for thy Credits sake concerning our mouths being stopt our being silenced our having nothing to say our sitting down as astonish'd and p. 8. 13. 18. as if it had been with T.D. as 't was with Christ when the Scribes were silenced by him So that from that time forward none durst ask him any more Questions being so astonisht at his Vnderstanding and Answers Matth. 22.46 Whereas I who was as likely to have seen it as T.D. discern'd no such thing among any of us as being silenced and having our mouths stopt from having any thing to say save only that we were often silenced and stopt from uttering that we ever had to say by the wicked ragings of thy turbulent spirited people who were ever foaming out their own shame and casting up mire and dirt in a restle's manner till we were silent when uttering any thing whereby they perceived thee likely to be hampered Nor know I any of us that were astonished at any thing that was seen in T.Ds. Disputes more then ordinary save the bruitish stupidity of some of his Dâ—ctrinal Assertionâ— which though he sayes he blushes not at himself in his Epistle to the second Pamphlet but is so far from being asham'd of that as he two or three times own'd them audaciously before so he there professes if all the World could hear his voice he would confess as his Faith to this day Yet I know some asham'd and astonisht at his un-Saint-like sottishness therein more especially those two or three which I shall name only here being elâ—ewhere to examine them viz. his holding it with T.R. that 't is a Doctrine of Devils to preach a possibility of mens freedome from sin in this life p. 47. 2 His saying that David when he was guilty of Adultery and Murder was not in a condemned state but in a justified estate 3 That Pauls own righteousness and so all the Saints righteousnesses inherent are Christs and no other then what they receive from him and he works in them and serve though not for Iustification and right to the Inheritance yet for Sanctification and to make meet for possession of it and yet are no other then dung and filthy rags p. 15.22 As for any Astonishment unless it were at the grossness of these other of thy absurd Doctrines and thy own impudent persistance in them I know none in any of us But 't is like T.D. thou wast concern'd on the account of thy prayer thus to relate our mouths to be stopped Thou tellst the world p. 1. That after a brief Account of the occasion of the Dispute and after a short prayer thou mad'st for a blessing on the Meeting which as short as it was will be long enough ere it be heard considering first that God hears not sinners and secondly that the things askt were not according to the Will of God for as one of the two grand Petitions of it was That we poor wretches might be made to acknowledge the Light in us to be darkness which we never have done nor shall do I trust any more then its utterly unfit we should for we know its the Eternal Light of the Lord Iesus Christ and the only true Light that leads to Eternal Life so the other was that our mouths might be so stopt that we might not say any thing Which two Petitions as we did not joyn with thee in thy putting up so since thou sawst thou purst up in vain there being no answer to them from God 't was as vain for thee in the Account of thy Prayer to set them down whereupon or else upon some other occasion thou forbearst it which that it might not seem altogether unanswered as I hear say it was we have now and then such a showre as this sprinkled up and down here and there in thy Account of the Dispute that we were silent had nothing to say sate down astonisht and had our mouths stopt And as I said above if there were all we said that thou sent down though as it stands in that cursory way thou renderst it in it stands strong enough against thy pitteous Pot-gun Pellets and poor Replyes it might also seem true that as thou prayedst and mad'st intercession against us so it fell out indeed viz. that we were sometimes silent having well nigh nothing to say for of about twenty houres conference that was held between us three and T.D. in those three daies nine or ten whereof may well be supposed to be ours thou 〈◊〉 down to us as much as may be spoken over in about half one half hour or in half a quarter and yet entitlest this thy diminutive doings A true Account of those Discourses A true Relation of what passed and yet in all this thou art so far from blushing or being asham'd that though G.W. truly and justly charg'd it on thee in his book how thou wrongedst us by laying down things in our names which we never spake and diminishing from our words and making false â—oâ—structions In the Epistle of this Second part to the same tune thou impudently declarest that howbeit thou art come upon the Stage once more not without a blush yet 't is not as one ashamed of thy Doctrines nor yet as one conscious to thy self of wronging the Qua. in thy Relation of the Disputes between thee and them either by laying down things in their Names they never spâ—ke â—r diminishing from their words or making false constructions of them which is enough well nigh to make a modest man blush to hear thee say in Answer to G.Ws. Charge and yet not blush at it since its most notoriously evident to all that will see when they may thou hast both added to and altered by false construction and diminisht from our words to the absolute abusing of us to the World 1 Altered thou hast and faultred fonly in that very thing wherein G.W. instances as concerning Justification by the Righteousness of Christ and his Spirits working in us which the Spirit calls Ours which thou constâ—uest and so represent'st it to the world as if I had said we are justified by such Works of Ours as are filthy rags as we confess all Our Righteousnesses wrought one of Christ are but not any of those of the Church which Christ works in them as he did in Paul after his Conversion which thou mayst blush at thy blasphemy in calling filthy rags as if Christ vvrought a righteousness in his people which is no better then an unclean thing â—ung and filthy rags of vvhich more anon Whereas I said only by those good vvorks vvhich are vvrought by him in us and vve vvork in his Povver and Spirit Did I say T.D. vve stand just before God by any unclean thing by dung and filthy rags 〈…〉 indeed the Righteousness of Christ vvhich is imparted to the Saints and Inherent in them by vvhich they stand pure in Gods sight truly and not suppositively only dung an unclean thing and
true that as Iannes and Iambres withstood Moses by imitating what he did by the finger of God and acting outwardly so as he as far as they could till they were forced to confesse they could now fainedly follow no further and in a seeming shew did the same by their Enchantments So 't is now the Saints pray so do the Sinners the Saints fast so do the Sinners the Saints preach of a Gospel a Kingdom to come so do the Serpents the Saints meet so do the Hypocrites the Saints Worship so do the Idolaters the Saints in the Power and Spirit of God professe to be Godly and Holy so do the zealous Sorceters in words who bewitch the people that they cannot believe and obey the Truth and their several seduced Societies which have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Form of Godlinesse denying the power thereof c. And as it is true that as the Quakers Tremble at Gods Word so that the power of Gods voice which shaketh the Cedars of Lebanon when heard as well as the lower shrubs ofâ—â—times greatly affecteth the outward man so the Devil may cause some of his deluded ones to seem only to do the like But what of all this Scillicet because there is something done in Deceit therefore nothing now done in Truth some Quaking is of the Devil therefore none of God himself This is the sum of I. O's sayings of all the Quakers in grosse if not learn henceforth I.O. to take forth the prelious from the vile as Gods Prophets do who are as his mouth Ier. and not to jumble these together in one as hitherto thou hast done till then I tell thee from the Quakers so called that faining and being driven by the Devil thou fatherest on us we are far from and deny it as one of the many Lyes the Devil drives thee to defame us with who are in the Truth which the Devil abode not in whose Works with himself and his Lyes and that Deceit which is of him and dwells in thee we deny and defie also for ever And now whereas thou talkest of only Liberty and Glory and Fellowship with the Father in these dayes of the New Testament and such Quaking Trembling Terrour Dread c. as greatly affects the outward man as a matter belonging to them of old only to the Iewish Paedagogy c. as if the Word must come to you now in a smoother manner then to Gods Servants and Prophets heretofore Herein thou talkest as if the time of all such Trouble Terrour Dread and Trembling at hearing of the Word of God as usually affected the outward man and was in the Prophets was all perfectly past and men should see no more of that in the world among the Servants of the Lord from that time and forward wherein Christ after the flesh was outwardly incarnated Crucified and Risen again from the dead and all the Appearances of the Lord to his Apostles Prophets Messengers Ministers and Servants whom he sends forth on his Errand into the world now a dayes are only in liberty glory dreaming pleasantly in thy dark mind of ease rest peace and familiarity with the dreadful God before thy time damning down the rough severe troublesome terrible trembling spirit doctrine and Ministry of the Quakers to thee ward and thy serpentine generation of Vipers that would fain flee the wrong way when ye are warned thereof from the newes of a wrath yet to come to your lifelesse Formes and fig-leaves and false biding-places sandy sickle foundations literal lurking-holes fained pretences bare Bible bulwarls selfish Fastings Prayers Praisings Preachings misty empty pithlesse and poor Professions as a Doctrine of Devils as a ministration wherein either fictitiously or rather really they are acted surpriz'd by the Devil with trembling in their holy services Ex. 1 S.I. as they said of Iohn that came Fasting and Reproving Iudging and Threatning laying an Axe to the root of their fair leafy tree and flourishing formal prosessings of the old Prophets Words and Writings and pretences to Abraham as his Children and Moses as his Disciples and the Scripture as the Scribes and Openers of it and telling of wrath to come upon them and unquenchable fire to burn them up as Chass this man hath a Devil away with him give us a Ministry that will speak comfortably to Ierusalem Seers that will see better things for Sion that shall answer the Messengers of the Nations that enquire of them the Lord hath founded Sion 't is Babylon that is to be confounded O ye Quakers ye Seers flee ye far away hence to Rome to Papists Iesuites Iewes Turks Heathens among whom many Quakers have been but few or none of our Chimney-corner Church-men that I know of but come not hence with your Plumb-line thundring words of Iudgement laid to the line and Righteousnesse to the Plummet and laying waste the High Places of Israel and the Sanctuaries of Israel with the Sword of the Lord this our Land of Israel ought not to bear these words 't is disturbance tumultuousnesse and Conspiracy against the Pious Magistracy and the Godly Ministry in the midst of it Prophesie no more such rough things at Bethel they are not right things here Prophesie to us Placentia Prophesie smooth things alias Deceits we are the Preists of Bethel the house of God Amos 7.7 c. we are the Ministry of the reformed Churches we are the Well heads and feed at the Fountains from whence Souls draw all their Refreshment we are the Doctors Deans Principals Provosts Presidents Wardens Masters of Magdalene Christ-Church Iesus Trinity Emmanuel and such like Christian Colledges and Halls the Religious Nursing Fathers to the Nursing Mothers themselves that are alias ought to be the very Nurseries of Learning and true Religion If ye come to us with a Word from the Lord come not in your wonted trembling postures and obstreperous horrible vociferation wherewith ye dreadfully found it out throw our Streets Cities and Temples know the Lord as if we were without God in the World Prophesie no more ye Fanaticks to us in your pretended movings by the Spirit if ye do ye must bear and take the shame of the Stocks or the Cage or the Whipping-Post and a Passe to the place from whence ye came or the pulling off your Robe with the Garment or the stopping of your Mouth with stones and the Pumps and Mire and Dirt or such like Mic. 2.6 7 8. But vers 11. if a man walk in a Spirit of Falshood do Lye will Prophesie to us of wine strong drink Ease Pleasure Peace with God in our sins impossibility of being purged from them till we die and of Salvation and Iustification of us by the Example of David while under the guilt of Murder and Adultery and of Profits and Preferments and more Maintenance for a Godly Ministry that suppose Gain to be Godliness let him come he is a Gospel Minister he shall even be the Prophet among our
contradicts himself ye are for all your siding to vindicate the same Points of false Doctrine against the Qua. so frequently sound contradicting each other that in order to the consutation of you both a man may finde contradiction enough either in each of your Writings within themselves or in the Writing of one of you unto the other and so 't is in this case for I.O. owns no other Principle or Foundation of discovery of Divine Truth then the Scriptures for the Faith to stand on p. 18. But thou ownest the Spirit to be the Principle of obedience 2. If the phrase denotes the Principle only and not the Rule as it does not for it denotes both yet the other places mentioned do denote more expresly the Light and Spirit and not the Letter to be the Rule which said Light and Spirit that is the Power of God to say the truth is both the Principle upon which all true Faith is founded and is to stand 1 Cor 2.5 in the movings of which obedience is to be acted and also the Rule according to which as it moves leads guides directs impowers and no otherwise all things that are at all are to be both done and believed And no less do all those phrases however denote viz Rom. 8. 1.4.5.13 Who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit then a being taught led guided ruled directed by as well as moved acted and enabled from the Spirit so or so to believe or do for it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Praeposition though join'd with the Genitive signifies contra against as Gal. 5. The flesh lusteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against the Spirit yet with the accusative is secundum after according to so that the Light and Spirit of Christ within is not onely the Foundation upon which the Principle from which but also that in which the Standard Measure Guide and Rule of direction by after or according to which the Saints are to walk believe and do whatever they do in order to their pleasing of God and standing uncondemned in his sight And no less then so doth Phil. 3.16 import where Paul to the Saints at Philippi with the Bishop and Deacons according to their several statures and degrees of growth in the Light and Spirit of Christ wishes all that were perfect as every one is that is faithful to his own measure to be so minded as himself yet leaving every one to believe and judge by his own measure of Light not binding any one to his till God himself should reveal things as he knew them to those that were yet otherwise minded Neverthelesse quoth he whereunto we have already attained let us walk or steere our course by the same Rule let us mind the same thing Which same Rule or same thing that he wills all though their measures of Light may be different to mind and walk by He that shall dream it to be the Letter of the Scripture without and not the inward Light Grace and Spirit of Christ a measure and manifestation of which is according to the measure of the gift of Christ distributing to every one severally as he will to some more some less some one some two yet to every one one talent at least given to every man to profit withall to improve trade with and thrive by Matth. 25.15 Rom. 12.3.6 1 Cor. 12. 7.11 Eph. 4.7 8. compared with Psal. 68.18 Gifts to the Rebellious also 1 Pet. 4.10 11. I shall deem him to be more deservedly denominated a Doter then a Doctor in Divinity or a true Teacher of the things of God and the Gospel seeing the so-call'd Scripture-Rule or Canon so much counted on as that no other neither inward light nor Word nor Revelations of the Spirit Post completum ejus Canonem as J.O. sayes are at all to be admitted to the Name Title Honour and Authority of a Rule to the Church according to J. O's and T. D's Principles was not yet bounded nor compleated nor come to its full Coronation Canonization Consecration and Consignation by any Clerical Convocation of Divines as it did afterwards while Paul wrote thus to the Philippians there being more of his own and other holy men's Writings penned after this besides the Revelation of John which J.O. on his own head p. 18. calls the Close of the immediate Revelation of Gods will in that way of Writing And whether the Philippians had seen any Scripture at all much lesse any of the Books ye call the New-Testament more then this that Paul now wrote when he wrote this to them unless it may be conjectured from Ph. 3.1 that he himself wrote to them before to the same purpose as now and therefore sayes to write the same things to you is safe for you is questionable and more then J.O. and T.D. with both their heads laid together are able to prove therefore the same Rule he bids them all walk by according to their respective measures and the same thing he bids them mind was not the Scripture but the Light and Spirit which having reveal'd something to them would as they walked perfectly by the Rule thereof reveal all things to them in due time that he knew and they were ignorant of For though the Rule appointed design'd and authoriz'd by God for all men to mind as one man and to walk by from the beginning of the World to this day is but one i. e. the Light Word and Spirit in the heart and conscience yet the Degrees in which it is dispenced are different and every one that is found faithful in the improvement of what is committed to him be it little or more is crowned with the just account of Faithfulness V prightnesse and Perfection and title to the joy and right to have more committed to him Yea as if any man walk up to what he hath already attained to the understanding of the same shall have more abundance If any will do his will saith Christ i.e. so far as he knows the same shall know of the Doctrines that are taught whether they are of God or whether the Teachers thereof speak of themselve Joh. 7.15.16 Such shall discern and distinguish and see and grow into the Spirit of Iudgement and of a sound mind and into a cleare sight of the mind of God who manifests himself to such as he does not to the world who receive not the Spirit of Truth which he gives to all in some measure to convince them of sin righteousnesse and judgement and so to guide them out of sin but that some resist him but to such as own truth as receive him and love and come to the Light which â—evil ones hate loving flesh and darknesse more then it because it reproves their ill deeds that their deeds may be manifested more and more and come to be wrought in God he leads into all truth while such proud Pharisaical Praters as Vniversity-bred Schollars stubborn Students and rebellious Rabbies Scripture-searching
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
same spirit of falshood viz. in vindication of the Scriptures to be powerful to salvation to beget faith to bee living sharp spirit searching discerning thoughts a Light and Lamp and so consâ—quently the only perfect standing Rule of faith and life exclusively of another Revelation by the Spirit Word or Light within these are aâ—â— true of the Word and Doctrine of Christ the Spirit and Light within the Qua. call to and the Letter points at in all these Texts of thy traducing but mâ—thinks thou shouldest be ashamed to expound any one of those of the Letter and Scripture itself As to that of Paul to Timothy Take heed to thy self and to the Doctrine continue in them in so doing thou shalt save thy self and them that hear thee What 's this in proof of the Scriptures being powerful to save the soul which is the end of thy alledging it he bids him continue in the things he had learned as also 2 Tim. 3.14 and had been assured of knowing of whom he learnt them which if it were from Paul as a means under God as it rather seems to be from Christ himself whose Disciple he was as he could not be but as he laarnt of him before he became acquainted with Paul Act. 16.1 2. the promise is entailed unto his continuance in the things and not ascribed to any power or efficacy of the Scriptures to save though yet we know Timothy was well skilled in the Scriptures also as is owned above And as to that of James with which thou joynest this in proof of the outward Letters power to save to which also p. 83 84 85. thou jumblest together a number more then are in this Catalogue underhand and which I shall take in here that speak of the Word with one consent to one and the same purpose but not to thine which is to prove the Scripture to be so as most effectual powerful and able to save souls yea the very power of God to salvation viz. Rom. 1.16 1 Cor. 1.18 1 Cor. 2.5 1 Thess. 1.5 Psal. 110.2 Act. 20.31 Joh. 6.68 Gal. 2.8 Col. 1.6 and more out of the Coâ—â—nths miscoâ—ed from which Texâ—s thou powerest out thy blinde opinion of the Bible and concerning the Scripture thereof in this particular in such wise saying it is absolutely called the power of God Vis virtus Dei the Power of God the Gospel the Power of God and faith which is built on that Word without other helps or advantages is said to stand in the Power of God the Word that comes not as a naked word but in power and in the holy Ghost and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 giving all manner of assurance and full perswasion of it self even by its power and efficacy It is termed the Rod of power or strength denoting its Authority and Efficacy that which is thus the Power and Authority of God able to make it self known so to be It is not only said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Power the power of God in it self but also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 able and powerful in respect of us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sacred Letters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are able to make wise to salvation they are powerful and effectual to that purpose it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 potens servare animaâ— nostras the Word that hath power in it to save the able powerful word that Paul commends the Ephesians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is living and effectual By vâ—rtue of this power it brought forth fruit in all the world without sword without for the most part miracles without humane wisdome or Oratory without any inducements or motives but what were meerly and solely taken from it self consiâ—ting in things that eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor could enter into the heart of man to conceive hath eâ—erted this power and efficacy so the conquest of the world causing men of all sorts in all times and places so to fall down before its divine Authority as immediately to renounce all that was dear to them in the world and to undergo what ever was dreadful terrible and destructive to nature in all its dearest concernments and such like Reply All this I know to be true of the Word Light and Spiâ—it of God in the hearts of men which the Letter points to and the Apostles preached as that which men should beleeve in it is absolutely the Gospel the power of God to salvation but the Letter not so the faith that is built on that word without other helps or advantages from the Letter stands in the Power of God as Abraham Noahs Enoch Abels and all the holy men did that lived by faith in the Word 't was Gods power mighty and effectual to save them before any outward Letter was written and without the help and advantage thereof but the outward Letter is profitable to nothing at all without the help and advantage of the Light and Spirit within but is a dead letter of no efficacy for the good of souls and this the same J.O. who sayes the Scripture without other helps and advantages is so absolute and perfect that we may obtain eternal life that there 's no need of any other Revelation by the Spirit or Light within but those are all dangerous uncertain unprofitable in no wise necessary fanatick figment desestable c. Ex. 17. s. 28. to the wonted contradiction of himself in all tâ—at and what is underhand confesses with us in totidem verbis of that Scripture which he calls the Word p. 236. saying that without the adminisâ—ration of the Spirit accompanying mens possession of it it is a dead letter of no efficacy to the good of souls The word Light and Spirit of God and Christ within nigh in the heart but not the Letter without is the Gospel which Paul bare testimony to and was sent to turn men to by his Ministry and was not ashamed of saying its the power of God to salvation to every on that beleeves in it and comes in the outward Ministry of it by word of mouth and writing and is witnessed so to do at this day as of old it did to many not in word only but power and the holy Spirit giving all manner of assurance and full perswasion of it self to such as through prejudice put it not away from them and thereby judge themselves unworthy of that eternal life which it is the word of that it is not the word of men but as it is in truth the word of God that is both light and living and Spirit and life it self even the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ the Image of God which is not Letter 2 Cor. 3. thining unto them both in and also out of the darkness that is mens hearts where the God of this world blindes not the minds so that men will not beleeve it to the giving them the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. This and not the Letter
the light of God the wisdome saving truth immediate witness clearest way of Revelation soul-cleansing Law sure foundation most perfect Rule immoveable stedfast Standard of Gods setting up but it self is nos all nor any of this nor doth it at all any where avouch it self to be any of it at all The Scripture points to that which is the Power of God by the being of which in and upon his people who only own and joyn to it they are made a willing people in the day thereof when such as turn from and against the light which is the power and labour in the weak naked Letter labour in vain and are left unwilling to leave their lusts and lives for Christ as his Maryrs or outward witnesses did in all Ages But the Letter it self is not Power of God that sustained them in the suffering and inabled them to forgo what was dear to them and to undergo what was dreadful and destructive to nature in its dearest concernments The Letter tells us that the Saints did so and tells us and all Saints that we should do for Christ but the Power by which this is done is another matter then a Letter ad extra even the inward light Word and Spirit that thou doest despite to even that in the conscience that made them indure as seeing him who is invisible and discovered the darkâ—â—ss upon the discovery of which they rather chose death then to own it as Light and Truth not only in ages as high as Moses who by faith in the Light chose affliction rather then sin and feared not the wrath of Pharaoh but also from him downward as low as Maries dayes in which some died for denying the darknâ—ss of the Popes Dâ—ctrines of Transubstantiation c. which the Light in their consciences told them were too gross to be of God who yet by their confession could not dispute against it with Vniversity Sottish Sophisters Doctor Dunces out of Letter nor so much as read a letter therein and also as low as these dayes wherein by the Power of God many are born up to bear the Trials of the cruel Academical mockings scoffings scourgings inâ—lictings stonings bonds imprisonments abuses to death witness one of the first of the Lords two Hand-maids that were sent to warn the Vniversity of their universal abomiâ—ations at Oxford in the time of I.Os. Vice chancellorship there who perhaps may not be so learned literally though mystically and spiritually more in the Letter as obtuse aÌ„cuti â—omunâ—ioneâ— many of those dull-beaded nimble disputers out of it are in their bald fashion of Syllogistical form Neither did the Letter either of the Old Testament which is the Letter without of what things soever written or the outward Letter of the New ever conquer the world in which thou sayest it brought forth so much fruit further then into a meer empty fruitless form of Godliness without the power thereof insomuch that though as to the Primitive Christian Churches while they kept in the Light which the Apostles Ministry whether by word of mouth or Writing Letter Scripture was to turn them to walk by and beleeve in and in the Spirit in which they began till fooâ—ishly being bewitched from obeying the truth it self they turned aside to the outward Text that tells it and so thought to be made perfect by the flesh and the fleshly bodily exercises they found in the Letter which once used were as low weak beggeâ—ly elements for a time the power of God and godliness was much â—elt among them and abode with and upon them to the prevailing against the Powers of the earth and the overcomming the world it self and Satan the Prince of it by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of his Testimony not loving their lives to the death and much fruit of the Spirit and of righteousness was brought forth to the glory and praise of God But when Synods and Councels doting Doctors infatuated Ghostly-Fathers and such as admired their persons as they the persons of the Apostles and primitive Disciples began to bundle together what they could get of the Wâ—itings of such as were coaetaneous with Christ and the Apostles and without any such order from either Christ or the Apostles to canonize what in their conceits might be useful to others as they had found them t is like to be to themselves into a Rule or Canon and stated them into a common Standard for all to have their sole recourse to in soul-cases and matters of Christian faith and holy life and so to adore the dead letters of those holy living men and to run a whoring after some remnants of Writings that dropt from them then in the whole world now called Christendome instead of an Apostolical Spouse of Christ as Christians were at first presented a chaste Virgin to himself by them there stands up an Apostatical Strumpet that had the Letter and good words written there but neither the life of God nor the Word of life therein testified to that according to the nature of Error which is ever multiplying degenerated more and more into the dark till at last being gone from the Word Spirit Light and Life within to the outward Letter that relates of it they ran into the Wildernes of their own numberless senses upon it so that they lost the Letter also and fell from it into Tradition and a thousand Old Wives Fables and though it is good and acknowledged so to be so far as it is that the Protestants have marched from Rome under the conduct of the Leâ—ter yet for all they are come back from the blinde screel scrawls of the Popish Scribes for their smoaky imaginations to a pretensive profession of and prate prâ— Scripturis for the Scriptures unless they march on according to the conduct of the Scriptures till they come into the Light and Spirit which they point to and by a dotage upon the Scriptures ye would run from they are not so much as come yet to the Scriptures nor to conform to that counsel of the Prophets and Apostles given in it but are yet erring from the Scriptures even in and by their very eager Scriblings for it as the only most perfect Rule and from the only Rule of faith and way to Life the Letter is as loud for but that they are dull of hearing as they in their naked Writings are loud for the naked Letter it self And so it comes to pass that as Israel was of old who was as laborious in the Letter busie about the Bible and strict for his Scripture-standard as our Israel for the self-same which yet they confess too is abolished as to the Litteral observation of it with the Appendix of a few of Stories and Letters and Revelations of those holy men next to Christs time who by the Spirit wrote much more then is there own'd as their Standard I say as the old Israel proved as to God an empty vine Hos. 10.1 bringing forth
that beleeves not both beleeves neither But what of that what follows hence this quoth I O. for that is the very end hee infers this Text for and the very conclusion he infers from it viz. that Moses writings of Christ are more sure and of greater certainty as to the Churches use then Christs own words from his own mouth or then Christs Revelations of Gods minds to men as revealed to him from the mouth of God from the very bosome of the Father Siccine Itane is it so I O. indeed what the ouâ—â—ard remotely transcribed Copies of the writings of the Old servant that put a vail over his face too and spake so darkly in types and figures and shews and shadows that 't was hard to behold stedfastly to what end he spake more plain and stedfast and sure and certain then the immediate Voice Words Revelations of the Son himself whom Moses called to hear as coming and speaking more distinctly out of the very bosome of the Father O the dotage of our Vniversity Doctors the dimness of our Divines who profess to dive daily and deeply into the Scriptures that make the dark Writings and dead Letter and servant more clear and worthy and useful to the Church then the express Voice and Words of the Son which are Spirit and life it self I shall set but one Scripture to face this fancy of I.O. and so leave and let it stand to the shame of it self and its Father Heb. 3. vers 1. to the 8. See and read it Thus of the first The words of the second are these Be not soon shaken in minde nor troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us as that the day of the Lord is at hand Rep. The business I.O. cites this in proof of is for this and that next before are of those that are subscribed to that purpose that the certainty of the Scripture is preferred before the certainty of true Revelations and Miracles but which way so much can be drawn unless it be as I.O. draws iniquity with cords of vanity and sin as it were with Cart Ropes from that Text is more then I can tell Paul Silas and Timothy had told them it seems of the coming of the day of God both by Spirit Word and Letter they whose great hope lay in the comming of that day like such as look and long for what they love and are apt to thinke and hope it to be as they would have it did hope it to be nearer hand then it was and fearing left finding it further off then they thought they might bee troubled and shaken in minde and failing in their faith of it he gives them to understand the worst of it that the best might the better help it self that they should not mistake them in their Doctrine about that day as if they had said it was immediately to shine out upon them and so waver in their mindes flag in their faith and be troubled with doubts as if it would never come to them because not so soon as they wisht it might for there was a long night to interpose it self first he wills them withall to remember v. 5. that he told them no less in the Spirit by Word of his mouth as now he doth over again by Letter or Writing when was present with them howbeit as that 's never long that comes at last so that day would come at last to their salvation and destruction of the man of sin who caused the night with the brightness of it Here 's the short and the long of the business of that verse and those about it from which I who can see the Sun can see no such Doctrine follow as I.O. dreamingly draws from it nor one dram of Reason nor the least grain of Assent to his Asasâ—inated Assertion that the Scripture is of more certitude as to the Churches use then any true Revelations Other Arguments I.O. urges why the Light and Spirit cannot bee the Rule c. Therefore the Scripture must be it J.O. That to which we are never no where sent of God that we might learn the knowledge of himself and his will and take direction in our duty that cannot be the Rule Canon Principle or directory of our Faith Learning Knowledge and obedience But we are never no wheresent of God to any inward Light or internal Private spirit c. Therefore c. Les the Fanaticks produce but one place of Scripture wherein we or any are sent to their Rules or directions of faith and obedience and we will not say but they have cause to triumph in earnest but if they speak of their own they are Lyars they bear witness to themselves and their witness is not true Reply As for thy word Private Spirit we deny all leading by any Private Light and Spirit It is the Common Light and Publick Spirit of God which is one and the same in all though not in the same measure and not any thing of our own that we testifie to and profess to follow as our guide It is the gift of Gods grace in us that appears to all bringing salvation which teaches all that are led by it and learn at it to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and live godly righteously and soberly here that we intend nor do we so much as pretend to any other inwardlight but that of God in the conscience which though thou foolishly stile it Natural yet thy self be â—rest such an ample testimony to sometimes that we need use no other then thy own words to prove it to be infallibly of God and from him an infallible guide and that we are sent of God to this inward Light Word or Spirit in answer to thy challenge to produce one Scripture I say what need wee produce one Thy own pen if thou l't beleeve it points out almost iâ—numerable places yea all in which the Word of God is said to be preacht publisht multiplied received where the Word nigh in the heart is meant and the outward Scripture that is the declaration of it considered formaliter or as written not at all intended yet for fear thou shouldest not beleeve thy own pen when such Truths drop from it as make against thee and indeed it hath let fall so many untruths pro and cons and fellaries from it that it little deserves to be beleeved by thy self but rather suspected when it writes the truth I am free here to produce some out of many more that might bee produced wherein men are sent in the Scripture if that be of God by whom thou sâ—yest they nunquam nusquam never no where are so sent to the rules and directions we call to which are not any mans own private spirit or fained light or Enthusiasms or dreams as thou dreamest and to the abusing of us to the world out of thy own narrow private light-loathing spirit divinest they are but the Word Light and Spirit of God which is
ministry of the heavens and the firmament which is so to every individual man that there 's neither speech nor language male nor female where their voice is not heard the found is gone out into all the world and their words even Christs and the Spirits within for the outward words and writings of men preaching the Gospel thereby have never yet extended nor reached so largely as to all men to the ends of the earth Yet all have not obeyed the Gospel saith he no not Israel it self without of whose having the outward Letter of the Statutes and Iudgements which thou as sillily callest against thy self too as G.W. truly tells thee in another case callest in both thy Pamphlets the Supernatural Light or knowledge of the Gospel thou keepest such a scraping as if that fleshly natural seed of Abraham and their natural fleshly wayes of knowing what they know which was little of the mystery 2 Cor. 3. by that natural reading and poring upon the Letter as ye also do were the most supernatural men and means as to the saving knowledge of the Gospel in all the world whereas the Iews were as meer Animal and Naturall as your selves who savingly know nothing by the Letter I say that Israel it self obeyed not and why not because as husie as they were with you in their Bible they regarded not but rebelled against the strivings of the Lord himself with them by his Light and Spirit within therefore saith Paul ver 21. as the reason render'd by God himself Isa. 65.2 All day long have I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and gain-saying people Also that they have the Light in them who yet neither believe in it nor are the children of it but yet abiding in darkness is as clear from Chrihs own words Iob. 8.12.12.35.36 I am the light of the world he i.e. he of the world that followeth me shall not abide in darkness but have the light of Life Walk while ye have the Light while ye have the Light believe in the Light that ye may be it seems they yet were not so yet had a Light in them to believe in the Children of the Light some of which Light was come not unto them only but into the world also ver 26. That who e're believes in it might come out of darkness and evil ones had it come to them as well as such as did Truth though they came not to it as the other did else they could not be said to see and hate it and so Christ and the Father whose will was revealed in it as they are Iohn 3.20.12.48 and 15.22 23.24 So Christ is come by his Light as the Sun by its beams into some dark Dungeon into the dark world the dark places of mens hearts and of the earth that are full of the habitations of cruelty Dens of Devils Cages of unclean and hareful birds holds of cruel wicked fowl and filthy spirits to give life and that abundantly Iohn 10.10 yea he came to the Scribes of old by his Light not outward person only to that end yet they had not the Light of Life why so Ye hear not Gods Voice saith he and have not his Word which ye put from you abiding in you ye search the Scriptures which testifie of me who am the Life and there ye look to have it and come not unto me that ye might have life Joh. 5.37.38.39.40 Wisdome Christ the Wisdome of God reproves cryes to men in their own consciences by his own Voice Light and Spirit in their hearts even to scorners simple ones foâ—ls that hate knowledge and would poure out his Spirit on them as on others but some hearken not hate turn away so are slain and perish not for want of warning counsel Light from Christ to lead who is given as the one Leader and Law-giver to all persons and people but for want of taking heed to him who teaches and looking to his Law in the heart which enlightens Thou call'st as I.O. does falsly the Letter Christs Light and the only means that men can come to saving knowledge by yet heed'st no more then he to his to thy own satisfaction that all who have it and look and read in it too as the Scribes did have not the knowledge of God and his Kingdome by it and yet if we should say of those men that come not to Life by the Letter therefore they have not the Letter would'st thou not say of us that we are mad mutato nomine the Argument is thine to us-ward as concerning Christs Light in the Conscience yet nunquam videns id manticae quod in tergo est thou canst not see it The Corinthians had the Light shining in their hearts to give the knowledge yet all of them had not the true knowledge of God and that they had not when he shone by his Light in them 't was their fault else Paul could not have spoken it as he does 1 Cor. 15. to their own shame And this may stand as an answer to thy pedling Reply to G.W. when he urg'd from 2 Cor. 4.6 that the Light shone in the Corinthians hearts in whose hearts sayest thou p. 4. 1. Pamp. not of all mankind but of the Apostle and some others a small number in comparison of the rest who were not enlightned and to back that thy shameful blindness in limiting the shinings of the true Light into such a little nook as a small number thou boltest out much more saying from ver 3.4 the Gospel is hid to them that are lost and there are some to whom the Light shines not not heeding as I said before that that may be in men which men may hate smoother and hide in their own hearts and be lost for want of the sight of when not for want of the Light it self that men may have the serse of sight and the presence of light and yet not see but shut their eyes that that may shine in them which they giving way to the God of this World to blind their minds may not shine out unto them as a Candle may shine in a Room yet if put under a Bushel not shine out to it and a Talent to trade with may be given to him who hiding his Lords money shall reap little profit by it and at last have what light he had within taken from him and be cast forth without into the outer darkness Didst never read of those that seeing and hearing would neither see nor hear nor understand nor perceive as they might therefore at last should not if they would and because thou askest in whose hearts I say in the hearts of some who did not see and know in the Corinthians hearts so that they all had the light and might have seen but only that some would be ignorant and of such sayes Paul 1 Cor. 4. If any man will be ignorant let him be ignorant And sith thou sayest not in the hearts of all mankind I say yea of
against the Truth do so mangonize among you as to make neither more nor lesse then just as many meanings of as ye are men for between you Four there are Four senses put upon it whereof though some of them in terminis are true enough to serve Truths turn against you yet as ye mince your matter in the minds and as ye mean and wrest your own true words as well as the Text it self the wrong way there is never a one of all four that falls fully upon the white That Text is Iohn 1.9 That was the true light which enlightens every man coming into the world That the true Light here spoken of is Christ and the light that comes from him which Iohn Baptist a shining light in his season but inferiour to him was not but only bare Testimony to in whom is Life and whose Life is the light of men that shineth in that darkness which comprehends it not and so consequently not a naturall stuens exâ—â—â—piis naturae much lesse as natural to man as his Intellect Mind and Conscience it self as I. O. sayes that Light which all have is Ex. 4. S. 18. Lumen hâ—â— est naturalis propria niseparabilis mentis conscientiae vis efficazia eculus and yet p. 77. light is not eyes acies meâ—tis est St lumen hoc non 〈◊〉 naturale neque intellectus neque mens neque conscientia homin naturalis est and insufficient but a spirituall supernaturally and all sufficient Light to save all â—â—ch in whom it is in case they believe in it is a truth which as it is undeniable in it self so I never yet met with any Minister or other that was so deeply darkened as to deny Yea I. O. positively affirmeth it to my hands Ex. 4. S. 24. Lucem illuminationem quarum hic loci mentio facta est Spirituales esse aâ—que ad renovationem gratiae non naturales atque ita ad creationem pertinere apparet c. It appears that the light and illumination mentioned John 1.9 are spirituall and pertaining to the renewing of Grace not natural and pertaining to the Creation So that were there as little as there is much to be said beside all those particulars if the universality of it hold but as well from the latter part of the verse stand proved without any more ado the Question then which alone we are concerned to enquire into is Whether this Light which as I. O. sayes Ex. 4. S. 19. non est salutare cum sit naturale so I contrary non est salutare cum sit salutare be so common to all that every man that cometh into the world be enlightned with it in some measure yea or no Now we have the expresse words of the Spirit on our side and are sure enough as to our selves that we have the mind of Christ in them also which is but one but on their side are their own senses minds and meanings which are so many even no lesse then four to that one of ours which most properly answers to the words so that if they can't carry it by weight yet they hope to have it by number and chuse to out-word us since they see they cannot out-weigh us hoping that several senses may well stand and take place against one single one but as a dram of honesty and naked simplicity is to go further then a deal of subtilty and hypocrisie in the dayes that are coming so one of the Qua. proper constructions of Scripture will be preferred by honest people before a four-fold improper one of the Priests imposing The Qua. are in possession of the plain Terms of the place and of that meaning which most properly answers to them saying That by every man coming into the world is intended honestly and plainly truly and properly without dissimulation every man indeed as 't is there expressed and that the Spirit meanes nakedly and truly what he sayes these stand proking pelting and stickling with a company of stones and sticks and strawes to storm the Qua. out of the strong Hold they have in it 1. As for T. D. he lets fly out of the Devils Bow in which he shoots which L. H. hath unstringed and enervated not a little as to many false matters of fact he charges the Qua. with by his discharging at them out of it no lesse then three severall senses or senseless shafts viz two p. 6 and one p. 36. of his 1 Pamph. every of which has truth in it as to the termes he utters himself in but so false as he pinchingly intends by by his own words that all three of them put together do not reach far enough to make up the whole truth that is there intended and so by short shooting he loses all His first sense is this viz. That Christ enlightens every man that is enlightened Repl. So say I that makes for us that is every man without exception for thus I argue shooting back T. Ds. Arrows against himself who overshot himself in one sense as much when he gives this sense to that place in his words by which he gives us the cause as in his minde he under-shoots the Truth in another for he meanes not by them though his phrase imports it that every individual man is inlightned Christ enlightens every man that is enlightned But every individual man is enlightned Therefore Christ enlightens every individuall man The first Proposition is T. Ds. own the Minor viz. That every man is enlightned with some light is his own grant also p 1 where he sayes We grant that every man hath some light by which he discernes many sins and duties and several divine attributes So that let his meaning be what it will if he meanes as he sayes as it is fit he and and every honest man should and as the Spirit does we have his own words as well as those of the Text on our side also against himself therefore T. D if he own himself must of all men own the Conclusion viz That Christ enlightens every individuall man 2. Whether T. D. saw any advantage he had given us by this sense thus expressed or no it matters not but expressing his mind as to the interpretation of this Text p 36 there he adds a clause by which he imagines he mends the matter and so he does as much as one that makes it never the better for there he shoots out his sense thus That Christ enlightens every man who is spiritually enlightned Repl. Which is very true yea so say I again but this Arrow does no execution against us nor that universal sense in which we expound the words according to the universality of their expression of which it is no way at all exclusive for what though Christ enlightneth every man that is spiritually inlightned it doth not follow unless T. D. had said as its like he meanes but that his sayings and meanings so seldome agree together that he measures the
8.20 to the end and in all ages entering into holy souls made them friends of God and the Prophets Wisd. 7.27 And so thy Fancy and Falsity falls to the ground who speakest as if Christ as Christ the Wisdom of God and true Light of the World did not enlighten any before that Ensaâ—co sun as thou speakest or appearance of him in that flesh that died at Ierusalem for he was in the being of a true light to the World though slain as a Lamb in men from the very foundation thereof and such as walk'd in the beames of that which came from him came up to the sight of his day and glory with rejoycing as Abraham and others did Isai. 6. and was the Christ or Anointed One of God to the doing of his Work and shewing of his Will in the World before any Letter was written of him and before he assumed to himself that outward appearance wherein he died or else how did Moses suffer the reproach of Christ in his dayes who lived so long afore that body ye only know him in was born and how did Christ preach by his Spirit in Noahs dayes if there was no Christ then come 1 Pet. 3.2 and was the same light that he now is to the world and so it is said in the Text thou so much talkest on but that thou readest it at randome as thou dost the rest for it s said that was the true Light in praeterito which enlightneth in presents every man that cometh into the world that which was the light before his coming in that flesh that is the light which now enlighteneth as it did then every man and that that it was it ever will be O On kai O En kai O Erchomenos Rev. 1.8 he that before then was come and then came and is come and comes and is to come from the beginning to the end the first and last the light of men and life of such as will be lead by him to it the only way for all that have life to walk in whose light all they that hate love death Yet if it were so as God forbid for then what became of not only the rebellious part of the world but of Abell Enoch Noah Abraham Isaac Iacob c. were it so as thou sayest that to the greatest part of mankind to wit that whole part so thy words import that died before Christs coming into the World which thou countest but from the period of some one thousand six hundred years upward this saying that the true light enlightens them relates not I wonder what light thou deemest then they were enlightened by if not the true Light for God is the true Light and the Spirit is the true Light and if thy Letter were the true Light which it rather only came from yet those who lived before that had it not or were they enlightned with any accidental false corrupt light for such a One thou speakest of in the foregoing Section saying Christus est lux non ill â— accidentalis corrupta de qua loquimur Christ is light not that accidental corrupt light of which we speak where if by We thou meanest thyself and thy fellows tell us what light that is but if thou mean thyself and the Quakers what e're thou speakest of I know no such Monster as a corrupt light that the Qua. either own or speak of for they own and know no other light whatever may falsly pretend to that name of light then that which is pure uncorruptible and uncorrrupted 2. However if no man till about one thousand six hundred years ago were enlightened by Christ the true Light yet it 's enough for us that thou grantest every man to be enlightned by Christ the true Light since that time let them before stand or fall to their own Master the Quakers call men to that Light they are now enlightened withall and that every man is enlightened by his coming into the world at that time thou affirmest from the Text taken thy own way and dost not hitherto in thy own interpretation of it deny though afterward thou denyest it with a witness and T.D. too who witnesse both to that same false senâ—e upon the Text before hinted at and now to come under consideration and it is this Ex. 4. S. 24. He horum verborum sersus est cum omnes homines essent merae tenebrae c. Tois quoth I.O. is the sense of these words when all men were meer darkness and blind to heavenly things the Son of God the eternal Word the eternal Light coming into the world sent the holy Spirit to enlighten Some of these men that were by nature darkness and so was made the Light of them Respondemus ideo quoth I.O. per omnem hominem non omnes singulos intelligi debere sâ—d quâ—s vis tantum c. hoc est Syncate gorema istud Omnis non absolute sed relate ad electos dicitur prout aliis locis innumeris usurpatur c. By every man not All and every individual person must be understood but Some only All is not spoken absolutely of All but with relation to the Elect as it is used in innumerable other places Col. 1.6 c. And Ex. 4. S. 13. Christum non amnes singulos sed quosvis tantum hoc est electos luce hac peyfundere atque salutariter illuminare ita certum est ex innumeris Scripturae Testimoniis emnium seculorum experientia ut caecus sit opporret omni spirituali intelligentia destituâ—us qui contrarium vel unquam somniaverit That Christ doth not with this divine light indue and enlighten All and every person but some only that is the Elect is so certain from innumerable Testimonies of Scripture and the experience of all Ages that he must needs be blind and destitute of all spiritual understanding that shall ever so much as once dream to the Contrary And S. 17. Christus nulla sub consideratione lumen salutare omnibus singulis ir dulsit Christ under no consideration both vouchsafed Saeving light to Aâ—l and every man In these and the like expressions we have I.Os. both opinion in this point and his sense on this place and his meaning on this Clause every man and in all this T D joynes in one with him against the Qua. both as to the universality of the saving Light of Christ whom God hath as the Qua. truly assert according to Isai. 42.6 49.6 given for a Covenant to the People for a Light to the Nations that he may be Gods Salvation to the ends of the earth And the same strait-lacing pinching and particular sense he puts upon those most universal terms All and every man in that place Iob. 1.9 and many others witness his Answer to R.H. who truly told him thus the Scripture sayes Everyman and thou sayest But some Who shall be believed Thou or the Apostle thou makest John a lyar No such
D. makes no better then dung loss and filthy rags to both the Justification Sanctification and Salvation of sinful men from All their sins then the Quakers do who are by the Parish peoples Blind Leaders most abominably belyeâ— to them as denyers of it And because we do not with the misty Ministers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the meer Letter which the Apostles were not Ministers of but of the Mystery of the New Testament or the Spirit 2 Cor. 3 own the bare External Text of Scripture which themselves confesse to be corrupted vitiated altered and adulterated in all Translations to be at leaâ—t in their Heb. and Greek Transcripts of it entire in every Tittle Letter Vowel Syllable and Jota the self same without any losse as it was at the first giving out but say it hath suffer'd much losse of more then Vowells single letters and single lines also yea even of whole Epistles and Prophecies of inspired men the Copies of which are not by the Clergy Canoniz'd nor by the Bible-sellers bound up in the Bulk and compasse of their modern Bibles and specially because we own not the said alterable and much altered outward Text and Letter or Scripture but the Holy Truth and inward Light and Spirit which the Scripture it self testifyes to which at times that Text and Letter came from to be as to Name and Thing and that properly the Word of God which is Living the only firm infallible Foundation of all Saving Faith and invariable Right Rule of holy Life the most sure sound Balis stable Standard True Touchstone for the due Tryal determination and discerning of all true Doctrines of Christ from mens Tradition and cunningly devised Fables Therefore they cry out against us as Siders with Jews Papists Athiests and All Scripture haters as decrying the due Authority of the Scriâ—tures as such by whom Satan assaults the sacred Truth of the Word of God in its Authority Purity Integrity and Perfection and as Opposers of the Scripture and the Word of God as to both Name and Thing witnesse J. O's Epiâ—t Dedicatory of his doings againâ—t the Quakers to all young Divinity Students p. 28.30 and elsewhere as is seen hereafter Whereas how though Christ and his living Word in the heart which the Scriâ—ture exalts also is Exalted onely on the Throne yet the Scriptures are owned by us in their due place and how though Christs Light and Spirit alone in the Conscience is according to the Scripture asserted to be the only most perfect Rule Foundation c. and not the â—etter as they darkly Divine yet the Letter is acknowledged by us full as much as it is by it self to have been written by men moved of Gods Spirit and to be useful profitable servicable c. to be read and heeded and how all-J O's lying Calumnies against the Quakers as concerning their carriage to the Scriptures and the Word of God and the Foundation and Rule c. are clearly wiped away and cashiered as well as T. D's foul false Aspersions of them in his Narratives as to matters of Fact are in the 1st part of my 1st Exer from p. 18. to p. 38. is to be read at large throwout the 2 d. and 3 d. Exercitations which consist well nigh wholly in vindication of the Truth against their cloudy conceits about the Scriptures And Moreover because we as the Spirit also in the Scripture bids us Jam. 2.1 c. have not the Faith of God with respect of persons as they are high in this world in the Church where Christ is the one Master and all the rest are Brethren Therefore they misrender us as proud obstinate uncivil churlish discourteous disrespecting contemning all mens persons Whereas we truly honour all men in the Lord and what we do in denying those vain Complemental Customs of the Nations as vailing the Bonnet or putting off the Hat which is part of the outward habit and bowing cringing to the ground when we come before men and in our keeping to that plain yet not True Antient and proper English Language of Thee and Thou which is used to God himself to each single person great or small when we haue to do with them who have no law of man neither whereupon to imprison and punish any for doing herein as we do we do it God is witness and will once Iudg between us and them not in a Spirit of Pride Arrogance Disrespect Disdain or Contempt towards any man but in Conscience to the Lord that we may stand clear before him who forbids us to bow to the likeneâ—â—e of any thing in Heaven Earth or under the Earth and in humility onely and that fear of the Lord whereby we are bound to depart from all conformity to all such fond foolish fashioning of our selves according to our former Lusts in our ignorance and to This World which we are chosen out of A more clear discovery of the unsuitablenesse of which Ceremonious services of men to the Saints of God is made as in the Scripture it self so in the 1st of the ensuing Exercitations from page 40. to page 47. And because Christs Headship Kingship and Supremacy alone we together with the True Church which is in God the Father and in Christ Iesus the Light can own in the Court of Conscience and in matters purely Spiritual and of meer Religious and Soul concernment and not any meer mans much lesse the Popes or any Priests in such Sacred Secrets therefore are we mistaken and misranked among such as are utter enemies to the present Kings Supremacy in these Dominions Whereas we do according to what the Spirit requires of us in all civil causes and cases between Man and man submit our selves to every Ordinance of man himself I say in such cases even for the Lords sake whether unto the King as Supream or to such as are sent of him to be a Terrour to evil doers and a Praise to them that do well And if those who have the Sword in hand shall turn it against us for well doing and so act against the good will of God or impose by Gods permission upon us contrary to our Conscience even there where we cannot obey actively we are willing to bear patiently without violent Resistance what God will leave us to suffer from the hands of such as should protect us not reviling nor threatning nor cursing but committing our case in quietness to him that Judgeth Righteously and our Souls to him in well doing And that Passive deportment must be and is judged by All to be Aequivolent to that Active obedience which others yeild for fear to what lawes soever are made among men And because we are no Strikers or Fighters as some men called Christs Minister's alias Servants are though no such should be 1 Tim. 3.3 1 Tit. 7. with Carnal Weapons the Weapons of our War-fare being not Carnall but Spirituall nor such as theirs among whom are found Warrs and Fightings which
Reason why I went so far in a talk comparatively to the Truth of Toyes and Trifles and was so taedious to my self and such as look't long since for an end of this labour and wasted so much paper in a work so worthless as it may seem to some as is fitter for J. O's Iuniors to be busyed in at their Schooles where Pueri tam Puerilia tractant then for men cal'd Ministers to medle too much with whose wisdom lies more if not in forgetting yet at least in forgoing frivolosities that are so Remote to the Souls Redemption then to fight so fiercely and foolishly for them as J. Owen does whom neither For nor Against but About them only I have much to do with so that bear with me in it if it must be deem'd my Folly the Ground of which piece of Folly is as followes In His Threefold Thing I found J. O. 1st in the Theses of his Latine Thoughts Glorying not a little in being on behalf of the Collegians among whom he was then a Chieftane intruâ—ted as he talks with the Task of contending for the Text of Scripture not so much against the Foes as under that name against the Truest Friends of both the Text and Truth as the Word of God properly as to Name and Thing and not only consequently but most expresly also both there and in the 1st of his two English Treatises the only most perfect Rule of all Belief and Holy Life Stable Standard True Touch-stone for Triall of all Truth Doctrines Spirits Speeches yea it s own also and the Sole sure Foundation for all True Faith to stand on and be discerned by from Falsehood Fable and meer Fancy and not only so but also Tiring himself in his Taedious second Treatise to evince the Entireness and Integrity of the said Text to every Apex and Tittle as at first it was given out without Addition Ablation or Alteration in the least â—ota or Syllable p. 153. in the Trans-scripts of it in the Original Languages how ever confessed by him to be Corrupted and Egregiously Adulterated in all Translations and insisting so uncessantly eagerly and earnestly in proof of the said Integrity of the outward Text as for hast to outrun all his own Reason and to Reject also the Uncontrolable Reasons of All others to the contrary putting also so great a stresse upon that poor Punctilio of the Hebrew Punctation as from a self-conceived Imagination and dangerlesse Affrightment to stickle for its Antiquity againâ—t those that on better grounds Iudg it to be Novelty and not Coaevous with the Consonants with such stricâ—ness as to deem all Divine Saving Truth lyes at stake and is Eternally Liable and likely to be lost if it be not as he conceives in these particulars for as is seen at larg in the book ensuing he Trembles to think what will be the Isâ—ue how desperate will be the conâ—equences of such a conclusion that the Text-mens Hebrew and Greek Transcripts are by mistake Mis-transcrbed in a Tittle and that the Points Vowells and Accènts were added to the Hebrew Text by the Tyberian Mastorites A Firebrand is brought into the Churches Bread Corn quoth he All 's utterly undon for ever as to any true Distinct Sound Certain Saving Knowledge of God or understanding of his Mind Will without either Remedy or hope of Recovery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ther 's No firm footing nor Foundation to stand on No abiding Bottom at all to build on No Right Rule for the Faith and Obedience of the Church to be Regulated by No Word of God remaining uncorrupted No more means to be seen of being delivered from utter uncertainty in and about all Sacred Truth Epiâ—t p. 25. Nay though it be yeilded by his Antagonists that howbeit the Copies are Corrupted Altered and found Various in their Lections as to the meer Letter nevertheless the saving Doctrine as to the Substance of it Remains Sound and Entire in the Copies of the Original and the Translations that remain yet this is no Satisfaction to him he deems that the Saving Doctrine can't continue entire and uncorrupt and that their is no Relief against the Absolute Perishing of All Truth one of the World without any Rule or Measure of Iudging and Determining any more of it or Principle of Discovery or Medium of its Rectification or Recovery if every Tittle and Iota be not Preserved Entire or on supposition of any Corruption to have befallen the outward Writing p. 17. 18 19. Yea upon such Supposition that we have not every Letter Tittle Point Iota Syllable Accent c. as 't was in the Beginning of its Writing without Alteration by Ablation of any Apex or Addition of the Hebrew Punctation Gods Promise Isa. 59.21 Mat 5.18 Fails his Care of his Word and Church Fails he leaves it in uncertainties about the things that are the Foundation of all that Faith and Obedience he requires at our Hands so that we know not where to lay â— Sure Foundation of Believing yea 't is impossible we should come to any certainty almost of any Individual Word or Expression whether it be of God or no p. 55. Yea p. 212. out of Jo. Isaac He that Reads the Scripture without Points and so must they Read it â—oho did Read it before Points were say I as they did before Ezraes dayes if the Points were not from Moses is like a man that Rides a Horse without a Bridle and p. 214. 215. on this Hypothesis that the Points are added I know not saith J. O. how Bellarmines Inference can be avoided then which I know nothing in all his opposition to the Truth more Pernitiously spoken that partly by their Addition and partly by the Negligence and Ignorance of the Transcribers the Hebrew Scriptures which are not Uuniversally Corrupted by the Malitious Work of the Jewes are not yet so Wholly Pure and Entire but that Errours are Crept into them Yea they that are otherwise minded then those are who Maintain the Antiquity of the Vowels and Accents and with Radulph Cevallerius whose Opinion he sayes is his own that the Hebrew Language was written with them from the Beginning do not only make doubtfull the Authority of the Scriptures but even pluck it up by the Roots for without the Vowells and Notes of Distinction it hath nothing firm and certain p. 213. Yea so dangerous in the Consequenceâ— of contending for Various Readings though not false nor pernitious that there 's nothing remaiÌ„ning upon that account firm and unshaken p. 219. Without the owning of these Points to be of Divine Original we shall be left unto great uncertainty in all Translations and Expositions of the Scripture p. 292. Yea the distemper that there are corâ—uptions befallen the Text Varieties from the first Copies is dreadfull and such as may well prove mortall to the Sacred Truth of the Scripture These Cuen multis aliis c. are the Extremities J. O. Asserts his Position in insomuch
that if is hold not in this light he confesses himself and all such as side 〈◊〉 him to be Coâ—founded and at a losse as to all their Faith and unquestionable knowledge of any Saving Truth to this day For asmuch then as I saw the Sâ—â—rs so Blind as not onely not to distinguish oâ—èr which yet sometimes J. O. does but that 's to the further discovery of his own Confusion and Self-contradiction when at other times he does not between the Word or Truth it self which was in mens hearts before the Text which Truth is by the Quakers not denyed to be properly Gods Word The Foundation what ever else J. O. falsly affirms the Text to be and the Text it self which in time came from it and does but teâ—l of the Word and Truth to be nigh in the heart but also Extolling those Externalls with such Extream Rigidity as aforesaid Sith also the fight is about no lesse then the very Fundamentalls of the very Clergy and University mens Faith it self which is the most Immediate Foundation of the Faith of most other man who Pin their Faith on their Sleeves and believe Implicitly at a venture as their Ghostly Fathers and Holy Mothers believe and so miscarry and drop into the ditch with them if those their Blind Guides happen to be out I was much Prest in Spirit in words at length and not in Figures As to sheâ—â— both the Faultiness of the One aâ—d the Falseness of the Other that I might â—â—mind them of the onely True Foundation of All Truth which in the 3d. Exereiâ—â—tion is proved to be not the Text or Letter which yet is owned as useful in its place but that Inward Light Word and Spirit I. O. jeers at and does all the despight to that almost is possible to be done to it by any that do nâ—t as be sayes Falsly the Quakers do Ex. I. S. I. delight in doing the Devils Work of Defiance to the Word of God So not to leave him wholly Unanswered nor yet Answered only by the halves though in Answering him I should make my self more like him therein then I am in his Flood of Folly and Absur'd Assertion of the necessity of every Tittle of the Greek and Hebrew Text to the being and abiding among men of all Sacred Saving Truth This is the Respect in which though else my Life and Delight lyes not at all in Penning and Printing ought about such Impertinencies as these I had not only a Liberty lent me but also a certain Load laid on me from the Lord which Led me into so large an Examination of J. O's Lost Labour about the Letter and to become a Fool among Fools at this time so far as to Busy my self with them in their Bawbles if by any means I might gain some of them to a Sight of their Vanity Madness and Folly and to a Sober Solid Seeking after the more Sure and Serious Things of the True Wisdom it self viz. The Fear of the Lord Which is to depart from all that his Light in their Own Hearts makes manifeâ—t to be evil and to dwell not so much in the Seeing Knowing and Talking of Trivial Temporall Tittles as in Walking in the Eternal Truth Which is the beginning of that Wisdoâ— which is Folly to the Fools that yet walk in Darkness but doth in Truth Excel their University Wisdom or Science falsly so called as far as Light Excelleth Darkness And as to the Bigness of the Book which calls for so much the more Cost from him that Buyes it and so much the more Pains from him that 's willing to Busie himself in it If that trouble any one it shall not trouble me who have now gone through the Toyl of that Attendance to it which were it not freely for Truths sake alone I should in no wise take again upon me though to gain much more then the whole Impression of it amounts hitherto to the Charge of such as have carried it throw the Presse The Truth is I once intended no more then to have set out some single Sheets to J. O's Anti-Quakerism onely but it so falling out that before I was well warm in that Work after two or three Publike Disputes at Sandwich held by Three of us call'd Quakers viz. R. H. G. W. My self with Tho. Danson and sundry of his Associates there crept out two Quarrels of T.D. against Quakerism as he calls it much what to the same Truthlesse Tune as J. O's was and by and by another peice Patcht up tâ— the same purpose from Those Two Brethren J. T. and R. Baxter that were once beating each other for some Years together about Infant Baptism but are now both as One Man Biting the Quakers as ' tâ—ere with their Teeth which are as Spears and their Tongue which is as a sharp Sword and Baiting at that Truth that 's Testified by them and finding that these Four however oft contradicting each other were All carried about in the same Cloudy Circuit and Whirl-wind of Doctrine and did all Center in the same Sinck of Absurdities in their own Sayings and of Abominable Abuses of the Quakers and among them all so fuly in one Synod Sounding out the whole Sense and Leven of the whole Lump That Nilâ— fere dicendum est quod non dictum prius there can sâ—arcely any Thing henceforth be said against Vs and Truth which is not said before by them Instead of setting my self to enter the Lists with J. O. in a Single Conflict I saw it more serviceable to single out these Four as Four of their Choiâ—est Champions from among their Felâ—owes and under the Form of a Reply directed by Name more Particularly to These Four to give This ouâ— as a General Account of our Own Principles and Conâ—uâ—ative Answer to the Contrary Principles of aâ— Mens And this occasioned what was in my Intent set ouâ— at First and smaller Systeme to swell out at last into so large a Size Besides As 't is the very Life of Collegians and Clergy-men to busie themselves most in their Musing Places where they may have most Book-room being apt to think alâ— Lesser Paâ—â—ers Pedling and unfit for Them to find ought in that may be Answerable to the Vast Voluminousness of their Inventionâ—â— So J.O. Iudges the Quakers to be as it were but in Jest and to Trifle with Him when they take him in Hand and Talk of his Long Tales in two or three Words â—nely and would not have his Matters medled with unlesse more fully Witnesse Epist. p. 28. 29. Where quoth he One of â—ate not understanding Me nor the Thing he Writes about his mind for Opposition was to be satisfied I wish I could Prevail with those whose Interest compells them to choose rather to be Ignorant than to be Taâ—gin by me to let my Books a one Another in Answer to a Book of anâ— 140 Sheets of Paper Returns a Reply quoth he to â—o much of it as was written in a quarter
proof is the Promise Providence and Care of God concerning the entire Preservation of your Originall Texts to a Tittle the Foolishness Falseness Weakness and Absurdity of which together with many other Mediums used by Him not one of which is Taâ—tamount to so much as a Topicall Argument I have sufficiently hereunder discovered One of his Main Subordinate Mediums is not the Infallible Guidance Direction or Assistance of God for that 's denyed by Him to all the Transcribers the first as well as the last p. 197. But only the Religious Care Diligence and Consideration of their Work in Hand and with whom they had to do in it and Gods Loving Aspect over them in it and this is all He does or dares Ascribe to the best of them from whence He inferres no more which yet is not half enough to His purpose then a Probability that they might not be Mistaken at all in a Tittle or at least not so much as the Transcribers of Heathen Authors Concluding in such like Terms as Shall we think Can we Imagine Surely it s very Improbable It seems to border on Atheism to Imagine they were mistaken so as that the same fate attended them and the Text in their Transcribing it as hath done other Books and much more such like Trifling Stuff After this His Arguing to which Probability that they were not so mistaken leaâ—t He should seem to have over-shot Himself in going but so far He begins to fall again by Degrees and Confesse 1 st That though it were very Improbable yet 't was not Impossible for them in any thing to mistake and then 2 dly a little farther yet He falls a Confessing and Granting à Potentiâ ad Actum that they did mistake and that failings have fell out and been found among them and that from thence Various Lections are risen sundry of which He also instances in Notwithstanding all which Concessions and Grants whereby He layes himself and his Arch-Assertion Level with the Ground He yet seeks to Scramble it up again and to save Himself from sinking quite down by catching hold on many weak Twigs and to Lick Himself whole with a Legion of little Worths which as is shew'd hereafter do not heal him of the Wounds which Himself gives to His Own Arch-Assertion Thus while Wisdom builds Her own House The Foolish Woman pulls Hers down with her Own Hands Moreover how Ye Ministers Unminister your selves Every Way who can't but see Ye deny the onely True Foundation the Letter layes which is the Light and lay the Letter in its stead yet what a slender kind of honour ye give to the Letter too for all your so Loud Laudings of it in Words is shew'd Exer. 2. p. 51 52 53. Ye deny any Infallible Guidance of your selves as well as others at this Day by the Infallible Spirit which Holy Men of God ever spake by as they now do in dayes of old Ye deny the only Way of Justification by Christ and his Righteousness Revealed in your selves Ye deny the Light that leads to Life as very Darkness it self Ye deny Perfection here the very End of all Ministry Ye Preach for Hire and Divine for Money and have beguil'd People into a Love to have it so what will become of you and what will ye do when the End of all this comes upon you Ye are such Turners to and fro with the Times Turning and Tempering your Tenets thereunto that there 's no Generation of men unless That of Those who with their Traditions and Empty Formalities make void the End and Equity of the Law as ye with Yours make void the very Power and Perfection of the Gospell can so Generally or so Truly say as ye may of your selves Tempora Mutantur nos Mutamur in illis Witness All Vicissitudes of the Times from Henry the 8 th to this Day wherein Exceptis Excipiendis some Few only in each Turn to be Excepted who rather then Turn would Burn bear the spoil of both Persons and Possessions the Two Nurseries of this Nation and their Respective Nationall Nephewes and Children viz. That Noun-Adjective Priesthood which could never stand yet alone by the Sword of the Spirit without the Sword of Secular Powers to Secure and Support them in their Spirituall Maintenances and Ministrations have for the most part as to their Formes of Religion like Reeds shaken with the Wind and Yielding with the Tide Lean'd all along for Livings sake which Way so â—re the Powers in Present being per force would Form or Frame them to and fro viz. from Popery to Prelacy from that to Popery back again from thence to Prelacy again from thence onward to the Scotch Presbitery from thence on to a more moderate mixt kind of Presbiterian-Independency and after so many Oaths or Vowes and Covenants to Endeavour the Extirpation Root and Branch of that which may as well as any of the other for ought I know serve the Turns of such Turncoat-Teachers as make an External-Temporall Trade of Talking on more then of Walking in the Eternall Spiritual Truth how many are now minded if the Word should be As you were to face about again to the Oâ—ning of that late Episcopall Hierarchy I cannot determine yet I can Divine by the doings of some Divines that not a few of those who were not long since so devoted against it that had not the Tide Turn'd upon them contrary to the Common Course of Presbiterian Expectation one may safely say they would never have said so much for it as they now begin to do will ere long if not comply with it Simpliciter yet by some Simple Secundum Quid or other distinguish themselves into an Union and Compliance with it and dispute themselves into some Share and Division with its Children in their Spirituall Dignities and Preferments Alias Confound themselves into some Common Communion with them therein rather then for non Conformity to their Form and Government be wholly Excommunicated Ipso facto from All Communication with them in those their Carnall Clericalities If their Episcopall Brethren as they have of late began to call them be but as free to entertain them thereinto in this Day of their Dominion as some of the Presbyterian Brethren who Dein'd the other no leave nor liberty to live in their dead Form under them in the day of their as undue Domination seem forward to intrude themselves into a dwelling with them in their Tents it seems to me at least that they may yet Cott'n well enough together with them for their own Ends Witness not only some Words of R.Bs. Book about the Visibility of the Church very newly extant which intimate his owning in some sort a Superintendency of Bps over Presbiters but also in his Preface to that very Book of â— T. I have here to do with which are these viz. I have already told the Episcopall-Brethren that Bishop Vâ—her and I did fully agree in half an hour and therefore it 's
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
in the like lame cause who belabouring your selves in talk about the Letter against the Light live and walk more by the false fire and twinkling flash of your own thred-bare thoughts and infatuated imaginations then either by the Letter or the Light I come now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without much Preamble or more ado ad rem substratam to the businesse and work it self as it lies before me And howbeit I shall not regard any External form order or methodical manner of proceeding with you so much as words and matter of profit and truth it self yet as there is a Quaternity of you or rather a Fraternity of four angry Fighters or Quarrellers with the Quakers and the truths told by them viz. I. O. T. D. I. T. R. Baxter all whom first or last one where or other more or lesse I shall have to do with So though not therefore I shall divide my ensuing undertakings against you in the Name and Power of God on their behalf in such wise as thou I. O. dost thy Doctor-like Divinity Disputations or Latine-labours against them viz. into four Apologetical Exercitations or Earnest Expostulations with you The first whereof is to be more down-rightly directed to thee T.D. the rest who are of the same misty mind with thee not excluded in way of Examination of that Legend of Lyes which thou like some great Benefactor to it bestowest on the Clergies Cause against the Truth and its Children and as concerning the point of Iustification in special which thou makest thy self a main Mannager of against us for all the rest who say little of it and in which thou by thy lies about it in both Doctrine and matter of fact most basely abusest both thy self and the Truth and my self in particular and all the Qua. in general also The second is to be most peculiarly directed to thee I. O. in Examination of sundry of thy base belyings and misreportings of the Qua. as to their mis-behaviour toward the Scripture about which T. D. who sides with three therein doth but give us a short snap and away and as concerning the very formal being nature Text or Letter or the Scripture it self ye call your Canon the Bâ—unds or measure of that your supposed Canon the Hebrew Punctaâ—ion Integrity of the Text to a Tittle without Various â—ection and such like passages which thou more preheminently pratest on then all thy Fellows The third is to relate though partly to T. D. and partly to I. T. and R. B. alâ—o as being all three in some sort tampering together with thee in the same muddy manner about at least some of the same mistaken matters yet principally to thee I. O. who in the dark dream of thy night Vision drivest on more down rightly as the Prime Promoter of these Principles viz. that the Scripture and every sylâ—â—â—le and Iota thereof is the Word of the Great God the most efficacious powerful all-sufficient all-perfecting heart-searching soul-saving living life-giving Word of the living God that it even that outward writing Letter External Text and not any such thing as an Internal Word of God Spirit or Light within is the only Infallible Guide Incorruptible Canon perfect Rule of all Faith holy life saving Spiritual Knowledge or Worship the most certain Sanctuary for the preservation of all Sacred Truth the most sure Touch-stone stable standard firm Foundation true Witness of God the most invariable inviolable way of safety and security to all Divine Verity the most absolutely necessary means of Spiritual and Eternal life cum multis aliis quae nunc praescribere longum est with much more id genus of the same soure leven too long to be reckon'd up here sith they are all to be elsewhere reckon'd with in due time and place The fourth will be promiscuously and interchangeably carried on by way of entercourse with you both I. O. and T. D. which two only were intended to be by me so much as medled with when I first was throughly resolv'd on some Reply to your rude reproachings of the Truth As concerning your denial of the universality and sufficiency to save such as heed it of the Light and Grace of God in all mens hearts of modern immediate Divine Inspiration of Perfection as to the purging away of sin in this life and as concerning your Dream of a peremptory Election and Reprobation of persons unborn viz. of very few to life and of many to one as unchangeably to damnation without respect to their doing good or evil in their life about all which as occasion is I must have in a few words a round reckoning with you both I. T. R. B. and all the rest of that self-reverencing black-mouth'd Brotherhood as blindly banding in one body in the self-same mist of darkness not excluded for the Rounds ye run in as to those particulars at the latter end i. e. in the said fourth and last part of these foresaid Presents in which as occasion is ye four aforesaid Fellow-Fighters for your own follies against Gods Wisdome are likely little or more to be all bespoken in one or other of the Chapters into which also I shall subdivide the fore named four divisions If ye four Foxes that spoil the Vine and her tender Grapes whereof inter-scribendum one successively still started out afresh upon me as I was pursuing the sent and chasing the other had like those of Sampsons turned tail to tail in all points as in some ye do and took several wayes ye could not so well have been caught altogether as now ye may notwithstanding all your Majestical craft but sith ye face all one way and joyntly steer your course in general to one Cave running parallel into the same Wood of your own wisdome there housing your selves in the same holeÌ„ dreaming altogether of no danger neer you in one Den of Darkness there needs no more but to set something to the Mouth of that bottomless Pit ye all belong to out of which the Fox-like strong sent and stinking savour of your erroneous Tenets vents it self to the poysoning of poor peoples Souls throughout the whole Countryes where your respective beings are and so digging you out of your foresaid Dens put you altogether into a Bag. S.F. The First Apologetical and Expostulatory Exercitation CHAP. I. FIrst then though they came out last and began to fly abroad some while after I. Owens yet I shall begin with thy two Butterflyes T.D. which have flown up and down the World not only upon the wind of their own wings but also as fast and far as they could carry them upon the light chaffy leaves of the whiffling News-books for some few moneths together to the frightning of all such folk as are befool'd into an Implicit Faith of thy folly to be wisdome out of that little wisdome they have by that fearful flutter they have made thorowout as well the Cities as Vniversities and Countryes with that falâ—e flashy and fair-flourishing
seest not with my eyes that his people should see with his eyes understand with his understanding take things in his sence be of his mind be moulded in their meanings after the Image of his vain Imagination but I say to you all O ye people of Sandwich you must see with your own eyes as the Just must live by his own Faith or else ye will fall with your blind Guide into the Ditch and if yee come to see with your own you 'l see we have cause to Complain of T. D.'s both altering our words and adding to them though it be as to quantity but little thou hast added yet as to quality it is so much as egregiously wrongs us howbest I must needs say so much for thee T. D. and that 's the best I can say to help thee with thy Additions to our words are not by far so Voluminous as thy Ablations from them are thy Rendition of our Argaments is Rude Ragged wrong enough in all Reason yet 't is not so much by way of Additanent as Ablation and detraction as I shewed above our discourses to thee whilst thy own to us are repeated generally by the Dative are Rendered mostly by the Ablaâ—iuâ— Case being rehearsed well nigh totally all away I know thou say'st thou hast not diminishâ—d from our words but that thy dimination of thy deceitfull doings is but an Addition to thy falshood and no little Aggravation of thy lies for which thy unfaithfull dealings with us and misrepresentation of those matters as well as for many more misreports into which the lying spirit hath spawn'd itself forth over â—undry pages of thy whole trifling Pamphlet and especially throughout thy Narratives Annexed at the ends of both thy Babbles so farr will thy pretended fence of a few Gentlemen and false Ministers be from freeing thee from the suspition thereof that all faithfull hearers of those discourses and Impartiall Readers of thy Ragged Relation of them will lay thee under the Condemnation of not only a partiall Relator but of a very Lyaâ— also against the truth as to matters of Account and not a few matters of fact about which thou abusest and beâ—yest the Quakers both in thy cart Accountative and in thy much more notorious Narrative pieces of business which for severall Remarkable follies of thy own therein expressed are as much as any that I know ejâ—â—dem farraginis meritoriously to be marked for a pair of white ones nigro carbone while they have a being under the Sun which after a few more breif Animadversions on thy Epistles I am yet in hand with I shall address to take some Remarkable notice of T. D. Thou say'st thou hast followed thy Antagonisi G. W. step by step and omitted nothing that hath the least colour or shew of Reason unless where thou makest a reference to thy former Book to avoid Repetition lest he should say that like a Child thou skippest what thou canst not Read Only thou confessest thou art not able to match him at his Belinsgate Rhetorick nor would'st thou with Jonah â—e as hot as the Sun that Scalds thee Rep. Thou may'st well say indeed in one or two senses thou followest him for I with all the hast thou mak'st and the best Leggs of Reason thy Ridiculously short Reply to him stands and runs on thou neither reachest nor overtakest G. W. much less 〈◊〉 get before or go beyond him but art found as far behind him in the understanding of the misteries of the Gospell the Spirit and the world â—o come as the wild bruit Beast of the Forrest is behind the naturall mâ—n in the knowledge of the things of nature and this world Poor vain man thou wouldst be wise and taking upon thee to teach those at whose feet'â—would be thy wisdome much more to sit down and learn and so thou sayst to G. W. â— 3 seeing you do not understand I le teach you â— in a matter wherein any but the blind may see by thy Raw delivery of thy self in it thou hast not half learnt thy lesson thy self and wherein as thou hast not a little need of it so thou maist thy self possibly be taught a little otherwise by and by in its proper place and thou are yet but as the wild Asses Colt Ranging in the Wilderness snuffing up the Wind of thy own Wisdom yet there is a time werein thou must be taken tamed and brought to beare and made to see thy self to be as far short of G. W. as one in the fall is of him that is risen again into the innocency Thou followest G. W. the Quakers as the Egyptians did Israel and as the Dragon doth the Woman Cloathed with the Sun that beares the manchild Christ Iesus breathing our malice flinging out a stood of falshood wherewith to cause her to be carryed away but thy Charriot Wheels drive on so heavily that though thou persuest at the heels yet thou wilâ— never reach further then the heel which is all that the Serpents Head which is to be bruised by her avails to hurt yea the very earth it self shall be made to help the woman to swallow up thy flood of Lies and Blasphemies rather then they shall ere be of force for the futâ—re as they have been formerly to overwhelm her As for thy step by step alas poor man G. W. makes such steps to his feet as are much too strict streit for thine to tread and stand in where he is thou in that nature and Wisdome thou yet abidest in canst not come there 's a Gulf between whether he goes thou canst not follow him unless thou loose thy life as thou art loath to do and dye with him and Christ and all Saints that death of the Cross to thy own Carnall will which while in little better then that Woodden way wherein the Papists prate of the Cross of Christ thou in thy vain mind art prating about thou knowest the power of not so much perhaps as many or at best little more as yet then the most of them so farr art thou from following G. W. who as Paul did followeth Christ not in an outward empty Apish way of imitation or setting himself to do what he reads or heares Christ did in which yet thou art farr short of following Christ too but acting speaking moving living worshipping walking in by and from the same Light and Spirit as Christ did which thou art â—o farr from walking by that with I. O. and others thou for the letters sake which yet thou errest from rejectest it as no Rule for thee to walk by And as for that very kind of following him step by step thou meanest who talk'st as if thou had'st traced thy Antagonist to a tittle left nothing of his book unanswered thou hast rather anâ—wered little or nothing of it at all for as in thy second part to the same tune there is fere nil dictum quod non dictum prius scarce ought said of
that which is set down that is not in thy fâ—rst and that is not already answered by G. W. so that Tâ—y of a Sheet and half under which thou seekest to shroud thy self from the force of his Reply consists so much of References to thy Qâ— folly the folly of which foolish peice is by it self as well as by us manifested to all well meaning men that thou mightest as well have spared thy paines of putting out any thing under that name of a Book at all and have said no more but so viz. for a Reply to G. W. I referr the woâ—ld to the book of mine which G. W. 'sâ— Book is a Reply to insomuch that for all thy pretended care to prevent it every one that is truly a man will judge that like a Child thou hast skipped what thou could'st not Read so as to make any Reasonable Reply to As for Billingsgate Rhetorick its more found among the Scribes that are Scolding Scuffling and Scrambling for such petty Businesses as Muscles and Cockels-shells meer mouldring writings Externall Texts tritling Transcrips Letters pedlâ—ng points Syllables Triviall Tittles and Iota's thenâ—to the Qua. qui nucibus faciunt quaecunque relictis who if they do earnestly contend it is for more substantiall matters the faith that was once delivered to the Saints the Light Truth and Spirit it self ye Priests despise which were long before your letter Text and Scripture ye so scrabble for was at all in being And whereas thou sayest thou wouldest not I say that whether thou wouldest or no thou canst not be so hot as that light of the Sun which now scalds thee and thy fellow scolders about the Scriptures for the more ye foam fret fume fight and labour in the fire of your own fury against it the more the Sun of Righteousness arises daily and shines out to the tormenting of you Inhabitants of the earth that have in the dark night of your Apostacy from the truth slain made merry over the witnesses of God both within and without you and the earth is filling more and more with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea and the Angels who have the Vials full of the wrath of God are pouring forth of the same not onely upon the Earth Sea Fountains and seat of the beast and the River Euphrates which hath been hitherto the chief fence of the great Whoreâ— of Babylon but also on the Sun it self so that men and ye men called Ministers above all others are to be scorched as with fire by the great heat thereof till ye rather knâ—w your tongues for pain and blaspheme the Name of God as ye now daily do who hath power over these plagues then repent from your deeds to give him glory and though all ye impenitent brood of the Babylonish Harlot band your selves together as it were with one mouth to blow out the light yet is it to as little purpose as if ye should go about to forbid the morning light from appearing when it begins to spread it self upon the mountains T. D. thou sayest That which Iob speaks of the Thief Iob 24.17 Is true of the Qua. If one know them they are in the terrours of the shadow of death Rep. That 's false of us but true of your selves there is one knows both you and us before whom your faces will wax pale and gather blackness ere long while we stand with boldness in his presence our hearts not condemning us of such wicked designs and deceits as are found among your selves T. D. That we endeavour to hide our meaning by doubtful words Rep. I. O. Ex. 3. S. 17. Layes the same falsly to our charge but no wonder that thou T. D. accusest us of that when as Christ himself cannot scape thy censure in that kind for as thou blamest and belyest us here as endeavouring to hide our meaning in doubtful words so pag. 7.1 Pamp. thou sayest It was an usual thing with Christ to speak words of a doubtful fense and that his meaning may be mistaken when his words aâ—e taken in the most ordinary and literal sense and so it would be if by every man we should understand him meaning as he sayes of every individual man indeed how can we look thou shouldst clear us who accusest him But if thou acquit him cease from thy accusing us as guilty for that which if 't were as surely as 't is sure it is neither Christs nor ours at all but your own common course and evil guise must needs as thou T. D. handlest the matter conclude Christ himself under the same guilt together with us but in truth so far as to peddle about the things of God with words of an uncertain and doubtful signification and when mens opinion is shameful and dishonest to dawb it over with deceitful covers and colours not to speak it out â—penly plainly to mangonize it in speeches sewed and patcht together on purpose to darken their Councel by words without knowledge to beware of nothing more then least they should understand and be understood so far as to hide their Councel by doubtful words so far as to speak one thing and mean another to make a shew in words and intend no such matter as they make a shew of so far as not to mean as men say is a matter justly lyable to the censure of hypocrisie and dissimulation we not onely clear God and Christ and the Spirit whom thou chargest as so doing while thou saist p. 6. 1. Pamph. the the meaning of their words cannot be as the Letter doth report it was usual with Christ to speak words of a doubtful sense p. 7. Salvation is offered or tendered by God to such as he never intends it to c. p. 40. 1. Pamph. But also are ourselves as clear from the guilt of it in the sight of God as capable to make it good out of your own handy-works that your selves are the men who are most deeply faulty in that particular T. D. Thou sayest Thou hopest the Reader will not be byassed by our seeming humility sith pride may be the root that bears that branch voluntary humility is the effect of being puft up by a fleshly mind Rep. True enough that pride bears the branch of meer seeming humility but among no men more then such as are used in Rime as the Priest or Clark reads a line at once to them to sing to the Tune of O Lord I am not puft in mind I have no scornful eye when yet for all that profession of humility they are puft up more proud and haughty scorners and dealing in more proud wrath against the Righteous then such as never heard of such a thing as humility from a Letter without as many Heathens have not save what they have seen from the light of God and Christ within themselves and among them that under the lowly titles of Ministers or Servants mount up into the Lordly titles
they cant see over if but a Mot it s sooner seen in a Brothers ey then a Beame by them in their own if it be but some pittifull passage not fit to be Printed a Narrative must be made of it as of some Remarkable Passage that can't be omitted if but as Ridiculous a thing to Relate as Serious in it self it must be related to move Fools to Laugh at it but Wise men will Laugh most at its Relator T.D. As to thy Conclusion of thy second Narrative which is a desire of thy Reader to peruse the Qua. Answer to the Questions thereto annexed which were proposed to and Answered by Ioseph Fuce whereto thou settest both his name and answers to them Rep. I say thus much to thee that howbeit thou hast set down so much of I. Fs. return as neither thy silly self nor Io. Corbet the Priest who put forth the Queries and was accordingly answered above two years ago by Io. F. will ever be able to render any Reasonable Reply to for if ye could have refuted them the Press was as open for your Reply to them as your bare Narration of them and so much as will stand over your heads for ever as a Testimony of the Duncicall Darkness and Groaâ—able Blindness of you both in the Misteries of the Gospell of which for silthy lucres sake ye do but fancy your selves to be the Ministers yet either one or both of you two V pers have done the best or rather the worst ye could to abuse both Io. F. and the Qua. and the truth by that Cut-short Counterfeit Account thou T.D. givest the world of those Queries and Answers that passed between Priest Corbet and Ioseph Fuce For there were 17 Queries put by thy Couzen Corbet every one of which were at large and as to any likelihood of their being answered by you unanswerably Replyed to by Io. F. of which 17 thou bring'st out but eight 2. As thou bringest out not one half of Corbets Queries so I judge I may safely say not so much as the 20th part of I.F. his Answers but only here and there some such broken bits and pieces of them as ye thought would represent them as weak and naked to mens aspect though indeed as piece-meal as ye have rendred them they may well be left to stand against all your Priestly Prate and pedling pelting at them Why did ye not seeing ye had a Quarrell at them publish every inch of all I. F. his Answers to the 8 Queries ye have set down yea why not all the 17 Queries and the whole of his returns to each of them together with your own Replyes to those his Returns that men might be undeceived by you that call your selves their Ministers and take on you to be their Masters so as to teach them truth since ye deem them to be deceived by I.F. his Doctrines and then ye had saved your selves from the guilt and censure of that guile and deceit that now ye are found in while ye are found shuffling and cutting picking and culling out here and there a â—aying leaving out such adjoyning sentences yea somtimes that half of the same sentence which being set down would have shew'd his true sence of the whole which ye scrue and wrest as far as ye can tell how into another then that intended by him Expertus loquor I speak what I know having whether I shall Print it or no I yet know not the whole entire Copy by me of those Queries and Answers amounting in all to two sheets thy Cutted Account whereof comes not neer to the 8th part of one Surely either one or both of you two Brethren in iniquity T.D. I. Corb saw ye could not Reply to them and so had made a swinging Rod for your Tayls and slasht your selves as foundly therewith also had ye put forth the whole truth which ye have not told the Tithe of whereupon ye have thrust out only some meer fragments of it with as much manglement of them too as ye well durst make and with no other then this dribling answer of thine T.D. p. 6 of thy second Narrative viz Surely by these Principles in Conjunction with the rest in the Book to which this Narrative is annexed though the said Principles remain as unrefuted as impossible to be refuted by T.D. the Qua. have for ever forfeited the name of Christians and are to be reputed Heathens T.D. Thou tel'st and that twice over viz. in thy Narrative and in thy Witness W. W's reinforcing Reply to L. H. a Tale of L. H s saying The Priests shall be destroyed by the people called Qua. Rep. But L. H. hath already so sufficiently disproved that in his Reply to thy 〈◊〉 styled the Devils how unstringed by three persons who as I laid above testifie his words to have been otherwise and so prov'd thy Witness Will Winâ—field Minister of Word to be no Minister of the Word of truth nor such a Godly Minister as thou printest him out for who can joyn so cordially with thee in printing lyes that I need say nothing yet that the Preists shall be destroyed by the Qua. though L. H's words were not so is true enough I here affirm it yet not by outward Gan Sword or carnal Weapon but by the Sword of the Spirit or Word of God in their mouths Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord Zach. 3. T. D. Thou sayst in the second page of E. B's Book or word of Advice to the Souldiers he bids them give the Ministers or Priests blood to drink for they are worthy Rep. True enough that the Priests will have as much blood as they are worthy of from the Lord though the Qua. desire the salvation of their souls and bodies too if yet it may be and the destruction of nothing but that sin blindness and darkness which destroyeth them in both Howbeit in the second page of E Bill's book unless there be another of his or of E. Bur's so stiled I find no such words as thou artes est to be there on thy own personal knowledge and so all thy proofs of thy Grand Lye for ought I see fail thee and Lie in the Lake together with it Many more absurd and foolish frivolous tales thou tellest that â— omit but two more of thy lying accusations of the Qua. more Remarkable then all the rest of those Remarkable passages of thy two for nothing more then the many lies thereof most Renowned Narratives remain yet to be Remarked that all may see how thou and thy heard of hearers and drove of ear-wigs have not so much me al honesty as to speak truth in matters of fact which is the very fault thou chargest us with and the worse in thee sith Turpe est Doctori cum culpa red arguit ipsum And then I shall be at liberty to take a view of the many Lyes of thy Doctrine Thoâ—e two one whereof is prosecuted in thy last
And last of all if Thou and Thee be not to be used to a single person only it hath no place nor use at all in the English-Tongue for it can't possibly be properly used when we speak to more it being saving when we speak to them as a Collective body and as one and so somtimes the Prophets spake to whole Nations under the Term of Thou and Thee no less unsound and unsavory to say Thou or Thee to 20 men as You or Ye to one and alike foolish to say to two severall men Thou shale both dye I le kill Thee both as to say to one of them only You alone shall dye I will kill You which are two Bulls that deserve both to be soundly baited To conclude this then we see how our Chief Priests Scribes Pharisees and Hypocrites of these dayes as they did of old Love the Praise of men more then the Praise of God have that Faith they have in God with respect to the Persons of men which who so has is a Sinner and Transgressor of the Law and though their mouths speak great swelling words of Faith Religion Reformation God Christ Church Ministry Maintenancâ— yet they are but walkers after their own Lusts and Sensuall or meer Animall as Iude sayes verse 16.19 not having the Spirit while they have mens persons in admiration because of advantage and beleive not though they deem themselves every one in his own form to be the true beleivers so long as they are thus busied in begging and buying giving and taking this honour that is from beneath only for not seeking the honour that is only from aboue which all the Saints have Psal. 149.9 lâ—t them say what they will yee sayes Christ Ioh. 5.44 How can ye beleive which receive honour one of another and seek not the Honour that commeth from God only As unmannerly a Generation then as T.D. faith the Qua. are in not using that flattering Title of Mr. to T. Rumsey the Magistrate I say if T. Rs. carriage were more like a Magistrates then 't is according to the Proverb 't is better of the two if that were unmannerliness to be a little unmannerly then so much troublesome as men in the fall are one to another with their Tedious Attendances Antick Adoratious of each other and supersluous Complements buâ— indeed 〈◊〉 good manners to use it by none but that people whose evill Communications corrupt good manners the Heathen whose Customes are vain and as for us if any man list to be contentious about our manners in such matters he must know that as there 's no Law of God or man that hinds us from Keeping on our hats from thee or thou to Cap and Congee and you Sir and Master and such like flatteries not to say meer fooleries which are all in the fall so we have no such manner of manners nor customes among us nor any of the true Churches of God And hereby we appeare to any save such as will needs mistake us to be neither Papists nor Popish Priests for they have as much of that kind of ill manners of honouring each others persons as is to be found among your selves nevertheless who so blind as he that will not see thou T. D. wilt needs so befool thy self as to make it proâ—ablâ— that I am one of them whose words excepting as in the proviso abovesaid â—re now Verbatim to be Rehearsed who having hinted it in p. 55. how Rob. Wilkinson Minister of Staple had accused me to have been at Rome and received a Pension from the Pope goest on as followes T. D. As to the matter whereof Samuel Fisher was accused part of it he denied not namely that he hath been at Rome but that he received a Pension from the Pope he utterly denied which yet that is probably as true for I have it from very good hands that in his late travail to Constantinople and thence to Rome he had as good Bills of Exchange as most Gentlemen that travaile and yet 't is well known that he hath no visible Estate And the Qua. who came to hear the dispute who I suppose would not bely him did report that he did bear his witness against the Pope and Cardinals at Rome and yet suffer'd them not to meddle with him which how unprobable it is let all men judge but how much more probable that the true cause of his safety was his compliance with them the Doctrines which he broaches among us and as he saies in all other places being theirs and a fair inlet to their Bag and Baggage And to assure the Reader of the likelihood of his compliance with the Antichristian Faction thou maist please to know that the 12th instant English account two honest and credible men of Sandwich had some discourse with S. Fisher at Dunkirk and he told them that he looked upon the Jesuits and Friars there to be founder in Doctrine then those we call the Reformed Churches This they are ready to testifie at any time upon call Another passage I have to acquaint thee with viz. that the aforesaid S. Fisher in Conference with the above-named Sandwich men at Dunkirk May 12. English stile did affirm that he himself is above Ordinances and that there is no more use of them in this life to many portions then there is of a Candle-light when the Sun shines and he gave instance in the uselessness of Baptism and the Lords Supper And the same witnesses were credibly informed at Dunkirk that S. Fisher hath great Bills of Exchange from a Quaking London Merchant and may take up four hundred pound if he will And hundreds of people can testifie how light he made of the charge of Popeâ—â— on the first day of the Dispute when I pluck'd Amesus 4th Tome against Bellarmine and offer'd to read part of it out of the Latine into English and with a gesture of derision he replied that Bellarmine held many Truths which must not be rejected because he held them and he gave for instance that Christ is the Son of God Moreover in p. 14. Thou writest thus viz the third Question debated on was though with much ado at length stated in these Termes whethâ—â— OUR good works are the meritorious cause of our justification and S. F. held it in the affirmative S. F. Tâ—us I prove it to these words T. D. now you shew your self a Rank Papist indeed Rep. Monstrum Horâ—endum Informe Ingens cui lumen ademptum what a Horrible bundle of blindness is here what a hidden heap of Hocus pâ—cus this nasty piece of Naâ—â—ative is of itself a little Lake of Lyes and the whole is little better under this Hedg are many Hedg-Hogs hidden many Cockatrices hatched up whose fruit is as a fiery 〈◊〉 Serpent many false Tongues fed with fuell fit for them many Fools fenced in their folly as with a Thicket of Thornes many Sons of Beliâ—â— bolstred up in their Blasphemies and emboldened to throw about in
and avenge all that disobedience of his Adversaries whose Ministry further then by his own permission it s born down by that extrinsecall force of the beasts putting forth and interposing for a time will make its own way and cleare the truth as the light both amongst and against all false ones without either maintenance or defence or so much as good countenance if that may not be had from the higher powers of the earth being such a Substantive as is well able if let alone and in the midst of not a little interruption to stand by it self in reason before any and not such a Noun-Adjective as the nationalâ— C Clergy is which cannot stand by itself to shew one glasse full of its own sense and meaning on the Scripture without some Constable or Officer joyning with it to take that honest man or woman to the Stocks or Cage that by two or three good words shall disturb them nor stand by it self to shew its reason or signification to such as soberly reason with it but must require another force then that of words to resist and sometimes the rude ones to run with stones and stop the mouths of its opponents Not by might nor power of this sort but by my spirit saith the Lord. That Dagon that cannot stand unless its worshippers hold it up in this manner before the Ark undoutedly will fall and let it fall if it will and never rise any more for me And if Papists Iews and Turks being obedient to the civill power in civill matters between man and man shall come in and uâ—e their blind consciences in their respective blind Religions they shall deceive not one of the Elect and none but such as are disobedient to what they know â—for which to stumbling they are appointed That Protestanism that can't stand if Popery Indaism and Turcism have liberty till it fall by the pure power of God and not meer man to stand peaceably by it in one Nation for fear it should dye out before them let it dye out with them all when the Lord will for me that truth which is to out-shine and out-live them all may stand up alone in its proper power and native lustre when they are gone as for such Protestants as would run to hell with them if Papists Turks and Iewes should come among them they are onely such as would never come neer to heaven if these should never come neer them at all 5 Our Doctrine of the true lights enlightning every man the truth of which is to be prov'd against I. O. and T. D. in its proper place and our calling every man to attend to the shining of it in his own conscience can be no fair In-let to the Popish Bag and Baggage for all that arises and springs from the cloudinesse of their consciences the blindnesse of their hearts the darknesse that is in their understandings in which darknesse or dark places which are in the heart the true light shines though the darknesse comprehends it not and the daâ—k minds of men consider it not which if they would once doe so well as to take heed to the day would dawn the day Star arise at last in their hearts the light shine forth the shadowes fly away the clouds scatter the vaile that overspreads them vanish the face of the covering be removed the daâ—knesse of this world in which the devill who is the Prince and Ruler of it dwells diggs deceives devoures destroyes udoes does all he has to doe who hath nothing in Christ the light nor ought to doe in them that dwell out of his reach under Christs Protection in the lâ—ght would be dispeld and the bâ—â—ghtnessâ— of a better Religion Worship Gospell Faith Knowledge Righteousnâ—sse Holynesse Salvation Redemption Kingdome then any power and glory they yet are aware off or your selves either would break forth upon them But such as your Tenet is who rebell against the light not knowing the paâ—hs theâ—eâ—f Job 24.6 and band yourselves together against the blowers of it up in men to blow it out what yee can denying it to be in any measure at all in any but very few quarrelling with the Quakers for calling any much more all to take heed to it that they might walk up in singlenesse to to what of God by it is made known in them doth both River England into a resolution to retain so much of Romes Bag and Baggage as is yet remaining and into their and the Priests wonted readinesse to receive more or all of it again if it shall so return as in Maâ—yes dayâ—s and be handed out to them by the threatning helping hand of those that have the highest handling of the Helm 6 Our Doctrine of the infallibility of the true Ministry of Christ which we say is that which is among them call'd Quakers in these dayes as in those of old can be no fair In-let to the Antichristian Bag and Baggage or to those Ministries or Ministrations for to teach which is not more taught by me then shall be proved against I. O. and T. D. who both deny it more at large in its proper place viz. that the infaâ—â—ible spirit continues his infallible direction guidance and diviâ—e inspirations to the true ministâ—y and Church which waits upon him now in such wise as heretofore is so far from leting in that it shuts out for ever their Mâ—nistâ—y all its A coutrements as false fictitious and yours also who as to your confessed fallibility are Biâ—ds of the same feather with them who as in that ye flock so must flee and fall and fail all together seeing saving onely that they ascribe infalibility to their Vice-God the Pope as yee doe not and Châ—ists spirits inspirations to his single sacred soul they count it Egregiâ—us blasphâ—my for any Minister or other to say they have the holy spirit so onely as to assure them of Gods love and acceptance much more to make them infallible in their ministry and though you hold men may have it to assure them of salvation yet as to it s assumed and infallible guidance of your selves in yours or any men at all in their ministrings now you count it little lesse then the same and differing so as to the matter of the Ministry no further from them then thus viz. that whereas they hold infallibility â—omewhere but falsely enough fixing it to that false subject the breast of their Arch-Bishâ—p Vicarâ— of Christ and supream Master-Minister here on earth yee deny it to be in anâ— Ministers at all now to the utter uâ—mâ—nistring of your selves and evincing it yee are none of Christs any more then they But so to teach that all Ministries that pretend to Christ are fallible in these dayes and not one Christian Ministry infallible throw-out the earth Nor any one of all them that are in England at this day no nor yet so much as that of your own is a Doctrine and a peice of news which if
infallible holy chair 8 Our Doctrine of the fallibility of the bare naâ—ed letter of the Scripture and of its lyablenesse to corruption and its being corrupted and falsified by mistranscriptions so as to have various Lections in the most Originall Copyes of it that are extant in Greeke Hebrew at this day which remains to be in its proper place proved against I. O. who pleads that kind of purity of it to every tittle and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad nauseam usâ—uâ— is no fair In-let to the Popâ—sh Bag Baggage though I find I. O. So supposing giving us out his sole suppositions and thoughts that 't is but a supposition that it is corrupted and such a one as by which Pâ—peâ—y is supported speaking in at least three places of his English peice to this same purpose viz. p. 147. What use haâ—h been made and is as yet in the World â—f this supposition that corruptions have befallen the Oâ—iginals of the Scripture which those various Lection meaning those that the Prâ—lâ—gamâ—na to the Biblia polyglotta do declare at fiâ—st view seem to intimate I need not dâ—clare It is in briefe thâ— foundation of Mâ—humetisme thâ— chiâ—fâ—â—t and principall prop of Popery the onely pretence of Fanaticall Antiâ—cripturists and the Root of much hâ—dden Atheisme in the World also p. 196. Now if this couâ—se be taken and every Sâ—igmaâ—ized câ—ppy may be seaâ—ched for differences and these presently Pinted for various Lections there is no doubt but we may have enough of them to fâ—ighten poor unstable souls into the Aâ—mes of the pretended inâ—allible Judge also to say nothing here of the hideous affrightments dangers fears of I. O. Who is oft moâ—e afraid then hurt and other of the dreadfull and desperate consequences of this Imaginationâ— as he calls it though a reall truth that corruptions and various Lections are crept into his Originall Text of the Scripture and that Protestants begin now to sent it as well as Papists and to be infected with the Leprosy of that Opinion which he trembles think of as an iâ—convenience which he knows no whither it will grow and fears whether many will not be ready to question the foundati of the letter as dubious and uncertain and not fit to be the Rule as sure enough they will when they begin to see what some have felt and cry out with him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeing that their supposed firm foundation to be fallible and falsified as it is having no more yet to releive himselfe against this uncertainty of his standing then that miâ—erable comfort viz. that the generality of leaâ—ned men among Protestants are not yet but how soon they may be he is not aware iâ—fected with this leven which hurries and pittifull Puthers and dreadfull deale ado that the Doctâ— makes in his Dâ—eam about this up and down in the 13.14.15.20.25 and other pages of his preface and throw out the 4th little Chapter of his 2d Treatise which is so falsly figured that the pages cannot easily be coted are enough to make some wise men smile that never meant it I say to let passe all that at present among other mischiefs that he conceives will accrue if men conceive the Scripture to have had by mis-transcriptions the fate of other books and that in their Originall Copyes this must needs be one that they have no where else to betake themselves for a Rule but to run back to Rome witnesse his last words of that forecited Chap. which are these viz. and if this change of judgement which hath been long insinuating it selfe by the curiosity and boldnesse of Criticks should break in also upon the Protestant world and be avowed in publike works it is easie to conjecture what the end will be We went from Rome under the conduct of the Purity of the Originalls I wish none have a mind to return thither under the pretence of their corruption But stay a while I. O. is there for such as are lost no way out of the Wood but that one of thy own fancying or else that other of the Papists which is worse then none Is there nought for men to doe but either they must stare with thee or else for fear of they know not what run stark mad with them either fall in with thy meer figments about the Scripture or else if they find it not as infallible in every Apex of it as thou foolishly fainest be frightend strait into the more fallible fantasmes of that fantasticall holy Father Sure if that judgement that the same fate as to the creeping of corrupttions into it hath befallen that writing as hath done other Scripture be a Prâ—p to Popeâ—y where Popery at preâ—ent stands yet thou wilt find some who are of the Papists mind about the Scripture as far as to the variety of Lections which are found in the very Originaâ—l Text thereof who yet have betaken themselves to and doe stand on such a sure foundation as will sâ—and when Popery and Common Pâ—otestanism too shall faile for ever with whom neither one nor th' other of these whâ— are i th' same nature still though fighting for their different outwardâ—faulty foundations and foolish formes so standing can have any fellowship who instead of returning to Râ—me under a pretence of Corruption in your Originalls under the conduct of your conceited purity of which ye came from thence are running further and faster then ever from Rome and you too that live within her lines of Communication still and feed upon the Taile of her traditions more then on the true word of God for all your wording it so much against them and for the word under the infallible conduct of the pure Originall it self even the pure light living Word and Spirit of God by which Abell Enoch Noah walked with God of oâ—d before your but pretended Rule was written in respect of which the eldest of your Originalls are but upstarts and from which the best of your Originalls had their being Nevertheless who hath believed our report to whom is this Arme of the Lord Revealed c. O nugas hâ—minvm O quantum est in Râ—bus inane quis legit haec vel duo vel neimo I. O. cannot see this and few or none of our skilful Scribs and Scripturists can read this though the Scripture sends them from it self to that it came from nor yet how by raking so unreasonably to make men believe that of the Scripture which 't is unposible for any that can truly read them to believe of them or find from themselves himself frightens honest souls from any further giving of much heed to his own judgement when by a serious search they shall find the falshood of it in so plain and palpable a case as that is he so miserably miscarries in but whether they will give most heed to Christ himâ—elf or no and to his Light in the Conscience and word in the heart or to the bare Letter of
the Scripture which only Testifies of him without ever coming to him that they may have the life or to the Pope I leave it A little time will now detect it howbeit some may go one way some another and like to like and each to what and to whom he best loves and likes but Christs Sheep to whom he onely gives Eternal Life they will assuredly heare his voice which who doeth not must be cut off from among his people 9 Our Doctrine of the Vniversal grace and general love of God to all mankind in giving Christ Intentionally to be a Saviour to all that all that are lost in the fall of the first man may be in possibility and true capability of Redemption and Salvation by him without a bolt by any personal Reprobation of the most therefrom with no reference to their acting any evill and that unchangeably before they had a being unless themselves pâ—nendo obicem debarr themselves from the benefit thereof by Rejecting the council of God against themselves by an obstinate resisting the strivings of his Spirit with them to bring them to it and a wilful putting away of the word of eternal life when by Christ its brought nigh even in their hearts and mouths that they may hear and do it this is no fair In-let to their Bag and Baggage This perhaps is assented to as truth by the Papists the more shame for the most of our hypocritical Churles that gainsay it who would be but must be no more called liberal and bountiful while they are bold to utter errour against the Lords large love as if he were such a niggard as themselves who care not how few men be saved provided that their ever-sinning-selves be not damned but elected to be saved in their sins without being perfectly purg'd from them before they die by Christ of whom they must yet once know what yet they will not that he came to save all people from all sin who aâ—e willing to be saved and not to give any such darlings of his as they darkly deem themselves to be an allowance in the least or a dispensation to sin throw infirmity till they die and then to save them from the desert thereof after death the Instruments of which vile Chuâ—lâ— aâ—so are evil to destroy the poor people of God with their lying words when they speak no other then right things But what if the Romish Clergy do hold such a general grace of God they are by so much the more of a noble spirit then your selves who deny it in the owning of that most pretious truth if they were not far worse then yourselves in other mattters And as for us called Qua. who preach it here for Truth as against I. O. and T. D. it must anon be prov'd to be in the proper place as we take neither it nor ought else to be truth by tradition from Papists or eâ—e the more because they own it but as our selves have received it from the muoth of God so I hope you wise men will grow wiser by then I have done then to judg we must either reject truth it self if their Church once hold it or else be judged to be of them while we hold it with them and as in holding it out freely as we do other Truths we neither fill nor feed as you do your own by holding In the Truth their as Hypocritical as Hydropical Bag so it being no worse then that Golden Gospel Truth which ye Divines darken so much by your dirty distinctions and meer guilded glosses could we make such â—a fair In-let for it that it might shine forth in its brightness as it once will do from one end of England to another we should in so doing usher in no part of their Baggage But indeed your selves in standing against it have not only stor'd your Bag more then is fit for men to do that make a Trade of treading down the Truth But have brought in a piece of Babylonish Baggage of your own as bad if not worse then all the Popes for its all one to me what outward Religion men be of true or false Papism or Protestanism or whether they have any at all among them yea or nay if it be so as our personal Electionists absit blasphemia breath it forth verbatim or at least doctrinally and in effect that the mercy of the Almighty which is said to abound to and over all and extend beyond all his other works and his infinite large and incomprehensible love to all men is yet no larger then may be comprehended in that little corner whereinto they croud it so as to say that one of a thousand only are decreed to be saved and a thousand to one of the Sons and Daughters of men without respect to any evil foreseen in their proper persons to be acted in time are from all eternity decreed by God himself and that unchangeably and everlastingly to be damned For then that one of a thousand shall assuredly be saved and a thousand to one as inalterably perish and die eternally and this or that outward Religion is no remedy against that which was so ordered long before the poor Creatures had any being And as one said once unto me for whom t will be better then he deserves if our God take him not at his word viz he would not own that God that would own a Qua. to be one of his Children so say I but not so desprately as he did the other I know and own no other God but him who will own all to be his Children who will unfainedly own him to be their Father and save all them that are truly willing in his way to be saved from their sins by him who never yet declared himself willing to save any in them who sent his Son a light in the world not to condemn it but to that intent that the world which loving darknesse rather then light will needs be damned through his Light notwithstanding might be saved and will shew mercy upon all them who will have pitty upon themselves so far as not to despise the riches of his grace and reject his unfained tenders and honest offers thereof when they are made neither do I own him to be my God for my God is a God of mercy and truth to all who without any respect to their personal rejectings thereof in time wills never to have mercy upon thâ— most who would have any to perish and not have all to come to Repentance who would not truly have all as well as some to be Saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth who hath any pleasure at all that the very wicked much more that the innocent should die that delighteth in the death of him that dieth and had not really rather that he should turn from his wickednesse and live that means any otherwise then he sayes or is quite contrary to what he seems to be in his speeches to either good or bad
shall be justified Three or four more of T. D.'s in comparison of what we might expect from him in satisfaction most unanswerable answers to such Arguments as were urged by us in proof of Iustification by the Spirit of life and grace of Christ in us and by his fulfilling the Law in us throw the condemnation of sin both in and cleare out of our flesh and by our walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit as a cause that gives Right and Title to it I shall speak a little to and then dismisse T.D. as to this point till I meet him again in other matters about which he joyns in with J. Owen with whom I must come to joyn again too by and by about the Scripture and the light and some other things least he thinks I am lost in this long bout with T.D. So as to be run quite away and never meane to come at him any more The 4. Scriptures alledged and out of which it was argued in proof of the point above said were I Cor. 6. II. Rom. 8. 2. Rom. 8. 4. Tit. 3. 7. To the Ist. And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are santified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Iesus and BY the Spiâ—t of our God whence 't is to be observed that the Corinthians are said to be justified BY the Spirit T.D. Replyes I might say that perhaps that Clause should be referred to sanctification which is in a more appropriate manner attribuâ—ed to the Spirits efficiency as if the words had been but ye are sanctified by the Spirit of our God and he gives his instance for the transposition from Math. 7. 6. give not that which is holy to dogs neither cast your Pearls before Swine least they trample them under their feet and turn again and rent you where turn again and rent you is to be joyned to the dogs quoth T.D. for as Swine do trample under their feet so dogs do â—ly upon a man or teare him down or else justified by the Spirit may be meant of the Spirits application I mean quoth he the 3d. person is the Trinity not of the work of grace whereof we are the Subject Rep. To all which I Reply thus Ist. let the Reader observe how T.D. dances between two and serves the turn of truth against I.O. who blames the Qua. and others for denying the Text of Scripture to be such a certain immoveable stable 〈◊〉 Standard Touchstone of all truth as he contends it to be and for calling it a Nose of wax not infassible because flexible to every mans fancy while the said TD by his twining it which way he finds will fit him best proves it so to be no lesse then practically to our hands yea quid verbis opus est cum facta loquuntur doth not T.D. make a very Nose of wax a Lesbian Rule a meer peice of lead of the letter a Reeling Rule in unstedfast standard when he plucks it to peices as he pleases and makes many meanings of it and then out of them still takes that that best takes with him and makes most for his own penurious purpose for sometimes he turns one Text into two senses and when he hath twatled one Text into two senses and is so betwatled in himself as not to know which of the twain to betake himself certainly to as the Spirits sayes it must be either t'one or t'other or it may be either this or that thrusting out the third be it nere so plain and obvious if it clear the Qua. cause when indeed exclusively of the Qua which is most right and true its neither this or that nor t'one nor t'other witnesse the Text in hand sometimes again gives three senses to one Text witnesse Ioh. I. 9. to which position of Christ that true Lights enlightning every man that cometh into the world he puts three viz. p. 6. 1. Every man that is enlightned 2. Some of every Nation and 3. p. 36. Everyman who is spiritually enlightned to which three I.O. who joyns with T.D. in one of his three saying everyman is not spoken absolutely of all and every man but with Relation onely to the Elect whom he is gratiously pleased to enlighten being not contented with that one single simple sense doubles his Files and adds a fourth sense more nonsensicall then all the rest which as senselessely he serves from that Scripture phrase as 't is in the Greeke viz. not as the Qua. speake Christ enlightens every man coming into the World but thus the true light coming into the World enlightens every man making the participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which but that considering the order and placing of the words in the Greek it s far more cleare that way wherein it s construed by the Qua. considering its Analogy as so with the whole scope of the Scripture also might with more colour then now it is be wrested the wrong way as it is by I.O. and be construed as câ—ookedly as 't is by him but as much as he hopes to overtop the truth with standing upon the double construction of a Greek Term yet he cannot by all his taking so much thought about it add one Cubit nor yet an irch to the Stature of his 〈◊〉 talk from that Scripture but rather pulls him self a pegg or two lower if though yet we will not we should grant him his will in his own way as to his double cause both about the letter and against the light For if the Originall Text may be so doubtfull as to be truly construed two ways in one phrase or place How fit such a flexible thing is to be counted the onely stable and infailible guide as he pleads it to be to meet fallible men a more foolish wise man and silly Scribe then I.O. is cannot but seâ— And as to the true Lights enlightning every man which he impleads thereby what gets he if we grant him his own improper exposition for whether we read the true Light enlightens every man coming in the to world or the true Light coming into the world enlightens every man it amounts to one and same still and both are Tanta mount to no lesse then what the Qua. stand for and I.O. and T.D. against viz. that the true light which is come into the World Joh. 3. doth enlighten every man that comes into it So here 's more then a good many viz. 3 by T.D. and 2 by I.O. whereof one is of the 3 and t'other a fourth beast divers like the fourth in Daniel 7. 7. from all his fellows that is to say between them both 4 meanings in all made of one Text which 4 mean all together to exclude the Quakers fift as an odd one though the onely true one that without mincing and pinching in the mind of the Spirit is there intended in the Text by the Spirit
but a few in it as T.D. at the Dispute so that on this soore our Scribes scape Scot-free still by their shifts To meet with Quakers Priests need never doubt Nor need they when they meet them fâ—ar a Rout If All 's but Some Out 's In and In 's for Out Then they are Alwayes In and never Out Thus the seed of the Serpent saves it self alive in its enmity against the Holy Seed not so much by plain down right dealing nor any bold open facings of the truth quae non quaerit argulos but by cowaâ—dly creeping into corners shameful shâ—frings from sense to sense miâ—â—rable marchings from meaning to meaning â—o that one can hardly know well where to have them nor how to find them nor what they mean any more then they who know not which way to take when they have two or three before them of their own devising nor very well what to mean nor very distinctly what they do mean themâ—elves But as for us Nos mutire nefas we may not safely without their censures so much as take the Scripture to be what themselves are neither afraid nor ashamed to make them viz. a Lesbâ—an Rule a Nâ—se of Wax which may be made yet scarcely is by any more then themselves to shew it self in 7 8 9 shapes at once And though they dare Diâ—pute themselves and argue any way from figurative and fâ—â—aâ—gn and proper and improper literal or mystical meanings and importments of words and Phrases yet they can well digest or diâ—pense with none of all this in us and least of all when we do as we mostly or ever do keep to the â—rue honâ—st ordinary plain purport of the words as they lve open and clear to every ordinary and common capacity that is willing both to know own and do the truth but rather will take any and if one will not serve two meanâ—â—gs at once or one after another whereof one overturns t'â—ther to cross the truest by and leave the Reader to chuse which best likes him of two or three so be he will leave that single one of the Qua witness T.D. who takes on him to domineer over all our truly Divine ones with his different devâ—sed and divided ones who when R.H. puts that one true one even the same that is expressed in the words on 1 Iohn 9. Puts two meanings to oppose it adding p. 35. I would have him to know that both the meanings are the Holy Ghosts though but one is intended in that place the Phâ—ases will bear either senses that is those aforesaid and either of them câ—â—ss his interpretation and p. 6. the meaning of those words Iohn 1.9 cannot be as the lâ—â—tter of them does import but it must be either every man that is enlightned or else some of every Nation and p. 7. It was usual with Christ to speak words of a doubtful sense Christs meaning may be mistaken when his words are taken in the most ordinary and literal sense and so it would be if by every man we should understand every individual man so that 't is your self quoth he to G.W. and not I that am such a giver of meanings as the Iewes who gave theirs contrary to Christs meaning and p. II. when to prove perfect purging from sin here I urged Psal. 119. 1,2,3 Blessed are the undefiled in the way c. They do no iniquity as for the Phrases quoth T.D. they are hyperbolical thus any T. Y is used to turn the Truth off with and p. 9. when R.H. urged 1 Iohn 3.9 Who so is born of God doth not commit sin Tâ—at cannot be meant of freedom from sin but either there is an Emphasis in the word sin intending by it one sort of sin Or if not on the Substantive on the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which notes to make a Trade of sin So p. 16 to the Scripture under hand 1 Cor. 6. 11. Ye are justified by the Spirit of our God urged by us to prove Iustification by the Spirit in us I might say quoth T.D. Perhaps that clause should be referred to Sanctification or else justified by the Spirit maybe meant of the Spirits Application which is as much as to say Perhaps it s this perhaps it s that but I well know not whether this or that so that the Reader may of two take either But will say I is wise take â—eâ—ber for though two strings to his Bow still T.D. hath for fear one should snap yet neither of theâ—e here will hold on T.Ds. side so much as Ours nor if both could be twined so as to stand together in one as they cannot they are so divers and destructive to each other would they prove strong enough to reach the Butt so but that by his overshort shooting T.D. at this time will loose all he shoots for For first to begin next with thy last clause wherein thou dar'st or at least dost Preach out thy meaning not positively but possibly only or by Perhaps as in the first that justified by the Spirit may be meaâ—t of the Spirits Application meaning the third Person in the Trinity as thou Term'st it which Phrase of justified by the Spirit if it may imply such a thing as the Holy Spirits Applying Christs Righteousness to us yet must it needs imply such a far-from Antick Applying as thou implyest who falsly imaginest that to be truly Applyed to men that stands at such a vast distance as to be no nearer to them then Heaven is to Earth If the Spirit of God Apply Righteousness to any man for his Iustification doth he do it by the halves as thou vainly hopest so as to impute it where he doth not convey it Doth he not do it in a more perfect manner then so as to give him his share part or place in it without its having its share part or any place at all in him Is it false doctrine as thy self p. 39. Relaâ—est R.H. Relating thou said'st it was to say a man must fiâ—st partake of the Righteousness which justifies before it can be imputed to him as his And that is that a mans Righteousness any otherwise then Imaginarily is it so truly properly and perfectly that he partakes no more hath no more partin nor participation of then meerly by way of computation and supposition onely so as to be counted to him to the steading of him till it be some way or other also actually and really conveyed to him And grant we be justified by the Righteousness of another onely and not our own yea curâ—ed for ever be and will be that man say I that looks for Iustâ—fication by any Righteousness that is meerly his own Eccl. 7. 15. for the righteousest man that is onely in his own perisheth in his Righteousness and I have seen such a one as well as Paul he that ever comes to Gods Righteousness Rest or Sabbath hath left and lost his own Righteousness hath ceased from his own works
viz. onely and alone their deliverance in him from the sin in which they could never be just or any better then abominable in his sight but not in any that they should be saved from the sin and he by being in them become the Subject of it in their stead that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him and not he the Image of Satan forever in our Room so it s said 1 Pet. 3.18 that Christ once suffered for our sins the just for the unjust not that he might bring us to God only and not bring God to us nor so as to own and count us holy in our sins but to bring us to be Gods children by Nature and Image and not to bring us to be so thought and yet leâ— us like the Devill much lesse to make himselfe by sin like the Devil and that this is the onely end it s said for what the Law could not do in regard it was weakâ— through our flesh God sending his own Son in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sin in ourâ— flâ—sh that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh as all sinners and no Saints do but after the Spirit Rom. 8.3.4 which is one viz. the 3d of the 4 Scriptures above named I am under the examination of T. D's Admirable answers too which that I may rid my hands on 't while t is in hand and not need to take it in hand any more and also because his answer to it suits so well with what I am here saying not mattering so much order as to tarry till its turn comes I shall take notice of his answer to it and by a briefe Reply take it out of the way as I go Having â—aid no other of the 3d verse then I myself do he grants that the 4 verse imports the end for which God sent Christ viz. that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us so far he is right and runs with me but then he speedily spoils all again adding that by that Term in us is meant not in our own persons but in Christ his righteousnesse imputed to us as if it had been inherent in our selves which I told him then when he uttered it as he relates p. 17.18 was his own meaning but not Pauls to which his yes started up against my no and so it ended for that time But a word or two with thee T.D. about it now Is the sense and meaning of that Term in us not in us but in another not in our persons but in Christ I never heard so much in all my dayes that I know of till I had it from thee and if thou hadst not told me so I should never have believed it to have been so any more then I can believe it now thou dost tell me it is so and that is to say the truth not at all for if this be so that when the spirit of God sayes in us we must understand him as intending not in us but in some other I can't tell where we shall have him nor how to understand him distinctly more then one can understand thee who oft speakst on thing and thinkst another and hast so many meanings for one Scripture somtimes that thou know it not which to take for true nor which of them all to fix upon as the Spirits but hangst thy people up in the aire there to hover with thy self in the Clouds of darknesse till neither thou nor they know well either where ye are or what ye say nor whereof ye affirm But surely T. D. though thou thinkst as all takers of Gods Covenant into their mouths that hate to bereformed and cast his words behind them do that God is such a one as thy selfe Psal. 50. and goest about to make thy more talkt on then well known unity in Trinity a Trinity of vain talkers and meer mockers of men like thy self saying one thing meaning oft another viz. that God offers salvation to all men but intends it onely to a few or at least by thy own confession offers it to more then he intends it though I believe thy words were as R.H. rehearses p. 40. and that twast an usuall thing with Christ to speak words of a doubtfull sense So that his meaning may be mistaken by none but illiterate Anti-Spiritists say I when his words are taken in the most ordinary and literall sense by every man not meaning every individuall but a very few and by all but some and that the meaning of the Spirits words Joh. 9. cannot be as the letter of them doth import ut prius p. 6.7 and so here that by in us they all three mean not in our persons but in Christ and a deal more of such Hoberdipoise but let the Father Word and Spirit which are one be true in their witnesse in heaven and every man a lyar that belyes them as thou doest for there is no such matter as thou intimately of them but the wayes and words of wisdome are all plain to him that understandeth pro. 8. and dark to none but the Children of darknesse and parables to none but such as seeing see not therefore must not see the mysteries of the Gospell which are revealed to Babes nor his secrets which are hid to none but such as fear not him whose secrets are with those that fear him Blind Priests and people hate the light Therefore of truth can have no sight Else how easily might they see that God Christ and the Spirit mean as they say and do not mean by all but a few nor by in out nor here by in us in another or not in us and if this may passe for a current answer to say God by yea means not yea but nay which he that hath his fingers in the fire and will not pull them out at the hearing of 't is almost pitty but he should be burnt This is an easier way to put off truth by then the common Creephole of all the Clergy when they are cronded up into a Corner viz. in aliquo sensu ita est in alie sensu non in one sense 't is so in another not which may serve not T.D. onely who hath more senses to one Scripture then every one hath or he should have though not enough to serve his turn but also the veriest Duncicall Disputant in the World Yea at this rates when Paul tells us that if Christ be not in us we are Reprobates and 't is Christ in us onely who is the hope of glory if I were minded not to admit of such a troublesome guest in my heart as Christ is to all such sinner-like Saints as T. D's Saints are I could easily turn him out into the Stable as they did of old that could afford him no Room at all in the Iune and excuse my selfe in it well enough too by telling him in T. D's distinction that by in us
this T. D. confesses it p. 17. ' t is true quoth he that the same Spirit is in Christ and in his Saints but then he hath a double bolt for all this wherewith to shut us out from justification by that Spirit in Christ as in us 1. The Spirit in us doth not conform us to the Law fully quoth he notwitstanding your vain assertion of perfection Rep. I never said that the Spirit of Christ in you did conform you fully to the Law if when thou sayst conform us thou meanst your selves for ye are farenough from perfection to whom it seemes A vainâ—assertion A Doctrine of Devils to talk of or reach it and how should the Spirit conform you to the Law who though you have it striving in you and reproving you of sin yet do in the stiffnesse and uncircumcis'dnesse of your hearts and eares alwayes quench grieve resist it refuse to be led by it and will not walk after it but after the flesh But the Saints and such onely are all those that walk after it and not after the flesh it eitheir conforms them to the Law and that fully too or else what doth it conform them to Partly the Law and partly the Lust Partly to it selfe and partly to the flesh Doth it lead any into any sin which is transgression of the Law Or onely out of all sin all such as give up to be guided by it If any be at all deform'd it is because they conform to the flesh and follow it and stop the Spirit but if any conform to the Spirit and follow it it will conform them fully to the Law and not to the forms fashions foolish fellowships and lusts of the world but transform them from all these by the renewing of their minds and lead them to perfect holynesse in the fear of God thy vain assertion to the contrary in any wise norwithstanding Thus the 1 st bolt is broken but 2ly quoth he if the Spirit did conform us to the Law fully yet were not that conformity the merit of justification Rep. Oh strange that T.D. should deem there 's strength in this to stand out against us by which is far weaker then the former Doth the Spirit working holinesse in our natures and persons not merit justification which is non-condemnation are Christ and his Spirits works of lesse or worse merit in one time place and person then another I judg'd they had been every where and alwayes alike and of like good desert from the dignity of the person doing them or else T.D. lyes p. 15. of his 1. Pamp and especially that their good works which are the fulfilling of the Law deserve non-condemnation 1 justification or else T.D. lyes again in that same page but sith the Spirit of life and works of holinesse in our nature and persons conforming them fully to the Law do not as T.D. p. 15. said before they did from the dignity of Christs person deserve non-condemnation for their conformity to it or transgression of it merits one thing or other good or evill and we use to say no truly good work deserves evill more then an evill work merits good we will take it for granted that T.D. thinks the Spirits conforming us to the Law deserves condemnation and so let it stand that all people may understand the Blasphemy and Folly of it Thus T.D. pulls hard to have his own again but what he can't win by force of false position hee l see if he can beg it back from us in these following fawning Questions I would fain know what or whether precedent holynesse in the Saints merits subsequent holynesse or whether the exercise of what they have is the meritorious cause of what they have not or of perfection especially if the Law of sin intends the corruption of nature as the Law of the spirit of the life does holynesse of nature I would be instructed how a nature in part corrupted can deserve totall freedome and I am sure the first work of the Spirit renewes our nature but in part Rep. If I should grant T.D. in the negative all he asks as he thinks I will my negative or denying or saying Nâ— were such answer to his Questions as he desires but if I should say yea to all his Queâ—yes it dashes him down and denyes all he would have and yet I must say yea to most of them if I say the truth Therefore T.D. I say yea to some and nay to some To the 1st I answer yea that precedent holynesse in the Saints merits subsequent holynesse and to the ad I answer yea the exercise of what the Saints have is a meritorious cause of what yet they have not And sith thou askest what precedent holynesse the Saints exercising of when they have it deserves subsequent holynesse or what they have not I answer all that is the fruit of the Spirit in them and the gift of God to them whether Active or Passive if to merit be to be worthy of a thing by right of promise at least 'T was given to the Saints both to believe and suffer Phil. 1. Yet they were worthy of the Kingdome for which they suffered by beleiving the Testimony of it and suffering for it 2 Thess. 2. 'T was the gift of God by promise to such as fight and ouercome to walk with Christ in white and the gift of God to the Saints that they could sight and by his strength overcome yet they shall walk with me in white faith Christ for they are worthy 'T was Gods gift to do his Commandements yet for all that the doing thereof deserves that they yet have not and without the doing of which they should not enter by Right gives right to enter the Citty and eat of the Tree of life Rev. 22.14 Five Talents and two and one were Gods gift yet as he that did not encrease and improve what he had merited at least the losse of it so they that exercised the 2 and the 5 merited the doubling of theirs and by promise had Right using what they had and being faithfull in few littles to many and to more abundance and to the joy of the Lord Much more I might say but T.D. denyes in this the Doctrine of his fellow Divines who tell that the improvement of 〈◊〉 grace as they call it deserves not the gift of speciall but the improvement of special grace deserves more of that still So that though they deny a meritorious transition a genere ad genus from exercising of one kind of grace say they men deserve not another kind as he that improves riches deserves not righteousnesse Yet a desert say they there is by the exercise of some grace of one kind of more of the same kind as he that is holy deserves more holynesse and he that sowes to the Spirit of life shall have life everlasting as he that sowes to the flesh reaps a crop as all persons are to do suitable to their seed of more
as Iustified by Christ will appear approved at last but he whom the Lord commendeth which is no man of sin that I know of which David himself stood condemed in 2 Cor. 10 17 18. So having snaptasunder one of the two strings to his Bow by which T. D. strove to shoot back to us that Arrow and Shast which was sharp in his and in the heart of all the enemies to justification by the Spirit of grace and life within us from 1 Cor. 6.11 which pretended to no great strength it self being a string made but of a meer may be or perhaps for justified by the Spirit if not otherwise may be meant quoth he of the Spirits Application I come to try the strength of his other string which is patcht up of no better then such a poor peice of Toe too as peradventure or perhaps for when we say with Paul in the Text the Saints are washed sanctified and justified all one and the same way viz. in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the Spirit of God and his grace and holy operations in us T. D. who confesses he chose to out-word us see his Epistle and is never to seek for something or other to say though his aliquid is ever nihil sayes thus I might say that perhaps the clause should be referr'd to Sanctification which is in a more appropriate manner attributed to the Spirits efficiency as if the Order of the words had been but ye are sanctifyed by the Spirit of our God Rep. Then it seemes justification must go look its efficient somewhere else and must have no share with washing and sanctification in the Spirits holy workings in the Saints it must be in the Name of God only and the other onely by the Spirit as if the Name and Spirit of God were such Heterogeneous matters that what 's done by one cant be said to be done by the other and as if Paul had mistooke himself in the placing of his words and had been by the infallible Spirit misguided misplacing of them so that when he should have said ye are justified onely in the Name of the Lord and onely wash't and sanctified by the Spirit of God confusedly crouds these effects all under one cause and sayes ye are not onely washt and sanctified but ye are justified also in the name of the Lord and by the Spirit of our God I do not wonder thou purst in this with perhaps only for hadst thou absolutely affirmed it for a positive truth thou hadst of a truth lyed thy self into a very laughing stock to the lowest capacity in the Country by thy talk of so transcendently untrue a transposition T. D. But such traspositions are not without instance in the Scripture quoth T.D. as Math. 7.6 give not that which is holy to Dogs nor cast ye your Pearls before Swine least they trample them under their feet and turn again and rent where turn again and rent you is joyned to the Dogs quoth he for as Swine ds trample under their feet so Dogs do fly upon a man and tear him down Rep. We know well enough its the property of Dogs and I Swine to turn and teaâ— and â—rample when Pearls and holy things are held out to them having paid pretty well for the experimentall learning of it we have since we began to tell the pretious Truth and hold out such a holy thing as inhaerent holynesse is to such an unholy seed as your selves are â— but I am yâ—t to learn that these these ill qualities of turning tearing trampling do not all 3. jointly agree to both or either of these Creatures severally considered yea all of them as much to one as to the other For as Dogs turn and tear so do Swine and as Swine trample under their feet what thâ—y tear so do Dogs or else the Scripture which is very unlike to T. D's Scripture about it is in this case utterly unlike it self for it tells us of the Gentiles which in oppsition to the children are called the Dogs Math. 15.24 which are without the holy Citty or any Right to enter there Rev. 22.14.15 Though in their anger envy canina utentes facundia they grin like a Dog and go round about it Psal. to whom yet the outward Court of the Temple externall forms worships observations ordinances and name of Christians is given that they tread or trample the holy Citty under feet Rev. 11.1.2 No marveil therefore the Cat winkt when both her eyes were out and that T.D. durst not speak his mind out positively nor point blank neither one way nor another in answer to our Argument from that Scripture 1 Cor. 6.11 but only by perhaâ—â—es Seeing he was so blinded by it that he saw nothing what to return directly and downrightly to it and since he puts it off to us with no more force then perhaps it is so or perhaps so as he sayes 't is though I have said much more for satisfactions sake to such as seek the truth yet to such as seek nothing more then how they may cavill against it and turn it off from taking hold on either their own hearts or the hearts of others I need do no more then put it all back upon T. D. again with per-haps it is so or so as I say 't is against him it being a generall generall received Maxime among all Schoolmen that an argument that flyes in ones face with no more force then forte ita requires to be no more forcibly refel'd then with forte non Yea forte ita semper sat bene solvitur per forte non Thus I have at last made a clear end with T. D. as to this matter of justification having to the undeceiving of such as by his misty makings out of our meanings in it have much mistaken me and the Qua. as Poâ—ish about it shewed plainly which way we hold it and how it is according to the Scripture of grace and not of works 1 our works properly and onely so call'd and yet not of grace onely but of works also 1 such as Christ and his Spirit only works only in us which the Spirit in a sense subordinate to himself who is the master-workman to whom onely and Gods grace in freely giving us such an alsufficicent Assistant to do his will the glory of all belongeth is pleas'd also but more sparingly to entitle by the the Term of Ours Isa. 26. So that had it been as true as if T.D. and his witnesses together with him p. 58. be to be credited before himself alone 't is false that I disputed justification in those Terms of by our good works as he says p. 14. yet if by our works we speak of those that God Christ and the Spirit work in us it can in no wise follow from thence any more then it doth from all his other piteâ—â—s Premises whereby he improves himself to prove me so that I am a rank Papist nor so much as it followes from
all for their enmity to the Scripture Secondly to recover both Priests and people as much as may be from under those dark cloudy conceptions of the Scripture which these two men being overcast with themselves labour what they can to beget others into as if all the worlds were for ever utterly undone and under the losse of all saving truth and utterly without any possible way whereby to come to the knowledge of the will of God concerning them in order to their souls Salvation from sin and wrath to come if the outward Letter or External text of the Scripture be not Talkt up into the Throne as the onely Lapis Lydius ex 3.5 33 sure Word of God infallible guide Trusty Teacher Supream Iudge perfect Rule stâ—m foundation stable Standard fixt unerring unalterable measure and such like as I.O. states it to be by which all Doctrines Faiths Words Writings Spirits true or false must be toucht tried and determined or else no man can be at any certainty where to be what to believe how to walk with God which to take for Truth and which to turn from I shall first plainly shew what the Scriptures are and what we mean when we talk of Scriptures 2. Briefly take notice of some of the base unworthy absurd abuses and fowl aspersions and unjust accusations whereby thou I.O. what in thee lies labourest much more abundantly and abominably I must needs say then the other as to this point to render us odious to all men as despisers and deniers of them and then 3 dly addressing to the controversie it self leave all who shall read such Animadversions as are to be made by me of thy unfound Assertions about it to judge by that light of God in their own Consciences whether themselves or we erre most beside the Scripture or most duly deserve the Censure of Anti-scripturists First then I shall here give all men to understand more distinctly yet then I have hitherto done what it is that I intend and what I would be understood as speaking of by this term the Scripture which is to be so often agitated in this Discourse between me and I.O. in whose Book also it is so often agitated and what sort of those Holy Scriptures it is which is the common Subject of which so much is prated and predicated by I.O. that is as utterly denyed by the Quakers That we may not by hanging in universals only which are in no wise or sense truly seen but by considering the particulars wherein they exist conclude of things in a tumultuous mist of Confusion as thou dost distinguishing where thou shouldst not and jumbling things into a kind of Omnigatherum which should be more singly and severally spoken of whose Trumpet gives such an uncertain sound that its hard to know either how or where one must prepare to the battel The word Scripture then though it be an Vnivocal nor AEquivocal as us'd by us yet is it a General Term and so Ambiguous and doubtful unless it be explained by its particulars signifying not only all other kinds of Scriptures good and bad that ever were in the world but also more kinds then one of that kind of Scripture which Abstractively from and more eminently then the rest in regard of its worth we ordinarily call The Scripture and have singled out from all the rest as our Present Subject What thou meanst in thy heedlesse handiement of this more General Subject I can hardly find thou drivest it on when thou Praedicatest this and that of it in most parts of thy Dispute at Randome in general terms and run'st away with the word Scripture at all adventure scribling it over again and again The Scripture is this the Scripture is that the Scripture is written by Inspiration of God the Scripture is the Word of God the Scripture is entire to a tittle perfect c. scarcely shewing which of those Three several sorts of it which thy self hast divided it into thou wouldst have us to understand thee as speaking of when thou denominarest these high things of it viz. Whether first thou mean the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as thou caliest them pag. 13. I The individual and immediate Manuscripts of Moses the Prophets and Apostles and such holy and honest men as were the first Pen-men of the sundry Parcels of that holy Scripture which was copied cut the Copy whereof is bound up in the bulk now called the Bible Or secondly the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I the transcribed Copies thereof whether first immediate that were at first hand taken out of the first Copies Or secondly those mighty mediate and far remote ones taken by thou knowst not whom out of thou knowst not what Copies that were handed downwards successively not without some mixtures mistakes and for ought though knowest losse of much of what was at first throw all the dark Ages since then to this of ours by men that were some faithful and some unfaithful but none of them infallible by thy own confession p. 167. or divinely inspired so that it was impossible for them in any thing to mistake which uncertain Copies ye have as your only Rule and Canon at this day in which Copies neverthelesse of the Originals yet remaining that may secundum te I.O. according to thy Concession be more or lesse crooked as it happens and thy self granting there are varieties among them cannot be all true Thou dost not blush p. 173. to adde and say That the whole Scripture entire as given out from God is preserved without any losse and within them all is every Letter and Tittle c. Or Thirdly Whether thou mean the several and various Copies of the Translations of those various and several Transcriptions into several Tongues and Languages What thou meanest I say or which of all these Three sorts of Writings whether the first Manuscripts only or the Transcripts and Translations also or the Two first only and not the last or all the Three which are all Three commonly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Holy Scriptures When thou Praedicatest these glorious things of the Scripture thou dost not very distinctly declare but goest on in generals and that Dolus latet in universalibus thou art not ignorant so that he had need to be wise that very easily discerns thy mind and what thou meanest yet this I know full well and 't is the more shame for thee if thou be ignorant of it that some things may be said tru'y of some one of these that cannot without falshood be affirmed of the other Two and some things of Two that cannot of the Third and he understands neither what he saith nor whereof he affirmeth whosoever he is that without distinction denominates all the things that thou dost of the Scriptures of these Three sorts all alike or of any Two of them either most of which will upon due examination not be found duly
the many frivoulous flouting phrases and new fangled nick-Names wherewith thou who bearest Christs Name more then his Nature like the old Heathen Enemies to the Truth dost cover its true Christian Friends as it were with wild Beasts-skins that looking on them under that likenesse Name and Notion of Deceivers Destroyers Lyars Hypocrites horrid cursed Diabolical Blasphemers the Dogs of your Flocks may be hereby encouraged and set on to run the more greedily on to tear and worry them These will all Reflect upon thy self the envious Exerter of them and lye with no little load like a Talent of Lead upon thy Conscience and sink thee down among the rest of the uncircumcised in lips into sore Condemnation when thou awakest to behold him who now cometh in Myriads of his Saints to Convince and Iudge all ungodly Sinners for all the hard speeches they have ungodly spoken against him in his Saints and Servants whose Righteousness is of the Lord and whose Heritage it is to condemne every false Blasphemous and unruly Tongue that as thine doth riseth up in Judgement against them And as for us the Reproach of Christ is greater Riches to us then the Treasures of England which ye are glorying in and gaping after Nevertheless I shall here have a few words with thee about some few of them as well as about the Lyes that under them thou rellest of us Thou ventest thy venome against us under those Two now vulgar Names of Quakers and Fanaticks on this wise J. O. The second part of the Question concerning the proper Name of the Scripture relates to our Fanaticks who from that Trembling wherewith they fain themselves to be shaken in their holy Services or rather the power of that evil spirit by which in very deed they are shaken are commonly called Quakers Reply As for that holy duty it self of Quaking and Trembling at the Word of God which as blind a guide and bruit a Beast as thou art in speaking evil of what thou knowest as also of what thou knowest not thou both ownest and acknowledgest the holy men of God were taken with of old when moved to utter his Word as it came to them witness thy own words pag. 8. viz. the coming of the Word to them filled them with dread and reverence of God Hab. 3.16 and also greatly affected even their outward man though we dare not be so desperate as to damne it all for Diabolical as thou dost in these dayes in which God hath his Prophets and his People as well as then yet we own it as thou in word dost and indeed as they did Isa. 66.5 and are as they by their Brethren hated and cast out by you our Brother Christians in Name for so doing which meer fleshly Brotherhood who hate us and cast out our Name as evil for his Names sake shall be ashamed for it before him that appears to our joy and when Ierusalem hath first drunk her part as she is now a doing ye shall drink the dregs of the Cup of Trembling with the Devils whose Portion Trembling is for all ye believe the History as they also do and wring them out together with all the wicked of the Earth And as we own the thing so saving all your Ironical Tauntings of us therewith which we deny as that which ye even of God must be denied for we own the Name when used in his fear as that which is both Arbitrio Iure Divine imposed by God himself as their proper right on his own People whom himself from that holy Qualification of Trembling at his Word even thereby as by a peculiar Character denominates Isa. 66.5 and distinguishes from all other people that are found Quaking and Trembling mostly at the Word of man whom his Saints have ceased from whose breath is in his nostrils so that if the Word of man earthly powers Princes Parliaments go forth for such or such a kind of Christianity Religion Worship Order or Form of Ecclesiastical Doctrine or Discipline they all Priests and People and the Nations that fear not God by whole-sale strait stand stupified Quaking and Trembling and fall down Worshipping for fear of the Furnace the Quakers at Gods Word only excepted whatever Golden Image the King of Babilon pleases to set up and impose on them to how down to As to Name and Thing then we own that of Quaking and Trembling but dare not like thy self who ownest and yet defamest it corrupt our selves in what we know Nec tutum est ludere cum sacris neither is it a safe matter for such a high Professor as thou I.O. goest for to jeast and fleere so as thou dost about such holy matters as Quaking and Trembling at the Word of God which thou must come to know nearer home then ever yet when that Word nigh in the heart thou so sowlely fallest on comes once to be felt in thee as an Hammer breaking thy Rocky heart to pieces and to flame forth in thee as a fire and a spirit of burning under the Pot whose filthy scum boyls in it against the Truth and is not yet purged away When thou comest to know Moses of whom thou pratest so much a little better then yet thou dost thou shalt say I exceedingly Fear and Quake assâ—re they self as well as he with whom thou must Tremble on Mount Sinai Heb. 12.18 21 22 23 24 25 c. at that voice of the Trumpet and that Terrour of the Lord and that Blacknesse and Darknesse and Tempest which attends it before thou come near Mount Sion and to rest in the Hill thereof as much as in an empty sound of Words thou art mounting up thither afore thy time I.O. But this Dread and Terrour which Satan strove to imitate in his filthy Tripodes and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was peculiar to the Old Testament and belonged to the Paedogogy thereof the Spirit in the Declaration of the New Testament gave out his mind and will in a way of more liberty and glory the manner of it related more to that glorious liberty in fellowship and Communion with the Father whereunto Believers had then an accesse provided them by Jesus Christ. Rep. That the Devil may and doth strive to imitate the things of God I deny not yea there 's scarse any outward Appearance or Form that the power of God puts it self forth in but the power of the evil One in man strives Apishly to imitate and make the meer likenesse and Image of it but these Images and Imitations are made among the Magicians and Wisemen of Egypt who are gone out from Gods Counsel the Light and Power of God in the Conscience into the meer Imaginations of their own vain minds and foolish hearts leaning to their own benighted understandings but not among these who leaving their own Wisdom learn only at the lips of Christ who leads even fools that love him into the Substance it self and that wisdom which makes wise to Salvation 'T is
present Seers gain-getting Priests false Prophets and foolish People But alas poor man thou art far enough from the New Testament or Covenant yet which is a Gospel a Covenant of Light which thou art so far from that thou fightest against it thou thinkest thy Judgement is over past and the Old Testament a thing that thou hast learned long ago but thou art not come so near to the sharp Paedagogy of it yet as thou must do so far art thou from the glorious Liberties of the New Thy words are true enough the Word under the New comes in a way of more Liberty and Glory but it s no newes to hear High Priests speak Truths which themselves know not thou art at best but an Old Testament Talker of the New and one that 's come truly yet under the Tuition of neither As for the New the Word comes under it in Liberty and Glory but not to Old Testament Spirits Doctors Scribes and Pharisees they see not clearly so much as Moses face much lesse the Glory of God in the face of Iesus Condemnation is yet to come from Christ himself first to such as these as well as from Moses Iohn yea Christ himsâ—lf whose friendliness to Publicans and Sinners as a Physitian was found fault with by such Friday fasting Pharisees as this Age is filled with as much as Iohns Austerenesse was found in Iohns rough Spirit Camels hair Garment and astonishing Appearance to them that went about to Murder him in his inward Ministry and Testimony within themselves and then they said of him too as of Iohn Thou hast a Devil Ioh 8. Ah poor Nursing Fathers and Mothers Vniversally Erring Vniversity Seducers poor seducing Priests and seduced People notwithstanding the Glorious Liberty and Gloriousnesse of the Gospel Times that ye are glorying in in a Dream that ye live under ye must most assuredly find a Condemning Iudging Terrifying fiery flaming Law laying hold on your Consciences and finding you out and the Sword of the Lord entering into your Souls and the Wrath of the Lord rending your very heart-strings a sunder and dread terrour and trembling surprizing you Hypocritical sinners in Sion before ever ye shall come to know the true Liberty or Glory of the Gospel which is the Image and Glory of God brought forth among you yea judgement is already laid to the line and Rigeteousnesse to the Plummet and the Hail is falling that will sweep away your Refuges of Lyes and the storm that will overflow your hiding places and break and disinable your supposed Covenant and Agreement with Death and Hell as if your judgement were passed over by the Lord and none of that could come near you and your Bed will be found too short for you to rest on and your Covering too narrow to wrap your selves in from the Wrath of God the power of whose wrathful displeasure shall make your Mount Sier shake like Sinai before ever ye come near to the sight of that glorious Rest that the Saints ly down in on Mount Sion Now as to that other new found Phrase of Fanaticks These Fanaticks the Fanaticks of this time our Fanaticks Fanatical Quakers Fanatical Souls Fanatical Enthusiasts Fanatical Knaves Fanatical Anti-scripturists and under which ever and anon yea so oft that I may say Ferè numquam non thou soamest out as thy fellows do that froth filth and falshood which floats about in thy foolish vain Spirit against the Quakers in gross as against a furious distracted mad crack-brain'd kind of men that for so those Terms signifie as used by thee pretend to Visions Revelations Illuminations Inspirations the Spirit of Prophesie and such like but are Reapse stark besides themselves and bereft of their very wits and senses As new a nick-Name as 't is to this Age this is no other then what all the Prophets of God were entertained with in the several seasons wherein God sent them out by the many false Prophets that were Coaetaneous with them and therefore nibil novi no new business to such as are not blind He is but meanly skill'd in the Scriptures who hath not yet learn'd from thence That the Prophets by whom God spake and by whose Ministry be muâ—tiplied Visions and used Similitudes as Hos. 12.10 were ever counted Deceivers as the snare of a Fowler in all their wayes that the true Prophet was a fool and the spiritual man or man of the spirit Mad Hos. 9.7 8. and hatred alwayes in the House of his God And that Gods People by meer profession rose up against them as against an Enemy and as now the same Generation of Holy Hypocrites do both in Old England and in New pull'd off their Robes and their Garments from them to whip and scourge them sometimes as Seditious and Disturbers that passe by securely as men most averse from War and streitned the spirit of the Lord saying Prophesie not so such as Prophesied in his Name and Power and putting them to shame if they did when if a man would walk in the wind of his own Invention and Lye falsly and Prophesie to them of â—elly Ohear of Wine and of strong Drink even he should be own'd a Prophet by that People Mic 2.8 9 10 11. And that Ioshua the true High Priest and his fellows even Christ and the Children that God had given him were as men wondred at were set as signes to be spoken against even to the house of Jacob from whom he hid his face and their peepers and mutterers out of their own familiar spirits to the unbelieving Despisers that wonder and perish for signes and for wonders from the Lord of Host that dwelleth in Mount Sion Isa. 8.17 18. Zach. 3.8 Luke 2.34 Act. 13.40 41. Yea I. O. hath read his own Book ore but by the halves if he do not learn this Lesson out of it himself pag. 58 59 61 62. that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or divinely inspired men whose Doctrine was to have been received as from God who sent them and in whose Name they spake though but Herdsmen and of mean Occupation were yet generally rejected upon innumerable prejudices that attended the Truth they spake arising from the personal infirmities and supposed Interests of them that delivered it as Amos 7. Ier. 43.2 3. Ioh 9.29 Act. 24.5 and that what with these things and chiefly the Peoples being so eminently perplexed with false Prophets both as to their number and subtilty that they could not well discern aright between Gods Word and that which was only pretended so to be and so became guilty of unbelief and rebellion against God not submitting to what they spake in his Name it alwayes so sell out that scarce any Prophet that spake in the Name of God had any Approbation from the Church of dead stones in whose dayes he spake Matth. 5.12.21.33 to 38 Act. 7.52 Thus much I.O. may learn from these words which are mostly his own that it was alwayes so heretofore and
even in this present Contest with Thee for all thy perking up into a proud pretensive Prate against us Pro Scripturis as if we stood in some deep Defiance and thou against us in some eminent and more then ordinary Defence of the Scriptures to be in no enmity but in true unity with the Scriptures and to be more real Friends thereunto then either thy self who wilt be found in as real enmity to them as thou art in seeming friendship or any of those aforesaid with whom thou Rankest us as if we were the Rankest Enemies thereof that ever appeared in any Age since the Scripture had a being to this present day Be it therefore fore-known unto thy self and all men who will believe and can receive it for truth and who so will not let the mischief of his mis-belief in this matter be upon him that though we own not thee I.O. and side not with but mostly against thee in that very Book wherein thou standest up so stiffly against Atheists and Papists and all Anti-Scripturists as well as against the men called Quakers whom thou but supposest to be such And though we may possibly be found saying some things soberly which Atheists and Papists say scornfully of the Scriptures which are gain-said by thee and gain-saying at least twenty things that are asserted by thee of the Scriptures in thy zealous Pleadings for them yet we are no Atheists as thou supposest neither are we Papists or Iesuites neither are we Anti-scripturists in any wise nor do we so much as take the part or serve the Interest of nor side or comply with any of them any more then we do with thy self whose Antagonist and T. D's too I am in this present Reply to thy Reproaches of the Quakers in Vindication of whose Interest alone abstract from that of the Papists as much as from thy own and thy Party of Protestants and singly and solely on behalf of the Truth professed by the Quakers and opposed by thee and all the other whom thou opposest And finally for the Scriptures which are truly owned valued used known and Practised only among the Quakers I herein stand up more or lesse against you all as against such who none of you excepted no not those among you Protestant Pretenders to it who would sain seem to others as you do to your selves to be most fervent for it any more then those Decryers and Denyers of it with whom thou slanderously sayest the Quakers side will every one of you be found Foes to denyers of and fiery fighters against the Scripture And this that we are no Atheists nor yet Associates or Assistants to any such as are without God in the World but that People who know God and are known of him above all other People upon Earth the best of which in words professe to know God whom in Truth they know not but in works deny being abominably in their Lives disobedient to his Light and to every good Work void of Judgement will as easily as evidently appear to every Patient and Impartial Reader that can suspend his Censuring till he hath Read these present Animadversions of Thy mad Subversions of the things of God unto the end And that we are neither Papists nor yet Assenting or Adhering to that Synagogue of Rome in any of their abusive defamations depravations depressions decryings disparagements or abominable attempts for the abolition of the Scriptures which they as thou sayest truly would if they were able deprive all others of or of their lives I give the world here to understand as far as they will understand it or take it for truth form me who for Truths sake meerly am of lesse credit and repute in it then else I should be by a present Protesting in the Name and behalf of that People called Quakers against the Papists sordid sottish sinful shameful seeking wholly to suppresse the Scriptures from being seen at all by the Vulgar and scoring out of it what makes most against their bruttish and worse then heathenish Idolatries and wresting those Holy Writings and turning them as they list to their own turns by their most false far off Translations and as utterly untrue Interpretations of them besides both the plain sense of the Words in the Original Languages they were wrote in and mind of the Spirit of God which Originally moved Holy Men to write them and many more such Juggles some of which 't were better for it then it is if the Clergy so called of the Protestant part of Christendom who are too too full of the like were cleare of and fully free from as they are not for all their Protesting so much against the Popedom for its adulterating of the Scripture Which Protestation of mine against the Romish Clergy I the rather and the more largely enter here again not only because I am so generally misreported that by many even thereupon I am also mis-believed to be too great a Favourite and by some flatly a Iesuite and so more then an ordinary Friend to that false Fraternity but also because it may fall out that that slender and senslesse suspition of me if not timely supprest by reason of Three things may in time though groundlesse grow so great in more as it does already in some that for the sake thereof very Truth it self when â—old by me shall not tast well from me nor take place in the hearts of men with whom commonly Damnati Lingua Vocem habet Vim non habet Those Three Things above briefly hinted are more fully Replyed to as followeth 1. In regard that not only T. D. in his Two Toyes puts us and the Popish Party together as Brethren for jumping into one Judgement about the Scriptures but also thou I O. who art a man more beleeved and beloved by the World which heeds and loves its own then I who am not so much heeded as hated by it because I am not of it dost often in thy unquiet Quarrel with the Quakers so called which I who am one of them am now answering so unequally yoak us and the Pontifical Clergy together as Co-conspirators against the Scriptures that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the younger sort for whose instruction thou devotest those thy Latine Labours and more then a good many of those Iunior Novices both in University and Countrey as are ever ready as Rawly as Rashly Iurare in Sententiam Seniorum to drink down desperately all that and digest it by implicit Faith that is imposed and handed out to them for Truth from the Tongues and Pens of their Grand Gamaliels sith thou I. O. DD. sayest it will unquestionably more then think it to be all Truth that thou sayest of our Co-Partnership with the Papists in their basenesse towards the Scriptures in those false sayings of thine that are fore-cited wherein thou injuriously avouchest us to be Approvers of all their Tauntings and joynt Blasphemers with them of the Scriptures 2. In regard that howbeit it is not
thou liftedest up thy self as thou dost in so vain a way of lifting up and advancing the Letter over all that which is to be preferred before it and was before it as that it came out from and points men to even the living Word and inward Light and spirit which as held out by the Quakers not in any way of that Devilish disparagement of as thou intimatest Ex. 1. S. 3. or spiteful disrespect to the Scripture thou settest at nought with all the Calumny thou canst likely cast on them yea as thou sayest of the Pope Ex. 2. S. 8. Papae Tempus erit c. So say I to thee Non Papae solum sed tibi tempus erit cum magno optaveris emptam intactam Scripturam And that I am no Iesuite nor sider with them about the Scripture so as to agree with them in upholding their seigned infallible Chaire besides what many can witnesse who have been Eye and Ear witnesses of my opposing them in other Nations I adde this as my Final Defence of my self as to that Aspersion of T. D. He that will give heed to it let him if otherwise let him chuse Non cum Jesu Itis qui Itis cum Jesuitis So then as to Evince it that I am none of those Idiots that Idolize any meer mens Writings as many do the un kilful scriblings of their Scribes for the Scriptures little lesse then Israel did the Golden Calves after which they dotingly ran from God himself saying of these Imuges in their own Imaginations These are thy Gods c. Nor yet any meer Writings of those holy men that wrote the Holy Scripture it self as most of our misty-Ministers and their people do because they were written by Divine Inspiration little lesse then Israel did the Brazen Serpent because it was hung up by Divine Institution I shall First take occasion to thrust down that enthroned Calf of thy Anti-scriptural Triobulary Treatises Theses and Atheological Thoughts upon the Scripture from that high place it hath in the Thoughts of such as fall down before it as Moses threw down that Molten Image which the High Priest made and ignorant people made a God of and stamped it to powder And Secondly As Hezekiah not without Gods own approbation took down the Brazen Serpent which had its being as the Holy Scripture it self had not without Gods own appointment when once men began to do Homage to it and called it no more then Nehushtan that is a piece of Brasse that they might know it was no God So shall I take down the dead Corps and bare Carcase of the best Copy of the Scripture since men begin to go a Whoring after it from God and Christ and the Word of Life it self out of that high and stately Throne wherein thou I. O. statest it and from those surpassing and lofty Titles of the Living Word of God the most glorious spiritual Light in the World above the Sun the most perfect Rule and many more such like with which thou as hereafter appears dost invest and exalt it over all even over the Light it came from which is by thee unjustly put behind it and dehased below it though both in time and worth 't is far before it and stile it by its own true Name of Writings of Truth or Holy Scripture that so men that seek to it more then to God himself for Salvation and search it and therein think to have eternal Life at the old Scribes did that never came to Christ the Light above whom they prefered it may recollect themselves and see that the Letter gives not the Life but doth only testifie outwardly of another whom being lost from him by looking to the Letter which bids look to him they never look to nor never yet came to that they might have Life So withal to evince it that I am none of those Popish Ignoramus's that deal so ignobly with the holy Scriptures as to set them at nought and pluck them down as they do not only below themselves which have as Real and Great an Excellency as any such thing as is no more then an External Writing of an External Truth can possibly have but also below that which is worse then naught viz. their leaden Legend of Lyes their trashy Traditions their mouldy Massora their invented Oral Law their vain verbum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that meer imagined Moon calf the unerring breast of their most erroneous holy Father and such like I shall in this Work before all the world prefer the bare body and letter of the Scripture which is legible to mens bodily Eyes far before that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as thou truly callest it for all their Abominations before that whole Body of Fools bawbles that bottomlesse pit of Paultrinesse that boundlesse bundle of Baby clouts that endlesse Ocean of Omnigatherums that dirty puddle and deep dunghil of Devility rather then Divinity which the more it s dived and raked into the more rotten it renders it self like some for did sink that stinkes the more the more 't is stirred in for such is the Traditionary Treasury of that saltlesse unsavoury Sea upon which therefore the plagues of the Vials which must be filled upon you also are fallen falling and to fall which Sea of Rome is as the blood of a dead man lifelesse putrid and corrupt so that every living Soul dies that lives therein Yea Consider the naked literal Aspect of the holy Scriptures nor in its highest not in its primitive best and purest as at first given forth but in its meer derivative in its lowest meanest and most altered and adulterated capacity wherein it stands at this day wrested and torn and like a Nose of Wax twisted and twined into more then twice if not ten or twenty times twenty several shapes by mens untrue and tottered Transcripts and Translations for Oh that vast variety of Lections besides the Infinity of Senses throw mens misrenderings corrupt copyings correctings of and commentings on it c. that the World is now loaded with and led out into yet as meer a graven Image as that is with Ink and Pen on Paper or skin of parchment for 't is so though I reject their jeers as improper and impious by whom it is scoffed at as Chartacea Membranae c. for 't is not so and as dead a Letter as it is bear with me in that Expression I. O. till I come to shew where thou so callest it as well as Papists and Quakers whom thou quarrellest with for so calling it and as very a Nose of Wax and Lesbian Rule and no certain stable standard as it is for I know not why what they wickedly because Tauntingly we may not honestly sith truly seriously and soberly so call which may so easily so endlesly be altered by the wills of men as they self I.O. shewest us in the 20 21 22 23 24. pages of they Preface the Scripture may and made to stand which way
any Critick pleases and as no Authority to us at all as they in their basenesse and hatred of it which I condemne do say it is of as 't is my continual exercise in works to do it so do I here in plain words exalt the Scripture which they so debase and state it over all that their Trash and aforesaid Trumpery even on the very top of all their long Train of Traditions and over the archest Tittle of the Tripple Crown the proudest pinacle of Peters now un Peter-like painted Temple the highest point of that pompous pious piteous Pillar and ground of Truth the choicest Chapiter of that holy Church and infallibly erring infallible Chair Thus doing I shall be own'd at last if not by I. O. and such as have his dimme Doings as tâ—ey have his person in admiration because of advantage yet by all unbyassed beholders of both our undertakings for the Scripture to be no more a pander for the Papists as I am more belyed then believed to be the lying Tribe of Levi then for himself but a just plain and impartial Pleader for the Scripture against them both and a doer of Right to those holy Writings which are egregiously wronged by both Papists and Protestants as between Two parties of partial Praters Pro and Con about them by one of which they are scarcely more sottishly and Satanically for Superstitions sake Abhorred then unduly and Superstitiously Adored by the other For howbeit thou deemest thy self and those thy self Reverencing fellow Students of it to whom thou Dedicatest thy Endeavours to Vindicate it to be such as value the Scripture as much as any thou knowest yet there are many whom thou knowest not but supposest to be sleighters and disowners of it who if to own value and exalt it be to ascribe all that to it which it assumes to it self to Preach and practise that holy Life which is the end of it and to give it its due and no more as indeed it is do own value honour and exalt the Holy Scripture much more and much more truly then any of your self-exalting selves who saving your fair Speeches for it and your fawnings on it Ore tenus your common aiëry and meer verbal Commendations thereof and of your selves as valuers thereof do yet in truth no more value or honour it then the Iewes whose grand Idol that is as the whole is yours at this day do their own owned part thereof of whose dotage in that kind I have in sundry Nations been an Eye-witnesse in not a few of their Synagogues who Adorn and carry it about as ye do your Bibles more beautified without then your selves are within and lift it up with loud noises especially when these words are read viz. He shall magnifie the Law and make it honourable when yet the Truth it makes mention of hath no Mansion in their minds to the renewing of them yea I may truly say you do more undervalue the Scripture by your advancing it above it self and over-valuing and worshipping it so much as ye do in your words whilst alienated from the Light it came from and calls to in your Works and Lives then some of the Synagogue of very Rome it self who in lips and lives too do undervalue it by how much Deceit and Hypocrisie is far greater Iniquity then 't is for men openly to disown what Cordially they do not own and to pretend to be no better Friends to it then indeed they are and by how much as all is not Gold that glisters so all that which by its glistring would fain seem to be Gold when it is but Drosse is worse then that which both is Drosse and seems to be so Yea those that undervalue the Scripture so as to set Traditions above it and they that overvalue it so as to set the Light below it both these must come under Condemnation from me as being both Abomination to the Lord before whom witness the Brazen Serpent and Christs Apostles Acts 14.11 to 19. whom the people did worse in Worshipping as Gods then if they had not heeded but hated them as of the Devil it may be worse to overvalue then to undervalue many things which may be of his own Appointment So that ye have little need to decry against Papists as Decryers of the Scriptures and lesse to link us the Quakers and Papists together as Adversaries in Common to the Scriptures as if your selves were the only Patrones thereof for as Anti-Papistical as ye seem to be about the Scriptures yet ye will be found Acting not more against them then though in a different way from the Papists against the Scriptures And howbeit thou taylest us and the Papists together figuring us out by thy fine Tale of the aforesaid Foxes as falling from and fighting against each other and yet both fellow-friends against the Scripture That is false as urged and uttered with that referrence to the Papists and Quakers as joynt Injurers of the Scriptures wherewith thou ridiculously Relatest it but true enough yea too too true If Related in that right Referrence which it bears toward the Papists and your Selves yea Quid Rides be not so merry I. O. about the Mouth for De te mutato nomine Quakers Fabula narratur thou thinkest thou hast shrewdly hurt thy meer fancied Fanatick Foes with a flap of a Fox-Tayle but in that Tale thou hast but made a Rod for thy own Tayle for verily he that hath but half an Eye and by thy mentioning thereof is minded to search where and to whom thy Simile best suits will find how causelesly and incongrously thou crowdest the Papists and Quakers so closely together as Companions in thy abusive Comparison and how aptly it may rather be Applyed to that Romish Synagogue and your Selves to whom it comes as nigh as four feet if any Simile can truly be said to run on all four can well carry it and who as much as ye dissent not only in diverse other matters but also about the Scripture it self the one for and the other against the perfection purity integrity authority and excellency of the meer Text and bare Letter of it do yet concur as closely and come as nigh to one another in denyal of the Truth and Doctrine thereof as four pence comes to a Groat Yea the Truth is your selves and they are far more fitly figured by those fiery-Tayld Foxes which tended two several wayes yet ended in one and the self same work of Destroying the Philistims Corn whil'st turning tayl to tayl and drawing into your two different Extreames one sort crying up Unwritten Traditions to be the most perfect Rule above the Scripture the other crying up the Outward Letter as the most perfect Rule above the Internal Light Word and Spirit which gave it forth ye not only fill the World as with so many Fire brands with your fiery Contentions so that like that Corn which failed when it felt the fire it fell together by the
your opposite Expositions and that in such very places which to any save such light haters as standing in their own light cannot see Wood for Trees are as plain as the Nose on a mans face If to claw it and call it Lydium lapidem a true undeceivable fixt sure and inalterable standing Touchstone and disown those as dishonourers of it who in words compare it to a Nose of Wax a Lesbyan Rule and yet in your own Works so to make it by bending and bowing it every one to his own blind Invention so as to cause it to stand Nine wayes at once and to propound not only how possibly but also how facile it is to wrest it into as many various Lections by the advantage of the Hebrew Character as can be in the most flexible Writing in the World or any Critick can invent as thou I.O. teachest in thy Epistle If to play Legerdemaine with it so as in a presence of valuing It to say great matters of it and then to depresse it so as to unsay them again and then to run the Rounds and say them again as thou I.O. often dost If to boyse it up into that honourable Title of the Living Word of God and again to hurle it down into that more temperate Term which yet ye will not endure others to Term it by of a Dead Letter and yet to go round again Horrendo percussis scotomate after that to say its Living and no where said to be Dead If to deal so worthily with it as to affirm it to be perfect as to its own end and fall out with such as deny it so to be as no Quakers do that I know of and then from the same Hand-writing that before affirmed it to deal so unworthily with it as to deny it so to be as if I.O. doth not my Eyes are out but if he do he will surely say his own were not well open when he did so If to say its profitable to its end and that its end is to make men perfect and yet to say no man is made perfect in this World in which only the Scripture is confessed to be of use nor till the world to come where it s granted to be of no use cannot profit at all If thus to tosse it to and again like a Tennis Ball in a confused self-contradictory kind of talk sometimes telling the Truth about it sometimes belying it sometimes giving both it and the Lyar himself the Lye who so belyed it sometimes yea often lying against and alwayes living beside the holy Truth and Doctrine itself declared by it If to exceed in setting forth its self evidencing Excellency in avouching its Divine Authority and Power to Command men in the Name of God as his Word and yet never to come under the Power of its Commands so as yield Obedience thereunto If to call it your Rule and yet never submit to be ruled by it If both to overvalue and to undervalue to lift up and cast down to honour and dishonour it be truly indeed to value exalt and honour the Scriptures If all the particulars above enumerated and many more of the same sort that might be instanced in by Induction be in heart word and deed so to do then I shall yield the Scripture to be as much so valued honoured and exalted in this ever-Reforming never-Reforming Nation of England as among Papists or any other Nation whatsoever and by our self separating sensual literal Antiscriptural Anti-spiritual high Notional Professors as well as by the best National Protestants that are therein and by I.O. himself and his Reverend Fellow Students if they study and value it at the same rates with himself as much as any I know Finally If this be very highly to value it to be alwayes charging challenging and calling out for the Allowance of large and liberal Maintenance Augmentation of Means by all means possible out of all mens possibilities for the Ministers not of the Spirit but of the Letter only as those of mens making are who steal words enough from thence cut of which together with what of their own they patch them up with into one or two hours piece of work in a week to pick out a Living by And if that be to value it or esteem it or prize it or rate it high or set much by it or make much of it to sell every Sermon so stole and made but on some one verse of it and yet some make so much of one verse as to make many Sermons on it stretching it out for ease-sake to hold out the running of many Glasses for 20 shillings a Sermon and more Money and to have and to hold some Hundreds at least one Hundred of pounds for at most one hundred of Sermons I say if this be to make much of the Scripture there is more made of it in one year by our Divines and Doctors of Divinity amongst whom I.O. was once none of the last nor least as to valuing and making much of it then ever was by all the Quakers in the World since that Nick-Name began who yet if to make much of it be to live in the Light as the Letter itself exhorts to do do make more of it that way in a year then all those Priests and Prophets that preach it for Hire and Divine out of it for Money or ever have done since the World began or ever will do while it hath a being So that howbeit thou I.O. in thy hostile mind representest the Quakers as hostes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 enemies and haters of the Scriptures there 's no such matter for if they be haters of it that hate to be reproved by it and cannot endure the sound Doctrine delivered in it which is according to Godlinesse the Letter hath no such haters of it as the very Ministers of the Letter are who are ever enmity against the Life Light and Spirit it calls to walk in And if they may be said to love it who are livers according to it the very Letter itself hath no such true lovers of it as the Quakers who are in thy blind zeal hated by thee as haters of it for living that Life it calls for As to thy Tale of our striving to thrust the Scripture from its own place in the Church of God it s as true a Tale as its fellow false ones for though we set Christ and his inward Light living Word and Life-giving Spirit only on the Throne in the Church yet we own and establish the Scripture which is but the meer Letter in its proper place wherein it is to stand since it had its being as so from the other as subservient and subordinate to the other which are its betters and its elders and not as such a Dominus fac Iotum as thou makest it as if those that gave being to it must now come under it so as to stand barely at the Bar before it to be tryed
by it while it sits in supream Authourity on the Bench as the most perfect infallible Touch stone Lydius lapis and standing Rule for no lesse but much more thou wouldest have it even Light Rule of Trial Iudge Witnesse and all to which all Spirits even Gods own that gave it out as well as all false ones must stand or rather stoop and submit to be judged by and the foundation which the Church or World in the World or Wheel in a Wheel must stand or else fall and fail for ever for as there was a time wherein the Church which is but one from Abel till now can have but one and the same Rule bottom and foundation for ever and one Rock on which its built which is neither Peter nor Paul nor any of their Writings nor of any Prophets that wrote afore them but Christ the Light to the Nations and the Rock of Ages and Generations was without it and not placed upon it so there was a time of thousands of years together wherein it had no place nor use at all in the Church nor so much as any being in the World and as for such high place as thou in thy own will now alowest it as it s own as wise and quick-sighted as thou art to know and see non Entities and things that never were at all I know no such Place that God ever set it in nor time when he so super-eminently exalted it and though I acknowledge and am not ignorant as thou art that meer men and blind builders as seeing as thyself have Canonized it into the Head of the Corner laying him aside whom God hath made so yet I am to learn and so art thou for all thy hasty teaching it as Truth to others where ever the bare Letter or Scripture which is all one was created into such a Lord as thou lookest on it to be over his inward Light Spirit in the heart and authorized so infinitely as thou imaginest over all things by the Lord God of Heaven and Earth the only Author and Creator of all things J.O. Not only to detrade the Scripture from its place but also that by that one only device of denying to the Scripture that glorious Title of the Word of God the Quakers aim and endeavour to divest Christ himself of his Personality and divine Being Reply Was ever man left of God to shew his own Folly by more palpable apparent absurdities then thou here utterest who by that very thing whereby we seek to invest Christ with the proper and peculiar Right both in Name and Nature whereof your selves rob him belyest us so as to say we thereby seek to divest him of it Is not the Word of God not only the proper Name Ioh. 1. Rev. 19. but also the proper Nature and divine Being of Christ which he had before he was made flesh from the very beginning before the Scripture was that declares of him before World it self was which was made by him and all things in it so that without him nothing was made that was made And because that we will not take this glorious Title of his to whom only of Right it belongeth viz. the Word of God who hath no corruptible Word that I know but only one that 's incorruptible and liveth and abideth for ever and is both essentialiter and effective and enunciative too the Word of God and invest such a corruptible thing herewith as the mouldring Letter a Writing with mens hands which Worms may eat and mens Hands blot out deface and destroy and because we will not attribute that everlasting Name of his to that which in Nature is not everlasting as ye do but decaying dost thou say we divest him of his divine Being Dost thou not beget this bastardly businesse of divesting Christ himself of his divine Name and Nature Excellency and Existence in thy own brain by ascribing these to the Scriptures and giving the glory thereof to another under that high Prerogative Title of the Word of God due only and alone to him and not to any Letter that man as moved by him writes of him and then lay it at the door of the Quakers Art not thou the man that appropriatest that Name and Nature which is proper to Christ alone to the Scripture by disputing as to Name and Thing in esse reasi cognoscibili that it is the Word of God that glorious Title is its proper Name and is not this what in you lyes to dethrone Christ who only is so and place another ever him as the only most perfect Light Foundation Touchstone by which his Spirit must be tryed and yet accusest thou the Quakers of displacing him Doth not the Scripture say that Christ is the Light which the Church Ministerially is to hold out bear witness to Ioh. 1 in all her Preachings Administrations and Walkings and the Scripture is written out for the sake and Instruction and profit or use and service of the Church 2 Tim 3.15 16. 1 Cor. 10. yet settest not thou the Letter above the Church and Christ too saying Page 76. The Scripture is Light it is the duty of every Church to hold it up almost the whole of its duty and this Duty it performs Ministerially not Authoritatively A Church may bear up that Light it is not the Light it bears Witnesse to it but kindles not one divine beam to further its discovery All the Preaching that is in any Church its Administration of Ordinances all its walking in the Truth hold up this Light Thus magnifying the Letter above all and making it the main businesse of the Church to magnifie and hold it up much what as the Iewes do whose Work in their Synagogues is to lift up the Letter while they loath the Law and the Light it came from and is but the meer Letter or Writing of J. O. The whole Truth of the Words of God is as to Name and Thing opposed by the poor Fanatical Quakers Satan in these dayes assaults the sacred Truth of the Word of God in the poor deluded Fanatical Souls among us commonly called Quakers Reply It was none but Satan himself that is a Lyar the Father of it who told thee so and in thee tells it out for Truth to the whole World For 1. The whole Word of God which is but of one not of many kinds that I know of as thou wouldest make it as if God had one Living one Dead one Fallible another Infallible one Corruptible another Incorruptible one Eternal one Temporal Word one that 's only Letter another that 's Spirit and Life one Written and another Unwritten one within men and another that 's not the same in Nature without men that one and the same Individual Word of God I say which is the same whether within or without Written or Unwritten neither of which the bare Writing is as to both Name and Thing we own and honour as that which from
Hogsty And that we are great Reproachers of that Divine Goodnesse that gave it in setting so slight by Interpretations of the Scripture in order to the understanding of it To all which yet I shall answer no otherwise then thus briefly and soberly as followes Viz. We acknowledge Gods goodnesse in giving it and deny not all exposition of the matters in it provided it be by them as they are so moved that live in the light and spirit of God that gave it forth by holy men which onely opens it aright and knows its own and searcheth the deep things of God that are laid down in it in the writings and meetings and Churches and Schools of the Saints and Believers which wot you well are not your Christ-Church Colledges nor Academical Covents but the Quakers Publick Congregations where I have sometimes had and heard more Scripture truly opened in an hour than in some Steeple houses in a year any more than we do any true Translations of it out of our Tongue into another of which matter about Translation sith thou sayest we covertly conceal our counsel thou mayest have it more fully perhaps anon when I have first wiped away all thy lyes of us out of the way But because we do indeed though owning the spirit and spiritual mens expositions yet deny the naturally wise mens cloudy conceptions mysty meanings shallow-brain'd senses and excentrick Expositions of the things of the spirit which he knows not as they lye in the letter which he knows as little as useful or profitable much more as so necessary as thou wouldest make this natural mans mighty doings about the Scripture who is he indeed and not the Quakers that for want of such spiritual learning as naturally unlearned Peter had wrests it into strange senses to his own ruine and because we do not childishly as thou sayest we do but soberly and justly complain of those vast confused Bombasting Bumbles of blindnesse of the cloudy Clergies composing viz. Comentaries and other Books thrust out upon pretence of clearing the Scripture which is clearer then they are but in truth to the thickening of the Ayr that the Sun shines not clearly thorow it thereupon to say that we reject damn and curse all manner of opening Scripture and that of daily prayers to God this is a businesse of thy own bruiting about whereby to render us odious among thy Oxonian fellow students that they may reject and damn and curse them thence whom God hath not cursed and against whom none of Baalams inchantments can prevail for we own the daily prayers of such as God owns who pray in the spirit though we know God hears not sinners nor the prayers of the wicked nor of such as turn their ear from hearing his Law which is Light in their own hearts their prayers are abomination to him and we own the openings of the Scripture by the spirit that gave it forth when he opens the mouth or guides the pens of any that have the minde of Christ to utter any of it as it lies in the letter hid from the natural mind unto others and to say this is to turn the Church into a hogsty as if there could possibly by no Religion nor good manners nor sheep like innocent demeanour nor any thing but meer bruitishnesse beastlinesse and swinishnesse any where in the World but where men sit under the Ministry of the Preachings Logical Expoundings Writings Ecclesiastical Rhetorick and other Reacks of those fleshly and earthly minded spiritual men Doctors and Commentators c. that have long ago got the parent and ingrossed all that work of expounding Scripture for money to themselves this I utterly dény and I also affirm that if that Crew and their Creatures be the Christians and the Church of God as they call themselves as if the Quakers were all Hereticks that do not own them then the more ado men make to be Christians in name the further off from the nature of Christ and as the old Proverb is the nearer the Church the further from God there being nor such fordid stinking sinks for wickednesse filth pride lust persecution scoffing hating God and good ungodlinesse and all manner of uncleannesse to be seen in all the Christian World again as are easie to be seen in Cathedrals Colledges Academies c. where men sit at the Fountains and Well-heads of Divinity and Nurseries of Learning and Religion as they call them and directly under the daily dispensations of their Doctors Oral and Scriptural Divinity Disputations and Expositions And whereas I O. makes a challenge to have it tryed between them and the Quakers saying in the next Section after that wherein he saves the Quakers sleighting their Interpretations do no lesse than turn the Church into a Hogsty thus J. O. For if the Experience of all Ages of all Christians that ever were if those things which themselves see behold or hear daily were of any weight or moment they the Quakers would blush to deny the use necessity and fruit of the solemne Preaching of the Word Interpretation of the Scripture made whether by word of Mouth or Writing Let us take a view of each Flock both that which although they enjoy the Word yet is destitute of its Interpretation and also that which together with the Word of God enjoyes also the other means of Gods worship which consists very much in the Interpretation of the Word if now the Tree be so be known only by its fruits then that will appear the good one which hath brought forth those fruits which the legal Interpretation of the Scripture hath every where produced or brought forth Reply Let it be well heeded First That by the Word of God here I O. intends the Scripture And Secondly That by Legal Interpretation he intends not such as is as I said before used and own'd by the Quakers viz. That which is only in the Light and in the Spirits movings that moved to write the Scripture but such as is made among the Naturalists and Schollars in their Academical Imaginations and by the Priests in their Parishes and then I am here ready to answer his Challenge and I say a Match let it be so First Let both Flocks be viewed the Quakers and the Parish People I will not say but that among them that are called Quakers that frequent the Places of their Publick Speaking there are many not only by reason of whom but also by whom the way of Truth that the Quakers walk in is evil Spoken of but I O. either hath or should have more wit and sense and reason then to account the Routs that are made by a rabble of rude ones that frequent the Quakers Meetings to render them odious with their odious Carriages to the Quakers themselves that he ought Non Trepidantibus sed Tripudiantibus vitio vertere qui vertunt seria ludo ludunt cum sacris c. to impute not to the Quakers but to Schollars and
and by your Words without Knowledge I say which of these Two the Quakers or your Schollers bring forth Fruits most meet for God and like those of the Spirit Peace Meeknesse Patience Temperance c. Gal. 5. Let them be the Good Trees and so known and owned to be by their Fiuits and let them be the true Flock of Christ and be by us as I am sure such are by himself accounted as his Sheepfold And which abounds most in those Fruits and Works of the Flesh there spoken of also viz. uncleannesse lasciviousnesse wrath hatred Drunkennesse Revellings and such like and which wallows most in that kind of mire let them be the Hogs and Swine and not Christs Flock and Fold but he held hence forward for a Hog-sty Now for my part if I were to judge by what Fruits have come forth in and from our Two Nurseries of Religion of latter years and as well in and from Oxford it self as Cambridge and how many of them in the time of I. O's Vice-Chancellourship there I. O. knows as well as I even such as are not sit to be named among Christians and what Fruits of Righteousnesse have been found among the Quakers both there and elsewhere who have suffered innocently and as to rendering evil for evil patiently under them and others I could quickly determine the matter but sith its like I.O. will hardly let me be Judge in my own Case lest I cleave too much to my own Cause and Company let such Books as are Extant of the Schollers Misdemeanours against the Quakers in their own Meetings who have been alwayes bound to their Good behaviour towards the other by that of God in their Consciences in the midst of all their abuses to the Quakers and then let all men Judge which Generation of men the Quakers or University Schollers and their Respective Assemblies do most exactly resemble the deportment of Swine in their Hog-styes Besides those sundry Relations that are Extant in Print of the Imprisonments Whippings and other Persecutions of the innocent Servants of the Lords sending among them to warn them of their Wickednesse at Cambridge there are Two at least viz. one stiled A true Testimony of the Zeal of the Oxford Professors and University-men put forth by R.H. And one much more lately under the Hands of 8 Witnesses stiled A true Relation of some of the Sufferings inflicted upon the Quakers as the Fruits of the Evil doers viz. the Proctors and Schollars at Oxford in which who reads may see the matters of Fact to which I Refer such as are minded to be Judges between me and I.O. an Oxford man in this Case who if they be not such as are loath to call their Brothers Theeves and their Sisters Swine will assuredly from those Arch-Abominable and Antick-Actions conclude from thence with me the Actors and Abbettors look much more then like the Sheep of Christ like Foxes and Bears and Wolves and Dogs and Wilde Boares and Swine However whether it shall stand with I.O. or nay it matters not I shall from thence infer my Conclusion That if Innocency Quietnesse Patience under Sufferings Temperance Godlinesse Reproving Wickednesse and becoming fools for Christ exposing themselves for Truths ' sake as Signs and laughing stocks to an Adulterous Generation be the Characters of such men as the Scripture calls Swine then that House and Family of the Quakers is become a Hog-stie But unless turning and tearing and renting and trampling under feet when Pearls and holy things are held out to them and devouring and hurting to death and tying Maids Arm to Arm together and tumbling them into Graves and dirting them and dragging them into Pools and setting them on their Heads with their heels upwards and Pumping well-nigh stifling them Mocking Stoning Scourging putting poor innocent Strangers that came in love to Truth and them into Cages and out of their Coasts and haling the Quakers out of their own quiet Meetings by the hair of their Heads and breaking the Doors to pieces and Windows where Quakers meet and carrying away the Keys and knocking tenters in the key-holes pulling up part of the houses squeezing them in their passing to and fro between the doors turning up the forms and seats where they sit and like wild Horses and Colts riding upon the backs of men and women and smoaking their Roomes with Gun-powder Squibs and stamping rudely like Tavern-hunters in their Holy meetings and crying out give us Beer and Tobacco and Wenches and Whores and bringing in strong Beer and drinking to them and for refusing to pledge throwing it on their Cloaths and Bands and powring it down their Necks and singing Bawdy Songs and Cursing and Sweating and such things as would be counted as favouring more of Bedlams and Swine then Saints if Quakers should ever have done so in their Masse-Houses and obscaene Carriage toward Women puffing and blowing with Tobacco-pipes in their Mouths raising Doctrines and Uses and Points about Coblers and Tinkers and Tobit and his Dog offering to put their hands under Womens Aprons asking if the Spirit was not there and many more such filthy stinking sordid actions as Hooting Yelling Laughing any thing to hinder the Hearing of what was spoken of Truth drawing some into Colledges and there most unseemly and inhumanly abusing them and this not only Tolerated and Connived at by Officers that should have punish'd it but also Countenanced too much in part by some of them I say Unlesse these boarish bruitish Gestures Cum muliis aliis qua nunc praescribere longum est be the behaviour of Christs Sheep then for all the uncessant pains of Interpreting of the Scripture at the Well-head of Religion and for all I. O's saying That if what we see and daily hear would sway us we would be ashamed to deny the fruit of Expoundings of the Scripture to be best where they are most Expounded as they are pro forma in the Universities as fair and far from it as they seem to be to themselves they look more like Hog-styes to the view of men after Gods heart and the Children of these Mothers more like Herds of Swine then the Places and Persons of the people called Quakers do among whom there 's not such a busling and such a businesse about mens Books in order to it nor such Clamorous noises about Opening the Scriptures as is among the Scribes that are Strangers to them but the words of the wise even of Wisdom it self Christ Iesus are heard in quiet by them that are Wise more then the Cry of him that Ruleth among Fools And as for what Fruits of saving Knowledge of God and Righteousnesse and Holinesse of Truth are abounding in most Academies Towns Cities and Places in all the Reformed parts of Christendom more or better then is to be seen among Turks and Heathens unlesse Couzening Cheating Lying Drunkennesse and some such like as abound more among Christians then Turks that never talk out of the Scripture be
had never done so before till then Did not God speak in his Prophets and by them to the men of their several Ages from Moses upwards as well as from Moses downwards Did he not speak in Enooh the seventh from Adam in Noah in Abraham Isaac Iacob Lot and Iob who lived before Moses if Catholick Tradition be to be Credited in one thing as well as another and whose Book who ever Pen'd it whether himself or some other for ought thou knowest was written before Mosâ—s who thou thinkest wrote the first of the Scripture either lived or wrote and by them who were upright righteous just and walked with God to the wicked unrighteous Worldlings and wantons who walked with the Devil in their Generations who all were before Moses as well as by Moses and those that lived after him 2. Why sayest thou downwards to the Consignation and Bounding of the Canon in Ezra's days as if between his dayes and the dayes of Christs flesh the Spirit of the Lord was straitned as it never is Mic. 2. and God had limitted and bound up himself from manifesting his mind cut of his own mouth to any men at all for so many Hundred years together because some Prophets had been moved by him to commit to Writing or at least to permit to be Written by others some few of those things they saw and said concerning partly their own and partly the after times and other Nations Doth not Wisdom say of her self That in all Ages entering into holy Souls she maketh them friends of God and Prophets Wisd. 7.27 And were there no Holy men of God in those dayes wherein ye imagine all Gods speaking in and by any Prophets then was ceased in and by whom he manifested his Mind as he moved them to speak and write as immediately as he had done others before them And who told thee That the Canon as thou call'st it or full standing Rule of Tryal or infallible Touch-stone of the Old Testament Scripture to which nothing must or might be added after it till the time of Christ in the flesh was Compleated and after its Consignation and Bounding by them delivered to the Judaical Church in the dayes of Ezra alias Esdras and his Companions the men as of your own heads ye are pleased to term them of the great Congregation Whence hast thou these fancies of thine Or suppose they be not simply Suppositions but real Truths whence dost thou fetch or take them to be so but from the untrusty-Traditional-Tales of thy Forefathers and such Iewes as are little lesse then unerring Oracles with thee when saying ought that suits with thee yea thou callest pag. 203. the Assertion of Iustin Martyr of the Iewes corrupting the Bible out of their hatred to Christians An Incredible Figment yet little better but much worse then ordinary Infidels men feeding themselvns with vain fables desperate cursed Opposers of Truth mischievous in their devices against the Gospel of a profound Ignorance in all manner of Learning and Knowledge but only what concerns their own Dunghil Traditions addicted to monstrous Figments bewitching bewitched with Traditions Idolaters Magicians blind crafty raging fools sets full of deceitfulness froth venome smoke nothing but faithlesnesse and infidelity it self what not that 's nought where any thing issues from their most Catholick Testimony that makes against thee Pag 241.242.244.303 Yea whence knowest thou who art easily apt to Question when it serves thee so to do whether there ever were such men as the 70. and such men as the Tiberian Massorites in Rerum Natura pag. 243.336 that ever there was such a thing in Rerum Naturâ as that Great Congregation thou art every where in thy Book so greatly taken with and ever and anon betaking thy self to for Refuge but only from thy putting more confidence in thy own uncertain Conjectures together with the Catholick Tradition of the with thee creditlesse Iewes and Christians then in the Conjectures of the Prolegomenâ as Learned as thy self at least who oppose thee in it For there 's not so much as any Scripture at all that mentions such a set Sanydrim of Ezra Nehemia Ioshua Zacharia Haggai c. as thou settest it down in the Book of thy own Brain and the Counting-house of thy own conceit that there was pag. 302.303 And let it be as it can be no more then imagined there was such a great Congregation which it being as not possible to know it so nor here nor there to mine or any mans Salvation I 'le not search into so far as to put my self into any Capacity of either saying or gain saying it that there was and to ground any as I. O. does many things upon its being so as he but thinks is as he sayes in another case pag 293. to build Towns and Castles of Imaginations which may be as easily cast down as they are erected yet when all 's done whence had that Sanydrim such Authority as to confine and bound out that Canon and Canonize some of the Writings of such Prophets as ye wot are Canonical and Cashiere the rest of the Writings of the same Prophets and all the Writings of some other Prophets as of no such divine Authority as to Command with their fellows in Gods Name as his Word and to abrogate them as Apocryphal as ye speak and disband them from the bench of Iudicature and to bind the sweet Influences of the holy Spirit so as to say O Spirit of God be silent now blow no more nor make any more Prophets now for these many hundred years to come but become subject thy self to be tryed by the Touchstone of the Writings of such Prophets as thou hast already moved to write Gods Mind or so many at least as it seems good to us now to Authorize and Establish into a standard for the Tryal of thy self as well as all false Spirits And if I. O. say as he does pag. 303. That was not called the Great Congregation from its Number but Eminency of Persons yet I say are any Persons so Eminent if I.O. be not a Lyar pag. 35. as to have Authority from God to Authorize and Canonize casting aside what they like not what seems good to them into the Name to bespeak I. O in his own feigned phrase of the Word of God that they themselves must be subject to the Authority of and of the Rule that themselves must be Ruled by and of the Foundation that themselves and all others must be built on and of the Basis of their own belief It is indeed quoth I.O. pag 35.36 a Contradiction for men to say and if for other men then for I.O. say I who sayes the same yet sees it not They give Authority to the Scriptures they Bound the Canon and deliver to the Church what it shall be which it hath antecedently to their Charter and Concession And again Moreover to say the same of his supposed Sanydrim that I O sayes to the digrading
my businesse with I.O. lyes into that Name of his Word and into the Authority of the Foundation of Faith the infallible Rule of Interpretation of itself of Tryal and Examination of Spirits Doctrines c. of the Supream Iudge also by which all Controversies of Religion are to be determined the only pure Authentical Standard unto which the Church is finally to Appeal in whose Sentence it is to Rest into which all Faith is finally to be Resolved so if such Synods of men either Antient or Modern as have shouldred out all those at once from sharing with the other Writings in what they can lay just claim to had been as Spiritually discerning as they were Spiritually blind shallow and undiscerning they would have seen cause to have joyned some at least of those Apocryhal Scriptures to an Equal Participation of that Plea of divine Original and inspiration with the rest as without Cause they justled them all out from it by their joynt Consent And though it be the declared Faith of that Assembly of Divines that both Houses of Parliament advised with 1648. and of the Congregational Churches in England whose Confession is put out this instant 1659. as to that Article about the Scriptures word for word in the same words with the other That the Books commonly called Apocrypha not being of divine Inspiration are no part of the Canon of the Scriptures and therefore are of no Authority in the Church of God nor to be any otherwise approved or made use of then other humane Writings yet this I declare to the whole World as my Faith concerning them that though I own neither them nor the best bare Wriing or outward Text or Letter of the other Scripture at so high a Rate as I.O. does who makes the naked Letter in all things equivolent to the holy matter yet whatever is truly to be praedicated of the one or can solidly be pleaded on the behalf of the one which ye call your Canon as to the divinity of their Original the same may be pleaded on the behalf of not a few of the other And as they all that in general are stilled Apocryphal can plead their Authority from long before the Apostles dayes and also the special Care and Providence of God which is an Argument of such weight with I.O. and T.D. pag. 27. as swayes them not a little into their frivolous Faith about the rest in the preservation of them to this very day So that all of them have been kept by the Church that kept the rest bound up and Translated into various Languages and as publickly allowed to be publickly Read as the rest and highly esteemed by Austin and other Fathers ye Divines cannot easily be ignorant And as for sundry of them ye are ignorant with a witnesse if ye see them to be as ye say they are not of divine Inspiration or see them not to be of as divine an Original as some or even any of the other which ye own so to be As for that Fourth Book of Esdras which is but the Second as it stands in the Apocrypha besides that it s acknowledged by Clem Alexandrinus Faber and many more men of Renown among you and by many Holy men in these latter times as well learned as your selves at least in the Wisdom of Gods Spirit to be written by his immediate Inspiration so is it such a plain Prophecy consistent of many Particular Praedictions of things to be fulfilled in these last Ages as the like to it or a least clearer is hardly to be found in all the Scripture besides it insomuch that he who reads it in the 11 12 13 16 Chapters of it and some other places and sees not the beams of a divine Majesty in it and sees not the Matters now managing upon the Stage in the World that are there foretold in it reads not in the Light of that Holy Spirit that moved in the Writing both of that and all other Holy Scripture and may come before he is well aware to feel ere long the dint of that divine displeasure that is denounced against the Sinners of the latter Ages and thereby come to be convinced of the Divinity and Truth of that Scripture which our Divines that usually see altogether by the lump and are loath to see any Truth Sigillatim till they are all made to see it whether they will or no will hardly yield to if they be their Old-wonted-selves till very Necessity forces and frights them into the Faith of it And the same may be said as to the divine Original of Ieremiahs Epistle which was written and sent to them that were to go Captive into Babylon and of Ecclesiasticus and the Wisdom of Solomon which favours so much of the Wisdom of the Spirit that he is yet in that Wisdom only which is from beneath which is Earthly Animal Deceitful who doth not acknowledge the finger of God writing those deep and precious Truths and Praedictions in the heart of him whose hand was the Committer of them to outward Writing which whether it were not Solomon after whom it was so Entituled Nil ultra quaero he uttered 3000 Proverbs whereof scarce 300 are extant in that Book of his Proverbs some of which as standing inserted there in the Hebrew Text are not the Original Copy but a Transcript only at best out of that or some Second hand Copies taken and Copied cut long after Solomons dayes by the men of Hezekiah 8 or 9 Generations from him Prov. 25 1. The 30 Chapter of which Book also are the Words of one Aguâ— the son of Iaketh but sure I am that Book of Wisdom was inspired or breathed into the Penman that expired or breathed it out from no lesse then that Wisdom which is from above The main Argument that ever I have seen against the divine Original of these Books are First Their being not written in the Hebrew Tongue which what a poor pedling piece of Disproof it is he is no wiser then he should be that does not see for what warrant is there that all that was not Pen'd in the Hebrew Tongue is no Scripture of divine Inspiration Or if there be is it not as conclusive against much of the Scripture which I.O. counts Canonical the whole of wch he reckons at random was wrote in the Hebrew Tongue since its evident that much of that Book of Hester 9 Chapters and 3 Verses of which are set among the Canonical Scripture and oh the Wisdom the other 6 Chapters and 10 Verses of the 10 Chapter by you self-will'd Choppers and Changers because written in Greek are reckoned and rank'd with the Apocryphal was written not in the Hebrew but in the Caldee as much of Ezra Nehemiah and Daniel also were And besides if being written Originally in the Hebrew will avail toward the evincing of them to be Canonical this will help some of your Apocrypha into your Canon since that of Tobit or Tobias is not
very Antient Writer since those that wrote Ioshua who ere they were for himself it was not that wrote it all at least as Moses not all Deuteronomie unlesse he wrote of his own Death and Burial before he died See Iosh. 24.29 do quote him Iosh. 3.10 Where 's that part of Ieremiah the Prophet wherein he spake that which Matthew cites Matth. 27.9 10. about the giving the 30 pieces of Silver the price that Christ was sold at for the Potters field for howbeit Zachary the Prophet Zach. 11.12 speaks of the same thing who was in his work an Exalier of God in his time which the Name Ieremiah seems to signifie and so may be called Ieremiah which is not likely to be Matthews meaning yet in all the Prophesies of Ieremie extant in your Bibles there 's no such thing spoken And for you to say either that Matthew was mistaken quoting throw forgetfulness one Prophet for another or that the Transcribers of the Copies of their Original out of Matthews Original Copy failed so fowlly in their Transcribings for all your Copies that ever I saw so read as to write Ieremie for Zachary will be for I.O. upon his Principles who stands to plead every Letter Tittle and Iota that was in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be now in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as sorry a shift and miserable remedy as he makes for himself and finds who leaps out of the frying pan into the fire Where 's the Prophecy of Enoch spoken of Iude 14. out of whose Prophesie the Iewes can tell you more then ye wot of from that of Iude And as for Ezra or Esdras and his true Companions of whom thou sayest truly enough if not truer then thou art aware of that their care in restoring the Scripture to its Purity when it had met with the greatest Tryal that it ever underwent in this world considering the Paucity of the Copies then extant was great and that the Consignation and Bounding of the Canon delivered to the Judaical Church was in their dayes and that they did labour to reform all the Corruptions crept into the Word of God And that they compleated the Punctation the compleatnesse of which then was not Coaevous with the Text as at first Written in Hebrew as thou contendest to the Consuring of thy self here and that they were guided herein by the infallible direction of the Spirit of God Pag. 177. 211. 302. 303. Did not they in the Spirit and Power of God Write many more Books even 204. most of which are not in your Bibles Read 2 Esdras 14. throughout the Chapter Where are all these and sundry more Scriptures some as and some more Antient then Moses of which I will not now speak particularly And as to the New Where is that First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians mentioned in the first of those Two that we have 1 Cor. 5.9 And that First Epistle of his to the Ephesians for its evident he wrote One to them before That mentioned in that One which ye have Ephes. 33 And that Epistle of his to the Laodiceans mentioned Col. 4.16 Besides several to Seneca Neros Tutor and other of Pauls Writings who was doubtlesse far more Voluminous in his Writings then that poor pittance of Epistles to Churches and Ministers and the Letters to Philemona Tradesman about a Domestick businesse of Receiving his Servant Onesimus that had ben unserviceable to him amounts to of whole Spiritual Scriptures and Speeches that fell from him at his Martyrdom that were taken by such as were present at it some in these dayes have seen more then that which was Written of him by Luke in the Acts and Written by him in the Epistles ye count a part of your Canon And whether that which Iohn wrote to the Church mentioned by him in the 9th vers of his Letter to Gaius were no other then the first of those Three Recorded And whether that of Iude whereof Iude 3. he sayes in the Praeterimperfect Tense When I gave all diligence to write unto you of the Common Salvation it was needful for me to write unto you c. were not One he wrote before This which was now but under his hands is more then all you Sayers of what ye think only are able groundedly to gain-say And whether Clements Epistle whose name was in the Book of Life and that Church of Rome to Corinth wrote 30 years after Pauls may not Challenge to be ranck'd among the rest is worth your enquiry And what think ye of that sweet shorr pretious Reply of Christ Iesus himself in his Letter to Agbarus King of Edessa who wrote so loving'y and beleevingly to him about the Malady that lay upon him as it stood Recorded in the Roles of that City and may do still for ought ye know which is to be read and many other pretious passages about that businesse in the Ecclesiastical History of Eusebius Pamphilius Is it not as Christian as Divinum Spiritum non hominem sapiens and worthy as particular as it is to stand in your Standard and claim a room in your Canon as that particular Letter of Paul to Philemon What is become I say of all these and more then may now be mentioned none of which is within the Confines of your Congregationally Constituted Synodically Composed Ecclesiastically Authorized Clerically Conceived Canon 1. Were they not divinely Inspired That were to Render doubtful your undoubted Divine Original of what you have Since some of them are quoted in these you have 2. Are they all utterly lost That were to loose himself much more in his Cause who is lost too much already for I.O. to say so sith more then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one jot or one Tittle is then passed away and perished from the Law if the Letter be it not one jot or one Tittle of which Letter quoth I.O. wofully mis-interpreting that of Matth. 5.18 for the lotaes and Tittles of the meer Text and Letter which Christ utters only of the Doctrine Truth and Holy Matter of the Law is to passe away till Heaven and Earth which are yet standing are past away 3. Or did not God Himselfe intend to Dignifie these with the same honour and Crown them with so high an Account as those though as well descended and as immediately derived from him as the rest or did he not design them to the same Spiritual Ends and Renowned Uses with their fellows 4. Or were these Books out of the way and not present at the time and place of the first setting up of your Standard by such Synods and Sanydrims as took on them to stablish Sign Seal and Authorize what Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles should and what should not stand under that honourable Title of the stedfast Standard and so were Censured and Sentenced for ever for not appearing at that sacred Session and high Court of Iudicature which was to Iudge what Books should be from thence-forth
of God in which he lived and walk'd and out of whose movings he wrote no Epistles to the Churches was fit to stand in no other Account then the Sermons and private Religious Discourses of our Clergy-men and their Common Christians which must stand or fall as they square or not square with the Standard of Scripture And as if the Seniour Epistles of Paul to Corinth and Ephesus must like Prisoners at the Bar receive their Sentence of Guilty or not Guilty worthy or not worthy to be owned as a part of the Rule or Canon by their Iuniours or such as were sent after them to sit as Iudges of them at the Bench And so hereby his Reply is as it were an Affirmative Answer to the First of my Four Queries viz. That Pauls Writings were not all alike of Divine Original and Inspiration but some Epistles to the Churches of his were uttered as he was moved by the Holy Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of private Interpretation or as private Mens Writings Credat Apella And when 't was urged by me that there was no more evidence or Character of these Epistles being a Rule which are then of those which are not in your Books Then T.D. seeing what he had Replyed that way would not hold Replyes by way of Answer to the Second of my Four last Queries affirming that Pauls first Writings to Corinth and Ephesus were lost when those we have are saved and so makes this distinction of the ones being perished the other preserved by Gods Providence watching over them when he did not over the other a signal Evidence that God intended the one for a standing Rule to us and not the other and herein he and I.O. Jump together and border pretty near one another sith I.O. insists exceedingly as an Argument of their being a Rule in the Church on this businesse of Gods preservation of every Tittle and Iota of divinely Inspired Scripture to this day whereby he implicitly denies all the afore-named that are not in your Bibles to be any of them of Divine Inspiration But with this Difference from T.D. that I.O. sayes not a Tittle of the Inspired Scripture is lost T.D. to the confuting of I.O. Confesses being I believe informed of some Holy Scripture at the Dispute which he knew not of before that not only Tittles and Iotaes but some whole Books of which he dares not say expresly though intimate it he doth in the Head next above spoken to that they were not Divinely Inspired are lost and perished out of the World So that the Preservation of what is Preserved is made a Signal Token that it s to be our Rule and the losse of what 's lost that that was not written for such an end To which Signal Token of Gods intending the One and not the O. her for A Rule when I Replyed as 't is transiently done above to I O. touching the Books called Apocrypha that there is more Antient Holy Writ remaining extant to this day preserved for our use by Gods Providence then ye own or honour with a standing in your Standard instancing in the Epistle of Paul to Laodicea then by and by T.D. who rides the Rounds not much lesse then I.O. and is never positive nor steady to any thing he Asserts so as to stand long to it without shifting Proteus like into another shape when he is ashamed to be seen longer in his old one comes out in a clear contrary Gelour and flatly contradicts himself and unsayes what he said but just before And whereas he had made the preserving of what was written and is preserved an Argument of its being designed of God for a Rule affirms That all that was written by Holy Men meaning Paul among the rest or else he speaks not at all to the purpose and preserved also for our use is not therefore our standing Rule Thus one while 't is so and one while no then neither yet both no and so Pauls Three Epistles viz. the Two to Corinth One to Ephesus that we have appear therefore to be our standing Rule because they are preserved to our use to this day but his first of all to Corinth and Ephesus therefore not so because not preserved there 's his first saying His very next of all is this Pauls Epistle to Laodicea though preserved for our use yet is not therefore to be our standing Rule to this day So what ever Pauls Epistles are yet I am sure Pauls Life and Example is no Rule that T. D's walks by nor I.O. neither for his yea was yea and his nay nay he did not use such lightnesse as they both very often do who say nay to that they said yea to just before neither did he speak so according to the Flesh as they with whom now there 's yea yea and anon to the same thing nay nay but as God is true and Christ is not yea and nay in his words and enjoynes us to be steady in our yea and nay so was Pauls word in what he spake And yet the Reason T.D. renders of his saying No to what he said not No but so just before is as Reasonlesse as his self Confutation is for mark then quoth he If what ere was written by Holy men alluding to Paul be therefore our standing Rule because preserved the Discourses of Holy Ministers in former and latter times should be our Rule which they are not but are to be brought to the written Word as our Rule and Test. In which if by Holy Ministers in former times he means Paul among the rest as he must else he misses the matter then some of Pauls Epistles are the Rule and Test which his other Epistles must stand bare before to be tryed by which is absurd If by latter Ministers he intend such as himself who Confesses his Ministry to be fallible I would have him to know and that he shall find more of anon that Pauls Ministry and every true Ministry that Ministers by word of Mouth or Writing as moved by the Holy Spirit which moves and leads none fallibly but all infallibly whom it leads was no such fallible Ministry as his false one is that it need be tryed by his other own holy Writings But now as to the Epistle of Laodicea instanced in T.D. was so hard of belief and difficult to he perswaded that there was any such at all that if one of Sandwich had not stood up and said he had the Book wherein we Asserted it to be Printed we should hardly have gained so much Credit among the Clergy then present such pro and con they made about it as to have been believed that there was such a thing in Being so ignorant are they of some present parts of that Scripture they call their Rule yet at last 't was yielded such a one was extant But for all that T.D. who has ever more wayes then one into the Wood where he loves to
guide and a Light to Davids Paths was not the outward Letter only of Moses Law for Moses Scriptures and Writings and Davids too did only Testifie of it Deut 30. 14. 18. Rom. 10.8 Psal. 119. 9105 But the Word that was nigh in the Heart which David had and hid also within him that he might not sin against God Psal. 119. 11. yea no lesse then a Canon that had its compleat Consignation and Bounding for all Truth which was the same then as it is now substanâ—ially to be Tryed by when no more then Moses Five were extant so long before it was enlarged into such a Volume as now the Bible is by adding to the Old Word were the Letter that Word of God that 's the standing Measure I know not what to make of all these Additions to the Word if the Letter be the Word which have been made from Moses downward to this day but matter of Plagues Woes and Reproofs to the Adders of their Writings to the First Writings but this I can say to the Excuse of such as call Moses Five only a compleat Canon and in compleat Authority as a Standard and a Rule and the Word of God and such like full well may Five or any one Book of Moses or any one Chapter or one Verse never so small in either his or any other Prophets Scripture be so when if wee l believe I. O. when he Lyes every Tittle and Iota of any of these outward Writings is not only Part of the Word but The Word of the Great God as Pag. 168.169 Yea every Apex of it equally Divine and as immediately from God as the Voice wherewith or whereby he spake to or in the Prophets and is therefore accompanied with the same Authority i.e. as the whole is both in it self and unto us Pag. 27. so then every Tittle is no lesse then a compleatly constituted Canon and the whole is no more then so And further as to the New Testament as ye call the Letter of it as there is not the least Evidence that any such thing as the specifying of what and whose Scriptures or Writings the Canon should consist of and what not so can any of you that stand up so stifly for your fancied stable Standard shew us where any Order is given out by Christ or his Apostles to such as should succeed them to take Care to gather up their Writings and Judge and try which of them they thought fit and which not to own as their Rule and Iudge and accordingly digrading the rest to Canonize such as liked them best to submit themselves to the Tryal and Iurisdiction of into the high Names and Authority of the Word of God the Iudge the Rule the standing Canon both to them and all the world and all after Ages of it to the Worlds end Doth 2 Tim 3.13.14 twice at least cited by I O. for fear of failing viz. Ex. 3. S 26.31 prove it And doth 2 Tim. 2.2 which is without either heed or wit urged and by heedlesse I. O. as well as others quoted though mis-quoted in the Margin of Pag. 166. to that purpose prove in the least any such matter If it do then say I am a Dunce if not then see whether they are fit to be Doctors or Teachers in Divinity that by reason of the beam in their eyes cannot behold but divine so darkly besides a businesse that is as clearly contrary to what their brain conceives about it as if it were written with a Sun beam For the words of Paul to Timothy are these viz. The things that thou hast heard of me among many Witnesses the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be Able to Teach others also And in the other place these But Evil men and Seducers shall wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived and so they do at this day for all their scufling for the Scripture but continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them Whence it is by many that would look upon themselves as wronged if not looked upon as learned as hastily concluded as the places are hand-over head alledged That Paul bids Timothy take the Scripture first committed to him by himself and commit it downwards to faithful men that must commit and continue it downwards still to others and so successively to the worlds end as a Common Continual Permanent perpetually remaining Canon and only Standard for all Nations and Spirits Gods and Mans and Doctrines true and false to stand or fall by from thenceforth even for ever Which what a crooked Consequence it is who but Ignoramus can be ignorant whenas if the Scripture had been the subject spoken of there by Paul either it had extended no further then to his own Scripture to Timothy which is but a petty Portion and poor Pittance of Pauls Epistles or if to all the rest of his Epistles then it had been conclusive of that to Laodicea and his first to Corinth and Ephesus which have no being in your Bibles which you say Contains all your Canon and are by T. D. excluded from any Claim to it but in very deed there 's no such thing at all as the Scripture or outward Text there either talkt on or intended but the things Timothy had learn't and heard from Paul by word of mouth as well as writing which though I own to be Truths and Doctrines and things which are evermore according to the Scripture the Spirit from which that was never contradicting it self yet were another thing then the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Writing or Scripture it self Paul sayes not those Scriptures which thou hadst of me c. commit to faithful men to make a Standard of but those Doctrines Truths which thou hast heard of me commit and those Truths were concerning the Light which Paul was sent to turn men to and not the Letter for he sayes God made him and the rest Ministers not of the Letter but of the Spirit Act. 26.18 2 Cor. 3.6 And the Gift of God within Timothy which he bids him stir up 2 Tim. 1.5 Neither did Paul go up and down testifying to the Scriptures as a Standard and telling men which should be the Touchstone and which Scriptures not but the things which were Witnessed to there testifying no other things Quod Essentiam to be believed or done then what were written in and spoken by the Law and the Prophets Acts 24. 14. 26. 22. And those things Timothy heard learned and was assured of from Pauls both Words and Writings As also the things the Thessalonians 2 Thess. 2.15 had delivered to them partly by Pauls Preachings and partly by his Epistles and were accordingly to stand fast and continue in but they were not the bare Bible it self or Writings or Scriptures themselves which were not then by Paul or any bundled up and carried about in a Book to take a Text and Talk out of
Spirit but the dark Lanthorn of their own Imagination Ah poor deluded Soul I. O. whom I pitty more really and unfeignedly then thou the Quakers and for pitties sake dare not spare sharpnesse towards thy proud-fleshly Wisdom that interposes and opposes it self against the Light and Power of God in a shew of Science falsly so called that thy Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Thou talkest of certainty of thy Rule which is the Letter and of stedfast Relief against all Vncertainty thereby Alas poor heart whence come all those huge heaps and whole Chapters of Vncertainty it self which thy Tâ—o Treatises doth wholly stand in but from that utter Vncertainty that is in thy meerly literal Rule which thou there Treatest upon that is so far from stedfastnesse that thou art forced to Confesse more variety in it at last then at first entrance to Treat on its fixednesse thou wast either witting or willing enough to do which Rule or Letter as much as it hath been and is capable to be wrested is not by far at such uncertainty in it self as ye that Profess to be Ruled by it and stand upon it as your Basis are at endlesse odds and infinite uncertainty in your Conjectures and Guesses about it insomuch that it grieves me not a little for your sakes to see your Souls so sunk over Head and Ears in Confusion and confused Noises about it in which the sweet still voice and silent whisperings of the Spirit of Christ within can have no Audience in that crowd of Pro and Cons that ye are cumbred with about your very Foundation which ye have not found yet so as to this day to abide fixt and firm or to be quiet concerning it in any Academies upon earth but in vain Ianglings in all Corners thereof from one end of Christendom to another Yea I professe in the sight of God that in such grief and bowels I write about it that this Page and Passage passes not from under my Pen without being watered with many Tears for your sakes whom I see perishing by your own Iuglings unlesse happily ye will yet be pull'd as Brands out of the fire And in no wise think I.O. that I am so Angry at your Folly which the Deceit may suggest unto you as offended at the Enmity it self that flyes up within you and befools you And seeing that thou I.O. seemeth to beg wish and hope for such a thing Crying out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in case of novelty of Points and variety of Lections as nor seeing any means of being delivered from utter uncertainty in and about all sacred Truth that those who have more Wisdom and Learning and are able to look throw all the Digladiations that are like to ensue on these Principles would nather take the pains to instruct thâ—e and such as thou art then be angry or offended with you that ye are not so wise or learned as themselves And desiring such as are shaken in mind to read the useful Miscellany Notes of as thou callst him the Learned Mr. Pocock Reply 1. Not as one Angry or Offended that ye are not so Wise or Learned as my self Nor 2. As one pretending to much of that ye call Wisdom and Learning which lyes more in outward Tongues Arts or Sciences falsly so called then in that of the Spirit for want of which Peter calls men never so wise and well Learned otherwise both unlearned and unstable and for all their buste buslings about it not Openers but Wresters of the Scripture to their own ruine which shelly shallow Theory into things of that nature perhaps I have forgotten more of for the naked Gospels sake then many of our Preachers of the Gospel for Pay ever learned and yet have enough left whereby to discern many Country Teachers or Doctors to be Dunces in it yet what ever my measure is more or lesse further then as an Earthly Talent foolish Instrument or Wooden Tool for a long time laid aside and here taken up again to serve the Truth with against those that fight therewith against Truth it s utterly lost and become dung and losse it self to me for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ my Lord that Spirit in the Spirit and Truth in the inward parts And of that aforesaid thin foamy Speculation I acknowledge that many of you have not only much more then my long since Countrified self but much more also then either does good or does you good unlesse ye had more of the true Wisdom from above whereby to use it to a better end then ye do Yet 3dly As one who have obtained so much Mercy and Ability froÌ„ God to see throw all the Digladations that are likely to ensue on the Principles that are now in agitation among your selves as wel as between the Quakers and your selves I herein take so much pains as is worth so much Patience as ye men of War are like to have with me for so doing and tell you in the Name and Dread of the living God whether ye bear or forbear that the shakings of mind that are among the learned Lievtenants of Antichrist at their Gates of Hell as honest Iohn Hus and learned Luthur stiled the Vniversities about their own literal and fallible Foundation will assuredly end in the final fall of it as a Foundation and all the Digladiations of those swattering Sword-men who pretend to be fighting with the Sword of the Spirit about their supposed Sword of the Spirit i.e. the bare outward Letter which they mistake for the Word of God when in Reality they are at it with but the Scabbard about the Scabbard will end in no lesse then the very sheathing of the true Sword of the spirit in the bowels of the Babel builders that are so blindly busie about it in their divided speeches confounded languages and in the bringing down the Babel which ye all agree to build upon it whereby to over-top the light and Truth it self the Letter talks on the fall and coming down of which Tripple Tower of the Tripple Tribe of Levi the Clergy or lot as they call themselves of the Lords own Inheritance hath already raised from their Thrones all the Kings of the Nations and moved Hell from beneath to meet them Isa. 14.9 And what work more will attend this great Catastrophe of that Chaos even the Old Heaven and Earth the worldly Rudiments of which begin to melt and the frail foundations thereof to shake that they may remove and the New come in place that must remain will as the Lord lives make the Eares to tingle in a little time to come that now refuse to hear of it from the Tongues and Pens of the Lords Prophets to whom it is revealed and their minds amazed and their Hearts shake and shiver that harden themselves against the troublesome Testimony of it Wherefore if thou art in earnest in thy Enquiry I tell thee I.O. by way of Answer
more twenty fold more to and fro Expositions so that though Truth is where it was before the Letter was among them that love it and security and certainty no where but there where it is only and ever was and will be viz. in the Light and Spirit and among the livers there but not among the Talkers of it that are Livers and Walkers after the flâ—sh I O. Thou sayest pag. 294. That let the Points be taken out of the way and let men lay aside that advantage they have from them and it will quickly appear what devious wayes all sorts of such Persons will run scarce a Chapter or a Verse it may be or a Word nor a Line would be left free from Perplexing contradicting Conjectures the words being altogether innumerable whose significations may be varied by an Arbitrary supplying of the Points for who shall give a Rule to the rest what end of fruitlesse Contests what various and pernicious Senses to contend about yea to expect Agreement is fond and foolish and this gives but an humane fallible perswasion that the Readings fixt on by each is according to the mind of God Besides who shall secure us against the Luxurant Spirits of these dayes who are bold on all advantages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to break in upon every thing that 's Holy and Sacred that they will not by their Huckstering utterly corrupt the Word of God i.e. Scripture how easie is it to see the dangerous Consequents of contending for various Lections Reply Is your Word of God possible to be utterly corrupted ours is not Is your Foundation Rule c. so rotten such a Nose of Wax how easie is it then to sore-see that it must melt afore the fire of the Spirit And of what dangerous Consequence is it for you to stand on no surer ground then that which is so easie to be changed for does thy Perplexing Prate make it the lesse alterable or free it from mens Perplexing contradicting Conjectures while thou objects but thy Conjectures to theirs none of which must Rule the roast or be a Rule to the rest and doth your Interpretation which is variable both Rerum and Verborum were your Transcripts never so steady give any more then meer fallible perswasion that your Readings and Sense which is all the People have is right Ah poor men who labour in the fire and weary your selves for very vanity in screel-scrawls about your Scripture while by the Spirit the Earth is filling with the knowledge of Gods Glory without such absolute necessity of the Letter as the Waters cover the Sea I. O. Thou sayest pag. 211. That the Points are of importance to the right understanding of the Word of God Reply Ah poor People as well as poor Priests too if it be so not one among a thousand of the one nor one among twenty of the other being capable to read Hebrew either with Pricks or without I trow which way must these come to the understanding of Gods Word from the Rabbies mouths or Gods own For my part I am far from believing such necessity of Points to understand Scripture by seeing 'tis as to the Substantials of saving Truth rendered pretty well into plain English that poor â—eople that with honest hearts read it may see how to be honest much more to understand the Word of God it self which is not the Scripture which yet I. O. intends by that term of the Word But on that which is uttered in every heart from his own mouth out of which Wisdom it self sayes Prov. 2. there comes Knowledge Wisdom and Vnderstanding there shall I wait with thousands more that are there waiting and noâ— upon the Dreaming Doctors while they divine out their meer Dreams Thoughts and Opinions about their Poâ—nts and Punctaâ—ions Besides Riddle me this I.O. if thou canst Whether the Scripture were never rightly read nor understood by Holy men that did read it in the Spirit without Points before Ezraes dayes from which only thou traducest thine own Orignal of the Points which thou makest of such importance to a right understanding of the Scriptures I.O. Thou sayest pag. 252. That to be driven out of such a Rich Possession as the Hebrew Punctation upon meer Conjectures and Surmises thou canst not willingly give way nor Consent Reply Poor man Is that thy rich Possession that so much benefit comes by as thou sayest pag. 267 the chiefest Treasure the Church of God hath for many years enjoyed as thou sayest pag. 163. the Inheritance which even every Tittle and Letter of which as thou sayest pag. 176. many Millions have looked on as Theirs with such high account that for the whole Worâ—d â—ther would not be deprived of it Do the Riches the Ornaments the Excellencies the Enjoyments which thou art so extraordinarily afraid to be Kobbed Spoyled Plundered Driven out Deprived of that your Consolation seems so much to consist in that who so does not so much as totally bereave you of or nullifie but only under-value so as barely to Novellifie and deny the Antiquity and Necessity thereof does no lesse then utterly stop the very Wells and Fountains from whence ye should draw all your Souls refreshment as thou sayest pag. 216. Do they I say stand in such Counters and Pins Pins heads Points Point Tags Childish Toyes and Trash as these Indeed when I was a Chiâ—d I did as a Child thought as a Child spake as a Child understood as a Child but when I became a Man I put away these Childish things which yet University Doctors are very deeply doting on to this day Like Boyes that ly brawling about Bawbles which they prize above and will not part with for far more serious precious matters blessing themselves more in a Bag of Cherry-stones and fearing more to lose caring to keep them then wise men do theirs whose Riches lyes in that which can't be lost So doth I.O. busie himself with fear and much trembling about these perishing Points Vowels Accents about his Cametz's and Patack's Tsere's and Segols Chiricks and Cholems Sheva's and Sciurech's Athnach's Kibbutz's and Cametz Catuph's hoping he is rich and encreased with Goods and hath need of nothing while he enjoyes them thinking within himself Populus me sibilet at mihi plaudo Ipse domi simulac numinos contemplor in arcâ Not knowing that for all this being out of and against the true Light he is poor and wretched and miserable and blind and naked whose Poverty I pitty more then I prize such uncertain Riches of which I may say as the Poet Formidare malos fures incendia servos Ne se compilent fugientes hoc Iuvat Horum Semper Ego optârim pauterrimus esse bonorum Howbeit I.O. Possession being eleven points of the twelve that thou wilt not part with it willingly I cannot much blame thee considering how 't is with thee upon thy Principles 't is a rich Possession indeed in one sense as poor as 't is
purpose howbeit sometimes again I O tells us truly enough that what ever means God appoints to any end it is sufficient thereunto and thereupon not imperfect but perfect and so fearing belike to loose his Word and Doctrine and not knowing any other way all others failing save that of Pen and Inke in his Providence betook himself to that way of Writing which Providence also saw it self concerned to this day to preserve entire Copies to a Tittle of all that Writing much of which yet is lost both to reduce men to a Consideration of it self in that one particular and also that his Word not a jot of which I confesse can ever fail though all Writing in the World come to perish might be secured for ever from perishing and altering by that most alterable and perishing way of Writing which if it should happen to be all lost he had no way to save his Word Doctrine and sacred Truth from dying irrecoverably by a very dreadful and mortal Distemper pag. 314. So seems I.O. summarily to say out of the sacred Secret of Gods Councel which was never with any save such as fear him more then I. O. does whose Position of it Credat Apella So Pag. 14. God by his Providence preserving the whole Text entire suffers lesser variety to fall out in or among the Copies we have for the quickning and exercising our diligence in our search into his Word Reply O nescio quo horrendo percusse Sentomate Whence came this whiffe and whimzy within the Circumference of thy Figmentitious Fancy Who told thee this Toy which thou preachest out for positive Truth Dost thou teach this for a true Doctrine of Christ if so from what Text Or wilt thou own it to be but a meer Tale of thy own a Tradition of I.O. which it thou wilt then own it that in vain thou worshippest God while thou art Teaching for Doctrine thy own Thoughts and the Traditions of thy self or any other men Thou talkest sometime at such a rate as if thou wouldst make all the World believe the variety of our Copies were absolutely none at all no not in the leaft not in one Apex Tittle Iota not in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which how contradictory it is to or consistent with that lesser variety here talk'd on who is so silly save I. O. whos 's own silliness and self Confoundings are never seen by himself as not to see But to let passe that ordinary matter of self-contradiction sifh it s as Common with thee almost as to Talk at all and to take it as it falls Is this the end why God who as thou sayest who knowest not whether thou hast the half or no of what was by Inspiration written preserved the whole entire suffered that variety that is in your Copies to quicken your diligence in your Search into his Word If that be the end as indeed it may well enough be of the total losse of so much of the Letter as there is and non-Integrity nor Indentity of your Transcript Texts that remain that ye should diligently search into his Word it were happy for you that there 's so much variety and uncertainty as there is in your Copies and nere the worse had you none of them at all so ye would betake your selves to the Hearing of the Word of God and the receiving it more immediately and purely from his mouth which the Letter of it tells you is nigh in your own hearts and mouths â—o that ye need not go any where ad extra for it that ye may both hear and do it But alas poor men by the Word ye mean the Letter still the External Text or Writing of it and then so far is your so diligent searching and poring and striving and scribling one to another as the Scribes of old did Iob. 5. that never heard the Voice and Word of God it self from being any end of God at all in giving it out at first or in deriving that part of the Scripture ye have down to you whether fully the same with or falsified from the first Copies that he loaths and detests your long Tales about its Tittles and your idle Treating away your pretious time in such Trivial talk as this That the whole Word of God and all saving Doctrine and sacred Truth is lost and fails for ever without Relief Remedy or Recovery if every Tittle of the Text without losse or variation be not upheld and preserved Entire to this day which yet is some not to say the sum of that unsound Doctrine the proof of which is driven on by thee I. O. As in pag. 18. 314. and many other Pages is to be seen throwout thy Book as well as by other Doctors and Divines So Pag 34. speaking of the Scriptures uncontroulably manifesting themselve so to be that on pain of eternal Damnation men are to receive them as the Word of God thou sayst that they afford unto us all the divine Evidence of themselves and that 's none at all as I shall shew anon of their being his Word which God is willing to grant us or can be granted us or is any way needful for us Reply Another odd Conceited saying this is as like thy self who urâ—erest thy self Doctor-like still as to thy usurped Authoritativenesse but seldom as to the truth of thy Assertions as if it were spit out of thy mouth Who told thee this Vntruth that thou so uncontrollably utterest here for truth that God is not willing to grant more divine evidence of the Scriptures being what thou falsly sayest they are or where they are indeed and that more neither can or need be granted then what the Scriptures themselves do afford sayest thou this of thy self or did others tell it thee of the Scripture of thy own head surely or very likely at least and neither from God nor the Spirit nor the Scriptures no nor the Synods nor the Congregational Churches of England to which thou belongest nor the Doctrinal Catechismes of late Divines for these thy brethren though erring with thee in stiling them the Word tell thee of another not humane onely but Divine Testimony or evidence that may be and is needful to be granted and that God is willing to and doth also grant of the Scriptures being what they call it beside that which thou here so absolutely assertest as the onely one that must or can be afforded viz. the Testimony of the Spirit of God in the heart and not that of the Scripture alone concerning itself or of the holy Spirit speaking without us ad extra onely in the Scripture which is the dream wherein thou drawest aside not onely from the truth but also if it were a truth that the Letter is Gâ—ds Word from the joynt Testimony of thy fellow Testifiers to it for they say the Testimony of the Spirit within us also not 〈◊〉 â—â—stimony without uâ— and onely in the Scripture divinely evidences the Scripture to be what
ye all falsly say it is that is the Word of God Witnesse not only that so much esteemed Divine in his dayes viz. Ball in his Catechisme but also the Confession of Faith of the Assembly of Divines presented to the Parliament and that of the Congregationals which is verbatim the same also therewith who all unanimously in that Article of the Scripture wherein they falsely affirm it to be the Word of God declare thus in the fifth head viz. by the heavenlinesse of the matter efficacy of Doctrine majesty of the stile excellency and perfection of the whole it doth abudantly evidence it self to be the Word of God yet notwithstanding our full perswasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof i.e. of the Scripture is from the inward work of the holy Spirit bearing witnesse by and with the word in our hearts But thou in page 90. and thorowout thy fifth chapter of thy first Treatise excludest the witnesse of the Spirit immediately in the heart at all or at least the usefulnesse much more the necessity of any such Testimony making as here page 34. the Authority of God shining in it self alone and exclusively of the spirits and words witnesse in our hearts the sole medium of all that evidence which man can have of its being what ye call it viz. The Word of God but as for God and the Spirit who within do give all the evidence that they give at all of the Scriptures being what in truth is is viz a true writing of the truth what if they are willing to grant an evidence within and to afford more then thou talkst of wilt thou bind limit and forbid them so to so who 〈◊〉 unlimitedly here declarest that God is willing to afford and grant no more must not the Spirit blow where it lifts without thy leave or acquainting thee first who art no Prophet with what he will do And this may serve as a sufficient Answer to thy vain Opinion in it it being worth no better to that whole Chapter of thine concerning the Testimony of the Spirit though whether it shall or no so that I 'le say no more to thee about that Chapter is more then I le tell thee here that I may be at liberty to do as I see occasion Only thus much is spoken to that saying of thine above pag. 34. to shew how Majestically still for the eternal Truths of God thou tellest thy own meer trashy untrusty Traditions of which sort I say is that above p. 163 which I am yet in hand with viz. that God probably suffered the losse of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reduce us to a Consideration of his Care in preserving every Tittle that was in them to this day in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Copies we have But I O. seems to take another Reason out of the bottomlesse pit of his own infinite Fancy and Imagination why God was as willing to let the first Manuscripts perish as careful to preserve every Apex thereof in their adored Transcripts and successively Crowned and Canonized Copies to this day viz. left if the immediate individual Writings had been preserved men would have been ready to adore them as the Jewes to adore their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Synagogues Reply Which if it be Cogent or have any Reason at all in it to prove a willingnesse in God to let the first Writings be left hath it not as much to the full to evince God Regardlesnesse of your so copiously regarded Copies upon if there were no other the very self-same Account as he was so carelesse of the other But I. O. is so totally Talpified that as Eagle-eyed as he is abroad to spie a hole in the Iewes Coat he can't see that Iewish Idolatry neerer home For if God to prevent Adoration of that Brazen Serpent and Idolized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Scripture was so regardlesse of it as to permit it to perish and be brought to nothing is there not as much reason why he should be as Carelesse of your remote tottered Transcripts and false Translations ye are so carkingly careful of as to let what will become of them notwithstanding your uncessant pining and whining and whoring after them and solicitous scoldings and tearings one of another so much about them For as much as though ye Confesse ye have but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet so it is that ye Adore and even Idolize them as much as ye would or likely could the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 themselves had you them to bustle and busie your minds about and as much as the Iewes though ye advance them the Right way no more then they do theirs as I have told you at large above do their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Synagogues Suppose ye had here the very Hand writings of Moses and the old Prophets and the individual Letters and Stories that the Evangelists and Apostles pen'd with their own hands yea the very Two Tables of Stone superscribed with Gods own finger which was a Figure and Type of that Hand-writing of his Law in the fleshly Tables of your hearts by his living Spirit the Truth and Anti-type of which ye as little heed as ye heedlesly over-value the other What could you Ministers of the Letter and not the Spirit and your Literal and Formal more then Powerful and truly Spiritual Professours say or do more unlesse you would down on your Knees to them so soon as ever ye see them in way of outward Honour and Adoration thereof then ye do to your falsified Transcripts and your People to the more unspeakably false Translations which they take for Truth but by Tradition and meer implicite Faith from your selves Le ts Reason and Reckon with you here a little while about your Transcripts and Translations which are all that are extant and enjoyed at this day the first by you that have skill in Hebrew and Greek the second by your Independent on God but on their Priests lips dependent People As for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Memorandum Oh all People by whom these presents shall ever happen to be read I. O. hath quite quitted the World of them Confessing they are all utterly perished and long since past away and lost So that 't is opon Fiction or miracuâ—ous with him for any one to affirm that there 's any one individual Role Writing or Book that was Pen'd by the Holy men that in their several successive Ages wrote the Scripture now alive and not mouldred into dust So that the World hath done with them and they with us so as never to come within our Ocular Inspection more whereby to try whether our Doctors and Divines Adored Transcripts do to a little agree as I. O. absolutely affirms they do with the Touchstone yea or nay so as to believe our own eyes or any otherwise then as I O. who first positively Asserts it doth after as improbly conclude
O. what Text of Scripture God ever made such a Promise in concerning the Text or the Scripture that he would in his Care and Providence preserve every Titt'e of that outward Writing for his Church and his Words sake which was written at the motion of his Spirit so that it never should be so mis-transcribed in any Tittle of it but that in the Greek and Hebrew Copies not English mark that nor any Translated but only Transcribed Copies he would keep it from being so adulterated vitiated altered depraved and interpolated as not to be every jot the same verbatim as at first I say I. O. where is that Promise so made to this purpose which his Providence is so engaged to answer Is it in Isa. 59.22 the place thou quorest together with a whole nest of others to the same end p. 155. viz. Matth 5.18 1 Pet 1.25 1 Cor. 11. Matth. 28.20 not one of which make one jot of mention of the Letter Text or any Tittle thereof at all That in Isaiah there cited is hinted at and harp upon to the same Tune in 7 or 8 pages in thy 2d Treatise viz. 155 167 168 169 273 317 319. In all which more or less in whole or part thou talkest much of the Transcribers lying under a loving and careful aspect from the Promise and Providence of God in beir transcribing alluding all along to Iâ— 59.12 as if God had there engaged himself by Promise as it were to guide their hands that they should not erre in a Tittle for his Word and Churches sake but is there the least Tittle of such a Promise there made and look it â—ore again and see if there be such a thing touche upon in the least either expressly or implicity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as thou speakst or by consequence either immediate or far fetcht the words are these to the Church under the new Covenant or Gospel My words which I have put into thy mouth shall not depart out of the Mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed from henceforth for ever Here I confesse is a promise to keep his words in the mouths of his Servants under the Gospel in the latter dayes especially so that they shall by word of mouth and writing bear Testimony against the world to his Truth and Name even the whole seed of the Righteous successively for ever without fail as now they begin to do even â—abes and Sucklings out of whose mouths and stammering lips the Lord is speaking to reprove the world and the proud Doctors Pharisaical self-seeking Teachers and to convince all ungodly ones of their ungodly deeds and hard Speeches they speak against him in his Saints in whom he comes to Judgement but what 's this to the preservation of I. O's Greek and Hebrew Texts to a Tittle without alteration This is not spoken of the continuance of any outward Scripture but of that word of Faith in the heart and mouth which the Apostles Rom. 10. preacht to turn men to telling them 't was nigh and they need not look without for it was ever man so bemoped as to draw such a Conclusion as thou dost from that Scripture viz. that every Tittle of the Text of Scripture given out of old should be secured without one jot of losse to the worlds end and if that were the promise there made it was never made good since as is shewed above the Scriptures of sundry whole prophecies and Epistles written by inspiration are lost since then nay rather and indeed that Text produces a Truth which thou deniest that in the last dayes his word and Spirit shall be de novo so poured out shed abroad and planted in the heares of his handmaids and servants Sons and Daughters that they shall Prophesie and reach as of old by word of Mouth his word as put into them by God himself Yet I. O. I know not how often betakes himself to that Text to make good his talk of the eternal Entirenesse to a Tittle of his outward Text in the Greek and Hebrew Transcripts thereof without which the word is as true entire and secure as it is when the Text is entire when the Text is torn to pieces and every Tittle of it mouldred away Beside if that were a promise of preserving the Text it must evince the Text is to endure for ever world without end as the word it self doth for its never to depart for ever from the seed that it 's there promised to but I. O. confesses the Scripture is not to abide for ever in its use which is onely faith he Ex. 3. S. 39. presenti statui c. suited to our present state and say I as it shall cease as to it's use so once to its esse or very being Obj. And if I. O. urge as he does in effect that it 's true the Word and Doctrine and Truth is the thing promised to be continued for ever primarily but consequentially the Letter and it's Tittles for as much as without it be preserved in that and that be preserved entire to a Tittle the word it self cannot be preserved from corruption Rep. He had as good have told me as soon I should have believed him in it that because Moses by Gods appointment made an Ark to lay the Book Tables and Letter in the two Tables and Letter written on it could not last any longer then the Ark or be kept from being lost any where be not kept so entire that not one bit or scrap of it be broken or lost there is no hopes that ever the light should shine out or be kept alive or be beheld yea if one inch of horn or a nail or the least Pin about the Ark had happened to be shattered or got any knock or any odd corner of it be broken off with being carried jumbled or tossed to and sro between Israel and the Philistines there had been no means of preserving the Letter from being lost or as if one should say the glasse window is set up that the Sun may shine through it therefore suppose that to be crackt or to have any flawes in it or to suffer the losse of but one little piece of a pane there 's no likelihood of enjoying the clear bright Beams of the Sun more distinctly or at any certainty nor can I be satisfied unquestionably that the Sun it self remains inviolate unlesse ye can assure me that there is every barley-corns bredth of the glasse-window without any losse as it was at first setting up though yet we see now the Sun both is the same and is better seen when beheld without a glasse then thorough it and is most clear when the glasse window is taken down and it beheld more immediately in the light that shines from it self he were fit to be Canonized for a fool that would count him a very wife man at least as to that affair that should so affirm so let who will esteem of I.
not to be believed when she talks the Truth p. 225. So I may say of thee though I believe thee when thou speakest truth yet thou utterest so many untruths that thou scarcely deservest to be believed when thou tellest the Truth but yet if thou be of any credit with thy self and thou wilt but take thy own word then we are well enough and have wherewith to answer thy challenge having thy self in the self same Book we have here to do with speaking more then one word at least and that 's enough ad bominem to this purpose viz. that there was in the world a Copy of the Bible different from what we now enjoy in one word at least and that 's in more then Tittles which thou who art Callidus more then Callidus in thy Re frigida contendest for sith the Keri and Ketib those 840. words which are confest by thee to vary in their Consonants from what they should be written with if what is in the margin were in the line are confest by thee not to have been so from the beginning which if not then there was once a Copy different from what we now enjoy but of this thou wilt hear more from us by and by Secondly p. 300. thou sayest the difference in the sense taken in the whole context is upon the matter very little or none at all at least each word both that in the margin that in the line yield a sense agreeable to the Analogy of faith Rep. Here thou mendest thy bad cause as well as one can well do that makes it two-fold worse then 't was before for if there be welnigh a thousand words not onely different in Consonants which is greater then that of Tittles but also such as makes the least difference in the sense of the Spirit which how many so e're the Text may bear is acknowledged by all but your selves that make many to be but one alone ever to one word or place then thou thy self overturnest that certainty and Identity of not onely the Text it self thou so loudly contendest for but also in some measure of the Truth it self contained therein which we say is eternally entire let the Text run which way it will but thou here art forced to confesse that in the Keri and Ketib there 's not onely a variation in words but also thereby in the very sense it self And though thou wouldst fain mend it when thou hast done by mincing the matter making as if the Context considered the difference in the sense is upon the matter very little and agreeable either way to the Analogy of faith as ye often speak whereby if not blinded ye might see how for all ye call the Scripture your Rule of Faith yet ye more serne the Scripture into the sense of a suitablenesse to your modern devised model of faith still then suit and model your faith according to the true sense of the Spirit and mind of Christ in the Scripture yet that 's a meer false seeth and â—â—gment of thy own for in some places there arises from the Keri and Ketib a very vast variety not to say clear contrariety in the sense such as if the Context be consulted with is consistent with the faith but one way onely and not the other and sith thou puttest it to the tryall by the variety of those two words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are the same in sound yet most distinct in their significations and so of all the varieties that are of this kind seeming to thee of the greatest importance of which it is observable that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose signification is not is fourteen or fifteen times put in the Text or line instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whose signification is to him or it which is set in the margin I am willing to be tryed by that very variety that is of thy own naming the better to satisfie thee And whereas thou sayest that though these seem contrary one to the other yet wherever this falls out a sense agreeable to the Analogy of faith ariseth fairly from either word instancing in some places picke out by thee for thy own purpose I say if it do hold it s not worth a pin or point to the proof of what thou sayest if in any one of those fourteen or fifteen places it appear to the contrary and that it does let me be so bold fith thou instancest in two that are fittest for thee to instance but one that makes against thee and then I shall trouble my self no more with thy Keri and Ketib which would make one if not sick yet at least sorry for thee to see how sorrily thou shifts by it Isa. 9.3 thou hast multiplyed the Nation not encreased the joy say the Ketib or word in the Text but the Keri or word in the Margin is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to it which marginal Reading though Translators following the mistake of the mis-transcribers keep to the Ketib is undoubtedly the true and onely sense of the Spirit for the reading in the line as it is in both Transcripts and Translation is considered with the Context a piece of meer non-sensicall contradiction thou hast encreased the Nation not encreased the Ioy they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest as men rejoyce when they divide the spoil what a jarre does the word not encreased the Ioy make in the sense of that verse yea it makes it meet confusion and contradiction to say the joy is not enlarged and yet it is enlarged like to that of men that rejoyce in harvest and at the dividing of the spoil but read it by the Keri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to it thus viz thou hast multiplyed the Nation thou hast encreased joy to it or its joy they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest as men rejoyce when they divide the spoil and then there 's no discord in the sound but it s all sweetly sutable and harmonious and agreeable to the Analogy of the true faith also Arg. thy Eleventh is The security we have that no mistakes were voluntarily or negligently brought into the Text before the coming of our Saviour who was to declare all things in that he not once reproves the Iewes â—n that Account when yet for their false glosses on the word be spares them not And this Argument is urged o're again p. 316 interrogatively thus viz. can it be once imagined that there should be at that time such notorious varieties in the Copies of the Scripture through the negligence of that Church and yet afterword neither our Saviour nor his Apostles take the least notice of it yea doth not our Saviour himself affirm of the word that was then among them Scripture with thee that not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 should passe away or perish Rep. 1. Leave calling Christ thy Saviour as thou often dost till thou witnesse thy self saved by his grace from
lesse you have no sound assurance what ground ye stand on for the stresse of all sacred Truth is by I. O. put upon the true Transcription or mis-transcription of the Greek and Hebrew Text which if not entire to a Tittle and Iota p. 17.18 19. upon any corruption supposed in the writing and that may very well not to say must be supposed if all the Transcribers even the first as well as the latter cannot be supposed to be as infallibly guided in Transcribing as the holy men were in the first writing there is no means of rectifying or recovering or of discovering or determining or judging of Truth any other way And so thou givest upon a matter thy whole cause in granting the whole Series of Transcribers and Race of writers to this day to be but fallibly guided and thy most perfect infallible stable and to a Tittle true Touch-stone Rule Standard Foundation falls all to the ground as a mere falible uncertain questionable Basis to build so mighty a bulk upon as thou dost according to not others knowledge onely but also thy own acknowledgements and confessions I. O. Religious care and diligence in their work with a due Reverence of him with whom they had to do is all we ascribe unto them Not to acknowledge these freely in them without clear and unquestionable Evidence to the contrary is high uncharitablenesse impiety and ingratitude This care and diligence we say in a subserviency to the Promise and Providence of God hath produced the effect contended for Nor is any thing further necessary thereunto On this account to argue as some do from the miscarriages and mistakes of men their Oscitancy and negligence in transcribing the old Heathen Authors Homer Aristotle Tully we think it not tollerable in a Christian or any one that hath the least sense of the nature and importance of the Word or care of God towards his Church Shall we think that men who wrote out Books wherein themselves and others were no more concerned then it is possible for men to be in the writings of the Persons mentioned and others like them had as much reason to be careful and diligent in that they did as those who knew and considered that every Letter and Tittle that they were Transcribing was part of the Word of the great God wherein the eternal concerament of their own souls and the Souls of others did lye Certainly whatever may be looked for from the Religious care and diligence of men lying under a loving and careful Aspect from the Promise and Providence of God may be justly expected from them who undertook that work Rep. Of the loving and careful Aspect and Promise and Providence of God and how little he stands by any promise engaged to preserve outward Tittles as thou â—atlest I have spoken not a little before but if that were as true as thou sayest it is and as it is indeed most false that God were so engaged in order to the safe guarding his word and Church to save every Tittle of your Priests Transcribed Texts does not his love and care of his word and Church as strictly call for his careful Aspect over the peoples translated Texts and bind him in his providence according to the supposed promise to watch over and direct the Translators in Translating for the use of his Church but few of which can Read your Original Texts as well as the Transcribers in Transcribing which Translators if they happen to be one the Church saâ—ing that she must take some of her Clergies words for infallible Truth and as the sole foundation of her divine forth about the integrity of the Text is out also and hath nothing but uncertainty it self even the uncertain fallible conjectures of spiritually unskilful Scholars to trust to about the foundation of her salvation Neverthelesse thou wilt by no means allow that the Translators lay under the same loving Aspect who had as much to do with God and as religious a care and diligence in their work as Transcribers had in theirs with a due Reverence of him with whom they had to do yea not to acknowledge these freely in them which is the utmost thou darest ascribe to the others without clear and unquestionable Evidence to the contrary is as high uncharitablenesse and ingratitude by how much their pains was the greater of the two as not to acknowledge the same in the Transcribers the care and diligence of which said Translators yet who must be supposed to be as much in a subserviency to that thy supposed promise and providence of God I say hath no more produced the effect thou contendest for i. e the entire agreement of their Copies to a Tittle with the first Originals thou that of the Transcribers hath done which hath not produced the said effect so exactly as thou dreamest It is enough to make a wise man wonder but that Sapiens miratur â—ibil because he expects no other then solly to proceed from the foolish wisemen of this world to see how thou settest thy Transcribers up on high yet grantest them not to be infallibly guided of God neither who if he had no higher way to expresse his love to his word and Church then by saving every Tittle of thy Transcripts from alteration or corruption could as easily have guided the Transcribers infallibly as fallibly and more easily too since his Spirit guides none fallibly so far as I know and statest thy Transcribers under the loving and careful Aspect promise and providence of God in all they did in their work about thy Greek and Hebrew Copies from whom yet no more may be expected justly then from Translators in the undertaking of their work for Translators did consider what every Letter and Tittle that they were Translating was as well as Transcribers did what every Letter and Tittle and Iota was they were Transcribing and to argue them to be as Oscitant Neglective and mis-carrying and mistaking as those that translated Heathen Authors is as intolerable ad â—ominem I speak this for else I own it tolerable enough so to argue of both Transcribers and Translatoâ—s of Scripture for such as Transcribed and Translated Heathen Authors and their work as well as they could and such as Transcribed and Translated Scripture could do no more and were thy self confessing no more infallible nor infallibly guided then they onely a kind of care in them and in God over them which amounts not to his special spiritual guidance thou tellest â— I say as intollerable as thou sillyly sayest it would be to argue from the â—citancy and Negligence miscarriages and mistakes of Transcribers of Heathen Authors to the like in the Scripture Transcribers But as for Translators thou pullest them down and depressest them into a condition of as great carelesness and negligence and under as carelesse neglect of God toward them in their work as thou statedst the other in great care and diligence and under a careful Aspect and
Foundation which is no other then such Transcriptions is so far false and fallible as they failed and so contrary to what thou sayest in the least at least it impairs the Truth of thy Arch-Assertion that the whole Scripture and every Tittle and Letter as given out from God without any losse is preserved and remains entire and without Corruption in the Copies of the Originals yet remaining for sure one Tittle Letter or Iota a thousand to one may if they mistook at all be either wanting or redundant and if they fail'd who wrote immediately out of that which was first written by Inspiration then those that Transcribed downwards from that day to this having none but imperfect Copies to write by might likely fail so as to make them more rather then lesse imperfect for Error minimus in principio is ever major in medio maximus in fine if the first or second stone stand never so little awry in any building following that it will swerve into more and more crookednesse towards the Top and so what Corruptions Crookednesse Alteration Ablations Additions Variations from each other in more then Tittles and Iotaes there may be now in the Copies ye have there being now no Autographaes to amend them by but a bottomlesse pit and endlesse heap of uncertain Conjectures Contradictions Scoldings and Scottlings among the Scribes about it Pro and Con some saying one thing some another and the most part they know not what themselves but as they think and hear from others who knows save confident I. O. who seldom looks before he leaps and so knocks the Nail on the head as to hush all the hurries that are about it and end the Controversie and put it out of all doubt so far as his helplesse Hammer will do it by First saying positively there is no Variation at all and Secondly proving it so to be as infallibly as his fallible Conceits can prove so ambiguous a businesse by saying from more uncertain grounds then his Seniors and Superiors viz. Doctor Iohn Prideaux as he was called Luther Capellus and others say the contrary that he cannot but Conjecture it so to be which proof hath as much strength in it as a straw while thou Confessest as thou dost That Religious Care and Diligence in their Work with a due Reverence of him with whom they had to do is all ye ascribe to the first Transcribers which not to acknowledge in them is high Vncharitablenesse which Care they lying under a loving careful Aspect from God together with the Promise of God where he promiseth no such matter as thou talkest on viz. to preserve the Letter in all its Transcriptions from any Alteration but to put his Word into his peoples mouths and his Providence and Care of his Church to which yet or to the Transcribers of that which was to be her only Rule as thou sayest thou deniest that he yielded his infallible Spirit to continue with them ever as their guide produces the Copies yet extant and then inferrest thy Conclusion to this purpose viz. Shall we think that men that knew that every Letter and Tittle they were Transcribing was part of the Word of the great God c. should should not be more careful and diligent in their Work then such as Transcribed Heathen Authors Homer Aristotle Tully thus to Argue we think is not Tollerable in a Christian and to imagine that the same Fate hath attended the Scripture in its Transcription as hath done other Books which yet I find some learned men too free in granting seems to me to border on Atheism I say while thou sayest but thus thou sayest no more then what deserves no other Answer then this viz. That to say confesse and grant that the first Transcribers of the Scripture were not infallible nor divinely Inspired but fallible and to ascribe no more to them then a Religious care and diligence in their Work and due Reverence of God with whom they had to do and their lying under a loving and careful Aspect from a Promise of God which was never made infallibly to guide them and his Providence without his divine Inspiration and direction and yet to Conclude that their Transcriptions were not attended with the same fate as other Books viz. Aristotle Tully whose Transcribers out of the Reverence they had of those Authors or whoever else engaged them in that Work would be as careful and diligent as they could without doubt and no men uninspired can be more and much more that in their Transcriptions it must not be supposed there was any Corruption or Variation from the first Copies so much as in one Letter or Tittle in the Copies extant at this day as I. O. sayes seems to me and I appeal to all men that are well in their wits to judge of what I say such an odde kind of self-Confutation such a parcht up parcel of Confusion such an inconsequent Conclusion as is no lesse but somewhat more then Atheistical having not only nothing in it of either God Christ or the Christian but even not the common Reason of a man and so is intollerable both among Christian men and others and bordering upon Atheism as all unreasonablenesse doth Yea I. O. I doubt not as full of Oscitancy and Negligence as thou wast in the framing of the Fabrick of thy Book it self yet the Reverence and respect to thy Doctorship and such like would oblige the Printers of it to as much Care and Diligence in the doing of it as they can use at this day who Print the Bible it self neverthelesse what miscarriages and mistakes and what a multitude of Errataes as there are many Printers faults in this of mine are at each end of thy Two English and Latine Tractates And is Transcription by the Pen more exempted from Errataes then the Presse which sometimes produces such abominable Errours in the Bible it self as would amaze some people that know not the Mystery of that Art to be liable to mistakes about the Scripturess as well as in other Writings to read the flat falsities that have been the issue of their failings Yea the same fate hath attended the Scripture at the Presse as hath other Authors and why it cannot at the Pen I cannot Conjecture To instance in one that is more grosse then others ordinarily are Rom. 15. â—9 in one Edition Impression that I have seen these words of Paul viz. from Ierusalem to Illyricum I have fully Preached the Gospel are misprinted thus from Ierusalem and round about to Illyricum I have falsly Preached the Gospel of Christ So that for thee to say the fate in Transcriptions and Impressions in which way the Scriptures now altogether come forth since Printing came up for there 's now little or no Writing thereof at all hath not attended the Scriptures as hath other Books Vox sonat haecce Deum Ne hominem sonat hac tua ceri As for the rest of those yielding Strawes and weak Weapons
wherewith thou standest out Pushing and Warring on in vindication of thy Assertion which looses ground more and more at the tayl of which thou again usherest in thy Conclusion viz. The Iewes silly superstitious sayings and doings which thou minglest with thy own shall we thinks as if thou didst not only justifie and side with them in their Absurdities but also build much as to the Evincing of thy Position thereupon there lacks little to be Replyed as to the Routing of them every one that hath any little solidity in him being easily capable to see and feel the foppicalnesse thereof yet at least I shall do thee so much Right who perhaps placest more in them then many a wise man would do as to nominate them The Iewes sayest thou pag. 169 170 171 173. have a Common saying That to alter one Letter of the Law is no lesse sin then to set the whole World on fire The truth is they are prodigious things that are Related of the Exact Diligence and Reverential Care of the Antient Jewes in this Work Ben Asher spent many years in the Careful Exact Writing out of the Bible Let any consider the things which they affirm to Prophane a Book or Copy One is if but one Letter be wanting and Another if but one Letter be Redundant and shall we think that is Writing it they took no more Care then a man would do in Writing out Aristotle or Plato Considering that the Word to be Transcribed was every Tittle and Iota of it The Word of the great God c. that if any failings were made innumerable Eyes of men owning their Eternal Concernment to lye in that Word were open upon it to discover it c. It is no hard work to prove their Care and Diligence to have out-gone that of Common Scribes of Heathen Authors Even among the Heathen we will scarce think that the Roman Pontifices going solemnly to Transcribe Sybills Verses would do it either negligently or Treacherously or alter one Tittle from what they found written And shall we entertain such Thoughts of them that knew they had to do with the living God in and about that which is dearer to him then all the World besides Let men then Clamour as they please and cry out of all as ignorant and stupid which will not grant the Corruptions of the Old Testament they plead let them propose their Conjectures of Mistakes crept into the Original Copies with their Remedies as Capellus We shall acknowledge nothing of this nature but what they can prove by undeniable and irrefragable instances which as to any thing done by them appears upon the matter to be nothing at all It can then with no colour of Probability be Asserted which yet I find some Learned men too free in granting namely that there hath the same Face attended the Scripture in its Transcription as hath done other Books Let me say without offence this Imagination seems to the to border on Atheism Surely the Promise of God for the Preservation of his Word with his Love and Care of his Church of whose Faith and Obedience the Word is the only Rule require other Thoughts at our hands We adde that the whole Scripture entire as given out from God without any losse is preserved in the Copies of the Originals yet remaining What varieties there are among the Copies themselves shall be afterwards declared in them all we say is every Letter and Tittle of the Word Reply Because the Children of the Letter of the Old Testament nor of the Gospel the Spirit and the New are so sortish and senslesse as to surmise that the bare Copies of the Letters and Points and Tittles and loâ—aes are dearer to God then all the World besides so that its a greater sin to mis-transcribe one Letter by either Alteration Ablation or Addition which change by Deficiency or Redundancy may befal the most Critical Curious Careful Scribe that ever was does prophan a Copy so that it s not the Holy Scripture for Prophane and Holy are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is as great a sin and a matter of as much moment as the fiâ—ing the whole World and upon such uncircumcised Conceits are men Excrementiâ—ously exact and diligent to very doâ—age and careful of Pins Points Vowels Accents Tittles Iotaes Apices and Letters of the Text ad Extra not Tantamount to the least of the Truths therein contained no not to so â—uch as Tyth while the Law for it stood of Mint Anâ—is and Commin to utter Carelesnesse of the grand Truths and reverentially respectful to their Book as they were of old to their Brazen Serpent of as divine Original and to as divine an end as the Letter is to very idolatry and spending their time in tedious transcribings of every Apex to the very total loss of many years from the more weighty matters of Judgement Mercy Righteousnesse Faith and Truth which the Text doth but testifie of and prodigious to very Superstition I say because that blinded Generation of men viz. the Iewes whom sometimes thou seemest to tax for their undue Veneration of the Letter and over-weenings of it pag. 236. and to set them at nought as men feeding themselves all their dayes with vain Fables addicted to figments profoundly Ignorant Idolatrous full of foolish Contradictious Triflings bewitched with their Dunghilly Traditions doing how seriously of nothing how Childishly in serious things fools sots froth smoke nothing whose sayings and doings are no more to be heeded then that of wick'd blind mad-men c. pag. 236 239 242 243 246 247. do so adore the letter and dote on the Tittles of it must thou needs be foolish and doting and sottish and superstitious and Idolatrous and so Childishly serious in taking up thy Time and Thoughts so totally and piningly after Toyes and Trifles and Iots and Tittles together with them Vin tu Curtis Judaeis oppedere c. Wilt thou sometimes flert at the Iewes Fancies and Fopperies and odde Conceits and over-curious Carriages of themselves in Boyes Toyes and at that which is the fruit of their fidling minds as not fit to be any other then forgotten and yet forget thy self so other whiles as to entertain their vain Thoughts so as to own them as thine own and own them as thy grounds and foundations to frame thy Arguments upon so as both â—o think the same with them and from thence to impose upon the thoughts and faith of others for if thou judg them ridiculous why dost thou alledge them in so serious a Case as thou dost and if thou justifie them art thou not one with them and because thou think'st as they so superstitiously think and from thence thrusts out thy confident Conclusions in that thy wonted Interrogative way of shall we think this and that shall we entertain such Thoughts can it be imagined c. or if positively then thus it is not unprobable it can with no colour of probability be Asserted this or that
he calls it but also that there are many mistakes in those Books that are out of his own hand writing which is no better then snares and bands a certain piece of contradictory net-work of his own composing to the catching and binding down himself wherein he hangs hampered intangled and tumbled up and down in his own fruitlesse contests fallible perswasions and perplexing self-contradicting conjectures so that there 's scarce a Chapter or so much as a Lection in it fully free from or rather not fully fraught with some or other of his uncertain conceits and certain confusions about the defending of his Assassinated Assertion one while Asserting and striving stiffly to maintain it in the very rigidity universality and utmost strictnesse of it that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. not the Iot or Tittle of the Original Text is added altered lost mis-transcribed sometimes Assenting to the contrary onely begging that all various Lections of what sort soever one or other without exception may be excepted from the account of various Lections and then Asserting that his Assertion on that condition will stand entire concerning the entirenesse and integrity of his Text to a very Tittle Now then since it is so 〈◊〉 at the outward Letter of the Scripture not only in its Translations which I.O. himself Asserts to be so universally altered and corrupted from the Originals but a little also in its Copies of the Original is by I.Os. own confession both so abundantly altered by the addition of the Points since the first writing and the Variations of so many severall kinds as himself enumerates and at best so easily so infinitly alterable as that at the wills of men exercising their critical faculties about the Text it may by Transposition and Transcription of one Letter for another or supposition and subscription of one Vowel for another be turned divers contrary wayes and subverted in its sense so exceedingly that some one word instancing in that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ep. p. 24. may as it may be pointed or printed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afford no lesse then eight severall senses as distant from one another as life and death seeing also that there is no relief against all that huge heap of uncertainty that is found among the founders that are continually confounded within themselves about their sickle foundation unlesse they will be perswaded to come to that firm inâ—allible sure foundation and inalterable Rule of all Truth the light word and spirit of God in the heart but their own vain empty groundlesse confused thoughts imaginations conceits fancies fallible perswasions and opinions taken up by Tradition from each others Tomes Treatises Targums and Talmudical twatlings as if there were neither Light nor Spirit nor word of God throughout the whole world whereby any soul saving Truth can possibly come to be known or entertained at any certainty further then the Text-tâ—ining Text-men tell and teach it forth either by their Oralâ— Talkings for Tythe or manifold Translatings of it out of their falsely supposed entirely Transcribed Copies Shall we then think because I O. to the contradiction of himself so thinks and imposes his own thoughts on us as uncontroulable proofs that there is no variation in the Copies we have from the first Manuscripts of the Scripture but that they are come to us without the least interveniency of any such mediums or wayes as are capable of giving change or aâ—teration or obnoxious to fallibility in the least Syllable or Iota p. 10. 153. or that the some varieties that I. O confesses R. Aaron and R. Moses found in their exact consideration of the Bible were small and of no importance to the sense of any word p. 179 especially since with I.O. if a body might take his Tattle for Truth every Letter Tittle Iota there Transcribed was a part of the word yea no lesse then the Word of the great God wherein the eternall concernment of all soules dothâ—lâ—e p 168. 169 Shall we think because I.O. thinks so p. 17. that there is not any colour or pretence nor any tollerable evidence from all the discrepancies in the Copies themselves that are extant that there ever were any other in the least differing from these extant in the world Shall we think because I. O so thinks p. 181. 193. that all that yet appears impairs not in the least the Truth of his Assertion that every Tittle and Letter that was in the Original Copies remaines in the Copies of the Original to this day without any losse or any alteration or passing away of one iot thereof and that with them that rightly ponder things abovesaid there thence ariseth nothing at all to the prejudice of that his so often o're and oâ—re again affirm'd Assertion And if men must deal by instances in this case as he sayes and not by conjectures though himself gives us no instance of any one Copy of which he can say unlesse he had the Autographa by him that it agrees every Accent and Syllable therewith upon any better ground then his own bare conjectures yet if I had not given him instance enough of whole words verses books prophesies c. lost of inspired mens Scriptures doth not I.O. himself give us instanâ—es enough of variety of Lection to the assuring us of the falsenesse of his first Assertion which instances of his own insisting on are obvious to all Readers of his Book and believed by us to be true rather then his idle talk to the contrary of his Texts integrity to a Tittle And is there any reason as he sayes of himself and his adherents Ep. p. 28 that we should be esteemed Ridiculous because believing our own eyes we will not believe the Testimony of I.O. imagining otherwise then the case is according to his own instances dealing by conjectures against his own instances a man deservedly of no credit with us running in ridiculous rounds and asserting that to be Truth which we know from his own Book to be utterly false Shall we think that the literal Text in the very Transcripts he so talkâ— for is any other then he cals it as to its most ancient Translation a corrupt stream a Lesbian â—ule p. 15. 16 or any other then some call it a nose of wax no certain stable 〈◊〉 or standard to try all Truth by guide throughout in the knowledge of the will of God Shall we think because I.O. thinks so strangely that so corruptible and corrupted a stream as the meer Letter now is since vitiated and interpolated can be judged a fit means to judge the fountain by i. e the Light Word and Spirit it came from and a fit measure to correct and authoritatively to examine and determine those Originals by Shall we think because I.O. hath and uttereth such high and hyperbolical thoughts apprehensions and affirmations of
his Transcripts and Greek and Hebrew Copies and the absolute integrity thereof to a Tittle that the sole and final dissolution determination and discovery of all saving doctrine and distinct discerning and knowledge of all sacred Truth from cunningly devised fables does dâ—â—â—rd â—holly and alone upon the outward Greek and Hebrew writing and Scripture of it and that so necessarily and eternally that upon any corruption supposed therein that Truth Doctrine can't unquestionably be supposed to câ—â—â—â—ue entire and uncorrupt but must be consequently supposed to be without any other principle means rule or measure of judging recovering rectifying it and to be for ever â—medilâ—sly brought to nought p. 18. 68. Shall we think because I O. so thinks and sâ—lliâ—y supposes so that to suppose corruptions to have befallen his undoubtedly yea confessedly corrupted Copies and the same fate to have befallen the Hebrew and Greek Bible in its Transcribing that hath befallen other Books in theirs is a Plea unreasonable in it self devoid of all reall ground of Truth injurious to the Love and Care of God over his Word and Church in a high degree and an imagination bordering on Atheism asserted on deliberation p 18. 173 Surely the improvidence oscitancy negligence ignorance unskilfulnesse and carelesnesse that may as groundedly be supposed to have been if there was never so much care and diligence in others of them in some of the Scribes that have copied out the Scriptures as well as in some Printers that have printed them and in some Transcribers of Heathen Authors and the non-evidence of any promise of God to take any of the Scripture Transcribers under such a loving Care and Aspect as I.O. ascribes to them and I O's own concession of them being not any of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infallible but under possibilities of mistakings and I O's confessions and grants and acknowledgements that known failings have been amongst them and that various Lections are from thence risen 167 169. and that some of those are of importance consisting of superfluity and redundancy of unnecessary and deficiency of necessary words which is destructive to the sense and arising out of Copies apparently corrupted and notoriously corrupted by old Hereticks and many more matters then are fit to repeat o're again do require other thoughts at our hands Shall we think because I.O. so thinks very cogitantly but little cogently to us conjectures that if the Points be mans invention and the Text under alteration as undoubtedly it is and therefore all the Priests Religion who live on the naked Texts and their own Traditions and not the Truth it self is at a losse however that then all is likely immediately utterly and remedilesly to perish for ever viz. Church Word of God Doctrine Truth certainty of the Gospel Gods promise Providence and care of his eternal incorruptible good and acceptabâ—e mind will and pleasure Life Spirit Light Law yea that all this and much more is little lesse then eternally undone as to our knowledge of them so that God himself can find no other sufficient means having tryed already quoth I.O. the insufficiency of all other before to save all these thing from corrupting but that of a perishing uncertain flexible at mans will fallible changeable meer dead to the light novell corruptible mouâ—dâ—ing and in its first Manuscripts already long since mou'dred moth eaten and corrupted Letter p. 12. surely the promise of God for the preservation of his word which was before the Letter and will be after it induring for ever so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one jot or Tittle of it shall never fail what ever become of all the jots and Tittles of the Letter and his Providence Love and Care of his Church of whose faith and obedience that word of his in the heart and not the Letter both was now is and ever will be the onely Rule require other thoughts at our hands p. 173. Shall we think because I.O. faâ—sly so thinks that such a fallible flexible alterable and corruptible thing as the Letter is by I. O's own confession not in its Translations onely but in the very Original Transcripts which is the onely businesse he is so busie about and so bestirs himself to bustle for is that which can justly claim and supreamly challenge to it self those preheminent Titles excellent properties extraordinary effects peculiar prerogatives marvellous successes c. which I. O attributes thereuunto throwout his first English Treatise and Latine â—hesâ— also wherein under that glorious name of the Word of God by which yet as by that which he undertakes to prove to be it's proper name he as if not more ordinarily denominates it then by its own and oneâ—y proper name of Scripture he magnifies the Text as to those Hebrew and Greek Copies of it he is pleased to crown as the Canon and set his stamp upon as the Standard while he stigmatizes not onely all Translations as mens own Altars and altered things that must not stand as the Standard by the Posts and high Altar of his said unalterable Copies but other Copies also as novel spurious and noâ—â—â—iously corrupted above all that hath any being under God insomuch that he cannot likely utter more concerning it in way of exaltation unlesse he should extoll it so far as to stile it God himself So I have done at present with I. O's unprofitable prate about the preciousnesse profitablenesse and divine Original of his high prized possession of the Hebrew punctation and with his peremptory Postâ—â—n and absolutely absurd Assertion of the non-corruption of his Canonized Copies of the Original Text to a Tittle which howbeit I have scarce gone above half so far as I might in discovering the deep dotage and folly that is to be found in his mingled management and miserable mangâ—nization of those matters yet I have gone farther by the hall then I should have done considering how far off all such husky chaffy accomplishments as those Pedantick parts of the Letter are from that wherein the Life of God chiefly lyes viz. the Spirit Light and Word that 's nigh in the heart and how little concernment the more substantial parts of the meer outward Text are of thereto in comparison of them much more such Accidentals as the meer figure of the Accents and Vowels But onely that I found I.O. manifesting his foppery so far as to render these Ticklish things of such eminent Tendency to the saving knowledge of all sacred Truth as to give them out to be the most reall Rule stable standard Gospel guides grand ground chief infallible foundation of all in which respect though otherwise it is little lesse then loathsome to me to leave the life I live in the enâ—oyment of my self with God to meddle so much in such muddy matters yet in service to the Truth and in love to the soules of the Schoolmen and Scribes that they may see the sandy fickle fâ—undation they build and
have seen and remembred that several Stories Proverbs Doctrines Prophesies and other parcels and passages as they stand recorded in thy Rule or Canon were not written so immediately from God as thou imaginest that in the first reception as well as in the first Scription of some of them there was an Active and not onely a Passive concurrence of the Rational Faculties of the Writers and also such an Active obedience as by some Law they might be obliged to 1. How immediately from God dost thou deem were the Writings of sundry of those Genealogies in the Letter of the Iewish Law about which there are among many such Ministers as thy self such foolish questions and contentions and endless strivings which Paul bids those two Ministers viz Timothy and Titus not to give heed to but avoid as unprofitable and vain and fables and things that Minister matter of question and vain jangling rather then godly edifying 1 Tim. 1.4.6 Tit. 3.9 And also of those Chronologies and Nomenclators and to us impertinent Catalogues of Names of such as came out of Babylon at first with Zorobabel and then with Ezra and of such as had married strange VVives and of such as sealed the Covenant and of the Levites in their several Offices and Orders of singing-men and Porters and Priests that could not find their Pedigree and of the children of Solomons servants and of the builders of the wall and many more particular nominations and enumerations of that sort that are in the Chronicles Ezra and Nehemiah which whatever use they were of under the Iewish Paedagogie make little to us now as to a punctual observation of them much less so much as thou I.O. of whose Foundation Rule Cannon and Standard they are no small part supposest insomuch that on any corruption supposed therein as there well may be and contradiction too if the Books of Samuel the Kings and Chronicles be critically or but carefuâ—ly considered 1 Sam. 16.9 10 11. 1 Sam. â—â— 12 14. compared with 1 Chron. 2.13 14 15. the certainty of all saving Doctrine is consequently supposed to be lost I say how immediately are these Writings and things written from God without any active concurrence of the rational faculties of the Writers in the wâ—iting of them May it not very well be supposed that some of these things were written at first if by such holy men as all the Iews were not that were very zealous of the Letter of the Law and in writing the deeds done in their Nation yet at least in such wise onely as holy men may without immediate reception of every Tittle as thou twatlest they did from God and by the active concurrence of their rational faculties write a story of what is done in their sight or of what they have by hear-say or find in the Books of the Chronicles of things done in such or such Nations May it not be supposed that some of those Stories and Genealogies and Chronicles and Catalogues and Proverbs and Prophesies pertaining to the Old Testament and some of the Stories of the New too were written though not without the spirit moving the holy men to it that liv'd in the spirit yet so as not without a retaining them in their memories and an active concurrence of their rational faculties and such an active obedience as by some Law they might be obliged to Yea how frivolously foolish art thou in the uttering of thy self Is not the very moving of the spirit it self in which thou ownest they wrote and the Law of the spirit obliging thereto 2. And what thinkest thou of the History of Iohn Mark which some have in that respect stiled Sacrum furtâ—m a kind of holy Theft is it not possible but that it might be some Abbreviation of Matthew's story concerning Christ there being little in it but what is well-nigh word for word in the other Though some Ancients have related it to be given forth by Peter and by Mark onely written from his mouth either of which if it was then was it not so immediately from God as thou I.O. guessest as to the Writing of it the Pen-man taking it either out of anothers Writing or else from the mouth of another man that had it more immediately then he and yet neither of them so immediately from God as that there was onely a passive concurrence of their Rational faculties in the reception of it for whether it were Mark writing out of Matthew or from Peter's mouth or of himself as it seemed good to him to set down 't was but a History of such things as he was well acquainted with either as an eye or ear-witness thereof or as one that had it sufficiently attested to for him to undertake to write it out as truth and so not without an active concurrence of his rational faculties in the reception of what he wrote as well as not without a moving thereto by the holy spirit in which he lived and in the light of which he saw it might be serviceable And on such an account as this rationally reckoning within himself it might be useful so to do Luke the Physician wrote his two Histories of the Acts of Christ and of his Apostles in which Book called the Acts many if not most of the matters mentioned by him were about Paul whose Companion he was in several of his Travels excepting some passages about the beginning of it concerning all the Apostles and some touches concerning Barnabas and Silas and some others upon occasion of their being here and there with Paul in some services but as for the Apostles after whom his Book is called the Acts of the Apostles there 's scarce the one hundredth part of what they all did nor of those travels and sufferings that they sustained medled with at all by Luke who took notice of little more then what he knew as he was a fellow traveller with Paul And that his Writings were of no other nature then thus appears plainly by his Preface to the first of them which ye call The Gospel of St. Luke where Luke 1.1 2 3 4. he writes on this wife Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a Declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us even as they delivered them unto us which from the beginning were eye-witnesses and Ministers of the Word it seemed good to me also having had a perfect understanding of things from the beginning to write unto thee in orderâ— most excellent Theophilus that thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed Which words many have taken in hand to declare what was delivered to them by the eye-witnesses and it seemed good to me also to write to thee c. sound forth That howbeit the spirit of God might move him so to do for service sake to the truth yet as others had done before him of whom whether Mark were one yea or nay it matters not much to me so
beleef and acknowledgement of the truth habitually and were thereby inabled to declare it and from thence did declare it accordingly as in the wisdome of the Spirit they saw it serviceable and as by it they were moved so to do I am not ignorant that they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divinely inspired and as so infallible and acted born carried by the holy Spirit in what they spake and wrote about which matters what a mighty marvelling and hideous ditty and wonderful deal of Do doth J.O. make in his muddy minde of which since he is so amazed that any such matter should be so much as pretended to in those dayes I may likely speak more particularly in another place But what of all this because they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 moved by the holy Spirit in what they did will it therefore follow they were meerly passive in their work without any such active obedience as was in the light required of them and without any exercise at all save such as was passive of their rational faculties therein without being inabled by any habitual light c. or use of their own understanding wisdome memories or the like in any writings of what they so wrote as if they actively entred no more than stocks and stones into the services they were set on work in surely though they were instruments and organs into which the Word was brought by the Spirit as they waited on the Lord for the revelation and manifestation of it to them yet they were living organs and instruments not only 〈◊〉 to the natural but also to that supernatural or spiritual life of God the things of which they wrote and declared and so were as it were subordinate efficients and inferiour Agents concurring by the use and exercise of their reason and rational faculties which grace and the Spirit of God perfects heightens and delivers from the defects therein contracted by transgression and doth not destroy And howbeit I deny not still but that the Prophets that pend any Scripture were passive as I said before in the reception of the minde of God manifested to them in the light so far as the receiver of a gift is to the giver from whom he can command nor have nothing unless it be given him and were no otherwise active than as beggars who are not to be chusers waiting at the door of wisdom and on God in the light within to see what he will give and in order to the obtaining it yet when the light and word was given out they were so far active so all are not whereupon many go without it as waiters are when they receive what is given and also far active as according to the measure of the gift of grace or knowledge received when the Spirit moved them so to do to go forth and minister either by preaching or writing or what way they found their call to serve in some one way some another and every individual sometimes one way sometimer another as Paul said Rom. 12.6 7. Having gifts differing according to the grace given whether prophesis let us prophesie according to the proportion of faith i.e. each his own proportion and measure not as you Divines who have a common Analogy of faith or stock of unsavoury Divinity among you according to which ye Minister or Ministry let us wait on our Ministring or he that teacheth on teaching or exhorteth on exhortation c. which things whether done by voice or writing is all one they were not to do but as the Spirit moved or acted them yet in both were they not only acted by the Spirit but subordinately active with him in those several ministrations as good stewards of the manifold grace of God speaking ministring whether in speech or Scripture as the Oracles of God in all faithfulness which is required in stewards 1 Cor. 4.1 2. 1 Pet. 4.10 11. who though it is their Master that doth all supremely by them and acts by them and speaks and writes and manages all affairs by their Ministration as the Spirit of the Father doth in his Saints and Children yet by his power and the gift of his grace received in the juncture and very period of receiving of which they were passive they concurred actively in the work of writing as the Saints do in the working out of their own salvation when God hath once wrought in them to will and to do of his own good pleasure Phil. 2.13 14. so that of the most immediate Writers of the Scriptures from the mouth of God it might be said as it is of all Saints Licetnec per se operantur nec aequaliter co-operantur yet aliqualiter saltèm etiam activè concurrunt cum causa operante they wrought and wrote neither wholly of themselves nor equally with the Spirit yet even actually concurred with him in the act of writing so as a pen or musical instrument doth not which is not subjectum capax a subject capable to act or move actively in the works of man any more than a stone can concur actively to the throwing of it self And being though but organs or instruments as thou sayest the Prophets were into whom the words they wrote were brought yet sith living organs or instruments alive to God by participation of his divine nature to the things of that life and nature they were consequently active organs and instruments and subordinate Agents and efficients and as well willingly acting as acted therein in the day of Gods power wherein his people are a willing people as dead organs and instruments cannot be For sith vita est Actus corporis organici quatenus organicum life of every kinde is no less than an Act or operative power of every thing that hath it to act or work such actions as are agreeable to its nature the life of God in such as by the light of Christ in whom is the life and whose life is the light of men Joh. 1.2 3. Joh. 12. are led and born thereunto is an Act or spiritual operative power to do and perform such actions as are suitable to man before he dyed by transgression and according to the will of God revealed as posita anima in corpore organico quâ tali sequitur vita posita vitâ sequitur operatio motio c. naturalis so posito spiritu in animâ recipiente sequitur vita actio spiritualis So the holy men that wrote the Scripture as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. inspired and moved by the holy Spirit which brought the truth unto them he pressed them to write were not according to J. O's vain figment of them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acted and hurried like some stone thrown or pen handled which is meerly and only passive in what is done but acted as all Saints are in their measures to that of writing his truth or any
other good work when called by him to it i.e. not without but with such an active obedience as by his Law or Light within they are obliged to not without an active concurrence of rational faculties reduced to their primitive perfection not without but with ability thereto from an habitual light knowledge and conviction of truth and use of their wisdomes and understandings memories not without but with an aforehand containing and comprehending of the truths they wrote in their mindes as things they had heard seen beleeved acknoledged c. God who who is the giver of every good gift and the chief Author and Actor of all good works in his Saints Isa. 26. using every instrument according to what he hath fitted it for a Beast as a Beast a Man as a Man a Saint as a Saint a Prophet as a Prophet and not a Man a Saint a Prophet a spiritual man as a stock or stone but being a reasonable creature and prepared by him naturally with such a soul such faculties and supernaturally and spiritually with such gifts and graces as whereby he is capable to act when by him commanded and a body suitable as a fit instrument to move in such a work as writing his will revealed when it is revealed also to be his will that he should write it he uses him so to write as that though himself be the principal or primum movens not only in act◠primo as he gives the pomer faculties gift graces c. but in actu secundo also he holds the hand of the Scrib◠so that he would else draw but mishapen characters and guides assists and acts in and by him yet he lets the action bear its denomination from its next and immediate Agent which is not God himself who gives the word for the writing of what he will have written in the penning of the Scripture except that little i.e. the ten words as is abovesaid but men as being moved by him to write or to dictate to others whom they willed to write from their mouthes so that the immediate spring and emanation of the Scripture was not from God but men who were the agents in it under him which overturns J. O's Apish opinion of every Apex of the writing being equally divine and as to its original as immediately from God and of the same Authority in itself and to us i e. of being received as his word sub paena c. on pain of peril of eternal condemnation as his voice in the Prophets which indeed was immediately from himself and his own witness whereas the letter was mostly but the immediate work of man witnessing for God as moved by him as first given out and as we now have it by so remote away of Transcription welnigh as far from being immediately from God to us as J.O. imagines it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And as it is with Saints indeed when they pray beleeve preach write c. as moved by the Lord it is not denominated ever by the Author of it all which is God who speaks and works all in such and is in such of a truth 1 Cor. 14. but the Saints who are said to pray beleeve preach write so was it in the giving out of that Scripture or writing that was of old called the Bible which J.O. calls his Canon to which no Title more must ever be counted which was not nor is not so immediate from God to us as his own voice is that is at this day to be heard in the heart but onely mediantibus manuscriptionibus yea by the interveniency of mediums and hands of Transcribers and Translators obnoxious to fallibility and capable to give change and alteration in more then the least syllables and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 's but at the first it was no more immediately from God than the writings of his moved and inspired Prophets are at this day whom he stirs up to reprove the madness of the Priests and false Prophets which is as that was but the spiritual mans testimony for God though specially assisted by him in it concerning all whom from the beginning of the world to this day so many as have spoken or written or done any thing for the truth in his name I here say and so conclude as to that above Certum est no ◠velle cum volumus dicere cum dicimus praedicare cum praedicamus scribere cum scribimus facere cum facimus sed Deus est qui facit ut faciamus J.O. Thou addest pag. 26. They invented not words themselves suitable to the things they had learned but only expressed the words they received their words were not their own but immediately supplied unto them from God himself and so they gave out the writing of uprightness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words of truth Rep. And yet it 's said Eccles. 12.9 10 11 12. as concerning the Writings and Proverbs of Solomon the Wise the Preacher which very place thou alludest to though thou quotest it not which if thou hadst there 's few so unwise but they might see thy folly therein for that Scripture clearly confutes thy self who touchest at it that in teaching the people knowledge as he did by those Writings and Books of Proverbs he gave forth he took good heed and sought out and set in order many Proverbs even thousands more besides above a thousand Songs more then are systematiz'd into thy standing-Canon and that he sought to find out acceptable words or words of delight or rather as thy self expoundest it more clearly to the confounding of thy self as if thou wert accustomed and wonted to that work and course of self-contradiction words of will or choice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all which if it be not Tantamount to this He invented words suitable to what he himself had framed whereby to utter and express the wisdom he received to people in writing and yet what was written was upright too and words of truth not beside the spirit of truth and so I.O. consequently confuted by I.O. himself about the Scripture If the Scripture it self had not confuted him then self-confounding which I.O. is so often found in shall pass for me for current confirmation and confusion which I.O. is a most eminent Author of shall go from henceforth for good order and to dance the rounds as I. O. often doth in his shall be held the rightest way of sound Doctrine and of all Divinity Disputation For as if he had not been satisfied with his own gain-saying what he uttered concerning their not inventing of words and non-improving of their understandings wisdoms minds memories p. 25. to order dispute give out what truth they wrote in such words as they saw best suited for the things they had learned of God by saying to the contrary thus Viz. Their mind and understanding were used in the choice of words they did use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words of will or choice I.O. to go round again gain-sayes this latter
saying by which he had once gain-sayed the former returning to his former again Ex. 1. S. 29. where his Latine words Englisht are in this foolish wise viz. to express the sence they conceived of the mind and will of God the words in those tongues in which by the command and ordination of God the Scripture is written were both conceived and disposed by the holy Spirit and not permitted or left to the wisdom and will or arbitrement of the Writers themselves So of this sound piece of round Doctrine of I.O. this is the sum They that wrote the Scripture did not invent chuse or seeke words nor was it left to their minds understandings will wisdoms c. to express the truth yet to go round again they did use words of will or choice their mind and understanding were used in the choice of words yet to go round again to express the will and mind of God the words were not left to the will and wisdom of the writers Let the Reader chuse which of the two contradictory conclusions of I.O. he will take as true yet as one of them is and both cannot be true so true it is that I.O. runs the rounds and contradicts himself here as he doth in twenty places more of his self-consuting Fardel I. O. Thou addest p. 9 10. That in their writing they were not onely on a general account to utter the truth they were made acquainted with all and to speak the things they had heard and seen which was their common Preaching-work but also the very individual words they had received were to be declared And p. 9. quoting Mat. 10.10 That the Apostles were not the Speakers of what they delivered as other men are the Figment and Imagination of whose hearts are the Fountain of all that they speak but the spirit of the Father in them Rep. How hangs this true passage viz. They were to utter the truth they were acquainted withall and write the things they had heard and seen together by the ears with that false passage p. 5 6. Where thou sayest The Stories Laws Doctrines Instructions Promises Prophesies they gave out were not retained in their memories from what they had heard nor by any means before-hand comprehended by them c. What clouds of witnesses be here to the clearing of the Spirit by which thou writest to be a Spirit of self-contradiction 2. Was not their common Preaching-work and their common Writing-work all one as to the choice of Words wherein they declared Were they at liberty when they preached to ramble into words of their own meere will choice and invention and limited when they wrote so that they might not express themselves in such words as in the will and wisdome of God in which they dwelt and liv'd they saw meet for the matter in hand but just tyed to the individual words brought to them as immediately by inspiration as the matter or Word of God it self they wrote of Who acquainted thee with this whimsical non-sensical notion that they in their work of Preaching disposed and ordered their words as in wisdom they saw them acceptable or serviceable but in their work of Writing they might dispose order chuse and in wisdom seek to find out acceptable words but had every Tittle more immediately put into them then when they spake the Truth by word of mouth Dost not thou thy self say p. 9. Mat. 10.10 That the Apostles were not the Speakers of what they delivered but the Spirit in them Whereby the truer that is tthe more clearely thou contradictest thy self again and intimatest no less then thus much that the Spirit as immediately and distinctly brought to them gave and put into their minds and mouths what words they should use when they were speaking as what words they should use when they were Writing So that what ever was their common Preaching-Work and common Writing-Work in both which it 's true enough that they were assisted specially and in both equally by the holy spirit in the wisdom power evidence and demonstration of which speaking in them and moving them who were obedient to him to an active improvement and exercise of their rational faculties minds understandings wills memories thereunto they both preached and wrote 1 Cor. 2.4 2 Cor. 3.12 and so uttered no other truth then they were mostly made acquainted withall by the spirit within themselves and heard and saw by the light within as well as by hear-say and the Writings of one another from without Yet the common Preaching-work and Writing-work of thy self and thy fellow Ministers not of the Light and Spirit but of the Letter out of which ye surtively fetch filch and steal all your stuff and furniture wherewith ye feed people till they starve I say Your Preaching and Writing is of things that ye are not acquainted with from the Spirit of the Father nor from its manifestings the mind of God within you and moving you to utter them in words of his own immediate suggesting and supplying but a certain uttering forth in your own wills and times of what ye have no otherwise then by hearsay or from the Scriptures of those who spake and wrote as mov'd no more then what they both saw and heard and handled of the Word of Life a certain rude handling what ye never felt your selves nor your own hands ever yet handled of that Word of Life ye read others writing of a heedless holding forth of what ye hear not but onely hear of a talkative treating on what Truth ye do not truly taste of an impudent intruding of your selves into a self-ended shewing of what ye have not seen but as at second-hand ye see it shew'd in the Scripture by such as were in the true sight and substantial being of it vainly puffed up in your fleshly minds in which respect ye are no true Ministers nor true Witnesses for God but false Witnesses even when ye testifie the truth which is not yours as well as when ye tell lyes and teach the untruths which are your own as the old Truth stealers and Word-sellers were who though they said because they found it so said by such as felt it The Lord lives which is the truth yet they spake falsely forasmuch as they witnessed him nor risen and alive but murdered stew kill'd and crucified the holy and just one within themselves and spake not as Christ and his did what they knew Ioh. 3.11 and testified not what they had seen but worshipped and worded it about what they knew not Iohn 4.22 And so as a man can't be counted a Legal witness in foro hominum in a civil Court of Judicature among men that shall testifie of another's theft murder and scandal at second hand that is not as an immediate eye or ear-witnesse of it but on his reading in a Letter or hear-say from such as were so so much less in foro Dei Ecclesiae can any be owned as a true Minister of
the New-Testament which is not of the Letter but the Spirit that Ministers and Testifies no more then what he hath meerly read in and stole out of the Letter and not what he hath seen felt heard and handled of the living Word inwardly in the spirit and further by thy own confession since thou saist the Apostles were not as other men are in their speakings and writings the figment and imaginations of whose hearts are the fountain of all they speak and ownest not thy self and thy fellows to be Apostles of Christ for thou deemest there are none so in these dayes but other men thou thereby ownest but speak for thy self and thy fellows however and not for all for we know some Apostles now as of old there were the figment and imagination of your own hearts to be the Fountain of all ye speak What need we further witness to this since we read it uttered from thy own mind and hand And lastly since thou sayest the Pen-men of the Scripture were so tyed up to the very individual words received by them and put into them by the holy Spirit And p. 25 26. were to deliver and write as all so nothing but that to every Tittle that was so brought unto them not altering nor adding c. of their own in their wisdoms and understandings it should seem then according to your own Principles that God gave out by them what was sufficient to guide men if outward Writing or Scripture was by him intended to be their Rule and if they themselves might not amplifie nor add nor enlarge nor comment upon the Word of God manifested by them in the Scripture by the exercising of their rational faculties but were to rest in so much as was revealed in them by the spirit and to others in Writing by them What need then is there of those infinite and endless odd Additions that the Doctors and Divines have made from generation to generation to the Scipture of their own voluminous inventions interpretations and as divided as devised Divinations extravagant Expositions incomprehensible Commentaries confus'd Contradictions Cantings one to another and to the world to the confounding of it with many more Humbles of their Senses Meanings Opinions Thoughts about the Bible then it can contain amounting in Bulk perhaps to a thousand times more then the Bible comes to And who gave you Text-men such a Liberty and Authority to take the Text and talk on it in your Wisdoms Wils Words and Vnderstandings opening amplifying paraphrasing prating out the plain truth as it there lyes so unprofitably to people in your own phrases to your own outward profit at your pleasure Did he that bounded and limited and hedg'd in the Writers saying according to thy sense hitherto thus far shall ye manifest my mind in Writing and no further lend you such a boundless latitude to prate out your own opinions and turn you loose and unmuzled in pratum vestrum ubi non est sepes Was not the mind of God in that Scripture given out by God himself full enough and plain enough at least in matters necessary to salvation for the meanest capacity to understand when it 's read to them in the words wherein it seemed good to the holy spirit and the holy Penmen to write it out without such a bottomless deal of adding amplifying and expounding as your excentrick Academical Exorcists make about it When Paul wrote to Timothy Titus Philemon and the Churches and Iohn to the Lady and Gaius and Luke his story of what Christ and the Apostles said and did were there need much more absolute necessity of a Priest to be sent for in all haste to open what they meant to such as they sent their Letters to in a tongue that they well understood And now the Scripture is translated into our own Mother-Tongue in England such as can read may read and understand it and such as can't read may have it read to them at their own Houses there being one or other in every House almost that can read now even very children if old folks cannot which being read is tenfold more plain in such places as pertain necessarily to salvation to every honest understanding and plain-minded man that is willing to do the will of God there written of then the costly Comments and manifold hampered handlings and more perplexize unfoldings of it that are made by our Schoolmen and Vniversity Theological Professors So that what more need then of old when the Letter came newly forth for a Priest to be placed in every Parish for pay to darken the counsel of God in the Scripture by his words without knowledge under a pretence of opening it or if it were an opening as it rather is a shutting of the Kingdom of Heaven against men as our Scribes Pharisees and Hypocrites like them of old manage that matter and use their Keys of Knowledge in another kind of manner then honest Peter What need of hundreds a year to be paid in Parishes for the opening of one or two Texts or Verses in a Week Or rather as some draw it out the talking on some one Text for a Month or a quarter of a year together against the Light and Spirit from whence it was written If those that wrote it might not meddle to say a little more as I.O. sayes in their Wisdoms though they were as spiritually fluent and learnt as National Ministers are spiritually ignorant It would be more useful then now it is through your miserable Mangonizations of it by your seâ—ces on open places if your Wisdoms would leave it as it is without making out your misty meanings on it to poormen for so much money J. O. Thou addest That the declaration of the New Testament gave out the minde and will of God in a way of morel's eâ—â—y and glory without that dread and terrour which was peculiar to the Old and to the Pedagogit thereof in which the coming of the word had oftentimes such a greatness and expression of the Majesty of God upon it as filled them with dread and reverence of him Hab. 3.16 and also greatly affected even their outward man Dan. 8.27 Rep. Here thou talkest again like thy self like a man ignorant as thou art for all thy high conceit of thy self of the Scriptures thou art scribling so for and of the things therein declared both before and since Christ which two Termes thou countest the times of the Old Testament and the New and so they figuratively are howbeit as to the thing it self which is yet far above out of thy sight the Gospel had children from Adam to this day under Moses his out outward Pedagogie and the Law whose children are of the Bond-woman and not Heirs according to the promise with the children of the Free hath its children as well since that juncture of Christs Incarnation as before And as for thy inconsiderate position concerning the peculiarity of dread and terrour in receiving of the word from
God by the writers of the Scripture to the Pedagogie of the Old Testament and times before Christ such as greatly affected the outward man with trembling and astonishment for which thou citest both Habakkuk and Daniel as it the times since Christ knew no such matter as true Trembling or any such Quaking as may affect the outward man but what is fained and from Satan and the force and power of the evil Spirit imitating in his filthy Tripodes and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Dread and Terrour which is by the Power of God upon his people of which said fictitious sort thou falsely and foolishly fainest all that outward Trembling that is found among the Qua. to be at this day pag. 8. Ex. 1. S. 1. I say hadst thou been as well read and skilled in Scripture as by thy scribling pro Scripturis thou wouldest fain seem to be surely thou wouldest have found that Paul and John both were found in as great Tremblings and Astonishments Dread and Terrour to the great affecting of the outward man under the Appearances of the Lord to them in Visions and Revelations of his minde and will to them which they wrote as either Daniel Habakkuk or the rest of the Prophets before Christ that wrote them insomuch that they scarce knew sometimes where they were whether in or out of the body but were as dead with fear Act. 9 6.26.14 1 Cor. 2.3 2 Cor. 12.2 3. Rev. 1.17 But alas J.O. is so taken up and hurried in his thoughts in a hideous talking for the Scriptures that he hath little time to give any very great good heed to the Scriptures themselves he so talks for J.O. Thou addest pag. 6 7. That as far as their own personal concernments as Saints and beleevers did lye in the things they wrote they studied the writings and Prophesies of one another Dan. 9.2 and made a diligent enquiry thereby in order to the investigation of the things which the Spirit that spake in themselves did signifie 1 Pet. 1.10.10 without which though their Visions were express yet they understood them not and that they attained a saving useful habitual knowledge of the truths delivered by themselves and others by the illumination of the Holy Ghost through the study of the Word i.e. Scripture with thee still even as ye do Psal. 119 104. but as to the receiving of the Word from God as God Spoke in them they obtained nothing by study or meditation by enquiry or reading Am. 7.15 Rep. Here is such a parcel of uncouth prate about the Prophets and their Prophesie of Scriptures and the Scriptures of their Prophesies as favours of nothing but that illiterateness and ignorance of the true wayes of coming to the saving knowledge and understanding of the minde and will of God that abounds in Vniversities the supposed Nurseries as well of spiritual learning as any other well nigh as much as in any places of the so called Christian world besides What dreaming what darkness and confusion is here As if the Writers of the Scriptures because they were moved by the holy Spirit to write what they did therefore wrote they did not know what themselves nor in any wise sawingly understood every one his own piece of writing or Scripture pag. 5. whether of Histories or Prophesies or Proverbs or Psalms or Instructions or Doctrines or Laws or Promises or what ever tru he recorded delivered made known given out revealed by themselves revealed to them first from God as to their own concernment therein as Saints or beleevers by the Revelation thereof to them from God which as I said above is the only way of coming to the saving knowledge of any truth and not that of reading it as truth in anothers writings without running out to study and read the writings of some other men in order to their attaining any habitual saving useful intelligence of their own as if Isaiah that Evangelical Prophet did not savingly understand the Gospel Doctrines and Promises and Instructions and his own Recorded History of Senacherib and Hezekiah and other saving truths delivered and written by himself as they were revealed to him by the Lord nor by the voice Spirit and light of God himself manifesting them within him nor as he received the word so revealed and manifested in order to which receiving the word thou assertest also they obtained nothing by study or meditation enquiry or reading but onely as he made diligent enquiry study and search after the things the Spirit signified by him in the writings and Scriptures of some other Prophets I wonder what other parts of Scripture of the other Prophets he studied so to get that saving knowledge by since unless it were the Psalmes the last book of which is judged to have been compiled together by the Maccabees long after his dayes excepting also the three i.e. Hos a Amos and Micah that were co aetaneous with him all other Prophets that are ranked after him in your Bibles though not in the same order of time wherein they wrote wrote long after him and as if Ezekiel Jeremiah Daniel or the rest knew not savingly what they wrote themselves no more then we do as to themselves or any personal interest they had in the truths of their own writings but as they got an useful saving knowledges thereof out of each others writings in proof of which if a man would wrest them as thou doest to thine by the head and shoulders to such a purpose he might almost as easily evince the Pope to be head of Christs Church as draw any such matter as this thou concludest from Scripture That of 1 Pet. 1.10 11. Ministers no more matter of evidence to thy imagination in this particular that the Prophets searched other Prophets writings to finde out each the meaning of his own then Peters being at Rome if ever he were there doth to his being the Popes Predecessor there in the holy Chair 'T is true the Prophets are there said to enquire and search diligently after the salvation and the grace that comes unto the Saints at the revelation of Christ but is there no searching and enquiring after the salvation and the fulness of the grace of God but iâ— the letter is not the most succesful searching after these matters made in the light it self that teaches and shews it and brings the salvation nigh to all that wait for it therein which light or grace hath appeared to all men Tit. 2.11 12. and is tâ—eâ—e any way whereby God gives the knowledge of his own glory but the light from himself which the letter speaks of wherewith God who commands the light to shine out of darkness shines into the hearts of the Saints in order thereunto 2 Cor. 4.5 6. And are not all things that are manifested manifested in the light and is there any thing that doth make manifest but the said light and Spirit which the letter speaks of and which was before the letter was Eph. 5.13
from that sure Rock on which through mercy I stand into that deep pit of doubtful disputations into which such as are fell from God are fallen so as irreconcilably to fall out about things so little worth knowing that they are fit for nothing but to be forgotten left passing by and intermedling in a strife that directly concerns me not I not onely take a dog by the ears but raise also a Nest of Wasps or whole Hive of Hornets about my own who are striving to sting one another with what strength they can about stuff which on which side foe're the truth lyes is no more worth such a stirre and strife as they make for it then a very straw And since I see all the Builders that reject the Corner-stone are found in broiles and brabbles not onely about their several Superstructions and Fabricks built thereon but also their several Foundations and even the very Protestant Divines whose is the better of the two so long as the Papists have but Traditions at oddes within themse'ves about their own which being but the bare Letter is but brittle some with I.O. stickling to little purpose to prove it firm and uncorrupted whilst others with far more evidence to evince it to be decrepid I am minded to stand off from that Battel about the Points as to any earnest Interposition and deeper engagement therein then is above and become a looker on and leave the Clergy that are loud and clamorous and full of noiles to claw one another with their wonted Clubs and bang one another with their Branglings and vain janglings about Boy-Toy the Antiquity or Novelty of Hebrew Points And seeing they are hard at work in the Night and wrestling in Chaines of Darknesse like the foolish woman to pull down their own house with their own hands and to find out and fling about that all may see it the sandiness and crack's falsities and fallibilittes and flaws that are in their own crazie Corner-stone and faultring Foundation and to crush down their own Chaos they have rear'd thereupon with the curiosity of their own Criticisms and burn up their Babels with the confus'd fire of their angry quarrellings and contentions I rejoice more to see the Truth go on then sorrow to see their Trash come down thereby hoping that when they have laboured long enough in the fire of their own fury and find they have wearyed themselves for very vanity and see the Earth fill'd from the Lord 's own teachings without theirs with the knowledge of his glory from one end to another as the Waters cover the Sea and that when they begin to feele their old Heavens wax hot and be on fire o're their heads and their worldly Elements and Earthly Rudiments to melt away with fervent heat and the ragged Rocks they have carved out to themselves in their own conceits to rest upon to râ—ad in pieces and their Root to shew it self to themselves as it 's seen by others to be rottenness and their Blossom to go up as the dust and their boggy Foundation to shake and the ground they go upon to open crack cleave a sunder under their feet and themselves to cry out as I. O begins to do already 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shâ—w me where I shall stand And that when they feel themseves sinking and going down alive with the uncircumcised into the pit they will then learn that from themselves which being wiser in their own eyes then the men that can render a reason they would never learn from others ' viz. That were they as truly built on the Letter of Scripture as they deem themselves to be and it 's most sure to some and infallibly true they are all beside it yet being not on the Light they are no better bottom'd then on the Sand trusting also as I said above that when the holy Thieves that steal the word they speake from one another to make a trade on and the Scribes have done Scolding and Scuffling together about the Scriptures then there wil be a restitution to every thing that hath been robb'd thereof of its own proper Name viz. Of the Rule to the Rule of the Foundation to the Foundation of the Light to the Light of the Witnesse of God to the Witnesse of God of the living Word to the living Word of God and of the bare Writing Text or Letter to the Letter and no more which in truth is no more then plainly so So then as positive as thou art in it I.O. that the outward Writing the close of the Canon of which as to any more immediate Revelation of his Will was immediately given out from God to us as a continent of the whole of his mind and will as a merciful and stedfast relief against all confusion darkness uncertainty loosenesse of mens minds c. ut supra and as it were a certain Standard to hush all Controversies Yet I who affirm the inward Light VVord and Spirit of God in the heart so to be do deny that the whole Scripture how immediately soever it had its being and beginning of God and however some little of it was Act. 15. was ever designed by him to such an end as the ending of strifes and contention or determining of all doubts and questions and disputings about his mind and will among men or that it ever prov'd succesful or effectual to such an end or else ut frustrâ est ista potentia quae ne unquaem reducitur in actum sic frustra istud medium quod nunquam obtinere potest suum finem As that 's a vain Power which never produces its effect so that 's a vain Means and therefore not so intended of God who appoints no means utterly in vain which never can obtaine its own end Nay verily though miserable man for his own ends cryes it up into that supremacy sets it up as the Ensign to the Nations in which he would have them put their trust that it will end and amend all matters that are out of tune in the world about truth and is a stedfast relief against all that fighting Andabatarum mors in their dark mindes that is among the Clergy of all kinds and colours Papists Prelates Presbyters who all three like Ammon Moab and Mount Seir making one head against the people of God do yet destroy each other and non secus as Sampsonis vulpeculae c. like Sampson's Fire-brand-tayl'd Foxes burn up the Churches true Bread-Corn as if such were the plenitudo Scripturarum the sufficiency power and perfect efficacy of the Scripture that if men will come all to a tryal of Doctrines Faiths Spirits and all by that tanquam ad Lydium lapidem Then all differences and dissentions in Religion of whatsoever sorts must cease and all the most detestable errors which flying the Scripture men are divided into must extempore vanish upon their looking there yet till men come to turn to the Light and Word within
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
his liberty to make his choice ex dieabus malis of those two evils seems to chuse the latter saying pag. 7. that as far as their personal concernments as Saints and beleevers lay in the Scriptures and in order to their saving knowledge of the truth they studied the Writings and Prophesies of one another I conclude then against I.O. that by that clause the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles is not intended their Writings as if they laid their own Scriptures for the Foundation of the Church and her faith hope obedience but that which the Apostles themselves were built upon together with the whole Church or houshold of God which could not be nor was their own Writings but Christ the Light The Letter indeed is the foundation laid by I.O. and men of his mould of old for his Wheel in a Wheel as he speaks or his false Church whose works like his own run round on and are found to have in them Wheel within Wheel but as for the true Church of the living God which is the Wheel that will turn the worlds Wheels upside down it never did doth nor ever will acknowledge any fallible letter or meer transcribed Text or any other thing to be the true great and blessed foundation of Truth Faith Hope or Obedience then Christ Iesus the same yesterday and to day and for ever who was before it now is and ever will be when the letter shall be no more at all 2. Argument whatsoever the Scripture it self layes down and testifies to be the only true Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets and of the whole Church of God and of her Faith Hope and Obedience and of all Truth that is the only true foundation of all these things But the Scripture it self layes down and testifies Christ alone the Light the living Word and not it self to be the only true Foundation of the things aforesaid therefore Christ alone the Light Spirit and inward living Word that is nigh in the heart and not the Scripture it self is the only true Foundation of them The first and affirmative part of the minor is not denied by thee as the major cannot be and if thou deny the second part of the minor which is negative and denies the Scripture to testifie of it self in any place that its the Foundation then assign where the Scripture calls it self the Foundation or else own that it doth not and so that it is not the Foundation at all much less the truest or the only one as thou often intimatest either expresly or in terms equivalent it is Ep. p. 25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not any means of standing out of utter uncertainty about all sacred truth if the Heb punctation be invention also p. 64 65. not a truer Foundation for for faith to repose it self upon 3. Argument if the Scripture be the foundation for the Church and all her Faith and Repentance to be founded and grounded upon then either there was no Foundation for it before the Scripture or else they who lived before the Scripture had one Foundation for their faith and we another and so consequently there hath been two Foundations for the one faith or the one Church or body of Christ but there was a Foundation before the Scripture and there are not two Foundations of faith one to that part of the body of Christ and of Gods building that was before the Scripture and another for that part that is built since the Scripture therefore the Scripture is not the Foundation Argument 4. The Foundation of the faith must be something that is infallible firm fixt certain stable sure and inalterable as the light Spirit and Word within onely is and Gods Foundation 2 Tim. 2 19. the Foundation of God sure to a Tittle for Error minimus in principio for major in medio maximus in fine the least fault or errour and deviation in the principle or Foundation of any building grows greater toward the middle and is greatest at the top as it is seen in a very Tower if the bottome or basis stands never so little awry as is discernable it is discerned more in the middle and much more still as it ascends higher But the Scripture letter Hebrew and Greek Texts how ever I.O. pleads their integrity in every Apex point tittle and iota yet are as I have shewed above more at large in answer to his long Tattle about the Tittles and points and indentity of Lections of the letter by his own confession mistaken and mistranscribed in small things yea and in some matters of more moment and importance in the best transcribed Copies of the Original Text therefore the Text or letter of the Scripture cannot be a fit Foundation for the Churches faith but the spirit and Word within is onely so Psal. 75.3 The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved faith Christ the Word of God I bear up the Pillars of it and that is the reason why the earth is so shaken as it is and reels to and fro that it is removed as a cottage and all helpers and healers avail nothing because they reject the corner stone Christ the Word for if the Foundations be destroyed what can the righteous do Psal. 11.3 Isa. 24. 18 19. Each of which Arguments hold good against the letters being the Rule the light the witness of God the Gospel the power of God to salvation the only means or way of coming to the saving knowledge of God Word of God and what ever other high Titles I. O. intitles it by as appears in their order That the Light or Word within and not the Scriptures are the Rule or Canon Another thing thou assertest of the Scripture is that it is the only Rule of the faith and obedience of Gods Church p. 173. that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that more sure word of Prophesie to be attended to 2 Pet. 1.18 19 20. not in its self for so it was as sure as sure could be but in its giving out its evidence to us then that great miracle of miracles greater than which the Apostles of Christ never did behold or hear viz. That voice which came from the most excellent glory This is my beloved Son which we have greater security from and by according to Peter then they had in and by that miraculous voice That Moses and the Prophets which who so will not hear will not be perswaded to repent though one arise to them from the dead Luke 16.31 That Word Law and Testimony mentioned Isa. 8.20 according to which who speaks not are said to be in the dark so that there is no light in them by which what every one sayes be it what or whom it will Church or person if it be in and about the things of God concerning his will or worship or our obedience to him is to be tried That which we are sent to that which is and is asserted to be the
Scribes that keep scribling and preaching and disputing all their dayes as if they did delight to know Gods wayes enquiring after the Ordinances of Iustice in order as they pretend to the knowledge of what is to be done and yet in what they know naturally as brute beasts by a habit of reading Chapter and Verse as as a Horse that is versed in a way to the Pasture he is used to run in in those very things they corrupt themselves saying to God when he tells them any troublesome truth Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes â—â—taining the truth in unrighteousness that is told them within by the Light of God himself in their own hearts not receiving the love of it that they may be saved having pleasure in unrighteousness and no pleasure in the Truth such shall have at last that they have taken away from them and in the just Iudgement of God be blasted and blinded and given over to strong delusion to believe lyes that they may be damned Nevertheless not as a Principle onely but as a Rule of obedience to such as truly love her the Light within the Spirit of God the Word nigh in the heart and Wisdom not onely with but without the Letter ever was is and will be profitable to direct Eccl. 10 10. And no less then this that the Spirit is the standing Rule of Faith and Life to the Church as well as the Principle thereof doth that Gal. 6.8.16 evince where the Apostle having spoken so much before in ch 5. and the â— verse of this 6. of the lustings of the spirit against the flesh or evil spirit in us that lusteth to envy of walking according to the Spirit living according to the Spirit being led by the Spirit of sowing to the Spirit the crop of which is the fruit of the Spirit the everlasting life the new Creature while the Crop reaped from the fulfilling the lustings of the flesh is more and more Works of the flesh and corruption to death and condemnation at least adds by way of encouragement that the walkers by the Spirit might not not be weary of well doing thus much viz. that so many as walk according to this Rule which Rule is not the Scripture as the Divines and Doctors citing that place as J. O. does twice over at least viz. Ex. 3. S. 26. Ex. 4 S. 22. to that purpose do ignorantly divine but the Spirit the walking in and after which is so often hinted at above and the Light within which and not the Letter without makes manifest both the Works of the flesh and darknesse and the Fruits of the Spirit and the light For the Letter indeed doth declare that the works of the Flesh and the fruits of the Spirit are manifest but it declares also that that which doth manifest them both is the Light by which also they were manifested before the Letter was Which Letter likewise doth de jure declare what is to be done and not done but onely the Light de facto what is done and what is not done of the Mind and Will of God thereby inwardly nigh more immediately revealed and declared as 't is ad extra onely and more mediately and afar off by the Letter For all things that are reproved or approved are as so made manifest by the Light the Letter came from And whatsoever doth primarily and principally make manifest good and evil right and wrong crooked and straight truth and falshood simplicity and deceit it self and darkness it self and all false spirits sound Doctrine and seducing is that Light and Spirit which comes from God and shines more or lesse in all mens hearts This as it is the Principle as J.O. foolishly affirms the Letter only is p. 18. or means of discovery so it and not the Writing only as he there blindly writes is also the Rule or measure of judging and determining about the saving Doctrine of the Gospel this is as the Light of the outward world is in it the discovery of it self and of all things else in their proper appearances This is certum Rectum Regula quae est mensura sui obliqui Hitherto are we sent this and not the Letter as I.O. childishly asserts p. 57. is asserted to be the Rule and Standard the Touchstone of all speaking whatsoever that must speak alone for it selfe and try the speaking of all but it selfe yea it s own also By all which it is evident how the Light and Spirit is designed by God to be the unchangeable standing-Rule of Faith and Life and the Churches Directory in all Divine Doctrines to be believed and practised and not the Letter of the Scripture at least not the Letter onely which is the matter very stifly affirmed and stickled for by J.O. and T.D. the latter of which stands up to vindicate it in these terms see T. D ' second Pamphlet p. 16. that the Scriptures are the Word of God and the Rule of Faith and Life and that there is no other standing-Rule but the Scriptures The former in these If every man's private Light so he floutingly calls that particular measure of that publike Light of Christ which is one and the same in all be the Rule of yeilding obedience unto God then so many men so many Rules but the Divine Canon is but onely one and that the holy Scripture is that only Rule is abundantly shewn quoth J.O. before In proof of which saying the Rule is but one J.O. quotes that Gal. 6.16 which speakes not of the Scripture at all And Eph. 3.16 which speaks expresly of the Spirit of God as the next verse does of Christ the Word which we confess is the Rule but neither the one nor the other of the Scripture Isa. S. 20. which speaks of the Law and Testimony which are the Light and Spirit as I shall shew anon For this place is three times at least alluded to by J.O. to the like little purpose and not the Letter of the Scripture Obj. And if any say But is not the Sripture profitable to direct yea for Doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse able to make wise to salvacion to make a man of God perfect thorowly furnished or as the word is perfected into all good works according to 2 Tim. 3.15 16 17. and so to be the onely Rule Canon Standard Touch-stone in all cases Rep. This place is insisted upon or quoted three or four times by I. O. To whom I say howbeit there are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy Scriptures as I have said elsewhere that are not written with Ink and Pen nor ingraven in stones but with the Finger and Spirit of the living God upon the fleshly Tables of mens hearts which make such as Timothy was who knew that spirit in himself spoke of Iob 32.8 and that inward Writing and inspiration of the Almighty that onely giveth the understanding which are most profitable for Doctrine Correction
Reproof Instruction in Righteousness and without any outward Scripture to perfect the man of God fit and furnish him as no outward Scriptures can possibly do without these for any much less for every good work which inward Scripture in which holy men read the Gospel before 't was ever written outwardly with Ink and Pen foreseeing that God would justifie the Gentiles through Faith in Christ the Light preached the Gospel four hundred years before your Scripture Canon or Rule ad extra was ever written Howbeit I say There is a Scripture ad intra that ye read little in testified to and talk't of by your external Text ye onely talk for 2 Cor. 3. Yet to J. O. I grant the outward Scripture and that in its integrity so far as free from corruption by mis-transcription and mis-translation to be holy just good useful and profitable for all the things specified in the Text of Paul to Timothy when read and understood in that Light Wisdom and Spirit that gave it out by those holy men which onely knows the Mystery of its own minde and meaning therein and reveals it ' also to Babes and simple honest hearts that come at ' fools to it looking to the Lord alone for wisdome out of whose mouth comes that knowledge and understanding whereby the Scripture is seen as to the spirituality and substance of it when the plain things of it are hid from the wise and prudent that furfeit with their own conceited science and lean to their own Animal understanding and in that give their several senses and sentences on it for the natural or as the word is 1 Cor. 2.14 15 16. the Animal man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God not the hidden wisdome of God which none of the Princes of this world know 1 Cor. 2.6 7 8. c. which in a mystry or meer Riddle to their degenerate reason is uttered in the very outward Scripture neither can the animal man by his wisdome from beneath for all his bitter envying and strife within himself against all that oppose him wherein he glories and lyes against the truth the fruit of which envy is confusion and every evil work which wisdome is but earthly sensual Animal devillisbly deceitful Jam. 3.14 15 16 17 18. know the things of God for they are spiritually discerned and by the spiritual man only that discerns and judges all and is falsely judged by all though truly discerned by none that are beneath him The outward Scripture I say is profitable to such as Timothy was to men of God to make them who are wise in the Spirit wiser and wiser through their faith in the light to their own and others salvation and to furnish such a Minister as Timothy was who knows when and being in the Spirit how and how far forth to use it for every good work in his Ministry And such as are full of might and power first by the Spirit of the Lord upon them as Micah was Mic. 3. and as Apollo was are mighty also in the Scripture and furnished mightily to confound the Scripture-searching Scribes and all gain-sayers of the Light as they were in their times So that we deny not the Scriptures ad extra to be many wayes useful profitable in their place and time where they are to be read as they are not in so much as the tenth part of the world and where they are read in the light by them who live in that Light that gave them forth which are not the hundreth part of those that usually read and search them but will all this prove them to be what I.O. and T.D. contend so stiffly to have them be viz. in that high Authority of the Rule nay the only most perfect standing Rule of all true belief and holy life before the very light and spirit of God they had their very original supreme being from thorow the hands of holy men as but subordinate instruments in their first purity as writings except that little that was pend by God himself which we now have not which Scriptures yet as to the being they now have are handed to us from no higher principle then the transcription of meer fallible and as I.O. sayes un-inspired men Ab sit imaginatio let the thoughts hereof be far from us that the Scripture is the only Rule for if we should grant it to be so far as truly transcribed in the Copies of the Original a Rule at all or a secondary Rule which name of Rule is more than it any where calls it self by yet the prime most perfect Rule it is not much less is it the only Rule to the Church or any men and though we are as forward as any on a due account to own the profitablenss of the very letter as it declares of the words of truth and uprightness and the Doctrine that is according unto godliness and to own its great usefulness as to the purposes premised and so affirm that the dead letter so far as not depraved from its primitive purity doth as truly answer and hold proportion with the light and living word as the shadow doth with the substance the life-less picture with the living person it represents and as the voice which is Imago verbi the Image of the Word with the Word it is the Image of or the Eccho which is the Image of the voice doth with the voice it answers to insomuch that as Quae conveniunt in aliquo tertio santidem what holds measure or weight and keeps correspondency or proportion with a third thing that agrees with the standard or sealed Canon agrees also with the standard it self so whose life squares truly and substantially with the letter convenes with the light and spirit it imediately issued out from and he that lives and speaks perfectly and adaequately according to the Scripture so far speaks and lives according to and not besides the light and spirit which the letter requires man to live beleeve and walk in and by as neither doth or can he erre from the letter if he had never heard read or seen it who answers the measure of the light and spirit that is lent him to live by yet for all this as T.D. gives this reason for his untrue imagination why this part of the inspired Scripture you have only is the only Rule and not any Sermons or private religious discourses which have the same common ends with the Scriptures no nor yet any other writings but those ye have if we could prove and produce as assuredly we shall anon any legitimate ones of Divine inspiration though otherwise as useful and profitable as those ye have and agreeing therewith viz. because God did not give order quoth he for the one as he did thinks he for the other and there is no other Scripture appointed of God to be a Rule of faith and manners but what is bound up in the Bible and where he appointed that we
beleeving and obeying then it seems with thee faith is to be begun and begotten and born by the Spirit but kept preserved and nourished up to perfection by the letter which is a Doctrine of deep dotage and deceit for it is the Spirit of Christ and the light that is both the Creator and Preserver the Author and finisher of the faith insomuch that I may truly and do here justly cry out against you blind bewitching broachers and your blind bewitched beleevers of it as Paul on the Galatians I marvel that ye should be so sottishly departed and degenerated from the simplicity of the primitive Gospel so plainly declared in the very letter it self which asserts the Light Spirit and Word within to be both the principle and the Rule O ye foolish Prophets and foolish People who hath bewitched you that ye should be so reprobate as to the knowledge of the truth Are ye so foolish as to fancy that when men have once begun in the Spirit they must be preserved in their faith and regulated and made perfect by their fleshly attendences to the Letter that the Vniversiâ—ies and Ministers meerly of it and not of the Spirit are so lost about and wrangling about that to this day they are not agreed about the integrity of its Text They that ministed the spirit among men at first and were even by the very letter they wrote Ministers by whom men beleeved in the light did they call them so much to the heeding or hearing of the letter themselves wrote as to the hearing of the Word of faith they preached and testified to both in their Writings and by Word of mouth even that which before they wrote to them at all was nigh in their heart and in their mouth that they might do it Tell me ye that desire to be under the teachings of the letter only not the light do you not hear the letter telling of another Rule besides it self which it self doth only point to doth not the letter teach you the Spirit and light is both the principle and principal means also of discovery of right and wrong as is shewed above doth the letter part the business of our obedience as your party coloured discourses thereof would seem to make it do between it self and the Spirit or say any where that the Spirit is the principle but the letter it self the Rule of our obedience that the spirit creates and the letter preserves faith as T.D. dreamingly divines saith it not that the Spirit is both And yet O the muddinâ—ss not to say madness of our now Ministers Another while again even within the space of one page behold O ye wandring wonderers and wondering wâ—nderers after these vain men and their whisling Butterfly-businesses that would seem wise though they are but as wilde Asses colâ—s and ye shall see T.D. who affirms the spirit to be the Principle and that which creates faith and the letter the Rule that preseâ—ves it affirming the letter to be both i.e. not only the only Rule of it but the Principle of it also and ascribing in these words p. 28. of his fiâ—st as also in the 17. page of his second God did not intend nor give order for them i.e. for more writings than we have in our Bibles to be the Rule but hath assured us as much as is sufficient to create and preserve faith in the Gospel we have both the first being begetting and beginning of faith to the Scripture as also I.O. who jumps with him in one as they do together in most things in these words Ex. 3. s. 39. Not only the begetting of faith but also the building up in it while we live here is the end of the Scripture What more is uttered by T.D. as to this head of the Scriptures being the only rule is in answer to this Argument was urged against him as himself relates it but to disadvantage p. 29.30 of his first Pamph. at the dispute on this wise If the Rule of faith and life was before the Scripture was then the Scripture is not the Rule c. but the Rule was before the Scripture therefore c. To which said Answer of T. D's is no other than a giving of the whole cause in question between us viz. whether the Scripture i.e. the Writing or Letter is the Rule or no sor quoth T.D. Your Argument concludes nothing against us for we assert the matier contained in the Scripture is a standing Rule yâ—ur Argument proves but that there was a Rule before this Writing we grant that God revealed himself by Visions Dreams Since the Gospel preached to Adam there hath not been any increase of Truths Quoad essentiam sed tantum quoad explicationem as the Learned speak of the Articles of our faith the manner of conveyance is different then and now but the matter or doctrines conveyed still the same Rep. If this conclude nothing against you for as much as ye own doctrine or matter only contained in and declared by the Scripture and not the letter to be the Rule how conclusive you outcries are against the Qua. as that they are denyers of the Scripture a Fool may feel since they own the holy doctrine and matter in the Scripture which is the Light Spirit and Word in the heart to be the Rule as your selves do and so to have been also before the Scripture was though they deny the meer Writing to be the Rule which with your selves is not the matter conveyed but meerly the manner of conveyance not the essential truth it self but only the form of its explication which manner of conveyance or form of explication your selves it seems do deny here to be the Rule as well as we with us asserting only the matter truth or doctrine contained and conveyed in the Writing so to be If ye assert no more than the truth doctrine or matters contained in the Scriptures to be the Rule which matters thou thy self T.D. p. 30 31. of thy first Pamph. sayest is that Word of faith the Apostles preached which was the Word we assert to be the Rule that is nigh in the heart Rom. 10 and dare not assert your selves the meer letter or Scripture so to be I trow wherein differ you from the Quae. whom you quarrel with as deniers of the Scriptures Will you never be at quiet with the Qua. but quarrelling against them when they affirm the truths wherein your selves assent to them as much as when they deny the untruths wherein ye dissent from them Will you allow them neither to say the sound doctrines which your selves are forced to confess to nor to gainsay the errors and false doctrines which ye would fain force you false faith of upon them ye assert no more but that the matter or doctrine conveyed and truth explicated therein which is the light spirit or living Word it self is the Rule as thou sayest here so denying the letter writing or meer Text to be it we
which we deny which matter notwithstanding when it comes to the point of proof before people they dare denominate only to be the only Rule and Word denying those high Titles to the naked Letter as well as we crying out with a dreadful ditty against the Qua. in their Pulpits as deniers of the Scriptures the Bible to be the Word of God the Rule c. and when we enter the lifts with them then finding themselves unable to carry it against us falling down before us in confessions to us that it is the Divine truth and matter only contained in the Scripture which is the Rule to all men so far as it that is that Truth and matter is revealed to them as it is here confessed also by T.D. to be to the very Heathen in their hearts that have no Scripture and was so before it was put into writing that is before the Scripture was which seeing it is so confest in the same way as I argued above about the Foundation against I.O. so may I here against T.D. and him both about the Rule viz. Arg. 1. The Rule must be something that is in being before the faith and life that is to be Regulated by it 2. Must be that the Scripture testifies to be the Rule 3. Something that is firm fixt sure stable inflexible infallible inalterable else all the work wrought by a Lesbian Rule a soft waxen measure may be ad infinitum crooked scanty erroneous disorderly in all Dimensions at mens pleasure who may as our Priests mostly do transcribe translate expound rectifie the Scripture according to their crooked conceits and their Antichristian Analogy of faith as they use to speak and not their crooked conceits and false faith according to the true Theology that is plain to godly honest hearted men in the Sâ—ripture wrest their Rule to their own wills self-ends interests and where it likes not their unruly selves to be Ruled by it Run from it or rather Rule over ir as they list But the Light and Spirit and Truth and living Word and holy Doctrine was in being before the faith and life of any man 2. Is testified by the Scripture at is above shewed to be the Rule 3 Is inalserable firm c. and the Scripture it self is already proved and is yet more to be proved not to be so therefore the Light Truth c. not the Scripture Text c. is the Rule Be sides what Ioh. Tombs and Rich. â—axter who must here be wrapt with their own weapon argue falsely against the Lights being the Rule I may truly argue against the Letters being it For page 51. of their Book entituled The true old Light Thus they dispute viz. That which is variable and alterable cannot be a persons Rule for its the property of a Rule to be invariable and the same at all times The Rules Measures and Weights and Dialls and Squares and what other things are made if they be varied they cease to be Rules for Rules should be fixed and certain But there is nothing more variable then mens light in them say they falsely but say I truly then a Letter or Writing without That which is to day say they taken for light is to morrow judged to be darkness and that light which is this day in a person may be lessened to morrow a person may become Fanatick and dote who yesterday was heard with applause therefore each persons light cannot be his Rule so us that at all times he should be bid to look to it as a safe guide as the Qua. do And say I that which is to day Transcribed Translated Interpreted so and in such a sense by some may be through Mis-transcription Mis-translation Mis-interpretation be wrested as a Nose of wax to morrow by others into a clear contrary sense by Transposition of Hebrew letters which in shape and sound are alike either in way of mistake among the most careful Scribes in the world or at the mâ—er will and pleasure of Criticks who ad libitum may turn the Text into twenty senses one after another as seems good to them witness I.O. himself who as is elswhere shewed in many pages together of his Epistle Dedicatory tells how easie it is so to do yea to turn that one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the different pointing of it into 8 sundry senses some whereof are clear contrary to each other yea it is but doing so or so saith he and as many various lections arise in the very original Text as a man pleases to make It being so then with the Letter that it is so variable and flexible and contrariwise the Light being fixt firm stable without variation as it is for all their lying of it it 's eternally and unchangeably the same even yesterday to day and for ever as Christ is from whom it comes one and the same in all the Foundation and witness of God which stands sure and keeps its place in the consciences of men let them go whether they will testifying the same truth as Gods witness in all men that it doth in any mâ—n both de jure defacto also never consenting to any evil but condemning it all in all men more or less Therefore say I in consutation of I O. T. D. I.To. and Rich. Baxter out of their own Books the Light Word and Spirit of God within every one may and ought to be every mans Rule so as that at all times he should be bid to look to it and follow it as a guide as the Qua. do But the Text or Letter without however owned as it is by me above to be useful and profitable for men of God that know how to use it cannot be the most perfect stable Standard much less the only infallible Rule and guide of mens faith and life as the blind guides say in words it is though in works they themseves live and walk besides it as much as any Again if the Scriptures be the Rule and not the Light and Spirit then either there was no Rule before the Scripture or else they who lived before the Scripture had one Rule we another and so consequently there are two Rules for the one faith of the one holy Church But all these whimsies are most absurd for then the one Church hath tot regulus quot novas explicationes ejusdem veritaetis as many Rules as particular wayes of Revelation of the truth And T.D. said the Truth was one and that the matter was the Rule before the writing was and I.O. sayes Ex. 4. s. 22. Vnicus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divinus the Divine Rule is but one and so say I of the one general Catholick Church or Assembly of the first born from Abel to this day therefore the Light Spirit and not the Scripture is the Rule As for I. Os shallow shuffling off the Lights being the Rule and sleight slinging at it Testaque lutoque with his muddy pellet in that Section
If every mans private light be the Rule of obedience then we have as many Rules as men but the Divine Rule is onely one and that only one quoth he falsely elsewhere is the Scripture Rep. His minor as is said above serves our turn and as for his major its consequence is most false if by the Word private light he means every ones particular measure of light that shines from God into his conscience for that doth not make tot Regulas c. so many men so many Rules for the Light and Spirit which is the only Rule is one and the self-same thing in all distributed to every one as to degrees which never vary the nature of any thing severally as seems good to him And this is but a piece of his own peevish private piece of prate so often as he doth in his Disputes to term the light of God we testifie to as one in all though in different measures lumen privatum the private light for its lumen publicum commune that one publick light that comes and is communicated from God and reproves sin in all men and never did nor doth consent to any iniquity but condemns it in all men and all men as found in sin and were I.O. as well skilled in the Scripture as he is in the way of unskilful scribling for it and would once learn of Paul whom he often prates on he would have learnt ere this time with him to stile the light in all the different measures of it attained to by men to be but one Rule one thing still and not to say that if every man minde the light in himself then so many men so many Rules which Apostle Phil. 3 15 16. saith Whereunto we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule let us minde the same thing And as to T.Ds. saying That so much of the matter contained in the Scripture as is written upon the hearts of the Heatbens is a Rule to them I very readily grant that to be the very truth but what will T.D. get by it but 1. The glory of his granting to the Qua. that other Grand Question about which he quarrels with them viz the being of a measure of the same matter and not naâ—â—ral as man is in statu corrupto but supernatural and spiritual light of truth which is contained and testified in the Scripture to be in all men in the world even in the Heathen that have not the Scripture 2. The fuller just censure of a contradicter of himself who by telling the truth herein gainsayes that false Doctrine which he teaches for Truth in another place For here he owns some of the same truth or holy Doctrine declared in the Scripture which himself and I.O. stickle to prove it against such as deny it not for the truth is so though the Text is not that every Tittle and Apex thereof is as equally divine or supernatural and entirely given by God himself and as immediately as the very voice wherewith he spake to and in the Prophets See I.O. p. 27.153 and properly the Word of God 24. and the Gospel and a supernatural and spiritual light and such like See I.O. p. 77. and T.D. p. 1 2. of 1. Pamph. and p. 23. of his 2. Pamph. I say here T.D. owns some of that same Matter Light Truth Law or Gospel the letter declares to be written upon the hearts of the Heathens that never had the letter and to be the Rule from God to them But when we affirm as the Scripture doth and T.D. too that every man in the world is enlightned by Christ the true light 1 Joh. 9. with some measure of that Light the Letter speaks of and hath some of that holy divine supernatural spiritual truth doctrine and Evangelical matter which the whole Scripture either more obscurely or more clearly declares then he denies it asserting the Gentiles or Heathens to have none of those Judgements that God gave to Israel and as T.D. to the contradiction of himself so I O Christus nullâ sub consideratione lumen salutare omnibus stngulis hominibus du sit Ex. 4. s. 17. Christ hath in no kind vouchsafed saving Light to all and every man One ignorant untrue Assertion more of T.D. while my eye is on it I may not here let pass without notifying it to the Reader and then for ought I see I may leave T.D. as to his talk of the Scriptures being in the nature or office or authority of a Rule and see what I.O. sayes as to this T.D. sayes p. 17. of his 2. Pamph. Suppose we had the signs recorded that are not written yet were they not our Rule yet confesses that were they written they might be useful being done for the very same end with those lest us G. W. telling him he contradicts himself in so saying T.D. answers he is not sensible of any contradiction herein but of subordination only between the efficient and instrumental cause That the second creation doth not exclude though the first did instruments or second causes instancing Iam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us by the Word of truth And Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God Rep. To which say I T.D. is not so little sensible of the contradiction G.W. charges him with as every understanding Reader may be greatly sensible of the flat falshood that is told for truth in this latter clause wherein he asserts the first creation did exclude second causes or instruments though the second doth not whereas if T.D. had not been in a Dream he would have seen that the first Creation is so far from excluding instruments or second causes if that be an instrument or second cause which himself instances to be one in the second Creation viz. The Word of God for as the Scripture sayes that the Saints are begotten to God and faith by the Word of God so it sayes but that our Scriblers for the Scriptures are little skill'd in it and so study it in their dark minds till they cannot see what who is not blinde cannot easily over-look Heb. 11.3 2 Pet. 3.5.7 By faith we understand in plurali the worlds were framed by the Word of God and that by the Word of God the heavens and earth were of old and the heavens and earth that now are by the same Word are kept in store and reserved to fire against the day of Judgement and perdition of ungodly men You had need be ashamed to pretend to be such appearers in publick pro Scripturis that appear so much in your testimony so flatly against them as ye do Now as to J. Os. prosecution of the proof of this matter which he so often over and over again avouches as a truth with divine faith to be imbraced on pain and peril of eternal ruine and damnation viz That the Scriptures are in the Authority of the only and perfect Rule and Canon since the compleating
these What though he doth write that his writings were that the Saints might believe that Christ was the Son of God and believing might live through his Name and that their joy might be full i.e. That encrease might be to them of Faith and Joy see 1 Joh. 5.13 does their being useful and profitable and penn'd for the same common end as the Light is given for in the conscience conclude them by such an immediate consequence as J.O. conceives to be design'd and appointed by God to be canoniz'd and established into the onely Canon into the sole standing Rule and Standard for all things of Faith Manners and Worship to be tryed by so that nothing can or may safely be believed done or practised in obedience to God or acceptable to him without particular and expresse recourse first had unto the Scriptures If this be good and immediate consequence of J.O. viz. the Scriptures and Letter hath the same common end with the Spirit and Light and is useful and profitable comfortable and serviceable as the other is though not so much Therefore the Scripture or Letter is the onely most perfect standing-Rule universally for all truth to be tryed by the onely Canon for men to come to whereby to be rectified in Faith Life Worship and all Obedience Then at least must T.D. J. O's joint Antagonist against the Qua. and the Truth be judg'd a meer jugling Disputant and shufling Sophister if he own it as any other then a non sequittar unless he will rather chuse to join with me here against J. O. in denying of this consequence and against himself too as to his asserting the Scripture to be the Rule for as much as when 't was urged against him in the same kind at the Dispute but in a way of much more necessary consequence then J. O's crooked Conclusion comes in by to the defect of Scripture-Canon as they call it in its integrals on this wise If there were other inspired Scriptures that are not bound up in your Bibles as useful and profitable and written to the same end with those you have then they were as much a Rule as those ye have But there were c. in proof of which minor instance was given in the first Epistle to the Corinthians mentioned in the first we have 1 Cor. 5.9.11 Where Paul sayes I wrote unto you in an Epistle not to keep company with Fornicators c. and now have I written to you not to keep company c. By which it seems both Epistles one of which is not in the now Bible were written by the same Apostle to one and the same end T.D. Replyes to this effect see p. 26 27. of his first Pamph. I deny your Consequence Sermons Religious Discourses have the same common end with the written Scriptures yet the Letter onely are our standing Rule And p. 27. All that was written by holy men and preserved for our use is not therefore our standing Rule And two bald Reasons is rendred in the same page viz. Because God intended these that are bound up in our Bibles but not the rest neither such as are lost for had he intended those so lost Poovidence would have watcht over them as over the rest nor such as are by his providence preserved neither if not in our Bibles And pag. 17. of T. D's second Pamph. Suppose quoth he we had the signs faithfully recorded i. e. in our Bible where they are wanting yet were they not our Rule because God did not give order for them He hath assured us as much as is sufficient to create and encrease Faith And pag. 18. If you say as you seem to do if they all were done to the same end then being written they must reach the same end I deny your consequence quoth he the difference lyes in God's Arbitrary Dispensation Now if T.D. deny the consequence of the Qua. which is two fold clearer and more cogent then I. O's when they say all Scriptures written by inspiration and preserved for our use to this day are a Rule to us as much as any of them are whether bound up or not bound up by Stationers in our Bibles Then how much more must he side with me in denying J. O's far fetch 't consequence though J.O. calls it immediate unlesse he will be denied justly for a daubing deceiver when J.O. argues thus viz. The Scriptures are useful profitable and written to the same good ends and purposes as the Light Spirit and Word of God Therefore the Scriptures the Letter and not the inward Light Spirit Word or any internal Revelation at all are the only most perfect standing Rule of all things in matter of Faith Life Doctrine Worship c. But I have reason to suspect and fear that Night-Birds of a Feather however they clash and thwart one another and fall out among themselves in the dark yet will fall in flock and flye all together in the face of the Light rather then seem to side therewith against each other and that by some sillycome-senceless secundum quid or other they 'l seem to qualifie their more then seeming confusions if they can Nevertheless let them agree as they please I may safely make bold before all but partial prejudiced persons to deny J. O's consequence and put my self under T. D's Patronage in so doing who denyes the same save onely that its much more sound and cogent when used to him ward by the Qua. and indeed so it fares and falls out with my two Antagonists I.O. and T.D. that though they join to carry on the same Cause against the Qu. improving their Wits to-patch up what proofs they can in the points wherein they oppose them yet their witnesses agree so little with each other and within themselves that what either of them asserts is for the most part overturned if not by the individual party so asserting as it often is yet at least by the other of them one where or other in such wise that had some wiser man then my self had the management of this matter and work against them that is now under my hands I see so much though minding matter more then method I am carryed to the confutation of them into sundry other wayes of partly positive and partly polemical Discourse intermingled among my Animadversioâ—s Examinations and comparings of their sayings that he need go no further then T.D. and I.O. to fetch matter wherewith to conâ—ute I.O. and no further then J.O. and T.D. to confute T.D. I conclude then my Reply to the routing of the first Rank and cashiering the first Classe of J. O's Scriptures urged in proof of the Scriptures being the only most perfect standing Rule and it may serve for an answer to T.D. himself too in T. D's words to me mutatis mutaâ—dis p. 20. 1 Pamph. To make the business short suppose we grant the Scripture to be divinely inspired to be very useful and profitable as we do and to be
written for the ends above specified in the Scriptures mentioned yet will it not follow that it was intended for the Rule to the Church much less the only perfect Rule or Standard of Faith and Life because God did not give order for â—s so to be but assured her before the Scripture was at all as much as God thought sufficient to create and preserve faith in the Gospel she had before she had it written in an outward Letter viz. the inward Light Word and Spirit that was in the beginning from which the Letter came And p. 43. to make a Rule much more then the only sâ—anding Rule exclusively of all other of all internal Light Word Spirit Revelation as JO. and T.D. both hold the Scripture to be is necessary Gods appointment of a Writing to that end to which he did and even in the Scripture it appears appoint the Spirit and inward Light and Word as I shew'd above but never at all appointed the Scripture it self And p. 17 18. of T. D's 2 d. Pam. the difference lyes in God's Arbitrary dispensation who from of old disposed the Light Word and Spirit alone to be the Rule without and before the Letter as being far more excellent and fully sufficient without it as to the nature and being of a Rule but never ordered intended designed appointed or established the Writing alone as the Rule as my two Vniversity Antagonists dispute without and câ—â—lusively of the other And as for the third and fourth Classis of J. O's Scriptures which seeing they are so near a kin to these of the first therefore I shall consider them here before those of the second they are of the same kind so that the same general Answer might satisfie sapienti cui verbum sat but seeing such stress is put on them by J.O. to the stablishing of a wrong Standard which iâ— of so great concernment to be stated right or else all the Building faulters I am free to insist a little more particularly on them then else I need to do They contain as thou sayest J.O. commendations of the Scriptures as to all uses of Religion both by the practises and precepts of Christ and the Apostles searching and expounding proving and trying all things by them themselves and also commending and commanding the searching of them and the trying of all things by them in and among all others Rep. That all the places enumerated by thee do contain any such matter at all I utterly deny for some of those thou citest as well as sundry of those afore spoken to neither expresly nor intentionally relate to the Writing or Scripture but onely to the Word of God and the Things and Truth and Commands of God written of onely in the Letter which things in what Text soever thou find'st them talkt of thou present'y run'st blundering on in thy wonted blindness which discerns no difference between the Writing and things written interpreting them without more ado of the Scripture as namely Deut. 28.58 whereby the words written in that Book is not meant the Writings but the Commandmenâ— therein rehearsed the Ceremonials and Morals of which they were to observe before that Booke of Deuteronomy was penn'd which is a story of Moses his repetition by word of mouth a little before his death of such things as he had from the Lord enjoined them to observe and some of them God also from his own mouth well-nigh forty years at least before that was penned Also that in Acts. 26.22 where Paul sayes he witnessâ—d no other things or truths as to the substance and matter of them though the manner was different the one testifying de Christo exhibendo the other exhibito one saying they should come t'other they were come then what the Prophets and Moses said should come Which things Paul could now witness were come if he had not seen their witness that they should And what mention is there of the Scripture at all in that Scripture Also John 1.7 where it s said of John Baptist he was not that Light but came to bear witness of that light which John Baptist wrote no Scripture at all that I know of which Light he testified to was not the Letter or Scripture but the same the Qua. bear witness to even that measure of its light within wherewith he inlightneth every man that comes into the world so that there is no Scripture mentioned or so much as meant in that Scripture Wherever thou seest in thy Concordance the word Scripture written of in the Scripture thou art ready to think straightway it Concuâ—r'â— and hath no â—mâ—l Concordance with thy cause and where thou findest the Words Rule Foundation Law and Prophets of God Light Word Commands Statutes Testimony Prophesie and such like thou as rashly and rawly imaginest the Scripture or meer outward Writing meant and mentioned by them in what ever is predicated of them and that it makes something for thy bâ—inde business of the Scriptures being the only standing Rule and Foundation But alas hoc aliquid verè nihil est this something is plainly nothing at all to that purpose for as it makes not a mice toward the proof thereof as appears above because the Scriptures were written for good ends and are prefiâ—â—blâ— to such and such good uses unless God had Canonized them as a Rule so neither doth it that Christ expounded the Scriptures and that some did search them and were mightily read in them as some are at this day who are supposed to deny them to the confounding the Scribes that searched them daily and therein lookt for life as their only Rule but never came to him that they might have life who was the Life and Light they came from but never heard him whom they testified of that his voice was now to be heard in whom God who under the Law before his coming spake in his servants the Prophets speaks under the Gospel as by his only Son 'T is true Abraham who lived long after Moses and those Prophets whose Writings ye have were born in that Parable which illustrates a precious truth that as to the mystery of it lyes yet hid from thee is brought in by Christ as saying of the Rich mans brethren by way of prevention of their coming into torment They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them if not they 'l not be perswaded by a miraculous message of one to them from the dead but what iâ— this to prove what thou here alledgest it for and more largely inferrest from it p. 63 64 65 66 67. where thou preachest on that Text a Sermon as long as little to thy purpose improving it and that of 2 Pet. 1.19 to the utmost to prove Moses and the Prophets Writings to be the best and most effectual means of bringing men to repentance on which that and all faith is immediately to be grounded and to prove the Scriptures to be that alone which we are sent to to be more effectual
Doctrine Divine Worship c. as I.O. states it to be and T.D. also exclusively of the internal Light Word Spirit c. And what though we should grant you that Christ sayes to the Scribes Search the Scriptures Well he might for they testifie of him as the life whom they never came to for it who if they had known either the Scriptures aright they so search't in and scribled about or the Power of God they could not have erred from the knowledge of him in his Light as they did Matth. 22.29 We say the same to you Schollars that think you study and know the Scriptures more then any men as Christ to them and as I.O. to all by way of command whereas some can't read it in his Title-page to flourish his Frontispiece and vent his vindication pro Scripturis more then ought else 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Search the Scriptures for they testifie of Christ the Light the Word that Spirit Way Life Truth we talk of they send ye to the same Light and inward Word in the heart as the Rule to walk by as the Qua. do and as Christ said of them Ioh. 5.46 47. having told them they needed no other to accuse them then Moses in whom they trusted Had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wrote of me but if ye believe not his Writings how should ye believe my word So say I of you Ye need no other witness against you though ye have another even the Light within which ye despise then the Letter in which ye trust for did you believe the Letter ye would believe in the Light for it writes of the Light the Qua. call ye to and write of but if ye believe not the Writing ye so write for how shall ye believe in the light Howbeit when all 's done as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being both the Indicative and Imperative Mood will as well bear it so the Context doth much more clear it that the Verb is rather indicative of their doting doings then imperasive of their duty and is rather to be rendred ye search then search ye the Scripture and contains rather matter of condemnation of them for that profitable deal of Do they made in their busie minds about the outward Scriptures while in the mean time they heeded not Gods own voice nor regarded the inward words abiding in them then either commendation of their great fruitless pains that way or commendation of the Scripture to them to search or commandment of them who were too mad already for the Scripture as their grand Idol receiving it as thou faist p. 236. with the honour and veneration due to God and his living word alone to search therein Yea verily both that verse and those about it do all consist of matter of sad complaint against them for their ever-reverencing the Scripture and negecting to receive or rather refusing and rejecting the Word of Life it self to any single eye ye have saith Christ to them of the Father neither hear his voice at any time nor seen his shepe Joh. 47. and 38. Ye have not his word abiding in you vers 39. Ye search the Scriptures ye look there often for in them ye think but mistake your selves to have eternal life and true enough they are they which testifie of me as the way to life and yet ye will not come to me that ye might have the life On this wise doth Christ rather expostulate with them for their ignorance and negligence of the Word then either command or commend any searchings of the Scriptures And as to the second Classis of Texts cited by the J.O. in proof of the Scriptures being the only standing Rule in which Texts all additions whatsoever to the written Word of God are expresly rejected I answer what though God doth reprove condemn threaten to plague and curse such as adde to his Word bring any other Gospel then what Paul preached make void his Commands by their Traditions enjoyn men to seek not to such as peep and mutter but to the Lord himself Paul would not have the Corinthians think of him and Apollo above what he writes of himself and him as men only by whom as means they beleeved which is the summe of the seven Scriptures by thee produced to that purpose what proof at all is there in all this such a way it is true enough there must be no adding to the Word Gospel Commandement Testimony of God or alterings or varyings or detractings therefrom in a tittle but is any of this intended of the outward Writing Letter or Scripture which are not that Word Gospel Commandement but only declare this and other things concerning it Is the Scripture that only set firm fixt standing Rule that may neither be augmented nor diminished on pain of Plagues and cursing as ye say it is then tell me 1. How much Scripture or Writing hath been added to the five Books of Moses since Deut. 4.2.12.32 was written wherein it is said Ye shall not adde to the word I command you neither shall you diminish from it and since that of Prov. 30.6 was written where it is said Adde thou not unto his Word lest he reprove thee and thou be found a liar And since Isa. 8.20 where it is said To the Law and Testimony And since that Gal. 1.8 where it is said Let him be accursed that brings other then we have preacht though we or an Angel from heaven 2. Whether were the Prophets and Apostles that have added so many books since those prohibitions justly reproveable and accursed as Lyars 3. If ye say nay they were not lyars nor to be reproved nor accursed then tell me as to the measure and bounds and close of your Canon which ye suppose to be the Revelation why he that by the same Spirit moving shall in writing reveal the same truths now is accursed reproved plagued for adding to the Word and Gospel upon the account of Johns saying Rev. 22.18 If any man shall adde unto these things God shall adde unto him the plagues that are written in this booke any more then Iohn himself who added his Scripture and Revelation after Pauls Epistle to the Galathians or Paul who added his Scriptures after Isaiahs or Isaiah and the other Prophets who added theirs after Solomon or Solomon that added his Writings after â—â—sâ—s hiâ— inhibition in Deuteronomy 2. Beleeve it that the Scripture is not that thing nor standing Rule to which no more must be added and from which no new Scripture may be diminished on pain of cursing and plagues but the Word Doctrine Gospel Commandement Law Truth told in it to which cursed be he that addes another or any new Word Gospel Doctrines c. or detracts a Tittle from that And so John sayes If any adde to these things and take away from the words of this Book God shall adde plagues and take away his part out of the book of life and from
the things written in this book meaning that particular Writing he was now in hand with not if any man shall write any more Scripture with so high a pretence as by Revelation from the Spirit or loose or shut out any of the Scriptures that are already written by inspiration from the Canon for if he had meant so then as brisk as ye are to breath out Threatnings and Plagues and Curses to such as pretend to write any thing by inspiration revelation or motion from the holy Spirit since the dayes of the complearing and closing of your Canon as you call it which you count from Iohns writing his Revelation though ye are far from adding any inspired Scripture to the Bible but only such Scripture as is the fruit figment and imagination of your own hearts which thou confessest to be the Fountain of all that other men that are not Apostles as ye say ye are not do deliver p. 9. not daring to pretend to the infallible guidance of the infallible Spirit in your Ministry yet yee 'l not scape the taking your names out of the Book of Life and from the good things written in the Revelation for your fault of taking away detracting and diminishing from the Scriptures for ye exclude from your Canon very much of that inspired Scripture that was written some of which is extant at this day too or hath been shewed before But considering the nature and true being of your guilt I confess in this case of varying from the Rule if that were the onely standing Rule of the outward Scripture should be found to be much more in the Ablative than in the Dative Case But of this more hereafter These are J.Os. inartificial Arguments or Testimonies of Scripture used by him as mediums of artificial ones that may be drawn from thence of which Scriptures he affirms that they are as commonly cited so already vindicated à nosâ—â—i Theologis by our Divines from exceptions of Papists and others that hee need not insist any more on them to name them of which say I as he Communiter citantur nonproprie they are commonly but not properly cited but not yet vindicated from the exceptions of all I shall now come to consider his more Artificial Arguments drawn â—rom some of these and some other Scriptures by the Cart Ropes of J.Os. Carnal Reasonings in proof that the inward Light Word Spirit and its Revelations are not at all but the outward Letter Text Writings Scriptures are only and altogether the standing Rule to the Church and all men of all Truthss Doctrines and things that are to be done beleeved tried or determined in point of Gods worship and our obedience J. O s. Arg. 1. The first is on this wise Ex. 3. s. 28. Si Revelatio c. If the Revelation of the will of God in the Scripture be so perfect compleat and every way absolute that there is no need of any other Revelation by the Spirit and Light within Enthusiasm Heavenly breathing discsurses with Angels fained or true to instruct us in the knowledge of God 〈…〉 in order â—o the attaining eternal life then its plain that all those wayes and means of knowing God and his will which the Fanaticks fain to be the means thereof are uncertain dangerous unprofitable and in no wise necessary thereunto and therefore to be rejected and detested But it s so c. Therefore c. Rep. Oh full of all fallacy as well as falsity folly and blindness in the things of God of whom I may truly say Et si non casâ—etamen cause thou art not so little honest in it but thou art well-nigh as much crafty to hide what thou canst the dishonesty of what thou holdest not only from the Qua. as thou thinkest in the Latine language but also from all that would handle thee for thy ill handy-work by thy dark discoursing in words of a double and doubtful reference and signification that thou mayest the more privily pervert the right wayes of the Lord and prepagate thy perverse Propositions the more securely to the prejudice of them what means else thy foisting in of that foolish phrase quae simulant fanatici by the inserting whereof thou mayest either intend thus viz. that all wayes that are fained by the Qua. are unprofitable unnecessary and to be rejected and detested and so creep thy neck out of the collar and shelter thy self from that censure of falshood thou fore-sawest would else befall the minor for meer fained mediums of knowing God and his will wherever found are to be rejected as useless unnecessary and no less then detestable indeed that is true enough who doubts it but then withall how Serpent-like wouldest thou hereby subtilly insinuate it into the younger sort to whose use thou devotest this thy peece of dotage under that Vnive sâ—y vendible Title of Theological determinations Theses or Apologetical exercitations pro Sâ—ripturis as if the Qua. professed means were but a fained Light and Spirit as if thou foughtest against nought but the Qua. fictions and not any true internal Light or Spirit of God or heavenly Revelations or inspirations but only such meer imaginary spiritual Divine motions and notions as the Qua. fain or falsely fancy so to be Whereas no figmentitions matters are found formented or sought for by the Qua. to be the Rule but only the true Revelations Light and Spirit of God himself within the heart Or else thou mayest intend thus as thy words express that forenamed clouding clause being excluded viz. That the Scriptures alone make such an absolutely perfect Revelation of Gods will that there is no need at all of any other Revelation by the Spirit and Light of God within which the Qua. affirm to be useful and needful to instruct in the knowledge of God and his will to the attainment of life eternal but those are uncertain perillous unnecessary means of knowing our duty and so to be rejected and detested in which way understanding thy minde there is so much the less fallacy indeed but the more falsely even so much as amounts to little less then great blasohemy and so thy minor is to be denied with a witness ex duobus malis absurdis hisie unum saltem est elegondum utrum horum mavis accipe if the first which is fallacy and foolery it s the least and the best yet too bad if the last which is falshood and blasphemy it s so bad that its worse then nought yet judging by thy undertaking to prove thy minor which else were true and needing no proof thou intendest the Letter which is the greater of the evils I enter the lists with thee about that and deny utterly thy minor which thou proceedst in proof of by man particular confiderations viz. 1. Of the Author of the Scriptures namely God from whom sayest thou Nothing can come that is imperfect any way much less in respect of that end to which he decrees any work J.O. from a
perfect voluntary cause nothing but what is perfect is to be expected for nothing could hinder God being willing to reveal his will from revealing it perfectly but either because he could not which is not consistent with his infinite Wisdome and Omnipotency or because he would not which in no wise agrees with his goodness and grace therefore he hath given out a perfect Revelation of his will Reply This is the first medium whereby thou seem'st to thy self Artificially to have proved the minor of thy first Arâ—eficial Argument for the Scriptures being such an onely absolutely perfect Rule and Revelation of God and his Will that there 's now no need of any other way of Revelation either of him or it but all else whatsoever by his Spirit and Light within as in order to the knowing of God his Will and our duty to him and our obtaining eternal life beside the Scriptures are superfluous uselesse needlesse unprofitable fictitious and to be rejected as such with abhorrency and detestation And this minor of thy Prosyllogism should haue been thy expresse Conclusion in thy last Argument instead whereof being likely ashamed to infer it in its proper terms they are so fordid fottish false foolish blinde brutish beastly blasphemous grosly detestable and abominable thou entailest a conclusion at the tail of it which is not contradicted by any but aliud a negato quite another thing then that which is denyed yea even the same that we and all other men own viz. That God hath given out a perfect Revelation of his Will Which who doubts of Who denies but that God gives out his will certainly sufficiently to all men But whether that Revelation of his will be made to all men by a meer Letter without so certainly perfectly at this day that in order to knowing and doing it by every man savingly his Light and Spirit within is superfluous needlesse unnecessary uncertain and no less then fictitious and odious to assert needful which is the lye thou labourest to defend or by his Light Word and Spirit within certainly and perfectly sufficiently to every individual in order to his doing his own duty without an outward Letter or Writing as it was before any Writing was and is still where no such Writing is and no less so where such Writing is also which is the truth the Qua. maintain against thee this is the Question between thee I.O. and the Qua. which thou rovest and ramblest from making Premises which pretend to have Promises in them of proving thy absurd Opinion and then concluding at Random that which iâ— nihil ad Rhombum just nothing at all to thy purpose insomuch that as an old Cardinal that had been long absent from Rome going once to the Election of a Pope and seeing such shuffling and patching and and shifting and canvâ—sing ' and daubing doings in a business of such moment as the choice of the infallible Chair-man for the whole Church said no more but Siccine eliguntur Pontifices Romani and so took his horse and rode away turning his back upon Rome resolving never to see it more So seeing how little Logical the Theological Disputations of our Vniversity Doctors in Divinity are and what pinching and cutting and curtailing and serpentine twining and turning things upside down and shifting and shuffling to shut out the plain truth as held out to them by honest Country Qua. and to escape the force of the two edged sword of the Spirit or Word of God from wounding their hairy Scalp what moping and mincing and mangonizing there is among them who having left off to walk by Gods right Rules cannot walk well nor keep close to their own wrong Rules neither is it enough to make any well-meaning honest-hearted Countrified Schollars that have long discontinued from the Vniversities ashamed and sorry and sick to see such sorry doings at the Nursing Mothers and to say Siccine disputant Academici nostrates Do our Modern Doctors dispute thus at the Vniversities surely wee 'l never look after them more nor send our Sons thither to learn Logick or train them up there to know honestly and uprightly and rightly how to reason much less to make them Ministers of the Gospel But to let the illegitimacy of the conclusion pass and suppose it to have been expressed in its own due Terms let 's see how it will follow from those premises he infers it from that the Letter without the Light and Spirit within Memorandum still that he stiles those most blasphemously uncertain perillous unprofitable and in no wise necessary means of knowing Gods will and our duty and of coming to life and such as are to be rejected and detested as fictitious and counterfeit is the onely perfect Rule of Revelation of Gods will any more then from the self same premises it will follow contrarily to him that the Light and Spirit within are the only perfect certain sufficient Rule of Revealing Gods will without the Letter or Scripture without Surely had I.O. been Magister Avtis his Arts-master in this his Arteficial Argument he would have left it out altogether and not have urged it as he doth to the prejudice of his cause for it doth him ten times more detriment then advantage For whereas it is generally concluded among you all and by you two I.O. and T.D. my present Antagonists in particular as much by any thougâ— yet you both vilifie the the said inward Light what ye are able under the names of natural obscure darks dim low and to salvation insufficient principles and means of the Revelation of his will imagination figment Nescio quid nihil meer dictates of our own conscience blinde and corrupt that God declares and reveals himself his Soveraign Power Authority Righteousness Holiness good and evil many sins and duties and several divine Attributes and that indispensible moral obedience which he requireth of us as his creatures subject to his Law by some Light from himself and principles of conscience and his own voyce therein and those motions that are inlaid by his own hand in mens mindes and that they make a Revelation of him as to the purposes mentioned and shew the work of his own Law written in mens hearts and are able to plead their own divine original and discover their Author from whom they are and in whose name they speak even Gods without any other witnesses further evidence or reasoning without the advantage of any considerations but what are by themselves supplied without the least contribution or assistance from without Whereas I say all this is granted by you of the inward Light we plead for to be a â—erâ—ain profitable perfect sufficient Rule of knowing God and means of revealing of his will to us and our duty to him in order to life without a Letter against you who plead the Scripture and Letter only to be so without the inner Spirit and Light to say nothing how in effect the cause is little less than wholly
or rather is wholly given us by T.D. and thy self too in those many magnifications of the Light within as effectual without any thing but it self and therefore without the Scripture without to reveal God and his will and sins and duties and good and evil and that moral obedience due from us to his moral Law is not thy own Argument for the propounded perfection of the Scriptures as the only all-sufficient Rule ab earum Authore Deo scilicet à quo nihil imperfectum uâ—o modo multò minus respectu finis cui opus quodcunque destinat procedere potest as yea far more cogent and conclusive to the inward Light and Spirits being the said Only All-sufficent perfect Rule then to the outward letters being so And â—iththou settest thy self so preposterously to prove the said perfection of the only Rule as proper and peculiar to the Letter may I not much more properly take thy own words and therewith ad hominem argue that the name of the only Rule is the peculiar Right and Priviledge of the inward Light and Spirit As thou then sayest Jam vero perfectionem dictam Scripturarum c. so tuo te jugulans gladio say I Jam vero perfectionem dictam lucis Spiritus interni probamus ab â—orum Authore Deo scilicet c. the said perfection of the only Rule and way of Revelation of his will and our duty as to life as proper and peculiar to the inward Light and Spirit and not the Scripture I prove from their Author viz. God from whom nothing imperfect in any way can come much less in respect of that end to which he hath designed any work And if thou say as thou doest and I deny it not in a more remote sense God is the Author of the Scripture let me ask thee is he not much more immediately the Author of his Light and Spirit in the hearts of holy men and of that measure thereof that is and strives and shines in the hearts of all men from the greater degree of which in the Prophets and Apostles hearts all the other Scripture except that little Exod. 20. and Dan. 5.25 26 27. came through their hands as subordinate Authors then he is of the Letter which issued from him non nisi mediantibus manuscripteribus more mediately and no otherwise at first but by means of men writing as moved and at this day no more immediately then by the pens and presses of fallible men Transcribing and Printing Re-printing Translating and copying them out of they know not what corrupted Copies not so near as at second or third but perhaps at the hundreth hand from the first Penman And seeing God is the sole immediate Author of the Light and Spirit within which is not alterable flexible c. at the wills of Criticks as thou confessest the Hebrew Text is and as he is not of the Letter which is both Copied Canonized and Authorized as ye have it by men only as the Rule iâ— it follow as secundum Ye it doth not Me ab Authore remoto from the remote Author of it God from whom nothing imperfect can come that the Letter is the only perfect Rule and Revelation of Gods will will it not much more forcibly follow from Gods being the only and immediate Author of the inner Light and Spirit that they are the Only sufficient Rule and make a perfect Revelation of his will to the end and purposes aforesaid Ob. And if thou say True but those ends and purposes for which the Light and Spirit within the Qua. talk of though useful otherwise are designed of God and given to men are not that they may be the Rule and guide of our way in order unto life but only that thereby we may the more savingly understand the Letter which is of God designed decreed and authorized to be the only Rule for so thou expresly saist of the Spirit or Light within Ex. 4. s. 17. which Topsey-Turvy â—or expediencies sake I shall here take into consideration that I may have no more to do with it again where thy Latine words Englished are these J.O. Of no inward light whatsoever although it be saving is this the use or end that we should attend to it as the Guide and Rule of our way but for this end alone is that vouchsafed of God that by the help thereof we may the more savingly understand that Rule meaning the Scripture and the minde of God revealed in it Reply I answer Cujus contrarium verum est this is as quite contrary a Cob-castle with the heels upwards and upside downwards as t is well possible for a man to build whereby thou makest as thou elsewhere doest in I know not how many places more the Light and Spirit but an instrumental means to bring men to the Letter that by the Letter they may have Life and be saved yea and sometimes the servile instrument of the Letter it self by which as by some certain Ministerial Attorny the Letter Authoritatively as the cause doth all the mighty and powerful things that are effected towards mans salvation as namely p. 81. J. O. This light in the Scripture for which wee contend Reply But stay there yet a while too J.O. for the Light in the Scripture is that the Quá contend for against thee who contendest for the Letter if thou well understandest thy self against that Light which is declared of in the Letter as shining in the heart for the Light in the Scripture is one thing of which what thou sayest is true but the Scripture in which that light is declared and written of is another as the beaming majesty brightness and glorious light of the Sun that shines through it is one thing and the Glass window in and through which it shines is another the Light in the Lanthorn one thing and the Lanthorn in which it shines is another which Light that iâ— in the Letter declared is that we plead for and J.O. against this J.O. wil see when he looks over the second time with his eyes open what with his eyes shut at first he overlookt Secundae cogitationes saepe meliores J.O. This light in the Scripture is nothing but the beaming of the Majesty Truth Holiness and Authority of God by this it dives i.e. the Letter by the Light dives into the consciences of men into all the recesses of their hearts guides teaches directs determines in themin the Name Majesty and Authority of God Rep. See how the Light is made the Letters Messenger subordinate Agent for By here is not such a By as is used when the Inferior is said to act by the Authority of the Superior but the Superior by the subseâ—viency of the Inferior Whereas indeed the Letter is but the instrument of the Light and Spirit whereby the Light Spirit do supreamly and authoritatively what ever they do by it at all can do without it even what sometimes they do with iâ—
since it is in being and where it hath a being for the Light tries searches shines shews reveals judges determines as well without the Letter as with it and did dive into the heart where the Letter never was and direct there before the external literal directory was all and yet uses aâ— its pleasure the Letter as its instrument and as a knife to kill which knife yet as an instrument cannot quicken but the Letter doth not enter quâ talis into the heart at all and what ere it doth it doth in subserviency to the Light which is its Author whose instrument it is to use but not the Light its instrument at all Moreover the end of the Letter is but to turn men from the darkness and power of Satan wherein they dwel to the Light within them that shines in the darknes that is also within them which Light is the power of God this Act. 26. is said to be the end of Pauls Ministration which was performed partly by writing and partly by word of mouth that so by beleeving in the light and living in it they might not abide in the darkness but have the light of life but the end of the Light and Spirit within is not to bring to the Letter by the Letter we may have the life for the searchers into the Letter and lookers thereinto for the eternal life which is Christ whom the Letter testifies of never found the life they lookt for there because they heard not Gods voice nor cared for his word abiding in them nor came to Christ the Light and Spirit that they might have the life for the letter killeth but the Light and Spirit gives the life 2 Cor. 3. And howbeit I deny not the Scripture to be perfect praesertim respectu finis especially in relation to that end as J O. sayes for which it was decreed of God yet that that end was to be the only guide and rule of men in their way to life I deny asserting the Light and Spirit still as that which is designed and ordered of God as to that end and was so from the beginning before any Letter without was at all And though I own the Scripture still as useful profitable effectual sufficient and perfectly successful where used by the man of God in the wisdome of God for the many excellent ends and uses formerly spoken to from 2 Tim. 2.15 as being written by inspiration of God yet I still deny that to be thereupon the standing Rule as the Light and Spirit is because no where so denominated nor designed to be by God in all the Scripture as I have shewed suffiâ—iently above in answer to all the Texts whence thou mistakest it so to be and because Damnati lingua vocem habet vim non habet a Hereticks words are never heeded I must here make use again of T.D. to defeat I.O. who sayes p. 27 28.43 of his first Pamph. p. 17 18. of his second That all that was written by holy men and preserved for our use is not therefore our standing Rule because God did not intend them nor give order for them to be so and beside such inspiration and usefulness to make a Rule is necessary Gods appointment of a writing to that end which appointment the Letter never had from God what ever it had from men the difference lyes in Gods arbiâ—rary dispensation who assured his Church what was sufficient as to her standing Rule before the Letter was viz. his his Light and Spirit in which regard though we highly respect the Letter yet we can look upon it as p. 44. first Pamph. T.D. sayes of some useful things of God with reference to othersome no more with such regard as the only standing Rule as we do upon the other And though with thee I.O. we assert and deny not but that by the efficacy of the Light and Spirit the Letter is more savingly understood for the Spirit well knows its own yea by the Light and Spirit only is the Letter understood and read to profit and not by that twinckling twilight of thy fidling fancy for that Ignis fatuus finds little as to the inside of the letter but fuell to feed thee in fierce and fiery twittle twattles about the outside sense of it and the truth of Transcripts and Translations pidling points Tittles Iota's yea who hath known the minde of the Lord or the things of the Spirit declared in the Letter but the Spirit and they that live after the Light thereof and no more after the flesh to whom only the Spirit only doth reveal them yet Monstrum horrendum cui lumen ademptum what Scriptureless lightless spiritless speeches are these of J.O. who depresses all inward light whatsoever even that within the living Word of God within so much below the meer Letter formally considered as an outward writing and abstract from these as to assert them from which the Letter had all the being it hath and that thousands of years after all these antient Rules and Lights that are to day and yesterday and for ever the same without the least shadow of alteration had been famous in the world among all the Worthies from Abel to Moses to have all their being from God to us ward meerly for the sake of the Letter which was but of yesterday and as well every day as every way mutable and that so easily that 't is done in a time in but the turning of a hand yea by the Transposing of Letters Heb. Points and like as himself asserteth as many various lections may be in its several copies welnigh as lines and to represent all these which gave the Letter the being of a certain sub sub unto themselves as subservient unto it as if they were of and for no other use nor end in the world but to teach men to come not to God himself for life but to the Letter and to read the Book call'd the Bible which doth but imminde men that forget them to minde the Light and Spirit I shall therefore only take this Tale of J.O. mutatis mutandis transform it by a transposition of the two subjects thereof viz. the Light and Letter which I.O. hath mis used and mis-placed each into its proper place use and order and so quite quit it here Nullius literae externae cujuscunque tandem c. in plain English thus Of no external letter whatsoever although the holy Scripture it self which J.O. calls saving is this the use and end that we should attend to it as to the guide of our way and Rule but to this end only is it graciously granted of God that by means thereof we may perceive to our salvation that Rule i.e. the Spirit Light and Word of God ad intra and the minde of God revealed therein In this Translation is no truth hid that shall not be revealed nor covered that shall not be known So having turned J.Os. Babel with the bottome upwards I shall
let it stand and pass on about my business concluding against thee I.O. in thy own words for the Light and Spirit to be that Rule thou sayest the Letter is from its perfection ab Authore A causa perfecta c. From a perfect voluntary cause nothing but what is perfect can be expected for nothing can hinder God being willing to reveal his will from revealing it perfectly as before the Letter was so now where the Letter is not among heathens by his Light and Spirit by which thou confessest he reveals it very far in the words forecited but either because he cannot which denies his infinite Wisdome and Omnipotency or because he will not which agrees not with his goodness and grace Therefore God hath and doth give out by his Light and Spirit within a perfect Revelation of his will so that they consequently must be secundum te by thy own Argument J.O. the only perfect standing Rule for there are not two so far is the Letter that came from them from being so as thy fancy fancies it to be alone and exclusively of them as uncertain useless needless perillous and detestable The second medium by which thou goest about to prove the foresaid conclusion viz. That the Letter or Scriptures are the only perfect Rule Revelation of God his will and our duty that gives to know him to eternal life and not the Spirit and light which as Enthusiasm dubious useless figment c. are with thee to be detested is A naturâ librorum sacrae Scripturae c. from the nature of the books of the holy Scripture which are sayest thou those of the Old and New Testament so sayest thou the Apostle clearly dilates of the Old Testament 2 Cor. 3.14 in the reading of the Old Testament of the New there 's the same reason vers 6. Now every Testament sayest thou alluding to but not quoting Gal. 3.15 though but a mans is perfect and being once confirmed no man disanulleth or superaddeth thereunto Reply Never did I discern such absolute self-overturnings proceed from a professed Doctor as do from J.O. thick and threefold in the very cause he prosecutes whose proofs of his own producing do as frequently confound him and as fully foil him as to the matter he would prove thereby as any that can likely be produced against him by those he opposes and yet I verily beleeve he speaks the sense wellnigh of the whole Vniversity it self in which he hath in the late clawing cringing corresponding and climing times atchieved to become a Chieftane And that it may appear le ts reason J.O. hereabout a little with thee let me ask thee Is the Gospel is the New Testament Letter Scripture external Text and outward Writing as the Old Testament is Is it such a passing perishing dark low obscure thing as writing or graving of Points Tittles and Iotaes in Tables of stone though with the singer of God himself much more it such a mouldring matter for so thy self callest the most Original Copies of the external Text of the holy Scripture that ever was in the world p. 167.164 and therefore well may I so call thy best bare transcribed copies of it as Writings with inke and stamping with Lamb-black in Roles and Books and Papers and Parchments with press hands and tools which cannot be preserved so long as from Ezra till now from mouldring without a Miracle Is the Gospel the New Testament no more than such as thou talkest of Is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Typography which meer men can take and turn and translate and tumble to and fro and transcribe and tear and dash out and do what they will with Is it outward writings of Epistles and Recommendations and Histories and Letters as that of Paul to Philemon about private personal and domestick affairs and such like Is it not an Epistle of Christ in the table of the heart though ministred sometimes by man at the motion of his Spirit or if a Writing yet not with Inke but with the Spirit of the living God in fleshly Tables of the heart 2 Cor. 3. Is is as the Old Testament as all meer writing ad extra only is whether of old or since Christ and all outward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Letter only that cannot quicken nor cure but killeth such as serve as thou yet doest in the oldness of it Is it not Spirit Light and Life Is it not the Words of Christ spoken by the Lord himself alone which are Spirit and Life in newness of which the true children of the New Covenant that are more then Bastards that pretend to it do serve and not in the oldness of a letter or that old way of the old Scribes that came no nearer to Christ the Life then the outside of the outward Scripture which was wrote of him Is it any of these things are not these the best Instruments of the Old Testament foolish Shepherds wherewith for a time they were suffered to feed who made the poor of the flock the flock of the slaughter taken up again since Christ directly beside the intent of Christ and such as wrote the later Scriptures by our Idol Shepherds that leave the flock to starve so they can be better fed themselves who are not behinde those of old in feeding with Gall and Wormwood the flock of the slaughter in not pitying but slaying them and yet holding themselves not guilty for which the sword of the Lord is now upon their arm and upon their right eye so that their Arm or Power is now to be clean dryed up and their right eye utterly darkned Ah poor be-wildred be-nighted blind-guides of your blindly-guided people that by custome and tradition from your mouths who take it so to be by tradition from your Fore-fathers are now naturallized into a naming the naked dead letter by the name of the living Word of the living God and the four mis-transcribed and mis-translated Copies of Matthew Mark Luke and Iohns Manuscript of what Christ did in that body wherein he was born at Bethlehem and dyed at Ierusalem by the name of the Gospel and those four bare Books with the rest of those few that follow fardelled together with them in what fashion men most fancy and bound up as the Bible sellers please by the name of the New Testament So thou talkest I.O. telling the world of the nature of the Books of the Scripture as ye now have it is this they are the Old Testament and the New so thou intendest in thy saying Sunt autem veteris novi Testamenti 1. Citing Paul who calls the Books of Moses the Old Testament 2 Cor. 3.14 as â—â—ll well he might for the Old Testament was indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Letter or Writing writen with Inke and Pen or ingraven outwardly on Tables of stone and not Spirit or writing with the Spirit of the living God in the fleshly Tables of the heart as the New is which the
Chrisiumexihibendum those since Chrisium exhibitum the first Christ to be offered the later Christ already offered I say if these later be the New Testament then either one or both of these two absurdities must be owned viz. that there hath been where there should have been none a superadding of very much to the New Testament or rather secondly that the whole New Testament was it self made since it was ratified and confirmed by the Testators death Vtrum horum mavis accipe own thou I.O. which thou wilt or both of these if thou wilt but I le never own that to be a mans Testament only much les Christs but only fained so to be that is added to or rather wholly made after his death whose Testament it is I.Os. other Mediums are all too frivolous to insist upon The third is ab expresso Testimonio the express Testimony of Psal. 16.7 8. Reply Where I have shewed before that by the Law Testimony Commandement of the Lord is intended the Light wee talk of not the Letter The fourth A materia Scripturarum the matter which saith he is all the Councel of God and nothing but what the Prophets and Moses spake alluding to Act. 20.27 and citing Act. 26.22 Reply In neither of which places Paul doth either mention or mean any outward Scriptures or Writings of his own much less other mens but the things he ministred to the Church of Ephesus and her Elders by word of mouth delivering to every of them according to their Stations and Relations how they ought to walk and to please God and with-holding nothing that was profitable either to Elders or flock Act. 20.20 and to all men small and great the summe and substance of things fore-spoken of old viz. Repentance toward God and faith toward Iesus vers 21. and how there was now as to the mystery of truth Nil dictum quod non dictum prius nothing said which was not shewed before in the type and shadow 5. A fine from their end which quoth he is 1. Faith Joh. 20.21 These are written that ye may beleeve and Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing Reply Which first Text if intending faith in the history of things that the Letter may beget men may have and have from Rome to this place and yet perish which latter Text intends a saving faith but that comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God which Word saith Paul above in the same Chapter is not the Letter without but a Light within nigh in the heart and mouth of men that they may hear and do it even the Word of faith which they preached 2. Wisdome to salvation perfect instruction to all good works 2 Pet. 1.19 2 Tim. 3.15 16. Reply Which Scriptures I have spoken to before and shewed how little they make to I.Os. purpose the first speaking not of the Scripture at all The second how throw saith in the light first the letter may be profitable toward but not per saltum to salvation and perfection 3 Attainment of eternal life 5. Joh. 39.30.31 Reply Which life comes as is there said above through Christ and beleeving in his light which is his name whom and which the Scriptures testifie of as appears by the two Texts he cites talked on enough by me already in way of answer to I.Os. Fancies and not by the Letter or Scriptures themselves though searched after and lookt for there by the Scribes that neither heard nor saw the Father nor came to the Son for life nor could abide that his word should abide in them So that howbeit he concludes the Scripture perfect in all respects I say in respect to its own appointed end it is as abiding incorrupted by mens wresting as at first given out by holy men yet not in all the respects in which I.O. and T.D. assert it to be perfect who makes it as now altered and adulterâ—ted the only most perfect Standing Rule of faith and life and way and means of knowing his will our duty and of coming to eternal life and that exclusively of all inward light and Spirit and other Revelation of which but where is the ' proof on'â— his saies there is no need of them but they are fictitious uncertain dangerous abominable and the like Whereas I trust to make it appear there is no knowing God but by other Revelation of him then the outward one that is made in the Scripture even by the Revelation of himself within men As for thy Enthusiasm and colloquia Angelica vel ficta vel facta thou mayest keep that to thy self I pretend not to the defence of discourse with Angels fained or true yet to thy shame I shall say thus much in vindication of truth against thee viz. that thou shewest thy self but a silly man to conâ—emn Colloquia cum Angelis vel sicta vel facta and by whole sale to throw away without making any difference all conference with Angels whether made indeed or but fained for what were all Daniels Maries Pauls Iâ—hns Christs conferences with Angels truly made fit for nothing but thy flours and for thee to make thy self sport with Col. 2.18 which thou cotest below will not save thee from the just censure of ignerant impudence sith that condemns a worshipping of Angels only as also the Angel himself condemns that whom Iohn would have worshipt Rev. 19.10 22.9 and forbids it but conference with Angels not counterfeit and ficta but facta which thou makes no bones of to render detestable in thy dirty driblings as well as fained are of those good things thou speakest ill of because thou knowest them not Having Grubd up by the Roots the first of J. Os. Grand Artificial Arguments grounded inartificially upon Testimonies of Scriptures which he calls inartificial ones and disproved all his petty and subordinate proofs of the minor Proposition thereof on which the whole stress of his evidence stood I proceed to examination of the rest Arg. 2. His second is A perfecta operatione seu effeâ—tu Scripturarum from the perfect operation and effect of the Scripture In English thus If the Scripture doth accomplish in its way of efficacy which is moral All things that can possibly be effected by any Revelation of Gods will whatsoever in order to our due and sincere worshipping of God and coming at last to life eternal Then vain are all those foresaid principles of the knowledge of God viz. The Spirit and Light within which the Fanaticks falsly boast of But the former is true Therefore c. The minor of this Argument which I deny hath a whole Troop of Testimonies or Texts of Scripture pressed to attend the proof thereof which I.O. takes to be such a Trusty Life-guard and most of them are so to the Qua. cause concerning the Light Word and Spirit within that there is no doing any thing in denial thereof that can reach to the rendring of it untrue but unless it be some one or two of them that mention the
Letter as profitable in a way that will prove little to his purpose the rest will frustrate his expectation of assistance from them sail him fal in with us neither expressing nor implying any such matter as the Scripture as he supposes but intending all the very truth we contend for against him viz. The efficacy profitable and powerful operation of the inward light Word and Spirit of God which he Ironically glories over as inania inutilia incerta minime necessaria fictitia rejicienda detestanda and such like Those Texts are Ps. 19.8 119.105 Rom. 1.15 16. 2 King 3.15 Iam. 1.21 1 Tim. 4.16 Isa. 55.10 11. Iâ—r 23.29 Ioh. 8.31.5 1. Ioh. 17.20 Rom. 15. â— Heb. 4.12 Here 's a whole Jure impannelled again of which he imagines that they will all give their verdict his way for the Scripture that it doth efficere ea omnia praedicté yea alia omnia perficere c. effect the things aforesaid yea and perfect or accomplish all things necessary to Gods glory and our salvation alone so that inania sunt falsa c. All Revelation or means of Revelation by these things viz. The spirit or Light within the Qua. call to are vain and false c. But setting aside two of them viz. 2 Tim 3.15 Rom. 15.4 as I have shewed above which though they do speak of the outward Scriptures being useful profitable and comfortable to the Saints yet prove them not to be therefore the only perfect standing Rule of faith and life for the reason rendred by T.D. why all Scripture that is by inspiration is not so because besiâ—es inspiâ—ation to make a Rule is necessary Gods appointment of Writings to that end pag. 43. of his 2. Pamph. which said appointment to that end the Book called the Bible hath not saving only that appointment of man not so much as one of all the rest of his Trusty Texts do either mention or mean ought of the outward Scripture I.O. cites and summons them all together to pass their Vote for but do all unanimously give their Verdict on the behalf of that holy Spirit Word and Light within which the Qua. stand to vindicate as the antient most perfect useful certain stedfast standing Rule of faith and life and way of Gods revraling his will to us and of our saving knowledge of himself and it and our duty to him in particular against that venome I.O. and T.D. spit out against them with which they are big I.O. specially under the slanderous disgraceful and opdrobrious compellations of uncertain dangerous unuseful in no wise necessary counterfeit abject detestable So that I might let them all pass take no notice of them unless he had brought such Scriptures in proof the Scriptures power and efficacy as make some mention thereof either expresly or implicitly at least yet since they make not little to I.Os. as they make much for the Qua. cause against him who affirm the word in the heart and light within to be that which he falsely and ignorantly asserts the Letter to be viz. the only standing Rule and way of knowing God savingly and means of Revelation of himself and wâ—â— and our duty to us of our obtaining life and that very self-evidencing effectual light and power of God to salvation I am minded to insist here a little longer upon them and perhaps upon such other Texts as I.O. elsewhere wrests this way in proof of the self-evidencing efficacy light and power of the Scriptures in his English Treatises as well as in his Latine Theses The first of I.Os. Twelve Texts Ten whereof nor talk of nor intend nor mention nor mean the Sripture at all viz. Ps. 19. it hath been talkt with already above where I have shewed that the Law of God which is therefore said to be a restituens animam restoring and converting the soul is the Light the Letter speaks of and not the Letter it self which any but a blinde man may see for what Letter was written when David wrote this very little more then the Books of Moses which I.O. himself and all men conâ—ess to be but the Old Testament which is but the letter that killeth for is that outward Letter of the Apostles and Evangelists were the new Testament as they call it yet none of that was in being till above a thousand years after David and the Old Testament that was in his dayes is now abolished neither it nor the Letter nor outward Statutes and Judgements of it being given to any but Jacob or Israel after the flesh as a type of the New Testament or Covenant that is now made good to Israel after the Spirit but that Text I say hath been unfolded enough before so that though I meet with it again here as I have done twice before and whether I may again or no it matters not but sure I am that some Scriptures thou citest four and some five or six times over at least in thy Book how much more I know not in proof of the Scriptures being this and that which testifie no one Tittle of any thing concerning the Scriptures at all so dry are our Doctors and Divines drawn and nearly driven to finde out furniture in the Scripture in defence of their false faith and meer figments about the Scripture I shall meddle no mo more with it here nor with the second that are sufficiently forespoken to though they both speak something as good as nothing to thy cause concerning the outward Scriptures viz Rom. 15. 2 Tim. 3. As for the other nine they all with one consent and more that elsewhere thou cotest do declare the Authority efficacy self-evidencing light and power of the word of God within which both the Qua. and the Scriptures bear one and the self-same testimony to but predicate nothing at all of the Scriptures which nine together with the rest that are coincident therewith and truly cogent to all mens consciences as concerning the witness they give to the inward word the outward Letter relates of I shall here take under consideration in what order is not very much material As to that Ioh. 8 31.5 1. in which two verses Christ to the Jews speaks of one and the same thing which run thus If ye continue in my words ye are my Disciples indeed and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free If a mâ—n keep my saying he shall never see death I reply Reply Christs Word and his saying is efficacious and powerful to tree them that continue beleeving in it and deliver from death and give life yea that the Words he speaks are spirit and life according as he sayes of them Ioh. 6.63 and vers 68. the Words of eternal life which Text pag. 68. thou I.O. very falsely expoundest of Moses the Prophets and Apostles Writings this who â—â—â—â—ies Which word of his as it s heeded in the heart where it is spoken and laid up there till it dwell richly within sits men to teach
and admonish others according to Col. 3.16 which Text also thou understandest Ex. 2. s 13. and T.D. too p. 31. of his 1. Pamph. of the Scripture or Letter without and that the Word that Christ speaks to every man in his own heart and conscience whose voice and word and Gods word also his sheep hear and such as are of God when others do not cannot because they will not Joh. 8.43.47.10.26 27. is that which leaves without cloak or excuse in their sins Joh. 15 22. and that the Word that God by Christ the Light and Christ by his Spirit and Light in the conscience speaks is that which who so beleeves in and hears abides not in darkness or errour but comes to know the truth that sets him free from the law of sin and death and brings to life and who hears not or hears and beleeves not or receives not but rejects shall be judged by at the last day according to Joh. 12.46 47 48 49 50. this I do not deny for this is it and not the Letter here as it is sometimes used as the Lights instrument which was never in the heart how much less the letter chiefly only authoritatively exclusively of any other Revelation by the Spâ—riâ— and Light within aâ— thou spitteâ— it out to wâ—ich Letter yet pag. 87.83 86 87. thou â—o 〈◊〉 all those powerful properties which dive into the hearts coâ—scienceâ— and secret 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of men whether they ever saw read heard or heard of the Letter yea or nay Judges sentences them in themselves convinces tesâ—ifies conquers kills men converts builds up makes wise holy obedient ministers consolation in every condition to whom it is due and as thou sayest intending it of the Scripture which is peculiar only to the Light within the heart the Scripture speaks of guides teaches directs determines judges in and upon men in the Name Majesty and Authority of God also I deny not but the Word of Christ spoken by Christ himself in the conscience is that which is effectual to purge the conscience and cleanse the heart that it may bring forth fruit to God and the way accordin to Ioh. 15.3 where he sayes Now ye are clean through the Word that I have spoken unto you and according to that of Paul Eph. 5.26 who saith Christ cleanseth and sanctifieth by the washing of water through the Word and that of David Psal. 119 9. who saith that the means by which a young man may cleanse his way is by taking heed thereto according to Gods word which Word of God also he sayes vers 11. he had hid in his heart that he might not sin against God which inward Word of God that is so abundantly spoken of as I elsewhere shewed in that 119. Psal. that there is not past two of three among those 176. verses of it in which it is not mentioned as to iâ—s efficacy excellency usefulness profitableness and power under one name or other of either Testimonies Statutes Judgements Precepts Law Commandements c. all sounding out one and the same is stiled for it was not an outward Writing with mens hands he there means vers 72. The Law of Gods mouth and 88. the Testimony of Gods mouth intimating that which came more immediately from God to him in his heart then the Writings of Moses could do even out of his own mouth in him whom he and Habakuk 3.1 and all the Prâ—phâ—ts excepâ— the Word-stealers heard what he would say in them Ps. 85.9 Jer. 23.16 receiving from his mouth stood in his counsel the Light within That that Scripture Joh. 8. is true of Chriâ—ts words in what it speaks of them and the rest that are suitable to it I deny not but that either it or any of them by God or Christs words or saâ—ingâ— intend the Scriptures without at all much more altogether exclusively as thou talkest of the Word Spirit and Light within and the Revelation of minde and will of God thereby immediately in the heart this I utterly deny affirming that the internal Reveation of his minde to men by his own â—oice from his own mouth in their consciences is that which is mainly yea only and altogether intended in them yea and in some not to say all of them exclusively rather of the Scriptures as which indeed are not the Word or Words that are declared to effect those precious things but are only outward Writings of spiritually inspired men who witnessed its efficacy in themselves that declare those precious things which the inward Word effecteth And the like I respectively affirm and deny as concerning that other Text Jer 25.29 of thy own alledging where God saith of his Word it s a fire and a hammer that breaketh the Rocks in peeces denying it utterly to be meant of the Writings of the true Prophets out of which the false ones stole the words they preacht and then ran and said Thus saith â—he Lord declaring in his name when he never spake to them nor sent them when like the Scribes for all their telling things as the Word of the Lord as they read this or that in the Scriptures they had never as any time heard his voyce nor flood in his counsel nor received nor marked his words as coming out of his own mouth and affirming it to be meant of the Word of God ministred immediately by his own voice in the conscience which is said to be accompanied with the like mighty effects in the hearts of wicked sturdy proud haughty minded men that are likened to Mountains and Rocks against which the Lord comes in a way of terrible storms and thunderings which prepare his way 1 King 19 11 12 and to lofty Cedars of Lebanon and strong Oaks of Bashan Isa. 2.12 to the end in Psal. 29.3 4 5 6. c. where it is said The voice of the Lord is upon the great waters or peoples Rev. 1â— 15 The God of glory thundereth the voice of the Lord is powerful full of Majesty breaketh the Cedars divides the flames shakes the wilderness makes the â—lindes calve discovers the Forrests and that its of this and not the Letter which men steal nad call the Word is evident by the verses about it where the Lord declares himself to be against the Prophets that steal and tell and sell what they read in the true Prophets writings which they wrest according to their own dreaming thoughts into sinister senses and to tell lies and dreams and divinations of their own brain for truth which stoln ware though they vent the same word which they read in others writings not receiving and uttering as from Gods own mouth God calls but the vision of their own mouth and the Chaff which is nothing to the Wheat and not the other vers 21. Moreover as to the other of thy Texts I am yet in hand with viz. Jam. 1.2 1 Tim. 4.16 Heb. 4.12 Psal. 119.105 Isa. 55.10 11. All which thou urgest in proof of one and the
hearts of men though witnessed to without in the Ministry of Prophets and Apostles preaching and writing of it as that in which they were to beleeve in which beleeving according to the Voyces and Scriptures of holy men calling them thereto and beleeved by them they thenceforth and not before were said to beleeve on the Name of God through which beleeving in it they had life but what 's this to evince the Writing to be that Word â—hus spoken thus written of which was another thing which was as truly beâ—eeved in to life before it was written of as after Oh quoth J.O. as were the persons speaking of old so are the Writings now True whence in his own words I argue back ad hominem on him thus As were the persons speaking the Word of God old so are the Writings now Buâ— not the persons preaching no nor yet their preachings and speakings were the Woâ—â— of God they preached and spake of but only means by which men were brought to beleeve in the Word of God What 's Paul what 's Apollos but Ministers by whom ye beleeved 1 Cor. 4.5 Therefore the Writings now are not the Word of God written of but only an outward means by which men are brought to beleeve in another thing then the â—ritings for life even in the Word of faith nigh in their own hearts which the Prophets and Apostles preached and wrote of that iâ— order to life men should beleeve in it I.O. And now as to that Text Heb. 4.12 which thou citest also p. 85. reciting the words of it which are these The Word of God is quick and powerful or as thou there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 living and effectual sharper than any two-edged swâ—rd piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Rep. I cannot but stand almost astonished at thy stupidity in expounding that Text of Scripture of the Text of Scripture and of that terme there the Word of God of the Book called the Bible which the business of thy Book is mostly about sith the efficacy and power of the Word here spoken of is far beyond that of the Letter or Scripture it self the inefficacy and weakness of which I have shewed above specially abstract from the Spirit and Light within in which way thou asserts the sufficiency of it witness thy own words above rehearsed as to any such mighty matters as are here mentioned Is the Letter the Scripture sharper then any two-edged sword to divide asundâ—r soul and spirit c. a diver into a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart what thinkest thou by the two-edged sharp sword that goes out of his mouth that rides the white horse with his vesture dipt in blood and the Armies in heaven following not in Lawn Sleeves Sarcenet Scarffs Sattanical Goâ—ns Canonical Coats Scarlet Formalities White Surplices Velvet Plush black Gippoes and such like Scholastick Superfluities but in fine linnen white and clean i.e. The righteousness of the Saints Rev. 2.12.19 11 12 13 14 15 22. Is it the Letter or is it the Sword of the Spirit a prime part of that Armour of God Armour of Light intimated Rom. 13.12 Eph. 6.11.17 which is the Word of God and the sharp soul-searching heart-piercing living life-giving Word that is here spoken of for it s the Spirit that quickneth the Letter killeth and is dead the Sword of the Spirit is the Spirit or words of Christs mouth which he speaks which are Spirit and life not Leâ—ser which Word of Christ is the Word of God also as Christ himself the Lord that Spirit is 2 Cor. 3. which was in the beginning before Letter was and was with God and was God for the three that bear witness in heaven the Father Word and Spiriâ— are one and all three Spirit and Light and the Letter is none of them all and these without the Letter are effectual and werâ— so before it though T.D. sayes the Spirit was not wont to be effectual without the Letter p. 42. of his 1. Pamph. but the Letter and its revelation is not sufficient and omnibus numeris absolute c. as J.O. darkly divines to effect and perfect all things as to Gods glory and our salvation of it self so that there 's no need at all of any other witness or revelation by the Spirit and Light within T.D. indeed if any save such as are bewitcht and befooled already would be such fools as to follow his foolish fancy would and what Parish Preachers do not the like make men beleeve by his non-sensical blinde wayes of proving it as if it were so at leaâ—t and that is a little more moderate then I.Os. boundless elevation of the Letter which hee makes little less than All in All that the Spirit was not wont to be effectual without the Letter in proof of which his false Assertion â—e urges Rom. 10.17 the same Text that I.O. wrests the same way Faith which is the Spirits work quoth he in the forenamed page comes by hearing hearing by the word of God which terme the Word of God there T.D. and I.O. and their Adjutants generally take to be the Scripture Text though if any measure of right reason did Rule in them they might see in the same Chapter that the Word of faith by which it comes is that they preached to be brought nigh in mens hearts and moâ—ths by God himself that there they might both hear and do it Deut. 30.13 but so far is his Position from having any truth in it as much as he stands up agâ—inst R.H. who justly withstands him in it that if his own eyes were but half open he could not but see the flat falsehood of it yea it is so palpable that before all the world I will here lay down the very contrary as the truth viz The Spirit was wont to be effectual without the Letter And why he should lose any of his Authority power and efficacy by mens writings as they were moved by him he is either wiser then I that can tell or else very fond in asserting what he can tell no reason for And that the Spirit or Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God whether we understand it of Christ himself that Spirit 2 Cor. 3. that quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15.45 who is called the Word of God Rev. 19.13 or the Spirit of God and Christ which is so called also Eph. 6.17 was wont to be effectual without the Letter of old before there was any Letter for him to work by is so clear that t were to light a candle to see the Sun by to go about to prove it yea as I.O. sayes in a case that is clear I mean clear contrary to what he asserts in it Ex. 3. s. 31. so say I in this ad Solem caecutiâ—â— necesse est c. he must be so blinde as not to see the Sun
when it shines upon him that is ignorant of it or assents not to it since as R.H. told him then it was so so I tell him here over again in R.H. his words with the addition of the long tract of time wherein t was wont to be so The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God which was effectual two thousand years before the Letter was And this I the rather assert against T.D. here in this place because he is so ignorant as to tax R.H. there for usual speaking non-sense and for understâ—nding non-sense as well or better then good sense in that when T.D. said The Spirit was not wont to be effectual without the Letter R H. repeats him saying thus The Sword of the Spirit is ineffectual without the Letter which in effect is all one if T.Ds. eyes were well open to see clearly what the Spirit is and what the Letter and then replies thus The Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God which was effectual before the Letter was Now I demand of thee T.D. 1. where is any non-sense R.H. spake whose words I here speak after him that I may clear them from thy unjust cenâ—â—re of non-sense And if R.H. understood any non-sense as thou sayest he did then that must import that thy self with whom he was then in discourse hadst spoken some for he could not understand that non-sense from thee which thou never speakest Out of thy own mouth then at least thou art condemned for speaking some non-sense if a man were minded to prosecute thee for it for habemus Retâ—â— conficentem we have it from thy self if it were so but though thou tacitly taxest thy self with non-sense yet I shall do thee that Right this once as to clear and exuse thee from thy own false self-accusation for in truth both what thou spakest and what R.H. spake was all good sense as to the intelligibleness of the phrases unless thou account every sentence to be non-sense that is false as to the matter propounded in it as in a sense thou mayest there being no sense nor reason for it that any man should affirm and tell an untruth and then I confess thou spakest non-sense and R.H. good sense Sith his saying was true and thine was false For the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God and the Spirit it self and not the Letter as thou who art somewhat low and implicite not very loud me thinks nor express as if thou durst not for shame speak out thy minde about it seemest to make it was wont to be effectual without and was effectual before the Letter was But here 's indeed the very knot of the business thou deemest R.H. to utter non-sense in not being so non-sensical as with T.D. I.O. and their Chronies to interpret the Sword of the Spirit there called the Word of God of the outward Letter or Scripture that is the thing will not down with T.D. without straining at it as a peece of non-sense to assert the Sword of the Spirit not to be the Letter witness T.Ds. words of R H. T.D. As for what he says that the Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God if he meant like a man in his oppositions he must mean Christ who but once is called the Word of God Rev. 19.13 And Christ cannot be intended Eph. 6.17 because he is not the Sword of the Spirit but the Spirit his Sword rather for by the Spirit he works in the hearts of men and therefore Gen. 6.3 he sayes My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with man which is meant of the Holy Ghost as will appear by comparing it with Act. 7.51 where Stephen tells the Jews Ye do alwayes resist the Holy Ghost Christ by the common operations of his Spirit strives with men and by the special operations thereof preâ—ails with them Rep. In this parcel is more truth granted to the Qua. then T.D. himself understands so to be or will ever stand under the force of when made use of by them against himself for he sayes the Spirit is Christs Sword by which according to Gâ—n 6.3 Act. 7.51 he works operates in men mark his words and is said to strive with them that alwayes resist him even in themselves I could never yet get it granted from T.D. or any other contenders against the truth in this point that Christ had a Spirit of his in men by the operations of which he is said in those two Texts to strive with them n themselves for howbeit its the common Doctrine laid down positively by themselves unawares many times yet when they meet with Qua. in verbal discourses who urge these two self same Texts and that in 1 Pet. 3.18 19 20. By the which Spirit Christ preached to Spirits in prison which were disobedient in the dayes of Noah c. And that Ioh. 16.8 9 10 11. concerning the Spirits convincing the world of sin c. in themselves and that Ioh. 3.19 20 21. of Christ the light coming into the world i.e. the word which is in mens hearts there condemning the evil deeds even in the dark cells of wicked mens own consciences which Light is sent not to condemn but unless men love the darkness more then it in order to their salvation and that they might be saved by beleeving in it vers 17 18. And that Text also Ioh. 1.9 concerning the truâ— Light which is Christ enlightning every man in the world all which places and many more are parallel together in this point among all the several sorts of shifts whereby to shuffle of the sound Doctrine of the Qua. this is most commonly made use of viz. that the strivings and shinings of Christ by his Light and Spirit with and unto the Sons of men which they dare not deny neither to be universal and yet do own ten parts to one of the world too to be at this day without any true outward Gospel Ministry or Traditions by by men or Letter of Scripture O Rotas where 's the beginning and end of these mens Rounds are not by any Light or Spirit of his that is in them for that measure of his Light and Spirit within wee call men to they name natural imaginary figment Fanaticisme Enthusiasme and ironically that infallible Doctor Qualitas nescio quae divina seu anima mundi omnibus mista 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 merae tenebrae caecitas nesâ—io quid niâ—il nothing and much more as I.O. pleases but by a Letter and Ministers of the Letter without them only he strives and shines by his Spirit say they and reproves and conviâ—ces the world that resist but t was of old by the outward Ministry of Noah only a Preacher of Righteousness t is since by the Scripture and Ministers of it that preach outwardly out of it though perhaps not one of an hundred in the world ever read it or heard it preacht on but not by any measure of his Spirit or immediate workings of any Light or
Spirit of his within the hearts of the whole race of wicked ones these things are not common to all Nequé enim spiritus Christi quoth I.O. Ex. 4. s. 21. Esse potest cum sit quid omnibus sommane this Light the Qua. talk of cannot be Christs spirit sith they make it a thing common to all And T D. p. 2. 1 Pamph. you speak of a light that every man hath in all ages and generations And p. 3.4 G.W. saying Christ was given a light to the Nations T.D. denies that the Gentiles had been at all enlightned by Christ unles you mean as God quoth he and say I what should we mean else is not Christ God and his light the light of God and his Spirit and Word the Spirit and Word of God before Christs coming But in the parcel above we have it under T.Ds. own hand what need we say more or use more witness nnless the false witnesses agreed better together then they do within themselves and with each other for vve can either turn each of them to himself or one of them over to another vvellnigh at any time for an ansvver That the Spirit is Christs sword and by it hee works in the hearts of men i.e. all men in proof of vvhich Gen. 6.3 Act. 7.51 are urged by T.D. himself vvhich grant of his vve shall take and lay up against the time to come that if he deny Christ henceforth to have a witness a spirit a light of his in the hearts of all men vve may wound him vvith his ovvn weapon and slay him vvith his ovvn sword vvho yet vvhether the Qua. meddle more vvith him yea or day vvill as to that life he novv live vvâ—ich is partly in wickedness and partly in his ovvn foolish wisdome and unrighteous righteousnesse be slain at last vvith that two-edged sword I am to return to talk of vvith himself and I.O. vvho are to dye to vvhat they novv are by the dint of it before they ever knovv the Lord or that Gospel of his they both fight against and then they shall learn that sword of Christs mouth and sword of the Spirit to be the Light and Spirit within aud not the Letter they are so loud for vvhich Letter yet as an instrument or sword in our hands vvho are acted against them by the Spirit vvill furnish us sufficiently to slay them as to their silly senses on it effectually enough in all Reason and Conscience And novv vvhereas T.D. dreams that by R.H. his saying that the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God if he mean like a man in his oppositions he must mean Christ himself who cannot be intended Eph. 6. sith he is not the Spirits Sword but the Spirit his and so thinks he hath it Cock-sure that since t is not Christ himself it must be the Letter that is there called the Sword of the Spirit and the Word of God as if there vvere no third to be assigned as in opposition to the Letter for this is his Argument in form viz. the Sword of the Spirit is either Christ or the Letter not any third but t is not Christ therefore it must be the Letter Reply What if I tell him by the sword of the Spirit there called the Word of God one may mean a third as Paul doth in that place that is neither Christ himself whose Sword his Spirit is nor yet the Letter which undoubtedly is not it and yet mean like a man too yea verily be means not like a spiritual man but smells lik a Minister of the Letter and not of the Spirit that means it of the Letter and not of the Spirit it self for Spirit it is as the Letter is not and the Word of God whether understood of the Lord himself that Spirit 1 Cor. 15.2 3. which is called the Word of God Rev. 19. or of the Spirit of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.16 17 18. which is also the Word of the Lord and two-edged sword that goes out of Christs mouth called elsewhere the Rod of his Power the Rod of his mouth the breath of his lips the Spirit and life Joh. 6.63 the Spirit of his mouth Isa. 11. and brightness of his coming with which he smites Nations rebukes for the meek consumes and destroyes the wicked man of sin within first in his Saints and throw them as vessels that bear his name without in Myriads of whom hee is now beheld coming to that work Iude 14. as blinde as ye are neither to behold nor beleeve it And that the Sword of the Spirit is not the Scripture or Letter is evident for it is something even a Word and Sword that was before the Letter which only relates of it and therefore the Letter is not it unless a man will be so unmanly as to say the Scripture or Letter was before the Letter was which were nonsense with a witness Again if the Letter be the Sword of the Spirit and Word of God then there was two thousand years wherein theâ—e was none of the Sword of the Spirit or VVord of God that Paul there speaks of and a long time together wherein Christ and the Spirit had no Sword which is most gross absurd and sottish to assert yet is not T.D. alone found in it but I.O. also in the same for these two are seldome otherwise if not contradicting then concurring with each other in the same folly who p. 258. sayes thus of the Text unless he intend it of the Truth it self the Spirit of Truth Joh. 16. and Gods word is Truth abstract from the Text which only tells of it which Spirit and which VVord of Truth was before the Text and is where his Text is not and then I acquit him though by the Word of Truth he usually intends the Text and Scriptures of it as the Tâ—xt stands now pointed and asserted neither Jews nor Socinians shall be able to relieve themselves from the Sword of Truth therein If by therein hee means the Truth declared only I own it the Sword for the VVord which is Spirit is a Sword but if the Text or Scripture that is no other then the Scabbard Besides the Letter the Bible ye bawl for is too blunt a business to cut so close and search so the quick into the secrets of the heart thoughts soul spirit of men as the two-edged Sword we are yet talking about doth and too blinde a business to be denominated as the VVord of God spoken of Eph. 6. Heb. 4.12 13. is a discerner of the intents of the heart before which there is no creature that is not manifest unto the eyes of which as that which we have mainly to do with all things are naked and bare And howbeit I.O. as aforesaid is so dark as p. 87. to tell us of its diving into the hearts consciences and secret recesses of mens mindes there judging and determining upon them terrifying sentencing them in themselves c. yet he wofully erres to
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
uncontroleablely as he doth even to blinde and obstinate persisting in it for Ex. 3. s. 40. where hee infers the Qua. urging against his Letters being the only most perfect Rule on the behalf of the Spirit hee sayes thus J Oj. Ob Scriptuâ—a est litera mortua spiritus vivificat quis literae mortua nisi ipsâ— fiâ— mortuus adhaerere velit the Scripture is a dead letter it s the spirit that quickneth who but he that 's dead himself will look for life from a dead letter Rep. Falsissima est ista assertio scriptura est verbam Dei quod vivum est efficax neque uspiam litera esse mortua dicitur occidit quidem sed ido viva est That is a most false Assertion the scripture is that Word of God which is living and powerful Heb. 4.12 Neither is the Letter any where at all said to bee dead Reply Verumne Itane Ocyus adsit huc aliquis is it so I.O. that the Letter is no where called dead what no where nec clam nec cum scrobe nusquam hic tamen infodiam Some honest body come hither a little and let us dig up and dive a little deeper into I.Os. own Divinity doings to see if wee cannot finde it so called there by his own self if that be the same I.O. as no doubt it is that wrote the two English Treatises and the blinde Latine Theses about Scriptures in his own book for the Bible which may be cogent to him however in the 237. page thereof vici vidi ipse libelle I finde I.O. himself saying thus of the Letter yea and of the Word too and that is more I dare say then any Qua. dare say that they are both dead without the Spirit as living perfect in all respects efficacious to accomplish all as the Scripture was Ex. 3. s. 28 29. so that there is no need of any other revelation by the Spirit and Light within but those all are uncertain vain useless detestable c. Now t is without the Spirit a dead letter yea the Word is so too with I.O. as if the Word of God and Christ which is Spirit and life was sometimes dis-joyned from the Spirit Take it in his own terms then Reader lest thou think I wrong him all this while The Jews enjoyed the Letter of the Scripture as they do at this day yea they receive it with the honour and veneration due to God Their possession of it is not accompanied with the administration of the Spirit without which as we see in the instance of themselves the Word is a dead letter of no efficacy for the good of souls They have the Letter amongst them as sometimes they had the Ark in battel against the Philistines for their further ruine Here needs no more illustration of this palpable contradiction â—hâ—t I.O. gives to himself t were to suppose men that read his book to be Idiots to shew it more to their sight then it shews it self so with his own in operâ— langâ— obrepsit somnus I shall quit it here but not acquit it quite till he acquits the truth he quarrels with Only as to his occidit quidem ideo viva est the Letter kills for this he cannot deny being the Letters testimony of it self only he concludes as he is wont to do the clean contrary way therefore its living I 1. deny his consequence for many things are said to kill as dead instruments used by living Agents as a Knife a Dagger a Sword which when they have so done as in that subordinate way of an instrument cannot quicken though I own the Letter as healable and honourable an instrument as any is in the hands of men when they are used and moved to use it as an instrument in the hands of God yet as dead a thing as applied by the stealers of it in these times as it was in the mouthes of the old Theevish Prophets of whom God said They shall not profit people at all Jer. 23. And as to I Os. labouring to lick himself whole of this with his litera occidit quatenus litera legis est ab Evangelio seperata quatenus à spiritu verâ— sensu voluntatis Dei destituuntur qui literae adhaerent quae judaeorum conditio fuit contra quoâ— eo loci disputat Apostolus The Letter kills as 't is the letter of the Law and separate from the Gospel and as they are destitute of the Spirit and true sense of Gods will who adhere to the Letter which was the Jews condition against whom the Apostle there disputes Rep. I say Mutato nomine de te fabula c. the self-same is to be said of your selves against whom we dispute since your condition is the same with that of the Iews if once ye would savingly come to see it for liâ—era legis the letter of the Law is but the Old Testament still and not the Gospel and the New which is spirit and life and a life-giving Light to them that according to the call thereof will take heed to the light for life and while you not taking heed to the light for life adhere to the Letter so as yee doe when receiving it with veneration due to God yee fight against the light and spirit within for the sake of it of the Spirit and true discerning of the minde and will of God declared in the Letter and revealed in the light ye are ignorant taliter if not totaliter and as uttely destitute as were the Iews And now as to that Text which remains yet with one more to bee touched on viz. Psal 119.105 Thy Word is a light to my feet and a lamp to my paths which thou also appliest to the Letter as the light and lamp there spoken of and upon that account from that and many more as little to thy purpose and as much to ours as that is lettest out thy minde into a long peece of dark prate about the Letters being the most glorious light in the world as if it were that in Ioh. 3 19. which is not the Letter but the measure of the light come from Christ into all mens consciences almost throughout the fourth Chapter of thy first Treatise I must here have a little parley with thee about that and the other places thou producest which are all parallel with it against thy self and so hasten on what I can towards an end as one more grieved sick and weary in my spirit to see thy confusions then by the power of God upon me bearing me up under the else unsupportable burden of it I am in either body or spirit with confounding them Those other Texts are Iob 24. They are of those that rebel against the light they know not the way nor abide in the paths thereof Psal. 19.8 9. The Commandement of the Lord is pure in lightning the eyes Psal. 119.130 The entrance of thy words giveth light Prov. 6.23 The Commandement is a lamp and
interpret the term of Light in those two Texts of no other thing then the Letter of the Scripture The words are these the People meaning the land of Zebulun and Nepthali by the way of sea beyond Iordan c. which sate in darkness saw great light and to them that dwelt in the Region and shadow death light is sprung up Rep. The juncture of time of which this is spoken concerning the land of Zebulun and Nepthali seeing great light was when Christ himself the light of the world came among them dwelling at Capernaum a chief City of those two Tribes by the Sea-coast and shone ronnd about them in his own immediate Ministry The Scriptures or letter which by the word Light there is by our great Text-man I.O. said to be intended must be either those of the Old Testament as ye speak or of the New those of Old could not be meant here for if they had been that Light they could not have been said to have sate till now in darkness and shadow of death neither could the light have been said as it is here to have sprung up now so newly to them for the outward Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets was sprung up to that people of Israel long before this time and those of the New it could not possibly beâ— for John the Baptist and Christ having written nothing at all that is extant in your Bibles though Christ after this wrote something that is not there and the Apostles and Evangelists having written nothing yet for not one o them was called till after this as appears by the verses following not one jot or tittle of that was sprung up to them as yet therefore what ever Light it was and what it was is well enough known to the children of the light though not to the children of darkness that despise and wonder and perish not beleeving the work that God is working in their own daye â—et this I can tell them which is as much as is meet for them to know till they live up to what they know already and as much as is needful to the case in hand that it was not the Letter of the Scriptures And now I am so near that Mat. 5.14 it is not amiss to step thither beâ— before I go back to Hosea where the words are Ye are the light of the world which place I. O brings to prove the Letter to be the Light Rep. I should sooner by the half have urged Gen. 1.2 God said let there be light and there was light to prove the Letter to be the Light for that hath a typical mystical reference to the true Spiritual light that inwardly inlighteâ—s every man that comes into the world then that clause of Christ to his Disciples Yee are the light of the world for that hath not the least tittle of tendency to such a thing unless I.O. who is blinde enough in blending the Writing and letter written of into one individium will now grow so gross in his confusions as to confound and thrust a third thing viz. the men that wrote some of the Scriptures into one and the same individium with them and so make a new kinde of Trinity in unity and unity in Trinity which if he shall then letting pass that long tale of the doctrine of the Trinity in seven or eight pages together viz p. 132. to p. 139. in which he talks as T.D. and most Divines do of he knows not whom nor what while he hates the light if I say I.O. shall fain such a new fangled Trinity as Writers Writings and Word written of and jumble them all three into one then t is time to tell these Trinitonians their Bell haâ— not Mettle Nor the Tune of a Bell but the Tone of a Kettle But I.O. hath a saying I toucht on above whereby perhaps hee may think this unfavoury sound is salved it is the writing it self quoth hee p. 71. that now supplies the place and room of the persons in and by whom God originally spake to men as were the persons speaking of old so are the Writings now Rep. Therefore say I as the outward persons of the men which I.O. reckons on were not the Word of God so neither were nor are their Writhings the Word of God Ad hominem Ob. But may he say the persons of the Discipâ—es are here called the Light of the world Rep. As vessels that bore the Name Word Truth or Light of God to the world by the figure or common metonymy as I said above whereby the thing containing is called by the name of that that is contained in it or held forth by it which yet either as to name and thing it really and properly is not I can allow I.O. his denomination of the Apostles by that name of a Light in such wise as commonly by the said figure but not properly the Lanâ—horn in sensu composiâ—o together with the Light shining in it is termed the Light which Lanthorn of it self is so far from being abstractively from the Revelation made in it by the light within it a light of it self that its a dark body that can neither shew any thing else nor bee seen it self without it bee manifested by something else that is truly Light But all this will lend I.O. as little help as none at all in his lame cause who hath entred the lists with Qua. before the world to vindicate the Word of God and the Light to be the proper name and nature of the Letter to evince it against them as to name and thing so to be p. 30. of his Epist. and p. 73 74. that the Scripture both is so and is so called or else it properly could not as having the very nature and properties of light and Ex. 1. s. 253. whos 's dealing with the Qua. is de Scripturae nomine proprio viz. titulo illo glorioso verbo Deo quod nomen sibi vendicat about that proper name of the Scripture to wit the glorious Title the Word of God which name it challengeth to it self and Ex. 3. s. 28 29. who sayes that Revelation the Scripture that is abstractively considered of it self and from the Light and Spirit the Qua. say is necessary is so omnibus numeris absoluta perfecta ut nihil opus sit c. so every way absolute and perfect and accomplishing all things as a Rule or Guide as who should say the Lanthorn is such a sure and sufficient guide of it self in the night that there is not any need at all of any other light the naked Lanthorn is a Revelation and will do well enough alone so that there is no need at all of any other direction to know God to salvation by nor of the Spirit and light within which is superfluous vain useless and dâ—â—estable I.O. is never the nearer as to his cause for all that which I can afford to allow him as abovesaid Moreover if men made after Gods Image
and truly partaking of the Divine nature and begotten by the light and living Word of Truth from death and darkness into a real union with it self by receiving with meekness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the innate ingrafted word â—am 1.21 by which they become incorporated and as it were transubstantiated into one seed with it self having the Image and glory of God seen upon them and shining in and through them before the world men before whom let your light shine faith Christ Mat. 5.16 Is. 60.1 2 3 c. 2 Cor. 2. ult I say if such men may be stiled the Light of the world as Iohn Baptist was stiled by Christ a burning and shining light Joh. 35 36 then whom yet Christ had a greater witnesâ— Wil I.O. therefore prefer the deaâ— copies of the writings of those living men who wrote from the life light and Spirit of God moving before or at least into an equality with the holy men who under God were the Authors of those writings as they were at first which now are but the fallible â—andyworks of by his own confession but meer fallible Transcribers or if he will will any wise men of God become so foolish with him I trow not in as much as the work-man is more glorious than the work that issues either originally from or but subordinately through his own hands the Writer more honourable than his meer writing as Heb. 3.3 4. Hee who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house for as every outward Writing or Letter yee now have the use of was written by some man as every such house is built by some man but he of whom are all things and he that originally built all things is God indeed Yet me thinks I sent not only I.O. but T.D. also who is so a kâ—n to him that in most matters here hee prosecues the same point unless where he contradicts him and hobbles upon the same notions enthroning the Scriptures or outward Letter very high above the Church whose children it immediately was pend by the hands of and whose meer outward Engine the outward letter is insomuch that I.O. makes it not only dearer to God then the whole world besides p. 171. but also p. 76. the very Darling of God so that his Church whose servant the Letter is and for whose sake written is made by him but some subservant to hold out the honour of the Letter that it may bee the more conspicuous rather then to let her own light image grace glory which is that of God Isa. 10.1 2. shine out before man the duty t is quoth he almost the whole of the Church to hold up that some time and when wee say the Church is a Pillar and Ground of truth from 1 Tim. 3.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which words Pillar and Ground should not bee taken for the supporter or foundation nor inholder of truth in sensu Architectonico which T.D. denies â—e not dispute See p. 356. See p. 355. but grant him his sensum forensem or foreign sense of it in which I.O. also who sayes absurdly however that these words Pillar and Ground may in good coherence of speech refer to the words following viz. the mystery of godliness as well as to the Church will take it in and let them have it yet what follows that the Church is but the Ground and Pillar to set the Letter upon which I.O. calls the light and truth there and to hold forth only the outward literal publication as T.D. pleads p. 18 19. of his 2. Pamph. or the seat or place of residence for the Scripture as upon the Exchange in London are pillars and places upon which hang Tables and Proclamations in no wise surely for though the Pillars of the Exchange are for support as well as shew and so T.Ds. Simile doth not quadrare nor run on all four to bee sure yet to give them the sense of a pillar to hold up or hold out only yet that which the Church is the Pillar to hold up that is hold forth is the Truth whether by or without the Scripture of it between which Truth and the book they both sometimes do distinguish which truth or light is the Foundation or Pillar in sensu Architectonico on which the Church is built and not it on the Church as the letter is which under God the Church that gives no being to the truth or light nor kindles one beam thereof as I.O. sayes but only bears witness to it gives being to and so is in sensu Architonico the Pillar or Foundation of though in sensu forensi of the light and truth only for the Church is more honourable then the letter as the Builder or that which supports the house is more honourable then the house that receives being under God and preservation from it and its Prophets but its less honourable then the light and truth it lives by and hath its being from as a Church in respect of which light and truth t is confest it is not a pillar and ground in sensu Architectonico as it is of the letter but in sensu forensi only that is the seat place or pillar from whence it is held out and shines or as the Church is called Reâ— 1.20 Zach. 4.2 a golden Candlestick that serves to hold out in life and doctrine voice and writing the eternal Word of grace light truth and word of life conveyed in measure to her from the two Olive trees or anointed ones or sons of Oyl the living Word and Spirit that empty themselves into the golden Candlesticks feeding them therewith and from thence shining as God witnesses to the world which two witnesses shining and prophesying to the Church or Candlesticks and through them to the world in power and much patience and sufferings stand before the God of the whole earth Zach. 3. Rev. 11. And if the Saints born of the incorruptible seed the Word of God which liveth and abideth ever may bee stiled the Seed of God Will I.O. thence conclude that a corruptible Letter copied out by corrupt mens hands as the Scripture is at this day may be so stiled also The Word of God took upon him the nature and seed of Abraham but never took upon him however he is written of in it the proper nature of a dead Letter that was written with ink and pen by mens hands There was no time wherein the Word and Light by which all was made was made or born into the true nature of such a Letter but there is a time of its being made flesh and dwelling as their food in the Saints Joh. 1.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 natus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Word was born flesh and dwelt in us Ioh. 6.51 to 64. the bread I give is my flesh c. howbeit all flesh is not the same flesh there is a flesh of Christ that if eaten with a carnal mouth would as so have profited nothing vers 63.
it s a Spirit that quickens even the words he speaks which are Spirit Life not an outward flesh much less an outward Letter but this is a great mystery when we speak of Christ and his Church that eats his flesh and drinks his blood to cleansing from all sin and to life as the eaters and drinkers of bread and wine yet do not and are flesh of his flesh bone of his bone this is childrens bread a knowledge too wonderful for our Accademical Scribes and Scripture-searchers for the life while they hate the light who are so lost in their laudings of the letter and hampered in their heads about their senses of the History and taken up with tattle for every tittle of the Text that they have not time to turn in to the light whereby to see it and so miss the mystery of the Gospel which is revealed only to them that live and walk therein by the light and spirit in the heart As to that Hos. 6.5 hee must bee more then Moon-blinde that takes the word Light there to be intended of the Letter since the place sufficiently explains it self in the next clause before that and expresses it to bee the words of Gods own mouth the same that I have said enough to above even that Sword and Spirit and Rod of his mouth and breath of his lips and brightness of his own coming wherewith he Smites the Nations Consumes the man of sin Reproves for the meek and slayes the wicked T is true he sayes in the first clause of the verse hee hews them by his Prophets for hee comes not to do any judgements on the wicked which hee reveals not first to his servants the Prophets who go forth and warn them of the the doom that from the Lord himself is drawing nigh upon them but t is the words of his own mouth the light from himself that condenms them in their own consciences for their evil deeds by which he slayes and executes his wrath and judgement under which they are left inexcusable upon them which judgements are as a light that goeth forth purging away the sin and preparing a way for the Lords coming in mercy to such as wait quietly on him in the way of his judgements while they pass as at the house of God they do whereat they begin till her Righteousness at last go forth also as brightness Isa. 62.1 2. and her glory and salvation as a lamp that burneth As to that Ioh. â— 20 21. One would not think it that had not seen the Lord hiding the plain truth of the Gospel as it lyes open in the Text from the wise and prudent which hee is revealing unto Babes that one of the Renowned Scribes and disputers of this world should be so confounded as to conceive that by light there is meant the letter since t is as clear as the light it self from the verses themselves and those that go immediately before them that that light alone which the letter only points to and not the letter it self can so much as possibly be there intended Where 's th Scribe where 's the Disputer of this world for the Scriptures that he cannot see the Scriptures themselves he is so scraping for is hee not a miserably be-moped mis-led Leader that would lead men to mis-beleeve the letter in its Testimony to the light which letter hath no higher end then to bring men to beleeve in that true light of the world which it self doth but testifie of which light is no other then that which shines immediately whether the glass of the letter be beheld yea or nay from himself who is the Sun of Righteousness into the world that is in mens hearts condemning the evil-doer and his deeds laying open to them not de jure only what the lusts of it are and in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they are to bee avoided even those of the eye flesh pride c. but de facto how far forth they are or are not avoided and accordingly censuring them within themselves where the Letter cannot come in the inmost cells of the consciences of such men of the world as live where the Letter without was never so much as outwardly seen or heard of is not hee of whom and whose light all that iâ— spoken vers 16 17 18 19 19 20 21. recorded by the same Evangelist Joh. 12 35 36 46. c. saying I am come a light into the world that whoever beleeveth in me may not abide in darkness and Ioh. 8.12 Hee that followeth me â—â—ark me the true light Joh. 1.9 that enlighten every man that cometh in the world shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life is all this and much more in that book Joh. 9.5 and much more throughout the Epistles of the same holy man who speaks of the word that was in and was the light from the beginning before any letter was and of the Son of God and the holy unction c. intended and to be interpreted of no other then the little letter and of no more then that little of the letter that was written by motion of that Spirit which is bound up and bounded within the brief bounds of your now hide-bound Bibles Pellibus exiguis Arctatur Fili usingens Pellibus exiguis Arctatur Spirit usingens O thou that art named Mic. 2.7 The house of Jacob is the Spirit of the Lord so straitned are these his doings do not his words which are heard from his own mouth do good to him that walketh uprightly by them now as well as in former dayes Moreover the Letter is not come into all the world so universally de facto actualiter for de jure potentialiter it may by right and possibly enough be so transmitted but that were too much cost for our covetous Clergy to bestow Bibles without coin upon poor heathenish Nations into all the dark corners of the earth as the light spoken of Ioh. 3. must necessarily bee supposed to do or else it is not adequate to the case there handled for the Letter is actually seen and read but in a small part of the world but the world into all which the Word that is the true light is said to come both in Col. 1.6 Joh. 1.9 and in Joh. 3. which is parallel to them is the whole world that lyes in wickedness and every man in it thaâ— dwells in darkness and shadow of death yea where ever the spiritual darkness is and that is in all mens hearts where the Letter comes not among such as carry it under their arms there is this true light said to shine though the darkness doth not comprehend it Joh. 1.5 I know the narrow pinching conceits of such as would winde the wide World here spoken of within the short circuit of his Church or the Elect which they confess though as personally predestinated to life as all the rest are peremptorily to damnation without any respect to
Truth Law Doctrine or Commandement which is a Light and Lamp is within as Rom. 10.8 witnesses it for me so my two Antagonists I.O. and T.D. do both from the Testimony of that very Text testifie the same with it and me against themselves the one viz. T D. sying p. 30 31. of his 1. Pamph. 't is evident that the word spoken of in the heart Rom. 10.8 is meant of the matters contained in the Scriptures for the Apostle sayes expresly that is the Word of faith which wee preach whereby it seems by your selves the Letter is neither the Word there said to be nigh in the heart and mouth nor yet the Word of faith the Apostles preached but some other thing that was actually properly truly and formally within the heart even the holy Word Law Light Truth Spirit of Truth and Doctrine which wee together with the Scripture do testifie unto and you contrary both to us and the Scripture are continually testifying against and the other viz. I.O. saying Ex. 1. s 40. The Word in us is that Word of faith the Apostles preached but they preached nothing but what was written by Moses and the Prophets Rom. 16.26 yea that that Word was a Word written the Apostle professedly testifies in that place vers 10. 2. The Scripture is nigh us in our hearts and mouth not in respect of the Letter written or the Scripture formally considered as written but of the divine Truth or as it contains and holds forth the divine truth it self Reply V. 11. Thou meanest sure for there the Word Scriptures is named but what of that and who doubts or denies but that the Word in the heart was written as well as preached and testified to by writing as well as by word of mouth but wilt thou ever be so blinde I.O. as to make no difference but when it serves thy turn to do it as thou thinkest against the truth for then thou makest a difference See p. 12. 13. between the Word written Doctrine declared and Declaration Book and Truth Scripturam rem scriptam preaching and thing preached publication and will of God published proclamation of good things and the tidings or good things proclaimed and told of Suppose a man should stand at a Market-cross or in Cheapside and preach publish or proclaim by Word of mouth or set up a Bill or Writing that there is special good Wheat Bread Flesh or the like laid up under the custody of the Lieutenant of the Tower enough for all the poor starvelings of the rich City of London where the more shame and wo to the rich Gluttons in it they ly perishing about the streets by him freely to be dispenced who is sealed or authorised to that end to give to all comers according to their wants or in a time of distress or danger that there is safety in the Tower for all that are willing to run in thither within so many dayes or else the gates shall be shut for thus the Publishers of the glad Tidings of the Gospel of peace and salvation by Christ the Light alone and his Spirit and Light which reproves sin is the heart do declare both by Voyce and Letter or Writing in their times as he himself Isa. 45.22 Look to me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth viz. That in him who is the Light is the life of men to be had and not in the Letter which rather killeth Hee is the strong Tower where safety alone is Him hath God sealed to be the giver of the bread of life and the meat that endureth to eternal life to all that come to him in that time wherein he shines in his Light Now if people should run only to the Cryer and hang alwayes on the hearing of his voice or stand reading the good news in the writing he hath set up doting on and delighting only to read that day by day because its comfortable as it tells of good things and never at all according to the counsel thereof betake themselves to the Tower where they only are might they not stand there poring till they perish pine and starve and would they not lose time and perhaps totally withstand it and would yee judge them to bee well in their wits if they should run up and flock all together to the Proclamation or bare Writing supposing to injoy the things themselves though they never look after the said Lieutenant spinning out the time limited in looking upon the writing and so far dote as our Dr doth that the coming to the Scriptures is the only proper way of coming to Christ himself which he counsels us to Rev. 3. as to think that their comming to that Paper every day is their next way to the Tower their very only proper going to the Lieutenant that is required Mutatiâ— mutandis de te fabula the case is your own O ye untaught better fed then taught Teachers it is yours O ye more letter-lauding then letter-learning Preachers and Priest-admiring people Christ is come from God that men might have life and have it abundantly calls all to look and come to him for it yee like the old Scribes search the Scriptures and therein look for the eternal life because they are they that testifie of it and of him who is the life but yee will not come to him that yee may have the life Ioh. 5.35 c. 2. What need I say more but with T.D. and I.O. to heed and beleeve themselves because they are so dull of hearing that they will neither heed nor beleeve the Qua. for they give the cause in Question between the Qua and them about the Scripture or the Letters being the World of faith or light shining in the dark place of mens hearts which Peter sayes men are to take heed to which said dark place that is the heart and consâ—ience where by their own confession so gross a thing as a formal outward Letter cannot come but only some more subtil thing then that is even a spiritual light as that is not is as evident in the Text as the Word and Light it speaks of is to him that is not blinde for the dark place wherein the Word and Light here is said to thine is the same wherein as the Light is taken heed to the day dawns and the day star i.e. Christ him self arises first as that bright and morning star Rev. 2.28 whereby the day spring from on high visits such as sate in darkness Luke 1.78 79. and at last as the Sun of righteousness it self Mal. 4.2 but that is said expresly to be the heâ—rt so far as from Ioh. 1.5 we argue Where the spiritual darkness is which comprehends not the Light within which darkness the light shines There the true light shineth but that is within in the conscience of all men therefore there the true light in some measure is shining As if the dark place within which the Sun shines be a room within
the house then some light from the Sun must be within the said Room also so wee argue Retro from hence If the dark place where the day is to dawn as the lesser light therein is observed be the heart then the place wherein the lesser light shines which even therefore secundum vâ—s O ye bâ—nighted ones cannot be the Letter must be the heart also but verum prius c. the first is true therefore the latter We have a more sure word of Prophesie to which ye do well to give heed as to a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts 2. The word of Prophesie or Prophetical word is a phrase that of it self seems to any but blinde Expositors to intend another thing than the outward Letter and to found forth no less then that more inward Word or immediate Testimony of Christ himself in the conscience elsewhere stiled the Words of Prophesie or Word of God and Witness or Testimony of Iesus or Spirit of Prophesie from which of which and to which the holy men that were internally illuminated thereby and made acquianted with Gods secrets bare Record or Testiminy without by Voice or Writings Rev. 1 2 3.19 10. the trâ—e and faithful words of the Lord himself inlightning such as wrote the Letter who having no need so to do the Lord and the Lamb being their light wrote not by though not against the Directory of I.Os. outward Candle Moon or Sun ad extra i.e. the external Text of others Writings Rev. 21.23 22.25.6 the Words of the Prophesie of this booke as Iohn calls it Rev. 22 8. i.e. the inward Spirit of Prophesie or Testimony of Iesus from which all Prophesie went forth whether by voice or writing which the Angels and Gods servants the Prophets had and kept Rev. 22 9 compared with Rev. 19.10 which book I.O. dreams 't is like was the outward Writing or Copy that Iohn gave forth the uncertain Copies of which to say nothing of the doubts of the old dimn sighted Doctors that were at oddes about the outward Book called the Revelation and some others even of those that are owned as Authentick whether they are not spurious yea or nay only are extant at this day little deeming that was an inward Book which I.O. tells us of too if he will own his own words p. 9. 25. which Iohn took in at first from which he gave out the the other and prophesied in the way of manual wiriting even the inner book of Gods secrets which are only with such as fear him revealed to Christ by the Father and by Christ to Iohn and opened by Christ to his servants at this day who eat it and prophesie out of it again before many Peoples Nations Tongues and Kings though sealed with 7 seals to the Scribes on the backside or outside of it on which backside or outward letter they are busily poring but they cannot read it neither learned nor unlearned because it is a Book sealed Rev. 5.3.10.2 9 10 11 12. Isa 29 9 ao 11 11. 3. That very Epethite which to the Word of Prophesie here spoken of is annexed doth even infallibly evidence it to be intended of that inner Word Spirit and light in the conscience which the Qua. call too and thou scoffest at and not at all of that fallible external Text which thou art so talkative for for it s called a sure permanent firm or stable Word which is more then can be saving all thy blinde bable about it asserted of the best and most original Copies of that Letter thou contendest for that are extant in the world in these dayes and not only so but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more sure or stable word then that voice which Peter Iames and Iohn heard immediately from heaven out of the Fathers own mouth concerning his beloved Son Christ the light of the world given as a light to the Nations shining and shewing the will of God to them in every one 's own heart so Gods salvation to the ends of the earth saying unto them Hear ye him v. 17. comp with Mat. 27.5 which voice coming from the excellent glory which was infallibly sure to them no cunningly devised fable they heard when they were with Christ in the holy Mount Now the Word Spirit voice and light of Christ in the conscience is properly and truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a more stable firm and permanent Word or standing Rule constant Canon and lasting light and so more sure to us ward then that voice to them not surer in respect of its evidence to the hearers of it or the security given by it that it was no fable nor fancy in which sense thou most foolshly fanciest p. 66. that the immediate voice above said absit absurdum was not so sure i.e. not so certainly evident to be Gods voice as the Letter is certainly evident to be Gods Word for in that sense the said voice was to them that heard it most infallibly sure or evident so as nothing can bee surer to be God and I.O. in saying as he dotingly doth p. 66. that comparatively we have greater security from and by that written Word meaning the Scriptures or Writing for that is the Word written with all along such is his illiterate language then they had in and by that miraculous voice as he calls it and that the Scripture is more sure in respect of its giving out of its evidence to us then that voice of God was doth thereby absit blasphemia render the very voice of God himself whereby he spake in and to the Prophets that wrote the Scriptures to us less sure and certain more doubtful and questionable whether it might not be a mistake or no then the outward Writing or Text they wrote as it is transferred to our hands at this day through the hands of such a mighty multitude of fallible Transcribers none at all of which no not the first were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infallible or divinely inspired so that they could not in any thing mistake by his own confession p. 167. where I.O. confesses and grants also that it s known that failings have been among them from whence various lections of which it cannot be ascertained to men now which is right which wrong are arisen which so variously transcribed Scripture it is shame enough for I.O. to assert as he doth p. 10. under that term of Word by which he terms it and p. 153 under its own name of Scripture that it is come forth to us from God without the least mixture â—r intervenience of medium obnoxious to fallibility as is the wisdome truth integrity knowledge and memory of the best of all men or capable to give change or aâ—teration to the least Iota or syllable and more shame yet to say as hee doth p 27. that every Apex of it is equally Divine and as immediately from God as the voice wherewith or
whereby bee spake to or in the Prophets and is therefore accompanied with the same Authority in it self and unto us but most shame of all if he be not past shame so as not to see it in that he from this of Peter sets the Scripture the alterable and much altered Copies of his Letter his flexible Transcripts and Text that are and may bee turned and winded as himself confesses p. 22 23 24 25. of his Epist. at the wills of Criticks into â—arious senses not only in equality with but into a state of certainty abâ—ve the very immediate voice of God that was heard from heaven which true vâ—ice of God yet p. 66 67. hee sayes to the contradicting of himself in what he asserts as to the minority of its evidence to us then that of the Scripture hath tâ—at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accompanying it as evidences it self and ascertains the soul beyond all possibility of mistake and is that which we are at last to rest in as being discernable from and obliging men to discern it from all delusions though yet O Rotas I to go Round again the Scripture is that with him that is ultimately to be rested in and not the voice of God which he sayes may counterfeited witness the same pages where hee bems in and hedges up his speech concerning the infallible certainty of Gods voice beyond all possibility of mistake and concerning our resting ultimately in that a parte ante with this saying viz. Suppose God should speak to us from heaven as he spake to Moses or as he spake to Christ or from some certain place how should wee bee able to know it to bee the voice of God Cannot Satan cause a voice to be heard in the air and so deceive us or may not there be some way found out whereby men might impose upon us their delusions Pope Caelestine thought he heard a voice from heaven when it was but the cheat of his successour must we not rest at last in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that accompanies the true voice of God evidencing it self and ascertaining the soul beyond all possibility of mistake a parte post with this saying viz. If the Question be whether the Dâ—ctrines proposed to bee beleeved are Truths of God or cunningly devised fables we are sent to the Scripture it self and that alone to give the determination Thus ultimately we are to rest in Gods voice and yet ultimately we must rest in the Scripture which is another thing for those that heard and searcht the Scripture as I shewed above never at any time heard Gods voice though yet I beleeve I.O. to bee so sottish to suppose the Scripture or Writing to bee it from which yet himself sometimes distinguisheth it Now the Scripture the Letter what ever thou sayest of it to the contrary I.O. specially as to the present corrupted Copies of it which are your Canon are not Sure much less a Surer matter then the immediate voice of God neither 1 In that false sense in which I.O. interprets that Term more sure viz. more unquestionable and undoubtedly evident to bee of God for if wee grant it to be of equal Divine certainty as we need not it being as now but the Remote issue and product at the hundredth hand perhaps of Gods voice in the Prophets yea but Remote Transcripts of fallible men from the handywork or manuscripts of the first Penmen yet to say its of greater divine certainty then Gods own voice is absurdity in the abstract Nor yet secondly in that genuine sense which the Term 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most properly bears viz. more firm stable stedfast standing permanent or the like for the Letter is changeable alterable flexible passing perishing corruptible at mans will who may mistransâ—ribe turn tear change alter burn it c. and so flecting and transient but as for that Voice surer then which I.O. sayes the Scripture is which Scripture he calls the Light or the Word of Prophesie and the Prophesie of Scripture mistaking himself when it is but the Scripture of the Prophesie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That Voice was as infallibly sure to its evidencing it self to them that heard it to be of God as any thing can bee though so permanent it was not as the Light within is â—nd the Voice of God that is to be heard in the heart of those that take heed to and turn not away from it for that particular Voice that came to them from God saying of Christ Hear ye him was passing and transient not abiding staying and standing as to the actual â—udibility of it but the Voice and Word of the Son in the heart of whom the Father said Hear ye him this is permanent lasting standing stable sure stedfast alwayes nigh in the heart of men that they may both hear and do it and this and not the oâ—tward Scripture or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which I.O. scrafles for is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the more sure word or Prophesie of Scripture i.e. that that Scripture writes of or the light shining in the dark place of the heart good to be taken heed to here spoken of even the voice of Christ speaking from heaven in the heart and conscience of whom the Father sayes vers 17. hear him whose voice his sheep hear and who ever hears not in whatever he sayes shall be cut off from among his people whose voice which shakes the old earth and heaven where it s heeded it s more dangerous to turn from then t is toÌ„ turn from Moses and the Prophets and holy mens outward Writings for these whether old or latter speak and write though by motion from God yet on earth only but hee commeth from heaven and is above all as Iohn Baptist said of himself and Christ Ioh. 3.3.28 29 30 31. c. I am not the Christ I am but sent before him he hath the bride I am but the Bridegrooms friend who stand and hear him rejoycing at his voice he must increase I must decrease he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth he that cometh from above is above all See therfore saith Paul He. 12.25 That ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven Yea not the Letter but this Voice and light in the heart this inwardly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ingrafted innate Word or Spirit imparted implanted indelibly in mens consciences is as God and Christs Vicegerent there both revealing what hee requires of every man as to his own particular and taking account of him also in the name Majesty and Authority of God de facto how he answers it which Voice or Light of God and Christ in the conscience is called by thee p. 42 44 45 57. The
innate or ingrafted light of nature the voice of God in nature and common nâ—tions and general presumptions of God and his Authority inlaid in the natures of rational creatures and innate principles of reason and conscience and such like as if they were so de naturae de esse hominis so flowing from the meer natural being of men that they can be no more said to be supernaturally of God then the very natural faculties of reason understanding and conscience it self of which more an on both with thee and T.D. also though it be indeed that very way of supernatural Revelation which thou sayest p. 47. the Scripture is that as now in the world is handed to thee by the meer improvement of menâ— natural faculties in the way of transcribing printing re-printing as also studied by the meer improvement of your natural faculties of reading remembring understanding Hebrew Greek Latine English c. to the begetting of a meer animal or natural knowledge whereby yee know things meerly naturally speaking evil of what yee know not and corrupting your selves in what ye do know naturally as bruit Beasts for as a Horse or Bullock can finde the way to the Pasture where hee hath often been so the Priests by use course custome and concordance more than the work of the Spirit bringing all things to their remembrance can turn readily to Chapter and verse Which forsaid Voice or Light that God as thou sayest truly p. 43. hath indelibly implanted in the minds of men for the minde heart and conscience is as a dark place as to all spiritual moral and supernatural knowledge without the Law or Light of God shining in it and shewing good and evill is by thy own further Confession to thy own further confusion accompanied with a moral instinct of good and evil seconded by that self-judgement which God hath placed in us in reference to his own over us and that by which God reveals himself to the sons of men and that indispensable moral obedience which he requireth of us as his creatures subject to his Law and which is as effectual to reveal God as his works are to which there is need of nothing as thou sayest but that they be represented or objected to the consideration of rational crtatures and bears Testimony to the being righteousness power Omniscience Holiness of God himself and calls for moral obedience which is eternally and indispensably due to him and so shews the work of the Law written in the heart and is that by which the Gentiles or Nations that have not the Law in a letter are a Law to themselves and more then all this by thy own absolute acknowledgement whereby 't is evident that it even that thou callest the Voice of God and the Law written in the hearts of the very Gentiles and not the Letter of the Law written without with ink and pen is that ingrafted word by every one to be received with meekness Jam. 1.21 which is able to save the soul and that sure word as to it its evidencing it self to us or light shining in the dark place of the heart and that more firm stedfast constant standing permanent Word or Light or rule of life to us then that infallibly sure and certain though passing and transient Voyce that in the audience of Peter Iames and Iohn came from God himself that is here spoken of The said voice or light in the heart declares it self to be from God by its own light and Authority so that there is no need to convince a man by substantial witnesses that what his conscience speaks it speaks from God what ever testimony it bears or what ever it calls for from us in his name and so speaks and declares it self not only more constantly as it s ever with men but as to its certainty also that without further evidence or reasoning without the advantage of any considerations but what are by it self supplied it discovers its Author from whom it is and in whose name is speaks and is inlaid by the hand of God to this end to make a Revelation of him as to the purposes mentioned is able to evince its own divine original without the least contribution of strength or assistance from without and therefore I adde without an outward Letter undoubtedly though as undoubtedly an outward Letter cannot do all nor any of all this without the Light or said Voice Word or Spirit of Christ within which only doth and can evidence it unto the conscience that the Letter Scripture and doctrines declared therein are of so divine an original as they are Thus I have done with that Eminenâ— Text which is so much talked on so little to their own purpose by the most eminent talkers for the Text of the Scripture as that thing therein recommended to us to bee taken heed to as the most sure word of Prohesie the light shining in the dark place of mens hearts the Prophesie of the Scripture that is not of private interpretation but spoken forth in writing in the movings of the holy Spirit under which termes the holy Apostle intends not the outward Text in which as well as otherwhile by word of mouth the holy men testified to it and held it forth but that inward Word Light Spirit of Prophesie Truth witness and testimony of Iesus in the conscience which their outward voice words witness and writings were but a Testimony unto and an external means to turn men to upon the account of which Text in Peter and the 11. other aforesaid which I.O. impannels as his Jury to judge the case in question whether the Letter outward writing or Scripture is the spiritual Light or Word of God yea or nay I.O. makes such a full account to carry it his way and to have their unanimous universal verdict for him that the Letter is the Light and consequently the most perfect Rule and consequently the Word of God that in his blind hasty confidence he cannot stay from stiling it so till the trial about it be ended and while the cause is sub-judice and he but in his prosecution of the proof thereof but by way of Anticipation as it were throughout his whole book which is written mostly in ordine ad probationem as an enquiry after and examination of the matter he very often here and there if not as frequently and commonly as by its own proper names of Letter Writing Text or Scripture stiles and denominates it under the foresaid names of of the Light Rule Foundation Witness VVord of God as its nomen prâ—prium which hee will never prove to bee Proper to it whilest hee breathes And so hee runs on blindly in such over ample applaudings and most mighty magnifications of the Scripture that is the subject about which the Argument is driven on by what termes soever whether of the Truth the Foundation the power of God the Rule the VVitness of God the VVord of God c. hee expresses it by
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.
and an inexpressible exaltation of it above them the light of one day of this Sun meaning the Scripture which hee expresses by the terme the Word of God being unspeakably more then that of seven others as to the manifesting the glory of God nor doth it impaire this self-evidencing efficacy of the Scripture that it is a moral spiritual not a natural Light This and much more utters I.O. concerning these Termes of the Word the Light as the proper names of the Right belonging to the Letter Neither is I.O. alone in this but some others I have met with that have stifly stood up to defend the Scripture or Letter to be the Light the Word of God yea verbum oris the word of his mouth and the Voice of God and Christ properly and properly to be so called Rep. Which sayings O the contrariety that is in them to common sense and reason they may as well say they hear that mans voice properly some of whose sayings they read in the letters of such as write what they heard him say they may as properly say they are to own the voice of the Scribes and Pharisees for their Rule as they are written down by the Apostles and Evangelists sith Christ saith They sit in Moses chair all that they say do and that they do now properly hear their voyces sith what they said was recorded as say that they now properly hear Christs Voice in reading some things he spake as they are written by them that heard him speak them and stablish and canonize them and other mens sentences as the only standing Rule on this account because God said Hear him and they now hear properly Moses voice and must own his Law that vanisht as to the shadow of it still to the Church a standing Rule because Christ said They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them 2 O the contrarity of this to the Scriptures themselves for if they be properly the Voice of God and Christ then absit blaspemiae they make Christ charge the Scribes improperly and falsely that they never at any time heard Gods voice Joh. 5. for they heard the Scriptures read every Sabbath neither could he say truly what he doth exclusively of such as are not his sheep My sheep hear my voice if the Scriptures were his voice properly for the Dogs and Swine hear and hear the outward Scriptures read as well as his sheep but his sheep hear another secret still voice of his in all things that hee saith unto them in their own consciences which the loud Brawlers for the bare Bible drown within themselves with their non-sensical notes and noyses about their Diana's and siâ—ver shrines and Temple worship and Church work which voice and words of his are heard in secret with more profit among the wise Luke 10.17 then the cry of the Truth selling Spirit stinting-Scripture stealers among fools which still voice of Christs yeâ— whoever hears not and heeds not more then our heady high-minded Hypocrites of these dayes do may preach themselves out a while longer yet as the Ministers and Church of Christ but shall ere long be cut off from among his people in the mean time however this is the improper tone they tune it out in when we bid them fear God hearken to his voice own that as your only guide his Word his Voice his Spirit his Light as the only infallible sure standard the witness of God himself the Scripture witnesses of and sends men to which hee that heeds follows beleeves in obeyes needs not be so restless by wrangling as the wrestless for and wresters of the Scripture are about the Witness of man though witnessing from and for God as moved by him for the Witness of God himself and the Witness of Christ himself in the conscience is greater needs not be so loud for a Letter for the voyces and words of men and the Writings and Revelations of holy men for the inward immediate Voyce the Word the Spirit the Light Revelation of Christ himself in the heart is greater True say they we must hear Christs voice in all things he sayes abide in his Doctrine or Teaching receive his Witness and Testimony walk by his Word live by his Light alone bee guided and ordered in all things by his Spirit which alone reveals the minde of God and Christ without whose Revelation none knows the things of God and Christ but the Letter of the Scripture the outward Writings of such as heard him as we do not the Hebrew and Greek Text at least and Translationâ— as they keep touch with them these are that Word that living life-giving powerful heart-searching soul-saving Word those Words of his that are Spirit and Life by which alone men must come to beleeve that Light to the feet that Lamp to the path that verbum oris that very word of his mouth that works and accomplishes all things to his glory our salvation that verbum oris that goeth forth of his own mouth that hee put according to his promise Isa. 59. ult as if that were the Scripture oh gross and shameful yet over and over and over and over again I.O. cites that Text to prove Gods promise to continue the Hebrew and Greek Texts entire without loss or change of iota or title of it to the worlds end into the mouth of the Churches Seed and the mouth of her Seeds seed for ever that must go out of the mouth of babes and sucklings as the only strength against the persecutor to still the enemy and avenger that sharp sword of his mouth with which he will smite the wicked Nations Rev. 19. That Rod of his mouth or breath of his lips with which he slayes the wicked Isa. 11. That Rod of his strength and power sent out of Sion by which he will rule fâ—reuer in the midst of his enemies Psal. 110. That word that he hath spoken which God hath magnified ovâ—r all that is called his name and so over the light it self it sprang from which is his name Joh. 1. and the sâ—fe strong Tower of the Righteous That vis virtus Dei power of God and word of the Crosâ— That Doctrine or Teaching of Christ which continued in saves the Preacher and hearers ipsa doctrina quam a Deo docemur That witness of God which who so hath needs not the witness of men for the witness of God is greater That voice of God that 's more sure and certain as to its giving out its evidence to us then the very immediate voice which the Apostles heard God himself speak to them with from heaven 2 Pet. 1. And all this and much more exclusively and abstractively from that within yea and properly too so that the Word of God Foundation the Rule Light Lamp and so consequently all the rest of the Tiâ—les are the very proper names of the Scriptures no other then what are properly answerable to its nature For in this wife I.O. drives on the
business avouching that glorious Title of the Word of God and the Light to be the Nomen proprium Scripturae the proper name of the Scripture and that I wrong him not herein see his own stating the Question between himself and the Qua. Ex. 2. s. 1 2 3. de Scripturae nomine proprio nimirum Titulo illo glorioso Verbo Dei and p. 73. the Scripture is a light yet neiâ—her is nor can be called so unless it hath the nature and property of light p. 77. the Scripture a moral and spiritual not a natural Light p. 73 74. Light spiritual hath the preheminence as to a participation of the nature and properties of Light firstly and properly Light from whence the other i. e natural respecting bodily sight is by allusion so denominated in these places either expresly or eventually I.O. calls the Light and Word of God the proper names of Scripture or Letter and so consequently enâ—tails all the other glorious Titles to it as its Right due and proper names which they rob it of and deny it to be what it naturally and properly and really is who own it not properly both to be and be called the Word of God but it neither is actually testified so to be any whereby God nor by its self as I.O. p. 87. most lyingly falsely affirms it in so much that he who owns it not as so doth what in him lyes to make God a lyar And also p. 140. where he sayes If the Scripture be what it reveals it self to be it is then unquestionably the Word of the living God as p. 85. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the living Word of God Truth it self for that it professeth of it self quoth he frâ—m the beginning to the ending neither can it possibly be so stiled properly or unless it be by a figure as it no where is neither by it self that I know ofâ— by which the Image is called by the name of the Person which it properly is but a dead Picture and lifeless representation of the Lanthorn by the name of the Light that displayes it self more brightly when beheld without it which Lanthorn yet neither is the Light nor properly said so to be I am not ignorant of that Common Metonymy Continentis pro re contenta or figure whereby the thing contained is sometimes but never properly where it is exprest by the name of that which câ—ntains it and as well in that Scripture we talk of as in other Writings Matth. 26.43 and 1 Cor. 11.26 If this Cup may not pass away except I drink it As oft as ye dâ—ink of this Cup meaning properly not the Cups but the wine therâ—in viz. the one the bitter red wine of the wrath of the Almighty God the mixture whereof is powred out into the Cup of his indignation and of the fierceness of his Fathers fury which Christ drank deep of in the dayes of his flesh and humiliation to the drawing of supplications from him with strong crying and tears the other the wine of his blood shed for the remission of sins which such as walk in the light come at last to be cleansed by from no less then all sin neither of which Cups or sorts of wine thou hast yet drunk of or truly knowest what they are by all the skill thou yet hast in the Scriptures thou so scriblest for but shalt assuredly have thy part in the first before thou savingly know the second yea whether ever thou attain to witness the saving efficacy of the second yea or nay But what 's all this to the helping of I.O. in his crazy cause whose fighting is not all for figures or meer figurativâ— denominations but for the formal and true proper names of the Scripture which is the name of the Scripture and not the Word of God say we but is saith he that of the Word of God had he fought for no more then figures against the Qua. that stand for the Truth and said so too though in so fighting he had been foolish yet we could have born with him in that frivolous peece of â—olly and have lent him such a latitude as both by the Letter and Light may bee allowed to speak Metonimically and Metaphorically of Methaphorical matters and left him to his liberty without a check and let him alone in his figures to figure out things by other names then their own and to call them that which yet properly they are not to stile the Heusâ— they sit in by the name of the Parliament which it is not to stile the Picture by the name of the Person it is the image of the Voice by the name of the Word it is but the image of and the Scripture by that of the Word it is but the remote expression of and of the voice it is the more immediate image or expression of for vox est imago verbi Scriptura vocis immediata verbi quaedam mediata imago seu expressio and to signifie the Wine and the Light respectively by the names of this Cup this Glass this Lanthorn and the Word and Law by the name of a Scripture specially if by Scripture he mean that inward Writing of it by the Spirit of the living God in the fleshly tables of the heart where the Law of God is written though that writing and the Word written are not all one neither and we could bate him the impropriety of that figurative expression also though it be far further fetcht then the other whereby he should decypher that outward Letter by the name of the Law which it is but a bart Copy of and the written Word by the name of the Writing which yet in truth doth no more then declare of the Word Retro though I know not where in all the Scripture the Srripture is so much as by A figure denominated by that name the Word of God if the Word be any where so called by the name of Scripture as I.O. sayes at least fortyfold falsely that above fifty times in the New Testament the word Graphs or Scripture is put absolutely for the Word of God but if it were a hundred and fifty times so called it would not prove the high point in that height he takes on him to prove it in viz. that the Scripture is properly the Word of God and the Word of God its proper name any more then the Wine is called by the name of this Cup this Glass or the Light by the name of the Lanthorn Retro the Lanthorn by name of this Light which is all figurative not proper But this is not I.Os. case who runs up to the very highest peg and sings of the Scriptures a note above the Ela and quarrels with the Qua. as deniers of the Scripture unless they swerve aside with him in his silly suppâ—sitions and as well unsâ—holler-like as unsaint-like sensless sayings that the outwarâ— Scripture the Writing the Letter and every Letter and Tittle and Iota though but transcribed
Spirit of God Visions inward Light or Word are to be expected or admitted as any Rule to walk by the only guide and directory of all mens beleeving and living so that who have not that have none at all of any sufficiency to lead them to life though they should follow what light they have from God vouchsafed them to the utmost So that there is no principle to speak in his own words T. 1. c. 1. s. 16. or means of discovery of the saving Doctrine or sacred Truth no other rule or measure of judging or determining any thing about or concerning it but only that writing from whence it is taken the Revelation of it being expressed only in that writing upâ—n suppossâ—ion of any corruption in which the saving Doctrine Truth or Word of God as at first given out from God which say I whatever becomes of the Scripture is ever entire and for ever incorruptible and unquestionably uncorrupt 1 Pet. 1. cannot be evinced unquestionably to continue entire and incorrupt hee must then bee fed as himself and his fellow unlearned learned ones do feed their poor blinde pâ—râ—-blinde unlearned people viz. with a bit and a knock and bee kept close to so much as reason and Scripture can well spare him be caned into a just compass with his own Canon and Rapt into the right measure he runs out of with the Rule and measure of his making and bounded within the due bounds of equity which beyond all measure he breaks beyond for the bare Bibles and Letters sake by that Letter and Book it self which is called though by I.O. the Word of God Tr. 1. ch 1. s. 12. yet by it seâ—f never so honourably at all but only by such like Titles as a Declaration Letter Scripture Book or Bible And if he shall go on undervaluing that antient covering of Christ the Light of the world and the Armour of his light which is unchangeable and which the True Church which hath the Moon and all such moveable and changeable things as the best outward Writings are under her feet stands ever cloathed with Rom. 13.12 14. Eph. 4.23 24. Col. 3.8.12 Rev. 12.1 casting it away as some old menstruous cloath cast clout or rotten rag as he doth while in his imparralleld both ignorance and impudence he flerts at it as if 't were a meer Puppet patcht up of shreds as a fictitious imaginary Christ fain'd in the fancies of Fanatick fools and mad men Nescio quod lumen quos Enthusiasmos quem Deum c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vere nihil Ex 3. s. 11. Ex. 4. s. 15.21 Ex. 1. s. 5 6. and rejecting that covering of the Spirit of God which Wo be to him that is not covered with or is covered with any other Isa. 30.1 to cut out the outward Scripture and grave out the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into a Gâ—rment into an Idol covering to himself stealing Words from thence and therewith cloathing himself which will once wax old as a garment that is moth eaten and at last being old yea oldness it self though younger the Spirit and not the antient newness of the Spirit wherein the true worship and service stands is to vanish as an Idel that must go to the Moles Bats as the brazen Serpent be taken down and among other Idols of mens earthly Elements wordly Rudiments and carnal Ordinances that were good in their own times and places yet but imposed till the time of Reformation be sent away with Get ye hence Isa. 2.20.30 22. Rom. 7.6 Heb. 8.13.9 10. It s high time to strip I.O. naked and discover his shame which is seen by such as live in the light through his covering which is a prate of words about the Scripture and other things which yet he knows not and to summon him to sit in silence before the Lord undressing himself out of his stollen Ornaments which till he doth he shall not know what a work of spoyling the Lord hath to do unto him till it come irresistably upon him And if hee shall flye out so far in his whifling words as to call the Letter which to the Light bears the same and no better proportion then that of the Lanthorn to the Candlelight the Light as the name that is proper to it and flye up higher yet till according to his flashy fancy thereof he affirms it in Print as hee doth before the world that not only the Word of God written of in the Writing which none denies so to be but the Writing it self also which he means well-nigh in every place by that terme the Word or else hee strikes beside the Iron and lies hammering on the Anvil beating the Air and meaning another matter then that hee meant when he began and makes men beleeve that he means all along which is no more to his purpose then if he meant nothing by it at all is an illuminating shining spiritual light and higher yet preferred above the light of the Sun T. 1. c. 4. s. 8 9. the most glorious light in the world and higher yet the Sun one dayes light of which is unspeakably more then that of seven others as to the manifestation of the glory of God T. 1 c. 2. s. 15. a Sun that more eminently then any inferiour fire discovers and evidences it self by such properties as it hath viz. Light and Heat and Power T. 1 c. 3. s. 10. and c. 4. s. 16.20 and much more of such like high strains I.O. strikes up in till he stretcheth the bare Letter so far upon the â—enters as to strain it into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and make it even every thing that the true Word and Light within is when as howbeit it hath its excellency above other Writings as an instrument yet as to these peculiarities and precious prerogatives of the living Word is vere nihil then I must summon I.O. as warm as hee seems to himself to sit and as much as he seems to see by the painted flame of his fained fire and the sparks of his own kindling that if he know no other way to salvation then the Scripture and own not the light as the way which the Scripture speaks of this he shall have at the Lords hand Hee shall lye down in sorrow Finally to persue yet a little further and prosecute our present matter under the Metaphor of the Parliament and the House If a man should arise and stand up and contend that the House the Parliament meets in is the Parliament properly and none shall perswade him to beleeve otherwise but he will try it out with them that allow him to call the House by a figure or metonymy of the thing containing for the thing contained so as to say this House is the Parliament and will say the Parliament is the proper name of the House and it may properly challenge that to it self and they rob it of its true and due name and are enemies to both the Parliament and
on him to make an ill business good yet the utmost thou makest of it if well examined is as little as 't is nought toward the bettering of it and very much of it at least but very little better then what is urged above about the Lanthorn And when thou hast turned every stone and hast wrought a long time till thou hast tyred thy self with talking to have the Letter and every jot and Tittle of it to be the Word of God till thou canst scarcely go one jot further or adde one Tittle more to the countenancing of thy cause thou even givest out and lyest down and as T.D. had the wit to do at first and C.F. was forced to do at last in a manner givest it in and layest it down so very fairly to thy opposers that all thy after strugling for it again is to no purpose to prove thee any further a friend for all thy ample appearances pro Scripturis then the Qu. are with whom thou art fain to fall in one and say as they say in thy Ex. 1. s. 28. s. 40. and as thy fellow fighters with us about it do all confess that the Scripture no otherwiseâ—is nor is to be called the Word of God then Respectu subjectae materiae or divinae veritatis in earevelatae seu contentae non respectu literae scriptae non formaliter quatenns scripta in respect of the matter or Divine truth therein declared and contained only not in respect of the Writing or written Letter not formally as 't is Scripture and that in innumerit paene locis ubi verbum Dei dicitur c. in those well-nigh innumerable places of it where the Word of God is said to be preacht publisht multiplied and received the holy truth or matter of the Scriptures is intended but not the Scripture it self formally considered and when the Word is said to be nigh us in our hearts and in our mouths Rom. 10.8 and the Word of Christ to dwell in us t is confest by thee that that Word of faith is not litera Scripta is not the Writing but the Truth written which is another thing then the Scriptures neither do the Qua. say as thou there belyest them in thy lame laying down of their Argument which is of force to stop thy mouth however as thou rendrest it weakly much more if urged in its full strength that the VVord within is not Verbum Scriptum for it is the same word that is written but it is not the writing not the Scriptura not the litera scripta between which and the Verbum Scriptum thou art or wilt seem so silly as to make no distinction So then if the Scripture formaliter formally considered is not as secundum te it is not the VVord of God then however thou scruest it into that name and thing by secundum quid yet simpliciter really truly it s not so at all nor so properly to be called for forma dat esse rei and is that per quod res est id quod est and if it have not the form of the VVord of God then the Scripture hath not the being or true nature of the Word of God much less is the Word of God as thou improperly sayest it is its proper name CHAP. V. NOw as to I.Os. third Argument whereby to evince the Scripture to be the only most perfect Rule Standard absolutely sole sufficient way of Revelation of Gods will c. and so consequently the Word of God it s on this wise Ex. 3. s. 30. viz. J.O. The Spirit of God most heavily damns and rejects all additaments to the Word of the Scriptures i.e. the Scriptures with him of what sort soever and specially all those wayes and means of knowing God and communion with him boasted of by the Fanaticks chiefly conference with Angels Col. 2.18 Heb. 1.2 4. 1 Cor. 4.6 Luke 10 29. Revelations not only alienas containing different doctrines Gal. 1.8 but alias also 2 Pet. 1.19 other new Revelations of the same Doctrine then those individual Revelations of it that were made to them that wrote the Scripture Rev. 22.18 Heb. 1.2 1 Cor. 4.6 Col. 2.18 And Col. 2.18 And lastly that inward Spirit the Fanaticks talk of or internal light common to all 1 Joh. 4.1 Isa. 8.20.2 Pet. 2.18 Rep. Surely I.O. thou wast in some deep Divine dream when thou wrotest these thy Divinity Disputations or else thou wouldest never have divined out such a deal of darkness and falsehood at thou hast done or have lent such as thou wouldst have to own what thou writest for light and truth a little more of that thou eallest light even a little more of that Letter a of Scripture thou pleadest for to discry it by or something or whether thou deemest I will not say that men seeing a number of Scriptures quoted by the Dozen for so 't is here as 't is in sundry places above spoken to excepting that counting such as are twice over recited here is thirteen to the Dozen of which it might be said nos numeri sumus would make account of them by whole-sale to be all on thy side and take account of them not by weight but number without so much as looking otherwise on them then to see how many they are but not heed either what they say or whereof they affirm but some odde blinde business or other is i th' wind as the reason of it I know full well for there 's not any of all the Texts of thy own tumbling a top of one another that I meet with yet either in this Dozen or those before that hath the least tendency toward such a thing as thou intendest them to in thy meer Nomenclateral citation of them Thou intendest by all these to prove there is now no other way of knowing God of communion with him but the Scripture that there is now not only no other kinde of Revelation of the Gospel save such as was made of it to the Writers of the Scripture but also none of that same kinde of Revelation of it as was made to them to be expected or on pain of damnation and cursing pretended to by any person by any means whether Angels internal spirit that inward light the Qua. talk of or other medium whatsoever but only that very individual Revelation of it that is made in so much of the Letter as is now extant and bound in your Bibles is and must be the only Standard Rule and measure to which no Scripture must be added tho bounds of which no man for ever nor Angel is for ever to inlarge so as to write any more though of the self-same Doctrine or Gospel mark on so high a pretence as from the self-same true inward illumination vision in the same true light or immediate motion or inspiration of the same holy Spirit on pain or peril of utter rejection and execration Do the Texts set by thee in that Section even all of them together
within viz. Jam. 1.21 Receive with meekness the ingrafted Word able to save souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insitum vâ—rbum That the Word is a light thou dost not deny and that its within sure thou wilt not who sayest Ex. 1 s. 40 thus That Word within is the Word of faith the Apostles preached and that we are here called to it thou canst not So Gal. 5.16 17. Walk in the Spirit c. of which Spirit he saith it lusteth against the flesh which lusting must be where the flesh that private earthly evil spirit that man in the fall is possest with lusteth against it to envy and all evil but that is within and the Scripture saith so not only in Iam. 4.5 but in some other place whence he a leadgeth it whose words are Think yee that the Scripture faith in vain the Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy So 1 Joh. 2.24 27. Let that abide in you c. If that ye have heard from the beginning remain in you c. and what 's that but the anointing the Spirit of God within which though â— O. may call a whimsy and delusion a lye and such like yet is Truth and is nâ— Lye yea t is nothing but that which is in the lye which calls it a lye and that which is already deceived and hath nought but deceit it self to bee deceived of that cryes out Deceit and Delusion of the Truth To which I might adde all such places as call to the Light and mention the Light as that which though evil ones hate yet such as dâ— truth come to and Christ both warned men himself to walk by and beleeve in and sent Paul and Iohn and therest of hiâ— Ministers to turn men to and Iohn the Baptist pointed at and witness'd to which Light was not the Letter in which they wrote of this Light as thou silliâ—est supposest for they were not Aâ—inisters of that 2 Cor. 3. But the Light of Christ and Christ the Light of the world who enlightened every man before the Letter was and that is within in the minde and conscience where the darkness is for the darkness is within and not without and therefore the Light must bee much more within which shines within the darkness though not comprehended by it for that Light which shines in the dark place till the day dawn and the day-star arise there which is the heart must be also in the heart and that Light which shineth within the darkness which is within men must needs be much more within them as the candle that shines within a dark Lanthern that is seated within a Room must need be within the Room as much if not more inwardly then the Lanthâ—rn is Another Argument against the Light and Spirits being the Rule and so consequently that the Scripture onely is it is the uncertainty of all sorts of Enthusiasms J O. That which is every way uncertain yea most uncertain deceitful whether we consider thâ— principle of the Revelation or the things revealed that we ought not to attend to as a Rule or guide in the way of life and the worship of God but that 's the nature of all Enthusiasmes Therefore c. Reply Is thy Text then such a certain Rule with thee which thy self confessest to bee so uncertain that Criticks may alter it as they please and about which thou confessest ye are in such a heap of uncertainties 2. Wee talk not of Enthusiasms as the Rule but of the Light within and Spirit of God in the conscience and Word in the heart manifesting good and evill lusting against the flesh which the Letter calls a Light to the feet a lamp to the paths and this as is above shewed from 2 Pet. 1.13 is a sure word of Prophesâ—â— yea this is most certain unchangeable eternally the same incorruptible living and abiding ever what ever become of the dead Letter that is so liable to be altered corrupted nullified that there need no other Argument in the world be used to prove it not to be the Word of God unless God have an uncertain and corruptible Word which iâ— blasphemous and contrary to the Scripture to imagine then the utter uncertainty and corruptibility of it insomuch that we may safely Syllogize thy own Argument against the inward lights being a Rule from its uncertainty back again upon thee against the Letters being a Rule ab eâ—us omne genus incertitudine from its uncertainty and corruptibility thus viz Quod omni modo est incertum incertissimum corruptibile c. That which is every way uncertain most uncertain liable to be altered falsified corrupted to be mis-transcribed mis-translated mis-interpreted wrested this way and that to moulder away to perish be torn to peeces burned and many wayes brought to nothing is not the Word of God nor the only Rule c. But the Letter or Scripture is so as abovesaid witness the written Role of Ieremiahs Prophesie which Zedekiah cut with a pen-knife and consumed in the fire and thy own confessed mouldring away of the very first manuscripts therefore c. Another Argumen of I.O. against the Light and Spirits being the onely Rule is this J.O. It s of no small moment that leaning to these principles following thâ—se guides rejecting the Rule of the Word written the Fanaticks are daily driven to pernicious manners abominable Idolatries Murders Whoredomes Blasphemies and in all Nations to unhappy ends Rep. Whether there be more abominable Idolatries Murders Whoredoms Blasphemies and pernicious manners among Qua. or other men called Christians and Christian Ministers that suck at the breasts of the Vniversities or nursing Mothers is sufficiently shew'd above as for unhappy ends t is tâ—ue by bloody persecution many Fanaticks as thou callest the Qua. have come to untimely deaths the more shame for New England where two of them have been hanged for coming into their coasts and Old England also where for all the pretences to Reformation many have perished in prisons and by blows and bruises for their testimony to the truth the more shame for Oxford it self too where one of the first that came thither dyed of the bruises and abuses there received from the Scholars but if by unhappy ends thou mean such as befall men as his Judgements from the hand of God immediately in some eminent notable way seizing on them and cutting them off these are untimely ends that many not for following but forsaking and fighting against the Light the Qua. testifie to have brought on themselves in these latter years in these Nations besides many sharp sufferings in their lives time in which thy self I.O. hast had a just share for flinging at the Qua. as Fanaticks who art now flouted at as a Fanatick thy self Beware therefore and be warned in thy life-time leâ—â— thy latter end be as some of theirs How scores at least of persons have been taken away for their hands being heavy on the Qua. by the hand of God
heavy on themselves is to be seen in a book of E.B. stiled a Word of Reproof where hee mentions about fifty sad examples of Gods vengeance on the Qua enemies where Dean Owen is also marked out for no great good but his excessive pride to which I refer thee And to this very day the Righteous God every morning brings his Righteous Iudgements to light but the unjust knows no shame Another Argument whereby I.O. would prove the Scripture to be the Word of God is on this wise I. O. It will easily appear to any one that never so sleightly reads it that the holy Scripture is by the holy Spirit very often indigitated by that name So p. 117. in every place it avers it self to be the Word of God So p 140. If the Scripture be what it reveals and declares it sef to be it is then unquestionably the Word of the living God for that is prosesseth of it self from the beginning to the ending Reply 1. In proof of thy Minor thou producest Mar. 7.13 which is nothing at all to such a purpose for its the Commandements written which were Gods commands before they were written and we confesâ— to be the Word of God whether they be written or not that are there spoken of under that Term Word of God and not the Writing or Scripture of the Commandements 2. Exer. 1. s. 28 Thou overturnest thy self clear as to thy minor saying thus Where the Word of God is said to be preached published multiplied received in innumerable places almost the Scripture formally considered is not meant nor intended Which is so though I know thou contradictest this again blaming the Qua. because they allow not the Scripture to bee meant in those innumerable places of Scripture where the Word of God is said to bee preached published and received Ex. 〈…〉 then how canst thou say the Spirit in the Scripture calls the Scripture from one end of it to the other calls the Scripture the Word of God and that the Scripture every where calls it self so Another Argument whereby thou wouldest evince the Scripture to bee the Word of life and so the Rule is a certain absolute necessity vel ad esse to the spiritual being of the Saints that thou fanciest to be in the Scripture saying Ex. 3. s. 39. Non pâ—usopuâ—est victâ—â— vestiâ—â—uâ— vitam haeâ—â—animatem traducamus quam Scripâ—utis 〈◊〉 ejuâ— cognitioâ—â— Dei sâ—iliâ—et atque side in dies â—â—udiamur We have not more need of food 〈◊〉 to the natural life then of the Scriptures to the knowledge of God and â—â—â—th and that its evident that the Qua. have with Less danger and loss assayed to fast forty dayes then they can lead a spiritual life free from deadly sins without the Word of God Rep. Without the Word of God I grant it but the Word still is in the heart and is not the Scripture formally or Lieâ—â—er without which thou with shame enough due if thou takest it to thy self sayest men cannot live spiritually without nor free from sin without As if there were no holy spiritual men that did no iniquity as the world doth or that were free from deadly sins before the Letter was What Letter had Abel Enoch Noah righteous and upright men that walked with God in crooked generations to live by and if they lived without the Letter to God is it as impossible to do so now as to live bodily without food that which is necessary ad esse and not bene esse only must be necessary for them as well as us and so the Word of God is which was before the Letter and which they then had who had not the Scripture yea both outwardly inwardly men live by the Word that proceeds out of Gods mouth else outward bread doth not keep men alive bodily Matth. 6. yea every creature that man lives by must be sanctified by that else it s a curse 1 Tim. 4. And for the Qua. fasting forty dayes without hazard There 's a miracle told by I.O. himself concerning the Qua. if that may convince such as look for miracles yet will not men beleeve 2. More Texts there are used and quoted often over and over again in proof of many particulars respectively about the Text or Scripture not one of which either of them truly serves one jot toward the proving of as namely that it is the Word of God and that so assuredly that who receive 〈◊〉 not as so are inexcusable in damnable unbeleef that that is asserted to bee The Rule and Standard The Touchstone of all speakings whatsoever That which pleads its reception not onely in comparison with but in opposition to all other wayes of coming to the knowledge of Gods minds and will the best and most effectual means of bringing men to Repentance That which all faith and repentance is immediately to be grounded upon Thâ—t by which God gives us greater security against all preâ—ences and pleas of unbeleef to the excluding of them and to the enforcing of beleef as a sure foundation for faith to repose it self upon and more moving then any evident miracle That true voice of God which assertains the soul beyond all possibility of mistake That which not only it self to be discerned from al delusions but determines al Doctrines also propos'd to be beleeved whether they be truths of God or cunningly devised fables more then the most signal miracles imaginable more then that greatest of Miracles even Christs Resurrection and otheâ— mans rising with him from the dead more then any voice from heaven it self not only then one counterfeited by men or Satan in the air but then any True voice of God himself speaking to us from heaven as he spake to Moseâ— or as he spake to Christ yea as safely to be rested in as such aâ— any voice coming from heaven with such divine power as to evidence it self 〈◊〉 be of God and to be rested in as such yea giving greater certainty and security then that voice which came to them in the holy Mouns That Moses and the Prophets which who hears not wiâ— not be perswaded to repent though one arise to them from the dead That which as to its certitude is preferr'd before the certitude of even true and miraculous Revelations That beside whiâ—h after the compleating its Canon no new Revelations about the same faith and worship are to be expected or admitted no more 〈◊〉 it as from the Spirit to bee added which is to stand alone as the only most perfeâ—â— Rule inalterable Standard for the trial of all Doctrines Visions Revelation Spirits Gods own not excepted to which we must stand come and are sent alone to stick stedfast and earnestly attend to without hearing or heeding Angel or Spirit without listning to any new blowings or inspirations of the Spirit which is now imited to the Letter though it was once at liberty and had the licence as well since the Letter was written as before
to blow where it listed Ioh. 3. without looking at any light within without walking in any way or using any other means of knowing God of having or holding fellowship or communion with him which was wont to be only in the light 1 Ioh. 1. but that of the Scriptures on pain of rejection and heavy damnation from God own Spirit in the Scripture In a word That Law and Testimony which alone is to be consulted with in all doubtful cases to which God calls from our seeking and attending Pythonibus aut Aryolis qui pipiunt qui mussitant to Wizards and familiar spirits that peep and that mutter yea that very word there spoken of Isa. 8. which whoever speaks not according to these is no light to him I say the two Texts abovesaid are not only frequently cited and recited in evidence of these various and sundry particulars but also judged by J.O. to be such sure grounds Hercules pillars firm props and principles as are not only satisfactory to mens consciences but sufficient to stand that way he draws them against all mens objections so that relying thereon men have a sure bottome and foundation for their receiving all the other Scriptures so assuredly as the Word of God and consequently all that that it abovesaid that who even from thence even from these Text own them not in that manner as such are left inexcusable in their dammâ—ble 〈◊〉 p. 56. That therefore the utter in â—onsequence of J.Os. deductions from them which are meer non sequiâ—â—â—s may the more plainly appear I shall letting fall J.Os. other trifling Arguments and sidling Replies to what the Qua. urge on behalf of the light of inartificial Arguments as himself calls them draw them into the form of artificial ones and express the manner of his illegal inferences from them which is in such wiâ—e as here under follows We are by that Text in Isa. 8.19 20. sent to the Law and to the Testimony to try what evâ—y Churches or persons speak about the things of God his will worship or our obedience to him who if they speak not according to that Word there is no light in them Therefore 't is evident that the Scriptures are the Word of God and consequently all that that is abovesaid The second viz. Christ Luke 16.31 bids men attend not looking for Miracles to Moses and the Prophets the written Word as the best and most effectual means to bring to repentance and which all faith and repentance is immediately grounded upon Therefore the Scriptures are evidently the Word of God c. Rep. In which two Arguments thou reasonest in Print well nigh as ridiculously as he works in Paint who doth Humano capiti cervicem jungere equinam For the head of the corner is strait sound and sure the body of the building upon it corrupt and crooked weak and rotten That we are sent to the Law and Testimony to that Word there talkt of and intended and to Moses and the Prophets and that that Law Testimony and Word that Moses and the Prophets spake of in those two Texts is that Word that is the true touchstone of all truth a greater ground for faith and repentance to be founded on then that of Miracles and a more sure stable firm fixt stedfast or standing Word then the voice which came from heaven all this I do not in the least deny but that the bare outward Writing which thou falsely callest the Written word and the external 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as at first written much more the present transcribed Copies of that Letter much more yet every Letter Tittle and Iota of it which thou keepest such a tatling for to be no less then the Word of the living God is that Law Testimony Moses and the Prophets or written Word as thou callest it intended in those two Texts or that by these termes in those two places is meant the said outward Scriptures and lastly most of all that it follows by any good consequence from those two places by such sound deduction as will stand against all objections gives such assurance thereof that he is a damnable unbeleever that beâ—eeves not from thence that the said Letter and Letters are infallibly known to bee the Word of God and the rest above said which are the things by thee inferred from them all this I both do and dare deny For the Law that in Isaiah is spoken of is not the literal Copy nor outward legible Letter that thou pleadest for and divinest it is but another Law which I see by thee thou art not yet very much ver'st in nor used to read even that in the heart not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Letter of a Law of carnal Commandements not the formal Letter or literal form of a writing without but an inwardly written spiritual Law or Light within which is the power of the endless life that Law in mens mindes which is warred against by that Law of sin and death that dwells in their members The Law in the Spirit lusting against that and lusted against by that flesh or evil spirit that is also in men lusting unto envy and all evill the Law of the Spirit of life which is by Christ Iesus that is powerful to that which the Letter or Copy thereof which is figuratively called the Law is weak to cannot do viz. to deliver such as take heed thereunto from that Law of sin aforesaid that leads men captive unto death The Commandement that is a Lamp and not a dark Lanthorn p. 6.23 the Law that is the Light it self that leads to the life it self for so that of the Spirit doth and not the dead Letter that is used instrumentally as a knife to kill but in any wise cannot quicken And that Testimony or Witness is that Testimony of Iesus which they have hear that keep the Commandements of God even the Light in the conscience as aforesaid This Testimony of Iesus who is the true and faithful Witness of God of whom also God himself testifieth and beareth witness is Jesus his own Witness or testimony for God born by his own voice and writing by his own Spirit and light immediately in the heart who there testifyeth what he hath seen and heard of the Father though few such a thou art receive not his Testimony whose light voice spirit speakings and counsel from heaven in their own hearts who so turns away from and hears not in all things is none of his sheep but shall be condemned and cut off from among his people and not the testimony or witness of men in outward Writings or Letters testifying though as moved by him what they have seen and heard from him not that Scripture thou so wâ—itest for and callest the witness of God for that of God is far greater the Testimony of Iesus is a Letter indeed a Writing and an Epistle Prophesie yet not the outward Writings Letter and Copies of the Epistles and Prophesies of
Peter Paul and the holy men of old wherein is written and transcribed their Witness or Testimony for Iesus which they were moved by his holy Spirit to give out and hold forth whether by word of mouth or writing but the Epistle of Christ written not with inke but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart yea the testimony of Jesus is no less than the Spirit of Prophesie it self Rev. 19.10 and not the writing thou so writest for in which men do but write it and write of it as is shewed above This verbum lumen internum the Word and Light within is that which those that reject it are in that place of Iob 24.13 hinted at by thee called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lights Rebels men resisting the Authority which they cannot but be convinced of and not the present letter or letters of the Scripture as thou dotest p. 74. before the writing of one letter or tittle of which outward letter this inward light was though he that lives not by the light lives not by the letter neither which came from it and excepting where men have sould it with the dirt of their mis-transcriptions and mis-translations agrees with it I wonder how much of that Scripture thou so super-eminently adorest and wouldest have the preheminence in prating for it was written when that in Iob was wâ—iâ—ing against which men could be said to Rebel tell me if thou canst and in so doing thou perhaps mâ—yest tell thy self that that was a light within and not a letter without which they then were said to rebel against which letter without as much as thou seemest to wonder at the Qua. for holding the light within in authority equal to it they are not ashamed to set the light above and to say that it is non ejusdem Authoritatis cum Scriptura sea majoris Authoritatis quam Scriptura not in as much but in more Authority then the Scripture neither will all thy Scripture-admiring scrape adde so many cubits to the statute of it as among any but such stocks as stick at nothing but without streining swallow all down for truth that thou tellst them is so to state it in any equality with the light it came from And that the Word we are sent to in Isa. 8. is the living Word and not the dead letter nor mens dead senses thereon interpreting it according to their own private familiar spirits muttering out their own meanings and imposing on people their own cloudy cogitations thereon as Cogent Canons is evident for he calls them off from the dead to the living when they say unto you Seek to them that have familiar spirits and Wizards that peep and mutter should not A people seek to their God for the living to the dead to the Law to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because the morning light is not to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so it s more truly rendred then thus there 's no lightin them which mis-translation many not knowing the Hebrew and many knowing it not heeding make no little ado against the lights being in all men and to as little purpose for it s no light to him and not no light in him and we know a light may be in a room under a bushel and so not shine out unto it And that by Moses and the Prophets to which Christ directs as the most effectual means of bringing men to repentance and that all faith and repentance is immediately to be grounded on is not meant their meer outward writing it evident for all men that need repentance have not that yea if the Scripture it seâ—f and that alone be that men are sent to by which the Doctrines to beleeved must be tried whether they be truths of God or fables and upon which all faith and repentance must be grounded what must become of those twenties to one in the world to whom God never vouchsafed so much as a sight of those their Writings if thy Divination from hence I.O. be as true as 't is sure enough to some its but a dream one of these things must be true as concerning such viz. either I. They need no faith nor repentance as they do or 2. They must be accepted with God and saved without either faith or repentance as they cannot or 3. Both beleeve and repent without any ground at all for the doing of either and so build a castle in the aire without any foundation or bottome which how impossible it is or how well it would stand if it were possible so to build it an Idiot may imagine or 4 perish and be damned for ever by and from the living God for not doing that which they had never any ground at all given them from God whereupon to do it and so absit blasphemia be cursed for ever for not acting what they were never put into any capacity to act and absit tibi Domine ne tale quippiam facias exercendo Pharonis tyrannidem absit tibi an non Iudex totiusterrae exerceresjus be sorely beaten for not making as great a tale of brick without any straw at all as would have been expected from them if they had had straw enough and be punisht for not effecting impossibilities But thy faith about that Scripture being but the festisious fruit of thy own fancy and thy Divination from it but the divinity of a divine that dreameth we need not in the dark iun upon any of these ragged Rocks having a more sure way then any of these in the light made so plain before us that unless we chuse so to do as some do we cannot split our selves upon them for as all men having sinned need faith and repentance so they have a more effectual means of bringing them to repentance and a more immediate ground to build their faith and repentance on then the naked outward Writings of Moses and the Prophets which thou here makest the ground of all faith and repentance not mentioning the Apostles as if thou hadst forgot them whose writings thou makest a joynt peece of the foundation in other places p. 33 34. or then the meer outward writings of the Apostles either together with them and that ground is no other but the self-same which the writings of all these bear one joint Testimony unto viz. the measure of Gods grace in every ones heart that teacheth to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts such as will learn of it and io live soberly justly and godly in this present world appearing to all men to that end bringing salvation along with it to such as submit to be taught by it 2 Tit. 1.17.14 called the riches of Gods goodness Rom. 2. which such as thou art despise to their own ruine not knowing it s given to lead to repentance the Law Light Doctrine Truth Spirit Word Writing and Testimony of God himself in the heart and conscience
another that as the most must needs be false so 't is enough to confound and amaze mens minds they are so many to meddle to finde which is true among their meanings and to set a man out of his own senses to set himself so several are they to seek out their several senses on the Scriptures many bumbling Volumes larger then the Bible it self being written or some one Text of Sripture Is it for want of power or efficacy in the Letter Yea that is one reason for howbeit I.O. sayes It is absolutely called the power of God and effectual to salvation yet to his own confutation I. O sayes the Letter is dead and without the Spirit of no efficacy for the good of souls But another and that not the least is because they live in Rebellion against the light which while they turn not to though Moses is read and the Prophets also and all the Letter or Old Testament yet the Vail remaineth over Moses and the Prophets faces and as over the Iewes over the heart of these Christians also which Vail is done away only in Christ and in turning to his Light and the Spirit within their minds are blinded being off from the Light so that they know neither Christ nor Moses nor the Voyces of the Prophets that are so often read which through ignorance they fulfill as the Iews did in condemning Christ and putting him to open shame in his Light Doctrine and Disciples Nevertheless if their heart shall yet turn to the Lord that Spirit and to his Light which is within that vail shall be taken away and they shall see with open face behold the glory of God and be changed into his Image be led indeed to that true Repentance that is never to be repented of but if they continue in their unbeleef in the Light and their hearturn not to the Lord in and by the Light in the time and space that is given them for that Repentance yet at least the face of the covering that is now cast over all people and the vail that is yet spread over all Nations shall be so far removed and destroyed at last that there shall be repentance enough to no purpose when it is too late when the Gulph is once fixed and Abraham is seen by these rich worldlings and Belly-gods afar or and Lazarus in his bosome when every eye that look's for him shall see him who now cometh in the Clouds and they also that have pierced him and all Kindreds of the earth that are no kin to him shall wail because of him Even so AMEN The Fourth Apologeticall and Expostulatory Exercitation CHAP. I. NOw to proceed in way of answer to I. O's Arguments for the Scriptures and Letter and Book and Bible and Texts and outward Writings of Moses and the Prophets as the onely Rule in alterable Standard now compleated Canon Touchstone of all Truth to which since its close and consignation after Iohn had written no new Revelations Writings or Scriptures of the old Truth as from the old Spirit of it are to be added no immediate manifestations inspirations motions missions from God as of old to be expected or if pretended to be admitted or owned but to be damned down as Delusion Fanaticism Enthusiasm Quakerism Diabolism vain uncertain unprofitable fancy figment detestable meraae tenebrae caecitas fines salutares quod attinet as to salvation meere darknesse and blindnesse it self and what not that 's naught Seeing it is so as abovesaid that all these false Prophets and Divines can prevail no further then to tangle and hamper and hinder men and to hide the truth by that hideous heap of unharmoneous Heterogeneous Heterodox more then Orthodox volumes of Divinity and to smoother darken confound and drive men away from the naked truth and draw them off from the Scriptures themselves that are plain and cleare to honest and plain-hearted men by their Smoak and Clouds and Circumferences and by that boundlesse bottomlesse incomprehensible chafly Chaos of their contradictory and confused Commentaryes with which the world is now burdened even beyond what it can well bear and contain sith I say there 's none to guide these poor erring lost perishing and as yet more deformed then reformed Nations into the life of God and power of godlinesse from which they are alienated because of the blindnesse of their hearts among all the Sons whom they have brought forth Isa. 51.18 Neither any that can take them by the hand and lead them in the true way of eternall life of all the Sons whom they have brought up at their Vniversities who sit together with them under the shaddow of death notwithstanding all their Tumbling ore of so many Tames about the Scripture is it then for want of true Prophets or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 men divinely inspired and sent of God to call people to Repentance and to turn them to that light of God within that leads to Repentance by voice and writing to them as them elves have had the true way thereof manifested in them by the light as themselves being taught of God have learned and practiced it and are moved of the holy Spirit to preach and presse the practice of it upon others according to the scope of the Scriptures No! For there are many in England at this very day speaking reproving writing and prophecyâ—ng from the same light and by the same Spirit that the Scriptures came forth from and as themselves have received and heard from the voice and mouth of God and seen felt and handled of the word of life as the Prophets Amos 7. and the Messengers and Ministers of God and Christ of old Act. 26.16 17 18. 1 Ioh. 1.1 2 3 4 c. The Spirit of the Lord is not more straitned in these days from blowing where it lists then it was in the dayes of old howbeit because it lists not much as it never did to blow upon or inspire the learned Scribes Hypocritical Pharisees chief Priests aspiring Rabbies Divinity Doctors Proud Diotrepheses preheminence loving Praters hireling Preachers Fawning prudentiall Parasites Politicall Polliticians and such like but mostly upon a meaner sort of men as to outward account these wise men are most hardly brought to beleive it to be so and so as said the Priests Scribes Pharisees Rabbies and Doctors of old of Moses and the Prophets we own them know them and their Scriptures which yet they knew not nor the power of God We are their Disciples wee 'l stick to their writings that 's our compleat Canon our stable Standard our immutable measure to which nothing must be added and of Christ and his in the dayes of his flesh we know God spake to Moses as for this fellow and his fellows we know not whence he is and whence they are they are of the Devill have a Devill and are mad Why hear ye them they speak blasphemous words against Moses and the Law and this place the holy Temple and
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
earth and sate on the many waters peoples multitudes nations and tongues with whom both Kings and inhabiters of the earth being drunk intoxicated with the wines of her wisdom have committed fornication run a whoring from the wisdom of God divided and dividing the people that profess the name of Christ without his nature respectively into three PPParts Rev. 16.14.19 Rev. 2.20 21 22 23. Rev. 17.1.2.15.18 viz. 1. Pope and his carnall crue of Cardinals Mount Seniors Priests Iesuits Monks Friars of all sorts and all the other sorts of his spirituall men and women which are enough to weary one to read much more to reckon them all up in writing 2. Arch-Prelates Prelates Deanes under which name I.O. was lately the onely man in England till removed that stood denominated whose Popish Traditionall Title was Dean of Christ-church in Oxford an Officer that Christ never instituted in any Church that he constituted Deans and Chapters and all that hang on that Hirarchy in the fall of whose Spirituall Courts Tithes went down too as to the way of Recovery of them by any law from any that are not free to pay them if our wise Statesmen who sate at the Stern once had been made willing in their time to see what they saw before their fun was setting 3. Presbyters Parsons Vicars Curats and all manner of spirituall persons and their Officials Clerks Sextons c. depending still together with some that were once Independents as none of Christs but nationall messengers for nationall stipends Which said three swarms of Locusts who love the dark smoak they came out of more than the light which dispels it have covered over the whole European â—â—â—th and more too in all corners of it and have what they could withheld the wind of Gods spirit from blowing upon the earth that themselves might eat up the good things thereof and none of Christs spiritual ones appear to hinder them Rev. 7.19.3 But also even among those that truly pretend to it such as pretend falsely to the foresaid inspiration yet do not thou dream that because among these by Gods permission as a snare rained down on Ps. 11.6 and a stumbling-block laid in the way of the wicked that are disobedient Ier. 6.21 1 Pet. 2.8 there arise some false Prophets therefore God himself hath no Time ones for if he hath as so sure as thou hast clothes on thy back he hath many more than thou art yet aware of thou wilt get little by that fond conceit fith as thy self truly sayest Those whom God 〈◊〉 send are to be received on the same 〈◊〉 on which the other are to be refuse i.e. n paine of Damnation Neither deceive thy selfe so far I.O. any more as to make and imagine it such an unwonted wonderfull impossible matter as in a manner thou dost that even in these dayes men and women too should as of old they were be moved and inspired both to speake and write by the holy Spirit howbeit 't is true there are times of Gods going away and returning to his place withdrawing hiding himself his face in a little wrath for their forsakings of him from his own seed as it hath fell out for ages and generations together even 1260. years at least wherein all the inward Temple worship and worshippers therein lay wast and trodden down by the Gentiles or Nations that have had it given them so to do to glory in that name of Christians without any true Christianity and in literall formes and observations of externall Ordinances according to the letter which they have not kept to neither but abominably corrupted themselves in the use thereof and made void by their own tradition without either of those two witnesses the Word and Spirit which have been much more then the letter abused and depressed into so low a condition as to speak low out of the ground and whisper out of the dust and bear their Testimony fiting in Sackcloth regarded and attended to but by a few to which yet God is now giving power again to open their mouths and to devour their enemies and to burn up all that hurt them and to smite the earth and the dwellers in it that rejoyce and make merry over them with all Plagues as often as they will yet thereis a time of his returning to his own again and of being found of them that seek him and of his appearing to all those that love and wait for his appearing to their joy though the shame of their adversaries and of bringing forth the blind that have eyes and the deaf that have eares and of opening the eye of the blind and unstopping the eare of the deaf and causing the waters to break out in the Wildernesse and streams in the desert of pouring of floods upon the dry ground and making the thirsty Land springs of water and of speaking himselfe not so sparingly as before and of pouring out his Spirit on his Sons nad daughters Servants and handmaids that they shall prophesie and of revealing himself in Visions and of the heavens dropping down their dew and of preparing himself as the morning to meet such as follow on to know him that they may live in his sight Though therefore I.O. as little believes this as one of the Lords of King Ioram did Elishas Prophesie of so great plenty in Samaria after the wofull famine that came by the Syrians siege when an Asses head was sold for 41. and the fourth part of a kab of Doves dung for 55. and may come to see it with his eyes but not eat thereof because he saith as that Lord if the Lord make windowes in heaven can this be 2 Kings 7.1 2 17 18 19 20. yet such plenty of the Spirit of God shall be given out to them that believe in the light that out of their bellies shall flow rivers of living water and the spirit shall be a well of water springing up into eternall life and there shall be a measure of fine flower for a shekell and two measures of barly for a shekell and preaching and prophesying by the Spirits motions and writing by his inspirations shall be as good cheap as a measure of wheat for a penny and three measures of barly for a penny Rev. 6.6 and abundance of oyle and wine yea new wine that is now in the cluster which must no more be spoyled nor hurt nor destroyed by neither the great nor the little Foxes but we will be to them that hurt or hinder the tender grapes thereof for a blessing assuredly is in it Cant. 2.15 Isa. 65.8 Rev. 6.6 then shall the Asses heads be priz'd no more so high nor the Doves dung be sold so deare nor the chaff that hath been sold for wheat be so costly as it hath been nor any outward Excellencies which are but excrement with the spirit and the spouse who prize the Doves innocency above all that nor fleshly wisdome which is foolishnesse with God be
because men began to dote one upon another and to set up Idols and Images in their minds of good writings that were written for another end by the Spirits motion Histories Letters Epistles and instead of the Law of the Spirit of Life and Light which is by Christ Iesus to magnifie the outward Letter and make it Honourable which is but mens wiâ—nesse for God and to run a whoring after it from Gods own Witnesse even his Light and Spirit in the Conscience Must the Spirit be bound now by thee to read his minde to men in a book of mens writing at first by his own Guidance and of fallible mens mistanscribing from the hands one of another through so many ages or else he must be silent not manifest his mind at all He must read his old Sermons it seems but he must not preach new ones he may read in the Letter what he did reveale but must come forth in no new Revelations now of the old thing nor preach immediately in mens minds any more as he had done from the beginning of the world to that time and inspired immediately whom he pleased Is not this to muzle him up as the Bâ—shops were wont to doe the Parish Curates lest too much Truth should come forth and as they do where the Pope hath most to do at this day so that they may read not too much Scripture neither for therein I confesse the case is a little altered for the better in England but old mouldy Mass books and Forms of Service in Latine of their own setting out in which there is here a little and there a little sprinkling of some Scriptures mostly out of the Psalms which they most corrupt and make certain Sing songs out of or if there be any Homilies read it s a mighty matter but as those the Friars make are worth little and some of them worse then naught so as bad as they be there is few Sermons to be heard throughout the Popedome and as they allow men to read Writings of their own setting out but not preach nor speak in any other order method manner or form of words then as they find there so thou wilt allow the Spirit to speak to men in and by that letter he caused once to be written he may read his mind in mens hearts by that or have it read by mens mouths one to another if he will but no preaching now by himself within or by his immediate inspiration by men without nor writing neither but it must come to the touchstone of what he bade Paul Peter or others to write before which whoso shall presume to say it is of God or from God immediatly at all though it do agree never so much with that as all that is of God and from him doth and cursed be he that speaks contrary to what was of old written rightly understood or shall say 't is Truth before our time-serving Tryers have tryed it by that who understand it not themselves much lesse are fit to try Doctrines by it let him be dealt with according to the foresaid provision against Delusion made of old in the night time while men slept in that behalf But is God and Christ and the Spirit so sparing towards his people and so niggardly in dispensing Truth in revealing his Righteousnesse which he is now bringing neere and in shewing his Salvation which now is not to tarry to them that long for it and have long lookt for it according to his promise as those narrow headed niggardly hearted Nothings and Novices are whose work is all along as dumb as they are from opening their mouths otherwise to bark and bite them back again that having left off to linger any longer at their lips and as well to feed from their mouthes as to feed or put into them make more hast then they would have them from the depths of Hell and Darknesse towards Heaven Gods high and holy Hill Nay verily he sayes to his servants Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it and stands ready to make good that blessing he hath pronounced to such as hunger and thirst after righteousnesse viz. that they shall be from himself who only reveales it no lesse then filled with it Thus liberal the Lord and his Spirit is Yet these are the doings of the Churle whose instruments are evil and of the vile person who yeâ— would fain be lookt upon as liberall too as he hath been by such as saw him not in darker times nor discerned how he fed himself and not the flock and minded his own matters even to make meat for his own belly of them more then to make meat enough for the sheep in that dark and cloudy day Ezek. 24.8 9 10 11 12 c. But the hour cometh and now is wherein a Man even a shepheard whom he knows not shall reign in righteousnesse and be as Rivers of waters in a dry place and as the shadow of a great rock in a weaâ—y land wherein the deaf shall hear the words of the book which are sealed from the back-side Admirer the eyes of the blinde shall see out of obscurity and out of darknesse the eyes of such as seeing will see shall be no more so dimme as they have been and the eares of such as hear must hearken unto him the heart also of the rash or hasty that without heed have run they know not whether shall understand knowledge and the tongue of the stammerers be ready to speak plainly they also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding and they that murmured shall learne Doctrine Then the vile person shall no more be called liberall nor the Churle said to be bountiful for the vile person will work villany and his heart will work iniquity to practise hypocrisie and to utter errour against the Lord to make empty the soul of the hungry and to cause the drink of the thirsty to faile the instruments also of the Churl are evil he deviseth wicked devices to destroy the poore with lying words even when the needy steaketh right things but the liberall deviseth liberall things and by liberall things shall he stand In that day the burden of the insolent Antichristian Assyrian that hath so straightly besieged the people of God that dwell in Sion and cut off from them so far as God would suffer him he stay the staft the whole stay of bread and the whole stay of water shall remove from off Sions shoulders and his yoke from off her neck yea that yoke shall be destroyed because of the anoynting Isa. 10.27 for the spirit shall be poured out upon them that wait for it from on high and the liberall soul shall be made faâ— and he that watereth shall be watered also himself and the wildernesse shall be a fruitfull field in which judgement and righteousnesse shall remain and the works of righteousnesse shall be peace and the effect of righteousnesse quietnesse and assurance for ever and
they shall be blessed that sow beside all waters and the soul of the diligent shall thrive and be fat but the soul of the vile person and niggard and of the sluggard shall desire but have nothing yea their Vintage shall faile and their gathering shall not come and their fruitful field shall be turned into a forrest they shall be stript and made bare and sit with sackcloth on their loins and lament for the tears for the pleasant fields and the fruitfull vine and their pallaces shall be forsaken their tents and towers shall be for dâ—ns and that which now is the pasture of wild asses Iob 11.12 Isa. 29.18 24. shall be no more enjoyed by them for ever Isa. 32. Wherefore then â—ayest thou I. O. with Restriction of the Spirits guidance to those first generations thus viz. While the infallible spirit continued his extraordinary guidance and thus viz. guided therein by the infallible direction of the spirit of God and by way of exclusion of after-ages and more expresly of this age thus viz. They were born acted carried out by the Holy Ghost to speake deliver and write c. and suppose a man were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. inspired of God and should professe himself so and were so indeed as the Prophes of old Am. 7. Let me expostulate the case with thee a little about these expressions whereby thou seemest to shut all the past primitive times from any participation of the movings and actings of the Spirit as those that have neither part nor portion in that matter of his infallible guidance and direction First then not denying what Christ himself foretold Iohn â—4 28 30. Iohn 16.16 viz. That he would go away for a while and his Disciples should not see him and the Prince of this world which hath nothing in him should come and interpose himself to the great interception of that primitive Communion the Saints then had with him and his Spirit so that he would not have very much talk with them thereafter let me ask thee this much Did he say he would leave them for ever and never have any talk or words with them more then what they should find of his written in the Scriptures of such as should write some few things and a little of that much which they knew of his minde Did he say he should not speake at all not so much as by his Spirt Nay rather did he not say that so soon as his fleshly pretence was withdrawn he would send the holy Spirit himselfe the comforter to supply the room of that personall and bodily appearance wherein he then stood among them which they were so in love with and so loath to part with that they were ready well-nigh to dote so upon it as to let sorrow fill their hearts to think they should be utterly without his tuition as sheep without a shepherd if that should vanish and be removed In the departure and absence of which notwithstanding he told them it would be never the worse but much the better and more expedient for them For if I goe away saith he the Comforter cannot come but if I go I will send him unto you which Comforter was himselfe in Spirit the presence of which in the heart gives nearer acquaintance and fellowship with Christ and the Father then his abode among them their sight of him in the flesh could possibly do for the sight of him in the flesh the world may have and had which is to little effect if the other be wanting but his presence in the Spirit is that which is of Power and Efficacy though yet in two different wayes viz. of bare conviction or condemnation to the one and refreshment and consolation to the other both to the World and to the Saints though there be no sight of him as in the flesh any more by either I will send the Holy spirit the comforter to you saith he and he shall convince or reprove the world also Doth Christ therefore say he will leave them comfortlesse i.e. Orphans Iohn 14.17 18. deprived utterly of his presence because he said he i.e. in flesh would go away Nay saith he I will come to you i.e. in Spirit the Spirit of truth which dwelleth in you and shall be in you and though the world seeth me no more when I am gone because though the Spirit of Truth be sent into them and is nigh to men even striving preaching reproving in them yet they recieve him not neither see him nor know him yet ye see me and because I live ye shall live also and doth he not say that this spirit of truth should lead and guide them into all truth and bring all things to their remembrance whatever he spakâ— while he was seen in the flesh Which the letter doth not for there were many more things that Iesus spake and did that are not written there so many that if they should be written every one it might be supposed the world could not contain what should be written John 14.26 13 21 25. And howbeit he intimates a more sparing Communion in Spirit with his Dâ—sciples and Church which would be permitted to come to passe by the coming in of the Prince of this world wherein there should not be so much talk as there should be before and would be again after that gloomy day was once over wherein the manifestations of him though as infallible in that small measure wherein they should be made for gradus non variant naturam rei yet as to the measure would not be so great as at other times of which going away and withdrawing even in the spirit also he seemes to speak when he saith A little while and ye shall not see me in which Eclipse the chidren of the night must have a revelling night of rejoycing over the Word and Spirit and Saints sitting in sackcloth and an hour of laughter and merriment at the power of 〈◊〉 its prevailing Iohn 16. to 22. yet doth he say that Eclipse should be â—oâ—aâ—l Was there not some few in every age in whom the Spirit bare a testimony and by whom to the blind world also of little truth And did he not say the Spirit should be in them and abide with them i.e. in the same manner of infallibility in manifestation of whatever he makes known though not in the same measure of manifestation of the truth even for ever Iohn 14.16 And did he not say that the Spirit of truth should testifie of him when he came and so consequently his testimony must be with his Disciples and Church for ever Iohn 15.26 Which testimony is not that of the letter which men wrote at his motion as thou falsely supposest for that is mans mediate testimony and not immediately the Spirits any more then the testimony that men bear by word of mouth as they are moved of which in the very next verse i. e. Iohn 15.27 Christ calls their testimony and not the
Spirits and ye also shall beare witnesse saith he putting a difference between his Disciples testimony by the Spirit and that of the Spirit by it self for that of the Spirit is the Word it self that is testified to by inspired men whether in writing or speaking and not the writing or the speaking it selfe The Word I say put by the Spirit into mens mindes and into their mouthes which Word is promised to abide with his for ever and so saith I. O. many times over in his Book repeating that Scripture and putting almost the whole stresse of his ill cause upon it and bringing it in the folly and blindnesse of his minde to prove the letter by the promise of God himself of necessity to remaine inviolated inalterable and uncorrupted for ever whereas the Spirit speaks it not of the letter at all but of the Word which should be put into his peoples mouth Isa. 59.21 The Word which I put into thy mouth shall not depart from thy mouth nor the mouth of thy seeds seed from henceforth and for ever which strengthens what I have now in hand to prove i.e. the continuance of the Spirits immediate movings of God people under the Gospel more or lesse even for ever And doth not Christ also say Mat. 28.20 to his Disciples and in them to his Church which is a successive body and not simultaneous nor appearing wholly in this world at nor altogether at one time Lo I am with you alwayes even to the end of the world and if there have been a time of more darknesse then ordinary even to his own by reason of Christs absence and the Devils presence in the world yet more or lesse to his own which are those that own him and heed his voice he hath ever appeared but however as his promise was to be with his more or lesse to the end so at the end his promise is to be by his Spirit more with them then ever I will saith he speaking of his returne after the mournfull time of his absence who is the Bridegroom from the Bride see you againe and your heart shall rejoyce as a woman when her houre of travel is over having no more remembrance of her sorrow because a man child is borne unto her and into the world and your joy shall no man take away so that in these dayes we may expect more then ever was enjoyed before the glory of the second Temple being to be greater then that of the first which was trodden down more pourings out of the Spirit then the primitive ages had these being the dayes wherein refreshment is to break forth from the face of the Father wherein he will send Act. 3.19 20 21 22 23 to his Church Iesus his Son who hath withdrawn and retired and been retained in the heavens till these times who so readeth this let him understand which are the times of the restitution of all things that ever haue been out of order and of his people since they ran astray from God which have been spoken of by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began Why then sayest thou while the infallible spirit continued his guidance as if after he should come he was to go suddenly quite away again of whom Christ while present in flesh saith he was after his passing hence to come and to continue in and with his people Mat. 28. throughout all ages in all which ages he had people and a seed as in Eliahs time Rom. 9.27 29. and a remnant though small and unseen Rom. 11.4 left trodden under foot by the outward Israel that held the outward Court which were as the sand of the Sea for multitude even to the end Iohn 14.25 26. What did the promise of Christ fail to his own because of the worlds unbelief and did he leave them to be guided by the Prince of this world that was to come and by his blind guides to guide and govern the world and have his kingdome in it a while and was his own seed which never consents to any iniquity but condemnes it given up by God because the seed of evil doers was to be guided by the spirit of the God of this world that totally blinded some from looking at the light and by the man of Sinne and Son of Perdition to be strongly deluded to damnation by the mystery of his iniquity who was Permitted indeed to withhold and hinder and let not a little till he should be taken away but after That wicked should be revealed in his time was not the Lord to be revealed again in his time which is the principall and most proper and seasonable opportunity for Christ to appeare in his Spirit and shew himself in 1 Tim. 16.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in its proper times And was he not to conjure the other lying spirit with the spirit of his mouth which is not the letter that declares of the Word but the living Word it self which opens the Letter also the sword of his mouth put then into the mouth of his seed as aforesaid yea into the mouths of very Babes to the stilling of the enemy and avenger and to destroy it with the brightnesse of his coming What Spirit was to take the guidance of his people if his own infallible spirit were not to continue with them for ever or would he deprive them of the presence of his infallible spirit in their hearts and place it without in the fallible Letter so that if ever they would see or speak with his spirit they must look for him and hear what he testifieth there onely so I. O. talkes T. 1. c. 5. and must go forth and talk with him there onely i.e. without but not within he being gone forth from his dwelling in the hearts of his people now to dwell in the Letter onely and minded there and no where else to be spoken with And why sayest thou while the infallible spirit of God continued his guidance in an extraordinary manner And again T. 2. C. 5. S. 1. the infallible direction of the spirit of God Hath God any other then that infallible spirit and if he meant to direct his people at all by his spirit in the dismal times that were to come must it it not be by that infallible spirit continuing his infallible which thou callest extraordinary guidance and direction or else by none at all Or hath God two spirits to direct his own by at sundry times one extraordinary and infallible the other fallible and ordinary and hath that nfallible spirit of his two kinds of guidances and directions one extraordinary and infallible the other fallible and ordinary which extraordinary and infallible spirit and his extraordinary and fallible guidance was to continue with them but a while it being for high and holy and extraordinary dayes and times the ordinary and fallible for more ordinary and lower dayes and times as that the presence of which may as well serve the
turn then and his people must be contented with it so making them like the Popish Priests and people of the world which have as at Rome and elsewhere ordinary Ornaments Lessons Anthems Songs and Services that must serve for every ordinary day and extraordinary shewes and sing-songs and ornaments and number of candles and fine candlesticks plush canopyes and copes Altar-clothes white Surplices Pictures Pompes and pipings as on some great Saints holyday or festivall times or general proecessions or as our poor still bepoped people have here one fine suit for Sundayes and holidayes and a cheaper and lesse costly one for working dayes Or when this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or divine guidance and inspiration is pleaded by thee as peculiaâ— to those first times I inquire of thee whether there be any middle way T. 1. C. 3. S. 8. but either that the Saints in after-times if guided by the guidance of the spirit of God at all and that thou darest not deny though thou own his guidance by the letter onely be guided by it as an infallible spirit giving them that infallible guidance which thou callest extraordinary or as a fallible spirit allowing them not so much as the Saints of old but affording them onely some kind of ordinary or fallible guidance and direction for it remaines according to thy principles that it must be one of these or else there is some middle way some midling spirit of God and some middle sort of direction of that spirit that is neither fallible nor infaâ—lible but between both partly faâ—lible partly infallible some participie that iâ— neither one nor the other but taking part of both fallibility and infallibility And howbeit this is such a messe of mixture as may well make awise man and excuse him in it too believe him to be no wiser then he should be and to have Hand plus cerebâ—i quam cimex sanguinis that makes it yet I know not why thou mayst not as well make God to have two spirits and his spirit two guidances viz. one infallible one fallible or one absolutely infallible and another neither fallible nor infallible as thou makest God to have two Words viz. on that infallible living Word which the fallible dead Letter declares of the other that fallible dead Letter which declares of that infallible living Word for each of these thou makest the Word God yea O the depths of the Doctors and Divines of our times thou art not onely so exceeding expert in cutting and cobling dividing and botching and piecing and patching for thy own turne as when thou wilt to turn two into one and one into two but also so well vers'd and exactly taught in the point of Trinitizing as to turne that one Word of God at first into two and at last secundum quid into three for whether we examine what thou sayest of either the Letter or the Word it self this testimony thy book beares to them both 1. as to the Word thou sayest in one place truly it's Living T. 1. C. 4. S. 19. in another place thou sayest horresco referens more then I dare say for the world whatever I say of the Letter that the Word is dead T. 2. C. 5. but falsely figured our with the figure of 4. S. 12.2 as to the Letter thou sayest in one place viz. Ex 3. S. 4. It is living and no where said to be dead yet in the forcited falsely figured chapter S. 12. thou thy self as no where as the Letter is said so to be sayest thy own self that the Letter is dead Thus Gods one Word is cut out by thee into two viz. the Letter and that Word it witnesses of and then each of these are cut out into three for which ever of these two be that tâ—ue Word of God or if thou taking these conjunctively wilt have them one at least thy opinion as exprest in those places put together is tantamount to no lesse then this viz. that God hath 1. a living Word 2. a dead Word 3. a Word that is both dead and living And why sayest thou of the Prophets and Apostles they were borne acted carried out by the Holy Ghost to speake deliver write c. and suppose a man were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inspired by the Spirit indeed As if it were a matter now not to be expected in this age as if it were no lesse then a wonder but so the Saints and Prophets were in every generation to thy generation therefore I wonder not that thou fo wonderest at it that any should now professe so to be though sapiens miratur nihil and the things of God are no where wondered at or evil spoken of but where ignorance of them is to see such a man as can truly say he is moved of the Lord and inspired with his spirit whereas when was it otherwise in any age wherein God had Saints And who is otherwise that is not in name onely but a Saint or a Christian indeed and truth Was ever any otherwise or lesse then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inspired of God that was born acted carried out by the Spirit and was any otherwise or lesse then so that is moved guided led by that Spirit to act speake write c. and ought any now any more then formerly or do any now that are truly Saints act write speak think any thing more then formerly out of the Spirit â—or in the Flesh that is of any savour or hath any acceptance in the sight of God Is that accepted of God that is done written spoken thought ministred out of the Spirit or in the Flesh not in and by the motions of the Spirit but in and by the motions of the Flesh and in the wisdome and will of the Flesh Is not all that Cains sacrifice that is offered in that nature of his or while men are yet but in the Flesh not in the Spirit which Sacrifice is as all wicked mens are while their ear is turned from the Law in the Spirit i.e. the light and Spirit of God within abomination unto God And are not all I. O's prayers preachings writings who dare not pretend to have live in be moved or guided by the infallible Spirit of God in ought that he does acted and done in the Flesh and the oldnesse of the Letter and is any thing that 's done in the fleshly minde thoughts imaginations wisdome worth a Rush when the very wisdome of the flesh is enmity against God and â—all the enmity is to be slain and not any of it accepted or to be reconciled for ever Do not all the Israel of God that are Israel not after the Flesh or the Letter but after the Spirit the Iewes and the Circumcision not outwardly in the Flesh and Letter but inwardly in the Heart and Spirit Do not all these minde the same thing that one and the self-same spirit and as far and in such a measure as every one hath attained it walk by the
same rule thereof Phil. 3. Galat. 6 Walk they not in the same spirit walk they not in the same steps which that Spirit of God in them treads out for them Have they not that Spirit of Christ And if any man have it not for his Guide Leader Governour in all he doth as well as his Comforter is he Christs He that hath it not dwelling in him infallibly directing divinely inspiring him is he Christs Do not all that are in Christ Iesus to whom there is no condemnation all save such as go condemned in themselves to whom there is nothing but condemnation from God walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Do they not live in the Spirit walk in the Spirit pray in the Spirit sing in the Spirit serve in the Spirit and not in the Letter minister every one as of the ability God giveth from the Spirit not barely from the Letter And so though they may use the very words that are Letter and be well read in the Letter and quote the Letter as Christ did and the Prophets and Apostles did the outward writings one of another and by the Spirit be guided to utter the same words verbatim See Isa. 2. Mic. 4. and be mightier in the Letter then those that are Ministers of no more then the Letter yet are Ministers not of the Letter but the Spirit Are they as well as the Spirit is in them not in the Flesh but in the Spirit Are not all that are not in the night and in the darknesse and the children thereof but the children of the day of the light which is the Lords day in in the Spirit Rev. 1.10 Do they not by the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body Are they after the flesh Come they not by walking in the Spirit not to fulfill the lusts of the Flesh but to crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Doth not the Spirit of God in them I ust against the flesh Doth not the law of the spirit of Life which is by Christ Jesus deliver them that follow it from the law of Sin and Death that they were once captivated by Doth not the Spirit quicken and give them life Doth it not help their infirmities pray in them with sighs and greanes and because they know not how to aske any thing as they ought doth it not make intercession for them according to God Are they not born of the Spirit and after the Spirit Doth not the Spirit of God bear witnesse to their spirit that are his children that they are so Doth it not reveale the great things of God and by that revelation make them know the things that are freely given them of God Is it not the unction from the holy one whereby they know all the things the Anoynting which was the Canon or Rule of the Saints from the beginning before any Letter was which is truth and is no lye which if they quench not grieve not let it not but let it abide and remain in them will teach them infallibly of all things so that they shall not need that any man teach them and which they abiding in the Doctrine or teaching of do not erre as the wicked world thinks they do but continue in the Son and in the Father Are they not led by it from under the Law and out of the Letter up into the life which the Letter speaks of but it self onely giveth out of the works of the flesh which in and by the light are manifest into the fruits that it self brings forth Doth it not bring all things to the remembrance of such as are led by it as all the Sons of God are that ever Christ spake Doth it not guide all such into all truth and onely into truth and not into any falshood delusion or deceit Doth it not take of Christs and shew it unto them Doth God do all this first or last more or less for all his people and doth none of all this amount to so much as the motion of the Spirit or divine inspiration Are there no spirituall men now in the world and is not every spiritual man a Prophet or more then a Prophet for though all in the Church are not Prophets on such a score and in so high a rank as thou reckonest on i.e. such as have witnessed a sending forth abroad on some service to others the service of some lying yet nearer home and in present reference onely to themselves some like the Sons of the Prophets at Iericho and Bethel 2 Kings 2.2 Kings 6. being yet under the Schoolmaster that leads to Christ in their nonage going as it were to schoole not at Athens nor yet at Oxford nor Cambridge where the Schools are not like that of theirs neither is the waiting in order to the Ministry like that of the Sons of the Prophets at Iericho but rather like that of those to whom it was said tarry at Iericho till your beards be growne which injunction many of our Iunior Academicall Students do not keep neither for howbeit Barbá non facit Philosophâ—m nec cucullus Monachum much lesse do either of these make Ministrum Christi yet severall of them if a good Living can be had before do not abide so long as till they be Masters of either beard or hood but are ready to run out with the shells on their heads and to hasten into their humane work of Prophesie before that time But at Bethel i.e. the house of the Lord waiting at the gates of wisdome it self and watching daily at the posts of her house taking councel at the mouth of God out of which onely cometh knowledge and understanding learning of him in silence with all subjection to his will as in the light it is manifest concerning themselves first in the particular purging their own persons first from youthfull and noysom lusts that they may go forth if the Lord please to send them and say go as Vessels of honour sanctified and fitted for the Masters use and prepared to every good work tarrying at Ierusalem till they he indued with power from on high till of carnall Babes in Christ as they are at first walking as other men having a remainder of strife and such divisions as are seen in children they may proceed Men indeed skilfull in the work of righteousnesse having their senses exercised to discern both good and evil and commence Masters not of Arts but over their own hearts and spiritual or Prophets which are intimated to be all one by the Apostle in the same Epistle wherein he saith some are yet but babes and in a measure carnal and all are not yet spiritual nor Prophets 1 Corinth 3.1 2,3 1 Corinth 12.29 1 Cor. 4.37 yet all to covet the gift of Prophecy as the best of Spirituall Gifts yet inferiour in excellency to that way of love Though then I say all be not Prophets yet all spiritual ones are prophets or more then Prophets and
there are some spiritual in these dayes Are not all that are filled with the Spirit Prophets and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inspired by the Spirit Mic. 2.8 Acts 6. Acts 7. as Micah Stephen and the seven were And are not all Christians bidden to be filled with the Spirit and to let the word of Christ dwell richly in them teaching c. Ephesians 5. Colossians 3.16 And what such difference is there between being led by the Spirit and guided by the Spirit And is not he that is guided by it guided infallibly and every one that is led by it led infallibly And doth not every one that walks after it walk surely and infallibly and he that is enlightned by it enlightned infallibly And he that speaks sees writes acts by it as all Saints should do though fallible in themselves do all this infallibly And is not he that is moved by it whether he obey its motions yea or no moved infallibly into that which is assuredly the Truth and no Lie yet I.O. jeers at all pretence to any infallible guidance by the Spirit of God in these dayes as fancy delusion far aricisme c and at the Spirit of God it self which the Qua own as their truest teacher Ironically under that term of the infallible Doctor and T.D. makes it matter of hainous crime in the Qua to talk of Infallibility in Christs Ministry now saying p. 58. Pamp. thus And as to the Question of the Infallibility of their Ministry Three Iurates of Sandwich will testifie that they did affirme their Ministry to be infallible as if it were matter of amazement to him that men should mention such a matter as infallible guidance of Christs Ministry by his own infallible Spirit in these dayes As if he gave it for granted to us who take him at his word for it is a truth that their own Ministry is but fallible their guidance therein by no more then their own fallible Spirits and may be utterly destitute of the Spirit of God which is infallible for no fallible Spirit hath God that I know of No marvell therefore to me that T.D. so readily grants as himself sayes he does p. 35. of his 1. Pamph. That none of his people can set to their seal that his Ministry hath brought them to a perfect man c. For I know not how it should if it be a fallible one as he confesses 't is while he denies any Ministry now to be infallible and affirmes perfection itself too but so far as to be made free from sin to be not onely unattainable in this life but also to be no lesse then a doctrine of Devils for any to preach it See p. 47.1 Pamph. But whereas he sayes p. 35. The Ministry was not intended for that end i.e. to bring to a perfect man or to perfect men in this life where they deny perfection attainable Rep. I reply that 's false and expresly contradictory to Eph. 4.11 12 13. where its said the Gospel Ministry which obtains its end in this life or else is not perfect according to I.O. and ceases in that to come is given for that end viz. for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ How long till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. And as for T.Ds. asserting the infallibility of the Spirit to be an Idiom a property of the Spirit as incommunicable to the Saints that partake of the spirit as Omnisciency which agreed not to Christ as man or Omnipotency is p. 32.33 1 Pamph. Rep. I say that 's meer flim-flam as to the point in hand for we assert the Saints and Ministers of Christ no farther infallible then they follow the leading of the spirit which is infallible out of which they are not in their Ministry and so far as following that which is given to be all mens guide men and Ministers whom we confess to be all fallible in themselves as abstract from that and not only liable to erre but erring actually as they leave off to be led by that and lean to their own understandings are all so far I say infallible and infallibly guided for as God hath no fallible spirit so his infallible spirit hath no fallible guidance nor leads any fallibly at all but all infallibly who are led by it into all truth so as in all those things it teaches and are needful for them to know to make them otherwise fallible and ignorant thereof in themselves not only infallible but as to all thoe things I say Omniscient as himself is Omniscient in all things absolutely without exception Neither are Omnisciency and Omnipotency themselves as to all those things that are to be known and done by such so altogether incommunicable to spiritual men as our Academical Animals imagine they are for though God Christ and the Spirit only know and can do all things absolutely yet through God Christ and the Spirit teaching leading guiding revealing enabling all things i.e. all things that are truly good fit suitable comfortable profitable for such are both infallibly to be known and possible to be done by the Ministers of God in their respective services and seasons whereupon the Wisdome of God hath spoken thus of the Spirit as in reference to the Saints that learn of him receive and are led by him he shall lead you into all truth bring all things to your remembrance whatever I have said ye have an Unction little children and ye know all things and not only of the Spirit it self that it searcheth all things even the deep things of God but of the spiritual man also to whom the Spirit reveals them that he discerneth all things when the animal man nor doth nor can perceive the things of the Spirit and that the spiritual men had the mind of Christ Ioh. 14.26 Ioh. 16.13 1 Ioh. 2.20.27 1 Cor. 2.9.15.16 and not only so but saith Paul who had no sufficiency of himself to any thing I can do all things thorough Christ that strengtheneth me Phil. 3.13 â—anta ischus and Col. 1.11 of the Saints enpase dunamei dunamumensi strengthened with all might i.e. Omnipotency Whereas therefore T.D. prates as his fellow preachers do of the other incommunicables of these things I say 't is Parret-like of he knows not what himself for as in such wise and measure as Saints are partakers of his holiness purity perfection mercy c. they are holy as he is holy pure as he is pure merciful as he is merciful perfect as he is perfect though not so absolutely and infinitely pure holy meriful and perfect as he is so so far and in such a measure as they are led by his spirit and indued with his power from on high they are and in the Scripture are said to be not only infallibly assured
Prophet Doth not the difference that is serve us against thee whilst it s no other then thus that of the two the spiritual man is the greater for if every Prophet is not a spiritual man yet all spiritual men are Prophets or more then Prophets And that there are spiritual men in these dayes thou wilt prove thy self to be what thou art but a meer animal and fleshly man in denying for as there are millions even many more then a good many spiritual men in Title so assuredly as few as they are there are a good many so in truth and so many as are so are more then Prophets or inspired ones that are but barely mov'd to speak or act by the Spirit for all holy men of God spake and wrote of old and speak and write now as they are acted or moved of the holy Spirit but all that speak as the Spirit of God may move act and give them utterance are not holy men of God for Prophesie is but a gift that wicked men though seldome yet sometimes may have who never come into that more excellent and spiritual way which is to last when all Prophesie is ceased of living in love and other fruits of the Spirit witness Balaam the Prophet that lov'd the wages of unrighteousness and taught Balaak King of Moab to cast a stumbling block before Israel and to eat things sacrificed to Idols and to commit fornication whose way you follow who neither live the life nor will unless ye repent for all your hopes so to do die the death of the righteous and that you will see when you fall into his Trance with your eyes open as you will at last so as to see him even that Star of Iacob as he did afar off not nigh but with a gulf betwixt and Lazarus in his bosome though you are yet in a Tâ—ance of your own with your eyes shut and not come so far into the bare sight of Truth as Balaam was who for all his wickedness was moved of the Lord and overpowred by the Word of God put into his mouth to speak many precious Truths and full sore against his will which would have been at work another way for hire and have cursed and divin'd against them for money to bless Israel altogether Numb 24. Witness also Caiphas the High-Priest who gave the Iews wicked counsel against Iesus and yet prophesied that Iesus should dye for that Nation and gather into one all the children of God that were scattered abroad which not knowing well the true meaning of his own words he spake not of himself as ye do of your selves not understanding well what you say uttering in words many eminent truths out of the Prophets and of the Prophets which not knowing the Prophets voices ye fulfill to your own ruine but by way of Prophesie as the Spirit made use of his mouth to utter it Iohn 11.47 51 52. And was not Saul also among the Prophets so that evil men may be moved and inspired by the Spirit and obey also so as to Prophesie as they are moved led or acted by the Spirit who never obey the Spirits motions of them to better and greater matters that spiritual men obey him in yea fleshly selfish men may be moved and made of the Lord which is more then ye yet are Prophets of True things but what holy and spiritual man is not a Prophet or not inspired or not truly moved of the Lord or however fallible in himself as other men is not anamartetos or infallible as led by the Spirit wherefore then makest thou this matter Theopneustian or divine inspiration or moving of the Spirit such a singular thing as peculiar onely to the dayes of old nay verily though all men are not so far inspired and moved of the Spirit as to be made Prophets yet if by the Term Theopneustia thou mean bare inspiration and motion of the Spirit and speak of that thing it selfe and not of such or such a degree or measure of it canst thou tell me the man or woman vpon earth letting onely Infants and meer Fanaticks aside who are not or have not at some time or other been moved by and with good motions to better things then they follow inspired by the Holy Spirit Who is there â—aving him who walks no more after the Flesh but after the Spirit and so is not excepted from but more highly accepted into this Theopneusty or inspiration in all the world of either Heathens by name or meer nominall Christians that are as reall Heathens as the other who cannot truly say Video meliora prâ—bâ—que deterior a sequor And what is that in them who have no outward Scripture that makes them say and gives them to see that they behold and approve of better things while they practise worse Is it not the same light and Spirit within by which Christ went and preached to the spirits in prison when once the long suffering of God waited while the Ark was preparing Is it not the spirit of Truth that guides the followers of it into all truth and strives with men though the stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and cares alwayes resist and strive against it and lusts in them against the lustings of their flesh to filth and envy c Is it not that which convinceth and reproveth the world of sin because they believe not in Christ and of righteousnesse and judgement so that they know righteousnesse and the righteousnesse and truth of the judgement of God that who do such things as they do are worthy of death though yet they enter not into the narrow path of righteousness and life nor repent to the acknowledgement of the Truth And though the earth by reason of the transgression till God create the Heaven and Earth again anew as he did in the beginning be without form and void and darknesse be upon the face of the deep yet in order to its coming into order again by the new Creation Doth not the Spirit of God move upon the face of the waters where the Whore sitteth peoples multitudes tongues and nations And doth not God say Let there be light and there is light shining in the daâ—knessâ— though the darknesse comprehends it not And doth he not separate these clearly in mens consciences the inner world from each other calling the light day and the darknesse night And do not many of you men called Ministers use to teach your unconverted people to take the advantage of the Spirits moving upon their hearts and not to quench them but to step in while it moves least like those that lay diseased at the Pool of Bethesda waiting for the moving of the waters by the Angel that came down which in the Antitype is not the letter but the Spirit not waiting for the movings or neglecting to observe and obey and close with the Spirits motions before the motions of sin in the flesh step in and cool and quench them they lie
and cause the Sun to be covered with a cloud and the bright lights of heaven to be dark over Aegypt at the putting of it out and at the breaking of its yoke and set darkness upon her Land and search out the hidden things of Esau and take away understanding from his Mount and discover deep things of darkness and bring out to light the shadow of death Job 12. Isa. 19. Isa. 29. Isa. 44. Ezek. 30.18 22.7 8. Obad. 6. c. And that he will do all this to a people that have provoked him to anger with their vanities by a foolish Nation and weary them out by such as are no people in their eyes Deut. 32.21 And choose the foolish and bâ—se and weak things that Are noâ— â—o confound and bring to nothing the things that Are 1 Cor. 1.20 27.28 That the great Mountain of Babel shall become a Plain before Zerubbabel i e. Such as are from Babel as the Word is and this not by might nor power of man but by my Spirit saith the Lord Zach. 4.6.7 That the excellency of the work may be of him and not of man and that he will do great things for his own Land of Canaan whereat they shall rejoyce and be glad Joel 2.21 yet by such instruments as foolish Shepherds such silly tools as shall make subtle Sanballets and tale-bearing Tobyasses and the rest of the scoffers of the same seed of Ammon flout â—t them at first as feeble and say What will these feeble folk do will they revive the stones out of the rubbish and build and fortifie in a day Behold if a Fox go upon their wall will he not break it down Nehem. 4.1.2.3.4 c. Nehem. 6.6.7.16 c. and despise the day of God as a day of small things Zach. 4.10 and yet be amaz'd terrified cast down in themselves and made to confess it to be of God at the last and that he will begin to save not so much by the heads as by the tail of the people and gâ—â—upwards not that Prophet that teacheth lyes which is the tail that would be the head and is to be totally cut off Isa. 9. but the lower and most despised fort of people to whom he will shew his Salvation and by them to the Antient and the Honourable and instruct Apollos by Aquila and Priscila in the way of God more perfectly and make the Daughters of Philip to Prophesie when scarce a Prophetess to be found among the Princesses of the earth and Phabe and other Sisters Ministers in his Church and Labourers with Paul and fellow-helpers to the Gospel Rom. 16.1 1 Phil. 4.3 when he leaves Corvos Prophetas Prophetissas picas many unsavoury gaping Preachers and proud women pratlers of Christ and Faith c. ever teaching and learning but never coming to the knowledge of the Truth and that he will saveÌ„ the Tents of Juda first the plain plow-men and keepers in their own Tents and Country cottages that the glory of the cieled houses of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem Kings Governours great ones fine rich Citizens mighty Merchants mincing Ladies Renowned University Schollars Scribes Pastors and such like may no more magnifie themselves against Iuda but stoop to take Truth from stammering lips or be lest ignorant thereof forever and this is one of Gods works and strange Acts which he is working in these dayes whereat the wise despisers wonder yet perish because in no wise believing it though it be declared unto them Zach. 12.7 1 Hab. 1.5 Act. 13.40.41 Isa. 28.21.22 5. The mighty multitude of false Prophets of all shapes seducing and gain saying the truth which are at least four hundred and fifty of one sort and four hundred of another to one of the Lords Elijabs 1 Kings 18. ver 19. For as thou sayest I. O. T. 1. C. 3. S. 10. in the latter dayes of that Iewish Church that poople were most emiÌ„nently perplexed with false Prophets both as to their number and subtilty so and much more is it now in these latter dayes of the out-side Christian Churches that hold the outer Court yet tread down the holy City and of the old World also wherein the old Serpent called the Devil and Satan seeing himself cast out of heaven where he held war as long as he could with Michael and his Angels and is now to have no more place there is come down to the Inhabiters of the earth unto which he is cast in great wrath knowing that he hath but a short time and so bestirs himself more then ever before and like a mad Bull that hath received a fatal blow in the forehead runs bellowing about and tears and rends what he is able and foams against the Man-child the holy Seed of God and Sheep of Christ at his going forth and being by permission more strongly then ever re-entred into the herdâ—of Swine drives them down headlong so violently that there is no saving of them to their own everlasting Perdition to which purpose he musters up all manner of his Ministers that from him as to their Ministerial capacities both live and move and have their being Gog and Magags Ministry and all the Magicians behind all these together running on with open mouth to devoure the Israel of God and iâ—compass the Camp of the Saints and the beloved City till fire come down from God out of heaven and devoure them Isa. 31. yea of a truth it it so now as was foretold 2 Esdras 13. Chap. thoroughout that it should be in the latter dayes when the most High begins to visit and deliver his Saints and come in them to the astonishment of many and as a thief and a snare upon all that dwell upon the earth viz. that though all the false Prophets and their several peoples should be Aurium tenus up to the ears in strife one sort of Seers undertaking to fight against another one City one Realm one sort of their misguided people against another one Troop of these mad Riders and their blind horses Zach. 4. against another in their uncertain fallible minds opinions conjectures thoughts Andabatarum more justling together in the dark at the Revelation of the Son of God and his espoused Sion and at the hearing of his uncouth voice they every one in their own land leave the battel they have one against another and as of old the Ammonites Mâ—â—ites and they of Mount Seir waging war against that typical people of God the outward fleshly Israel so these that hate and ban one another even to the very death make one head together against that spiritual Israel that is of a clean heart and all the false Prophets both anâ—iâ—â— and upstart and all the subtil fâ—xes natura non nomine joyn both little and great old and young together to spoil the Vine that hath clusters of tender grapes and if it were possible to root it out and under a pretence of preserving the Church the true seed of Iacob
and Israel to preserve it from taking root and blossoming and budding and filling the face of the earth with fruit as it must do at the last Isa. 27.6 and like Sampsons Foxes tail to tail they draw divers wayes loâ—here sayes one lothere sayes another some sounding it out for their Fathers traditions some summoning to the Scriptures and the gâ—wdy glosses they put upon it who yet if they could once come to see it live by tradition and teach Gâ—ds fear afters mans Precepts as well as the rest all to their own fanciâ—s dreams opinions and imaginations of one kind or other and all these fire-brands fencing to one end and as friendly as Herod and Pilate at odds against each other yet at one against Christ attempting to dis-inthrone the light of Christ in the Conâ—cience from its due Authority and from sitting on the Throne in its proper place Some resisting the Truth by flat opposition so all the many sorts of those guilded cups the Parish Priests do that yet hold forth all or any Râ—mish Relicks or measure of that old Whores trash which wooden Tops are always turning round with the times as that lash viz. the losse of living if they so do not is made use of and exercised toward them whose movings to and again back and forth from Henries Religion to Edwards from his to Maries from hers to Elizabeths and so onward and round as occasion is if the word of command be As ye were is all from the force of some externall Engine or other mostly that of money for Qui pecunianon movetur hunc dignum spectaâ—u Arbitramur not from any inward Principle or Power of the endless life no par no preach is their common Custom so that the powerless formes they foam at each other about would soon fall all to the earth whence they are and not from Truth were it not for that Primum-movens that principale propugnaculum of Tith as a dead man that can stand not a jot longer then propt up by something or other ad extra because Deest aliquid infus there wants the main master wheel within Others like those Inchanters that withstood Moses resist the Truth too men of corrupt minds reprobate yet as concerning the Faith leadingâ— captive silly women after them from the Faith of Gods Elect by imitating the very Truth it self as farre as they are able to come neer it in their vain fleshly minds having stole into a form of the same Doctrine Words and Works without the life which they hate and oppose in them that are in the life preaching the same Truth and Light themselves in their airy spirits since the conviction thereof fell upon them for which they had very formally cast forth of their own separated Churches the Children of the Light who withdrew from them and so formally were none of them before that their senseless confuse or ejection Like theâ—fore â—aid Sorcerers to bewitch their people into an abode among them in Egypt where they yet are in bondage altogether and into a non-believing of the true Messengers of God to be in anything beyond themelves and to make them seem to be no more in the power of God then they by striving to do all and as farre as they are able to follow on in a form till at last they be forc'd to confess a finger of God doing all that by their weak arme of flesh mans fleshly will and wisdome which by the Saints is performed both in and from no other Arme then the Light Power Wisdome and Life of God dwelling in them Of this sort are all the Prophets that are in a fairer form of Godliness then those behind them in darkâ—r and grosser forâ—mâ— yet with them denying and not witnessing the power thereof in their hearts and conversations to the purging of them from pride and the other pâ—llutions and corruptions that are in world through lust which Magicians when they see the Servants of the Lord do any thing that is taking among their people and which they are ashamed to diâ—own then they will do so and as the Wise men of Egypt set themselves to imitate Moses set themselves to do the like and â—in a shew bring forth an Image of the same By all which said severall sorts of subtill Sorcerers who with the most cunning craftiness they have lye in wait to deceive the multitudes of people are deceived and so seduced from the narrow way of truth that among them very few ever find it and are so eminently perplexed as to their discerning aright between Gods Worâ— indeed and that which is only pretended so to be viz. the nakâ—d letter that only declares what is his Word and their own fallible and sometimes senseless senses and sermons upon that letter of all which they ay in their common Preambles to their people Hearken with fear and trembling to the Word of God when oft no more then every mans own word Ier. 23.36 is spoken that though God hath given men a light and spirit within which is meâ—sura â—sui â— oblâ—quâ— that can most certainly determine of all spirits and an â—ar but that its slopt in most which can as truly try words as the mouth â—asteth meats Iob 34.3 1 Ieh 4.1 6. and also seâ—meria infall bee tokens to enable them so to do yet they can make no discrimination between right and wrong faith and falshood uprightness and errour honesty and hypocrysie holiness and heresie the simplicity that â—s in Christ and that schisme from it into which they are already inchanted 2 Cor. 11.3 the light and truth and that deceit and darkness in which both Prophets and People dwell through the busie battels and confused noises these Warriours make with their loud cryings out each against other and all with one mouth against the Truth it self and the tellers of it as Deceivers and all with one consent mis-representing them as such unto the Powers mis-advisâ—â—g and mis-admonâ—shing their respective peoples to this or the like tune Beware and take heed of deceit and of these deceivers the Qua. not heeding all this while or at least not willing their people should heed how deeply they are all in the deceit already so like the impudent Harlot that hopes to outcry and bear down the modest Matron with a clamour of words and by calling out Whâ—re first these foolish loud lewd Women fearing their own filthy fornications should else be soon discovered cry out first on that Sect of Saints which was ever and every where so spoken against Acts 24.14 28.22 Heresie schisme errour darkness disturbance madness enthusiasme fanaticisme faction and such like and though they and their flocks of Goats and heards of Swine live in the lust in pride covetousness malice luxury and all wickedness and have nothing of their own save unrighteousness to be rob'd of and nothing to be led captive but that which hath captivated the just nor to be spoild of but that which
shall fail together and not be able to uphold one another but be cast as Iezebell and her Lovers into a bed of torments together and into great tribulation except they repent of their deeds And as the espousall of the University Priestly and Clericall Interest with that of the Common-wealths hath ever yet obstructed the proceedings of all Parliaments and Powers in this Land of Resolved on Reformation and prohibited their prospering in any of their undertakings to perfect the propounded Priviledges of the people So in way of warning to you whether you will yet hear or forbear whether I live to see it or die before it I here assure you from the Lord O ye the present Powers in this English Nation the cleaâ—ring of that miâ—e and clay of the Clergies Councels to your Iron will never hold but the Stone cutout of the Mountain without hands will smite your Image that stands on such a mixt brittle bottom in the feet and toes of it that it shall fall and become before the Word and Spirit of the Lord in the mouths and hearts of his people as the chaffe of the Summer-floor yea as stubble before the wind and the Angel of the Lord pursuing it And albeit the business of rooting out all Romish Relicks yet remaining remaines yet reeling to and fro to and fro in this Nation so that no man knows which way the scales will turn and the case be cast by looking meerly to mens managing of matters without in such a wavering unstable manner do things stand while they are under the hands of such double minded men as are unstable in all their wayes nothing but wavering like the waves of the Sea driven to and fro and tossed yet such as look inward whose eyes and hearts are toward the Lord rejoycing in his Highness whose Excellency is in the Clouds and hoping in his mercie they are come within the ken and clear sight of RRRomes utter ruine in all three of her Appearances in this Nation which are about the tenth part of the old Roman Empire and of the Pâ—pedome also in its late largest Latitude in which Nations at the sound of the sixt Trumpet the Tenth part of the Clergy or great City BBBabylon the mystical Mother of Harlots and Abominations falls fiâ—st Rev. 11.13 as an earnest of the fuâ—l finall and universall fall thereof which comes after it Rev. 16.19 in the Plague of the seventh Viall And notwithstanding all that loathness to part with her and pittifull pining after her and pleading for sparing her and often uprising to uphold her in her Prelaticall and Presbyterian Pontificalibus Parochâ—a'l preferments and excrementirious university Excellencies and Collegian Exercises and Concerrments that is among the Merchants that trade with her and are made rich by the abundance of her delicacies Yet the feet of all these petty Popelings must also slide in due time and the things that come upon them and their Pontificals though seeming to them sometimes to stand still or give back again make hast and as sure as the old mâ—nasticall massy Ministry and their maintenance and most foggy formes of ministration Holy water Latine Letanies Ave Maria's Misereremei's Pater Nosters Te Deums Trigintals Dirges De Profundis Mâ—rtuaries Peter-pence and such like were sent packing first and after them the Protestant imitations and English Images of most of those Popish Latine Châ—â—ts viz. Dâ—ans and Chapters Lands Easter-Reckonings Offerings Mid-Summer Dues Christenings with Crosses marrying with the Ring Churchings of Child-bed Women Bishoppings of Children and the fees belonging thereunto goings on Procession yearly to view the bounds of their Parishes and reading the Epistles and Gospels at such and such Hedges Bushes Trees Bowings at the Name of Iesus Cringings before the Altar Facings towards the East High-Altar-Service Rayls costly Windows Crucifixes holy Vestments Lawn Sleeves Canonicall Coats costly Copes Sandals Suâ—plices Anthems holy Sing-songs Organ and sundry other Popish Pipes and Pictures Mattens and Even-songs Liturgies Consecrations of Chappels of Bishops Priests and Deacons Ministers Cathedrals and a number more of such like Choristicall Church geer and the Stipends thereto pertaining which Protestant Services saving the different Language therein administred and some certain expurgations of some grosser Superstitions in which the Pâ—pish did exceed them are now as they once were under the Pope of Canteâ—buries patronage growing back a pace into a lively or rather deadly conformity to that of the Romish Synagâ—gue they were lately â—ent from as chips of that old Block and certain slips transplanted and set in the same soyl where thè old body of that Oak they were cut off from once grew and flourished So assuredly all that long train of Pâ—pish Trash and mans Tradition used whether in or in order to the worship of God in either Universities Schools Colledges or Country Churches and the respective Romish Rewards belonging to the men whether already made or to be made Ministers of this Traditional Nationall Ministration that yet remains viz. Deaneries Prebendaries Presidemships Masterships Fellowships Educations in Universities and Colleges together with the Degrees there taken of Doctorship Batchellouâ—ship so farre as to the thing called Divinity and as in order to the Ministry of Christs Gospel and not only the great preferments and profits but also the many fidling formalities and silly supersluities of Scarlet Gowns with Velvet-plush of Sattanically faced Sleeves the long rich saâ—snet Scarfes before the silken Snap-sacks behind and their many odd mysticall Mumblings Kissings Kneelings Bowings bare-headed Trottings to and fro and gaddings hither and thither about begging and granting Graces and much more for did service of this sort that was wont if not lately left off and ceased from to be stood upon in our nursing Mothers of naughtiness and heathernish canity Likewise all those Countrey parish practises viz. Christening Infants not in Fonts as before with Gossips but in Basons yet not without sundry of the old festivall Customes and plum-cake Ceremonies to say nothing of the superstitious observations of the old Popishly consecrated sacred Seasons of Christs-masse Candle-masse Michaâ—â—masse Lam-masse c. celebrated and sanctified with more unholiness then all the year beside which steal in apace again among many Priests and people their Singings of Davids Psalmes with Doeg's spirit by a line at a time as the Priest or Clark reads afore them in the â—ime and Meeter that Queen Elizabeths Musitiaâ—s Ioâ— Hopkins and Tho. Sternhold have moulded them into which Songs of the Temples wherein many People tell to God more lies of themselves then truth While they say they are not pust in mind nor scornfull and they water their couch with their teares when as they are as proud as they can look and rejoyce to do evill and scarce shed a tear in their lives for their sins must be turned into howlings and the eatings and drinkings of gluttons and drunkaâ—ls and the communion of Swine at their Lords Supper and much more such miserable old
rest is the spirituall light and that but naturall which comes from Gods own Light into all mens Consciences which Light they will by no meanes allow to be called spirituall but 〈◊〉 naturall I affirm that to be but the naturall knowledge of the meer Annuall naturall man that is scrued out by the improvement of their naturall faculties of reading remembring c. in their Academicall Arteficiall Scrutinies into the Scripture which naturall knowledge though theirs who wrote the Scriptures to be by immediate spirituall Revelation I deny not abounded among the Iewish Doctors Scribes and meer naturall Rabbies that stole the true Prophets words yet knew not God spiritually by hearing his words which are Spirit nor by that spirituall Revelation or inward immediate reception of ought from his own Councell Light and Mouth from which only comes the true spirituall understanding little lesse then it doth among our modern Ministers of the Letter who not coming to the Light know as little of the Spirit of God who is a Spirit though they read and preach he is a Spirits from the Letter and as little of the Mystery of the Gospell spiritually as they Though then I. O. and T. D. both call the common Light in mens Consciences whereby they know much of God of his Will as to marter of sin and duty and of his divine Attributes Iudgements c. and all the knowledge that comes thereby but naturall and call the Letter and all the knowledge that comes now by reading of that only spirituall see T.D. p. 1 2 3 5. of his 1. Pamph. p. 1. 3. of his second by the Statutes and Iudgements given to Israel which with T. D. is the outward Letter of the Old Testament are meant the supernaturall light or knowledge of the Gospell but Rom. 2.15 which speaks of the Light or Law in the Conscience is spoken quoth he of naturall light opposed to the knowledge of the Iews And I. O. p. 77. The Scripture is a morall and spirituall not a naturall light But that in all mens consciences he calls p. 42. the light of Nature and p. 47. where he calls that from the light a naturall Knowledge arising from the innate Principles of Reasâ—n and that which is from the reading of the Letter a supernaturall Revelation Ex. 4. where how to the contradiction of himself he also calls it spirituall and not naturall may appear anon S. 15. speaking of the Qua. negant lumen hoc naturale esse aut itadici debere sed a Christo Spiritu Christi esse they deny this light to be naturall on that it ought to be so called saying it s from Christ and the Spirit of Christ S. 17. Lumen internum omnibus commune naturale est The Light within common to all is naturall and so proceeds in suo genere to prove it Likewise I. T. and R. B. say the same p. 33. it is yielded that there is naturall light from Christ given every man Such light as Christ as Mediator conferrs not on every person but all sorts of men is termed supernaturall So p. 40. and elsewhere they call it light by nature and humane light Yet I say the quite contrary the Letter and the knowledge it gives is the naturall as I have shewed above by which wicked men that corrupt themselves also in those things come to know naturally and not spiritually nor savingly the mind and will of God ex principiis naturae by custome often use and memory c. as brute beasts may by outward observance and custome know somewhat of the mind and will of man Iude 10 but the light in the Conscience some of which all have and the knowledge that comes thereby is the spirituall supernaturall and not the naturall light and knowledge 〈◊〉 this in the Power of God I trust in brief to make good against you all though enough hath been said afore to any but such as you that will look for more proof of it then wise men would do One Argument by which its evident to all that are not blind as ye are that the Law in the Heart or Light in all mens Consciences is not naturall and so consequently is spirituall is even this from whence T.B. concludes it naturall viz. because opposed to the knowledge of the Iewâ— of the Iews knowledge by the Letter was but naturall The light within and knowledge by that being opposed to it must be not naturall and so consequently spirituall but that was but naturall for they were mostly but naturall men and worse as they are at this day persecuting and opposing ever the things of God Christ the Gospel and the Spirit and all that are born after it and have the spirituall knowledge of the mystery by it as the naturall knowers by the Letter do at this day and that the natur all man discernes not any otherwise then naturally and not savingly and so not spiritually the things of God and the Spirit Paul tells us 1 Cor. 2.14 and T.D. also tells us p. 3. of his 2. Pamph. from that very Text of Paul where he gives this irresistatâ—e Reason for it also Because they are spiritually discerned Whence I take occasion to argue further thus viz. Argum. 2. That Light which gives to discern savingly as heeded the deep things of God and the Spirit which none but the Spirit of God and Christ searches out knows and savingly reveals and which as to salvation are not by the naturall man but spiritually and by the spirituall man only discerned who hath the mind and Spirit of Christ must be not a naturall but a spiritual and supernaturall light and the knowledge that comes by it is not natural but supernatural and spirituall But the light in the Consciences of all gives to discern the deep thing of God the Spirit in some i.e. in such a measure as it s heeded which none but the Spirit of God searches c. Therefore it and the knowledge that is by it is not naturall but supernatural and spiritual The Mino which our sore-named Divines do deny is as evident to such as live in the light as the light it self is and not a little of it evidenced by their own handy-works who oppose it Two Particulars there are in it to be proved 1. That the Light in all manifests or gives as heeded to discern in some measure the things of God and the Spirit 2. That as heeded it manifests them savingly As to the first I need go no further then your selves for witness we have it under your own hands T D p 1 Pamph. confesses of that light of which all men have some that thereby all discern not may sins only which are the works of the flesh which the letter sayes are manifest not by it self but by the light Christ gives Gal 5 compared with Eph. 5â— 13 14 but also many duties and severall divine Attributes Now mens duties to God in matter of declining sin eschewing evill and doing
Name of God was blasphemed for their sakes insomuch that Paul saith Rom. 2. the very uncircumcision as to the Flesh and Letter doing in the Light by which they were made a Law to themselves by nature not corrupt nature as T. D. thinks nor by the pure nature in a measure restored without or abstract from the Light the things of the Law were better to God then the literal professing Iew and more just and justified to the very judging of them who by boasting of the Letter and Circumcision without broke the Law in the heart and less lyable to wrath then the other which shews how God counts more on obedience in Morals Spirituals Evangelicals without the Letter and literals then on all Burnt-offering and Sacrifice and lifeless conformity to the Letter Yet the Heathen themselves by the Light in the Conscience though videntes meliorae by it they did mostly deteriwa sequi see much and do little at least came to know in a measure within themselves the very righteous Iudgments of God that thâ—se that did such things as they did are worthy of death Rm. 1.32 And thou I.O. confessest the same in thy words above-recited Iudicio Dei se subesse cogu scunt and the Light within and moral instinct of good and evil by it seconded by a self-iudgement placed in us Yea Ioh. 16. The Light and Spirit of Christ the Saints Comforter that walk in it is in the Office of a Convincer to the world of Sin and Iudgement the Law which is the Light in all is spiritual Rom. 7.14 Ob. And if ye say we grant that but what of the Gospel of the Righteousness of God and the riches of his Grace in Christ and what of Christ can be known in that Light Answ. If ye will needs count the Iudgement and wrath of God which is a depth unsearchable by any that look only in the Letter which only tells of his wrath or by any save such as living in the Light have come to feel it within themselves for who knows the power of thy wrath saith the Psalmist none say I but such as waiting in the Light have felt the weight of his hand while Judgement and Condemnation passed on their evil deeds I say if ye will reckon Wrath Iudgement and the Ministration of Condemnation none of the things of God none of his deep things nor the things of his Spirit and Gospel because your eyes are out but reckon it to the Law or Old Testament only and not to the Gospel to which yet it truly belongs or New which is the ministration of righteousnesse and mercy Yet I answer further that not only Iudgement and Wrath but the Righteousness Salvation Mercy and Grace of God in Christ and Christ himself is preached and revealed in the same Light in which the Iudgement and Wrath is revealed as it is the effectual work of the Law in the hâ—aâ—t to accuse reprove and condemn him that doth evil so Vâ—sinet Apello I appeal to your selves who assert it is is it not its work to excuse acquit justifie him within himself who declines the evil and does the contraâ—y Good Is there true righteous Iudgement done where as well mercy comfort peace and acceptation with God is not ministred to the innocent though Abimelech the Heathen when they are found in integrity of heart to Gentile as well as Iew as terrour râ—proof rejection and wrath to every soul that doth evil Iew or Gentile Beside say not the Texts afore-cited that the Spirit convinces the world of Righteousness as well as of sin and Iudgement and that in the same Light which is indeed the Gospel and call'd by Paul so and the Power of God unto Salvation in which the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men that withhold the truth told them by God himself and his Light in them in unrighteousness the Righteousness of God also is even therein revealed from faith to faith among the Iust that turn to and own the Light and live by faith in it Rom. 1 I know and see how page 3. 1 Pamp. T D would make a difference if he could tell how that he might maintain his natural or rather suâ—te natural diâ—course about the meer naturalness of that Light that shews Sins Duties Divine Attributes between that one Light say I in which the wrath is revealed and in which the righteousness is revealed where in answer to that unanswerable saying of Paul about the To Gnoston Tou Theou when G.W. used it against him thus Thou sayest 't is meant of a Natural Light whereas 't is said to be the knowledge of whatsoever is to be known of God Rom. 1.19 T.D. replyes thns sillily the Apostle intends that what might be known of God without the preaching of the Gospel was known to the Gentiles verse 16.17 'T is by the Gospel that the righteousness of God is revealed Rep. As if we must think the Apostle in that phrase Whatever is to be known of God is manifest in men excluded and excepted the Light of the Gospel and inward Word of which he talks elswhere Rom. 10. That it s nigh to men in their hearts And Col. 1.23 is preached viz. in every creature under heaven and meant only some nescio quid I know not what kind of manifestation that hath nihil commune cum Scripturis holds no Analogy with the Scripture because T.D. makes his shallow sensless say-so on the place whose Reply but 't is his usual way when he has nought else to say to make what additions to and alterations of a Text he pleases and then to say when there 's no such matter either expressed or implyed it intends so and so or it intends not so though so said God indeed in many Texts makes offer of Salvation to all but intends it only to a few by All is meant Some by in us in Christ and many of the like sort is not worth any other Reply then to tell him it 's not worth a Rush and G. Ws. saying to him out of Paul stands o're T. Ds. head still for To Gnoston what is to be known of God is any thing that tends to mans Salvation without such an exception as T.D. adds to the making of Paul there as he does God and the Penmen in many more Texts dissemble like to T.D. himself so as to speak one thing and intend another that destroyes the very sense of his own words But saving T Ds mis-meaning of that matter assuredly enough the same that reveals the wrath reveals the righteousness retro and that that reveals the righteousness is a measure of the light of the Gospel of Gods rich Grace and Goodness that is given to Impenitents to lead them to repentance if they obey it and so to forgiveness and life or otherwise to leave them without excuse when having trifled away the time of Gods long-suffering and forbearance in rebellion against the light
Spirit also by himself as saying one thing and meaning another and so would set the Spirits words and the Spirits meanings at odds and together by the eares against themselves Christ enlightens only such men as are spiritually inlightned Nor secondly if he had said so would it have followed that every individual man is not enlightned for of a truth every individuall man is not only enlightned but also spiritually enlightned for he that is enlightned to discern spiritual things good or bad spiritual wickednesses or spiritual righteousness many sins and duties and divine attributes which are all spirituall objects and some of them some of those things of the Spirit which the meer natural man without the Spirits revealing cannot know because they are spiritually discerned that man must be spiritually enlightned so out of a better Bow then the Devils even that of Iosephs which abides in strength I shoot back T Ds second Arrow again thus against himself as that which hath done us no harm howbeit he meant it otherwise it being in his mind to have mischief'd the Truth viz. Christ enlightens every man that is spiritually enlightned witness T D p 36 but every individuall man is more or lesse even spiritually inlightned i. e. to discern spiritual objects which by the Spirits revealing them only and not naturally but spiritually only or by the Spirit are to be discerned witness T D again p 1 therefore Christ inlightens every individuall man 3 T D who hath mostly two hath here a third string to his Bow left the two first should not hold from which he shoots thus viz. He enlightens some of every Nation Kindred Tongue and People as the phrase is Rev. 5.9 Repl. And this however he meanes pinchingly yet is true too in terminis that Christ enlightens some every where a number in all Nations as he expresses it over again p. 36. for the termes all and every one are conclusive continually of some but that Arrow reaches not far enough to wound our universal construction so long as the termes some a number many without a but put to them whereby to bolt out othersome which is wanting here though elsewhere added and by and by to be talkt with is not exclusive of all men of every man nor of any man and so his bow and bolts shoots too short to hit the Butt still Nor is the Phrase Rev. 5 9 which T D in his fancy fellows and Identifies with this in Iohn 1 9 like it in any wise for one is enlightens every man in the world the other Redeemed us out of every Nation c. were it Redeemed every man in every Nation and made every man in every Nation and Kindred c. a King a Priest to God c. then it had been somewhat neeâ— a Kin to it indeed Thus T D by his single self with all his sharpest shafts or sorry shifts can make nothing stick to the gaining of any ground against us nor so much as to stirre us a hairs breadth from our interest in it much lesse to storm us out of the strong Hold we have in that high place of Scripture wherein the Qua. stand over the head of the Serpent to the bruising of it Let us see sith vis unita fortior what the joyned forces of him and I. O. together can do for they two who fight as under from that Text in some of their several senses against the Qua. fall in together in one of their four or five senses even that which hath the least sense and reason in it of all the rest and so of two make one most senselesse head against the Qua. and the Text and the Truth or true sense of the Spirit no lesse plainly imported and implyed to any but that darkness which comprehends not the true light when it shines in it then it is plainly end evidently exprest therein That sense I shall joyn issue in against them both at last but there lies on single sense of I O wherein T. D. joyns not with him wherewith I. O. shoots out of the same Bow as hard as he can against us though too short to hit or hurt us the which must be shot back again upon himself first in the service of the Qua. and the Truth which it serves perfectly while not at all themselves nor their own false doctrine and then I shall have the more Field-Room to fight them both in about the other The sense of I. O. which is not only his own neither though T. D. appears not to own it with him for I have seen others besides as himself seeking to shuffle off the Truth with it is this viz. Christ coming into the world inlightens every man and this sense seems to be ushered in with a deal of pâ—mp and ceremony as if I O was confident of carrying the cause by it when it first Center'd within his conciet and so intended to act his Triumph over the Qua. before his effecting of the victory I shall set down some of his triumphant matter wherein he marches on towards the Text where he meets us and make some occasionall notes on some crosse whets to himself and halts and inter-feeres he makes by the way I. O Videanâ—us porro quid contra garriunt Fanatici ut que operam dent quacum ratione aliqua insanire videantur c. Ex. 4. S. 23 24. Le ts see quoth he what the Quakers prate to the contrary and how they do their best to shew that they are not mad without some Reason but they bring no new thing they are old worn out Arminian matters they bring a thousand times confuted already they have nothing more frequently in their mouth then those words concerning Christ John I. 2 They never make a more horrid out-cry then when they come upon this place here they fain wonderfull triumphs to themselves and not a little cast ignominy on their adversaries Repl. No otherwise I say still do we reproach then as the Virgin of Sion Isai. 37.21 22. Despised laughed to scorn shook her head at the insolent filliness of the haughty Assyrian that reproached blasphemed exalted his voice and lifted up his eyes on high against the Holy One of Israel in his Truth and People o're whom he looked so superciliously as if he would pluck them out of Sion by the eareâ— when he was not so much as to shoot an Arrow that should reach to do any execution there No otherwise then as plain Ephraim the people and the honest hearted Sons of Sion are at this day in the Spirit and Power of the Lord to be raised against thy silly-seemingly-wise Sons O Greece and to be made against you Greekish Scribes and Disputers of this world as the Sword of a mighty man and a polished Shaft and his Bow and Arrows and Battel-Axe in his hand to beat down aud break in pieces the Horse and his Rider and as the Potters Clay the works of them that turn Gods things
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
Love to the World though it perishes for hating that Light that is come into them which he sends to save them See and mark Luke 2 14. Iohn 3.16 c. Rom. 5 8. 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20. utterly inconsistent also with the truth of that professed willingness that all should be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth which only saves and makes free indeed 1 Tim. 2.4 and willingness that all should come to Repentance and unwillingness that any should perish 2 Pet. 3.9 inconsistent as abovesaid with the equality of Gods wayes and the integrity of those vehemently pretended wishes of his that men would rather live then die and with the sincerity of those sayings that he would gather them into life but they will not Deut. 6.29 Ezek. 18. Ezek. 33. Matth. 23.29 Luke 13.34 Since if our dim Divines Doctrine were true That he gives not to all Light and Grace sufficient to lead and save them and Arbitrium vel libâ—rum vel liberatum a liberty a power to chuse to will to do what he requires to work out their salvation as he sayes he does Phil. 2.13 14. of his own good will and pleasure to which only belongs the glory therefore and not unto us of the salvation so wrought out by us the case is clearly otherwise then Goâ— sayes for men might be put at least in possibility of living by such Grace Light and Power if God had given it but he would not And lastly This would make God like to or worse then Pharoah himself whom he plagued for the self-same cruelty and tyranny even a rigorous Requirer of men with many and sore stripes yea on pain of his eternal Wrath and Vengeance to make Bricks without any allowance at all of any straw fit for such a purpose an austere man a hard Master a tyrannical Task-master as the idle unprofitable Servant falsly represented him that looks to reap where he never sowed and to gather where he hath not strawed that calls on perill of perishing for ever for a crop of Good works from those hearts wherein he never sowed the Good Seed of his own Word Fruits of the Spirit from such Souls into which he never sent his Spirit from whence only they can grow up a walking in that Light of the Lord which is said to be given not to condemn them but that through it they might be saved under penalty of being condemned for not walking in it when yet not the least beam of that saving Light was at all vouchsafed them but a Light of another sort as our Seers say which could never have served their taâ—n so as to have saved them had they attended never so strictly to it but only Gods turn against them so as to damn them further and leave them without excuse and excuse him in his condemning them Finally a growing in that saving Grace of God on pain of condemnation for turning it into wantonness and receiving it in vain which was never received at all by them because not at all given them of God from whom the most have nothing say our silly Sophisters but a certain common high-way insufficient Gâ—ace to know God or do good by that accommodates them that have it in their hearts to serve God acceptably by it not at all and therefore not half so well as the stubble did the Israelites to make brick withall which they gathered instead of straw which Divinity of our Divines yet howtrue soever they deem it is but a turning of Gâ—ds Gospel Grace and Truth upside down and is esteemed of him and his no better then dirt and Potters clay and is utterly contrary to the Wisdome of God in Scripture which justifies him still as accepting every man according to what he hath or hath had and not expecting much lesse with rigour exacting of any man according to what from him he neither hath nor never had as requiring from men no otherwise then according to what is committed to them which is one Talent some true saving Light within at least even to him that hath least which if he be faithful in it though but a little shall lead and let him de Iure into the Masters joy if neglected shuts him out into the outer darkness Yea God calls for no more from any man then improvement of his own money that he commits to him to trade with which money if every one put into the bank that the Lord at his coming may receive but his own with the use thereof and increase in the same kind of Grace that he freely gives he will never enter into judgement with them to condemnation Therefore undoubtedly God hath sufficiently and savingly enlightned and impowered all and every man every where by such measure of that Grace of his as may lead and inable them to act that Repentance which is to Life and Salvation Arg. 4. If God have not vouchsafed some measure of sufficient and saving Light to all men then its either the Children of the Light that believe in it who have it not or else the Children of the darkness that believe not in it but both they who believe in it and so are the Children of it and they who believe not in it and are not the Children of it have it That the first have it none do deny and that the second sort have it is most evident to all but such Children of the night as neither believe what the Letter sayes of nor what the Light it self shews concerning it self within themselves sith Iob. 12. Christ sayes to such as were not yet the children of it but of the darkness because though 't was in them they were not believing in it but walking besides it in the deeds of darknesswhich it condemns While ye have the Light walk in the Light believe in the Light that ye may be the Children of it which over-turns that profoundly bottomlesly deep and groapably dark imagination which is I. Os. and T. Ds. who in their muddy minds make no difference between the Lights being in men and mens being in it the Kingdomes being in men mens being in it whereas it was in the Pharisees who never came into it Of I. Tombs and R. Baxt. also who page 44. in the fift of those thirty thredbare Argum. there urged by them against the true Lights enlightning all and every man which all must come to Iudgement by and by cloudily confound these two so distinct businesses into one viz. to have the Light and to be the Children of it saying with as great confidence as small consideration That to be a Child of Light is all one as to be a person that hath Light in him to guide him so as to please God when as all the children of the darkness in which the true Light is said to shine though the darkness viz. I. Os. T. Ds. I. Ts. R. Bs. and other dark hearts comprehends it not Ioh. 1. have if not a Letter without
is more universal according to the very litteral sense of the words then Vper Panton Anthropon Panta Anthropon Ercomenon Eis 〈◊〉 for All men every man that cometh into the world these specially this last every man is so indigitative and absolutely conclusive of each individual that it is not at all exclusive or exceptive of any at all and if every man â—n the woâ—ld be an indefinite phrase as T.D. ayes I know none is universal for All is not if it be so much more comprehensive then that of All without exception and if as he sayes every man that cometh into the world be but some a few of every Nation Kindred Tongue and People then I 'le read and render by the same rule the word every as affixed to Nation Tongue c. so restrictively too for who shall forbid me T.D. of All men can't thus viz. Every man of every Nation that is only some a few men of a few Nations â—f a few Families Tongues and People and then I 'le carry the boundlâ—ss Grace of God and incomprehensible Light of Christ into a small compass and diminutive corner of the world indeed But T.D. perhaps deems se imperatorem esse and so may Leges dare non accipere for when we use any term in a sense that troubles him then the phrase imports otherwise quoth he the words intend so or so it must bind and be cogent to us saying when he sayes Rex sum sic volo sic Iubeo Nil ultra quaero Plebeius but when we tell him as we do in this the words import otherwise the very literal sense of them cannot be that then he tramples that down Tush quoth he the meaning of those word cannot be as the Letter of them does import for then the Scripture must contradict it self it was an usual thing with Christ to speak words of a doubtful sense his meaning may be mistaken when his words are taken in the most ordinary and literal sense and so it would be if by every man we should understand every individual man Rep. Where note first that T.D. yields that the most ordinary and literal sense of every man is every individual man and that the letter of those words every man Iohn 1.9 does indeed import no other then we say against T.D. and I.O. viz. That the true Light which is that of Christ enlighteneth every individual man that comes into the world And so secondly to the contradiction of himself who so calls it that every man is not an indefinite but an universal phrase and so cannot have such a restrained sense as in some cases not all an indefinite expression may for mostly an indefinite it self is equivalent to an universal and if it be taken according to the proper import ordinary and literal sense of it it is to be read every individual man 3. That in those three places Iohn 1.9 Heb. 2 9. 2 Cor. 5.14 Christ enlightneth tasted death for every man died for all The letter and the true proper genuine ordinary and litteral sense which the words All and every man import is on the Qua. side by T.Ds. own free or rather forced confession and whether they who fighting and scoffing at the Light and Spirit within which only reveals it know it not or will grant that or no we know that we have the true meaning and mind of Christ. 4. What hath T.D. and I.O. left then on their sides to help themselves with Nempe velle suum cuique est nec voto vivitur uno every man his own will even what opinion he pleases Quot homines bis tot sâ—ntentiae as many more minds as men for they do not both in every thing fain the same nor doth each of them fancy the thing at all times alike but is at odds about it within himself I.O. hath two shifts as I have shewed but never a good one to slide away by but one of which T.D. shuts in with T.D. hath three two of which as short as they are of truth in his own intent extend far enough as is said above to give the cause contended for to us and the third which is I. Os. also hath nothing to say for it self but that it 's a wresting and restraining the phrases All and Every man besides their ordinary literal signification and import it cannot be as the words and letter of them doth import therefore it must be in this or else that sense which the letter of the words does not import Somewhat they would say but they cannot tell what Somewhat it is but no matter what so it be not the right meaning or true literal sense in a word all they have to trust to is their own muddy meanings foolish figments false 〈◊〉 unccuth imports on plain phrases which none but that some will need at all to mistake which who is such a fool as to be taken with the â—oyâ—shness of them may take and who will not may safely let alone and every wise man will feel to be foolish and every reasonable man will refuse as so 5. 'T is to be noted that when the proper ordinary literal sense of any words do but seem to tend toward their own turns our Divines insist much upon that intent and purport of them though they will needs make them mean another matter then they intend or truly import when the true interpretation of them over turns and thwarts the tenure of their false Doctrines and so Rule o'â—e their Rulâ— as they list according to their own unruly will and lay out the Letter like a piece of lead into what shape sense or form seems good to their own lewd Lesbian or petulant fancies and when it does not â—â—and handsomely to their particular private purpose one way they set it another and sometimes two or three wayes at once not determining which it is but saying It s either this or that or both So Io. Tom. and R. Bax. page 60.62 that Text Iohn 1.9 may be understood of this Light two wayes 1. All who are enlightned 2. The other sense is All sorts and Nations c. but not that of the Qua. though the letter it self imports it But page 35. 1 Pamp. both meanings are the Holy Ghosts the phrases will bear either senses and either of them cross the Qua. interpretation and when they deem they can make any use to help their crazy cause by the literal sense and import of the words then they will have that and so what a deceitful deal of-Do there is with T.D. about the import of the words a very Boy may behold up and down in his two Trisles page 5. 1 Pamp. That expression Luke 17.21 may import that the Kingdome which the Pharisees did upon a mistake look for without them was indeed Mark a Kingdome within them Here it seems T.D. unawares thought the import of the expression would have served his turn and was mistaken it serving the Qua. for truth whereupon upon second thoughts
as he sayes gives another which he judges the most genuine interpretation En Vmin among you so the Preposition may be rendred quoth he when as there 's no such Preposition at all as En in that Text it being Entos Vmon as is shewed above So page 14. the phrase doth not import the perfection of any on earth that likes him not it seems but else the phrase imports it well enough for he sayes ye are come to the Spirits of just men made perfect as it s said The Saints are all to come up to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Heb. 12.23 Eph. 4. So page 16. Perhaps the clause should bâ— referred to Sanctification 1 Cor. 6.11 or else it may be meant of the Spirits application forte ita forte non So page 4. 2 Pamp. as the Apostles expression is there he is for the import of the expressions So page 47. 1 Pamp. The expressions of freedome from sin do not note freedome from the being but dominion of sin Page 4. 1 Pamp. As for the phrase in your hearts it imports but the same with that expression the eyes of your understanding being enlightned Page 9. Doth not commit sin that cannot be meant of freedome from sin but either there is an Emphasis in the word sin intending under that general term one kind or sort of sin i.e. the sin unto death or if not in the Substantive then on the Verb Poiei which notes to make a trade of sin as the Priests do who preach sin up and down for money So somewhat it is if they could tell what and no matter what nor where the Emphasis lyes whether we can distinctly tell yea or nay so we may keep that Doctrine of sufficient Grace against sin to All men and that danmable Doctrine of Devils that is of not sinning any more which the Qua. teach up among men from taking too much root and bringing forth fruit to perfection of holiness that spoils all their â—â—ading as well as the Lawyers which stands but upon mens trespasses and sins if once men come to leave sinning and hating and envying and stealing c. and come to live in love innocency honesty and peace that marres their Ministry therefore they 'l beware of that Leven however which will sowre all the sweet success that they have from Generation to Generation into the Popish preferments of their deceased Predecessors if that way be shewed how to live without sin it turns their rich trade of preaching down sin and talking against sin up by the roots and therefore though their Trade is for money to declare against sin yet they must preach it up and talk for it a little too and do their work not too hastily all at once left there be no more work for them ere long to do but such as they were never bred up to live by Thus not only T.D. I.O. R.B.I.T. but in a manner all our literal Preachers when the Letter leans not that way themselves for their lusts sake list to have it make no more to wrest it besides its own ordinary proper and literal seâ—se and import which when it smiles with them they plead as much as they implead it when it makes against them then a man need do to turn a Nose of Wax which way he will and no less then twenty wayes one after another if they please yea it is but saying when they are minded so to do upon mislike of the Spirits plain naked honest meaning thus viz. The Spirit does not mean here as he sayes but means another thing 't is usual with Christ to speak words of a doubtful sense his meaning may be mistaken when his words taken in the most ordinary and literal sense and so it would be if by every man we should understand every individual man the meaning of thâ—se words cannot be as the Letter of them does import then this and that absurdity would follow say our reconciling self-contradictors by which they import themselves to be very little insighted either into the Letter it self which they are Ministers meerly of and much less into the mind of the Spirit which gave it forth which never does as these inâ—aners and Opinionists would make it speak one thing and mean another but means truly what he sayes though his very sayings are mysteries to the misty Ministers when he sayes All and every man he means not some only a few one of a thousand as the personal Electionists do who extend the large Love of God so far as to say it s intended but to few and streighten the boundless Mercy of God into a Miâ—e which is stretched out matchlessly beyond measure over all his works which universal terms All men every man if they were to be restrained as they tell us how much more legally may indefinite terms be taken in a restrained sense and be made equivalent to particulars and upon that account we may except the most sinners as they indeed do some of them personally and absolutely from all Iudgement and Condemnation and the most as absolutely from Mercy and Salvation from the fear of any evil befalling them for their sins so as to say when God speaks indefinitely he will rain snares fire brimstone storm and temptest on the wicked that 's not All and every wicked man but a few only therefore fear not Whâ—remengers and Adulterers God will judge Lyars Murderers have their part in the Lake that 's but some few only at least not All nor the most not the Saints not his upright hearted Davids when gone from their uprightness for so David was in that matter of Vriah when guilty of Murder and Adultery therefore droop not ye murderous adulterous Saints of this English unclean-hearted Israel If God had said All and every Adulterer and every Murderer hee 'll judge and divide him his portion in the Lake his meaning had not been as those words import 't is usual for Christ to speak words of a doubtful sense ye mistake his meaning if you understand him according to the ordinary and literal seâ—se of the universal terms All and every man as speaking of every individual man but he speaks but indefinitely Sinners Whoremengers Adulterers Murderers not expressing All and every such a one which had he exprest he had dot implyed though the terms import so for he offers one thing oft when he means another offers that to all in words in his revealed Will which in heart and his secret Will he intends but to a few and if an universal cannot without going aside from the literal sense it imports yet the indefinite phrase hath a restrained seâ—se Ob. Nay this cannot be though in the other case it may because this is contrary to the Faith the other is not and we must keep to the Analogy of Faith in our interpretings of the Scriptures Rep. Herein ye are more miserably bemoped and befool'd if ye could once see it then in all
other your absurdities put together for I â—row whence or from what Church Principle Ground Foundation comes that Faith according to the Analogy of which ye are to conform in your interpretations of the Scripture it must be either the Infallible Chair and bottomless pit of mens dunghilly Traditions which is the Foundation of the Church of Rome and her Faith which Foundation Church and Faith that 's built on it ye would seem in words at least to deny or else the Infallible Light and Spirit of God in the heart which the Letter came from and the Qua. according to the Letter and together with it call men to and are themselves as to their Faith founded on whom together with their Faith which stands not in mens words writings nor thoughts but in that Light which is the Power of God and that Foundation of it also with no less but a little more detestation ye deny or else the Scripture it self which as much as ye live by yea by Popish Tradition in many things as the Papists do yet in words ye own Now the two first being denyed this last is the Rule of your Faith according to the Tenor and Analogy of which the Churches Faith which ye must interpret Scripture by is to be framed and conformed See then your most abominable confusions and rounds ye run in 1. You have the Scripture before which the true Faith was delivered to the Saints a 1000 years which Scripture is the Foundation of your Church Faith whereby ye might see were ye not blind that your Church and Faith has not the same Foundation as the true had Next you have a Faith which must be squared by the best interpretations ye can make of that Scripture alias a common stock of Divinity that stinks as the blood of a dead man that hath no life in it Then again this Scripture by the Analogy of which as the Church interprets it your Churches Faith is to be framed must be bent to and interpreted by the Analogy of that Faith which was thereby framed So Riddle me Riddle me what 's this Round of our reasonless Rabbies 1. The Scripture is the Rule of our Faith say they according to our Churches interpretations of which her common Faith must as to the Articles of it be framed and conformed 2. The common Faith is the Rule according to the Analogy of which the Scripture must be interpreted and all our Expositions of it framed and conformed Oh the bruitish brainy notions of our of our Brittish Nation A false Faith about personal Election and Reprobation about All 's signifying some men only and every man only a few being framed in Iohn Calvins fancy upon his miserable mistakes and misinterpretations of the Scripture Scilicet ever since All Scripture must be interpreted according to the Analogy of that false Faith â—â—a ferunt circum-feruntur T. D. J. O. R. B. J. T. Ignoramus Smâ—ctimnuus and others The Blood of Christ cleanseth us in presenti from all sin that 's the guilt say they not filth of it though the very phraâ—e imports otherwise cleanse your selves from all uncleanness of flesh and spirit that 's not as the Letter imports All indeed but All gross iniquities we must have our infirmities while we live here and and if he meant them he commanded impossibilities which the Apostle did not He that sinneth is of the Devil he that 's of God sins not that 's not as the word Amartanei nemine câ—ntradicente imports but it must be expounded by the other phrase Amartian Poiein operam dare peccato c. which Amartian Poiein but that they stretch it out upon the Tenters is no more then Amartanein for he that sins does sin and he that commits sin does no more and does so much as that while he does sin he is as Christ said Iohn 8. a servant of it and not of Christ in that they do no iniquity that is not as the Letter impâ—rts but they do none as the wicked do it that is with all their might but more moderately Perfection that 's only such an uprightness and sincerity as respects all Gods Commandments whether they be kept or broken saved from sin is from the dominion not being of it while we have a being here it hath not potestatem dominandi nor damnandi but operandi bellandi captivandi only led Paul captive while he liv'd to the Law of it so that with his flesh he served it but it domineers not damns not because the mind approves it not while the flesh commits it if it chance to be murder and adultery as that of David whose heart was upright say they though the Scripture excepts him from uprightness in that case and therefore iustified quoth T. D. alias held guiltless O Criss-Cross while under the guilt of it being weak and temptation strong and an hundred more such fetches do our formally holy Fathers find wherewith to feed up themâ—elves and their failing Flocks from fainting under their â—â—â—lest faults minifiâ—d into the name of Saints infirmities Thus they swim up and down in their non-sensical senses and notions so that nothing must be taken as the words import but when a meaning serves their licenticus turns and then they urge the words import it so one while it must be as the phrase imports other whiles it cannot be so but otherwise then the Letner imports it for then the Scripture so it seems indeed to the Owls and Batts whose eyes dazle at the Light it came from so that they see more by night then by day would contradict it self and be at variance and disagree within it self and cannot approve it self to their own understandings without the mediation of their own meanings and interpretations and therefore they must reconcile it to it self though they are at never so much odds among themselves and each man within himself about this matter of setting it to rights even one saying this is the meaning the other that a third in my opinion it is so a fourth I think it must be either so or so but which he determines no more then T. D till they have reconciled it into nothing but an irreconcileable enmity with it self and an occasion of irreconcilable enmity about it between themselves And this I know not only as one of those that now see in the Lords light their dotage herein and the wrong and crooked wayes wherein they are at work to set that to rights and strait which is so already in itself if they could let it alone without wresting it into constructions as crooked as they are in their conversations but as one that was once as busie as the best of them in the same blind fruitless frothy work of beating the brains about the meaning of this and that which the Spirit only reveals to the poor in Spirit and not to the proud haughty Scorner that dealeth in proud wâ—ath against the righteous having been my self when I was where they yet
bids search and Paul 2 Tim. 3.15.16.17 sayes are useful and profitable the Qua. say no say they but look to the light within you Rep. I say though the Qua. say look to the light within as Christ and Paul did yet they no more deny the usefulness of the Scripture then either of those Scriptures ye quote proves that absolute necessity of the Scripture as to Salvation which ye seem to plead though Christ and Paul never did so nor do we any more dehort from searching the Scripture then Christ Iohn 5.39 exhorteth to search them which is not at all in that Text for howbeit Ereunate search may be rendred either Indicatively or Imperatively as to its own signification as I elsewhere shew its most evident that he speaks there by way of complaint of the Scribes for looking for life in the Scriptures without coming to him who is the Light ver 40. and not by way of command to search them ye search not search ye Their sixteenth is from Isa. 8.20 Psa. 119.105 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word there is no light in them Thy Word is a light to my feet a lamp to my path whence they sillily argue or rather blindly assert the Qua. Opinion and Speech concerning a sufficient light in All men to be contrary to the Law and Testimony and Gods Word Ordinances Ministry and many other things and therefore erroneous and without light in it Rep. The Antecedent here is most false for the Law Testimony and Word there spoken of which is a Lamp and Light to the feet and path and according which who speaks not it is because the morning is not yet to him for the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through the mistranslation of which phrase thus there 's no light in him many not knowing the Hebrew and many that know it not heeding it make no small ado against the Lights being in All men as Vavasor Powell did once at Eltham is no other then that Light within even that word which David had and hid within him that he might not sin against God by which young men taking heed thereunto may come to cleanse their way Psa. 119.9 that Word of Faith that is nigh in the heart which the Apostles preached or witnessed to Rom. 10. that Law and Commandment which is said to be a Lamp and Light Prov. 6. that inward testimony of Iesus or Spirit of Prophesie which we with all the Prophees of old by words and Scriptures bear our outward testimony unto call'd by Peter 2 Pet. 1.19 the more sure word of Prophesie to which men do well to give heed as unto a light shining in the dark place of their heart till the day dawn and the day star arise therein This I say and not the external Text as ye all triflingly talk is that Law and Testimony and Word there spoken of even the Law and Testimony that comes and is written and is given and received immediately from and out of God and Christ's own Light Voice and mouth in the hearts minds and consciences of all people which his own people only give ear and hearken to even the Rod the Spirit the Word and Sword of his mouth which Priests and all people are summoned to seek to to stand in as Gods own Counsel and to take counsel at and be cover'd with and take heed to their way by that they may not sin against the Lord and which all the wicked that sin against must once be slain by Psa. 37.31 Isa. 51.7.30.1 Ier. 31.33.32.40 Ezek. 11.19.36.26 Zach. 2.6.7.8.9 Ier. 23.15.16.17.18.22.26.27 c. Hos. 4.6.12 2 Thes. 2.8.19 Rev. 15.28 which the Priests above all others usually depart from and forget and are partial in and cause people in stumble at and forget who therefore neither profit people nor thrive in any thing but ignorance and deceit themselves because they stand not in it from whom though their Schools are call'd Nurseries of learning Well-heads of true Religion and Divinity there goes forth no true Divination but sottishness and profaneness into all lands This is that Law and living Word and true testimony even the Light and Word of God in the heart a testimony that 's said to be bound up from the outward Israel which may have the outward Bible bound among them a Law that 's said to be sealed up among Christs Disciples from the sight of the be-nighted Seers which such as seek to seek to the Lord himself and such as forsake go from the Fountain of the living water to broken Cisteers and such as leave for an outward letter leave the living for the dead and seek for the living Lord among the dead These are the Wells of Salvation out of which Souls should draw the living Water which the Philistines in envy to the Seed of Abraham will strive alway to slop till the Lord make room for them to flow out to the full These are that Word Law and Testimony and not the most Original Copies of the Letter as I.O. and ye all with him do emptily imagine page 216. which who so deprives of the Hebrew Punctation by proving the novelty thereof do with Abimelechs servants no less then utterly stop the Wells or Fountains from whence ye should draw all your Souls refreshment These as I have shewed so abundantly above at the end of my third Exercitation in answer to I.O. that I shall need say no more here in proof thereof are the matters meant by the said Law and Testimony Isa. 8.20 which are not contrary to the writing without neither and the true outward Ministry and Ordinances but consonant thereunto which inward Law Word and Testimony your selves being contrary to and opposing are therein contrary to Gods Word and the outward Scripture of it also therefore not the Qua. who own all these but your own Opinion is erroneous and your speech is without light The seventeenth from Eph. 4.11 runs thus The Opinion and practise of the Qua. makes every man a Teacher and Teachers set by God for the work of the Ministry needless as if thâ—y were no gift but a burden to the Church cryes them down therefore it s contrary to Gods and Christs way and so Antichristian Rep. The Antecedent here is a false tale and a meer slander of the Qua. for neither do they so much as doctrinally make every man a Teacher for they deny both your selves and all that side with you to be men fit to be Teachers of others unless ye were better taught your selves or had learn't the truth of God much better then as yet ye have done and howbeit they know your Ministry who are set by men to minister for money to be not only needless but also useless fruitless unprofitable burdensome chargeable and more destructive then saving both to peoples Souls and to the Nations yet we own All Teachers set by God for the work of the Ministry which are such only
Spirits are to be tryed by if not by that measure of the Spirit of Truth it self which convinces the world of Sin Righteousness and Iudgement and leads its followers into all Truth Ob. If any say it can't be that Spirit of God nor his Light in men the Qua. call to for that 's one of the things to be tryed try the spirits whether of God or no and that which is to be tryed cannot be the rule of Tryal Ans. I answer why not Did you Schoolmen never learn that Lesson your selves which ye teach to others viz. that Regula which is alwayes quid Rectum is mâ—nsura sui obliqui The strait Rule must ever be the Rulâ— or measure of it self as well as of that which is crooked and faulty Doth not the light manifest it self to be true light as well as the darkness to be truly darkness and does not the Sun as well shews it self to a man to be the Sun as it shews a dark Cloud or smoak not to be it and why may not the inward light which is truly and indeâ—d is only it fallible be truly said to be Autopiste believed for it self sake and to be the Rule of Tryal that must try all spirits and sayings but its own yea it s own also as I. O. falsly sayes nor more nor less but the self-same of the outward fallible because flexible Letter which flows forth from it I say 't is true we are to try all spirits and things but as what man knows the things of a man but the spirit of a man within himself even so the things of Gâ—d knows no man but the Spirit of God and that Spirit in which that Spâ—rit of God reveals them 1 Gor. 2 What shall we try Light and Daâ—kness by but by the Light I know our Divines say try all spirits by the Scripture all lâ—ghts so called whether they be true or pretended by the Letter But herein they discover their own dancings of the Rounds still in the night of their own thoughts and in the midst of the mist of darkness foramuch as no otherwise then as when we ask them what 's the Rule they go by in their Analogical Faith they say the Scriptures and when we ask them what 's the Rule they go by in their interpreting â—f that Rule of their Faith i.e. the Scriptures they tell us the Analogy of their Faith even so when we ask them what are ye to try the Scriptures by whether they are of God or no they say by the Spirit yea though other things may be accessary yet the testimony of the Spirit is necessaâ—y and only all-sufficient to this puâ—pose so sayes not only Bâ—ll in his Caâ—echize but also all the Builders of Babel and Worshâ—ppers of Baal in what form soever excepring Popish Priests who are in a worse extreme and deny as no Rule for their own Traditions sake both Scriptures and Spirit altogether but when we ask them but how shall we try that Spirit of God whether of God or no for we are not believe every spirit to go round again they tell us by the Scriptures and thus the poor Clergy are cozened and how those they Lord it over should scape dâ—lusion and creep out of their Babylonish confusion I know not till they come to that and some such thing there is or else there 's no infallâ—ble knowledge of any thing which is of a certainty past all demonstâ—ation sâ— that as to a blind man it can't be proved so to a seeling man in need not and that is the Light of God in the Conâ—cience which as heeded and according to the measure of it shews both it seâ—f and darkness truth and deceit good and evil what God would have each man do for his own particular and what to decline de Iure what sins he lives in that he should forgo what sins he does or does not forgo de facto e.g. lying cozening cheating drunkenness adultery murder doing that ill to oâ—hers be would not have done to himself and such like finalâ—y what manner of man he is upright or wicked a tâ—ue man or an hypocrite c. And all this though internally and spiritually yet as truly and infâ—llibly as with his bodily eyes by the Light of the Sun or but a candle he sees himself and with his natural animal understanding he perceives himself to be a man and not a Beast Their 28. from Psal. 139.23 Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts and see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting is thus If David had a Light within him of it self a sufficient and safe guide to God he should no need Gâ—d to search know and try him he might have led himself but 't is otherwise with David therefore he knew he had not a Light within him And to this tune also I. O. belying the Qua. represents them as saying they need not any teaching having a Light within them for a much as themselves are Autodidactoi taught of themselves Ex. 3. S. 20. Opus non habent vel Doctrina c. cum ipsi sunt Autodidactoi si iis fidem adhibere 〈◊〉 sit Rep. Oh most absurd and abominable how do evil men and seducers war worse and worse decâ—iving and being deceived 'T was darkness gross enough to gain-say the being of a sufficient light to guide to God in All mâ—n but this is grosser yea no leâ—s then groapablâ— to deny it to be in aâ—y men for if it be in any men it is surely in the Saints and if in them then in Davâ—d whom they own as one yet behold the M. As. and B. Ds. of our times tell us now that David himself who sayes Thy word have I hid in me that I might not sin against thee Pâ—a 119. which word â—he calls a Lamp to his feet and a Light to his paths had not a Light within him as a sufficient safe guide to lead in the way everlasting and consequently the Saints to whom nemine obstante Paul sayes according to Mâ—ses the word is nigh thee in thy heart the word â—f Faith which we preach had none of it in them as well as sinners But that they may not insanire sine ratioâ—e they give a reason for it such as 't is viz. If David had a Light of God within him sufficient c. he need not Gâ—d to search know try and lead him he might have led himâ—elf not heeding that all the Saints that are taught by the Light and in that learn in silence in all subjection are not Autodidactoi as these men suppose but as Paul saith all Saints are Theodidactoi learning of Christ and taught of God 1 Tâ—es 41.9 That the Qua. deny all Teaching but that of God or men moved by the same Liâ—ht and Spirit by which God teaches yea I acknowledge freely that he that teaches himself and learns not of God but leans to his
to face each other but when that came then he saw sin was alive in him and he dead and that he was then while beginning to war with it sold under it and captivated by it and wretched by reason of it Rom. 7. but that now when he wrote this the Law of the Spirit of Life or Light in his mind which was by Christ had made him free from thâ—t Law of sin and deaâ—h which warr'd in his members and oft enslav'd him I say when Paul made this and many other modest acknowledgements of Gods Grace and Power towards him in delivering him and how now he walkt not after the flesh but the Spirit and how holily and justly and unblameably he and other Apostles behaved themselves 1 Thes. 2.1 2. 3. c. and should have said as to the same effect he did that they were no lyars nor deceivers nor wicked ones nor hypocrites and 2 Cor. 13.8 could do nothing against the truth as every sin is but for the truth and such like Whether I.O. would have punisht him as an Impudent Boaster yea or no and have put him in Bâ—cardo where besides whippings and other punishments and abuâ—es some of the Qua. have been put if yea see what kind of provision the poor Flock of Christ must expect from out of the silken Snapsacks of these University Shepherds and Overseers if they had the over-sight of all Corrective as much as they have it Directive over Magistrates and all And what a Generation of Godly Ministers as they have been call'd have grown up under pretence of Reformation of late even in old England which has been so long renewing as well as in New-England which is now growing old again where they punish the same seed to deathâ— where however they idolize Christs holy Apostles now they are dead would no less then persecute them were they now alive if nay I would know Quo Iure some Reason if that these Rabbies can render a right one why the Saints that walk and live in and after the same holy Spirit now that leads into all truth and no transgression and witness the same freedome from the Law of sin thereby should for making the same confession to the glory of Gods Grace be so ill used as I.O. would have them as Impudent Boasters any more then them of old What ever the Qua. do and are who by the Grace of God being what they are glory in nothing of their own knowing they have nothing but what they have received I shall here clear many Clergy men more then any men unless some Lawyers be as clear as them from that so punishable crime of glorying and boasting in being free from the least sin or from those fore-named grosser evils either for as if they should be found glorying in freédâ—me from either they would be found lyars one way more then now they are so in truth both those kinds of wicked hypocritical deceitful lyars I mean in plain terms many Priests and some Lawyers who can neither of them live on poor mens labours as many of them do in all lands any longer then while men lye dead in their trespasses and sins are for ought I find so far from glorying in their immunity from those and all other iniquities that like those old Christian Enemies to the Cross of Christ Phil. 3.18 19. whose end is destruction whose God is their belly who mind earthly things and whose glory is in their shame they glory yet in that immunity and freedome they can get from the powers that are intoxicated with the wine of the wrath of their fornications to commit all evil and so continue in those lyes deceits frauds cheats hypocrisies bloody persecutions spoilings of mens goods devouring Widows houses for Tythes and for a pretence making long prayers and much more wickedness and prophaneness which from these Law and Gospel spoilers is long since gone forth into all lands By that little Cloud then which appears dropping from I.Os. pen though no bigger then a mans hand we can see his complexion and what muddy stuff was working what bloody storms of persecution were brewing in I.Os. mind against that more tender and true Tenet of perfect purging from sin in this life and the innocent Asserters of it and so I shall take him till he either takes in again that terrible tale of his or at least till he tells the world that it repents him that ere he told it for a joynt Antagonist to the Quâ— together with T.D. in that point Nevertheless T.D. being the only man that mannages that matter more at large on behalf of himself and many others I shall without more ado let this short Return stand as to I.Os. brief opposition of us in this point of perfection and the rather sith I believe it will be long enough ere it return from him to us again with any solid or satisfactory answer and address my self to deal more down-rightly yet no otherwise then uprightly neither with T.Ds. writing with whom I together with R. H. G. W. and A.P. also once have had to do about it by word of mouth The second Quest. between him and the Qua. as himself relates both it and what little he thought fit which is scarce one word to his ten in such manner also as might best serve his turn to set down of our Discourse with him about it 1 Pamp. was this Whether in this life the Saints attain to a state of perfection or freedome from sin Which we as to the possibility thereof viz. that they may and also as to the necessity that they must be purged from sin in this life or no where there being no Purgatory in the world to come holding in the affirmative T.D. brings in himself replying thus T.D. Your Doctrine of perfection is against the tenor of the Scripture let us hear what you can say for the proof of it And to R. H. urging 1 Ioh. 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin T.D. replyes thus viz. T.D. That cannot be meant of freedome from sin but either there is an Emphasis in the word sin intending under that general â—eâ—m one kind or sort of sin which is spoken of 1 John 5.16 There is a sin unto death Or if not in the Substantive on the Verb Poiei which notes to make a trade of business of sin as 't is explain'd ver 8. where he uses the same Verb for the Devil sinneth from the beginning He hath never ceased to sin since he began thus indeed the Saints sin not but a course of sin is broken off and there is not such a free trade between the Soul and sin as in the state of unregeneracy whereof this is given for one character that cannot cease to sin 2 Pet. 2.14 Rep. 1. Here thou art in thy old wonted way of scruing the Scripture besides the proper import and ordinary literal sense of the words and true mind of the Spirit in them into thy
own perverse mind and meaning why cannot that be meant of freedome from sin but that men who are not fully willing to be freed from it and are in love with it and being loath to leave it are loath to see it It s more hard not to see then it is to see that it is meant of freedome from sin What should or can it be meant of else Are not freed me from sin and not committing of sin made synominous as committing sin and not being freed from it are made by Christ himself opposites to each other Ioh. 8.32 33. 34. 35. 36. The Iews thought they had the fullest freedome that men could have in this world because they were the visible Church Abrahams Seed and such like externals as they then trusted in as ye now do though not yet freed from that thing call'd sinning to serve the Lord alone whose service the very Common-Prayer-Book it self was wont to call perfect freedome But Christ learns them another Lesson viz. that they had none of that true Gospel freedome that the saving knowledge of the truth gives and which he makes such as continue in his words and so are his Disciples indeed and not in word only as ye are free withall which is a full freedome in deed and truth and not half a one or by the halves such as that is ye talk of who upon the account of some private Patent alias particular personal Election thereto from everlasting prattle to your selves of freedome from guilt while ye remain in your filth and of a general Iustification anâ— pardon for all sins past present and to come in this world expecting your purging or Iustification as to Sanctification from sin and â—ncleâ—â—ness not in this world but that to come But verily verily I say unto you quoth he he that committeth sin is yet the servant of sin and must know for all his boasting he has not long to abide in the House and Church of God wherein Ishmael-like he scoffs at the right Heir Isaac as if himself alone who is but a Bastard born of fornication should inherit all and will prove an out-cast himself at last before the Son who is born of God and free indeed and the only true Heir of all things full freedome from sin and committing of it are oppos'd to each other by Christ therefore freedome from it and not committing it are the same To wind out of this T.D. would seem to say somewhat but of two things he can't tell which but one of the two must be it rather then the Truth Either there is quoth he an Emphasis in the word sin intending under that general term one kind of sin viz. sin unto death or if not in the Substantive on the Verb Poiei which notes to make a trade or business of sin as the Devil does who sinneth from the beginning and never ceased from sin since he began Thus indeed the Saints sin not c. Rep. As to they Emphases they are the foolish empty conceits of thy own and other mens brains there 's no such Emphasis either in the Substantive or Verb as ye all prate whereby the Spirit should be understood as speaking otherwise then he truly means or meaning otherwise then he plainly sayes whose words are plain to the honest heart though not to Idol Shepherd who by the Sword of the Lord hath his right eye utterly darkned because he hath darkned the Lords Counsel by his own words without knowledge And if the eyes of the Seers were not shut up from seeing the very Letter they prate about as well the mysteries of the Spirit which the animal man can never know by all his searchings they being revealed only by the Spirit they might see that the Text it self makes no difference between sinning and committing sin and that the one is no more Emphatical then the other And if T.D. who in the same page 9. where he mentions the words were not so busie in his mind about the meaning and did not make such a warbling noyse as shallow waters ever do more then those that are deepest with harping at this that and t' other silly sense he might in coolness have considered that in the same ninth verse as well as the eigth and others about it the Spirit makes no difference between Amartian Poiein and Amortanein to commit sin and to sin but uses them promiscuously Ouk Amartanei every one that abides in him sinneth not So ver 8. He that commits sin is of the Devil for the Devil Amartanei sinneth from the beginning And because T.D. seems to put an Emphasis upon the word sinneth as well as committeth sin making the word sinneth as here used to amount to somewhat more then an ordinary sort of sinning as here it intends some high or desperate degree of sin even that which 1 Ioh. 5.16 is call'd Kat ' Exoken a sin unto death without remedy or forgiveness for ever because never to be repented of as in opposition to all other sins that men do commit which when this alone being ever joyâ—'d with impenitency is impardonable are all upon that true repentance they are yet in possibility of who commit them pardâ—nable or possible to be forgiven for this is T. Ds. emphasis on the Substantive Sin for I shall not wrong him so much as to take him meaning as the Papists do who put such difference between peccatum veniale and mortale as if some sins only without repentance were mortal or to death and some venial or not to death though not repented of at all your Church of England opposing them in this and holding every sin yea the least unrepented of unto death though T. D. would have suspected me to be a Iesuite for a less matter This concludes him that is born of God to be even qua sic as born of God as easily liable to and excludes him no more then it does the very wicked themselves from the committing of any sin that the wickedest can commit except that ye call the sin against the Holy Ghost it self which is so gross an absurdity that he can be no spiritually wise man that does not feel him to be spiritually infatuated that so imagines For still though the Devil sinneth and he that is of the Devil doth nothing else but Nicodemus though a Master in Israel can't read this Birth of God which is Anothen from above of water and the Spirit John 1.12 John 3. which blows where it lists and the Priests hear an outward sound thereof but know not whence it comes nor whether it goes nor how he is that is born of the Spirit as plain as 't is in the Text which they read more then that truth tells of yet as he that sinneth is of the Devil and he that is of the Devil sinneth altogether so he that sinneth not but doth righteousness only is of God and he that is born of God and the Spirit which is Spirit and not flesh sinneth not at
it in presenti will it follow that they were Sinners in presenti cuâ—us contrarium c. For as its most evident that the 10. v. is explanatory and expositive of the 8. to him that well heeds the 9. v. that comes between them So if he had not in one of them given out his own mind and meaning not thine about the other yet all that 's spoken in presenti is not as thou judgest spoken de praesenti but not a little of the same nature with this is by the Pen-men utter'd in praesenti in the present Time and Tenâ—e that relates not ad praesens but ad praeteâ—itum to the time past onely as uttered concerning that Iam. 3.8 9. he sayes of the tongue it s an unruly evill full of deadly poison and in praesenti therewith blesse we God therewith curse we men made after Gods Image alias Saints will any man be so simple as to conclude from hence that Iames and the Saints were now at this time câ—â—sers of men or of Saints that bare Gods Image or that he wrote this of himself and them de praesenti as concerning this present time wherein he writes it and not rather understand him as speaking of man as he is in the fall unrenewed in statu corrupto immorigero inconverso of men yet unconverted to the truth which teacheth better fruits then such bitter fâ—iâ—s as these which yet for all your blessing God with the same mouth ye national Ministers are found bringing forth at this day does he not speake it of men as they ly dead in trespasses and sins and so consequently of himself and the Saints as de praeterito concerning the time past who in times past had their conversation among such as Paul sayes Eph 2 2 3 Tit 3 2 So Rom â— 14 Paul sayes in praesenti I am carnall sâ—ld under sin I find a Law in my members carrying me captive into the Law of sin and much more then that in the present tense through that Chapter is any man but he whose own wisdome is all foolishnesse for want of heeding the measure of the light and Gods wisdomâ— in his own heart so foolish at to interpret Paul as speaking of himself and his present state in those words and so as to conclude that Paul while he in the Spirit of God wrote that Epistle to the Romans was carnall sâ—ld under sin enslaved to it carried captive by it led at the will of Sin and Satan as he had once been before the Light or Law in the Spirit and he came together at which time began the war before which war as he was in his contracted corrupt nature howere he thought not so till the Light shew'd it him Sin was alive in him and he dead in it and a servant to it under which war also if he kept not to his watch he might loose ground sometimes and gain it again as he recover'd to his watch to the light and stood arrayed with the Armour thereof in which continuing stedfast at last he obtained the victory of which he speakes in the same place ch 8.2 3 4. so that at praesent he witnessed the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ the light which warr'd in his mind against the Law of his members had now made him free from that Law of Sin and Death which once he was so pester'd with that he cryed out of himselfe ' as wretched by reason of it and witnessed also the Son of God condemning Sin so perfectly in his flâ—sts by Christs power in him that the righteousnesse of the Law was now fulfilled in himselfe and other Saints and himselfe walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit I say can any think Paul such a one but such as sell themselves to Folly not considering that Paul speaks of three states he had experienced one before the Law or Light when he lay dead in sin a 2 under it while he warred against it a 3 in Christ wherein he stood freed from and in full dominion over it but one of which 3 he could possibly be in at once and at this time and that was the 3d having passed the other two as is evident ch 8.2 hath made me free can any but benighted ones that being sold under sin themselves measure others by themselves Judge Paul to be the premises cosidered under the power of sin and unfreed from it at this present and that he wrote of himself as wretched de presenti because he wrote it in praesenti thus and thus I am had he not then subjected himselfe below the Saints he writes to of whom he sayes chap. 6. that even they were made free from sin as well he who were once the servants of it and yielded their members up to obey it as he was and did of which persons yet T. D. in the name of T. Rumsey simply says p. 47.1 Pamp. It cannot be meant simply that they were freed from sin because Paul c. 14.10 sayes not so much by way of condemnation say I as by way of caution to them that they should not judge and set aâ— naught one another for why dost thou there may be by way of memorandum and warning as well Christs how wilt thou and why beholdest thou thou hypocrite to his own Disciples Math. 7.2 3. and as Pauls other why dâ—st thou 1 Cor. 4. â— which was not by way of downright charge and censure but by way of prevention of such things as should not be and hint how it ought to be among them but undoubtedly Paul Rom 7. speakes as concerning how it was with him in times past when he lay under sin and while he passed throw his warfare against it being at present in the state of victory over it which state of victory the Scripture every where speaks of as that the Saints come to here even to the overcoming of the world and the lust of it while they live in it 1 Ioh. 5.4 5. Rev. 2. Rev. 21.7 which our Priests put far from themselvs and their people as a state attainable onely in the world to come Yea Oh the blindnesse that 7. of the Rom. for want of heeding the 8. together with it is made the common place of our blind guides and night-nursing Fathers from whence upon the account of Pauls out-cry O wretched man that I am to nourish up their sinning Saints from fainting under the burden of their necessary infirmityes and from whence to conclude Paul to have liv'd and dyed also without full freedom and perfect purging from his sins and themselves much more to be under a necessity of sinning and living casually while they live Which yet follows no more then it did from that of Iames above from both which it will follow as fully as from that of Iohn I am yet in hand with and that is indeed not one jot at all If we say we have no sin c. Who that hath sinned can say he hath no sin
for the sin he hath once committed he hath and the sins by which Iohn and they had sinned of old were theirs or else they needed no Saviour nor purging as cursing men possibly might be sins of which Iames and them he writes to could not say we have no such for such and such were some of you saith Paul to the Saints 1 Cor. 6. But now ye are washed sanctified justified by the Spirit c. So that if we confesse he is faithfull and just to forgive and that 's not all though the Priest stops there but to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse yea the blood of Iesus his Son doth in praesenti cleanse us from All sin If then there be any filth remaining theres not a cleansing from all but if as the Text sayes it was to some it be from all then there 's none at all remaining so as to be committed or acted to defilement though the Saints may be said to have it in and about them so as to be tempted to it while it is fully under them yet temptation to it is not transgression And the same may be said of 2 Cor. 7.1 let us cleanse though Paul himself was cleansed from all uncleannesse of flesh and Spirit then which I know no more pâ—rfecting holinesse in the fear of God who say I commands not impossibilities to the visible Churches in which sundry were who were not clean as Christs Saints and true Disciples are through the word he speakes to them nor cleansing but some waxing worse and worse Ioh. 13.10 11 16 3. Phil. 3.18 19. much lesse doth Christ command no to his true Ministers as fast as false ones hasten to that fruitlesse work if there own doctrine were true in his Name to command what is impossible yet even to the little children in the Church does Iohn write that they sin not 1 Ioh. 2.1 as well as of the young men in commendation that they are strong and have overcome the wicked one and yet there are Fathers beyond all these Next to G. W. mentioning Phil. 3.15 as many as be perfect c. in proof of perfection here T. D. Replyes well-nigh a whole page full of worth nothing which is scarce worth noting on any other account then to shew how 't is worse then nothing to his own purpose 1. He tells us that 's spoken of grown Christians that were perfect in comparison of Babes Rep. That every Babe in Christ is perfect as to the divine nature which assents to no sin much lesse acts it I have shew'd above but if all that are born of God were not perfect yet that some are T. D. there confesses and if but one it proves the possibility of it which we plead against him and he pleads against 2 He tells us that perfect in Scripture is put for upright and these are made Synonimous and of the same import Rep. True Perfect and upright are one and both import no lesse then a man that sins not Eccles. 7.29 Adam in innocency was perfect it 's said God made man upright For while any are upright they are answerable to the Law or Light lent them to live by which sin is the transgression of and so no transgressours and while they transgresse that Law they are not perfect nor upright but crooked and so accounted Whether it be Iob himself whom T. D. so much instances in and insists on p. 10. 1. Pamp. and p. 6. 2. Pamp. or David himselfe or any other Therefore while David stood in integrity and uprightnesse as mostly he did it preserved him and God so accounted him and justified him as an upright man as he did Iob. 1.1 in the same case but where he turn'd aside into the deceit defilement God held him not upright but hypocriticall false filthy and sinfull much lesse did he therein hold him guiltlesse and justifie him as most ignorantly T. D. delivers it that he did p. 38. 1. Pamp. even when he was guilty of adultery and murder in which juncture nevertheless T.D. sayes he was not in a condemned state but in a justified estate The Scripture exempts him from justification so far that it vouchsafes him not that denomination of an upright man in that matter of Vriab but brands him with the name of a pittylesse blood guilty man a secret evill doer in the sight of the Lord a despiser of him and his comandement and a causer of Gods enemies to blaspheme his Name Psal. 51. 2 Sam. 12.6 9 10 12 14. Howbeit this one thing by the way is worth noting concerning T. D. not for any good that is in it or in T. D. as touching his demeanour in it that when he speaks of the Saints good and duty that they do he says that 's not perfect but an unclean thing dung and filthy rags yea that he calls sin and iniquity p. 7. 2. Pamp. They sin quoth he in doing good duties holy for the matter are iniquity for the manner â—f performance but when the Saints as in Davids caâ—e commit Adultery and Murder he pronounces them blessed as having no guile nor guilt in their Spirit but sincere which is the same with upright or perfect see p. 11. 1. Pamp. David quoth he Psal. 32.2 Pronounces the man blessed which hath no guile in his Spirit or sincere which himselfe was at that time though under the guilt of a great sin v. 5. which is by interpreters supposed to be the same sins for which psal 51. was composed Rep. Here 's Doctrine of Divinity with a witnesse when the Saints do the best good they sin their holy things are all as an unclean thing their righteousness is dung filthy rags though T. D. holds also that Paul had no righteousness which was not Christs p. 22. 1. Pamp. nor any righteousnesse but what from Christ he received their performing duty at least is no lesse then iniquity but when they are under the guilt of such great sins as Adultery and Murder oh blessed men they at that time have no guile in their Spirits are in sincerity or to speakin the diminutive Phrase by which sometimes he lessens the foul faults and great sins of the Saints at the worst but under infirmity But be it this or be it that greater or lesse better or â—â—â—se infirmity or iniquity good or evill duty or dung righteousness or rags holy or unclean the upshot of all is this the men are blessed men what ere they do they are never in a condemned but ever in a justified estate and let their works be as they will perfect or not perfect good or duty which they call unclean dung iniquity or filthy rags their persons though thus sinning are ever Saints and believers which together with their works are accepted with God who yet say I never accepted any such works as are iniquity and sin nor any Persons while they are the workers of them And as to the remnant of T. D's talk in answer to â— â— which is
to this purpose viz. that Paul Phil. 3.12 Denyes any such perfection as is exclusive of sin till that last and bodily resurrection from the dead which he looks not for in this life which answer he is so in love with that he hath it in his 1st pamp p. 10. and also ore again in his 2d Pamp. p. 6. Rep. I shall answer that no other wise then out of T. D's own mouth who as I am as to my self credibly enough inform'd by A. P. in a meeting among many at Sandwich since those publike disputes we had since the edition of both his books being 〈◊〉 the precise time wherein perfect purging is answered when the Soul being passed out of the body is in its passage between here and heaven or to that purpose which is but so and no somer must then be before the resurrection he talks of and if he will not be convinced by his own words that sin is excluded before the resurrection much lesse is it likely he should believe any of mine Adding this however viz. That if ye lye down in your graves with your bones full of sin ye shall rise with them full of sorrow was wont to be the Priests argument to the people to perswade them to a purging from all sin before they dye because no purging to be lookt after death much lesse so long of after as at the resurrection Verbum sat sapienti The next answer of T.D. is to the Argument urged from Psal. 119.1 2 3. which he who renders all we said as weakly lamely and decrepidly as he possiâ—ly can for his own ends repeats not half so much as by the halves for I wisht him him to heed all the 3. verses which were then peraphras'd to him and argued fâ—â—m in such wise as followeth viz. they that are undefiled in the way are not defiled in the way they that walk in the Law of the Lord do not transgresse it they that keep his Testimonies do not break them they that seek him with their whole heart serve him not by the halves not him and sin but him alone and wholly they that done iniquity do not sin they that walk in his way do not walk besides it but there were some or else they could not be pronounced blessed for the Spirit blesses not such men as are not and such now may be for quod fieri potuir potest what was then is possible to be now who are undefiled in the way walk in the Law of the Lord that keep his Testimonies and seek him with their whole heart who do no iniquity and walk in his way Therefore 't is possible that the Saints may be freed from sinning in this life The summe of what T. D. Replyes to all this is that the Phrases are hyperbolicall which is a little better at least but how much I list not here to tell then if T.D. had said they are hypocriticall or as his wonted replyes are when he can find no better as I have shewed above the meaning of the words cannot be as the letter of them doth import the Spirit meanes not as he sayes the Spirits meaning may be mistaken when his words are taken in the most ordinary liter all sense and so it would be if undefiled and doing no iniquity should be meant truely of being undefiled and doing none iniquity indeed p. 11. 1. Pamp. It s meant of having respect to all Gods Commandements in respect of design and endeavour though falling short in accomplishment v. 6. being explanatory of the other Rep. Oh the impudency of this man what have we for all this he sayes against the plain literall sense of the Spirits words whereby to assure us that the Spirit means not as his own words import but onely in that shambling sense which T. D. shuffles them into whose words must be taken T. D's or Davids and the Spirits the very literall sense of which is exclusive of all sin and defilement and strictly expressive of doing no iniquity at all who that is born of God doth not see T. D. to be a strict pleader for loosenesse and endeavourer to uphold the Dâ—vills Kingdom the Spirit pronounces them blessed and no more in whose whose Spirit there is no guilt that do no iniquity walk in in Gods way and keep his Testimonies or Commandements T. D. will bring in a bastard brood into this blessednesse that faâ—l short in the accomplishment of this that must be supposed at least to be ever respecting designing and endeavouring to do that businesse which yet notwithstanding all their respects designes and endeavours they are to believe they must never do it being not possible to be done they must alwayes dwell at the sign of the Labour in Vain and be striving to wash the Blak-More white and alwayes roling Sysiphus's Stone ever purifying never pure ever mortifying their earthly members fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection to the world evill concupiscence covetousnesse Idolatry Anger Wrath Lying Filthy Communication but never while they live obtain to witnesse these so mortifyed as to be no more committed least such an absurdity as this should follow that the Scripture which I confesse is found contradicting these meaning-makers on it be found contradictory to it self for quoth T. D. p. 59. 2 Pamp. all the Scriptures which require repentance and mortification during this life do deny the possibility of perfection For they and it are incompatible We are bid quoth he to mortify our earthly members inordinate desires motions and actions of corrupt â—nature that is constantly endeavour to represse and subdue them And there 's no reason but that Gods Commands should run in that old stile though we are not able to fulfill them Rep. Of all the peices of proof against the possibility of perfection that ever I heard made by T. D. himself or any other This is the most monstrously rediculous draw this rude and crude matter into its own form and the force of it runs ihus That which God requires and commands us to be alwayes doing and constantly endeavouring to do during this life can never possibly be done or effected during this life for if it be once fully done effected and accomplished then we can't be alwayes doing it and so not obey what God requires But God requires we should be alwayes mortifying constantly endeavouring to represse and subdue the actions of corrupt nature during this life Therefore its impossible unlesse we be left uncapable of doing what God requires that we should in this life perfectly mortify and subdue them In short that which must be ever in fieri while we live can't be in facto esse till we dy but we are in fieri to be alwayes purifying our selves while we live Therefore least there be no more work of that kind for us to do we may not lawfully or cannot possibly be pure till we ay Rep. This is even as handâ—ome a shift as if a Debtor promising to owe endeavour
Priests as the Septuagint are gone off quoth I. O. from the Original in a thousand places twice told And yet To go round again the only infallible Rule and sure Word of God which they tell the poor people that they have is the Scripture Text as it is thus Translated for they to them either the infallibility of their own Ministry or of the Holy Chair and any present guidance of any by the Infallible Spirit also Thus they run the Rounds 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 translaions were they never so certain and entire by answering to the first originall copies yet are not capable to be to all men any other then a lesbian Rule or Nose of Wax for as much as even where men have them as halfe the world has not they are liable to be wrested and actually twisted twenty wayes by interpretours 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 and Greek nor in their own Mother-Tongues neither And whereas we ask them who tell us that Scripture rightly interpreted only is the right rule of the faith by what Rule shall we know whether the Text be rightly interpreted yea or nay and not rather wrested and what is the Rule according to which men are to interpret that Rule of their faith i.e. that Scripture to go round again they tell us the Analogy of Faith And when we query how it may be known that that Faith is right according to which the Scripture is if rightly to be interpreted To go round again they tell us the Scripture rightly interpreted And when we ask them how it may be known assuredly uncontroleably infallibly that the Scripture is at all of God and not a cunningly devised fable invention of men they tell us by the Testimony of the Spirit which say they is necessary onely all-sufficient to that purpose see the Articles of the Clergy of England about the Scripture And when we ask them but by what shall we try and find assuredly infallibly that that Spirit is of God and not a false one that tells us the Scripture is of God To go round again they tell us by the Scripture Moreover as when others deny his asserted Authority purity integrity of the Text I. O. pleads it to the least tittle and yet to go round again falls flatly to affirm the Nâ—n-integrity of it himself so when he dreams those poor deluded Fanatical souls as he calls them call'd Qua who yet own it as usefull helpfull profitable perfect to its own end through faith in the Light to the man of God do deny the perfection of the Scripture to its proper end then I.O. strikes up in such strict strains of proving the living power efficacy perfection of the said Scripture to its own proper end which he sayes is the effecting and perfecting of mens eternall salvation without any help of the Spirit and Light within stretching it out into such a singular absoluteness this way as that which by it self alone is Regula perfectissima Ex 3. S. 26. ita perfecta c. omnibus numeru absoluta ut nihil opus sit ulla alia revelatione per spiritum out lumâ—n internum c. as revelatio omni respectu perfecta Ex 3. S. 28. Potens servare animas restituens onimam potent a Dei ad salutem so that inania mutilia sunt alia omnia principia c. S. 29. which all is more fully inculcated at large in Greek and English p. 83 84 85 86 87. where he sayes its absolutely call'd the power of God and that to its proper end the Rod of his power without other helps and advantages that hath efficacy and power in it to save souls living effectual sharper then any two edged sword c. as Heb. 4.12 and much more to that tune adoring and extolling the external Text with the honour and veneration that 's due to God Christ and his Spirit Light and living word in the heart alone But when I.O. comes to quarrel with those poor deluded souls the Iews for the self same adoring and glorying in their enjoyment of the naked letter and seeking for life and salvation in the Scriptures without the Light and Spirit within which he and his Fellow-Scribes are found in and condemned by the Qua for at this day as they were by Christ of old and when he comes to quarrel with the Qua for asserting that doctrine of Devills as they call it viz attainablenesse of perfect freedom salvation of the soul from sin in this life then I. O. runs and rambles round about and about again with as great an Ardency as he danced the other way before saying Ex 3. S. 39. Falsissimum est sacram Scripturam dum in hoc mundo Haeremus respectu nostri totum suum finem obtinere aut obtinere posse It 's most false to say the Scripture or doth or can obtain its whole end in respect of us while we live here and if we ask where then does it do it in the world to come no neither then cessâ—bit Scripturae usu c. its use will then cease it s accimmodated to our present state only and if we ask does it do it at all yes quoth he or else it cant't be perfect as I assert it to be for Ex 3. S. 24. Disciplinae cujusvis perfectio c. In English thus The perfection of every discipline stands in it's relation to its end so as that is to be held perfect which can and that imperfect which potis non est cannot effect its own end and the perfection of the Scripture can consist in no other thing then its sufficiency to its own proper end which is the perfecting our eternall salvation which salvation though the Scripture be perfect and does accomplish it yet To go round again it can accomplish it neither in this world nor that to come and so not at all and To go round again is imperfect and further yet That it s not so absolutely perfect nor effectually powerfull to this end of saving souls so as to need no other revelation by the Spirit or Light within as he says 't is witnesse its inefficacy to the Iews who are as busie in it to no urpose as I. O. himself of whom I. O. to go round again sayes â— 236. thus The Iews enjoy the letter of the Scripture yea they receive it sometimes with the honour and veneration due to God alone Their possession of it is not accompanied with the manifestation of the Spirit will out which as we see in the instance of themselves the Word is a dead letter of no efficacy for the good of souls
I. O. that those men can appear to him to be wicked men c. In esse cognoscibili who cannot be made to appear at all that they ever were at all in essereali I l'e give them leave to upraid me with O thou of little faith wherefore dost thou doubt it for my beleevable faculty is indeed too narrow to entertain or contain that self gainsaying story for a truth Credat Apella he that can beleeve it let him I am an Infidel as to that foolish figment and if these two contrary Tales can be both true my reason can't reach the reason of these Rabbinical-riddles But among the numerous odd passages that passe from I. O. in this Point about the proof of the Points antiquity that which is yet more observable as to my present purpose is that I. O when he hath roled Sysiphus his stone a great while pervenire ad summum to get up to the top to prove the pedigree of his Punctation as high as Moses if it might be if not from Ezra at least seeing he could not hold it up in the utmost hight nor carry it clearly into a coaevousnesse with the Scripture according to the strictnesse of his position condescends to come down by the Rounds of his Ladder half way first to the dayes of Ezra and in the prosecution of his undertaking to manifest it as at first he makes no doubt to do that they were compleated by Ezra and his Companions finding himself uncapable to carry the matter against such as derive their descent from the Iudaical Rabbins or Tiberian Maslorites clearly up so high as Ezra but only cloudily by foisting flinging and casting out at least but forgery against forgery fable against fable and a heap of uncertainties against the heap of uncertainties of others for so he will needs call the most cogent and more then probable evidences of all his confessedly learned Antagonists Elias Capellus Luther Prideaux c. p. 218.264.267 Though his own pleas considerations repulses and replyes are in the eyes of all impartial ones suppose I should say but as 't were enough ad hominem to impeach his position of utter falshood though I might say more uncertain at last he sinks down by the Rounds as low as the Massorites dayes and so per force by little and little yeilds up as far as is demanded from him assenting with Azarias p. 247. That the Iews generally beleeve these Points to have been from Moses at least from Ezra not denying that the use and knowledge of them received a great reviving by the Gemarists and Massorites when they had been much dissused and p. 271. with the same Azarias ascribing them as to their virtue and force to Moses or God on Mount-Sinai as to their Figure and Character to Ezra as to the Restauration of their use unto the Massorites in which he hath come quite Round with much ado and granted enough to prejudice his own position to the utter overthrow of the truth thereof for as to the virtue and force none can deny them to be coaevous with the Hebrew Language it selfe but 't is the Figure and Character only the question is about and that is yeelded to be but from Ezra and since Ezra to have been much dissused but to have received their great Reviving and Restoration to the use they now stand in which is the thing pleaded for against I. O. from the Massorites and so howbeit I. O. makes no doubt p. 211. but to manifest it that they were as we now enjoy them compleated by Ezra and his companions yet instead thereof he hath confessed in effect that as we now enjoy them since last dissused they were revived restored and compleated by the Massorites whom he disclaims as having any hand in them There remain sundry more â—ontradictions and Rounds I. O. runs in about the Points of which for a tast take one more here though touched on elsewhere and then sar aquod suffocat as more then enough from I. O. so enough from me as to that point of the Hebrew Punctation P. 217. I shall manifest quoth I. O. that its fit they i.e. the Points should be all taken out of the wâ—y if they have the Original assigned to them by the Prolegomena i.e. from the Massorites Yet p. 221. Grant quoth I. O. the Points to have the Original pretended yet to go round again they deserve all regard and are of singular use for the right understanding of the Scripture so that it s not lawfull to depart from them without urgent necessity c. Yet p. 244. to go round again and face quite about as ye were I professe quoth I. O. if I could be throwly convinced that the present Hebrew Punctation were the figment and invention of those men i.e. the Massorites I should labour to the utmost to have it utterly taken away out of the Bible nor should I in its present station make use of it any more to have it placed in the Bible as so great a part of the Word of God is not tolerable Contradictions and Rounds of I. O. about the manner of the first giving out of the Scripture P. 10.153 The Word the Scriptures quoth I. O. come forth mark unto us from God without the least mixture or interveniency of any medium obnoxious to fallibillity as is the wisdome truth integrity knowledge memory of the best of all men or capable of giving change or alteration to the least Iota or Syllable Yet p. 30. to go round again We live quoth I. O. many yeares from the last person who received any part of the Scripture from God have not received it immediately from God So p. 5 speaking of the first Pen men of the Scripture Their tongue quoth I.O. in what they spake or their hand in what they wrote was no more at their own disposall then the pen is in the hand of an expert writer Yet p. 6. to go round againe their mind quoth I. O. and understanding was used in the choyce of words for they did use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 words of choyce Yet Ex. 1. S. 29. Verba disposita sunt per spiritum sanctum neqt ad exprimendum sensum quem ipsi de mente et voluntate Den conceperunt ingenio ac arbitrio ipsorum scriptorum sunt permissa aut relicta To go round about as ye were The words were at the disposall of the holy Spirit neither to expresse the sense they conceived of the mind and will of God were they left to the dispose arbitriment will or choyce of the Writers themselves Finally as I. O. so abundantly as is above shewed contradicts and confounds himself in many matters about the Scriptures or outward Text so about the sence and meaning of one Text of the Scripture wherein they all 4 disagree with the Qua I. Oâ—hand like Ishmaels is against all his fellows hands every of his 3 fellow fighters hands whom I have here to do with who from
I shall hereunder shew both their voluntary calls to and commendations of their unjustly occasioned cautions about condemnations of this light of Christ in the Conscience of men when the Qua commend and call to it and set the one of these immediately under the other only premising this that whether they speak of the light which themselves call Christ which the letter holds sorth and testifies to or the light wherewith God shines and shews his will and mind in some measure in the hearts and minds of all men even Heathen Philosophers or others which we call Christs light though they do not we mean however they divide these no other but that one Law of God which the Letter is the Copy of which is spirituall holy just and good which T. D. confesses to be the Heathens Rule so far as is written in their hearts Christ the Light of the World and his light in the heart which the Scripture testifies of abundantly not any such thing as mans own thoughts wisdome imaginations inventions c. Which the Heathen became vain in Rom 1. which the Qua call all men out of and the Divines that lead men by no other are themselves yet led by more then any steering by nothing but their own many minds and meanings on the Scripture c. Some few calls to and Commendations of the light with Cautions to take heed to it collected out of many more that are in R. B. and I. T. his Book P. 68. It concerns us say they to take heed how we dote on our own reason or the most exact writers of morality and neglect the light which Christ hath brought into the World Let us be wise so to use Candles as not to burn day-light that we so make use of all the reason humane wisdome and virtue we have our selves or discern in others writings or examples that yet we chiefly eye and follow the grand light the Sun of righteousness the Lord Jesus learning him by studying the great Counsell of God which he revealed and denying our selves take up our Crosse and follow him as his Disciples Christ is to be chosen and followed as our Light An Exhortation to use Christ as our Light that was the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World be induced to imbrace and follow the Lord Christ as the great Light of the World besides the evidence out of Scripture to prove him to be sent from God a light into the World c. His sayings and doings do amply confirm it And p. 88. 89 they go on thus Though the Jewes contradicted and blasphemed the Romane Emperour raged Lucian jeered Libanism wrangled Iulian calumniated Papists corrupt Gnosticks Hereticks Fanaticks Quakers here they abominably bely the truth for the Quakers call all and only to the light of Christ adulterate and cloud the truth of Christ they do but pisse against the Sun the light of Christs Doctrine the truth of the Gospell doth and will shine forth nor can all the cavills say they of moderne Atheists or the dust raised by new Phantasticks take away the brightnesse of Christs light or hinder its enlightning others then themselves and shall we after all the Arguments given of Christs being the true light follow after ignes fatuos who these be but that fraternity who would have men follow their fancies and not Christs light in the Conscience which is that the Quakers call to I know not What reall comfort or spirituall help to holinesse or heavenly directions do they give to lead men to God better then Christ hath done May you not discern a vain glorious spirit a self-seeking proud carnall spirit in them what do their censures of others shew but a mind to extoll themselves their affected speech looks carriage but a desire to hide their falshood what do all the devices of Iesuits Popes and their Agents tend to but either by force or subtlety to set up the monstrous powers of the man of sin and their own domineerlng over mens consciences underhim â—aSenus recte quidem sed et etiam de te fabula O Parochialis Sacerdos What is in their conclave but pollicy in their counsell but deceit in their Iesuists and Casuists but jugglihg shall we go after such Masters and leave Christ Remember we that one is our Master even Christ when any shall sollicit us not to adhere to Christ as our Teacher reject them Christ hath warned you say they and so say I too as concerning any that lead forth from his light within therefore saith he go not forth after them nor follow them If any say low here is Christ or there and so do all Priests and Professors and their Teachers in their sundry forms and outward observations in which they look for the Kingdome which comes not in them believe it not We will not venture our lives upon Mountebanks and will we our souls upon deceivers Shall we follow our own conceits which often prove foolish and neglect Christs Doctrine which say we still is his teaching light and counsell in the Conscience which alwayes proves wise and safe no no let us answer as Peter Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternall life Alas what can we expect but if we follow blind leaders as all are that teach the things of God otherwise then Christ and his Apostles did who say I called all along to walk in the light within we should fall with them into the Ditch into everlasting perdition On the otherside there is so much plain and clear light in Christs doctrine as will guide our feet in the way of peace Away then with all such obtruded insinuating Teachers as indeavour to hide from us the light of Christ shining in his Doctrine recorded in Scripture Let 's say none but Christ none but Christ that Christ which preached dyed at Ierusalem that word of his which is written in my Bible of which the Bible testifies say I that its near in the heart to heare and do it shall be my light to the Testimony of Jesus which sayes tho Scripture is the spirit of prophecy the sure word of prophecy that as a light shineth in the dark place of the heart and is to be taken heed to to his Everlasting Gospell I stick So Bixt Ep. p. 7. speaking of the Qua Do they affirm that all men have the light of reason who denyeth it of any but Idiots and Infants Do they maintain that this light is from Iesus Christ both as the Authour and restorer of nature and by whom among us is this denyed Do they say that repaired or reprived nature may be fitly called grace about this also we have no mind to quarrell with them so they will not exclude supernaturall grace thereby as we do not but hereby conclude it Do they hold that common supernaturall light is given to many at least of the unsanctified c. and who contradicteth them in this Do
Lord for their sin in belying his light can expect no better from him then what is due to all blind Truth Blasphemers As for T. D. he sayes the least of all these four in contradiction to himself about the light howbeit as is above shewed not so little but that it s seen that eodem cum illis haeret luto he sticks in the same Quagmire together with them But as for I. O he is more over head and eares in it as to this poynt then all the rest I shall only take two or three more turns upon that wheel of his on which he is unwearied in running round and so make an end with them altogether at this time And first let us see what I. O saith by way of Concession to us against himself about the light in all mens consciences First Tr 1. c. 2. S. t1 he writeth thus viz. God declares his Soveraign power and Authority righteousness and holinesse by the innate or ingrafted light of nature and principles of the Consciences of men That indispensible morall obedience which he requireth of us as his creatures subject to his law is in general thus made known unto us Then citing and writing out at large that Text Rom. 2.14 15. For the Gentiles c. he goes on thus By the light which God hath indelibly implanted in the minds of men accompanyed with a morall instinct of good and evill seconded by that self judgment which he hath placed in us in reference to his own over us he doth reveale himself unto the Sons of men And that we may know and be ascertained that this thing is no deceivable pretence but that God doth so indeed reveale himself thereby he adds S. 13. The voice of God in nature is effectuall it declares it self to be from God by its own light and Authority There is no need to convince a man by substantiall witnesses that what his conscience speaks it speaks from God whether it bear testimony to the Being Righteousness Power Omniscience or Holiness of God himself or whether it call for that morall obedience which is eternally and indispensably due to him and so shewes forth the work of the Law in the heart it so speaks declares it self that without further evidence or reasoning without the advantage of any considerations but what are by it self supplyed And then without an outward Ministry letter or writing surely or if it did not yet the letter without that came from the light within is of the lights own supplying it discovers its Author from whom it is and in whose name it speaks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those common notions and generall presumptions of him his Authority that are inlayed in the natures of rationall creatures by the hand of God to this end that they might make a Revelation of him as to the purposes mentioned are able to plead their Divine Original without the least contribution of strength or assistance from without Thus far I.O. writes the truth of the light within saving here and there the interposition of that Epithite Naturall Thus far have I set down I. Os. words that all may see how far he accords with them in these words in the same things about which he Quarrells with the Quaâ—as not knowing what to make of their Inward word and Light they talke of which is indeed wholly though himselfe fees it not excepting in his often undervaluing of the Light within by that name of naturall as in opposition to the Qua which otherwise while he sees it serves his turn so to do against another sort of his Antagonists he magnifies in words and makes as honourable with all his might as the Qua do and together with them He grants that its the voyce of God a means of the knowledge of God and of his will of Divine Originall and Authority calls for that morall obedience A higher matter then he thinks for which is eternally and indispensably due to God speaks in the name of God and from God so infallibly in the heart that it needs no other evidence assistance advantage c. and then not the letter to witnesse that it speakes from God is his law to which his creatures are to be subject is ascertain'd to be no deceivable pretence but that indeed by which God doth reveale himself to the soul of man that light which God hath indelibly implanted in the minds of men is accompanyed with a morall instinct of good and evill seconded with a self-judgment in us in reference to Gods own over us shewes the work of the Law in the heart so as they are left wholly inexcusable who will not learn and know God from thence neverthelesse to go round again he pinches it back at first after he hath done magnifying it with the diminitive termes of the Light of nature low dark obscure â— winekling light that scarcely peeps out of the most pernitious darknesse enlightening mearly in morall matters duties morall good and evill sufficient to leave men without excuse not save nor bring them to the true knowledg of God only that which was given to man at first before he fell the state of the first man and at last a thing altogether faigned a deceivable pretence grossely imagined every ones private light making as many Rules as men That inward light the Revelation that comes from which is uncertain dangerous unprofitable no way necessary to the knowing of God and his will therefore to be rejected and detested A means of the knowledge of God and of Communion with him boasted of by the Fanaticks an addition to the written word of God which is most heavily damned by the Spirit of God among that of confabulation with Angells and others id genus furfuris of the like bran that which we are sent to that we may get the knowledge of God or any direction in our duty to him at no time and no where at all by God a principle of Revelation most uncertain fallacious both as to it self and what things it reveals a meer faculty of the understanding I know not what light of no correspondency with the Scripture and word I know not what divine soul of the world mingled in all things which is Every thing and truly Nothing a light which however attended to is in all divine things as to the utmost end meerly darknesse and blindnesse it self These and many more id genus furfuris etfarraginis are the depressive debasive denominations whereby I. O. having first advanc'd the light within and law of God in thâ— heart into its proper place prerogative Titles and Authority as Gods Vicar on earth which Office the Pope and Clergy have long usurped as a faithfull witnesse right reverend Recorder and subordinate Iudge for God and between God and man in the Conscience doth after Thrust it out again from its Throne Rob it of its Recordership detrude it from its true Title Divest it of all its Authority Digrade it from its
Ebriaris sic titubâ—sque ' grotas Haud dubes nunc nunc dubitas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O Sacerdos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quî sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quod scis hoc nescis quast in Orbe Rotas Vertis Hûc Illûc modo circa Rotas Fluctuas curris modo retro Rotas Undique Rotas Usque dum rotas rotulasque Rotas Nectis in Rotis rotaÌ„timque Rotas Tota dum TENET toÌ„tätimque Totas OPERA ROTAS ROTAS OPERA TENET AREPO SATOR Dixi haud magis malus Piscator ac Tu ac Tui O Sacerdos estis pâ—ssimi Pisces qui ni Regeneremini Rejiciemini in aeternum In Vi Via Vita Virtute ac Veritate Domini si Salvabimini Salvetotâ— Sam Fisher. FINIS Christ's Light SPRINGING Arising up shining forth and displaying it self thorow the whole World from under that Priestly Darkness wherewith it hath been clouded and overcast by the space of one Thousand two Hundred Sixty years in this our Antichristian-Christian World Sect. 1. OUr Testimony and that Truth to which We bear Testimony who by those to whom Wo is forasmuch as they Tremble not at the Word of God are scornfully stiled Quakers is no different thing nor another but plainly One and altogether the same which all the Holy Men and Prophets of God hâ—ve have held forth as also Christ himself and all his Apostles and Ministers as many as have spoken as they were moved of God from the beginning of the world to this very day 2. For even as They whose Testimony who even few or none either believed or received so We who are of her children of all and only whom Wisdom is justified give Testimony to Wisdom it self not the wisdom of this world nor of the Princes of this world who come to nought but to that hidden Wisdom which none of the Princes of this world knew for had they known they would not Crucifie the Lord of Glory the Wisdom of God is a Mystery even the Light of the Lord God and Jesus Christ who are Light and in whom is no darkness at all yea to that glorious Light that is now arising to enlighten that Holy City New Ierusalem where now there is to be no more night into which nothing shall in any wise enter that defileth 3. Concerning which Light Christ himself said to Paul being now truly converted to it which he persecuted before throw the blindness of his mind I now send thee to the Nations to open their eyes and to turn them from the darkness to the Light from the Power of Satan unto God that they may receive Remission of sins an inheritance among those that are sanctified by faith that is in me 4. Neither was this the business and Ministry which Paul onely received of God that he might fulfil it but Iohn alâ—o testines that this was the Message which he together with the rest of Christ Ministers had received from Châ—ist himself to declare which was also fâ—om the beginning not any new thing however it might seem new as being clouded till the darkness was past and the true Light shined again out of the darkness that sometime clouded it but the old thing which was from the beginning namely that God is Light and in him is no darkness at all and that If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie do not the truth but if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have mutual fellowship with him and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin moreover that who saith he is in the light and hateth his brother is in darkness even until now 5. Concerning which Light of God of which the Scripture every where speaketh and from which inlightning the Penmen thereof the Scripture it self was given forth which also was which also shined in the heart of man long befere the Scriptures were we together with the Scripture the writers thereof do testify this self same thing namely that a certain measure certain beams were of old and now are given of God in the conscience of every of them to the sons of men who although God made them after his own Image upright blameless have yet sought out to themselves both various and vain inventions and corrupted their wayes and erred and as to any help they can have from themselves are in a manner wholly perished from the true God from the true knowledge of him whom truly to know is Life Eternal and from all Communion with him to shine in their dark heart as a Light in a dark place to bring them back through the condâ—mnation of their evill deeds word and thoughts and of that whole Chaos of confusion and corruption that came in by the fall which condemnation this Light will bring on all that take good heed to it and through the mortification of that old man and body as well as of death as sin with all its earthly members and in a word of all whatever in man is contrary to the Image and Will of God and turn them back unto God unto that primitive state of purity righteousness and innocency from which they departed to worship Images in their own imaginations to know and to worship the true God who is a Spirit truly in Spirit in Truth with which worship onely the Lord is worshipped according to his will and lastly to enjoy such Spiritual Peace Communion with him as none are by any means possible as is aforesaid capable of while they are alienated from him by the darkness of iniquity while they remain in their Transgression incorrigible and unconverted 6. For both Iews and Gentiles as it is written are concluded all under sin there is not one Righteous no not one there is none that under standeth there is none that seeketh after God they are all gone out of the way they are altogether become unprofitable there is none that doth good no not one their throat is an open Sepulchre with their tongues they have used deceit the poyson of Asps is under their lips their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness their feet is swift to shed blood wasting and misery is in their wayes and the way of peace they have not known there is no fear of God before their eyes so that every mouth is stopped and the whole world become guilty before God for al have sinned and fâ—ll short of the glory of God 7. This is the state of all maâ—kâ—nd seperated by the fall from the Light into the darkness among whom even all of what oever Sex Nation Language Condition or Age at least that is capable to discern between good and evil I say all may say within themselves we are lost we are gone down headlong into the utmost darkness into extream damnation from God Neither is their any other way to life exhibited but by Iesus Christ the Light of
with Luke but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone as of old for a figure hereof by the finger of God but in fleshly tables of the heart in which may be read and understood not onely as in the Scripture and the Law without the right that is what you should do and should be but the fact also that is what you do and what you are For to know Thy self whom if thou knowst not thou knowst not Christ whom if thou knowst not it s no profit to thee to know other things this comes no other way then by an inward beholding of thy self in that more inward looking-glass namely the light of Christ by which God shines in the conscience which light leads those that follow it to hear that true and living word of God of which the Scripture declares that its powerfull and mighty and sharper then any two-edged Sword piercing even to the dividing of the Soul and Spirit and of the marrow and reines discerning the thoughts and cogitations of the heart before which all things are naked bare that it is as fire and as an hammer breaking the Rocks in pieces and causing all things to tremble at the hearing thereof which was in the beginning before the Scripture was which testifies of it concerning which the Scripture both Old New doth truly testify it 's not far off but nigh in the heart and mouth that thou maist do it even that very word of Faith the Apostles Preached 24. This light is that good old way Older than the Eldest among the Sects of this age whether of Iewes or Christians who all in the mean time namely both Catholiks and Lutherans and Calvinists Baptists c. every one professing themselves to be the Antient est have divided the Grand Tree of the old Roman Church into so many branches lesser boughs and little twigs that the whole Body thereof wil ere long be sick even unto death She who hath been so long the Mother of so many children is almost now devoured of Her own children This light I say is that Antient way unto which God by the Prophet Ieremiah called back the Israelites when degenerated from God into their own traditions saying stand in the wayes and see and ask for the Antient paths where i that good way walk therein and you shall find rest unto your souls but they said We will not walk therein hearken to the voice of the Trumpet but they said We will not hearken 25. This Light is a Teacher that cannot deceive for it is the Testimony of God which is greater than the Testimony of man nor yet can it flatter for it reproves every one justly not justifying the wicked and condemning the Innocent but telling every one the Truth concerning himself directly as the case is and no otherwise accusing and excusing then God himself from whom it is for if by that which is shining from God in thee thy own heart condemns thee there is no God without that holds thee guiltless but when by that thy heart condemns thee not then maist thou have boldness before God 26. Finally this Light is that perfect law of Liberty of which whoso is a hearer and not a doer he is like a man that beholds his natural face in a glass which so soon as ever he hath beheld and is gone away he straitway forgets what manner of man he was but whoso looketh into it and continueth therein and is not a forgetful and an idle bearer but a doer of the work this man shall be blessed in his deed Henceforth therefore who ere thou art who wouldst know thy self do not seek thy self out of thy self but behold thy self within in that inward Light which inwardly gives the diâ—cerning not only of the good and perfect mind and will of God concerning thee but also of thy own mind and of thy whole self and that so perfectly that concerning these and even all things pertaining to the Salvation of the Soul and the Kingdom of God with the Righteousness thereof and what Haereditary right thou hast therein which is nigh wch is within saith Christ to the Pharisees who never entred into it there is no need that thou shouldst go forth of thy self in order to a further evidence and understanding of them yea thou knowest more than enough already if of the good will of God thou knowest more than thou livest up to for what good is only known and not done tends only unto thy condemnation In all openness and plainness and not in knowing what is to be done but in doing what is already known stands the Salvation of the Sons of men 28. Moreover what hinders unless they be delighted in the blinding of their own eyes the stopping of their eares and the hardning of their hearts in rejecting the councell of God to their own perdition but that the wicked may come to the life of God from which they stand estranged for the way to that life howere it 's narrower and straiter by reason of the Cross of Christ which is dayly to be taken up by those that follow him then that wide and broad way that leads to destruction for which cause it is that so many enter in by this and so few by the other yet is together with that which tends unto death so plainly made manifest by the Light that unless it be to such as are willingly ignorant it cannot easily be hidden 29. For the fruits of the Spirit or works of the Light which are righteousness love goodnes faith gentlenes sobriety temperance chastity which who so brings forth to God lives with God and sees God are manifest to every one that doth not wink against the Light in his own conscience and the works of darkness or of the flesh such as are adultery fornication uncleannes lascivicusness idolatry witch-craft hatred variance emulation wrath strife seditions heresies envy murders drunkenness revellings and such like which whoeever doth shall never enter into the Kingdom of God are manifest saith the Scripture and that not so much by the Scripture as by the Light to which the Scripture testifies and by which they were manifest in the consciences of men before the Scripture was and are made manifest at this day where the Scripture is not by which also they would have been made manifest if the Scripture had never been For all things that are reproved saith the Spirit in the Scripture are made manifest by the Light for whatsoever doth make manifest is Light 30. To this therefore all apply your minds to this come in this walk and continually abide even in the Spirit of God which reproveth the world and comforteth the Saints called redeemed and chosen out of the world Here stand continually that ye may both know your selves and comprehend false Spirits with the works and children of darkness who are comprehended and discerned by the Spirit by the
* Per spiritum aut lumen internum enthusiasmum afflatum caelastem colloquia Angelica ficta vel facta c. Ex. 3. s. 20 21. 25 28 29. * Heb. 5.12 with Heb. 6.1 where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are in effect same o Si oujusque lumen privatum sit Regula Deo obedientiam prae standi tum tot Regulas habeâ—nus quot homines ut unicus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Divinus Gal. 6.16 Eph. 3.16 Isa. 8.20 Sacram Scripturam hanc Regulam esse abundèantea demonstratum est Ex. 4. S. 22. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Non tantum ingeneratio fidei sed et in eâ dum spiritum hunc ducimus aedifitio finis est Scripturae * Vbi verbum Dei locis paene innumeris praedicari promulgari multiplicari recipi enarratur sanctissima ista veritas seu materia scripâ— rarum non scriptura formaâ—iter considirata tenditur Ex. 1. s. 28. In corde nostro est scriptura non formaliter quatenus scripta sed quatenus divinam veritatemcontinet atque exhibet non respectu literae scriptae sed veritatis divinae in eâ contentae * Si cujusque lumen privatum sit regulatum tot Regulas habemus qust homines at unicus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divinis * Intermediae quibus ad sui cognitionem Revelandam Deus utitur sacra Scriptura non tantum longissime omnibus aliis antecellit sed fines salutares quod attinet unicum est singulare Ex. 2. s. 14. * Christ the Light and his Spirit * Colloquia Angelica ficta vel facta * So that it s but just and meet to reâ—or thy own Tauntings of the Qu. Ex. 3. s. 17. upon thy self lia inepic atque ediose in explicando animi uâ—i sensis garris dubie incertae significationis vocibits indis ut quaenum sit â—eusis atque perfectione Scriptururum sine uliâ Revelatione pâ—r Spiritum lumen internum non facile quis declarabit ut multo sacilius sit Argumentum tuum profligare quem monrem percipere c. * See J.O. p. 42 43 45 46. T. D p. 1 of his 1. Pamph. * See J.O. p. 46. Ex. 4. s. 21. T.D. p. 1 2.3 4 30. of his 1. Pamp. * Nullius luminis interni â—juscunque tandem quam vis fit salutare is usus aut finis est ut ei tanquam duci viae nostrae Regulae attendere debeamus fed c * See how J. O. even teaches men so ill minded to criticize on the Scriptures and turn them easily as a nose of wax which way soever they are minded to make them stand in his Epistle Dedicatory p. 21 22 23 24 25. It is quoth he if a man have a minde to criticize and mend the Bible but trying what the Word or Words he fixes on will make by the commutation of Letters c. it is but saying the Scribe was mistaken in the likeness of letters or affinity of â—ound c. and then it s done and various lections arise and corruptions come into his originals in more then Tittles and Iota's one Iota or Tittle of which yet quoth he blindly speaking of the bare bones of the Letter T. 1. c. 1. s. 13. as written shall never change or pass away * Remember this yemy two Antagonists J.O. who sayst Christus sub nulla consideratione lumen salutare omnibus singulis indulsit Christ under no consideration hath vouch safed saving light to all and every man Ex. 4.5.17 how ye limit God in his goodness and grace and T.D. who p 4. of thy first Pamph. sayest Salvation is by God offered to more then to whom t is intended And J.O. Ex. 4. s. 20. The light is sufficient to leave excuseless not to save * See the Book of Ordination of Priests and Deacons * Though T.D. told A. P. before many people at Sandwich that 't is corrupt nature by which the Heathen do the things contained in the Law at A.P. informed me * Ex. 3. s. 24. Deus sacrae Scriptur Author c. Perfeâ—tiâ— Scripâ—â—r aruminnâ—lla aliâ re consiâ—â—eré potest quam insufficientiâ suâ respectu finis c. * Faâ—siâ—imum est Sâ—ripturam â—um in hoc mundo haeremus respectis nostri â—ecum suum sinem obtinereaut obtinere posse â—on enim tantuÌ„ ingeneratio sidei sed in eâ dis-â—spiritum hunc ducimus aedificatio sâ—niâ—est Scripturae quando adducimur ad Christum in gloria cessabit Scripturaeusus praesentistatui accommodat us quinâ—tiam ipsa fides quatenùss in verbo Dei 〈◊〉 to niâ—ebatur abulibitur * For the Letter still is to send from it self to the Light so was Moses Letter a School-master to direct to another for the life Moses sent his Disciples to Christ saying A Prophet shall the Lord raise to you like to me of whom I am but a shadow who writes the Law of God in the fleshly tables of the heart as ye have it handed ministred to you from me in outward gravings in Tables of stone and writings with pen and inke c. him shall you hear in all things whatever he sayes whoever hearâ— not him though he seem to hear me and to be zealous of my outward Writings must be cut off from among his people and he that truly hears me will go to him for I write of him Iohn 5. John Baptist sent from himself to Christ the Lamb of God for the taking away the sin and to the true light he bare witness of that enlightneth every man that comes into the world confessing himself and his Ministry must decrease before the increasings of the other So the Apostles Writings and Letters were not to state them as the Standard to call men thereto as the only Canon but to keep men a way looking to the Lord the Light it self of which use our Ministry and Writings now are that by the Light they may come to life and not go from Christ the Light whose words are Spirit and life who hath the word of eternal life to either letter or any thing else to keep them to the hearing of his own voice as his sheep do to take heed to his word of Prophesie which is the Testimony of Jesus in the heart as to a light shining in the dark place of the heart till the day dawn day-star arise in the heart to which purpose was the Letter written and that excellent voice sent which said to them of the beloved Son hear him and all the Apostles drift was to drive the Jews from Moses Thou teachest all every where to forsake Moses saying They must not circumcise children nor walk after those customes the letter required as a shadow for a time And indeed their Epistles point all at that one Faith Truth Way Life Passover Baptism Circumcision Supper Body Lord Spirit Rule whereas if â—e steer
as by the Foundation Rule Standard c â— by their Letter which they never intended to staâ—â— as the Foundation then there must be more Râ—les Faiths Forms Baptisms Suppers viz. the outward Letter and literal observations which mere once used and ordained as Types for a time and the spiritual substantial ones to which sending us from the wriâ—ings of the carnal Ordinances they speak of they advise and call to * So they call themselves at this day thorow England Scotland and Ireland witness Hardâ—ess Wallers Proclamation Gener. Monks John Lawsons tâ—e Cities late congratulations together about the mercy of God toward this their Israel in recalling the Parliment called the Rump which if they do right may prosper but if they persist yet in their professed Resolution to stablish the Popes pay on their Preachers contrary to their Oaths to extirpate Popery Root and branch which they have sworn the Nation to endeavour also the exâ—irpation of and to persecute such as cannot be perjured together with them they have not long yet to subsist without a Whirlewind from the Lord as fast and safe as they seem to sit falling with pain upon their heads for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it * No more is is yours * And we the same in the instance of your selves * There we leave you for we own Gods word to all and alwayes living but the Letter never was living but alwayes a dead letter though killing but the Spirit only living and giving life * And as ye have the Letter which is but as the Ark that keeps the Testament but not it to your further ruine * Mark how I.O. crowds as oft he doth elsewhere these two terms together in one â—lause viz. The Scripture the Word of God as it were by Appâ—siâ—ion as if it were given him for granted that the Scripture and the Word of God were as to name and thing one and the same while â—is the very Question denied by us and to bee proved by him that the Scripture is the Word of God and so here is a peece of petitio principii in it or begging of the Question and were it an Interrogation as t is a Position and asks Is not the Scripture the Word of God Light â—it were fallacia plurium interrogationum whereby the Sophister asks one question of two thingâ— at once which is true of one false if affirmâ—d of the other for we deny not the Word of God to be the Word of God nor the Word of God to be the light but we deny the Scripture or letter â—o be either the Word of God or the light * Where take notice of at least Iotaes and Tittles to be altered in your perfect Copies from which sayest thou not one Apex nor Iota can fail Verbum illud quod in nobis est est vâ—rbum fidei quod Apostoli praedicarunt Rom 10.8 Nihil autem praedicabant quod non scriptum suit per Mosen Prophetas imo verbum illudscriptum esse eo loci v 10. asserit Apostolus 2. Scripture est prope nos in â—re corde nostro noâ— respectu literae scriptae non formaliter quatenus scripta sed veritatis divinae sâ—â— quatenus continet atque exhibet divinam veritatem * Note how I.O. all along makes the Scripture and the Word of God so synomous that from the participation of the same nature and properties he judges them to be all one and that the names of the one viz. the Wâ—rld of God the Light are the very proper names of the other i.e. of the Letter and where he expresses himself by these Termes the Word of God the Light the Power of God in his Treatises and Theses except in the place where he speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it must still bee understood of the Scripture * For novum Testamentum i e. Christi lux spiritus verbum fidei est in â—etere velatum vetus i. e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 litera scripta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scriptura ad extra vel Dei ipsius digito scripta in tabulis externis lapideis quae fuit mera licet vera figura umbra imago Scripturae ad intra per Dei Spiritum in internis tabulis cordis carneis est in novo Reâ— latum 2 Cor. 3. * Which quatenur containing the Divine Truth is the utmost that I.O. is capable to say for the Scriptures being called by that name of the Word of God as that nomen proprium that proper name he disputes for on its behalf and for its being within in the heart Ex. 1. s. 1 2 3 s 28.40 which is to say just nothing to his proper purpose and indeed to unsay all that ever he sayes both before and after in his proofs of the Word of God to be the proper name of the Scriptures for if it be not nor is to be called the VVord of God formally considered as a VVriting but only as contaning and declaring of the Truth Lights and VVord then it is not properly nor is to be called the VVord of God properly at all * Spiritus Dei gravissime damnat rejicit omnia additamenta ad verbum Scripturarum cujuscunque tandem generis sunt ac speciatim omnes istas vias modos cognitionis Dei accum eo communionis quos jaâ—titant Fanatici c. * Locust as hasce cum primum ex fumo putâ—iprodierunt c. speaking of the Qua. saith I.O. Ex. 3. s. 32. Illud ad quod nunquam nusqnam à Deâ— mittiâ—ur ut inde seu ex â—o discamus sui cognitionem voluntatis suae vel ut inde directionem in officio nostro sumamus illud non porest essefitâ—ei cognisionir doctrinae aus obedientiae nostra Regula Canon Principâ—â—m 〈◊〉 sâ—ita â—â—qui 〈◊〉 Directorium At verâ— ad lumen internum seu spiritum internum privatum c. nunquam nuâ—quam à Dâ—â— ablegamur ergo c. Proferant Fanatici velunum sacrae Scripturae locum c. Si antem de suâ— santum loquantur mendaces sunt c. * Joh. 1.5 8 9 3.12.9.3.12 35 36 46. Act. 13.47 26.18 Isa. 42.6.49.6 1 Joh. 1. â— 6 â— 2 Cor. 4.6 2 Pet. 1.19 Rom. 1.19 * Ex. 3. s. 34. Enthusiasmorum omne genus incertitudo c. Quod omâ—i modo atque respectu est incertum imo incertissimum Fallax five c. * Ex 1. s. 31. Sacram Scripturam saepius â—o nomine à sancto Spiritu indigitaricuiviâ—eam vel leviter inspicienti facile apparebit * Ex. 1. s. 28. Locis paenè innumeris c. ubiverbum Dei praedicari promulgari recipienarratur non Scriptura formaliter considerata intenditur Miilles ferè mentio faâ—â—â— veâ—â—i Dâ—iâ—â—que praeâ—â—â—ationis promulgationis ac receptionis ejusdem neque iism hocis Scripturaâ—â— intendiâ—agnoscere 〈◊〉 * Aiunt lumen hoc esse eejusdem Authoritatis cum Verbo Dei scripto i.e.
secundum te cum scriptura I.O. Ex. 4.15 * Ioel 2.28 29. Act. 2.17 18. Luke 24.49 Act. 1.4 Gal. 3.14 * The Grand Senior Oldest Master of Arts in most Universities Countries * Isa. 29.4 43 4 8. 54 7 8. Isa. 8.17 66. 5. Hos. 5.15 16. Hos. 6.1 2 3. Zach. 8.2 3 6 11 12 13 14 15. Rev. 11.1 2 3 4 5 6. c. Isa. 44.3.35.7 Ioh. 7.38 Ioh. 4.14 * T.I.C. 5. S. 12 13. For speaking there of the Testimony that the Spirit beares in the Scripture of the Scripture that it is the Word of God which in all the Scripture is not to be found for neither the spirit in the Scripture nor out of it neither or in the hearts of any doth testifie that false thing that the bare letter or Scripture is Gods Word nor doth the Scripture say any such thing of its single self but whatever spirit saith the Letter is the Word of God in any heart is the lying spirit and not the spirit of God * Col. 1.23 Acts 3 32 33. * Why dost thou not write it Holy Sprit but then perhaps it would not sound so well to thy turn for many Idiotish people are ready to think as if the Holy Ghost were some more extraordinary matter than the Spirit if thou dost not thy self whereupon perhaps thou so often writest in this phrase the Holy Ghost Ghost is that terrible word which the Ghostly Fathers have used to fright poor simple people with in their Liturgies Talkings Treatises and Translations it sounding somewhat more hideously then the word Spirit or else I know no reason why they render not the Greek word by that English word Spirit in one place as well as another for its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all along in your Originall Copies as well where they did translate it Ghost and wind as they do in one place John 3.8 as well as where they translate it Spirit but though it were an uncouth sound to say Ghost in most places where the word Spirit stands as it were strange to say The Ghost of God witnesseth to our Ghosts c. the Ghost lusteth against the Flesh and the Flesh against the Ghost c. Such as are led of the Ghost of God are his Sons c. The Ghost helpeth our infirmities c Et sic de caeteris yet where the Epethite Holy is joyned to it it is more dreadfull and enought to frighten Priest-befool'dpeople and some of our Ghostly men too to say Holy Ghost and so mostly where Holy is with it it so stands in your Translations * The selfe same that in the flesh was an Advocate or Intercessour to God for his people in the Spirit is their Advocate or Intercessour to Godward in them Compare John 16. with 1 John 2.1 where though translated Comforter in one place and Advocate in another yet the Greek word is the same i.e. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in both So Rom. 8. The Spirit helps our infirmities and prayeth for us and maketh intercession * Neque uspiam litera esse mortua dicitur occidit quidem sed ideo viva est Compare the Scriptures where all these are used promiscuously as one in the Originals and in the Translations also Ex. 3. S. 39. Nobis Testimonio sunt illorum mendacia fraudes scelera hypocrisis Fanaticos non esse perfectos iis vero punitiones incarcerationes quas akatastasia sua sibi ultro accersunt de quibus muliebriter quiritantur esse debeant * Multa ferent Anni verientes commoda secum * Though the Cobler and his Last oft troubles them more then all the rest and makes the Doctors cry out Ne sutor ultracrepidam let the Taylor keep to his shop-board say they and the Shoomaker to his last So D. Featly D. D. and some others * Errorum causa Scripturam quia lucem Scripture fugientes Andabatarum more in tenebris dâ—micant atâ— utiolim Hammouitae Moabitae habitaâ—ores montis Seiâ—is bellum adv sus pepulum Dei suscipientes internâ—cioni se mutuo dâ—vovenâ— ad lumen solis hujus viz. lucis in corde conscientia cui testatur Scriptura confestim evanâ—scent I. O. Ex. 3. S. 3. * Non iisdem rationibus ducti sedilli pro traditinitus bi pro Scripture traâ—scripâ—ionibus translationibus interpretationilus ac imaginationibus suis tonquam pro aris fâ—cisque contendentes atque ita â—on secus ac Sampsonis vulpecular obversis candis ignitas faces in segetes Ecclesiae ferentes cuncti amicissime e loco suo sacram lucem sanctum spiritum de quiâ—us Scriptura loquitur detuâ—bare aggrediuntur Ex. 3. S. 4. * This is spoken of some Baptists who now preach some Doctrines of the Qua. For which they once cast them out of their Assemblies * Opportet mendacem esse memorem * Though in the Antitypical sense 't is true enough that some men not turning to it being deprived of it at last for not improving that measure of it more or less which as a Talent they were instrusted to trade withall at first Mat. 25. become as to the things of God as blind and bruitish and short of what those men are that arise out of the fall by it and beastial Image of Satan into the Image of God again who at first created them upright as the bruit beasts of the field which are figures of man in the fall as to the things of the animal or natural man aâ—â— sâ—â—rt of him * Negant lumen hoc naturale esse aut ita dici debere sed a Christo Spiritu Christi esse * Ex. 4. S 24 * See Baxt. Epist. The principal work of Papists and Quakers is to take off people from the holy Scripture and from the reformed faithful Ministers * Of like sort with those of Underhill and Blome in the Fanatick History who with ground of shame enough if he were not past it having found a Legend of Lyes collected out of T. Ds. and others books against the Qua. by he knows not whom dedicates it together with his own Haman-like desires to have them forcibly supprest unto the King * Vt cunque ei attendatur I O Ex. 4 S 17. * Absit blasphemia far be from us that blasphemy once to think that God lies * Which is a state different from a non posse peccare * Tins shews you that men may have a gift of Grace and yet receive it in vain * Gradus non variant naturam Rei * Ex. 4. S. 11. Futetrur quidem Christum lucent esse Mundi omniumque adeo hominum quia lux illa Scriptura Sacra fulgens est sufficiens ad perfundendum omnes homines luce Salutari ad quos per Dei providentiam pervenerit * Ex. 4. S. 24. Lumen Illuminationem quarum hie loot mentio facta est Spirituales esse at que ad Renovationem Gratiae non Naturales at que iâ— aâ—ad Creationem pertinere quo
sensu enim hâ—mines tenebrae dicuntur eo etiam Illuminarr aliter Aequi'voca esset Apostoli Oratio at homines Spiritualiter fuisse tenebâ—as extra controversiam est * Observe here how these men contradict one another I. O. sayes that clause Coming into the World relates to the light so as to say the true Light coming into the world enlightens every man I. T. sayes nay coming into the world relates to man so as to say every man coming into the world see how they concur together by the ears among themselves * Merae tenebrae cecitas quoth I. O. of it * Merae tenebrae cecitas quoth I. O. of it For it is impossible but that what shows drunkenness to be evil must needs shew sobriety to be good * Ex. 3. S. 24. Directionem nostram in cognitione Dei obedientia ei praestanda ita ut tandem voluntatem ejus facientes salutem eternam ac ipsius fruitionem assequamur hunc finem immediatum datioScripturarum atque adeo ipsarum Scripturarum esse contendimus Cum vero disciplinae cujusvis perfectio consistat in relatione ad finem caque perfecta habenda sit qua sufficiens est respectu finis sui proximi ea vero imperfecta quae finem propositum assequi potis non est perfectio scripturarum in nulla alia re consistere potest quam in sufficientia sua respectu finis sui proprii qui est instructio hominum c. Vt salutem aeternam assequantur hoc sensu eam perfectissimamasserimus Ex. 3. S. 39. Cessabit scripturae usus praesenti stat ui accomodatus Ex. 3. S. 39. Falsissimum est sacram scripturam dum in hoc mundo haeremus respectu nostri totum sinem suum obtinere aut obtinere posse * J.O. Ex. 3. S. 39. Fanaticos non esse perfectos nobis Testimonio sunt illorum mendacia fraudes scelera hypocrisis iis vero qui immunes se esse ab his omnibus aliisque peccatis vel levissimis impudenter gloriantur punitiones incarcerationes esse debeant * Memorandum that to A. P. T.D. said 't is corrupt nature by which the heathen Rom. 2. are said to do the things contained in the Law and here he takes the actions of corrupt natures for some of the things that are to be mortified it should seem then the heathen if it be an action of corrupt nature to do the things of the Law must mortify their deeds done in obedience to the Law thus it must be according to T. D's principles * Witness Gideon twice together before he could believe Isarel should be delivered from Median by his hand for which the Lord was not angry with Him Judg. 8.6.36 And Ahar also with whom the Lord was angry because he would not ask a sign when God bad him Isa. 7.10.11.12.13.14 * Where the participle perfected is construed with the word Just men not Spirits Pneumasi Dikaion Teteleiomenon * Yet T.D. most strenuously stands to it that so it is P. 22.1 Pam. saying the Apostle by his own Righteousnesse understands his personal conformity to the Law Do you think that the righteousness Paul calls his own was not Christs Had he any righteousness which he had not received That righteousness which was in the Apostle was wrought in him by Christ as an efficient cause * For are there not two righteousnesses of Christ quoth he p. 22. and they serve for two different ends The one for our justification meaning that which was inhaerent in that single person of old at Ierusalem This gives us a right to the inheritance of the Saints in Light The other for our sanctification meaning that he works in his Saints thâ—â— though filthyrags mark makes us meet for the possession * True Characters all along of our present Priesthood and Schoolmen Universities De quibus haec fabula were narrator Lux autem haec seu intelligendi facultas in eam quae maere naturalis est earnque quae circa res civiles versatur atque illam quae res spirituales omniaque alia in ordine ad sinem supernaturalem spiritualem et ultimum discernit disposcitur lumen autem hoc intermum spirituale seu facultas intelligendi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 varium c. * Lumen hoc internum omnibus commune utcunque ei attendatur non est ullo respectu salutare sed in rebus omnibus divinis sinem ultimum quod attinet merae tenebrae et caecitas * Fx. 1. S. 5 6. Figmentum horrendum lumen internum omnibus commune c. De fictitio isto sive lumine sive verbo interno et Christo imaginario c. Ex. 3. S. 11. Fanatici nostrales enthusiasmos nescio quos jactitantes luceÌ„ internaÌ„ atque infallibilitatem inde emergentem c. Et S. 22. Luâ—en nescio quod cui nihil commune est cum scripturis tanquaÌ„ Doctorem infallibilem sequi et in omnibus obedire S. 25. Lumen illud internuÌ„ Res est omnino ficta atque commentum crasse excogitatum S. 28. Nihil opus est ullâ revelatione per Spiritum out lumen internum Enthusiasmum c. incerta periculosa inutilia ea omnia media ad cognoscendum Deum atque voluntatem ejus ideoque rejicienda atque detestanda esse quae simulant fanatici apparet S. 30 Omnes istas vias et modos cognitionis Dei ac cum co communionis quos jactitant Fanatici rejici ac damnari a spiritu sancto opparet presertim Angelorum colloquia revelationes alienas a verbo scripto deinde Spiritum FanaticoruÌ„ internuÌ„ omnibus commune S. 32. Ad lumen internum seu spiritum internum privatum nusquam nunquam a Deo ablegamur S. 34. Enthusiasmorum omne genus fallax incertum incertissimum c. Ex. 4. S. 15. Lux nictans neque è tenebru perniciosissimis emergens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deo quopiam melius S. 21. Qualitas nescio quae divina c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verè Nihil Si quis seu Quaerit Quare seu Queritur Quod hîc loci non curaÌ„tur vel verboÌ„rum Qualitas vel syllaboÌ„rum Quantitas Sciat dehinc nos Rusticos nec magisnec minus cuÌ„raturos vel Variètatem VerboÌ„rum vel QuantiÌ„tateÌ„ nostroÌ„rum SyllaÌ„biÌ„rum Quam videmus vos AcâdeÌ„miÌ„ros parum CuÌ„raÌ„re vel VeriÌ„taÌ„tem VerboÌ„rum vel QualiÌ„taÌ„tem vostroÌ„rum Syllog smoÌ„rum (a) Act. 26.17 18 (b) 1. Ioh. 1.5.6.7 (c) Rom. 3.6 9. ad 19. [e] Ioh. 46.47.35.36 8.12.12 [f] Psa. 18.28 34 35 36 9. â— [g] Esa. 42.6 7.43.8.45.3.49.6 Acts 13.47 [h] Luk. 2.30 31 32. [i] Ioh. 3.16 17 18 19 20 12. [k] Acts 4.11 12. [l] Rom. 2. [m] Rom. 2.14 15. Ioh. 1.20 Psal. 32.1 2. Act. 3.26 Rom. 11.26 (n) Mat. 11.27 Gal. 1.16 (o) Rom. 1.16 Col. 1.23 (p) Pro. 6.23 (q) Heb. 4. (r) Jer. 6.16 (s) 1 Ioh. 3.20 21. (t) Jam. 1.25 (v) Luk. 17.20 21. [w] Gal. 5 19. ad 23. (a) Act. 26.17 18 (b) 1. Ioh. 1.5.6.7 (c) Rom. 3.6 9. ad 19. [d] Iohn 1.9 [e] Ioh. 46.47.35 36 8.12.12 [f] Psa. 18.28 34 35 36 9. â— [g] Esa. 42.6 7.43.8.45.3.49.6 Acts 13.47 [h] Luk. 2.30 31 32. [i] Ioh. 3.16 17 18 19 20 12. [k] Acts 4.11 12. [l] Rom. 2. [m] Rom. 2.14 15. Ioh. 1.20 Psal. 32.1 2. Act. 3.26 Rom. 11.26 (n) Mat. 11.27 Gal. 1.16 (o) Rom. 1.16 Câ—l 1.23 (p) Pro. 6.23 (q) Heb. 4. (r) Jer. 6.16 (s) 1 Ioh. 3.20 21. (t) Jam. 1.25 (v) Luk. 17.20 21. [w] Gal. 5.19 ad 23. [x] Eph. 5.13
people whom you deceive it declares the foundation of its acceptance to be this viz its Divine Inspiration by the Spirit of God from whom it is whence also it is though not so thought by you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A message or word well worthy of all acceptance much more of much better entertainment then you afford it who Mock Scoff at Whip Scourg Imprison Revile and evill Intreat the messengers thereof and the earthen Vessels in which God sends it as a Treasure to you 2 Cor. 4.7 that the Excellency of the Power may be of God and not of man So that it being rejected by you and this untoward Generation which by their blind leaders are guided in such crooked wayes and caused to erre to their own destruction Isa. 9.13.14.15.16 you shall know it s not only with a refusal of its witnesse and a high detestation of its pretence to be of God but also with a high detestation of God himself from whom it s not so much pretended to come as t will once be found by you to come in Truth and what excuse ground or plea for such your refusal and detestation you have against the time of Gods pleading with you for his people Ioel 2.2 c. in the valley of Iehoshapat or of the Lords Judgment whether he is now bringing you down the hour for which decision is neerer upon you then you professing Persecutors who yet awake not are aware of t is good for you now you have time and not afterwards to consider least to you cost you find the Truth of Qui non ante cover post delebit the burden of Dumab draws on and begins to lye hard upon his back yet I know the seed of Esau the fightlesse Seers who see with their eyes shut supposing themselves secure being at repose yet on their high Mount Seir and so looke askew upon the light and its children and scornfully call to them out of Seir watchman what of the night c. but for all this that morning hasteth which is their night therefore if ye will now enquire enquire ye return and come to the light else wo and alas for ever the Bare Book will not boot you the Letter without the Light ye look awry at will little help you the Scripture without the Spirit ye despise so cannot save you But Si non ante diem libruin cum lumine poseas vigil tor quebere There be some them and those not a few in those dayes declining the word of God while you who have your dreams tell your dreams faithfully as they have it who as they have received that mercy of the Ministry saint not but having renounced the hidden things of dishonesty not handling the Word of God deceitfully by manifestation of the Truth commend themselves to every mans conscience in the sight of God 2 Cor. 4.12 who are not as the many false Prophets are hucksterizing selling their own imitations of the true Prophets words Counterfeit Wares for mony and the back and bellies sake the master of their art of Preaching instead of that which is currant nor Shuffling off in the dark their words for Gods Word their own thoughts conceits and conjectures for God Councel nor as I.O. doth calling light darknesse and good evil nor putting darknesse for light and evil for good as the light and Treacherous Prophets and hirelings do who will once have their hire spoyle and pay from God such as they look not for as well as that they look for at the law from men when they have made an end of spoyling nor as our Carnal Spiritualty do holding forth their hollow Husky holy Collations and light Chaff for weighty wheat but as in sincerity as sent of God to turn men to it holding forth the Light of God and as in the sight of God speaking the true Word and Gospel of God in Christ Iesus which Gospel if it be hid is bid but to them that are lost whose eyes the God of this world blinds least the Light of the Gospel of Christ should shine out in them whose sin it is to refuse it and duty it is to receive it as that Word and Gospel of God which is sufficiently manifested so to be and easy enought by any but blinded blind ones to be discerned from that of yours who defy the true light and deify the naked letter which is pretended so to be yea as easy by such as are indeed desirous to see as true ones are but not by such as fleeing the light close their eyes and seeing will not see least they see themselves to dwell in deceit and by the light within which manifests what 's within be reproved for it Iohn 3.20.21 as the wheat is to be discerned from the Chaff which may infallibly by being what it is be discerned from it for the word hath such proper ties of weight light heat power profit as whereby infallibly to discover and distinguish it self from the Letter it self much more from your light dark frozen frail and fruitles fabrick of Theology Who as Calidi not to say Callidi as you are in your Re Frigida by all your great pains and great pains and your great pay have hitherto sown little but the wind of your own words among the people that love to have it so for which and from which both you and they shall find neither corn nor meal but at last reap the whirlwind even the grievous whirlwind of the Lord that is gone forth in fury and is to fall ere long with pain upon the head of the wicked When it is come to pass ye shall consider it perfectly Hos. 8.7 Ierem. 23.18 19 20 21 c. Ier. 30.34 Therefore it would be your wisdome to consider it now whether the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or inspired ones of this age which are not yourselves as your selves confesse who nor do nor dare nor can as the case is with you Pretend to such intimate or Immediate acquaintance with the Father Son and Spirit which Trinity notwithstanding ye cannot but be tatling of till you bewray your ignorance as to say that ye either feed or receive or feed your flocks of Goats with what Word ye receive by inspiratiration from Gods own mouth are not yea rather to know assuredly that they are those called Quakers whose persons together with their prophesyings and preachings ye reject and deride with detestation and envy by the names of Euthusiasts and Enthusiasines It is true as thou sayest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There were false Prophets that spake in the name of the Lord when he sent them not and may be now and have been and are witness not onely the many millions of those Locusts that stand now separated into three swarms as was foreseen and foretold in the vision of the three unclean spirits like Frogs that have gone out to the deluding of Princes and people even the great City Woman or Whore that hath reigned over the