whence it came Or because of God s ondescension for a time to Externals shall they turn the Light and Spirit out of the Office of Rule and Judge by being perpetuated the Rule and Judge Or is it to lay down instituted Religion as some ignorantly talk to press after that which was beâ—…ore and ends those temporary things The Law outward as a Rule was but as Moses till the Son came The Servant abideth not in the House forever The written Law held its place but till the inward rise in more Glory and Brightness oâ—… rather till they became more capable of being turned to it and living with it In those Dayes I will write my Law in their Heart c. They who say otherwise of Scripture do pervert and abuse it for there is nothing more clearly laid down in it from Beginning to End then the Rule and Reign of the Spirit My Kingdom said Christ is not of this World Again The Kingdom of God is within I will write my Law in their Hearts and place my Fear in thâ—…ir inward parts All thy Children shall be taught of the â—…ord and in Righteousness shall they be established I will pour out my Spirit on all Flesh. The Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared to all Men teaching c. Obj. But if the â—…aw engraven and delivered to Moses was a Rule to the Jews why should not the Law deliverd by Christ and written by his Apostles be the Rule to Christians Answ. Christ left nothing in writing as the Rule that we hear of and it is not to be thought he was less faithful in his House then Moses And doubtless had he intended the Rule of his Followers to have been a written Rule he would have left it upon record with all Punctuality This must be believed and that done on Pain of eternal Death Nor did his Followers write in the Method of a Rule as the Law was written nor did they so call or recommend what they writ But this leads me to my 8th Reason why the Scriptures cannot be the Rule under the New Covenant c. For admitting the Law written by Moses were the Rule A Rule I grant it was to the Jew outward yet Christ the spiritual Leader of a spiritâ—…al Israel writeth his spiritual Law in the Heart as Moses the outward Israel's Leader writ the Law upon Tables of Stone This was God's Promise the Priviledge and Blessing of the new Covenant that as the outward Jew had an outward Law for a Directory the inward Jew should have an inward Law for his Directory And as the outward Jew had an outward Priest at whose Mouth he ought to seek the Law so the Jew inward and Circumcision in Spirit has an inward and Spiritual High-Priest whose Lips preserve Knowledge at whose Mouth he is to receive the Law of Life And this is his Rule who is the Ruler of his People Israel who reigneth in Righteousness and of the Increase of whose heavenly Government there shall be no End The King Ruler Judge Law-giver High-priest Law Rule Temple are all Spiritual so the Scriptures inform us My Kingdom said Christ is not of this World Again The Kingdom of God is within I will write my Law in their Hearts and place my Fear in their inward Parts They shall be all taught of me and in Righteousness shall they be established The Tabernacle of God is with Man He will dwell with them I will pour out my Spirit on all Flesh. The Grace hath appeared to all Mâ—…n teaching c. A Measure of the Spirit is given to all Men to profit withal The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth Understanding Whatsoever may be known of God is manifest within walk in the Spirit If ye walk in the Light c. Come let us walk in the Light of the Lord. And there needed neither Sun nor Moon to shine for the Glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb was the Light thereof As many as walk according to this Rule Peace be on them and the whole Israel of God c. What Rule Not that of the old legal Creation that passed away but the Rule of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or new Creation as it may be rendred And as Drusius cites one to have interpreted it and Grotius also interprets it which is the Way of Life Isaiah spoak of An High-Way there shall be and it shall be called the Way of Holiness the Unclean shall not pass over it and wayfaring Men though Fools shall not eâ—…r therein There shall be no Lyon there nor ravenous Beast go thereon but the redeeâ—…d shall walk there which Way Teachâ—… Guide Rule Light Spirit andholy Unction that directs keepeth in steady Paths of Truth is Christ Jesus our Lord. Obj. But do you not turâ—… the Scriptures off sor an uncertain unâ—…rviceable Writing and as good as reject and deny them altogether Answ. There is a late Author or two who to depaint us as ugly as their Malice could invent have rendered themselves so ridiculous as so to infer But it is not my Business at this time to medle with particular Controversie that followeth in the second Part and shall therefore attend to answer the general Objection The Scriptures are uncertain upon your Foundation but not upon ours Doth our maniâ—…esting your Faith concerning them to be grounded upon your own Imaginations or human Traditions make void or render uncertain the Scriptures By no means but we would have you come to receive them upon the Spirit 's Testimony and Evidence that gave them forth And though we cannot allow them to be the Rule of Faith and Life under the Dispensation of the Gospel which is Power and Life it self yet are they to be read believed and fulfilled under the Gospel For notwithstanding the Law written upon Stone was not Paul's Rule after the Son of God was revealed in him yet the Son of God taught Paul to fulfil the Righteousness declared by that Law If it were to deny and reject as some Persons enviously say of us yea to vilifie the Scripture because we cannot allow it to be the Rule c. Paul must be said to deny reject and vilifie the Law written at what time the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus became his Rule There is a great Difference in asserting that the Spirit is the Rule and casting away vilifying of Scripture And indeed it is but an old Fetch of the Devil 's to pretend Honour to the Letter that he might the more unsuspectedly oppose the bringing in of the Dispensation of the Spirit which the Letter it self testifies to They that come to be led of the Spirit arrive at the End for which Scripture was given forth the Apostle John did as good as say the same thing when he told them to whom he wrote That the Anointing which they had
begotten Who then is my Rule to inform order strengthen and lead through the whole Experience but the same Spirit All Doctrinal Scripture was experienced before written or they had not been true Witnesses who wrote it Now that which was their Rule can only guide us into the same Experiences nor are they to be known before experienced Do my Will and you shall know more of my Doctrine saith Christ. I read the History of such things This saves not Neither can the History be the Rule leading into the Mystery That belongs only to the Spirit that searcheth the deep things of God Consequently the Spirit and not the Scripture is the Rule for so believing and living Obj. But is not this to make void the Protestants Plea against the Papists That the Scriptures are the Rule of Faith and Practice Answ. No such matter For the Question was not Whether the Spirit of Christ or the Scripture was the Rule But Whether the Scripture God's Tradition or Popish Traditions were the Rule to measure the Truth of Doctrines and Practices by We grant that particular Scriptures rightly understood may measure what is agreeable or disagreeable to them that is such Doctrines and Practices as are contrary to that part of Scripture more particularly relating to our dayes are questionable by the Scripture especially since all Parties pretend what they say and do is according to Scripture Yet this concludes not the Scripture to be the General and Evangelical Rule Obj. But if God had not revealed those things that are in Scripture by it to us â—…ow could they have been known by us Answ. They were known by the Light and Spirit of Christ before written from whence they are call'd Scripture Therefore it is said That the Prophets searched diligently what and what manner of Time the Spirit of Christ that was in them did signifie when it testified before-hand of the Sufferings of Christ. Nor are they ever the more reveal'd to the blind and dark Mind because there written The Mysteries of Regeneration are as puzling to Natural Wit and Earthly Wisdom as before Therefore well said Epiphanius Only to the Children of the Holy Ghost all the Holy Scriptures are plain and easie Mens going to hammer out Principles without that infallible Guide and Rule hath been the Cause of that great Confusion that is over Mankind about Religion Obj. But how could you have known those Prophecies to be true for that is not matter of Witnessing but Fore-telling Answ. That is an extraordinary Revelation not falling within the ordinary Discoveries absolutely necessary to mans Salvation but to shew his Power Faithfulness that he is God and can and will fore-tell and bring to pass But therefore must there be an Extraordinary Light or Spirit and not rather an Extraordinary Sight and Seâ—…ne from one and the same Light and Spirit in them Besides That which gives me to believe and savour it to be from the Spirit and not by Imposture is my Rule for believing it Now that the Spirit so doth Calvin and Beza too as before cited assert for me viz. The same Spirit that spake by the Mouth of the Prophets must pierce into our Hearts to perswade us that they faithfully declared that which was committed to them of God Obj. But this Light you speak of could not tell you which way Sin came into the World That there was an Adam and Eve that they fell after that manner that Sin so entered the World That Christ was born of a Virgin suffered Death and rose again That you ought not to Swear in any case c. if the Scriptures had not told you so Answ. That is boldly said But consider well Moses sayes the vulgar Opinion had that Account above Two Thousand Years after the Creation by Revelation which we find in Genesis Now that there could be no Revelation without this Divine Light or Spirit which is the Life of the Eternal Creating Word must needs be granted For the Spirit of God knoweth only the Things of God and whatever makes manifest is Light And that the Spirit and Light are one though two Names has been sufficiently evidenced If then it was this Light of the Eternal Word that delivered these past things to Moses and gave that Prospect of future things to the Prophets as no doubt it was if Scripture be indubitable then to say the Light or Spirit could not do it is Blasphemous Again To argue because the Light does not reveal every Circumstance of History to each Individual that hath already an Account that therefore it could not is ridiculous Were the History of the Transactions of Christ and his Followers wanting as before Moses was that of Adam and his Posterity and that the Lord saw it needful to acquaint Mankind therewith no doubt but the Light and Spirit which revealed the Account of the Creation above Two Thousand Years after to Moses and fore-told several Hundred Years many of those Transactions of Christ by the Prophets would also have supplyed that Want But inasmuch as an Account is extant and therefore not needed 't is vain to make that Objection Again It does not follow because every man has a Measure of Light to inform and rule him that therefore he must needs know all which that Light knows or is able to reveal to him I return that Argument thus upon our Adversaries They say they have the Spirit of God Then they know all that the Spirit of God knows or can reveal to them If the latter be absurd then the former Again say they The Light within did not reveal Christ to the Gentiles that Christ should be born of a Virgin c. therefore insufficient I return upon them thus The Spirit of God given to the Children of Israel Neh. 9. 20. did not acquaint them that Christ should be born of a Virgin nor much more of his Life and Bodily Transactions therefore the Spirit of God was insufficient The like may be concluded against the Spirit in the Prophets For 't is manifest from 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. that the Spirit had not revealed to all the Prophets the Time of Christ's Appearance and Sufferings was the Spirit therefore an insufficient Rule to them But that which falls heaviest upon our Adversaries is this That the Scriptures by their own Argument are a most imperfect Account themselves of what was done not relating the hundredth part of things therefore as insufficient in not relating what is behind as they would weakly render the Light or Spirit in not revealing to every Individual those things already related Nay they may as well infer Insufficiency to the Spirit or the Light within in that it does not now shew all that shall be to the End of the World which in their proper Seasons there will be a Necessity to know as to reflect insufficiency upon it c. because it did not foretel things now past to â—…ormer Ages or needlesly reveal
Stress which at other times they lay upon the Scriptures So that finally they deny both the Spirit the Scriptures to be the Rule setting up their own Meanings over both being ignorant of the Scriptures and the Power of God We may believe that the Truth of it is It is more consistent with their Gain and Trade of Preaching that their Meanings should be the Rule over or above the Scriptures then that the Scriptures should be the only or highest Rule to Heaven as sometimes they pretend for that Bibles are had at a great deal cheaper Rate then their Trade of Preaching can be had But then for their own Ends on the other Haâ—…d they can in plain self-Contradiction cry up the Scriptures as the only 〈◊〉 Rule to Heaven when their Design is to divert Peoples Minds from depending upon the DIVINE LIGHT and IMMEDIATE TEACHING OF GOD WITHIN for Life and Salvation Seeing that it 's evident they can more easily avoid the Scriptures Infallibility for their own Ends that they may be Masters both over the Scriptures and Mens Faith for their Lucre and Gain than they can get any of the Children of Light to assist their Trade or any to maintain them therein who are turned from Darkness to the LIGHT to wait upon the Immediate Teachings of God it 's easier for them to evade or dispense with the Scripture's Infallibility then to hinder the true LIGHT WITHIN from shining in Mens Hearts for that is impossible for them Again the Scriptures were not the Presbyterians sole Rule of Faith and Practice when they set forth their 〈◊〉 Confession of Faith and Scotch Covenant agreed upon by the Kirk of Scotland and the Assembly at Westminster which was of no small Charge It 's easie to see that their sole Rule as they have pretended the Scriptures to be they can easily dispense with add to or vary from for their own Ends at their Pleasure both in Doctrine Discipline and Practice as might be instanced not only for their unscriptural Sprinkling Infants but in many otheâ—… Traditions and Babylonish Reliques S. Scandret ' s Sense about the Points in Controversie examined S. S. BY the Light in every Man understand not the Light of the Gospel 2 Cor. 4. 4. lest the Light of the glorious Gospel should shine c. p. 1 2. Answ. The God of the World hath blinded the Minds of them that are lost lest the Light of the glorious Gospel should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. 4. And this Man's Work is of the same Tendency viz. to blind Peoples Minds which implies that the Light of Christ Jesus which is Gospel-Light is given to all but the Minds blinded by Satan oppose it The Subject which Satan works upon and prevails with is their Minds not the Light S. S. Mark 't is not said the Light but God hath shined p. 7. Answ. A frivolous Exception Can there be such divine Shiâ—…ing without his divine Light God hath shined in our Hearts c. and God is Light S. S. Upon Phil. 3. 16. The Saints were to walk according to their several Attainments what they had got out of the Scriâ—…s by the same Rule c. p. 9. Answ. What Scriptures They were to walk in the Spirit which directed their Minds to God that he might reveal his Mind to them And here was the same Rule the same Thing the same Principle their several Attainments being according to their spiritual Growth in the Light Was the Rule mentioned in 2 Cor. 10. 13. and Gal. 6. 15 16. to be got out of the Bible See this Man's gross Ignorance S. S. Innocency man's perfect Light must not be the wholâ—… his Rule p. 11. Answ. A gross Error God was then his perfect Light and Rule in his Teachings and is not that Light which is perfect whole S. S. We need no infallible Spirit to help to discern the Counsels of Light and Darkness in Scripture for all there comes from God p. 27. Answ. He is not told this by an infallible Spirit for many Counsels of Darkness Serpent and wicked Men both against God Christ and his People are recorded in Scripture And it is the Spirit of Christ which is Infallible that truly opens and reveals the Truths in Scripture to the Understanding of the Children of Light S. S. The Spirit dwelling in all Believers is sometimes a sweet Moâ—…r to Duty though no indwelling Spirit p. 38. 〈◊〉 Gross Ignorance and Confusion What! no indwelling Spirit and yet dwelling in all Believers Did you ever hear such Doctrine before S. S. God's Commands cease not to be God's Commands either because the Spirit doth not within put Men on to obey them c. p. 38. Answ. A gross Inference against the Spirit for the Spirit of Truth leads true Believers into all Truth from which no true and necessary Commands can be excluded unless he will say some of them are no Truths S. S. We are to obey them though the Spirit 〈◊〉 puts not on otherwise some wicked men in living contrâ—…ry to the Scriptures do not sin cannot be damâ—…ed for so doing for sâ—…e have sinned away the Motions and Strivings of 〈◊〉 Spirit p. 8. Answ. What will become of such poor â—…eople that are fed with such Chaff and Darknes as this And what is the Tendency of it but to set 〈◊〉 on to work in their own Wills to set up their own 〈◊〉 without the Movings of the Spirit of God And what will that profit them though without this Spiriâ—… they are carnal and selfish in all their Actiâ—…gs and canâ—…t truly obey Nor can wicked Men who have 〈◊〉 away its Strivings escape Damnation withall S. S. â—…is pressing them to obey the Scriptures wiâ—…hout the Guidance of the Spirit for without him we can do 〈◊〉 but all things through him that strengthneth us S. S. Because a Thing is written in the Scripture are we to do it I will in God's Assistance rowl my self and act Faith on God and Christ because I see the sweet Words in the Scriptures c. p. 38. Answ. This is a Faith of his own making a Will acting that is not grounded upon the Spirit of God and its Perswasion within an imperfect Imitation of the â—…etter wiâ—…hout the Spirit for he hath not an infallible Spirit oâ—… discerning between the Counsels of Light and Darkness in the Heart nor to discern those few Truths it doth reveal as he confesseth p. 27. and 31 So that this Book of his against us prâ—…ceeded from his Darkness and fallible Spirit But if God s Spirit teach us by the Works of Creation and the Light in every Man propounding the Creation to be considered and he helps us to conclude a God thence that he is to be worshiped c. for in him we live move and have our being as is largely confessed p. 53. Then there is a twofold Testimony afforded of God to Mankind viz. Immediate and Mediate as namely First his Spirit or Light 2dly His Works
Consideration that Men perish for Want of it and can no more arrive at Truth without it then the distressed Mariner can gain his Port who sailes without either Star or Compass I shall begin with an Explanation of the Terms Rule and Faith of which we shall first treat that we may as well express what we intend by the one as what we mean by the other which will be a proper Introduction to the whole Discourse By General Rule c. we understand that Constant Measure or Standard by which Men have been in all Ages enabled to Judge of the Truth or Error of Doctrines and the Good or Evil of Thoughts Words and Actions By Faith we understand an Assent of the Mind in such manner to the Discoveries made of God thereto as to resign up to God and have Dependence upon him as the Great Creator and Saviour of his People which is inseparable from good Works That Men in all Ages have had a Belief of God and some Knowledge of him though not upon equal Discovery must be granted from that account that all Story gives us of Mankind in matters of Religion several have fully performed this Ofold Justin Martyr Clemens Alexandrinus Augustine and others of later times Du Plessy Grotius Amiraldus L. Herbert with many more And indeed the reliques we have of the most ancient Historians and Authors are a Demonstration in the Point Now the Scripture tells us that no Man knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveals him And as none knows the things of Man save the Spirit of Man so the things of God knows no Man but the Spirit of God Hence we may safely conclude that the Creating Word that was with God and was God in whom was Life and that Life the Light of Men who is the Quickning Spirit was He by whom God in all Ages must have been revealed consequently that Light or Spirit hath been the General Rule of mens Knowledge Faith and Obedience with respect to God And thus much Pythagoras that liv'd about Six Hundred Years before those Words were spoak or writ laid down for a Maxim viz. That no man can know what is agreeable to God except a man hear God himself that is within for that was his Doctrine To which the Apostle and Prophet thus agree 1. In that whatever makes manifest is Light 2. That whatever might be known of God was manifest within for God who is Light 1 Joh. 1. 5. had shewn it unto them And God hath shewn unto thee O Man what is good and acceptable c. which could not be without his Light shining in Man's Conscience Therefore the Light of God in the Conscience must needs have been the general Rule c. It was by this Law that Enoch Noah Abraham Melchisedeck Abimeleeh Job Jethro c. walked and were accepted as saith Irenaeus Tertullian They were Just by the Law written in their Hearts then was it their Rule to and in that just State Obj. It seems then you deny the Scripture to be the General Rule c. Answ. How can they be the General Rule that have not been General That which was both before and since they were in being must needs be more general then they But that was this Light in the Conscience the Law and Guide of those Patriarchs for the Scriptures began long after in Moses consequently that must be the general Rule c. Obj. But granting that the Light within were so before Scripture was extant yet since the Writing of holy Scripture the Scripture and not the Light hath been the general Rule Answ. That cannot be unless Palestina or Canaan a little Province of Asia was the whole World and the Jews a particular People all Mankind For at what time the Writings were among the Jews other Nations were only left to the Law and Light within This the Apostle confirmeth in that Passage For the Gentiles which have not the Law that is the outward Law or Law written do by Nature the things conteined in the Law which sheweth the Work of the Law written in their Hearts And the Gentiles themselves called it the immutable Law the everlasting Foundation of Vertue no liveless Precepts but immortal a sacred Good God the Overseer the living Rule the Root of the Soul that which makes the Good Man Thus Thales Pythagoras Socrates Plato Plotin Hieron Philo Plutarch as cited And saith Sophocles God grant that I may alwaies observe that venerâ—…ble Sanctity in my Words and Deeds which these noble Precepts writ 〈◊〉 Mans Heart requâ—…re God is their Father neither shall they ever be abrogated for there is in them a GREAT GOD that never waxeth Old More reverent Epithetes then John Faldo and T. Hicks can afford as their Books too openly witness yet would go for Christian-men though manifestly short of Heathens Thus is it evident that the Scripture was not the general Rule aâ—…ter it was given forth Obj. But hath it not been since and is it not now the general Rule c Answ. There hath been since and is now the same Impediment for before Christ's coming in the Flesh and since where the Scriptures never reach d there hath been the same Light And though Nations through not glorifying God as God when they have known him have bin so given up to all manner of Impieties as that their Understandings have been greatly vail'd yet did not the Light within so wholely loose its Ruling Exercise among them as that they lived without any Sence of such thing Therefore still the Scriptures have not been neither are the General Rule no not so much as of any Age since in no Age can it be prov'd that the whole World was furnished with them But had they been so for some one or two Ages as they never were yet the granting it will not reach our Question where the Word General implieth the Nature of the Thing it self respecting Mankind from the Beginning to this Day and so to the End Obj. But is not the Scripture the Rule c. of our Day Answ. If The Rule then the General Rule for whatsoever is The Rule of Faith and Life excludeth all other from being General they being but particular in respect of it self Therefore not The Rule of Faith and Life But besides their not being Cenetal I have several Reasons to offer why they cannot be The Rule of Faith and Life c. 1. If now the Rule then ever the Rule But they were not ever the Rule and therefore they cannot now be the Rule That they were not ever the Rule is granted But that they are not therefore now the Rule may be by some denyed which I shall prove If the Faith of God's People in all Ages be of one Nature then the Rule but of one Nature But clear it is Heb. 11. The Faith has been but of one Nature Consequently the Rule but of one Nature
In short If the holy Ancients had Faith before they had and wrote Scrâ—…pture they had a Rule before they had or wrote Scripture for where Faith is there is a Rule for that Faith And if the Faith be of one Nature the Rule is of one Nature And since the Faith is Inward Spiritual begotten of the Immortal Word in which is Life and that the Light of men and that this Word Life and Light was the Rule then no more Book Writing or ingraving on visible and perishable Matter can be the Rule now Again Such as the Faith is such must the Rule be But the Faith is as before Inward and Spirual therefore the Rule must be Inward and spiritual which no meer Book can be 2. If the Scriptures were the Rule they must have always been a perfect Rule ever since they were a Rule But this is impossible since they were many hundred years in writing and are now imperfect also as to Number How then the perfect Rule That they were not the Perfect Rule before they were written must be granted and that they were many hundred Years awriting must also be allowed and that they are imperfect now as to Number I prove First Enoch's Prophecy is mentioned by Jude but not extant in the Bible the Books of the Wars of the Lord Numb 21. 14. The Book of Jasher Josh. 10. 13. 2 Sam. 1. 18. The Book of Nathan 2 Chron. 9. 29. The Book of Shemaiah 2 Chron. 12. 15. The Book of Jehu The Epistle of Paul to the Laodiceans Collos. 4. 16. and several others mentioned in the Scriptures not now extant And lastly Luke sayes That many took in hand to relate from Eye-Witnesses the things most surely believed c. Now 't is taken for granted that John wrote many Years after Luke Some think Luke wrote before Mark However Matthew and Mark were not many and to this day we see no more then those four in our Bibles and therefore many such Writings lost and if lost then the Scriptures not perfect and if imperfect how can they be the Rule of Faith since the Rule of Faith must be perfect 3. My third Reason is this The Scriptures however useful to Edification and Comfort seem not in their own Nature and Frame to have been compil'd and delivered as the Rule and intire Body of Faith but rather upon particular Occasions and Emergencies The Doctrines are scattered throughout the Scriptures insomuch that those Societies who have given forth verbal Confessions of their Faith have been necessitated to toss them to and fro search here and search there to lay down this or the other Principle and then as like the original Text as their Apprehensions are whereas were it as plain and distinct as the Nature of a Rule requires they needed only to have given their Subscription for a Confession Besides here they are Proper there Metaphorical in one place Literally in another Mystically to be accepted Most times Points are to be prov'd by comparing and weighing Places coherent here to allude aptly and not wrong the Sense is difficult and requires infallible Discerning notwithstanding the Brawlers of our times against Infallibility Now from all this with abundance more that might be said plain it is that the Scriptures are not plain but to the spiritual man but as Peter said of Paul s Writings in many things hard to be understood therefore not the Rule which ought to be plain proper and intelligible 4. Again the Scripture cannot be the Rule of Faith because it cannot give Faith for Faith is the Gift of God which overcomes the World neither of Practice because it cannot distinguish of it self in all Cases what ought to be practised and what not it containing as well what ought not to be practised as what ought This was the Case of Christ's Disciples who had no particular Rule in the old Testament Writings for the abolishing of some part of the old Testament Religion on the contrary they might have pleaded for the Perpetuity of it because Christ said unto them Do as they say that sit in Moses ' s Chair more reasonably then many make that a Plea now adayes for their invented Worships What guided them in their declaring void and relinquishing those things For Instance God gave Circumcision as a Sign for ever And Paul tells the Galatians That if they be circumcised Christ should profit them nothing Was not this the Spirit of Truth that leads into all Truth that they made the Judge and Rule of their Doctrine and Practices So James and the Assembly of the Apostles when they said It seemâ—…th good to the Holy Ghost and to us c. 5. These very men that say it is the Rule of Faith and Life deviate in their Proof from their Assertion for the Scriptures no where say so of themselves He that flyes to Meanings and Interpretations The Question arises not about the Truth of the Text for that is agreed on on all hands but the Exposition of it If then I yield to that Man do I bow to the Letter of the Text or to his Interpretation If the Latter as manifestly I do is the Scripture or that Man's Sense of it my Rule Nay the Person so interpreting makes not the Scripture his Rule but his own Apprehension whatever he may say to gain Credit to his Conceptions in others then Mine it must needs be I consenting thereto 6. How shall I be assured that these Scriptures came from God I am bound to try all things If all things then Them amongst the rest I would fain know what I must try them with with the Scriptures Then the Scriptures must be the Rule of my Examination and Faith concerning themselves which is improper If with the Spirit that gave them forth that searcheth the deep things of God a measure of which is given to me to profit withal Then is it most congruous to call the Spirit and not the Scriptures the Rule 7. If the Scriptures are the Rule they are so either in their Original or Copies If in their Original that is not extant then no Rule in being for the last of it that was extant was John's History at Ephesus not seen these thousand Years If the Copies must be the Rule it were to be wished we knew which were the nighest to the Original there being above thirty in Number This is undetermined and for ought we see indeterminable And that which makes good what I say are the Variety of Readings among those Copies amounting to several thousands And if the Copies cannot how can the Translations be the Rule so differing from the true Sense of the Copies in many things and one from another Besides I would fain know of those of our present Age who thus contend for the Scriptures being the Rule c. in Opposition to the Spirit upon what foot they receive them into this Place and Authority Is it by Tradition or Revelation I mean
the Internal Testimony of the Spirit or the external Award and Avouchment of Men If the former they inavoidably come over to us for then the Spirit will and must be both Rule and Judge If the latter I ask how are they assured that they are not miserably abused by Carelesness or Design since we see that using utmost Diligence both Translation Transscription and Printing are subject to numerous Mistakes and those sometimes very material against which the Scripture can be no Fence But admit there were no Ground for any such Objection I further demand of our Adversaries if they are well assured of those men that first collected embodyed authenticated them by a Publique Canon which we read to have been in the Council of Laodicca 360. Years after Christ though not as they are now received during which time they had bin tossed tumbled some receiv'd some rejected doubtless many hundred times transscribed and it is not improbable that they were also abused If they miss in their Judgment here they are gone till they come to us I say how do they know that these men rightly discerned true from spâ—…rious Either their Judgment was infallible in the Matter or it was not â—…f it were then there was such a thing as Infallibility since the Apostles Dayes which is a Contradiction to your selves But be it so that they were infallible how came you to be assured they were so Not by Inspiration that is dangerous Doctrine with you Which way was it then Not by Tradition Was it by the Scripture That were to say that the Scripture tells you that those men that collected it for true were right in their Judgment but we are yet to finde any such place and that is to beg the Question I cannot see any other Ground besides your very great Kindness to their Choice which you call Popery and believing as the Church believes in other Folks But if these men were fallible as your own Principle makes them and their own Determinations prove them what then doubtless your Condition will be desperate Now certain it is that some of the Scriptures taken in by one Council for Canonical were rejected by another as Apocryphal and that which was left out by the former for Apocryphal was taken in by the latter for Canonical Now visible it is that they contradicted each other and as true that they both erred respecting the present Belief for your Canon and Catalogue varies from theirs and let me say without Offence from any Catalogue you can produce Behold the Labyrinth of Incertainties you run your selves into who go from that heavenly Gift in your selves by which the holy Scriptures are truly discerned relished and distinguished from the Inventions and Abuses of Men 8. Furthermore If the Scriptures were the Rule of Faith and Life c. then because they cannot be the Rule in their Translations suppose the ancient Copies were exact it cannot be the Rule to far the greatest part of Mankind indeed to none but Learned men which neither answers the Promise relating to Gospel times that is universal nor the Necessity of all Mankind for a Rule of Faith and Life 9. That the Scriptures are not the Rule of Faith and Life is proved from those voluminous Discourses of Cases of Conscience that are extant among us For had the Scriptures beâ—… as sufficient as the Nature of the Rule of Faith and Life requireth there had been no need of such Tracts every man might have read his own Condition laid down in Scripture without those numerous Supplements Doth not your own Language and Practice prove its Insufficiency to that End at what time you both exhort to and go in secret to seek the Mind of the Lord in this or that important Affair Why do not you turn to Chapter and Verse for Satisfaction if the Scripture be appointed of God for a Rule Strange That what is so common in the Mouths of all sorts viz. God direct you that implieth Inspiration and Revelation or immediate Council or Guiding from God should not be known much less acknowledged by you in our Writings but overrun with such scaring Epithetes as Enthusiasm Familism Fanaticism Quakerism c. In short there are a * thousand Cases and not a few occurring almost daily in which the Scripture cannot be our plain and distinct Rule and Guide yet has not God left himself without a Witness in every Boâ—…om for his Grace has appeared unto all Men teaching them that believe in it to deny Ungodliness and woâ—…ldly Lusts and to live sobâ—…rly righâ—…eously and godly in this present evil World And Christ Jesus the eternal Word has for that End enlightened every Man coming into the World viz. to discover reprove and instruct â—…or Faith and Life But it may be and is objected by some Obj. If this Law and Light in the Conscience had been enough what need had there been of Scripture Answ. The same Argument will hold against God Christ his Spirit and Grace all which are sufficient notwithstanding the Use and Benefit of Scripture The Case was this Man's Mind being estranged from the Light and Spirit through its wandrings after visible and perishing things and in as much as the Light became thereby vailed from him the Spirit as quenched and the Law as defac'd God in peculiar Mercy to the Jews according to his Covenant with faithful â—…braham super-added or repeated as Urâ—…n termes it the Law inward by a Declaration of it outwardly that both God might not be without an outward Witness as well as an inward they having so much lost the Feeling thereof And more deeply to strike their Minds by their Senses into which their Minds were gone and to meet them abroad whether they were roving and wandering from the Law and Light within As it is great Vanity and Weakness to infer Insufficiency to the Light from the Imbecillity and Darkness that are in Men occasion'd through their Rebellion to the Law and Light within so from God's superadding Scripture and other external Assistances to Men in that State What would such have God his Light and Spirit appear to and converse with Peoples outward Senses That can't be the one is too Spiritual the other too Carnal for any such thing Or are they Insufficient because they converse with Men through these exteriour things suited to that imbecil State Or tell me if the considerablest part of Scriptâ—…re be any more then the declared Knowledge and Experience oâ—… such as were come to a more improved State in the Teachings of that Light and Spirit which is therefore given forth that others loytering behind might be the more prevailed with to follow them as they had followed the Lord in the Light of his Spirit Certainly it can never be that Scripture should impeach the Light of insufficiency when it is but the Mind and Teachings of the Light in others declared or recorded Does the Declaration jarr or make weak that from
received and abode in them would lead them iâ—…to all Truth and that they needed not that any man should teach them To deny this to have been the Saints Teacher is to deny as plain a Proposition as is in the whole Scripture and that one Age of Christianity should have one Rule and another Age another Rule that the Spirit we but the Letter is more then any Man can prove yet did John's so writing invalid the Scripture or vilifie his own Epistle Certainly none will talk so idly How then doth our lifting up the Light and Spirit of Christ which fulfils the Scriptures by bringing such as are led thereby to enjoy the good things therein declared reject and vilifie the Scriptures Does our living up to them by an higher Rule make us to deny and reprobate them Erasmus and Grotius think them then most to be valued when men are Witnesses of them see on 2 Pet. 1. 19 20. I do acknowledge they contain an Account of several heavenly Prophecies godly Reproofs and Instructions that ought to be obeyed Obj If so Then how are they not a Rule of Faith and Life Answ. A Rule and the Rule are not one and the same thing By the Rule of Faith and Life I understand the living spiritual immediate omnipresent discovering ordering Spirit of God And by a Rule some Instrument by and through which this great Rule may convey its Direction Such a subordinate secondary and dâ—…claratory Rule we never said several parts of Scripture were not yet the Reason of our Obedience is not meerly because they are there written that were legal but because they are the eternal Precepts of the Spirit in Mens Consciences there repeated and declared Iâ—… is the Tâ—…stimony of the Spirit that is the true Rule for believing and understanding of any or all the Scripture therefore not the Scripture but the Spirit of Truth must be the Rule for mens believing understanding c. Thus held the Ancients Tâ—…rtullian saith Worldly Wisdom the Lord calls Foolishne ss he hath chosen the soolish things of the World to the confounding of Philosophy for that is the Matter of Worldly Wisdom a divine Interpreter of the divine Nature and Disposings Justin Martyr in Exposit. â—…id The Interpretation of the Scriptures is to be a commodated to the Will of the Doctrine of the Spirit and not to human Reasonings Hieron saith The Scriptures musâ—… be opened with spiritual Exposition Epiphanius saith Only â—…o the Children of the holy Ghost all the Scriptures are plain and cleâ—…r Nor were the most approved Protestants of any sort who have been so reputed in Opposition to Popery of another mind It is the Substance of the sourth Article exhibited against the Lutherans in the Council of Trent as an Erroneous Doctrine they held That to understand the Scripture neither Gâ—…oss nor Comment is necessary but only to have the Spirit of a Sheep of Christ's Pasture Erasmus tells us What Man sets forth by Man's Deâ—…ice may be received by Man's Wit But the thing that is set forth by the Inspiraâ—…ion of the Holy Ghost requireth an Interpreter inspired with the like Spirit and without the Inspiration of it the Secrets of God cannot be known Luther giveth us his Mind thus The Scriptures are not to be understood but by that very Spirit by which they were writ Peter Martyr that famous Italian Protestant teacheth us The Spirit is the Abettor by which we must assure our selves for understanding of the Scriptures that thereby we must discern between Christ's Words and a Strangers quoting Christ's Words My Sheep know my Voice and several other places of Scriptures Again The Spirit of God revâ—…aleth the Truth in the Scriptures H. Bullinger Decad. 4. Serm. 8. Men â—…etch the Understanding of Heavenly Things and Knoâ—…ge of the Holy Ghost from NOWHERE ELSE but from the same Spirit John Bradford answerd to the Arch-Bishop of York thus We know the Scriptures as Christ's Sheep by the same Spirit that wrote and spake them being thereby assured c. Calvin teacheth thus in his Institutes It is necessary the same Spirit that spake by the Mouth of the Prophâ—…ts should pierce into our Hearts to perswade us that they faithfully delivered that which was committed to them of God Beza saith That the Way of understanding Prophecies and referring them to the right Scope must be sought or fetcht from the same Spirit which dictated them to the Prophets themselves and more to that purpose W. Tindal call'd the English Apostle by J. Fox saith It is impossible to understand in the Scriptures more then a Turk for any that hath not the Law of God writ in the Heart to sulfil it Bp. Jewel thus against Harding The Spirit of God is bound neither to Sharpness of Wit nor to Abundance of Learning Flesh and Blood is not able to understand the Holy Will of God without SPECIAL REVELATION Without this SPECIAL HELP and PROMPTING OF GOD's SPIRIT the Scripture is to the Reader be he never so Wisâ—… and well-Learned as the Vision of a sealed Book D. Ames a great Father of the Independents saith upon Bellarmin's wordâ—… The Anointing of the Holy Spirit doth teach the Faithful to understand those things which they received of the Apostles therefore to understand the Scriptures in those things which are necessary to Salvation with more to that purpose Vatablâ—…s on Job 32. 8. with Drusius Clarius and others speak to the same effect G. Crâ—…dock a famous Independent Preacher preacht That the Scripture is a Speechless thing without the Spirit Ch. Goad an eminent Separatist's Works styl'd B. D. of K. Colledge in Cambridge and an Independent Pastor thus taâ—…ght There is no Knowledge of Christ nor of the Scripture but by Revelation D. J. Owen a man of greatest Fame among the present Independents saith The publick authentick and infallible Interpreter of the holy Scripture is HE who is the AUTHOR of them from the BREATHING OF WHOSE SPIRIT IT DERIVETH ALL ITS VERITY PERSPICUITY AND AUTHORITY So that we see upon the Judgment of many considerable Persons the Scripture is no Rule for our believing and understanding of it self therefore not The Rule of Faith and Practice coâ—…cerning the things therein declared I will give a short Instance in Christ's words about Regeneration He taught and strange it was no doubt to wise Nicodemus That unlâ—…ss a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God This is as plain a Proposition as can be laid down and may be credited Historically But what is that to any â—…s New Birth that they are never like to 〈◊〉 â—…formed of there Nor can that Scripture be my Rule in that Heavenly Travail respecting the many and wonderful Tryals and Exercises that are to be met with in it neither can any other Writing whatever This only is the Office of that Spirit Word immortal by which I am anew
them over again to us in this Age. Neither is History or can it be the Rule of that Faith and â—…ife we speak of which are absolutely necessary to Salvation which is the Faith that not History but God gives that works not by History but Love overcomes the Woâ—…ld which Millions of Historical Believers are overcome by and wallow in the Spirit and Practice of And the Rule must be answerable to the Nature and Workings of the Faith so in Point of good Life which is Duty done Now History though it inform me of others Actions yet it does not follow that it is the Rule of Duty to me since it may relate Actions not imitable as in the Case of Adam and Eve in several Respects and Christ's being born of a Virgin dying for the Sins of the World c. wherefore this cannot be the Rule of Duty The like may be said of the Jewish Story that was the particular Concern and Transaction of that People Obj. But these things ought to be believed Answ. I say so too where the History has reached and the Spirit of God hath made a Convictâ—…on upon the Conscience which sayes D. J. Owen as before gives them Authority Verity and Perspicuity But where this History has not reached any People or they dye ignorant of it they are not responsible for not believing any such Passages as saith Bp. Sanderson 'T is one thing to say The Scriptures ought to be read believed and fulfilled and another thing to say They are the Evangelical Rule of Faith and Life For when I read believe and witness them fulfilling I must needs have a Rule to read understand believe and witness them fulfilling by which being the Divine Light and Spirit of Christ that and not themselves must be my Rule for so Reading Understanding Believing c. And surther to prove that the Light and Spirit within the Heathens was sufficient to discover these things 'T is granted on all hands that the Sibylls had divine Sights I mean not those made in their Name by some Professors of Christianity as is charged on them to gain Authority upon the Gentiles against which Blundel writes But those acknowledged Who prophesied of a Virgin 's bringing forth a Son and that he should destroy the Serpent and replenish the Earth with Righteousness as is before cited out of Virgil who took it out of the Remains of Cumaa's Verses then among the Romans And for the Practical Part of the Objection viz. How should we have known it had been Unlawful to Swear at all in any Case if Mat. 5. 34. had not been which is of most weight in this Case because matter of Duty and called particularly by some an Evangelical Precept being a Step above the Righteousness of the Law outward among the Jews I have this to say in Solution of my Adversaries Objection Reprehension of his Ignorance and for Proof by his own Argument of the Light 's Sufficiency There were among the Jews themselves long before Christ came an entire People that would not Swear to wit the Esseni They keep their Promises sayes Josephus and account every Word they â—…peak of more Force then if they had bound it with an Oath And they shun Oaths worse then Perjury for they esteem him condemned for a Lyar who without it is not believed Philo writes to the same purpose and taught himself that it was best to abstain from Swearing that ones Word might be taken instead of an Oath And Pythagoras in his Oration to the Crotonian Senators exhorted them thus Let no man attest God by Oath though in Courts of Judicature but use to speak such things that he may be credited without Oath The Scythians are said to tell Alexander of themselves Think not that Scythians confirm their Friendship by Oath They Swear by keeping their Word And Clinias a Greek and Follower of Pythagoras rather chose to suffer the Fine of Three Talents which make 300 l. English then to lessen his Veracity by taking an Oath Which Act was greatly commended of Bafilius who upbraided the Christians of his time with it Thereby after our Adversaries Way of drawing Consequences preferring the Light of the Gentiles before the Light of the Christians though indeed the Light was and is alwayes one in it self but the Christian did not live up so closely to it as the Heatheâ—… did and therefore had a greater Liberty and walked in a broader Way I would now know of our Opposers if they can yet think the Light that preach'd in the Mount that Doctrine was one with that Light that shined in the Consciences of those Gentiles so many Hundred Years before that Sermon was writ or preached who so plainly believed practised and taught it yea or nay Perhaps some of them through the abundance of their Envy Pride and Passion will yet stick out while the more moderate may submit to such Evidence and conclude Ignorance and Folly to have made all this Opposition against us and that of a Truth The Voice which cryed Prov. 8. 4 6. Unto you O men I call and my Voice is to the Sons of men hear for I will speak Excellent things was heard by the Gentiles and that what concerned Doctrine to Holy Living was not hid from them I mean evangelically so provided Christ's Heavenly Sermon upon the Mount related by Matthew may be esteemed such for their Writings flow with Amens thereunto But admitting to our Adversaries that the Voice was then so low and the Manifestation of the Light so small as it discovered not many of those things before-mentioned could that give any reasonable men Ground to conclude Therefore the Divine Wisdom or Light was insufficient or that the Divine Wisdom or Light was not then and should not in other Ages become the Rule and Guide of the Children of men however promised Yet such false Consequences have been the Corner-Stone and Foundation of our Adversaries Building against us And no reasonable man I think will clear it from being a Sandy one OF THE Judge of Controversie I Shall explain what I mean by the Termes A Judge is one that has not only Power to determine but Discerning to do it rightly Controversie is a Debate between two Parties about the Truth or Falshood of any Proposition to be determined by that Judge From whence I am led to assert that The Judge of Controversie must be Infallible And though this may seem strange to some 't is nevertheless true in it self For if the Judge be fallible however he by his Authority may determine the Persons controverting into Silence yet it does not follow that he has given true Judgment since he may as wel nay rather determine falsly then truly so that Controversie can never be rightly determined by a fallible Judge therefore no true Judge of Controversie Indeed it is absurd and a Contradiction in it self to think otherwise since he that is uncertain can never give
Mankind What more excellent Judgment can be given then that men quit their Contentions about Notions and Opinions and betake themselves to the Practice of that which God hath already shewn unto them as spake both the Prophet Micah 6. 8. and the Apostle Paul Rom. 1. 19. And if any thing be revealed to one more then another let the rest judge in the Spirit or be silent till God manifest more to them in order to Right Judgment 'T is good to try all things but we must have something to try them by and what ought that to be but the Spirit that searcheth the Anointing that teaches all things which is Truth it self Here Mankind will live in Love having at least Natural Affections now lost by the Bâ—…rbarity of some of their cruel Religions and a Judgment oâ—… things will be made not from the Rash Partial Short sighted a d Froward Mind of man but that eternal Light and Spirit that never erred which however disgustful to some Protestants in this Age was no False Doctrine in the Account of John Philpot and Bp. Latimer two great Founders of the Reformation The first in his Answer to the Bishop of Chichester reproving his Confidence about true Faith in Christ saying These Hereticks take upon them to be sure of all things they stand in Let him doubt saith John Philpot of his Faith that listeth God give me alwayes to believe that I am sure of true Faith and Favour in Christ. The second in his Answer to a Knight objecting the Uncertainty of Man in what he calls Truth thus recorded by J. Fox Your Friends deny not but that certain Truths are communicated to us according to Capacity But as to my Presumption and Arrogancy either I am certain or uncertain that it is Truth that I preach if it be Truth why may not I say so if I be uncertain why dare I be so bold as to preach it And if your Friends be Preachers themselves after their Sermon I pray you ask them Whether they be certain and sure they preach the Truth or no and send me word what they say that I may learn to speak after them If they say they be sure you know what follows if they say they be unsure when shall you be sure that have so doubtful and unsure Teachers Let not Protestants for Shame judge us for owning a Doctrine that is confessed to and confirmed by some of the Worthiest of their own Ancestors viz. That an Infallible Judgment in things necessary to Salvation is both possible and requisite and that God communicates it by his Spirit to the Souls of men The Conclusion TO Conclude Immanuel a word suited not only to that Appearance but whole Dispensation imports God nigh to or with men The Tabernacle of God is with men he will dwell in them and walk in them they shall be all taught of me and in Righteousness shall they be established And this admits not of any Book or literal Rule or Judge to come between that in-dwelling Light Life and Wisdom of God and the Soul as its Rule of Faith and Life And because it is the unutterable Goodness of God to People in these latter Dayes as the Sum of Scripture-Prophecy thus to make known himself we are incessant in our Cries unto them that they would turn in their Minds now abroad and taking up their Rest in the Externals of Religion that they may hear his Heavenly Voice and Knocks and let him in and be taught of him to know and do his Will that they may come to be experienced and expert in the School of Christ For never Man spoak and taught as he livingly speaks and teaches in the Consciences of those who diligently hear him and are willing to be taught of him the Knowledge of his Wayes The Priest was Outward but he is now Inward the Law Outward but it is now Inward And he is no more a Jew that is one outward nor that Circumcision which is outward in the Flesh but he is a Jew who is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose Praise is not of Men but of God Which is so far from lessening the Scriptures of Truth that unless this be man's Rule and Judge in the reading and believing of them he can never either understand them or keep the things therein contain'd aright And indeed as before I have expressed I cannot but say That Man whilst unregenerated setting his Wit and Wisdom to fathom and comprehend the Intention of the Holy Ghost in many of those Writings hath occasioned that Confusion Darkness and perplext Controversie that now so lamentably pesters the World In which State for all the External Imitations of the Ancients in some temporary and visible Parts of Worship I am to tell such from the Spirit of the Lord God of all Truth they will never be accepted The utmost of that literal Knowledge historical Faith and outward Religion is at best but the Old Heavens that are to be wrapped up as a Scroul the Old Wine and Bottle that belong not to the Kingdom and Man's holding true Words in an unregenerated and unrighteous Nature where he may cry Lord Lord but shalâ—… never enter into the Rest that is Eternal For under such a Faith and Religion Envy Wrath Malice Persecution Pride Passion Worldly-Mindedness c. may and do live yea and are cloaked as with a secure Cover from the Stroak of God's Spirit insomuch as when any are moved of the Lord to decry such fair and hypocritical Shews of Religion they are reputed Rash and Censorious and presently a Plea must he made on this wise Do not we follow the Commands of the Scripture Did not such and such do so and so Never regarding from what Grounds the Performance springs whether it be according to the Rule of the NEW or OLD Creature buâ—… abuse and vilifie us for making such Distinctions as if the Prayers Preachings Singings outward Baptizings and Suppings c. of Men in their own Spirits Strength and Will were required and accepted of God for Evangelical Worship Thick Darkness and dangerous Presumption Thus are Men out of the Way concerning both Faith and Practice and the true Rule and Judge of them They make the former to lie in an Assent of the Understanding to such Propositions and in the performing of some visible Parts of Religion in their own Spirits and Wills which is far from the Immanuel-State And the latter to be the Scriptures which is but an Account of those Things which others were ruled to and directed in by the Holy Spirit before they were ever recorded or made Scripture and not another Rule or Judge can so regulate For as the Faith and Experience so the Rule and Judge of that Faith and that Experience must be one God by his Spirit begets Faith God by his Spirit rules Faith and governs the Life of his Children for
as many as are Children of God are led by the Spirit of God The Scripture much of it is but a Declaration of Faith and Experience therefore not the Rule or Judge For as Faith and Experience were before Scripture so the Rule and Judge before Scripture because as I said before there is a Rule and Judge as soon as there is Faith therefore the Scripture is not that Rule or Judge And before that Declaration be answered by any they must come to the Faith Rule and Judge of which that is a Declaration So that Faith is yielding up to the Requirings of God's Spirit in us in full Assurance of the Remission of Sins through the Son of his Love and Life Everlasting from whence daily flow Works of Holiness well-pleasing to God and not a meer Assent of the Understanding to a verbal though a true Proposition The Life of a true Christian stands not in Bodyly Exercise that sayes the Apostle profits little nor in an Imitation of the Ancients in temporary things which as well the Hypocrite as the Saint can do But in self-Denyal and walking in the Spirit to bring forth the Fruits thereof unto all Godliness which is the pure and spiritual Obedience resulting from the living spiritual Faith of God's Elect and the Rule Judge thereof is their Author or Begetter even the Spirit of Truth which alone gives saving Understanding and searcheth the deep things of God O you Professors of Religion that you would but seriously weigh these things and examine your selves in God's Sight who respects none for their fair Out-sides If this saving Faith be your Faith and this Heavenly Life be your Life and if the holy Spirit be your Ruler and Leader if not you are but legal formal in the Oldness of the Letter and Runnings in your own Will which obtains not in which State not the Wisdom from above but that which is from below of the old Creature is your Rule in it you read Scripture expound it pray preach sing perform all your Duties and this is not to walk according to the Rule of the New Creature but in a legal Spirit to make a Gospel-Profession the End of which from the Lord I am to tell you will be a Bed of Sorrow Therefore resist not the Light and Spirit within but turn at the Reproof thereof that you may come to walk in the Way of Life daily Life to your Souls that so you may be quickned and made alive to God and live to him in that Life which is hid with Christ in God that being thus born again and become renewed in your inner Man you may perform that pure and spiritual Worship which is of a sweet Savour with the Lord so shall he bless you with his Heavenly Blessings and daily replenish your Souls with the unspeakable Joyes of his glorious Salvation This I heartily desire and through all Difficulties incessantly travail for in Body Soul and Spirit that the al-wise omnipotent God may be known served obeyed to and by you to your Comfort and his Eternal Honour who alone is worthy to receive it now and forever Amen William Penn. Errata for the First Part. REader Several Errors have escaped the Press partly through the Author 's frequent Absence and the Printer's many other Occasions but the most considerable of them are here noted and thou art desired hereby to correct them Contents Chap. 9 line 3. dele after Scriptures Preface Page 1. Margent dele Milt p. 2. l. 1. read at last p. 5. l. 2 3. for Ab. rogation r. Abâ—…uration l. 25. for the read that p. 7. l 2 read in their Hopes l. 14. read that at page 9. l. 10. for disclaim'd read declam d. line 19. read faciunt page 10. line 32. for reduct read reduc'd page 19. line 8. for but read by line 31. read too irksom page 22. line 4. for Hammer read Humor pag. 24. line 19. begin a Parenthesis at And my and conclude it line 30. after Dominion Book Page 8. line 42. bâ—…ot out self p. 13 l. 38. for paws read pause p. 17. l. 12. for without read with our pag. 18. l. 25. read was to be l. 31 for it self read himself p. 20. l. 40 for these read those p. 21. l. 34. for Who Me read Who Me p. 23 l. 26. for is read are p 26. l. 7. for this before Light read this Light before page 28 l. 10. for at that time read at thiâ—… time p. 30. l. 2. read formeth createth l. 39. for here to read hereto pag 33. l. 2. read not with respect to any l 4. dele the whole line l. 9. for of read to l. 37. for heart he read hear the. p. 39. l 2. for bold read â—…eld p 40. l 20. read or be void p. 43. Margent l. 19. for tell read tells p. 44. l. 37. read bits pag. 45 l. 7. Marg. read Civ Dei 8. p. 47. Marg. read Id. p. 711. for Id. 4. read Id. mem 4 p 48. line 2. dele in line 22. read on that line 32. read of him page 50. line 32. read Idolatrous That line 33. Thought it let Margen dele Aruâ—…t de Xen. Maâ—…gent for Laert. de read Lactant. de pag. 51. line 12. for Accute read Acute Marg. Plat. Phaed dele p 53. l. 25. read of the. p. 54. l. 12. for Pireen read Prienc â—…in 14. and He deâ—…e l. 15. dele He at the end of the line pag 55. l. 13. for Good reâ—…d Goâ—…d p. 56. Marg. for Encaâ—… read Aenead p. 59. l. 6 7. dele p. 61. Marg. l 3. for 1543. 123. read 123. 1543. p. 62 l. 24. for accutely read acutely p. 65. l. 13 for no read noâ—… p. 66. read CHAP XIII l. 12. dele not 70. Marg. l. 3. dele o. l. 12. dele ibid. p. 71. Marg. l. 2. for 48. read 84. p. 73. l. 5. read and giveth p 78. l. 30. read of Men. p. 79. l. 24. dele Prophecy and. l. 35. for then read them p 80. l. 12. for End 〈◊〉 hand p. 81. l. 29 30. for what Virgil will add to read what Eusebius will have Virgli tâ—… have added in p. 82. l. 35. read Occidet serpens p 83. l. 22. for Iandix read â—…anilix page 84. 〈◊〉 32. read enough to p. 87. l. 4 read Hicks then he hath dealt l. 5. read Dialogue pag. 91. l. 11. add after him so as to be no where else l. 20. read the Manifestation of Light p. 92. l 34. for darâ—…st read durst page 94. l. 15. for Light read â—…llumination p. 79. l. 6 read not only p 98. l. 8. read And that pag. 101. l. 35. read 〈◊〉 willingly p. 103. l. 26. for when read whom p. 106. l. 33. for endanger'd read accessible l. 4â—… for guarnison'd read garrison'd p. 107. l. 2. for inbondag'd read â—…nbondag'd l 5. read clear and broken forth l. 15. read We say l. 17. for not instrumentally read instrumentally not p. 110.
Light of Jesus Christ and secret Power of God that moved in them and opened their Hearts and seriously inclined them to hear the Gospel preached and which Light in them closed with the lively Testimony thereof which did concur with the Light to the opening their Understandings and turning their Minds from Darkness and Sin to the Light shining in their Hearts and when those of the Circumcision heard how well the Gentiles were prepared to receive the Gospel and the Effect of it Act. 10. and 11. Chap. They were then convinced of God's Graciousness to those of the Uncircumcision as well as to themselves their contending with Peter for going unto and eating with men uncircumcised was then stopped when they heard these things they held their Peace and glorified God saying then hath God also to the Gentiles granted Repentance unto Life And its evident that Cornelius and the rest that received the Word as preached had a Work of saving Grace in their Hearts before which prepared them and begot true desires in them after Life and Salvation Also when Barnabas come to Antioch and had seen the Grace of God he was glad and exhorted them all that with Purpose of Heart they would cleave unto the Lord Act. 11. 23. So this Light of the Grace of God both to and in them was great Encouragement to him so to exhort them but if there had been no Saving Grace in their Hearts what Effect could such Exhortation or Preaching have been of unto them If the Light within be sufficient to save Men then it renders Christs Coming and Suffering needless This is a blind Inference still opposing the Light of Christ within yea and all that is of God in Man as Insufficient and so as neither discovering Christ's Coming nor the Effect of his Suffering or as iâ—… Men might be saved by his Coming and Suffering without Respect to his Light within which shews gross Darkness as if there were not a Concurrence between the Light within and the End of Christ's Coming and Suffering and he might as well say that if the Ingrafted Word which is within be able to save the Soul then Christ's Coming and Suffering was needless he should rather have saiâ—… that Christ's Coming and Suffering without was because men were turned from his Light within for if all had walked in his Light within he had not been persecuted and murthered but this man's Argument supposeth Christ's Coming and Suffering to be for the Supply of some great Defect or Insufficiency of his Light within as if man had so well improved it and found it too scanty or Insufficient and therefore by this Christ must suffer and die for his own Light within to supply it whereas Christ dyed for the Ungodly for all men that were dead in Sin who had disobeyed and transgressed his Light within and though there be a Reconciliation by his Death yet the being saved is by his Life whose Life is the Light of men which for men to be turned to in themselves and therein to live to God varies not from the Blessed End of Christs coming and Suffering while he works in man by his Light and Power within both in shewing him Sin saving him from it as he believes in the Light becomes a Child of the Light thereof as Christ exhorted and if we walk in the Light of God the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin The Light within cannot be a sufficient Rule because then there would be no certainty of Truth or Error of Sin or Duty for that which one Man maketh Light to Day the same Man will call Darkness to morrow one Man calleth one thing a Sin another calleth it a Duty by this there will be no such thing as Sin but only in the Opinions of Men. Answ. 1. If there can be no Certainty of Truth or Error Sin or Duty by the Light within how is he certain that there is any real Light at all in him 2. His placing such uncertainties and those various and contrary Opinions of men upon the Light within and rendring it an Insufficient Rule either to distinguish between Truth and Error Sin or Duty this is contrary to both Christ's and the Apostles Testimony as namely that it is a manifesting Light both of good and Evil both of those deeds wrought in God and those that are reproved Joh. 3. 20 21. Ephes. 5. 13. wherefore the Light of Christ within is a sufficient Rule 3. And what Proof is it against the Light if one man calls it Light to day and the same call it Darkness to morrow or that one man calleth one thing a Sin another calleth it a Duty doth this therefore prove the Light not a Sufficient Rule Or doth it prove any more then that there are those that put Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness and that call Evil good and good Evil Isa. 5. 20. or those that call that a Sin which others call a Duty If it must â—…om hence be argued therefore that there is no such certain Discovering Light or Rule in man to distinguish these may it not aswell be argued that therefore there is no such thing as Truth or Duty to be distinguished from Error and Sin And doth not this directly lead into Ranterism and finally into Atheism let the Serious Reader judge If the Light within be a sufficient Rule then I have a sufficient Rule within me because you say every Man hath it and I am bound to obey it In Obedience to this Rule I oppose your Errors and in opposing your Errors one of our Lights cannot be a sufficient Rule because such a vast difference between us then one of us hath not a sufficient Rule Answ. However he hereby grants the Light in one of us to be a sufficient Rule pretending that he obeys this Rule and here he hath found another Rule for a Christian besides the Scriptures and then they are not the only or sole Rule of Faith and Practice though its evident he doth not obey the Light within while he represents it so variable and uncertain and the Opposition and difference between us to arise from Light in both whereas the Light is but one and changeth not that divine Principle of Life which is the Light of men is immutably pure and cannot err however the Creature doth therefore it follows that both of us cannot be led by the Light in such direct Opposition for its Darkness that opposeth the Light After his so grosly and impiously slighting and invalidating the Light within he does not at all tell us what good it can do or understand nor what good End or Use God hath given it for to Man-kind nor what shall be the End of them of what Nation soever that walk up to the Light within them nor what Condition or End do the Dictates and Leadings of it tend to this he has not at all resolved but in his Darkness dealt most
corruptly and disingenuously against the Light within but I ask T. H. if the Light within him doth not at some times reprove him for his Passion Envy and Railing which ill becomes a Man professing the Patience and Sufferings of Christ No Man can have a sufficient Light to guide him to Salvation that hath not the Spirit of God because no man can understand the things of God but he that hath the Spirit of God but all men have not the Spirit of God therefore all men have not a sufficient Rule to Salvation because all Men have not the Spirit Answ. By this he hath granted the Spirit of God and Light of it to be a sufficient Guide and Rule to Salvation and to bring man to understand the things of God but how well this agrees with their Doctrine That the Scriptures are the only Rule of Faith and Practicâ—… and not the Spirit nor Light in man and that the Bible is the means of knowing God I refer to the understanding Reader to judge of And what though all men have not the Spirit either in the Union or Possession of it as their Rule can no man have it that thus hath it not already Seeing he concludes that no man can have a sufficient Light to guide him to Salvation that hath not the Spirit what can no man have it Is it not then to be had and yet 't is granted to be the Saint's Rule whenas that which is the Saint's Rule ought to be every man's Rule because every man ought to be a Saint wherefore God hath afforded some divine Light to every man whereby he may be led out of Darkness call upon God obtain Life receive the Spirit which he giveth to them that ask and become Saint for God is ready to give the Spirit to them that truely ask it which only man can do by a Light of it His Argument that all men have not the Spirit is no Proof that every man is not enlightened by Christ for those are said not to have the Spirit who live not to God in it but in Sensuality Jude 19. and yet such were said to be twice dead ver 12. which they could not have been if they had never been quickened yet being twice dead pluckt up by the Roots they are become sensual having not the Spirit i. e. in the Knowledge Rule Exercise and Union of it But whether shall I go from thy Spirit or whether shall I flee from thy Presence Psa. 139. 7. and upon whom doth not his Light arise when every man that cometh into the World is enlightened by Christ. The Light within cannot be ae sufficient Rule because it is made the Character of a wicked Man to do what is right in his own Eyes and to walk after his own Imaginations then that which they do account their Duty may be their Wickedness highest Wickedness and an Argument of God's severe Curse upon them it s said he gave them up to strong Delusions to believe a Lye Answ. Doth then the wicked man follow the Light within him as his Rule in doing what 's right in his own Evil Eyes and in walking in his own Imaginations Or doth God bring such a severe Curse â—…pon any as the giving up to strong Delusions for walking after or following the Light within How horribly blasphâ—…mous is it either to suppose or imply these things against the Light within to prove it an Insufficient Rule as this man argues placing not only Uncertainties the various Opinions Thoughts and Imaginations of wicked men upon the Light within but their Wickedness and highest Wickedness if they own it their Duty his Argument blasphemously places it upon the Light within most blindly confounding wicked men's Imaginations Wickedness which the Devil is the Author of with the Light in every man without distinction wherein Ranter like he puts Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness which wo is to them that doth Isa. 5. 20. Whereas they that follow their own vain Imaginations and are given up to strong delusions to believe a Lye as T. H. doth are such as have rebelled against the Light rejected the Truth have not glorified God as God nor liked to retain him in their Knowledge see Job 24. 13. Rom. 1. 21. 28. because they obeyed not the Gospel noâ—… received the Love of the Truth that they might be saved God gave them over to strong Delusions and took Vengeance on them 2 Thes. 1. 8. and Chap. 2. 10 11. Therefore God did afford both a sufficient Light Rule and tendred the Love of the Truth to them as he doth to all else how should they be left without Excuse seeing it is a Righteous thing with God to recompence and render Vengeancâ—… on them that know him not for their disobedience It cannot be consistent with his Righteousness in Judgment to bring Tribulation and Anguish upon every Soul that doth Evil or to judge the Secrets of Men by Christ according to the Gospel without ever affording them a Lght of the Gospel or Gospel Nature sufficient to discover Evil and direct to Good and how can Indignation and Wrath come upon them that are Contentious and obey not the Truth but obey Unrighteousness if the Truth did never reach to or enlighten them or how should their not obeying the Truth but Unrighteousness be charged upon them if the Truth were never afforded them Therefore by the same Reason that its confest that God wil render to every man according to his Deeds that there is no Respect of Persons with God it ought to be also confessed or owned that he doth afford to every man a Light of Truth Righteousness sufficient for a Rule to escape Sin and Evil and the Wrath that 's due for it and to direct man unto patient continuance in Well doing to seek for Glory and Immortality that he might obtain eternal Life Glory see consider Rom. 2. throughout which sufficiently signifies 1. The Goodness of God to Man 2. His dispencing of his Grace and Truth to all 3. How Impartial he is Righteous in his Judgment against the disobedient and rebellious who despise his Goodness and thereby bring Wrath upon themselves 4. The acceptance of the Gentiles who obeyed that Law or Light given them though they had not the Law in the Letter of it Wherefore now moderate Reader take notice that the very Ground of our asserting the universal Extent of Saving Grace sufficient Light to Man-kind is 1. The unspeakable Love and Goodness of God as in himself he being Love in the highest 2. His unwillingness that Man should either live or die in Sin he having no Pleasure in the Death of Sinners but rather that they should return and live 3. That he so loved the World that he sent his Son into the World that whosoever believes in him might not perish but have Everlasting Life in that he sent not his Son into the World to condemn
throughout all the Generations of the Righteous since the World began being the Rock of Ages that spiritual Rock whereof all Israel drank 1 Cor. 10. 4. who said before Abraham was I am this great and most eminent Prophet God promised to raise up unto Israel of their Brethren which was in a more familiar Appearance even in the Flesh though his spiritual Out-goings were before from of old and he was called the faithful and true Witness the beginning of the Creation of God Rev. 3. 14. who faith behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my Voice and open the Door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me ver 20. Now I ask what and where is that Door that he so universally knocks at And is not this the true Christ that thus knocketh And was not his Light or Word in Israels Hearts and his Spirit in the Holy Prophets by which they fore-saw his Coming in the Flesh his Sufferings and Glory that should follow Now though the pure Light and Glory of the Father was more fully eminently and signally then ever before manifest and shining forth in him as coming in the fulness of time to consummate and end the Types and Shadows of the first Covenant whereby he gave a more eminent and signal Testimony of God's Universal Love and Power to man this is no Argument to prove that either the true Christ or his Universal Light was not in being and in some degree discovered before for without this no Soul could ever be saved it was his divine Light that could minister Life unto the Soul and not Shadows Sect. IX The Dipper plung'd in a Laborinth of self-Contradictions and the Light within proved a Rule above the Scriptures T. H. IT will be our Wisdom yea our Duty not only to attend the Light within but specially to those Revelations of God's Mind and Will in the Holy Scriptures p. 13. Answ. In thy granting its part of our Duty to attend to the Light within thou hast plainly contradicted thy Blasphemy in opposing it in other places as a mis-guiding Light and comparing it with the Man of Sin Mahomet c. and judging our following its Conduct as a subverting and anihilating the Covenant of Grace and that this Light doth directly oppose it and ought to be rejected as appears p. 38. Is it part of our Duty to attend upon that that subverteth and opposeth the Covenant of Grace O! that thou wouldst consider and see thy Blasphemy and what a Laborinth of Contradictions thou art fallen into as also in thy Concession of attending to the Light within thou art defective whilst thou dost not place the special Attention to be upon it but upon the Scriptures whereas the Light within is specially to be attended to as that which both opens the Understanding in the Scriptures and discovers the several Conditions which they relate to otherwise men are apt to pervert and mis-apply the Scriptures to their own Destruction turning the Truth of God into a Lye as they did who turned their Backs upon the Manifestation of God in them Rom. 1. 19 21 25. T. H. I conceive enough hath been said to evince that the Light in every man neither is the true Christ nor a sufficient Rule to guide us unto Salvation p. 13. Answ. While Thou are following thy own Conceptions thou dost not follow the Guidance of the Light of Christ within and therefore conceivest amiss of it for it is a true and perfect Rule unto which he that loveth doth truth cometh and bringeth his Deeds that they may be manifest that they are wrought in God Joh. 3. 21. it is a convincing Rule that pure and inward Law or Light which converts the Soul It doth not onely convict man of Sin but upon Repentance evidenceth unto him Remission And this doth not the Scriptures without to men particularly though they testify of the several Conditions which the Light guides the Soul through The Scriptures testifie against all Sin but do not shew unto men their particular Sins many read the Scriptures who over-look the Deceits of their own Hearts but if they Eye this Light of the Son of God within it will manifest unto them their particular Evils and shew them their Thoughts Motions and Actions and the Tendance of each so do not the Scriptures they cannot of themselves convince any as the divine Light can And this divine Light within discovers all the Temptations and mysterious Workings and Depths of Satan to that Soul that waits in it as they are met withall and as Satan attempts to insnare that the Soul may shun his Snares and Wiles upon all Occasions and in all Tryals and this does not the Letter without This Light within also as a perfect and immediate Rule of Faith directs the Soul in all the Operations of Faith against all the Innumerable Temptations and Tryals and Besetments of the Enemy and it opens an Inward Eye of Faith and is the Immediate Guide to see him who is Invisible through all but so is not the Scripture All which being seriously considered the Light within is the Rule of Faith and not the Scripture But if it be objected That the Scriptures being the Rule of Faith is not intended without the Help of the Spirit or divine Light in the Soul I answer This granteth that the Scriptures are not the Rule of Faith alone therefore that they are not to be taken as the Intire Rule of Faith they not being effectual without the Spirit whereas the Spirit is effectual without the Scriptutes and able of it self to lead into all Truth The Spirit or Heavenly Unction considered as a higher Degree Gift or Effusion of divine Life than that degree of Light that is given in common to all is attained unto only by those that faithfully improve the Life or Light in its less Appearance which in some degree appears in every man's Conscience T. H. I query whether all the Generations of Christians since Christ's time until within these very few Years be not eertainly lost and damned forasmuch as they acknowledged not this Light within as the true Christ p. 12. Answ. This shews thou hast very little Sense of all the Christians and their Acknowledgments who thus queriest of them Did not they acknowledge Christ in them the Immortal Word of Life and Light in them And was not Christ both their Life Light and Salvation And was not the Apostle Paul sent to turn the Gentiles from Darkness to Light And did not all the true Ministers preach Christ as God's Covenant given for a Light and Salvation to the Ends of the Earth But in thy dark Thoughts thou seest not the Drift of rheir Testimony but queriest whether all the Generations of Christians till within these few Years be not certainly lost and damned And yet thou wouldst be accounted a Christian in this thy Unchristian Work Sect. X. The Subject Understanding and Obeying
and that to evince the Truth concerning his Light to them that pretend a Belief of the Scriptures while yet they are opposing his Light testified of therein As there are those that pretend to believe Moses and the Prophets and think to have Eternal Life in the Scriptures while yet they really oppose that Life and Light testified of in them And such profess the Scriptures to be their Rule while yet they are perverting them against the Life and Light from whence they came and this Hypocrisie many of you are guilty of and therefore with Abraham we refer you to the Scripture Testimony in this Case which if you believe not while you profess them you will not believe if one rise from the Dead The Scriptures are not our only Rule for our refusing to swear our not breaking Bread with you c. for which thou falsly accusest us of arguing against the Institutions of the Gospel p 23. for 1st We stand for the Reputation of Christianity and that Love which injures no man in our resâ—…sing to swear which the Prohibition without us did not bring us to but the Power of Christ when it begat us into that Love wherein we know the fulfilling of Christ's Command 2ly Oâ—…r Experience of Christ Jesus the Living Bread which comes down from Heaven hath shewed us the Uselesness of your breaking Bread as being but a Shadow while we are come to the Substance to wit Christ Jesus the Bread of Life come down from Heaven which if thou knowest him so come as that his Flesh and Blood were thy Meat and Drink thou wouldst not be doting about the Shadow We do not grant that Christ is so come and revealed in all men and yet own some degree of this Light to be in all Thou hast no Reason to accuse us for Lyars in this matter as in p. 23. But thy slanderous Tongue and Pen is at Liberty in this and many other things Thy Malice also plainly appears in charging us of denying the Person of Christ whereas we have fully confest the Man Christ according to the Scriptures both with respect to his Sufferings and Glory Sect. XIII The Baptist's Impious Forgery upon the Quakers about the Scriptures which are in Reality owned and used by them AFter thou hast erroniously accused that of God in us as not sufficient to direct thou proceedst in thy false fictitious Dialogue thus viz. Chr. Is it ingenuous and honest in you to deny the Scripture to be a Rule to others and at the same time you make it though by mis-interpreting it a Rule to your selves Are not you ashamed of this Deceit and self-condemned of plain Partiality And then he most falsly personates the Quaker Qua. Thou mistakest us for when we make Use of the Scriptures 't is only to quiet and stop their Clamors that plead for it as their Rule Reply Who but an Ungodly Man would have brought forth such a lying Forgery as this in the Sight of the Sun as the Quakers Words which is not the Speech of any real Quaker so called but one of thy own making to speak as thou pleasest for thy own wicked ends and thy Lye upon the Quakers is manifest herein Is this the Way thou proposest for our Conviction to make Lyes thy Refuge Was it not known unto the World that we have a better and more serious Esteem of the Holy Scriptures then here thou represents as knowing them to be profitable to the man of God who is come to know that eminent divine Rule of the Spirit which opens them and to make use of them in Subjection thereunto As also our denying that they are the Rule of Faith is no Proof that we deny them to be any Rule at all while in Subserviency to and Proof of the greater we make use of them as the Spirit of God teacheth and for the Information and Conviction of them that have a Belief concerning them for the End still that they may eye that Light and Spirit of Truth which gave them forth and come to know that Inspiration of the Almighty which giveth the Understanding As for Deceit Impudence and presumptuous Conceit which thou T. H. accusest us of thou art highly guilty thereof thy self or else thou couldst never forge such Lyes against us as thou hast done And we wish thou didst in Reality own the Scriptures as feigndly in Words thou pretend'st So far are we from strenuously endeavouring to take People off of the Scriptures as falsly thou accusest us that we desire all might come to know the Righteous Ends for which they were given forth by that divine Light which opens them Much of thy dirty stuff is gathered out of other dirty lying Pamphlets which have been long since answered Sect. XIV His impious Abuse about Revelation Light within Scriptures c. ANd why dost thou quarrel against us for owning Revelation or Perfection as attainable What hast thou against Immediate Revelation Instead of confuting the thing it self thou tellst us of some personal Mistakes or Weaknesses of some particulars as First Of one being mistaken by Paul Hobson's speaking through a Trunk though that was no Quaker who was thus cheated 2ly Of others being mistaken about the Persons to whom they should have declared some Message 3ly Of a notorious Falshood being taken for a Revelation 4ly Of the Opposition of some professing the Light and Revelation p. 26 27. together with several other Stories and Personal Reflections which I have very much Cause not to believe But suppose many of these Stories were true against private Persons Hast thou herein dealt ingenuously thus no inveigh against Principles from personal Failings of such as profest them Is there no such thing as divine Revelation or the Guidance of an Infallible Spirit to be known because some do err or are mistaken that profess them Or no such thing as an infallible Light because some have differed in some particular Cases that have profest it Wouldst thou thus be dealt by concerning thy Water-Baptism or pretended Gospel-Institutions If it should be argued that because the Dippers are greatly divided among themselves and that about Principles and Doctrines and some of them have been grosly corrupt and debaucht in their Lives therefore their dipping or Water-Baptism is no Institution of Christ wouldst thou look upon this as a good Argument Nay further Do you not much differ among your selves in several principal matters As about personal Election and general Redemption and so about the Death of Christ whether for all or some and about Free-Will the seventh Day Sabbath and laying on of Hands and about the manner of administring your pretended Lord's Supper and about the Immortality of the Soul as also some affirming Water-Baptism to be of Necessity to Salvation others not with several other things and yet most of you that thus differ profess the Scriptures to be your Rule If then I should from hence argue that therefore the Scriptures are not the Rule
we will not boast of things without our Measure but according to the measure of the Rule which God hath distributed to us c. ver 15. not boasting of things without our Measure that is of other mens Labours but having Hope when your Faith is increased that we shall be enlarged by you according to our Rule abundantly vers 16. not to boast in another Mans Line of things made ready to our hand And Philip. 3. 16. whereto ye have already attained let us walk by the same Rule let us mind the same thing Gal. 5. 15. and 16. for in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision availeth any thing but a new Creature and as Many as walk according to this Rule Peace be on them By all which note that there was an universal divine and spiritual Rule distâ—…ibuted of God to the true Believers and new Creatures in Christ in whom stood their several Attainments and Growths and this was not other mens Lines nor the Letter wherein they were mutually enlarged nor could the Letter be this Rule for that required Circumcision what then was Paul's Rule for denying it but the Spirit of Liâ—…e the new Covenant the Immediate Dictates of the holy Ghost see Act. 15. 24 28. Heb. 8 9 10. By the Word Scriptures we understand not only Writings in general but particularly all the holy Scriptures contained in the Bible not excluding those many Writings of Prophets and Apostles which are not inserted in the Bible which contain a Plurality of Words of Truth Commands Prescriptions Precepts c. and in that Sense Rules or Directions relating to both the old and new Covenant and to divers States Occasions and Dispensations many of which are abolisht with the old Covenant which therefore cannot properly in the Singular be called the Rule or one Intire full Rule much less the only Rule with Exclusion of all others as falfe as S. S. very blasphemously doth the Chiefest and highest Rule as he unscripturally and erroneously calls them for the Spirit or Light that first gave them forth with its Immediate Illumination Motions and Directions being both before and higher then the Scriptures or Writings how true soever they be So though we confess the holy Scriptures to contain true Words Commandments Precepts Directions and so Rules yet it 's no more proper to call them the only highest Rule and Guide to Heaven and Glory as S. S. doth then to call them the only highest Word Commandment and Light which they are not We can neither call the Scriptures God nor Christ nor the Light nor the Spirit nor the Power of God but Innocently and simply as they term or call themselves owning them in the true Light given us according to the true Intent Purpose and End for which they were first given out from divine Inspiration for which none that are Ingenuous will Blame us for the Word lives forever It 's setled in Heaven It 's also to be known and felt nigh in the Heart and it is the holy and living Commandment of Power which is called Life Everlasting and this is Immediate This Word was to David a Light and Lanthorn to his Paths and therefore his only Way and Rule to Felicity Yea for its Eminency it may be truly esteemed the Word of Words the Commandment of Commandments the Rule of Rules that divine Light wherein consists the Government Rule and Order of the Everlasting Day of Salvation Glory and Life to all the Children of the Day who in order to that Attainment have obeyed and followed the Degree and Measure of this true and divine Light in its Manifestation in them The Scriptures also or Bible contain many various Passages as well Historical as Doctrinal even of the Examples of Men in the fallen State of things done in the time of Ignorance and of the Failings and Weaknesses of divers of things transacted and doâ—…e in a Time and State not sutable to that of Man in the beginning nor to that of the Gospel or new Covenant As for any Man to have divers Wives or many Concubines at once it was not so in the Beginning nor ought to be so now yet such things are recorded in Scripture of divers Therefore 't is both Gross Impious and Contradictory for any to count the whole Bible the Rule of Life and Duty without Exemption according to our Opposer p. 61. Moreover for his Asserting the Scriptures Infallibility and as so being the highest Rule * He neither puts a Limitation of what part of the Scripture or Bible he intends nor yet tells us in what Language Copy or Translation they are infallible for every Rule whether moral or artificial ought to be infallible otherwise 't is nâ—… Rule but therein lyes obscure under Ambiguities Howbeit we may suppose he means according to his Masters the Assembly of pretended Divines Confes. Chap. 1. where having declared that the holy Scriptures are given by Inspiration of God to be the Rule of Faith and Life they add Artic. 8. The old Testament in Hebrew which was the Native Language of the People of God of old and the new Testament in Greek which at the time of the writing of it was most generally known to the Nations being immediately Inspired by God and by his singular Care and Providence kept pure in all Ages are therefore Authentical so as in all Controversies of Religion the Church is finally to appeal to them thus far the Assembly From hence it follows that when Steph. Scandret and these his Masters tell us that the Scriptures are the chief and highest Rule the only Infallible Rule to Heaven and Glory or the Rule of Faith and Life and to decide Controversies we are to understand it is as they are in Hebrew and Greek and as in the first Copies as given by Divine Inspiration by which these men still lead people in the dark and in Doubtfulness at a Distance from Life and Glory and Ignorant of the Rule and Way thereto implying this Difficulty that they must first learn Hebrew and Greek and be ascertained of the truth of the Copies as concurring with the first And this must be from their own knowledge not from the Priests Interpretations and various Meanings and yet the Assembly and S. S. still fall short of clearing the matter of the Greek not resolving which is the true infallible Copy there being divers Greek Lections or Copies of the new Testament But further if they could produce or evince the first Copy or that which most agrees with it while they prefer the Writing as the chief or only Rule of Faith and Life they leave people in Darkness and Death in not referring them to the Inward Divine Light or Inspiration of the Almighty as the chief and only Rule which gave forth the holy Scriptures and without which they cannot be truly understood in any Language Moreover concerning the Hebrew W. Tindal of whose Translation we have one ancient English Bible without Verses in
his Prologue prefixt in some Bibles he saith thus viz. W. Tindal unto the Christian Reader If ought seem Changed or not altogether agreeing with the Greek let the Finder of the Fault consider the Hebrew Phrase or Manner of Speech left in the Greek Words whose Preterperfect Tense and Present Tense is oft both one and the Future Tense is the Optative Mood also and the Future Tense is oft the Imperative Mood in the Active Voyce and in the Passive evâ—…r likewise Person for Person Number for Number and Interrogation for a Conditional and such like is with the Hebrews and Common usage and he further adds if I shall perceive either by my self or by the Information of others that ought be escaped me or might be more plainly Translated I will shortly after cause it to be amended howbeit in many places me thinketh it better to put a Declaration in the Margâ—…nt then to run too far from the Text. Now from hence considering the Difficulty of truly translating the Scriptures from the Hebrew both as to Time Manner Voice Person Number and Condition c. how easily herein may the Sense be greatly changed and how this ingenuous Translator himself doth not place Infallibility upon his Work or Translation from the Hebrew but ingenuously proffereth Amendment of it if either by himself or an others Information he shall perceive a Deficiency in which he hath done and also considering what Irreconcileable Controversies have been among many counted Learned about the Translations in divers Places of Scriptures and how many Amendments have from Time to Time been made upon them and even how many various English Translations we have what Dubiousness and Uncertainty are both Priests and People in both as to Rule Faith and Foundation of their Religion who neither know nor own the Principle of true Knowledge and divine Understanding which is God's Gift while they have no regard to divine Illumination as the Rule of Faith before the Scriptures but do cry and set up one while a meer Translation or Reading which to them may be dubious as their only highest infallible Rule of Faith another while their own uncertain Meanings private Conceptions and fallible Interpretations upon the Scriptures they set up as the Rule and Judge over them as their Phrase hath been to Reconcile the Scriptuâ—…es which as given by divine Inspiration cannot be broken And while still their Work tends to divert peoples Minds from depending upon the Spirit of Truth and its Inlightning as the chief and only infallible Guide and Rule where will they center and what a Babylonish Structure do they erect upon their uncertain Conjectures and dubious Interpretations from their fallible Spirits and Judgments And to place Infallibility upon the Letter or Writing or English Translation whereas W. Tindal a Translator himself did not attribute this to his Translation nor divers others in their putting many marginal Notes upon some English Bibles as from the Hebrew and Greek and even their learned D. Ceâ—…l set forth a large Book in Folio entituled An Essay to the Amendment of the Last English Translation of the Bible whâ—… he finds fault with and corrects several noted Places and what less is signified in their ample Annotations and manifold Notes upon some Bibles And moreover when some of the Clergy have made that of Job 2. 9. their Texit viz. that Job's Wife said unto him Curse God 〈◊〉 dye they have told People that that Hebrew Text signifieth Bless God and dye and some take it so as to desire humbly of God that he might dye which arguing Impatiency was reproveable others that it was Curse God and dye which was much more reproveable not only as Foolishness but Wickedness And concerning that of Saul and the Witch of Endor his bidding her bring him up Samuel it 's said And when the Woman saw Samuel ver 12. and Saul know that it was Samuel vers 14. And Samuel said unto Saul why hast thou disquieted me c. ver 15. then said Samuel ver 16. So the matter runs in Samuel's name Whereas those of the Clergy have told us it was Satan and that Saul spake according to his gross Ignorance not considering the slate of the Saints after this Life and how Satan hath no Power over them it was Satan who to blind Saul's Eyes took upon him the Form of Samuel c. Now seeing this Interpretation is so plainly contrary to the Words themselves for which I blame them not in this though in many others I do I query how theâ—… agrees this with their placing Infallibility upon the Scriptures not only on the Doctrinal but on the Historical Part when they are minded to oppose the Sufficiency of the Light of Christ within Many more Instances might be brought to shew their vast Variations from the Letter of the Scriptures in their Interpretations By the Tenor of all which Discourse before of this Import it 's evident that their Confession at least of many of them is that aâ—…l the Scriptures are not Infallible but some Corrupted in the various Translations â—…hers not to be taken meerly as the Words import Howbeit for all this many Priests and Professors for their own Ends if they be about to oppose the Light within or divine Illumination and the Sufficiency of the holy Spirit 's Teaching denying it to be either the Rule of Faith or Life or sufficient to guide to Heaven without the Scriptures which argues their gross and carnal Diffidence and sinful Unbelief then in plain Contradiction they place all the Infallibility and sole Sufficiency therein upon the Scriptures as the only highest Rule of Faith and Life the only Rule and Way to Heaven and Glory the only Rule totry both Doctrines and Spirits by And here they most Idolatrously and in a most preâ—…sterous Manner prefer the Scriptures before Christ and set them up above the Spirit that gave them forth while they slight and cry down the Light of Christ within as not any Rule c. though it both manifests all things reproveable and be the Prover of Deeds whether they are wrought in God for which End he that doth Truth bringeth his Deeds to the Light Joh. 3. 19 20. But as Christ said to the unbelieving Jews so it may justly be said to these Opposers of his Light within now Ye search the Scriptures for in them ye think to have Eternal Life and they are they which testifie of me but ye will not come to me that you might have Life Joh. 5. 39 40. Mark ye will not come to Christ that ye might have Life and now the Scriptures do not direct Men to themselves for Life and Salvation but to the Son of God who is both the Life the Foundation the Way and so the only Rule Guide and Teacher and not the Scriptures But why do the Presbyters of our Times so often exalt their own divers Meanings and Interpretations as the Rule above the Scriptures contrary to the great
Which truly when I have beheld it Grief has overwhelm'd my Soul and a Pitty for their sakes has risen in my Heart that all those Tryals which rightly understood and improv'd would have turned to great Advantage should be as water spil'd on the Ground Many Instances we have had of this since their Descending the Throne of Power Particularly in the Years 1668 1669. which time there being some respit from any violent Persecution of men upon the account of Conscience What preaching was almost in every Meeting against the Dangerous Errors of the Quakers as they pleas'd to traduce them and how were they slander'd upon Several Stationers Stalls we could scarcely walk the Street but our Ears must be disturb'd with the Cryes of the Antidote against Quakerisme the Synopsis of Quakerisme the Damnable Heresie of the Quakers with the like virulent Expressions bestow'd upon us in their Title-Pages to be-speak their Sale more easie with Persons Inquisitive or prejudic'd Nay whilst they commended the King's Indulgence to their own Parties and publickly render'd him their Acknowledgment of his Clemency they sedulous endeavour'd my Imprisonment in particular and did not stick both to character me the most wretched and enormious of Men for a Book they I may in a manner say extorted from me and at that time too when both my Body was straightly imprison'd and my Life greatly indanger'd and as the Completement of their Wickedness they maintain'd the Justness of my Confinement But to pass over this and observe the Consequence of succeeding Troubles The former Acts receiving New Life from one more sharp and Cruel what could we hope but that this Act executed were enough to make these Professors forever out of Love with Persecution who are yet too warm Abettors of it For though their Vain Boasts of Standing quickly vanisht at the Rattling of a few Musquets and that God by his Almighty Invisible Power upheld us through all those Hardships of Bruises Blood-shed broken Limbs tedious Imprisonments and Great Spoiâ—…ing of our Goods enough to melt the Hearts of Infidels And I cannot say but then they would Nicodemus-like give us their Night-Encouragements some Blessing God that we were set to blunt the Edge of Persecution and so be as a Bulwark for them yet so quickly did their Kindness coole upon a Relaxation of such Procedure against us that their Tenderness seem'd to Dye with the Hardness of our Persecutors For no sooner were we out of Prison but instead of Congratulations we were Saluted or Affronted rather with an Imposture from Lincoln and a Lye from Dover the Former stampt by R. James the Latter by T. Hobbs both Anabaptists as they are commonly call'd to their own Infamy and the great Disgrace of their Profession These Beginnings Reader were followed by the pressing Endeavours of Our Dissenters in general whether by Preaching Disputing Writing or other more secret Traducings both in Cities and Country but more especially in London where the greatness of our Sufferings from the Powers seems out-done by the Malicious Practices of Dissenters Nay so Restless are they in their Attempts against us that they will Disturb themselves rather then let us be Quiet and care not whom they molest if the poor Quakers may but be render'd Odious witness among others a Libel call'd The Spirit of the Quakers Tryed A Letter subscrib'd J. G. and a Dialogue T. H. the two Last of the same Fraternity with those before mention'd Behold what Use these Men make of Tolleration with which since Authority hath oblieg'd them their Gratitude or their Pâ—…licy has turn'd the torrent of their virulent Hammer against us whom they daily wreak under their ungodly Hate as if they were resolv'd to interrupt the King's Indulgence with their Persecution and by a kind of Revenge upon us for our Liberty suffer it to be a time of Calm with none but themselves But what makes the Matter worse some Emulous Spirits among them wisht as I heard for an other Storm that the Quakers might but be shipwrackt by it O strange Impiety that Men should lay our Prosperity so to Heart as therefore to wish our Ruin and rather then not effect it run the Bold Hazard of their Own Unless they resolve to keep their Old Haunt of Creeping into Garrats Cheese-loifts Coale-holes and such like Mice-walkes and using more Equivocation to hide a Meeting then a Romish Priest hath been wont to do to conceal his Function Well may we take up a Lamentation for these things that Men should so fearfully rend Religion from Charity and Faith from the good Works of Patience Mercy and Universal Love as if to Quarrel about Religion were to be Religious and to call Names and Jeer a Mark of Zeal and Witt. To Conclude and sum up what I have said This hath been the Misery of almost every Reformation that its Authors have Degenerated from their first Sense which plac'd Religion in a clean Conscience not in a full Head in Walking with God more then in Talking of Him to Self-Promotion and Persecution of all Dissenters from their Establishment and the Cause of it is briefly this a 〈◊〉 from that Heâ—…venly Illumination in themselves setting up their Own Contrivance before they had pull'd down all Contrivances of Men and their Covetousness to advance their own Inventions and Impatience to see them not assented to â—…ave promoted Crueâ—…ty and with this very Cup have the Nations been Drunk as well Refin'd as more Gross Professors of Religion That God therefore firâ—…t Appeared to and Impower'd and Sent forth Plain Men to declare the Plain Truth to turn Men from that Darkness which cover'd their Hearts notwithstanding their splendid Profession to the Light that hath shined therein uncomprehended which obeyed was sufficient to Salvation that they were first Slandered then Persecuted and that by most Sorts But their Persecution not always continuing from the Powers they have been and now are diligently followed by their old Adversaries the Separatists with their Cryes of Heresie Error Blasphemy and the like if possible to make them a Burden upon Earth witness their many printed Books and Impostures particularly The Spirit of the Quakers Tryed The Letter The Dialogue betwixt a Christian and a Quaker Qu kerism no Christianity and The Controversie Ended unto all which from Beginning to End so far as concerns CHRIST THE TRUE LIGHT ENLIGHTNING ALL MEN THAT EVER CAME AND DO OR SHALL COME INTO THE WORLD WITH A SAVING LIGHT WHAT IS THE GENERAL RULE OF FAITH TO CHRISTIANS I here present the World with our plain full Defence having throughly considerd them with what other Objections I thought to carry any weight against Us Which being our Fundamental Principle if prov'd the common Notion of Satisfaction for Sins past present and to come Justification in the strictest Sense without inherent Righteousness their fearful Tale of Predestination and their Pâ—…eas against Perfection will tumbleto the Ground And I earnestly beseech the Reader in the
proved of no Force The Type and Anti-type in some respect may be at one and the same Time This is proved by plenty of Scripture Our Adversaries Opposition and Cavil weak and insuccessful pag. 94. CHAP. XX. The fourth Part of the Objection stated and considered Christ ' s Death and Sufferings confossed to and respected They were Beneficial The Light of Christ within is the efficient Cause to Salvation pag. 99. CHAP. XXI A Confession in particular to Christ ' s Redemption Remission Justification and Salvation pag. 104. CHAP. XXII That Christ is the Light or the Light is Christ proved from Scripture and so concluded notwitstanding two Objections which are fully answer'd pag. 114. CHAP. XXIII The Universality of the Light proved by Reason pag. 120. CHAP. XXIV The Sufficiency of the Light proved by Reason pag. 122. CHAP. XXV The Question Who He or They are that obey the Light c consider'd and answered being a Character of 〈◊〉 true Quaker pag. 124. CHAP. XXVI The Discourse hithero summed up and concluded with an Exhortation to all Professors of Religion especially our Oppâ—…sers pag. 128. APPENDIX Of the Rule of Faith and Life pag. 135. Of the Judge of Controversie pag. 155. Thâ—… Conclusion pag. 160. THE CONTENTS OF THE Second Part Entituled The CHRISTIAN-QUAKER and his Divine Testimony Vindicated Which consists of several Treatises The Contents of the First Treatise To the Unprejudieâ—…d Reader an Epistle from pag. 3. to pag. 9. Some of the Doctrines and Contradictions of T. Hicks declared at a Discourse between him and some of the Quakers so 〈◊〉 in Aldermanbury London the 20th of the 3d Moneth 1672. p. 10 11. Christ's Light Within asserted as it is Divine and therefore a sufficient Rule of Life unto Salvation to all that truly obey it and vindicated from Tho. Hicks ' s dark Exceptions fallacious and Impious Arguments consisting of manifest Ignorance Confusion and Ranterism which are here inserted as they were exhibited in a Paper afterwards owned and signed by him from p. 13. to p. 23. Section 1. In Answer to his Dialogue The Light within proved Divine and Saving c. p. 24. § 2. The Life which is the Light of Men not a Creature or meer Effect c. p. 27. § 3. The Baptist ' s Quarrel grounded on his Mistakes about the Light and our Testimony of it p. 29. § 4. Christ guideth to Salvation by his Inward Light and the Baptist Confounded in his Opposing it p. 31. § 5. The Dipper proved a Blind Guidâ—… and in gross Confusion in undervaluing the Light Within p. 32. § 6. His Ignorance of the Divine Principle p. 34. § 7. His Madness and Self-Contradiction about the Light p. 35. § 8. Christ as the Rock of Ages and the Intent of his Coming in the Flesh not known to the Baptists while they Oppose his Light Within p. 37. § 9. The Dipper plunged in a Labyriâ—…th of Self-Contradictions and the Light within proved a Rule above the Scriptures p. 39. Sect. 10. The Subject Understanding and Obeying the Light Within unknown to the Cavilling Baptist pag. 41. § 11. Concerning the Soul of Man as under divers Considerations and States and G. Fox ' s words so considered with Eight Queries added from pag. 43. to pag. 47. § 12. The Neck of the Baptist ' s Cause broken by his own Concession to the Light Within in which Christ and his Testimonies are effectually received p. 47. § 13. The Baptist's impious Forgery upon the Quakers about the Scriptures which are in reallity owned and used by them p. 49. § 14. His impious Abuse about Revelation Light Within Scriptures c. from p. 50. to p. 56. § 15. His partial Relation against John Story p. 59. § 16. The Baptist ' s Dispargement of the Light within contrary to his own Pretence p. 61 62 63 64. § 17. His Slander about the Person Offices Sufferings and Blood of Christ and continued Abuse of the Light Within p. 65 66 67 68. § 18. The Baptist ' s Quarrel against S. Crisp removed p. 69 70 71 72. § 19. The End of Christ's Coming Example and Suffering more truly owned by the Quaker then the Dipper p. 73. § 20. The Baptist ' s Ignorance and Cavil about Redemption and the spiritual Discoveries of Christ and his Seed p. 74 75 76. § 21. The Baptist ' s imperfect Work against Perfection p. 77 78 79 80. § 22. Thomas Hicks ' s groundless Calumny and malicious Railing against George Whitehead p. 81 82 83 84. § 23. The Baptist ' s Abuse against G. W. about a Meeting with them at Devonshire-House London p. 85 86. The Contents of the Second Treatise entituled LIGHT SPRUNG UP in the Despised Quaker c. are inserted next after the Title before page 87. The Contents of the Third Treatise entituled THE ANGRY ANABAPTIST proved Babylonish follow after the Title before pag. 121. The Contents of a Bill of Excommunication exhibited by the Baptists at Chichester together with a brief Answer thereunto from pag. 159. to pag. 166. Some Confessions concerning the Baptized Churches made by their own Messengers in their Bewailing Epistle from Tiverton from p. 167. to p. 170. The Fourth Treatise THE PRESBYTER's ANTIDOTE TRYED in Answer to Stephen Scandret The Contents Chap. I. A comprehensive Account concerning the Rule the Light and Scripture explaining both Our Sense of the Terms and Stephen Scandrets Together with the Assembly ' s Confession about the Scriptures from p. 173 to p. 180. Stephen Scandret ' s Sense about the Points in Controversie examined p. 181 182 183 184 185. Chap. II. About JUSTIFICATION and IMPUTATION from p. 185. to p. 209. Chap. III. About Christ's Justifying Righteousness the best Robe the Necessity of its Inherence or being inwardly enjoyed not to invalidate but to fulfil the blessed Intents and Ends of his Suffering in Reply to S. S. from p. 210. to p. 224. Chap. IV. Of SATISFACTION some serious Considerations farther opening the Doctrine and Sense of our Opposers from p. 225. to p. 238. An Appendix wherein the Controversie is summ'd up and resolv'd partly by way of Question and Answer with a plain Intimation of my Sense thereof as relating to the second third and fourth Chapters before fromp 239 to p. 249. The Difference between our Opposer's Gospel and OUR's briefly stated p. 250 251. Chap. V. Concerning ELECTION and REPROBATION from p. 252. to p. 290. The Contents thereof follow A brief Introduction with the Assembly ' s Opinion and Stephen Scandret ' s uncertain Proposition for it p. 253. Section 1. His Abuse of divers Scriptures in his State of the Case sor a Personal Election answer'd the Way of Goa's Choosiag resolv'd p. 255. § 2. The Weakness of his two first Arguments touching Gods Decree and Promises p. 257. § 3. His gross Ignorance of those Names written in the Lamb's Book Arg. 3. His Impertinency and ignorant Allegation and Misunderstanding of divers Scriptures concerning God's Choice and Ordination
Religion it self What Is he grown so hardy that he can handle Holy Things without Fear and make bold with tender Conscience so far as to abuse it self Is Singularity become so offensive in a Quaker as an Anabaptist must show his little Wit in Deriding it But certainly Reader it can be no small Advantage that both his Bitterness and Lightness give us against a Man of his high Pretences to Religion However our Conquest here will be our Patience Innocence and Truth Not that I will believe he thinks I want Words to whom he more then once makes the having of them Criminal and all that read him may see he hath furnisht me with Matter GROSS enough But I delight not to spend my time upon Invectives did I perhaps I might bestow a Tragick Comedy upon a Railing Anabaptist in return of that Ridiculons Dialogue he disingenuously would fasten on an unconcerned Quaker But my God forbid that I should Sport about Religion or make so much as any Man 's pretended Religious Dissent a Theam for my Railery or Abuse for I think it an ill way to Laugh men out of their Profession as well as I can never esteem that any sincere one which men are Jeer'd into and as Conviction is the most Serious Ground on which to receive Faith so to detract or deal disingenuously with any man may harden but can never Proselyte and this is our very Case with respect to T. H. Yet I would have him know That our so much reproached Light Within he so little concerns the Government of his Life withal incites us not to an Eye for an Eye but teacheth us that Forbearance and Forgiveness which we have some Reason to believe his Principles are wholly Strangers to else what can mean his greedy Endeavours To pluck out others Eyes that never yet assaulted so much as one of his either by Word or Writing Well may we take up the Complaint of God's Prophet of old We are had in Derision daily and almost every one Mocketh us But let the Carnal Christian-Mockers have a Care for though their Cruel Mockings be our Portion in this Life yet also for a Recompence shall their Bonds be made Strong and a Consumption from the Lord of Hosts is determined against them that persist therein Having now rendered with all convenient Brevity my just Exceptions against the manner of the Dialogue and spirit of the Man in general I shall proceed to offer something against the distinct Doctrines of it in my particular Vindication of the Truth viz. The Universality and Sufficiency of the Light Within and Demonstration of the General Rule of Faith CHAP. IV. That a Right Relish of the Manner of the Dialogue is a sufficient Antidote against the Matter of it His Questions stated His Feigned Answer A True Answer to the First What is Salvation To be saved from Sin and Wrath not Wrath without Sin WHat I have already said being duly weighed may be an apt Introduction to what follows For he that relishes the Unsavouriness and Rancour of His Spirit in the Mannagement of his pretended Christian-Dialogue surely can have but little Appetite to feed upon a Dish cook't up with such Poysonous Sauce Enmity and Truth were never Companions and where there appears so great a share of the one as hath been truly observed we may I hope without Offence conclude there can be but very little if any of the other However let us see with Reason and Sobriety whether the Matter of his Dialogue be more commendable then the Manner of it writ with so much Railing and Immoderation For Reader this know I writ not for Conquest but for Conscience sake and what I can grant I shall and what I must oppose I hope to do it with Truth and Meekness being only desirous to approve my self to God who will Reward all men according to their Works and to that Measure of Divine Light in every Conscience with which I shall begin and which as the Lord God shall enable me I will endeavour to maintain against the Angry and Undervaluing Reflections of its Adversaries To overlook then many unnecessary Queries that are set down either to Abuse us to fill up Corners or make the Dialogue glide the better no wayes true in themselves and wholly impertinent to the Matter I receive and prosecute the Main Questions which he propounds thus 1. What is that SALVATION which the Light leads to 2. What is this LIGHT that leads to It and 3. Who this HE or THEY are that Obey this Light and in Obeing attain Salvation Sober Questions I grant and as necessary to be known but I am willing first to set down the Answer he makes the Quaker to return before I give mine own that the Sober Reader may judge how different the Reason of a True Quaker is from T. Hicks's Phantastical one 〈◊〉 Thou runnest into many Words and Carnal Distinctions and wouldst have thy Fleshly Wisdom satisfied but I tell thee that Dust is the Serpent's Food Is this to act the Christian or the Scoffer towards the Quaker 'T is not to be doubted but T. H. knows better and that he hath not herein done to us as he would be done by For all his Pretences to Christianity he is thus far Debtor to and Criminal by the LIGHT he vilifieth But the Truth is he therefore maketh his Quaker to render him no better Reason whatever he knew because indeed it was inconsistent with his Design that he should But I will see if I can supply that voluntary Defect in Rebuk to his Disingenuous Practice on the behalf of the poor Abused Quaker I answer I. By SALVATION we understand as by Scripture is deliver'd to us A being saved from Sin here and the Wages of it which is Wrath to come Whereby we are taught utterly to renounce and reject the common Acceptation of it as the full and compleat Force of the Word viz. barely to be saved from Punishment hereafter In which Security through a vain Expectance of Salvation whilst not really actually sav'd from the Power of Sin and the Captivation of Lusts through the invisible Power of Christ Thousands dye and T. Hicks is one of those that not only is inthroal'd himself but earnestly contends for that Beggarly Faith and Religion to be the most Christian which is so unable to deliver both himself and others that believe in it In short We call Salvation Christ's making an End of Sin Destroying the Works of the Divel Finishing of Transgression Binding the Strong Man and Spoyling of his Goods in the Hearts and Consciences of Men and Women and bringing in his Everlasting Righteousness into the Soul whereby to Cleanse Wash Regenerate Renew and Refresh the Soul in one Scripture-Phrase to Save his People from their SINS These are the Times of Refreshment and this is the Day of Restitution and thus is HE King to Reign Prophet to give Vision and High Priest to Anoint with the
as that which raiseth up the Soul into a Sensible Communion with God above the World which the Mind of Man is prone to slug or bemire it self withal And adds PLOTIN a Famous Platonist God is the very Root or Life of the Soul Again Man hath a Divine Principle in him which maketh the true and good Man And the Platonists in general held Three Principles to be in Man the first they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mind Intellect Spirit or Divine Light The Second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Soul of Man The Third they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Soul's Image which say they is her vital Energy upon the Body and the Feminine Faculty of the Soul By all which it is evident though I could more abundantly prove from their many Writings that they believ'd and held Divine Illumination and Inspiration and that such a Principle resided in Man even the Eternal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Mind which is to say in proper English God Himself by which alone the Soul could become what it ought to be to God VII CLEANTHES the Stoick alloweth not Mankind to be govern'd of right by the Dictates of their own Nature which barely renders them Men but by that Divine Infinite and Eternal Nature which is God universally defus'd or sown through the whole Race of Man as the most sure and infallible Guide and Rule To live saith he according to this Knowledge and Direction is truly to live according to Vertue not doing any thing that is forbidden The Vertue and Happiness of a Man depends upon the close Correspondence of his Mind with the Divine Will of him who governeth the Universe Again saith the same Cleanthes THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IS IMPRINTED UPON THE MINDS OF MEN. VIII MENANDER signifying God to be Good saith Every Man hath a good Daemon as soon as he is born an Holy Instructor in governing of the Life as that I may confess him to be an Evil Daemon who hurts the Life of a Good Man Then subjoyns he That a Good God is in all that God is perfectly Good and that he is Good in all Again on another Occasion saith he God who is alwayes near sees this for God is not a God afar off IX PHILO though a Jew born yet a very Serious and Refin'd Philosopher gives us his Judgment in this Particular very positively and to purpose How should the Soul of Man saith he know God IF HE DID NOT INSPIRE HER AND TAKE HOLD OF HER BY HIS DIVINE POWER Again That the Divine Reason we have from God is an Infallible Law not a Mortal Rule given by this or that Mortal NO LIFELESS PRECEPTS WRITTEN IN PAPERS OR UPON PILLARS BUT IMMORTAL being ingraven by the Eternal Nature IN THE MINDS OF MEN. This is an undeniable Testimony to the Law written in the Heart as a more Excellent Dispensation then that which is written in Paper or engraved on Pillars But further X. Nor is PLUTARCH wanting to the Proof of this Assertion on the behalf of the Gentiles Divinity who thus delivers himself speaking of the Principle of God in the Conscience It is a Law saith he not written in Tables or Books but dwelling in the Mind ALWAYS AS A LIVING RULE which never permits the Soul to be destitute of an interiour Cuide Again To debase this Ancient Faith of Mankind and Natural Belief which is planted in all Reasonable Souls is to Overthrow the Strong and Everlasting Foundation of Vertue Doubtless very Peremptory Zealous and Sensible doth Plutarch show himself on the behalf of an Internal Divine Principle XI But be pleased to hear what * EPICTETUS says in this Matter whose Vertue was admirable in its time and whose Memory is preserv'd in great Respect among many who would think themselves much wrong'd if they should not be accounted Christians When you have shut your Gates saith he and made it all Dark Within that is to say are retired to your own Dwelling as alone do not say that you are alone for you are not alone but GOD IS WITHIN What need then is there of outward Light to discover what is done or to light to good Actions who have God or that Genius or Divine Principle for your Light as the following words do further import But above all the Gentiles that have been mention'd I mean in Point of plain and Positive Expression for I will prefer the Life of none before that Self-denying Martyr Socrates let us hear with great Attention what kind of Lecture SENEC A will read us upon the Subject handled truly something very weighty XII The Multitude saith SENECA is the worst Argument Let us inquire what is best to be done not what most usually is done and that may settle us in the Possession of Everlasting Happiness not what is allotted by the Vulgar the worst Interpreters of Truth I have saith he a clearer and more certain Light by which I may judge the Truth from Falshood that which appertains to the Felicity of the Soul the Eternal Mind will direct to that was the Light doubtless Seneca meant Again It is a foolish thing for thee to wish what by thee cannot be obtained God is near thee and HE IS IN THEE The Holy Spirit SITS OR RESIDES WITHIN US the Observer of our Good and Evil Actions as he is dealt with by us HE DEALS WITH US But yet further we have this great Gift saith Seneâ—… That Vertue meaning the Principle or God hath sent her Light before into the Minds of all for even they that follow her not SEE HER. Where observe Reader how he confesseth to the Universality of the Light yet lays the Fault of Rebellion against it not as T. Hicks doth upon the Light but such as refuse to follow it implying their voluntary Rejection of its Heavenly Discoveries Again Wonderest thou that Men go to God God comes UNTO Men nay which is more near he cometh INTO MAN and he makes the Heart of every good Man his Habitation Yet again hear him Nothing is closed from God he is within our Souls and he Cometh INTO THE MIDST OF OUR THOUGHTS And lastly Every Man saith he has God indued with that which if he forsake it not HE SHALL ARISE LIKE GOD. How much more weighty O Sober and Impartial Reader are these inward Doctrines of the Vertuous Gentiles then the Vehement Clamours and Uncharitable Exclamations of Empty Christians against them Men that seem as if they were aâ—…raid of nothing more then inherent Holiness though of Christ's working reputing it a kind of Undervalue of his Blood to feel the Only I mean the Inward Benefit of it accounting us the greatest Hereticks for assenting to the greatest Truth to wit The Sufficiency of his Universal Light in the Hearts of Men to Salvation challenging us to prove it by Scripture or any Credible History objecting the Heathens
Ignorance and Idolatry against the Truth of its Discoveries and Efficacy of its Power If we had not desended the Light 's Sufficiency from these Authorities then our Assertion had been declared infirm with no small Shew of Triumph and Insult and now we have made good our Ground against their Objections the next News I expect to hear from such as are Perverse among them will be our Heathening â—…r turning Heathens But as all they could do would not make us Christians if Heathens so neither can their Prejudice being True-Spirited Christians render us in their Sense Heathens with Sober and Impartial Persons CHAP. XII That this was not only the Doctrine and Faith of the Gentiles but the very Primitive Doctors or Fathers both so held and so exprest themselves Eight Testimonies produced for Proof thereof BUt as I have hitherto made evidently appear both that the Gentiles Believed in One God and had a very clear Apprehension of the Light or Divine Principle placed in Man from whom all Heavenly Knowledge was to be derived and that this Divine Light or Spirit or Principle was by them asserted to be the most certain Guide and infallible Rule of Faith and Practice And further that the Scriptures produced abundantly verifie their Doctrines as that due Comparison of them will evidence so to the End these angry Men I have to do with should not count it a Prophaning of holy Writ or think that I am the only Man that ever had that favourable Apprehension of these Gentile-Doctrines I am willing to instance some of the most Primitive and Approved Fathers of the Christian-Church And by a short view of what they believed in reference to the present Subject with their way of phraising such Belief we may the more clearly perceive how far those Gentiles are by them Reprehensible either with respect to their Soundness in Judgement or Expression that if it be possible we may remove all Pretence for Objection against the Universality and Sufficiency of this Blessed Light I. JUSTINUS MARTYR whom I therefore chuse to begin with because from a Learned Philosopher becoming an Honest Christian and Constant Martyr from whence he was sirnamed Martyr he could the better tell us the Difference of the Change But so far was he from reputing the Principle of God within Men Hetrodox or Inconsistent with the Purity of the Christian Religion that with no small Earnestness he therefore pleads against all Coercive Power upon Conscience and the Pompous Worship of the Heathens in their Temples as his Apologies will inform us because saith he GOD HATH BUILT TO HIMSELF A NATURAL TEMPLE IN THE CONSCIENCES OF MEN as the Place wherein he would be Worshipped and that there Men ought to look for his Appearance and Reverence and Worship him or to that purpose II. To this doth CLEMENS ALEXANDRINUS that Earnest Contender against the Apostate Gentiles plainly assent who often but more particularly in these few Places following recommends to us the Light or Word Within It is the Voice of Truth saith he that Light will shine out of Darkness Therefore doth it shine in the hidden Part of Mankind that is in the Heart and the Rayes of Knowledge break forth making manifest and shining upon the inward Man which is hidden Christ's Intimates and Coheirs are the Disciples of the Light He further expresseth himself in another Place Man cannot be void of Divine Knowledge who Naturally or as he comes into the World partaketh of Divine Inspiration as being of a more Pure Essence or Nature then any other Animals And as assenting to the Doctrine of some Ancient Philosophers and other Heathen Authors for against the Gentiles of his time I suppose he may make use of no less then about Two Hundred and Fifty he doth very frequently attest the Truth of the Doctrine of the Divine Light in Man as Man's Concomitant to all good Works as one Passage eminently proves I earnestly exhort thee because I would have thee saved and that would Christ also who offers thee Life in one Word But thou mayst say What is it IT IS THE WORD OF TRUTH THE INCORRUPTIBLE WORD WHICH REGENERATES MANKIND AND LEADS HIM AGAIN TO TRUTH the Spur that pricketh on to Salvation who expelleth the Destruction chaseth away Death and hath BUILT A TEMPLE IN MANKIND THAT IT MAY PLACE GOD IN MAN I know not any of the Ancients more profoundly read in the Doctrines of the Gentiles then this Clemens Alexandrinus and who to prove the Verity of the Christian-Religion against them doth numerously cite and insert the Writings of the more Venerable Heathens and with the very Books of their Admired Ancestors doth he accutely argue the Unreasonableness of their Opposition to Christianity the very top of Vertue and Perfection of Goodness as did Christ to prove himself the True Messiah urge the Scriptures to those pretended great Believers in them as an Aggravation of their Incredulity III. TERTULLIAN then whom there was not any I ever read more sharp against the Dissolute Gentiles of his time as his most quaint Apology for the Christians and in it his severe Charge against their Enemies doth particularly assure us thinks it to be neither Heresie nor Heathenism as it is commonly understood to believe and assert That a Life subject to the Holy Guidings of the Universal Light in the Conscience is a kind of Natural Christianity or to be Naturally a Christian. And though in his Apology he stabs with the sharpest Points of Wit Reason and Truth the Cause of Degenerated Philosophy or rather those that were unmeritedly called Philosophers yet he lays it still on the side of their great Apostacy from that Noble Principle which worthily Renowned their Predecessors the Being of whose Stock and Assuming whose Titles alone they Vainly esteem'd Warrant enough for their so great Pretensions to Real Science not unlike the Pharisees of the Jews as hath already been observed IV. ORIGEN who I may say was twice a Christian first by Education and next by Choyce a strong Defender of Christianity as his notable Books against Celsus and others do abundantly witness treating of that Divine Light with which God has illuminated Mankind as his Universal Endowment calls it AN IMMUTABLE LAW WHICH WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL IS ENGRAVEN UPON THE HEART AND GRAFTED INTO THE SOUL OF MAN V. LACTANTIUS Scholar to Arnobius who writ smartly against the Apostate Gentiles esteemed a good and acute Man thus delivers himself about the Matter in hand THE LAW OF GOD saith he is made known unto us WHOSE LIGHT like the STARS TO THE MARINER in the Night Season clearly discovers to us THE PATH OF WISDOM That Law is Pure and Unspotted Reason not inconsonant with nor unintelligible by Nature DEFUSED THROUGH ALL THE WORLD in it self UNCHANGEABLE and ETERNAL which that it may deter Man from Vice doth faithfully by its INJUNCTIONS and PROHIBITIONS DECLARE UNTO MAN HIS
they are though once they were as Calenders for weak People to read some mystically Glory by but Beggarly Elements VI. That not only in that Flesh did the Eternal Light preach forth it self the End of these Things by Revealing becoming the Author of a more plain and perfect Way though less easie to Flesh and Blood placing the Stress of all upon an Evaâ—…gelical Righteousness whereof he became the first Miâ—…er and our most Holy Example but he also appear'd in that publick Body so peculiarly prepared a General Saviour by his Life Doctrine Miracles Death of the Cross Resurrection in and by all which he obtained a Name above every Name VII That nevertheless not to the Body but holy Light of Life therein is chiefly to be asscribed the Salvation and to the Body however excellent but Instrumentally for that it was the Eternal Light and Life which gave the Weight to all the Actions and Sufferings of the Body VIII That the Benefit then procured is not witnessed by any but as they come to believe in Christ the Light as he doth appear in the Heart and Conscience to save from Sin destroy the Works of the Devil finish Transgression and bring in of his Everlasting Righteousness Wherefore to fancy one's self intituled to a State of Salvation whilst in Rebellion against the Light within which is Christ's inward Knocking and Appearance must needs be a Delusion most pernicious and destructive to the Souls of men IX That upon the whole it is determin'd and concluded that Christ is that Light which shineth in the Conscience X. That the Light is prov'd by Reason both Universal and Sufficient The first from the Consent of Mankind the Goodness and Rectitude of God the second from both Experience and that it were inconsistent with God to give a Light to his Creature insufficient for the Work for which he gave it Thus in short have I given the Heads and Results of most of the Matter contained in the whole Discourse upon the Light and I intreat our Adversaries they would seriously weigh the Whole before they either reject it or endeavour to reply to it But let them be advised to try the Virtue of the Light before they sentence it to have none And in the Love of God be once prevail'd upon to consider if something in them doth not really Condemn them amongst other things for these brisk Attempts against it Oh! Why should Men covet to Know so far beyond what they do faithfully Practise Let them first out-live the Just and Holy Requirings of the. LIGHT before they put these Barbarous Affronts upon it of a WIL IN THE WISP A DARK LANTHORN-LIGHT NATURAL INSUFFICIENT IGNIS FATUUS THE QUAKERS IDOL and abundance of such like Frothy Prophane and indeed Blasphemous Epithetes which they wickedly bestow upon IT as if they were Its Pâ—…per Names when the Scriptures they would oppose to it plainly tell them that the whole Work of the Apostolical Ministry was To turn People from Darkness to the Light from the Power of Sathan unto God that they might have Remission of Sins As much as to say Such as are turned to the Light are turn'd to God who is Light and those who abide there both have Remission of the Punishment and Purgation from the Defilement of Sin And whatever any may think of us we both believe assert and will maintain against Men and Divels that God is LIGHT and that out of the Light or void of his Divine Illumination no man can Know him and consequently not Worship him unless they should worship an Unknown God That such as receive this Illumination and rebel not against it but improve this Heavenly Talent they have Fellowship with the Pure Eternal God and experience the Blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse theâ—… from all Unrighteousness If any think to arrive at Glory another Way and will not be admonisht let them proceed we speak what we know and can but declare what we have felt of the Work of God in our Hearts The Scriptures we highly value But we believe not the things we often quote thence to be true Only because there but for that we are Witnesses of the same Operation and bring in our experimental Testimonies to confirm the Truth of theirs and such truly honour the Scriptures all others are at best but empty Scribes and Pharisaical Babblers So with God I leave my Labour in this Particular desiring that his Heavenly Light may yet more abundantly arise upon the Dark Hearts of Mankind and awaken them to Repentance that since IT hath so long shined in Darkness uncomprehended till even Darkness it self is grown so impudent as to interpret its Inability to see the Insufficiency of the Light he would be pleased to cause it to shine out of Darkness that IT might plead the Excellency of ITS own Divine Nature in the Consciences of Men and Women against the daily Scornes and base Detractions that even great Professors of Christianity stick not to fling upon It so ill are they principl'd and so un-Christianly employ'd which proves to me how little they are Professâ—…rs of the True Pure and Undefiled Religion what ever Place their cunning Devices may have given them in the Hearts of Weak and Simple People My Soul pittyeth their Opposition and feareth the Consequence of such Resistance and desires they may see the very Vanity of their Endeavours against the Light Repent of them and be Converted that God may yet Heal them which sincere Desire is my Return for all their Hard Speeches and Ungodly Sayings against us in general and my self in particular W. Penn. AN APPENDIX To the First Part being a Discourse OF THE GENERAL RULE OF Faith and Life AND Judge of Controversie Greatly importing all those who desire to take Right Measures of Faith and to Determine at least to themselves the numerous Controversâ—…es now on foot in the World By the same Author For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Uncircumcision but a NEW Creature And as many as walk according to THIS Rule Peace be on them and Mercy and upon the whole Israel of God Gal. 6. 16. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God The Things of God knoweth no Man save the Spirit of God He that is Spiritual judgeth all things 1 Cor. 2. 10 11 15. But ye have an Unction from the Holy One and ye know all things 1 John 2. 20. Printed in the Year 1673. OF THE GENERAL RULE OF Faith and Life SInce there be so many Faiths in the World and perplext Controversies about them and that it greatly behoveth every man if to Contend for then first to Know the True Faith that overcometh the World It may not be unnecessary to say something of the General Rule of Faith and Life and Judge of Controversie at this time And indeed I am prest to it from this weighty
the World but that the World through him might be saved These weighty Considerations we have all along respect to in our asserting sufficient Grace or Light to be afforded of God to Mankind If the Light within be a sufficient Rule then no Man ought to repent of his Ignorant worshiping of the true God or of his worshiping a false God Nor ought men to repent of their Acts of Cruelty against the Saints wherin they think they do wel act according to their Light Nor ought the Quakers to repent of their Inhuman Actions of walking naked for they think in so doing they do well and act according to their Light therefore the Light within is not a sufficient Rule Answ. Still the man goes on in an absolute Strain of apparent Ranterism gross Inconsistencies and Blasphemous Inferences against the Light within while he renders it neither a sufficient Rule to discover Truth or Error in matter of Worship nor to lead men to repent of Idolatry Wickedness or Acts of Cruelty against the Saints but their thinking they do well therein this he deems according to their Light and all this to shew that the Light within which the Quakers preach is an insufficient Rule But it s then Non-sense in him to account it any Real Light at all by those his Discriptions of it before which one while renders the Light within so defective so mutable and so insignificant as a meer Nullity another while no better then Darkness it self another while the Author of Sin and Wickedness as being according to their Light What horrible Madness and gross Darkness hath the Devil led these Opposers into His accusing the Quakers with Inhuman Actions of walking naked 1st As it s in general its fals â—…or its neither a general Practice among us nor the constant Practice of any It was only some few particulars that have had a peculiar Burthen laid upon them to go naked for a Sign to such Hypocritical Professors as oppose and rebell against the Light within and are covered but not with the Spirit of the Lord that God would rent their false Coverings and discover their Shame and Nakedness as it is manifest at this Day So that its evident that some who have been made such Signs as before were therein true Prophers against a Generation of Envious Hyppocrites and Persecutors 2. His asserting that walking naked is an Inhuman Action as his Charge is general it s not true that all going naked is Inhuman but where corruptly intended for some Evil or Inhuman Act or End for 1st Were Adam and Eve Inhuman in their being naked when they were not ashamed being Innocent Gen. 2. 25. for the Shame came after Transgression from which came the Inhumanity 2ly When the Spirit of God was upon Saul it s said he stript of his Clothes also and prophesied before Samuel and lay down naked all that Day and all that Night wherefore they say is Saul also amongst the Prophets 1 Sam. 19. 23 24. It appears then that going naked was not counted such an Inhuman Action among the Prophets see also how Esaiah was made to be a Sign and a Wonder upon Aegypt and Aethiopiah Esa. Chap. 20. and so what know you but that the Lord hath made some of his Servants Signs and Wonders against many in Spiritual Aegypt and Bondage however covered with a Profession and Pretence of being redeemed as true Jews Partakers of Gospel and Church Priviledges of Spiritual Canaan whilst yet in Spiritual Sodom Aegypt and Babylon where both our Lord hath been Spiritually crucified and the Blood of his Prophets sound Here follows T. H. his after-Charge 1st And that the whole Religion and Principles of that People called Quakers wherein they difference themselves from others is of the Devil witness my Hand Thomas Hicks This Charge is not only General but also very dark and most disingenuous For if by OTHERS he means ALL OTHERS he should have specified those Principles wherein we differ from all others and produced his Proof But if by others he mean only his own Sect called Anabaptists then he hath made a very rigid Conclusion against all others differing from them that their whole Religion and Principles wherein they differ from Anabaptists are of the Devil 2dly They that deny the Resurrection of that Body that was committed unto Dust overthrows all Religion he saith To which I say these Baptists that affirm it of the same Carnal Body after turned to Dust and yet that it cannot be a New-Created Body and that the Body which God giveth to every Seed is the same Body as T. H. in his Dialogue doth Pag. 58. 59. with others of his Brethren they affirm they know not what and that which they can never give a reasonable or a convincing Demonstration of being also contrary to that Scripture 1 Cor. 15. 37 38 40 50. and while they make this their Opinion the Ground of their Religion and future Happiness their Religion is Carnal and their Opinion Non-sensical and their Foundation Sandy being grounded upon Dust and they themselves are very Ignorant of the Mystery of the Resurrection as will further appear hereafter upon the full Disquission of this weighty matter THE CHRISTIAN-QUAKER AND HIS Divine Testimony VIDICATED In a more particular and direct Answer to the Baptist's Dialogue Section I. The Light Within proved Divine and Saving c. FIrst That there is a divine Light in every man which is of a saving Property in its self and therefore sufficient to guide and direct man to God and so to Salvation And for its being a divine Light I have urged Joh. 1. 4. In him was Life and the Life was the Light of Men. Secondly That this Light is the certain Guide and Rule to true Believers in matters of Faith Spiritual Worship and Obedience to God and therefore that which can give a right Understanding of the Holy Scriptures These our Assertions are chiefly quarelled at by T.H. and some of his Brethren though he very smoothly pretends not to cavil but that he may understand the Truth as desiring to know First What this Salvation is 2dly What this Light is 3dly Who they are that do obey this Light and in obeying attain Salvation pag. 2. To which I answer It both hath appeared and will appear against thee T. H. that thy Envy and Cavilling hath kept thee from the right Understanding and Knowledge of the Light and Salvation that thou art now to seek at this time of Day And yet sayest that all thou intendest is my Conviction and Recovery as in thy 10th p. when as yet the Darkness covers thee and keeps thee from the right understanding of Truth But if thou hadst obeyed the Light of Christ within thee thou wouldst have known both its Power and Sufficiency unto Salvation and that this Salvation which it leads to is Christ who is both Redemption and Salvation to them who follow him in his Light from Darkness Sin and Defilement
his Covenant that was made to Adam Gen. 1. 28. Chap. 9. 7 9. and there were Righteous Generations after the Destruction of the UNGODLY WORLD by the Flood though many turned to Iniquity again But all Men are accountable for their own It will not be either their crying out of Adam's sole Offence or their pleading Christ's intire Obedience that will excuse them in the Day of the Lord wherein every man shall give an Account of himself to â—…od and be rewarded according to his own Deeds done in the Body whether they be Good or Evil. S. S. God doth not punish that Person in whom he doth not first see a Transgression p. 96. Answ. True But how agrees this with his Sense of Imputation Let the competent Reader judge hence it â—…ollows and that by his own Rule of Contraries that A S God doth not punish a Person in whom he doth not first see a Transgression SO God doth not justifie a Person or repute him Righteous in whom he doth not first see a real Righteousness and that through Faith and Sanctification And this plainly overthrows his Notion of Imputation before S. S. We are made Righteous not by Conversion only as G. W. would have it p. 96. Answ. However this Not only grants thus far that we are not made Righteous without Conversion and then we are justified made Righteous or declared just in the true Sense of Imputation when converted in which State we are inherently or inwardly Partakers of Christ's Righteousness and not in the unconverted So that S. S. his reiterated contradictory Opinion as stated by him viz. AS the Disobedience Adam wrought in his own Person on Earth makes us Sinners SO The Obedience Christ wrought in his own Person on the Earth makes us Righteous p. 96. is still opposed by the Light of Truth which manifests how far Men are Partakers of the Nature and Disobedience of the first Adam and how they come really to partake of the second Adam in themselves without which God doth neither justifie nor reckon them just It being also confest That God doth not punish that Person in whom he doth not first see a Transgression and then it follows No more doth he justifie that Person in whom he doth not see his own Image His Phrase Christ's Sufferings imputed is not a Scripture-Phrase though much of his Work hangs upon it yet his being made a Curse for us was not in vain being to remove the Curse of the Law as generally pronounc'd for not continuing in all that 's written c. to abolish the Shadows of the first Covenant and to establish the second that both Jew and Gentile might be reconciled in one Covenant wherein Christ is the Blessing to all having been both a perfect Example and Sacrifice who travilled that he might see his Seed and suffered that he might reign Though he suffered and tasted Death for every Man as an universal Offering for Sin yet Men are neither acquitted thereby in their Sins nor interested in the second Covenant which he dyed to establish unless they come under the Condition and State thereof namely an Agreement and Friendship with God for Men will be condemned for disobeying the Gospel though there be a Relaxation and Change of the Law touching the Curse thereof as 't is threaten'd on those general Terms for not keeping all But what the Law saith it is to them that are under it It was the outward Jews that it was imposed upon in the Letter of it though it be universally to be fulfilled in Spirit in the true Christians or Jews inward And though God hath shewn a Mitigation of the Severity which hath been incurred by Sin and a Pacification and coming nigh to Mankind with Kindness in his Son Christ Jesus yet still if men reject the Love of the Truth the Terms of Friendship and Agreement with God and obey not the Gospel they miss and fall short of the Benefit of Christ and his Sufferings and the blessed End for which God sent his Son And though the Curse of the Law doth not rest upon men for not continuing in all the Letter of it or shadowy Part including both Circumcision divers Washings c. yet if their Hearts be not circumcised to the Lord nor they inwardly washed or sprinkled from an evil Conscience they have no Part with Christ as he said If I do not wash thee thou hast no Part with me Except ye be born again ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Notwithstanding God doth greatly shew himself propitious and kind in his Son to Mankind in that upon any Condition viz. his own Terms he will admit Man to approach unto him or come into actual Friendship with himself Argum. What was typified in the Ceremonial Law is certainly accomplished but the Imputation of Christ's Sufferings was typified Exod. 24. 8. Heb. 9. What did this Sprinkling typifie but the Imputation or Application of Christ's Sufferings to us Answ. He varies uncertainly in his Words Imputation or Application which are different the Imputation being supposed to be God's the Application Man's And Mâ—…ses's taking the Blood and sprinkling it on the People Exod. 24. 8. was neither a Type of this Man's Imputation nor his Application of Christ's Sufferings unto unsanctified Persons for their Justification but a real Type of Sanctification and Remission by the Blood of Christ sprinkled upon the Conscience for that End which is more then unsanctified Persons Application thereof and thence imagining their Justification The Scriptures cited by himself prove what I say against him 1 Joh. 1. 7. But if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have Fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin And Hebr. 9. 14. How much more shall the Blood of Christ who offered himself without Spot to God purge your Consciences from dead Works to serve the Living God And Hebr. 12. 24. And ye are come to the Blood of sprinkling From whence Mark that this cleansing purging sprinkling the Conscience c. was a real Act or Effect of the Blood of the Covenant unto the Sanctification of them who walked in the Light and not a meer Imputation or Application of Christ's Sufferings for the Justification of Impure and Unsanctified Persons Moreover it was when the People said ALL that the Lord hath said will we do and be Obedient that Moses took the Blood and sprinkled it on the People and said Behold the Blood of the Covenant c. Exod. 24. 7 8. To which Type answereth what the Apostle Peter saith Elect according to the fore-Knowledge of God through Sanctification of the Spirit â—…to OBEDIENCE and SPRINKLING of the Blood of Jesus 1 Pet. 1. 2. And he hath washed us from our Sins in his own Blood This is the Blood of the Covenant that doth sanctifie Heb. 10. 29. And he shall sprinkle many Nations Isa. 52. 15. Where Christ is known to sprinkle
good without the Earthly and perishing Organs T. D. 3. Nor were the Promise to Glorifie Abraham's Soul made good without glorifying his Body too for the Happiness of the Soul is not Perfect without the Body its dear and beloved Companion the Soul having a strong Desire * and Inclination to a Re-union to the Body as the Schools not without good Ground determine vid. Calvin Harm Evang. in Mat. 22. 31 32. Luk. 20. 38. Answ. It is evident that this Man doth give this account that the Happiness of the Soul is not perfect without the Body not from any spiritual Sight of the Souls Happiness or Glory for in Page 81. he confesseth that the different Disposal of the Spirits of Man and Beast is not visible to the Eye of Sence and but dimly to the Eye of Reason and Faith although he has taken upon him by Tradition from Calvin c. to assert that the Happiness of the Soul is not perfect without the Body It may be understood that they have neither clear Reason nor perfect Faith for this and to be sure while he and others assert it without either we have no Reason to believe them But to answer him closely Both Calvin T. D. the Schools and divers Anabaptists are mistaken in this very Matter and see not with the Eye of true Faith either that the Happiness of the Soul is not perfect without the Body Or that the Soul hath a strong Desire to a Re-union to the Body â—…hile they intend the Terrestrial Elementary Bodies for this implies the Soul to be in a kind of Purgatory or Disquietness till the supposed Resumption of the Body and their Assertion and Determination herein is Contraty to what the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 5. for we know that if our earthly House of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a Building of God an House not made with Hands eternal in the Heavens ver 1. for we that are in this Tabernacle do groan being burdened c. ver 4. We are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the Body and to be present with the Lord ver 8. And said he I am in a Strait betwixt two having a Desire to depart c. Phil. 1. 23. See now the Stress of the Controversie where it lieth and that it is not only between these our Opposers Us but also between them and the Apostle Paul Thus viz. Calvin the Schools 〈◊〉 and Anabaptists determine and conclude That the Happiness of the Soul is not perfect without the Body and that the Soul when separate hath a strong Desire and Inclination to a Re-union to the Body But The Apostle Paul as knowing that when their Earthly House was dissolved they had a far better namely a Building of God Eternal in the Heavens Therefore in the Earthly Tabernacle they groâ—…ned being burdened as willing rather to be absent from the Body By which it appears they expected a more full Fruition or Felicity in the Heavenly Tabernacle then in the Earthly Their Soul did not desire after the Flesh as these Opposers imply neither had they any such Delight therein as fleshly Minds and carnal Contenders have Moreover the Apostle from the Visions and Revelations of the Lord saith I knew a Man in Christ above fourteen Years ago whether IN the Body or OUT of the Body I cannot tell God knows Such an one caught up to the third Heaven caught up into Paradise and heard upspeakable Words c. 2 Cor. 12. From hence consider that being caught up to the 3d Heaven into Paradise he doth not place the Sight and Sence of this Condition upon the Body for that he knew not whether he was In the Body or Out of the Body yet knew that he was a Man in Christ and in the Revelation of the Lord But he did not concern himself about this Earthly Body being so glorified in Heaven or Paradise as these Men do and carnally think who have neither Visions nor Revelations of the Lord concerning any such State but Calvin and the Schoolmens Determination contrary to the Apostles But the presumptuous Confidence of our Opposers appears the more in undertaking to assert or demonstrate the future State of the Soul as not being in perfect Happiness without the Body and as having a strong Desire after it while yet they neither know the State of the Soul nor have had so much as a Vision of the Glory thereof or of the glorified spiritual State of the Saints hereafter for Visions and Revelations they deem to be ceased long since and a Disposal of the Spirits of men after Death is not visible to the Eye of Sence and he saith but dimly to the Eye of Reason and Faith However while these Men cannot but appear themselves so Dim in these Sublime Matters and that while their dim Reason cannot reach them they cannot demonstrate to others either that the Souls of the Just in Heaven are not yet perfectly Happy or that they have such a strong Desire to a Re-union with the Body dissolved the shew themselves imaginary Intruders puft up in their fleshly Minds exercising themselves in things too high for them and it were better for them to sit down in Silence and wait in the Light to have some Sence and Knowledge of the true immortal Life to quicken them to God and not thus to busie themselves with unprofitable Talk brought forth from Imaginations of men and not from any true Sight or Revelation of the Conditions of Saints either here or hereafter His telling of Abraham's Soul living actually is true and as true it is That his Soul is in perfect Felicity and Glory and the more being out of the Earthly Tabernacle But his saying that the Body of Abraham or Bodies of the deceased Believers liveth potentially for this we have his own Traditional Assertion but not any Scripture-Proof or Phrase that suits it nor rational Demonstration for it As to his saying That if any shall say that Christ's Argument and his Application of it proves but the Resurrection of the Good c. I say his Application thereof seems but to extend to the Good as in his saying They whose God God is shall rise yet he hath not proved the Rising of their Earthly Bodies after they are dissolv'd to Dust and reduc'd to their first Elements but that there is a Resurrection of the Good and who of us questions that The Resurrection of the Good or of the Just being Glorious and extending not only to Arising out of the Fall out of Death that came by it out of the Grave of Corruption which hath followed yea out of the Dust of that Earth and out of all Afflictions here but also unto an Inheritance of Eternal Glory hereafter as They that be Wise shall shine as the Brightness of the Firmament and they that turn many to Righteousness as the Stars forever and ever So that they shall be so Celestial and Glorious as that they shall
his 1 Book Strom at the end And before pag. 353. he saith The Law and the Gospel is the Operation of one â—…ord who is the Vertue Wisdom of God And the Fear which the Law had bred is mereiful to Salvation And the Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of VVisdom That she that is VVisdom that administreth Providence is Mistress and Good and the Power of both procureth Salvation the one Chastizing as Mistre's the other being bountiful as a Benefactor for on must pass from Darkness to Life and applying his Ear to wisdom first be a Servant then a faithful Minister and so asâ—…nd into the Number of Sons and be brought into the elect Adoption of Sons That the Law works to make them immortal that chuse to Live temperately and justly And Again Evil men do not understand the Law but they that seâ—…k the Lord do understand in every good thing And the whole first Book of the Stromatâ—… is especiâ—…ly to prove the Antiquity of the one true Religion or Philosophy aâ—… he calls it Ephes. 2. 8. 1 John 5. 4. Genesis 17. Gal. 5. 1 2. Acts 15. 28. Ther 's not laid down in Scripture any general Rule how to answer before Magistrates to act in Times of Sufferings Thus said a Baptist in print oâ—… to that purpose John 1. 9. Tit. 2. 11 12. John 18. 36. Isa. 54. 13. Joel 2. 28 Jer. 31. 33. Mal. 2. 7. Heb. 7. 24 25 26 27. Isa. 9. 6 7. Luk. 17. 20 21. Heb. 8. 10. Rev. 21. 3. Joel 2. 28. Tit. 2. 11 12. Job 32. 8. Rom. 1. 19. Gal 5. 16. 1 Joh 1 7. Isâ—… 2. 5. Rev. 21. 23. Gal. 6. 15 16. Galat. 6. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this Rule as it is translated Phil. 3. 16. which is spoken of the Measure of Attainment and Grotius saith in the Manuscript Rule is not so it must be understood let us walk in the same Attainment as also in 2 Cor. 10. 13 15. in which three Places that word is only found See Erasmus Vatablus Zegerus Cameron Jaâ—… Capellus and Grotius on those places none whereof can be drawn to the Scriptures Zegerus interprets this Place of Gal. 6. 16. thus They that have â—…ollowed this Form of Life or Rule of the new Creaturâ—… having turned away from the invalid Cerâ—…monies of the Law Peace c. Drusius explains it from Chap. 5. 6. The new Creation i. Faith which worketh by Love Grotius saith Rule here is a Way made as to a Rule that is plainly Right such is that Way of the new Creation which was foretold Isa. 42. 9. And signifies the State of the new Man of which Paul Speaks Col. 3. 10 Eph. 2. 15. Rom. 6. 4. Bp. Rob. Sand. de Regâ—… ConsProel 4ta sect 31. Tertul. de Prescript Heraetic pag. 204. Dell. Confut. of Symps. p. 89 90. Hieron Tom. 4. 70. Bp. Jewel p. 532. Poâ—…ano 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 150 Eâ—…sinus on 1 〈◊〉 1. 19. Ib. 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 2. Luther Tom. 3. fol. 169. Peter Martyr Com. loc p. 1. c. 6. Ibid. p. 2. c. 18. Book of Martyr 3 vol. p. 298. Calvin Instit lib. 1. cap. 8. Beza on 2 Pet. 1. 19. Tindal works Pag. 319. 80. Jewel against Harding pag. 532 534. D. Ames against Bellâ—…m l. 1. c. 5. Thes. 32. G. Cradok divin drops pag. 217. C. Goad Refr drops pag. 12. Excrcit 2 7 9. against Quak. John 7. 17. 1 Cor. 2. 10. 1 Pâ—…t 1. 11. 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. Ephes. â—… 13. â—… Prelect 4. §. 21 22. Josâ—…phus Wars of the Iews l. 2. c. 7. Philo de spec leg decalog Laeâ—…t Hermip Orig. conâ—… Cels. â—…uint Curtiuâ—… ni vit Alâ—…x H. Grotius on Mat. 5. 34. Book Martyr vol. 3. p. 475. Gualâ—… Crâ—… Divine Drops p. 〈◊〉 Phil. 3. 16 B. Mart. vol. 3. P 577. B. Mart. vol. 3. P. 475. Rev. 21. 3 7. Isa. 54. 13. Rom. 11. 28. 29. Rom 〈◊〉 14 15. 1 Tim. 4. 8. Col 〈◊〉 20 21 〈◊〉 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 38 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contradiction Contradiction His 1st Argum. His 2d Argum His 3d. Argum. * That Life which is the Light of men is Divine Unchangeable and Infinite and therefore preferred before is above all Sufferings which are temporary finite His 4th Argum. His 5th Argum. His 6th Argum. His 7th Argum His 8th Argum. * Let the Reader observe this by the Way thou maystremember that the Controversie between us was not whether the Light as in every man be the Christ or no but whether it be a divine Light of Christ which I affirm or but a Creature which I deny this is enough to my Intention Joh. 17. 11. and 14. 19. Mar. 16. 1â—… Luke 24. 36 4. 8. Joh. 20. 19. 23 24. 29 Mat. 28. 9 10. * And so he hath dealt with Acts 1. 11. saying In the same manner p. 21. instead of In like manner * H. G. * H. G. Contrad pag. 94. * This is Mat Caffin's old Story against the Light Mat. 5. 48. pag. 3. pag. 6. ☞ Wisd. 12. 1 2. pag. 18 ☜ * A meer Taâ—…tology Unless at sometime to say that Body of Flesh and Bone doth noâ—… respect its own matter and Substance but some other * Thus far in Answer to his Questions Dialogue pag. 58. Baptist's Excommunication Excom Excom Excom Excom Excom Excom Excom Excom Excom Excom Excom Excom Excom Excom The Marginal Notes are added (a) Some of your Brethren now scoff at the Quakers for bearing Witness to the Immortal Seed within (b) For this Doctrine of Perfection the Baptists now revile us who are called Quakers and furiously oppose it (c) Which Lightning and Revivings do assert the Inward Light immediate Teachings of God now opposed by many of the Baptists (d) And this Strength and Light must inwardly be received but not by them that hate the Light (e) Which are since greatly encreased among you (f) Many of you are greatly guilty of that witness your Railing Pamphlets Sermons against us (g) All these are fallen in upon you because you have refiâ—…ed the Light within which would give the Knowledge of the Power and Life (h) Herein you did own immediate Teaching (i) That Sense and Travel you have yet kept off and despise them that experience it (k) And you are more unsound now then ever neither can you be sound until you own the Light (l) And especially for your Envy and Hypocrisie (m) But now you despise them that do (n) Which kind of Pharisaical Babling is still very customary among you (o) Excepting that you are outwardly dipt but as inwardly corrupt as others and more envious then most Men are (p) And will yet fall more (q) Which shews the great hardnes of Heart that is among you (q) Oh! great Dryness and Withering is come upon you (r) So you have Cause still to mourn much more (s) The slavish Fear of many of you hath greatly appeared in