God is not in all his thoughts but as saith the same Prophet Psal 69. 32. The humble shall see this and be glad and your heart shall live that seek God Sect. 12 The humble do see themselves in a lost and undone Estate by reason of Sin which they and all the world are guilty of by the Sentence of the righteous Law of God they are so broken in their spirits finding themselves under the Curse of the Law Gal. 3. 10 That as Christ teacheth concerning the penetant Publican Luke 18. 10. thinking themselves not worthy to lift up their eyes to Heaven do smite their breasts saying God be merciful to us Sinners while the proud Pharisee rejoycing in himself and in his own Righteousness of the Law like those that now Preach up the Light within exalteth himself saying God I thank thee I am not as other men are Extortioners Unjust Adulterers or even as this Publican Oh with what affection doth the Repentant Believer receive Jesus Christ Oh how precious is the Blood of Sprinkling to him Heb. 12. 24. Which the proud Legalist Pharisee Papist and pretended Preacher up of the Light within do trample under their feet Sect. 13 Even as Water is to a thirsty Land Psal 143. 6. or to the panting Hart Psal 42. 1. which being at the point of death except it be refreshed by the Water Brooks doth expire So is it with the poor Believer who finding himself beset on every side with the guilt and burthen of his Sins which he not able to bear flees from but is still pursued with the guilt thereof until he meets with Christ who sets him free from the guilt and takes away the burthen of his Sins giveth him assurance of peace with God through the Satisfaction which he hath made to his Justice by the Sacrifice of himself for all his sins that are past and requiring this late lost Creature now to follow him he bringeth him to his Fathers house makes him a Son of God by Adoption and giveth him the holy Spirit whereby he may both know that God is his Father and be inabled to serve him in newness of spirit promiseth him that his Grace shall be sufficient for him to relieve him in all his Temptations in this world and that by his Mediation with God he will so secure him from the Calumnious Accusations of Satan that he shâ—â—l not be able to lay any thing to his Charge in the Court of Heaven and now requiring him to be faithful to the death assureth him that he will give him the Crown of life Oh what glorious Grace is this Oâ— hâ—w is he that was Sentenced to death and pursued with the Executioners thereof meeting with Jesus Christ and being by him not only delivered from the power of his Puâ—suers but also intituled to Everlasting Life refreshed and comforted who is able to express the consolation of the water of Life John 4. 10. which Jesus Christ gives to refresh the fainting Spirits of those he meets with that while they flee from sin are pursued with the Law Sin and Death and are never able by all the strength they have to deliver themselves from the power of those their Enemies until Jesus Christ interpose with the might of his power relieve them by his grace delivering the poor broken in spirit that are pursued with the guilt power and wages of Sin from the Law Sin and Death speaking peace to them in the pardon of their sins sprinkling his Blood upon their spirits to cleanse them from the guilt thereof and giving them the holy Spirit John 7. 37 38 39. to strengthen them against the Reigning power of Sin and thereby intituling them to life Everlasting and to the deliverance from the wages of Sin which is Everlasting Death Sect. 14 Oh how contrary is the Doctrine of the Gospel to the Doctrine of those that Preach up the Light within all men as that which though it be but the work of the Law Rom. 2. 15. is sufficient in the opinion of these followers of the Romish Synagogue to lead out of all Sin and eternally to save and therefore contrary to the practice of the Apostles who direct unto Christ all the weary and heavy laden with sin with Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sins of the World John 1. 29. These Messengers of Satan lead all such as follow them from Christ to themselves setting up themselves under pretence of the Light within and rejecting that which is indeed the Light viz. the Word of the Prophets of Christ and of his Apostles 2 Pet. 1. 19. which is written in the Scriptures of Truth Dan. 10. 21. they set up that which is indeed the Darkness of this world the Traditions of men the Doctrines of the Romish Harlot and other Adversaries to the Doctrine of the Gospel which they deliver by word of mouth and disperse in their written Books and Pamphlets CHAP. II. Wherein is shewed That the Doctrine of these that call themselves Preachers of and to the Light within all men is not according to the Doctrine of Jesus Christ expressed in the Scriptures of Truth neither concerning the Person of Christ nor the Father Son and Spirit nor the Light nor the Ordinances of Christ nor the Resurrection of the Dead nor the Coming of Christ nor the End of the World Also the Doctrine which is according to Godliness as it relates to these Particulars is here manifested Sect. 1 THe second thing which I lay to thy Charge which teachest that People should be guided by the Light which is within all men is That thy Doctrine is not according to the Doctrine of the Scriptures neither concerning the Conception of Jesus Christ nor the Divine Being of the Father Son and Spirit nor the Light nor the Ordinances of Christ nor the Resurrection of the Dead nor the Coming of Christ nor the End of the World and therefore thou art led by the Spirit of Antichrist Sect. 2 First Because thou dost not confess that by vertue of the Holy Spirit his coming upon and the Power of the Highest his overshadowing that visible woman called Mary that that man Christ Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit and made of the Woman without her knowing of man and that he is the only begotten Son of God both according to the Spirit of Holiness Rom. 1. 3 4. and also as he is a man of flesh and bones and that there is none nor can be any that is the Son of God in that sense that that God-man Christ Jesus was and is the Son of God from and to all Eternity according to the Spirit of Holiness and also in the fulness of time according to the flesh Gal. 4. 4. I say because thou dost not own this Person which I here speak of to be the only begotten Son of God and no other but he in all the world beside Therefore thou art deceived and art a Deceiver for thou sayest
teacheth When that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away for now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face Now saith he I know in part but then shall I know even as also I am known 1 Cor. 13. 10 12. for then at the coming of Christ Jesus the Lord shall the Spirits souls and Bodies of all Believers be preserved blameless 1 Thes 5. 23. and being sanctified by Christ Ephes 5. 26. shall be found without fault before the Throne of God Rev. 14. 5. For when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord then shall their sins be blotted out Acts 3. 16. both sin and punishment for sin shall then be taken away that so they may be made perfect in Glory and Happiness everlasting 1 Cor. 15. 54 55 56 57. And forasmuch as the Perfection of God and of the Divine Nature of Christ is a perfection of a different Nature from the perfection of man God being perfect in his Nature Christ having never acted sin man being imperfect in his Nature by reason of sin which he hath committed if thou that callest thy self a Preacher of the Light within c. when thou exhortest to perfection intendest man in thy exhortation then thou that exhortest another shouldst teach thy self to be obedient to that which the Scriptures teach man to observe in order to his obtaining perfection that is to say to turn from thy dead works thy Legal Righteousnesse acknowledging thy self a sinner say with the Publican with a contrite Spirit God be merciful to me a sinner believe the Gospel of the remission of sins and being cut to the heart with grief for sin committed Repent and be Baptized in Water in the Name of Iesus Christ for the remission of thy sins See Acts 2. 38. Acts 10. 47. Mat. 3. 6. and so walking as Christ reacheth in the Scriptures thou mayest attain unto the perfection that he hath promised but if when thou exhortest to perfection thou intendest God or the Divine Nature of Christ in thy exhortation or the Person of Christ then thou blasphemest against God and against Christ supposing him to stand in need of an exhortation to perfection whose Nature is Pure and Perfect or that the Person of Christ hath sometimes been imperfect whose Divine Nature is perfect being of the same Substance with his Fathers and whose Humane Nature is perfect being conceived in the Womb of the Virgin by the operation of the Holy Spirit in which Nature he kept the Law of God and fulfilled every jot and tittle of it he suffered death for our sins and rose again for the Justification of all them that believe in him and such perfection was and is in him that by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are Sanctified wherefore the Holy Spirit also is a Witnesse to us saying I will put my Laws in their Hearts and in their Minds will I write them and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more Thus he whose Divine Nature is perfect and whose Humane Nature also hath perfectly kept the Law of God and fulfilled all Righteousness will give unto those whose Nature is imperfect and who have transgressed the Law of God upon their Repentance and Conversion such a perfection through his Grace as whereby their sins shall not be remembred and whereby their Persons shall be glorified for ever and ever Sect. 14 But thou that seemest to be so exceeding earnest in teaching up the Light within warning all men and women to follow after it yet never intendest that they whom thou teachest should be guided by the Light which they have in them before thou beginnest to teach them but that from thee which art without them they should receive that instruction which thou callest the Light within them And to discover thee in this thing as plainly as possible I can I will make use of a Comparison unto which thou art as like in thy actings as to any thing I can find to compare thee withal for thou in thy endeavours to gain poor Souls to thy wayes and to become followers of thy steps art like unto certain Birders which we have in our Land that do go about in the dark night with a Bell Candle and Net to catch Birds of the Air who in this work of theirs do first of all sound their Bell which being of a considerable bigness and sound it doth so amaze and astonish the poor Birds that they wholly lose their senses at that time and cannot tell how to make use either of Feet or Wing to avoid the danger that is beforâ— them the Birder then with his Candle discovering where the amazed Birds do sit he casts his Net over them and having taken them leads them captive by force whither he will and doth with them according to his pleasure Even so thou by thy Preachings and Printings dost make a great sound and noise to deceive the Hearts and to amaze the Spirits of the simple for thou speakest of great things yet art but like a sounding Brass and tinkling Symbal thou callest upon all to wait in silence to stand still to cease from all outward and Scripture-Teaching and from Scripture Ordinances as from Baptism Laying on of Hands and breaking of Bread c. from Preaching Praying and Hearing the Word calling them Carnal Lifeless and empty Ordinances c. not onely perswading men and women to leave all outward Means and Ordinances of the New Testament written in the Scriptures by which they would have the use of their feet having them shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace but also teaching them that to believe in a Christ out of themselves is Carnal and Life-less also and that their Saviour is within them upon whom they must wait in silence even thus thou teachest them that follow thee wholly against believing in the true Christ who died in his own Body that by that one Sacrifice of himself out of every other man he might reconcile the world of Man-kind to himself without themselves or any Righteousnesse done by them the believing whereof is the poor Creatures Wing whereby to flee unto Christ and to rest upon him for Justification by Faith through his Grace and so to escape out of the hands of such cruel Birders from wrath to come So that all thy great sound and noise of Preaching and Printing in which thou cryest out so bitterly and vehemently against all those means which are appointed of God unto Salvation labouring with all thy might to bring men and women out of conceit with them telling them they are deceived in them and exhorting them to Mind the Light which is within them and that will lead them out of all sin and iniquity and eternally save them Even all this thou dost that thou mayest drive on thy design to put poor Creatures into amazement astonishment to make them to doubt of
this Chapter it is manifest that those thy main grounds viz. Thy Humility Thy Unity Thy destroying the Whore Thy discerning Secrets and Thy Sufferings are utterly insufficient though supposed to prove that the Preachers up of the so called Light within are in the Truth yea by that way which thou hast taken to justifie thine own way and to disparage the Faith and Obedience of the People of God thine own falshood rottennesse and deceit is discovered So that into the pit which thou hast digged for others thou art fallen thy self the snare which ye have spread for others hath caught your selves by the heels CHAP. V. That the Preachers up of the so called Light within do deny the Doctrine of the Scriptures to be the Word of God that although Christ is truly called the Word of God yet the Doctrine of the Scriptures is truly so to be called and accounted That it is very dangerous to add to or take from the Scriptures That those that contemn the Doctrine of the Scriptures of Truth do despise Jesus Christ and God the Father The reason why such as despise the Scriptures find no more vertue in them Eight Considerations to prove the Doctrin of the Scriptures to be the Word of God and an infalliable Teacher Two other grounds to prove the former conclusion the first taken from the Light which is in the Scriptures the latter from the powerful operation of the Doctrine thereof upon the hearts of Believers Sect. 1 BUt if the Preachers up of the so called Light within were able to justifie their way and Practice by the Scriptures it is likely they would endeavour so to do but being unable thereby to carry on their design they endeavour by such like Arguments as are used by the Popish Synagogue to justifie themselves as we have heard and that they may proceed with the greater security they deny the Doctrine of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament commonly called the Bible to be the Word of God for the discovery therefore of their wickednesse herein and for the vindicating the Blessed Doctrine of Salvation contained in the Scriptures that which here followeth is intended to conclude this work For first That thou that preachest up the so called Light within c. dost deny the Doctrine which is contained in that Book called the Bible to be the Word of God appears by thy reproachful language concerning it yea in words at length ye do familliarly deny it to be the Word of God one of you laying that Bible upon the ground and setting his feet upon it said If this be the Word of God why doth it not stir and speak Thus ye delight to abuse the Scriptures and because ye can so do therefore ye conclude they are not the Word of God and being lifted up with Pride and filled with Rage against the Word of God expressed in the Scriptures of Truth ye call all such Carnal as give them that Title giving this reason for your so doing viz. Because the Scripture saith Christ is the Word of God and therefore ye conclude the Scripture is not the Word of God c. And to colour over your deceit ye alledge a sentence of Scripture and presently declare a falsehood saying The Word of God is quick and Powerful which is true but the Scripture is a dead Letter which is false thus ye fume out disdain against the Scriptures and against those that acknowledge them to be the Word of God and a word of Power to them which do believe But Secondly That I may make thy ignorance with thy enmity unto the Scriptures manifest I shall undertake by Divine assistance to prove them to be the Word of God and an infallible Teacher to them which do believe for although the Scripture doth say that Christ is the Word of God yet it doth also affirm that his Commandment contained in the Scriptures is the Word of God and as I did never deny the former since I was instructed in the Doctrine of the Scriptures so I do affirm that whosoever doth own the Scriptures to be the Word of God doth not deny that Christ is the Word of God neither can such a thing be layed to their charge without doing great injury to them but I say as it is true that Christ is the Word of God as the Scripture saith Revel 19. 13. So it is as true that the Scripture is the Word of God as Christ saith Mark 7. 13. Sect. 2 It might therefore well be concluded that they which are so curious as to make a distinction betwixt the words you and thou may as well be able if they be not wilfully or maliciously blind to make an acknowledgement of the Word of God as it is given forth in the Scriptures and the Word of God as it is Essentially in Christ Are the Precepts Promises and Threatnings which are a main part of the Scriptures and were the Word of God before they were written in the Scriptures I say are they the less the Word of God because they are written in the Scriptures Is not the Truth expressed in the Scriptures eternal and uncorruptible because the Ink and Paper is subject to alteration Shall we think so of the Truth therein expressed God forbid And what less then an Almighty hand hath preserved that Book viz. the Bible unto this present hour notwithstanding all the rage and fury of the Devll and his instruments against it who now being unable to suppresse it by force have devised this deceitful Doctrine viz. To teach all men to hearken to the Light within them thereby to turn away their minds from the Doctrine of the Scriptures Concerning therefore the Purity and Eternity of the Doctrine of Salvation expressed in the Scriptures the Scripture doth give ample Testimony in many places The Words of the Lord saith David are pure words as silver tryed in a Furnace of earth purified seven times Psal 12. 6. Every Word of God saith Solomon is Pure he is a shield to them that put their trust in him Prov. 3. 5. The entrance of thy words saith David giveth Light it giveth understanding to the simple Psal 119. 130. Heaven and Earth saith Christ shall passe away but my Words shall not passe away Mat. 24. 35. Whosoever therefore saith he shall be ashamed of me and of my words of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the Glory of his Father with the holy Angels Mark 8. 38. Therefore said Peter unto the Lord when Jesus said unto the Twelve Will ye also go away Lord saith he to whom shall we go Thou hast the Words of Eternall Life and we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son of the living God John 6. 67 68 69. Thus is the Purity and Eternity of the Truth expressed in the Scriptures vindicated yea it will be found to be so unchangeable that those that now despise it shall lie under the punishment therein
threatned to the contemners thereof for ever and ever as those that imbrace the precious promises obey the holy Commandments and fear the dreadful Threatnings declared in the Scriptures shall enjoy in spirit soul and body the blessednes of Life Eternal and although now the proud contemners of God and of his Word that dare tread the Bible under their feet in scorn of the Doctrine expressed therein are called Happy and those workers of wickedness are set up in the minds of many yet the time will come when God will make up his Jewels and spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him and then will there be a discerning between the Righteous and the Wicked between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not See Mal. 3. 13 14 15 16 17 18. Sect. 3 But as no other Person is the Son of God in the sence wherein Jesus Christ is he being the onely begotten Son of God both from all Eternity according to his Divine Nature and also in the fulness of time according to his Humane Nature So no other Doctrine whatsoever is the Word of God so as the Doctrine of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament is the Word of God for God wrote the words of the Covenant and gave the Record of his Son whose Doctrine and Miracles are written that ye might believe that Jesus is Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have Life through his Name John 20. 30. Which Doctrine of the Scriptures our Saviour Jesus Christ who as God and man in one Person is called the Word of God declared to be the Word of God when he reproved the Scribes and Pharisees for their making void the Commandment of God that they might keep their own Traditions making saith he the Word of God of no effect c. In which sentence it is very evident that our Saviour Jesus Christ called the Commandment of God expressed in the Scriptures The Word of God See Mark 7. And to this agrees the words of the Apostle 2 Cor. 2. 17. For we are not as many which corrupt or deal deceitfully with the Word of God but as of sincerity but as of God in the sight of God speak we in Christ That Word of God which they did not corrupt was the Doctrine which they delivered from God to the People concerning Jesus Christ and Salvation by him which they delivered both by word of mouth and by writing And as it is observed that the Hebrew word which is translated Commandments doth signifie Words as Exod. 34. 28. He wrote upon the Tables the Words of the Covenant the ten Words or Commandments which withall other Commandments of the old Covenant is called the Word or Doctrine of God So also the Words of Christ written in the Scriptures of the new Covenant is truely called the Word or Doctrine of God though Moses and other Prophets spake and wrote it yet the Word or Doctrine is the Word or Doctrine of God for these holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Spirit 2 Pet. 1. 21. So although Peter Paul and the rest of those holy Pen-men of the Scriptures of the new Covenant did speak write the Doctrine therein contained yet the Doctrine is the Word or Commandment of God as the Apostle teacheth 2 Cor. 3. 5. Not that we are sufficient to think any thing of our selves as of our selves but our sufficiency is of God who also hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament or Covenant the Doctrine whereof they delivered not in the words which mans wisdom teacheth but which the holy Spirit teacheth comparing spiritual things with spiritual 1 Cor. 2. 13. Sect. 4 Therefore God will punish all such severely that add to or take from the Scriptures Prov. 30. 6. Revel 22. 18 19. For whosoever doth speak a word against the Scriptures speaketh against him whose Will is therein expressed yea whosoever speaketh disdainfully and reproachfully of the Seriptures speaketh so against God himself for was it ever known that the Word Law or Commandment of a King was contemned and evil spoken of but the KIng who gave that Law Word or Commandment was also thereby dishonoured and his Name or Power dispised Is a Kings Honour bound up in his Laws and is not the Honour of the great God concerned in his Laws will earthly Kings punish the contemners of their Commands as far as their Power dorh extend and will not the King Eternal whose Power is universal But as the Adversaries of Jesus Christ dealt with him in the Dayes of his Humiliation even so do his Enemies deal by his Word in these dayes and surely those that in the Personal absence of Christ do vent their rage against the Scriptures would shew the same indignation against Christ himself were he personally present if it were in their power so to do those that tread the Scriptures under their feet would trample upon the Person of Christ were he in their way opposing their designs as the Scriptures are and like as the Scribes and Pharisees did conclude that Jesus Christ was not the Son of God because they could so abuse him and found no vertue in him so do these Adversaries of Christ the Preachers up of the so called Light within conclude against the Scriptures their being the Word of God because they can abuse them and finde no vertue in them And as Christ did then suffer his Person to be abused by wicked hands Acts 2. 23. So he now suffers his Word to be despised which notwithstanding he will one day Vindicate to the utter Confusion of the Enemies thereof he gave his Back to the smiters and his Cheekes to them that plucked off the hair and hid not his Face from shame and spitting he was mocked crowned with Thorns Scourged nailed to the Crosse Crucified and slain and what Power or vertue did his Persecuters feel in him while they did any of these things to him did they not in effect say in these mens words This a Christ a Saviour this the Word of God this quick and powerful he cannot save himself how then should he save others If thou be the Christ come down from the Crosse said they and we will believe thee To like purpose these blasphemers of God and of his Truth when they have cast the Scriptures on the ground have said Rise up if thou be the Word of God Oh the wonderful patience and forbearance of God! Oh the wretchednesse and perversnesse of man God sent his Son to save men men Crucified him he sent his Word to instruct men men despise it and tread it under their feet they can now call the Scriptures lifeless and say they have no vertue in them what might not they have said that nailed Christ to the Cross It is recorded that a woman did but touch the hem of his Garments and virtue came out of him but they that Crucified him might have said
they did concern one time or the men only which spake them But they are of a general interpretation and do concern as they are Prophesies and declare the Doctrine of Salvation all times and People as saith the Prophet This shall be written for the generation to come and the People which shall be created shall praise the Lord Ps 102. 18. Bow down thine ear saith Solomon and hear the words of the Wise they shall be fitted in thy lips that thy trust may be in the Lord have not I written to thee excellent things that I might make thee to know the certainty of the words of Truth that thou mightest answer the words of Truth to them that send unto thee See Pro. 22. 17 18 19 20 21 22. Therefore did Peter write both his Epistles viz. to stir up the pure minds of the believers by way of remembrance that those that had obtained pure minds might be mindful of the words spoken before by the holy Prophets and of the Commandments of the Apostles of the Lord and Saviour Knowing this first saith he that there shall come in the last dayes scoffers viz. such as will taunt and scoffe at the Scriptures at the Doctrine written therein and at such as believe and practice it Which scoffers do walk after their own lusts and not after the words of the holy Prophets and the Commandment of the Apostles of Christ Oh! how much is this fulfilled in these dayes by which we know it is the last times 2 Pet. 3. 1 2 3. Let Believers therefore take heed and beware of false Teachers let them believe and imbrace the Doctrine of the Scriptures of Truth Dan. 10. 21. which teach us that we should believe that Jesus is Christ the Son of God and that believing we might have Life through his Name 1 John 20. 31. Let them therefore give themselves to the reading or hearing the Doctrine of the Scriptures and as every man hath received the gift whether of Prophesie Ministring Teaching or Exhortation Rom. 12. 6 7 8. So ought they to minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold Graces of God 1 Pet. 4. 10. Sect. 7 The last ground which I shall insist upon is the powerful opperation of the Doctrine of the Scriptures upon the hearts of such as believe which experience the good things of God can witness viz. that upon reading hearing and meditating in the Scriptures of Truth God hath sweetly refreshed their spirits with riches of Grace spiritual Comforts and Heavenly consolations and made the Scriptures of Truth a word of Power by which he hath powerfully wrought both to convince convert them to turn them from darkness to light from the Kingdom of Satan to the Kingdom of Jesus Christ Acts 26. 18. Yea it is an evident Argument that they which are strangers to what I here say let their Profession be what it will Truth was never yet espoused to their Souls never did any man of God say that the Scripture is a dead Letter a Carnal thing to feed the Carnal mind Oh the Darkness that is in some that boast of Light who can call the holy Scriptures a dead Letter a Carnal thing to feed the Carnal mind and yet themselves do fill the Nation with Books and Writings what may one think of this but that they do either condemn the thing which themselves allow or else they have found out a way to make their Letters and Books to become Spiritual and to cause all other even the Sacred Scriptures to become Carnal which though written or Printed as theirs yet not from the same inspiration for the Doctrine of the Scriptures was written by the Inspiration of God But how can there Doctrine be from the same inspiration which is against the Doctrine of the Scriptures How much therefore is it to be lamented that the Scriptures of Truth should be so villified and reproached and that any should be so deluded as wholly to neglect the reading of them and let them lie in the corners of their houses without all regard of them alas it was not so with Professors in the Marian dayes when one Book of it was at five pounds value and for the least Epistle a man would give a load of hay and carry it up to London into the Bargain but now we having plenty men dare abuse it and tread it under their feet and because it doth not cry out with a vocal voice and reprove in and by it self alone therefore they conclude it is worth nothing and yet can highly esteem of their own Books although they can do as little But now consider take the best grain that can be procured lay it in a dry place where it cannot grow and will it become fruitful not at all But sown in the field and it will bring forth abundantly Even so lay thy Bible in a corner of thy house without regard of the Doctrine therein contained and it will be no waies profitable to thee but lay up the Doctrine thereof in thy heart where it should be and it will become a fruitful Word to thee for it is not likely that the Doctrine of the Scriptures should do thee any good or that thou shouldest feel any vertue in it while thou endeavourest to shut it out of thy heart but let the sayings of the Scriptures when and where they reprove for sin and exhort to amendment of life let the Judgements therein written against the workers of Iniquity and the Promises of Grace which God hath there recorded for the comfort of them that by Faith lay hold on Jesus Christ come close to thy heart and pray that God may make those Promises thine and yield up thy self to the holy directions therein contained and then thou wilt find that there is vertue in the Scriptures Oh! there is a Divine flame in them if they be but taken to the heart that will warm and quicken the dead and benummed affections Did not the Words of Christ make his Disciples hearts to burn within them while he talked with them and while he opened to them the Scriptures I Luke 24. 32. Oh! therefore give diligence to obey what is written in the Scriptures of Truth for if you that are contrary minded shall not consider and leave your Inventions and the Traditions of men which you have imbraced your sin lyeth at your own doors and your blood upon your own heads for what a sad thing is it that men should quote Scriptures like Satan to justifie their Doctrine of deceit which they deliver and yet notwithstanding esteem the Scriptures of no value That men should wrest the Scriptures to their own destruction 2 Pet. 3. 16. Cry down the Word of God and set up the Word of man and Satan yea they can reprove some for reading the Scriptures and yet if one have been at their Meetings and while they are teaching up the so called Light within be reading one of their Books giving little or no heed to what is spoken yet he is not reproved By which it is evident that they know that the design which they drive on is not in the Scriptures of Truth but in their own Books and therefore it is of like acceptance with them to read their Books as to hear their Preaching Let all believers therefore pray that they may be delivered from them which Preach up the so called Light within who deny the Doctrine of the Scriptures of Truth expressed in the Bible to be the Word of God and set up their own sayings for a rule of direction which yet hath no Testimony from God or from his Word Sacra Scriptura est liber vitae origo aeterna Cujus incorporalis Essentia Cujus cognitio vita Cujus Scriptura indelebilis Cujus inspectus desiderabilis Cujus Doctrina facilis Cujus Scientia dulcis Cujus profunditas inscrutabilis Cujus verba innumerabilia vnum tantum Verbum omnia Hug. de art Noe. Thus Englished The Sacred Scripture is the Book of Life Whose Original is Eternal Whose Essence is incorporeal Whose Knowledge is Life Whose writings is indeliable Whose inspect is desireable Whose Doctrine is easie Whose knowledge is sweet Whose depth is unsearchable Whose words are innumerable and onely one Word All. THE END ERRATA IN the Epistle to all the Churches Page 3. line 17. read truth is In the Epistle to the Reader p. 3. l. 5. r. the so called Light l. 21. r. which in all men as the only means of Salvation In the Epistle to all those that teach up the Light within p. 2. l. 27. r. so called Light within p. 4. l. 14. r. so called Light within p 5. l. 18. f. lies r. lyar Of the Book p. 1. l. 6. r. the so called Light l. 21. r. the so called Law or Light p. 2. l. 11. r. makest p. 3. l. 11. r. preacheth p. 6. l. 13. f. Loyaâ— r. Legal l. 19. f. so that it r so it l. last r. as p. 27. l. 25. f. abase r. alass p. 28. l. 12. f. works r. work p. 29. l. 10. f. lives r. life p. 42. l. 11. dele it l 20. r. and to render p. 47. l. 28. d. yet p. 50. l. 23. f. so r. to p. 57. l. 1. f. I shall shew r. I shew l. 3. f. at r. in p. 70. l. 3. f. plunged r. plagued p. 75. l. 11. r. have alwaies margent r. Acts 24. 16. p. 7â— l. 7. f. spoke r. spoken l. 23. f. god r goe p. 88 l. 2. r. Angels p â—1 l. 15. f it s r his l. 17. after world r. of the ungodly so by his word shall the world p. 141. l 12. f. god r. goe p. 144. l. 2 f. desiring r. despising p. 167. l. 23. f. he r. she p. 168. l. 1. f. he r she l. 3 f. him r. her l. 4 f. him r. her l. 5. f. he r. she f. him r. â—er l. 8. f. him r. her f. his r. her l. 10. f. he r. she l. 22 f. his r. â—er p. 173. in the Contents l. 1. f. fine r. five l. 16 f. fine r. five p. 174. l. 15. f. he r. thee p. 185. l. 8 9. f. alleth r. calleth p. 205. l. 21. f. that Bible r. the Bible
TESTIMONY FOR THE Son of Man And against the Son of Perdition Wherein is set forth the FAITH and OBEDIENCE of GODS ELECT Testified by the Mouth of the Lord Angels Men. With a true Discovery of a Bundle of Equivocations Confusions and Hypocrisies in those who call Themselves Preachers of and to the Light within all Men who yet are so far in darkness themselves that they acknowledge not the Scriptures and Ordinances of Jesus Christ so as to be Directed by the one to the Obedience of the other By Joseph Wright a Servant of Jesus Christ Luke 11. 44. Wo unto you Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites for ye are as Graves which appear not and the men that walk over them are not aware of them Heb. 10. 38. Now the just shall live by Faith c. Isa 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to This Word it is because there is NO LIGHT IN THEM LONDON Printed for Stephen Dagnal and are to be sold at his Shop in Alisbury and at Leyton 1661. To the Beloved FLOCK of JESUS CHRIST that are in the Faith and Fellowship of Him according to his glorious Gospel in ENGLAND And to all them that in every place call upon the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ who sits at the right hand of God the Father in the Heavens out of every man on Earth Blessings Riches of Grace Mercy and Peace be multiplyed upon you from the most high Lord of all who dwels in that Immortal Light which mortal Eyes did never see nor can see and from Jesus Christ his Eternal Son in truth and love to the establishing your hearts in the Love of the Truth and to the giving you an Inheritance among them that are Sanctified by Faith which is in him to the Glory of the only wise God to whom be ascribed Blessings Glory Power Salvation Might and Praises in the highest throughout all Ages in the Churches by his only Son Jesus Christ even for ever and for ever Amen My dear Friends and Brethren Sect. 1 IT hath pleased the Father of Mercies that we should have our Lot in these Times wherein Iniquity doth abound and the Love of many doth wax cold and indeed wherein the Mystery of Iniquity doth mightily work and prevail so that if it were possible the very Elect should be deceived and beguiled from the simplicity of the Gospel of their Salvation by the deceits that are abroad and the workers of Wickedness who labour with all their might to darken the Counsel of God by words without knowledge Job 38. 2. Prov. 21. 30. Satan you know hath alwayes endeavoured to Counter-work the Dispensation of God ever labouring to make his wicked Designs and Devices to be as like the Truth of the Lord as possible that thereby he might keep back the Children of men from giving themselves up to the Lord Jesus Christ a notable Example we have of this in Pharoah and his Sorcerers who withstood with Signs wrought by deceit Moses who wrought by the finger of God And it is foretold to us that like as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses even so shall the Truth be resisted by some that would seem to have as beautiful a face for a while as Truth it self so that it will be hard to distinguish the one from the other without abundance of the Spirit of Discerning But this is Truths Character it will have the Victory and Triumph notwithstanding all the fierce opposition that it meets with and the higher men and devils clime to overtop and over-master it and to exalt themselves above it the greater will be their fall and their condemnation and the manifestation of their madness and folly for it shall be discovered as that of Jannes and Jambres also was Sect. 2 Now for as much as Errors and Delusions are many as Truth but one I cannot make it my business at this time to put into your hands an Advertisement and Discovery of them all nay it is needless for me so to do because generally that is done already Notwithstanding I thought good to give you a discription of one that is most dangerous having perfect knowledge thereof from the first springing of it up in this our Nation to this time and knowing how taking it is to many because it seems to carry along with it a zealous Conversation whereby many of you have been apt to think that there is but one step betwixt it and Truth I have therefore very faithfully in this Book set before you the large and wide distance that there is between the things herein opposed and the Truth that you profess that you may be warned to hold fast the Profession of your Faith without wavering and not be drawn away with the flouds of Iniquity like dead Fish with the streams Sect. 3 Many of you are apt to be too credulous to that which seems to have a parcel of good words in its mouth and is spoken against and opposed by some ungodly men not weighing things well before you imbrace them but letting your affections out-run your judgments Be therefore careful and seek the Lord depart from evil be ever following that which is good For evil men understand not Judgment but they that seek the Lord understand all things Prov. 28. 5. Try things out by the Scriptures before the Lord and seek his face by Fasting and Prayer and be sure you be not drawn to Fasting without Prayer for that is dangerous Sect. 4 You have been throughly Warned by the Servants of God to beware of all Whorish Worship it would be a sad thing that for fear of her and her filthiness you or any of you should run into the Son of Perdition's Practises O what great need have you to be sober and watch unto Prayer I therefore your fellow Companion in the patient waiting for of the coming of Christ do earnestly in all bowels of honest affection in Christ Jesus beseech you to handle the Spirit against which I here contend roughly at the door Is not the found of its Masters feet behind it I am pressed to this Work by many weighty Considerations you know how nearly I am related to you that you may not be ensnared and taken in an evil net while I by any means may through grace help and prevent it is that for which the dispensation of God calls upon me I have though unworthy been appointed by many of you for a defence of that Truth of the Gospel which you profess and have had many a grapple with these Fore-runners of the Man of Sin as well as with the Emissaries of the Whore whereby I have the advantage to see into their deceits and whose Servants they are who say they are Apostles and are not but are Lyers Therefore I am bound to make it known to the end that the Mystery of Iniquity may be discovered and that the Christ of God may be magnified his Truth advanced his People established and
the coming of the Son of Man be Mat. 24. 36 37 38 39. Likewise also as it was in the Dayes of Lot they did eat they drank they bought they sold they planted they builded but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from Heaven and destroyed them all even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed Luke 17. 28 29 30. For the Day of the Lord saith Paul so cometh as a Thief in the night for when they shall say Peace and safety then suddain Destruction cometh upon them as travail upon a Woman with child and they shall not escape 1 Thess 5. 2 3. Behold saith Christ I come as a Thief Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame Rev. 16. 15. Thus will the coming of Christ be suddain even to them that wait for his coming but unto the Wicked his coming will be unexpected Yet 3dly He will come visibly as the Lightening which lighteneth out of the one part under Heaven and shineth unto the other part under Heaven c. For as the Lightening is seen with the bodily eyes so shall Jesus Christ be seen in the Day of his coming Then saith Christ shall they see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds with great power and glory Mark 13. 26. And they shall look upon him whom they have pierced and shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only Son c. Zech. 12. 10. Behold saith John he cometh with clouds and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all the kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him even so Amen But unto them saith the Apostle that look for him shall he appear the second Rev. 17. time without sin unto Salvation Heb. 9. 28. Thus will the coming of Christ be visible But 4. At the time of his coming he will shew himself to all generally and universally as the Lightening doth the Lightening sheweth not it self first unto one and then unto another but at one and the same time it so cometh that it may be seen of all from one part under Heaven even unto the other So at the coming of Christ he will shew himself to all generally and universally men shall not need to say Lo here lo there for Christ shall be seen of all together as is testified in the Scriptures of Truth Then saith Christ shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven and then shall all the Tribes of the earth mourn and they shall see the Son of Man coming in the Clouds of Heaven with power and great glory Matth. 24. 30. Behold saith Enoch the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints to execute Judgment upon all and to convince all that are ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodlily committed and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him Jude 14. 15. It is saith Paul a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and to you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angells in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting Destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints and to be admired in all them that believe c. 2 Thes 1. 6 7 8 9 10. So in the Epistle to the Hebrews speaking of those that in time past obtained a good report through Faith the Apostle saith They received not the Promise God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect Hebr. 11. 39 40. And thus is the Coming of Christ vindicated Sect. 17 But these that will not that Christ should raign over them though they perish for their disobedience yet will they persist in it adding unto their sin of denying the coming of Christ to judgment the denial of the end of the World Whereby it doth appear that their conversation is not in Heaven but on the earth they look not at the things that are eternal but at those that are temporal contrary to the practice of the Faithfull in Christ Jesus 2 Cor. 4. 18. yea so fully are their minds bent unto the present things and so absolutely do they fulfil what Peter did foretel that to justifie their Conceit That all things do and shall continue as they were from the beginning of the Creation even as Satan brought Scripture thereby to carry on his temptation against Christ so these his Servants do alledge that Scripture Eccl. 1. 4. One Generation passeth away and another cometh but the Earth abideth for ever to justifie that which was never the intent of it viz. That the Earth shall never be dissolved and so furious are they that when they have been interrupted in their Discourse by a Servant of the Lord they have pronounced Woes upon him as one that puts the Day of the Lord farr from him when it is apparent that it is themselves that put the day of the Lord wherein the Heavens the Earth and the Works that are therein shall be dissolved 2 Pet. 3. 10 11. far from them For it hath been said by one of them That that might never be and this was not spoken in a Corner but in a great Meeting of those which call themselves Preachers up of the Light within c. but alas what reason have they to interpret that Scripture Eccles 1. 4. The Earth abideth for ever so as to infer from it that the Earth shall not be dissolved seeing the terms ever and everlasting have their period sometimes in the Scripture the Levitical Priesthood is called an everlasting Priest-hood yet who sees not that it is long since ended the Covenant of Circumcision in the flesh Gen. 17. 13. was an everlasting Covenant yet to engage Believers See Gal. 3 4 5. Gal. 6. 21 13. Gal. 5. 1 2 3. Col. 2. 10 11. now to the observation thereof is not according to the Gospel freedome but the Legal servitude from which every True Believer is set free by Christ. So although it be said The Earth abideth for ever yet it is not to be understood that it shall never be dissolved seeing the Lord hath said Heb. 12. 26 27. Yet once more I shake not the Earth only but also Heaven and this word Yet once more signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken as of things that are made that those things which cannot be shaken may remain So also Heb. 1. 10 11 12. And thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth and the Heavens are the works of thy hands They shall perish but thou remainest and they all shall wax old as
little blessed are all they that put their trust in him Psal 2. 10 11 12. O that all men would now consider and be wise in the Day wherein the Grace of God is tendered unto them in the Gospel of Jesus Christ that they may know what to do when God riseth up and what to answer when he visiteth Job 31. 14. and take heed all ye that make Profession of Jesus Christ Watch and pray alwayes that ye may be counted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass and to stand before the Son of man Luke 21. 36. for then shall be that coming of Christ that end of the World and that eternal judgement both of the living and of the dead which never yet hath been accomplished notwithstanding the vain confidence of those that call themselves Preachers of and to the Light within c. That suppose that these things are past with them whose Doctrine having been shewed to be disagreeable to the Doctrine of the Scriptures concerning the Person of Christ and the Father Son and Spirit and the Light and the Ordinances of Christ and the Resurrection of the dead the coming of Christ and the end of the world It is time now to conclude this Chapter CHAP. III. That the so called Preachers of and to the Light within c. Preach not to the Creature man but to a supposed Seed or uncreated substance in Man which they call Christ and the eternal witness That the Creature man is the Subject to whom Salvation is to be tendred being in a lost condition by sin and for whose deliverance Christ dyed That the Spirits in Prison are the Spirits of those men and women which were disobedient in the dayes of Noah That Christ is a distinct person from all other persons of his Divine and Humane Natures That those comforts which are admininistred to the Disciples of Christ he accepts it as done to himself how believers are said to partake of the Divine Nature of Christ and that not a power onely in man but the whole man Spirit Soul and Body shall enjoy eternal happinesse as the Humane Nature of Christ now doth That the Creature man together with the Devils are the subjects of the Wrath of God And that the perfection spoken of in the Scriptures is that which the Creature man shall enjoy Of the deceits of those that call upon all men to look into the Light within while they Communicate their Doctrine and unclean spirit to them of their resemblance to birds in their Bel-candle and net the reason why they cry down Gospel Ordinances and how they Communicate that unclean spirito why they deny Baptism in Water and plead for Spirit Baptism why they require waiting in silence of their touching or taking by the hand and the effect thereof of their visits and of their so much preaching and Printing that the Light within doth not effect those things which they ascribe to it but the said things are effected by an unclean Spirit of their silent Meetings that several of their followers have confessed themselves possessed with the Devil and of the sad pranks he played in one that thought himself perfect Sect. 1 THat those that call themselves Preachers of and to the Light within all men Preach not to the Creature man but a supposed seed or uncreated substance in man is clearly discovered by their writings wherein they have these words viz. A Salutation to the Seed of God and by these and such like expressions viz. I speak to the Light in your Conscience which shall eternally witnesse c. Now if the Light in the Conscience shall eternally witnesse then that Light must needs be understood to be eternal for nothing can be an eternal witness but an eternal thing but God onely is eternal that is without beginning and without end man is a Creature that hath a beginning though he shall have no end but shall for ever be in tribulation or in rest as a reward of disobedience or as the effect of the Grace of God and his Gift thereby to him that believeth and obeyeth the Gospel Therefore no part of man is God or of the uncreated or eternal substance and they in preaching to an eternal thing preaches not to man that had a beginning and hath lost his first Righteousness but which I fear to speak even to God for when I have at their publick Meetings thus questioned the speaker What is it which thou speakest and Preachest too the Teacher hath cryed out in great hast calling all the persons that heard him speak to witnesse for him that he spake to the Light in their Conscience to the Seed of God c. Whereupon I have asked him What is that Light in the Conscience What is that Seed of God in its self I have then been answered that it is Christ as if Christ were not a person distinct from all other persons but onely a certain Spirit or Power in all persons and that his Death and Resurrection is accomplished onely in a Mystical not in a proper sence and having a great affection to vindicate this Mystical Allegation and to turn the minds of their Hearers from the plain Truth of the Gospel they Alledge a Scripture or two and infer from them that which never was intended by the Spirit of God in them from that Scripture 1 Pet. 3. 18 19. Where the Apostle saith Christ hath once suffered for sins c. being put to death in the flesh but quickened by the Spirit by which he went and Preached to the Spirits in Prison they do infer that the spirits here spoken of is Christ that is imprisoned in man kept under and held down in the Creature and Christ as they say being quickened in them they go and Preach to the Spirits which is Christ imprisoned in others which they endeavour to help raise up set at liberty and for further proof of this imagination they alledge Mat. 25. 36. Where Christ saith I was sick and in Prison and ye visited me c. Sect. 2 But in this their Doctrine and Practice of Preaching to the Seed of God to the uncreated or eternal witnes or substance which they call Christ imprisoned and not to the creature man it is evident that it is fearful blasphemy for it supposeth that that which they call Christ hath done iniquity else why do they say repent repent with many exhortations to depart from sin when they speak to that within which in their sence is Christ so that they Reprove Christ Exhort Christ Counsel Christ yea they say they speak to that of God in the Conscience which shall eternally witnesse c. so that they teach God Reprove God Counsel God Oh horrible Blasphemy who will not fear to utter it how contrary is this to the Doctrine of the Blessed Apostle Paul Romans 11. 34. WHO saith he hath instructed the Lord or WHO hath BEEN HIS COUNSELLOR Or who hath given to him and
it refelled Sect. 6 But those that are perswaded that some part of their persons either Soul or Spirit is Christ the Light of the World the eternal and uncreated substance being lifted up with high conceit of themselves supposing that the Godhead dwells in them bodily and being unwilling to be divested of that imaginary deity and to be accounted meer Creatures it is likely that they will object whatsoever may be objected against that Doctrine which declares Jesus Christ to be a distinct Person from all other persons having such a manner of unity with God the Father that no person hath in the whole world beside himself and it 's more then probable that they will alledge these and such like sentences of Scripture viz. Christ in you the Hope of Glory Col. 1. 27. My little Children of whom I travel in birth again till Christ be formed in you Gal. 4. 19. That was the true Light which lighteth every man which cometh into the World and the Light shineth in darknesse c. John 1. 5. And the inference which they will make from these and such like Scriptures questionlesse will be to this purpose viz. That the eternal and uncreated substance or witness â—â— in every man that cometh into the World in the same manner as it is in him that was born of the Virgin and is so manifested in those that call themselves Preachers and followers of the Light within c. But in answer to their Allegations and Objections of this kind the Scripture teacheth that all mankind are of the same substance with Christ according to one of his Natures but not according to the other according to the Created but not according to the Uncreated substance Forasmuch saith the Apostle As the children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself likewise took part of the same Heb. 2. 14. The Flesh Soul and Spirit of all men and the Flesh Soul and Humane Spirit of Christ is of one Substance there is indeed a Personal and an Accidental difference but not a Substantial the Persons of men are many but the Person of Christ is one the condition wherein the World of men and women are is unclean by reason of sin but the condition wherein the Humane Nature of Christs Person is is Pure Holy by reason of his Righteousnesse he took part of the same Substance of Adam but no part of his Pollution we are unclean because we are Propogated in unclean Lust the just reward of sinful desire Gen. 3. 16. Psal 51. 5. but he is Pure and Holy because he was conceived of the Holy Spirit we are unclean because we have sinned in transgressing the Law of God but he is Pure and Holy because he hath kept it the Humane Nature of Christ was made in the same condition that Adam was before he sinned but we are become in the same condition that Adam was after he had sinned and as the Substance of Adams Flesh Soul and Spirit was the same after he had sinned as before but not the condition so the Substance of Christs Flesh Soul and Humane Spirit not of the Spirit of Holinesse is the same with Adams now since Adam sinned but the condition the same with Adams before he sinned for though the eternal word took hold of the Seed of Abraham or took into Personal Unity the Substance of Adam after Adam had sinned yet the Estate or Condition wherein that substance was made was as Pure and Holy as Just and Righteous as Adam was before he sinned for as Adam before he transgressed was a Son of God by Creation Luke 3. 38. So the Humane Nature of Christ is the Son of God by Creation God made or built the Body of Christ of the Seed of the Woman as he did the Body of Adam of the dust of the ground see Gen. 2. 7. Gal. 4. 4. Heb. 10. 5. Christs being the Son of David doth respect the substance of which his Body was made not the formation of that substance for in that respect he is also the Son of God Luke 1. 35. It is indeed a Glorious Personality that the Humane Nature of Christ hath because it doth not subsist of it self but in the Godhead but the substance of it is the same with all mankind who subsists not as he doth viz. by Personal Unity with the Godhead and as Adam before he had transgressed had Soveraignty over the Creatures and the Paradise of God for his Habitation wherein was the Tree of Life whereof he might have eaten before he transgressed and so have lived for ever in the enjoyment of God and of that image or likenesse of God wherein he was made had he kept that Law and eaten of that Tree of Life which was given him for that purpose see Gen. 3. 22. Rev. 22. 2 3. So the Humane Nature of Christs Person by keeping that Law which Adam transgressed hath right to all that Adam lost for he being made under the Law which he also fulfilled Gal. 4. 4. Mat. 5. 17 18. in him the Image of God is seen expresly Heb. 1. 3. and all things are put in subjection under his feet Heb. 2. 7 8. see Psal 8. And as the first Adam being tempted by his yeilding to the temptation was soon overcome of the Devil and led Captive at his will So Christ the second Adam by resisting the Devil when he was tempted by him forty dayes in the Wildernesse overcame Satan and put him to flight see Mat. 4. vers 1. to 12. And therefore as the demerit of the first Adams transgression was so great that all that are derived from him by Natural Generation are defiled by it so the demerit of the second Adams obedience is so great that all that ever come to be derived from him by Spiritual Regeneration are sanctified by it So that as it was a blessed estate and condition that the Person of the first Adam and all that were in him lost by sin so it is a blessed estate and condition that the Humane Nature of Christ the second Adam hath gained by his obedience for the same Nature in the Persons of all those that ever come to be in Covenant with him or to be regenerate or born again of Water and of the Holy Spirit and so to be grafted into him by Faith John 3. 5. 6. Romans 11. 19. 20. Sect. 7 For whosoever shall seriously consider and according to the Scriptures of truth determine of the state and condition wherein the first Adam was made and wherein he continued until he transgressed the Law of God shall find that it was a very happy and blessed estate and condition for he was made in the Image of God in Righteousnesse and true holinesse was he created see Eccles 7. 29. Gen. 1. 26. Ephes 4. 24. with dominion over the Creatures the Fish of the Sea the Foul of the Air and over everly living thing that moveth upon the earth was he invested Gen. 1. 28 29.
In the Paradise of God was he placed of all the Trees of the Garden excepting onely one was he allowed to eat and amongst those which he was allowed to feed upon and even in the midst of the Garden was the Tree of Life whereof if he had eaten before he transgressed he had no doubt continued for ever in that blessed estate and condition of Righteousnesse and true Holiness wherein he was made Gen. 3. 23 24. But he soon lost that blessed estate and condition and by sin made himself and his posterity exceeding wretched and miserable for of a Son of God he became a son of Satan a child of Wrath Ephes 2. 3. he defaced the Image of God and got unto himself the Image of Satan for he took the Devil for his Father by following his counsel for his reward the man Adam by transgression became like the Devil that is to have the knowledge and experience both of good and evil Behold saith the Lord God the man is become like him For it is observed that the Hebrew word may and ought so to be rendred for man became like the Devil by sin from us viz. the Devil to know that is to experience good and evil Gen. 3. 22. For God is Pure and Holy the Devil is impure and unholy God cannot behold the evil of sin with approbation the Devil cannot behold good with approbation see Heb. 1. 13. therefore saith Christ to the Jews Ye are of your father the Devil and the lusts of your father ye will do he was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him when he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own for he is a lyar and the father of it John 8. 44. So that man by sin being in condition become like the Devil for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil 1 John 3. 8. that so the substance of Adam might be redeemed out of that lost condition whereinto it was fallen by transgression and be so secured in happinesse for the future that it should not fall again from it that this might be effected it was necessary that the eternal Word the second Person of the Trinity should take the substance of Adam into personality with himself that those two Substances the eternal Word and the Substance of Adam might be one in Personality that so the obedience of Life and suffering of Death of the Substance of Adam in the Person of Christ might be of such infinite worth and value with God that for the merit of it he might set free the same Substance of Adam in all other persons also from that bondage and misery whereunto they are fallen by the transgression of Adam and of themselves for the Substance of Adam in the Person of Christ fulfilling the Law and then also that Substance being made a curse and suffering the Sentence of the Law due to the World of sinners not to Christ that sinned not the world of sinners are put into a capacity to be delivered according to the condition of the New Covenant from that wrath and Curss unto which they are fallen by the transgression of the old and first Covenant which fallen condition is called in Scripture the old man or Adam which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts Ephes 4. 22. The body of sin Rom. 6. 6. The members which are upon the earth Col. 3. 5. The Law of sin in the Members Rom. 7. 23. The Flesh the carnal mind Rom. 8. 7 8. and such like all which do set forth that miserable estate and condition into which the Substance of Adam is fallen by sin on the contrary that condition which the Substance of Adam had before he sinned and to which it is restored in the Person of Christ is called in Scripture the new man which after God is created in Righteousnesse and True Holinesse Ephes 4. 22. The Law of the Spirit Rom. 8. 2. The Spiritual Mind Rom. 8. 6. The new man which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him Col. 3. 10. and such like Now the eternal Word taking hold of the Substance of Adam and uniting it unto personality with the uncreated substance and the created substance keeping the condition of the first Covenant that is to say exact unsinning obedience that substance of Adam in the Person of Christ is as Pure and Holy as Just and Righteous as it was in Adam before he sinned but that the same Substance of Adam in all other persons also might be redeemed from that miserable estate viz. guilt of sin power and dominion of sin and from the punishment justly due unto the world of sinners that substance of Adam in the Person of Christ that knew no sin underwent the Sentence and Curse of the Law that so the same substance in the persons of others might be set free not by their performing the condition of the first Covenant for it is impossible that they that have sinned should be justified by that Covenant which requires exact unsinning obedience but by their performing the condition of the second Covenant which is Repentance Faith and Gospel-obedience which those that have sinned may through the assistance of Gods Spirit perform upon condition of which Repentance Faith and Gospel-Obedience the Lord giveth unto them both pardon of their sins past and also such help and assistance by his Spirit that those that thus enter into Covenant with him may be enabled to walk more agreeable to the rule of the spiritual and holy Law of God Rom. 7. 12 14. than any man or woman out of Covenant with him by all their own strength and endeavours now since the fall of Adam can possibly do yea Jesus Christ doth so assist those that are in Covenant with him that with their minds they may be enabled to serve the Law of God though through the warring of the flesh against the Law of their mind they are somtimes captivated to the Law of sin in their members See Rom. 7. 22 23 24 25. Now so far forth as persons come to be in Covenant with Christ and are enabled by him to walk according to his direction so far forth are they said to have Christ formed in them that is to say to be brought into a blessed estate and condition of freedom from the guilt of sin of freedom from the power and dominion of sin of assurance of redemption from the first death and of deliverance from the second death and so by Christ to be entituled unto eternal Life so that if the created substance of Adam in the Person of Christ though by the power of his uncreated substance doth set free the same created substance in the persons of others from that miserable estate and condition into which that substance is fallen by sin and transgression and also entitle that substance unto eternal life It may well be said of all
better condition So that if denying Bodily Habit if Humility of shew in the greatest measure be thy Proof to justifie thy Way and Practice those Adversaries of the Gospel and the Professors thereof the Romish Friers except you will say that they are of your Society and carried on by the Light within to do those things they do even they will be justified rather than thee for their Humility of shew and neglect of the Body far excels thine Again that Hermit at Icknam near London a great Adversary to the Truth of the Gospel as was shewed apparently in two publick Disputes yet for Humiltty in shew in neglecting the Body he far excels the Preachers up of the so called Light within for he rejected his Trade cast off his Garments put himself into a Canvas Frock with a Plat of Rushes about his Head no Shoes of Leather his Legs bare his Meat sometimes tops of Weeds boiled other whiles he lies down and eats Grass like a Beast or else makes himself Puddings of Bran or Feeds upon raw Grain with Water only to Drink his Lodging sometimes under a Hedge or in an out-house upon a wad of Sraw denying to lay the Old Man as he calls it upon a better Bed and although his Doctrine is somewhat consonant to thine yet is he denyed with Execrations by the followers of the so called Light within while he excels â—hem in outward shew of Humility So â—hat if this kind of Humility be thy Proof this Hermite and his followers as great opposers of the Truth as they be are justified and the Preachers up of the so called Light within condemned who are seen in their Silver Plate Buttons and that in superfluity their Trades Diet and Garments much as other mens but the Hair of their Heads like Womens which is so contrary to Nature and the Scripture 1 Cor. 11. 14. that they are more like the Locusts that come out of the bottomless Pit Rev. 9. 8. then such as are led by the Light of Christ It is therefore evident that you are not in outward and bodily Habit more Humble and Free from Pride than all others But secondly for inward and more secret Pride of Heart thou that Preachest up the so called Light within must be silent for the Pride of thy Heart is perceived in thy countenance and by thy Actions for thou neither fearest God who created the Heavens and the Earth the Sea and the Fountains of Water Rev. 14. 7. nor Jesus Christ the Saviour of the World who sits at his right Hand in the Glory of the Father nor dost thou reverence man as he hath commanded For the first of these such is thy pride that thou fearest not the Judgements of God thou regardest not his Commandements thou despisest his Promises That great Day of God Almighty when Jesus Christ shall come in flaming Fire taking vengenance on them that know not God and obey not the Gospel 2 Thes 1. 7 8 9. thou in thy Pride dost contemn Thou hardnest thy self in thy wickedness supposing that thou art passed through this Judgement already the Holy Commandement the Precepts of Jesus Christ expressed in the Record which God hath given of him in the Scriptures of Truth thou art so proud that thou dost not regard but callest them in contempt Shels without Kernels Shadows without Substance Empty Carnal Lifeless and what not And the like esteem thou hast of the exceeding great and precious Promises of Life and Immortality of the Raising and Changing our Vile Bodies and Fashioning them like the Glorious Body of Christ Phil. 3. 20 21. of bringing to pass that which is written Death is swallowed up in Victory So great is thy Pride and so gross thy Blindness for as Humility is accompanied with Knowledge so is Pride with Ignorance that thou rejectest that great Promise of the Resurrection and the Life of the whole man Spirit Soul and Body and settest up an imaginary Resurrection and Life in the stead thereof wherein not the whole Man but a part onely is raised nor that part neither in Truth but onely in Imagination And that thou dâ—â— not reverence man it is apparent for 〈◊〉 â—â—ere thou comest that Preachest up the so called Light within thou acknowledgest not any Superior hardly wilt thou give the tearm of Father to him that begot thy Body Thou wilt not so much as put off thy Hat to any man but sayest That it is Honouring men and all Honour ought to be given to God Yet notwithstanding although thou sayest It is Honour and God ought to have all Honour and that is thy pretended Reason why thou wilt not give it to men yet thou givest it not to God neither for I have seen thee Preach and Pray too after thy fashion with thy Hat on thy Head thus thy self-contradiction is manifest Thou wilt not salute nor bow thy body to any man nor give to men Titles of Honour and for thy justification herein thou dost alleadge some particular examples and makest them General Rules wholly neglecting Faith and Gospel-Obedience though generally Commanded and Practised by the Saints and Servants of God whereby the Pride of thy Heart doth appear in that it closeth with what it can find for its lifting up but is too high to submit to any thing whereby it should manifest Humility of Spirit Faith and Obedience Humane Courtesie and Honour is too low for thee that 's Carnal in thy account but it was not so with good men of God in former times of which for brevity sake I will onely give some instances see Rom. 12. 10. Phil. 2. 3. 1 Pet. 2. 17. Ephes 6. 2 9. Col. 3. 20 22. 1 Tim. 6. 1 2 3 4. He is proud that consents not to the Doctrine of the Scriptures see also Gen. 23. 6 7 11 12. Gen. 16. 8 9. Gen. 33. 3 8 13 14. Gen 41. 43. Acts 26. 25. Mat. 5. 44 46 47. 2 Sam. 13. 25. 2 Sam. 14. 22. Rom. 16. 4. Which Scriptures do teach that Humility which thou that Preachest up the so called Light within dost deny thou art not therefore more Humble but more Proud rather than others and these sentences of Scripture do fitly describe thee viz. Prov. 30. 11 12. There is a Generation that curseth their Father and doth not blesse their Mother Whose mouth is fuller of Cursing and Bitternesse then thine There is a Generation that are pure in their own eyes and yet is not washed from their filthinesse Who boasteth more of self-purity and who more in Rebellion Unbelief and Opposition to Gods Truth There is a Generation Oh how lofty are their eyes and their eye-lids are lifted up And who carries a higher look than thee Every one is but Filth and Froth that opposeth thy way What an eye of scorn and disdain hast thou by which it is evident that thou art not more humble but rather more proud than others Sect. 2 The second proof is Thy Vnity the which also I do
absolutely deny for what Exception to the second Proof Unity hast thou except in iniquity but Unity in the Truth thou hast not for thou dost not hold the Head Christ Jesus from which all the Body by Joynts and Bands having Nourishment ministred and knit together encreaseth with the Encrease of God Col. 2. 19. It is evident that they which hold not the Head Christ Jesus by a Lively Faith that are not united to him by those Joynts and Bands in which there is Nourishment ministred and whereby they are knit together so as to encrease with the Encrease of God they are not in Unity but in Confusion they that are not united unto Jesus Christ by Faith that have not access by him into that grace wherein they stand and rejoyce in hope of the Glory of God those are not in Vnity either with God or one with another in the Truth as it is in Jesus And what Fellowship is available where Fellowship with God in Christ is wanting And what fellowship have such with God that deny his only Son Jesus Christ our Lord that deny his Person that contemn his Ordinances that trample his Word under their Feet as do the Preachers up of the so called Light within But Secondly Neither are you in Unity among your selves but one Preacheth one thing and another Printeth the contrary and this is done by such as are eminent amongst you as for instance One absolutely affirmeth that the Bread and Wine spoken of in the Scriptures and appointed by the Lord Jesus Christ to be Eaten and Drunk in remembrance of him is not Temporal Visible or External Bread and Wine of the same substance with that which men feed upon but that it is Spiritual Invisible and Eternal But is not this Popery Another of great esteem amongst you sayeth in Print That that Bread and Wine is common Bread and Wine yea such as may be eaten not only by Believers at the Lords Supper but even at an unbelievers Feast or by Believers and unbelievers together Now it may be observed by the way that this conclusion undenyably follows the latter Assertion That so often as an unbeliever eateth and drinketh his temporal food so often he eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lords Body if the latter Doctrine be true and if the former be true then some persons may eat and drink damnation to themselves in eating and drinking Spiritual Invisible and Eternal food because they may possibly eat it and drink unworthily as saith the Apostle He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself not discerning the Lords Body 1 Cor. 11. 27 29. Thus are ye divided from the Truth and one from another Again some of you hold that the Bread and Wine which Christ appointed to be received in Remembrance of him untill he come is in this sence to be understood viz. Until he come into you and now he being come into you therefore this Ordinance is ataâ—n end with you But as this Doctrine is contrary to his that supposeth the Bread and Wine to be spiritual onely and invisible and if it be onely spiritual and eternal why should the spiritual presence of Christ put an end to it as also to his that taketh it to be the common food of unbelievers which Believers also make use of notwithstanding the spiritual presence of Christ with them so is it also to the Doctrine of the Apostles with whom Christ was spiritually present when they by breaking of Bread did shew forth the Lords death as all Believers ought until his Personal coming again according to his Promises And Lo saith he I am with you alwayes even to the end of the World Mat. 28. 20. I go saith he to prepare a place for you and I will come again and receive you to my Self that where I am there ye may be also It is without doubt that Christ was Spiritually present with his Disciples after his Ascention when they did Celebrate this his holy Supper which Spiritual presence of his if that had put an end to it we should not have found the Practice of it so long after his Ascention See Acts 20. 7. Neither had Paul given that direction about it which he did as it is written 1 Cor. 11. 23 24 25 26. Thus are the Preachers up of thee so called Light within divided in their Doctrine for set any two of these opinions together and behold what confusion there is Saith one the Bread and Wine is Spiritual Invisible and Eternal saith the other it is the common visible and temporal food which believers unbelievers do feed upon spiritual saith the one carnal saith the other eternal saith the one Temporal saith the other Invisible saith the one visible saith the other and as you are doctrinally divided so is there personal opposition of one against another one publick Teacher alleth another Dog and yet both owned to be Teachers up of thee so called Light within yea there hath been so great opposition of one of you against anorher that ye have fell out and disowned each other shall I then say ye are in unity no but in confusion rather as saith the Lord by the Prophet Isaiah The wicked are like the troubled Sea when it cannot rest whose waters cast up mire and dirt there is no peace to the wicked saith my God Isai 57. 21. Sect. 3 Thy third proof is thy destroying the Whore the which also I do deny for Exception to the third proof wherein hast thou been instrumental in this Service Were the Popes Nuntio's Legates or his Emissaries the Jesuites banished this Nation by the Preachers up of thee so called Light within Mention the Country in which the Popes indulgencies and Pardons have been stopped by thy Preachings or other endeavours Give us to know when and where thou hast brought a Nation from the worshipping of Cross and Crucifix when didst thou cause them to be pulled down When didst thou discover any Jesuitical design when was Bell Book and Candle Monastries and Abbies Popish Hierarchy and Ceremonies Demolished by thee When wast thou a giver of Liberty to tender Consciences Alas it is very evident that thou that Preachest up to and from thee so called Light within art no destroyer of the Harlot or false Church-State except it be by bringing them from that to a worse condition But Secondly Wilt thou yet say thou destroyest the Whore because thou hast run up and down railing against and cursing the Ministry of this Nation and giving them reviling Language Alas who knows not that it is not reviling Language that convinceth gain-sayers no it is so far from performing that Service that it rather confirms them neither is it because thou perswadest People toleave that kinde of Worship and follow thy Doctrine for there is no destruction of the Whore where there is not a right conversion from her false Church-State but all thy doings in destroying the Whore is as
with thee by way of Concession in putting the case that all this which thou sayest were so and that thou went beyond all others in every one of these five Particulars yet notwithstanding thy Way and Practice is a manifest falshood as shall be made evident in that which followeth Sect. 6 For first suppose that thou in Bodily Habit didest neglect thy self as much as the A Concession and Answer to the first Proof Romish Fryers or the Hermite before spoken of Art thou ere the more in the Truth for that it is apparent that both They and Thee notwithstanding this Humility in shew are great Adversaries to the Truth of the Gospel and that we may know that this shew of Humility in neglect of the Body is no sufficient Proof for this purpose the Scriptures of Truth do warn us of a sort of false Worshipers who worship Angels and walk after the Commandements of men being vainly puft up in their fleshly Minds who hold not the Head Christ Jesus by subjecting to his Ordinances yet are subject to the Ordinances of men touch not tast not handle not which things saith the Apostle indeed have a shew of Wisdom in Will-Worship and Humility and neglecting of the Body not in any Honour to the satisfying of the Flesh Col. 2. 18 19 21 22 23. Oh what a Glorious shew of Wisdom is there in Will-Worship and Humility and neglecting of the Body but alass what benefit is in all this for when this comes to be tryed it is found to be but the Wisdom of this World which is Earthly Sensual and Devilish James 3. 15. And is not the Worship of those that call themselves followers of the Light within the Worship of Angels that is of Devils while they disobey that which God hath shewed them in the Scriptures of Truth and intrude into such things which are not to be found there Where is there such a thing to be found in all the Record that God hath given of his Son that all men ought not to look into and be guided by the Scriptures of Truth but that all men ought to look into and be guided by the so called Light which is within them Oh the vanity of that fleshly and puffed up Mind that hath been the Author of this Intrusion and Doctrine of Devils so directly contrary to the Doctrine of the Holy Prophets Apostles and of Christ Himself the greatest of them all who requires us to hearken to the Word of the Lord expressed in the Law and in the Testimony to take heed unto the most sure Word of the Prophets 2 Pet. 1. 19. to searth the Scriptures which are able to make us wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus 2 Tim. 3. 15. Therefore although thou art outwardly more humble than any other that is no confirmation that thou art in the Truth but in the Falshood rather while thy Doctrine is so directly contrary to the Word of Truth And thus thy pretended proof of thy Humility lies dead and will not do the service for which it is brought Sect. 7 But Secondly Suppose that thou art in A Concession and Answer to the second Proof Vnity and all others are in Differences yet this doth not prove that therefore thou art in the Truth for first although the Devil endeavours to break the Peace of the Saints by sowing Discord among the Brethren because he knows that their Unity will be the ruine of his Kingdom and although sometimes through his Temptations many turn aside from the Truth yet notwithstanding the Lord owns the rest as his People that stand fast in it to those few Names in Sardis which did not defile their Garments it is promised That they shall walk with the Lord in White Rev. 3. 4. notwithstanding the polluted estate of the rest Although there was Divisions among the Disciples of Christ yet they were his Disciples and the Lord useth means to unite them to the Truth that are turning aside after Error before he utterly rejecteth them and when he doth punish the Transgressors he spareth the Obedient as is to be seen in the case of the seven Churches of Asia Rev. ch 2. and 3. So that although Divisions may appear among the Professors of the Faith of Christ it is not safe from thence to conclude that none of those Professors are in the Truth Shall we condemn all Professors because some walk contrary to their Profession Shall we condemn all the Angels of God because some of them did not keep their first estate but left their own Habitations Jude vers 6. Thus it is clear that Divisions amongst Brethren do not warrant an Universal Sentence upon them But Secondly Unity is no absolute estimony of Verity for the Prophets of Ahab spake with one consent there was no Division amongst them although they were four hundred they all agreed together to bid Ahab go up and prosper though it proved his destruction 1 Kings 22. 6 11 12 13. one Micaiah that differed from them all his words was true being the Words of the Lord and their words was false being the inspiration of Satan If ye then the Preachers up of the so called Light within are in Unity your Unity arising from a lying spirit which is in all your mouths we can conclude your condition to be no better then Ahabs and his Prophets and as the Lord permitted that lying spirit to be in the mouths of all Ahabs Prophets to intice him because he had so exceedingly sinned against the Lord by rejecting his Counsel to go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead even so hath the Lord sent or permitted a lying spirit to be in all your mouths that you may intice all them that do reject the Counsel of God which is written in the new Testament to go on and fall and be snared taken and destroyed as it is written 2 Thes 2. 11. 12. For this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should believe a Lie that they all might be damned who believed not the Truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness It is therefore apparent that unity is not a sure proof of verity Those that are said to have one mind Revel 18. 13. to what end is it but to give their Power and strength to the Beast c. Those that Christ invited to his Marriage Supper Luke 14. 18. They all with one consent began to make excuse This Argument therefore being but a Popish Fig-leaf is utterly invalid But Sect. 8 Thirdly suppose thou destroy the Whore more then any other of her opposers and that by perswading her children to leave her A Concession and Answer to the third Proof and to follow after thee yet notwithstanding thou art not therefore in the Truth for many of the Adversaries of the Whore are enemies to the Gospel of Christ though the great City be divided into three parts yet it is great Babel still Revel 16. 19. and though the ten
that they had both touched and felt him and yet found no vertue come out of him No marvel therefore that the Scriptures seems to be lifeless and a dead Letter to such whose Faith is dead to them it is no wonder that the Scriptures do not enlighen them that go about to destroy them or in Christ himself while they were kiling him they found little excellency And why were some refreshed even by the touching of Christs Garment and others that â—ouched his Body felt no benefit Was it not because the one came to him with a Hand of Faith and Love owning him â—o be the Son of God and the other came with wicked hands to crucifie and slay him because they denyed him to be the Christ And wherefore is it that some find wonderful comfort in the Scriptures and are thereby made wise unto Salvation Is it not because they come with humble and believing Hearts to them But they must needs be a dead Letter to such whose Faith and Affections is quite dead to them Sect. 5 But to make a further manifestation of the Divine Authoriiy of the Scriptures I will lay down these following Considerations to prove the Scriptures to be an infallible Teacher of the Doctrine of Salvation First Because there is no Man nor Spirit or Light within any man in this world â—hat can name a Work of Righteousnesse which as an Act Deed or Duty of Righâ—eousnesse ought to be observed by the Sons of men which the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament do not make mention of fairly discover and fully comprehend Therefore the Scripture is an Infallible Teacher of the Doctrine of Salvation 2. Because there is no Man nor Spirit or Light within any man in this world that can name a work of wickednesse which as an Act or Deed of wickednesse ought not to be done by any of the Sons of men which the Scriptures do not most severely forbid upon pain of the greatest Punishments to be inflicted on them that persist therein Therefore the Scripture is an infallible Teacher c. 3. Because there is no Man nor Spirit or Light within any man in this World that can declare any Promise either of Peace or Happinesse which as a Promise from the True God ought to be embraced by the Sonâ— of men which the Scriptures of the Old and new Testament do not make mention of and very fairly and fully declare Therefore the Scriptures are an infallible Teacher c. 4. Because there is no man nor Spirit or Light within any Man in this world that can declare any Punishment which God wil inflict upon sinners for their disobedience which the Scripture speaketh not of and very fully declares Therefore the Scriptures are an infallible Teacher c. 5. Because no Man nor Spirit or Light within any man c. can prove any act or deed which the Scripture calls an act of Righteousness to be an act or deed of Wickedness Therefore the Scripture is an infallible Teacher c. 6. Because no Man nor Spirit or Light within any man can prove any act or deed which the Scriptures call an act of Wickedness to be an act or deed of Righteousness Therefore the Scripture is an infallible Teacher c. 7. Because no Man nor Spirit or Light within any man c. can prove any Promise which is made in Scripture to be false or that it shall not be made good according to the condition thereof to those to whom it is made Therefore the Scripture is an infallible Teacher c. 8. Because no Man nor Spirit or Light within any man c. can prove that any of the Threatnings expressed in the Scriptures against the workers of iniquity are either unreasonable or false or that they are not according to the minde of God or shall not come to pass Therefore the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are an infallible Teacher c. The Word of God therefore expressed in the Scriptures of Truth concerning his Commandments his Promises his threatings is very far in Authority and clearness beyond any Spirit or Light in any mortal man in the world therefore I conclude they are above all mens books words or Doctrine an infallible Teacher such as are able to make wise unto Salvation through faith in Christ Jesus being given by inspiration of God and are profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. Search the Scriptures therefore saith the Lord Jesus Christ for they are they which testifie of me Joh. 5. 39. To the Law and to the Testimony saith the Prophet if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them Isai 10. 20. Sect. 6 To the foregoing grounds I will add two other whereby the Light and power of the Doctrine of the Scriptures is further manifested and so conclude The first of which is taken from Ephes 5 13. Whatsoever saith the Apostle doth make manifest is Light now the Scriptures doth make manifest the mystery which was kept secret since the world began which according to the Commandment of the everlasting God is by the Doctrine of the Apostles made known to all Nations for the obedience of faith therefore according to Pauls Doctrine the Scripture is Light for by it is the way of Salvation manifest See Rom. 16. 25 26. Rom 15 4 2 Pet. 3. 1 2. The Apostle Peter also teacheth the same Doctrine for after he had declared what they which were with Christ in the Mount had seen and heard he tells us that we have a more sure word of prophesie or of the Prophets whereunto ye do well saith he that ye take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day star arise in our hearts that is as hath been already shewed until the Resurrection of the dead and coming of Christ from heaven with his mighty Angels c. Now we know that a shining Light in a dark place is of great use of such concernment is the Doctrine of the Scriptures as the Prophet Teacheth The Commandment of the Lord is pure saith the Prophet Enlightening the eyes Psal 19. 8 9. Thy word is a Lamp unto my feet saith he and a light unto my paths Oh! of what blessed concernment are the Scriptures of Truth to direct in the way of the Lord unto which sure word of Prophecie or of the Prophets and Apostles of Jesus Christ we shall do well if we take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place remembring this first that no Prophesie of the Scripture is of any private interpretation for the Prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Spirit They are not therefore of private or particular interpretation as though