RVSTICVS Ad ACADEMICOS IN Exercitationibus Expostulatoriis Apologeticis Quatuor The Rustick's ALARM to the Rabbies OR The Country Correcting the Vniversity and Clergy And not without good cause Contesting for the Truth Against the Nursing-Mothers and their Children In four Apologeticall and Expostulatory Exercitations Wherein is Contained as well A General Account to All Enquirers As A General Answer to All Opposers Of the most truly Catholike and most truly Christ-like Christians called QVAKERS and of the true Divinity of their Doctrine By way of Entire Entercourse held in special with Four of the Clergies Chieftanes viz. John Owen D D. late Dean of Christ's Church Coll. Oxon. Tho. Danson M.A. once Fellow of Magd. Coll. Oxon since one of the Seers for the Town of Sandwich in Kent Iohn Tombes B.D. once of Bewdly since of Lemster Rich. Baxter Minister at Kederminster Another Eminent Master in this English-Israel Which Four Fore-men hold forth the sense and senseless Faith of the whole Fry and write out the Sum of what is or is to be said by the whole Fraternity of Fiery Fighters against the True Light of Christ and its True Children Alias An Universal Vindication or General Iustification of the Sincere Practices and sound Principles of That faithfull People in such Points as the Priests oppose them in hinted in the Epistle and handled in the Book ensuing against the Collegian Calumnies and Clerical Cavils of All who Causelesly Quarrel with them By Samuel Fisher Who sometimes went astray as a lost Sheep among the many Shepheards but is now returned to the Great Shepheard and Overseer of the Soul I Kings 18.27 And Elijah Mocked them and said Cry aloud for he is a God c. Numb 25.17 18. Vex the Midianites and smite them for they vex you with their Wiles c. Isa. 57.3 4. Against whom do you sport your selves Against whom do you make a wide Mouth c. Ethnici non Credendo Credunt Christiani Credendo non Credunt Error Minimus in Principio fit Major in Medio Maximus in Fine LONDON Printed for Robert Wilson in Martins near Aldersgate 1660 TO THE READER TO premise nothing at all to such a Bulk as seems to promise by its Great Quantity to have something of weight worth or Good Quality in it were to erect a spatious City with no Gate into it an extream on the other hand well-nigh as absurd as that of his who building the little City Mindus is said to have made it's Gates bigger then the City To praefix a prolix Epistle to a large Book may prove as Cumbersome to a Conscientious as 't is Ridiculous to a Rationall Reader to make many long Proaemiums to a short one As therefore I shall forbear lashing out into any long or loud Proclamations of what profit may accrue to an unprejudic'd Peruser of the following Fabrick Vino vendibili non opus est Haederâ So shall I yet not for custom but convenience not altogether omit in way of Initiation or Introduction to premise First some words more generally to All sorts of Readers 2 dly more particularly some to All plain Country People 3 dly 2. or 3. words to All proud-Spirited Priests and Scholastick Rabbies 4 thly some few to the presenâ— Powers of these poor Priest-ridden Brittish Nations Ifâ— Then as for the Book it self in the 4. parts thereof which this relates to Know All people that herein ye have the tall Academicall Sons of Anak to whom the Seed of Jacob seem but as Grashoppers uncapable to grapple with their greatnesse taken down or that Great Goliah's head cut off with his own Sword by the Power of God in the heart and hand of a despised Country Stripling who coming from following the Ewes great with young and perceiving him in pride to disdain and defy Gods Armies in the name of the living God went forth to meet him in answer to his Arrogant challenge with a Stone Sling in his hand brought down the uncircumcised Philistine to the ground For herein By way of plain Reply to sundry Books of those four men aforesaid viz. I. I. O's Two English Treatises which Treat pretendedly For but in very deed Against the Scriptures as to That very Authority and Integrity of their Hebrew and Greek Texts he pretends to plead for together with his third Tractacle of Latine Theses Pro Scripturis Contra Fanaticos in which not without a Legend of as loud Lyes of the Quakers as Lewd Laughings at the Lords Spirit and Light within in opposition unto both he as vainly adventures to evince it that the Scripture Alias the outward Letter is the Trueâ—t Light the only most firm Foundation and perfect Rule of all saving belief and holy Life that it is in Esse both Reali and Cognoscibili yea properly as to Name and Thing no lesse than the very Living word of the Living God II. T. D's Two Trifting Tractacles Term'd 1. The Quakers Folly manifested c. 2. The Quakers Wisdom not from Above c. occasioned Originally by 2. or 3. Publick Disputes at Sandwich held with him and his Adherents by three of them viz. R. H. G. W. S. F. III. I. T 's Nine Sermons Truâ—t into one Treatise untruly Term'd True Old Light Exalted c. and not only Back't but Thrust out also by R. Baxter in his Blind Zeal against that same unblinded People To which said Reply is Annexed an Appendicular Postscript Abridging into a closer compasse many of those Absurdities Self-Contradictions Confusions Riddles and Rounds the Rabbies run into unawares in their unwary wrestlings against the Quakers And a Positive true Testimony according to the Externall Letter to the Internal and Eternal Light both in Latine wherein it was first written and also in English whereunto it is for further service Translated Herein I say is the Dimnâ—s of the Divines and meer Humanity of the Doctrines of the Academicall Doctors discovered Also the Qâ—a with the Innocency of their cause cleared against the Insolency of the choicest Champions that contemn them and the Divinity of their Doctrines vindicated from their clamours in the points hereunder specified viz. Anti-Papism Liberty of Conscience Having the faith of God without respect to the persons of men Iustification by the righteousness of Christ alone The Scripture and what it is as to Name and Thing The Word of God and what as to Name and Thing The Light of Christ in the conscience as to its universality and sufficiency and bow It and not the External Text or Letter is the only firm Foundation of the Churches Faith the only true Touch-stone of all Doctrines the only Right Rule of all saving Beliefe and holy Life The Infallible Spirits Infallible guidance of all that follow him as their Guide at this very day The generall Grace and Love of God in Christ to the whole World every Individual in it and how it is Great Universall True and Unfained notwithstanding through each perishings-man own fault very
viz. onely and alone their deliverance in him from the sin in which they could never be just or any better then abominable in his sight but not in any that they should be saved from the sin and he by being in them become the Subject of it in their stead that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him and not he the Image of Satan forever in our Room so it s said 1 Pet. 3.18 that Christ once suffered for our sins the just for the unjust not that he might bring us to God only and not bring God to us nor so as to own and count us holy in our sins but to bring us to be Gods children by Nature and Image and not to bring us to be so thought and yet leâ— us like the Devill much lesse to make himselfe by sin like the Devil and that this is the onely end it s said for what the Law could not do in regard it was weakâ— through our flesh God sending his own Son in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sin in ourâ— flâ—sh that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh as all sinners and no Saints do but after the Spirit Rom. 8.3.4 which is one viz. the 3d of the 4 Scriptures above named I am under the examination of T. D's Admirable answers too which that I may rid my hands on 't while t is in hand and not need to take it in hand any more and also because his answer to it suits so well with what I am here saying not mattering so much order as to tarry till its turn comes I shall take notice of his answer to it and by a briefe Reply take it out of the way as I go Having â—aid no other of the 3d verse then I myself do he grants that the 4 verse imports the end for which God sent Christ viz. that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us so far he is right and runs with me but then he speedily spoils all again adding that by that Term in us is meant not in our own persons but in Christ his righteousnesse imputed to us as if it had been inherent in our selves which I told him then when he uttered it as he relates p. 17.18 was his own meaning but not Pauls to which his yes started up against my no and so it ended for that time But a word or two with thee T.D. about it now Is the sense and meaning of that Term in us not in us but in another not in our persons but in Christ I never heard so much in all my dayes that I know of till I had it from thee and if thou hadst not told me so I should never have believed it to have been so any more then I can believe it now thou dost tell me it is so and that is to say the truth not at all for if this be so that when the spirit of God sayes in us we must understand him as intending not in us but in some other I can't tell where we shall have him nor how to understand him distinctly more then one can understand thee who oft speakst on thing and thinkst another and hast so many meanings for one Scripture somtimes that thou know it not which to take for true nor which of them all to fix upon as the Spirits but hangst thy people up in the aire there to hover with thy self in the Clouds of darknesse till neither thou nor they know well either where ye are or what ye say nor whereof ye affirm But surely T. D. though thou thinkst as all takers of Gods Covenant into their mouths that hate to bereformed and cast his words behind them do that God is such a one as thy selfe Psal. 50. and goest about to make thy more talkt on then well known unity in Trinity a Trinity of vain talkers and meer mockers of men like thy self saying one thing meaning oft another viz. that God offers salvation to all men but intends it onely to a few or at least by thy own confession offers it to more then he intends it though I believe thy words were as R.H. rehearses p. 40. and that twast an usuall thing with Christ to speak words of a doubtfull sense So that his meaning may be mistaken by none but illiterate Anti-Spiritists say I when his words are taken in the most ordinary and literall sense by every man not meaning every individuall but a very few and by all but some and that the meaning of the Spirits words Joh. 9. cannot be as the letter of them doth import ut prius p. 6.7 and so here that by in us they all three mean not in our persons but in Christ and a deal more of such Hoberdipoise but let the Father Word and Spirit which are one be true in their witnesse in heaven and every man a lyar that belyes them as thou doest for there is no such matter as thou intimately of them but the wayes and words of wisdome are all plain to him that understandeth pro. 8. and dark to none but the Children of darknesse and parables to none but such as seeing see not therefore must not see the mysteries of the Gospell which are revealed to Babes nor his secrets which are hid to none but such as fear not him whose secrets are with those that fear him Blind Priests and people hate the light Therefore of truth can have no sight Else how easily might they see that God Christ and the Spirit mean as they say and do not mean by all but a few nor by in out nor here by in us in another or not in us and if this may passe for a current answer to say God by yea means not yea but nay which he that hath his fingers in the fire and will not pull them out at the hearing of 't is almost pitty but he should be burnt This is an easier way to put off truth by then the common Creephole of all the Clergy when they are cronded up into a Corner viz. in aliquo sensu ita est in alie sensu non in one sense 't is so in another not which may serve not T.D. onely who hath more senses to one Scripture then every one hath or he should have though not enough to serve his turn but also the veriest Duncicall Disputant in the World Yea at this rates when Paul tells us that if Christ be not in us we are Reprobates and 't is Christ in us onely who is the hope of glory if I were minded not to admit of such a troublesome guest in my heart as Christ is to all such sinner-like Saints as T. D's Saints are I could easily turn him out into the Stable as they did of old that could afford him no Room at all in the Iune and excuse my selfe in it well enough too by telling him in T. D's distinction that by in us
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
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
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
gives out his goodly colour in the Glass or that the picture of a Prince or eminent person is in esse reali cognoscibili and in all propriety of speech so to be called the very Prince or person him self it is but the Image of or the Map of the City London Rome Jerusalem is the very City it represents so that he bereaves it of its proper name that will not allow it to to be any otherwise but figuratively so called Now as to the Scriptures being the Word of God and evidently known to be so or evidencing themselves to be so and that of right and properly they are to be so called all which thou J. O very absolutely averrest I do here as absolutely deny confessing that if they be so or can be evidenced so to be they ought accordingly so to be called or else not for tum demum propriè dicuntur resfieri quoad nos cum incipiunt patefieri what is not so is not known to be so much less can challenge that as its proper name so that if in essereali they can be made appear to be the Word of God then I give the rest for granted or if I make it appear that they are not so then all wise men that not for want of ignorance of it yet do not will once grant that they are not so infallibly known as J.O. avouches they are to be the Word of God and that the Word of God is not the proper name of the Scriptures so distinctly and abstractively understood as is above said And seeing that thou J.O. art first out in the field appearing for them it s but meet that I should first examine what thou urgest in way of evidence for their being the Word of God and so subjoyn what I have to say truly of them against what falsely thou hast said And seeing that which thou thy self layest as the very basis and foundation of thy whole brittle building and of all that divine Authority ascribed by thee to the Scripture of its being owned sub paena to be submitted to as the Word of God on peril of eternal damnation is its Divine original and is best also to be first medled with that the bottome being shaken and shewed to be unsound the body of sticks and straws thou buildest thereon which is torn and shattered not a little within it self as it stands untouched in the eye of any intelligent and observant Reader may yet with the more ease and less labour be shaken to the ground I shall enter first at the front of thy Formidable forces and begin to undo where thou beginnest to do thy Do which yet will not be so much in one sense to undo as truly to do Right to the Truth about the letter which thou wrongest in uttering so many utter untruths concerning it as thou doest J. O. The whole Authority of the Scripture in it self depends solely on its Divine original pag. 2. This Original is the basis and foundation of all its Authority pag. 28. Rep. As to the Divine original of the Scripture which is the first and fundamental matter that in the very original or first Chapter of thy first Treatise thou pleadest on its behalf as in proof of its Divine Authority or Right to be owned as the Word of God I deny not but that it is of Divine original and so one way or other is every thing else that hath a truly good and honest being yea the very Devil himself as a creature of God though neither any of his deeds which are sin which is deceit and defect nor himself quà 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he is a Deceiver and as immediate an original from God as any meer writing or Scripture in the world hath this Scripture hath and some little of it such an immediate emanation from God as neither the most of it self hath or ever had nor yet the best that ever any holy man of God was the Pen-man of now hath or ever had I acknowledge that Scripture which is the present subject had at its first giving out to men for a few words of that outward writing the mee◠writing or letter of which yet though the matter still remains and ever will when all writing fails is lost and perished out of the world as well as the original manuscripts of the holy men who wrote the rest was written more miraculously at first then with the hands of holy men namely some with such Fingers as came out from the wall by God◠appointment in Belshazzars carousing Room Dan. 5.24 25 26 27 28. and some with no less than the Finger of God himself Exod. 32.18 16.32 15 16. 34.1.28 Deuter. 9 10. 10.12 But what of all this that the meer Transcripts of that Text which was so immediately though little or none of it so immediately from God as J.O. contends neither or at least none at all of it immediate unto us that our modern Transcripts I say thereof which is all that is immediate to us and which J.O. who confesses all the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or first writings to be lost busies himself to prove to be so are at all immediately come forth from God to us or that that letter which was most immediately penned from Gods own hand is thereupon evinced to be truly and in proper location the Word of God or any more then externa mera licet vera Imag◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a meer though true outward copy expression or express Image as vox omnis is and Scripture too ad intra of the Word of God which is that only that is written of and not the writing of it This I both dare and do deny again J.O. or any other that asserts it yet what a deal of stress doth J.O. put upon his strict and strong Asseveration of this throughout his first Chapter insomuch that he layes the whole load of his cause and makes all his labours to lean upon this weak Reed and broken Basis the falseness shallowness and sandiness of which as he manages this matter viz. the manner of the Scriptures coming out from God by then I shall have a little examined it will shew it self unable to bear up the weighty Fabrick of the Scriptures being the Word of God which is the Babel that he builds upon it against a storm I shall here take notice of some at least of J. O.'s foolish false fictitious and self-contradicting talk about that prime Prop and Pillar on which his grand Proposition that the Scripture is assuredly and infallibly known to be the Word of God and all his proofs thereof are grounded viz. The Divine Original of the Scripture CHAP. II. I Shall consider this matter of the Scriptures Original both Absolutely taking notice of a few of thy false and foolish fancies about it and also Relatively as it 's laid by thee as the Basis of the Scriptures Divine Authority or being th◠Word of God J. O. The Laws
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.
that if he were set to extoll and set forth Christ Jesus himself in all his Dignity Authority Dominion Might Majesty and Glory unless it be the express names of the only beloved and begotten Son of God King of Kings Lord of Lords Mighty God the Ever-Father the Prince of Peace and perhaps some few more I can scarcely suppose on a sudden that he could finde any other or at least any more eminent Titles to dignifie him by then those by which hee dignifies not to say Deifies his adored dead Transcript Text and Corps of the Greek and Hebrew Copies of the Scriptures which hee vermilions over with the honour and veneration as to sundry of the most excellent glorious Titles and properties hee attributes to it that is due either to God or Christ or his living VVord Light and Spirit alone For howbeit every such particular expression of VVonderful Councellor Leader and Commander to the people Redeemer Saviour Salvation c. that Christ is stiled by may possibly not bee used in I.Os. book to express the outer Scriptures by yet I beleeve there is but little asserted in honour of Christ the Spirit the living Light and VVord througout the Scripture which is not asserted if not in the same yet in Termes equivalent in honour of the Scripture it self Witness all those most high flown phrases and eminent strains he flyes out and strikes up in in way of ascribing little less then all Authority Dominion Exaltation Transaction self-evidencing efficacy Light Power Dignity and Glory here on earth at least unto the Scriptures as if the Father had sealed it and not his Son and Spirit to be the disposer and orderer of all things next and immediately under himself as supream Iudge Rule Ruler Head and Governour over the sons of men and the giver and dispenser of the meat that endureth to eternal life CHAP. IV. ANd now I return to take more notice of what more is urged in his Latine Theses as concerning the Scriptures being the only most perfect rule of faith life worship and knowledge of God as to salvation The second Argument in proof whereof is its perfect operation and efficacy Ex. 3. s. 29. omnia perficit necessaria c. it accomplishes all that is necessary to Gods glory and our salvation in vindication of which a whole Dozen of Scriptures are urged eleven of which are above answered and one onely remains to be a little spoken to viz. Isa. 55.10 11. And as to that of Isa. 55 10 11. I grant That the Word of God as the Rain and Snow comes down and returns not without watering the earth and causing it to bring forth and bud and give seed and food so it returns not void at any time without working that for which he sends it to any person or people and prospering to the accompliâ—â—ment of what he pleases but I am half amazed to see that thou I.O. shouldest bee so silly as to interpret that of the Scripture since it so expresly speaks de verbo oris sui of the Word of his mouth which is asserted immediately from himself with his own voice so shall my Word be that goeth out of my mouth which Word expressed by his own voice speaking who so upon second thoughts and serious consideration shall say the Scriptures are properly too as I.O. excusing his ignorance for as much as not for want of incogitancy I my self sometimes so thought while I ran as our National Ministry now doth making haste and saying he saith before himself had sent mee howbeit I wanted no sending of man or had spoke to me or I heard his voice I shall make bold to accuse him of arrant Absurdity miserable mistake wretched blindness and utter unâ—â—rthiness to bee denominated a Doctor in that thing which our Divines call Divinity Nevertheless not having so well minded the matter as upon occasion they may do in time to come being carried in times past by custome to take things and term and talk of them according to tradition more then true discerning of them in their proper natures the very preachers of this Nation as well as the poor people that have lived on their lips have been so habituated by common Metonymies to miscall the Scriptures by names not proper to their natures that they now stand up to depend them to be most properly denominated by those Metonymical and improper names so that howbeit we are never so willing to allow them to express themselves by such figurative phrases as are frequently found in the Scripture it self as Act. 13.27 the voices i.e. Scriptures of the Prophets are said to be read in the Iews Synagogues every Sabbath and that satisfies them not but the Qua. are deniers both of the Scriptures and of the Word of God and spoylers of them of their proper names if they yeeld not to their as absurd as arbitrary Appellations of them by those glorious Titles of Gods Words Gods Voice as their proper names yea in this dotish disquierness and peevish perversnes of his prejudiced spirit doth I O. quarrel with the Quakers as bereavers of the Scripture of its proper name because they own not his improperties in ignorantly and impudently imposing the names of the Word of God and the spiritual Light on the Letter as its Proper names which it chalâ—engeth to it self from its preheminent participation of the nature and properties of the Word of God and of Light viz. Life power to quicken and save and to shine to the evidencing of it self J.O. I am now to deal against the Qua. about the proper name of the Scripture for this sort of men are glad that the care of this business is committed to them by Satan that they may spoil the Scriptures of that glorious Title the Word of God This name doth the Scripture challenge to it self So p. 49.73 74 77. That the Scripture is light we shall see that is so or can be called so unless it hath this nature and properly to evidence it self as well as to give light to others cannot in any tolerable corespondency of speech be allowed Whether spiritual intellectual light regarding the minde or natural with respect to bodily sight be firstly or properly light I need not inquire both have the same properties it is spiritual moral intellectual light with all its mediums that hath the preheminence as to a participation of the nature and properties of light Now the Scripture the Word of God is Light a Light â—hining in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.19 with an eminent advantage for its own discovery c. a glorious shining Light an illuminating Light compared and preferred abâ—ve the light of the Sun Psal. 19.5 6 7. Rom. 10 18. The most glorious light in the world the most eminent reflexion of increased Light and Excellencies the Psalmist ascribeth light power stability and permanency like that of the Heavens and Sun in commutation of properties to the word i.e. Scripture with I.O.
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
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
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
as in many more if they do not Maliciously mis-represent us yet at best they most Miserably mis-understand us not well heeding these things that hereunder follow 1st That the Qua. themselves hold not out as attainable such a Perfection of Holynesse Grace or Glory as to degree here as admits of no addition of a greater degree of it hereafter for of the increase of Christs Image Glory and Kingdom there is no end but such a Perfection only as is without unholiness or committing any Sin or Transgression as whereby there is a perfect Defacing and Destroying in them the Works the Old Contracted Ugly Image of the Devil Anger Hatred Envy Wrath Blood Cruelty Uncleanness Drunkenness and all such like Lustings to Evil which whoever areÌ„ not purged from before can never enter into the Kingdom of God and Christ which is that Incorruption that Corruption cannot Inherit Full Deliverance from the doing of which Evills is a true perfection of Holiness according to the measure of it though not so great a measure of it but that hereafter there may be more as Adam in Innocency had no Sin yet not so much of God Good and Glory but that it might possibly be Augmented The Elect Peter writes to received the end of their Faith the Salvation of the Soul which is from Sin or nothing by him who was manifested a Light into the world to this end even here to Destroy the Works of the Devil 2dly That we hold not out a Condition of full Freedom from Temptation which if any be without he is wise enough to keep it to himself and not to prattle of it to the Priest who for all his Preaching against it can't with patience hear of turning yet from all Transgression And lest any should think of me as more then I yet am I am not yet that man who ere he is that 's free from Temptation but in our several measures what we witness in our selves by the Power of God and Gospel of his Light and Grace viz. a Liberty not to Sin which is that some long for but from Sin and a freedom from following any Lust and an Ability such as we found not while we were where Priests their people are to walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and to be saved from Sinning though not from sins Objecting it self to us and from Transgression though not from Temptation So it is a True State of Perfection and a State of True Perfection or else Christ himself who was often Tempted Matth. 4. yet never sinned was not Perfect 3dly That we hold not as there are some that sillily suppose of us saying the Qua. say they are so perfect they cannot Sin an Impossibility of those mens sinning who while they sin not are Saints for the Denominations of Sinners and Saints do tollere se invicem so as he who is a sinner while such while sinning is no Saint as T. D. dotes and he who is a Saint or Holy One clean from sinning is no Sinner specially not as David was while in his Guilt and Filth of Murder and Adultery as T. D. dreams also for no Sinner is a Saint while sinning nor is any Saint a Sinner while a Saint or Holy One but a Possibility only not to sin as men take heed to themselves by the Word and Light Non posse peccare is one thing and Posse non peccare is another and the Divines can see it so sometimes when they please though they will not own their own Distinctions when the Qua. make them They say men must needs sin while in this world measuring others by themselves who are yet sold under sin and so under a necessity of committing it and falling under the Law of it and because we own them not in their Extream which of the two is fartheâ—t off from the Truth they dream we are in the other so as to say men after they once one the Light cannot sin Thus the Vile Person Churl whose Instruments are Evil destroyes the poor with lying words when the needy speaketh right things for we say that men though they ought not to sin yet may or may not sin according as they heed the Light or heed not the Light which is the Power of God against it by which Psal. 119.9 a young man heeding it May cleanse his way not Must necessarily whether he heed it or no Let him that standeth take heed left he fall To say men must sin is one thing can't sin is another may or may not as the Light is kept to is the Truth 4thly That we Doctrinally hold not out such a full Freedom and Attainment of Poâ—er over Sin per Saltum at once or at the first Step of a Person from the Darkness wherein he dwelt toward the Light so that after once Converted to the Light only and to wait in it there 's a full Deliverance witnessed without any more ado as our National Ministry who are oft more willing to mistake us then rightly to understand us make it out in their muddy medlings against the Qua. before their people but that those that turn to the Light in their Consciences which Reproves and Condemns even the most Secret Sins in the flesh and obey it and abide by it waiting patiently on the Lord in the Way of his Judgments while the Spirit thereof and of burning passeth to the purging away the Filth Dross and Tinn to those only as well as to all those at last Judgement shall be brought forth into Victory over the Sin that 's Judged the Righteousness of the Law fulfilled by the Power of Christ in them bringing it near to such as Thirst after it and Revealing it in the Light from Faith to Faith Rom. 1. And the Salvation of God from sin which shall once come and not tarry to such as thus quietly hope and wait for it Isa. 42.12 13. Lam. 3.26.27 We say not it's the work of meer man nor of a day but the Work of Christ which in due time he will without failing and being discouraged in it perform and bring to passe for the Battle is not ours but the Lords in such as stand still beholding and following him in the leadings of his Light to the Rooting out of all Iniquity and Establishing of Equity in the Earth to the accomplishing of the work of Regeneration or begetting men back from the Image and Nature of the Devil and life of sin through the Death and Blood of Christs Cross which being but begun in the first Act of Conversion to God which our Prieâ—ts to the deceiving themselves and people think is Regeneration enough for them and to serve their turn though their turning to God as they call it be not yet from Darknesse Sin and the Power of Satan to God in his Light neither but from some one empty dead literal Form of Profession or other to another they look for the fulness of as to freedom from sin
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
filthy rags but that is thy Blasphemy who so rendredst it but we know no such rotten stinking filthy righteousness that Christ hath either in himself or in his Saints Also thou falsly construest and misrepresentest both G.W. and all of us as if we asserted all men to have the knowledge of the Mysteries of the Kingdome of God for we say not that all know them and we know that thou know'st them not but that the Kingdome or Light that only shews them is in all men so that thereby they may know the mysteries of it though they do not Also thou most miserably misrepresentest my saying there are degrees among Believer p. 18. as if I had meant by it according to thy own muddy misty manner of meaning and supposing in that and many other matters that Believers have a mixture of sin with their grace and so ex falso suppositis proceedest to make another meaning of thine own which is none of mine that some persons be justified which never did fulfill the Law personally and rakest up an absurdity and fatherest it on me when 't is thine own for I deny thy imagined mixture of sin with the Saints Graces as a meer non-sensical saying of thy own for Grace and Sin can no more mix together then iron and miry clay then light and darkness then Christs true righteousness and the dung and filthy rags which thou supposest to be his also which can have no communion together 2 Cor. 6. And I deny any men to be justified or any of thy uncessantly ever-sinning Saints in whose persons the Law is not fulfill'd by the Power of Christ. Also how guilty or not guilty thou art found of laying down things in our names which were never spoken by us in such wise as thou ventest them and so of wronging us by adding to our words to be-speak thee in thy own words of thy Epist. to the second Pamphlet let any understanding man peruse thy first which occasioned G.Ws. Reply and he will find viz. that thou art charged not in falshood but truly and justly by G.W. charged of falshood in such passages as have many and credible Witnesses if thou count thy own Witnesses credible attesting them for I shall bring them against thee even as thou thy self hast ranked them in thy own book and stand to that very testimony they therein give as to the tryal of this matter between thy self and me which if it may be heeded more then thy own single testimony against both thy self and all them also I shall do well enough as to one of the Archest Accusations thou makest against me To this purpose consider all people that T.D. on his bare head accuses me S.F. p. 14. 15. of his first Pamp. of affirming and disputing it against him that OVR good works viz. OVR own righteousnesses of which it was of old said and we say the same now not intending by that term OVRS any that Christ works in us as T.D. does but those we have wrought out of him that they are filthy rags are the meritorious cause of our Iustification And in the same place asserts the third Question to be stated affirmed and prosecuted by me in thoâ—e very terms viz. that OVR good works are the meritorious cause c. nevertheless the self-fame T.D. if it be one and the same T.D. who wrote the Trifle call'd A True Relation of the Disputes and that Remarkable Narrative at the end thereof in p. 58. of the same foresaid Pamphlet to the Confutation of himself and in Proof of his falsification of things in that other place not only affirms it himself but also proves it by his many credible Witnesses of whom he sayes in his Epistle to his second Toy they attest the truth and in the Epistle to his first thus viz. The Gentlemen Ministers and others in the Margin are a few of very many Witnesses of the terms of the Questions agreed to by the Qua. and of other remarkable passages and matters of fact who will free me from the suspition of a partial Relator that the terms of the third Question were these viz. Whether good works be the meritorious cause of our Iustification which quoth T.D. was expresly affirmed by them witness in the Margin Hen. Oxenden Iob. Boys Esq Nath. Barry Tho. Seyliard Ch. Nichols Ministers which terms say I are quite diffeferent from the other Good works which are only Christs without that term of OVR added to them being one thing and OVR good works clearly another especially OVRS that are filthy Raggs So what need further witness to prove T.D. to have added to and altered our termes and wronged us by misconstructions for the world has it under his own hand which evinces him to have done so yet he sayes to his Reader T. D. As to false construction of their words If thou thinkest it worth while to compare my false and this mans G.W. true construction either thou seest not with mine eyes or thou wilt see they have no occasion to complaine Rep. To which say I If he see with thy eyes indeed then its like he may see no cause we have to complain of thee for thy eyes are set the wrong way to see any evill in thy self while they are not Zach. 9 as all Israells as one man are towards the Lord in his light which only shews to the evill doer his evil Deeds but are set rather to watch against the Children of it for evill thy eyes are in tuts talpae in alienis linces blind at home and quicksighted the contrary way abroad if they were not thou could'st never spie so many spots among them that walk in the Spirit and so few of those foul faults that are found among thy fellow walkers after the Flesh but if any Readers be minded to see with their own eyes and not thine they 'l quickly see thee to be what thou art with whose weak sore and sorry eyes some of Sandwich whose Seer thou art do see more then with their own so that if thou once say'st thou seest what thou but surmisest and supposest they as I.Os. Juniors are respectively to himward are Extempore stupified into a Satisfaction that they â—ee the same whether they see it yea or nay so as to become Iurats into thy Rasn Iudgment and to sit down with no more then nil ultra quaero plebejus our Minister Teacher or Doctor sayes so or so But indeed as the Papists have been long accustomed to drink all the Wine they drink in their Sacrament with their Priests mouths who impropriate that Element wholly to themselves so that when Christ said drink ye all of this they drink it all off giving the poor people none so our Protestants have been so long accustomed to see with their Priests eyes that they have well nigh utterly lost their own or at least the true fight and right use of their own and T. D. I perceive takes it for granted or else why saies he thou
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
without more mention or finding fault with it from my self and others yet if my self or any shall henceforth write or cause himself by Pen or Press to be inscribed either M.A. or D.D. or B.D. and any Reader in his ignorance not knowing well how to Cypher or cast Account shall happen to Read Mr. Ass or Dr. Dunce or Blind Divine the Affecter of those Trifling Titles of Mr. of Arts Doctor in Divinity Batchelour in Divinity who is not more Baccalaureus then Laurus sine baccis shall in no wise be Laughed at and as little Lamented at all by me And since I am thus casually fallen upon this Theam about Respect to mens Persons and using Titles of Honour to them It s not much amiss I minding Gods matters more then Mens manners and plain-ness more then that our Masters of Art call Method before I proceed in Examination of T. D's false charge of me as to matter of Popery left I find no fitter Place for it in the after part of this Book to take notice here of another inordinate Charge of T.D. in which it concerning all the Qua. my self also am not a little concern'd which in p. 47. of his first Pamph. upon occasion of R.H. his calling Thomas Rumsey by his own name is on this wise T. D. You Qua. are an unmannerly Generation you might have given a Magistrate the Title of Master Rep. How Contrary are these Teachers Ministers alias Servants of our times who with the rest of their fellow Rabbies painted Sepulchres whited Walls out-side cleansers Scribes Pharisees Hypocrites blind Guides strainers at Gnats and swallowers of Camels Love uppermost Rooms at Feasts Chief Seats in Synagogues greetings in Markets and affect to have men called and to be called of men Rabbi Rabbi Master Master Reverend Sir and such like to the only One Master Christ who condemns all this and cryes Wo against those that are found in it Mat. 23. â—râ—t otum How contrary are they to his Apostles who forbade this respect to mens Persons which these Master Ministers are ever and anon pleading for against the Qua. as a clownish unmannerly Generation for not giving it Iames sayes Iames 2.1 to 10. My Brethren have not the faith of our Lord Iesus with respect of Persons telling the Saints that if they have respect to Rich men that wear gold Rings and goodly Apparrell and set them up on high and despise the Poor in vile Rayment setting them at their heels and putting them under feet as the footstool they are Partial within themselves Commit sin and are Convinced of the Law as Transgressors Elihu when he was to speak for God to Iob and his great Friends sayd Job 32.21 22. Let me not accept any mans Person neither let me give flaâ—tering Tâ—tlâ—s unto man for I know not to give flaâ—tering Titles in so doing my Maker would soon take me away and so goes on using no other Titles to him beside his Name and that plain but now disdained Thee and 〈◊〉 as his words are most truly and properly Translated out of the Oâ—igâ—â—al into Right English thus did the Saints and Ministers of God of old even like to Christ himself of whom t was said by the Pharisees Mat. 22.16 17. that took notice of it and perhaps disgusted it as much as our Modern Ministers now do some of which though they say little yet think the more Master we know thou art true and Teachest the way of God in truth neither carest thou for any man for thou regaâ—dâ—st not the Person of men even Caesars meer Person more then anothers yet he gave Caesar his due too and though he was free gave him Tribute Mat. 17.24 25 26 27. and so did his Saints then and we now give Tribute to whom Tribute custom to whom custom honour to whom honour fear to whom fear obedience to whâ—m obedience is due and with that honour of yielding Tribute and Subjection to as we have the due Benefit of Protection by their Laws while Just and Enacted according to the Law and Light of Christ in Every Conscience which is holy just and good and while as justly executed by Rulers do we honour them yet then only are their Laws justly Enacted and Executed nevertheless when these outward Sword-bearers and their Laws are a Terror to Evil Works and a Praise Encouragement to the good and to them that do well for else they act more Might then Right and as the Devil does who is the Prince of the Power of the air the God of this world and Ruler of the darkness of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to meer will and lust not according to Law itself by permission for a time but not by any true Commission from God himself by whom the Law which we own in its place was added because of transgression and is not for the righteous but for the unrighteous for murderers theeves and whatever is contrary to sound Doctrine and Godliness And this truly divine Honour of subjection and obedience to Magistrates just Laws as justly Executed as Enacted is it and not the meer Humane Hâ—mage of high flattering Titles as You and Sir and complements and cringings and outward worships and genu-flexions and bodily Bowings to mens persons which in the second Commandment by whom ever used as in the Typical shadoâ—y time they were by Iacob to Esau himself by â— David and others whose practice is not our Rule but Gods praecept are prohibited to be given to the Image or likeness of any thing in heaven earth or under the earth is that God cals for and we give for conscience sake And thus we honour all men owing nothing to any but love which works no ill to the neighbour and fulfils the Law and so children are bid by Paul to obey their Parents as 't is fit in the Lord in which obedience though they make not Idols of them kneel not down and ask them blessing as in Popish days they foolishly did to their Godfathers and Godmothers when they meet them they are said according to that Commandment to Honour the Father and the Mother Ehh. 6.1 2. And so Servants in their Relation honour their own Masters when not with eye-service as men-pleasers but in singleness of heart as fearing God the great Master in heaven they are faithful in the business they are entrusted with by them though they never stand cap in hand to them and should never call them by that name of Master which yet we allow as the Scripture it self does as well that of Father Mother King Ruler Magistrate when used not as a flattering Title but as a Note or Term of distinction between the Relatum and the Correlatum in that Relation that is between Princes and Subjects Parents and Children Masters and the Servants that have hired themselves to them and thus only ought things to-be among the Saints Howbeit such a Generation of Parasites are all sorts of Professors now become that without
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
And last of all if Thou and Thee be not to be used to a single person only it hath no place nor use at all in the English-Tongue for it can't possibly be properly used when we speak to more it being saving when we speak to them as a Collective body and as one and so somtimes the Prophets spake to whole Nations under the Term of Thou and Thee no less unsound and unsavory to say Thou or Thee to 20 men as You or Ye to one and alike foolish to say to two severall men Thou shale both dye I le kill Thee both as to say to one of them only You alone shall dye I will kill You which are two Bulls that deserve both to be soundly baited To conclude this then we see how our Chief Priests Scribes Pharisees and Hypocrites of these dayes as they did of old Love the Praise of men more then the Praise of God have that Faith they have in God with respect to the Persons of men which who so has is a Sinner and Transgressor of the Law and though their mouths speak great swelling words of Faith Religion Reformation God Christ Church Ministry Maintenancâ— yet they are but walkers after their own Lusts and Sensuall or meer Animall as Iude sayes verse 16.19 not having the Spirit while they have mens persons in admiration because of advantage and beleive not though they deem themselves every one in his own form to be the true beleivers so long as they are thus busied in begging and buying giving and taking this honour that is from beneath only for not seeking the honour that is only from aboue which all the Saints have Psal. 149.9 lâ—t them say what they will yee sayes Christ Ioh. 5.44 How can ye beleive which receive honour one of another and seek not the Honour that commeth from God only As unmannerly a Generation then as T.D. faith the Qua. are in not using that flattering Title of Mr. to T. Rumsey the Magistrate I say if T. Rs. carriage were more like a Magistrates then 't is according to the Proverb 't is better of the two if that were unmannerliness to be a little unmannerly then so much troublesome as men in the fall are one to another with their Tedious Attendances Antick Adoratious of each other and supersluous Complements buâ— indeed 〈◊〉 good manners to use it by none but that people whose evill Communications corrupt good manners the Heathen whose Customes are vain and as for us if any man list to be contentious about our manners in such matters he must know that as there 's no Law of God or man that hinds us from Keeping on our hats from thee or thou to Cap and Congee and you Sir and Master and such like flatteries not to say meer fooleries which are all in the fall so we have no such manner of manners nor customes among us nor any of the true Churches of God And hereby we appeare to any save such as will needs mistake us to be neither Papists nor Popish Priests for they have as much of that kind of ill manners of honouring each others persons as is to be found among your selves nevertheless who so blind as he that will not see thou T. D. wilt needs so befool thy self as to make it proâ—ablâ— that I am one of them whose words excepting as in the proviso abovesaid â—re now Verbatim to be Rehearsed who having hinted it in p. 55. how Rob. Wilkinson Minister of Staple had accused me to have been at Rome and received a Pension from the Pope goest on as followes T. D. As to the matter whereof Samuel Fisher was accused part of it he denied not namely that he hath been at Rome but that he received a Pension from the Pope he utterly denied which yet that is probably as true for I have it from very good hands that in his late travail to Constantinople and thence to Rome he had as good Bills of Exchange as most Gentlemen that travaile and yet 't is well known that he hath no visible Estate And the Qua. who came to hear the dispute who I suppose would not bely him did report that he did bear his witness against the Pope and Cardinals at Rome and yet suffer'd them not to meddle with him which how unprobable it is let all men judge but how much more probable that the true cause of his safety was his compliance with them the Doctrines which he broaches among us and as he saies in all other places being theirs and a fair inlet to their Bag and Baggage And to assure the Reader of the likelihood of his compliance with the Antichristian Faction thou maist please to know that the 12th instant English account two honest and credible men of Sandwich had some discourse with S. Fisher at Dunkirk and he told them that he looked upon the Jesuits and Friars there to be founder in Doctrine then those we call the Reformed Churches This they are ready to testifie at any time upon call Another passage I have to acquaint thee with viz. that the aforesaid S. Fisher in Conference with the above-named Sandwich men at Dunkirk May 12. English stile did affirm that he himself is above Ordinances and that there is no more use of them in this life to many portions then there is of a Candle-light when the Sun shines and he gave instance in the uselessness of Baptism and the Lords Supper And the same witnesses were credibly informed at Dunkirk that S. Fisher hath great Bills of Exchange from a Quaking London Merchant and may take up four hundred pound if he will And hundreds of people can testifie how light he made of the charge of Popeâ—â— on the first day of the Dispute when I pluck'd Amesus 4th Tome against Bellarmine and offer'd to read part of it out of the Latine into English and with a gesture of derision he replied that Bellarmine held many Truths which must not be rejected because he held them and he gave for instance that Christ is the Son of God Moreover in p. 14. Thou writest thus viz the third Question debated on was though with much ado at length stated in these Termes whethâ—â— OUR good works are the meritorious cause of our justification and S. F. held it in the affirmative S. F. Tâ—us I prove it to these words T. D. now you shew your self a Rank Papist indeed Rep. Monstrum Horâ—endum Informe Ingens cui lumen ademptum what a Horrible bundle of blindness is here what a hidden heap of Hocus pâ—cus this nasty piece of Naâ—â—ative is of itself a little Lake of Lyes and the whole is little better under this Hedg are many Hedg-Hogs hidden many Cockatrices hatched up whose fruit is as a fiery 〈◊〉 Serpent many false Tongues fed with fuell fit for them many Fools fenced in their folly as with a Thicket of Thornes many Sons of Beliâ—â— bolstred up in their Blasphemies and emboldened to throw about in
as God did from his Isa. 58. 13. Hab. 4. 10. yet is there not a Righteousness which man lives in the doing of that is done in the assistance of another Did David not say Let integrity and uprightness preserve me Is there not a Iust man that walketh in his integrity and that lives in the doing of the Equity Ezek. 18. Can there be as thou falsly and lyingly boldly and blindly sayest there cannot p. 40. no way of conveyance of that others Righteousness so that thereby the benefit of it may redound unto us as truly as if we were every way the Subjects of it but by imputation Can it at no hand be conveyed from that other to us by impartition first and then by imputation to us as most truly really Ours and not fictitiously onely afterwards Can we by no means be truly said to be the Subject inhesive of it and yet it be said to be not Our own properly but onely anothers Righteousness working it in us Is there not a Subjectum in quo which yet is not Pâ—r quâ—d as well as a Subjectum cui A Subjectum Inhaesionis duplex viz. secundum formalem inhaerentiam Originaliter primario secundum formalem inherentiam derivative secundariâ— as well as Secundum extrinsecam adhaerentiam imputationem a Subject in which the Righteousness of Christ is wrought viz. man which is not save as an Instrument he by whom it is wrought but a vessel as it were in which it is Revealed and Received into which through Faith in the Light which is the gift of God and a part theâ—eof also it is in part conveyed before it is imputed unto which said Subject but as thereinto it is conveyed it cannot possibly be imputed from him that calls no evil ones good more the good ones evil more the good ones evil and unrighteous ones Righteous the pure onely pure and all that 's impure impure nor shews himself in any shape save as a Iudge to any but the pure in heart and the inhaerent Subjects of his own Holiness without which none can see him approving Must not both he that justifieth and they that are justified as well as he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified be all of one Heb. 7. 11. be all as one in one naâ—u reimage gaâ—b and chaâ—hing that so he may not be ashamed to call them Brethren who will bâ— ashamed of all that are ashamed of him and of his words Mark 8.38 and is ashamed to call them Brethren who are not ashamed to be Brethren in iniquity Can that be accounted and reputed by that Most Holy Head a part or member of his unspotted Body that is yet filthy and unholy or before he hath in any measure at all purged it and made it hoâ—y fit for himself that is yet full of spots and wrinkles and blemishes as upon thy Principles T. D. must be supposed Will God esteem any just clean and pure before I say before so much as in order of nature he hath justified them by his Spirit will he before he hath washt and sanctified them Hath any unrighteous one while he is yet unrighteous and before he be made Righteous a Right to the Kingdom of God Is it not more then is to be read in any Scripture but the Scripture of the Scribes that from the example of David would fain be found justified and favoured of God for the sake of anothers goodness that they put far away from them that they might be more free to then from their sins Are there not yet treasures treasuries of wickedness in the house in the heart of the wicked and the measure of leannesse which is abominable and shall I count them pure with their wicked Ballances faith God and with the bag of deceitful weights Mic. 6.10 11. T.D. Yes quoth T.D. Why not For the Purity and Righteousness of another that was made sin for us though he knew no sin that we who yet know no Righteousness of our own nor of his neither within our selves might be made the Righteousness of God in him from that Scripture 2 Cor. 5. Rep. T.D. then be like accounts that we are but just so and not a jot otherwise then as he was made sin for us made the Righteousness of God in him so as he was made sin that never committed any sin was accounted a sinner that never was so by either nature or practice in his own persoâ— had though the Realty of our sorrows sufferings and miseries but the meer imputation of our iniquities so we must in him be made Righteousness but never perform any and be accounted Righteous but never be so by nature or practice in our own persons and have the Reality of his Rest Peace Iâ—â—es and Eternal Blessedness but the meer imputation onely of his Holiness and Obedience and as God laid lasht and punisht on that innocent immaculate Lamb without spot that never owned nor delighted in any but ever hated all iniquity the iniquity of us all seeing he was willing to become a curse for us all to bear our cross and take our shame upon him so he will put upon such Saints all as T.D. calls himself and others while in their sins as never owned nor delighted in but ever hatred the doing of Righteousness altogether in their own persons the reward of all his personal Righteousness seeing also they are as willing as as he was to be accuâ—sed for them to be blessed in him to bear his Crown and take all his dignities and glory upon themselves for the words of T.D. are these p. 21. T.D. How he is our Righteousness 2 Cor. 5. ult tells us as Christ was made sin for us so we are made the Righteousness of God in him but the former was by imputation not inhaerence and therefore so the other Rep. How now T.D. what is it so indeed even so and not otherwise that as Christ was made sin for us which was secundumte by imputation onely never inherence so we are made Righteousness i.e. by imputation onely never by inherence Art thou not a loud lyar in this If not then farewell all hopes of ever having any Righteousness at all in themselves to those blessed ones that hunger and thirst after it not only in this world where such are to be filled but also iâ— that World wich is to come and as for such as hating Righteousness are in hopes to be held Righteousness and saved without it and by that alone which is in Christ without them they need not fear so much as they do its entrance so far into them as to have Dominions over them for if his word be worth taking T.D. warrants them that as Christ never entred into tâ—aâ—sgressiâ—â— though he was tempted to it nor transgression into him but it was onely accounted to him so as to be Rewarded with evil upon him so God will never let them come into his Righteousness nor let it come into
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
had never done so before till then Did not God speak in his Prophets and by them to the men of their several Ages from Moses upwards as well as from Moses downwards Did he not speak in Enooh the seventh from Adam in Noah in Abraham Isaac Iacob Lot and Iob who lived before Moses if Catholick Tradition be to be Credited in one thing as well as another and whose Book who ever Pen'd it whether himself or some other for ought thou knowest was written before Mosâ—s who thou thinkest wrote the first of the Scripture either lived or wrote and by them who were upright righteous just and walked with God to the wicked unrighteous Worldlings and wantons who walked with the Devil in their Generations who all were before Moses as well as by Moses and those that lived after him 2. Why sayest thou downwards to the Consignation and Bounding of the Canon in Ezra's days as if between his dayes and the dayes of Christs flesh the Spirit of the Lord was straitned as it never is Mic. 2. and God had limitted and bound up himself from manifesting his mind cut of his own mouth to any men at all for so many Hundred years together because some Prophets had been moved by him to commit to Writing or at least to permit to be Written by others some few of those things they saw and said concerning partly their own and partly the after times and other Nations Doth not Wisdom say of her self That in all Ages entering into holy Souls she maketh them friends of God and Prophets Wisd. 7.27 And were there no Holy men of God in those dayes wherein ye imagine all Gods speaking in and by any Prophets then was ceased in and by whom he manifested his Mind as he moved them to speak and write as immediately as he had done others before them And who told thee That the Canon as thou call'st it or full standing Rule of Tryal or infallible Touch-stone of the Old Testament Scripture to which nothing must or might be added after it till the time of Christ in the flesh was Compleated and after its Consignation and Bounding by them delivered to the Judaical Church in the dayes of Ezra alias Esdras and his Companions the men as of your own heads ye are pleased to term them of the great Congregation Whence hast thou these fancies of thine Or suppose they be not simply Suppositions but real Truths whence dost thou fetch or take them to be so but from the untrusty-Traditional-Tales of thy Forefathers and such Iewes as are little lesse then unerring Oracles with thee when saying ought that suits with thee yea thou callest pag. 203. the Assertion of Iustin Martyr of the Iewes corrupting the Bible out of their hatred to Christians An Incredible Figment yet little better but much worse then ordinary Infidels men feeding themselvns with vain fables desperate cursed Opposers of Truth mischievous in their devices against the Gospel of a profound Ignorance in all manner of Learning and Knowledge but only what concerns their own Dunghil Traditions addicted to monstrous Figments bewitching bewitched with Traditions Idolaters Magicians blind crafty raging fools sets full of deceitfulness froth venome smoke nothing but faithlesnesse and infidelity it self what not that 's nought where any thing issues from their most Catholick Testimony that makes against thee Pag 241.242.244.303 Yea whence knowest thou who art easily apt to Question when it serves thee so to do whether there ever were such men as the 70. and such men as the Tiberian Massorites in Rerum Natura pag. 243.336 that ever there was such a thing in Rerum Naturâ as that Great Congregation thou art every where in thy Book so greatly taken with and ever and anon betaking thy self to for Refuge but only from thy putting more confidence in thy own uncertain Conjectures together with the Catholick Tradition of the with thee creditlesse Iewes and Christians then in the Conjectures of the Prolegomenâ as Learned as thy self at least who oppose thee in it For there 's not so much as any Scripture at all that mentions such a set Sanydrim of Ezra Nehemia Ioshua Zacharia Haggai c. as thou settest it down in the Book of thy own Brain and the Counting-house of thy own conceit that there was pag. 302.303 And let it be as it can be no more then imagined there was such a great Congregation which it being as not possible to know it so nor here nor there to mine or any mans Salvation I 'le not search into so far as to put my self into any Capacity of either saying or gain saying it that there was and to ground any as I. O. does many things upon its being so as he but thinks is as he sayes in another case pag 293. to build Towns and Castles of Imaginations which may be as easily cast down as they are erected yet when all 's done whence had that Sanydrim such Authority as to confine and bound out that Canon and Canonize some of the Writings of such Prophets as ye wot are Canonical and Cashiere the rest of the Writings of the same Prophets and all the Writings of some other Prophets as of no such divine Authority as to Command with their fellows in Gods Name as his Word and to abrogate them as Apocryphal as ye speak and disband them from the bench of Iudicature and to bind the sweet Influences of the holy Spirit so as to say O Spirit of God be silent now blow no more nor make any more Prophets now for these many hundred years to come but become subject thy self to be tryed by the Touchstone of the Writings of such Prophets as thou hast already moved to write Gods Mind or so many at least as it seems good to us now to Authorize and Establish into a standard for the Tryal of thy self as well as all false Spirits And if I. O. say as he does pag. 303. That was not called the Great Congregation from its Number but Eminency of Persons yet I say are any Persons so Eminent if I.O. be not a Lyar pag. 35. as to have Authority from God to Authorize and Canonize casting aside what they like not what seems good to them into the Name to bespeak I. O in his own feigned phrase of the Word of God that they themselves must be subject to the Authority of and of the Rule that themselves must be Ruled by and of the Foundation that themselves and all others must be built on and of the Basis of their own belief It is indeed quoth I.O. pag 35.36 a Contradiction for men to say and if for other men then for I.O. say I who sayes the same yet sees it not They give Authority to the Scriptures they Bound the Canon and deliver to the Church what it shall be which it hath antecedently to their Charter and Concession And again Moreover to say the same of his supposed Sanydrim that I O sayes to the digrading
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
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
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
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
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
ministry of the heavens and the firmament which is so to every individual man that there 's neither speech nor language male nor female where their voice is not heard the found is gone out into all the world and their words even Christs and the Spirits within for the outward words and writings of men preaching the Gospel thereby have never yet extended nor reached so largely as to all men to the ends of the earth Yet all have not obeyed the Gospel saith he no not Israel it self without of whose having the outward Letter of the Statutes and Iudgements which thou as sillily callest against thy self too as G.W. truly tells thee in another case callest in both thy Pamphlets the Supernatural Light or knowledge of the Gospel thou keepest such a scraping as if that fleshly natural seed of Abraham and their natural fleshly wayes of knowing what they know which was little of the mystery 2 Cor. 3. by that natural reading and poring upon the Letter as ye also do were the most supernatural men and means as to the saving knowledge of the Gospel in all the world whereas the Iews were as meer Animal and Naturall as your selves who savingly know nothing by the Letter I say that Israel it self obeyed not and why not because as husie as they were with you in their Bible they regarded not but rebelled against the strivings of the Lord himself with them by his Light and Spirit within therefore saith Paul ver 21. as the reason render'd by God himself Isa. 65.2 All day long have I stretched out my hands to a disobedient and gain-saying people Also that they have the Light in them who yet neither believe in it nor are the children of it but yet abiding in darkness is as clear from Chrihs own words Iob. 8.12.12.35.36 I am the light of the world he i.e. he of the world that followeth me shall not abide in darkness but have the light of Life Walk while ye have the Light while ye have the Light believe in the Light that ye may be it seems they yet were not so yet had a Light in them to believe in the Children of the Light some of which Light was come not unto them only but into the world also ver 26. That who e're believes in it might come out of darkness and evil ones had it come to them as well as such as did Truth though they came not to it as the other did else they could not be said to see and hate it and so Christ and the Father whose will was revealed in it as they are Iohn 3.20.12.48 and 15.22 23.24 So Christ is come by his Light as the Sun by its beams into some dark Dungeon into the dark world the dark places of mens hearts and of the earth that are full of the habitations of cruelty Dens of Devils Cages of unclean and hareful birds holds of cruel wicked fowl and filthy spirits to give life and that abundantly Iohn 10.10 yea he came to the Scribes of old by his Light not outward person only to that end yet they had not the Light of Life why so Ye hear not Gods Voice saith he and have not his Word which ye put from you abiding in you ye search the Scriptures which testifie of me who am the Life and there ye look to have it and come not unto me that ye might have life Joh. 5.37.38.39.40 Wisdome Christ the Wisdome of God reproves cryes to men in their own consciences by his own Voice Light and Spirit in their hearts even to scorners simple ones foâ—ls that hate knowledge and would poure out his Spirit on them as on others but some hearken not hate turn away so are slain and perish not for want of warning counsel Light from Christ to lead who is given as the one Leader and Law-giver to all persons and people but for want of taking heed to him who teaches and looking to his Law in the heart which enlightens Thou call'st as I.O. does falsly the Letter Christs Light and the only means that men can come to saving knowledge by yet heed'st no more then he to his to thy own satisfaction that all who have it and look and read in it too as the Scribes did have not the knowledge of God and his Kingdome by it and yet if we should say of those men that come not to Life by the Letter therefore they have not the Letter would'st thou not say of us that we are mad mutato nomine the Argument is thine to us-ward as concerning Christs Light in the Conscience yet nunquam videns id manticae quod in tergo est thou canst not see it The Corinthians had the Light shining in their hearts to give the knowledge yet all of them had not the true knowledge of God and that they had not when he shone by his Light in them 't was their fault else Paul could not have spoken it as he does 1 Cor. 15. to their own shame And this may stand as an answer to thy pedling Reply to G.W. when he urg'd from 2 Cor. 4.6 that the Light shone in the Corinthians hearts in whose hearts sayest thou p. 4. 1. Pamp. not of all mankind but of the Apostle and some others a small number in comparison of the rest who were not enlightned and to back that thy shameful blindness in limiting the shinings of the true Light into such a little nook as a small number thou boltest out much more saying from ver 3.4 the Gospel is hid to them that are lost and there are some to whom the Light shines not not heeding as I said before that that may be in men which men may hate smoother and hide in their own hearts and be lost for want of the sight of when not for want of the Light it self that men may have the serse of sight and the presence of light and yet not see but shut their eyes that that may shine in them which they giving way to the God of this World to blind their minds may not shine out unto them as a Candle may shine in a Room yet if put under a Bushel not shine out to it and a Talent to trade with may be given to him who hiding his Lords money shall reap little profit by it and at last have what light he had within taken from him and be cast forth without into the outer darkness Didst never read of those that seeing and hearing would neither see nor hear nor understand nor perceive as they might therefore at last should not if they would and because thou askest in whose hearts I say in the hearts of some who did not see and know in the Corinthians hearts so that they all had the light and might have seen but only that some would be ignorant and of such sayes Paul 1 Cor. 4. If any man will be ignorant let him be ignorant And sith thou sayest not in the hearts of all mankind I say yea of
appear only to a few Besides your selves tell vs of a Common Grace which is vouchfased to All men But Friends a few words with you and to all you Followers and Fainers of this Fantastical piece of meer falsity not to say foolery who in the night while men sleep dream out this dark and Grace-darkning Doctrine of Divinity which with the abundance of Absurdities and Confusions that are concatenated to it make up such an incredible kind of Creed such a Braky messe of Belief such a Labâ—rynth of lightlesse Literature such a Wilderness of wondrous Wisdome as no wise men nor any but such drunkards of Ephraim as lie like Briars and Thornes enfolded together in one false Faith that at last they may be consumed as stubble fully dâ—y can find any other then a winding way into nor when he is in any other way easily out of but that of the Spirit of God which searcheth and traceth out all the twinings and turnings of the Serpent upon his Rock Are you not yet ashamed the night being so far spent as it is in England and the day so nigh at hand to them that watch for it to appear upon the stage ye may well say not without a Blush as T.D. does before the world with such a Gospel of glad Tidings to it and all Mankind in it as this That God loves all mankind wills not unless they will the death of any of them nor of any sinners but had much rather they should turn from their wickedness and live and would have them all come to repentance and life and not any to perish but all to come to the acknowledgement of the Truth that in it unless they hate and turn from it and then his Justice and Wrath hath place to shew it self to so many persons they might be saved and hath sent Salvation among them in his Son the Light of the World and Word of Life not bolting or excluding any from it but such as put it away from them and thereby judge themselves unworthy of eternal Life and Bath so loved the World as to send his only Son into it to such as were else lost and likely else to perish not to condemn them further but to save them even qua sic as lost so consequently all men quatenus ipsum ever including de omni from condemnation or that alias to that end intent or purpose that unlesse against his honest true sincere wishing and woulding otherwise they needs will they might not perish but have everlasting life and so loved men also as to send his Messengers among them to make universal Proclamations of his large love to all mankind and in his name to publish glad Tidings of great Ioy even to All people and the good will of God toward men An indefinit phrase in a necessary matter equivalent to an universal and to call to every one that will to take of the water of life freely without exception of any positively personally or nominatim who exclude not themselves by their own personal unbelief of his Love to them and refusal to come and without accounting any unworthy of his Supper but such as come not when call'd and put not on the wedding Garment which renders them as taking away all their sins guilt and filth beloved accepted pure and justified in his sight as well as fit and meet to come into his holy presence as by their own righteousnesse that they work and not Christ in them they are not any more then by unclean things dung losse and filthy rags and send out Hue and Cry also to summon all in to himself and blown a Trumpet too even to All people to come and welcome promising to the removing of all obstacles and and objects of discouragement and giving good ground of hope to every man that there is mercy with God for him whatever his sins have been if he come in time before the dore be shut and while God calls and woes and knocks at the dore of his own heart within by the motions of his Spirit that he will receive all comers and though they have râ—n a whoring from him after many other Lovers and few men will receive their wives again that so do yet returning he will receive them so that whoever comes to him he will in no wise cast out but as he hath sent his Son a Propitization for the sins of the whole World and provided plenteous Redemption and purchased Salvation by his blood sufficient for them All so that he is able to save to the uttermost and will too effectually All that come to God by him and that it is his will they should All come also and reveals and publishes it as his will too expostulating very angrily with all men too for despising the riches of his Grace for not being led to repentance in the day of his long-suffering and salvation by his goodness telling them he waits upon them that he might be gracious to them saying O that thou wouldst hearken to me that thy peace might be as a River wilt thou not be made clean for thus cry out Clergy to All people where they preach when shall it once be Why will ye die people I have no pleasure in it that ye should and if any do I delight not in the death of him that doth but that he will and there is no remedy unless I alter my unchangeable will as I will not for mans wills sake fith I have done so much for him already that he may be saved unless he chuse to perish which will of mine is that the soul that sins and turns not from his wickedness that he may live shall die for ever and the very wicked turning from his wickedness and doing right shall not die nor yet have his sins mentioned unlesse he turn back from his righteousnesse into sin again and then be must die and though I forgave him before yet he taking his fellow servant by the throat after I must lay him up for the whole debt Wherefore why why will ye die turn turn your selves and live and work out your own salvation with fear and trembling for I have done my part a friends part towards you I have wrought in you both to will and to do of my free grace of my good pleasure it wants but your putting that into act which I of my free Grace have put into your power and your willing and doing accordingly and your getting up and trading with your Talent and turning to the light that I have entrusted you with and reprove your evil deeds by will ye alwayes resist my holy Spirit when it moves in your hearts and be stiffe-necked and stubborn Turn yon at my reproof though ye are fools scorners delighting in scorning and I will pour out my Spirit upon you and make known my words to you if not as I call and ye refuse so the time will be ye shall cry and I will not bear you because ye
condition of acceptance to all and could ye suppose all would take him at his word and accept his offer they should have the benefit Rep. But that must not be supposed from the Principles of thy personal Election of a few and blinding all the rest from the very birth nay cannot be supposed thou shouldst say could suppose they could take God at his word and accept for by thy Principles and I. Os. of denying the saving ability so to do the most they to whom it 's not intended can no more accept or believe then 't is possible if they should believe they should obtain that which they are personally and absolutely reprobated from so long before for if God do not will not give hath not given as ye say he hath not some measure of the saving Grace whereby to believe and accept it to all whom he offers life to on that condition of acceptance but calls and requires them to believe and accept what he knows they cannot without him this makes him as much a Mocker of men still as such a merciless Tyrant and Arrand Hypocrite as shall stand aloof off from one hungry that is lockt in the stocks with a dish of meat in his left hand and a Pole-Axe in his right saying why wilt thou starve thou self-murdering man come to me and here is meat for thee I am freely willing thou shouldest have it and not perish never coming neer to unlock him all this while nor bringing the meat within his reach but if thou wilt not come I will knock thy brains out and so because he comes not when yet he knows he cannot runs on him pretending to do just Vengeance on him for his wilfull refusing his own help when he might alias never might have had it and cuts him to pieces indeed for he that on pain of punishment death and condemnation if the Terms be not performed tenders Life and Salvation on Termes and Conditions utterly impossible to be or ever to have been performed by the person to whom the tender is unless a Grace be given him which yet never shall be is an Hypocrite and a Tyrant and such a one ye make God by your Doctrine who yet is no such but that ye belie him as such as he that shall say he truly desires to make me his Heire and so tenders me a good Estate conditionally I will take a journey to the Man in the Moon first to get it confirmed there when I come back again but if I refuse to go thither he will kill me and so because I cannot climbe up to the Moon falls on me and puts me to death indeed Arg. 7. Moreover Gods offer of Salvation to many to whom he intends it not on conditions he knows they cannot perform without him and yet not so much as enabling them all to perform them when he might but some few only to whom he intends it makes God a Respecter of Persons as R. H. truly said of it when yet God is no Respecter of Persons as the Scripture saith but in every Nation Men that fear him and work righteousness are accepted with him and not otherwise T. D. To that of making God a Respecter of Persons this answer will suffice did God give Salvation to some who accept not of it out of particular fancy to them but exact of oâ—hers that acceptance and for default thereof deny them Salvation then there might be some ground for the cavil but now that its offered upon equal termes there is none Rep. Does not God upon your blind Principles of personal Election or loving of a few out of a particular Fancy to them and peremptory Reprobation and hating the most of Mankind before they were born without respect to foreseen good or evil to be done in time in their own persons excepting the respect to Adams sin which the Sublapsarians prate of against the Supralapsarians whose blind wranglings whether Election be ex massa corrupta or pura are not more wearisome toilsom then they are both noâ—some and loathsome to look upon by any that love and know the Truth give Salvation to some out of fancy who accept it no more then others but as he as you say makes them to do it by an irrestible power which he denies to the other and exact of the other that obedience he enables them not to and that for default thereof not only deny them the Salvation but also damn them down into double condemnation Does not God do so I say according to your Principles and if so then is there not a ground by thy own confession for that Assertion thou call'st a cavill i.e. that God by your doctrine is doctrinally made a Respecter of persons And whereas thou sayest Salvation is offered to men on equall termes and therefore there is no ground to assert God a respecter of persons I say 't is the Truth we hold indeed that 't is on equal termes tendered to men so far at least that till some put the word of life from them and the salvation that is sent to them so making themselves unworthy of it when others receive it it is so brought by Christ the Light that the whole World might be saved as well as some of it 1 Iohn 2.3 Iohn 3.17 and where it is offered there are none to whom it is not as sincerely intended on condition of acceptance as it is to some and so God is in truth no respecter of persons But darest thou say and is it not a contradiction to thy self for thee T.D. as thy Principles are to say Salvation is offered on equal Termes who saidst above that among those where the Gospel is preached Salvation is offered to more then to whom it is intended if it be truly intended to any one and not truly intended to every one to whom it is offered but it is for all the fair offers absolutely decreed a few shall have it and shall not chuse but perform the condition of it which is acceptance and as absolutely decreed that the most shall never be enabled to perform the said condition of acceptance which is exacted of them and so shall unavoidably go without it are these equal Termes Is not this offer upon as unequal termes as if a man should tender to two condemned prisoners bound up in chains that they shall both live if they will come out of prison but if not they shall be more cruelly executed for refusal intending to unlock one of them that he may come forth and to light lead and compel him irresistably to come forth also that he may have the benefit of the Pardon and live and as absolutely intending to leave the other lock'd under restraint in his chains utterly devoid of any liberty to come forth to the end that he may cut him off from any benefit of the promised Pardon and take double vengeance on him for non-acceptance thereof and are these equal Termes are these wayes so equal as God
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
Psalmist they can perswade others from what they have seen felt and handled of Gods Word and his Iudgements which are a gâ—eat deep yet to the rest that live alienated from the Light and by them have bâ—en purged from their filth and warned from the wickedness of their way and of simple been made wise of which precious uâ—e Gods Iudgements are to all that thus witness and know them as Psa. 19. Yea these are that Nation of Israel and not that which is now become a curse and perished out of what ever outwaâ—d Nation or People they are gathered into the one Light and Spirit of whom it s said Who is like unto thee O Isâ—ael â— a people saved by the Lord who rideth on the Hâ—avens for thy help And in that of these mens quoting Deuter. 4.8 What Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Iudgements so righteous as all this Law which is set before them in the light their keeping and doing of which shall be their wisdome and understanding in the sight â—f those Nations which though now they count them fools shall at last see themselves to have been infatuaated and say of Gods now dispersed and despâ—sed Seed of Israel after the Spirit Surely this great Nation is a wise and understanding people And as for others though as R. B I. T. T. D. and ye all say God hath not dealth so richly with any as he does with them that receive the riches of his Grace and they have not known his Iudgements in such a measure as these know them yet all as they heed the Light in that may know them as in some degree the Heathen heeding the Light are said to do Rom. 1. and degrees never vary the nature of a case neither follows it that because some know not so much as some therefore many neither do nor for want of Light can know nothing of the Gospel or Saving Truth of God at all The 30th from Rom. 7.7 is thus The Light within neither did to Paul nor doth nor can discover sin even the sin of Lust without the Law therefore the Light within each person is not a sufficient guide of it self to lead to God and to warrant mens actions without the written Word i. e. Scripture with them Rep. Why not as well as before the Law was written in an outward Letter at all if by the Law ye will needs understand nothing but outward Scripture for some sure knew lust before Moses wrote the Law But in very deed how deeply soever ye dream in this as ye do in most things this Law without which the Lust is not well known is no other then the Light it self within for the Letter sayes lust is a sin but 't is the Light that shews thy lust to filth envy or any evil to be thy sin within thy self and that Law by which the knowledge of sin comes is that Law and Commandment which Prov. 6.23 is said to be the Light and the Lamp even the wâ—rd that David hid of him that he might see the way of covetouâ—ness that was eâ—sewise hid in his heart and so not sin against Gâ—d by which only the young man in whom lust is strong taking heed thereunto shall come to cleanse his way which is never clean while he hangs only on the lips of Letter-stealers and meer Letter-lauders who lauding the holy life they liâ—e not in are at best but lyars when they preach the Tâ—uth But this being elsewhere handled I shall need to say the less of it here So having done with these two mens thirty Arguments a few words more to their ten wâ—aâ— Reasâ—ns against the true Light in all men and then I have done with them as to that Reason 1. Because what each man conceives according to his Light within him cannot be right and â—rue for one mans conceits do sometimes contradict anothers Nor are thâ— Quak. all of one mind when they follow the Light within them Rep. This is one of your own croâ—ked odd conceits indeed but far from truth and good consequence that the Light or Rule it self cannot be true or right or a safe rule because mens conceits of things to be or not be according to it may be contradictory one to another and so not both true 'T is true contradictoâ—y conceivings abâ—ut one Rule cannâ—t be both true but he contradicts aâ—l truth and common reasâ—n who conceives the Rule or Light it self to be ere the worse or ere the less a true Rule or Light because of that Two men may have contradictâ—ry thâ—ughts and conceits whereof one must needs be false about a piece of Cloths agreeing or nor agreeing with the yaâ—d or measure but it follows nor therefore from any thing but these faithless mens false and foolish fancies that the Taâ—d is not a Yard or no good rule or measure and if this were good consequence R. B. and I. T. but that they are blind still might see it conclude more strongly against their Letters being as they plead it to be the only true Light or Rulâ— then against the Light since there 's as many silly senses misty meanings and contradictory conceits in the minds of them that are Ministers of it almost as they are Ministers of it For whereas they tell us of two Qua. contradicting one another I have told these four men I.O. T.D. R.B. I.T. of contradicting one another many times o're in their books against us and shall do yet a little more before this book I here write be at an end yea â—n truth as I have shewed already before and shall do more behind there 's little else then confusion and contradiction to themselves by our men called Clergy well nigh in all the Doctrines they have to do with besides this reaâ—on rendred by them is not at all against the Light of God but against mens meer conceits which we are more against then any men whatever calling men out of their own conceivings into Gods own Counsel the Light So quid hoc ad rem Reas. 2. Because that which unvariable and alterable cannot be a persons Rule for its the property of a Rule to be invariable and the same at all times Rules Measures Weights Dials Squares and what other things are made if they be varied câ—ase be Rules Rules should be fixt and certain but nothing more variable then mens light in them Rep. Igrant that 's no rule which is variable and alterable and therefore have above from hence concluded and do here again from your own premises conclude the Letter the Rule ye talk for more then walk by not to be that only Rule of Faith and Life as ye would have it but Gods Light in the heart which the Letter came from sith as I. O. teaches us in his Epistle though he will not learn the same lesson himself but teaches in his book as much against it as he does for it that the Letter in the very Original copies of it
within viz. Jam. 1.21 Receive with meekness the ingrafted Word able to save souls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insitum vâ—rbum That the Word is a light thou dost not deny and that its within sure thou wilt not who sayest Ex. 1 s. 40 thus That Word within is the Word of faith the Apostles preached and that we are here called to it thou canst not So Gal. 5.16 17. Walk in the Spirit c. of which Spirit he saith it lusteth against the flesh which lusting must be where the flesh that private earthly evil spirit that man in the fall is possest with lusteth against it to envy and all evil but that is within and the Scripture saith so not only in Iam. 4.5 but in some other place whence he a leadgeth it whose words are Think yee that the Scripture faith in vain the Spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy So 1 Joh. 2.24 27. Let that abide in you c. If that ye have heard from the beginning remain in you c. and what 's that but the anointing the Spirit of God within which though â— O. may call a whimsy and delusion a lye and such like yet is Truth and is nâ— Lye yea t is nothing but that which is in the lye which calls it a lye and that which is already deceived and hath nought but deceit it self to bee deceived of that cryes out Deceit and Delusion of the Truth To which I might adde all such places as call to the Light and mention the Light as that which though evil ones hate yet such as dâ— truth come to and Christ both warned men himself to walk by and beleeve in and sent Paul and Iohn and therest of hiâ— Ministers to turn men to and Iohn the Baptist pointed at and witness'd to which Light was not the Letter in which they wrote of this Light as thou silliâ—est supposest for they were not Aâ—inisters of that 2 Cor. 3. But the Light of Christ and Christ the Light of the world who enlightened every man before the Letter was and that is within in the minde and conscience where the darkness is for the darkness is within and not without and therefore the Light must bee much more within which shines within the darkness though not comprehended by it for that Light which shines in the dark place till the day dawn and the day-star arise there which is the heart must be also in the heart and that Light which shineth within the darkness which is within men must needs be much more within them as the candle that shines within a dark Lanthern that is seated within a Room must need be within the Room as much if not more inwardly then the Lanthâ—rn is Another Argument against the Light and Spirits being the Rule and so consequently that the Scripture onely is it is the uncertainty of all sorts of Enthusiasms J O. That which is every way uncertain yea most uncertain deceitful whether we consider thâ— principle of the Revelation or the things revealed that we ought not to attend to as a Rule or guide in the way of life and the worship of God but that 's the nature of all Enthusiasmes Therefore c. Reply Is thy Text then such a certain Rule with thee which thy self confessest to bee so uncertain that Criticks may alter it as they please and about which thou confessest ye are in such a heap of uncertainties 2. Wee talk not of Enthusiasms as the Rule but of the Light within and Spirit of God in the conscience and Word in the heart manifesting good and evill lusting against the flesh which the Letter calls a Light to the feet a lamp to the paths and this as is above shewed from 2 Pet. 1.13 is a sure word of Prophesâ—â— yea this is most certain unchangeable eternally the same incorruptible living and abiding ever what ever become of the dead Letter that is so liable to be altered corrupted nullified that there need no other Argument in the world be used to prove it not to be the Word of God unless God have an uncertain and corruptible Word which iâ— blasphemous and contrary to the Scripture to imagine then the utter uncertainty and corruptibility of it insomuch that we may safely Syllogize thy own Argument against the inward lights being a Rule from its uncertainty back again upon thee against the Letters being a Rule ab eâ—us omne genus incertitudine from its uncertainty and corruptibility thus viz Quod omni modo est incertum incertissimum corruptibile c. That which is every way uncertain most uncertain liable to be altered falsified corrupted to be mis-transcribed mis-translated mis-interpreted wrested this way and that to moulder away to perish be torn to peeces burned and many wayes brought to nothing is not the Word of God nor the only Rule c. But the Letter or Scripture is so as abovesaid witness the written Role of Ieremiahs Prophesie which Zedekiah cut with a pen-knife and consumed in the fire and thy own confessed mouldring away of the very first manuscripts therefore c. Another Argumen of I.O. against the Light and Spirits being the onely Rule is this J.O. It s of no small moment that leaning to these principles following thâ—se guides rejecting the Rule of the Word written the Fanaticks are daily driven to pernicious manners abominable Idolatries Murders Whoredomes Blasphemies and in all Nations to unhappy ends Rep. Whether there be more abominable Idolatries Murders Whoredoms Blasphemies and pernicious manners among Qua. or other men called Christians and Christian Ministers that suck at the breasts of the Vniversities or nursing Mothers is sufficiently shew'd above as for unhappy ends t is tâ—ue by bloody persecution many Fanaticks as thou callest the Qua. have come to untimely deaths the more shame for New England where two of them have been hanged for coming into their coasts and Old England also where for all the pretences to Reformation many have perished in prisons and by blows and bruises for their testimony to the truth the more shame for Oxford it self too where one of the first that came thither dyed of the bruises and abuses there received from the Scholars but if by unhappy ends thou mean such as befall men as his Judgements from the hand of God immediately in some eminent notable way seizing on them and cutting them off these are untimely ends that many not for following but forsaking and fighting against the Light the Qua. testifie to have brought on themselves in these latter years in these Nations besides many sharp sufferings in their lives time in which thy self I.O. hast had a just share for flinging at the Qua. as Fanaticks who art now flouted at as a Fanatick thy self Beware therefore and be warned in thy life-time leâ—â— thy latter end be as some of theirs How scores at least of persons have been taken away for their hands being heavy on the Qua. by the hand of God
heavy on themselves is to be seen in a book of E.B. stiled a Word of Reproof where hee mentions about fifty sad examples of Gods vengeance on the Qua enemies where Dean Owen is also marked out for no great good but his excessive pride to which I refer thee And to this very day the Righteous God every morning brings his Righteous Iudgements to light but the unjust knows no shame Another Argument whereby I.O. would prove the Scripture to be the Word of God is on this wise I. O. It will easily appear to any one that never so sleightly reads it that the holy Scripture is by the holy Spirit very often indigitated by that name So p. 117. in every place it avers it self to be the Word of God So p 140. If the Scripture be what it reveals and declares it sef to be it is then unquestionably the Word of the living God for that is prosesseth of it self from the beginning to the ending Reply 1. In proof of thy Minor thou producest Mar. 7.13 which is nothing at all to such a purpose for its the Commandements written which were Gods commands before they were written and we confesâ— to be the Word of God whether they be written or not that are there spoken of under that Term Word of God and not the Writing or Scripture of the Commandements 2. Exer. 1. s. 28 Thou overturnest thy self clear as to thy minor saying thus Where the Word of God is said to be preached published multiplied received in innumerable places almost the Scripture formally considered is not meant nor intended Which is so though I know thou contradictest this again blaming the Qua. because they allow not the Scripture to bee meant in those innumerable places of Scripture where the Word of God is said to bee preached published and received Ex. 〈…〉 then how canst thou say the Spirit in the Scripture calls the Scripture from one end of it to the other calls the Scripture the Word of God and that the Scripture every where calls it self so Another Argument whereby thou wouldest evince the Scripture to bee the Word of life and so the Rule is a certain absolute necessity vel ad esse to the spiritual being of the Saints that thou fanciest to be in the Scripture saying Ex. 3. s. 39. Non pâ—usopuâ—est victâ—â— vestiâ—â—uâ— vitam haeâ—â—animatem traducamus quam Scripâ—utis 〈◊〉 ejuâ— cognitioâ—â— Dei sâ—iliâ—et atque side in dies â—â—udiamur We have not more need of food 〈◊〉 to the natural life then of the Scriptures to the knowledge of God and â—â—â—th and that its evident that the Qua. have with Less danger and loss assayed to fast forty dayes then they can lead a spiritual life free from deadly sins without the Word of God Rep. Without the Word of God I grant it but the Word still is in the heart and is not the Scripture formally or Lieâ—â—er without which thou with shame enough due if thou takest it to thy self sayest men cannot live spiritually without nor free from sin without As if there were no holy spiritual men that did no iniquity as the world doth or that were free from deadly sins before the Letter was What Letter had Abel Enoch Noah righteous and upright men that walked with God in crooked generations to live by and if they lived without the Letter to God is it as impossible to do so now as to live bodily without food that which is necessary ad esse and not bene esse only must be necessary for them as well as us and so the Word of God is which was before the Letter and which they then had who had not the Scripture yea both outwardly inwardly men live by the Word that proceeds out of Gods mouth else outward bread doth not keep men alive bodily Matth. 6. yea every creature that man lives by must be sanctified by that else it s a curse 1 Tim. 4. And for the Qua. fasting forty dayes without hazard There 's a miracle told by I.O. himself concerning the Qua. if that may convince such as look for miracles yet will not men beleeve 2. More Texts there are used and quoted often over and over again in proof of many particulars respectively about the Text or Scripture not one of which either of them truly serves one jot toward the proving of as namely that it is the Word of God and that so assuredly that who receive 〈◊〉 not as so are inexcusable in damnable unbeleef that that is asserted to bee The Rule and Standard The Touchstone of all speakings whatsoever That which pleads its reception not onely in comparison with but in opposition to all other wayes of coming to the knowledge of Gods minds and will the best and most effectual means of bringing men to Repentance That which all faith and repentance is immediately to be grounded upon Thâ—t by which God gives us greater security against all preâ—ences and pleas of unbeleef to the excluding of them and to the enforcing of beleef as a sure foundation for faith to repose it self upon and more moving then any evident miracle That true voice of God which assertains the soul beyond all possibility of mistake That which not only it self to be discerned from al delusions but determines al Doctrines also propos'd to be beleeved whether they be truths of God or cunningly devised fables more then the most signal miracles imaginable more then that greatest of Miracles even Christs Resurrection and otheâ— mans rising with him from the dead more then any voice from heaven it self not only then one counterfeited by men or Satan in the air but then any True voice of God himself speaking to us from heaven as he spake to Moseâ— or as he spake to Christ yea as safely to be rested in as such aâ— any voice coming from heaven with such divine power as to evidence it self 〈◊〉 be of God and to be rested in as such yea giving greater certainty and security then that voice which came to them in the holy Mouns That Moses and the Prophets which who hears not wiâ— not be perswaded to repent though one arise to them from the dead That which as to its certitude is preferr'd before the certitude of even true and miraculous Revelations That beside whiâ—h after the compleating its Canon no new Revelations about the same faith and worship are to be expected or admitted no more 〈◊〉 it as from the Spirit to bee added which is to stand alone as the only most perfeâ—â— Rule inalterable Standard for the trial of all Doctrines Visions Revelation Spirits Gods own not excepted to which we must stand come and are sent alone to stick stedfast and earnestly attend to without hearing or heeding Angel or Spirit without listning to any new blowings or inspirations of the Spirit which is now imited to the Letter though it was once at liberty and had the licence as well since the Letter was written as before