in writing against a particular Person to prove a Charge against a People having already pointed at it in another place but shall fall to the Charge it self which I will faithfully lay down in his own words and the rather since it is one main part of his Proof against G. F. that he is an Impostor because he renders not the very words of Scripture though words importing the same sense Pag. 3. If you will but allow us competent Witnesses to prove that G. Fox killed a man supposing we have seen him at noon-day thrust him through the Heart with a Sword or if you will grant that we can read English and know that A. B. is not C. O. then upon these Concessions we will undertake to prove that G. Fox is a false Prophet a Lyar or Imposter This Reader is the Charge And dost thou not think it is rarely drawn up Well may I say rarely for I dare say it is the first of the sort that is extant in the World I must confess I am at a stand what he intends with his suppository Introduction to it for I as little understand what the man means by allowing Vs Competent Witness when the Vs are to see the thing done as he can pretend Difficulty in the obscurest Passage in G. Fox's Writings for either he should have said If you will but allow Vs to be competent Witnesses supposing we have seen him at Noon-day c. or if as by him already Phrais'd viz. If you will but allow Us competent Witnesses leaving out to be then say I it should be supposing They and not We have seen him at Noon-day c. for as exprest they are competent Witnesses But if this be so trivial as that our time might have been better spent and our Charity have over lookt it as a slip of the Mans Pen or in the Compositors Setting Methinks he was as lavish of his Time as penurious in his Charity that without any Just Provocation he should trouble the world with an entiâ—e Book containing little else but a Collection of such slender at most omissions enlarg'd with his own malicious Comments Well but it is now time that we should see this wonderful discovery he has made of George Fox and that so plain as killing a man at noon-day which unhandsom Comparison is no mean Instance of his own vexed base and murdering Spirit or as his Mathematical Demonstration that A. B. is not C. O. for which peculiar and easie way of well-expressing of a Charge we remain his Debtors To prove this Charge the only thing we want for of false Accusers and Accusations we have enough he thus goes about it to use his own words If G. Fox in matters of concernment not only to mens Bodies and Estates but also to their Souls and eternal Estates affirm that to be true which to your own Eyes is manifestly false or that to be false which is true Again If G. F. doth belye not an ordinary Person a mortal Man or Prince but God Almightâ— our Lord Jesus Christ and the holy Ghost Moreover If he deal thus through Design and Purposâ—â— then he is what I have said viz. a false Prophet Lyar and Impostor with a Witness This is but Petitio Principii or a meer begging of the question nothing is more proved here then in the Charge it self nay it is but the Repetition of the Charge expressed in other tearms Yet to it so expressed I return in short thus much First I deny that George Fox his affirming things to be true which are false and false which are true to be obvious to our Eyes or Sences for we can see no such thing And since we are so to see them in order to the Conclusion it follows that he is no false Prophet Lyar or Impostor by his own Rule But Secondly I utterly deny that George Fox so affirming or asserting supposing as our Adversary says of him renders him either a false Prophet or Impostor since he only is a false Prophet that either runs to instruct or teach a People and not sent of God but speaks other mens words not his own Visions or who prophesies such things to come as never come to pass but happen quite contrary in neither of which acceptations is George Fox proved a false Prophet therefore none The like may be urged to clear him from Imposture since he only is an Impostor that assumes to himself the Dignity of an extraordinary Ambassador from God and proves a Cheat as Simon Magus among the Samaritans and Romans Mahomet among the Turks and the late Jew in Italy So that if George Fox had singly affirm'd that to be true which were false it prov'd him no False Prophet or Impostor And therefore our Adversary shews himself a raw Disputant and meer Novice in the sound framing of an Argument For what man that understands an Horse from a Cow would thus argue If G. Fox in matters of concernment not only to mens Bodies and Estates then in matters of concernment in part to mens Bodies and Estates affirm that to be true which is false he is a false Prophet and Impostor He might as well have said if George Fox affirms he gave ten pound for an Horse when he gave but five then G. Fox is a false-Prophet and Impostor with a witness But I think it will not hurt us to let him have to himself the whole Reputation of this kind of proving to Peoples sences the Truth of his Charge who had he not been void of all Sence himself and Reason too would never have suffer'd so much weakness and untruth to pass the Press without Correction Nay though he could make it appear which neither his wickedness nor prejudice will ever be able to do that G. Fox has designedly and on purpose belyed the Almighty God the Lord Jesus Christ and the holy Ghost as he chargeth him to have done Yet still I affirm that he could not properly strictly be tearmd a false Prophet or Impostor though all but such would justly conclude him as wicked as our Adversary is malicious for might not a deboist fellow that mocks at God and Godliness when he kills lyes or commits Adultery say in his defence as the Apostle did on â—more serious account in another case that his Spirit was 〈◊〉 to have avoided such things but the Flesh was 〈…〉 not he which did those things but sin in him hereby 〈◊〉 the holy Ghost which in the Apostle intended quite 〈◊〉 thing Yet I hope none in their wits would count such a fellow a false Prophet or Impostor though very impious and prophane And that there are too many who from Nathan's words to David in the case of Vriah's Wife and from the liberty taken by some of the Ancients have interpreted and concluded that their boundless Lusts are by Scripture irreprehensible thereby making at first sight the holy Ghost an accessory to their licentious practices who was the Author of the truth
therein contained which is belying him with a Witness I suppose our Adversaries Observation in the World cannot but give him to understand Yet how we can properly Character such Libidinoso's or inordinate Persons false Prophets or Impostors is left with the ingeneous Reader to consider I hope by this time the Way he takes to prove George Fox what he wickedly sayes him to be is evidently detected of Insufficiency and that upon his own positions George Fox can not be concluded either an Impostor or false Prophet I shall now make it appear that he is as well mistaken in the proof of the Truth of his Charge as in the way he took to state it and that no man in that compass could well have manifested more Weakness Folly Malice and Untruth as well in desending of his own as in opposing our Principles then this our Adversary we have in hand To follow him into every Absurdity would not only be more then he deserves at our hands or any mans that loves time better then to lose it But it would needlesly swell the Discourse beyond both my Intention and the Service it is designed to I shall therefore contract and divide his exceptions to George Fox's quotation of Scriptures into these three sorts 1. Such as may refer to Doctrinal Difference I mean wherein he opposeth us 2. Such as refer to his Socinian Interpretation of the Scriptures wherein Christ's Divinity is asserted where we oppose him 3. Such as are meerly trivial in which there can be no pretence for accusing George Fox of any alteration as to what himself judges generally to be the sence of the places only perhaps a transposing of the words or the using of a word of equal force but not the same no wayes detracting or varying from the mind of the Scriptures But that a man should make fifty Cavils and faithless number doctrinal or to any solid purpose befits no man that loves to be profitably employed but it therefore suits him that is so over-run with the Lazy as I am really perswaded he busies not himself in one serviceable Work in a week together only sits upon his own Saturnal Dreams till he has with difficulty hatcht them into some seeming consistency and then they are to slutter abroad upon his paper wings scarce good enough for waist to the shop which traffiques in such kind of ware till persecution comes with the Scorch of which they are wont to singe and wrap up like a Scrole But enough of this Now for his Doctrinal Exceptions He begins with what we confess to Gods Glory to be our beginning and stumbles at it as much as did the Jews of old I mean Christ Jesus the great Son of Righteousness and Light of the invisible and spiritual World by Which the invisible Souls and Spirits of men come to obtain the saving Knowledge of God and what is required from them in order to their eternal Salvation What can we expect then but Darkness from him that seeketh to disparage the Light But let us hear him The first Scripture which I shall pitch upon as misrecited in his Language that is George Fox's perverted and corrupted shall be that in John 1. 9. he cites it almost as often wrong as right The Scripture runs thus in our translation That was the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World A long Porch where 's the House says he in the Greek it is coming not that cometh and so it may refer to light as well as man But George Fox hath it thus John said Every man that cometh into the World is enlightned and several sayings of the like tendency But now hath he observed that Exactness which he requires in others may there be no Difference between lighteth and enlighteth must every man of necessity he enlightned because the Light lighteth him Wonderful Distinction Certainly this man sets up for a new Class of Criticks I wonder into what Labyrinth he hath travell'd for this notable gloss a body would think he had left his Wits if ever he had any behind in exchange But I answer I look upon it as conceited and presumptious for any man to undertake what he cannot prove and not less base to affirm a man mis-cites perverts and corrupts Scripture when he renders the genuine sense of it And this I briefly prove If I grant to this Pseudo-linguist that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Participle and not a Verb as our English renders it what then must it needs follow that it refers to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Has he made no better use of his Greek Grammar 'T is strange that any man so mean in that Tongue should undertake to thwart the current of all indifferent Translators whom he sticks not to make use of at other times I have taken a view of the most and best Editions both of Greek Syriack Arabick Aethiopick and Latine I could at present find besides several other Languages amongst others a Gothick and Anglo Saxonick Testament which I suppose I understand as much as he doth Greek or thereabouts which I shall also produce for satisfaction The Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He was the true Light which enlighteth every man coming into the World The Syriack Version has it Omnem venientem in mundum All coming into the World Which sayes Drusius is sufficient The Arabick hath it thus That was the true Light which enlightens every man making coming to begin the next verse which I suppose was a Mistake in the Version of it however it gives no force to our Adversary since he is said to enlighten all men before his coming or being come into the World is mention'd by the Evangelist in him was Life and that Life was the Light of men he was the of men In the Aethiopick Version we find it thus And he is the Light of Righteousness which enlightens all men coming into the World Which Luther renders thus Erat lux vera quae illuminat omnen hominem venientem in hunc mundum Luther He was the true Light which enlightens every man that comes into the World Which Erasmus renders thus Erat lux illa lux vera quae illuminat omnem hominem venientem in mundum Erasmus That Light was the true Light which enlightneth every man that comes into the World Which Beza renders thus Hic erat lux illa vera quae illuminat omnem hominem venientem in Mundum Beza This was that true Light which enlightens every man that comes into the World Montanus thus Erat lux vera quae illuminat omnem hominem venientem in hunc mundum Montanus He was the true Light which enlightens every man that comes into this World The Italian Version thus La vera Luce era quellach illumina ogni huomo che viene all mondo Italian The true Light was that which enlightens all men which come into the World The Spanish thus Aquella
Reader dost thou not think this a New Way of proving a Man an Impostor Lyar False Prophet and what not But I dare tell him that he will not grow over-Rich with the Spoils he is like to gain by such Conquests though his Fancy be strong which is the Disease that follows him Fourthly However he is resolved to proceed that what each Cavil wants of Strength in it self shall be supply'd by the lâ—â—d Suffrage of their Number G. F. sayes And the Angel said unto them that went to the Grave without Why seek ye the Living among the Dead He is risen which our Adversary corrects thus Now the Angels words runs thus Why seek ye the Living among the Dead He is not here but is risen So G. F. leaves out He is not here out of the middle of the Citation for that would have overthrown his Opinion of Christ within I still intreat the Reader to observe what Slight Grounds he hath to build his infamous Charge upon But what will not Envy do but he greatly errs if he thinks that the putting in or leaving out of those Words doth overthrow our Hearty Belief of Christ's manifesting of Himself within For what if the Angel chiefly intended the Resurrection of that Visible Body which was slain a few dayes before will it therefore follow that the place may not also be very aptly used to express the Mystical Resurrection of the Divine Life which for many Ages hath as well by Jews as Pilates Circumcision as Vncircumcision Professors as Prophane been crucified laid as in a Grave and a Stone rowl'd over it yea and guarded too by Bands of Souldiers lest that which is so destructive of the Pride Glory Pleasures and Religions of this World should rise again to testifie against them all which has been the Cause why Truth hath ever met with rugged entertainment from the men of the World 〈◊〉 it is evident that the Angel's Reproof imply'd an Instruâ—â—â—n of them concerning what Faith they ought to have had in the Promise of his Resurrection which did direct them to an inward Power whereby they might have had a more Heavenly Sense of a Resurrection and Life in themselves far more beneficial to them then coming thither in an affectionate haste after his Visible Appearance which it was expedient for them that it should be with-drawn Fifthly G. F. He is risen and the Saints sits with Him in Heavenly Places Our Adversary we must take no notice of the Failure in Syntax for that 's frequent Now Paul sayes Ephes 2. 6. And made us sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus Now there may be a different Sense of Sitting with Christ and Sitting in Him For the People of a State may be said to sit in their Ambassadour when he is seated but scarcely with him I answer First he wrongs G. F. in saying he has abused the Scripture by putting with for in since there is no Difference at all in what he would Fantastically have to be one for if the People are in the Ambassadour and the Ambassadour sit then the People sit or I don't understand Words for who can the Ambassadour represent but the People If then the Ambassadour sits certainly the People sit representatively Now though the Similitude be lame yet it plainly refutes him as to the use for which he brought it I conclude therefore that such as sit in the Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus can't be said to stand with Him if He be there seated and consequently they sit with him suitable to that expression of his Ye are they which have continued with me in my Temptations and I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father has appointed unto me that ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom and sit on Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel Secondly He tells us a plain Lye for finding Fault with G. F's Syntax viz. Sits for Sit sayes he that he must take no notice of that which at the same time he flings in his Dish and almost continually 〈◊〉 with such Disdain of him as if he were the only Master of 〈◊〉 â—â—ntences Doctor of the Chair or Grand Critick of the Age who to speak Truth shews himself a Shollar much at the same Rate and by the same Figure that Pedlars are call'd Merchants Sixthly But now he thinks he has enough against G. F. and manages it not with a little Triumph And so to the Word Christ Jesus Him by whom the World was made before it was made This he thinks stabs our Cause to the very Heart and proves that good Man an Impostor Lyar False Prophet Deceitful Chapman and what else you will without controle But let not his frothy Spirit boast so much saying he despairs of Information c. since if so iâ— was foolishly done of him to solicit for an Answer and would not have been much wiser in us to have gratified him if a Benefit to others had not invited us to it But is there no allowance to be had for Curt Expressions Escapes of the Pen Oversight in Compositors and Errors in the Press Doth he deal candidly or as he would be dealt by But suppose the worst that may be for we would not indebt our selves to his Favour can we make no Sense of it Suppose a Comma at the first made and read it thus Christ Jesus Him by whom the World was made before it was made where and being understood explaineth the Sense was maketh it more clear And how frequent are such Words nay of more moment left to be understood Read the Scriptures and how many Words are there that have none in the Original and read but the other Words once without them and G. F's Expression will not seem absurd or paradoxal Besides it is allow'd by all if the Transposing of the Words will make out the Sense intended that it removes of right the Exception Now read the Words thus And so to the Word Christ Jesus before the World was made Him by whom it was made and then let our Adversary quarrel his fill However we have one Way of reading these Words yet and that by Figure he hath taught us viz. Christ Jesus Him by whom the World was made in Decree before it was actually made for so he sayes Christ had of his Fathers Glory before the World began not actually but by Decree only which if it seem Ridiculous I hope he may have a better understanding both of himself and the place But to proceed Seventhly G. F. answering a Priest that denies Conscience can justifie sayes which is contrary to plain Scripture where the Apostle saith their Consciences either accusing or excusing But hear our peevish Adversary who would think that G. F. should have either so little Wit or Conscience as to write in this manner For the Scripture words are these their Consciences also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or excusing one another The
the Matter as we have observed before 3. Erasmus upon the same place tells us That its import so far as concerned the nature of the Light lies here Illa Lux erat Fons Luminis unde ipsi quoque Johanni suum fluxit Lumen That Light was the Fountain of Light from whence John himself received that Light he had If so then a supernatural and saving Light then God and consequently more then a Man because as such John was before Him and could not be enlightened by him 4. Beza though he restraineth that Light to a particular Number which is not the Point in Controversie yet he confesseth it to be a Saving Light at least to as many as God hath destinated it Quasi de regenerationis gratia hic agatur quae Filijs Dei peculiariter est destinata 5. Tollet speaks very notably on this occasion Sunt vero tres illius lucis proprietates antiquitas veritas communitas quae cum Johanni non insint recte concluditur illum lucem illam non esse quae illuminant omnem hominem venientem in Mundum non in Iudaeos solum sed et in omnes gentes Lumen suum diffundit Dicitur autem Lux illa omnem hominem illuminare sicut Sol qui sufficiens lumen expandit omnes illuminat omnibus propositus est ut videant quod si qui non vident defectus Solis non est sic Christus in hoc Mundo omnibus quidem hominibus quantum est in se et ex efficacia Lucis suae lucet That is There be three Properties which are peculiar to the Light Antiquity which sayes he else-where is Eternity Truth by way of Excellency and Community in that all men who are born into the World partake of it or are enlightened by it But that Light like unto the Sun is said to enlighten all men who streams forth Light sufficient that it may give Light to all and he is set before all that all may see Thus doth Christ on his part illuminate all men with his Efficatious Light 6. Maldonatus to the same purpose thus Non-nulli hoc de naturali rationis lumine intellexerunt Sed minime dubium est de spirituali lumine intelligendum de doctrina de fide de gratia de vita illa de qua diâ—â—erat vita erat Lux hominum Cypri lib. 1. Christ us non solum in hunc Mundum veniens sed postquam antequam veniret erat Lux vera quae illuminabat omnem hominem venientem in hunc Mundum Which is to say Some have understood this place as treating of the Light of Nature or Reason but sayes he there is little doubt but it is to be understood of a Spiritual Light of Doctrine of Faith of Grace and of that Life concerning which he viz John had said and that Life was the Light of men as sayes Cyprian lib. 1. And not only as Christ's coming but both before and after he came he was the true Light which enlightens every man coming into the World 7. Vatablus has it in the same sense with Erasmus He was the Fountain of Light it self Unde etiam Johannes quicquid habebat Lucis From whence John received what Light be had Zegerus though not on these very words yet to the context In him was Life c. speaks thus Et Vita erat Lux hominum Lux in tenebris lucet illa inquit vita per quam condita sunt omnia illa vita quae est Verbum imo quae Deus omnis Vitae Fons ipsa semper fuit est Lux omnium hominum quae omnibus impertit naturalis luminis gratiae beneficium haec Lux in tenebris animarum nostrarum lucet quas animas obscurarat Princeps iste tenebrarum Diabolus And that Life was the Light of Men and the Light shines in Darkness c. that Life sayes be by which all things were made that Life which is the Word yea which is God the Fountain of all Life that very Life ever was and is the Light of Men which furnisheth all both with the advantage of natural or worldly Light and the Light of God's Grace And this Light shineth in the Clouds or dark places of our Hearts which the Devil that Prince of Darkness hath vailed Cameron also is not forreign in his Exposition but seems to conceive the same thing Etsi verum est omnem humanae mentis Lucem esse ab illo Sole attamen intelligendum est praecipue de illa Luce quae est ad salutem qua fit ut tenebris peccati mortis liberemur And though it be true that what Light man hath it proceeds from that Sun yet it is chiefly to be understood of that Light which leads to Salvation and by which we may be freed from the Darkness or Grave of Sin and Death Thus much as to the Judgment of these Grandees in the World's account as to their concurrent Exposition of this place by which it may be seen that Men famous for accute Learning have had that sense of the truth of the letter of the Scripture which we have been reputed Hereticks indeed what not for maintaining as an Article of Christian Faith It is to be hoped that People will accept of Truth from them if their Prejudice will not admit them to embrace it from us but since it is not our Praise we seek but the Glory of Him that made us and the Salvation of others we shall not be displeased if they receive the Truth at any hand so they receive it as it in Jesus Here I would fain break off but that I feel my self somewhat prest with a few Passages which refer to the Light towards the Conclusion of the Libel that may not improperly be considered under this Head Certainly it would be thought very strange and that I have spent my time as unprofitably as the Emperor that would be all day a killing of Flies if at last I should make this man speak the Language of the Light nay to be a Defender of it too against whom I have been all this while defending it but who can help it if men will self-contradict and put Weapons into their Opposers Hands to Disarm and Conquer themselves Though in one page he tauntingly sayes He is perswaded that some of us have such an Opinion of the Light our great Fundamental that though an Angel from Heaven should preach any other Doctrine then that which G. F. hath preached they could not give ear to it which Saying one would think abusive enough of the Light yet he makes amends in the next where he thus addresseth himself to us Or rather that so much reproached Light I appeal to the Light in every one of you whether he is not guilty Himself in a much higher degree of such things as he condemns in others Monstrum horrendum What man of tollerable sense would thus write
new Men after his own Image in which sense the Image of Christ is by him renewed and created in right Believers and they made new Creatures by bearing his Image His next Perversion of Scripture is that in John which he saith G. F. often useth and alwayes abuseth as he remembers I doubt his Memory much but let 's hear it And now O Father Glorifie thou me with thine own self with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was Thus the Scripture but G. F. thus Christ who was Glorified with the Father before the World began On which read his Comment You will say perhaps his words and Christ's are the same in sense but doth God give G. F. his Infallible Spirit to correct his Son Christ's words Sottish Ignorance and Enmity with a witness What Is every Variation of a Word or Syllable a Wrong done to the Meaning of Scripture And did ever Christ his Apostles or any sober Man living chide or reprove a Person if through Defect of Memory or for Brevity or in a way of Paraphrase he did leave out or put in or change a Word not in the least perverting the Sense so uncharitable a Person I know not ever to have heard of fitter to be severely reproved then answer'd and to whom Silence had been the best Confutation had it not been more for the sake of others then his To dare to conclude a Man a Lyar Imposter False-Prophet and I know not what more because he expresses the same matter with a small Variation in the Words But I shall say more of this else-where He proceeds Nay doth not G. F. take his Phrase in a Divers Sense from what Christ intended by his for sayes He it is manifest that Jesus prayed now to be glorified with the Glory wherewith He was not then glorified but God was glorious before the World was therefore Jesus intends by the Glory He had with the Father before the World was the Glory He had given him in Decree before the world was The Clinch is Foolish and his Consequence False and pernicious For what if Christ was not then glorified must it therefore follow that He was not in being much less glorified before the World was Can He be so great a Stranger to the Apostles Doctrine delivered in his Epistle to the Philippians where we find him first Equal with God as being in his very Form or Essence next making Himself of no Reputation then appearing in the Fashion or Likeness of Men and lastly that He humbled Himself and became Obedient unto Death even the Death of the Cross which shews that he was in an exalted and glorified Estate before He humbled Himself else how was He humbled And it is peece of Sacriledge and Ingratitude I almost tremble to think on that because He was pleased to descend in the Likeness of men in order to the Salvation of Mankind in which Our Adversary may also have his share if He unfeignedly repent he should unworthily robb Him of all Pre-existence in the Form of God whilst He Himself thought it no Robbery to be Equal with God So that though in his humbled Estate and Fashion of a Man He could not properly be said to be glorified and therefore prayed to be so yet it is no right Consequence that therefore He never was before For that would be to say because an Earthly Prince may for a certain time debase himself and take upon him the Condition of an Inferior Person for some great Benefit that He thereby designes to do his Country if after having effected it He desires to be received again into that Glory and Splendor he enjoyed before that therefore he never had any before only in Decree If this would be both False and absurd the other is much more This is the great Mystery of the Socinians indeed the Rock on which they split they do not distinguish betwixt the Form of God and Likeness of Men that which came into the World to do the Will of God and the Body He took in which to perform it Nor does this Scripture at all make for his Opinion for Jesus was not yet Glorified since it might as well have been said He has not yet dyed the Death of the Cross neither is Risen and Ascended which was the Period of that state unto which He had from the Form of God Humbled Himself even to the being of no Reputation which he thus expresseth himself I have Glorified thee on Earth I have finished the Work thou gavest me to do And in another place thus I came forth from the Father and am come into the World Again I leave the World and go to the Father where is the same Reason that we should believe he was with the Father before he came into the World as that he did come into the World and afterwards go to the Father again else why is it again going to the Father But now let me ask him if he can be so brazen'd as to think that God allows him not only to correct his Son Christ's words but the very substance of his Prayer Was it so great a Crime in his account for G. F. to say who was Glorified before the World began instead of Glorifie thou me with thy own self with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was And is it no wayes reprovable in him instead of the last clause to turn it thus Glorifie thou me â—â—th thy own self with the Glory which I had with thee not actually but in degree only before the World began That ever any man should undertake to Correct others in that which doth not deserve it whilst the Beam is in his own Eye and is himself most guilty My Soul blesseth God that our Religion is above these slight Shifts and pittiful starting Holes I would tâ—ll the man in his own words of us though more seriously That he whom G. F. and all of us call Christ by way of Excellency was in the Sense aforementioned glorified before the World began and if what he calls Christ was not it is to us a Proof that he was not that True Christ which both appeared to the Fathers of old for the Rock followed them and that Rock was Christ and in the fashion of a Man in these latter Times humbling himself to the Death of the Cross Thus much in the clearing of this place 3dly He is very angry with G. F. that he makes Christ speak these words by the Prophet Amos Behold I am pressed under you as a Cart is pressed with Sheaves which sayes he belongs to the Lord or Jehovah Grant it Does it not therefore belong unto Christ who is God over all Blessed forever that said Before Abraham was I am But he gives us no reason to the contrary and till he does let this suffice That as Christ has been a Lamb slain through Sin and Iniquity so also has he been
Difference I mean Doctrinal in this place I don't see It becomes a Man of his Wit and larger Conscience to perceive it who can make and fling dixt for the Alteration or Omission of a word not absolutely necessary for how can we suppose he meant those good Gentiles that became a Law unto themselves to have thoughts different from their Conscience so far as concerned Evil or Good and the Peace or Trouble that followed the Doing of the one or the committing of the other For to what did their Conscience bear them Witness if not to their Doing Well or Ill and consequently to acquit or accuse Therefore their Conscience did bear Witness to the Accusing or Excusing as well as their Thoughts for that their Thoughts and Opinion of one anothers Innocency or Guilt are squared by the Witness that their Conscience did give the place strongly implies In short they could not make that Judgment of one another without a certain Knowledge of the same thing in themselves and they must have received that only by the Testimony of their own Conscience which is no more but this the Judgment of a man concerning his own good or ill State by the In-shining and Discoveries of God's Holy Light and this the Gentiles had in measure and our Adversary granteth it as well as his Eminent Preacher pag. 40. Eighthly G. F. sayes in answer to the Priest that denyed him to be perfect who bridled his Tongue which is contrary to the Apostle James who saith he is which our Adversary calls belying the Apostle who sayes If any man offend not in word the same is perfect And what Difference is there now one sayes He that bridles or rules the Tongue and the other saith He that offends not in Word is the perfect man unless a mans Tongue can be said to be bridled or ruled when it offends which cannot be supposed by any but Persons of this mans Ignorance In short Not to offend in word or bridle that which would utter it is one and the same thing for that which bridles the Tongue bridles the Body which is the perfect man that offends not in word Ninthly G. F. sayes That God works all in us and for us for which he reflects upon him as at other times saying he knows no such place but it is strange that he never heard or read And there are diversities of Operations but it is the same God which worketh all in all according to the Power that worketh in us for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do Now unless when God works all in all c. we are to exempt his working in us and so give the Scripture the Lye or if workt in us yet not for us which is to give our own Understanding the Lye it will follow and doth follow That God who worketh all in all according to his Power in us both to Will and to Do does work it both in us and for us But Oh the Vanity of this poor man that thinks by these Paper Pellets his Malice casts at us either to Wound us in our selves or in the minds of Sober People Tenthly But he thinks he has done G. F's business for him now where bringing him in saying through the Power of God the Gospel again the Gospel is the Power of God he thus adventures to correct him The Apostle saith I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the Power of God unto Salvation c. Now where to find out that Difference which this Quick-sighted Man abuses G. F. for saying it proceeds from the same bitter Root in him that perverts the sence of Scripture is past my skill for if the Gospel be God's Power then God's Power is the Gospel In one of the Passages it is as he would have it which may show that G. F. meant by the other Transposition of the word No new Sence or Doctrine Gross Folly Incharity and Carping Eleaventhly But he stiffly charges him with miscitation in this Passage G. F. And so deny Christ the Lord that bought them Peter saith only Denying the Lord that bought them Which sayes he may as well agree to God the Father as Christ the Son We may guess at his Meaning without an Interpretation But must Christ be Lord and not Lord at every turn when this presumptious Person will If the fore-going Chapter be considered it will appear That Christ is that Lord that some should deny after they had made Profession of Him In short If a man's believing Christ to be that Lord must conclude him an Impostor c. who is true let all the World read and observe of what Ungodly Stuff and very Trash his Libel doth consist Twelfthly The Scripture saith our Adversary and his own runs thus He that believeth on Christ out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of Living Water where His Belly is plainly spoken of Him that believeth But G. F. applies it to the Light Christ out of whose Belly slowed Rivers of Living Water the Light the Light must be Magnified by G. F. To which I shall only say That it is no improper sence at all for no man's Belly can be filled but from His therefore He is the Fountain of Living Water Himself from whose Belly ours come to be filled Besides If a Scripture will admit of two distinct sences without Contradiction they may be used in both those sences upon occasion So Christ the Light whom we will Magnifie above our Adversary's Darkness is that Belly and Fountain and such as believe in Him shall have their Bellies filled with the Rivers of Living Water that come from Him He is the Fountain that is set open for Judah and Jerusalem and the River that makes glad the City of God Thirteenth G. F. The Church is the Pillar and Ground of Truth without Spot or Wrinkle or Blemish or any such thing Our Adversary thus And the Apostle saith That He might present it unto Himself a glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing He saith that might and should not that it is but this is the old Devilish Distinction of Sin-Pleasers that would never have the Church Compient Two things follow hence First A Disbelief of the Perfection of the present Mystical Church by which Christ is rendred the Head of a spotted Body Secondly That he is himself in a spotted and wrinckled Condition and every such thing and therefore an unfit Person to maintain the Faith of the true unspotted Church of Christ Fourteenth G. F. True Christians are Flesh of His Flesh and Bone of His Bone But the Apostle sayes our Adversary has it thus For we are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bones The Fault is this that he left out For we are Members hoping that it sufficiently proves Christ to be in Heaven absent from his Church not considering that a Body can be no more without its
Inspiration of the Almighty And if by such Divine Inspirings it be that the Will of God comes to be understood then certainly must God's unerring Spirit be the Judge of what is God's Will from what is not and the Rule how and in what we ought to believe unto Salvation and that Guide which infallibly leads in the Way that is most acceptable with the Lord. Nothing can be more Natural then these Consequences Fourthly Psal 139. 7. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy Presence If God's Unerring Spirit be so nigh and the sense of it so certain it must either be to reprove for Evil done or to inform uphold lead and preserve in reference to all Good Now in which of the two sences it shall be taken the Presence of God's Eternal Spirit and his being the Saints Instructor Judge Rule and Guide are evidently deduceable from the words Fifthly Psal 143. 10. Teach me to do thy Will for thou art my God thy Spirit is good lead me into the Land of Vprightness The Question will be Whether it was David's intent and the scope of his desire that God should teach and lead him by his good Spirit or some other thing but methinks it is resolvable in the affirmative in two respects 1. In that David is so very frequent in his desire to the Lord for the Assistance Strength Teaching and Guidance of God's unerring Spirit otherwise declaring how that the Word was hid in his Heart and largly speaking of the Force of that Internal Law Word and Spirit of God which plentifully shews how much he was an Enthusiast and Quaker in the sense this man esteems us most hetrodox 2. The very words imply the thing we urge them for and can import no other sence viz. That God would please to teach him to do his Will and lead him into the Land of Vprightness by his good Spirit else what did that Claws do there the Unerring Spirit being that by which God vouchsafes to discover his Divine Knowledge and convey his most Spiritual Succor and Consolation to his People and consequently his Saints have ever known but do more especially under the Gospel injoy an infallible Judge Rule and Guide in and about Faith and Worship Sixthly Isa 30. 1. Wo to the Rebellious Children saith the Lord that take Counsel but not of me and that cover with a Covering but not of my Spirit that they may add sin to sin From whence I plainly argue thus If they are Rebellious against God and add sin to sin who take not Counsel of him and are not covered with his Holy Unerring Spirit that leads into all Truth Innocence Patience Faith Hope Charity and every good Word and Work Then 1. God's Children have an Immediate Councellor and need not another and are covered or encompast about by the infallible Spirit of God to all Soundness of Mind and Holiness of Life And 2. They must be Heinous Offenders and obstinately Rebellious and Adders of sin to sin with a witness that not only neglect or refuse to be so counsel'd and cover'd but dispute fervently against it as a meer Whimsie and Effect of an Ignorant Erronious spirit for besides that such deprive themselves and others of the unspeakable benefit that comes thereby they are most ingrateful to God and do certainly incur his fierce Wrath in their so wicked requital of him for his Heavenly Gift Seventhly Isa 59. 21. As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and my Words which I have put in thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy Mouth nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed's Seed saith the Lord from henceforth and forever I think it is granted by all that own the Christian Religion that this remarkable place refers to Christ the true Seed and Heir of promise who bruiseth the Head of the Serpent in whom alone all Nations of them that believe come to obtain the Blessing But whether it will be allowed or another Interpretation allotted as that the Promise was to the Church to be sure here is enough to maintain our Position viz. That God in the dayes of the Gospel more particularly has given his good Spirit for an Instructer Judge Rule and Guide in all that concerns the Eternal Well-being of the Souls of Believers as I proceed to prove If that very same Eternal Holy and unerring Spirit which God poured out upon his only begotten Son be in a way of succession ordained to continue with and upon all the Faithful his Seed and Seed's Seed begotten unto a lively Hope by the raising of Christ Jesus from the dead and so become Members of his own Glorious Body then are not the Children of God destitute of his Vnerring Spirit not left to their own frail and fallible Judgments to determine of what is Right or Wrong what Men should believe and what not how they should walk and how not But so gratious is the Promise and so certain is the performance as we livingly witness against all the dry cavelling Letter-mâ—ngers in the World who Quarrel about the holy-mens words and are Strangers to the Convictions Judgments Tryals Tribulations Temptations and Travels they underwent in order to that knowledge they had and which frets their serpentine natures whose vulterous Eye would in its unregenerate state of Worldly Wisdom that knows not God fain without the Death of the Cross creep into the knowledge of the mystery of the Resurrection which state alone knows the things that are above at the Right-hand of God Therefore I conclude That God's Unerring Spirit under the Gospel does attend assist direct and finally establish his Children in the Way of Truth and that his so doing is but the Answer or Accomplishment of the most eminent Prophesies referring to the Transcendent Glory of the last Ages of the Church Eighthly Ezek. 36. 27. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them Behold a most pregnant Instance in the express Language of the Holy Ghost brought to the proof of our Assertion that with reverence we would say it scarcely could it have been more exactly and emphatically worded as I proceed to shew 1. That this Passage has a relation to the Times of Reformation or Coming of the Messiah and Dayes of the Gospel Covenant read the whole Chapter I know not that it was ever doubted or otherwise taken by any no not the very Rabbies themselves who from such places have observed the coming of a Messiah and Glorious times that would ensue 2. That if it be granted then the Vnerring Spirit of God was to be placed within the Hearts and Consciences of his People and consequently they could not be properly and truly under the new Covenant and be without it since the having of that Eternal Spirit for the Ends and
that he was not antecedent to that work that he never enlightned the Fathers and holy men of old with a sufficient measure of that same Divine Light which without measure appeared in him and far greater then before to the Sons of men I appeal to any modest intelligent man if this be not Ingratitude nay Sacriledge in the highest degree Certainly therefore it can be no Injury to the Scripture if we say That He who enlightned the Patriarchs and Prophets of old hath in a more excellent manner and suitable to the Spirituality of his own Divine Nature revealed himself in this Gospel administration the which may aptly be compared to a well-built Temple which has been of old begun but left to these latter daies of Christ's more eminent manifestation to superstruct compleat adorn and sit for him the eternal Light of Life and Righteousness to be worshipped in so that there is a great Difference as Grotius in other words doth well observe between the Beginning of an administration and of the Author of it That might be the Beginning of those large Discoveries but not the Light that gave them and consequently notwithstanding John should have intended a Divine Creation yet it will not necessarily follow that the Light which is that Creator was not in beeing antecedently to that Divine Creation and so God both by pre-existence and omnipotency But I shall say no more of this I mean the transposition of the Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 till our Adversary sayes more to the contrary if we may then think it worth our notice But it may be fit to observe that the man shows a waveâ—ing in his own Judgment which is not only manifest from his saying It may as well be referred to Light as Man but in a manâ—script to a Friend of ours he affirmed it to be unreasonable to refer coming to Man and not to the true Light All we can say is this that though it show him to be unsettled in his own thoughts yet he was willing to be a little more modest in print then in his manuscript For his Distinction between Lighteth and Enlightneth I confess my self troubled not at his great Skill but â—olly It shows he would say something if he could tell what and to use a familiar Proverb The poor man will be playing at small game rather then stand out Then let 's to the Word since he would be thought a Critick 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we read in Greek in the Latin illuminat and should in the English enlightneth the defect is not in the Original nor Latin versions but our English only I perceive whether it be Original or Translation which makes most for him that is the Infallible Text till it happens to contradict him and then if in the Original the Word is foisted in or thus to be transposed or rendred if in any of the versions then it is not so in the Original it is lamely rendred and the like But this Callenge I make to the man that if he can find one version in three and three to one that 's odds which reâ—dres it different from what we understand by it I shall acknowledge him a Critick and our selves ignorant in words All the Greek Coppies and Latin Translations I ever saw or heard of import no other thing then Illumination or Enlightning All that I have hitherto mentioned so give it us quae illuminat omnem hominem c. That this is the constant use of the Word throughout both the Old and New Testament so called is evident It is said of Jonathan that after he had tasted a little of that honey into which he put his rod his eyes were enlightned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia illuminati sunt oculi mei See saith Jonathan I pray you how mine eyes have been enlightned The Chaldee version hath it illuxerunt oculi mei how my eyes shined The Syriack thus my eyes have received light The Arabick thus quomodo illustrata est acies mea how is my Eye-sight clear'd but the Septuagint expresseth it thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behold how my eyes have seen which in a mystical sense is the same now for that eternal Light or Word of Life is that Honey out of that true Rock and Milk that the Prophet exhorted the Jews to buy without money and without price And who taste of that in faith receive that blessed effect namely true illumination Thus Job To bring his Soul from the pit that is from darkness death and sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ad lucendum in luce viventium to be enlightned with the light of the living The Chaldee has it after this manner that my Soul may shine by the Light of the Living The Syriack and Arabick that is may see the Light of Life Job 33. 30. and upon v. 28. which speaks to the same purpose sayes Vatablus De luce illa coeleâ—â—â— intelligit fruetur Dei conspectu Which is He means by that heavenâ—â— Light he shall enjoy the presence of God Likewise David most emphatically useth the same Verb and that to our purpose undeâ—â—â—bly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quoniam tu illuminabis lucernam meam Deus meuâ— illuminabit tenebrositatem meam For thou wilt light my Candle the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness The Chaldee has it thus because thou wilt enlighten the Candle of Israel which was put out in the captivity for thou art the Author of the Light of Israel The Lord my God will bring me out of Darkness into Light A notable addition at least explanation of the place yet this is in the Chaldee version The Syriack Aethiopick and Septuagiâ—t are the same the Arabick differs only in tenses thou dost enlighten for wilt enlighten and he hath enlightned my darkness for he will enlighten my darkness And if the spirit of man be the Candle of the Lord and that God only can light it then certainly since man's spirit is within him it is not more unsound nor any more violating of Scripture sence to say that God enlightens then that he lightens every man within by communicating of his own Light to man's Spirit which receiving it becomes lighted by it to all right Knowledge and good Works Further if David's darkness was within him in his Soul and understanding as certainly he meant it so when he spake of it then must that Light which was to shine there shine in David's Soul and understanding And what false Doctrine or English it is or perversion of Scripture to say that man is then enlightned let sober people judge It is thus exprest in the Greek Copies of the New Testament also and the Latin Versions of them witness the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. illuminatos oculos cordis vestri Beza has it in his Copy and version 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illuminatis oculis mentis vestrae The Syriack has it that the eyes of your
is a False Prophet a Lyar and an Impostor boldly said but prove it who can or wil for him But what then wil become of the man that would have the Text controverted thus rendred Haec est Lux illa vera quae venientem in mundum illuminat omnem hominem this were as ingrammatical altogether but we spare him though we must remember him for we cannot esteem it Doctrinal Error for a man to miss a Tense and would have him all men know that our Religion stands not in Grammatical Tenses but the Fear of God and Faith in Christ Jesus whose Blood cleanseth from all Sin such as walk in his Light Nor did the Prophets and Apostles stand upon Tenses especially Jeremiah and John whose Hebrew and Greek don 't much exceed the Quakers English G. F. was not sent to preach up Propriety of Speech the World is but too Curious and Proud in such Human Science and acquisition But like a Faithful Minister of God by his Eternal Spirit and Power to turn People from Darkness to the Light in which the Ransomed walk with Everlasting Joy upon their Heads and from the Power and Kingdom of Satan which stand in the Lust of the Eye Lust of the Flesh and Pride of Life unto God and his Holy Kingdom which stands in Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17. And as such it is that G. F. is owned and respected with other publick Labourers amongst us who seek not Honour from men as our Adversary and most of the rest of men do but that which is from God and his Wisdom which is first pnre then Peaceable Gentle and easie to be entreated which is not of this World but by the Children thereof esteemed Foolishness and meer Enthusiasm and that in a way of Derision and we know that we are of God and the Generality of the World lies in Wickedness either of Flesh or Spirit Having I hope sufficiently proved that the Participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venientem or Coming is to be referred to Men and not to Light and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is properly rendered Illuminat and that Enlighten Nay in case they were not so that it would prove little prejudicial to our sense as the difference hath been already explained I am now willing to make appear That the Light of which we have been so treating is no natural nor created Light but a Supernatural and Eternal Light which done the Controversie at least on this Subject we shall conclude 1. If man be enlightened by that Word which was with God and was God and that before the World was then man is enlightened by a supernatural and eternal Light but the Scripture in the first second and third verses of John's first chapter proves man to be so enlightened and that Light to be such as beforesaid therefore man is Illuminated by a Supernatural Eternal Light If he object another sence of these Verses then the words simply and nakedly seem to import for instance that the beginning there mentionedâ— relates not to the World and visible elementary Creation but the invisible Creation as I know is their common refuge I Reply 2. If all things were made by him and without him nothing made that was made then either John spake equivocatingly not meaning what he said or else plainly and properly and consequently all Things of which the World is the greatest part were made by him and therefore He must needs have been before all created things 3. If he were that true Light by way of exemption to all others as the Socinians are wont to interpret God to be true God John 17. 3. and there is no reason to the contrary then was he Light in himself and consequently did not illuminate by a received or borrowed Light from another but exâ—se out of himself and from himself only and therefore God as saith John in his first Epistle This then is the Message which we have heard from him That God is Light c. The first Proposition is Scriptural and needs no Proof and the second I prove thus 4. If the Divine Life of this creating Word be that True Light by way of excellency and exclusion of all others with which he enlightens every man coming into this World then must he be Light in Himself and from Himself unless he can be Himself without that Divine Life which is in Him which because he cannot it will follow that he is such a true Light as hath been asserted and consequently must be God inasmuch as he who is the Fountain of true Life is God Which I further prove thus 5. If he who is eminently that true Light by whom only all Mankind is enlightened neither is nor can be that Light as any part of Mankind however immaculate since so he would be a Light unto Himself which is both absurd and impossible then that Creating Word which is that Divine Life which is evidently that true Light by which all men are enlightened neither is nor could be a Mortal Man however Holy and properly therefore it was not Christ as Man but as God that he was and is eminently the Light of Men. Which I further prove 6. If that Light in which all men ought indispensibly to believe for Salvation be the Light with which men are enlightened then are all Men savingly and supernaturally enlightened But the Scripture here quoted proves the Light in which all should believe and which illuminates all to be the same and consequently the Light wherewith men are enlightened is Saving and Supernatural 7. If that World was made by him in which he was and which knew him not then because this elementary World was the World in which he was and Mankind then in it those that knew him not it follows that this visible elementary World and Mankind in it were made by him and if made by him then necessarily he must have been before them and since this Word is that Light by which men are enlightened it followeth that they are Illuminated by a Supernatural and Eternal Light 8. If to as many as receive him the true Light enlighting all to them he gives Power to become the Sons of God then the way to be a Son of God is to obey the Light or to receive and obey the Light is the way to be a Child of God not born of Blood nor of the Will of the Flesh nor of the Will of Man but of God but the Scripture plainly testifies that to be the way therefore the Light is Saving and Supernatural Thus much in short from Scripture I have a few Arguments to offer from Reason It is I think granted on all hands That God has enlightened Mankind with some Light or other the Question then will be this What Nature this Light is of Saving or Insufficient Natural or Supernatural I prove it to be Supernatural and Saving thus 1. If
much but what then because by is often used to express an Oath must it necessarily follow that where-ever by is used it is to import an Oath or Swearing is implyed And herein he dealt unfairly with us for though out of his own words we might well infer as much viz. that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Particle of Granting or Affirming and with an Oath yet that is both beside and with not alwayes with an Oath he should have told what Scapula said a little lower 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 particula est interdum indirecte ponitur nulla praecedente interogatione proutique equidem profecto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Scapula is a Particle and is sometimes placed indirectly with never an Interrogation before for verily indeed truly c. I will not insist upon the suitableness of such a signification in this place but shall tell the Man that allowing it to be anciently in the best Copies which Chrysostom if not Theophylact does more then doubt yet it can have no other force or use in this place then to render the Verse thus viz Vpon the account of your Joy or for the sake of your encrease in Christ which is the Ground of our Joy I dye daily or rather I am daily ready to be offered up And indeed unless men by Zeal or Prejudice have vailed their own Understandings the place it self and context plainly intimates so much For first It is absurd to suppose that the Apostle should Swear by what is not a real ens or existence and should we grant that all Swearing was not by Christ prohibited as we never can yet our Adversaries conclude That all Swearing by any other thing then God Himself is prohibited now the Corinthians Rejoycing was not Almighty God by whom alone they say men should Swear Besides let the Context be weighed and it has reference to the Glorious Kingdom which all men who are Partakers of the first Resurrection come to inherit of which sayes Paâ—l If there were any doubt why are any baptized for the Dead and why stand we in Jeopardy every Moment But as if â—e should have said So far am I from doubting or fearing that upon the account of your further sufficiency or increase in Christ the Ground of Rejoycing I dye or am ready to dye daily that is I am ready to seal it with my Blood an â—â—arty Encouragement to the Corinthians to go on and not that they should think there was no Reward for all their Faith anâ— Tribulation â—et this be well weighed with our common English Version and I perswade my self that not only this will â—em very consonant but the vulgar very abrupt and inâ—â—herent and however improper the man is pleased to be himself I caution him hereafter of rendring the Apostle so Now for the Right Sense of the Greek Copy with the Confirmation of some other Versions and Judgment of both Ancient Fathers and Modern Criticks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is vulgarly rendred thus Per diem morior Per vestram gloriationem quam habeo in Christo Jesu Domino nostro That is I dye every day through or upon the account of your Joy which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. In the Latine Interpretation of the Arabick Version it is thus render'd Et ego quidem singulis diebus morior per realitatem Gloriae vestrae quam habeo in Jesu Christo Domino nostro In English thus And I indeed dye every day through or by means of the reallity or truth of your Joy which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord. The Aethiopick Version thus Latined wherein I dye daily is omitted Et quare igitur nos laboramus omni hora trucidamur et propter gloriationem nostram Fratres nostri quae in Domino nostro Jesu Christo est In English thus And wherefore do we labour and are slain every hour even our Brethren for our Rejoyceing which is in our Lord Jesus Christ This last seems to carry with it something of difference from the Greek Copy and other Versions yet if the sense I have given of the place be received the alteration will be only the omission of I dye daily and our for your Rejoycing which is not much to purpose it being truly the Joy of both for whether your Rejoycing relates to the preceding Queries or I dye daily it still remains firm that all those Jeopardies Sufferings and Deaths were on the account of that Truth Hope Rejoycing and Glory mentioned or implyed in the Text where let it be observed that slain and dye daily which strictly would signifie a time past as well as present are to be accepted in this sense that they were daily in hazard of their lives through grievous Sufferings and were freely and daily given up for their Testimony unto Death it self I forbear to instance in many of the present used Languages designing to be short and shall therefore hasten to give the sense of some of the Ancient and Modern Writers in the Point Jerom who lived about the year 383. thus rendreth the words in Controversie Propter vestram salutem not through your Rejoycing but for your Salvation which is yet more emphatical then I have rendered it though to the same purpose Chrysostom observes upon this Passage to the Corinthians Profectum ideo dici gloriam ne videretur exprobrare quod tam aspera passus esset ob Evangelium cum ob haec non solum non doleret sed duplici nomine gauderet quod ea passus esset â—h Evangelium Christi quod ca quae passus erat cesserant in profectum Corinthiorum That is Chrysostom believes profit therefore to be called rejoycing that they might not seem to upbraid him for so hard things as he suffered for the Gospel who was not only not troubled but in a double sense rejoyced both that he had suffered those things for the Gospel of Christ and that those things which he did suffer turned to the profit or spiritual benefit of the Corinthians He therefore accounts Per vestram Gloriam mendose scriptam not so expressed in the ancient Copy but corruptly written Ambrose also took it in that same sense with Chrysostom not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 per or by but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propter or for the sake of your Joy Theophylact is more peremtory and clear in the matter that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Propter vestram Gloriam or rather thus Vestri pofectus gratia for the cause of your profitting or on the account of your encrease in the Knowledge of the Truth which administers true Joy Zegerus is of this Mind upon the Place and takes not a little pains to confute the other Notion Grotius although he does not altogether seem to acquiesce in that which I have already urged yet is he very remote from the common Translation and so near to it that it may not be amiss to offer him Quam
Head then Flesh nay it can better dispâ—nse with the loss of much Flesh and many Bones then the Head for if that be absent the Body quickly dyes Christ is the Head Root and Life of his Church without which she can never live one Comfortable Day Besides it contradicts positive Scripture I will not leave you Comfortless I will come to you I will be with you to the End of the World because I live you live also He that is with you shall be in you c. Fifteenth G. F. and the Apostle said The deep Things of God was revealed by the Spirit of God But the Apostle saith our Adversary speaketh not so But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep Things of God Let all Sober People judge whether this man does not groundlesly cavil at us For if God reveals his deep Things by his Spirit then does the Spirit give unto us the Revelation of the deep Things of God Could he blush he might be ashamed to shew himself such a frivolous Busi-body Sixteenth G. F. And so who is in Christ is a New Creature old things pass away Our Adversary The Apostle thus Therefore if any be in Christ he is a New Creature old things are passed away behold all things are become New 2 Cor. 15. 17. The Apostle speaks of the New Creation as done G. F. as a thing doing but with great Patience for a little would be tired I Answer Where old things are done away and all things become new there the New Creation is done But in such as he that believes the Church of Christ to be spotted wrinkled c all things are far from being made new since old things are not past away and in such there can be no New Creation as yet Seventeenth G. F. For it is the savour of Death to the Death and Life to the Life The Apostle saith our Adversary thus To the one the savour of Death unto Death to the other the savour of Life unto Life Thus that he may be true to his Way he undertakes the Confutation of G. F. and Proof of him to be an Impostor the Difference betwixt the Apostle's saying and G. F's citation is imputting the before Death and Life which is the same in Sence and Intention But again Eighteenth The Scripture quoted by our Adversary thus Of this sort are they which CREEP into Houses and lead captive silly Women laden with Sins and led away with divers Lusts ever learning but never able to come to the Knowledge of the Truth But G. F saith Of such as have got the words c. who are Reprohates concerning the Faith which crept into Houses before the Apostles decease which have kept alwayes learning and never able to come to the Knowledge of the Truth 〈◊〉 led away with divers Lusts Very well and what 's the Error or Perversion here Why the Apostle does not attribute to these False Teachers that they kept People alwayes learning but they led captive such as were so And what then therefore is it not true in the sence in which G. F. quotes it What wrong is there done to the Text or such Teachers either For who knows not that false Teachers do keep People alwayes learning but never bring them to the Knowledge of the Truth And certainly they cannot be false Teachers that are not led away of divers Lusts therefore they are both led away of divers Lusts and they lead others too But it is worth our notice That he who has so frequently and with such Derision reflected upon G. F's Syntax and false English is so far from being unblamable himself as to make that Elegant Apostle guilty for in the Epistle it is They which Creep in his Quotation They which CREEPS But we delight not to spend our time so unprofitably such are his Contests about the Hebrew Greek and Latine being set over Christ's Head by his Crucifiers for he would have it written as said in the Scriptures and G. F. sayes Set atop of Christ that is over His Head and true it is what he observes That all Languages have crucified Him and those that have been most Learned have been furthest from the Kingdom that is resembled to little Children I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the Wife and Prudent and revealed them unto Babes Nineteenth G. F. sayes the Gospel is preached in every Creature Our Adversary sayes was preacht to every Ceature and both are true for in time past it Was and now I hope he will not deny but it Is. In every Creature or To every Creature may be the same For when the Gospel of Repentance and Faith in God are by his Light and Spirit secretly revealed and declared in eveey Heart doubtless 't is also to the Heart as well as in it And though there may be outward Preaching of the Gospel yet that which is Effectual comes from the Spirit and Power of the Gospel and reacheth into the Innermost Parts and the same Spirit gives there the true Discerning and Sense and makes the Effectual Application thereof so that his Carping there is like all the rest Malicious and Troublesom But he hath something to the same Purpose XX. Again G. F. If Christ be not within People they are Reprobates The Apostle and Translators say Know you not your own selves that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates 2 Cor. 15. 5. as if in you could admit of no other Sense but within you Let us see if the Words of Christ will alwayes admit that Sense Mat. 20. 26 27. But it shall not be so within you but whosoever will be Great within you let him be your Minister c. thus far our Adversary But certainly the Man can't think that because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may sometimes signifie among that therefore in all cases it must do so for let us read the verse cited so Know you not your own selves that Christ Jesus is among you except ye be Reprobates This in his Opinion of Christ's Residence would be most false Besides if it should be read within you it might be understood thus within your Precinct Company or Society and the Sense very good still However it shews he hath but little to do who shall employ his time in correcting within you for in you since whatever is in any thing is within that in which it is or else I know nothing But he tells us that G. F. is guilty of the like fault in relation to John 2. 27. where the Apostle speaketh of the Anointing which abides in you but he thus the Apostles brought the Saints to the Anointing within them To which I say that He is Guilty of the like Fault of Fooling as before For a School-Boy would be whipt for so much Ignorance and Ill-spent Time He might have learn't
either in its Original or the numerous Translations that are in the World whereof so scarcely two agree We say not the Letter but the Life it self is the Evangâ—lical Rule they say not any such Divine Life oâ— Spirit by any Internal Discoveries or Operations but the bare single Letter or Scriptures containing so many express Words Points c. are that only Gospelâ—Rule Wherefore to make G. F. as condemnable as the Priâ—â—ts they must first prove him to hold the same Principle that they do which because he does not he is not liable to the same Reproof with them Indeed to none at all Where let it be further considered That they affirm the Scriptures to be their Rule wholâ— excluding the Spirit of God And we believe the Eternal Spirit to be our Rule not excluding the Serious Use of Scriptures suitable to that Saying They that are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God and I will write my Law in their Hearts and put my Fear in their Inward Parts The Scriptures testifie of me but ye will not come unto me that ye may have Life But before I conclude this Subject I must needs tell the Man that he hath not only taken as well a New as Insufficient Way to prove G. F. an Impostor c. but he has equally manifested his Ignorance and Want of Candout in what he has done For who is there that ever understood the Laws of Translation that would revile a Man for giving the same Sense in Words as forceable though not the very same Or Who would count a Man an Impostor False Prophet c. because of a meer Verbal Alteration in a Sentence where the Matter remains intire and unviolated Certain I am that the best Translators in the World have endeavoured to make their Authors speak their matter in the Phrase and propriety of that Language into which they have been rendered which had been utterly impossible if they had been turned Verbatim and after the genuine Phrase and mode of their Original Tongues Such Versions being like the wrong side of the Cloath or reading Words backward Let our Adversary inform himself after what manner all the Classick Authors Great Philosophers and Famous Historians are made French by the Criticks of that Tongue in their New Academy at Paris Nor is Our Country wholely-void of Instances as the Translation of Thusidides Polybius Justinus Caesars Comentaries Quintus Curtius Livius Seneca Tacitus Homer Virgil Ovid Lucan Council of Trent Campanella Du-Plessy Grotius Bâ—colini Malvetzy St Amour and fourty more peeces in which I dare affirm that neither Verbs Nouns Pronouns Participles Gerunds Adjectives Conjunctives Copulates Subjunctives Prepositions Adverbs Tenses Cases Numbers c. are so much as considered in their Translation but only how the Matter so exprest in its Original Tongue may be most aptly rendered into Our own If then this Scope is both practised by and allowed to all Translators I would fain know why it should be so Criminal in G. F. to have given the Scope and whole tendency of Scripture Texts in other Words then what are in our conmon Translations But certainly this shows that rank Enmity which lodgeth in the Man's Mind and is to me a plain Demonstration of his implacable Malice that like the Black Jaundies has so over-run him as I fear it will almost be impossible that he should ever recover to any tolerable moderation though We could desire he might come to a Sight and Sense of his Folly Ignorance and Bitterness against us and not longer continue to kick against the pricks in himself nor to endeavour however he miss his aim to gore the sides of an Innocent People with his False Glosses and Calumnious Accusations for certainly the Righteous God of Heaven and Earth will effectually judge for these things by whose eternal Power and Spirit and for whose Cause on Earth we are what we are at this very day And though the Contradiction of Abstinate sinfull men be truely burthensom on their account and this continual toil of Controversy very unpleasant to our selves yet for the alone sake of Gods unchangeable Truth and Heavenly Way to Life Eternal we do cheerfully overlook our own Trouble Weight and Exercise counting it our duty and therein our Satisfaction to be at all times ready for the Service of it let what will ensue And be it known to all the World that as our Religion stands not in the Doctrines Meanings Preachings or Notions of mens devising or deducting from the Scriptures themselves but in the Living Quicking Power of the Eternal God which plainly discovers Sin and wounds deeply for it and as obeyed ransoms the Soul from Death Hell and the Grave to serve the Living Lord God in his New Living and Spiritual Way So do we proclaim it to the Nations that all Religions short of this are but the Form without the Power and make up but that Whâ—re with her golden Cup which has bewitched Tongues and Kindreds and People She that has a name to Live as the Lambs Bride true Church c. whilst indeed She is but that great Harlot that has committed all manner of Abomination with whole Kingdoms under the specious shew of Religion wherefore every one of you to whom this Book comes search and examine in the Dread and Fear of Almighty God how it stands with thee Hast thou ever been prickt to the Heart and repented with that Repentance which sorrows for Sin past and turns from Sin to come which is never to be repented of And dost thou feel the Living Powerfull Workings of Gods Power and Spirit in thy Heart regenerating thee without which thou canst not be a Child of God and Heir of Glory I say O Man unless thou comest to know the work of thy Souls Redemption from the Pit and Deliverance of thy mind from the Snares and Temptations of the Devil begun in thy self by which to live to God and to have the Testimony of his Eternal Spirit in thy Conscience that thou hast turned at the Reproof of Instruction and hast felt the Blood of Cleansing and art now walking on in the strait and narrow Way of Life and Righteousness which â—rucifies the Earthly Mind thy Praying Preaching Observations and whole Religion are vain and will prove all of none effect in the Day when the Lord God Eternal shall make strict Inquisition and Search after what Fruits have been by every one brought forth Wherefore be ye all awakened to the Fear of the Lord and mind diligently that Blessed Light which shines in your Hearts and is able to give unto you the Knowledge of God in the Face of Jesus Christ which is the true Knowledge and Wisdom that come from above that make Wise to Life Eternal for the Wisdom that is from below may study carp contend about Scriptures and Religion and from thence frame and imagine how those thingâ—s are workt that are mention'd therein and I know doth but can never give