they had not canst thou tell me what Church had the exact Tale of so many Books of the Scripture as ye talk on and call your Canon committed to her of God any more then they or if thou say the whole True Apostolical Church of Christ under the Gospel had that Scripture we count the Canon and no more committed to it where was there ever such a thing done by whom or when canst thou tell us any of this thou talkst on or give us any Testimony of Scripture for this or trusty Tradition or any ground whereupon to act divine faith in this with thee so fundamental a matter save â—he fiction of thy own fancy and thy own meer untrusty thoughts and blindly confident Conjectures thou thinkst that in 2. Tim. 2.2 will serve thy turn in this case but I have overturned that already and if ever there were such a divine Commission of so many writings as a Canon by Christ or his Apostles to the gospel-Gospel-Church though I abhor that paultry novelly pretended Primacy of Rome over other particulars yet while it remained in its Primitive Apostolical Purity it had as deep a share as any other in that Commission of the Canon to her and so thy two Questions Ep. p. 3. what Scripture was this they say was committed to them and when was this deed of Trust made unto them have full as much in them but that plane nibilest to answer thee withall as thou hast to answer me who of the Church to whose care and custody thou sayest the Scripture was committed since Christ and by him or his Apostles do here ask thee what Church is that for thou amazest thy own and seek'st as Priests do to stun other mens minds with the name of the Church the Church but what Church is that whose care is said by thee to be so great whilst Rome's was so little to keep every Tittle of the Text entire and to whose care and custody it was to that end committed and intrusted and in thy own words to Rome so I to thee propound what Scripture was this or where was this deed of Trust made unto them And since it was not the Church of Rome as I freely agree with thee it was not what Church was it or where liv'd it or by what name or Title beside that generall blind people-confounding name of Church dost thou call it was it some one universal Catholick visibly constituted true Christian Church that had such a constant clearly visible continuance and successive outward orderly being in a Body as that Romane Harlot hath ever seemed to have from Christ downward to this day was it your what should I call it mingle-mangled Episcopall-Presbyter-Independant Church that 's run out from the Womb of that Babylonish Bawd through the loines of your late Fathers the Prelates and Scottish Presbyters into that Ragged Patcht Posture wherein it now stands like a Participle that 's neither this nor that nor Noun Substantive that can stand by it self without the Magistrates help nor Verb that betokens either doing or suffering any great matters for the Truth but most like an Adjective that leans upon Parliaments and earthly Powers to uphold it partaking with all sides as occasion is and of all formes something yet is just nothing but some Participle or PapalPrelatical-Presbyterian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. vere nihil but a mongrel Was it this Church that is one not individually but specifically the same with what yours is at this present derived downward and carefully receiving the Scripture downward entirely in all its Hebrew and Greek Letters Accents Points Tittles and Iota's without change or losse in the least is so shew us but some few footsteps of such a thing through the time of the Catholike Apostacy as a visible constituted Church which might have been known by the distinction of Elders Bishops Deacons c. in the dark dayes of Romes dominion except that of Rome it self that had the Canon constituted of no more nor lâ—sse but just so many Scriptures Letters Stories Tittles Iota's as thou trislingly tatlest by the Apostles and so committed to their care and as carefully handed down to you Linguists in every Letter of the Original Languages without alteration addition or diminution But I more than suppose thou shalt as soon find and follow to a hairs breadth the very way of a bird flying or an Arrow shot through the air as decypher such a matter and if the Papists should put the Question de novo to thee as they did long since to the Protestants where was your Church before Luther if thou couldst prove the Pedegree of thine so high as Luther though witnesses to the Truth more or lesse in all times suffering in sackcloth in the most dismall dayes I own yet thou wouldst be as much puzled to prove any other constituted Church that kept so entire as thou talkst thy constituted Canon in all Christendom beside that of the Romish Synagogue that corrupted it as that namelesse Author was who wrote an answer to it 1624 entituled Luthers Predecessors who though he quits himself well in proving downward from Iohn Wicklisse who was well nigh 200. years afore Luther but 1370. after Christ a company of particular successive sufferers for some truth that began to shine out again from under the Romish smother yet can instance no higher then Io. Wicklisse for at least a 1000. years upward any thing at all but an universal dominion of the Church of Rome confessing that if the Papists will tye him to prove any visible constituted Church beside theirs before Luther the Task is unequall because the records are wanting and also because the Church was not in the long time of Apostacy nor yet was to be alwaies in such a manner visible which is the very Truth for the true Church was to be and was according to the word of Prophesie Rev. 12. in a waste suffering afflicted desolate forlorn widernesse condition trodden under feet by the Gentiles coming into the out Court the outward name and profession of Christianity Rev. 11. And as when in her primitive glory she was cloathed with the Sun and a crown of twelve stars on her head i.e. the doctrine truth word of faith the 12 Apostles Preached and not simply those few of their naked writings and Letters and Texts and their Tittles and thou simply contendest on her head and the Moon i.e. all changeable things such as all Texts and Transcripts and Tittles and Iota's are under her feet so when she came into her forlorn solitary state in the time which was while the Whore or Clergy began to Ride the Beast and fit upon the Waters Tongues Nations Kings and Kindreds of the Earth and to cry Ecce duo gladii hic to claim both swords and to become supreamly as she made her sub-sub or Magistratical Power that bore her up subordinately to her not onely Custos utriusque Tabulae Vice-preserver of both Tables but pretendedly
of the Scriptures but say only in words of truth and sobernesse that they are not to be so exceedingly Adored and Idolized by men as theyâ—â—re by you who make them little lesse then All in all things to the Church the Papists speak much in disparagement of the Scriptures in which we say they do but blasphemously babble against them viz. That they are inferrior to the Humane Traditions of their Church or at least to the unerring breast of their Ghostly holy Father without whom opening and authorizing them they are of no more use nor authority then Aesops Fables and such like Reply 3. Whereas thou art ashamed to Relate the horrid foolish Titles of the Quakers Books in proof of their blasphemies against the Scriptures I believe that 's true indeed though all the rest are palpable Lyes for if thou shouldest Relate the Titles of the Quakers Books in proof of the Truth of this thy Charge of them which is utterly false then thy Lye which is plain enough already would be seen more plainly then it is for in all the Titles of the Quakers Books that ever I read who have read Ten times more of them I believe then thou hast done as I have seen Christ only exalted on the Throne and the Scripture owned in its place so I never saw and am perswaded also thou never hast seen any thing Written by the Quakers that borders on the foresaid Iewes and Papists blasphemings of the Holy Scriptures and therefore as I cannot much marvel at it that thou art ashamed to do it so I do not much blame thee that it doth so much shame thee as thou sayest to Relate the most foolish of them If it were true there was malice enough in thee I.O. to provoke thee to have instanced some Particulars in proof of this parcel of Scandal to the fuller shame of the Quakers whom to scandalize what thou canst is thy chief design and to have named those blasphemers and their Books but pudet referre sayest thou I am ashamed to Relate c. Thou art loath to be too punctual in thy Proof lest it proving too short of thy Charge the stain thou wouldest have stuck upon the Truths Friends should be stricken back upon thy self and the Lye come to lye at thy own door for if sounded out too loudly and distinctly it might Eccho and rebound home again to thee the Author and so redound to thy dishonour so thou fold'st thy self like the Serpent whose seed thou art in indefinite complexes or at least lapest thy self up in Universals and darest not lay thy self out at length nor grow too far into Particulars for dolus later in universalibus quae nunquam bene sentiuntur nisi ex particularibus suis as Deceit lyes most securely and keeps best hid in Universals which are not clearly perceived but by the Particulars in which they exist so by being beheld in the said Particulars both they and the Lyes that lye often in them undiscerned come more unavoidably to be discryed Reply 4. Whereas thou saiest thou thinkest meet to set down our Opinion as Collected out of our own Books and Speeches and accordingly dost declare what we hold as concerning the Scriptures thou most plainly Confutest thy self as to the Lyes thou tellest of us for thy self acknowledgest of us that we own that the Scriptures do contain a true Declaration of the Will and Mind of God proceeding from the spirit of Christ inspiring the Writers that thus far we are right and that we stand to this Confession without any renouncing it only that we would have wholly rejected the Scriptures without doubt but that things have not fell out according as we could wish do deny them to be the ordinary inalterable perfect and standing Rule of Gods Worship and our Obedience without the Revelations of the spirit and such like And this sayest thou is the summe of these mens Iudgements c. Which if it be where 's the wicked Blasphemy all this while wherewith thou Chargest us For there 's none as shall appear in the worst of this which yet thou settest down as gathered out of the Quakers Books and Speeches which thou sayest bear blasphemous Titles against the Scriptures but pudet referre I blush to set them down must answer all These things I O. do convict thee of telling many notorious Lyes against the Quakers even too many for a man to tell that calls himself a Minister of Christ and D. D. though not all by very many which thou tellest in thy Book some of which lyes yet left they should not be loud enough ' to come under every ordinary Readers Observation if told but once are either expresly or implicitly two or three times over related J. O. The Jewes Papists and Quakers differ among themselves it so falls out that they who in all other matters are most different in Opinion conspire altogether in this blasphemy viz. against the Scriptures The Papists and Enthusiastical Fanaticks do perpetually War against each other they mutually devote each other to destruction They are not acted by the same Reasons but those for their Traditions these for their Enthusiasms and Revelations Contending tooth and nail and so like Sampsons Foxes with their Tayles turned to each other bringing fire-brands on the Churches Bread-Corn they all attempt together very friendly to thrust down the holy Scripture from its Place The Papists do earnestly endeavour to detrude the Scripture out of its proper Place in the Church our Fanaticks tread in the same foot-steps with them into which wickednesse those among the Papists that are called the Spiritually have led them the way And elsewhere thou Reckon'st us up among the rest as Enemies of Gods Word and haters of the Scriptures Reply 1. Howbeit I. O. thou who in thy Epistle pretendest it to be thy aim and intention in thy Discourse to discover the Reproach that is cast by many upon the Scripture to its disparagement and to vindicate it therefrom dost as in most things else wherein thou bend'st at us discharge thy Bow at a venture so as at Random to rank us as joynt Abettors with them in grosse in that one grosse and common Cause of Caluminating Vilifying Decrying Denying the Scriptures among Atheists Pagans New Testament Contemning Iewes Papists and the whole Rabble of Rude Reproachers thereof whether in Whole or Part as if we were if not the Ring leaders yet at least the Rere-ward of the Ragged-Regiment of Anti-scripturists of what ever sort yet in this thou hast most grosly abused us and thy self also by thy false Accusing and Belying of us to the world in that Particular and must most assuredly come into Condemnation in â—he Judgement for Condemning the Generation of the Just for however thou mis-reportest of us to the causing of many to mistake us yet of a truth we are no such manner of People as thou wouldest make men believe we are but such as shall manifest our selves
at all in Vindication of the Popish Clergy in any of their Devilish doings nor scornful or spiteful speakings against the Scripture but of another Interest even that of the true Clergy or Heritage of God as remote from Theirs and Thine too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am an Opposer of thee as to that same Book wherein thou so vehemently Opposest the Papists hence many may as some already do suppose I am in far firmer friendship and fellowship with that Fry of fighters against the Scripture then with thee and thy fellows who wouldest fain seem at least to fight against them for it but if any man will be ignorant of me and my honest meanings let him be ignorant for my part as I am a well-wisher to all Souls and am in friendship with all men having and holding as truly Pacem cum Personis as cum Peccatis Bellum so I am in no fellowship with that in all men whether of the Romish Religion or that which informe is more Reformed that is not in fellowship with the Scriptures for that which is not in union therewith is not in fellowship with God fighting against neither smal nor great save only against the sinful seed of the Serpent in them which from the spirits of the spiritually throughout all Christendom spawnes it self forth in spite and spiritual wickednesse against the seed of the Woman who must bruise his head at last though he obtains for a while to bruise her heel between whose seed which is one and his seed of every sort whose name is Legion for they are many the most endlesse enmity is so that though I appear against those Paper-works of thine wherein thou appearest upon the Stage in part against that Synagogue of Satan but more palpably against the Synagogue of the Saints yet this is not all to gratifie the Romanists in their scurrilities against the Scriptures more then thee and thine Abettors in your scarce Schollar-like much lesse Scripture-like scoldings for them but as occasion is Pro Scripturis for the Scriptures which notwithstanding thy empty Apologetica's for them ye and the Papists also are both utterly against I shall not spare to grate hard against you both as such who while you are scribling of the Scriptures whether Pro or Con are yet our of that precious Truth the Scripture tells of and against that living Word that eternal and internal Light it calls to which leads to that Life of God that the Scripture calls for 3. In regard that I am and shall unavoidably be found in this present Controversie with thee saying some things against thee and thy untrue Assertions for Truths sake yet with a due Respect thereunto which the very Papists say though truly enough yet too disrespectfully about the Scriptures In this respect though I would not have them so yet I believe some are and some will be if peradventure these Premises prevent it not so blind as to believe I own the Pope and his Apostolical Church because I cannot own all that as true and Apostolical which some Prime Protestants tell for Truth but rather tell the Truth with him when he tells it about the Scripture or any other thing then Errour and Lyes with those who pretendedly for the Truth and Pro Scripturis Protest against him For I must give the Devil his due so as to acknowledge his Words to be true when he speaks the Truth though to a false end rather then sooth up thee I.O. or any other men so as to say the Crow is white and that ye utter Truth when ye tell utter untruth though against the Devil himself to please either thee or them Howbeit many men in these dayes and not a few of those who are called Christs Ministers and counted well studied Schollars or at least would not be well contented to be not so accounted are yet so dim as without any more ado to deem them to be Romish Priests under Pay from the Pope who own some Truths which his Priesthood owns as if because at Rome they own Christ to be the Son of God they must needs be of that Church who deny him not so to be but more especially any Truths which by these Divine Deemers are not Deemed to be Truths and thereupon disowned by their non-discerning selves upon whose crazy Concerts and cloudy Accounts and crooked Conjectures some that do more service to the Truth against Popish Fictions in a year then themselves do in an Age are thorow their shallow surmises by their implicit Faith't People as sinisterly supposed to be Supporters of the Papal Hierarchy because themselves whose Idol the Letter is are not digested in all their Extravagant Exaltings of it though the Popes extream of Exalting his leaden Legends and Holy Chaire above it be more professedly distasted and detested Thus such as believe according to the Scripture the general Grace and Love of God in giving Christ to die for all men for as much as that also is believed at Rome seem to these senslesse ones to favour too much of Popery because the empty understandings narrow Nodels and heedlesse Head-pieces of many Protestant Parish Priests are not as yet enlarged enough to comprehend it who notwithstanding being blear-eyed at home whilest Eagle eyed abroad Nunquam vident id manticae quod in tergo est never come to see or sent that plain Popery of their Parish Posture and Parish pay by way of Tythes which the Night is now too far spent for any but Owles Bats and Night-birds not to see that its of the Pope sith though its a piece of stark rank and Popery not held without the guilt of Perjury yet as it s their own suus cuique crepitus bene olet so it s that which serves their turn better at this time then the Extirpation of it Root and Branch according to their Oathes which would savour lesse of Popery and more of pure Pietv will ever do Of this sort of Evil Surmisers is T. D. who not only as thou I. O. dost Accuses us me in particular as one big with and spitting out venome against the Scriptures for not owning those outward Writings as the only Rule of Faith and holy Life but also accounts of us as no other then broachers of Popish Doctrines and bringers in of the Popes Baggage for dissenting as in other points so from his blind Tenets about the Scriptures Yea so earnestly doth T. D. drive on his Design of Insinuating it into mens minds concerning me that I am Popishly affected that he finds occasion of Accusation against me as so as well where I more fully own the Scripture then himself does as where I may more easily seem to one that 's blind to deny it Witnesse his words Page 27. 1. Pamph where for owning the Epistle of Paul to LAODICEA which he sputns at as Spurious he flyes thus foolishly in my face T.D. We know quoth he your Brethren of the Popish Party have laid many such Brats at
other your absurdities put together for I â—row whence or from what Church Principle Ground Foundation comes that Faith according to the Analogy of which ye are to conform in your interpretations of the Scripture it must be either the Infallible Chair and bottomless pit of mens dunghilly Traditions which is the Foundation of the Church of Rome and her Faith which Foundation Church and Faith that 's built on it ye would seem in words at least to deny or else the Infallible Light and Spirit of God in the heart which the Letter came from and the Qua. according to the Letter and together with it call men to and are themselves as to their Faith founded on whom together with their Faith which stands not in mens words writings nor thoughts but in that Light which is the Power of God and that Foundation of it also with no less but a little more detestation ye deny or else the Scripture it self which as much as ye live by yea by Popish Tradition in many things as the Papists do yet in words ye own Now the two first being denyed this last is the Rule of your Faith according to the Tenor and Analogy of which the Churches Faith which ye must interpret Scripture by is to be framed and conformed See then your most abominable confusions and rounds ye run in 1. You have the Scripture before which the true Faith was delivered to the Saints a 1000 years which Scripture is the Foundation of your Church Faith whereby ye might see were ye not blind that your Church and Faith has not the same Foundation as the true had Next you have a Faith which must be squared by the best interpretations ye can make of that Scripture alias a common stock of Divinity that stinks as the blood of a dead man that hath no life in it Then again this Scripture by the Analogy of which as the Church interprets it your Churches Faith is to be framed must be bent to and interpreted by the Analogy of that Faith which was thereby framed So Riddle me Riddle me what 's this Round of our reasonless Rabbies 1. The Scripture is the Rule of our Faith say they according to our Churches interpretations of which her common Faith must as to the Articles of it be framed and conformed 2. The common Faith is the Rule according to the Analogy of which the Scripture must be interpreted and all our Expositions of it framed and conformed Oh the bruitish brainy notions of our of our Brittish Nation A false Faith about personal Election and Reprobation about All 's signifying some men only and every man only a few being framed in Iohn Calvins fancy upon his miserable mistakes and misinterpretations of the Scripture Scilicet ever since All Scripture must be interpreted according to the Analogy of that false Faith â—â—a ferunt circum-feruntur T. D. J. O. R. B. J. T. Ignoramus Smâ—ctimnuus and others The Blood of Christ cleanseth us in presenti from all sin that 's the guilt say they not filth of it though the very phraâ—e imports otherwise cleanse your selves from all uncleanness of flesh and spirit that 's not as the Letter imports All indeed but All gross iniquities we must have our infirmities while we live here and and if he meant them he commanded impossibilities which the Apostle did not He that sinneth is of the Devil he that 's of God sins not that 's not as the word Amartanei nemine câ—ntradicente imports but it must be expounded by the other phrase Amartian Poiein operam dare peccato c. which Amartian Poiein but that they stretch it out upon the Tenters is no more then Amartanein for he that sins does sin and he that commits sin does no more and does so much as that while he does sin he is as Christ said Iohn 8. a servant of it and not of Christ in that they do no iniquity that is not as the Letter impâ—rts but they do none as the wicked do it that is with all their might but more moderately Perfection that 's only such an uprightness and sincerity as respects all Gods Commandments whether they be kept or broken saved from sin is from the dominion not being of it while we have a being here it hath not potestatem dominandi nor damnandi but operandi bellandi captivandi only led Paul captive while he liv'd to the Law of it so that with his flesh he served it but it domineers not damns not because the mind approves it not while the flesh commits it if it chance to be murder and adultery as that of David whose heart was upright say they though the Scripture excepts him from uprightness in that case and therefore iustified quoth T. D. alias held guiltless O Criss-Cross while under the guilt of it being weak and temptation strong and an hundred more such fetches do our formally holy Fathers find wherewith to feed up themâ—elves and their failing Flocks from fainting under their â—â—â—lest faults minifiâ—d into the name of Saints infirmities Thus they swim up and down in their non-sensical senses and notions so that nothing must be taken as the words import but when a meaning serves their licenticus turns and then they urge the words import it so one while it must be as the phrase imports other whiles it cannot be so but otherwise then the Letner imports it for then the Scripture so it seems indeed to the Owls and Batts whose eyes dazle at the Light it came from so that they see more by night then by day would contradict it self and be at variance and disagree within it self and cannot approve it self to their own understandings without the mediation of their own meanings and interpretations and therefore they must reconcile it to it self though they are at never so much odds among themselves and each man within himself about this matter of setting it to rights even one saying this is the meaning the other that a third in my opinion it is so a fourth I think it must be either so or so but which he determines no more then T. D till they have reconciled it into nothing but an irreconcileable enmity with it self and an occasion of irreconcilable enmity about it between themselves And this I know not only as one of those that now see in the Lords light their dotage herein and the wrong and crooked wayes wherein they are at work to set that to rights and strait which is so already in itself if they could let it alone without wresting it into constructions as crooked as they are in their conversations but as one that was once as busie as the best of them in the same blind fruitless frothy work of beating the brains about the meaning of this and that which the Spirit only reveals to the poor in Spirit and not to the proud haughty Scorner that dealeth in proud wâ—ath against the righteous having been my self when I was where they yet
it were not a little more strange then true for one here is though it be not yours is a very fair In-let to and by my conâ—ent might without much scruple usher in that old Antichristian Ministry and its pertenances here again as that which may stand welny with as much safety to peoples souls and give as good security and infallible assurance of its guiding and conducting them infallibly to salvation as your own can doe since that at the worst is little worse then fallible and your own by your own consent at the best is little better for it s much at one to me and other poor people of it what Mnistry stands here in England if in a case of such main moment and eternall concernment there stands none that by the Spirit of God are made in their ministrations infallible if there be no guides to be had save such as are fain to confesse they are but fallibly guided themselves or if in this case there be no other as the Proverb is then Hobsons Choice to be made which is chuse whether you will have this or none One blind guide being to me little better then another if others would be rul'd by me I would chuse none of that sort at all but cleave to the light and Spirit it selfe which is infallible and leads all that follow it into all truth for if the blinde lead the blind whether Papists or Protestants they must all at last into the ditch and if England must have an outward ministry and by no meanes will be made to own that ministry of the Qua. now among them which is of God seeing it is so that none of all those other she takes hold on in this day of her breaches saying thou hast cloathing be thou our Ruler in things of God Let this ruine be made up under thy hand that answer her any other then so as Isa. 2.6.7 I will not be an healer for in my house is neither bread nor cloathing I am not guided infallibly my selfe I am a deceivable erring man I dare not say my ministry is unerring make me not a Ruler of the people seeing I say there 's none to guide her assuredly among all her own Sons she haâ—h brought forth Isa. 15.18 Neither any that taketh her by the hand infallibly to direct her among all the Sons she hath brought up with great care cost and charge at her own Universities here at home but they are all at a losse within themselves mâ—ping up and down in a mist their Divinest Doctors confessing and declaring that to be justly come upon them which God aid should Isa. 29.9 to 15. viz. that its night to them they can't infallibly divine the vision of all is become as a book sealed to them they can't read c. Though I advise her not to give way to any of those guides yet she could have neither more nor lesse said to her if she should send for some of her own native Sons to come home and guide her that are brought up in the English Colledge at the Popes own charge at Rome it selfe But if she be resolved no more to be foold with a fallible ministry but will have one that is infallible as I would or none at all then if she mean never to bear the Popes Bag and Baggage in truth as she talks she will not let her take the infallible Spirit within for her guide and no man without but such as are guided infallibly by it which guides none fallibly that unfainedly follow it as thousands of Quakers do and if any seem to do it and do not they in so doing undo themselves but I know no other men call'd Ministers in all the world beside the Qua. that so much as pretend to infallibility but he that sâ—ts in the infallible chaire 7 Neither is our Doctrine of the light and spirits being the rule of the true faith and good life and not the externall Text or letter of the Scripture onely any fair In-let for the Pâ—pish Bag and Baggage for howbeit they take not the Text thereof to be their onely truest Touchstone most certain Standard and measure of Truth and Doctrines as we doe not yet that they take for their sure and certain Rule which we say with you is a manifold more fallible matter yea by an hundred degrees more fallible then the most falsified Coppy of the Scripture that ever yet came forth is something that stands more at Staves end and at a far wider distance from that aforesaid Rule of ours then from yours who for your Rule and Standaâ—d doe own no other then the Scripture by how much two things whereof the one is fallible the other infallible are further off each other by far then two things are both which are at most no more then fallible for the Light and Spirit of Christ which we onely do and all Christians ought to own for their standing Rule and trusty Teacher are iâ—fallible and will hereafter in the proper place for that be proud to be to But your professed Standard which is no other then that outward Text and the Papists which is no other then Tradition taken from that dark and worse then dubious Oracle viz. the erring miâ—d and mouth of their great Grand Ghostly Father excepting ever that this is far more fallible then the former i.e. then the letter are both but fallible Your Doctrine then who teach the meer Text which is but fallible as must anon be shew'd to be the most true Touchstone comes neerer to the Papists Doctrine who teach another thing to be the most true Touchstone which what ere you say of the infallibility of yours and they of the infallibility of theirs is at best but fallible and at worst but more fallible then yours is then ours possibly can do which is on all hands own'd to be infallible And howbeit the Scripture which lyes in the midway between us and Papists so that till they March so far towards us as to own it better then they do they and we are never likely to meet in one unlesse they can come ab extremâ— ad extremum from their ill extream to our true extream and misse the mâ—dium as they cannot howbeit I â—aâ— the Scripture and its honest owners are really neerer and dearer to us then they and their most trusty traditions are which they take from their sore aid Oâ—â—cle yet is there not so vast a disproportion and diâ—agreement betwen â—uch owners as ye are of the Scripture for the only Rule and such as own that Treasury of Traditions that lyes lockt up in the Pope Breast as the only Rule as is between these Tradition-Trusterâ— and us who own as our only Rule the true light of Christ and the holy Spirit the inconsistency being not so much between your meer fallible lâ—tter and their more fallible chaire as it is between the most assuredly infallâ—ble holy spirit and their most assuredly fallible though supposed
any Critick pleases and as no Authority to us at all as they in their basenesse and hatred of it which I condemne do say it is of as 't is my continual exercise in works to do it so do I here in plain words exalt the Scripture which they so debase and state it over all that their Trash and aforesaid Trumpery even on the very top of all their long Train of Traditions and over the archest Tittle of the Tripple Crown the proudest pinacle of Peters now un Peter-like painted Temple the highest point of that pompous pious piteous Pillar and ground of Truth the choicest Chapiter of that holy Church and infallibly erring infallible Chair Thus doing I shall be own'd at last if not by I. O. and such as have his dimme Doings as tâ—ey have his person in admiration because of advantage yet by all unbyassed beholders of both our undertakings for the Scripture to be no more a pander for the Papists as I am more belyed then believed to be the lying Tribe of Levi then for himself but a just plain and impartial Pleader for the Scripture against them both and a doer of Right to those holy Writings which are egregiously wronged by both Papists and Protestants as between Two parties of partial Praters Pro and Con about them by one of which they are scarcely more sottishly and Satanically for Superstitions sake Abhorred then unduly and Superstitiously Adored by the other For howbeit thou deemest thy self and those thy self Reverencing fellow Students of it to whom thou Dedicatest thy Endeavours to Vindicate it to be such as value the Scripture as much as any thou knowest yet there are many whom thou knowest not but supposest to be sleighters and disowners of it who if to own value and exalt it be to ascribe all that to it which it assumes to it self to Preach and practise that holy Life which is the end of it and to give it its due and no more as indeed it is do own value honour and exalt the Holy Scripture much more and much more truly then any of your self-exalting selves who saving your fair Speeches for it and your fawnings on it Ore tenus your common aiëry and meer verbal Commendations thereof and of your selves as valuers thereof do yet in truth no more value or honour it then the Iewes whose grand Idol that is as the whole is yours at this day do their own owned part thereof of whose dotage in that kind I have in sundry Nations been an Eye-witnesse in not a few of their Synagogues who Adorn and carry it about as ye do your Bibles more beautified without then your selves are within and lift it up with loud noises especially when these words are read viz. He shall magnifie the Law and make it honourable when yet the Truth it makes mention of hath no Mansion in their minds to the renewing of them yea I may truly say you do more undervalue the Scripture by your advancing it above it self and over-valuing and worshipping it so much as ye do in your words whilst alienated from the Light it came from and calls to in your Works and Lives then some of the Synagogue of very Rome it self who in lips and lives too do undervalue it by how much Deceit and Hypocrisie is far greater Iniquity then 't is for men openly to disown what Cordially they do not own and to pretend to be no better Friends to it then indeed they are and by how much as all is not Gold that glisters so all that which by its glistring would fain seem to be Gold when it is but Drosse is worse then that which both is Drosse and seems to be so Yea those that undervalue the Scripture so as to set Traditions above it and they that overvalue it so as to set the Light below it both these must come under Condemnation from me as being both Abomination to the Lord before whom witness the Brazen Serpent and Christs Apostles Acts 14.11 to 19. whom the people did worse in Worshipping as Gods then if they had not heeded but hated them as of the Devil it may be worse to overvalue then to undervalue many things which may be of his own Appointment So that ye have little need to decry against Papists as Decryers of the Scriptures and lesse to link us the Quakers and Papists together as Adversaries in Common to the Scriptures as if your selves were the only Patrones thereof for as Anti-Papistical as ye seem to be about the Scriptures yet ye will be found Acting not more against them then though in a different way from the Papists against the Scriptures And howbeit thou taylest us and the Papists together figuring us out by thy fine Tale of the aforesaid Foxes as falling from and fighting against each other and yet both fellow-friends against the Scripture That is false as urged and uttered with that referrence to the Papists and Quakers as joynt Injurers of the Scriptures wherewith thou ridiculously Relatest it but true enough yea too too true If Related in that right Referrence which it bears toward the Papists and your Selves yea Quid Rides be not so merry I. O. about the Mouth for De te mutato nomine Quakers Fabula narratur thou thinkest thou hast shrewdly hurt thy meer fancied Fanatick Foes with a flap of a Fox-Tayle but in that Tale thou hast but made a Rod for thy own Tayle for verily he that hath but half an Eye and by thy mentioning thereof is minded to search where and to whom thy Simile best suits will find how causelesly and incongrously thou crowdest the Papists and Quakers so closely together as Companions in thy abusive Comparison and how aptly it may rather be Applyed to that Romish Synagogue and your Selves to whom it comes as nigh as four feet if any Simile can truly be said to run on all four can well carry it and who as much as ye dissent not only in diverse other matters but also about the Scripture it self the one for and the other against the perfection purity integrity authority and excellency of the meer Text and bare Letter of it do yet concur as closely and come as nigh to one another in denyal of the Truth and Doctrine thereof as four pence comes to a Groat Yea the Truth is your selves and they are far more fitly figured by those fiery-Tayld Foxes which tended two several wayes yet ended in one and the self same work of Destroying the Philistims Corn whil'st turning tayl to tayl and drawing into your two different Extreames one sort crying up Unwritten Traditions to be the most perfect Rule above the Scripture the other crying up the Outward Letter as the most perfect Rule above the Internal Light Word and Spirit which gave it forth ye not only fill the World as with so many Fire brands with your fiery Contentions so that like that Corn which failed when it felt the fire it fell together by the
of the Septuagint from that high Conceit some have of them and eminent Account some have them in pag. 339. If the Ability of the men be granted yet what security have we of their Principles and Honesty Oh much every way thinks I.O. for though when he is pleased to speak diminitively of men the Care and Fidelity and Pains of whom in Translating we have as good ground to believe was as great to the full as any of that of those he Commends in Transcribing he disparages it into Oscitancy Inadvertency Negligence Ignorance the Wisest not seeing all and such like pag 319. yet when he speaks of the Care Pains and Fidelity of men in Transcribing which is a Work as lyable to mistakes as the other that he may keep up the honour however of his infallible Transcripts to this day then he utters himself more Hyperbolically and as for Ezra and his conjectured Companions he makes their labour to Reform the Church and all the Corruptions crept into the Word as he speaks though if the Letter were the Word it were not lyable to Corruption little lesse then Monstrous and their care in restoring the Scripture to its purity mark extraordinary pag. 171 308. Yea of the Points which yet he is to prove Coaevous with the Consonants and as old as any Scripture I doubt not quoth he but of that we shall yet manifest that they were compleated it should seem then that every Tittle is not now a◠at first giving out of the Letter if the Vowels were incompleate till Esdros dayes by the men of the great Synagogue Ezra and his Companions guided by the infallible direction of the Spirit of God I might as I. O. does often beg or take it crave leave to Answer this Conjecture with another pag. 146. and fling back I. O's as well as T. D's Fortè ita with so much at least as Fortè non but ipse dixit J.O. sayes he doubts not their infallibility so I who had rather be silent then disparage Ezra will add no more to I. Os Rex sum then nil ultrae quaeio Plebeius And now I am upon a Consideration of the Canon of the Scripture let me here make an end with thee I.O. as concerning this Cogitation of thine about the Consignation of the Canon of both the Old and that thou callest the New Testament of which New thou sayest pag. 27. That what thou hadst spoken of the Scripture of the Old Testament viz. as to its immediate emanation from God and its being canonized together with it into a standard the same must be also affirmed of the New with this addition of advantage and preheminence above the Old That it began to be spoken by the L O R D himself And as for thy Canon of the outward Scriptures of both sorts one of which thou callest the Old the other the New Testament after the Bounding Compleating and Consignation of which in their Respective Junctures and Seasons and the delivery of it so Canonized to the Church or Churches Respectively as their Eternal Infallible Touchstone Rule Foundation Testimony Standard no more must be owned on such a high Account as it s Authorized into as of divine Original nor be added by either God or man while the world stands I would sain find from thee if yet thou art able thy self to fathom to the bottom of thy own Faith or rather Fancy in this point where thou findest and whence thou foundest all thy confused Communications and crude Conceptions about this Canonization of such and such outward parcels of holy mens Writings into a Rule or Standard and disfranchizing such and such of others as holy as those from a standing within the Bounds of this Magna Charta that certain Synods and supposed Sanydrims of thou knowest not whom have given and do as thou deemest give and grant thereunto together with them Where learnest thou all these Lessons but from the Lectures and lying Legends and voluminous Lexicons of the illiterate Literatists of the world that are alwayes laying on and loading one another with their endlesse boundlesse and bottomlesse Scribles about the outward Original Text and Transcriptions and Translations of the Scripture in their tedious Tomes Talmuds and Talmudical Traditions till they are lost from the very Letter much more the Life it calls to so that they have no leasure to live or learn others to live thereafter in the inextricable laborynth of their own Labours about it Who leads thee into the vain Imaginations of these things but thy own and other mens well nigh innumerable and invincible inventions What Tangles thee and others in such trifling Talkings and Treatings one to another of things that none of ye all can have any infallible Evidence or yield to any infallible Assurance of but a croud of Conceits and Catholick Traditions with which the world and ye in it are so overcharged that ye cannot contain them now without infinite frothy and fruitlesse contendings about them and obtruding your own Observances imposing your own Supposings and thrusting each upon other your own bare thred-bare Thoughts of things that ne flocci facit it amounts not to the value of a lock of Wooll as to Salvation whether they be known or not till being throng'd and thrust into the thorny Thicket of your own Thoughts you there tear one another to pieces about the Scripture insomuch that I truly may and plainly shall be so bold as flatly to Contradict what thou sayest falsly of thy Canon and Standard since the closing and compleating of it that t is a means to end all strife it is rather throw the folly of its Ministers the means of all strife and Confusion in the Christian World Thou sayest indeed of the Writings of the Old Testament that the Canon thereof had its Consignation Bounding and Delivery to the Church as its Rule so that from thenceforth nothing Written either from Moses upward or to Christs time downward must be admitted to be owned as Canonical or inspired Scripture And thou sayest pag. 27.28 That God who himself began the Writings of the Word with his own finger after he had spoken it appointing and approving the Writing of the rest that followed i.e. from Genesis to the Revelation as they are ordinarily numerated in our Bibles except the Books called Apocrypha for I reckon all those are reckoned by thee as the Books thou speakest of Epist. Ded. pag. 3. Never indited by the Holy Spirit as remote from being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth lastly command the close of the immediate Revelation of his Will to be written in a Book Rev. 1.11 and so gives out the whole of his Mind and Counsel unto us in Writing as a merciful and stedfast relief against all Confusion darknesse and uncertainty but what a Relief it is against Confusion I shall shew more hereafter And as to thy Scriptures Canonization or the Consignation compleating Bounding of the Canon of it a few words here
then forbidden at least hidden fruit from you who what light soever ye have from God yet have not learning enough to let you into an intermedling with the open secrets of their living dead letter as for your Scripture which is but Translation out of theirs hear what they say of it who exalt it far above it self into a participation thy the halves of the same high prerogatives with Theirs and a taste of that glorious Title the Word of God yet so as that it must know it self too and not intrude further into it then they give leave by their right or wrong renditions of it ont of their for ever to be adored right-wrong Copies who in the blinduesse of their busie brains vanity and follishnesse of their thoughts and fleshly wisdom that 's enmity against God and enters no farther into the inside of the Scripture than the Eye-sight of a Mole into a milstone may render it as it seems best to themselves and you Lack lingua's little the wiser and if they give your Scripture an Inch it must take heed of taking an Ell for as there 's a Bit so there 's a Knock if it presume too far it s admitted to be the Word of God with theirs but not on even terms theirs wholly and euery Apex of it yours but by the halues or so far onely as it corresponds with theirs from which if it offer to vary by theirs it must be corrected castigated in order to its amendment in time to come theirs being perfectly the word of God yea every Tittle of it the Living Word of the great God though but transcribed as yours is but translated in the Wisedom Skill and Diligence of men yours imperfectly and perfectly too perfectly or imperfectly according as yours expresse the words sense and meaning of their Origina's so that though it can be counted no Robbery for Theirs which is but the fruit of mans Wisdom Skill and Diligence and as now transcribed was not as is confest received immediately from God to be made Equall with that which was at first received more immediately from him as the fruit of his Wisdom Care and Providence yet its Robbery for yours that comes but as theirs doth through the Skill Wisdom and Diligence of Men and within a small matter as immediately from God as Theirs doth to be equall with Theirs and howbeit they may lawfully without pride set up Their meer Transcriptions so as to make them sir cheek by chole with the first hand-writings and set up their own Altar or Altered Copies of Hebrew and Greek with that higher Altar of God even the Letter or first Copy and set up Mans posts by Gods posts even both the first Manuscripts and their own tottered Transcripts too into an Equallity of Titles Honour Power Perfection Authority Necessity c. with the True living Word of God which the first and truest Scripture that ever was was at best but a true Scripture writing or declaration of yet your Posts and Altars and Scriptures must keep aloof and not come so nigh Theirs as Theirs to Gods without a check By all wch that 's here written in this Apostrophe to you O poor deluded people ye may see what a low condition ye are deprest into till you betake your selves to the light of God within which was before any letter to writing was without which the Scriptures cry up call you to while your Scribes cry it down cry out against it and call you from it ye may see how ye are thrust out with a Pueri sacer est locus extra meijete meddle not here ye Mechanicks ye unlearned Laicks from the lines of their communication by your Fanatical Fantastical high flown haughty Haebricians and greedy Graecians that for filthy lucre take the oversight of or rather over you and that take upon them by force to be your guides before whom you are fain to stand like some poor stupified Peasant before his Prince to whom if the one say but Rex sum sic uolo sic jubeo So I mean to have it the other hath no more to do but ineak away nor to say but Amen so be it nil ultra quaero plebeius It follows then that none but Schollars have the undoubted word of God for people understand not Original tongues nor many Priests the Hebre◠and so though they say Hear the Word of God they have no undoubted Word of God to preach out of it while they take their Texts out of English Bibles So people and blind Priests have no undoubted infallible Rule touchstone to try Truth by for if this he so how is the Scripture as they have it the most perfect Rule to them both people and illiterate Priests must either get Hebrew and Greek or else confesse that they live as much by tradition in England taking things on trust from the Priests without tryall as they do at Rome for what difference between having Scripture no Scripture in the mother tongue when notwithstanding that which is so had men cannot be sure which is the Word of God which not but as the Priests tell them so and if Priests be minded to deceive them they may Translate it to their own turn as they please and people ne're the wiser so make the Scripture as a nose of wax to stand to themselves lead the world by the nose as they have ever done which way soever they will So I confesse I. O. that I see the Scriptures as taken for the Translations set somewhat lower by thee than the first Manuscripts and then your Transcriptions in the place above quoted yet entitled too with the name of the Word of God in part but your Transcriptions to an Apex are equalized with the first Manuscripts and both these elsewhere wholly with the light and living Word It is then the meer Transcripts and neither the first Manuscripts nor Translations that thou talkest so exceeding strictly for the non alteration or non-corruption of in a Title the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being lost out of the world and Translations excluded the lists o◠thy Apologetical vindication of the Scripture in the externall Text thereof in vindication of which Transcriptions of the Hebrew and Greek Texts not appearing at all for the English save quatenus agreeing with the other p. 153.174 thou talkst on Argumentatively as follows Arg. 1. To prove the whole Scripture memorandum of old and new Testament to remain entire to this day without ablation or alteration of it in one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Tittle thou urgest p. 175. the providence of God in taking care of his word which he hath magnified over all his name as the most glorious product of his Wisdom and Goodnesse his great concernment in this world answering his promise to this purpose Rep. This leads the Front of that Ragged Regiment of Arguments which follow it at the heels in p. 175. 176. 177. being no lesse than 12. in number
or Syllable without the least mixture or interveniency of any medium obnoxious to fallibility as thou sayest it is p. 10. for in the very next words p. 10.11 thou utterest enough to the confutation of thy self in this while according to thy wonted manner of running round as one borrendo percussus Scotomate thou sayest the wisdom truth integrity knowledge and memory of the best of all men is obnoxious to fallibility and consequently say I capable to give change in the most careful Transcription that can be made by mans hands that is uninspired in much more then the least Iota or Syllable thus art thou contrary to thy self still 5. But I say for all thy reasonlesse rounds and self contradictory conceits more then Transcribers care and diligence is necessary thereunto i.e. to the producing of Copies infallibly conformable in every Tittle Iota and Point to those of the first Penmen and to the begetting of the divine faith which is more then meer humane fallible perswasion that thou oughst to have about the soundnesse universal incorruption certainty integrity invariablenesse and infallibility of that thou callest thy foundation even that immediate manutenentia Dei or undeceivable direction and divine inspiration of God which if it be wanting as thou confessest it was from the first to the last of thy Transcribers such is the weaknesse of men where never so much carefulnesse is in Transcribing of Books that there may be miscarriages and mistakes which if there be in the least Iota or Syllable it 's great enough to lay thy universal grand Assertion to the ground and all thy proof of it from the foresaid care and diligence will prove not worth a pin to thy purpose But alas what do I talk of weaknesse where either the leading of the Spirit of God is wanting or a willingnesse in men to be led by the holy Spirit as it is in all that assert as thou dost his infallible guidance to be gone out of the world in these dayes there 's not onely much weaknesse to such a weighty work as thou makest the Transcribing the Scripture to be but as thou sayest p. 104. so I in this case about the Scriptures so much vanity foolishnesse falsenesse unfaithfulnesse negligence ignorance and sloth love of money for which many write at others appointment being well paid for their plains more then of the matters they are writing as well in Scribes as Printers of the very Scripture it self carelesnesse adding detracting unsuitablenesse of their Spirits and minds to spiritual things losse of all remembrance of what they are and what they do c. that I can give very little credit to what I have nothing but the Authority Ability Integrity Wisdom Knowledge Truth Memory Care and Diligence of such to rely upon for without evidence of their being divinely and infallibly guided which guidance thou denyest to thy Scribes nor can any wise man groundedly believe any other but that the Books of Scripture passing through the hands of many such Transcribers have upon them the marks of their neglects ignorance and sloth and have had as hard of belief as thou seemest to be of this p. 206. the fate of other books Yea I. O. let me but ask thee this Is that faith thou hast that thy Greek and Hebrew Copies are to a Tittle so uncorrupted as thou contendest a divine faith or a fallible perswasion onely if the Latter it 's not worth a figge if thou have no bettr faith then so and art not more infallibly assured then so of the infallibility of that which thou callest thy most perfect Rule and infallible foundation If the former what is it must beget this divine faith in this thing that there 's not a Point nor Tittle varying in thy now Canon standard or adored Copy from the first Copy of the Text that ever was will thy vain confidence hopes conjectures good conceits of thou knowest not what Scribes that wrote thou knowest not when give thee such a faith or the Traditions and Authority and Testimony of honest men saying so and so downward for many generations or some infallible ground of certainty that they were guided to write every word by divine inspiration Not the first for thou utterly disclaimest that as no ground of divine faith about the Scriptures by saying thus p. 105. if numbers of men may be allowed to speak we may have a Traditional Testimony given to the blasphemous figments of the Alcoran But the constant Tradition of more then a thousand years carried on by innumerable multitudes of men great wise and sober from one generation to another doth but set open the gates of hell for the Mahometans and thus p. 114.115 though I should grant that the Apostles and penmen of the Scripture were persons of the greatest industry honesty integrity faithfulnesse holinesse that ever lived in the world as they were and that they wrote nothing but what themselves had assurance of as what men by their senses of seeing and hearing are able to attain yet such a knowledge and assurance is not a sufficient foundation for the faith of the Church of God if they received not every word by inspiration and that evidencing it self unto us otherwise then by the Authority of their integrity it can be no foundation for us to build our faith upon Not the latter for thou disclaimest that and darest not ascribe any such thing as infallible guidance or divine inspiration to thy Trustee Transcribers so where the divine faith about the firmnesse of thy foundation it self stands founded and bottom'd unlesse it be in the bottomlesse pit it self of thy own fancy he must have more Rope to fathom with then I have that will ever find Wilt thou not then I. O. say of the first Transcribers of the Scriptures that the were infallible and divinely inspired I do not say thou dost ill in refusing so to say nay rather thou dost very well and somewhat honestly and ingenuously in that for indeed we cannot tell nor say safely that they were so but art thou then freely willing in very deed to yeild it to us that they were fallible and that 't was not impossible for them to mistake This grant of thine we are as free to accept of as thou art to give it and make good use of it too not so much against as for thy self viz. to shew and instruct thee from thence that there 's rottennesse at the very root of all your Religion and a fearful flaw of fallibility that is in the very foundation of your faith and believing in which thou sayest ye are built on the writings of the Prophets and Apostles T. 1. c. 2 S. 4 that so ye may which is the worst that we wish you come to be better built on a firmer foundation and both you and your foundation and faith and all may stand fast and never as now ye must do fall any more from thenceforth for ever even the foundation of the
and Israel to preserve it from taking root and blossoming and budding and filling the face of the earth with fruit as it must do at the last Isa. 27.6 and like Sampsons Foxes tail to tail they draw divers wayes loâ—here sayes one lothere sayes another some sounding it out for their Fathers traditions some summoning to the Scriptures and the gâ—wdy glosses they put upon it who yet if they could once come to see it live by tradition and teach Gâ—ds fear afters mans Precepts as well as the rest all to their own fanciâ—s dreams opinions and imaginations of one kind or other and all these fire-brands fencing to one end and as friendly as Herod and Pilate at odds against each other yet at one against Christ attempting to dis-inthrone the light of Christ in the Conâ—cience from its due Authority and from sitting on the Throne in its proper place Some resisting the Truth by flat opposition so all the many sorts of those guilded cups the Parish Priests do that yet hold forth all or any Râ—mish Relicks or measure of that old Whores trash which wooden Tops are always turning round with the times as that lash viz. the losse of living if they so do not is made use of and exercised toward them whose movings to and again back and forth from Henries Religion to Edwards from his to Maries from hers to Elizabeths and so onward and round as occasion is if the word of command be As ye were is all from the force of some externall Engine or other mostly that of money for Qui pecunianon movetur hunc dignum spectaâ—u Arbitramur not from any inward Principle or Power of the endless life no par no preach is their common Custom so that the powerless formes they foam at each other about would soon fall all to the earth whence they are and not from Truth were it not for that Primum-movens that principale propugnaculum of Tith as a dead man that can stand not a jot longer then propt up by something or other ad extra because Deest aliquid infus there wants the main master wheel within Others like those Inchanters that withstood Moses resist the Truth too men of corrupt minds reprobate yet as concerning the Faith leadingâ— captive silly women after them from the Faith of Gods Elect by imitating the very Truth it self as farre as they are able to come neer it in their vain fleshly minds having stole into a form of the same Doctrine Words and Works without the life which they hate and oppose in them that are in the life preaching the same Truth and Light themselves in their airy spirits since the conviction thereof fell upon them for which they had very formally cast forth of their own separated Churches the Children of the Light who withdrew from them and so formally were none of them before that their senseless confuse or ejection Like theâ—fore â—aid Sorcerers to bewitch their people into an abode among them in Egypt where they yet are in bondage altogether and into a non-believing of the true Messengers of God to be in anything beyond themelves and to make them seem to be no more in the power of God then they by striving to do all and as farre as they are able to follow on in a form till at last they be forc'd to confess a finger of God doing all that by their weak arme of flesh mans fleshly will and wisdome which by the Saints is performed both in and from no other Arme then the Light Power Wisdome and Life of God dwelling in them Of this sort are all the Prophets that are in a fairer form of Godliness then those behind them in darkâ—r and grosser forâ—mâ— yet with them denying and not witnessing the power thereof in their hearts and conversations to the purging of them from pride and the other pâ—llutions and corruptions that are in world through lust which Magicians when they see the Servants of the Lord do any thing that is taking among their people and which they are ashamed to diâ—own then they will do so and as the Wise men of Egypt set themselves to imitate Moses set themselves to do the like and â—in a shew bring forth an Image of the same By all which said severall sorts of subtill Sorcerers who with the most cunning craftiness they have lye in wait to deceive the multitudes of people are deceived and so seduced from the narrow way of truth that among them very few ever find it and are so eminently perplexed as to their discerning aright between Gods Worâ— indeed and that which is only pretended so to be viz. the nakâ—d letter that only declares what is his Word and their own fallible and sometimes senseless senses and sermons upon that letter of all which they ay in their common Preambles to their people Hearken with fear and trembling to the Word of God when oft no more then every mans own word Ier. 23.36 is spoken that though God hath given men a light and spirit within which is meâ—sura â—sui â— oblâ—quâ— that can most certainly determine of all spirits and an â—ar but that its slopt in most which can as truly try words as the mouth â—asteth meats Iob 34.3 1 Ieh 4.1 6. and also seâ—meria infall bee tokens to enable them so to do yet they can make no discrimination between right and wrong faith and falshood uprightness and errour honesty and hypocrysie holiness and heresie the simplicity that â—s in Christ and that schisme from it into which they are already inchanted 2 Cor. 11.3 the light and truth and that deceit and darkness in which both Prophets and People dwell through the busie battels and confused noises these Warriours make with their loud cryings out each against other and all with one mouth against the Truth it self and the tellers of it as Deceivers and all with one consent mis-representing them as such unto the Powers mis-advisâ—â—g and mis-admonâ—shing their respective peoples to this or the like tune Beware and take heed of deceit and of these deceivers the Qua. not heeding all this while or at least not willing their people should heed how deeply they are all in the deceit already so like the impudent Harlot that hopes to outcry and bear down the modest Matron with a clamour of words and by calling out Whâ—re first these foolish loud lewd Women fearing their own filthy fornications should else be soon discovered cry out first on that Sect of Saints which was ever and every where so spoken against Acts 24.14 28.22 Heresie schisme errour darkness disturbance madness enthusiasme fanaticisme faction and such like and though they and their flocks of Goats and heards of Swine live in the lust in pride covetousness malice luxury and all wickedness and have nothing of their own save unrighteousness to be rob'd of and nothing to be led captive but that which hath captivated the just nor to be spoild of but that which
which yet ye count an unalterable Rule is variable alterable flexible at Criticks wills by the changing of some one point or Hebrew Letter alike in sound or shape no less then eight several wayes in that one very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and some of those as countradictory each to other as Life to Death as is shewed more at large above besides all various Lections that are risen by I. Os. confession from the actual mistakes of them it Transcribers But the Light however men run out into various conceits and imaginations about this or that which and what is or is not agreeable to it is inviolably the same for ever the Councell and foundation of God which is Christs Light in the heart the Rock of ages stands sure let the drunkards of Ephraim rock and reel too and fro or ramble about and run out whether they will after their own councells and inventions Reas. The 3 and 4 are both of one unlearned leven and coincident with what 's urg'd above viz. if the light within men were a safe guide and ride then 't were unnecessary unsafe and foolish for men to seek councell of others each might be guided by his lightâ— also then the meetings of Quakers to consult about and 〈◊〉 in Commuâ—â—on to Teach each other or to Communicate revelations is needless and vain sith each may guide himself That 's done in vaâ—â— by more which may be done by 〈◊〉 c. Rep. Frustra sit per pâ—ara quod porest fleri tâ—m bene per pauciora that 's done in vain by more that may be done as well by lesse Is true but what may be done better by more then fewer is not in vain and therefore as vis unita fortior is true among Schollars so in the multitude of councellors there 's in many cases so much the more safety is as true among Christians yet it proves not but that there 's also security to assurance enough wheee every one attends to that of God within himself Therefore it 's neither unsafe nor foolish as ye foolâ—shly affirm but may be both safe and profitable for so the Apostles and Elders did of old Act. 15. Who yet in all were guided by the Spirit to meet together in councell but it s in no wise so absolutely necessary as ye make it to seek for other Teachings then that of the Light and Spirit of God within in order to each mans holy living much lesse such as is given out in your Synods where ye teach Gods worship and fear after your own thoughts and traditions yea to such as are turn'd to the Spirits teaching 't is said ye need not that any man teach you save as the same anointing teacheth you of all things which is truth no lye and if we do hear men speak that are moved by the Spirit it s not in vain it being all one whether that holy Spirit speak in me or in another to me we still own no other teaching but that of the anointing and so the Apostles though met in councell yet concluded no other things to be imposed on men then what seemed good to them and the holy Spirit which taught them and impos'd not as ye do what seems good to your selves who deny also the guidance of that infallible Spirit to be present in the world at this day Reas. 5. Then it s in vain to desire and expect revelations and discoveries which they had not before sith they have the light within of themselves Therefore when they compose themselves to their quaking fits that they may have some word of the Lord to speak to people what 's this but an hypocriticall devise blasphemous false and unrighteous or else needless Sith they have a light within them sufficient to guide them without other revelation Rep. This is nothing but an addition to these mens many lyes for which they must know part in the laâ—â— and blasphemâ—us reproachâ—s of the Qua. Who own no such thing as a light in men that is of themselves but that only which is though in them yet of God As for composing of themselves to quaking fits Hypocriticall devices and pretences of new revelations and much more such like Riff-raff as is reckon'd to them in this 5th Reason the Qua. deny them who expect no other then true revelations of that old true Gospell in that way of waiting on God in that true old Light R. B. and I. Ts. Title Page pretends to exalt but their book ignorantly and impiously depresses as new light and darknesse in which true old light â—f God in the heart it was ever revealed from faith to faith to the Just who lived by faith in that light before the letter was Reas. 6. By ascâ—ibing so much to the light within them Satan hath advantage to draw men to hoâ—â—id acts sith what ever he can imprint on them as their light they must receive it without any examination and obey it Rep. What silly stuff is this As if because Satan may transform himselfe as an Angell of Light in mens hearts to decieve them if they look not well to the true light of God that shines therein and receive not the truth told by it in the love thereof Therefore there 's no true light there shining As if because there 's much errour and many lyes that the Father of lyes and Ruler of the darkness seeks to beguile by and does beguile unstable soules by Therefore there 's no truth to be beguiled from and to be sâ—aid upon Scilicet sic aiunt praedicâ—nt clamitant non probant Reas. 7. Then he that 's counted unlearned and foolish if he follow his own light doth as well as he that 's never so wise and learned whereas Solomon tells Eccl. 2.13 14. That wisdome excells folly as far as light excells darkness Rep. Why not He that 's counted unlearn'd and foolish by the wise men of this world who follow the foolishnesse of their own fleshly fancies whose wisdom is foolishness with God if he follow the light of God doth not only as well but a thousand-sold better then such wise and learned as abovesaid and the wisdome of these that are fools with you excelleth your seeming wisdome in which ye are acting real folly as far as light excelleth darkness by all which wisdome of your own ye cannot discern so much as your own Scipture which tells you of a way which is called the way of holiness in which the unclean cannot walk though never so worldly wise yet the way-faring man that walks in it though a fool shall not erre therein Isa. 35.8 Reas. 8. Then the Phylosophers Light was sufficient to guide them for surely they had as much Light without the Scripture as any and did improve it to the utmost and the Jewish Rabbins besides the natural light in them did by the study of the Law and Traditions of Elders endeavour to attain the knowledge of God to whom yet Christ was foolishness
and Paul useth this exprâ—bation Where 's the wise where the Disputer of this world Rep. The Phylosophers and the Iewish Rabbins whereof the one had the Light within which ye call natural but is indeed Gods Law which is spiritual and not the Scripture without and the other both that Light within which is the Law and the Letter without also did neither of them improve it to the utmost as ye falsly assert nor follow that Light but one their own thoughts inventions and imaginations only of things as ye do yours the other their own senses meanings and traditionary interpretations of the Letter and so ran both out mostly into a Phylosophy and Science falsly so called and into meer vâ—in deceit as your selves do who are the same Generation of Disputers of this world whose wisdome God is making foolish and by that foolishness of preaching as ye count that of the Qua. saving such as believe in that Light they call to If the Iewish Rabbins who were as well skill'd in Scripture as your selves did get so little saving knowledge of God by their study of the Law or Letter and Tradition of Elders because not looking to the Law or Light in the heart which the Letter sends to ye may â—ee the reason why ye are so succesless in your seeking God as to know so little of him as ye do who are yet seeking him in no other way then they Ioh. 5.39 And as much as ye despise the Heathen Phylosophers as Ethnicks some even of them that did according to the Law or Light they had wil as much judge many of you nominal Christians as they did the Iews who with the Iews make boast of the Letter of the Law yet through breaking thereof dishonor God and cause the name Christian to be a stink among the Gentiles Reas. 9. If every mans Light within him were a safe guide to him in Religion and Morality then do all Law-makers ill c. and judges ill in passing sentence of condemnation on men then aâ— mâ—â—â—ill to reprove c. Parents Tutors Schoolmasters ill to teach men otherwise then is all Government and Magistracy unprofitablâ— Rulers are not Ministers of God to us for good but only to molest and oppress us then they that set their children to School do foolishly Vniversities and Schools of Arts to breed up in liberature and good manners are vain and all these are to be abolished which were the way to lay all waste c. to level people in manners and knowledge c. to reduce to Barbarism to make the Nation a Wilderness in fine to drive Gods Spirit from us and introduce unclean spirits to repossess our Land to expel all that is excellent and may better us and to fill the Nation with a Generation of fools in whom God hath no pleasure Eccl. 5.4 and by consequence to condemn all the man of worth in the world since the Câ—â—ation of folly and blindness Rep. The former part of this Rantipole Reason is refell'd before in former parts of this book of mine where the very contrary rather is abundantly shewed viz. that 't were ill in Judges Rulers Magistrates Parents whose correction of ill doers for whom the Law only is 1 Tim. 1.9 we own to reprove condemn and punish any for doing contrary to the puâ—e Religion and undefiled before God which is morality or good manners and to keep a mans self unspotted of the ill manners and pollutions of the world if the persons so reproved condemned punisht and corrected had not a Light in them sufficient to teach them that true Religion for all just condemnation must arise from mans having Light not loving to live by it and the Light only is the worlds condemnation Ioh. 3.19 And as for the last clauses about Tutors and Schoolmasters Vniversities and Schools of Arts to breed up in literature and good manners as they pretend to do they had more need then any other places and people in this Nation to be taught themâ—elves what true Religion and good manners are yea the very principles thereof if that Light in every mans conscience that teaches them to live honestly righteously and soberly as in truth it is and to keep a mans self unspotted of the world be that pure Religion â—hat's undefiled before God as the Scripture sayes it is and not that of those who are pure and religious in their own eyes and yet never mean to be washed from their filthiness I have spoken much above how vain they are of all places throughout this Nation and add thus in brief that unless they come to be better reformed then ever they have been since I knew them they are at this day not for want of a Light within but of attending to that Light that is in their hearts that teaches them better so full of vaâ—ity pridâ— luxury filth enmity hatred malice against truth insolent scoffing at good men abusive carriages toward the Qua. in their Meetings 〈…〉 â—eastliness rudeness ignorancâ— violence as that of the Horse and Mule whose mouths lest they do mischief must be held in with bit and bridle as the Schollars have not been of late so much as they should be by either Mayâ—rs or ViceChancâ—llors without in our two Vniversities nor by the Light in themselves which how ere they bear the names of Nurseriâ—s of Religion and have some seeming shews thereof shews all their Religion to be in vain Iam. 1.26 That the abode of them in the Nations in this deformed state wherein they stand as Nurseries of naughtiness more then honesty is rather as it hitherto hath been a way to lay wast all common civility and corrupt all good manners and bring men to barbarism and make the Nation a Wildeâ—â—â—ss yea an Acheldama or field of blood if people every where should be as bloody as the Schollars have been at Oxford and Cambâ—idge against the Saints witness what 's above declared and the late pranks at Cambridge since that was written and in sine to drive away the Spirit of God fâ—om among us introduce unclean spirits to repossess us and our Lord to expel all that is and all them also that are excellent and may better us as the Qua. do who seek to bring all men to innocency and honesty a little of which shall 〈◊〉 weigh all Scholastical sibtilis and 〈◊〉 Piety in the day that are coming on and in a word to fill the Nation still which hath been too full of such for many Ages and Generations upwards with that Generation of Locusts and Caterpillars that have eat up every green thing in it and that whole FFFraternity of Fools in whom God hath no pleasure who are more ready to offer their Cains Sacrifices then to hear and obey what God himself saith in them Eccles. 5.4 And lastly to condemn all the sincere hearted Saints and honest hearts since the Creation which are men of such worth in the world that what ere the worthless wise men
or a taedious vain uncertain talking of some Learned Humanists Iews and Christians in proof of the Points original before the Massorites against other some full as well-studied as the other and in an extravagant way Argles against the Arguments urged by not only learned Iews and Iesuites Elias Levita Bellarminus c. but also confessedly learned Protestants Luther Zwinglius Prideaux Capelliâ—s against his pretended antiquity of the Points from Ezra vagarying abroad unreasonably in the high Road of forgeries and fables then which as he sayes himself p. 264. in nothing more hath the world been cheated answering conjecture with no more then conjecture laying about him like a Thatcher thawcking Author upon Author story upon story tittle upon tattle fancy upon fancy humane fallible persuasion against humane fallible perswasion and yet in his conclusion not only shooting a thousand years short of Moses from whom he would at first have drawn them but also not adventuring to vent himself about their compleat being and beginning from Ezra at any certainty or clearly but thus cloudily only viz Let any man judge whether from such a heap of uncertainties any thing can arise that may be admitted to give testimony in the cause in hand and so say I either for or against on one side or 'tother for quod utrobique incertum est non est vel hinc vel illinc certum what 's uncertain between two concludes nothing either way for certain and so he falls as short of making it evident that they were first from Ezra as they do who say they were at first from the Massorites or Iewish Rabbins But suppose his argument from the tradition of some men had been as 't is not from all men downwards Nemine contradicente none to vye with the rest if he go about thereby to manifest as he does the undoubtednesse of his consequence and conclusion yet he hath confounded it himself if no other man had ever stirred against the businesse whilest to go romnd again he tells us p. 105. The constant Tradition of more then a thousand years carried on by innumerable multitudes of men great wise and sober from one generation to another doth but set open the gates of Hell for Mahumetans as well to prove the goodnesse of their Alcoran and p. 107 108. Because this Tradition is pretended with great confidence as a sure bottome foundation for receiving of the Scriptures in effect so 't is say I by I. O. for the receiving the Points from Ezra not the Massorites and that not without the Tradition of as learned to vye with the Reporters I shall quoth he a little further inquire into it Tradition which is report of men from those who are gone before may be either of all men of the world or only of some of them if of all either their suffrages must be taken in some convention or gathered up from the individuals as we are able and have opportunity if the first way of receiving them were possible which is the utmost improvement that imagination can give the authority inquired after yet every individual of men being a lyar the whole Convention must be of the same complexion and so not be able to yield a sufficient Basis to build a faith upon cui non potest subesse falsum that is infallible and cannot possibly be deceived much lesse is there any foundation for it in such a report as is the emergency of the Assertion of individuals Thus I. O. with the whirlwind of his own round about doctrine layes all his long Traditionary Tales for the Antiquity of his tittles on the ground again with his own talk of the invalidity of Tradition to beget such a divine infallible faith and certainty as men must have about the Scripture which he makes the Rule Basis and Foundation of all faith and certainty in other things so Diruit aedificat mutat quadrata Rotundis Secondly I. O. treats out two more Arguments for the Antiquity and Divinity of his tittles whereof if no man should intermeddle to confute them the one confounds and utterly overturns the other The first whereby Alas poor man he hampers himself and to as little effect most horribly to evince the Points to be as high as Ezra at least which salves not his Assertion of the Texts integrity however were it granted him and not so novel an invention as of the Tiberian Massorites is an extraordinary excentrick boundlesly bitter invective as against the Iewes in general in their rancor against Christ wickedly attempting the restoration of their Religion under Barchochab and Rabbi Iuda by the compiling of their Talmuds and much other inpertinent stuffe and story of which I. O. himself very truly confesses p. 234 in tâ—tidem verba that its all nothing to his own purpose so specially against the Tiberian Massorites in particular the supposed Authors of the Hebrew Pun ation for half a hundred pages together not caring how he vilifies them so he may but bring men to beleeve so badly of them as not to own them as the Inventors of the Vowels and Accents but Ezra or some holy men guided therein at least by the infallible direction of the Holy Spirit His Argument which he hath from Dr. Lightfoot drawn close up out of p. 240 241 242 246 247. in form is on this wise The pointing of the Bible savours of the work of the Holy Spirit not of wicked blind madâ—mon but the Tiberian Massorites were wicked blind mad men possessors of the Letter without the Spirit desperately engaged to oppose the truth under Gods curse one of whose fundamentals was opposition to the Gospel feeding themselves with vain fables and mischievaus devices against the Gospel labouring to set up a new Religion under the name of the old in despite of God so striving to wrestle it out with his curse to the utmost men of a profound ignorance in all learning and knowledge but what concerns their own dunghill Traditions and innumerable fopperies addicted to such monstrous fopperies as their Successors in after ages are asham'd of and seek to palliate what they are able Idolaters crafty raging serious in nothing childish about serious things how much deceitfulness froth venome smoak nothing in their disputations Therefore considering the importance of the Hebrew Vowels and Accents to a Right understanding of the Scripture we need clear yea undeniable unquestionable evidence and testimony and so say I there is as clear and unquestionable given this way as I O. who is concerned to give infallible proof his way gives to the contrary to prove the Rise and Spring of the Points to be from these men that is the Tiberian Massorites This is one of I. Os. Arguments which how it lacks little confutation by any thing but it s own apparent folly and evident weaknesse and blindnesse a child may see It intimates as if wicked men could not possibly find out and affix such a thing as the Figure of Accents
of our wayes is reproved the wayes of God approved Now this is no small benefit to have the light to discern our errors which without light from Christ we should never have understood A wise Christian will be often judging himself by the light of the Law discovering his Transgressions That mâ—st needs be the Law in the Conscience which de facto shewes every mans own sins to himselfe It will be needfull not only to use the light of Christ to judge our selves by but also to order our actions by I am the light of the World saith Christ he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness There cannot be unsafe walking by Christs light there is no danger when Christ our light goes before walk in the light saith Christ while ye have the light lest darknesse come upon you how many millions are there of souls perplexed and tortured all their life with fears and doubts for want of walking by the light of Christ in Scripture which say I is that in the conscience which the Scripture mainly calls to and chusing rather to walk by a light and sparks of their own kindling alias their own wisdome conceits sences and meanings on the Scripture traditions in worship and such like which they call light which in the end either goes quite out or burns so dim as to leave them in darknesse of spirit and horror of conscience and no marveile since such as neglect the word preached which is that word of faith i.e. which men are to beleeve in unto life which the Scripture testifies and the Apostles preached to be nigh in mens hearts to heave and do it should follow the mares of humane reason the examples customes and dictates of men and in conclusion ly down in sorrow Isa. 40.11 Such foolish fires will lead to nothing but bogs and precipices but Christ the true light when his Gospell is followed which is the light in the heart 2 Cor 4.5 6. guides the feet of men into the way of peace The light of Christ is to be used as our weapons or Tools to defend ourselves or to work with let us put off the works of darknesse and put on the armour of light the truth is light is the chiefest instrument for safety and worke if a man be without light he can neither defend himself nor offend an enemy he that would make use of Christs light must be armed with his doctrine he that would improve the light must be a doing the businesse which the word of Christ directs him to and to that end it mark must dwell richly in him Make use of the light of Christ for thy comfort and rejoycing it is it which removes doubts griefs fears despair in life or death Oh how sweetly might men live how comfortably might they dye if they did make use of it Thus highly do these two men R.B. I.T. speake of the light of Christ within which the Qua preach yea that in the very Heathen though they oft call it naturall yet they recommend it as that which told the truth to the heathen which they holding in unrighteousnesse were under wrath and without excuse before God because they glorified him not as God but were fill'd with unrighteousnesse and did the things which by that of God in them they knew judgment was due to and that they were worthy of wrath Ignorance of the Law being not to be pleaded by them say they who sin against the innate light of their own spirits for as much as that fact must needs be voluntary which is done against the knowledge and judgment of a mans own conscience And yet somtimes to go round again they tell us that when their Saints sin through infirmity only as T. D. judges David did when he was guilty of murder and adultery which when they doe they act against the knowledge and judgment of their own consciences their facts are not voluntary but altogether yea utterly against their wills Yea p. 41. They seem to judge themselves much belyed by the Qua. for denying the light within and set themselves to vindicate themselves from that as a false aspersion as if they were men that do truly own the light within as much as any yea they there make a use of Application of their Doctrine about the Light that enlightneth every man that cometh into the World to justifie themselves against the Qua as owners and honourers of the light within and to warn men that they act not against their Light within to this purpose we may infer say they a plea for our selves against the unjust accusations of the Qua who use to charge publick preachers with denying the light within each man whereas such light is not at all denyed by them each person is to make use of the light within that he do not rebell against the light a mans own conscience is a Law to him c. This and much more do these men when they are pleased to begin of themselves confesse to the excellent usefullnesse and sing out to the praise of the light of God within each man but if the Qua fall in with them in the same work and commend the same light for t is no other but that of Christ the Qua cry up in the same words with the Priests then in enmity against the Qua they set themselves to cry it down with as much indignation and detestation as they cryed it up with approbation and high commendation before Then to go round again they sing a new song in contempt of it to the Time that hereunder followeth inveighing most heavily and bitterly against the Quak for this businesse of warning men to take heed to the Light within to that of God in their consciences calling both it and them no lesse then all to nought witnesse their clamours against the Qua for this very thing in Baxt. Epist. p. 7. Their i.e. the Quâ— great pretence when they dishonour the Scripture and the Ministry is to lead men to a light within them and this is their cry in our Assemblies and our streets hearken to the light and word within you and the sufficiency of this they clamourously defend So p. 6. They i.e. the Quakers assert that there is a light in every man sufficient to guide him to God of it self that it is a Rule to shew duty and sin that there 's no need of other teaching of man that this is one in all that it is the Gospell this is the main prop of the new Anti-christian Religion or frenzy of the Quak and leads them into pernitious courses So p. 41. A mans own light cry they speaking of that of God in the Conscience of all men which somtimes themselves call no lesse then Gods Law in them which is in them but not of them nor naturall but spirituall holy just and good cannot warrant of it self without the Scripture a mans actions to be lawfull which he doth according to that light And
did to the Thessalonians 2. Thes 2. by word or Epistle and if I. O. will have it so that t was by a former Epistle then he serves me against T. D. and himself more than himself against me acknowledging the first Epistle of Paul to Corinth which he wrote before the first of the two we have and mentions 1. Cor. 5. to be Authentick and Canonical and so that a whole Canonical Epistle of that holy Apostle and that 's more than a Tittle or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is utterly lost The Fifth viz. Math. 28.20 Teaching them to observe whatever I command you and so I am with you alway even to the end of the world which way I. O. can from thence conclude a promise for every Tittle of inspired Scripture to be preserved for ever entire without losse or alteration I see not but I see one thing that if I. O. hobble but upon a Text of Scripture he thinks at a venture it must serve his Turn about the entirenesse and integrity of the Text and its Tittles though there be no mention of Scripture made at all in it for here 's none in this in which Christ bids them Teach the Nations to observe what he commanded them and that they did he promised then to be with them alway to the end of the world as he was and is ever with his people by his light word they being turned to it themselves but what 's all this to the Tittles of Hebrew and Greek Texts unlesse I. O. say they are the Christ that he meant when he laid I will be with you never did I see men in two Books so miserably wrest and mis-interpret Scripture on pretence of vindicating Scripture as T. D. and I. O. do Yea I. O. there is scarce any or but very few of all the Scriptures thou quotest in all thy Books but thou pervertest them more or lesse as T. D. does the most if not all he meddles with whether about the Scripture or the word or foundation or Rule or what ever else And as for these five last examined if thou hadst not sent me to them to that end I should as soon of my self have gone to seek a Dolphin in the woods as lookt into any one of them to find God promising in his love to his Church and Word and in order to the preserving of them both to be carefull to set his providence so on work as to lay the Transcribers of the Scriptures in the Hebrew and Greek Tongues but not the Translaâ—ors of them into other tongues in which yet his care and Love to his Church though not to the Clergy that trade out of their Original Texts would as much appear and his Truth and most mens souls are as much concerned and more too then in Hebrew and Greek Texts if the Scripture were the onely way to life under his loving aspect so as to see they should not misse nor falsifie in a Tittle though he would leave Translators out of the lists of that loving aspect to erre and corrupt as much as they would for howbeit I ken not the mystery of I. O's mind in this nor any Reason why if God love his Church and Word he should not in his care to preserve both oversee with a loving Aspect that Translators should not mis-translate as well as Transcribers not mis-transcribe yet I. O. allowes the loving Aspect of God to Transcribers but whether God himself do so or no I dare not say denying that great favour as in which his Church is much concerned as in the other to Translators for p. 334. speaking of the Chaldee Paraphrase he sayes thus viz. Seeing it hath not lain under any peculiar care and mercifull providence of God whether innumerable other faults be not get into it and errours not to be discovered by any varieties of Copies as it is happened with the Sepmagint who can tell No promise nor providence nor mercy nor loving aspect to the poor peoples Scripture still which is that of Translation onely for they cannot read Hebrew and Greek their part may go whither it will God looks not after it but such darlings do our Doctors and Clergy men deem themselves to be with God that his love care oversight promise providence and all is towards every Tittle of their Transcripts that they may trade with their Text and mete out what they will to men for money from it should any Qua. make such mad conclusions their Books would be good enough to be burned and thou I. O wouldst Iudge them no better Egregiam vero laudem spolia ampla refertis Tuque liberque tuus magnum memorabile nomen Having foild the Front-Guard of that Ragged Rout the Rest that have far lesse Reason in them if lesse can be are soon Routed Arg. the Second is the Religious care of the Church not of the Romish Synagogue sayst thou to whom these Oracles of God were committed Rep. What Church then if not the Remish Synagogue hath had that Commission of the Scriptures to her and that Religious care thou here talkst on to keep every Tittle of the Text entire without losse or change I do not say that the now Romane Harlot hath now or ever had in her Apostatical slate such a Commission of the Scripture to her as she pretends to as if they were the onely Trustees to whose care and custody the Text was committed of God for as to their proud prate and peculiar claim to such a preheminent power to be keepers and preservers of the Scripture I deny it nay with thy self in the 2.3.4.5 pages of thy Epistle I disown and damn their deceitfull pretence to such a trust reposed in them and if they had enjoy'd any such they have as thou sayest truly manifested a treacherous mind and falsified their Trust egregiously and so cannot stand in Judgement if called to account upon their own principles having indeed so far as they have had to do with the Scriptures altered added detracted depraved vitiated interpolated and done what not to corrupt them during the long time of their Dominus fac-totum-ship in whole Christendom about Scripture and every thing else ad extra that had any pretence toward the Truth and while the Scripture of the Old but the New Testament more specially seeing the Iewes reject it lay lockt up from all the Laity within the lines of her conclavical clerical Conemunication for though de jure they ought not so to have impropriated it but were Arrogant usurpers in so doing yet that de facto they had the grand Custody of that ye call your Canon and changed it as they pleased I should judge thee more silly then I am willing to do if thou shouldst deny it there being no visibly constituted Christian Church as to outward Order in all Europe that was other then a member of that blind Babylonish Body for at least a thousand years together But if that Church had not as I say