what he should preach and the Persons distinctly to whom he should preach and giveth them Instruction in the 5th verse That they should walk to the Doctrine or Teaching answerably and the Reason he gave was this Lest the word of God should be Blasphem'd so that the Doctrine he gave in Charge to Titus with all the particulars of the Doctrine the same in the 5th verse he calls The Word of God Answ That Conclusion is utterly false he doth not say nor in effect say That the Doctrines with all particulars of the Doctrines are the Word Nor can it rationally be concluded That it was the Scripture or the Doctrine that he spoke of when he said Lest the Word of God should be Blasphem'd But rather that worthy Name by which they were call'd which Name they who kept the Word deny'd not as before shew'd For if they should not walk according to the Doctrine of the VVord which they taught the Ignorant that were without or they that watched for Iniquity might be ready to judge that there was a difficiency in the VVord by which they were taught or in the Name which they professed and walked in and so be encourag'd to slight and speak evil of the same and thereby the VVord by which they were taught might be blasphemed through their not walking according to the Doctrine thereof who made a Profession of it so that the Apostle in saying Lest the Word of God should be blasphem'd doth not at all call the Doctrine the VVord nor doth this in the least serve to prove the Scriptures to be properly call'd the Word of God although thereupon J. N. thus concludes That there is nothing more evident then this Glorious and saving Truth That the Scriptures or two Testament c. are properly and principally call'd the Word of God But what the Scriptures offer'd by him with his Arguments thereupon which I have before stated and answer'd do make for his purpose I shall leave to the truly Juditious and Impartial Reader to judge The next thing saith J.N. I shall insist upon are the Reasons for the Confirmation of this Point or gracious Truth that I have asserted c. and I shall labour to shew that all those places that I have brought to prove Scriptures to be the VVord of God will stand firm c. Answ All the Scriptures which he hath brought I have already before examin'd and explain'd and I cannot but look upon it as superfluous to go twice over with one VVork as J. N. hath done for that which is unsound or not right in the Ground Bottom or Foundation can never be made sound or right by Repetitions but the Subject before stated by J.N. is unsound and not true as before prov'd and therefore can never be made sound and true by Repetitions for which cause as also upon consideration that this same Subject hath been already oft stated and answer'd to by several of us as is notoriously evident by several Books now in Print I look upon it as I said before superfluous to go over with the Repetitions of J. N. it being chiefly but a Repetition of the above sited Scriptures paraphaised upon once more by him which I have before examin'd and spoken to And therefore shall omit taking further notice thereof at this time and proceed to his next Subject or Assertion in the 22th and 23th pages of his Book where he speaks as followeth Concerning Scriptures being a Perfect Rule for all Men c. HAving thus prov'd the Scriptures to be the Word c. I shall therefore shew briefly That the Scriptures I have so prov'd to be the Word of God that they are a Perfect Rule for all men to walk by and no other and this saith he is clear from Mat. 28.20 where Christ gives his Disciples Commission to preach the Gospel and saith Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I command you and so likewise in Mark where Christ confirmeth the same Commission c. Mark 16.15 16. Now this was not only to be preached for men to hear the sound of but also to believe and obey the same And this Truth is confirm'd in Acts 3.22 where it s said A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren saith Moses like unto me him shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you Observe that Him shall you hear in all things From whence we may learn That Christ gives no Licence to his People to pick and cull his Wayes but to hear and obey him in all things whatsoever he shall say unto them And that the Scriptures are in force as a Perfect Rule see Rom. 16.25 26. where the Apostle doth affirm the Authority thereof and saith The Mystery that was kept secret since the World began is now made manifest by the Scripture of the Prophets according to the Commandment of the Everlasting God and made known unto all Nations for the Obedience of Faith c. Answ Reader I would not be mis-taken in my Intentions as though I went about to under-value the Scriptures of Truth or as though I had slight esteem of them for I do in reallity own them and do acknowledge them to contain many true Testimonies of him whose Name is call'd the Word of God who is the perfect Way to the Father and the alone Guide that leadeth unto Life eternal a Leader and Commander unto his People appointed of the Father I say I own the Scriptures to contain many true Testimonies concerning him and concerning many other things and that they ought to be believ'd c. But that they are therefore a Perfect Rule for all men to walk by and none other I cannot own for they no where testifie of or concerning themselves And if it were certainly so That they were a Perfect Rule and no other as J. N. affirmeth then it must of necessity follow That they who have not the Scriptures are without a Perfect Rule and that before the Scriptures were written the Ancients and Worthies of God as Abraham Isaac Jacob Noah Lot Enoch c. had no Perfect Rule to walk by except he could prove That the Rule by which they walked and by which Abraham was to walk before God and be Perfect was no more to be a Rule after the Scriptures were written the which I no where find recorded in the Scriptures But contrariwise That same Rule by which they walked bore Witness unto the Scripture And the Scriptures offer'd by J. N. do not at all prove that they are a Perfect Rule except it could be prov'd that they contain all things that Christ commanded his Apostles to preach and teach which in reason none can conclude for although the Scriptures be a part of what they preacht and taught yet there is but very little of what they taught and preacht declar'd in them nor indeed little at all of the Preachings and Teachings of the most part of the Apostles
c. then all men are left in the dark for no man is able to know that God will save any but by his Word which is contain'd in the Scriptures for this is the Word of Salvation or that which directeth to the Means by which we shall obtain Life 8thly Without this meaning Scripture we know not that there is any God or Christ or Salvation by God in Christ c. Lastly It leaveth men to walk by Fancy or Imagination c. Answ To all which I shall answer That for as much as we the People of God called Quakers do not assert or own a third Testament Way which J.N. seems to fight against and oppose it would be as superfluous for me to reply to his Sylogisms as it hath been in him to offer them and I should therein but answer a Fool according to his Folly and so become like unto him which I am no way enclined to do but shall proceed to examine whether or no those dreadful Consequences asserted by J. N. will follow the denying of the Scriptures to be the Word of God and a Perfect Rule for all men to walk by and none other First How doth it take away the general ground of Faith from all men to deny the Scriptures to be the Word and Rule c. seeing the Word is still owned to be in beeing and to be heard which was the Ground and Author of the Faith of Abraham and the Holy Men of God who believed before the Scriptures were written 2 Cor. 4.13 And because they believed therefore they spoke forth the Scriptures by which it appears That the Faith that was once deliver'd to the Saints which we are earnestly to contend for was received by them through hearing of the Word before the Scriptures were written and therefore the Scriptures were not the Ground of their Faith so that to deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God is not to deny or take away the Ground of that Faith which by the Spirit or Word was once deliver'd to the Saints For the Apostle in 1 Cor. 12. â— declares the Ground of the Faith which the Church had receiv'd and which he labour'd in the Word which wrought mightily in him for the building of them up in to be the Spirit when he spoke of the diversity of Gifts which they had receiv'd he said To another is given Faith by the same Spirit And this doth not at all oppose or contradict that Scripture which saith Faith comes by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God because the Father Word and Spirit are one Substance and are not divided but the Scripture is not one Substance with the Father and Spirit so that he who heareth the Word heareth the Father and the Quickening Spirit also And this Author of Faith as I said before was heard and believed before the Scriptures were written and remains the same this day as yesterday and the same forever a Foundation of Faith that standeth sure and is not a far off from every one but is nigh even the Word nigh thee in thy Heart and in thy Mouth and this is the Word of Faith which the Apostle preached and which we preach by the hearing of which Faith cometh so that denying the Scriptures to be the Word is not to deny the Ground and Foundation of true Faith neither is it in the least to under-value the holy Scriptures which so frequently testifie of the Ground and Foundation and Author of the true Faith Secondly And as for his affirming That to deny the Scriptures to be the Word is to deny the Ground of Faith for the Remission of sins Answ I answer No if the Word be the Ground as most true it is the Ground is not deny'd by denying Scriptures to be the Word because the Scriptures which testifie of the Word are before proved not to be the Word And they which had the Seal of Acceptance with God had without Controversie the Seal of Remission of sins because without Remission there can be no Acceptance But the Servants of God had the Seal or Testimony of Acceptance with God even some before any part of the Scriptures were written as Abel Enoch Abraham c. therefore the Scriptures were not the Ground of Faith for the Remission of sins but the Word which was before the Scriptures were written so that to deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God is not to deny the Ground of Faith for the Remission of sins And the Prophet David who sometime complained Psal 38.4 That his Iniquities were gone over his head as a Burden too heavy for him to bear afterwards declar'd Psal 103.12 That as far as the East is from the West so far had the Lord removed his Transgressions from him Now where did the Scriptures tell him that his Iniquities were put so far from him Or how were they the Ground of this Faith by which he thus spoke and by which he had this Evidence of the Remission or Removing of his sins Was not the Word which was settled in the Heavens and which was a Light to his Feet c. the Ground of this Faith Which Word healed him when he was in Distress and when his Wounds stunk because of his Folly which Word still remaineth and is owned as the Ground of Faith for the Remission of sins though the Scriptures be not acknowledged to be the Word Thirdly And for his saying It maketh void the Exercises of Faith in the precious Promises of God for what hath Faith to exercise it self but only the Promises of God in Scripture c. Answ I answer The true Faith which Christ is the Author of hath the Power of God in which it stands to exercise it self in as the Objects thereof through which Power of God which is the Gospel Life and Immortality is brought to Light 2 Tim. 1.10 as Fruit of that Faith which stands in Christ the Power so that Vertue and Knowledge is thereby added to the Faith by which the true Believer is built up in his Holy Faith so that denying the Scriptures to be the Word doth not make void the Exercises of Faith nor take away the Ground in which true Faith standeth as J. N. vainly imagineth because the Scripture is not the Power of God in which the true Faith standeth Neither doth it follow as J. N. asserteth That Faith must be exercis'd in Scripture or else upon Fancy and Imagination because it may be exercised in the Power of God as in the true Ground thereof which is neither Scripture nor Imagination nor Fancy for the Apostle said That his Speech and Preaching was not with enticing words of man's Wisdom but in Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power that their Faith might not stand in the Wisdom of Man but in the Power of God 1 Cor. 2.4 5. And in this are the Exercises of that true Faith which by the Spirit or Word was once deliver'd to the Saints and which we now
as J. N. confesseth to the wounding of his own Work And indeed What he hath acknowledged is to be known by the Spirit is even enough for any man to know or enough to give Satisfaction to every Soul who breathes after the Knowledge of Acceptance with God For what can give more satisfaction to a man then to know the holy Will of God by his Spirit and to know his Adoption and to know that God is his Father Certainly there is no cause for him that hath this Knowledge to question his Acceptance with God And this may be known without Scripture even by the holy Spirit of Promise as J.N. confesseth therefore to deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God doth not deny the Knowledge of Acceptance with God and thus out of his own Mouth he is judged Seventhly He saith If the Scriptures be denied to be the Word of God c. then all men are left in the dark c. for no man is able to know that God will save any but by his Word which is contain'd in the Scriptures for this is the Word of Salvation or that which directeth to the Means by which we shall obtain Life c. Answ That none are able to know that God will save any but by this Word that I shall easily acknowledgd because it s the Word only that is able to save but that the Scriptures are this Word or alone able to save that I do not acknowledge but deny and J. N. hath produced no Proof for his Assertion but only his own Affirmation nor indeed can he although he boldly saith They are the Word of Salvation yet they no where say so of themselves but they testifie of the Word of Salvation and That it was sent unto the Children of Abraham and unto all amongst them that feared God Acts 13.26 Mark This was not the Scriptures that were sent amongst them but the Word of Salvation or that Word which is able to save Jam. 1.21 which the Apostle there besought the Children of Abraham to receive with Meekness calling it the Ingrafted Word or as some English Translations have it The Word that is grafted in you so this is the Word that is able to save the Word of Salvation the Word of Faith in the Heart c. which Word was in the Beginning the Author of the Faith of the Fathers by which Jacob knew that God would save even before Scriptures were written which made him say Gen. 49.18 O Lord I have waited for thy Salvation By all which it appears That to deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God doth not leave men so in the dark as J. N. affirmeth but that they are still in a capacity to know that God will save and also to see the Salvation of God which is promised to them that order their Conversation aright And whereas he saith That the Scriptures direct to the Means by which we shall obtain Life I Answer I shall easily acknowledge that for as I have before said they contain many true Testimonies of him who is the alone Leader unto Life and they are profitable for Doctrine for Instruction c. that people may be directed to Christ the Way which they testifie of and that they may be turned from Darkness to the Light which discovers the Darkness and that they may come to receive with Meekness the ingrafted Word or the word which is grafted in them by it to be taught and led unto the Possession of Life for this is the Means by which Life is obtain'd which the Scriptures testifie of and direct unto and for this Work we own the Scriptures to be profitable But this doth not run paralel with the Affirmation of J. N. in the 24th page of his Book where he affirmeth That Life was in the Scriptures for its one thing to say that there is Life therein and another thing to say they direct to the Means by which Life is obtain'd If John Newman asserted no other thing then the latter there had been no Controversie about this Point for so far we own the Scriptures But his Confusion sheweth what his spirit is oft-tmes contradicting and opposing himself as is usual with those that oppose the Unchangeable Truth But I perceive an Objection may arise in the Ignorant concerning this thing That if the Word which is able to save be grafted in people and be nigh unto all even in the Heart and Mouth why then are not all saved or why do not all see the Salvation of God or why did the Apostle Exhort them to receive it with Meekness if it were in them already I Answer though the Word or Spirit which is one was in them yet they being disobedient thereunto did not receive it or had not received it but had alwayes resisted it as the Apostle tells them Acts 7.51 and so were like unto those that Job spoke of saying They are of them that rebel against the Light who know not the Way of it c. Job 24.13 so that although the Word or Light or Spirit be in a people and they rebel against it or resist the reproofs and Instructions thereof or do dispite to the strivings thereof how can such be said to have received it for they only receive the Word and the Spirit that receive the Reproofs and Instructions thereof and in them it is known to be a Spirit or Prince of Peace and a Word of Life and Consolation and such know their Beloved to lye all might betwixt their Brests but although he be nigh even in the hearts of many they cannot be said to receive him while they rebel against him and therefore they are not saved but condemned by him For this is the condemnation that Light is come and men love Darkness rather then Light Joh. 3.19 and though he lighteth every man that comes into the World yet it s only they that receive him the Light that he gives Power unto Joh. 1.12 by which it appears that all that were englightned by him did not receive him so that the Light the Word the Spirit may be in people and yet they that received it but reject it in its Reproofs Counsels and Instructions and therefore they are not saved by it but condemned for which cause it was needful for the Apostle to Labour to turn them from Darkness to the Light wherewith they were enlightned to Exhort them to receive with meekness the engrafted Word or to submit unto the operation of the Word that was in them that by it they might be saved for none experimentally knows its ability to save but they who receive the Reproofs and Instructions of it and are Doers or Obeyers thereof and such are taught thereby as by the Universal Grace which hath appeared unto all men which bringeth salvation to order their Conversation aright through which they come to see the great Salvation of God Eighthly Now I come to the eighth sad Consequence that J. N. saith
said he they are continually doing the Works of the Devil and are his children and consequently cannot truly call God Father I answer therefore the Church of Rome cannot call God Father for she is and long hath been doing the works of the Devil the Murderer as before proved therefore she is of her father the Devil and cannot call God Father in Truth and in Righteousness Then A. S. rambles through several other particulars in which he controverts with Sectaries c. whose cause I am not concerned to plead only this small hint before I have given to prove the Church of Rome one of those Sects who cannot speak the fore-mentioned words truly and so I shall leave the Sectaries with whom A. S. controverts to plead their own cause for the thing that was chiefly in my heart when I took in hand to write this brief Reply was to prove the Church of Rome not to be the true Church and the Chief Arguments by him Produced to prove her the True Church I have already in brief answered Again A. S. in his 6th Chapter makes it his business to prove the Church to be the Judge of all controversies in matters of faith and saith That not every man nor human reason nor the private Spirit nor the Bible is this Judge and to prove it he quotes Matth. 18.17 where Christ said tell the Church c. Answ To which I answer That the Judgement of the true Church of which Christ is Head in matters of Faith I do not deny for being governed in all things by the Head Christ to whom all Judgment is committed John 5.20 the Judgment thereof must of necessity be Ture for the Strength of Israel cannot Lye and ought for to be submitted unto by all But the Church of Rome being not the True Church she being not Governed by the invisible Head Christ to whom all Judgment is committed as before proved Therefore she is not Judge of Controversies in matters of Faith And the True Church to whom Christ said He that Heareth you Heareth me were such as heard Christ and in whom the Spirit of the Father spake Mat. 10.20 But the Church of Rome doth not hear Christ as hereafter I shall prove therefore they who hear the Church of Rome do not hear Christ But surely when A. S. began this work of deciding Controversies he had forgotten that the Church was the only Judge in that particular and not every man nor the private spirit for had he considered that he being but a particular man would not have undertaken the Churches work as appears by the Title of his Book he hath for he calls it A brief Decider of all Controversies in matters of Faith which Book we have cause to judge is his own only work and not the Churches in which we find him condemning himself for the thing which he is doing for as appears by his aforesaid Title himself undertakes to decide controversies and in his 6th Chapter he affirmeth ' That the Church is the only Judge or decider of all controversies But this is that his confusion may the more appear as it hath done in many other things as may be seen in this small Treatise and surely if the Pope have no better Servants then A. S. to do his work for him he had better keep them idle than to employ them in such a work for in the end they will bring more shame to him than they will honour for such like confusions and other abominations have already made the very name of the Pope an ill favour to all true Christians And one thing more in A. S. his 6th Chapter I cannot well omit to observe where he said The spirit inspireth when he will and you hear his voice but cannot tell whence from God or the Devil he doth come or whither to Heaven or to Hell he doth go and then saith So is every one that is born of the spirit and to prove this he quotes Luke 9.55 where Christ said Ye know not what Spirit ye are of Now consider the blindness and ignorance or else the wilful wickedness of A. S. who jumbles a deal of Scriptures together blasphemously wresting of them to his own destruction or at least to the destruction of his own work in hand thinking thereby to blind the minds of people and with his good words mixed with blasphemies and fair speeches to deceive the hearts of the simple as his Predecessors have done in the long night of Apostacy which hath been over all Nations since the Apostles days But it s in vain for him to strive to accomplish his end for the Day is dawned unto many and there is an eye opened in many thousands in this Nation of England that gives them to see over and beyond all this Babylonish or confused trumpery and stuff and have a feeling of that which was before Babylon was and shall out-last Babylon to the praise of God and to the glory and honour of his Name who is blessed for ever Well Although it was so that Christ said unto his Disciples You know not what spirit ye are of yet consider the time when he spake these words was it not before they were born of the Spirit although called to be Apostles for Christ said unto them you must be born again John 3.7 8. and that he would send them the Spirit of which he said they must be born which shall lead them into all Truth John 16.13 and he did not say as A. S. doth that they should not know whence from God or the Devil the Spirit came or whither to Heaven or to Hell it went Oh horrid blasphemy in A. S who saith so is every one that is born of the Spirit as much as to say that he that is born of the Spirits knows not whether he be from God or the Devil or whither he shall go to Heaven or to Hell Oh wickedness indeed Christ said no such things as A. S. doth although that blessed worthy saying of our Saviour and Lord Christ was and is very true viz. Marvel not that I say unto you that you must be born again for the wind bloweth where it listeth and men hears the sound thereof but cannot tell from whence it cometh nor whither it goeth adding even so is every one that is born of the Spirit John 3.7 8. Mark they that were born of the Spirit were unknown to the World for said the Apostle after they were born again the World knows us not So although they were in the World and men saw them yet the World knew them not no more than they knew from whence the wind came and wither it went which they heard the sound of and indeed so is the state of the True Church in the World at this day And the Apostles did know from whence the Spirit came and of what Spirit they were after they received the Spirit of Truth and were born of it for Christ told them John 14.16 That
of the Lord and your souls are not satisfied with all that ever you received from them And why then will you spend your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which doth not satisfie your souls Oh hearken diligently unto the voice of God who is Light that you may eat of that which is good and your souls may be satisfied for why should your souls be in poverty and dry and barren now the Fountain of durable Riches is open but because you are alienated from the Lord and Strangers to his Covenant of Light Wherefore the Restoration all wait to know by him who brings back again that which hath been driven away that the return of your Captivity you may come to know and witness out of Babylon that great City whose desolation cometh suddenly and be ye separated from the abominations thereof touch not the unclean thing that you may be receiv'd of the Lord into my Fathers house where my dwelling is in which there is no want of any good thing for here is all plenty of Heavenly rich vertue and sweet Consolation wherefore I cannot but invite all who are hungry to come freely for the Fountain is open and whosoever thirsts may drink of the water of life freely But now my Friends this know that the Way that leads to this Ocean of Rest Kingdom of Grace and Fountain of Life is strait and norrow and none can walk therein but through Self-denial and taking up the daily Cross to the Carnal Mind which may seem hard to such as enter into Reasonings and Consultations with the wrong nature which would still live but that being deny'd the Light being joyn'd unto which manifests the Way the Cross being taken up and the Yoak submitted unto then the Power of the Lord you will feel which will subject the contrary nature and will make the Way easie and plain before you yea and delightful unto you though it be in the midst of the paths of Judgment for the Righteous will rejoyce therein And though many oppositions sometimes many difficulties you may find in the way yet keeping to the Light in singleness and feeling the Power of God and the secret working thereof it will keep the mind cool and exclude the Consulter And then the way thou wilt see open clear before thee through all difficulties and as thou waitest in the pure fear of the Lord keeping thy mind stayed upon him thou wilt feel his good hand of love reaching unto thee daily administring renewedness of strength unto thee whereby thou wilt be sufficiently encouraged to press on in the strait and narrow way and the way of his Commandments will be delightful unto thee and not grievous and he will replenish thy heart with his Grace and make thee know the aboundings of his love which wil exceedingly enlarge thy heart So let none stumble or start aside at the straitness of the Way but be willing to submit to the Cross that the Crown thou mayst come to receive which is Immortal and Eternal and then it will never repent thee whatsoever thou art made to deny For an Hundred-fold thy Reward will be in this life from the Hand of the Lord and Peace and Life everlasting thou wilt have the assurance of and it thou wilt possess and enjoy and this is of more value with the Upright in Heart then all the Love Glory or Friendship of the World for that lasts but for a little season and then passeth away but this Inheritance is Everlasting and never hath End Wherefore let not your Minds be captivated with any perishing thing whatsoever but in that which will redeem the mind out of all that is perishing in that dwell and you will know a daily dying unto sin and to all things of that nature which keep the soul in Death and thereby you will be quickened unto God and the Desires and secret Breathings which are in you after God will more and more encrease and be renew'd and Fervency of heart and Zeal for the Lord will encrease also And where these fervent Desires and Breathings are in any one nothing will satisfie but the Presence of the Lord And as this is dwelt with in sincerity and in singleness the Lord in his own time will manifest himself to thy everlasting Satisfaction Comfort Joy and Content Wherefore let not any thing be accounted dear for his sake For he that loveth Father or Mother Wife or Children or any thing more then me saith Christ is not worthy of me Wherefore I now publish the Decree of the Almighty unto all Nations That whosoever will not serve worship and obey the God of Heaven who is Light and searches the heart of man even he shall dye and Darkness shall be his Covering and gross Darkness his Pavilion and Death shall be his Life and the Terror thereof shall compass him about World without End JOSIAH COALE A VINDICATION Of the Light Within Against the Darkness Error and Blasphemy of JOHN NEWMAN in his Book Entitul'd The Light Within c. Concerning The Scriptures The Word of God The Only Rule The Light Within The True Saviour The Body of Jesus The Spirit 's Guidance THE main Controversie with John Newman being at this time Whether or no the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament so called be not properly and principally called the Word of God and that distinct from Christ whose Name is called the Word And whether the Scriptures be not a perfect Rule for all men to walk by and none other Who for the proving of the Affirmative hath instanced several places of Scripture My Work at this time will be to shew That those Scriptures produced by him do not any wise serve to prove his Affirmations but rather the contrary though he hath much wrong'd them by wresting of them as is usual with those who labour to pervert the Right Way of the Lord as John Newman hath endeavour'd to do which I doubt not but I shall sufficiently shew hereafter The first Scripture that he produceth as a Foundation from whence to argue the Scriptures to be the Word of God is Luke 11.28 where Christ said Yea rather Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it Now saith he in page three whether it be Jesus Christ which in Scripture is stil'd the Word of God a Name which is given unto him or whether the words which God hath spoken by his holy Prophets and Blessed Son and Apostles in the two Testaments of his Will c. be not the Word of God Answer Christ did not intend the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament at that time when he so spoke but he meant himself who was the Word that was with God in the beginning John 1.1 whom they were to hear and obey as the Father had given Commandment by the Mouthes of his Prophets and also by Immediate Voice from Heaven as by Moses who said A Prophet shall
J. N. cannot see but there must of necessity be more then one Christ if by the increase of the Word be understood of Christ so that although he concludeth it must needs be the Doctrine contain'd in the Scriptures intended by the increase of the Word yet here he may see his Ignorance therein Again In pag. 9. 10. J. N. saith That in Acts 19.20 the Preaching and Teaching of Jesus Christ is call'd the Word of God Answ To this I have already answer'd that the preaching of Jesus Christ is the Preaching of the Word for his Name is call'd the Word Yet is doth not follow as J. N. would have it that all the Disputings which the Apostle had for the space of three Moneths was the Word It s true he disputed and perswaded the things of the Kingdom according to the Scriptures of the Prophets by Vertue of the Word that was in him so that all they of Asia heard the Word or the sound thereof when the Doctrine thereof was by it self demonstrated For from you sounded out the Word of the Lord said the Apostle 1 Thes 1.8 But the Apostle did not call his Preachings and Disputings the Word but that which he preached For he preached Christ but his Preachings were not Christ but a Testimony of him as Christ said concerning the Scriptures They are they that testifie of me Joh. 5.39 By which it apprears that Christ was the Word which he preached and which they in Asia heard the sound of according to that Saying of Christ The Hour cometh and now is when the Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son c. And therefore this Argument is but like the rest which make nothing to prove the Scriptures to be principally call d the Word of God Again saith J.N. I should have left prosecuting this Subject but this Truth yet finding more Friends to plead its Cause I am not willing to be a Hinderance c. And then quotes 2 Cor. 4.1 2. where the Apostle said He had not handled the Word of God deceitfully Now saith J.N. what Word of God was this which he had not handled deceitfully but the Ministry he had receiv'd even the Preaching and Teaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as is plain in the 3d 4th 5th verses For what he calleth the Ministry in the 1st verse in the 2d the Word of God in the following he calleth it the Gospel and the preaching of Christ according to the Gospel so that its clear by this Witness also that the Preaching and Teaching of Jesus Christ according to the Scriptures of the New Testament c. is properly and principally call'd The Word of God Answ Truly J. N. had need find better Friends or some that speak more pertinent to his business then this which he hath here produced or else he may labour as before he said he should long enough to prove Scripture the Word of God and have all to do when he hath ended For if I should grant that he called his Ministry or that of and from which he ministred the Word yet that doth not prove the Scriptures to be the Word because the Life and Spirit of his Ministry is not contain'd in the Scripture Or if I should acknowledge the Gospel to be the Word yet that doth not prove the Scriptures to be the Word For The Gospel is the Power of God as the Apostle said Rom. 1.16 and so are not the Scriptures and the Gospel is Everlasting but the Scriptures are not so But J.N. would make the Scriptures to be the Word the Gospel the Ministry and all and jumbles all together and then says The Apostle calls it so when the Apostle saith no such thing but speaks of his Ministry and of the Gospel which is the Power of God and of the Word which endureth forever which by the Gospel the Power was preached unto them 1 Pet. 1.25 And as to that Question What Word of God was this that he had not handled Deceitfully Answ I answer It was the Word which was from the beginning as John said 1 Joh. 1.1 Which they had Seen and Handled which were not the Scriptures for they were not from the beginning but the Word was which they had handled and which they handled not deceitfully but in Simplicity declar'd openly what they receiv'd by its secret operation and mighty working in them according as Christ commanded them without adding thereto or diminishing therefrom and hence it was that they said They Handled it not Deceitfully Again saith J. N. The second VVitness that appeareth to countenance this Truth is in Col. 1.25 where the Apostle calleth the Preaching of the Gospel the Word of God but for the better understanding of this VVitness let us see vers 23. where the Apostle useth these words to the Church If you continue in the Faith grounded and settled and not remov'd from the Hope of the Gospel which you have heard and which was preached to every Creature under Heaven Whereof he saith in vers 25. I Paul am made a Minister But what to do He answereth To fulfil the Word of God Now what Word of God was this that Paul did fulfil but only his Ministry in Preaching and Teaching of Jesus Christ according to the Gospel which he here calleth the Word of God So that there is no Truth more plain then this that the Scriptures of the New Testament are properly and principally call'd the Word of God Answ Surely J.N. hath a great Conceit of his blind Affirmations it appears as oft times I have seen it viz. That Ignorance in some is as great a Cause of Confidence as sound Knowledge is in others VVhat Reason hath J. N. from the Scriptures before mention'd to affirm the Scriptures of the New Testament to be properly call'd the Word of God Or the Word there spoken of by the Apostle to be meant the Scriptures which he said were given him to fulfil For in the next verse he declareth what that VVord was viz. The Mystery which hath been hid from Ages and from Generations but now made manifest in his Saints To whom saith the Apostle God would make known what is the Riches of the Glory of his Mystery amongst the Gentiles which is Christ in you the Hope of Glory Mark Reader He saith The VVord which he was to fulfil was the Mystery c. and the Mystery was Christ in them c. So that the VVitness that J. N. produceth testifieth against his Affirmation as absolutely as may be to the utter overthrow of his Cause by which the Ignorance and Blindness of J. N. appears But then he saith in pag. 12. I shall give but one Scripture more for the Proof of this Truth and that is Tit. 2.5 Where the Apostle calleth the Doctrine of Christ the Word of God For saith he let us see what the Apostle saith in the first verse where he giveth Titus a Charge to preach sound Doctrine and layeth down the particulars thereof
therefore if their Preachings and Teachings be the Perfect Rule for all men to walk by then the Scriptures are not indeed that Perfect Rule they containing in them such a small part of what they preacht and taught Again It cannot be understood That the Scriptures were the Gospel that was preacht to every Creature under Heaven for a great part of the People under Heaven never heard nor heard of the Scriptures But the Gospel was preached to or in every Creature under Heaven Col. 1.23 Therefore the Scripture is not the Gospel And again The Gospel that they preached was and is Everlasting But the Scriptures cannot be rationally understood to be Everlasting because they are things that are seen which are temporal therefore the Scriptures are not the Everlasting Gospel but the Power of God is Rom. 2.16 And what doth that saying of Moses avail to prove the Scriptures a perfect Rule for all men to walk by For if that Prophet was and is to be heard in all things then he is to be looked unto as a Guide and Commander and Ruler and if a Ruler then his Spirit by which he rules is the Perfect Rule above Scripture And as to his saying The Apostle confirms the Scripture to be a Perfect Pule by these words The Mystery that was kept secret since the World began is now made manifest and by the Scriptures of the Prophets c. Answ What though that great Mystery was made manifest according to the Scriptures of the Prophets that doth not prove the Scriptures a Perfect Rule for all men to walk by for the Manifestation of that Mystery by the Scriptures of the Prophets was no more but their perswading or shewing them out of Moses and the Prophets concerning Jesus Acts 28.23 of whom all the Prophets bore Testimony For this Jesus concerning whom the Apostles by Revelation and Commandment of the Everlasting God perswaded the People was the Mystery that had been hid as the Apostle to the Collosians cap. 1. ver 26 27. declareth saying The Mystery which hath been hid from Ages and Generations but now is made manifest c. Which is Christ in you the Hope of Glory Mark Is now made manifest So here was the manifesting of that Mystery by the Scriptures of the Prophets even by perswading them or shewing them out of the Prophets concerning Jesus so that the Apostle doth not affirm nor in effect affirm in the Scripture That the Scriptures are a Perfect Rule but simply declares That by the Commandment of the Everlasting God they made known that Mystery or preached Jesus by or out of the Scriptures of the Prophets who had testified of him that was to come and was then come according to their Testimony who is the Way the Mystery and the Word which all are to hear obey and keep But then saith J. N. This is that Rule that Christ directeth unto in Joh. 5.39 40. where Christ saith Search the Scriptures for in them ye think to have Eternal Life and to take away all Objections as if it were only their thoughts and not really so he addeth these words And they are they which testifie of me and by way of Reproof because they did not so do he again saith You will not come to me that you may have Life by which he plainly sheweth that there was Life therein by dutiful Obedience by Faith in him so that here the great Prophet and Teacher of his People sendeth us to the Scriptures as a Rule through Faith to come to Life Answ How wilfully blind this man seems to appear or like one that would put out his own Eyes and others also to wrest and pervert the words of Christ in such a gross and shameful manner by tearing of them in sunder and mixing his own Imaginations therewith to make them look quite another way or to import another thing for that which J. N. argueth Christ confirmeth viz. Their thoughts of having Life in the Scriptures he indeed reproved as the words in themselves without wresting clearly signifie for some Translations render it thus Ye search the Scriptures for in them ye think to have Eternal Life and they are they which testifie of Me and ye will not come unto Me Mark Ye search c. he tells them they did search but why because they thought to have Eternal Life in them which were but a Testimony of him who was the Life and he by way of Reproof to them for not believing on him in whom Life was and of whom the Scriptures which they searched did testifie said Ye will not come unto me that ye may have Life Mark his Me here spoken of that they would not come to for Life was not the Scriptures but Christ Jesus of whom the Scriptures testified so that he did not plainly shew That there is Life in the Scriptures as J. N. either wilfully or ignorantly affirmeth nor directs to them as A Rule to come to Life But reproves them because they did not come unto him for Life of whom the Scripture testified so that the most J. N. hath done by this Argument is even manifested his perverse crooked spirit by which he wrests and perverts the Scriptures and would set them in the place of Christ to give Life But what is the End of the crooked Serpent in this Work but to keep people from coming unto Christ the Power of God through which Life Eternal is received by all that follow and obey him who is the Truth whose Spirit of Truth will lead into all Truth as a certain Rule for all to walk by and in which Christ directed them to wait for as a Guide to walk by and the Apostle exhorted them to walk in the Spirit saying There is no Condemnation to such c. Rom. 8.1 Gal. 5.16 Asts 1.4 5. And all this the subtil Serpent doth under pretence of Promoting and not Perverting the right Way of God and Rule of Life but this serves not as before shewed to prove That Christ directed to the Scriptures as a Rule to come to Life but that he reproved them for that they would not come to him who was the the Life that they might have Life But then saith J. N. This Truth is confirmed in Paul's Epistle to Timothy chap. 3. vers 15 16 17. where the Apostle sheweth the Scriptures are able to make us wise unto Salvation through Faith in Christ Jesus And from hence J. N. argueth That if the Scriptures are able to make us wise to Salvation through Faith that is in Christ Jesus then the Scriptures are a Perfect Rule for all men to walk by and none other But the Scriptures are able to made us wise unto Salvation through Faith that is in Christ Jesus therefore the Scriptures are a Perfect Rule for all men to walk by and none other Answ To which I answer That Argument is falacious for though the Scriptures are able to make wise to Salvation through Faith that is in Christ
Jesus yet it doth not follow according to the sequel of the major that the Scriptures the Faith in Christ Jesus being left out as J. N. hath done are a Perfect Rule for all men to walk by and none other because it s through that Faith which is in Christ Jesus that they are able to make wise c. which Faith he makes no mention of in his Assumption and Conclusion that they are a Perfect Rule c. by which the Falaciousness of his Argument appears And indeed its necessary that all should understand how the Scriptures are able to make wise unto Salvation through Faith c. for the Scriptures here spoken of and which Christ spoke of when he said Ye search the Scriptures c. cannot be otherwise understood then the Scriptures of the old Testament because the other was not then written And those Scriptures of the Prophets were they that testified of Christ who is the great Salvation of God And God said by the Prophet He had given him a Covenant of Light to lighten the Gentiles to be for Salvation to the Ends of the Earth And the Prophets likewise shewed the time when and the place where this Messiah should be born and brought forth in that Body which was prepar'd for him in which old Simeon beheld the Salvation to wit The Light of the Gentiles and the Glory of Israel so that the Scriptures of the Prophets containing in them so many clear and infallible Testimonies of the great Salvation of God and of the time and place of the Appearance thereof they were able through Faith in Christ to make him wise or to give an Understanding that he was the great Salvation of God that was then appear'd according to the Testimonies of the Prophets which from a Child he had known And so on this wise coming to the Knowledge of the great Salvation of God by Faith in him he in the same Faith did doubtless follow him as a Sheep that knew his Voice that so he might receive Life Eternal which he gives to his Followers and become an Heir of that Salvation which through Faith in Christ he was made wise unto and so coming as a Sheep to be a Follower of the true Shepherd he own'd him for his only Guide and his Spirit as the only Zule to walk by and to speak by whose Preaching was thereby even with words that it self taught 1 Cor. 2.13 And this is that Perfect Rule which cannot be corrupted as the Scriptures may as J.N. confesseth and so cannot be said to be a Perfect Rule if corrupted And indeed J.N. is one that greatly corrupts them as he states them thinking thereby to prove them a Perfect Rule even as before shewed The next Argument to prove Scriptures a perfect Rule is That if the Scriptures be given by Inspiration and are profitable for Doctrine for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all Good Works then the Scriptures are an Absolute and a Perfect Rule for all men to walk by and none other but the Scriptures are c. therefore c Answ That the Scriptures though not all Scriptures were given by Inspiration of God I shall grant and that they are profitable as aforesaid I shall acknowledge but that they are therefore an absolute and a perfect Rule for all men to walk by and none other as J.N. affirmeth that I do not acknowledge but deny because that may be profitable to man in order to the persecting of him to all Good Works which may not be an absolute and perfect Rule for him to walk by and none other as for instance One man may be profitable to another in teaching and instructing of him by the Spirit of the Lord to walk in the Light and Spirit of the Son of God which the Father hath sent into the Heart that so by that Spirit and the Power of it he may be able to deny all Unrighteousness and be furnished thereby perfectly to perform all Good Wooks herein I say one man may be profitable to another and yet it cannot therefore be said That that man who is so profitable c. is an absolute and perfect Rule for all men to walk by and no other for it were ridiculous so that although the Scriptures be profitable as aforesaid it doth not at all follow as J. N. concludeth that they are therefore a Perfect Rule and no other But that Word Light or Spirit of Truth in the inward parts from whence the Scriptures proceeded and which by the Scriptures we are instructed to walk in to hear and obey which cannot be corrupted as the Scriptures may that is the alone absolute and perfect Rule all men ought to walk by and none other as saith the Scripture Nehemiah 9.20 I gave them my Good Spirit to instruct them And this is that Rule or Leader which Christ directeth to Even the Spirit of Truth which will lead into all Truth Joh. 16.13 the same the Apostle directeth to saying Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfil the Lusts of the Flesh Mark What more Perfect Rule can be then that which keeps from the fulfilling the Lusts which bring forth sin for if the Lusts be not obey'd and fulfilled the sin is not acted therefore said the Apostle He that abideth in him sinneth not by all which it appears that J.N. hath not proved that the Scriptures are a Perfect Rule and none other Neither do the Scriptures any where testifie of themselves as a Perfect Rule excluding all other But frequently bear Testimony unto that one antient standing RULE which was from rhe beginning from which the Scriptures were given forth and which they direct unto Again saith J. N. pag. 26. For further Confirmation of this Truth I shall add some few Arguments more that the New Testament Way is a Perfect Rule for all men to walk by and none other Answ This wholly alters the Case for it is not the New Testament Way being a Perfect Rule c. that we are contending against neither will his proving the new Testament Way to be a perfect Rule at all prove the Scriptures to be a perfect Rule except he could first prove the Scriptures to be the New Testament Way which he is never able to do for it s declared in the Scriptures called the New Testament That Christ who is God's Covenant of Light said I am the Way the Truth and the Life Joh. 14.6 Abide in me c. cap. 15.4 And my Sheep bear my Voyce and they follow me and I give to them Eternal Life Joh. 10.27 28. Another New Testament Way or Perfect Rule then this for men to walk in and by I no where read of in the Scripture of Truth but this Way as the New and Living Way which leads to the Holiest of all is frequently borne witness of in the Scriptures which as before I have said contain many Testimonies concerning this Just
will follow denying the Scripture to be the Word of God Without this saith he we know not that there is any God or Christ c. neither do we know what God counteth unclean or what he counteth holy c. Answ If by what God counteth Unclean and what Holy he meaneth the things appertaining to the Life and Conversation of People then the denial of Scripture to be the Word of God doth not hinder People from knowing what is Unclean and what is Holy Notwithstanding we cannot own the Scriptures to be the Word yet we own that to be unclean which is so accounted in the Scriptures of Truth in the Gospel Dispensation and that to be holy which in them is so accounted and that the one ought to be chosen and the other refused but if there were no Scriptures in beeing yet are people in the same capacity to receive the Knowledge of those things as they were before the Scriptures were written or as the Gentiles were who had not the outward Law yet in Life and Conversation shewed forth the Works of the Law that was written in their Hearts and if those Gentiles were now here they would condemn the Ignorance of J. N. who saith Without Scripture none know whether there be a God or what he counteth Unclean and what Holy For all the Heathen Poets and Philosophers who had not the Scriptures generally acknowledged a Supream Power and Beeing which all were to be subject to some calling of it by one name and some another but while they acknowledged the thing it is sufficient to signifie that if the Scriptures were not in beeing yet People might know that there is a God And they are not only in the capacity that the Gentiles were who knew and confessed That there was a God and shew'd forth the Works of the Law written in their Hearts but also in the capacity that the Fathers of old were who did not only know that there was a God but knew the only true God and were the acceptable Worshippers of him before Scriptures were written And these things I speak not in the least to under-value the Scriptures or out of a slight esteem of them for they are very profitable for Instruction c. and so I own them and have great esteem of them yet if people have no more Knowledge then what they carnally receive therefrom I may say as the Apostle said That what they know they know naturally as bruit Beasts and indeed knew nothing as they ought to know And those that he thus spake to had the Scriptures that were then in beeing yet had not the Knowledge of God which he spoke to their shame 1 Cor. 15.34 So that the End of my thus speaking is to enduce people not to rest in a Notional or Traditional Knowledge concerning God which is fecht into the Comprehension out of Scripture by the Wisdom that is from below but that all may encline unto the Inspiration of the Almighty which giveth Knowledge and wait in the Light which shineth in the Darkness or take heed unto the Word in the Heart as unto a Light that shines in a Dark place until the Day-star arise there that will expel the Darkness by which the Understanding hath been clouded and until the Light shine out of the Darkness which gives the Knowledge of the glory God in the Face of Christ Jesus And this is that Knowledge which is saving and is of concernment for all to come to because whatsoever notional Knowledge they have they that have not the Knowledge of God shall be punished with Everlasting Destruction from his Presence 2 Thes 1.8 9. Ninthly And Lastly J. N. saith That to deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God c. is to leave men to walk by Fancy or Imagination leaving that holy Rule wherein Life and Salvation is declar'd c. Answ This is but like the rest viz. His own Assertion without farther Proof But whether denying the Scriptures to be the Word of God be to deny them to be believed as containing true Testimonies concerning the Word for so I have alwayes owned them I may leave to the Reader to judge and how it leaves men to walk by Fancy or Imagination while J. N. himself saith That the Blessed Spirit directeth into the Knowledge of the most holy Will of the Father and that thereby the Adoption is known and God owned c. seems very strange for the Light and Spirit reproves all Imaginations and Fancies and leads into all Truth those who receive the Reproofs and Instructions thereof And therefore the denying of the Scripture to be the Word while the Word in the Heart which the Scripture testifieth of is owned people are not left to walk by Imagination but by the Word which is a Light to the Feet of those who take heed unto their Wayes according to the leadings of it And the Help and Comfort that is to be found in the Scriptures People are not depriv'd of neither though they are not owned to be the Word So that J. N. hereby and others may see plainly that those sad consequences do not follow the denying the Scriptures to be the Word of God and Rule c. as J. N. vainly imagin'd and boldly without Proof affirmed And what do all those Affirmations signifie more then this That J. Newman for all his large Profession of Knowledge and Understanding is ignorant of the Holy Spirit Power and Word of God without which none can be born again And so himself is found in the Unregenerate-state and worshipping according to the oldness of the Letter a Blind Leader of the Blind which all are to beware of for its such that lead people captive laden with Sins and divers Lusts alwayes learning but never able to come to the Knowledge of the Truth which sets free and which sanctifieth which is the Word as Christ said John 17.17 but labours to keep them from enclining to the sanctifying Word which the Prophet declared should be their Teacher which their Ears would hear behind saying This is the Way walk in it when they turn to the Right-Hand or to the left Isa 30.21 And thus having briefly gone through with the principal Scriptures and Arguments produced by him to prove the Scriptures to the Word of God and Perfect Rule c. and with the sad Consequences which he affirmed would follow by denying of them so to be I shall leave it to the Reader to judge 1st Whether the Word so oft spoken of as before may be understood to be the Scripture or 2dly Whether that Word may not be understood to be that which was before the Scriptures were written which so oft-times came unto the Prophets by vertue of which they gave forth the Scriptures and 3dly Whether the Rule of the New Covenant be the Scriptures called the New Testament or 4thly Whether the Rule of the New Testament be not the Law written in the Heart even the Law of that