Christs Righteousness received from him and wrought by him in us So then the snare is broken and I am escaped which yet is whole enough to hold T. D. fast enough who set it who while I for whom 't was set am set at liberty by himself cannot with all his struggling strain his own neck out of the string whereinto he hath slipt it unawares Sic ves non vohis fertis Aratra Bâ—ves Further yet much more is to be said in proof of it that our being first led by the Spirit of Christ into the Righteousness of his working in us is Antecedent to our Iustification as a meritorious cause of it though considering how slenderly T. D. slides away from what was at the Dispute urged to that purpose even as he sets it down in his own Relation of it p. 15 16. to his own best advantage there were no great need of more if all wereas wise as some are silly to see the strength of what was urged but some are silly and some are willing rather then to own troublesome truths to wink against it and to seem more silly then they are whereupon when I have Examined the inefficacy of T. Ds. returns to it and turned them home in their native nakedness to the shame of him who sent them out I may not unlikely urge somewhat more 1. To this Argument from Gal. 5.18 They who are led of the Spirit are not under the Law therefore being led of the Spirit is a meritorious cause of not being under the Law and so consequently of Iustification or Non-Condemnation by it Thou T.D. Rep'yest That I am very silly myself or take my hearers to be so thinking this to be a proof of my former consequence or that there is any consequence in this Argument whereas first this Argument is urged not so much in proof of my former consequence as entail'd on that but as entire and absolute within it self for as to the proof of the former consequence viz. Contrariorum contraria est Ratio therefore as evil deserve Condemnation so good works Non-Condemnation in proof of which thou sillily sayeth I should have proâ—â— that there 's Par. Ratio for had I prosecuted that I should have proved that there 's Contraria Barro for the merit of the ones and of the other as I have told thee above I say as to that former consequence it had been sufficiently proved before by telling you but that in such a crowd of conference as ye were in among your selves it could not be heeded that as Condemnation and Non-Condemnation of Iustification were Contraries so good works which I said were not those of our own working without Christ for I oft said not by works of Righteousness we have wrong hâ—â— but what Christs works in and by us none of which are imperfect but all truly good and evil works are truly Contraries and so of contrary desert the one being all as truly good as the other truly evils and as for thy saying I am either silly or take my hâ—â—â—ers sâ—toâ— in that I think there 's any consequence in the Argument from Gal. â— 18 I say I did not take my heedless hearers so silly thus but I now take some of them an â—thy self for one to be much more silly then I did at the Dispute not onely by reason of sundry other remarkably silly passages that are in thy Printed Relation thereof but also in that thou thinkest there is no consequence in that Argument for verily wert thou but as solid as thou art silly in this matter or couldst thou but look an inch or two beyond that 18th verse whereon the Argument is grounded thou might'st see of thy self that which is of force sufficient to prove the seâ—â—et for shewing in the verses between the works of the flesh which the Spirit leads out of and the fruits and works of the Spirit which the Spirit leads such into as follow it the Apostle v. 23 adils this viz. against such there is no Law i. e. such works of the Spirit as Love Ioy Peace Goodness Meekness Temperance and such Persons as are by the Spirit led out of the work of the flesh adultery uncleanness laferviousness hatred wrath envyings drunkenness revellings c. and into the other whence to the proving of the Sequel of that Argument in which thou sillity sayest there 's no no consequence I argue If such as are led by the Spirit out of evill into good works are thereupon deservedly not under the Law then their being led by the Spirit who are led by it from under it is the deserving or meritorius cause of their nor being under the Law and so of Iustification But verum prius ergo posterius The Minor which unless thou wilt deny thy Principles its like thou wilt deny is thus proved Those against whom deservedly there is no Law are thereupon deservedly from under the condemning power of it for such is the Râ—gour of the Law that who ere deserves the Condemnation of it till they come not to deserve it first or last shall assuredly feel it But there is no Law deservedly against such as 〈◊〉 not after the flesh into evil but after the Spirit into good works therefore according to that also Rom. 8.1 deservedly no Condemnation For indeed those and no other what ere ye deem to the contrary being deluded by the Devil to the deceiving of your own Souls are truly in Christ Iesus then those that are led by the Spirit which who is led by is led out of evil for it leads into nothing but good those onely are in the Spirit and all the rest in the 〈◊〉 which follow the flesh in its lustings against the Spirit and so under the Law and câ—â—e thought they name the Name of Christ and after him call themselves Christians while they are not departed from iniquity much more while they plead for its continuance under the name of their infiâ—miâ—ies of necessity while they abide in the body yea those and none else are Christs though millions more may conceit themselves his so as to be interessed into the blessings of Peace Life and Iustification by him and Abrahams Seed and heirs according to the Promise and sons of God that are led by the Spirit of God into good works out of evil to live and walk in the Spirit out of the flâ—sh and the fâ—uits thereof out of vain glory envy hypocrisie and all deceit and if any think he is Christs or any other men are Christs so far as to stand justified before God in him before he be sanctified or while he is guilty of such gross evils as David was defil'd with while he was wallowing in the Mire of that matter of Vriah as T. D. guesses David and all Saints are by which name he paints them out as well while they are in such a nasty pickle as when they are wash of impure the Righteousness of Christ without him to himself or
Paul means not in us but in Christ and so tell Christ he is in us enough to our justification if he be but in himself And as this last sense or senselesse meaning of T.D. who sayes by in us is meant not in us but in another as also that the righteousnesse that is in another i.e. Christ is in a sense too as good as â—on-sense i.e. by imputation Ours and in us for that which is fulfilled not in our persons but in Christ is according to T.D. in that Scripture Rom. 8. Said to be fulfil'd in us as if it had been inherent in selves I say as that distinction of T.D. concerning in us not meant in our persons but in Christ and by in Christ when fulfilling the righteousnesse of the Law is spoken of Ministers Latitude and liberty enough to our Ministers whereby to fence of and save themselves from truth so it lends Liberty and license more then enough to their Priestlike people to save themselves in their sins for what will many care what they do themselves if the Law be not to be fulfil'd in themselves by Christ but 't is enough in themselves fulfil'd to their justification if in Christ for them and as well as if it were inhaerent in them So though the Priests oft preach thus viz. he that made us without our selves will not save us without our selves yet fith they to the contradiction of themselves as oft unpreach it again saying he that made us without our selves will save us without our selves by anothers fulfilling the Law not in us but in himselfe for us their people will quickly cry hang sorrow and care and of their two selfe confusing doctrines cleave to that that 's next to them easiest and most fitting their turns and fall a preaching presently in their works the pleasing things their Priests who do docere faciendo faciendo do preach both in words and deeds he that made us will save us and shew us mercy without any goodnesse of our own If in another in us be and in us in another Wee 'l ne'er be good good deemd are we in this in that ith rather So having wiped out by the way that blot or blurr'd answer of T.D. to my Argument from Rom. 8.3.4 Seeing his answer to what we urge from Rom. 8.2 The 2d of the 4 Scriptures above said is as neer in kind to it for fillynesse as that 2d verse from whence we argue is neer in truth to the 3d and 4. He here make as short a dispatch and round a Reply to that too now I am about it Arg. The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free fâ—om the Law of sin and death saith Paul and say we the Law of the Spirit that is in Christ and in the Saints whereby the Saints are justified is the same therefore the work of the Spirit of Christ in us is the cause of our justification That place quoth T. D's p. 16. but I trow not is much against you for the Apostle asserts the holiness of mans nature as a work of the Spirit conforming it to the Law to be the meritorious case of our freedome from sin and death Rep. Thus far is son and not against us I am well assured for 't is no lesse then the very Cardinall truth we plead for against T.D. that the holynesse of our nature as a work of the Spirit conforming it to the Law is the deserving cause of justification for conformity to the Law cannot deserve condemnation but non-condemnation and so which is all one justification and if this be not enough on our side T.D. adds more let me add quoth he p. 17. that the Law of the Spirit of life here spoken of is not onely the meritorious cause of our freedom from death but from the Law of sin or obeying sin as a Law In all this I own T.D. whose Answer to my Argument is thus far as answerable that is as yeilding to it as I do desire But then T.D. whose manner it is often to give a thing and take a thing which is the Devils gold Ring as I have heard Children say when I was a Child doth not in all this give the cause to us so much but he thinks he gets it and carryes it away from us again as much in other parts and particulars of that his parti coloured answer But I hope we shall fetch it all again and no thank to him for his gifts and grants sith what he gives he would have it all again if he could tell how and he thinks he plucks much from us again 1st by saying thus viz. mark withall quoth he though I grant you the holynesse of mans nature as a work of the Spirit conforming it to the Law is the meritorious cause of our freedom from sin and death yet 't is not that which is in us but in Christ the Law of the Spirit and so the holynesse of mans nature I and Paul 〈◊〉 of is that in Christ and not that in our persons R. To which I Reply thus 1. What if I should answer T.D. that by in Christ is not meant in Christs person but in us 〈◊〉 ebâ—tlâ—â— â—â—lionis to serve him in his own kind for when we say with Pâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 4 that the righteousnesse of the Law is by Christ condemning sin in ou◠〈◊〉 to be fulfilled in us he answers us thus that by that Term in us is not meant in our persons but in Christ I might as well say retro that by in Christ is not meant in Christs person but in us adbomiâ—â—m it holds well enough till T.D. recants his own odde distinction of the same kind But as it s as unfound in itselfe as his is so T.D. is not yet come to bear it to be done to by us as he does to us and therefore I must sit him to a better answer 2. Then I Reply that thought the Law of the Spirit of life be in Christ yet not onely in him or exclusively of its being in the Saints but so as that from him and from his being in them it consequently and upon that account is in them also for Christ is not in any as their Righteousnesse in whom his Righteousnesse and the Spirit of life that is in him is not together with him also yea though it will not follow as thou fainest from the Saints being in Christ who were once sinners to their sins being in Christ together with them so the reasons above said where I told thee that men must leave their sins behind them and be by Christ divested of them before they can come indeed to be in Christ to whom no sinners while sinners are or can be united unlesse thou wilt contradict Paul who faith what Concord between Christ and Belial yet if Christ be in Saints who leaves nothing of his own behind him where ere he comes his righteousnesse holynesse and spirit of life is in them also But no more of
sensu enim hâ—mines tenebrae dicuntur eo etiam Illuminarr aliter Aequi'voca esset Apostoli Oratio at homines Spiritualiter fuisse tenebâ—as extra controversiam est * Observe here how these men contradict one another I. O. sayes that clause Coming into the World relates to the light so as to say the true Light coming into the world enlightens every man I. T. sayes nay coming into the world relates to man so as to say every man coming into the world see how they concur together by the ears among themselves * Merae tenebrae cecitas quoth I. O. of it * Merae tenebrae cecitas quoth I. O. of it For it is impossible but that what shows drunkenness to be evil must needs shew sobriety to be good * Ex. 3. S. 24. Directionem nostram in cognitione Dei obedientia ei praestanda ita ut tandem voluntatem ejus facientes salutem eternam ac ipsius fruitionem assequamur hunc finem immediatum datioScripturarum atque adeo ipsarum Scripturarum esse contendimus Cum vero disciplinae cujusvis perfectio consistat in relatione ad finem caque perfecta habenda sit qua sufficiens est respectu finis sui proximi ea vero imperfecta quae finem propositum assequi potis non est perfectio scripturarum in nulla alia re consistere potest quam in sufficientia sua respectu finis sui proprii qui est instructio hominum c. Vt salutem aeternam assequantur hoc sensu eam perfectissimamasserimus Ex. 3. S. 39. Cessabit scripturae usus praesenti stat ui accomodatus Ex. 3. S. 39. Falsissimum est sacram scripturam dum in hoc mundo haeremus respectu nostri totum sinem suum obtinere aut obtinere posse * J.O. Ex. 3. S. 39. Fanaticos non esse perfectos nobis Testimonio sunt illorum mendacia fraudes scelera hypocrisis iis vero qui immunes se esse ab his omnibus aliisque peccatis vel levissimis impudenter gloriantur punitiones incarcerationes esse debeant * Memorandum that to A. P. T.D. said 't is corrupt nature by which the heathen Rom. 2. are said to do the things contained in the Law and here he takes the actions of corrupt natures for some of the things that are to be mortified it should seem then the heathen if it be an action of corrupt nature to do the things of the Law must mortify their deeds done in obedience to the Law thus it must be according to T. D's principles * Witness Gideon twice together before he could believe Isarel should be delivered from Median by his hand for which the Lord was not angry with Him Judg. 8.6.36 And Ahar also with whom the Lord was angry because he would not ask a sign when God bad him Isa. 7.10.11.12.13.14 * Where the participle perfected is construed with the word Just men not Spirits Pneumasi Dikaion Teteleiomenon * Yet T.D. most strenuously stands to it that so it is P. 22.1 Pam. saying the Apostle by his own Righteousnesse understands his personal conformity to the Law Do you think that the righteousness Paul calls his own was not Christs Had he any righteousness which he had not received That righteousness which was in the Apostle was wrought in him by Christ as an efficient cause * For are there not two righteousnesses of Christ quoth he p. 22. and they serve for two different ends The one for our justification meaning that which was inhaerent in that single person of old at Ierusalem This gives us a right to the inheritance of the Saints in Light The other for our sanctification meaning that he works in his Saints thâ—â— though filthyrags mark makes us meet for the possession * True Characters all along of our present Priesthood and Schoolmen Universities De quibus haec fabula were narrator Lux autem haec seu intelligendi facultas in eam quae maere naturalis est earnque quae circa res civiles versatur atque illam quae res spirituales omniaque alia in ordine ad sinem supernaturalem spiritualem et ultimum discernit disposcitur lumen autem hoc intermum spirituale seu facultas intelligendi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 varium c. * Lumen hoc internum omnibus commune utcunque ei attendatur non est ullo respectu salutare sed in rebus omnibus divinis sinem ultimum quod attinet merae tenebrae et caecitas * Fx. 1. S. 5 6. Figmentum horrendum lumen internum omnibus commune c. De fictitio isto sive lumine sive verbo interno et Christo imaginario c. Ex. 3. S. 11. Fanatici nostrales enthusiasmos nescio quos jactitantes luceÌ„ internaÌ„ atque infallibilitatem inde emergentem c. Et S. 22. Luâ—en nescio quod cui nihil commune est cum scripturis tanquaÌ„ Doctorem infallibilem sequi et in omnibus obedire S. 25. Lumen illud internuÌ„ Res est omnino ficta atque commentum crasse excogitatum S. 28. Nihil opus est ullâ revelatione per Spiritum out lumen internum Enthusiasmum c. incerta periculosa inutilia ea omnia media ad cognoscendum Deum atque voluntatem ejus ideoque rejicienda atque detestanda esse quae simulant fanatici apparet S. 30 Omnes istas vias et modos cognitionis Dei ac cum co communionis quos jactitant Fanatici rejici ac damnari a spiritu sancto opparet presertim Angelorum colloquia revelationes alienas a verbo scripto deinde Spiritum FanaticoruÌ„ internuÌ„ omnibus commune S. 32. Ad lumen internum seu spiritum internum privatum nusquam nunquam a Deo ablegamur S. 34. Enthusiasmorum omne genus fallax incertum incertissimum c. Ex. 4. S. 15. Lux nictans neque è tenebru perniciosissimis emergens 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deo quopiam melius S. 21. Qualitas nescio quae divina c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 verè Nihil Si quis seu Quaerit Quare seu Queritur Quod hîc loci non curaÌ„tur vel verboÌ„rum Qualitas vel syllaboÌ„rum Quantitas Sciat dehinc nos Rusticos nec magisnec minus cuÌ„raturos vel Variètatem VerboÌ„rum vel QuantiÌ„tateÌ„ nostroÌ„rum SyllaÌ„biÌ„rum Quam videmus vos AcâdeÌ„miÌ„ros parum CuÌ„raÌ„re vel VeriÌ„taÌ„tem VerboÌ„rum vel QualiÌ„taÌ„tem vostroÌ„rum Syllog smoÌ„rum (a) Act. 26.17 18 (b) 1. Ioh. 1.5.6.7 (c) Rom. 3.6 9. ad 19. [e] Ioh. 46.47.35.36 8.12.12 [f] Psa. 18.28 34 35 36 9. â— [g] Esa. 42.6 7.43.8.45.3.49.6 Acts 13.47 [h] Luk. 2.30 31 32. [i] Ioh. 3.16 17 18 19 20 12. [k] Acts 4.11 12. [l] Rom. 2. [m] Rom. 2.14 15. Ioh. 1.20 Psal. 32.1 2. Act. 3.26 Rom. 11.26 (n) Mat. 11.27 Gal. 1.16 (o) Rom. 1.16 Col. 1.23 (p) Pro. 6.23 (q) Heb. 4. (r) Jer. 6.16 (s) 1 Ioh. 3.20 21. (t) Jam. 1.25 (v) Luk. 17.20 21. [w] Gal. 5 19. ad 23. (a) Act. 26.17 18 (b) 1. Ioh. 1.5.6.7 (c) Rom. 3.6 9. ad 19. [d] Iohn 1.9 [e] Ioh. 46.47.35 36 8.12.12 [f] Psa. 18.28 34 35 36 9. â— [g] Esa. 42.6 7.43.8.45.3.49.6 Acts 13.47 [h] Luk. 2.30 31 32. [i] Ioh. 3.16 17 18 19 20 12. [k] Acts 4.11 12. [l] Rom. 2. [m] Rom. 2.14 15. Ioh. 1.20 Psal. 32.1 2. Act. 3.26 Rom. 11.26 (n) Mat. 11.27 Gal. 1.16 (o) Rom. 1.16 Câ—l 1.23 (p) Pro. 6.23 (q) Heb. 4. (r) Jer. 6.16 (s) 1 Ioh. 3.20 21. (t) Jam. 1.25 (v) Luk. 17.20 21. [w] Gal. 5.19 ad 23. [x] Eph. 5.13
come from the lusts that War in their Members Iam. 4.1 and cannot with good Conscience to God as to Military matters appear in Arms againâ—t any Therefore are we prejudged as not submitting to nor owning Magistracy as we say we do Whereas we do truly own and are subject thereunto Witnesse the Tenour of a Paper given out from among us under many hands some while since in that particular A true Copy whereof is here Printed in the Margent And because we cannot Swear at all but forbear it in obedience to Christ's and his Apostles words who intimating Math. 5. a permission under the Law to Swear so be men did not forswear but perform to the Lord their then lawful Oaths for to Swear by any but God or to Swear by God in ordinary Communications was as unlawful then as now sayes unto us Swear not at all i.e. in such cases wherein men might Swear in old time who then might not in common Communication and above all things Swear not no not by any Oath but let your Communication i. e the whole of it before Rulers as well as others be Yea Yea Nay Nay least ye fall into Condemnation for whatsoever is more than that commeth of evil Mat. 5.33 34 35 36. Iam. 5.12 Therefore are we in some places by well-nigh Scores at once put in prison as persons suspitious of Treachery and unfaithfulness to the present Powers Whereas howbeit we decline all Oaths for the Reasons aforesaid yet as it hath been own'd by the King himself as satisfactory to him as if we did Swear if we can say we are or promise to be Innocent as towards him so we both do and can declare our Present and Promise Future Integrity to Him and the present Government reserving our Consciences to the Lord alone in Spiritualls in all cases of civil Concernment And As our Promise binds us more than their Oaths do them whoâ—make as little Conscience to keep the Oaths they take as they do to take whatever is imposed and for Fear Swear themselves To and Fro into the Favour of every Form of Government as it stands its time upon the Stage So our Practice will Preach out our Performance of what we Promiâ—e and that performance prove our words once passed to be of as much worth and weight to us before the Lord as their Swearings by his Name are who are found utterly out of his Nature And because we talk of an universal Redemption by Christ's coming intentionally to save All men though through their own default All are not but few only actually saved They pittyfuâ—â—y propound us as denying Gods Eternall unchangeable Decree and his Praedestination Election Reprobation and such like Whereas how the universality of his grace appearing and bringing Salvation truly and intentionally to All but that most put it from themselves as the Iews did Act. 13. is no way inconsistent with but rather stablishing Gods everlasting immutable Councell concerning men as to Salvation and Condemnation it 's most clearly demonstrated in the Fourth Exercitation from p. 87. to p. 152. And because we call All men to look to the Light within their own consciences and to take heed to that as ever they intend to enter into Life assuring them that by the leadings of that Light if they will they may come to God and work out their Salvation and escape the Condemnation that is to come They make people believe as if we held that all men in the Fall had of themselves a Free will and a Power of their own without God to save themselves and without any speciall spirituall or supernaturall grace or gift of God even by their own Naturall Light which flowes from the Principles of meer Nature to help deliver and Redeem themselves and as if we did destroy all that free grace great goodness and rich mercy of God of whose mercy and grace only it is and not of themselves that they can be saved Whereas we ascribe all the glory of our own and every mans Salvation to God alone and his meer mercy and free grace which is and alone is sufficient thereunto and not to any man nor any thing at all in man that is of man and not rather the free gift of God to him saying that 't is not in man without the gift and grace of God either to guide or to bring himselfe to Salvation nor in him that wills nor in him that runs but in God only that shewes the mercy And That Light of his in every mans conscience even in the heathens which these men in the cloudiness of their own consciences which come not to the Light that 's in themselves call naturall we say is that speciall gift of Gods own grace every degree of which is sufficient to help heal and save him that takes good heed to it and to lead him forth that follows it as it increases on him that does so to the Light of Life Yea 't is a measure of that Spirit of his a manifestation of which is given to every man to profit withall of that Spirit that strives with all men but that most resist it in their stiff necks and uncircumcised hearts that convinces the whole world of Sin Righteousness and Judgment though all are not thereupon converted by it same measure at least one Talent of which is given to the most unprofitable Servant till â—for not trading therewith it be taken from him 't is somthing of that goodness of God which though men will not know it and few are led by or follow it while it drawes them yet does lead them and though they refuse to return and so fare the worse for it does its own part so far as to draw them to Repentance Yea 't is though in men yet of God and no less then his own Law in their own hearts of which Law the Letter sayes though men till spiritualized by it are carnall and sold under sin yet is spiritual holy just and good whereby every man is a Law to himself before God who wit Judge him and either accuse or excuse acquit absolve clear justify or condemn him in the day when he judges the secrets of men by Christ out of the book of their own consciences once to be opened in which thereby both Jus and Factum Right and Fact is manifeâ—t according to the Gospel that 's preached in it and by it in every creature under heaven as well as to somely mans ministry to all by some outward ministry or other also and is not any meer Naturall Faculty as our Naturalists call it that is as Naturall to men as his mind it self is as J.O. mindlessely asserts it to be for then it must be de Esâ—e homini so Essentiall to a man that he neither is nor can be truly call'd A man without it whereas though Man in the Fall is in indeed so short of the man made at first after Gods Image or of Man restored back again
21. thou I fasly chargest us with the guilt of that sin of the Iewes Rom. 10.3.4 viz. making our own righteousnesse our justification 2. Thou relatest G.W. clearing us ofthat saying that we do not make our own righteousnesse our justification but the righteousness of God is that we testifie being made manifest in us according to the Scripture Phil. 3.9 Not our own righteousnesse wich is â—f the Law that is any personal conformity to the Law in that outward letter that we can make by any ability of ours without the power of Christ such was that of the Iews and Pauls establishing to himself as his gain and righteousnesse before his conversion to that of Christs for that and no other is it which Paul calls his own and the Iewes own and not that which Christ wrought in him cloth'd him with and enabled him to perform as thou blasphemously bolt'st it out but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by faith to which though thou seem'st to assent in these words viz. the Apostle by his own righteousnesse understands His personall conformity to the Law and by Christ righteousnesse that which is of Christ made his by faith by which Terme His if thou intendest His as abstract from Christ his weak strivings in his own strength to keep the Law and not that personall conformity to it he was at last enabled to by the Spirit and Power of Christ intimated Rom. 8.1 2 3 4. Thou fallest in with us who make that genuine distinction between all meere mans righteousnesse and all that righteousnesse that is of Christ. But now as if thine eyes were grown too dimme to discern that distinction thou blindly blendest these two together again into own putting no difference at all between O V R good works or meer mans righteousnesse which in his own will wisdom strength and vain Imagination he works beside the light and out of Christ and those Good Works or that righteousnesse which is of God alone which by the pure Power and Spirit of Christ is wrought in and by them and which they by him are enabled to perform which is specifically one and the very same with that in Christ himselfe from whom it is of God through the faith of Christ made theirs or made over to them that is not meerly and imaginarily as the Priesthood prates accounted and imputed but really and truly derived and imparted to them and revealed as it s said to be Rom. 1.17 from faith to faith in the light of the Gospel to them that beleive therein so that of the fulnesse of that righteousness of God that dwels in him they all receive grace for grace to the true washing Iustification Sanctification and Salvation of them from all that unrighteousnesse by which they became guilty before God while they stood in no other righteousnesse but their own Yea that righteousnesse of Christ in his Saints which is in kind the selfe same with that in himselfe thou both denyest to avail one iot to justification and also confoundest into one and the self same with that of meer mans own working which from God is for ever to be confounded Witnesse thy own words who saift thus T.D. I deny justification by Christ within us we deny our justification by that righteousnesse in us whereof Christ is the Author two things are indeed meant by the name of Christ his person and his operations in us and I deny the latter but assert the former for our righteousnesse to justification Rep. Oh gro's horrid hideous and fordid Are not the Righteousness and the operations of Christ in his Saints the same that were in his own flesh are they not of the same with validity and desert being his own still whether done in himselfe or in us and as truly and perfectly good being done by Christ who can work nothing but that which is truly good and perfect whether in his Saints or himselfe And suppose every Title of thy Tattle were true that thou telst us p. 15. viz. that those works that merit must not be due and his good works who owes none though who that is that owes none to God and from whom to God none are due I know not and whether it became not Christ to be holy harmlesse undefiled separate from sinners whether he ought not in all things to be like his brethren I 'le not stand here to dispute but leaâ—e to Heb. 2.17.26 to determine and yet whether all that he doth in what person so ere he doth it in doth not merit I need not prove to a wiâ—e man for he will not put me to it But I say suppose it to be all true that his good works who owes none and from whom none are due and is an infinite person do as truly deserve non condemnation and his eâ—ill works from whom only good works are due as from a finite creature to an infinite Creator do truly deserve damnation the desert of the obedience of the one arising from the dignity of the Subject by which it s performed as the desert of the others disobedience from the dignity of the Object against which it it is committed yet what makes all this to the mending of thy muddy matter who wouldst make Christ himselfe and his good works and operations of righteousnesse in his Saints of no such moment as to merit or effect their justification before God is not Christ the Subject by which though the Saints who are his body flesh bones are the Subject in which those works of his are perform'd inâ— them as well as the Subject by which those were done that were done in his naturall body in the dayes of his fleshly being here on earth yea is not he the subject in which also those in his Saints are performed while what ere he doth by them he doth in them what they do by him they do in him the person Subject being the same is not the dignity of the doer as deserving when he does good or obeys the will of God in one age place person as well as when in another does what righteousness he works in and by his or destroy the merit thereof body more then that which he wrought in and by that body which was the head and and is not Christ Iesus who is known to be in all them that are not Reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 and who is the same yesterday to day and forever Heb. 13.8 as infinite a Person now and as infinite in all his operations as ever and are not his operations as good and his Righteousness which thou for want of his Wisdom being ignorant that God calls it an Everlasting Righteousness i.e. that which is infinite or without end Dan 9.24 callest but finite p. 39. and yet in thy wonted way of self-contradiction infinite also saying we cannot contain an infinite Righteousness in us and the Righteousness which God works in us is but
present Seers gain-getting Priests false Prophets and foolish People But alas poor man thou art far enough from the New Testament or Covenant yet which is a Gospel a Covenant of Light which thou art so far from that thou fightest against it thou thinkest thy Judgement is over past and the Old Testament a thing that thou hast learned long ago but thou art not come so near to the sharp Paedagogy of it yet as thou must do so far art thou from the glorious Liberties of the New Thy words are true enough the Word under the New comes in a way of more Liberty and Glory but it s no newes to hear High Priests speak Truths which themselves know not thou art at best but an Old Testament Talker of the New and one that 's come truly yet under the Tuition of neither As for the New the Word comes under it in Liberty and Glory but not to Old Testament Spirits Doctors Scribes and Pharisees they see not clearly so much as Moses face much lesse the Glory of God in the face of Iesus Condemnation is yet to come from Christ himself first to such as these as well as from Moses Iohn yea Christ himsâ—lf whose friendliness to Publicans and Sinners as a Physitian was found fault with by such Friday fasting Pharisees as this Age is filled with as much as Iohns Austerenesse was found in Iohns rough Spirit Camels hair Garment and astonishing Appearance to them that went about to Murder him in his inward Ministry and Testimony within themselves and then they said of him too as of Iohn Thou hast a Devil Ioh 8. Ah poor Nursing Fathers and Mothers Vniversally Erring Vniversity Seducers poor seducing Priests and seduced People notwithstanding the Glorious Liberty and Gloriousnesse of the Gospel Times that ye are glorying in in a Dream that ye live under ye must most assuredly find a Condemning Iudging Terrifying fiery flaming Law laying hold on your Consciences and finding you out and the Sword of the Lord entering into your Souls and the Wrath of the Lord rending your very heart-strings a sunder and dread terrour and trembling surprizing you Hypocritical sinners in Sion before ever ye shall come to know the true Liberty or Glory of the Gospel which is the Image and Glory of God brought forth among you yea judgement is already laid to the line and Rigeteousnesse to the Plummet and the Hail is falling that will sweep away your Refuges of Lyes and the storm that will overflow your hiding places and break and disinable your supposed Covenant and Agreement with Death and Hell as if your judgement were passed over by the Lord and none of that could come near you and your Bed will be found too short for you to rest on and your Covering too narrow to wrap your selves in from the Wrath of God the power of whose wrathful displeasure shall make your Mount Sier shake like Sinai before ever ye come near to the sight of that glorious Rest that the Saints ly down in on Mount Sion Now as to that other new found Phrase of Fanaticks These Fanaticks the Fanaticks of this time our Fanaticks Fanatical Quakers Fanatical Souls Fanatical Enthusiasts Fanatical Knaves Fanatical Anti-scripturists and under which ever and anon yea so oft that I may say Ferè numquam non thou soamest out as thy fellows do that froth filth and falshood which floats about in thy foolish vain Spirit against the Quakers in gross as against a furious distracted mad crack-brain'd kind of men that for so those Terms signifie as used by thee pretend to Visions Revelations Illuminations Inspirations the Spirit of Prophesie and such like but are Reapse stark besides themselves and bereft of their very wits and senses As new a nick-Name as 't is to this Age this is no other then what all the Prophets of God were entertained with in the several seasons wherein God sent them out by the many false Prophets that were Coaetaneous with them and therefore nibil novi no new business to such as are not blind He is but meanly skill'd in the Scriptures who hath not yet learn'd from thence That the Prophets by whom God spake and by whose Ministry be muâ—tiplied Visions and used Similitudes as Hos. 12.10 were ever counted Deceivers as the snare of a Fowler in all their wayes that the true Prophet was a fool and the spiritual man or man of the spirit Mad Hos. 9.7 8. and hatred alwayes in the House of his God And that Gods People by meer profession rose up against them as against an Enemy and as now the same Generation of Holy Hypocrites do both in Old England and in New pull'd off their Robes and their Garments from them to whip and scourge them sometimes as Seditious and Disturbers that passe by securely as men most averse from War and streitned the spirit of the Lord saying Prophesie not so such as Prophesied in his Name and Power and putting them to shame if they did when if a man would walk in the wind of his own Invention and Lye falsly and Prophesie to them of â—elly Ohear of Wine and of strong Drink even he should be own'd a Prophet by that People Mic 2.8 9 10 11. And that Ioshua the true High Priest and his fellows even Christ and the Children that God had given him were as men wondred at were set as signes to be spoken against even to the house of Jacob from whom he hid his face and their peepers and mutterers out of their own familiar spirits to the unbelieving Despisers that wonder and perish for signes and for wonders from the Lord of Host that dwelleth in Mount Sion Isa. 8.17 18. Zach. 3.8 Luke 2.34 Act. 13.40 41. Yea I. O. hath read his own Book ore but by the halves if he do not learn this Lesson out of it himself pag. 58 59 61 62. that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or divinely inspired men whose Doctrine was to have been received as from God who sent them and in whose Name they spake though but Herdsmen and of mean Occupation were yet generally rejected upon innumerable prejudices that attended the Truth they spake arising from the personal infirmities and supposed Interests of them that delivered it as Amos 7. Ier. 43.2 3. Ioh 9.29 Act. 24.5 and that what with these things and chiefly the Peoples being so eminently perplexed with false Prophets both as to their number and subtilty that they could not well discern aright between Gods Word and that which was only pretended so to be and so became guilty of unbelief and rebellion against God not submitting to what they spake in his Name it alwayes so sell out that scarce any Prophet that spake in the Name of God had any Approbation from the Church of dead stones in whose dayes he spake Matth. 5.12.21.33 to 38 Act. 7.52 Thus much I.O. may learn from these words which are mostly his own that it was alwayes so heretofore and
ye all falsly say it is that is the Word of God Witnesse not only that so much esteemed Divine in his dayes viz. Ball in his Catechisme but also the Confession of Faith of the Assembly of Divines presented to the Parliament and that of the Congregationals which is verbatim the same also therewith who all unanimously in that Article of the Scripture wherein they falsely affirm it to be the Word of God declare thus in the fifth head viz. by the heavenlinesse of the matter efficacy of Doctrine majesty of the stile excellency and perfection of the whole it doth abudantly evidence it self to be the Word of God yet notwithstanding our full perswasion and assurance of the infallible truth and divine authority thereof i.e. of the Scripture is from the inward work of the holy Spirit bearing witnesse by and with the word in our hearts But thou in page 90. and thorowout thy fifth chapter of thy first Treatise excludest the witnesse of the Spirit immediately in the heart at all or at least the usefulnesse much more the necessity of any such Testimony making as here page 34. the Authority of God shining in it self alone and exclusively of the spirits and words witnesse in our hearts the sole medium of all that evidence which man can have of its being what ye call it viz. The Word of God but as for God and the Spirit who within do give all the evidence that they give at all of the Scriptures being what in truth is is viz a true writing of the truth what if they are willing to grant an evidence within and to afford more then thou talkst of wilt thou bind limit and forbid them so to so who 〈◊〉 unlimitedly here declarest that God is willing to afford and grant no more must not the Spirit blow where it lifts without thy leave or acquainting thee first who art no Prophet with what he will do And this may serve as a sufficient Answer to thy vain Opinion in it it being worth no better to that whole Chapter of thine concerning the Testimony of the Spirit though whether it shall or no so that I 'le say no more to thee about that Chapter is more then I le tell thee here that I may be at liberty to do as I see occasion Only thus much is spoken to that saying of thine above pag. 34. to shew how Majestically still for the eternal Truths of God thou tellest thy own meer trashy untrusty Traditions of which sort I say is that above p. 163 which I am yet in hand with viz. that God probably suffered the losse of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reduce us to a Consideration of his Care in preserving every Tittle that was in them to this day in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Copies we have But I O. seems to take another Reason out of the bottomlesse pit of his own infinite Fancy and Imagination why God was as willing to let the first Manuscripts perish as careful to preserve every Apex thereof in their adored Transcripts and successively Crowned and Canonized Copies to this day viz. left if the immediate individual Writings had been preserved men would have been ready to adore them as the Jewes to adore their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Synagogues Reply Which if it be Cogent or have any Reason at all in it to prove a willingnesse in God to let the first Writings be left hath it not as much to the full to evince God Regardlesnesse of your so copiously regarded Copies upon if there were no other the very self-same Account as he was so carelesse of the other But I. O. is so totally Talpified that as Eagle-eyed as he is abroad to spie a hole in the Iewes Coat he can't see that Iewish Idolatry neerer home For if God to prevent Adoration of that Brazen Serpent and Idolized 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Scripture was so regardlesse of it as to permit it to perish and be brought to nothing is there not as much reason why he should be as Carelesse of your remote tottered Transcripts and false Translations ye are so carkingly careful of as to let what will become of them notwithstanding your uncessant pining and whining and whoring after them and solicitous scoldings and tearings one of another so much about them For as much as though ye Confesse ye have but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet so it is that ye Adore and even Idolize them as much as ye would or likely could the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 themselves had you them to bustle and busie your minds about and as much as the Iewes though ye advance them the Right way no more then they do theirs as I have told you at large above do their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Synagogues Suppose ye had here the very Hand writings of Moses and the old Prophets and the individual Letters and Stories that the Evangelists and Apostles pen'd with their own hands yea the very Two Tables of Stone superscribed with Gods own finger which was a Figure and Type of that Hand-writing of his Law in the fleshly Tables of your hearts by his living Spirit the Truth and Anti-type of which ye as little heed as ye heedlesly over-value the other What could you Ministers of the Letter and not the Spirit and your Literal and Formal more then Powerful and truly Spiritual Professours say or do more unlesse you would down on your Knees to them so soon as ever ye see them in way of outward Honour and Adoration thereof then ye do to your falsified Transcripts and your People to the more unspeakably false Translations which they take for Truth but by Tradition and meer implicite Faith from your selves Le ts Reason and Reckon with you here a little while about your Transcripts and Translations which are all that are extant and enjoyed at this day the first by you that have skill in Hebrew and Greek the second by your Independent on God but on their Priests lips dependent People As for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Memorandum Oh all People by whom these presents shall ever happen to be read I. O. hath quite quitted the World of them Confessing they are all utterly perished and long since past away and lost So that 't is opon Fiction or miracuâ—ous with him for any one to affirm that there 's any one individual Role Writing or Book that was Pen'd by the Holy men that in their several successive Ages wrote the Scripture now alive and not mouldred into dust So that the World hath done with them and they with us so as never to come within our Ocular Inspection more whereby to try whether our Doctors and Divines Adored Transcripts do to a little agree as I. O. absolutely affirms they do with the Touchstone yea or nay so as to believe our own eyes or any otherwise then as I O. who first positively Asserts it doth after as improbly conclude
their feet are swift to shed blood that wasting and misery are in their wayes and the way to true peace they know not yet this one thing I must say too and of our Vniversity Scriblers pro Scripturis that as there are no men in the world more up to the ears in strife about the Scripture and their own Fancies on it as to matter and letter than the Scribes are so there is no one thing that the Scribes are striving scuffling and scolding at each other more about than about their Scriptures That light or word within and not the letter is the Foundation First I shall take account of what thou falsely assertest concerning the Scriptures being a Foundation Thou affirmest the Scriptures to be the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles spoken of Eph. 2.20 pag 33. saying of them that men may quietly repose their souls upon them in beleeving and obedience and of your selves thus are we built 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. on the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets and calling them Page 48. The Foundation of that world which he hath set up in this world as a Wheel within a Wheel his Church And page 154. The Foundation of faith hope and obedience And page 155. The Foundation of all that faith and obedience which he requires at our hands And page 316. The great and blessed Foundation of Truth All this I own to be very true of the Word of God of which the Scripture speaks but it is utterly false as uttered by thee of the Scriptures The falsehood of which appears plainly by this Argument 1. Argument That which is the great and blessed Foundation of all that truth faith hope and obedience that God requires at mens hands and of the Church and of the Apostles and Prophets must be something which was in being before any of these things were for the Foundation on which these are built must have a being before they can be built thereupon every Foundation being before the building can stand upon it But though the Word of God be so yet the Scripture is not before but long after that truth faith hope and obedience which God requires at mens hands and long after the Church and long after the Apostles and Prophets were yea after those Apostles and Prophets were Respectively who were the Respective pen-men thereof Therefore the Scripture the Writing the Letter the Greek and Hebrew Text is not the Foundation of any of these things The first Proposition is so true that it were no less then disparagement to I. O's wisdom to suppose him to be mentis inops to go about to prove it to him sith as he builds Castles in the air as easily thrown down as erected upon no better Foundation then his own fancy thoughts conjectures and imaginations yet he cannot be so senceless as to think that that Foundation be it what it will firm or brittle on which any thing is built must be before the building can stand thereon And as for the minor in every part thereof it 's as undeniably true to any save such as having once turn'd their backs upon the Truth are resolved to render themselves devoid of eithet Sense or Reason in their Reasonings against it then to own it For none else can deny but the Church and the Truth Faith Hope and Obedience of it and the Messengers Apostles Prophets Preachers of Righteousnesse such as were Enoch Noah Abraham Lot and others were in the Truth Faith Hope Obedience of the Gospel and also built upon Christ the Light the Word of God the Rock of Ages before Moses dayes who is unversally supposed at our Vniversities to have been the first Pen-man of the Scriptures The grand Master-place of Scripture that is us'd in proof hereof that the Scriptures are the Foundation is Ephes. 2.20 where it 's said by Paul to the Ephesians Ye are built on the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-Stone Hence it is strenuously stickled for and as confidently as cloudily concluded by our doting Doctors and dreaming Divines that the Church of God as to all her Faith Hope Obedience Knowledge of the Truth is built upon the Apostles and Prophets Writings as that which is there called the Foundaeion whereas were they but at leisure from that lesser and lower literature wherein they are lost from the Lord and the Light and Life of God and the Letter also which issued forth from thence to look into the Light and by it into the Letter it self they more blindly labour for then truly learn by they would soon see that the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets there spoken of is not the Apostles and Prophets themselves much less uncertain transcribed Copies of those few Fragments of their Letters and some other honest mens true stories of what was done in their times good instructions memorandums and litteral recommendations of wholsome Laws and Statutes most of which as laid down in the Letter saving that they remain in the truth and substance whereof they were the types figures and shadows are above 1600-years since cancelled and abolished Promises Prophesies Psalms Proverbs Parables occasional Letters Epistles and other Writings which such as fell into a foolish following and falling down before outward Images and from the infallible Spirit it self that their Scriptures were written to keepe men to found and fardelled together and fram'd in their own fancies into a Foundation of the Faith and of all the whole Fabrick of Religion to be for ever framed and founded upon But Christ Iesus himself who is there also called the chief Corner-stone and 1 Pet. 2.4 that living Stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious on whom the Saints even all together with the Apostles and Prophets and the whole Houshold of God as Fellow-Citizens and lively Stones are built up a spiritual House to offer spiritual sacrifices yea all into one holy Temple or Habitation of God through the spirit This is the true and sole Foundation of all the matters before mentioned Christ Iesus the Rock of Ages on whom whoever believes shall not be ashamed Christ the living Word of God that also quickneth whose words are spirit and life to the hearers of his voice whose words uttered in the heart do good to those that walk uprightly this is the Stone that you Babel-builders refuse which God hath made the very head stone in the Corner Psal. 118.22 Matt 21.42 This verbum lumen internum Christ the eternal internal Word in the heart and Light of the World given a Light to the Nations and as such Gods salvation to the ends of the earth and the precious sanctuary to such as believe in his light is that stone of stumbling and Rock of offence to such as thee I.O. that stumble at the Word in their wrestlings for the Letter being disobedient unto both whereunto also they are appointed and a Gin and a Snare to the
Truth Law Doctrine or Commandement which is a Light and Lamp is within as Rom. 10.8 witnesses it for me so my two Antagonists I.O. and T.D. do both from the Testimony of that very Text testifie the same with it and me against themselves the one viz. T D. sying p. 30 31. of his 1. Pamph. 't is evident that the word spoken of in the heart Rom. 10.8 is meant of the matters contained in the Scriptures for the Apostle sayes expresly that is the Word of faith which wee preach whereby it seems by your selves the Letter is neither the Word there said to be nigh in the heart and mouth nor yet the Word of faith the Apostles preached but some other thing that was actually properly truly and formally within the heart even the holy Word Law Light Truth Spirit of Truth and Doctrine which wee together with the Scripture do testifie unto and you contrary both to us and the Scripture are continually testifying against and the other viz. I.O. saying Ex. 1. s 40. The Word in us is that Word of faith the Apostles preached but they preached nothing but what was written by Moses and the Prophets Rom. 16.26 yea that that Word was a Word written the Apostle professedly testifies in that place vers 10. 2. The Scripture is nigh us in our hearts and mouth not in respect of the Letter written or the Scripture formally considered as written but of the divine Truth or as it contains and holds forth the divine truth it self Reply V. 11. Thou meanest sure for there the Word Scriptures is named but what of that and who doubts or denies but that the Word in the heart was written as well as preached and testified to by writing as well as by word of mouth but wilt thou ever be so blinde I.O. as to make no difference but when it serves thy turn to do it as thou thinkest against the truth for then thou makest a difference See p. 12. 13. between the Word written Doctrine declared and Declaration Book and Truth Scripturam rem scriptam preaching and thing preached publication and will of God published proclamation of good things and the tidings or good things proclaimed and told of Suppose a man should stand at a Market-cross or in Cheapside and preach publish or proclaim by Word of mouth or set up a Bill or Writing that there is special good Wheat Bread Flesh or the like laid up under the custody of the Lieutenant of the Tower enough for all the poor starvelings of the rich City of London where the more shame and wo to the rich Gluttons in it they ly perishing about the streets by him freely to be dispenced who is sealed or authorised to that end to give to all comers according to their wants or in a time of distress or danger that there is safety in the Tower for all that are willing to run in thither within so many dayes or else the gates shall be shut for thus the Publishers of the glad Tidings of the Gospel of peace and salvation by Christ the Light alone and his Spirit and Light which reproves sin is the heart do declare both by Voyce and Letter or Writing in their times as he himself Isa. 45.22 Look to me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth viz. That in him who is the Light is the life of men to be had and not in the Letter which rather killeth Hee is the strong Tower where safety alone is Him hath God sealed to be the giver of the bread of life and the meat that endureth to eternal life to all that come to him in that time wherein he shines in his Light Now if people should run only to the Cryer and hang alwayes on the hearing of his voice or stand reading the good news in the writing he hath set up doting on and delighting only to read that day by day because its comfortable as it tells of good things and never at all according to the counsel thereof betake themselves to the Tower where they only are might they not stand there poring till they perish pine and starve and would they not lose time and perhaps totally withstand it and would yee judge them to bee well in their wits if they should run up and flock all together to the Proclamation or bare Writing supposing to injoy the things themselves though they never look after the said Lieutenant spinning out the time limited in looking upon the writing and so far dote as our Dr doth that the coming to the Scriptures is the only proper way of coming to Christ himself which he counsels us to Rev. 3. as to think that their comming to that Paper every day is their next way to the Tower their very only proper going to the Lieutenant that is required Mutatiâ— mutandis de te fabula the case is your own O ye untaught better fed then taught Teachers it is yours O ye more letter-lauding then letter-learning Preachers and Priest-admiring people Christ is come from God that men might have life and have it abundantly calls all to look and come to him for it yee like the old Scribes search the Scriptures and therein look for the eternal life because they are they that testifie of it and of him who is the life but yee will not come to him that yee may have the life Ioh. 5.35 c. 2. What need I say more but with T.D. and I.O. to heed and beleeve themselves because they are so dull of hearing that they will neither heed nor beleeve the Qua. for they give the cause in Question between the Qua and them about the Scripture or the Letters being the World of faith or light shining in the dark place of mens hearts which Peter sayes men are to take heed to which said dark place that is the heart and consâ—ience where by their own confession so gross a thing as a formal outward Letter cannot come but only some more subtil thing then that is even a spiritual light as that is not is as evident in the Text as the Word and Light it speaks of is to him that is not blinde for the dark place wherein the Word and Light here is said to thine is the same wherein as the Light is taken heed to the day dawns and the day star i.e. Christ him self arises first as that bright and morning star Rev. 2.28 whereby the day spring from on high visits such as sate in darkness Luke 1.78 79. and at last as the Sun of righteousness it self Mal. 4.2 but that is said expresly to be the heâ—rt so far as from Ioh. 1.5 we argue Where the spiritual darkness is which comprehends not the Light within which darkness the light shines There the true light shineth but that is within in the conscience of all men therefore there the true light in some measure is shining As if the dark place within which the Sun shines be a room within
given out of his own mouth written with his own finger therein not consenting to any but condemning all evil and calling to repentance all other good reaching men even thiâ— good lesson Quod sibine vis fieri alteri ne feceris è contra Whatsoever ye would that others should do unto you the same do you unto them and this is that Law and the Prophets that Moses and the Prophets which Christ ever sends to Matth. 5.12 And they that heed beleeve in and walk according to this whereby they are a Law to themselves though heathen shall come to the life of God it leads to sooner then the Letterlanding Jew or Christian that boasts of the Letter yet through breaking it in the Morals of it dishonours God Yea such are the true beleevers unto life as beleeve in that inward-light and they unbeleevers who beleeve the history of the Letter despise this and thus it oft falls out that even Ethnici non credendo credunt when Christiani credendo non credunt and he that will not hear this Moses and the Prophets that i so nigh him that is within him will never be profited or perswaded by any mans Writings nor any preachings that are further off him and without him though one do arise to him from the dead And this even this very thing viz. your vilifying undervaluing hating resisting smoothering turning from not coming to that light of Christ in your consciences but closing your eies against it stopping your ears at the voice of Christ who from heaven speaks to you by it hardening your hearts striving like the old stiff-necked and in heart and ears uncircumcised Jew against the strivings of the Spirit of God in you by it which by it convinceth the whole world both of sin and of righteousness and of judgement your receiving the grace of God in vain even the light that will not let you run to ruine without check reproof and controle which is that mercy that shews his long-suffering to men-ward and that he is not willing any should perish but that all should come to repentance and be saved in the acknowledgement of the truth and your turning it into wantonness also your despising the riches of this grace of God the Light in your taunting terms of I know not what imagined Christ or figment of the Qua. I know not what Word or Light within an infallible Doctor I know not what God or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cornu-copia horn of plentiful salvation better then any God Every thing Nothing and the riches also of his long suffering and forbearnce towards you in your deep defiance and derisory Deifiance of his light and grace not knowing that this goodness of God who gives you and others this is that grand ground that true Moses and the Prophets and not thy differently transcribed Copies of their outward writings which are long since worn out and worm eaten and could not by thy own confession continue to this day uncorrupted and from mouldring without a miracle that should least you to repentance and is the most effectual means of bringing men thereunto and the firmest foundation and practice for all faith but such as yours which is false and fallible to fasten it self upon I say this very thing and sin of yours in setting so light by the Light of God is the great if not the sole reason why faith and repentance that are so much preached are so little practised so abundantly called for in a form and found of words yet little or nothing but infidelity impenitency and iniquity diminished into the name of infirmity to be found abounding as well among the most professing as among the most prophane Preachers and their respective peoples who all continue in the same sins that both the Scriptures and themselves too cry out against ad Ravim usque sudorem to very heat and hoarsness Sacerdotibus pluteum caedentibus sedentibus in plureis fudantibus laboring and laying on till ye Preachers sweat in your Pulpits and people in their Pews against pride and fantasticalness in apparel against foolish talking and jesting and idle words in your speeches against unsavoury laughter and merry tales and such like frothiness in your communications against vain thoughts lust luxury rioting drunkenness chambering wantonness voluptuosness covetousness greediness of gain couzening chearing defrauding overreaething in bargaining buying and selling against all unrighteous dealing headiness high-mindedness fierceness frowaâ—dness anger passion impatience discontent backbiting whispering slandering hatred malice contention suing at law strife envying quarrelling rayling reviling self-avenging against preaching for hire divining for money against biting and crying peace and preparing war against such as put not into your mouths against spoiling of mens goods persecuting and imprisoning their persons for their conscience sakes cum multis aliis quae nunc c. and yet more or less from the least to the greatest Prophets Priests Princes Preachers Prayers Professors People of all forms living stil for all this because unturn'd to that light which would shew every one of you his shameful sinful self without much condemnation for or repentance from these evills some in one of them some in another all in some one or other and every one in his own that likes him best and beleeving it will be spared and be excused thâ—ugh it live in him or he in it even till hee dyes so that the best of the Parish are yet but as the Beasts that perish being all lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having all this while a form of godliness but denying the power thereof for which therefore having as eye witnesses born and in this Nation well nigh finisht their Testimony against you that ye may remember ye were warned in time and be excuseless and speechless when God himself comes as a swise witness against you for your adulteries against him and comes nigh unto you even in your own consciences unto judgement Christ own Disciples Gods own hidden ones who suffer from you for it are now utter'y and eternally turning from you And as there is no thriving in any thing but an empty outside profession of Truth without the possession of it and no profiting appears in ought but the prophanenes aforesaid among the vain Truth-hating Teachers and vain Talkers of these times i.e. the Doctors and their Disciples whose Religion runs all up into straw and brings forth no fruit to perfection because they are all out of that light which is in them preaching and hearing one another preach the good words they have stollen out of Moses the Prophets and Apostles Writings but not heeding the Law and the Prophets and the light of the Gospel within them God himself also according to what hee said of old blasting their Ministry so that they cannot profit people at all and cursing all their blessings though they seldome send their hearers away without their Blessed are all they that hear the Word of God and keep it So
out of each or if it were and be the Saving Light whether men walk by it or not 't would be a Light to every as well as any man in each Nation and so saving Light though not used would contrary to I. Os. tale be vouchsafed by Christ to every man in every Nation but the Light is not only in every Nation but in every heart in each Nation and because it is so though few are saved by it because few heed it yet every man may be saved by it as well as any man Arg. 13. To conclude this then I confess that 't is either the Letter that these Scribes talk for or that Light we talk for and they against which is that one only universal unchangeable infallible standing Law Light Witness Word Guide Rule Touchstone and saving way to Life in respect of which Christ is said to be the Leader Commander and Witness from God to All people the Light of the whole world and consestuently of All men in it But 't is not the Letter therefore 't is the Light we speak of in fuller proof of this last and disproof of the former Consider the Rule Law Light c. and means of Life and Salvation what ever it is must be adequate in its expansion and extent to the men that ought to be ruled guided led to life by it on pain of further perishing and cursing if they be not But the Light of Christ in each Conscience is so teaching there whatever God requires of each person as to his own peace and what God in the doing thereof will accept him in and the Letter not so therefore the said Light and not the Letter is that by which Christ is Gods Witness to the world and All peoples Leader if they will follow him unto life The Plaster should be adequate to the sore and not short of it as the Light is not but the Letter is in its extent in respect to all ends of the earth else there 's as much folly in this extreme as I said above there would be in the other it being as little wisdome to be too short as to over-reach for a man to make a Plaster no broader then a penny for a wound as broad as a Crown piece as 't is to cut a Plaster of the compass of a bushel for a sore no broader then a six pence That Rule Law Light and Word by which All are to live and be judged and tryed and for nor living by which to be condemned must universally be extended to All and every man those who have a Copy thereof without and those who have no such Copy but are without it for Lex papulus cujustex est Verbum hiâ— qumâ—um officium est illud â—â—dire 〈◊〉 obedire Lux c illuminandi mensura Mersierandum Regula prebandum debent esse adaequata The Law and they to whom it s given as that by which they must live or die for breaking it the Wâ—rd and thâ—se that are bound is hear and obey it the Light and such â—â— are to see by it the Rule and such men as well as manners as are to be measured and 〈◊〉 by it on peril of damnation if not agreeing with it must be so adequate that the Rule Law Light Word must by the Providence of God be made to reach and extend to the uâ—most corner in all ages wherein the men to whom it s given are abiding that they may see it whether that be the Letter without or the Light within so that if that in the Conscience we assert so to be be that saving Light Law Means Rule c. then it must be by the Law-giver ordered to come within the cognizance of every man in the world who is to live or dye and as he keeps or breaks it to stand or fall by it for even if the Scripture be it then that must be ordered to come as universally to All and every man otherwise As that King or Parliament might be said to mock the Nation and make it miserable that should make a certain Law which whoever keeps shall live and who keeps not shall be hanged and yet keeps that Law within the little corner of that City of Westminster and and never suffers or orders the Copy of it to come to the sight of others neither in our known Mother-Tongue nor yet so much as in an unknown Tongue in one of which at least our English Laws as much as they are lapt up not a little from the cognizance of poor people among the Learned Lawyers only as J. O. laps his lying Labours learned Leaguâ—es and loud Challenges against the Quakers from the Laiâ—ks as he thinks within the cloud of his Latine Language or as that man who should in a dark night hang out one single candle in a Lanthorn only for all London to see by or he that should preach at Pauls-Cross and command all ends of England at their peril to hear his voice from thence might truly be call'd a Mocker So to use I. Os. own words again Ex. 2. S. 27. Si Scripturam vel ab omnibus percipiÌ„ nolit tamen omnes qui doctrinam eâ—us non observant vel ideo condemnas Quid ni millies mille miseres homunciones Deus per tale Verbum Medium Regulam Legem Lucem ludos facere absit blasphemia oestimandus sit If God give out a Law Light Rule Word of Life to all which he will condemn men fâ—r not obeying and yet would not have it by All so much as to be seen why may not God be thought which were blasphemy to think to mock millions of men and make them miserable without their personal default by such a Word Means Rule Light or Law c. which instead of going forth of Sion and Ierusalem to the whole earth is confin'd within the little Hill of Sion itself But now the Light within the Letter calls all to is in All men the Letter without not so universal but extending to very few therefore the Light within not the bare Letter without is that saving Means Word Rule Law c. besides if the Letter were the Law Light Word and Rule which yet was never seen by most in most Nations then that respect to Persons and Nations which was once more to the Iews then any people upon earth as to the giving out of a meer outward Letter of his Law to beep which respect was ended in Christ who brake down that Partition Wall between Iew and Gentile Eph. 20 is hereby set up again which woe be to him that builds when God hath destroyed buâ— up again that must not come for though he once gave his Laws and Statutes to Israel in an outward Letter and Copy which thing he did not do to any people else nor other Nation if I. O. will believe the Scripture nor doth to any Nation at all to this day at their sole rule and guide yet of a truth I
bids search and Paul 2 Tim. 3.15.16.17 sayes are useful and profitable the Qua. say no say they but look to the light within you Rep. I say though the Qua. say look to the light within as Christ and Paul did yet they no more deny the usefulness of the Scripture then either of those Scriptures ye quote proves that absolute necessity of the Scripture as to Salvation which ye seem to plead though Christ and Paul never did so nor do we any more dehort from searching the Scripture then Christ Iohn 5.39 exhorteth to search them which is not at all in that Text for howbeit Ereunate search may be rendred either Indicatively or Imperatively as to its own signification as I elsewhere shew its most evident that he speaks there by way of complaint of the Scribes for looking for life in the Scriptures without coming to him who is the Light ver 40. and not by way of command to search them ye search not search ye Their sixteenth is from Isa. 8.20 Psa. 119.105 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word there is no light in them Thy Word is a light to my feet a lamp to my path whence they sillily argue or rather blindly assert the Qua. Opinion and Speech concerning a sufficient light in All men to be contrary to the Law and Testimony and Gods Word Ordinances Ministry and many other things and therefore erroneous and without light in it Rep. The Antecedent here is most false for the Law Testimony and Word there spoken of which is a Lamp and Light to the feet and path and according which who speaks not it is because the morning is not yet to him for the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 through the mistranslation of which phrase thus there 's no light in him many not knowing the Hebrew and many that know it not heeding it make no small ado against the Lights being in All men as Vavasor Powell did once at Eltham is no other then that Light within even that word which David had and hid within him that he might not sin against God by which young men taking heed thereunto may come to cleanse their way Psa. 119.9 that Word of Faith that is nigh in the heart which the Apostles preached or witnessed to Rom. 10. that Law and Commandment which is said to be a Lamp and Light Prov. 6. that inward testimony of Iesus or Spirit of Prophesie which we with all the Prophees of old by words and Scriptures bear our outward testimony unto call'd by Peter 2 Pet. 1.19 the more sure word of Prophesie to which men do well to give heed as unto a light shining in the dark place of their heart till the day dawn and the day star arise therein This I say and not the external Text as ye all triflingly talk is that Law and Testimony and Word there spoken of even the Law and Testimony that comes and is written and is given and received immediately from and out of God and Christ's own Light Voice and mouth in the hearts minds and consciences of all people which his own people only give ear and hearken to even the Rod the Spirit the Word and Sword of his mouth which Priests and all people are summoned to seek to to stand in as Gods own Counsel and to take counsel at and be cover'd with and take heed to their way by that they may not sin against the Lord and which all the wicked that sin against must once be slain by Psa. 37.31 Isa. 51.7.30.1 Ier. 31.33.32.40 Ezek. 11.19.36.26 Zach. 2.6.7.8.9 Ier. 23.15.16.17.18.22.26.27 c. Hos. 4.6.12 2 Thes. 2.8.19 Rev. 15.28 which the Priests above all others usually depart from and forget and are partial in and cause people in stumble at and forget who therefore neither profit people nor thrive in any thing but ignorance and deceit themselves because they stand not in it from whom though their Schools are call'd Nurseries of learning Well-heads of true Religion and Divinity there goes forth no true Divination but sottishness and profaneness into all lands This is that Law and living Word and true testimony even the Light and Word of God in the heart a testimony that 's said to be bound up from the outward Israel which may have the outward Bible bound among them a Law that 's said to be sealed up among Christs Disciples from the sight of the be-nighted Seers which such as seek to seek to the Lord himself and such as forsake go from the Fountain of the living water to broken Cisteers and such as leave for an outward letter leave the living for the dead and seek for the living Lord among the dead These are the Wells of Salvation out of which Souls should draw the living Water which the Philistines in envy to the Seed of Abraham will strive alway to slop till the Lord make room for them to flow out to the full These are that Word Law and Testimony and not the most Original Copies of the Letter as I.O. and ye all with him do emptily imagine page 216. which who so deprives of the Hebrew Punctation by proving the novelty thereof do with Abimelechs servants no less then utterly stop the Wells or Fountains from whence ye should draw all your Souls refreshment These as I have shewed so abundantly above at the end of my third Exercitation in answer to I.O. that I shall need say no more here in proof thereof are the matters meant by the said Law and Testimony Isa. 8.20 which are not contrary to the writing without neither and the true outward Ministry and Ordinances but consonant thereunto which inward Law Word and Testimony your selves being contrary to and opposing are therein contrary to Gods Word and the outward Scripture of it also therefore not the Qua. who own all these but your own Opinion is erroneous and your speech is without light The seventeenth from Eph. 4.11 runs thus The Opinion and practise of the Qua. makes every man a Teacher and Teachers set by God for the work of the Ministry needless as if thâ—y were no gift but a burden to the Church cryes them down therefore it s contrary to Gods and Christs way and so Antichristian Rep. The Antecedent here is a false tale and a meer slander of the Qua. for neither do they so much as doctrinally make every man a Teacher for they deny both your selves and all that side with you to be men fit to be Teachers of others unless ye were better taught your selves or had learn't the truth of God much better then as yet ye have done and howbeit they know your Ministry who are set by men to minister for money to be not only needless but also useless fruitless unprofitable burdensome chargeable and more destructive then saving both to peoples Souls and to the Nations yet we own All Teachers set by God for the work of the Ministry which are such only