Selected quad for the lemma: authority_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
authority_n	book_n	divine_a	scripture_n	2,963	5	6.0860	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85404	Neophytopresbyteros, or, The yongling elder, or, novice-presbyter. Compiled more especially for the Christian instruction and reducement of William Jenkin, a young presbyter, lately gone astray like a lost sheep from the wayes of modesty, conscience and truth. And may indifferently serve for the better regulation of the ill governed Society of Sion Colledge. Occasioned by a late importune pamphlet, published in the name of the said William Jenkin, intituled Allotrioepiskopos; the said pamphlet containing very little in it, but what is chiefly reducible to one, or both, of those two unhappy predicaments of youth, ignorance, & arrogance. Clearly demonstrated by I.G. a servant of God and men in the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ. Wherein also the two great questions, the one, concerning the foundation of Christian religion: the other, concerning the power of the naturall man to good supernaturall, are succinctly, yet satisfactorily discussed. With a brief answer in the close, to the frivolous exceptions made by C B. against Sion Colledge visited, in a late trifling pamphlet, called, Sion Colledge what it is, &c.	Goodwin, John, 1594?-1665.	1648 (1648)	Wing G1183; Thomason E447_27	141,216	147

Sectaries and Independents which the Ministers I speak of have had for these 3. or 4. years last past for I speak of the unprofitablenesse and uselesnesse of their Ministery only since the zeale of high Presbyterie eate them up as my words cleerly enough import I am very full of a rationall confidence that it may be cast up in a cipher and measured with a reed that never grew Page 1. Sect. 32. He chargeth me with aiming at the fifth rib of Religion It is the strangest metaphor that a man shall likely meete with to call High-Presbytery the fifth rib of Religion For certain I am that with truth he can mean nothing else that I should aime at Let that writing of mine he speaks of be examined and sifted to the bran let my scope drift aim end designe therein be calculated by the narrowest and most exact observations and it will clearly appeare that I aim at nothing but the breaking of the necke of high-Presbytery Indeed if this Presbytery be the fifth rib of Mr. Jenkin his religion I confesse I did aim at his fifth rib and gave her a soare bang I beleeve upon it But did Mr. Jenkin gather this Rhetoricall flower in Mr. Vicars garden Or what quaint Author furnished his pen with such an Elegancy as this to call the great interest of Sion Colledge domineering Presbytery I meane the fifth rib of Religion But I am so taken with the pleasantnesse and rarity of the resemblance that I shall hereafter in this discourse forbeare the dull Grammar expression of High Presbytery and use the Rhetoricall of the fifth rib of Religion in stead of it Yea but he presseth sore upon me with this accusation Sect. 33. that I take away the foundation of religion because I deny the Scripture to be that foundation What else saith he after his insulse and vain manner acting the part of a meere Braggadoch is the English of these words in terminis his owne viz. Questionlesse no writing whatsoever whether Translations or Originals are the foundation of Christian Religion And upon the onely repetition of these words as if the battell were fought the day won and nothing more to be said in the businesse hee be-zeales it thus Away with your hypocryticall exclamations against the enemies of Religion c. But is Caiaphas the High Priest risen again from the dead Or was not this his deportment right up and down He hath spoken Blasphemy saith the Priest concerning Christ John Goodwin denies the Scripture saith Mr. Jenkin to be the foundation of Religion What further need have we of witnesse saith the Priest What else is the English of these words saith Mr. Jenkin The High Preist in a devout detestation of our Saviours blasphemy as he must award it rent his clothes Mr. Jenkin in a zealous agony for my denying the Scripture cryes ou● Away with your hypocriticall exclamations c. Sio oculos sic ille manus sic or a ferebat i. Just so and so with eyes hands face he acted But before my friend William and I part at this turning I shall either make him as hereticall as my selfe in denying the Scriptures to bee the foundation of Religion Sect. 34. or else prove his wits to be as schismaticall as the senses of a Bethleemite whom he in course English calls a Bedlam in departing from their master But first to his most un-christian yea unmanly deportment in managing this base calumny and forged accusation against me Whereas I clearly and plainly distinguish and lay down a double sense and acception of the word Scriptures and in the one sense a● clearly acknowledge them to be of Divine Authority so the foundation of Christian Religion onely denying them to be such in the other this unhallowed piece of Presbytery wholly suppresseth concealeth my distinction and what I deny onely in such and such a sense representeth as simply absolutely and in every sense denied by me Whether I do not in a due regular sense affirme and avouch the Scriptures to be of Divine Authority to be the Word of God and consequently the foundation of Christian Religion I appeale to these words in pag. 13. of my Treatise concerning the Scriptures First if by Scripture be meant the matter and substance of things contained and held forth in the books of the Old and New Testament commonly knownamongst Protestants by the name of Canonicall I fully with all my heart and all my soul beleeve them to be of Divine Authority and none other than the word of God and God assisting shall rather expose my selfe to a thousand deaths than deny them so to be Can any man yea can Mr. Jenkin himselfe in words more perspicuous and plain assert his acknowledgement and beliefe of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures than these So that Mr. Jenkings charge against me of the denying the Scriptures to be the foundation of Christian Religion stands onely upon the authority credit or base of such an argumentation as this God hath taken a course that we might serve him without feare as is evident Luke 1. 74. therefore he hath taken a course that we should not feare him at all or in any signification of the word Feare which conclusion is diametrally opposite to the whole course and current of the Scripture and no wayes followes from the premises In like manner he that should inferre because it is said 1 Sam. 15. 29. that the strength of Israel meaning God is not a man that hee should repent that therefore GOD can in no sence repent should belie the holy Ghost who expresly saith Genes 6. 6. that it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth yea and God himselfe who said thus to Samuel It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be King 1 Sam. 15. 11. If I should reason thus Mr. Jenkin denies the woodden Horse made for unruly Souldiers to ride to be a living creature therefore he denies an horse simply and in every signification of the word to bee a living creatures might not Mr. Jenkin conclude me to be a Woodden Disputant Yet this is the Logick by which he proves that I deny the Scripture to be the foundation of Religion Secondly Sect. 35. when Austine Mr. Bucer Mr. Ball c. deliver themselves in one place at least seemingly and so farre as the letter of the words they use will beare for such an opinion which the generall tenor to nor of their writings elsewhere seeme to oppose how impatiently importune is Mr. Jenkin to have the sense of the particular place over-ruled and interpreted by the Analogy of what hee conceives to be their judgement elsewhere Why then in as much as he can produce but one place onely wherein I seem to deny the Scriptures to be of Divine Authority or the foundation of Religion whereas in twenty and ten places I clearly assert them for such yea it is my entire drift scope and designe in

then may the Preachers of whom M. Jenkin speaketh be truly said to be the Preachers under worldly glory but if not hath not he avouched it to the shame and confusion of his face 5 o. And lastly the most staring and daring untruth in all the story is this that I am paid for hearing my people If this be written in any of M. Jenkins Bibles whether Translation or Originall most certainly it is not the word of God If in stead of saying I am PAYED for hearing my people he had said I am well apaid in hearing them his pen had been no great transgressor but saying I am PAYD FOR hearing them can he be judged any other than an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a man condemned of himselfe in the saying Or if he had said that I am paid for teaching them or for inabling them instrumentally under God to speak those things which sometimes I heare from them the saying had been tolerable enough for matter of truth though little enough for matter of consequence or import But M. Jenkin hath little cause to be offended with me for being payed for teaching my people so that I may heare them speak the things of God with comfort when as himself is payed for teaching his people I feare to farre lesse purpose yea and compelleth some to pay him whom I beleeve he teacheth not at all unlesse it be to know what it is to dwel in a Parish so proudly covetously and quarrelsomly Clergified Though I assert the Divine authority of the Scriptures Sect. 114. or their being the word of God and the foundation of Religion in the very same sence wherein himselfe asserteth either the one or the other as hath been formerly proved and that by many Arguments and Demonstrations himselfe onely dictating his opinion but demonstrating nothing yet how importune and restlesse is he in his barking against me as if I denied both the one and the other And doth not saith he page 1. John Goodwin deny the Scripture to be the foundation of Religion Page 3. he telleth me that I subvert the whole Scripture Page 6. My Treatise wherin I assert the Divine Authority of the Scriptures he calls My late book AGAINST the Authority of the Scriptures Page 10. He chargeth me that by denying the Scriptures I feare not to destroy the word of truth I feare that he by his diabolizing and calumniating feares not to destroy his soule Page 19. he saith My work is to preach and write against all Propheticall and Apostolicall writings What shall be given unto thee or what shall be done unto thee thou false tongue a Psa 120. 3. When did I ever preach or write the least word or syllable against any Prophetical or Apostolicall writing Page 24. he chargeth me with casting contempt upon the written Word Page 20. he demands thus Ought you not to be the more blamed for your cloaked impiety and for your reall enmity to the Scriptures c. Page 22. he complaines that J. Goodwin tells him that this written word is not the word of God Page 24. he chargeth me that in terminis I deny the written word to be the word of God Page 14. he visits me with this Interrogatory Did not you blasphemously deny the Scripture to be the foundation of Faith Page 55. he saith He is sure that according to my principles the written word cannot be the standing measure of Truth and Error I think he is as sure of this as of most things wherein he is or pretends to be most confident The man it seemes knowes not sands from rocks Page 56. he chargeth me with having throwne off the written Word What a generation of spurious accusations hath Mr. Jenkin here begotten upon the body of a shadow of demerit Was there ever a foolish and groundlesse pretence thus nauseously improved to the defamation of a man if yet M. Jenkin hath so much credit in the world as to render him capable of that mischievous act of defaming P. 19 He demands of me thus Sect. 115. Was it from the lowlinesse of your heart that you prefer your selfe before the most learned and pious of the Subscribers Reader if there be any word syllable letter or tittle in that passage of mine as himselfe hath transcribed it upon occasion whereof he levieth this demand which savoureth in the least of any prelation of my selfe before any even the meanest of the Subscribers let this crown of honour be set upon Mr. Jenkins head that once in his dayes he spake truth In the next words he interroga●es me further thus Or was it from the Logick of your head that you form such a childish argument viz. you may not be taxed with errors about the Authority of the Scriptures because you have written in vindication of them Reader if thou canst find any such Argument as this formed by me let me be the child and Mr. Jenkin the man but if it be otherwise contrariorum contraria sint consequentia The Argument formed by me as to that point he speaks of is to this effect that having written and published a large Treatise in vindication of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures and having withall laboured with the uttermost of my endeavours in the ingagement to quit my selfe faithfully herein I conceive it no effect or fruit of the integrity of the hearts of the Subscribers to perform their duty taking no knowledge at all of the main drift scope and end or of the generall carriage of the Discourse to clamour and traduce me for a man denying the Authority of the Scriptures onely because in one place I doe not ●autologize and use those restrictrive or explicative expressions the second time which I had used a little before for the cleare stating of my opinion Yet had I formed such an Argument as he speaks of it had been more manly by farre and lesse childish than that whereby himselfe would prove that I cite M. Bucer for me impertinently inasmuch as M. Bucer never wrote an intire book or discourse against that opinion for which he is cited by me as I have done against that opinion which the Subscribers take liberty or licentiousnesse rather of Conscience to ascribe unto mee A while after in the same 19. page to vilifie me Sect. 116. and make ortes of my discourse in vindication of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures he magnifies Bellarmine and makes singular good hey of what he hath written upon the same subject and particularly commends one saying of his as a non-such in all my writings in which saying notwithstanding there is very little weight or worth indeed scarce Truth Bellarmine saith he hath laboured in justifying the Divine Authority of the Scriptures against the Swenkfeldians with INCOMPARABLE more sinews and strength than ever you have done in your way When did your pen ever● 〈◊〉 his did drop such a passage as this that the very Question Whether the Prophetical and Apostolical writing is

signifie Before Christ was rev●●led unto them but that Peter answered and said or the like 〈…〉 quam ut ignorare eos Christum suum pateretur doth at no hand 〈…〉 then that he would suffer them to be ignorant of his Christ but 〈…〉 two Sparrowes sold for a farthing or something as extravagant 〈◊〉 noramus-like as this or other things of everyhwit as difficult 〈◊〉 as any of these otherwise I make no question but the next time that he and his conscience meet either he will come off with this faire interpretation of his words that the IMPERTINENCIE of my quotations i. all the IMPERTINENCIE that is in them which indeed is none at all is manifested in his Busie-Bishop for in this sence I confesse the IMPERTINENCIE of them is here manifested 1. there is no more IMPERTINENCIE in them than what is by him manifested which as was said is none at all or else with this penitent confession that hee dealt unkindly by his Conscience when he talk'd of IMPERTINENCIE in my quotations Whereas he pretends in the same Title page that in his Busie-Bishop my Cavils against the Ministers of London are answered Sect. 6. I answer that in such a sence at the strong Arguments of his Book are answered in the Title page of mine so are my cavils against the Misters of London answered by him in his For as I answer all his strong Arguments without answering any at all so doth he answer all my cavils against the Ministers without so much as answering any there being no jot or tittle of such imployment in my Book for his Busie-Bishop to meddle with Amongst many other causlesse and sencelesse revilings of me Sect. 7. wherein he comforts himselfe and his Reverend Sirs his fellow Testimonialists against me in his Preface he is not ashamed to charge me with abundant rage in opposing Christ in his Scriptures Grace Ministers Government his rage saith he against the two last reaching up to heaven Elijah was the man charged by Ahab to be the troubler of Israel but Ahab himselfe with his Fathers house was the man who indeed and in truth was the troubler thereof Elijah being the Chariot and Horsmen of Israel I have not troubled Israel saith Elijah to him but thou thy Fathers House a 1 King 18. 18. So I am the man charged with abundant rage in opposing Christ in his Scriptures Grace Ministers Government but M. Jenkin with his Sinonian band is the man who really according to the truth thus opposeth him I oppose Christ in his Scriptures in such a sense as Christ himselfe deceived the people Others said nay but he deceiveth the people b Joh. 7. 2. These obstinate and blinde Jewes called that a deceiving of the people which was nothing else but an instructing of them in the truth and a preserving of them from being deceived In like manner this sonne of shame wilfulnesse and folly calls that an opposing Christ in his Scriptures which is most evident in the eyes of all men who have not sold themselves 〈◊〉 ●laves into the hand of high-Presbytery a justifying a magnifying an exalting of Christ in them It was the expression of a man as eminent both for pietie parts and place as either of our Universities affoord and not of the abhorred order of Independency neither as his preferment sufficiently testifieth finding me charged by the testimony-mongers of Sion Colledge with the foul crime of denying the authority of the Scriptures having seen my tractate upon that subject that he wondred how ever it should come into the hearts of these men to lay such a thing to my charge how they durst traduce me as a man denying the authority of the Scriptures when I had written so clearly fully effectually in the defence and vindication hereof These or words to this effect he used to some of his friends adding further this regretfull Epiphonema But I see wee are fallen into times wherein men dare doe and say any thing Words of like import have come from severall other men of worth and judgement But as they who charged the Lord Christ with deceiving the people were the deceivers of them themselves so the truth is that Mr. Jenkin his Cōpeers who burthen me with opposing Christ in his Scriptures are themselves the men of this abomination For whilst in their teachings they turn the glory of the abundant grace love sweetnesse and bounty of God expressed in the Scriptures towards men into the similitude of the most unnaturall unreasonable unconscionable cruelty and blood-thirstinesse of a tyrant and withall represent Christ as the Image and Expresse Character of this God doe they not oppose and that with an high hand Christ in his Scriptures Or what opposition is Christ capable of in his Scriptures greater than this that these diametrically contrary to their native tenor tendency and import should be made accessory to his disgrace and to the misrepresentation of him in the mindes judgements and consciences of men as if all the love care bowels and compassions which hee bare towards farre the greatest part of them in his death being interpreted were nothing else but bloody purposes intentions desires to make them two-fold more the children of wrath and this to the dayes of eternity than otherwise they had been And that as for those few whose salvation he is supposed to have intended in his death that these were as much in the love and favour of God before and without it and had eternall life and salvation setled upon them by the unchangeable decree and purpose of God from eternity without any relation to or consideration of it The teachers and avouchers of such doctrines as these are they who oppose Christ in his Scriptures not they who deny ink and paper and whatsoever is materiate or formed by man to be precisely and in propriety of speech the word of God Of the two in case the saying of Epiphanius be true that misbelief is worse than unbelief 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is better to deny the Scriptures in any sense or in every sense to be the word of God which yet I never did am as far from doing as the best resolved man in all Mr. Jenkins fraternity than to render them an obloquie and reproach unto God and destructive to his glory But with what authority and soveraignty of argument Mr. Jenkin proves the Sun to be a Sackcloth I mean that I deny the Divine authority of the Scriptures shall be taken into consideration in due time That I oppose Christ in his grace Sect. 8. is a charge parallel to the other of opposing him in his Scriptures and therefore it is no great marvell if one conscience affords them both But why or how doe I oppose Christ in his Grace Surely not by making it greater more extensive more comprehensive more redundant than Mr. Jenkin and his fellow-dogmatists doe Certainly the conscience of the man if it

to be received as the word of God is unworthy to be handled by any Christian Divine had it not been necessary by the deliration of Swenkfeldius and the Anabaptists denying it I confesse Mr. Jenkin my pen never dropt such a passage as this nor I hope ever shall D●mmemor ipse mei God keeping me in my Christian wits I shall never say or affirm that such a Question is unworthy to be handled by any Christian Divine which of all Questions in Christian Religion is of the highest and most fundamentall concernment both for the propagation of this Religion in the world and likewise for the radication and confirmation of it in the soules and consciences of those who professe it The young man could hardly have pick'd out a more inconsiderate and unsavoury saying out of all the writings of this his admired Author than that mentioned whereon he bestoweth such admiration Nor is nor was the deliration of Swenkfeldius or of the Anabaptists who in words denied the divine authority of the Scriptures the onely no nor yet the principall or most considerable cause of that necessity which lieth upon Christian Divines to labour in the Question whereof Bellarmine speakes or to assert the said Authority of the Scriptures The sinfull and prophane lives and conversations of the generality of Professors of Christianity whether in the way of Bellarmines or of M. Jenkins perswasion I mean whether Papists or Protestants who deny the Divine Authority of the Scriptures as they doe God himselfe as the Apostle speaketh in their workes a Tit. 1. 16. amount upon true accuunt to a farre more considerable i●gagement upon Christian Divines to assert the true Originall and Authority of the Scriptures than the deliration of Swenkfeldius or of the Anabaptists on which only Mr. Jenkin his adored Author insists Yea the conviction of the Jewes in respect of the Divine Authority of the new Testament together with the conversion of the Turkes and all Pagan and Idolatrous Nations throughout the world unto Christian Religion impose a greater necessity upon Christian Divines to labour in that Question which first to Bellarmine and then by vertue of his authority to Mr. Jenkin seemes so inconsiderable than either or both of those considerations which the one of them suggests and the other digests so readily Yea I beleeve Mr. Jenkins own Faith and conversation stand in much need of a through and substantiall ventilation of the Question we speak of concerning the Divine authority of the Scriptures and would receive improvement thereby if he were capable of understanding and condescending unto the things of his peace I shall conclude for the present with Mr. Jenkin Sect. 117. when I have onely to perfect the demonstration in hand presented the Reader with a first fruits of those palpable and broad-fac'd untruths together with those industrious and consulted falsifications for Charity her self can think no better of them of my words opinions which together with his workings and arguings upon the advantage taken by them take up little lesse than the one halfe of his Pamphlet Pag. 16. He affirmes as we heard before that I am paid for being an hearer of my people which is as true as that Mr. Jenkin is paid for hearing his bells ring In the same page speaking of me and other preaching Sectaries as his clemency indulgently termeth us You saith he are Preachers under worldly glory Speak holes and corners speak hatred and threatnings of all sorts of people Speak Bookes and Pulpits of Presbyterian Ministers Speak votes and ordinances of Parliament and stop the mouth of a leasing-speaking man In the same page a little before he tells me this untroth that now I see many of the names of those Ministers of Christ in the Province of London subscribed in the last edition of the Testimony concerning whom I had said in my Sion Colledge visited that God had provided a better thing for them than to suffer them to fall into the snare of so unworthy a Subscription whereas the truth is that I neither see nor ever saw and confident I am never shall see any one of the Names I speake of or intended in the said passage subscribed to that Testimony in what Edition soever Page 19. He obliquely taxeth me with preferring my selfe before the most learned and pious of the Subscribers Mendacissim●e as was said before and as is visible enough in the words upon which the tax is raised In the same Page be bids me Remember in what confident heat I rose up for the most horrid Heretiques Anti-scripturians Anti-trinitarians c. in my Hagiomastix Reader assure thy selfe that I never rose up for any Heretique whatsoever either Horrid or smooth much lesse in any heat least of all in any confident heat as this mouth of vanity suggesteth but have evermore pleaded and declared AGAINST them upon these termes That first their opinions being substantially and clearly proved to be Hereticall Secondly all due and Christian means being used for their conviction and reclaiming if yet they remain obstinate they ought to be censured and punished with such punishments which the word of God appointeth for such offenders It seems by the principles of M. Jenkins Divinity that to be delivered up unto Satan is a courtesie and to be cast into bell fire a friendly dealing by men Why else doth he charge me with rising up for Heretiques who never thought nor said that they deserve any more courtesie or friendship upon the terms mentioned than to be thus severely and dreadfully punished Pa. 26 27. He saith that a Sectarian Anti-scripturist hath found that favour in my Hagiomas●ix as that in this Calender he was highly Sainted The vain young man is not able to produce any one line saying word or syllable in that book of any such import Page 28. He tells me that my mouth is widely opened against God for the English of this assertion If God should not make men able to beleeve they MIGHT accuse God Reader I assure thee these words are none of mine but Mr. Jenkin's and consequently it his mouth not mine that is widely opened against God Whereas 1 o. he makes me to say If God should not make men able to beleeve my words are If God should not make men capable of beleeving An intelligent Reader cannot but apprehend a very materiall difference between the one expression and the other especially as I explain my capability of beleeving Secondly whereas be makes me to say that men MIGHT accuse God as if I implied the lawfulnesse of such an accusation my words are that they WOVLD have their mouthes opened against Gods proceedings and be furnished with an excuse In which words I only imply an aptnesse in men to take hold of such an opportunity or advantage in case it were given them to speak against Gods proceedings in their condemnation and by way of excuse for themselves which how farre short it comes of any justification of such an

cancell and dissolve the interest of all humane Authority whatsoever and to render all Authors but as so many ciphers in matters of religion than to expose the unstablenesse of their judgement to the eyes of men For he that speaketh contradictions as to matter of testimony is as good as silent and as speaking nothing at all And for my part I neither am nor shall be at all offended with Mr. Jenkin for duly presenting any Authors whatsoever Fathers or others beneath the order of Hagiographie as divided from and inconsistent with themselves in any difficult or disputable point in Christian Religion To goe on in this course I shall rather give him the incouragement of Macte nova virtute puer Brave youth advance in this new valour thine For by this meanes he will help to teare and pluck off that covering of flesh wherewith the faces of many notable Truths of God have been so bumbled and muffled up that the generality of men could never come to a cleare and orderly sight or view of them Not that I would have the names or memories of men deserving well of Religion and Christianity in their generations unkindly or unworthily handled in the least but that their authority and greatnesse of name might not contrary to their desires be abused to the prejudice or disadvantage of any truth nor in any particular opinion which they assert or hold be exalted above the strength and worth of those grounds whether of Scripture or Reason by which they maintain it I heartily wish that in all our disputes about matters of Religion all names of men whatsoever might be but standers by and lookers on and that onely their arguments and reasons might be actors And whereas the young man p. 41. either very ignorantly or which is worse very contra-conscientiously chargeth me with going about to make Testardus my Patron And p. 44. with bringing Mr. Bucer and Mr. Ball to blesse me And again that I come to the Fathers for patronage which is his Coccysme or Cuckow-note that he sings ten times over I must tell him for his learning in these sayings hee as the the English proverb phraseth it museth as he useth For because himself and others of his capacity use to make Patrons for their opinions of their books and Authours having commonly no better pillars to support the Pile and Fabrick of their judgements than flesh and blood therefore he conceiteth that all other men who make use of Authors doe it upon the same termes and ground But when the Lord Christ cited the testimony of John the Baptist in the behalf of himselfe and that Doctrine of his wherein he avouched himselfe the true Messiah and Son of God did he goe about to make him a Patron either to himself or his Doctrine Nay doth he not expresly disclaim any such thought or intention as this in these words I receive not testimony from man a John 5. 34. and as expresly declare what his intention was in producing this testimony in the words following but these things I say that ye might be saved plainly signifying that neither he nor his Doctrine had any need of any forraigne or extrinficall aid from any Authority of men whatsoever for the countenancing or asserting of either in the eyes or judgements of considering and unprejudiced men being both full of a native light of their own abundantly sufficient for the conviction and satisfaction of such and therefore the reason which moved him to insist upon the testimony of John was that such partiall froward and ingaged men as they were for he speakes unto the Jewes might have the advantage of a testimony more creditable with them to be convinced of and beleeve that which was so necessary to be beleeved by them for their salvation In like manner the reason why I quote either Testardus or Hierome or Austin or any other Authour as concurrent in judgement with me about my Doctrine or opinion which I teach is not by way of patronage or countenance unto them or as if I conceiv'd that intelligent free and disengaged men were not sufficiently capable of truth in them only by the pregnancy of those Scriptures and grounds of Reason upon which they are built without being relieved against their feares by a conjunction of humane Authority but that M. Jenkin such as lye under the same disadvantage with him for discerning and beleeving Truth being so servile and so bowed down in their judgements and understandings that they dare not or howsoever will not call any thing Truth which men voted Orthodox by a reciprocall vote amongst themselves doe not call such with them might have a sustentory or encouragement suitable to their weaknesse in this kind and not be afraid of Truth as of an unclean clean spirit for want of flesh and bones Therefore when he speakes of manifesting the IMPERTINENCY of my quotations I cannot readily imagine what he should mean by his Impertinency or how or by what light given by him he should imagine that he hath manifested any such thing in them or against them If by the IMPERTINENCY of aquotation he meanes a contrariety of sence or import to somewhat which the same Author affirmeth or denieth elswhere all or the greatest part of his own quotations are every whit as IMPERTINENT as mine For he quotes nothing from any Author in opposition to me but what hath been counter-quoted by me from the same Nor doe I either in Sion Colledge visited or in any other of my writings quote any Author for any such end or purpose as this viz. to prove that the Author which I quote never expressed himselfe otherwise than according to the tenor of the words which I quote from him If not to prove such a thing as this by a quotation be to quote an Author IMPERTNENTLY I confesse M. Jenkin hath said somewhat though not sufficient neither to manifest the IMPERTINENCY of my quotations but howsoever the IMPERTINENCY of his own are equally manifest as hath been said by the same light Or if by this his IMPERTINENCY hee meanes the Impertinency of them in respect of the actuall accomplishment of the end intended and desired by them which was the conviction and satisfaction of Mr. Jenkins and others of the truth contained and asserted in them I confesse as touching himselfe he hath sufficiently manifested this Impertinency in them by declaring himselfe an enemy to such Truths my quotations notwithstanding But in this sense of the word IMPERTINENCY his own quotations are altogether as IMPERTINENT as mine inasmuch as I and many others to my knowledge are far from being satisfied by them touching the truth of what hee conceiv'd to be comprehended in them If young Thraso will undertake to manifest IMPERTINENCY in any regular or tolerable signification of the word in my quotations he must clearly and lightsomly prove either that vera justitia doth not signifie true but hypocriticall righteousnesse or that anterevelatum eis Christum doth not

Scriptures or bookes written concerning him The Apostle Peter informs us that Christ by his Spirit went and preached unto the Spirits in prison which sometime were disobedient when once the long-suffering of God waited in the dayes of Noah * Pet. 3. 19 20. c. Certainly the Scriptures were not extant in the dayes of Noah Moses who was born divers hundreds of years after being the first Pen-man of them Yet Christ by his Spirit even then preached unto men Did he preach without manifesting or discovering himselfe or the foundation of Religion unto them I mean in such a sense as the Scriptures afterwards manifested and discovered him If he did in the dayes of Noah manifest and discover himself to the world then are not the Scriptures the only no nor yet the first foundation of Religion no not in point of manifestation or discovery Yea if the Scriptures be the only foundation in point of manifestation and discovery how came all the Hagiographers and pen-men of the Scripture by that knowledge they had of God and of Christ and of Religion Did they ground their knowledge of these upon the Scriptures whilst as yet they were not And whereas he demands of me not more imperiously than simply but both sufficiently why I alledge 1 Cor. 3. 11. Other foundation c. to prove that Christ is the only foundation if I doe not ground my knowledg and beliefe hereof upon this place I desire to require his kindnes with this demand of him why did our Saviour Christ cite the testimony of John to prove himself to be the Messias b John 5. 32. 33 34. if hee did not ground his knowledg beliefe of his being the Messiah upon John's testimony One good turne the saying is requires another if Mr. Jenkin will pipe unto me in answering my demand I will dance unto him in answering his In the meane time what if I should prevent him with this answer that I doe ground my knowledge and beliefe of Christs being the only foundation upon 1 Cor. 3. 11 What followes from hence That I acknowledge the Scriptures to be in a regular sense the foundation of Christian Religion Poore man when did I ever deny it My discourse of the Scriptures is as hath beene lately proved full of this assertion If any thing followes besides this narra mi fili fili mi Batte Had not the man now thinke we a sore temptation upon him to foame out his owne shame in this most insufferably Thrasonicall demand Is it possible that the known distinction of essendi cognoscendi principium quod et quo or a foundation personall and Scripturall should be hid from this seducer in chiefe I confesse Mr. Jenkin is in no danger of being a Seducer in chiefe unlesse his wits and intellectuals miraculously advance except it be of or amongst such a generation of men and women as Peter resembleth to naturall bruit beasts made to be taken and destroyed a 2 Pet. 2. 22. or Solomons simple ones whose character is to believe every thing b Prov. 14. 15 Well might he ask is it possible that the distinction he speaks of should be hid from me For that which is not hid from him cannot lightly be hid from any other He talks of distinctions but with the Apostles Desirers to be teachers of the law he understands neither what he saith nor whereof he affirmes c 1 Tim. 1. 7. Would he else charge me as he doth a little after with doing wickedly and weakly to oppose Christ and his word when as himselfe as we heard just now opposeth foundations personall to foundations Scripturall What is this but to oppose Christ and his word as much as and in the very same sense wherein I oppose them There is nothing more frequent in Protestant-writers than to distinguish the person of Christ whom from the greek Fathers they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the essentiall or substantiall word from the written word which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word spoken or pronounced and what Novice knows not that in every distinction there is or ought to be an opposition And for his known distinction of essendi cognoscendi which hee so much wonders should be hid from mee he is desired in his next to produce any classique Author that ever used it but himselfe The complexion of it is as if it were of the house and lineage of Mr. Jenkins learning I confesse there is difference enough to make a distinction between esse and cognoscere witnesse Mr. Jenkin himselfe who hath a tall mans portion in the one but scarce a childs in the other But Seventhly Sect. 40. and lastly that the Scriptures whether written or printed are not truly and properly the foundation of Religion I demonstrate in the sight of the Sun to the shame and confution of all those faces which have charged the Assertion and Tenet upon me as an Errour by these arguments First If Religion was founded built stood firme and stable in the world before the Scriptures were then cannot the Scriptures be truly properly the foundation of religion This proposition needs no proof beyond the explication of the terms By the Scriptures I meane the Book or books commonly known by this Name amongst us wherin the gracious counsels of God concerning the salvation of the world by Jesus Christ are declared and expressed either by writing or printing as they were for matter and substance revealed at first by God himselfe unto the first writers or pen-men of them By the foundation of Religion we meane I presume on all hands that which mainly and primarily supports it and without which it cannot stand or have a being among men If Mr. Ienkin meanes any thing else either by Scriptures or by his foundation of Religion I must excuse him from blaming or medling with any opinion of mine concerning the Scriptures or foundation of Religion Therefore I assume But Religion was founded built stood firm stable in the world before the Scriptures were Ergo. This latter proposition besides the native pregnancy and evidence of Truth in it is fully proved by me page 10. of my discourse concerning the Divine Authority of the Scriptures where for dispatch sake I desire the Reader if unsatisfied in this point to enquire after it Secondly Sect. 41. If the foundation of Religion truly and properly so called be unperishable and what cannot be thrown down or deprived of Being then can no booke or bookes whatsoever under heaven and consequently not the Scriptures themselves be this foundation But the foundation of Religion truly and properly so called is unperishable c. Ergo. The Consequence in the Major Proposition is evident because any booke all bookes whatsoever are perishable may bee burnt or consumed by fire or miscary by many other casualties that may possibly befall them The Minor Proposition stands firm upon this bottome viz. that no building or superstruction whatsoever

same person Mr. Jenkin I trust before he baul Sect. 49. or brays against me any more as a man erroneous for denying the Scriptures to be the foundation of Religion will vouchsafe to answer these 8. arguments that workman-like not after that smal-sense rate at which he hath written in his busie Bishop Or if he had rather clamour then clerk it or shall do only the one because hee hath no good faculty at the other I shall apply that soft and gentle remedy good both for him and my selfe neglect Before I leave the particular in hand I must needs for the credit of my Antagonist being but a young beginner acquaint the Reader with that Hercule in and signall argument of his page 22. being the quintessence and spiritfull extraction of many pages yea of all hee argueth against me about the Scriptures How can any saith he believe the matter and substance of the Scripture to be the word of God when as he must be uncertaine whether the written Word or Scriptures wherein the matter is contained are the word of God or no But is not this a question of the same profound calculation with this How can a man believe that the Sun is a greater light and the Moone a lesser if he be uncertaine whether every jot and tittle of what is read in our Bible Gen. 1. 16. be the word of God or no because here it is said and God made two great lights the greater c Or with this How can a man believe that there are any such seasons in the yeare as Summer and Winter if he must be uncertaine whether that be the word of God or no Psal 74. 17. Thou hast made summer and winter If there be no meanes possible to believe the matter and substance of the Scriptures if a man be uncertaine whether the written word or Scriptures i. whether every thing sentence phrase word syllable letter point that is found in our printed Bibles for this must be his meaning if he meanes to argue against me be the word of God or no miserable is the faith of Master Jenkin yea miserable is the faith of the whole world For what assurance can any man have that the Transcribers of the Bible heretofore and the Printers of them of later times have in nothing mistaken or miscarried about them Are Scribes and Printers Mr. Jenkins his Prophets and Apostles or doth he not vest in them the infallibility of the immediate pen-men of the holy Ghost If the knowledge and faithfulnesse or unerringnesse of Printers and Transcribers be the foundation of Master Jenkin's Faith I confesse that hee and I build upon two very different foundations Besides Sect. 50. if it be unpossible for mee to believe that the matter and substance of Scriptures is the word of God if I be uncertain whether the written word be the word of God or no how came the Patriarchs and holy men and women who lived in the first two thousand years of the world to believe it since it was not only uncertain unto them whether our Bibles or Scriptures or word now written were the word of God or no but whether such a word should ever be written or no Doubtlesse the same way to bring me to believe what they believed is as open before the glorious God at this day as it was then seeing he hath not hedged it up either against himselfe or me with the thrones of any threatning or decree Againe though I willingly acknowledge and prove it at large in my Treatise concerning the Divine Authority of the Scriptures that the manner of the phrase and style of the Scriptures is a rich character of their Divinity and a very considerable ground to prove that they are the word of God yet is not this character of equal weight or power for such a conviction with the matter and substance of the Scriptures Therefore the nature beauty worth weight and excellency of these I meane of the matter and substance of the Scriptures is sufficient to perswade and bring men to believe that they are the word of God or things which came from God though they had not the gracious and super-added advantage of any thing in the Scriptures whereby to believe that they in respect of their language stile and all particularities of expression were the word of God Insomuch that were the matter and substance of the Scriptures understandingly and faithfully declared and held forth in any other Book or writing besides the Scriptures and which Mr. Jenkin himself would not call the written word of God there were no impossibility at all nor much improbability but that considering men might come to believe them to be the word of God Yet again Sect. 57. Doth not the Scripture it self plainly affirm and teach that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the goodnesse or kindnesse of God leadeth even natural yea and wicked men to repentance a Rom. 2. 4. If so then certaine it is that this kindnesse or goodnesse of God towards them leadeth them to the knowledge and consideration of this Truth that upon their Repentance God will be gracious unto them and forgive them their sins in as much as without the knowledge or beliefe hereof it is unpossible that any man should be led to a true and sound Repentance of which the Apostle here speaketh by any motive means or ingagement whatsoever Now I desire to understand from Mr. Jenkin in his next whether forgivenesse of sinnes and acceptation into favour with God upon true repentance be nothing of the matter or substance of the Scriptures yea or whether it doth not comprehend in it as explicitely and intirely as so much can lightly be comprehended in so little the whole and intire matter and substance of the Scripture If this be so then may men who are uncertaine whether the written word or Scriptures be the word of God or no come to believe the matter and substance of them to be the word of God notwithstanding in as much as the long suffering kindnesse or goodnesse of God are extended and vouchsafed unto many who are altogether uncertain whether the written word be the word of God or no. Lastly Sect. 52. doth not the Scripture also as plainely affirme that the Heavens declare the glory i. the glorious power as the word often signifieth of God b Psalm 19. 1. and his righteousnesse c Psalm 50. 6. and againe that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. that which may be knowne of God his invisible things his eternall power and God-head are clearly seene from the Creation of the world and are to be understood by the things that are made d Rom. 1. 19 20. and yet further that the Gentiles without the written word both have and shew the works of the Law written in their hearts e Rom. 2. 15. by the worke of the Law meaning the effect matter or substance of the law written or else such convictions of

the equity and meetness for them to practice of the things contained in this Law which this Law is wont to worke and produce in those who live under it besides many other things of like consideration Now I would gladly know of Mr. Jenkin by his next whether neither the power of God nor the righteousnesse of God nor the invisible things of God nor the eternall power of the God-head of God nor the things contained in the law be not the matter and substance at least some-what as much of the matter and substance of the Scriptures If they be then simple is his demand How can any man believe the matter and substance of the Scriptures to be the word of God when as he must be uncertaine whether the written word or Scriptures wherein the matter is contained be the word of God or no One thing more as to the point in hand I would gladly be informed of by Mr. Jenkin in his next viz. what the ground-worke and foundation of that Faith of his is whereby he believes that every passage sentence phrase word syllable letter point extant and to be found in every Bible or copie of the Scriptures printed or written Original or Translated throughout the world is the word of God or any part of it considering 1. the manifold yea and material disagreements that are generally known to be betweene many of them and 2. that the word of God is but one alwayes uniforme and consistent with it selfe without the least variation or change It is more than to be feared that whilst he pretends the establishment of men in the Faith of the Scriptures hee spreads a snare in their way and steers a direct course to cast them upon the quick-sands of insuperable difficulties and uncertainties Whereas I take my Testimonialists tardy Sect. 54. in making it an infamous and pernicious errour against the Divine Authority of Scriptures to say that a superstruction is not a foundation or that the act of believing being built upon the foundation of Religion cannot be this foundation it selfe with what acumen thinke ye doth this novice-undertaker bring off himselfe and his fellow adventures from the shelfe of this malicious absurdity For your argument saith he page 8. 9. Christ is the foundation and therefore not any act of man as the believing of the Scriptures 't is very false and feeble What man is it a very false and feeble Argument to infer that because Abraham begat Isaac therefore Isaac was Abraham's Son Or thus Isaac was the Son of Abraham therefore he was not the Son of Moses is this a false feeble argument too Or is not this an argument of the same calculation pregnancy and frame The timber of an house is part of the superstruction and is built upon the foundation therefore it is not the foundation it selfe Faith is an act of man built upon the foundation of Religion therefore it is not this foundation it selfe If Mr. Ienkin's fore-head will serve him to call these false and feeble arguments gape against ovens hereafter who will and let those undertake to prove that a mans eyes are not his eares who have a minde to trifle away their time or know not how to doe God or men better service with it Mr. Ienkin by such couragious expressions and sayings as these superstructions are foundations 't is very false and feeble to say otherwise that the Covenant hath done good to the Kingdome a Busie Bishop p. 9. that I by denying the Scriptures feare not to destroy the word of Truth b Page 10. that men that are dead assume to themselves titles in print c Page 11. that I dare not come neere an expression of dislike to errour d Page 11. that Master Edwards is a man of blessed memory e Page 12. that to advise men not to make errour and herefie of what they please cannot prove them to be such is to advise them to believe nothing or to put them to believe nothing f Pag. 13. 14. that because there is nothing in the world so certain as matters of Faith g Ibid. therefore there is nothing more certaine then that I deny the Authority of the Scriptures and that naturall men have no power at all to good supernaturall c. that Doctrina salutaris signifies the Law h Page 42. of nature that Gentes ante revelatum eis Christum verae justiciae fuisse compotes doth not signifie that the Gentiles before Christ was revealed unto them were partakers or obtainers of true righteousnesse but of the duties of righteousnesse commanded in the law i Page 43. Mr. Jenkin I say by the frequency of such valorous and couragious sayings and reasonings as these for I omit twenty more and ten of as high a resolution as these hath inspired me also with courage and resolution to count it strength eough for me to sit still the next time he riseth up against me By a like line of learning Sect. 55. reason and truth with which he measured my former errour so voted in the Testimonie concerning the Scriptures at last could make nothing of it but a Truth in processe of discourse he attempts the measuring of my second errour also for so it pleaseth the Colledge of Dictators to adjudge it concerning the naturall mans free will and power to good supernaturall for thus that Facultas Theologica thought good to head it The difference between his deportment and acquitment of himselfe in the one and in the other consists only or chiefly in this that as Jerusalem justified her two sisters Samaria and Sodome by multiplying her abhominations more than they k Ezek. 16. 51. 52. so hath hee qualified the hard aspect of his un-christian and un-clerk like behaviour in traversing the former point with that super-abundant extravagancy in both wherein he utters himselfe in managing the latter As for his un-christian dealings in affirming contrary to the certificate of his own conscience so many most notorious broad-fac'd falshoods untruths knowledg hath been taken of them and given in part under the first head Concerning his ridiculous empty and absurd reasonments and other puerllities of this nature we shall for the present only give a transient brief account of them intending a more full and through discussion of the controversie in due time the great disposer of all things not gainsaying First one of his first-born arguments to prove it an errour in me to hold that a naturall man hath any power to good supernaturall as to repent believe c. is that herein I lovingly joyne hands with the Arminians the Remonstrants a Busie Bishop p. 28. that the Arminions were my Schoolmasters b Page 30. again that I and my masters the Remonstrants will not part c Page 31. This cabbage he boyles and re-boyles and boyles again over and over I know not how often sets it before his Readers as one

not acting contrary to his wisdom or cōtrary to his goodnes Is his soveraignty or dominion over the creatures impaired because he doth not judg it meet to command throns to bring forth grapes or Thistles Figs Confident I am that there never was a generation of Christians scarce of any kind or sort of men so positive peremptory and bloody in asserting their opinions and withall so weak contemptible and shallow in arguing them as the greater part of the London Sub-scripturients are Page 27. Sect. 91. to prove the words which I deny to be an error viz. 'T is a needlesse thing for Satan to blinde if they have not eyes to see to be very false he advanceth this apodicticall proofe For saith he notwithstanding Satans making us blinde we are blind of our selves Dicite I● Paean is not this a triumphant demonstration we are blind of our selves therefore there is a necessity that Satan should blind us I feare and partly know that such arguments as these or those that are very little better are the foundations of a great part of Mr. Jenkins Religion how importunely soever hee ob●rudes his reverend opinion of the Scriptures The very truth is that he and many more speake highly of the Scriptures not because they loveth Truth or the minde of God and of Christ contained in the Scriptures or care much for the propagation or knowledge of these in the world but to procure the greater reverence and authority to their own mindes and opinions how unworthy and godlesse soever by perswading the people that they dwell in sacred sh●ines and therefore can be none other but the Truths of God See a cleare instance hereof in the progresse of the late mentioned argument as simple as 't is it must be fathered on the Scriptures yea Scripture upon Scripture must be cited or rather abused in the justification of it according to Scripture saith he which saith That natur all men cannot know the things of the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 14. and yet that the God of this world hath blinded them 2 Cor. 4. 4 When the Scripture saith that a natur all man is carried captive by Satan it is onely Mr. Jenkin that saith this the Scripture saith it not he hath practised the art of falsification so long in citing my words that his right hand cannot forget her cunning in citing the words of the holy Ghost himselfe when he hath a lame opinion to gratifie 2 Tim 2. 26. Doth it therfore follow he is not a slave to since because to Satan In this peece of discourse the intentions of these men in lifting up the Scriptures and so in using of them may be clearly seen unlesse the vaile of their ignorance may be conceived to hide them He chargeth me page 34. according to the known tendernesse of his conscience that still I would have fain the Scriptures counted hereticall with me In which saying alone there is more arogant and desperate blasphemy than can well be supposed incident to any other man than him that spake it For doth it not clearly suppose that the Scriptures themselves must be hereticall if they should teach or hold forth any other doctrine than what M. Jenkin teacheth And if so then not the Scriptures or their authority but M. Jenkin his judgement and authority must be the touchstone of Truth and Error and the Scriptures must be look'd upon as Hereticall if they shall presume to teach or assert any thing contrary to him and consequently must submit themselves to the regulation of his judgement in their sense and meaning and in whatsoever they affirm But whether I would fain have the Scriptures counted hereticall with me or no evident it is that M. Jenkin would fain draw them into communion and fellowship with himself in a most absurd insulse and unsavoury opinion in going about to prove from them that he that is as blinde as a man that is dead had need yet to be blinded by Satan or may further or to a greater degree of blindnesse be blinded by him As for that Scrip. 1 Cor. 2. 14. by which he seekes to prove it it appeares by his producing it for such a purpose that he understands little of it For first evident it is from the series of the context that by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated the naturall man is not meant the man that is simply or meerly natural or unregenerate or that hath nothing at all of Christ in him but such a kinde of men whom two or three verses after viz. cap. 3. 1. 3. he twice expresseth by the name of Carnal whom notwithstanding he calls Babes in Christ So that evident it is that by naturall there and carnall here he meanes onely weak Christians such as for the present had made little progresse in the knowledge of Christ and of the Gospel This interpretation is further confirmed 1 o. from hence viz that one and the same kinde of person whom hee calls spirituall is opposed both to the naturall man there as cap. 2. v. 15. and likewise to the carnall man here cap. 3 1. 2 o. From hence that as the Gospel speakes frequently of two kindes or degrees rather of Christians weak and strong expressing them by severall appellations so the one sort of them viz the strong is amongst other denominations frequently expressed by the term spirituall If any man think himselfe to be a Prophet or Spirituall i. excellent and of a greater growth in knowledge than ordinary let him acknowledge that the things I write unto you are the commandements of the Lord 1 Cor. 14. 37. So again Brethren if any man be overtaken in a fault ye which are spirituall i. more able than your fellowes restore such an one c. Gal. 6. 1. To passe by other instances of like import And I Brethren could not speak unto you as unto spirituall i. as unto strong or understanding Christians but as unto carnall even as unto babes in Christ 1. Cor. 3. 1. So then the word Spirituall when spoken of persons or spirituall man being never found in the writings of this Apostle opposed to the meere naturall or carnall man but very frequently to the weak and lesse understanding Christian it is no wayes reasonable to imagine such an opposition here the scope and carriage of the context no wayes requiring it but rising up in opposition to it The reason by the way why the weake Christian is Sect. 92. and well may be termed naturall or carnall is because he retaines much of the meere naturall or carnall man in him he is still under the guidance of many false principles and notions of things which are more genenerally found in meere naturall and carnall men and consequently his dispositions and practices are in a great measure like unto theirs also A denomination may truly and with sufficient proprietie of speech be given upon a graduall participation onely of a form though it be not inherent in the highest

make fifteen without having some choyce Schoolmaster to teach him He tells me page 30. that I have such a long-winded stile Sect. 110. and such a foggy conceptus that I cannot write a slight notion which may be couched in foure lines under thirty foure lines and yet page 10. he tells me on the other hand that I have a compendious way of confutation and that I blow away whole books with the Dictates of three or foure lines M. Ienkin I perceive can beat his dogge both with a long staffe and a short And as the Scribes and Pharisees one while to create enviein and amongst themselves against the Lord Christ pretended that the whole world was gone after him a Ioh. 12. 19. Another while to disparage him among the people pleaded on the contrary that none of the Rulers or Pharisees beleeved on him but onely a few ignorant people who know not the Law b Ioh. 7 48 49. in like manner M. Ienkins ingenuity serves him to make vilifications and reproaches of any thing yea aspersives though never so contradictory unto or inconsistent with themselves will yet warrantably and congruously enough to his principles serve him in his warfare I have to my discredit a compendious way of confutation and can blow away whole bookes with the Dictates of three or foure lines and yet to my disparagement also have such a long winded stile that I cannot write a slight notion which might be couched in foure lines under thirty foure lines Page 14. Sect. 111. Onely upon occasion of my saying that God made the world of nothing he interjects it thus Prophanely enough Is it prophanesse in M. Ienkins Divinity to say or hold that God made the world of nothing Or is it pious only in High Presbyterians to say it but prophane in all others Or doth the man deny creation and dogmatize with those who affirm the world to have been from eternity Why else should he call it prophanesse in me to affirme the contrary 〈…〉 But what is it almost that I can speak or doe but the debauched conscience of this man pretends to finde either blasphemy or prophanenesse in it If I cite or any wayes make use of the Scriptures he chargeth me with prophanation of Scripture What remaines saith hee page 50. of this weak Pamphlet consists of nothing but three or foure prophanations of Scripture And a few lines after 'T is a miracle that the stones and tiles of houses doe not speak about the eares of one so prophane and erroneus But let me tell you M. Ienkin whether I be prophane and erroneous or no both which imputations you are as farre from proving as free in charging upon me that it is prophanesse and erroneousnesse in you and that in a high degree to think it a miracle that God should be God and not man or which is the same that he should not be of your minde and condemne him for prophane and erroneous whom you out of a blind zeale to the fifth rib of your Religion condemne for such Is it a miracle with you that the righteousnesse of God should not accomplish the wrath of man Because I expresse my selfe onely thus Sect. 112. Doe I not plainly clearly and distinctly enough declare unto the world in m● Treatise concerning the Divine authority of the Scriptures in what sense I hold the Scriptures whether Translations or Originals to be the word of God his ingenuous and candid animadversion is this pag. 20. YOVR SELFE IS the first man that ever I heard to commend you for clearnesse plainnesse and distinctnesse For a man to say especially by way of Apology that he hath clearly and plainly expressed his sense and meaning or stated his opinion was it ever so fairly and candidly interpreted as to be the commending of himselfe untill Mr. Jenkin and his transcendent ingenuity came to undertake the construction But howsoever the great Corrector or Corruptor rather of L●ctio's should doe well to pull the Beame of false concord ou● of his own eye and not joyne Nominative cases of the second person with verbs of the third before he goes about to pull the MOAT or rather somewhat as much lesse than a moat as nothing is than something of unproper English out of his brothers eye If any of Mr. Vicars Boyes who have learned that easie thing where Mr. Jenkin findes Nil permutabis emesve should bring any such English as this to him YOVR SELFE IS or any such Latine as this Tuipse est primus c. I cannot but thinke hee would administer correction to him and but deservedly As much reason as M. Jenkin hath to charge me with commending my selfe for the words lately mentioned so much also and no whit more he hath to slander the close of my Sion Colledge visited with some foure or five it seems he cannot speak clearly or distinctly nauseous commendations of the Author and Booke But Nabal as his own servant described him was such a sonne of Belial that a man could not speak to him a 1 Sam. 25. 17. If a man washeth off the base dirt and filth which M. Jenkin and his Truth-defaming generation hath cast in his face it amounts to no lesse in the balance of his rare ingenuity than to the nauseous commendations of himselfe Page 16. Sect. 113. He sadly bewailes his own condition and the condition of his fellowes under the name of Orthodox thrice mentioned in the complaint for failing this is a nauseous commendation of himselfe to purpose as if it were farre better with the Sect of the Independents than with theirs These saith he are exceeding dayes for Sectaries the Orthodox have but short commons they are rich in imployments and poore in payments 'T is true you preach a great deale more than you pay of the debt of Evangelicall Truth which you owe unto the people your payments in this kinde are very poore you are quite contrary you are paid for being an hearer of your people but it were well with the Orthodox if they were paid for preaching to their people You are the Preachers under worldly glory the Orthodox are under the crosse c. In this passage of M. Jenkin it is clearly seen both how strangely Envy multiplieth and unthankefulnesse substracteth Fertilior seges est alienis semper in arvis Vicinumque pecus grandius uber habet i. In other mens fields the best corn alwayes growes And still the greatest Dugges have neighbour Cowes But 1 o. With what fore-head or face can he say that the Orthodox have but short commons if by Orthodox he meanes the Ministers of the adored Order of Presbytery May not Newcastle as well complaine for want of Coales or the Sea for lack of water as the Presbyterian Ministers for shortnesse of commons Is not the whole English element of Church-livings offered up by the State upon the service of their conformity a Marcus Crassus negabat quenquam esse d●vit●