A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

And if through their neglect of it, or not attendance unto it, or disability to discern the mind and will of God in it, whether proceeding from their natural impotency and blindness in their lapsed condition, or some evil habit of mind contracted by their giving admission unto corrupt prejudices and Traditional Principles, the work be not effected; this is no impeachment of the Scriptures sufficiency, but a manifestation of their ⟨p. 106⟩weakness and folly. Besides, all that unity in faith that hath been at any time or is in the world according to the mind of God, every Decision that hath been made at any time of any difference in or about Religion in a right way and order, hath been by the Scripture, which God hath sanctified unto those ends and purposes. And it is impossible that the miscarriages or defects of men can reflect the least blame upon it, or make it esteemed insufficient for the end now enquired after. The pursuit then of your Enquiry which now you insist upon, is in part vain, in part already answered. In vain it is that you enquire whether the written Word can settle any man in a way that neither himself, nor present adherents, nor future Generations shall question: For our enquiry is not after what may be, or what shall be, but what ought to be. It is able to settle a man in a way, that none ought to question unto the worlds end: So it settled the first Christians. But to secure us that none shall ever question the way whereinto it leads us; that it is not designed for, nor is it either needful or possible that it should be so: The Oral preaching of the Son of God, and of his Apostles, did not so secure them whom they taught. The way that professed, was every where questioned, contradicted, spoken against, and many, after the profession of it, again renounced it: And I wonder what feat you have to settle any one in a way that shall never be questioned. The Authority of your Pope and Church will not do it: Themselves are things as highly questioned and disputed about, as any thing that was ever named with reference unto Religion. If you shall say, But yet they ought not to be so questioned, and it is the fault of men that they are so: You may well spare me the labour of answering your Question, ⟨p. 107⟩seeing you have done it your self.

And if through their neglect of it, or not attendance unto it, or disability to discern the mind and will of God in it, whether proceeding from their naturall impotency and blindness in their laps'd condition, or some evil habit of mind contracted by their giving admission unto corrupt prejudices and Traditionall Principles, the work be not effected; this is no impeachment of the Scriptures sufficiency, but a manifestation of their