contrary to Scripture for what is contrary to Truth is Errour Yea we may safely reject as to Faith and Conversation what is beside the Scripture for what is more than our full Rule is more than what is needful is vain Mark 7.7 In vain do they worship me teaching for Doctrine the Traditions of men Col. 2.18 Beware lest any spoil you through Philosophy or vain deceit after the traditions of men after the Rudiments of the world and not after Christ Therefore the Scriptures are a safe trying Rule Can so much be said for the Light in every man that we may safely try by this in all cases 1. Can that which is scanty discovering but a small part of Gods Will suffice to try in all Cases 2. Can that which Christ calls Darkness that which is fallible it self keep us from being deceived 3. Can that readily give us satisfaction in all doubtful cases which it self is oft to seek Looking within all that we can see when we are in doubt of a thing is a Dictate Inclination or Consideration for it and another against it Now we are to see and need another Rule to try which of these comes from our Light which from our Darkness Whereas every direction of Scripture is sure and needs not be tried Having our Rule to seek we are like to have our satisfaction to seek also 4. If this be a trying Rule then a man may do whatsoever is right in his own eyes Then publishing Heresie to infect others is no sin nor to be punished by God or man as long as the person doth it according to his Light within No nor Drunkenness nor Whoredom nor Theft nor Self-Murder by fasting supposing the Light within puts any upon it And it hath been proved the Light within may approve of sin as it did of Persecution in Saul 5. If this be the trying Rule then it follows contradictory Opinions may possibly be on both sides true G. W. saith his Light tells him that the Light in every man is a sufficient and safe Rule to guide to heaven I am assured in my very Conscience and from the Scripture it is not He saith Baptism with water and the Lords Supper are no Ordinances of Christ now binding the Church I am assured from all the Light within me and from the Scriptures that they are If what he speaks be according to his Light indeed as what I speak is according to mine then it follows we do both hold Truth whilst we contradict one another for whatsoever agrees with the trying Rule is Truth Obj. p. 18. He that doth Truth cometh to the Light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God Ans If he had proved that the Scripture speaks here of the Light in every man he had done something vers 19. This is the condemnation saith Christ that Light is come into the world and men love Darkness Christ speaks of a more full Gospel-light which was then come into the world and not before whereas the Light in every man was in the world ever since men were in the world And we know what Christ calls darkness The sense then is this Gospel-light shines now more than before and at this day in the Holy Scriptures but men follow the dictates of their dark Understandin their Light within even their own apprehensions rejecting Gospel-light This is the Condemnation 5. I assert the Scriptures are a Binding Rule and that in those things which the light in every man doth not of it self teach Arg. 1. The Scriptures did bind in Moses time and after to Christs and in the Apostles time even speaking of things which this Light without extraordinary Revelation cannot discover And if so still To deny that the Scripture did in these things then bind is to say it had been no sin for the Jews before Christ death To reject the whole Ceremonial Law or for the Corinthians to reject the Apostles directions touching the Lords Supper Arg. 2. If the Scripture doth not bind us in such things it will follow we are not bound to believe that the Father Son and Holy Ghost are all three one and the same God or that there shall be a Resurrection of the body that we are not bound to keep the first day of the week a Sabbath to the Lord nor to seek for Regeneration nor to repent of our Fall in Adam nor mourn for our corruption of Nature or for any first motions to sin that we are not to be Baptized or Receive the Lords Supper no nor believe in Christ at all for justification nor to embrace the Gospel consequently that the contrary is no sin for this Light of it self without supernatural Revelation teacheth us none of these things Arg. 3. Gods commands cannot want Authority must therefore needs bind us even in those things this light cannot teach But the Scriptures contein such commands Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy This is his command that we believe in his Son do this in remembrance of me Go teach all Nations Baptizing them This argument was urged in the second dispute not answered there nor since in their book Arg. 4. If we are to be saved in obeying Christ fully that is in things this light speaks nothing of as well as in other things to be damned not obeying Christ in those things this light doth not of it self require then in these things the Scriptures do certainly bind us But the former is true Ezek. 18.21 If the wicked will turn and keep all my statutes he shall surely live not only do what the Light in every man teacheth but all my Statutes Heb. 5.9 Christ is the Author of eternal salvation to all that obey him and we know he hath commanded us in those things this light cannot of it self teach Jo. 12.48 He that receiveth not my word is not Do this Go baptize his word The word that I have spoken the same shall judge him at the last day Ro. 2.16 God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my Gospel The Gospel contains commands and mysteries this Light of it self cannot find out Luke 16.29 They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them The Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets taught things above the reach of this Light if men therefore will escape that place of torments they must obey the Scripture in such things as well as other 2. Thes 1.7 8. The Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ The Gospel still prescribes things above what this light can of it self reaveal or reach The Lord God awaken these men How fearful is it to reject the Scriptures as not binding in those things this Light cannot teach us Obj. But we must not do any thing because we see it written in the Scripture but must obey the spirit of God moving
He was raised again for our Justification Chap 8. 34. He lives for ever to make intercession for us So his Godhead concurs with his Man hood in applying his purchase to us and thus his Divine Power gives us all things that pertain to Life and Godliness But this hath nothing in it to prove that considered meerly as God he is our Saviour and that he never as God man purchased Salvation for us or that he applies salvation to us without any respect to his purchase or that his manhood doth not at all concur in applying salvation to us God is our Saviour but in saving us he give us nothing but what is purchased Let it be remembred that since Christ as God-man did purchase our salvation and still his Manhood concurrs with his Godhead in applying it Christ as God man is our Saviour and not as God only And to deny that Christ is our Saviour as God-man is to contradict all promises and Prophecies concerning Christ as the Son of Man the Seed of the Woman the seed of Abraham of David that a bone of him shall not be broken that he should be a man of sorrows In the old Testament And to contradict the whole History of the New and indeed the whole Gospel of Christ What saith he of himself Rev. 22.16 I am the Root and Of-spring of David As God the Root as man the Of-spring And what was his main design in taking our nature Mind that Scripture Matt. 26.28 This is my blood of the new Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins His design was by dying for us to purchase our pardon and consequently salvation Act. 20.28 God purchased the Church by his blood This never could be excluding his manhood As God man then he is our Saviour It follows If the light in every man can of it self Reveal Chrst as our Saviour then it must without the help of supernatural Revelation discover that the Son of God took our Nature on him that he did dye for us that he did purchase forgiveness and salvation for us by his death If it cannot Reveal these things it cannot reveal our Saviour for by these things he is our Saviour Let me a new propound my Argument That that Reveals not Christ as God-man that hath dyed for us to purchase our forgiveness cannot be a full Rule cannot guide us to salvation But this Light cannot so Reveal him I prove the Major by that Scripture John 6.53 Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood ye have no life in you Except by a lively Contemplation of your humane nature assumed into one person with my divine Nature faith in Gods mercy springs and is dayly nourished and strengthened and quickned in you Your souls are not sanctified not reconciled to God and his wayes you have no heart to serve God in sincerity so as to be accepted of God and to live with him in Eternity You are dead in your sins If life Eternal be to know him as Jesus Christ whom the Father sent John 17.3 Then not to know him as Jesus Christ whom the Father hath sent is to be deprived of Eternal life The Jews therefore though they trust in a promised Messiah yet not looking on him as already sent they perish God hath now set him forth to be a propitiation through faith in his Blood Rom. 3.25 If we have have not faith in his blood then there is but little hope to have Gods wrath turned away from us But the light in every Man as hath been shewn cannot of it self reveal Christ at all much less thus reveal him We have a Maxim in Philosophy nil fit in intellectu quod non fuit prius in sensu All our knowledge comes in by our senses And it holds good here for as we in this age could never have known that there was such a man as Alexander the great were it not that we read and hear of him so by the bare light in every man never could we attain to know that Christ was born that he lived a sinless life that he suffered death suffered for our sins by the appointment of the Father and thereby obtained Eternal Redemption for us and that he rose the third day and is now removed up into glory God doth not ordinarlly give us this knowledge any other way but by our senses Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing vers 14. How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard This knowledge then comes not from our light within but from our light without viz. the Gospel read or preached to us The Conclusion 1 hope is now evident that this light in every man is no full Rule nor by it self is it any Rule at all to Heaven Object G. W. Divinity of Christ p. 41. Then all the Gentiles that have not the Gospel preached to them perish Answ 1. The Scriptures Reveals but one way of Salvation for the Jew and for the Gentile or Heathen and that his knowledge of and faith in Christ Rom. 3.30 Seeing it is one God shall justifie the Circumcision by Faith and the Vncircumcision through Faith Gal. 3.8 The Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through Faith Preached before the Gospel unto Abraham 2. Therefore where God designs the saving of any among the Gentiles he doth bring them to the knowledge of Christ and works faith in them and this ordinarily by the Gospel which the word of Faith Ro. 15.12 There shall be a Root of Jesse and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles in him shall the Gentiles trust 3. Therefore where the Gospel is not given generally they perish Where no Vision is the people perish Object Divination of Christ p. 40. This layes the blame upon God that they are not saved Answ Methinks Men should dread to oppose so clear a truth by so desperate a deduction least God condemn them for Blasphemers of his Majesty at the last day A fallen creature without a Saviour cannot be saved now is the blame to be laid on God that Devils are not saved because God provided not a Saviour for them What a wicked and hellish Position is this if God gives not every sinner what is necessary to Salvation the blame is to be laid on God that he is not saved Without Regeneration no man can be saved is the blame of every damned mans perdition to be laid on God because he did not Regenerate him Is God thus a debter to sinners Who hath first given to him By sin all mankind hath forfeited salvation God was not bound to provide for us a Saviour any more then for the fallen Angels therefore it cannot be he should be bound to give the Gospel to every one of us though without this we ordinarily perish The Gospel is Gods own and may he not without blame do what he will with his own give it to whom he please and deny it to whom he
Scripture is not to be preferred before the Spirit p. 13. The Spirit is greater than the Scripture p. 17. And you did acknowledge the Spirit revealed as certainly the mind of God as the Scripture ib. Ans 1. This is nothing to the point the Light in every man one thing the Spirit another Ans 2. Though the Counsels of Gods Spirit in Believers hearts be in themselves as certainly the Truths of God and the Spirit is not to be quenched as are his Counsels in the Scriptures for he can never lie Yet are they not to Believers so certainly the Truths of God Believers are not at all times so readily certain they are indeed the Counsels of the Spirit as they are that the Scriptures are We have a more sure word of Prophesie More sure than what Not only than the Counsels we find in our hearts not only than the Counsels of the Light within us but more sure than the direction or Voice of God himself speaking to us immediately or not by the Scriptures 2 Pet. 1.17 There came a voice to him from the excellent Glory This is my Beloved Son v. 18. This Voice we heard v. 19. We have also a more sure Word of Prophesie The Scriptures containing the Prophesies of Christ are to us a more sure Rule than the immediate voice of God himself though in it self what God immediately speaks is as certainly truth as what is spoken in the Scripture Answ 3. The Controversie being about a Rule the Spirit should not be opposed to the Scriptures For the Spirit properly is no Rule at all The Spirit enditing and speaking in the Scriptures is not the Rule but the Authr of the Rule The Spirit bringing Scripture to remembrance even what Christ hath spoken and thereby directing us is not our Rule but puts us in remembrance of the Rule The Spirit enlightning us to understand Gods mind in the Scripture is not our Rule but our spiritual Oculist strengthning our Eyes to see the Rule Nor is the Illumination of the Spirit a Rule at all as he often supposeth the Artificers Rule is one thing the clearness of his Eye to see the Rule another for our rule to Heaven is one thing the clearness of our Understanding given by Gods Spirit to discern the rule another The Rule objectively sets Gods Will and our Duty before us the Spirits illumination brightens our Understanding to apprehend it so set before us And if the Spirit be not a Rule much less is he a greater Rule than the Scriptures He should thus have expressed himself to speak to the Point The Dictates or Counsels or Directions of the Spirit of God immediately and without the Scriptures are to all men a more infallible Rule to Heaven than the Directions of the Spirit of God in the Scriptures are to those that have them And if he had well proved this he had manifested that there is some foundation for his Religion But neither can he nor all his Brethren prove that Gods Spirit doth without the Scripture reveal to every man the whole mind of God as much as is necessary to bring him to Heaven God spake immediately to Moses Did he then thus reveal to every man as much as to him Doth he now Are all Prophets If he should vouchsafe to reveal a little to any of his and not by the Scripture they have also a more sure word of Prophesie c. But since he doth not reveal to any without the Scriptures all necessary Truths as he doth by it to desire and prefer the Spirit teaching without the Scriptures before the Spirit teaching by the Scriptures as a more infallible guide to Heaven is to desire and prefer what God denies us before that which God vouchsafes us to hanker with Evah after the denied fruit to dislike with the Israelites the Mannah that came from Heaven We must not frowardly prescibe to God the Spirit immediately teaching shall be my Guide to Glory the Spirit teaching in the Scriptures shall not We ought thankfully and admiring his Grace accept of that Guide to Glory he chuseth for us 4. I assert The Scripture is a Trying Rule That is a Rule able to prove or manifest Truth to be Truth Falshood to be Falshood in all things that concern our Faith and Conversation A Rule by which we may and ought when we have any reason of doubting to try for our own safety Opinions Doctrines or Spirits whether they are of God or no. Arg. 1. That which discovers the whole Truth is able to try every Opinion Doctrine and Spirit But the Scriptures are a full Rule discovering the whole Truth Arg. 2. By that which we know to be infallible we may and ought to try what is doubtful But we know the Scriptures are an infallible Rule Therefore by them we may and ought to try whatever as to Faith and Conversation we doubt of 2 Pet. 1.19 When the Apostles had said We have a moresure word of Prophesie he adds unto which ye do well to attend He means for trial and proof of Truth He had asserted the Doctrine of Christ to be no Fable ver 16. We have not followed cunningly devised Fables To help their Faith he minds them v. 17. of the Voice from Heaven he heard in the Transfiguration Bnt saith he we have a more sure word of Prophesie more sure to prove the Doctrine of Christ and so confirm our Faith in it Therefore he adds you do well to attend to it that is for this end Arg. 3. That which the Holy Ghost approves of is our duty and for our good But he approves of it that we try Doctrines yea the Doctrines of the Spirit of God by the Scripture Acts 17.11 These were more noble than those of Thessalonica in that they searched daily whether these things were so This Argument was fled from in the first Dispute and neither then nor since answered in their Book Arg. 4. What Rule Christ directs us to try by himself his Apostles also made use of for this purpose is our safe trying Rule But our Saviour directs us to the Scriptures John 5.39 Search the Scriptures they are they which testifie of me that I am the Messiah the things the Jews doubted of He himself made use of it Luke 24.26 27. The Disciples doubting whether he were the Messiah because put to death Ought not saith he Christ to have suffered and beginning at Moses and all the Prophets he expounded unto them the things concerning himself His Apostles likewise Acts 2.24 God raised Christ from the dead for David did so prophesie of him Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell Acts 15. The Question being whether Circumcision were necessary to Salvation concerning this they decreed according to the Scripture v. 15. To this agree the words of the Prophet as it is written c. Arg. 5. We may safely embrace what agrees with Scripture for what agrees with Truth is Truth We may safely reject all that is
God immediately reveals the same Truth and Duty that are contained in the Scripture or divers from these If the same this is to say God doth that of which there is no need at all because 't is done already that he doth that in an extraordinary way which he hath already done in an ordinary He feeds Israel with Manna after that they are furnished with the Corn of Canaan If divers this is to say there is another way to heaven beside that that is laid down in Scripture But it is acknowledged that Gods will laid down in Scripture is a full Rule an only Rule Arg. 10. Satan casts evil motions into us the Spirits are to be tried false Teachers to be convinced Therefore 't is false that we need not mind the Scripture but only wait for immediate teachings Having already proved Satans access to believers the Antecedent is clear The Consequent I thus make good 1. If we cleave not to the Rule given the Scripture and try by it 't is easie for Satan to prevail with us to embrace his injections for good If our first Parents in a state of perfection and knowing it was the Devils Counsel not holding to the Rule given were prevailed upon much more may we who are not always so sure 't is Satan when he is busie with us and who have not attained to Adams perfection 2. Spirits cannot so well be tried false Teachers cannot at all be convinced by immediate teachings as a Rule By the Scripture they may Two things in order hereunto are to be examined the Doctrine of the Spirits and the Lives of the Teachers Suppose then a Jew should teach the Messiah is not come pretending immediate Mission and Revelation for this G. W. to convince him tells him 't is a false Doctrine for I am sent and taught by the Spirit immediately that he is come The Jew laughs at him and tells him he is deluded G. hath no more to say But when Apollos took the Jews to task Acts 18.28 He mightily convinced them and that publickly shewing by the Scripture that Jesus was Christ Again If a man walks naked in the Market-place crying out against sin if another kills himself by Fasting if a third gives himself up to commit Fornication and all these pretend immediate Revelation their warrant it is not sufficient to their Conviction for a man to tell them I am immediately taught of God that in you these are sins The other will deride you fancy your self so taught of God but you know not the depths of the spirit as I do I am a Prophetess saith Jezebel Rev. 2.20 But Gods word written in the Scripture plainly condemning these things in all convincingly shews them odious every where and is enough to stop their mouthes that dare plead for their Lawfulness Arg. 11. I shall adde this The spirit doth not immediately reveal the whole Bible to Believers therefore he doth not reveal immediately to them all their duty For 't is their duty to believe all that is there taught to practice all that is there commanded The Scriptures a binding Rule to prove this Thus it appears immediate Revelation of our whole duty is not vouchsafed therefore have we no warrant to expect it To look for it is presumption to fancy we have it is to pride our selves in a Lye and will cause to despise the Scripture Answ 8. To refuse the teachings of Gods spirit in the Scripture unless so far as they agree with immediate teachings within cannot be safe It is to limit and tempt the Lord to impose upon him as saying thou shalt immediately teach me first or I will listen to nothing in thy Scripture According to this an Heathen coming amongst us and reading or hearing the Gospel must not entertain it because it was never immediately taught him by the spirit A Child must not obey any thing of the Scripture till it be first immediately taught him But If any shall take away from the words of the Book of this Prophesie God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life Rev. 22.19 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to do them Deut. 27.26 The Scriptures are binding Answ 9. It cannot but be very safe to attend unto and obey the Teachings of Gods Spirit in the Scriptures There is no inward Revelation can be more sure As to us the Scriptures are a more sure word of Prophecy and unto it we do well to give heed And Blessed is he that Readeth Rev. 1.3 If through the assistance of Gods Spirit with sincerity integrity constancy a man walks according to Scripture Rule he cannot possibly miss of Salvation Answ 10. The Holy Ghost will not be offended to have any of his other teachings tryed by his teachings in the Scripture This he approves in the Bereans safely may we therefore embrace what is agreeing with the Scripture safely reject what agrees not with it Gods will laid down in Scripture being the only Rule Answ 11. To make immediate teachings without tryal our Rule is to expose our selves to a thousand errors Answ 12. The teaching of Gods Spirit in the Scripture is the highest and safest Rule to heaven It is most safe to walk by this It is not safe to refuse the teaching of the Spirit in the Scripture because we find not immediate Teachings that agree therewith but very safe not to entertain immediate Teachings of the Spirit until we know they agree with Scripture because we are enjoyned to try the Spirits And now by all that hath been spoken hitherto it easily appeareth that Quakers have have no saving Rule by which they walk no sound foundation on which they build We are built on the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets laid down in Scripture This is our Rule this is our foundation here we fetch all Doctrines for our Faith hence all directions for our practice But what is their Rule their foundation If they say the Light in every man then they must fetch all their Doctrines all their directions hence But this is sand for it reveals but a small part of their duty and not a word of Christ This failing they usually fly to immediate Revelation If this be their Rule their foundation they must receive hence all Doctrine all direction necessary to salvation If they receive some only 't is but a sorry foundation they cannot build on it for full direction If they look for the knowledge of all Doctrines all Duties hence they build on a Castle in the Air a meer fancy for though God can he doth not he never did immediately teach his Church all they were to believe and practice Whether perfection that is a state free from all sin be attainable in this Life LEt the Reader consider one thing that though the Scripture speaks of perfection sometimes in this sense Heb. 12.23 The spirits of just men made perfect 1 Cor. 13.10 When that which is perfect is come Yet not