considered as the Rule of life Swenckfield saith they make an idol of the word Mr Rutherford Surv when the Authors by him Cited in the Margeâ—t part â—â—ch p. 3. who esteem it as the Power of God through faith unto salvation i. e. who esteem it as the meanes whereby the spirit worketh grace in the heart of the hearer he goeth through Sweden Normberg Vlms Tubingia in private houses accusing the pastors that no man was the better for their preaching extolling the spirit that doth all understand without the word as the meanes The Libertines denyed all preaching by Officers Sacraments Church-assemblies singing of Psalmes they accounted the scripture as a dead letter neglected it pretending to follow the spirit yet they used it in speaking and writing because through the peoples good opinion thereof they found it a fit meanes to insinuate themselves with their diabolicall opinions into their heart they rejected the scripture and pretended the spirit for their rule Concerning the Magistrates Muncer defameth detracts from the ministers of the Gospel afterwards falls with like violonce upon the Magistrate hoping by making void these two orders they should prevaile upon the flock he teacheth parity rejection of dignities Those in Germany held that none with good conscience could exercise the power of a magistrate that is none but such who were of their mind witness both their doctrine practice in Munster and else where they held also that it was lawfull for the people to depose their Magistrates being unbelievers and they counted all unbelievers who were not of their mind They pretended an immediate mission to act from the spirit and by vertue of an immediate command above the triall of the scripture Muncer said that by his divine revelations he must Judge of the Bible They carryed it in the beginning very faire before all men for they had alwayes in their mouths the faith and fear of God the mortification of the flesh mention of the cross They affected a grave countenance posture wore plain apparell used few words cryed in the streets repent repent they were reserved as to the discouery of their mysteryes untill they were hopefully assured of their follower they studyes to speak equivocally so as their words might carry divers sences they lifted up themselves above others gloryed to be called spirituales men of the spirit The fourth order of the Libertines for they had many orders was of the holy and sinlesse ones The tenets of the Quakers concerning the same heads of Religion Concerning the Trinity they acknowledg that there is one God and three viz the Father Son and Holy-Ghost but they deny that these three are distinct Persons Concerning Christ they deny Christ to be God man in one Person they deny Christ to be a distinct Person from the Person of the Father The tenents here mentioned appear from published papers with the names of the Authors affixed or by word of mouth they deny Christ to be a distinct Person from any of his members they acknowledge such a Christ as unchrists Christ when they say Christ manifest in the flesh they meane not according to the sense of the scripture but fallaciously Concerning the Scripture considered as the Rule of life They deny the scripture or written word to be the Rule of life make the light within them the spirit without the scripture to be their guide They account Church-instituted-worship waiting upon God for the efficacious presence and co-operation of the Spirit of grace in the ministery of the word and Sacraments for conversion edification to be idolatry And the political Order of Church-Officers and members they affirme to be an Image Concerning the Magistrate they own none as lawfull Magistrates who are not of their way Their non-acknowledgement of the Magistrate as now established in all christian states is more then manifest They pretend unto an Immediate call to act from the spirit and an infallible light within them above the triall of the scripture they will not acknowledge that they sin but profess perfection of degrees in this life and publish smart sarcasticall invectives against ministers who teach the Contrary How farre the deportment of the Quakers answereth to the outward guise and gest of the sectaryes in Germany the low-countreyes prementioned he that seeth the one heareth of the other may easily Judge The premises show the Quakers to be rather imitators of the Enthusiasts Libertines then Innovators That the persons thus opinionated are called Quakers is not from their tenets but from the gesture where with they are acted at or about the time of the reception of their revelations or when else in reference to credit their doctrines This very gesture as circumstanced renders their way in no small degree suspitious it being the ancient and known manner of Satan when he inspired his Enthusiasts to afflict the bodyes of his instruments with paines those often in their bowells and to agitate them with Antick and uncouth motions in particular with this of quaking trembling thereby to amuse ignorant spectators with a superstitious astonishment and so to dispose them to the expectation of some strange discovery preter-humane in pretence divine but indeed diabolicall Seneca presenteth the Sybil i. e. Satans prophetess at the act of receiving her Oracles from the revelation of the Devil pale-faced with eyes wrung in an unwonted and fearfull manner Seneca in Agâ—mem as also quaking trembling Silet repente Phoebus pallor genas Creberque totum possidet Corpus tremor Horat. lib. 1. Ode 16. Noâ— adytis quatit c At Pythia a place in Phocis Apollo that is the Devil is reported by the Poet to cause his Priest to quake Gregory of Nice speaking of this subiect beside the hair hanging down about their eares loose eyes averse maketh mention of foaming at the mouth and much like hereunto is what we read in Chrysostome of a woman inspired understand by Satan panting and having her head Contort that is wryed in so strange a manner as was affrighting to behold Many instances of this nature might be produced but I shall only further mind the Reader of the custome of the Powa's or Indian Wizards in this wilderness whose bodies at the time of their diabolicall practises are at this day vexed and agitated in a strange unwonted dreadfull manner This verifieth that old proverb that Satan is Gods ape yet the examples of Isaiah going naked barefoot i. e. in a bare habit like a poore slave or bond man that is carryed into captivity Chap 20.2 Of Ezekiel smiting his hand and stamping with his foot Ezek. 6.11 Of Daniel's great quaking which fell upon him at the sight of that vision Dan 10.7 with the like do not justifie this gesture Their causes were divine circumstanced to edification and extraordinary not customary to the Prophets themselves Concerning three distinct Persons in the divine
Essence Who being the brightness of his glory and the express Image of his Person Heb 1.3 The first manner of existence in the Divine Being is here called Hypostasis which imports a distinct subsistence If the Father viz. the Correlate be a distinct subsistence there is the same reason of the Son vâ—z the Relate If the Father be a distinct subsistence the Son is a distinct subsistence If the Son be a distinct subsistence the Father is a distinct subsistence the Son is as distinct from the Father August de trinit lib. 7 c. 4. as the Father is from the Son that which the Greek calls hypostasis the latine calleth persona from which last is our English word person Christ speaking of the Father Iohn 5.32 calleth him another there is another that beareth witness of mee likewise speaking of the Holy-Ghost he calleth him another Iohn 14.16 I will pray the Father he shall give you another Comforter this predicate another is unintelligible of the Essence for so the Father Son Holy-Ghost are one Iohn 10.30 1 Iohn 5.7 therfore it must proceed concerning the Subsistence what is more manifest then that another Subsistence and another subsistence speake distinct subsistences The distinction of the persons or Subsistences is manifest from the relative properties of begetting being begotten and proceeding Psal 2.7 Iohn 15.27 Begetting is distinct from being begotten being begotten from begetting both from proceeding A personal act is God necessarily relatively and in an Incommunicable manner acting within or upon himselfe Now these acts of the Persons one upon another argue the distinctnes of the subsistences viz to beget being begotten proceeding God in the first manÌ„er of subsistence is considered as acting upon himselfe in a way of understanding in the second manner of Subsistence as reflecting upon himself understood August de trinit lib. 5. c. 11 lib. 6. c. 5. in the third manner of subsistence as willing of delighting in himselfe Hence the Spirit is called the hand of the Trinity proceeding from the two other persons as the Love of them both which selfe-sufficient and infinitely blessed Communion of God in and with himself before there was either mountain or hill while as yet he had not made the earth wee read of Prov. 8.30 Then was I by him as one brought up with him I was dayly his delight rejoycing alwayes before him The distinction of the Persons further appeares from the order of their operations upon the creature held forth in their mission or sending the second Person is sent from the Father Iohn 8.42 Iesus said unto them if God were your father yee would love mee for I proceeded forth came from God neither came I of my selfe but he sent mee The Holy-Ghost is sent from the Father the Son whom the Father will send John 14 26. whom I will send John 15.26 Sending imports two things First an eternall relative property of the Divine Essence the order original whereof is not of it self Secondly a designation of the Person distinguished by this relative property unto some work concerning the creature to be performed in time Now evident it is that he which sendeth and he which is sent are distinct That the Father sending the Son sent by the Father the Father and Son sending the Spirit and the Spirit sent by the Father Son are distinct subsistences and not the same Concerning satisfaction to some Objections Object 1 The Church was without the Scripture or written Word for the space of 2454 yeares untill Moses during which space the Doctrine of Life was communicated VOCALLY by the Patriarches Therefore there is no need of the Scripture or written Word Answ There are many Reasons obvious why the Tradition of the Rule of life by word of mouth might better suit the state of the Church in the time of the longâ—evity of the Patriarchs then now as also why God saw not good to continue unto after ages such and so frequent extraordinary manifestations of himself as wee read of in those elder times Why God dispensed the Rule of life then by word of mouth not by writing a principal reason thereof was his good pleasure The same good pleasure may stand for a principal reason way he dispenseth the Rule of life now by the word written and not by vocall tradition Even so Father because it pleaseth thee Distinguish between necessity absolute necessity according to Divine constitution God according to his absolute power can communicate the rule of life by what means he pleaseth therefore the scripture is not necessary absolutely But Gods will being to communicate the Rule of life by his written word hence the scripture is necessary by necessity of divine constitution or appointment Whilest Israel was in the wilderness God give them Manna bread from heaven in an extraordinary manner After their comming into Canaan he changeth his dispensation and giveth them bread in the ordinary way of agriculture or tillage He could still have supplyed them in an extraordinary way out he would not The Maana ceased Josh 5.12 Not the letter without the mind of the Author nor the Spirit without the letter but the Scripture i. e. the word-written as including the sense of the author is the Rule of life Distinguish between Moral-obliging-power and strengthning-Physical-power All the strengthning-Physical-power whereby we are enabled to obey the Rule is from the Spirit but the Moral-obliging-power is from the Scripture it self or CoÌ„mand as denoting the will of God signifyed thereby Surely they are under a Rule who have not the Spirit Since the Canon of the Scripture is closed so farr is the Spirit from being a Rule of life that to us it is not the Spirit but as it moves agreeably to the written word Hereby we are taught to discerne between the Spirit of trueth and the Spirit of error Object 2 The words of the Scripture are to be taken simply without interpretation or consideration of what is signifyed by them Answ This Objection exposeth Scripture to the imputation of non-sence which cannot be without at least the reflexion of blasphemy interpretative upon the author It was wont to be said Scripture lyeth not in the Sound but in the Sence They are not the inkie characters without the mind of the author that can constitute Scripture But taking the mind of the objection more favourably as proceeding only against any other sense or interpretation to be given of Scripture then according to the sound of the words in a proper or according to some in a literall sence yet it unscriptures a considerable part of the Scripture unto us becommeth a fruithfull womb of confusion error and absurdity should it stand in force The example those words that they may be one as wee are one John 17.22 give an uncertain sound Nay the Papists Transsubstantiation Origen's castration are hence warrantable Distinguish between no interpretation mis-interpretation sound
interpretation Non-sense a false sense and the true sense The two former are wiles of the enemy the last is the gift of the Spirit of trueth and a great part of the work of the Ministry So they read in the book of the Law of God distinctly and gave the sense caused them to understand the reading Nehem. 8.8 He expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself Luke 24.27 Philip said understandest thou what thou readest and he said how can I except some man should guide me Act. 8.30 31 Object 3 Nothing is to be acknowledged Scripture-trueth but what is contained therein in express termes Answ A Scripture consequence is a Trueth evidently necessarily arising out of a proposition held forth therein in express termes So that if the doctrine conteined in the proposition held forth in express termes be true then is the doctrine conteined therein by consequence also true Those trueths are Scripture-trueths which are conteined or held forth in the Scriptures though not in express termes yet by just evident consequence Exod. 3.6 I am the God of Abraham and the God of Isaak the God of Jacob. Hence Mat 22.29 30. Christ proves the Resurrection by consequence the summ whereof is as if he had said that which God spake to Moses in the Bush inferreth the whole persons of Abraham Isaak and Jacob to be in everlasting covenant with him and that they shall be blessed therefore there shall be a Resurrection For how can the body be glorified except it rise again and so farr were the hearers from objecting against this kind of argumentation as that they highly approved of it One of the Scribes having heard their reasoning perceived that he had answered them well Mark 12.28 Then certain of the Scribes answering said Master thou hast answered well Luke 20.39 The multitude were astonished at his doctrine Mat 22.42 And no man was able to answer him neither durst any man from that time forth aske him any more questions verse 46. Out of Psalm 16.10 Peter proves the Resurrection of Christ. Act. 2.31 He that is the Patriark David seeing this before spake of the Reserrection of Christ that his soul was not lost in hell neither his flesh did see corruption Yet the Psalmist in these words speakes not of the Resurrection in express termes but onely by consequence the question is whether the believing Galatians which were formerly heathens were justifyed by faith Paul out of those words Gen. 22.18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed proveth the affirmative by consequence Gal. 3 8 9 The question is whether believing Abraham hath matter of glorying before God The Apostle from Gen 15.6 concludeth the negative by consequence Rom 4.2 3. Question whether Christ did well or blasphemed in saying that he was God Chr st from Psal 71.6 justifieth his act by a Scripture consequence Io n 10.35 36. His argument proceeds from the less to the greater Question whether Circumcision is necessary unto the believing Gentiles The Apostle concludeth the negative by consequence Acts 15.8 9. God bare them witness giving them the Holy-Ghost even as he did unto us and put no difference between them us purifying their hearts by faith Therefore c Many more instances are producible if need were So many citations as there are in the New Testament of testim onies in the old Testament not extant there in express termes are so many proofes of the Scripture-consequences Scripture trueths by consequence are called Scripture yee do erre not knowing the Scripture Mat. 22.29 for what saith the Scripture Rom. 4.3 and the Scripture foreseeing Gala. 3.8 what Peter deduceth from Davids words by consequence that he affirmeth David to have said Acts. 2.31 what Paul deduceth out of Moses by just consequence that he affirmeth Moses to have said Rom. 10.5.10 That proposition the Scripture is a perfect Rule of life is understood as including Scripture-consequences otherwise it were not a trueth The greatest part of Scripture-trueth is revealed in Scripture-consequences Yea many fundamentall trueths are not held forth in express termes but by manifest consequence If there be no truth contained in the Scripture but what is held forth therein in express termes then the individuall persons of Thomas Mary c are therein neither Cōmanded Obedience nor forbidden disobedience For we no where read thou Thomas or Mary such an one by name do this or not that This trueth concerning Scripture-consequences is the more to be attended because of the time wherein many after the example of Arrius of old and the Libertines Gunter with some other Jesuites of late when they are not able to answer unto Scripture-arguments rather then to yeild unto the trueth chuse to fly to this miserable subterfuge of hereticks namely that the trueth defended against them is not contained in Scripture because it is not there in express termes Concerning the Vindication of some Scriptures Iohn 1.9 That was the true light which lighteneth every man that commeth into the world Hence they affirme that in every man Collectively i. e. in all men not one excepted there is a light which being followed is an infallible guide that this light within us not the Scripture or written word is the Rule of life In answer hereunto two things are to be cleared First that the sence of the text pretended is notoriously false Secondly what is the sence of the place Were the sence pretended sound then righteousnes should be by the law not with standing sin contrary to Rom. 8.3 For the light which is in every man that is born into the world is not Gospel-light The Gospel being the secret of God a mystery unknown to Angels Adam himself in the time of innocency The naturall man cannot know the things of the spirit of God 1 Cor 2.14 Natural is to be construed in opposition to spiritual and denoteth a man as following the dictate of reason only or the light of nature whence it is manifest that the light of nature as such and the light of the spirit are contra-distinct the one to the other The light of nature remaining in Adams posterity since the lapse is so little as that it is not to be mentioned the same day with what was in Adam before the fall The light of nature consists in common principles imprinted upon the reasonable soul by nature inclining man to assent unto some naturall and manifest trueths upon the representation of them without waiting for any proofe that is as it were by instinct without argument Viz that it is impossible for the same things at once for to be not to be that the whole is greater then the part That a man is bound not to do to others what he would not have done unto himself As also in certain Notions that there is a God that God is to be worshipped that Parents are to be honoured that there is difference to be
great thing if the ministers of Satan transform themselves into the ministers of Righteousness 2 Cor 11.15 Nor so much by their Conversation for the trueth were not true if such ravening Wolves did not come in sheeps cloathing as by their doctrine by which fruit they are in an especial manner to be known Mat. 7.16 Iohn 2 Epist 9 10. Yea and upon just tryal so farr ought we to bee from being moved by them in point of our faith as confidently to pronounce them Anathama's But though we or an Angel from heaven preach any other Gospel unto you then that yee have received let him be accursed As we said before so say I now again if any man preach any other Gospel unto you then that yee have received let him be accursed Scepticks all others are heÌ„ce beseeched to consider what unmovednes and firmnes in fundamentalls Christ looks for especially from those who would acquit themselves as Church-members in reference to such deceivers Though we have no Scripture warrant to expect immediate missions and have both frequent and solemn cautions concerning the rising of false pretenders therunto yet it being also a trueth that the holy One of Israel hath not limited himself herein When any arise with the gifts prementioned and with the fruits both of doctrine life conformable to the Scripture they are accordingly to be received in the Lord. The Lords Supper is a Visible-Political-Church-Ordâ—nanceâ— and is to continue unto the end of the world For as after as yee eat this bread drinke this Cup yee shew forth the Lords death untill he come 1 Cor. 12.26 In these words saith Paraeus is a tacite promise of the conservatioÌ„ of the Church unto the end of the world Baptisme is a Visible-Political-Church-Ordinance and is to continue unto the end of the world Teach and Baptise c and loe I am with you alwayes to the end of the world Mat 28.19 20. Therfore visible political-Church-ordinances are to continue unto the end of the world Object 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in our translation we read world signifieth an Age and according to this version the text alledged speaks not of the continuance of Baptism unto the end of the world but unto the finishing of the age viz of that ministration or of the Apostles age Answ The trueth of the premises already evicted concludes this evasion a falsity Hence it would follow that the instant of John's death the last surviver of the Apostles the instant of the dissolution of Church order was the same But that John did not thus understand Christ yea that Christ did not thus understand himself witness besides his silence of any such notion in his Epistles to the other Churches his writing expresly to the Church of Thyatira that it was the precept of the Son of God concerning that Church that they should hold fast the doctrine they had received part whereof was chuâ—ch-estate not till John's death but till Christ's Comming Rev. 2.25 Namely to Judgment If the words be understood by any of his speciall comming to them by their personal deaths the like also being to be understood concerning others it effectually makes void this objection Add hereunto that John by that formidable Anathema chap 22.18 19. secureth the obligatory observance of all the words of the Revelation wherein is mention of Political church-estate as also of the rest of the sacred Canon according to the judgment of the best orthodox interpreters untill the second comming of Christ Rev. 22.7 12 20. Neither did Ignatius who lived in the time of the Apostles outlived Iohn thus understand Christ Witness those Epistles which are acknowledged by orthodox learned Criticks in antiquity as genuine wherein he attesteth unto owneth many churches then in being by honouring of them with the express titles of the Churches of Christ This objection renders the motion of Christ retrograde viz first forwards from the daâ—ker dâ—spensation of the law unto a more cleare dispensation of the Gospel and then backwards again unto a dâ—spensation more dark then that of the Law wherein the people of God may we credit the objecter are for 1500 yeares left without a Rule without Order without Seales without any sent by Office to preach unto them or any Church-Ordinance That the English translation is apt and renders not onely a true sense of the word but also its proper sense in this place appeareth from a particular indiction of its various acceptions in the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to its proper notation signifieth such a duration as is without an end for EVER Hence in reference unto duration it is used in diverse notions 1. For everlasting Iohn 12.34 6.51 4.14 14.16 2 Pet. 2.17 The objecter reading the word in these and many other texts the Age of a man must therewithall a firm that the residence of the Holy Ghost the state of grace heaven and hell shall continue but the age of a man 2. It is used also for a duration that is long viz for all the tract of time from its beginÌ„ing untill such a Term then spoken of Iohn 9.32 3. For the whole course of time Mat. 13.39 40 49. 4. For the Vniverse or frame of Creation it â—elâ— which is the Subject of time that duration being an insepperable adjunct thereof Thus it is rendered worlds Heb. 1.2 11.3 importing in born the visible world The world 2 Coâ— 4 4. speaking of this world as contradâ—stinct from the world to come For there are two worlds this world Iohn 12.31 and that world Luke 20.35 This present world 2 Tim 4.10 and the world to come Ephe 1.21 This is the subject of the duration of time that of the duration of Eviternity Of the premised expositions the reader may soon perceive both from the subject matter spoken of and the collation of other Scriptures that the third acception only agreeth with the text presented unto consideration and that this acception fully agree to therewith There is yet in the Gospel according to some learned men another acception of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 namely for the whole course of the time of the Gospel-dispensation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 after the abrogation of the Mosaical-dispensation at the ascention of Christ This is called the last Age of the world after which there is no other to be looked for by us here as after old age man is to expect no other age in this life but death which putteth an end unto his time And the Scripture as they conceive in this notion of age relates to a very notable distribution of famous account amongst the jewes of the time before and after the Messiah into two ages The first is called the Age before the Messiah the then present age the age of the jewish state The secoÌ„d the Age after the Messiah the future age the age of Christianitie Not inconformably whereunto Tobit speaking of the second Temple rebuilded
saith the LORD which is in effect the same with Isay 54 13 Iohn 6.45 And they shall be all taught of GOD i.e. They shall not be onely taught of man as others in externall covenant onely are These words They shall be all taught of GOD are not to be interpreted exclusively so as to exclude the teaching of man but extensively so as to include the teaching also of God witness the cloud of Scripture-instances of all those under the Gospel-dispensation who were taught of God but how by not without the teaching of man Further the promise undertakes for such a writing of the Law in their hearts such a teaching of God as that they shall not finally apostate from the Covenant Jer 32.40 But I will put my Fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me The Subject spoken of are such persons which are actually the people of God such in whose hearts the Law is written The knowledg of God is taken either for that knowledg of him which is essential to effectual vocation or for the knowledg of edification Taking knowledg in the former notion of writing the Law in the heart indelebly this being a property of the Covenant of grace the sense naturally flowes viz that after conversion once wrought there shall be no need to speak unto such to know the Lord namely with a knowledg essential to vocation as if they were ignorant thereof for this were in effect to deny a characteristical priviledg of the Covenant and to affirm falling from grace Regeneration is not iterable they who are once converted need not to be converted from the state of nature to the state of grace a second time This seemeth to be the genuine sense of the place If we take knowledg in the latter notion viz for the knowledg of edification then the interpretation proceeds comparatively thus comparing the Gospel-Israel having the law written in their hearts being also under a clearer dispensation under the promise of an efficacious copious influence of the Spirit with the National-Israel finally impenitent under the Law the teachers of the one as to a great part of the labour of their ministry in respect of the consolatory success thereof especially in the glorious times shall not look upon it as labour compared with the fruitless labours of the other so as the forementioned Gospel-hearers in respect of the premises might seem rather comparatively to have been taught by some immediate irradiation then by meanes of ordinary instruction 1 John 2.27 But the annointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and you need not that any man teach you but as the same annointing teacheth you of all things and is no ly Hence it is inferred that believers have no need of being taught by man Answ The Objector mistakes the question The Apostle speakes of heterodox doctrine taught by man The objection proceeeds concerning teaching by man The sense of the words alledged is you believers who through grace are an̄ointed with the in dwelling saving operatiōs efficatious influence of the Spirit which is the only Teacher have so learned Christ i.e. the Lords Christ that you need not be troubled with nor ought you to harken to the doctrine of Cerinthius Ebton or the Gnosticks who though they pretend themselves to be teachers of Christ are indeed Antichrists 1 John 2.18 So teaching Christ as that they un-Christ Christ nor have you need of any other doctrine whatsoever from any other man not agreeable unto the doctrine of the true Christ which you who are annointed have received 2 Pet 1.19 We have also a more sure word of Prophesy where unto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the day-starr arise in your hearts Hence is inferred that after the reception of the Spirit or believing there is no more need to attend unto the Scripture Answ This interpretation presupposeth three things any where of failing it cannot stand 1. That we are to understand by a sure word of Prophecie the whole Scripture 2. By the day dawning and the day-starr arising the Spirit of grace in Regeneration 3. By the particle Vntill the limited instant of regeneration Before which though we either do or may yet after which we are not to attend unto the Scripture Peter himself expounds the word of prophecie verse 19 of the Scripture of the old Testament verse 20 21. Which Scripture-testimony compared with the verbal testimony of the Apostles concerning the voyce heard in the holy mount in relation to the doctrine of Christ he preferreth not as the most true but as the most sure ground for Faith of the two and upon this account because the verbal testimony of the Apostles though Apostolical was as yet but verbal and not scriptural So that should this text upon a false supposition be looked at as speaking of a believers non-attention unto Scripture yet it proceeds not concerning the Scripture in general but concerning the Scripture of the old testament only not of the Canon of the new Testament The day dawning and the day-starr appearing denotes either the saying light of the Spirit making our attention unto the Scripture from time to time effectual during the season of our dependance hereupon throughout this life or that day-light of the vision of glory both which senses in conclusion issue in one But it cannot be understood of the regenerating-light of the Spirit because the Apostle speakes to those who are believers still to attend upon the Scripture The particle untill any other acception not pertinent to the matter under consideration omitted either noteth a certain time before which such a thing is to be which was not before or after which such a thing is not to be which was before The Scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a Law-giver from between his feet untill Shiloh come Gen 49.10 But here it denoteth not any certain time in this life after which we are not to attend upon the word written For then that certain time notified by the day dawning and the day-starr appearing must either relate to Christs comming in the flesh or to the beginning of the Gospel-dispensation or to the effectual revelation of Christ in vocation or to some other terme that may rationally and scripturally be instanced in but it cannot relate unto the first because it is not an appearance in the flesh but an appearance in the heart that is here expresly spoken of and the day-starr arise in your HEARTS Neither indeed can it relate either unto the first or any other of the termes or limits mentioned because Peter writes unto such still to attend upon the word of Prophecie who were regenerate who were believers haveing obteined like precious faith with himself Cap 1.1 Yea such who cannot be looked at otherwise then of considerable standing proficiency in the faith and lived after his incarnation and Gospel-dispensation whence were this
then hanged in iron cages the King in the midst higher then the rest by the height of a man he endured the first three pinches in silence afterwards cryed out for mercy till he was dispatched John Matthiz a Baker of Harlem a Prophet after a revelation from heaven Commands all books to be burnt except the Bible Herbert Truteling a smith hereupon called them dirty Prophets Therefore Matthiz shot him dead This Matthiz by the impulse of the Spirit without the Scripture taketh a long spear runneth up and down Munster crying out that he had received a Commandement from the Father to repulse the enemy from the Cittie He no sooner approacheth the Camp then a Souldier one Misnicus faceth him and shoots him dead At Sengal in Helvetia 1527 Thomas Schucker with a sword beheads his own brother Leonard in the presence of his Father Mother by the impulsion of the Spirit without Scripture Upon the place of execution he shewed no remorse but professed that it was the will of God revealed to him from heaven Coppius a Flanders man Quintinus a Taylor of Picardie Claudius Persevatus Pocquius a Priest who conitnued still to say Mass in Holland Brabant and other parts of the Low-countrys and in France seduced above four thousand in Calvin's time All the murders whoredomes villainies saith M. Rutherford practised by Muncer John Becold David George Swenckfield they fathered on the Spirit without the Scripture or on such an allegorick sense as their unclean spirit expounded the word by so as a man knows not when they sin when they serve God I shall take off my pen from transcribing any more of these examples many wherof are at hand What further troubles were caused by these factious spirits in Moravia Bohemia Poland Hungarie Austria Silesia Westphalia Freizland Holland and Brabant in France I leave the studious Reader to inform himself from the histories of those times Did Luther in those times write to the Senate of Mulhusen to beware of the wolfe Muncer and have not we cause now to beware of the spirit of Swenckfield Muncer Becold Quintinus more then reviving in this present doctrine of confusion Iliad ψ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rem Regem Regimen Regionem Relligionem Tollere tentarunt Region Estate Rule Civil Divine Religion ALL they seek to undermine Amongst these three wayes of teaching Authority Reason Example the last is peculiarly accommodated to the capacitie nature of man as that which both inlightens affects Examples make difficult things plain and doubtfull things certain Hence they are aptly called the Pledges of speech delivered for the assurance of the mind of the hearer concerning the subject spoken of upon the reception whereof all experience attests unto a perswasive operative influence concomitant in rational subjects It were a great violation of charitie to looke at all seduced as thus minded we know the very method of the Masters of Spirituall pestilence sufficiently admonisheth us that their novices are not arrived at the heights of the mystery of their iniquity 'T is probable that many of their considerable proficients are not alike insighted into these secrets of darkness Yea that not a few of them would readily really profess their detestation of the perpetration of the villanies forementioned All which notwithstanding it were great defect of prudence after so fair or rather formidable warnings past and such prodigious apparitions present not timously to put our selves into a regular and necessary posture of defence Alas men know not their deceitfull hearts At the same time we may both hear Hazael saying But what is thy servant a dog that he should do this great thing and see the man of God weep foreseeing the evil that he would do unto the children of Israel Be it so that many are led away in their simplicity yet a discerning spirit may well doubt that neither Achitophels head nor heart is wanting in the design Besides why should not men of the same Spirit temptation opportunity concurring be looked at as too like to walk in the same steps From the same root reason teacheth us if not maturely prevented to expect the same fruits from the same principles the same issues from the same cause the same effects To give warning is the duty of the watchman to take warning is the duty of the Citty The experiences of generations foregoing are the instructions of generations following The history of the experiments of others is our advantage The improvement thereof in season will be not only our duty and wisedom but also a token of mercy The woe 's of Ancestors ought to be the warning of Successors CHAP 4. Of the Remedy against Heretical doctrines and in particular against the doctrine of the Quakers NOtwithstanding manifold evils prevailing threatning yet the Prophet will not admit that there is no Balm in Gilead that there is no Physician there Though Christ hath not seen good to exempt his with a preservative from exercise by temptation yet hath he so provided as to supply them with a defensative against the evill of temptation There was not more sicknes amongst the people then there was healing vertue in the Disciples gift Mat 10.1 A venimous Serpent may be brought into Crete or Ireland but may report be credited no such can live there The wiles of the Devil are Serpentine and malignant yet not to be compared to the wisdom of Christ The Serpent's head is poysonous but thanks be to God through Jesus Christ his malignity is both antidated antidoted I will put enmity between thee the woman between thy seed her seed It shall bruise thy Head Gen 3.15 The Saviour of his people hath smitten Satan long agoe in his intellectuals His plots are foreseen and the remedy hath prevented the disease To Christ belongs the prerogative of being the only Politician Now a compleat Polity exhibiteth meanes sufficient as to the sufficiency of meanes for the defence of the Law and of all those that are loyal subjects thereunto Would the Patient but regularly attend the prescript there is no stratagem can infest the Churches in reference whereunto wee may not still boldly say yet there is hope in Israel cōcerning this thing Surely there is no inchantment against Jacob neither is there any divination against Israel According to this time It shall be said of Jacob of Israel what hath God wrought Num. 23.33 mine eye affects my heart Lam. 3.51 A due sight of the Spirit of errour heresie is a great help to affect a Christian Spirit therewith Monsters in nature are eye sores The face of death that King of Terrours the living man by instinct turneth his face from An unusual shape a Satanical phantasm a ghost or apparition affrights the disciples The vision of sin unto a spiritual eye is an object of much more abhorrence then the former But the face of heresie is of a more