Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	believe_v	faith_n	word_n	22,389	5	4.8064	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

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

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

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