Infants or Believers we are left at uncertainty by this Rector 't is enough with him to cry It must be with Water Water But who who must come under it Men or Babes Here we are at a loss What an easie way it is to make Christians and to get to Heaven if this be it viz. Learn and believe your Creed and that you are inwardly washed regenerated and entered into God's Kingdom by your Water-Baptism Whether as Infants or grown up is still the Question This Rector boldly tells us Nay further it appears That before our Saviour Baptized those in Judea he represented the Solemnity of Baptism as a thing necessary to enter Men into that Kingdom of God to which he invited them our Saviour not only telling Nicodemus John 3. 5. That except a Man be born again he could not see the Kingdom of God But yet more plainly That except he was born again of Water p. 5. and of the Spirit he could not enter into it p. 28. In this Interpretation of John 3. 5. to outward Water the Rector exactly agrees with the Popish Notion and Interpretation thereof That no Man can enter into the Kingdom of God nor into the Fellowship of Holy Church without Water-Baptism as held by the Rhemists see their Annotations upon John 3. 5. And therein opposed by the Protestants as appears in Dr. Fulk's Answer viz. It is not necessary in this place By Water to understand material Water but rather the Purifying Grace of Christ. As in Chap. 4. ver 11 14. where 't is called Living Water whereof he saith Washing with Water in Baptism is an outward Sign So that the Reform'd Protestants did place Salvation the New Birth and entering into the Kingdom of God upon the Inward Baptism by the Purifying Grace of Christ and not upon the Outward Element of Water they esteem'd that but an outward Sign of the Inward For the outward Baptism by Water the Rector urges our Saviour's Example and Practice from John 3. 22 26. p. 28. as if practised or ministred by Christ himself But that 's a Mistake for in John 4. 2. 't is expresly said Though Jesus himself baptized not but his Disciples I have run the farther into this Point in this place to shew what a Composition the Rector has run Christianity into But to return to some of his invidious Abuses and Perversions For the Credit of his Charge of Venom and Blasphemous Opinions relating to Christianity as well as to the Government against us he saith And to this end and purpose in the Month of March last past there were two Books presented to both Houses of Parliament the one Entitled A Brief Discovery of some of the Blasphemies and Seditious Principles c. The other Entitled Some few of the Quakers many horrid Blasphemies Heresies c. And also a Sheet Entitled Some Reasons humbly offered why the Quakers should be examined p. 6 7. Here we may observe this Rector has owned these same Books as well as presenting them to the Parliament Now one of them that is a Libel stiled Some Few has an Owner with the rest Thou therefore John Meriton Rector so called art accountable for the manifold Abuses Perversions Calumnies and Traducings which are in those Books and detected in my Truth and Innocency vindicated which I doubt not but will turn to your great Shame and Disgrace who promoted them as will also your strenuous Endeavours to Insence the Government against us but that they had more Discretion and Prudence than to be influenced by two or three Invidious Persons against a Peaceable and Serviceable People Now concerning our Christian Profession on which the Rector makes his Observations to evince the Venom of Quakerism as he unjustly defames us He accuseth us with dubious and equivocal Terms agreeable to those of the Oracles of the Heathen p. 7. for our confessing That our Belief is That in the Unity of the God-head there is Father Son and Holy Ghost those Three Divine Witnesses that beare Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Spirit and that these Three are One according to Holy Scripture Testimony These the Rector has judged as dubious equivocal Terms though they are Scripture Terms see Matt. 28. 19. 1 John 5. 7. John 14. 26. Chap. 15. 26. But not being content with this our Confession he begs this Question i. e. But if not Three Persons what Three are they page 8. Let him prove these Terms by plain Scripture as we have done ours and then we shall be resolved so as not to charge him with dubious Terms He might have spared his bitter Insinuations against us as virulent Poison grossest Errors equivocal Reserves wherein they meaning the Quakers may be thought to exceed their Brethren the Jesuits page 8. It had been more Prudence for him to have forborne or reserved these bitter Aspersions than to impose them upon the Reader which shews a great Enmity and bitterness of Spirit in the Man His repeated and partial Citations and Charge against G. F. W. P. and G. W. in page 8 9 10. are answered and detected in the second part of the other Examination i. e. Truth and Innocency c. under the first Head and Title Concerning the Holy Trinity What is alledged against G. W. out of Ishmael c. page 10. about the Three Persons though wrongly cited by the Rector p. 9 10. I have positively disowned that passage twice already both as 't is in it self and as it is none of mine and do now a third time disown the same which none therefore but the Implacable will repeat against me About a Heaven within and the Locality of Heaven p. 10. I do not find either G. F. or W. P. truly quoted or cited upon Examination The Matter as it concerns G. F. is answered in the other Examination aforesaid To the Rector's thus construing our Confession i. e. When they speak of Three Divine Witnesses bearing Record in Heaven that is to say quoth he the Heaven within them p. 10. Thus he imposes his meaning upon us as if we confined the Divine Three bearing Witness in Heaven only to a Heaven within us and not as being in that Heaven without us also which is a mistaken Construction for the Heaven wherein the Divine Three bear Witness is above and distinct from the Earth 1 John 5. 7 8. and yet the same Holy Spirit which is God bears witness in Earth too even in Mens Hearts and Consciences His Spirit bears witness with our Spirits c. And he that believeth on the Son of God hath the Witness in himself 1 John 5. 10. And he that inhabiteth Eternity and dwells in the highest Heavens dwells also in the lowest Hearts even with them that are poor and of contrite Spirits and tremble at his word how despised soever they are in the Eyes of the Proud and Envious whom God will debase And it was no lessening of the Blessed Record of the Divine Three
like unto which his Body the Church shall be fashioned saying That Affliction did still attend these Members of Christ's Body and that this Body i. e. the Church though not free as yet from suffering Afflictions yet shall be fashioned like to his glorious Body J. C ' s p. 332. So that he owned Christ to have a glorious Body above that of his Members Therefore it appears neither from hence nor yet from this Rector's unjust Charge or false Quotation that the Quakers deny the Mediator the Man Christ Jesus as he falsly saith much less that they do Scornfully Contemn the Blood of Christ p. 23. as they are grosly Calumniated and Slandered What he cites against E. B. and W. P. p. 23 24. is answered in the foregoing Examination And as to Christ's Prophetick Office we are satisfied that we own it more than these our Adversaries in that we believe we ought to hear him in all things by his Light Word and Spirit in our Hearts for which they so much slight and contemn us opposing his Immediate Revelation Teaching and Ministry in these days and confining his present Ministry to the Scriptures in opposition to his Light and Immediate Teaching in Man for though Christ did frequently preach from Scriptures yet his Preaching was with Power and Efficacy he had power both to open the Scriptures and the Understandings of them that heard him in opening them and also so to touch their Hearts that they said Did not our Hearts burn within us while he spoke unto us Which Mens meer literal Preaching cannot do nor work those Effects We are to hear Christ in all things him that speaketh from Heaven but saith the Rector they i. e. the Quakers neither do nor will hear him no their Christ within which they are obliged to tells them other things than our outward Christ or Prophet does p. 24. What an Ignorant and Scornful Reflection and Abuse is this as if either we owned another Christ within than the true Christ and Prophet whom we are to hear which is a false Insinuation or else that Christ as within and Christ as without is not one and the same Christ which is false also neither is Christ divided though he be both without and within And where proves this Rector that the Scripture is the Touch-stone to try Spirits withal wherein he takes part with Mat. Caffin the Anabaptist Preacher his affirming the same against the Quakers p. 25. Christ said Have Salt in your selves and discerning of Spirits was the Gift of the Spirit without which none can truly understand or make use of the Scripture If Tho. Lawson said The Scripture is not the Tryer of Spirits as 't is alledged against us p. 25. I find no Scripture produced to prove this Erroneous Christ is the Great Judge and Tryer of Spirits who searches and tryes the Heart and the Reines and it is by his Light and Spirit that Spirits must be tryed and judged not by the Carnal but by the Spiritual Man And what the Rector again cites out of p. 7. against studying to raise a living thing out of a dead and the Spirit out of the Letter c. was never intended to oppose the Teaching of Christ's Prophetick Office for his Office never allowed any such Study Neither do the Quakers deny Christ's Gospel Ordinances which are really such and by him perpetuated Here the Rector imposes upon us and his Allegations fall short of proof And our not continuing under a Literal and Shadowy Dispensation of Types and Figures carnal Ordinances and outward Element but under a Spiritual Ministry is rather an Indication of our owning Christ's Offices his Gospel his Ministry or Dispensation than any refusing to hear him who speaketh from Heaven by his Holy Spirit Light and Grace in Mens Hearts What seems most materially objected hitherto in the Rector's Antidote being answered I may take notice of some Passages hereafter farther to shew what he falsly deems Venom of Quakerism according to his Title and Observations against our Profession Quest. Do you believe or own Baptism as Essential to Christianity or necessary to Salvation and for the ingrafting us into Christ and his Church Our answer is We believe and are fully perswaded That Baptism which is Essential to Christianity and the Saving Baptism or the Cause without which none can be true Christians or Saved is the Inward or Spiritual Washing of Regeneration by the Word of Life This is the Saving Baptism into Christ and his Church which produceth the Answer of a good Conscience towards God of which the outward was a Figure 1 Pet. 3. 21. This is that One Baptism of Christ by One Spirit into that One Body whereof Christ is the Head As to Dipping or Sprinkling Infants or young Children we find no Precept or President in Holy Scripture for the Practice thereof and therefore we cannot think our not-believing it Essential or necessary to Salvation or making Christians a sufficient Argument to prove us no Christians unless it can be proved that none are Saved without it and that all are Saved that have it Considering also what 's positively affirmed in the 39 Articles as in the sixth Article That whatsoever is not read in the Holy Scriptures nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any Man that it should be believed as an Article of the Faith or be thought requisite or necessary to Salvation And in the 20th Article That the Church ought not to decree or enforce any thing against or besides Holy Writ to be believed for necessity of Salvation And in Article 21 That things ordained by General Councils as necessary to Salvation have neither Strength nor Authority unless that they be taken out of Holy Scripture On the first part of this Profession the Rector makes this Observation against us viz. By this their Answer they i. e. the Quakers do not Insinuate to but plainly tell the World what Baptism it is that is essentially necessary to Salvation or making Christians that is the Inward or Spiritual Washing of Regeneration by the Word of Life the Washing or Cleansing of the Heart or an Inward Conversion to God p. 26 27. And herein we plainly tell the World the plain Truth according to Holy Scripture And what Venom is in this pray Had not this Rector need to be severely corrected for opposing this Doctrine as Venomous and making the outward Baptism by Water the Saving Baptism and not the Inward and Spiritual As if all the World of Mankind were in a State of Damnation who are not so outwardly Baptized with Water or could be no Christians nor Saved if they be not so Baptized or Rantized as he would have them this is like Dip or Damn Oh! uncharitable and unchristian Doctrine Has Salvation by Grace been preached so long among us and must it now be placed on Works or on such a superficial Work as that of outward Baptism Sprinkling Dipping or Plunging Persons in Water But
that the Inward Spiritual Baptism washing of Regeneration by the Word of Life the Spirit of Life the Power of Christ is the Saving Baptism the truly Regenerating Baptism the Baptism essentially necessary to Salvation and making Christians and not the outward nor the Sign Type or Shadow thereof is no venomous Doctrine but agreeable to Holy Scripture Testimony is evident from Isa. 1. Wash you make you clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine Eyes saith the Lord c. this was an Inward and Spiritual Washing Jer. 4. 14. O Jerusalem wash thine Heart from thy wickedness that thou mayest be saved This was a Heart-washing an Inward and Spiritual Washing whereby they might be Saved Zech. 13. 1. The Fountain opened to the House of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for Sin and for Uncleanness was a Spiritual Fountain The Lord God was the Fountain of Living Water which when they had forsaken they committed a great Evil therein as well as in hewing to themselves broken Cisterns which could hold no Water Jer. 2. 13. And the clean Water the Lord promised to Sprinkle upon his People to make them clean from all their Filthiness and to cleanse them from all their Idols Ezek. 36. 25. was a Spiritual Sprinkling with Spiritual Water and the Lord 's doing John 3. 5. Except a Man be born again of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God This was Spiritual Living Water Inward and Sanctifying Grace as the True Primitive Christians experienced and best of Reformed Protestants believed and not the outward Element of Water as Papists and this Rector believe and hold As in his page 28 before more fully observed yea he holds This poor Element as he calls it of Water as necessary to do away Sins and to work upon our Souls as the Waters of Jordan were to the Cleansing of Naaman 2 Kings 5. 13. so necessary quoth he are the Waters of Baptism to the Cleansing our Souls p. 31. Such Vertue he ascribes to this Element thus idolizing it even as highly as the Rhemists against the Protestants but contrary to Christ's own Testimony also If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me saith our Lord Jesus John 13. 8. who also required first to make clean the inside that the out-side might be clean also Therefore 't was the Inward Spiritual Washing of Regeneration the Washing or Cleansing of the Heart by the Word of Life the Holy Spirit and Power of Christ which was the Soul's Saving Baptism and not that of the outward Element Titus 3. 4 5. After that the Kindness of God our Saviour toward Man appeared not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he Saved us by the Washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost And if the Baptism which doth now save us be not the Putting away of the filth of the Flesh but the Answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ according to that of 1 Pet. 3. 23. What can be more clear than that the Saving Baptism is that of the Spirit which is the One Baptism Ephes. 4. 5. whereby the Saints were all Baptized into One Body 1 Cor. 12. 13. and not that of the outward Element which can neither cleanse the Soul nor wash away the Sin or Guilt thereof The Inward and Spiritual Grace Saveth the Soul from Sin and Condemnation and ought to be preferred to all outward and visible Signs which can neither Save nor Sustain or Relieve the Soul 't is Life and Substance which is divine can do that The One Spiritual Baptism and that One Bread that Spiritual Meat and Drink which cometh down from Heaven is that which both saves and nourisheth the Soul unto Eternal Life John 6. 1 Cor. 10. That Disciples and Apostles of Christ did Baptize with Water is not denied Acts 8. 36 38. ch 10. 48. ch 19. 3 4 5. but that they did Practice or enjoin it as an act of necessity pursuant to Christ's Commission in Matth. 28. 19. is to impose upon us or beg the Question but that it was rather permissively practised in con discention than by that Commission For 1st Water is not expressed in that Text. 2dly When they Baptized with Water they did not use the terms of the Commission in it We do not read in all the Acts of the Apostles that any of them Baptized with Water in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost or that they used those expressions or terms in their Baptizing with Water but in the name of the Lord or in the name of the Lord Jesus If Water had been intended in that Commission of Christ Matth. 28. 19. the Apostle Paul must be concerned in it it must be as much binding to him as any other Minister but he declares the contrary that Christ sent him not to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel 1 Cor. 1. 17. he does not say Christ sent me not only to Baptize but positively for Christ sent me not to Baptize but to preach the Gospel which was part of the Reason he gave why he thanked God that he had baptized no more than those he mentions 1 Cor. 1. 14 15 16. as well as Lest they should have said he had baptized in his own name for 't is not to be supposed he would thank God for not performing part of his Commission if it had been to Baptize with Water as well as to Preach the Gospel but that positive and general Reason for Christ sent me not to Baptize but to preach the Gospel leaves no room for him to say Christ sent me to Minister Water-Baptism in his Commission in Matth. 28. 19. for Water-Baptism was properly John's Baptism and Ministry to make way for Christ's higher Dispensation and Spiritual Ministry Matth. 3. 11. Mark 11. 8. Luke 3. 16. John 1. 16. Acts 1. 5. 10. 16. compare with Acts 19. 2 3 4. But I need not enlarge on this subject to answer the Anabaptists Argument for Plunging or dipping Believers in Water unless this Rector were in the Practice thereof and renounced his Rantism as they do as a Scriptureless Thing as they term Sprinkling Infants But referr him to a Treatise of one that was of his Coat i. e. William Dell his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or The Doctrine of Baptisms To the Rector's Referring the Reader to that Excellent Piece of Water-Baptism as he terms it writ by that worthy and Ingenious Author as he applauds him of The Snake in the Grass c. printed 1697. p. 29. Thus highly has he commended the Author of that Great Defaming and Reproaching Libel i. e. The Snake in the Grass but it would be too difficult a Task for him to defend the manifold Gross and Abominable Lies and Calumnies contain'd therein against the manifest detection and discovery made of them not only in my Antidote against the Venom of
stand here which shall not tast of Death till they have seen the Kingdom of God come with Power The like in Luke 9. 27. All which shew the Kingdom Then near to come even in their days consequently the Saints partaking of the Blessing thereof was and is in their Life time wherein they partook even of the Spiritual Supper of the Lord the Spiritual Meat and Drink at Christ's Table in his Kingdom wherein the Substance and Fulness of all Types and Shadows consists and whereof every true Spiritual Christian is partaker By all which 't is Evident that there is just Cause to consider the Lord's Supper in the Substance and Mystery of Christ and that his Kingdom wherein the same is Spiritually received ought not to be put afar off nor true Believers excluded out of it until Christ's Last Coming at the End of the World and the Resurrection in the Great and Last Day Neither ought poor Souls to be left starving and famishing under Shadows and a barren Ministry until then for that can be no Glad Tidings or true Gospel to them therefore all had need to be careful and take heed that they don't famish their poor Souls by neglecting the Substance and feeding upon Shadows And that the Bread and the Cup which Christ gave at his Supper were a Figure or Typical was confessed by divers Eminent Martyrs as John Frith in his Reasons upon the Sacrament treating of Christ the Promised Seed saith Likewise the same Promise was made unto Moses the most meek and gentle Captain of the Israelites which did not only himself believe upon Christ which was so often promised but also did prefigurate him by divers Means both by the Manna which came down from Heaven and also by the Water wich issued out of the Rock for the refreshing the Bodies of his People Neither is it to be doubted but that both Manna and this Water had a Prophetical Mystery in them declareing the very self-same thing which the Bread and the Wine do now declare unto us in the Sacrament For thus saith St. Augustine Wbosoever did understand Christ in the Manna did eat the same Spiritual Food that we do but they which by that Manna sought only to fill their Bellies did eat thereof and are Dead On the Margent it is Manna the Water of the Rock a Figure of Christ's Body Bread and Wine a Figure likewise of Christ's Body 1 Cor 10. See 2 Vol. Martyrs p. 305. printed 1641. And Dr. Cranmer Arch-Bishop of Canterbury confesseth Christ's Speech i. e. This is my Body to be Figurative and quoting Ambrose in 1 Cor. 11. he calleth the Bread and the Cup Signs a Type Figure or Sign of the Blood of Christ and of his Benefit in his Disputations in Oxford Vol. 3. Mar. p. 59. And p. 54. Ibid. he saith The Flesh liveth by Bread but the Soul is inwardly Fed by Christ. And Dr. Ridley Bishop of London in his Disputation at Oxford saith And as one of the Fathers saith a Figure is in vain where the thing signified is present Ibid. p. 74. And p. 75 76. In Opposition to the Popish Doctrine of Transubstantiation he saith The sayings of the Fathers declare it to be a Figurative Speech as appeareth in Origen Tertullian Chrysostom in Opere Imperfecto Augustine Ambrose Basil Gregory Nazienzen Hilary and most plainly in Bertram The rest of the Rector's Observation relating to Baptism Bread and Wine pag. 37 38. is answered in the Just Examination of the Two Books of the Three Norfolk-Priests Quest. Do you believe and own the Holy Scriptures contained in the Books of the Old and New Testament to be given by Divine Inspiration and to contain all Matters of Doctrine and Testimony necessary to be believed and practis'd in order to Salvation and Peace with God Answ. Our Answer is Yes we do and by the assistance of the Grace and good Spirit of God which gives the true Understanding of the Mind of God and Meaning of Holy Scripture we always desire to live in the Faith Knowledge and Practice of them in all things appertaining to Life and Godliness Holy Scripture being given by Divine Inspiration is profitable for Doctrine Correction and Instruction that the Man of God may be perfect thorowly furnished unto every good Work able to make the Man of God Wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus In the Observation made upon this our Profession the Rector is pleas'd to question the Sincerity thereof which he leaves to the World and the Reader to judge p. 39 42. But our Sincerity is known to the Lord to whom we commit our Cause And being prejudg'd by this pretended Rector we shall not leave it to him to be Judge over our Sincerity or Conscience towards God For being all along Prejudicate in his Observations he had need to be corrected for his Vncharitableness and Censoriousness The first Instance he gives to disprove our Sincerity is a Quotation of some Quakers out of the Quakers Refuge p. 17. against John Whitehead and Robert Ruckhill Whether the first Penman of the Scriptures was Moses or Hermes c. With other Questions which are answered over and over in divers of our Books and particularly in my late Examination entituled Truth and Innocency p. 57. wherein 't is made evident that those Questions did not arise from any Doubts or Scruples in the said John Whitehead or R. R. but in some others and therefore waved as not the Subject of R. R's Argument who recited them in the said Quakers Refuge Consequently very unjustly quoted against the Quakers to render them Insincere in the same Confession to the Truth of the Holy Scripture as given by Divine Inspiration What the Rector quotes against E. Burrough G. F. W. P. G. W. c. in p. 40 41 42. concerning the Scriptures and the Word of God c. is also answered in the said Examination p. 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 and p. 58. I cannot but take notice how Credulous as well as Envious this Rector appears in repeating Fra. Bugg's Old Lie to defame us bidding the Reader See Lawson's Threefold Estate of Anti-christ p. 9. The Scripture is Dust and Death Beastly Wares c. p. 41. I would ask this Rector whether he has seen these very Words in the place quoted Or if he has ever read the said Lawson's Threefold State of Anti-christ If he says he has I 'm sure he is guilty of a notorious Lie in this Quotation for there is not a word of calling the Scripture Beastly Ware c. But Babylon's Merchants selling Beastly Ware for a large Price c. p. 9. And if he received this Quotation upon Credit from F. Bugg he is very Vnjust and Immoral therein in receiving and promoting such a Reproach against his Neighbours to defame them which Offence is justly Condemn'd by the righteous Law of God Another apparent Abuse I find against Samuel Fisher his Appendix p. 752. Printed 1679. by
a partial and unjust Citation in curtailing and perverting his Words to make them look as if writ in Contempt of Holy Scripture where the Rector saith Samuel Fisher has these Words speaking of the Text of Scripture Which Transcriptions and Translations were they neve so certain and entirely answering to the first Original Copies yet are not capable to be to all Men any other than a Lesbyan Rule or Nose of Wax T his worthy Author in his Works has the Testimony of Luke Howard H. Fisher and W. Penn p. 40. Thus this Adversary has injuriously dealt by Samuel Fisher rendering him to speak these words of the Text of Scripture which are spoken in reference to the various Transcriptions Translations Interpretations Expositions Senses and Meanings Thoughts and Conceits of Men who Comment upon them and not to the Text of Scripture purely consider'd The Rector having left out both the foregoing and subsequent Reasons of Sam. Fisher's words which clear his intention both from his Calumny of the Venom of Quakerism and from his insinuating Insincerity against our said Profession I may therefore recite part of them in S. F's behalf he not being here to vindicate himself and the Truth profess'd by him which in his Life-time he largely vindicated to the great Confusion of his Opposers where he saith Moreover how intirely soever the Transcriptions are the Translations which is all the Rule the People have unless the Priest's prattle must be their Rule are confessed to be the most various and abominably and wofully corrupted Witness J. O. who is scarce more busie to evince the entireness of his Hebrew and Greek Text than in evidencing the Erroneousness of all Translations some of which that are most ancient and of most account among most Priests as the Septuagint are gone off quoth J. O. from the Original in a Thousand Places twice told Thus they run the bounds trace to and fro and dance up and down in their dark Minds about the Transcriptions and Translations of their Text which they take to be their Rule which Transcriptions and Translations were they never so certain and entire by answering the first Original Copies yet are not capable to be to all Men any other than a Lesbyan Rule or Nose of Wax for as much as even where Men have them as half the World has not they are liable to be wrested and actually twisted twenty ways by Interpreters whose Expositions Senses and Meanings which are as many and various as the Thoughts and Conceits and Inventions of the Men are who Comment upon them must be the Rule to such as can read them neither in Hebrew nor in Greek nor in their own Mother-Tongues neither Appendix p. 751 752. Now to clear S. Fisher from esteeming the Text of Holy Scripture in it self either a Lesbyan or Leaden Rule or a Nose of Wax but only the Corrupters and Perverters thereof making them such that it may appear how well he esteemed of the Holy Scriptures he in the same Book with the said Appendix quoted against him i. e. Rusticus ad Academicus Printed in Quarto 1660. in his Second Apologetical and Expostulatory Exercitation Chap. I. p. 6. he calls the Scripture a Declaration of those things that were believed and of the Word of Faith that was preached a writing Holy Scriptures Scriptures of Truth Books of Writing that consists treat of and declare in forms of plain true suitable and sound Words various true things c. So that as written in the Spirit the Holy Scriptures may be said to be Homogeneous Writings all of one kind But in respect of the several Businesses written of therein they are Heterogeneous i. e. a Body or Bulk of as various Writings as any extant in the World besides them And in p. 48 49. he condemns Mens Mis-renderings corrupt Copyings and Commentings and making the Scripture to stand which way any Critick pleases And farther saith As 't is my continual Exercise in Works to do it i. e. to condemn such their Corruptions and Perversions so do I here in plain Words exalt the Scripture which they so debase and state it over all their Trash and Trumpery even on the very top of all their long Train of Traditions and over the Archest Title of the Tripple-Crown the proudest Pinnacle of Peter's now Un Peter-like painted Temple the highest Point of that Pompous Pious Pitteous Pillar and Ground of Truth the choicest Chapter of that Holy Church and infallibly Erring infallible Chair And in p. 49. he farther declares himself a just plain and impartial Pleader for the Scripture and a doer of Right to those Holy Writings which are egregiously wronged by both Papists and Protestants c. And p. Ibid. he argues for many i. e. who are falsly suppos'd to be slighters and disowners of Scripture who to give it its due and no more as indeed it is do own honour and exalt the Holy Scripture much more and more truly than any of your exalted selves c. And p. 112. The Scripture testifies of the Word which will endure Thus S. Fisher has cleared the Point of his great Value and Esteem of the Holy Scripture considered in its highest primitive best and purest Aspect as at first given forth quite contrary to his being supposed a Contemner thereof Quest. Do you believe the Doctrine of the Resurrection from the Dead and of Eternal Judgment and the Immortality of the Soul Answ. We sincerely believe and confess the Doctrine of the Resurrection from the Dead and of Eternal Judgment according to Holy Scripture Heb. 6. 2. That God will raise the Dead and judge the World in Righteousness by his Son Jesus Christ in the Day appointed even in the Great Day of Judgment and that Harvest which is the End of the World That the Soul of Man though created is Immortal and never dies Even as these Doctrines are more fully testified in Holy Scriptures by Jesus Christ and his holy Apostles 1. For the Doctrine of the Resurrection see Mat. 13. 43. and Chap. 22. 30 31. Mark 12. 25. Luke 20. 36. John 5. 29. 1 Cor. 15. 19 35 36 37 to the 53d verse Phil. 3. 29. Col. 3. 4. 1 John 3. 2. 1 Thess. 4. 16. Rev. 20. 12 13 14 15. 2. Of Eternal Judgment see Mat. 13. 39 40 41 42. Chap. 10. 15. 11. 24. 25. 30 31 41. Mark 8. 38. Luke 9. 26. Acts 17. 31. John 5. 22 27. Acts 10. 42. 2 Thess. 1. 7 8 9. 2 Tim. 4. 1. 1 Pet. 4. 5. 2 Pet. 2. 9. Jude 6. 3. For the Immortality of the Soul see Gen. 1. 27. 2. 7. 1 Kings 17. 21. Mat. 16. 26. Mark 8. 36 37. Eccles. 3. 21. 12. 7. Luke 16. 22 23. 2 Cor. 5. 1 2. In the Observation upon this Profession On our sincerely believing and confessing the Doctrine of the Resurrection from the Dead according to Holy Scripture The Rector thus reflects That is according to their Sence and Interpretation of Holy