God is not in all his thoughts but as saith the same Prophet Psal 69. 32. The humble shall see this and be glad and your heart shall live that seek God Sect. 12 The humble do see themselves in a lost and undone Estate by reason of Sin which they and all the world are guilty of by the Sentence of the righteous Law of God they are so broken in their spirits finding themselves under the Curse of the Law Gal. 3. 10 That as Christ teacheth concerning the penetant Publican Luke 18. 10. thinking themselves not worthy to lift up their eyes to Heaven do smite their breasts saying God be merciful to us Sinners while the proud Pharisee rejoycing in himself and in his own Righteousness of the Law like those that now Preach up the Light within exalteth himself saying God I thank thee I am not as other men are Extortioners Unjust Adulterers or even as this Publican Oh with what affection doth the Repentant Believer receive Jesus Christ Oh how precious is the Blood of Sprinkling to him Heb. 12. 24. Which the proud Legalist Pharisee Papist and pretended Preacher up of the Light within do trample under their feet Sect. 13 Even as Water is to a thirsty Land Psal 143. 6. or to the panting Hart Psal 42. 1. which being at the point of death except it be refreshed by the Water Brooks doth expire So is it with the poor Believer who finding himself beset on every side with the guilt and burthen of his Sins which he not able to bear flees from but is still pursued with the guilt thereof until he meets with Christ who sets him free from the guilt and takes away the burthen of his Sins giveth him assurance of peace with God through the Satisfaction which he hath made to his Justice by the Sacrifice of himself for all his sins that are past and requiring this late lost Creature now to follow him he bringeth him to his Fathers house makes him a Son of God by Adoption and giveth him the holy Spirit whereby he may both know that God is his Father and be inabled to serve him in newness of spirit promiseth him that his Grace shall be sufficient for him to relieve him in all his Temptations in this world and that by his Mediation with God he will so secure him from the Calumnious Accusations of Satan that he shâ—â—l not be able to lay any thing to his Charge in the Court of Heaven and now requiring him to be faithful to the death assureth him that he will give him the Crown of life Oh what glorious Grace is this Oâ— hâ—w is he that was Sentenced to death and pursued with the Executioners thereof meeting with Jesus Christ and being by him not only delivered from the power of his Puâ—suers but also intituled to Everlasting Life refreshed and comforted who is able to express the consolation of the water of Life John 4. 10. which Jesus Christ gives to refresh the fainting Spirits of those he meets with that while they flee from sin are pursued with the Law Sin and Death and are never able by all the strength they have to deliver themselves from the power of those their Enemies until Jesus Christ interpose with the might of his power relieve them by his grace delivering the poor broken in spirit that are pursued with the guilt power and wages of Sin from the Law Sin and Death speaking peace to them in the pardon of their sins sprinkling his Blood upon their spirits to cleanse them from the guilt thereof and giving them the holy Spirit John 7. 37 38 39. to strengthen them against the Reigning power of Sin and thereby intituling them to life Everlasting and to the deliverance from the wages of Sin which is Everlasting Death Sect. 14 Oh how contrary is the Doctrine of the Gospel to the Doctrine of those that Preach up the Light within all men as that which though it be but the work of the Law Rom. 2. 15. is sufficient in the opinion of these followers of the Romish Synagogue to lead out of all Sin and eternally to save and therefore contrary to the practice of the Apostles who direct unto Christ all the weary and heavy laden with sin with Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sins of the World John 1. 29. These Messengers of Satan lead all such as follow them from Christ to themselves setting up themselves under pretence of the Light within and rejecting that which is indeed the Light viz. the Word of the Prophets of Christ and of his Apostles 2 Pet. 1. 19. which is written in the Scriptures of Truth Dan. 10. 21. they set up that which is indeed the Darkness of this world the Traditions of men the Doctrines of the Romish Harlot and other Adversaries to the Doctrine of the Gospel which they deliver by word of mouth and disperse in their written Books and Pamphlets CHAP. II. Wherein is shewed That the Doctrine of these that call themselves Preachers of and to the Light within all men is not according to the Doctrine of Jesus Christ expressed in the Scriptures of Truth neither concerning the Person of Christ nor the Father Son and Spirit nor the Light nor the Ordinances of Christ nor the Resurrection of the Dead nor the Coming of Christ nor the End of the World Also the Doctrine which is according to Godliness as it relates to these Particulars is here manifested Sect. 1 THe second thing which I lay to thy Charge which teachest that People should be guided by the Light which is within all men is That thy Doctrine is not according to the Doctrine of the Scriptures neither concerning the Conception of Jesus Christ nor the Divine Being of the Father Son and Spirit nor the Light nor the Ordinances of Christ nor the Resurrection of the Dead nor the Coming of Christ nor the End of the World and therefore thou art led by the Spirit of Antichrist Sect. 2 First Because thou dost not confess that by vertue of the Holy Spirit his coming upon and the Power of the Highest his overshadowing that visible woman called Mary that that man Christ Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit and made of the Woman without her knowing of man and that he is the only begotten Son of God both according to the Spirit of Holiness Rom. 1. 3 4. and also as he is a man of flesh and bones and that there is none nor can be any that is the Son of God in that sense that that God-man Christ Jesus was and is the Son of God from and to all Eternity according to the Spirit of Holiness and also in the fulness of time according to the flesh Gal. 4. 4. I say because thou dost not own this Person which I here speak of to be the only begotten Son of God and no other but he in all the world beside Therefore thou art deceived and art a Deceiver for thou sayest
they did concern one time or the men only which spake them But they are of a general interpretation and do concern as they are Prophesies and declare the Doctrine of Salvation all times and People as saith the Prophet This shall be written for the generation to come and the People which shall be created shall praise the Lord Ps 102. 18. Bow down thine ear saith Solomon and hear the words of the Wise they shall be fitted in thy lips that thy trust may be in the Lord have not I written to thee excellent things that I might make thee to know the certainty of the words of Truth that thou mightest answer the words of Truth to them that send unto thee See Pro. 22. 17 18 19 20 21 22. Therefore did Peter write both his Epistles viz. to stir up the pure minds of the believers by way of remembrance that those that had obtained pure minds might be mindful of the words spoken before by the holy Prophets and of the Commandments of the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour Knowing this first saith he that there shall come in the last dayes scoffers viz. such as will taunt and scoffe at the Scriptures at the Doctrine written therein and at such as believe and practice it Which scoffers do walk after their own lusts and not after the words of the holy Prophets and the Commandment of the Apostles of Christ Oh! how much is this fulfilled in these dayes by which we know it is the last times 2 Pet. 3. 1 2 3. Let Believers therefore take heed and beware of false Teachers let them believe and imbrace the Doctrine of the Scriptures of Truth Dan. 10. 21. which teach us that we should believe that Jesus is Christ the Son of God and that believing we might have Life through his Name 1 John 20. 31. Let them therefore give themselves to the reading or hearing the Doctrine of the Scriptures and as every man hath received the gift whether of Prophesie Ministring Teaching or Exhortation Rom. 12. 6 7 8. So ought they to minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold Graces of God 1 Pet. 4. 10. Sect. 7 The last ground which I shall insist upon is the powerful opperation of the Doctrine of the Scriptures upon the hearts of such as believe which experience the good things of God can witness viz. that upon reading hearing and meditating in the Scriptures of Truth God hath sweetly refreshed their spirits with riches of Grace spiritual Comforts and Heavenly consolations and made the Scriptures of Truth a word of Power by which he hath powerfully wrought both to convince convert them to turn them from darkness to light from the Kingdom of Satan to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ Acts 26. 18. Yea it is an evident Argument that they which are strangers to what I here say let their Profession be what it will Truth was never yet espoused to their Souls never did any man of God say that the Scripture is a dead Letter a Carnal thing to feed the Carnal mind Oh the Darkness that is in some that boast of Light who can call the holy Scriptures a dead Letter a Carnal thing to feed the Carnal mind and yet themselves do fill the Nation with Books and Writings what may one think of this but that they do either condemn the thing which themselves allow or else they have found out a way to make their Letters and Books to become Spiritual and to cause all other even the Sacred Scriptures to become Carnal which though written or Printed as theirs yet not from the same inspiration for the Doctrine of the Scriptures was written by the Inspiration of God But how can there Doctrine be from the same inspiration which is against the Doctrine of the Scriptures How much therefore is it to be lamented that the Scriptures of Truth should be so villified and reproached and that any should be so deluded as wholly to neglect the reading of them and let them lie in the corners of their houses without all regard of them alas it was not so with Professors in the Marian dayes when one Book of it was at five pounds value and for the least Epistle a man would give a load of hay and carry it up to London into the Bargain but now we having plenty men dare abuse it and tread it under their feet and because it doth not cry out with a vocal voice and reprove in and by it self alone therefore they conclude it is worth nothing and yet can highly esteem of their own Books although they can do as little But now consider take the best grain that can be procured lay it in a dry place where it cannot grow and will it become fruitful not at all But sown in the field and it will bring forth abundantly Even so lay thy Bible in a corner of thy house without regard of the Doctrine therein contained and it will be no waies profitable to thee but lay up the Doctrine thereof in thy heart where it should be and it will become a fruitful Word to thee for it is not likely that the Doctrine of the Scriptures should do thee any good or that thou shouldest feel any vertue in it while thou endeavourest to shut it out of thy heart but let the sayings of the Scriptures when and where they reprove for sin and exhort to amendment of life let the Judgements therein written against the workers of Iniquity and the Promises of Grace which God hath there recorded for the comfort of them that by Faith lay hold on Jesus Christ come close to thy heart and pray that God may make those Promises thine and yield up thy self to the holy directions therein contained and then thou wilt find that there is vertue in the Scriptures Oh! there is a Divine flame in them if they be but taken to the heart that will warm and quicken the dead and benummed affections Did not the Words of Christ make his Disciples hearts to burn within them while he talked with them and while he opened to them the Scriptures I Luke 24. 32. Oh! therefore give diligence to obey what is written in the Scriptures of Truth for if you that are contrary minded shall not consider and leave your Inventions and the Traditions of men which you have imbraced your sin lyeth at your own doors and your blood upon your own heads for what a sad thing is it that men should quote Scriptures like Satan to justifie their Doctrine of deceit which they deliver and yet notwithstanding esteem the Scriptures of no value That men should wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction 2 Pet. 3. 16. Cry down the Word of God and set up the Word of man and Satan yea they can reprove some for reading the Scriptures and yet if one have been at their Meetings and while they are teaching up the so called Light within be reading one of their Books giving little or no heed to what is spoken yet he is not reproved By which it is evident that they know that the design which they drive on is not in the Scriptures of Truth but in their own Books and therefore it is of like acceptance with them to read their Books as to hear their Preaching Let all believers therefore pray that they may be delivered from them which Preach up the so called Light within who deny the Doctrine of the Scriptures of Truth expressed in the Bible to be the Word of God and set up their own sayings for a rule of direction which yet hath no Testimony from God or from his Word Sacra Scriptura est liber vitae origo aeterna Cujus incorporalis Essentia Cujus cognitio vita Cujus Scriptura indelebilis Cujus inspectus desiderabilis Cujus Doctrina facilis Cujus Scientia dulcis Cujus profunditas inscrutabilis Cujus verba innumerabilia vnum tantum Verbum omnia Hug. de art Noe. Thus Englished The Sacred Scripture is the Book of Life Whose Original is Eternal Whose Essence is incorporeal Whose Knowledge is Life Whose writings is indeliable Whose inspect is desireable Whose Doctrine is easie Whose knowledge is sweet Whose depth is unsearchable Whose words are innumerable and onely one Word All. THE END ERRATA IN the Epistle to all the Churches Page 3. line 17. read truth is In the Epistle to the Reader p. 3. l. 5. r. the so called Light l. 21. r. which in all men as the only means of Salvation In the Epistle to all those that teach up the Light within p. 2. l. 27. r. so called Light within p. 4. l. 14. r. so called Light within p 5. l. 18. f. lies r. lyar Of the Book p. 1. l. 6. r. the so called Light l. 21. r. the so called Law or Light p. 2. l. 11. r. makest p. 3. l. 11. r. preacheth p. 6. l. 13. f. Loyaâ— r. Legal l. 19. f. so that it r so it l. last r. as p. 27. l. 25. f. abase r. alass p. 28. l. 12. f. works r. work p. 29. l. 10. f. lives r. life p. 42. l. 11. dele it l 20. r. and to render p. 47. l. 28. d. yet p. 50. l. 23. f. so r. to p. 57. l. 1. f. I shall shew r. I shew l. 3. f. at r. in p. 70. l. 3. f. plunged r. plagued p. 75. l. 11. r. have alwaies margent r. Acts 24. 16. p. 7â— l. 7. f. spoke r. spoken l. 23. f. god r goe p. 88 l. 2. r. Angels p â—1 l. 15. f it s r his l. 17. after world r. of the ungodly so by his word shall the world p. 141. l 12. f. god r. goe p. 144. l. 2 f. desiring r. despising p. 167. l. 23. f. he r. she p. 168. l. 1. f. he r she l. 3 f. him r. her l. 4 f. him r. her l. 5. f. he r. she f. him r. â—er l. 8. f. him r. her f. his r. her l. 10. f. he r. she l. 22 f. his r. â—er p. 173. in the Contents l. 1. f. fine r. five l. 16 f. fine r. five p. 174. l. 15. f. he r. thee p. 185. l. 8 9. f. alleth r. calleth p. 205. l. 21. f. that Bible r. the Bible
his Disobedience against God and his Holy will revealed in his Testament the Scriptures of Truth suggesting unto the Workers of Wickedness That after Death they shall be hid in the Grave from coming forth from thence to judgment Therefore the Doctors of Antichrist do deny Jesus Christ which dyed at Jerusalem they deny both the Father and the Son they deny the Resurrection of Christ they hate and despise his Ordinances oppose and revile his People they sin and transgress without stay until they dye in Unbelief thinking that there shall be no Resurrection of their Bodies out of the Earth but that the Grave shall be a hiding-place to shelter them from the Judgment of the Great Day But thus saith the Truth There is no Darkness nor Shadow of Death where the workers of Iniquity may hide themselves Job 34. 22. Sect. 16 But Sathan that he might perswade his Servants to go on securely in their Disobedience against God and to yield up themselves wholly to the Counsel of the Prince of Darkness to strengthen them hereunto doth suggest unto them that there is no such things to be expected as those which the Faithfull in all Ages have looked for viz. The coming of Christ to judgment and the end of the World Yet lest a positive denyal of these Glorious Truths should discover from what Spirit that Denial doth proceed he hath taught his Ministers to hide their Designe and to make as if they opposed not the things themselves but only some such manner of accomplishment of them as is not promised They call all such carnal as look and wait for the coming of Christ from Heaven out of them they pronounce Woes upon such as say That Christ is not yet come to judgment and that the World is not yet ended But why is it but because they look for no such thing nor have they assurance of Peace in that day They boast that Christ is come to them neither look they for any other coming That the World is ended with them neither look they for any other end That the Judgment is past with them neither look they for any other Judgment But why is all this but because they do deny that which is indeed the coming of Christ in glory the everlasting inheritance of the Saints the judgment of Christ upon his Enemies and the end of the World when the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the Earth also and the Works that are therein shall be burnt up For as testifieth the Apostle The Heavens and the Earth which are now by the same Word of God are kept in store reserved unto fire against the Day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly See 1 Thess 1. 6 7 8 9 10. men 2 Pet. 3. 7 10. Who seeth not except those whose eyes the God of this World hath blinded that they that now call themselves Preachers of and to the Light within all men are the Scoffers that the Apostle Peter said should come in the last times walking after their own Lusts and saying Where is the Promise of his coming 2 Pet. 3. 3 4. yea the great Prophet the Lord Jesus Christ hath foretold of these Seducers and Deceivers as other the Lords Prophets also have done saying There shall arise False Christs and False Prophets which shall shew great signes and wonders to deceive if it be possible the very Elect But that the Chosen of God may be preserved from the Deceits of this great Antichrist Christ hath foretold with what Lyes the Truth of his coming should by Satan and his Instruments be opposed and hath also so described the manner of his coming that all that believe on his Name may know assuredly as the True Christ from the False so his true coming from a pretended coming which the False Christs and False Prophets shall avouch for the True Christ and his True coming with these words Behold he is in the Desart behold he is in the secret Chamber see here see there Matth. 24. 23 24 25 26. all which the Lord warns his Disciples neither to go after follow or believe and withal gives such a Description of the manner of his coming as is altogether inconsistent with the false Christs and false Prophets Description which intimates That Christs coming which his Saints know shall be glorious and therefore publick shall be and is so private weak and dishonourable that some shall not know that he is come till they shew where he is with their Behold he is in the Desart behold he is in the Secret Chamber see here or see there for saith Christ As the Lightening that lighteneth out of the one part under Heaven shineth to the other part under Heaven so also shall the Son of man be in his day Luke 17. 23. or according to Matthew as the lightening cometh out of the East and shineth even unto the West so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be Matt. 24. 26 27. In which words four things are laied down to vindicate the great and glorious coming of Christ 1. That he will absolutely come as doth the Lightening Who can deny the coming of the Lightening It is as absolute and certain that Christ will come though some do both deny and oppose it but Christ will come certainly and absolutely as is testified by Christ himself and his Apostles in the Scriptures Immediately saith he after the Tribulation of those dayes shall the Sun be darkened and the Moon shall not give her Light and the Starrs shall fall from Heaven and the Powers of the Heaven shall be shaken and then shall appear the signe of the Son of man in Heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the Earth mourn and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven with Power and great glory Mat. 24. 29 30. For the Lord himself saith Paul shall descend from Heaven with ashout with the voice of the Arch Angel and with the Trump of God c. 1 Thes 4. 15 16. For yet a little while and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Heb. 10. 37. He saith John that testifieth these things saith Surely I come quickly Amen even so come Lord Jesus Revel 22. 20. Thus it is evident that Christ will certainly come But 2. He will come suddainly as the Lightening cometh as the Lightening cometh suddainly and unexpectedly so also will Christ especially to those that oppose and deny his coming as the Scripture witnesseth But of that Day and Hour saith Christ knoweth no man no not the Angels of Heaven but my Father only but as the dayes of Noah were so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be For in the dayes that were before the flood they were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage until the day that Noah entred into the Ark and knew not untill the Floud came and took them all away so shall also
Baptize with a spirit and give a spirit to them which do receive their counsel or else they are not lawful Preachers by thy own confession so that thou intendest to Communicate a Teacher from without whatsoever thou declarest of the sufficiency of the Light within For Secondly Thou intendest not that men and women should be guided by the Light which is within them before they receive instruction and a spirit from thee which art without them because thy Teachers do declare to men and women that if they will but wait in silence be still and quiet cease from outward and Scripture-teaching Forms and carnal Ordinances that they shall receive vertue life and strength from them though they never see their faces any more by which it appears plainly that thou intendest to give a spirit to such as adhere to thy Doctrine for otherwise these thy promises of Vertue Life and Strength to be received from thee are vain and thou not faithful that makest them But Thirdly Thou never intendest that men and women should be guided by the Light which is within them before they receive instruction from thee and that thou givest them a spirit because that when thou takest hold of the hand of men and women or layest thy hands on their foreheads or on their shoulders great trouble comes upon their spirits within them yea when thou hast taken hold of the wâ—ists of the hands of some while they have been opposing thee they have been taken with such a trembling that they could not speak nor hold still nor get away from thee by which it is apparent that thy intent is to communicate a spirit Fourthly Thy intent is not that men and women should be guided by the Light which is within them before they receive instruction and a spirit from thee c. because as soon as ever thou apprehendest that any man or woman is inclinable to thy Principles thou art constantly visiting them until thou hast brought them over to thy ways once in thirteen days at the least thou wilt be praying with them after thy fashion untill they be brought out of that laborynth into which thou hast brought them and such a stir there is about this work and so vainly have some of you been affected with it that ye have sent to the Bel-man of a City to cry it up and down that all that would be free to come might come and see this imaginary Resurrection or rather Communication of your unclean spirit by which thou dost plainly declare that the Light in every man will not do the business but a spirit must be communicated for what else is it that thou so earnestly endeavourest to raise up What else is it that thou takest so much delight in when thou feelest it as hath been said by some of you Arise within man About what else are thy groanes spent what else doest thou visit with what else doest thou as thou sayest suffer but with that spirit which thou hast given which till he hath taken full possession of the Creature that so he may become as much the Child of perdition as thy self thou art in a troubled condition Fifthly That thou doest not intend that by the Light which is in every one before they receive instruction from thee they should be guided appears by thy running up and down to spread thy Doctrine and by thy Printing such a multitude of Books all which is done to teach and instruct men in thy way and to direct them how to walk according to thy desire thou cryest down Preaching and yet usest it thou cryest down the Letter and Scriptures of Truth and yet makest use of Letter and writest many Books thereby to disperse thy false Doctrine and even like the Pharisees ye reject the Commandment of God that ye may keep your own Traditions Mark 7. 9. ye lay aside Gods Word and set up your own word Gods holy Scriptures ye reject your own unholy writings ye exalt under pretence of setting up the Light which ye say is within every man ye set up the darkness which is within your selves and from you communicated to such as you can perswade to hear your words or read your Books thus thy pretentions and intentions are like Samsons Foxes Judg. 15. 4 5. not united by the heads yet so tyed together by the Tayls as between them they carry fire to burn up standing corn shocks of corn Vineyards and Olives thou callest thy Doctrine fire and sayest thou art baptized with the spirit and fire I do believe thou art baptized with a spirit and fire indeed which may seem to burn up weeds but it is sent against the good Corn the best Graces Faith Hope and Charity is burnt up in such as receive thy Doctrine by the fire of that unclean spirit with which thou art baptized Sixthly Thou doest not intend that the Light which is within every man should onely be his director because that Light which is in every man doth not lead thee and thy followers to do those things ye do for if it be a Light which is within every man by which onely thou art carryed on in thy way why then doth it not speak the same things in every one as it doth in thee why doth it not make every one quake and tremble as well as thee if every one have it why is it silent in so many why doth it not throw every one down upon the ground swell their bellies roar in them and speak with a vocal voice as well as in thee and thy followers If you say it is because the Light is in prison in those in whom it is not so active as it is in thee It is answered that by that reason it should be the more active if it be sensible of its bondage and if unsensible how then can it be sufficient to perform those things which thou ascribest to it What is it dead or senceless doth it not feel that hard and sore oppression under which it lies or is it asleep and must be awaked if so it is much unlike to make a man a new Creature to lead him out of all sin and iniquity and eternally to save him For how should that deliver a man out of Prison that is so unsensible of its own bondage That must needs be in a small capacity to help another that is not sensible of its own wants neither canst thou say it doth in all and every one what it doth in thee for I my self and many others can and do testifie the contrary if thou say it is by reason of our long sinning it is answered that you in whom the Light as you call it is so prevalent have been long sinners and are so still and if you are guided by no other thing than that Light which is in every man why doth it not do in all the same that it doth in you why doth it not make all little Children to quake and tremble in their mothers
laps as that spirit which you call the Light within hath caused some little Children to do where some of you have been present Sect. 17 But that an evil spirit is your familiar which also you communicate to such as adhere to your Doctrine shall be yet further manifested in several particulars First that humming blowing and hollow sighing proceeding from the bottom of your bellies from whence is it but from the evil spirit that hath there his residence for as the Hebrew word that signifies familiar spirit doth also signifie bottles to intimate that they which have familiar spirits do speak as it were througâ— bottles So some of you have had a voyce speaking to them from the hollow or bottom of their bellies which is no other than the voyce of the evil spirit and indeed by what else are you inabled at your meetings when you have nothing to say but by a spirit that comes into some of you by which ye are made able to speak 2 or 3. hours and then when ye have done are as empty again as if no such thing had been and so by the said spirits going out of one into another those things are performed which you ascribe to the Light within all men and as it hath been said by some of your selves Life goes to Life Life goes to Life So it is manifest that by the assistance of that spirit that comes from one and goes to another and not by the Light within all men are you inabled to do those things ye do and that hollow humming sighing and speaking is not from the Light within all men nor from the Light within your selves but from the spirit of darkness which you have received and are his instruments to help others to receive For Secondly Your silent meetings of Meditation or muttering is the direct practice of such as have familiar spirits as the Prophet teacheth Isai 8. 19. For the word translated Mutter signifies a silent Meditation or muttering as they that understand the Hebrew word do observe To what end therefore are your silent Meetings of Meditations or Mutterings but for the Communicating your unclean spirit for never did any of the Churches of Christ or servants of the living God hold Meetings of silence to meet and speak not one word to one another is such a practice of which there is not any example in the Word of God but even the contrary is found there for it is written They that feared the Lord spake often one to another and the Lord hearkned and heard it c. Mal. 3. 16. So that it is certain that the Practice of silent Meetings is contrary to the Practice of the People of God in all ages Therefore the Scripture Isai 8. 19. is worth thy further consideration as it is there written When they shall say unto you Seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto Wizards that peepe and that mutter Should not a People seek unto their God for the living to the dead Now the Spirit of God upon this accompt gives warning and instruction in the very next words vers 20. saying To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them Now let them shew if they are able that either the Law or Testimony of Christ speaketh any thing to the Justification of their doings their silent Meetings of Meditations or Mutterings their slighting the Word of God the Scriptures of Truth setting up their own Traditions under the name of the Light within for what ever they boast of Light Light here is an obsolute sentence upon them that there is no light in them Oh that all that hear might fear and not persist with them to their own destruction When men and Satan enter into Covenant when men hold Meetings to carry on his design to publish his Doctrine to communicate his Spirit Oh my Soul come not thou into their secrets unto their Assembly mine Honour be not thou united Gen. 49. 6. for they reject with the Pharisees and Papists the Counsel of God and set up their own unwritten Traditions they are gone a side after Satan whose Doctrine they publish and whose unclean spirit they hold assemblies in silence to communicate But Thirdly It is further manifest even by the confession of some of your own Prophets and Proselytes who are and have been owned by you as in your Ministry and of your way that an evil spirit is by you communicated as for instance There came a spirit into one of you as he was going to reprove another which did roar and make such a terrible noise in his belly that one might have heard it near a furlong from him the which he himself did confesse to be the Devil Another and one that is as a brand pluckt out of the fire did testifie before many witnesses that when he did joyn with those that preach up the Light within a spirit came into him which did make him quake and tremble so exceedingly that he thought it would have tore him in pieces which the Spectators were so afraid to behold that they called in several other persons to help hold him in his Bed which they had much ado to perform the Bed on which he lay did shake so exceedingly which violence was the motion of the evil spirit with which his own Spirit did not consent Another who is now bodily destroyed did confess a little before her death that there did a spirit speak in the bottom of her Belly with a vocal voice to the hearing of the outward ear and bad her go and leave her Kindred and House and all therein and Preach where it would have her and it would reward her three-fold c. The said party within a very little time after was found dead in a Furrow of Water And thus a dear Friend of mine was deluded and by your means destroyed which I cannot forget while I remember my self Sect. 18 But I will conclude this Chapter with the story of the sad pranks the Devil played in one that thought himself perfect who had been a great Preacher of to the so called Light within such a one that was concluded both by himself others to have attaired to the state of Perfection for several years past the said party being at a great Meeting of those that are called Preachers and followers of the Light within c. When they with such others as came to hear and himself also expected that he should have been the Teacher of the rest to have shewed them the way to the state of perfection yet so it was that a spirit entred into him as he sate behind the Table which did cause his Feet to fasten to the frame of the Table whereon he had set them and did cause his knees to clap together and there to stay and his arms to lock together and so to abide it did cause his mouth to shut his
with thee by way of Concession in putting the case that all this which thou sayest were so and that thou went beyond all others in every one of these five Particulars yet notwithstanding thy Way and Practice is a manifest falshood as shall be made evident in that which followeth Sect. 6 For first suppose that thou in Bodily Habit didest neglect thy self as much as the A Concession and Answer to the first Proof Romish Fryers or the Hermite before spoken of Art thou ere the more in the Truth for that it is apparent that both They and Thee notwithstanding this Humility in shew are great Adversaries to the Truth of the Gospel and that we may know that this shew of Humility in neglect of the Body is no sufficient Proof for this purpose the Scriptures of Truth do warn us of a sort of false Worshipers who worship Angels and walk after the Commandements of men being vainly puft up in their fleshly Minds who hold not the Head Christ Jesus by subjecting to his Ordinances yet are subject to the Ordinances of men touch not tast not handle not which things saith the Apostle indeed have a shew of Wisdom in Will-Worship and Humility and neglecting of the Body not in any Honour to the satisfying of the Flesh Col. 2. 18 19 21 22 23. Oh what a Glorious shew of Wisdom is there in Will-Worship and Humility and neglecting of the Body but alass what benefit is in all this for when this comes to be tryed it is found to be but the Wisdom of this World which is Earthly Sensual and Devilish James 3. 15. And is not the Worship of those that call themselves followers of the Light within the Worship of Angels that is of Devils while they disobey that which God hath shewed them in the Scriptures of Truth and intrude into such things which are not to be found there Where is there such a thing to be found in all the Record that God hath given of his Son that all men ought not to look into and be guided by the Scriptures of Truth but that all men ought to look into and be guided by the so called Light which is within them Oh the vanity of that fleshly and puffed up Mind that hath been the Author of this Intrusion and Doctrine of Devils so directly contrary to the Doctrine of the Holy Prophets Apostles and of Christ Himself the greatest of them all who requires us to hearken to the Word of the Lord expressed in the Law and in the Testimony to take heed unto the most sure Word of the Prophets 2 Pet. 1. 19. to searth the Scriptures which are able to make us wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 3. 15. Therefore although thou art outwardly more humble than any other that is no confirmation that thou art in the Truth but in the Falshood rather while thy Doctrine is so directly contrary to the Word of Truth And thus thy pretended proof of thy Humility lies dead and will not do the service for which it is brought Sect. 7 But Secondly Suppose that thou art in A Concession and Answer to the second Proof Vnity and all others are in Differences yet this doth not prove that therefore thou art in the Truth for first although the Devil endeavours to break the Peace of the Saints by sowing Discord among the Brethren because he knows that their Unity will be the ruine of his Kingdom and although sometimes through his Temptations many turn aside from the Truth yet notwithstanding the Lord owns the rest as his People that stand fast in it to those few Names in Sardis which did not defile their Garments it is promised That they shall walk with the Lord in White Rev. 3. 4. notwithstanding the polluted estate of the rest Although there was Divisions among the Disciples of Christ yet they were his Disciples and the Lord useth means to unite them to the Truth that are turning aside after Error before he utterly rejecteth them and when he doth punish the Transgressors he spareth the Obedient as is to be seen in the case of the seven Churches of Asia Rev. ch 2. and 3. So that although Divisions may appear among the Professors of the Faith of Christ it is not safe from thence to conclude that none of those Professors are in the Truth Shall we condemn all Professors because some walk contrary to their Profession Shall we condemn all the Angels of God because some of them did not keep their first estate but left their own Habitations Jude vers 6. Thus it is clear that Divisions amongst Brethren do not warrant an Universal Sentence upon them But Secondly Unity is no absolute estimony of Verity for the Prophets of Ahab spake with one consent there was no Division amongst them although they were four hundred they all agreed together to bid Ahab go up and prosper though it proved his destruction 1 Kings 22. 6 11 12 13. one Micaiah that differed from them all his words was true being the Words of the Lord and their words was false being the inspiration of Satan If ye then the Preachers up of the so called Light within are in Unity your Unity arising from a lying spirit which is in all your mouths we can conclude your condition to be no better then Ahabs and his Prophets and as the Lord permitted that lying spirit to be in the mouths of all Ahabs Prophets to intice him because he had so exceedingly sinned against the Lord by rejecting his Counsel to go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead even so hath the Lord sent or permitted a lying spirit to be in all your mouths that you may intice all them that do reject the Counsel of God which is written in the new Testament to go on and fall and be snared taken and destroyed as it is written 2 Thes 2. 11. 12. For this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a Lie that they all might be damned who believed not the Truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness It is therefore apparent that unity is not a sure proof of verity Those that are said to have one mind Revel 18. 13. to what end is it but to give their Power and strength to the Beast c. Those that Christ invited to his Marriage Supper Luke 14. 18. They all with one consent began to make excuse This Argument therefore being but a Popish Fig-leaf is utterly invalid But Sect. 8 Thirdly suppose thou destroy the Whore more then any other of her opposers and that by perswading her children to leave her A Concession and Answer to the third Proof and to follow after thee yet notwithstanding thou art not therefore in the Truth for many of the Adversaries of the Whore are enemies to the Gospel of Christ though the great City be divided into three parts yet it is great Babel still Revel 16. 19. and though the ten
threatned to the contemners thereof for ever and ever as those that imbrace the precious promises obey the holy Commandments and fear the dreadful Threatnings declared in the Scriptures shall enjoy in spirit soul and body the blessednes of Life Eternal and although now the proud contemners of God and of his Word that dare tread the Bible under their feet in scorn of the Doctrine expressed therein are called Happy and those workers of wickedness are set up in the minds of many yet the time will come when God will make up his Jewels and spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him and then will there be a discerning between the Righteous and the Wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not See Mal. 3. 13 14 15 16 17 18. Sect. 3 But as no other Person is the Son of God in the sence wherein Jesus Christ is he being the onely begotten Son of God both from all Eternity according to his Divine Nature and also in the fulness of time according to his Humane Nature So no other Doctrine whatsoever is the Word of God so as the Doctrine of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament is the Word of God for God wrote the words of the Covenant and gave the Record of his Son whose Doctrine and Miracles are written that ye might believe that Jesus is Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have Life through his Name John 20. 30. Which Doctrine of the Scriptures our Saviour Jesus Christ who as God and man in one Person is called the Word of God declared to be the Word of God when he reproved the Scribes and Pharisees for their making void the Commandment of God that they might keep their own Traditions making saith he the Word of God of no effect c. In which sentence it is very evident that our Saviour Jesus Christ called the Commandment of God expressed in the Scriptures The Word of God See Mark 7. And to this agrees the words of the Apostle 2 Cor. 2. 17. For we are not as many which corrupt or deal deceitfully with the Word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ That Word of God which they did not corrupt was the Doctrine which they delivered from God to the People concerning Jesus Christ and Salvation by him which they delivered both by word of mouth and by writing And as it is observed that the Hebrew word which is translated Commandments doth signifie Words as Exod. 34. 28. He wrote upon the Tables the Words of the Covenant the ten Words or Commandments which withall other Commandments of the old Covenant is called the Word or Doctrine of God So also the Words of Christ written in the Scriptures of the new Covenant is truely called the Word or Doctrine of God though Moses and other Prophets spake and wrote it yet the Word or Doctrine is the Word or Doctrine of God for these holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Spirit 2 Pet. 1. 21. So although Peter Paul and the rest of those holy Pen-men of the Scriptures of the new Covenant did speak write the Doctrine therein contained yet the Doctrine is the Word or Commandment of God as the Apostle teacheth 2 Cor. 3. 5. Not that we are sufficient to think any thing of our selves as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God who also hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament or Covenant the Doctrine whereof they delivered not in the words which mans wisdom teacheth but which the holy Spirit teacheth comparing spiritual things with spiritual 1 Cor. 2. 13. Sect. 4 Therefore God will punish all such severely that add to or take from the Scriptures Prov. 30. 6. Revel 22. 18 19. For whosoever doth speak a word against the Scriptures speaketh against him whose Will is therein expressed yea whosoever speaketh disdainfully and reproachfully of the Seriptures speaketh so against God himself for was it ever known that the Word Law or Commandment of a King was contemned and evil spoken of but the KIng who gave that Law Word or Commandment was also thereby dishonoured and his Name or Power dispised Is a Kings Honour bound up in his Laws and is not the Honour of the great God concerned in his Laws will earthly Kings punish the contemners of their Commands as far as their Power dorh extend and will not the King Eternal whose Power is universal But as the Adversaries of Jesus Christ dealt with him in the Dayes of his Humiliation even so do his Enemies deal by his Word in these dayes and surely those that in the Personal absence of Christ do vent their rage against the Scriptures would shew the same indignation against Christ himself were he personally present if it were in their power so to do those that tread the Scriptures under their feet would trample upon the Person of Christ were he in their way opposing their designs as the Scriptures are and like as the Scribes and Pharisees did conclude that Jesus Christ was not the Son of God because they could so abuse him and found no vertue in him so do these Adversaries of Christ the Preachers up of the so called Light within conclude against the Scriptures their being the Word of God because they can abuse them and finde no vertue in them And as Christ did then suffer his Person to be abused by wicked hands Acts 2. 23. So he now suffers his Word to be despised which notwithstanding he will one day Vindicate to the utter Confusion of the Enemies thereof he gave his Back to the smiters and his Cheekes to them that plucked off the hair and hid not his Face from shame and spitting he was mocked crowned with Thorns Scourged nailed to the Crosse Crucified and slain and what Power or vertue did his Persecuters feel in him while they did any of these things to him did they not in effect say in these mens words This a Christ a Saviour this the Word of God this quick and powerful he cannot save himself how then should he save others If thou be the Christ come down from the Crosse said they and we will believe thee To like purpose these blasphemers of God and of his Truth when they have cast the Scriptures on the ground have said Rise up if thou be the Word of God Oh the wonderful patience and forbearance of God! Oh the wretchednesse and perversnesse of man God sent his Son to save men men Crucified him he sent his Word to instruct men men despise it and tread it under their feet they can now call the Scriptures lifeless and say they have no vertue in them what might not they have said that nailed Christ to the Cross It is recorded that a woman did but touch the hem of his Garments and virtue came out of him but they that Crucified him might have said
that they had both touched and felt him and yet found no vertue come out of him No marvel therefore that the Scriptures seems to be lifeless and a dead Letter to such whose Faith is dead to them it is no wonder that the Scriptures do not enlighen them that go about to destroy them or in Christ himself while they were kiling him they found little excellency And why were some refreshed even by the touching of Christs Garment and others that â—ouched his Body felt no benefit Was it not because the one came to him with a Hand of Faith and Love owning him â—o be the Son of God and the other came with wicked hands to crucifie and slay him because they denyed him to be the Christ And wherefore is it that some find wonderful comfort in the Scriptures and are thereby made wise unto Salvation Is it not because they come with humble and believing Hearts to them But they must needs be a dead Letter to such whose Faith and Affections is quite dead to them Sect. 5 But to make a further manifestation of the Divine Authoriiy of the Scriptures I will lay down these following Considerations to prove the Scriptures to be an infallible Teacher of the Doctrine of Salvation First Because there is no Man nor Spirit or Light within any man in this world â—hat can name a Work of Righteousnesse which as an Act Deed or Duty of Righâ—eousnesse ought to be observed by the Sons of men which the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament do not make mention of fairly discover and fully comprehend Therefore the Scripture is an Infallible Teacher of the Doctrine of Salvation 2. Because there is no Man nor Spirit or Light within any man in this world that can name a work of wickednesse which as an Act or Deed of wickednesse ought not to be done by any of the Sons of men which the Scriptures do not most severely forbid upon pain of the greatest Punishments to be inflicted on them that persist therein Therefore the Scripture is an infallible Teacher c. 3. Because there is no Man nor Spirit or Light within any man in this World that can declare any Promise either of Peace or Happinesse which as a Promise from the True God ought to be embraced by the Sonâ— of men which the Scriptures of the Old and new Testament do not make mention of and very fairly and fully declare Therefore the Scriptures are an infallible Teacher c. 4. Because there is no man nor Spirit or Light within any Man in this world that can declare any Punishment which God wil inflict upon sinners for their disobedience which the Scripture speaketh not of and very fully declares Therefore the Scriptures are an infallible Teacher c. 5. Because no Man nor Spirit or Light within any man c. can prove any act or deed which the Scripture calls an act of Righteousness to be an act or deed of Wickedness Therefore the Scripture is an infallible Teacher c. 6. Because no Man nor Spirit or Light within any man can prove any act or deed which the Scriptures call an act of Wickedness to be an act or deed of Righteousness Therefore the Scripture is an infallible Teacher c. 7. Because no Man nor Spirit or Light within any man c. can prove any Promise which is made in Scripture to be false or that it shall not be made good according to the condition thereof to those to whom it is made Therefore the Scripture is an infallible Teacher c. 8. Because no Man nor Spirit or Light within any man c. can prove that any of the Threatnings expressed in the Scriptures against the workers of iniquity are either unreasonable or false or that they are not according to the minde of God or shall not come to pass Therefore the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are an infallible Teacher c. The Word of God therefore expressed in the Scriptures of Truth concerning his Commandments his Promises his threatings is very far in Authority and clearness beyond any Spirit or Light in any mortal man in the world therefore I conclude they are above all mens books words or Doctrine an infallible Teacher such as are able to make wise unto Salvation through faith in Christ Jesus being given by inspiration of God and are 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 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. Search the Scriptures therefore saith the Lord Jesus Christ for they are they which testifie of me Joh. 5. 39. To the Law and to the Testimony saith the Prophet if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them Isai 10. 20. Sect. 6 To the foregoing grounds I will add two other whereby the Light and power of the Doctrine of the Scriptures is further manifested and so conclude The first of which is taken from Ephes 5 13. Whatsoever saith the Apostle doth make manifest is Light now the Scriptures doth make manifest the mystery which was kept secret since the world began which according to the Commandment of the everlasting God is by the Doctrine of the Apostles made known to all Nations for the obedience of faith therefore according to Pauls Doctrine the Scripture is Light for by it is the way of Salvation manifest See Rom. 16. 25 26. Rom 15 4 2 Pet. 3. 1 2. The Apostle Peter also teacheth the same Doctrine for after he had declared what they which were with Christ in the Mount had seen and heard he tells us that we have a more sure word of prophesie or of the Prophets whereunto ye do well saith he that ye take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day star arise in our hearts that is as hath been already shewed until the Resurrection of the dead and coming of Christ from heaven with his mighty Angels c. Now we know that a shining Light in a dark place is of great use of such concernment is the Doctrine of the Scriptures as the Prophet Teacheth The Commandment of the Lord is pure saith the Prophet Enlightening the eyes Psal 19. 8 9. Thy word is a Lamp unto my feet saith he and a light unto my paths Oh! of what blessed concernment are the Scriptures of Truth to direct in the way of the Lord unto which sure word of Prophecie or of the Prophets and Apostles of Jesus Christ we shall do well if we take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place remembring this first that no Prophesie of the Scripture is of any private interpretation for the Prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Spirit They are not therefore of private or particular interpretation as though