which is delivered and preached to the Wicked to the Dissemblers and to the Ungodly is even as well Gods word as that which is preached to the good and godly upright Christians And I may adde even so are the Scriptures that word which condemneth unbelievers already But as he again The Sectaries understand not the strength of Gods word read or preached and we may wonder with him that they write and teach so much of the Scriptures or of Gods word seeing they so little regard the same For whatsoever R. F. saith of his and their owning of the Scriptures hearken to what follows in his backing of Scripture-contradiction That the Scriptures are the Word God and eternal The Scriptures are the word of God and truly so called Life as thou wouldest have them thou canst not prove nor all the Magicians to help thee Here is good stuff kitchin-stuff or smoak out of the bottomless pit 1. Take the Word for the Son of God where did I ever attempt to prove the Scriptures to be the Son of God God and eternal Life The Lord rebuke this false spirit 2. Because I with others call the Scriptures as they are and as they speak themselves to be the word of God are we therefore Magicians The Lord again rebuke this reviling spirit R. F. and others may talk of owning and owning the Scriptures as often as they fancy it but they honor them not I am sure who deny them that title of honor The Word of God Shall R. F. his Pamphlets be called his Books his Writings and his Words and shall not that which God hath written be called Gods written Word He answers nothing to that place in Hosea 8. 12. nor could that stripling J. P. * At Coggshall sometime give any reason against the Argument drawn from it viz. That which God hath written is the word of God But God hath written the Scriptures Therefore the Scriptures are the word of God R. F. Objecteth such as witness to the word and Gods power witness against thee to strengthen the new-coyned distinction is it which was given me in Scotland The Scripture is not the word of truth but the witness of Gods power Why I grant it to be both the word and the witness The Scriptures are Gods words and Gods testimonies some make The Scripture is Gods Word and Witness also them two witnesses Revel 11. But I reasoned thus by way of Quere How can the Scripture be Gods witness if not true how is it true if not the word of truth R. F. undertakes to answer That the Spirit of truth in the Prophets and in the Apostles did carry them forth to witness what of Christ is declared in the Scriptures by words that proceeded from the Spirit of truth Had he gone no further he had pretily well quitted himself but he addeth by way of objection The Spirit is not in the Letter neither is the Spirit given by the Letter but by God and Christ and yet he grants presently in the same Page 2. The Letter proceeded from the Spirit By the Letter I meant when I said pag. 22 of my book the Spirit is in the Letter c. the whole Scripture and so I suppose doth he Now the whole Scripture is given The Letter in a large sense and Scripture all one by inspiration of God the Father Son and Spirit who is 1. Where he breathes forth truth holiness c. all along 2. Where he speaketh The Scriptures are the Oracles of God Rom. 3. 2. Will R. F. by denying the Spirit to be in the Scriptures stop the mouth and breath of God What How the Spirit is in the Scripture-letter profane boldness is this Can he hold the winde in his fist and restrain the Spirit from giving forth himself by the Letter or Scripture when the Spirit will make good his promise to bless the reading of it I think he is not so full of presumption yet he presumes to say The Spirit is not given by the Letter What thinks he of Scripture-promises did he never finde the Spirit warming his heart by the reading of them He speaks as if he knew nothing of the Spirits consolations enlightnings teachings or convictions by the Scriptures And he writes as if he would have none read the Letter of Scriptures in faith of a blessing by them but to think when they are reading of them they are cracking a hollow shell that hath no kernell in it or drinking a draught of dilute wine that hath no spirits in it or reading of his and his fellows Pamphlets wherein the Spirit of God is not present by any gracious operation but the spirit of Satan for the most part unto efficacy of delusion His simple Reader may think the words that follow tend much to the honor of the Spirit of God The Letter proceeded from the Spirit but the Spirit did not proceed from the Letter but such expressions as disparage the Scriptures will never bring honor to the Spirit which is in them and worketh by them what disparagement is there in these words to the Scriptures will the simple-hearted say 1. The phrase Letter is extenuating as if all the The Letter taken strictly is but legal administration 2 Cor. 3. 6. explained Scripture were Law or had a Legal administration as the Apostle useth it 2 Cor. 3. 6. in a strict sence The Letter killeth i. e the bare legal command without a promise of power or pardon as a bare letter void of strength life and spirit it leaveth all men under a killing sentence and curse Now thus to represent all parts of the Scripture is to affright men from the reading hearing or regarding of it 2. The Letter or Scripture is set by R. F. in other passages in such opposition to the Spirit as if the Spirit disowned it after he hath caused it to be written no way accompanieth it with his power The Spirit proceeds not from How the Spirit proceeds not from the Scripture and how he doth proceed from by with it the Scripture-Letter in respect of his Essence or Being he is God of himself nor in respect of his personal subsistence which is of the Father or from the Father and from the Son of which R. F. is ignorant or inadvertent denying him page 8. to be a Person but in respect of his operation 1. Improperly it may be said the Spirit proceedeth from the Scripture as a man goes from his outward shop to work in his inner room so the Spirit proceedeth from that which he hath put within the Book or Bible into the heart to work a sweet ingraven work there 2. Properly and plainly he proceeds by the Scripture and with the Scripture to effect and beget that in the soul which is like himself Spiritual and like the Scripture holy and good That is but a bravado therefore which he addes in the close of his second Page Therein thou hast erred not
is proved to be God but while he can and doth go to the bottom of all things in and concerning God his revealing is ad placitum when to whom in what measure and in what way he pleaseth Although the Spirit knoweth all things infinitely and therefore God revealeth what he revealeth of the things of grace and glory by his Spirit yet to some he revealeth nothing immediately to others he revealeth but some things or but something of every thing needful to consolation sanctification and salvation as they are capable of it 3. As deep things as the Spirit hath revealed they are all in the Scripture It is one way of the Spirits revelation to give forth deep mysteries in writing and that as mysteriously Section 2. as if it were by Hieroglyphicks Stenography or Characters The Spirit revealeth by Paul to the Romanes cap. 9. and 10. and 11. deeper things then Paul can fathom which makes him cry out cap. 11. 33. O the depth And the last piece of Scripture which God hath left us is the Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to shew unto his servants and he sent and signified it by his Angel unto his servant John that he should write it to the Churches and leave it with the rest of Scripture as a compleat and sufficient Rule not to be added unto nor to be substracted from unless therefore R. F. will be lyable to the plagues threatned Rev. 22. 18 19. he must not bring in his un-written Revelations no though they were un-written Verities as any part of the Rule to be added unto the words of Gods book And from all that hath been replyed to him in this Section I conclude He that denieth the Scriptures to be our Rule denies them to be the Scriptures of God and he that denies them or some of them to be a standing Rule denies them or some of them to be no Rule as if sometimes they were a Rule sometime not And he that denies them to be a more standing Rule denieth the scope and sense of Christs words in Luke 16. 31. and other places But such a Denial we have from R. F. in the name of others of his judgement Therefore thus far in stead of vindicating the Scriptures he with his fellows have contradicted them Section 2. IN my second Section of their Contradictions to the Scriptures themselves and their Authority I had quoted Francis Howgil in his own phrase The Scripture is other mens Words contrary to 2 Tim. 3. 16. R. F. * Page 5. tells me that by a piece of Logick I would raise a false accusation against F. H. and make a false conclusion to wrest the Scriptures to serve my own turn but cannot The Scriptures not mans word but Gods Rep. 1. He denies not but the words I quoted are the words of F. Howgil 2. How doth my Logick make either the Accusation or Conclusion false The word of Scripture is Gods I said as is the Inspiration and because it was given by Inspiration therefore it is and is known or proved to be his Word as thus I make it out further and more plainly That which is given by Inspiration of God is not one mans word or anothers but Gods word But all the Scripture was given by Inspiration of God Therefore all the Scripture is Gods word and not one mans word or anothers What an under-valuing Expression then is that of F. H. to call the Scripture other mens words And what Chop-logick have we from R. F. Holy men of God spoke as they were moved and spiritual men spoke forth those words therefore they were words spoken by the men of God this is idem per idem a proof of the same thing by the same a delighting to hear himself speak and a tyring of his Reader before he hath read five pages of his book 3. Why will R. F. yield one part of the Argument and not the other He yieldeth the Scripture to be given of God and by the Spirit the Spirit of truth why then yields he not the Scriptures to be the word of God but that he will continue to contradict the Scripture and himself also while he joyneth in confederacy with F. H. and speaks disdainfully of the words of God as the words of men this man and that Grant we that both of them F. H. and R. F. sometime alleviate that harsh expression as if not used in opposition to God but to us The Scriptures are others mens words that spoke them freely saith the one And They were spoken by the holy men of God other men that were holy and spoke them freely and not by you that are sinful and preach for hire saith the other yet will they not confess they were spoken by God and are the very word of God nay R. F. page 4. * Line 18 and 21. had before set the visions of Ananias and Paul in a comparative Opposition to the words of Moses and the Prophets and preferring the former before the latter viz. the Scriptures these being but the words of other men and the words of others what is this but to sow seeds in mens hearts of alienation from the Scriptures which the yong man should take heed to and cleanse his ways by in youth which children shouldbe trained up in from their childhood and which are not to be despised or forgotten when they are old Such a contradicting scope hath all R. F. his pains taken pag. 6. to prove the Scriptures are other mens words and not mine or theirs in Scotland I would ask him what did the Preacher Eccl. 1. speak his own words or Gods but that he prevents the question by telling us * Page 6. King Lemuel was a man and his mother who taught him the words he penned down Prov. 31. was a woman And the Song of songs was Solomons and he was a man Cant. 1. What followeth from hence therefore Solomons words are not Gods words it better followeth from R. F. his reason viz. he was a man and not God then that the Scriptures are not ours for we are men as they were that penned them and although we were not the Pen-men we are the Readers and God onely is the Author of the Scriptures which in a way of disparagement R. F. calls a Printed Bible and reasoneth vainly against our use of the Scriptures because neither did Jeremiah nor any Prophet or any Apostle ever stand with a Printed Bible in his hand and say Hear the word of the Lord Then the word of the Lord was declared and spoken without Printed Bibles and before Printing was invented Rep. 1. They had a written Bible or Volume and did many Scripture to be read and preached from times speak out of that as always according to it Exodus 34. 28. with cap. 35. 1. Moses speaks what was written on the mount upon the Tables of stone And Deuter. 31. 19. Write ye this song for you and teach it
Paul of himself and of true Gospel-ministers and believers viz. That God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness had shined in their hearts for it is not Pauls scope to disparage Scripture light The light that shined in Pauls heart and the light that shineth in the Scripture is the same light and God who shineth in the heart by Gospel-light of which the Apostle speaks ver 4. shineth in the Scriptures by the same light 3. It follows not because there was light in Paul and such as he inclâ—des with himself that there is light and the same light in R. F. and such as he includes with himself nor doth it appear to me and others that God shineth in his or their hearts who give a new and dark interpretation of that Scripture as of other Texts For R. F. * Page 6. Isaiah 8. 20. vindicated with J. Nayler expound it of the Law of the New covenant written in the heart by God c. Now though the Scriptures do witness that the Law of the new Covenant is written in the heart Jer. 31. 31. Heb. 8. 10 11. yet that is not the meaning of the phrases Law and Testimony Isaiah 8. 20. but the meaning is The Law and Testimony written in the Scriptures is the touchstone of what men speak as a Doctrine taught from God but if they speak not according to this word written in the volume of Gods book it is an evidence that their hearts are not taught of God or that the Scripture written without is not written within their hearts for what is written by God in the heart is consonant and agreeable to what he hath written in his Book and it never taught any man to call the Bible or written word as John Lawson calls it natural and carnal this I said was to blaspheme the Scripture Here R. F. * Ibid. takes me up as one not regarding what I say and as ignorant of what the Scripture saith concerning the same which speaketh of a carnal commandment Rep. Must the written word or Gods holy Scripture be natural and carnal because it speaks of a carnal Commandment He might as well imagine and affirm because it speaks of Types Figures and Shadows therefore it is all but typical and a shadow When the Apostle * Heb 7. 16. opened makes mention of the law of a carnal Commandment according to which the Priests in the Law-Levitical were made but not so Christ our high Priest he is treating of the Ceremonies now abolished The Scriptures not carnal but spiritual which were laws of things weak and frail as all flesh is considered in themselves not lasting and abiding he gives not the title of carnal and natural to the Scriptures as J. L. and R. F. do nor is he speaking of the Scripture as Scripture which is all spiritual and heavenly in its pedegree proper scope energie and vertue but he calls the Ceremony mentioned in Scripture carnal i. e. as to the materials appointed in the Legal Ceremonies they were outward bodily weak dead things of themselves this makes the Scripture no more carnal then because it speaks of the Earth therefore the Scripture is earthy or of Esau the profane therefore the Scripture is profane Section 4. TO my fourth Section R. F. * Page 7. In what sense the Scriptures are the word of God saith no more but this which is too much unless it were better Thou cannot with all that thou hast scraped together prove that it the Scripture is the Word which is eternal life and so the Word that was in the beginning with God John 1. 1. Rep. 1. I had indeed collected several Scriptures Isaiah 8. 20. Isaiah 6. with Acts 28. 25 26. John 10. 34 35. Psalm 82. 6. Ephes 6. 17. but it is an unhandsom and reproachful expression put upon my collecting and comparing Scripture with Scripture for him to call it scraping together 2. My collation was not to prove the Scriptures to be the Word i. e. the eternal life and that essential word spoken of John 1. 1. But insomuch as Jam. Nayler put us to Iohn 1. 1. cleared prove the Letter is called the Word in plain words and that then there are two words I shewed that this phrase the word of God is taken two ways in Scriptures sometimes for Christ himself the Essential word of the Father sometimes for the Scriptural word it self which being evidenced by my aforesaid collections what trifling and absurdity is it in R. F. to call for the proving of that which was not to be proved as not being affirmed by me or any other that I know that the Scriptures are the Word spoken of John 1. 1. but the Scripture or inspired written created Word doth there as elswhere speak of the Essential uncreated Word as a mans tongue pen or secretary doth speak of himself Ephes 6. 17. opened That last Scripture I quoted Ephes 6. 17. one would think were enough to convince gainsayers where the sword of the Spirit a piece of spiritual armor is said to be the Word of God What meaneth the Apostle by the sword of the Spirit but the spiritual sword the Scriptures put into the hands and mouths of Christians no carnal but a spiritual weapon mighty through the Spirit to run into the heart of Errors and to cut asunder Temptations and to repel the Tempter Christ himself made this use of it against the Scribes and Pharisees Mat. 5. Against the Sadduces Mat. 22. 31 32. And against the Devil Mat. 4. 4 7 10 ver Once the Devil hath Scripture in his mouth but Christ hath it thrice in his mouth It is written It is written It is written and is too hard for Satan at this as all other weapons Here the very power of the written Letter puts to flight the adversary And if J. N. or R. F. will read over and over the 119 Psalm they will finde matter enough to cure their contradictions Spirits who are more nice then wise in abstaining from Scripture-expressions or attributing to them their due title There they will finde that holy David professing his zealous affection to God and to his Scriptures useth this phrase of thy word above thirty times plainly enough and yet elegantly also Let their consciences answer Is not thy word as much as God 's word And that he speaks of Gods written word the Scriptures as of what is according thereunto is clear in that he calls the same word of God the statutes of God O teach me thy statutes c. near twenty times now Gods statutes are his standing Laws or Rules put into writing as all the Statutes of England are upon record written down in Books Section 5. I Had charged it as another contradiction of theirs to the The writing of the Spirit the ground of the Saints acting Scripture it self in that they say The Saints ground of acting is not the outward Letter but the Spirit which
gave forth the Letter Hereby setting the Word and Spirit at difference whereas the Spirit gives forth his word in the Scripture and in the word written lays down the grounds of the Saints actings and believings also yea he hath ordained the very Scripture to be one ground of their acting R. F. in answer returns me this language * Pag. 7. 1. Here thou art blinde and knows not the Saints ground and 2. Accusing them falsly that witness to it 3. With thy Logick and Magick Art would make the Scriptures God and Christ but cannot and would make them the ground of the Saints acting when they are not Rep. 1. If R. F. will but understand what is and may be said to be the ground of a thing he may possibly believe I know the Saints ground of acting as they are Saints The word Ground is ambiguous and hath divers acceptions In strict propriety of speech the Earth we tread upon and Ground are all one as the same Ground or Earth brings forth the same fruit By a metaphorical Allusion the word Ground is sometime put for the Cause of a thing sometime for the first ground-work of a Building or for the first Principles and Rules of Art and Science or for the first habits in a man of his actings The Cause and that principal-efficient Ground of the Saints acting is God and the Father by Christ through the Spirit The Scriptures are How the Scriptures are the Ground of the Saints acting instrumentally a Cause without which since the Lord caused them to be given forth he doth not ordinarily act upon the Saints or draw forth their acts of grace and godliness They are the first external ground-work of all their faith and workings as Saints They are the Rule and Warrant of all their ordinary actings yea the grounding Touch-stone of all extraordinary Impulses and Revelations By their Authority they are a sufficient ground or reason of our faith and practice The Scripture-commands are one ground the Scripture-promises another the Scripture-threatnings another the Scripture examples backt by and bottom'd upon a precept another the Scripture-Prophecies and Revelations another As every word of God is pure Prov. 30. 5. so every part of the Scripture is a pure grounding-rule for a Saints faith and conversation Rev. 21. 14. The wall of the City the new Jerusalem made up of Saints indeed hath twelve foundations and in them the names of the Apostles of the Lamb whose writings we have with the doctrine of the Prophets Ephes 2. 20. founding-grounding doctrine as that golden Reed Rev. 21. 15. to measure the city and the gates thereof and the wall thereof 2. If the Word and Spirit cannot be set at difference but are inseparable as R. F. yieldeth yet I did not falsly accuse them as he saith that witness to the Saints ground because by Word he and others expresly hold forth none but the Person of Christ and God the Word but deny the Letter of Scripture to be the Word of God which is strange contradiction to God himself and to his Scripture and to themselves also For while they grant he wrote or caused to be written the whole Letter yet they deny him to have written a word It is true in propriety of Grammar-speech a letter is but the least part of a word yet it is a part But the Bible consists of many books of letters which God hath left written for his friends and people to be grounded and setled in the faith yet because John 1. 1. speaks of God the Word and 2 Cor. 3. 17. of the Lord the Spirit therefore Christ and the Scripture must not be called by the same name and because Christ and the Spirit are inseparable therefore the Spirit and the Scripture must be parted as to the Case in hand and if the Spirit be the ground of the Saints acting the Scriptures must have no part nor lot in this business I shall still accuse such Logick to be false reasoning and yet not accuse the Logician falsly R. F. thinking to mend the matter marres it with his additional gloss * Page 7. The Letter is not God nor the Letter is not the Spirit therefore not that Word which liveth and abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1. 23. by which the World was framed Heb. 11. 3. and made Heb. 1. 2. For what if it be not that WORD yet it is the word of that Word it is the word of Christ who is God the Word And if Christ be the ground or meritoriously efficient cause of the Saints actings his Scripture or written Word is the regular Card and Compass by which his Spirit steers their course to the Haven of Happiness and Eternal Rest And why may not the word Peter speaks of in that place be the Scripture He sets not 1 Pet. 1. 23. with 25. opened Christ spoken of in opposition to that Scripture in Isaiah 40. 8. but from the Prophets testimony advanceth the word that speaks of Christ in opposition first to mortal and corruptible seed and then to withering flesh and all the glory of man even in his words fading away as the flower of grass And is not every Scripture-Gospel-promise that immortal seed which being emitted from the Scripture by the Spirit and quickened as it is cast into the heart doth it not there abide and remain in life and power If verse 25. may give any light to verse 23. not Christs person but Christs promise is there beyond all dispute intended by the Apostle when he saith The word of the Lord endureth for ever for the Greek word is not that which is used when Christ in person is spoken of Logos but Röma both in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first and latter clause which is an explication of the former And this is the word which by the Gospel is preached unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you as if the Apostle should say Would ye know what word is that which endureth for ever even the Scripture-promise which we daily do evangelize or speak of unto you as constant good tidings If any say in verse 23. it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Logos it must be noted for a certain truth that although Logos the Word be sometimes necessarily to be understood of Christs person as John 1. 1. c. yet not * Apud Gracos latè patet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beza in Joh. 1. 1. always and this is as certain that Rëma is never used for Christs person but this is used ver 25. and therefore ver 23. in Peter is to be expounded by it Again Is it not the same with the sincere milk of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 word * cap. 2. 2. which nourisheth and ministreth growth to the new-born babe Was it the wonted maner of any of the Lords Nurses to bring up Gods children by hand as we say as soon as they are new born and not guide them to the breasts of
3. vindicated which labored with him in the Gospel for all these were employed not contrary to his order unto the Church at Corinth in publick preaching or so much as acting by their votes and suffrages in Church affairs but either in succoring Paul and others or in messages or in working out Pauls liberty mean while hazarding their own lives or in composing differences or in entertainment of strangers or in some other Christian-gospel-service sutable to their sex gifts and graces And as for that which R. F. collecteth from 1 Cor. 16. 19. that if Priscilla be not permitted to speak in the Church and the Church be in her house she must not speak but go out of her house Sure it is that as she 1 Cor. 16. 19. vindicated and her husband Aquila had taken up a house at Corinth Act. 18. 3. so they had a godly family like a little Church for knowledge piety and good order but the order of a godly family is after one way and the order of a ministerial Church is after another way Besides the Church at Corinth did ordinarily meet in Gaius's house therefore he is called Pauls Host and of the whole Church Rom. 16. 23. and Paul at other times wrought with his hands at Aquilas house Act. 18. 3. and in some one place compare 1 Cor. 14. 23. with chap. 11. 20. or other where that order was observed which was given to the Church ministerial and where Priscilla her self must not speak in the case in controversie with R. F. though haply she was more eminent in grace and gifts then her husband Aquila and upon that account her name may for once Rom. 16. 3. be set before his Lastly as for her own house it is not said the whole Church met there as at Gaius's house but it may well be collected those of her family were part of the whole and so the name Church is given to it and speak there she might to teach her family and with her husband to instruct an Apollos in the way of God more perfectly Act. 18. 26. without going out of her house or out of her place Will J. Nayler notwithstanding all this persist in his bold opinion that Pauls words of a womans keeping silence in the Church must not be taken in the Letter and will R. F. defend him with his own glosses I must leave them to the Lords rebuke for being wise in their own conceit and proceed to the close of this Paragraph in my book where I had given another instance of their new gloss upon 2 Pet. 1. 19. 2 Pet. 1. 19. vindicated affirming the sure word of prophecy there spoken of to be the Prophecy and Spirit of Prophecy within them and not the outward Prophecy or declaration of Gods minde in the Scriptures R. F. * page 7. hath nothing to say but this the sure word of prophecy we witness to and do not to it say No and then falls upon me with reproachful language as his maners serve him But how doth he witness it If by the word of Prophecy he means as Peter interprets it ver 20. the prophecy of the Scripture then he contradicts his fellow J. N. and doth not say no where his fellow saith no if he witnesseth onely the prophecy within or the light * Discovery of the man of sin by J. Naylar pag. 30. as J. N. glosseth till the day dawn c. which is not without nor in books then he with Nayler contradicts Peter and the holy Ghost moving him to write of a more sure word of prophecy of Scripture then the voice on the mount To clear this further As Peter v. 20. expounds v. 19. calling the more sure word of prophecy the prophecy of Scripture or Scripture-prophecy not heart-prophecy or breast-prophecy arising and residing onely in the minde but written down in books so this written-prophecy he sets in opposition to cunningly devised fables which ver 16. he professeth against in which fables there was no sureness or certainty at all and then he lays it in the ballance of comparison with his and others making known the Lords power and coming on the mount Peter James and John Mat 17 1 c. were ear-witnesses of a voice from heaven concerning Christ and eye-witnesses which is ten times more then onely to take a thing by the report of the ear of Christs majesty honor and glory this Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus they preached of to the scattered Jews as others yet notwithstanding their preaching of what they had heard and seen and the certainty of the voice they heard and the glory they saw We saith Peter including James and John with himself and the believing Jews whom he wrote unto who honored the writings of Moses and the Prophets as infallible have a more sure word of prophecy or of the Prophets writings whereunto ye do well that ye take heed hereby commending them for their respect to the Scriptures and encouraging them to be intent thereunto as unto a light shining in a dark place the Scripture-word being a lamp unto the feet and a light unto the path of Saints amidst Psal 119. 105. all the darkness of the heart of the world or of the Church until the day dawn and day-star arise in our hearts i. e. until by the study of the Scriptures more light be cleared up and Christ make himself more manifest to us and within us But lest any should stumble at the Apostles assertion which comparing ver 19 20. as before is to this effect that all or any part of the Scripture is a more sure word then what is spoken in the air and but to the ear the Apostle preventingly addeth ver 20. Knowing this first let this be laid as for a fundamental truth in your mindes that no prophecy of the Scripture whereof we speak 2 Pet. 1. 19. with v. 20 21. more cleared is of any private interpretation Were it so that every man might as his private minde leads him interpret Scripture the authority and certainty of it would vanish as the light Scripture to be interpreted by Scripture and truth of it would be eclipsed it would be far from being a more sure word men might that way turn the Gospel into a Fable and make the Scriptures as Antichristian Popelings do a nose of wax well how proves the Apostle that no Scripture is of any private interpretation why verse 21. For or because the Prophecy came not in old time or at 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any time by the will of man but holy men of God spake it as they were moved by the holy Ghost As was the Genesis such is the Analysis as was the composition such is the resolution and meaning of it from the same Spirit the publique Spirit of the Saints and of the Scriptures the holy Spirit of God composed the word of Prophecy not mans will but Gods digested it his Spirit indited it and
hath spoken all his sense under the words which he directed holy men to express his minde by and therefore without going forth of Scripture to any private spirit the true and sure interpretation of Scripture may be obtained which if first we know and be perswaded of we may confidently be perswaded still to take heed thereunto as unto a more sure word and as a help in all our darknesses c. But J. Nayler thinks this a blinde absurdity For saith Discovery c. pag. 30. he if the Testimony of the old Prophets was a more sure word then that which Peter heard from the mouth of God then it must needs follow that the Testimony of the old Prophets who spoke but darkly of Christ and did not see his day must be a more sure Testimony then the Apostles who were eye-witnesses and the words of Books a more sure word then the voice that came from heaven which was the immediate voice of God Rep. All this grant but the testimony of Prophetical Writings to be Gods and the words of Scripture-books to be Gods books and his words may and doth follow without any absurdity at all For 1. Although the Apostles preaching was as infallibly true as the Prophets writings in themselves yet as to men and as to the Jew first and then to the Gentile and in respect of our capacity our reception and retention of truth the word of the Prophets writings was and is still more sure yea the Apostles writings such as the holy Spirit moved them to write and hath ordered to be the Scripture of the New Testament are in the forenamed respect a more sure word then their preachings hence it is that Paul perswaded the Jews Acts 28. 23. both out of the law of Moses and out of the Prophets 2. Although Gods immediate voice from heaven hath as infallible certainty as when he orders his minde to be written yet in respect of our frailty and the above-mentioned cases his written word is more sure to us and we have it so left upon record for our constant use Let not then J. Nayler * Discovery c. as above pag. 30. mislead the simple with great swelling words of vanity concerning our blindness about the Spirit of prophecy as the sure word and testimony of Jesus excluding thereby the Spirit from the Scriptures and the Scriptures from being the word of Prophecy and the sure Testimony of Jesus For Jesus Christ appointed John to write because the words he sent and signified to him by the Angel were true and faithful And when the Angel observed what John was about viz. to worship him Rev. 19. 10. he forbad Rev. 19 10. vindicated him upon two Reasons 1. He was his fellow-servant and of the brethren that have the testimony of Jesus 2. The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy And John having the Testimony of Jesus as well as the Angel though not so immediately he had the Spirit of Prophecy so have all they who have the true sense of Scripture and of Johns Revelation though they received it not by the Angel as John did because the Spirit was with John as with others when he wrote and he that hath an Rev. 3. last ear is commanded to hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches in that written word with the rest of the Scripture The Testimony of Jesus immediately given and received is hath in it and carrieth with it the Spirit of Prophecy as that Testimony which is immediately given and received All they that call off from the mediate Testimony may boast of the immediate but do not discover it Let not J. Nayler * Sauls errand to Damascus pag. 33. again upbraid us with his ignorant question Where readest thou in the Scriptures of a written Word It is no more then if he had said Where readest thou in the Scriptures of the Scriptures Let not J. Parnel * Christ exalted c. p 3. further revile us with doting upon the Scriptures without with our dark mindes when as God hath appointed the voices of the Prophets which are read * Acts 13 27. and preached upon with the voices of the Apostles every Sabbath day as a light shining in a dark place and as a more sure word for our daily use then his immediate voice from heaven Let him not heap up Scriptures to press the Scriptures to death Let him not make the world believe we would take the Authority from Christ because we own Christs Authority in the Scriptures and acknowledge them as instrumental unto Christs saving enlightning of us guiding quickning ruling of us Let him beware of despising Scripture lest he sin more wilfully after his first conviction by the Scripture He that would set Christ upon his throne as he pretends to do must not take the Scepter the Scriptures and what is preached faithfully from thence out of his hand This doth J. Parnel with R. F. and that generation of men who have learned as they imagine beyond the Scripture-Light and need neither man nor Scripture to teach them Yet I will unteach their misinterpretations of Scripture as they fall in my way that people may not further be deluded but undeceived In that one sheet of Paper * Christ exalted c. J. Parnel hath put the Conceptions and Imaginations of his own heart upon ten places of Scripture as he hath disparaged all the Scripture at once in more then one passage Christ he saith Page 1. was that Lamp to Davids feet Psalm 119. 105. Psal 119. 105 vindicated and that Light unto his paths Christ indeed gave that word to David which was his Lamp and Light but David speaks not there of Christs Person but of his Doctrine which the holy Ghost by his pen giveth several titles unto throughout the Psalm The word which David speaks of is called and was as called the Law of the Lord his Precepts or Commandments Statutes Testimonies and Judgements Christs person is not the Law of the Lord c. besides what ver 105. is in the singular number thy word is ver 103 57 139. in the plural number thy words Christs person is not two or many but one David therefore is commending that which J. P. is disparaging the written and declarative word of God Again Page 2. he applieth Jer. 20. 9. and 23. 29. in the like maner to Christs person when as the Section 6. Jer. 20. 9. and 23. 19. vindicated Prophet speaks of Christs Doctrine His word or message of Doctrine which God gave me to deliver was in my heart as a burning fire c. which I could no longer forbear from declaring it And Is not my word like as a fire saith the Lord and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces By Gods word here is meant Gods saithful Doctrine which must be spoken faithfully ver 28. then it hath the power of a purging fire and of a battering hammer
had he authority to denounce it Let all honest godly and tenderly conscientious about the Scriptures Authority vote as the Lord the Spirit leads them The reason of this my Reply is not any consciousness of wrong done to Richard Farnworth nor of any injury I have done to the Truth and Cause of God What Mr. Tindal writes in an Epistle to John Frith concerning his Translation of the New Testament so vilified by his Adversaries that I can say in reference to my dealing with Gods Scripture and their Scriblings I call God to record against the day we shall appear before our Lord Iesus to give up a reckoning of our doings that I never altered one syllable against my conscience c. But I must follow the call and ducture of his providence R. Farnworth's Answer was brought me by one of their disciples A precious Brother informs me they boasted much in Scotland that John Stalhams Book was answered Another endeared Brother relates from their opened mouths in that countrey that the Answer should be disperst and scattered throughout the nation Next to the vindication of Gods Name I must look to the preservation servation of my own while I trust the Lord with it wheresoever his bespattering pamphlet or this Reply shall come I reade of a Popish lie about Luther's death the lie coming forth in print while he was alive He professeth as he detested some things so he could not but laugh at Satans the Popes and their Complices hatred against him So when I first read R. Farnworth his Legend as I abhorred one way so I could not but smile in another respect But God turn as he said this mans heart and others from their diabolical malice It was some stay to my thoughts to call to minde how ordinary it is with Betlarmine to cry out of Calvins and Chytraeus lies when himself is found the Mouth and Pen of the great Lie of Popery I am not moved at R. F. his great swelling words and threats When Bishop Morgan spoke so proudly and falsly to Mr. Philpot I tell thee Philpot thou art an Heretick and shalt be burned and afterwards go to hell fire John Philpot was bold to reply I tell thee thou hypocrite that I pass not a rush for thy fire and faggots and as for hell fire it is prepared for thee unless thou speedily repentest It is written on Heavens door saith Martyr Bradford in one of his Epistles Do well and hear ill I am content Qui â—escit ferre calumnias obtrectationes convitia injurias ille vivere nescit Chytr to bear all the blots of my name for Christs sake and his truth It was David Chytraeus his usual saying He knows not how to live that knows not how to bear slanders backbitings railings wrongs Obloquies and scorns have been one of the best projects Maleficum quidam megarriunt titulum fidei servus agnosco magum vocant Judaei Dominum meum Hier. of Enemies to discountenance the truth To call Christ a wine bibber and a glutton a friend of publicanes and sinners is enough they think to disgrace his Doctrine Some talk I am wicked said Jerome or misohievous I being a servant of Christ do own the title of faith The Jews also call my Lord Jesus magician Is the disciple greater then his Maller I have endeavored to avoid all Arguments of retortion I know not how to give reviling for reviling If the discovery of their Contradictions be to be vile I will yet be more vile For the direction of my Reader I have a few things to prefix All that concerneth any passages in my former piece which R. F. quotes in his Epistle I do in this Reply deal with them in their due place What remaineth in his Epistle is but an Invective against the Scots where he fights in the dark or with his own shadow fancying me because I was in Scotland at that juncture of time to be a Scot and often in his book he lets flie against them of that Nation for my sake But what is Christs Gospel in England or Scotland as elswhere I am not ashamed of what I preached there or what the Scots affirm there of the Scriptures and Doctrines consonant thereunto I affirm with them The method I follow is after my former piece under the several miscellaneous Heads and Sections of their Scripture and Self-contradictions The word Contradiction I use in the Scripture phrase in the largest and most Theological sense for gainsayings as in Acts 13. 45. Titus 1. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By R. F. all along I mean no other person then Richard Farnworth concerning whom I received a Certificate by the hands of two worthy Gentlemen from a Minister in Yorkshire of note and esteem for piety and pains in his place The character of my Antagonist is this These may certifie That Richard Farnworth was born at Tickhil in Yorkshire where he hath Lands of five pounds per annum after his mothers decease He lived about seven years with Mr. Lord of Bramton carrying very fairly till at length reading some parts of Mr. Saltmarsh he turned Antinomian and Perfectionist pretended to internal Teachings and immediate Revelations renouncing all outward publique Gospel-administrations and refusing to joyn in Family worship whereupon his Master cashiered him since that I do not hear he hath had any place of setled abode save onely one year that he served Coronet Heath-coat in husbandry The last five years he ha's gone about deceiving and being deceived leavening all that possibly he could with Familism and Quakerism He hath committed to the Press some books of higher account then the sacred Scriptures amongst those deluded wretches two of them I have seen wherein he expresseth malice more then humane against al Christs Institutions and Ambassadors they are indeed full fraught with nothing else but prodigious railings asperst with abhorred blasphemies About two years since he attempted the seduction of Mr. Lord himself he told him he was sent to him of God and he would not receive him upon his inquiry what he was he said He was more then a prophet what art thou then said he Art thou Christ he replyed I am Hereupon with holy indignation he expelled him and where he hath been since I hear not nor that ever he resided at Balby though he much frequented and impoisoned those silly souls This I declare this November 26 -55 S. K. Upon the perusal of this sober Narrative I think fit further to advertise my honest godly Readers that are and desire to be judicious how far R. F. and his associates have made up a litter and fardel of erroneous divinity the spawn of many ancient errors brooded by some modern writers and backt by some of the present age Whatsoever R. F. observed in Mr. Saltmarsh writings and howsoever he abused them he might have learned better Divinity from that Author if he had read him advisedly and compared his writings one with the other and with
the Exposition of Rom 7. from ver 14. to the end of the Chapter understanding it of a man unregenerate in conflict with a natural conscience and not simply of one regenerate in combat with corruption of nature in every faculty of the soul How far the spirit of Antichrist works in these men God will yet farther discover and what Jesuitical Plots and Designs there are carried on by some of them unwittingly by others as wickedly as wittingly the day shall declare it And if any will take the pains to compare their Pamphlets with the Charge which Dr. Willet drew up about forty years Supplement to Synopsis Papismi by-past against the Papists he shall finde that Quakerism is built upon the Tetrastylon or four-fold Pillar of Papistry viz. 1. Sarcasms slanders railings and forgeries 2. Flat blasphemies and contradictions to Scripture 3. Loose arguments weak solutions c. 4. Repugnant opinions and contradictions among themselves in all leaving the consciences of people upon the Rack or full of doubts and uncertainties For the undermining of which Pillars the learned and unlearned the simple and judicious are alarum'd First to a more assiduous and studious reading of the Scriptures Get you Bibles 't is your Souls physick said Chrysostom of old to the people his hearers There is no greater torment to the devils then to see men busied about the Scriptures said * Orig. another before him But because it is as much pleasure to the devils to see men abuse and wrest the Scriptures ye are called Beloved Secondly to the owning of them in their just Authority above all Testimonies of ancient Writers and modern Authors who were but men subject to infirmities in the head as heart Above the Churches Testimony which gives no authority to the Scriptures but onely declare what is intrinsecally stamped upon them Above the testimony of your own hearts and consciences which must receive a true judgement from the right understanding and application of the Scripture bove all visions and revelations which if false draw from the voice of Scripture if true they send you thither as to your Rule and a more standing Rule and above all the Pamphlets of the Quakers now swelled to above two volumes Thirdly to a dependence upon the Spirit speaking in the Scriptures to seal up their Authority to you and to give the efficacy of what you read and hear Gods Spirit breathes in good mens books much more in his own and is there as to seal up the truth of his Word so to stamp the goodness of every truth upon our hearts As for this Reply what you finde therein agreeable to the Spirit of God his language of plain and naked Scripture-truth receive in the love of it and give God the glory I onely intreat as * Tantum oro ut cum petitis etiam Tertulliani peccatoris memineritis Tert. lib. de Bap. one before me of his Readers that in your prayers which should usher in all our other work or recreation and that of reading books you would remember him also who though he hath obtained mercy to be faithful yet hath cause enough to subscribe himself The sinful JOHN STALHAM The Heads of their Contradictions 1. To the Scriptures 1 Concerning THe Scriptures 2 Concerning The Trinity 3 Concerning The Light within 4 Concerning The Law 5 Concerning Sin 6 Concerning Justification 7 Concerning Regeneration 8 Concerning Sanctification and its Perfection 9 Concerning Christian warfare 10 Concerning Repentance 11 Concerning The means of Grace 12 Concerning Baptism 13 Concerning Lords Supper 14 Concerning Prayer 15 Concerning Singing 16 Concerning Elders and Ordination 17 Concerning Ministers maintenance 18 Concerning Immediate Calling 19 Concerning Immediate Teaching 20 Concerning Questions 21 Concerning Civil Honor. 22 Concerning Swearing 2. To themselves 1 Concerning THe Scriptures 2 Concerning Hearing the Word 3 Concerning The Light within 4 Concerning Sin 5 Concerning Christ 6 Concerning Justification 7 Concerning Immediate Teaching 8 Concerning Perfection 9 Concerning Quaking and Trembling 10 Concerning Growth in Grace 11 Concerning Forms of Religion 12 Concerning Fruits of the Spirit 13 Concerning Ordinances 14 Concerning Speech and Silence 15 Concerning Elders 16 Concerning Conscience and Laws THE Reviler rebuked OR A Reply to R. FARNWORTH HIS INTRODUCTION BEfore I can fall upon the Subject of the Controversies between me and my Antagonist I must touch at his Introduction wherein he mentioneth his receiving of my Book renews his charge against me gives a seeming proof of his charge and concludes with a Thundering Anathema 1. What he received A Printed Paper as he calls it slightingly that came out of Scotland into York and Yorkshire in England published by one John Stalham Preacher of the Gospel at Edinburgh That little piece of three sheets and a half J. S. owneth as published by him and that he called himself Preacher of the Gospel at Edinburgh for the present as was inserted it was because for some time he had been and then continued preaching of the fulness of the blessing of the Gospel of Christ to his Auditors from Rom. 15. 29. with other Scriptures And for as much as that great truth of the Gospel was openly opposed by one of the Sect called Quakers touching the justification of a believing sinner he was called to enquire after the opinions of the said Sect and to draw up his collections from divers of their Pamphlets which he referred unto several Heads of their Scripture and Self-contradictions wherein he is Secondly Charged by R. F. to have manifested himself and his subtile serpentine Spirit by his lies and slanders for all his glosses and covers to be a minister of deceit and so of Antichrist of all this or any part of it J. S. is no ways conscious nor of his falsly accusing the people of the Lord suppose any people of the Lord be fallen into the errors and opinions of the Quakers as he is charitably jealous some are surprized therewith nor of shewing forth a bitter spirit of envy against them and the truth The Lord knows he loveth all the people of the Lord for the Truths sake that dwelleth in them and pitieth those who are over-run with these errors as with a running Itch or sore as he himself would be loved and pitied who is not absolutely free of error although the particular fruit is not in these matters of difference visible to him yet the root of all error as of all sin is in him and seen by him not throughly in all degrees mortified As for any of his painted and deckt Notions Implications and Contra-distinctions his gilded coloured borrowed and form'd up imagined Expressions he thinketh R. F. had a minde to please himself and some of his Readers with seeming shadows of Rhetorick which J. S. never affected but clothed all he wrote with a familiar home-spun stile as he shall this Reply Thirdly The seeming proof of the Charge is That with the Light John 8. 12. John 1. 9. R. F. thinketh J. S.
night where our hearts are most obscure and in some places as the light at noon-day they shine with their Light upon every mans conscience that reads them Every Book and Chapter is a lightsom Book and Chapter were not our eyes more then purblinde Every Verse is a little vessel of light yea how great and how much light in some one line or a few letters as in John 10. 30. I and my Father are one And in that Rom. 5. 6. When we were yet without strength Christ died c. Doth it exalt Christ to call him our Rule and then deny it to the Scripture The Scripture exalts him higher and calls him Christ ruleth by the Scripture our Rule-giver or Law-giver which comes all to one And it exalts it self or is exalted by Christ to be Canonical or our Canon and Rule Gal. 6. 17. As many as walk according Gal. 6. 17. opened to this rule in the whole Epistle and in the Verse before If any say the Apostle speaks of the new creature as our Rule I conceive they are mistaken For 1. The new creature is too narrow for a Rule nor of authority enough to be a Rule it is but imperfect here as to degrees of renewed qualities and one Christian hath more another less none are gradually perfect 2. The new creature is subordinate and subject to Rule the old man is not nor cannot be subject if the new be not nothing in a Christian is regulated and then he will not be found a Christian If the new creature be subject it is to Christ the King and his Laws If it be regulated it is by a declared Rule which is the written Word Rom. 7. 25. I saith Paul at that time a new creature do serve the law of God as that Rule he speaks of to the Galatians and who so walks according to it peace shall be upon him Is Christ Christ guideth and teacheth by the Scripture our Guide he guides us by the Scripture without and by the Spirit of and in the Scriptures and within our hearts Is Christ our Teacher and doth he teach all without book Christ had never such disciples since the Scriptures were his Book which is profitable for Doctrine or Teaching 2 Tim. 3. 16. Christ himself taught out of them and by them and so doth he still continue to train up the Scholars of his Christ accuseth and judgeth by the Scripture highest form Doth not the Scriptures accuse and judge also under Christ and for Christ John 5. 45. Ye have one that accuseth you even Moses John 12. 48. The word that I have spoken the same shall judge him at the last day because spoken from the Father and according to his commandment in the Scripture To return to R. F. again and at last to close up this Section I leave this with him and others Christs Scripture is of the same authority with Christs Sermons Christs Sermons shall judge men at the last day Therefore Christs Scripture shall have the same authority of judging It is one of the Books that shall be opened Rev. 20. 12. with the books of mens consciences Revel 20. 12. and of Gods omnisciency and Decrees and all the dead shall be judged out of those things which were written in the books And they that now are unwilling to be judged by the Scripture shall at the last day be judged by it whether they will or no. 2. Head of Scripture-contradiction Concerning the Trinity Section 7. I Had discovered their contradictious language that There is no Scripture for the Trinity when the Scripture is plain before them 1 John 5. 7. There are three 1 Iohn 5. 7. vindicated that bear witness in heaven the Father the Word and the holy Spirit and these three are one Here is a Trinity I said or a Three-ness in one Essence and One-ness of Essence in a Three-ness of Subsistence R. F. * Page 7 8. challengeth me for perverting the Scripture saying here is Trinity when it expresseth no such word in that nor any other Scripture as Trinity But the Reader will easily perceive how he perverts my writing and fights against this Text and five more which I referred to for I said not here is Trinity or the word Trinity but here is a Trinity asserted He grants the Father Son and Spirit are one and then beating about the bush from John 14. 20. which mentions but two of the three he denies it to speak of distinct persons three Rep. What if John 14. 20. speak not of three 1 Joh. 5. 7. expresly saith there are three c. But R. F. falls point-blank in opposition to the third in order of the three and addeth The holy Ghost is no person My work therefore here is first to clear out from this place in Johns Epistle and the five other that I onely hinted at that there are three distinct persons in the God-head Secondly that the holy Ghost is and how he is one of the three I cannot open any of the six Texts which I quoted but the latter will be proved by the former onely in clearing the latter by it self R. F. his Heresie and Blasphemy will be yet more evident and notorius To the first then I argue thus in the general If the Scripture speaks of three the Father Son and Spirit that are one and yet three then they are as distinctly three in their Persons as they are undividedly one in their Essence But the Scripture speaks of these three that are one and There is a Trinity or three persons in one Godhead proved from and by the Scriptures yet three Therefore they are as distinctly three in their persons as they are undividedly one in their Essence The consequence of the proposition is thus proved When the Scripture speaks of these three either it is to be understood of three distinct ways of Being or of three distinct Beings But it cannot be understood of three distinct Beings for the Lord our God is One I am or Being of himself Therefore it is to be understood of three distinct maners or ways of Being each of which maners of Being is no other but that which the Scripture expresseth by the word Hypostasis or Person when it sometime speaks of one of the three sometime of another The Assumption is clear from the Scriptures that either expresly say there are three and these are one or reckon up three neither more nor fewer coequal and of the same dignity as co-essential and of the same Deity More particularly 1. Let that 1 John 5. 7. be viewed and weighed let 1 John 5. 7. opened not men shut their eyes against the light of it and think lightly of its Testimony where Unity in Trinity and Trinity in Unity is set forth by words equivalent and of as great force as if the very terms of Unity and Trinity were put down The equivalent words are there are three and these three are one
dead to damned spirits in men and to wizards that peep and mutter as some now-adays to seek for the living God Or should they go to the dead to seek help and advice from them for and in behalf of the living No certainly whither then the answer is clear v. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony which is Gods written word and that which is spoken according to it And if they any that undertake to be speakers or writers shall not speak according to this Law and Testimony it is because they have no morning-light in them it is an evidence they follow the moon-shine of their watry-fancies dark reasonings and diabolical suggestions and if there be no light of saving truth in them there will be no light of comfort or relief which shall shine forth unto them so that if any shall come and teach a God whom the Scripture teacheth not and a Christ that the Scripture doth not teach he speaks lies and darkness and nothing else yea if any set up a light against the light of Scripture and will not be contented with that for the subject matter of it and reduce all his light unto it and compare his light with it to finde out and maintain a harmony therewith he sets up Lyes against the Truth and in the room of it 3. R. F. reasoneth If the Scriptures should be lost he would have no God nor Christ that would have none without them Rep. 1. This needless supposition might be spared God who hath hitherto preserved them will still maintain them while the world stands John 10. 35. The Scripture cannot be broken and therefore not lost 2. In the volume of the Book of Gods Decrees it was determined there should be a Scripture and all should be written therein which concerned Christ and salvation by him Heb. 10. 7. And 3. As all that have sinned and shall sin against the Scripture-light since it was given them shall be judged by it at the last day Rom. 2. 12 16. So 4. All that is contained in the Scripture which is more then is written in the heart of every fallen son of Adam and more then was written in Adams heart before the fall shall eternally witness in mens consciences both for the joy and comfort of those that believe and obey it and against those that slight and contradict it to their everlasting terror and increase of torment 4. To say saith R. F. that without Scripture the word of the Lord could not be spoken is to limit the Spirit of God Rep. 1. But who said it He would make his Reader believe I said it or to that effect But let him that reads us both observe what liberty he takes to note the effect of words and to pass by the very words themselves and yet condemns it in others although as near as I could I have every where alledged their very words 2. That which I said the Reader shall finde at the end of this Section Pag. 8. of my Book viz. Christ teacheth us not to know any thing to Salvation but what is in the Scripture-Law and Testimony For it is there either in express words or in a true consequential sense and to keep our selves within the bounds and limits which God hath set us is not at all to limit Gods Spirit but our own spirit which hath need of such a bit and bridle 5. R. F. addes If Samuel Christ his Apostles and John might have spoken nothing but what was written they might not have spoken much of what they did speak Rep. 1. God might have revealed more then is in the Scripture but he pleased not so to do 2. All that Samuel and the Prophets Christ and the Apostles and John the Revelation have spoken is written both according to what was written before and for substance the same As Moses wrote what was delivered to the Patriarchs and Samuel with the Prophets spake and have left written what Moses wrote so Christ and the Apostles spake and have left written what was spoken by Moses and the Prophets Luke 24. 26 27. Acts 3. 22 23 24. Let him that readeth understand Rev. 22. 6. These sayings are faithful and true And the Lord God of the holy Prophets sent his Angel to shew unto his servants the things which must shortly be done Nothing is signified in the whole Book of the Revelation but for substance was foretold by Isaiah Daniel Zechariah and other of Gods holy Prophets whose writings were extant long before John had his Visions and Revelations But R. F. will not yet give over 6. God revealeth the deep things by his Spirit and teacheth by his Spirit and sends forth messengers by his Spirit and guideth by his Spirit into all truth c. Rep. 1. They do well to run to the Spirit who have lost the sense of Scripture and love to it but let R. F. and others of his way take heed they mistake not Gods Spirit nor substitute their own spirit in the room of the Lord the Spirit 2. The Spirit of the Lord revealeth no deeper things nor will do to all eternity then are already wrapt up in the volume of the Scriptures The Spirits-light and Scripture-light are very harmonious albeit the Spirit gives eyes by his own power to see that light which the Scripture doth but instrumentally help unto 3. Such messengers as speak more then is in the Scripture are not sent by Gods Spirit nor guided by him to what they say Thus I have taken up what R. F. hath in his Epistle upon occasion of my lifting up the Light of Scripture into its due place above that which is every mans Light let us review what he hath further in his Book * Page 9. not according to the Title in vindication of the Scriptures but in defence of George Fox who calls the light of every man the word of God but as I said before will not have the Scriptures so called All the vindication which R. F. can give is recrimination in this as in other cases Thou accusest G. F. for saying the light is the word but it is but to manifest thy further contradictions to the Scripture As how For the Scripture saith God is the Light Rep. I no where finde it so exprest in Scripture-text The place he quoteth is printed John 1. 5. but let the Printer bear the blame it is likely he intended 1 John 1. 5. there 1 John 1. 5. indeed 't is said expresly That God is light not the light in every mans conscience The light in every man is given of God but that light is not God nor is God that light God is light pure absolute essential light knowledge wisdom How God is light holiness and perfectly so of himself but the best light that G. F. or R. F. or any man hath or is qualified with is but created diffused derived-light Again God is the word for which R. F. quotes John 1. 1. but it is not
so exprest by John onely thus The word was God it 's granted he was and is so what then Must I needs be ignorant of the Scriptures because I confound not Father and Son together as R. F. doth in that expession of his and what follows As God is the light and the word so also is Christ John 8. 12. Rev. 19. 13. and the Father and the Son are one Rep. How are they one not in person but in nature and essence The Father is not the Son the Father is not the Word nor ever so called Let R. F. learn to distinguish their persons as clearly as he would be far from dividing their essence But what if God be light and Christ be the true light and very God with the Father in essence and Christ be also the word of God and so called in that as the word is the image of the minde so Christ in his person is the express image of the Fathers person Heb. 1. 3. Must the light in every man which G. F. or R. F. speak from be the word of God and so called in that sense as Christ is the word of God and so called not to mention how such a conceit borders upon blasphemy this kinde of reasoning is as good and true as that of R. F. Because I preach publiquely therefore I am a Priest or because I preacht at Edenburgh in Scotland for a while therefore I am a Scotch Priest as he every where calls me at his pleasure and from his blinde mistakes But to undeceive the simple let me close this Section Superadded Conclusions with a few brief Corollaries 1. The beams of Christs God-head shine upon every man though not one man in the world knows him to be God till he findes him in the Scripture 2. The beams of his Mediatorship shine upon such as have the Scripture though few there be that finde that narrow gate and straight way to life and salvation 3. The light given to every man is not Christ in person or as Mediator let people learn to distinguish between him and his gifts and between the gifts which he bestoweth as God and those which he confers as Mediator 4. The light given to every man is the law written in the hearts of all and may in some sense be called the word Rom. 2. 15. of God not Christ-Mediator nor Christ-God because it is a piece of the declaration of Gods will made perfectly known to Adam before the fall 5. The Scriptures are a perfect declaration of the will of God both in the Legal and in the Gospel-part and are both truly and more eminently then the Law first written in the heart called as they are the word of God God giving out his minde to the full by what is written in the sacred Text. 6. The Lord Christ the Eternal Son and Essential Word of the Father is more in the Scriptures then in every man or any man As he is God all men live and move and have their being in him As he is Mediator he is in his Church mystical yet is he more in the Scriptures then in his Saints 7. They have not Christ Mediator in them nor abide in his Doctrine who abide not in the Doctrine of the Scriptures 8. They that speak from the Scriptures rightly understood speak more from Christ then such who speak from the light within them and have no fellowship with the Scriptures and with them that abide by Scripture-light and Doctrine Let R. F. and the men of his fellowship ponder what I say and the Lord give all his understanding in all things Section 11. I Had discovered pag. 8. of my book in this Section how they send people to read the Scriptures in the Creatures as if the Creatures taught us more then the Scriptures contrary to Psalm 19. and to Solomon in his Ecclesiastes and to Paul 1 Cor. 1. 21. R. F. * Page 9. in answer tells me That book * George Fox his Parables The Scripture a more excellent teacher then the Creatures shall witness for the truth against thee and thy generation Rep. If I were of the generation of Ranters he might have cause to write as he doth for as I hinted in my Epistle before my former piece Some of them viz. Quakers may haply be raised up against such viz. Ranters who have to their utmost extinguisht all common light of nature and would level all with sin and hell And G. F. in his Parables bends himself against men of this hell-begotten brood But as I own the light of Nature which Ranters endeavor to put out and the Light of Scripture which the men called Quakers with Ranters would eclipse so I acknowledge there is much in the Creatures to be learnt by way of allusion but to prefer that knowledge above the Scripture as is the scope of G. F. I am averse and abhorrent in the case And R. F. hath nothing more to say for G. F. onely for his own security he shifts from the Creatures viz. the Heavens and the Earth and things contained therein as parts of the first Creation of which G. F. gave his dictates to those that are in Christ new Creatures who are Epistles written in one anothers hearts seen and read in one another that are such Creatures 2 Cor. 3. Rep. Who sees not the mans evasion here is blinded with prejudice or gross ignorance for 1. The Apostle 2 Cor. 3. 1 2. speaks not of what is 2 Cor. 3 2. vindicated written in the hearts of all men who have stony hearts but in the hearts of Saints whose hearts are fleshy or soft v. 3. 2. He sets not forth those Epistles as Rules equal with Scripture much less to be preferred above the Scripture Pauls plain meaning is no more but this that the efficacious and cleared grace of the Gospel stampt and printed upon the Corinthians hearts and made visible and legible in their conversations was a sufficient Testimonial for his Apostleship and faithfulness and far better then Epistles of commendation to and fro which one Church by Ink and Paper might send to another concerning him or others what 's this to the question in hand concerning the doctrine of the Gospel and its knowledge to be had by the Sun Moon and Stars fire water air and earth c. which G. F. had instanced in 3. What if new creatures be seen and read in one another that are such Creatures Sun Moon and Stars c. are not such creatures nor are these the Epistles which the Apostle speaks of R. F. next to his evasion falls upon clamor and would fasten the imputation of ignorance of those Epistles and of lying upon me Rep. If it be enough for him to say it here and every where without proof I cannot be innocent but 1. In the case of Epistles recommendatory such as Paul had at Corinth whether I know what they are or no let those whom the Lord hath effectually
mouth in the Scriptures while he would but seemingly make Gods Law and the heart to be one with it Another of this mans Self contradictions though common to his fellows I noted in this Section crying up Thou and Thee to a particular as Scripture-language and yet crying down the Letter as no Scripture that is the mouth of God the word of God or a binding Rule What J. Nayler means by that * Few words page 14. Thou wilt neither make Scripture thy Rule nor suffer them that would let R. F. well consider for if J. Nayler would have it to be a rule R. F. and others would have it to be none much less a standing rule as hath appeared in 1. Part Section 1. Section 4. THe Scriptures say they were given us by inspiration and by inspiration are to be understood again In this passage there is coucht another of their Self-contradictions which R. F. neither approves nor condemns but passeth it over un-toucht un-answered The Reader may please to peruse what was said for discovery of their clashing Principles in my former piece This I shall adde The Spirit of God who breathed forth the Scriptures must give us the spiritual understanding of them if we have it at all but this he doth in another way then that whereby he inspired the Pen-men of the Scriptures They were so inspired when they wrote the holy Canon of Scripture as men rapt up with an extatical motion 2 Pet. 1. 21. The word there translated moved signifies a forcible acting of the Spirit 2 Pet. 1. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 upon them they were mightily born away by the impetus and impulsive power of the Spirit The same word is used by Luke Acts 2. 2. in the description of the visible pouring forth of the Spirit by a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind this rushing power of the Spirit invisibly acted the holy Men of God who wrote the Scriptures in a way immediate when they had not a letter of Gods Book before them But thus the Scriptures come not to us nor the understanding of them we have the Book and Canon written down and by providence printed translated into our Mother tongue and preached to us Now then they that profess they own the Scriptures and they own the reading of them and they own prayer for the understanding of them c. and yet when it comes to the upshot they dis-own and deny all actings of the Spirit upon them by means of second causes instruments and ordinances by which we are to get understanding and by which he gives it forth it plainly appears that as the beasts that have no understanding they kick down the good pail of milk before-given by frustration and neglect of Gods gift of the Scriptures and exercises about them thereby to come to the knowledge of them under the conduct of the Spirit Section 5. ANother of their Self-contradictions I shewed to be this That they profess to own the Scriptures to be true in themselves c. but do not own them in their true sense and meaning I gave instance of their interpreting 1 Cor. 14. 35. Husbands at home to be Christ in the heart and I referred to all the other instances of their Scripture-contradiction for conviction of their dis-owning the true sense R. F. * Page 25. would make the world believe I had confuted my self and cleared them because I granted they said That they owned the Scriptures c. whereas this doth evidently make the more against them that they will pretend so much to the Scriptures and yet rend the sense of them all a pieces And although that sense put upon the fore-mentioned place in the Epistle to the Corinthians be broached by no man more then by R. F. in another Pamphlet by it self and he entitleth this Piece of his I now deal with The Scriptures vindication yet he doth not in the least undertake the vindication of this place either when I alledged it against them before Part 1. Section 6. or now onely he speaks his wonted swelling words of vanity Thou art under the guilt and the pit which for others thou diggedst thou art faln in thy self and catcht in thy own snare and craftiness take notice of that and see how thou hast contradicted thy self Rep. But that I desire some may be convinced of the folly and falshood of this man and of his Sect I would not spend time and waste paper to transcribe such empty stuff If it be proof enough for him to accuse and recriminate I cannot be innocent who shall in the like case That which hitherto I have charged him or other of this way withal I have not given words but Arguments for proof and demonstration of the Charge Let me give another instance R. F. * Page 2. in answer to my first Section Part 1. saith thus That the Scriptures are words that proceeded from the Spirit of truth we do not deny but own and so they are words of truth Now hear what * An untaught Teacher p. 2. Th. Lawson judgeth of this matter To say that the word of truth is called the Scripture or that the Scripture is called the word of truth that is a lye I ask the simple honest hearted Reader whether Th. Lawson puts not the lye upon his brother R. Farnworth or whether these men do own the Scripture of truth as it is stiled Dan. 10. 21. or rather whether they do not contradict it and themselves also Let it be observed also that R. F. doth not quit himself of that other Self-contradiction of his which I closed this Section with by bare words * Page 25. Thou hast manifested the same therefore take thou the shame Rep. It seems R. F. will take none as one past shame and blushing Where I have manifested my ignorance of the life of the Scriptures and of the Letter as he lets fly against me I am willing to see it and bear my own shame but will he be as the unjust Zeph. 3. 5. that knoweth no shame when his sinful folly and self-conceited Contradictions are detected The words that R. F. hath in his other Pamphlet * Light out of darkness p. 18 are these Herein you shew your ignorance in the life of the Scriptures that are ignorant of the Letter which is without life This he chargeth upon three Ministers for asking a question to this effect If the light wherewith every one is enlightned be Christ what then is become of the person of the Mediator Must they be ignorant in the life of the Scriptures who acknowledge not every mans light to be Christ and must they be ignorant of the Letter of the Scripture who do not understand it as he doth But that which I inferred from his words was If there be life in the Scriptures as he grants there is then the Letter or Scripture is not without life as he saith it is nor are they
the Scripture Rep. 1. How would I have him that believeth born of the Letter my words were these If the Scripture be in the heart of every one sure he that believeth is born of that seed even of the Scripture-promise set into the heart by the holy Ghost hence he that is born of the Spirit is born of the word written and preached which the Spirit useth as the instrumental means of our regeneration as upon that place in Peter 1 Ep. Chap. 1. ver 23 and 25. hath been cleared heretofore Part 1. Sect. 5. 2. The Scripture-promise declaring Christ is the more apt means by which the Spirit begets a soul to Christ or formeth him in the soul 3. That the Letter declareth Christ doth not contradict the Scripture but it contradicteth the Scripture to say the declaration of Christ is not a means of begetting a soul to Christ 4. To say Let all see whether we do not set the Scripture in the heart of every one and yet to deny the Scripture to be a means of the new birth or that the believer is born of God without the Scripture is to say and un-say But R. F. * page 26. would retort this upon my self and why I have not the same minde with them and know not their meaning and so raise lyes as he chargeth upon me by my imaginations Rep. 1. If I have the minde of Christ as it is in Scripture I shall not be ambitious of nor much regard their meaning but as I know it to be cross to the minde of Christ I have according to the grace given unto me witnessed against it and yet studied to put the most candid and favorable construction upon their words 2. If their sense of setting Scripture in the heart of every one be nothing else but telling people they have a light of Conscience within them and stirring up that light which every man hath that cometh into the world First they delude poor people who never heard that Light called Scripture before yet this is more then probably their best Scripture for their Tenents and Doctrines as might be gathered from the answer that J. P. a yong stripling who came into this Town last summer gave to a weak re-baptized woman shattered by his discourse whose question was But may I not read the Scriptures The answer was Read thy heart woman as she told me that was all she could get of him There is a book of Conscience to be read indeed but is not the book of the Scriptures and Gods Statutes to be read according to which beyond the book of every mans Conscience all that have that written rule shall be judged Secondly If every mans light be the onely Scripture in the minde that these men are in why doth R. F. * In his Book entituled A true testimony c. pag. 53. appeal to that which is the alone proper perfect Scripture in our judgement and which he calls for to stand as judge betwixt them and 42. Ministers Will he stand to the judgement of the Prophets and Apostles as it is the minde of Christ the word of God Will he not appeal when all is done to a higher Court of immediate Teachings in the heart If the Scripture be judge it must be so from its own light that is superior not onely to every mans light but also to the degree of light that is in every Saint and that is superior to our meanings and theirs for the Scripture must judge by its own words and meaning together and from its own rule we must not separate the Letter of the Law and the true interpretation of the Letter The Law-makers we say are best able to give the right sense of the Law The great Law-giver gives out his sense of one part of Scripture by another Can any Law judge of Heresie but the Law of God saith R. F. in the Book and Page last referred unto in the margent If he intends there any Law of God but the written word and text of the Bible Gods great Law-book he contradicts in heart what he pretends to in words If he understands by the Law of God the holy Scriptures of God called the Bible then he pretends to that acknowledgement of them as a standing rule and a more standing rule then visions and revelations and if he intends what he pretends to then he must recant what he wrote in the 3. and 4. Page of his imaginary Scripture-vindication or else lie setter'd in his Self-contradictions 2. Head of their Self-contradiction Concerning hearing of the Word Section 10. I Had granted they say and say truly because the Scripture saith so Joh. 8. 47. They that are of God hear his word and they that hear his word hear his voice and yet they deny the hearing of Ministers that speak this word and consequently they do either un-say what truth they spake before or deny themselves to be of God in that they both refuse themselves to hear and call off others from hearing R. F. * Page 26. because I granted the first part of their contradiction to be a Scripture truth runs away with the conceit of an advantage when 't is nothing so Thou says They say and say truly then they lye not neither do they say and un-say and so thou art taken with the lye again and clears them thy self Rep. How weak and giddy this mans apprehension is may appear many ways by the review of this passage 1. I attributed truth to their words no further then they agree with the word of God in Scripture and so far I will acknowledge truth because I love it and the Scripture of truth but this man when I grant an inch will take an ell 2. It followeth not if men say true in one thing that they speak the truth in every thing The devil can speak a truth the more cunningly to put off his lyes That may be a truth materially which will not be found in mens practical experience so acknowledged 3. It is beyond all controversie that in this as many other instances they say and unsay first owning the Scriptures and ministery and hearing of the word and then dis-owning all teachers and teaching but what is within first saying * A discovery of some fruits c. pag. 9. the peoples Teacher cannot be removed into a corner and by and by telling them you will finde your teacher as you lye in your beds Even as customary swearers reproved for their sin will swear they did not swear so men habituated in Self-contradiction will vehemently protest against it but it helps them never a whit 4. It is no new thing to have the reproach of lying cast upon me or others by one who cannot judge or understand what is truth or when 't is spoken truly 5. I am so far from clearing them that I renew my charge against them if they be all like R. F. in this maner and form following The more candidly the