and Agility to f 1 K. 17.18,22,23 2 K. 4.32,34,35 8.5 Ps 104.29 30. Jo. 11.39,43,45 Acts 20.9,10,12 Ro. 4.19 8.11 Heb. 11.19,35 1 P. 3.18 Rev. 11.9,11 dead Bodies g Ez. 37.1 to 10. dry very dry Bones or h Mat. 3.9 L. 3.8 Stones who still and ever i Ro. 4.17 8.11 Eph. 2.1,5 qnickneth at least the spiritually dead and by a secret yet a certain and sometimes l Gen. 41.38 Num. 11.26 24 2,3,4 Judg. 3.10 1 S. 10.6,9,10,11 16.13,18 19 20,23,24 2 K. 2.15 2 Ch. 20.14 Neh. 9.30 Isa 11.2 48.16 Ez. 2.2 11.5 Dan. 4.8 Mat. 3.16 L. 4.18,21,22 Jo. 1.32,33 14.17 15.26 Acts 2.2 c. and 8.29 11.12 16.7 1 P. 4.14 1 Jo. 4.2 Rev. 1,10 4.2 a manifest Infusion m Eph. 1.23 Job 32.8 filleth all in all By the n 2 Co. 3.6 same Power I say are these Lines made lively and active and so justly in this sense called the o Ph. 2.16 L. 8.11 Word of Life It is said metaphorically and implicitly That the Word was made p Ps 118.22 Isa 28.16 Dan. 2.34,45 Mat. 21.42,44 L. 20.17,18 Acts 4.11 Eph. 2.20 1 P. 2.4,6,7 stone but expresly that it was made q Jo. 1.14 flesh and dwelt among us and that r 1 Jo. 1.1,2 we have seen With our eyes and our hands have handled of the Word of life Which Christ himself confirmed saying s Jo. 6.63 The words that I speak to you while now in my flesh they are spirit and they are life We hear himself likewise assuming to him the Metaphors of t Jo. 14.6 Way u Jo. 15.1,5 Vine x Jo. 10.7,9 Door y Jo. 6.35,41,51 Bread c. Now the same Word even Christ Jesus who made himself a Way Stone Vine c. yea Flesh to dwell among us for z Jo. 7.33 13.33 16.16 a little while was and is in the same sense and certainty made Letter and Scripture to remain with us a Mat. 28.20 unto the end We need seek no further for similitude then the naturall Bodies we bear about Which while united with soul or spirit cal'd b Gen. 2.7 6.17 7.15,22 Isa 42.5 Rev. 11.11 the Breath of life and sometime the c Job 27.3 spirit of God We see how able apt and agil they are especially some to d Jud. 20.16 1 S. 17.4,5 c. 2 S. 1.23 2.18 23.8 c. 1 Ch. 12.8 Lam. 4.19 Glory and Admiration But once e Job 34.14 Eccl. 12.7 severed how f Jos 5.1 1 S. 25.37 1 K. 10.5 senseless g Jud. 15.18,19 L. 8.53 Ja. 2.26 liveless h Gen. 3.19 18.27 Job 4.19 7.21 13.12 21.26 34.15 Ps 30.9 49.14 103.14 104.29 Eccl. 3.20 12.7 contemptible and i Jer. 9.22 16.4 25.33 Jo. 11.39 horrid Things are they And yet this Spirit of l Job 32.8 Prov. 18.14 20.27 25.28 Eccl. 3.21 Isa 26.9 57.16 Ez. 21.7 Zec. 12.1 Mal. 2.15 Ro. 8.16 1 Co. 2.11 ours as we may call it though the sole or chief Actor in us is 1 Co. 2.11 invisible to our carnall eye Also we measure and judge the strength or feebleness of our life by the fast or slow Beating as we term it of our Pulse the Motion of our animal Spirit Just thus is it with the written Word m Ez. 1.12,20 2 Co. 3.3 or Works and Spirit of God yet with this Difference That the Spirit of God unspeakably and inconceivably n Job 32.8 Isa 38.16 transcends the Spirit of Man in o 1 Co. 5.3,4 12.4,8 c. 2 Co. 11.4 12.18 Eph. 2.18 4.3,4 Ph. 1.27 Col. 2.5 Vnity and p Hab. 1.13 Jo. 4.24 Eph. 4.29,30 1 Jo. 3.3 Purity q Mic. 2.7 2 Co. 3.17 11.12 Liberty r 2 S. 14.19 2 K. 5.26 6.32 Acts 5.3 1 Co. 2.10,11,12,16 Gen. 44.15 Perspicacy s Jo. 6.63 Ro. 8.10 1 Co. 15.45 2 Co. 3.6 1 P. 3.18 Vivacity and t Jud. 16.28,29,30 2 K. 2.11 Job 32.18 Ps 39.3 Isa 6 6,7,8 E 7.3.14 37.1 Dan. 6.3 Mic. 3.8 M. 1.12 L. 1.17 2.40 4.14 21.15 24.32 Acts 2.4 4.20 6.10 8.39 18.5,25 20,22 23.9 Ro. 15.19 1 Co. 2.4 Eph. 3.16 2 Th. 2.8 Rev. 17.3 21.10 Isa 49.2 Vigour It also u Jo. 3.8 as the Wind bloweth where it lusteth and x Eccl. 11.5 None knoweth whence it cometh nor whither it goeth So then while this written VVord is but offered accepted and eyed as a dead Letter no mervail it be so much neglected and so little operative as it is And certainly till we feel some beating or motion of this Divine Pulse in or upon it we may sadly conclude our selves to be y Eph. 2.1,5 Jo 14.17 1 Co. 2.14 spiritually as dead as the Letter or z Jo. 11.39 Lazarus his Body For as our Spirit is the life of our Body so is the Spirit of Christ the a Job 32.8 Psalm 36.9 66.9 119.175 Isa 38.16 Jo. 14.17 Acts 17.24.25 Ro. 8. 2,10 1 Co. 2.4 Col 3.3 life both of our Spirit and of the Letter Much less may this written VVord avail any thing either to enliven enlighten or lead us whilst it lyeth by us unused neglected contemned as a Moth-eaten Clout not of so much account with many And therefore to the attaining of the spirituall-saving Knowledg here treated there belongs a serious studious and diligent search The b Heb. 2.10 Captain of our Salvation our most curious and faithfull c Num. 13.2,30 14.6,7,8,9 spy and discoverer of the holy Land sets us in the ready way d Jo. 5.39 Isa 8.20 2 P. 1.19 Search the Scriptures saith he which even yee Jewes yee Scribes and Pharisees account infallible impartiall Guides to your eternal life and felicity for they are they that testifie of me who alone am that most precious permanent Pearl and Possession worth Search and seeking after which they point at yea am their proper-inseparable Subject and Substance And for our Incitement and Example we see himself did e L. 4.16,17,21,22 customarily preach and practise out of them They were his own f Mat. 4.4,7,10 L. 4.4,8 chief-apparent Armour against Satan in any Assault and as they proved g Mat. 4.11 L. 4.13 successfull with him so he hath left them commended to our use and imitation To this end we often hear him and his Worthies the blessed Apostles and other Saints sometimes in a repugnant sometime in a perswasive way producing and alledging Scripture viz. h Mat. 2.5 L. 24.46 Thus i Mat. 4 7. Heb. 1.5 2.13 10.30 again l Ps 40.7 Mat. 21 13. L. 19.46 Jo. 8.17 Acts 23.5 Ro. 12.19 1 Co. 9 9. Gal. 4.22 27. it is written m M. 11.17
3.12 20.25 feeble Faith If Scripture then and Reason so concurr as in the present case they seem to do what letteth from beleeving that the Christian Husband being Head of his Wife as Christ is of his Church and so compleatly qualified as before may for urgent Cause as well and warrantably chasten as cherish his Wise Now Christ we have heard hath sundry wayes to correct his Church his Wife but we are here to take Correction for Blows or actual Beating of the Body A servant or other offending Inferior saith Solomon will b Pr. 29.19 not be corrected by words In our Progress we are to note that the practicall knowledge of our humane Husband is expressed of the holy spirit by the Word c 1 P. 3.7 Dwelling Which as it is exercised in the contemplative doctrinall or directive way we are here to wave or omit for Reasons d Page 20. before shewed and apply us onely to the disciplinary Part. To our readier Access and proceeding it will conduce much to know That by my Dwelling and converse in the World among Men and Women I have discern'd and discover'd some odd and uncoth Tenets and Principles the ordinary ones doe follow too of certain-uncertain Wives by vertue whereof when they please they can as they talk of Hocus wipe off even all Affinity with their Husbands or at least will live and e LADY is too low a style for them Lord it by them They were hatched I suppose in Ignatius his Conclave for they chirp on this fashion 1. That their Husband hath nothing to do with them viz. as to reprove or admonish them For 2. Their Soul their Tongue and All 's their own they may speake what they please in their own not their Husbands House without Controll or Question yea may lawfully sweare while wronged or provoked 3 That the disposing of unfort unate Marriages so they call them are not by appointment or Providence of God but brought about by the Devill and his Agents 4. That if a Woman have had one or more former Husbands he that she now hath is not her Husband longer then he pleaseth her what is he then I pray and what shee And they cite f Jo. 4.18 Isa 4.1 Scripture for it if any therefore were ignotum Ignatio it is likely This. 5. If they have an Husband that is conscious of his Place and Duty they presently apply this Plaister which was hardly fitted to their wounded spirit g Job 3.25 The thing I greatly feared is come upon Me to wit the Plague of subjection to my Husband as with a h Jer. 31.18 Bullock unaccustomed to the Yoke 6. Though they may yeild themselves a little a-kin to their Husband and perchance somewhat kind for carnall ends yet the i See p. 48. a c. noble or gentle Blood bubbling and boiling in their veines or the pregnant Mother-wit capering in their Brain or the l Dan. 4.30 inestimable-matchless Means they brought still rolling in their mind and mouth as indeed the most m Eccl. 10.19 obvious and sensible Incentive All or any of these say they is evidence enough for Priority Predominance or in English Mastery over the simple-honest Man the Husband Who if he can but keep himself from abusing his Laydy-Lord's Allowance to surfet or further Blemishing her Honour hath as much Command and Charge as he is capable of or as many an unworthy Man cares for And there are some good Women under the honoured degree of Ladies-indeed whom we know loth to bear or be known by their Husbands Name whether out of Modesty or Majesty judge yee The Custome of this your Nation condemning them and the n Isa 4.1 Scripture also seeming to comfirm it But we leave this schismaticall Sect to enjoy themselves and their Husband or what they call him at their pleasure What shall we say to these Women or how may they be treated withall to their own content or satisfaction It would be too tedious and almost impossible to fit them all with Answers suitable to their Fancy or Size These their Tenets are all no doubt the spurious Issue or Products of adulterous Parents o Ps 73.6 Pr. 6.16,17 21.4 30.13 Ro. 1.30 Pride and p Job 21.14 Ps 10.4 14.1 73.11 Eph. 2.12 Tit. 1.16 Atheism the Posterity or Fry of that infamous q L. 10.18 Jude 6 2 P. 2.4 Progenitor that infernall Leviathan who is r Job 41.34 King and Father of them and will not cease to spawn and spread till God shall quite cut him off and s Rev. 20.10 cast him into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone and thenceforth eternally secure and cleare the t Rev. 20.9 beloved City from his cunning Circumventions and contagious Infusions But the five first being more monstrous then the last we shall at once rid them out of our way by referring those Phoenix's if the simile will reach and hold the Professors thereof to a few u Gen. 2.24 20.16 Num. 5.27,31 30.6 to th' end 36. all Pr. 31.11 Isa 45.7 Am. 3.6 Mal. 2.14,15 Mat. 19.5 M. 10.8 1 Co. 6.16 7.4,16 14.35 Eph. 5.23 Ro. 7.2 They may sort these Texts themselves and apply them Texts of holy Scripture which if it will not fit our Turn as well as their's we shall subscribe to their Principles The 6 Tenet being more frequent and familiar and so more infectious we shall more intensly pursue by answering and absolving it as God enableth For under this not excluding the rest are couched all the Cases wherein or Quaere's whether the Christian Husband dwelling or walking in a consciencious Knowledge with his Wife is to exercise any coactive or corrective Power over her or how he shall fadg with such harsh and hatefull Interferings as partly are and are to be decipher'd and are possibly and too apparently to be found in some Wives These will distinctly appeare in their Order and season and we conceive come more clearly off in way of Objection and Answer then otherwise CHAP. VI. Whether a good Man must or may correct or beat his bad Wife Objections answered WE are here to encounter an Army of Objections which on every Wing come like Swarms buzzing about our eares Those of most Weight and Worth are admitted and respectively answer'd the rest dismissed till other Oportunity For even the best and soundest here presented will haply be found to relish of and flow as much from Affection which indeed is commendable if not meerly naturall as from Judgement in the Objectors though otherwise it may be most judicious Who need not be minded what n 1 K. 11.3 Neh. 13.26 Weaknesses the wisest Men on earth have incurr'd or contracted by too much Indulgence in this kinde There needs no great curiosity in their Order but take them as they come to hand Some have either fully or in part their Answer already to which wee 'l
must needs beget in Men so ingeniously ingenuous and I think in most others all are not t 1 S. 25.17 Nabals a tender and melting Indulgence to their Wives and consequently in both a reciprocall and mutuall Complacence and endeerment 6. They being well retired from the Noise and Tumult of the World may charitably conceive most Women like their own at least none so ill as they are represented for wee 'l imagine few so impudent as to bristle and brawl in the presence or hearing of their Minister 7. Although there may be haply found a little spice of Haughtiness or Arrogance even in these Mens Wives yet their better Breeding directs them to carry above that baseness whereof by and by that may incite unto Blows 8. Lastly I dispute not whether they of all Men be expressly forbidden or others implicitly allowed to u 1 T. 3.3 strike in this Case And therefore no mervail if in these or the like regards Beating be uncoth and odious to them for certainly no Godly Man els can use so grievous an outward Remedy without much inward Reluctance and secret sorrow according to the Bowels of his x Isa 60.10 Jer. 31.20 â—2 10 Hos 11.8 L. 6.36 15.20 compassionate Heavenly Husband Who is content to cover all former Faults y 2 Ch. 30.9 Job 33.22,23,24 Ps 85.8 Jer. 3.1,7 upon condition which is ever intended of Return and Reformation And surely in a Gracious Man so granted we may not imagine the least Cruelty at all He is mercifull to z Pr. 12.10 his very beast how much more to his Brother Wife and own Flesh to whom he acts or intends nothing but temporall and eternall Good Yea his seeming Cruelties are Kindness and Compassion He is but a Am. 4.11 Zec. 3.2 plucking a Brand out of the Fire but disciplining not destroying the Body that b 1 Co. 5.5 the spirit may be saved For he hath and is guided by the c Mat. 5.48 L. 6.2 Wisdom Justice and Mercy of his heavenly Father Answ 2. Touching the Choice of a Wife I see not how any can properly deduce this chusing which some do from the Word d 1 P. 3.7 Dwell Choice and Cohabitation or use we know being different Things though it must needs be granted that a Mans Knowledge were well and needfully exercised that way But allowing them their full scope we address to the Answer Wherein since we have no Precept for Choice more then for Chastisement we must apply our selves to Paterns whereof the Word yeilds us Plenty 1. We read not of any great fore-acquaintance that any of the Patriarchs or Men of God except Jacob had with their Wives when they married them For it is said e Gen. 11.29 Abraham and Nahor took them Wives implying no long deliberation or time of Triall And it may be doubted that there being none or few but Idolaters about them their Choice was hard or scant Of the Wife of Lot there is little more to be said then f E. 17.32 Remember Lots Wife Only we may suspect her either not so well principled to God-ward or not so respective and regardfull of her leading Husband as shee ought Isaac's Wife Rebekah by whom the promised and ever blessed seed was to be propagated came meerly on a suddain and as it were g Gen. 24.65 a stranger to him without Preparation either in his judgement or Affection for this or that Woman And which seemeth somewhat odd his Father Abraham confines him for a Wife to h Gen. 24.4 his own Country and Kindred who were i Jos 24.2 probably and mostly Idolaters perchance then as ill as the Canaanites The best thing we hear in the Business is the Servants l Gen. 24.12 express Prayer and Isaac's m Verse 63. own Meditation which is but conjecturall to prosper the Ambassage It s plain that Jacob even n Gen. 32.28 Ps 83.4 Israel from whom we derive o Ex. 4.22 Isa 41.8 44.5 45.4 Jo. 1.47 our best Denomination next to p Acts. 11.26 Christians his q Gen. 31.41 twice seven years service was but for r Verse 30. an Idolater's daughters whose Religion t is like he understood and by his Interest and s Gen. 29.20 Intimacy with them might or should have alter'd in all that time Yet we see that even after Rachel was his Wife shee was t Gen. 31.32,34,35 neither wayned from her Idols nor well instructed in the point of Theft and Lying Nor do we perceive that Jacob proposed ought to himself in thus marrying but a temporall Recompence of his corporall service which seemeth u Hos 12.12 affirmed by the spirit of God himself Did not Joseph one that especially and x Gen. 39.9 42.18 professedly feared God accept such a Wife for y Gen. 41.45 Honours sake as Pharaoh gave him an Idolatrous Egyptian Incidit in Scyllam cupiens vitare Charybdim While from the Gulf he quits upon the Rock he splits He that abhorred the z Gen. 39.9 corporall hazards at least the spiritual Adultery Did not Moses a Deu. 33.1 Jos 14.6 the Man of God marry a Midianite an b Ex. 2.21 4.26 utter Enemy to the Circumcision Did not Samson a type of our triumphant Redeemer chuse an uncircumcised Philistine solely and apparently c Jud. 14.2,3 to please his Fancy for he durst hardly d Verse 16. trust her with his secrets herein posthabiting her to his Parents although shee was the e Pr. 5.18 Mal. 2.14,15 Wife of his Youth and Choice and Part of himself yea this was said to be f Jud. 14.3,4 of the Lord. be this seriously noted by the Way and see a place somewhat parallel Hos 3.1,2 What may we think of Jobs Wife or Davids Michal Surely but g Job 2.9,10.28.6.20,23 bad conditioned Women both Michal we see was meerly intended to David as h 1 S. 18.21,25 a Snare and taken by him in an i Verse 26. ambitious VVay or at best but as a l Verse 17. reward of his Valour good service and success His Wife Bathsheba we know for our Caution and Profit m 2 S. 11.2,3,27 what choice he made of her Yet this n 1 S. 13.14 the Man after Gods own heart Solomon o 1 K. 4.29,30,31 10.23,24 Eccl. 1.16 the wisest Man on Earth one peculiarly p Neh. 13.26 2 S. 7.14,15 beloved of his God VVhere do we read that he had to do with q 1 K. 11.1,2,3,4 Neh. 13.26 any Vertuous Woman or Wife Lastly it doth not appear but that some of the r 1 Co. 7.12 beleeving Corinthians and other Saints did or might marry VVives even while unbeleevers and for carnall Ends Yet hear we not Paul checking any of them for their ill Choice but encouraging them only in the way of Conversion whereof it may be God had
as indissoluble an Union as now they are For if he say It is or shall be thus r Num. 23.19 Ps 89.34 Isa 14.24 40.8 46.9,10 55.11 Jer. 44.28 Ez. 12.28 it cannot be otherwise whatever s 1 S. 16.7 Job 10 4. Isa 55.8 Mic. 4.12 Men discern or deem And therefore we may conceive it his pleasure thus to express his t Ps 115.3 135 6. unlimited Power and Wisdom in his various Acts of Creation to wit That he could as well make Woman of a Bone or a u Mat. 3.9 Stone or of any other or x Gen. 1.1 no Materiall as of Earth 3. Though the Gent. named Head and Foot yet by his expression of equall y Par in Parem said himself non habet Potestatem Respect he seemed to make no difference of dignity betwixt them but as if the Woman being taken out of the middle of Man aequidistant from his Head and Foot were equally and proportionally to participate of both Not unlike a prick or Point first made at the Middle of a line and then drawn out into a Parallel with it of even length and strength He must mend his arguing or els he leaves but little Head-ship at all for the Husband at least z L. 19.22 Mat. 12 27. for himself 4. In that a Gen. 2.21 He took One and but One of his Ribs it must needs imply a majus minus a vast disproportion in Quantity For one Rib is but a smal Particle of Mans Body and therefore must yeild to the Major Part so the Rib gaines no great honour in this Comparison But 5. and chiefly The Scripture allows no such Terms of Relation in this Case as Body and Rib but confines you to Head and Body take what part of the Body you please it is or ought to be in subjection to the Head without whose Government and Direction it is but a b See p. 14. f. ult dead distracted or useless Trunk 6. Since he assimilates this Rib to the second Person in Trinity let him consider with what Respect or rather Rigour both by c Isa 53.3 c. Acts 2.23 4.28 Ro. 8.32 Re. 13.8 Inflictions and d Mat. 27.46 M. 15.34 Desertions corporall and spirituall God the Father used his Rib and then inquire whether his female Rib when he hath it for I supposed him a Batchelor both Wayes would esteem it her honour or ease to be so evenly placed in the Middle upon like Conditions This for the straightness and strength of the Rib touching its Crookedness a Word more anon That of Lev. 19.3 seemes to be a slender Proof and as to this purpose somewhat strained and partiall For that 3. verse and the 4. being as 't were Epitomes of the two Tables the second there precedes the first From whence he might as well argue that the Duties to Man are to be discharged before Divine Worship The same Order you may see ver 11.12 the whole Chapter c. containing brief and cursory Memorandum's to Moses of Laws partly morall and partly ceremoniall Whereas that of Ex. 20.12 written at first with the e See page 10. k. Finger of God and oft f Deu. 5.16 Eph. 6.2 repeated especially by the g Mat. 15.4 19 19. M. 7.10 10 19. L. 18.20 Lord Jesus the Son of God himself who h Jo. 1.18 best knew and knows his Fathers meaning is i Deu. 5.29 6.6 c. Ps 119.160 Mat. 5.18 L. 16.17 fundamentall morall forcible and perpetuall and generally followed in the Order of mentioning Father and Mother throughout the Scripture He might have backed it also with Lev. 21.3 which if we hit it aright helps to illustrate the other and clears our Answer This latter is concluded in a meer ceremoniall and l Col. 2.21.22 Heb. 9 8 9,10 fading Precept wherein the Mother was fore-named for another speciall Purpose viz. to shew the degrees of propinquity of kindred in Case of defilement by dead Bodies And we have yet a saying That The Mother is the surer side because she is the Vessell of Conception and Procreation In which respect the holy Penman begins there with the Mother and so goes on to the remoter degrees of Kindred Now if we take this for her Preheminence why may we not as well prefer the ground or soile to the seed or sower See Gen. 3.15 which the same Expositor on m Super. L. 8.11 another Occasion declined But if some put the daughter Repentance Why not also the Son before the Father as Isa 45.4 before the Mother Faith which we may suppose but heedlesly or hastily done these may as well or better beseem to preferr or equalize the Wife to the Husband It s no sure dawbing n Ez. 13.14 2 Co. 4.2 with untemper'd Morter For fuller Answer to this Objection see p. 47. c. Object 5. However yet There are some Women o 1 S. 25.25 more wise and able to manage either temporall or spirituall Matters then some Men which may seem where such are married together not onely to debarr the Husbands Beating but to discharge the Wife of Obedience or any Dutifull Observance Answ It is granted that there seemeth in some Women a more masculine spirit then in some Men. And if such Matching be admissible while both are free it is in my weak opinion more tollerable for a Wise Man to take a silly Woman to Wife then a wise Woman to admit a weak-witted Man to her Husband From whence may be the taunting Proverb grew For a Lock of Land or other carnall End to take a Fool by the Hand Therefore that wise Woman whatever having made her Choice is worthily concluded for ought we see to the contrary under absolute Obedience in p Eph. 5.24 all Things lawfull honest or indifferent if not ridiculous though it suit not with her q Pr. 30.12,13 26.12 Eccl. 7.16 Pr. 3.7 presumed sounder discretion and consequently for disobedience lyable to like Censure as other Women A Vertuous Woman indeed is above her Husband but how as a r Ps 12.4 See pa. 47. Crown not a Commander as an Ornament not an Officer Yea in this sence shee may serve as a Covering also That is so far as her prudence extends shee may and must cover his Infirmities and Imperfections not his Power shee is every way to s Gen. 2.18.20 Pr 31.12 help no way to hinder him Els what doth shee beside the sin of disobedience and t 1 S. 15.23 Rebellion which is as Witchcraft and Idolatry but proclaim to the World her own Woe and silly Wretch though never so seeming Wise wound u Gen. 2.24 Ps 64.8 Mat. 19.5,6 1 Co. 6.16 Eph. 5.31 her self through his sides No doubt but David had been appeased with the Present or very Presence of x 1 S. 25.18 c. Abigail without her publishing and pleading
their written Word and with their faithfull Posterity the r Jo. 10.16 4.18 Pastonrs the Teachers thereof while the World endures Now had their Word rested in and expired with their vive or vocal Expression the Article of their natural Breath how should any People or Persons far distant or future who were never like to see or hear them either believe or benefit ought thereby And to clear this unto us We see the Lord Jesus expresly sets on Work his beloved Apostle John as doubtless he did implicitly and virtually the rest bidding him s Rev. 1.11,19 see 2 P. 3.1,2 Write what he sees hath seen and shall be hereafter in a Book I say therefore we are to conclude all such Phrases to signifie and intend as wel the written as vocal Word of God And that all the Writings of these holy Men before mentioned being by divine Providence and faithfull Hands collected into One just Volume are the same which we have in common not so carefull or conscionable Use and in way of Eminency do call t Ro. 1.2 2 T. 3.15 The holy Scriptures and might as justly term them u Ps 119.142,160 Pro. 22.20,21 Eccl. 12.10 Dan. 10.21 Jo. 10.41 21.24 2 Co. 6.7 Eph. 1.13 Col. 1.5 2 T. 2.15 Ja. 1.18 Rev. 19.9 21.5 The Word and Scripture of Truth It may be hoped there are not many incredulous in this Point yet such as be are earnestly recommended to those Orthodox Divines and Writers who have fully cleared it for the recitall would take up too much room in this narrow Treatise But we take and use it as indeed it is for that undoubted Rule of Verity by which with influence of the Spirit of God alone we are to be x Isa 8.20 Mat. 22.29 Ex. 15.26 Lev. 18.5 Numb 15.22,23,24 Deu. 5.32 6.17.25 11.1 17.9,20 28.14 31.12 Jos 1.7,8 22.5 23.6 2 K. 17.13,37 22.13 Ps 105.45 119.9 Pro. 3.1 6.22,23 Eccl. 12.13 Isa 30.21 42.4 Jer. 9.13 26.4 Ez. 20.19 37.24 Mat. 19.17,18 28.20 L. 10.26 Jo. 5.39 Ro. 1.16,17,18 4.3 15.4 1 Co. 4.6 10.11 2 T. 3.16 2 P. 1.19 2.21 1 Jo. 2.3,4 directed here and y Mal. 3.16,18 Jo. 12.48 Rev. 14.12 everlastingly doomed hereafter Nevertheless because those Tracts are not ready at hand to All these breif Considerations for the present may something sway the Minde of the Doubtfull and convince the Truth hereof as 1. It s on all hands gladly granted by those that bear the name of Christians That eternal Life and Felicity is to be looked after and is onely attainable by the Knowledge of God in Jesus Christ This cannot surely be through brain-fancies and airy Notions and therefore some direct and regular z Job 23.11 Way must needs lead thereunto a To confirm this if Scripture can do it compare Jo. 5.39 with Jo. 17.3 None can know or learn the way to God but by God teaching the Truth This Truth cannot be known to Any without Christ nor Christ without his revealed Word and Will and What can be so probable and fair a Manifest hereof as these holy Scriptures which for b All this is obvious to any seeing and single eye Purity and Perduration Impartiality and Majesty Profundity and yet perspicuous and pleasing Facility do excell and eclipse all other Writings in the World 2. Christ bids us c 1 Jo. 4.1 c. try the Spirits and if He did not Equity and Reason would evince it For we know that One Spirit may be as errone ous as another and some so deeply and dangerously that they shall d Mat 24.24 M. 13.22 1 T. 4.1 Rev. 16.14 go near to deceive the very Elect if every Spirit may be his own Moderatour and Judge and therefore no doubt but e Ez. 34.17 Ro. 16.2 the Lord Paramount f Num. 16.22 27.16 the God and g Heb. 12.9 Father of Spirits intended and appointed some determinative Rule of Triall in case of h 1 K. 22.20 L. 9.55 dissent or difference 'twixt Spirit and Spirit and what may we imagine under the Sun a truer Touch-stone herein then the Scripture we treat of 3. Although by Gods absolute unrevealed Will all things were made yet are they not preserved ruled or directed without his conditionate and revealed Will. For if there be not such a supreme directive restrictive Providence Why doth not each One live as they list which the most desperate Wretch dares not profess to do Why is not every i Jud. 7.22 1 S. 14 20. 2 S. 2.16 Mans sword in his fellows side Certainly then he ordained a Vice-gerence and subordinate Government here on Earth and to this End is that Expression if we believe Scripture l Den. 30.11 c. Joh. 6.45,46 This Commandment is not hidden from thee neither is it far off c. It would be judged an absurd Presumption to trouble a supreme earthly Magistrate with every trifling Trespass or breach of Peace in this he would easily incline to imitate m Ex. 18.21,22 Jethro's Counsel to Moses yea to desire God's Indulgence n Num. 11.14,15,17 as Moses did and shall we dare to think God either less o Ex. 19.12,13,23 20.18,19 24.17 33.20,23 Deu. 4,24,33 5.5 Job 37.22 Ps 68.8 Jer. 10.7 Heb. 12.20,21 dreadfull to be approached or less p 1 Ch. 29.11,12 2 Ch. 20.6 Ps 62.11 66.7 103.19 115.3 Dan. 4.26,37 powerfull and q Gen. 1.16 Ex. 18.22 Nū 11.17 Job 32.13 33.13 Ps 8.6 36.6 136.8,9 Pro. 8.15,16 Hos 8.4 provident in managing his Affairs then Man This may seem to fatisfie the most Yet now we may not conceive this divine Word resteth though revealed and evident in the dull r 2 Co. 3.6 Ro. 2.29 dead and killing Letter we look on however illustrious and eminent as above For how can a dead Thing be s Gal. 3.8 prophetick or t Gal. 3.22 judicative u 1 Co. 10.11 monitory or x Ro. 15.4 Jer. 15.16 consolatory Yea y Heb. 4.12 Psal 147.15 119.50 Jer. 20.9 23.29 Hos 6.5 L. 24.32 2 Co. 10.10 Eph. 6.17 Rev. 1.16 Hab. 3.9 powerfull quick and keen searching z Ps 119.161 Isa 66.2 awing a Jo. 12.48 Ro. 2.12,17,18,27 censuring b Ps 105.19 2 T. 2.9 clearing the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart strong and strange Operations and all This affirmed of the Word It must needs be then by c Eph. 6.17 some spritefull Influence more then appears on the bare and naked Letter which d Acts 9.5 Paul himself found and felt when he kicked against the Pricks And what Spirit can this be but the same which at the first e Gen. 1.2 Job 33 4. Ps 104.30 Isa 42.5 moving upon the face of the Waters gave light and life to the world bestows or restores Breath strength