Reproof, Correction. and Inftruction in Righteousness, that the Man of GOD may be perfect, and throughly furnished to every good Work. Nay, after all, fo unjuft is the Charge, and fo remote from our Belief concerning the Holy Scriptures, that we both love, honour, and prefer them before All Books in the World, ever chufing to exprefs our Belief of the Chriftian Faith and Doctrine in the Terms thereof, and rejecting all Principles and Doctrines whatsoever that are repugnant thereto. Page 467. We reject for ever that Spirit, which leads into thofe Principles and Practices, that in the leaft contradict the ftanding and permanent Truths therein contained. Page 261. Be it known to All, we do affirm the Scriptures never did jar with the Spirit, nor the spirit oppofe himself against the Scriptures. And thus much our Writings can plentifully prove to all fober Enquirers. (6) write Words, of Page 245. The Writings or Sayings given forth by that lef fer Appearance, are not to be brought into Comparison with thofe of a greater Difcovery, no more than the degrees of the Difcovery or Manifeftation of the Light it felf. Whofoever do, or fhall profefs to fpeak or do Works in and by the Motion of the Spirit of GOD, if they tend not to good, if they are not accompanied with the Fruits of the fame, if they will not endure the Tryal of the Spirit of GOD in Others, and abide by the Teftimony thereof, and alfo agree with the Teftimonies of the Holy Men of GOD left upon Record in the Holy Scriptures, for the Spirit of the Prophets was fubject to the Prophets, and the Primitive Chriftians were of one Mind. I fay, except this, their Motion is to be judged by the Spirit of GOD, and by Them alfo, that obey it, as a Delufion of an exalted Spirit. Will. Shewen's I do freely declare, that our Value and Efteem for the Books of the Old and New Teftament, is much greater than for any other Book extant in the World. Athenian. Query. Whether you think not your own Writings of equal Authority with the Bible? · Answer. No. Athenian. Query. And whatever any true Quaker either writes, or fpeaks in their publick Affemblies, to be really as infallible G. Whitehead's i as what was fpoken or written by our Saviour, or any of his Apostles? Answer. Answer. No; but whatever the Spirit of CHRIST fpeaks in, or by fuch, or any other fearing GOD, the Truth is unalterably the fame for ever. Whatever we fay of, or call any of our Books, we allow it to the Scriptures in a more efpecial manner, beyond all Comparifon, which I do freely declare to be the beft Book in the World, and which we value for the Authority and Divine Matter in it above all others. J. Whiting's Truth Strongeft, p. 84. I do declare, William Penn's Works, Vol. II. P. 263. that as no Man can live the Life of the Scriptures, without the Operation of that Spirit, that gave them forth; fo to live up to what they exhort and declare, is the highest Pitch of Purity, Man's Nature is capable of. Page 327. They are a Declaration and Teftimony of heavenly Things, but not the heavenly Things themselves; and as fuch we carry an high Refpect unto them: We accept them as the Words of GOD Himself, and by the Affiftance of his Spirit they are read with great Inftruction and Comfort: I efteem them the best of Writings. and defire nothing more frequently, than that I may lead the Life they exhort to. Page 106. GOD cannot be known, but by the Discoveries He makes of Himfelf, through his Eternal Power and Spirit unto Mankind; fecondly, tho' fuch Discoveries may be imperfect in Degree, yet not in Kind; thirdly, that fuch Revelation Discovery, or Intruction is infallibly true. and That therefore Man has to rectify and affift his fallible Judgment. an unerring, certain, infallible Spirit, Power, or Principle which as Man liftens unto, and follows, his Understanding becomes illuminated, his Reafon purised, and found Judgment restored. (e) Page 126. Infallibility of Perfons. any further than as they are joined and conformed to the Light of GOD, we never affirmed; and Fallibility of the Light, because of the Fallibility of the Perfons, we never own'd, and now deny, as a most ridiculous and falfe Confequence. Page 252. They ignorantly or bafely infer a Fallibility or Infufficiency to be in the Light, from the Fallibility and Rebellion of thofe Perfons, who. we fay, are lighted by it; and on the contrary hand, that all fhould be neceffarily Infallible, who are enlightried by an infallible Light, not confidering. that neither is the Grace of GOD infufficient to fave. becaufe Men refufe to be faved by it; nor though it be fufficient and infallible in it felf that therefore all thofe to whom it is tendred are faved, or therefore are Infallible, without any Confideration had to their Obedience. In the Gospel Difpenfation, the Gifts of the Holy Spirit not being limited, either to Perfon or Office in the Church; nor can any Man witness any Union with it, or infallible Affiftance from it, but through Obedience to, and Perfeverance both in the Principles which it teacheth, and that Holinefs of Life it leads into. (e) J. Wyeth's Switch, p. 88. R. Claridge's We do not pretend to an abfolute perfonal Infallibility; but the Infallibility we contend for, is the abfolute Infallibility of the Spirit of Truth, which cannot err, or be deceived; but as conditional, namely, fo far, and no farther. than we are led and guided by the infallible Spirit of GOD; which infallibly leadeth and guideth into all Truth all those that are Faithful and Obedient to the Leadings and Guidings thereof. I REMARKS. FI may without Offence, I would on this Head by way of Retortion, propofe one Query, Whe ther those Presbyterians, who, though in Words, profefs the Suffi ciency and Fulnefs of Holy Scripture, (a) Westminster Confeffion, Chap. 1. Section IV. and that it is the fole and primary Rule of Faith and Practice; yet affert the abfolute Neceffity of their Minifters fubfcribing to the *Westmin fter Confeffion, and refufe any other, tho' in the exprefs Words of the Scripture, do not in Deed and in Truth offer the highest Affront to the infpired Writings, by preferring their own Comment to the Text, and afcribing thereby a greater Authority to their own fallible Speeches, or Writings, than to those infallible Scriptures of the infpired Prophets and Apoítles of our LORD? Is not this downright Popery, to fubftitute their Synodi C 2 cal Decrees, or General Confeffions, in the room of the BIBLE? And how plainly does this their unwarrantable Practice derogate from the Sufficiency and Fulness of the Holy Scriptures? (e) And whereas, with the Primitive Reformers, we fay the BIBLE is our Creed, the BIBLE is the Text, the SPIRIT is the Interpreter, and that to every one for himself; thereby establishing the Right of private Judgment against all Popify implicit Faith, the very Bafis whereon the REFORMATION ftands, though ftruck at (probably unawares) by our aged Querift, in the End of this Section, through the Sides of the QUAKER of his own framing: For from the foregoing Reply 'tis manifeft, we ascribe no abfolute Infallibility to all, or any of us, or us, or others; nor do we equal, much lefs fet up our Judgment, either general or particular, above that of the Prophets and Apostles, and therefore no Comparison herein of Us with the Papifts will hold, feeing they place Infallibility either in the Pope, in a General Council, or both: We in Neither, nor in any Man, but in the Eternal, Unerrable, and Holy Spirit; and only to him to whom it shall please to reveal, and no longer than por Man fhall attend and obey its infallible Leadings. Whether this is Popery, or worfe, is left to the Impartial to judge? Moreover, if Popery fhould prevail in the Nation (which GOD forbid) it would foon appear, whether They or We were the trueft Proteftants. But a true and more exact Parallel may be drawn betwixt the perfecuting Spirit of the Papifts, who burnt the pious Reformers in Old England, and thofe Presbyterians of New England, who hang'd our Friends, and without Law or Juftice, inhumanly beat the Drums to prevent others from hearing their dying Words. Laftly, · * Westminster Confeffion. Chap 1.. and Section laft. Laftly, to fhew the Spirit is the infallible Guide and Interpreter of Scripture, in Oppofition both to the Papift, that affert the Pope, and to the Presby terian, who affert the Scripture it felf I fhall produce that elegant and comprehenfive Argumentation of our excellent Penman, William Penn, Vol. II. p. 345. who writes thus; "That which "makes Law, that which explains Law, that con66 trary to which no Law ought to be made or "obey'd; that which gives to know what is con"trary, or according to juft Law; that which gives "to apply and execute Law rightly, must be the "Judge and fuperior Rule. But that is this Synte"refis, or Law of Laws, fays Chief Juftice Hobart; "right Reason, fays M. T. Cicero; innate Light, "fays Bishop Sanderson; the Law of GOD, writ in "the Heart, fays Doctor and Student; Spark of "GOD's Light, fays Calvin; a living Rule and ever"lafting Foundation of Virtue, planted in all reafo"nable Souls, fays Plutarch; GOD within, fays Se"neca and Epictetus; confequently, not any meer "written Law can be Judge and Determiner of Con"troverfies in Law: This, Reader, holds almoft all "along the fame with the Scriptures, that the Law is "not Judge of the Doubts, that arife about it felf, “but another is already proved; and that the Scrip"tures can no more determine Cafes of Difficulty ❝within themfelves, as is evident by the fame Ar gument: And that Judge must either be fome "Man endued with the Spirit of GOD, as in Law"Cafes, fome judge with right Reafon; or elfe the "Eternal Spirit, as he is univerfally manifefted in "Men.. The first, our Adversary will think too fair "a Pretence for Popery to be allow'd; and the laft, "he can never avoid, unless Man, without the Spi"rit of GOD, be able to determine of the Things |