Mar. 16.16 6. Did Christ send some to search it as a witness to his person He sent all to hear her as the Teacher of his Gospel 7. Is he blessed that reads it So is he that hears her word Lu. 11.28 And no reader of it but he that is also her hearer Apoc. 1 3. 8. Is it able to make some Christians wise to salvation by faith in Christ Her vvord is able to save all creatures souls by receiving it Mar. 16.19 1 Tim. 4.16 Iam. 1.21 9. Is it profitable for doctrine c. that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished to every good work She is necessary and sufficient for doctrine c. that every creature may be perfect throughly furnished to every thing pertaining to faith or holiness 10. In a word is it profitable in any kinde to any use vvhatsoever It is only as an instrument in the hand of her or her Scholars So whatsoever can be said of it the same or more excellent may be said of her or the word by her preached But then there are abundance of glorious things spoken of her Psal 87.3 none whereof can be said of it namely all those named supra pag. 13 14 15. The House of God the Angel of the Lord the Light of the VVorld the Power of God unto Salvation the Ground of Truth the Rule of Faith c. VVhich I say not of any intent to extoll her above it absolutely but to beget in you a due esteem of her as in some respects excelling it as it does her in many other 4. Is it because it vvarnes you of some danger possible in making her your guide not a syllable in it to any such sense it doth of danger in making it so 2 Pet. 3.16 5. Is it because it tells you you need not believe or obey her further then she teaches out of or consonantly to it It tells you no such thing but the quite contrary when it calls her the ground of truth For if she the ground of truth we are not to judge of the truth of her doctrine by it but contrarily of its true sense by her doctrine It being possible for it to have divers senses but not possible for it to have any true one repugnant to her doctrine as neither possible for her being the ground of truth to misunderstand it so as to teach any thing repugnant to it Would then any of your Ministers undertake to prove to me by it that she may yea hath at sometime or other since the Apostles death yea at this present does erre in her teaching I would ask him if he would prove it by the express words of it or no. If nay would tell him no implications or deductions though never so evident to reason were to be of force against such express promises as are made to her and those not conditional only so much as implicitely but Prophetical such as that Day and night shall not cease while the earth remains Gen. 8.22 for so saith it If you can break my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night and that there should not be day and night in their season then may also my Covenant be broken with David my servant that he should not have a Son to sit upon his throne and you will not I hope say that Christ's throne was to judge errors and with the Levites the Priests my Ministers c. Ier. 33.20 Nay God Almighty for our greater assurance in this point expressely declares that no default or wickedness of the Pastors of the Church should ever defease his Covenant with her If his children forsake my law in practice of life c. I will visit their transgressions with the rod c. But my loving kindeness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail c. Psalme 89.30 Such expresse promises are made to her for her immunity from all error in doctrine so long as the world endures Namely for instance these My spirit which is upon thee and my words which I have put into thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Esa 59.21 Again The spirit of truth shall abide with you for ever therefore he spake not to the Apostles but the Church Ioh. 16.3 and guide you into all truth Ioh. 14.16 Now all truth excludes any one least error If he say yea and should which is impossible bring a Text in expresse words against some doctrine or avowed practice of hers I would ask him if those vvords were to be understood in their proper literal grammatical or ordinary Ecclesiastical sense If he say yea afore I admitted him for an Interpreter I vvould ask him for his token vvithout vvhich not our Lord Christ himself vvould desire any one to submit to his Interpretation of it against the Synagogue Ioh. 5.31 15.24 And if which is also impossible he should shew it I mean not a sign Deut. 13.1 Mat. 24.24 but a true miracle Psal 136. 4. Ioh. 3.2 Ioh. 9.31 I would answer him that from thenceforward I would neither believe her nor it Not her because teaching contrary to that which she told me was the word of God Not it because teaching contrary to her who it told me was the ground of truth and her preaching the word of God Weigh then vvell as I said with your self dear Christian Brother what reason you have to make it your guide Nay what an absurd senseless thing it will be in you after this admonition and demonstration to you to leave the fountain of living water for a broken cistern the ground of truth for a quick-sand of errour I mean the Church for the Scripture not in its due nature or use God forbid any such thing in the mouth or thought of a Christian but in its abuse as interpreted to you by your self a man not onely subject to all kinde of error but false principled or by Ministers or Synods such as yours as subject to error and false principled as your self to leave the Teacher unto which our B. Saviour said Do you teach the Gospel to every creature and of which he said to you and me and every creature He that believes her or her teaching and is baptized shall be saved that not believes her or her teaching shall be damned Mar. 16.16 for a book of which he never spake syllable unto Christians or in order to teaching his Law nay of which it appears not that as Pastor of his Church or according to his humane nature he ever intended or so much as foresaw the writing of one tittle of it and of which he to whom he committed for ever after the feeding of his flock Ioh. 21.15 speaking unto Christians purposely of some part of the New Testament then written and by that occasion of the Scripture in general as in the
soon after him he left or at least designed they should leave something to remaine as the ordinary or perpetual means to teach it to others What is meant by the means Where by the means of teaching it I mean not any sort of meanes humanely authorized onely or fallible in its teaching or instrumentall only to some other creature or profitable only or necessary in some respects onely or sufficient to teach some part of it onely or to some creatures onely but the proper principall necessary and sufficient to teach every creature every particular of it and divinely authorized and assisted to that end and so deserving to be stiled in absolute and simple sense the Angel of the Lord or interpreter of his will to humane creatures the guide of mankind in the way to heaven the light of the world the Pillar or ground of the truth the Judge of the Christian Law the Chaire of Christ the Schoole of the Gospell the steward depositary or dispenser of the mysteries of faith the store-house or treasury of divine knowledge wisedome or truth the power or powerfull instrument of God unto salvation of all that believe or use it and its voice doctrine or teaching the word law oracles doctrine or Gospell of God Christ truth grace life or salvation c. the faith the truth the seed of grace the faithful word the sword of the spirit the forme of sound words or doctrine the depositum or treasure of heavenly truth left by Christ or his Apostles the whole revealed will or counsell of God the guide of faith the rule of religion c. Or of which it is or may be said it shall teach you religion if there arise a matter too hard for thee thou shalt goe to it to enquire ask or seek the Law of God at it or its mouth in controversie it shall stand in judgement it shall preserve knowledge it shall shew thee what thou oughtest to doe follow it make it your rule or guide prove all things by it by it we know the spirit of truth and spirit of error it is able to make you wise to salvation or to save your soules or to shew you the way to eternal life he that believes or followes it shall be saved or unto which God Almighty ever said Teach people or teach the Gospell To whatsoever creature these attributes offices properties phrases speeches or any one of them or any other to the same sense is rightfully given or appertaines that 's the meanes I speak of 8. Ground This meanes what ever it be is somewhere or other in H. Scripture set forth and named to us in most plain and expresse manner as being the fundamental of all fundamentals as to us within the Christian religion without which first known and certaine it is in vain for any man to talk of religion or to presume to judge of what is true or false pious or superstitious necessary or not necessary in any matter pertaining to it and which when it is known and certaine no more remaines for any man to doe that desires to know what he is to believe doe or avoid to obteining eternall salvation but only to find it out and hear believe and practice what it teaches comands or forbids as Gospell §. 2. The Question to he handled proposed Hither to you and we agree in our principles as rational men and Christians But then the Question is What is that means And it lies betwixt two The Church and H. Scripture For either he left them in quality of a Society or Community such as our Lawyers call a body corporate to have a permanency by succession and then the Church will be it or they were to leave some writing to teach in their stead or office at their death and then the Scripture will be it or he left them in quality of a Society as to some part of the office and they were to leave the Scripture in the other part and then both will be it By the Church then throughout this treatise What is meant by the Church I meane nothing els but a company or some company of men For this is description sufficient for the intent of this Treatise which is onely to distinguish her from the Scripture and the persons of the Apostles Nor do I mean by her the whole society so called nor any part of her as to any effect of justifying grace or salvation but properly and immediately that part by which she teacheth as I speak by my mouth and a University teaches by her Professors In which sense our B. Saviour used the name when he said Tell the Church Mat. 18.17 and S. Paul the Church is the pillar of truth 1 Tim. 3.15 And so in fine the quaestion is Whether the Church or the Scripture or both be the meanes left by Christ or his order for teaching his Gospell §. 3. The importance of it And it is as appeares sufficiently by what is said already the most transcendently-fundamental one possible to be within the Christian religion seeing by this meanes it is to be taught and all questions in it to be resolved And consequently it is of most transcendent importance what wee hold in it as you will quickly see if you but reflect on the consequences of it For 1. If H. Scripture be it 1. All reading of other books consulting Ministers or Divines going to Church to hear their Catechising or Sermons conferring or arguing one with another or any other acts or meanes whatsoever to this end to instruct or direct our selves in religion will be vain and superfluous yea improper but every one is to goe to the Bible and it alone and by it self alone For supposing it left in this office there will be no denying but it is as plain and intelligible by it self alone to any child or other novice having the use of reason as to the learnedst Divine in the world 2. No creature using it for his guide can offend God by any heresie superstition or prophanesse unlesse he believe or practice contrary to what it teacheth him according to his understanding of it 3. It will be out of the power of the Church to hinder or restraine any creature from reading and using it at his pleasure in any language 2. On the other side if the Church be it 1. all reading of Scripture by the people unto this end will be vain and superfluous yea improper but every one is to seek the Gospel at her mouth and hers onely 2. It will be in the power of the Church to permit or restrain the use of the Bible unto the people more or lesse thereafter as she in her prudence all things considered and not some only and in her charity to their souls shall judge it most expedient for them to their salvation 3. No man though baptized in Christs faith though believing never so humbly and firmly and practising never so fervently all that he finds in Scripture may
Mount Sinai So she Mother of us Christians vvas called Mount Zion Gal. 4.26 And this must of necessity be granted to the truth of this and divers other places which all agree in this that the Church and publique preaching of the Gospel by her was to begin on that Mount Psa 2.6 48. per totum 110.3 c. So this for certain is one of those Prophecies of which our Saviour said Thus it is written and thus it behoves that the Gospel be preached in all Nations beginning at Ierusalem Lu. 24.43 The sense of the place thus opened it yeelds four points most plainly and fully to my purpose viz. 1. That the Church was to be the ordinary meanes for teaching mankind the Gospell They shall say Come let us go up to the house of God and he in or by that house will teach us his wayes c. 2. That her teaching was to be Gods teaching he to be the principall teacher though invisible she but his mouth He shall teach us According to what is elswhere assured to all her children or scholars they shall be al taught of God Esa 54.13 3. That the word by her taught is heere called 1. Gods word and Law therefore it of divine authority and she a teacher divinely authorised 2. In simple sense the Law and the word of the Lord 4. That she is to continue in all the same office and authority of teaching wherein she began at Mount Zyon untill she have taught the Gospel to all nations which will not be till neare the worlds end Mat. 24.14 Second proof Esay 59.20 Again Esay The Redeemer shal come to Zion And this is my covenant with them of Zion saith the Lord My Spirit which is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Not possible to be understood of any person or company but the Church Consequently assuring unto Gods Elect under the Gospel that he will teach them unto the worlds end all the same word of his by the mouth of the same Church with all the same divine authority and assistance as he did the primitive Saints at Mount Zion on Whitsonday when he first put his Spirit upon her and his words into her mouth Act. 2.5 Third Proofe Ezek. 44.23 To the same effect Ezekiel Sadoc and his sons shall teach my people c. in controversie they shall stand in judgement c. This Sadoc was he upon whom the High-Priesthood was transferred from Eleazars line 1 Kin. 2.27 And so here the typical name of the Apostles upon whom it was transferred from Aarons line Consequently this place assures unto Gods people under the Gospel a race of faithful Pastors therefore teaching no errors in the office of teaching Religion unto the worlds end according to that I will raise me up a faithfull Priest and will build him a sure house and he shall walk afore my Christ for ever 1 Sam. 2.35 Fourth Proofe Mal. 2.4 Most plainly Malachy Ye shall know by the wonderfull performance of it that I have sent this Commandement unto you that my Covenant of teaching might be with Levi the Apostles and their Successors The Law of truth was in his mouth the Priests lips should it is their office preserve knowledge and they shall seek the Law at his mouth for he is the Angel or as yours prophanely the Messenger of the Lord of Hoasts See more if you please to the same purpose Psa 19.1 unto v. 7. compared with Rom 10.18 and Mat. 5.14 and Psalm 68.11 16 18. compared with Eph. 4.11 Esa 30.20 and 60.11 and 62.6 Ier. 3.14 and 33.15 to the end and 50.5 Ezek 37.21 all assuring unto the Church a race of Teachers divinely authorized unto worlds end Nor can you say these places meant the Church as preaching Scripture or her doctrine as consonant to it when you cannot shew that any of the Prophets foresaw that any one tittle of the Gospel was ever to be written CHAP III. Proving it from the Gospels ACcording to the exigence of these types and Prophecies as our Saviour himself saith S. Lu. 24.44 he instituted the office of teaching the Gospel in his Church as is manifest First Proofe S. Mat. 5.14 First from that attribute given by him to his Apostles as Pastors and consequently to his Pastors for the time being for ever Ye are the light of the world as much as to say the Sun or fountain of spiritual light unto mankind which therefore if it should once lose its light by teaching any error in faith the whole world must necessarily remain in darknesse and oh how great darknesse Mat. 6.23 ever after For wherewith should the Sun be enlightened Second Proofe S. Mat. 7.24 13.19 24 14. 26.13 S. Lu. 8.11 11.28 S. Ioh. 8.47 10.16 12.47 Secondly from those titles ordinarily given by him to his word as preached calling it in simple sense the word his word his voice the word of God the Gospel the seed of all grace in the soul whereof faith the first and constantly naming preaching as the ordinary means on his part of teaching it and hearing on the peoples part of coming to the knowledge of it Nor can you say by these titles he meant the Scripture preached or the Churches doctrine as consonant to Scripture when you cannot find he ever intended or as man foresaw that any one tittle of his Gospel should ever be written Third Proofe S. Mat. 18.17 Thirdly from that rule of his to all his for ever Tell the Church c. plainly implying he meant to leave her as the ordinary Supreame Iudge in all causes pertaining to his Court and a Judge divinely authorized for else none could be bound absolutely to hear her under pain of eternal damnation which is here implicitely threatened to such as neglect to hear her for no lesse is due to heathen and he would not have such refractory persons worse to us then they are to himselfe nay he saith it shall be more tolerable in the day of Iudgement for Heathen then for them S. Mat. 10.14 Fourth Proofe S. Mat. 28.19 Mar. 16.15 Fourthly most plainly and fully from the Charter it self for the founding of this office recorded by two of the Evangelists Iesus said to them his Apostles Goe ye into all the world teach all Nations preach the Gospel to every creature baptizing them teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you He that believes you or your teaching or the Gospell by you taught and is baptised shall be saved but he that beleeves not shall be damned In which words I am sure your self will not say but he left them as the first and temporary meanes of teaching his Gospell and baptizing And if for the first for the ordinary or perpetuall by vertue of those incorporating
to the Church in publishing and dispersing her decrees and to their doctrine that it was by her approved 16.4 4. As they went through the Churches they delivered them the decrees of the Councell for to keep Act. 16.4 which was more then we finde they did any book of Scripture 5. When the good Christians heard what the Councell had decreed they rejoyced for the consolation of being certain now what was true doctrine in that point 15.31 6. And thus were the Churches established in the saith 16.5 8 Proofe Act. 20.20 27 32. 1. The Apostles by word of mouth committed unto the Church all things needfull nay but profitable only for them to know for the full discharge of their office unto salvation of themselves and their flock And so made her the depositary of what Christ had committed to them 2. That which they thus committed by word of mouth to the Church was in simple sense the word of grace nay expressely the whole counsell of God 3. This forme of doctrine thus taught by tradition was left and expressely recommended by the Apostles unto rhe Church for her sufficient rule and guide And now brethren I commend you to the word of Gods grace which is able to establish you c. v. 32. 4. And this at their death or as good as their death when they were never like to see one anothers faces more in this world I know that after my departure c. 5. So at their deaths they left the Church to continue for ever in all the same office and authority for feeding and ruling the flock of Christ wherein they then were or had been at any time afore and namely afore the writing of the New Testament Take heed to your selves and to the flock over the which the H. Ghost hath made you Bishops or as yours prophanely overseers to feed the Church c. CHAP. V. Proving it from the Epistles TO the practice and proceedings of the Apostles in their History accord the rules instructions exhortations and admonitions in their Epistles all setting forth and recommending unto us the Church for our guide and her teaching for our rule in such manner as if there were no such book as Scripture nor to be To name a few of the principal for instance 1 Proofe Rom. 1.1 Gal. 6.6 Eph. 1.13 Heb. 5.12 Iude 3.2 Io. 9. 1. It is their ordinary language to call the Churche's doctrine the word doctrine oracles Gospell c. of God Christ life salvation c. the faith the truth c. in simple sense 2. And not that preached by the Apostles only but by the Pastors among whom it was by accident if any were an Apostle Rom. 10.8 17. Heb. 13.7 Iam. 1.21 3. Nay that which was preached by Pastors of whom the Apostles none for certaine Col. 1.5 3.16 Nor can you say it was so called because it was the Scripture preached or in regard of its consonancy to it For 1. The Old Testament could give neither the matter nor rule for Evangelicall doctrine and very little of the New was written when S. Paul called it so in the first Epistle by him written 1 Th. 2.13 and S. Peter in the first that was written 1 Pet. 1.12 25. 2.2 2. Many Evangelicall doctrines then revealed were not written then to wit those mentioned in S. Iohn's Gospells and Epistles more then are in the other namely the institution of the Sacrament of Priestly absolution Ioh. 20.21 Christ's committing his flock to S. Peter Ioh. 21.15 3. The Epistles themselves expressly require all Traditions to be held unwritten as well as written and not those onely taught by the Apostles but by their Pastors Timothy Silvanus c. among whom it was by accident that S. Paul was one Hold the traditions which you have been taught whether by word or our Epistle 2 Thess 2.15 2. Proof Ro. 1.16 12.6 Eph. 6.16 1 Tim. 3.9 6.20 2 Tim. 1.13 2.2 Tit. 1.9 Iam. 1.21 Iude 23. The Churches teaching or doctrine by her taught is called also in simple sense the power i.e. powerful instrument of God unto salvation of all that believe it the rule or as you call it proportion of faith the sword of the Spirit the mysterie of faith the good thing depositum or treasure of heavenly truth the form of sound words or doctrine committed by the Apostles to the Church the faith once delivered to the Saints the faithful word able to save the souls of all that follow it 3. Proof Rom. 10.14 17. The Apostle expressely averrs he knows no means wherby men may come to faith but the word preached and thereupon concludes absolutely Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God As much as to say the ordinary means of faith is hearing the word preached 4. Proof Rom. 12.6 1 Tim. 1.3 3.9 2 Tim. 1.13 3.14 Tit. 1.7 9. The rule of teaching to the Pastors was the doctrine they had received And it was the rule even to Prophets to If any man prophecy according to the analogie rule or as you render it proportion of faith Rom. 12.6 that is the known doctrine of the Church For that it could not mean the Scripture see the reasons given sup pag. 59. 5. Proof Ro. 16.17 2 Th. 3.6 Heb. 13.7 17. Iud. 3.1 Ioh. 2.24 4.2 6. 2 Ioh. 6 9. The rule of belief and holy practice to the people was the doctrine wherein they had been Catechised called by S. Iohn the unction of the H. Ghost 1 Ioh. 2.20 and generally the doctrine or institutes of the Church Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error He that knows God hears us he that is not of God heareth not us 1 Ioh. 4.6 This doctrine of our Catechisme is given unto all Christians supposed catechised by a lawfull Pastor as the Galatians were as a rule of that supream authority and infallible certainty as by it we are to try the spirits of Prophets 1 Thes 5.21 yea even of Apostles or heavenly Angels Gal. 1.8 if possible for them to teach repugnant to it And if a rule whereby to judge of the Apostles preaching of their writing also it being as impossible for them to write as to preach repugnantly to it and their writing being of no greater authority then their preaching Consequently this text Gal. 1.8 which your men use to urge against Traditions gives so great authority to them as it implicitely warnes us on perill of our soul not to beleive or receive any text of H. Scripture it self in any sense repugnant if possible for it to have any as it is not to the doctrine of our Catechisme suppose it given by a lawfull Pastor Nor can you say that this subsists not with what we teach that any particular Pastor yea Pope and all as such may teach false doctrine for we will not say that any lawfull Pastor can doe it which who is we shall see in next Treatise 6 Proofe 1 Cor. 4.1
place comparing it with the other c. Because 1. In some there is neither occasion scope nor coherence visible e.g. in these Shall he finde faith Luk. 18.8 Quench not the Spirit 1 Thess 5.20 2. Some are never used but once e.g. these He shall be in danger of a Councel Mat. 5.22 The sin against the Son of man and the H. Ghost Mat. 12.31 The word was made flesh Ioh. 1.14 Retaining sins Ioh. 20.23 Saving by fire 1 Cor. 3.15 c. 3. Some are alike dark in all places e.g. Binding and losing Mat. 16.19 18.18 Delivering to Satan 1 Cor. 5.5 1 Tim. 2.20 4. Few of them but in divers places have divers senses and many times unevident whether or no and if whether be it e.g. Faith in these Mat. 17.19 Lu. 18.8 Act. 19.9 Rom. 14.23 1 Cor. 13.2 Baptism Mat. 3.6 11 Mar. 10.38 Acts 1.5 1 Cor. 15.29 Imposition of hands Mat. 19.15 Act. 8.17 9.17 13.3 1 Tim. 4.14 5.22 Heb. 6 1. Bishop Act. 20.28 Phi. 1.1 Tit. 1.7 Presbyter Act. 11.30 15.2 20.20 1 Tim. 4.14 5.1 22. 1 Pet. 5.1 Election or elect Mat. 20.16 24.24 1 Pet. 1.1 Sin Rom. 5.12 7.17 1 Ioh. 1.8 3.8 Iustification Rom. 2.13 8.33 VVorks Rom. 4.2 Iam. 2.21 5. Some of them seem to some Divines to have divers senses in divers places to others but one in all e.g. this name the Church upon the true sense whereof depends in fine all faith religion consequently the salvation of all mankinde and yet there among your learnedst Teachers as many differing definitions of it almost as there are Teachers to speak sadly as many as are deviseable by the wit of man and all pretending to Scripture 6. Finally and which is of greatest difficulty to the Interpreter and danger to the not Catholick reader the words of it in their proper and Grammatical sense are often times repugnant to themselves so as it is necessary in the one place to forsake it for another improper to the end to reconcile it with other and many times unevident whether of them is to give the law of sense to the other and what that sense is which is to reconcile them Instances hereof you will see divers anon mean time these may serve God hardned Pharaoh's heart Gen. 7.3 God tempts no man Iam. 1.13 Again The sin against the H. Ghost shall never be forgiven Mat. 12.31 Come unto me all that are heavy laden and I will refresh you Mat. 11.28 §. 6. The first cause in the form's Stragling Those I shall name in the form shall be but two The one that often times it delivers the rule incompleatly and straglingly part in one place part in another and so one must be made up by or with the other And sometimes unevident even to the learnedst Divines without the Churche's shewing which and how many texts appertain to the compleating of it For instance One place relates how Abraham was justified by faith Gen. 15.6 another how by offering his son Gen. 22.16 now supply as S. Iames saith you render it fulfil the one Scripture with the other as he there shews you the art of it Iam. 2.23 and they give you the true doctrine of justification otherwise taken apart but a part of it Again in one place our sweet Saviour promises he will refresh all penitent sinners that come to him Mat. 11.28 In another he institutes and declares the means by which he vvill refresh them to vvit the word of Priestly absolution Ioh. 20.21 Now supply the former place vvith the latter and they will give you the true ground of hope of remission of sins upon your going to Christ vvith sorrovv and confession of them othervvise in stead of hope delude you into damnable presumption §. 7. The scond cause repugnancy The other and mainest of all is that ordinarily vvhat it saith in one place it gain-saith in another in words taken in their proper Grammar sense and in all sense imaginable so seemingly as the best Divines have many times their hands full to reconcile them and the comparing places considering the scope coherence c. is often times so unserviceable to that end as it rather inflames the difficulty Nay it creates works enough sometimes for the Church her self to do it and in one age she gets one step tovvard it perhaps three or four ages more ere she get another so as she hath not yet done it in all in that perfect manner as perhaps she may hereafter vvhen God shall give her more light And in those she hath reconciled the certainty as to us of the truth of the reconcilement comes not from any evidence of the thing but onely from the authority of the Interpreter Nor is it always possible to be done no not by her by any means rule or help of interpretation to be found in Scripture but she must pray in aid from her own sense or practice To name a few instance among many 1. In one place The Lord he is God one Lord no Lord beside him Deut. 4.45 6.4 In other The Gods Elohim said Let us make man Gen. 1.27 The Lord rained from the Lord c. Gen. 19.24 Thee the onely God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Ioh. 17.3 But one God the Father and one Lord Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 8.6 In the name of the Father the Son and the H. Ghost Mat. 28.19 2. In one place My Father and I are one Ioh. 10.30 In another My Father is greater then I Ioh. 14.28 you will say that was meant in respect of his divers natures True but where 's that said in Scripture 3. In one If we say we have no sin we lye 1 Ioh. 1.8 In other They were both righteous before God walking in all the commandments of the Lord blameless Luk. 1.6 I know nothing by my self 1 Cor. 4.4 The childe of God sinneth not 1 Ioh. 3.9 4. In one He that is not with me is against me Mat. 12.30 In another He that is not against us is for us Luk. 9.50 5. In one If I bear record of my self my record is not true Ioh. 5.31 In another It is Ioh. 8.14 6 In one Paul took Timothy and circumcised him Acts 16.3 In another He that is circumcised Christ shall profit him nothing Gal. 5.2 7. In one If Abraham was justified by works c. Rom. 4.2 In another VVas not Abraham justified by works Iam. 2.21 8. In one My loving kindeness will I not utterly take from him my covenant will I not break for any wickedness of his children c. Psal 89.33 In the very next verse Thou hast cast off and abhorred thine Anointed thou hast made void thy covenant with him thou hast prophaned his crown c. 9. In one There was given him a kingdom that all nations should serve him his dominion is an everlasting dominion c. Dan. 2.44 7.14 In another VVhen the Son of man comes shall he finde