Rule and standard the touchstone of all speakings whatsoever that that must speak alone for its self which must try the speaking of all but its self yea it s own also See Tr. 1. c. 3 pertotum That which is the ordinary unmoveable perfect and siable infallible Rule of Gods worship and our obedience so that ther 's no further need we should be instructed with any other new daily Revelations in the knowledge of God and our duties Yea the most perfect Rule that is given us of God whereby to attain to eternal salvation so that after the compleating of that which is called the Canon of the Scripure ye beleeve and profess no new Revelations about the common faith of the Saints or the worship of God are either to be expected or admitted as well such as are made by the Spirit or light within or inward speculation or heavenly inspiration or speech of Angèls to our instruction in the knowledge of God and our duty in order to our obtaining eternal salvation which all are a vain unprofitable false uncertain hazardous and utterly unnecessary means which the Fanaticks fain toward the knowledge of God and his will Yea that by which we are commanded to try and examine and prove all Revelations Visiâ—ns Spirits God's no more excepted then the Devil's Dreams inward appearances or speaking or prophesyings within or from within whether true or false without difference or distinction 1 Cor. 14.21 1 Thes. 5.21 1 Joh. 4.1 Ex. 3. S 33. The onely Rule of the faith and obedience of Gods Church Page 173. so Ex. 4. sect 22. Rep. In the handling of this head concerning the Scriptures being in the nature of the Canon Rule or Standard to the Church of God I say in the nature use and office of a Canon for as to the measure or bounds of your Canon I have elsewhere spoken to it I shall have to do with thee I. O. and thee T. D. also who both are as like one another in your ignorant invectives against the Qua. as enemies to the Scripture for not owning it to be what your fore-fathers and your selves have also ignorantly Canonized it into the name of viz. The standing Rule of faith and life as if one of you had been spit out of the others mouth As for thy self I.O. having Ex. 3 sect 25 26. professed thy faith or rather fancy and opinion that the Scripture is the only most perfect Rule of the faith and worship of God thou stilest thy Teeological subsequent foolish defence thereof a proving of it against 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the haters of the Scriptures as if all they that side not with thy false weak supportless suppositions about the Scriptures were presently to be condemned as enemies to them without any more ado And as for thee T.D. thou stilest it a spitting out of vemome and bringing in of another Gospel to deny the Scripture to be the Rule Thou engagest me in a publick discourse about this Question Whether the Scriptures are the Word of God or no and then when I owning the Word of God to be the Word of God publickly denied the Scripture that is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Writing not mentioning the paper or inke that is the foolish phrase of thy own inserting to be the Word of God in a shameful way of Tergiversation thou ran'st away from the Termes of thy Question and never camest near them any more but leftest quite another Question in its room viz. Whether the matter contained in the Writings be the Rule of faith and life as the Reader may see in the 25 and 26. pages of thy first Pamphlet Sir You cannot beleeve us so simple surely as to affirm the Scriptures in that sense the Word of God but we mean the matter contained in the Writing whether that be the Rule of faith and life Which matter written of and the Writing or Scripture are two different matters say I still as the Lanthorn and the Candle or the light contained therein so that thy doings T.D. that day was altogether as silly a peece of business as if one that had challenged another to dispute it openly with him that the Lanthorn is the Candle or the Light being come as T.D. did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with much pompous shew or fancy upon the publick place of hearing before hundreds to that purpose should say to his Antagonist on this wise Sir You cannot beleeve me to be so simple surely as to affirm the Lanthorn to be the candle or light but I mean the candle or light contained in the Lanthorn whether that be a Rule for men to walk by in a dark night or no a Question which was never denied by his Antagonist at all for neither I nor any Qua. that I know deny the Word of God to be the Word of God which is contained in the Scripture or that the Scripture or Writing declares thereof any more then we deny the Candle and Light to be a Candle and a Light which is contained in the Lanthorn but that the Writing it self is that Word of God written of in it or that the Lanthorn is the ' candle or the light ' that is in the Lanthorn at least that the Word of God is the proper name of the Scripture as to his shame I. O. hath undertaken to prove in Latine against the Qua. of whom he saith they understand him not in that tongue this I and the Qua. do deny against him and thee and all men for our denial of which dream of our benighted Doctors and Divinet we have been yet damned down through the false suggestions and silly insinuations of their busie ear-wigs the Priests by all Parliaments and Powers that have yet appeared at the Helm in this Nation and deemed unmeet to be let into the lists of that liberty of conscience allowed to other men and doomed out as deniers of the fundamentals of Religion Thus T.D. As the King of Spain and forty thousand men Went up a hill and then came down agen Gathered his Forces and Fellow-souldiers together pitching his own day of battel betokening to obtain some eminent victory over the Qua. and as soon as he came into the field laid down his Arms and confessed he had no quarrel against the Qua. as to the Question he was to dispute about as stated and held by them so like some Bettle he flyes aloft with a humming noise into the ayr and at last flaps suddenly down into a peece of Cow-dung Nevertheless T.D. that thou mightest for very shame seem to do something for the Scripture even for the Book it self and Letter of it as well as for the good matter therein contained sith thou wast come upon the stage on that account after some parley that was held a while between my self and thee about the Latitude and Limits of your supposed Rule in which thy pitiful poor put offs of
rest is the spirituall light and that but naturall which comes from Gods own Light into all mens Consciences which Light they will by no meanes allow to be called spirituall but 〈◊〉 naturall I affirm that to be but the naturall knowledge of the meer Annuall naturall man that is scrued out by the improvement of their naturall faculties of reading remembring c. in their Academicall Arteficiall Scrutinies into the Scripture which naturall knowledge though theirs who wrote the Scriptures to be by immediate spirituall Revelation I deny not abounded among the Iewish Doctors Scribes and meer naturall Rabbies that stole the true Prophets words yet knew not God spiritually by hearing his words which are Spirit nor by that spirituall Revelation or inward immediate reception of ought from his own Councell Light and Mouth from which only comes the true spirituall understanding little lesse then it doth among our modern Ministers of the Letter who not coming to the Light know as little of the Spirit of God who is a Spirit though they read and preach he is a Spirits from the Letter and as little of the Mystery of the Gospell spiritually as they Though then I. O. and T. D. both call the common Light in mens Consciences whereby they know much of God of his Will as to marter of sin and duty and of his divine Attributes Iudgements c. and all the knowledge that comes thereby but naturall and call the Letter and all the knowledge that comes now by reading of that only spirituall see T.D. p. 1 2 3 5. of his 1. Pamph. p. 1. 3. of his second by the Statutes and Iudgements given to Israel which with T. D. is the outward Letter of the Old Testament are meant the supernaturall light or knowledge of the Gospell but Rom. 2.15 which speaks of the Light or Law in the Conscience is spoken quoth he of naturall light opposed to the knowledge of the Iews And I. O. p. 77. The Scripture is a morall and spirituall not a naturall light But that in all mens consciences he calls p. 42. the light of Nature and p. 47. where he calls that from the light a naturall Knowledge arising from the innate Principles of Reasâ—n and that which is from the reading of the Letter a supernaturall Revelation Ex. 4. where how to the contradiction of himself he also calls it spirituall and not naturall may appear anon S. 15. speaking of the Qua. negant lumen hoc naturale esse aut itadici debere sed a Christo Spiritu Christi esse they deny this light to be naturall on that it ought to be so called saying it s from Christ and the Spirit of Christ S. 17. Lumen internum omnibus commune naturale est The Light within common to all is naturall and so proceeds in suo genere to prove it Likewise I. T. and R. B. say the same p. 33. it is yielded that there is naturall light from Christ given every man Such light as Christ as Mediator conferrs not on every person but all sorts of men is termed supernaturall So p. 40. and elsewhere they call it light by nature and humane light Yet I say the quite contrary the Letter and the knowledge it gives is the naturall as I have shewed above by which wicked men that corrupt themselves also in those things come to know naturally and not spiritually nor savingly the mind and will of God ex principiis naturae by custome often use and memory c. as brute beasts may by outward observance and custome know somewhat of the mind and will of man Iude 10 but the light in the Conscience some of which all have and the knowledge that comes thereby is the spirituall supernaturall and not the naturall light and knowledge 〈◊〉 this in the Power of God I trust in brief to make good against you all though enough hath been said afore to any but such as you that will look for more proof of it then wise men would do One Argument by which its evident to all that are not blind as ye are that the Law in the Heart or Light in all mens Consciences is not naturall and so consequently is spirituall is even this from whence T.B. concludes it naturall viz. because opposed to the knowledge of the Iewâ— of the Iews knowledge by the Letter was but naturall The light within and knowledge by that being opposed to it must be not naturall and so consequently spirituall but that was but naturall for they were mostly but naturall men and worse as they are at this day persecuting and opposing ever the things of God Christ the Gospel and the Spirit and all that are born after it and have the spirituall knowledge of the mystery by it as the naturall knowers by the Letter do at this day and that the natur all man discernes not any otherwise then naturally and not savingly and so not spiritually the things of God and the Spirit Paul tells us 1 Cor. 2.14 and T.D. also tells us p. 3. of his 2. Pamph. from that very Text of Paul where he gives this irresistatâ—e Reason for it also Because they are spiritually discerned Whence I take occasion to argue further thus viz. Argum. 2. That Light which gives to discern savingly as heeded the deep things of God and the Spirit which none but the Spirit of God and Christ searches out knows and savingly reveals and which as to salvation are not by the naturall man but spiritually and by the spirituall man only discerned who hath the mind and Spirit of Christ must be not a naturall but a spiritual and supernaturall light and the knowledge that comes by it is not natural but supernatural and spirituall But the light in the Consciences of all gives to discern the deep thing of God the Spirit in some i.e. in such a measure as it s heeded which none but the Spirit of God searches c. Therefore it and the knowledge that is by it is not naturall but supernatural and spiritual The Mino which our sore-named Divines do deny is as evident to such as live in the light as the light it self is and not a little of it evidenced by their own handy-works who oppose it Two Particulars there are in it to be proved 1. That the Light in all manifests or gives as heeded to discern in some measure the things of God and the Spirit 2. That as heeded it manifests them savingly As to the first I need go no further then your selves for witness we have it under your own hands T D p 1 Pamph. confesses of that light of which all men have some that thereby all discern not may sins only which are the works of the flesh which the letter sayes are manifest not by it self but by the light Christ gives Gal 5 compared with Eph. 5â— 13 14 but also many duties and severall divine Attributes Now mens duties to God in matter of declining sin eschewing evill and doing
perfectly be washed from their filthiness The 22. is no other then the same with the 21. though alluding to two other Texts from which they fetch them viz. Iudg. 17.6 Psal. 106.39 In those dayes there was no King in Israel but every man did that which was right in his own eyes and they went a whoring with their own inventions where they make doing after mens own thoughts conceits inventions and looking to or following the Light within us Synonimous and this last a sign of wicked men and going a whoring from God and departing from God unsafe and such like concluding thus viz. The truth is God forbid the following of our own supposed light as the greatest impiety which the Quakers place all their godliness in Rep. This is nought but another impudent lye against the Quakers as well as a most evidently foolish extravagancy from the Question which is not about our own supposed Light but some measure of that undoubted Light of God which though ignorantly by you stiled natural yet is not denied to be true Light and that from God and not our own supposed only so to be The Quak. place none of their godliness in such meer supposed light as ye do who suppose the ignis fatius of your dark and silly sâ—nses and suppositions on the Letter as sufficient light for all people to live by their faith stands not in mans wisdome nor in that Science of you opposite Schoolmen which is falsly so called and supposed but in that real infallible Light within which is the Wâ—sdome and Power of God and as for Al departure and going a whoring from God and his Light within after mans own inventions and thoughts in things of God which is that impiety of the Priests that God forbids and abominates we deny and abhor it also The 23. which is from the first of the two last Texts and the 24th which is from Pro. 14.12 are both also besides the business and urg'd in disproof of that sufficiency of supposed light and the way that seems right only in mans eyes and is not so this we have nothing to do with but deny it against the Priests who unawares to themselves are walking therein as the way to death but that we plead for is the true Light Iohn 1.9 which lightens every man and is the only true way that leads to life And whereas the consequence of their 23. seems to be to this effect If every man had a light in him sufficient to guide him in right and good wayes then Kings and Rulers should not punish men for walking in the wrong and evil wayes that seem good and right in their own eyes Rep. I contrariwise conclude that if men had not such a light in them as is sufficient to guide them in good wayes then Kings and Rulers should not punish them for going into evil wayes for as 't were an unjust thing to require not of him that seeing will not see as those Math. 13. of such a blind man as never could see to see the right way which was never shewed him and to punish him for not walking therein so were it in Rulers to punish men for following filthy wayes and evil things if they did not videre meliora i. e. see and know how to do better for to him who knows good and does it not evil and declines it not both which are known by the light that is in the world i. e. in men though some for want of heed say the light in the conscience shews the evil but not the good to him only it is sin to condemnation The 25. from Prov. 22.6.15 concludes That if each man have some such true light in him then there 's no need of training up children in whose hearts foolishness is bound up in the way they should go by the rod and teaching for what need of the rod say they then to drive fully out Rep. I reply to drive it out and bring them into the way of wisdom which is in them and seen by them but not much heeded till they smart far it as well as the way of Folly This Argument holds as much against Gods correcting such whom ye confess to know his will and do it not as against our correcting children whom we correct for not doing what we know they know they shold do for no father but he that 's foolish will whip his child for any thing as a fault but that which his child knew to be so So fools come to be plagued sayes the Spirit because of offences they fly out into that if they be not incorrigible they with the wife may look well to and ponder their goings Our Doctrine concerning All mens knowing in some measure by his Light within themselves the good will of God destroyes not but establishes the whip for the Horse the Bridle for the Afs and the Rod for the back of such fools as turn aside from the truth that 's told them into folly nor does this any more conclude against teaching children then mâ—t with both which it is consistent for the end of our teachings of both are to turn them to attend to the Light and Truth it self within them that doth teach them yea even children as they come to a few years of Discretion I remember well that before I could read the Scripture which I could read when very young I knew by that of God in me and not from my Parents only whose witness without could not have been credited therein by me had not the Witness of God which is the greater testified the same within my self that I should not lye and was judged with fears of wrath if ever I made a lye as children are apt to do to escape a whipping for a lesser fault If then it be ask't why we teach men and children I answer to bring and turn them as Paul was sent to do from the darkness in which they walk beside it into the Light Which whether they walk in it or no is yet in them and because they are not come to it as all true men do but hate and decline it with the evil ones whose condemnation it therefore is because though they come not into it it is already come into them Iohn 3.19.20.21 And with this short self-same Answer now it s brought into my spirit I shall here wipe out of the way a whole parcel of pedling Queries of R. Baxter about the the Light as they lie together in his Epistle to the Reader before I. Ts. book into the pit of darkness from whence they were exerted R. B. Q. I. I would fain quoth he be resolved in these few Questions How comes it to pass that all Nations that never beard the Gospel are utterly void of Faith in Christ when the Nations that have the Gospel do generally know him more or less Aus To say nothing how little true knowledge of God is in these Nations that he grants have the Gospel
meaning in an outward Ministry for else I know no Nation that hath not some of that Light which is Gods Gospel in them any more then Paul did who said The Gospel is preached in every creature under Heaven 1 Col. 23. and Rom. 10. Have they not all heard i. e. the Gospel yes verily c. The reason why all the Nations have so little as they all have is Because they come not to the Light which is come into them R. B. Q. 2. Why did not the world believe in Christ even generally before his coming if Reason was then a sufficient light Ans. How far forth right reason taken not for the bare natural faculty which a fool may have but for that supernatural gift of God whereby to guide men out of all bruitish wayes and his light we restiffe to which is not against but according to right reason are Synonimous it matters not to be medled with in this place but to the Query I reply the same still viz. Bâ—cause men came not to that light of God which was in them R. B. Q. 3. Why did Christ preach himself while he was on earth if the people had sufficient light before Ans. Christ speaking then audibly to the outward ear through that voice he then used preach't himself indeed that he was the Light of the World the Woâ—d â—f God and the Life and Light of men from the beginning and not from that time only of that his outward appearance unto a few Iohn 1.1.2 and to this end did he preach himself as a light in men for the Word was made flesh and dwelt in us sayes Iohn Ioh. 1.12 bidding them believe in the light i.e. his light in them and so in himself who is the light that they might be the children of it and walk in the light while they had it and come to the light and such like because the men to whom he preach't thus were not come to that light of his which was come into them R. B. Q 4. Why did he send his Apostles to preach through the world if the pâ—ople had sufficient light before Ans. To the same end for which he sent Iohn 1 Ep. 1.1.4.5.6 that they might walk with God in the light and not in the darkness as they did though the light was in them and foâ— which he sent Paul to the Naâ—ions Act. 26. to turn them from the darkneâ—s to the light from the power of Satan unto God and because men wanted to be instructed which way to look for the Life of God which they had lost and because they yee not yet come into that Light of God that only leads to it which was come into them R. B. Q. 5. Why did he set Pastors and Teachers in his Church if all have a sufficient light within them Ans. That his Church which is in God being turned from the world and the darkness of it to the light might by their memorandums of the things they knew 2 Pet. 1. be kept stedfast in their watch to the light unmoveable and abundant alwayes in that work of the Lord believing in the light which work the world are not yet come to and to abide in Christ the Light as branches in the Vine and in the teachings of the Annointing which is the truth and no lye that it might teach them by degrees all things and lead them into all truth as it had into some already that the Saints might as branches grow up in all things into him even the express Image and likeness of him who is the one head over All to the body and the express Image of the Fathers being in whom is no guile for the perfecting of the Saints a thing ye seeming Saints deny to be attainable in â—he body for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body till all that are begotten into the nature may come into the unity of the faith and knowledge of Gods Son even unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Eph. 4. Joh. 15. 1 Joh. 2. Finally because men come to the light if not exhorted to continue in their faith in it may again go out from that light of God which unless it take occasion by their wilful departings from it to depart at last from them is come unto them and continually in them R. B. Q. 6. Why do the Quakers go up and down teaching men their own doctrines if all men have sufficient light already Ans. Not their own doctrines but the doctrines of Christ and to call men into it and to counsel such as are come into it as Ioh. Ep. 2. to abide in Christs own doctrine or teaching that they as who doth not so hath neither may have both Son and the Father and because mâ—n generally are not come into that Light of God which is already come into them R. B. Q. 7. Why do they cry out against us as being in darkness when all men have sufficient light in them Ans. Were there no other thing but this one vain thought of yours that there 's no difference between mens being in the light and the light 's being in them it s enough of it self without any more ado to proclaim you to be in darkness for if ye were in the light of common reason that is in you 't would tell you as well as the Scripture that the light shines in the darkness though it comprehends not the light that it shews the way to them that walk beside it though they walk not in it because they hate it but in the darkness which they love more then it being fallen in love with its evil deeds Ioh. 1. Ioh. 3. and so to the Query we say ye are in darkness because ye among other men are not yet come into that sufficient light which if ye would once but singly look to ye should feel is already come into you R. B. Q. 8. Will they pray for more Light and Grace or not if not they are impiously proud if yea then it seems they have not yet light and grace sufficient Ans. We do pray for more Light and Grace and God gives more and more to the bumble as I have shewed above but if ye were not with all the climbers up another way Iob. 10.1 either too proud to stoop to come into the knowledge of the truth by the door the light or so blind as to groap fâ—r the wall like them that have no eyes ye could not but see that their praying for more and Gods giving more grace unto the humble is so far from evincing that they have none as that it evidently evinces they have some already for if men had no grace and should pray for it they might be said to pray for some but no man can be properly said to pray for more light and grace but such as at least have some already R. B. Q. 9. Whereas they say the Light within is sufficient if obeyed our Question is
Lord for their sin in belying his light can expect no better from him then what is due to all blind Truth Blasphemers As for T. D. he sayes the least of all these four in contradiction to himself about the light howbeit as is above shewed not so little but that it s seen that eodem cum illis haeret luto he sticks in the same Quagmire together with them But as for I. O he is more over head and eares in it as to this poynt then all the rest I shall only take two or three more turns upon that wheel of his on which he is unwearied in running round and so make an end with them altogether at this time And first let us see what I. O saith by way of Concession to us against himself about the light in all mens consciences First Tr 1. c. 2. S. t1 he writeth thus viz. God declares his Soveraign power and Authority righteousness and holinesse by the innate or ingrafted light of nature and principles of the Consciences of men That indispensible morall obedience which he requireth of us as his creatures subject to his law is in general thus made known unto us Then citing and writing out at large that Text Rom. 2.14 15. For the Gentiles c. he goes on thus By the light which God hath indelibly implanted in the minds of men accompanyed with a morall instinct of good and evill seconded by that self judgment which he hath placed in us in reference to his own over us he doth reveale himself unto the Sons of men And that we may know and be ascertained that this thing is no deceivable pretence but that God doth so indeed reveale himself thereby he adds S. 13. The voice of God in nature is effectuall it declares it self to be from God by its own light and Authority There is no need to convince a man by substantiall witnesses that what his conscience speaks it speaks from God whether it bear testimony to the Being Righteousness Power Omniscience or Holiness of God himself or whether it call for that morall obedience which is eternally and indispensably due to him and so shewes forth the work of the Law in the heart it so speaks declares it self that without further evidence or reasoning without the advantage of any considerations but what are by it self supplyed And then without an outward Ministry letter or writing surely or if it did not yet the letter without that came from the light within is of the lights own supplying it discovers its Author from whom it is and in whose name it speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those common notions and generall presumptions of him his Authority that are inlayed in the natures of rationall creatures by the hand of God to this end that they might make a Revelation of him as to the purposes mentioned are able to plead their Divine Original without the least contribution of strength or assistance from without Thus far I.O. writes the truth of the light within saving here and there the interposition of that Epithite Naturall Thus far have I set down I. Os. words that all may see how far he accords with them in these words in the same things about which he Quarrells with the Quaâ—as not knowing what to make of their Inward word and Light they talke of which is indeed wholly though himselfe fees it not excepting in his often undervaluing of the Light within by that name of naturall as in opposition to the Qua which otherwise while he sees it serves his turn so to do against another sort of his Antagonists he magnifies in words and makes as honourable with all his might as the Qua do and together with them He grants that its the voyce of God a means of the knowledge of God and of his will of Divine Originall and Authority calls for that morall obedience A higher matter then he thinks for which is eternally and indispensably due to God speaks in the name of God and from God so infallibly in the heart that it needs no other evidence assistance advantage c. and then not the letter to witnesse that it speakes from God is his law to which his creatures are to be subject is ascertain'd to be no deceivable pretence but that indeed by which God doth reveale himself to the soul of man that light which God hath indelibly implanted in the minds of men is accompanyed with a morall instinct of good and evill seconded with a self-judgment in us in reference to Gods own over us shewes the work of the Law in the heart so as they are left wholly inexcusable who will not learn and know God from thence neverthelesse to go round again he pinches it back at first after he hath done magnifying it with the diminitive termes of the Light of nature low dark obscure â— winekling light that scarcely peeps out of the most pernitious darknesse enlightening mearly in morall matters duties morall good and evill sufficient to leave men without excuse not save nor bring them to the true knowledg of God only that which was given to man at first before he fell the state of the first man and at last a thing altogether faigned a deceivable pretence grossely imagined every ones private light making as many Rules as men That inward light the Revelation that comes from which is uncertain dangerous unprofitable no way necessary to the knowing of God and his will therefore to be rejected and detested A means of the knowledge of God and of Communion with him boasted of by the Fanaticks an addition to the written word of God which is most heavily damned by the Spirit of God among that of confabulation with Angells and others id genus furfuris of the like bran that which we are sent to that we may get the knowledge of God or any direction in our duty to him at no time and no where at all by God a principle of Revelation most uncertain fallacious both as to it self and what things it reveals a meer faculty of the understanding I know not what light of no correspondency with the Scripture and word I know not what divine soul of the world mingled in all things which is Every thing and truly Nothing a light which however attended to is in all divine things as to the utmost end meerly darknesse and blindnesse it self These and many more id genus furfuris etfarraginis are the depressive debasive denominations whereby I. O. having first advanc'd the light within and law of God in thâ— heart into its proper place prerogative Titles and Authority as Gods Vicar on earth which Office the Pope and Clergy have long usurped as a faithfull witnesse right reverend Recorder and subordinate Iudge for God and between God and man in the Conscience doth after Thrust it out again from its Throne Rob it of its Recordership detrude it from its true Title Divest it of all its Authority Digrade it from its
that if is hold not in this light he confesses himself and all such as side 〈◊〉 him to be Coâ—founded and at a losse as to all their Faith and unquestionable knowledge of any Saving Truth to this day For asmuch then as I saw the Sâ—â—rs so Blind as not onely not to distinguish oâ—èr which yet sometimes J. O. does but that 's to the further discovery of his own Confusion and Self-contradiction when at other times he does not between the Word or Truth it self which was in mens hearts before the Text which Truth is by the Quakers not denyed to be properly Gods Word The Foundation what ever else J. O. falsly affirms the Text to be and the Text it self which in time came from it and does but teâ—l of the Word and Truth to be nigh in the heart but also Extolling those Externalls with such Extream Rigidity as aforesaid Sith also the fight is about no lesse then the very Fundamentalls of the very Clergy and University mens Faith it self which is the most Immediate Foundation of the Faith of most other man who Pin their Faith on their Sleeves and believe Implicitly at a venture as their Ghostly Fathers and Holy Mothers believe and so miscarry and drop into the ditch with them if those their Blind Guides happen to be out I was much Prest in Spirit in words at length and not in Figures As to sheâ—â— both the Faultiness of the One aâ—d the Falseness of the Other that I might â—â—mind them of the onely True Foundation of All Truth which in the 3d. Exereiâ—â—tion is proved to be not the Text or Letter which yet is owned as useful in its place but that Inward Light Word and Spirit I. O. jeers at and does all the despight to that almost is possible to be done to it by any that do nâ—t as be sayes Falsly the Quakers do Ex. I. S. I. delight in doing the Devils Work of Defiance to the Word of God So not to leave him wholly Unanswered nor yet Answered only by the halves though in Answering him I should make my self more like him therein then I am in his Flood of Folly and Absur'd Assertion of the necessity of every Tittle of the Greek and Hebrew Text to the being and abiding among men of all Sacred Saving Truth This is the Respect in which though else my Life and Delight lyes not at all in Penning and Printing ought about such Impertinencies as these I had not only a Liberty lent me but also a certain Load laid on me from the Lord which Led me into so large an Examination of J. O's Lost Labour about the Letter and to become a Fool among Fools at this time so far as to Busy my self with them in their Bawbles if by any means I might gain some of them to a Sight of their Vanity Madness and Folly and to a Sober Solid Seeking after the more Sure and Serious Things of the True Wisdom it self viz. The Fear of the Lord Which is to depart from all that his Light in their Own Hearts makes manifeâ—t to be evil and to dwell not so much in the Seeing Knowing and Talking of Trivial Temporall Tittles as in Walking in the Eternal Truth Which is the beginning of that Wisdoâ— which is Folly to the Fools that yet walk in Darkness but doth in Truth Excel their University Wisdom or Science falsly so called as far as Light Excelleth Darkness And as to the Bigness of the Book which calls for so much the more Cost from him that Buyes it and so much the more Pains from him that 's willing to Busie himself in it If that trouble any one it shall not trouble me who have now gone through the Toyl of that Attendance to it which were it not freely for Truths sake alone I should in no wise take again upon me though to gain much more then the whole Impression of it amounts hitherto to the Charge of such as have carried it throw the Presse The Truth is I once intended no more then to have set out some single Sheets to J. O's Anti-Quakerism onely but it so falling out that before I was well warm in that Work after two or three Publike Disputes at Sandwich held by Three of us call'd Quakers viz. R. H. G. W. My self with Tho. Danson and sundry of his Associates there crept out two Quarrels of T.D. against Quakerism as he calls it much what to the same Truthlesse Tune as J. O's was and by and by another peice Patcht up tâ— the same purpose from Those Two Brethren J. T. and R. Baxter that were once beating each other for some Years together about Infant Baptism but are now both as One Man Biting the Quakers as ' tâ—ere with their Teeth which are as Spears and their Tongue which is as a sharp Sword and Baiting at that Truth that 's Testified by them and finding that these Four however oft contradicting each other were All carried about in the same Cloudy Circuit and Whirl-wind of Doctrine and did all Center in the same Sinck of Absurdities in their own Sayings and of Abominable Abuses of the Quakers and among them all so fuly in one Synod Sounding out the whole Sense and Leven of the whole Lump That Nilâ— fere dicendum est quod non dictum prius there can sâ—arcely any Thing henceforth be said against Vs and Truth which is not said before by them Instead of setting my self to enter the Lists with J. O. in a Single Conflict I saw it more serviceable to single out these Four as Four of their Choiâ—est Champions from among their Felâ—owes and under the Form of a Reply directed by Name more Particularly to These Four to give This ouâ— as a General Account of our Own Principles and Conâ—uâ—ative Answer to the Contrary Principles of aâ— Mens And this occasioned what was in my Intent set ouâ— at First and smaller Systeme to swell out at last into so large a Size Besides As 't is the very Life of Collegians and Clergy-men to busie themselves most in their Musing Places where they may have most Book-room being apt to think alâ— Lesser Paâ—â—ers Pedling and unfit for Them to find ought in that may be Answerable to the Vast Voluminousness of their Inventionâ—â— So J.O. Iudges the Quakers to be as it were but in Jest and to Trifle with Him when they take him in Hand and Talk of his Long Tales in two or three Words â—nely and would not have his Matters medled with unlesse more fully Witnesse Epist. p. 28. 29. Where quoth he One of â—ate not understanding Me nor the Thing he Writes about his mind for Opposition was to be satisfied I wish I could Prevail with those whose Interest compells them to choose rather to be Ignorant than to be Taâ—gin by me to let my Books a one Another in Answer to a Book of anâ— 140 Sheets of Paper Returns a Reply quoth he to â—o much of it as was written in a quarter
in the like lame cause who belabouring your selves in talk about the Letter against the Light live and walk more by the false fire and twinkling flash of your own thred-bare thoughts and infatuated imaginations then either by the Letter or the Light I come now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without much Preamble or more ado ad rem substratam to the businesse and work it self as it lies before me And howbeit I shall not regard any External form order or methodical manner of proceeding with you so much as words and matter of profit and truth it self yet as there is a Quaternity of you or rather a Fraternity of four angry Fighters or Quarrellers with the Quakers and the truths told by them viz. I. O. T. D. I. T. R. Baxter all whom first or last one where or other more or lesse I shall have to do with So though not therefore I shall divide my ensuing undertakings against you in the Name and Power of God on their behalf in such wise as thou I. O. dost thy Doctor-like Divinity Disputations or Latine-labours against them viz. into four Apologetical Exercitations or Earnest Expostulations with you The first whereof is to be more down-rightly directed to thee T.D. the rest who are of the same misty mind with thee not excluded in way of Examination of that Legend of Lyes which thou like some great Benefactor to it bestowest on the Clergies Cause against the Truth and its Children and as concerning the point of Iustification in special which thou makest thy self a main Mannager of against us for all the rest who say little of it and in which thou by thy lies about it in both Doctrine and matter of fact most basely abusest both thy self and the Truth and my self in particular and all the Qua. in general also The second is to be most peculiarly directed to thee I. O. in Examination of sundry of thy base belyings and misreportings of the Qua. as to their mis-behaviour toward the Scripture about which T. D. who sides with three therein doth but give us a short snap and away and as concerning the very formal being nature Text or Letter or the Scripture it self ye call your Canon the Bâ—unds or measure of that your supposed Canon the Hebrew Punctaâ—ion Integrity of the Text to a Tittle without Various â—ection and such like passages which thou more preheminently pratest on then all thy Fellows The third is to relate though partly to T. D. and partly to I. T. and R. B. alâ—o as being all three in some sort tampering together with thee in the same muddy manner about at least some of the same mistaken matters yet principally to thee I. O. who in the dark dream of thy night Vision drivest on more down rightly as the Prime Promoter of these Principles viz. that the Scripture and every sylâ—â—â—le and Iota thereof is the Word of the Great God the most efficacious powerful all-sufficient all-perfecting heart-searching soul-saving living life-giving Word of the living God that it even that outward writing Letter External Text and not any such thing as an Internal Word of God Spirit or Light within is the only Infallible Guide Incorruptible Canon perfect Rule of all Faith holy life saving Spiritual Knowledge or Worship the most certain Sanctuary for the preservation of all Sacred Truth the most sure Touch-stone stable standard firm Foundation true Witness of God the most invariable inviolable way of safety and security to all Divine Verity the most absolutely necessary means of Spiritual and Eternal life cum multis aliis quae nunc praescribere longum est with much more id genus of the same soure leven too long to be reckon'd up here sith they are all to be elsewhere reckon'd with in due time and place The fourth will be promiscuously and interchangeably carried on by way of entercourse with you both I. O. and T. D. which two only were intended to be by me so much as medled with when I first was throughly resolv'd on some Reply to your rude reproachings of the Truth As concerning your denial of the universality and sufficiency to save such as heed it of the Light and Grace of God in all mens hearts of modern immediate Divine Inspiration of Perfection as to the purging away of sin in this life and as concerning your Dream of a peremptory Election and Reprobation of persons unborn viz. of very few to life and of many to one as unchangeably to damnation without respect to their doing good or evil in their life about all which as occasion is I must have in a few words a round reckoning with you both I. T. R. B. and all the rest of that self-reverencing black-mouth'd Brotherhood as blindly banding in one body in the self-same mist of darkness not excluded for the Rounds ye run in as to those particulars at the latter end i. e. in the said fourth and last part of these foresaid Presents in which as occasion is ye four aforesaid Fellow-Fighters for your own follies against Gods Wisdome are likely little or more to be all bespoken in one or other of the Chapters into which also I shall subdivide the fore named four divisions If ye four Foxes that spoil the Vine and her tender Grapes whereof inter-scribendum one successively still started out afresh upon me as I was pursuing the sent and chasing the other had like those of Sampsons turned tail to tail in all points as in some ye do and took several wayes ye could not so well have been caught altogether as now ye may notwithstanding all your Majestical craft but sith ye face all one way and joyntly steer your course in general to one Cave running parallel into the same Wood of your own wisdome there housing your selves in the same holeÌ„ dreaming altogether of no danger neer you in one Den of Darkness there needs no more but to set something to the Mouth of that bottomless Pit ye all belong to out of which the Fox-like strong sent and stinking savour of your erroneous Tenets vents it self to the poysoning of poor peoples Souls throughout the whole Countryes where your respective beings are and so digging you out of your foresaid Dens put you altogether into a Bag. S.F. The First Apologetical and Expostulatory Exercitation CHAP. I. FIrst then though they came out last and began to fly abroad some while after I. Owens yet I shall begin with thy two Butterflyes T.D. which have flown up and down the World not only upon the wind of their own wings but also as fast and far as they could carry them upon the light chaffy leaves of the whiffling News-books for some few moneths together to the frightning of all such folk as are befool'd into an Implicit Faith of thy folly to be wisdome out of that little wisdome they have by that fearful flutter they have made thorowout as well the Cities as Vniversities and Countryes with that falâ—e flashy and fair-flourishing
and avenge all that disobedience of his Adversaries whose Ministry further then by his own permission it s born down by that extrinsecall force of the beasts putting forth and interposing for a time will make its own way and cleare the truth as the light both amongst and against all false ones without either maintenance or defence or so much as good countenance if that may not be had from the higher powers of the earth being such a Substantive as is well able if let alone and in the midst of not a little interruption to stand by it self in reason before any and not such a Noun-Adjective as the nationalâ— C Clergy is which cannot stand by itself to shew one glasse full of its own sense and meaning on the Scripture without some Constable or Officer joyning with it to take that honest man or woman to the Stocks or Cage that by two or three good words shall disturb them nor stand by it self to shew its reason or signification to such as soberly reason with it but must require another force then that of words to resist and sometimes the rude ones to run with stones and stop the mouths of its opponents Not by might nor power of this sort but by my spirit saith the Lord. That Dagon that cannot stand unless its worshippers hold it up in this manner before the Ark undoutedly will fall and let it fall if it will and never rise any more for me And if Papists Iews and Turks being obedient to the civill power in civill matters between man and man shall come in and uâ—e their blind consciences in their respective blind Religions they shall deceive not one of the Elect and none but such as are disobedient to what they know â—for which to stumbling they are appointed That Protestanism that can't stand if Popery Indaism and Turcism have liberty till it fall by the pure power of God and not meer man to stand peaceably by it in one Nation for fear it should dye out before them let it dye out with them all when the Lord will for me that truth which is to out-shine and out-live them all may stand up alone in its proper power and native lustre when they are gone as for such Protestants as would run to hell with them if Papists Turks and Iewes should come among them they are onely such as would never come neer to heaven if these should never come neer them at all 5 Our Doctrine of the true lights enlightning every man the truth of which is to be prov'd against I. O. and T. D. in its proper place and our calling every man to attend to the shining of it in his own conscience can be no fair In-let to the Popish Bag and Baggage for all that arises and springs from the cloudinesse of their consciences the blindnesse of their hearts the darknesse that is in their understandings in which darknesse or dark places which are in the heart the true light shines though the darknesse comprehends it not and the daâ—k minds of men consider it not which if they would once doe so well as to take heed to the day would dawn the day Star arise at last in their hearts the light shine forth the shadowes fly away the clouds scatter the vaile that overspreads them vanish the face of the covering be removed the daâ—knesse of this world in which the devill who is the Prince and Ruler of it dwells diggs deceives devoures destroyes udoes does all he has to doe who hath nothing in Christ the light nor ought to doe in them that dwell out of his reach under Christs Protection in the lâ—ght would be dispeld and the bâ—â—ghtnessâ— of a better Religion Worship Gospell Faith Knowledge Righteousnâ—sse Holynesse Salvation Redemption Kingdome then any power and glory they yet are aware off or your selves either would break forth upon them But such as your Tenet is who rebell against the light not knowing the paâ—hs theâ—eâ—f Job 24.6 and band yourselves together against the blowers of it up in men to blow it out what yee can denying it to be in any measure at all in any but very few quarrelling with the Quakers for calling any much more all to take heed to it that they might walk up in singlenesse to to what of God by it is made known in them doth both River England into a resolution to retain so much of Romes Bag and Baggage as is yet remaining and into their and the Priests wonted readinesse to receive more or all of it again if it shall so return as in Maâ—yes dayâ—s and be handed out to them by the threatning helping hand of those that have the highest handling of the Helm 6 Our Doctrine of the infallibility of the true Ministry of Christ which we say is that which is among them call'd Quakers in these dayes as in those of old can be no fair In-let to the Antichristian Bag and Baggage or to those Ministries or Ministrations for to teach which is not more taught by me then shall be proved against I. O. and T. D. who both deny it more at large in its proper place viz. that the infaâ—â—ible spirit continues his infallible direction guidance and diviâ—e inspirations to the true ministâ—y and Church which waits upon him now in such wise as heretofore is so far from leting in that it shuts out for ever their Mâ—nistâ—y all its A coutrements as false fictitious and yours also who as to your confessed fallibility are Biâ—ds of the same feather with them who as in that ye flock so must flee and fall and fail all together seeing saving onely that they ascribe infalibility to their Vice-God the Pope as yee doe not and Châ—ists spirits inspirations to his single sacred soul they count it Egregiâ—us blasphâ—my for any Minister or other to say they have the holy spirit so onely as to assure them of Gods love and acceptance much more to make them infallible in their ministry and though you hold men may have it to assure them of salvation yet as to it s assumed and infallible guidance of your selves in yours or any men at all in their ministrings now you count it little lesse then the same and differing so as to the matter of the Ministry no further from them then thus viz. that whereas they hold infallibility â—omewhere but falsely enough fixing it to that false subject the breast of their Arch-Bishâ—p Vicarâ— of Christ and supream Master-Minister here on earth yee deny it to be in anâ— Ministers at all now to the utter uâ—mâ—nistring of your selves and evincing it yee are none of Christs any more then they But so to teach that all Ministries that pretend to Christ are fallible in these dayes and not one Christian Ministry infallible throw-out the earth Nor any one of all them that are in England at this day no nor yet so much as that of your own is a Doctrine and a peice of news which if
finite so making either two Righteousnesses of God whose Righteousness is but one or else distinguishing that one into two sorts finite and infinite which is but one in kind viz. infinite and everlasting though dwelling in different degrees in God Christ and the Saints but well maist thou do this whilest thou makest so many Christs as thou didst at the Dispute and hast done since in thy crooked Account thereof I say is not that Everlasting Righteousness of his working in the Saints and bringing near to them Isa. 46.13 as everlasting as infinite as of old and of as infinite value every where as it is any where in that Body of his whereof he is the head as in that Person which was the head of his body Yet T.D. denies it to be of any worth to justifie and affirms it to be but mans own Righteousness which is dung loss and rags procuring no more to him by desert then his wickedness which merits no more then Condemnation and in further evidence of this let thy own words p. 15. and p. 22. be well considered and compared where thou sayest thus T. D p 22. Do you think that the Righteousness which the Apostle calls his own Phil. 3.9 was not Christs Had he any Righteousness which he had not received And yet that Righteousness which was in the Apostl never was in Christ as the subject but was wrought in him by Christ as an efficient cause and Christ had an inherent Righteousness in respect of which he was said to know no sin and to be a Lamb without spot or blâ—mish Are not here then two Righteousnesses And they serve for two different ends the one for our Justification the other for our Sanctification the one gives us a Right to the inheritance of the Saints in Light the other makes us meet for Possession And p. 15 all Our Righteousnesses not our unrighteousnesses onely are as filthy Rags Rep. Oh Rare and Base What Whirle-pools and Whirle-gigg and Whimseyes and Gimcracks are here Compound all this deep Dâ—vinity of T.Ds. together some of which but not all for other some the blackest of his Brethren I believe will blush at is that which others store themselves with by stealth out of the Common standing-stock of Theology which few Divines dare stir a foot from and here is such a manifest Mess of medly such a heap of Hotch-potch as scarce ever crept out so openly upon the Stage before since the world which should be Christs School was by its Disputers and Schollers made their Fencing-School against Christ and his Disciples I shall Segregate the absurdities of this absolute parcel in which else they may by unseen being jumbled together among some undeniable Truths and set them down in their own Colours to the view of all 1. Mark Reader How T. D. divides the Righteousness of Christ inherent in himself and imparted from him to his Saints which who is not so Blear-eyed that every single object seems double to him cannot but say and see is one and the self same into two Righteousnesses one of which though he confesses they are both Christs and wrought by him alone as the efficient was notwithstanding as he sayes never in Christ as the subject at all 2. How these two points hang together as well as things can do that are all to pieces viz. that Paul had no Righteousness which was not Christs and which he had not received from Christ and yet that which he received from Christ Christ never had in himself nor was it ever inherent in him which if it doth not contradict the School Maâ—imâ— which no well skil'd Scholler disowns of Nil dat id quod in se prius non habet vel formaliter vel virtualiter saltem eminenter nothing can give infuse or derive that to another which it first hath not in it self and which resides not in it self as the Subject wherein the same one way or other is or formally or vertually inherent which I 'le not spend time here so nicely or exactly to examine yet I am sure it expresly and egregiously disagrees with those undeniable Testimonies of the Scripture which faith not onely Iohn 3.27 A man can receive nothing that is of God Grace Righteousness c. except it be given him from above but also that in Christ are bid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge that in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Col. 2.3 9. That the Spirit of Grace a manifestation of which is given to every man to profit withal according to the measure of the gift of Christ who taketh of his own Glory Grace c. and giveth to his Saints distributing to everyone severally as he will is by the Father given first to him not by measure that his Disciples may also as they do of that fulness which dwells first in him receive of the same in some measure Grace for Grace John 7.16 and 3.34 And this stops that creep-hole whereby T. D. wots he winds himself out p. 37. where he saith Christs Righteousness in the Saints was never formally existent in him as the spirits are in the brain for as the spirits are in the brain and communicated thence to other parts of the body so the Graces of the Spirit are all in Christ the head and communicated to all the Members of his body as truly and formally as the Typical ointment that was poured on Aarons head was communicated from thence to his beard and ran down to the skirts of his clothing 3. Note well how that very Righteousness which was wrought in the Apostle after his Convertion by Christ and received from Christ and so by T. Ds. own confession was Christs is by T. D. first divided off from that Righteousness which was inherent in Christ though it be Christs as well as the other and indeed as undivided from it as Christ who is indivisible is within himself and set apart and aloof from it as quite another us if it were scarce any kin to that that dwelt in Christ the head and not onely so but secondly pacht and packt up into one with Pauls own Righteousness which he gloried in before his Convertion for what Paul calls his own was that he had of old and had left and lost too as dung and loss as much as he once thought it gain before ere he received any from Christ and disgraced and digraded so far below it self and its own true worth and dignity as to be Ranks with Pauls own yea to be made and counted on as no other but his own the self same as he and the wicked Iewes as T.D. sayes p. 21. who were as ignorant as our Priests are of Gods Righteousness went about to establish to their Iustification he makes that Righteousness those good works which by Christ we are enabled to perform no other then Our own good works Our own Righteousness all which as well as our unrighteousness T.D. Beckons but as filthy
in Ezras dayes was by thy own confession much corrupted so not a little of iâ— was lost altogether But to knock this Argument more fully on the head thy self confessest that as great as the care of Ezra was to restore the Text of the old Testament to its purity and to compleat the Points it hath since then slipt so far out of order that as to the Points according to the Iewes general faith it received a great reviving and restoration to their Right and knowledge by the Massorites when they had been much dis used quoting R. Azarias in proof of it p. 247.271 and so hast routed thy own Argument with thy own hands Arg. thy Ninth is this the care of the Massorites from Ezras dayes and downwards to keep perfect and give an account of every syllable in the Scripture citing Buxtorfius Rep. Here thou supposest thou puttest in sufficient security for its non-alteration in a Tittle to this day but of the Massorites care if I doubt thy Word and Buxtorfs are not a ground to beget a divine faith in me or another about it who are bold in imposing your own Conjectures but if I own them to have been as carefull as thou conceivest them to be yet in the dayes of those before Ezra who were as careful as these could be it came not-off without losse much lesse is it likely it did to this day if those Massorites before Christ had been ten times more careful then they were forasmuch as thou rendrest both Iewes and Papists between which two sorts of men the Hebrew Text hath been reserved to this day both of them generations of men so hardned in hatred against the truth as not to be worthy to be counted faithful Trustees about the Scriptures besides as I said to the Argument last above thy self grantest the points so have been dis used so as to have been rectified by the Tiberian Massorite 600 years since Christ. Arg. thy Tenth is the constant consent of all Copies in the world so that on sundry learned men have observed there is not in the whole Mishna Gemara or either Talihud any one place of Scripture found otherwise read then it is now in our Copies Reply 1. What a piece of Idem per Idem is this wherein the self same thing that is to be proved is Argumentatively urged in proof of it self the thing to be proved is that there is a constant consent in all the Copies of the Hebrew Text in the world so that there is no Copies read otherwise in any one place then ours or that do vary from ours in one Letter Apex Tittle or Iota to prove this the medium I. O. uses is this viz. the constant consent of all Copies in the world without any variation in any one place I say here is not so good as ignotum per aeque ignotum but Idem per Idem the same proved by the same the thing affirmed evinced by affirming it ore again Siccine di putant Academici nostrates many an acute Academian would answer no otherwise to this bald businesse then by telling the Doctor he is out and forgets what he hath in hand bidding him begin again but such a Coâ—ntrified Russet-Rabby as Dr. Featly sayes the Apron-Levites are and such a Rustick Respondent as I am must submit and take it as it comes without much talk lest I be talkt with for it therefore I shall do it so much honour as to put it up and to Reply to it and so passe it by and passe on 2. If there be and have been such an universal constant consent of all copies in the world and not so much as one Hebrew Copy read otherwise then in ours in any one place of the Bible for so large are thy words that thou art often fain to pinch them in again how is it that so many Copies are with Points and so many wholly without any punctation at all or if thou say all pointed Copies are alike among themselves and all unpointed ones are alike among themselves how is it that thou to the contradicting thy self in this place confessest various readings in many other yet the very three next pages viz. 178. 179. 183. are well nigh wholly spent in nothing but concessions confessions and acknowledgements that there are and have been various lections in the very old Testament as well as the New and there thou grantest that some of those that are thou knowest no more of viz. the various readings of the Eastern and Western Iewes save that they first appeared it appears then there are some in Bombergius his Bible professing thy present ignorance of them and unwillingnesse for hasts sake to enquire after them yet wishing any that know ought of them to inform thee further but thou shouldst have informed thy self before thy rash and blind bold Assertion and not say a thing positively and then say had I wist and enquire when thou hast done whether it be so or no and moreover thou denyest not but that more various lections then yet thou knowest may be gathered out of ancient Copies of credit and esteem And thou instances in particular in those called the Keri and Ketib which thou makest such a puzling of thy self about up and down in thy Book that thou vainly spendest one whole Chapter viz the last save one of thy second Treatise to prove them to be of no moment which yet when all 's done are varieties from the first Manuscripts at least nemine contradicente though how they fell out at first none knows and thou guessest they were gathered by Ezra p. 302. and grantest that they are the face and appearance of various lections p. 304 and that they are no lesse in number then 840. in the Bible p. 296. and that thou art not able to satisfie thy self about the Original and spring of all that variety that is in the Bible by reason of them p. 301. and thâ—t unlesse ye should suppose which yet thou seemest not to dare to do that the word was so received foâ—m God as to make both necessary not knowing the true cause of this variety or difference between the Scription which is in the Love and the Lection which is in the margin ye have nothing to blame but your own ignorance 〈◊〉 being not the onely case and I confess thou speakest the Truth in that wherein ye have reason so to do p. 30â— all which notwithstanding 1-st the consideration of this To Keri and To Ketib or vast and numerous variety of different Scriptions and Lections which are welny in thousands of words whereof some of them in the margin are supposed to have stood sometimes in the line being most groundedly conjectured to be no other then meer Critical amendment of the Iewes should together with the supposition and suspicion that is now begotten in the minds of many learned ones impeach that security which thou supposest at least thou hast of the mind of God truly represented to thee in
emananation from God of the letter as the sole foundation of all that Divine Authority as the Word of God thou ascribest to it and as thy Basis as thou sayest p. 2.24.30 thou beginnest thy Building in thy second Chapter and so onward throughout thy book in both Treatises and Theses laying and thwacking Title upon Title Land upon Land Honor upon Honor Exaltation on Exaltation Crown upon Crown on the head of the Copies of the original or Hebrew and Greek Texts of the Bible as they are at this day come down to you from the Generations of old thorough the hands of the sundry successive Transcribers extolling and magnifying it in such an exceeding high unlimited and boundless way of Benediction till like one that being busie in beautifying with Gold his carved Image and blessing his more then ordinarily beloved Idol forgets that it s but a perishing piece of Wood or mouldring matter fashioned into that form and fabrick wherein it appears outwardly and immediately to him by the handywork of meer erring man Thou carriest thy Castle into the clouds with aery applauses till by thy lofty liftings up of the letter and thy windy whiffling to and fro talkings for it and Weathercockly commendations and setting up of every Pinnacle Tittle Point Syllable and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it thou hast trimm'd up thy Tower of Babel with a Top welnigh as high as Heaven and made no less of it even of the letter and Text of thy meer modern Greek and Hebrew Transcripts of the Scripture then appears by thy own words J.O. The only and most perfect Rule of All faith and good manners The truest and most unerring touchstone for the trial of all truth The most immoveable inalterable certain stedfast and stable Standard The only firm and infallible foundation of all that beleef and obedience that God requires at mens hands A stedfast Releef against all that confusion darkness and uncertainty which the vanity fossy and loosness of the minds of men drawn out by the unspeakable alterations that fall out amongst them would certainly have run out into pag. 28. The most effectual means of bringing men to repentance on which all faith and repentance is immediately to be grounded That which alone gives the determination of Doctrines proposed to be beleeved whether they are truths of God or cunningâ—y devised fables Tr. 1. Cap. 3. Sect. 16. That by which we are commanded to examine and prove Tanquam ad lydium lapidem all those things that are to be examined and proved That which pleads its reception not only in comparison with but in opposition unto all other wayes of coming to the knowledge of his minde and will founded thereon p. 58. That which is necessary in such an high degree of necessity in its daily use not only ad ingenerationem fidei to the begetting of faith where it is not bâ—â— in ea edificationem to the edification of the highest Saints in it while they draw breath here that there is not more need to us of food and rayment to uphold our very natural life than there is of the Scriptures that we may be daily instructed in the knowledge and faith of Christ. That which doth not only most exceedingly exceed all others but as to the saving ends thereof is the only and singular means that God uses in order to the revealing the knowledge of himself The light the most glorious light in the world above the Sun c. p. 43. The witness of God the power of God to salvation ipsa doctrina quam à Deo docemur yea no lesse than â—he very powerful living quickning soul-saving Word of God That which challenges to it self that glorious Title of the Word of God as its own proper name That which is so tum in esse reali cognoscibili i.e. so and so known evidently by its own light and power so to be That which manifests and testifies of it self from the beginning to the end of it p. 140. to be the Word of the living God yea abundantly uncontrolably to men p. 3 That which is often even welnigh a thousand times mentioned indigitated Ex. 1. Sect. 5.32 by that name the Word of God That which calls for attendance and submission to it as such with supream uncontroleable Authority p. 58. That which is expected from us and required of us by God himself on penalty of his eternal displeasure if we fail in our duty 2 Thess. 1.8 9 10. That we receive it not as we do other books with a firm opinion only but with divine and supernatural faith omitting all such inductions as serve only to ingenerate a perswasion that it is his Word p. 31.32.34 c. And many more such transcendently glorious Epethites and Compellations thou denominatest the Scripture by as that which as to the integrity of the Text is unaltered in every tittle and also every tittle and iota of which is a part of the Word yea the Word of the great God wherein the eternal concernment of souls lyes for of the Scripture or under that terme of Scripture or of the Word thou restisiest all this yea and very much more dost thou found out and sing of the Transcripts of the Greek and Hebrew Text to the same tune which though they are all true of the true Word of God indeed which is properly so called and in the Scripture it self which never which no where calls it self so is often and only so stiled yet being by thee uttered all concerning the Scripture which is intended by thee when thou praedicarest any thing of it under that Name or Term of the Word of God saying the Word of God is a light powerful glorious above the Sun c. as well as when thou speakest of it under its own true and only proper name of Scripture saying the Scripture is the Rule the foundation c. the Scripture is so or so it is every whit of it utterly false as thou utterest it the falsehood whereof I shall now come to make some Animadversions of more particularly And for as much as I own all those high-flown glorious denominations thou runnest out into to be true to a Tittle if spoken of Gode word indeed but deny utterly the truth of any one of them as they are spoken by thee of the Scripture as the most commodious way that I can take for the disproof of thy untrue talke of the Scriptures whereby thou ignorantly not to say Idolatrously attributest such glorious Titles and Epechites thereunto as are the due and only peculiar properties of the true and living Word of God indeed which is Christ Jesus himself and also for the vindication of the Word of God from that Robbery and Spoil that is done to it by thee who pullest it down from the Throne and statest the meer Texs and Letter of it in its place and also for the further vindication of the poor deluded Fanatical Qua. as thou callest them
in whom thou foolishly fanciest Satan assaults the Sacred truth of the Word of God in its Authority purity integrity and perfâ—ction against whose abominations as thou sayest in thy Epistles thou subjoyned thy Latine Theses in the close of the other Treatises for the instruction of the younger sort of students to whom thou dedicatest thy dribling doings and for the clearing of the Qua. in their principles from thy shallow rash censure of them as being therein confused opposers of the truth I shall endeavour to comprize the whole Truth not only about the Word of God but also about the Scripture of it as to Name and Thing most miserably mistaken by thy poor deluded self in this one general Argument the minor Proposition whereof being plainly proved to be true in each particular of it for the major is not only undeniable but also undenied or rather absolutely affirmed by thy self the conclusion which is perfectly contradictory to the main matter and principal Proposiâ—ion contended for throughout thy Book viz. That the Scriptures known to be the Word of God and that is the proper name thereof will necessarily follow as true to its full and final confutation and overturning The Argument is on this wise The Word of God is the most stedfast relief against uncertainty and confusion the firm foundation the most perfect Rule of all faith and obedience that God requires at mâ—ns hands the most effectual means of bringing men to repentance and which immediately it is to be grounded upon the chiefest among all wayes of coming to the knowledge of Gods minde and will the truest Touchstone stable Standard Lydius lapis that gives determination of Doctrines by which all is to be examined and proved necessary to beget and increase faith perfect in its integrals the most glorious spiritual light in the world above the Sun the Witness of God the very Doctrine of God the power of God to salvation the powerful living quickning soul-saving Word of God that which challengeth that glorious title to its self as it own proper name that which evidenceth manifests and testifies of it self to be the Word of God and is so stiled welnigh a thousand times in the Scripture to be received as such on peril of eternal ruine every tittle of which is the Word of God the great God in which the eternal concernment of souls doth lye and such other things as J.O. denominates the Scripture by But the Scripture is none of all this therefore the Scripture is not the Word of God much less known so to be nor so properly to be called That the Scripture is none of all that which thou testifiest above that it is and which no Qua. do deny the Word of God to be is the business which now lyes before me to make good in order whereunto I shall take the several particulars into examination and make some Animadversion of what thou sayest in proof of those particulars in the Affirmative affirming I that not the Scripture but the light the letter came from is the only most stedfast relief against contentious confusions darkness and uncertainties Thou sayest indeed the Scripture is the stedfast Relief against all that uncertainty darkness confusion c. That the mindes of men heightned by the unspeakable alterations that are found among them run out into But I say not blaming the Scripture as the cause of it which is holy just and good when wise men have the handling of it that throw the doting disputers of this world about it who in their wrangling mindes and restless pens wrest the Writings of it to their own and the worlds ruine the Scripture canoniz'd by men as their rule of faith is become as the Gospel of peace is of war to the lewd mindes the occasion or causa sine qua non of all the confusion darkness uncertainty which by the vanity folly and loosness of mens mindes drawn out a whoring after the letttr without from the light and spirit within by divine dotages on it and dim divinations out of it for means and the unspeakable alterations of it and endless enmities and hatreds and envyings one of another about their own sottish senses and mishapen meanings on it hath too certainly been heightened and is already long since run out into So that as Aristotle and Ramus the two received and respective Standards for the junior Sophisters of our two Nurseries Oxford and Cambridge to fight under in their Logical scoldings So the Scripture is made by our senior School-men in their Scholastical Theological Sâ—nffles a Standard more to squabble about and fight under than a Standard to try and determine Truth by as they call it and is nothing but an ample Armory from which they fetcht most of their furniture where with all in their mad malicious mindes to fence against each other concerning the Scriptures it self and such plain truths as lye open to all honest capacities therein and lye hid from none more than these wise and prudent Praters of it who like the Horses and Riders Zach. 12.4 being of the Lord smitten with madness blindness and astonishment run on to battel as Warriours Isa. 9. with confused noise till the Nations where they live lye languishing for their wicked wills sakes with their Garments rolled in blood Yea the Scripture as canoniz'd into an Authentick common Standard to themselves stands but as Truncus locorum c. a certain Topick or Common place from whence to scrue Arguments to the assaulting one of another and from which to fetch fuell to feed the fire of their wrathful and hellish life of disputing out their giddy guessings to each other so nauseously that some Saints have been weary of the world and wisht to be out of it upon nothing more than a desire to be rid of the angry direful doings and divisions of the men called Divines which Topick of theirs too they chop to pieces and criticize into such crums and bits the better to beat one another out of and about it that as the Oxonians used to say of Ramus In tot Ramos Ramulos Ramusculos locorum hunc Truncum dividit c. So I may say of all our admired Erasmus's or supposedly learned Divines that either hate or dote on each others Divinity doings of the best of whom when all is done as renouned as they seem to themselves I can say no better yet such Dunces are they in the School of Christ than I can of Erasmus himself of whom as to the things of God were he now living it might be said Mus at Erasmus eras Mus at Erasmus eras In quot Puncta Punctula Punctillula c. into how many points punctualities and punctilioes do they spring out in their pratings pratlings and prittle prattles upon and concerning it till as Heterogeneous as the Scripture is in the sense above shewed in respect of its various matters they make the bare writing so Homogeneous a thing that every point tittle
their feet are swift to shed blood that wasting and misery are in their wayes and the way to true peace they know not yet this one thing I must say too and of our Vniversity Scriblers pro Scripturis that as there are no men in the world more up to the ears in strife about the Scripture and their own Fancies on it as to matter and letter than the Scribes are so there is no one thing that the Scribes are striving scuffling and scolding at each other more about than about their Scriptures That light or word within and not the letter is the Foundation First I shall take account of what thou falsely assertest concerning the Scriptures being a Foundation Thou affirmest the Scriptures to be the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles spoken of Eph. 2.20 pag 33. saying of them that men may quietly repose their souls upon them in beleeving and obedience and of your selves thus are we built 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. on the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets and calling them Page 48. The Foundation of that world which he hath set up in this world as a Wheel within a Wheel his Church And page 154. The Foundation of faith hope and obedience And page 155. The Foundation of all that faith and obedience which he requires at our hands And page 316. The great and blessed Foundation of Truth All this I own to be very true of the Word of God of which the Scripture speaks but it is utterly false as uttered by thee of the Scriptures The falsehood of which appears plainly by this Argument 1. Argument That which is the great and blessed Foundation of all that truth faith hope and obedience that God requires at mens hands and of the Church and of the Apostles and Prophets must be something which was in being before any of these things were for the Foundation on which these are built must have a being before they can be built thereupon every Foundation being before the building can stand upon it But though the Word of God be so yet the Scripture is not before but long after that truth faith hope and obedience which God requires at mens hands and long after the Church and long after the Apostles and Prophets were yea after those Apostles and Prophets were Respectively who were the Respective pen-men thereof Therefore the Scripture the Writing the Letter the Greek and Hebrew Text is not the Foundation of any of these things The first Proposition is so true that it were no less then disparagement to I. O's wisdom to suppose him to be mentis inops to go about to prove it to him sith as he builds Castles in the air as easily thrown down as erected upon no better Foundation then his own fancy thoughts conjectures and imaginations yet he cannot be so senceless as to think that that Foundation be it what it will firm or brittle on which any thing is built must be before the building can stand thereon And as for the minor in every part thereof it 's as undeniably true to any save such as having once turn'd their backs upon the Truth are resolved to render themselves devoid of eithet Sense or Reason in their Reasonings against it then to own it For none else can deny but the Church and the Truth Faith Hope and Obedience of it and the Messengers Apostles Prophets Preachers of Righteousnesse such as were Enoch Noah Abraham Lot and others were in the Truth Faith Hope Obedience of the Gospel and also built upon Christ the Light the Word of God the Rock of Ages before Moses dayes who is unversally supposed at our Vniversities to have been the first Pen-man of the Scriptures The grand Master-place of Scripture that is us'd in proof hereof that the Scriptures are the Foundation is Ephes. 2.20 where it 's said by Paul to the Ephesians Ye are built on the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-Stone Hence it is strenuously stickled for and as confidently as cloudily concluded by our doting Doctors and dreaming Divines that the Church of God as to all her Faith Hope Obedience Knowledge of the Truth is built upon the Apostles and Prophets Writings as that which is there called the Foundaeion whereas were they but at leisure from that lesser and lower literature wherein they are lost from the Lord and the Light and Life of God and the Letter also which issued forth from thence to look into the Light and by it into the Letter it self they more blindly labour for then truly learn by they would soon see that the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets there spoken of is not the Apostles and Prophets themselves much less uncertain transcribed Copies of those few Fragments of their Letters and some other honest mens true stories of what was done in their times good instructions memorandums and litteral recommendations of wholsome Laws and Statutes most of which as laid down in the Letter saving that they remain in the truth and substance whereof they were the types figures and shadows are above 1600-years since cancelled and abolished Promises Prophesies Psalms Proverbs Parables occasional Letters Epistles and other Writings which such as fell into a foolish following and falling down before outward Images and from the infallible Spirit it self that their Scriptures were written to keepe men to found and fardelled together and fram'd in their own fancies into a Foundation of the Faith and of all the whole Fabrick of Religion to be for ever framed and founded upon But Christ Iesus himself who is there also called the chief Corner-stone and 1 Pet. 2.4 that living Stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious on whom the Saints even all together with the Apostles and Prophets and the whole Houshold of God as Fellow-Citizens and lively Stones are built up a spiritual House to offer spiritual sacrifices yea all into one holy Temple or Habitation of God through the spirit This is the true and sole Foundation of all the matters before mentioned Christ Iesus the Rock of Ages on whom whoever believes shall not be ashamed Christ the living Word of God that also quickneth whose words are spirit and life to the hearers of his voice whose words uttered in the heart do good to those that walk uprightly this is the Stone that you Babel-builders refuse which God hath made the very head stone in the Corner Psal. 118.22 Matt 21.42 This verbum lumen internum Christ the eternal internal Word in the heart and Light of the World given a Light to the Nations and as such Gods salvation to the ends of the earth and the precious sanctuary to such as believe in his light is that stone of stumbling and Rock of offence to such as thee I.O. that stumble at the Word in their wrestlings for the Letter being disobedient unto both whereunto also they are appointed and a Gin and a Snare to the
Inhabitants of that earthly Jerusalem which is from beneath the fleshly Church of Jews and Christians according to the meer Letter which is in bondage with her children Isa. 8.14 28.16 1 Pet. 2. And that it is Christ Iesus alone and not the Scriptures that is there call'd the Foundation is most evident not onely from the Text it self wherein Jesus Christ himself is instanced in as such for the same that is call'd the Foundation is there also call'd the Corner-stone but also from other Scriptures whereby the truth hereof is yet more illustrated viz. Isa. 28.18 where speaking both in the foregoing and following Verses of the false Foundations short beds narrow coverings and lying refuges that the Drunkards of Ephraim that erred from the simple plain truth thorow the Wine of their own Wisdom and were out of the way and stumbled in Wisdom and Iudgement thorow the strong Drink of their own devised Doctrines so that they could not discern nor learn the Lords Doctrine that was divined to them thorow the stammering lips of such as ministred Precept upon Precept Line upon Line here a little and there a little among them he summons all to fix their Faith on the one onely true and firm Foundation saying Behold I lay in Sion for a Foundation a Stone a tryed Stone a precious Corner-stone a sure Foundation he that believeth shall not make haste Where it 's very observable as it is in Eph. 2.20 That the self-same that is called the Corner-stone is also ca'led the sure Foundation Likewise 1 Cor 11. where it's expresly said That other Foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is JESUS CHRIST Now if no man can lay any other Foundation of the Church which is God's Building then Christ whom the Apostle sayes ver 10. He himself laid as a wise Master-Builder according to the Grace of God given unto him Then all things else besides Christ the Word of God the Light of the World and that measure of Light that shines from him which is not divided from him any more then that of the Sun from it but one with him whatsoever men go about to lay as the Foundation of the Church and her Faith Hope and Obedience are not truly really and properly so but imaginarily supposively fictitiously so and but falsly so called meerly seigned found out and founded onely in the Fancies of foolish blind Babel-builders which Founders and their fictitious Foundations must be confounded For the layers of a false Foundation and such are all they that with I.O. lay the Letter or Traditions with the Papists and Iesuits he justles with or any other then Christ the Light must come to confusion as wel as the meer Formalists their Wood Hey Stubble Trash Imitations empty forms and such like Superstitions and all sorts of Superstructions of the Babilonish Builders upon the true Whereupon as much as J.O. blesses himself in his holding the Foundation and feeds himself with hopes of salvation so long as he is found holding that though he build Hay and Stubble upon it and his Works come to be consumed saying p. 160. It will be well for us if we be found holding the Foundation if we build hay and stubble upon it though our Work perish we shall be saved Yet alas poor deluded man J.O. thou mistakest thy self exceedingly it would be well for thee indeed if thou held'st the Foundation Christ the Head the Light of men thy person might then be saved though thy Work of wood hay stubble will assuredly perish in the fire But thou art far from being found holding that Foundation then which there is no other and found laying another even thy uncertain Transcripts of the Greek and Hebrew Texts and an outward fallible Letter and its Points and Syllables and Tittles and Iota's one jot or tittle of which if it fail thou confessest all thy Faith and Fabrick of Religion falls to the ground confessing also that 't was not impossible for the chiefest Transcribers thereof to mistake in any thing yea that they did fail in their Work so rasing thy false feigned and fallible Foundation to the ground and pulling down thy House with thy own hands like the foolish woman And as for the true Foundation Christ the Light and Spirit which are infallible stable firm fixt sure and certain as every true laid Foundation ought to be and is though thy flexible Letter is not so which is of it self an Argument of its not being the Churches Foundation of Faith and Obedience This true one I say is by thee trampled on and flouted at under the Names of Nescio quod Lumen quem Deum seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deo quopiam melius merae Tenebrae aecitas fines salutares quod attines non sufficiens ad salutem Christus Fanaticorum imaginarius fictitius qualitas nescio quae divina seu anima Mundi omnibus misia quae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sit i.e. vere nihil Ex. 4. S. 15.17.21 Doctorem infallibilem nihil habens commune cum Scripturis Ex. 3. S. 22. I know not what Light what God or cornucopia better then any God infallible Doctor inconsonant utterly with the Scripture imaginary Christ of the Qua. I know not what Divine Quality or Soul of the World made up of all things that is all things and truly nothing Moreover if none can lay other Foundation then Christ then Paul himself by these words Ephes. 2.20 Ye are built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets cannot rationally be concluded as he is both senselesly and reasonlesly conceived by I.O. to intend any other Foundation then Christ himself neither can he be understood by any that have common understanding to intend himself and other Prophets and Apostles or his own and their meer outward Writings for then there are two whereof they must have one Foundation of Faith and Obedience and we another they Christ the Light and we them and their Letter which is an absurdity utterly unbecoming men call'd Christs Ministers to imagine seeing the Foundation quicquid id est of the Church and her faith hope and obedience from the beginning of the world to this day is but one and not many yea as the Faith is one and the Baptism one and the Temple and building one and the Body one and the Spirit one and the Lord and God and Father of all saints is one so the Foundation is but one what ever it is Eph. 4 5 6. Or else secondly if there be but one foundation for us and them to stand upon and that be the Apostles and Prophets themselves or thei Writings then Incidit in Scyllam c. the Apostles and Prophets must be supposed to be built not upon Christ but upon themselves their own Writings as to their faith and saving knowledge of the truth or at least on the Writings one of another which is an Imagination as if not more absolutely absurd than the former yet of the two I.O. having
that shall say the Horn-book is per saltum perfect to this end that without need of reading or learning any other books a person may by it alone become capable immediately of Commenâ—ing Dr. in Divinity shall by my consent be counted as ridiculous silly and senseless as such as side with J. O s. sayings are who say of the Scripture or Letter alone exclusively of the Spirit and Light within it calls to walk in that by it men may have the Life it gives the Life it is the only most perfect standing Rule of faith and life yea is so perfect and absoluâ—â— in all respects that there is no need of any other Revelation by the Spirit or Light within to instruct us in the knowledge of God and our duty to this end that we may obtaine eternal life yea all these means of knewing God and his will are uncertain dangerous unprofitable in no wise necessary and therefore to be rejected and detested as Fanatick figment For the foresaid honâ—urer of the Horn-book in his Hyperbolical adoration of it would be as contrary to common sense and reason as I.O. and T.D. in their absolute admirations of the Scripture and abominations of the Spirit and Light within for its sake are both to sense and reason and the common Testimony of the Scripture it self also which testifies every where concerning the Old Testament or Letter which I confess to be profitable perfect and absolutely able to the ends and uses of Gods appointment as a Typical testimony of those things which were to be spoken after that is weake imperfect and unprofitable as to that end for which I O. asserts it per salium to be so absolutely able powerful and perfect to that is to say to salvation and eternal life for it faith that it is the Light and Spirit that give the life and the liberty from the lust and sin to which the mother that is under the Old Testament or Letter of the Law is yet in bondage with her children and that the Old Testament or Letter lyes only in eatings and drinkings and diverse Baptisms and carnal Ordinance imposed only till the time of Reformation Heb. 9 10 in weakè and beggerly rudiments or elements of the world unto which who having once begun in the Spirit are tuâ—ned aside to are foolish and bewitched and disobedient to the Truth and do but think in vain to be made perfect by the flesh and desire again to be in bondage and know not yet Christ formed in them but know him only outwardly and after the flesh Gal. 1.3.4.9 19. 2 Cor. 5.16 18. are Iews outwardly only not truly nor inwardly nor circumcised with the Circumcision made without hands which is that of the heart in the Spirit not of letter whose praise is not of men but of God but Concis'd and conformâ—d according to the outward bodily exercises found in the letter loving the praise of men more than the praise of God and according to the law of a carnal Commandement not the inward worship of God in Spirit nor after the power of that endless life the light leads to That the law of the Letter which had but the shadow of good things and not the very image of the things themselves could never make the corners thereunto perfâ—ct as pertaining to the conscience Heb 9.9.10.11 That the Old Testament was faulty and failing and defective whereupon Gâ—d made a new one that could bring to life as it could not for if there had been a Law which could have given life verily righteousness should have come by it Gal. 3.21 for if it had been faultless or perfect or could have made perfect or given life there had been no occasion for the second Heb. 8.7 8. That there is a disanulling of the Commandement going before which was attendance to an outward letter because of the weakness and unprofitablness thereof because it could make nothing perfect but only was the ushering in of a better Hope even of the Light and Spirit by which we may draw nigh to God who is Light Heb. 7.16 18 19. and with whom no Letter lauder that lives beside the light the mystery of the Letter also can have any fellowship at al. And lastly as to thy saying that every Testament if it be but mans is perfect so that when once confirmed none may disanul or addâ— to it I answer no perfect Testament is to be dianulled when confirmed and in full force as it is only by the death of the Testator but that shews thy assertion to be false who sayeâ— that every Testament is perfect inasmuch as the Old Testament or Letter was disanulled which secundum te could not have been if it had been perfect and so omnibus numeris absolute as thou sayest in regard of the weakness unprofitableness of it to bring to life and for the the faultiness and imperfection of the first God himself whose Testament it was dedicated with the blood of Bulls Goats Lambs and Calves for the time then being only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as intended for a while only 't was called a Ceremony takes it away that he might establish the second Heb. 7.18 19.8 7 8 9. that is perfect to the giving of the life which is ignorantly asserted by thee of the Letter for the Letter that was perfect to its own end as a shadow was altogether imperfect thereunto And that nothing is to be added to any Testament once come in full force and vertue by the death of the Testator as all Testaments do then and never till then for Heb. 9.16 17. where a Testament is there must of necessity also be the death of the Testator for a Testament is of force after men be dead otherwise it is of no strength at all whilst the Testator liveth This I freely grant as a truth but utterly overturns all thou contendest for which that is the Books of the Apostles and Evangelists which were all written after Christ the Testators death ' are the New Testament which how they can possibly be if thy own Position be true as it is that to a Testament if but mans when confirmed as it only and alwayes is by the Testators death much more God's New Testament after once confirmed by the Death of Christ the Testator as it was before one letter of that Scripture thou callest the New Testament as written nothing must be added thereto let all who are not void of judgement judge For if the writings of the Apostles and Evangelâ—sts which were all added and penned after Christs death the Testator of it by whose death it came into full force and strength be the New Testament an outward literal Declaration of which New Testament I know it is as the Writings of Moses and the Prophets also are both which are but the Letter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Old Testament that in an external way declares the New with this difference only that the writing before Christ declared
Letter as profitable in a way that will prove little to his purpose the rest will frustrate his expectation of assistance from them sail him fal in with us neither expressing nor implying any such matter as the Scripture as he supposes but intending all the very truth we contend for against him viz. The efficacy profitable and powerful operation of the inward light Word and Spirit of God which he Ironically glories over as inania inutilia incerta minime necessaria fictitia rejicienda detestanda and such like Those Texts are Ps. 19.8 119.105 Rom. 1.15 16. 2 King 3.15 Iam. 1.21 1 Tim. 4.16 Isa. 55.10 11. Iâ—r 23.29 Ioh. 8.31.5 1. Ioh. 17.20 Rom. 15. â— Heb. 4.12 Here 's a whole Jure impannelled again of which he imagines that they will all give their verdict his way for the Scripture that it doth efficere ea omnia praedicté yea alia omnia perficere c. effect the things aforesaid yea and perfect or accomplish all things necessary to Gods glory and our salvation alone so that inania sunt falsa c. All Revelation or means of Revelation by these things viz. The spirit or Light within the Qua. call to are vain and false c. But setting aside two of them viz. 2 Tim 3.15 Rom. 15.4 as I have shewed above which though they do speak of the outward Scriptures being useful profitable and comfortable to the Saints yet prove them not to be therefore the only perfect standing Rule of faith and life for the reason rendred by T.D. why all Scripture that is by inspiration is not so because besiâ—es inspiâ—ation to make a Rule is necessary Gods appointment of Writings to that end pag. 43. of his 2. Pamph. which said appointment to that end the Book called the Bible hath not saving only that appointment of man not so much as one of all the rest of his Trusty Texts do either mention or mean ought of the outward Scripture I.O. cites and summons them all together to pass their Vote for but do all unanimously give their Verdict on the behalf of that holy Spirit Word and Light within which the Qua. stand to vindicate as the antient most perfect useful certain stedfast standing Rule of faith and life and way of Gods revraling his will to us and of our saving knowledge of himself and it and our duty to him in particular against that venome I.O. and T.D. spit out against them with which they are big I.O. specially under the slanderous disgraceful and opdrobrious compellations of uncertain dangerous unuseful in no wise necessary counterfeit abject detestable So that I might let them all pass take no notice of them unless he had brought such Scriptures in proof the Scriptures power and efficacy as make some mention thereof either expresly or implicitly at least yet since they make not little to I.Os. as they make much for the Qua. cause against him who affirm the word in the heart and light within to be that which he falsely and ignorantly asserts the Letter to be viz. the only standing Rule and way of knowing God savingly and means of Revelation of himself and wâ—â— and our duty to us of our obtaining life and that very self-evidencing effectual light and power of God to salvation I am minded to insist here a little longer upon them and perhaps upon such other Texts as I.O. elsewhere wrests this way in proof of the self-evidencing efficacy light and power of the Scriptures in his English Treatises as well as in his Latine Theses The first of I.Os. Twelve Texts Ten whereof nor talk of nor intend nor mention nor mean the Sripture at all viz. Ps. 19. it hath been talkt with already above where I have shewed that the Law of God which is therefore said to be a restituens animam restoring and converting the soul is the Light the Letter speaks of and not the Letter it self which any but a blinde man may see for what Letter was written when David wrote this very little more then the Books of Moses which I.O. himself and all men conâ—ess to be but the Old Testament which is but the letter that killeth for is that outward Letter of the Apostles and Evangelists were the new Testament as they call it yet none of that was in being till above a thousand years after David and the Old Testament that was in his dayes is now abolished neither it nor the Letter nor outward Statutes and Judgements of it being given to any but Jacob or Israel after the flesh as a type of the New Testament or Covenant that is now made good to Israel after the Spirit but that Text I say hath been unfolded enough before so that though I meet with it again here as I have done twice before and whether I may again or no it matters not but sure I am that some Scriptures thou citest four and some five or six times over at least in thy Book how much more I know not in proof of the Scriptures being this and that which testifie no one Tittle of any thing concerning the Scriptures at all so dry are our Doctors and Divines drawn and nearly driven to finde out furniture in the Scripture in defence of their false faith and meer figments about the Scripture I shall meddle no mo more with it here nor with the second that are sufficiently forespoken to though they both speak something as good as nothing to thy cause concerning the outward Scriptures viz Rom. 15. 2 Tim. 3. As for the other nine they all with one consent and more that elsewhere thou cotest do declare the Authority efficacy self-evidencing light and power of the word of God within which both the Qua. and the Scriptures bear one and the self-same testimony to but predicate nothing at all of the Scriptures which nine together with the rest that are coincident therewith and truly cogent to all mens consciences as concerning the witness they give to the inward word the outward Letter relates of I shall here take under consideration in what order is not very much material As to that Ioh. 8 31.5 1. in which two verses Christ to the Jews speaks of one and the same thing which run thus If ye continue in my words ye are my Disciples indeed and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free If a mâ—n keep my saying he shall never see death I reply Reply Christs Word and his saying is efficacious and powerful to tree them that continue beleeving in it and deliver from death and give life yea that the Words he speaks are spirit and life according as he sayes of them Ioh. 6.63 and vers 68. the Words of eternal life which Text pag. 68. thou I.O. very falsely expoundest of Moses the Prophets and Apostles Writings this who â—â—â—â—ies Which word of his as it s heeded in the heart where it is spoken and laid up there till it dwell richly within sits men to teach
the perfection of which say they stands in no other thing than in sufficiency to effect its proper end which is with them the most perfect instruction of men in the knowledg and worâ—hip of God so that they may obtain eternal salvation witness I.O. whose Kâ—unds and Contradictions to himself in that point I shal here see down in his own words Englished which were written by him in Latine J.O. God the Author of the Scripture being the most perfect Agent must necessarily act for some end therefore in the Declaratiâ—n of his wiâ—l in the Scripture 't is sure he had some propounded end but â—herâ—as the end is tâ—ofâ—ld â— Vâ—timaâ—e and â—emoâ—e 2. Next and immediate we state the ultimate supream and general end to be his own glory The immediate or next end of his giving the Scriptureâ— and so of the Scriptures themselves we conâ—end to be our direction in the knowledge of God and obedience to be yeelded to him that at length we doing his will may obtain eternal salvation and the enjoyment of himself for this is the end of the worker and of the work What God intends by the Scriptures that they to wiâ— morally and in the way of operation proper to them dâ— effect But when aâ— the perfection of every Discipline consists in relation to its end and that is to be held perfect wâ—ich is sufficent to its next end but that imperfect which cannot obtain it propâ—sed end the perfection of the Scriptures can consist in no other thing then in its sufficiency in respect to its proper end which is the instruction of men in the knowledge and worship of God that they may attain eternal salvation In this sense therefore we assert the Scripture to be the most perfect Rule of the whole worship of God and oâ—r obedience Reply Whether â—â—ere be not a more perfect way of our instructâ—on in the saving knowledge of God then the Scripture appears elsewhere where I shew no saving knowledge of God comes any way but the inward Revelation of himself in us by his Light and Spirit Here only obseâ—ve I O. confusiâ—ns and confutation of himself in this above by that which follows when the Quae. say the Scripture is perfect to its own proper end and its end being obtained it ceases Then quoth he It s most false that the Scripture obtains it whole end in respect of us while we are in the world therefore till heaven and earth pass away not one jâ—t or tittle of the Law i.e. Letter with him shall fail for not only the begetting of faith but also the building up in it while we live here is the end of the Scripture So then its end which is begetting to and building up in the faith is not effected by it here is it then in the world to comes 〈◊〉 no neither quoth he in the self-same Section the use of the Scripture shâ—â—â— cease then being accomodated only to our present state and faith also as founded on it â—â—â—ll be done aâ—ay Ex 3. s. 39. Here then is the round I.O. makes with a Cris-cross in the middle of it viz. The perfection of the Scripture which we plead and affirm and of every thing else is its sufficiency and efficacy to accomplish its own proper immediate end and what ever doth not so is imperfect The immediate end of the Scripture is its direction instruction of men in the saving knowledge of God his will worship their obedience and duty to him the ingeneration of faith and edification up in it to salvation This whole end of the Scripture its most false to affirm that it accomplishes till the world to come it must do it in this world or in the world to come in this world it cannot possibly do it for perfection in the faith in holiness freedom from sin here is not attainable in the world to come it cannot possibly for there both the Scripture it self and also the faith it seâ—f that is founded on it will cease to be of any use at all being of use only here â—nd shall be both done away Verbum sat sapients insipienti plura plus satis Never did I see such Rounds and crosses and confusions and contradictions such self-confutations and Net-works and Checker-work and Webs and Snares as I.O. makes and hangs hampered in himself when he hath done made and woven among any but our wofully benighted Divines all whose works are done in the darke Isa. 29.15 in all my dayes before Is the Scripture then the Power of God to salvation able mighty effectual available to its end that is to save the soul as I.O. sayes it is no quoth I.O. it is not it s most false to say it doth or can avail to its end in this world in the world to come its of no force so if it be the power of God as I.O. affirms it over and over again it is it must be in some world that is past away or some new found world or other for he himself sayes its neither in this present world nor that to come neither now nor hereafter neither here nor there But alas as the world it self wherein he fancies such a thing to be is none knows where but a meer Chimaera of his own coining hatcht no where but in his own head the Shop where and whence many more such like toyes are shapen sold and uttered among such as having sold the truth are willing rather to trade in utter untruths then in nothing at all and not receiving the love of the truth that they might be saved but taking pleasure in unrighteousness more then it are given over to strong delusion to beleeve lyes that they may be damned For seriously that the Letter or Scripture is the power of God to salvation or that Word of God which brings forth any good fruit to perfection among either the Seedsmen the Ministers of the Letter that sow nothing but their own senses and thoughts upon it or in the stony thorny common high-way ground of Parish peoples hearts in which they sow the Letter mingled with their own chaffy cogitations saying Hear the word of the Lord when yet they confess themselves neve heard his voice This however ye imagine Oh ye power less profitless Prophets is a meer no such matter for that is the Word or Seed that is sown by the Supreme Sowes the Son of Man himself in the same Field or World of mens hearts in which the World is where the Devil in the dark night while men sleep and watch not to the light sows Tares among the good Seed which where it lights on honest hearts that hear and heed the Word patiently continuing in the keeping of it brings forth abundantly in some Thirty some Sixty some â—n Hundred fold Indeed the Letter the Text or Scripture declares and bears witness to the Word which is absolutely necessary effectual perfect to the ends aforesaid which is the power of God
that if he were set to extoll and set forth Christ Jesus himself in all his Dignity Authority Dominion Might Majesty and Glory unless it be the express names of the only beloved and begotten Son of God King of Kings Lord of Lords Mighty God the Ever-Father the Prince of Peace and perhaps some few more I can scarcely suppose on a sudden that he could finde any other or at least any more eminent Titles to dignifie him by then those by which hee dignifies not to say Deifies his adored dead Transcript Text and Corps of the Greek and Hebrew Copies of the Scriptures which hee vermilions over with the honour and veneration as to sundry of the most excellent glorious Titles and properties hee attributes to it that is due either to God or Christ or his living VVord Light and Spirit alone For howbeit every such particular expression of VVonderful Councellor Leader and Commander to the people Redeemer Saviour Salvation c. that Christ is stiled by may possibly not bee used in I.Os. book to express the outer Scriptures by yet I beleeve there is but little asserted in honour of Christ the Spirit the living Light and VVord througout the Scripture which is not asserted if not in the same yet in Termes equivalent in honour of the Scripture it self Witness all those most high flown phrases and eminent strains he flyes out and strikes up in in way of ascribing little less then all Authority Dominion Exaltation Transaction self-evidencing efficacy Light Power Dignity and Glory here on earth at least unto the Scriptures as if the Father had sealed it and not his Son and Spirit to be the disposer and orderer of all things next and immediately under himself as supream Iudge Rule Ruler Head and Governour over the sons of men and the giver and dispenser of the meat that endureth to eternal life CHAP. IV. ANd now I return to take more notice of what more is urged in his Latine Theses as concerning the Scriptures being the only most perfect rule of faith life worship and knowledge of God as to salvation The second Argument in proof whereof is its perfect operation and efficacy Ex. 3. s. 29. omnia perficit necessaria c. it accomplishes all that is necessary to Gods glory and our salvation in vindication of which a whole Dozen of Scriptures are urged eleven of which are above answered and one onely remains to be a little spoken to viz. Isa. 55.10 11. And as to that of Isa. 55 10 11. I grant That the Word of God as the Rain and Snow comes down and returns not without watering the earth and causing it to bring forth and bud and give seed and food so it returns not void at any time without working that for which he sends it to any person or people and prospering to the accompliâ—â—ment of what he pleases but I am half amazed to see that thou I.O. shouldest bee so silly as to interpret that of the Scripture since it so expresly speaks de verbo oris sui of the Word of his mouth which is asserted immediately from himself with his own voice so shall my Word be that goeth out of my mouth which Word expressed by his own voice speaking who so upon second thoughts and serious consideration shall say the Scriptures are properly too as I.O. excusing his ignorance for as much as not for want of incogitancy I my self sometimes so thought while I ran as our National Ministry now doth making haste and saying he saith before himself had sent mee howbeit I wanted no sending of man or had spoke to me or I heard his voice I shall make bold to accuse him of arrant Absurdity miserable mistake wretched blindness and utter unâ—â—rthiness to bee denominated a Doctor in that thing which our Divines call Divinity Nevertheless not having so well minded the matter as upon occasion they may do in time to come being carried in times past by custome to take things and term and talk of them according to tradition more then true discerning of them in their proper natures the very preachers of this Nation as well as the poor people that have lived on their lips have been so habituated by common Metonymies to miscall the Scriptures by names not proper to their natures that they now stand up to depend them to be most properly denominated by those Metonymical and improper names so that howbeit we are never so willing to allow them to express themselves by such figurative phrases as are frequently found in the Scripture it self as Act. 13.27 the voices i.e. Scriptures of the Prophets are said to be read in the Iews Synagogues every Sabbath and that satisfies them not but the Qua. are deniers both of the Scriptures and of the Word of God and spoylers of them of their proper names if they yeeld not to their as absurd as arbitrary Appellations of them by those glorious Titles of Gods Words Gods Voice as their proper names yea in this dotish disquierness and peevish perversnes of his prejudiced spirit doth I O. quarrel with the Quakers as bereavers of the Scripture of its proper name because they own not his improperties in ignorantly and impudently imposing the names of the Word of God and the spiritual Light on the Letter as its Proper names which it chalâ—engeth to it self from its preheminent participation of the nature and properties of the Word of God and of Light viz. Life power to quicken and save and to shine to the evidencing of it self J.O. I am now to deal against the Qua. about the proper name of the Scripture for this sort of men are glad that the care of this business is committed to them by Satan that they may spoil the Scriptures of that glorious Title the Word of God This name doth the Scripture challenge to it self So p. 49.73 74 77. That the Scripture is light we shall see that is so or can be called so unless it hath this nature and properly to evidence it self as well as to give light to others cannot in any tolerable corespondency of speech be allowed Whether spiritual intellectual light regarding the minde or natural with respect to bodily sight be firstly or properly light I need not inquire both have the same properties it is spiritual moral intellectual light with all its mediums that hath the preheminence as to a participation of the nature and properties of light Now the Scripture the Word of God is Light a Light â—hining in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.19 with an eminent advantage for its own discovery c. a glorious shining Light an illuminating Light compared and preferred abâ—ve the light of the Sun Psal. 19.5 6 7. Rom. 10 18. The most glorious light in the world the most eminent reflexion of increased Light and Excellencies the Psalmist ascribeth light power stability and permanency like that of the Heavens and Sun in commutation of properties to the word i.e. Scripture with I.O.
an Anchor to the soul sâ—re and stedfast entring into that within the vail Heb 6.18 19 20. which is Christ himself in us the hope of glory Col 1.27 known by them to be in all them who are not Reprobates 2 Cor. 13 〈◊〉 and still in that transgression and in that condemnation which hath past already upon them and is not now to them that are in Christ walking no more after the flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.1 I say if I.O. judge with T.D. and others that that faith and confession ad extra only is the faith and confession of Christs Incarnation Resurrection c. which proves them to be of God who have it and them to be Antichristian spirits who have it not Let him tell me whether there be any Antichrists in Christendome yea or nay I have hitherto taken it that our Divines say the Antichrists properly are no where else and that there are many more Antichrists then true Christians naturâ non nomine in the world called Christian but seriously I know not where to finde them if I.Os. trial judgement and discerning of Spirits by the very Scriptures themselves bee not very dark and undiscerning and confused nor what Spirits or Prophets throughout all Christendome are not of God since Papists and Protestants of all sorts Prelatical Presbyterian Independent Baptists Seekers Kanters and all other that I know of as well as Qua. who only of all the rest witness that true inward saving good confession of the Lord Iesus with the mouth and beleeving in the heart that God raised him from the dead as feeling him living there within themseâ—ves to which the promise of salvation is made Rom. 10.9 and which every Spirit that witnessesh is of God 1 Joh. 4.2 do together with the Qua. who own and deny not that as there bee some that falsely lay of them all confess and really beleeve the truth of the outward History of Christs coming in the flesh of that person that was born at Bethlem that lived and dyed and rose again at Jerusalem according to the true Relation of the outward Scriptures and do also apply him and all his by that faith they have in the story of that person and in the person at a distance from them though never feeling the power of his Light Righteousness and holy life within themselves but I wot whether I.O. will own all these Spirits Prophets and Professors to be cordial beleevers or all such confessors of that outward Incarnation and Resurrection of Christ from the dead to be all of God or not and in a present state of salvation thereupon and not one of the outwardly beleeving Christ-confessing Spirits Prophets Priests and Professors abovesaid whereof the most are very prophane false deceitful Liars Swearers Couzeners Cheaters Drunkards Riotous Gluttâ—ns Belly-gods Wantâ—ns Whoremongers Idolaters Covetous Proud persecutors of Christ every way abominable and unchristian in their lives few or none of which beleeve so much as that they must necessarily or can possibly be purged perfectly from their sins till they dyâ— to be at all Antichristian If he say nay these all shall not be saved then the said outward faith in and confession of Christ as without them is not saving If hee say yea then first where is his personal election 2 What need any personal sanctification of us as to our salvation what was personally in that man only that dyed and rose at Ierusalem is enough for us so that none needs reside in us let us eat and drink when we dye we shal be saved and live for ever Moreover what hath been said above may stand as a sufficient answer over the head of I Os. fourth Agument which as most of them are one with another in many matters in proof of which he cites over and over again the same Texts so that one cannot well make a full end with one Argument without some transition into another is very much coincident with this The summe of which fourth is this viz. If it be often commanded by God that we attend diligently to the Scriptures left we be turned aside from the truth and right knowledge of himself by seducing spirits vain Revelations false teachers c. then the Scripture is the most perfect Rule c. but the first true therefore the other Ex. 3 f.31 The Texts that prove the minor of this Argument quoth he are so clear and plain that ad solem caecutiat necesse est c. he must needs be blinde toward the Sun it self who Assents not to them in some of which also quoth he the certitude of the sacred Word that is the Scripture still with I.O. is preferred before the certitude as to the Churches use even of true Revelations and miraculous Rep Yet two of them viz 2 Tim. 3.13 14 15 16. 2 Pet. 1.19 many times a peece over repeated and supposed to supply almost every turn of I.O. how they serve not his turn at all is abundantly above discovered whereupon I here quit them Another is so much misquoted viz. 2 Ioh. 11.5 6 10. that as plain and clear as the Sun as it is he must be better skill'd then I that knows where to finde it at all Two more there are that make as much to I.Os. purpose as any two well-nigh can do that speak contrary to it and those are Ioh. 5.47 2 Thess. 2.2 The words of the first which with those of 46. vers are Christs to the Scribes are these Had ye beleeved Moses yee would have beleeved me for he wrote of me but if ye beleeve not his writings how shall ye beleeve my words Christ by true Revelations of it from the Father to him truly revealed the Fathers will to the Scribes which they received not from him but hated him for Ioh. 8.40 12.49 50.14.31 saying of Christ Wee are none of his we are Moses Disciples we know God spake to Moses as for this fellow we know not whence he is Joh. 5 45 46 47. Christ tells them in effect that for all their prate and pretence to Moses as their Tutor he rather was their Accuser in whom they trusted sith they in truth beleeved not Moses for a minori ad majus did you indeed beleeve Moses ye would much more beleeve me quoth he for he wrote of me he sent directed and pointed you to me for so he did Deut. 18.15 saying of Christ A Prophet will God raise to you c. him shall ye hear in all he sayes who hears him not shall be cut off from his people Act. 3.22 23.7.47 But if you beleeve not his writings wherein ye are bid to hear me as the greater of the two as the Son in the house where he was but the servant then ye cannot beleeve my words The summe in short is this hee that heeds Moses writings must hear me for Moses bids them do so he that beleeves what I say doth what Moses sayes he that beleeves either beleeves both he
that beleeves not both beleeves neither But what of that what follows hence this quoth I O. for that is the very end hee infers this Text for and the very conclusion he infers from it viz. that Moses writings of Christ are more sure and of greater certainty as to the Churches use then Christs own words from his own mouth or then Christs Revelations of Gods minds to men as revealed to him from the mouth of God from the very bosome of the Father Siccine Itane is it so I O. indeed what the ouâ—â—ard remotely transcribed Copies of the writings of the Old servant that put a vail over his face too and spake so darkly in types and figures and shews and shadows that 't was hard to behold stedfastly to what end he spake more plain and stedfast and sure and certain then the immediate Voice Words Revelations of the Son himself whom Moses called to hear as coming and speaking more distinctly out of the very bosome of the Father O the dotage of our Vniversity Doctors the dimness of our Divines who profess to dive daily and deeply into the Scriptures that make the dark Writings and dead Letter and servant more clear and worthy and useful to the Church then the express Voice and Words of the Son which are Spirit and life it self I shall set but one Scripture to face this fancy of I.O. and so leave and let it stand to the shame of it self and its Father Heb. 3. vers 1. to the 8. See and read it Thus of the first The words of the second are these Be not soon shaken in minde nor troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us as that the day of the Lord is at hand Rep. The business I.O. cites this in proof of is for this and that next before are of those that are subscribed to that purpose that the certainty of the Scripture is preferred before the certainty of true Revelations and Miracles but which way so much can be drawn unless it be as I.O. draws iniquity with cords of vanity and sin as it were with Cart Ropes from that Text is more then I can tell Paul Silas and Timothy had told them it seems of the coming of the day of God both by Spirit Word and Letter they whose great hope lay in the comming of that day like such as look and long for what they love and are apt to thinke and hope it to be as they would have it did hope it to be nearer hand then it was and fearing left finding it further off then they thought they might bee troubled and shaken in minde and failing in their faith of it he gives them to understand the worst of it that the best might the better help it self that they should not mistake them in their Doctrine about that day as if they had said it was immediately to shine out upon them and so waver in their mindes flag in their faith and be troubled with doubts as if it would never come to them because not so soon as they wisht it might for there was a long night to interpose it self first he wills them withall to remember v. 5. that he told them no less in the Spirit by Word of his mouth as now he doth over again by Letter or Writing when was present with them howbeit as that 's never long that comes at last so that day would come at last to their salvation and destruction of the man of sin who caused the night with the brightness of it Here 's the short and the long of the business of that verse and those about it from which I who can see the Sun can see no such Doctrine follow as I.O. dreamingly draws from it nor one dram of Reason nor the least grain of Assent to his Asasâ—inated Assertion that the Scripture is of more certitude as to the Churches use then any true Revelations Other Arguments I.O. urges why the Light and Spirit cannot bee the Rule c. Therefore the Scripture must be it J.O. That to which we are never no where sent of God that we might learn the knowledge of himself and his will and take direction in our duty that cannot be the Rule Canon Principle or directory of our Faith Learning Knowledge and obedience But we are never no wheresent of God to any inward Light or internal Private spirit c. Therefore c. Les the Fanaticks produce but one place of Scripture wherein we or any are sent to their Rules or directions of faith and obedience and we will not say but they have cause to triumph in earnest but if they speak of their own they are Lyars they bear witness to themselves and their witness is not true Reply As for thy word Private Spirit we deny all leading by any Private Light and Spirit It is the Common Light and Publick Spirit of God which is one and the same in all though not in the same measure and not any thing of our own that we testifie to and profess to follow as our guide It is the gift of Gods grace in us that appears to all bringing salvation which teaches all that are led by it and learn at it to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and live godly righteously and soberly here that we intend nor do we so much as pretend to any other inwardlight but that of God in the conscience which though thou foolishly stile it Natural yet thy self be â—rest such an ample testimony to sometimes that we need use no other then thy own words to prove it to be infallibly of God and from him an infallible guide and that we are sent of God to this inward Light Word or Spirit in answer to thy challenge to produce one Scripture I say what need wee produce one Thy own pen if thou l't beleeve it points out almost iâ—numerable places yea all in which the Word of God is said to be preacht publisht multiplied received where the Word nigh in the heart is meant and the outward Scripture that is the declaration of it considered formaliter or as written not at all intended yet for fear thou shouldest not beleeve thy own pen when such Truths drop from it as make against thee and indeed it hath let fall so many untruths pro and cons and fellaries from it that it little deserves to be beleeved by thy self but rather suspected when it writes the truth I am free here to produce some out of many more that might bee produced wherein men are sent in the Scripture if that be of God by whom thou sâ—yest they nunquam nusquam never no where are so sent to the rules and directions we call to which are not any mans own private spirit or fained light or Enthusiasms or dreams as thou dreamest and to the abusing of us to the world out of thy own narrow private light-loathing spirit divinest they are but the Word Light and Spirit of God which is
there are some spiritual in these dayes Are not all that are filled with the Spirit Prophets and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inspired by the Spirit Mic. 2.8 Acts 6. Acts 7. as Micah Stephen and the seven were And are not all Christians bidden to be filled with the Spirit and to let the word of Christ dwell richly in them teaching c. Ephesians 5. Colossians 3.16 And what such difference is there between being led by the Spirit and guided by the Spirit And is not he that is guided by it guided infallibly and every one that is led by it led infallibly And doth not every one that walks after it walk surely and infallibly and he that is enlightned by it enlightned infallibly And he that speaks sees writes acts by it as all Saints should do though fallible in themselves do all this infallibly And is not he that is moved by it whether he obey its motions yea or no moved infallibly into that which is assuredly the Truth and no Lie yet I.O. jeers at all pretence to any infallible guidance by the Spirit of God in these dayes as fancy delusion far aricisme c and at the Spirit of God it self which the Qua own as their truest teacher Ironically under that term of the infallible Doctor and T.D. makes it matter of hainous crime in the Qua to talk of Infallibility in Christs Ministry now saying p. 58. Pamp. thus And as to the Question of the Infallibility of their Ministry Three Iurates of Sandwich will testifie that they did affirme their Ministry to be infallible as if it were matter of amazement to him that men should mention such a matter as infallible guidance of Christs Ministry by his own infallible Spirit in these dayes As if he gave it for granted to us who take him at his word for it is a truth that their own Ministry is but fallible their guidance therein by no more then their own fallible Spirits and may be utterly destitute of the Spirit of God which is infallible for no fallible Spirit hath God that I know of No marvell therefore to me that T.D. so readily grants as himself sayes he does p. 35. of his 1. Pamph. That none of his people can set to their seal that his Ministry hath brought them to a perfect man c. For I know not how it should if it be a fallible one as he confesses 't is while he denies any Ministry now to be infallible and affirmes perfection itself too but so far as to be made free from sin to be not onely unattainable in this life but also to be no lesse then a doctrine of Devils for any to preach it See p. 47.1 Pamph. But whereas he sayes p. 35. The Ministry was not intended for that end i.e. to bring to a perfect man or to perfect men in this life where they deny perfection attainable Rep. I reply that 's false and expresly contradictory to Eph. 4.11 12 13. where its said the Gospel Ministry which obtains its end in this life or else is not perfect according to I.O. and ceases in that to come is given for that end viz. for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ How long till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. And as for T.Ds. asserting the infallibility of the Spirit to be an Idiom a property of the Spirit as incommunicable to the Saints that partake of the spirit as Omnisciency which agreed not to Christ as man or Omnipotency is p. 32.33 1 Pamph. Rep. I say that 's meer flim-flam as to the point in hand for we assert the Saints and Ministers of Christ no farther infallible then they follow the leading of the spirit which is infallible out of which they are not in their Ministry and so far as following that which is given to be all mens guide men and Ministers whom we confess to be all fallible in themselves as abstract from that and not only liable to erre but erring actually as they leave off to be led by that and lean to their own understandings are all so far I say infallible and infallibly guided for as God hath no fallible spirit so his infallible spirit hath no fallible guidance nor leads any fallibly at all but all infallibly who are led by it into all truth so as in all those things it teaches and are needful for them to know to make them otherwise fallible and ignorant thereof in themselves not only infallible but as to all thoe things I say Omniscient as himself is Omniscient in all things absolutely without exception Neither are Omnisciency and Omnipotency themselves as to all those things that are to be known and done by such so altogether incommunicable to spiritual men as our Academical Animals imagine they are for though God Christ and the Spirit only know and can do all things absolutely yet through God Christ and the Spirit teaching leading guiding revealing enabling all things i.e. all things that are truly good fit suitable comfortable profitable for such are both infallibly to be known and possible to be done by the Ministers of God in their respective services and seasons whereupon the Wisdome of God hath spoken thus of the Spirit as in reference to the Saints that learn of him receive and are led by him he shall lead you into all truth bring all things to your remembrance whatever I have said ye have an Unction little children and ye know all things and not only of the Spirit it self that it searcheth all things even the deep things of God but of the spiritual man also to whom the Spirit reveals them that he discerneth all things when the animal man nor doth nor can perceive the things of the Spirit and that the spiritual men had the mind of Christ Ioh. 14.26 Ioh. 16.13 1 Ioh. 2.20.27 1 Cor. 2.9.15.16 and not only so but saith Paul who had no sufficiency of himself to any thing I can do all things thorough Christ that strengtheneth me Phil. 3.13 â—anta ischus and Col. 1.11 of the Saints enpase dunamei dunamumensi strengthened with all might i.e. Omnipotency Whereas therefore T.D. prates as his fellow preachers do of the other incommunicables of these things I say 't is Parret-like of he knows not what himself for as in such wise and measure as Saints are partakers of his holiness purity perfection mercy c. they are holy as he is holy pure as he is pure merciful as he is merciful perfect as he is perfect though not so absolutely and infinitely pure holy meriful and perfect as he is so so far and in such a measure as they are led by his spirit and indued with his power from on high they are and in the Scripture are said to be not only infallibly assured
of things which is Tantamount to infallible Luke 1.1 2 3 4. Act. 1.3 and to have plerophorian full assurance but also Omniscient Omnipotent panta anakcinontes eidontes iscuontes c. And whereas T. D. sayes p. 33. the Apostles themselves did not partake of that Divine property of infallibility giving also this reasonless reason for it viz. for then they would have been infallible at all times and in all things which they were not as appears by the instance of Peter Gal. 2.11 Rep. In this as he contradicts the Scripture so I. O. himself serves us so far as to contradict him to our hands for howbeit he denies any participation of infallibility to us or any Ministers in these dayes and also to the very immediate Transcribers of the Scriptures saying p. 167. we say not they were all or any of them Anamartetoi infallible yet he denies it not to the first Writers p. 60. And as for his proof that if they were infallible at all then they would have been so at all times and in all things That is as pedling a proof as he would count it if I should go to prove that David was not at al partaker of the property of holiness because he was not holy but wicked at that time and in that thing wherein he was desil'd in the matter of Vriah which T. D. would judge as silly an argument as I judge T. Ds. assertion silly who sayes that David was not i â— a condemned but in a justified estate alias accounted just in the sight of God at that time when he was under the guilt of adultery and murder which a wise man need not be taught to see the folly and fowlness of Thus then I. O. and T. D. do unminister themselves at least by denying any to be Theopneustoi infallibly guided by the infallible spirit in these dayes both of whom I may truly bespeak thus Say ye that Gods inspir'd ones are all gone Then ye of Gods inspired ones are none And who that 's wise will mind I. O. much in what he saith about things of God who cannot pretend so far as to say he is but rather yeilds to the contrary viz. that he is not mov'd acted carried forth nor guided in what he does speak write minister by the infallible direction of the infallible Spirit of God but by the fallible guidance of his own and other mens fallible spirits opinions conjectures thoughts c Who but fâ—ols will take such a fallible guide as I. O. is fain to confess he is while he denies any guided by the infallible guidance of Gods Spirit in this age Yea doth he not utterly unminister himself and all his fellows while he supposes none now to be Theopneustoi moved and inspired by the spirit in their ministerial functions nor to speak as the Spirit only gives utterance and as they receive the word immediately out of the mouth of God and while he can say no farther of himself and them but only that they minister out of that furtive furniture which in their fleshly minds they filch from the Letter which out of which and from their fallible expositions of which they minister and of which they are Ministers and not of the Spirit as the Apostles and Prophets were which gives the life And is not he an ill bird that bewrayes his own nest an ill son that discovers his own and his fellows and his fore-fathers nakednesses so far as to print it out as obvious to all that the infallible guidance of the infallible Spirit is not continued with them nor to be found in these dayes directing any otherwise then without by an outward letter which is fallible and lyable to be falsified at fallible mens pleasure and fancy and to deny all inward pure Revelation and immediate inspiration as Enthusiasm and to say that there 's no means of doing and determining any thing about the matters of God or Doctrine of Christ now but the letter or writing T. 1. C. 1. S. 16. and yet in the self-same Section to the contradicting of himself to say that that Doctrine and these things of God and Christ are things of pure divine revelation the knowledge whereof depends upon no such fallible thing as all outward writing is now by his own confession but wholly solely on their Revelation from God And what difference is there I.O. between such a one as is pheromenos upo tou pneumatos and one agâ—menos or to whom the Spirit of the Lord is odegos or egoumenos are not all these so neer kin that he who is agomenos is pheromenos Is not he who is led guided acted by the Spirit moved and carried forth by the Spirit And are not all Saints led by it And what difference between one that speaks as moved by the Spirit or as the Spirit gives utterance and one that hath it given him by the Spirit what to speak so that he need not premeditate what to say And have not all the Saints and Disciples of Christ a share and part in that promise of having it given them what to speak at the same houre when they are call'd before Rulers and Governours for Christs sake Mat. 10.18 19 20. and what between one that is divinely inspired to speak and one in whom the Spirit of the Father speaketh Is it not intended of all Gods children and Christs Disciples in the case aforesaid as well as of some when it s said It is not you that speak but the Spirit of the Father which speaketh in you And is it not said of all that Prophesie in the Church of God as all are to covet to do and are in capability to come to do and may do one by one as they grow in the Spirit and have any thing revealed to them as they sit before the Lord in which caâ—e they are to give way to each other that the unbelievers and unlearn'd ones in the mysteries and language of the Spirit and such are ye that surseiting with your inferiour literature out of the Light and Spirit in which holy men wrote it ly looking in the letter of the Scriptures which ye know not as the old Scribes did not Mat. 22.29 but wrest to your own ruine O insipidi sapientes obtus Acuti Academici quae supra vos nihit ad vos in the account of Christ Paul and Peter as unlearned as Christ himself was with some and as very Babler as Paul was at Athens as unlearned as Peter was counted by the chief Priests Scribes when he and Iohn stood before them Acts 4.13 2 Pet. 3.16 being convinced and judged of them all and having the secrets of their hearts manifested shall be forced to their own shame to fall down and report at last that God is in them of a truth 1 Cor. 14.23 24 25. And what difference is there that can help thy cause between pneumaticos and Theopneustos a spiritual man and one by the Spirit inspired or a
if they leave the plain paths of uprightness to walk in the wayes of darkness and come not to the light that shines in their consciences sciences and the Law of God which is not far off but nigh in their hearts that they may know and do it but hate and abhor it and persecute the Ministers and children of it and make to themselves crooked paths whatsoever walketh therein shall not know peace yea Iudgement shall be far from them and Iustice never overtake them and they shall wait for light but behold obscurity and for brightness but shall walk in darkness and groap for the wall like the blind as if they had no eyes and stumble at noon-day as in the night aâ—d be in desolate places as dead men and roar like Bears and mourn sore like Drues and look for Salvation but none shal come because their transgressions are multiplied before the Lord and their own sins testifie against them and their transgressions are still with them and as for their iniquities by the light within they know them transgressing and lying against the Lord and departing away from God while they pretend to draw nigh unto him speaking still oppression and revolt conceiving and uttering from their heart words of falshood turning Iudgement away backward and causing Iustice to stand afar off causing truth to fail in their streets and shutting out of Equity that it cannot enter making a prey of him that departeth from iniquity and mocking the Lord and making him believe as far as they can with their flattering words and sained turnings unto him that they love his truth his light and his life yet in truth saying in their hearts to God depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes There are such who blow the Trumpet as of old the Prophets did to the same tune and the like to this that is above whose Trumpet gives as certain a sound as theirs did also and not such an uncertain fallible one as that of the Priests And these Theopneustoi or divinely inspired persons in their writings speakings call for attendance reception and submission not with that Supreme Authority I confess which I. O. as falsly as foolishly both supposes and saves T. 1. C 3. S. 8. Antient divinely inspired Scripture calls for which is quoth he not only in comparison with but also in opposition unto all other wayes of coming to the knowledge of God his Mind and Wâ—ll c. For by his leave or besides it either the Light and infallible Spirit it came forth from may not only well compare with its fallible and falsified self as people now have it transcribed translated twisted and twined which way any unrighteous writers either of it or on it any men-pleasing Praters Tythe-taking Talkers or time-serving Turn-coats are pleas'd to take it and turn it and wrest it to their own present ends and future ruine but alâ—o may well and doe challenge attendance to themselves with far more supream and uncontroulable authority then it can yea as the sâ—â—e and only meanes of coming to the knowledge of God his Mind and Will whom and which all the Scribes and Scripture-searchers in the world nor have nor can know without the light and Spirit any more then the old ones did Ioh. 5. Matth. 22. Or then anyone can see the outward Sun by any light but that which shines from itself Matth. 11.27 1 Cor. 2.10 11 16. And so in opposition to all outward Scripture it self as that which may define God and declare of him and of his mind and will and yet gives not the knowledge of either the knowledge of whose things if we believe I. O. T. 1. c. 1. s. 16 depends wholly and solely on his own pure divine revelation thereof by himself which revelation is so far exprest indeed in the Scripture as that there it is written of but is expresly made onely in the heart where it pleases the Son to reveal the Father and the Father to reveal the Son in men Gal. 1.15 16. Eph. 1. Col. 1.23 I say then not with that Supream Authority which is peculiar onely to the Light Spirit and Word within though ignorantly attributed yea and appropriated too by I O. to the outward writing yet with the same uncontroulable Authority as the letter doth they call for attendance even from their Theopneustia or divine inspiration which To Theion or Power of God that accompanieth them in their ministration is enough to convict I. O. and all the Wolves of these times that bark and howl against the Light and mis-judgâ— the many messages that come to them from the Lord as rejecters of such as God sends and justifiers of them who flew such of old as spake to them in the name of the Lord. Nevertheless as I. O. saith too truly T. 1. c. 3. s. 9. It alwayes so fell out that scarce any Prophet that spake in the name of God had any approbation from the Church in whose dayes be spake so it falls out now to the true Prophets among all the false Churches of these latter dayes from whom they find lesse Approbation and the same Reprobation as the former did from those evill Generations wherein they spake Ier. 47.3 Matth. 5.12 21.33 to 38. 23.29 Luke 17.25 26 27 28. Iohn 9.29 Acts 7.52 24.5 And this comes to passe by reason of the same innumerable prejudices that attend these their givings out of truth either in speech or writing as did the other whose writings are not freed as I. O. fancies from the prejudices that at first attended them but attended with more then at the first writing thereof thorough the infinite alterations mis-transcriptions mis-translations mis-constructions and mistakes of all sorts they have since been liable to by the fallibility and infinite variety of Scribes thorough whose hands they have passed Which said innumerable prejudices that now attend the modern Prophets as did the first arise from the same Root with those that attended them in their respective Ages viz. 1. Partly the supposed interests of them that write and speak by way of Prophecy or immediate motion 2. Partly the personall infâ—â—mities homely appearances stemmering lips uneloquent rude crude indigested unsound non-sensicall sound of words as they seem to unintelligently understanding I. O. Ep. ad lectorem Ex. 3. s. 17. and formes of speech which the Babes vf Christ seem to him to babble in when they drop their doctrine as the dew at the Command of God to the Drunkards of Ephraim not all as once but as it were guttaâ—im Precept upon precept line upon line here a little and there a little Ezek. 21.2 Amos 7.16 Isai. 28.9 10 11 13.2 Partly the mean out-side of most of these inwardly glorious sons and daughters of the King Psal. 45.13 whose cloathing ad extra is not as their own within and the worlds without and its Ministers often is of wrought gold nor yet is it so much of Plush Jippoes Hose behang'd before
and cause the Sun to be covered with a cloud and the bright lights of heaven to be dark over Aegypt at the putting of it out and at the breaking of its yoke and set darkness upon her Land and search out the hidden things of Esau and take away understanding from his Mount and discover deep things of darkness and bring out to light the shadow of death Job 12. Isa. 19. Isa. 29. Isa. 44. Ezek. 30.18 22.7 8. Obad. 6. c. And that he will do all this to a people that have provoked him to anger with their vanities by a foolish Nation and weary them out by such as are no people in their eyes Deut. 32.21 And choose the foolish and bâ—se and weak things that Are noâ— â—o confound and bring to nothing the things that Are 1 Cor. 1.20 27.28 That the great Mountain of Babel shall become a Plain before Zerubbabel i e. Such as are from Babel as the Word is and this not by might nor power of man but by my Spirit saith the Lord Zach. 4.6.7 That the excellency of the work may be of him and not of man and that he will do great things for his own Land of Canaan whereat they shall rejoyce and be glad Joel 2.21 yet by such instruments as foolish Shepherds such silly tools as shall make subtle Sanballets and tale-bearing Tobyasses and the rest of the scoffers of the same seed of Ammon flout â—t them at first as feeble and say What will these feeble folk do will they revive the stones out of the rubbish and build and fortifie in a day Behold if a Fox go upon their wall will he not break it down Nehem. 4.1.2.3.4 c. Nehem. 6.6.7.16 c. and despise the day of God as a day of small things Zach. 4.10 and yet be amaz'd terrified cast down in themselves and made to confess it to be of God at the last and that he will begin to save not so much by the heads as by the tail of the people and gâ—â—upwards not that Prophet that teacheth lyes which is the tail that would be the head and is to be totally cut off Isa. 9. but the lower and most despised fort of people to whom he will shew his Salvation and by them to the Antient and the Honourable and instruct Apollos by Aquila and Priscila in the way of God more perfectly and make the Daughters of Philip to Prophesie when scarce a Prophetess to be found among the Princesses of the earth and Phabe and other Sisters Ministers in his Church and Labourers with Paul and fellow-helpers to the Gospel Rom. 16.1 1 Phil. 4.3 when he leaves Corvos Prophetas Prophetissas picas many unsavoury gaping Preachers and proud women pratlers of Christ and Faith c. ever teaching and learning but never coming to the knowledge of the Truth and that he will saveÌ„ the Tents of Juda first the plain plow-men and keepers in their own Tents and Country cottages that the glory of the cieled houses of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem Kings Governours great ones fine rich Citizens mighty Merchants mincing Ladies Renowned University Schollars Scribes Pastors and such like may no more magnifie themselves against Iuda but stoop to take Truth from stammering lips or be lest ignorant thereof forever and this is one of Gods works and strange Acts which he is working in these dayes whereat the wise despisers wonder yet perish because in no wise believing it though it be declared unto them Zach. 12.7 1 Hab. 1.5 Act. 13.40.41 Isa. 28.21.22 5. The mighty multitude of false Prophets of all shapes seducing and gain saying the truth which are at least four hundred and fifty of one sort and four hundred of another to one of the Lords Elijabs 1 Kings 18. ver 19. For as thou sayest I. O. T. 1. C. 3. S. 10. in the latter dayes of that Iewish Church that poople were most emiÌ„nently perplexed with false Prophets both as to their number and subtilty so and much more is it now in these latter dayes of the out-side Christian Churches that hold the outer Court yet tread down the holy City and of the old World also wherein the old Serpent called the Devil and Satan seeing himself cast out of heaven where he held war as long as he could with Michael and his Angels and is now to have no more place there is come down to the Inhabiters of the earth unto which he is cast in great wrath knowing that he hath but a short time and so bestirs himself more then ever before and like a mad Bull that hath received a fatal blow in the forehead runs bellowing about and tears and rends what he is able and foams against the Man-child the holy Seed of God and Sheep of Christ at his going forth and being by permission more strongly then ever re-entred into the herdâ—of Swine drives them down headlong so violently that there is no saving of them to their own everlasting Perdition to which purpose he musters up all manner of his Ministers that from him as to their Ministerial capacities both live and move and have their being Gog and Magags Ministry and all the Magicians behind all these together running on with open mouth to devoure the Israel of God and iâ—compass the Camp of the Saints and the beloved City till fire come down from God out of heaven and devoure them Isa. 31. yea of a truth it it so now as was foretold 2 Esdras 13. Chap. thoroughout that it should be in the latter dayes when the most High begins to visit and deliver his Saints and come in them to the astonishment of many and as a thief and a snare upon all that dwell upon the earth viz. that though all the false Prophets and their several peoples should be Aurium tenus up to the ears in strife one sort of Seers undertaking to fight against another one City one Realm one sort of their misguided people against another one Troop of these mad Riders and their blind horses Zach. 4. against another in their uncertain fallible minds opinions conjectures thoughts Andabatarum more justling together in the dark at the Revelation of the Son of God and his espoused Sion and at the hearing of his uncouth voice they every one in their own land leave the battel they have one against another and as of old the Ammonites Mâ—â—ites and they of Mount Seir waging war against that typical people of God the outward fleshly Israel so these that hate and ban one another even to the very death make one head together against that spiritual Israel that is of a clean heart and all the false Prophets both anâ—iâ—â— and upstart and all the subtil fâ—xes natura non nomine joyn both little and great old and young together to spoil the Vine that hath clusters of tender grapes and if it were possible to root it out and under a pretence of preserving the Church the true seed of Iacob
the affirmative both according to the Poets and the Prophets Quis legit haec Per so Isa. 53 who believeth our Report vel duo vel neme few or none Adde to this these considerations in proof thereof If sin be Christs Enemy in his Saints which none denyes then must it be destroy'd in them before not after death for the last enemy that is to be destroyed is death But the 1 st is true therefore this latter Again the perfecting of the Saints is the very end of Christs Ministry to the Church-ward Eph. 4.11 12 13. which end it must accomplish in this life or not at all for it ceases in that to come as Scripture and prophecy and all such mediums do as I.O. confesses being accommodated presenti huic statui to this present world onely Ex. 3. S. 39. and if it be not here attainable and freedom from sin not possible to be accomplished then ye make Christs Ministry as imperfect as your own absit blasphemia the perfection of every thing consisting in nulla alia re quoth I.O. Ex. 3. S. 24. no other thing then in its sufficiency to attain its end And in every discipline that quoth he is to be counted imperfect which sinem propositum suum assequi potis non est is not of force to effect its propounded end Yea not onely the 1 act of regeneration which is all ye count as attainable here but also the 2. Act or Consummation and perfection of it is attainable and is the very end of the true spirituall Ministry of Christ which is his gift and infallible for the Text runs so concerning that Ministryes continuance here which ceases after death till we all come into the unity of the Faith and Knowledge of the Son of God i. e. to know him all alike and to one perfect man even to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ So that all that are truly born from above of water and the Spirit not Bastards born of flesh into a talk of the new birth that yet know it not into the divine nature of Christ may come up into the measure of his stature to be as he is in whom is no sin to walk as he walk'd in this world 1 Ioh. 2. 6. 1 Ioh. 4.17 or else the end of the Ministry is frustrated And to say that God appoints a means to an end no way attainable I.O. Himself detests that as his principles are and so do all that hold that undenyable maxime that Deus nil facit frustra Again t is the end of the Scripture quoth I. O persicere omniae to perfect All things pertaining to our salvation Therefore perfect salvation from sin is here attainable otherwise the Scripture is not perfect as I. O. sayes it is to its own end sith it ceases in the world to come as he confesses also therefore though he contradict himselfe so as to say the Scripture obtains not its end here yet if his saying that it does obtain its end and its end is saving the soul be true this ad hominem is an Argument out of his own mouth sufficient to evince to the stoppoing of it a possibility of being saved from sin in this life Again they that walk not after the flesh and fulfill not the lusts of it sin not for sin is the fruit and effect of the lust which must conceive be consented and yielded to before sin can be brought forth Iam. 1.14.15 a man must be led away of his own lust before he sins But there be some that walk not after the flesh that fulfil not the lust of it Yea they that are in Christ Jesus to whom is no condemnation which condemnation by the Law is where ever sin is which is the transgression of the Law Rom. 8.1 yea more expressely they that are in Christ are new creatures the old things the old man and his deeds 2 Cor. 5. Rom. 6. Eph. 4. Which is renewed after the Image of him who created him in righteousness and holyness of truth not a meer imputed one a meer computed one an imaginary one a sound of words a talk not a shadowy one not a shew of holinesse where it is not substantially inherently indeed and in truth but a sinning under the name of Saints Yea more expressely yet from Rom. 8. If Christ be in in you the body is dead because of sin and Rom. 6. how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein such there are in whom Christ is and these are dead to sin and those that are dead to it live not in it it is mortified in such in facto esse not in fieri only i.e. mortifying ever as long as we live yet never dead till they be dead as our dead Divines deliver Ye most expressely of all Gal. 5. they that are Christs and some are his though the pleaders for sin and the Devils dwelling in them till they dy are none of his have in praeterito crucified the flesh not with the actions of it onely but also with the affections and lusts thereof And though there is a time of dayly dying I dydayâ—y saith Paul 1 Cor. 15. in the light which is the crosse of Christ to the caâ—nailmâ—nd to the world and the lust of it which passeth away before him that doth the will of God and abideth eveâ— Yet there is a time of being crucified to the world with Christ and the world unto such which Paul witnessed 2 Cor. 12. And howbeit 14. yeares before that Paul hast a Thorn in the flesh a Messenger of Satan to buffet him least through many Revelations he should be exalted above measure whence the Ministers of the night and darknesse argue a maâ—â—i ad mâ—nus that Paul sinned while he liv'd much more must others not heeding that his Thorn was but a Temptation to prevent his transgression and therefore noâ— a transgression of itself for Christ was tempted yet never sinned and beside though it lay haunting and attempting him and was not soon removed yet on his prayer that grace was given which was sufficient to support him under it so that he fell not by it yet if it had proved a transgression 't would not have proved him that sine'd 14. yeares ago to have been a sinner now much lesse to have sinned so long as he lived and so to have been an as for example for all seeming Saints to argue from that they may safely and must unavoidably continue sinning to their dying day Therefore salvation from sin is attainable in this life Yea this very conclusion here inferr'd is in plain termes asserted by Peter of the Saints 1 Pet. 1. of whom he sayes that they received the end of their faith the salvation of their souls which salvation I say till is from the sin which slayes and separates it from God or else from nothing Moreover such as walke after the Spirit and in the light and are led thereby these sin not nor do