Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	holy_a	life_n	time_n	2,197	5	3.3218	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96214	Questions propounded by the natural man by way of reasoning. And answered by the spiritual man: but the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them: it is written for the use of them that halteth, that they may be gathered: in which reason Babylon is fanned, and her land emptied, for so it is written. Whereunto is added a few lines for the rulers of the land, in love to their souls.	West, Robert, fl. 1683, attributed name.; R. W.	1657 (1657)	Wing W1384; Thomason E910_9; ESTC R207516	11,824	16

true God and keep his Ordinances we do not baptize our children nor receive the Sacrament with the world but have separated our selves from them A. So thou mayest and have not the Spirit Jude 19. Q. How may I know the Spirit of God from the Spirit of Antichrist A. Hereby know we the Spirit of God Every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God and he that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself 1 Joh. 4.3 5 10. Q. Why I do believe that Jesus Christ was come in the flesh and is not my spirit then of God A. It is one manifestatien to be believed that Jesus Christ was come in the flesh but it s another thing to believe that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh and this is the mystery for there are differences of administrations but the same Lord 1 Cor. 12.5 Q. Can Christ Jesus come into men A. Yes Q. How can this thing be A. Christ saith to his Disciples He dwelleth with you and shall be in you at that day ye shall know that I am in my Father and you in me and I in you and except Jesus Christ be in you you are reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 Q. I do believe the Scriptures but this is not the meaning of them A. That is thy error to think so for they that spoke then meant as they spoke for when they meant to speak a parable they spoke a parable and when they meant to speak plainly they spoke plainly Joh. 19.29 The sp mans quest Q. From whence art thou A. From the earth Q. But of what plac A. Of England Q. You have many Teachers there A. Yea almost in every Village besides many others Q. What do they teach you A. The Gospel Q. What is that A. The Scriptures Q. How will that appear to be the Gospel A. It is written so The beginning of the Gospel of Iesus Christ the Son of od Mark 1.1 and they are able to make thee wise unto salvation and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproofs for Correction for Instruction and in them we think to have eternal life Sp. Man That is thy ignorance to think so the holy Scriptures are true but thou hast belyed them Q. How so it is Scripture that I have said A. But thou errest not knowing them nor the power of God Nat. Mans quest Q. What is the Power of God A. The Gospel Q. Is not that the Scriptures A. Nay the words are Scripture but the Gospel is another thing Q. How provest thou that A. By the Scriptures for thus it is written The Kingdom of God is within you and the Kingdom of God is not in word but in power Luke 17.21 1 Cor. 4.20 Rom. 1.16 and the Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth Q. Is the Scripture one thing and the Gospel another A. Yea and bears witness one to the other that they are so Q. What is the Gospel then and where is it to be received A. The Gospel is Peace by Jesus Christ and in Spirit to be received for Christ preached to the Spirits in Prison Acts 10 36. 1 Pet. 3.19 Q. How is his preaching and Preachers to be known from the worlds preaching and Preachers seeing both preach Scriptures A. Thus they are to be known the one from the other the on turns the mind from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God Acts 26.18 Eph. 4.6 1 Cor. 12.7 who is through all and that which may be known of him is manifest in them for to every man is the manifestation of the Spirit given to profit withall the other turns the minde from light to darkness from God into the air where the Prince of darkness rules in the children of disobedience whose mindes are carryed about with every winde of Doctrine Ephesians 4.14 Q. Why must we not try them by the Scriptures is not that the rule for tryal as it is written To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is ne light in them And Abraham saith Isa 8.10 Luke 16.31 If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one arose from the dead A. The holy Scriptures are true and must be held in righteousness or else they that holds them cannot try Doctrines by them but the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all them that holds the truth in unrighteousness Rom. 1.18 and the unrighteousness in which they are to be holden is manifested without the Law and witnessed by the Law and the Prophets even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe Romans 3. verse 22. Q. Where is that righteousness to be known A. Not in the depth nor in the Sea but the Righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise Say not in thy heart Job 28.14 Rom. 10.6 Who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring Christ down from above Or who shall descend into the depth that is to bring up Christ again from the dead but what saith it The word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the Word of Faith we preach Q. Why is Christ in us did he not ascend into Heaven A. Yea Eph. 4 10. 2 Cor. 13.5 far above all Heavens that he might fill all things and if he be not in you you are reprobates Q. Our Teachers alwayes perswaded us to believe in Christ without A. That is not the whole Truth according to the Scriptures for he is within Joh. 1. 4. in the Light and is the Light of men Spiritual Man Prova ● ●3 Joh. 16.8 Q. But haddest thou not at that time reprovings for sin A. Yea sometimes A. That was the Lord that did reprove thee Q. I do believe it was the Spirit A. The Lord is that Spirit Q. How 2 Co● 3.17 is that the Lord of Life and Glory A. Yea and we with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord 2 Cor. 3.18 are changed into the same Image from glory to glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord. Q. But shall not Christ come without us A. Yea Acts 3.21 when he hath restored all things spoken of by the Prophets Q. Dost thou not make two Christs then A. No 1 Cor. 12.5 there are differences of administrations but the same Lord. Natural man Well I will consider of it when I have a convenient season but at present I cannot receive it Flee out of the midst of Babylon and deliver every man his soul be not cut off in her iniquities for this is the time of the Lords Vengeance he will render unto her a Recompence Jer. 51.6 Rev. 18.4 Hear O Heavens and give ear O earth for the Lord hath spoken I have nourished

QUESTIONS Propounded by the Natural Man BY WAY OF REASONING And answered by the Spiritual Man But the Natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them It is written for the use of them that halteth that they may be gathered In which reason Babylon is fanned and her Land emptied for so it is written Whereunto is added a few lines for the Rulers of the Land in love to their souls Jer. 51.1 2. Thus saith the Lord Behold I will raise up against Babylon and against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against me a destroying VVinde and will send unto Babylon Fanners that shall fan her and shall empty her Lands for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about Natural Man Quest WAS not Adam the first man that was created of the earth and had not he Dominion over all things that was created of the earth and was not he the son of God and did not he beget sons and is there any son born which was not by him or his sons begotten Answ He was the first man that was created and had dominion ove all things that was created of the earth Gen. 1.30 Luk. 4.38 and was the son of God and did beget sons but the first born of every creature was not by him nor his sons begotten for he was not born of the will of man but of God and was before all things that are made for by him was all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth Joh. 1.13 Col. 1 16. Q. How can this thing be can there be a Son before there be a Father and was not Adam the Father of all the sons of men and was not he the Son of God as it is written had God any other son before him if so who was his Mother for the sons of Adam had Eve to their Mother Gen. 3.20 A. As Adam was formed of the dust and Eve of him and as from them came sons of the same nature Psal 22.30 1 Cor. 15.47 their descent not counted from them Heb. 7.6 even so the second man and his generation is from Heaven Heavenly and their Mother is New Jerusalem which is above and ber children are partakers of the Divine Nature Gal. 4.26 2 Pet. 1.4 Quest How of Divine Nature What Nature is that I cannot tell what thou saist but the nature whereof we are and from whence it springs I knoweth for it 's of the earth but what is the Divine Nature and from whence is it and what is its root Ans God is the Root and from him it springs and we are his off-spring Acts 17.28 as thou art the off-spring of Adam the first man Isa 11.10 Rev. 22.16 Job 21.8 Q. How art thou the off-spring of God and a partaker of the Divine Nature Why then thou art God A. Nay not so for that which depends upon another is not God but changed and joyned to the Lord the one Spirit 1 Cor. 6 17. Q. But how camest thou to be partaker of the Divine Nature Ioh. 6.57 thou was one in nature with us A. Ye we were and by it children of wrath even as others Eph. 2.3 Q. But how camest thou to be partaker of the Divine Nature can any be partaker of it in this world A. Yea if they believe in the Light and obey it for in it is it reserved Q. This is that we cannot believe in Ioh. 14.17 because we see it not A. I came to be partaker of the Divine Nature which thou canst not whilest thou art in the unbelief by the free grace of God through Jesus Christ Q. Why I hope to be saved by Jesus Christ after death although we are sinners whilest we are here in this world for he dyed for our sins and was raised again for our Justification and we believing this shall have his righteousness imputed unto us for we believe on him who justifieth the ungodly Rom. 4.5 A. The flesh justifieth not nor saveth but the life and that he justifieth the ungodly Joh. 6 63. Rom. 5.10 Prov. 17.15 is true but that he justifieth them in ungodliness is false for that is an abomination to the Lord. Q. We have been caught so and we know no other way for to be justified but what saist thou is the way by which God justifieth the ungodly A. By the obedience of Christ Jesus the Just who suffered for us Phil. 2.8 1 Pet. 3.18 Heb. 10.20 1 Pet. 3.18 Heb. 2.14 1 Ioh. 3. ●8 and consecrated a new and living way through the vail that is to say his flesh in which he suffered death and being put to death in the flesh but quickned by the spirit that he might destroy him that had the power ●o death that is the Devil and for this purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage Heb. 2.15 Q. But did not he destroy all the works of the devil when he suffered without the Gates of Jerusalem A. Nay Q. What did he do them A. Consecrate a new and living way for us that as he suffered in the flesh for us we should arm our selves with the same mind Heb. 10.20 1 Pet. 4.1 1 Cor. 1.18 Gal. 6.14 1 Ioh. 3.8 1 Tim. 5.9 1 Joh. 5.4 Heb. 12.2 Rom. 4.3.5.1 humbling our selves to the cross which is the Power by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world through which the Son of God destroyeth the works of the Devil and so the mystery of Faith comes to be held in a pure conscience which gives us the victory over the world and so Christ is the author and finisher of our Faith which is counted unto us for righteousness and thus we are justified not in sin but in righteousness Q. What in this world A. Yea we are and he was so in this world 1 Joh. 4.17 Heb. 12.23 Joh. 1.1.8 Q. We cannot believe that A. What dost thou believe then Q. This we believe That we are righteous in him although in our selves we are sinners and are under condemnation A. Thy Faith is against the Scriptures Q. How so A. The Scripture saith There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus and if any be in Christ he is a new Creature but thy Faith is Rom. 8.1 2 Cor. 5.17 that thou art righteous in Christ and that thou saist Thou art under condemnation so thy faith is against Scripture and knowledge both Q. Why this is that we have been taught to believe and I judge our Teachers do know what they do teach and in it I have peace oft times A In thee is fulfilled the Scripture which saith VVhen a strong man armed keepeth his Pallace his goods are in peace Q. Why we do worship the

invisible yea or nay Thirdly Whether there be any other rule of life or ground of faith for Christians now if not whether their rule of life and ground of faith was not before the Scriptures was yea or nay Fourthly Whether the Apostles rule of life and ground of faith when they was sent forth to preach was visible or invisible things made ready to their hands or other mens lines yea or nay Fifthly Whether there be any other rule of life or ground of faith for the Ministers of Christ now to walk by but the same they walked by yea or nay Sixthly Whether they made Scriptures their rule of life or ground of ground of faith or commanded others to make the Letters they did write to the Saints their rule of life or ground of faith and that onely yea or nay Seventhly Whether the Church of Romes rule of life and ground of faith be not the Letters of others and whether Romes Church be not Antichristian yea or nay Eightly Whether thy making the Letters of others the rule of life and ground of faith be not another foundation then that the Apostles laid seeing thou sayes that only and whether thou art not one with the Church of Romes rule of life and ground of faith if not shew the difference yea or nay Ninthly Whether making the Letters of others to be the Rule of life and ground of faith and that onely be not transforming as the Ministers of Righteousness and whether Satan and his Ministers doth not so yea or nay Thus in love to that in thee that never changeth which doth reprove thee and except it changeth thee it will condemn thee otherwise thy Friend Robert VVest expects thy answer I having received no answer unto this day being the twelfth day of the second Month 1657. therefore I desire it to be printed for the use of all For the foundations of the earth shall be discovered the gods thereof famished and their Ladder-work uncovered Mic. 1.6 Zeph. 2.11 14. This Letter following was delivered with six of these queries to one Henry Johnsons called Minister of the Borough of the Devises in Wilts by R. W. about twelve Months since but no answer returned returned although desired and expected HEnry Johnsons in love to thy soul and the souls of whom thou must give an account of unto the living God I am moved to write unto thee that thou mayest take warning and not destroy thy self and the souls of them for whom Christ dyed for filthy lucres sake as the false Prophets did of old for there were false Prophets among the people even as there shall be false Teachers amongst you who privately shall bring in damnable Heresie even denying the Lord that bought them and bring upon themselves swift destruction by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of 2 Pet. 2. read that chapter and take warning Consider also what John saith He that transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God 2 Epist ver 9. Now the Doctrine of Christ to the Pharisees thou mayest read Matth. 23. where are eight woes to them and thou walking in their steps must partake of their woes for they were called of men Masters and stood praying in the Synagogues and talked of Scriptures and thought in them to have eternal life Joh. 5.39 Now deal honestly with thy self art not thou one in thought with them as well as in practice with them and Corah who said all the Congregation are holy Numb 16.3 or else why dost thou baptize all that are brought to thee O Henry I see by the Light I have from the Lord Christ that thou art a line without the Law as once Paul was when he persecuted Christ in his Members as thy hearers do me and so thou art in the flesh and he that is in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8.8 Be silent O all flesh before the Lord for he is raised up out of his holy habitation Zach. 2.13 for thy strength is to stand still and to wait for the revelation of Jesus Christ which made Paul a Minister and say not that revelation is ceased now as once thou didst to me For no man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom he will reveal him And his spirit witnesseth to our spirit that we are the sons of God for as many as are lead by the spirit of God they are the sons of God Rom. 8.14 And that is my Rule and this denyes not Scriptures but opens them when to all thy learned they are as a Book sealed so they were to the chief Priests and Pharisees when Christ came in the flesh for with all their Hebrew Greek and Latine they could not know him as thou mayest see Matth. 16.14 15. for they had their saying who he should be and when he asked his Disciples they were silent save he who had a revelation who had a revelation who said he was the son of the living God And there is no other knowing of him now savingly nor never was though false Apostles or Ministers may transform themselves as the Ministers of Righteousness whose end shall be according to their works 2 Cor. 11.15 as thine is for under thy Ministry groweth bryars and thorns and stubble and no marvel for they that God sent not shall not profit the people at all Jer. 23.32 For by their fruits ye shall know them saith Christ Matth. 7.15 16. where he bids us beware of them Blessed be his Name that their marks they cannot blot out Now read and confider these lines I pray thee before the Lord and look into thy conscience for the Lords sake that thou mayest not destroy thy self and the souls of them that hear thee and remember thou hast been warned by a friend to thy soul A few Lines for the Rulers of the Land in love to their souls Be wise O ye Kings be instructed ye Judges of the earth serve the Lord with fear and rejoyce with trembling for God will bring every work into judgement with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil Psal 2.10 Eccles 12.14 Having read in some Papers of your zeal in promoting the Gospel of Christ it is good to be zealously affected alwayes in a good matter But O ye Rulers see you to your matter 2 Sam. 15.3 for there is a way that seems right to a man but the end thereof is death and there may be a zeal but not according to knowledge And there is a name to things Rom. 10.2 Rev. 2.9 Gal. 1.9 but the things are not so as they are named And there may be that called Gospel and preached for it and it not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ Now let them be accursed that preaches it but be you free and be not partakers of other mens sins that both you and the Nations may be freed from the plagues of Babylon for if you support her not she cannot stand

Rev. 18.4 but if you support her you must persecute and that will be grievous for you one day who have been such great Professors and by whom the Lord hath removed persecutors that was before you Now in love to you and the truth for whose sake I am moved to write unto you that all may read and search the Scriptures of truth Dan. 10.21 whether according to it yea or nay this be the Gospel that is preached by them that are called Ministers who have separated themselves having not the spirit Jude 19. Mic. 3.11 Gen. 12.3 Deut. 30.14 Rom. 1.16 Gen. 22.18 Luke 7.21 Col. 1.27 Joh. 1.10 and preacheth for hire I say Whether it be the same Gospel which was preached by God to Abraham Isaac and Jacob and that Moses and the Prophets and Christ and his Apostles did preach for that was one not divided and it was the power of God unto salvation unto every one that did believe and it was in them as it is written In thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed saith God to Abraham Saith Moses The word is very nigh unto thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart Saith Christ The Kingdom of God is within you Saith Paul Christ in you the hope of Glory whom we preach Thus was the Gospel preached by the holy men of old which was in the world and the world knew him not and truly if there had not been a seed in us in which the blessing is which was and is the Gospel we had been as Sodom and made like unto Gomorah for if Jesus Christ be not in you saith Paul ye are reprobates Acts 9.1 Gal. 1.1 Now before Paul knew Christ to be in him he persecuted him but when it pleased God to reveal his Son in him he preached him in the world whom the world knew not but was to them a mystery as he is this day where he is not believed on in them for the Antichristian Ministry hath preacht him up in Heaven of a distance from man 1 Joh. 5 1● so long that by it they have preacht him out of the hearts of the people to be looked for Therefore take heed my dear Friends and now Rulers what Gospel you do promote and what Ministry you do set up for the Spirit of Life which is the Lord is risen in our hearts and he is entered into his Witnesses 2 Pet. 1.19 Rev. 11.11 2 Thes 2.8 which is the Light of Christ and spirit of men and the time is at hand that the dead should be judged and the man of sin revealed and consumed and the glory of all flesh to be stained the Star of Jacob to be exalted who is risen in our hearts and arising in many thousands that the kingdom of this world may become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ whose day is at hand Therefore fall away from the man of sin which is in the Temple your body that the day of Christ you may see for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first the man of sin be revealed which is that in you that opposeth the Light of Christ and his Ministry and exalteth it self which must be consumed before the glory of the Lord be revealed in you Kom 8.18 Jer. 31.34 and his teachings you come to know which is in spirit to be received which makes perfect now as ever did the spirits of just men who believeth the teachings of God in spirit as Abraham did for when God said to Abraham VValk before me and be thou perfect he believed God and did not say It cannot be in this world and whose saith It cannot be in this world denyeth Abrahams Faith Eph. 4.12 Christs Exhortation Prayer and Ministry which was all for the perfecting of the Saints in this world whereof the Apostles were Witnesses with the holy men of old as saith the Scriptures Job 1.1 8. Heb. 12.23 1 Joh. 4.17 and they that denyeth perfection attainable in this world denyeth Christs Exhortation Prayer and Ministry and indeed shuts the Kingdom of Heaven against men Rev. 21.27 for into it can enter no unclean thing Consider of these things I pray you that you support no longer that Ministry which denyes perfection to be attainable in this world and take the means into your hands which is the cause thereof that the Lords people may be freed by you without as they are by him in spirit to serve him in righteousness and holiness without fear all the dayes of their lives which is the desire of yours in the Truth This was delivered unto some of the Members of Parliament and desired to be by R. W. read amongst them The End

and brought up children and they have rebelled against me the Ox knoweth his owner and the Ass his Masters crib but Israel doth not know my People doth not consider THis is thy state O Land thou knowest not the Lord thy Maker neither wilt thou understand but walkest on in darkness all thy foundations are out of course wo is me for thee Wilt thou not be made clean When shall it once be Be instructed O Land least the Lord depart from thee and make thee desolate a land not inhabited for what art thou unto God more then other Nations which was before thee which was made desolate that thou shouldest not bee made desolate Seeing he is no respector of persons a God that changeth not who will by no means clear the guilty as it appeareth by the Scriptures of Truth for the Angels that kept not their first estate are reserved in chains under darkness unto the Judgement of the great day Likewise the old world for their wickedness was drowned Except eight persons Sodom and Gomorrah with the Cities about them for sin suffered the vengeance of eternal fire Israel in the Wilderness for rebelling against the Light oft times was plagued and for forsaking the Commandments of the Lord in the Land of Canaan was carryed away captive by Shalmanezer except the Tribe of Judah onely and that Tribe also for sin was carryed into Babylon and after their return and rebuilding of their City and Temple for sin both City and Temple became heaps and Zion to be plowed as a Field and themselves scattered amongst the Nations unto this day being a prey to the Heathen Now all these things happened to them for insamples and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come Now consider this all you that are enemies to th● Light in you and that buildeth Temples without where God dwels not and prepares a Table for that Troop and that ●urnish the Drink-offering unto that number for the Lord shall slay thee and ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my choen saith the Lord and I will call my servants by another name because when I called ye did not answer when I speak ye did not hear but did evil before mine eyes and did choose that wherein I delighted not therefore it will be more tollerable for Tyre and Zidon and Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Judgemeet then for thee O Land except thou repent who have bad so many examples of Gods severity for in thee rhe Prophets prophesie faisly and the Priests bears rule by their means and the people will have it so and as Troops of Robbers wait for a man so the company of Priests murders in the way by consent for they commit lewdness as appeared unto and by the late Jewries who was employed by the Authority to enquire concerning their lives and Doctrines who upon their Oaths testified That they was ignorant scandalous ungodly many of them whose God is their belly who minde earthly things whose glory is their shame and who yet are thy Teachers in many places deliver thy self from them and break of thy sins by righteousness and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poore which thou hast oppressed and imprisoned that the Lord thou mayest come to know and rest with us or else when the Lord shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire vengeance on thee shall be taken that know not God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his Power 2 Thess 1.8 9. Thus have I cleared my conscience whether thou wilt hear or whether thou wilt not hear I am free from thy blood who am a lover of that Light which reproves thee and if it loveth thee not it will condemn thee Thus thou hast warning by R. VV. These Lines are written that men might learn not to blaspheme the living God whose wayes are upright BLasphemy is a belying the truth and saying that men are Saints when they are not Isa 37.3 Rev. 2.9 13.5 6. Ezek. 35.12 The Principle of it is that in every one which opposeth the Light whether in themselves or in others as will appear by these following lines as it is noted in the Scriptures of truth Matth. 15.19 2 Thes 2.4 Rev. 2.9 First Blasphemy is a belying the truth and this is truth That God decreed no man to destruction but mans destruction is of himelf Luke 22.65 Prov. 6.32 Hos 13.9 Secondly When Adam transgressed and we in him God doth devise means that his banished be not expelled from him that without respect of persons 1 Cor. 15.22 2 Sam. 14.14 Act. 10.34 Deut. 10.17 Rom. 2.11 1 Pet. i. 17. For the Lord hath no pleasure in the death of the wicked nor is he willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance Ezek. 33.11 2 Pet. 3.9 Thirdly That all men might he that gave himself a ransom for all hath tasted death for every man 1 Tim. 2.6 Heb. 2.9 Fourthly He that dyed for all for all was dead hath lighted every man which light is life and came upon all men unto the justification of life 2 Cor. 5.14 Joh. 1.9 Rom. 5.18 Fifthly He that receiveth this gift denyeth himself and findeth life Mark 8.34 Rom. 9.16 Eph. 1.11 Psal 144.10 Hos 13.9 2 Pet. 3.9 Isa 55.7 Eph. 5.13 1 Iohn 3.8 and so it s not of man that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God who worketh all things after the Counsel of his own will and so our salvation is of God but our destruction is of our selves for God is not willing that any should perish but man is not willing to forsake his sins which is the cause of perishing but man would be saved from wrath but not from sin which is the state of wrath Rom. 2.8 9. which the Light doth manifest and would destroy in us if he was not resisted by us Act. 7.51 and 13.46 He that being often reproved hardneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Prov. 29.1 R. W. A Copy of two Letters as followeth which was sent unto two called Ministers with nine Queries JEffrey Sunkens I being informed that thou on the tenth or eleventh day of Decemb. 1656. at Justice Pierces House dids declare as foleth That the Scriptures are a Christians Rule of life and ground of Faith and that only upon the hearing of this thy affirming it I was moved to write unto thee these my following Queries First Whether Abrahams rule of life and ground of faith was Scriptures and that only seeing there was none as I know if so what Scriptures the whole or part yea or nay Secondly Whether Abrahams rule of life and ground of Faith was not one with Abel and Noah and all the holy men of old if so Whether that one ground was not