D. D. AN ADVERTISEMENT, Anent the Reading of the Books of Antonia Borignion.  
By GEORGE WHITE Minister at Mary-Culter near ABERDEEN.  They have a Zeal of GOD, but not according to Knowledge. Rom. 10.2. All Heretics diminish the Authority of the Holy Scriptures. Tert. de praesc. c. 49. Enthusiasm is an Impiety, whereby a Person hardily bend for the Inward Worship of GOD, doth boldly violate and despise His Commands, as to outwards. Mr. Henry Scougall P: D: in Aeth: l: 4: c: 8: de justitia. 
ABERDEEN, Printed by JOHN FORBES, Printer to the TOWN and UNIVERSITY. Anno Dom. 1700.   

The TABLE or INDEX.  
SECTIONS. SUBSECTION 1. NUM. POINTS. SUBS. 2. SECTIONS.  

Sect. 1. The Occasion and Purpose of the Advertisement. page 1  
Sect. 2. How I have read her Books and the Rules of Arguing. p. 3  
Sect. 3. Q. If A. B. was Divinely Inspired? p. 7 

and Sect. 4. Subs. 2. N. 2. p. 83    
Sect. 4. Q. If her Doctrine be conform to the Holy Scriptures? p. 23 

Subs. 1. Of the Essentials of Religion. p. 24 

N. 1. Concerning GOD and the Blessed Trinity. p. 25  
N. 2. Of CHRIST and his Satisfaction for Us. p. 31  
N. 3. Of Man's future State. p. 40  
N. 4. Anent the Love of GOD. p. 45  
N. 5. Of the Holy Scriptures. p. 51  
N. 6. miscellanies relating to the Essentials of Religion. p. 53 

Whereof the 1. Point is, Of GOD'S Decrees and the Doctrines depending thereupon. p. 54      
2. Of the Image of GOD in Man. p. 60  
3. If Man sinned before he sinned. p. 61  
4. Of Perfection. p. 62  
5. Of Perseverance. p. 64  
6. Anent the Sacraments. p. 66  
7. Of Pastors and Church Government. p. 69 

N. 1. Of Accessories in the general. p. 73  
N. 2. Of A. Bs. Accessories in particular. p. 77  
N. 3. Of her Contradictions. p. 89      
Sect. 5. How Errors in Books shall be discerned? p. 92  
Sect. 6. If any should read the Books of A. B.? p. 94  
Sect. 7. If Borignianists be a New Sect. p. 96    

Information to the Reader.  
LEt the Reader of this little Book remember, that (for brevity's sake) the two Letters A. B. signify Antonia Borignion.  
Ap. the Apology for her.  
S. V Solid Virtue.  
L. W. Light of the World.  
Pt. the Part of the Book that is cited.  
P. the Page thereof.  
And (according to the Table) Sect. the Section.  
Subs. the Subsection.  
N. the Number of the Subsection.  
And Po. the Point of it.  
Q. Question. A. Answer.  
Obj. Objection.   


SECTION I. The Occasion and Purpose of this Advertisement.  
HAving observed with Regrate, for several Years bygone, sundry well-meaning Persons, (and some of them not Unlearned) to have vented many Errors, concerning the Holy Scriptures, the Gospell-Sacraments, Church-Government, the Pastorall-Office, and other most Sacred Establishments of the Christian Religion, which they had picked out of the Pamphlets that are said to be written be A. B. a Flandrian: Yea some young men of good expectation, by reading these books inadvertently, had their Melancholy heightened to an excessive degree, therefore it seemed good, for the Truth's sake (which we ought to contend for Judas 3) and for preventing, by the LORD's Blessing, further inconvenience that way; to write a seasonable Advertisement, in meekness and love, Eph. 4.14. That we be no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of Doctrine by the sleight of men and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive. That Christian People may not through blind zeal snatch up any pretence of piety without due examination; and it often falls out, that some out of a Capricious fancy of defending Innovations, leave the high and trodden way to Heaven, & so wander in a Wilderness of Errors.  
It is here proposed, that all who tender their Souls Interest, may in this case observe the Divine Oracle Rom. 16.17 18. To mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which they have received, and avoid them, who with good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the Simple.  
This Tractat shall be short, and so not tedious to any Reader; because in a late Apology for A. B. printed at London Anno 1699, two pious and learned men (to wit) Dr. John Cockburn and the Author of the Snake in the Grass, and the History of Sin and Heresy are fiercely attaucked, for writing against her; who doubtless (if alive) will answer for themselves; which yet will require a considerable time for them to answer all the Defences which the Ap. hath alleged for A. B. and her Abetters, her whole Life, Actions and Writtings: So my present undertaking is only to act the pairt of their forerunner, as one who doth what he can to stop the progress of devouring Fire, till greater power arrive to extinguish it.   

SECTION II. How I have read her Books, and the Rules of Arguing.  
BEfore I come to adduce the Rules of Disputing, it is to be noticed how the Ap. in his Preface declares that he is persuaded in his Conscience, that the Writtings of A. B. tend to the reviving of the Spirit of Christianity; Which can have no more force to persuade others to be of his Opinion, than the Canting Insinuations of the Bygots of all Parties, declaring, assevering and swearing, that themselves only are in the Right, and their Opposites in the wrong. A man's erring Conscience cannot oblige himself to believe a Lie, or to do ill things, it only binds him for to use the means to get it better informed, and far less should such a vehement Protestation of his Conscientious Persuasion of the goodness of such rare Teneds, as are here questioned, procure the Assent of Rational men, but the solidity of his Reasons (if he hath any) according to the Scripture, 1 Pet. 3.15.16.  
There are four Rules of reading Books aright, and judging of the Author's Sentiments, or there are so many Postulats pre-required to the right disputing of any matter, as they are set down in the Ap. Pt. 4, p. 334.  
1 To be well acquainted with what we censure.  
2. If the Scope of A. Bs. Writtings be good and agreeable to the main end of Religion, in that case to bear with little escapes.  
3. To read her Books without prejudice, or an evil eye.  
4. To narrate and interpret faithfully.  
All which Rules (he allegeth) these gentlemen have transgressed, who did write against A. B. And to obviate such an Objection against myself, I have observed and shall firmly adhere unto the third and fourth of these Rules without exception; being so far from having a Prejudice against A. B. and her Abetters, that I wish with meek Moses, Numb. 11.29. That all the Lords People were Prophets, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them. And the Teneds or Sentiments which I intent to examine shall be truly narrated, either in the express words of A. B. and her Ap. or the import thereof, without distortion.  
The second Rule, needs some Qualifications, for a good Purpose doth not justify an evil Action, no more than saul's sparing the  of the Amalekits contrary to GOD's command, pretending that he did so, For the good purpose of Sacrificeing 1 Sam. 15.21.22. Neither should Books be approven, in which Errors are mixed with Verities, since evil is through any defect, but good, from the entire cause. So I distinguish this Rule, if a writer having a good design mistake in a few things of no great moment, and upon sound Advice will revoke his Errors, I grant this should be favourably interpreted; but if the Errors be gross and many, and the Author boasting of being Divinely inspired in writing them, and to have had more Light and Piety than all men, in that case, I deny that such mistakes should pass uncensured.  
Lastly, as to the first of the four Preconcessions for disputing, that we should be well acquainted with what we censure, that is a very good Rule, and by it the Ap. seems to insult his Opponents, that either they did not well know the French Language in which A. B. wrote, or had not read all her Twenty two Books. So not only the Ap. but likewise all that own A. B. whensoever her Errors are mentioned, they answer warmly, that whatsoever seemeth hard in some of her Writtings is explained in others, which the censurers either have not read, or will not be at the pains to compare places together.  
Now to ward of this thrust, the Reader shall be judge, if I censure any thing of A. Bs. Writtings, but what I understand well enough, having had sufficient means for it, by reading sundry of her writings, and particularly, The Light of the World, which is held for the chiefest of them all, and the standard of all, both be herself and Poiret; see the admonition prefaced thereto by P. P. p. 36. And now I have read the Ap. which is equivalent to the reading of all her Books, since the Author hath read them all, and defends all, and if I quarrel nothing but what he mantains, it were a frivolous shift to bid me go and search any of A. Bs. Books for any explication of her Opinions. And if there be real Errors and Contradictions found in her writings, what explications can remove them?  
To conclude this Section, I shall to the foresaid four, add other three rules of arguing, and especially anent Points of Divinity.  
1. To explain the Terms and state the Question aright.  
2. To reason and answer candidly without Sophistry or Deceit.  
3. To seek Verity rather than victory, and therefore though we may justly commend some good things in any Person or his writings, not to mantain their Errors and Eutravagancies, which if through fondness we have failed in, upon second thoughts to do so no more.   

SECTION III. If A. B. was Divinely inspired.  
A. THis Question cannot be well resolved, until the Terms thereof be cleared in the first place, and the Question be rightly stated according to my first Rule; for unless this be done, all abrupt disputs turn to a mere logomachy, or a proud and ignorant doting about Questions and strife of words which God expressly forbids, 1 Tim. 6.4.  
Divine Inspiration is taken in very different Senses, for,  
First, in a large sense, every man may be said to be Divinely Inspired, because of his Rational Soul, which was made after the Image of God Gen. 2.7. God breathed into Man's Nosethirls the Breath of Life, and Gods breathing into Man is a Divine Inspiration.  
2ly. One is said to be Divinely Inspired, to whom God giveth a capacity, Genius or fitness for an Office or Employment, as it is written Judg. 3.10. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Othniel, and he judged Israel and went out to War; so it is a necessary Qualification of a Bishop that he be Apt to teach, 1. Tim. 3 2. and the Holy Ghost maketh Bishops, Acts 20.28. Yea this is ascribed to men of Manuary Callings, as to Bezalcel and with him Aholiab, Exod. 31.3. I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in Wisdom, and in all manner of workmanship for the tabernacle.  
3ly. A Spiritual man judgeth not of Divine things by carnal reason, Church Authority only, Tradition or Custom, but according to the Truth and Mind of God, revealed in the Scriptures, 1 Cor. 2.14.15. But the Spiritual man judgeth all things, etc. Job 32.8. The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth man Knowledge. Which Apothegme may also be referred to the former sense, that God qualifies and fitteth every person whom he commissioneth for any Employment, as, to teach others: Yea, persons unregenerated may have something like to this Orthodoxy, as that understanding Scribe, who in Conference with the Lord, did give the true and Spiritual sense of the Law, upon whom it was accordingly pronounced, That he was not far from the Kingdom of God. Mark, 12.34. Yet being at a distance from true Conversion, all the knowledge he had, was only by the common illumination of the Spirit, which and other common gifts of the unconverted, whether they differ specifically or gradually only, from the saving knowledge and graces of the Godly, I shall not here abide to determine.  
4ly. Every Pious Person, is led by the Spirit of God, both in his Conversion, when God's Spirit enlighteneth the Understanding and reneweth their Will, and likewise afterwards, directing and quickening to all Duty, which Light and Grace he bestows in such measures as fitteth the work wherein He in his Infinite Wisdom employs them; as, reading the Scriptures, Praying, Preaching, Writing, doing of good Works, and suffering, (when called thereto:) Of this the Holy Spirit is the efficient cause, he bids us do well, Yet it is God who worketh in us both to will and to do, of his good pleasure. Phil. 2.12.13. so 1 John, 2.20. Ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. And this Illumination is by Divines called Subjective Revelation, because of the agreement betwixt our Souls and the Divine assistance, and to distinguish it from the pretended Enthusiasm of deluded. Persons, who boast of new Revelations, as the chief Rule of their Faith and Manners. And in this sense Luther, Zuinglius and other Divines, who are cited in Quakerism no Popery, from pag. 19 are to be understood, when they writ that the inward word of God, and the dictates of the Holy Spirit are the true word of God, which profit unto Salvation: which is also the Sense and meaning of the ancient Holy Fathers, when they speak of the leading of the Spirit of God; as S. Chrys. upon John 6.63. Christ's words are to be heard according to the Spirit, And whoso heareth them after a carnal manner profiteth nothing. And S. Cypr. de S. sancto. p. 485. edit. Par. cum Annot. Ja. Pamel. Suspiration, Inspiration, and Aspiration in the Godly, they have from the Holy Spirit the cause and effect, Matter and Increase.  
5ly. The Prophets and Penmen of the Holy Scriptures were in a strict sense Divinely inspired, 2 Pet. 1.21. They spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, 2. Tim. 16.17. All Scriptures is given by the Inspiration of God etc. The Prophets and Apostles were without any previous Ratiocination of themselves, powerfully moved by God both to Teach and Writ the Rule of Faith and Manners, and that infallibly both as to Matter and Words; which they proved to be immediate Objective Revelation, or rather Gods word than their own, (1 Thess. 2.13.) by the gift of Tongues, Miracles, Oracles, Visions, discovering of Secrets, foretelling things to come, and the conversion of men to God, beyond and above the ordinary Humane Means. The phrase thus explained, I come to state and answer the Question, to wit, if A. B. was Divinely inspired. The Ap. spends the third part of his Treatise (being 38 leaves) aiming to prove, that A. B. was led by the Spirit of God, or (what is the same on the matter) divinely inspired, but never showing, in what sense or meaning, he would have the World believe that she was so; and therefore all discoursing to that purpose, looks too like a continued Sophism, commonly called Ignorantio Elenchi, or a Fallacious way of arguing, seeming to prove the thing intended, by an hudle of pretended Arguments, which yet conclude nothing as to the main point under Debate. Viz. In what sense or respect he allegeth his A. B. to have been Divinely inspired.  
1. Which now to examine particularly, I grant, that she was Divinely Inspired, in the first of the five respects forementioned i e. She had a Rational Soul, if ever there was such a person as A. B. (which some doubt of, who lived in Flanders about the time she is said to have been at Lisle, and yet heard nothing of her) but this is not all which the party means by her being Divinely inspired, since she pretends to more than an ordinary Spirit.  
2. It is more to be doubted, if she was divinely inspired in the second sense, (to wit) if she was fitted and well qualified for the condition and employment that she set out for in the World, which was three fold, the Mistress of a Family, a School-Mistris, and a Prophetess or a Teacher to reform all Mankind. There is but little evidence given in her own writings of he Discretion and far less of Divine inspiration in guiding either her School or Family; (though she pretended to the knowledge of discerning Spirits, and the very thoughts of people's hearts Pref. to L. W. p. 41) for she testifieth of herself, S. V pt. 1. p. 196. how all her 32 Scholars at Lisle were in Actual compact with the Devil, and yet did very well what she taught them. Also the Ap. writes of her, pt. 4. p. 323. that all her Servants were Witches and for a long time designed to murder her for her Riches; yet mentioneth nothing that ever she dismissed them before her Death.  
And if she had a Prophetical Spirit that shall be tried anon.  
3. The third and fourth Respects may be considered together, whereanent I charitably think that A. B. was a pious person, and so was led by the Spirit of God, as any other godly person is, Rom. 8.1.  
But this concession will not satisfy the Ap. who holds her to have been incomparably holy, and to have exceeded in knowledge the greatest Divines, pt. 3. p. 240.241. And  her pretention must be tried in another sense.  
Obj. How can she be called pious, who wrote many Errors, and was very proud and Uncharitable?  
A. 1. She spoke aright of Religion in sundry things, which might have been by Divine Conduct, but in her Mistakes and Errors, she was led by her own spirit. Ap. p. 216.217. As she confesseth in another Case, when she was deluded by St. Saulien p. 239. And it is probable, that she intended not to have written Lies or Fopperies, which happened either through her want of the means of true Knowledge, or the neglecting thereof; as the Reading of the Holy Spriptures, and Systems of Divinity, and meddling with things too high for her, Ps 131.1.  
She might have been Pious though not perfect, and persons ought to be charactered from their better pairt, and not from the worst; from the set of their Spirit and tract of their Life, rather than from particular Actions or Escapes, and especially, if they endeavour to discover and mortify all Sins in themselves.  
2. This Obj. might be easily answered in the opinion of A. B. that Saints may apostatise totally and finally, even they who have attained to perfection, and could keep all the Commandments of God. Which is defended be the Ap. pt. 2. p 136. (which yet is a gross Error, as shall afterward be shown) for according to her Hypothesis, it might follow, that she wrote only Truth, she was Humble and Charitable, so long as she continued in the state of Grace, but wrote her Errors, became Proud and Uncharitable, how soon she lost the Grace of God and fell into the estate of Damnation.  
4. As to the fifth Sense or Consideration of the Conduct of the Spirit of God, which is the public and ordinary acceptation of it, namely, a Prophetic infallible Spirit.  
This I positively affirm, A. B. had not in her writings, and so the Question is answered Negatiuly, in Opposition to the affirmation of A. B. and her Ap. and it is thus proved.  
1. The Holy Scriptures which were written by the Holy Prophets and Apostles, have a self Evidence in them, showing themselves to be the Word of God, or the Dictates of the Holy Spirit; to wit, the matchless Sublimity of the matter, the Holiness, Purity, and Harmony of the whole; the Efficacy or effectual working for converting Souls to God, besides their confirmation from the penmen's speaking of all Languages which they had never heard nor learned, and other Miracles accompanying them, extraordinary Visions, sure Prophecies, the Antiquity and preservation of the samen, and the Confession of Adversaries.  
But A. Bs. writings have nothing the like Confirmation, and therefore she had no Divine Inspiration in writing them.  
The Major is granted by all Christians, and the Minor is also clear, since neither A. B. nor her Ap. pretend to such Testimonies though their pretence be very high.  
2. The Scriptures written be men Divinely inspired, are a perfect Rule in Religion, teaching us how to glorify God and be saved ourselves 2 Tim. 3 16.17. That the man of God may be prrfect. And we are to hold them accursed, who would add to this Canon Gal. 1.8. Rev. 22 18. Therefore A. B. dare not pretend to such inspiration under pain of the curse.  
Obj. You have wronged A. B. by mistateing the Question, for she did not pretend to Prophecy, or to write by an Infallible Spirit, as the Prophets and Apostles did; but only to interpret the Scriptures, to live well and to teach others to do so, L W. pt. 1. p. 133. There she promiseth to write a Commentary upon the whole Scriptures, though she never performed it.  
A. First, denying the Charge, for she is not wronged by me, nor the Question mistated, since it is the ordinary and received Sense of the Phrase, to be Divinely Inspired, or to be led by the Spirit of God in writing, to write by an Infallible Spirit, as the Prophets and Apostles did, who were the amanuensis of the Holy Ghost.  
2. Though she durst not speak it out in plain Terms, that she acclaimed no less than such a Spirit as the Prophets and Apostles had (lest the Readers at the first sight, had cried fie upon her, for Blasphemy,) but goes on in Clouds and Darkness, never declaring in what Sense she was Divinely inspired, yet, I say, on the matter she acclaimed no less, for these Reasons.  
1. First because, when it was objected to her by Divines, that she had not such Knowledge as the Prophets had, and wrought no Miracles; she shifted to give any direct answer, but slily strove to diminish their Credit, and of the Holy Scriptures, also, alleging that the Prophets knew not all things which they wrote, that all of them wrought not Miracles, that the Devil had opened the eyes of the blind and raised the Dead, and that the Lord himself was mistaken, (I tremble relating it) anent the Fig Tree Mat. 11.19. L. W. pt. 1. p. 136. Ap. p. 168.203.204.205.206. and 222.223. All which Calumnies might be easily refuted, but I leave that Task to those who are writing against them more Copiously.  
2. The very Title of her Book is Blasphemous, to wit, The Light of the World, which is the Epithet given to CHRIST, and his Apostles, and in assuming that Title she equaliseth herself to them, though injuriously.  
3. It is evident, that she pretended to such a Spirit as the Apostles had, when she affirmed, that she could write such a Book as the New Testament, L. W. pt. 1 p 133. Now if she could have so written, than she could have done it either by a fallible or infallible Spirit, if only by a fallible Spirit, than it could not have been such a Book, but if by an infallible Spirit, than she acclaimed such a Spirit as the Apostles had, which the Objector denies.  
Many more Instances might be adduced to this purpose, but these may suffice.  
3. Thirdly, I answer to the grand Objection, that she pretended not to write a New Canon or Rule of Faith, but only to expound the Scriptures; giving but not granting, that her pretensions did run no higher, that same is too high. The Quakers acknowledge, that their Spirit is somewhat inferior to the Prophets; Quakerism no Popery p. 32.33 Mr. G. K. The learned Author whereof is no Quaker now) Yea the Roman Church itself would be offended, if any man should say, that they coin new Tenets in Religion, or that they did more by their Dogmatising, then to expound the Scriptures and dispense the Church's Traditions (but by a Prophetical Light and Divine influence) as their doctrine in this point is well collected by Amyrald in Thes. Salmur: de aut Script: n. 15.16.  
So for A. B. to pretend Divine Conduct to expound the Scriptures better than all others, is too great Arrogancy.  
Q. Will you not allow, A. B. to have had more of Divine Conduct than you have done already, that possibly she had it only in some things, which she did and taught, as ordinarily every Godly Person hath in what he does aright?  
A. I have granted enough in the said Terms, and more I cannot, because, it is sufficiently proved, that she was not Divinely inspired, as the Penmen of the Holy Scriptures were; either to add to the Canonical Books or to interpret Scripture infallibly, as they did, neither was she led by the Divine Spirit, as an ordinary Officer in the Church, to interpret and apply the Scriptures (which is Preaching) since she was not fitted for that end, by the means of God's appointment, nor yet observed the Rules thereof Neh. 8.8. Ezra the Scribe, with the Priests and Levits, read in the Book of the Law distinctly, and gave the sense, and made the People to understand the reading. Timothy the Evangelist was enjoined Reading 1 Tim. 4.13. and since his Days, all Holy and Wise Men who interpret the Scriptures pray to God for the Direction of his Spirit, which indyted them, that they may Prophecy, according to the Proportion of Faith Rom. 12.6. They compare Scripture with Scripture, and look to the Scope of the place, they study the Languages in which the Scriptures were first written, Histories likewise and Customs of several Countries, Proverbial Speeches, and famous Writters of them, which are often cited, and frequent Allusions made thereto in the Holy Scriptures, they read the Creeds, Confessions of Faith, Catechisms and Systems of Divinity of the Orthodox Churches both Ancient and Modern; they search for Truth by the Literal Sense of the whole Scriptures, pondering well whether or no, the speech be in Terms proper to the things treated of, or borrowed from other things which is called a figurative Speech.  
By these and the like means the settled and ordinary Teachers, and Expositors of the Scriptures do, begging the blessing of God, Humbly and Assiduously endeavour, to be fitted for the great and Sacred function, of labouring in the Word and Doctrine.  
But A. B. does not so much as pretend to use these means, nor yet to expound the Scriptures, by the true Rules, but on the Contrary, she laid by the Scriptures and contemned all Systems of Divinity and other helps of Learning.  
Therefore she was not fit or qualified to expound the Scriptures, even as an ordinary Teacher. So since A. B. was not led by the Spirit of God, to write her Books, and expound the Scriptures, either in an Ordinary, or Extraordinary way: It remains then, that she performed these things by no other Faculty, but by Guessing and vain Divination, nor can I add a Fourth Member to this Tripartite Division; though possibly the fertile Brain of a new Ap. will gender one, showing how one can be led by the Spirit of God to write, not by an Infallible Spirit, nor as an Ordinary Teacher, nor yet to be a Mere Guesser or pretender to it, which (as the Roman Proverb was) Let the credulous Jew believe, not I.)  
To put a Period to this long Section, I shall produce all the pretended Reasons, which the Ap pt. 3. p. 240 and 241. Allegeth, for proving A. B. to have been Divinely Inspired, and shall answer them severally, as if they had been Objected against my Conclusion on this Head.  
Obj. 1. Her Doctrine was conform to the Scriptures, therefore she was Divinely Inspired.  
A. 1. Denying the Antecedent, for her Doctrine was mostly contrary to the Scriptures, as (God willing) shall be Manifested in the next Section.  
2. I deny likewise the Consequence, because a persons Doctrine may be conform to the Scriptures, who had no extraordinary Inspiration.  
Obj. 2. She was Unlearned and yet exceeded the greatest Divines.  
A. 1. She exceeded them only in Vanity.  
2. George Fox was unlearned, so he gave it out, that all his Divinity was revealed to him among the Hills of Lancaster. And Jacob Bhemen, the pretended illuminated Suitor wrote seventeen Books like A. Bs. yet none of them was Divinely Inspired.  
Q. Instance. How could an unlearned Person write as she did without Divine Inspiration?  
A. 1. It is much doubted, if Poiret or some other man wrote not these Books, that are said to be hers.  
2. It is very conceavable, how one Unlearned, but of a Melancholy Temper, and Luxuriant Fancy; might write such Books, getting Terms of Art by Converse with Learned Men, and a Schem and Copy of their Fancies and high flown Notions, by reading some of these called Mystiches, such as Theular, and Joannes à Cruse, yet without Divine Inspiration.  
Obj 3. She wrote without premeditation, and did neither correct nor read over what she once wrote?  
A. That is not like to be true, yet if it was indeed so, than her writings are somuch the worse.  
Obj 4. She had no Worldly aim, therefore etc.  
A. Many pretended Enthusiasts seemed to have as little, who yet were not Divinely Inspired.  
Obj. 5. She reached the Consciences of Others, therefore etc.  
A. All Sectaries and schismatics have the like pretention, accounting the People of their persuasion, the only Enlightened and Godly Party, having the Old Gnostics for their Patrons, in Monopolising Godliness to themselves, Iren. L. 1. G. 1. see Corse, instr. L. 1. C. 37. and L. 14.2.1. whereas, the truly Orthodox rather make one Christian, than an hundred of their Opinion.  
Obj. 6. Her Writtings had no contradiction in them, therefore etc.  
A. It shall be shown she had, in the next Section, as for Example, on this present Subject. She affirmed that one might know by his Natural Spirit, herself to be Divinely Inspired, Ap. pt. 3. p. 197 But against that p. 200. None can discern her to be Divinely Inspired, who is not so himself; now to know a certain thing by the Natural Spirit, and not to know it thereby, is a Contradiction, but to know by the Natural, and not to know but by the Divine Spirit, is to know and not to know by the Natural Spirit, which is a clear Contradiction of herself, whereas GOD's Spirit cannot contradict Himself, He being Truth itself.  
Obj. 7. She had a Pious Life and taught rare Penitence, therefore etc.  
A. St. Aug. Epis. 106. accounts that Pelagius the Arch Heretic, deceived many by the strictness of his Life and Doctrine; so he taught the Doctrine, revived now by A. B. That riches should be abandoned, and that we can by a strict penitence merit remission of sins, etc.  
Obj. 8. A. B. affirmed, that she was Divinely Inspired, therefore etc.  
A. But I have proven the contrary, therefore, she was not Divinely Inspired.   

SECTION. IV. Q. If the Doctrine of A. B. be conform to the Holy Scriptures.  
A. THis is the second Material Head in this Tractate, for if it be true which is often written be A. B. and her Ap. That her Doctrine is agreeable to the Holy Scriptures (which are the only Public Standard of Truth) than it would be most injurious, for any man to offer to give Check unto it: Therefore I hope, it will be no less profitable than pleasant to the Readers, that this be fairly put to the Test, and if it appear, upon an impartial inquiry, that (not a little) but very much of A. Bs. Doctrine, be alien from and contrary to the Scriptures, it may happily prove an Antidote for ingenuous People that they swallow not down her Poisonous Errors, together with her Varnished Pretensions to Devotion and Piety, for to write Errors pretending to be Divinely Inspired, makes the sin the more heinous, to father Untruths upon the Spirit of Truth.  

SUBSECTION I. Anent the Essentials of Religion.  
THe essence of any thing is, that which we conceive in the first place, as the definitive Idea, or formal Notion of it, and without which, it could not be such a being; as the Soul and Body are the Essential Parts of Man; so the Essentials of Religion are these most necessary and fundamental Truths, which if any Person disown, he is accounted an Atheist or Heretic, and none of the True Religion.  
In the beginning of the next Subsection I purpose (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) to consider the Aps. distinction, of Essential and Accessary Verities, and at the present (for dispatching's sake) shall admit of his Definition of the Essentials of Religion p. 1. p. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 that they are such Truths without the Express Knowledge and Belief of which, none can be eternally saved.  
A. B. and the Ap profess that they own the Apostles Creed, and that they are content, that her Doctrine be entirely tried by the Holy Scriptures, L. W. Pref. to the English Reader, now their Knowledge and Ingenuity in that main Point (whether or no their Doctrine be agreeable to the Scripture and the Creed which is collected therefrom) shall be brought to the trial distinctly in the subsequent part of this Section.  

SECTION. iv SUBS. I. N. I. Concerning GOD and the Blessed Trinity.  
THe word Religion is taken from a Latin word Religando, Binding, for it is an Holy Law or Doctrine binding or obliedging Man to worship and serve GOD, and binding us to Him for our own Salvation.  
It is the Chief thing in Religion to have true Knowledge of GOD in order to the glorifying of Him, and next to that, how we shall be happy by Him. John 17.3. This is Life Eternal, that they may know Thee, the only true GOD, and JESUS CHRIST whom thou hast sent. Heb. 11.6. For he that cometh to GOD must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.  
But A. B. had not a right notion of GOD Almighty, when she wrote, that man is made as a little God in his Divine nature enclosed in his humanity. Our Souls are little Divinities. The Soul is GOD, and GOD is the Soul. We are not to seek GOD without us. GOD made us Deities depending upon Him. The Church is an invisible Spirit, and the Church is GOD himself. S. V pt. 1. p. 54.75. L. W. pt. 1. p. 42.53 110.111.113. and pt. 3 p. 92. Such Doctrine cannot abide the Test of the Holy Scriptures, which teach us, that GOD is the most perfect Being, most Simple, Infinite, Immense, Immutable, Independent, and Eternal, whereof the contrary properties are in the Creatures, Deut. 6.4 The LORD our GOD is one LORD. But if the Church or the Soul of man be GOD, then there must be more Gods then One, which to affirm, were blasphemous and heretical.  
The Ap. p. 52. attempts to answer this, citing John 17.21. and thence infering, that seeing man may have some sort of union with GOD, A. Bs. words may be favourably Interpreted.  
That is but a weak subterfuge, for the Learned Author doubtless knows, that the Text John 17.21. and its Parallels, do not excuse A. Bs. foresaid language, for CHRIST'S praying, That Believers might be one in Him, and one among themselves, imports only, their being Members of His Mystical Body, that, thereby they might recover the Image of GOD, Knowledge and Holiness, and be cemented one with another in love; but from this, no Scripture language, nor any Christian Commentator, neither any wise man did ever infer, that men should be called GOD; Unless he would vouch the Manichees for his Authors, who were vile Heretics, and held that there were two Gods, one good and another evil; they, indeed taught That the Soul of man was of the substance of GOD; As did other blasphemous Heretics, to wit, Cerdonians, Marcionites, and Priscillianists which we have faithfully accounted by a most trusty and diligent, antiquary: Forbes of Corpse in his Instr. hist. Theol. Li. 4. C. 5. N. 12. Citing also the Orthodox, who refuted them. Namely St. Ambrose, Aug. Theodoret etc.  
And how can the unlearned Readers of A. Bs. writings distinguish her Opinion from theirs in this prime and essential part of Religion?  
Likewise A. B. denies GOD'S Attribute of Omniscience (though to deny any of his Attributes, be to deny GOD himself) when she taught, that GOD doth not foresee all future Actions of a free agent which is defended by the Ap. pt. 2. p. 127. 128. 129.  
This is contrary to the Scriptures, John 21.17. LORD thou knowest all things. Psalm. 139.2. Thou knowest my down sitting and mine uprising, thou understandest my thought a far off: Are not these the Actions of a free Agent?  
Moreover, A. B. denies the Justice of GOD, which she learned from the pestiferous Socinus, L. de Seru. p. 1. C. 1. etc. Where he Sophistically argues, because GOD is Love, 1. John 4 8 Therefore there is no vindicative Justice in him, which is defended by the Ap. pt. 1. p. 22 where he affirms that the Scriptures which speak of GOD'S Justice and displeasure in threatening and punishing of sin, are to be understood, as these which attribute humane parts and passions to him.  
All this contradicts the Scriptures, which teach, that hatred of sin and vindicative Justice are of the nature of GOD as he is Simple, Pure, Holy and Righteous, even as Love and Mercy, are of his Nature and Essence as He is good. Habb. 1.13. HE is of purer Eyes than to behold Evil and cannot look upon Iniquity. GOD hath no parts at all, nor passions, and when they are ascribed to Him in the Scriptures such as Love, Anger, Hatred etc. It is spoken by Us, not for the infirmity of affections, but for some likeness of His works and ours, as St. Aug. wordeth it. De Civ. D. L. 9 C. 5. And the effect hath produced the word Revenge which truth of the vindicative Justice of GOD, is clearly vindicated from all the Objections of Socinus by John Owen Diatr. de Just. Diu. where he proveth, that the application or exercise of GOD's essential Justice is to be understood when he punisheth sin, as our sovereign LORD and Judge, and likewise he removeth the mistakes of Rutherford and Twisse, thereanent, and the satisfaction of CHRIST, wherein yet they were not of the mind of A. B. and the Socinians.  
Then for the Blessed Trinity in the Godhead, Head, her Doctrine is plainly Heretical, writing that it is a Romish Error, to say, there are three Persons in the GODHEAD; that there are in Him only three Powers, Attributes or Properties of Truth, Righteousness and Goodness, and that herself had these three Properties. L. W. pt. 2, p. 109, and pt. 3. p. 166 Lavie continue, p. 553, 554, L. W. pt. 3, p. 80, Ap. pt. 2, p. 84, 85.  
These Sentiments (so called by the Ap.) are contrary to the Essentials of Religion, to the Creed, and to the constant Doctrine of the Catholic Church. See some of many Scriptures, 1 John 5.7. There are three that bear record in Heaven, the FATHER, the WORD and the HOLY GHOST, and these three are One. Heb. 1, 3. CHRIST is the express Image of His FATHER'S Person, see also how the Trinity was manifested at Christ's Baptism Mat: 3, 16, 17. The Father speaking from Heaven, the Son present in Person, and the Holy Ghost by a Dove. So Preaching and Baptising are enjoined in the express naming of the Trinity or three Persons, Mat: 28, 19 And thus the blessing is still pronounced 2 Cor: 13, 14.  
The Primitive Church still condemned all Antitrinitarians, for Heretics, and particularly Sabellius and Samosatenus, were accursed by the great Council of Nice, Anno 325 Theodoret Eccl. hist. L. 5. c. 9 Epiph. haer. 6. For the very Doctrine now revived by A. B. That there were not three Persons, but three Names, and three Powers in the GODHEAD. Whereas to exclude all Heretics, and to mantain the Unity of Faith in the Catholic Church, it was expressed in all the approven Creeds, which are Exegetick or Explicatory of the Apostles Creed, To wit, the Creeds of the Councils of Antioch, Nice and Constantinople and of St. Athanasius. That there are in the GODHEAD three Persons or Subsistencies, having Incommunicable Personal Properties, the Father begetting the Son, the Son begotten, and the Holy Ghost proceeding from them both, three in One, and One in three, undivided in Essence or Substance, with much more which is to be seen in them to this purpose.  
So that it is evident. A. Bs. Doctrine is inconsistent with the Scriptures, and many Articles of the Creed.   

NUMBER II. Of CHRIST, and His Satisfaction for Us.  
IT is worthy the noticeing in the first place, anent this foundation of Religion, that A. B. in all her Books never once giveth CHRIST his due Tittles, as it is in the Creed, His only SON Our LORD, or, the LORD, 1 Cor. 11, 23. The Ap: is guilty of the same omission, till p: 406. Some approver of A. B. in a Letter to the Ap. doth it.  
And no marvel, that they shift to speak of Christ's Divinity, since they writ, that He had a sinful Nature, corrupt and rebellious to the Superior part of His Soul, producing inclinations and temptations to sin, though He consented not thereto, S. V pt.: 1, p: 198. Ap: pt.: 2, from p: 198, to 143.  
This contradicteth the Holy Scriptures, which show clearly, that he took to Himself our Nature, but without sin, which could not have been, if any sin had been in His Nature; for the very first motions or inclinations in Us to sin, (which Schoolmen call Primo-primi) they are sins, because of our sinful Nature, even before we deliberately consent thereto, Jam: 1, 15. Lust when it is conceived bringeth forth sin. Gen 6.5. Every Imagination of the thoughts of Man's Heart is only evil continually. Whereas it was impossible, that the Lord Jesus Christ could have had a sinful Nature, otherwise the Divinity, (which is Holiness and Purity itself) could not have been Hypostatically united to his Humane Nature, neither could the Holy One, Immanuel, GOD with us, have any inclination or temptation to sin in his Nature or proceeding from any thing in Himself, as the Scriptures teach us, 2 Cor. 5.21. He was made sin for us, who knew no sin. Heb. 4.15. He was in all Points tempted like as we are; yet without sin.  
The foresaid Error of A. B. is a great one but behold a greater! Against the Satisfaction which Christ the Redeemer made to Divine Justice for us. That there was no need for Christ to become Man to suffer or die for our Redemption, that He had been Incarnate though Man had never sinned, to converse with us visibly upon Earth, that GOD was not honoured by His sufferings, and that he suffered only by accident, for the instruction of Men and their relief, and to give them a good example L. W. pt. 1. p. 139. 140. 141. 142. and pt. 3. p. 53.  
This Heretical Doctrine is catcht from Photinus, and from Socinus L. de Seru. c. 3.4 & per tot. That Arch-Heretick, and Heir of Arrius, who denied the Divinity of Christ, and is the Father of the Atheists that now infest many places in Europe, whether they call themselves Deists, Theists, Unitarians, or under whatsoever Denomination they pass at the Time.  
The foresaid Doctrine is no less Absurd and Heretical, when it proceeds from A. B. and her adherents, than as it is disseminated be the Socinians, who pretend to be Christians as well as they, for they all strick at the root of Christianity, teaching, that Christ suffered for our behoof, but not in our stead; that it is enough to say, He set Captives free, whereas Redemption imports, paying of the Ransom also for us, both of them, deny the Vindicative Justice of GOD, pretending to cry up his Love, and though they pretend to the highest Reason, yet how unreasonable is it to say, that the SON of GOD, suffered as He did without a necessity of satisfying the Justice of GOD thereby, and suffering of the greatest of Punishments due to Us for Sin: And without which all Mankind had perished eternally, as well as the Devils.  
It was the admirable free Love of GOD, which made the Difference, and it is the great Foundation of Saving Faith, That when we were sinners, outlaws and rebels, Christ died for Us, Rom. 5.8.  
Now I shall cite the Scriptures for the Satisfaction of Christ, whereby I am persuaded, that the Impartial Reader will easily perceive, that the foresaid Doctrine of the Socinians and A. B. is inconsistent therewith; and so inconsistent with the Creed and the Essentials of Religion, notwithstanding of her Profession, and her Ap. to the contrary.  
John 10.25. I lay down my Life for my Sheep. Mat: 20, 28. The Son of Man came, to give his Life a Ransom for many. Acts 4, 12. There is none other name under Heaven given whereby we must be saved. Gal: 3, 13. Christ hath Rdeemed us from the Curse of the Law, being made a Curse for us. Eph 5, 2. Christ hath given himself for us, an Offering and a Sacrifice to GOD: 1 John 2, 2. He is the Propitiation for our sins. Rev. 5, 9 Thou hast Redeemed us to GOD by thy Blood. These Texts pondered. It may probably seem strange, to some who rashly were taken with A. Bs. Books, how any Christian could have written so perversely of Christ as is forementioned, but they may marvel the less, when they find her writing very often liker to an Infidel than a Christian, as when she asserts that Mahometans and Gentiles may be saved, by resigning their wills to GOD, without mentioning Faith in Christ, that the Jews are yet the People of GOD, that they love GOD more than any other People, that their being despised may perhaps satisfy for putting Him (GOD) to Death, and that their hopes of the Messiah yet to come is well founded on the Word of GOD. L. W. pt 2. p. 127, 131, and pt. 3, p. 3. 168.  
How can the Jews be the People of GOD, who were cast off for their Infidelity in S. Paul's days? Rom. 11.15. If the Love of GOD which A. B. boasts of so much be of that kind with the Jews love to GOD, than it is but a lifeless Fancy instead of the true Love of GOD, since the Jews have not Faith in Christ, and True Faith worketh by Love. Gal. 5.6. (of which in a number a part afterwards) neither Jews, Gentiles, Mahometans, or any Infidels, can resign their will to GOD, (remaining Infidels) so it is nonsense and repugnancy in the adject, to write, that they do; for none can be Accepted of GOD but by Faith in his beloved Son the only Mediator. Eph. 1.6.  
What a rare piece of confidence is it for A. B. and the Ap. to aver that they own the Creed and the essentials of Religion, and to mantain the direct contradiction thereof? for if the Jews expectation of the Messiah yet to come be well founded on the Word of GOD (as she says in the fore cited place) than the Christian Belief is not well founded thereupon, that in the fullness of time (as Gal: 4.4.5.) he was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and born of the Virgin Mary, and the rest of the Articles of the Creed concerning Him are false, if A. B. speak Truth. For the Messiah to have already come, according to the Prophecies in the Scripture, and performed the work of our Redemption in the exercise of His three fold Office, and to be yet to come, as the Jews vainly expect, is a flat contradiction: nor can I conjecture, what the wit, or cunning of any Ap. can answer for A. B. in these things, unless it be said, that A. B. is generally misunderstood, for her Christ is not our Christ, mentioned in the Belief, who was Prophesied of in the Old Testament, and of whom the New Testament is an History. But her Christ, is an imaginary Christ, which proceeded from Adam before the Woman was made, and came not of the Seed of the Woman, L. Etoile dumatin p. 32.33. and Ap. pt. 1. p. 47. And to evite a very strong Argument against her fantastical Christianity, taken from Gen: 3 15. which is the first promise of Christ, importing the very tenor of the Covenant of Grace, she brings forth a rare sort of new coined blasphemy (like John of Leyden, or Nailour the Quaker, who called themselves the Messiah) so she affirms, that she is That Woman's Seed, which should bruise the Head of the Serpent, L W. pt 3. p. 47. This is that A. B. of whom De Cort. her admirer says, Pref. to the L. W. p. 41. That no Body since the Creation of the World Explains the Scriptures so well as she doth, but behold what it comes to!  
The Ap. pt. 2. from p. 90. to the 100 useth much Art to smooth the Doctrine of A. B. against the Satisfaction of Christ. He distinguisheth a man's being substituted to suffer for another, and declares, that A. B. held such a substitution to be false and diabolical, as procures a discharge to the Party offending, but granted a substitution of love, whereby Christ merited, that we should by our penitence merit Salvation, adding our own merits to Christ's Sacrifice, to satisfy the Justice of GOD, and mocks at a man who declares, he is but a frail creature, and hopes to be saved by faith in Christ; whereas it is manifest by the Scriptures already cited, and many more which could be shown that Christ's suffering in our stead, and thereby procuring to us remission of sin, and freedom from the Punishment due to us therefore, is a most true and Divine substitution, and not false and Diabolical, as A. B. saith. 2 Cor. 5.19 GOD in Christ reconcileth the World to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and not to impute to us our trespasses, is to procure a discharge of the samen.  
A wise man should not be ridiculed for his wisdom, but this is the wisest Course, that a sinner can take, to confess his own frailty, and believe to be saved by the free Mercy of GOD, for the sake of Christ's Merits. We do not deny a substitution of love (as he calls it) that of GOD'S free love in Christ Jesus, whereby we are both Justified and Sanctified, but neither Penitence, nor any other Grace bestowed upon us can be called our Merit; nor can there be any addition made to the Sacrifice of Christ, which satisfied the Justice of GOD, and is the only meritorious cause of our Justification.  
The Ap. insists, saying, that we carp at the words Merit and Satisfaction, while we grant the thing imported thereby, that Christ by his Merits hath procured to us to do penitence and to imitat himself, without which none can be saved by faith in Him.  
This is the substance of all his suppositions, or imperfect sort of Argument, in the foresaid place, which in the Schools is called, a Sorites.  
To which I answer briefly, that the Orthodox have good reason to quarrel both at the words and the thing which he understands thereby, for it is simply impossible, that sinners can either satisfy the Justice of GOD or merit their own Salvation: because there is no commutative Justice betwixt GOD and Man, as there is in Contracts between man and man, so that it were injustice not to remit sin, upon all the penitence or good works that we can do, He being infinitely Holy: and we but frail Creatures, who at the best are but Unprofitable Servants Luke 17.10. We ought indeed to evidence our Faith by a good life, but to call our penitence or love to GOD, or imitation of Christ our own merit, is but a vain gloriation, and derogatory from the satisfactory Merits of Christ; for which I remit him to Bellarmin, who is a great Orator for humane merits, but confesseth, that for the uncertainty of our own Righteousness, and the danger of vain Glory, it is most safe, to place our whole confidence in GOD'S Mercy alone, and his Goodness, and a few lines after, he says, that without a Revelation no man can know assuredly himself to have true Merits; or that he shall persevere in them to the end. Likewise because nothing is more easy in this place of tentation, than pride to arise from the consideration of good works. R. Bell. Card. Jesus. de Justi. L. 5. c. 7. p. 1266 in 80.   

SECTION iv SUBS. I. N. III. Of Man's future State.  
IN the Seventh and two last Articles of the Apostles Creed, sundry great Truths are included, anent Man's future State, which are clearly taught in the Scriptures, and are of the essentials of Religion; namely, that after Death neither Soul nor Body perish, but they shall be joined again by the power of GOD, through Jesus Christ at the General Resurrection, and set day of Judgement, when He shall pronounce a righteous Sentence upon all Mankind, giving unto those who have done well, Eternal. Life in Heaven, and to the wicked, E●nal Damnation. But A. B. makes a ludicrous Scene of all this, writing, that the World shall not be consumed by fire, there shall be no judgement after Death, nor a set and appointed day of Judgement nor any other sort of judgement, than what is begun thirty Years ago, that good People shall not go to Heaven, but Christ (coming with men and not with Angels) shall dwell with them visibly for ever on Earth, where they shall propagate their kind Eternally, being retired into a safe Corner of the Earth, or rather to the Centre of their Soul, to live in all pleasure, and the Wicked to another Corner of it, to be afflicted by Serpents and all evil things.  
And she believes all this better than all the other Mysteries of our Faith. L. W. pt. 1. from p. 143. to 148. and from 150. to 159. and from 168. to 170. and pt. 2. p. 131. 132. and pt. 3. p. 146. And all the foresaid Heretical rhapsody is approved be the Ap. pt. 2. p. 180. to 184. the Mysteries of Faith which she doth not so well believe as these her own whimsies are, the Unity and Trinity in GOD, the Incarnation and Satisfaction of Christ, the efficacy of Grace, with the free will of Man, the Resurrection of the Dead, the Day of Judgement, and men's then being mandated to Heaven or Hell. These Opinions of A. B. are worse than the Old Millenar●● who yet were still condemned, by the Orthodox and Catholic Church, which held that the Scriptures in no place promised Christ's dwelling on Earth Bodily again, but rather the contrary, as Acts 3.21. Tit. 1.2. GOD that cannot lie, hath in his Holy word assured us, of the Truths which I have rehearsed on this head, which also demonstrates the falsity of A. Bs. Tenets last repeated.  
John 5.28.29. The hour is coming in the which, all that are in the Graves shall hear His Voice, and shall come forth, they that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life, and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of damnation. Heb. 9.27. It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the Judgement. Acts 17.31. He hath appointed a Day in which he will judge the World in Righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained 1 Cor. 15.15.16. For if the Dead rise not then is not Christ raised, and if Christ be not raised your Faith is vain. 2 Pet. 3.12. Hasting to the coming of the Day of God, wherein the Heavens being on fire, shall be dissolved, and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat, there are many parallel places of Scriptures, as John 14.3. Mat. 25.46. 1 Thes. 4.16.  
The Sophistical shifts that are made be A. B. and her Ap. in the fore cited places, for excusing their Errors shall be easily discussed.  
Obj. 1. First, Heaven is where GOD is, therefore, when Christ reigns with his Saints on Earth, there needs no other Heaven.  
A. It's answered, neither GOD 'S essential Immensity, nor His diffused Grace, takes away the nature of things, or confounds distinct places, so Heaven is still His Throne and the place of the Blessed, and the Earth his Foot Stool.  
Obj. 2. If Christ do not reign with His Saints Eternally on Earth, than the Earth was made only for Wicked Men and Devils.  
A. The Earth was made for GOD'S People, who serve Him on it now in the Land of the living, though imperfectly, but afterwards they shall serve Him perfectly in Heaven.  
Obj. 3. Angels propagate their kind and so shall Men do, when the Body shall be made Spiritual.  
A. That whimsy of Angel's propagation, hath been started by some of the wildest of Schoolmen, but was rejected by the most Learned and Solid of them, as Aquinas, Sum. p. 3.75.7. c. Where he proves that Angels are of different Species. and Swares. Metaph. p. 120.121. That they cannot produce a Substance.  
Neither is there need of propagation nor of a new Creation of Angels, there being so many of them made at first, Dan, 7.10. Thousand thousands, and ten thou and times ten thousand.  
Obj. 4. GOD'S works abide for ever and therefore all living Creatures must propagate their kind for ever.  
A. 1. These words, For Ever do often signify, no more than a long time.  
2. GOD'S Works abide according to his Appointment, some for a lesser, and others for a longer time, some materially endure for ay, though changed in the qualities, as our Bodies after the Resurrection, and other Creatures once made never come to an end, as all Spirits.  
3. There is no Marriage in Heaven and so no propagation, as Christ coargued the Saducees Mat. 22.30.  
4 If Devils and Wicked Men should propagate for ever, than their Posterity should never be judged, contrary to the Scriptures which Teach that all shall finally be judged, by GOD, Eccles. 12.14. Judas 6.   

SECTION iv SUBS. I. N. iv Anent the Love of GOD.  
IT is the high pretention of A. B. throughout all her writings to reduce men to the Love of GOD, and values herself upon it, as if she had been the first in her Age, who had taught that sin consists in a privation of the Love of GOD, S. V pt. 1. p. 52. That all Christian Writters, and particularly the reformers did not teach the Love of GOD, or they did it dryly and confounded the matter, and her advancing the Love of GOD, is the distinguishing mark of her writings from all Systems of Divinity, and that all Church Councils were of the Devil, drawing men from the Love of GOD, L. W. 3. Pref. to the 3. pts. and pt. 3. p. 45. and Ap. pt.. 1. Car. 1.5. from p. 14. to 25. and p. 78. n. 42.  
Is it not a pitiful Error in any Christian, to applaud such writters? who under a vain pretence of advancing the Love of GOD, do rail at the highest rate, against all Christian writters without exception, is not that to do what they can to destroy all Christianity?  
Herein they are like the Sea-Monsters called Sirens, who by a sweet voice allure passengers, till they get near to destroy them,; or like enemies, who set out the colours of Friends, to render us the more secure till they fall on with deadly weapons. So it is an usual trick for all, Heretics and Enthusiasts, to set out for some true Hypothesis, as Jacob Bhemen did, by resignation to GOD, as much as A. B. doth by the Love of GOD: But let us observe them well, and it will soon be apparent, that their colour is but fairding, and their canting deceiving, and that they run from one extreme to another, and so loss the Truth which is in the midst; as Eutyches refuting Nestorius, did in opposition to him, fall into a new Heresy, anent the Natures of Christ, so it is exactly in the present case, the infamous Gnostics of Old, and Antinomians of late, depraved the Law of GOD, pretending to exalt Faith, and A. B. runs to the other extreme, out of a pretence to advance the Love of GOD, penitence and imitation of Christ, as the means of attaining it, she cryeth up humane Merit and undervalues the Doctrine of Salvation by Faith in Christ jesus. Ap. pt. 1. p. 25. Car. 5.6. Her Doctrine is very unsound and erroneous, anent this essential Point of Religion; nor did she know what it is to love GOD, whereof she vaunteth so much, and reproacheth all others, not only as ignorant thereof, and neglecting that which is the chief thing in Religion, but even as if they were enemies to the Love of GOD, and herself only the defender of it.  
And for the instruction, or making good this my Charge against her, I shall not insist upon omissions, as the not describing the nature of the thing she writes of, showing what is meaned by Love, either as it is a chief passion, or Theological virtue, how Faith and Love are compared together, and sometimes one of them gets the preference, and sometimes the other, whether love of gratitude to GOD, or complacency in GOD be recommended, or what are the true tokens of it, viz. love to GOD'S Truth, to his public Service, to His People and many the like, which she doth not touch, but shall instance a few of her many mistakes, anent the Love of GOD, after that I have intimated to the Reader how the last Year, I noted some things which I found amiss in a Latin Pamphlet, entitled, A College discourse of Comparative Theology. which seems to be a masked abstract of Borignianism and particularly in the second note disclosed, the Author's Error in affirming that the Love of GOD is the chief end of Religion, in every state of Man, and all other things but the means of attaining it, which is not true, either in this Life or that which is to come.  
For the Chief and ultimate end of all Religion is GOD'S Glory and subordinat thereunto, is Man's Eternal Salvation. There are three special Heads of Religion, containing our duty in this Life, things to be believed, things to be done, and things to be prayed for: 1. In order to things to be believed, Faith is the chief Virtue. 2. As of things to be done, Love is the Spring. 3. And true Grace may be called Devotion, in respect of things to be asked of GOD, and hath its degree accordingly. Neither is Love only the chief end of Religion, in Man's future State of Blessedness, which consists, not only in the love of GOD, but also in the Intuition and Fruition of Him, with suitable exercises to be known hereafter. 1. Cor. 2.9.  
Now to prove A. Bs. ignorance, of the Love of GOD, it is manifest, 1. First in that she said, the jews have the true love of GOD, who are Infidels denying the LORD that bought them. 2. That all Systems of Divinity teach nothing of the Love of GOD, that is, all the Creeds, Catechisms, Confessions of Faith, Expositions of Scripture, and all other Books that have been written by Christians, Theoretical or Practical, since the Apostles Days, are to be thus taxed; who could have written so? but either a person grossly ignorant of the love of GOD, or else extremely impudent, in belying all the Christian writters, seeing it is as notour, as that the Sun brings light, that thousands of Christian writters, and some in all Ages (which if need were, could be easily named and produced) have written excellently of the Love of GOD, and far better than this roving person hath done. Nor is it like, that a Preacher wrote the Ap. for else he had not accused all others of dryness. 3. As the pretended inspired A. B. is most vain glorious, that she only had discovered the Love of GOD to be the great end of Religion, so is she no less proud of the means that she had attained to obtain it, namely, such a penitence, and self denial as merited remission of sins, and which should be added to the Sacrifice of Christ Lae. Temoing de verity pt. 1.59.61.64. and Ap. pt. 2. p. 91.99. But we have not so learned Christ Rom. 6.23. Pardon of sin and eternal Life are none of our merit but GOD 'S free Gifts procured by Christ's merits. Eph. 2.8. whereof possibly more afterwards.  
4. You have hitherto narrated such instances as convince myself of her ignorance in the main point of Religion, whereto a fourth shall be added, which probably will abait the fondness of her admirers, if it doth not altogether break her party, if they consider it aright, who noticed not before what doctrine she taught; and that is, that every good Christian must abandon Riches and Honour, and take no more of them but what is simply needful for the sustenance of Nature, and that of the least and meanest sort, for the strain of the Doctrine which her Party cryeth up runeth thus.  
A good Christian seeks to attain to the Love of GOD in perfection, which to do we must renounce self love, and love of the Creatures, and none can do that but they who renounce Riches, and take meat and clothing only to sustain Nature. S. V pt. 1. p. 58. 59 L. W. pt. 1. p. 121. Ap pt. 1. p. 66. 67.  
Now let all that have doted upon Borignianism, prove themselves to be her true Proselytes, by this plat form of her levelling, which ere they do, I am of Opinion, she will have but a very small Train of either Sex; As Henry Martin said in the Rump Parliament in England when it was proposed, to purge it quite of Immoral Men, purge it also said Martin, of all Knaves and Fools, and then we shall have but a thin House.   

NUMBER V Of the Holy Scriptures.  
IT is doubtless of the Essence of Religion, to have right Sentiments of the Holy Scriptures, which are the word of GOD, and the Rule of Religion. But many of A. Bs. and the Aps. Sentiments, are wrong in this matter, for First, she perverts most of the Texts, which are cited in her Books, whereof one pregnant instance is already shown anent Gen. 3.15. N. 2. another is, of Mat 5.45. He maketh his Sun to shine on the Evil and on the Good, from which A. B. inferreth, that the Wicked have the true Grace of GOD, L. W. pt. 1. p. 43. whereas the words import only, that Worldly things (such as the Sun's light) are common both to good and evil People. 2ly. They derogate from the Authority of the Holy Scriptures, which is altogether Divine and Infallible, the Ap. pt 2. p. 179 Approves Teresa a Spainard, a pretended inspired Teacher, who when she was urged with that Text 1 Tim. 2.12. I suffer not a Woman to Teach; did answer, that GOD bid her, not to be directed by one passage of Scripture, for there was a twofold falsehood (if not rather a lie) in the answer of Terese, for there is a parallel Text to the foresaid purpose 1 Cor. 14.34. And GOD bids us be directed by his Word, as well as when it is found in one passage of Scripture, as if it were in twenty, so it was the Devil and not GOD, that suggested such an answer to her. As Tertul long since wrote, that all Heretics Strive to derogate from the Scriptures, and whosoever doth deprave any part of the Scriptures, he rejects all, because they are all from the same Authority, Adversus Heres. de prescrip. c. 49. 3ly. They disregard and contemn the Holy Scriptures.  
Diod. Sic. L. 14. reports, that Theopompus a Pagan Historian, when he had inserted some part of the Holy Scriptures, into his profane writings, did run mad. I shall not say that A. B. was mad, but probably she was Hypocondriack, for writing as she did anent the Scriptures, exhorting people to imitat herself, in not reading the New Testament for twenty Years, and affirming, that she could write such a Book as it, that it was not hitherto understood by any, and only slightly allowing people to read the BIBLE that are not otherways taught. S. V pt. 1. p. 120. Ap. p. 347. L. W. pt. 1. p. 120. Whereas, the Holy Spirit, teacheth us, to search the Scriptures daily. Acts 17.11. The truly Divinely Inspired take their warrant from the Scriptures 2 Pet. 1.19. Though they were immediately taught of God.  
And it was a thing more impossible for A. B. for to write such a Book as the New Testament, than to have joined the land of Flanders to England, for she could have written such a Book, either by a fallible or an infallible Spirit, if by a fallible Spirit only, than it could not have been such a Book, which was written by men infallibly inspired; and not by an infallible Spirit, because she had it not, as is proven Sect. 3. Hence may be espied a piece of very goodly confidence in the Ap. pt. 2. p. 179. affirming, that none could vilify A. Bs. way of handling Scriptures, but they who have a secret disgust at it, whereas on the contrary, out of love to the Scripture, I openly disgust her abusing it.   

NUMBER VI Miscellanies, relating to the Essentials of Religion.  
THere are many other heads of Doctrine nearly relating to the Essentials of Religion ill treated of in the writings of the Authors whom I deal with; and abruptly brought in by them, without any Logical order: some of which shall be noticed in this last Number together, as they have occurred to my observation in seven distinct points, that this Subsection concerning A. Bs. Essentials, may terminate in a certain method.  

POINT I. Of GOD'S Decrees, and the Doctrines depending thereupon.  
AS A. B. hath not written right things of GOD, about the Essentials of Religion, so, nor of the integrals thereof, though there be sundry of the samen, which have so near a relation to and connection with the Essentials, that by sound Divines they are truly called Circa Fundamentals; For her Tenets anent the high and mysterious Decrees of GOD, and many Doctrines depending thereupon (such as the Operation of Divine Grace, upon the Will of Man, and the Perseverance of the Saints) they are (in my Judgement) both contrary to the express Letter of the Holy Scriptures, and the interpretation thereof, by the Orthodox Church.  
For she frequently affirms, in the general, that GOD had no Eternal Decrees, nor prescience of the Actions of free Agents; and in special, that He had no Eternal Decree of Predestination L. W. pt; 3. p. 154. which is contrary to Psal. 33.11. The Counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of His Heart to all Generations. Acts 15.18. Known unto GOD are all His Works from the beginning of the World. Eph. 1.4. Having chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the World. Verse. 5. Having Predestinated us to the Adoption of Children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of His Will. and Verse 11. Who worketh all things, after the Counsel of His own Will.  
Again A. B. writes, that man hath liberty to resist the Will of GOD, L. W. pt. 1. p. 192. which plainly contradicteth the Divine Oracle, Rom. 9.19. Who hath resisted His Will. And linked with these Tenets she asserts that gracious persons may apostatise, and be eternally damned, L. W. pt. 3. p. 136. 137. which assertion is inconsistent with our LORD's most gracious promise John 10.28. My Sheep shall never perish.  
In fine; There are disseminated throughout all her Books the whole Arminian Tenets concerning the Quin quarticular Question, excepting that of universal Redemption, which why she omitted (embracing all the rest) it is not easy to conjecture, unless it be for her want of Charity to the generality of Christians.  
And as A. Bs. Doctrine in the foresaid Tenets is contrary to the Scriptures, so it is contrary to the Exposition of these and the parallel Texts of Scripture received in the Orthodox Church. For it was condemned by the Synod of Dort, Anno 1618., both in the complex and in all the 5 heads thereof. Which Council was convened purposely to put a Stop to the contagious Errors, which were spread abroad in the Belgick-neather-lands by Episcopius, Corvinus, Grevinchovius and other followers of Jacobus Arminius; Unto which chosen men were delegated from many reformed Churches, who were well versed in the Doctrine of the Primitive Church, and every way able Ministers of the Gospel, who also after conference with the offending Party, upon mature debate and deliberation finding the Arminian Doctrine inconsistent with the Holy Scriptures, and the Confessions of Faith of the Respective Churches, and tending to the reviving of the Pelagian and Semi Pelagian Heresies, and not a little symbolising with the pestiferous Socinians, did condemn it altogether, as said is.  
Neither can it be justly thought, that these worthy men were ignorant of the sense of the Confessions of Faith of the Respective Churches to which they belonged, who were all approved and commended at their return home, both by their Constituents, and the King, Princes and States which sent them, for their actings in that Assembly. Nor have the representatives of any Protestant Church, ever since disallowed the Acts of the Synod at Dort; and although some particular men, have vented some flights and fancies too favourable to the Doctrine of the Remonstrants, that is not to be imputed to any National Church, which by their public Doctrine and Actings, rather disapproves than allows the samen.  
Scotland had only at that Synod Mr. Bacanquell (a Pious and Learned Man) to represent it, but England had four at first, George Bishop of Landaff, Joseph Hall Dean of Worcester and John Davenant, afterwards Bishops, who are and will be still famous in the Church of Christ, for their labours in the work of the Gospel; and particularly, for their excellent writings, Dr. Ward was the fourth, and Dr. Goad was sent over in stead of Joseph Hall, when he came home sick.  
Yet I own, that it was both Piously and Prudently done by the Church of England with the consent and authority of our Wise and Learned King James the 6. to prohibit all rash Preaching or Writing, (excepting such as should be authorised thereto) on these abstruse and intricat questions, raised be the Arminians upon the heads aforesaid, and whensoever they might be obliedged to touch upon them, in explaining a Text of Scripture to a popular auditory, to hold to Scripture language, and the words of the 39 Articles and the approved homilies of the Church.  
Many judicious People marvel, how any man could have been at the pains, to write so large a Book (being tedious to be read) as the Ap. for A. B. is; but I find that his plea for Arminianism, in sundry parts thereof hath very much conduced to swell it to the bigness, that it hath accresced to under his pen; as pt. 2. from p. 104. to 127. and pt. 4. p. 386. 387. and often in other places thereof.  
Wherein he hath studied, to represent the positions and Arguments of the Arminians in behalf of A. B. in a taking popular dress; yet in all his plead to that purpose, I have not been able to discover any Argument which is new, but what hath been often tossed heretofore, and solidly answered and discussed by the Orthodox Writters: which to repeat from them, consists not with my Scope in this place.  
But to show, that his arguing can be rationally answered, I shall only at this time deal with one of his most plausible Topics which pt. 2. p. 112. is propounded thus.  
GOD knoweth all things only according to their nature; but the Will of Man being made a free faculty to choose, or not to choose, or to reject any object propounded unto it by the Understanding, GOD doth not foreknow what it shall determine, ever as a man who giveth the power of his goods to his Wife, cannot foreknow how she will dispose of them.  
This is but a mere fallacy from the homonomie or different significations of the words Knowing and Nature, For GOD seethe not as Man seethe, 1 Sam. 16.7. And He is Nature natureing, Man's Knowledge of things is but finite and limited, as himself is, apprehending things to be of such and such a nature, by the properties figure, habitudes and effects, which he discerneth them to have, and were it not for these means of Knowledge they would define things otherwise, whereas the omniscient GOD, in whose eternal Idea all things had their first determinations, knoweth all things comprehensively, even all the possible causes, effects and contrariety of things, so of all Agents whether necessary or free, HE knoweth our thoughts afar off. Ps. 139.2. GOD who Inspired the Prophet Elisha to tell Hazael, what his free will would determine, long ere he knew so much himself 2 Kings 8.12.13. He that teacheth man knowledge shall he not know? Ps. 94.10.  
Neither doth his simile hold, for a wife is her Husbands equal, to whom he may give power of his goods, either prudently or imprudently but the alwise GOD, hath not exempted any of His Creatures from the reach of His Omnipotency or Omniscience. The due consideration of the infinite difference between GOD'S Omniscience and Omnipotence, and the Faculties of sinful man serves also to disclose the grand Arminian Error, in suspending his Grace upon Man's free Will, against the Essentials of Religion.   

POINT II. Of the Image of GOD in Man.  
A. B. asserts that the Image of GOD after which Man was created, consists only in Man's free will, and nothing else. L. W. pt. 1. p. 42. which is contrary both to Scripture and Reason, for the Soul of Man being Spiritual and immortal, imports as much of the Image of GOD, as free Will doth, and the Scriptures show plainly, that it consisted in Knowledge, Righteousness, Holiness and dominion over the Creatures. Gen. 1.26. Let Us make Man after our own Image, and let him have dominion etc. Eph. 4.24. Put on the new man, which after GOD is created in Righteousness and true Holiness. Col 3.10. Renewed in Knowledge after the Image of HIM that created Him.   

POINT III. Q. If Man sinned before he sinned.  
AS the Prophet Elijah mocked the Prophets of Baal, for their ridiculous Religion 1 Kings 18.27. So it is excusable, that having read many ridiculous things in the Books of A. B. to state the Question in this point Ironically against her, which according to her Doctrine, must be answered positively, that Man sinned before he sinned, that is, that he sinned before GOD gave out the Law, which he transgressed, since the adequate definition of sin is, transgression of the Law of GOD, Rom. 4.15. Where no Law is, there is no transgression, but behold what A. B. teacheth, against this fundamental truth! L. W. pt. 3. p. 2. That Adam inclined to sin before the Law was given, and before the woman was made (which was not on the sixth day) which absurd Doctrine the Ap. commends pt. 1. p. 59 Saying that GOD did not give Man a Law, till he saw him departed from the Love of GOD to the love of the Creatures, and follow his own will. All which false Sentiments the Discursor Academicus affirms to be most probable, p. 5. But I am certain, that it is not only improbable, but also most untrue, for every inclination in us to sin is sin, as contrary to the rectitude and entire Holiness and Obedience, which GOD requires of us.  
Moreover, their foresaid Tenet contradicts the historical account of the first sin, and Man's fall from the estate of Innocence, given by GOD himself, that it was by transgressing that Sacramental or trying Commandment, conform to the Covenant of works, Not to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil upon pain of Death, Gen. 2.17.   

POINT iv Of Perfection.  
THere is nothing more readily to be read in the Books of those that are swelled with Spiritual pride, Uncharitablness, Malice, and Hypocrisy, than the pretended Perfection of themselves and their Party; and among the rest A. B. and the Ap. pt. 2. p. 131. to 137. and p. 4.32. Avouch, that they can be perfect; keeping all the Commandments of GOD, because all his Commands are prestable, or GOD hath given no Commands, but what its possible for man to fulfil. I shall not gainsay, but A. B. might fancy herself to be perfect, in her notion of perfectness, by culling out some Commands of GOD, and neglecting the rest L. W. pt. 3. p. 205. (contrary to Jam. 2.10.) and imagined, that they might be sound Believers, who observed none of the Articles of Faith. L. W. pt. 3. p. 173.  
All which pretended perfectionists make an unanimous outcry, against the Assemblies Catechism, which we use, for affirming, that no mere Man since the fall, is able in this life perfectly to keep the Commandments of GOD.  
But their Clamour is groundless, because, the plain and sound sense of the foresaid answer in the Catechism is, that GOD in the ordinary dispensation of his Graces, hath never given such a meafure of Grace to any man, nor promised to free him of sin, altogether in this life, so that he can perfectly and absolutely fulfil his Law, but thorough Christ who fulfils it in and for us, 1 John 1.7.8, 9 The Law shows our duty, which we should still endeavour to fulfil, aiming at Perfection, and what we cannot do, to lippen to GOD'S free Mercy, and Christ's merits, to perfect it for us, as if we had attained to Perfection ourselves.  
For the Question is nor, what GOD may do in this matter, but what he is pleased to do; He might (if He had pleased) have kept Lazarus still alive on Earth, who probably was perfect, when Christ raised him from the Dead, and so were the Saints who arose Mat. 27.52. But we cannot expect the like, but pray by Faith for what the Law requireth, as St. Bernard writteth in Gan. Serm. 50   

POINT V Of Perseverance.  
ONE of A. Bs. Sentiments is, that the most Perfect Saints, may apostatise, or fall from the estate of Grace, and be eternally damned L. W. pt. 3. p. 136.137. which her Ap. Homologateth pt. 2. p. 136.  
And albeit this be one of their doctrines, which depends upon another Error, of their denying all the Eternal Decrees of GOD formerly noticed, (po. 1.) yet it seemed necessary, to observe it here by itself, because the absurdity thereof may be more easily discerned by the Unlearned than sundry others of the Arminian Chain, which are more abstruse.  
It is indeed lamentable, that the best of Saints, through negligence, when tempted to Sin, and the Infirmity of their nature, may sometimes fall into sinful acts, and remain so a space, without effectual Repentance, yet it is manifest by Divine Light, from the Holy Scriptures, that the truly Godly do not fall away totally and finally, from the estate of Grace, But the foundation of GOD standeth sure, the LORD knoweth who are His, 2 Tim. 2.19. His by Predestination, or an Eternal Decree of Election in Christ Jesus, who are given to Him in the unalterable Covenant of Redemption, and are Cleansed from all sins by His Blood. 1 John. 1.7. Of whom it is written, Rom; 8.29.30. Whom He did fore know, them He also Predestinated, Called, Justified and Glorified. And of all these the LORD promiseth John 10.28. My Sheep shall never perish, I will give unto them Eternal Life.  
Perseverance is an unseperable effect of Sanctifying Grace, the habit whereof, being once planted by the gracious hand of GOD in a Man's Soul, never dyeth, although it may so appear by some sinful acts, as Herbs and Trees which are bereft both of fruit and flourishing in the Winter season, this is called, The Root of the matter, which remained in the Gracious and Patiented (though under sharp trials, sometimes repining) Job, ch 19.28. And to this purpose the Prophet Micah 7.8. Rejoice not against me O my Enemy when I fall, I shall arise.  
How inconsistent with this foundation of Religion, are the writings of A. B. and her Ap.?   

POINT VI Anent the Sacraments.  
ANent the Sacraments, A. B. is as Erroneous as in the Points forementioned, writing, that to obtain Salvation we need not pray, nor go to Church, nor take the Sacraments, but only be Passive, L. W. pt. 3. p. 102. Protestants go about the LORDS Supper without Devotion, L. W. Pref. to pt. 3. p. 4. To baptise Children is from the Devil, L. W. pt. 2. p. 31.  
Did ever the practice of any person contradict his profession; more plainly, than the Ap. and his Virgin Patroness do, who solemnly protest, that they shall own the Scriptures, for the Test of their Doctrine, which yet is against them, almost in every point, as for this in hand, concerning the Sacraments, have we not as luculent Precepts for the constant use of them as of any other duties? Mat. 28.19. Go teach all Nations baptising them &c. 1 Cor. 11.23. I have received of the LORD, that which also I delivered unto you, and V 26. As often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup etc. A. B did snatch the Objection, against the baptising of Infants, from the Socinians and Anabaptists, which is most frivolous, that it is not commanded in express terms in the Scriptures. Origen who lived in the second Centurie writing on Mat. 6.5.6.7. Assureth us, that the Church had it always, and that by tradition from the Apostles, Yet are we more sure, that it is a clear consequence from the Scriptures. which being natural from the Text, and undistorted, doth ever import a Scriptural truth, As we read, Mat. 22.29. Our Saviour charged the Saducees, anent the great Article of the Resurrection, That they did err not knowing the Scriptures, albeit, not the express words of the Text, (Exod. 3.6.) which he cited, were directly against them, but the consequence thereof, so upon this sound foundation, Infant Baptism is firmly grounded, for the Sacraments are not only Signs, but likewise Seals of the New Covenant, and they to whom the gracious promises and conditions of the Heavenly Charter belong, have a right also to the Seals appended thereunto, Gen. 17.7.10 The Promise is to Thee and thy Children said GOD to Abraham. Baptism comes in the place of Circumcision, which was administered to Children, when eight days old. The right Preaching of the Word and Administration of the Sacraments, are the ordinary means of our Salvation, and undoubted marks of the true Church.  
The Ap. pt. 2 p. 154. to 159. Allegeth what he can, to justify A. B. in this, which doth not satisfy.  
1 That she was above Ordinances. Which is a vain boasting and contrary to GOD'S direction Gant. 1.8.  
2 That she durst not go to the Popish Churches, for fear of her life; She could not be in alike hazard every where, and how doth that excuse her, for teaching, that no Body needs go to Church, or partake of the Sacraments!  
3 That she wrote a Book in defence of the Sacraments, against the Quakers. The Quaker who offended her was rebuked therefore by his Party, and they were reconciled with A. B.  
And at the best she contradicteth herself in this Point.   

POINT VII. Of Pastors and Church Government.  
THe supposed Gentlewoman, and pretended Illuminated A. B. and her Defender or Ap. (transforming themselves into Angels of Light S. V pt. 1. p. 112) in all their writings about Religion, have indulged the swing of their absolute and independent free will in nothing more, than in their ranting and railing, at the Pastors of CHRIST'S Flock and the Church Government. For, thus they writ, that it is unlawful, for any to make it a trade (or office) to teach others. S. V pt. 1. p. 115. L. W. pt. 3 p. 90. The office of a Priest is an enemy to the resignation of Souls to GOD, and Ap. pt. 1. p. 53. All the evils of Christendom comes from the Pastors, and all the People's degeneracy, from their Guides. I could adduce many more passages to the purpose, but it is needless, when the Ap. pt. 2. p. 158. declares that the L. W. (which is the chief of A. Bs. Books, the Key and Rule of all the rest) was written on purpose against the Pastors, because of the degeneracy of the Roman Church. Hereupon it may be reflected without debaiting, if she was not injurious, to write so against all the Pastors of the Church of Rome, without exception of any, how can it be thought true, that she wrote against the Pastors of that Church only, since she declares the Pastoral-Office itself to be unlawful, and declaims as much against Protestants as Papists and besides them, all Pastors in Christendom, not excepting any, either in the Greek or Abassine Churches, or any where else in the World! But on the matter itself, how contrary is their Doctrine to the Holy Scriptures. Whereby we are well instructed, that the Alwise GOD (who made Man a social Creature, naturally inclined to society, and thereby needing both Laws and Government) did always prescribe Laws to Mankind, and for the benefit thereof, positively appointed, the Government both Civil and Ecclesiastic, and by a special designation, Pastors and Church-Officers for his own immediate service, and the Salvation of People's Souls. Eph. 4.11.12.13 He gave Pastors and Teachers, for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the Ministry, for the edifying of the Body of CHRIST, till we all come in the unity of the Faith, and of the knowledge of the SON of GOD, unto a perfect Man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of CHRIST. Heb 5.4. No man taketh this honour upon himself, but he that i● called of GOD, as was Aaron. Where the true Pastor is, there the true Church is; and when the Shepherd is smitten, the Sheep are scattered abroad, Mat. 26.31. So it is one of the main Policies of Satan, for destroying the Church altogether, to endeavour to bring all the Pastors under contempt, as a fit mean for subverting the office itself, and consequently to ruin the Church of CHRIST. Such railing against all Pastors, and the Sacred Function itself, is as A flood of water cast out of the mouth of the Old Serpent, the accuser of the Brethren, for To drown (if he could) the Woman who is clothed with the Sun, that is the Church of GOD. Rev. 12.9.10.15.  
The acute Ap. when he readeth this part of the Advertisement, may possibly say, that the language savours of too much passion, and the inference is too hard; for, may not A. Bs. words bear a more favourable interpretation? such as that of the Disc. Academ p. 16. & 23. That Pastors and Church Government, Sacraments and the public Worship of GOD, have no certain connexion with Man's Salvation, nor are they certain necessary and infallible means of recovering the love of GOD, and A. B. one where or another, of her writings, mentioneth the Office of Pastors, as a thing that may be reform, and to say, that Sacred Offices or means ordained by GOD for his own Glory, and Man's Salvation, may be reform, is a more moderate Sentiment (to hold their phrase) than that they are simply unlawful, and should be quite abolished.  
Hereto it is answered, that I designed in this Censure, to evite all hard words, as much as possible could be, without prejudice of truth, which is herein defended; yet it is allowed as a maxim among moralists, either in speaking, writing, or other actions to sharpen reason, not by our own passions or affections, but by these which the cause requireth.  
I called her writing on this point against the Pastoral Office, Ranting, because her language to that purpose, is the same with that of the wild Sect of the Ranters; and railing which is calumniating, or a wrongous' caracterising, and ascribing undue epithets to good things.  
I have noted on Discursus Academicus, his errors in this matter, neither have I read in any Book of A. B. where she retracteth the foresaid errors, and if the Ap. hath done it, he should have told us of it.  
Now to put a period to the first Subsection, anent the essentials of Religion, it is manifest, I hope, by what I have written (to the impartial Reader) that A. B. had no good skill of Religion, were it but for one reason that she preferred Heathenism to Christianity, by affirming, that Heathens, Turks and Jews, had more reason and Religion than Christians, Pref. L W. p. 9.10. And that not one Christian, is so much resigned to GOD, or did understand true virtue so well, as the Heathens did. pt. 3. p. 129. And since her Sentiments, are against the Holy Scriptures, and the essentials of Religion, she hath not represented the same aright, nor revived the Spirit of Christianity, neither was she Divinely Inspired to publish the Gospel to the World; which was the thing thus to be demonstrated.     

SECTION iv SUBSECTION II.  

NUMBER I. Of Accessories in the General.  
THe Ap. pt. 1. p. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. and 9 comprehends all the Doctrine of A. B. in the two general heads, of the Essentials of Religion, and her accessories, which distinction I promised to examine in this place. Sect. 4. Subs. 1. Initio.  
The word Accessary, which is taken from the Latin word Accedo, signifieth, ordinarily, to come to, to follow, or add to any thing, but in the English (for the most part) it soundeth ill, to be accessary importing, the abetting or partaking of a Crime.  
In the civil Law it signifies an Adminicle or Addition to a statute of which it is required, that it be not alien from or contrary, but that it follow the nature of the principal to which it is an Appendix. De regulis juris in sexto reg. 42.  
But in Divinity few or none sound writters use the term Accessary, in comparing points of Religion among themselves, the ordinary distinctions are, of Essentials and Integrals, of things necessary and expedient.  
Essential or fundamental points are the Doctrines clearly revealed in Scripture, and upon which the Holy Ghost (the Revealer) hath put the character of necessity to be believed for Salvation, as the sum of the Creed is; The Integrals, are other Doctrines taught by GOD to make up the whole, as the several parts of Man's Body, make the composition of Man entire, so the uniform obeying all the Commandments of GOD, make up the whole of Religion. Again the Articles of Religion, are either the necessary and indispensable means of obtaining the chief ends thereof, to wit, GOD'S Glory and Man's Salvation, such as Faith, Hope, Love, and Repentance, or they are necessary by Reason of the Precept, because commanded by GOD, such as the Sacraments, and the public and ordinary Worship of GOD.  
And further, all things commanded by GOD, are called necessary, and things enjoined by the Church for Edification, Order and Decency, are said to be of positive right and expedience.  
And some things not fundamental which are but darkly revealed in Scripture, Christians may keep Peace, and have communion together, albeit they have different Opinions thereanent, as in points of Discipline, concerning which whoso would be fully informed, he may read Isaak Causabon, on the Epistle of King James the 6th to Cardinal Perron anent the Peace of the Church.  
But A. Bs. Accessories can no ways be reduced, to any of the foresaid branches of the points of Religion, as being either necessary, true, lawful or expedient, which shall be manifested in the next number. Neither is it obvious (viewing all Christian Churches) to find out a parallel to A. Bs. notion of Accessories, but that which it mostly resembles, is the decretals, wherewith the modern Romanists have stuffed the Canon Law, of which it is truly said, that the Old Decrees had been good, if they had wanted the Alae, Wings, and new additions forced upon them; So her representing the Essentials of Religion, and pressing of Piety had been good if she had understood them well, and done it without diminution of any, or adding extravagant flights and fancies, to wing them throughout the whole World in her own conceit.  
There remains yet to be discussed another sense of the word Accessories, and that is, in military terms, Auxiliaries or additional forces are called Accessories, but there can be no reasonable translation, of this to A. Bs. purpose, for the Truths of Religion contained in the Holy Scriptures, are perfect and sufficiently able to serve their turn, to defend themselves, and to make the man of GOD perfect unto Salvation, without such additions or auxiliari●es as she proposeth.  
For they are but mere intruders, coming uncalled, over which a vigilant eye should be had, lest (if entertained or let alone) they prove, such auxiliaries as the Mammaluks did in Egypt, and the Saxons in England, who betrayed and subverted the Natives whom they came to aid, because, both their Principles and Interests, were contrary to each other.  
Obj. O but (says the Ap. pt. 1. p. 45. There is no such evil to be feared from A. Bs, Accessories, for they tend to advance the main ends of Religion, and though they be not warranded in the Scriptures, yet they are neither hurtful nor damnable.  
A. To answer which Objection shall be the subject of the following Number of this second Subsection anent her Doctrines.   

NUMBER II. Of A. Bs. Accessories in particular.  
IN this inquest all the Doctrines of A. B. relating to and depending upon the Essentials of Religion might be reviewed, since the Ap. comprehends the whole of her Doctrine in these two, Essentials and Accessories, without noticing the third branch of the division, namely Doctrines, which (though not Fundamental or Essential) yet may either further or prejudge the Essentials of Religion, as they are either true or false, proper to Religion or improperly mustered therewith; but that being in a good part done already, Subs. 1. n. 6. wherein it is proven in seven Points, that many of A. Bs. Doctrines, which are nearly related to the Essentials of Religion, are very erroneous and disproven of the Holy Scriptures. I proceed now to examine other Doctrines which she reckoneth not among the Essentials of Religion and so they must be indeed her Accessories.  
1. That Man before he sinned did feed, upon the quintessence of things (being altogether Spiritual) he could flee in the Air, and go to the Centre of the Earth, and so it shall be with Man afterwards, when Christ reigneth upon Earth with the Saints. This Doctrine is disseminated throughout all A. Bs. writings, and approven be the Ap. pt. 1. p. 46. 47. which is not so innocent, as he represents it, but is both hurtful and damnable.  
For it contradicteth the truth of the History of the Creation of the World, written by Moses in the Book of Genesis, be the dictating of the Holy Ghost, which (accommodating to Vulgar Capacities, mentioneth not as other Scriptures do, the Creation of Angels or Spiritual beings) assure us that Man's Body was material, Form of the Dust of the Ground, Gen. 2.7. His food was material, and the forbidden fruit was also such, Good for food and pleasant in the Eyes. Gen. 3.6.  
Which could not have been, if Man had been altogether Spiritual, and in the future State of Glory Man will need no material food, whether, we call it the essence or quintessence of things material, but he will be as the Angels of GOD.  
2. That all Men may forsake the Truth, L. W. pt. 1. p. 33. This is a false Doctrine, for if all Men should forsake the Truth, the Church might fail, which is impossible, It being built upon the Rock of Ages, against which the gates of Hell shall never prevail. Mat. 16.18. And wherewith our LORD JESUS CHRIST, will be present to the end of the World. Mat. 28.20.  
3. That Infants dying before they come to the exercise of Reason, are either good or bad, and consequently must be saved, or damned, according to the will of their Parents. L. W. pt. 2. p. 6.7.8.9. and pt. 3. p. 155. This is against the Principles of Religion, of GOD'S Election, and the tenor of the Covenant of Grace.  
4. Antichrist is the Devil, L. W. pt. 1. p. 32. and the Devil is nothing. S. V pt. 1. p. 94. These Tenets are overthrown by the Scriptures which teach us plainly that Antichrist is a man or a set of men sitting in the Temple of GOD. 2 Thes. 2.4.  
5. That persons resigned to GOD return to such an estate of perfect innocence, as Adam was in before the fall, L. W. pt. 3. p. 138. Which is an unsound Doctrine, since Adam at first was altogether free of Sin, which can be said of no Saint in this Life, Jam. 3.2.  
It is manifest by what is already written on this subject, how easy it were to expose the absurdity of all A. Bs. Accessories, but they are so many, that to go through them all particularly (even according to the present method) adding a short refutation to every one of them, would require as much writing, as was designed for this whole Tractate. Therefore having excerpted, from the Books of A. B. and the Ap. some scores of Accessories, like these forementioned, equally hurtful to Religion, and noted exactly in a paper, apart, the places where they are to be found; I shall here (for brevity's sake) produce Twenty of them as a swatch of the rest, reasonably hoping, that every Christian Reader, who is acquainted with the Holy Scriptures, and being thereby instructed, that Hay and Stubble, are not fit materials for the building of GOD. 1 Cor. 3.11.12.13. Will be able at the very recitation thereof to confute them himself, without my help, which GOD willing afterwards shall (if it be needful) not be wanting, in the behalf of Truth, or it will be done by abler Pens, which the Church will never be destitute of.  
And these Accessories are.  
1. That there are no true Christians now in the World.  
2. The ordinary sins of Papists are the sins against the Holy Ghost.  
3. Protestants disown the civil Magistrate.  
4. A Spiritual Man is never melancholy.  
5. A Spiritual Man will not take a walk for recreation.  
6. Mental Prayer should be omitted.  
7 Sin is only a disorder of the five Senses.  
8. All the advantages that Men reap from others serves but for their damnation.  
9 The Devil at first moved men to possess their own Goods.  
10. It had been good there had never been Schools nor Learning in the World.  
11. GOD'S cursing the Earth made man's returning to GOD the more easy.  
12. GOD calls no man to any place of Honour or Power.  
13. CHRIST'S Kingdom comes not according to the second Petition in the LORD'S Prayer.  
14. GOD doth not permit sin.  
15. Good motions incite always to suffering.  
16. Physicians and Divines do ordinarily more ill than good.  
17. The Devil inlightneth our Uunderstanding, and maketh us conceive deep Divine Mysteries.  
18. We should not commend good things because the Devil can do so.  
19 We should not instruct others but when they desire it.  
20. A. B. was Divinely Inspired in all things to reform the World.  
It is no less than a spectrous piece of goodly confidence, which showeth itself in all the writings of A. B. and the Ap. to affright people into the belief of their visionary Doctrines (in stead of giving solid reasons for them) still to cry, that she was Divinely Inspired.  
Obj. 1. For how (say they) could it otherwise be, that she who was unlearned, did write of so many things, and rare verities, and in such a ravishing strain, beyond the reach of the chiefest Divines? So that to offer to correct her Doctrine, is no less presumptuous, than to dare, to correct the Spirit of GOD, and whoever opposeth her Sentiments, are like Jannes and Jambres, that withstood Moses, like the Scribes and Pharisees, who opposed CHRIST himself, or like the Jews, Atheists, and Heretics, that contradicted and persecuted the Apostles and primitive Christians.  
A. 1. That is sufficiently already answered, in the third Section, where it is proved at large, that she was not Divinely Inspired; but since they ingeminat it so often, some more shall be said to it here.  
2. To discover, oppose and confute Errors in any persons Books is not to oppose the Spirit of GOD, but rather to be led by the famen, for GOD is Truth, and whosoever defends the Truth is on his side.  
3. Good words and a zealous strain of writing are only good, when Truths and no falsities are thereby expressed, for the most pernicious writters that ever existed in the World, seemed to affect a pious strain, and mixed many Heavenly like words with their poisonous positions, to cover from the unadvertent the Venom thereof, such as Gelsus, Porphyry, Julian, Vaninus, and in fine, Heretics, Shismaticks, Sectarians, and Enthusiasts, in all their writings.  
4. For A. Bs. pretending to have been unlearned, and her crying down all Schools and Learning, she had many (infamously) famous impostors for Precedents, who to impose their damnable Doctrines and delusions on the World, declaimed loudly against all Learning as their most deadly enemy, such as the Gnostics, Montanus, Manes and Mahomet.  
5. CHRIST and his faithful Servants were opposed by many, in all Ages, slighted and persecuted for holding the Truth; but it is an undue thing, for A. B. to compare herself to them, and her Opposers to their persecutors, when she is confuted and contemned only, for teaching Errors; 1 Pet. 2.20. For what glory is it, if when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently?  
6. The Cabin of A. Bs. rarities can be disclosed, without a miracle, or flying so high as to Divine Inspiration, for a key to open it.  
For most of her extravagant flights, anent Man's primitive Estate of Innocence, and the future state after the day of Judgement, have been catcht (with little variation) from the Jewish Cabala.  
It was formerly shown Sect. 4. Subs. 1. n. 3. how the exotic opinions of some Schoolmen, gave her wrong Sentiments of Angels, in like manner hearing of some nice points debated among School men and Philosophers, she was apt to adopt the worst side of the Problem, which being once made hers, out it flies into the World, as a new revealed verity, for example, A. B teacheth S. V. pt. 1. p. 96. And the Ap. homologates, pt. 1. p. 62. That both our Souls and Bodies are propogated, from Adam. Contrary to Heb. 12.9. where GOD is called the Father of Spirits, or the creator of our Souls, in contradistinction to our natural parents, who are there termed the Fathers of our flesh.  
And many other of her Accessories, she might have learned by ordinary discourse, as that the Heretic, Eunomius, and generally the Gnostics, out of a pretence of magnifying Faith, said, that good works were not necessary. This false and odious opinion her Lafoy (after her charitable manner) doth most frequently father upon all Protestants, without due consideration, that St. Aug. confuted it. L. de fide & oper.. Whose orthodox strain is followed by Calvin and all Proteslant writters, and Billarmine himself, de Justif. L. 3 c, 6. Vindicats Protestant's of the foresaid imputation.  
Obj. 2. It was asserted in my hearing by some, whom the Borignianists had mistuned, that there are more than two thousand verities, (speaking of these Accessories) set out in the Books of A. B. which are not to be read in all the writings either of Papists or Protestants.  
A. I have discovered in her Books more than an hundreth falsities, but have seen none of these new disclosed verities; and if any favourite of hers, shall be at the pains to number them, let him take heed that he make not a false muster, or rather such— an appearance, as drunken— men see of great armies in the Air, which instantly, and quite disappear, when sober people are curious to view them. And if Accessories be called New Verities, they should be rejected on that very head, by reason, that no truth can be new, and all Truths are older than Errors.  
Obj. 3. Have there not been some persons Divinely Inspired Teachers in all Ages, such as Antony, and Paul the Anachorets, St. Terese, St. Bridget, and St. Katherine, Theular, and Thomas a Kempeis'. And were it not for fear of your Pastoral Office, A. B. would be respected as one of these, and her Books held worthy of all acceptation.  
A. 1. There should be no ground to fear, the falling of the Pastoral Office, although many now living were inspired, in the measure of the Prophets and Apostles (which will never be, seeing the Canon of the Scriptures is complete) because the Pastoral Office is appointed of GOD, for his especial Service, and his perpetual presence is promised to be therewith, even as if a King should reveal his will secretly to some special favourites, it would not ways follow from thence, that the standing Laws should not be the people's Rule, and be expounded, and executed by the settled Judges.  
2. None of these were infallibly inspired, and no more was A. B. neither do I read, that Paul and Anthony the Egyptian Monks spoke against the established Offices in the Church, though they choosed a Monastic Life, in time of Persecution.  
If A. B. had any Precedent, it was the Spanish Nun Teresa, who yet pretended not to be the singular or sole Doctrix of the whole World, as A. B. did.  
Thomas a Kempis and Teular, were good men, but why doth not the Ap. call St. Aug. Bernard, and many more eminent men as well inspired as they?  
Obj. 4. To what purpose is all this reasoning against A. Bs. Accessory Doctrines? Since the Ap. did premonish pt. 1. Car. 13. p. 38. That if any person did not relish the Accessories, he might let them alone, that is to say, he shall not be bound to believe them, and let him forbear to dispute against them, how much soever he be dipleased therewith.  
A. That is a shift put into the mouths of all who are become rashly fond of all A. Bs. writings, but it is such a silly shift, that I marvel to hear, any rational person, pronounce it for a defence, when he is pressed with good Arguments, against her Errors from Scripture and Reason.  
In the common use of the phrase, to let a thing alone, is to forbear or to meddle or concern with it, on such an occasion, as when a Boy is to be chastised for a fault, he cries, let me alone, but let us examine the Aps own gloss of the expression.  
1. First, he says the meaning is, you need not believe A. Bs. Accessories to be true, unless you please. Here he enjoins a rare thing! Did ever any other persons pretending to be Divinely Inspired, in all their writings, leave the Readers at liberty, to believe the half of them to be true or no! Why did she mix and confound them in all her twenty two Books, with the Essentials of Religion, which ought to be believed, and how can unlearned people separate the Gold from the dross?  
2. He says, dispute not against them; so says Mahomet in his Koran c. 5. and elsewhere; If Truth be in them, it should be believed, if falsehood it ought to be confuted, or disputed against, and many of them are such, as is already proven.  
Obj. 5. It hath been said to me, that whoso writes against A. B. will be answered, even as the writings of Le. Clerk at Amsterdam and all Socinian Books are still defended by some persons, though they give much offence to the Church men; were it not better then, to forbear disputing in matters of Theology, than to increase it?  
A. I approve not A. Bs. Sentiments in this case, who declares, that the writings of Luther, Calvin, and all the Reformers, (whom she accounts Heretics) should have been quite despised, and not answered, or themselves cut off. L. W. pt. 1. p. 27. It is our duty to dispute for the Truth, and although Errors have Abetters and defenders, yet the Truth which is stronger than Errors, will at last prevail.  
Obj. 6. The harmony or consent of all the parts of the Holy Scriptures, is one evidence that they were given by Divine inspiration, so A.B. never contradicteth herself, which showeth that she was led by the Spirit of GOD in all her writings.  
A. If she was led by the Spirit of GOD in all her writings, than she should not be opposed, but there is one thing said and another thing seen, and her deeds in writing falsities proves her saying the contrary to be untrue, one may write Books without contradicting himself therein, and yet without Divine Inspiration, but the trial of that point anent A. B. shall bring the fourth Section, anent her Doctrines to an end.   

NUMBER III. Of her Contradictions.  
IF one proposition be true, than the contradictory assertion must be false, and no palliating or favourable interpretation can reconcile them; as for Instance. That is a most true saying which also is written sometimes be A. B. that, Man can only be saved and justified by the merits of CHRIST, but the contradiction of it is false, which she likewise writes, that we must add our own merits to CHRIST'S Sacrifice. This contradiction is not taken away by the subterfuge of the Ap. pt. 2. p. 98. 99 Where he says, her meaning was, that we cannot be saved without mortification, for mortification is our duty and not our merit, for Man's merit with GOD is Chimerical, a thing impossible.  
In the end of the third Section it was shown how A. B. contradicteth herself, anent the faculty of knowing Divine Inspiration. And another of her contradictions, was hinted in the former Number, in answering the fourth Objection, namely, she says, that she was Divinely Inspired, to write all her Books, if that saying be true than the contradiction of it must be false, that she wrote the most part of them without Divine Inspiration, which clearly follows, from her bidding us let alone her Accessories, which fill most of her Books.  
To believe and not to believe a Doctrine, is a contradiction, but A. B. requires the belief of her Doctrine, that fills all her Books, because written by Divine Inspiration, and yet requires us not to believe her Accessories, or the most part of her Doctrines, because she wrote them not by Divine Inspiration, which is a contradiction.  
I shall adduce two or three more of A. Bs. contradictions, and then (for the time) let them alone.  
1. It is affirmed, that many Heathens resigned their wills to God, and were faithful to Him, though they had no laws whereby to know Him. L W pt. 3. p. 123. but herein she contradicteth herself in the very next page, viz. 124. by affirming, that those Heathens had Laws from GOD, with the Doctrine of Jesus Christ.  
2. Man of himself is more inclined to Good than to Evil, L. W. pt. 2. p. 2. And yet she writes, that our self-will is capable to move itself only to evil, L. W. pt. 2. p. 76. which is a flat contradiction.  
3. The Ap. approves A. Bs. crying down all Schools and Learning, Pastors and Church-Government, and that GOD calls no Man to a place in the Church, and yet he says, that he would not separate from a lawful Bishop. p. 349.  
Where are abundance of contradictions for to have no Church Government, and yet to join with it is a contradiction, so to separate from those whom GOD hath not called and not to separate, how contradictious is it?     

SECTION V How Errors in Books shall be discerned.  
IT is somewhat difficult, to give certain Rules, whereby any person not well versed in Divinity, can distinguish Truth from Error, in reading Books, except the Holy Scriptures, in which there is no Error at all, but infallible Truth only.  
Yet I shall give some helps to know what Truths are written in other Books.  
1. Consider well, if what is written be Conform to the proportion of Faith Rom. 12.6.  
For false Prophets are known by their fruits, that is, their Doctrine and Actions. Mat. 7.15. Luke 6.45. If they contemn, wrist or gainsay the Holy Scriptures, in the least, they are Erroneous.  
2. We are likewise premonished from the unerring Canon of the Holy Scriptures, that the teachers of false Doctrine are very proud, overveening of themselves, and undervaluing all others in comparison of themselves and their party. Isaiah. 65.5. Who say, stand by thyself, come not near to me, for I am holier than thou, these are a smoke in my nose, and a fire that burneth all the day. 2 Tim. 3.2.4. They are proud, boasters, heady and high minded. so 1 Tim. 1.7. Desiring to be Teachers of the Law, understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.  
Thus Simon Magus gave himself out that he was Some great one. Acts 8.9. and the following Histories of the Church have narrated, that both Heretics and Schismatics still vented intolerable spiritual pride, such as, Manes, Arrius, Pelagius, Novatus and Donatus.  
And albeit St. Paul declared, that he was not inferior to the chiefest Apostles, in vindication of his Office against the contempt cast upon it by false Teachers; it were most impertinent arrogancy, for any now to pretend to such praise, since they have not St. Paul's infallible Spirit, and an immediate call from GOD to preach and write Books.  
3. It is a good Rule, which is written by Sir Thomas Brown, in his Book of Vulgar Errors. c. 1. That all deceivers writ Sophistically, so that any man who is acquainted, with the Rules of Logic, when he readeth erroneous arguing, let him try and he will find it captious and peccant against the Rules of true reasoning, either in the matter or the form, or in them both; where he also proveth clearly, by instances from the Scriptures that the first Sophisms or fallacious way of argumenting had the Devil for the Author.  
4. All erroneous writters usually hyperbolise too much, through ignorance or self conceit, still running unto extremes, either praising or dispraising, to an excessive degree; as in dispraising avarice, they commend Prodigality, and contrariwise, they cannot reprove Prodigality, without persuading to penuriousness, but liberality is the virtue in the midst.  
So the Circumcellions of old, thought that the only way to Heaven was by suffering, therefore they wandered unwisely to and fro like madmen, seeking people to kill them, and many writters have fallen into grievous Errors, splitting on these Rocks, or Shelves unwarily, like the Ships which steering too far off from the hazardous Shylla, fall into Charybdis, whereas the safest sailing is in the midst, betwixt the two. In like manner we see some writters, in commending the Love of GOD to derogate from Faith, and good works, they call them merit, whereas the writters of Truth, aim always to give every thing its due praise or dispraise without declining from the just measure, either to the extreme of the excess or the defect.   

SECTION VI Q. If any should read the Books of A. B.  
An. THey who are well studied in the Systems of Divinity, may profitably read some good things in very ill Books, such as the Turks Koran, Socinian-Books, Hobbs Laeviathan, and the Pamphlets of Enthusiasts, and still confuting Errors, as they meet with them; but I think that none can safely read the Books of A. B. excepting only those who can distinguish Truth from Error, according to the Rules given in the last Section, because of the snake lurking in the Grass.  
Obj. 1. You despise the writings of A. B. because she was a Woman. Ap. p. 146.  
A. I honour the Sex, but am not bound to approve a Woman's Erroneous doctrine, such excessive respect is not due to an Angel from Heaven. Gal. 1.8.  
Obj. 2. A. Bs. Books are carped at, as Philo the Jew, and Celsus did with the BIBLE, censuring half Sentences in sundry places, not heeding the Scope, or looking to what is said before, or what follows after, or is explained in other parts of her writings.  
A. That Challenge says nothing to one who Censures A. Bs. Books throughly, hath taken to task her whose Hypothesis, and proved that she was not Divinely Inspired, and erred egregiously in her writings, both anent the Essentials of Religion, and all the points thereof.  
Obj. 3. She wrote well of Love to GOD.  
A. You may read other Books on that subject, who have written far better, and are free of errors.  
Neither knew she well the Love of GOD who had not Charity to Man. 1 John 4.20   

SECTION VII. If Borignianists be a New Sect.  
THe Ap. p. 349. denyeth, that they are a New Sect, because they provide no Orders for a new Society, forbidding to join with any other.  
I grant they have not done it formally, but doubtless they have designed it, (when their number should increase) since they defame all Christian Churches, yet they would think it too severe a Censure, to compare their pride to Erostratus, who since he could not do any great thing that was good, did burn the Temple of Diana at Ephesus, only to get himself a name in the World.  
I am of opinion, that the followers of A. B. shall ere long vanish away as the Bhemanists have done, whom I have known to make as great a figure, as the Borignianists do now, as St. Athanasius said of the Arrians (a far more dreadful Party) it will be but a little Cloud, which will soon pass over, (in Latin) Nubecula citò transitura.  
AMEN.