A Short View of the Antinomian Errors, Section 2
Some Errours that are in a little booke called the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evill, diſcovered and anſwered.
IN that Book they make any humane writings to be Scripture, and make no difference betweene play-bookes and the Scripture of truth, Dan. 10.21. but all Scripture is given by anspiration, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproofe, for correction, for instruction in righteouſneſſe, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furniſhed unto all good workes, and the Scripture is able to make thee wiſe unto ſalvation, 2 Tim. 3.15, 16, 17. then are the writings of men ſuch a Scripture? Again, the Scripture is of no private interpretation, For the propheſie came not in old time by the will of men, but holy men of God ſpake as they were moved by the Holy-Ghoſt, 2 Pet. 1.20.21. then is mens writings Scripture? He that ſhall adde to this Booke, God will adde to him all the plagues that are written in this Booke; or if any man ſhall take away any thing from the words of this Booke. God ſhall take away his part out of the Booke of life, Rev. 22.18, 19. then ſurely the two Teſtaments with all their ſeverall Chapters, contained in them, are the Scripture, and not any humane writings whatſoever.
But I fear any Scripture may ſerve them that regard none at all, for they ſay, that they are led onelyonly by an inward Principle, ſo that they need no other help at all; but the noble Bereans did ſearch the Scripture daily to ſee whither thoſe things were ſo, Act. 17.11. the Scriptures ſhould be the ſole Judge of all controverſies and that by which we ſhould try all our thoughts, words, and actions; therefore ſaith Chriſt ſearch the Scriptures, Joh. 5.39. To the law, & to the teſt: mony, if they ſpeak not according to that, it is becauſe there is no light in them, Iſ. 8.20. for the Pen-men of it could not erre in writing of it, the Apostles were filled with the Holy-ghoſt, & they ſpake as the Spirit gave them utterance, Act. 2.4 and when they mention that which is written in the old Teſtament, they ſay, thus ſaith the Holy-ghost, Heb. 3.7. and well ſpake the Holy-ghost, Act. 28.5. He ſpake by the mouth of his holy Prophets ſince the world began, Luk. 1.70. therfore when theſe men ſay the law is written in their hearts, & they need not the law in the letter of it, they do erre not knowing the Scriptures, Mat. 22.29. they think becauſe they ſee the act of murther and theft are ſins, therefore they ſee enough, but ſo much a carnall man may ſee with that remainder or reliques of the law that was in Adams heart, & many do by nature the things contained in the law, which ſhew the work of the law written in their hearts, Rom. 2.14.15. but yet. Paul did not ſee the luſt of heart to be a ſinne, but by the written law, Rom. 7.7. we know but in part, and we ſee but darkly as through a glaſſe, 1 Cor. 13.12. we ſee Chriſt but through the lettice, Cant. 2.9. and when we ſee our ſinnes by the law, if we doe not continue therein, we ſoone forget what manner of men we were, James 1.24.25. then let us obey that command, and write us a coppy of the law, and read therein all the dayes of our life, Deut. 17.18.19. and the heart of man is deceitfull above all things, and who can know it? Jer. 17.9. then we had need to try our ſelves daily by the written law of God, that we turne not aſide from it, and ſaith Paul, not as though I had already attained or were already perfect; but I follow after brethren, I count not my ſelfe to have apprehended but I forget theſe things behind, and preſſe toward the marke; nevertheleſſe whereunto we have attained, let us walke by the ſame rule, let us mind the ſame thing, Phil. 3.12, 13, 14, 15. and as many as obey this rule, peace be on them and mercy, Gal. 6.16.
Againe, they ſay there is no other word of God but Chriſt, becauſe in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God, and the word was made fleſh, John 1.1.14. but Chriſt is in them and ſo the Word is perfectly in them, and they neither know nor need any other: It is true Chriſt is the eſſentiall word of God, being the ſecond perſon in Trinity, but he is not the written word of God contained in letters and ſillables, which are Gods owne words, although many of them were ſpoken by men: for it is ſaid, God ſpake all theſe words and ſaid, Exod. 20.1. then bleſſed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it, Luke 11.28. and againe Chriſt ſaid, you are cleane through the word that I have ſpoken unto you, Iohn 15.3. and Chriſt will ſanctifie his Church by the waſhing of water with the word, Ephe. 5.26. but neither water nor word were his perſon, it were folly to thinke ſo, then let the word of Chriſt dwell in you richly, Col. 3.16. he that heareth my word and beleeveth in him that ſent me, hath everlasting life, John 5.24. his ſheep heare his voyce and follow him; they have Moſes and the Prophets, let them heare them, for they all ſpake, Thus ſaith the Lord; and the word of the Lord came unto me ſaying, but if they will not heare Moſes and the Prophets, neither will they be perſwaded though one roſe from the dead. Luke 16.29.31.