of the Spirit unto salvation may have some footing from that promise and so to the Gentiles But this reacheth not the thing in hand and is no more proper to them than to the weakest Christian that is renewed by the Spirit of Grace In the most proper sense that promise was fulfilled as Peter witnesseth Act. 2.16 above 1600. years ago but these say they witnesse it fulfilling now but they want not for boldnesse to say any thing they have a mind unto Next they bid me shew that Scripture that speaks of a written word or that calls it the savour of life quick and powerfull or that attributes any such things unto it as thou saist but if you cannot stop thy mouth Answ Most absurd is their first What is the Scriptures but words from the Lord committed unto writing and every sentence of Scripture is a written word What is Scripture but the writings of the prophets and Apostles and what did they write but words and what were those words but the Inspirations of God all Scriptures are given by Inspiration of God as hath been quoted again and again And what will they make of that promise themselves quote Joel 2. is not that a written word and all their other quotations The Apostles were the savour of death to some 2 Cor. and life to others 2 Cor. 2.16 But how was this but as they were Ministers of the Word for they were not as many which corrupt the word c. and the word is quick and powerfull Heb. 4.12 It 's called the immortall seed the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 David tells us Thy word hath quickned me and was light to his feet the rejoycing of his heart his heritage for ever and giveth light and understanding to the simple Psal 119.130 He witnesseth that Gods word is pure therefore he loved it ver 140. It is endlesse to recount the Epithites and honour and glorious esteeme the servants of God have alwayes had of the word as it is written and they that despise this word shall be destroyed Prov. 13.13 And let these wormes that are all along diminishing and detracting from the power and majesty of the Scriptures beware lest being given over to despise the word they be polluted in their own gifts and follow the imaginations of their own deluded hearts to their utter ruine if God by his grace prevent it not Whereas in their first Answer to the Question in hand they talk of yeelding faithfull obedience to the righteous and perfect Law of God in the heart in my reply I told them that they build all upon the light within and the Law of God writ in the heart and the Inspirations of Christ and so make the holy Scriptures superfluous and of no use whereas the writing of Gods Law in the heart is a blessing of the Covenant promised to the use of those wayes and means God hath given to the Church in order to that end his word and ordinances the Instrumentall cause of this blessing of grace to whom he will the writing of his Law in the heart being but the same with a new heart regenerate and quickned by a Divine power of speciall grace which softens the hard uncircumcised heart of man and makes it pliable to receive the Words impression as standing willing and ready to believe and do what Jesus Christ in the Rule of his word would have him to do being made willing in the day of his power upon the heart to yeeld faithfull obedience to all the Lawes and Ordinances of Christ revealed in his holy word And to jumble things together as they by making the light and Inspirations of Christ and Law in the heart all one are most confused notions of things that differ as much as the efficient and the effect the giver and the gift the will of God in commanding and the blessing of God overruling the subject to a willing obedience but let them tell us where the Scriptures speak of a righteous perfect Law of God in the heart either in all men or in some and who they are that have such a Law written within which of the Prophets or Apostles gives the discovery of a perfect Law in the heart unto which all our obedience is to terminate as the only Rule if they cannot produce Scripture Authority for it let them confesse it a Law of their own fancie as to the end they intend it for But they say in their last Answer to this in hand Vpon the Prophets and Apostles we build and Christ Jesus who hath enlightned every one that comes into the world is the chief corner stone though he be set at nought by thee and the builders who would set the Scriptures in his place making them the enlightener and calls his light but an effect of them which light was before Scripture was and will lead them that walk in it out of darknesse to the knowledge of God and eternall life Joh. 8.12 But this light is not received into the mind and head from the Scripture neither can it be blotted out as thou hast said but it comes from Christ who is the glory of his people Israel and the light of the Gentiles such as thou call'st pagans who shall be excused when thou and all that oppose the light of Christ shall be condemned though you can talk of Christ as Bedeemer and Mediator of his Spirit and regenerating Grace all which you are strangers to c. Answ Let the indifferent Reader judge how true it is that they build upon the Prophets and Apostles while they have and are denying the holy Scriptures to be a perfect Rule of faith and obedience and affirme that the light of Christ is not received by the Scriptures and yet they say upon the Prophets and Apostles they build and is not the writings of the Prophets and Apostles that Scripture that they exclude from receiving the light of Christ in their minds and heads What Prophets and Apostles is the Church built upon if not upon those that have declared the mind of God and Jesus Christ in the holy Scriptures And shall any think that the Scriptures oppose the light of Christ because they are written to make the clear discovery of Christ as Redeemer and without which not any can know him to any such end But it 's charged upon me to be a fault in making the Scripture an enlightener and calls Christs light but an effect of them Answer whether I used those terms I am not sure this I said and cleared my self in that the Scriptures simply considered of themselves did not enlighten nor convert as an efficient cause thereof but were appointed and designed of God to be the only Instrument and Vessel of his Spirit to conveigh the knowledge of Christ as Redeemer to lost man and without them Christ is not known at all to any saving ends or to this purpose I spake I have proved that the Word doth give light to
gloriously in forms and observations And then speaking to the Anabaptists and Independents he tells them they have set up a finer Image in the Gospell ordinances as you call them pag. 10. Pag. 10. And what other ordinances do these or we set up but what was practised in the Apostolical Churches Thus you may see how this Impostor doth reproach the holy things of God And further in his second page he in the height of his insolent rashnesse and madnesse saith thus The word of the Lord came unto me saying I will gather my people out of all forms and observations and out of all kindreds Tongues and Nations and I will poure out my Spirit upon them And this he writes in a different Character as if it were all scripture By this you may see it proved what I have accused them with in denying the ordinances and administrations of the Gospell Church is true And yet this impudent lyar tells me it is a lying slander They would render me a lyar for telling them the truth but it seems they can rather and with more ease deny the accusation then prove themselves Saints and stand to it thus when they are pincht they will say and unsay or any thing to evade But while you deny the Ordinances before mentioned I say you are none of Gods Saints but are Apostates backsliders that have departed from the living God in transgressing the lawes changed his ordinances and broken the everlasting Covenant Isa 24.5 But I shall come to the next you accuse me of belying you with and that is suspecting you to be under the crime of denying the holy Scriptures to be a perfect rule of faith and life you say ye deny the crime and witnesse them in their place with the Spirit that gave them forth which is a perfect rule of faith and life as Joh. 16.13 Anâ—w You deny the crime but own the thing by asserting the Spirit to be a perfect rule of faith and life for if the Spirit immediately be a perfect rule to us now of faith and life of what use is the Scriptures of I pray you tell Thus you own the charge but deny the crime because you judge it no crime to deny the Scriptures to be a perfect rule of faith and life and hence you insolently inferre that I am judged by the same Spirit which gave forth the Scriptures who would set the Scriptures in the Spirits place by calling them the rule of faith and life Thus all men may run and read that you are so farre from judging it a crime to deny the Scriptures for a perfect rule of knowing God believing in him and living unto him that by the Spirit you act from you judge me for calling them the rule of faith and obedience And yet you witnesse the Scriptures in their place that is you witnesse that there is such writings but not to any such ends and purpose as to be a rule to know God and live unto him as the question intends The Spirit you make the only rule of faith and life Joh. 16.13 Which I answer unto 1. That promise is made directly to the twelve as is evident if you peruse the 13 14 15. chapt where we have the like promise chap. 14.26 The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost shall come and teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have spoken unto you and accordingly they have declared unto us what they have heard and seen Luk. 7.1 Christ tells them chap. 16.12 13. I have many things to say unto you but ye cannot bear them now howbeit when the Spirit of truth is come he will guide you into all truth c. Hence it 's clear these promises are made in speciall to his Apostles which doth assure us of the infallibility of what they preached and writ the Church being built upon the Prophets and Apostles Jesus Christ the chief corner Stone Eph. 2.20 that hath inspired both to agree in one and the same Doctrine of faith and obedience and he is the same for ever even to the end of the World Now let me ask you are you Apostles have you seen Jesus Christ are you sent for a foundation for the Church to be built upon that go about to overthrow and pluck up the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles recorded in Scriptures Let men and Angels judge 2. If all truth were revealed to the Apostles by the Spirit of truth and the Apostles faithfull in declaring this truth by writing or teaching as cannot be denyed then it will follow that those writings or teachings of the Apostles were the only rule which writings through Gods grace we enjoy and therefore the rule of divine truth It 's true we have need of Gods blessings of Grace to apply the rule to us and our hearts and lives to the rule And so many as walk according to this rule peace be upon them Gal. 6.26 Nay Christ prayed not only for his Apostles but for them also that should believe on him through their word Joh. 17.20 3. We say the holy Scriptures are the inspirations of the Spirit of God in their own sense as expressed and have such sure evidence thereof that without any scruple we so believe the truth and directions discoveries thereof that we are content to stand or fall to their Verdict not caring for mans judging and tell us in what truth of God the Scriptures are imperfect in you proud Worms that so vilifie and diminish from them But they go on and tell me that Abel Enoch and Noah had faith before Scripture was and the holy men of God believed therefore they spake Answ 1. Abel Enoch Noah were not without the word of faith from the Lord the Lord spake to these out of heaven by voyce Heb. 1.1 At sundry times and in â—â—vers manners the Lord hath spoken unto his servants the Prephets But in this last age he hath spoken to us by his Son Theâ—â—fore never look for no other manner of speaking 〈◊〉 what hath been before there was any thing committed 〈◊〉 to writing the Lord did more visibly reveale his will by voice or vision Angels c. but since he hath committed his whole will and mind unto writing by the Prophets and Apostles those former manners are ceased 2. This is our argument because some had faith before Scripture was by an immediate speaking by voyce c. Therefore now although we have the mind of God discovered in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles we must look for the same discoveries still by voyce or vision inspiration as if all that were written by inspiration of God were nothing to us and nothing of force to any but to the present ages they were writ in such madnesse you run into Whereas in your Answere you say That not any doth know the Scriptures by the outward declaration but by the word of faith in the mouth and in the heart which word
were written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope but the particular application of the whole or a part is by consequence because they were not firstly writ to us at all Therefore the conclusion is unavoydable against them and yet while themselves are denying the Scriptures to be the rule of faith and obedience and for which they are under the plagues written therein as was urged against them their insensible stupid spirits shift it from themselves and make my self the man that dare adde to the Scriptures my own conclusions and so am under all the plagues written therein Rev. 22.18 19. But let them prove wherein I have in the least diminished and added to the Scriptures who am defending their Divine authority unto all against them who out of Apostasie and strong delusion have denyed the Authority of Scripture to be the Rule of faith and life I spake of consequences and conclusions that naturally flow from expresse Texts of Scripture not forced far-fetched out of Texts perverted and misunderstood as themselves by concluding my self the man that are under all the plagues even while I am defending their Authority and themselves free even while they are denying Scripture Authority In their next judging me the cast-away 1 Cor. 9.27 And found in the old Covenant when the Law and Testimonie is without and shut out of the new Covenant where the Law is written in the heart Because I queried how the Law and Testimonie may be said to be in the heart seeing that the Scripture placed them in the Ark which is called the Ark of the Testimonie where the two Tables were placed that were written with the finger of God Exod. 25.16.20 21. and 31.18 and to this is those Texts Isai 8.16 and verse 20. to be referred which they interpret to be the Law and Testimonie of the heart and would have the Law and Testimonie in the Ark writ with the finger of God but a figure of the other as if the Lawes writ in the two Tables were not reall Lawes which all are bound to obey but a figure of some other Lawes writ in the heart of corrupt man that would make every idle fancie and suggestion of Satan a Law to be ruled by as is too evident by themselves who will allow of no Lawes of God nor Scriptures but the Revelations and Edicts of their own bewitched fancies for they have rejected the word of the Lord Jam. 8.9 and what wisdome is there in them But Christians what think you were not the Children of Israel to whom God gave these Lawes in writing the seed of Abraham and in that everlasting Covenant made to Abraham Gen. 17.7 8. where the Lord promiseth to be a God to him and his seed in their Generations for ever and was not this the Covenant of Grace which included all the saving blessings thereof unto salvation and the Law of Grace in the heart and yet the Lord in his wisdome and mercie to his Covenant people gave them his Lawes in an outward writing and they were bound to the keeping and observing of these Lawes upon promises of the greatest blessings and threats of the greatest penalties annexed Were not Moses Joshua Caleb and all the godly that had the fear of God and the Spirit of God in their souls bound to the observance of this Law which was in the Ark of the Testimonie and were they in the old Covenant so as to be shut out of the new as they say of me for defending the same truth which those servants of the Lord practised and all others that feared God after them What think you Christians is the book of the Law inconsistent with the new Covenant when the truth is the great blessing of the new Covenant is so to renew our hearts and incline them to the Law of God that with love and delight we may walk in Gods Lawes and ordinances prescribed to his Glory But behold their censures they judge me none of Abraham's seed and rased out from his faith and shut out of the new Covenant and judged to be under all the plagues written in the Book of God and now are come to deny my prayers and the God whom I serve Who doth thee guide say they to belie the truth and slander the innocent I say the Lord rebuke thee Satan thou enemie to mankind who by thy wiles beguilest weak man who all his life time is subject to temptation and error and although thou hast prevailed upon these frail men to run upon mistakes putting light for darknesse and taking darknesse for light and thereby hath drawn them to deny the true and living God whose being and blessednesse is in himself infinite yet God forbid that I shoul cease praying for them and that unto my God in the name of Jesus Christ to heal their back slidings and to reduce them from wandring from thy truth and Church in all the mysterious errors they are bewilder'd and scattered in in the cloudy and dark day not for want of light who have been in a valley of vision but for want of love thereof and wholesome Discipline to prevent such extravagances And now my dear Friends of Farndon and all others that are entangled in these dangerous snares and unheard of errors that men of perverse minds and proud presumptuous spirits have the boldnesse to vent and publish in our loose dayes What think you now you have been ready to defend these deceivers and tell us that they keep to the Scriptures and teach nothing but what they have ground of Scripture for and they are as full of Scripture quotations as any whatever But what think you now have not they in plain words denyed the Scriptures to be the only rule of faith and obedience and set up another rule to be the sole Judge of error and ground of all obedience namely the light of Christ in them which sometimes they call the eternall Word by which they judge of errors and persons bind and sentence at pleasure as if all judgement in heaven and earth was given to them only and the same honour due to them which is due to the Father as you have seen it cleared unto you before I beseech you to be serious in your thoughts of what hath been writ in discovering their deceits and blasphemies and the very foundation of all heresie their denying the Rule that all things are to be tryed by and make themselves the absolute rule and we may not question what themselves say be it never so insolent and to be abhorred of all sober Christians But they presently passe sentence and judgement on us as if all judgement was given to them indeed and as if themselves were the only Masters that all must stand or fall unto Had they but power to execute as they have pride and insolencie to judge and censure what flesh were able to stand before them that should but crosse their proud fancies
But their pride will be their ruine And the Lord will rebuke the madnesse of these Prophets and they are in the same way of perishing as in the gainsaying of Corab But dear friends I hope that there is that fear of God in your hearts that will preserve you from running out into these desperate heresies as to deny the holy Scriptures to be the Rule and ground of faith and obedience For you know deny the Authority of Scriptures the only boundary of truth and the only Touch-stone that every spirit and opinion is to be tryed by then all shall be left to follow the imaginations of their own idle heads and act as their deceitfull hearts shall suggest then they that can get the greatest confidence conceitednesse and strongest fancies and the impudentest tongues to vent their own inventions will be the only men for the true Religion and then who can tell what is truth and who are guided by the spirit of God and who by the Devill The very denying the Authority of the Scriptures bringeth all into confusion and heathenisme inevitably Cast off that which God hath ordained to direct us then the Devil will put in to mislead into all error and how shall any be able to know his workings and temptations from the pure workings of God for our good when the authority of the Scriptures are laid aside Nay who can be certain of any things in himself or in others that they please God when I or they cannot be certain they are ordained of God to that end if you lay aside the Authority of Scriptures And how just is it for God to punish the hearts of men with all spirituall delusions blindness and error and to let Satan loose upon mens souls when they cast off that which God hath given to direct and instruct in all righteousnesse and to every good work as 1 Tim. 3. You know how it is said that he that provideth not for his own hath denyed the faith as to that particular duty which the Doctrine of faith teacheth and is worse then an Infidell What would the Apostle have said of these that deny the whole Doctrine and Rule of Faith and yet have been once Christians sure they are worse than Infidells and it had been better they had never known the way of righteousnesse then after they have known it to turn from the holy Commandements of the Lord delivered unto them by word or writing 2 Pet. 2.20 see chap. 3.1.2 wherein the Apostle endevoured to stirre up their pure minds by way of remembrance that they might be mindsul of the words that were spoken before by the holy Prophets and of the Commandements of us the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour which comprehends the whole Scriptures of old and new Testament on which the Church is built the Scriptures are and in them do contain the Oracles of God which is a great advantage and preferment to those they are committed unto beyond all others Rom. 2.1 2. To them is the Covenant and the promises and the service of God chap. 9. And whatever were writ before time was writ for our learning that the Church of God through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 15. Whereas on the other hand those that are denyed the Scriptures are Aliens from the Common wealth of Israel and strangers to the Covenant of Promise and without hope and God in the world Ephes 2.12 as is clear of the like Infidel state that the Ephesians were in before their conversion to Christianity I tell you to deny the Scriptures is the desperatest error that any mortals can possibly plunge themselves into having once professed them such I am sure forsake their own mercies and judge themselves unworthy of eternall life by despising the Gospel of Christ contained in the Scriptures they slight the everlasting Covenant of Grace and all the promises writ in the Book of God there being not a promise made to any in the world but what is in the Scripture nor can any expect that God will give that which he doth not promise to any Let them tell me what promises are writ in the heart that deny the Scripture to be the only rule of faith and obedience if they be without the promise then they are without hope and God in the world as the poor Indians are if not worse by denying that which they have the means to know nay have known and been convinced and rejoyced in the spiritual blessings promised but now wilfully deny them and reject them as not to be believed that are written for the great comfort of the Lords people I tell you friends these miserable Worms uncovenant themselves and unchrist themselves as if they cared not for grace and mercie in their standing before God In denying the Scripture they deny all that grace and mercy that is writ there for the comfort and hope of poor penitent finners If the Scriptures shall be denyed their Authority by them then it will follow that they have removed the Lords antient bounds and the only Judge of all error What is heresie but the broaching of errors and vain opinions and practices contrary to the holy Lawes and Institutions of God recorded in Scriptures in taking away the rule they are involved in all heresie whatever for God will not be any otherwayes known trusted in worshiped and obeyed then himself hath taught and prescribed us in his word When men dare think of God after their own fancies and believe in him after their vain minds and worship God as seems good in their own eyes as all do that deny the Scripture to be a perfect Rule no wonder that they make God like themselves and themselves like God and that they preach another Gospell and set up another Christ and fancie another Heaven and another day of judgement and another Law and Rule to try all things by If men cease to be Christians and forsake the rules of Christianity while they continue to be men and have any sparks of immortality in them they will be doing in one way or other in order to eternity But will you receive these seducers into your houses and bid them God speed that deny the only Rule of righteousnesse and not be partakers with them Judge ye And can a greater proof and demonstration be given against any that they are Impostors and deceivers false teachers then this that in plain terms will deny the Authority of the holy Scriptures to be the only Rule of faith and obedience as those do which you receive and adhere unto which is a confirmation to me of the truth and Divine approbation of the publike ministry that you have forsaken when I observe what teachers you follow even those that deny the Authority of Scriptures And should our Teachers deny the Authority of holy Scriptures to be the Rule of faith and obedience and set up their own fancies to be the Rule as they do which you adhere
THE Quakers Apostasie FROM The perfect Rule of the Scriptures DISCOVERED In a double Reply to a twofold Answer of theirs in the Vindication of several Queries propounded by the Author WHEREIN Their Deceits Blasphemies and Reproches against Scripture Authority and Ordinances of institute Religious Worship are spoken unto Their main Principles examined and denyed The truth defended and cleared against their Railing Slandering Censorious Pens and Tongues By JOHN TIMSON of Great Bowden in Leicestershire 1 TIM 4.1 2. Now the Spirit speaketh expresly that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils speaking lies in hyprocrifie having their consciences seared with an hot iron LONDON Printed by E. C. for Tho. Williams at the Bible in Little Britain and Will Tomson at Harborough in Leicestershire 1656. The Preface to the Reader THE occasion of these few sheets was this The deep sense and apprehension of my spirit towards these seduced people in generall and some of my dear friends in speciall that are drawn aside and entangled in these dark Diabolicall snares hath moved my bowels to pitch upon this as a fit expedient to reduce them from that sad temptation and way of wandering themselves are so insensible of These Queries I first delivered to my friends and I desired that they would get them answered by the ablest they could of that perswasion At last I received an answer from William Duesbury then prisoner at Northampton which Answer was so obscure deceitfull and confused that I was constrained in my Reply to urge him earnestly to Answer directly to the Question with severall Queries to understand his sense which accordingly himself and Thomas Stubs and John Whitehead have answered more directly and subscribed their hands I have in this given you the substance of theirs as faithfully as I was able to understand their sense and have not in the least wittingly mistaken them And however they are apt to accuse me of slandering them in things that are too grosse in plainnesse of words to publish to the world they judging their novices and all others besides themselves uncapable to receive some of their principles as yet and therefore they study how to darken their sense by subtill glozing equivocating expressions and shuffles yet their damnable heresies are apparent to the intelligent and impartiall sober Christian And I shall desire of them to deal no otherwise by me then I have dealt with them what I have charged them withall is upon such rationall grounds that I am sure themselves are convinced in the secrets of their hearts that I lie not and for them to reproach me with that they cannot in conscience with any colour of reason make good will most reflect upon their own heads and be a shame to themselves and cause by saying and unsaying to evade what is justly charged upon them Truth is invincible and ought to be published it seeks no corners nor minds any shiftings but is entire of it self and will stand when all the imaginations and inventions of the dark mind of man shall be scattered and brought to nothing They frequently judge men by the light which gave forth the Scriptures even while they are opposing the Authority of Scriptures as they are the only rule of knowing the true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent and how to believe in hun and live in all Christian obedience unto him If they judge of men and error by the same light that gave forth the Scriptures why do they censure me for but pleading the Authority of Scriptures to be a perfect Rule of faith and obedience Is the light of the Spirit of God contrary to the light of his own Inspirations Are the Inspirations of God upon Divine record to be rejected as uselesse and fallible because they crosse the instigiations of ignorant man who is all his life long subject to error Are they so drunk with delusion and impudence that they will rather charge the Scriptures with deceit then question their own deceitfull hearts Can they be more sure that the Instigations in their own hearts are from God rather then the Inspirations of God in the Scriptures We may be sure that the Scriptures are of God and writ for our learning Rom. 1.5 But neither we nor themselves can be sure that their Revelations pretended to are of God and given for our learning comfort and hope unlesse they were confirmed by the same unquestionable Authority that the Scriptures are And for them to plead an infallible rule within and yet to be urging a Rule without from the Scripture is most absurd if the Spirit be the Rule as they affirme why do they not stick to that rule hath the Rule of the Spirit need of the testimony of the letter to prove it by What proof can be given to prove that which is the highest proof and rule it self How many things do they pretend Scripture for while at the same time they will deny and question the most things that the Scriptures plainly teach Let them tell us what they believe and practise from the teaching and obligation of Scriptures if they stand obliged to nothing that the Scriptures teach why do they quote it and speak in the language thereof As if they were for it when they are not which is rank hypocrisie and done of purpose to deceive If they judge themselves obliged to some things which the Scriptures teach because God hath taught them therein why do they not then believe and do all that the Lord teacheth in them upon the same reason and account But if any men in the world are without the true light of God those men are that speak not according to the Law and Divine Testimony of Scriptures Isa 8.20 If any speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them their light is involved in darknesse their wisdome in folly so saith the Prophet Jeremiah chap. 10. Ye have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisdome is there in you Were not this verified upon these men would they boast that they are as perfect as Christ that dyed at Jerusalem and say that he that trusts in Christ that dyed at Jerusalem for salvation shall be deceived and reproach his Institutions and holy Ordinances with the odium of mens Traditions outward observations inconsistent with Gods Kingdome and compare them to NebuchadneZZar's great Idol would they set up a light and power in blind impotent nature corrupted sufficient to lead out of darknesse to eternall life without the use and knowledge of Scriptures would they forme a Christ in their minds that is in all men without person natures offices would they confound God and man into one denying God to be distinct from his Saints would they renounce all their former teachings and practices received from the Lord by the means of his word and ordinances and wholly follow the imaginations of a strong deluded heart c.
of faith we preach Rom. 10. I told you that was a contradiction and a confused senselesse thing which you say stands as a witnesse against me and bid me prove my accusation Answ 1. I queryed you whether any of you did know and believe what is written in the Scriptures without the outward declaration unto which you answere not at all 2. I query what you mean by the word of faith in the mouth and in the heart which the Apostle preached Rom. 10.6 7 8. whether it be the same with the Doctrine of faith declared in the Scriptures writ to the Churches or different from it As I concluded before in my replie so I shall make it good still notwithstanding all that you have writ that the word of faith which the Apostles preached and writ to the severall Churches is the same with that which you call the outward declaration What are the writings of the Prophets and Apostles but the word of faith I told you that this of the Apostle doth allude to that in Deuteronom 30. and there we find the same of the word as it was written in the law as heer of the word of faith preached The Doctrine of faith was so familiarly preached and beat into mens heads hearts and mouthes that ignorance could not excuse any and the Apostle explains what this word of faith is verse 9. thus That if thou shalt confesse with the mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved You may see it's clear enough what the Apostle understands by word in the mouth and in the heart if you be not too perverse and in the 10 verse there is a reason urged to make all your cavils fall For with the heart man believes unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation and proves it by the Scripture Whosoever beleeveth on him shall not be ashamed Isa 28.16 What can be concluded hence but what the writings of the Scriptures contain and declare and yet you say not any can know the Scriptures by the outward declaration but by the word of faith which word of faith in your quotation is discovered by the Scriptures what it is so that you say and unsay not by the outward declaration but by it a meer contradiction which you will never free your selves of But why cannot any know Scripture by its own writing Can you know what is contained in the holy Scriptures without the outward declaration if not then you must know it by the outward declaration or not at all How do you know what is in your books but by the outward declaration But instead of answering to clear your selves you are froward and very impertinent and obscure and desperately confused as followeth in their next wherein they should shew us the difference between the declaration of Scripture and the word of faith preached And first they witnesse the Scriptures by the same light and Spirit that gave them forth Rom. 10. and in Christ Jesus the Lord of faith which the Apostles preached and declared of they believe Rom. 10.6 7. as the Apostles did who knew the Letter which kil'd and the word of faith which is quick and powerfull which word say they is God that made all things and the letter testifies of him whose name is called the word of God Revel 19.11 12. Joh. 1.1 Heb. 4.12 And then they say they have come off clear of what I have accused them of in their answer Answ Here is nothing but pride and coniusion in these lines unlesse we can credit every thing they have the boldnesse to say as infallible How are the Scriptures beholding to them for their witnesse who have the same light and Spirit which gave them forth the Lord of Hosts gave them forth all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God 1. Tim. 3. and they have the same light and the same spirit equall with God if one may believe what they say of themselves But what think you are not the Scriptures as inspired and given of God a perfect rule of faith and obedience unlesse you witnesse them to be so and what letter was that which the Apostles knew killed you take it for granted that it is the whole declaration of holy Scriptures but it is because you have no light nor Spirit of God in you The word of faith Rom. 10.6 7. is quick and powerfull c. which word is God that made all things Most senselesse Is the profession of Christ in the mouth and believing in him with the heart God that made all things is every gift and work of God in man God that made all things this is like their other notion Christ lighteth all and therefore that light is Christ as if every work and operation of Christ is Christ just like those that make God to be every thing that from him lives and moves c. So again Christ is the word his name shall be called the word of God and they have Christ the word of God within them and what need of that which is written they have it in the life and fountain and they will come under no other writings nor rule although never so much commanded by God in the expressions of the holy Spirit in the Scriptures Touching Heb. 4.12 in the second verse he shewes us what word he meant where he saith That the Gospel was preached to them as unto us but the word that they heard profited not them because it was not mixed with faith in them that heard it What word was this which was heard but the outward declaration in voice or writing or both And this word is quick and powerfull c. and the savour of life to some and of death to others according to the pleasure of him with whom we have to doe he blessing or blasting his own word and ordinance to the different ends intended by himself and for his glory whether in the diligent use thereof men be saved or in the contempt and neglect of the word men be damned The 2 Cor. 3.6 where it is said the Letter killeth is to be understood of the ministrie of Moses in comparison of the Gospell ministry administred by the Apostles that of Moses not so spirituall glorious effectuall as the new Testament was and yet it had its glory too but no glory in this respect by reason of the glory that excelleth vers 10. The Ceremonials their Gospel were but shadowes of good things to come the substance was Christ who was but darkly seen by the people but the Precepts and Threats of the Law were cleer which brought them under guilt and the remedie obscure and the fruit but little in comparison of the Apostles Ministry c. And hence the letter killed as administred by Moses but grace and truth comes by Jesus Christ It 's true the ministrie of the Apostles without the powerfull operation of the Spirit concurring was not
sufficient For Paul may plant and Apollo water but it is God that gives the increase and yet the word of God as made known in the holy Scriptures must be our rule to act and live by in order to Gods blessing of Spirit and grace to our regeneration and compleating the same unto eternall life Besides we have no promises of Gods giving his spirit unto sinners that have it not to quicken those that are dead in trespasses and sins but what is made in the letter of Scripture and no promises of any thing but what is writ there Rom. 5.15 all good newes from heaven to lost sinners is writ there they are written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope And yet will you say that all the letter killeth Now Reader lay things together and then judge by all that they have said how true it is that they say they have come off clear in what I have charged them with what difference have they made between the outward declaration and the word of faith which the Apostles preached and writ to the severall Churches if all be but the same as I have cleered from theirs the contradiction and their confused nonsense still remains notwithstanding their bitter censures and shuffles And how notoriously false is that of theirs That not any doth know the Scriptures by the outward declaration when the outward declaration 2. Tim. 3.16 as consisting of words committed to writing is the Scriptures that we plead Rev. 1.17 for a perfect rule the declaration and the matter and sense contained therein but the same all which is the inspiration of God and that which the Spirit saith to the Churches for what the Scriptures saith the Spirit saith because all Scripture is by inspiration of God 2. Pet. 1.20.21 c. And not only John but all the pen-men thereof writ as they were moved by the Spirit of God or the Holy Ghost And hence when you Quakers set up the Spirit to be a perfect Rule of faith and life distinct from the Scriptures it will run you upon these Rocks which you will never evade 1. You must either set up another Spirit distinct from the Spirit of God that gave the Scriptures or 2. Maintain that the same Spirit gives a different rule to that which is written by his own inspiration and so make God not only mutable but contrary to himself which to think is to be abhorred as blasphemous 3. Or that the same Spirit hath given additionall lawes to be the rule above what is written by the Prophets and Apostles on which the Church is built which is hardly so I shall judge untill 1. I see the same divine approbation and confirmation of those Lawes as hath been given of all holy Scriptures 2. And yet those Lawes are as consonant and as agreeable to all the Scriptures as written by the Prophets and Apostles as the Apostles writings are consonant and agreeable to the Prophets 3. And untill they can prove that the Scriptures prophecie of such a change in the Church as to set up superadded Lawes 4. And that themselves are the men that the Scriptures have foretold of to superadde spirituall Lawes in the Church to bind the consciences of all as we affirme that the Scripture doth But to prevent mistakes I grant as they 1. That the Spirit is the rule but then you must understand it as the mind of God is revealed by the Spirit in the Scriptures 2. I grant that we have all need of the illuminating quickning operations and influences of the same Spirit that revealed the rule to enable us to know it and believe it and to apply it to our selves and to applie our selves unto it so as to live unto God in all Christian obedience according to this Rule 3. I grant that the Rule without the blessing of Grace concurring doth not simply of it self enlighten and quicken any nor are any truely and savingly enlightned quickned and renewed but by the revealed word of God as the only means appointed and designed of God to that very end to the intelligent Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10. And of his own good will hath he begot us again by his word Jam. 2.1 And now I shall give a word to my dear friends of Farndon and to all that are abused and drawn aside by these deceivers and the deceits and cheats of their own hearts in hope of a blessing to my poor endeavours who am touched with a deep sense of the sad delusions which at the present you are intangled most desperately in My dear friends Who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth which you have once received with a great deal of joy and comfort to your souls when with constancie and patience you have made a good proâ—ession of the wayes of Godlinesse revealed by the word practised by men and women fearing God in all the ages of the Church of Christ you know the times and places when and where your Spirits have been made joyfull in the house of Prayer and praising of the ever blessed God Your hearts have been heated and warmed by the power of his word and Sacraments the strict observing of Sabbathâ— a constant course of the worshipping God in your families by a serious calling upon the name of the Lord instruction of those under you in the principles of Gods truth and fear and have walked before them in all Godlinesse and honesty according to this word of the Lord which now is in contempt and reproach by those that seduce you as is too obvious to the impartiall as is above cleared and their slanders shifts and shuffles discovered You may see how they have reproached the Institutions and ordinances of our Lord as heathenish by compareing them to that great Image of that heathen King Dan. 3.3 You may see how they deny the Scriptures to be a perfect Rule of knowing God believing in him and living unto him And yet they reproach me to be a lying slanderer in charging them with that which is an apparent truth as I have witnessed by their own lying Papers and thus they have reproached me most falsely and the lyes are returned upon their own heads whilst they witnesse themselves perfect and without sin and have entred the new Jerusalem in which none shall enter that makes a lie My friends some of you have heard William Duesbury say of himself In Duesbury new Births he thus witnesseth of himself that he was as perfect as that Christ which dyed at Jerusalem this is witnessed by one of credit and fidelity amongst your selves I forbeare his name Oh proud polluted Worme that dare exalt himself to a perfection equall with God the everlasting father whose name is called Wonderfull Counseller the Prince of peace the mightie God Isa 9. who fulfilled all righteousnesse from his birth to the consummating of all
the visible Church of Christ that are under the Doctrine and ordinances of the grace of the Covenant many are called but few are chosen And these Impostors and Perverters of the new Covenant that teach that all have the Lawes of the new Covenant writ in their hearts may as truly say that all have the promises thereof writ in their hearts then which nothing is more absurd therefore I conclude that as the promises of the Covenant are upon Divine record that we may have hope for our selves and children so likewise is the rule that we are to conforme unto in order to the receiving of the spirituall blessings promised In the next place to excuse their rash insolent censures they assume to themselves To be the spiritual man that judgeth all things and thereupon by their light they say that my blindnesse and deceit is seen and judged who accuseth them of waving the Scripture-authority as if they were out of date Answ And let the World judge what use they make of the Authority of holy Scriptures that have in plain terms denyed them to be the perfect rule of faith and obedience as you have seen before and not many lines off again where they judge me they say The Spirit and light of Christ in them which they witnesse is absolutely binding and the sole judge of error for to him is all judgement given Joh. 5.22 Thus you see they set up another Rule to be sole judge of error and yet they judge me for accusing them falsely But this is but the same in other words which they have urged and I have answered already in the first Question There they say the Spirit is the rule here the light of Christ in them the sole judge of error for they make the light within the law in the heart the Spirit and Christ the exercise of the conscience to be all one and they quote Scriptures meerly to delude the simple and to colour over their real delusions and deceits for if the Spirit and the immediate Revelations of Christ in the heart be the only rule and sole judge of error to what end do they prove it by Scriptures for that which is the sole Judge of error is infallible of it self and needs not any demonstration but faith to believe it that it is so and their going to the Scriptures to prove the Spirit to be the rule in that very thing they make the Scriptures the absolute rule and therein contradict all they say If Christ in them be the sole judge of truth and error why do they make such a noyse of Scripture expressions can they not speak in the Authority of that Christ within them unlesse they fill up their Revelations with those borrowed expressions of the Scriptures which they call a dead Letter that killeth Certainly in the secret of their Consciences they are convinced that the holy Scriptures are the sole Judge of error they being given by the Inspiration of God and the word that we shall be judged by at the last day Joh. 12.48 although they reject it from being the Judge of error now because it crosses their idle proud fancies and itching humors to set up something of their own brain in their Apostate condition and therefore like condition like rule rather then they will repent and return to the right Rule they will set up a Rule of their own making that shall please them better but what will they do in the end thereof Because they had not executed my judgements but despised my statutes and polluted my Sabbaths c. wherefore I gave them statutes also that were not good and judgements whereby they should not live and the Lord polluted them in their own Gifts c. Ezek. 20.24 25. The Lord give them hearts to consider the judgement of God upon such that despise the judgements statutes and Sabbaths the Lord hath commanded in his word Was this judgement of the Lord inflicted for the despising the judgements and Statutes and Sabbaths that were written in their own hearts think you no but for the despising and breaking the statutes lawes and ordinances commanded to be writ and taught the people by Moses and the Prophets as innumerable Texts do evince But while they quote Scripture although they deny it for a rule let us not be beaten with our own weapon and therefore give me leave to examine their quotations to prove the spirituall man and the light of Christ within to be the sole judge of error distinct from the Scriptures The 1 Cor. 2.14 15. them that are spirituall are put in opposition to the naturall man the one knows approves and judges of spiritual things the other receives not the things of the Spirit nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned the spirituall man hath his senses exercised to discerne and judge of things that differ but it is no where said he doth this without the rule of the word that gives that discovery The spirituall man as well as all others may not judge his brother nor another mans servant for we must all appear before the Judgement seat of Christ our Lord and Master and all judgement is committed to the Son that men may honour the Son as they honour the Father Joh. 5. as they quote hence they inferre that Christ is the sole judge of error Indeed Christ as he is the Son of man God and Man in one person who hath ascended farre above all heavens sitting at the right hand of God from thence shall he come in the clouds of Heaven with his mighty Angels in flames of fire to render vengeance on the disobedient to the Gospell Because God hath appointed him a day in which he shall judge the World in righteousnesse even by that man whom he hath ordained whereof God hath given assurance to all men in that he hath raised him from the dead Act. 17.31 We believe that Jesus Christ shall come in his day with that very same body that suffered death upon the Crosse and was raised from the dead the third day and he shall judge the whole world of mankind that ever were even all those that are in the Graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth the righteous to the resurrection of everlasting life and the wicked to the resurrection of condemnation Joh. 5.28 29. And let these seduced people take notice of Joh 12.28 29 He that receiveth not my words saith Christ hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken the same shall judge him at the last day And this word of Christ they reject from being the rule of faith and obedience but whether they will or no they must stand to the judgement of this word of Christ which he hath spoken at the last day William Dusbury tells us that the mighty day of the Lord is appeared in the North of England and is arising towards the South and shall overspread this Nation and all Nations of the world What
the preaching of the Doctrine of faith Neither is there salvation in any other but in that Saviour and Redeemer which the Apostles preached Act. 9.12 for there is no other name under heaven given amongst men whereby we must be saved but the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom the Jewes crucified and God raised from the dead ver 11. and this name and person Christ Jesus designed of God to be a Saviour cannot any know of or believe in him but by the help of Scriptures or the ministrie thereof and he that believes not in this name Christ Jesus the Son of the living God shall be damned Mark 16.16 And doth not our Saviour affirme that salvation is of the Jewes as they were the Church of God peculiar from all other people under heaven because unto them was committed the Oracles of God and is not the christian Church grafted into them and peculiar from all others Infidels and misbelievers and have the same and more spirituall priviledges and blessings of the Covenant while all others are left to wander in their own wayes were not the Apostles Doctrine which they preached the only means of enlightning the dark world and let them shew us where and to whom they preached the light in men to be the Gospell and Christ within them that the Gentiles should be saved by No they preached Christ crucified a dying bleeding Christ for remission of sins It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching Christ as they did to save them that believe as they were fitted and sent of God so they were directed in doing his work faithfully and were accompanyed with an answerable successe witnesse the many Churches that they gathered and converted to the christian faith turning them from darknesse to the true light and from the power of Satan unto God striving to preach Christ where he never had been named before Rom. 15.20 And what Christ did they preach is easie to determine may the Scriptures judge Either let these sinners against their own souls preach the same Christ to sinners for the same ends and purposes as the Scriptures witnesse of the Apostles or else let their lying mouths be stopped and persist no further in deceiving themselves and seducing others Reader thou canst not but judge the Question rational and religious if the Scriptures may judge and to be answered in the negative and yet these men who out of their thick darknesse having denyed the Scriptures to be the Rule of faith and obedience are forced to forge out of their dark imaginations another Rule of revealing Christ to lost man besides the Scriptures which Rule is in every man sometimes under the notion off light within law of the heart heer they bring in an unlimited power of God distinct from the use of those Ordinances and wayes which God hath appointed to make usefull in those Divine discoveries of Christ the only Mediator between God and sinfull man and without which Christ as Mediator and Redeemer is not known nor believed in unto salvation at all They carp and cavill at my expressions because the Question is to Gods ordinary and usual dealings with the souls of men and have waved the extraordinary and unusuall operations of the hidden unlimited power of God doing what he will to Infants distracted deaf in the Church in shewing them mercie but they reject all ordinary means of Scripture and ordinances therein appointed and onely set up an immediate unlimited power of God though if the word of an Apostle be of credit before them the Gospell of Christ is the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 So necessary is the ministry of the Gospell to salvation that it 's called the power of God to that end and yet I have all along yeelded that to the means must be added a Divine hand in working effectually upon the souls of men or else nothing can be wrought unto salvation and as for the expressions themselves it is not much materiall that they be found in Scripture so long as the thing and sense is there as hath and much more might be added in proof thereof were it needfull The word ordinary food is in Ezekiel Ezek. 16.27 there the Lord threatned to deny it which were their dayly bread but I say the thing it self is grounded upon Scriptures Israel drank of water in the Brooks and Springs and Wells that they digged which was ordinary and yet Gods gift they also drank of water that God gave them out of a Rock in the Wildernesse where no water was before and thâ—t was extraordinary Israel took of their Dough for bread which they had prepared in Aegypt and that was ordinary but when their food was spent the Lord gave them bread from heaven and that was extraordinary for a time till they could be put into a capacity of ordinary food again I might instance in twenty things more but I forbear But see the peversenesse of these men because God at some times hath revealed himself immediately by his Spirit without means therefore they conclude he doth so still although we have his word to reveal his mind and will unto us in all things necessary to be known and done Their quotations are perverted and wrested as they do all other Scriptures to their own destruction and to what end do they quote Scriptures in proof of any thing they assert while they deny the Scriptures to be the Rule of faith and obedience In my reply I urged Joh. 5.39 against the latter part of their Answer in which I told them that Christ commands the Jewes to search the Scriptures for in them you think to have eternall life and they are they which testifie of me But these Quakers say contrary He that thinks to attain the way to eternall life by reading the Scriptures and regards not the light that comes from Christ deceives himself To this I said it seems the holy Scriptures are opposed to the light which comes from Christ and I judge that the Scriptures are a light that comes from Christ and the only way and means appointed by God both to know and believe in Christ to eternall life where and to whom the Lord is pleased to give his blessing Their Answer To say that we speak contrary to Christ is false but he that reads the Scriptures and regards not the light which gave them forth to learn wrests them to his own destruction 2 Pet. 3.16 and so deceivs himself and such are they that put them in place of the light and think them the only way and means appointed by God to eternal life Answ Did not Christ approve of the Jewes opinion in thinking that in the Scriptures they should have eternal life for where is there any promise of eternal life or discovery of the way and means to attain it but in the Scriptures and from that good opinion the Jewes had of the truth of Scriptures Christ refers them to the Scriptures as bearing testimony that he
by him because his appointing means and blessing them to that end was that which did the work as severall Texts doth witness in the writings of the Apostles Act. 11.15.17 18. who concluding Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life and this was wrought by the ministry of the word by Peter Act. 13.46.47 It was necessary that the word of God should first be preached to the Jewes but they rejecting it lo we turn to the Gentiles for so hath the Lord ordained us saying I have set thee to be a light to the Gentiles that thou shouldest be for salvation to the ends of the earth Paul and Barnabas attributing that to Christ which was to be done by their ministry by his Authority and command Act. 15.14 15 16 17 19. Peter hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles to take out of them a people for his name as it is written in the Prophets that the residue of men might seek after the Lord and all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called saith the Lord. Wherefore my sentence is saith James that we trouble not them which from among the Gentiles are turned to God and how were they turned to God Not by a light immediate as the Quakers would but by the ministry of the word as further appears Act. 26.17 18. as is witnessed by the Apostle Paul which received it from Christ himself Christ promised to appear unto him delivering him from the people and from the Gentiles unto whom I now send thee to open their eyes and to turn them from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan unto God that they may receive forgivenesse of sins and in he itance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me working in them the same faith by the word on which forgiveness and eternal life only depend that is faith in Christ To open the blind eyes of the Gentile world that were darknesse it self and turn them to the true light is the only work of Jesus Christ as he is God and yet Paul as he was made a Minister of the Gentiles he was sent to do it by the preaching of the Gospell and the Lord wrought wonderfully by his ministry to make the Gentiles obedient by word and deed Rom. 15.18 19. How many Churches of the Gentiles were gathered by the Preaching of the Gospel came under Baptisme and all other known duties of Christian obedience Was not Christ a light to all these beleeving Gentiles in granting them repentance unto life as I quoted before As for the other Gentiles which never heard of Christ or hearing of him rejected him they remained Aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel without Christ and Covenant of promise and hope and God in the world having their understandings darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse of their hearts Ephes 2.12 4.18 But on the other hand how doth the Apostle admire and wonder at those unsearchable riches of Grace to the Gentiles that beleeved in Christ Jesus Ye who were sometimes far off are made high by the bloud of Jesus therefore now ye are no more strangers and foreiners but fellow-Citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and are built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ being the chief corner-stone in whom all the building fitly framed together Jewes and Gentiles groweth unto an holy Temple in the Lord. Hence see what that building is of whom Christ is said to be the chief Corner-stone not the profane building of the pagan unbelieving world that are built upon the Devill and the vain imaginations of their dark minds as you haveâ—â—t â—â—ard these Quakers blasphemingly apply this text but Believers be they Jewes or Gentiles that are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles to them only is Christ the chief Corner-stone chap. 2.19 20 21. If they have ears to hear let them hear what the Spirit hath said unto the Churches and in particular how Christ Jesus hath enlightened and grafted the believing Gentiles into his visible professing Church and made them a peculiar chosen people to himself distinct and separate from the heathen Idolatrous world But it seems they are angry because in my reply I told them it will pose them to prove that that righteous and perfect Law of God in their hearts they so much pretended to to be of God and not from their idle brains And good cause there was that they should be put to the proof thereof they answering so deceitfully and subtilly about the Authority of Scriptures as I have sufficiently discovered Besides I bid them tell me plainly whether the perfect Law of the heart to which all their obedience is bounded be the same perfect Law of God which the holy Scriptures teach consisting of precepts morall and positive Institutions of holy Worship in force in the Apostolicall Churches c. Or whether is the Law in the heart different from it If say I that in the heart be but the very same with the whole of Scriptures then it will follow that the perfect Law and Rule of Scriptures is superfluous and writ in vain Then on the other hand if that in their heart be different from the Scriptures it concerns them to prove it to be of God and not from their idle brains To that purpose I writ Their Answer is We speak in plainnesse as the Law of God written in our hearts directeth us which Law we know is perfect and a blessing of the everlasting Covenant which thou talkest of but knowest not being disobedient and abominable c. Answ 1. What may we judge of that Law that accuseth another to be disobedient and abominable for proposing rational queries and demanding proof of what they assert 2. Is their saying they know they have the perfect Law of God in their hearts a satisfying proof Judge ye But 3. If this Law be but a blessing of the Covenant then it is not the eternall word that made the world as before they Answer upon the like occasion upon the first Question unlesse they will confound God that gives the blessing and the blessing given into one Well they take it for granted in stead of proof That the perfect Law of God is written in their hearts by which they judge my error who am pleading for that Law to be the ground of the Saints obedience that made nothing perfect say they This is notable Did I ever plead for that Law of Priesthood that were exercised in the sacrificing beasts sprinklings of blood which were but types of Christ the bringer in of a better hope Heb. 7. I say did I ever plead this Law of Ceremonies which were but a shadow of good things to come the ground of the Saints obedience Let them produce it or else cease thus to abuse me with lying words But if they will wickedly pervert
upholding all things by his power for his Elects sake that they may be gathered to himself But the Text doth not say that he enlighteneth every one in the world with a spiritual light sufficient to eternall life and happinesse if they will but mind it There is something in the word lighteth which had respect to the present time noting some benefit given to the world which never was before according to Joh. 3.19 And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darknesse rather then light As the present mercy and benefit of Christs coming into the world in his person and immediate ministry confirmed by his works of miracles were a greater light to direct them and lead them out of darknesse to God so their condemnation was thereby aggravated in their refusall loving darknesse before the directions of this true light Besides lighteth is rather an outward light a borrowed expression taken from a Torch or Candle which have their use in an outward sense And we know John bare witnesse of Christ in his person and office unto which he was designed of the Father in making him the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world and he bare witnesse to this very end that through his Testimony all men might believe in him Had the Apostle meant as they would have it he would have put in more words I think and not left it so obscurely to that end they would build on for whether this Text proves any such thing as Christs inward enlightening and quickening by his Spirit in the souls of men unto life is to me a great Question though a clear truth from other Texts for this light is said to shine in darknesse but the darknesse comprehended it not he came unto his own but they received him not The Jewes were counted his own as being the only people of God in profession and Covenant and yet they are accounted darknesse in regard of their incredulity in not receiving him for where Christ enlightneth and quickneth spiritually any soul with his grace all principles of rejectings and resistings of Christ and his word are removed and darknesse expelled as light comes into any soul darknesse goes out it being nothing else but the absence of light and therefore I think the Text is to be understood of the light of his person made flesh his ministry and miracles and all other means which by his Authority are appointed to bring men to true faith in him to salvation as many as believed in him he gave power to become the sons of God and not any other And we know how the Apostles understood the enlightening of the Gentiles were by their Ministry in Gods granting them repentance unto life and turning them from the darknesse of paganisme to the light of Christianity thereby as Scriptures teach as hath been proved The main objection of theirs against this sense is this Christs person ministry miracles were not known to every man therefore every man could not be lighted so Answ By World may be understood that part of the world where Christ was and is made known by vertue of his word Christ was in the world and the world was made by him and yet he was not in all parts of the world and so he was in the world and the world knew him not cannot be understood of the whole world for some did know him who he was and for what end he came into the world So it is said that Christ baptizeth and all men come to him here all must be understood of many in those parts And so the Apostle saith John was sent of God to bear witnesse of the light that all men through him might believe this must necessarily be understood with limitation for all men did not know nor so much as hear of John for he bare this witnesse only in Judea Again they say That John bare record of his life and light from which those works proceeded and not of his person and we know say they that his record is true which proves thee a lyar who saith he bare record of his person manifest in the flesh and the lie rests upon thee untill thou prove it Answ By this you may conceive that they deny the person of Christ and so consequently Christ himself as he is a Saviour for spirituall life and light were not capable of death shedding of blood undergoing the curse and treading the Wine-presse of his fathers wrath a sacrifice for sin for the redemption pardon and salvation of sinners Did not John bear record of his person when he said to the people as Christ came towards them Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world Joh. 1.29.36 And John baptized him with water and according to an immediate word and sign given of the Lord he saw and bare record that this Christ was the Son of God vers 33 34. And this is he of whom I said After me cometh a man which is preferred before me vers 30. And did John give record that he was a man whom he baptized with water and talked with and pointed at and yet bare no record of his person could he be a man and not a person the Son of God and not a person when he is said to be the expresse Character of his Fathers person Heb. 1.3 Thus you see in respect of his Divinity and Humanity he is called a Person Adde that which I have said before and then judge who is the lyar The Jewes themselves how malicious soever could not deny his person but they denyed that this just person Christ Jesus was the true Messiah promised in the Prophets and therefore they with bitternesse opposed him as a deceiver a false Christ c. But Christ told them If you believe not that I am he you shal die in your sins What He is this and not a person But enough hath been spoke to this to discover their folly and madnesse unto all that are sober His life and light and person is inseparable but he is not any otherwayes a light and comfort and Saviour to lost sinners but by his incarnation taking mans nature bearing our sins satisfying offended justice by the sacrifice of himself and hath obtained an eternall redemption for us thereby And he that doth not believe in him thus as the Scriptures hold him forth a Redeemer by suffering in his own person in the behalf and stead of lost sinners for their eternall redemption believes nothing at all of Christ unto eternall life whatever other notions or fancies are pretended What these mens fancies are of Christ what he is and how he redeems and saves sinners who can certainly tell They own not his person his natures his offices of Prophet Priest and King as the Scriptures reveal of him in the performance of that great work of mans redemption What do these people understand what Jesus Christ that came into the world made