The Scriptures Proved to be the Word of God, Title page – Dedication
THE SCRIPTURES Proved to be the Word of God, And the only foundation of Faith, and Rule for our obedience. OR, A CLEAR CONVICTION Of the Errours of thoſe that are called QUAKERS. Who blaſphemouſly affirm, That the Scriptures are not the Word of God, nor the foundation of Faith, nor the only rule for our Obedience. Againſt which Errours, theſe two Propoſitions are maintained.
I. That the Scriptures contained in the Books of the Old and New Teſtament, commonly called the Bible, is the revealed Will & Word of God.
II. That the Scriptures which is the Word of God, is the only foundation for our faith, and the only rule for our obedience.
By SAMPSON TOƲNESEND, Miniſter of the Goſpel, and Paſtor of S. Auſtins, and Saviours Pariſh in Norwich.
Prov. 13.13.
Who ſo deſpiſeth the Word of God ſhall be deſtroyed.
Jer. 8.9.
Lo, they have rejected the Word of the Lord, and what wiſdome is in them?
Exod. 32.16.
And the Tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the Tables.
2 Pet 1.21.
For the propheſie came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men ſpake as they were moved by the holy Ghoſt.
Iſa. 8.20.
To the Law and to the Teſtimony, If they ſpeak not according to this Word, it is, becauſe there is no light in them.
London, Printed by S.G. for R. Tomlins at the Sun and Bible in Pye-Corner. 1654.
TO CHRISTOPHER ADKINSON, JAMES LANCASTER, GEORGE WHITEHEAD, and THOMAS SIMONDS: Now in Norwich Gaol, for their blaſphemy and miſcariages.
IF ever the truth of God were turned into a lye,Rom. 1.25 It is by you that deny the Scriptures to be the truth of God, and pretend immediate revelations to be the rule for your actions. I ſhall mind you of a paſſage of a reverend miniſter now with God:*Mr. Burroughs on Hoſea 8.12 pag. 91. he ſaith, There is a generation of men, riſing now, if not riſen, that begin to have vile thoughts of the written word of God, and think to underſtand the mind of God otherwiſe, &c. But (ſaith he) when they are rotten, and it may be when their ſouls are periſhed in hell, the written word of God ſhall ſtand, and be honourable in the eies of all his Saints. You acknowledge the Scriptures to be the trnth, and yet deny them to be the word of God. A ſtrange paradox; As if the ſcriptures, which are called the truth of God, And God, which is the God of truth, ſhould not be the author of the truth:1 King. 17.24. Rom 3.7. Deut. 32.4 Pſal. 31.5. Or as if man, which is vanity, yea a ly, ſhould yet be the onelyonly author of the truth. Upon this your error depēd your other errors of denying the ſcriptures to be the only ground of your faith, and the onelyonly rule for your obedience: for did you believe the ſcriptures to be the word of God, they would cleerly convince you of the errors of your judgement and practice in many things. Let me reaſon with you a little; you acknowledge the ſcripture to be the truth, you muſt of neceſſity alſo grant that whatſoever is contrary to truth is an error: And having granted this, ſee what will follow upon it by way of trial of your judgement and practice. It is your judgement, that you are perfect and free from all ſin: ſee this to be an error, contrary to the truth, in Eccle. 7.20. 1 John 1.8, 10. You deny the power of the Magiſtrate in the matters of God, contrary to the truth in Rom. 13.1. to 6. Joh. 31.11, 28. You not only ſpeak evill of governers, but of government alſo, contrary to the truth in Tit. 3.2. 2 Pet. 2.10. Jude 8. You condemn the miniſters of the Church of England, and deſpiſe them as falſe teachers, and ſay, they know nothing of the true light: although they ſpeak nothing but what is according to the Law and teſtimonie of God in his word, which is the rule to try all teachers by, Iſa. 8.20. This your judgement is an error, it being contrary to Tit. 2.15. and know, that in thus doing, ye doe not onelyonly deſpiſe man, but God. I ſhall not foul paper,1 Theſ. 4.8. Luk. 10.16. in mentioning your judging, cenſuring, and condemning, of both Magiſtrates and Miniſters; onelyonly ſee how contrary this your practice is to truth, Mat. 7.1, 2. Rom. 14.10, 13. Jam. 4.11. You condemn rhe miniſters of the Church of England for preaching for hire; whereas ye do not know their ends in preaching; and thus you are become judges of evill thoughts;Jam. 2.4. Contrary to the truth in 1 Cor. 4.5.—Judge nothing before the time. And you deny that miniſters ſhould take any wages for their work: But your error herein you may eaſily perceive, If you conſider that Chriſt and the Apoſtle give ſtrong reaſons for their maintenance, Mat. 10.10. Luk. 10.7. 1 Tim. 5.18. 1 Cor. 9.13, 14. note it. Likewiſe the Apoſtle himſelfe took wages of the Churches, to do ſervice in the miniſterie, 2 Cor. 11.8. and laid an injunction upon the people to give him wages, Gal. 6.6. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth, in all good things. Mark, he doth not ſay, let him contribute (as an almes) but communicate, as a right, as wages: And in the next verſe,Gal. 6.7. he intimates, that God is mocked, when his Miniſters are not maintained. But God will not be mocked, neither will he be robbed, but they ſhall hear ye are Curſed. Mal. 3.8.9 Jer. 12.13I ſhall mention no more of your errors, My deſigne (according to promiſe) is, To prove the Scriptures to be the word of God; the onelyonly ground of faith, and rule for our obedience: which I have here preſented you with. Read it, examine it: if it be not truth, witneſſe by truth againſt it. If it be truth (as undoubtedly you will find it ſo) then ſubmit to it, be ruled by it; And doubtleſſe your bodies ſhall be freed from your deſerved impriſonment, and your ſouls from the threatned damnation againſt falſe Prophets,2 Pet. 2.1, 2, 3. 1 Tim. 5:12. and ſuch as caſt off their firſt faith. I reſt an enemie to error, and
A friend to truth, Sampſon Touneſend. From my ſtudie January 29. 1654/5