Section 19▪

THus having gone through, and examined all that I have observed in his Book, giving his Reasons and Arguments, That the Scripture is not the Rule of Faith and Life, but the Light in every Conscience; and having shewn the Weakness, yea the Falsity of them, I thought it not necessary to take notice of his Enlargements and Amplifications on his several Arguments, but answer to the Argu∣ment it self, wherein its strength seemed to lye. I shall be brief in my Examination and an∣swer to his second part, to wit, concerning the Judge of Controversie, for, because it hath such a necessary Connexion with the former, the former being clearly discussed, the latter will easily be determined.

Page 39. He gives us his explanation, what he means by these Terms, Judge and Page  133 Controversie, A Judge (saith he) is one that has not only power to determine, but dis∣cerning to do it rightly. Controversie is a de∣bate between two parties, about the Truth or Falshood, to be determined by that Judge. But as he wrongly stated the Question in the first part, about the Rule, so here he is very short in stating the Controversie about the Judge. It is without all Question, among all that own that there is one great God Al∣mighty, that he is the Great and Supreme Judge, of what is Truth and what is not, universally, and that most perfectly and infallibly; and all that believe in Christ and in the Holy Spirit, do own that Christ and the Holy Spirit, together with the Father, are that Supreme Judge, as they are one and the same Supreme God; and not only so, but all true Christians own, that Christ, as the Son of Man, has all Judgment committed to him, and is both Head and Judge in his Church. Now that wherein W.P. is short in stating the Question here is, that he doth not assign the true Rule, whereby the Judge, to wit, God, Christ and the Spirit, doth give forth a definitive Judgment, to be un∣derstood and received, by the Members of the Church of Christ. Neither God, nor Christ, nor the Holy Spirit, need the Scrip∣ture, to give a Judgment, as to themselves, their knowledge of what is Truth, and Page  134 what is not so, is wholly independent from the Scripture, but the Question is to be thus stated, What Rule, Standard or Mea∣sure, God, Christ and the Spirit has given to the faithful, in particular, and to the whole Church in general, since the Doctrine of the true Faith was committed to wri∣ting, whereby they may understand, and know, the true Judgment and determinati∣on of God, and Christ, and the Holy Spi∣rit, the Supreme Judge of Controversie. True it is, that the Law-giver is the best interpreter of any point that may concern his own Law, and therefore as God is the Law-maker, so he is the Supreme Judge and Interpreter of his Law. But as an Earthly Law-giver, suppose an Earthly King, with the consent of the great Coun∣sel of the Nation, gives forth his Laws to his Subjects, if any Controversie arise about the true sense of those Laws, the King and his Counsel that made those Laws, is to de∣termine the Controversie by the Laws them∣selves, one part of the Law serving as a Key, to open what is hard to be understood in ano∣ther part of it. Thus it is in this Nation, and commonly in all Nations, for the Law is supposed to be such a perfect Law, Intire and Compleat, that the Sense of it needs not be given by giving forth any new Law, to give the sense of the former; nor ought Page  135 any Subject to presume to give his private Interpretation of the Law, by any private Gloss or Sense, which he cannot demon∣strate from the Law it self; and as it's thus, as to the Laws of Men, how much more is it so, as to the Laws of God? The Laws of Men indeed, receive frequently new Addi∣tions and Alterations, and yet this cannot be done, but by Publick Authority: But the Law and Rule of Faith and Life, that God has given to the Faithful, and to his Church, now under the New Testament, is so full, perfect and comprehensive, that is, fully Sufficient without any Addition; and if it can be supposed, that it may please God to give forth any new Laws to his Church, it must be allowed, that there must be the same Evidence, and ground of receiving them to be such, as was given for the Old Testament by Moses, and for the New Testament by Christ. Now had W.P. fairly stated the question, he should have stated it thus, Whither the Spirit of Christ, (whose Judgment and Determination is all one with that of Christ and the Father) doth give his Judgment to the Church, and the Members of it, by any other Law or Rule, Measure or Standard, than what is already to be-found in the Holy Scriptures, whether relating to Articles of Faith, or positive Precepts of revealed and instituted Page  136 Religion, by Christ and his Apostles in the New Testament. Or whither the Spirit gives this Judgment, not by the Doctrines and Precepts contained in the Scriptures, but by the common discoveries and Dictates of the Light within every Man's Consci∣ence, which are commonly the same, and of the same extent in all Mankind, be they Jews and Mahometans, and Painims abroad, or Deists at home here in England or else∣where: Or lastly, whither by any new par∣ticular Discoveries, Revelations or Dictates, and new Precepts of the Spirit, not former∣ly given, either to Mankind in general, or to the Church in particular. To the first, all sound Christians agree. The Second is, the sence of W.P. and those of his Bre∣thren of the Second Days Meeting that have approved his Book. The third is, the sence of some of the chief Teachers and Leaders, that first arose among the Quakers, that did affirm, they had new Commands given from the Spirit, by immediat Revela∣tion from Heaven, some of which are nei∣ther the common Dictates of the Light in every Conscience of Mankind, nor to be found in the Scriptures, either expresly, or by any necessary consequence from them. And indeed the first Teachers and Leaders amongst that People, did not think it worth while, to prove their Doctrine, or warrant Page  137 their Interpretations, by consequences from Scripture; but the general proof was, This is the Word of the Lord unto you; for G.F. (see his Journal) plainly told, that when he first came forth, he was commanded of God, to say thee and thou to every Man to whom he spoke, and not to put off his Hat to any: Also the setting up of Womens Government in their Meetings, distinct from the Men, by the more devout sort, who did think, and still think, that G.F. was a Prophet, as im∣mediately sent as Moses, or any other, is Judged to have been by a Divine Authority and Power in G.F. without any depen∣dance on Scripture Rule, or seeking to fish it by consequence from Scripture. And pray what need is there to bring Scrip∣ture proof, for any thing that Men either believe or practise, either by consequence or express words, seeing that is not the Rule of either Faith or practise, but the Light in every Conscience, as W.P. saith here in this Book, or some New Revelation, or discovery, that neither Jews nor Turks, nor other Deists have, nor all Christendom, but only and alone, the People called Quakers. But if these new Revelations be their Rule in the Case, it quite overturns W.P's Fabrick, of setting up a general Rule of Faith and Life in every Man's Conscience. For a new Revelation, that only one part of Mankind Page  138 hath, cannot be a general Rule. W.P. makes not the Light within (which he will have to be the Spirit, or God himself, or Christ in every Man,) abstractly considered from the inward discoveries, Dictates and Precepts there delivered, to be the general Rule, which he calls the Eternal Precepts of the Spirit in the Conscience, and the No∣ble precepts writ in Man's Heart, Phrases that he has borrowed from some Heathen writers, as Pythagoras and Sophocles, and which are to be owned in their place, to be such, and to be a general Rule of Moral Justice and Temperance, as is above owned; but not either the general Rule of the Chri∣stian Religion, with respect to its peculiar Doctrines, and Precepts, nor indeed so much as any Rule at all in that state; nor indeed is it at all proper to call the Spirit the Rule in his Sense, but rather the Dictates and discoveries of the Spirit, which W.P. calls sometimes Revelation, to wit, Internal, and the Internal Testimony of the Spirit, Eter∣nal Precepts and noble Laws writ in all Men's Hearts; for the Spirit abstractly considered, from all Internal and External discovery, Revelation and Testimony, teacheth Men nothing at all, and therefore can be no Rule to them, as such. And seeing W.P. hath cast away the Holy Scriptures from being the Rule of Faith and Practise even to us Page  139 Christians, that is, all and every one of the peculiar Doctrines and Precepts of Christi∣anity, that are to be sure no part of those Eternal Precepts and Laws writ in all Mens Consciences, not one of them, nor all of those peculiar Doctrines and Precepts, are so much as a part of the Christians Rule of Faith and Life; for if it were, then the Christians, the Deists, the Mahometans, and Infidel Jews, should not have one general Rule of Faith and Life, which he contends for.

Page 41. He proposeth an Objection, and pretends to solve it. Obj. But is not the Scripture the Judge of Controversie. [He should rather have made the Objection run thus, Is not the Scripture the Rule, where∣by the Spirit of Truth, who is properly the Judge, doth by his inward ordinary illumi∣nation in the Faithful, determine the Con∣troversie, in all the necessary things of Sal∣vation? Yea, and also in many other things, though not absolutely necessary, yet very profitable.] He Answers. How can that be, since the Question most times arises about the meaning of Scripture? I reply, yet still the Scripture is the proper Rule to deter∣mine the Controversie, even when the questi∣on ariseth about the meaning of the Scrip∣ture; because what seemeth obscure in some places of Scripture are, opened and made plain by other plain places of Scripture, Page  140 treating on the same Subject, that are as a Key to open them, with out any other Rule than the Scripture it self; only there is need of the Spirits Internal Illumination and assist∣ance to help us to use that Key, especially in reference to the saving knowledge of them.

He proceeds in his answer to the Objecti∣on, saying, Is there any place (to wit, in Scrip∣ture) tells us, without Interpretation, whither the Socinian or Trinitarian be in the right, in their differing Apprehensions of the Three that bear re∣cord, &c. Also the Homousian and Arian about Christ's Divinity, or the Papists or Protestants about Transubstantiation. If then things are left undefin'd and undetermined, I mean literally and expresly in the Scripture, and that the Question arises about the Sense of words, Doth the Scripture de∣termine which of these Interpreters hit the mark? From all which he concludes, that not the Scripture, but the Interpretation must de∣cide the Matter in Controversie, and that In∣terpretation must be given from the Spirit of God, to be a true and infallible Interpre∣tation.

Answ. Seeing that Interpretation, accord∣ing to W.P. cannot be given from the Spirit, without an extraordinary Revelation, the things in Controversie, being such (accord∣ing to W.P's Phrase and Confession, P. 31.) as fall not within the ordinary Discoveries, that are absolutely necessary to Man's Salva∣tion; Page  141 and that W.P. also grants, that he and his Brethren have no such extraordi∣nary Revelation, for it is not needful, being none of the absolute Necessaries to our Salva∣tion, P. 33. It evidently follows, that neither W.P. nor any of his Brethren, nor indeed any other Men now living whatsoever, have any certainty whither the Socinian or Trinitarian be in the right; that is, whither Christ is God, and whither Christ had any Existence before Mary; and whither Christ be in any of the Faithful, yea or nay; yea W.P. hath no certainty of this Fundamental Principle, that Christ is in him, or in any of his Bre∣thren; the great reason of their Assertion, that Christ is in them, being, that Christ is God; so that if it be not certain from Scrip∣ture, that Christ is God; and if the Socinian Doctrine should prove true, that Christ is only a Man, it will evidently follow, (as I think W.P. will grant) that it is utterly false that Christ is in any Men whatsoever; and that that Light that is in Men, even the most Faithful, is not Christ; for how can that, which is only a meer Man, and a meer Crea∣ture, [as the Socinians say that Christ only is] be in all Men. Again, If it cannot be deter∣mined from Scripture, without extraordinary Revelation, (which W.P. grants, neither he nor his Brethren have, as touching these Mat∣ters,) whither the Arians or the Homonsians be Page  142 in the right; it evidently followeth, that nei∣ther W.P. nor his Brethren, are certain, whi∣ther the word mentioned John 1.1. be any other than a meer Creature; and consequent∣ly they are not certain, but that they them∣selves are Idolaters, who give any Divine Worship to Christ, as he is that Word. Also if it be not certain from Scripture, whither the Papists or Protestants be in the right about Transubstantiation, without extraordinary Re∣velation, according to W.P's way of arguing, If the Papists should happen to be in the right, and W.P. by his Confession, knoweth nothing to the contrary but that they are, he and his Brethren should be guilty of hor∣rid Contempt and Blasphemy, to call that which is the Body of Christ, nothing but Bread. And is not this Assertion of W.P. a fair Inlet to Popery, that the Scripture doth not determine expresly, without Interpretation, and that Interpretation cannot be had with∣out new Revelation, whither the Papists Do∣ctrine of Transubstantiation be true? So that to him at present, it is a Matter of Indifferency; and if W.P. should turn Papist, or suppose him to be one, when he declares himself, he needs only pretend a Revelation for that and all the other Matters in Controversie betwixt Protestants and Papists, to justifie him, and prove him to be no Changeling. And at this rate of W.P's arguing, not only all the pecu∣liar Page  143 Doctrines of Christianity are wholly un∣certain, and Papists, Socinians and Arians, and other the worst of Hereticks, that oppugn the Christian Doctrine and Faith, may happen to be in the right, and these called the Orthodox to be in the wrong; but the great Funda∣mental of the Quakers is overthrown, and ren∣dred uncertain also; yea, this very Position, that he laboureth so much to establish, That not the Scriptures, but the Light in every Man's Conscience, is the Rule of Faith and Life to every Man. For this Position of his, is not literally and expresly in the Scripture; so that ac∣cording to W.P. not the Scripture, but his and his Brethrens Interpretation must deter∣mine this Controversie; and this cannot be done without extraordinary Revelation, it being none of those things that fall within the ordinary Discoveries of Men, to wit, that the Light in every Man's Conscience is Christ, and God, for then Christ would be God, and the Socinians would be Blasphemers that deny him so to be. By all which it evidently ap¦pears, that this Argument of W.P. not only renders all the peculiar Doctrines of Christi∣anity meer Scepticism and Uncertainty; but the great Fundamental of the Quakers, as con∣cerning the Light being Christ in them, and the Rule of their Faith, to be equally Scepti∣cism and Uncertainty. But that he saith, Christ's Divinity is left undetermin'd in Scrip∣ture Page  144 literally and expresly, is false; for it is in several places literally and expresly affirm'd that Christ is God, and that and many other Truths suppose not literally and expresly mentioned in Scripture, yet by good and ne∣cessary Consequences, without all extraordi∣nary Revelation from plain places of Scrip∣ture, can be certainly inferred. And if he will not allow that there is any certainty by ar∣guing from the Scriptures, by Consequences of true Reason, his whole Discourse in this his Book that I am now answering is disallow∣able, for he has not brought one place of Scripture, that literally and expresly saith, the Scripture is not the Rule of Faith, or that the Light in every Man's Conscience is; and he doth not pretend to extraordinary Revelati∣on in the Case; and if he did of shall, he must give us leave to distrust him, until he bring sufficient Evidence for it, which I believe he will never be able to do: Yea, the Falsity of his Reasonings by way of Consequence, to prove his Position, That not the Scripture, but the Light in every Man's Conscience is the Rule of Faith and Life, is evidently apparent, from the answers already given. And suppose he should pretend to extraordinary Revelation in the case, and that that is the ground of his Certainty, and Rule of his Faith, even that Pretence destroyeth his Fabrick; for seeing all Men have not that extraordinary Revela∣tion, Page  145 it cannot be a general Rule. If he say, The common discovery that every Man hath, teacheth him sufficiently without either Scrip∣ture or extraordinary Revelation, That the Light in every Man's Conscience is the Rule of Faith. I answer, How can that be, unless it were a self-evident Proposition, as that the whole is greater than the part; and if it be a self-evident Proposition, why hath W.P. taken so great pains to prove it? Men commonly think it needless, to prove any self-evident Proposi∣tion, and properly speaking, it is impossible to be proved. But if his said Position has no self-evidence of the Truth of it, how shall it be proved? not from Scripture, for that would make the Scripture the Rule; nor from Hu∣mane Reason, for that would make Humane Reason the Rule, which W.P. seems not to set up for the Rule. It is granted, that the Light in every Man's Conscience, in respect of some Moral Principles of Justice and Temperance, has a Self▪evidence, and so far is a Rule; but that it is the Rule of Faith to Christians is denied; and by whatever Medium he proveth it, that must be his Rule, by his manner of ar∣guing, which runs him into the like vitious Circle as the Papists are run into, when they prove the certainty of Tradition by the Church, and the certainty of the Church by Tradition; so W.P. proves, that the Light within is the Rule of Faith by the Scripture, and the certainty of the Scripture by the Light within.