Sacred Truth 2. Let it be Considered that Ye who Plead such a Necessâ—y of such Integrity of your Foundation of Faith had need be sure of your hand yea Infallibly certain in your selves and in your Proof of it to others or else ye make your own Graves with your own Hands and pluck up your own Religion by the very Roots Ye stand Eminently concern'd upon the Concession of your Faiths Foundation not to be firm in case one Tittle of the Text ye frame all upon be found wanting or Points added since its giving out to make it not probably onely as incertum aut ignotum per incertius aut ignotius but Unquestionably clear that the Text hath every Tittle and that no Points are superadded since its first Penning or else to begin again with the Qakers at your A.B.C. in the things of God and lay a better Bottom for your Building and surer Ground for your Faith then ere ye have done for as J. O. sayes in another case it s but meet that men should be call'd to Account upon their own Principles and such as suppose Salvation to sinke if every Syllable be not seen and Repose so Eternal a Trust upon a Temporal External Text as to assert All Saving Truth to Fail for Ever if its Transcripts be not as Entire Now as they were some Thousands of Years ago and â—in the Everlasting Gospel of God on so Ticklish a Point as Mens Mistaking or Not Mistaking in Writing out the Bare Letter of it had need to be Not so Suppositive as J. O. is but Positive in Their Proof and Uncontrolably Demonstrative of Their Principall Proposition and Not Impositive of Their Own Thoughts Imaginations Apprehensions Uncertain Conjectures and Pretended Probabilities onely Sith the Stresse of a Case of such Dangerous Consequence Stands upon it that All Souls as J. O. sayes at least so Depend on it as to have No Means of Their Salvation if Their Proposition prove False and They happen to be Out or Miscarry in it Or else in Case Ye can't so Clear it then Confesse as J. O. seemes to do sometimes but that He is loath to stand Long to the Honour of such a Confession that Ye well Know Not Where Ye are nor What to Say about the Various Lections Ye finde to be Crept into Your Text nor What may be the Cause of its Being so and that Ye have Nothing to Blame but Your Own Ignorance of the Scriptures and other Cases And of the True Foundation which is the WORD it self and Not the Scripture or Writing of it And that Ye have Never with Your Shallow Comprehensions and Understandings Ye have Hitherto lean't to reached yet the Vtmoâ—t Depth of Truth and so think it Meet since Ye can make No Demonstration of Your Position to lay it Down Altogether and of Learned Men become meer Wormes not Captivating Others to Your Own Thoughts but Captivating Your Own Thoughts to the Truth and to the Authority of God in his Word nigh in the Heart and Not leaning Alone to the Lesbian Rule of a Naked Letter Without You See J. O. p. 303. 347. For as Error Minimus in Principio fit Major in Medio Maximus in Fine So there being but some Errours in Your Bottom O Ye Builders Your Building must needs stand Awry and be most crooked at the Top. Yea this is a most Vndeniable Truth That the Faith about that which is Beleeved to Be the Foundation of All Saving and Divine Faith in other Things must be Built upon an Undoubtedly Divine Basis and stand in a Ground that Can't be Shaken and on an Infallibly Sure and Unquestionable Foundation and Not on such A Flexible Thing as Mans Conjectures Thoughts Apprehensions Opinions This Way or That Nor on Meer Humane Fallible Perswasions Reports Writings Testimonies Traditions of Authors either on One side or Other Or else as J. O. sayes So say I We shall Quickly see and because of This See it We do Already what Wofull Estate and Condition the Truth that the Scripture Talks of will be brought Vnto And how Brittle the Belief is If the Foundation that any Fabrick Stands on should be Stone and the Ground that Foundation stands in should be but Sand That Building will not Abide when the Stormes and Waves come If the Foundation of Your Faith in other Things be the Integrity of the Text to a Tittle as at first Given Out for so it is with J. O. or else He gives All up for Gone and Your Faith about that Entireness to a Tittle of the Text be Founded no where but in Fancy Conceits Thoughts or in the Opinions of Your Selves and other Men Ye Side with Opposing as Learned as Your selves that Side Against You I here Affirm in Sober Sadness and in the Fear of God not Derisorily that All Your Faith is of No more Force then a Fiddle-â—tick is of to Fight withall as to the Effecting of that full Freedom from Sin and Salvation which Comes by Christ which is the End of his Coming to All those that Unfainedly Believe in his Name 3dly Let it be Weâ—l and Wisely Weighed how Wonderfully farre Short of Scientificall Syllogismes and Clear Demonstrations or of so much as True Topical Evidences either Your Arguments are in Proof of That Entirenesse and Integrity of Your Text in Every Tittle if there be No Better to be Vrged by You as in Truth there are Not then what are Vrged by J. O. in that Case on Behalf of the University and Clergy For after J. O. had stood out as long as He well could with Sticks and Straws against the Novelty of the Points and the Variety of Lections in the Texts of your Transcripts He plainly Yields and Confesses both as is shew'd hereafter 1st Vrging His false Conceits about Gods Promise and Providence and Loving and carefull Aspect over the Transcribers and such like Fancies of His own yea all along His own and others Thoughts against them and concluding thence thus Shall We think this and that Is it not very Improbable Shall We imagine so or so And then at last clearly confessing the same He before contended against Which Grants though when they are gone from him He would gather in again fearing He hath lost aâ—â— if He do not a little qualify them Yet in what a poor way He puts on to Reduce and Recover what He had given by His Yieldings and Acknowledgments and how they are of as little force and to as little purpose as Pharoahs endeavour was to bring Israel back when he had once let them go from him A very Fool may feel by the following Examination of what He uttereth toward the Regaining of His Ground again His Maxime or Main Proposition He fights for all along from first to last being that the Now Copies of the Originall Text are Entire to a Tittle without any losse by the Mistakes of the Transcribers or change by Addition of the Points His Main Medium of
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
Chrisiumexihibendum those since Chrisium exhibitum the first Christ to be offered the later Christ already offered I say if these later be the New Testament then either one or both of these two absurdities must be owned viz. that there hath been where there should have been none a superadding of very much to the New Testament or rather secondly that the whole New Testament was it self made since it was ratified and confirmed by the Testators death Vtrum horum mavis accipe own thou I.O. which thou wilt or both of these if thou wilt but I le never own that to be a mans Testament only much les Christs but only fained so to be that is added to or rather wholly made after his death whose Testament it is I.Os. other Mediums are all too frivolous to insist upon The third is ab expresso Testimonio the express Testimony of Psal. 16.7 8. Reply Where I have shewed before that by the Law Testimony Commandement of the Lord is intended the Light wee talk of not the Letter The fourth A materia Scripturarum the matter which saith he is all the Councel of God and nothing but what the Prophets and Moses spake alluding to Act. 20.27 and citing Act. 26.22 Reply In neither of which places Paul doth either mention or mean any outward Scriptures or Writings of his own much less other mens but the things he ministred to the Church of Ephesus and her Elders by word of mouth delivering to every of them according to their Stations and Relations how they ought to walk and to please God and with-holding nothing that was profitable either to Elders or flock Act. 20.20 and to all men small and great the summe and substance of things fore-spoken of old viz. Repentance toward God and faith toward Iesus vers 21. and how there was now as to the mystery of truth Nil dictum quod non dictum prius nothing said which was not shewed before in the type and shadow 5. A fine from their end which quoth he is 1. Faith Joh. 20.21 These are written that ye may beleeve and Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing Reply Which first Text if intending faith in the history of things that the Letter may beget men may have and have from Rome to this place and yet perish which latter Text intends a saving faith but that comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God which Word saith Paul above in the same Chapter is not the Letter without but a Light within nigh in the heart and mouth of men that they may hear and do it even the Word of faith which they preached 2. Wisdome to salvation perfect instruction to all good works 2 Pet. 1.19 2 Tim. 3.15 16. Reply Which Scriptures I have spoken to before and shewed how little they make to I.Os. purpose the first speaking not of the Scripture at all The second how throw saith in the light first the letter may be profitable toward but not per saltum to salvation and perfection 3 Attainment of eternal life 5. Joh. 39.30.31 Reply Which life comes as is there said above through Christ and beleeving in his light which is his name whom and which the Scriptures testifie of as appears by the two Texts he cites talked on enough by me already in way of answer to I.Os. Fancies and not by the Letter or Scriptures themselves though searched after and lookt for there by the Scribes that neither heard nor saw the Father nor came to the Son for life nor could abide that his word should abide in them So that howbeit he concludes the Scripture perfect in all respects I say in respect to its own appointed end it is as abiding incorrupted by mens wresting as at first given out by holy men yet not in all the respects in which I.O. and T.D. assert it to be perfect who makes it as now altered and adulterâ—ted the only most perfect Standing Rule of faith and life and way and means of knowing his will our duty and of coming to eternal life and that exclusively of all inward light and Spirit and other Revelation of which but where is the ' proof on'â— his saies there is no need of them but they are fictitious uncertain dangerous abominable and the like Whereas I trust to make it appear there is no knowing God but by other Revelation of him then the outward one that is made in the Scripture even by the Revelation of himself within men As for thy Enthusiasm and colloquia Angelica vel ficta vel facta thou mayest keep that to thy self I pretend not to the defence of discourse with Angels fained or true yet to thy shame I shall say thus much in vindication of truth against thee viz. that thou shewest thy self but a silly man to conâ—emn Colloquia cum Angelis vel sicta vel facta and by whole sale to throw away without making any difference all conference with Angels whether made indeed or but fained for what were all Daniels Maries Pauls Iâ—hns Christs conferences with Angels truly made fit for nothing but thy flours and for thee to make thy self sport with Col. 2.18 which thou cotest below will not save thee from the just censure of ignerant impudence sith that condemns a worshipping of Angels only as also the Angel himself condemns that whom Iohn would have worshipt Rev. 19.10 22.9 and forbids it but conference with Angels not counterfeit and ficta but facta which thou makes no bones of to render detestable in thy dirty driblings as well as fained are of those good things thou speakest ill of because thou knowest them not Having Grubd up by the Roots the first of J. Os. Grand Artificial Arguments grounded inartificially upon Testimonies of Scriptures which he calls inartificial ones and disproved all his petty and subordinate proofs of the minor Proposition thereof on which the whole stress of his evidence stood I proceed to examination of the rest Arg. 2. His second is A perfecta operatione seu effeâ—tu Scripturarum from the perfect operation and effect of the Scripture In English thus If the Scripture doth accomplish in its way of efficacy which is moral All things that can possibly be effected by any Revelation of Gods will whatsoever in order to our due and sincere worshipping of God and coming at last to life eternal Then vain are all those foresaid principles of the knowledge of God viz. The Spirit and Light within which the Fanaticks falsly boast of But the former is true Therefore c. The minor of this Argument which I deny hath a whole Troop of Testimonies or Texts of Scripture pressed to attend the proof thereof which I.O. takes to be such a Trusty Life-guard and most of them are so to the Qua. cause concerning the Light Word and Spirit within that there is no doing any thing in denial thereof that can reach to the rendring of it untrue but unless it be some one or two of them that mention the
same spirit of falshood viz. in vindication of the Scriptures to be powerful to salvation to beget faith to bee living sharp spirit searching discerning thoughts a Light and Lamp and so consâ—quently the only perfect standing Rule of faith and life exclusively of another Revelation by the Spirit Word or Light within these are aâ—â— true of the Word and Doctrine of Christ the Spirit and Light within the Qua. call to and the Letter points at in all these Texts of thy traducing but mâ—thinks thou shouldest be ashamed to expound any one of those of the Letter and Scripture itself As to that of Paul to Timothy Take heed to thy self and to the Doctrine continue in them in so doing thou shalt save thy self and them that hear thee What 's this in proof of the Scriptures being powerful to save the soul which is the end of thy alledging it he bids him continue in the things he had learned as also 2 Tim. 3.14 and had been assured of knowing of whom he learnt them which if it were from Paul as a means under God as it rather seems to be from Christ himself whose Disciple he was as he could not be but as he laarnt of him before he became acquainted with Paul Act. 16.1 2. the promise is entailed unto his continuance in the things and not ascribed to any power or efficacy of the Scriptures to save though yet we know Timothy was well skilled in the Scriptures also as is owned above And as to that of James with which thou joynest this in proof of the outward Letters power to save to which also p. 83 84 85. thou jumblest together a number more then are in this Catalogue underhand and which I shall take in here that speak of the Word with one consent to one and the same purpose but not to thine which is to prove the Scripture to be so as most effectual powerful and able to save souls yea the very power of God to salvation viz. Rom. 1.16 1 Cor. 1.18 1 Cor. 2.5 1 Thess. 1.5 Psal. 110.2 Act. 20.31 Joh. 6.68 Gal. 2.8 Col. 1.6 and more out of the Coâ—â—nths miscoâ—ed from which Texâ—s thou powerest out thy blinde opinion of the Bible and concerning the Scripture thereof in this particular in such wise saying it is absolutely called the power of God Vis virtus Dei the Power of God the Gospel the Power of God and faith which is built on that Word without other helps or advantages is said to stand in the Power of God the Word that comes not as a naked word but in power and in the holy Ghost and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giving all manner of assurance and full perswasion of it self even by its power and efficacy It is termed the Rod of power or strength denoting its Authority and Efficacy that which is thus the Power and Authority of God able to make it self known so to be It is not only said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Power the power of God in it self but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 able and powerful in respect of us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sacred Letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are able to make wise to salvation they are powerful and effectual to that purpose it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potens servare animaâ— nostras the Word that hath power in it to save the able powerful word that Paul commends the Ephesians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is living and effectual By vâ—rtue of this power it brought forth fruit in all the world without sword without for the most part miracles without humane wisdome or Oratory without any inducements or motives but what were meerly and solely taken from it self consiâ—ting in things that eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor could enter into the heart of man to conceive hath eâ—erted this power and efficacy so the conquest of the world causing men of all sorts in all times and places so to fall down before its divine Authority as immediately to renounce all that was dear to them in the world and to undergo what ever was dreadful terrible and destructive to nature in all its dearest concernments and such like Reply All this I know to be true of the Word Light and Spiâ—it of God in the hearts of men which the Letter points to and the Apostles preached as that which men should beleeve in it is absolutely the Gospel the power of God to salvation but the Letter not so the faith that is built on that word without other helps or advantages from the Letter stands in the Power of God as Abraham Noahs Enoch Abels and all the holy men did that lived by faith in the Word 't was Gods power mighty and effectual to save them before any outward Letter was written and without the help and advantage thereof but the outward Letter is profitable to nothing at all without the help and advantage of the Light and Spirit within but is a dead letter of no efficacy for the good of souls and this the same J.O. who sayes the Scripture without other helps and advantages is so absolute and perfect that we may obtain eternal life that there 's no need of any other Revelation by the Spirit or Light within but those are all dangerous uncertain unprofitable in no wise necessary fanatick figment desestable c. Ex. 17. s. 28. to the wonted contradiction of himself in all tâ—at and what is underhand confesses with us in totidem verbis of that Scripture which he calls the Word p. 236. saying that without the adminisâ—ration of the Spirit accompanying mens possession of it it is a dead letter of no efficacy to the good of souls The word Light and Spirit of God and Christ within nigh in the heart but not the Letter without is the Gospel which Paul bare testimony to and was sent to turn men to by his Ministry and was not ashamed of saying its the power of God to salvation to every on that beleeves in it and comes in the outward Ministry of it by word of mouth and writing and is witnessed so to do at this day as of old it did to many not in word only but power and the holy Spirit giving all manner of assurance and full perswasion of it self to such as through prejudice put it not away from them and thereby judge themselves unworthy of that eternal life which it is the word of that it is not the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God that is both light and living and Spirit and life it self even the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ the Image of God which is not Letter 2 Cor. 3. thining unto them both in and also out of the darkness that is mens hearts where the God of this world blindes not the minds so that men will not beleeve it to the giving them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. This and not the Letter
that are laid down theâ—ein are already laid open to the view of all in his Reply thereunto stiled the Devil 〈◊〉 i gâ—d by L.H. who together with my self and others by name as well as all the people called Qua. are most Egregiously abused and belied therein Nevertheless since thou art so impudently obstinate in that course of prating printing out of lyes as to this day rather to justifie thy self then which would farr more become thee to judge thy self as an evill doer in so doing that all such as have not devoâ—ed themselves to be deluded by thy deceitfull doings rather then to know the truth concerning the Qua. in such matters wherein thou as falsly as fâ—wly accusest them may beware of beleiving thee any more as many do by implicit Faith I shall give the world a further tast of that Light Treacherous and lying Spirit which speaks in thee as it did in the false Prophets of old who blinded the peoples eyes with their many mis-reports from receiving the truth the true Prophets told them which lying Spirit proves them sufficiently in whom it is how ere they may stile themselves so as thou T. D. dost to be no true Ministers of the Gospell Report said the old lyars of Ieremie and we will Report it raise but a lye and wee 'l send it abroad farr and neer So T. D. fee p. 1. of his second Narrative appeares to have certain Emissaries and Earewigs that go out and gather what unsavoury materiall's they can rake out of the Excrements of the Qua. and such dunghilly stuff and lyes and bad Constructions of good actions c as are either made by himself or made ready to his hand by his Agents he layes by him and trussing his tales together into two Tractacles or nasty Narratives as Antickly Annexes them as Appendicular at the fagg-end of his other fancies Bagg and Baggage fit for nothing more indeed then to sollow in the Reare of such pittifull Polemicalls as the two pieces are they are annexed to T. D. Thou stil'st the materialls of thy two Narratives Remarkable passages and matters of undoubted Credit Rep. Remarkable they are indeed and so much the more by how much they are for the most part either apparently foolish or flatly false and where true as some few of them are either miserably mis-represented wrested and perverted to wicked ends or untruly used as premises from whence to inferr thy most abominably false Conclusions and to confirm other men in bad opinions of the Qua whereupon for the truths sake which thouseekest thereby to bring into contempt I shall here Remarke the most Remarkable of them and the rather first because in thy second title page thou so malepertly Challengest any to disprove thee in the words of Iob saying if it be not so now who will make me a Lyar and make my speech nothing worth 2. Because even in this very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or nick of time wherein my Enervation or discovery of the Nakedness of thy two Narratives is but now newly come under my hand and pen in order to its passage through the press whereat I write this I am presented with a third printed Toy of thine T.D. to the same Tone stiled the Lye Returned to Luke Hâ—ward or a Vindication of Thomas Danson Minister of Sandâ—iâ—h from the Imputation of belying the Quakers wherein thou sayst L. H. in his called the Devils Bow unstringed is impudent in denying severall matters of fact charg'd upon himself and others of his perswasion in thy two Naratives and in representing thee the Publisher thereof as a Forger of Lyes in which shuffling Trifle or sorry shift of halfe a sheet for 't is nor more nor better of meer wast paper as closely as thou conceivest thou hast lapt and laid thy self up as in a bed of Lavender and in thy Vipeâ—ous hissings and Lyings against the Light Lyest hid velut Anguis in herba among such silly Seers as See with thy eyes yet thy new Bed of Lyes is too short for thee to Lye long at ease upon and that half sheet of thine is a covering too narrow for thee to wrap thy self in from the wrath of God as well as too ragged and tottered and torn and thin if 't were a whole one to shelter thy shame from the sight of such as see by the Light of Christ who view thee in all thy venomous ventings of thy malice through the thickest Vail thou seekest to shrowd thy self under nor will thy certificates obtained procured by thy self published under the hands of thy pair of Iohns viz. Io. Laigneile and Io. Davis of Dover one of which I love so well as to tell him that if as the Proverb is he play not Iack on both sides 't will be the better for him nor of thy pair of Unminister like Mr. Williams Russelâ— and Wingfield who will never Win the Field with lyes against the Children of the Truth nor oft' other Thomas viz. thy part-Taker Tâ—omas Morris who is as very an Infidell toward Christ Disciples till he see and feel our Testimonies to be undeniably true as thy self and all the three other Thomasses that are so ready to sweare what ere thou sayst nor the self contradicting Testimony of thy Trustee Mr. Vinter Minister of Couewold nor any other of thy despicable disproofs so moderate the matter but that thou wilt appear to be a Foster-Father to those Forgers of Lyes who have brought thee into the praemunire of publishing to thy own shame what their heads have hatched and their pates prepared for thy pen and put upon thee to pâ—int and publsh in thy folly to all the world as will by and by appear in the examination of each of thy Lyes as thy Lye laid down in thy last Narrative T. D. As to thy Tale of L. Hs. Sending his Horse and Man for me to be aâ— a dâ—scouâ—se appointed between him and W. Russell a Priest and that his man was seen to come out of Dover on his Horse overnight and myself sâ—â—n to Ride into the Town the next morning upon the same Horse which story thou tellest for truth with such Confidence too that besides that forementioned common Epethite thou givest to all thy lyes viz they are of undoubted Credit thou here addest that it was manifest I was seâ—t for on purpose and that in denying it we Lyâ— and have not so much morall honesty as to speak Truth in matters of Fact and such like Rep. I here as L. H. hath also done declare against that manifold piece of Naâ—raâ—ive so Pâ—mpuâ—ly predicated as a most Aâ—rand manifest Lye in every inch of it as having no truth in it from the Head to the Tâ—yl that I can find fâ—om one end thereof even to the other for neither did L. H. send his Horse or Man at all for me o're night nor did I â—ide into Dâ—ver on L. Hs. Horse next morning but on a Black Hâ—â—se plain enough if
And last of all if Thou and Thee be not to be used to a single person only it hath no place nor use at all in the English-Tongue for it can't possibly be properly used when we speak to more it being saving when we speak to them as a Collective body and as one and so somtimes the Prophets spake to whole Nations under the Term of Thou and Thee no less unsound and unsavory to say Thou or Thee to 20 men as You or Ye to one and alike foolish to say to two severall men Thou shale both dye I le kill Thee both as to say to one of them only You alone shall dye I will kill You which are two Bulls that deserve both to be soundly baited To conclude this then we see how our Chief Priests Scribes Pharisees and Hypocrites of these dayes as they did of old Love the Praise of men more then the Praise of God have that Faith they have in God with respect to the Persons of men which who so has is a Sinner and Transgressor of the Law and though their mouths speak great swelling words of Faith Religion Reformation God Christ Church Ministry Maintenancâ— yet they are but walkers after their own Lusts and Sensuall or meer Animall as Iude sayes verse 16.19 not having the Spirit while they have mens persons in admiration because of advantage and beleive not though they deem themselves every one in his own form to be the true beleivers so long as they are thus busied in begging and buying giving and taking this honour that is from beneath only for not seeking the honour that is only from aboue which all the Saints have Psal. 149.9 lâ—t them say what they will yee sayes Christ Ioh. 5.44 How can ye beleive which receive honour one of another and seek not the Honour that commeth from God only As unmannerly a Generation then as T.D. faith the Qua. are in not using that flattering Title of Mr. to T. Rumsey the Magistrate I say if T. Rs. carriage were more like a Magistrates then 't is according to the Proverb 't is better of the two if that were unmannerliness to be a little unmannerly then so much troublesome as men in the fall are one to another with their Tedious Attendances Antick Adoratious of each other and supersluous Complements buâ— indeed 〈◊〉 good manners to use it by none but that people whose evill Communications corrupt good manners the Heathen whose Customes are vain and as for us if any man list to be contentious about our manners in such matters he must know that as there 's no Law of God or man that hinds us from Keeping on our hats from thee or thou to Cap and Congee and you Sir and Master and such like flatteries not to say meer fooleries which are all in the fall so we have no such manner of manners nor customes among us nor any of the true Churches of God And hereby we appeare to any save such as will needs mistake us to be neither Papists nor Popish Priests for they have as much of that kind of ill manners of honouring each others persons as is to be found among your selves nevertheless who so blind as he that will not see thou T. D. wilt needs so befool thy self as to make it proâ—ablâ— that I am one of them whose words excepting as in the proviso abovesaid â—re now Verbatim to be Rehearsed who having hinted it in p. 55. how Rob. Wilkinson Minister of Staple had accused me to have been at Rome and received a Pension from the Pope goest on as followes T. D. As to the matter whereof Samuel Fisher was accused part of it he denied not namely that he hath been at Rome but that he received a Pension from the Pope he utterly denied which yet that is probably as true for I have it from very good hands that in his late travail to Constantinople and thence to Rome he had as good Bills of Exchange as most Gentlemen that travaile and yet 't is well known that he hath no visible Estate And the Qua. who came to hear the dispute who I suppose would not bely him did report that he did bear his witness against the Pope and Cardinals at Rome and yet suffer'd them not to meddle with him which how unprobable it is let all men judge but how much more probable that the true cause of his safety was his compliance with them the Doctrines which he broaches among us and as he saies in all other places being theirs and a fair inlet to their Bag and Baggage And to assure the Reader of the likelihood of his compliance with the Antichristian Faction thou maist please to know that the 12th instant English account two honest and credible men of Sandwich had some discourse with S. Fisher at Dunkirk and he told them that he looked upon the Jesuits and Friars there to be founder in Doctrine then those we call the Reformed Churches This they are ready to testifie at any time upon call Another passage I have to acquaint thee with viz. that the aforesaid S. Fisher in Conference with the above-named Sandwich men at Dunkirk May 12. English stile did affirm that he himself is above Ordinances and that there is no more use of them in this life to many portions then there is of a Candle-light when the Sun shines and he gave instance in the uselessness of Baptism and the Lords Supper And the same witnesses were credibly informed at Dunkirk that S. Fisher hath great Bills of Exchange from a Quaking London Merchant and may take up four hundred pound if he will And hundreds of people can testifie how light he made of the charge of Popeâ—â— on the first day of the Dispute when I pluck'd Amesus 4th Tome against Bellarmine and offer'd to read part of it out of the Latine into English and with a gesture of derision he replied that Bellarmine held many Truths which must not be rejected because he held them and he gave for instance that Christ is the Son of God Moreover in p. 14. Thou writest thus viz the third Question debated on was though with much ado at length stated in these Termes whethâ—â— OUR good works are the meritorious cause of our justification and S. F. held it in the affirmative S. F. Tâ—us I prove it to these words T. D. now you shew your self a Rank Papist indeed Rep. Monstrum Horâ—endum Informe Ingens cui lumen ademptum what a Horrible bundle of blindness is here what a hidden heap of Hocus pâ—cus this nasty piece of Naâ—â—ative is of itself a little Lake of Lyes and the whole is little better under this Hedg are many Hedg-Hogs hidden many Cockatrices hatched up whose fruit is as a fiery 〈◊〉 Serpent many false Tongues fed with fuell fit for them many Fools fenced in their folly as with a Thicket of Thornes many Sons of Beliâ—â— bolstred up in their Blasphemies and emboldened to throw about in
Councel and receive his word from his mouth to learn of Christ in silence with all subjection to hear his voice which his sheep only hear though swinish Scribes may search the Scriptures to enter by him who is the Door to bear hiâ— Cuâ—â—â— and follow him to pray preach write dispute and do all that I am cal'd to in the lâ—ght in the movings of his Spirit theâ—e all and an hundâ—ed more that might be nam'd are Ordinances of God which I am under and yourselves above who are clambering up another way in your own thoughts councâ—ls wisdâ—m and understanding above his light in the conscience that is the Door which till Ye lofty over-lookers of it the flying fowls of the air the hâ—gh-flown Climbers above vouchsafe to stoop and come down to ye shall never enter into the Sheepfold finally a holy life and that pare Religion that is undefiled before God while all the Religion of imture unbridled Lyaâ—s Wantons Wordlings c stinks before him and is defiled which is to keep a mans self unspotted of the world also to do Good works to be zealous of Good Works to be rich in good works to be wâ—ll reported of for good works to shew our selves Paterns of good works to learn to maintain be careful to maintain good works as necessary which â—ome because O V R works none of which are good the best of which are all evil further then wrought in Christ the light and by Christ in us are of none would make of none effect as to our acceptance with God and to walk in the good works which in Christ Iesus whoâ—e workmaâ—shâ—p we are we are created unto which God hath before Ordained that we should walk in them Eph. 2. 10. theâ—e are Ordinance of God which 't were well for you all if you were as much under the observance of as ye are under the obliuiâ—n of which I neither did nor do nor dare say I am above though as I desire I never may so by the grace and power of Christ to me ward I do not live so far below them as Thousands do who are both above and below them also too proud of their fine forms to be brought down to the plain power and too much sunk down over head and ears in earth lust luxury love of money pleasure wordly-mindedness and buried in blindness brutishness and sensuality to be brought up and rais'd into any heavenliness of conversation yet all crying out of them as denyers of Gods Ordinances that live in the very life and substance of those lifeless Images and shadowy parts thereof which they only call so I affirm therefore here before God and all men that I never affirmd of my self in these Terms in which its here Testifiâ—d viz. that I was above Ordinances and for thy self T.D. and thy two witnesses to it T.F. and T.B. who are three Thomas'es very faâ—thlâ—â—â— and hard to believe the truth and for your faithlesness as hardly to be believed whether you will believe me yea or nay as its false that you here witneâ—s so the witness of all three of you against me in this will be of no more force to fright any friends of Truth into the faith or belief of what you say then so many leaps of a louse since ye are found deceiving or at best deceived in your other so credible information And as for the things viz. Baptism and the Supper which yourselves call Ordinances and keep such a quarter for as if they were the main matters which God hath Oâ—dained which only can lay true claim to the foresaid Title I might possibly say then as I shall plainly now not in any way of 〈◊〉 whateâ—er is of God though but as a Type and shadow in its time and season that to such as are grown throw those Elementary institutions into the Life of God which is the end and substances they Relate to they may be useleâ—s as to their own particulars as the light of a Candle is where the Sun shines yet I deny not the use of them to such as are not satisfied as to the Lord unless they use them But most people either I abuâ—e them and themselves in the use of them who neither knowing their right end nor use nor manner of administration do either chanâ—e and alter them into Images of their own making both in their Subject and their form and thus all Rantizers of Infants do and all feeders of Dogs and Swine with that bread and wine which they call the Supper for these things are not that outwaâ—d washing and supping which were used of old as meer figures and Images of the true but sigments and fooleries and Images of their own Imagining not â—o much as the Bodily Baptism which Iâ—hn baptizeth with but a trashy Tâ—adition of man which who so teach for a Doctrine or Ordinance of God do worship God but in vain not the true outside or shadow of the Supper for that is not a coming together into one place which is to decrease and vanish before the internal and â—ternal which increaâ—eth and is to stand nor the external sign of the True Cup and Table of the Lord but in Truth the very Cup and Table of Devils where drunkards and Swerers Lustfulness and all sorts of sinners and walkers beside the light who say they have fellowship with God but lye and have none sit in fellowship with their Father the Devil Or else secondly dote upon and Idolize those graven Images of their own which if they were as truly the things in use of old as 't is true they are but new inventions of their own yet as the brazen Serpent they must be but Nehushâ—an when once mens hearts go a whoring after them from that which is the end of them all and come not to Christ Iesus the Image and rigteousness of God and to witnesse that wrought and even him who is that Image brought forth and formed in them but continue poring upon those Rudiments or like one that falls in love with his own Image in the water and for love thereof goes down under it and drownes himselfe therein run down so deep into them as to lose themselves from the other and draw such a thick vaile over their hearts as the Iewes so as not to look much lesse enter into the end of the law of which is to be abolished that is of carnall Commandments contained in Ordinances which are not of the new but of the old Covenant which is long since ready to vanish which stood in earings and drinkings and divers Baptismes carnall Ordinances bodily exercises outward Observations in which the Kingdome of God stands not which is in righteousnesse peace and joy in the holy Spirit so that he who in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men For those meer Rites and Rudiments of washing eating drinking had their first being beginning rise and institution as Circumcision Passeover sacrifices and such
Commandements and Traditions of men and of the Pope himself in many things still and yet because they did not so much as he appointed them in matters of more moment but were unclean and wicked refusing to walk in the good old way of the Light which was the way before Moses and the letter was turning away their eare from hearing the Law in the heart which is the light were not only vain but abominable in the very best of their Oblations In Preaching therefore in order to Gods acceptance of us and our good works which are not outward worships where the heart and life are yet defiled but where a new Creature created after his own Image of God in Christ Iesus to good works in his nature and by his Power though in it's own person doth perform them is as an utter exclusion of all your own so no fair In-let to any of the Popish Rubbish will worship meer self service and unprofitable devotion for these being only done by man are neither good nor accepted of God But to Teach and maintain and plead for evil works as necessary to be done while we are in this life and Teach down the doctrine of perfecting holinesse and perfect purging our selves from all uncleannesse of flesh and Spirit while we are here in the body which Paul taught up as a doctrine of devils and to deny the possibility of performing this duty of not sinning and make such a grosse state of sin as that was which David stood in when he was guilty of adultery and murder consistent with Gods acceptance of men and their justification before him and that the Saints as some call them in such a pickle while they are in sin up to the ears even in such a case are not in a condemned but in a justified estate and that if the Saints own heart condemn him and his own conscience tell him that God doth not accept him and that his estate is bad in such a bad sinful case and not good it 's defiled and lyes and testifies falsehood to him and leads him into a wrong opinion of himself and that the Saints may be blessed men as David was having no guile in his spirit but sincere upright after Gods own heart though under the guilt of so grosse and great sins when the Scripture saith the contrary viz that David was upright before God saving in that matter of Vriah wherein indeed his very heart was false and rotten and to affirm to the encouragement of men in their imperfections and infirmityes by which name they stile the Saints grossest iniquities as T.D. does contradictorily to himself in other places that the gospel gives life upon imperfect obedience all which and more ejusdem Farraginis is done and utter'd by T.D. and such as own him therein in the 11.19.45.47 pages of his 1. Pamphlet as they were by word of mouth at the disputes This is to strengthen the hands of the wicked that they cannot return from their wickednesse for how is it possible they should do it when 't is preacht and believed as impossible to be done this is to sow soft pillows under their elbowes that they may sleep on securely in sin and take their rest for its all but infirmity and no inpreachment to his justification nor to his standing accepted and in covenant with God that a Saint does and their 's no condemnation to them that are Saints and in Christ no though they be in transgression in which who is say I is out of Christ and not a Saint and though they walk not after the Spirit as all that are Saints and in Christ Jesus do but after the flesh and in a word a very fair In-let to a very worse matter then that whole mare mortuum of the Popes Beggerly observations even no better a matter then the very whole bundle of the Devils own Bag and Beastly Baggage So then I see not hitherto and am perswaded never shall till I come to see as T.D. does in his floting fancy many things with his eyes shut how any Doctrines of the Qua. even such as they and I hold with any more then what we hold flatly against the Popish Priesthood do either conclude my complyance with them or make any way for the incoming and abiding without its own speedier Ruine of their Romish Baggage or how our parochiall Priesthoods preaching and practice too doth any other then uphold the Butt end thereof and preach their own câ—mplyance with those their Brother Ravens in many matters But T. D's Biggest Bolt and weightest Bullet as he counts at least lyes yet behind and that is our doctrine of good works as needful to that use of our justification before God here he iudges that Omne tulit punctum he hath fully hit the white and that this will do if all the rest die and fallen the fault of favouring and fathering the Popish cause upon me as some Iâ—suit if all the other fail Good works for necessary uses viz to manifest faith to be true to sanctify to make meet for the possession c. T.D. and his Associates in words and doctrinally more then practically maintain as much as any but to maintaine good works not only to the use of our sanctification but our justification and to justify not only deâ—laratively in the sight of men but also formally in the sight of God not only to approve a beleiver but absolve a sinner p. 8. not only to fit for but to give right to the inheritance p. 22. not as concurrent and concomitant only but as cooperative and constitutive together with faith and coincident as a cause in the case of our iustification to let good works be accounted not only Via ad Regnum but also carsa Regnandi as your Scools distinguish yea and further yet to dispute it not in these Terms barely of good works but in these Terms of OUR good works and lastly higher yet to rank them so high in order of causes as not only Instrumental with faith but a deserving or meritorious cause of justification This is notorious yea so grosse and Popish that we may well Rank you thinks he among the Papists p. 58. as at least a bringer in of their Baggage yea now quoth T.D. of me p. 14. you shew your self a rank Papist indeed Rep. Ipse dixit T.D. hath said it who of all those Seers with his eyes in Sandwich or else where who giving heed to him from the least to the greatest saying of him This man is the great Power of God have hiâ— hitherto bewitched with his Simonical Sorceries can do any other then believe it to a Tittle This stroke enters with so deep a dint into the thoughts fancies and faith of many that 't is supposed by some we Qua. shall never be able to lick our selves whole of the deadly wound it brings with it both to the doctrines that we maintain as Truth and to our selves also whom we maintain to be no
less imputed but to the true making of them Really just and good who before were wicked imparted without difference to every one that truly believeth in him So that I do not as T.D. sayes we do with the Iews that submitted not themselves to Gods righteousnesse by faith in the light which if they had done they would have left and lost their own go about to establish our own righteousnesse to justification 2. Neither do I cry up our own righteousnesse so high as T.D. does who calls meerly mans own Christs righteousnesse received from and wrought in man by him 3. Neither do cry down Christs righteousnesse in some measure to man infused from that fulnesse of the same that beyond measure dwels in Christ as T.D. does so as with him to term these any otherwise then the spirit it selfe is pleased so to do to our encouragement in obeying Isa. 26. Our own for vix ea nostra voco 4. Much lesse having 1 st depressed and thrust them down far below themselves under that diminitive denomination of OVR own even those own of mans which the Iews ignorant of Gods went to establish which were iniquity and abomination in Gods eyes and which Paul calls dung and losse dare I be so blindly bold so T.D. is after he hath as undervaluingly as untruly term'd them our own as with him blasâ—hemously to vilisy them yet further under that Bullâ—sh Title of works but imperfectly good but imperfect obedience and that more beastly and bâ—llish term which none that dwell in heaven can give as in effect T.D. does to the works of Christ of filthy Rags 5. Least of all or at least last of all dare I venture so far as T.D. does who yet thinks we make too much of our own good works obedience righteousnesse and too little of Christs who having drawn these two righteousnesses and obediences viz. that of Christs and mans which are as far distant from each other as heaven and earth so neere together as to make but one of them which he calls mans own and yet Christs and Christs and yet but mans own yields whether meer mans or Christs to be as Paul cald his but dung and losse and as T.D. calls all ours but imperfect and Rotten Rags after all this concludes that such a meer Chimera and non entity as this mingle-mangle of his own making which hath a being no where but in his own Bâ—ain and is not so much as Ensâ—rationis but rather Ens irrational tatis is available to sanctifie and make meet for heaven for I deny that any righteousnesse that is no better then dung and filthy Rag is available at all as a cause of either justification or sanctification of Right to or fitnesse for the Saints inheritance and howbeit I eternally exalt every 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Christs obedience every grain of that good he works who works no evill and every dram of his righteousness in him else or us to be eternallâ— and dâ—servedly accepted of God and entitling to and fitting for fellowship with God and the Saints in light yet as for that Bipartite Pipald Puppet and meerly imagined Imp of T. D.'s dressing out in what should I call it Christs righteous Robes of Mans Rotten Rags I deny either merit or meetnesse to come by that meer none knows what For if it be Christs Own indeed or ever came from him as good righteousnesse obedience done or perform'd by him though in us â— cannot be imperfect dung and filthy Rags and immeritorious but deservâ—â—g and serving according to the measure of it in us both to justify and sanctifie and as well to give right to as to fit for the Kingdom the desert of every degree of his obedience arising from the dignity of his person that performes itâ—â— But if it be meer mans own as T.D. saves Pauls dung and losse was though wrought by Christ and received from him then it s but dung and losse as Paul call'd his and to speake in T. D.'s bald Phrase but imperfectly good and imperfect obedience and as truly filthy Rags as both truly and properly T.D. calls all Ours But then neither meriting nor so much as making meet for the heavenly inheritance and yet whether T.D. doth not in effect say it doth though he unsay it again for to gainsay himself is as ordinary as it is to say at all wellnigh with him let it be considered by comparing his own sayings T.D. Do you think quoth T.D. p. 22. that righteousnesse which Paul calls his own was not Christs Had be any righteousnesse which he had not receved That righteousness which was in the Apostle never was in Christ as the Subject but was wrought in him by Christ. Rep. I might Reply yea that righteousnesse Paul calls his own and calls dung and losse also and had lost for Christ was not Christs nor received from nor wrought in him by Christ and he that makes Pauls own which was dung and losse and Christs which is all gainfull to man and not dung but most savoury to God both one as T.D. does will once rue it that ever he wrote so over honourably and transcendently of Mans and so dishonourably and disdainfully without more distinction of it from mans of the everlasting righteousnesse of Christ and the living God But yet to do T.D. So much pleasure as to convince him of his confusion and incomparable contradiction to himselfe though every one shall not have it so from me let it passe by way of false supposition that Pauls own righteousnesse he reckons on as dung and losse though once he thought it gain and Christs now received by him and since the losse of Pauls own wrought in him which yet was indeed that true godlynesse which Paul elsewhere calls great gain and profitable to all things mark having the promise of this life and that to come so entaild to it that it can entitle all that live in it thereunto be all one as T.D. will needs have it what serves this imperfect drossy dunghilly worse then nothing righteousnesse of Pharasaicall Paul to alias by T.D. most Duncically called Christs what advantage is to man by this meer loss ' oh much every way quoth T.D. for I though it serves not for our justification nor to give us Right as a cause of our Title to the Saints inheritance for that righteousnesse that dwels in Christ alone no neerer to us in readity but imaginarily only then heaven is where he sits serves only and only serves for that yet the Robes alias filthy Rags of it secundum te T.D. that reach down to cloath us here that we may be adorn'd as like him as filthy Rags can make us like to one in pure Robes These serve to make us suitable to such a glorious presence and meet for such an holy inheritance p. 22. 39. Ipse dixit But I dare not descend after T.D. so deeply into these shallow depths of Satan so as to condescend to it as
count upon it that God impures it so as to compute him or any Righteous Holy Good c. upon that mere account of his own so counting en't and confident believing it so to be before he find and feel that by his Faith in Christs Light which such Fanciers as I.O. T. D. and most Divines and their Disciples are far from Faith in while they fight against it as fiction it be revealed and â—rought in himself and imported to him to making of him Righteous as Christ is and to the purifying of him in fiertâ— till he come in facto esse to be pure as Christ is pure 1 Iohn 3. To walk as he walked and as he is in whom is no sin and in whose mouth was found no guile even so to be in this world and so are his Sants that stand with him on Mount Sion redeemed from the earth without fault before the Throne Rev. 14.1 and layes claim to the blessedness in Truth Psal. 32.1 2. Psal. 119.1 2 3 I say if any man thus believe Trust and Hope as aforesaid his hope is but vain and not that of theirs 1 Iohn 3.1 2 3 4. nor the sure and stedfast Anchor of them Heb. 6.18 19 20. that enters into that within the vail whether the Fore-runner is entred making the way for such onely as follow him in the daily Cross to the Carnal mind yea his belief is but blind his faith meer fancy he feeds but upon ashâ—s a deceived heart hath turned him aside his trust is in lying words he leans upon nought but lyes a meer lye is in his right hand Christ is not his nor his Righteousness his as yet neither is he Christs while he lives in his lusts and his lusts in him while alive to the world and the world to him for as it is in the Verse next after that I last argued from Gal. 5.23 24. They that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof upon that Cross of the Lord Jesus then which Paul glorified in nothing more as true Saints now do while the world is ashamed thereof that is the light by which Christ condemns all sin in their flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in them as truly as in himself and they walk no more after the flesh but the Spirit by which also Paul was crucified to the world and the world also unto him And now whereas T.D. and those Divines from whom he must come to be divided before ever he know his part in the undivided Christ do uno ore confesse so far unto this truth as to tell it further then they are aware against their wills while they tell us that the good works and fruits of the Spirit and Christ righteousness within the Saints and the obedience which by him they are enabled to perform are not onely that which makes men meet to enter but are also all the righteous mens evidence for heaven both in faro ecclesia conscientie for I know no man among them that sayes any other then thus that no men can know one another nor any men themselves to be Christs and heirs of heaven and to have right to enter there and that the faith in Christ which they professe whereby they say they stand entitled to the righteousnesse of Christ without them is true living saving justifying faith and not fancy dead unprofitable and good for nothing ' but as it is accompanyed with the other fruits of the Spirit and good works which serve â—ay they to justifie every one that is justified without them say they in the sight of God in his own sight and conscience and in the sight of men I shall take all our Doctors at their words so far as they do yield as Pharaoh did to Isâ—ael by a little and little at once in order to the winding of them in at last whether they will or no to yield us the whole Question in every inch of it wherein they stick for we shall not ere we have done leave them so much as a hoof thereof behind and while it is in and upon me say something more to these two grants of good works giving 1 st meetnâ—sse for entrance 2 evidence of our Tâ—Se to the inâ— heritance and the truth of that faith which though it never be alone say they yet along gives on our part true Tâ—le to it As then to the 1st I muâ—e what great difference there is but that they who where they should not make two into one as T. D. does Pauls own righteousnesse and that of Christ in him love as much when they need not to make one into two between the matter of merit and the matter of meetness that our Divines can digest it exceeding well to have it said the fruits of the Spirit and Christs good works and righteousnesse within his Saints onely makes them meet to inherit but can't digest it at any hand to have it said that these of Christ and his Spirit in them do meriâ— the inheritance or make worthy of it Doth not the â—ame that makes meet and fit for merit or make worthy of it and enright to it in some â—ort and in Scripture sense at least The whole course of which tells you not onely as you tell one another often but that you often untell it again when you tell that of necessity men must sin while they live â—hat no sinners nor unriâ—hteous ones of any sort have in any wise any right to inheritance in the kingdome or are either meet or worthy to be any where but without the holy City together as fearfull unbeleiving dogs and abominable in the lake of fire but tells you also verbatim in many places of all their and onely their right and worthynesse to enter who by Christs power do the samâ— will of God he did and have and work the same righteousnesse that he did in himselfe within themselves 1 Thess. 1. They that sufâ—er'd for the kingdome were worthy of it 21. Math. 8. Not onely they that came 〈◊〉 when bidden to the the marriage were unworthy but such also as took themâ—elves to be entitled upon bare bidding and so as you do ran in all the hast and thrust themselves in as those that had the onely right and who but they the worthy guests that thought there was no need I speake after the manner of men of the â—lâ—ves and Ribbons I mean the Wedding Robes of Christ righteousnesse to cloth their own persons as if what he only wore 〈…〉 Theirs too so far as to enright them â—hithâ—r were for all their more bast then good speed thrust out at last as uâ—worthy to be there where had they been â—s well suiâ—ed as they were willing to have the good 〈◊〉 might there upon deservedly enough since the invitation was free and though a gift yet what more free the gift Have stayd there among the rest as worthy And the few names in Sardis that had not
till the time that we come to see them and that come forth which is the onely Evidence which we come to see them by and he that pâ—ates of that thing as being so or so which to him is not yet known so to be is a buisie body whose tongue runs afore his wit his lips before the light that would lead him out of darkness his thoughts not a little out-run and out-reach his Reason Tum demum apud nos res dicuntur fieri cum incip unt patefieri to us things are onely as they appear so that whoever perks up and prates of what he knows not and of matters that yet to him are not which work which is that of the Priests in many things he that shall count him that 's in it a wise man shall by my consent be canonized a fool for his labour Iustification in Gods sight of a sinner is say the Priests before any Sanctification is at all in him but neither the sinner can know that there is any such matter as pardon of his sin or that he stands just in Gods sight appears not at all to himself not yet is it evident to us who tell him 't is so neither can we know it any more then he till Sanctification appear in him from which as that which goes before it ever in our eyes we come to the sight â—f it yet if he will believe us who speak of a thing we know not and talk we know not what and if he will take our words for it that his Iustification is before he be Sanctified who have no other Evidence of it our selves or whereby to make it Evident to him but this of his Sanctification which is evermore that which goes before the other for ought we see or can discern and if he will trust us implicitly at a venture he may but if he will not say I he may safely chuâ—e And as to that speech of thine out of Diodaâ—us I dare say it was not a Deo datus concerning good works justifying a man declaratively and serving in Iames's sence to approve a Believe in the sight of men for there 's not Truth in 't if meant so onely and exclusively of their use to Iustifie formally and absolve a sinner in the sight of God as it must be if it serve that turn at all to which thou usest it yea I contrarily affirm yet not denying but that they do declaâ—e before men the Faith of him that professes to believe in Christ to be true and not hypocritical that they also tend as well as that tâ—ue Faith they flow from to justifie formally and absolve sinners in the sight of God And though Paul Rom. 3.27 concludes that a man is justified by Faith before God without the deeds of the Law yet he never concluded as you cloudy Expositors of him conclude of his words which ye wrest beside his Right to your wrong meanings any such maâ—â—er as that a man is justified before God without the good works of the Gospel between which of Christs in his Saints and those of the Law which are mens own done without Christ of themselves ye never distinguishing run so far into confusion as ye do which deeds of the Law done in mans own thoughts willings and runâ—ings and not in the Light and Spirit of Christ the Power of God never reach the thing that is run after that is the fulfillâ—ng of it without which there is no life for the Law requires brick but affords â—o 〈◊〉 good works but it gives no strength to weak man in the flesh and faâ— wherewith to perform â—o the Letter onely kills and onely the Spirit givâ—s the Life So both Paul and Iames and we as much as Diodate and T. D. do for ever shut out them yea and so much more then any of you do we deny the deeds of the Law so done as to the doing us any good toward our absolution before God by how much we do both in our Life and Doctrine establish onely the deeds of the Gospel while you who doctrinally exclude the Laws deeds do yet practically establish them to your Iustification for howbeit in words ye establish Faith as that by which ye stand justified formally before God yet that faith ye act who believe God accepts your persons and perfâ—â—mances without his Righteousness inherent in your selves and while ye are yet impurged and not so much as believing you can or must be here purged from your sins is far from the true Faith of the Gospel being no other then the false faith or true fancy of those who were of Moses and the Law that trusted in lying words that could not profit them Jer. 7. Isa. 1. Isa. 58.3 who thought God did them wrong if he justified and accepted them not in their fastings and services though they never fasted from their iniquities nor loosed the bands of wicdedness as if when they had been at their formal humiliations for a day they had procured some dispensation to let Hell loose again and were then delivered to do abomination this kind of barren leafy lean-faith of yours who look for life in it is one of those deeds of theirs who were of the Letter and Law and not that of them who are of the Gospel Faith which formally justifies before God which who are of are blessed with faithful Abraham But now as to the Faith and other good works of the Gospel which all are the works of God himself and Christ Iesus working them in his Saints among which Faith in the Light is the first from whence others come without which they cannot be any more then it can be true without them and by the Name of which Faith for as much as all follow it all the rest are denominated in grâ—ss John 6. This is The work of God that ye believe on him whom he hath sent these are the Righteousness of Christ and of his Saints which is One the being of which in them and in him and not their being in him and not in them is counted by God to them as their Righteousness nor doth the Faith without them any more then they without it both which concur as one cauâ—e thereunto obtain formal Iustification in the sight of God So that there is a doing some and sometimes the same material good which deserves no good nor acceptation but rather evil and reprobation from God being not good formally but evil before him while the same that does material evil also does that good and such was Cains sacrifice which was else as good as Abels yet had noacceptance by Right as the other had because sin lay still at the door and 't was not the Righteous one but the evil-doer that did the good and the sinner whom we know God heareth not who had he done as bene as it was bâ—num that he did and offered it as well as the thing ofâ—ered was good had been justified as well as his Brother If
thou do well laith God shalt thou not be accepted Again there is a doing good which deserves no Ill nor Condâ—mnation but onely Good and Iustification before God being both bonum and bâ—ne factum also materially good and formally well done and that de jure promissi at least entitâ—es to an entrance into the Kingdom and such are all the good works done on the Gospels account in the Faith and Power of Christ the Light and in the leading of the Holy Spirit whether Faith it self or Lovâ— or any other that follow these which are not of our selves but by way of gift and grace from God and strength from Christ received by us who are weak in our selves the fulfilling of the Righteousness of the Law which is all fulfilled in this word Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self for love worketh no ill to his Neighbour therefore is Love the fulfilling of the Law Gal. 5.14 Rom. 13.8 9 10. and this is the Royal Law that gives Liberty from the lust to envy or any other evil that keeps from stealing and killing and adulteâ—y and from falling in one point as well as in another of which Iames sayes if ye fulfil it as by the Letter none are but by the Light and Spiâ—it which lead into the Love the Saints are enabled to do ye do well Jam 8.2 and what is well done is twice done and so is every little that is done in faithfulness according to the measure of the gift received as from and unto Christ and lets in so far into the Lords acceptance Matth. 25.23 Well done good and faithful Servant was said on the improvement of two talents as well as five thou hast been faithful in a few things enter thou into the joy of thy Lord This is that love which when Cains wrath doth not worketh the Righteousness of God Jam. 1.26 in the doing of which by Christs Power in our selves and not by his doing it without us in himself who not as without us but as within us is the Iustification from the sin and so the hope of glory Col. 1.27 he is made in us the Righteousness of God and we the Righteousness of God in hâ—m And his Light within which leads all that in a cross to the lust follow him in it to this Royal Life of love is that Royal and perfect Law of Liberty every degree of obedience to which is perfect as it self is and not imperfect as all that of those is who are of the Law and not of Faith and as thou T.D. imperfectly and weakly wottest this is for though as to the Law Bonum non oritur nisi ex integris causis yet I say of true Evangelial obedience none of which is imperfect for its Christs in us Bonum oritur ex quâ—libet actu as well as Malum ex quolibet defectu and howbeit any one or more good works as thou sayest p. 14 15. is not a fulfilling of the Law done as Paul in his blind zeal did them before he knew Christ while he served in the oldness of the Letter and not in the newness of the Spirit for then all the bonum he did did but break the Law being done not bene and so what ere he did in any print he was still guilâ—y of all and in that naâ—â—re he did it in it was but Cains sacrifice which was in the Reprobation the Tree not yet being good yet he that doth and teacheth the least of Christs Commandements given out in the Light fulfils so far that he so far enters by Right into and shall be so far great in the Kingdom of Heaven in the observing and obeying of which Law onely Iustification acceptation and approvement comes as an effect of it in the sight of God as well as in the sight of men and so Iames will be found affirming though thy senseless self canst not looking in the Letter without the Light well see his sense which Law or Light who so looketh into and continueth in the doing of what is there shewen this man shall be blessed Mark in his deed even with the blessedness described by David Psal. 32.1 2. and by Paul Rom. 4.4 5 6 7 8 9. which is forgiveness of iniquity covering of sin and non-imputation of it which comes on all circumcision and uncircumcision thaâ—â—elieve without difference Rom. 3.2 as it came on faithful Abraham whose Faith with those works Iames speaks of Iam. 2.21 which were the fruits of it were not one without t'other but altogether for they were Christ the Image of God his operations in him which thou also sayest p. 23. are called Christ accounted or reckoned to him as his Righteousness as well in foro Dei as hominum for hereby saith God know I thou lovest me because thou hast not witheld thy Son and again Mark because thou hast done this surely Blessing I will bless thee c. as also it was said by Christ of Mary Her many sins are forgiven her for this cause Because she loved much 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cujus gratia propter quod see Arias Mountanus so Mark 19. If thouâ— wilt enter into Life follow me and we have forsaken all and followed thee saith Peter to Christ What shall we have therefore Ye shall sit on Thrones saith Christ and everyone c. so 2 Thesâ—â— 6 7 10. that ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God for which ye also suffer seeing it is a Righteous thing Mark with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who are troubled Rest with us because our Testimony was believed among you here Faith and sufferings are made the cause upon which by Right deservedly and in Righteousness Rest is to be expected as a debt by promise though Phil. 1.29 they are the gift of God to us and not simply our Own works to you it is given not onely to believe but also to suffer for his sake T.D. Does not the Apostle oppose Faith and Works Faith is opposed to it self as a work in the business of Iustification p. 24. 1. Pamph. Rep. Faith is neither opposed as thou frivolouily supposest good works to the Gospel nor yet to it self as a work in the business of Iustification but both it self and all the good works that are done onely in it which together with it are the gift of God to us in Christ Iesus who is ths Authour Worker and Finisher of them in us are altogether as the one good work or Righteousness of God and Christ in the Gospel by which we stand justified before them opposed to mans meer Righteousness and works of the Law by which no flesh living can be justified and though Paul when he sayes to him that worketh is the â—eward not reckoned of grace but of debt but to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted to him for Righteousness doth â—ppose Faith and our works the Gospel and the Law which
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
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
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
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
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
Rule and standard the touchstone of all speakings whatsoever that that must speak alone for its self which must try the speaking of all but its self yea it s own also See Tr. 1. c. 3 pertotum That which is the ordinary unmoveable perfect and siable infallible Rule of Gods worship and our obedience so that ther 's no further need we should be instructed with any other new daily Revelations in the knowledge of God and our duties Yea the most perfect Rule that is given us of God whereby to attain to eternal salvation so that after the compleating of that which is called the Canon of the Scripure ye beleeve and profess no new Revelations about the common faith of the Saints or the worship of God are either to be expected or admitted as well such as are made by the Spirit or light within or inward speculation or heavenly inspiration or speech of Angèls to our instruction in the knowledge of God and our duty in order to our obtaining eternal salvation which all are a vain unprofitable false uncertain hazardous and utterly unnecessary means which the Fanaticks fain toward the knowledge of God and his will Yea that by which we are commanded to try and examine and prove all Revelations Visiâ—ns Spirits God's no more excepted then the Devil's Dreams inward appearances or speaking or prophesyings within or from within whether true or false without difference or distinction 1 Cor. 14.21 1 Thes. 5.21 1 Joh. 4.1 Ex. 3. S 33. The onely Rule of the faith and obedience of Gods Church Page 173. so Ex. 4. sect 22. Rep. In the handling of this head concerning the Scriptures being in the nature of the Canon Rule or Standard to the Church of God I say in the nature use and office of a Canon for as to the measure or bounds of your Canon I have elsewhere spoken to it I shall have to do with thee I. O. and thee T. D. also who both are as like one another in your ignorant invectives against the Qua. as enemies to the Scripture for not owning it to be what your fore-fathers and your selves have also ignorantly Canonized it into the name of viz. The standing Rule of faith and life as if one of you had been spit out of the others mouth As for thy self I.O. having Ex. 3 sect 25 26. professed thy faith or rather fancy and opinion that the Scripture is the only most perfect Rule of the faith and worship of God thou stilest thy Teeological subsequent foolish defence thereof a proving of it against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the haters of the Scriptures as if all they that side not with thy false weak supportless suppositions about the Scriptures were presently to be condemned as enemies to them without any more ado And as for thee T.D. thou stilest it a spitting out of vemome and bringing in of another Gospel to deny the Scripture to be the Rule Thou engagest me in a publick discourse about this Question Whether the Scriptures are the Word of God or no and then when I owning the Word of God to be the Word of God publickly denied the Scripture that is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Writing not mentioning the paper or inke that is the foolish phrase of thy own inserting to be the Word of God in a shameful way of Tergiversation thou ran'st away from the Termes of thy Question and never camest near them any more but leftest quite another Question in its room viz. Whether the matter contained in the Writings be the Rule of faith and life as the Reader may see in the 25 and 26. pages of thy first Pamphlet Sir You cannot beleeve us 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 the Rule of faith and life Which matter written of and the Writing or Scripture are two different matters say I still as the Lanthorn and the Candle or the light contained therein so that thy doings T.D. that day was altogether as silly a peece of business as if one that had challenged another to dispute it openly with him that the Lanthorn is the Candle or the Light being come as T.D. did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with much pompous shew or fancy upon the publick place of hearing before hundreds to that purpose should say to his Antagonist on this wise Sir You cannot beleeve me to be so simple surely as to affirm the Lanthorn to be the candle or light but I mean the candle or light contained in the Lanthorn whether that be a Rule for men to walk by in a dark night or no a Question which was never denied by his Antagonist at all for neither I nor any Qua. that I know deny the Word of God to be the Word of God which is contained in the Scripture or that the Scripture or Writing declares thereof any more then we deny the Candle and Light to be a Candle and a Light which is contained in the Lanthorn but that the Writing it self is that Word of God written of in it or that the Lanthorn is the ' candle or the light ' that is in the Lanthorn at least that the Word of God is the proper name of the Scripture as to his shame I. O. hath undertaken to prove in Latine against the Qua. of whom he saith they understand him not in that tongue this I and the Qua. do deny against him and thee and all men for our denial of which dream of our benighted Doctors and Divinet we have been yet damned down through the false suggestions and silly insinuations of their busie ear-wigs the Priests by all Parliaments and Powers that have yet appeared at the Helm in this Nation and deemed unmeet to be let into the lists of that liberty of conscience allowed to other men and doomed out as deniers of the fundamentals of Religion Thus T.D. As the King of Spain and forty thousand men Went up a hill and then came down agen Gathered his Forces and Fellow-souldiers together pitching his own day of battel betokening to obtain some eminent victory over the Qua. and as soon as he came into the field laid down his Arms and confessed he had no quarrel against the Qua. as to the Question he was to dispute about as stated and held by them so like some Bettle he flyes aloft with a humming noise into the ayr and at last flaps suddenly down into a peece of Cow-dung Nevertheless T.D. that thou mightest for very shame seem to do something for the Scripture even for the Book it self and Letter of it as well as for the good matter therein contained sith thou wast come upon the stage on that account after some parley that was held a while between my self and thee about the Latitude and Limits of your supposed Rule in which thy pitiful poor put offs of
beleeving and obeying then it seems with thee faith is to be begun and begotten and born by the Spirit but kept preserved and nourished up to perfection by the letter which is a Doctrine of deep dotage and deceit for it is the Spirit of Christ and the light that is both the Creator and Preserver the Author and finisher of the faith insomuch that I may truly and do here justly cry out against you blind bewitching broachers and your blind bewitched beleevers of it as Paul on the Galatians I marvel that ye should be so sottishly departed and degenerated from the simplicity of the primitive Gospel so plainly declared in the very letter it self which asserts the Light Spirit and Word within to be both the principle and the Rule O ye foolish Prophets and foolish People who hath bewitched you that ye should be so reprobate as to the knowledge of the truth Are ye so foolish as to fancy that when men have once begun in the Spirit they must be preserved in their faith and regulated and made perfect by their fleshly attendences to the Letter that the Vniversiâ—ies and Ministers meerly of it and not of the Spirit are so lost about and wrangling about that to this day they are not agreed about the integrity of its Text They that ministed the spirit among men at first and were even by the very letter they wrote Ministers by whom men beleeved in the light did they call them so much to the heeding or hearing of the letter themselves wrote as to the hearing of the Word of faith they preached and testified to both in their Writings and by Word of mouth even that which before they wrote to them at all was nigh in their heart and in their mouth that they might do it Tell me ye that desire to be under the teachings of the letter only not the light do you not hear the letter telling of another Rule besides it self which it self doth only point to doth not the letter teach you the Spirit and light is both the principle and principal means also of discovery of right and wrong as is shewed above doth the letter part the business of our obedience as your party coloured discourses thereof would seem to make it do between it self and the Spirit or say any where that the Spirit is the principle but the letter it self the Rule of our obedience that the spirit creates and the letter preserves faith as T.D. dreamingly divines saith it not that the Spirit is both And yet O the muddinâ—ss not to say madness of our now Ministers Another while again even within the space of one page behold O ye wandring wonderers and wondering wâ—nderers after these vain men and their whisling Butterfly-businesses that would seem wise though they are but as wilde Asses colâ—s and ye shall see T.D. who affirms the spirit to be the Principle and that which creates faith and the letter the Rule that preseâ—ves it affirming the letter to be both i.e. not only the only Rule of it but the Principle of it also and ascribing in these words p. 28. of his fiâ—st as also in the 17. page of his second God did not intend nor give order for them i.e. for more writings than we have in our Bibles to be the Rule but hath assured us as much as is sufficient to create and preserve faith in the Gospel we have both the first being begetting and beginning of faith to the Scripture as also I.O. who jumps with him in one as they do together in most things in these words Ex. 3. s. 39. Not only the begetting of faith but also the building up in it while we live here is the end of the Scripture What more is uttered by T.D. as to this head of the Scriptures being the only rule is in answer to this Argument was urged against him as himself relates it but to disadvantage p. 29.30 of his first Pamph. at the dispute on this wise If the Rule of faith and life was before the Scripture was then the Scripture is not the Rule c. but the Rule was before the Scripture therefore c. To which said Answer of T. D's is no other than a giving of the whole cause in question between us viz. whether the Scripture i.e. the Writing or Letter is the Rule or no sor quoth T.D. Your Argument concludes nothing against us for we assert the matier contained in the Scripture is a standing Rule yâ—ur Argument proves but that there was a Rule before this Writing we grant that God revealed himself by Visions Dreams Since the Gospel preached to Adam there hath not been any increase of Truths Quoad essentiam sed tantum quoad explicationem as the Learned speak of the Articles of our faith the manner of conveyance is different then and now but the matter or doctrines conveyed still the same Rep. If this conclude nothing against you for as much as ye own doctrine or matter only contained in and declared by the Scripture and not the letter to be the Rule how conclusive you outcries are against the Qua. as that they are denyers of the Scripture a Fool may feel since they own the holy doctrine and matter in the Scripture which is the Light Spirit and Word in the heart to be the Rule as your selves do and so to have been also before the Scripture was though they deny the meer Writing to be the Rule which with your selves is not the matter conveyed but meerly the manner of conveyance not the essential truth it self but only the form of its explication which manner of conveyance or form of explication your selves it seems do deny here to be the Rule as well as we with us asserting only the matter truth or doctrine contained and conveyed in the Writing so to be If ye assert no more than the truth doctrine or matters contained in the Scriptures to be the Rule which matters thou thy self T.D. p. 30 31. of thy first Pamph. sayest is that Word of faith the Apostles preached which was the Word we assert to be the Rule that is nigh in the heart Rom. 10 and dare not assert your selves the meer letter or Scripture so to be I trow wherein differ you from the Quae. whom you quarrel with as deniers of the Scriptures Will you never be at quiet with the Qua. but quarrelling against them when they affirm the truths wherein your selves assent to them as much as when they deny the untruths wherein ye dissent from them Will you allow them neither to say the sound doctrines which your selves are forced to confess to nor to gainsay the errors and false doctrines which ye would fain force you false faith of upon them ye assert no more but that the matter or doctrine conveyed and truth explicated therein which is the light spirit or living Word it self is the Rule as thou sayest here so denying the letter writing or meer Text to be it we
which we deny which matter notwithstanding when it comes to the point of proof before people they dare denominate only to be the only Rule and Word denying those high Titles to the naked Letter as well as we crying out with a dreadful ditty against the Qua. in their Pulpits as deniers of the Scriptures the Bible to be the Word of God the Rule c. and when we enter the lifts with them then finding themselves unable to carry it against us falling down before us in confessions to us that it is the Divine truth and matter only contained in the Scripture which is the Rule to all men so far as it that is that Truth and matter is revealed to them as it is here confessed also by T.D. to be to the very Heathen in their hearts that have no Scripture and was so before it was put into writing that is before the Scripture was which seeing it is so confest in the same way as I argued above about the Foundation against I.O. so may I here against T.D. and him both about the Rule viz. Arg. 1. The Rule must be something that is in being before the faith and life that is to be Regulated by it 2. Must be that the Scripture testifies to be the Rule 3. Something that is firm fixt sure stable inflexible infallible inalterable else all the work wrought by a Lesbian Rule a soft waxen measure may be ad infinitum crooked scanty erroneous disorderly in all Dimensions at mens pleasure who may as our Priests mostly do transcribe translate expound rectifie the Scripture according to their crooked conceits and their Antichristian Analogy of faith as they use to speak and not their crooked conceits and false faith according to the true Theology that is plain to godly honest hearted men in the Sâ—ripture wrest their Rule to their own wills self-ends interests and where it likes not their unruly selves to be Ruled by it Run from it or rather Rule over ir as they list But the Light and Spirit and Truth and living Word and holy Doctrine was in being before the faith and life of any man 2. Is testified by the Scripture at is above shewed to be the Rule 3 Is inalserable firm c. and the Scripture it self is already proved and is yet more to be proved not to be so therefore the Light Truth c. not the Scripture Text c. is the Rule Be sides what Ioh. Tombs and Rich. â—axter who must here be wrapt with their own weapon argue falsely against the Lights being the Rule I may truly argue against the Letters being it For page 51. of their Book entituled The true old Light Thus they dispute viz. That which is variable and alterable cannot be a persons Rule for its the property of a Rule to be invariable and the same at all times The Rules Measures and Weights and Dialls and Squares and what other things are made if they be varied they cease to be Rules for Rules should be fixed and certain But there is nothing more variable then mens light in them say they falsely but say I truly then a Letter or Writing without That which is to day say they taken for light is to morrow judged to be darkness and that light which is this day in a person may be lessened to morrow a person may become Fanatick and dote who yesterday was heard with applause therefore each persons light cannot be his Rule so us that at all times he should be bid to look to it as a safe guide as the Qua. do And say I that which is to day Transcribed Translated Interpreted so and in such a sense by some may be through Mis-transcription Mis-translation Mis-interpretation be wrested as a Nose of wax to morrow by others into a clear contrary sense by Transposition of Hebrew letters which in shape and sound are alike either in way of mistake among the most careful Scribes in the world or at the mâ—er will and pleasure of Criticks who ad libitum may turn the Text into twenty senses one after another as seems good to them witness I.O. himself who as is elswhere shewed in many pages together of his Epistle Dedicatory tells how easie it is so to do yea to turn that one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the different pointing of it into 8 sundry senses some whereof are clear contrary to each other yea it is but doing so or so saith he and as many various lections arise in the very original Text as a man pleases to make It being so then with the Letter that it is so variable and flexible and contrariwise the Light being fixt firm stable without variation as it is for all their lying of it it 's eternally and unchangeably the same even yesterday to day and for ever as Christ is from whom it comes one and the same in all the Foundation and witness of God which stands sure and keeps its place in the consciences of men let them go whether they will testifying the same truth as Gods witness in all men that it doth in any mâ—n both de jure defacto also never consenting to any evil but condemning it all in all men more or less Therefore say I in consutation of I O. T. D. I.To. and Rich. Baxter out of their own Books the Light Word and Spirit of God within every one may and ought to be every mans Rule so as that at all times he should be bid to look to it and follow it as a guide as the Qua. do But the Text or Letter without however owned as it is by me above to be useful and profitable for men of God that know how to use it cannot be the most perfect stable Standard much less the only infallible Rule and guide of mens faith and life as the blind guides say in words it is though in works they themseves live and walk besides it as much as any Again if the Scriptures be the Rule and not the Light and Spirit then either there was no Rule before the Scripture or else they who lived before the Scripture had one Rule we another and so consequently there are two Rules for the one faith of the one holy Church But all these whimsies are most absurd for then the one Church hath tot regulus quot novas explicationes ejusdem veritaetis as many Rules as particular wayes of Revelation of the truth And T.D. said the Truth was one and that the matter was the Rule before the writing was and I.O. sayes Ex. 4. s. 22. Vnicus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divinus the Divine Rule is but one and so say I of the one general Catholick Church or Assembly of the first born from Abel to this day therefore the Light Spirit and not the Scripture is the Rule As for I. Os shallow shuffling off the Lights being the Rule and sleight slinging at it Testaque lutoque with his muddy pellet in that Section
these What though he doth write that his writings were that the Saints might believe that Christ was the Son of God and believing might live through his Name and that their joy might be full i.e. That encrease might be to them of Faith and Joy see 1 Joh. 5.13 does their being useful and profitable and penn'd for the same common end as the Light is given for in the conscience conclude them by such an immediate consequence as J.O. conceives to be design'd and appointed by God to be canoniz'd and established into the onely Canon into the sole standing Rule and Standard for all things of Faith Manners and Worship to be tryed by so that nothing can or may safely be believed done or practised in obedience to God or acceptable to him without particular and expresse recourse first had unto the Scriptures If this be good and immediate consequence of J.O. viz. the Scriptures and Letter hath the same common end with the Spirit and Light and is useful and profitable comfortable and serviceable as the other is though not so much Therefore the Scripture or Letter is the onely most perfect standing-Rule universally for all truth to be tryed by the onely Canon for men to come to whereby to be rectified in Faith Life Worship and all Obedience Then at least must T.D. J. O's joint Antagonist against the Qua. and the Truth be judg'd a meer jugling Disputant and shufling Sophister if he own it as any other then a non sequittar unless he will rather chuse to join with me here against J. O. in denying of this consequence and against himself too as to his asserting the Scripture to be the Rule for as much as when 't was urged against him in the same kind at the Dispute but in a way of much more necessary consequence then J. O's crooked Conclusion comes in by to the defect of Scripture-Canon as they call it in its integrals on this wise If there were other inspired Scriptures that are not bound up in your Bibles as useful and profitable and written to the same end with those you have then they were as much a Rule as those ye have But there were c. in proof of which minor instance was given in the first Epistle to the Corinthians mentioned in the first we have 1 Cor. 5.9.11 Where Paul sayes I wrote unto you in an Epistle not to keep company with Fornicators c. and now have I written to you not to keep company c. By which it seems both Epistles one of which is not in the now Bible were written by the same Apostle to one and the same end T.D. Replyes to this effect see p. 26 27. of his first Pamph. I deny your Consequence Sermons Religious Discourses have the same common end with the written Scriptures yet the Letter onely are our standing Rule And p. 27. All that was written by holy men and preserved for our use is not therefore our standing Rule And two bald Reasons is rendred in the same page viz. Because God intended these that are bound up in our Bibles but not the rest neither such as are lost for had he intended those so lost Poovidence would have watcht over them as over the rest nor such as are by his providence preserved neither if not in our Bibles And pag. 17. of T. D's second Pamph. Suppose quoth he we had the signs faithfully recorded i. e. in our Bible where they are wanting yet were they not our Rule because God did not give order for them He hath assured us as much as is sufficient to create and encrease Faith And pag. 18. If you say as you seem to do if they all were done to the same end then being written they must reach the same end I deny your consequence quoth he the difference lyes in God's Arbitrary Dispensation Now if T.D. deny the consequence of the Qua. which is two fold clearer and more cogent then I. O's when they say all Scriptures written by inspiration and preserved for our use to this day are a Rule to us as much as any of them are whether bound up or not bound up by Stationers in our Bibles Then how much more must he side with me in denying J. O's far fetch 't consequence though J.O. calls it immediate unlesse he will be denied justly for a daubing deceiver when J.O. argues thus viz. The Scriptures are useful profitable and written to the same good ends and purposes as the Light Spirit and Word of God Therefore the Scriptures the Letter and not the inward Light Spirit Word or any internal Revelation at all are the only most perfect standing Rule of all things in matter of Faith Life Doctrine Worship c. But I have reason to suspect and fear that Night-Birds of a Feather however they clash and thwart one another and fall out among themselves in the dark yet will fall in flock and flye all together in the face of the Light rather then seem to side therewith against each other and that by some sillycome-senceless secundum quid or other they 'l seem to qualifie their more then seeming confusions if they can Nevertheless let them agree as they please I may safely make bold before all but partial prejudiced persons to deny J. O's consequence and put my self under T. D's Patronage in so doing who denyes the same save onely that its much more sound and cogent when used to him ward by the Qua. and indeed so it fares and falls out with my two Antagonists I.O. and T.D. that though they join to carry on the same Cause against the Qu. improving their Wits to-patch up what proofs they can in the points wherein they oppose them yet their witnesses agree so little with each other and within themselves that what either of them asserts is for the most part overturned if not by the individual party so asserting as it often is yet at least by the other of them one where or other in such wise that had some wiser man then my self had the management of this matter and work against them that is now under my hands I see so much though minding matter more then method I am carryed to the confutation of them into sundry other wayes of partly positive and partly polemical Discourse intermingled among my Animadversioâ—s Examinations and comparings of their sayings that he need go no further then T.D. and I.O. to fetch matter wherewith to conâ—ute I.O. and no further then J.O. and T.D. to confute T.D. I conclude then my Reply to the routing of the first Rank and cashiering the first Classe of J. O's Scriptures urged in proof of the Scriptures being the only most perfect standing Rule and it may serve for an answer to T.D. himself too in T. D's words to me mutatis mutaâ—dis p. 20. 1 Pamph. To make the business short suppose we grant the Scripture to be divinely inspired to be very useful and profitable as we do and to be
and sure then either the greatest miracle that ever was or immediate voice that ever God himself spake by from heaven and to be the sole Rule and determiner of all Doctrines whether they be Truths or but cunningly devised fables which two Texts together with Isa. 8.20 how little they evince any such matter and what is meant in them by Moses and the Prophets and by that sure World of Prophesie which thou and thy fellows foolishly affirm to be the Scriptures I shall God willing take occasion to examine anon Three of thy main inartificial Arguments as thou truly callest them p. 50 51 52 56. or Testimonies to thy untruth being by the head and shoulders without either sense or reason wrested from them Again it is true the Bereans did search the Scriptures whether the things were so as the Apostles spake who spake nothing but summarily substantially the same which Moses and the Prophets did say should come but what though they did so of their own accord and their searching was succesful and useful also to the fortifying of the faith they had in the World of Truth which they received readily not as the word of man but of God not as fables but as truth it coming to them as to the Thessalonians not in word only but in power and the holy Spirit and in much assurance 1 Thes. 1.5 must it needs follow therefore that the Scriptures were their only Rule of determining the Doctrines whether they were truths or fables the Word of God or the word of man and that their faith and owning that truth was à priori first originally and immediately founded as thou preachest all faith and repentance must be page 58.64 on the Scriptures so that if they had not first searched the Scriptures and there found a congruity of the things with the old Writing they neither would nor could have beleeved or received the truth thus thou and most of thy faternity foolishly fancy but look again and ye will finde it far otherwise for howbeit they searched the Scriptures and did commendably and nobly therein and were commended as more noble in that then they of Thessalonica who yet are commended as noble excellent and exemplary as the other in receiving the Word in much affliction with joy as Gods and not mans word though it seems not so serious in searching the Scriptures as these 1 Thess. 1.5 6 7 8. and were not a little confirmed in their faith begotten before yet they first received the Word with all readiness of minde as hundreds do at ths day as preacht to them by word of mouth from the Apostles the witness of God being reached and answering to the truth of it in their hearts in which they were noble as Thessalonica was yet more noble by how much they were unwearied and uncessans in seeking to be more and more gradually and groundedly growing in fuller assurance of the truth as many are at this day who first beleeving and receiving the Word with joy and readiness do not sleight as ye suppose but à posteriori being in the faith Timothy more seriously and singly then your selves see into the Scriptures that being already brought into the things the Scriptures write of through patience and comfort thereof have hope according to that other Scripture of thy coating Rom. 15.4 as yourselves cannot have any more then the Scribes who stand studying and sraping with your own Animal understandings before ye are ceme to walk in the Light and Spirit they witness too and came from But what 's all this more then just nothing at all to prove the Scripture to be the only standing Rule of Faith and Life which is asserted of it to the evincing it to be the Word Nay if your eyes were in your head ye might see of your selves O ye Studentall more than truly Prudential searchers of the Scriptures that the Word the Apostles preached and the Scripture which we confess truly testifies thereof are two distinct things and in no wise one and same individual as ye would make them if ye look no farther then the present Text in hand for in that he sayes they received THE WORD with all readiness of minde and searched the SCRIPTVRE whether the things were so it imports to any but the blind searchers of the Scripture that the word they received was one thing and the Scripture they searched about the truth of it was another Again it is true and not to be denied but Apollo an eloquent Iew was from his being well versed therein before he came to own the Light mighty in the Scripture and learned in the Letter so as mightily to confound the Gospel gain saying Iews thereby when once he came to obey it himself though yet there was a tradesman and his wife further grounded in the Gospel and learned in the light than himself who was beyond them in the Letter of whom he was not ashamed as our Vniversities Literatists are at this day to learn of women that know more of Gospel mysteries than they do to stoop to be instructed in the way of God more perfectly but how little this proves the Scripture to be the only standing Rule for which end I.O. cites it he that is blinde cannot see but others cannot chuse when as he that was so well skilled in the Scripture had that been the only Rule that he could have instructed Aquila and Priscilla about the Letter with which suo sejugulaus gladio he slew the Letter-learned Iews as it were with their own sword was not so clear in his understanding of the Truth Way Gospel Spirit Word and Light of God which is indeed the only standing inalterable Rule for ever as it ever was but that he had need to be Regulated and Rectified therein by such as in meer Scripture all knowledge were as inferiour as they were superior to him in spiritual understanding Moreover what makes it to the proof of the Scripture to be the only standing Rule exclusively of the Light and Spirit that Paul sayes to write the same things to the Philippians by which its questionable whether he 〈…〉 something to them before which is lost and not bound up in your Bibles nor canoniz'd into your Canon was safe for them As much as if he had said nothing at all for nothing at all is that to I. O's purpose nor yet that of Iohn saying These things I write unto you that your joy may be full which J O. cites to the same end And true it is Christ expounded the Scriptures to his Disciples as he did also his own Parables that he uttered by word of mouth amongst them and the mixt multitude togeâ—her and opened their understandings also as he does theirs that walk in his light that they might understand them but where is the immediate cogent consequence from hence to the conscience of any that the Letter or Scripture is the onely most perfect standing Rule of all Faith Truth holy life
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
fruit only to himself so is our National Gospel Israel an empty Vine fruitful to themselves in temporals and in suâ— gerere in such spiritual also as their Religion lyes in viz. in empty forms of fastings prayings praâ—sings preachings singings of Davids Psalms with Doegs Spirit Text applauding Treatises talkings for Tithes multiplyings of Ministers of the Old Testament not of the Spirit but of the Letter that may labour soundly to the blowing out if they couâ—d tell how of the Qua. extolled light magnifyings of the maintenance for such Ministers as maintain themselvs out of Augmentations by the Impropriations of Kings Bishops Deans Chapters Lands Tenths first fruits and such Levitically legal â—molumenis far better than they are able to maintain either the true internal eternal Gospel which they are utterly ignâ—rant of or their own external Gospel either against the Qu. who maintain the true But utterly as fruitles to God as full of leaves and broad Shews wherein they flourish yea as barren as the figtree that God came three years together seeking fruit from and finding none for which the Word had long since gone forth effectually from the Lord but that intercession is yet made for it by the dresser of the Vineyard who digs and dungs it in hopes of somewhat but hath yet from it as small thanks for his great pains as the unskilful dressers not to say devourers of it have great thanks for their small pains Cut it down why cumbreth is the ground So what thou so pompously utterest I O. on behalf of the efficacy of the Letter in this particular as the All-sufficient All-accomplishing power of God in its self and to us ward to salvation and such like is nothing so nor doth any one of all Scriptures cited by thee in proof thereof evince any such thing they all excepting that in 2 Tim. 3. which as it may relate to an inward Scripture thou yet searchest not if intended of the outward yet not without the Light and Spirit within which said Light and Spirit thou still excludest and damnest down as detestable and no way needful to be so much as concurrent with the Scripture toward salvation as is shewed above intend no other Word or Light then that which is uttered and shines within in the eâ—rt Iam. 1.21 expresly speaks of the wording rafted there which is able to save the soul which 〈…〉 â—innate word for it s there put planted and sowed as his seed by the Lord himself some refuse and reject to walk by whose condemnation it is some receive it hear it mix it with faith in it beleeve in it to the salvation of the soul. In Joh. 17.20 Christ speaks of the same and not of any outward Scripture for by that word their word is intended the Word which they preached or held forth or testified to by their words in their preachings and writings as that which men were to come to hear and beleeve in and do till tâ—eir beleeving in which though they shâ—uld or do beleeve Historically the outward declaration as the Papists do the litteral declaration at this day with their heart and confess it with their mouths that the Lord Iesus was raised frâ—m the dead yet they perish and beleeve not on the Name of God savingly or to salvation Which Word is not the Letter nor their preachings but that which the Letter and their oral preachings testified to that it was nigh men in their hearts and mouths that they might hear and do it even the word of faith which they preached Compare Ioh 17.20 with Rom 10.8 9. Which word that they preached was not their Preachings or Writings or Scriptures but that which in their preachings and writings they called them to hear which was not a word without but the word nigh in the heâ—rt between which Words and Writings of the Preachers and Writers of the Scriptures and the Truth Faith Doctrine Light Gospel Holy matter which they preached and wrote of if our Divines couâ—d keep constant in distinguishing at all times as they do sometime they would come out of their conlusions wherein they are found jumbling things on heaps without heed into the clear understanding and comprehendings of the truth in their heads at least whether it may have place in their hearts and lives or no that is saving their being ashamed to own it from Babes and chusing rather to be ignorant then submit to be taught by them so often told them by the Qua. T D. sayes It s evident the Word spoken of Rom. 10.8 in the heart is the holy matters contained in the Scriptures the things contained there pag. 30 31. of his 1. Pamph. Rep. Who doubts of that But are not the holy matters one thing and the outward Letters that write of those matters another the things written of which the Scripture sayes are in the heart one thing and the Scriptures that write of those things another why then do you jumble these together as one in your blindly busie brains which are so bewitcht that ye either cannot or will not own that from the Qua. without crying out of them as deniers of the Scriptures to be the Word of God which your very selves are forced to confess to the Truth of For T.D. dances between within and without in the fore-named pages as if he could not well tell where to be nor what to say the Word of faith they preached is himself denies not from Col. 3.16 which I urged but that it was within the Colossians but yet because we say its within a light within he will needs say and so he had need or else he could not out word us it s the Letter without also the Word spoken of in the heart is meant quoth he of the holy matters contained 1. Declared of in the Scriptures which are say we the living Word Light Gospel c. and yet in the same page the Word spoken of is without or it is the Letter of the Scriptures quoth he also though at the beginning of the dispute upon that subject when I told him wee denied the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the outward writing or Letter written on paper with inke to be the Word of God himself p 26.1 Pamp. he denied the same with me saying You cannot beleeve us so simple surely as to affirm the Scriptures in that sense to be the Word of God but we mean the matter contained in the Writing c. And p. 30. When I said the Scripture is not the Word of God for that is within but the Scripture is without â—rging Rom. 10. The word is nigh thee in thy heart You read not all quoth he t is in thy mouth too so that it is without as well as within Rep. Oh gross what an absurdity is here as if that which is in the mouth of a man were not within but without him if T.D. should tell mee of a man that is no Monster that his
hearts of men though witnessed to without in the Ministry of Prophets and Apostles preaching and writing of it as that in which they were to beleeve in which beleeving according to the Voyces and Scriptures of holy men calling them thereto and beleeved by them they thenceforth and not before were said to beleeve on the Name of God through which beleeving in it they had life but what 's this to evince the Writing to be that Word â—hus spoken thus written of which was another thing which was as truly beâ—eeved in to life before it was written of as after Oh quoth J.O. as were the persons speaking of old so are the Writings now True whence in his own words I argue back ad hominem on him thus As were the persons speaking the Word of God old so are the Writings now Buâ— not the persons preaching no nor yet their preachings and speakings were the Woâ—â— of God they preached and spake of but only means by which men were brought to beleeve in the Word of God What 's Paul what 's Apollos but Ministers by whom ye beleeved 1 Cor. 4.5 Therefore the Writings now are not the Word of God written of but only an outward means by which men are brought to beleeve in another thing then the â—ritings for life even in the Word of faith nigh in their own hearts which the Prophets and Apostles preached and wrote of that iâ— order to life men should beleeve in it I.O. And now as to that Text Heb. 4.12 which thou citest also p. 85. reciting the words of it which are these The Word of God is quick and powerful or as thou there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living and effectual sharper than any two-edged swâ—rd piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Rep. I cannot but stand almost astonished at thy stupidity in expounding that Text of Scripture of the Text of Scripture and of that terme there the Word of God of the Book called the Bible which the business of thy Book is mostly about sith the efficacy and power of the Word here spoken of is far beyond that of the Letter or Scripture it self the inefficacy and weakness of which I have shewed above specially abstract from the Spirit and Light within in which way thou asserts the sufficiency of it witness thy own words above rehearsed as to any such mighty matters as are here mentioned Is the Letter the Scripture sharper then any two-edged sword to divide asundâ—r soul and spirit c. a diver into a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart what thinkest thou by the two-edged sharp sword that goes out of his mouth that rides the white horse with his vesture dipt in blood and the Armies in heaven following not in Lawn Sleeves Sarcenet Scarffs Sattanical Goâ—ns Canonical Coats Scarlet Formalities White Surplices Velvet Plush black Gippoes and such like Scholastick Superfluities but in fine linnen white and clean i.e. The righteousness of the Saints Rev. 2.12.19 11 12 13 14 15 22. Is it the Letter or is it the Sword of the Spirit a prime part of that Armour of God Armour of Light intimated Rom. 13.12 Eph. 6.11.17 which is the Word of God and the sharp soul-searching heart-piercing living life-giving Word that is here spoken of for it s the Spirit that quickneth the Letter killeth and is dead the Sword of the Spirit is the Spirit or words of Christs mouth which he speaks which are Spirit and life not Leâ—ser which Word of Christ is the Word of God also as Christ himself the Lord that Spirit is 2 Cor. 3. which was in the beginning before Letter was and was with God and was God for the three that bear witness in heaven the Father Word and Spiriâ— are one and all three Spirit and Light and the Letter is none of them all and these without the Letter are effectual and werâ— so before it though T.D. sayes the Spirit was not wont to be effectual without the Letter p. 42. of his 1. Pamph. but the Letter and its revelation is not sufficient and omnibus numeris absolute c. as J.O. darkly divines to effect and perfect all things as to Gods glory and our salvation of it self so that there 's no need at all of any other witness or revelation by the Spirit and Light within T.D. indeed if any save such as are bewitcht and befooled already would be such fools as to follow his foolish fancy would and what Parish Preachers do not the like make men beleeve by his non-sensical blinde wayes of proving it as if it were so at leaâ—t and that is a little more moderate then I.Os. boundless elevation of the Letter which hee makes little less than All in All that the Spirit was not wont to be effectual without the Letter in proof of which his false Assertion â—e urges Rom. 10.17 the same Text that I.O. wrests the same way Faith which is the Spirits work quoth he in the forenamed page comes by hearing hearing by the word of God which terme the Word of God there T.D. and I.O. and their Adjutants generally take to be the Scripture Text though if any measure of right reason did Rule in them they might see in the same Chapter that the Word of faith by which it comes is that they preached to be brought nigh in mens hearts and moâ—ths by God himself that there they might both hear and do it Deut. 30.13 but so far is his Position from having any truth in it as much as he stands up agâ—inst R.H. who justly withstands him in it that if his own eyes were but half open he could not but see the flat falsehood of it yea it is so palpable that before all the world I will here lay down the very contrary as the truth viz The Spirit was wont to be effectual without the Letter And why he should lose any of his Authority power and efficacy by mens writings as they were moved by him he is either wiser then I that can tell or else very fond in asserting what he can tell no reason for And that the Spirit or Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God whether we understand it of Christ himself that Spirit 2 Cor. 3. that quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 who is called the Word of God Rev. 19.13 or the Spirit of God and Christ which is so called also Eph. 6.17 was wont to be effectual without the Letter of old before there was any Letter for him to work by is so clear that t were to light a candle to see the Sun by to go about to prove it yea as I.O. sayes in a case that is clear I mean clear contrary to what he asserts in it Ex. 3. s. 31. so say I in this ad Solem caecutiâ—â— necesse est c. he must be so blinde as not to see the Sun
foreknown faith or unbeleef to be scarce one of a thousand telling us a new-found world of men in the Moon of their own fancies and making the Letter which they call the Word the Foundation of that World which God hath set up in this World so I.O. doth p. 48. as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Wheel within a Wheel his Church and asserting the term World Ioh. 3 to denote the Elect a few in it only as T.D. at the second dayes Disptute at Sandwich to which he had his answer much what to the Tunâ— as follows that if by the World the Church or Elect only is meant then those six verses viz. 16 17 18 19 20 21. must be read and rendred thus viz. For God so loved the world of the Elect. that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever in all that world of the Elect beleeveth in him might not perish but have everlasting life For God sent not his Son into the world of the Elect to condemn the world of the Elect but that the world of the Elect through him might be saved He in this world of the Elect that beleeveth on him is not condemned but he in this world of the Elect that beleeveth not is condemned already because he hath not beleeved on the only begotten Son of God as if some of the Elect did beleeve and yet others of their very peremptorily elected ones both to faith and life might not beleeve and so be condemned and perish And this is the condemnation of those elected ones that perish that light is come into the world of the Elect but men elect men love the darkness more then the light because their deeds are evill For every Elect one that doth evill hateth the light neither cometh to the light left his deeds should bee reproved but hee among the Elect that doth truth commeth to the light that his deeds may bee manifested to bee wrought in God Much more was replied to T.Ds. dream then then shall bee repeated in this page because I am here in talk with I.O. to another purpose about the Letter which is not a little served by the inserting of so much of it here as occasion is the universality of this true light I.O. owns to bee the Letter may be transiently touched upon again before the end only thus I say here to that absurdity of T.D. who is not alone in it it being the doctrine of most of our Modern Protestant Divines the odness of which which I need not bid any one that is well in his wits to behold I shall leave to all men among whom if any will bee ignorant let him be ignorant if any be honest he will see it in due time that the word World which is sometimes used to express the whole fabrick of the Vniverse Matth. 16.26 and sometimes when predicated of persons all men good and bad as here Ioh. 3.1.16 17 19. and sometimes for the major part of men which are the worst lying in wickedness and wondring after the beast or at best in but a form of Christianity 1 Ioh 5. Rev. 13. and sometimes for the whole Race of the wicked abstract from the Righteous seed which are the fewest Ioh. 17. yet I here summon all men in the World to shew so much as one Text wherin is used to express a minor part of men unless by an Hyperbole as Behold the World is gone out after him or one at all wherein it s used to express the Saints Church or Elect in a sense abstract from or exclusively of the wicked and I shall yeeld they have shewed me more then ever I could yet finde at least though t will be little to disprove the universality of Christs light in all men Till then that that is done not triâ—â—ingly nor seemingly for a shew but solidly seriously conscientiously cogently irresistibly and substantially I must be excused if their mundus electorum ex mundo electus as they speak which is one of the many Chris-cross Round Os that I.O. and T.D. dance together in among other Divines in their Divinity Doctrines do pass for me under that most proper name that I.O. himself gives it of a Wheel in a Wheel indeed But lastly that the universality and large extent of the light Ioh. 3.20 21. said by I.O. to be the Letter is such as the Letter is not adequate unto and therefore cannot be meant by it let the two verses answer it themselves and let the first of them speak first on behalf of both Every one that doth evill hatetht he light neither cometh to the light left his deeds should bee reproved but he that doth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be manifested that they are wrought in God Rep. 1. This light whatever it is is hated avoided aâ—d shunned by every one that doth evil therefore it cannot be the Letter of the Scripture in various respects 1 Because abstract from the Doctrine teaching and light of Christ which is in the heart and conscience the Letter i neither hated nor shunned nor feared by the evil doer nor need be for fear his deeds should be reproved by it for though de jure the Light by the Letter sometimes and sometimes without it manifest evill deeds for the works of the flesh as well as the fruits of the Spirit are manifested the Letter saith and that all that is reproved is manifested by the light not the letter it self and what ever doth make manifest is the light Gal. 5. Eph. 5. yet that by which de facto his deeds i.e. every mans own deeds are reproved if evill and manifested so himself to be good is the light in his conscience without the Letter which as well without the Letter as with it shews moral good and evill and without the Letter ever shews every mans own deeds de facto to himself and that from God as I.O. confesses a man needs no witness without him to assure him that what his conscience speaks it speaks from God c. p. 45. if he be in deceit it will tell him yea in short by this light there Christ shews as he did the woman of Samaria all that ever they did which thing the light as shining without in the Letter only doth not much less the Letter without it for that tells only what men should have done not what de facto they have done within themselves so that evill ones need not much more fear coming to that alone then a Thief in the night need fear being discovered by a dark Lanthorn that hangs up without a candle in it for the Letter alone is but as the Lanthorn and t is as evident that thousands of evill doers who hate the light and dare not come to it are not ashâ—med nor afraid of comming near the Letter they couzen cheat are bloody cruel proud and wicked steal lye swear commit adultery c. yet read hear love to look in the Letter buy Bibles applaud it preach
Truth Law Doctrine or Commandement which is a Light and Lamp is within as Rom. 10.8 witnesses it for me so my two Antagonists I.O. and T.D. do both from the Testimony of that very Text testifie the same with it and me against themselves the one viz. T D. sying p. 30 31. of his 1. Pamph. 't is evident that the word spoken of in the heart Rom. 10.8 is meant of the matters contained in the Scriptures for the Apostle sayes expresly that is the Word of faith which wee preach whereby it seems by your selves the Letter is neither the Word there said to be nigh in the heart and mouth nor yet the Word of faith the Apostles preached but some other thing that was actually properly truly and formally within the heart even the holy Word Law Light Truth Spirit of Truth and Doctrine which wee together with the Scripture do testifie unto and you contrary both to us and the Scripture are continually testifying against and the other viz. I.O. saying Ex. 1. s 40. The Word in us is that Word of faith the Apostles preached but they preached nothing but what was written by Moses and the Prophets Rom. 16.26 yea that that Word was a Word written the Apostle professedly testifies in that place vers 10. 2. The Scripture is nigh us in our hearts and mouth not in respect of the Letter written or the Scripture formally considered as written but of the divine Truth or as it contains and holds forth the divine truth it self Reply V. 11. Thou meanest sure for there the Word Scriptures is named but what of that and who doubts or denies but that the Word in the heart was written as well as preached and testified to by writing as well as by word of mouth but wilt thou ever be so blinde I.O. as to make no difference but when it serves thy turn to do it as thou thinkest against the truth for then thou makest a difference See p. 12. 13. between the Word written Doctrine declared and Declaration Book and Truth Scripturam rem scriptam preaching and thing preached publication and will of God published proclamation of good things and the tidings or good things proclaimed and told of Suppose a man should stand at a Market-cross or in Cheapside and preach publish or proclaim by Word of mouth or set up a Bill or Writing that there is special good Wheat Bread Flesh or the like laid up under the custody of the Lieutenant of the Tower enough for all the poor starvelings of the rich City of London where the more shame and wo to the rich Gluttons in it they ly perishing about the streets by him freely to be dispenced who is sealed or authorised to that end to give to all comers according to their wants or in a time of distress or danger that there is safety in the Tower for all that are willing to run in thither within so many dayes or else the gates shall be shut for thus the Publishers of the glad Tidings of the Gospel of peace and salvation by Christ the Light alone and his Spirit and Light which reproves sin is the heart do declare both by Voyce and Letter or Writing in their times as he himself Isa. 45.22 Look to me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth viz. That in him who is the Light is the life of men to be had and not in the Letter which rather killeth Hee is the strong Tower where safety alone is Him hath God sealed to be the giver of the bread of life and the meat that endureth to eternal life to all that come to him in that time wherein he shines in his Light Now if people should run only to the Cryer and hang alwayes on the hearing of his voice or stand reading the good news in the writing he hath set up doting on and delighting only to read that day by day because its comfortable as it tells of good things and never at all according to the counsel thereof betake themselves to the Tower where they only are might they not stand there poring till they perish pine and starve and would they not lose time and perhaps totally withstand it and would yee judge them to bee well in their wits if they should run up and flock all together to the Proclamation or bare Writing supposing to injoy the things themselves though they never look after the said Lieutenant spinning out the time limited in looking upon the writing and so far dote as our Dr doth that the coming to the Scriptures is the only proper way of coming to Christ himself which he counsels us to Rev. 3. as to think that their comming to that Paper every day is their next way to the Tower their very only proper going to the Lieutenant that is required Mutatiâ— mutandis de te fabula the case is your own O ye untaught better fed then taught Teachers it is yours O ye more letter-lauding then letter-learning Preachers and Priest-admiring people Christ is come from God that men might have life and have it abundantly calls all to look and come to him for it yee like the old Scribes search the Scriptures and therein look for the eternal life because they are they that testifie of it and of him who is the life but yee will not come to him that yee may have the life Ioh. 5.35 c. 2. What need I say more but with T.D. and I.O. to heed and beleeve themselves because they are so dull of hearing that they will neither heed nor beleeve the Qua. for they give the cause in Question between the Qua and them about the Scripture or the Letters being the World of faith or light shining in the dark place of mens hearts which Peter sayes men are to take heed to which said dark place that is the heart and consâ—ience where by their own confession so gross a thing as a formal outward Letter cannot come but only some more subtil thing then that is even a spiritual light as that is not is as evident in the Text as the Word and Light it speaks of is to him that is not blinde for the dark place wherein the Word and Light here is said to thine is the same wherein as the Light is taken heed to the day dawns and the day star i.e. Christ him self arises first as that bright and morning star Rev. 2.28 whereby the day spring from on high visits such as sate in darkness Luke 1.78 79. and at last as the Sun of righteousness it self Mal. 4.2 but that is said expresly to be the heâ—rt so far as from Ioh. 1.5 we argue Where the spiritual darkness is which comprehends not the Light within which darkness the light shines There the true light shineth but that is within in the conscience of all men therefore there the true light in some measure is shining As if the dark place within which the Sun shines be a room within
in it is the Word of God as T. 2. c 2 s. 5.6 that tam in esse reali as cognoscibili Ex 1 s. 1. the Scripture both is and doth infallibly evidence it self unto the consciences of men that are not blinde to be assuredly the Word of God See his first Title page and T. 1. c. 4. s. 1. and that men that beleeve not as he implicitly beleeves in this being obliged so to beleeve upon the penalty of eternal damnation at the peril of their own eternal ruine and such like are left unexcusable in their damnable unbeleef T. 1. c s. 5. T. 1 c. 3. s 6. T. 1 c 4. s. 14. and who saith That his chief business with the Qua. is de noveine Scripturae proprio Ex. 1. s. 1 2 3. about the proper name of the Scripture and to stablish it under that glorious Title the Word of God as that proper name of it which the chief business committed by Satan to the Qua. that they rejoyce in is to spoyl it of yea how will all those figurative forms of speech list I.O. out of that Quâ—gmire wherein he sticks and into which he hath rashâ—y run himself by his hasty quarrelling with the Qua. who is far from being satisfied if the Truth and Doctrine of the Scriptures be confessed to be sufficiently declared in the Scripture unless he be infallibly assured that every Tittle and Iota as it was at first written stands truly transcribed in his Copies of it and so far from being satisfied if by a figure it should be granted as it need not for it s no where called so that the Scripture is the Word of God that he professes Ex. 1.34 that if that Declaration that Writing which declares the minde and will of God be not the Word of God he knows not what is the Word of God if he may not call the Scriptures by that name the Word of God is so far Ignorant of any name else to call it by as to call out to the Qua. to tell him what to call it if he may not call it by that name Si hoc non sit verbum Dei quoth I. O ego nescio quid sit aut deceant nos Fanatici quid illud dicendum sit c if the declaration of the will of God i.e. the Scripture be not the Word of God I know not what it is or let the Fanaticks teach us what we may call it these and many more to the like Tune are the eminent Titles which I.O. not by a metonymy but in truth as their proper priviledge and real right attributes in words at length and not in figures to the outer Scriptures these are the lofty terms wherein in throughout all his Treatises he treats on their behalf not with all others only that are his Opposers in other matters but with the Qua. also who own the Scripture in its own proper name use and place and own the Truth written of to be the Word much more then he doth himself but about the Scriptures oppose him only as to these his childish thoughts Such are the high rigid unrighteous strickt streins he stands upon and stickles in and that so stifly that he is minded either to win all or lose all and if he be not owned as stiling of the Scripture truly and properly when he stiles it by the names of other things which truly and properly it is not he will no more own it under its own true and proper names of writing Letter Scripture but make himself altogether ignorant of these as if hee had quite forgotten and could in no wise call to minde that hee hath any other names at all whereby it can be called save those undue ones of his own imposing Now when a man begins to swell out with his wind of Doctrine into such a bubble as knows no bounds its time to blow him out and when he grows into such a giddy greedy hydropical humour as not to know what ground he stands on nor how to stand still and sit down satisfied when hee is well nor well to understand when he hath enough nor to slack his thirst with a just and lawful allowance its good Venienti occurre morbo Danda est elleboritali pars maxima Avaro As there is no reason that he should have all he desires so it s but reason that his brain be purged from such excrements as occasion such extraordinary extravagancies that if he will never be otherwise then so fantastically Fanatical yet hee may insanire cum ratione be moderated at least as to his height of madness be taken down a peg or two and brought from his high Garret into a lower Story about the Scriptures that if he will have no nay but they must needs be call'd the Word it may be no otherwise then the Cup is called the Wine which though by a Metonymy the Wine is sometime called the Cup yet is never or very seldome if at all For my part I am free rather then he shall take on ad ravimusque and cry himself hoarse and wrong himself as he doth with so much wrangling and restless wrestling for the Letter which he more loves to talk of then lives the life of and longs for so that is not likely he will be at quiet unless we still him by piping to the same tune with him at least a little to please him so far to his profit in order to the saving of his longing as to allow him a little i.e. so much leave as by the foresaid Figure to call the Glass window or the Lanthorn the Light which in truth and properly are not so but as that Taylor which having an inch of cloath granted him for his minds sake about so much as will serve for a pattern incroaches so as to steal an ell or enough to make a suit of and from Top to Toe cloaths himself therewith accordingly wouâ—d have no wrong to have his goodly garment torn off or else beaten well upon his back with his own yard so if I.O. who begs the whole question be not pleased with his poor pittance which yet is the largest allowance that Truth it self allows us to allow him but will be a chuser as Beggars must not be and his own Carver and carve out the Scriptures which is more then salva veritate we can give him or he can justly take on him to do into no less then a patern a lydium lapidem a touch stone of all Truth a standard for all Spirits even that of God by which it and all Spirits and Scriptures else are to be tried to be most truly tâ—ied by a Rule an immoveable stable perfect the most perfect the only Rule of Gods worship and our obedience in matters of faith and manners as Ex. 3. s. 20 24 25. Ex. 1. s. 5 6. Ex. 3. s. 32. Ex. 4. s. 17. so that since the Churches compleating of its Canon no Revelations internal Spirit and consequently not that
is not shewed by any thing but it self and rectum is ever mensura sui obliqui that which is infallibly right is the Rule and measure of manifestation of it self and of all the wrong and not retro any wrong darke crooked doubtful or fallible thing the Rule of that so the Spirit and Light of God by and from which and that but remotely too through mens hands the Letter had at first and now through fallible mens hands hath all its being is the Rule of trial for it self and of the Letter and of all false Spirits Prophets Doctrines c. yea it self and all things are made manifest by the Light whether approveable or reprovable works of flesh or fruits of the Spirit as the Letter sayes of it Gal. 5. Eph. 5. yea what ever doth make manifest as the Letter never doth or can without the Light and the Light doth often and did thousands of years without the Letter and before it was it is the Light And if any other should yet of all men I.O. cannot charge this on me as an Idem per Idem to say by the Spirit of God and the Light alone we must Try the true Light and Spirit and the false Spirits and pretences to the names of Light also for I say no more in it then the truth of the true light and spirit which himself sayes most falsely of the Letter when p. 51. he asserts it to be the Rule and Standard the Touchstone of all speakings whatsoever that that must speak alone for itself which must try the speaking of all but it self yea it s own also I.Os. 6. Argument to prove the Scripture and nothing else the only most perfect Rule and Standard is this viz. Ea omnia quae examinari probari debent c. All those things which ought to be examined and tried yea which we are commanded to try tanquam ad lydium lapidem as 't were by some infallible Touchstone by the Scripture whether they are true and agreeable to divine verity or not with free liberty yea absâ—lute necessity of rejecting them if not consentaneous to Scriptures those neither apart nor joyntly considered can be the Rules or Directories of Gods worship our faith and obedience nor are upon their own account at all to be credited But all Revelations Visions Spirits Dreams Enthusiasms we are commanded so to try examine and prove Therefore those are no Rules that are of themselves to be credited Rep. That Argument the minor of which is most false and supposes that infallible Spirit of God to bee now subjected as some underling to a fallible Letter now transcribed by weak men is founded on this Text 1 Iob. 4.1 and two more only beside those above spoken to viz. 1 Cor. 14.21 and 1 Thess. 5.21 The first of which I know nor why I.O. cites it it proving nothing to his purpose because Paul there quotes a Text out of the Law or Letter saying In the Law it s written with men of other tongues and lips will I speak to this people i.e. to the Drunkards of Ephraim yet they will not hear which first part hath not a tittle for him but the latter part of it much more against him then he is ware of being not wise enough well to weigh it And the second Text with the two verses before viz. Quench not the Spirit despise not Prophesyings prove all things rather against him that the Spirit which is there mentioned and not the Letter at all is that by which all things are to be proved What is said above to that Text in Iohn shall as well it may stand as answer to the said sixth Argument with this only addition that if we must go to the Scripture for the trial of all spirits even Gods as well as others then le ts go no further at first however then that in hand which tells us that the true Church who is written to in that verse wherein nor in any about it there 's not the least hint about the Letter had a secret taken whereby to know the Spirit of truth and the Spirit of errour versâ— 6. which the world and its Priests and people have not vers 2â— Every Spirit quoth he that confesseth Iesus Christ to be come in the flesh is of God and every Spirit that confesseth not this is not of God and this is the Spirit of Antichrist whereof ye have heard it should come and even now is iâ— already in the world Riddle me I. O. if it be within thy reach and from thence tell me which are the true which the false Spirits which Christs and Gods which Antichrists they that confess Christ Jesus to be come in the flesh as the â—uardo or they that deny the Saviour the Anointed to be come in the flesh as from the Pope to the least outside or nominal Christian and meer literal beleiver and professor among the most reformed Protestants save they who beleeve and live in the internal light and Spirit with one accord all do Looking at talking of belâ—eving the History of expecting justification sanctification righteousness salvation all from Christ only as he was made a man of outwaâ—d flesh and blood without them And if I. O. say in vindication of himself in this that that is the confession of Jesus Christ to be come in flesh which every spirit that makes is of God to beleeve the story of the Incarnation Life Suffering Death Resurrection c that is all truly related in the Letter without as 't was done in a figure of what was to be further and more spiritually and mystically transacted in his true body the Church whereof he is the head with a confident application of him and of the benefit of all the righteousness he did in that person by every man to himself as by way of computation and imputation before he hath it indeed imparted or conveyed into himself for this is T.Ds. and the whole brood of the back side beleevers and the Bastard Christians saith and confession of Christ to be come in the fleâ—h on the account of which they hope they are of God and shall be saved though they are far from witnessing or confessing the same Christ who is the Wisdome Righteousness Light Power Salvation and Image of God to be begotten conceived formed born brought serth incarnated risen from the dead living and dwelling within themselves where he hath lyen slain as an innocent Lamb from the foundation of the world in their hearts which therefore is to perish with the lust thereof which inward witness of the Words incarnation and dwelling in themselves they that were of God of old had Iob. 1.14 The Word was made flesh and dwels in us and we saw his glory and all now have who are of God and have not the vain hope of the hypocrite only which is as the giving up the Ghost when God comes to take aâ—â—y his soul Job but that hope 1 Iob. 3.3 which is
an Anchor to the soul sâ—re and stedfast entring into that within the vail Heb 6.18 19 20. which is Christ himself in us the hope of glory Col 1.27 known by them to be in all them who are not Reprobates 2 Cor. 13 〈◊〉 and still in that transgression and in that condemnation which hath past already upon them and is not now to them that are in Christ walking no more after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 I say if I.O. judge with T.D. and others that that faith and confession ad extra only is the faith and confession of Christs Incarnation Resurrection c. which proves them to be of God who have it and them to be Antichristian spirits who have it not Let him tell me whether there be any Antichrists in Christendome yea or nay I have hitherto taken it that our Divines say the Antichrists properly are no where else and that there are many more Antichrists then true Christians naturâ non nomine in the world called Christian but seriously I know not where to finde them if I.Os. trial judgement and discerning of Spirits by the very Scriptures themselves bee not very dark and undiscerning and confused nor what Spirits or Prophets throughout all Christendome are not of God since Papists and Protestants of all sorts Prelatical Presbyterian Independent Baptists Seekers Kanters and all other that I know of as well as Qua. who only of all the rest witness that true inward saving good confession of the Lord Iesus with the mouth and beleeving in the heart that God raised him from the dead as feeling him living there within themseâ—ves to which the promise of salvation is made Rom. 10.9 and which every Spirit that witnessesh is of God 1 Joh. 4.2 do together with the Qua. who own and deny not that as there bee some that falsely lay of them all confess and really beleeve the truth of the outward History of Christs coming in the flesh of that person that was born at Bethlem that lived and dyed and rose again at Jerusalem according to the true Relation of the outward Scriptures and do also apply him and all his by that faith they have in the story of that person and in the person at a distance from them though never feeling the power of his Light Righteousness and holy life within themselves but I wot whether I.O. will own all these Spirits Prophets and Professors to be cordial beleevers or all such confessors of that outward Incarnation and Resurrection of Christ from the dead to be all of God or not and in a present state of salvation thereupon and not one of the outwardly beleeving Christ-confessing Spirits Prophets Priests and Professors abovesaid whereof the most are very prophane false deceitful Liars Swearers Couzeners Cheaters Drunkards Riotous Gluttâ—ns Belly-gods Wantâ—ns Whoremongers Idolaters Covetous Proud persecutors of Christ every way abominable and unchristian in their lives few or none of which beleeve so much as that they must necessarily or can possibly be purged perfectly from their sins till they dyâ— to be at all Antichristian If he say nay these all shall not be saved then the said outward faith in and confession of Christ as without them is not saving If hee say yea then first where is his personal election 2 What need any personal sanctification of us as to our salvation what was personally in that man only that dyed and rose at Ierusalem is enough for us so that none needs reside in us let us eat and drink when we dye we shal be saved and live for ever Moreover what hath been said above may stand as a sufficient answer over the head of I Os. fourth Agument which as most of them are one with another in many matters in proof of which he cites over and over again the same Texts so that one cannot well make a full end with one Argument without some transition into another is very much coincident with this The summe of which fourth is this viz. If it be often commanded by God that we attend diligently to the Scriptures left we be turned aside from the truth and right knowledge of himself by seducing spirits vain Revelations false teachers c. then the Scripture is the most perfect Rule c. but the first true therefore the other Ex. 3 f.31 The Texts that prove the minor of this Argument quoth he are so clear and plain that ad solem caecutiat necesse est c. he must needs be blinde toward the Sun it self who Assents not to them in some of which also quoth he the certitude of the sacred Word that is the Scripture still with I.O. is preferred before the certitude as to the Churches use even of true Revelations and miraculous Rep Yet two of them viz 2 Tim. 3.13 14 15 16. 2 Pet. 1.19 many times a peece over repeated and supposed to supply almost every turn of I.O. how they serve not his turn at all is abundantly above discovered whereupon I here quit them Another is so much misquoted viz. 2 Ioh. 11.5 6 10. that as plain and clear as the Sun as it is he must be better skill'd then I that knows where to finde it at all Two more there are that make as much to I.Os. purpose as any two well-nigh can do that speak contrary to it and those are Ioh. 5.47 2 Thess. 2.2 The words of the first which with those of 46. vers are Christs to the Scribes are these Had ye beleeved Moses yee would have beleeved me for he wrote of me but if ye beleeve not his writings how shall ye beleeve my words Christ by true Revelations of it from the Father to him truly revealed the Fathers will to the Scribes which they received not from him but hated him for Ioh. 8.40 12.49 50.14.31 saying of Christ Wee are none of his we are Moses Disciples we know God spake to Moses as for this fellow we know not whence he is Joh. 5 45 46 47. Christ tells them in effect that for all their prate and pretence to Moses as their Tutor he rather was their Accuser in whom they trusted sith they in truth beleeved not Moses for a minori ad majus did you indeed beleeve Moses ye would much more beleeve me quoth he for he wrote of me he sent directed and pointed you to me for so he did Deut. 18.15 saying of Christ A Prophet will God raise to you c. him shall ye hear in all he sayes who hears him not shall be cut off from his people Act. 3.22 23.7.47 But if you beleeve not his writings wherein ye are bid to hear me as the greater of the two as the Son in the house where he was but the servant then ye cannot beleeve my words The summe in short is this hee that heeds Moses writings must hear me for Moses bids them do so he that beleeves what I say doth what Moses sayes he that beleeves either beleeves both he
heavy on themselves is to be seen in a book of E.B. stiled a Word of Reproof where hee mentions about fifty sad examples of Gods vengeance on the Qua enemies where Dean Owen is also marked out for no great good but his excessive pride to which I refer thee And to this very day the Righteous God every morning brings his Righteous Iudgements to light but the unjust knows no shame Another Argument whereby I.O. would prove the Scripture to be the Word of God is on this wise I. O. It will easily appear to any one that never so sleightly reads it that the holy Scripture is by the holy Spirit very often indigitated by that name So p. 117. in every place it avers it self to be the Word of God So p 140. If the Scripture be what it reveals and declares it sef to be it is then unquestionably the Word of the living God for that is prosesseth of it self from the beginning to the ending Reply 1. In proof of thy Minor thou producest Mar. 7.13 which is nothing at all to such a purpose for its the Commandements written which were Gods commands before they were written and we confesâ— to be the Word of God whether they be written or not that are there spoken of under that Term Word of God and not the Writing or Scripture of the Commandements 2. Exer. 1. s. 28 Thou overturnest thy self clear as to thy minor saying thus Where the Word of God is said to be preached published multiplied received in innumerable places almost the Scripture formally considered is not meant nor intended Which is so though I know thou contradictest this again blaming the Qua. because they allow not the Scripture to bee meant in those innumerable places of Scripture where the Word of God is said to bee preached published and received Ex. 〈…〉 then how canst thou say the Spirit in the Scripture calls the Scripture from one end of it to the other calls the Scripture the Word of God and that the Scripture every where calls it self so Another Argument whereby thou wouldest evince the Scripture to bee the Word of life and so the Rule is a certain absolute necessity vel ad esse to the spiritual being of the Saints that thou fanciest to be in the Scripture saying Ex. 3. s. 39. Non pâ—usopuâ—est victâ—â— vestiâ—â—uâ— vitam haeâ—â—animatem traducamus quam Scripâ—utis 〈◊〉 ejuâ— cognitioâ—â— Dei sâ—iliâ—et atque side in dies â—â—udiamur We have not more need of food 〈◊〉 to the natural life then of the Scriptures to the knowledge of God and â—â—â—th and that its evident that the Qua. have with Less danger and loss assayed to fast forty dayes then they can lead a spiritual life free from deadly sins without the Word of God Rep. Without the Word of God I grant it but the Word still is in the heart and is not the Scripture formally or Lieâ—â—er without which thou with shame enough due if thou takest it to thy self sayest men cannot live spiritually without nor free from sin without As if there were no holy spiritual men that did no iniquity as the world doth or that were free from deadly sins before the Letter was What Letter had Abel Enoch Noah righteous and upright men that walked with God in crooked generations to live by and if they lived without the Letter to God is it as impossible to do so now as to live bodily without food that which is necessary ad esse and not bene esse only must be necessary for them as well as us and so the Word of God is which was before the Letter and which they then had who had not the Scripture yea both outwardly inwardly men live by the Word that proceeds out of Gods mouth else outward bread doth not keep men alive bodily Matth. 6. yea every creature that man lives by must be sanctified by that else it s a curse 1 Tim. 4. And for the Qua. fasting forty dayes without hazard There 's a miracle told by I.O. himself concerning the Qua. if that may convince such as look for miracles yet will not men beleeve 2. More Texts there are used and quoted often over and over again in proof of many particulars respectively about the Text or Scripture not one of which either of them truly serves one jot toward the proving of as namely that it is the Word of God and that so assuredly that who receive 〈◊〉 not as so are inexcusable in damnable unbeleef that that is asserted to bee The Rule and Standard The Touchstone of all speakings whatsoever That which pleads its reception not onely in comparison with but in opposition to all other wayes of coming to the knowledge of Gods minds and will the best and most effectual means of bringing men to Repentance That which all faith and repentance is immediately to be grounded upon Thâ—t by which God gives us greater security against all preâ—ences and pleas of unbeleef to the excluding of them and to the enforcing of beleef as a sure foundation for faith to repose it self upon and more moving then any evident miracle That true voice of God which assertains the soul beyond all possibility of mistake That which not only it self to be discerned from al delusions but determines al Doctrines also propos'd to be beleeved whether they be truths of God or cunningly devised fables more then the most signal miracles imaginable more then that greatest of Miracles even Christs Resurrection and otheâ— mans rising with him from the dead more then any voice from heaven it self not only then one counterfeited by men or Satan in the air but then any True voice of God himself speaking to us from heaven as he spake to Moseâ— or as he spake to Christ yea as safely to be rested in as such aâ— any voice coming from heaven with such divine power as to evidence it self 〈◊〉 be of God and to be rested in as such yea giving greater certainty and security then that voice which came to them in the holy Mouns That Moses and the Prophets which who hears not wiâ— not be perswaded to repent though one arise to them from the dead That which as to its certitude is preferr'd before the certitude of even true and miraculous Revelations That beside whiâ—h after the compleating its Canon no new Revelations about the same faith and worship are to be expected or admitted no more 〈◊〉 it as from the Spirit to bee added which is to stand alone as the only most perfeâ—â— Rule inalterable Standard for the trial of all Doctrines Visions Revelation Spirits Gods own not excepted to which we must stand come and are sent alone to stick stedfast and earnestly attend to without hearing or heeding Angel or Spirit without listning to any new blowings or inspirations of the Spirit which is now imited to the Letter though it was once at liberty and had the licence as well since the Letter was written as before
Peter Paul and the holy men of old wherein is written and transcribed their Witness or Testimony for Iesus which they were moved by his holy Spirit to give out and hold forth whether by word of mouth or writing but the Epistle of Christ written not with inke but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart yea the testimony of Jesus is no less than the Spirit of Prophesie it self Rev. 19.10 and not the writing thou so writest for in which men do but write it and write of it as is shewed above This verbum lumen internum the Word and Light within is that which those that reject it are in that place of Iob 24.13 hinted at by thee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lights Rebels men resisting the Authority which they cannot but be convinced of and not the present letter or letters of the Scripture as thou dotest p. 74. before the writing of one letter or tittle of which outward letter this inward light was though he that lives not by the light lives not by the letter neither which came from it and excepting where men have sould it with the dirt of their mis-transcriptions and mis-translations agrees with it I wonder how much of that Scripture thou so super-eminently adorest and wouldest have the preheminence in prating for it was written when that in Iob was wâ—iâ—ing against which men could be said to Rebel tell me if thou canst and in so doing thou perhaps mâ—yest tell thy self that that was a light within and not a letter without which they then were said to rebel against which letter without as much as thou seemest to wonder at the Qua. for holding the light within in authority equal to it they are not ashamed to set the light above and to say that it is non ejusdem Authoritatis cum Scriptura sea majoris Authoritatis quam Scriptura not in as much but in more Authority then the Scripture neither will all thy Scripture-admiring scrape adde so many cubits to the statute of it as among any but such stocks as stick at nothing but without streining swallow all down for truth that thou tellst them is so to state it in any equality with the light it came from And that the Word we are sent to in Isa. 8. is the living Word and not the dead letter nor mens dead senses thereon interpreting it according to their own private familiar spirits muttering out their own meanings and imposing on people their own cloudy cogitations thereon as Cogent Canons is evident for he calls them off from the dead to the living when they say unto you Seek to them that have familiar spirits and Wizards that peep and mutter should not A people seek to their God for the living to the dead to the Law to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because the morning light is not to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so it s more truly rendred then thus there 's no lightin them which mis-translation many not knowing the Hebrew and many knowing it not heeding make no little ado against the lights being in all men and to as little purpose for it s no light to him and not no light in him and we know a light may be in a room under a bushel and so not shine out unto it And that by Moses and the Prophets to which Christ directs as the most effectual means of bringing men to repentance and that all faith and repentance is immediately to be grounded on is not meant their meer outward writing it evident for all men that need repentance have not that yea if the Scripture it seâ—f and that alone be that men are sent to by which the Doctrines to beleeved must be tried whether they be truths of God or fables and upon which all faith and repentance must be grounded what must become of those twenties to one in the world to whom God never vouchsafed so much as a sight of those their Writings if thy Divination from hence I.O. be as true as 't is sure enough to some its but a dream one of these things must be true as concerning such viz. either I. They need no faith nor repentance as they do or 2. They must be accepted with God and saved without either faith or repentance as they cannot or 3. Both beleeve and repent without any ground at all for the doing of either and so build a castle in the aire without any foundation or bottome which how impossible it is or how well it would stand if it were possible so to build it an Idiot may imagine or 4 perish and be damned for ever by and from the living God for not doing that which they had never any ground at all given them from God whereupon to do it and so absit blasphemia be cursed for ever for not acting what they were never put into any capacity to act and absit tibi Domine ne tale quippiam facias exercendo Pharonis tyrannidem absit tibi an non Iudex totiusterrae exerceresjus be sorely beaten for not making as great a tale of brick without any straw at all as would have been expected from them if they had had straw enough and be punisht for not effecting impossibilities But thy faith about that Scripture being but the festisious fruit of thy own fancy and thy Divination from it but the divinity of a divine that dreameth we need not in the dark iun upon any of these ragged Rocks having a more sure way then any of these in the light made so plain before us that unless we chuse so to do as some do we cannot split our selves upon them for as all men having sinned need faith and repentance so they have a more effectual means of bringing them to repentance and a more immediate ground to build their faith and repentance on then the naked outward Writings of Moses and the Prophets which thou here makest the ground of all faith and repentance not mentioning the Apostles as if thou hadst forgot them whose writings thou makest a joynt peece of the foundation in other places p. 33 34. or then the meer outward writings of the Apostles either together with them and that ground is no other but the self-same which the writings of all these bear one joint Testimony unto viz. the measure of Gods grace in every ones heart that teacheth to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts such as will learn of it and io live soberly justly and godly in this present world appearing to all men to that end bringing salvation along with it to such as submit to be taught by it 2 Tit. 1.17.14 called the riches of Gods goodness Rom. 2. which such as thou art despise to their own ruine not knowing it s given to lead to repentance the Law Light Doctrine Truth Spirit Word Writing and Testimony of God himself in the heart and conscience
did not chuse the fear of the Lord would none of my counsel set at naught all my reproof which otherwise you should have found to have been the way of life I am in Christ reconciling the world to my self not imputing trespasses and I have sent out a Ministry to declare this my Reconciliation to the world as concerning all that 's past if they now do not 〈…〉 and abide in enmity I am friends unless they will needs fight on and fight it out with me to the last and then they will have the worst 〈◊〉 I have made him sin that knew none that they might be righteousness who are yet in their sins I have given him a Ransome for All and he hath offered himself and died for All that were dead in their sins and tasted death for every man Now then hear my Embassadors that pray you without as in my Sons stead who also himself by his Spirit strives with you to the same end within that ye would be reconciled to God and having those promises and received so much Grace as brings Salvation with it to such as despise it not receive not this precious Grace of God in vain but â—korse your selves from all uncleanness of 〈◊〉 spirit perfecting Holiness in the fear of God I have draâ—n you with the cords of my love ye will perish if ye refuse to return I say are ye not ashamed to go out as from God in whose name yet I am sure ye never went with the Doctrines that here under follow to publish to all people as Ambassadors from him his so large love and the great and wonderful things that he doth for the whole Creation of mankind saying What can he do more for you People the he doth unless you will have him violate his own unchangeable will for your sakes and save sinners in sin which he hath decreed never to do as irrevocably as he hath never to refuse such as come to him when he calls and hath enabled them thereunto And yet after all this good news glad tidings to the whole world offers of a Gospel of Salvation to all people as far as ye are able to proclaim them then to come in with such cold comfort again upon them as this and put such a Bit into peoples Iaws and bridle on their mouths â—â—nsing them to erre so as to go Round and tell them that of a truth and for truth they must take it from them and believe it as an Article of their Faith as Oâ—bâ—dox Doctrine that they are Heretical if they deny it viz. that though ye thus largely tender and offer Salvation from God to them All without exception on condition they come and so that if they come they shall be accepted and there 's Grace Mercy a Saviour and Salvation for them in Christ in whom they are All to believe even every mothers child of them for himself that it s there for him that he died for him and is his Saviour which is the only good news to individuals and to the universal world of mankind also for it s no glad tidings to a thousand to one in the World to hear that Christ will save some one of a thousand among them and damn All the rest or All the rest he is preached to doubly by his coming into it because they believe not in him who yet was never given for them and this on pain of double condemnation And though ye reveal this to them as the Will of God yet there 's no such matter of Vniversal Love or Salvation intended to them All as ye tender extend talk of proclaim and offer from God to them All but his Will in secret is otherwise then ye say these proffers are to another purpose then to this intent that they All or half of them either or any but a very few of them should have it even but to leave men the more in sorer condemnation though ye bid All come and welcome yet All can't come nay none without God who calls give his Saving Grace that 's true enough and most can never come for want of that Saving Grace for want of a sufficient Light to lead them which Grace and Light they want also upon no other account then because God never did nor never intends to vouchsafe it them and that he hath a reserve in his mind a certain secret will within himself not known to man which runs otherwise then his revealed wil does that ye declare even a secret purpos which yet as secret as 't is ye it seems pretend to know it and must be babling about it to the shaming and contradicting your selves i th' t'other even to give this Salvation but to a certain small number in comparison of the rest whom from Eternity he hath Reprobated and purposed personally upon Adams score shall go without it which sin of that single man shall so remain on the score with him for ever that upon the account thereof a thousand to one of mankind his posterity though yet he would in words shew himself more rich in mercy to them All then severe to take advantage against any â—o as to have it told thus in universal terms that his Son died for them All for every man the whole world c. should be left without any interest or share in it or potential title thereunto and howbeit he will have them all call'd to come and lay hold on it and promises made of Life to them on condition they come and believe in his Son and his love to them in him yet he so hates them personally before ever born or doing good or evil that they shall never from him be sufficiently impowered to come or believe as he could impower them if he so pleased nor be put into any capacity by him to châ—se the Life though set before them as well as the death with a chuse life that ye may live but be left for want of a will set at any liberty to chuse the good under a necessity of having the evil and to chuse either that or none and yet if they do not chuse the good too that advantage shall be taken the more against them to double vengeance on their heads for that helpless unavoidable fault of refusing the good and a quarrel picâ—t against them upon the account of the old intended praeterition and so double execution be done upon them now as rebellious against the Gospel of Gods Grace whereby he would in words alias seemingly though secretly he never would nor intended it have saved them and for not believing in his Son as theirs when yet he left them lockt up when he call'd on them to believe so fast that he knew they could not answer and would not so much as unâ—o se them neither to see if they would accept his love believe repent and make use of the remedy yea or nay in whom also if they had All believed most of them had as the case
well as for any and that there is this good ground for each particular man to believe it for himself because All without exception of any sinner in the World that does not exclude himself by his not coming are freely without respect of persons invited to come and this ground also that as he is truly without mâ—ckage held out to All and All bid to come so God is willing they should come and have the Salvation and to that end hath sent his Son not to condemn but save them and his Son his Ministers to intreat them to be willing as he is and reconciled to him as he is to them and they declare from him according to Gods words in the Scripture that he died for aâ—l and every man is a Propitiation for the sins of the whole World and died for the ungodly and came to save them and heal the sick and seek the lost and such like and therefore every man may conclude its for him one as well as another that can say he is a man lost sick sinful ungodly and of the World and that God hath also wrought in them of his good Pleasureâ— to will and to do and therefore now they must up and be doing and work out their salvation which if it be not wrought out God hath done his part and the fault is only in their own particular persons and yet in Adam too and God is no hard Master but hath given to every one one talent at least which if he hides he will be cast into utter darkness and weep and gnash his teeth at the remembrance of it that once he might have been happy had he not been wanting to himself and been an unprofitable servant with what he had and had not in his own person still Mark put the Salvation from him and hated the Light and instruction and that God requires of men but the improvement of his own and much more to this purpose which all is sound true plain wholesome and saving Doctrine And then to come with a new tale whereby all the good grounds before laid for every man that is called thereto to come and believe upon are utterly razed and removed and to tell them that though all are call'd invited outwardly yet an hundred to one are by a Decree in Gods secret Counsel so secluded by Adams sin that they cannot come nor have any right to Christ he did not so much as die for them but for some Elect ones nor offer himself for the most but a few though God indeed sayes All every man sinners ungodly the lost the whole world and makes offers to all where his Gospel is preached yet by All and such like universal terms we must understand God and Christ meaning another matter far otherwise then they say for in innumerable places where God says Omnis All it s the Elect only one of a thousand he means so I.O. 't is an usual thing for God and Christ to speak words of a doubtful sense If we object But it s the most ordinary and literal sense of the words and the very letter of the words so imports Tush Tush quoth T.D. never talk of that man I tell thee 't is usual with Christ to speak words of doubtful sense so that his meaning may be mistaken when his words are taken in the most ordinary and literal sense and so 't would be here if by every man we should understand every individual man I know and confess the words import so John 1.9 but the indefinite phrase so T.D. calls it though every man is an universal hath a restrained sense as elsewhere in the Scripture Christ tasted death for every man when as he died but for a certain number and the meaning of those words cannot be as the letter of them dâ—th import for then the Scripture would contradict it self but it must be if not in the other way in which I said it might me then in this way as I say that every man is not every individual man so T.D. And besides as God intends not the Salvation to all it s offered to so all it s offered to on pain of sorer condemnation if they believe it cannot believe it nor accept it and he offers it to All upon condition of acceptance Indeed could you suppose that all would take him at his word and accept his offer they should have the benefit thereof but that must not be supposed on pain of being Heretical in the Faith for 't is not Orthodox that men can come to God when he calls them nor accept of what he proffers nor believe in him whom he bids them believe in that he died for them in particular whom if they should believe in that 't is so then 't is so in deed in truth that he died for them else not as if he died not for sinners qua sinners and lost but qua believers which is absurd for men must have this first as a ground to believe upon that he died for them because for All every one sinners ungodly lost Rom. 4. Rom. 5. while yet sinners otherwise they have no ground on which to believe nor can any man that does believe with any Faith save that which is but meer fancy believe that Christ died for him in particular but as he died for All. For thus a man may safely conclude Christ died for every man for sinners lost ungodly the whole world therefore for me But bid a man believe Christ died for him in particular tell him he died not for All but for one of a thousand the Elect only and tell him also as T.D. does the Maisters know not the Elect and ye cannot assure him he is that one of a thousand one of those few Elect ones nor he himself neither know or be assured of it till after he believes it and ye utterly take away the ground he is to believe upon for he will argue thus rationally against you or expostuâ—ate with you to the shewing of your exhorting him to believe to be a piece of frivolous foolery Arg. Ye bid me believe Christ died for me has Salvation for me which God by you offers to me and you call me to come to him for it as that which without hypocrisie or feignedness God would have me to enjoy being not willing I should perish But what ground would ye have me to come upon or of assurance I shall be welcome or accepted in my acceptance or of believing assuredly that God is really willing I should have it Ans. It s sufficient for all Arg. That 's not the Question I doubt not but there 's sufficiency enough in Christ to save All to the utmost that come to God by him but what 's that to me that 's not a sufficient ground for me to believe upon many things are sufficient for many things to many more men then are ere the better for them as some greedy Grandees have many thousand pounds a year
which is sufficient for an 100 honest men to live honestly upon but he that shall go upon that account to feed and live at one of their Tables may for all that be likely thrust out as an Intruder but can you tell me the glad tidings that that is for me if so I 'le believe it and accept it and come with all my heart if you can lay a ground for me to be confident on that I may if I come not be more bold then welcome Ans. All are invited and call'd to come and call'd freely fully without exception to believe therefore why not thou Arg. But Friends though all be called to come and welcome to God by you who say ye are his Ministers Is this in sincerity and truth or in hypocrisie and â—â—ackage is God as willing as ye seem to make him that all shall come to life Arg. Yea without hypocrisie for God cannot dissemble nor mean one thing and say another though we say so of him sometimes as T.D. does he is freely willing if thou art willing he would not have thee die but much rather live Arg. But how shall I know that yet for my self does he intend the Salvation to all as really as ye pretend he does in the universal extent and proffer or to sâ—me only for some of you say he does offer it where he intends they to whom ye say so sincerely offered shall never have it but are by a secret Decree of God bolted out from it for Adams sin before they were born in the guilt of which though he will save a few that he may shew his Mercy Live Grace to All as some sillily say to be of more extent then all his works which few are only known to himself and not as ye say to you and me he will praeterire pass by even a thousand to one to perish unavoidably notwithstanding Christs death and so I may be one of those many for ought either you or I know yea a thousand to one but that I am proe-ordained to perish and therefore still I have far more reason to believe according to those principles that I am one of those thousands to one that must perish and to whom Christ is not intended by God for all your fair proffers of him from God to me then that one of a thousand Elected to life by him There 's no small odds in these two for if but an hundred men were sentenced to be hanged and a pardon should be proclaimed to them all and yet such an after-clap come that it s not intended to the whole hundred but to one of them only and ninety nine must be hanged for all this and he that is so free in proclaiming the Pardon can't tell me neither that I am the only man that must be spared I should think him a fool if he should stand pressing me to believe it that I am he and can shew me no evidence of it and shall still rather believe do what I can that I am of the ninety nine and should think him little less then mad too if he should tell me that if I do not believe it that I â—â—ithe man when yet he bids all the rest believe it too each for himself upon that same penalty in case they do not I shall be hanged for this very thing as he sayes every of them shall too as the chief account on which they perish even because we do not believe every man for himself that he is the man and for despising the mercy tender'd and the large love of the Pardon-sender and such like and that in a more severe way of execution even with quartering c. whereas nor I nor any of us all should perish if we did believe it now does he intend it to all of them if so there I may safely believe he does to me else I cannot Ans. Not so in any wise Arg. Does he intend it to the most Ans. Nay but to very few Arg. Do ye know I am one of those few that he intended it to or of those many to whom not Ans. No not I we are servants we know not what the Master does not which are the Elect which not Arg. On what ground then bid you me believe I am one of the few it s more likely I am of the many that must perish even by how much they are so many to one more then those are that must live Ans. All that come shall have it Arg. How can that be when yet ye say it s not intended to All which if it be true suppose all should accept it and come as ye say all cannot neither for want of power they cannot have it because not intended for them Ans. Yea it s offered on condition of acceptance faith and coming so that could ye suppose All would take God at his word and accept the proffer they should have the benefit Arg. But that must not be supposed nor cannot rationally according to your principles who tell us All cannot come cannot believe nor accept for to accept believe the power at least must come from God and he hath not say you given that nor saving Light under any consideration to All but to those few only to whom he intends the Salvation which I still demand a ground from you whereupon to believe I am one of which till then I cannot believe any more then groundlesly and groundless faith is no better then vain hope which is fancy that will fail when men come to give up the Ghost Ans. Believe only in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved believe and the Salvation is thine Arg. But that 's Idem per Idem still the thing ye are to give me a ground to do but cannot I should believe it if ye can shew me a ground whereupon you would have me first to believe it and then my believing it will be a sufficient ground for me whereupon to believe it whereas I must first have some ground wherein that faith ye call me to must stand and whereon it must be founded for Faith is not the ground of it self and your Crede quod habes habes s as foolish a conceit as if ye should tell me that a man I never saw intends to give me an inheritance in particular when yet ye never heard him say so and would have me believe it yet can give me no good ground whereon to believe it but your single say so who yet say ye know not that I am the particuâ—ar man he intends it to neither only ye have heard say he proffers it to a thousand not me by name and yet for all it is proffered to so many it s intended only to one of them Ans. If thou wilt believe it is so Arg. But is it so that he intends it to me really and particularly Ans. Nay I cannot tell that it s hid from me but this is all we can say that he intends it to some really
and he offers it to all conditionally they believe so that if thou believe it it s thine Arg. I cannot believe that though you bid me nor ought neither which you who bid me believe it can give me no ground for nor evidence of that it is so and confess your selves you know not whether it is so or no that he died I believe as ye say for some and so they believe all o're Christendome and in England and also believe mostly every man for himself that Christ died for him where yet for all your saying he that believes so hath him there 's not one of many hâ—th him as your selves confess whose faith therefore which ye beget many to is mostly fancy for they have not the Salvation yet which is from the sin but to believe it without more evidence for it that it is a truth he died for me even for me in particular then I see upon what principles ye are able to give me were as fond as to believe a piece of news for truth which the man who tells it tells me he knows it not whether it be a truth or no but much doubts it or glad tidings of great joy to all people which the News-mâ—nger himself can give me no evidence at all that it belongs to me at aâ—l but after his most universal publication of it that he has tidings to all and every one and would have every one believe it so to himself begins to fall back into such a diminutive prate or pinching publikâ— privication or private publication as when demanded about his news in this manner Friend aâ—t thou sure this thou extendest to all is good news intended to all is it so to me in particular whom thou bidst believe it good news to me Replyes in this wise Nay I cannot say that I say it s to all and every one but by those terms I mean but some and those very few and I cannot say which nor whether in particular thou art one of them or nay yet thou must believe it or else sad tidings will come after it thou shalt be hanged up for not believing its glad tidings which said News monger I should judge so little worth much heeding crediting or believing in what he sayes that I should rather think him out of his wits and to have suffered some shipwrack as our Priests have done of the true Faith of his very common sense and reason Shew me therefore what evidence ye have of the truth of the thing ye tell me and bid me believe or else it s but as Implicit Faith as at Rome if I should believe it and not because I see it likely but because ye say so who yet tel ' me of what ye say or bid me believe viz. that Christ died for me for he died for some 〈◊〉 the Elect only that he cannot tell at all whether I am one of those Elect Ones for whom yea or may Answ. We say still it is offered to you as 't is to all on condition of acceptance and of faith so that who believes it shall have it whoever he is and 't is believing evidences it to be so Arg. Still ye run but in a round as the Colliers faith does and say no more in effect then thus first believe and be confident that Christ died for thee and then this faith and belief of it that he died for thee is a sure good ground or evidence for thee upon which thou mayest believe and be confident that he did die for thee and that thou art one of those few he died for and not of those many to one to all whom as freely as to thee he is offered not one of whom yet he died for or was by God ever intended to Answ. But mind the Condition though he is offered to all on condition of acceptance so that if thou perform the condition as most do not for few will come thou must have the thing promised thereon that is the Salvation Arg. The Condition I know Christ is not only offered to all on condition but intended also to be the Saviour of All on that condition they reject him not but believe in his Name come at his Call and obey his Voice and Counsel which God also by his Truth Grace and Love puts men into capacity to do or not to do at their choice But as for your Condition I say it 's more monstrous then all the rest while for all your offers to All conditionally they believe ye say it 's peremptorily intended but to few and those few shall not chuse but perform it and an hundred to one are as peremptorily intended by God to be never interested in it nor enabled to perform the Condition ou which only it s meant Ye say indeed God offers and tenders Salvation by Christ to all conditionally they believe in him each man that he died for him but what is this so long as it 's not intended to all and there is no such matter as ye say to bâ— believed unlesse most men believe a lye as that Christ died for All and every man For a man to tell an hundred condemned men there is life offered to them all on condition they every man of them believe it is so as he sayes and to bid them believe it as the Truth for want of believing of which only they shall be executed more cruelly in believing of which they shall be saved and then to tell them the said Pardon is really positively and peremptorily intended but to one of them only and not one of all the rest assuredly shall ever have it it s absolutely unalterably decreed that the ninety and nine shall be hanged is to destroy all the ground of the belief ye would beget them to and to carry an hundred men up on high into a Steeple in vain aiery hopes of some glorious sight pretended to be shewed to them all that from thence advantage may be taken as the thing intended for all the fair pretence to throw ninety and nine of them down go the breaking of their necks and the mischieving of them more then if they had never been so fairly premised and so highly elevated and but one of them be shewed the Light which to all was promised for the absolute Decree and intent of God must ever inavoidably stand and take place against the conditional proffer of that which in the Decree is not intended so the proffer on condition still is not worth a straw nor any thing but a meer mockage of men and such a one as is before that time wherein God sayes he will mock and laugh at men which is only when they have finally rejected what once they truly might have had and was indeed as truly intended as tendered on condition they by their wills refuse it not Prov. 1. Psal. 2.4 For what God absolutely wills and intends ever is does come to passe but what he intends much more what he does but
and abounding beyond the mischief and Curse that comes by the sin But it is in effect so said Rom. 5.15.18 23. Therefore All and every man is made as capable to be saved by Christ as every man is liable to be damned by reason of the sin Arg. 12. Christ could not be truly or properly said to be the Propitiation for the sins of the whole world nor the Saviour of the whole world to be given a Covenant to the People a Witnesse to the People a Leader and Commander to the People a Light to the Nations Gods Salvation to the ends of the Earth much lesse could All People in any consistency with mercy or ut prius without foolery and mockery of most men in the midst of their remediless misery be bid to behold him or all the ends of the Earth be summoned with promise yea assurance of Salvation if they do and on pain of more cruel damnation if they do not to look and come to him for it and hearken to his voice or else be cut off in All things whatever he saith to them and such like unless he were truly properly and intentionally at least given to be All this to all Men all the People the whole World and every man in it But he is said so to be as abovesaid to All and all People even all ends of the Earth c. are on such Promises and Penalties summoned to behold him look come and hearken to him as aforesaid Isai. 42.16.45.22.49.6.55.1 4. Acts 3.22 23. Iohn 3.19 1 Iohn 2.12 and in unspeakable more places Therefore he is a Saviour a Leader a Light c. which in some measure at least savingly enlightens no lesse then every Individual CHAP. IV. I. Os. T. Ds. I. Ts. R. Bs. and all other our common Adversaries common Exceptions are but frivolously foolish boyish toyish shameful Tergiver sations and as senseless as helpless Escapes when they tell us the whole World 1 Iohn 2. is meant of the Gentiles only as in opposition to the Iews not only for our sins that is of us Iews say they but also for the sins of the whole World that is of the Gentiles which division there savors of shallowneâ—s enough for Iohn writes that Epistle not more peculiarly or specially to the Iewish then to the Gentile Believers as he must be understood to do if their sense on that clause were true but promiscuously and generally to All the Saints among both whereupon it is superscribed the Generall Epistle of Iohn But the distinction there made relates to all Men in the World Bâ—lievers and Vnbelievers of what Nation soever for All whom while they are yet sinners enemies by wicked works he died and became a Raâ—sâ—mâ— a Sacrifice a Light that All Men in him might believe and thorough faith in his Light might be saved quoad posse i. e. potentially or if they will whether actually or quoad esse they ever are saved yea or nay Though he prayed not for the world as it lies in enmity and wickednâ—ss but for such only as come out of the World and the wickednesses thereof and that in all Ages believe on his Name thorough the one Word as Iohn 17.20 Neither pray I for thesâ— alone i. e. that do now believe but for All that ever shall believe c. that they may be one in us For as mysterious a Riddle as this is to our misty-minded Rabbies who cannot see Wood for Trees yet Christ can be truly said to die for men in some cases and conditions qua talibus whom qua talibus as in the same cases and conditions considered he cannot pray for that in that state they may be one with him and God who can have no unity with iniquity he stands in esse actuali actually offered up a Ransome a Propitiation for the sins of the whole world even in that state while it lies in enmity and wickedness as yet unreconciled to God by whose giving himself that way All men may be reconciled to God through faith in him whether ever they will be reconciled yea or nay but howbeit he may wish so well to his Adversaries as to die for them that they in that way of faith might live through him and may wish also that they would believe that so in that way they might be forgiven yet he stands not actually nor immediately an Advocate making actual intercession for any that they immediately or in their present state may stand accepted with the Father but for such only as already actually do believe Wherefore Iohn sayes with appropriation of iâ— to himself and other Saints as are found confessing and repenting frâ—m their sins We have an Advocate with the Father even Iesus Christ c. but of All Men without exception without limitation of Christ to himself and other Saints the same is the Propitiatioâ— not for our sins only i. e. ours who do already own and have believed in him but also for the sins of the whole Wâ—â—lâ— i. e. for All other mens sins as well as ours whether ever they own and believe in him so farre as to have any actual benefit by him yea or nay Besides if we grant them whose sense on it is otherwise as we are free to do it being a Tâ—uth alâ—o though not the diâ—ect distinction there intended their own distinction of that clause not ours only but also of the whole World into the Iews and Gentiles their own distinction is enough to â—â—â—fâ—â—nd themselves as to the Question in hand for the whole World being divided into Iews and Gentiles Iews and Gentiles are Termes comprehenâ—â— and conclusive of the whole World and of no lesse then every individual 〈◊〉 therein as well as any man And as for their Some of all Nations some of all Ports some Iews some Gentiles and among Gentiles of every Country Tongue Kindred and Condition some not All of All Kindreds Countrys Conditions c. not each man between this and the utmost parts of the Earth as the literal sense of that phrase All the ends of the Earth imports but here and there some the Elect a few in comparison of the rest that are left without any Saviour or saving Grace or sufficient Light to lead them to life and so as personally decreed thereto left to perish doubly for not believing Secundum te O Sacerdos in a Saviour when they never had one The People i. e. some a poor pittance among All People not All the People without exception not the whole World but that whole small part of Elect Ones elected personally out of that whole a thousand to one whereof are as personally from of old for eveâ— remedilesly Reprobated and such like sowre stuffe and dark dribling as is found in this case among the Divines As age away with it it is unsavory and stinks as a dunghill of doctrine and becomes in the sight of All but the blind as the blood of a dead man that hath no life in
believe so that we were never put into any capacity for life and salvation by all that best Grace that thou vouchsafedit to uâ— they told us not only that many Ages and Generations never had one offer of salvation from thee but also that in these very Nations where thy Gospel rich Grace and large Love as they call it at least is proclaimed and held forth in words proffers preachings and pretences to all yet there is not one of an hundred that is as they say no more then the personally elected ones which are very few also as they say in comparison of the rest that were a certain determinate but much more numberlesse number also as unchangeably reprobated from everlasting without reference to good or evil foreseen to be done by them in time that the salvation so universally offered in thy name was ever so truly intended to by thee as it was tendred and that the Saviour of the World of whom they say He came to save not the righteous but sinners and ungodly ones to seek out that which is lost and of whom they say Thou in thy love sentest him not to condemn but save the World was sent to save none but that foresaid few set number of elect ones of which number we could find little ground to hope we were sith an hundred to one were not any more then if an hundred were sentenced to die and but one of them to be saved and a Pardon should be proclaimed to them all conditionally that every man believed for himself that he were the man to whom the Pardon is intended any one man could have ground of confidence that himself was he and so we were quite discouraged by the Preachers of thy grace from believing the Salvation to be intended to us since an hundred to one it was not and they told us that the said Saviour did not die for all but for a few even the said choice ones whereupon though he was held forth to us all to be believed in as the common Salvation in thy revealed Will as they call it on pain of eternal condemnation to every one of us that should not believe in him as our Lord and our God and Saviour and with promises or eternall life to us all conditionally we would all so believe yet we could not see how this could rationally hang together or how we could all truly have believed such a thing every man of us for himself without the most of us should have believed a lie and we thought whatever they said that thou wouldst have us all believe no more then the Truth and not have any of us believe much lesse be damned for not believing a lie we could not see though they bad us every one believe in Christ as ours how the most of us had a Christ to believe in as ours sith they told us alâ—o he was not intended to all to whom he is offered but to a very few even of them since we were by themselves who bade us believe in him every of us as our Salvation bad to believe this doctrine also on pain of being held Armenians Socinians and Hereticks in the Church that he did not offer himself a ransome for all as the Scripture in plain terms sayes he did but as much as be is offered to us all yet he offered himself not for all but only for the foresaid few and that by Aâ—l and every one in the Scripture and the lost ones and sinners and ungodly and the whole world which he is said to die for we must at no hand understand Aâ—l indeed nor think that thy meaning was as thy words imported nor according to the literal sense of them for then we might mistake thee but that by All and every one the whole world thou meanest but a very few only and by sinners and ungodly thy Elect ones only neither could we see upon the account of their personal particular principles as universal as thy tenders of Christ to us all were or at least theirs in thy name that we could possibly believe the truth if we should all have believed in him as ours or that we could all have a share in him and we saw that it being so that he was not intended to be a Saviour to every man to whom he is offered some men had no Saviour to believe in as their and for ought we saw 't was an hundred to one but we might be the men and to believe it that he was ours we had no ground from their doctrine for such a Faith and so might if we had yea must most of us if we had believed it have believed a lye and tho sayest thou wilt damn men for not believing the truth and wilt thou now damn all us for believing the truth for he was not intended by thee if our Ministers did not belye thee to us to be our Saviour who are Reprobates and we did believe him not to be so according as it proves and so our Faith was of the truth and if we all had believed it that he died for every of us it had been a lye if our learned Leaders did not lye and wilt thou now damn us for not believing that which if we had believed all of us an hundred to one but the most of us must have believed a lye and that which was not so if we had believed it we had been deceived for 't was not so it their doctrine be true and now we did not believe it we are to be condemned because we believe not in thy Son and apply him not every one to our selves in particular to whose Salvation he was never appointed but in thy unalterable Decree before ever we were born though offered to us a ours upn equal terms as they say with the Elect whose only in particular beâ—is designed altogether to another purpose even to be the Salvation of some few but the unavoidable further condemnation of us Reprobates and only to leave us the more excuseless in our suffering of it And howbeit its true we did not obey the Gospel nor do thy will we must need confess in order unto life yet it was never savingly nor sufficiently manifested to us in all our lives as they said nor was any measure of that true Light in which is the Life nor one grain of that as our Divines told us which is sufficient for us to bring us to life vouchsaf'd but a Natural Light in attending to which had we ever so well heeded or improved it 't would not have helpt us imparted to us only a certain common Grace and Light as they told us which had we answered it could have avail'd us nothing as to Salvation and a Talent which had we traded with as they tell us and doubled it â—ad encreased into but more of the same kind and common sort not obtain'd any Special nor what ere the Scripture seems to say to the contrary which we poor ignorants
durst not presume to walk by our sense of but to take as interpreted by our Textmen and Churchmen have let us into thy joy And whereas thou swearest thou wouldst not have had us died but much rather lived if we would had we but known indeed as we never did sith we were told that was Free-will a most fearful damnable doctrine that we had had but Arbitrium Liberatum a freed will vouchsafed us from thee whereby to chuse life when life and death was set before us or but a power wrought in us from thee to have will'd and done what thou requiredst we might happily have chosen Life and have come and to turn'd thee then we had either turned to thee or else been utterly inexcusable we confess and thy wayes had been as equal as thou sayest they are and our blood had been altogether on our own heads and our destruction of our selves alone had there been but any of that sufficient help that is in thee vouchsafed to us from thee it would habe been tryed then whether we would have turned to thee or no But alas Lord thou know'st we were told and we thought it our duty on pain of damnation to take all for truth that our Church-men and School-men and learned Doctors and well read men in the Scriptures and Unviersity-made Minister told us that all men had not and that few have so much as sufficient Light or power at all to will or do or think good communicated to them from thee we know indeed that without thee nothing can be done and that all mans sufficiency to good must come from thee But now thou queriest of us why we did not do thy will and wilt judge us for the neglect of it we beseech thee Lord consider and pity us we never knew yee that we were under power and possibility form the most and best and greatest measure of ability Grance and Light given to us to know or do that will thou now art going to require with vengeance the violation of at our hands for if it were so as some said indeed viz. the Qua. seeming also to bring Scripture for it that we and all men have or had though nâ—ne of our selves yet some and so much in our selves of it as we should have stood justified accepted uncondemned in improving and not have had that sin thou sayest we have now no cloak for had we known it we hope we should have done according to it but being out of hope of having strength to overcome we sate still in diâ—couragement and despair for our Ministers told us the Qua. were lyar's and seducers not to be believed and their doctrine damuable ouâ— Ministers belyed thee to us as a hard Master reaping where thou hast not sowed and gathering where thou hast not strawed and requiring that of us even that we should turn to thee and live which thou as they say dost not enable by Light and Grace enough or suitable thereto scarce one of a thousand and so we were disheartned from trading with the talent we had and hid and laid it not out as believing we had as good do nothing at all as nothing to the purpose and upon many more such like considerations as there seeing we were but-mocked by our Ministers telling us of Life and tendring it to us yet telling us as their faith and as that which must be ours that it belongs but to few and that this was thy Secret Will whatever thy Revealed Will was they profested also to be men acquainted with thy secrets we gave our selves over to security to eat and drink and do no good and satisfie our wills in evil for let us do better or worse or the best and most which the best and most of any of us Reprobates could do we saw we could but die and if we happened not to be of the few Elected on es to life that are ordain'd to be brought to it some time or other as a thousand to one we saw we were not we must unavoidably die and perish without hope or remedy From such evil communications of our Clergy which corrupted good manners concluding that we could do no good without thee and had no grace to do good given us from thee we said Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we diâ— therefore let us be excused Lord and held guiltless the rather because we were in ignorance and unbelief of this truth that we could do ought towards our own Salvation by any power or measure of sufficient grace imparted to us from thy self or at least shew us mercy as thou didst to Paul who obtained it of thee that in him thou mightest shew forth an example of thy long-suffering goodness and patience to poor sinners in â—ime to come even to aâ—l that ever should live ungodly 1 Tim. 1. for as he so we seeing our Teachers traduced us so to think of the Qua. that now we find hold the truth suppâ—sed innocently or as least ignorantly that they were Enemies to God Christ Scriptures Word of God Righteousness of Christ Iustification by him alone seduced and seducres and the vilest persons on earth and so thought verily that we did thee service in persecuting killing stoning stocking mocking haling them out of Synagogues and into prisons little deeming what we now see that men are not accepted and condemned the more for not knowing so much as our Professors tell us of this and that notion of doctrine and point of Divinity in the head as for not doing that be it little or more that is already made known with all the heart and that had we done thy will but so far as ' â—is made known we as Christ said indeed should have known more and more of the different doctrines that were which were of God and which men for meer money and maintenance flesh and livelihoods sake taught only of themselves I say may not the Reprobates even in these Nations so plead and can the Light and Grace of God given and tendred to them leave them without excuse at all if it be not at all sufficient if never so well improved to lead them to Life and Salvation Can the Law in their hearts accuse them doing ill and not justifie them doing well Will it kill them if they break it and kill them if they obey it also but how much more excuse the poor Ethnicks as ye call them that have nothing but that Light within of Nature as ye term it which ye your selves sometimes seem to confess and say excused them as T. D. page 40. We may suppose the heathen might say had we known of a remedy we would have made use of it yea thou deniest not T. D. nor do any of you but that the work of the Law written in the hearts of All is accusing and excusing and that the said Law within is sufficient to both these I. O. page 43. owns the same saying that by the Light within the Heathens thoughts excuse
cast themselves forth into the outer darkness and not meerly with their own dark animal understaâ—dings they could not chuse but see that as I have shewed above the Light is in them that are not in it nor as yet believing in it and that they â—only that believe in it are the children of it according to what Christ sayes Iohn 12.35.36 to such as had Light and yet neither walked in nor were children of it while ye have the Light believe in the Light that ye may be the children of Light Their sixth in proof of which is cited Act. 26.18 where Paul saith Christ sent him to the Gentiles to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light from the power of Satan to God is so silly that it shews its Authors and owners shrewdly to be besorted whence they argue They who are to be turned from darkness to Light had not a Light within sufficient to guide them to God But so it is said of both Jews and Gentiles Therefore sure they had not such a light within them as the Qua. say is in All if they had such a Light they should have been directed to follow it not turned from it the Apostles should have call'd them as the Qua. do to follow the Light in them and not have call'd them out of darkness nor should we do as the Apostles did bâ—d men leave the darkness in them but as the Qua. do follow the Light in them Rep. Flocci Nauci Nihili Pili Assis Hujus Teruncii Did ever the like toying and trisling piece of Dispotation drop from the hands of men before as does here from the pens of these professed Disputers Where are the eyes of these men that they can't see or is it so that they will not see how they turn that very Text upside down they would seem to take their Tattle out of Was it not the business of the Apostles to direct men to follow the Light when they were sent to turn men to the Light Were they that were to be turned to the Light in that very Call they had from the Apostles to turn to it turned from it Do not they who call men out of the darkness which is in them even in that very thing call them to follow the light which shines in them also 2 Pet. 1.19 Must not they who leave the darkness of necessity look to the Light Can men leave the paths of uprightness and not walk in the wayes of darkness Prov. 2.13 or leave the wayes of darkness and not walk in the way of the Light Is there any medium between these two Are men to be bid to come from the power of Satan unto God and yet have they no Light safe and sufficient lent them in case they be willing to come to him to lead and guide them unto God Ye blind Guides did not Paul as he was sent to that end as that Text declares turn men from the darkness only Did he not turn men to the Light Did he turn them from it as in that clause mâ—n should have been directed to follow the Light and not turned from it ye intimate he did And did not Iohn whose Message and Ministry was the self-same as Peter's and Paul's and that of all holy men of God was even from the beginning 1 Iohn 1.5.6.7 as well that of Christ himself Iohn 12.35.36 declare to men that in order to fellowship with God is whom is no darkness at all they should not only cease to walk in darkness but also should walk in the light as God is in the light Are ye not in this as well as in many more matters justly given over and left of the Lord for your enmity to his Light to babble out such gross blindness and groapable darkness as ye here do in saying that if men had such light they should have been directed to follow it and not turned from it according to Act. 26.18 as if Paul were there said to be sent that by his Ministry men might be turned from the light who is there expresly said to be sent to turn men to it For shame utter no more such wretched ignorance as this left the shame of your nakedness appear at last to all men as it does already to such as read your sapless Sermons and have not fold themselves to see rather with your eyes then with their own Their seventh is on this wise wrested from Rom. 10.14.17 Heb. 11.6 where it s said Without Faith it is impossible to please God And how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard How bear without a Preacher So then Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God which say they were vain speeches if there were another ordinary way by the Light within us to beget Faith therefore the Light within us is not of it self without Preaching a safe sufficient Guide in our way to God Rep. True Faith is in the Light of Christ and in the Word of God which is that word of Faith which the Apostles preached and testified of in their words and writings that it was nigh to men even in their hearts that there they might both hear and do it Rom. 10.1 neither doth any man either hear or believe in Christ to Salvation any further then as he heeds hears and believes in that Light and ingrafted Word whereby Christ counsels him in his own conscience although he should as the unbelieving Iews did hear him speaking to them with Audible Voice or believe as all unbelieving Christians do the whole History of him according to the flesh So then Faith unto life coming by hearing and hearing unto life being of that Light and Word of God which is nigh in the heart which is the Word of both Faith and Life the Apostles Speeches were in vain if there were not such a Light and Word within to be believed in to the hearing and believing in which the Apostles were sent to turn men mens obeying of which Word within was the end of their using those words they spake and wrote to them in from without Moreover we deny not Preaching without by such as are sent as Paul was but Parish-Hirelings are not to turn men to the Light within but the Light within only is that which guides and leads those that are turned to it and continue attending to it sufficiently and safely unto God Their eighth is to this purpose All that have access to God must not be conformed to this world but be transformed renewed put off the old man Rom. 12.2 Eph. 4.23 Col. 3.10 Therefore they have not a Light within them as a safe sufficient guide to lead them to God Antecedent to this renewing for if they had what need say they such transforming renewing non-conformity to the world putting off the old man Rep. Therefore they need such renewing transforming putting off the old man non-conforming to this world because that is the good will of God concerning
Whether it be sufficient to make men obey it c. that 's the Grace we are speaking of that causeth men to hearken believe and obey for faith is not of your selves but it is the gift of God and mens hearts must be opened as Lydia's was Act. 16. to hear abd receive the truth revealed Now to say that the Light or Grace which is given to cause us to believe and obey is sufficient if we will believe and obey is ridiculous as if Christ should have said to Lazarus I will raise thee if thou will raise thyself Ans. Here R. B. sits besides the cushion as much as he that queries beside the Question for that 's not the Grace we are speaking of that is sufficient to cause men to obey but that which is sufficient if obeyed that 's the testimony the Qua. bear to the Light of God it is saving to such as walk in it and if it be not sufficient Grace from God to R. Baxter that he hath given him a Light that will lead him to life if he will follow it but he lacks more even to be caused to walk in that light or else he quarrels with it as not enough and with that Grace of Gods as no Grace because he is not compelled by force to accept of it he may fret himself till he fry in the fire of his own peevish spirit before he shall find such a Grace from God to his Salvation while himself lives in the neglect of that he has like the unprofitable servant that charges God foolishly as a hard Master though he hath given him a talent to trade with unless while he sits still God force him to trade with it whether he will or no. As for us called Quakers we judge God hath done well for us in working in us to will and to do i.e. the Power and hath though not in R.Bs. compulsive way caused us put us into a capacity to work it out and left us as he looks all men should do when he has done the other Phil. 2.12 13. to work out our own Salvation with fear and trembling and that he doth by a Ministry without and a measure of his spirit within counselling us open our hearts as he did Lydia's to attend to what himself and his servants say and if ever we believe in his Light to our life that Faith is his gift though our act as 't is his gift that we may or have power either to sit or stanâ— and of his Grace our act when we chuâ—e either to stand or sit nor we count it ridiculous as R. B. does to say That Gods Light and Grace is sufficient to bring us to life if we attend it though God leave us to chuse when he hath given it us whether we will improve it or turn fâ—om it nor was it ridiculous in Christ to say to Lazarus I will raise thee if thou will raise by self for Christ having done in his part in quickning left Lazarus to his part in rising and in effect said the same which R. B. counts ridiculous viz. Lazarus come forth which if Lazarus had not done he might have perisht in that Sepulchre for all Christ had quickned him so as to giâ—e him the power to come forth for Christ would not have pullâ—d him out by force if he had refuâ—ed to come forth when he called him nor any more then 't was in God to say Hear ye deaf and look ye blind that ye may see But as for this man R. B. and his fellows 't is not grace enough nor couâ—t sie sâ—fficient it seems if a man invite poor folks to dinner and prepares meat enough for all comers and bids his Guests Welcome when they are come and compels them by all earnest perswasion to sit down and bids them as God does Eat O friends drink yea drink abudantly O beloved when they are â—ate unless when they refuse he open their mouths in some forcible manner and cause them to eat all that is set before them such troublesome guests as these of which sort are R. B. and the rest that look for such a compulsive causing when the grace of a sufficient Feast is vouch fast unto them are not fit to sit at great mens tables much leâ—s at Gods and by my consent he that unless he be forcibly fed refuses to feed when the meats before him whether it be at a feast of sat things of mans making or of Gods shall while others hearken and let their souls delight themselves in fatness have his choice to sit still and as the Proverb is may fast and welcome I conclude then as to Query that God puts men into capacity to come to the Light if they will not chuse darkness before it that Light is sufficient to save if obeyed yet all men who all have sâ—me of it are not saved by it and the reason is because they will not come to that Light of Gâ—d which in Gods good will towards them in come into them R. B. Q. 10. But how can Light be sufficient were a man never so obedient to reveal that which was never manifested by it or by any Revâ—lation that doth accompany it No Light among the Heathens in America doth tell them that Christ was Incarnate died rose ascended or intercedeth for us or is the King Priest or Teacher of his Church or will raise the dead and judge the world how then can this light be sufficient to bring them to the belief of this Ans. Is the Light in America then any more insufficient to lead its followers to God then the Light in Europe Asia Africa the other three parts of the World I have ever lookt upon the Light in All men since I began to look to it in my self as one and the self-same light in all where it is in sort and kind though different in degree and measure which varies not the nature of any thing and that according to the measure of it and in â—uch wiâ—e as it s attended to withall it shews the same things in all men as to the mystâ—â—y substance and spiritualiâ—y of them though the outward History of this in an outward Letter some may be better skill'd the ein then some I wot how Cornelius came to be accepted in his Prayers and Almes as a man truly fearing God before by an outward Ministry he ever heard of Christ Incaâ—nate dying rising ascending interceding c. after all theâ—e things were outwardly and actually transfacted also since all you agree and we with you that out of the knowledge of Christ the Light there 's no acceptance at all with God nor in any other name either Iustification or Salvatioâ— Was it not in his obedience to the Light he had which came from Châ—ist the Light though as yet he knew him not after the flâ—sh And by what light did they who wrote of Christs Incarnation Death Resurrection Ascensiâ—n c. See them before they wrote as some did
subject to passions pollutions extravagancies vanities inordinancies of mind is but an argument to evince how much the more need he hath at all times to stand upon his guard and to put on the Armour of the Light and keep the stricter watch to it which who so does shall find the Power of it in him prevailing more and more in the warfare to the perfect overcoming and the bringing fâ—rth of Iudgement in him unto victory at the last but who so does not while he stands take heed to his way by it as young men are bid in order to the cleansing of their way Psa. 119.9 There is not I confess more necessity nor possibility of the others standing then there is of this mans falling into mischief Howbeit which way soever the man in medio is swayed whether by the lustings of the flesh to covetousness pride envy hatred deceit unrighteousness lasciviousness revenge c. to mind and walk after the flesh or by the lustings of the Spirit to love peace purity meekness temperance patience c. or which way soever that man is born and begotten whether by the Spirit of God from above or the Spirit of the Devil from beneath which in him lusteth unto evil c. Iâ—m 4.5 and consequently whose child soever he is at any time of the twain which is according to the prevalency and predominancy and perminency of this or that Seed in him viz. the Seed or Word of God or that lying Word or Seed of the Serpent for his he is still to whom â—e obeyes yet this is sure enough as I said before that he that abides in that which is of God sinneth not 1 Ioh. 3.6 and he that sinneth is gone from that and born and begotten by the Devil another way even after his Image and he that is so is of the Devil and a man of sin and sinneth uncessantly as his Father doth who hath begot him into his likeness and he that doth true righteousness is born of God to it and he that 's born of God and bears his Image which longer then any man doth he is not of God sinneth not overcomeâ— the world keepeth himself that the wicked one toucheth hâ—m not neither can he sin while so because he is born of God and the Seed of God remaineth is head permanent prevalent and preheminent in him and so which of these two sorts men are matters not much to the point sinners as such are sinners ever and not Saints and Saints are Saints ever as such and not Sinners and each hath his reward from God as his work is and he that 's holy is hely and he that 's righteous is righteous and he that 's unjust unjust still and he that 's wicked is wicked still and he that 's good is good and not evil and he that 's evil is evil and not good and the godly are they that are godly and none else and the ungodly are ungodly and nothing else that 's opposite to it for contraries cannot be denominated both of the same subject at the same time and each of these as they are reapse in very deed so are they in Gods account who accounts all men and things truly what they are and not as man who wearies the Lord with his words saying Every one that do h evil is good in the sight of the Lord and God delighteth in him and who is abuniration with the Lord for sâ—dâ—ing Prâ—v 17.15 Mal. 2.17 calling good evil evil good nor justifying the wicked or condemning the righteous but in his righteous Judgement which evil men understand not Pro. 28.5 as it is revealed in the Light which is the day thereof rendring to all according to their deeds secret as well as open by Christ Iesus according to the Gospel Paul preached to the patient continues in well doing Eternal Life to the contentious ones against the Truth that obey not it but unrighteousness indignation and wrath tribulation and anguish and this to every soul of man that doth evil Iew or Gentile Rom. 2. And so â—he only that doth righteousness is righteous and is of God and accepted with him and he that doth not righteousness is not of God nor he that hateth his Brother hath no Eternal life from God abiding in him and be that sinneth is of the Devil and hereby the Children of God are manifested and the children of the Devil and each hath his own Fathers portion as he bears his image nature and proportion and as no righteous one is rejected or reprobated so no unrighteous one is elected or accepted but without respect of persons in every Nation he that fears God and works righteousness in Christ the Light is accepted with him And howbeit the righteous turning from his righteousness to iniquity may die as the wicked turning from his wickedness to that which is lawful and right may live and the same person may turn and return and turn again and be in possibilities of life or death according as he chuses when both are â—et aâ—ore him yet the wayes of God are equal and his Iudgements according to truth and each man haâ—h from him for ever as he doth and though the man that is now a Sinner may become a Saint like David and a sinner again and by true repentance and purging with hysop a Saint again yet the Saint hath no part with the Sinner in his Lake nor the Sinner any share in the inheritance of the Saints which is in Light but each hath his own peculiar and proper reward and the heart of the one knows his own heaviness and the stranger intermeddles not with the others joy And howbeit men may of unbelievers become believers and believers in the Light may by an evil heart of unbelief draw back to perdition and depart from the living God yet whether they believe or not God abideth faithful and cannot deny himself the believers portion that believes is the Life and the unbelievers part is the Lake And though he that is now an unbeliever mâ—diante side may become a believer and be saved and he that now believes making shipwrack of his Faith and good Conscience as Iudas and others did may come to be damned yet no believer is ever damned nor is any unbeliever ever saved but the Foundation of the Lord who knows his own evermore stands ever sure let men go which way they will who owns none that name the name of Christ and depart not from iniquity and owns all who ere they be that do according to his everlasting and unchangeable Decree that stands thus stedfast without variation for ever viz. that he that believes only shall be saved and he that believes not shall be damned Mar. 16.16 So then every Saint ceases from sin as T.D. also saves and he that ceases not from it is no Saint or holy one but a Sinner and the sinner cannot but sin and do as his Father the Devil who begets him does and he
enter into the joy but being unfaithful with and not improving thereupon only they are shut out and abundance more of the like which is all precious and the plain truth of the Scripture which they call the revealed will of God according to which only we must judge of Gods mind to man-ward Otherwhiles again that is when the Qua come to question them before their people whether it be so in very deed or no as they say that God is so much more prone to mercy then severity and is so truly loving to all mankind to all sinner and so consequently to all men for all are but sinners provided they accept his grace given and improve it be not wanting to themselves and come to him whether he would honestly heartily as he says that all should come and would come and would not have them ponere obitem hinder their Salvation and put it away from them and that God as truly intends their good as they extend the newes of it if men refuse not the offer and would indeed have them accept of the offer and not slight it Then O come let us sing a new song To go round again The divine doctrine of Gods universal love is drawn in again as damnable heresie and his grace niggarded up into a Corner and his mighty mercy diminisht into a mite and a Tale told us that this is but a generall outside profer he intends not truly that all shall come to him by repentance and have benefit by the death of his Son he dyed not for all but though it s said All every man by all he means but a few and he hath not put all so much as into a capacity or common possibility of life by his Son nor into so much as an ability to come to him the most can't chuse life that they may live they may chuse death that they may dye and must chuse that being afore of old ordained to condemnation and so though mercy and misery blessing and cursing be set before them and they bid to chuse yet their wills must of necessity chuse the curse having it not wrought in them as a few have so much as to will and to do any good and so though they have good and evill to chuse which they will of the two yet when all 's done as the case is they must Hobsons choice cleave to the evil and chuse whether they will have that or none having not only no arbitrium liberum but not so much as liberatum they are yet lockt up to a Post by Adams fall 6000 years before they were born and were never unloosed to this day nor ever must be so as to be at liberty to come when they are call'd and yet must be condemned too for not coming they have enough given them to leave them without excuse damn them but Christen sub nulla considerationem quoth I.O. Exer 4. Christ in no case hath given a saving light to all nor God grace sufficient to save them unto them all Christ Comfort that 's the childrens bread it belongs not to the dogs Christ dyed and is given only for the world of the elect that beleeve but the most not only do not but cannot beleeve And besides there 's no Saviour for the most to beleeve in as theirs being sent in Gods love but to a few so that if the most if all should beleeve him to be theirs the most must beleeve a lye for 't is not so yet To go round again this withall they must know that they must be condemned for not beleeving a lye for not beleeving that which if they should all beleeve the most must beleeve a lye For he that beleeves not is condemned because he beleeves not in the only begotten Son of God and this and no other thing is their condemnation but because Christ is come a light into the world and they come not to it beleeve not in it but love the darknesse more then it otherwise Christ came not into the world to condemn the very world which is condemned but to this intent that the world throw him might be saved And to go round again though they are sent to make such fair proffers promises and large Proclamations of Gods love yet this is but his revealed will he does but do this to make men beleeve he is so loving to them as to give his own Son for them that if they beleeve it not as he knows they cannot faith being his gift and that which he will give but to few and leave the most unable to beleeve he may come the more in wrath against a hundred to one of mankind and take vengeance on them for their not beleeving that false Testimony which in his revealed will he gives by us of his Son but he hath a secret will hidden from us wherein he far otherwise peremptorily decrees that bâ—â— few only shall be saved and this though hidden from us we declare to be of the twain the very truth indeed Cum multis aliis ejusdem furfuris quae nunc prae scribere longum est Just as if a thousand men fast fettered up in Prison standing all condemned to be hanged a messenger should be sent from a King in whose power it is to save or slay them All on what Terms he pleases to proclaim the good-Newes and the Glad-Tidings of pardon and life to them All and the wonderfull mercy of the King to them All as one more prone by far to mercy then wrath in such wise and to such a purpose as followes O ye poor undon lost men ye lye now at the mercy of the King dead men All but behold I am come from him to bring glad tidings of great joy to you All lift up your heads chear up your hearts the King that he may shew he delights more in saving then destroying in mercy then wrath though for displeasing him not personally but paternally in your fathers loins he has advantage to cut you All off yet he is resolved to save one of you and hang but 999 and he would every man of you beleeve it for himself that its he in particular he comes to and not to the rest And yet to go round again Conditionally that every man of you beleeve it for himself it is to every such individual indeed consequently both to one and all the rest and if ye all unloose your selves out of the Chains and come away but that ye can't do and 't is not his will ye should and none must give you the keyes ye shall all be spared and I know not which that elect one is for my part nor which of you All it is he in tends absolutely to spare that lyes in his secret will but I am sent with his revealed will to tell you that he that can beleeve it it s he that is to be favoured he is the man who ere it is and though I am sure his love
is to but one and 999 are peremptorily personally possitively ordained to dye Yet to go round again If ye all beleeve his love to you ye shall All live if any dye 't is his own fault because he beleeves not the Kings love to him and comes not away out of his Fetters and nothing else and though he can't come out of his Fetters yet let him know its but just that I should leave him there because his father offended the King before he was born it s enough for them that he is so rich in mercy to the whole thousand as to save one and proclaim salvation to All with no intent of pardon that he may take the more advantage on the rest by their refusal to come when they cannot to do execution on them with ten fold more wrath rigour and severity then if the pardon never had been proclaimed to them at all In much what such a rambling confused self-contradictory manner do our Nationall-Messengers and Ministers of Gods grace Consideratis considerâ—ndis hold out their Gospell to All men as Embassadours from God to them All. One while extolling extending it over all Gods works to All men and otherwhiles when they have carryed it about long in a vast circuit and circumference of Commendatory conference To go round again in their niggardly News-books they wind it about and wrap it all up within the narrow corner of their conceited wheel within a wheel or little world of a few Elect ones only extenuating it till they allmost quite extinguish it in their talk preach it welnigh into nothing Witnesse I.O. as is shewed more at large in the book aforesaid and T.D. also telling us indeed that God offers Salvation to All men but intends it only to a few Contradictions Confusions and Rounds about the doctrine of perfect freedom from sin attainable in this life V. As to Salvation from sin in this life which Christ gives to all that follow him in his light One while they teach it to us themselves as attainable here by the grace of God as the Qua do in these or the like deliveryes of themselves in their preachings and writings according to the Scriptures People ye must deny all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and live Godly righteously and soberly mark in this present world The grace of God that bringeth salvatioe to such as take heed to it and receive it not in vain appears to All men and teaches them so to live but that they turn from it and turn it into wantonnesse and if we walk in the Light as God is in the Light we then have fellowship with him who hath none with sin and sinners and not only so but also the blood of Iesus Christ his son cleanseth us from All sin and though we cannot say we have no sin since we and all men have sinned yet if we confess our sins God is faithful not only to forgive us our sins past but which is a further matter to cleanse us from All unrighteousnesle Having therefore such promises let us cleanse our selves from mark All filthiness of flesh and spirit who knows any more then all perfecting holiness in Gods fear The blessed men Psal. 119.3 are the Saints or Holy Ones that do no iniquity but walk in Gods way and though ye think well of your selves because your sins are little yet no sin is so little but if liv'd died in its damning therefore take heed of the least iniquityes while ye have time and space given you to repent from them in leave forsake foregoe them live according to the Scripture which allows of no sin which is written that men might not sin which is able through faith to make a man of God perfect and wife to salvation from sin which is perfect to its own end which is Salvation which end it attains not hereafter for its of no use then and therefore must do it here or no where so that if you dye in the least of your sins unrepented from better ye had never been born for there 's no Purgatory in the world to come as the Pope sains but as the Tree falls it lyes as death leaves you judgement finds you if ye lye down in your Graves in your sins you will rise out of them full of sorrowes Listen unto Christs Ministers who are given for the work of the Ministry for the perfecting of the Saints the edifying of the body till we all come to a Perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fullnesse of Christ himselfe so as to be as he is in this world and whoever saith he abides in him ought so to walk as himselfe walked in whom was no sin and who hath true hope in him purifieth himselfe as he also is pure and a multitude more sayings of like sort we may hear them utter Otherwhiles that is when the Qua call men to the same living without sin telling them these things are possible to be done by Gods grace who of his good pleasure hath wrought in men to will and to do so that by the power and sufficiency of that they may now work out their own salvation if they neglect not this day of Gods long suffering and salvation wherein God would succour them if they will and that God requires not by either his Ministers or their Scriptures Impossibilities from his creatures under such paenalty as eternall damnation if not performed then to go round again they tell us other matters which as contradictory as they are to those above-said we must notwithstanding or else be held for Hereticks believe from them to be the truth viz. That t is most false to affirm that the Scripture the perfection whereof they plead to lye in nullâ aliâ re in no other thing then its sufficiency to its end which it can't attain hereafter if not here sith there it ceases as to all its uses either doth or can obtain its end which end they say also is salvation from the sin that destroyes the soul dum in hoc mundo haremus so sayes I. O. Ex. 3. while we have a being in this World Then they make as if the Ministry of them who wrote the Scriptures were such as their own is viz. a meer Antick mockage of men a conclave of contradictions confusions absurdities and Rounds a Ministry of flat falsities not to say fooleries a mad-message of impossibilities wherein they stand all their dayes calling upon all men for money as Homines Domini in Nomine Domini in the name of God on pain of his eternall displeasure and their demnation to do what they are to believe to as an Article of their Faith on pain of the Hereticks condemnation All men can never possibly do God empowering but very few by true grace to do ought at all of what he requires nay not empowering any one at all to do all that viz. to cease from all sinning against him in the time of this life
must take account of you by and by for besides such inspiration to make a Rule is necessary Gods appointment of a writing to that end saith he God thought that sufficient which we have therefore we can look upon no more with such regard at we do upon that See T. D's first Pamphlet p. 26 27.43,44 and of his second Pamphlet p. 17 18. The difference quoth he is in Gods arbitrary dispensation so do I give this reason of our true assertion that howbeit the Scripture is profitable and may be useful and called as by it self yet it no where is a Rule as it agree's with the light and spirit where it is not adulterated by mans mistransciptions mistranslations misconstructions Yet the Canon or most perfect and only standing Rule it is not because God did never Authorize or appoint it so to be but to retort back to T.D. in his own vain phrase thought the measure of his light and spirit every one hath from himself sufficient to make a standard of besides whose inspiration of the said Scripture to make a Rule is necessary Gods appointment of a Writing to such an end the difference lyes in God arbitrary dispensation as well as in the excellent preheminence of the Spirit and Light above the Letter who would have that to be the Rule Canon Standard Touchstone which was so from the beginning of the world two thousand years afore the letter was even to this day even the Spirit then which there can be no other designed by him to that end if I. O's words be true Ex. 4. s. 22. who saith Vnicus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divinus the Divine Canon or Rule is but one not more then which also there is no other mentioned in the Scripture by that name of the Rule but the Light and Spirit as I have shewed above out of those places where the Rule is spoken of and if there be let I.O. or T.D. assign where and hereupon as he saith in the other case so conclude I here in this we can look upon none but the Light and Spirit upon no letter with such regard as the only Rule as we do upon that So then notwithstanding T. D's impertinent unimportant utterly untrue Reply to this Argument That we are to walk by is our Rule but the Spirit is that the Scripture sayes we are to walk by Gal. 5.16 therefore the Spirit is the Rule which Reply runs viz. that phrase denotes the principle not the Rule of our obedience in that place the Argument stands firm over the head of it for though it betoken the principle also yet not only nor exclusively of the Rule but rather the Rule more evidently and much more eminently than the other yea that the Spirit is the principle of all true obedience is professed positively by us who own nothing to be truly done in way of true obedience unto God nor the letter but what is done from the principle power motion assistance and ability of the Spirit of God or that is done without the Spirits in-dwelling yet in that place considered together with the rest above cited it is most clear that the Apostle speaks of the Spirit principally as of the Rule by which we are to walk and the word walk imports no less than the act of proceeding or going on and not the principle original or primum mobile as I may say from which we are to begin to act and move in way of obedience unto God But as unanswerable as T. D's answer is to our Argument yet it serves us very well to prove him a self-contradicter as he and I.O. also are in multitudes of more matters besides and in that it is as answerable as may to his wonted self for let but any reasonable Reader observe as it follows p. 29. of his first Pamphlet what T.D. sayes next of all to this passage of the Spirits being the principle that is the original or beginning of our obedience from which as being the primum movens and Auxilians beforehand moving and assisting we are after to obey and he shall see how he overthrows it himself in his own most immediately ensuing speech for howbeit he sayes the Spirit is the principle of our obedience which is as much as to say that in which we first walk whose assistance must be antecedent to our true walking according to the letter which is not denied by us yet when we say the same with him he unsayes his own saying again rather then he will side with us for whereas I said as his own self there relates that the Spirit is antecedent to the letter so that none tan walk in the letter till they walk in the spirit he replies thus viz. The spirit is subsequent to the letter in respect of the assistance and ability which he gives to obedience and whereas you affirm quoth he That none can walk in the letter till they walk in the spirit if walking in the spirit be meant of special assistance which is as much as to say if by that phrase of walking in the Spirit you mean the Spirits being the prinriple of our obedience t is false for many walk in many things according to the letter without the spirits in dwelling as Paul while a Pharisee was touching the righteousness of the Law blameless Psa. 3.6 in which beside the rounds he runs in and the contradiction to himself above T.D. sayes false for though none walk according to the letter in truth and as to the spiritual obedience it calls for without the Spirits in-being and assistance and power as the Principle from which they must so walk for howbeit Paul walked according to the righteousness of the Law interpreted in sensu Pharisaico according to the Pharisees outside glosses on it who saw not into the marrow mystery and spirituality of it and was zealous of God as to the literal observation of many things yet till the Law which is the light and spiritual came to him who was in his carnal condition and shewed him sin in the lust of which Christ expounds the Law Matth. 5 he kept not the Tetter as to the spiritual import and true intent and utmost meaning of the spirit and minde Christ exprest therein to the spiritual understanding though not to the natural but abstained only from outward grosse acts of sin and in his blind zeal persecuted the Church as ye in your wild-braind zial do at this day The Spirit is the principle from which we are to walke and with ut which we cannot walke according to the letter yet to go round again many walk according to the letter without the Spirits in-dwelling So pervenire ad summum nisi ex principiis nemo potest Pervenire ad summm sine principiis aliquis potest This is the summe of T.Ds. Doctrine Besides if the Spirit be the principle only that men begin to beleeve and obey from and not the Rule according to which they go on in
If every mans private light be the Rule of obedience then we have as many Rules as men but the Divine Rule is onely one and that only one quoth he falsely elsewhere is the Scripture Rep. His minor as is said above serves our turn and as for his major its consequence is most false if by the Word private light he means every ones particular measure of light that shines from God into his conscience for that doth not make tot Regulas c. so many men so many Rules for the Light and Spirit which is the only Rule is one and the self-same thing in all distributed to every one as to degrees which never vary the nature of any thing severally as seems good to him And this is but a piece of his own peevish private piece of prate so often as he doth in his Disputes to term the light of God we testifie to as one in all though in different measures lumen privatum the private light for its lumen publicum commune that one publick light that comes and is communicated from God and reproves sin in all men and never did nor doth consent to any iniquity but condemns it in all men and all men as found in sin and were I.O. as well skilled in the Scripture as he is in the way of unskilful scribling for it and would once learn of Paul whom he often prates on he would have learnt ere this time with him to stile the light in all the different measures of it attained to by men to be but one Rule one thing still and not to say that if every man minde the light in himself then so many men so many Rules which Apostle Phil. 3 15 16. saith Whereunto we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule let us minde the same thing And as to T.Ds. saying That so much of the matter contained in the Scripture as is written upon the hearts of the Heatbens is a Rule to them I very readily grant that to be the very truth but what will T.D. get by it but 1. The glory of his granting to the Qua. that other Grand Question about which he quarrels with them viz the being of a measure of the same matter and not naâ—â—ral as man is in statu corrupto but supernatural and spiritual light of truth which is contained and testified in the Scripture to be in all men in the world even in the Heathen that have not the Scripture 2. The fuller just censure of a contradicter of himself who by telling the truth herein gainsayes that false Doctrine which he teaches for Truth in another place For here he owns some of the same truth or holy Doctrine declared in the Scripture which himself and I.O. stickle to prove it against such as deny it not for the truth is so though the Text is not that every Tittle and Apex thereof is as equally divine or supernatural and entirely given by God himself and as immediately as the very voice wherewith he spake to and in the Prophets See I.O. p. 27.153 and properly the Word of God 24. and the Gospel and a supernatural and spiritual light and such like See I.O. p. 77. and T.D. p. 1 2. of 1. Pamph. and p. 23. of his 2. Pamph. I say here T.D. owns some of that same Matter Light Truth Law or Gospel the letter declares to be written upon the hearts of the Heathens that never had the letter and to be the Rule from God to them But when we affirm as the Scripture doth and T.D. too that every man in the world is enlightned by Christ the true light 1 Joh. 9. with some measure of that Light the Letter speaks of and hath some of that holy divine supernatural spiritual truth doctrine and Evangelical matter which the whole Scripture either more obscurely or more clearly declares then he denies it asserting the Gentiles or Heathens to have none of those Judgements that God gave to Israel and as T.D. to the contradiction of himself so I O Christus nullâ sub consideratione lumen salutare omnibus stngulis hominibus du sit Ex. 4. s. 17. Christ hath in no kind vouchsafed saving Light to all and every man One ignorant untrue Assertion more of T.D. while my eye is on it I may not here let pass without notifying it to the Reader and then for ought I see I may leave T.D. as to his talk of the Scriptures being in the nature or office or authority of a Rule and see what I.O. sayes as to this T.D. sayes p. 17. of his 2. Pamph. Suppose we had the signs recorded that are not written yet were they not our Rule yet confesses that were they written they might be useful being done for the very same end with those lest us G. W. telling him he contradicts himself in so saying T.D. answers he is not sensible of any contradiction herein but of subordination only between the efficient and instrumental cause That the second creation doth not exclude though the first did instruments or second causes instancing Iam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us by the Word of truth And Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rep. To which say I T.D. is not so little sensible of the contradiction G.W. charges him with as every understanding Reader may be greatly sensible of the flat falshood that is told for truth in this latter clause wherein he asserts the first creation did exclude second causes or instruments though the second doth not whereas if T.D. had not been in a Dream he would have seen that the first Creation is so far from excluding instruments or second causes if that be an instrument or second cause which himself instances to be one in the second Creation viz. The Word of God for as the Scripture sayes that the Saints are begotten to God and faith by the Word of God so it sayes but that our Scriblers for the Scriptures are little skill'd in it and so study it in their dark minds till they cannot see what who is not blinde cannot easily over-look Heb. 11.3 2 Pet. 3.5.7 By faith we understand in plurali the worlds were framed by the Word of God and that by the Word of God the heavens and earth were of old and the heavens and earth that now are by the same Word are kept in store and reserved to fire against the day of Judgement and perdition of ungodly men You had need be ashamed to pretend to be such appearers in publick pro Scripturis that appear so much in your testimony so flatly against them as ye do Now as to J. Os. prosecution of the proof of this matter which he so often over and over again avouches as a truth with divine faith to be imbraced on pain and peril of eternal ruine and damnation viz That the Scriptures are in the Authority of the only and perfect Rule and Canon since the compleating