There is no danger in tending upon, and taking heed to this Scripture-Light. 1. But if men do attend to Revelations, and Visions, how easily may they be drawn to despise the Scripture, and such as do wait thereon. There were a Generation of men in Luther's days, that pretended unto great Discoveries, and Revelations; men of great Parts, and of high Language; insomuch as Bucholcerus says of them,1 That they neither understood themselves, nor others; nor others them; but w•re always speaking of Revelations, Visions, Deifications, &c. As for other men that kept close to the Scripture, they called them Vocabulists, Literalists, Grammatists, and Creaturists. And so now it will be also, if men once do attend, and take heed unto Visions, they will easily despise the Scriptures, and such as do take heed thereto. Yea, 2. And if men do attend to these Visions, and Revelations, how easily may they be drawn into Popery, and Superstition? How did Mahomet set up his Alcoran, but by persuading the People to attend unto Revelation? And how did the Papists so much prevail upon the Nations of the World, but by their Visions, and Revelations? Search the Stories, and you shall find, that both the Turkish Alcoran, and the Popish Religion, had their Foundations here: And if Luther ⟨p. 17⟩had hearkened to Revelations and Visions, and not kept close to the Scripture, what had become of his Reformation? Nay, but says he, Pactum feci cum Domino Deo meo, &c. I have made a Covenant with the Lord my God, that he may not send me Visions, or Dreams, or Angels; Contentus enim sum hoc dono, quod habeam Scripturam: I am content with this Gift, That I have the Scripture, which doth abundantly teach, and supply all those things that are necessary for this Life, and for the future. Yea, 3. If a man do once come to attend, and take heed unto Visions, and Revelations, how easily may he slide, and depart into Atheism? for what difference is there between an Atheist, or a Pagan Infidel, and a Christian, but only this, That the Christian is for the Scripture, and doth adhere to that, the other not? Take away the Scripture from me, and there will be little difference between me, and an Infidel. But now the more a man doth attend unto Visions, the more his heart and hands will be loosed from the Scripture Surely therefore, there is a danger in this; but Scripture-Light, is a sure, and a safe Light.
There is no danger in tending upon, and taking heed to this Scripture-Light. 1. But if men do attend to Revelations, and Visions, how easily may they be drawn to despise the Scripture, and such as do wait thereon. There were a Generation of men in Luthers daies, that pretended unto great Discoveries, and Revelations; men of great Parts, and of high Language; insomuch as Bucholcerus saies of them,1 That they neither understood themselves, nor others; nor others them; but w•re alwaies speaking of Revelations, Visions, Deifications, &c. As for other men that kept close to the Scripture, they called them Vocabulists, Literalists, Grammatists, and Creaturists. And so now it wil be also, if men once do attend, and take heed unto Visions, they wil easily despise the Scriptures, and such as do take heed thereto. Yea, 2. And if men do attend to these Visions, and Revelations, how easily may they be drawn into Popery, and Superstition? How did Mahomet set up his Alcoran, but by perswading the People to attend unto Revelation? And how did the Papists so much prevail upon the Nations of the World, but by their Visions, and Revelations? Search the Stories, and you shal find, that both the Turkish Alcoran, and the Popish Religion, had their Foundations here: And if Luther ⟨p. 17⟩had hearkened to Revelations and Visions, and not kept close to the Scripture, what had become of his Reformation? Nay, but saies he, Pactum feci cum Domino Deo meo, &c. I have made a Covenant with the Lord my God, that he may not send me Visions, or Dreams, or Angels; Contentus enim sum hoc dono, quod habeam Scripturam: I am content with this Gift, That I have the Scripture, which doth abundantly teach, and supply al those things that are necessary for this Life, and for the future. Yea, 3. If a man do once come to attend, and take heed unto Visions, and Revelations, how easily may he slide, and depart into Atheism? for what difference is there between an Atheist, or a Pagan Infidel, and a Christian, but only this, That the Christian is for the Scripture, and doth adhere to that, the other not? Take away the Scripture from me, and there wil be little difference between me, and an Infidel. But now the more a man doth attend unto Visions, the more his heart and hands wil be loosed from the Scripture Surely therefore, there is a danger in this; but Scripture-Light, is a sure, and a safe Light.
- 1Swenckfeldiani sunt ter miseri, nec se nec alios intelligunt, non se que non intelligunt se dicere pugnantia non alios idque non tam naturali sua tarditate ingeniorum quam eo quod tenentur irretiti suis quibusdam enthusiasticis laqueis unde see extricari summam putant impietatem, dementabant multos magnifecis istis verbis quae semper illis in ore Illuminatio, Revelatio, Deificatio hominis interiotis et spiritualis, &c. Scultet. Annual. an. 1525. pag. 269, 270.Swenckfeldiani sunt ter miseri, nec se nec alios intelligunt, non se que non intelligunt se dicere pugnantia non alios idque non tam naturali sua tarditate ingeniorum quam eo quod tenentur irretiti suis quibusdam enthusiasticis laqueis unde se extricari summam putant impietatem, dementabant multos magnifecis istis verbis quae semper illis in ore Illuminatio, Revelatio, Deificatio hominis interiotis et spiritualis, &c. Scultet. Anual. an. 1525. pag. 269, 270.
