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

Our Author's producing thefe two Texts, does manifeftly prove, that he is miferably pinch'd for want of Proofs, they having no manner of Relation to the Scriptures,

3. Daniel ix. 24. To bring in Everlasting Righte oufness, and to Seal up the Vifion and Prophecy: This Text anfwers not the End for which he cites it, the Word Seal in that Place, fignifies to confirm or fulfil, viz. that by the coming of the Meffiah, the Prophecies concerning him would be confirmed or fulfill'd. The Septuagint render it peyica, which is to Seal by way of Confirmation, as when one Seals a Deed, as well as to fhut up or clofe. W. Tindal tranflates it to fulfil the Vifions and the Prophets: which is most agreeable to the Sense of the prophetick Writers, who defcribe the Gospel-times as Days, not of Sealing up, but of the GREATEST OPENING. I will open Rivers in high Places, and Fountains in the midst of the Valleys, Ifa. xli. 18. Then the Eyes of the Blind fhall be opened, Ifa. xxxv. 5. And, the Prophct Joel fpeaking in the Name of the Lord, fays, I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh, and your Sons and your Daughters fhall Prophecy, your old Men fhall Dream Dreams, your young Men fball fee Vifions, and also upon the Servants and upon the Handmaids in thofe Days will I pour forth of my Spirit. Which pouring forth of the Spirit, was, in an extraordinary Manner, upon the Apoftles and others at the Day of Pentecoft, Ats ii. But the Promife of it, tho' not in the fame Degree, is unto all the Faithful, as the Apostle Peter exprefly fays, The promife is to you and to your Children, and to all that are afar off even as

many

many as the Lord our God ball call. And a Voice from Heaven faid unto John, The Testimony of Jefus is the Spirit of Prophecy : Rev. xix. 10.

4. Rev. xxii. 19. If any Man fhall add unto thefe Things, God fhall add unto him the Plagues that are written in this Book; the like words as Mofes uses with respect to the Commandments which he delivered to the Jews: But that thofe Words of John relate to the Clofe of all publick Prophecy, more than thofe of Mofes, our Adverfary brings no Proof but his own bare Affertion. Befides, he admits, that the Words of John had Relation to that Prophecy of the Revelations and his attempt to give them a larger meaning, is but impofing on his Reader, fince 'tis certain there was not then any determined Canon of Books of the New Teftament to which thofe Words could poffibly refer.

2. We are next to fhew what the Quakers hold concerning the Scriptures, which is,

(a) THAT from the Revelations of the Spirit of God to the Saints, have proceeded the Scriptures of Truth; which because they are only a Declaration of the Fountain, and not the Fountain it felf, therefore are not to be efteemed the principal Ground of all Truth and Knowledge, nor yet the adequate primary Rule of Faith and Manners; yet because they give a true and faithful Testimony of the first Foundation, they are, and may be esteemed a fecondary Rule, fubordinate to the Spirit, from which they have all their Excellency and Certainty.' THEY

(a)R. Barclay's Apol. Prop. iii. p. 67.

THEY are, fays W. Penn, a Rule of Faith and Life, but not the Rule, for,

(b) A Rule, and the Rule, are two Things: By the Rule of Faith and Practice I understand the Living, Spiritual, Immediate Omniprefent, Difcovering, Ordering Spirit of God: And by a Rule, I apprehend fome Inftrument by and through which this Great and Univerfal Rule, may convey its Directions. Such a fubordinate, Secondary and Declaratory Rule, we never faid several Parts of Scripture were not."

By the Rule of Faith and Practice, they understand the General Rule, viz. (c) That conftant Measure or Standard, by which Men in all Ages have been enabled to judge of the Truth or Error of Doctrines, and the Good or Evil of Thoughts, Words, and Actions.

THAT the Scriptures are not that Rule of Faith and Practice, they prove by many Argu

ments.

1. (d) IF the Faith of God's People in all Ages be of one Nature, then the Rule but of one Nature. But clear it is, Heb. xi. The Faith has been but of one Nature. In fhort, if the holy Ancients had Faith before they had or wrote Scripture, they had a Rule before they had or wrote Scripture; where Faith is, there is a Rule for that • Faith. And if the Faith be of one Na< ture, the Rule is of one Nature alfo. And • fince

for

(b) W P's Works Vol. 2. p. 599. (c) Ibid p. 591. (d) Ibid. p. 593, 594.

fince the Faith is Inward, Spiritual, begotten of the Immortal Word, in which is Life, and that Life the Light of Men, and that this Word of Life and Light was the Rule then; no Book Writing, or Engraving on vifible and perifhable Matter, can be the Rule now.

AGAIN, fuch as the Faith is, fuch muft the Rule be, but the Faith is as before, Inward and Spiritual, which no mere Book can be.

2. IF the Scriptures were the General Rule, they must have always been a perfect Rule, ever fince they were a Rule. But this is impoffible, fince they were many Hundred Years in writing, and are now imperfect also as to • Number, how are they then a perfect Rule?

<

3. THE Scriptures; however ufeful to Edifi⚫cation and Comfort, feem not, in their own < Nature and Frame, to have been compiled and • deliver'd, as the General Rule and entire Body of Faith, but rather written upon particular Occafions and Emergencies.

< 4. THE Scripture cannot be the Rule of Faith, because it cannot give Faith; for Faith is the Gift of God, which overcomes the World.

5. THESE Very Men that fay it is the Rule of Faith and Life, deviate in their Proof from < their Affertion, for the Scriptures no where fay fo of themselves.

6. How fhall I be affured, that these Scrip⚫tures came from God? I am bound to try all Things: If all Things, then them amongst the reft. I would fain know what I must try them

⚫ with

with? With the Scriptures? Then the Scrip<tures must be the Rule of my Examination and Faith concerning themfelves, which is improper: If with the Spirit that gave them forth, which fearcheth the deep Things of God (a Measure of which is given to me to'profit withal) then it is moft congruous to call the Spirit by Way of Excellency, and not the Scriptures the Rule.

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7. IF the Scriptures are the Rule, they muft be fo either in the Original or Copies. If in • the Original, that is not extant; and fo there • would be no Rule in Being. If the Copies must be the Kule, Which of them? Being above Thirty in Number, and having a vaft Variety of Readings. If the Copies cannot, how can the Tranflations be the Rule; fo various from the true Senfe of the Copies in many Things,

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and one from another?

8. IF the Scriptures be not a Rule in the Tranflations, they cannot be the Rule to far the greatest Part of Mankind, indeed to none but Learned Men: Which neither answers the Promife relating to Gospel Times, which is univerfal; nor the Neceffity of all Mankind for a Rule of Faith and Life.

< 9. THAT the Scripture is not the Rule of Faith and Life, appears by the numerous Meanings and Interpretations that Men fly to. The Queftion is not about the Truth of the Text, for that is agreed on all Hands, but the Expofition of it. If I yield to another Man's meaning, do I bow to the Letter of the Text, or to his Interpretation? If the latter, as manifeftly I do, Is the Scripture, or that

• Man's