none to be now in rerum natura entring into holy souls she maketh them friends of God and Prophets Wisd. 7.23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. But the reason why so few Priests are ever made true Prophets is because for the most part they are more prophane then other people from of old and much more now insomuch that as heretofore I mind at present but two of all that numerous Tribe Race and Party of Priests that the Jewish Church was fill'd with that became Prophets viz. Ieremiah and Ezekiel Ier. 1. 1. Ezek. 1.3 So now velduo vel nemo of all sorts of persons few or none of our Academical Levitical Race of Rabbiâ—s arrive to so much honour and happiness as to become obedient to the Faith yet so far many of them came in the primitives times notwithstanding I can't find that ever any of them commenced Prophets Evangelists or Apostles much less are many to be found so highly graduated as to become such in the true Church or School of Christ at this day they are not upon the Tower upon their Watch toward the Light They hearken not with Habbakkuk to what God saith in them Hab. 2.1 They stand not in the Lords counsel nor receive the word from his own mouth but as the false Prophets of old Ier. 23. in which respect they were false Prophets that profited not at all and such as God was against though speaking true words they steal the word they speak out of the true Prophets Writings whom God sent and spake to when he neither sent nor ever said the same unto them and so run crying Thus saith the Lord as ours do hear the Word of the Lord as you shall find it in such a Text such a Chapter such a Verse when they never heard God's voice at any time themselves nor saw his shape They hate and fight against Gods own counsel the Light in the Conscience which would lead them to purity in their own persons and so never come to see much less to shew his Secret which is onely with them that fear him Psal. 25. whose sear which is the beginning of Wisdom is to depart from the evil which the light discovers and so as none can bring a clean thing out of an unclean so none can receive much of a clean thing into an unclean But as Isaiah who was of unclean lips had his lips first toucht and his iniquity taken away before he was sent of Gods errand Isa. 6. And Ieremiah was sanctified to the work of Prophesie Ier. 1. So there must be more Holiness of Truth found among their Holinesses the Pope and all the Priests and Praters for pay thorowout all Christendom before they know how to prophesie themselves or tell truly as much as they are found from the Text of their Transcripts tatling to the World of what they know not how and in what manner Gods Prophets prophesie Thou addest I.O. pag. 6. That in writing they were not enabled by any habitual light knowledge or conviction of Truth to declare Gods mind and will but onely acted as they were immediately moved by him their hand in what they wrote was no more at their own disposal then the Pen in the hand of an expert Writer And p. 23. That no rational Apprehensions had any place in their Writing And p. 25. That this was the first spring of the Scripture and beginning of its emanation from the Counsel of God it was brought by the Power of the Holy Ghost into its Organs and Instruments us'd for the Declaration of it and that it was not left to their understandings wisdoms minds memories to order dispose and give it out But that they were born acted moved to write all and nothing but that to every tittle that was so brought to them And that they invented not words themselves but the words were immediately supplyed to them and that in writing they were but passive instruments for the reception and representation of words And that every Apex of the written Word i.e. Writing secundum te was as immediately from God to the writers as his voice in the Prophets p. 26 27. And p. 7. That they were but as an Instrument of Musick giving a sound according to the hand onely of him that strikes it Rep. These things are false being written by thee of all the Writings and first Writers of the Scripture universally as they are without exception and distinction for so indistinct and confused art thou in thy delivery of thy mind about the Bible that though it be a Bulk of Heterogeneous Writings compiled together by men taking what they could find of the several sorts of Writings that are therein and trussing them all up into one Touch-stone crouding them into a Canon or Standard for the trial of all Spirits Doctrines Truths and by them alone Yet thou speak'st so Homogeneously of it as if whatever can be predicated of any may be as properly predicated of it all yea whatever thou sayest falsly of the Writing thou denominatest the self-same of it all and every Apex and Tittle yea every Tittle and Iota with thee is no less then the Word of the great God wherein the â—ternal concernment of souls lyes p. 168 169. And so every part of it a Rule and the perfect Rule for so 't was with thee when there were none but Moses five Books and 't is but so with thee now so much
is added So every Apex equally Divine and as immediately from God as any of it yea and as the voice whereby he spake in the Prophets pag. 27. But I say as written by thee so universally of the Writers and meer Writing of the Scriptures as they are they are for the most part as false as that foregoing and that I have said above concerning the Writing of much of the Scripture at first as it stands in your Bibles by Scribes that wrote either out of other Copies or from the mouths of men more immediately inspired or from what was commonly reported and generally believed and what they had heard as delivered to them by more immediate eye and ear witnesses and what they retain'd in their memories and some way or other comprehended beforehand may stand as a sufficient Answer to this parcel also wherein according to thy wonted habitual darkness ignorance and contradiction to the Truth thou deniest the Pors-men and holy Prophets in their Writings to be enabled to declare and write what they wrote by any habitual light knowledge or conviction of the Truth As if they wrote what they neither saw nor heard nor knew nor believed to be true but besides all sight and understanding discerning mental conception meditation Rational Apprehension Faith or any manner of Antecedent comprehension of the truths they told as if they were all acted and us'd in the Writing of every Tittle by the Lord just no otherwise but as a Musical Instrument in a man's hand or the Pen itself by an expert Writer which can yeeld no more then a meer passive concurrence having no principle of life within it self from whence to act any thing at all or to move a hairs breadth in any business but as it 's mov'd or as some stark dead Corps which can neither stir nor stand but as extrinsecally born up and carried forth because deest aliquid intus Whereas as I have shew'd above some of them wrote not by immediate inspiration or bringing of the things into their minds so by the spirit but mediately that is from the mouths or writings of such as received the truths more immediately as they were inspired wrote as they also spake no other things then what by some means or other they beforehand comprehended no other then what they heard and saw and believed and retained in their minds and memories whereinto the spirit of truth and the truths he guided them into which the world receives not were both received conceived and entertained yea and I here add no other then such as in the same light were more or less seen known understood and believed before any Scripture at all was though 't was by the same way then which I know no other that the Scripture speaks of of knowing God or Christ viz of internal spiritual Revelation Matth. 11.27 Ioh. 6.47 1 Cor. 2.9 10 11 12. Gal. 1.16 Did Paul believe or witness or write any other things when he wrote with his own hands what was immediately revealed in spired into him by the same holy spirit then what by the same spirit in which and no other way all the things of God are known and ever were holy men of God believed owned witnessed wrote and both in their Writings and Speakings acknowledged to be the truth see Act 24.14 26.22 23. 2 Cor. 1 13. 4.13 Did he write any other things then what they to whom he wrote might and did read elsewhere even in the light and spirit within themselves and did thereby acknowledge to be the truth And did not he himself before he wrote them in the movings of the spirit acknowledge them to be the truth himself And did he in the light in which he liv'd and saw them acknowledge them to be the truth and yet was not enabled by any habitual Light knowledge or conviction of the truth to declare them in writing as he did but wrote as one ignorant in the dark unbelieving and unconvinced of the truths he wrote and as senselesse unintelligently and passively without any active obedience to the spirit pressing him or yeelding any but a meer passive influence and concurrence of his rational faculties in the worker as a meer dead thing that is utterly devoid of all kind of life motion or principle of Action within it self and uncapable of any action at all or motion but as it is acted ab extra by some forensical force or compulsion as a Musical Woodden instrument or a pen by the hand of the writer what a weak crooked crazy piece of conception of Scripture in this of thine of which I may truly say there was not so much active concurrence of the rational faculties of the Scribes in their writing of the Scripture but there is as little in this of thine who writest as if all the Prophets of God that ever spake and wrote what of his minde they received from his own mouth by standing in his counsel and hearkning to what he said in them and waited on him to know and understand his will and word first that they might do it in the particular in their own persons and as moved or commanded in obedience to him declare it to others were absolutely and meerly as passive as Balaams Ass was whose mouth miraculously was opened and his minde indued with rational faculties supernatural to him as he was a Beast to Reason out the case with his unrighteous Master and to reprove the madness of that Prophet and as meerly passive in their work of Prophesie as Caiphas the High Priest was whose mouth was opened to speak truer than he was aware of and to prophesie of a thing out of his irrational faculties that was as high above the reach of the best rational faculties he had being a man degenerate from pure perfect reason and in the fall as fallen mans best reason is above the brute beasts of the field for as Herod and Pontius Pilate did with wicked hands the things that God before determined should come to pass fulfilling the Prophets words in slaying Christ little thinking they served the truth as they did in it as the Assyrian in the like case they meant not so nor did their heart think otherwise than to destroy Isa. 10.5 6 7. Act. 4.27 28. Act. 3.17 18. Act. 13.27 28 29. So that Priest with a wicked heart intentionally to counsel them to murther Christ had his mouth prepared to Prophesie a precious truth which as so he spake not of himself so as one that had the light knowledge or conviction of the truth but besides himself as the Ass in the other case Numb 22.28 29 30. Joh. 11.29 50 51 52 53. Joh. 10.14 Whereas most evident it is that the holy men of God who wrote any part of the Scripture by immediate inspiration with their own hands to let pass that which some wrote for and from them as dictated to by their mouthes were in the light sight knowledge prae-conviction comprehension