Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	according_a	doctrine_n	word_n	3,266	5	3.9423	3	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A64909	A just reprehension to John Norris of Newton St. Loe, for his unjust reflection on the Quakers in his book, entituled, Reflections upon the conduct of human life, &c together with his false representation of their principle of the light, in his postscript, wherein he opposes it to his notion of the divine ... ideal world, as he terms it, his confusion and self-contradiction therein manifested, and the doctrine and principle of the Quakers thereby cleared from his abuse ... / by Richard Vickris.	Vickris, Richard, d. 1700.	1691 (1691)	Wing V339; ESTC R10757	11,419	16

A Iust Reprehension TO JOHN NORRIS Of Newton St Loe FOR HIS Unjust REFLECTION on the QVAKERS In his Book Entituled Reflections upon the Conduct of Human Life c. Together with his False Representation of their Principle of the Light in his Postscript wherein he Opposes it to his Notion of the divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Ideal world as he terms it His Confusion and Self-contradiction therein manifested and the Doctrine and Principle of the Quakers thereby cleared from his Abuse occasionally written by way of Letter with Advice to him and may serve for a better Information of the Quakers Principle to whom the knowledge of his and this shall come By Richard Vickris Printed and Sold by T. S. at the Crooked-Billet in Holywell-Lane in Shoreditch 1691. A Just Reprehension to Iohn Norris of Newton St. Loe for his Unjust Reflection on the Quakers in his Book Entituled Reflections upon the Conduct of Human Life c. Iohn Norris I Need no Apology for this brief Reprehension if thou think'st I do Review the first page of thy Epistle Dedicatory viz. He that shall point out any of the Irregularites or Mistakes of the Conduct of Human Life ought to be lookt upon as a universal Friend and promoter of the publick Happiness and the more severe he is in his Censure provided it be true and well grounded the more charitable he is in his undertaking and the more like to be serviceable in his performance When first I perused thy Reflections upon the Conduct of Human Life with reference to the studdy of Learning and Knowledge I was and still am pleased with all that tends to the propagation of Original and necessary Truth but rejoyce where I find it spring from an upright mind pure intention and clean Vessel for whoso undertakes to reprehend the intelligible Conduct of Human Life ought first to purge himself from the Irregularities of his moral Conduct which doth cloud and darken his understanding Howbeit I was so far from a Spirit of Detraction or Emulation that considering from whence it came I in some sort rejoyced in it so far as it was sound and true hoping and desiring that what was either clearly and rightly detected or equally and fairly recommended might gain upon the Understanding of such whose Education and Literature had either prejudiced or at best mistated and unfitted them for receiving the same Truth and divine Principle by meaner Instruments respecting worldly esteem which Principle hath been and is by many such faithful Witnesses plentifully born testimony to as well by doing as suffering by the supposed learned Rabbies of our day as also by Doctrine in Word and Writing though not altogether under some of thy Terms or pretended Phylosophical Notions yet according to the Demonstration of the Spirit and in words approved and chosen of God to make known himself by and taught us in the holy Scriptures God having in his divine Wisdom in this Age as in former Ages 1 Cor. 1.27 28 29. Chosen the foolish things of the world to Confound the Wise and the Weak things of the world to Confound the things that are mighty and base things of the world and things that are despised hath God chosen yea things which are not to bring to naught things which are that no Flesh should glory in his presence Agreeable to this is that divine acknowledgement of Christ Jesus to his Father Matth. 1.11 and 25. I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes Matth. 18.10 Take heed that ye despise not one of these little Ones I fear thou art guilty in this perticular viz. of despising the Testimony of God in this Age through the meanness of the Instruments Consider what is said Thes. 10.4.8 He therefore that despiseth despiseth not man but God who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit From the too apparent Reflection thou makes in the 77th page of thy Book New Edition one might at first think that thou wert a great stranger to the Conversation of the People called Quakers and more especially to their Writings which had unwarily subjected thee to a rash and immature Censure in rendring them dark aukward untoward and unprincipled in the way of representing their Principle viz. the Light within thereby discrediting as thou sayest one of the noblest Theories in the World but the thing in it self rightly understood is true I being under some dissatisfaction about these Expressions of thine took occasion to visit Ioseph Langton of Newton St Loe a person of my respect and acquaintance and near Neighbour of thine with whom I had some discourse about thy aforesaid Book and in perticular the above recited passage recommending to him Robert Barclay's Apology for the true Christian Divinity for thy perusal and having understood by him thou hadst been Conversant with it I confess it extreamly dampt me and gave occasion for other thoughts than a supposed Ignorance of the Persons and manner of their representing their Principle whom thou hadst thus evilly treated and exposed without reason or provocation as I know of and now I shall proceed to show thee wherein though I presume thou already knowest Robert Barclay in his fifth and sixth Propositions treating of this universal and saving Light of Jesus Christ page 110. calls it supernatural Light and Grace quotes Iohn 1.9 That was the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World Which place as he observes doth so clearly favour the Quakers Doctrine that it is called their Text hence he draws this necessary Conclusion That the Life that is in him viz. the Word Christ is the Light of Men Iohn 1.4 In other places he calls it according to Divine Instruction The Seed sown in several sorts of Ground The Word of the Kingdom The Word of Faith The Implanted or Ingrafted Word which is able to save the Soul quoting Cyrillus Alexandrinus Clemens Alexandrinus Augustine Buchanan c. in confirmation of this Doctrine as thou mayst see at large whereby it appears whatever thou art he was so far from the Ambition of being thought the first promulgator of that heavenly Doctrine of the Universallity and Sufficiency of this Light within for Salvation that he rejoyces to meet with it imbracing it where-ever he finds it improves the interest of it and instead of calumniating its Votaries represents it to the world Cleared from the Rust of darker Ages and advantaged with the Confessions and Testimonies of purer Primitive Times And now I Enquire what are the Dark aukward and untoward Expressions and unprincipled way of representing this Principle that thou alledgest the Quakers are guilty of are any of these here quoted out of the afore-mentioned Author part thereof or in what other Book or Writing of the Quakers may they be found I shall now farther say that this Divine Word Light Grace and Truth or whatever else it hath

Quakers represent this Light within as a sort of extraordinary Inspiration Where learnt thou this Before it was a Divine Communication and Manifestation only and now an Extraordinary Inspiration Thou wouldst have done well to have let the Quakers Principle alone till thou hadst learnt it better and more honestly to represent it Is not Extraordinary more than Common or Communication and manifestation only Have not the Quakers declared the Light to be Universal as well as Divine in its gift and manifestation to the Sons of men It is certainly true they have and yet I deny not but such who apply their minds in Obedience to the teachings of this Light and heavenly Gift may be made partakers of more viz. extraordinary Gifts and Graces by the Inspiration of the same Spirit c. If for this they have the Name of Enthusiasts given them as in the Section of thy Postscript Though it be in Derision they will rejoyce in it for it shall be as an Ornament of Grace to their Head and Chains about their Neck Again in the same Section thou sayst I suppose it viz. The Light within to be a man's natural and ordinary way of understanding And just before thou made it to be the very Essence and Substance of the Deity which are thy own express words see thy Confusion and Self-contradiction by these Words viz. a man's natural and ordinary way of understanding I take thee to intend the same thing as in page 77. where thou call'st it Reason and Conscience and yet at the same time call'st it The divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Region of Truth in which are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge the great and universal Oracle lodged in every man's Breast whereof the ancient Vrim and Thummim was an express Type or Emblem Here thou Debasest and Confoundest thy Principle making it to be a part of man's Nature whereas the Principle or divine Light as held by the Quakers is a distinct thing from man's Soul Reason or natural Conscience viz. a more excellent Spirit and Principle And herein I confess is a material Difference betwixt thy principle of Light and the Quakers as thou hast exprest it sure I am it is a great Error to render the Divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which all things were made and are upheld to be no higher a Principle than man's Reason and Conscience or natural and ordinary way of understanding which reason is a property Essential to him as Man I confess to know the things of a man according to that Scripture 1 Cor. 2.9 10 11. But as it is written Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard neither have entred into the Heart of man the things that God hath prepared for them that love him but God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the Deep things of God for what man knows the things of a man save the Spirit of a man that is in him even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God Again Mat. 11.27 Neither knoweth any man the Father save the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him By which it manifestly appears that the true knowledge of God and Spiritual things are attained by the Spirit which is superior to man's rational Principle or natural Conscience which may be defiled and corrupted as 't is said expresly of the Impure that even their Mind and Conscience is defiled Tit. 1.15 In thy third Sestion thou com'st in with a Salvo Errore If I mistake not the Quakers confine their Light within to some certain Objects namely Morral and Spiritual Truths in order only to the direction of Practice How shouldst thou do otherwise but mistake the Principles of others seeing thou art so confused about thine own however I must tell thee it s no small Fault at such an uncertainty to Expose peoples Principles and 't is an abuse to say the Quakers confine the Light within It is Divine Supernatural and Uncircumscribeable in it are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge where have the Quakers taught otherwise Have they not testified and declared the Light and the Spirit of Truth are one and the same in Being which will guide into all Truth Iohn 16.13 The Quakers believe this divine Light to be the quickness of their understandings to know and of their wills to love and practical Truth and that it assists the natural Faculties of the Soul in the attainments of necessary Arts and Sciences as well as capacitate it to know and practise Morral and Spiritual Truths Thou mayst read what the Author to the Book of Wisdom says on this subject in the 9th and 10th Chapters And whereas thou sayst The Quakers make the Light within a Supplement to Scripture which they say is not sufficient without it nor indeed any more than a meer dead Letter I Answer These words Supplement to Scripture are thy own not ours and this seems to be a Composition of thy own notion of the Quakers Faith concerning the holy Scriptures without any quotation of their Words or Writings and as 't is an objection is built upon thy mistake In thy former Section viz. The Quakers represent this Light within as a sort of extraordinary Inspiration Which hath been already answered proving the Universallity of the Divine Light in man which considered there 's no just cause for this as an Objection against the Quakers assigning the Scriptures to be insufficient without the Light because the knowledge of the holy Scriptures cannot occur to the understanding without it and the formal reason thereof is its presence and manifestation The Quakers believe that Christ Jesus by his divine Light within doth in these days as in the Days of his Flesh expound fulfil and open to the true Believers the holy Scriptures which according to the Apostle's exhortation to Timothy Chap. 2.3 15. Are able to make wise unto Salvation note THROUGH FAITH which is in Christ Iesus The word Supplement in this sense I hope will be found no Error but according to thy Construction of the Quakers representing the Light within as a sort of extraordinary Inspiration Sect 2. Or special priviledge of a certain order of men their own party as in Sect. 4. And then making them to say the Scriptures with relation only to the Direction of Practice as thy Lines import Sect. 3. are not sufficient without it nor indeed any more than a meer dead Letter is to render the Quakers not only singular and Erronious in their Principle of the Light which shall be more duly observed in its place but also Contemptuous of the holy Scriptures as useless and insufficient to all but themselves which is a great and hainous abuse of a Society of People without cause and provocation and contrary to their publick and known Assertions both by Word and Writing who believe according to the same Apostle to Timothy Chap. 2.3.16 17. That all Scripture

given by Inspiration of God is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the man of God may be Perfect throughly furnished unto all good Works And this shall suffice for an Answer to thy third Section The fourth is a down-right falsity viz. The Quakers make their Light within a special Priviledge of a certain Order of men their own party not indeed as to the possibility yet they do as to the act making none but those of their own way to be actually inlightned by it This is so abundantly Confuted by the Writings in general of those People more perticularly in the afore-recited Book of Robert Barclay's which considering thou hast read I am the more amazed at thy Assertion They say all are actually inlightned by it all are Called but all have not obeyed according to these Scriptures Micah 6.8 He hath shewed thee O man what is Good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to do Iustly and to love Mercy and to walk Humbly with thy God 1 John 9.3.19 1 Cor. 13.7 Tit. 2.11 c. Thy distinction of a possibility and not actually with respect to the Divine Illumination of this Principle is trivial though not with respect to Salvation by it The Capacity or Possibility is not nor can be in man abstract from the actual Illuminating Power and Spirit no more than seeing if the light be seperate from the Eye The Quakers have and still do declare that Christ Jesus the Light of the World is the universal free Gift of God for the benefit of all men in order to their Salvation and is not this Common yet Special priviledge because dearly purchased and freely bestowed on lost man that thou mayst not want occasion to traduce the Quakers thou hast so much over-done it in this Section as to contradict thy self in the fifth as for instance Sect. 4. to be actaully inlightned according to thy Principle is no special priviledge but the common and universal benefit of all men yea of all the intelligent Creation who all see and understand in this Light of God without which there would be neither Truth nor Understanding On the contrary Postscript Sect. 5. thou sayst Thy Light does not formally enlighten or instruct thee but when thou carefully attends to and consults it and read what is written in those Divine Ideal Characters The like Doctrine thou hast pag. 71. of thy Book Sect. 5. and 6. where treating of thy double illumination of thy divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. Fundamentally and Potentially or else effectually or actually in the former sense thou sayest he inlightens every man in the latter only those who duly consult him and attend to him See what Contradiction thy strained Notions run thee into one while to be actually enlightned is the Common and Universal benefit of all men another while only of those who Consult it and attend to it and all to avoid being thought to Symbolize with the Quakers in thy notion of the Divine Light thy Distinction of Potentially and Actually can have no more in it than the Difference in the subject the one universal act of the Word or Light enlightning every man comprehends both these are but new invented terms to express the most ancient and more Divinely and better revealed Truths of the Gospel Thy fifth I take in the first part of it to be the same in substance with thy first Differing in form of expressions viz. The Quakers by their Light within understand some Determinate formed dictate or proposition expresly or possitively directing or instructing them to do so or so as in thy first thou call'st it some divine Communication or Manifestation ONLY Where didst thou learn this definition of the Quakers Faith and Doctrine of the Light within The Quakers believe the Light of Christ within to be God's divine Oracle of Wisdom in the Soul the former Dictater and determiner of heavenly Propositions their Directing and Instructing what to choose and what to refuse as the original Cause of the knowledge and love of Truth which are its proper effects Now wherein is the Quakers Light as thou term'st it Inferiour to that which thou call'st thine except in the Differing Character thou givest it they own the Real and Substantial Truth of God the Life of the Word the Light of men as Christ said of himself I am the Way the Truth and the Life That this divine Light which is the Light of men is always in some degree and measure present in the Soul by which it is upheld either in God's love or anger the Quakers believe and that in him we live move and have our being though with respect to operation after a different manner and measure and passing the understanding of man And whereas thou sayest Thy Light is only the essential Truth of God This is a high presumption about which I have already shewed thy Confusion in other places calling it Reason and Conscience and a man's natural and ordinary way of understanding consider Mat. 6.22.23 The Light of the Body is the Eye if therefore thy Eye be single thy whole Body shall be full of Light but if thine Eye be evil thy whole Body shall be full of Darkness if therefore the Light that is in thee be Darkness how great is that Darkness So may I say if that Doctrine Principle thou recommendest to the World for Truth Excellency be erronious and faulty how great is that Error and Fault Again thou sayest Thy Light is always present to thy understanding and Intimately united with it still Sect. 5. Which in thy sense of the Light is to say thy Soul is never without thy Reason and Conscience I wish they were both reformed that thou mayst be no more guilty of these and such like false Aspersions That the Light as supposing it to be what really it is viz. a Distinct Principle from the Soul is always present to the understanding which implies its operation upon the natural Capacity or Organ the ordinary means of knowing I conceive is more then can be safely or experimentally said because the Organ may be hurt and the understanding in that sense interrupted and consequently no fit Medium or Receptacle either for the Soul or its Light besides the Soul may be absent from the natural understanding by the interposition of Spiritual as well as Natural causes and yet present with the Light in its spiritual way of understanding But to say as thou dost that Thy Light is only the Essential Truth of God and that it is always present to thy understanding and intimately united with it and yet that it does not formally inlighten or instruct it but when carefully attended to and consulted seems to discover a Contradiction in it self and to the formal Reason of its Being and Presence and Sufficiency in the one act of the same Principle as well as to the state and nature of Intimate Union for how can any

thing be intimately united to its Principle and not partake of its Nature and Influences which is the reason and manner of its union And how can this be and not carefully attended to and consulted is not this manifest Confusion That the presence of the Light does enlighten and instruct all in some sense and degree is sufficiently proved by Scripture By thy word formally enlighten I apprehend thou intendest the operative Exercise as in page 17. and as here applied to Light signifies no more than actually to enlighten ex parte objecti I grant such as do not carefully attend to and consult this Divine Light does not witness the increases of it unto the Redemption and Salvation of their Souls It is the Path of the Just that is as the shining Light that shineth more and more unto the perfect day if the Light as thou asserts doth not formally enlighten or instruct but when carefully attended to and consulted how then should it quicken and raise the Soul from Death to Life according to the multiplied Experience of holy David And how doth God speak once yea twice yet man perceiveth it not Iob 33.14 15 16 17. In a Dream in a Vision of the Night when deep Sleep falleth upon men in slumbring upon the Bed then he openeth the Ears of Men and sealeth their Instruction that he may withdraw man from his purpose and hide Pride from man Again in Isa. 65. I am sought of them that asked not for me I am found of them that sought me not I said Behold me behold me to a Nation that was not called by my Name How frequently doth the Lord complain by his Prophets of his Calling to his people to return and Repent but they would not answer Note the Call of God is not without Instruction read Micah 6.8 and Prov. 1. from 20. to the end And see what Wisdom does also in Nehemiah how they rebelled against God notwithstanding he gave his good Spirit to Instruct them The Testimony of Iohn the Evangelist the 5th and 21st Eph. 2.1 4 5. You hath he quickned who were Dead in Trespasses and Sins but God who is rich in Mercy for his great love wherewith he hath loved us even when we were dead in Sins hath quickned us together in Christ by Grace ye are saved 2 Cor. 4.6 7. God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give us the Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ but we have this Treasure in earthen Vessels that the excellency of the Power may be of God and not us These and many other Texts abundantly prove that God quickens and enlightens man before man can turn unto him Thy sixth and last Section I take to be an extravagant noise and bluster against the Quakers to supply the want of real matter of Objection what means else so great and general Reflections without offering any Proof or reducing it to a perticular Charge to say the Quakers do not offer any rational or intelligible account of their Light within proves nothing to tell the world as thou dost they Cant in some loose general Expressions about the Light does little else but impose upon trust which is to beg Credit whilst thou mentions not what those loose and general Expressions are but to say they Confirm them by the authority of St Iohn's Gospel is in some sort to contradict thy assertion for so to confirm them argues they agree to what is there taught and if so as is most certainly true and that the Quakers do adhere to those divine Words and Expressions it looks like too much prophaneness to account them loose and Canting and to say that the Quakers understand neither the Light which they profess nor St Iohn's Gospel is an Evil presumption and what if I say Blasphemy against some that dwell in Heaven As for thy terms viz. Omniformity of the Ideal world they may be either thy own or some borrowed Invention which not being taught them by the holy Spirit and divine Testimony thereof in the holy Scriptures the Quakers reject the more seeing it is such an Idol that although they sincerely confess and believe in the Light according to Iohn's Gospel they shall not be allowed to understand either without bowing thereto What art thou O man that boasteth thy self art thou wiser than thy Maker whose Wisdom hath brought forth and taught his People these expressions Canst thou by searching find out God or the Almighty unto perfection I tell thee nay but God will Confound thy Wisdom and bring to naught thy understanding wherein it is exalted for he hath Determined to stain the Pride of all Flesh the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it This is written for the clearing of Truth 's Testimony from the Rubbish thou hast cast thereon in good Will to all and desiring thy Soul's welfare By R. V. THE END