II, The Judgment of the Quakers on this Head, and their Reafons in Support of it. And

III We shall confider our Opponents Answer to the Objections he has formed.

1. OUR Opponent afferts, p. 33.

That the

true Rule and Standard of a Chriftian's Faith and Practice in Religion, is the Revelation that • God has made of his Mind and Will to us in the Holy Scriptures.'

PAGE 36. That God has committed his Will now wholly to Writing, fo that former ways of God's revealing his Will, as by immediate Revelation, are now ceafed, and the Scripture is a filled Canon or Rule, and our Sole and Entire Rule of Faith and Manners in all that is neceffary to our Salvation.'

PAGE 38. The only compleat entire Rule of a Chriftian's Faith and Practice.

PAGE 44. The fole infallible Rule of a Chriftian's Faith and Practice.

The Texts he produces in Proof of these Affertions are,

2. Tim.iii. 15, 16. And that from a Child thou bast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wife unto Salvation, through Faith which is in Chrift Fefus.

Rom. xv. 4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime, were written for our Learning; that we thro' patience and comfort of the Scriptures might bave hope.

Luke i. 1-4. For afmuch as many have taken in hand to fet forth in order a Declaration of those

per

things which are moft furely believed among us, even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were Eye-Witnefes and Minifters of the Word: It feem'd good to me alfo, having bad fect Understanding of all Things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, That thou mightest know the certainty of thofe Things wherein thou hast been inftructed.

Acts i. 1, 2. The former Treatife have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jefus began both to do and teach, untill the Day on which he was taken up, after that be through the Holy Ghost had given Commandments unto the Apostles whom he had chofen.

John xx. 31. But thefe are written, that ye might believe that Jefus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have Life thro' his Name:

1 Cor. xiv. 37. If any Man think himself to be a Prophet or Spiritual, let him acknowledge that the Things that I write unto you are the Commandments of the Lord.

Gal. vi. 15. 16. For in Christ Jesus, neither Circumcifion availeth any Thing, nor Uncircumcifion, but a new Creature; and as many as walk according to this Rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Ifrael of God.

Heb. i. 3. God who at fundry times and in diverfe manners fpake in time paft unto the Fathers by the Prophets, bath in thefe laft Days Spoken unto us by his Son, whom he bath appointed Heir of all Things, by whom also be made the Worlds.

Matt. xxi, 37. But last of all he fent unto them his Son, faying, They will reverence my Son.

Dan. ix. 24. Seventy Weeks are determined up-. on thy People, and upon thy Holy City, to finish the Tranfgreffion, and to make an End of Sins, and to make Reconciliation for Iniquity, and to bring in everlasting Righteousness, and to feal up the Vision and Prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

Rev. xxii. 19. And if any Man fhall take away from the Words of the Book of this Prophecy, God hall take away his part out of the Book of Life, and out of the Holy City, and from the Things that are written in this Book.

We have put thefe Texts at full length, that our Reader may the more clearly fee whether they prove what they are produc'd for: We think, they do not; for,

1. The Holy Scriptures mention'd 2 Tim. iii. 16. which Timothy had known from a Child could not be the Canon, Rule, or Standard, this Author fpeaks of, because that very Epiftle of Paul was no part of thofe Scriptures, which yet is a part of what he calls the Canon, Rule, and Standard, of a Chriftian's Faith and Practice.

2. That of Rom. xv. 4. plainly relates to the Writings of the Old Teftament, for the Apostle in the preceding Verfe recites a Sentence out of the Pfalms, and then fays, For whatsoever Things were written aforetime, were written for our Learning. Will our Author maintain that the Writings of the Old Teftament are the only True Canon, Rule, and Standard, of a Chriftian's Faith and Practice?

3. The Text of Luke i. 1-4. fhews only that he was then going to write of Things which he had received from Eye-Witnesses; and that of Acts i. 12. fhews that he had before that Time written them: But what do either of thefe Texts in Proof of the Scriptures being the Canon, Rule, and Standard, of a Chriftian's Faith and Practice?

4. As little to the purpofe is John xx. 31: which fhews wherefore that particular Treatife call'd his Gofpel was written; but cannot poffibly have reference to any other Writing. Will our Oppofer have that fingle Treatife to be the Canon, Rule, and Standard, of a Chriftian's, Faith and Practice?

5 Can any thing be more inconclufive, than to say, that because the Things Paul wrote to the Corinthians were the Commandments of the Lord, Cor. xiv. 37. therefore the Scriptures are the Rule and Standard of a Chriftian's Faith and Practice?

6. BUT how palpable is his Perversion of Gal. vi 16: where the Apoftle having spoken much before in Chap. v. and the 8. Verfe of this vi. of the Luftings of the Spirit against the Flesh, or evil Spirit in Men that lufteth to Envy; of walking according to the Spirit, of living, according to the Spirit, being led by the Spirit, reaping the Fruit of the Spirit, &c. fays, Verse 15. For in Chrift Fefus neither Circumcifion availeth any thing, nor Uncircumcifion, but a new Creature, and then D 4

adds

adds, Ver. 16. As many as walk according to this Kule, (x) peace be on them and mercy.

So that 'tis moft evident by the Context that the Words this Rule relate to the Spirit of God, whofe leadings he had been directing them to, in order to their becoming new Creatures. Befides, this Writer can not but know, that there was not at that Time fuch a filled Canon or Rule as he fpeaks of.

WE are next to examine the Texts he brings to prove, that former ways of God's revealing his Will, as by immediate Revelation, are now ceafed, and the Scriptures are a filled Canon or Rule.

1. Heb. i. 1. God who at fundry times and in divers manners, fpake in time past unto the Fathers by the Prophets, bath in thefe laft Days Spoken unto us by his Son.

(2)

2. Matt:

Galat. vi. 16. TO HAVÓVI TÓTW. In this Rule; is tranflated. Phil. iii. 16. which was fpoken of the Meafure of Attainment. And Grotius faith, in the Manufcript 6 Rule is not; fo it must be understood, Let us walk in the fame Attainment; t; as alfo in 2 Cor. X. 13, 15. in. which three Places, that Word is only found; fee Eraf mus, Varablus, Zegerus, Cameron. Fac. Capellus, and Grotius on thofe Places, none whereof can be drawn to the Scriptures. Zegerus Interprets this Place of Gal. vi. 16. thus, They that have followed this form of Life, or Rule of the New Creature, having turned away from the invalid Ceremonies of the Law, Peace, &c. Drufus explains it from Chap. v. 6. The new Creation; Faith which worketh by Love. Grotius faith, Rule here is a way made as to a Rule that is plainly Right; fuch is that way of the New Creature, which was foretold if. ii. 9. and fignifies the State of the new Man of which Paul fpeaks, Cel. iii. 10. Eph. ii. 15. Rom. vi. 4. W. P's. Works vol. 1. p. 598,