A85830:39
Shadows without substance, or, Pretended new lightsShadowes without substance, or, Pretended new lights
Shadows without substance, or, Pretended new lights: together, with the impieties and blasphemies that lurk under them, further discovered and drawn forth into the light: in way of rejoinder unto Mr John Saltmarsh his reply: entitled Shadows flying away. Wherein nothing less is showed to have been performed, then what the title page importeth; or the preface promiseth. As also, divers points of faith and passages of Scripture are vindicated and explained. / By Thomas Gataker, B. of D. and pastor of Rotherhith. Published by authority.Shadowes without substance, or, Pretended new lights: together, with the impieties and blasphemies that lurk under them, further discovered and drawn forth into the light: in way of rejoynder unto Mr Iohn Saltmarsh his reply: entituled Shadowes flying away. Wherein nothing lesse is shewed to have been performed, then what the title page importeth; or the preface promiseth. As also, divers points of faith and passages of Scripture are vindicated and explained. / By Thomas Gataker, B. of D. and pastor of Rotherhith. Published by authority.
London: printed for Robert Bostock, 1646
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
2. For your belief, That I have thereby strengthened the hands of many to sin: I know, and am well assured, that there is nothing in that book, that may encourage any thereunto. But if your self, in the days of your vanity, (which it may justly be feared, are not yet over; to much of it still appears in you both here and else-where) or any other,* Spider-like, besides your self, have sucked poison out of the sayings of truth (I am bold so to stile them having not been hitherto convict of error; and disprove you if you can, what I say) therein delivered; the fault is not in my book, but in your own, and their owno corrupt affection, that converts that into venom that is wholesome and harmless of it self. Nor is it probable, that the freeing of a Lot used, either in those games or any other, from that superstitious conceit, that some had laboured to fasten on it, should spur any on to an excessive use, either of those disports or any other. They that were so conscientious as to forbear them only for that scruple, there is no likelihood, but would be as strict and precise in the moderate usage of them, if they thought good to make use of them, when they were freed from that groundless scruple. And well may it be deemed therefore, that your own idle vain and loose disposition, was it that carried you on to excess, if you were in game overmuch, rather then my book (which not only gives no allowance for it, butp expressly condemns it) or ought you found or read in it.
2. For your belief, That I have thereby strengthened the hands of many to sinne: I know, and am well assured, that there is nothing in that book, that may encourage any thereunto. But if your self, in the dayes of your vanity, (which it may justly be feared, are not yet over; to much of it still appeares in you both here and els-where) or any other,* Spider-like, besides your self, have sucked poyson out of the sayings of truth (I am bold so to stile them having not been hitherto convict of errour; and disprove you if you can, what I say) therein delivered; the fault is not in my book, but in your own, and their own