A vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat lux

1. A Principle, fundamental, or first entrance into any way of Settlement in Faith or Religion, it cannot possibly be; because it presupposeth the knowledge of, ⟨p. 164⟩and assent unto many other great fundamental Articles of Christian Religion; yea upon the matter all that are so: For before you can rationally talk with a man about Peters Principality, and the Monarchical state of the Church hereon depending, you must suppose that he believes the Scripture […] be the Word of God, and all things that are taught therein concerning Jesus Christ, his, Person, Nature, Offices, Work, and Gospel, to be certainly and infallibly true: for they are all: supposed in your Assertion; which without the knowledge of them is uncouth, horrid, insignificant, and foreign to all notions that a man can rationally entertain of God or Religion: Nay no attempt of proof or confirmation can be given unto it, but by and from Scripture, whereby you fall directly into the Principle which you seek so carefully to avoid: namely that the Scripture is the only way and means of settling us in the Truth; since you cannot settle any man in the very first proposition which you make to lead him into another way but by the Scripture: So powerful is Truth, that those who will not follow it willingly, it will lead them captive in Triumph, whether they will or no.

1. A Principle, fundamental, or first entrance into any way of Settlement in Faith or Religion, it cannot possibly be; because it presupposeth the knowledg of, ⟨p. 164⟩and assent unto many other great fundamental Articles of Christian Religion; yea upon the matter all that are so: For before you can rationally talk with a man about Peters Principality, and the Monarchical state of the Church hereon depending, you must suppose that he believes the Scripture 〈…〉 be the Word of God, and all things that are taught therein concerning Jesus Christ, his, Person, Nature, Offices, Work, and Gospell, to be certainly and infallibly true: for they are all: supposed in your Assertion; which without the knowledg of them is uncouth, horrid, insignificant, and forraign to all notions that a man can rationally entertain of God or Religion: Nay no attempt of proof or confirmation can be given unto it, but by and from Scripture, whereby you fall directly into the Principle which you seek so carefully to avoid: namely that the Scripture is the only way and means of setling us in the Truth; since you cannot settle any man in the very first proposition which you make to lead him into another way but by the Scripture: So powerfull is Truth, that those who will not follow it willingly, it will lead them captive in Triumph, whether they will or no.