written for the ends above specified in the Scriptures mentioned yet will it not follow that it was intended for the Rule to the Church much less the only perfect Rule or Standard of Faith and Life because God did not give order for â—s so to be but assured her before the Scripture was at all as much as God thought sufficient to create and preserve faith in the Gospel she had before she had it written in an outward Letter viz. the inward Light Word and Spirit that was in the beginning from which the Letter came And p. 43. to make a Rule much more then the only sâ—anding Rule exclusively of all other of all internal Light Word Spirit Revelation as JO. and T.D. both hold the Scripture to be is necessary Gods appointment of a Writing to that end to which he did and even in the Scripture it appears appoint the Spirit and inward Light and Word as I shew'd above but never at all appointed the Scripture it self And p. 17 18. of T. D's 2 d. Pam. the difference lyes in God's Arbitrary dispensation who from of old disposed the Light Word and Spirit alone to be the Rule without and before the Letter as being far more excellent and fully sufficient without it as to the nature and being of a Rule but never ordered intended designed appointed or established the Writing alone as the Rule as my two Vniversity Antagonists dispute without and câ—â—lusively of the other And as for the third and fourth Classis of J. O's Scriptures which seeing they are so near a kin to these of the first therefore I shall consider them here before those of the second they are of the same kind so that the same general Answer might satisfie sapienti cui verbum sat but seeing such stress is put on them by J.O. to the stablishing of a wrong Standard which iâ— of so great concernment to be stated right or else all the Building faulters I am free to insist a little more particularly on them then else I need to do They contain as thou sayest J.O. commendations of the Scriptures as to all uses of Religion both by the practises and precepts of Christ and the Apostles searching and expounding proving and trying all things by them themselves and also commending and commanding the searching of them and the trying of all things by them in and among all others Rep. That all the places enumerated by thee do contain any such matter at all I utterly deny for some of those thou citest as well as sundry of those afore spoken to neither expresly nor intentionally relate to the Writing or Scripture but onely to the Word of God and the Things and Truth and Commands of God written of onely in the Letter which things in what Text soever thou find'st them talkt of thou present'y run'st blundering on in thy wonted blindness which discerns no difference between the Writing and things written interpreting them without more ado of the Scripture as namely Deut. 28.58 whereby the words written in that Book is not meant the Writings but the Commandmenâ— therein rehearsed the Ceremonials and Morals of which they were to observe before that Booke of Deuteronomy was penn'd which is a story of Moses his repetition by word of mouth a little before his death of such things as he had from the Lord enjoined them to observe and some of them God also from his own mouth well-nigh forty years at least before that was penned Also that in Acts. 26.22 where Paul sayes he witnessâ—d no other things or truths as to the substance and matter of them though the manner was different the one testifying de Christo exhibendo the other exhibito one saying they should come t'other they were come then what the Prophets and Moses said should come Which things Paul could now witness were come if he had not seen their witness that they should And what mention is there of the Scripture at all in that Scripture Also John 1.7 where it s said of John Baptist he was not that Light but came to bear witness of that light which John Baptist wrote no Scripture at all that I know of which Light he testified to was not the Letter or Scripture but the same the Qua. bear witness to even that measure of its light within wherewith he inlightneth every man that comes into the world so that there is no Scripture mentioned or so much as meant in that Scripture Wherever thou seest in thy Concordance the word Scripture written of in the Scripture thou art ready to think straightway it Concuâ—r'â— and hath no â—mâ—l Concordance with thy cause and where thou findest the Words Rule Foundation Law and Prophets of God Light Word Commands Statutes Testimony Prophesie and such like thou as rashly and rawly imaginest the Scripture or meer outward Writing meant and mentioned by them in what ever is predicated of them and that it makes something for thy bâ—inde business of the Scriptures being the only standing Rule and Foundation But alas hoc aliquid verè nihil est this something is plainly nothing at all to that purpose for as it makes not a mice toward the proof thereof as appears above because the Scriptures were written for good ends and are prefiâ—â—blâ— to such and such good uses unless God had Canonized them as a Rule so neither doth it that Christ expounded the Scriptures and that some did search them and were mightily read in them as some are at this day who are supposed to deny them to the confounding the Scribes that searched them daily and therein lookt for life as their only Rule but never came to him that they might have life who was the Life and Light they came from but never heard him whom they testified of that his voice was now to be heard in whom God who under the Law before his coming spake in his servants the Prophets speaks under the Gospel as by his only Son 'T is true Abraham who lived long after Moses and those Prophets whose Writings ye have were born in that Parable which illustrates a precious truth that as to the mystery of it lyes yet hid from thee is brought in by Christ as saying of the Rich mans brethren by way of prevention of their coming into torment They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them if not they 'l not be perswaded by a miraculous message of one to them from the dead but what iâ— this to prove what thou here alledgest it for and more largely inferrest from it p. 63 64 65 66 67. where thou preachest on that Text a Sermon as long as little to thy purpose improving it and that of 2 Pet. 1.19 to the utmost to prove Moses and the Prophets Writings to be the best and most effectual means of bringing men to repentance on which that and all faith is immediately to be grounded and to prove the Scriptures to be that alone which we are sent to to be more effectual
had never done so before till then Did not God speak in his Prophets and by them to the men of their several Ages from Moses upwards as well as from Moses downwards Did he not speak in Enooh the seventh from Adam in Noah in Abraham Isaac Iacob Lot and Iob who lived before Moses if Catholick Tradition be to be Credited in one thing as well as another and whose Book who ever Pen'd it whether himself or some other for ought thou knowest was written before Mosâ—s who thou thinkest wrote the first of the Scripture either lived or wrote and by them who were upright righteous just and walked with God to the wicked unrighteous Worldlings and wantons who walked with the Devil in their Generations who all were before Moses as well as by Moses and those that lived after him 2. Why sayest thou downwards to the Consignation and Bounding of the Canon in Ezra's days as if between his dayes and the dayes of Christs flesh the Spirit of the Lord was straitned as it never is Mic. 2. and God had limitted and bound up himself from manifesting his mind cut of his own mouth to any men at all for so many Hundred years together because some Prophets had been moved by him to commit to Writing or at least to permit to be Written by others some few of those things they saw and said concerning partly their own and partly the after times and other Nations Doth not Wisdom say of her self That in all Ages entering into holy Souls she maketh them friends of God and Prophets Wisd. 7.27 And were there no Holy men of God in those dayes wherein ye imagine all Gods speaking in and by any Prophets then was ceased in and by whom he manifested his Mind as he moved them to speak and write as immediately as he had done others before them And who told thee That the Canon as thou call'st it or full standing Rule of Tryal or infallible Touch-stone of the Old Testament Scripture to which nothing must or might be added after it till the time of Christ in the flesh was Compleated and after its Consignation and Bounding by them delivered to the Judaical Church in the dayes of Ezra alias Esdras and his Companions the men as of your own heads ye are pleased to term them of the great Congregation Whence hast thou these fancies of thine Or suppose they be not simply Suppositions but real Truths whence dost thou fetch or take them to be so but from the untrusty-Traditional-Tales of thy Forefathers and such Iewes as are little lesse then unerring Oracles with thee when saying ought that suits with thee yea thou callest pag. 203. the Assertion of Iustin Martyr of the Iewes corrupting the Bible out of their hatred to Christians An Incredible Figment yet little better but much worse then ordinary Infidels men feeding themselvns with vain fables desperate cursed Opposers of Truth mischievous in their devices against the Gospel of a profound Ignorance in all manner of Learning and Knowledge but only what concerns their own Dunghil Traditions addicted to monstrous Figments bewitching bewitched with Traditions Idolaters Magicians blind crafty raging fools sets full of deceitfulness froth venome smoke nothing but faithlesnesse and infidelity it self what not that 's nought where any thing issues from their most Catholick Testimony that makes against thee Pag 241.242.244.303 Yea whence knowest thou who art easily apt to Question when it serves thee so to do whether there ever were such men as the 70. and such men as the Tiberian Massorites in Rerum Natura pag. 243.336 that ever there was such a thing in Rerum Naturâ as that Great Congregation thou art every where in thy Book so greatly taken with and ever and anon betaking thy self to for Refuge but only from thy putting more confidence in thy own uncertain Conjectures together with the Catholick Tradition of the with thee creditlesse Iewes and Christians then in the Conjectures of the Prolegomenâ as Learned as thy self at least who oppose thee in it For there 's not so much as any Scripture at all that mentions such a set Sanydrim of Ezra Nehemia Ioshua Zacharia Haggai c. as thou settest it down in the Book of thy own Brain and the Counting-house of thy own conceit that there was pag. 302.303 And let it be as it can be no more then imagined there was such a great Congregation which it being as not possible to know it so nor here nor there to mine or any mans Salvation I 'le not search into so far as to put my self into any Capacity of either saying or gain saying it that there was and to ground any as I. O. does many things upon its being so as he but thinks is as he sayes in another case pag 293. to build Towns and Castles of Imaginations which may be as easily cast down as they are erected yet when all 's done whence had that Sanydrim such Authority as to confine and bound out that Canon and Canonize some of the Writings of such Prophets as ye wot are Canonical and Cashiere the rest of the Writings of the same Prophets and all the Writings of some other Prophets as of no such divine Authority as to Command with their fellows in Gods Name as his Word and to abrogate them as Apocryphal as ye speak and disband them from the bench of Iudicature and to bind the sweet Influences of the holy Spirit so as to say O Spirit of God be silent now blow no more nor make any more Prophets now for these many hundred years to come but become subject thy self to be tryed by the Touchstone of the Writings of such Prophets as thou hast already moved to write Gods Mind or so many at least as it seems good to us now to Authorize and Establish into a standard for the Tryal of thy self as well as all false Spirits And if I. O. say as he does pag. 303. That was not called the Great Congregation from its Number but Eminency of Persons yet I say are any Persons so Eminent if I.O. be not a Lyar pag. 35. as to have Authority from God to Authorize and Canonize casting aside what they like not what seems good to them into the Name to bespeak I. O in his own feigned phrase of the Word of God that they themselves must be subject to the Authority of and of the Rule that themselves must be Ruled by and of the Foundation that themselves and all others must be built on and of the Basis of their own belief It is indeed quoth I.O. pag 35.36 a Contradiction for men to say and if for other men then for I.O. say I who sayes the same yet sees it not They give Authority to the Scriptures they Bound the Canon and deliver to the Church what it shall be which it hath antecedently to their Charter and Concession And again Moreover to say the same of his supposed Sanydrim that I O sayes to the digrading
beleef and acknowledgement of the truth habitually and were thereby inabled to declare it and from thence did declare it accordingly as in the wisdome of the Spirit they saw it serviceable and as by it they were moved so to do I am not ignorant that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divinely inspired and as so infallible and acted born carried by the holy Spirit in what they spake and wrote about which matters what a mighty marvelling and hideous ditty and wonderful deal of Do doth J.O. make in his muddy minde of which since he is so amazed that any such matter should be so much as pretended to in those dayes I may likely speak more particularly in another place But what of all this because they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moved by the holy Spirit in what they did will it therefore follow they were meerly passive in their work without any such active obedience as was in the light required of them and without any exercise at all save such as was passive of their rational faculties therein without being inabled by any habitual light c. or use of their own understanding wisdome memories or the like in any writings of what they so wrote as if they actively entred no more than stocks and stones into the services they were set on work in surely though they were instruments and organs into which the Word was brought by the Spirit as they waited on the Lord for the revelation and manifestation of it to them yet they were living organs and instruments not only 〈◊〉 to the natural but also to that supernatural or spiritual life of God the things of which they wrote and declared and so were as it were subordinate efficients and inferiour Agents concurring by the use and exercise of their reason and rational faculties which grace and the Spirit of God perfects heightens and delivers from the defects therein contracted by transgression and doth not destroy And howbeit I deny not still but that the Prophets that pend any Scripture were passive as I said before in the reception of the minde of God manifested to them in the light so far as the receiver of a gift is to the giver from whom he can command nor have nothing unless it be given him and were no otherwise active than as beggars who are not to be chusers waiting at the door of wisdom and on God in the light within to see what he will give and in order to the obtaining it yet when the light and word was given out they were so far active so all are not whereupon many go without it as waiters are when they receive what is given and also far active as according to the measure of the gift of grace or knowledge received when the Spirit moved them so to do to go forth and minister either by preaching or writing or what way they found their call to serve in some one way some another and every individual sometimes one way sometimer another as Paul said Rom. 12.6 7. Having gifts differing according to the grace given whether prophesis let us prophesie according to the proportion of faith i.e. each his own proportion and measure not as you Divines who have a common Analogy of faith or stock of unsavoury Divinity among you according to which ye Minister or Ministry let us wait on our Ministring or he that teacheth on teaching or exhorteth on exhortation c. which things whether done by voice or writing is all one they were not to do but as the Spirit moved or acted them yet in both were they not only acted by the Spirit but subordinately active with him in those several ministrations as good stewards of the manifold grace of God speaking ministring whether in speech or Scripture as the Oracles of God in all faithfulness which is required in stewards 1 Cor. 4.1 2. 1 Pet. 4.10 11. who though it is their Master that doth all supremely by them and acts by them and speaks and writes and manages all affairs by their Ministration as the Spirit of the Father doth in his Saints and Children yet by his power and the gift of his grace received in the juncture and very period of receiving of which they were passive they concurred actively in the work of writing as the Saints do in the working out of their own salvation when God hath once wrought in them to will and to do of his own good pleasure Phil. 2.13 14. so that of the most immediate Writers of the Scriptures from the mouth of God it might be said as it is of all Saints Licetnec per se operantur nec aequaliter co-operantur yet aliqualiter saltèm etiam activè concurrunt cum causa operante they wrought and wrote neither wholly of themselves nor equally with the Spirit yet even actually concurred with him in the act of writing so as a pen or musical instrument doth not which is not subjectum capax a subject capable to act or move actively in the works of man any more than a stone can concur actively to the throwing of it self And being though but organs or instruments as thou sayest the Prophets were into whom the words they wrote were brought yet sith living organs or instruments alive to God by participation of his divine nature to the things of that life and nature they were consequently active organs and instruments and subordinate Agents and efficients and as well willingly acting as acted therein in the day of Gods power wherein his people are a willing people as dead organs and instruments cannot be For sith vita est Actus corporis organici quatenus organicum life of every kinde is no less than an Act or operative power of every thing that hath it to act or work such actions as are agreeable to its nature the life of God in such as by the light of Christ in whom is the life and whose life is the light of men Joh. 1.2 3. Joh. 12. are led and born thereunto is an Act or spiritual operative power to do and perform such actions as are suitable to man before he dyed by transgression and according to the will of God revealed as posita anima in corpore organico quâ tali sequitur vita posita vitâ sequitur operatio motio c. naturalis so posito spiritu in animâ recipiente sequitur vita actio spiritualis So the holy men that wrote the Scripture as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. inspired and moved by the holy Spirit which brought the truth unto them he pressed them to write were not according to J. O's vain figment of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acted and hurried like some stone thrown or pen handled which is meerly and only passive in what is done but acted as all Saints are in their measures to that of writing his truth or any
the house then some light from the Sun must be within the said Room also so wee argue Retro from hence If the dark place where the day is to dawn as the lesser light therein is observed be the heart then the place wherein the lesser light shines which even therefore secundum vâ—s O ye bâ—nighted ones cannot be the Letter must be the heart also but verum prius c. the first is true therefore the latter We have a more sure word of Prophesie to which ye do well to give heed as to a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts 2. The word of Prophesie or Prophetical word is a phrase that of it self seems to any but blinde Expositors to intend another thing than the outward Letter and to found forth no less then that more inward Word or immediate Testimony of Christ himself in the conscience elsewhere stiled the Words of Prophesie or Word of God and Witness or Testimony of Iesus or Spirit of Prophesie from which of which and to which the holy men that were internally illuminated thereby and made acquianted with Gods secrets bare Record or Testiminy without by Voice or Writings Rev. 1 2 3.19 10. the trâ—e and faithful words of the Lord himself inlightning such as wrote the Letter who having no need so to do the Lord and the Lamb being their light wrote not by though not against the Directory of I.Os. outward Candle Moon or Sun ad extra i.e. the external Text of others Writings Rev. 21.23 22.25.6 the Words of the Prophesie of this booke as Iohn calls it Rev. 22 8. i.e. the inward Spirit of Prophesie or Testimony of Iesus from which all Prophesie went forth whether by voice or writing which the Angels and Gods servants the Prophets had and kept Rev. 22 9 compared with Rev. 19.10 which book I.O. dreams 't is like was the outward Writing or Copy that Iohn gave forth the uncertain Copies of which to say nothing of the doubts of the old dimn sighted Doctors that were at oddes about the outward Book called the Revelation and some others even of those that are owned as Authentick whether they are not spurious yea or nay only are extant at this day little deeming that was an inward Book which I.O. tells us of too if he will own his own words p. 9. 25. which Iohn took in at first from which he gave out the the other and prophesied in the way of manual wiriting even the inner book of Gods secrets which are only with such as fear him revealed to Christ by the Father and by Christ to Iohn and opened by Christ to his servants at this day who eat it and prophesie out of it again before many Peoples Nations Tongues and Kings though sealed with 7 seals to the Scribes on the backside or outside of it on which backside or outward letter they are busily poring but they cannot read it neither learned nor unlearned because it is a Book sealed Rev. 5.3.10.2 9 10 11 12. Isa 29 9 ao 11 11. 3. That very Epethite which to the Word of Prophesie here spoken of is annexed doth even infallibly evidence it to be intended of that inner Word Spirit and light in the conscience which the Qua. call too and thou scoffest at and not at all of that fallible external Text which thou art so talkative for for it s called a sure permanent firm or stable Word which is more then can be saving all thy blinde bable about it asserted of the best and most original Copies of that Letter thou contendest for that are extant in the world in these dayes and not only so but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more sure or stable word then that voice which Peter Iames and Iohn heard immediately from heaven out of the Fathers own mouth concerning his beloved Son Christ the light of the world given as a light to the Nations shining and shewing the will of God to them in every one 's own heart so Gods salvation to the ends of the earth saying unto them Hear ye him v. 17. comp with Mat. 27.5 which voice coming from the excellent glory which was infallibly sure to them no cunningly devised fable they heard when they were with Christ in the holy Mount Now the Word Spirit voice and light of Christ in the conscience is properly and truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more stable firm and permanent Word or standing Rule constant Canon and lasting light and so more sure to us ward then that voice to them not surer in respect of its evidence to the hearers of it or the security given by it that it was no fable nor fancy in which sense thou most foolshly fanciest p. 66. that the immediate voice above said absit absurdum was not so sure i.e. not so certainly evident to be Gods voice as the Letter is certainly evident to be Gods Word for in that sense the said voice was to them that heard it most infallibly sure or evident so as nothing can bee surer to be God and I.O. in saying as he dotingly doth p. 66. that comparatively we have greater security from and by that written Word meaning the Scriptures or Writing for that is the Word written with all along such is his illiterate language then they had in and by that miraculous voice as he calls it and that the Scripture is more sure in respect of its giving out of its evidence to us then that voice of God was doth thereby absit blasphemia render the very voice of God himself whereby he spake in and to the Prophets that wrote the Scriptures to us less sure and certain more doubtful and questionable whether it might not be a mistake or no then the outward Writing or Text they wrote as it is transferred to our hands at this day through the hands of such a mighty multitude of fallible Transcribers none at all of which no not the first were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infallible or divinely inspired so that they could not in any thing mistake by his own confession p. 167. where I.O. confesses and grants also that it s known that failings have been among them from whence various lections of which it cannot be ascertained to men now which is right which wrong are arisen which so variously transcribed Scripture it is shame enough for I.O. to assert as he doth p. 10. under that term of Word by which he terms it and p. 153 under its own name of Scripture that it is come forth to us from God without the least mixture â—r intervenience of medium obnoxious to fallibility as is the wisdome truth integrity knowledge and memory of the best of all men or capable to give change or aâ—teration to the least Iota or syllable and more shame yet to say as hee doth p 27. that every Apex of it is equally Divine and as immediately from God as the voice wherewith or
Scripturarum c. Sect. 21. Haec summa horum hominum sententia Sect. 22. * Inter se distant Judaei Pontifices Fanatici Ex. 3. S. 2. Qui in rebus aliis omnibus diversissimè sentiant in hanc blasphemiam conspirent omnes S. 14. Perpetuo invicem digladiantur Pontificii atque Fanatici 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ex. 3. S. 2. Internecioni se mutuo devovent S. 3. Caeterum non iisdem rationibus ducti sed illi pro traditionibus bi pro Enthusiasmis atque Revelationibus suis tanquam pro aris focis contendentes atque ita non secus ac Sampsonis vulpeculae obversis Caudis ignitas faces in segetes Ecclesiae ferentes cuncti amicissimè è loco suo sacram Scripturam deturbate aggrediuntur S. 4. Eam a loco suo in Ecclesia depellere satagunt iisdem vestigiis insistunt Panatici nostrates quibus ad nequitiam hanc viam patefecerunt qui inter Pontificios spirituales dicuntur Ex. 3. S. 10 11. Adversus verbi sui hostes Ex. 3. S. 16. Contra quosvis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 S. 26. * As J.O. does in his late shuttling sheet of Answers to some Queries about Tythes * Ex. 1. S. 4. Non tantum Scripturas omni suâ Authoritate spoliare easque è loco suo mouere sed ipsum Christum Personalitate suâ atque divinâ existentiâ exuere hoc unico stratagemate intendunt conantur * De nomine Scripturae proprio contra Fanaticos nostrates c. I am to encounter our Fanaticks at present about the proper Name of the Scripture the part of the Question which is about the proper Name of the Scripture respects the Quakers Ex. 1. S. 12. * Ipsum Verbum Dei omnem ejus usum quod attinet penitus respuere c. Ex. 2. S. 27. * Apparet eos omni usu authoritate ac perfectione sacras Scripturas spoliare Ex. 3. S. 22. Nullt dubium esse possit quin si res eorum secundum vota successissent eas dudum penitùs rejectssent Ex. 3 S. 19. Utinam deleantur inquiunt Fanaticorum nonnulli ut omnes ad lumen illud quod in iis est attenderent magis Ex. 3 S. 13. * Ex. 2. S. 28. Enimvero si omnium seculorum omnium qui unquam extiterunt Christianorum experientia si ea quae ipsi vident spectant audiunt quotidie ullius apud eos ponderis essent aut momenti usum necessitatem fructum interpretationis Scripturarum per solennem verbi praedicationem expositionem viva voce aut scriptis factam negare verecundarentur spectemus utique utrumque gregem cùm illum qui verbo licet fruantur interpretatione ejus destitutus est tum illum qui una cum verbo Dei aliis etiam mediis cultus divini quae in verbi interpretatione plurimum consistant fruitur si modo ex fructibus arbor dignoscenda fit bona apparebit illa quae istiusinodi fructus cientiae Dei tulit quibus ubique progerminavit legitima Scripturae interpretatio * For every Prophet did not write down either all he said in his dayes nor all that which in writing is set down of his seeings and sayings doings sufferings with his own hands witnesse Jeremiah for whom Baruch wrote and who wrote the latter end of the 5 Books of Moses which ye dream he wrote every little and Iota of himself Deut. 34.5 to the end Did he write of his own Death and Burial and of Israels Mourning for him after he was dead * Pag. 3. So Ex. 3. S. 27. Post completum quem vacant ejus canonem nullae novae revelationes circa fidem coÌ„munem Sanctorum aut Dei cultum aut expectandae sint aut admittendae credimus prositemur * It seems then thy Word of God so called may be and was corrupted i.e. the Scripture secundum te who sometimes sayest it can't be corrupted in its Original Text and is not to this day But were it the Word of God indeed as that is it speaks of and as thou sayest it self is it were incorruptible indeed * Mark The Salvation of God was Common to all men then however it s now Impropriated by the Personal Electionists unto themselves * See I. O's words pag. 13. Hebraea Volumina nec in Vnica dictione corrupta invenies Citing Pagn and Matth. 5.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And Pag. 316. 317. Speaking of the bare Copies of the Scripture Doth not our Saviour himself affirm quoth he of the Word that then was among the Jewes that not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sof it should passe away or perish Where let not the Points but the Consonants themselves and their Apices be intended or alluded to in that Expression yet of that Word which was Translated by the 70. according to this Hypothesis not only Letters and Tittles but Words and that many are concluded to be lost And say I Speaking not of Translations all of which I.O. seeks to prove deficient from Pag. 320. to Pag. 344. See it at large in above 24 Pages together but of the Original Text it self which he Pleads the Entirenesse and Integrity of without loss to a Tittle that upon this Hypothesis that all the fore-mentioned Books are lost not only Points and Consonants and Apices and Letters and Tittles and Iotaes but Words that many yea Books and that many are contrary to his Arch-Assertion concluded to be utterly lost * Though this I consesse which makes little for J.O. but much against him where he talks as one that meddles with what 's out of his reach of Gods putting every word so into their mouths and speaking by them in every Tittle they wrote that somethings in Pauls Writings he as himself sayes spake and not the Lord 1 Cor. 7.12 * Though I affirm it is not from Laodicea were it truly rendered being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 4.16 which Arias Montanus renders more rightly Quae est Laodicensium or Quae est Laodiceae the Epistle which belongs to the Laodiceans or is of or to Laodicea * Quid vero cum iis agamus qui adeo infeliciter stupidi sunt ut nulla ratione nec experientia c. Dicat quod quisque volet ex hâc Opinione non dimovebimur Ex. 2. S. 28. * Hoc Nâ—men viz. Verbum Dei Proprium sibi Vendiâ—at Scriptura I. O. Ex. â— S. 1 2 3 26 27. * For shall we Think quoth he Pag. 168. and so on many pages c. * Pag. 240. Whilst they keep the Scripture we shall never want Weapons out of their own Armory for their Destruction Like the Philistims they carry the Weapon that will serve to cut off their own heads quoth I O. of the Iewes and I of himself and his fellow Students * Quamvis enim ex justo Dei Iudicio sermo eis non est unicus imo ita sunt inter se confusi ut vix intelligant alter sermonem
coverings of their Idols and to slain the pride of all their fleshly performances and to 〈◊〉 no pleasure on their best observations and oblationâ—s and to snuff at their sacred services as at a stinking smeak coming up into his nose and to turn the songs of their Temples into howlings and to cause children to oppress them and very women to rule over them and to stir up the babes and the base ones to behave themsâ—lves boldly against the honourable and antient and to cut off both the head and the tail of a people even the antient and honourable Rulers which are the head and the Prophet that teacheth lies which is the tail and to spreadâ—dung upon their faces and that 's more than a mans breech upon a Pulpit Pillow even the dung of their sâ—lemn meetings and to sweep both one and t'other away together and in short to throw no less then shameful spuing upon all their glory Doth this offend you that the servants of the Lord are now made signs so far as to sit covered in your Mass-houses in reproof of your singing Davids Psalm with Sâ—uls spirit in such Meeter as I. H.T.S. Q. Elizabeths Fidlers have moulded them into and in â—uch manner as some Priest Clark or Sexton sayes them lineatim by a line at a time before you O Lord I am not puft in mind I have no scornfulâ—ye all â—he night loâ—g wash I my Bed and much more to the same Tune wherein most of your people mock God and sing more lyes to him than tâ—uths whilest they are as houghâ—y and scâ—râ—ful as ere they can look and o far from making their Beds swim and their eyes gush out with tears for sin that they rather are both full of daily Adulteries and defiled with nocturnal uncessant uncleannesses and pollutions Does this offend you that a man should sit and few upon a Cushion in rebuke of youâ— sottish ignoâ—ance who limit the Lords day which is an everlasting holy Sabbath or ceâ—ation from all mans own words works thoughts and pleasures typiâ—ed by the seventh day which ye now confeâ—s is no more holy than another within the narrow lists of one day of the seven and not the seventh neither which God instituted for a time but the first onely as if ye were then onely and on the fasts of your own appointment for a day bound to serve God in some certain outward shewes and then at liberty to serve lust self flesh sin and the Devil all the week beside Doth this offend you that as an Ecce signum any true Prophets Tayl should come neer the sâ—ft Cushion over which the Prophets that teach lyes who are the Tail lean and lye talk for money and do their business in order to the getting in of their gain from their quarters and follow their calling twice oâ— thrice a week and work upon their Tâ—ade which unless they would come freely to give what freely they have received and speak more truth than they do is not half so honest as that of a Taylour sewing of a garment Do these small matters which yet as despicable as they are in your own eyes are of more moment to you than ye are aware of offend and occasion you to stumble O ye Priests what if ye should â—ee men made to go naked and sit naked upon your Plush-Pulpit-Cushion and annoy them with very Dung before you for a Sign to a seemingly Saint-like seed of Serpents whose own righteouâ—neâ—s which they count gain is as very dung in the sight of God such a one would be a greater stumbling-stone in thy eyes T.D. and of thy offended fellows yea behold ye despisers and wonder and perish such works and strange acts as these is the Lord working in your dayes the mystery of which ye can in â—â—wise believe though ever and anon done in the sight of 100ds yea how have many been pressed in Spirit to pass naked into your Mass-houses and streets in Cities and Towns and to do what ye deem defilement as signs from the Lord to shew the nakedness and stark-stinking shamelesness of this most impiously impudent and impenitent generation of professing Priests and People who are apparently as richâ— Landicâ—a herâ—self in letter and increased with goods and needing nothing of Christs own councel light in their own consciences not knowing thâ—mselves to be poor and wretched and miserable and blind and naked And yet all this and much more no more than was done at the Lords command of old by the Prophet which was a fool and the spiritual man that was mad in the eyes of the blind Priesthood of that age wherein he lived witness Isaiah who went naked and bare-foot three years for a sign and wonder to Egypt and Aethiopia Isa. 20. And Ieremy who brake a Bottle in Tophet in token that the Lord would make Iudah as Tophet Jer. 19. 1 10 12. and put bands and yoaks on his own neck and sent yoaks to several Kings as a sign of the slavery they should come into Jer. 27. And Ezekiel who was dumb and bid to eat and drink with quaking and trembling to mingle his Bread with Mans Dung and made to mingle it with Cow Dung in the sight of Israel as a sign of that defiled polluted bread they should eat among the Gentiles and to burn a third part of his Hair and smite a third part of it with a Knife and scatter a third part of it with the Wind and bind a small part of it in his skirts to shew the famine sword and dispersion of Israel and salvation onely of a few Ezek. 3 c. 4. c. 5. and dig a hole in his house and remove his stuff in their sight Eze. 12. And Hosea that was bid to love an Adulteress and a Harlot T. D. Another example as thou callest it as Remarkable as this Thou sayest was in Christ-Church Octob. 6. 1659. where on a Day of publique Thanks-giving the Parliament L. Major Aldermen Common Councel and Officers of the Army being met together to hear Dr. Homes Mr. Caryl appointed by the Parliament to preach before them two Qua. made a great disturbance in the very presence of Authority Rep. By the humane Authoâ—ity it seems of the Parliament themselves two Ministers of mans making were appointed to preach before them and by the Divine Authority and Power of God himself two of his sending were appointed and pressed in Spirit to bespeak them in his Name to another purpose then that of those of their own chusing for whereas they had chosen to themselves such as should Prophecy to them not Truth nor right things but deceits and such smooth things as were pleasing and suitable to their dainty Dreams thanksgiving-thoughts sweet sacred solemnities fained festivities vainly hoped self-promised unities of that joyful day the Lord had chosen Seers who saw beyond all this and divined a storm through all theâ—e their Idol-coverings draw near upon them but to these Seers and Prophets they
found all their faith upon in the business of eternal consequence which is no better then the uncertain thoughts conceits and conjectures of men about shapes of Letters Points Iota's I was contrary to my own first intentions carried forth to such prolixity in this matter wch I conclude in this manner Where the foundation of the faith is utter uncertainty there the faith can be according to I.O. no more then meer fancy and uncertainty But so are the Points as to their Original and so are the Transcript Copies of the Original Text as to its entirenesse and integrity I appeal to I. O's own Book and all rationall Readers of it and mine which Points and Text are by I.O. and his School fellows made the Canon Rule Guide Touchstone Standard and sure foundation p. 154. 155. of all that faith and obedience which God requireth at their hands Therefore their faith toward God as yet is no more then meer fancy and uncertainty The Third Apologetical and Expostulatory Exercitation CHAP. I. THough much more might be said I.O. to many of thy matters behind mentioned yet having sufficiently swept away sundry of thy Figments and false Aspersions of the Qua. in vindication of them and turned thy lyes in plain English upon thy self which thou laidst in Latine upon them about their rejecting of the Scriptures and taken some useful notice of the bounds and first constitution and consignation of that ye call your Canon and of what thou foolishly and falsly affirmesâ— of the Hebrew punctation of the Bible and the entireness of the Text to a tittle as at first I shall come to some consideration of many more of thy cloudy crooked conceptions of it and of those many false tales whether not as much to the dishonoring of it in truth as to the honoring of it in pretence sith thou placest it unduely in the Throne of Christ let the Reader judge thou very confidently tellest for Truth of the Scripture it self which seeing thou art first appearing in the field against the Qu who are its true friends my business who appear also for it as well as thee and to state it in as high Authority as Salvá Christi ipsius eminentiâ it may honestly stand in without High Treason to the Supremacy Crown and Dignity of Christ and his Light and Spirit will lye mostly in reducing it from that Throne and supream Seat of Judicature on which thou set'st it utterly against the will of Christ revealed in it into its due place of a subordinate servant in the Church where as a Writing it summons all to come to him the Light the onely Iudge Lord and Law-giver that 's able to save and destroy who by his Light sits in the conscience of all to try all for life or death searching the heart and reins to give to every one according to their wayes works and fruit of their doings and tâ—en what thou displacest will stand all in its due rank and proper order Thy Grand Assertion then of the Scripture unto which all almost of the other that thou predicatest of it is as it were but subordinate and some of it subservient to the proof of as also it is subservient to the proofe of some of that whereof yet some is so promiscuously in such a confused way of mingle mangle treated out that one can't tell well whether it be proprounded in proof of the Scriptures being the Word of God or the Scriptures being the Word of God is made demonstrative of that yea the same things are sometimes interchangeably praedicated in mutual proof of each other For to prove the Scripture to be the Word of God thou urgest its self evidencing efficacy and power and to prove it to be living efficacious and powerful thou urgest it s being so from places that speak onely of the Word of God not the Letter of it and many more such like ratelled pieces of proof there are in thy unhewn handy-work But I say the Grand Assertion thou prosecutest the proof of thorowout thy first English Treatise and much what in the first Exerâ—itation is this viz. that as to Name and thing the Scripture properly is THE WORD OF GOD And having hous'd it under this high title and in thy own crooked conceit of it crouded it by fowl more then fair means and by force of Arms as I may say more then force of honest Arguments under the starely Canopy of that super-eminent Compellation thou afterwards callest it on that account many things more so much as one of which it is not yea consequently any thing every thing that the Word of God it self alone and not the Scripture truly is and by right onely is to be called First then thou I.O. affirmest of the Scripture the Letter of it that it is the Word of God in esse Reali in esse cognoscibili i.e. not onely so but known so to be and that as to name and thing i.e. That as in its nature it truly and properly is so so that glorious title of the WORD of God is its own due Right true proper Name which the Qua. denying to it and seeking to draw it in discrimen nominis into a difference in name from do no less then divest and spoil the Scripture of its proper Name And this thou sayest Ex. L.S. 2 3 is the work which the Quakers rejoice at that it is committed to them by Satan for which onely thou takest them to do as if thou hadst no more to do with them nor they with thee then de Scripturae nomine proprio as thou there speakest and as if the Qua. did yeild the Scripture to be the Word of God and had nothing against its being so as to its proper nature and yet would not endure to allow it to be called by its own proper Name that is most answerable to its own Nature Rep. Not too fast at first Friend least what thou writest in haste thou come to repent by leisure Thou mistakest thy self very much as to thy busie busling with the Qua. who may possibly find thee more work then thou art aware of before they whom thou beginst to lash and lash out against in thy Latine Cover-Cloath have done with thee They seeke not meerly to bring the Scripture to which they ever allow its own proper name in discrimen nominis back to its own Name from those many new-found-names not due to it but to the Word it s the Writing of from which Word in the Night your Fore-fathers have stole them to stile it by but also in discrimen Rei to manifest it to be what it really is and no more then what it is to you and others who not onely call it but count it to be what it truly is not The Qua. are not such Idiots yet as to rob any things as you do many of their own proper Names nor so foolishly Fanatical and Fantastical as to spend their time in inanibus logomachijs or
again when they have done yet was it a gift obtained in the way of such active obedience to God as by the said Law or light of God in the heart men stand obliged to and to be coveted and desired and was given in a certain way that ye are so far out of that ye hate it of holy waiting on God and learning of him alone in silence in all subjection in order thereunto for which work there are now as there were of old but those are not Oxford and Cambridge Vniversities as it were Schools and Nurseries of young Prophets at Iericho and Bethel alias by interpretation the House of God where Truth and true Wisdom and true Religion was and is learnt as truly and fully as it is falsly taught or rather fully and universally forgotten at our now Vniversities or Nursing-mothers of that Wisdom and Religion from beneath which is but earthly sensual or animal and deceitful See 2 K. 2.7.15 2 King 6.1 2 K. 9.1 yea in order to Gods manifestation of himself to men in such wise as he will not to World that lyes in wickedness it 's required that men keep his commandments so far as they are made known already in the light in the conscience Ioh. 14 and seperate themselves from the sensual ones that have not the spirit and not together with them from the truth Prov. 18.1 2. and that they come out of all that defileth and become holy for no defiled thing falls into Wisdom but in all ages this as well as any of old though ye own none to be now in rerum natura entring into holy souls she maketh them friends of God and Prophets Wisd. 7.23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. But the reason why so few Priests are ever made true Prophets is because for the most part they are more prophane then other people from of old and much more now insomuch that as heretofore I mind at present but two of all that numerous Tribe Race and Party of Priests that the Jewish Church was fill'd with that became Prophets viz. Ieremiah and Ezekiel Ier. 1. 1. Ezek. 1.3 So now velduo vel nemo of all sorts of persons few or none of our Academical Levitical Race of Rabbiâ—s arrive to so much honour and happiness as to become obedient to the Faith yet so far many of them came in the primitives times notwithstanding I can't find that ever any of them commenced Prophets Evangelists or Apostles much less are many to be found so highly graduated as to become such in the true Church or School of Christ at this day they are not upon the Tower upon their Watch toward the Light They hearken not with Habbakkuk to what God saith in them Hab. 2.1 They stand not in the Lords counsel nor receive the word from his own mouth but as the false Prophets of old Ier. 23. in which respect they were false Prophets that profited not at all and such as God was against though speaking true words they steal the word they speak out of the true Prophets Writings whom God sent and spake to when he neither sent nor ever said the same unto them and so run crying Thus saith the Lord as ours do hear the Word of the Lord as you shall find it in such a Text such a Chapter such a Verse when they never heard God's voice at any time themselves nor saw his shape They hate and fight against Gods own counsel the Light in the Conscience which would lead them to purity in their own persons and so never come to see much less to shew his Secret which is onely with them that fear him Psal. 25. whose sear which is the beginning of Wisdom is to depart from the evil which the light discovers and so as none can bring a clean thing out of an unclean so none can receive much of a clean thing into an unclean But as Isaiah who was of unclean lips had his lips first toucht and his iniquity taken away before he was sent of Gods errand Isa. 6. And Ieremiah was sanctified to the work of Prophesie Ier. 1. So there must be more Holiness of Truth found among their Holinesses the Pope and all the Priests and Praters for pay thorowout all Christendom before they know how to prophesie themselves or tell truly as much as they are found from the Text of their Transcripts tatling to the World of what they know not how and in what manner Gods Prophets prophesie Thou addest I.O. pag. 6. That in writing they were not enabled by any habitual light knowledge or conviction of Truth to declare Gods mind and will but onely acted as they were immediately moved by him their hand in what they wrote was no more at their own disposal then the Pen in the hand of an expert Writer And p. 23. That no rational Apprehensions had any place in their Writing And p. 25. That this was the first spring of the Scripture and beginning of its emanation from the Counsel of God it was brought by the Power of the Holy Ghost into its Organs and Instruments us'd for the Declaration of it and that it was not left to their understandings wisdoms minds memories to order dispose and give it out But that they were born acted moved to write all and nothing but that to every tittle that was so brought to them And that they invented not words themselves but the words were immediately supplyed to them and that in writing they were but passive instruments for the reception and representation of words And that every Apex of the written Word i.e. Writing secundum te was as immediately from God to the writers as his voice in the Prophets p. 26 27. And p. 7. That they were but as an Instrument of Musick giving a sound according to the hand onely of him that strikes it Rep. These things are false being written by thee of all the Writings and first Writers of the Scripture universally as they are without exception and distinction for so indistinct and confused art thou in thy delivery of thy mind about the Bible that though it be a Bulk of Heterogeneous Writings compiled together by men taking what they could find of the several sorts of Writings that are therein and trussing them all up into one Touch-stone crouding them into a Canon or Standard for the trial of all Spirits Doctrines Truths and by them alone Yet thou speak'st so Homogeneously of it as if whatever can be predicated of any may be as properly predicated of it all yea whatever thou sayest falsly of the Writing thou denominatest the self-same of it all and every Apex and Tittle yea every Tittle and Iota with thee is no less then the Word of the great God wherein the â—ternal concernment of souls lyes p. 168 169. And so every part of it a Rule and the perfect Rule for so 't was with thee when there were none but Moses five Books and 't is but so with thee now so much
is added So every Apex equally Divine and as immediately from God as any of it yea and as the voice whereby he spake in the Prophets pag. 27. But I say as written by thee so universally of the Writers and meer Writing of the Scriptures as they are they are for the most part as false as that foregoing and that I have said above concerning the Writing of much of the Scripture at first as it stands in your Bibles by Scribes that wrote either out of other Copies or from the mouths of men more immediately inspired or from what was commonly reported and generally believed and what they had heard as delivered to them by more immediate eye and ear witnesses and what they retain'd in their memories and some way or other comprehended beforehand may stand as a sufficient Answer to this parcel also wherein according to thy wonted habitual darkness ignorance and contradiction to the Truth thou deniest the Pors-men and holy Prophets in their Writings to be enabled to declare and write what they wrote by any habitual light knowledge or conviction of the Truth As if they wrote what they neither saw nor heard nor knew nor believed to be true but besides all sight and understanding discerning mental conception meditation Rational Apprehension Faith or any manner of Antecedent comprehension of the truths they told as if they were all acted and us'd in the Writing of every Tittle by the Lord just no otherwise but as a Musical Instrument in a man's hand or the Pen itself by an expert Writer which can yeeld no more then a meer passive concurrence having no principle of life within it self from whence to act any thing at all or to move a hairs breadth in any business but as it 's mov'd or as some stark dead Corps which can neither stir nor stand but as extrinsecally born up and carried forth because deest aliquid intus Whereas as I have shew'd above some of them wrote not by immediate inspiration or bringing of the things into their minds so by the spirit but mediately that is from the mouths or writings of such as received the truths more immediately as they were inspired wrote as they also spake no other things then what by some means or other they beforehand comprehended no other then what they heard and saw and believed and retained in their minds and memories whereinto the spirit of truth and the truths he guided them into which the world receives not were both received conceived and entertained yea and I here add no other then such as in the same light were more or less seen known understood and believed before any Scripture at all was though 't was by the same way then which I know no other that the Scripture speaks of of knowing God or Christ viz of internal spiritual Revelation Matth. 11.27 Ioh. 6.47 1 Cor. 2.9 10 11 12. Gal. 1.16 Did Paul believe or witness or write any other things when he wrote with his own hands what was immediately revealed in spired into him by the same holy spirit then what by the same spirit in which and no other way all the things of God are known and ever were holy men of God believed owned witnessed wrote and both in their Writings and Speakings acknowledged to be the truth see Act 24.14 26.22 23. 2 Cor. 1 13. 4.13 Did he write any other things then what they to whom he wrote might and did read elsewhere even in the light and spirit within themselves and did thereby acknowledge to be the truth And did not he himself before he wrote them in the movings of the spirit acknowledge them to be the truth himself And did he in the light in which he liv'd and saw them acknowledge them to be the truth and yet was not enabled by any habitual Light knowledge or conviction of the truth to declare them in writing as he did but wrote as one ignorant in the dark unbelieving and unconvinced of the truths he wrote and as senselesse unintelligently and passively without any active obedience to the spirit pressing him or yeelding any but a meer passive influence and concurrence of his rational faculties in the worker as a meer dead thing that is utterly devoid of all kind of life motion or principle of Action within it self and uncapable of any action at all or motion but as it is acted ab extra by some forensical force or compulsion as a Musical Woodden instrument or a pen by the hand of the writer what a weak crooked crazy piece of conception of Scripture in this of thine of which I may truly say there was not so much active concurrence of the rational faculties of the Scribes in their writing of the Scripture but there is as little in this of thine who writest as if all the Prophets of God that ever spake and wrote what of his minde they received from his own mouth by standing in his counsel and hearkning to what he said in them and waited on him to know and understand his will and word first that they might do it in the particular in their own persons and as moved or commanded in obedience to him declare it to others were absolutely and meerly as passive as Balaams Ass was whose mouth miraculously was opened and his minde indued with rational faculties supernatural to him as he was a Beast to Reason out the case with his unrighteous Master and to reprove the madness of that Prophet and as meerly passive in their work of Prophesie as Caiphas the High Priest was whose mouth was opened to speak truer than he was aware of and to prophesie of a thing out of his irrational faculties that was as high above the reach of the best rational faculties he had being a man degenerate from pure perfect reason and in the fall as fallen mans best reason is above the brute beasts of the field for as Herod and Pontius Pilate did with wicked hands the things that God before determined should come to pass fulfilling the Prophets words in slaying Christ little thinking they served the truth as they did in it as the Assyrian in the like case they meant not so nor did their heart think otherwise than to destroy Isa. 10.5 6 7. Act. 4.27 28. Act. 3.17 18. Act. 13.27 28 29. So that Priest with a wicked heart intentionally to counsel them to murther Christ had his mouth prepared to Prophesie a precious truth which as so he spake not of himself so as one that had the light knowledge or conviction of the truth but besides himself as the Ass in the other case Numb 22.28 29 30. Joh. 11.29 50 51 52 53. Joh. 10.14 Whereas most evident it is that the holy men of God who wrote any part of the Scripture by immediate inspiration with their own hands to let pass that which some wrote for and from them as dictated to by their mouthes were in the light sight knowledge prae-conviction comprehension
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
and admonish others according to Col. 3.16 which Text also thou understandest Ex. 2. s 13. and T.D. too p. 31. of his 1. Pamph. of the Scripture or Letter without and that the Word that Christ speaks to every man in his own heart and conscience whose voice and word and Gods word also his sheep hear and such as are of God when others do not cannot because they will not Joh. 8.43.47.10.26 27. is that which leaves without cloak or excuse in their sins Joh. 15 22. and that the Word that God by Christ the Light and Christ by his Spirit and Light in the conscience speaks is that which who so beleeves in and hears abides not in darkness or errour but comes to know the truth that sets him free from the law of sin and death and brings to life and who hears not or hears and beleeves not or receives not but rejects shall be judged by at the last day according to Joh. 12.46 47 48 49 50. this I do not deny for this is it and not the Letter here as it is sometimes used as the Lights instrument which was never in the heart how much less the letter chiefly only authoritatively exclusively of any other Revelation by the Spâ—riâ— and Light within aâ— thou spitteâ— it out to wâ—ich Letter yet pag. 87.83 86 87. thou â—o 〈◊〉 all those powerful properties which dive into the hearts coâ—scienceâ— and secret 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of men whether they ever saw read heard or heard of the Letter yea or nay Judges sentences them in themselves convinces tesâ—ifies conquers kills men converts builds up makes wise holy obedient ministers consolation in every condition to whom it is due and as thou sayest intending it of the Scripture which is peculiar only to the Light within the heart the Scripture speaks of guides teaches directs determines judges in and upon men in the Name Majesty and Authority of God also I deny not but the Word of Christ spoken by Christ himself in the conscience is that which is effectual to purge the conscience and cleanse the heart that it may bring forth fruit to God and the way accordin to Ioh. 15.3 where he sayes Now ye are clean through the Word that I have spoken unto you and according to that of Paul Eph. 5.26 who saith Christ cleanseth and sanctifieth by the washing of water through the Word and that of David Psal. 119 9. who saith that the means by which a young man may cleanse his way is by taking heed thereto according to Gods word which Word of God also he sayes vers 11. he had hid in his heart that he might not sin against God which inward Word of God that is so abundantly spoken of as I elsewhere shewed in that 119. Psal. that there is not past two of three among those 176. verses of it in which it is not mentioned as to iâ—s efficacy excellency usefulness profitableness and power under one name or other of either Testimonies Statutes Judgements Precepts Law Commandements c. all sounding out one and the same is stiled for it was not an outward Writing with mens hands he there means vers 72. The Law of Gods mouth and 88. the Testimony of Gods mouth intimating that which came more immediately from God to him in his heart then the Writings of Moses could do even out of his own mouth in him whom he and Habakuk 3.1 and all the Prâ—phâ—ts excepâ— the Word-stealers heard what he would say in them Ps. 85.9 Jer. 23.16 receiving from his mouth stood in his counsel the Light within That that Scripture Joh. 8. is true of Chriâ—ts words in what it speaks of them and the rest that are suitable to it I deny not but that either it or any of them by God or Christs words or saâ—ingâ— intend the Scriptures without at all much more altogether exclusively as thou talkest of the Word Spirit and Light within and the Revelation of minde and will of God thereby immediately in the heart this I utterly deny affirming that the internal Reveation of his minde to men by his own â—oice from his own mouth in their consciences is that which is mainly yea only and altogether intended in them yea and in some not to say all of them exclusively rather of the Scriptures as which indeed are not the Word or Words that are declared to effect those precious things but are only outward Writings of spiritually inspired men who witnessed its efficacy in themselves that declare those precious things which the inward Word effecteth And the like I respectively affirm and deny as concerning that other Text Jer 25.29 of thy own alledging where God saith of his Word it s a fire and a hammer that breaketh the Rocks in peeces denying it utterly to be meant of the Writings of the true Prophets out of which the false ones stole the words they preacht and then ran and said Thus saith â—he Lord declaring in his name when he never spake to them nor sent them when like the Scribes for all their telling things as the Word of the Lord as they read this or that in the Scriptures they had never as any time heard his voyce nor flood in his counsel nor received nor marked his words as coming out of his own mouth and affirming it to be meant of the Word of God ministred immediately by his own voice in the conscience which is said to be accompanied with the like mighty effects in the hearts of wicked sturdy proud haughty minded men that are likened to Mountains and Rocks against which the Lord comes in a way of terrible storms and thunderings which prepare his way 1 King 19 11 12 and to lofty Cedars of Lebanon and strong Oaks of Bashan Isa. 2.12 to the end in Psal. 29.3 4 5 6. c. where it is said The voice of the Lord is upon the great waters or peoples Rev. 1â— 15 The God of glory thundereth the voice of the Lord is powerful full of Majesty breaketh the Cedars divides the flames shakes the wilderness makes the â—lindes calve discovers the Forrests and that its of this and not the Letter which men steal nad call the Word is evident by the verses about it where the Lord declares himself to be against the Prophets that steal and tell and sell what they read in the true Prophets writings which they wrest according to their own dreaming thoughts into sinister senses and to tell lies and dreams and divinations of their own brain for truth which stoln ware though they vent the same word which they read in others writings not receiving and uttering as from Gods own mouth God calls but the vision of their own mouth and the Chaff which is nothing to the Wheat and not the other vers 21. Moreover as to the other of thy Texts I am yet in hand with viz. Jam. 1.2 1 Tim. 4.16 Heb. 4.12 Psal. 119.105 Isa. 55.10 11. All which thou urgest in proof of one and the
fruit only to himself so is our National Gospel Israel an empty Vine fruitful to themselves in temporals and in suâ— gerere in such spiritual also as their Religion lyes in viz. in empty forms of fastings prayings praâ—sings preachings singings of Davids Psalms with Doegs Spirit Text applauding Treatises talkings for Tithes multiplyings of Ministers of the Old Testament not of the Spirit but of the Letter that may labour soundly to the blowing out if they couâ—d tell how of the Qua. extolled light magnifyings of the maintenance for such Ministers as maintain themselvs out of Augmentations by the Impropriations of Kings Bishops Deans Chapters Lands Tenths first fruits and such Levitically legal â—molumenis far better than they are able to maintain either the true internal eternal Gospel which they are utterly ignâ—rant of or their own external Gospel either against the Qu. who maintain the true But utterly as fruitles to God as full of leaves and broad Shews wherein they flourish yea as barren as the figtree that God came three years together seeking fruit from and finding none for which the Word had long since gone forth effectually from the Lord but that intercession is yet made for it by the dresser of the Vineyard who digs and dungs it in hopes of somewhat but hath yet from it as small thanks for his great pains as the unskilful dressers not to say devourers of it have great thanks for their small pains Cut it down why cumbreth is the ground So what thou so pompously utterest I O. on behalf of the efficacy of the Letter in this particular as the All-sufficient All-accomplishing power of God in its self and to us ward to salvation and such like is nothing so nor doth any one of all Scriptures cited by thee in proof thereof evince any such thing they all excepting that in 2 Tim. 3. which as it may relate to an inward Scripture thou yet searchest not if intended of the outward yet not without the Light and Spirit within which said Light and Spirit thou still excludest and damnest down as detestable and no way needful to be so much as concurrent with the Scripture toward salvation as is shewed above intend no other Word or Light then that which is uttered and shines within in the eâ—rt Iam. 1.21 expresly speaks of the wording rafted there which is able to save the soul which 〈…〉 â—innate word for it s there put planted and sowed as his seed by the Lord himself some refuse and reject to walk by whose condemnation it is some receive it hear it mix it with faith in it beleeve in it to the salvation of the soul. In Joh. 17.20 Christ speaks of the same and not of any outward Scripture for by that word their word is intended the Word which they preached or held forth or testified to by their words in their preachings and writings as that which men were to come to hear and beleeve in and do till tâ—eir beleeving in which though they shâ—uld or do beleeve Historically the outward declaration as the Papists do the litteral declaration at this day with their heart and confess it with their mouths that the Lord Iesus was raised frâ—m the dead yet they perish and beleeve not on the Name of God savingly or to salvation Which Word is not the Letter nor their preachings but that which the Letter and their oral preachings testified to that it was nigh men in their hearts and mouths that they might hear and do it even the word of faith which they preached Compare Ioh 17.20 with Rom 10.8 9. Which word that they preached was not their Preachings or Writings or Scriptures but that which in their preachings and writings they called them to hear which was not a word without but the word nigh in the heâ—rt between which Words and Writings of the Preachers and Writers of the Scriptures and the Truth Faith Doctrine Light Gospel Holy matter which they preached and wrote of if our Divines couâ—d keep constant in distinguishing at all times as they do sometime they would come out of their conlusions wherein they are found jumbling things on heaps without heed into the clear understanding and comprehendings of the truth in their heads at least whether it may have place in their hearts and lives or no that is saving their being ashamed to own it from Babes and chusing rather to be ignorant then submit to be taught by them so often told them by the Qua. T D. sayes It s evident the Word spoken of Rom. 10.8 in the heart is the holy matters contained in the Scriptures the things contained there pag. 30 31. of his 1. Pamph. Rep. Who doubts of that But are not the holy matters one thing and the outward Letters that write of those matters another the things written of which the Scripture sayes are in the heart one thing and the Scriptures that write of those things another why then do you jumble these together as one in your blindly busie brains which are so bewitcht that ye either cannot or will not own that from the Qua. without crying out of them as deniers of the Scriptures to be the Word of God which your very selves are forced to confess to the Truth of For T.D. dances between within and without in the fore-named pages as if he could not well tell where to be nor what to say the Word of faith they preached is himself denies not from Col. 3.16 which I urged but that it was within the Colossians but yet because we say its within a light within he will needs say and so he had need or else he could not out word us it s the Letter without also the Word spoken of in the heart is meant quoth he of the holy matters contained 1. Declared of in the Scriptures which are say we the living Word Light Gospel c. and yet in the same page the Word spoken of is without or it is the Letter of the Scriptures quoth he also though at the beginning of the dispute upon that subject when I told him wee denied the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the outward writing or Letter written on paper with inke to be the Word of God himself p 26.1 Pamp. he denied the same with me saying You cannot beleeve us so simple surely as to affirm the Scriptures in that sense to be the Word of God but we mean the matter contained in the Writing c. And p. 30. When I said the Scripture is not the Word of God for that is within but the Scripture is without â—rging Rom. 10. The word is nigh thee in thy heart You read not all quoth he t is in thy mouth too so that it is without as well as within Rep. Oh gross what an absurdity is here as if that which is in the mouth of a man were not within but without him if T.D. should tell mee of a man that is no Monster that his
I shall hereunder shew both their voluntary calls to and commendations of their unjustly occasioned cautions about condemnations of this light of Christ in the Conscience of men when the Qua commend and call to it and set the one of these immediately under the other only premising this that whether they speak of the light which themselves call Christ which the letter holds sorth and testifies to or the light wherewith God shines and shews his will and mind in some measure in the hearts and minds of all men even Heathen Philosophers or others which we call Christs light though they do not we mean however they divide these no other but that one Law of God which the Letter is the Copy of which is spirituall holy just and good which T. D. confesses to be the Heathens Rule so far as is written in their hearts Christ the Light of the World and his light in the heart which the Scripture testifies of abundantly not any such thing as mans own thoughts wisdome imaginations inventions c. Which the Heathen became vain in Rom 1. which the Qua call all men out of and the Divines that lead men by no other are themselves yet led by more then any steering by nothing but their own many minds and meanings on the Scripture c. Some few calls to and Commendations of the light with Cautions to take heed to it collected out of many more that are in R. B. and I. T. his Book P. 68. It concerns us say they to take heed how we dote on our own reason or the most exact writers of morality and neglect the light which Christ hath brought into the World Let us be wise so to use Candles as not to burn day-light that we so make use of all the reason humane wisdome and virtue we have our selves or discern in others writings or examples that yet we chiefly eye and follow the grand light the Sun of righteousness the Lord Jesus learning him by studying the great Counsell of God which he revealed and denying our selves take up our Crosse and follow him as his Disciples Christ is to be chosen and followed as our Light An Exhortation to use Christ as our Light that was the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World be induced to imbrace and follow the Lord Christ as the great Light of the World besides the evidence out of Scripture to prove him to be sent from God a light into the World c. His sayings and doings do amply confirm it And p. 88. 89 they go on thus Though the Jewes contradicted and blasphemed the Romane Emperour raged Lucian jeered Libanism wrangled Iulian calumniated Papists corrupt Gnosticks Hereticks Fanaticks Quakers here they abominably bely the truth for the Quakers call all and only to the light of Christ adulterate and cloud the truth of Christ they do but pisse against the Sun the light of Christs Doctrine the truth of the Gospell doth and will shine forth nor can all the cavills say they of moderne Atheists or the dust raised by new Phantasticks take away the brightnesse of Christs light or hinder its enlightning others then themselves and shall we after all the Arguments given of Christs being the true light follow after ignes fatuos who these be but that fraternity who would have men follow their fancies and not Christs light in the Conscience which is that the Quakers call to I know not What reall comfort or spirituall help to holinesse or heavenly directions do they give to lead men to God better then Christ hath done May you not discern a vain glorious spirit a self-seeking proud carnall spirit in them what do their censures of others shew but a mind to extoll themselves their affected speech looks carriage but a desire to hide their falshood what do all the devices of Iesuits Popes and their Agents tend to but either by force or subtlety to set up the monstrous powers of the man of sin and their own domineerlng over mens consciences underhim â—aSenus recte quidem sed et etiam de te fabula O Parochialis Sacerdos What is in their conclave but pollicy in their counsell but deceit in their Iesuists and Casuists but jugglihg shall we go after such Masters and leave Christ Remember we that one is our Master even Christ when any shall sollicit us not to adhere to Christ as our Teacher reject them Christ hath warned you say they and so say I too as concerning any that lead forth from his light within therefore saith he go not forth after them nor follow them If any say low here is Christ or there and so do all Priests and Professors and their Teachers in their sundry forms and outward observations in which they look for the Kingdome which comes not in them believe it not We will not venture our lives upon Mountebanks and will we our souls upon deceivers Shall we follow our own conceits which often prove foolish and neglect Christs Doctrine which say we still is his teaching light and counsell in the Conscience which alwayes proves wise and safe no no let us answer as Peter Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternall life Alas what can we expect but if we follow blind leaders as all are that teach the things of God otherwise then Christ and his Apostles did who say I called all along to walk in the light within we should fall with them into the Ditch into everlasting perdition On the otherside there is so much plain and clear light in Christs doctrine as will guide our feet in the way of peace Away then with all such obtruded insinuating Teachers as indeavour to hide from us the light of Christ shining in his Doctrine recorded in Scripture Let 's say none but Christ none but Christ that Christ which preached dyed at Ierusalem that word of his which is written in my Bible of which the Bible testifies say I that its near in the heart to heare and do it shall be my light to the Testimony of Jesus which sayes tho Scripture is the spirit of prophecy the sure word of prophecy that as a light shineth in the dark place of the heart and is to be taken heed to to his Everlasting Gospell I stick So Bixt Ep. p. 7. speaking of the Qua Do they affirm that all men have the light of reason who denyeth it of any but Idiots and Infants Do they maintain that this light is from Iesus Christ both as the Authour and restorer of nature and by whom among us is this denyed Do they say that repaired or reprived nature may be fitly called grace about this also we have no mind to quarrell with them so they will not exclude supernaturall grace thereby as we do not but hereby conclude it Do they hold that common supernaturall light is given to many at least of the unsanctified c. and who contradicteth them in this Do
* Per spiritum aut lumen internum enthusiasmum afflatum caelastem colloquia Angelica ficta vel facta c. Ex. 3. s. 20 21. 25 28 29. * Heb. 5.12 with Heb. 6.1 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are in effect same o Si oujusque lumen privatum sit Regula Deo obedientiam prae standi tum tot Regulas habeâ—nus quot homines ut unicus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divinus Gal. 6.16 Eph. 3.16 Isa. 8.20 Sacram Scripturam hanc Regulam esse abundèantea demonstratum est Ex. 4. S. 22. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Non tantum ingeneratio fidei sed et in eâ dum spiritum hunc ducimus aedifitio finis est Scripturae * Vbi verbum Dei locis paene innumeris praedicari promulgari multiplicari recipi enarratur sanctissima ista veritas seu materia scripâ— rarum non scriptura formaâ—iter considirata tenditur Ex. 1. s. 28. In corde nostro est scriptura non formaliter quatenus scripta sed quatenus divinam veritatemcontinet atque exhibet non respectu literae scriptae sed veritatis divinae in eâ contentae * Si cujusque lumen privatum sit regulatum tot Regulas habemus qust homines at unicus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divinis * Intermediae quibus ad sui cognitionem Revelandam Deus utitur sacra Scriptura non tantum longissime omnibus aliis antecellit sed fines salutares quod attinet unicum est singulare Ex. 2. s. 14. * Christ the Light and his Spirit * Colloquia Angelica ficta vel facta * So that it s but just and meet to reâ—or thy own Tauntings of the Qu. Ex. 3. s. 17. upon thy self lia inepic atque ediose in explicando animi uâ—i sensis garris dubie incertae significationis vocibits indis ut quaenum sit â—eusis atque perfectione Scriptururum sine uliâ Revelatione pâ—r Spiritum lumen internum non facile quis declarabit ut multo sacilius sit Argumentum tuum profligare quem monrem percipere c. * See J.O. p. 42 43 45 46. T. D p. 1 of his 1. Pamph. * See J.O. p. 46. Ex. 4. s. 21. T.D. p. 1 2.3 4 30. of his 1. Pamp. * Nullius luminis interni â—juscunque tandem quam vis fit salutare is usus aut finis est ut ei tanquam duci viae nostrae Regulae attendere debeamus fed c * See how J. O. even teaches men so ill minded to criticize on the Scriptures and turn them easily as a nose of wax which way soever they are minded to make them stand in his Epistle Dedicatory p. 21 22 23 24 25. It is quoth he if a man have a minde to criticize and mend the Bible but trying what the Word or Words he fixes on will make by the commutation of Letters c. it is but saying the Scribe was mistaken in the likeness of letters or affinity of â—ound c. and then it s done and various lections arise and corruptions come into his originals in more then Tittles and Iota's one Iota or Tittle of which yet quoth he blindly speaking of the bare bones of the Letter T. 1. c. 1. s. 13. as written shall never change or pass away * Remember this yemy two Antagonists J.O. who sayst Christus sub nulla consideratione lumen salutare omnibus singulis indulsit Christ under no consideration hath vouch safed saving light to all and every man Ex. 4.5.17 how ye limit God in his goodness and grace and T.D. who p 4. of thy first Pamph. sayest Salvation is by God offered to more then to whom t is intended And J.O. Ex. 4. s. 20. The light is sufficient to leave excuseless not to save * See the Book of Ordination of Priests and Deacons * Though T.D. told A. P. before many people at Sandwich that 't is corrupt nature by which the Heathen do the things contained in the Law at A.P. informed me * Ex. 3. s. 24. Deus sacrae Scriptur Author c. Perfeâ—tiâ— Scripâ—â—r aruminnâ—lla aliâ re consiâ—â—eré potest quam insufficientiâ suâ respectu finis c. * Faâ—siâ—imum est Sâ—ripturam â—um in hoc mundo haeremus respectis nostri â—ecum suum sinem obtinereaut obtinere posse â—on enim tantuÌ„ ingeneratio sidei sed in eâ dis-â—spiritum hunc ducimus aedificatio sâ—niâ—est Scripturae quando adducimur ad Christum in gloria cessabit Scripturaeusus praesentistatui accommodat us quinâ—tiam ipsa fides quatenùss in verbo Dei 〈◊〉 to niâ—ebatur abulibitur * For the Letter still is to send from it self to the Light so was Moses Letter a School-master to direct to another for the life Moses sent his Disciples to Christ saying A Prophet shall the Lord raise to you like to me of whom I am but a shadow who writes the Law of God in the fleshly tables of the heart as ye have it handed ministred to you from me in outward gravings in Tables of stone and writings with pen and inke c. him shall you hear in all things whatever he sayes whoever hearâ— not him though he seem to hear me and to be zealous of my outward Writings must be cut off from among his people and he that truly hears me will go to him for I write of him Iohn 5. John Baptist sent from himself to Christ the Lamb of God for the taking away the sin and to the true light he bare witness of that enlightneth every man that comes into the world confessing himself and his Ministry must decrease before the increasings of the other So the Apostles Writings and Letters were not to state them as the Standard to call men thereto as the only Canon but to keep men a way looking to the Lord the Light it self of which use our Ministry and Writings now are that by the Light they may come to life and not go from Christ the Light whose words are Spirit and life who hath the word of eternal life to either letter or any thing else to keep them to the hearing of his own voice as his sheep do to take heed to his word of Prophesie which is the Testimony of Jesus in the heart as to a light shining in the dark place of the heart till the day dawn day-star arise in the heart to which purpose was the Letter written and that excellent voice sent which said to them of the beloved Son hear him and all the Apostles drift was to drive the Jews from Moses Thou teachest all every where to forsake Moses saying They must not circumcise children nor walk after those customes the letter required as a shadow for a time And indeed their Epistles point all at that one Faith Truth Way Life Passover Baptism Circumcision Supper Body Lord Spirit Rule whereas if â—e steer