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
whole Chapter to the other Arguments against the Coavousnesse or Connaturalnesse of the Points from Elias his Testimony the Talmuds silence about the Points the Keri and Ketib from the number of Points and vowels beyond that of differences of the sounds assigned to them the Antients silence about their Vse among the Hebrews which are cogent enough to any but such as thy self who buildst all sacred Truth upon the uncertain bottom of these Apices and Points and thereupon are foolishly afraid that all the Word of God must go out of the World if thy Fancies about them be not owned they are made up of such a dirty deal of Tittle Tattle and frivolous fabulosity that as very a fool as I have become for thy sake the Truths to medle so much with these immaterialities and rake so far as I have done into this Pudle of thy Pedantick Prate for thy so highly-prized Points yet as thou p. 32. I shall forbear having better accounts to give of my time and hours then to be mad in that manner and shall insanire cum ratione and though I have turned my self a while with thee to behold and take a view of some of thy madnesse and folly yet I shall wade no farther after thee into any more particular Consideration of thy many vanities in that Chapter but after a while return to things of more worth among wise men telling thee this for Truth I. O. That the dark and dismal Dreamings of thy self-devised Dangers hanging over the head of all Sacred Truth to the making Havock thereof which have entered and centered themselves in thy Imaginatory mind and of that mischief which thou conceivest will accrue to your carnal Clerical Câ—nâ—eâ—nments and earthly Interests Honours Profits and Preferments in case the Scripture and its Transcripts and Tittles which is the Commodity ye mainly Trade in be not kept up in that over-high Account it hath been in in times of Ignorance and thereby poor People kept still in Dependance on your Vniversity Doctorships under blind Conceits that they cannot learn the Mind of God but by your Expositions pag. 268. And that great Uncertainty which thou not seeing yet thy self but jeering as Doctorem infallibilem the only true infallible Doctor or Teacher the Light and Spirit of God within seest and confessest pag 292. ye shall be left unto in all your Translations and Expositions of the Scripture without the owning of these Points to be of divine Original and thy knowing that ye must to the shame of your selves and the shaking of your kingdom in the very Foundation thereof confesse and grant as ye are loath to do which yet is no more then the Truth viz. That if the Points be but Novel your professedly uncorrupt Copies are not a little corrupted and different from what the first Originals were throw the failings of Transcribers and so failing in your falsly so called foundation must be forced to begin again and lay the true one with the Quakers which is that of Christ himself the Light which rather then do since you have so much persecuted and disowned them ye will rake your brains to the bottom to find something to say against the Truth which is so tedious This is the grand Cause and whole profound mystery of this Businesse of thy busie busling and brawling so much for the necessity of the Points being owned as of so high an Original which else there 's no necessity at all of owning either at all as of such importance as thou pleadest or any otherwise then as the meer handi-work of Man Having therefore given this taste of the fallibility of thy flashy shallow Shufflings off what is more warrantably and weightily urged against the pretended Antiquity of the Hebrew Punctation as Coavous with the Scripture and Connatural with that Language I shall here Glean up some other scambling sayings of thine about the Points from several Quarters of thy Book worth heeding upon no other account then the crudity absurdity and Ridiculousnesse of them and make some Miscellany Replies to and Notes upon them that I may rid my hands as fast as I can of that rusty stuffe and mouldy matter now I am upon it wholly and not have occasion to handle it much more in other places I. O. Thou sayest pag. 252. That it is not thy design to give in Arguments for the Divine Original of the present Hebrew Punctation neither dost thou judge it necessary so to do while Buxtorf about that lyes unanswered Reply Then I say thou hast hung thy Reader up in the Air and there left him among Gapes and Stares for pag. 153. thou pretendest to plead and undertake to vindicate the Letter to be as t was given out and handed to us without alteration which put me into an expectation of something of that nature but parturiunt montes c. A long-Tays'd-Tale runs out of a great mountain of Talk for many pages together to prove the wickednesse of the Massorites on whom the points are fathered which is all of it as thou Confessest of some part of it nothing at all to thy purpose pag. 235. but neither one Tittle of so much as a Topical Argument to clear the businesse nor a nomination of one out of Buxtorf But Nil dat quod in se non babet hadst thou had any to produce it had been more useful then all thy babling to evidence the inalterablnesse of the Bible which was thy businesse to prove and is so necessary that none but fools will by thy floud of Words be flim-flam'd into thy Faith without such Arguments to evince the Truth on 't in that point which thou are never able to urge in proof of it Howbeit Two Considerations thou addest at the end of that Chapter of thy Second Treatise wherein thou treatest of this Point of the Hebrew Points as of weight to thee to add weight to all that light scanty-measured matter that went before propounded in such an indigested mangled hampered tediously tangled manner that he must be wiser then I that can well tell what to make of them or find in them so much as Top or Bottom or plain Premises or clear Consequence or any kind of Conclusion at all save that they are the Conclusion of that Chapter So that though there 's a talk in them of Grammar and Rules of Art and the world of Points not coming together by chance and of the Chaldee Peraphrast and many more matters yet they seem to me to be a couple of confused Chaosses that came to passe more by chance then by any Rules of Art and a world created by a casual concurrence of Antick Attomes more then any wisdom of either God or Man Consisting of the Circumference of no lesse then wel-nigh 7 pages together I shall therefore rather then puzzle my self in prying too much into such an orderlesse boundlesse piece of Prate as that is keep what I know of it within my own bowels and
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
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.
high unjust Adorations of it and as for the holy Truth that 's declared in it I have bought and paid so dear for that that no lesse then All that I had in the world of what sort soever lust pleasure honour riches or righteousnesse of mine is gone for the sake of it and to have all that ever I lost for it I would not sell it again yet All the Tittles and Letters Accents Iota's and Points which I. O. counts his such a rich possession p. 252. that are in All the Hebrew Bibles and Greek Testaments I have and I have more than one of each sort any one shall have of me for five pound and lesse money and the Books themselves to boot and that is lesse then the whole world and yet I shall hope to enjoy not a Tittle the lesse of the word of Truth that is therein told if I sincerely attend to the light the Letter calls to though I should never neither buy nor so much as look into any outward Copy of the Original Text more while I live And whereas I. O. sayes p. 163. somewhat sutably to what he sayes here that the Church of God doth now and hath for many ages enjoyed the Copies of the Original Languages as her chiefest Treasure I say that is one of the chiefest untruths that have been told yet among those many that he hath Treated out of that whole Treasury of Tales and vaÌ„in thoughts that are in his heart out of the abundance of which evil Treasury his mouth speaketh and pen bringeth forth evil things for though the Churches of mans constituting of which I. O. is yet a member and the Ministers of mens making at the Vniversities do now rejoyce in Transcripts Copies of the Hebrew and Greek Texts and Iota's and Points and Tittles and such like Toyes and Trappings and fruitlesse furniture as their chiefest Treasure rich possession and inheritance which they glory and blesse themselves in for the whole world will not he deprived of knowing that they must be deprived of all their worldly excellencies if they come once to part with them and do cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that all Truth tumbles to the ground if any jot and Tittle of their Original Texts and Hebrew punctation fail and they see no way to be delivered from utter uncertainty in and about all sacred Truth Ep. p. 25. in such wise as the Antichristian Churches did in darker times behind us and do still in the dark places of their several habitations count old mouldy Latine masse books and new moulded Engâ—ish Liturgies Letanies and Scottish Directories meliori â—ute of a little better mould yet then the other two a thousand fold before the best of which yet I prefer the Scripture Directory whether in its Original Transcripts or but Translations their chief spiritual treasure crying out that all true faith worship Church Word of God Religion and all is like to be utterly lost if these be taken away till the Remove of which Religion was never rightly found Yet the Church of God which is now the some that it was in substance before any Scripture at all was in rerum natura both ever did and doth still count Christ the Light and Life of whom the Letter onely Testifies her chiefest Ioy and Treasure Luk. 1.57 Joh. 8 56 and not the outward Text that doth but talk of him much lesse the meer Accidental Adventitious parts thereof quae possunt vel adesse vel abesse sine Scripturae interitu which as the whole Scripture it self may be either present or absent from without the corruption of the substantial Truth or word But whose Treasure the Scripture is or is not it 's little yea nothing to I. O's purpose to prove a non-mis transcription of the Scripture we see I. O. and many millions more make much of and more ado about every Tittle and lota of the Text then they need do at this day and yet with a non obstante to all that the variety of Lections are a thousand times twice told in Transcripts and Translations and if we will believe I. O. p. 16. frequent insinuations of an infinite number more are yet to be collected Arg. the Eighth as to the old Testament in particular is the care of Ezra and his companions in restoring the Scripture to its purity when it had met with the greatest tryal that ever it underwent in this world considering the paucity of Copies then extant Rep. Ezra and his companions care was as great no doubt as mans could well be in that case but ultra posse non est esse they could do no more then they could do as to the restoring the purity of the Scripture when corrupted and that 's Questionable whether they restored it so perfectly as not to leave out some Tittles or Iota's yea and whole Books too because they could not find them witnesse all those forenamed whole Prophecies that are wanting but what if their endeavours had succeeded so as to set all to rights as perfectly and exactly to a Tittle as 't was at first giving our might it not as likely and much more be corrupted vitiated altered in points Tittles and Iota's between Ezraes dayes and now through the many Tumbles Catastrophes Revolutions and greater changes of times and things then that of the Babylonish Captivity that have happened then in the dayes of its so long steady standing while it was reserved within the bounds and confines of the Iewish Church onely and yet here thou intimatest it to have been then exceedingly charged depraved and defective or else how could Ezra and his fellows be said to restore it to its purity thou art very hard put to it for a proof of the present integrity and purity of the Hebrew Text to a Tittle that goest two thousand years backward asserting that it was restored to its purity then and thence concluding that it stands as entire to a Tittle now as then it did thou mightst as well have gone a little higher and argued thus from before Ezra viz. the Hebrew Text was at first written by the Holy Penmen Moses David Isaiah and the other Prophets truly and according to the mind of the Spirit therefore it stands so entihe 〈◊〉 this day but thou seeing for all the Iewes great care to keep it thou makest such an Argument of it was much corrupted before Ezra therefore beginnest thy account of its integrity to a Tittle no higher then him in whose dayes thou deemest it was de novo most perfectly rectified ad amussim reckoning rashly as thou mostly dost and in no wise considering that thou hast no more but much lesse security against its alteration from Ezra downward to this day not knowing what heedlesse hands of carelesse Scribes it hath since come under then there was from Ezra â—â—â—ards from the time of its most pure giying out in which juncture yet it so fell out that as that which they found of it
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
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
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
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
of this light Why all this we maintain as well as they Answ. The more shame for you to stand up against that ye maintain yourselves when the same is maintained by us as ye do when ye argue from some mens not seeing because they shut their eyes therefore they have not light by which sufficiently to see their way to life As for your Simile from the Suns not enlightning all parts of the world outwardly from which its like ye conceive Christ the Sun of Righteousness hath not inwardly enlightned all men it is but a quibble for as there is nothing hid from the heat thereof nor from some participation of the natural light and heat of the Sun at least neither by night nor day though some times places and seasons are darker then some semblably no hearts from some measure of the Light of Christ Psal. 12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. compared with Rom. 10.16 17 18. R.B. Do they say all this light within us and without us is to be hearkened to and obeyed Why what man did they ever speak with that is a Christian that denieth it Answ. None but such Anti-christians as yourselves who for all your prate here and elsewhere saying p. 41. in way of warning to men that they act not against this Light within That certainly it concerns every man so far to look to the Light within him that he do not as it is said of some Iob 24 13 Rebel against the Light And p. 68. That no light which is truly such is to be rejected Yet elsewhere yea in the self-same pages How ur safe it is to obey the Light within it leading and guiding men well in somethings in most into crooked and dangerous unwarrantable and sinfulwayes as some Igâ—is Fatâ—us in the beastly blasphemous blindness of your benighted hearts imputing mens murders and Pauls persecutions of the Saints to their following thereof which things only arose from their following their own thoughts and forsaking and leaving the Light of God within which lead to better even ever to good only and never at all into any evil as I. O. also after his strict challenges of obedience from every man to the Light in his own conscience as to that which infallibly speaks to him from God himself c. page 44.45 of his English Treatises in his blind hasty hatred against them whom he mainly encounters in his Latine Thâ—ses cryes out against this same verbum Spiritum lumen internion which the Qua. call all men into the obedience of in mockage as figmentum horrendum crasse excogitatum Dâ—etorem Infallibilem nesâ—iâ— quid quod lumen quem Deum Christum imaginarium To Panz nihil rejiciendum detessandum Some horrible sigment of the Qua. Imaginary Christ infallible DoEtor I know not what God some spiritual everything just nothing but meer darkness it self to be rejected and detested And as for I. Os. words concerning the sufficiency of the Letter I shall use them in answer to himself and yourselves as concerning the sufficiency of the Light on its own part to save though few are saved by it only where he sets that term Scripture and Word of God by which all along he means the outward Scripture I shall place the term Light within by which I intend that inward Word that is nigh in mens hearts adding and interposing in a different Character what clauses are not his or distinctions sake and so carry on this my General Answer to that their foresaid General Argument to an end Noâ— doth it in the least impair this sufficiency of the Light within to lead to life that its a moral and spiritual not a natural Light because all men come not to life by it it suffices that there is nothing wanting on its own part for the discovery and revelation of the way to life To argue that the Sun is not the Sun or the great means of communicating external light into the world because blind men cannot see it nor will believe so much of it as they are told will scarce be admitted nor doth it in the least impeach the efficacy and sufficiency of the light pleaded for that men stupidly blind cannot comprehend it Iohn 1.5 I do not assert that where ever the Light within Scripture quoth I. O. is brought by what means soever whether in a Ministry of it without calling men to turn to it or a measure of it within calling men to turn to God All to whom it s preached and to whom it preacheth must instantly of necessity assent unto it and come to the saving knowledge of God by it many men who are not yet stark blind may have so abused their eyes that where Light is brought into a dark place they may not be able to discern it men may be so propossest with innumerable prejudices principles received by strong Traditions corrupt affections making them bate the Light as woful experience shews that I. O. and many others do that they may not behold the glory of the Light within word quoth I. O. i.e. with him the Letter with me the Light when it is brought unto them as it is nigh in the heart that they may do it but it s nothing to our present discouâ—sâ— whether any man living in sin do discern this Light whilst the defect may be justly cast on their own blindness 2 Cor. 4.2.3.4 by the manifestation of the Truth we commend our selves to every ones conscience in the Sight of God but if our Gospel be hid it is hid to them that are losts in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not lest the Light of the Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them There is in the dispensation of the Light within word quoth I. O. meaning the Letter an evidence of Truth commending itself to the consciences of men some receive not this evidence is it for want of Light in the truth or Light itself No that is a glorious light that shines as the bare Letter doth not for it was never there in the hearts of men is it for want of testimony to assert this Light No for many daily testifie it but meerly because the god of this world hath blinded the eyes of men that they should not behold it Where ever the Light within word quoth I. O. meaning the Letter comes by what means soever it hath in it self a sufficiency of Light to evidence to all and will do it eventually to all that are not blinded by the god of this world the knowledge of God its Author and the true way of Salvation and the only reason why All are not saved is because all do not receive its Witness and the reason why it is not received by mary in the World to whom it is come and in whom it is is the advantage that Satan hath to keep them in ignorance and blindness by the lusts corruptions prejudices and hardness
few in it are saved Election and Reprobation how it is of two Seeds only absolutely and of Persons only conditionally as born of and growing up respectively into the Image of those severall Seeds Perfection as to freedom from sinning in this life And such other for which We are as unjustly as uncessantly Assaulted About which points it 's hard to say whether the Quakers Opponents do more Oppose them or Abuse them by misreporting them as holding far otherwise then they do in those and other of their Tenets to the World For when we declare against Persecution and cruell forcing of all men to uniformity in meer outward formes of Religion by which men for fear conforming to do and to say they believe what they believe not to be truth are more made hatefull Hypocrites then faithfull Christians and for Liberty of Conscience as that without which Now no Government in either Church or State can ever stand long unshaken those Powers being ever more feared if not abhorred then either lov'd obey'd or honour'd by the tenderest of their own people who touch and under penalties impose upon them in that part i.e. the conscience which is 〈◊〉 tender and in which being trod upon all people when they can help themselves will turn again but those Iuâ—t ones whose way it is when they are kill'd to make no resistance Jam. 5.5 Then they tell people we are against all good Government and Authority settled Ministry and good Orders in the Church and such like Whereas and all good Government in States to Suppresse unrighteousness we own and good Orders in the Church too denying that only which they call Order who meerly under that Name and Notion of Decency and Order have fill'd the Nations call'd Christian with a numberless multitude of Ceremonies and Customes which are Vain and create nothing but Confusion Also they tell people we do but barely insinuate that of non-persecution to be our principle that we may be let alone till we grow numerous and get outward Power into our own hands that then we may rise and cut throats and by force and cruelty subject all people to our wayes T. D. deducing it as is seen in the book ensuing Thus from a certain Quakers drawing of his Sword who had no Sword at all about him The truth is quoth he the Qua. now declare their intentions to propagate their perswasions by the Sword Whereas we live in that Light which leads to that Love which abhores all cruelty and 't is the dark places of the earth in which themselves dwell that are full of the habitations of cruelty and could we once be by others as candidly consirved and credited as t is by us conscientiously and clearely declared so far are we from that pernitious principle of persecuting for conscience sake though blinded any men called Christians in any Nations that were it as 〈◊〉 in our hands to effect as it is in our very hearts to wish the contrary nor Jew nor Turk nor Pagan much lesse Christian so câ—â—â—d whether Papist Prelaâ—icall Presbyterian Independent Baptist or any other behaving themselves as peaceably subjectively as we do to all civil Laws in civil things should ever be in the least moleâ—ted more then by words of love whether smooth or sharp to win them to the truth thâ—â— their souls may be saved in any meerly Spirituall or Religious matter but in all Ecclesiasticalls so far as 〈◊〉 consistent with and not destructive to any other mens have in their consciences where Christ alone is King truly and fully as much Liberty as our selves even All people to walk every one in the Name of his God as we in the Name and Light of the Lord our God from henceforth even for ever And because we say some Truths and teach some Doctrines which to their misunderstanding minds only wherein they wrest everything the wrong and even the worst way they can and as they sound it out in words of their own which are none of ours seem only to Savour of Popery viz. Because we assert the Good Works of Christ in his Saints to be necessary to their justification who cannot be justified by any of their own They not only charge us as joyning with Jesuits and Papists but oft-times also as far as they dare in such a thing as they have no proof of they down rightly pronounce us to be such Whereas how neere of Kin they are in their Own and how none are more contrary then Our Tenets to the Pope and how well T. D. proves the Author of this Epistle in probability to be a Jesuit as he falsly affirms is to be seen in Sundry pages together of the following Work viz. from p. 47. of the 1 Exer. to the end And because we make mention of Christ in us and the Righteousness of the Law as necessary in order to Salvation to be perform'd and fulfill'd in our own persons as Paul does Rom. 8.4 though we mean no other Righteousness then the same that is in Christ and is wrought in us by no other power then that of Christ and that same Christ too of whom the Scripture speaks that To him give all the Prophets witness Act. 10. That in his Name and through faith in his Name alone who ere believeth shall receive remission of sins then which Christ and his Name there is no other under heaven given among men whereby they must besaved They 〈◊〉 us both to God men as denyers of Christ and of his Righteousness of Justification by Christ alone Witness one Ackworth of Rochester who was once heard by the writer hereof deprecating declaring against the Qua. in these words to God himself in his publike Prayer viz. Above all things Lord quoth he deliver this poor city from the Qua. they are a peole Lord that deny God deny Câ—rift deny the Righteousness of Christ deny Justification by Christ alone Whereas As it was at that time by this Author prefered though not permitted to be presently and publikely proved to his face on behalf of that people whom he told lyes on to the Lord himself that they own God own Christ own Christs Righteousness and own justification by Christ alone So against all the Priests who in their several Parishes misrepresent us as going about to Establish our own Righteousness only not Christs to our Justification among whom T.D. is in that point the most gross false accuser of us as it was clearly enough to men not minded to be blind by word of mouth at the disputes at Sandwich and hath been since by George Whiteheads printed Replyes ' to T. D ' s. printed misrelations of us in that matter so is it abundantly proved more at larg in the first Exercitation from p. 80. to the end thereof that ther 's no people do more fully or so truly disclaim their Own as dung and filthy rags and stablish Christs Righteousnesse alone which as wrought by Christ in his Saints T.
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
Sacred Truth 2. Let it be Considered that Ye who Plead such a Necessâ—y of such Integrity of your Foundation of Faith had need be sure of your hand yea Infallibly certain in your selves and in your Proof of it to others or else ye make your own Graves with your own Hands and pluck up your own Religion by the very Roots Ye stand Eminently concern'd upon the Concession of your Faiths Foundation not to be firm in case one Tittle of the Text ye frame all upon be found wanting or Points added since its giving out to make it not probably onely as incertum aut ignotum per incertius aut ignotius but Unquestionably clear that the Text hath every Tittle and that no Points are superadded since its first Penning or else to begin again with the Qakers at your A.B.C. in the things of God and lay a better Bottom for your Building and surer Ground for your Faith then ere ye have done for as J. O. sayes in another case it s but meet that men should be call'd to Account upon their own Principles and such as suppose Salvation to sinke if every Syllable be not seen and Repose so Eternal a Trust upon a Temporal External Text as to assert All Saving Truth to Fail for Ever if its Transcripts be not as Entire Now as they were some Thousands of Years ago and â—in the Everlasting Gospel of God on so Ticklish a Point as Mens Mistaking or Not Mistaking in Writing out the Bare Letter of it had need to be Not so Suppositive as J. O. is but Positive in Their Proof and Uncontrolably Demonstrative of Their Principall Proposition and Not Impositive of Their Own Thoughts Imaginations Apprehensions Uncertain Conjectures and Pretended Probabilities onely Sith the Stresse of a Case of such Dangerous Consequence Stands upon it that All Souls as J. O. sayes at least so Depend on it as to have No Means of Their Salvation if Their Proposition prove False and They happen to be Out or Miscarry in it Or else in Case Ye can't so Clear it then Confesse as J. O. seemes to do sometimes but that He is loath to stand Long to the Honour of such a Confession that Ye well Know Not Where Ye are nor What to Say about the Various Lections Ye finde to be Crept into Your Text nor What may be the Cause of its Being so and that Ye have Nothing to Blame but Your Own Ignorance of the Scriptures and other Cases And of the True Foundation which is the WORD it self and Not the Scripture or Writing of it And that Ye have Never with Your Shallow Comprehensions and Understandings Ye have Hitherto lean't to reached yet the Vtmoâ—t Depth of Truth and so think it Meet since Ye can make No Demonstration of Your Position to lay it Down Altogether and of Learned Men become meer Wormes not Captivating Others to Your Own Thoughts but Captivating Your Own Thoughts to the Truth and to the Authority of God in his Word nigh in the Heart and Not leaning Alone to the Lesbian Rule of a Naked Letter Without You See J. O. p. 303. 347. For as Error Minimus in Principio fit Major in Medio Maximus in Fine So there being but some Errours in Your Bottom O Ye Builders Your Building must needs stand Awry and be most crooked at the Top. Yea this is a most Vndeniable Truth That the Faith about that which is Beleeved to Be the Foundation of All Saving and Divine Faith in other Things must be Built upon an Undoubtedly Divine Basis and stand in a Ground that Can't be Shaken and on an Infallibly Sure and Unquestionable Foundation and Not on such A Flexible Thing as Mans Conjectures Thoughts Apprehensions Opinions This Way or That Nor on Meer Humane Fallible Perswasions Reports Writings Testimonies Traditions of Authors either on One side or Other Or else as J. O. sayes So say I We shall Quickly see and because of This See it We do Already what Wofull Estate and Condition the Truth that the Scripture Talks of will be brought Vnto And how Brittle the Belief is If the Foundation that any Fabrick Stands on should be Stone and the Ground that Foundation stands in should be but Sand That Building will not Abide when the Stormes and Waves come If the Foundation of Your Faith in other Things be the Integrity of the Text to a Tittle as at first Given Out for so it is with J. O. or else He gives All up for Gone and Your Faith about that Entireness to a Tittle of the Text be Founded no where but in Fancy Conceits Thoughts or in the Opinions of Your Selves and other Men Ye Side with Opposing as Learned as Your selves that Side Against You I here Affirm in Sober Sadness and in the Fear of God not Derisorily that All Your Faith is of No more Force then a Fiddle-â—tick is of to Fight withall as to the Effecting of that full Freedom from Sin and Salvation which Comes by Christ which is the End of his Coming to All those that Unfainedly Believe in his Name 3dly Let it be Weâ—l and Wisely Weighed how Wonderfully farre Short of Scientificall Syllogismes and Clear Demonstrations or of so much as True Topical Evidences either Your Arguments are in Proof of That Entirenesse and Integrity of Your Text in Every Tittle if there be No Better to be Vrged by You as in Truth there are Not then what are Vrged by J. O. in that Case on Behalf of the University and Clergy For after J. O. had stood out as long as He well could with Sticks and Straws against the Novelty of the Points and the Variety of Lections in the Texts of your Transcripts He plainly Yields and Confesses both as is shew'd hereafter 1st Vrging His false Conceits about Gods Promise and Providence and Loving and carefull Aspect over the Transcribers and such like Fancies of His own yea all along His own and others Thoughts against them and concluding thence thus Shall We think this and that Is it not very Improbable Shall We imagine so or so And then at last clearly confessing the same He before contended against Which Grants though when they are gone from him He would gather in again fearing He hath lost aâ—â— if He do not a little qualify them Yet in what a poor way He puts on to Reduce and Recover what He had given by His Yieldings and Acknowledgments and how they are of as little force and to as little purpose as Pharoahs endeavour was to bring Israel back when he had once let them go from him A very Fool may feel by the following Examination of what He uttereth toward the Regaining of His Ground again His Maxime or Main Proposition He fights for all along from first to last being that the Now Copies of the Originall Text are Entire to a Tittle without any losse by the Mistakes of the Transcribers or change by Addition of the Points His Main Medium of
Slaughter and Eternal Slavery for you not to Try their Talk First Who tell it you for Truth that there is now no Guidance of Christs Own Ministers by Christs Own Infallible Spirit They that Teach that their own Teaching is but Falible may easily draw all their Implicit Followers together with themselves into the Ditch Secondly Talk for Liberty of Conscience while they are under the Lash of others and for Persecution as soon as they can Climb to be Lords over all Thirdly That Affirm Christ's Righteousness Wrought in his Saints Persons by his Power and Spirit Serving to Sanctifie them too to fit them for Heaven to be of no other worth and worth no better Name and worse they cannot give it then that of unclean Dung Losse and Filthy Rags which Doctrine is Necessarily Deducible from T. D's Writing against the Quakers who yet sayes David even while Guilty of Adultery and Murder was not in a Condemned but in a Justified Estate Fourthly That where and while God Tenders Salvation Openly and Universally to All Men He Secretly Intends it but Particularly only to a Few Fifthly That that Light the Quakers Testify to which in Truth is no other then the True Light which the Life is which their own Rule of Scripture sayes John 1.9 Enlightens every man that cometh into the World Enlightens not every one but very few And is an Horrible Figment of the Quakers an Imaginary Christ as to Salvation in all Divine Matters Darkness Blindness it self and many more sayings of that sort under which they Scorn it as J. O. does and other Divines viz. R. B. and J. T. little lesse Sixthly 1. That the Letter of the Scripture is the only Sure Foundation and Rule of all Faith 2. That the said Letter is Variable and Varied and yet 3. That A thing that is Variable can be no Rule neither which is one of the many Rounds the Rabbies Run in Seventhly That Preaching of Perfect Purging and full Freedom from Sin in this world is a Doctrine of Devills so T. D. and Punishable With Prisons and other Paines so I. O. that there 's no Purgatory for purging away the Remnants of it as the Pope Falsly sayes there is in the world to come neither which Perfection of Holiness so far as to deny of all Unholiness and Salvation of Souls from Sinning is the meer End of Christs coming Matth. 1.21 the end of all Ministry that 's of his giving Eph. 4.11 12 13. the end of all the Apostles Writing willings of men to walk in the Light 2 Cor. 7 1. 1 Iohn 1.6 7 8. 1 Iohn 2.1 and of all true Faith or Beleiving 1 Pet. 1.5 And as it 's no Treachery in us to you nor others nor yet in you and us and all men to our selves to Try what 's Truth before we Trust Take and Talk for it much more Obtrude it as that Truth which must Subpaena as so be believed by Ali So it 's no lesse then time for us to Ask and put it to the Question among you Sith both cannot be so who are so Contradictory and if they be Right wee l own our selves to be wrong when once they prove it whether those who in Christs Name Minister the abovesaid Messes for Truth or the Qua. who in their Ministry Minister the very contrary and no less then the Infallible Truth it self be Christs Ministers So having in my time Born my Testimony as a Friend to the Truth against such as Tread and Trample it under Feet and Aâ—k'â— an Answer from that of God in All Consciences to which I Appeal to Judg between the Clergy and the Quakers who are in Truth I Sit down Satisfied in my Own Conscience in the Sight of God holding Love to All Mens Persons and Warr with nothing but Mens Wicked Works not knowing whether this may be the Last Time of Asking After which as to this way of Appearing in Print against the Pervertures of the Parish Priesthood I may for ought I know for Ever possibly hold my Peace Sam. Fisher. A Lamentation over Lost-Souls With a Word of Warning to All Kings Princes Parliaments Powers And People to Beware of Such Priests aâ— Uphold the Devils Kingdome by Pleading Contrary to the Scriptures of Truth A Continuance of Iniquity for Term of this Life A Necessity of Mens Transgressing of Gods Law while they Liâ—e in the World Or have any Abode in the Body IN th' Snare You Are Dear Souls I truly Know it And Wot I't Not yet there is That doth Shew it For First that 's Worst You are Beset with Sin Next Those are Foes without for That 's With in Who Preach yea Teach Yee cannot Live with out it Who Hint Live In 't yet shall Yee Live ne'r Doubt it Such Watchmen Catch men in Sins Snares not Out By Such how Much to take Sin lies at Scout Yâ—u In its Gin You 'l know when th' Light is Heeded Know'â— Now and How Christ Iesus is not Needed To Win from Sin if in it Souls can Thrive To Save from th' Grave if there Souls are Alive I Trow You 'l Know You Cannot Live in Sin When All Dy Shall who Live and Dy there in Wherefore before you Live You ought t' Eschew it Then Must I Trust even whilst you Live or Rue it Read This for 't is a Riddâ—e else in th' Light Heart Read for th' Head herein obtains no Sight It s Wis-dom Is too Dim this Depth to Enter Vn lesse you Guesse by th' Spirit which Dives to th' Center Give Ore no More your selves with Vain Hopes Cherish For Lie and Die in Sin who doth doth Perish But Lay Away all Weights Sins which be set you Abandon And shake off such Priests as Let you And Shun that Run you may with Saints that Race Which Brings with Wings from Sin to th' Holy Place To th' Place where Grace is Perfect Holy Sion The Mount where Count upon 't there comes no Lyon Nor Man that Can work Evil where the Pure In Heart leave Part Alone and their Right 's Sure For While You Stile those Saints who plead for Evil And Them Christ's Members who still Serve the Devil Nor Leave but Cleave to Them the Light ye Flee And Sure ye Pure as Christ is cannot Be. For Hire They Tire You out with Talk â—ut Know Their Words are Swords which will Souls Over throw Their Eyes toward Lyes are set Truth They Be spatter Time Serving Swerving still from God They Scatter They Sooth speak Smooth Charm Dawb Sow Pillowes Flatter Cry Peace where Peace is Not So ends this Matter Sam Fisher. A List of some of the Typographicall Mistakes THough in I. O's blind judgement it seems to Border on Atheism to say the same Fate as to Mistakes hath attended the Hebrew and Greek Text of Scripture in it's Transcribing as hath done other Books yet it seems to me upon that but Running Review I have yet taken thereof that the
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
Title of the Quakers Folly under a meer empty seeming shew of manifesting whereof to all men thou hast more truly in the eyes of wise men and more fully manifested thy own and that so egregiously that Petulanti splene Cachinno some man of a light spirit and ticklish spleen so much concern'd in the all manner of ridiculosities thereof as I and my two Friends of Truth Rich. Hubberthorn and Geo. Whitehead who together with me who am very much are not a little belyed therein would have sent them home to their Author long since with no other Rod at their backs then some loud laughter thereat before the world they being worthy of little better Reply Howbeit I have answered them hitherto with no other then sober silence partly because the first is captivated already from doing so much mischief as it was designed to and both before and behind too well besieged to do any great Execution against the Truth being a Priori beset by a Book of R. Hubberthorns which it gives as it faith it self p. 34. a short Answer to a Posteriori by a Book of G. Whiteheads in which it is as soberly and â—ufficiently replayed to and partly if not principally because as I.Os. three Treatises have one with another as he saith Arctissimum materiae seu Doctrinae consortium so thy two books have with his as to the Doctrinal parts such an affinity in subject and co-incidence of matter being both di putatory more or less against the self-same truths the Qua. tell that in answering the one the other remains not unanswered and as to the Narrative parts of both which are full of false Narrations if two false tongues of two lying Linguists be like one another haud Linguae dissidium scarce more difference in Language then thus that as I.Os. book tells tales in some so both thine do in some other particulars against the Qua. insomuch that I saw I might as also I accordingly do though the bulk hereof thereby become bigger and the time of its coming out to publike view a little later then was once intended in replying to I.O. in many places wherein he and thou T. Danson who eodem horrendo â—ercussi scotomate dance the Râ—unds often together in the dark do meet in one easily interpose such a general Answer and render such a round Reply to thee and thine together with him and his as by which the Truth I singly seek to vindicate may be truly served though what I do is scarce so smarting a Rod as by thy two abusive businesses is truly deserved and that what is fit to be said by way of Answer to thee that is so over-p'us that it can conveniently come in neither directe nor collateraliter as miscellaneous among the matter that mainly relates to I.O. might as it is here and as it is but meet be clapped on as additional at the beginning I shall begin with the Wings of thy two Pamphlets each of which hath two waxen ones a piece viz. an Epistle and a Narrative which by the help of those lyes and false tales they are as with so many Peacocks tails behung with they fly so high at the face of the Sun itself even the Light and Truth of the living God that they melt of themselves before the heat thereof and must at last lye as low though they sore aloft for a while as the very Pit of Perdition the smoak of which together with their Fellow Locusts they first came out from These their two respective wings whereof I know not which to call the left and which the right so sinister are they all and so little dexterity is therein any of them being a little cropt or closely clipt the barebodies of both T.Ds. Divinity books as they will never soundly recover of those wounds that each of them hath had already from the hands of of G.W. and L.H. respectively replying to them so of the further bruises which they together with I.Os. Academical Ousets and hasty Assaults of the same Generation of Just ones are like to meet with in this ensuing encounter they will be disinabled from flying abroad so fast as to do any mischief where the night spends and the day dawns though they may possibly live so as to crawl and creep about a while in some Collegian Cells and other such like dark corners of the earth My Entrance shall be at thy Epistles in the first of which thou T.D. sayest Perhaps the Reader will wonder that thou shouldst meddle with such a Generation as the Quakers and think thy time hangs on the lug and will not off at any considerable rate Rep. I confeâ—s I am one of those Readers that more then think thou mightst have spent thy time far more considerably and to better purpose to have fully fell on with the Qua. in that good work then to fall upon them for it so fouly as thou dost of calling thy rude people to repentance from all sin into perfect purity and holiness the very thing thou pretendest to have thy wages for But when I consider the old Proverb that all Trades must live and that thine as well as that of the Lawyers is no longer liv'd then while people live and die in trespasses and sins I wonder no more then at Demetrius and his fellow Silver-Smiths of like occupation who by that cast of keeping men in sinful blindness having their wealth throw dust into the ayr against the Light that would lead them out that thou and thy muddy Generation meddle so much as ye do to muddle mens minds against such an Enlightening and Purifying a Generation as the Qua. are and besides Prov. 20.3 Every fool will be medling as Iannes and Iambres were as thou and I.O. are to manifest the Qua. notorious folly in these daies till they most notoriously manifest their own T. D. Thou tellest 'T was never thy ambitiÌ„on to appear so publikely as in print Rep. It had not need unless thou hadst better ware then thou hast the darkness which vents it in thee is the likeliest place to put it off in it being not vendible in the light T. D. That hadst thou consider'd the likelihood of the Qua. printing which would necessitate thine thou shouldst likely have waved any discourse with them Rep. Insipient is est dicere non puraâ—om It s as much Innocencies ambition to appear openly in the service of Truth as 't is the guise of Guilt to hide its head Thou mayst well think the Qua. who are in the truth it self which thou art not yet so much as truly in the words of will not be out-weigh'd by the wind of one that as thou sayst thou didst chuses rather to out-word them and whether thou appear any more publikely for thy lyes and doctrines of vanities yea or nay yet the truth which may be a while opprest never sapprest will now lye no more hidden under the black dawb of darkning School-distinctions but will appear
these Lyaâ—s had not been blind to be diâ—cerned from L. Hs. White one and that in the afternoon too neither was the discourse between or appointed between L. H. and W. R. but E. B. and W. R. nor did E.B. send for me but a letter to me only not knowing of my comming but desiring my answer only neither did I know at all that any discourâ—e at all was to be till I came into the Town nor was there such a word spoken by L. H. in my heaâ—ing that he would now leave the discourse to me nor did L. H. so much as by desire engage me in that diâ—course though some few things I said in it any more then he engaged me to come to those disputes at Sandwich which saving thy lyes in that particular ore and ore againe repeated was just no way at all though hearing of a dispute to be there I was there with other friends By all which Remarkable Passages whether thou hast not marked out thy self and thy Talâ—-bearers more then the Qua. to be men that have not somuch morall honesty or to speak truth in matters of fact let all true men Iudge nor is all that in thy last half sheet of any Validity to disprove this which I say and averr to be the truth as in the sight of God who will Judge between you Lyaâ—â— and us who as little Conâ—cience as thou sayst we make of Lying have herein said the very Truth and shall be beleived against thy Tattle notwithstanding the sleeveless Testimonyes of Wâ—lliam Russell and Thâ—mas Morris whose Certificate which thou â—ettest to put an end to the contest conclude nothing to the contradicting of what 's here said by me And thus into the pit of thy own digging for us art thou fallen thy self and in the same Labo iâ—uh of lyes wherein he lay turking for the Innocent hath the Lyar lost and left him elf not a little in the Lurch T. D. Thou tellest a Tale that a dying Qua. at Dover said He expâ—cted Salvation onely by his good works and not from Christ in witness of which thou bringest Io. Davis Minister of Dover Rep. Thou hadst abused Io. Davis as grosly as thou dost thy self but that I see by his Vnderhand Testimony inserted in thy half sheet and his non-complaining of thee he is willing enough to be so abused by thee and so I am the less willing to vindicate him sith volenti non fiâ— iâ—iâ—â—ia by offering in thy Narrative to Summon him in Print as a witness of that which he himself had no otherwise than by hear-say from another for hereby thou expoâ—est I. Da. together with thy self to the iust censure of Ignoramus whilst it s well known to all save such as either are or else in enmity to the Truth are free to be counted Idiots that as in fâ—o Dei verae Ecclesiae he is no true Minister or Witness of the Word of God who stealing his Testimony and the words he speaks out of the writings of the true Prophets declares what himself never saw felt nor handled of the word of life so vel in foro hominum even before men in their earthly Courts of Iudicature that man would be deservedly cast forth with shame as no lawfull Witness against a living man there pâ—esent much less against a dead man not capable to speak for himself who should testifie it as an undoubted truth that he spake Treason and from thence accuse all that mans Kindred also to be Traytors and yet confess he was no Eaâ—ewitness of his words but only heard a Third man say somewhat to such a purpose And how Iohn Davis can be such a competent witness to the world of the words spoken by the dying Quaker as thou set'st him down for or any more then a presumptuous Intruder into or Talker of what he hath not heard but only heard of my eyes which are not so dim but that I can Divine the Divines to be in the dark to Divine lyes to each other do not fee howbeit let every one see not with my eyes but with his own as to the case in hand But I. D when he was backbiting the Qua. to thee in that Tale and tickling and scratching thy Itching ears which as false tongues do love lying words and feed on meer Fables more then truth thought perhaps as little as thou did'st of the likeliness of the Quakers Printing to be brought so openly on the Stage about it as now he is and that with so much the more shame by how much he seemes to have play'd Bâ—-peep between both partyes and by that his second hand Testimony to have â—erved two contrary turns at once viz. L. Hs. and thine too or else its like he would have kept his heaâ— say to himself but now he is justly left of the Lord to manifest himself to be one that would fain seem to hold with the Hare though he runs with the Hâ—und open mouth at her to devoure her having since he seemed to side with L. H. against thee in his last testimony obtained by thee and obtruded upon the world made himself obvious to the view of all to be a Sidesman with thee in thy viperous spirit against us and one who would Balaam-like Divine us into the denomination of Papists if he could tell how but as such Concurrâ—rs as shew their teeth much Seldome bite very deep so 't is now the curst Cow's have short Hornes and your uncertain Certificate can stand but for a Cypher at most that signifies nothing but that ye would â—ay something in disparagement of the Qua. if ye could tell what Something it seems was affirmed by some body yea by the Qua. Brother who as their own-Brethren usually do Isa. 66. for Christs name sake hated thoâ—e that hear Gods word and tremble at it and are therefore in scorn called Qua. to such an effect as if the dying Qua. had said he look'd for Saâ—vation by his own works and not by Christ wherein if he doth not as many in Dâ—veâ— and Sandwich have done as bad puâ—posely bely his Decreased Brother for the sake of his own malice to the Qua. yet I know he did at best as much mistake him as T. D. mistakes either blindly or maliciously mis eprâ—sents me to the world as a looker for Iustification without Christ by my own works which I have long since denyed as dung for those that Christ works in me for howbeit I shall not here meddle point blank to prove a Negative yet thus much I can say in disproof of your hasty Affirmaâ—ve I my self who know his principles to have been no other then to expect Salvation by Christs works in him only and not his own was with that said dying Qua. in the time of that sickness whereof he died and in as deep dâ—scourse with him I believe as that his meer fleshly Brother was who hath so abused him yet I heard him utter as nothing at all
to that effect so not a little to the contrary and so I leave this your Tale of a Tub as I found it with the Bottom out to take place in such hearts as are given ore to strong delusion to beleive your lyes that they may be damned for no entertainment will it find among such as receive the â—â—ve of the Truth that they may be saved yea as thou sayst in p. 3. of thy half sheeâ— of that figment of your own viz. that I was sent for tâ— Dover by L.H. to the dispute with W. Russell That I came on other business will hardly be beleived on the word of a Qua. so say I in thy own words of both this and that non entity of your own Creating and of William Wingfields mâ—srepâ—â—sentation of L. Hs. words also viz. that those words were spoken by L.H. as W.W. sayes confdering the three Testimonies that his words were otherwise and those also by the dying Qua. as thou â—et'st them down upon the best evidence thou giv'st of it from either the Qua. fleshly Brother or thy Spirituall Brother I. D. will hardly be beleived upon the word of such an envious Quareller with the Qua. as thou art by them that know how little Conscience that sort of men among whom thou art not the least make of lying against them and against the truth T. D. Another story thou tellest of a Qua. that came into the Savoy Church and made such a dreadfull noyse as seemed to be of the Devill in him and so sadly afrighted the people that some ran one way some another to secure themselves from the danger they apprehended was near them and necessitated the Minister then Preaching whom thou callest Mr. Hook to hold his peace as Witnesses of which the said Mr. and Mrs. Hook are cited Rep. A palpable evidence if the Devill had been in him as truly as ye suppose it how little of God is in your Christian Congregations and in your Churches and Ministers that the Devils bellowing out of the mouth of one unarmed man could make the Minister hold his peace and affright and put to flight his whole Church before his face Who so hearkens unto Christ dwells safely and is quiet from feare of evill he is not afraid of evil tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord he is kept in perfect peace his mind is staâ—d on the Lord he keepeth himself that the wicked one toucheth him not he resisteth the Devil and makes him flee and gives not place to the evill one but a token rather it is that the Power of God was of a truth in the man who ere he was in that the Dâ—vils trembled in the wicked whom he possesses were so astonished at his presence for hic murus Abaeneus nil conscire sibi nullapallescere culpa as this is the Brazen Bulwark and impregnable fort that true Saints have such Rejoycing in as all the Devills in Hell cannot impeach the Testimony of their Conscience that in simplicity and Godly sincerity they have their Conversation toward God and all men so the Sinners in Sion are afraid and fearfulnesâ— surprises the Hypocrites and being conscious to themselves that no good belongs to them they wax pale at the sence of their own iniquities as if the Devill were comming to fetch his own the name of the Lord is a Terrour to them a dreadfull sound of danger is alwayes in their eaâ—es and they are Magor-Misabib fear round about and a terrour eternally to themselves so that they are in great fear where no feare is as to any outward appearance or occasion of it much more when the Lord himself begins to roare out against them and thunder upon them out of Sion whoâ—e â—oâ—ce is as terrible among the Sinners as the Devills is contemptible among the Saints yea their own evills perâ—uing the wicked they flee someâ—imes when no man persues but God being in the midst of the Congregation of the Râ—ghteous they are ever as bold as a Lyn. T. D. Thou tellest of a woman one Mary Todde a Qua. that at the Bull and Mouth while her friends were speaking pulled up all her cloaths above her middle exposing her Nakedness to the view of all in the Room Rep. I see if thou canst not get it by Hook thou wilt get it by Crook if thou canst but thou gettest nothing against us by either for as the Tale that is testified by thy Master and Mistriss 〈◊〉 makes as little against us to thy purpose were it as perfectly true as it s probably false in some part of it at least for I cannot learn that there is at Lord. such a one as Wil◠〈◊〉 that is owned as a friend among the Qua. So this 〈…〉 thou 〈◊〉 the Qua. in above was done by one that was a Româ—â— and not a Qua. whose Râ—nting abominable practiâ—es the Qua. whom thou callest her friends are more at eâ—mity with then thy self nor will thy 〈◊〉 in the Margin thy Eye-witness T. Cresset Câ—â—rurgion Cure and Sâ—â—vâ— thee from the â—ust censure of a false Accuser of the Qua. to whose score thou wâ—â—nesâ— down all the Rudeness that by the Rabble of their and the Truths enemies is in absolute hatred of both them and it acted ever and 〈◊〉 in their Assemblies And albeit thou â—â—innest over this thy 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 business in thy last 〈◊〉 piece of work of half a 〈◊〉 by the Certificate of Iohn 〈◊〉 as thou didst bolster it up before by Th. Cressets Testimony in thy Narrative which I. Lagâ— as far as his envious assertion will assure assures thee who very conâ—â—dently â—akest on thee to assure the world thereupon that the Quak. at Lond. acknowledge the said M. 〈◊〉 to be one owned and 〈◊〉 by them I here contrariwise affirm whatsoever some certain Qua. that under that name shrowding themselves to do mischief to the truth as the false brethren did of old by whom Paul was in peril might say to I. L. that the Qua. in London do disown and deny both M. T. and her ill carriage in that particular so that instead of mending thy ill matter thou hast but made it worse and redoubled the lye thou wouldst have lickt the lyars whole of T. D. Thou tellest of a Qua. that at Alderman-Bury on a Lords day while the Psalm was singing gat up into the Pulpit with his Hat on his head and serting his breech upon the Cushion fell to sewing Rep. A great piece of business for a man to be so sharply censured for as he was who did that Our Princes and Priests in these dayes have forgot that the Lords Prophets of old were moved to do as strange matters as that or any other thing that is done in the Spirits motion in these dayes by the Qua. as a sign to a wicked and adulterous generation when the Lord being wearied with the multitude of their sins began once to loath their most solemn sacrifices and to defile all the
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
Narrative only and the other more wickedly then wisely made and drove on very devoutly in both but especially in thy first without either care or good councâ—l consideration or conscience Truth or Righteousness sense or reason fear or wit are these T. D. That the Qua. intend to prosecute the promotion of their Principles by that bloody way of persecution with the outward sword 2. That the Qua. are doubtlesly acted by the Antichristian or Romish faction and do drive on the Popish work and Papistical design and of Qua. become Papists and further for this Lye splits it self into two parts one concerning the Qua. in generall the other concerning my self in particular that I.S.F. am probably and appear to be not only a Rank Papist but also 〈◊〉 Iesuit holding complyance with the Pope serving the Sea of Rome such like of which more at large by and by Rep. As to the first of these thy two Lyes of the Qua. it lies thus palpably ayerred in thy own words T. D. The truth is the Qua. now declare their intentions to propagate their perswasions by the sword whereas they were want to pretend to so much meekness or peaceableness that they would hold neither speaâ— nor sword Rep. Here 's the charge An Arrand Lye yet a Truth if four or five more Lyes will Serve to prove it if not men must take it for truth on no other Acconuâ— then this because T.D. who tels so many Lyes that he deserves not to be believed when he speaks the truth doth falsly Say so for thy pieces of proof which are too piteous to prove thy main false Charge were they all true are as to the truest information that I can get thereof every of them false Charges and a pack of Lyâ—s like to that they are brought in proof of The first Proof is this slender Story At a Late Meeting of the Qua. in Hurst Pierpoint in Suffex He that undertook to be Speaker called out to the Priest who accidentally pasled by saying we will have you all down for now our day is come The second this Tale. And a oâ—her Qua. in the Parish â—f Nuthurst in the same Counâ—y did say to a Godly person of good quality in that Parish that he no more cared to kill one of the Priests as he styled the Ministers then he would to kill a Dog The Third This Wicked Lye And another Qua. Way-laid the Minister of Covehould a very worthy Reverend man at his return from a Fast and justled him upon the high way as he kept it haviâ—g his Wife behind him and drew out his Sword which he had by his side about half way which was a shrewd presumption that he intended the Minister mischiâ—f but that some neighbours that came from the Fast Coming up to them prevented it and they do usually give oâ—t threatning speeches against the Ministry aâ—d their Friends Rep. In answer to these three I here subscribe such information as came from the mouths or hands of sundry Sâ—ssex men living in and about these Parishes or Places T.D. Relates these matters of a truth to have been done and spoken in three or four of which are it seems members of those two Parishes of Nuthurst and Covewold in such wiâ—e as follows These three Charges or slanderous Accusations as they appear to us Coming to our hands we who are Inhabitants in the County of Sussex near adjoyning to these places where the Author saith these things were done one of us dwelling in one of these Parishes which he makes mention of have a good and perfect knowledge of these men who are called Quakers and that They are men of better Qualifications then to offer such violence or to give out such terms as is here Charged upon them Therefore for better satisfaction to ourselves as also for the sake of others who may be deceived in believing such things by giving Credit unto them without a surer ground then because they are come forth in Print to a publike view also from such A hand whom they might think would not be so dishonest as to be the Author of things that are not true Upon these Considerations and others which might be mentioned we undertook to search out the matter with some diligence that all who desire may be truly informed and who have prejudice in themselves neither against one sort of people nor another because of names or differing in judgment as we have not our selves who are now about to satisfie of this matter that truth may appear and that every action may be tryed by it in and among all sorts of people Bryan Wilkinson Humphery Killingbeck So for the first accusation which the Author makes mention to be spoken at Hurst he hath caused a lie to be printed as also the other two for there were no such words spoke nonly the friend that did speak some words from whence this report might arise might ask the Priest of Hurst what they would do if the powers of the earth should for sake them these words its like were spoken And as for the second accusation and slanderous lie which he saith was spoken by a Quakeâ—s in the Parish of Nuthurst we whose names are here under written did go unto the man whom the Author calls godly and of good qualitie unto whom he said these words were spoken to know the truth of this thing And his answer to us was as he and some others were drinking together there was one amongst them did say that it was no more sin for to kill a wicked man then a Swine Thomas Wyly Nicolas Manard Though there was one who went under the name of a Quaker who did dwell in Nuthurst Parish whom the man which the Author calls godly and of good qualitie did say was the man that spoke these words above mentioned which are otherwiâ—e then what is Printed Yet this man he caâ—ls Quaker that should say these words hath not dwelt in the Parish of Nuthurst neither in the County of Sussex this two year and half and above neither hath he been in these parts of so long time as can be sufficiently proved and the cause of this might arise above a year before he went a way And as for the third slanderous accusation the Minister of Cavehold which the Author of this scandalous Book calls a very reverend man we whose names are here under mentioned did go unto this Minister of Cavehold in Sussex the 16th day of this eleventh month 59. For to have him to set his hand against this Scandal Because we knew that there was no such thing offered by them from which this slander might arise And his Answer to us was that there was three Caveholds in Englaâ—d and that it might be at some of them But he said that he knew the man T.D. that set forth the Book and that he had one of them himself and he said he would send to the man to enquire of him and if he meant Cavehold
publick then the Market place what is above Printed may for more I have by me suffice to let the world know if yet thou have such Relations under the Ministers hand what kind of Creatures thy Credible Witnesses are and how unworthy thy very worthy and Reverend men are to be call'd Ministers of the Gospel and to have their words taken in matters of Doctrine and Soul conceâ—nment who are found saying lyes to thee in secret of the Qua. and unsaying them to their faces and not having so much morall honesty as to speak truth in matters of Fact nor yet so much trustiness neither to their own Father of lyes as to keep his and their own Councill without be wraying it when they have done as this Cavehold Reverend Clergy man seems to have done by that Testimony of his I have here inserted and that contrary one to himself which thou say'st thou hast under his own hand and this may suffice also to let all men see who are not wilfully blinded what fruits follow the most solemn Fasts of this Generation of Blind guides when they gather together after their devouring of Widows Houses and spâ—yling of poor Pâ—oples Goods for Tyths for a pretence to make long Prayers So that I shall do no more as to that last piece of Patch of T. D's putting forth having returned the â—ye upon him again which he thinks he has returned to L. H then having pluckt its wings turn the Sting that stands at the tayl of that Bawbling Butterfly back upon himself and in short shut up this my return as to that in the very last words mutatis mutandis additis addendis wherein thou T.D. concludest that thy as Impudent as Impotent Rejoynder to L.H. viz. So that upon the Whole the Publisher hereof S.F. doubts not but that the Wise will be able to discern between truth and falshood and will in their own thoughts be as farr from acquitting T.D. and his Companions whom L.H. Charges with Lying as they would a Thief at the Bar meerly because he pleads not guilty to his Indictment which is an usual thing let the evidence be what it will And he doubts not but if they should revile in Print again he may be excused if he make no other return then Inhonestum est honestam matronam cum meâ—etrice litigare i.e. It is unseemly for an honest Matron to stand brawling with a Whore London 2. d. 2. m. 1660. Sam. Fisher. And whether the Qua. or the Parish Priests are respectively the Loyall Spouse the Lambs Wife Rev. 21. or that great Whore which makes the Earth Drunk with the Wine of the Wrath of her Fornications Rev. 17. if the Night is not yet spent farr enough for all to see yet Dies Declarabit though this is your hour and the power of Darkness the day is at hand that will declarâ— it to all that yet know it not And now as to thy Generall false charge of the Qua. as complying with the Papists and Antichristian Faction which is not thine alone but that of Will. Prinn I. O. I. Tomb's R. Baxteâ— also and of the Priest of Kendall W. Brownsword answered in that particular by E. Bur. I. Story and in a manner of the whole Covent of co-contenders against the Quakers Rep. I should blush and be Ashamed were I in thy case to make such a confident Narrative of it and such an undoubted Profession of my faith thereof as thou dost of thine and produce no more then two such pitiful proofs for it as thou dost and to send it abroad in Print on two such lame legs as can help it are the stile Little more then a bare Repetition of thy Reasons after thee is enough to a Right Reader to Render the urger of them Reasonless and Ridiculous enough in all Reason T. D. I am out of doubt sayst thou they are Acted by the Antichristian Faction Rep. Why so T. D. A Gentleman of good credit assured me that be met with an English Iesuit in London the first Lords day in June last one who was bred in Cambridge and had been formerly of his acquaintance who after some shyness to be known at length confessed that he came over to propagate the Romish Faith and told him that there was a good honest people called Quakers whom we jeer'd at that did their work at the second hand and he boasted much of the numbers that turned Catholicks immediatly or mediatly by becoming Quakers Rep. Both thou and thy men of credit will come to be out of credit ere long if thou crack thy own and their credit but a little longer so much as thou hast done hitherto But 1. Suppose it true that he assured thee so 2. Suppose that true he assur'd thee of what then The Papists dote as our Priests often do in other cases that that will make for them which to any but such as discern not the signs of this season doth undoubtedly work toward their utter ruin therefore doubtlesly the Qua. either are or will turn Papists Object But many by becoming Qua. turn Catholicks Rep. The Qua. are of the Catholick Church if thou wilt know as thou dost what Catholick is but so are not the Papists that are of no Church but that of Rome the Church of Rome is but a Particular Church as that of England or another National one may be but the Catholick Church is general and universal a Church that was before Rome was a Church or a City either as some Qua. have oft asserted to Friars and Iesuits to the stopping of their mouths a Church that had its Being though the world sees it not nor knows it from Abel to this day to which General Assembly and Church of the first-born whose names are written in heaven and to the spirits of Iust men made perfect the Qua. are come as the Saints were of old Heb. 12. and so while Romanists are but as ye are a Bastard brood the Qua. are the truest Catholick Church that is in the world T. D. Anotheâ— Gentleman that came this Spring from St. Omars did avouth that he saw the Iesuits there about four a Clock every evening throw off their Gowns and put on aprons and betake themselves to the exercise of Handy-craft callings some plaid the Shoomakers others saâ—e at the Loom others kill'd and dress'd sheep and they did not stick to boast that under the disguise of such callings working as Iouâ—nymen and changing place as they listed they served the Romish Church And the Head of the Colledge told him that England never was in so fair a way of return to the Romish Sea since it broke off as now And what hopes the Papists can have unless from the encrease of Qua. I leave Reader to thy determination Rep. What news is this to any but Nevices that Iesuits in craft use handicraft callings that under that disguise they may serve Rome but what follows hence T. D. Nempe similium similis ratio the
Native Language the right use of the aforesaid Pronoune so as to wrest it besides its own due true speciall prime and genuine signification into a sense that is in truth no less then false silly non sensicall For in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Attah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it be the Faeminine not only signifies Thou or Thee as likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Attem and Atten in the Plurall You and Yee but also the Iewish Nation in their writings and talkings one to another as they ever did so do at this day usually keep thereunto saying continually when they speak to a single per on only though never so great as well as when to the meanest Attah or At if to a woman that is being Englished Thou or Thee but never Attem or Atten that is being Englished You or Yee but when they speak to more then one the truth whereof as some of them call'd Qua. have been Eare Witnesses who have been in discourse with many of those thousands of the Iews they have been amongst so all that know ought of the Hebrew Tongue may be eye Witness thereof if they will but peruse the Scriptures or any other writings in that Language Also in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 su sou soi se which are the same pronoune of the 2d Person Singular varied only as to the Case signifying Thou or Thee are universally used among the Gracians both in Orall discourses and Writings when a single person only is spoken to and the words in the Plurall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 humeu humon humin humas which in English are you or yee us'd only when more then one are spoken to Also in Latine every one that is learn'd no farther then the Accidence hath learnt so much that Tu tui tibi te which are Thou or Thee in the singular number only aâ—e us'd and never vos vestrium vobis which in sence and signification are You and Yee when a single person only is written or spoken to and it would be counted false Latine and Ridiculous and such a thing as deserves hissing at among very School-Boyes to use the Terms vos or vobis to express one single person by And yet such is the Folly and Apishness of our English Nation that when they speak to one person only specially if it be a Superiour for when they speak to Inferiours they often times keep to Thee and Thou and Thy or Thine which is the pronoune possessive derived from its primitive Thou E. G. Thou shalt have this or that I will give this or that to Thee get Thee hence go Thy why this book is Thine and such like but when a Superiour I say is spoken to as a Matter a Father a Land-Lord a Knight a Gentleman as they call them a Magistrate a Governour or some great â—ne then out of that Reverentiall respect they have to mens Persons which cannot stand with the true faith of God and without transgression of the Law Iam. 2. they use the words You Yee and Your and Yours c which in the propriety of the English speech are only for the Plurall number and to be used only when more persons then one are spoken to which gross digression and degeneration from the truth of their own mother Tongue in saying You Sir may it please you your Worship your Excellency or the like is as abominably absurd as it would be if in any of the three Languages abovesaid men should use words of the Plurall number to a particular person and the absolute absurdity of that every A B C-darian only in any of those Tongues is able to discover and would Abandon yea to say in English you Sir to one man be he never so Eminent is as false English as its false Latine to say to one in Latine vos domine that 's as false as to expreâ—s these words Thou lovest by the Latine words vos amas which is no better then nos amâ— or ego amanâ—â—us or tu amaâ—is or â—ille amant and all this the very Accidence doth cry shame on Finally as the Hebrew Greek and Latine Testaments as well as all other writings in those several Languages do so clearly witness it besides what evidence comes into this matter from other Tongues viz Italian Dutch Spanish c that as we may safely summon all men to shew us so much as one instance where any of the words of the Plurall number are ever used to a verbe of the second person singular or us'd to express one single individuall person so as to say in Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abavia Attem or in Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or in Latine vos amas which are all being Englished Thou Levest so excepting the writings of modern men only or their modern Translations of other Ancient Humane writings which all makes nothing against us in this case so rightly properly and truly both have and still daily do our very Adversaries fall in with us and favour us whether they will or no in this point in the Translation of all our English Bible which for shame they will not say but they have Translated into the most proper and not improper English that we can challenge all English men in the world to shew us any one Translation or any place in any one Translation of the Bible out of Hebrew Greek or Latine into the English Tongue wherein the word You which is now so used in their Common discourses one to another but especially when proud personages are bespoken or any other terme then that of Thou or Thee is used to speak to a single person by as well when God himself or the greatest King or proudest Prince as when the poorest Peasant or simplest Servant is spoken to and we will yeeld further to them that stomack it to be Thee'd and Thou'd by us then yet we can or if they will help themselves by such a helpless shift as to say the Bibles are not Translated so properly and truly as they should be as to those words of Thou or Thee let such as snuff at Thou and Thee from us put out the words Thou and Thee and instead thereof put in the words you or yee when God and great men are spoken to so as where it s said to God Thou O Lord madest the Heavens and they are the work of Thine Hands all Thy workes praise Thee and Thy Saints bless Thee to read thus viz You O God made the Heavens they are the works of Your Hands all Your works praise You and Your Saints bless You c and in that place where Paul saith to Agrippa dost Thou beleive O King Agrippa yea I know Thou beleivest to Read dost Ye beleive O King Agrippa yea I know You beleivest and they will see what a palpable piece of nonsence it would amount to like to which yet they utter and sound forth in their ordinary locution but feel it not
men but if they were asleep as they say they were is the Testimony of those men fit to be entertaind for Truth or of force among any but such infatuated fancies as every ignis fatuus befooles into a following of it self wheresoever it goes before them that stand up to beare witness of what was done while they were asleep yet how strongly and strangely did this filly shift work upon the misbeleiving faculty of that foolish Nation to the finall falsifying of their Faith in so high an Article of it insomuch that as that Saying is commonly Reported so that Article of Christs Resurrection is thereupon not beleived to this day said the Evangelists 16 hundred years ago and say I who have been an Eare Witness of the same to this very day wherein we live The like effectual operation upon the prejudicate opinions and Imaginations of such people to whom there is deceptio visus and in whose visible faculty there 's a deep defect through their living in the Night and not loving the Light hath T. D's mis-reports and mis-representations of the Qua. going to Rome which as little or no truth as they are of yet if less then none can be are of less consequence to prove that he intends by them to be Truth sith of force to prove the very contrary S. F. Quoth he hath no visible Estate hath Bills of Exchange to take up 400 l. if he will had to and from Constantinople to Rome Bills of Exchange to take up money there Therefore 't is probably as true that he there receiv'd a Pension from the Pope His Tripartite Antecedent is as false as the Popes Tripple Crown is foolish but suppose it were all as True as 't is false I know no hurt in it if it were for such as Travail whether to Rome or elsewhere to have Bills to take up money if they need it and what I had or where or from whence or from whom let him that lyes go look yet â—ile tell the truth to him so farr at least as will tell his Tale to be a Lye I had none to Constantinople nor from thence to Rome neither Received I any money by any Bill at Rome much less any Pension from the Pope which is that he makes the consequent of the other so that T. D.'s Consequence is utterly inconsequent and a most non-sensicall non sequitur Some wise man that had been willing to know the Truth would have argued thus ad Contrarium viz. He went with coals from New-Castle to London therefore 't is very probable he went not to London to fetch or to get any there He carried great Bills with him to Rome to take up mony there therefore 't is utterly unlikely that he had any Pension of his own to Receive there from the Pope for then he might have sav'd his labour in the other For verily it had been as silly and superfluous for me to have Merchants Bills to take up mony by at Rome had I had a Pension to Receive there from the Pope as 't is as the Proverb is to carry coals to New-Castle which what fool doth may carry them home again when he hath done So then this Text of T. D's Triviall Talk as threefold a Cord as it may seem to him that is not quickly broken is indeed though strong enough to conclude the clean contrary way yet as to his purpose but a threefold thread of Toe so ill spun that it fails like flax when it feels the fire Nevertheless Note one Point of Doctrine more before I quit it that arises from it more against then for T. D. and his fellow forgers and foul falsifiers of the truth i.e. that whereas the National Ministry dare trust to the benevolence of their own people for outward means and maintenance no further then they have the Magistrates Mittimusses to take it from their people and raise it for them for we may have little enough and do full ill cry they if we stand to the good will and affections of our Parishes being it seems for all the shallow shews and Love-tokens and fair words that pass between them which buy no lands as little affected by their people as their people are trusted by them for each of them love money much more then they love each other yet such love credit and confidence in each others faithfulness there is among the Ministers of Truth and the children of it that they that for the Gospels sake chuse to have little of their own in their Ministry to it need not lack but serving it for its own sake and not for hire nor by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind may not by force of Arms but freely not by the greedy distraint of Tythe-mongers and Bumbayliffs but willingly have what is needed which is not so many 100's by the year as the Priests that stirring not far from their own fires need it not are ever needing in the service of the truth and rather then it shall want promoting for lack of so much no less then 400 li at once if they please T. D. Another of T. D's Antick Autecedents from whence he endeavours as by the rest he doth tooth and nail to evidence me to be of the Popish faction is that I affirmed my self to be above Ordinances saying there 's no more use of them in this life to some then of a Candle when the Sun shines instancing in Baptism and the Lords Supper Rep. In which Antecedent this is utterly false at least though affirmed by T. D. and his Sides-men viz. that I said of my self that I am above Ordinances I use not to bear Testimony to my self but to the Truth unless where the Truth is so much concern'd as it is in my clearing of my self from the clouds that not only I but that also comes under through your Lyes that are told and attend me in the service of it in the case in hand neither in the point of perfection which if I be but moved to speak the Truth in presently cry the blind leaders and the blind whom they lead he faith he is perfect did I ever say of my self that I am perfect but of myself and almeâ— that so we should be even in this life and may be too if we be not wanting to our selves and must be also or else shall never be as our heavenly Father is perfect and as for my self by the grace of God I am what I am and what ere I am where I am you are not though what and where you are both as to this woâ—ld and that to come I have been now long ago Neither as to Ordinances did I ever say I was above them I should not a little bely my self in so â—aying and that I have little need at all to do being belyâ—d moâ—e then enough already both by your selves and others for to meet and wait with his Saints on the Lord to stand in his
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
from the sight of how 't is at home he might see us perfectly clear and himself onely deeply guilty in part yea wholly of the self same Errour for verily we say of all Our own good works done by us out of him and not by him in us which onely are usually by God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also properly Term'd Our own they are as man himself in the fall who does them is altogether become unprofitable either to iustifie sanctifie save entitle to or fit us for Gods Kingdom yea what God himself doth Isa. 57. we do and will declare of Our own Righteousness that it cannot profit us of our Companies we are gone to and Congregatings with them c. in our own wills and thoughts these cannot deliver us the wind will take all these away and as it hath done some already so will all those that truth therein we say as Eph. 2. by Grace we are saved justified not in as you look to be but from our sins in which we were once dead together with you in which we sometime walked with you who cannot believe that ye can he perfectly purged from them while you live but that ye must live in some and some in you till you die after the course of this world the Prince of the air the spirit that still lives in you children of disobedience and in the rich mercy and great love of God wherewith he hath loved us made accepted in his beloved quicknâ—d raised up and made to sit together not in fleshly lusts and eartly Pallaces with painted Professors of him but in Heavenly places in Christ Iesus and all this through Faith not of our selves for its the gift of God nor yet of self works so as that any of us can boast for we are not our own but his workmanship in all this created in Christ Iesus whose new Creatures we are unto the good works we now do in the Light and Movings of his Spirit in a cross to the will of our flesh till it and the lust thereof be wholly crucified and we to the woâ—ld and the world to us which God hath of old ordained in order to the Eternal Life he hath that way ordained us to that we should walk in them yea Tit. 3. we were formerly for all our forms of Religion which yet were to the full as powerful as the best of your or the most Reformed Formalists empty Profession without the Possession of that Godliness ye prate of foolâ—sh disobedient serving diverse lusts and pleasures as ye still do and yet vainly hope to do well enough living in every malice hateful and hating But since the Goodness and Love of God our Saviour to mankind in Christ the Light appeared to us we are from these sins justified and loved for which judgment without mercy wrath without remedy will come on you that judge your selves justified in them yet not by any works in the Righteousnes that we have wrought but according to his own mercy he haâ—h saved us which saves to the uttermost and not by the halves as ye dream he does who Reckon without your Host who will Reckon otherwise with you when he comes nigh to you to Judgement and ye come to Account by the Light that all the sins past and to come of you Elect and peculiarly priviledged unsanctified Saints are Remitted while they are as hourly they are yea and long too before they are committed and that you while as unjust and guilty as David in his very acts of Adultery and Murder are yet acquitted accounted just and held guiltless by him who is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity and not abhor it and call that good that does evil and who will by no means clear the guilty in his guilt nor accept the filthy in his filth I say according to his mercy he hath saved us by the washing Mark of Regeneration and the Renewing of the Holy Spirit which he hath shed on us abundantly by Iesus Christ our Saviour to this end Mark that we being justified by his Grace viz. shed on us freely by Christ not inhaerent in him onely as the Subject might be made Heirs according to the Hope of Eternal Life This and not thine T.D. is the faithful Word and these are the Truths about our Iustification or Salvation that they of old were enjoined stedfastly to Teach that those that believed in God might be careful to maintain good works of this sort as useful good and profitable unto men counting all their own which yet T.D. sayes are necessary to sanctifie and make meet as dung loss imperfect impertinent unprofitable and useless as filthy Rags Yea Finally as Paul said of his own Worships Works Righteousness and Services while he was a proud puft up Pharisee as most of our Formal Scribes and Modern Ministers are for he calls not that his own as T.D. does but Christs which he was after clothed in and by Faith had received from him and by him was enabled to perform and abound in so say the Qua. of theirs and I of mine If any man think he hath whereof to glory in the flâ—sh of flâ—shâ—y wisdom self-righteousness outward performances Well-worships inward workings of the mind in earnest Imaginations and of mans will in zealous hastings willings runnings strivings after God and Righteousness and Good in which yet the Kingdom comes not nor the Righteousness of it I could say more then I am here minded to do but since I came in the Light to feel the Circumcision of the heart to the Lord by himself not made by the hands of man and to witness the worth of the true Worship of God in Spirit and Truth in the inner part which his own witness within onely leads to what good works of mine I once counted gain I am now made by Christ to count loss for those of Christ yea for the excellency of the true knowledge of Christ to be my Lord whom I once so called but did not all that he said for whom I have lost all that and what more he hath yet called me to suffer the loss of and do esteem all but as dung that I may win hâ—m and be found in him not clothed with the old Righteousness of my own which was once Pauls and called by me and T.D. both but as filthy Rags so I know no Righteousness of Christ is called by any besides T.D. but with that Righteousness which is by Faith in his Light in which onely he is known Revealed and Received from him and in the way of that Faith by which God purifies the heart which overcomes the world in it and works by that Love that fulfils the Law in working no ill to the Neighbour wrought in me by him even that Righteousness which through Faith in the Light is of God not as our devising Diviners both Devise and Divine to the making of the wicked ones seem just and good before God when they are nothing
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
the remaining of so many Relikes of the Romish Whoâ—e among our English Clergy that they are still living in and loving the Skirts of that great Whores Scoâ—tations Indeed to say as T.D. doth of S.F. He hath been at Rome He had great Bills of Exchange from Constantinople thither He witnest against the Pope and Cardinal there yet was not medled with He saith he is above Ordinances He saith Iesuits and Friars are sounder in doctrine then those call'd the Reformed Churches He made light on 't when he was charg'd with Popery before 100ds of peâ—ple He affirm'd justification by our good works and such as doctrines are a fair inlet to the Papists Bag and Baggage therefore probably he complyes with the Pope and Cardinals hath a Pension from him and is manifestly a rank Papist These 7 or 8 piball'd Magpie premises and Humbâ—â— Bee propositions whereof some are true and some false may like so many Roaring Megs and Thundring Canons make such a hideous Rumbling noyse in a Country Church as they use to say as to frighten poor Folck out of their senses and force all Priest-bewitcht people whether they will or no into the faith of what followes at their heels as the conclusion they serve to usher in viz that S.F. is a fer-vent Factor for the Sea of Rome Neverthelesse there is no more Consequence in them though less Truth then if a man should argue thus where the Antecedent and Subsequent are both true though the one very untruly deduced from the other viz. The Wheelbarrow runs Rumble to Rumble Therefore the Clergy will never leave climbing up by lyes till down they Tumble The Second Apologetical and Expostulatory Exercitation CHAP. I. NOw I Return again to thee Iohn Owen whom excepting here and there with a word or two as occasion was I have not visited of a long time being by T. D. his interposings in this Question about Iustification which is excentrick from all the points in which thou encountrest the Quakers so totally taken off for many pages together from any steady discourse or any but meer cursory conference with thee that some men who measure others by themselves and take an account of the Quakers conjunctions with them in contending for truth by the cowardly spirits they carry in their own brests may Term it little lesse then shameful or total Tergiversation in me to tarry so long from thee and not so much as face thee all this while And now I am come to deal with thee I shall freely allow thee the advantage of the utmost assistance that T.Ds. Book against the Quakers and that of I. T. or R. B. also affords thee to help thee if need be at any dead list where thou art a stand in the Doctrines about which I have to do with thee which though some are more eminently to be canvased between us two then the rest which are but transiently toucht on by thee yet are no less then the five aforesaid viz. 1. The Letter 2. The Light 3. The Infallible Spirits present infallible guidance 4. The Universality or particularity of the grace of God to the Sons of men 5. Perfection of holinesse and cleansing from sin in this life In all which five whether in the selfe same order as they are here laid down in or no I cannot say nor is it much matter for that as I am first or last to speak on or to joyne issue in against thee So more or lesse T.D. falls in and joyns issue with thee in them against the Quakers so directly that I see not how I can meddle with one and let the other wholly alone but must unavoidably hold an entercourse briefly or largely as occasion happens either simul or successivè with you both and with I. Tombes and R. Baxt. also who whether they meddle in their last book with them all or not so as to prosecute them yet intimate themselves both in that and other of their labours to be of the same minde with you as also most of the Divines so called are throughout this Nation Now concerning these which are the grand Subjects in reference to which all that is said of any of them by either of us in our Disputation about them is but the Praedicate so contrary are we as the Case yet stands between Thy self and me to each other in our Assertions that very much if not most of that which is denominated of them respectively by either of us is as absolutely gain-said by the other So as whatsoever is as most that thou sayest at all of it is falsly Affirmed by thee of the Scripture the Subject which in a shallow sound of words thou seem'st to stand for but art seen in truth to stand against is utterly denyed by me and most of that which is most truly Asserted by me and the Quakers of the Light and all the rest of fore-named Doctrines is as positively denyed by thy self though in thy denying thereof thou dost not more evidently contradict both the Truth and us then thy silly self who art yet so sensless as not to see it What Testimony it is that we bear of the grace of God the Spirits guidance Perfection and true Light the Subjects which we plead for and thou impleadest will be seen when I come in all plainness to give it out with the good grounds thereof as at last I shall God willing howbeit not till toward the last for as much as in the last place thy false witnesse comes out against it and in the mean while betake my self to the intended Tryal of those things which are as blindly as boldly bolted out by thee about the Scriptures and to declare wherein we do and wherein we do not and also why it is where-ever we do not that we neither do nor may nor can accord at all with thee about the Scripture for not Assenting to whose meer fancies about which as infallible and undoubted Truths having hung up thy Flag of Defiance against Atheists Anti-scriptural Iewes and Papists and sought up thy foolish fight also with sundry of thy fellow Protestant Divines for not dancing after thy unharmonious Pipe nor singing to the same Truthlesse tune with thee about the Scriptures Thou beatest up the Quarters of the Quakers and unjustly Quarrelâ—st against them slandering them as fowlely as falsly in a long Latine Piece of Scholastical scrible as slanderers of the Scripture whom yet thou neither dost nor canst evince to be such unless that be to slander the Scripture to say no more of it then matter of truth Now for as much as my Businesse with I. O. principally and in part also with T.D. as to the Scriptures will lie mainly these two wayes viz. First to clear the Quakers from those clouds of ignominy wherewith they as all their fellow Clergy-men commonly do seek to cover them by their lyes of them as a people that deserve to be held accursed among
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
applicable to the very best But whether thou intend one or two only or all these Three throughout thy Book when thou contendest for the Scriptures to be now entire to a tittle as at first giving forth to be the Light Word Power of God and such like is not easie to learn If ever we hear of thee again about the Scriptures I desire thee to speak home as to these particulars and to write thy mind more fully and plainly and singly out as in all places of thy Book thou hast not done but as one that hates the Light and is not willing to come to close pinchest in thy mind and winkest and twinklest and triflest and keepest back as if thou wert afraid as no doubt thou art though he that doth truth is not Ioh. 3.20 21. to look the Light too fully in the face or Ex. 4 S. 14. Subtilius Disputare to dive too deep in thy Dispuration about the Light or as the Elephant to drink more then needs must in fair water for fear of seeing a foul face but veritas non quaerit Aâ—gulos For my part I shall deal ingnuously with thee in this There are some things thou affirmest of the Scriptures which I can grant to be true of some one of these Three viz. of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that are not true of either the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Translations And there be some things to be said truly of these two that are not true of the first and some things of the second that are not true of the first nor of the third and somewhat of the third that 's not true of either of the other But when thou scarest so high as to affirm the Scriptures as thou dost in general to be the same in every tittle syllable and iota as at first to be the Word of God the Living Word the Spiritual Light the Power of God and much more as will appear when I come to Reckâ—n up and rank the things thou Praedicatest of the Scriptures in Order in order to my Answering of them I who shall ever put a difference between the Writing of the Word and the Word it self Written of do absolutely deny all these things of all the Three sorts above mentioned and if it stand so as that thou understandest all these Three as thou dost of one of them at least and that of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Transcriptions if but of one the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or first Manuscripts being all lost and mouldred and Translations all corrupted by thy own confession when thou affirmest all these things of the Scripture then so let it stand for me till I have tryed the truth of thy Positions after which I hope all that stands not upon good ground will of it self to the ground come tumbling down And as by the Word Scripture I mean excepting where such things only are Praedicated as are peculiar only to either One or Two of them and not to all the Three no less then all these three sorts of Scripture in the main Controversie with thee so no more then these three sorts and these not one jot more not yet any farther then quâ tales 1 So far only as they are Scriptures properly truly and formally so called and considered or outward Writings Expressions or Declarations ad extra by Letters legible to our bodily eyes however extant upon what ever outward matter capable to receive their impression Tables of Stone Walls Skin Parchment Paper by the finger of God or hands of men whether Writing the issue of which is Propriissime stiled Scripture or Cutting Graving Stamping Printing in which way since that Art came up the Scriptures are now most extant the effect of which though most properly it be called Print or Scuâ—pture yet not to be too close and curious in Criticizing about Cockle-shells shall be allowed by me as to our purpose properly enough to passe under that name of Scripture I say then 't is the Letter and not the Matter the Writings and not the Subjects Things Truths Doctrins or Word written of that is the Subject to come under Consideration between us whatever those things are that are therein declared though 't is like we shall not passe them by neither without taking some useful notice of them yet that makes nothing to us in the State of our Question as it stands before us nor will all thy tumultuous hudling it over in haste hinder this nor thy shuffles about it shuffle it off it is the Declaration that thy Disputation with the Quakers is about considered as abstract from what is thereby declared for by the Scripture I intend not the Law it self written nor the Gospel nor the Light nor the Faith therein exhibited to us and held forth to be read of in the Writing for these are not the Scripture nor is the Scripture any of these but the Writing it self that holds these forth I call no other thing the Scripture then that which is truly the Scripture and that is no other thing then the Scripture it self I call the Scripture or the outward Declaration no other things and by no other Names then those it calls it self by or are truly answerable to its nature and that is no other then the Scripture a Declaration of those things that were believed and of the Word of the Faith that was preached a Letter a Writing Holy Scriptures Scriptures of Truth Books of Writing that consist Treat of and Declare in forms of plain true suitable and sound words various true things sound Doctrines by which many unsound Doctrines of Divels of false Prophets Priests Scribes and Pharisees of false Brethren ungodly Men that creep in and turn the Grace of God into lasciviousness of false Apostles that brought in Doctrines contrary to that at first delivered and served their own bellies and not Christ Taught for Doctrines Traditions of men of Iannes and Iambes that resisted the Truth of Baldam the Nicolaitans of Iezebel and Satan which are all written of and declared in the Scriptures of Truth as well as those of God Christ the Spirit the Light and Truth it self do stand not approved but reproved and condemned useful Histories of what was done and spoken in sundry times and ages past by God and Christ and the Divel himself and Men good and bad and by Balaam and his Asse also Pretious Prophesies of things viz. of good to the good of bad to the bad Comfortable Promises to the seed that is the Heir of them Terrible Threatnings to the seed of Evil doers and Woes to the Wicked Profitable Epistles to such as they were Wrote to Blessings Curses Prohibitions Commands Copies of Psalms and Songs that were sung Proverbs that were spoken Letters that were written from men to men some by good men at the motion of the Spirit of God some by Evil men out of malice against Gods Servants at the motion of the Devil Some not without
the Spirit by such as lived and walked in the Spirit and were in all they did led by the Spirit to some private Christians about some worldly Affairs as that of Paul to Philemon Some by Chief Captains to their Presidents and by Presidents to their Princes about Prisoners and Tumults and divers other sorts of passages So that as written in the Spirit the Holy Scriptures may be said to be Homogeneous Writings all of one kind but in respect of the several businesses written of therein they are at Heterogeneous I a body or bulk of as various Writings as any extant in the World-besides them Now by the Scriptures I mean these Writings that contain the matters abovesaid and many more and not the matters themselves therein contained And if thou mean by the Scriptures any other things then the Scriptures themselves as like a Reed shaken with the wind thou seemest sometimes to do and again sometimes not to do and which things the Scriptures are not or by any other things which are not the Scriptures when thou speakest of them viz. the Law Word of God the spiritual Light c. meanest the Scripture as sure enough thou dost well-nigh throughout thy confused discourses and disputations about it then thy meanings are too mean to be any otherwise at all then meanly accounted on among any that mean honestly and plainly and know the Truth as it is in Jesus By us when we talk of the Scriptures to use thy own words onely vice versa Ex. 1. Sect. 26. non sanctissima ista veritas seu materia Scripturarium sed scriptura formaliter considerata intenditur honestly and plainly we intend that onely which is so even the form of writing it self and not the matter or holy truths of the Scripture the Scripturam and not the Scriptum or at most the Litteram Scriptam not the rem scriptam not the Verbum Scriptum the Declaration and not the Doctrine declared the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the letter in the oldnesse of which thou art yet serving who knowest not the newness of the spirit the Scripture or Writings of the Prophecy and not the Prophesie of or contained in the writing nor the Prophetical VVord the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the writing for so the word is there translated truly 2 Chron. chapter 21. not the VVord Written or word of Prophesie that came to Elijah and was sent in a Writing to the King which thou falsly sayest p. 12. that Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is used for in that Text and every wise man that is truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 especially in a dispute where the Question is whether the writing of the Word of God be the Word of God Written of or no while sub judice lis est will till the thing in debate one way or other be clearly determined remember still to keep these two things as two asunder So thou dost thy self while thou art well in thy wits witness thy words above cited by myself Ex. 1. S. 28. where thou puttest a plain difference between the Scripture it self formally considered and the most Holy Truth or matter therein delivered yea when ever thou keepest in any measure of sober-mindednesse thou keep'st these two as distinct in thy discourse as the two sticks of Iudah and Ioseph Ezek. 37 19 17. that were superscribed with two several superscriptions vouchsafing to each its own proper name and not communicating the name of either unto the other but clearly dividing between them so as that any one may see thou thy self dost not believe one of them to be the other nor yet darest affirm them to be Synonymous witness p. 12 13. where thou makest them two and writest of one of them all along as in contradistinction to the other in these Terms viz. not the Doctrine in it but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it self The Providence of God no lesse concerned in the preservation of the writings then the Doctrine contained in them the Writing it self being the product of his Counsel for the preservation of his Doctrine Satan hath no lesse raged against the Book then against the Truth contained in it it was no lesse crime of old to be Traditor libri then to be Abnegator fidel which sour last Assertions of thine though they are all four false tales for Providence is not so much concerned to preserve the Writings as the Doctrine neither is the Writing so necessary for the preserving of the Doctrine that as thou there hintest it must it must needs perish if the Writings perish for it was before them and may be without them and will be after them Neither thirdly is the malice of Satan so much against the Book called the Bible as against the Doctrine of the truth for he is willing to let hypocrites alone long enough to carry gaudy Bibles under their arms so be they serve him and abide not in Christs Doctrine nor in the Truth the Scripture tells of neither 4ly is it or ever was it so great a Crime to betray the Book called the Bible as to deny the Faith and the Word of Faith therein written of for the Book is not worth a Pin as to salvation without the Faith but the Faith is sufficient thereto without the Book and was so before the Book was witnesse the Worthies from Abel to Moses whose sufficient faith is written of Heb. 11. and would be if the Pope and the Devils rage should reach so far as to burn all the Bibles in the World so here 's four utter untruths asserted together neverthelesse as they are Tru-lies yet are they true enough to serve the truth I here summon them in proof of viz. that thou thy self who countest it as bad not to be as trusty to the Bible as to the Truth that 's in it as it is to betray the Truth and deny the Faith dost deny the Book or Scripture the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Writing to be one and the same with the Faith Truth and Doctrine or the Doctrine to be the Writing or that these can truly be denominated each of other I say then that here being more sober minded as to thy discerning between the writing and the written verity though drunk enough elsewise to lay so many lyes or at least so many tales that are not true upon the top one of another in so small a space as one short Section thou art freely willing fairly to distinguish them into two Yea further yet that thou dost not judge these two to be one it may appear plainly to thy self or any that are free to peruse the places in the 16. and 17. Sections of the same first Chapter for if thou didst then in the enjoyment of the one thou wouldest be satisfied as
judging thy self consequently enjoying the other but that thou art not in any wise for howbeit by thy own confession there Sect. 16. Capellus grants thee that the full enjoyment of the saving Doctrine of the Scripture is yet to be had or obtained by such as look chiefly after that let the Letter be never so corrupted yet thou art at no hand content with this but piteously pinest after something else which is not this saving Doctrine of the Scripture nor the Doctrine in it but another thing from which this contained Doctrine is distinguished and that is the Scripture it self which thou judged thou hast not notwithstanding thou hast its Doctrine unless thou have the Letter or Writing also and that so exactly and entire without alteration and ablation that not a tittle of it nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be found lacking these are thy words Sect. 17. Nor is it enough to satisfie us that the Doctrines mentioned are preserved entire every tittle and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scripture in that Writing see Sect. 13 in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we have must come under our care and consideration and to say the truth as thou putest a difference between the Scriptures of Truth and the Truth written of in the Scriptures sometimes as I ever do so it is the Scriptures of the Truth more then the Truth it self of which they are the Scriptures that thou mostly scrawlest for in those thy Scriptures for them which yet as is said above are not more for in shews and words then in deed and in truth they are against them nor is it the most substantial parts of that bare Letter that thou wranglest for so much as for the more accidental parts thereof viz. the points trivial tittles and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So then it is concluded hitherto on both hands First by thy self as well as â—ly by me that the Scripture and its Doctrine are not one but two several businesses whereof the First viz. the Scriptures are the subject matter so contended about between thee and the Quakers As for T.D. he draws his neck out of the Coller here and after he had engaged me to discourse it publickly with him whether the Scripture were the Word of God or not and at the dispute desiring to know what I held about it when he heard how I on the Quakers behalf declared what we meant by the Scriptures viz. the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Writing the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viz. the Letter and that we onely deny that Denomination of the Word of God to that not to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Word or Doctrine or Truth of God written therein he gave us the Question without more ado saying thus You cannot believe us to be so simple surely as to affirm the Scriptures in that sense the Word of God but we mean the matter contained in the writing whether that be our Rule of Faith and Life P. 26. of his first Pamp. which subject matter or Doctrine and Truth contained in the Writing and testified to in it which was before ever the Writing was and is as to the substance of it eternally and unchangeably the same Christ the Word the Wisdom Righteousnesse of God the War Truth Life both yeaster-day to day and for ever we never denyed to be the Word and Rule and Foundation and what ever else I.O. and the whole School of our English Scribes do ignorantly and falsly say the Scripture is though we are mistaken by most as denying the holy Matter it Treats of so to be but the matter is not the Writing or the Scripture but that which is onely written oâ— in it but the outward written Letter or Scripture much more the Book in which the writing is which I.O. is so busy for and for every point written title and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this not onely we deny to be the Word of God but all our rash reproachers of us as denying the Scripture to be the Word when we come to their faces are fain to fall in and deny the same with us also so Christopher Fowler after a long hot Publick Dispute at Reading with E.B. and my self upon this question Whether the Scripture be the Word of God or no in which he contended a great while together it was at last confessed openly and plainly before all the People and Magistrates there present that the Scripture or Writing and I know not what else is properly and truly the Scripture but the Writing is not the Word of God after which concession of C.F. they would hear no longer dispute but the Quakers were driven out of doors But I.O. standeth stifly to it that the Word of God is the Proper Name of the Scripture and even of every tittle and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it against the Quakers for that the Truth and Doctrine of it or of Christ declared in it is Spiritual Powerful saving Perfect so that Cursed will he be that adds to or detracts from it no Quaker will deny and to fight for the perfection and integrity of that with them is but to fight without an Adversary Howbeit I.O. when thy Brains as it were begin to crow as they often do like a man in a maze thou fetchest another turn back again upon the wheel and as inconsiderately as contradictorily to thy self thou blendest and confoundest these two sundry things that were before so severed by thy very self into one again so that as the two sticks aforesaid became one in the Prophets hands so these two that were sometime put asunder and with thy own hand inscribed with different Titles are joyned Indentically Intituled denominated each of other as Synonymous of two that stood divided made one individual of two sticks become one under thy own hand which writes of the writing and the thing written as of one and in its handling of them handles and feels no such matter of distinction between the Scripturam and the Scriptum the Literam Scriptam and the rem or Doctrinam or veritatem Scriptam the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Scriptiunculam Verbi de Verbo and the Verbum Scriptum the Letter or VVriting and the Doctrine or Truth written the Scripture of or concerning the Law Light Gospel and VVord of God and the Law Light Gospel and VVord of God it self of which the Scripture is but a true writing or Declration Yea whereas in that one single Section lastly cited Tr. 1. ch 1. S. 13. thou makes distinction in thy sound no lesse then four times between them first the VVritings and the Doctrine secondly the Writing and the Doctrine thirdly the Book and the Truth fourthly the Book and the Faith in the very Section immediately foregoing viz Sect. 12. which is as small as this thou all things well considered as they stand therein almost if not altogether as frequently dost confound them
had been left not onely uncapable to do ought in their own defence in the mid'st of thy many mischievous accusations but also insensible of any hurâ— at all or of who it was that hurt them with the sharp Aâ—rows which our of the same Devils Bow with T.D. in his thou shootest at Randome at them in that thy Divine piece of lying Divination Art thou not in this one of those to whom the Wo is Isa. 29.1516 That seek deep to hide their Counsel from the Lord whose works are in the dark and they say who seeth us and who knoweth us whose turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the Potters clay Art thou not herein as like one of the old Bastardly Broods viz. the Ammâ—nites and Ashdodites Zach. 9.6 that were adversaries to the True Israel of God yea as like Samballat and Tobia as ever thou canst look who with the rest of their Co-conspiratours against the Lords work that of the builders of Ierusalem that removed the Babylonish Rubbish in order to the Repairing of Breaches the Restoring the Pure Primitive Truth the building of the Old Wastes out of the Ruines and dejoâ—ations and the laying the foundations of many Generations Isa. 58 said much what to the same tune as thou dost of the Quaâ—ers Neh 3. II. They shall not know neither see till we come in the midst among them and slay them and cause the work to cease sure thou wast doubtful of being cal'd to accâ—unt by the Quakers and conscious to thy self of thy own uncapablenesse to clear thy self in thy false accusations of them as denyers despisers sleighters of Gods Word and the Scriptures c. hadst thou floured them so sowlly and charged them so falsly in English as thou dost in Latine and therefore as the Laws made for English people to be Ordered judged and Tryed by that the Lawers may prey the more perfectly upon their purses are laid up out of poor peoples sight in obscure terms long Scroles and Latine screel scrawls so thou chosest to be a Barbarian to the Quakers as they seem to be to thy self who art lost so far in Hebrew Greek and Latin as not to know plain English and to talk to thy Barbarous Brotherhood against them in a Language they as thou thoughest understand not rather then to talk to them in a known tongue about that enmity to the Word of God and the Scripture which thou inditest them at your High Commission as guilty of But very unjustly for As blindly as thou Judgest we deny and carelesly forget the Scriptures because we like Sheep are silent in the light and not whining for it among the Swine that seed no higher then on the empty husk yet we have not so foregone it but that according to Christs promise to such as are in the Spirit Iohn 14. upon new occasion what ever we have read in it of the mind of Christ of old is by that Spirit brought a new to our remembrance and we know so much by it that even it now the word it speaks of is put into their mouths as their chiefest strength shall be excellently useful and used by both the Tongues and Pens of very Babes and Sucklings to still and stop the mouths of such Adversaries to the Truth and the Light and the Letter also as thou yet art who talkest utterly against the Scripture in thy talking for it and pluckest it down while thou Placest it above the Light and by all thy Proof less provings of the Letter to be as the light it pleads for and thou against onely is a self evidencing Light and Power hast in Truth proved thy own undertakings in that behalf to be a piteous plain self evidencing piece of great weaknesse and greater darknesse and many more uses are to be made of the Letter yet as well as to beat the abusers of the Scripture and the livers besides it with their own Weapon of which more anon in its place and if we knew it not in the Light as we do yet from the very Letter we are well aware that the burthen of base born Moab is near to come upon him and the Night wherein Aâ— of Moab must be cut off and brought to silence and the Night wherein Kiâ— of Moab is to be cut off and brought to silence and that the time is near to come wherein as the Saints are now silent in Light before him who keepeth their feet that they do not slide so the wicked whose way is a slipery places in the dark will be driven on till they fall therein and shall at last be silent in darknesse for ever and bowl within themselves but no more so loudly against the Light for by strength shall no man Prevail Isa. 51.1 I Sam. 2. 21. Nevertheless we must give you loosers leave to talk up your talk for whether we will or no talk ye will yet a while so long as your tongues are your own untamed and without the bridle which while they are though ye seem to be Religious as thou I.O. dost yet all your Religion is but vain and though in the Light we know what we know yet from the Letter ye will be thinking your think and thrusting out your idle thoughts too till your hands be tied against the true Light and its Friends of which ye make a mear mocking stock among your selves and must mightily then when ye are got as ye suppose out of sight divining Lyes together in your Lattine Divinity Disputations and out of the Cup of your own Imaginations sit tipling to each other in the dark when ye are drunken as drunâ—erds with your own wisdom as with sweet wine and folden together as thorns thinking no hands can touch or take you to thrust you away then ye lye in Lattin together at ease as in a Bed wherein ye take your fill of Lies which ye love till ye be utterly burnt with fire in your place and be devoured as stubble fully drie 2 Sam 23.6 7. Nah. 1.9.10 Nor worse nor better then thus is the Case with thee I.O. and those Sons of Belial that wonder after thee nor is it any otherwise with thee and thy wondrous Work which thy own heart head and hands have not only wrought and wrote but brought forth also into the world against the Quakers wherein but especially in that last Fourfold Latine Fardel which thy Two former Flim-flams falling into one with it flows with them in one floud of folly and falshood wherein hoping having lap 't thy self close up in the Fig leaves of that little learning and Logick that is used therein thou liest hid out of the sight of the Quakers whose light thou deemest not large enough to lay hold on thee in that Syllogistical Siege thou there layest and those Logical lurking holes in which thou lyest in a learned Leagure against them thou adventurest more securely then thou durst well do in thy smooth English Sermons to ease thy self of thy
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
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
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
accompanied with strange Devils is Dedicated so Ex. 3. S. 2.4 Fanatical Enthusiasts for their Enthusiams so Ex. 3. S. 19. Locustas hasce cum primum ex sumo purei prodierint these Locusts the Quakers when they came first out of the smoak of the Pit so Ex. 3. S. 17. Errones Vagrant Rogues or Vagabonds Reply 1. Thy Iudgement of us in general which is mearly that of mans-Day which is the night and a very small matter to us will prove a matter of moment that will fall heavy on thy self at last when the Judgement of God which we know is according to Truth and is against thee comes upon thee and all thy Iudgement before thy time and evil speakings of whom and what thou utterly know'st not And as for us if we judge thee again for many of the same things of which we are judged by thee yet our judgement is just and true and not our of its due time and place and will stand ore thy head for ever being passed in the light and day and Spirit of God in which the Saints are to Judge the World and the spiritual man discerns the Animal man and his matters but is not discerned by him But as to this of Knave it savouring much of that Billingsgate Rhetorick which T.D. hath so much of who called L.H. at his own door in Douer he knows what and ye sayes he is not able to match G.W. at it to render Reviling for Reviling Terms I shall forbear and be silent here giving I O. my Goliah-like 〈◊〉 who conflatis naribus inflans sets the Saints so much at his heels and to use his own words Gigantaeo quodam fastu E'atus like some Son of Anak looks on them as Grashoppers disgracing and disdaining the whole kind or Species of the Quakers what he is able sometimes as poor deluded foolish and yet sometimes again as more Knave then Fool leave to overcome me herein for though I can truly say having been at the Popes Palace which stands in Monte Caballino that fonte labra Prolui Caballino yet haud unquam me Prophetam somniasse tam altum memini ut Repentè sic Rabula prodirem Reply 2. Thou talkest much here and at the front and sag-end also of thy English Epistle in Commendation of thy Iunior Students valuing and studying the Holy Scriptures more then any thou knowest and of their bending the best of their wits that way how ye value the Scriptures wee 'l see by and by but till ye study the light and spirit more then ye do which the letter came from as ye are yet at best so at best ye will become but obtusè acuti homunciones sharp-witted men after your own blunt fashion who in truth are as sharp-sighted in the Mystery of the Holy Scriptures as a very Mole is into a Milstone Behold O thou Academical Student in Divinity who callest the Quakers Anti-scripturists thou art call'd the Scripturist the Text-man the Opener-of that Book called the Bible which is a Book as much sealed to thy supposed learned self as to the unlearnedst sort of men in the World that can but barely read it and thou art restlesse in wrestling against the Light and restest in the dead Letter of that Law which is Light and Life and makest thy boast of God as the man that knowest his will and tryest out the things that are most excellent being instructed no higher then so thy self and taking on thee to instruct all out of that life-less Letter which is all thy Law and yet much more then thou livest by and art confident that thou thy self art a guide of the blind a light of them which are in darknesse an instructer of the foolish poor deluded Quakers a Teacher of Babes which hast a form of formal Knowledge and of external Truth as it is in that meer Letter of the Law but thou being enmity to the light the Quakers live in art rather a rash Reprover of the things that are most excellent a blind Guide a dark Lanthorne an ignis fatuus a fleshly foolish Instructer an untaught Teacher that must yet come to be taught out of the mouths of Babes and Sucklings out of which the Lord is now ordaining strength that shall stop the Lyars mouth and still the stout Enemy and Avenger and from the stammering lips that thou standest amazed and astonished at as uttering non-sence in thy non-sensical Nodel shalt thou stoop to learn the Soul-saving Truth or else be left to perish in thy envious enmity against it in thy damnable darknesse in thy wilful blindnesse obstinate unbelief and unparallel'd ignorance of it for ever as the Pharisaical Iew was whose case this was before thee Rom. 2.17 to the end And though thou teachest others yet till thou teach thy self alias learn at thy own measure of Christs Light that teaches thee in thy own Conscience to know thy self more and live more like Christ's Teachers then thou dost thou shalt bring as few to God as thou hast done who hast left all that have learnt of thee yet where thou thy self yet art viz. in sin and not believing thou canst ever be out on 't as they and we tell thee truly thou mayst while thou livest or till the World to come where the Popes purgatory is which as truly thy self deniest and shalt bring men as near to God who is Light as those who are left out of his Kingdom which is Light in the Darknesse which is the Devils kingdom Thou teachest other 's should not commit Adultery but thou art the Adulteresse and Imperious Whorish Woman with whom all the Kings and People in the Anti-Christian World have committed Folly and Fornication and bewitched with thy Sorceries have run a Whoring after from the Lord. Thou teachest another should not Steal and professest to abhorre Idols but thou art that Sacred Thief that committest that sacrum furtum that fine sort of Sacriledge and stealest the words which thou sellest for Money when thou hast done after 10 20 30 or 40 shillings a Sermon out of the true Prophets Writings and Fathers and old Authors and so what thou learnedst in thy Accidence when a School-Boy in the Countrey thou makest use and witnessest the Truth of now thou art become of an University Scholler a Clerical Country-man again viz. in legendis veteribus Authoribus proficies in Reading of old Authors for so many Doctors do out of their Notes in the Pulpit thou shalt Profit for profit thou dost thy self in outward Goods but not the People in inward Goodnesse who are generally in all Parishes left as ignorant and prophane as the Priest finds them when he is called from them either by death or some Deanery or higher Divine degree of spiritual dignity Thou makest thy boast of the Letter but throw breaking the Letter thou dishonourest God and his Ministry while thou dost more docere facienda then facere docenda and as Accute and Accurate a Curate as thou art of Souls
men as the others was before them both yea as thou savest of thy so called poor deluded fanatical Quakers Fanatici 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. So say I of these poor deluding Fantastical Anti-quakers Fanatici 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sunt erroribus stultitia bisce diebus notissimi quos hic inprimis aggredimur These Fantastical self-conceited Seers whom I here primarily Plead against are in these dayes most notoriously known by their errours and foolishnesse already not to a few of their own former followers and will be to ten times as many more in the dayes that are immediately hereafter following Thy many Taunting Terms wherein thou both belyest flingest and quippest at the Quakers being thus not in the same Taunting or Twitting way but in a way of true judgement turned upon thy self and thy own fellow-flouters at them I shall more closely examine what thou falsely accusest us of more particularly as concerning our deportment toward the Scriptures whom thou falsely declarest to be so grossely opposite thereunto as duely and deservedly to be denominated by those Terms by which thou also miscallest us of Fanatical Anti-scripturists p. 147. Ep. p. 28.30 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ex. 3. S. 26. i.e. Haters of the Scripture and to be rankt among the rudest Reproachers of them in such words of thine as are hereunder Repeated and Replied to I.O. Thou sayest Satan in these dayes assaults the Sacred Truth of the Word of God in its Authority Purity Integrity or Perfection especially in the poor deluded Fanatical Souls commonly called Quakers c. Ep. p. 28.30 That to this sort of men the Quakers it was not enough to joyn in with those in Ages past who cast Reproaches on the Scriptures and approve of all the opprobrious speeches that have been cast out against them but they also rejoyce that the care of this matter viz. of spoiling the holy Scriptures of its proper name that glorious Title of the Word of God is by Satan confer'd upon them That they the Quakers who would seem to bear away the Bell from all as to the stout opposing of the perfection of the Scriptures Thou principally encounterest and as 't is an honour to thee that God hath pleased to confer on thy unworthy self this Task of fighting against those enemies of his Word the Quakers so what thou shalt perform in prosecution of this function thou oughtest to ascribe to his grace c Reply Herein thou not onely shewest thy sâ—l to be of that sort of men to whom it is not enough to joyn with those in Ages past who cast Reproaches on the hearers of the Word of God and Tremblers at his Word Isa. 66. 5. now in scorn called Quakers and cast out by their Brethren for his Name sake as then they were and to be an Approver of all the opprobrious speeches that are cast out against them by this adulterous and sinful generation who bend their Tongues like bowes for lyes against the Truth which lyes thou shouldest be a valiant Reprover of but also to rejoyce that the care of this matter of fighting against the truest friends in the World to God and his Word the Quakers and of Raising such Reproaches false Reports scandals and opprobrious speeches as the Rabble of Junior Rabbies Reproach them with is confer'd upon thee by the Devil for thou egregiously belyest the Quakers in this particular who deny not but Purely and Perfectly own all that Authority Purity Integrity and Perfection of the Scriptures which the Scriptures Ascribe unto themselves and rob it not of any proper name or any Title at all which by it self is either Attributed or appropriated to it self as that of the Word of God is not as is seen hereafter much lesse are they such enemies to the Word of God or that Sacred Truth written of in the Scriptures as thou most abusively and blasphemously belyest them to be that thou needest to stand up as thou dost in thy meer demi-â—â—â—gested demications against them for the Scriptures and the Word of Truth between which and the Scriptures in which it is declared they divide aright so as to give its own proper name to each of these whilst ye Divinity Doctors in your deep dotage making no due distinction betwixt them for all your pretended friendship thereunto are found very enemies to them both So that whereas thou who in other matters then this gloriest in thy own shame seem'st to glory in this function of fighting against the Quakers as in some great grace peculiarly given of God to thy unworthy self more then any as if Praemium strenuae contra Trepidantium Perfectionem ac â—anocentiam oppositioni debitum nemini mortalium tibi Praereptum velles thou seemest to thy self to bear the Bell before all others in thy stout opposing of that Innocent Seed of God to which grace of his thou Ascribest what ever Relying on his help and assistance thou performest in thy function aforesaid I conclude against thee to the contrary thus in short that 't is Satan himself who set thee at work against the Quakers and helpt thee as well as he could and furnisht thee with many a lye both against the Quakers and the Truth and led thee in a meer fools Paradise to prate with malicious words and speak evil of thou knowest not whom nor what and left thee to bewray such weaknesse folly and false hood as falls not at all from such as have help and assistance from God but ever flows from the father of lyes and his children with whom thou wilt have thy reward J.O. Whatsoever the Jewes whatsoever the Papists have been bold at any time to utter in disgrace of the Scriptures every whit of that these impure men the Quakers stricken as 't were with some direful inordinate motion or rapture both say and assert so that its a shame to relate the horrid and most foolish Titles of Books the chief Vagrants and Ringleaders of this Flock being urged having spoken wickedly and blasphemously against the Scriptures What their Common Opiniin I have thought good to set down as taken and Collected from their own Books and set Conferrences held with them c. Reply 1 Here 's a most palpable Lye related of the Quakers on whose behalf I here openly professe against thee before the World that we own all those Writings not only of Moses and the Prophets of the Old but those of the Apostles and Evangelists also which are commonly called the Scriptures of the New Testament to be Scriptures of Truth written by holy men of God as those of the Old also were as they were moved by the Holy Spirit whereas the Iewes who own value study and stand for those of the Old to this day as zealously as your selves in words do for both do malitiously and lyingly affirm them to be false fictitious and full of lyes Reply 2. Whereas we say no such thing nay nothing at all in any disgraceful way
of the Scriptures but say only in words of truth and sobernesse that they are not to be so exceedingly Adored and Idolized by men as theyâ—â—re by you who make them little lesse then All in all things to the Church the Papists speak much in disparagement of the Scriptures in which we say they do but blasphemously babble against them viz. That they are inferrior to the Humane Traditions of their Church or at least to the unerring breast of their Ghostly holy Father without whom opening and authorizing them they are of no more use nor authority then Aesops Fables and such like Reply 3. Whereas thou art ashamed to Relate the horrid foolish Titles of the Quakers Books in proof of their blasphemies against the Scriptures I believe that 's true indeed though all the rest are palpable Lyes for if thou shouldest Relate the Titles of the Quakers Books in proof of the Truth of this thy Charge of them which is utterly false then thy Lye which is plain enough already would be seen more plainly then it is for in all the Titles of the Quakers Books that ever I read who have read Ten times more of them I believe then thou hast done as I have seen Christ only exalted on the Throne and the Scripture owned in its place so I never saw and am perswaded also thou never hast seen any thing Written by the Quakers that borders on the foresaid Iewes and Papists blasphemings of the Holy Scriptures and therefore as I cannot much marvel at it that thou art ashamed to do it so I do not much blame thee that it doth so much shame thee as thou sayest to Relate the most foolish of them If it were true there was malice enough in thee I.O. to provoke thee to have instanced some Particulars in proof of this parcel of Scandal to the fuller shame of the Quakers whom to scandalize what thou canst is thy chief design and to have named those blasphemers and their Books but pudet referre sayest thou I am ashamed to Relate c. Thou art loath to be too punctual in thy Proof lest it proving too short of thy Charge the stain thou wouldest have stuck upon the Truths Friends should be stricken back upon thy self and the Lye come to lye at thy own door for if sounded out too loudly and distinctly it might Eccho and rebound home again to thee the Author and so redound to thy dishonour so thou fold'st thy self like the Serpent whose seed thou art in indefinite complexes or at least lapest thy self up in Universals and darest not lay thy self out at length nor grow too far into Particulars for dolus later in universalibus quae nunquam bene sentiuntur nisi ex particularibus suis as Deceit lyes most securely and keeps best hid in Universals which are not clearly perceived but by the Particulars in which they exist so by being beheld in the said Particulars both they and the Lyes that lye often in them undiscerned come more unavoidably to be discryed Reply 4. Whereas thou saiest thou thinkest meet to set down our Opinion as Collected out of our own Books and Speeches and accordingly dost declare what we hold as concerning the Scriptures thou most plainly Confutest thy self as to the Lyes thou tellest of us for thy self acknowledgest of us that we own that the Scriptures do contain a true Declaration of the Will and Mind of God proceeding from the spirit of Christ inspiring the Writers that thus far we are right and that we stand to this Confession without any renouncing it only that we would have wholly rejected the Scriptures without doubt but that things have not fell out according as we could wish do deny them to be the ordinary inalterable perfect and standing Rule of Gods Worship and our Obedience without the Revelations of the spirit and such like And this sayest thou is the summe of these mens Iudgements c. Which if it be where 's the wicked Blasphemy all this while wherewith thou Chargest us For there 's none as shall appear in the worst of this which yet thou settest down as gathered out of the Quakers Books and Speeches which thou sayest bear blasphemous Titles against the Scriptures but pudet referre I blush to set them down must answer all These things I O. do convict thee of telling many notorious Lyes against the Quakers even too many for a man to tell that calls himself a Minister of Christ and D. D. though not all by very many which thou tellest in thy Book some of which lyes yet left they should not be loud enough ' to come under every ordinary Readers Observation if told but once are either expresly or implicitly two or three times over related J. O. The Jewes Papists and Quakers differ among themselves it so falls out that they who in all other matters are most different in Opinion conspire altogether in this blasphemy viz. against the Scriptures The Papists and Enthusiastical Fanaticks do perpetually War against each other they mutually devote each other to destruction They are not acted by the same Reasons but those for their Traditions these for their Enthusiasms and Revelations Contending tooth and nail and so like Sampsons Foxes with their Tayles turned to each other bringing fire-brands on the Churches Bread-Corn they all attempt together very friendly to thrust down the holy Scripture from its Place The Papists do earnestly endeavour to detrude the Scripture out of its proper Place in the Church our Fanaticks tread in the same foot-steps with them into which wickednesse those among the Papists that are called the Spiritually have led them the way And elsewhere thou Reckon'st us up among the rest as Enemies of Gods Word and haters of the Scriptures Reply 1. Howbeit I. O. thou who in thy Epistle pretendest it to be thy aim and intention in thy Discourse to discover the Reproach that is cast by many upon the Scripture to its disparagement and to vindicate it therefrom dost as in most things else wherein thou bend'st at us discharge thy Bow at a venture so as at Random to rank us as joynt Abettors with them in grosse in that one grosse and common Cause of Caluminating Vilifying Decrying Denying the Scriptures among Atheists Pagans New Testament Contemning Iewes Papists and the whole Rabble of Rude Reproachers thereof whether in Whole or Part as if we were if not the Ring leaders yet at least the Rere-ward of the Ragged-Regiment of Anti-scripturists of what ever sort yet in this thou hast most grosly abused us and thy self also by thy false Accusing and Belying of us to the world in that Particular and must most assuredly come into Condemnation in â—he Judgement for Condemning the Generation of the Just for however thou mis-reportest of us to the causing of many to mistake us yet of a truth we are no such manner of People as thou wouldest make men believe we are but such as shall manifest our selves
at all in Vindication of the Popish Clergy in any of their Devilish doings nor scornful or spiteful speakings against the Scripture but of another Interest even that of the true Clergy or Heritage of God as remote from Theirs and Thine too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am an Opposer of thee as to that same Book wherein thou so vehemently Opposest the Papists hence many may as some already do suppose I am in far firmer friendship and fellowship with that Fry of fighters against the Scripture then with thee and thy fellows who wouldest fain seem at least to fight against them for it but if any man will be ignorant of me and my honest meanings let him be ignorant for my part as I am a well-wisher to all Souls and am in friendship with all men having and holding as truly Pacem cum Personis as cum Peccatis Bellum so I am in no fellowship with that in all men whether of the Romish Religion or that which informe is more Reformed that is not in fellowship with the Scriptures for that which is not in union therewith is not in fellowship with God fighting against neither smal nor great save only against the sinful seed of the Serpent in them which from the spirits of the spiritually throughout all Christendom spawnes it self forth in spite and spiritual wickednesse against the seed of the Woman who must bruise his head at last though he obtains for a while to bruise her heel between whose seed which is one and his seed of every sort whose name is Legion for they are many the most endlesse enmity is so that though I appear against those Paper-works of thine wherein thou appearest upon the Stage in part against that Synagogue of Satan but more palpably against the Synagogue of the Saints yet this is not all to gratifie the Romanists in their scurrilities against the Scriptures more then thee and thine Abettors in your scarce Schollar-like much lesse Scripture-like scoldings for them but as occasion is Pro Scripturis for the Scriptures which notwithstanding thy empty Apologetica's for them ye and the Papists also are both utterly against I shall not spare to grate hard against you both as such who while you are scribling of the Scriptures whether Pro or Con are yet our of that precious Truth the Scripture tells of and against that living Word that eternal and internal Light it calls to which leads to that Life of God that the Scripture calls for 3. In regard that I am and shall unavoidably be found in this present Controversie with thee saying some things against thee and thy untrue Assertions for Truths sake yet with a due Respect thereunto which the very Papists say though truly enough yet too disrespectfully about the Scriptures In this respect though I would not have them so yet I believe some are and some will be if peradventure these Premises prevent it not so blind as to believe I own the Pope and his Apostolical Church because I cannot own all that as true and Apostolical which some Prime Protestants tell for Truth but rather tell the Truth with him when he tells it about the Scripture or any other thing then Errour and Lyes with those who pretendedly for the Truth and Pro Scripturis Protest against him For I must give the Devil his due so as to acknowledge his Words to be true when he speaks the Truth though to a false end rather then sooth up thee I.O. or any other men so as to say the Crow is white and that ye utter Truth when ye tell utter untruth though against the Devil himself to please either thee or them Howbeit many men in these dayes and not a few of those who are called Christs Ministers and counted well studied Schollars or at least would not be well contented to be not so accounted are yet so dim as without any more ado to deem them to be Romish Priests under Pay from the Pope who own some Truths which his Priesthood owns as if because at Rome they own Christ to be the Son of God they must needs be of that Church who deny him not so to be but more especially any Truths which by these Divine Deemers are not Deemed to be Truths and thereupon disowned by their non-discerning selves upon whose crazy Concerts and cloudy Accounts and crooked Conjectures some that do more service to the Truth against Popish Fictions in a year then themselves do in an Age are thorow their shallow surmises by their implicit Faith't People as sinisterly supposed to be Supporters of the Papal Hierarchy because themselves whose Idol the Letter is are not digested in all their Extravagant Exaltings of it though the Popes extream of Exalting his leaden Legends and Holy Chaire above it be more professedly distasted and detested Thus such as believe according to the Scripture the general Grace and Love of God in giving Christ to die for all men for as much as that also is believed at Rome seem to these senslesse ones to favour too much of Popery because the empty understandings narrow Nodels and heedlesse Head-pieces of many Protestant Parish Priests are not as yet enlarged enough to comprehend it who notwithstanding being blear-eyed at home whilest Eagle eyed abroad Nunquam vident id manticae quod in tergo est never come to see or sent that plain Popery of their Parish Posture and Parish pay by way of Tythes which the Night is now too far spent for any but Owles Bats and Night-birds not to see that its of the Pope sith though its a piece of stark rank and Popery not held without the guilt of Perjury yet as it s their own suus cuique crepitus bene olet so it s that which serves their turn better at this time then the Extirpation of it Root and Branch according to their Oathes which would savour lesse of Popery and more of pure Pietv will ever do Of this sort of Evil Surmisers is T. D. who not only as thou I. O. dost Accuses us me in particular as one big with and spitting out venome against the Scriptures for not owning those outward Writings as the only Rule of Faith and holy Life but also accounts of us as no other then broachers of Popish Doctrines and bringers in of the Popes Baggage for dissenting as in other points so from his blind Tenets about the Scriptures Yea so earnestly doth T. D. drive on his Design of Insinuating it into mens minds concerning me that I am Popishly affected that he finds occasion of Accusation against me as so as well where I more fully own the Scripture then himself does as where I may more easily seem to one that 's blind to deny it Witnesse his words Page 27. 1. Pamph where for owning the Epistle of Paul to LAODICEA which he sputns at as Spurious he flyes thus foolishly in my face T.D. We know quoth he your Brethren of the Popish Party have laid many such Brats at
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
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
everlasting to everlasting is unchangeably Authoritative over all inviolably pure every way entire and absolutely perfect as God is whose Word it is and so we assault it not in its Name nor in the Thing as thou sayest for we know and never did yet deny unlesse 't were before we knew it and while we were the same with you who yet know it not nor never heard it from his own mouth the Word of God to be the Word of God And also though thou Scandalize us so grossely as to say Satan sets us on work to bereave the Scripture of the glorious Title of the Word of God as its own Proper Name That 2. is also false for at the Will of God and in service and obedience to him and not of Satan we strip the meer Letter of that Glory wherewith thou unduly dost invest it and take it down from that high Throne and Authority wherein Satan sets thee on work to set it up â—that men may do homage to it and so run a Whoring after it from the Word of Life it only points at as Israel did after the Brazen Serpent and dance about it in their Idolatrous hearts as the God that must save and deliver out of Egypt But 3. Were that true yet howbeit we own the Word of God to be as truly and properly called the Word of God as in truth it is so and give to that still its own due proper Name of the Word of God somewhat more then yourselves do who call that by the Name of and make that Title of the Word of God the very proper Name of another thing which is not it but as inferiour to it as the Effect is to the Cause it came from viz. the outward Letter or Scripture that came forth from it and is but a Copy and Declaration or Images of it as much in worth and dignity below it as the painted Picture of a fire or a man on a Wall is to the true fire or Person which they do but outwardly represent And 4. As for the Writing or Scripture which thou sayest we deprive of its proper Name because we call it not the Word of God and by all those glorious Titles and Epithites thou stilest it by which we confesse are due to the Word viz. Light Living powerful Quickning Foundaiton most Perfect Rule and many more as we shall see anon thou sayest most falsly in that for these are as truly due so properly due to and the Proper Names of the Word it self only of which the Writing is but a Writing or meer Scriptural Declaration and not the Proper Name nor Properties of the Scriptures I.O. Thou tellest Ep. pag. 30. That the whole truth about the Word of God which thou falsly Slanderest us as confusedly opposing thou hast endeavoured to comprize in thy Theses Reply Thy Asserting that the Scripture ought to be called the Word of God as its proper Name and that it is in esse reali cognoscibili the Word of God and known so to be and consequently the Light Foundation Rule and whatever else the Word is known to be which is the main matter thou affirmest and puzlest thy self to prove against us is so far from being the whole Truth about the Word of God that it hath no Truth at all in it but in plain Truth is wholly a Lye in esse reali cognoscibili also to all but such as know not as thy self dost not in this point either what they say or whereof they affirm J. O. Thou sayest thou compleatest in thy Theses the Doctrine of the Scripture concerning the Scripture Reply Thy Doctrine concerning the Scripture which is that it is the Word of God and known so to be and is to be called or else it s stript out of its own proper Name this is not the Doctrine of the Scripture concerning it self but thy own Doctrine which though thou dignifie it with the Title of Pro Scripturis in thy Latine Title Page is more Con Anti then either Cum or Pro yea much more against then either according to or for the Scriptures I.O. Thou speakst of the Quakers as altogether rejecting the Word of God i. e. with thee the Scripture as to its whole use of spoiling the holy Scriptures of All Vse Authority Perfection And as those who if things had succeded according to their desires would no doubt long since have have utterly rejected them Yea as those who wish them quite blotted out that all men might more attend to the Light within themselves Reply Though what Use Authority and Perfection the Scripture is owned by us to be of will appear more anon in its proper place yet that we deny it not to have an Authority and Perfection and precious Use I here declare to the undeceiving of such as are deceived by thy Deceits and Lyes much lesse do we reject as thou falsly objects against us the Word of God it self which is a greater matter and of more moment then the Scripture as to its whole Vse and in proof of it against thy self that we own the very Bible and Letter to be of use and do also much use it as occasion is I shall here Cite I O. to give account to I.O. of this Lye that against I.O. I O. himself hath forged Yea I shall go no further at present then to thy self who as in at least Twenty things more in thy self-confounding Fardel thou dost confutest thy self as to this Lye in those very parcels above quoted For mark Art not thou the man who as brisk as thou art in bedirting us with this Slander of rejecting the Scripture which thou falsly callest the Word of God as to all its use its whole use and that altogether could we have had our Wills yet to the Contradicting of thy self which is as ordinary with thee as to eat and drink confessest and Commendest us thus far before all as follows in thy Latine piece where thy words Englished are to this purpose Ex. 1. S. 7. That the Quakers professe the Holy Scriptures to contain a certain Revelation of Gods Will and so far to have come forth from God as it proceeded from that inward Light which was from Christ in those who wrote those Books which ye name the Scriptures And Ex. 5. S. 18. That the Quakers acknowledge the Scriptures to contain a Manifestation of the Will and Mind of God both in respect of those who wrote them and of those also to whom they were delivered from the beginning and that this Declaration therein held proceeded from the Spirit of Christ which was so with the Writers thereof that they could declare the infallible Truth and that the things written therein are an undoubtedly true Declaration of the Mind of God And dost thou not add thus much That thus far we are right and that none that own them thus far can altogether reject the Scriptures unlesse he will declare himself to be
the Scripture is so far from hindering any from coming to but only that the blind Porers in it with their natural Eyes cannot see Wood for Trees that it sides with us in helping to call People to the Light in the Heart which thing is as well the end of its being written as it was the end of Paul and Iohn's and all the Prophets Ministry by word of mouth Act 26.17 18. 1 Ioh. 1.1 5 6 7. And is the end of all our Ministring now as we are moved of the Lord by Voice or Writing the Letter bids look to the Light as that which leads on to the Life but both Letter and Light are a cloud to the Egyptians that pursued them which to Israel that obeyed it was a help And as it serves with us to call to the Light so before it passe away it must be used against them to send them packing first that have Abused it as thou hast done and to accuse as a Witnesse against them such as have owned it as their Rule and Foundation yet lived and built so much as ye have done beside it And as Christ said to the old Scripture searchingScribes Joh. 5. that would never come to him the Life whom they Testified of so say I to you of the same Seed Do not think that Christ by his Light within you only whereby ye are made as all men are who have not the Law in a Letter a Law before God to your selves will accuse you to the Father ye have another that accuses you for your Vanities and Deceits even Moses and the Apostles and Prophets Writings in whom ye trust to get Life for if you had believed them you would not have belyed but beleeved in and obeyed the Light and Word in the Heart which they call you to for the Scriptures testifie of that but fith you believe not their Testimony to the Light how can we look that by our Words ye should come to believe in the Light it self So that ye stand Condemned and must be Judged by the Law or Light within as well as such as are without the Law in a Letter without and fining under and against the Law in the Letter by the very Letter of the Law throw boasting and yet breaking of which ye dishonour God much more then the Heathen do Rom. 2. Ye must be condemned also So that the Scripture is of much use yet and we are free it should stand and not be blotted out that by the Testimony of it which is one and the same with ours to the Light ye might be if yet it may be brought to look to the Law of Christ which and not the Letter is the Light and Life but if you will not come to Christ and his Light in you that ye may have the Life it s all of a price to you whether the Scripture stand or be blotted out for your Names are not while ye are Enemies to the Light written there for Life but as yet blotted out even by the Scripture while it abides unblotted out from under Heaven I.O. Ex. 2. S. 26. Thou sayest The Quakers little regard the understanding of the Scripture and this is one of their Eminent Deceits so long as they have the Words they are well enough without the sense as nothing appertaining to them Reply Saving I. O's fine figment in this matter which may be more manifested in its proper place howbeit we are well satisfied without so many several silly Senses and mis-meanings of it as are ministred cut by the unlearned Ministers that know not the Mind of the Lord nor ever shall while they lean to their own meer Natural empty Understandings and lye-poring in the Letter as they do without the Spirit which only Receives and Reveals the deep things of God and opposing the Light that only opens it yet we are not against the true sense and meaning of the Spirit which expounds the Mysteries and shews the Secrets thereof to those few Babes that fear the Lord which are hidden from the worldly wise and prudent but whether the Renowned Rabbies Preach for prize or hold their peace we neverthelesse still have true meanings and mind of Christ. I.O. Ex. 2. S. 21 22. That they affirm it is not lawful for any to Interpret the Scriptures or give the sense thereof And S. 22. That altogether with the Interpretation it self they reject damne curse all Mediums of Opening Scriptures the weighing the Words and Phrases and daily Prayer and comparing of divers places together that the Opening of hard Places the clearing and proving of the Truth the Conviction and Confutation of Heresies Errours false Doctors and Doctrines the Edifying any by Instructions and Exhortations and all the other ends of lawful Interpretation of the Scriptures are odious and abomination to them they not only prosecute with Enmity all Expositions of the Scripture by word of mouth in private Families Meetings Churches Schools of Believers to the Opening of the Sense of the Word and the giving of Knowledge by the Scripture it self but also as little esteem and most Childishly defame both Commentaries and all other Books wherein part of the Scripture is Interpreted or any Truth cleared or confirmed out of it or the Faithful perswaded by Exhortations to Holinesse and Gospel Obedience or men are Instructed in any other manner whatsoever in the Knowledge of God Reply Whether all these stories of I.O. which I have here put together do more savour of the French Galimafrey or wild-Irish bonni-clabber I 'le not determine but I am sure they are an unsavoury Mess of Omnigatherums made up of many sorts of lying Reproaches that have no Consistency with the Truth which would far better have become a Doctor of Divinity to have told of the Devil himself had he been accusing of him who is the false Accuser of the true Brethren rather then such a legend of Lyes as lye here legenda legible to all that know them of the Quakers I cannot say of this indeed as of T.D. his doings in his way of sharp shooting out his false Tales against us that it will sound much to our shame in a Countrey Church because it s well nigh all laid out not to say lyed out in the Latine Tongue though only Englished here but it will ring such a Peal in the University Colledges among the Iunior sort of Haters of whom God loves and among all save the lack-Latine-Country-Clergy men against the Quakers as will make them prick up their Ears and listen that they may learn how to lye against them also more then ever they did to the Quakers themselves that of them they might learn the Truth but the best on 't is though here 's a Nest of them together if that would do any good to I.O. or hurt to the Quakers yet by Lyes and Deceits none ever did or ever must prevail against the Truth Yet to all this thou addest That we turn the Church of God into a
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
better hath been seen by some Quakers and how the Name of Christian stinks more then it would do among the Gentiles for the sake of such as Preach and Hear and Read and Expound and boast of the Scripture and yet break them and name the Name of Christ without his Nature But what doings there are in other Nations and the Preaching places and Nurseries thereof to which these of our Nation are not inferiour in silth I shall say no more here but let them passe as matters which being Extra nos are parum or nihil or miaus ad nos of lesse moment to us then our own Concluding my Return to this particular Challenge of I.O. with his own words mutatis mutandis additis addendis a little amplified and the Subjects or Persons of whom they are Spoken Altered and Substituting our Modern Academies and their Masters Doctors Divines and other Students and the whole Rabble of Rabbies there in the room of that University at Tiberias which I O. talks against in the words of one Dr. Lightfoot together with his own and the Iewish Rabbies Gemarists and Massorites pertaining thereunto as they are to be read in the 240 241 242 245 246 247 pages of I. O's English part the Censure he passes upon them being no other then what exactly accrews to the Universities universally throughout Christendom from whence come the whole Crew of Clergy-men that count themselves and are counted to be the Clearers of Christs Truth to all other Christian Creatures And what I. O. sayes of the Massorites of that Accademy is a clear Character of these corrupted and earth corrupting Coveats I. O Chap. 4. S. 13. Whilst they keep the Scriptures we shall never want Weapons out of their own Armoury for their destruction like the Philistine they carry the Weapon that will serve to cut off their own Heads Let us then a little without prejudice or passion consider who or what these men are who are the supposed Authors of all Knowledge and Godlinesse 1. Men they are who have not the Word of God committed to them in a pecullar manner as their Forefathers Prophets and Apostles had of old and many have now being no part of his Church or People but are only outwardly Professors and Possessors of the Letter without just Right or Title to it utterly uninteressed in the Promise of the Communication of the Spirit while they so have it which is the Great Charter of the Churches preservation of Truth Isa. 59.21 2. Men so remote from a right understanding of the Word or the Mind and Will of God therein that they are desperately engaged to oppose his Truth in the Books which themselves enjoy in all matters of importance unto the Glory of God or the good of their own Souls from the beginning to the ending Scuffling for the Book itself but persecuting the Life in them where it is The foundation of whose Religion is Infidelity and one of their chief Fundamentals an Opposition to the Gospel in the Quakers whom they glory to fight against and think they serve God in opposing with what spite they can 3. Men under the special Curse of God and his Vengeance upon the account of the blood of his dear Son in his Saints 4. Men all their dayes feeding themselves with vain Fables and mischievous Devices against the Gospel labouring to set up a New Religion under the Name of the Old when the Old they hate as Ier. 6. in despight of God so striving to wrestle it out with his Curse to the utmost 5. Men of a profound Ignorance in all manner of Learning Knowledge but only what concerns their own dunghil Traditions as appears in their stories filled with innumerable sopperies 6. Men so addicted to such monstrous Figments as appears in their Talmuds as their Successors of after Ages will be ashamed of yea for the most part Idolaters Now I dare leave it to the Iudgement of any Godly prudent person not addicted to Parties and Names who is at all acquainted with the importance not of the Hebrew Vowels and Accents but the Light and Spirit the Quakers call to unto the right understanding of the Scripture with whatever influence their present Fixation hath into the literal sense they not knowing the Spiritual embrace whether we have not very clear Evidence and Testimony yea undeniable and unquestionable to cast the rise and spring of all the Irreligion in the Nations upon this sort of men so far are they from bettering things by their Interpretations S. 16. Recount I pray from the first Foundation of Universities throw CHRISTENDOM and what do you find but a sort of Men being made Mad with or above the Pharisees bewitching and bewitched with Traditions blind crafty raging pardon me not for I shall ask none if I say Magical if Simon Magus was so in thinking the holy Ghost of God is to be bought with Money Monstrous what Fools what Sots as to such a divine Work as the Gospel Read and Consider how to every good Work voyd of Iudgement the great Doctors among them do behave themselves how seriously they do of nothing how childish they are in serious things how much deceitfulnesse froth venome smoke nothing is in their Disputations Insomuch that I may say truly of these as I.O. sayes of all men Pag. 104. Those whose Lips should keep Knowledge that is University-men and Clergy-men as much as any are by Nature so vain foolish malicious such Lyars adders detracters have spirits and minds so unsuited to spiritual things so lyable to Alteration in themselves and to Contradiction one to another are so given to Impostures and are so apt to be imposed upon have been so shuffled and driven up and down the World in every Generation have for the most part so utterly lost the Remembrance of what themselves are whence they come or whether they are to go that I can give very little Credit to what I have nothing but their Authority to rely upon for without any Evidence from the nature of the thing its self CHAP. III. Having Cleared the Quakers from sundry of those Calumnies thou falsly castest upon-them as concerning their Carriage toward the Scriptures as if they were Enemies Haters and Reproachers of it and such-like who in Truth are its truest Friends in the former Chapter I come on to Consider some of thy Cloudy Conjectures and Conceits concerning the Bounds of the Canon as ye call it thereof the Hebrew Punctation and thy Asserted Integrity of both that and the Greek Texts of it without any variation to a very Title Concerning the Canon of which thou Writest as follows JOhn Owen Pag. 3. God spake of Old or formerly in the Prophets From the dayes of Moses and downwards unto the Bounding and Consignation of the Canon delivered to the Judaical Church in the dayes of Ezra and his Companions the men of the great Congregation Reply 1. Why sayest thou from Moses downward c. as if he
the Supream Iudge to which all should Appeal in all Cases and in whose Sentence all should rest and all Faith be finally Resolved and not coming in at the Compleating Consignation Bounding and Final Closing of the Canon should for ever Iure Ant-Ecclesiastico or Apostatico and in foro hominum forfeit that Originally Equal Title which in foro Dei Iure Christico and Apostolico they else had to be Canonized with their fellows Ah poor men It pities me to see how ye Dream together in the dark and mope up and down in your own misty Imaginations about your Original Texts and external Letter leaving the Original Truth it self which was before your Texts were ever talk'd on or had a being in the World turning your backs on that internal Light in the heart which all the Tendency of of your Letter is to turn men to and from which your Scripture Originally had its being It irks me to see how for want of betaking your selves to the measure of the Light that shines in your own Consciences that infallibly would lead you to that which is the end of all Scriptures and words spoken or written as from God viz. honesty and righteousnesse truth and acceptation with God and Holy men ye trace to and fro till ye tire your selves in the perplexing Cris-Cros Track and endlesse Round of your own meer Thoughts about a thing which the more ye try the more ye Tangle your selves about it and the more ye look after it and in it in the way ye look into your beloved Letter the more ye loose your selves in it and about it till at last you will eternally loose both it and your selves too by not looking to the Light at all even no lesse then altogether See Epist. Ded Pag. 30. I. O's Preaching on that Subject the Scripture and his publishing of it is said by him to be but his Thoughts so pag. 146 147. what he delivers about the Prolegomena and Appendix to the Biblia Polyglotta was but what his own Thoughts had suggested unto him sutable to other learned mens Apprehensions So Pag. 149. He runs the Hazard of giving his Thoughts on them Pag. 151. He discover his Thoughts on the things proposed by them So Pag. 163. What he gives out concerning the Purity of the present Copies of the Originals of the Scriptures he so Scribles for is but an account of his Apprehensions So Pag. 225. He purposes to manifest his Thoughts on the Epistle to the Hebrews So Pag. 278. He desired Dr. Ward to give his Thoughts on the difference of Apert Sounds and Vowels which he did accordingly And Pag. 177. He sayes when he shall Communicate his Thoughts to the World about an Vniversal Character it will doubtlesse yield much if not Vniversal Satisfaction unto learned and prudent men O ye Wise and Prudent Vain Thinkers and Senslesse Surmisers that sit down Universally Satisfied in the shadow of your own and one anothers shallow Thoughts When will you come to busie your selves about that which is infallibly clear and certain and let your deep infinite Disputings about dark and doubtful matters of small moment to you too altogether alone When will you wash your Hearts from that Dunghil of meer deemings and divinity Dreamings with the untempered Morter of which ye are all to be-dawbed so that one can discern little or nothing that savours of more then dubiousuesse and disputablenesse it self descending or flowing from your Well-heads and Fountains of Forgery and Fabulosity little or none from the Breasts of your Nursing Mothers of that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 plain purely reasonable sincere Milk of the Word whereby the growth is into the Life of God but such as is mangled and mingled with the Mire and Mudde of your putrid and puddlely Opinions and Opinations Will you never cease from Teaching for Doctrines your own Conceptions Apprehensions and Conjectural Conclusions of things for Truth taken from no surer Topick place then that self same that ye Condemn in Papists viz. the Traditions of men Will you never give over filling and feeding the vain World for filthy Lucre with such perishing Food as the thin froth and Foam of your own Fancies instead of the Bread that comes down from Heaven and that Meat which endures to Eternal Life Oh thou European Athens or Academical Minx thou manifold Mother with thy Children for whom t is as easie for the Blackmore to change his Skin and the Leopard his Spots as for thee who hast been accustomed to Apostarize from the Councel of God and erre from the Mind of Christ to with-hold thy foot from wandring after thy own Images and Imaginations wilt thou not be made clean When shall it once be How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee Now as to the Four wayes by way of Query above propounded which of them all I.O. means to Answer by who talks so much about the Closure Compleating Consignation and Bounding of the Standard and Scripture Canon ◠I cant well say But as for T.D. with whom I have somewhat to do and to deal alittle here he Replyes Affirmitively to the Third among them saying Pag. 26 of the First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians mentioned in that First of Ours and so consequently of all the several Scriptures that are not bound up in your Bibles which I asserted to be as much a Rule as those ye have that they were not intended as much for your Rule as those in your Books To whom when I Replyed at the Dispute with him as he there Relates Thus viz. If that Epistle was wriiten to the same end with those we have as it was viz. to Instruct the Corinthians how to carry themselves to grosse Sinners I Cor. 5.9 compared with vers II. I wrote unto you not to Company and now I have written unto you not to keep Company And the same was said of his First to the Ephesians i.e. that it was to the self same End as that we have Ephes. 3.3 As I wrote before that ye may understand my Knowledge in the Mistery of Christ so now then 't was intended as much for a Rule as the other But it was Written to the same End Ergo If one a Rule then the other T.D. Denies the Consequence Saying Sermons private Religious Discourses have the same common End with the written Scriptures yet the Later only are our standing Rule the former our Rule but so far as they agree with the Later in the Scripture Reply Which Reply of T. D's is so unreasonably ridiculcus that he is scarce Animal Rationale Risibile that receives and entertains it seriously as the Truth For First it supposes as if Pauls First writing to the Corinthians were not Written Scriptures as well as the Rest we have but an Orall Discourse Secondly It supposes Pau's First Epistle of all to that Church which was cited by himself in his Second as written to the same End and was written in the same Spirit
for a final Answer to I.O. and T. D. both as to that matter of the non entirenesse or perfection of the Letter which was given out upon Inspiration of its Integrals to this day and an Answer to I O's Confident Positions and Challenge concerning the Uniformity of all Bibles without variety in the least which to his own Confutation I here set down in his own words of which yet more use that way may be made hereafter I O. Pag 319. Neither the Care of God over his Truth nor the fidelity of the Judaical Church will permit us to entertain the least Suspition that there was ever in the World any Copy of the Bible differing in the least from that which we enjoy or that those we have are corrupted as is pretended the Authors of that Insinuation cannot produce the least Testimony to make it good And pag. 317. Let the Authors of this Insinuation prove the Assertion Name'y That there was ever in the World any other Copy of the Bible differing in any one Word from those we now enjoy Let them produce one Testimony one Author of Credit Jew or Christian that can or doth speak one Word to this purpose Let them direct us to any Relick any Monument and kind of Remembrance of them and not put us off with weak Conjectures c. and it shall be of weight with us And Epist. pag. 27 28. We evidently find various Lections n the Greek Copies which we enjoy and so grant that which Ocular Inspection evinces to be true yet none of them are able to shew out of any Copies yet Extant in the World or that they can make appear ever to have been Extant that ever there were any such various Lections in the Originals of the Old Testament And so I come to take my leave of T.D. again for a while till I meet him again as I must do where he meets in one with I.O. in many other places and return to walk on a while with I. O. about the Inclosure and Bounds of his Synodically composed and Humanely Constituted and compleated Canon which he takes it for granted by Tradition before it be given him by the true Anti-Traditionaries that it was Closed and Bounded by Divine Authority And as concerning this Consignation Signing Sealing Setting out or Authorizing of the Canon as to the Measure of it or number of Books so Canonized the Nature of which as a Rule or Canon is anon more spoken to I say as above I am yet to learn that Lesson which I. O. who by road Repeats it for Truth as if he had it at his fingers eâ—ds never yet learn'd himself I believe by root of heart nor can ever Teach me that by divine Authority or any otherwise then Iure Synodico by meer mens Will Wisdom and Imagâ—nâ—tion as they sate in Councel together not standing in Gods Councel the Light in the heart taking Counsel but not of him nor at his mouth but each from other and Covered with a Covering but not of his Spirit it came at first to passe that some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Holy mens Writings by the Spirit must passe for Currant Coin and stand as the Standard and Reign as a Rule and Command in the high Authority of a Canon as the Word of God as truly as that very Word that comes immediately from Gods own mouth to holy Pen-men or that Word it self which the Letter writes of and other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Writings of Holy men yea some of the self same men that wrote some of the rest and those as legitimate too according to T D's Hypothesis as the rest should be spurned out as spurious so far at least that they must not inherit with their fellowes that conceited Immortal Inmutable and Everlasting Crown of that Solemn Canonization I. O. I am sure upon his Principles must grant me thus far that if the Bible of Scripture which he confesses to be his Canon Lydius lapis and Touchstone to try all by doth no where Testifie any such thing within it self of it self that such Books Prophesies Stories Epistles Letters Psalms Proverbs and other Writings as are Bound up in it are of Gods and such as are not there Bound though born Testimony to there as of as divine Original as the rest are not of Gods own Canonization then it must be counted that that precise Consignation of the Canon as Consistent of such only and not of such Books had its Original being from some Convocations or Sessions of meer men that were neither Prophets nor Apostles but some that doted as Doctors do now a dayes being none themselves on the Prophets and Apostles Persons and such Writings of theirs as best pleased them Out of the Scripture I know not where I. O. can pore for proof of any thing who looks awry upon the Light and Spirit it came from saving into that Thing which he so often calls his own Thoughts all which with me are not worth Three-half-pence as to the begetting of any infallible unfeigned Faith And if he will alledge 't is so that this that 's in our Bibles and Copies only is the Rule of Gods own Consignation and none of the rest mentioned there must come into it he is Certain of it he thinks so to which Tune he frequently Sings in his Second Treatise or heap of uncertain Assurances or most Assured Vncertainties about the Points he may keep his Think to himself if he will and never thrust that forth as an Argument to evince any thing to us by its labour in vain for we verily believe that in the most things at least that he gives us his Thoughts about he does think it to be as he sayes he thinks ' t is But what 's what he thinks to other men Is there any reason that we believing our own Eyes should beleeve the Testimony of a man of no Credit with us Asserting that for Truth which we know to be utterly false I appeal to J O. Epist. Pag. 20. But if he will say the Scripture speaks any where of the Bounding and Consignation of its Canon by so many or so few or by such and such Books as are Extant only in your Bibles and no other I would fain know where it mentions any such or where-ever the Apostles in any of their Synods or Sessions had any hand in any such matter and if not I iudge I O. to be past such a Child as to believe that what the Synods of succeeding Ages Constituted Authorized Canonized or Established was done purely Per jus Divinum or Apostolicum either Yea what I O sayes to the Quakers in the Case of Calling to the Light within Ex. 3. S. 32. Proferant Fanatici vel unum sacrae Scripturae locum vel udum caelitus demissum Testimonium quo ad eorum sidei obedientiae Regulas seu directiones mittimur c. causam non dicimas quin triumphant serio c. which Challenge of
I. O. I am to Answer him in else-where So say I to I.O. T. D. or any other Thinkers or Seemers to themselves to see Proferant Fantastisi c. let these Pretenders to the Vision of this matter produce but one place of the Holy Scripture or any Testimony from Heaven but such a one from above they can't who deny Gods Spirit so speaking in these dayes as of old wherein God Christ or the Apostles set out the distinct bounds of their Canon Directory or Standard of the Old or New Testament by such a precise parcel of Books as are in your Bibles and exclusively of any other holy Writ whether mentioned or not mentioned therein and wee l not say but they have Cause in this Case though if 't were as they say they must hang down their heads with shame in 20 more to triumph in earnest Si autem de suo tantum loquuntur mendaces sunt neque verum est eorum Testimonium if they talk of their own heads of things about the Scripture which the Scripture Testifies not of it self they are Lyars and their Testimony is not true As to the Canon as ye call it or Standard of the Old Testament there 's not the least Tittle of Tendency to any such thing hinted there that it should consist of so many Books and such shall stand in it and such other though as legitimate and mentioned to be of God therein as well as the rest shall be shut out and stand by And in very Ezra alias Esdras his dayes when there was such a Paucity of Copies as thou well sayest I.O. Pag. 177. That in very deed the who'e Law was burnt as to the Originals its like at least 2 Esdras 14. 21 22 c. The Care of him and his Companions was great as thou sayest as to the Restoring of the Scripture to its Purity when it had met with the greatest Tiyal that ever it under-went before insomuch that what Books could be gotten together were copied cut or else written de novo by the light of understanding kindled in Esdras his heart by the Lord and many excellent thing done as to the Recovery of the Law into more purity in the very Letter of it out of the Babilonish rubbish c. but what 's all this as to the settling of this and that and t'other Prophecy into the distinct measure of a Standard by divine Appointment and dis-Canonizing all others save such as are in your Bibles called Canonical whether those of the Seers Gad Nathan Iddo and the rest abovesaid that are specified in your Bibles or those later which are allowed a room and standing in your Bibles though not a room and standing in your Rule and Standard thereof called Apocryphal of which some were Esdras his own as well as some of the rest Besides 't is evident that Esdras and his Companions if the Consigration and Bounding of the Canon were in their dayes or by their Sanydrim set a work and ordered by the insallible Spirit of God therein wrote a number more of Books 2 Esdras 14. 42. 44. then are now Extant in your Bibles which if all lost it makes against I.O. still that sayes not an Apex of what was by divine inspiration is lost and so his great Engine out of which he shoots short against the Truth his Standard and Canon comes still lame and short and halting home And also though Esdras and his Company Compiled many yet the last Volume of the Psalmes is more credibly supposed if I would enter into I. O's Work of Answering Conjecture with Conjecture to be truss'd up together in the dayes of the Maccabees but all here is uncertain and carried to and fro by Conjectures and so there 's nothing sure on I. O's side And as to the newer and later Scripture since Christ where is the least touch of such a businesse of Constituting some few certain Books of those many more then we have which were then written into a Canon and discarding othersome whether such as we want or such legitimate ones as we have as that to Laodicea from within the Coasts and Quarters of your Canon Nay rather the Scripture of the New sayes as in the places above Cited Rom. 15.4 1 Cor. 10.11 2 Tim. 3.16.17 2 Pet. 1.20.21 That all Scriptures that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 given or written by Inspiration of old time were to the same purpose that any at all were so that if any of it all then all of it is to be listed into that Lydium Lapidem and to be Confederate with the rest and to come by right into the Confines of your Canon all what ever was so written being alike written for our Instruction alike profitable alike publick and none of it of a more private Interpretation then the rest Does that of T. D's Citing and I. O's also Ex. 3. 26. viz. Iob. 20.30.31 prove any such thing If that be Exclusive of any Scripture at all it must be of all that which was written after it forasmuch as according to T. Ds. Exposition of it it intimates a sufficiency in that which was already written and if wee l be befool'd with his sinister senses and mindlesse meanings on the Scripture that when he had written that there was as much as God himself thought sufficient to be written at all as a rule of Faith or in order to mens beleeving pag. 28. These are Written that ye might be'eeve and have Life as if he should say Here 's enough what need more And as the Preacher said of old Of making many Books there 's no end by these be thou Admonished they are words of Truth therefore heed no more Eccles. 12.10.12 Will any of you say that in Iohn yet T. D twines it such a way will bear such a Construction as to be Conclusive of some Scriptures of Spiritually Inspired men into the use of a Canon or Standard and exclusive of others as much of God as those On this account as one might Interpret Solomon as cutting off from the Canon all the Prophets Writings that succeeded his in the Old Testament Scripture so one must Interpret Iohn as Excluding out of the Standard of the New Testament all ensuing Writings of Holy men but his own and his own Epistles and Revelation also which were Posterior or Successive to his History then in hand as utterly uselesse and superfluous Credat Apelia Doth that Gal. 6. 16 As many as walk according to this Rule or Canon do it which blind Guides and People so hastily patter over as if that mentioned the whole Bible and all that Writing and not a Tittle more then what 's bound up in it besides the Apocrypha when I shall shew in its proper place it s spoken of no External Scripture of Writing at all I say will that prove some to be Authorized of God for the Standard and some even of the same Holy mens Writings though yet extant not to be so Is there
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
in his Age Assistant to Paulus Fagius in his noble Promotion of the Hebrew Tongue Capellus whom he calls a learned man and a Protestant Io. Prideaux who is before I.O. Luther the renownedst Reformer in his time as ever Europe had Zwinglius and others So he no way doubts but that as we enjoy them they were Compleated no higher upwards then Esdras his time by the men of the Great Congregation guided by the infallible direction of the Spirit of God which was after all the Old Testament was written a thousand years after some of it and so pag. 211. 220. See also pag. 247. 259. where he sayes The Jewes generally believe the Points as Old as from Moses on Mount Sinai or at least quoth he from Ezra so he is in doubts not denying but that they as to their knowledge and use received a great Reviving by the Massorites and Gemarists I. O. That the Word of God i.e. Scripture hath been hitherto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as to its litteral sense and reading the acknowledged Touchstone of all Expositions render this now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and what have we remaining firm and unshaken pag. 219. See more pag. 217. 218. of Uncertainty Reply The Light Spirit Word it self and the Kingdom and things thereof which cannot be shaken but must remain when the worldly kingdom of worldly Priests and their Foundation and their rich Possession of Letter and Hebrew Points and all their Religion Faith Worship House Bottom and whole Building and Fabrick that stands thereon and the old Heaven and Earth and all the Works of man that are therein and their Writings and Tomes and Talmuds c. ut alibi and such like in which I O. is exercised in his Second Tale of a Tub and Sea and Land and all Nations Formalists and their Forms Professors and their Professions Doctors in Divinity and their false Dreames and Divinations and not only Popes Cardinals Mount-Seniors Monks Friars Iesuites and all that Rabble of Rabbies and Deans and Chapters Arch-Bishops Deacons Deans and their Officials Parsons Vicars Curats and all manner of spiritual Persons of that spawn but also all sorts of those narrow mouth'd Bottles that have none of the new Wine in them and are as long in letting out as in getting in what they have of their old Wisdom as well within Vniversity Liberties as without and all Masters and Prebends and Deans of Colledges and their Christs Churches and all their beggarly Elements must be on fire about their ears and melt away with fervent heat and be burnt up and shaken down as leaves from the Fig-tree by the mighty Wind of the Lords Spirit that now blowes upon all flesh that it withers and is as the Grasse and its Flower and utterly like a Cottage which after much reeling to and fro must be removed for ever and for ever I.O. Thou sayest pag. 221. That thou hadst rather all the Works like to the Biblia Polyglotta which yet thou acknowledgest the great usefulnesse of and art Thankful Owen for it were out of the World then that this one Opinion of the Novelty of the Hebrew Points espoused to that great work Epist. pag. 17 18 19. should be received with the Consequences that unavoidably attend it Reply The Consequences that unavoidably attend the receiving of Truth are dangerous to thee but of no other then good concernment to such as dwell not in the Scriptural Skirts meer literal Suburbs of it as thou dost who being without the Salvation it self which God appoints to his for Walls and Bulwarks startest at the newes of every storm and the shaking of every Leaf but in the holy City and in the substance of the Truth it self The Cup of trembling must be taken out of their hands and put into the hands of thee and thine that have hated and afflicted them and Rid over them and said Bow down thy back that we may go over and they have laid their backs as the street for you while in your wrath and fury you have passed over them I. O. Thou sayest pag. 216. That by this conceit of the Novelty of the Hebrew Punctation the Adversaries Hope with Abimilecks Servants to stop the the Wells or Fountains from whence ye should Draw your Souls Refreshments Reply Poor Souls Poor Wells and Fountains Poor Refreshments if ye go down no deeper then the Letters to draw your Water for they are but the broken Cisterns which ye follow that with the totter'd Buckets of your own Brains that hold not the water of Life The Letter doth but declare of the fountain of living waters which ye have forsaken viz. God himself Christ and the Spirit the fountain shut up and sealed to you yet indeed Cant. 4. 12. but set open to the House of David and the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and uncleannesse Zach. 13. 1. The Well of Salvation out of which they that inhabit Sion in the midst of whom the holy One of Israel is now great do with joy draw Water out of whose bellyes flow Rivers of Living Waters which 't is out of the Reach and past the Strength of the Philistims to stop any longer for there 's now Rehoboth or room yea the Water thence given whilst your Euphrates is drying up is as a Well of Water springing up in them to eternal Life I.O. That give this liberty to the audacious Curiosity of men priding themselves in their Critical Abilities and we shall quickly find out what woful state and condition the Truth of the Scripture will be brought unto and if hundreds of words were as 't is said by Capellins the Critical Conjectures of the Jewes what security have we of the Mind of God as truly represented to us seeing that its supposed that some of the Words in the Margent were sometimes in the Line and if it he supposed as 't is that there are innumerabl◠other Places of the like nature standing in need of amendments what a door would be opened unto curious Pragratical Wits to overturn all the certainty of the Truth of the Scripture every one may see pag. 308. Reply Every one may see therefore what Certainty and Security ye are in while ye stand on no bottom but a broken Letter And how wilt thou help the case with all thy prate or hinder Pragmatical Wits from using their Critical Abilities that way Who shall ponere obicem put a stop to them and impose upon all others his Thoughts that things are so or so Shall I.O. who in so many places Confesses he gives men but his Thoughts nay doth nos I.O. Confesse pag. 217 218. that none must give a Rule to the rest the door is open'd man and thou canst not shut it even an effectual door for the Sheep to enter the fold by even him who is the Light as well as the Door opened whereby to see into the uncertainty of your torter'd Transcripts much more ten fold more totterred and untrue Translations much
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
by Inspiration is preserved without Corruption i.e. variety from the first Original Manuscripts in the Copies we have Pag. 137. The whole Scriptâ—re entire as given out from God without any losse is preserved in the Copies of the Originals in â—hâ—m all we say is every Letter and Tittle Pag. 10. Tâ—e Word i.e. Scripture with thee still for thou denyest the words coming any other-way to your selves or any now is come forth unto us from God without the least mixture or intervenience of any medium obnoxious to fallibility as is the Wisdom Truth Integrity Knowledge and Memory of the best of all men Pag. 13. We have not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Mo es and the Prophets the Apostles and Evangelists but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have or Coâ—iâ—s contain every Iota that was in them Hebraeâ— Volumina nec in unica dictione corrupta intenies S. Pag. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 5. 18. To which Answers that Pag. 316 317. Doth not our Saviour affirm of the Word that was among the Jewes i.e. Scripture Secundum te still That not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it should passe away or perish where let the Consonants themselves with their Apices be intended or alluded to in that expression c. And Epist pag. 27. None are able to shew out of any Copies yet extant in the World and that they can make appear ever to have been extant that ever there were any such various Lections in the Old Testament And pag. 319. Neither the Care oâ— God over his Truth nor the Fidelity of the Judaical Church will permit us to entertain the least suspition that there was ever in the world any Copy of the Bible differing in tâ—e least from that we enjoy or that those we have are corrupted And pag. 317. Let the Authors of this Insinuation prove that there ever was in the World any Copy of the Bible Differing in any one word from those that we now enjoy let them produce one Testimony ne Author of C edâ— Jâ—w or Christian that can or doth or ever did speak one word to this purpâ—se let them direct us to any Relick any Monument any kind of Remembrance of them and it shall b of weâ—ght to us c. Many more exceeding and extraordinary high strict streins thou deliverest thyself in in other places about the non-corruption non alteration of the Text of Scripture in one Letter Tittle Iota or Syllable since the first giving it out so but that in the Copies extant to this day there 's an exact Unity and entire Identity with the first Originals a kind of Summary Collection and Câ—pitulation of which thou makest pag. 153. speaking to this purpose thus viz. I O. The Sum of what I am Pleading for as to the particular Head to be vindicated is That as the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament were immediately and entirely given out by God himself his Mind being in them represented unto us without the least interveniency of such mediums and wayes as were capable of giving Change or Alteration to the least Iota or Syllable So by his good and merciful Providential Dispensation in his love to his Word and Church his whole Word alias the Scripture with thee as at first given out by him is preserved unto us entire in the Original Languages where shining in its own beauty and lustre as also in all Translations as far as they faithfully represent the Originals it manifests and evidences unto the Consciences of men without other forreign help or Assistance its divine Original and Authority Reply This is the Capital Cardinal General Assertion or Position which branches it selâ— into several Particulars or petty Propositions viz. The immediate coming forth of the Scripture from God to us its self evidencing power to evince it self by it self alone to be of God and his Word it s descending to us at this day entire to a Tittle without corruption by alteration in the least Letter Iota Vowel Point or Syllable its uncapablenesse of such Change and Alteration in its coming to us so are thy words here and pag. 10. to the least Iota or Syllable Unto which General Head and its branches the Ramuâ—culi lesser twigs or little Sentences scattered here and there throwout thy Book are Reducible and each to its own suitable Branch respectively That which I am here under Consideration of thy piâ—tiful Plea for is both its non-Alteration de facto as it s handed down by Transcribers from the fiâ—st Scribes of it to us in these dayes and its Unalterablenesse or Uncapablenesse of Alteration which if thou mean as thou sayest thou here Assertest to the least Iota or Syllable These are to thee as thou sayest such important Truths that thou shalt not be blamed in the least by thy own Spirit nor thou hopest by any others in contending for them judging them Fundamental parts of the Faith once but say I thou knowest not when delivered to the Saints Reply Though I who cannot hold thee because I cannot find thee guiltlesse in either thy hasty holding or thy heedlesse unhandy handling thy weak vindicatory piece of Probation of them at so high a rate do advise thee to praise a fair day at night assuring thee that if ever thou come to learn the Truth in the plainnesse and power of it as it is in Iesus the Light of whom the Letter testifies thou wilt find these no Fundamental parts of that One Faith which Paul and Iude speak of Eph. 4. Iude 3 which was One even of old from Abraham Enoch Noah and downwards from the beginning before the Letter was delivered to and earnestly to be contended for by the Saints and wilt find thy own Spirit also however it now seems not to blame thee in the least blaming thee nor a little for thy ignorance in due time and howbeit being bolstered up for a while above it by the Aery Academical Applauses Gratulatory Euge's J O's Hic est's and such like blessings of thy blind Brother literatists that are as the rich mans wealth to him Prov. 10.15 thy strong City thy Murus Abaeneus a high Brazen Wall to thee in thy own conceit thou feel'st no Check and seemest Nil Conscire tibi nullâ Pallescere Cultâ Yet let others and thy own heart also Clear Chear and Cheat thee as it will thou wilt once know that as to every work there is a time to do it in and a Judgment after it so thy whole lame Anti-Scriptural work about the Scriptures as well as thy other part of it against the Quakers though fenced in the Frontispice with the fair formal pretence of A Vindication of the Purity and Integrity of the Hebrew and Greek Texts and Pro Scripturis and such like must come to another account then that I am here taking of it before the world even to a Judgment from God within thy own now blinded Bosome and closed Conscience as the Book thereof comes to be
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
own nor hold their Iâ—o in that height of honour as they do nor fall down and worship that golden corruptible Image that they set up though they honour the Truth that 's told in the Scripture and submit to it as the euerlasting powerful Word of God What are thy high English Transcendant Treatises about and thy exceeding ample Apologetical Latine Exercitations and thy many Execrations Anathcmaes thundred out and Subpoenaes pag 31.34 56. 59.60 81. sent abroad in those and sundry other Pages of thy Paper Summoning and Requiring all men as from God to the Subjection and Submission of Soul to the Scriptures which is due only and alone to the Word of God on peril pain and penalty of inexcusablnesse in damnable unbelief damnation eternal damnation eternal displeasure of God eternal Ruine c. in case it be not own'd as so What are all thy excessiue Commendations and direful Comminations and Condemnations denounced by thee against all that Commend it not so ignorantly as thy self and thy many needlesle Negotiations and pitiful Proofs and Pragmatical Pratings and prehemineâ—t Pleas for its Reception in Comparison with and Opposition to all other wayes of coming to the knowledge of God and Attendance and Submission to its Supream uncontroleable Authority pag 57.58 upon the account of its 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or divine inspiration as being the most perfect Rule firm Foundation staple Standard infallibly true Touâ—hstone entirely in every Tittle to the least 〈◊〉 the Word of the Great God the Writing that comes immediatly from God to us who live to many 〈◊〉 after the mouldring of the first Manuscripts of it without the leâ—st interveniency of any medium obnoxious to fallibility or capable to give Change to the least sota or Syllable of it pag 113. The Book which God wrote or at least immediately indited and commends men it thou could tell where to receive as his under the penalty of his eternal displeasure which Book makes a sufficient discovery of it self to be his pag â—20 reveals and â—clares and professes it self from the beginning to the ending that no where 〈◊〉 I shall shew anon to be unquestionably the Word of God pag. 140. And avers it self in euery place and that every place with 7 0. himself is 1.0 place at all if Ex. 1. Self 28 be true as will be seen anon to be the Word of God pag 117 the most glorious Light in the World above t'e Sun dearer to God then all the World besides and scores more of wonderful strict strains of Talk in which thou stretchest the Text and letter beyond its liue and screwest the Scripture within Diana's Shrine till thou crack'st thy own Credit with uttering ten times more then thou art ever able to stand under the tryal of or any wise man is to understand 〈◊〉 what is all this Adoratory ado thou makest about Is it not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 57. the Writing And what Writing Is it not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 only confessing that all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is long since lost And if thou should spend so much time as to Talk to this Age of that as the Rule Foundation Touchstone Standard that is not now standing but fallen and that as the inalterable incorruptible Word of God and yet whether the Decalogue of Gods own Writing were not as incorruptible as thy cobled Copies of it let who will judge that is already altered yea corrupted wholly out of the World thy folly would more fully shew it self Is it not if not the totteâ—ed Translations which the people at least magniste and make a God of as much as thou of the other thy meer Perigraphy or rather Typography that passes from under not the Pens of careful faithful infallible Transcribers but the Presses of carelesse fallible falsifying faithlesse Printers whose hands few Pamphlets passe without need of an after Errata sic Corrigas Thy meer Typographically correctible corruptible Copies of the Text are the Common Theame of all thy Laudatory labours and truthlesse Treatises and Theses that are thrust out about them As for all Translations that I may not wrong thee but give thee thy due thou givest them their due I confesse in some measure so as to slate them a little lower then either the true Word of God or the first true immediate Manuscripts of it either Yea I must needs say that though by some EXPRESSIONS and DENOMINATIONS thereof as namely that of the Word of God partly at least thou settest them above themselves yet thou pullest them down so far below thy Idolized meer imperfect Images of the frost Writings that to say the Truth within a little thou as much disparagest the very best of them as they are commonly counted as beyond measure thou manifiest thy own insomuch that well-nigh the whole Scene of Sections in thy last Chapter of thy Second Treatise seems to be set to drive on no other Design then a louder decrying of all Translations then that of theirs whom thou cryest out on for decrying thy Transcriptions or then thy own crying up of them Yea thou dost not more strictly and absolutely avouch that untruth concerning the absolute unity of your Copies of the Original both with the first Originals and among themselues without any discrepancy in the least then in that Chapter principally and partly elsewhere viz. pag. 15. thou avowest and purtest thy self to prove that vast variety that is in all Translations among themselves and that deep discrepancy that is in them also from both the first Original Text and your Transcripts of it which variety discrepancy and corruption yet that is in them thou art so far from covering from the view of the Vulgar whose Souls Interest lies mainly in Translations they being not able to read the Original Text as their Soul sayst thou and bodily Interests also say I are concerned in your Transcription that thou openly proclaimest it that all may see it as it were upon the house top and lest any should be startled at so strange a sight as thou presentest them with in that Chapter as that vast variety of Translations of the Text from the Originals of it and each from other and begin to question whether that be the incorruptible Word of God or no which so many Corruptions could creep and are crept into thou art so shamelesse as to help an Old lame Dog ore a stile as the Proverb is so as to render these so many mis-representations of the literal sense and meaning of the Original Words which the Translators moped into till they have torn and twined the Waxen Nose of your naked Letter whereby â—e may see what a sixt and firm Foundation true Touchstone stable Standard inalterable Rule infallible Guide incorruptible Word of God ye have among you while you trust and stand to no other Word then your outward Letter defying that within in the heart which the Quakers point you to into more then twice if not
twenty times twenty several shapes as an eminent help Oh horrid to the manifesting of the mind of God unto men witnesse thy own words pag. 310â— at thy very entrance into that thy Talk against Translations which are these TO To have it Represented to us at one view the several Apprehensions and Iudgements of so many worthy and learned men as were the Authors of these and of the various Translations upon the Original words of the Scripture is a signal help and aduantage vnto men enquiring into the mind and will of God in his word Reply Was the like odd conceit ever heard of or digested with the receipt of it for Truth any where but among onr Academical Conjecturers and Adorers of one anothers silly thoughts that not unity but variety in the Translations of the letter occasioned by the various thoughts and opinions of men that Translated one about the spirit sense of the same words should be signally helpful towards any thing but the confused fightings that the world is filled with about their many senses and meanings on the letter and that our Ministers fill the World with as well about their divers Transcriptions as different Translations is much more then folly and little lesse then madnesse to imagine Ah poor common people you of the Tongues Nations and Kindreds of the earth that understand neither the Language of your Academical Canaanites nor yet the true language of the Land of Canaan It pities me for you still to see how all things are carried in the clouds out of your sight for not standing in the counsel of God the light in your own heart nor asking counsel of God but at your Stoical Students Stocks and Stones you know not the mind of Christ that way And as for your untrusty Turn-Coats that Talk of Truth to you for Tyth but turn Truth out of doors and turn all things up-side down whose doings in that kind must be esteemed ere long as the Potters Clay Isa. 29. As for these I say they dig deep to hide their Councel not only from the Lord who yet in his People sees them well enough but from you also their own People who own them so that all their works to you-ward are done in the dark so that ye behold not what strange Transpositions Transcriptions and Translations of things there are among them and such as tell you plainly how they wrest the Scripture like a Nose of Wax which way it may best serve their Interests they hate so that of those that have tumbled in the same belly and sprang from same University Mothers womb and bowels with them whose breasts the suck at Vel Duo vel Nemo my self and very few more are escaped thence alone to tell you They make you believe that that is the Word of God in your Bibles which is seen with your bodily eyes even the very Letters Syllables and every Tittle of Writing which ye there see which Writing we confesse testifies of that Word of God which gives the Life but alas is the Word of God so flexible alterable that it can be changed which is indeed eternally the same into as many shapes and senses as there are men setting their senses on work to Transcribe Translate and Expound it Nay Friends Gods Word is stable and permanent and not a Tittle of that can be turned besides it self by the Tattling Tongues and pidling Pens of men that for Money make it their whole lives businesse to Transcribe Translate Interpret and give you their Thoughts upon this and that and 'tother Text till throw the throng of their Thoughts and the mists of their Meanings and mis-representations and mis-interpretations ye can see little of that they have Translated for you out of â—heir uncertain Transcripts which yet they make you believe are in stedfast Vnity with the Originals and each other though they Confesse your Translations to good use and purpose too if you will believe them are all unspeakably differing both from the first Copies of Scripture and each other also As to the State and Condition of Translations which it is I. O's drift to discover the Corruption of in Order to the upholding the Credit as to non-Corruption of his Transcriptions he takes and gives a view of the chief of them as they lye in the Biblia Polyglotta Of the Arabick he tells us pag. 325. That should be gather Instances of the failings of this Translation open and grosse and so proceed with the rest be thinkes he might make a Volumne neer as big as that of the various Lections afforded in the aforesaid Bible Of the Syriach he sayes Pag. 327 That it was made hfe knows neither when nor by whom and that in sundry places it evidently follows another corrupt Translation passed throw the hands of men ignorant and suspitious against whose frauds and follies by reason of the Paucity of Copies we have no Relief Reply Observe by the way how I. O. when he speaks derogatively of Translations he vilifies Translators as full of fraud folly ignorance suspitious as if they were untrusty and not fit to be heeded as if they were full of Oscitancy and Negligence occasioning miscarriages and mistakes in their Translatings as if they were such as had nothing to do with God but with Heathen Authors in Transcribings but when he speaks Arrogatively of Transcriptions then pag. 168 169 171. the Transcribers considering that what they Transcribed was every Tittle and Iota of it the Word of the great God wherein the Eternal Concernment of their own and others Souls did lye and knowing they had to do with the Living God belike the Translators considered and knew no such thing that the Work under their Hands was of the same concernment to souls shall we think that men in transcribing Tully Homer Aristotle would be as careful as they we think it not tolerable in a Christian to argue so we scarce think the Roman Pontifices going solemnly to transcribe the Sybils 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 who knew they had to do with the living God and that in and about that which is dearer to him then all the World besides why then dost thou entertain such course thoughts of Translations J.O. had not they to do with God in the same that was as thou cloudily conceivest for though the word is yet the latter is not so dearer to him then the whole world yea and sometimes when thou talkest of corrupt novel Transcripts thou hast the same ill thoughts of Transcribers and accusest them when their Copies are quoted against thee to prove various lections for malicious depraving as much as thou excusest them at other times yea thou canst not think the Romane Pontifices would mistranscribe Sybils Prophecies in one Tittle negligently or Treacherously yet dost entertain such thoughts of them about the Scripture in which who hath to
then forbidden at least hidden fruit from you who what light soever ye have from God yet have not learning enough to let you into an intermedling with the open secrets of their living dead letter as for your Scripture which is but Translation out of theirs hear what they say of it who exalt it far above it self into a participation thy the halves of the same high prerogatives with Theirs and a taste of that glorious Title the Word of God yet so as that it must know it self too and not intrude further into it then they give leave by their right or wrong renditions of it ont of their for ever to be adored right-wrong Copies who in the blinduesse of their busie brains vanity and follishnesse of their thoughts and fleshly wisdom that 's enmity against God and enters no farther into the inside of the Scripture than the Eye-sight of a Mole into a milstone may render it as it seems best to themselves and you Lack lingua's little the wiser and if they give your Scripture an Inch it must take heed of taking an Ell for as there 's a Bit so there 's a Knock if it presume too far it s admitted to be the Word of God with theirs but not on even terms theirs wholly and euery Apex of it yours but by the halues or so far onely as it corresponds with theirs from which if it offer to vary by theirs it must be corrected castigated in order to its amendment in time to come theirs being perfectly the word of God yea every Tittle of it the Living Word of the great God though but transcribed as yours is but translated in the Wisedom Skill and Diligence of men yours imperfectly and perfectly too perfectly or imperfectly according as yours expresse the words sense and meaning of their Origina's so that though it can be counted no Robbery for Theirs which is but the fruit of mans Wisdom Skill and Diligence and as now transcribed was not as is confest received immediately from God to be made Equall with that which was at first received more immediately from him as the fruit of his Wisdom Care and Providence yet its Robbery for yours that comes but as theirs doth through the Skill Wisdom and Diligence of Men and within a small matter as immediately from God as Theirs doth to be equall with Theirs and howbeit they may lawfully without pride set up Their meer Transcriptions so as to make them sir cheek by chole with the first hand-writings and set up their own Altar or Altered Copies of Hebrew and Greek with that higher Altar of God even the Letter or first Copy and set up Mans posts by Gods posts even both the first Manuscripts and their own tottered Transcripts too into an Equallity of Titles Honour Power Perfection Authority Necessity c. with the True living Word of God which the first and truest Scripture that ever was was at best but a true Scripture writing or declaration of yet your Posts and Altars and Scriptures must keep aloof and not come so nigh Theirs as Theirs to Gods without a check By all wch that 's here written in this Apostrophe to you O poor deluded people ye may see what a low condition ye are deprest into till you betake your selves to the light of God within which was before any letter to writing was without which the Scriptures cry up call you to while your Scribes cry it down cry out against it and call you from it ye may see how ye are thrust out with a Pueri sacer est locus extra meijete meddle not here ye Mechanicks ye unlearned Laicks from the lines of their communication by your Fanatical Fantastical high flown haughty Haebricians and greedy Graecians that for filthy lucre take the oversight of or rather over you and that take upon them by force to be your guides before whom you are fain to stand like some poor stupified Peasant before his Prince to whom if the one say but Rex sum sic uolo sic jubeo So I mean to have it the other hath no more to do but ineak away nor to say but Amen so be it nil ultra quaero plebeius It follows then that none but Schollars have the undoubted word of God for people understand not Original tongues nor many Priests the Hebre◠and so though they say Hear the Word of God they have no undoubted Word of God to preach out of it while they take their Texts out of English Bibles So people and blind Priests have no undoubted infallible Rule touchstone to try Truth by for if this he so how is the Scripture as they have it the most perfect Rule to them both people and illiterate Priests must either get Hebrew and Greek or else confesse that they live as much by tradition in England taking things on trust from the Priests without tryall as they do at Rome for what difference between having Scripture no Scripture in the mother tongue when notwithstanding that which is so had men cannot be sure which is the Word of God which not but as the Priests tell them so and if Priests be minded to deceive them they may Translate it to their own turn as they please and people ne're the wiser so make the Scripture as a nose of wax to stand to themselves lead the world by the nose as they have ever done which way soever they will So I confesse I. O. that I see the Scriptures as taken for the Translations set somewhat lower by thee than the first Manuscripts and then your Transcriptions in the place above quoted yet entitled too with the name of the Word of God in part but your Transcriptions to an Apex are equalized with the first Manuscripts and both these elsewhere wholly with the light and living Word It is then the meer Transcripts and neither the first Manuscripts nor Translations that thou talkest so exceeding strictly for the non alteration or non-corruption of in a Title the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being lost out of the world and Translations excluded the lists o◠thy Apologetical vindication of the Scripture in the externall Text thereof in vindication of which Transcriptions of the Hebrew and Greek Texts not appearing at all for the English save quatenus agreeing with the other p. 153.174 thou talkst on Argumentatively as follows Arg. 1. To prove the whole Scripture memorandum of old and new Testament to remain entire to this day without ablation or alteration of it in one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Tittle thou urgest p. 175. the providence of God in taking care of his word which he hath magnified over all his name as the most glorious product of his Wisdom and Goodnesse his great concernment in this world answering his promise to this purpose Rep. This leads the Front of that Ragged Regiment of Arguments which follow it at the heels in p. 175. 176. 177. being no lesse than 12. in number
or a whole Iury impannel'd to Try this Case of which this is the Foreman that speaks more then they all for it s insisted on or hinted at or'e and o're and or'e in I know not how many places of thy Book as if thou laydst more stresse and purrest more trust in this than in all the rest and indeed though it is a most piteous poor one yet seeing I know no better it may be called as its rank'r before the Rest the very best in all the pack Let 's see then what force this consideration viz. the love providence care and promise of God to his Church and Word Engaging for the preservation and continuance of it to a Tittle without losse hath in it to evince the entirenesse of the Hebrew and Greek Text to a Tittle That the Love Care and Providence of God is to or ore his Church and so ore his Word for his Churches sake I deny not in the least and that his Word he speaks he magnifies ore all his Name as the most glorious product of his Wisdom and Goodness as his great concernment in this world dearer to him than all the world besides which his Promise is for the continuance of it so inalterably entire and uncorrupt that Heaven and Earth it self shall pass away as Christ saies Matth. 5.18 before one jot and Tittle thereof shall fail or pass away and that not one Apex Tittle or Point of that hath yet failed or been altered or is liable for capable to be altered or corrupted All this I grant for his Word is the incorruptible Seed that lives and abides for ever But what 's all this to thy purpose I. O. whose talk is only about the outward Writings Image Copy Letter Text which talks of that Word and who producest all this to prove every Tittle of that Text to be entire Wilt thou never learn to put or at least to keep that difference which somtimes when thou art deliberate thy self puâ—test between the Word that is written of and the Text which is the meer Writing of it Dost not thou p. 12.13 though I know thou blindly blendest them together both there and throughout thy Book make the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Writing the Book the Letter one thing and the Faith Word Doctrine declared in it another Dost thou not distinguish now and then as every wise man does ever between the Text it self that talks of the Truth and the Truth it self which the Text talks on We know the Truth and Faith and Doctrine and Word of God which is but One and the same in its Nature Essence Being and Substance whether written or not written of whether cloathed or not cloathed in this or that outward accidental forme whether displaying it self through the vail of the Letter or shewing it self more immediately in its naked Native lustre is to a Tittle the same now that it ever was in Substance though all the shadowy Discoveries of it wax old and vanish and as a vesture are folded up and changed and Pass away as a Scrole that 's Roled up and grows out of Date when all Letters and Literal Appearances of it shall be mouldered away The Word was before the Letter was aud is neither more nor less what it was now the Letter is and will be no less than it was of old or what now it is as to its preservation in every point when the Letter shall be no more So that what are all thy Propositions about Gods Promise and Providence and Love and Care of his Church and Word to evince or prove the entire preservation of every Iot and Tittle of an outward Text or an old uncertain Transcript of what was by the Holy men of God some thousands of Years since written between which Word and the Writing or Light and the Letter which leads only to it there 's no more proportion as I may shew thee more anon than is between the Lanthorn and the Light the Glass Window and the Sun that shines through it or then as thy self intimatest there is between the Ark and the Testament or Covenant that for a while was used to be kept in it Dost not thou count the Letter the Ark p. 236. saying the Iews have now the Letter as somtimes they had the Aâ—k among the Philistims to their further ruine and p. 315. For my own part I am sollicitous for the Ark or the sacred Truth of the Original Yea such proportion say I as the Ark that kept it bore to the Letter of the old Testament that was laid up in it the same doth the Old Testament it self the whole 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or bare Letter or Shadowy Dispensation bear unto the Light Word of God or New Testament which is not a Literal but a Spiritual Administration Now as it would be fâ—lly and absurdity in the abstract for a man to Argue the Light to be the proper name of the Lanthorn which exhibits it the Sun the proper Name of the Glass it shines through and the Writing or Letter of the old Testament the proper name of the Ark in which it was laid up and then to affirm all the Properties that appertain peculiarly to the Light Sun Letter belong to the Lanthorn Glass Ark respectively and to plead from the unchangeableness of the Light the permanency of the Sun the long duration of the Letter Some of which in some uncertain Copies abides to this day that the Lanthorn is unalterable the Window inviolable the Ark abiding the self same and not one jor or inch of it is lost or altered to this day but in all points in the same that it was when Moset made it because some Copies Imagess and Pictures of it are found painted on Walls aud Printed in Books or so to this day Semblably as Ridiculous it is to the full to Argue the Letter is immediately come to us from God without interveniency of any Medium obnoxious to fallibility the Text is not capable to be altered not is altered in one Tittle so but that its intirely the same that it was at first in every Point Syllable and Iota because the Light Faith Doctrine Truth and Word which is as the Sun the same still and preserved in the Providence of God full firm and sure as all the Ordinances of Heaven are whether it shews it self through a Glass only or without it Now then howbeit we own all that which I. O. tells of the Providential care and Promise of God as to the preserving of his Word to his Church to be true as told of his Word yet as spoken of the Letter as Gods great Concernment in this World dearer to him than all the World the most glorious Product of his Wisdom and Goodness and such like and as urg'd in proof of the Text and each Tittle of that to be Entire and Eternal as the Heavens I say as so every Tittle of it is false And I would fain know of I
Custos utriusque Testamenti chief Commissioners Trustees and keepers of both Testaments when she was driven to and fro and chased like a Roe or Sheep and kept under and domineered over by the said mystical Whore and hunted as well as by the Heathen Emperors in the first three hundred years or ten first persecutions she was in her several witnesses massacred murderd hang'd burnt headed fryed flead tortured in all the wayes that Tyrants could invent though you that have no changes and therefore fear not God and sit at ease in your Ceâ—ls and are not shifted from vessel to vessel and so like Moab have an ill sent settled in you can have time to talk to each other with your Tongues and in your Treatises about your Texts in severall Tongues and your Letter in this Language that and t'other yet the True Church which but that the care and Providence and Presence of God was with her according to his promise full hardly kept and had much ado to keep the Truth in the inward parts and her self from the outrages committed on her had other weightier matters to mind and look after and meddle with then the seeking out and looking up and keeping and preserving of such toyes as ye are now taken and wholly taken up with that is to say the integrity of the Hebrew and Greek Texts the Points Vowels Accents triviall Tittles and Iota's and where thou find'st the Spouses care according to a Commission given her from God to be so extream as thou intimarest about these matters excepting in thy own nfinitely forging fancy no wise seeker shall ever find Arg. Thy third is the care of the first Writers in giving out Authentique Copies of what they had received from God unto many which might be Rules to the first Transcribers Reply O' cur as hominum c. from whence didst thou fetch this false and foolish piece of faith save from the old fathomlesse fountain of thy own fancy which if something as good as nothing may serve as easily it may to fasten falsity upon fools will find something to say for every thing that it finds occasion to fain where readest thou that the first writers of every corner of thy so called Canon which thou must Adaequate thy proof to as well as to the whole or else thou Syllogizest short of what thou aimest at took such care to give out Authentick Copies of what they wrote as from God unto many to â—â—is end that they might be Rules to the first Transcribers Alas poor imagining man they that were Ministers not of the Letter but the Spirit were not so full of Care as ye are and as ye measuring the enlargednesse and copiousnesse of others by your straitned narrow scaâ—ty selves conceive they were about such emptinesse as Copies of what they wrote Transcripts Texts Tittles Points Iâ—ta's Vâ—wels Accents and such accidental stuffe as is not de esse to the Kingdom and Gospel of it which they published if any of them did as once Paul did will that the Colossians should let Laodicea read what he wrote to them and read from Laodicea what he wrote thither whether inâ—a Transcript or the Original Copy which might passe between two near Sister-Churches who knows yet how many Copies and to how many did he give out Copies of what he wrote to particulars to be transcribed and kept and committed to the whole Church of God as a Rule for future Transcribers and a Rule of Faith and Obedience and such like to all ages of the world for ever his first to the Corinthians and to Ephesus and to Laodicea for all his desire it should be read by the Colossians happened to misse your Bibles to be bound and bundled into which I know it was no more intended then sundry others that are there which he wrote to particular and some private persons about private particular and personal affairs some wrote more generall Epistles to all Saints then in being as Peter Iude Iames Iohn and they might be but between might be and necessarily must be there 's great difference as generally read as they could be where e're they came as being of more direct and general concernment to all as in that capacity of Saints and some wrote more particularly as occasion was and they were moved by the Spirit in which they did all that they did at all and not in the movings of the flesh letters to private persons about private matters as Iohns short letter to Gaius and Pauls to Philemon and Timothy about the bringing of his cloak he left at Troas with Carpus but did either one or t'other of these give out Authentick Copies of these two private letters to many to be a Rule to the first Transcribers and Rules to all Saints to the worlds end 't is true they are in your Bibles among others that were got together and it pleases me well that they are there and should if you had all that ever the Apostles and Prophets wrote whereof if you have the 20th or 100th part it s more then either you or I or any man now knows and much it matters not for the certain knowledge of such an uncertain unprofitable thing but what of that will it follow that these about Onestmus his being received into his Master Philemons service again and Iohn's telling Gaius he would not write more to him now with Pen and Ink but hoped to see him shortly were ever intended by them to be the Canon to the Church of God in all ages which must be committed to the Care of Transcribers to be successively Copied out to a Tittle so that on supposition of any corruption or change of a Letter in the writing them over the eternall faith of God would Cernally fall to the ground and the word of God not be preserved frâ—m being lost as thou dotest much more if those whole Letters or Epistles themselves should be lost then actum est c. no other means of discovery nor recovery of the whole substantial Truth but that would fail together with them must those be also submitted to so strictly that he that should not beleeve every external Tittle of the Text there Transcribed to be the word of God as thou tellest us should be left inexcusable in his damnable unbelief and be in peril of Eternal damnation and such danger as I. O. dreams and would draw all men into the dream of together with him Scilicet is superis labor est ea cura quietos Sollicitat As if the Saints of old and they now that live at rest in God 〈◊〉 witness God dwelling in them of a Truth had nothing to do but belabour â—hemselves and cumber one anothers minds as our wife Clergy does who are wearied in the greatnesse of their way and are Mole Ruentes sua as Suis ipsa a Roma viribus Ruit with continuall wrestlesness and as endless as easelesse Care and thought of a e i o u Tittle and
thy crooked Copyes and so a door be opened as it is already not more to curious pragmatical wits then plain honest Truth telling downright dealing upright hearted light loving souls to overturn this ticklish foundation and all that thy simply supposed certainty of a true entire and to a Tittle exact conformity of this Hebrew Text of Scripture with that which was pen'd by immediate motion p. 308. and so seem to derâ—gate from the universality of this rash hasty Assertion concerning the preservation of the Original Copies thereof to this hour in every Point Tittle and Iota 296. thou bestirrest thy self what thou canst thorough the whole Chapter aforesaid in vindication of the said universality and verity of thy Arch Assertion by diminishing this vast variation that is in the Keri and Ketib from the first manuscripts into a very little matter too vain to be at all counted upon as a various lection they are of so small weight and importance though I must here tell thee I. O. that of as small moment and importance as thou makest both these of Keri and Ketib as well as all the other varieties that thy self are sain to confesse to viz. those of Ben Asher and Ben Nepthali those of the Oriental and Occidental Iewes those called correctio Scribarum or the amendment in 18 places of some smaâ—l Apiculi as thou diminutively stilest them to salve the credit of thy exquisitely crude expression of thy self often by the Term of Apices and every Apex c. p. 27.317 and those called Ablatio Scribarum or a note of the Redundancy of Vau in five places O thou that art tossed to and fro and yet thou seemest with the superstitious Iewes to hold a Copy to ' e corrupted or prophaned if but one letter be but wanting or redundant sometimes viz. p. 170. yet the least of all these are of weight and importance enough for all thy summary saying of them all together p. 13.14 they are varieties in things of lesse indeed of no importance to knock thy principal position on the head and howbeit thou sayest not in the least p. 181. in the least at least to Impair the Truth o thy Arch Assertion that every Tittle and Letter of the outward Text which thou till stilest the word of God remaines in the Copies preserved by the merciful providence of God for the use of his Church to this day and I must tell thee moreover that the more thou stirrest in defence of the universal verity of that thy unwarrantable and utterly untrue Assertion the more it stinks and that rankly too not onely of unreasonable rashnesse and Real falshood but also of a meer Diotrephetically impudent and impositively prating Spirit in thy self that rather then recant one rashly assented absurdity will run into a thousand to offer so peremptorily to persist in t unlesse thou couldst speak more to the purpose then thou yet hast done or ever art like to do in proof thereof in that universality rigidity and strictnesse wherein thou statest it And as to those of the Keri and Ketib in particular the utmost thou sayest in all that Chapter wherein thou art wholly taken up about them whereby to refell the force of what falls heavily on thy Arch Assertion thence from by such as urge it to the evincing of variety of Lections from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or primitive Text is as strong as stubble it self to stand against it with and of no more force then foam and froâ—b to resell it For fiâ—st p. 297. thou sayest all the difference in these words that is the 840. words of the Keri and Ketib is in the Consonants not at all in the vowels Rep. In which saying thou givest thy whole cause for if there be little lesse then a thousand words now in the Hebrew Text differing in the Transcripts in their Consonants from what they were as written in the first Manuscripts what need any more to prove against thee that there are various Lections and that in more then in Tittles Iota's Vowels Accents Points and Apices in the least of which yet if variation be proved it disproves the universality and verity of thy great Assertion of Identity to a Tittle and what need the Authors of that insinuation over whom thou crowest upon thy own dunghill and triumphest before thy time p. 319. produce the least Testimony as thou falsly affirmest they cannot that there hath been in the world some Copy of the Bible differing mark thy words in the least from those we now enjoy or that those ye have are corrupted thou I. O. provest it against thy self to their hands yea that the Consonants themselves are greater matters then Points and Apices and of more importance with thy self is intimated by thee p. 317. in the eye of any ordinary Reader a yet thou thy self assertest p. 297. that 840. words are found different from what they were at first writing in no lesse then the very Consonants what need we then any further witnesse since we our selves have so much confessed out of thy own mouth or rather extant under thy own hand And what need the Authors of this insinuation prove their Assertion in answer to thy confident universal Challenge of them so to do p. 317. saying let them prove that there was ever in the world any other Copy of the Bible differing in any one word from those that we now enjoy Tu dicis thy self I. O. sayest it that there are differences from the fiâ—st Copies that were writâ—by the inspi el Authors and that of many sorts what needst-thou say let them produce one Testimony one Author of credit Iew or Christian that can or doth 〈◊〉 did speak one word to this purpose let them direct us to any relike any monument any kind of remembrance of them and not put us off with weak conjectures upon the signification of one or two words and it shall be of weight with us is it meet that a matter of so huge importance called into Question by none but themselves should be cast and determined by their conjectures doth they think men will part with the possession of Truth upon so easie Terms that they will be cast from their inheritance by divination Bona verba quaeso Possession of any thing that 's counted an inheritance I confesse is eleven points of twelve and they that are in it commonly count that Truth and Right is on their side right or wrong and the more ado and harder task they have who have to do with them to storm them out but as the case here stands it 's no great matter sith I. O. the possessour fights for us against himself Art thou an Author of credit thy self I. O. whose Testimony may be taken for Truth wilt thou believe thy self if not others I confesse as thou sayest p. 102. of the Romane Harlot the common fate of lyars hath so befallen her for lying mostly in many things she professeth that she deserves
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
or Syllable without the least mixture or interveniency of any medium obnoxious to fallibility as thou sayest it is p. 10. for in the very next words p. 10.11 thou utterest enough to the confutation of thy self in this while according to thy wonted manner of running round as one borrendo percussus Scotomate thou sayest the wisdom truth integrity knowledge and memory of the best of all men is obnoxious to fallibility and consequently say I capable to give change in the most careful Transcription that can be made by mans hands that is uninspired in much more then the least Iota or Syllable thus art thou contrary to thy self still 5. But I say for all thy reasonlesse rounds and self contradictory conceits more then Transcribers care and diligence is necessary thereunto i.e. to the producing of Copies infallibly conformable in every Tittle Iota and Point to those of the first Penmen and to the begetting of the divine faith which is more then meer humane fallible perswasion that thou oughst to have about the soundnesse universal incorruption certainty integrity invariablenesse and infallibility of that thou callest thy foundation even that immediate manutenentia Dei or undeceivable direction and divine inspiration of God which if it be wanting as thou confessest it was from the first to the last of thy Transcribers such is the weaknesse of men where never so much carefulnesse is in Transcribing of Books that there may be miscarriages and mistakes which if there be in the least Iota or Syllable it 's great enough to lay thy universal grand Assertion to the ground and all thy proof of it from the foresaid care and diligence will prove not worth a pin to thy purpose But alas what do I talk of weaknesse where either the leading of the Spirit of God is wanting or a willingnesse in men to be led by the holy Spirit as it is in all that assert as thou dost his infallible guidance to be gone out of the world in these dayes there 's not onely much weaknesse to such a weighty work as thou makest the Transcribing the Scripture to be but as thou sayest p. 104. so I in this case about the Scriptures so much vanity foolishnesse falsenesse unfaithfulnesse negligence ignorance and sloth love of money for which many write at others appointment being well paid for their plains more then of the matters they are writing as well in Scribes as Printers of the very Scripture it self carelesnesse adding detracting unsuitablenesse of their Spirits and minds to spiritual things losse of all remembrance of what they are and what they do c. that I can give very little credit to what I have nothing but the Authority Ability Integrity Wisdom Knowledge Truth Memory Care and Diligence of such to rely upon for without evidence of their being divinely and infallibly guided which guidance thou denyest to thy Scribes nor can any wise man groundedly believe any other but that the Books of Scripture passing through the hands of many such Transcribers have upon them the marks of their neglects ignorance and sloth and have had as hard of belief as thou seemest to be of this p. 206. the fate of other books Yea I. O. let me but ask thee this Is that faith thou hast that thy Greek and Hebrew Copies are to a Tittle so uncorrupted as thou contendest a divine faith or a fallible perswasion onely if the Latter it 's not worth a figge if thou have no bettr faith then so and art not more infallibly assured then so of the infallibility of that which thou callest thy most perfect Rule and infallible foundation If the former what is it must beget this divine faith in this thing that there 's not a Point nor Tittle varying in thy now Canon standard or adored Copy from the first Copy of the Text that ever was will thy vain confidence hopes conjectures good conceits of thou knowest not what Scribes that wrote thou knowest not when give thee such a faith or the Traditions and Authority and Testimony of honest men saying so and so downward for many generations or some infallible ground of certainty that they were guided to write every word by divine inspiration Not the first for thou utterly disclaimest that as no ground of divine faith about the Scriptures by saying thus p. 105. if numbers of men may be allowed to speak we may have a Traditional Testimony given to the blasphemous figments of the Alcoran But the constant Tradition of more then a thousand years carried on by innumerable multitudes of men great wise and sober from one generation to another doth but set open the gates of hell for the Mahometans and thus p. 114.115 though I should grant that the Apostles and penmen of the Scripture were persons of the greatest industry honesty integrity faithfulnesse holinesse that ever lived in the world as they were and that they wrote nothing but what themselves had assurance of as what men by their senses of seeing and hearing are able to attain yet such a knowledge and assurance is not a sufficient foundation for the faith of the Church of God if they received not every word by inspiration and that evidencing it self unto us otherwise then by the Authority of their integrity it can be no foundation for us to build our faith upon Not the latter for thou disclaimest that and darest not ascribe any such thing as infallible guidance or divine inspiration to thy Trustee Transcribers so where the divine faith about the firmnesse of thy foundation it self stands founded and bottom'd unlesse it be in the bottomlesse pit it self of thy own fancy he must have more Rope to fathom with then I have that will ever find Wilt thou not then I. O. say of the first Transcribers of the Scriptures that the were infallible and divinely inspired I do not say thou dost ill in refusing so to say nay rather thou dost very well and somewhat honestly and ingenuously in that for indeed we cannot tell nor say safely that they were so but art thou then freely willing in very deed to yeild it to us that they were fallible and that 't was not impossible for them to mistake This grant of thine we are as free to accept of as thou art to give it and make good use of it too not so much against as for thy self viz. to shew and instruct thee from thence that there 's rottennesse at the very root of all your Religion and a fearful flaw of fallibility that is in the very foundation of your faith and believing in which thou sayest ye are built on the writings of the Prophets and Apostles T. 1. c. 2 S. 4 that so ye may which is the worst that we wish you come to be better built on a firmer foundation and both you and your foundation and faith and all may stand fast and never as now ye must do fall any more from thenceforth for ever even the foundation of the
Imagination seems to me to border on Atheism Gods Promise c. require other thoughts at our hands and such like must therefore the Children and Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit run a Whoring with the dead Literatists back again from the Spirit to the Letter from the Son to the Servant from the Substantial Word to the Image and Copy of it from the Living to the dead from the eternal inalterable incorruptible Truth to the varying vanishing perishing Tittles of Greek and Hebrew External Texts Must they that are of the Light and of the Day Think and Dote and Dream with the light-defying Doctors of the Night and of the Darknesse And because I.O. those Point-prizing Rabbies and Tittle-trying Textmen and thou with them think so yet shall we think that every Tittle and Iota is the Word of the great God and that our eternal Concernment lyes in every outward Apex of thy Canonized Copy and that such an Accidental Attome is dearer to God then the whoâ—e World besides and that every Copy of the holy Scripture is prophane if redundant or deficient from what at first Writing it was in one Letter and that 't is more to mistake so as to alter a Letter in Transcribing a Copy of the Law then to burn the whole World Shall we think that the writers of Aristotle Plato would not for Money or for their Credits sake or something as most Scriveners do in what they undertake Transcribe as exactly as they could and shall we think that men uninspired as thou confessest the Scripture Transcribers were could possibly do any more then they could do Yet to entertain the best Thoughts of them that may be grant their Care and Diligence to be more then that of Common Scribes of Heathen Authors to save thee the pains of proving it and that à minori ad majus as the Romans would not Treacherously mis-transcribe Sybills Verses so much lesse would Iewes the Scriptures having therein to do with God yet shall we think all that Transcribed Scripture Translated it too knew not whom they had to do with as well as some Yet varieties thou here Confessest are in the Copies among themselves and that cannot be but that some of them must differ from the first Original and if at all in Tittles at least and if but so its enough to over-turn the universality of thy Assertion and so what was possible to some as mistakes were was possible to All and not impossible to any Transcribers Shall we think then because thou so thinkest that there are no Mistakes crept into the Original Copies upon they groundlesse Conjecture that if it be so that any be all Truth it self fails as to its certainty and that without remedy or relief though sufficiently propounded by Capellus and others to the satisfaction of any save wild I.O. that 's resolved to hold the Conclusion and is loath to abate of his once uttered rash Assertion but as it is forced from him by degrees professing that he will acknowledge nothing of this nature but what is proved by undeniable and irrefragable Instances which Instances also himself gives and though he would have others give heed to his own improbable Probabilities yet is Adeo infeliciter stupidus ut nulla ratione neque experentia erudiri possit quasi tamen ipse solus superer vana perswasione sideratus in contemptu omnium audaciter persistit cum Comico illo clamans dicat quod quisque volet ex hâ◠opinione non dimovebimur Etenim si seniorum suorum Cap. J.P. Testimonium seu Experientia ipsa ullius apud eum pondeâ—is effeâ— aut momenti Scripturae lectiones Transcriptiones esse variâ—s negare verecundaretur Ex. 2. Sect. 28. i. e. so unhappily irrefragably stupid himself as not by any Reason or Experience to be instructed but as if he alone must impose possest it with a vain perswasion pertinaciously proceeds in contempt of all men Crying out with the Comedian Let every one say what he will we will never be removed from this Opinion for if the Testimony of his Seniors Capellus I.P. or Experience it self were of any weight or moment he would blush to deny that there are various Lections and Transcriptions of the Scripture Shall we think because I.O. so speakes aâ— he thinks that it can with no colour of Probability be Asserted though learned men as is confest do confesse it that the same fate hath attended the Scripture in its Transcription as hath done other Books Shall we think because I.O. saith it so seems to him that so to imagine and so on deliberation to Assert borders on Atheism Shall we think and Conclude because I.O. Concludes so in his Thoughts that the whole Scripture entire as given out from God even every Letter and Tittle without any losse is preserved in the Copies of the Originals yet remaining Shall we think because I.O. without the least colour of Sense Reason Certainty or Probability thinks so that the Promise of God for the preservation of his Word and his Love and Care of his Church fails utterly if one Iot or one Tittle of the outward Text fails so as to be mistaken in the Transcribing Surely if so it fails as much through the failings that are in Translations not without his permission for his Word and Church as to her knowledge of it if the Letter were the only way to know it now are as much concern'd in the right Translation as Transcription yet I.O. denies that God vouchsafes his infallible guidance in either but surely the Promise of God for the Preservation of his Word with his care of his Church of whose Faith and Obedience not the Letter or Writing of it but the Word it self declared of therein is the Rule and was so before the Letter was the Preservation of which is neither more nor lesse by the Letters being or not being requires other Thoughts at our hands CHAP. VII NOw as for what follows that above named Crue or Brigade of Arguments that were crowded so close together for as to what I have spoken to last it was but a kind of carelesse Forlorn Hope that past afore them its mostly made up of a stragling Number of Grants Concessions Confessions Allowances Acknowledgments and yieldings up of the Case in hand or the Cause it self by I.O. so much before contended for howbeit so as that I.O. gives the World to know such is as he sayes truly pag. 191. of others and himself too the vanity curiosity pride and naughtinesse of the heart of man and his readinesse to please himself with his own thoughts of things having once published them as Evidences of his Learning and diligence and so exceedingly vain-glorious curious uncertain is the mind of man as I.O. also De quo fabula narratur sayes Epist. pag. 20. after a door to Reputation and Renown by Learning is opened in the World that having once spread himself in
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
onomamachijâ— so but that if thou canst prove the Scripture to demonstrate it self infallibiliteâ— Ex. 1. S. 1. infallibly and uncontroulably pag. 34. to be the Word of God as thou undertakest to evince but ad Graecas Calendas to morrow come never as they say thou wilt do and not before they will then freely grant it to be call'd so whose work with thee and all men is to have all things first known to be what they are in their proper natureâ— and then call'd by those proper Names that are agreeable to those natures Though then we deny the Scripture to be called by that of The Word of God as its proper Name yet it is upon this account because neither thou nor any man in the world is able to prove it to be so in its proper nature whereupon howbeit we eternally own the Word of God properly so to be and infallibly and incontroulably evidencing it selfe so to be and that it ought as by its own proper name to be called the Word of God which if thy tottering ragged way of Argumentation wherein thou ten if not twenty times over and more inadvertently and contrarily to all Rules of true Disputations transposest thy tâ—rms making the Word of God both thy subject and the praedicate also which thou often praedicatest of it self be well observed thou belabourest thy self to prove against I know not whom to be evidently and to be called properly the Word of God and howbeit we also own the Word of God to be all those other things viz Foundation Rule Light Touchstone Witnesâ— of God onely means of the saving knowledge of God most effectual means of bringing men to repentance quickening power power of God to salvation and many more by which thou denominatest it Nevertheless that the Scripture or outward Writing or external text of either your Copies of the Original or the Original Copies which you have not now in the world much more that the text of any Translation thereof into other tongues or the English tongue either which is all that poor English people have who are no higher learnt as to Earthly Languages then their Mother-tongue much more that every tittle Iota and Apex of any of these as thou Apishly contendest it is in your Transcripts at least pag. 168 169. is either the Word of God or any â—ther of those things or properly to be called by that of the VVord of God by which yet thou streinest a point to call it and dost o're and o're either under that term the VVord or that of the Scripture which is onely properly its own this is that which I am here entering the Lists with thee about and am to the undeceiving of both Powers and People of this Nation who by your sophistical sorceries are bewitcht into a blinde Opinion about both the truth and the Qua. who hold it out in that particular notwithstanding thy pretensive proofs to disprove against thee Nevertheless before I can yet come immediately to the examination of thy proofs in particular in order to the disproof thereof or to thy own holding out of any thing to the contrary so many great and gross are the absurdities and illegalities of thy manner of Disputation in proof of this business viz. that the Scripture both as to name and thing is and is infallibly and undeniably known to be the Word of God that I may not honestly pass on here without a discovery to all men of thy most illegitimate and downright dishonest dealing in thy driving on of thy Argumentation inâ—order to the evincing thereof in sundry particulars which I shall exhibit to the view of all men under this one general head viz. thy unworthy Begging of the main question in hand which thou takest upon thee to prove as well in thy English Treatise upon that subject which thou sayest thou hadst preached on which as published is a Dispute too for the Scriptures as in thy Latine illogical and Theological Disputations or Apologeticals pro Scripturis in both the one and the other of which thou never keepest close to thy main terms which ought never to be altered in any legal Disputation but both changest and confoundest them together even the Grand subject that is the Scripture and the Grand Praedicate of it that is the Word of God almost as often as thou hast to do with them insomuch that thy Trâ—ctations and Transactions for and about the outward Letter or Text of the Scriptures which are the subject from whence thy Latine and thy English works in their Title Pages both bear their main denominations of Vindication of and Apologies for the Texts of the Scripture the proof of which to be the known pure perfect powerful living spiritual saving necessary unalterable unchanged uncorrupted c. Word of God is thy main professed work scope drift and intent thoroughout them are such an indistinct term-transposing Argumentation such a â—â—agonized mess of male proof such an underboard piece of double-dealing as proclaims its Author as well to such as know him by neither as to such as know him both by name and face to be one that durâ— not play above-board but digged as deep as he well durst for fear of being too much disâ—ryed in his deceit on the other hand to hide his counsel that he might be the less noted in his turnings of things up-side-down that having once put apart as two specifically different things the Scripture or its Doctrine whereof one was to be his main subject the other his main praedicate throughout his disputation durst not keep them clearly asunder as he should have done all along in his premises till he came to his Conclusion in which onely if at all they were by right to be joined nor speak of them constantly Sigillatim as of two things formally seperated in their nature to be seperated in their names till the one he infallibly or plainly proved to be the other viz. the Scripture to be the Word of God and the Word of God to be the Scriptures But being jealous whether things might grow to the disadvantaâ—â— or hazard of hi cause in question and utter loss of his positive assertion of the Scriptures to be the Word of God if he should was afraid to speak plain so I believe thou I.O. art to utter thy meaning too openly or speak thy mind out too distinctly and so chusest to prosecute thy proofs the more promiscuously and to carry thy ill cause on the more confusedly by the shifting and changing of thy terms ever and anon and to beg the question in hand or take it for granted before it be given thee that the Scripture is the Word to supplant and forestall thy Reader with thy often or ordinary crouding of these each under the other's Name and indifferent denominatings of them each by the other as Synonomaeâ— before thy time i.e. Before thou hast proved the name of the one at all proper to the other by the one 's
true participation of the others essential properties or nature so that â— like the Fisâ— Caepia that being pursued by its adversaries flings a flood of black inky stuff behind it to hide it self from being seen and taken by a blind blending and cloudy confounding of things together which being treated of formaliter and discoursed of divisim each under its own peculiar form and proper name and nature both thy own folly and the falseness of thy propositions should be discovered yea by pidling and pedling and playing fast and loose thou seem'st to puzzle the minds and put out the eyes of such as shall ever prosecute thee for thy rotten principles insomuch that I may truly say of thee what thou untruly utterest concerning the Qua. pag. 69. of thy Latine Tract viz. Quaenam sit horum hominum sententia haud facile quis declarabit c. And so mutatis mutandis turning all thy Verbs out of the 3 d. person Plural into the 2 d. person singular I may safely sing back to thee in thy own words as follows viz. What thy mind J.O. is in this Question Whether the Scripture be the Word of God or no one can hardly declare for besides that thou agreest not with thy self thou dost so foolishly and nauseously prate in the opening of thy mind and meanings and playest about in words of an uncertain and dubious signification and usest for the most part certain forraign phrases containing no sâ—und sence that can well be understood by any that are well in their wits which are enough either to astonish or bewitch unskilful men so that it 's more easie to confute thy Arguments then conceive thy meaning yea when thy Opinion is so foul and dishonest that if the fair pretences and covers be removed and it distinctly unfolded it sufficiently destroyes it self amongst all honest men that are not openly dishonest endeavouring what thou canst so delude either thou speakest is not out openly or else manglest it to pieces in such a sticht and patcht up forme of speech that can signifie well-nigh nothing at all and so darkening thy Counsel by words without knowledge thou seemest to be afraid of nothing more then least thou shouldst be understood In such wise as this I.O. dost thou proceed in thy present Paper Works that are now under Examination having in thy hast heedlesly uttered forth some faucied high-flown falsities about the bare Letter and meer outside of the Scriptures and every Tittle and transcribed Iota thereof viz. That these are the true spiritual Light and Authoritative Powerful Word of God and such like and after fearing the falshood of such forward expressions from which as most of thy fellow wise men are in the like case who though they are foolish and ignorant enough yet of all things in the world are loath to seem and even abhor to be accounted so to be thou art ashamed totally to recede and recant so as altogether to go back which rather then do when ye are once over Shooes thou and thy generation chuse to be over Boots also thou staggerest and reelest now this way now that and to mend and moderate the rigidity of thy Positions about the Scripture for the saving of thy credits sake as far Salva celâ—itudinis ac celeberrimae sapientiae tâ—ae gloriâ as is consistent with thy credit another way thou wheelest about and frequently foisting in the Predicate into the place of the Subject and that Term the Word of God in the room where this Term only viz. the Scripture should stand even while thou art but in thy proof of the Scripture to be the Word thou darknest thy counsel by words utterly without knowledge and rendrest thy self ambedextrously and ambiguously that thy Reader may not well read thy meaning in what thou writest nor whether when thou avowest the Scripture to be the Word of God and powerful c. thou intend'st the Scripture it self that one individual thing call'd the Letter or Writing which alone is the very formality of the Scripture or the other individual thing which is not at all the outward Scripture though so called often by thee viz. That Word of which the Scripture only speaketh for one while thou singlest out that grand subject of thy Dispute i. e. the Scripture and setting it apart from the Doctrine Faith Divine Truth and VVord it writes of seemest as if all along thou wouldest discuss the things thou praedicatest of it under that single notion of its being an external Writing apart from the Doctrine and Word of Faith written of therein as Tr. 1 C. 1. S. 12 13. expressing thy self thus viz. not onely the Doctrine in it but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very writing writings book it self is so and so thereby leading thy Reader up and down by the Nose up into the air into a high expectation of thy handling the Scripture formally quatenus Scripta as a Writing as written which is the onely subject promised to be treated on and for in the Title pages and of thy proving it as suchâ— to be the Word and mighty power of God from whence thou tumblest him down again and frustrating those his former expectations other while conjangletim thou jumblest these two as Synonomaes into one in many such or the like expressions viz. the writing or wâ—rd written the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the Doctrine as written and Tr. 1. C. 4. S. 2. the Scripture or written VVord of God and S. 6. Now the Scripture the VVord of God is light the innate Arguments that the Word of God is furnisht withall for its own manifestation contain the full or formal grounds of our answer to that question why we receive the Scripture see how these terms are twisted one into another to be the word of God Tr. 1. C. 4 S. 1. Thus thou usest them so promiscuously as if they being with thee entirely one 't were indifferent and no matter at all which of the two thou expressest thy self by saying sometimes the Scripture is a light a moral and spiritual not a natural Light as Tr. 1 C. 4. S. 8 9. The Scripture makes a proposition of it self as the VVord of God Tr. 1. C. 4. S. 14. for the proof of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures if the Booke be brought to him or them that acknowledge it not c. the VVord there thou goest off again left with them it will evidence it self S. 15. The Scripture it enroll'd among things that are able to evidence themselves S. 16 17. Iâ— i.e. the Scripture is absolutely called the Power of God S. 18. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament do abundantly and uncontroulably manifest themselves to be the Word of the living God so that meerly upon that account of their proposal of themselves to us in the Name and Majesty of God as such without contribution of help or assistance from any thing else without themselves we are obliged upon the penalty of
eternal damnation as all are to whom by any means they came or are brought to receive them with that submission of soul which is due to the Word of God T. 1. C. 2. S. 5. The Scripture being brought unto us it doth evidence it self infallibly to our Consciencet to be the Word of the living God T. 1. C. 4. S. 2. If the Question be VVhether the Doctrines proposed to be believed are truths of God or fables we are sent to the Scripture it self and that alone to give the determination T. 1. C. 3. S. 16. Surely men will not say the Scripture hath its power to command in the Name of God from anything but it self T 1. c 2. s. 6. Them that own the Booke whereof we speak to be the Word of God T. 1. c. 3. s. 12. How know we that the Scripture is the Word of God How may others come to be assured thereof the Scripture say we beares testimony to it self that it is the Word of God T. 1. c. 4. s. 31. And in thy two Treatises which treat all along of the Text thou tellest it more loud-lye that every letter and tittle that they were transcribing and to be transcribed of the Old Testament by the Jews was part of the Word nay the Word of the great God wherein the eternal concernment of souls doth lye These and much more ejusdem furfuris are the wayes wherein thy minde makes out it self sometimes sometimes again as if thou wert somewhat sensible of having not a little overshot thy self by thy too too eminent expressions and lofty undertakings for the naked scriptures which can never possibly be made good of them to palliate all thy proud boastings and broad shews and too too ample settings out of a bare body or bulk of Letters and â—â—ward Writings thou drawest thy neck out of the Collar wherein it hung slylie flink'st away and shrinkest back standing like Caesar at Rubicon with one foot over he Dote-fel and the other on this side saying Yet I may go on and by and by Yet I may go back not resolved which way to betake thy self whether to go on in thy high and hasty undertakings for the Scripture upon that old single score of its being but barely Scripture least thy proof should not hold at so high a rate or whether to double thy files by bringing them two both into one again that were sometime sundred viz. the Scripture and the Doctrine or Word of truth it treats of the outward Writing and the Word of Faith within that is written of which could not be made appear consider'd sigillatim or apart to be both of them the Word of God and at last though that be bad enough there being no better way in the sight of one that loving the praise of men more then the praise of God is loath among men to be mock't at as the builder that begins and cannot carry it to an end having another string to thy Bow thou strengthenest thy weake business what thou art able furtively clapping a greater glory light power and honour in respect of titles about that dark dead weak and naked body of the writings then that which considered by it self it can duely and lawfully challenge Notwithstanding thy unwary assertions not onely elsewhere but also Ex. 1. S. 26 27. viz. That scriptura hoc verbi Dei nomen sibi vendicaâ— The scripture challengeth this Name of the Word of God unto it self even that of the inward living Word of God it self to which alone all that glory and those glorious Names by right are due and not to the Letter and were due before the Letter was when thou hast laid the true unchangeable inward truth and Word of God instead of the Letter the outward and thy outwardly beloved Changeling and subtilly shrowded it under that name and notion of the Word of God which is the very thing in question and the name to be disputed on whether it be due to it or no and is as much still denied by us as it is by a piece of sophistical thievery taken by thee to be its undoubted right before it be either proved by thee or by us or any but Ignoramus himself granted to theâ—â— Then O come let us sing a new song thou marchest forward again 〈◊〉 driving on thy self same Old Dispute concerning a new stol'n different Subject which is now prest to serve as both thy Subject and thy praedicate and to supply the proper place of both which being denominated and praedicated all along of it self all thou sayest of it is most undoubtedly true and uncontroulably thou carryest all clear before thee crying it up to this purpose viz. that of a truth the Word of God is a light the Word of God is living the word of God is perfect of Divine Authority the Word is the most glorious light in the world a shining illuminating light preferr'd abâ—uâ— that of the sun c. the Word of God is furnisht with innate Arguments for its manifestation of it self i e. to be the Word of God There is in the dispensation of the Word an evidence of truth commending it self â—â— the consciences of men some receive not this evidence is it for want of Light in the Truth it self No that is a glorious Light that shines into the hearts of men Where-ever the Word comes by what means soever it hath in it self a sufficiency of Light to evidence it self to all that Authority of God its Author Which Authority is with I.O. its power to command as the Word of God The Word makes a sufficient proposition of it self where-e ver it is He that hath the witness of God need not stay for the witness of man for the Witness of God is greater Where-ever the Word is received indeed as it requireth it self to be received and is really assented to at the Word of God it hath its power of manifesting it self so to be from its own innate Light thy VVord is Truth c. s. 14. Thou hast magnified over all thâ— Name the Word thou hast spoken the Name of God is all that whereby he makes himself known yet over all this God magnifies â—his Word c. T. 1. C. 4. sect 15. Leave the Word with men and is it evidence not it self unto their consciences it is because they are blinded In all which sentences and many more that might be mentioned there 's no mention of the scriptures by the old true Term of the scriptures though that Name is interwoven too in wel-nigh every page to denote that although the Discourse that is in proof of their being the Word of God is driven on in their behalf under that new Name of the Word of God yet by that word the Word we may know that by I.O. the Scriptures are still intended but as if the sole use of that single Name of Scriptures might prove too weak a term to venture the stress of the whole
Cause upon and too empty an Engine to carry it by it s carryed along also under that more trusty term of the Word of God by which Name I.O. by a thing call'd Petitio Principij granting himselfe leave to call the Let ter before it 's given undertakes to prove it to be the Word of God and most uncontroulably proves it so to be so far as the Letter he calls the Word of God is really so though for all his seeming to himself to have won all not one jot farther then it s so indeed that indeed is not at all having gotten such a noun substantive as the true Word of God is which can stand by it self under its own Name of the VVord of God without objection in all propriety of speech and signification and is every way able to evidence it self to be the VVord of God and is seen felt heard of them that heed it and understood not denyed so to be by the Qua. to stand by his noun adjective assertion of the scripture so to be which cannot stand by it selfe under that Name in any propriety of speech or sound sence reason or signification then he runs an end nemine c ontradicente none opposing or withstanding him in his progress nor however reserving alwayes a liberty to themselves to dissent as they see occasion from his meaning so much as once gain-saying him in his terms with a hideous Hue and Cry for the Word of God striving to restore it by his over-often repetitions of it to that title which it never lost among the Qua. who being begotten and born again into the Image of God by it are by whom onely it stands truly justified â— the children of it and of the Truth scribling it over with all his might the Word of God the Word of God the Word of God is a Light and the Word of Life the Word of God is the powerful and living and efficacious Word of God the Word of God is the Word that dwells and dives within the heart the word of God doth evidence it self to be and therefore is without controle the Word of God yea thus with a non obstante to all that deny the word to be the word which are none at all J.O. if it may be first granted him that the Scripture is the Word will undertake to prove it beyond without all further question to be the word Thus JO. howbeit by that terme the Word of God he means the Scripture all along in his book saving in one place where he calls the Word essential and effective yet as if he had utterly forgot that his business is to prove the Scripture to be the Word of God as if he had remembred himself after he was entred that his proof would not hold out without a palpable appearance of piteous weakness if he should have prosecuted it throughout under that terme of Scripture takes his predicate and makes that his subject also and in terminis goes all along asserting and assuring us the word of God is un doubtedly the word of God yea Tr. 1. cap. 2. sect 14. he goes on to prove that the word of God doth evidence it self to be of God and is of as much or more excellency and efficacy then his works and innate light to reveal God and give the knowledge of his will not so much as once mentioning the letter or Scripture at all which is the subject he there takes on him to speak of in all the following sections to the Chapters end so be labouring him all along to prove another question then that he affirmed viz. that the word is so and so when his business was to have proved the Scripture to be the known word of God for who denies that the word of God is assuredly his word but that the letter is that word is that which is denied and by him undertaken to be proved yet on he goes in his wonted blundring manner upon that term the word of God the word is undoubtedly evident to be the word making that both Suject and Predicate whereas he should have said all along if the light and Gods outward works do so much more doth the Scripture or the letter evidence it self to be the Word of God so giving his Reader no more to understand what his meaning is but that we know it some way else nor which is which by any distinction in his found or shewing when he speaks of the Scripture which is the Copy of it or the word it self which is that in the heart declared of in Scripture which he was to prove the Scripture to be then the Welch-man that being to give evidence before a Court between two that were fighting who began and was most in fault answered no otherwise then in this confused manner viz. If Him had struck Him as Him did Him either Him had killed Him or Him Him without any indignation of which of the two he meant either this or that by any or by all of his many Hims In this confused indistinct manner doest thou J.O. dispute for the Scriptures being and appearing to be the word of God so that none but folk knows what thou pleadest for viz. whether the Scripture it self singly and formally considered about which the controversie is whether it be the word of God or no or the Word of God it self about which no controversie iâ— at all with the Qu. â— who own Gods Word to be his Word yea draw up all thy Rambling matter into a closer form and thy Arguments which though thou call but some of them Inarteficial and the rest Arteficial yet are in truth the most inarteficial ones that ever I saw fall from the hands of an Artist or ever heard called truely by the name of Arguments into a nearer compass and set them in a true fair syllogistical form and order and they will appear either most false or foul or disorderly or sophistical or deformed Reader for a taste take one or two of J. O.'s mediums letting alone the examination of the strength and force of his Arguments whether such as he calls Arteficial or Inartificial and of their true consequence or inconsequence as to the Scriptures appearing to be the word to its due placeâ— and see what a mamockâ— kinde of matter they make or amount to as J.O. orders or rather disorders his matters by his impostural intruding of one subject in place of another and thrusting in of that terme the Word of God which is the main thing predicated of the Scriptures to stand instead of that terme the Scriptures of which it is by him predicated and to be proved both in esse reali cognoscibili Ex. 1. sect 1. that they are and are assuredly known to be the VVord of God and so properly to be called Having first in T. 1. cap. 1. sect 25. laid the divine original of the Scripture as the Basis of all his Babylonish building and as he saith T.
1. c. 2. s. 3. opened the manner of the Words coming forth from God to prove the Scriptures of the old and new Testament to be the VVord of God much of which makes against himself at large in a long Train of perplexive prittle prattle throughout his whole second third and fourth Chapters from the self-evidencing property and efficacy of the Scriptures which aforehand still he calls the VVord of God but to shut it all up together in short to this purpose viz. That which evidenceth it self to be the Word of God that is and is known assuredly to be the Word of God But the Word of God doth evidence it self unto us to be the Word of God therefore the Word of God is and is known assuredly to be the Word of God The minor in this Syllogisme none denieth it being true in those termes it here stands in◠yet it is false and sophistical as falling from him who by that term the Word of God in the sore part of the Proposition means the Scriptures the utter falshood of which minor and so consequently of the conclusion which is now true but aliud a negato would have too plainly appeared if he had not sophistically placed that subject i.e. the Word of God as it stand formost in both in the room of the right subject i.e. the Scriptures or if he had not changed his minor term but exprest himself thus viz. But the Scriptures do evidence themselves to be the Word of God therefore the Scriptures are and are known assuredly to be the Word of God And to prove that minor J.O. useth another medium viz. Gods magnifying his Word above all his Name by which à minore ad majus i.e. from the self-evidencing power of smaller matters as he counts them i.e. the Works of God and the Light in the conscience the Law written in the heart and the notions inlaid there with his own finger which he calls the voice of God in nature for these are low ◠darke obscure principles and means of revealing God and his will with J.O. in comparison of the writings and letters that are inlayed in parchment and paper with the finger of meer man which low principles yet are able to plead their own divine original and evince them to be of God he argues at large that the Word of God Scripture again he should have said doth much more evidence it self to be his Word and to put his lax and loose words into a narrower room and into a more Argumentative or Syllogistical posture thus viz. If those inferiour Names of God whereby he makes himself known even his works without and his Light his Law written in the heart and conscience to which there need be no other Witness that when they testifie God's Righteousness or Holynesse and call for moral obedience which is eternally and indispensably due to him they speak from God do evidence themselves to be what they are and to be of him then much more his Word the Scripture he should have said which God magnifies over all his Name must evidence it self to be his Word But those inferionr Names do evidence themselves and therefore much more doth the Word of God the Scriptures again he should have said evidence it self to be the Word of God Rep. What a strange story is here as if a man should tell a tale of two things a Cock and a Bull metamorphos'd into one whereof the one having been as confidently as untruly avowed to be assuredly known to be the other viz. The Cock to be a Bull is being denied as Ridiculously as Reasonlesly profer'd to be proved in this illegal and illogical way of Argumentation viz. That which evidenceth it self to be a Bull both is and is assuredly known to be a Bull but the Bull alias the Cock for so he means should say evidenceth himself to be a Bull Therefore the Bull or the Cock both is and is assuredly known to be a Bull. In this shameful manner and sorry sort doth I.O. having once audaciously avouch 't it go about to prove the Scriptures to be and to be assuredly known to be the VVord of God by Anticipation sophistically substituting that subject the Word of God in his disputation for it in the room of the legal subject i.e. the Scriptures taking it perforce from such as give it not for granted that it is so while to them-ward it s yet no more but the thing in Question and utterly unproved so to be which question I.O. not onely begs but also begs so unworthily and basely that I never saw the like to it but once before in all my life and the like to it can't likely be seen again unless a man should beg it on his knees little less then plainly confessing that unless it be aforehand granted him that the Scripture is the Word of God he cannot possibly prove it so to be What wise man that is as willing to do the Truth Right as thee I.O. no wrong can make any better construction of thy own words as they are to be read in the ◠sect of the 4. chap. of thy first Treatise where professing that in the remainder of thy Discourse thorowout that Treatise which is all in proof of the Scriptures being assuredly the word of God thou shalt endeavour to clear and vindicate the self evidencing efficacy of the Scripture and the grounds thereof by such common Mediums as shall as well reach the Reasons of such men as acknowledge not the Scripture to be the Word of God as of such as do thou desirest in effect onely to have thus much first granted thee that thou mayest have leave the Scripture being that out of which thy proofs for and grounds of this self-evidencing efficacy of the Scripture to be the Word of God are to be taken to consider the Scripture as 't is the written word of God or else all thy proofs will be weak and able to prove just nothing This onely quoth I.O. to recite his own words I shall desire to promise that whereas some grounds of this efficacy seem to be placed in the things themselves contained in the Scripture I shall not consider them abstractedly as such but under their formality of being the Scripture or written Word of God without which consideration and resolution the things mentioned would be left naked and utterly divested of their Authority and Efficacy pleaded for and be of no other nature and importance then the same things found in other Books Which is as much as to say Being by the Scripture to prove the Scripture or writing both to be and to evidence it self to be the Word written or the written Word of God let such as deny it deny that their denial of it and but first own it with me that the Scripture or writing formaliter is the written Word of God and let us but under that name nature notion and formality consider it and then let
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
of the Old Testament must be also affirmed of the New with this addition of advantage and preheminenâ—â— that it received its beginning of being spoken by the Lord himself 6. Seeing it is so as is abovesaid that all was not written by the hands of the inspired Authors themselves at the very first but much by such Scribes only as wrote from them as dictated to by them to whom God gave out this minde and so wrote not so immediately from God as thou dreamest but that they might mispell or mistake in more than Titles and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most good men being but bad Schollers and Scribes as to inch more humane earthly skill as your Schollership lyes in how absolutely doth this overturn that other utter untruths that thou tellest twice over to the manifesting of thine own folly more fully in uttering twice such falshood not so much as once observing it viz. pag. 10 11. that the Word which with thee still is the Scripture is come forth unto us mark unto us from God without the least mixture or interveniency of any Medium obnoxious to fallibility as is the wisdome truth integrity knowledge and memory of the best of all men But if what I have shewed above did not contradict and give check to this saying of thine about the Scriptures coming out immediately from God unto us who live so many ages from the last person who received any part of it immediately from God thou whose great Masterpiece of business it is throughout thy whole book to say and unsay and contradict thy self and run in Rounds overturnest and statly contradictest it thy self saying pag. 30. that we have not the Scripture from God immediately our selves in which self-confutation and contradiction of pag. 10. by pag. 30. thou canst not to continue long neither but as one delighting to dance round and shew how well skill'd thou art in tracing to and fro about the Scripture thou to go round again returnest and reiteratest pag. 153. that falsity uttered by thee pag. 10. in this wise over again viz. The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament were immediately and entirely given out by God himself mark as if God himself had wrote it every tittle with his own finger whereas how little God himself wrote I have shewed above and how such as were immediately inspired the mediation of whose hand writing in what they also wrote comes between God and us did not write it all immediately with their own hands but men that took what they said from them in writing by the active improvement of their knowledge wisdome skill in writing memory and other rational faculties so far is the Text from coming immediately from God to the men of those Cities and places that lived where and when it was written but how much farther from being immediately and entirely without any medium obnoxious to fallibility from God to us who live so many Ages off unto whom that Text J.O. talks of is descended perhaps at the hundreth hand through the hands of who knows what unskilful careless forgetful Scribes or Transcribers the very best of which J.O. at best confesses to be but fallible and that it was possible they might and also did mistake so as that failings fell out among them p. 167. nevertheless on he goes thus concerning that Scripture or writings viz. That Gods minde is in them represented unto us without the least interveniency of such mediums and wayes as were capable of giving change or alteration to the least 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or syllable 7. Whereas thou sayest there was onely a passive concurrence of the rational faculties of the Writers without any such active obedience as by any Law they might be obliged to though I have shewed thee that all the first Writers were not inspired but some wrote from their lips that were so and so were though never so skilful obnoxious to fallibility yet as thou intendest it of such Prophets Apostles Evangelists as wrote their own Prophesies Epistles Histories Proverbs Psalms c. with their own hands as they were moved by the Spirit it s utterly untrue that thou affirmest for the holy men of God who either wrote their Scripture with their own hands or dictated to such as they required to pen it from their mouthes as themselves spake from the mouth of God out of which came all that wisdome knowledge and understanding that is thereby uttered forth were such as were not so meerly pasive as thou praiest in the reception of what they wrote without any active concurrence of their rational faculties but in order to their receiving the word and manifestation of the minde and will of God to them which was written had both then and long before also an active concurrence thereof and such an active obedience to God as all men are by the Law of God i.e. the light in the conscience obliged to whereby they were made and became first holy men before they were used by God in such an holy work as preaching and wrriting out his minde to others and were brought into the thing or life it self they spake and wrote of and were purged from lusts and defilements and iniquities and foolish and unlearned questions and such prophane and vain bablings as ye are yet exercised in at your Vniversities about the Bible as well as about other books of humane businesses that in comparison of that holy truth that is in the Bible handled are but meer Baubles which a man being purged from 2 Tim. 2.16 19 20 21 22 23. he shall be a vessel of honour sanctified and meet for the Masters use and prepared unto every good work Yea their Prophets that spake out that holy Doctrine and soul-saving truth that is declared in the Scriptures what ever some of them might be that were exercised in the copying out of sundry of those to us more unnecessary and unprofitable parts thereof viz. the endless Legal Genealogical Chronological Catalogues of mens names not so needful to us to know were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holy men of God 2 Pet. 1. ult and such to whose souls knowledge and wisdome and the fear of God was pleasant who cried after it and lifted up their voices to God for it and were in such love with it as to wait on God for it out of whose mouth it comes and daily at the posts of wisdomes house which your Vniversities are not yet acquainted with and sought it as silver and searched for it as for hid treasure and though to Prophesie was a gift of God and such as have it are so passive as to receive it from the giver and none can receive any thing of it except it be given him from above Joh. 3. and though it is in no wise to be purchased by mens mony at Schools and Colledges as our Accademical Simon Magus's suppose who to obtain and buy all the gifts whereby they Prophesie to men for mony and sell them for mony
is added So every Apex equally Divine and as immediately from God as any of it yea and as the voice whereby he spake in the Prophets pag. 27. But I say as written by thee so universally of the Writers and meer Writing of the Scriptures as they are they are for the most part as false as that foregoing and that I have said above concerning the Writing of much of the Scripture at first as it stands in your Bibles by Scribes that wrote either out of other Copies or from the mouths of men more immediately inspired or from what was commonly reported and generally believed and what they had heard as delivered to them by more immediate eye and ear witnesses and what they retain'd in their memories and some way or other comprehended beforehand may stand as a sufficient Answer to this parcel also wherein according to thy wonted habitual darkness ignorance and contradiction to the Truth thou deniest the Pors-men and holy Prophets in their Writings to be enabled to declare and write what they wrote by any habitual light knowledge or conviction of the Truth As if they wrote what they neither saw nor heard nor knew nor believed to be true but besides all sight and understanding discerning mental conception meditation Rational Apprehension Faith or any manner of Antecedent comprehension of the truths they told as if they were all acted and us'd in the Writing of every Tittle by the Lord just no otherwise but as a Musical Instrument in a man's hand or the Pen itself by an expert Writer which can yeeld no more then a meer passive concurrence having no principle of life within it self from whence to act any thing at all or to move a hairs breadth in any business but as it 's mov'd or as some stark dead Corps which can neither stir nor stand but as extrinsecally born up and carried forth because deest aliquid intus Whereas as I have shew'd above some of them wrote not by immediate inspiration or bringing of the things into their minds so by the spirit but mediately that is from the mouths or writings of such as received the truths more immediately as they were inspired wrote as they also spake no other things then what by some means or other they beforehand comprehended no other then what they heard and saw and believed and retained in their minds and memories whereinto the spirit of truth and the truths he guided them into which the world receives not were both received conceived and entertained yea and I here add no other then such as in the same light were more or less seen known understood and believed before any Scripture at all was though 't was by the same way then which I know no other that the Scripture speaks of of knowing God or Christ viz of internal spiritual Revelation Matth. 11.27 Ioh. 6.47 1 Cor. 2.9 10 11 12. Gal. 1.16 Did Paul believe or witness or write any other things when he wrote with his own hands what was immediately revealed in spired into him by the same holy spirit then what by the same spirit in which and no other way all the things of God are known and ever were holy men of God believed owned witnessed wrote and both in their Writings and Speakings acknowledged to be the truth see Act 24.14 26.22 23. 2 Cor. 1 13. 4.13 Did he write any other things then what they to whom he wrote might and did read elsewhere even in the light and spirit within themselves and did thereby acknowledge to be the truth And did not he himself before he wrote them in the movings of the spirit acknowledge them to be the truth himself And did he in the light in which he liv'd and saw them acknowledge them to be the truth and yet was not enabled by any habitual Light knowledge or conviction of the truth to declare them in writing as he did but wrote as one ignorant in the dark unbelieving and unconvinced of the truths he wrote and as senselesse unintelligently and passively without any active obedience to the spirit pressing him or yeelding any but a meer passive influence and concurrence of his rational faculties in the worker as a meer dead thing that is utterly devoid of all kind of life motion or principle of Action within it self and uncapable of any action at all or motion but as it is acted ab extra by some forensical force or compulsion as a Musical Woodden instrument or a pen by the hand of the writer what a weak crooked crazy piece of conception of Scripture in this of thine of which I may truly say there was not so much active concurrence of the rational faculties of the Scribes in their writing of the Scripture but there is as little in this of thine who writest as if all the Prophets of God that ever spake and wrote what of his minde they received from his own mouth by standing in his counsel and hearkning to what he said in them and waited on him to know and understand his will and word first that they might do it in the particular in their own persons and as moved or commanded in obedience to him declare it to others were absolutely and meerly as passive as Balaams Ass was whose mouth miraculously was opened and his minde indued with rational faculties supernatural to him as he was a Beast to Reason out the case with his unrighteous Master and to reprove the madness of that Prophet and as meerly passive in their work of Prophesie as Caiphas the High Priest was whose mouth was opened to speak truer than he was aware of and to prophesie of a thing out of his irrational faculties that was as high above the reach of the best rational faculties he had being a man degenerate from pure perfect reason and in the fall as fallen mans best reason is above the brute beasts of the field for as Herod and Pontius Pilate did with wicked hands the things that God before determined should come to pass fulfilling the Prophets words in slaying Christ little thinking they served the truth as they did in it as the Assyrian in the like case they meant not so nor did their heart think otherwise than to destroy Isa. 10.5 6 7. Act. 4.27 28. Act. 3.17 18. Act. 13.27 28 29. So that Priest with a wicked heart intentionally to counsel them to murther Christ had his mouth prepared to Prophesie a precious truth which as so he spake not of himself so as one that had the light knowledge or conviction of the truth but besides himself as the Ass in the other case Numb 22.28 29 30. Joh. 11.29 50 51 52 53. Joh. 10.14 Whereas most evident it is that the holy men of God who wrote any part of the Scripture by immediate inspiration with their own hands to let pass that which some wrote for and from them as dictated to by their mouthes were in the light sight knowledge prae-conviction comprehension
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
and doth God reveal the hidden mysteries of the Gospel any way but by his Spirit to his Saints which searcheth all things even the deep things of God and doth any know the things of God but the Spirit of God and the spiritual men who in it and not by the letter which letter the world hath yet hath not the other have minde of Christ 1 Cor. 2.9 to the end And in that of Peter coted by thee is there the least hint of the Scriptures or of the Prophets searching the Scriptures or of any signification of the things they ministred to others in their writings by the Scriptures but only by the Spirit And as for Daniel it is true he understood by the books of Jeremiah the cerâ—ain number of seventy years how long the Captivity should last but what of that num ex puris particularibus aliquid sequitâ—â— universale Wilt thou argue from one to all much more wilt thou infer from thence that neither Daniel nor any other Prophets understood their own writings but by the Scriptures of the other Prophets which is the absurdity thou assertest And as for Davids saying Through thy Precepts I get understanding Hast thou got no more understanding yet then to beleeve that the Precepts Statutes â—udgements Laws Commandments Testimonies Word Ordinances Wayes Truth Name one or other of which names is either in the singular or in the plural number used in every individual verse excepting two throughout that long 119. Psalm consisting of an 176. verses no other thing is meant but the outward letter writing or Scripture of Moses five books very little more than which was extant in Davids dayes wherein the ten words which God wrote with his own hand and a few more Ceremonious matters were recorded by the hand of Moses Is not the Commandement or Word or Law of God as the letter speaks the Lamp or Light that the letter only speaks of Psal. 19.7 c. 119.105 Prov 6.23 And if all the other Prophets that succeeded Moses studied the writingâ— of Moses and one another in order to the knowledge of their own Prophetical writings without which they understood them not savingly as thou sillily sayest yet I wonder what other Prophets writingâ— Moses himself who was one of the Prophets not excepted by thee searched and studied that he might get a saving understanding of that truth that was penn'd by himself sith as thou thinkest at least there were no Scriptures extant before him for Enochs Prophesies have no standing in your Standard I wonder Quae colliquia cum Angelis vel ficta velfacta quis enthusiasmus quis afflatus caelestis aut reapse vis mali spiritus did suggest these fantasms into thy fancy Ex. 1. Ex. S. â—8 thou hast little need to detest the Qua. as Enthusiasis that entertainest and utterest to the world as undoubted truths such Amick Enthusiasmes as these Sundry other such shallow furmises and suppositions are very positively propounded and set down by thee in thy first Chapter of thy first Treatise which I shall let pass here some of which may possibly be touch't on elsewhere But this may suffice to give a taste of that untruth which thy two Treatises are under-propt with whereby from the falsenesse faultinesse foolishnesse and unsoundness of thy ground-work and foundation and from the brittleness of thy Basis so thou call'st p. 1.28.30 this Original part of thy Book concerning the Divine Original and immediate manner of the Scriptures coming forth from God to us the reasonable Reader may read aforehand what a Come-down Castle the rest of thy Babylonish Building is like to be for howbeit I grant that the Word of God and the holy truth in its first coming forth from God to the holy Pen-men that heard his voice and so wrote it as moved by him was of an immediate Divine original in which respect it is said no Prophesie of the Scripture is of private Interpretation or to be counted no more upon than a private mans wriâ—ing which writes of his own head as thou dost the figment and imagination of whose heart fancies thoughts are the fountain of all that is uttered but as that which holy men of God were moved to write and the outward Scripture it self may be said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. penned by men as they were inspired by God or the fruit and effect of no self-afflation but according to the motion or inflation of the holy Spirit yet that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou makest such a deal of work about as the Original of the Copies of the Original of the Scripture and their coming forth from God was not so immediately from God to those that lived when they were first given out much less to us now as thou imaginest in thy vain mind who dotest that every Apex of that Text is equally Divine and as immediately from God to us as the very voice of God in the Prophets was to them without the least mixture or interveniency of any mediums or wayes obnoxious to fallibility or capable of giving change or alteration to the least 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or syllable thereof pag. 10.30.153 for that came from God at first excepting the Decalogue and that little to Belshazzar which ye have now but remote Copies of not without the interveniency medium and way of mans hand-writing which is it were as being infallibly guided by the Spirit obnoxious to no fallibility yet as it comes to you who own that and no other to be your inalterable Standard it s far from coming immediately from God sith it is not without the interveniency of the hands of welnigh innumerable unknown Transcribers the very first and best of whom were so far from non-obnoxiousness to fallibility that thou thy self sayest pag. 167. that neither all nor any of them were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 infallible or divinely inspired so that it was impossible for them to mistake and that religious care and diligence in their works with a due reverence of him with whom they had to do is all thou ascribest to them and p. 10. that the wisdome truth integrity knowledge and memory of the best of all men is obnoxious 〈◊〉 fallibility and also that it s known they did fail Neither if the Question were about the Autographae or first Manuscripts that were far more immediate then thy far fetcht Apographae or modern Copies are howbeit thy main business is about the magnifying thy confestedly mistranscribed Transcripts and fallible Copies and not the other which being acknowledged by thee to be lost perished and mouldred out of the world nemo post homines natos aequè ac tu delerasse censendus esset si pro scripturis ipsis scriptis hisce argumentare statueris thy dotage would justly be deemed of a deeper die than any mans to argue for them if he be a fool of al fool that fightâ— for the non-corruptibility of what is long since corrupted but I say were thy
emananation from God of the letter as the sole foundation of all that Divine Authority as the Word of God thou ascribest to it and as thy Basis as thou sayest p. 2.24.30 thou beginnest thy Building in thy second Chapter and so onward throughout thy book in both Treatises and Theses laying and thwacking Title upon Title Land upon Land Honor upon Honor Exaltation on Exaltation Crown upon Crown on the head of the Copies of the original or Hebrew and Greek Texts of the Bible as they are at this day come down to you from the Generations of old thorough the hands of the sundry successive Transcribers extolling and magnifying it in such an exceeding high unlimited and boundless way of Benediction till like one that being busie in beautifying with Gold his carved Image and blessing his more then ordinarily beloved Idol forgets that it s but a perishing piece of Wood or mouldring matter fashioned into that form and fabrick wherein it appears outwardly and immediately to him by the handywork of meer erring man Thou carriest thy Castle into the clouds with aery applauses till by thy lofty liftings up of the letter and thy windy whiffling to and fro talkings for it and Weathercockly commendations and setting up of every Pinnacle Tittle Point Syllable and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of it thou hast trimm'd up thy Tower of Babel with a Top welnigh as high as Heaven and made no less of it even of the letter and Text of thy meer modern Greek and Hebrew Transcripts of the Scripture then appears by thy own words J.O. The only and most perfect Rule of All faith and good manners The truest and most unerring touchstone for the trial of all truth The most immoveable inalterable certain stedfast and stable Standard The only firm and infallible foundation of all that beleef and obedience that God requires at mens hands A stedfast Releef against all that confusion darkness and uncertainty which the vanity fossy and loosness of the minds of men drawn out by the unspeakable alterations that fall out amongst them would certainly have run out into pag. 28. The most effectual means of bringing men to repentance on which all faith and repentance is immediately to be grounded That which alone gives the determination of Doctrines proposed to be beleeved whether they are truths of God or cunningâ—y devised fables Tr. 1. Cap. 3. Sect. 16. That by which we are commanded to examine and prove Tanquam ad lydium lapidem all those things that are to be examined and proved That which pleads its reception not only in comparison with but in opposition unto all other wayes of coming to the knowledge of his minde and will founded thereon p. 58. That which is necessary in such an high degree of necessity in its daily use not only ad ingenerationem fidei to the begetting of faith where it is not bâ—â— in ea edificationem to the edification of the highest Saints in it while they draw breath here that there is not more need to us of food and rayment to uphold our very natural life than there is of the Scriptures that we may be daily instructed in the knowledge and faith of Christ. That which doth not only most exceedingly exceed all others but as to the saving ends thereof is the only and singular means that God uses in order to the revealing the knowledge of himself The light the most glorious light in the world above the Sun c. p. 43. The witness of God the power of God to salvation ipsa doctrina quam à Deo docemur yea no lesse than â—he very powerful living quickning soul-saving Word of God That which challenges to it self that glorious Title of the Word of God as its own proper name That which is so tum in esse reali cognoscibili i.e. so and so known evidently by its own light and power so to be That which manifests and testifies of it self from the beginning to the end of it p. 140. to be the Word of the living God yea abundantly uncontrolably to men p. 3 That which is often even welnigh a thousand times mentioned indigitated Ex. 1. Sect. 5.32 by that name the Word of God That which calls for attendance and submission to it as such with supream uncontroleable Authority p. 58. That which is expected from us and required of us by God himself on penalty of his eternal displeasure if we fail in our duty 2 Thess. 1.8 9 10. That we receive it not as we do other books with a firm opinion only but with divine and supernatural faith omitting all such inductions as serve only to ingenerate a perswasion that it is his Word p. 31.32.34 c. And many more such transcendently glorious Epethites and Compellations thou denominatest the Scripture by as that which as to the integrity of the Text is unaltered in every tittle and also every tittle and iota of which is a part of the Word yea the Word of the great God wherein the eternal concernment of souls lyes for of the Scripture or under that terme of Scripture or of the Word thou restisiest all this yea and very much more dost thou found out and sing of the Transcripts of the Greek and Hebrew Text to the same tune which though they are all true of the true Word of God indeed which is properly so called and in the Scripture it self which never which no where calls it self so is often and only so stiled yet being by thee uttered all concerning the Scripture which is intended by thee when thou praedicarest any thing of it under that Name or Term of the Word of God saying the Word of God is a light powerful glorious above the Sun c. as well as when thou speakest of it under its own true and only proper name of Scripture saying the Scripture is the Rule the foundation c. the Scripture is so or so it is every whit of it utterly false as thou utterest it the falsehood whereof I shall now come to make some Animadversions of more particularly And for as much as I own all those high-flown glorious denominations thou runnest out into to be true to a Tittle if spoken of Gode word indeed but deny utterly the truth of any one of them as they are spoken by thee of the Scripture as the most commodious way that I can take for the disproof of thy untrue talke of the Scriptures whereby thou ignorantly not to say Idolatrously attributest such glorious Titles and Epechites thereunto as are the due and only peculiar properties of the true and living Word of God indeed which is Christ Jesus himself and also for the vindication of the Word of God from that Robbery and Spoil that is done to it by thee who pullest it down from the Throne and statest the meer Texs and Letter of it in its place and also for the further vindication of the poor deluded Fanatical Qua. as thou callest them
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
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
affirm nor more nor less yet ye own and justifie your selves as owners and deny and judge us as deniers as of of the Scriptures Ye challenge us to dispute it against us that the Scripture is the Word of God the only Rule c. when we meet you before hundreds to that end you confess with us as Christopher Fowler did at Reading T.D. at Sandwich and I.O. doth in his Declartion or Latine Divinity Disputations that you mean not the Scripture formally considered the Letter or Text it self ye talk for not the Writing but the holy matter and doctrine contained held forth testified to therein the Word in the heart of which we say its a Light a Rule denying the letter only so to be yet the same truth when ye tell it is the truth when we tell it as a lye Ye venture upon the open stage against us a vile persons in our Tenets about the Scriptures when ye are there ye verefie the very self-same truth we vindicate against you and say with us the Scripture or Writing which is the formality of the Scripture quae dat esse Rei sormally considered is not the Word nor the Rule nor any thing but a dead letter only the matter and truth of the Text testified to is the Word Rule Light c. as we say it is only Yet when ye go away though from the first to the last ye give us the cause yet we must give you leave or else you will steal it to carry away the colours and boast and brag and vapour as the men that had the victory till by venting your lyes so fast to manifest the Qua. folly ye fling out your own folly to the view of all men T.D. But quoth T.D. p. 30.1 Pamph. All this while you go about to delude the simple as if you denied only this way of writing to have alwayes been the only way of conveyance and you magnifie the Spirit that with more security ye may throw down the letter of the Scripture and if you would speak out plainly that ye call the Spirit will be found to be the dictates of your consciences blinde and corrupt as they are the Lord knows and you are no further bound to obey the letter of the Scripture then you are willing to obey it Rep. As for thy lyes of the friends of truth that light stuff like the chaffe the winde will drive away The Lord knows whose consciences are blind and corrupt yours or ours and as to thy slighting the dictates of conscience which work I.O. is not behinde thee in flouting at what is dictated by the Light of God in it and by the light therein from it to men as Figment Fannaticism Enthusiasm and such like dirty denominations I need refer no further then too I.O. whose magnifications of the dictates of conscience otherwhiles may well serve to the contradiction and confutation of himself and thee too and stop both thy mouth and his own too who â—ayes pag. 42. â—3 44,45 of the conscience and the voice of God therein and the instinct of good and evil and self-judgement God hath placed and indeleably planted therein it declares it self to be from God by its own light and Authority there is no need to convince a man by substantial witnesses that what his conscience speaks it speaks from God whether it bear testimony to the righteousness of God or that obedience which is eternally and indispensably due to him it shews the work of the Law written in the heart and discovers its Author in whole name it speaks and much more to the like purpose so that he and thou too may with shame enough reflect upon your ignorant vilifications of it As for our obedience to the Letter we are by the Spirit so bound to that not so far only as we are willing as thou belieâ—t us but in a cross to our own wills that while we walk in the Spirit which is our Rule we cannot disobey the Letter but fulfill it while your selves who prate of your being bound to obey it walk at large after your own wills and lusts in the liberty of your flesh and through your boundless boasting of that ye as boundlesly break do dishonour both God and your selves As for our going about to deceive the simple we deny all Deceivers and Deceit teaching no other Doctrine nor Gospel then what Paul delivered then which whoever it is that brings or broaches another whether it be we who are hated as Devils or you who are honoured as Angels of light from heaven by such as dwell in the depths and darkness of hell I say with Paul let him be accursed but those are now marked and manifested plainly enough who cause the Divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine the Saints learned of old by the children of the day are avoided also for they that are such serve not the Lord Iesus Christ but their own bellies and yet by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16.17 18. What T.D. sayes in his second Pamph. as to this question of the Scriptures being a Rule is no new thing but a Reference of men for an answer to G. Whiteheads Queries which he was shye of saying much to seeing he had not much to say to his old trite trivial Toy entituled the Qua. Folly the very book that G. Whitehead had Routed before and so dry is T.D. pumped that most of his two Butter-flyes excepting the wings it flyes with i. e. His Epistle and his Narrative consists of Repetitions of what he had uttered in the other that was Routed and new References of his Reader to that old one notwithstanding so much is added to to this head in p. 16. of his second Pamph. as more fully gives us the cause we contend for against him viz. That the Truth Doctrine Matter and not the Scripture Text or Letter is the Rule to men I must quoth he again refer the Reader for an answer to these Queries meaning G.Ws. to Qua. Folly in which yet none of them are answered and I adde the matter contained in the Scriptures is a Rule to all men so far as t is revealed to them and was so before it was put into writing and so much of it as is written upon the hearts of Heathens is a Rule to them Rep. Minde Reader how T.D. yeelds the Question to the Qua. again in his late last Lazy labours which Question between the Qua and the Priests is not about the holy Doctrine Truth and matter for the Qua. still own that to be as to the substantials before which the shadowy figurative part thereof flyes away everlastingly the same an inalterable fixt firm inward spiritual Word and Light which neither doth not can ever perish corrupt or pass away but about the outward Scripture Writing Text or Letter which uno ore with one voice all our Priests and people vote to be the Rule Touchstone Word c.
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
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
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
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
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
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
is the Rod of power which God promiâ—ed to send out of Sion even the Rod and sharp Sword of his mouâ—h and breath of his lips wherewith he will now smite the Nations and slay the wicked and reprove with equity on the behalf of the meek of the earth whom the proud oppress even the word of his mouth which he will put into the mouths of his sucklings and their seed and seeds seed out of which he ordains strength to the perfecting his own praise against the persecutor This and not the weak dead letter Bible or Scripture thou so labourest bablest and scriblest for is that Power and Authority of God Able as the outward Writing is not to make it self known so to be for the letter is as lifeless helpless powerless as any other Book Writing or dumb Idols that men adore and receive aâ— ye with the Iews of whom thou speak'st p. 237. do the Bible at this day with the honour and veneration due to God that cannot stir from the place where it s set as neither can the Scripture from where it s laid no more than the Turkish Alcoran yeâ— as Jeremiah in his Epistle saiâ—h of the weakness and vanity of all the Idols of the heathen whom they make powerful Gods of Thâ—se Gods quoth he cannot save themselves from rust and moths though they be covered with purple they wipe them because of the dust of the Temple when there is much upon them men put the Scepter in their hands as if they were the Iudge of the Country and Daggers and Axes but they cannot deliver themselves from Theeves nor of themselves put to death one that offends them as a useless vessel worth nothing when broken so it is with their Gods they are as the beams of their Temples upon their bodies and heads Strâ—Bats Swallows Birds and Cats they are things in which is no breath yet they set and sell and buy them at a high price they are carried having no feet â—o walk with if they fall to the ground they cannot rise up again of themselves the same together with what follows caeteris paribus Baruch 6. may be said of the adored Best Copies of the Great Bibles that lye in the great old mouldy Popish Parish Mass-houses now called the Protestant Churches where the Bells hang the Ministers of the Letter not the Spirit the elder sort of which are Priests by Ordinatioâ—â— fit in their Temples and roar and cry the Word of God the Law the Light the way to life the Gospel the power of God to salvation as the Iews do when their Copy is carried about but these Gods of those Idol Shepherds that leave their poor flock at any time for another that hath a better fleece can do nothing at all cannot withstand any King or enemies are not able to escape either from Theeves or Robbers nor when fire falleth on the houses where they are to help or save themselves or flye away how then shall we think they the Books called Bibles the Scriptures are so powerful and effectual not only in themselves but also in respect of us as without any other helps or advantages to shew themselves to be the great Authority and Power of God vis virtus Dei to our salvation as I.O. dreams If he say he means not the Text but the Word it talks on let him say so then when he writes again and then we will take it for granted he gives the cause in question to the Qua. whom he quarrels with for denying the Bible Letter Scripture outward Writing to be the living effectual able powerful word of God that gives life and saves and such like and so we shall meddle no more with him as to that matter but so long as he will needs damn down the Qua. as denyers of Scriptures and the Word of God too because they deny the Letter or Text to be properly the truth or Word of God it doth but declare and talk on we must thereby understand him to intend the Letter which he talks for Moreover as to the Light of God and Word nigh in the heart which the Apostles preached to turn men to and taught them as the Scripture also doth in its Testimony there to to attend to as the Rule of faith and life this is that Word of the truth of the Gospel which is V is virtus Dei the Power of God by the vertue of which Power it brought forth fruit in the Collossians and in all the World where it so came when it came unto them in the Ministry thereof which was the means by which they heard of it first and then came themselves to hear it and to know the grace of God in truth even that grace that bringeth the salvation and appeareth to all men effectually instructing as well without as with the outward Letter of it all that leâ—rn at it to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously and godly in this present world which is the Light of God in the conscience called the goodness of God or grace given to lead them to repentance who despising the riches of it are not led by it to repent and so treasure up wrath to themselves c. Tit. 2 11 12. Rom. 2.4 5. This is it which brought forth fruit in the world without Sword Miracles humane wisdome oratory or any inducements or motives but what are meerly and solely taken from it self consisting in things which eye hath not seen ear heard nor the heart of the animal natural man or of any but the spiritual man that by the Spirit which only searcheth and revealeth them discerneth the deep things of God can discern or conceive This is that that hath exerted its power and efficacy to the conquest of the world so far as it hath been capâ—ivated in the high proud thoughts of it to the true obedience of Christ causing men of all sorts times and places so to fall down before its Divine Authority as to renounce all that its dear undergâ—â— all that it dreadful and destructive to nature in its dearest concernment As for the Letter the Scripture which thou speakest of in a sense abstract from all other helps and advantages as that which without need of any other Revelation by the spirit and light within for these thou call'st superfluous mediums doth plead for reception not onely in comparison with but also opposition to all other wayes of coming to the knowledge of God his mind and will founded thereon and calls for attendance and submission with supreme and uncontroulable Authority 57 58. as that which hath brought forth so much fruit and exerted so much power What power hath it put forth to conquer the world into such submission to the truth as it is in Iesus as Christ requires or as the Letter it self either calls for what fruits of righteousnesse hath it brought forth in the world cal'd Christian to the glory of God for all its being
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
fruit only to himself so is our National Gospel Israel an empty Vine fruitful to themselves in temporals and in suâ— gerere in such spiritual also as their Religion lyes in viz. in empty forms of fastings prayings praâ—sings preachings singings of Davids Psalms with Doegs Spirit Text applauding Treatises talkings for Tithes multiplyings of Ministers of the Old Testament not of the Spirit but of the Letter that may labour soundly to the blowing out if they couâ—d tell how of the Qua. extolled light magnifyings of the maintenance for such Ministers as maintain themselvs out of Augmentations by the Impropriations of Kings Bishops Deans Chapters Lands Tenths first fruits and such Levitically legal â—molumenis far better than they are able to maintain either the true internal eternal Gospel which they are utterly ignâ—rant of or their own external Gospel either against the Qu. who maintain the true But utterly as fruitles to God as full of leaves and broad Shews wherein they flourish yea as barren as the figtree that God came three years together seeking fruit from and finding none for which the Word had long since gone forth effectually from the Lord but that intercession is yet made for it by the dresser of the Vineyard who digs and dungs it in hopes of somewhat but hath yet from it as small thanks for his great pains as the unskilful dressers not to say devourers of it have great thanks for their small pains Cut it down why cumbreth is the ground So what thou so pompously utterest I O. on behalf of the efficacy of the Letter in this particular as the All-sufficient All-accomplishing power of God in its self and to us ward to salvation and such like is nothing so nor doth any one of all Scriptures cited by thee in proof thereof evince any such thing they all excepting that in 2 Tim. 3. which as it may relate to an inward Scripture thou yet searchest not if intended of the outward yet not without the Light and Spirit within which said Light and Spirit thou still excludest and damnest down as detestable and no way needful to be so much as concurrent with the Scripture toward salvation as is shewed above intend no other Word or Light then that which is uttered and shines within in the eâ—rt Iam. 1.21 expresly speaks of the wording rafted there which is able to save the soul which 〈…〉 â—innate word for it s there put planted and sowed as his seed by the Lord himself some refuse and reject to walk by whose condemnation it is some receive it hear it mix it with faith in it beleeve in it to the salvation of the soul. In Joh. 17.20 Christ speaks of the same and not of any outward Scripture for by that word their word is intended the Word which they preached or held forth or testified to by their words in their preachings and writings as that which men were to come to hear and beleeve in and do till tâ—eir beleeving in which though they shâ—uld or do beleeve Historically the outward declaration as the Papists do the litteral declaration at this day with their heart and confess it with their mouths that the Lord Iesus was raised frâ—m the dead yet they perish and beleeve not on the Name of God savingly or to salvation Which Word is not the Letter nor their preachings but that which the Letter and their oral preachings testified to that it was nigh men in their hearts and mouths that they might hear and do it even the word of faith which they preached Compare Ioh 17.20 with Rom 10.8 9. Which word that they preached was not their Preachings or Writings or Scriptures but that which in their preachings and writings they called them to hear which was not a word without but the word nigh in the heâ—rt between which Words and Writings of the Preachers and Writers of the Scriptures and the Truth Faith Doctrine Light Gospel Holy matter which they preached and wrote of if our Divines couâ—d keep constant in distinguishing at all times as they do sometime they would come out of their conlusions wherein they are found jumbling things on heaps without heed into the clear understanding and comprehendings of the truth in their heads at least whether it may have place in their hearts and lives or no that is saving their being ashamed to own it from Babes and chusing rather to be ignorant then submit to be taught by them so often told them by the Qua. T D. sayes It s evident the Word spoken of Rom. 10.8 in the heart is the holy matters contained in the Scriptures the things contained there pag. 30 31. of his 1. Pamph. Rep. Who doubts of that But are not the holy matters one thing and the outward Letters that write of those matters another the things written of which the Scripture sayes are in the heart one thing and the Scriptures that write of those things another why then do you jumble these together as one in your blindly busie brains which are so bewitcht that ye either cannot or will not own that from the Qua. without crying out of them as deniers of the Scriptures to be the Word of God which your very selves are forced to confess to the Truth of For T.D. dances between within and without in the fore-named pages as if he could not well tell where to be nor what to say the Word of faith they preached is himself denies not from Col. 3.16 which I urged but that it was within the Colossians but yet because we say its within a light within he will needs say and so he had need or else he could not out word us it s the Letter without also the Word spoken of in the heart is meant quoth he of the holy matters contained 1. Declared of in the Scriptures which are say we the living Word Light Gospel c. and yet in the same page the Word spoken of is without or it is the Letter of the Scriptures quoth he also though at the beginning of the dispute upon that subject when I told him wee denied the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the outward writing or Letter written on paper with inke to be the Word of God himself p 26.1 Pamp. he denied the same with me saying You cannot beleeve us so simple surely as to affirm the Scriptures in that sense to be the Word of God but we mean the matter contained in the Writing c. And p. 30. When I said the Scripture is not the Word of God for that is within but the Scripture is without â—rging Rom. 10. The word is nigh thee in thy heart You read not all quoth he t is in thy mouth too so that it is without as well as within Rep. Oh gross what an absurdity is here as if that which is in the mouth of a man were not within but without him if T.D. should tell mee of a man that is no Monster that his
teeth and tongue are in his mouth and I should Reply t is a mistake for that which is in the mouth of a man is not within but without him T.D. would suppose me to be some Monstrous Simpleton and a doer of the said man no little wrong in making no less then a Monster of him by saying his teeth and his tongue are all ad extra without him when they are no otherwise then other mens are al orderly within his mouth but I must take this of his who sayes the word is said to be without a man while it iâ— said to be in his mouth for the voice of wisdome from him or else the Qua. folly will not be manifested to all men by it but much more of his own then all theirs amounts to And so as wise as he is in his own generation byond the children of Light I shall think my think of this to my self and to let it pass with no more then this notice by the way to the Reader 1. That as the word is in the heart shewing good and evil thoughts there searching and separating between the precious and the vile which is the work of the Word and Mouth of God there Ier. 15.19 so it is in the mouth distinguishing between the good and evil words there in the particular persons in whose mouthes it s planted and put for that purpose first according to the promise Isa. 59. ult My word which I have put into thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor of the mouth of thy seeds seed for ever from out of the mouth of which Seed of God the righteous Race which are mostly babes and sucklings to the wise and Disputeâ—s of this world Psal. 8.2 Mat. 11.25 It is secondarily to go forth as the strength of the Lords ordaining against the enemy in the latter dayes Jer. 1.9 2. That it is no news to me now that T.D. sayes in the mouth is without which was somewhat strange to me at first till I was acquainted with his quaint and coyn'd kinde of distinctions and sinister senses and many uncâ—uth meanings that he puts upon Scripture phrases wherewith to blinde people from being begotten into true wisdome by that which he calls the Qua. Folly for t is his usual manner of expounding and the ordinary meaning that he gives to these two terms In and Out to say by within is meant without and by without within for as he counts the righteousness of Câ—rists person without us to be in us to our justification whilst not inherent in us but in him only So the righteousness wrought and fulfilled in us by his power and Spirit not to be in us but without in his Person only for Rom. 8.4 in us quoth he imports not in out persons but in Christ p. 17. 1. Pamph. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he thought had been 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luke 17.22 by in you in among you without p. 5.1 Pamph. and so I.O. will have to be expounded in that place to avoid the dint of that Doctrine of the Qua who tell of a Kingdome and righteousness within men that are not in it which he confesses is used but in one more place in all the New Testament as he calls the new Letter of it viz. Matth. 23.26 and there it s used for the inside of a Vessel Cup or Platter by Christ saying to the blinde Pharisees first cleanse the inside that the outsiâ—e may be clean also yet in Luke 17. it seems quoth he to be used in the same sense as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so making it thus the Kingdom of God ad vos pervenis is come to you a T.D. does within in effect to signifie without Ex. 3.5.47 and so in the place in hand in the mouth is without quoth T. D. which fine new-fangled way of Respondency to an opponent urging otherwise an irresistible Truth I should never have learnt had I not met with these two Sophistical Shufflers howbeit now I hâ—ve learnt their wonted way of winding away from plain truth I shall tâ—eâ—eby learn at least to avoid it turn from it and pass away but shall never learn how to walk in it it is so crooked unless I mean to leave the good way of uprightness to walk in the wayes of darkness Now as to I.O. though often he puts a difference between the Writing and the Doctrine and sayes the Scriptura formaliter or litera scripta is one thing and the materia or veritas scripta is another yet rather then he will give the Question to the Qua. who care not whether he doth or no which Question as is shewed above he is not ashamed basely to beg he will distemper and conjumble all that together again into one Chaos or lump of confusion which he had once orderly set asunder and therefore drives on in gross without dividing between the Scripture Writing Letter or Text and the Word Doctrine Light or Truth that 's written of and earnestly endeavouring to blend all these into one And though for haste jumbling and posting on he gets many a stumble by the way whereby he layes himself on the ground yet up again he gets and on he goes though haltingly never heeding how he interfears nor feels how he often hacks and cuts one leg against the other hoping that so long as he stands not still nor gives quite out nor lyes flat he rids ground as well while he stumbles on as when he seems to slide away more smoothly but his blinde blunderingâ— in which he thinks he posts on unseen are noted and seen by such as are not far behinde him who finde him full of flâ—ws altering often where he himself supposes his work is most firm and what ever he thinks of it himself yet to every understanding Reader he little lesâ— then gives the cause in effect not onely in other places agâ—inst his will and unawares to himseâ—f but also in p. 71. where is a passage that while it here presents it self to me I must take notice of lest I let it pass altogether and finde not a fitter place hereafter to observe it in J O. It is the Writing quoth he it self it now supplies the roome and place of the persons in and by whom God originally spake to men as were the persons speaking of old so are the Writings now it was the Word spâ—ken that was to be beleeved yet as spoken by them from God and it s now the word written that is to bee beleeved yet as written by the command and appointment of God Rep. all this I grant to be very true but tending to the overturning of J.Os. own cause and purpose in it which is to prove the Scripture or writing to be the Word of God and to the confirming of the Qua. cause who against him deny that assertion for the Word spoken and written even as spoken and written by Gods appointment is that which we say is still within 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
the law is light Isa. 9.2 The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light they that dwell in the land and shadow of death upon them hath the light shined Hos. 6.5 I have slain them with the words of my mouth thy judgements are the light that goeth forth Matth. 4.16 The people that sat in darkness saw great light to them which sat in the Region and shadow of death light is sprung up Matth. 5.14 Ye are the light of the world Job 3.20 21. For every one that doth evil hateth the light neither cometh to the light lest his deeds be reproved but he that doth truth cometh to the light that his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God 2. Pet. 2.19 a light shining in a dark place Reply Sure enough the man Catalogized all these together out of his Concordance the Series wherin he hath set them learns us no less for else he would at least have joyned Isa. 9. and Matth. 4 together one of which is but a citation of the other and it may evidently seem from his more Concordantial than Cordial consultations both here and elsewhere that howbeit he set not all of them down hoc opus esset yet well-nigh by all places in his Concordance where he findes these Terms Word and Light he incontinently concludes the Scripture and Letter to be meant and so on that account as cloudily cotes as many of them as he judges as to number may make a Iury and so Hob-Nob as they say without mattering much what they are so they Concord all in one in the bare naming of the words Word or Light and mostly citing the Chapter and verse but seldome the Truths that are told there as if he thought that most men would blindly and implicitly subscribe to his sentence from such a packet of Texts trussed together and never be at so much pains as to search them all he Impannels them presently about his business hoping they will all agree to give Verdict for him when as how sweet an harmony soever they have among themselves that way where their Verdict passes yet they Concord all in one to contradict him saving I.Os. strong confidence in them such a joynt concurrence to the contrary have every one of these twelve Texts of his own taking for though he subscribe them all to that his sophistical Assertion p. 74.75 viz. The Scripture the Word of God is light in proof that the Letter is the light against such as deny it for none deny the Word of God to be the light that I know of but I O. himself who jeers of the verbum insernum lumen internum as figmentum horrendum Ex. 1. s. 5. Resomnino ficta commentum erasse excogitatum Ex 2. s. 25. merae senebrae caecitas c. Ex. 4 s. 17. so that where ever the Reader findes him prosecuting the proof of it under that terme of the Word saying the Word is the Light Rule Foundation and such like he must be taken as intending the Scripture Letter Text witness both Title pages Proscripturis A vindication of the Scriptures against the Fanaticks to be the Word of God and of the purity and integrity of the Hebrew and Greek Texts though I say they are all subscribed in vindication of the Letter to be the Light yet there is not on them all that subscribes to I.Os. sentence or judgement on them but they all give their verdict another way even for that which is Light and the light indeed as we deny it not viz. the Word Law Commandement Iudgements of God and Christs mouth but not at all for the external Text or Letter of the Scripture which issue forth ad extra from the said Word Law Commandement Iudgements that are ad intra a great deep and known savingly to those only that wait on God in the light within But to come to some examination of his Texts and of what testimony they give for him beginning however with the first and ranking the rest as I shall see occasion The Scripture is light quoth he those that reject it are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lights Rebels men râ—sisting the Authority that they cannot but bee convinced of Reply That such as reject the Scripture are to be rejected and detâ—sted I freely grant if by rejecting thou meanest such a rejection as is in detestation of them in which wise thou rejectest the spirit and light within and all the Revelation made thereby when of those means of coming to the knowledge of God and to salvation thou sayest Ex. 3 f. 28 29. Inania sunt ista principia cognitionis Dei inutilia periculosa à Faniticir simulata ideoque rejicienda ae decestanda those are vain utterly unprofitable perillous wayes toward the knowlege of God and salvation Fanatick figments and therefore to be rejected and abhorred and in which wise thou falsely accusest the Qua. among others as rejecters of the Scriptures when thou mis-callest them Ex. 3. s. 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haters of the Scriptures as if they bore some spleen or such spite to the Letter as ye do to the Light and Spirit or more than to other writings which yet we for holy truth and doctrines sake declared in them love and prize above any books and honour one Chapter of them as more worth than twenty of your printed Preachments upon them I say he that so rejects the Letter or Scripture as is above said let him be rejected and even Anathema Maranatha for me for otherwise there is a kinde of rejecting which the light is not liable to of the meer Letter or Scripture that is not at all to be found fault with much less to be rejected and detested as that of those who make waste paper of old printed sheets or leaves of the Bibles and use them as they do other Scriptures or Writings as they please about refusely occasions But the Qua. are not to be Ranked among such Ranke rejecters of it as the first 2. That such as spitefully reject the Scriptures are though they are not so called in that of Iob Rebellious against the Light also may well bee owned howbeit upon this account only as the Letter truly Transcribed that came from the Light and the Light it came from are though two things yet so agreeing together in one as to the same testimony they both bear to the same truth that he cannot really and truly whatever hee may seem to do receive own and obey the one who is found fighting denying rejecting and rebelling against the other whereupon as obedient and reverential respectful even to superstition as I.O. would be judged to bee to the Letter which he and others receive as the Jews do with the honour and veneration due to God yet saving all these shews they are still Rebels against the very Letter whilst so rebellious against the Light as to reject it with that detestation that is due to nothing but sin
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.
p. 9. the figment and imagination of whose hearts are the foundation of all they speak And this I as readily grant they are not to be deemed as thine T. Ds and some other mens are who in your private narrow conceptions and thoughts of things thrust out what yee tkinke feign and fancy still to be truth though nothing so about both the Scriptures and many other matters for they are true Scriptures of holy publick spirited men who wrote or caused to be written what was known and surely beleveed Luke 1.1 at least among Saints who were no liars if not all at the immediate motiâ—n of the Spirit they declared the things they had seen heard and witnessed within themselves to be the truth even when they wroâ—e from others in matter of Doctrine Prophesie or so and in Chronicle either immediately or from more credible testimony then I.O. and T.D. when they write at all adventure upon leastly hear-sayes from very goâ—d hands when the matters are in point of fact many if not most of them very lyes And in this sense thou strivest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be taken which thou sayest some think is put for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 19 20. and one Copy read◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by an evident error or mistake without ground and much more ado then needs thou there makest to have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 denote the writing of the Scriptures to be by men that were moved by the publick Spirit of God and not by mans private Spirit nor at his will but Gods which I grant and a little more too whether 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifie so much or not viz. That it neither is to be interpreted now it is so given forth at the Will of man or by mans private spirit or by our own coâ—siâ—â—ration of its sense and meaning p. 21. which sense I see thou wouldest fain exclude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from bearing or having in any tollerable sense affixed to it and I cannot blame thee as thy principles are for else thou who deniest the presence and guidance of the infallible Spirit to all men in these dayes must cut off thy self and fellow Doctors Divines and Expositors of the Scriptures from medling much by your own conceptions thoughts understandings and wills to interpret open or give your senses and fancies on them by which craft you have your wealth but only alone by the publick Spirit of God which gave them out and only knows his own minde and meaning and reveals it to those that walk therein and not after the flesh as ye do For we saith Paul of himself and those Ministers have the minde of Christ 1 Cor. 2. So I give thee thy sense and more then thou wouldest willingly have as concerning the intâ—rpreting of the Scripture which men in their private thoughts are not to expound nor yet to deem it as meer private mens Writings Howbeit none of all this comes out of this place so clearly as thou conceivest for it speaks not of the Letter and Writing so much as thou in thy private spirit interpretest it to do but of the Truth or holy things written for whereas thou who doest not see that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is one thing and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is another takest the Prophesie of Scripture it intends the Prophesie it self that was as to the summe of it written but not the Writing that is of it which Prophesie whether written by the hands or spoken by the mouthes of holy men of God who live in the Spirit was not to bee interpreted as the written or spoken Doctrines of private men that speak and write from the conceivings of their own narrow private spirits the figment and imagination of whose hearts is the fountain of all they utter write or speake but as the undoubted infallible eternal truth of the living God made manifest in them which they wrote and spoke forth as moved by Gods publick holy Spirit 3. That the Letter Scripture or Writing ' or Copies of the original Texts as ye have them at this day are that Word of God called there the Word of Prophesie v. 19. 4. That they are a more sure Word in their evidence to us at least though not in themselves then any voice from heaven whatever yea then Gods own if hee should speak to us from heaven or then that voice by which hee spake from Heaven which Peter James and John heard when they were with Christ on the holy Mount 5. That the said Letter of the Scripture is the light said there to shine in the dark place of mans hearts with an eminent advantage to its own discovery as well as unto the benefit of others All which three last Assertions I not only deny to follow from this Text as I did the two first which yet I deny not the Truth of but do as much deny them all three or any one of them to bee Truth at all as I do absolutely deny all or either of them to bee possibly by any sound reason to bee deduced or inferred from this place and likewise affirm that measure of the Light and Spirit of God and Christ in the hearts and consciences of men which we bear testimony unto to be the more sure word of Prophesie and Light here testified to by Peter And the grounds of my denial of the one of these viz. That the Letter is it and of my affirming the other viz. that the Light is it are clear from two or three clauses of the Text it self which are proper and the very import of the phrases and truly and plainly agreeable to the Light or Spirit or Word of God within but not a tall true or proper or in truth agreeable to the Letter without if predicated thereof for First it is as much as I.O. jeers at the verbum seu lumen internum said to be the Word and Light within and so the Letter without is not if it were either the Word or the Light therefore it cannot bee the Letter ad extra which I O. labours for against the Light and T.D. also who p. 45. of his 1 Pamph. cotâ—s this same Text 2 Pet. 1 19. affirming the Scripture to be the sure word of Prophesie intended here but the Light ad intra wee stand up for against them both that which is said to be within is not intended of a thing that is without only as the formal Letter or the Scripture is formally considered according to its proper name and nature as I.O. dreams or that proper essential form quae dat effeci per quam Scriptura est id quod est which gives to it that very being whereby it is what it is but of something that is really within as the Light only is which the Litera scripta or Letter without declares of And that not the Letter or Scripture formally considered but that Word of God only and Divine
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
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
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
in it is the Word of God as T. 2. c 2 s. 5.6 that tam in esse reali as cognoscibili Ex 1 s. 1. the Scripture both is and doth infallibly evidence it self unto the consciences of men that are not blinde to be assuredly the Word of God See his first Title page and T. 1. c. 4. s. 1. and that men that beleeve not as he implicitly beleeves in this being obliged so to beleeve upon the penalty of eternal damnation at the peril of their own eternal ruine and such like are left unexcusable in their damnable unbeleef T. 1. c s. 5. T. 1 c. 3. s 6. T. 1 c 4. s. 14. and who saith That his chief business with the Qua. is de noveine Scripturae proprio Ex. 1. s. 1 2 3. about the proper name of the Scripture and to stablish it under that glorious Title the Word of God as that proper name of it which the chief business committed by Satan to the Qua. that they rejoyce in is to spoyl it of yea how will all those figurative forms of speech list I.O. out of that Quâ—gmire wherein he sticks and into which he hath rashâ—y run himself by his hasty quarrelling with the Qua. who is far from being satisfied if the Truth and Doctrine of the Scriptures be confessed to be sufficiently declared in the Scripture unless he be infallibly assured that every Tittle and Iota as it was at first written stands truly transcribed in his Copies of it and so far from being satisfied if by a figure it should be granted as it need not for it s no where called so that the Scripture is the Word of God that he professes Ex. 1.34 that if that Declaration that Writing which declares the minde and will of God be not the Word of God he knows not what is the Word of God if he may not call the Scriptures by that name the Word of God is so far Ignorant of any name else to call it by as to call out to the Qua. to tell him what to call it if he may not call it by that name Si hoc non sit verbum Dei quoth I. O ego nescio quid sit aut deceant nos Fanatici quid illud dicendum sit c if the declaration of the will of God i.e. the Scripture be not the Word of God I know not what it is or let the Fanaticks teach us what we may call it these and many more to the like Tune are the eminent Titles which I.O. not by a metonymy but in truth as their proper priviledge and real right attributes in words at length and not in figures to the outer Scriptures these are the lofty terms wherein in throughout all his Treatises he treats on their behalf not with all others only that are his Opposers in other matters but with the Qua. also who own the Scripture in its own proper name use and place and own the Truth written of to be the Word much more then he doth himself but about the Scriptures oppose him only as to these his childish thoughts Such are the high rigid unrighteous strickt streins he stands upon and stickles in and that so stifly that he is minded either to win all or lose all and if he be not owned as stiling of the Scripture truly and properly when he stiles it by the names of other things which truly and properly it is not he will no more own it under its own true and proper names of writing Letter Scripture but make himself altogether ignorant of these as if hee had quite forgotten and could in no wise call to minde that hee hath any other names at all whereby it can be called save those undue ones of his own imposing Now when a man begins to swell out with his wind of Doctrine into such a bubble as knows no bounds its time to blow him out and when he grows into such a giddy greedy hydropical humour as not to know what ground he stands on nor how to stand still and sit down satisfied when hee is well nor well to understand when he hath enough nor to slack his thirst with a just and lawful allowance its good Venienti occurre morbo Danda est elleboritali pars maxima Avaro As there is no reason that he should have all he desires so it s but reason that his brain be purged from such excrements as occasion such extraordinary extravagancies that if he will never be otherwise then so fantastically Fanatical yet hee may insanire cum ratione be moderated at least as to his height of madness be taken down a peg or two and brought from his high Garret into a lower Story about the Scriptures that if he will have no nay but they must needs be call'd the Word it may be no otherwise then the Cup is called the Wine which though by a Metonymy the Wine is sometime called the Cup yet is never or very seldome if at all For my part I am free rather then he shall take on ad ravimusque and cry himself hoarse and wrong himself as he doth with so much wrangling and restless wrestling for the Letter which he more loves to talk of then lives the life of and longs for so that is not likely he will be at quiet unless we still him by piping to the same tune with him at least a little to please him so far to his profit in order to the saving of his longing as to allow him a little i.e. so much leave as by the foresaid Figure to call the Glass window or the Lanthorn the Light which in truth and properly are not so but as that Taylor which having an inch of cloath granted him for his minds sake about so much as will serve for a pattern incroaches so as to steal an ell or enough to make a suit of and from Top to Toe cloaths himself therewith accordingly wouâ—d have no wrong to have his goodly garment torn off or else beaten well upon his back with his own yard so if I.O. who begs the whole question be not pleased with his poor pittance which yet is the largest allowance that Truth it self allows us to allow him but will be a chuser as Beggars must not be and his own Carver and carve out the Scriptures which is more then salva veritate we can give him or he can justly take on him to do into no less then a patern a lydium lapidem a touch stone of all Truth a standard for all Spirits even that of God by which it and all Spirits and Scriptures else are to be tried to be most truly tâ—ied by a Rule an immoveable stable perfect the most perfect the only Rule of Gods worship and our obedience in matters of faith and manners as Ex. 3. s. 20 24 25. Ex. 1. s. 5 6. Ex. 3. s. 32. Ex. 4. s. 17. so that since the Churches compleating of its Canon no Revelations internal Spirit and consequently not that
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
sequitur as t is to say the Light declared of in the Letter is known to bee the Word or Light which is fallacia consequentis yet this is I.Os. way of arguing Viz. By this Light in the Scripture for which we contend doth the Scripture make such a proposition of it self as the Word of God that whoever rejects it doth it at the peril of his eternal ruine Therefore wee know and others may bee assured that the Scripture is the VVord of God In which Argument Mulier formosa superne Definit in piscem The Antecedent is most fair and true let him be Anathema that denies the Light in the Scripture to be the Word of God but the consiquence is fouly false fallacia consequentis and consequently the conclusion for it follows not because the light in the Scripture or VVord of God declared in it is so that therefore the Scripture it self is the Word of God Or else 3. thus viz. That which doth evidence it self to be the light is the light but the Lanthorn the light doth evidence it self to be the Light Therefore wee may assuredly know that the Lanthorn the Light is the Light Which Argument were it urged interrogatively thus viz. Doth not the Lanthorn the Light evidence it self to be the light Therefore is not the Lanthorn the Light were fallacia plurium interrogationum the fallacy whereby one thing is askt of two things at once which is true of one of them but false if affirmed of both but formed positively 't is fallacia either divisionis whereby the Sophister concludeth that to be true of two things joyned together as one which is true of but one of them i.e. of the Light considered figillatim or a part or else petitionis principii or a disputation exfalso supposit is from a false supposition of that which is not or of that to be granted which is not granted but remains as the main matter yet to be proved viz. that the Lanthorn and the Light are all one which yet is the way of I Os. proving the Scriptures to be the Word and Light Tr. 1. c. 4. s. 2. the Scripture or written Word of God and s. 6. The Scripture the Word of God is light therefore we may assuredly know that the Scripture is the Wâ—rd of God Or else 4. Thus making no express mention of the Lanthorn at all which is the main subject that is to be proved to be the Light viz. if the Light doth uncontrolably evidence it self to be the Light then we do infallibly know that the Light is the Light and properly so called But the Light doth uncontroleably evidence it self to be the Light Therefore we infallibly know that the Light is the Light and properly so called which is I.Os. manner of speech sometimes Tr. 1. c. 4. s. 1. the Word of God is furnisht with innate Arguments for the manifestation of it self i e. to be the Word of God So s. 10 11 12 13 14 15. Where ever the Word comes there is a sufficiency of light in it to evidence to all the Authority of God i. â— That its the Word and evidence of truth commending it self to the conscience of men No want of light in the truth it self The Word makes a sufficient proposition of it self where it is leave the Word to men and if it evidence not it self to them it is because they are blinded So Tr 1. c. 2. s. 6. Thy Word is truth S. 14. Over all his Name God magnifies his Word in all which places in an honest way of proof of the Scripture to be the Word of God that term of Scripture should have stood in the stead of that terme the Word of God but then the falseness had been obvious therefore we infallibly know the Word of God is the Word of God and properly so called In which Argument a man may take his choice of fallacies and of two call it which he pleases or both if he will and do him no wrong whose it is for as there is a begging of the grand question in the dispute and a taking it aforehand for granted which is not granted but denied and to be proved viz. That the Lanthorn is the light the Writing the Word which is called Petitio principii so there is a concluding aliud a negato another thing which is owned and not contradicted nor gainsayed viz. that the Light is the Light when the thing denyed and to be proved i.e. that the Lanthorn is the Light the Writing the Word is not affirmed in the conclusion at all which is called ignoratio Elenchi when that is inferred as contradictory to the thing denied which doth in no wise contradict it Or else 5. thus viz. the Lanthornquatenus it contains the Light may be the light Therefore the Lanthorn may be said to be the Light Which Argument is fallacious being a dicto secundum quid ad dictum simplicitor for it follows not in any wise if we should yeeld as we need not that as it contains the light the Lanthorn may be said to be the Light that therefore it may properly be said so to bee much less that the Light is the proper name of the Lanthorn which is that which is undertaken to be proved by I.O. for hee from secundum quid argues and sayes the Letter non respectu literae scriptae as it is Scripture but quatenns c. as it contains the divine truth is the Word of God therefore the Letter is the Word of God simpliciter and the VVord of God is its proper name and nature I say if the said man shall not only flye up thus into the height of falshood in his assertion of the Lanthorn to be the Light the Letter to bee the VVord decrying that altogether which is so indeed but also drive on his proof and evidence thereof in such a sorry way of either down-right falsity or evident fallacy and deceit as this is though I should not dare to deal any otherwise then fairly and openly with this man if I should come to argue all the utter untruths utttered by him about the Lanthorn back again upon as by and by I am to syllogize back upon I.O. his false tales about the Scripture and though I desire not that any man should bee caught with any other then that godly guile whereby Paul caught many out of the deceit yet whether he that deals thus treacherously doth not deserve when he hath done ex lege Talionis to be dealt treacherously withall Isa. 33.1 Let wise men judge and according to their judgement let such fools act and execute which I now am none of among whom Fallentem fallere non est fraus to deceive the deceiver is no deceit However thus much I shall make bold to say of the man aforesaid that t is fit he should bee told barely of his bruitishnes and fully forewarned of both his falsness and his folly that he fall not into the like for the
future and if he be indeed so blinde as he makes himself and so mean of memory as not to remember any name whereby the Lanthorn or Letter can bee called but that name of the light and VVord though himself calls it not the light or word only but by the name of lanthorn letter or Scripture also save that Trapezantius-like who in a long fit of sickness forgot his own name I.O. forgets himself and heeds not that himself often calls the letter as others do by its only due and proper name of letter or Scripture 't is fit he should be plainly told what to call it and minded of it as I here do tell and minde I.O. who calls to the Qua. to tel him what to call the letter that the name of Lanthorn by which though he forget that hee doth so himself doth call the lanthorn and the name of Scripture by which he though heâ— forgets it calls the Scripture is a more proper name then those of light and the Word of God and the most proper names that can possibly bee given to them And if for all this he will obstinately oppose the truth and wilfully wa'k on without wisdome then nescio quid indeed the dotage being so deeply dyed into him that its scare like to depart if he be brayed in a Morter I know not what more to say but Nescioan Anticcyram ratio illidestinet omnem Now I.O. ne Kideas be not so merry about the mouth for such a man there is and nigher to thee too then thou thinkest he is so nigh that thou canst not step an inch from him -- nete quaesiveris extra hee is a well known to thee as any man in thy cloaths and thou canst not bee ignorant of him if thou be not willingly ignorant of thyself yea verily Thou art the man that art found in that folly and falsehood that is aforesaid about the lanthorn and the light as is shewed so abundantly above that there needs little more to be said in proof thereof Tu Dominus Tu vir aut Doceas nos quid sibi vuls santa blateratio mugitus c. what means such a blâ—ating and bellowing out for the letter such a pleading it to be the true light which it doth but plead for such a striving to have it stiled the light and the meer writing and every tittle of it to be called the Word of God which bears in truth caeteris paribus but such a reference to the true light and Word of God respectively as the lanthorn doth to the light of the candle which is set up and held forth in it Quid sibi vuls detestaâ—io execratio tanta c. what means such direful detestation extrâ—am execration and thundring out of little less then Anathama Maranathaes against the light within and word within and all that confess to it as I.O. himself doth too but that hee forgets it and so curses himself by craft Ex. 1. s. 4. as Fantastical foolish deluded Enthusiastical enemies to denyers and reproachers of the Scripture because they deny the letter to bee that light and Word of God which as through a lanthorn glass or vail and not so brightly but more dimly then when viewed with open face as shining in the heart are seen and shew themselves through it siccine se gerunt ministri lucis sicut vosmet vos geritis O ministri literae tantaene a nimis caelestibus irae Quid sibi vuls tanta terminorum transpositio verborum ista tua mutatio mussitatio mangonizatio c. supradicta If there bee not such a man and I.O. be not he teach us I.O. plainly what thou meanest by that peeping and muttering out of thy minde by that mumbling and fumbling in such foul fallacious wayes about things wherein if thou wert not minded to mask over thy meaning that men may not minde too much where thy lame cause halteth nor finde where its false and falters thou mightest have made it fairer in it self I cannot say for the fairer and fuller thy openings of it are the falser and fouler it appears but tenfold fairer to bee seen in its falsness and foulness then now it is tell us what means that mess of medley that Mangonization and mixture thou makest of both thy matter and thy meaning that Tohu Vabohu that tangled and tangling kinde of talk that thy Treatises do consist of wherein not only like him that talks up the lanthorn into the name of the light and talks down the light as nothing thou triest to turn the outside inwards and that which should be uppermost downwards i.e. the light within which is the Truth it self out of doors and the outward letter which is but a Writing of it in its room place power use and name but also in the proof and prosecution of that most subsenseless subversion dost in one place or other one place well compared with another subvert thy self by thy own sayings and unsayings how much more I cannot say but little less I dare say then twenty times over tumbling about like a Bull in a net turning things to and fro transposing thy termes and introducing the prime praedicate in place of its own prime subject one while using the terme Scripture Letter Writing which witness thy â—itle pages is the sole subject expected by thy Reader according to thy intimation of no less to be proved to be the Word of God and treated on without varying from it under that terme of Scripture Letter Writing other while in thy very Argumentation for the Truth of thy untrue affirmation which is that the Scripture in esse both reali cognoscibili is the Word and in answer to that queston how is it known that the Scripture is the Word of God promiscuously putting all these termes viz Book Faith Bible Truth Writing Doctrine Letter Light Scripture Word of God Declaration minde will of God and things declared together again as if 't were already out of question which is the matter in question that these are all one thing and termes Synonymous and compounding and confounding them into one Chaos or lump of confusion chopping and changing popping out and pulling in mounting up and then dropping down as if thou wert sensible of being got too high then hiding they head again and there as those that are afraid out of their close places moving out of thy ho'e as a worm of the earth and twining every way fair or soul to secure the main chance and to make good thy bad cause and carry what thou contendest for which yet when all 's done beside the getting to thy self among seeing men the blot of blindness ignorance weakness folly falshood fallacy and confusion thou wilt which way soever thou orderest or disorderest thy Arguments for it even by thy own Management of it bee on the losing hand till at last thou hast lost it altogether for though thou makest as much of it to the utmost as another can well do that hath taken
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
eyes and stumble at noon-day as in the night is not a mist upon thee already from the hand of the Lord so that thou seest not the Sun as it was on the false Prophet Act. 13.6.10 11 12. that sought to turn away the Deputy from the faith and from beleeving in the Doctrine of the Lord which yet he could not do by all his mischievous subtilty and to pervert the right wayes of the Lord And now thou hast brought mee upon that Text 1 Iob. 4.1 't is true hee bids the Saints not beleeve every Spirit but try the Spirits for many false Spirits and Prophets were then abroad and as Christ said Matth. 24. there should in the last time come false Prophets false Christs Antichrists even so witness Iohn here and also 1 Iob. 2.18 they did come and were even then already in the world and have multiplied since then into a number numberless and spawned themselves over the face of the whole Europian earth and more so that all Cities Countries Vniversities so called Parishes through Christendome are even overflowed therewith the more shame for them that cannot see Wood for Trees and how Christ is now coming to consume the Antichristian locusts of all sorts where they swarm with the Spirit of his mouth and brightness of his coming in Myriads of his Saints Iud. 14. but rather dream they are now newly rising out of the bottomless pit so I.O. Ex. 3. s. 19. and so mistake the true Prophets to be them who rather are armed with the Light and standing up in the might and power of the Lord against them But let me ask thee I.O. what were they to try the Spirits and the Prophets by was it the Letter or the Light the Scripture or the Spirit of God it self which of these two is the Rule or touchstone of trial which is the Iudge that must give the resolution in whose sentence there must ultimately be a resting and undoubted discerning what Spirit or Prophet is of God and speaks truth and what is false and comes with cunningly devised fables I know thou sayest p. 67 68. the Scripture and that alone we are sent to in this case to give the determination but saving thy single say so there is no evidence of any such matter either in this Text or any other t is not denied by me but the Scriptures may bee searcht and that that which is of God contradicts not them So the Bereâ—â—â— did who are commended for receiving the Word first as it was spoken 〈◊〉 readiness of minde and recorded as searching the Scriptures also but that on the account of which they beleeved the doctrine before they lookt into the Letter was the Light in their own hearts whereby then very conscience could witness it to be the truth it answering to that of God in them as face to face in a glass and not the Letter without for being lookt on without the Light and Spirit of God it came from that gives to see into the mystery of it to say nothing here how the Light and Spirit within only gives to know the Letter to be more of God then the Iewish Talmud or the Turkish Alcoran the Scripture answering to the eternall unchangeable infallible light of God in the conscience then those Fables do the Letter would have further blinded them from all beleef of the truth as it did the old Scribes and doth the new that search it in the darkness of their own understandings more then the Bereans did the Letter being but such a History Record and Writing of certain outward things transacted in a ceremonial or temporary figure and Type of some spiritual inward substantial invisible and eternal truth as lookt upon by them that are not in some measure in that Truth it self it in a figure calls to and is the Type of benights the dark minds and prejudices them more against the truth then if they had no outward Letter at all as the Pillar of fire to Israel that were on the inside thereof was a cloud and darkness to the Egyptians that were on the backside which is the reason why all sorts of porers on the outside of the Letter and backside of the Bible and Professors as well in separated Assemblies as Parochial of the Letter in the carnal Commandements thereof are further hardned in hatred against the Qua. the children of light who are let and lead by the Spirit and light of him who only opens the seales to his Disciples into the inside of it and into the power of the endless life yea more then very heathens that never heard of any Letter at all for to such as read the Letter any other way but in the Light and Spirit that gave it forth by holy men as Animal men do and therefore discern it not it seems to contradict the things of the Spirit whereupon the Apostles were counted blasphemers of the Truth because they called men into it out of the Types and taught men to forsake Moses Testament that stood in outwards viz. Heb. 9.10 eatings drinkings of flesh bread and wine and divers Baptisms carnal Ordinances outward or in the flesh c. which all had their institution and were in being before Christ crucified who dâ— jure put an end to all these by the Sacrifice of himself though de facto used after by permission for a time in regard of peoples weakness at first to bear the total leaving them off for indeed to the lookers for the Kingdome and coming of Christ in outward observations hee that seeks to bring them off from these which decrease to Christ who increases that they may witness him formed and his image brought forth in them seems to such as Paul did to the foolish bewitcht ones of the Galatians that hung in the Letter and stuck short of the Spirit thinking to be made perfect by the Letter and fleshly performances to bee a very enemy both to them and truth and then most when he tells them most of the truth I say then 't is the Spirit and Light and not the Letter by which Doctrines Spirits Prophets true or false are to be tryed neither is the Spirit of God which was before it so to stoop to the Letter as to stand at the Bar before the Letter that is inferâ—â—◠〈◊〉 it and came from it but both the Letter and all false Spirits and their speakings and it self and its own also to bee tried judged and determined by the Spirit of God which judges all and is not to be judged by any which as the Light discovers discerns and comprehends the darkness but is not discovered discerned nor comprehended by it nor is this absurd as it may seem to some blinde ones to say the speakings writings doctrines things of Gods Spirit as well as all false Spirits and the things thereof are to bee tried by the Spirit of God it self for as the Sun outward is that which shews both it self and all things and
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
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
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
any more accounted on And though this seem such a mervailous matter I.O. in thy eyes and utterly beyond that diminitive belief and that little faith thou hast which if we may believe thy self is for ought thou knowest just none at And what Testimony soever the spirit of God beaves of the Scripture or of the Word of God or of the Gospel or of any anything else to us so as on pain of Gods d spleasure to bind us to the belief thereof it beares it in the hearts of men also as well as in the Scripture though thou say falsly that all it now testifies it testifies in the Scripture and by that onely to the heart and not in the heart immediately by it self or else it requires not the belief of it thou concludest thus viz. And if this be not a â—â—â—teme and foundation of faith and sure enough it is not so if the spirit speak not the same within that it doth without in the Letter then I publickly professe that for ought I know I have no faith at all He that doth not know that he hath any faith may thereby know assuredly that he hath not any all yet must it therefore be such a mervailous thing in the eyes of God and of his people who are not so incredulous of the Scripture as thou art that God should speak with his own mouth to his own people and vouchsase them so much mercy as to heare the joyfull sound of his his own voice and reveale his mind and will to them by his own spirit indeed sometimes he is pleased to speak in one to another as he did much in the Prophets to the Fathers in Paul to the Churches 2 Corin. 13.3 in one Prophet in his Church or two or three to all the rest as he was pleased to move and inspire them by his spirit 1 Cor. 14.24 25 29 30 31. and reveale any thing to them and by his Spirit press them in their spirits and give them utterance to utter it to others yet if any spake as they ought they were to speake as the Oracles of God and to minister not onely as of the ability that God gave and not man bought at University but also as of that which came to them as the Word of God uttered by his own voice in their hearts from his mouth out of the holy Oracle of God 1 Pet. 4.11 when he so speaks his voice is known and owned by his own who own not the voice of strangers when their tongues run before their wits out of their time to tell talk in words of the self-fame truth which but by bare hearesay they know not and at this day he speaks out in his servants to people and to you Scribes that search the Scriptures who call on you to heare what hee saith in you though as your forefathers John the fifth you have not at any time in your selves heard his voice which if it were the Letter you have often heard that read nor yet heeded such as spake to you from him in whom he speaks But doth all this exclude God from speaking when and what he pleases to any or every man immediately within his heart Was there ever any age wherein he debarred himself from this unlesse in the case of aforesaid wherein he was pleased to hold his peace because men would not hear him but stopt the eare like the deaf adder to what he said because being evil doers they did not like it In which case terras Astraea reliquit is there not a time wherein his very Adversaries that will not hear his voice in order to their own peace shall heare it whether they will or no to their own terrour will not he that fits in heaven as far off as you think that is utter his own voice as the roaring of a lion so loud within their consciences that they shall hear him speake to them in his wrath vex them in his sore displeasure who have vexed his spirit And do not the people of God though you do not hear what God the Lord himself will speak And will he not Psal. 85.8 speak peace to his people and to his Saints And are not such as have ears to hear bid to hear what the Spirit saith not in the Scripture onely for that properly is not a voice though figuratively it may be called so no more than my Letter to a friend in which he may read my minde is truly and properly my voice and our controversie with I. O. is much about proper names but in the heart where to them that hear he speaks the same that by his motion is written in the Scripture And do not Christs people hear his voice who though they may read the Letter too yet in that act can no more properly be said to heare his voice than he properly to hear his Masters voice that is an hundred mile off while he is but reading something or other that was written not by his Master neither but by some other by his approbation or appointment And are we not commanded to hear the welbeloved son of God And is it not dangerous to turn away the eare from him that speaks still from heaven more then to turn away from Moses or the Prophets in whom he spake and who spake but from or by him here on earth And is not Christ theâ— Light of the world that great Prophet who preacheth himself the Gospel in every Creature whose voice whoever heareth not in all things whatever he saith must be cut off from his people And is there not much more in the Scripture itself which sends men not to itself so much as to the hearing of God Christ and the Spirit declared to the same purpose Why then should it be thought an incredible thing with thee I. O. or any else that God should speak to men and manifest himself and what is to be known of him and of his mind to their salvation if they heed it to them now in their own hearts and consciences Doth not God himself speak are yea twice though man perceiveth it not Iob 33.14 Rom. 1 19â— or that Christ should manifest himself in a more speciall manner and measure then to the world who observe not when he speaks nor â—what he commands to his servants that love him and keep his commands or that he should come into them Rev. 3.20 sup abide and be familiar with them and not by the Scripture so much for the world hath that declaration that know him not but by his Spirit of truth which the world receives not but resists though it strives in them and not without onely by the ministration of holy men conviaceth them and preacheth to them as in Noahs dayes not by Noah onely but in their consciences should dwell in them and not in writings and proverbs onely shew them plainly of the Father John 14.17 to 26. John 16.25 Or that any of his people that give
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
repentance and if need be to expound the Scripture unto them according to the true mind of Christ exprest therein which these Theopneustoi only have and not the most excellent and expert of their Expositors who have it not by pure Revelation from the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.10.15 16. for there are true Prophets abroad that are truly moved in what they speak and write by the Spirit of the Lord though I. O. saith they are not as well as false who are not moved of the Spirit when they say they are there are pneumaticoi and agioi Theou anthropoi upo tou agiou pneumatos pheromenci spiritual and holy men of God carried out by the holy Spirit as of old as Amos and other Prophets were who are able to manifest more of the mind of God and open the old Scripture and give out more of the true meaning thereof by writing and preaching in an houre being in the Light and Wisdome of that Spirit of God which gave it forth then is opened truly by the worldly-wise and spiritually-dim-sighted-Divines in all those vast Volumes that they vent out of their own infinite inventions and in all the Sermons that such Simonists from the supposed spiritual gifts they have got with their own money and give out again by way of sale to the people for their money throughout the year yea there 's more truth told and more of the riches of Christ and of the hidden mysteries of the Gospel that have as of old been kept secret again since the dayes of Apostacy from the Apostolical ministration brought to light in this iuncture and much more will be in the day that 's yet but dawning by some one Sheep of Christ that went astray after the hollow voice of selfish Shepherds who served and fed themselves under a seeming shew of serving and feeding the Flock but is now returned to hear the Voice of the great Shepherd and Over-seer of Souls then by ninety and nine of thoâ—eforesaid hireling Shepherds that never yet went astray from themselves or the serving of themselves since they began to be other mens Masters and their own servants to this day there are I say sundry such spiritually inspired ones not a few of which are moved and sent of the Lord as his Messengers and Scribes both by writing and word of mouth to warn a wicked seed of Serpents and Generation of Vipers to repent and bring forth fruits worthy of amendment of life and to flee from the wrath that is now neer to come upon them as on children of disobedience to the Light of God in their own consciences who lay the Lords Axe to every stout Oak of Bashan and tall Cedar of Lebanon and every tree that 's lofty and lifted up to the root of every fruitless fig-tree that hath long cumbred the ground since the Lord hath spared it in hopes of fruit and is yet covered with no other covering then Adam and Eve made to themselves when they had sinned even the broad fig-leaves of fair forms good words sacred shews ample appearances Cains Sacrifices Esau's tears fleshly Israels formal fastings proud Pharises misfigured faces hypocrites holinesses painted pretences as little possession as much profession as little walking in as much talking of Truth Bible beautifying letter landing Anti-Scriptural Scripture defending discourses without that Life of Holiness Power of Godliness and fruits of Righteousness it calls for There are several who with Habakknk Ch. 2.1 are got upon their watch Tower hearkning to what God saith in them who have found nothing to answer when the Lord hath risen up to visit them and when they have been reproved by him Iob 31. but have sat speechle sand ashamed in silence before him bearing his indignation because they have sinned against him and have had their filth purg'd away by the Spirit of Iudgement and burning and felt woe within themselves as men undone of unclean lips and dwelling among people of unclean lips at the sight of the King the Lord of Hosts whose iniquity hath been taken away and their sin purged by the touching of their lips with a live coal from the Altar to whom as they have waited for it the Vision hath come at the time appointed and hath not tarried who having tasted of the cup of trembling within themselves Hab. 3. and known the terrour of the Lord as all the Prophets and true Apostles did before they were sent of the Lords Errand to perswade others 2 Cor. 5. and having seen the Son of man coming in his Kingdome in righteousness to judge the world and all the people with equity have since been sent among such as hate them that reprove in the gates and make men offenders for a word from the Lord to sound an Alarum to cry aloud and not spare but lift up their voice as a Trumpet telling the people that seem to delight in approaching to God and seek him daily asking of him the Ordinances of Iustice and not for saking the outward Ordinance of their God but are frequent in fasting and afflicting their Souls and hanging down their heads like a bull-rush for a day and calling out Lord give us light for we are in the dark direct us in thy truth lead and guide us in right paths and such like as if they did delight to know Gods wayes as a Nation that did righteousness telling such I say that they may fast long enough and yet God take no knowledge of it and find no pleasure in their fasts so long as in and after their fasts they find their own pleasure and live in strife and debate and sue Christs sheep at the Law for Tythes and not only tear off the Fleece from their backs but flea their very skins and flesh from their bones and smite with the fist of wickedness and that this is not at all to fast to the Lord nor the way to have their voice to be heard on high while their hands are full of blood and their singers defiled with blood and their lips speak lies and their tongues mutter perversenesse proudly contemptuously and disdainfully against the righteous and they hatch Cockatrice Eggs and weave the Spiders web and make such Laws as intangle the innocent which venemous creatures can crawl over and escape out of That the Fast which God hath chosen is to loose the bands of wickedness to let the oppressed Israel or just Seed of God go Free from the house of Bondage into which that spirit of Pharoah hath brought them and to undo the heavy burden and break every yoke within and without c. which doing their light shall break forth as the morning and their health shall spring forth speedily and they shall call and the Lord will answer and say Here am I when they cry and he will guide them himself continually by his light from himself in their own hearts and their light shall rise out of obscurity and their darkness be as the noon-day otherwise
if they leave the plain paths of uprightness to walk in the wayes of darkness and come not to the light that shines in their consciences sciences and the Law of God which is not far off but nigh in their hearts that they may know and do it but hate and abhor it and persecute the Ministers and children of it and make to themselves crooked paths whatsoever walketh therein shall not know peace yea Iudgement shall be far from them and Iustice never overtake them and they shall wait for light but behold obscurity and for brightness but shall walk in darkness and groap for the wall like the blind as if they had no eyes and stumble at noon-day as in the night aâ—d be in desolate places as dead men and roar like Bears and mourn sore like Drues and look for Salvation but none shal come because their transgressions are multiplied before the Lord and their own sins testifie against them and their transgressions are still with them and as for their iniquities by the light within they know them transgressing and lying against the Lord and departing away from God while they pretend to draw nigh unto him speaking still oppression and revolt conceiving and uttering from their heart words of falshood turning Iudgement away backward and causing Iustice to stand afar off causing truth to fail in their streets and shutting out of Equity that it cannot enter making a prey of him that departeth from iniquity and mocking the Lord and making him believe as far as they can with their flattering words and sained turnings unto him that they love his truth his light and his life yet in truth saying in their hearts to God depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes There are such who blow the Trumpet as of old the Prophets did to the same tune and the like to this that is above whose Trumpet gives as certain a sound as theirs did also and not such an uncertain fallible one as that of the Priests And these Theopneustoi or divinely inspired persons in their writings speakings call for attendance reception and submission not with that Supreme Authority I confess which I. O. as falsly as foolishly both supposes and saves T. 1. C 3. S. 8. Antient divinely inspired Scripture calls for which is quoth he not only in comparison with but also in opposition unto all other wayes of coming to the knowledge of God his Mind and Wâ—ll c. For by his leave or besides it either the Light and infallible Spirit it came forth from may not only well compare with its fallible and falsified self as people now have it transcribed translated twisted and twined which way any unrighteous writers either of it or on it any men-pleasing Praters Tythe-taking Talkers or time-serving Turn-coats are pleas'd to take it and turn it and wrest it to their own present ends and future ruine but alâ—o may well and doe challenge attendance to themselves with far more supream and uncontroulable authority then it can yea as the sâ—â—e and only meanes of coming to the knowledge of God his Mind and Will whom and which all the Scribes and Scripture-searchers in the world nor have nor can know without the light and Spirit any more then the old ones did Ioh. 5. Matth. 22. Or then anyone can see the outward Sun by any light but that which shines from itself Matth. 11.27 1 Cor. 2.10 11 16. And so in opposition to all outward Scripture it self as that which may define God and declare of him and of his mind and will and yet gives not the knowledge of either the knowledge of whose things if we believe I. O. T. 1. c. 1. s. 16 depends wholly and solely on his own pure divine revelation thereof by himself which revelation is so far exprest indeed in the Scripture as that there it is written of but is expresly made onely in the heart where it pleases the Son to reveal the Father and the Father to reveal the Son in men Gal. 1.15 16. Eph. 1. Col. 1.23 I say then not with that Supream Authority which is peculiar onely to the Light Spirit and Word within though ignorantly attributed yea and appropriated too by I O. to the outward writing yet with the same uncontroulable Authority as the letter doth they call for attendance even from their Theopneustia or divine inspiration which To Theion or Power of God that accompanieth them in their ministration is enough to convict I. O. and all the Wolves of these times that bark and howl against the Light and mis-judgâ— the many messages that come to them from the Lord as rejecters of such as God sends and justifiers of them who flew such of old as spake to them in the name of the Lord. Nevertheless as I. O. saith too truly T. 1. c. 3. s. 9. It alwayes so fell out that scarce any Prophet that spake in the name of God had any approbation from the Church in whose dayes be spake so it falls out now to the true Prophets among all the false Churches of these latter dayes from whom they find lesse Approbation and the same Reprobation as the former did from those evill Generations wherein they spake Ier. 47.3 Matth. 5.12 21.33 to 38. 23.29 Luke 17.25 26 27 28. Iohn 9.29 Acts 7.52 24.5 And this comes to passe by reason of the same innumerable prejudices that attend these their givings out of truth either in speech or writing as did the other whose writings are not freed as I. O. fancies from the prejudices that at first attended them but attended with more then at the first writing thereof thorough the infinite alterations mis-transcriptions mis-translations mis-constructions and mistakes of all sorts they have since been liable to by the fallibility and infinite variety of Scribes thorough whose hands they have passed Which said innumerable prejudices that now attend the modern Prophets as did the first arise from the same Root with those that attended them in their respective Ages viz. 1. Partly the supposed interests of them that write and speak by way of Prophecy or immediate motion 2. Partly the personall infâ—â—mities homely appearances stemmering lips uneloquent rude crude indigested unsound non-sensicall sound of words as they seem to unintelligently understanding I. O. Ep. ad lectorem Ex. 3. s. 17. and formes of speech which the Babes vf Christ seem to him to babble in when they drop their doctrine as the dew at the Command of God to the Drunkards of Ephraim not all as once but as it were guttaâ—im Precept upon precept line upon line here a little and there a little Ezek. 21.2 Amos 7.16 Isai. 28.9 10 11 13.2 Partly the mean out-side of most of these inwardly glorious sons and daughters of the King Psal. 45.13 whose cloathing ad extra is not as their own within and the worlds without and its Ministers often is of wrought gold nor yet is it so much of Plush Jippoes Hose behang'd before
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
spoils them Souls and Bodies and nought to be deceived of but deceit and darkness it self yet they are ever noysing it out Deceit Deceit by means of which unanimous out-cryes and simultaneous sounds of these Heterogeneous multaneous multanimous false Prophets drowning the still voice of Wâ—sdome which yet cryes aloud too and uttereth her voice to these simple scorners in their streets Pro. 1. It is not heard nor heeded though the Wisdome of God send them now as of old he did to the like Generation of evil doers Matth. 23.34 Luke 11.49.50 Prophets and Apostles and wise mâ—n and Scribes yet some of them they even kill and some of them they imprison and persecute out of their Synagogues and some they stone dirt and bemire not only with their belying lips and pens but also their merciless hands the dark places of the earth Cathedrals Monasteries Abbeys Academies Colledges being ever full of the habitations of cruelty Ps. and some they sorely whip and scourge supposing they do God service in all this Iohn 16.2 that the righteous blood of all the Prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may come upon them which verily is to be required both of this and in this present evil Generation For the Lord is now in earnest bending Iudah for himself and filling the bow with Ephraim and raising up the Academically-unlearned sons of Sion against those sons of Greek and making them as the Sword of a mighty man in his own hand to do vengeance on those heathenish nursing Mothers and to punish not only all others but more especially their Pope-like Priests and people to bind their Kings in chains and their Nobles with fetters of iron to execute on them the Iudgement written in the Scripture itself they scribble about far more then they are skill'd in it to speak to those Drunkards with the wine of their own wisdome with stammering lips and another Tongue then any they can talk in or understand by precept upon precept line upon line here a little and there a little that they may go backward and stumble and fall and be broken and snared and taken and to reject those Greeks that seek so much after mans wisdome in the promulgation of the things of God to whom the Cross of Christ is foolishness and to reject those Scribes and Disputers of this world and by that preaching which to them is foolishness itself to make their wisdome foolish and to chuse out foolish weak base things and persons even Laicks Mechanicks Rusticks Russet-Rabbies as they term them even Babes Bablers and such as Are not in their eyes to confound and bring to naught these mighty wise and prudent ones that Are and to draw the night and darkness over those dreaming Diviners that they shall no more divine what things and strange acts are transacting in this time and to cause the Sun to set upon their learned Seers that scoffingly call to the Qua. out of their Mount Seir Watchman What of the night So that the Vision of all both to them and their unlearned people that live upon their lips shall be as a book seaâ—ed and to search out the hidden things of those Lord Esau's that hunt abroad for their learning and to supplant them by his plain honest-hearted Iacobs that dwell and learn truth at home in their own Tents and to cover Aegypt with a Cloud and to mingle a perverse spirit among her Ministers and to manifest the folly of these Iannes and Iambres that resist the truth men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the Faith as he did theirs that withstood Moses of old and to leave the Princes of Zoan to become fools and the counsel of these wise Councellors of Pharoah to become bruitish so that it shall be said of them as of old Iâ—a 19. Where are they Where are the wise men Let them tell now let them know what the Lord of Hosts hath purposed upon AEgypt yea surely these Princes of Zoan are already become fools the Princes of Nâ—pâ— are deceived They have also seduced AEgypt even they that Tribe that is the stay of the Tribes thereof and to divide in Iacob that Tripâ—Lâ— Tribe of Levi whose anger and wrath is cursed for it hath been cruel and as they have scattered the Israel of God so to scatter them in his Israel and to set these â—oâ—sheards of the earth to drive with each other about their own foundation and to râ—ze their own Babel to the ground and to break themselves to pieces one against another like a Potters Vesselâ— so that in the bursting thereof there shall not be left at last so much as a sheard fit to use to take fire from the hearth or water withall from the piâ— and to render all the works and voluminous Tomes of these Turners of his things upside down of no better esteem among men then the Potters claâ— and to take all these subtil foxes in their own craftiness both the great and the little oneâ— that Spoil his Vine which bath tender Grapes and hurt the cluster or gatherings of the Saints together in which is the New Wine and the Blessing and to unhoâ—se this Tripple-crown'd Harlot that hath so long rode and at upon both Powers and their people her nursing Mothers of lâ—arning true Religion and piety in pretence but in truth of all ignorance superstition and abomination and to call to account the whole Ct Clergy upon which a Consumption is determined throughout the earth and to summon both the Pope and his Cardinals Mount Seigniors Iesuites Monks Fâ—yers and also all Arch-bishops Bishops Arch-deacons Deans and their Officials also all Parsons Vicars Curates and all Spiritual Persons whatsoever also all learned Linguists Scribes Text-men Translators Commentators Tâ—eaters Tythe-Teachers Talkers of Truth for their own turns and Tradâ—râ— out of the Scriptures profit-seeking Prophets and Pastors that for pay have made a prey of his people and to plead with them for his flock and to come down to fight for Mount Sion and for the hill thereof and to Roar through the mouths of his Prophets against these many sorts of Shepherds that are now so loud and full of noyses and clamours to keep their flocks from fleeing from them crying out Heresie beresie Schism Quakeâ—ism Fanaticism c. and to scatter their people from them and to gather his own sheep into his Fold whom they have driven to and fro from mountain to hill in the dark and gloomy day and to take their prey from the midst of them and like a Lion roaring on his prey when a multitude of Shepherds is call'd forth against him he will not be afraid of their â—ice nor abase himself for the noyse of them In a word to stretch out his hand so strongly against them all that those powers and people that helpe them shall fall and those Priests Universities Doctors Schollars and other Students there that are holpen by the earthly powers shall fall and they all
of God is said to be preached published multiplied received which as is shewed more at large above is as non-sensicall as for a man to say that the Lantern though formaliter it be not so but only the light that is contained in it is so doth yet challenge to it self that name of the light as its proper name yet engages himself against the Qua. in vindication of the Word of God to be the proper name of the Scriptures so truly that those are injurious to it and opproâ—â—ious reproachers of it who will not allow it to be properly called by that glorious title So thou engaging thy self in vindication of the Scriptures to be the Word of God 1 Giving us the Question to have been debated flinkest away into the proof of another matter saying that ye upon the matter contained in the writing which say we is another business the holy truth that is there told and the Light and Word of God Law and Gospel there witnessed to being a thing to distinct from the Scripture of it that as it is now where the letter is not and was two thousand years before the letter was so it will be for ever for its an euerlasting Gospell when the letter of it shall be no more Whether that be your Rule of Faith and Life a matter in no wise denyed by the Qua. if not only by the Scripture ye mean as properly ye cannot do the holy Doctrine Truth Word Light Law Gospell of Christ therein declared to be in some measure at least in the heart of every man preached in every Creature that they may hear and do it but also by thy Term Our Rule of Faith and Life that which de jure ought to be your Rule otherwise if ye say even of that de facto that it is your Rule or in esse actuall that which ye do actually and indeed walk by I deny even that also for howbeit ye should own that also and not the letter and text only as I.O. doth yet so farre are ye from so doing that if thou do not yet at least I.O. both doctrinally and practically denies and damnes it down as a meer nescio quid of the Qua. coyning Moreover much what in the same manner dost thou in the Point of Iustification give us no lesse then the Question as to the Termes wherein it was stated and then startest a new Question in thy Sophisticall sâ—â— it of subtilâ—y which is so familiar with thee that it 's seen by any that are but â—â— unculi only in the thing called Dispute by staring and translating the old one under new termes For witness thy own disagreeing counterfeited Account thereof p. 14. 1. Pamph. the new Termes wherein that thou mighest the more easily wrong me by thy wrong Representation of me to the world as a rank Papist and render me suspitious and the more securely write me out as thou doâ—t in the second Page of the lying Narrative of thy second Pamp. under that traducing Title of one suspected to be a Iesuite thou with much ado as thy phrase there is drewest and wrestedst the Quest. into and â—ayest on thy own head they were slated in were whether Our Good Worâ—s are the meritorious cause of our Iustification which I hold in the affirmative no further then as by Our good works are meant the good works of God and Christs own working in us by his Spirit which though most truly his are by the Spirit it self vouchsafed that name of Ours witness Isa. 26.12 not as by Ours those only of our own working in our will wisdome and strength are expressed and intended for all such are Our righteousnesses which I who own none of Christs working in us to be so as thou T.D. blasphemously dest if p. 15. and 22. of thy I. Pamp. be rightly soan'd do own to be but durg lâ—ss and filthy rags according to Isa. 64.6 But the true terms of the Quest in which it was stated and debated if we may as sure enough we may believe the joynt testimony of both thy self and those Gentlemen and Ministers in the Margent as in thy Epistle thou stilest them of whom there thou sayest also they are witnesses of the terms of the Questions agreed to by the Qu. before the testimony of thy single double lying self-contradicting self were otherwise witness thy own Relation thereof in thy lying Narrative which hath not any thing at all of that little truth that 's in it more true then this wherein p. 58.1 Pamp. setting all these witnesses viz. Hen. Oxenden Io. Boys Esqs N. Barry T. Selyard C. Nichols Ministers o're against it in the Margin to testifie the truth thereof together with thee thou relatest thus The terms of the third Quest. were Whether Good Works be the meritorious cause of our Iustification which was expresly affirmed by them i.e. by the Qu. in which terms staring the Question without that term Our which is of thy own foisâ—ing in the other place where even thereby on thy own head thou alterest the stare thereof and makest it clearly another Question I affirm it to this very day and ever shall to the faces of any of you as occasion is yet owning no works to be truly good but what are done by the Believers in Christ and his Light and done by Christ and his Power and Spirit whether in their persons or his own who never did evil work in his or without blasphemy in Paul that can be call'd as thou call'st that he wrought in Paul and works in us Pauls own and ours which is but dung less and filthy rags or deserve condemnation or any less then Justification both of himself and his Saints in the sight of God by any good work that ever he wrought either in himself or them And so my Argument a Contrariis ye so ball and squabble with me about was both intended and urged in effect viz. If evil works deserve condemnation then good works no Condemnation alias Iustification but this is true therefore the latter Which question so stated thou T.D. not only affirmest with me For thou neither dost nor daâ—est deny but that we are justified by the good works of Christ or that any of his worksare not good or are a violation and not a fulfilling of the Law only thou foolishly flamst it off with his good works done ad extra and not ad intra without only and not within us thy folly in which I have largely enough manifested before but also urgest the same thy self P. 15.1 Pamp. thus viz. Evil works which are the violation of the Law d serve Condemnation Ergo Good works that are the fulfilling of the Law deserve Salvation and we know no good works such sayest thou but Christs and so say we too Thus thou givest us that Question also And this G.W. tells thee of and turns upon thee in his Reply to thy first so plainly that thou dost but add to thy shame in thy Reply
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
they areâ— seldome in unless Out be In with them as In is Out with T. D. the people whose eyes all as of one man should be as the true Israels are Zach. 9.1 toward the Lord being towards their Spiritual Lordships the Clergy do all as one man erre after them and drop together in gross with their blind guides into the Ditch And whereas all have hitherto following the old Interpreters who say the truth with the Quaâ— read that Text thus The true Light enlightens every man that comes into the world they if I.O. may have his will against the Qua. must now read otherwise 4. Suppose we should for Tryals sake and no otherwise will we grant thee that the Greek Text in respect of the words as they may be construed may equally bear I. Os. construction as well as that of the Qua. and of most or all Translators and Interpreters hitherto does not this then overturn the whole business thou so much buslest for throughout thy book viz. the Greek and Hebrew Texts being such a sure fixt steady stable infallible unchangeable inalterable Rule Canon Measure Touch-stone Standard for all Truth to be tryed by and all Spirits Lights even that infallible one which gave it out as well as any other the infallible guidance of which thou deniest to be now in the world or to be the stable Rule Standard or Direction about Doctrines Duties c. for verily if it be so as in some places it is confesâ— by me to be so far more clearly then in this viz. Iob. 5.39 where Ereunate may be read either Indicatively as a Complaint Ye search the Scriptures and look for life there which is Christs mind there or Imperatively as a Command Search ye that one and the same phrase in the Greek may bear â—ivers constructions from which being differently construed according to mens meer different conceits upon them may arise not only various 〈◊〉 ons and senses such as T. D. gives when he sayes it is either 〈…〉 of else perhaps it may be so and the word or phrase may import so and may impâ—rt so c. up and down in his book but also such as are even contrâ— y contradictory and absolutely destructive one to another must not he then pâ—t out the eyes of men first that makes them believe that which I. O. contends and spends himself throughout his whole Book about that not the Light Spirit Word and Truth of Christ in the Hearts and Consciences of men nor any immediate Vision or Revelation of the old inalterable infallible eternal Will and Truth of God to man in his own heart as he waits at Wisdomes gates at Gods own Mouth for counsell is to be the Rule but such an uncertain doubtful fallible flexible thing as an external Text and Letter that may be and is turned twenty wayes and made to stand even in one verse many wayes at once according as men in their foolish vain thoughts are minded to thrust it Art thou so benummed I. O. and hardened against this Truth that the Light is the Rule and not the Letter that because the Quakers rell it thee against whom thou art risen in wrath therefore thou wilt not believe it no not though preached to thee by thy own mouth hand and pen as well as theirs Quid cum iis agamus qui cum revera sintadeo infeliciter stupidi ut nulla neque ratione neque experientia erudiri possint quasi tamen ipsi soli superent vanaperswasione siderati in contemptu eorum quae non intelligunt audaciter persistunt atque cum Comicoillo clamant dicat quad quisque volet nos exhae opinione non dimo vebimur Ex. 2 S. 28. Read that to thy self I. O. if thou canst tell how and see how thou loosest thy ground against us one way while thou seekest to gain against us another way by thy extortion of the Text and thy playing Legerdemane about the Letter 5. Suppose we should as for tryals sake again we will not otherwise for our Nay is stronger then thy Tea as to this place give thee thy own reading of that Text wholly to thyself Jet's see what thou canst make of it against the â—ue lights enlightning every man which is the thing thou denyest and wouldest disprove by it Nempe To Pan hoc est vere nihil just as much and not a jot mere then thou had â—â— before If thou wilt not read it the true way â—ake it then in thy own and make thy best on'r The true light coming into the world enlightens every man here is thy reading which amounts not to one attome more against every mans being enlightned with the true light then if thou quietly without quarrelling with the Quakers read'st it with them thus The true Light enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world for it still proves that every man in the world since the true Lights coming into it is enlightned by it and all that thou thyself concludest and entailest at the end of thy tale about it is no more then an exclusion of that part of the world that died before Christs fleshly coming into it from being mentioned in this Text for so run the words of thy Conclusion Ex. 4. S. 24. Ad maximam ideo partem humani generis quaescilicet ante adventum Christi in mundum fato functa fuerit non pertinet haec assertio Therefore to the greatest part of mankind namely such as died before Christs coming into the World this Assertion appertains not Repl. In which Assertion of thine thou according to the manner of Errour which is a Quick-sand that when men are once in it sucks them in further art sunk more over head and eares then before considering thy meaning of thy own words for how beit if rightly understood there are no men that ever lived or died in the World who had a being in it before Christ and the true Light of the World or Word of which it is said Iohn 1.1 2 3. It was in the beginning with God and was God and as God is not denyed by any of you to have enlightened all men from of old before that Juncture ye count from and by which men and all things were made so that without it not any thing was made that was made in which was the life which life was the light of men which shineth in the darkness even the wicked who are yet darkness though not comprehended thereby Yea to the Wisdome of God 1 Cor. 1. That leads men in the way of righteousness in the midst of the paths of Iudgement that it may cause those that love it to inherit substance and fill their treasures was the very beginning of Gods way was set up from everlasting and in being when the heavens and earth were founded and established rejoycing in the habitable parts of the earth and delighting in and lightning the sons of men ever since there were men and blessing those that attended to him Prov.
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
perceive saith Peter Act. 10. 34. 35. and he who is not blinded may perceive it also that God is now no respecter of Nations one above another nor of persons in the Nations so as to give his Statutes Judgements Laws Rule and saving means of Life if the Letter were so to one Nation or Person and not in any measure to another but in every Nation he that feareth God whose fear is to depart from what evil his Light in the conscience makes manifest and worketh righteousness which none do who live not by that and all do who live by it for sin is no other then the transgression of that Law which is the Light is accepted with him Arg. 14. Again let me argue with thee I. O. out of thy own words if others will not answer affirmatively and assent to this as truth yet thou I. O. must who asserts it for truth thy self for this Argument in â—oâ—idem verbis is no other then thine own for with reference to Ioh. 1.9 the very place that we argue the self-same from thou thy self though intentionally against us yet unawares really arguest for us on this wife viz. The Light and Illumination mentioned in this place Ioh. 1.9 are Spiritual without all controversie and pertaining to the Regeneration by Grace not Natural and so pertaining to the Creation for in the same sense in which men are said to be darkness are they said to be enlightned else the Apostles speech would be aequivocal but men are not said onely Spiritually but universally also to be darkness therefore are they by Christ not spiritually only but universally also enlightned And as Contrariorum eadem est ratio so Contrariorum contraria est ratio not only in the same sense in some respects but also in other respects in the very contrary sense to that wherein men are darkned by the Devil are they enlightned by Christ but All mankind is not only spiritually and universally but also damnably darkned by the Devil therefore mankind is not only spiritually and universally but also savingly enlightned by Christ. From what hath been said and shewed above then I affirm that the Grace and Light in the conscience which in some measure or other is from God and Christ given in common to All men is not only universal but saving and though most are by it no more then accused reproved condemned and left without excuse and not â—astified nor saved yet there wants not sufficiency in it to save and that men are not saved but mostly condemned by it 't is only because they answer not the Mind of God revealed in it but love the darkness more then it which they hate to come to as Christ saves because their deeds are evill whereas did they but glorifie him answerably to what he requires of them who noâ— exacts nor expects from any the doing more of his Mind and Will then what he one time or other manifesteth to them to be his Will concerning them in their own consciences they should not be without excuse nor stand condemned in Gods sight but be accepted justified and saved from the wrath which comes only on the Children of disobedience it being the Power of God as sufficient to the excuse and Salvation of those from sin and wrath that obey the measure of it in themselves as to subject those to accusation rejection judgement wrath and condemnation that rebel against it To all the abovesaid Arguments therefore I shall subject this one after the prosecution of which in proof of the sufficiency of that Light to save which is given in common to All men I shall take some notice of R. Bs. and I. Ts. arguings to the contrary Arg. 15. That Light which rebel'd against 〈◊〉 sufficient to accuse and condemn and render a man guilty reprobate or reproved is if obeyed sufficient to excuse clear justifie save from condemnation and render approved But the Light in all is sufficient to condemn all that rebell against it therefore to save as abovesaid such as obey it The Minor is your own the Major I shall proceed in proof of And here since I am so neer it I shall take occasion to refell that foolish conceit and dream of our Divines in which both thou T. D. I. O. I. T. R. B. are all Four found for in most of this main matter of the light ye run parallel and are coincident except now and then a crosse whet each to other concerning the non-sufficiency of the Light to save however improved though yielded to be sufficient to leave excuselesse and condemn for here ye dance between these two Stages still in your stickles with the Qua. against the Light cutting capers to and fro with your legs acrosse and sliding out of one fâ—orry shift into another when they tell you the true Light of God which is but one and that not natural but supernatural though in never so many different degrees in mens hearts is common to All ye yield for ye cannot stand against it that it is so but then it is not saving when they prove it saving ye yield it is saving but then not common which that it is both I have shewed above against you All some words only here as to that absurdity it is sufficient to leave man inexcusable if not obeyed and to condemn him but not to save justifie or render him accepted if obeyed That the whole body of the Gentiles are enlightened and that by Christ thou T. D. dost sometimes confess in Terminis as I have shewed above though at other times thou denyest it but thou addest p. 3. 1 Pamp. not by Christ with the knowledge of salvation alias secundaunte with a light sufficient to save Salvation is of the Iews i.e. among such as have the letter only and by the law of the letter without I speak but thy sense p. 3. 1 Pamp. I. O. also denies this same light however attended to to be sufficient to bring to justification of life or salvation that still he ascribes to his only all sufficient Greek and Hebrew Text and outward Scriptures Ex. 4. S. 17. Lumen hoc utcunque ei attendatur non est ullo respectu salutare sed in rebus omnbius divinis finem ultimum quod attinet mera tenebra caeâ—itas So S. 20. Sufficientiam quidem habet ad Antapologesian ad salutem non-item This Light indeed is sufficient to accuse and condemn but not so to save So T. D. again p. 40.1 Pamp. natural light so ye call it still is to this purpose to leave men without excuse Rom. 1.20 so that they cannot say as we suppose the Heathens might Had we known of a remedy for our misery we would have used it But as for salvation many Ages and Generations neuer had one offer of it and among those who hear the Gospel it is offered to more then it is intended R. B. and I. T. say the same p. 40. The Gentiles light by Nature so
of God and Christ within leading them back into it out of that corrupt one by which Light they are a law to themselves before God are said to perform by nature what things are required in the Law which are as ye say moral duties indeed yet such as saving your ignorance in that are truly righteous and acceptable with God and evangelical being done in Christ though they know not his person whilst done in his light for men may do much by the light that comes from the Sun while they see not the body of the Sun it self and be guided and strengthened to do much by the Light of God and Christ that is his Will and acceptable and good though yet they have not heard of nor known him so much as some that hear and read of such things by the letter as to his appearance in that body of flesh or meer external incarnation Witness Cornelius whose Prayers and Almes were heard and accepted being done by one that feared God and eschewed the evil which by the light he had discovered whilst as yet he had not heard of Christs personal Birth Life Death or Resurrection Acts 10.1.2 c. Yea every moral duty that is done in some obedience to the light that is in the Conscience and not for base ends and glory of men which ends have been and are found more among many Literarists Iews and Christians too then among many that by them have been lighted as Heathens are Evangelical also yea whatever is done from an honest and not selfish principle in the Light or Law in the heart is of the same nature as that both Moral and Evangelical Law is even spiritual and holy and iust and good and all transgression that is acted against the Law is not only against the Light of God and Christ whose Commandment that is and against the Gospel or free Promise of life held forth also therein but also against nature not that corrupt naâ—uâ—e into which men are run for the sin is committed in that but that divine nature or similitude of God or right Reason in which men stood at first til they ran out into a reasonless kind of Reason of their own which is not after God a remnant of whose nature is in man still and his light in the Conscience which is right Reason it sâ—lf leads to itâ— and therefore all sinners who are in the deeds of darkness and out of the true faith of Christ which is in his light are said to do things contrary to nature though pleasing and answerable to the viperous nature they are gone out into Rom. 1. 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32. and to be without natural affection or against nature unnatural and unreasonable 2 Tim. 3.3 2 Thes. 3.2 and wicked for all men that have the true Light in them have not Faith in it I say then the Heathen who have not the letter by the Light of God which is saving are a law unto themselves and do shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their Conscience also by the Law inlightned bearing witness within them and their thoughts thereby accusing and excusing one another so that the Law is not only a light and saving but universal also and common in some measure to all men To which may be added as an Argument Ad hominem at least to the stopping of their mouth in proof of the universality of Christs enlightning All men another consideration out of R. B. and I. T. his own Book and that is the need that all men that come into the world have of Light from Christ and the universal necessity of Christs enlightning them all because of that universal corruption and blindness which is asserted by them to be in all men at birth P. 24 25. John 1.9 Where it is said of man coming iâ—to the world must be meant say they of humane birth and accordingly this point is thence say they deducible That every one that comes into the world needs light from Christ which Position say they is true 1. Because every man is boâ—n destitute of spiritual light in the things of God concerning his duty and the way of salvation 2. Because every man is liable to death and trouble and wrath and evil from God as he is born into the world and Christ came into the world to remove both these sorts of darkness and none else can do it These are the express words of these two men R. B. I. T. from which howbeit they most unreasonably conclude against our doctrine saying The former of these overthrows the main Position of the Qua. That every man hath a light within him sufficient to guide him so as that following it he may please God and be saved without the light of Scriptures or preaching of publick Teachers Yet I do and may most truly argue and conclude to the fuller establishing of the said Position from their own words on this wise Arg. 17. If every man that comes into the world needs light from Christ and there be a necessity of Christs enlightning in regard that every man is irrecoverably lost else and not some only then Christ doth enlighten so far at least as to a possibility for salvation every man and not few men only otherwise God were as is abovesaid a most apparent respecter of mens persons as he is not and his wayes were not equal as they are and his words were not true as they are when he sayes he would have all men to be saved unless they will die and to come to the knowledge of the truth and such like nor were his clearing himself and charging of men that perish right as it is when he sayes their destruction is of themselves but in him is their help nor were his Iudgements iust and righteous as they are in condemning men for not believing in the light while they had it when they never had it nor were his pretended great Love rich Grace matchless Mercy to All peâ—ple in Christs birth Luke 2. â— Iohn 3.16 17 18. so sincere as it is but raâ—hâ—r feigned sith else he did not so much as put them all into a possibility of coming out of their mâ—sery but rather left a thousand to one to perish in it unavoidably without remedy nor were his fairest offers of salvation and life to all if they will walkin his light so fair as they are but meer mockage since else he had not given them any measure of any such light as could lead them to it nor were his saying What could I have done more for them that I have not done any other then a lye as it is not since else he had not done so much as was needful yea so absolutely necessary towards their living that it was not possible they should live without it when he both could should and ought in equity by some measure of true light to have made them capable to come to life and see their
having sufficient Light speaking evil of the Light and iudging the Light as imperfect which is the Law of God which is perfect in each measure of it of which they will not be Dâ—ers but Iudges for which judging and evill speaking of what they know not while in what they know naturally and but Psuchicos animally as bruit beastsâ— in those very things corrupt themselves woe is to them from the Lord all such Iudges and their Iudgement must come to Iudgement 〈…〉 Moreover might we lawfully so argue but first we need not there being enough besides to urge in diâ—proof thereof and secondly we do not there being little force in such arguments against the sufficiency of the Letter to save as they think they may against the sufficiency of the Light need we do any more then turn the edge of their own Weapon against themselves in that particular who not only call the Letter a saving Light but also argue for it as such with a non obstante to the small number of such as are actually saved by it even among those that both have it and often read it for say they in way of Plea for the dead Letters being a saving Light where ere it comes no matter how few come to Salvation by it because they refuse to walk by it it s never the less saving and sufficient though men that have it perish because it s come to them and is able on its own part to give Life but that on their parts it s not made use of not obeyed c It s no argument its notable to save that most men where it is are not actually saved but rather perish The self-same say I epâ—â—ehalâ— of the Light which they are so foolish as to argue so fillily against A non esseâ—ad non prsse non est arguendum there 's no arguing from its not being actually so or so to the non-possibility of the thing to be We cannot conclude that there 's a non-sufficiency in that to save all men by which all men actually are not saved for then not only the Letter which only kills yet they plead this self-same way is saving and brings to Life but even God and Christ himself as well as their Light in mens consciences who call to all ends of the Earth to look to than for Salvation in it Isa. 45.22 49 â—6 must absit blasphemia be judged also as insufficient to save by whom though supremely all are saved that are saved at all yet all men actually are not saved I Suppose then there were fewer that come to life by the Light then do as there be none at all that ever came to it by the Letter even of those Scripture-searching Scribes that therein look for the Eternal Life Iohn 5. yet will is not follow as they judge it will that the Light within all is not sufficient to lead to life or if it will and these men will needs have it so then let them take what comes along with that their own consequence to themselves for it payes them home in another kind whil'st 't will much rather conclude against the Letters being a saving Light which against us and the Truth they eagerly argue so to be fith by their own confession not one of many that have it come to Life or Salvation by it And whereas they say the defect and default of this is not therefore because the Scripture is not a saving Light but because they walk not in it the self-same say we of the Light within which the Letter came from in which there 's no defect which as Paul sayes of it for its the Law of Life Rom. 8.2.3 is weak to save no otherwise but because it is not answered else life should come by it so that their own pen is their own pay-master still which ever and anon pulls down at one time what it builds up at another and contradicts thwarts and razes out as false in one place the same that it writes for truth in another yea En Ecce behold the confusions of these self-confuting men a non actu ad non potentiam from the non-being of the effect i.e. the Life to the non-efficaciousness of the Light to lead to it such as â—earn of it is no lawful argument say they when they plead against us the sufficiency of the Letter to save yet from All mens not being acÌ„tùal'y and effectually saved by it we may strongly conclude there is not efficacy nor sufficiency in the Light within Al nan to save All men in whom it is how strictly soever they attend to it say they when we plead against the sufficiency of the Light to save it being therefore but meet that out of their own measure where with they meÌ„asure to us it should be meeted to them again I shall conclude my answer to Al these four men and to All men else whose it is as to this their argument a non esse ad non posse against the Lights sufficiency in the very words Mutatis mutandis interpositis interponendis additis addendis wherein themselves only speak either by way of concession against themselves of this truth we plead against them or by way of Answer to such as they suppose to use the same though I do not for he is no wise man that uses it at all against the sufficiency of their dead Letter 1. Those of R.B. are as follows who in p. 7. of his Epistle to the Reader prefixed to I. T. his Book sayes thus of the Qua. Do they hold that common supernatural Light outward and inward objective and inherent is given to many at least of the unsanctified that live under the preaching of the Gospel who contradicteth them in this Answ. Those who deny any but meet natural any supernatural saving or spiritual light to be given in common to All or to any but the sanctified ones i. e. the Saints and the Elect as yourselves do saying as I. O. Nihilnon naturale nihil spirituale nihil a Christo Mediatore c. lumen salutare nulta sub consideratioue c. Christ doth not in any wise vouchsafe supernatural spritual saving light to any but the Elect he is blind that once dreams the contrary and such like as are to be found up and down his book Ex. 4. S. 13 17 25. R.B. Do they hold that as the Sun is appointed in nature to be the light of every man that cometh into the world though some parts of the earth were never illuminated by it and blind men partake not of its light and the night and shutting our eyes and windows may exclude it so Christ is by Office the Sun in the world of Grace giving men actually all the gracious light they have and being sufficient in himself to enlighten all and giving them an illuminating word which is sufficient in its own kind to do its own part though many are blind and many for their sin are deprived of the communication
Light Word quoth I. O. meaning the Scripture puts forth its Power as it will do when the Book of Conscience begins to open the Seat and Residence of its effects is safe-guarded against all Power and Authority but that of God it s diving into the hearts and consciences and secret recesses of the minds of men its judging and sentencing of them in themselves its convictions terrours conquest and killing of men its converting building up making wise holy obedient its administriag consolations in every condition to which consolation belongs and the like effects of its Power and sufficiency are usual'y spoken of and appropriated to the Letter by such as are ignorant of the Light who speak what they read and hear of more then feel as death and destruction that hear the same of that which is hid from them Iâ—b 28.22 but are effectually felt and experimentally known by the children of the Light who love and live in it These are the foundations of my Answer to I. Os. T. Ds. R. Bs. and I. Ts. grand Argument above mentioned against the sufficiency of the Light to guide men into the true knowledge and life of God drawn from the non efficiency of that its end in all men The Light say we the Law of God which is the Light in All is not only testified to as saving by the Letter and as powerful and sufficient in all those fore named respects in which I. O. sayes the Letter it self is which the Letter faith not of it self for all that I. O. faith in the thirteen last Sections of the fourth Cha. of his first Tr. in whose own words I have mostly spoken by way of Answer to himself is most true if applyed to the Word of God indeed which is nigh in the heart and of the Light of Law of God in the Conscience but every â—ot of it false as applyed by him to a wrong subject viz. the outward Scripture or bare Letter and as the Letter bears testimony to the Light so the Light bears testimony enough to it self of its own sufficiency in the conscience that testimony is the Witness of God himself which who so doth not accept and believe he doth what in him lies to make God a Lym to give us an infallible assurance that in receiving this testimony we are not imposed upon by cunningly devised fables the Light the Scriptures quoth I. O. or Law in the heart hath that glory of Light and Power of God accompanying of it as wholly distinguisheth it by infallible signs and evidences from all words and writings nor divine conveying its truth and Power into the Souls and Consciences of men with such an infallible certainty that it is believed though men act contrary to it for when that within tells men what they should not do viz. not lye steal murder cozen nor do evil to others that they would not have others do to them though they do these evils yet they cannot but believe through that Light in them if they had never seen the Letter that they should not do so and that the Judgements of God are due to such as do so and when by that they are told what they are they by it believe truly what they are and cannot while they behold themselves in that glass believe themselves to be otherwise or better then they are no more then a mans natural face that is beheld in a true outward glass can seem to him or be believed by him to be fairer then it is Thus having at large answered the main argument of these four men against the universality of a sufficient Light in All men to lead to life such as follow it drawn from All mens nor actually coming to life by it which one R. B. and I. T. aiming at number more then weight make three of their thirty viz. the second tenth and thirteenth I shall run thorough the residue more briefly they being not worth any long insistance on them Their third and fourth which are but one and the same also divided needlesly into two they ground upon such Texts as directly prove the contrary against them viz. Iohn 1.5.9.10.11 Eph. 5.8 Matth. 14. where its said The Light shines in darkness and the darkness comprehends it not the true Light was in the world and the world knew him not he came to his own and his own received him not ye were sometimes darkness c. To them that fate in darkness light is sprung up Whence they argue on this wise many of the Iews and Gentiles sate in darkness did nor reciive the Light nor comprehend it and were darkness when the true Light came to and shined in them therefore they had no Light in them much less every man Rep. Whence I argue in proof of the very contrary thus The true Light came to such as received at not to such as knew it not springs up as they heed it to such as sate in death and darkness and shineth in the darkness Joh. 1.9 though the darness comprehendeth it not but All men as well as some at some time or other are found not receiving the Light not knowing it sitting in darkness and are darkness â—â— therefore All men have in some measure the true Light shining in them Besides if this would prove that the true Light is not present with All men because most neither know nor receive it but abide dwell sit still in darkness and remain darkness it self then at least it will conclude against these men another way viz. in disproof of the outward Letters being the true Light as they contend it is since the Iews and most Christians so call'd both do and ever did dwell in darkness and continue darkness notwithstanding the Scriptures abode among them Their fifth is as a very Fiddlestick as any of the former and all that follow it are no better fetch'd from Luke 16.8 in such wise as more clearly concludes that R. B. and I. T. as wise Disputers of this world as they seem to be in suo genere in their be-nighted Generation are yet but fools as to the true Faith and children of this world and darkness then that All men have not some true Light in them and it runs thus If every man had a Light within him sufficient to guide him how to please God then every man should be a Child of Light but every man is not a Child of Light therefore every man hath not a Light c. to guide him to God c. The Major of which is such a palpable inconsequence as the least Child of Light and of the day cannot but both discern and be ashamed of for however in proof of it 't is asserted by them That to be a Child of Light is all one as to be a person that hath Light in him to guide him to please God yet if they would but consult with that Light of God which is yet in themselves if they have not by fighting against it
own understanding as the Clergy does hath but a fool to his Master yet so far as David needed God to know and try his heart and thoughts so far he needed Gods Light within him there being no way whereby God who searches the heart and tryes the reins to give to everyman according to his wayes both searches sees and alâ—o shews unto man his thoughts and leads him in the way everlasting but by his own Spirit Light and Word within man which alone is to that end quick and powerful sharper then any two edged sword piercing and dividing asunder between the marrow and reins soul and joynts and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart so that not any thing is bid from the sight thereof but all things are naked and bare before him with whom we have to do so far as with that Word and Light which is Gods own Witness within man whereof the Letter which is mans witness for God without man testifies which leads to the Light while that Light and Truth it points at leads only to the life and way everlasting of which sayes the Psalmist O send out thy Light and Truth that they may lead and that they may guide and conduct me unto thy Holy Hill and to thy Tabernacle Their 29th from Deut. 4.8 Psal. 147.19.20 Rom. 3.1.2 is thus What advantage then hath the Ierk and what prâ—fit is there in Circumcision if each Gentile had a Light within him as a sufficient guide in the things of God as the Qua. teach then they had known Gods Statutes and Iudgements Gods Oracles had been committed to them as well as to the Iews they had had as righteous Statutes and been as wise a Nation as they But these consequents are false and contrary to the Texts Rep. The advantage the Iew or Circumcision outward according to the flesh and Letter not Spirit over the Gentile or uncircumcision outward in the flesh and Letter was much every way and yet not so much as is inconsistent with each Gentiles having some measure of Gods Light within and the profit that the Circumcision had which ye repeat your selves yet are so blind that ye cannot see it was in that chiefly mark to them were committed the Oracles of God which term chiefly be tokens that in some manâ—er and measure the Oracles of God were committed to the uncircumcision also which term could not be properly used if the other had them not at all If one should say the Angel or Ecclesiastical Leaders of the Laâ—dicean Church of England are chiefly first or principally blinded that would intimate that the people are in some measure blind though not so much as their Clergy in things of God So this advantage the Iew had in that preaching the Covenants and Promâ—ses and tenders of Gods Grace was chiefly or first for the word is Proton Rom. 3.2 made unto them as Act. 3.46 to you chiefly or first Proton God having raised up his Son Iesus hath sent him to bless yâ—u in turning away every one of you from his iniquities So Act. 13. 'T was meet thâ— Word of this Salvation shâ—uld Proton first or chiefly be preached to you so sayes Christ Luke 24.47 That Repentance and Remission of sins should bâ— preached among aâ—l Nations beginning at Ierusalem Again they had the Tables of the Covenant and the outward Letter and the types and shadows of the good things and the earthly Canaan Kingdome City Ierusalem Dominion Dignity and Glory that were the figures of the true besides a measure of the inner light that led to the substance and that the Eternal Life lay in which the Gentile had some of together with them so the Iew still had the pâ—eheminence and pâ—â—â—rity had they had the consideration to have improved it but the chiâ—f price being put into their hands and they like fools not using it nor looking through all this to the end of the things now abolished nor to the Light and Power of the endless life but to the Letter and Law only of a carnal Commandment which they boasted of and yet brake it they lost that preheminence and let the Gentiles out-strip them and be chief as to the Iustification and they themselves became chiefly condemned Rom. 2.26.27 Shall not the uncircumcision which is by nature if it fulfill the Law judge thee who by the Letter aâ—d Circumcision dost transgress the Law And verse 8.9.10 Indignation wrath tribulation anguish upon every soul of man that worketh â—vil to the Jew first or chiefly Proton and also to the Gentile So 2 Esdâ—as 1.37 Though they have not seen me with bodily eyes yet in spirit they believe that thing that I say but if we speak of the true Circumcision which is that of the heart and spirit not of the Letter and of the true Iew inwardly his advantage over the Iew outward and the outward Gentile his advantage is indeed over all for his praise is not of men but of God himself And this is that Israel of God and that Iew and not the Synagogue of Satan that say they are Iews and are not but do lye Rev. 2. whose the Salvation and Kingdome Glory and Covenants and lively Oracles and All is for Salvtion is of the Iews Luke 18. of Abrahams Seed which are Christs and Heirs according to the Gospel promise heirs of the world and blessed with faithful Abraham as they are of his Faith and his children doing his works who did not kill Christ as the Clergy does Iohn 8. Rom. 4. Gal. 3. before the feet of which Iew the Lord will make the pretended Iew whether natural Iews or meer nominal Christians to fall down and worship and to know that he hath loved them and these are those Iews that Israel and Iacob but that the blind cannot look through the vail into the end of the Type which is abolished of whom it s said Psal. 147.19.20 He sheweth his Word unto Jacob his Statutes and his Iudgements unto Israel he hath not dealt sâ— with aâ—y Nation and as for his Statutes and Iudgâ—ments they have not known them for howbeit it the natural Iew outward knows much that his Leâ—ter tells him and by the outward hearing of the ear the outward Statutes and Iudgâ—ments of God and also the outward Gentile though nominally Christian by his light within as well as that natural Iew by that and his Letter too knows the Iudgements of God Rom. 1. that those that dâ— such things as thâ—y do are worthy of death yet the Iew in spirit or Christian by nature not name only having within himself as Paul and they 2 Coâ— 5. known the terror of the Lord and felt the weight of his hand for sin and seen hâ—w fearful a thing it is to fall into the hands of the living God and known the power of his wrath while his Judgements which begin at his own house past upon him in his own Conscience which who e. but they knows saith the
As after a long unquiet quarrel with the Qua. who call men to no other at all about the Light and Spirit of Christ as such foolish fires as will lead men into nothing but Bogs and Praecipices page 84. and much more of that sort themselves fall a calling and commending all men to the same in many good words of exhortation specially in the last Sermon of their book which consists of Exhortations to the Light Doctrine or Teaching of Christ within excepting here and there as the manner of most Parish Ministers is a Perenthesis or interpositition of now and then some dirty dashes and filthy flerts against it to sence men off from ever coming too neer it lest it make them wiser then their Teachers and Leaders and so lead and take them off from taking much more heed to the wind of their whiffling words and tangling talk of Truth for Tith So they are principled against the foresaid perfections atainbleness in this life as is evident in other of Baxter's and T s his works Yet in this Book of theirs that I have at present to do with I mind not at present where they contradict it but are found in sundry expressions much rather confirming and preaching it unawares and ministring Mediums in proof of it E.G. p. 12. where they tell us thus R.B. J.T. Christ leads alwayes in the right way so that whosoever follows him Rep. And some do surely these men are not so ignorant sure as to deny that R.B. J.T. Shall be directed aright in his way be guided into the way of peace Rep. That must needs be out of all sin for every sin or transgression is the wrong way the way of wickedness and there 's no peace saith God unto the wicked And p. 13. where they tell us thus R.B. J.T. Christs words have such precepts and revelations as make a man Spirituall Heavenly Wise like unto God Rep. Which if any sinner be and be not rather Carnall Earthly Foolish unlike God and lke the Devill then I am yet to seek and if these sinners and pleaders for mens necessity of sinning while they live and yet call themselves Saints can tell me otherwise let them tell me what a Saint and what a sinner is and p. 1.4 Where they tell us thus R.B. I.T. All that Christ spake Rep. Whose Speeches were and are successefull to accomplish their end among some at least assuredly or else let these men speak it out if they dare that Christ never obtains his end in speaking to any at all to whom he speakes R.B. I.T. It was to ease the burthen Rep. And such the least in is where ere it is whether it be felt or no. R.B. I.T. to direct to God Rep. Whom no sinner in his sins can come to R.B. I.T. to reform the evils in Gods worship Rep. Whom no evill doer or sinner in his sins can worship any more accceptably then Cain whose sacrifice was shut out while his sin lay at the door or then David himself whose prayer would not be heard if he regarded iniquity in his heart and every one does so more or lesse while in the least he commits it or else surely he would not commit it no man doing that he hath no regard at all unto but he who remaines yet under the Devills power taken captive by him at his will having not yet attained to that liberty wherewith Christ euen here makes many free and even here is by him attainable if men with Paul who throw the warfare at last attain'd it be sincere in the same way of pressing after it R. B. I.T. To take men off from Covetousness Hypocrisie and such evills as are Pernicâ—â—us Rep. And if the least motion to sin if assented to not else be any otherwise then so and not in some measure pernicious though some great ones may be more greatly pernicious then other some let that of God in the conscience of these men judge when Paul sayes the motions of sins which warr'd in his members while he was yet under the Law and not in the Liberty of Christ and but in the Combate and short of the Conquest brought forth fruit in him unto death and Iames c. 1. That if lust be but perrmitted to conceive as it does in such a degree as any one is led away after it it bringeth forth sin and sin when it s finished or brought forth e. into its being as it is when lust is but assented to and the mind genders to gether with it it bringeth forth death R.B. J.T. With what ever else might bring nigh to God Rep. Whom all sin even the least in some meaâ—ure though some more then some separates the soul from R.B. J.T. And Alienate men from this present evil world Rep. Which every man is nigh to more or lesse till he be totally taken off and alienated utterly from the corruptions that are in it through lust R.B. J.T. And accordingly so were and are the effects regeneration or new birth Mortification of the deeds of the Body the Salvation of Man Rep. And if these were and are as ye say they were and are not only the ends but also the effects of what Christ spake or speakes then by such as continue to heare his voice and follow him and not such strangers to him as ye are and so some did and now do yea ever all his own shâ—â—p all these things in time even here both were and are attainable and attained also that ye speak which are ipsissima the very things we plead against you for in the point of perfect freedom from sin wherein ye oppose us viz. Mortification of the deeds of the body which is never effected till every sin be destroyed or subdued so as not to be so much as assented to much lesse acted the very least being a deed or member of the body of it and mortification effected no lesse but somewhat more if more can be then a common killing in our common English acceptation of it even a mangling the dead body of it all to pieces Regeneration which however taken by our dimm Divines for the first act of conversion onely or beginning to face about from sin towards God is a real new birh or being begotten back into that divine nature which man in sin is degeneraled from and not onely so but also as taken in its right latitude and consummation not initiation only for the thing or end effected so ye speak and not prosecuted onely the growth up in that image of Christs divine nature in whom was no sin to the very measure of the fulness of his stature Eph. 4. and salvation of man which is not in but from the sin first before ever there be any right rejoycing in God or any true salvation from the sorrows that are entail'd to it by him who came to save his people from their sins Who in this sense mainly is sent forth as a light to enlighten us and raised up
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
the affirmative both according to the Poets and the Prophets Quis legit haec Per so Isa. 53 who believeth our Report vel duo vel neme few or none Adde to this these considerations in proof thereof If sin be Christs Enemy in his Saints which none denyes then must it be destroy'd in them before not after death for the last enemy that is to be destroyed is death But the 1 st is true therefore this latter Again the perfecting of the Saints is the very end of Christs Ministry to the Church-ward Eph. 4.11 12 13. which end it must accomplish in this life or not at all for it ceases in that to come as Scripture and prophecy and all such mediums do as I.O. confesses being accommodated presenti huic statui to this present world onely Ex. 3. S. 39. and if it be not here attainable and freedom from sin not possible to be accomplished then ye make Christs Ministry as imperfect as your own absit blasphemia the perfection of every thing consisting in nulla alia re quoth I.O. Ex. 3. S. 24. no other thing then in its sufficiency to attain its end And in every discipline that quoth he is to be counted imperfect which sinem propositum suum assequi potis non est is not of force to effect its propounded end Yea not onely the 1 act of regeneration which is all ye count as attainable here but also the 2. Act or Consummation and perfection of it is attainable and is the very end of the true spirituall Ministry of Christ which is his gift and infallible for the Text runs so concerning that Ministryes continuance here which ceases after death till we all come into the unity of the Faith and Knowledge of the Son of God i. e. to know him all alike and to one perfect man even to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ So that all that are truly born from above of water and the Spirit not Bastards born of flesh into a talk of the new birth that yet know it not into the divine nature of Christ may come up into the measure of his stature to be as he is in whom is no sin to walk as he walk'd in this world 1 Ioh. 2. 6. 1 Ioh. 4.17 or else the end of the Ministry is frustrated And to say that God appoints a means to an end no way attainable I.O. Himself detests that as his principles are and so do all that hold that undenyable maxime that Deus nil facit frustra Again t is the end of the Scripture quoth I. O persicere omniae to perfect All things pertaining to our salvation Therefore perfect salvation from sin is here attainable otherwise the Scripture is not perfect as I. O. sayes it is to its own end sith it ceases in the world to come as he confesses also therefore though he contradict himselfe so as to say the Scripture obtains not its end here yet if his saying that it does obtain its end and its end is saving the soul be true this ad hominem is an Argument out of his own mouth sufficient to evince to the stoppoing of it a possibility of being saved from sin in this life Again they that walk not after the flesh and fulfill not the lusts of it sin not for sin is the fruit and effect of the lust which must conceive be consented and yielded to before sin can be brought forth Iam. 1.14.15 a man must be led away of his own lust before he sins But there be some that walk not after the flesh that fulfil not the lust of it Yea they that are in Christ Jesus to whom is no condemnation which condemnation by the Law is where ever sin is which is the transgression of the Law Rom. 8.1 yea more expressely they that are in Christ are new creatures the old things the old man and his deeds 2 Cor. 5. Rom. 6. Eph. 4. Which is renewed after the Image of him who created him in righteousness and holyness of truth not a meer imputed one a meer computed one an imaginary one a sound of words a talk not a shadowy one not a shew of holinesse where it is not substantially inherently indeed and in truth but a sinning under the name of Saints Yea more expressely yet from Rom. 8. If Christ be in in you the body is dead because of sin and Rom. 6. how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein such there are in whom Christ is and these are dead to sin and those that are dead to it live not in it it is mortified in such in facto esse not in fieri only i.e. mortifying ever as long as we live yet never dead till they be dead as our dead Divines deliver Ye most expressely of all Gal. 5. they that are Christs and some are his though the pleaders for sin and the Devils dwelling in them till they dy are none of his have in praeterito crucified the flesh not with the actions of it onely but also with the affections and lusts thereof And though there is a time of dayly dying I dydayâ—y saith Paul 1 Cor. 15. in the light which is the crosse of Christ to the caâ—nailmâ—nd to the world and the lust of it which passeth away before him that doth the will of God and abideth eveâ— Yet there is a time of being crucified to the world with Christ and the world unto such which Paul witnessed 2 Cor. 12. And howbeit 14. yeares before that Paul hast a Thorn in the flesh a Messenger of Satan to buffet him least through many Revelations he should be exalted above measure whence the Ministers of the night and darknesse argue a maâ—â—i ad mâ—nus that Paul sinned while he liv'd much more must others not heeding that his Thorn was but a Temptation to prevent his transgression and therefore noâ— a transgression of itself for Christ was tempted yet never sinned and beside though it lay haunting and attempting him and was not soon removed yet on his prayer that grace was given which was sufficient to support him under it so that he fell not by it yet if it had proved a transgression 't would not have proved him that sine'd 14. yeares ago to have been a sinner now much lesse to have sinned so long as he lived and so to have been an as for example for all seeming Saints to argue from that they may safely and must unavoidably continue sinning to their dying day Therefore salvation from sin is attainable in this life Yea this very conclusion here inferr'd is in plain termes asserted by Peter of the Saints 1 Pet. 1. of whom he sayes that they received the end of their faith the salvation of their souls which salvation I say till is from the sin which slayes and separates it from God or else from nothing Moreover such as walke after the Spirit and in the light and are led thereby these sin not nor do
wherein he requires it to be done by them as being never possible to be done in that to come if neglected here Yea then the Doctrine of full freedome from sin here is contrary to the Tenour of the Scripture quoth T. D. yea in short no better nor worse then a very doctrine of Devils quoth T. D. and T. Rumsey both in their Book which is so largely answered already in mine above said So then we have the Ministers mind in this poynt tripliciter or rather quadrupliciter at least about the time of the Saints perfect purgation from all sin First It is somewhere that they all confesse at first Secondly 'T is not here in this World cry they that comes too near the Copyhold of the Qua and we would not be ensnared with their beguiling Doctrine Thirdly 'T is not in that to come cry they this puts us poynt blank into the Purgatory of the Pope We must beware of that lest fleeing too farre from the Qua snare we fall into the Papists pit Fourthly 't is not in any World between this and that to come for there 's no such middle World that we know of therefore Fifthly to goe quite round to where we were before we began for Incidit in Seyllam qui vult vitare Charybdim It 's somewhere as we said at first but we know not where which to go round again is as much as to say for ought we know just no-where at all Howbeit some are not so well aware yet of the Traps they talk themselves into thereby but that they will be taking on them precisely to determine where it is when we closely urge them but their Testimony hangs as handsomely and is as well tangled together as the links of a pair of Pothangers where of every one draws a different way from another for some if askt when the full purging is it is say they while the soul is passing between here and heaven after its departed from the body This as A. P. informes me was T. Ds. answer to L.H. when askt at Sandwich in an assembly of many the precise time and period of the perfect purging so making a purgatory after death notwithstanding which it seems is in the aire and therein only different from the Popes which is seigned to be under the earth Others that I have put the Question to say t is a little before the soul departs out of the body to whom when I have redoubled my Query thus if a little before the soul depart why not a little sooner sith before is but before let it be a longer or a lesser while and if a minute why not an how if an hour why not a day and so caeteris paribus the same means attended to why not a month a year and years many as well as few I have received no answer and good reason why because there 's none to give and so we take it for granted from them that it 's before death however as we say if at all though these contradict T.D. who sayes with the Pope it 's after death Others not knowing which to say seeing according to our Argument which is thus viz. perfect purging if at all must be in this World as the Qua say or in that to come as the Pope says who seigns a Purgatory there for the remnant of sins that remain unpurged away here or else in another World betwixt this and that to come which Chimara who ere heard of being now somewhat wary left if they say before the soul go out which is in this World they yield to the Qua and if after it 's gone out which is the World to come they appeare too near a kin to the Pope in his poynt of Purgatory affirme it to be in the very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or moment or instant of the souls departure which is not in tempore it seems not in any time at all but in instanti and so sith Instans non est Tempus but as it were punctum temporis the instant being but a poynt of time and not properly Time it self it seems that Accidit in puncto quod non speratur in aevo That happens in a poynt of time which could never be so much as hoped to he attained in all the life time before Thus the Divines dance between this world and that to come not knowing yet where Purgatory is nor daring to say distinctly one thing nor other whether here or hereafter in this World or that hovering like Caesar at Rubicon with one foot over the dore sell t' other on this side one in t'other out one in that World t'other in this World saying with him yet I may go on and when afraid yet I may go back So 't is Somtimes one way then another Somtimes both wayes the and t'other Somtimes one o' th' two take either Somtimes 'twixt both worlds in neither Some say 't' si'th ' aire some say 't's i' th' earth Of knowledge where 't is there 's a dearth Some say 't's here there some some O Riddle Nor here nor there but just i' th' middle Contradictions and various self-confutations absurdities riddles and rounds about their Rule of Scriptures V. As to their Doctrine about the Scripture or Letters and not the spirit and lights being the Word of God the fixt firme foundation stable standard truest touchstone or tryall of all truth only sure inalterable invariable infallible Rule of holy life They tell us one while not the light within but the Hebrew and Greek Texts and Transcripts only and those at least though no Translations but as agreeing therewith are all those things abovesaid that one only Lydius lapis unchangeable measure for all doctrines spirits faiths truths and things of God and sayings to be measured by yea both it self and its own sayings also the Word of God properly the foundation rule inalterable and unaltered in so much as points tittles iota's or losse of one letter or syllable and what not Quarrelling with the Qua as siders with Papists in denying it only to be all this and for calling it a nose of wax that is flexible and may be twined and wrested by mistakes and mistranscriptions as themselves confesse it may by many mistranslations and for calling it as I.O. himself calls that most ancient Translation of it the Septuagint therefore see what an infallible rule and Word of God poor people have that know not Heb. and Greek a Lesbian Rule c. Witnesse I. O. whose businesse in all his Book above mentioned is to prosecute the proof of the Scripture in those and the like particulars and T. D. in his Books where he disputes the Scripture to be the Word of God and only Rule of faith and life and that there 's no other standing Rule but the Scriptures p. 25 26. 1 Pam. p. 16.2 Pam. Otherwhiles yea no further off then in the self same Books wherein they prosecute the proof thereof yea and T.D. no further
off then in one of the self same pages wherein he begins his discourse with me about it to go round again they plainly enough confesse the Scripture to be neither the Word of God nor the Rule witnesse T. Ds. words who when told what the Scripture is viz. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the letter writing that holy men wrote replies you cannot think us so silly sure as to affirm the Scripture in that sence which yet is the only sense in which it can properly be called Scripture to be the Word of God but we mean the matter contained in the Scripture which is another matter then the Scripture whether that be the Rule of faith or no witnesse also I. O. who Ex. 15.50 sayes Scriptura non verbum Dei vocatur formaliter quatenus scripta c. The Scripture formally considered and if not so not properly say I for forms dat esse et est id per quam resest id quod est is that by which every thing is what it is is not called the Word of God And yet to go round again p. 140. If the Scripture be what it reveals and declares it self to be it is then unquestionably the Word of the living God for that it professeth of it self from the beginning to the ending and Exer. 1 S. 32. Scripturam saepius eo nomine a spiritu sancto indigitari cuivis eas vel leviter inspicienti faâ—ile apparebit that the Scripture is very oft specially pointed out by that name is plain to him that but lightly looks into it Exer. 1. S. 28. Scriptura verbum Dei est locis poene innumeris verbum Dei dicitur The Scripture in well nigh innumerable places is called the Word of God Joh. 17.17 a Text that vel leviter inspicienti touches on no such matter and yet to go round again in the self same Section in the very next clause for all those innumerable places if there were as there are not so many in the book as the Scotchman said ubi verbum Dei ennarratur promulgari c. where the word of God is said to be preached publisht multiplyed received that most holy truth it self which is in mens hearts and is the matter of it is but the Scripture formaliter formally considered in no wise is intended And yet to go round again Exer. 1. S. 3. Fault is found with the Quakers by I. O. as meer seigners from them of that verbum internum or inward word they talke of because they do no more then I.O. does i.e. not own the Scriptures to be intended in those well nigh innumerable places but that holy matter truth or Word the Scripture speaks of as nigh in the heart of which I.O. himself Ex. 1. S 40. sayes also thus verbum quod in nobis est c. The word in us is that word of faith the Apostles preach Which well nigh innumerable places also I. O. himself sayes cannot be intended of Christs person neither quoniam autem millies fere mentio facta est verbi Dei c. because there is well nigh a thousand times mention made of the word of God and its preaching publishing receiving in those places which can't possibly be meant of the person of Christ and the Qua will not acknowledge the Scripture as intended there neither they carve from thence and wrest from thence I know not what Internall Word of which they are possessors in chief Haeredes ex Asse of such as held it shut up among themselves of old So shewing himself to be none of those Disciples of Christ among whom his Testimony is bound and his Law sealed up and hasting in his haughty mind to quarrell with the Qua for that which is no fault unlesse it be his own also he proves himself to Haeves ex Asseitlorum quos tenebrae antea inclusos tenuerunt who were justly shut up in groapable darknesse for despising the true light so as to groap for the Wall like the blind as if he had no eyes to stumble at noon day as in the night and as one horrendo percussus scotomate to run round with other blind guides in his giddy mind without sense or reason so as not to feel when he interferes and hacks one leg against another yea somtimes he confesses that the very Greek and Heb. copies or Transcripts are not only as well as Translations by the fallibility of the Scribes and the Criticall faculties of men liable to be turned eight wayes in one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some as contrary one to another as life to death and what way any Critick will and that the very immediate Transcribers of the Originall both might and also did erre faile mistake and that thereupon various lections when as I.O. at first said there was none at all not in a Tittle are risen witnesse I. Os. own confession and so not fit to be a foundation or a rule which to goe round again they say witnesse R.B.I.T. must not be variable and those though nickt in at next word by I. O. into the lesse offensive and formidable number of a few yet at next word to go round again both clearly confest and plainly cleared by I. Os. own self to be many among which though I. O. at the next word nullifies them all under that diminutive name of Apicular inconsiderable accents not at all intrenâ—hing on the sense or at all of any moment of no importance yet some to go round again are confessed to be of some importance and those of importance quoth he are considered by Glassius and consisting not only in superfluity of words unnecessary but in deficiency of words necessary to the sense of the places and that some of them are of such moment as Textum sacrum et in literis et sensu corrigere that they do alter the Text both in its letters and its sense And though to get from under that grievous gash which this grant of his own gives to his grand assertion of no variation of the Text in Tittles I. O. glazes it over with this glosse viz. That those that are inconsistent with the sense in their stations of more or lesse weight or moment are but private obscure and novell not above two or three hundred years standing in some late but no antient copies yet by and by to go round again I. O. denyes not but that some are not only of such publick and open observation as to be obvious to the view of all but also of long standing witnesse his words p. 190. There are quoth he in some Copies of the new Testament and those some of them of good Antiquity diverse readings in things or words of lesse importance and those which are of importance quoth he p. 193. have been already considered by others specially Glassius is acknowledged the proof of it lyes within the reach of most in the Copies that we have and I shall not sollicit the reputation of those who have afforded us
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
conscientia sua non conniventi sunt manifesta opera Tenebrarum ceu Carnis cuâ—usmodi sunt adulterium scortatio impuritas lascivia Idololatria veneficium inimicitia lites a mulationes excandescentia rixae dissidia haereses invidia caedes ebrietas commessationes his similia qualia quicunque agunt Regni Dei haeredes non erunt manifesta sunt inquit Scriptura idque non tam per Scripturam quam per lucem cui testatur Scriptura per quam manifesta fuerint in conscientiis hominum antequam Scriptura fuit hodie manifesta fiunt ubi Scriptura non est per quam etiam manifesta forent fi Scriptura nunquam fuisset Omnia enim quae redarguantur inquit Spiritus in Scriptura per lucem manifesta sunt lux enim est illud quod omnia manifesta facit 30. Ad hanc itaque animos vestros adhibeatis omnes ad hanc veniatis in hac ambuletis perpetuo mane atis etiam in Spiritu Dei qui redarguit mundum consolatur sanctos ex mundo vocatos redemptos electos Hic horatim sistatis ut vosmet ipsos sciatis comprehendatis malos Spiritus qui per lucem comprehenduntur ac dijudicantur licet hi nec eam nec filios ejus comprehendunt ut gratia miserecordia pax multiplicetur vobis a Deo Patre a Jesu Christo cujus consilio in conscientia quicunque auscultaverit habitaverit secure quietus erit etiam a metu mali Hic enim est mutus Ahaenus homini interne Nil conscire sibi nulla pallesere culpata 31. Qui vero a Luce deflexerit relinquens semitas sinceritatis ambu lare in Tenebrarum viis is ut suopic judicio fit introrsum condemnatus ita hunc tum Error tum Terror semper obviam habituri sunt ita ut dum speciem risus laetitia praese ferat saepe tamen valde torquetur in t us Pallet is infaelix quod proxima nesciat uxor 32. Haec omnia supradicta quae primo privatim magis in Amici singularis insignis cujusdam Germanici gratiam usum Latine fuerunt conscripta nunc cum non ulteriori alteratione quam hujusmodi rei ratio requirit nec non Deo ipso ad opus hoc movente publice magis idque tam Anglice quam Latine rescripta sunt exhibita in usum vestrum O Academici ac aliorum omnium quibus petentibus a nobis parati sumus secundum Petri consilium 1 Pet. 3.15 ad reddendum rationem fidei quae in nobis est cum mansuetudine timore conscientiam bonam habentes in hunc finem vero ut tam Vos qui aures a veritate avertentes ad fabulas divertitis quam Vos qui prurientes nulli alii rei vacantes nisi ad dicendum audiendum aliquid novi putatis nos peregrina ac novella quaedam inferre auribus vestris sciatis nos nequaquam Nova aliqua attulisse sed Antiqua omnia etiam eadem ipsamet quae per Dei Ministros ab initio fuerunt edita quaeque scimus vel in Salvationem vestram vel Damnationem graviorem vos agnituros in eternum 33. De quibus tamen non negligimus vos commonefacere per submonitionem expergefacere siquidem nil dicere quod non dictum prius tiamsi nos haud piget attamen tutum est vobis qui prae nimia incogitatione ac inanimadvertentia vel id ipsum quod notitis vere dicam ignoratis 34. Quae quidem si in eadem luce ac eodâ—m spiritu sinceritatis quocum scripta fuerint ab aliquibus pelegantur vel me scripsisse vel vos legisse nequaquam paenitebit 35. Sin minus ac si malignitatis inimicitiae spiritum amicus hic Sermo salutis vestrae in vobis exstimularit ita ut ignominiosam potius quam salutiferam auscultationem a vobis repulsam patietur satis mihi placebit in hoc opere me Deo placuisse ac purum esse sanguinis animarum vestrarum ac vos tandem memineritis etiam si sera nimis non absque poenitentia tamen Vos fuisse a Deo monitos Per Animarum vestrarum Amicum Anglicanum Sam. Fisher. Non amo Piscator nec possum dicere Quare Hoc tantum possum dicere non amo te Si nescis cur non dicam tibi Quare Sacerdos In promptu causa e. t Et quia vere amo te Exeo cum multis aliis ex Orbe ut in Orbe Piscator Ictus Laesus Amicusei Piscilegens quoscunque bonos in vasa at in ipsum Infernum abjiciens triste malum que malos Tupetis Exitium Tibimet petis ipse Ruinam Ventosus ventis verba utivela dedis Interdico tibi rapiens te exigne ut Amicus Sum tibi Veridicus Tuque Inimicus eris Piscator verus vere est nam Piscis Amator Sed Piscatorem Piscis amare queat Per Samuelem Piscatorem Per Pisc-amatorem Laesum Fisher I love Thee not yet know not Why Love Thee I can't were I therefore to Dy Know'st Thou not why O Priest Thou lov'st not Me The case is cleare 't is because I love Thee Out of the World into 't with more I 'm Sent A Fisher wrong'd of men to cry Repent Gath'ring in vessells all Good Fish but Bad Casting forth into th' Pit that Lake so Sad Thou seek'st thine own perdition puff't in Mind Yield'st up thy whiffling words like Sayl's to th' Wind In love I seek to save Thee from that Fire Tell Thee the Truth for this Thou' rt fild with Ire Fishers that catch men Thus though Friends to th' Fish From them they wish well can't have one good Wish SAM FISHER WELLWISHER to all men FINIS * Magistracy we own and for Conscience sake â—hereto are Subject as an Ordinance of God and for this cause have we at all times paid Tribute Custom Excâ—se and Assessements and all oâ—her dues thereto belonging that we may live a godly and quiet life under their Goverment wheniever God calls thereto For to peace are we called with all men and that we seek and can freely contribute to the Magistrates power that bears the Sword for that end But out of Warrs we are redeem'd and may neither learn nor teach warrs any more So it is not for saving our many nor in contempt of any Authority set over us that we have hitherto refused to raise Armes with or against any Power since we were a People for the mony we give to him whâ—se Superscription it bears but our Lives and Consciences we give up to God alone And what ever we Suffer a killing Instrument we may neither Form nor Bear against any of Gods Creation for he that is our Saviour from all our Enemies Leads us to save mens Lives and not to Destroy * Which shewes against that late Toy that John Tombs hath put forth in proof of some Swearing now which is scarely worth any further
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.
the perfection of which say they stands in no other thing than in sufficiency to effect its proper end which is with them the most perfect instruction of men in the knowledg and worâ—hip of God so that they may obtain eternal salvation witness I.O. whose Kâ—unds and Contradictions to himself in that point I shal here see down in his own words Englished which were written by him in Latine J.O. God the Author of the Scripture being the most perfect Agent must necessarily act for some end therefore in the Declaratiâ—n of his wiâ—l in the Scripture 't is sure he had some propounded end but â—herâ—as the end is tâ—ofâ—ld â— Vâ—timaâ—e and â—emoâ—e 2. Next and immediate we state the ultimate supream and general end to be his own glory The immediate or next end of his giving the Scriptureâ— and so of the Scriptures themselves we conâ—end to be our direction in the knowledge of God and obedience to be yeelded to him that at length we doing his will may obtain eternal salvation and the enjoyment of himself for this is the end of the worker and of the work What God intends by the Scriptures that they to wiâ— morally and in the way of operation proper to them dâ— effect But when aâ— the perfection of every Discipline consists in relation to its end and that is to be held perfect wâ—ich is sufficent to its next end but that imperfect which cannot obtain it propâ—sed end the perfection of the Scriptures can consist in no other thing then in its sufficiency in respect to its proper end which is the instruction of men in the knowledge and worship of God that they may attain eternal salvation In this sense therefore we assert the Scripture to be the most perfect Rule of the whole worship of God and oâ—r obedience Reply Whether â—â—ere be not a more perfect way of our instructâ—on in the saving knowledge of God then the Scripture appears elsewhere where I shew no saving knowledge of God comes any way but the inward Revelation of himself in us by his Light and Spirit Here only obseâ—ve I O. confusiâ—ns and confutation of himself in this above by that which follows when the Quae. say the Scripture is perfect to its own proper end and its end being obtained it ceases Then quoth he It s most false that the Scripture obtains it whole end in respect of us while we are in the world therefore till heaven and earth pass away not one jâ—t or tittle of the Law i.e. Letter with him shall fail for not only the begetting of faith but also the building up in it while we live here is the end of the Scripture So then its end which is begetting to and building up in the faith is not effected by it here is it then in the world to comes 〈◊〉 no neither quoth he in the self-same Section the use of the Scripture shâ—â—â— cease then being accomodated only to our present state and faith also as founded on it â—â—â—ll be done aâ—ay Ex 3. s. 39. Here then is the round I.O. makes with a Cris-cross in the middle of it viz. The perfection of the Scripture which we plead and affirm and of every thing else is its sufficiency and efficacy to accomplish its own proper immediate end and what ever doth not so is imperfect The immediate end of the Scripture is its direction instruction of men in the saving knowledge of God his will worship their obedience and duty to him the ingeneration of faith and edification up in it to salvation This whole end of the Scripture its most false to affirm that it accomplishes till the world to come it must do it in this world or in the world to come in this world it cannot possibly do it for perfection in the faith in holiness freedom from sin here is not attainable in the world to come it cannot possibly for there both the Scripture it self and also the faith it seâ—f that is founded on it will cease to be of any use at all being of use only here â—nd shall be both done away Verbum sat sapients insipienti plura plus satis Never did I see such Rounds and crosses and confusions and contradictions such self-confutations and Net-works and Checker-work and Webs and Snares as I.O. makes and hangs hampered in himself when he hath done made and woven among any but our wofully benighted Divines all whose works are done in the darke Isa. 29.15 in all my dayes before Is the Scripture then the Power of God to salvation able mighty effectual available to its end that is to save the soul as I.O. sayes it is no quoth I.O. it is not it s most false to say it doth or can avail to its end in this world in the world to come its of no force so if it be the power of God as I.O. affirms it over and over again it is it must be in some world that is past away or some new found world or other for he himself sayes its neither in this present world nor that to come neither now nor hereafter neither here nor there But alas as the world it self wherein he fancies such a thing to be is none knows where but a meer Chimaera of his own coining hatcht no where but in his own head the Shop where and whence many more such like toyes are shapen sold and uttered among such as having sold the truth are willing rather to trade in utter untruths then in nothing at all and not receiving the love of the truth that they might be saved but taking pleasure in unrighteousness more then it are given over to strong delusion to beleeve lyes that they may be damned For seriously that the Letter or Scripture is the power of God to salvation or that Word of God which brings forth any good fruit to perfection among either the Seedsmen the Ministers of the Letter that sow nothing but their own senses and thoughts upon it or in the stony thorny common high-way ground of Parish peoples hearts in which they sow the Letter mingled with their own chaffy cogitations saying Hear the word of the Lord when yet they confess themselves neve heard his voice This however ye imagine Oh ye power less profitless Prophets is a meer no such matter for that is the Word or Seed that is sown by the Supreme Sowes the Son of Man himself in the same Field or World of mens hearts in which the World is where the Devil in the dark night while men sleep and watch not to the light sows Tares among the good Seed which where it lights on honest hearts that hear and heed the Word patiently continuing in the keeping of it brings forth abundantly in some Thirty some Sixty some â—n Hundred fold Indeed the Letter the Text or Scripture declares and bears witness to the Word which is absolutely necessary effectual perfect to the ends aforesaid which is the power of God
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