Rusticus ad academicos in exercitationibus expostulatoriis, apologeticis quatuor The rustick's alarm to the rabbies, or, The country correcting the university and clergy, and ... contesting for the truth ... : in four apologeticall and expostulatory exercitations : wherein is contained, as well a general account to all enquirers, as a general answer to all opposers of the most truly catholike and most truly Christ-like Chistians [sic] called Quakers, and of the true divinity of their doctrine : by way of entire entercourse held in special with four of the clergies chieftanes, viz, John Owen ... Tho. Danson ... John Tombes ... Rich. Baxter ... by Samuel Fisher ...

CHAP. V.

AS to the matter of the Scripture remaining entire to a Tittle in the outward Text of it as at first given out, what a fidling and pidling makest thou to prove and make it good? what Figures dost thou cast in thy Fancy throw that part of thy Second Treatise, wherein thou treatest for it, for the defending of it, and to fence off that fault of falshood from falling upon that thy Arch-Assertion, having once over-shot thy self-so far, as in thy First Treatise, as false as frequently to affirm it; and yet when all's done, after thy tedious Tracings to and fro in thy wonted

Wood of uncertain Talk, Conjectural Discourse, and in the toylsome Thicker of thy own untrusty Thinking?, thou art fain to Confesse enough to the Confutation of thy self, and the Contradicting of That thy Position in the strictnesse thereof, wherein thou tooth and nail Contendest for it, as no lesse then a very Fundamental part of That Faith, which was once delivered to the Saints.

But that I may not seem to wrong thee by Representing thy Arch∣Assertion in a stricter way, or by stretching or extending it, in my Ani∣madversions on it, beyond the exact measure of thy insert and meaning in it (unless thou wil•• have us to judge thee one that speakest one thing, and meanest another [as T.D. sayes God do••] which is as bad) let the Reader, together with my returns therto, take it in thy own terms, as it lies spread and sprinkled up & down in sundry Expressions, sounding out (in sum) the same thing, as to thy purport in them, over many parts, and in many par∣ticular pages of thy Two English Tractacles.

I.O. Pag. 14. The whole Word of God (that is, Secundum Te still, the Scripture, Text, or Writing of it) in every Letter and Tittle, as given from him by Inspiration, is preserved without Corruption (i.e.) variety from the first Original Manuscripts in the Copies we have.

Pag. 137. The whole Script••re entire, as given out from God, without any losse, is preserved in the Copies of the Originals, in ••h••m all, we say, is every Letter and Tittle.

Pag. 10. T••e Word (i.e.) Scripture with thee still (for thou denyest the words coming any other-way to your selves, or any now) is come forth unto us from God, without the least mixture, or intervenience of any medium. ob∣noxious to fallibility, as is the Wisdom, Truth, Integrity, Knowledge, and Memory of the best of all men.

Pag. 13. We have not the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of Mo?es, and the Prophets, the Apostles and Evangelists, but the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, we have, or Co••i••s contain every Iota that was in them.

Hebrae•• Volumina nec in unica dictione, corrupta intenies. S. Pag. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Matth. 5. 18.

To which Answers that, Pag. 316, 317. Doth not our Saviour affirm of the Word that was among the Jewes (i.e.) Scripture (Secundum te still) That not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of it should passe away or perish, where let the Consonants themselves, with their Apices, be intended, or alluded to in that expression, &c.

And Epist pag. 27. None are able to shew out of any Copies yet extant in the World, and that they can make appear ever to have been extant, that ever there were any such various Lections in the Old Testament.

And pag. 319. Neither the Care o•• God over his Truth, nor the Fidelity of the Judaical Church, will permit us to entertain the least suspition, that there was ever in the world any Copy of the Bible differing, in t••e least, from that we enjoy, or that those we have are corrupted.

And pag. 317. Let the Authors of this Insinuation, prove that there ever was in the World, any Copy of the Bible Differing in any one word from those that we now enjoy, let them produce one Testimony, ne Author of C?ed•• J••w or Christian, that can, or doth, or ever did, speak one word to this purp••se, let them direct us to

any Relick, any Monument, any kind of Remembrance of them, and it shall b of we••ght to us, &c.

Many more exceeding and extraordinary, high, strict streins thou deli∣verest thyself in, in other places about the non-corruption, non alterati∣on of the Text of Scripture in one Letter, Tittle, Iota, or Syllable since the first giving it out, so, but that in the Copies extant to this day, theres an exact Unity, and entire Identity with the first Originals; a kind of Summary, Collection, and C••pitulation of which thou makest, pag. 153. speaking to this purpose thus, viz.

I O. The Sum of what I am Pleading for, as to the particular Head to be vindicated, is, That as the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament were im∣mediately and entirely given out by God himself, his Mind being in them repre∣sented unto us without the least interveniency of such mediums, and wayes as were capable of giving Change or Alteration to the least Iota or Syllable; So by his good and merciful Providential Dispensation in his love to his Word and Church, his whole Word (alias, the Scripture with thee) as at first given out by him, is preserved unto us entire in the Original Languages; where shining in its own beauty and lustre (as also in all Translations, as far as they faithfully represent the Originals) it manifests and evidences unto the Consciences of men without other forreign help or Assistance, its divine Original, and Authority.

Reply. This is the Capital, Cardinal, General Assertion, or Position, which branches it sel•• into several Particulars, or petty Propositions, viz. The immediate coming forth of the Scripture from God to us; its self evi∣dencing power to evince it self, by it self alone, to be of God, and his Word; its descending to us at this day entire to a Tittle without corrupti∣on by alteration in the least Letter, Iota, Vowel, Point, or Syllable; its uncapablenesse of such Change and Alteration in its coming to us (so are thy words here and pag. 10.) to the least Iota, or Syllable.

Unto which General Head, and its branches, the Ramu••culi, lesser twigs, or little Sentences scattered here and there throwout thy Book, are Re∣ducible, and each to its own suitable Branch respectively.

That which I am here under Consideration of thy pi••tiful Plea for, is both its non-Alteration (de facto) as its handed down by Transcribers from the fi••st Scribes of it to us in these dayes, and its Unalterablenesse, or Uncapablenesse of Alteration (which (if thou mean as thou sayest) thou here Assertest) to the least Iota or Syllable.

These are to thee (as thou sayest) such important Truths, that thou shalt not be blamed in the least by thy own Spirit, nor, thou hopest, by any others, in con∣tending for them, judging them Fundamental parts of the Faith once (but (say I) thou knowest not when) delivered to the Saints.

Reply. Though I, who cannot hold thee, because I cannot find thee guiltlesse, in either thy hasty holding, or thy heedlesse, unhandy handling thy weak vindicatory piece of Probation of them at so high a rate, do advise thee to praise a fair day at night, assuring thee, that if ever thou come to learn the Truth in the plainnesse and power of it, as it is in Iesus the Light, of whom the Letter testifies, thou wilt find these no Fundamen∣tal

parts of that One Faith, which Paul and Iude speak of, Eph. 4. Iude 3▪ which was One even of old from Abraham, Enoch, Noah, and downwards from the beginning, before the Letter was delivered to, and earnestly to be contended for by the Saints; and wilt find thy own Spirit also, however it now seems not to blame thee in the least, blaming thee nor a little for thy ignorance in due time; and howbeit (being bolstered up for a while above it, by the Aery Academical Applauses, Gratulatory Euge's, J O's. Hic est's, and such like blessings of thy blind Brother literatists, that are (as the rich mans wealth to him, Prov. 10.15.) thy strong City, thy Murus Abae∣neus, a high Brazen Wall to thee in thy own conceit) thou feel'st no Check, and seemest Nil Conscire tibi, nullâ Pallescere Cultâ.

Yet let others, and thy own heart also Clear, Chear and Cheat thee as it will, thou wilt once know, that as to every work there is a time to do it in, and a Judgment after it; so thy whole, lame, Anti-Scriptural work about the Scriptures, as well as thy other part of it against the Quakers, though fenced in the Frontispice with the fair formal pretence of, A Vin∣dication of the Purity and Integrity of the Hebrew and Greek Texts; and, Pro Scripturis, and such like, must come to another account then that I am here taking of it before the world, even to a Judgment from God within thy own now blinded Bosome, and closed Conscience, as the Book thereof comes to be opened by the shining out of that Light in it, that lyes yet smoothered; and then thy misery will be so great upon thee, that (as I told thee above) what thou sayest of the Pope for his misuse of Scrip∣ture, will be verified not on him only, in so much the greater measure, by how much his Vilislations and Violations of it may be greater then thine, but in some measure also upon thy self; so that as thou, together with me, sayst Papae, so say I,

Et Tibi Tempus erit quo magno optaveris Emptam, Scripturam intactam.

It will once repent thee not a little in thy own Spirit, that ever thou appearedst in publick in such a proud and peevish Prate against its purest Friends so pretensively only, but not properly for, and so piteously and unpolishedly about the Scriptures.

Now as to thy Vindication or Plea it self, for the present Integrity, and Indentity of the Text of your Copies, with those Original Copies that were first given out, which thou positively hadst before Asserted, thou failest and fallest short, so in thy Confidence of what thou hadst so pe∣remptorily propounded for Truth, in ipso limine, at the very threshold and entrance thereinto, as to stile it no other then an Account of thy Appre∣hensions, a delivery of thy Thoughts, and a runing the Hazard of giving out thy Thoughts, and of what thy own Thoughts suggested to thee, pag. 146, 147, 149. 163 and a discovery of thy Thoughts, 151. As also thy First Treatise, wherein thou talkst of the samenesse of the Letter in every Tit∣tle and Iota to what it was at first so Authoritatively, so Positively, so Im∣positively, so seemingly Infallibly and Uncontroulably; a publication of thy Thoughts (Though I had thought a Minister of Christ, or Doctor in that thing cal'd Divinity, especially about the Foundation of all his Faith, and in that Chapter where he layes the Basis of his Businesse, and of h••s

building, should have b•• thought himself better before-hand and have sa••e down and counted his cost, and cast it in his mind before he Printed his Propositions out in such peremptory terms, as thou dost in this case of non∣Alteration of one jot or Tittle of the first divinely inspired Scripture, pag. 13, 14, 28 whether it would hold it out in such a height for certain or no, without parching it up with [So I think] and such loose Conjectures, and Imagina••ions, as are attended with such great uncertainty, that himself con∣fesses (as thou dost, pag. 297.) They ought not to be admitted to any Plea or Place, one way or other, in so w••ighty a cause; and Propound things that are false, as boldly, as undoubted Truths, and then pu••s off such as expect hi•• p••oof, with weak Conjectures, and his Conceits; ••e••t men mock him say∣ing, This man began to build, but was not able to finish. Yet now I be∣think my self, thou pretendest to be no divinely Inspired Prophet, nor one that owns any such to be now a dayes, but one of those Other men thou speakest of. pag. 9. The Pigment and Imagination of whose hearts are the foun∣tain of all that they speak, and so no better can be expected from them.

2. Thou grantest that ye have not the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, pag. 13 Nay. It is granted (sayest thou, pag. 163.) that the Individual 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of Moses, the Prophets, and the Apostles are in all probability, and as to all that we know ut∣terly perished and lost out of the world; As also the Copies of Ezra, the Reports mentioned by some to the contrary are open fictions; The individual Ink and Parch∣ment, the Ro••es or Books that they wrote, could not without a Miracle have been preserved from mouldring into Dust before this time; Nor doth it seem improbable that God was willing by their losse, to Reduce us to a neerer Consideration of his Care and Providence in the Preservation of every Tittle contained in them; Had those individual Writings been preserved, men would have been ready to adore them, as the Jewes do their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in their Synagogues.

Reply. How like a Child dost thou talk in that groundlesse guesse of thine that God was willing to let the losse of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 be, for such an end, as in thy foolish vain mind thou imaginest and fondly fanciest! What a bawbling and blerting dost thou make of thy boyish bolts out of the Cross bow of thy crooked Conceit, both here and else-where up and down thy Book? Who told thee that trifling Tale, which thou tellest for probable Truth, that God let all the first Writings be lost for this end, to reduce men in the latter Ages to a neerer Consideration of his Care in Preserving every Tittle till now that was contained in them? When yet we know (as I told thee a∣bove) and prove by and from that little of the first Scripture that hath happened to come to our hands (which ten parts to one of the World never saw neither) that not Tittles only, but many whole Books of the first divinely inspired Scripture, that belonged to the Bulk of Holy mens Writings by the Spirit, are not preserved, but perished, for ought thou knowest, both the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, & 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of them also: Did God himself tell thee this to tell for Tsruth, or did the Serpent suggest it to thy Thoughts, that suggests a legion more o•• the like lying vanities? Even he surely insinua∣ted this into thy Imagination, that crowded those other crude Conceptions and Conjectures, which thou hast, and holdest out to such Tom of Bediams,

as will take them for Truth from thee. So in pag. 12, 14, 34. where perking up into Gods privy Councel, as if thou wer't one that fate in his Bosom from which thou art yet as far (being from the Light) as the Rich G••ut∣ton was from Abrahams, where poor Lazarus sa••e, whom he dispised (saving that the gulf was fix't against his passage, whereas there's hope concerning thy coming thither, if yet in time thou tern and take hold on Truth) and intruding thy se••f into what thou hast not seen, vainly puf•• up in thy fleshly mind, thou proudly falst a Pratin•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Propounding, for Truth, what swims and floats in the Cock-boat of thy Fancy, (viz) pag. ••2. That the Writing was the product of Gods Eternal Councel for the preservation of the Doctrine after a sufficient discovery of the Insuffiency of all other means for that end and purpose.

Reply. Into which piece of Gods Eternal Councel, I trow who, or what Spirit, or Scripture, or Key of any kind, did ever let in I. O. who Proposes it so peremptorily in his Preachings; as if God had discovered something by experience, after a while, that he was not so well acquain∣ted with before, namely, that manifesting his mind by Dreams, Visions, Voices, Word of Mouth, was, after his tryal thereof, sufficiently ••ound by the Lord to be an insufficient means to save his Word from loosing, which means he intended once to that end and purpose (howbeit sometimes again I O tells us (truly enough) that what ever means God appoints to any end, it is sufficient thereunto, and there∣upon not imperfect, but perfect ) and so fearing, belike, to loose his Word and Doctrine, and not know∣ing any other way (all others fail∣ing save that of Pen and Inke) in his Providence, betook himself to that way of Writing, which Provi∣dence also saw it self concerned to this day, to preserve entire Copies to a Tittle of all that Writing (much of which yet is lost) both to reduce men to a Consideration of it self, in that one particular; and also that his Word (not a jot of which, I confesse, can ever fail, though all Writing in the World come to perish) might be secured for ever from perishing, and altering, by that most alterable and perishing way of Writing; which, if it should happen to be all lost, he had no way to save his Word, Doctrine, and sacred Truth from dying irrecoverably, by a very dreadful and mortal Di∣stemper, pag. 314. So seems I.O. summarily to say out of the sacred Se∣cret of Gods Councel, which was never with any, save such as fear him more then I. O. does, whose Position of it Credat Apella.

So Pag. 14. God by his Providence, preserving the whole Text entire, suffers lesser variety to fall out in or among the Copies we have, for the quickning and ex∣ercising our diligence in our search into his Word.

Reply. O nescio quo horrendo percusse Sentomate! Whence came this whiffe and whimzy within the Circumference of thy Figmentitious Fancy? Who told thee this Toy, which thou preachest out for positive Truth? Dost thou teach this for a true Doctrine of Christ, if so, from what Text?

Or wilt thou own it to be but a meer Tale of thy own, a Tradition of I.O. which it thou wilt, then own it, that in vain thou worshippest God, while thou art Teaching for Doctrine thy own Thoughts, and the Traditions of thy self, or any other men; Thou talkest sometime at such a rate as if thou wouldst make all the World believe the variety of our Copies were absolutely none at all, no not in the leaft, not in one Apex, Tittle, Iota, not in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, which, how contradictory it is to, or consistent with that lesser variety here talk'd on, who is so silly (save I. O. whose own silliness and self. Confoundings are never seen by himself) as not to see? But to let passe that ordinary matter of self-contradiction (sifh its as Common with thee almost as to Talk at all) and to take it as it falls. Is this the end why God, who (as thou sayest, who knowest not whether thou hast the half or no of what was by Inspiration written) preserved the whole entire, suffered that variety that is in your Copies, to quicken your diligence in your Search into his Word? If that be the end (as indeed it may well enough be, of the total losse of so much of the Letter as there is, and non∣Integrity, nor Indentity of your Transcript Texts that remain) that ye should diligently search into his Word, it were happy for you that there's so much variety and uncertainty as there is in your Copies, and nere the worse, had you none of them at all, so ye would betake your selves to the Hearing of the Word of God, and the receiving it more immediately and purely from his mouth, which the Letter of it tells you is nigh in your own hearts and mouths, ••o that ye need not go any where ad extra for it, that ye may both hear and do it: But alas poor men, by the Word ye mean the Letter still, the External Text, or Writing of it, and then so far is your so diligent searching and poring, and striving, and scribling one to another (as the Scribes of old did, Iob. 5. that never heard the Voice and Word of God it self) from being a∣ny end of God at all in giving it out at first, or in deriving that part of the Scripture, ye have, down to you, whether fully the same with, or falsifi∣ed from the first Copies, that he loaths and detests your long Tales about its Tittles, and your idle Treating away your pretious time in such Trivial talk as this, That the whole Word of God, and all saving Doctrine, and sacred Truth is lost, and fails for ever without▪ Relief, Remedy, or Recovery, if every Tittle of the Text without losse or variation be not upheld and preserved Entire to this day: which yet is some (not to say the sum) of that unsound Doctrine, the proof of which is driven on by thee I. O. As in pag. 18. 314. and many other Pages is to be seen throwout thy Book, as well as by other Doctors and Divines.

So Pag 34. speaking of the Scriptures uncontroulably manifesting themselve so to be, that on pain of eternal Damnation, men are to receive them as the Word of God, thou sayst that they afford unto us all the divine Evi∣dence of themselves (and thats none at all, as I shall shew anon of their being his Word) which God is willing to grant us, or can be granted us, or is any way needful for us.

Reply. Another odd Conceited saying this is, as like thy self (who ur∣••erest thy self Doctor-like still, as to thy usurped Authoritativenesse, but

seldom as to the truth of thy Assertions) as if it were spit out of thy mouth: Who told thee this Vntruth that thou so uncontrollably utterest here for truth, that God is not willing to grant more divine evidence of the Scriptures being what thou falsly sayest they are, or where they are indeed, and that more neither can or need be granted then what the Scriptures themselves do afford? sayest thou this of thy self, or did others tell it thee of the Scripture? of thy own head surely, or very like∣ly at least, and neither from God nor the Spirit, nor the Scriptures, no nor the Synods, nor the Congregational Churches of England to which thou belon∣gest, nor the Doctrinal Catechismes of late Divines; for these thy brethren (though erring with thee, in stiling them the Word) tell thee of another (not humane onely) but Divine Testimony or evidence, that may be and is needful to be granted, and that God is willing to and doth also grant of the Scriptures being what they call it, beside that which thou here so ab∣solutely assertest as the onely one that must or can be afforded, viz. the Testimony of the Spirit of God in the heart, and not that of the Scripture a∣lone concerning itself, or of the holy Spirit speaking without us ad extra onely in the Scripture, which is the dream wherein thou drawest aside not onely from the truth, but also (if it were a truth that the Letter is G••ds Word) from the joynt Testimony of thy fellow Testifiers to it, for they say the Testimony of the Spirit within us also, & not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••stimony without u••, and onely in the Scripture, divinely evidences the Scripture to be what ye all fals∣ly say it is, that is, the Word of God: Witnesse not only that so much e∣steemed Divine in his dayes, viz. Ball in his Catechisme, but also the Con∣fession of Faith of the Assembly of Divines presented to the Parliament, and that of the Congregationals, which is verbatim the same also therewith, who all unanimously in that Article of the Scripture, wherein they falsely affirm it to be the Word of God, declare thus in the fifth head, viz. by the heavenlinesse of the matter, efficacy of Doctrine, majesty of the stile, excellency and perfection of the whole, it doth abudantly evidence it self to be the Word of God, yet notwithstanding our full perswasion and assurance of the infallible truth and di∣vine authority thereof [i.e.] of the Scripture, is from the inward work of the holy Spirit, bearing witnesse by and with the word in our hearts.

But thou in page 90. and thorowout thy fifth chapter of thy first Trea∣tise excludest the witnesse of the Spirit immediately in the heart at all, or at least the usefulnesse, much more the necessity of any such Testimony making as here page 34. the Authority of God shining in it self alone, and exclusively of the spirits and words witnesse in our hearts, the sole medium of all that evi∣dence which man can have of its being (what ye call it) viz. The Word of God; but as for God and the Spirit, who within do give all the evidence that they give at all of the Scriptures, being what in truth is is, viz a true wri∣ting of the truth, what if they are willing to grant an evidence within, and to afford more then thou talkst of? wilt thou bind, limit and forbid them so to so, who 〈◊〉〈◊〉 unlimitedly here declarest that God is willing to afford and grant no more? must not the Spirit blow where it lifts without thy leave, or acquainting thee, first, who art no Prophet, with what he will do? And this may serve as a sufficient Answer to thy vain Opinion in it (it being worth no better) to that whole Chapter of thine concerning

the Testimony of the Spirit; though whether it shall or no, so that I'le say no more to thee about that Chapter, is more then Ile tell thee here, that I may be at liberty to do as I see occasion: Only thus much is spoken to that saying of thine, above pag. 34. to shew how Majestically still for the eternal Truths of God, thou tellest thy own meer trashy, untrusty Traditi∣ons; of which sort, I say, is that above, p. 163 which I am yet in hand with (viz.) that God probably suffered the losse of the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, to reduce us to a Con∣sideration of his Care in preserving every Tittle, that was in them, to this day in the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or Copies we have.

But I O. seems to take another Reason out of the bottomlesse pit of his own infinite Fancy and Imagination, why God was as willing to let the first Manuscripts perish, as careful to preserve every Apex thereof, in their adored Transcripts, and successively Crowned and Canonized Copies to this day (viz.) left if the immediate individual Writings had been preserved, men would have been ready to adore them, as the Jewes to adore their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, in their Synagogues.

Reply Which if it be Cogent or have any Reason at all in it to prove a willingnesse in God to let the first Writings be left, hath it not as much to the full to evince God; Regardlesnesse of your so copiously regarded Copies, up∣on (if there were no other) the very self-same Account, as he was so carelesse of the other? But I. O. is so totally Talpified, that (as Eagle∣eyed as he is abroad to spie a hole in the Iewes Coat) he can't see that Iewish Idolatry neerer home? For if God, to prevent Adoration of that Brazen Serpent, and Idolized 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of the Scripture, was so regardlesse of it, as to permit it to perish and be brought to nothing, is there not as much reason why he should be as Carelesse of your remote, tottered Transcripts, and false Translations ye are so carkingly careful of, as to let what will become of them, notwithstanding your uncessant pining and whining, and whoring after them, and solicitous scoldings and tearings one of another so much about them? For as much as though ye Confesse ye have but the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, yet so it is, that ye Adore, and even Idolize them as much as ye would, or likely could the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 themselves, had you them to bustle and busie your minds about, and as much as the Iewes (though ye advance them the Right way no more then they do theirs, as I have told you at large above) do their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in their Synagogues. Suppose ye had here the very Hand writings of Moses, and the old Prophets, and the individual Letters, and Stories that the Evangelists and Apostles pen'd with their own hands; yea the very Two Tables of Stone, super∣scribed with Gods own finger (which was a Figure and Type of that Hand∣writing of his Law in the fleshly Tables of your hearts by his living Spirit, the Truth, and Anti-type, of which ye as little heed, as ye heedlesly over-value the other) What could you Ministers of the Letter, and not the Spirit, and your Literal and Formal, more then Powerful and truly Spiritual Professours say or do more (unlesse you would down on your Knees to them so soon as ever ye see them) in way of outward Honour and Ado∣ration thereof, then ye do to your falsified Transcripts, and your People to the more unspeakably false Translations, which they take for Truth, but by Tradition and meer implicite Faith from your selves? Lets Reason

and Reckon with you here a little while about your Transcripts and Tran∣slations, which are all that are extant and enjoyed at this day; the first by you that have skill in Hebrew and Greek; the second by your Indepen∣dent [on God] but (on their Priests lips) dependent People; As for the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. Memorandum (Oh all People, by whom these presents shall ever happen to be read) I. O. hath quite quitted the World of them, Confessing they are all utterly perished, and long since past away and lost; So that 'tis opon Fiction, or miracu••ous with him for any one to affirm, that there's any one individual Role, Writing, or Book that was Pen'd by the Holy men, that in their several successive Ages, wrote the Scripture now alive, and not mouldred into dust: So that the World hath done with them, and they with us, so as never to come within our Ocular Inspection more, whereby to try whether our Doctors and Divines Adored Transcripts do to a little a∣gree (as I. O. absolutely affirms they do) with the Touchstone, yea or nay, so as to believe our own eyes, or any otherwise then as I O. (who first positively Asserts it) doth after as improbly conclude it from what is suggested to his own Thoughts from Hear-say, and other mens Talk to and fro, and Tradition, and (as he Confesses all along) •• heap of Vncertainties, and Conjectures; so that all the tumblings and tossings, snapings and snarlings of even the Protestant Divines about their Scriptmre, is but about their remote [Transcribed, I cannot say well neither, for most Transcribed Co∣pies too are out of the way since Printing came up, but] Printed Copies of the Text, which are all not more lyable in any thing to be, then in many things they are already falsified, which since the Primitive Copies are con∣cluded to be gone, and the infallible guidance of the Spirit, by I. O. T. D. and all Divines excluded out of the World also, though they tell us Tran∣slations must be Rectified by their Transcriptions, yet if they happen to be (as an hundred to one they are, and none knows in how many) in any things crooked or various from the first, there's no means of Rectifying or Reducing their supposed Rule to Conformity to the first literal Rule, nor of amending it, any otherwise then uncertainly, for ever. But suppose, I say, ye had the Primitive Copies, could you make more ado in Adoring them, then ye Doctors, and your People that dote on you, do about your various respective Transcripts, and more various Translations out of them into sundry Tongues and Languages, which Translations yet are all in somethings not more several in their sorts, then the Tongues into wch they are translated, and divided into as many Senses, as the many men that Translated them thereinto; which said numerous untrue Translations also are, as to the Letter [if they look not to the Light within, and live not by that] all that the poor blindly guided, mis-led, Priest-befoolled People, who ken not He∣brew and Greek [many of whom can't read English neither] have to trust to, whose Faith about the Scripture it self, which thou callst, pag. 155. the Foundation of that Faith and Obedience God requireth at their hands, and whose belief of the Truth or untruth of this or that Translation, is as much pin'd upon the Priests sleeve here in England still, as it is at Rome it self, in this and some other matters; for there they Believe as their Church [alias] Clergy believes, and take things on Trust being not suffered, if they were able [as here, though suffered, they are not able] to try the Truth

hereof, and by meer Tradition from their illiterate Purblind Priesthood; and no otherwise do they here, as to their Tratsl••tions, then upon Tra••i••ion, ••rusting to the fidelity and to that infalible certaines of their supposed learned leaders the Ser••••es, then whom no men are more humpered in a heap 〈◊〉〈◊〉 uncer∣tainties about the Scriptures What would ye do more to the very writing, that was inscribed with Gods own finger, if you had it, in way of homage then ye are doing to your respective doted on, derived copies? Do you not dance about them as Israel about their Calf, saying these are thy Gods O England, that brought thee out of bondage to thy sin, (to which yet they committing it they remain servants to this day, Iob. 8) and must save thee and lead thee into life, and are perfectly sufficient without the light and spirit within, the Quakers talk of, as that which the letter came from, and a∣lone can do it, to instruct thee in the knowledge and worship of God, and thy obtaining of everlasting Redemption? Do you not Canonize and crown them with the Titles of the only Perfect Rule, Foundation, Light, Witnesse, Living Word of God, the Lydius Lapis, Unaltered, Unalterable Standard, Touchstone immediately come forth from God to us, without the least inter∣ueniency of Wayes, or Mediums obnoxious to fallibility, or capable to giue Change to the least ••ota or Syllable? Are not these as high Titles as ye could give to the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, if they were here? Do you not say, and do this, and much more to your 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉? And the People to no more then their meer Translation? Yea, do the Iewes say or do more in way of Adoration to their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in their Synagogues, then beautifie, adore, guild, lift up in their hands, ex••al them with high Applauses, Hugge and Kisse them, as ye do when ye Swear upon a Book, and such like outward magnifyings and ma∣kings honourable of them, which is the utmost that I have seen them do in their Synagogues throw many Nations, without living that substantial Holy Life the letter calls for? And do you do any lesse, as to outward Adoration, or any more, as to inward and real Observation, towards your Bibles?

Yea, do ye not all, as well the People that have no better then their uncertain, yet certainly untrue Translations from you, as so many of you of the Clergy, as can read the Copies of the Originals (for many cannot read the Hebrew Text at all, and some the Greek as ••etle as that, as necessary as these Tongues were made a while since to the very esse, or being of Christs Ministers) who have no better ••hen your uncertain Transcriptions, cry up your several Transcribed and Translated Copies respectively that best like you, and every one hugge his own at least, as most insallible, however crying down others as corrupted▪ And how beit if any one of them were so, as none of them at all are, yet all of them can't be right, as each one faith that is, that he takes to•• Are ye not all noysing it out as the Iewes at ••e••usa••em, and the Gentiles at Ephesus, Jer. 7. Act. 19. of their Re∣spective broken Reeds the Temple and Diana, to which they trusted, Great is Diana The Temple of the Lord, The Word of God, The Word of God Inspired, The insallible Word o•• God are these, The perfect Living, Li••e giving Soul saving Word, the very Power of G••d unto Salvation? Are the Iewes more mad upon their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the•• People are upon their untruly Translated, and you Divines upon your untruly Transcribed, and both on the more Krea∣nously

yet Trans-printed Sculptures? Talking and Treating up your Re∣spective Texts into the Throne, where Christ the Light, and Living Word a∣lone should sit, making little lesse of your Copies, then some 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (or Cornu-Còpia) Deo forsan quapiam melius? For what are all the Ephesian like Glamours, eager Out-cryes, loud Noises of the people here for against the Quakers? Are they not for the bare Bulk of that Book cal∣led the Bible, the out-side of which they are at great Care and Cost to Paint, and Guild, and Bind, and Beautifie, and Adorn, and Adore, while the Truth exhibited in the Writing or Text thereof lyes trampled under their feet? Saying, the Ru••e, the Foundation, the infallible Standard, the Word of God, of no more then their (by the self Con••essed in many things) corrupted Translations; counting the Quakers not fit to live in the Land, any otherwise then Out-law'd, because they can't own, nor hold their I••o in that height of honour as they do,. nor fall down and worship that golden corruptible Image, that they set up, though they honour the Truth thats told in the Scripture, and submit to it as the euerlasting powerful Word of God? What are thy high English Transcendant Treatises a∣bout, and thy exceeding ample Apologetical Latine Exercitations, and thy many Execrations, Anathcmaes thundred out, and Subpoenaes, pag 31.34. 56. 59.60. 81. sent abroad in those and sundry other Pages of thy Paper, Summoning and Requiring all men, as from God to the Subjection and Submission of Soul to the Scriptures, which is due only and alone to the Word of God, on peril, pain, and penalty of inexcusablnesse, in damnable unbelief, damnation, eternal damnation, eternal displeasure of God, eternal Ruine, &c. in case it be not own'd as so? What are all thy excessiue Commendations, and direful Comminations, and Condemnations denounced by thee against all that Commend it not, so ignorantly as thy self, and thy many needlesle Negotiations, and pitiful Proofs, and Pragmatical Pratings, and prehemine••t Pleas for its Reception in Comparison with, and Opposition to all other wayes of coming to the knowledge of God, and Attendance and Submission to its Supream uncontroleable Authority, pag 57.58 upon the account of its 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or divine inspiration, as being the most perfect Rule, firm Foundation, staple Stan∣dard, infallibly true Tou••hstone, entirely in every Tittle to the least 〈◊〉〈◊〉, the Word of the Great God, the Writing that comes immediatly from God to us (who live to many 〈◊〉〈◊〉, after the mouldring of the first Manuscripts of it) with∣out the le••st interveniency of any medium obnoxious to fallibility, or capable to give Change to the least sota or Syllable of it, pag 113. The Book which God wrote, or at least immediately indited, and commends men (it thou could tell where) to receive, as his, under the penalty of his eternal displeasure, which Book makes a sufficient discovery of it self to be his, pag ••20. reveals and ••∣clares and professes it self from the beginning to the ending (that no where, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 I shall shew anon) to be unquestionably the Word of God, pag. 140. And avers it self in euery place (and that every place with 7 0. himself is 1.0 place at all, if Ex. 1. Self 28 be true, as will be seen anon) to be the Word of God, pag 117 the most glorious Light in the World above t'e Sun dearer to God then all the World besides, and scores more of won∣derful strict strains of Talk in which thou stretchest the Text and letter beyond its liue, and screwest the Scripture within Diana's Shrine, till thou

crack'st thy own Credit with uttering ten times more then thou art ever able to stand under the tryal of, or any wise man is to understand.

〈◊〉〈◊〉 what is all this Adoratory ado, thou makest, about? Is it not the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, pag. 57. the Writing? And what Writing? Is it not the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 only, confessing that all the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is long since lost? And if thou should spend so much time as to Talk to this Age of that, as the Rule, Foundation, Touchstone, Standard that is not now standing but fallen, and that, as the inalterable incorruptible Word of God (and yet whether the Decalogue of Gods own Writing were not as incorruptible as thy cobled Co∣pies of it, let who will judge) that is already altered, yea, corrupted wholly out of the World, thy folly would more fully shew it self; Is it not (if not the totte••ed Translations, which the people at least magniste, and make a God of, as much as thou of the other) thy meer Perigraphy, or rather Typo∣graphy that passes from under, not the Pens of careful, faithful, infallible Transcribers, but the Presses of carelesse, fallible, falsifying, faithlesse Printers, whose hands few Pamphlets passe without need of an after Errata sic Cor∣rigas?

Thy meer Typographically correctible corruptible Copies of the Text, are the Common Theame of all thy Laudatory labours, and truthlesse Treatises, and Theses that are thrust out about them.

As for all Translations (that I may not wrong thee, but give thee thy due) thou givest them their due, I confesse, in some measure, so as to slate them a little lower then either the true Word of God, or the first true immediate Manuscripts of it either. Yea, I must needs say that (though by some EXPRESSIONS and DENOMINATIONS thereof, as namely that of the Word of God (partly at least) thou settest them above them∣selves) yet thou pullest them down so far below thy Idolized meer im∣perfect Images of the frost Writings, that, to say the Truth, within a little thou as much disparagest the very best of them (as they are commonly counted) as beyond measure thou manifiest thy own, insomuch that well-nigh the whole Scene of Sections in thy last Chapter of thy Second Treatise seems to be set to drive on no other Design then a louder decrying of all Translations, then that of theirs, whom thou cryest out on, for de∣crying thy Transcriptions, or then thy own crying up of them; Yea, thou dost not more strictly and absolutely avouch that untruth concerning the absolute unity of your Copies of the Original both with the first Originals, and among themselues without any discrepancy in the least, then in that Chapter principally, and partly elsewhere (viz.) pag. 15. thou avowest and purtest thy self to prove that vast variety that is in all Translations among themselves, and that deep discrepancy that is in them also from both the first Original Text and your Transcripts of it; which variety, discrepancy and corruption yet, that is in them, thou art so far from covering from the view of the Vulgar, whose Souls Interest lies mainly in Translations (they being not able to read the Original Text) as their Soul [sayst thou] and bodily Interests al∣so [say I] are concerned in your Transcription, that thou openly pro∣claimest it, that all may see it, as it were upon the house top; and lest

any should be startled at so strange a sight, as thou presentest them with in that Chapter, as that vast variety of Translations of the Text from the Origi∣nals of it, and each from other, and begin to question whether that be the incorruptible Word of God or no, which so many Corruptions could creep, and are crept into, thou art so shamelesse as to help an Old lame Dog ore a stile (as the Proverb is) so as to render these so many mis-representations of the literal sense and meaning of the Original Words, which the Translators moped in∣to, till they have torn and twined the Waxen Nose of your naked Letter [whereby ••e may see what a sixt and firm Foundation, true Touchstone, stable Standard, inalterable Rule, infallible Guide, incorruptible Word of God, ye have among you while you trust and stand to no other Word then your outward Letter, defying that within, in the heart, which the Quakers point you to] into more then twice, if not twenty times twenty several shapes, as an eminent help (Oh horrid) to the manifesting of the mind of God unto men, witnesse thy own words, pag. 310•• at thy very entrance into that thy Talk against Translations, which are these;

TO. To have it Represented to us at one view, the several Apprehensions and Iudgements of so many worthy and learned men as were the Authors of these, and of the various Translations upon the Original words of the Scripture, is a signal help and aduantage vnto men enquiring into the mind and will of God in his word.

Reply. Was the like odd conceit ever heard of, or digested with the receipt of it for Truth, any where but among onr Academical Conjecturers, and Adorers of one anothers silly thoughts? that not unity but variety in the Translations of the letter, occasioned by the various thoughts and opi∣nions of men that Translated one, about the spirit, sense of the same words, should be signally helpful towards any thing, but the confused fightings that the world is filled with about their many senses and meanings on the letter, and that our Ministers fill the World with, as well about their divers Transcriptions, as different Translations, is much more then folly, and little lesse then madnesse to imagine.

Ah poor common people, you of the Tongues, Nations and Kindreds of the earth, that understand neither the Language of your Academical Cana∣anites, nor yet the true language of the Land of Canaan, It pities me for you still to see how all things are carried in the clouds out of your sight, for, not standing in the counsel of God, the light in your own heart, nor asking counsel of God, but at your Stoical Students, Stocks and Stones, you know not the mind of Christ that way; And as for your untrusty Turn-Coats that Talk of Truth to you for Tyth, but turn Truth out of doors, and turn all things up-side down, whose doings in that kind must be e∣steemed ere long as the Potters Clay, Isa. 29. As for these I say they dig deep to hide their Councel, not only from the Lord, who yet in his People sees them well enough, but from you also their own People who own them, so that all their works to you-ward are done in the dark, so that ye behold not what strange Transpositions, Transcriptions, and Transla∣tions of things there are among them; and such as tell you plainly how

they wrest the Scripture like a Nose of Wax, which way it may best serve their Interests, they hate, so that of those that have tumbled in the same belly, and sprang from same (University) Mothers womb and bowels, with them, whose breasts the suck at, Vel Duo. vel Nemo, my self, and very few more are escaped thence alone to tell you; They make you be∣lieve that that is the Word of God in your Bibles, which is seen with your bodily eyes even the very Letters, Syllables, and every Tittle of Writing, which ye there see, which Writing we confesse testifies of that Word of God which gives the Life; but alas, is the Word of God so flexible, alterable, that it can be changed (which is indeed eternally the same) into as ma∣ny shapes and senses as there are men, setting their senses on work to Trans∣cribe, Translate, and Expound it? Nay, Friends, Gods Word is stable and per∣manent, and not a Tittle of that can be turned besides it self, by the Tattling Tongues, and pidling Pens of men, that for Money make it their whole lives businesse to Transcribe, Translate, Interpret, and give you their Thoughts upon this, and that, and 'tother Text, till throw the throng of their Thoughts, and the mists of their Meanings, and mis-representations, and mis-interpreta∣tions, ye can see little of that they have Translated for you out of ••heir uncertain Transcripts, which yet they make you believe are in stedfast V∣nity with the Originals, and each other, though they Confesse your Transla∣tions (to good use and purpose too, if you will believe them) are all un∣speakably differing both from the first Copies of Scripture, and each other also.

As to the State and Condition of Translations, which it is I. O's. drift, to discover the Corruption of in Order to the upholding the Credit (as to non-Corruption) of his Transcriptions, he takes and gives a view of the chief of them as they lye in the Biblia Polyglotta.

Of the Arabick he tells us, pag. 325. That should be gather Instances of the failings of this Translation open and grosse, and so proceed with the rest, be thinkes he might make a Volumne neer as big as that of the various Lections af∣forded in the aforesaid Bible.

Of the Syriach, he sayes Pag. 327 That it was made, hfe knows neither when nor by whom, and that in sundry places it evidently follows another corrupt Translation, passed throw the hands of men ignorant and suspitious, against whose frauds and follies, by reason of the Paucity of Copies, we have no Relief.

Reply. Observe by the way, how I. O. when he speaks derogatively of Translations, he vilifies Translators as full of fraud, folly, ignorance, suspiti∣ous as if they were untrusty, and not fit to be heeded, as if they were full of Oscitancy and Negligence, occasioning miscarriages and mistakes in their Translatings, as if they were such as had nothing to do with God, but with Heathen Authors in Transcribings; but when he speaks. Arrogatively of Transcriptions then pag. 168, 169, 171. the Transcribers, considering that what they Transcribed was, every Tittle and Iota of it, the Word of the great God, wherein the Eternal Concernment of their own, and others Souls did lye, and knowing they had to do with the Living God (belike the Translators con∣sidered, and knew no such thing, that the Work under their Hands, was

of the same concernment to souls) shall we think that men in transcribing Tully, Homer, Aristotle, would be as careful as they? we think it not tole∣rable in a Christian to argue so; we scarce think the Roman Pontifices going solemnly to transcribe the Sybils verses, would do it either negligently or treache∣rously, or alter one Tittle from what they found written, and shall we entertain such thoughts of them, who knew they had to do with the living God, and that in and about that which is dearer to him then all the World besides? why then dost thou entertain such course thoughts of Translations J.O.? had not they to do with God in the same, that was (as thou cloudily conceivest, for though the word is, yet the latter is not so) dearer to him then the whole world? yea and sometimes when thou talkest of corrupt novel Transcripts, thou hast the same ill thoughts of Transcribers, and accusest them, when their Copies are quoted against thee, to prove various lections, for malicious depraving, as much as thou excusest them at other times: yea thou canst not think the Romane Pontifices would mistranscribe Sybils Prophecies in one Tittle negligently or Treacherously; yet dost entertain such thoughts of them about the Scripture, in which, who hath to do, hath to do with the living God, whether in Transcribing, Translating, or Interpreting, and inveighest against them, as betraying, falsifying, vitiating, interpolating, altering, adding, detract∣ing, and what not? to the corrupting of the Scripture. Ep. p. 13. Oh the pure ••rounds that I. O. runs' in! Of the Samaritane Pentateuch he sayes the places instanced in by Morinus do prove it corrupt, p. 329. of the Chaldee Paraphrase he sayes p. 334. That seeing it did not lye under any peculiar care, and merciful prouidence of God, whether innumerable faults and errours, as it happened with the Septuagint, may not be got into it, who can tell (Saith I. O. himself) and (say I) who can tell that this or that Transcription lay more under the peculiar care, and merciful providence of God, which I. O. so much insists on, then this or that Translation? yet I. O. will be telling out his thoughts still for absolute truths. Of the vulgar Latine, that its of an uncertain Originall, its Corruptions, and Barbarisms, its abuse so much hath been spoken of, and by so many already, that it were to no purpose to repeat it, p. 33••. Of the 70. that all things about it are uncertain, and nothing almost manifest concerning it, but that it is wofully corrupt. p. 335: and p. 15: that Translation i. e. the 70. either from the mistakes of its first Authors, or the carelesnesse, or ignorance, or worse, of the Transcribes, (mark how here I. O. shrewdly suspects Transcribers of carelesnesse, or Gods carelesnesse over them, whom at other times he says shall we think they were Oscitant or negligent, lying under a merciful aspect, and providence of God) is corrupted, or gone off from the Original in a thousand places twice told, and that its a corrupt stream, a Lesbian Rule. On the account of which, and some others, no whit better, or scarce so good, are exhibited; 1820. various lections, with insinuation of an infinite number more, and p. 339. if the ability of the Authors be urged. and granted, an unlikely to erre so much, what security (quoth I. O.) have we of their principles and honesty?

I say as much as we have of either the ability principles and honesty of thy (so implicitly trusted to) Transcribers; what warrant more hast thou to hold all Transcribers more trusty then these, that were, for ought is kuown, the first, and the most emine••t Translators in the world, insomuch that

whether translated or mistranslated, m••st Priests do••e more on it then on your Hebrew Copies: yet thou citest Cardinal Ximineus (whereby we see Popish Authors, when siding with you, are cited by you as Authentick as others) as••erring of this so much adored, and even Idolized Translation, that it is sometimes Supersluous, and sometimes Wanting, p. 340. and Cardinal Bel••armine † also whom thou citest, and creditest, that it is as a corrupt Translation out of the Text, so it felt corrupt and vitrated. and p. 341. eiting Hierom, as so saying, thou sayest it is corrupt, interpolated, ming∣led, and that there were so many copies of it, and they so varying, that no man knowes what to follow: and if a Translation may so be, why the O∣riginal it self may no so be by many various Copies, he must be a wiser man than I that knows, of the AE••biopian and Persian Translations, of the New Testament, he sayes p. 342. that he supposes it may sately be said, they are the worst, and most corrupt that are extant in the world; and of the AE••biopian he saith, p. 243 it is no whit better, but a novell endea∣vour of an illiterate person, and of all in grosse, he sayes thus in the same page, that would be make it his busi∣nesse to give instances of the mistakes, ignorance, falsifications, errours, and corruption of these Translators, who ere they were, Iews or Christians, his discourse would swell into a Volume; And lastly p 174. also thou, without exception of any, depr••ssett all Tran∣slations, which is all the people have so far below Transcriptions which ye Linguists have, as to say thus of them viz. Translations, con••ain the word of God, and are the wo••d of God, perfectly or imperfectly, according as they expresse the sense and meaning of those Originals, and of the Transcriptions ye Linguists have: to advance any, all Translations as concurring into an Equality with the Original, So to set them by it, as to set them up with it on even Terms, is to set up an Altar of our own by the Altar of God, and to make Equal the Wisdome, Skill, and Diligence of Men, with the Wisdom, Care, and Providence of God himself. So saith D. Featly p. 2. of his Dipters d••pt, the Bible translated is not the undoubted word of God But so far onely as it agreeth with the Original which (as I am informed,) none of you understand, quoth he to Wil. Kiffis, and the other Russet Rabbies he disputed with.

Reply. First then observe, that by your own confession, all that poor people have, which is bare Translation is but an Altar of your own setting

up, among them, & not Gods Altar, for thou callest Transcription the Altar of God, or the Issue of the Wisdom, Care, and Providence of God himself; but Translation, an Altar of your own, the Issue of the Wisdom, Pro∣vidence and Diligence of man onely, that must not be reckoned on as Gods Word, nor stand in equall esteem with the Scriptures ye Scribes enjoy.

Alas poor people, you and yours must be thrust out still, (as Christ was) into the manger, for whom there was no room in the Inne, ye must be content with shame, to keep at your distance from your Doctors, and Lordly Scholars, and to take the lowest room; they must have a dominion over you and your faith too, and you must never fare and feed so high as them, but in the stable as Rusticks, or but Russet Rabbies among the Bruits, and be glad to snap at a crust, and be fed at their dispose from their pens, and mouths with a bit, and a bite, if you put not into their mouths, and pay not you shot well too for that short Commons, and poor pasture ye have from them: those Scriptures they or some one of many among them can read in Greek and Hebrew, are (quoth I. O.) entirely to a Tittle preser∣ved without losse; (though but remote Transcriptions by fallible men) an∣swerable to the first immediate manuscripts, that were written by inspiration from God, the Word of God perfectly, duly advanced into an Equality and even terms (for I remember not where in all his Book he puts the Tran∣scripts, though I know, and he acknowledgeth, that in some things there are varieties among them too, below the first manuscripts) with that gi∣ven out at first, every Apex of which † is equally divine, and (if a man be to be be∣leeved when he speaks falsly, or foolishly, for want of fear or wit) as immediately from God as the voice, wherewith or wherein be spake to or in the Prophets, but this is mear for your Masters, or little lesse then forbidden (at least hidden) fruit from you, who, what light soever ye have from God, yet have not learning enough to let you into an intermedling with the (open) secrets of their (living) dead letter; as for your Scripture which is but Translation out of theirs, hear what they say of it; who exalt it far above it self into a participation, (thy the halves) of the same high prerogatives with Theirs, and a taste of that glorious † Title, the Word of God, yet so as that it must know it self too, and not intrude further into it then they give leave, by their right or wrong renditions of it, ont of their for ever to be adored right-wrong Copies, who in the blinduesse of their busie brains, vanity, and follishnesse of their thoughts, and fleshly wis∣dom, that's enmity against God, and enters no farther into the inside of the Scripture, than the Eye-sight of a Mole into a milstone, may render it as it seems best to themselves, and you Lack lingua's little the wiser: and if they give your Scripture an Inch, it must take heed of taking an Ell; for as there's a Bit, so there's a Knock, if it presume too far; its admit∣ted to be the Word of God with theirs, but not on even terms, theirs wholly and euery Apex of it, yours but by the halues, or so far onely as it corre∣sponds with theirs, from which if it offer to vary, by theirs it must be cor∣rected, castigated, in order to its amendment in time to come: theirs be∣ing

perfectly the word of God, yea every Tittle of it the Living Word of the great God, though but transcribed (as yours is but translated) in the Wise∣dom, Skill, and Diligence of men: yours imperfectly and perfectly too, per∣fectly or imperfectly, according as yours expresse the words, sense and mean∣ing of their Origina's, so that though it can be counted no Robbery for Theirs (which is but the fruit of mans Wisdom, Skill, and Diligence). and (as now transcribed) was not (as is confest) received immediately from God, to be made Equall with that which was at first received more immediately from him, as the fruit of his Wisdom, Care, and Providence, yet its Robbery for yours, that comes but as theirs doth, through the Skill, Wisdom, and Diligence of Men; and within a small matter as immediately from God as Theirs doth, to be equall with Theirs, and howbeit they may lawfully, without pride, set up Their meer Transcriptions, so as to make them sir cheek by chole with the first hand-writings, and set up their own Altar, or Altered Copies of Hebrew and Greek, with that higher Altar of God, even the Letter, or first Copy, and set up Mans posts by Gods posts, even both the first Manuscripts, and their own tottered Transcripts too, into an Equallity of Titles, Honour, Power, Perfection, Authority, Necessity, &c. with the True living Word of God, which the first and truest Scripture that ever was, was at best but a true Scripture, writing or declaration of, yet your Posts, and Altars, and Scrip∣tures must keep aloof, and not come so nigh Theirs, as Theirs to Gods, with∣out a check. By all wch, thats here written in this Apostrophe to you, O poor deluded people, ye may see what a low condition ye are deprest into, till you betake your selves to the light of God within, which was before any letter to writing was without, which the Scriptures cry up & call you to, while your Scribes cry it down, cry out against it, and call you from it; ye may see how ye are thrust out with a Pueri sacer est locus extra meijete, meddle not here ye Mechanicks, ye unlearned Laicks, from the lines of their communi∣cation, by your Fanatical, Fantastical, high flown, haughty Haebricians, and greedy Graecians, that for filthy lucre take the oversight of, or rather over you, and that take upon them by force, to be your guides, before whom you are fain to stand like some poor stupified Peasant before his Prince; to whom if the one say but Rex sum, sic uolo, sic jubeo, So I mean to have it, the other hath no more to do, but ineak away, nor to say, but Amen, so be it, nil ultra quaero plebeius.

It follows then, that none but Schollars have the undoubted word of God, for people understand not Original tongues, nor many Priests the Hebre••: and so though they say Hear the Word of God, they have no undoubted Word of God to preach out of it; while they take their Texts out of English Bibles. So people and blind Priests, have no undoubted, infallible Rule, touchstone to try Truth by: for if this he so, how is the Scripture (as they have it) the most perfect Rule to them? both people and illiterate Priests must either get Hebrew and Greek, or else confesse that they live as much by tradition in England, taking things on trust from the Priests, without tryall, as they do at Rome; for what difference between having Scripture & no Scripture in the mother tongue, when (notwithstanding that which is so had) men cannot be sure which is the Word of God, which not but as the

Priests tell them so: and if Priests be minded to deceive them, they may Translate it to their own turn as they please, and people ne're the wiser, & so make the Scripture, as a nose of wax, to stand to themselves, & lead the world by the nose as they have ever done, which way soever they will.

So I confesse I. O. that I see the Scriptures, as taken for the Translations set somewhat lower by thee than the first Manuscripts, and then your Transcriptions in the place above quoted (yet entitled too with the name of the Word of God in part) but your Transcriptions, to an Apex, are equalized with the first Manuscripts, and both these elsewhere wholly with the light and living Word.

It is then the meer Transcripts, and neither the first Manuscripts nor Translations, that thou talkest so exceeding strictly for the non alteration, or non-corruption of in a Title, the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 being lost out of the world, and Translations, excluded the lists o•• thy Apologetical vindication of the Scripture in the externall Text thereof, in vindication of which Transcriptions of the Hebrew and Greek Texts, (not appearing at all for the English, save quatenus agreeing with the other p. 153.174.) thou talkst on Argumenta∣tively as follows.

Arg. 1. To prove the whole Scripture (memorandum of old and new Testament) to remain entire to this day without ablation, or alteration of it in one 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Tittle thou urgest p. 175. the providence of God in taking care of his word, which he hath magnified over all his name, as the most glorious pro∣duct of his Wisdom and Goodnesse, his great concernment in this world, answering his promise to this purpose.

Rep. This leads the Front of that Ragged Regiment of Arguments, which follow it at the heels, in p. 175. 176. 177. being no lesse than 12. in number, or a whole Iury impannel'd to Try this Case, of which this is the Foreman, that speaks more then they all, for its insisted on, or hinted at or'e and o're and or'e, in I know not how many places of thy Book, as if thou laydst more stresse, and purrest more trust in this, than in all the rest, and indeed though it is a most piteous poor one, yet seeing I know no better, it may be called (as its rank'r before the Rest) the very best in all the pack.

Let's see then what force this consideration (viz.) the love, provi∣dence, care, and promise of God, to his Church and Word, Engaging for the preservation, and continuance of it to a Tittle, without losse, hath in it to evince the entirenesse of the Hebrew and Greek Text to a Tittle.

That the Love. Care and Providence of God is to or ore his Church, and so ore his Word for his Churches sake I deny not in the least, and that his Word he speaks he magnifies ore all his Name, as the most glorious pro∣duct of his Wisdom and Goodness, as his great concernment in this world, dearer to him than all the world besides, which his Promise is for the continuance of it so inalterably entire and uncorrupt, that Heaven and Earth it self shall pass away, as Christ saies, Matth. 5.18. before, one jot and Tittle thereof shall fail or pass away; and that not one Apex, Tittle, or Point of that hath yet failed, or been altered, or is liable for capable to be alte∣red

or corrupted: All this I grant, for his Word is the incorruptible Seed that lives and abides for ever. But what's all this to thy purpose I. O. whose talk is only about the outward Writings, Image, Copy, Letter, Text, which talks of that Word, and who producest all this to prove every Tittle of that Text to be entire?

Wilt thou never learn to put, or at least to keep that difference, which somtimes, when thou art deliberate, thy self pu••test between the Word that is written of, and the Text, which is the meer Writing of it? Dost not thou p. 12.13. (though I know thou blindly blendest them together both there and throughout thy Book) make the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the Writing, the Book, the Letter one thing; and the Faith, Word, Doctrine declared in it, another? Dost thou not distinguish now and then (as every wise man does ever) be∣tween the Text it self that talks of the Truth, and the Truth it self which the Text talks on?

We know the Truth, and Faith, and Doctrine, and Word of God, which is but One and the same in its Nature, Essence, Being, and Substance, whether written or not written of, whether cloathed or not cloathed in this or that outward, accidental forme, whether displaying it self through the vail of the Letter, or shewing it self more immediately in its naked Native lustre, is to a Tittle the same now that it ever was, in Substance though all the shadowy Discoveries of it wax old. and vanish, and as a vesture are folded up and changed, and Pass away as a Scrole that's Roled up, and grows out of Date, when all Letters and Literal Appearances of it shall be mouldered a∣way. The Word was before the Letter was, aud is neither more nor less what it was, now the Letter is, and will be no less than it was of old, or what now it is, as to its preservation in every point, when the Letter shall be no more.

So that what are all thy Propositions about Gods Promise, and Providence, and Love, and Care of his Church and Word to evince or prove the entire preservation of every Iot and Tittle of an outward Text, or an old uncertain Transcript of what was by the Holy men of God some thousands of Years since written? between which Word and the Writing, or Light and the Letter which leads only to it, there's no more proportion (as I may shew thee more anon) than is between the Lanthorn and the Light, the Glass Window and the Sun that shines through it; or then (as thy self intima∣test) there is between the Ark and the Testament or Covenant, that for a while was used to be kept in it. Dost not thou count the Letter the Ark, p. 236. saying, the Iews have now the Letter, as somtimes they had the A••k a∣mong the Philistims to their further ruine, and p. 315. For my own part I am sollicitous for the Ark or the sacred Truth of the Original. Yea such proportion say I as the Ark, that kept it, bore to the Letter of the old Te∣stament that was laid up in it, the same doth the Old Testament it self, the whole 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or bare Letter, or Shadowy Dispensation bear unto the Light, Word of God, or New Testament, which is not a Literal, but a Spiri∣tual Administration

Now as it would be f••lly and absurdity in the abstract for a man to Ar∣gue the Light to be the proper name of the Lanthorn which exhibits it, the Sun the proper Name of the Glass it shines through, and the Writing or

Letter of the old Testament the proper name of the Ark, in which it was laid up, and then to affirm all the Properties that appertain peculiarly to the Light, Sun, Letter, belong to the Lanthorn, Glass, Ark respectively, and to plead from the unchangeableness of the Light, the permanency of the Sun, the long duration of the Letter. (Some of which in some uncertain Copies abides to this day) that the Lanthorn is unalterable, the Window inviolable, the Ark abiding the self same, and not one jor or inch of it is lost or alter∣ed to this day; but in all points in the same that it was when Moset made it, because some Copies, Imagess and Pictures of it are found painted on Walls, aud Printed in Books, or so, to this day, Semblably as Ridiculous it is to the full to Argue the Letter is immediately come to us from God without in∣terveniency of any Medium obnoxious to fallibility, the Text is not capable to be altered, not is altered in one Tittle so, but that its intirely the same that it was at first in every Point, Syllable and Iota, because the Light, Faith, Doctrine, Truth, and Word, which is as the Sun, the same still and preserved in the Providence of God, full, firm, and sure, as all the Ordinances of Hea∣ven are, whether it shews it self through a Glass only or without it.

Now then howbeit we own all that which I. O. tells of the Pro∣vidential care and Promise of God as to the preserving of his Word to his Church to be true, as told of his Word, yet as spoken of the Letter, as Gods great Concernment in this World dearer to him than all the World, the most glori∣ous Product of his Wisdom and Goodness, and such like, and as urg'd in proof of the Text, and each Tittle of that to be Entire and Eternal as the Heavens; I say (as so) every Tittle of it is false.

And I would fain know of I O. what Text of Scripture God ever made such a Promise in concerning the Text or the Scripture, that he would in his Care and Providence preserve every Titt'e of that outward Writing, for his Church and his Words sake, which was written at the motion of his Spirit, so that it never should be so mis-transcribed in any Tittle of it, but that in the Greek and Hebrew Copies (not English (mark that) nor any Transla∣ted, but only Transcribed Copies) he would keep it from being so adultera∣ted, vitiated, altered, depraved, and interpolated as not to be every jot the same verbatim as at first: I say I. O. where is that Promise so made to this purpose, which his Providence is so engaged to answer? Is it in Isa. 59.22. the place thou quorest together with a whole nest of others to the same end. p. 155. (viz.) Matth 5.18. 1 Pet 1.25. 1 Cor. 11. Matth. 28.20. not one of which make one jot of mention of the Letter, Text, or any Tittle thereof at all?

That in Isaiah there cited is hinted at, and harp: upon to the same Tune in 7, or 8 pages in thy 2d Treatise, viz. 155, 167, 168, 169, 273, 317, 319. In all which more or less, in whole or part thou talkest much of the Transcribers lying under a loving and careful aspect from the Promise and Providence of God in beir transcribing, alluding all along to I•• 59.12. as if God had there engaged himself by Promise, as it were, to guide their hands that they should not erre in a Tittle for his Word and Churches sake: but is there the least Tittle of such a Promise there made? and look it ••ore again, and see if there be such a thing touche upon in the least, either expressly or implicity, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (as thou speakst) or by consequence ei∣ther

immediate or far fetcht: the words are these to the Church, under the new Covenant or Gospel: My words which I have put into thy mouth, shall not depart out of the Mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed from henceforth for ever: Here I confesse is a promise to keep his words in the mouths of his Servants under the Gospel in the latter dayes es∣pecially, so that they shall by word of mouth, and writing, bear Testimony against the world to his Truth and Name, even the whole seed of the Righteous successively for ever, without fail, as now they begin to do, even ••abes and Sucklings, out of whose mouths and stammering lips the Lord is speaking, to reprove the world, and the proud Doctors, Pharisaical, self∣seeking Teachers, and to convince all ungodly ones of their ungodly deeds and hard Speeches they speak against him in his Saints, in whom he comes to Judgement: but what's this to the preservation of I. O's. Greek and He∣brew Texts to a Tittle, without alteration? This is not spoken of the conti∣nuance of any outward Scripture, but of that word of Faith, in the heart and mouth, which the Apostles Rom. 10. preacht to turn men to, telling them 'twas nigh, and they need not look without for it: was ever man so bemoped, as to draw such a Conclusion as thou dost from that Scripture, (viz.) that every Tittle of the Text of Scripture given out of old, should be secured without one jot of losse, to the worlds end; and if that were the promise there made, it was never made good since (as is shewed above) the Scriptures of sundry whole prophecies and Epistles, written by inspi∣ration, are lost since then: nay rather, and indeed, that Text produces a Truth, which thou deniest, that in the last dayes his word and Spirit shall be (de novo) so poured out, shed abroad, and planted in the heares of his handmaids and servants, Sons and Daughters, that they shall Prophesie, and reach as of old, by word of Mouth his word, as put into them by God him∣self; Yet I. O. I know not how often betakes himself to that Text, to make good his talk of the eternal Entirenesse, to a Tittle, of his outward Text, in the Greek and Hebrew Transcripts thereof, without which the word is as true entire, and secure, (as it is when the Text is entire) when the Text is torn to pieces, and every Tittle of it mouldred away. Beside, if that were a promise of preserving the Text, it must evince the Text, is to endure for ever, world without end, as the word it self doth, for its never to depart for ever, from the seed that it's there promised to, but I. O. confesses, the Scripture is not to abide for ever, in its use; which is onely faith he, Ex. 3. S. 39. presenti statui, &c. suited to our present state, and (say I) as it shall cease, as to it's use, so once to its esse or very being.

Obj. And if I. O. urge, as he does in effect, that it's true, the Word, and Doctrine, and Truth, is the thing promised to be continued for ever primarily, but consequentially the Letter and it's Tittles, for as much as with∣out it be preserved in that, and that be preserved entire to a Tittle, the word it self cannot be preserved from corruption.

Rep. He had as good have told me, (& as soon I should have believed him in it) that because Moses by Gods appointment made an Ark, to lay the Book, Tables and Letter in, the two Tables and Letter written on it could not last any longer then the Ark, or be kept from being lost any where

be not kept so entire, that not one bit or scrap of it be broken or lost, there is no hopes that ever the light should shine out or be kept alive, or be beheld, yea if one inch of horn, or a nail, or the least Pin about the Ark had happened to be shattered, or got any knock, or any odd corner of it be broken off with being carried, jumbled, or tossed to and sro between Israel and the Philistines, there had been no means of preser∣ving the Letter from being lost; or as if one should say, the glasse window is set up that the Sun may shine through it, therefore suppose that to be crackt, or to have any flawes in it, or to suffer the losse of but one little piece of a pane, there's no likelihood of enjoying the clear bright Beams of the Sun, more distinctly, or at any certainty, nor can I be satisfied unquestionably, that the Sun it self remains inviolate, unlesse ye can assure me that there is every barley-corns bredth of the glasse∣window, without any losse, as it was at first setting up, though yet we see now the Sun both is the same, and is better seen, when beheld without a glasse then thorough it, and is most clear when the glasse window is taken down, and it beheld more immediately in the light that shines from it self, he were fit to be Canonized for a fool, that would count him a very wife man, at least; as to that affair, that should so affirm; so let who will esteem of I. O's wisedom in this point, yet I am not such a fool yet, or not so wise, or something, as to believe him: howbeit, who e're believes, or believes him not, in such wise as this aforesaid, he talks in effect; while p. 12.13. he sayes thus, without proof (as he does most things) according to his own vain thoughts, as followes, viz.

I. O. The Providence of God hath manifested it self, no lesse concerned in the preservation of the writings, then the doctrine contained in them.

Rep. Which is a loud one, for many Holy Prophets writings are lost, but not a Doit of the Doctrine.

I. O. The writing it self being the product of his own eternall Councel, for the preservation of the Doctrine, after a sufficient discovery of the insufficiency of all other means, for that end and purpose.

Rep. Which is another, for the Doctrine can never perish, if every Tittle of the Text should.

I. O. The malice of Satan hath raged no lesse against the Book, than the Truth certained in it.

Rep. Which is a third. For Satan will allow people Bibles and Texts enough to talk of Truth out of, so they walk not in Truth.

I. O. It was no lesse Crime to be Traditor libri, then Abnegator fidei.

Rep. Which is a fourth false Tale, for the burning the Book can't mur∣der the faith as having the light does, which with it's fellows, I have disproved, and given Reasons against, above; and while p. 17.18.19. in answer to Capellus his honest Grants, that the Saving Doctrine of the Scripture, as to the matter and substance of it in all things of moment, is pre∣served in the Copies of the Original, and Translations that do remain, J.O. assenting first to it as Truth, to the overthrowing of himself (as he often does) that notwithstanding all the errours and mistakes in the most corrupt Translations, yet every necessary, saving, fundamentall truth is found, sufficiently Testified to therein (or if he deny that of Translations, let him

do it, and see what a pickle he puts poor people into, who upon the account of that denyal, will be found not to have all saving Truth in their Bibles) he asserts.

I. O. That 'tis not enough to satisfie him, that (in his doted on Transcri∣bed Copies of the Original) the doctrines mentioned are preserved entire, e∣very Tittle and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 must come under Care and consideration, or else injury is done to the Providence of God towards his Church, and care of his word, and that it will not be found an easie matter, upon a supposition of such corruptions of the Originals, (in Tittles and points &c. as is pleaded for against him) to evince unquestionably, that the whole saving Doctrine it se••f, at first given out from God▪ continues entire and uncorrupt.

Rep. Oh grosse, as if the entirenesse of the eternall Truth, that was be∣fore all external Text was, was now so subjected, as to depend on the entirenesse of a tottering Text for its security, or else is lost for ever; and yet yielded to be preserved entire in Translations, that are corrupt in more then Tittles, but not possib••e to be kept entire in Transcriptions, if any Tittle be mis-transcribed therein.

I O That the nature of the doctrine is such, that there is no other principle, and means of its discovery, no other Rule, or measure of Iudging and determining any thing about or concerning it, but onely the writing out of which it is taken.

Rep. As if the Doctrine comes from the writing, when as the writing came from the Truth and Doctrine.

I. O. It being wholly of divine Revelation, and that revelation being exprest onely in that writing.

Rep. Absit absurdum, de quo vere dicitur quod posito uno sequuntur millia. As if Revelation were not made more truely, clearly, distinctly, and immediately by the light and Spirit, then (mediante litera) by the media∣tion of the letter, that comes from it, in which thou sayst Revelation only is made, before which yet the doctrine was revealed.

I. O. That upon any corruption supposed in the Transcript Copies of the Ori∣ginall, (but not the Translations) theres no means of rectifying the Doctrine.

Rep. No, by no means its like, as if the Spirit and Light could not now possibly reveal it, as easily as at first, and as if Truth were not as equally by the Spirit exposed to the understanding of men in all ages, as in some: and as if pure Revelation were not made now by the light, and Spirit of Truth, which depends solely on Revelation, as it ever did, and not on a letter that came from it.

Thus much to the first of those Scriptures urged by thee I. O. to prove the promise of God to preserve the Scripture, even! every Tittle of the external Texts in Transcripts, (not Translations), for Ever, and the second is like unto it, (viz) Math. 5.18. where though Christ talks of not one 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Tittle failing, he that shall understand him speaking there, of the out∣ward writing, and outward Tittles of the Law of it, many Tittles and Books, of which were lost before that, and not of the light it self, which is that Law, the Letter is but a Copy of, and of the word it self that Christ speaks, which is that that is heard by his sheep onely, in the heart, and that comes immediately from his own mouth, understands neither what he says, nor whereof he affirmes; yet in three places I. O.

quotes it to evince the Integrity, and Identity of every Tittle of the Text, as 'twas at first, (viz.) p. 13.155.317.

The Third is as little, alias not one jot not Tittle to I. O's purpose, (viz.)1 Pet. 1.25. where Peter speaks no more of any outward Texts or Transcripts, then if he had said nothing at all: nor of such a cor∣rupting thing as Manuscripts, Texts, and Transcripts, Titles, and dead Letters are, but of the incorruptible seed, the Word of God, that liveth, and endureth for ever, ver. 23. Even the word of the Gospel, which was that word of faith Paul also writes of, Rom. 10.8. which was preached by the Apo∣stles, and Testified to by them, and their Scripture, and Moses Scripture, Deut. 30.14. and all outward Scripture, that its nigh within, in the heart and mouth.

The Fourth, viz. 1 Cor. 11. no verse of which is quoted, is so far from adding a cubit to I. O's cause about the Scripture, that there's no mention made of any Scripture at all, thoroughout the whole Chapter; so that what verse he should infer or scrue any thing from, to evince the Scrip∣ture to be entire to a Tittle, I can't imagine. Paul tells of things he had delivered to them before, which-whether it were by word of Mouth, or Epistle, he intimates not there; but whether it were by Orall preaching, or writing is much at one to I. O. for if by writing, which serves I, O. most, yet he means not the writing it self, or Epistle, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, the things he delivered, as he did to the Thessalonians, 2. Thes 2. by word, or Epistle, and if I. O. will have it so, that twas by a former Epistle, then he serves me against T. D. and himself, more than himself against me, acknowledging the first Epistle of Paul to Corinth (which he wrote before the first of the two we have, and mentions 1. Cor. 5.) to be Authentick and Canonical and so that a whole Canonical Epistle of that holy Apostle (and that's more than a Tittle, or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) is utterly lost.

The Fifth, viz. Math. 28.20. Teaching them to observe whatever I com∣mand you, and so I am with you alway, even to the end of the world: which way I. O. can from thence conclude a promise for every Tittle of inspi∣red Scripture to be preserved for ever entire without losse, or alteration, I see not; but I see one thing, that if I. O. hobble but upon a Text of Scrip∣ture, he thinks at a venture it must serve his Turn, about the entirenesse and integrity of the Text, and its Tittles, though there be no mention of Scripture made at all in it▪ for here's none in this, in which Christ bids them, Teach the Nations to observe what he commanded them, and that they did, & he promised then to be with them alway, to the end of the world, as he was, and is ever with his people, by his light, word, they being turned to it themselves: but what's all this to the Tittles of Hebrew and Greek Texts? unlesse I. O. say they are the Christ that he meant, when he laid I will be with you; never did I see men in two Books so miserably wrest, and mis-in∣terpret Scripture, on pretence of vindicating Scripture, as T. D. and I. O. do. Yea I. O. there is scarce any, or but very few, of all the Scriptures thou quotest in all thy Books, but thou pervertest them more or lesse, as T. D. does the most, if not all he meddles with: whether about the Scripture, or the word, or foundation, or Rule, or what ever else.

And as for these five last examined, if thou hadst not sent me to them to that end, I should as soon of my self have gone to seek a Dolphin in the woods, as lookt into any one of them to find God promising in his love to his Church, and Word, and in order to the preserving of them both, to be carefull to set his providence so on work, as to lay the Tran∣scribers of the Scriptures in the Hebrew and Greek Tongues (but not the Transla••ors of them into other tongues, in which yet his care, and Love to his Church, though not to the Clergy, that trade out of their Original Texts, would as much appear, and his Truth, and most mens souls are as much concerned, and more too, then in Hebrew and Greek Texts, if the Scripture were the onely way to life) under his loving aspect, so as to see they should not misse, nor falsifie in a Tittle; though he would leave Translators out of the lists of that loving aspect, to erre and corrupt as much as they would: for howbeit I ken not the mystery of I. O's mind, in this, nor any Reason why (if God love his Church and Word) he should not in his care to preserve both, oversee, with a loving Aspect, that Translators should not mis-translate, as well as Transcribers not mis∣transcribe, yet I. O. allowes the loving Aspect of God to Transcribers, but (whether God himself do so or no, I dare not say) denying that great favour as in which his Church is much concerned, as in the other, to Tran∣slators. for p. 334. speaking of the Chaldee Paraphrase, he sayes thus, viz. Seeing it hath not lain under any peculiar care, and mercifull providence of God, whether innumerable other faults be not get into it, and errours, not to be discovered by any varieties of Copies, as it is happened with the Sepmagint, who can tell? No promise, nor providence, nor mercy, nor loving aspect, to the poor peoples Scripture still, which is that of Translation onely, for they cannot read Hebrew and Greek, their part may go whither it will, God looks not after it: but such darlings do our Doctors and Clergy men deem themselves to be with God, that his love, care, oversight, promise, providence and all, is towards every Tittle of their Transcripts, that they may trade with their Text, and mete out what they will to men for money from it; should any Qua. make such mad conclusions, their Books would be good enough to be burned; and thou I. O wouldst Iudge them no better.

Egregiam vero laudem & spolia ampla refertis Tuque liberque tuus, magnum & memorabile nomen.

Having foild the Front-Guard of that Ragged Rout, the Rest that have far lesse Reason in them, (if lesse can be) are soon Routed.

Arg. the Second, is the Religious care of the Church (not of the Romish Synagogue sayst thou) to whom these Oracles of God were com∣mitted.

Rep. What Church then (if not the Remish Synagogue) hath had that Commission of the Scriptures to her, and that Religious care thou here talkst on, to keep every Tittle of the Text entire, without losse or change? I do not say that the now Romane Harlot hath now or ever had in her Apostatical slate, such a Commission of the Scripture to her, as she pretends to, as if they were the onely Trustees, to whose care and custody the Text was committed of God, for as to their proud prate, and peculiar claim, to such a preheminent power, to be keepers and preservers of the Scripture, I

deny it, nay with thy self in the 2.3.4.5. pages of thy Epistle. I dis∣own and damn their deceitfull pretence, to such a trust reposed in them: and if they had enjoy'd any such, they have (as thou sayest truly) mani∣fested a treacherous mind, and falsified their Trust egregiously, and so cannot stand in Judgement, if called to account upon their own principles, having in∣deed so far as they have had to do with the Scriptures, altered, added, de∣tracted, depraved, vitiated, interpolated, and done what not? to corrupt them, during the long time of their Dominus fac-totum-ship, in whole Christendom, about Scripture, and every thing else ad extra, that had any pretence toward the Truth; and while the Scripture of the Old, but the New Testament, more specially (seeing the Iewes reject it) lay lockt up from all the Laity, within the lines of her conclavical, clerical Conemunica∣tion; for though de jure they ought not so to have impropriated it, but were Arrogant usurpers in so doing, yet that de facto they had the grand Custody of that ye call your Canon, and changed it as they pleased, I should judge thee more silly then I am willing to do, if thou shouldst deny it, there being no visibly constituted Christian Church, as to outward Order, in all Europe, that was other then a member of that blind, Babylonish Body, for at least a thousand years together.

But if that Church had not (as I say they had not) canst thou tell me what Church had the exact Tale of so many Books of the Scripture, as ye talk on, and call your Canon, committed to her of God, any more then they? or if thou say the whole True Apostolical Church of Christ, under the Gospel, had that Scripture we count the Canon, and no more, committed to it, where was there ever such a thing done? by whom? or when? canst thou tell us any of this thou talkst on? or give us any Te∣stimony of Scripture for this, or trusty Tradition, or any ground where∣upon to act divine faith in this (with thee) so fundamental a matter, save ••he fiction of thy own fancy, and thy own meer untrusty thoughts, and blindly confident Conjectures? thou thinkst that in 2. Tim. 2.2. will serve thy turn in this case, but I have overturned that already: and if ever there were such a divine Commission of so many writings, as a Canon by Christ or his Apostles to the Gospel-Church (though I abhor that paultry, novelly pretended Primacy of Rome, over other particulars) yet while it remained in its Primitive Apostolical Purity, it had as deep a share, as any other, in that Commission of the Canon to her; and so thy two Questions, Ep. p. 3. what Scripture was this they say was committed to them, and when was this deed of Trust made unto them, have full as much in them (but that plane nibilest) to answer thee withall, as thou hast to answer me, who of the Church to whose care and custody thou sayest the Scripture was committed since Christ, and by him, or his Apostles; do here ask thee, what Church is that (for thou amazest thy own, and seek'st (as Priests do) to stun other mens minds with the name of the Church, the Church) but what Church is that, whose care is said by thee to be so great, whilst Rome's was so little, to keep every Tittle of the Text entire, and to whose care and custody it was to that end committed, and intrusted? and (in thy own words to Rome, so) I to thee, propound, what Scripture was this, or where was this deed of Trust made unto them?

And since it was not the Church of Rome (as I freely agree with thee it was not) what Church was it? or where liv'd it, or by what name or Title, beside that generall blind people-confounding name of Church, dost thou call it? was it some one universal, Catholick, visibly constituted, true Christian Church, that had such a constant, clearly visible continuance, and successive outward orderly being in a Body, as that Romane Harlot hath ever seemed to have from Christ, downward to this day? was it your (what should I call it?) mingle-mangled Episcopall-Presbyter-Independant Church, that's run out from the Womb of that Babylonish Bawd, through the loines of your late Fathers, the Prelates, and Scottish Presbyters, into that Ragged, Patcht Posture, wherein it now stands, like a Participle, that's neither this nor that, nor Noun Substantive, that can stand by it self, without the Magi∣strates help, nor Verb that betokens either doing or suffering, any great matters for the Truth, but most like an Adjective that leans upon Parliaments, and earthly Powers to uphold it, partaking with all sides, as occasion is, and of all formes something, yet is just nothing, but some Participle, or Papal∣Prelatical-Presbyterian 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 (i.e.) vere nihil but a mongrel?

Was it this Church, that is one, not individually, but specifically the same, with what yours is, at this present, derived downward, and carefully receiving the Scripture downward entirely, in all its Hebrew and Greek Letters, Accents, Points, Tittles, and Iota's, without change, or losse in the least? is so shew us but some few footsteps of such a thing through the time of the Catholike Apostacy, as a visible constituted Church, which might have been known by the distinction of Elders, Bishops, Deacons, &c. in the dark dayes of Romes dominion, (except that of Rome it self) that had the Canon constituted of no more nor l••sse, but just so many Scriptures, Letters, Stories, Tittles, Iota's (as thou trislingly tatlest) by the Apostles, and so committed to their care, and as carefully handed down to you Linguists, in every Letter of the Original Languages, without alteration, addition or dimi∣nution?

But I more than suppose thou shalt as soon find, and follow to a hairs breadth, the very way of a bird flying, or an Arrow shot through the air, as decypher such a matter: and if the Papists should put the Question, de novo, to thee, as they did long since, to the Protestants, where was your Church before Luther? if thou couldst prove the Pedegree of thine so high as Luther (though witnesses to the Truth more or lesse, in all times, suffering in sackcloth, in the most dismall dayes I own,) yet thou wouldst be as much puzled to prove any other constituted Church, that kept so entire (as thou talkst) thy constituted Canon, in all Christendom, beside that of the Romish Synagogue, that corrupted it, as that namelesse Author was, who wrote an answer to it, 1624, entituled Luthers Predecessors, who though he quits himself well in proving downward from Iohn Wicklisse, who was well nigh 200. years afore Luther, but 1370. after Christ, a company of particular successive sufferers, for some truth that began to shine out a∣gain from under the Romish smother; yet can instance no higher then Io. Wicklisse for at least a 1000. years upward, any thing at all, but an universal dominion of the Church of Rome, confessing that if the Papists will tye him to prove any visible constituted Church beside theirs, before Luther,

the Task is unequall because the records are wanting, and also because the Church was not in the long time of Apostacy, nor yet was to be al∣waies in such a manner visible; which is the very Truth, for the true Church was to be, and was according to the word of Prophesie: Rev. 12. in a waste, suffering, afflicted, desolate, forlorn, widernesse, condition, trodden under feet by the Gentiles, coming into the out Court, the outward name and pro∣fession of Christianity, Rev. 11.

And as when in her primitive glory she was cloathed with the Sun, and a crown of twelve stars on her head, i.e. the doctrine, truth, word of faith, the 12 Apostles Preached (and not simply those few of their naked writings, and Letters, and Texts, and their Tittles, and thou simply contendest) on her head, and the Moon, i.e. all changeable things, such as all Texts, and Transcripts, and Tittles, and Iota's are, under her feet, so when she came into her forlorn solitary state, in the time (which was while the Whore, or Clergy began to Ride the Beast, and fit upon the Waters, Tongues, Nations, Kings, and Kindreds of the Earth, and to cry Ecce duo gladii hic, to claim both swords and to become supreamly (as she made her sub-sub, or Ma∣gistratical Power, that bore her up subordinately to her) not onely Custos utriusque Tabulae, Vice-preserver of both Tables, but pretendedly, Custos utrius∣que Testamenti, chief Commissioners, Trustees, and keepers of both Testaments) when she was driven to and fro, and chased like a Roe, or Sheep, and kept under, and domineered over, by the said mystical Whore, and hunt∣ed, as well as by the Heathen Emperors, in the first three hundred years, or ten first persecutions, she was in her several witnesses massacred, murderd, hang'd, burnt, headed, fryed, flead, tortured in all the wayes that Tyrants could invent; though you that have no changes, and therefore fear not God, and sit at ease in your Ce••ls, and are not shifted from vessel to vessel, and so like Moab, have an ill sent settled in you, can have time to talk to each other with your Tongues, and in your Treatises about your Texts, in severall Tongues, and your Letter in this Language, that and t'other; yet the True Church, which, but that the care, and Providence, and Presence of God was with her according to his promise, full hardly kept, and had much ado to keep the Truth in the inward parts, and her self from the outrages committed on her) had other weightier matters to mind, and look after, and meddle with, then the seeking out, and looking up, and keeping, and preserving of such toyes, as ye are now taken, and wholly taken up with; that is to say, the in∣tegrity of the Hebrew and Greek Texts, the Points, Vowels, Accents, triviall Tittles, and Iota's: and where thou find'st the Spouses care, according to a Commission given her from God, to be so extream, as thou intimarest about these matters (excepting in thy own nfinitely forging fancy) no wise seeker shall ever find.

Arg. Thy third is the care of the first Writers in giving out Authentique Copies, of what they had received from God unto many, which might be Rules to the first Transcribers.

Reply. O' cur as hominum, &c. from whence didst thou fetch this false and foolish piece of faith, save from the old fathomlesse fountain of thy own fancy? which, if something as good as nothing may serve (as easi∣ly

it may to fasten falsity upon fools) will find something to say for every thing that it finds occasion to fain; where readest thou that the first wri∣ters of every corner of thy (so called) Canon, (which thou must Adae∣quate thy proof to, as well as to the whole, or else thou Syllogizest short of what thou aimest at) took such care to give out Authentick Copies of what they wrote, as from God, unto many, to ••••is end, that they might be Rules to the first Transcribers? Alas poor imagining man, they that were Ministers not of the Letter, but the Spirit, were not so full of Care, as ye are, and as ye (measuring the enlargednesse, and copiousnesse of others, by your straitned, narrow, sca••ty selves) conceive they were, about such empti∣nesse, as Copies of what they wrote, Transcripts, Texts, Tittles, Points, I••ta's, V••wels, Accents, and such accidental stuffe, as is not de esse to the Kingdom and Gospel of it, which they published: if any of them did as once Paul did, will that the Colossians should let Laodicea read what he wrote to them, and read from Laodicea what he wrote thither, whether in••a Transcript, or the Original Copy, which might passe between two near Sister-Churches, who knows? yet how many Copies, and to how many did he give out Copies, of what he wrote to particulars, to be transcribed, and kept, and committed to the whole Church of God, as a Rule for future Transcribers, and a Rule of Faith and Obedience, and such like, to all ages of the world for ever? his first to the Corinthians, and to Ephesus, and to Laodicea, for all his desire it should be read by the Colossians, happened to misse your Bibles, to be bound and bundled into which I know it was no more intended, then sundry others that are there, which he wrote to particular, and some private persons, about private, particular, and personal affairs; some wrote more generall Epistles to all Saints, then in being as Peter, Iude, Iames, Iohn, and they might be (but between might be, and necessarily must be, there's great difference) as generally read as they could be, where e're they came, as being of more direct and general concernment to all, as in that capacity of Saints; and some wrote more particularly, as occasion was, and they were moved by the Spirit, (in which they did all that they did at all, and not in the movings of the flesh) letters to pri∣vate persons about private matters, as Iohns short letter to Gaius, and Pauls to Philemon, and Timothy about the bringing of his cloak he left at Troas, with Carpus: but did either one or t'other of these give out Authentick Copies of these two private letters to many, to be a Rule to the first Transcribers, and Rules to all Saints, to the worlds end: 'tis true, they are in your Bibles among others, that were got together, and it pleases me well that they are there, and should, if you had all that ever the Apostles and Prophets wrote, whereof if you have the 20th. or 100th. part, its more then either you or I, or any man now knows, and much it matters not for the certain knowledge of such an uncertain, unprofitable thing, but what of that, will it follow, that these about Onestmus his being received into his Master Philemons service again, and Iohn's telling Gaius, he would not write more to him now with Pen and Ink, but hoped to see him shortly, were ever intended by them to be the Canon to the Church of God in all ages, which must be committed to the Care of Transcribers, to be successively Copied out to a Tittle, so that on supposition of any corruption, or

change of a Letter, in the writing them over, the eternall faith of God would Cernally fall to the ground, and the word of God not be preserved fr••m being lost, (as thou dotest) much more, if those whole Letters or Epistles themselves should be lost, then actum est, &c. no other means of discovery, nor recovery of the whole substantial Truth, but that would fail together with them? must those be also submitted to so strictly, that he that should not beleeve every exter∣nal Tittle of the Text, there Transcribed, to be the word of God (as thou tellest us) should be left inexcusable in his damnable unbelief, and be in peril of Eternal damnation, and such danger as I. O. dreams, and would draw all men into the dream of, together with him?

Scilicet is superis labor est, ea cura quietos Sollicitat:

As if the Saints of old, and they now that live at rest in God, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 witness God dwelling in them of a Truth, had nothing to do but belabour ••hemselves, and cumber one anothers minds, as our wife Clergy does, who are wearied in the greatnesse of their way, and are Mole Ruentes sua, as Suis & ipsa a Roma viribus Ruit, with continuall wrestlesness, and as endless, as easelesse Care and thought of a e i o u Tittle, and such Nugacyties as these, that are ••atcht in I. O's head piece: whom I here give to understand, that while they, like the Ti∣berian Massorites, at their do-little Academies, are so seriously doing of nothing, and as childish in serious things, yet nos nucibus facimus quaecunque re∣lictis.

Arg. thy Fourth is the multiplying Copies to such a number, that 'twas impossible any should corrupt them All wilfully, or by negli∣gence.

Rep. Nugae! why Impossible to corrupt them All? if not by wilfulnesse, yet by negligence, was it impossible that there should be variation in Tittles and Iota's, (which is corruption with thee) in them all? hast thou any more infallible security against the mis-transcription of them All, then thou hast against the mis-transcription of some onely? surely a man well in his wits would have Argued thus: It was possible to every individual of the Copies to be mis-transcribed through negligence, or wilfulnesse, or weaknesse, and against the will, or something of the Transcribers (none of them be∣ing any more then fallible (as thou sayest p. 167. though never so ho∣nest) therefore it was possible at least, and not impossible, but that they might be all mis-transcribed▪ and so corrupted.

••••••••••ver might be spoken of every individual Copy, as to its lyableness to ••••••••••ation (caeteris paribus,) supposing All the remote Transcribers to be but f••••lible as well as some) may be said of All the Copies, as well as of any one of them: and if the ability of some Transcribers, might be greater then that of other some, yet (as thou sayest of the 70 Translators▪ p 339.) thou having no security of the principles, or honesty of the Ablest••••••s them, for what thou knowest, what ere thou thinkest, they might be A'l mis-transcribed, as well as any one, and however seeing thou veildest, som•• might be, if All could not, it would puzle thee not a little to d••clare to him that Asks thee, which is right and which wrong, and in which possibly the Transcribers might be mistaken, and in which it was in ••••ssible they should ••e so, and which do, and which do not agree with the Auto∣graph••,

none of which are left to correct it by; there being no more then the Apographa now remaining.

But assuredly what mistake wa•• possible to befall my one of the Copies, was not impossible so befall every of them, and so far art thou from denying it to be possible, that some mistakes and v••••iations might befall some Copies, for all thy peremptory pronouncing it impossible, that variations should befall them All, in regard of the number of Copies that p. 191. upon that self same account of the multitude of Transcriptions, thou pronouncest it utter∣ly impossible, that All the Transcriptions should be made without some varia∣tions and mistakes; thy words there being these, (viz.) that so many. Transcriptions, most of them by private persons, for private use, having a stan∣dard of correction in the publike Asse••••lyes ready to relieve their mistakes, should be made without some variation, is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or impossible; O ye Ridiculous Ringles & Round Os that I. O. makes and runs in! he com∣plains of Capellus, p. 15. for Asserting variations in All the p••esent 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, or Transcriptions of the old Testament, upon meerly uncertain Con∣jectures, yet upon as meerly uncertain Conjectures himself asserts, that they are not All corrupted; yea he sayes (a he thinks) that its impossible there should be mistakes and variations in All the Transcriptions, and yet that it is impossible but that mistakes and variations should be in many of them.

Quis legat haec? min tu istud ais? quis non ni i nemo.

Arg. thy Fifth, is the preservation of the Authentick Copies, frist in the Iewish Synagogues, then in Christian Assemblies with reverence and dili∣gence.

Rep, What's all that in proof, that there's no variation in Copies of the Hebrew and Greek Text, in so ••uch as in Tittles and Iota's? if thou couldst prove, as thou dost b••t onely propound it, as thy opinion, that Authentick Copies were kept with such Reverence and Diligence downward to this day in Christian Assemblies, which Christian Assemblyes (unlesse thou count upon those of the Romish Synagogue as such, which onely re∣mained in an outward way of Assembling) were not kept in the posture of constituted Christian Assemblyes themselves, much lesse then Authentick Copies of the Original Text entire in them, for a thousand years, and up∣ward; But when they were in Assemblies they rather look•• each at their translated Copies their severall Mother Tongues, then at the Hebrew and Greek Tittles, and Iota's, that thou so openly Tatlest for with such earnest∣nesse, as if all divine Truth, as to our knowledge thereof, did entirely and eternally depend upon them; what dribling doings are here for a Doctor?

Arg. thy Sixth, is the daily Reading and Studying of the world by all sorts of persons ever since its first writing, rendring every alteration lyable to immediate observation and discovery, and that all over the world.

Rep. What's this to the purpose? when was there more Reading, and Studying the Scripture by All sorts, all the world over, and Tumbling to and fro to wearisomnesse by the Scripture-searching Scribes, that never hear Gods voice, nor come to Christ the Light, that they may have Life, and more close and curious prying, and Critical observing of the Points, and Vowe••s, & Accents; by Syllabical and Punctual Schoolmen as at this very day, in

their Academical entercourses, and interchangeable pro and con prate, about punctations, from one nation to another? yet when more variety then now in the Copies of their Texts, which the more they dive into the more discovery they make of the diversity of their Transcripts? but the matter is not mended for all that, nor the multiplication of errours and various lections and mistakes of more then Tittles, in writings, or printings, and reprintings, and why much reading & study should be a means to prevent mistakes of old, that's none now, though more forcible then formerly, if any efficacy were in it at all that way, either I have not reason enough to render the Reason of it, or rather there is no Reason for it at all, and that indeed is the very Truth.

Arg. thy Seventh is the consideration of the many millions that looked on every Tittle and Letter in this Book, as their inberitance, which for the whole world they would not be deprived of.

Rep. What people be those that lookt on every Tittle and Letter in the Bible as their inheritance, which for the whole world they would not part with one Tittle of? for my part, I look upon them as ne'r the wiser for that, if they were as many millions of millions, as thou sayest there are millions of them; for my part I love the Bible as much as I do any book in the world, and upon a true and just account, and in a right way honour it as much as any man does, I. O. himself not excepted, for all his high unjust Adorations of it; and as for the holy Truth thats declared in it, I have bought and paid so dear for that, that no lesse then All that I had in the world, of what sort soever, lust, pleasure, honour, riches, or righte∣ousnesse of mine, is gone for the sake of it, and to have all that ever I lost for it I would not sell it again, yet All the Tittles and Letters, Ac∣cents, Iota's and Points (which I. O. counts his such a rich possession, p. 252.) that are in All the Hebrew Bibles and Greek Testaments I have, and I have more than one of each sort; any one shall have of me for five pound, and lesse money (and the Books themselves to boot) and that is lesse then the whole world, and yet I shall hope to enjoy not a Tittle the lesse of the word of Truth, that is therein told, if I sincerely attend to the light the Letter calls to, though I should never neither buy nor so much as look into any outward Copy of the Original Text more while I live.

And whereas I. O. sayes, p. 163. somewhat sutably to what he sayes here, that the Church of God, doth now, and hath for many ages enjoyed the Copies of the Original Languages, as her chiefest Treasure. I say that is one of the chiefest untruths that have been told yet, among those many that he hath Treated out of that whole Treasury of Tales, and vāin thoughts that are in his heart, out of the abundance of which evil Treasury his mouth speaketh, and pen bringeth forth evil things: for though the Churches of mans constituting, of which I. O. is yet a member, and the Ministers of mens making at the Vniversities, do now rejoyce in Transcripts, Copies of the Hebrew and Greek Texts, and Iota's and Points, and Tittles, and such like Toyes and Trappings, and fruitlesse furniture, as their chiefest Treasure, rich possession, and inheritance, which they glory and blesse them∣selves in, & for the whole world will not he deprived of, knowing that they

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must be deprived of all their worldly excellencies, if they come once to part with them; and do cry out 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that all Truth tumbles to the ground, if any jot and Tittle of their Original Texts, and Hebrew punctation fail, and they see no way to be delivered from utter uncertainty in and about all sacred Truth, Ep. p. 25. (in such wise as the Antichristian Churches did in darker times behind us, and do still in the dark places of their several habitations, count old mouldy Latine masse books, and new moulded Eng••ish Liturgies, Letanies, and Scottish Directories) meliori ••ute, of a little better mould yet then the other two, a thousand fold before the best of which yet I prefer the Scripture Directory, whether in its Origi∣nal Transcripts, or but Translations) their chief spiritual treasure, crying out, that all true faith, worship, Church, Word of God, Religion, and all is like to be utterly lost, if these be taken away till the Remove of which Religion was never rightly found.

Yet the Church of God, which is now the some that it was in sub∣stance, before any Scripture at all was, in rerum natura, both ever did, and doth still count Christ the Light and Life, of whom the Letter onely Testifies, her chiefest Ioy and Treasure, Luk. 1.57. Joh. 8:56 and not the outward Text that doth but talk of him, much lesse the meer Accidental Adventitious parts thereof, quae possunt vel adesse vel abesse sine Scripturae interitu, which as the whole Scripture it self may be either present or absent from without the corruption of the substantial Truth or word.

But whose Treasure the Scripture is, or is not, it's little, yea nothing to I. O's purpose, to prove a non-mis transcription of the Scripture: we see I. O. and many millions more, make much of, and more ado, a∣bout every Tittle and lota of the Text, then they need do at this day, and yet, with a non obstante to all that, the variety of Lections are a thousand times twice told in Transcripts and Translations, and if we will believe I. O. p. 16. frequent insinuations of an infinite number more are yet to be collected.

Arg. the Eighth, as to the old Testament in particular, is the care of Ezra and his companions, in restoring the Scripture to its purity, when it had met with the greatest tryal that ever it underwent in this world, considering the paucity of Copies then extant.

Rep. Ezra and his companions care was as great no doubt, as mans could well be in that case, but ultra posse non est esse, they could do no more then they could do, as to the restoring the purity of the Scripture when corrupted (and that's Questionable, whether they restored it so perfectly, as not to leave out some Tittles or Iota's, yea and whole Books too, because they could not find them, witnesse all those fore∣named whole Prophecies that are wanting) but what if their endeavours had succeeded so, as to set all to rights as perfectly and exactly to a Tittle, as 'twas at first giving our▪ might it not as likely, and much more be corrupted, vitiated, altered, in points, Tittles, and Iota's, be∣tween Ezraes dayes, and now through the many Tumbles, Catastrophes, Revolutions, and greater changes of times and things, then that of the Babylonish Captivity that have happened, then in the dayes of its so long steady standing, while it was reserved within the bounds and confines of

the Iewish Church onely, and yet here thou intimatest it to have been then exceedingly charged, depraved, and defective, or else how could Ezra and his fellows be said to restore it to its purity? thou art very hard put to it for a proof of the present integrity, and purity of the Hebrew Text to a Tittle, that goest two thousand years backward, assert∣ing that it was restored to its purity then, and thence concluding, that it stands as entire to a Tittle now, as then it did; thou mightst as well have gone a little higher, and argued thus from before Ezra, (viz.) the Hebrew Text was at first written by the Holy Penmen, Moses, David, Isaiah, and the other Prophets truly, and according to the mind of the Spirit, therefore it stands so entihe 〈◊〉〈◊〉 this day; but thou seeing (for all the Iewes great care to keep it, thou makest such an Argument of) it was much corrupted before Ezra, therefore beginnest thy account of its integrity to a Tittle no higher then him, in whose dayes thou deemest it was, de novo, most perfectly rectified, ad amussim, reckoning rashly (as thou mostly dost) and in no wise considering that thou hast no more, but much lesse security against its alteration from Ezra downward, to this day (not knowing what heedlesse hands of carelesse Scribes it hath since come under) then there was from Ezra ••••••ards, from the time of its most pure giying out, in which juncture yet it so fell out, that as that which they found of it in Ezras dayes, was by thy own confession much corrupted, so not a little of i•• was lost altogether: But (to knock this Argument more fully on the head) thy self confessest that (as great as the care of Ezra was, to restore the Text of the old Testament to its purity, and to compleat the Points) it hath since then slipt so far out of order, that as to the Points according to the Iewes general faith, it received a great reviving, and restoration to their Right, and knowledge by the Massorites, when they had been much dis used, quoting R. Azarias in proof of it. p. 247.271. and so hast routed thy own Argument with thy own hands.

Arg. thy Ninth, is this the care of the Massorites from Ezras dayes, and downwards, to keep perfect and give an account of every syllable in the Scripture, citing Buxtorfius.

Rep. Here thou supposest thou puttest in sufficient security for its non∣alteration in a Tittle to this day, but of the Massorites care if I doubt, thy Word and Buxtorfs are not a ground to beget a divine faith in me, or another about it, who are bold in imposing your own Conjectures; but if I own them to have been as carefull as thou conceivest them to be, yet in the dayes of those before Ezra who were as careful as these could be, it came not-off without losse, much lesse is it likely it did to this day, if those Massorites before Christ had been ten times more careful then they were, forasmuch as thou rendrest both Iewes and Papists, between which two sorts of men the Hebrew Text hath been reserved to this day, both of them generations of men so hardned in hatred against the truth, as not to be worthy to be counted faithful Trustees about the Scriptures, besides as I said to the Argument last above, thy self grantest the points so have been dis used, so as to have been rectified by the Tiberian Masso∣rite, 600 years since Christ.

Arg. thy Tenth, is the constant consent of all Copies in the world, so that on

sundry learned men have observed there is not in the whole Mishna, Gemara, or either Talihud, any one place of Scripture found otherwise read, then it is now in our Copies.

Reply 1. What a piece of Idem per Idem is this, wherein the self same thing that is to be proved, is Argumentatively urged in proof of it self? the thing to be proved is, that there is a constant consent in all the Copies of the Hebrew Text in the world, so that there is no Copies read otherwise in any one place then ours, or that do vary from ours in one Letter, Apex, Tittle, or Iota; to prove this the medium, I. O. uses is this, (viz.) the constant consent of all Copies in the world, without any variation in any one place; I say here is not so good as ignotum per aeque ignotum, but Idem per Idem, the same proved by the same; the thing affirmed evinced by affirming it ore again: Siccine di putant Academici nostrates? many an acute Academian would answer no otherwise to this bald businesse, then by telling, the Doctor he is out, and forgets what he hath in hand, bidding him begin again, but such a Co••ntrified Russet-Rabby, as Dr. Featly sayes the Apron-Levites are, and such a Rustick Respondent as I am must submit, and take it as it comes, without much talk, lest I be talkt with for it, therefore I shall do it so much honour as to put it up, and to Reply to it, and so passe it by and passe on.

2. If there be and have been such an universal, constant consent of all copies in the world, and not so much as one Hebrew Copy read other∣wise then in ours, in any one place of the Bible (for so large are thy words, that thou art often fain to pinch them in again) how is it that so many Copies are with Points, and so many wholly without any punctation at all? or if thou say all pointed Copies are alike among themselves, and all unpointed ones are alike among themselves, how is it that thou, to the contradicting thy self in this place, confessest various readings in many other? yet the very three next pages, (viz.) 178. 179. 183. are well nigh wholly spent in nothing but concessions, confessions, and acknowledgements, that there are and have been various lections in the very old Testament as well as the New, and there thou grantest, that some of those that are thou knowest no more of, (viz.) the various readings of the Eastern and Western Iewes, save that they first appeared (it appears then there are some) in Bombergius his Bible, professing thy present ignorance of them, and unwillingnesse for hasts sake, to enquire after them, yet wishing any that know ought of them to inform thee further (but thou shouldst have informed thy self before thy rash and blind bold Assertion, and not say a thing positively, and then say, had I wist, and enquire when thou hast done whether it be so or no; and moreover thou denyest not, but that more various lections then yet thou knowest, may be gathered out of an∣cient Copies of credit and esteem; And thou instances in particular, in those called the Keri and Ketib, which thou makest such a puzling of thy self about, up and down in thy Book, that thou vainly spendest one whole Chapter (viz) the last save one of thy second Treatise, to prove them to be of no moment, which yet when all's done, are varieties from the first Manuscripts, at least (nemine contradicente) though how they fell out at first none knows, and thou guessest they were gathered by Ezra, p. 302. and

grantest that they are the face and appearance of various lections, p. 304 and that they are no lesse in number then 840. in the Bible p. 296. and that thou art not able to satisfie thy self about the Original, and spring of all that variety that is in the Bible by reason of them, p. 301. and th••t unlesse ye should sup∣pose; (which yet thou seemest not to dare to do) that the word was so re∣ceived fo••m God, as to make both necessary not knowing the true cause of this vari∣ety, or difference, between the Scription, which is in the Love and the Lection which is in the margin ye have nothing to blame but your own ignorance, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 being not the onely case, (and I confess thou speakest the Truth in that) wherein ye have rea∣son so to do; p. 30••. all which, notwithstanding 1-st the consideration of this To Keri, and To Ketib, or vast and numerous variety of different Scriptions, and Lections which are welny in thousands of words, whereof some of them in the margin are supposed to have stood sometimes in the line, being most groundedly conjectured to be no other then meer Critical amendment, of the Iewes, should, together with the supposition and suspicion that is now begotten in the minds of many learned ones, impeach that security which thou supposest at least thou hast of the mind of God truly represented to thee in thy crooked Copyes, and so a door be opened (as it is already not more to curious pragmatical wits, then plain, honest, Truth telling, down∣right dealing, upright- hearted, light loving souls, to overturn this ticklish foun∣dation, and all that thy simply supposed certainty of a true entire, and to a Tittle exact conformity of this Hebrew Text of Scripture, with that which was pen'd by immediate motion, p. 308. and so seem to der••gate from the universality of this rash hasty Assertion, concerning the preservation of the Ori∣ginal Copies thereof to this hour, in every Point, Tittle, and Iota, 296. thou bestirrest thy self what thou canst thorough the whole Chapter aforesaid, in vindication of the said universality and verity of thy Arch Assertion by diminishing this vast variation that is in the Keri and Ketib, from the first manuscripts, into a very little matter, too vain to be at all counted upon, as a various lection they are of so small weight and impor∣tance; though I must here tell thee. I. O. that of as small moment and importance as thou makest both these of Keri and Ketib, as well as all the other varieties that thy self are sain to confesse to, (viz.) those of Ben Asher, and Ben Nepthali, those of the Oriental and Occidental Iewes, those called correctio Scribarum, or the amendment in 18 places of some sma••l Api∣culi (as thou diminutively stilest them to salve the credit of thy exqui∣sitely crude expression of thy self often by the Term of Apices, and every Apex &c. p. 27.317.) and those called Ablatio Scribarum, or a note of the Redundancy of Vau in five places, O thou that art tossed to and fro, and yet thou seemest with the superstitious Iewes to hold a Copy to 'e corrupted, or prophaned, if but one letter be but wanting or redundant sometimes, (viz.) p. 170.) yet the least of all these are of weight and importance enough (for all thy summary saying of them all together, p. 13.14. they are varieties in things of lesse, indeed of no importance) to knock thy principal position on the head, and (howbeit thou sayest, not in the least p. 181.) in the least, at least, to Impair the Truth o thy Arch Assertion that every Tittle and Letter of the outward Text (which thou till stilest the word of God) remaines in the Copies preserved by the

merciful providence of God for the use of his Church to this day; and I must tell thee moreover, that the more thou stirrest in defence of the uni∣versal verity of that thy unwarrantable and utterly untrue Assertion, the more it stinks and that rankly too, not onely of unreasonable rashnesse, and Real falshood, but also of a meer Diotrephetically impudent and impositively prating Spirit in thy self, that rather then recant one rashly assented ab∣surdity, will run into a thousand, to offer so peremptorily to persist int, unlesse thou couldst speak more to the purpose then thou yet hast done, or ever art like to do in proof thereof, in that universality, rigidity, and strictnesse wherein thou statest it.

And as to those of the Keri and Ketib in particular the utmost thou sayest in all that Chapter wherein thou art wholly taken up about them whereby to refell the force of what falls heavily on thy Arch Assertion thence from by such as urge it, to the evincing of variety of Lections from, the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or primitive Text, is as strong as stubble it self to stand against it, with; and of no more force then foam and fro••b to resell it.

For fi••st p. 297. thou sayest all the difference in these words, that is the 840. words of the Keri and Ketib, is in the Consonants, not at all in the vowels.

Rep. In which saying thou givest thy whole cause, for if there be little lesse then a thousand words now in the Hebrew Text, differing in the Transcripts, in their Consonants from what they were, as written in the first Manuscripts, what need any more to prove against thee, that there are various Lections, and that in more then in Tittles, Iota's, Vowels, Accents, Points, and Apices (in the least of which yet if variation be proved, it disproves the universality and verity of thy great Assertion of Identity to a Tittle) and what need the Authors of that insinuation (over whom thou crowest upon thy own dunghill, and triumphest before thy time, p. 319.) pro∣duce the least Testimony (as thou falsly affirmest they cannot) that there hath been in the world some Copy of the Bible differing (mark thy words) in the least from those we now enjoy, or that those ye have are corrupted? thou I. O. provest it against thy self to their hands; yea that the Consonants them∣selves are greater matters then Points and Apices, and of more importance with thy self is intimated by thee, p. 317. in the eye of any ordinary Reader a yet thou thy self assertest, p. 297. that 840. words are found different from what they were at first writing, in no lesse then the very Consonants, what need we then any further witnesse, since we our selves have so much con∣fessed out of thy own mouth, or rather extant under thy own hand? And what need the Authors of this insinuation prove their Assertion in answer to thy confident universal Challenge of them so to do, p. 317. saying, let them prove that there was ever in the world any other Copy of the Bible differing in any one word from those that we now enjoy Tu dicis, thy self I. O. sayest it, that there are differences from the fi••st Copies, that were writ••by the in∣spi el Authors, and that of many sorts, what needst-thou say let them produce one Testimony, one Author of credit, Iew or Christian, that can or doth, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 did speak one word to this purpose, let them direct us to any relike, any monument, any kind of remembrance of them, and not put us off with weak

conjectures, upon the signification of one or two words, and it shall be of weight with us, is it meet that a matter of so huge importance, called into Question by none but themselves, should be cast and determined by their conjectures? doth they think men will part with the possession of Truth upon so easie Terms, that they will be cast from their inheritance by divination?

Bona verba quaeso, Possession of any thing that's counted an inheritance, I confesse is eleven points of twelve, and they that are in it commonly count that Truth and Right is on their side right or wrong, and the more ado and harder task they have, who have to do with them to storm them out, but as the case here stands, it's no great matter, sith I. O. the possessour fights for us against himself. Art thou an Author of credit thy self I. O. whose Testimony may be taken for Truth? wilt thou believe thy self if not others? I confesse as thou sayest p. 102. of the Romane Har∣lot, the common fate of lyars hath so befallen her, for lying mostly in many things she professeth, that she deserves not to be believed when she talks the Truth, p. 225. So I may say of thee, though I believe thee when thou speakest truth, yet thou utterest so many untruths, that thou scarcely deservest to be believed when thou tellest the Truth: but yet if thou be of any credit with thy self, and thou wilt but take thy own word, then we are well enough, and have wherewith to answer thy challenge, having thy self in the self same Book we have here to do with, speaking more then one word at least, and that's enough (ad bominem) to this purpose, viz. that there was in the world a Copy of the Bible different from what we now enjoy in one word at least (and that's in more then Tittles, which thou, who art Callidus, more then Callidus in thy Re frigida contendest for) sith the Keri and Ketib, those 840. words which are confest by thee to vary in their Consonants, from what they should be written with, if what is in the margin were in the line, are confest by thee not to have been so from the beginning, which if not, then, there was once a Copy different from what we now enjoy, but of this thou wilt hear more from us by and by.

Secondly, p. 300. thou sayest, the difference in the sense taken in the whole context, is upon the matter very little, or none at all; at least each word both that in the margin, & that in the line yield a sense agreeable to the Analogy of faith.

Rep. Here thou mendest thy bad cause as well as one can well do, that makes it two-fold worse then 'twas before; for if there be welnigh a thousand words, not onely different in Consonants (which is greater then that of Tittles) but also such as makes the least difference in the sense of the Spirit, which (how many so e're the Text may bear) is ac∣knowledged by all (but your selves that make many) to be but one alone ever to one word or place, then thou thy self overturnest that certainty and Identity of not onely the Text it self thou so loudly contendest for, but also, in some measure, of the Truth it self contained therein, which we say is eternally entire, let the Text run which way it will; but thou here art forced to confesse, that in the Keri and Ketib, there's not onely a varia∣tion in words, but also thereby in the very sense it self.

And though thou wouldst fain mend it when thou hast done, by min∣cing the matter, making as if the Context considered, the difference in the

sense is upon the matter very little, and agreeable, either way to the Analogy of faith (as ye often speak, whereby if not blinded ye might see, how, for all ye call the Scripture your Rule of Faith, yet ye more serne the Scripture into the sense of a suitablenesse to your modern devised model of faith still, then suit and model your faith according to the true sense of the Spirit and mind of Christ in the Scripture) yet that's a meer false seeth and ••••gment of thy own, for in some places there arises from the Keri and Ketib a very vast variety, not to say clear contrariety in the sense; such as, if the Context be consulted with, is consistent with the faith but one way onely, and not the other; and sith thou puttest it to the tryall, by the variety of those two words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 which are the same in sound, yet most distinct in their significations, and so, of all the varieties that are of this kind, seeming to thee of the greatest importance; of which it is observable that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 whose signification is [not] is fourteen or fifteen times put in the Text or line instead of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 whose signification is [to him or it] which is set in the margin: I am willing to be tryed by that very variety that is of thy own naming the better to satisfie thee.

And whereas thou sayest, that though these seem contrary one to the other, yet wherever this falls out, a sense agreeable to the Analogy of faith ariseth fairly from either word, instancing in some places picke out by thee for thy own purpose: I say if it do hold, its not worth a pin, or point, to the proof of what thou sayest, if in any one of those four∣teen or fifteen places it appear to the contrary; and that it does, let me be so bold (fith thou instancest in two that are fittest for thee) to in∣stance but one that, makes against thee, and then, I shall trouble my self no more with thy Keri and Ketib, which would make one, if not sick, yet at least sorry, for thee to see how sorrily thou shifts by it: Isa. 9.3. thou hast multiplyed the Nation, not encreased the joy, say the Ketib, or word in the Text, but the Keri or word in the Margin is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 [to it] which marginal Reading (though Translators following the mistake of the mis-transcribers keep to the Ketib) is undoubtedly the true and onely sense of the Spirit, for the reading in the line, as it is in both Transcripts and Translation, is (considered with the Context) a piece of meer non-sensicall contradicti∣on; thou hast encreased the Nation, not encreased the Ioy, they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, as men rejoyce when they divide the spoil; what a jarre does the word [not encreased the Ioy] make in the sense of that verse; yea it makes it meet confusion and contradiction, to say the joy is not enlarged, and yet it is enlarged like to that of men that rejoyce in har∣vest, and at the dividing of the spoil; but read it by the Keri 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 [to it] thus, (viz) thou hast multiplyed the Nation, thou hast encreased joy to it, or its joy, they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, as men rejoyce when they di∣vide the spoil; and then there's no discord in the sound, but its all sweetly sutable and harmonious, and agreeable to the Analogy of the true faith also.

Arg. thy Eleventh is, The security we have that no mistakes were volunta∣rily or negligently brought into the Text, before the coming of our Saviour, who was to declare all things, in that he not once reproves the Iewes ••n that Account, when yet for their false glosses on the word be spares them not. And

this Argument is urged o're again p. 316 interrogatively thus, (viz.) can it be once imagined, that there should be at that time such notorious va∣rieties in the Copies of the Scripture through the negligence of that Church, and yet afterword neither our Saviour nor his Apostles take the least notice of it, yea doth not our Saviour himself affirm of the word that was then among them (Scripture with thee) that not 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, should passe away or perish?

Rep. 1. Leave calling Christ thy Saviour, (as thou often dost) till thou witnesse thy self saved by his grace from thy being a servant to sin, as thou art so long as thou committest it, or dost either 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or which is all one 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, and commit it thou dost and must while thou livest, while thou believest no perfect remission, or full freedom from the commission of it in this life; and must in the life to come too, while thou believest no purging there neither; for thy calling him thy Saviour while thou art thus in thy sin, is no more accepted of him, then when thou cal∣lest him Lord, Lord, yet dost not the things that he sayes, and that is as little as if thou saidst nothing.

2. Varieties and mistakes might befall the Scriptures, thy self elsewhere confessest, p. 167, 168, 169. through the invincible infirmity of mens failings and fallibility in such a work as transcribing the best things, and through meer weaknesse, when through neither wilfulnesse, nor negligence, nor un∣faithfulnesse, and so passe as unreproved, as they are in that case unrepro∣vable.

3. There might be mistakes of that nature through the Scribes wilfulness and negligence, perverting Scripture, and those reproved by Christ too, and his Apostles also, and thou ne'r the wiser, there being many things truely, that Iesus did and spake, that were never written in those Histories of him ye have, and that his Apostles did, and spake, that are not written by Luke in the Acts, nor in their Epistles, the which if they should be written every one, the world it self would not be able to contain them, among which, that such a re∣proof was not one, is more then thou knowest; though thou wilt vent thy verdict very vainly ond positively still at a venture.

4. If there were not one mistake or corruption through mis-translation in the Scripture before Christs time, hath there not been time enough for some sailing to fall out in it, since that time which is 1600, years since, in some one Point, Apex, Accent, Tittle, or Iota? what security hast thou against such a thing, not knowing, but as thou wilt be guessing, and think∣ing, what wicked, careless, and unskilful hands it hath since past under; or rather knowing, that by Iewes and Papists it hath been much vi∣tiated.

5. Christ and his Apostles, in their often quoting Scripture out of the Old Testament, kept to the substance and sense of the words, not alwayes to the Text, in totidem verbis, verbatim, or to a Tittle, Isa. 42.1, 18, 19, 20, 21. Rom. 11. Rom. 15.16. which shews that they minded the substance of the matter, and not as ye do the empty figure of the outward Letter in e∣very trivial Tittle, Point, and Iota of it.

6. However, I do not understand this Argument any more then thou that thou speakest on, p. 269. Christ reproved no such mistakes as mis-transcribing

the Scriptures, through wilfulnesse or negligence 1600 years since, therefore it is not mis-transcribed in one Point, Apex, Iot, or Tittle, to this very day.

Arg. thy Twelfth is this, (viz.) after Christ the watchfulnesse which the two Nations of Iewes and Christians had alwaies upon one another, with sundry things of like importance to this purpose, which might he insisted upon.

Rep. Here's the Rereward of the whole foregoing Regiment, and Rout of Red coat reasons, that make a mighty shew a great way off, as they lye all together in Leagure against the Truth; so that one would take them as first glance to be of some great worth or weight to the matter in hand, but when one beholds them nigher hand, behold they are a parcell of Ragged, Torn, Thred bare Tatterdimallions, that are scarce able well to stand on their legs they are so weak and wanting. And as for this last poor, wretched, miserable blind and naked Argument, that marches in the Rear, it is so lame, and tired, and decrepid, and halts so pitifully after his fellows, that it's in a manner pity to meddle with it, for what importance soever I. O. judges it to be of, I see it's importance to be so little to his purpose, as to evince every Tittle of his transcribed Text to be as true as at first writing, that it can scarce well carry it self clear away, much lesse import any great matter of danger, or do any considerable execution toward the offending of the Truth here defended, or in defence and vindication of I. O's famously false Assertion of the entirenesse of the outward Text of the Scripture to this day, in every Word, Letter, Consonant, Vowel, Point, Apex, Tittle, and Iota, as 'twas at first given out by the hands of the inspired penmen of it; that though more then need might soon be replyed against it, yet I shall say nothing to it at all, but make it a passe, and let it even go quietly again from whence it comes.

Notes

• Ex. 3. S. 24. Discipline cujusuis Perfectio consistit in relatione ad finem, eaque perfecta habenda sit quae suffici∣ens est respecta sinis sui proximi, ea vero imperfecta quae finem Proposi∣tum assequi potis non est.
• †

  Let T.D. consider this quotation of two Ca••dinals by I. O. who would argue me to be a Papist for saying a Truth which he said Bellar∣mine wrote, whom I never cited at all; which T.D. will hardly conclude I. O. to be a Papist, though he quote two Popish Authors, whereof Bellar∣mine himsel•• is one, and makes use of their Testimony against his fellow Protestants, whom he fights against: but me mutire ••efas, and if I mention but any truth that any Papists hold though I, cite them not, yet its enough to subject me to suspicion of Popery, among our senselesse sus∣pecters. truthl. fle thinkers, and groundlesly confident conjecturers; but no marvail, fi••h (as the Proverb is) among such evil surmisers, Some men, whose Brothers will never say they are theeves. may more securely steal a ••orse, then some true men peep o're the hedge.
• †

  Tr. 1. chap. 1. S. 22.
• †

  Ex. 1. S. 3••
• † Tr.••.ch.2.S 1