Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	church_n	infallible_a	tradition_n	5,965	5	9.8720	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44802	One of Antichrists voluntiers defeated, and the true light vindicated. In answer to a book called Ignis fatuus, published by one R.I. Wherein he vindicates Edward Dod and Samuell Smith (of the county of Salop) in their lyes, folly, and wickedness, and hath added more of his own, with divers of his false doctrines, lyes and slanders, &c. brought to light, and reproved: As that the law of the spirit of life, is imperfect, and not fit to be a Christian rule, and also, humane nature may be taken for the regenerate part of man, and the soul, &c. And likewise calls idolatry, civillity, and heathernish complements courtesie. His vindication made voyd, and his weapons broken, and he taken captive, and left with E.D. and S.S. among the slime pits of Siddim near Sodom, with his Ignis fatuus. / By F.H., a witnesse to the perfect law, of the spirit of life.	Howgill, Francis, 1618-1669.	1660 (1660)	Wing H3175; ESTC R16812	30,660	33

doth he say you make the Scriptures which is the word of none effect by your Traditions and as for Rom. 10. 8. The word is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart And this is the word of faith which we preach Here the Apostle saith the word is nigh thee in thy heart but he doth not say the Scriptures is nigh thee in thy heart which is the word of God And 2 Cor. 2. 17. For we are not as many which corrupt the word of God he doth not say we are not as many that corrupt the Scriptures which are the word of God or the word of God which is the Scriptures And as for 1 Pet. 1. 25. But the word of the Lord endures for ever and this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto you he doth not say the Scriptures endures for ever or this is the word the Scriptures which by the Gospell is preached unto you And as for 1 Thes 4. 15. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we which are alive and remaine unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep He did not say this we say unto you by the Scriptures for there was not such a Scripture written before and therefore we say this unto you by the Word of the Lord And what a foolish man is this to assert his own imaginations and then imagins the Scriptures will prove it and what an improper speech were this to call twenty thousand Sentences one word and it is called a declaration and what a declaration would that be which consisted but of one word But enough of this hath been published before concerning this perticular by divers hands so I shall be brief However R. I. doubts his proof allready that it will not satisfie F. H. and therefore he thought good to make this conclusion upon him That he does not believe the Scriptures at all and though F. H. say that these Scriptures are nothing at all to prove that thing to deny his imaginations is not to deny the Scripture But F. H. beleeves what the Scriptures saith of themselves and doth not deny the Scriptures at all but R. I. his lye and also his false conclusion And further saith R. I. The Scripture was delivered to the Church in writing that it might be an infallible standard ●f true doctrine and a determiner of controversies and the Saints Rule of knowing God and living to him Answer Reader take notice here is no roome for the Spirit at all the Scriptures and writings have taken up the room of it in R. I. his account for it hath lost its office if his doctrine be true the letrer is become the infallible judg and standard to try doctrine and a determiner of all controversies and of the Saints rule of knowing God and living to him and indeed is become all in this mans account then what doth R. I. bring Aesops Fables Ovids fictions Plato's and Diogenes stories in this controversie to joyn with this infallible rule because he hath the Scriptures so high to be a tryer of doctrines without the Spirit doubtles is the cause here is no mention made of it and so he shall be judged by his rule in the 42 page take his Exposition upon the words of Joel I will pour out of my Spirit upon sons and daughters and they shall prophesie This is not meant of a ghostly power but of an extraordinary measure of enlightening grace Ignorant man is not Ghostly power of spirituall power an extraordinary measure of enlightning grace and was it not as spiritual power and an extraordinary light the Prophets prophesied by But it is this mans meaning that must be the standard when all comes to all and the determiner of cases and he speaks contrary unto his own rule as may be seen through his whole book who hath either added to the Scriptures or perverted them or otherwise given his false interpretations or villified them in calling them the True Cards and so though he extolled them in words he denyes them in practice The Jews tryed Christs doctrine by the Scriptures and judged him a blasphemer and a breaker of the Law and the Apostles seditious and so though a man have the Scripture and have not the Spirit it is all as a sealed book wherein such unlearned men as this R. I. is cannot read and therefore he saith in his 55 page That it is a great fault in us because we say the Law of the Spirit of life is the Rule so like him will not say it is imperfect as he doth so saith R. I. it is not fit to be a rule so blasphemously he detracts from the authority and power of the Spirit and like Antichrist and his Ministers sets the letter above it cals it living an infallible standard and saith the Scripture inclines the heart unto obedience and like a drunken man this R. I. reels up and down and contradicts himself Before he said The law of the Spirit chiefly gave power to conforme to the Rule and within four lines contradicts himself and saith The Scriptures inclines our hearts to the obedience of the Rule and the Scriptures it self hath caused us to know it as we have it from the Church it is a probable aid and yet giveth but a confused beliefe with a light impression Answ. It is probable enough indeed that thy faith is confused the faith of your church that makes thee utter forth all this confused heap but in what hath been said the spirit of this man and his doctrines will be manifest to all whose eyes God hath opened and so will depart out of his paths and not give heed to his fabulous stories It is true saith R. I. There is an inward law written in our hearts called the law of the Spirit of life Rom. 8. 2. And there is the outward Law written in the Scriptures Now the outward and externall law is properly the Rule of a christian life and not the inward and internall law for the outward law is perfect in that it declares in what is the will of God and in what it is not but the inward law received and written on the heart is imperfect and therefore unfit to be our rule the law within is that thing that is to be ruled Psal. 17. 4. The outward law therefore is the Rule Answer This man would set the Sun by his diall as it might be said although he confess in the very same page that the Law of the Spirit of life giveth power to the creature yet now it is become imperfect not fit to be a rule this man like one unlearned sets the Law which was written in Tables of stone which the Apostle calls the Ministration of condemnation and was glorious this he sets above the Ministration of the Spirit of life which the Apostle saith is much more glorious but nay saith R. I. The

reckoned him in the Bead-row of Saints it may be wich Saint Dominick and Saint Patricke Saint Francis and some others of the Popes Canonizing but however I shall set many of his envious and frivolous and impertinent arguments passe as things of no validity or worth being they have been answered over and over by mony hands all the fortresses strong holds thrown down so that to any judicious man they will appear to be but rubbish however R. I. would be gathering together the rubbish again and would make it appear as goodly a fabrick as he can when indeed there is nothing in it all so thou may see Reader in R. I. his vindication of this mouldey cankered ware of Babylon which he would hold up his own folly ignorance and error made manifest in the ensuing discourse of his doctrines and most of his principles thou may view and see which I have taken up and answered and his confusion and blindnesse thou may see and also view the Spirit that acts this man and how this man is like to convince any who hath not power over his tongue but lets it run to utter forth the deceit that proceeds out of his own corrupt heart thinking thereby to blind peoples eyes that they should not see how ignorant and light vain and treacherous these Priests are who would monopolize all into their own hand nay though God command and move by his Spirit yet this must not speak nor declare the mind of God except these Priests will allow of it in whom the welfare of all people lyes if thou wilt beleeve R. I. in the 11 page of his book yet if these count it disorderly for any to speak as he hath received of the Lord from his Spirit it must go for such and be accounted such as disorderly In the Epistle to the Reader R. I. saith Such Schismaticks as these Quakers hath torn the Church in peeces and its authority condemned and the Ministry slighted and false Religion advanced Answ. It seems that the Church that R. I. is of is none of the true Church which is built upon the rock Christ which the gates of hell prevaileth not against neither any weapon that is formed against it can prosper but R. I. his Church is torne in pieces and may be prevailed against sure it is but Babylon whose stones must be scattered and whole building must be thrown down and it is but the whores attire which is renting off that her nakednesse may appear and her deceit made manifest and the authority which is condemned and reproved is no authority but the authority of the beast upon which the false Church hath ridden and hath call'd it by the name of higher power and the Ministry is but such as traffick with the whores sorceries by which she hath deceived the Nations and this indeed and those Ministers indeed are slighted by us because we know him who is the Minister of the everlasting Covenant whose Spirit is manifest according to his promise to lead his people into all truth and so the Religion which standeth only in the traditions of men and in idolatry such things as R. I. goes about to maintaine as Images Crosses and Picture Mass-houses Hirelings Priests Popish tythes and Popish-ceremonies which R. I. so much pleads for all these are slighted as not to be consistant with the true Religion or the true Church of Christ Yet neverthelesse saith R. I. in his Epistle I have adventured voluntarily to side with those that contend for the truth against the Quakers and yet in the same Epistle saith He was moved of the Lord thus to declare Answ. What confusion and lying and blasphemy is here hath R. I. adventured voluntarily in his own willfulnesse and perversnesse to take part with those contenders against the truth in which the Quakers live and worship and God must be made as the author of this and all the heap of lyes and confusion which is declared and uttered forth in his Ignis fatuus which if no more were said then hath been were answer enough unto his railing discourse and yet what impudency this man hath to say he was moved of the Lord when as he hath confest he hath voluntarily took part with the contenders so that it is manifest to all reasonable men who set thee awork and whose work thou hast been doing for which thou shalt be sure to receive a reward in the mighty day of the Lord And R. I. saith Forasmuch as their counterfeit coin hath been offered to me for good silver I thought it fit to nail it to the Market-Post that it might not deceive others and instead thereof I have here made a tender of other Money viz this ensuing Treatise which I doubt not but that it may passe with truths approbation Answ. That which R. I. calls counterfeit coin was made publick by our selves and it hath been and shall be received by them that know Gods Image and the inscription of the Spirit and though R. I. hath denyed it when it was proffered to him the value and worth of that which hath been proffered is no worse For though a price be put into the hand of a fool he regards it not And now Reader thou shalt see what kind of Coin he hath tendered and how thou judges it may pass with truths approbation as hereafter will be made manifest in his further discourse Wherefore Reader saith R. I. Have not so great regard to the authority of the Writer as the truth of the matter written by him who was moved of the Lord as thus to declare against those who are adversaries to truth Answ. Indeed the authority of a writer or of that which is written is of no great moment seeing he is but one of Antichrists Voluntiers who hath not only belyed them that feared the Lord but also hath uttered forth many damnable doctrines and yet would fasten all these upon the Lord so that his deceit might be of more authority and none might question the matter thereof because the Lord allwayes moveth to truth and righteousnesse and so R. I. is one of them that hath taken the name of the Lord in vain which will not be holden guiltlesse but will be found guilty when the searcher of all hearts shall make all things manifest And then R. I. further saith That sprinkling of infants is commanded by the Scriptures and is a seale of the Covenant and baptisme of infants is that which answers to circumcision for mortification of the flesh and remission of sins and admission into the Church are sealed unto infants by sprinkling or that which R. I. calls baptizing I say Baptisme of infants is a Popish-Tradition as hath been proved by divers so that of it I need not say much but where it is commanded in the Scripture as R. I. saith Coll. 2. 11 12. is but a bad proof for R. I. for the Colossians were circumcised with the circumcision made without hands and they

were buried with him in baptisme baptized into the death and sufferings of Christ such a baptisme as the Priests never administred with their hands and the Spirit of the Lord was wont to be the seal of the Covenant to them that did beleeve but now it must be turned out of doors for visible water hath taken up its place in R. I. his judgement which is corrupted and how doth sprinkling answer to circumcision the Males onely were circumcised and not the Females and why doe you sprinkle Fenales if baptisme must answer to circumcision and if the extent of the one must be as large as the other and as for mortification of the flesh and remission of sins that which mortifies the deeds of the flesh hath life in it and that gives a living testimony within and remission of sins is in the blood of Christ and the seal thereof is by the Spirit unto them that beleeve but this Popish tradition hath a●en up all in R. I. his account if his argument be true Nay the Papists themselves who are as zealous for sprinkling of infants as R. I. or any of his brethren can be yet one of their own Bishops at a Council in France of both Protestants and Papists at Pisoy 15 61. Claudius Espencious saith Many things are to be beleeved by tradition only as the baptisme of infants which cannot be proved from Scripture but this R. I. would have the Scripture to be a Cloak and a cover not only for Popish Traditions but for his own invented imaginations which he hath set forth to blind people withall The next thing that R. I. goes about to vindicate is swearing which their Ministers teach men to sweare which ought to be in righteousnesse and truth and for his proof Deut. 10. 20. he brings and he saith Christ only prohibits rash and vain swearing and superfluous oaths Answ Unto this much hath been said and answered allready by many pens and so that in the answer thereof I shall be brief in the first Covenant it was lawful to swear in truth and righteousnesse and likewise all rash and vain oathes under the Law were forbidden but Christ who is the end of the Law for righteousness who is greater then the Prophets and greater then Moses and Solomon and greater then the Angels unto whom they all worship he saith expressely swear not at all Now whereas R. I. and others have said Christ onely in these words prohibits vain oaths or false oaths then he had reproved nothing but what the Law had reproved but he saith It hath been said of old time thou shalt not forswear thy selfe but Christ saith I say swear not at all so that it is manifest that all oaths are forbidden by him who is the oath of God and why saith R. I. it is not contrary to the Gospel of Christ for to swear and yet doth account the writings which is called the New Testament the Gospel wherein Christ hath expressely forbidden it and therefore those Ministers that teach men to swear are not the Ministers of Christ but teach those things that are repugnant to the Gospel of Christ For he that breaks one of the least of the commands of Christ and teacheth others so to do is least in the Kingdome of God The next thing that R. I. would vindicate is their singing of Davids Psalmes in invented Tunes such as pleaseth the carnal mind and for his proof he brings Matth. 26. 30. They went out and sung a Hymn and Paul and Silas sang in prison and singing is divine worship for the praise of God and the comfort of our soules and it is a soul-ravishing and heart-raising ordinance Answ It is acknowledged and allwayes hath been by us that praises belongs to the Lord and that they that are made alive whose souls are raised out of death can and doth praise the Lord and they that sing with the Spirit and with understanding are acceptable unto God and they that are in the Spirit doth that which the Spirit moves unto and so worships in the truth and is accepted of God and Christ and Paul and Silas and many more praised the Lord and many now doth praise the Lord and he that hath a Psalme may sing but what of all this what doth this prove for R. I. and the rest of the Masse-house-singers and what doth this prove as to the singing of them that is void of understanding who sometime sing I go mourning all the day long and just at that moment are singing and what doth R. I. think it cannot be a Psalme unlesse it be in Meeter or doth he think it is not accepted except it hath a Tune with so many stops and to sing Davids prayers and call it praises is this with understanding and even to return R. I. his words upon himselfe A more ungrounded opinion was never invented by the Devil For them to sing or to pretend to praise God whose soules lyes in death and do not know what it is to partake of Gods benefits neither the unsearchable gift This kind of singing and imitation doth not comfort the soule but burden it and this doth not raise the witnesse but kills it and you make merry over it and this kind of singing must be turned into howling and lamentation And saith R. I. Our worship doth not differ neither in whole nor in part in matter or manner from the Saints worship in the Primitive times Answ. This mans confidence or rather impudence is in opposition to knowledge and wisdome for it were easily proved that it neither in whole nor in part neither in matter nor manner agreeth with the Primitive times as for example it is no where recorded in the Scripture that any Apostle Minister or Ministers did take a little water and did sprinkle a few drops on a childs face and call'd this an ordinance of God and say it is a seal of the Covenant and mortification and remission of sins neither any such doctrine did they declare neither did any of the Ministers and Apostles of Christ cause people to buy them bread and wine and then give it the people back again a bit of bread and a sup of wine at the middle of the day and call this the Lords Supper or a great Sacrament neither had they bels in their Churches to call people together neither had they soft cushions and pulpits and a hour-glasse hanging by them neither did the primitive Churches prohibit or limit the Spirit of the Lord God amongst any but if any was moved to speake any thing or had any thing revealed from the Lord the first was to hold his peace These and many more things you differ in both in matter and manner which largely hath been declared by other pens and so in this I shall be briefe neither had the Ministers of the Gospel their maintenance by force neither had they Easter Reckonings Midsummer dues Mortuaries money for Churching of women Marriages nor for the burials of the

shooting at randome cannot misse the right mark Answer It is one thing what God accounteth true honour it is another thing what R. I. counteth honour True honour is to obey the commands of Superiours who rule in the power of God and this the Quakers doe submitteth to all the just and equall commands which are required of them that rule in the power of God and this is not to blaspheme the name of God and his Doctrine but this fellow would have accused the Apostles as his generation did who put them out of the Cities charging them to speak no more in the name of Jesus and then when the Apostles returned plead their authority saying Did not we command you to speak no more in his name and now you are disobedient blaspheming the name of God and his Doctrine Is this good reasoning R. I. And charity shoots not at randome neither misses the marke but it is pure and singles out its object to joyn unto and joynes not unto deceit But this is R. I. his charity to think wel of them that are doing evill and joyne to them who are doing the Devils worke but this man honours charity as he doth the Scriptures he saith charity shoots at random and the Scriptures are the true cards as hereafter thou shalt see And saith R. I. F. H. labours to disgrace if not to deface our Churches he like a cunning gamster knows how to alter the course of true cards the Scripture as R. I. calls them Answer Because F. H. would have them to take away their crosses Pictures and Images which was set up in the time of grosse idollatry this R. I. counts graces and adorns their churches and so he is joyned to Idolls I shall let him alone and the Reader may see how R. I. honours the Scriptures when in one place he pleads for the same Titles to be given unto them which is given to God And saith No man can dishonour Christ by giving as honourable Titles to the Scriptures as to God or Christ Then by his own argument he hath brought a great dishonour to God and Christ and the Scripture by giving them so base a Title as the name of Cards and so in going about to exalt his own imaginations he hath villified the Scriptures of truth And saith R. I. To call steeple-houses churches is no addition to the Scripture but a true exposition thereof and what if there be some Reliques of Idollatry in our materiall Temples as therei 's some reliques of sin in our living Temples must they therefore be called Idoll Temples Answer The Temple in which the Jews worshiped was builded by the command of God which all these Steeple-houses cannot be compared unto which was invented and set up in the Apostacy since men hath departed from the faith and turned into formallities and Idollatry When Christ was offered up the everlasting offering them that did beleeve in Christ separated from the Temple and the Gentiles who believed separated from their Idolls Temples and they met together in houses which we do not read of was fill'd with pictures Images and Crosses and Steeple-houses now was not then invented and the Councell of Nice diverse hundred years after the Apostles decreed that Images and Crosses were to be placed in the churches and also worshiped and there is the Originall of those things which R. I. saith doth grace and adorne their Church And if some of the Reliques of Idollatry doe abide in your Temples then it demonstrates that you are in the same spirit as they were that set them up And if your Temples take its denomination from the people that met therein as R. I. saith in the 32 page then they may be truly called popish houses and Mass-houses from the people that meet therein And if the reliques of sin abide in your living Temples and bear rule there then they that defile the Temple will God destroy for holiness becomes the habitation of his house for ever and the 1 Kings 8. 11. will be but a bad proof for thee for the glory of the Lord shall fill the House of the Lord for that is the Temple blind man which was commanded by God and the glory of God did appeare there but if this will not serve we must have another proof Psal. 76. 2. In Salem is his Tabernacle and his dwelling place in Sion which may be understood allegorically of our Temples saith R. I. Doth the glory of the Lord fill your Mass-houses you glory in deceit and in pride and your glorying is not good and thy allegory is false though his Tabernacle was in Salem and his dwelling in Sion and his presence in the Temple is yours the Temple or Salem or Sion or the Tabernacle if not for shame pervert not the Scripture nor bring it to cover your idollatrous practices which R. I. pleads for and saith Images Pictures and Crosses may be continued in some places and it is like R. I. would count it sacriledge to take them away he is far from the exhortation of the Apostle abstain from every appearance of evill and hate the garment that is spotted with the flesh And R. I. saith I plead not for Baal nor for proud phantastick spirits and yet a little after saith that putting off lace ribbouds and costly apparrell may be putting on of pride Now who will believe this R. I. that he pleads not for Baal when he pleads for Pictures Crosses and Images for cuffs ribbonds lace and costly apparell Now Reader thou may observe by R. I. his decorum how the wheels goes within And further R. I. saith It is utterly unlawfull for any Christian whatsoever gifled or not gifted to preach the word in the name of the Lord before the Church publikely assembled unlesse they be ordained and set apart by the Church for such a work Answer This man is farre from Moses spirit who wished that all the Lords people were prophets and would not forbid Eldad and Medad to prophesie in the Camp which was a publick assembly and Israel then the Church of God and R. I. hath made too hasty a conclusion who would prohibit all from speaking the word of God if they wanted outward ordination then Paul was a great transgressor who consulted not with flesh and blood neither with any other of the Brethren nor went not up to Jerusalem for ordination but preached three yeare the word of God and then afterwards went up to Jerusalem and saw none except Peter and James and had no ordination then as we read of and afterward he went into Syria and Celecia and furthermore saith he was not known by face to the Churches of Judea So who ordain'd him all this time for there was no Churches of the Gentiles but what he had planted then and so they could not ordaine him Gal. 1. 17 18 19 21 22. And who ordain'd Apollo but it may be that R. I. will say that Paul was ordain'd at Antioch Act. 12. 2. But

of his sufferings as it is written Mat. 16. 21 from that time forward began Jesus to shew unto his Disciples how that he must goe unto Jerusalem and suffer many things and be kil'd and rise again the third day So that it is manifest that here was distance of time and space betwixt Peters confession of Christ and of his rebuking of him however the unbelief was gotten up in Peter and he that had need to be taught came to be a rebuker of him who was his Teacher this was another state then the former but of these things R. I. is ignorant and let the Serpent feed upon dust for I desire to give him no other food And further R. I. saith Though Saints sin not Devil-like unto death yet if any man say he hath not sinned ofter the similitude of Adam's transgression he saith John is a lyar and the truth is not in him for when all is done the best men are men still and the best earth is earth ever and will bear nettles and brambles me and if these things were well considered by F. H. he would not say and E. D. for pleading for sin or Satan for we plead against those who say they have no sin Answer This R. I. is so in love with sin that by his arguments which he makes one would judge that he accounts it as necessary as his dayly food and these are strange kind of Saints that R. I would make at the best they are but still sinners and unsanctified but they that are called to be Saints who are begotten by God the father and preserved in Christ Jesus they are sanctified and made clean through the washing of Regeneration through the sanstsification of Gods holy Spirit which divelleth in them by which they have power to mortifie the deeds of the flesh and to overcome and to be made partakers of the promises but here lyes the difference in R. I. his account betwixt his Saints and his Sinners The sinners sinneth devil-like yet the Saints sin not devil-like I say they that sin are in one nature notwithstanding R. I. his blind distinctions for they that sin are liker the Devill then God and liker his image then Gods Image for Gods Image consisteth in righteousness and ture holinesse and the devils image consisteth in unrighteousness sin and unholiness And now Reader thou may judge whose Image R. I. his Saints bears and if thou be one that can plead against them who are born of God and sinneth not and who are cleansed from all sin by the blood of Christ then R. I. will rank thee with E. D. and himself in his Bead-row of Saints as he calls it And if any man say he hath not sinned after the simititude of Adam's transgression he is saith John a lyar Nay it is R. I. that saith it and not John and so R. I. is the lyar for the Scripture saith on this wise Rom. 5. 14. Death reigned from Adam to Moses even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression So that it is manifest that there were many that death reigned over and yet they sinned not after the similitude of Adams transgression But this R. I. will accuse every man with whom he hath a mind to quarrel and will not only tell lyes himselfe but publish false Doctrine but he will bring the Saints for his author and John saith not If any man say he hath no sin And thou that sayest when all is done the best men and the best earth will bear nestles brambles and tricks as I said to E. D. so I may to thee thou hast given thy verdict for the Devill and not for God and his Saints for They that are born of God sin not and them that are cleansed by the bloud of Christ from all sin and are clear in his sight and are kept by his immortall word which dwells in them that the evill one touch them not but hath overcome the wicked one and the best earth is that wherein righteousnesse dwells which R. I. is altogether a stranger too and that brings forth no bryars no brambles nettles nor pricks for that ground is curst so this man by his devillish Doctrine hath made the coming of Christ of none effect and the bloud of Christ of none effect and so have denyed the work of redemption to the best of men and deliverance to the Creature who hath travelled in paine This dreamer is far contrary to the Prophet Daniell who saw by the Spirit of Prophesie which this R. I. so deadly hates both in men and women that if it be not allowed of by such as he it must not speak nor they by ir This Prophet I say testified of the coming of the just one and of his work that he should make an end of sin and finish transgression and bring in ever-lasting righteousnesse but saith R. I. The best men are men still and the best Earth earthever and the best saints sinners though they sin not devil-like nettles and brambles and pricks they will all bring forth Now if this doctrine be true how is the soul raised out of death and where is the restauration of the creature from under the bondage of corruption and where is the redemption of the seed which is heir of the promise Nettles and brambles bryars cumbers the ground and choakes the seed and these things F. H. hath well considered and I see more and more that thou art a pleader for sin and Satan and imperfection for a spirit of errour for Images Pictures and Crosses for Cuffs Ribbonds and Lace for Nettles Brambles and bryars and art a man that doth lay claime to the utmost borders of the Devils Kingdome and a greater servant of his Master I have not met with long whose reward will be according to his works And the lye being the chief cognisance of his Master in which he greatly gloryes in he goes on and saith Another errour of the Quakers is they do not beleeve the Scriptures to be true because they deny them to be the word of God for if they beleeve what the Scriptures say of themselves and they say of themselves that they are the word of God and for his proofs he cites Mar. 7. 13. Rom. 10. 8. 2 Cor. 2. 17. 1 Pet. 1. 25. Answer The Scriptures we own to be true and whatsoever the Scriptures say of themselves that we own them to be to wit a declaration Scriptures of truth holy Scriptures the words of God of Christ and of his Apostles a Treatise And for his proofs I could wholly referre them to the Readento examine them himselfe and to discover the ignorance of this R. I. who tenders these Scriptures aforementioned for sufficient proof as that the Scriptures calls themselves the word of God as for Mark 7. 13. making the word of God of none effect by your tradition He doth not say of making the word of God the Scriptures of none effect neither

law written in the heart is imperfect and not fit to be a rule but to be ruled contrary to the Apostles doctrine and so this R. I. is tryed by his own infallible standard to be a deceiver who teaches contrary to that which he cals his law and testimony and the Law which is outward is the Law of the first Covenant which made nothing perfect but the bringing in of a better hope did by which we draw nigh unto God Heb. 7. 19. Therefore the Lord said by the mouth of the Prophet Behold the dayes come that I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel not according to the Covenant I made with you when I brought them out of the Land of Egypt when I was as a husband into them which Covenant they brake but I will write my Law in their hearts and put my spirit in their inward parts I will be to them a God and they shall be unto me a people Jer. 31. 33. Heb. 8. 9 10. Now this blind man who gropes as at noon day saith This is imperfect which is written in the heart and so faulty with him and therefore to be ruled over and the other which is outward is perfect and faultlesse and so ought to be a Rule but saith the Apostle contrary to R. I. If the first Covenant had been faultlesse there had been no place for the second which second the Apostle saith is a better Covenant and stands upon better promises but yet saith R. I. this is not the rule not fit to be a rule And furthermore the Apostle said as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the sons of God and this was their rule and the Law of the Spirit of life made the Apostle free from the law of sin and death and was the new creatures rule by which they were led into all truth and as many as did walk in it out of all sin But nay saith R. I. It is not sit to be a rule for this is imperfect and is that thing to be ruled and for his proof brings Psal. 17. 4. By the word of thy lips I have kept me from the path of the destroyer and how doth this prove that the Law in the heart is to be ruled Thou ignorant man who litters forth nothing but deceit and error and so the Scriptures declares against thee for they say The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul The Commandement of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes Psal 19. 7 8. For the Commandement is a Lamp and the law is light Prov. 6. 23. And the Commands of the New Covenant are spirituall and not carnall and they are perfect and fit to be a rule to guide all them that beleeve in a perfect way and not as this R. I. saith unfit to be a Rule because of their imperfection and would in his blind distinctions cast a mist before peoples eyes and all may judge not only of this R. I. his mistake but of his wilfull impudence in preferring that which is visible and outward and may be seen which was given forth in time viz. the Commands outward and the letter outward above the Law of the Spirit of Life which is invisible spirituall and eternall And as I said to S. S. So I may say to thee Leane souls are they like to be who receives such damnable Doctrine as this for Articles of Faith But however Reader thou may take notice of R. I. in his Epistle to the Reader he saith The Quakers money is counterfeit coyne which he hath nailed on the Market post and instead thereof hath tendered other money and that thou may see what kind of other money the Priests is and what Image it hears by the Principles here discovered which is altogether Tin and drosse and Reprobate Silver which will be received by none but them whom the God of this world ha●h blinded the eyes of that they should not see the things that belongs unto their peace And Edward Dodd being sensible that he all his stuffe or he and all his arguments was carried Captive and become a booty and a prey he is glad that any will step in and rescue him and flatters R. I. and saith I am engaged to you to imbrace you as a precious friend that of so weake principles as mine have raised so perfect a structure so absolute rationall and demonstrative that more need not to be done Answ. R. I. his Vindication hath not redeemed E. D. his principles at all but rather hath laboured in vain and spent his strength for naught and hath brought forth such a birth as sober men will blush at made up of Ignorance Blasphemy Derision and lyes which they that have the lest moderation will abhorre and detest And the Principles of E. D. and R. I. are not only weak and feeble but wicked and impious as is manifest in what hath been declared And the structure that R. I. hath made is but builded with untempered Morter lyes falshood errour false Doctrine which the stormy wind of the Lord will Rent and scatter and confound and exalt his Truth above it all But E. D. saith What can be said to reduce such a people I know not since so many convincing arguments cannot prevaile Alass poor men whether would you reduce us or bring us back to the slime pits of Sodome where E. D. fell with his stuffe or turn us back again to Images Pictures and Crosses to Mass-houses Hirelings and Tythes to Lace Ribons and Cuffes which both E. D. and R. I. hath strongly pleaded for as faithfull Servants to their Master who would not have him loose a foot of his Territories however E. D. hath resolved to continue one in life and death with R. I. who hath shaken hands with the Prince of darknesse and made a Covenant with death which must be broken and though S. S. E. D. R. I. joyne hand in hand yet the wicked shall not goe unpunished for every one shall receive a reward according to their works And so I have done with R. I. his Book called Ignis fatu●● whose arguments false doctrines errours and lies are dissolved into nothing his Vindication made voyd his ignorance made manifest his false Doctrines brought to light and reproved by the word of truth Only I shall returne him a few of his lyes back again for him to review the second time and repent of them and remember the sentence for all Lyars is The Lake that burneth Rev. 22. 15. First That their worship differs not in whole nor in part in matter nor in manner from the Churches in the Primitive times Secondly According to the Scriptures their whole worship is framed Thirdly That Jezabel was never more madder against the Prophets then these Quakers are against Christs Ministers Fourthly The Quakers contemn Magistracy infect the Common-wealth with ●action Fifthly That the Quakers burnt some houses at Oxford Sixthly That Timothy Titus were setled in a Parochial way in their quarters Seventhly That F. H. complains of the darkness of the Sun when the fault is in his own eys Eightly The Quakers deny honour to Superiors to whom it is due and so blaspheme the name of God and his doctrine Ninthly F. H. would never have cryed out of deceit but a purpose to deceive the more Tenthly That the Quakers bid open defiance to the worship of God Eleventhly That I. N. did say That he was as just and holy and good as God Twelfthly That F. H. said That Christ Jesus was not glorified in Heaven with a real body Thirteenthly Humane nature is taken for the regenerate part of man and the soul Fourteenthly That the best men though regenerate bears Nettles Brambles and Pricks Fifteenthly There is an inward law called the law of the Spirit of life which is imperfect and not fit to beare rule but to be ruled Sixteenthly And the Scriptures leads us to the Spirit and enclines our hearts to the obedience of the rule Seventeenthly And F. H. preferreth Ignis Fatuus before the clear light of Gods word Eighteenthly lastly when he hath spoken all these lies publish'd them in Print to the world he blasphemously saith in his Epistle to the Reader Have not so much regard to the authority of the Writer as the truth of the matter written by him who was moved of the Lord thus to declare So all these lyes with many more and all these damnable Doctrines which he hath uttered forth against the truth these things he would fasten upon the Lords motion and so make him the Author of iniquity and a cloak for his ungodly speeches against them who love the truth as it is in Jesus who hath suffered many reproaches for its sake and hath been killed all the day long by this Generation amongst which R. I. is who hath bent his tongue to mischief and his lips to utter forth deceit and as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses so hath this R. I. resisted the truth being a man of a corrupt mind and concerning the faith reprobate but he shall not proceed much further for in what he hath written his folly will be manifest unto all men and them that fear the Lord will depart out of his foot-steps which leads to the chambers of death and from those dark paths in which R. I. treadeth which leadeth into utter destruction Westmorland the 15. of the 4. month 1660. THE END