seen how it was The Spirit in some extraordinary gifts was poured on some of the Prophets of old but we never read that it was in such sort poured out on them that believed their Prophesie likewise as now it was upon those that received the Apostles Doctrine And therefore such a thing as this was foretold by the Prophets as peculiar to the coming of the Messias and as that by which he might be known to be come when the event of such Predictions took place even as it came to pass here The Prediction Joel 2. 28. was that in the last days the Spirit should be poured out upon all flesh in the last days that is in the last days of the Jewish State or Common-wealth as may be evinced by the Context i◠which Christ came as was foretold by his Prophets in which time also the Spirit was poured out in miraculous gifts and operations as a testimony that the Messias was come The Holy Spirit in the effects of it in these extraordinary gifts and operations is called the testifying of Christ or the witness which he bore touching his being the true Messiah and Saviour of the world John 15. 26 27. But when he the Comforter is come 〈◊〉 even the Spirit of Truth he shall testifie of me and ye also Apostles shall bear witness because ye ye have been with me from the beginning And again 1 John 5. 6. This is he that came by water and blood and it is the Spirit that beareth witness because the Spirit is truth John 16. 8. And when he the Comforter is come he will convince the world of sin because they believe not on me saith Christ of Righteousness because I go to my Father was taken up into heaven and of Judgment because the Prince of this world is judged the Devil dethroned and cast down as he was when the Mouths of his Oracles were stopped and the Idol-Temples shut up and his Kingdom and Rule demolished by the preaching of the Gospel among the Heathen accompanied with these Miraculous Effects of the Spirit which bore down all before it as it were and therefore this is called the Demonstration of the Spirit and Power as opposed to Humane Oratory among Heathen Philosophers and the way of Humane Demonstration 1 Cor. 2. 4. This wonderful effusion of the Spirit in miraculous Gifts was that Baptism of the Spirit we read of which you with some others have in these days vainly pretended to under another Notion of being baptized with the Spirit But if you will but compare Mat. 3. 11. and Acts 1. 5. with Act. 2. 3 4. and 11. 15 16. you may easily discern your Error in applying it to any thing but to that extraordinary and miraculous effusion of the Spirit By all this you may see how one Scripture falls in with and explains another if you will but take hold of a right Notion of the end for which the plentiful effusion of the Spirit was foretold and promised Which was not to guide all Christians by its inward motions without outward teaching but to enable some to teach the right Faith and Life to others even to those of other Tongues in their own Language and to confirm their Doctrine thereby and by other operations of the Spirit to be from God And these extraordidary effects of the Spirit were greatly necessary to accompany the first promulgation and planting of the Gospel in the world to procure credit to it belief of it from the Jews who otherwise would not have been taken off from their old way of Levitical Ceremonial worship which they had received from God and from the Gentile-Nations who otherwise would not have been taken off from their Idolatrous and Superstitious way of Worship in which they had been deeply rooted by long and ancient Tradition received from their Forefathers And therefore St. Paul saith as was observed before that Tongues that is the gift of speaking divers Tongues on a sudden are a sign not to them that believe but to them that believe not 1 Cor. 14. 22. As the giving of the Law by Moses was accompanied with Signs and Wonders which were wrought by Moses both before and after the first promulgation of it to procure belief from the Jews that he was sent of God and that the Law given by him was from God So it was as necessary that the first promulgation of the Gospel by the Son of God himself and by those that were immediately sent by him should be for the same reason accompanied with more and greater Miracles and Wonders than those wrought by Moses were as Christ himself was greater than Moses and as the abrogation of the Old and the giving of the New Law was more than the giving of the Law only when there was no promulgate Law before in being And therefore our Saviour said of the Jews that would not receive his Doctrine but still stuck to the Letter of the Law of Moses If I had not done among them the works which none other man hath done they had not had sin John 15. 24. And as it was not necessary to continue those or the like Miracles and Wonders in the Jewish Church after the Law had been well established by them but that the Law being once committed to writing might be as it was their standing Rule of Worship and Conversation Even so after the Gospel had received a sufficient attestation to be from God by the continuance of those miraculous Gifts of the Holy Ghost in the Church for some time till the Doctrine and History of the Gospel were committed to writing and those Writings owned as Authentick Records every where by the Church in all known parts of the world it was then no more necessary as the event shews to perpetuate Miracles in the Christian Church for the confirmation of the Gospel than it was to perpetuate them in the Jewish for the ratification of the Law but that the Doctrine and History of the Gospel in Books of the New Testament should be of like use to Christians as the Law and Prophets in Books was to the Jews of old The Prophets of old who though they were extraordinarily inspired did all along in their time call the Jews to obedience to the written Law of Moses and to Repentance for transgressing that And when prophesying in this sence was to cease from among them for several Ages God by Malachy the last of those Prophets gave it in charge to that People to remember the written Law of Moses as that by which they were to govern themselves Remember saith he the Law of Moses my Servant which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel with the Statutes and Judgments Mal. 4. 4. And it was foretold by Moses concerning Christ that a Prophet should be raised up by God like unto him Deut. 18. 15 18. And although Christ that Prophet was unlike unto Moses in many other things wherein our Lord excelled him yet he was truly
Doctrine 2 John 10. And if any man teach otherwise saith St. Paul and consents not to wholesom words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine which is according to Godliness he is proud knowing nothing 1 Tim. 6. 3 4. These things being all so plain as what can be plainer it cannot but be highly ridiculous for such as are ignorant in the very A B C of Christianity as by your dissent in this plain Truth you appear to be to pretend to such Sublimity and Spirituality as to esteem all other Christians in the world of what denomination soever that are not of your way in comparison of your selves to be all in Darkness and Confusion § 4. The Second Proposition is this Although the first Promulgators of the Gospel were enabled by immediate Revelation from Christ to teach it unto others yet afterward God's ordinary way and method of transmitting the Knowledge and Faith of the Gospel downwards to others successively was by such mens teaching it to others as had themselves learned it of the Apostles or others that taught the same Doctrine as they did Thus Timothy and Titus though Evangelists were instructed by Paul in the Christian Faith and how they should behave themselves in their publick capacities as Evangelists or Bishops and this was done partly by Speech and partly by his Epistles to them 2 Tim. 1. 13. Hold fast the Form of sound words which thou hast heard of me 2 Tim. 3. 14 15. Continue in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of knowing of whom thou hast learned them and that from a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures Titus learned the Christian Faith by Paul for which cause he stiles him his Son in the Common Faith Tit. 1. 4. And by his Epistle instructs him in the Election of Bishops which he was to place in the Cities of Crete And one of his Instructions about this Affair was that he should ordain such as held fast the faithful word as they had been taught Tit. 1. 9. And the same things which Timothy had learned of Paul he was to commit to faithful men and such as should be able to teach others 2 Tim. 2. 2. The things which thou hast heard of me among many Witnesses commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also § 5. 3. The same Doctrine and many of the same Miracles were committed to writing by the Apostles which were first preached and done by Christ and his Apostles and for the same end to wit to bring men to the Christian Belief and Life John 20. 31. But these are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that believing ye might have life through his Name 1 John 5. 13. These things have I written unto you that believe on the Name of the Son of God that ye may know that ye have Eternal Life and that ye may believe on the Name of the Son of God That is that they might believe more groundedly and firmly and so constantly and perseveringly against all opposition and temptations to the contrary Luke 1. 3 4. It seemed good to me also having had perfect understanding of things from the very first to write unto thee most excellent Theophilus that thou mightest know the Certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. The Scriptures given by inspiration of God are profitable for reproof correction and instruction in righteousness and able to make men wise unto salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus Rom. 16. 26. And by the Scriptures of the Prophets according to the Commandment of the everlasting God made known to all Nations for the obedience of Faith God of old commanded the Law written to be read to all the Congregation of Israel that they might learn to fear him Deut. 31. 11 12. § 6. 4. The Apostle required the same regard to be given to what he taught by his Epistles as to what he taught by speech face to face 2 Thes 2. 15. Therefore stand fast and hold the Traditions which ye have been taught whether by word or our Epistle 1 Cor. 14. 37. If any man think himself to be a Prophet or spiritual let him acknowledge that the things which I write unto you are the Commandments of the Lord. And the Epistles written to particular Churches were intended for the benefit of all in those things which in their nature were of common concern unto all 1 Cor. 1. 2. Unto the Church of God at Corinth With all that in every place call upon the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord both theirs and ours The two Epistles of St. Peter the first Epistle of John the Epistle of Jude and that of James are all General Epistles not directed to any particular Churches as such but to the Christians scattered abroad in the world And the Colossians were to read the Epistle sent to Laodicea and the Laodiceans to read that sent to the Colossians as well as those that were sent to both themselves respectively Col. 4 16. And St. John was commanded to send all the seven Epistles to each of the seven Churches in Asia and not only one Epistle to one Church and another to another And in Rev. Chap. 2 3. It is seven times said He that hath an Ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches as every man in the world hath that is not deaf And Chap. 22. 18. I testifie to every man saith Christ that heareth the words of the Prophesie of this Book c. And there is great reason why the same regard should be given to what the Apostles and Evangelists wrote as to what they spake as long as they either wrote the same Doctrine or History upon the same evidence For the Doctrine is the same after it is written as it was before for its Being written doth not alter the Nature of it And therefore men must needs be as much concerned in their Belief or Disbelief Obedience or Disobedience to it when it is communicated to them by writing as when it is so by Preaching yea I had almost said or by immediate Revelation For 't is not the way and manner of communicating the will of God to us that makes it saving but our belief and serious consideration of it and yielding obedience to it how or by what means soever we come to know it Otherwise 't is possible men may have Revelations from God as Balaam had and as Judas and other workers of Iniquity that prophesied and cast out Devils in Christ's Name had or might have had and yet not be profited by them And if there be any less degree of evidence of Divine Truth when it is communicated to us by writing than when it was communicated to others by the Apostles preaching or to the Apostles themselves by immediate Revelation yet belief of it and obedience to it upon that less degree
written in one of the Prophets I have written to them the great things of my Law and they have counted them as a strange thing Hos 8. 12. § 7. 5. The next Proposition is this That the Holy Scriptures extant in the Apostles days in conjunction with the Doctrine of the Christian Faith however made known by Writing or otherwise were then through that Grace of God which usually attends a due use of them able to make men wise to Salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. And that from a Child thou hast known the Holy Scriptures which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus If by Scriptures here you will understand the Scriptures of the Old Testament only yet you may easily collect that if those Scriptures were in great part able to make men wise unto Salvation then when the Gospel was on foot then the Scriptures of the New Testament as containing the Christian Doctrine are able to do it much more and both in conjunction to be effectual to that end The Apostle acquainted the Christians then that the Mystery of the Gospel by the Scriptures of the Prophets is and that according to the Commandment of the everlasting God made known to all Nations for the obedience of Faith Rom. 16. 25 26. § 8. 6. The Holy Scriptures as the means which God works by are able not only to make men in a private capacity wise unto salvation but also to furnish men for the discharging of the publick Office of Teaching and Governing in the Church of God The Holy Scriptures given by inspiration of God are profitable for Doctrine Reproof Correction and Instruction in Righteousness so as to make the man of God to wit a publick Preacher perfect throughly furnished to all good works even to enable him to discharge his whole Duty towards the Souls of others 2 Tim. 3. 16. And St. Paul by his Writings instructed even Timothy himself how to behave himself in his Office and publick Capacity 1 Tim. 3. 14. These things write I unto thee that thou maist know how to behave thy self in the House of God which is the Church of the Living God And for the better discharge of his Ministerial Office directs and enjoins him to give attendance to Reading and to Meditation or Study 1 Tim. 4. 13 15. Which sure would have been needless if he had been sufficiently able to have done all by the immediate Illumination and operation of God's Spirit as you fancy your Teachers are able to do § 9. 7. The same promise is made to the reading of the Word written and to the keeping of it as is to the hearing and keeping of it Rev. 1. 3. Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the words of this Prophesie and keep those things which are written therein § 10. 8. The Scripture is said to say this or that which yet God said himself or by his Servants Rom. 9. 17. The Scripture saith unto Pharaoh even for this same purpose have I raised thee up that I might shew my power in thee Rom. 10. 11. The Scripture saith Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed Gal. 3. 22. The Scripture hath concluded all under sin What saith the Scripture Cast out the Bondwoman and her Son Gal. 4. 30. Which yet was the Saying of God himself Gen. 16. Another Scripture saith They shall look on him whom they have pierced John 19. 17. No Prophesie of the Scriptures is of private Interpretation 2 Pet. 1. 20. So that according to this look what God saith in and by the Scriptures touching such things as concern us is in effect the same as if he had spoken them to us himself immediately If any man think himself to be a Prophet or Spiritual let him acknowledge that the things I write unto you are the Commandments of the Lord said St Paul 1 Cor. 14. 37. You are wont to insinuate indeed as if the Scriptures were not of that use to us now as they were to them to whom they were first written But however they might more concern them than us in some particular cases proper to them yet in things of common concern they are as much for our use as they were for theirs For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our Learning Rom. 15. 4. What God said to Joshua I will never leave thee nor forsake thee the Apostle would have all faithful Christians relie on as if it had been spoken to themselves Heb. 13. 5. That which was first spoken to the Jews Lev. 26. The Apostle applies to the Believing Gentiles as much as if it had been spoken to them only 2 Cor. 6. 16. For ye are the Temple of the Living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they shall be my people § 11. 9. We that have the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles brought down to us in the Scriptures may according to Scripture-Dialect be said to have Christ and his Apostles as truly as it was said of the Jews in our Saviour's days on Earth that they had Moses and the Prophets for it was by having in the Scriptures what they said and did that were said to have them And by hearing and believing the Scriptures of the New Testament we may as well be said to hear and believe Christ and his Apostles as they to hear and believe Moses and the Prophets which yet they were said to do when they did believe their Writings Luke 16. 29. They have Moses and the Prophets let them hear them Ver. 31. If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead John 5. 46 47. Had ye believed Moses ye would have believed me for he wrote of me But if ye believe not his Writings how should ye believe my Words Christ promised his Apostles upon his giving them Commission to teach all Nations that he would be with them to the end of the world and he is so in one sense when he accompanies their Ministration by their Doctrine and Writings with the presence of his Grace and power in their continuation to the end of the world And as it is said of Moses Acts 15. 21. That he had those in every City that preached him being read in the Synagogues every Sabbath day inasmuch as his Books of the Law were read so for the same or like reason it may be as truly said that Christ hath those that preach him now when the Books of the New Testament written by inspiration of his Spirit are read among us and opened unto us every Lord's Day You may then safely conclude that those that have the Doctrine of Christ in his Gospel among them have Christ among them and all that receive and hold fast that do receive and hold fast him So saith St. John in his second Epist v. 9. He that abideth in the Doctrine of Christ he