finite so making either two Righteousnesses of God whose Righteousness is but one or else distinguishing that one into two sorts finite and infinite which is but one in kind viz. infinite and everlasting though dwelling in different degrees in God Christ and the Saints but well maist thou do this whilest thou makest so many Christs as thou didst at the Dispute and hast done since in thy crooked Account thereof I say is not that Everlasting Righteousness of his working in the Saints and bringing near to them Isa. 46.13 as everlasting as infinite as of old and of as infinite value every where as it is any where in that Body of his whereof he is the head as in that Person which was the head of his body Yet T.D. denies it to be of any worth to justifie and affirms it to be but mans own Righteousness which is dung loss and rags procuring no more to him by desert then his wickedness which merits no more then Condemnation and in further evidence of this let thy own words p. 15. and p. 22. be well considered and compared where thou sayest thus T. D p 22. Do you think that the Righteousness which the Apostle calls his own Phil. 3.9 was not Christs Had he any Righteousness which he had not received And yet that Righteousness which was in the Apostl never was in Christ as the subject but was wrought in him by Christ as an efficient cause and Christ had an inherent Righteousness in respect of which he was said to know no sin and to be a Lamb without spot or blâ—mish Are not here then two Righteousnesses And they serve for two different ends the one for our Justification the other for our Sanctification the one gives us a Right to the inheritance of the Saints in Light the other makes us meet for Possession And p. 15 all Our Righteousnesses not our unrighteousnesses onely are as filthy Rags Rep. Oh Rare and Base What Whirle-pools and Whirle-gigg and Whimseyes and Gimcracks are here Compound all this deep Dâ—vinity of T.Ds. together some of which but not all for other some the blackest of his Brethren I believe will blush at is that which others store themselves with by stealth out of the Common standing-stock of Theology which few Divines dare stir a foot from and here is such a manifest Mess of medly such a heap of Hotch-potch as scarce ever crept out so openly upon the Stage before since the world which should be Christs School was by its Disputers and Schollers made their Fencing-School against Christ and his Disciples I shall Segregate the absurdities of this absolute parcel in which else they may by unseen being jumbled together among some undeniable Truths and set them down in their own Colours to the view of all 1. Mark Reader How T. D. divides the Righteousness of Christ inherent in himself and imparted from him to his Saints which who is not so Blear-eyed that every single object seems double to him cannot but say and see is one and the self same into two Righteousnesses one of which though he confesses they are both Christs and wrought by him alone as the efficient was notwithstanding as he sayes never in Christ as the subject at all 2. How these two points hang together as well as things can do that are all to pieces viz. that Paul had no Righteousness which was not Christs and which he had not received from Christ and yet that which he received from Christ Christ never had in himself nor was it ever inherent in him which if it doth not contradict the School Maâ—imâ— which no well skil'd Scholler disowns of Nil dat id quod in se prius non habet vel formaliter vel virtualiter saltem eminenter nothing can give infuse or derive that to another which it first hath not in it self and which resides not in it self as the Subject wherein the same one way or other is or formally or vertually inherent which I 'le not spend time here so nicely or exactly to examine yet I am sure it expresly and egregiously disagrees with those undeniable Testimonies of the Scripture which faith not onely Iohn 3.27 A man can receive nothing that is of God Grace Righteousness c. except it be given him from above but also that in Christ are bid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge that in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily Col. 2.3 9. That the Spirit of Grace a manifestation of which is given to every man to profit withal according to the measure of the gift of Christ who taketh of his own Glory Grace c. and giveth to his Saints distributing to everyone severally as he will is by the Father given first to him not by measure that his Disciples may also as they do of that fulness which dwells first in him receive of the same in some measure Grace for Grace John 7.16 and 3.34 And this stops that creep-hole whereby T. D. wots he winds himself out p. 37. where he saith Christs Righteousness in the Saints was never formally existent in him as the spirits are in the brain for as the spirits are in the brain and communicated thence to other parts of the body so the Graces of the Spirit are all in Christ the head and communicated to all the Members of his body as truly and formally as the Typical ointment that was poured on Aarons head was communicated from thence to his beard and ran down to the skirts of his clothing 3. Note well how that very Righteousness which was wrought in the Apostle after his Convertion by Christ and received from Christ and so by T. Ds. own confession was Christs is by T. D. first divided off from that Righteousness which was inherent in Christ though it be Christs as well as the other and indeed as undivided from it as Christ who is indivisible is within himself and set apart and aloof from it as quite another us if it were scarce any kin to that that dwelt in Christ the head and not onely so but secondly pacht and packt up into one with Pauls own Righteousness which he gloried in before his Convertion for what Paul calls his own was that he had of old and had left and lost too as dung and loss as much as he once thought it gain before ere he received any from Christ and disgraced and digraded so far below it self and its own true worth and dignity as to be Ranks with Pauls own yea to be made and counted on as no other but his own the self same as he and the wicked Iewes as T.D. sayes p. 21. who were as ignorant as our Priests are of Gods Righteousness went about to establish to their Iustification he makes that Righteousness those good works which by Christ we are enabled to perform no other then Our own good works Our own Righteousness all which as well as our unrighteousness T.D. Beckons but as filthy
Orthodox Brother Tombs as two Twins that tumbled both out of one Belly even one and the same Womb of that Babylonish Bawd are both to be tumbled into one and the same Tomb or Grave that as your two I. O. T. D. so their pair of pratings may go together into the earth whence they came as like to like earth to earth ashes to ashes for dust which is the Serpents meat all your Divinity doings are and unto dust must they all return Now as little method as thy Book I. O. hath in it yet is it as capable to be divided into parts as it is in each part in one thing or another most palpably divided against it self 1 As to the subject matter thereof it is in general twofold viz. The Outward Letter and the Inward Light that External writing or legible form of words commonly called the Scripture the Holy Scriptures which are ad extra but ab intra only and meerly without though from within together with that Internal Law Spirit Power or Word which is ad intra by all that know the Truth as it is in Iesus both seen felt heard understood and witnessed to be within not more cryed up by the men call'd Quakers who live both according to it and the Scripture then decryed by the men that are but supposed to be Christs Ministers who are utterly erring besides them both knowing truly neither the one nor yet the other Sundâ—y touches there are given by thee as thou goest along at other things viz. Vniversal Grace Perfection Persecution Modern Inspiration by the Spirit of God Revelation and such like about which thine and the Quakers Doctrine differs by which as ex pede Herculem thy Pulse is felt and it 's spied out how thy Spirit blows against Christs thy truthless talk of which may the Lord leading to it not unlikely be talked with by the way before I have done But those two abovesaid being well nigh the Totum in Toto the Totum in qualibet parte the matters thou mainly medlest with and most miserably mudlest thy self about thoroughout the whole Body of thy Book and every part thereof making little less then a very God of the one i. e. Of the Letter which is the last and the least and the lowest of the two and little better then a very Devil of the other i. e. the Light which is the first and the highest and the greatest so that all others are but toucht upon as in subserviency either to the Deifying or defying respectively of one of these to clear away that fog and smoak which thou raisest about them both to the thickning and darkning of the Sun and Ayr so that none can see either of them clearly through thy cloudy collation thereupon is the chief intent and likely to be the chief and utmost extent of this present Answer 2 As to the Tongue wherein it treats excepting here and there a little Hebrew and for shew sometimes more then service a penful or two of Greek interlin'd in both parts and now and then two or three licks of Latine among the English thy Book stands divided into two parts viz. Latine and English a Cloven Tongue of another nature then those that sate upon the Apostles and these are as the two Horns of that second double-fac'd Beast that is as the Lamb and yet speaks like the Dragon wherewith thou pushest at thy Opposers on the right hand as well as on the left even not only at thy own Brethren the Protestant Divines when they please thee not by Divining the contrary to thy peremptory peculiar Positions and preheminent pratings together with that blind Brood of the first ten-horn'd Beast of Rome to whom both thou and all thy Brethren though in many things ye justly band against them are Brothers in nature still and of neerer Kin then ye well ken or wot of but also against the true People of God These two general parts each of which is prefaced with an Epistle also in language like it self stand divided and subdivided more particularly within themselves viz. the English into two Treatises which subdivide themselves the one into six Chapters the other though falsly figured into eight the Latine into four Apologetical Exercitations as thou call'st them for the Holy Scriptures against as thou call'st the Quakers the Fanatical Ones of these Times Which fore-named divisions and subdivisions that are scarcely more divided from then against each other do all split themselves yet fuâ—ther into a new needless number of smaller Sections and Thâ—ses The two English Treatises which arise mostly from one and the same Spring or Head together with the other not God nor his Spirit nor yet the Scriptures but the Head of the Serpent which is to be bruised thy own brain vain invention and imagination run along treating to and fro in two distinct streams or Torrents awhile and at last having as thou sayst Arctissimum materiae doctrine consortium a neer coincidence of their matter with it and affinity in their subject by which the whole Trinity of them is drawn into that Unity to compleat thy double Doctrine far from the Scriptures for the Scriptures fall into one with the Latine Sourse or Lake of Lyes that burns more hotly then the rest in wrath against the Quakers And having there lodg'd and center'd thy two English Discourses and drawn them into one with this verifying herein that old true saying Vis unita fortior thou ventest that venome in stronger streams and spittest out that spite more fluently and in fuller floods against the Qua. which was in some few places only sprinkled out upon them before and filling up what was behind of thy flattering false Applauses of the naked Letter which with some of the same that were used before and some new super-eminent undue Titles thouâ— here also magnifiest beyond the bounds and measure of all modesty and truth hoping belike to appear approved of Christ as one of note in his service what disservice soever thou do him otherwise so long as thou art found saying something though Hoc aliquid nihil est as good thou hadst said just nothing as no more to the purpose and raking and skimming and scraping out of thy own thoughts some ample Apologies for the Scriptures thou fillest up thy measure of mad mirth against that true inward Light of God and its Children that testifie unto it as that which is to be preferred before the Letter and was before it as that which the Letter was given forth from despising these as in thy English Epistle p. 28. p. 30. under the as false as foul terms of poor deluded Fanatical Qua. pretending to be guided by an Infallible Spirit that oppose the whole truth about the Word of God so there under the abusive clamours against and charges of them even by whole-sale as Fanatical ones that are notoriously known by their errours and foolishness who are driven by the power of an Evil Spirit
because the Priests are generally vile and naught do endeavour to bring people who are begâ—iled into the false and bad opinion of them that they are good and men of God Ministers of Christ and such like when it s nothing less to that good true and right opinion of them that they are but Ministers of mens making and men of Sin and not of God But â—â—th the Qua. are excepting such as are so named for comming among them who are no more of them nor owned by them then all they are Israel that are called Israel an Innocent Honest Trueâ— Iust Righteous Pure Peaceable people and thou say'st its a Bad Opinion of them to think of them as ill as thou would'st have men in that as Caiphas the Priest of old not of himself but as he was ordered unawars to speak more truth of Christ then he himself was aware of thou hast said truly and judg'd thy self as an unjust and evill doer in begetting in peoples minds Bad Opinions of Good men and justified the Qua. as a generation of Iust Ones against thy will T. D. Thou say'st thou shalt blow away the dust the Qua. raise with their Feet Rep. Throwing Dust in the Aire casting mists and thereby blinding men from seeing the Light and Gospell that 's the work of Demetrius the Silver Smith and his Companions who by the craft of holding up false Worships had their wealth and not of Paul the Qua. who are men of like occupation with him these make no Trade of Preaching much less of hiding the Gospell as ye do but seek to publish it freely and what in them lyes to make it without charge T. D. Thou shuttest up thy Epistles to thy Reader with thy short Prayers to this purpose that thâ—se men the Qua. may proceed no further but that their folly may be manifested to all men 2 Tim. 3.9 And that we henceforth be no more Children tossed too and fro with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive but speaking the Truth in love may grow up into him in all things which is the Head even Christ is the earnest Prayer of Thy Servant for Iesus sake T. D. That thou maist not know the depths of Satan as they speak Rev. 2.24 But maist hold fast that Doctrine which thou hast already v. 25. is the Prayer of Thy Servant in the work of the Gospel T. D. Rep. Thou art very full of these ejaculatory supplications but thy ejaculations against the Qua. be ever too short to enter into the Eares of the Lord of Hosts to obtain ought of that thou desirest thou maist save thy breath and keep thy Darts to thy self they do but reflect back upon thee dream what thou wilt in the darke as to thy audience and acceptance we know as well as he who e eyes Christ opened heretofore Ioh. 9.24 to 32. that God heares not sinners much less such as thou art who not only beleivest thou maist but even must sin also while thou livest and so regard'st iniquity as to plead against those as broaching of the Devils Doctrine who plead a perfect purging and freedom from it in this world Wert thou a Worshipper of God and doer of his will which none doth while he sins though thou dreamest men may be in a justified Estate while Committing of Adultery and Murder he would heare thee for his spirit would then guide thee to aske according to his will and such things only as are well pleasing in his sight and to make intercession for his Saints and not against them as thou often dost and thou should'st know also as they do that thou hast the things thou desirest of him 1 Ioh. 5.14 15. but poore wretched man that thou art it s now quite otherwise thy sins lye at the doore and shut out thy Cains Sacrifices from comming up as incense in the sight of God so that thou fallest and loosest daily more and more for all thy Prayers the Qua. both have and will proceed yet further and by the Wisdome of God in them will both the Lyars the Lyâ—ns mouths be stop't at laâ—â— and thine and thy fellows folly be manifested to all men as that of old Iannes and Iambâ—s was who in their corrupt minds withstood and resisted Mâ—ses and the Truth 2 Tim. 3.9 and while thy self and all that heed the wind of thy Doctrine unless ye take more heed to the light within shall be henceforth as ye have been hitherto as Children tossed too and fro and driven like the Weathercock which way so ere the wind blowes and turned about as the Priest and his Parish ever hath been into what posture mould or mouldy Religion soever the times happen to settle in the Qua. who are stated on that Corner Stone ye builders refuse on the suâ—◠〈◊〉 the Râ—â—â—â—f agâ—s Christ the Light of the world and Life of all that hear his Voyce will stand upright and not fall nor be wiâ—dâ—d about any more by the â—light of the Shepheards that have driven them from Mountain to Hill in the dark and gloomy day nor catcht by the cunning Craftiness whereby the Clergy lye in wait to deceive but know not so as to own or approvâ— yet so as to â— Scâ—â—n and disprove the depths of Satan as they speak and when thou and thine shall be forced to let go what ye have and holdâ— and hold forth for the Doctrine of God by tradition from men the Qua. shall hold fast what Doctrine they have already learnt from God himself and shall not in that thy Complementall form of words who as the old Servus Servorum Dâ—i doth when that he may be Dâ—mâ—rus Dâ—miâ—orum is that he more desires subscribest thy self thy Servaut in the work of the Gospel for Iâ—sus sake while thou art indeed one of those Master Ministers that serve for filthy Lucres sake against both Iâ—sus and his Gospel but denying your usurped Mastership be made able Ministers of the Gospel or New Testament not of your dead Letter but of the Life and Spirit and speaking the truth in Love and not lies in Envy and Hypocrisie as ye do grow up into him in all things even into his likeness and the Image measure and Stature of the fullness of him who is the Head even Christ into whose likeness though ye live like the Devill here ye look to grow in the world to come only and not before Thus far as to thy petty pair of painted Prologues and as really piteâ—s as seemingly pious Apologies or Epistolary Prefaces to thy two Paultry Pieces CHAP. II. Now as to thy two more Notorious Narratives whereby as by the Epistles on the one so thy two Butterflies are on the other side as with so many wings born up and furnished to fly apace through the world that is in love with lyes I shall need to say the less to them by how much some of the many lves
at all in Vindication of the Popish Clergy in any of their Devilish doings nor scornful or spiteful speakings against the Scripture but of another Interest even that of the true Clergy or Heritage of God as remote from Theirs and Thine too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am an Opposer of thee as to that same Book wherein thou so vehemently Opposest the Papists hence many may as some already do suppose I am in far firmer friendship and fellowship with that Fry of fighters against the Scripture then with thee and thy fellows who wouldest fain seem at least to fight against them for it but if any man will be ignorant of me and my honest meanings let him be ignorant for my part as I am a well-wisher to all Souls and am in friendship with all men having and holding as truly Pacem cum Personis as cum Peccatis Bellum so I am in no fellowship with that in all men whether of the Romish Religion or that which informe is more Reformed that is not in fellowship with the Scriptures for that which is not in union therewith is not in fellowship with God fighting against neither smal nor great save only against the sinful seed of the Serpent in them which from the spirits of the spiritually throughout all Christendom spawnes it self forth in spite and spiritual wickednesse against the seed of the Woman who must bruise his head at last though he obtains for a while to bruise her heel between whose seed which is one and his seed of every sort whose name is Legion for they are many the most endlesse enmity is so that though I appear against those Paper-works of thine wherein thou appearest upon the Stage in part against that Synagogue of Satan but more palpably against the Synagogue of the Saints yet this is not all to gratifie the Romanists in their scurrilities against the Scriptures more then thee and thine Abettors in your scarce Schollar-like much lesse Scripture-like scoldings for them but as occasion is Pro Scripturis for the Scriptures which notwithstanding thy empty Apologetica's for them ye and the Papists also are both utterly against I shall not spare to grate hard against you both as such who while you are scribling of the Scriptures whether Pro or Con are yet our of that precious Truth the Scripture tells of and against that living Word that eternal and internal Light it calls to which leads to that Life of God that the Scripture calls for 3. In regard that I am and shall unavoidably be found in this present Controversie with thee saying some things against thee and thy untrue Assertions for Truths sake yet with a due Respect thereunto which the very Papists say though truly enough yet too disrespectfully about the Scriptures In this respect though I would not have them so yet I believe some are and some will be if peradventure these Premises prevent it not so blind as to believe I own the Pope and his Apostolical Church because I cannot own all that as true and Apostolical which some Prime Protestants tell for Truth but rather tell the Truth with him when he tells it about the Scripture or any other thing then Errour and Lyes with those who pretendedly for the Truth and Pro Scripturis Protest against him For I must give the Devil his due so as to acknowledge his Words to be true when he speaks the Truth though to a false end rather then sooth up thee I.O. or any other men so as to say the Crow is white and that ye utter Truth when ye tell utter untruth though against the Devil himself to please either thee or them Howbeit many men in these dayes and not a few of those who are called Christs Ministers and counted well studied Schollars or at least would not be well contented to be not so accounted are yet so dim as without any more ado to deem them to be Romish Priests under Pay from the Pope who own some Truths which his Priesthood owns as if because at Rome they own Christ to be the Son of God they must needs be of that Church who deny him not so to be but more especially any Truths which by these Divine Deemers are not Deemed to be Truths and thereupon disowned by their non-discerning selves upon whose crazy Concerts and cloudy Accounts and crooked Conjectures some that do more service to the Truth against Popish Fictions in a year then themselves do in an Age are thorow their shallow surmises by their implicit Faith't People as sinisterly supposed to be Supporters of the Papal Hierarchy because themselves whose Idol the Letter is are not digested in all their Extravagant Exaltings of it though the Popes extream of Exalting his leaden Legends and Holy Chaire above it be more professedly distasted and detested Thus such as believe according to the Scripture the general Grace and Love of God in giving Christ to die for all men for as much as that also is believed at Rome seem to these senslesse ones to favour too much of Popery because the empty understandings narrow Nodels and heedlesse Head-pieces of many Protestant Parish Priests are not as yet enlarged enough to comprehend it who notwithstanding being blear-eyed at home whilest Eagle eyed abroad Nunquam vident id manticae quod in tergo est never come to see or sent that plain Popery of their Parish Posture and Parish pay by way of Tythes which the Night is now too far spent for any but Owles Bats and Night-birds not to see that its of the Pope sith though its a piece of stark rank and Popery not held without the guilt of Perjury yet as it s their own suus cuique crepitus bene olet so it s that which serves their turn better at this time then the Extirpation of it Root and Branch according to their Oathes which would savour lesse of Popery and more of pure Pietv will ever do Of this sort of Evil Surmisers is T. D. who not only as thou I. O. dost Accuses us me in particular as one big with and spitting out venome against the Scriptures for not owning those outward Writings as the only Rule of Faith and holy Life but also accounts of us as no other then broachers of Popish Doctrines and bringers in of the Popes Baggage for dissenting as in other points so from his blind Tenets about the Scriptures Yea so earnestly doth T. D. drive on his Design of Insinuating it into mens minds concerning me that I am Popishly affected that he finds occasion of Accusation against me as so as well where I more fully own the Scripture then himself does as where I may more easily seem to one that 's blind to deny it Witnesse his words Page 27. 1. Pamph where for owning the Epistle of Paul to LAODICEA which he sputns at as Spurious he flyes thus foolishly in my face T.D. We know quoth he your Brethren of the Popish Party have laid many such Brats at
their feet are swift to shed blood that wasting and misery are in their wayes and the way to true peace they know not yet this one thing I must say too and of our Vniversity Scriblers pro Scripturis that as there are no men in the world more up to the ears in strife about the Scripture and their own Fancies on it as to matter and letter than the Scribes are so there is no one thing that the Scribes are striving scuffling and scolding at each other more about than about their Scriptures That light or word within and not the letter is the Foundation First I shall take account of what thou falsely assertest concerning the Scriptures being a Foundation Thou affirmest the Scriptures to be the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles spoken of Eph. 2.20 pag 33. saying of them that men may quietly repose their souls upon them in beleeving and obedience and of your selves thus are we built 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. on the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets and calling them Page 48. The Foundation of that world which he hath set up in this world as a Wheel within a Wheel his Church And page 154. The Foundation of faith hope and obedience And page 155. The Foundation of all that faith and obedience which he requires at our hands And page 316. The great and blessed Foundation of Truth All this I own to be very true of the Word of God of which the Scripture speaks but it is utterly false as uttered by thee of the Scriptures The falsehood of which appears plainly by this Argument 1. Argument That which is the great and blessed Foundation of all that truth faith hope and obedience that God requires at mens hands and of the Church and of the Apostles and Prophets must be something which was in being before any of these things were for the Foundation on which these are built must have a being before they can be built thereupon every Foundation being before the building can stand upon it But though the Word of God be so yet the Scripture is not before but long after that truth faith hope and obedience which God requires at mens hands and long after the Church and long after the Apostles and Prophets were yea after those Apostles and Prophets were Respectively who were the Respective pen-men thereof Therefore the Scripture the Writing the Letter the Greek and Hebrew Text is not the Foundation of any of these things The first Proposition is so true that it were no less then disparagement to I. O's wisdom to suppose him to be mentis inops to go about to prove it to him sith as he builds Castles in the air as easily thrown down as erected upon no better Foundation then his own fancy thoughts conjectures and imaginations yet he cannot be so senceless as to think that that Foundation be it what it will firm or brittle on which any thing is built must be before the building can stand thereon And as for the minor in every part thereof it 's as undeniably true to any save such as having once turn'd their backs upon the Truth are resolved to render themselves devoid of eithet Sense or Reason in their Reasonings against it then to own it For none else can deny but the Church and the Truth Faith Hope and Obedience of it and the Messengers Apostles Prophets Preachers of Righteousnesse such as were Enoch Noah Abraham Lot and others were in the Truth Faith Hope Obedience of the Gospel and also built upon Christ the Light the Word of God the Rock of Ages before Moses dayes who is unversally supposed at our Vniversities to have been the first Pen-man of the Scriptures The grand Master-place of Scripture that is us'd in proof hereof that the Scriptures are the Foundation is Ephes. 2.20 where it 's said by Paul to the Ephesians Ye are built on the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-Stone Hence it is strenuously stickled for and as confidently as cloudily concluded by our doting Doctors and dreaming Divines that the Church of God as to all her Faith Hope Obedience Knowledge of the Truth is built upon the Apostles and Prophets Writings as that which is there called the Foundaeion whereas were they but at leisure from that lesser and lower literature wherein they are lost from the Lord and the Light and Life of God and the Letter also which issued forth from thence to look into the Light and by it into the Letter it self they more blindly labour for then truly learn by they would soon see that the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets there spoken of is not the Apostles and Prophets themselves much less uncertain transcribed Copies of those few Fragments of their Letters and some other honest mens true stories of what was done in their times good instructions memorandums and litteral recommendations of wholsome Laws and Statutes most of which as laid down in the Letter saving that they remain in the truth and substance whereof they were the types figures and shadows are above 1600-years since cancelled and abolished Promises Prophesies Psalms Proverbs Parables occasional Letters Epistles and other Writings which such as fell into a foolish following and falling down before outward Images and from the infallible Spirit it self that their Scriptures were written to keepe men to found and fardelled together and fram'd in their own fancies into a Foundation of the Faith and of all the whole Fabrick of Religion to be for ever framed and founded upon But Christ Iesus himself who is there also called the chief Corner-stone and 1 Pet. 2.4 that living Stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious on whom the Saints even all together with the Apostles and Prophets and the whole Houshold of God as Fellow-Citizens and lively Stones are built up a spiritual House to offer spiritual sacrifices yea all into one holy Temple or Habitation of God through the spirit This is the true and sole Foundation of all the matters before mentioned Christ Iesus the Rock of Ages on whom whoever believes shall not be ashamed Christ the living Word of God that also quickneth whose words are spirit and life to the hearers of his voice whose words uttered in the heart do good to those that walk uprightly this is the Stone that you Babel-builders refuse which God hath made the very head stone in the Corner Psal. 118.22 Matt 21.42 This verbum lumen internum Christ the eternal internal Word in the heart and Light of the World given a Light to the Nations and as such Gods salvation to the ends of the earth and the precious sanctuary to such as believe in his light is that stone of stumbling and Rock of offence to such as thee I.O. that stumble at the Word in their wrestlings for the Letter being disobedient unto both whereunto also they are appointed and a Gin and a Snare to the
must take account of you by and by for besides such inspiration to make a Rule is necessary Gods appointment of a writing to that end saith he God thought that sufficient which we have therefore we can look upon no more with such regard at we do upon that See T. D's first Pamphlet p. 26 27.43,44 and of his second Pamphlet p. 17 18. The difference quoth he is in Gods arbitrary dispensation so do I give this reason of our true assertion that howbeit the Scripture is profitable and may be useful and called as by it self yet it no where is a Rule as it agree's with the light and spirit where it is not adulterated by mans mistransciptions mistranslations misconstructions Yet the Canon or most perfect and only standing Rule it is not because God did never Authorize or appoint it so to be but to retort back to T.D. in his own vain phrase thought the measure of his light and spirit every one hath from himself sufficient to make a standard of besides whose inspiration of the said Scripture to make a Rule is necessary Gods appointment of a Writing to such an end the difference lyes in God arbitrary dispensation as well as in the excellent preheminence of the Spirit and Light above the Letter who would have that to be the Rule Canon Standard Touchstone which was so from the beginning of the world two thousand years afore the letter was even to this day even the Spirit then which there can be no other designed by him to that end if I. O's words be true Ex. 4. s. 22. who saith Vnicus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divinus the Divine Canon or Rule is but one not more then which also there is no other mentioned in the Scripture by that name of the Rule but the Light and Spirit as I have shewed above out of those places where the Rule is spoken of and if there be let I.O. or T.D. assign where and hereupon as he saith in the other case so conclude I here in this we can look upon none but the Light and Spirit upon no letter with such regard as the only Rule as we do upon that So then notwithstanding T. D's impertinent unimportant utterly untrue Reply to this Argument That we are to walk by is our Rule but the Spirit is that the Scripture sayes we are to walk by Gal. 5.16 therefore the Spirit is the Rule which Reply runs viz. that phrase denotes the principle not the Rule of our obedience in that place the Argument stands firm over the head of it for though it betoken the principle also yet not only nor exclusively of the Rule but rather the Rule more evidently and much more eminently than the other yea that the Spirit is the principle of all true obedience is professed positively by us who own nothing to be truly done in way of true obedience unto God nor the letter but what is done from the principle power motion assistance and ability of the Spirit of God or that is done without the Spirits in-dwelling yet in that place considered together with the rest above cited it is most clear that the Apostle speaks of the Spirit principally as of the Rule by which we are to walk and the word walk imports no less than the act of proceeding or going on and not the principle original or primum mobile as I may say from which we are to begin to act and move in way of obedience unto God But as unanswerable as T. D's answer is to our Argument yet it serves us very well to prove him a self-contradicter as he and I.O. also are in multitudes of more matters besides and in that it is as answerable as may to his wonted self for let but any reasonable Reader observe as it follows p. 29. of his first Pamphlet what T.D. sayes next of all to this passage of the Spirits being the principle that is the original or beginning of our obedience from which as being the primum movens and Auxilians beforehand moving and assisting we are after to obey and he shall see how he overthrows it himself in his own most immediately ensuing speech for howbeit he sayes the Spirit is the principle of our obedience which is as much as to say that in which we first walk whose assistance must be antecedent to our true walking according to the letter which is not denied by us yet when we say the same with him he unsayes his own saying again rather then he will side with us for whereas I said as his own self there relates that the Spirit is antecedent to the letter so that none tan walk in the letter till they walk in the spirit he replies thus viz. The spirit is subsequent to the letter in respect of the assistance and ability which he gives to obedience and whereas you affirm quoth he That none can walk in the letter till they walk in the spirit if walking in the spirit be meant of special assistance which is as much as to say if by that phrase of walking in the Spirit you mean the Spirits being the prinriple of our obedience t is false for many walk in many things according to the letter without the spirits in dwelling as Paul while a Pharisee was touching the righteousness of the Law blameless Psa. 3.6 in which beside the rounds he runs in and the contradiction to himself above T.D. sayes false for though none walk according to the letter in truth and as to the spiritual obedience it calls for without the Spirits in-being and assistance and power as the Principle from which they must so walk for howbeit Paul walked according to the righteousness of the Law interpreted in sensu Pharisaico according to the Pharisees outside glosses on it who saw not into the marrow mystery and spirituality of it and was zealous of God as to the literal observation of many things yet till the Law which is the light and spiritual came to him who was in his carnal condition and shewed him sin in the lust of which Christ expounds the Law Matth. 5 he kept not the Tetter as to the spiritual import and true intent and utmost meaning of the spirit and minde Christ exprest therein to the spiritual understanding though not to the natural but abstained only from outward grosse acts of sin and in his blind zeal persecuted the Church as ye in your wild-braind zial do at this day The Spirit is the principle from which we are to walke and with ut which we cannot walke according to the letter yet to go round again many walk according to the letter without the Spirits in-dwelling So pervenire ad summum nisi ex principiis nemo potest Pervenire ad summm sine principiis aliquis potest This is the summe of T.Ds. Doctrine Besides if the Spirit be the principle only that men begin to beleeve and obey from and not the Rule according to which they go on in
and sure then either the greatest miracle that ever was or immediate voice that ever God himself spake by from heaven and to be the sole Rule and determiner of all Doctrines whether they be Truths or but cunningly devised fables which two Texts together with Isa. 8.20 how little they evince any such matter and what is meant in them by Moses and the Prophets and by that sure World of Prophesie which thou and thy fellows foolishly affirm to be the Scriptures I shall God willing take occasion to examine anon Three of thy main inartificial Arguments as thou truly callest them p. 50 51 52 56. or Testimonies to thy untruth being by the head and shoulders without either sense or reason wrested from them Again it is true the Bereans did search the Scriptures whether the things were so as the Apostles spake who spake nothing but summarily substantially the same which Moses and the Prophets did say should come but what though they did so of their own accord and their searching was succesful and useful also to the fortifying of the faith they had in the World of Truth which they received readily not as the word of man but of God not as fables but as truth it coming to them as to the Thessalonians not in word only but in power and the holy Spirit and in much assurance 1 Thes. 1.5 must it needs follow therefore that the Scriptures were their only Rule of determining the Doctrines whether they were truths or fables the Word of God or the word of man and that their faith and owning that truth was à priori first originally and immediately founded as thou preachest all faith and repentance must be page 58.64 on the Scriptures so that if they had not first searched the Scriptures and there found a congruity of the things with the old Writing they neither would nor could have beleeved or received the truth thus thou and most of thy faternity foolishly fancy but look again and ye will finde it far otherwise for howbeit they searched the Scriptures and did commendably and nobly therein and were commended as more noble in that then they of Thessalonica who yet are commended as noble excellent and exemplary as the other in receiving the Word in much affliction with joy as Gods and not mans word though it seems not so serious in searching the Scriptures as these 1 Thess. 1.5 6 7 8. and were not a little confirmed in their faith begotten before yet they first received the Word with all readiness of minde as hundreds do at ths day as preacht to them by word of mouth from the Apostles the witness of God being reached and answering to the truth of it in their hearts in which they were noble as Thessalonica was yet more noble by how much they were unwearied and uncessans in seeking to be more and more gradually and groundedly growing in fuller assurance of the truth as many are at this day who first beleeving and receiving the Word with joy and readiness do not sleight as ye suppose but à posteriori being in the faith Timothy more seriously and singly then your selves see into the Scriptures that being already brought into the things the Scriptures write of through patience and comfort thereof have hope according to that other Scripture of thy coating Rom. 15.4 as yourselves cannot have any more then the Scribes who stand studying and sraping with your own Animal understandings before ye are ceme to walk in the Light and Spirit they witness too and came from But what 's all this more then just nothing at all to prove the Scripture to be the only standing Rule of Faith and Life which is asserted of it to the evincing it to be the Word Nay if your eyes were in your head ye might see of your selves O ye Studentall more than truly Prudential searchers of the Scriptures that the Word the Apostles preached and the Scripture which we confess truly testifies thereof are two distinct things and in no wise one and same individual as ye would make them if ye look no farther then the present Text in hand for in that he sayes they received THE WORD with all readiness of minde and searched the SCRIPTVRE whether the things were so it imports to any but the blind searchers of the Scripture that the word they received was one thing and the Scripture they searched about the truth of it was another Again it is true and not to be denied but Apollo an eloquent Iew was from his being well versed therein before he came to own the Light mighty in the Scripture and learned in the Letter so as mightily to confound the Gospel gain saying Iews thereby when once he came to obey it himself though yet there was a tradesman and his wife further grounded in the Gospel and learned in the light than himself who was beyond them in the Letter of whom he was not ashamed as our Vniversities Literatists are at this day to learn of women that know more of Gospel mysteries than they do to stoop to be instructed in the way of God more perfectly but how little this proves the Scripture to be the only standing Rule for which end I.O. cites it he that is blinde cannot see but others cannot chuse when as he that was so well skilled in the Scripture had that been the only Rule that he could have instructed Aquila and Priscilla about the Letter with which suo sejugulaus gladio he slew the Letter-learned Iews as it were with their own sword was not so clear in his understanding of the Truth Way Gospel Spirit Word and Light of God which is indeed the only standing inalterable Rule for ever as it ever was but that he had need to be Regulated and Rectified therein by such as in meer Scripture all knowledge were as inferiour as they were superior to him in spiritual understanding Moreover what makes it to the proof of the Scripture to be the only standing Rule exclusively of the Light and Spirit that Paul sayes to write the same things to the Philippians by which its questionable whether he 〈…〉 something to them before which is lost and not bound up in your Bibles nor canoniz'd into your Canon was safe for them As much as if he had said nothing at all for nothing at all is that to I. O's purpose nor yet that of Iohn saying These things I write unto you that your joy may be full which J O. cites to the same end And true it is Christ expounded the Scriptures to his Disciples as he did also his own Parables that he uttered by word of mouth amongst them and the mixt multitude togeâ—her and opened their understandings also as he does theirs that walk in his light that they might understand them but where is the immediate cogent consequence from hence to the conscience of any that the Letter or Scripture is the onely most perfect standing Rule of all Faith Truth holy life
ascribe that to the Scripture or Letter which is peculiar only to the Light and Spirit that only searches the deep things of both God and men and Satan and which reveals and manifests all things and to which all is manifested and revealed And howbeit he appropriates this all along to the Scripture and Letter which he means all along by the VVord of God yet if he did but well understand himself he not far off ascribes the same to the Light that both we and the Scriptures speak of which yet he will advance no higher then to term it natural the voice of God in nature c. for as p. 42 43 44 45. he tells how God by that hath placed a thing called self-judgement in us in reference to his own over us and reveals himselfes the sons of men and much to the like Tune and p. 81 sayes it is by the light in the Scriptures which is say I that which the Scripture testifies of that t is in the heart by which the Scripture dives into the â—earts and there determines judges in the Majesty and Authority of God yet the Crown still is stated on the head of the Scripture by him and that Light it came from in holy men which is the same a small measure of which is in all mens hearts and consciences whose external subordinate instrument sometimes the Letter is is made by him but the subordinate instrument of the Letter by which quoth he the Letter 〈◊〉 and doth this and that and effects and perfects all which yet to go round again contradicts his own excludings in the other fore-cited places of his book of the Spirit and Light within from bring needful or any way concurrent with the Letter but rather as fiâ—â—icious and detestable So thâ— Letter is the supream Judge only most perfect Rule and Ruler of all and transacter of all still as to mans salvation with I.O. who little heeds how the Revelation made by the light in the conscience is of an unexpresiably larger extent then the manifestation of things is that is made by the Letter that came from it for the naked Letter or the light by it only manifests dâ— jâ—re the right of matters what is to be done what not what is good what evill the Moral law shews the Moral good that is to be acted the Moral evil that is to be declined or else no life but cursing but the naked lighâ— without the Letter that was within mens hearts as it now is before the Letter was discovâ—rs not onâ—y as the Letter doth de jure the Moral good and evil as I.O. himself confesses and Moral or Evangelical obedience and righteousness that is the substance of that legal and ceremonies that stood in Typical Transactions and ouâ—side-observations â—or a time but also over and above searches the heart and shews to every man de facto what is and is not done of the will of God de jure revealed and accordingly accuseth or excuseth justifieth or condemmeth in the Majesty and Authority of God so that its particular sentencing of every man either to life or death blessing or cursing acceptation or rejâ—ction stands ratified inalterably in the Court of Heaven yea hereby Christ shews every one as hee did the woman of Samaria all that ever she did and what they do and are think or speak and answerably either acquits or accuses as 1 Ioh. 3. as our hearts condemn us or not by that of God in them so are we justified or condemned have boldness or bashâ—â—â—ness before the Tribunal of heaven for whose sins the light remits are remitted and whose smâ—â—s is retaines are retained and the Ministers of the Light do by it judge the world that lyes in wickedness and justifie the righteous and we know their judgement is true and their sentence sure and shall stand in fore Dâ—i as it doth in farâ— conscienâ—ia But the Letter is too too weak an Engine to enter here and too short a Sword to divide so distinctly within as the Spirit and Law of the Spirit of life doth which is the Light the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God Which Titles I say still against T.D. and I.O. also are not to be all attributed much less as they are by them often appropriated to the Letter of the Scripture but are to be denominated only of Christ or his Spirit either of which a man may mean as in opposition to the Letter T.Ds. conceits to the contrary notwithstanding and yet mean like a man and a Minister also for as Christ whose Name is the Word of God is that Spirit Sword of the Father who is also a Spirit with which he will wound and Rule the wicked unruly Nations to the Spirit of both the Father and the Son or Word which is one Spirit with them for these three are one 1 Joh. 5. is that Sword that goeth out of his mouâ—h to the consuming of that wicked enemy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that sits as God in his Temple both within and without 2 Thess. 2. and both are the Armour of God of Righteousness of Light which we are bid and and said to put on Rom. 13.2 Cor. 6. Eph. 6. And because it may seem such non-sense to T.D. to say the Sword of the Spirit is the Spirit it self and not another outward instrument of a Letter which yet we know the Spirit can use too when he pleases though his operations are most effectual when he is heeded in his immediate workings within the heart for T.D. I wot judges the phrase improper to call the Spirit it self the Sword of the Spirit and that that manner of speech must needs import another thing let me ask thee why so T.D. must it needs import another thing then the Spirit to say the sword of the Spirit why must it be improper so to say hadst thou had thy eyes in thy head and thy wits well about thee when thou busiedst thy self about that Text thou wouldest have seen the Spirit and Paul by it whom thou wilt not dare to charge with speaking nâ—â—-sense though thou chargest R.H. for the same speak in the same way of the whoâ—e celestial Panoply as ye use to caâ—l it Is not the brestplate of righteouâ—sness shiâ—ld of faith preparation of the Gospel of peace faith righteâ—usness and the Gospel of peace it self in the verses next above and the Armor of light the light it self Rom. 13 why then may not the Sword of the Spirit be meant of the Spirit it self and yet a man mean like a man and not mean non-sense as thou wouldest seem to make R.H. to do in so meaning And now to I.O. again about the Text Heb. 4.12 in which there remains one clause more which if he did not ad solem caecutire shut his eyes against the Sun me thinks hee could not possibly relate to the Letter and that is this Epethite of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quick or living and that so
that if he were set to extoll and set forth Christ Jesus himself in all his Dignity Authority Dominion Might Majesty and Glory unless it be the express names of the only beloved and begotten Son of God King of Kings Lord of Lords Mighty God the Ever-Father the Prince of Peace and perhaps some few more I can scarcely suppose on a sudden that he could finde any other or at least any more eminent Titles to dignifie him by then those by which hee dignifies not to say Deifies his adored dead Transcript Text and Corps of the Greek and Hebrew Copies of the Scriptures which hee vermilions over with the honour and veneration as to sundry of the most excellent glorious Titles and properties hee attributes to it that is due either to God or Christ or his living VVord Light and Spirit alone For howbeit every such particular expression of VVonderful Councellor Leader and Commander to the people Redeemer Saviour Salvation c. that Christ is stiled by may possibly not bee used in I.Os. book to express the outer Scriptures by yet I beleeve there is but little asserted in honour of Christ the Spirit the living Light and VVord througout the Scripture which is not asserted if not in the same yet in Termes equivalent in honour of the Scripture it self Witness all those most high flown phrases and eminent strains he flyes out and strikes up in in way of ascribing little less then all Authority Dominion Exaltation Transaction self-evidencing efficacy Light Power Dignity and Glory here on earth at least unto the Scriptures as if the Father had sealed it and not his Son and Spirit to be the disposer and orderer of all things next and immediately under himself as supream Iudge Rule Ruler Head and Governour over the sons of men and the giver and dispenser of the meat that endureth to eternal life CHAP. IV. ANd now I return to take more notice of what more is urged in his Latine Theses as concerning the Scriptures being the only most perfect rule of faith life worship and knowledge of God as to salvation The second Argument in proof whereof is its perfect operation and efficacy Ex. 3. s. 29. omnia perficit necessaria c. it accomplishes all that is necessary to Gods glory and our salvation in vindication of which a whole Dozen of Scriptures are urged eleven of which are above answered and one onely remains to be a little spoken to viz. Isa. 55.10 11. And as to that of Isa. 55 10 11. I grant That the Word of God as the Rain and Snow comes down and returns not without watering the earth and causing it to bring forth and bud and give seed and food so it returns not void at any time without working that for which he sends it to any person or people and prospering to the accompliâ—â—ment of what he pleases but I am half amazed to see that thou I.O. shouldest bee so silly as to interpret that of the Scripture since it so expresly speaks de verbo oris sui of the Word of his mouth which is asserted immediately from himself with his own voice so shall my Word be that goeth out of my mouth which Word expressed by his own voice speaking who so upon second thoughts and serious consideration shall say the Scriptures are properly too as I.O. excusing his ignorance for as much as not for want of incogitancy I my self sometimes so thought while I ran as our National Ministry now doth making haste and saying he saith before himself had sent mee howbeit I wanted no sending of man or had spoke to me or I heard his voice I shall make bold to accuse him of arrant Absurdity miserable mistake wretched blindness and utter unâ—â—rthiness to bee denominated a Doctor in that thing which our Divines call Divinity Nevertheless not having so well minded the matter as upon occasion they may do in time to come being carried in times past by custome to take things and term and talk of them according to tradition more then true discerning of them in their proper natures the very preachers of this Nation as well as the poor people that have lived on their lips have been so habituated by common Metonymies to miscall the Scriptures by names not proper to their natures that they now stand up to depend them to be most properly denominated by those Metonymical and improper names so that howbeit we are never so willing to allow them to express themselves by such figurative phrases as are frequently found in the Scripture it self as Act. 13.27 the voices i.e. Scriptures of the Prophets are said to be read in the Iews Synagogues every Sabbath and that satisfies them not but the Qua. are deniers both of the Scriptures and of the Word of God and spoylers of them of their proper names if they yeeld not to their as absurd as arbitrary Appellations of them by those glorious Titles of Gods Words Gods Voice as their proper names yea in this dotish disquierness and peevish perversnes of his prejudiced spirit doth I O. quarrel with the Quakers as bereavers of the Scripture of its proper name because they own not his improperties in ignorantly and impudently imposing the names of the Word of God and the spiritual Light on the Letter as its Proper names which it chalâ—engeth to it self from its preheminent participation of the nature and properties of the Word of God and of Light viz. Life power to quicken and save and to shine to the evidencing of it self J.O. I am now to deal against the Qua. about the proper name of the Scripture for this sort of men are glad that the care of this business is committed to them by Satan that they may spoil the Scriptures of that glorious Title the Word of God This name doth the Scripture challenge to it self So p. 49.73 74 77. That the Scripture is light we shall see that is so or can be called so unless it hath this nature and properly to evidence it self as well as to give light to others cannot in any tolerable corespondency of speech be allowed Whether spiritual intellectual light regarding the minde or natural with respect to bodily sight be firstly or properly light I need not inquire both have the same properties it is spiritual moral intellectual light with all its mediums that hath the preheminence as to a participation of the nature and properties of light Now the Scripture the Word of God is Light a Light â—hining in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.19 with an eminent advantage for its own discovery c. a glorious shining Light an illuminating Light compared and preferred abâ—ve the light of the Sun Psal. 19.5 6 7. Rom. 10 18. The most glorious light in the world the most eminent reflexion of increased Light and Excellencies the Psalmist ascribeth light power stability and permanency like that of the Heavens and Sun in commutation of properties to the word i.e. Scripture with I.O.
turn away much people saying God is not worshipped in Temples made with hands but within onely in Spirit and Truth talking as if they would teach us as if they heard Gods voice and not we who search the Scriptures and expound the Law and have the Key of knowledge have been train'd up in the Scriptures in reading the holy letters but these we take notice of them that they are ignorant unlearned men yet they say we are unstable and unlearned and wrest Scriptures to own destruction but whence hath this man letters having never learnt at Universities as we have done away with them and their Scripture no more holy Scripture now the Canon is compleated the Standard sealed no immediate motion now no such mission as the Prophets had now no speaking by divine inspiration now no Divine authority in any mans writings now though they write not others but the same Divine truths as of old no extraordinary infallible â—uidance of men by the infallible Spirit of God now and suchlike Thus they said then and thus our wise Ignorants at Athens say now of the same Spirit that then spake in Paul pressing others now to write or speak to them of their woâ—shâ—pping an unknown God seeing their Universities given wholly to Idolatry and thus I.O. one of the sore men against the truth What will these Bablets say and in a manner so they say all But slay friend Gods arm is not shortned neither is the mouth of God more made up now then formerly from making out and manifesting his own mind immediately from himselfe in the minds and consciences of men and women so as that men may without manifest imprudence not to say impudence imagine so ignorantly as in effect I.O. doth that God spake his last to the Sons of men and all that ever he meant from his own mouth to make known of his will to any man when Iohn had at the command of Christ written that pretious Revelatio â—which God gave unto Christ to shew to his servants who was pleased to signifie it unto them by the hand of his servant Iohn and when once in after ages a Syned of some honest men who we know not upon some some mistakes and sailings which weâ— I.O. confesses Tr. 2. c 2. S. 4.5 They were lyable to establish so much as they could get together which was but little 't is like of that much that was written of the transcribed Copies of the holy mens Histories and Apostles Epistles and letters to particular Churches and private persons and canoniz'd it together with the writings of Moses and the Prophets into such a standing Rule of faith and manners for all ages to come that whatever should from thenceforth be found as not a little was even of the Apostles own and some of Christs own writings and whatever should be written after that with pretence as much hath been since then not in pretence onely but in truth of motion from the same holy spirit should be shut out for ever from standing in their Canon sith it came not in at that time to their hands and be ever of so low esteem as not to be own'd among the rest under so much as the name of holy Scriptures with them but as to all ends uses and purposes for which all holy Scripture is written be utterly raced out of the Record cancel'd made void and of none effect while those few they Authoriz'd because of their Stamp of the onely Standard upon them must be had in as high if not an higher Esteem Honour and Authority then the Light it selfe from which directing holy men in the writing thereof they had all the being they have at all as holy Scriptures Let not I.O. in any wise say so for there are yet though himselfe is none of them 7000 of the people of Christ in England that bow not the knee to Baal many of whom as they are under the new Testament i.e. the Spirit and not under the old i.e. the letter where thou yet art have even both men and women the promises thereof made good unto them concerning the gift of the holy Spirit of the Lord and power to prophecy which of old also the true had Mic. 2. and of judgment and of might to declare unto the rebellious house of Iacob and Israel even the Heads and Princes thereof if they abhor judgement and pervert all equity and the Priests and Prophets thereof that Preach for hire and Divine for money and build Sion with blood and Ierusalem with iniquity and yet leane on the Lord and say is not the Lord among us none evill shall come upon us their sins and their transgression And to use thy own words I.O. p. 331.332 to thy self who are much in the dark as thou utterest them to such as are further in the dark behind thy self much more to the same purpose will same of them be found to say when men of outward wisdome and learning who are as they think able to instruct them shall condescend personally so to do Yea of myself I will not speak who by the grace of God am what I am and if the least measure of that grace be imparted to me among other of his servants that I should Preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ it is to one that for ought I know is of all the rest least worthy or rather most unworthy of it but I am bold to say so much and no more then what will stand as truth against thine or any others gain sayings that there are some who do not more professe themselves to be then they are indeed inspired by the holy Spirit whose messages and ministrations whether by voice or writing are so immediate from the mouth of the Lord that your not receiving nor submitting to them on that account but rejecting and denyall thereof with such rigour as ye do doth justify your predecessors in all ages who rejected and slew those that spake to them in the name of the Lord and speakes out in plain terms your imagination to be this that you may with safety to your selves reject them whom God sends yea to go on yet for a while much what in thy own words Tr. 1. C. 3. S. 9 10.11 12 There are some whether they work miracles yea or nay as thou confessest most of the Prophets did not that 's nothing to thee who pretend not to this inspiration falsely but both can and do to youward insist upon this that being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divinely inspired their doctrine is to be recieved by you as from God and in their so doing it will be found in due time to be your sin even unbeliefe and rebellion against God not to submit to what they speake in his name as that of his word they receive from his mouth and this is not onely pleaded and insisted on by some but also whether their Testimony be received or not received by you preachers and the
matter quoth T.D. I make not the Apostle a Lyar for the indefinite phrase hath a restrained sense as elsewhere in the Scripture Christ tasted death for every man Heb. 2.9 when as he died but for a certain number And as for I. Tom and R. Baxt. which two heads that knock so hard against each other about Baptisme make but one hasty head to push against the Qua. and the true Light in that Book of I.T. publish't by R. Bax. â—â—il'd True Old Light Exalted c. many blind passages whereof are here animadverted in which piece of work of theirs there is as there is in I.Os. not only Light but more or less in one place or other all sorts of Light treated and tasted of yet little or no Light at all found but rather a meer mist of darkness these two I say are neither less bold nor less blind then the other two in their confused opposition of this eminent Truth viz. the universality and sufficiency of Light or Grace from Christ in men to save them if they take heed to it from both transgression and condemnation about which I shall â—et down so much of that their book as whereby it may appear how far they are contradictory to the Qua. and then shew how all of them who yet speak out no other then the sense of the whole Brotherhood of the personal particular Electionists that deny the general love of God and his gift of Saving Grace to all men are therein no less contradictory to the Truth And for as much as R. Baxt. is found justifying of what ever is said by I.T. falsly in that foresaid book I do R.B. no wrong in my judging them both for it in my Reply if R.B. had not as he hath vented out his vehemency of blind zeal in his Epistle so ridiculously as to excuse such as accuse him of ignorance and errour in words enough of his own for which I.T. not only mutually justifies him but All-to-be-reverences him also as R.B. does him and most Divines do each other mutually when they joyntly roar out their rude reasons against the Truth though they rather tear and rend then reciprocally reverence one another when they open at each other about their own Opinions To let pass then their unanimous impatient prittle-prattle against the Qua. as Popish and promoting the Papists Interest as savouring of Popery Polagianism Arminianism Socinianism page 36. and such like stuff and strange out-cryes with which the Clergy ever fills poor peoples minds to the rendring of them ill-affected to Friends of Truth as Anti-Scripturisme Enthusiasm Fanaticism c. having dealt with I.O. and T.D. already about that trish-trash of our being Iesuits Papists to which I refer them all who eodem cum idis herentes luto found it out to the same tune against us in that and the rest Arminiana sunt omnia jamdudum profligata they are all Arminius his matters quoth I.O. Arminiaâ— points quoth T.D. thus they stun mens minds not knowing that Arminius though deemâ—d and doom'd an Heretick by that Divine and domineering denunciation of the Divines at Dâ—rt was as no less learned so full as holy and honest as themselves Letting pass also abundance of other lyes and abuses of the Qua. sundry of which call aloud for a Rod of as rough reproof as the rest have had for the backs of both Tombs and Baxter among which I shall here hint at no more then that of R. B. in his Epistle concerning Iame Nayler which as he sayes is regardable and so say I to R. Bs. shame who so basely belyes Iames Nayler therein representing those words at large wherein I.N. renounces those unclean Spirits that are gone out to the dishonour of God by many wild actions from the unity of the Truth and Light into which the Qua. are called gathered and in which they abide as if therein I. N. had written a Recantation of all that ever he wrote against R. Baxter and others for the Truth held out by the Qua. and as if I. N. had for ever renounced the Qua. as unclean spirits and Ranters and such like when as its most evident to any but the blind that as I. N. still iustifies the Truth and Light and all the Qua. that abide in it and to which by the Grace of God he now stands a true and faithful servant so that his Recantation and Renunciation is of no other then of that old Spirit of the Ranters which makes head against the Light of Christ condemning filthiness in every conscience and Life of the Cross which however many may turn away from as they did of old yet many thousands of Qua. continue walking in to this day But I say passing by all I T and R B gross abusiveness of this sort against the Qua of that Vniversal Light and sufficient or saving Grace of God to all which the Qua testifie to they assert thus Bax Ep p 7 Their great pretence when they dishonour the Scripture and the Ministry is to lead men to a Light or Word of God within themâ— and this is their cry in our Assemblies and our streets Hearken to the Light and Word within you and the sufficiency of this they clamorously defend and accuseâ—us grievously for contradicting them c. So p 34 Out of the Principles of those men viz Pelagians Arminians c. these People meaning the Qua have drawn their Tenet of an Vniversal Light in every man that cometh into the world without Bibles Preachers Church-Communion Christian Ordinances to know his duty so as that he may be perfect which is indeed the reviving of old Pelagianism or worse and tends to the making of Christian Religion if not all Religion whatsoever unnecessary Sol 35 36 by way of complaint against the Qua they say This is their conceit that every man that cometh into the world even the Gentiles that have not the Letter yet have from Christ a Spiritual Light c. That every one hath a Light within him or there is such Revelation imparted to every man in the world that if he would use it he might come to saving knowledge This Vniversal Light is so magnified by G. Fox that he tells us it shews all the ungodly wayes that ever a man hath acted in with it a person will come to see Christ the Saviour of his Soul from whence the Light comes to save him from his sin it brings to Christ to confess him gives the knowledge of the God of the world that rules in them that are disobedient this Light gives the knowledge of the Glory of God the true knowledge of the Scriptures its one in all they that come to and love it come into fellowship one with another out of this they are in jarrs and confusions it lets see Sin that hath separated from God and the Mediator and the Kingdome of heaven and lets men see they must be meek and humble keeps from errour guile all distraction
the deeds of darknesse which are sin For the light and Spirit lead none into sin But there be such as walk in the light in the day in which if a man walk saith John he stumbles not 1 Ioh. Much lesse fallsâ— There be some that walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit and are led by the Spirit and those that are led by it are not under the Law the lash of which they would be under as all sinners are if they transgressed it but under grace And these are the Sons of God those that are born of God whom the world knowes not 1 Ioh. 1 2 3. for they are his hidden ones Psal. 83. against whom they take crafty councel as against an impure generation though they purify themselves even as Christ himselfe is pure whilst such as know neither the Sons of God nor whose Sons themselves are while they sin are that generation that 's pure in their own eyes though not yet washed from their filthiness nor meaning to be so here Who ever walkes after the Spirit and no more after the flesh and lusts of it at it seems by that very Text Rom. 8. some do to whom alone there 's no condemnation because no sin for they are in Christ so out of the transgression in the light out of the darknesse in but one of which a man can be at one time such sin not who ever they be unless T.D. I.O. and the whole Gang of blind guides who tell people that none but that person that Christ appeared in a Ierusalem ever were shall or can be fuâ—ly freed from sinning in this world will being â—ore shooes in that sink of sottishness run ore boots too so as to say the Light and Spirit leads such as follow and walk after it into lust and sin Therefore there are some that live without sinning And this is one infallible Argument from the very letter it self if it were not become now as a Book sealed to the learned lookers into it that freedom from sin was attainable by the power of Christs light and the grace of God which alone even we say is sufficient to that end and was attained by Paul and others then and therefore may be now even in this life in that Panâ— declares concerning Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus the head from whence as the holy ointment it runs down to the Skirts of the Garment and as the unction 1 Ioh. 2. abides in his body teaching all things it had made him free from the law of sin and death of which Law of sin and death he relates in that 7. Chapter that he was once wretched by reason of its carrying him captive to it self of its motions of sin working in him and bringing forth fruit in him unto death of its warring in his members against the Light or Law of God in his mind by which he had the knowledge of sin in the very lust of it as that he should not covet nor lust to envy anger uncleanness c. Which the Scribes and Pharises Mat. 5. and Paul himself while a Pharisee looking into the lâ—tter without only as he did from a child knew not till he turn'd to the light within and came to the Law in the Spirit till he and it came to look each other in the face from which time and not from his looking into the letter he saw the Law in the spirituality holinesse righteousness and goodnesse 〈◊〉 and for all his former formality and strict pretence to unrighteousness profession of a letter ad extra his own meer naughtinesse and carnality as that of one that was still sold under sin and a committer of it in the sight of God from whose wrath that old drosty dunghilly righteousnesse of his own Phil. 3. which was not Christs as T. D. blasphemously belyes it to be p. 22. 1. Pamp. could not deliver him till he witness'd himselfe cloth'd with another even that righteousness which is of God by faith in Christ not imputed onely but imparted also to the true sanctification as well as justification of every one that believeth which passages nevertheless of that 7th chap. to the Romans and that 12. of his 2d Ep. to the Corinthians our senseless Seers have made among others one of their main common places from whence to prove the very contrary even that there is no such freedom from sin while in the body but that of necessity it must be acted by the Saints themselves while they breath upon this outward earth For say they if Paul complained of a body of sin and death while he liv'd and how he was sold under sin and carryed captive to the Law of it and of the Law of sin waâ—ring in his members against the Law in his mind so that he could not do the good he should but when he would do good evill was present with him and also of a Thorne in his flesh a Messenger of Satan to buffet him as he does 2 Cor. 1 2 3. c. and all this after his conversion to his dying day Then much lesse can any other Saints expect to be set so free from sin by what power soever in this life as to live and not sin and such like But Paul did so therefore what man can do otherwise Who can ever live and not sin Thus they argue against Qua. as a damnable sort of Hereticks that deliver a doctrine of Devils because they hold out as attainable that hellish thing as they count it call'd holiness and such freedom from sin in this life so as not to commit iniquity any more not considering all this while that Paul in those terms speakes what he once was yea even after his conversion to the light till sin was wholly subdued by the light condemning it in his flesh and bringing forth in him judgement over it into victory and not of what he was at the writing thereof in which time he sayes the Law of the Spirit had made him free from that Law of sin Not yet heeding at all that the Thorn in the flesh was not a transgression but a temptation with which God exercised him that he might shew the sufficiency of his own grace to support and keep him from transgression even from that sin of being exalted above measure and that no lesse then 14. years before he wrote this and not just then when or while he wrote it much lesse a transgression that remain'd unmortified in him till his dying day One argument more I shall urge from I O's own book thus viz If perfect Salvation from sin be the proper end of the Scripture and it be perfect to that its end and does perfect it and yet does what it does in this present world or nowhere to which it is accomodated only and ceases to do ought into the world to come then that perfect Salvation must be wrought out by it or here or no where at all But