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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47136	Divine immediate revelation and inspiration, continued in the true church second part. In two treatises: the first being an answer to Jo. W. Bajer Doctor and Professor of Divinity, so called, at Jena in Germany, published first in Latine, and now in English. The second being an answer to George Hicks, stiled Doctor of Divinity, his sermon preached at Oxford, 1681. and printed with the title of, The spirit of enthusiasm exorcised; where this pretended exorcist is detected. Together, with some testimonies of truth, collected out of diverse ancient writers and fathers, so called. By G.K.; Divine immediate revelation and inspiration, continued in the true church. Part 2.	Keith, George, 1639?-1716.	1685 (1685)	Wing K158; ESTC R218958	105,601	220

the habit of their mind because these are rules of righteousness but it is manifest their minds are unrighteous note where then are these rules writ where he who is unjust knoweth what is just where he understandeth that he ought to have that which he hath not Where are they therefore writ but in the Book of that Light which is called the Truth whence every just Law is described and is transferred into the Heart of Man who worketh Righteousness not by motion as from one place to another but by impression as the Image passeth from the Seal into the Wax and yet leaveth not the Seal Thus Augustine Again In this same Paragraph he blameth R.B. for saying That the General Revelation doth suffice unto Salvation although the Special doth not come nor be adjoyned thereunto But granting that he who hath faithfully obeyed and followed the General Revelation be in a safe state as to the present and hath a firm and sure hope of future happiness yet this doth not hinder but in order to obtain a more perfect state through Christ of Eternal Life the Special Revelation is necessary as is plain in the example of Cornelius to whom the Apostle Peter behoved to be sent who was to Preach unto him words concerning Christ by which as the Angel said Acts 11.14 He and his House were to be saved CHAP. IV. IN his Seventh and Eighth Paragraphs he saith little or nothing more than what he had formerly delivered concerning the state of the Controversie to wit whether Immediate Divine Revelations be the Principle of knowing God and Divine Things in respect of all men and for all times But divers other things remain as necessary to be opened for the more clear stating the Controversie First as to the Principle of Knowledg which is either Primary or Secundary or which is to the same effect Principal or Subordinate Now as concerning the Subordinate and Secundary Principle we deny not but that the Scriptures are a subordinate and secundary Principle of knowing Divine Doctrines and Truths as concerning God and Christ but still we contend for the Holy Spirit Inlightning Inspiring and by its Life giving Vigour and Vertue effectually working in the souls of men as the Principal or Primary And let the Adversary tell me seeing he doth acknowledge that the inward illumination and operation of the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary to the obtaining any Saving Knowledge of God whether he doth not believe that the Holy Spirit inwardly operating and inlightning the Minds of Believers is the Primary Principle of Divine Knowledge Or will he say that the Scriptures are the Primary Principle and that the Holy Spirit is but the secundary and subordinate which last as being too absurd and offensive to Christian ears I hope he will abhor to affirm Secondly As concerning the term of inward Revelation the strife or controversie is to be removed for why should we contend in meer words if we be agreed in the same sence as to the verity of the thing First he doth acknowledge that the inward Illuminations of the Holy Spirit are absolutely necessary to beget the saving knowledge of God and Divine Things in Mens minds Secondly He granteth that these inward Illuminations of the Holy Spirit are not only effective but also that they are objective as being real objects proposed to the Mind and moving it to the assent of Truth For so he doth in his Thirty Second Paragraph expresly affirm That God or the Spirit revealing doth not only work efficiently on the Intellectual Faculty to bring forth or produce the Act of Believing but doth also move the Mind objectively or by a formal representation of an object determine the Vnderstanding to assent Thus He. Wherein so far as I can understand or reach he doth acknowledge that the inward Illumination of the Holy Spirit is Revelation properly so called For by inward Revelation we do not understand any other thing than that the Holy Spirit works not only efficiently or as an Efficient Cause upon our Understanding to beget in us True Divine Knowledge and Faith but that he also moves objectively or by a formal representation of the Object determines our Understanding to Assent For what is it in general to Reveal but to propose the Object revealed to our perceptive Faculty and so in particular he who doth propose the outward visible Objects to my sight he is properly enough said to reveal unto me these Visibles and the same is to be understood of the Objects of the other outward Senses And surely according to Scripture phrase the inward illustrations and illuminations of the Holy Spirit produced in the hearts of the faithful are called Revelations in respect of which the Holy Spirit in Scripture is called The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Eph. 1.17 as he doth illustrate and illuminate the hearts of the Faithful And Paul writing of the state of his Conversion affirmeth that God had revealed his Son in him the which in some manner and degree may be said of every converted man As yet therefore we agree well enough as I suppose in forming the state of the Controversie It remaineth then Thirdly that we discuss or consider this term Immediate a little more fully wherein alone almost the strife of the Controversie seemeth to be placed the which although at first view it may seem great yet afterwards laying aside prejudice it may appear to be little if any That it may therefore be more clearly understood what is signified by this term Immediate I desire the Reader to take notice that Immediate doth signifie two very different things One is the absence of all means or medium's in the producing any effect Hence God the Great Creator is rightly said to have produced or created his creatures immediately because there was no medium or mean existing save only his Word and Spirit whereby to create them But this signification of the word or term Immediate is too strait and narrow and perhaps agreeth to no other operation than to the Creation and Conservation of the World by God that infinite and supreme Cause unless we add those Divine Miracles and other marvellous things which God did of old and yet doth without the use or concurrence of means The second or other signification of the word Immediate doth not import the absence of the mean or medium but the intimate application or concurrence of the principal and primary Cause unto the secundary together with the mean or means in the operation Again the medium or mean is either continued or discontinued The continued mean I call that mean which is continued or continually and closely is conjoyned in working with the Cause both principal and subordinate But the discontinued mean is that which is not continued or conjoyned in the working with the primary and principal Cause but either works nothing at all or worketh only with the secundary Cause while as the principal and primary Cause worketh nothing with the

said mean but suspendeth and withdraweth its concourse and influence that is requisite to the producing the effect aright Now the continued mean or medium hindereth not that the action or operation of the principal and primary Cause be said to be immediate Hence Immediate is as much as to be in medio i. e. in the mean and therefore when God is said to be in the midst of the faithful so that by his presence in the midst of them or he mediating and intervening they perform all their works he is rightly and properly said immediately to work in them and to inspire and inlighten them Now that the continued mean hinders not the immediate operation of the principal Cause many examples might be produced to show it I shall give an instance in some few which follow The Sun doth immediately inlighten our eyes and shine upon the visible objects and yet it doth this by means of the Air and sometimes by means of the Chrystal or Glass of the Window But because the Air and Glass or other diaphanous and transparent mediums are continued with the Suns illumination the said illumination is immediate and is commonly acknowledged so to be Again when the Husbandman laboureth in his field using many means as Ploughing Digging Sowing Watering or Reaping and Gathering his Corn the Sun doth immediately inlighten him and shine upon his labours by vertue and assistance of which illumination he still laboureth Here we see the making use of many means doth not hinder the immediate illumination and operation of the Sun upon the Husbandman and his labours but all these means and the use of them doth very well agree with the Suns immediate illumination and as it were Revelation and the one is perfited and established by the other For as the labouring and using these outward means cannot be rightly performed and do not profit or avail without the Suns influence and operation so unless the said Husbandman doth labour in his Field Plow Dig Sow and perform other necessary actions for the labouring his ground the Suns illumination or operation although immediate shall little avail him Another example I shall give in the daily mutual conversation of men one with another When one man speaks to another face to face they both hear and see each other immediately and yet this hearing and seeing of one another is not without the use and intervening of many means or mediums for both the voice and image of those men immediately so conversing are conveyed from one to another not only by means of the Air but also of many Organs of the Eyes and Ears It now remaineth to apply these examples or similitudes to the present purpose of Immediate Revelation and the Illumination of the Holy Spirit Do not our Adversaries grant that God doth so inlighten the minds and inward eyes of the Faithful with his Light and Illumination who is the inward spiritual and invisible Sun of the Soul as the outward and worldly Sun doth inlighten our outward eyes I suppose this they will grant Again Is not God who is the light and life of the Faithful as closely and intimately present or rather indeed much more present with his people as the outward Sun is to our Body and outward Man Doth not the Spirit of God which is of a most subtle and penetrating nature and his Light Life and Virtue more perfectly go through and penetrate all means than the outward illumination of the Sun can penetrate or pierce through the Air or most clear and transparent Glass or Chrystal Is not God most inwardly present in all his Creatures and most near and close unto them Is he not more near unto us than all means however so near But it may be answered that God worketh in us using many and various means as reading of the Scriptures Preaching Hearing Meditation Prayer sometimes one and sometimes another and at other times divers joyned together This is granted but all this hinders not that the operation and illumination of God in the use of those means is immediate For if the use of all means in every respect be taken away in Gods instructing teaching inspiring and inlightning men I know not if it can be proved clearly that any man whether Prophet or Apostle was immediately inlightned or inspired by the Holy Spirit with special Revelation For besides that many of the Prophets were taught of God by the means and ministry of Angels and that Iohn the Apostle had his Visions of the Revelation when he was banished into the Isle of Patmos by means of an Angel sent by Christ unto him what Prophet or Apostle ever was of God or of Christ but made use of means Was not Prayer sometimes both Mental and Vocal sometimes only Mental a general and universal Mean which both Prophets and Apostles used and that frequently to obtain their Divine Inspirations and Revelations Do we not read how Moses besought the Lord that he might see his glory the which most sweet and blessed Vision he obtained by means of his prayer and the same is to be understood of the other Prophets And did not the Apostles continue with one accord in prayer at a certain place betwixt the time of Christ his ascending into heaven and the giving of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost And did they not obtain that most excellent gift of the Holy Spirit by means of their prayer And did not Cornelius and his Friends receive the Holy Spirit by means of Peter his Preaching and the like did frequently come to pass to the Primitive Disciples by means of the Apostles Preaching and laying on of their hands Did not Christ inspire the Apostles immediately before his Ascension by means of his outward Preaching unto them and laying his hands on them Did not the Apostles Minister one to another after they had received the Holy Spirit of the word of Life and did edifie and build up one another Had not the Prophets of old Schools and there did Prophesie and Preach and Pray and by using these means the Gift and Spirit of Prophesie came upon many Hearers immediately Surely few or none of the Prophets or Apostles but at times were outwardly taught Adam the first Prophet instructed Abel and Seth Seth instructed his Children and they again their children at least some of them until Noah and Noah instructed some of his Posterity and they again of theirs until Abraham for without all controversie both Abraham and Moses learned some things by outward teaching from their Forefathers of God and Divine Things which yet did not hinder but that they also were immediately inspired and taught of God themselves yea the outward teaching did further them and by its virtue did prepare their minds to receive their Divine Inspirations But put the case that some of them did not hear any thing taught them outwardly by mans voice as in the case of Adam when he was alone Did he or they therefore use no means

affirmeth That the Jews have corrupted the Scriptures in diverse places as first that they have taken out of Esdras where he declareth the Law of the Passover these following words and Esdras said unto the people This Passover is our Saviour and our refuge and if ye think and call to mind to restore him being cast off in a sign and then shall place your hope in him this place shall not be forsaken for ever saith the Lord of Hosts but if ye shall not believe nor hear his words teaching and preaching ye shall be a derision to all Nations and out of the 96th Psalm whereas he saith it was written say among the Nations the Lord hath reigned from the tree viz. the tree of the Cross mentioned by Peter on which Christ was crucified they have left out or taken away these words from the tree leaving only these other words the Lord hath reigned he mentioneth also a third place in Ieremiah corrupted by them XX. Athanasius in his Synopsis Sacris Scripturis acknowledgeth that many Books of the Prophets are lost as the Book of Nathan Addo Achias the Silonite Semei and Iehu and of three thousand Psalms of David only an hundred and fifty now remaining also there were five thousand Parables of Solomon and five thousand Songs also he wrote of Trees from the Cedar of Libanon to the Hysop on the Wall and of Beasts Fouls Creeping-things and Fishes which are not now to be found in the Hebrew and Iosephus declareth that Ezekiel writ two Books of Prophesie It is manifest saith Athanasius that all these are lost by the madness and sloth of the wicked Jews XXI Tertullian in his Book de Virgini Velandis cap. 1. saith The Law of faith remaining the other things belonging to discipline and conversation admit the newness of correction the grace of God working and promoting unto the end for what sort of thing is it that while the Devil is always working and daily adding unto the engines of iniquity that the work of God should either cease or leave off to profit seeing for this cause he sent the Comforter that because mans weakness could not receive all at once by degrees the discipline should be directed and ordered and brought to perfection by that Holy Spirit the Vicar of the Lord. XXII Gregory Nazianzen in his Oration concerning Athanasius saith expresly thus What the Sun is to things sensible the same is God unto things intellectual for the Sun enlightneth the visible World and God enlightneth the invisible World and the one maketh us see the Sun the other maketh us see God Again the same Author saith thus ibid. Whosoever breaketh through the matter and this fleshly body whether saith he it may be lawful to call it a Cloud or a Vail and obtaineth to be conversant with God unfolding or revealing himself and to apprehend that most pure or supream light fo far as is lawful to the nature of man such a man is blessed both because he hath ascended from what is here below and also because he hath obtained that oneness with God or deiformity gr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the true Philosophie giveth These things saith he have been the care and study of some few both of old and now in this present time and among such he reckoneth Athanasius as equaling some and excelling others and falling little short of some others to wit even the Prophets and Apostles XXIII Clemens Alexandrinus already cited admon ad gent. As the true Sons of the Light let us behold the Light and look upward lest the Lord find us to be but Bastards as the Sun discovereth the Eagles And lib. 5. Stromatum he saith he who neither maketh use of his sight nor any other of his bodily senses in his contemplating but by the pure mind it self applyeth to things obtaineth the true Philosophy XXIV The same Clemens lib. 1. Stromatum directeth men in general to go to the Light and Water that is within themselves But he who hath the eye of his soul dimmed or made dull with evil education and doctrine let him go into his Domestick Light or the Light that is in his own House gr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the truth which graphically manifesteth things that are not written Ye who thirst go unto the Waters saith Esaias and Solomon admonisheth saying drink Water out of your own Cistern Prov. 5. therefore Plato who is a Philosopher out from among the Hebrews as having learned much from them in his Laws commandeth the Husbandman not to pour Water upon the Land nor to take Water from others to water it but that they first dig by themselves even unto the earth which is called Virgin-earth and in the same Book he saith the Scripture exciteth or stirreth up that which is within us which he calleth the fire of the Soul igniculum animae XXV In his admonition to the Gentiles he saith The Saviour hath many voices and ways for the salvation of men threatning he admonisheth them and reproving he converteth them c. also he terrifieth them by the fire kindling a flame out of a Pillar which is both a signification of grace and of fear if thou obeyest it is light if thou dost not obey it is fire And in the same Admonition to the Gentiles who were unbelievers he saith It is not difficult to come unto the Truth nor impossible to apprehend her for she is most near in our Houses even as the most wise Moses declareth living in our three parts the Hands the Mouth and the Heart for so the Septuagint rendreth these words this saith he is a true symbol of the Truth which is fulfilled universally in three viz. Counsel Action and Speech XXVI Athanasius whom I formerly mentioned as one greatly approved among the Fathers in his Oration against the Gentiles saith As God who is over all so the way which leadeth unto him is not far off nor is it forth without us but it is in us and the beginning of it may be found out by us even as Moses taught in these words the word of Faith is within thy heart which our Saviour also signified and confirmed saying the Kingdom of God is within you for because we have in us Faith viz. the word of Faith and the Kingdom of God therefore we may speedily understand and contemplate the King of the University to wit the saving word of the Father Neither can the Heathens pretend any cause who serve Idols nor let any man vainly deceive himself as if he wanted that way or method and therefore find out a pretext of his impiety for we all stand upon that way and have it although all do not endeavour to walk in it but transgress it being drawn a-away by the outward pleasures of this life XXVII Origin reputed by many inferiour to none of these called Fathers both for his great piety and great knowledge of the Scriptures who lived before Athanasius and was a Disciple of Clemens Alexandrinus

neglect and lay aside the reading of the Holy Scripture and Meditation thereon and the use and exercise of other good means as Preachings or Declarations of Truth in the Assemblies of the Faithful through Holy Men who speak by the Holy Ghost and also prayers and supplications and giving of thanks unto God both in publick and private or the Pious and Christian Admonitions Exhortations and Reprehensions of their Brethren and Elders where they are needful how much sover they make a pretext of the Spirit yet they live not in the Holy Spirit of God and they may pretend to have a name to live with those of the Church of Sardis but they are very dead carnal rude and ignorant whereas the humble meek and faithful Servants of God in the first place they imbrace love and receive with great respect the Holy Spirit of God and watch and attend unto the same and then duely and chastly they regard the Holy Scriptures as the Instruments means organs and vessels of the Holy Spirit as the same useth them and appeareth in them and so frequently and daily make use of them and of all other means ordained and appointed of God and in their so doing find their great profiting to the praise of God and to the increasing in them Divine knowledge and vertue for they do well know and consider that it is a peculiar work and office of the Holy Spirit to expound the Holy Scriptures unto them explain and unfold their mysteries prophecies and hidden things and reveal their deep sence and that sometimes by the means of others preaching unto them and at other times by silent and solitary meditation within themselves which doth not hinder the immediate operation and communication of the Holy Spirit but is altogether made effectual thereby as is showed at large in this following treatise And how can they reject the Holy Scriptures or their use to read and hear them and meditate upon them who believe that the Holy Spirit is given them for that very cause that he may expound unfold and reveal the Scriptures unto them the Holy Scripture therefore is not to be rejected nor laid aside by any however so much inlightned and replenished with the Holy Spirit but greatly to be esteemed and improved according to their great worth The Apostle Paul exhorted Timothy who had that excellent gift of the Holy Spirit to read the Holy Scripture and praised him that from his Childhood he had known them and been exercised in them his faithful parents to wit his Mother and Grandmother procuring and moving him unto the same also the Apostles did exercise themselves in reading the Scriptures of the Prophets and did bring many excellent places out of them as the Holy Spirit taught them and opened them in their Preaching Christ and his Gospel and Faith to convince the unbelieving and in their Epistles unto the faithful they did frequently cite the Scriptures of the Prophets and did also meditate in them for the nourishing their hope and consolation as Paul hath expresly affirmed Whatever said he is written for our cause it was written whereby he includeth both himself and all the Apostles as well as other Saints that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures may have hope and if they be writ for the Saints as well as for others therefore they are to be read and heard and meditated upon by the Saints as well as others by Men and Women Old and Young and by young Children also that as it were with their Mothers Milk they may draw and suck in the most wholesome precepts institutions and examples of the Scripture and the most profitable Histories thereof for the begetting and forming them unto a good life by the assistance of the grace of the Holy Spirit which shall not be wanting to them who sincerely wish and desire it for all Scripture Divinely inspired and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto every good work 2 Tim. 3.16.17 Daniel who was a great Prophet of God understood some things out of books and especially out of Jeremiah his Prophecy as he himself did testifie John saith the things he did write concerning Christ were writ unto men that they might believe and by believing may attain everlasting life John 20.31 and therefore the Scriptures are given also in order to work or beget faith into Christ in mens hearts to wit as a means or instrument thereof in the hand of the Spirit and finally Paul saith that the mistery to wit of the Gospel of Christ which was kept secret since the World began but now is made manifest is by the Scriptures of the Prophets according to the Commandment of the everlasting God to be made known to all Nations for the obedience of faith Rom. 16.25 26. And although neither in the age of the Apostles nor unto this day the outward Testimony of the Scripture in the declaration of the Gospel is come to all and every one of Mankind yet it shall most certainly come into all before the end of the World and the Gospel as Christ hath declared shall be preached to all Nations both inwardly and outwardly for a Testimony to the Salvation of them that believe and to the greater condemnation of these who believe not And surely the time is near wherein God is to visit all Nations with his Spirit Light Life and Grace in a larger measure than in many ages by-gone and by the virtue and efficacy of his Spirit he will sanctify and bless unto the people the outward testimony of the Scriptures that with spiritual fruit and encrease they may read them and hear them and meditate upon them diligently and this my testimony as concerning the worth and use of the Scriptures and of all other true means appointed of God the Holy Spirit assisting I desired to have published ERRATA PAge 18. line 4. read tast p. 20. l. 27. r. airy p. 29. l. 24. r. where p. 41. l. 26. r. is Christ p. 75. l. 10 11 r. Books which they contain in so many words p. 78. l. 10. f. primitive r. intimate p. 78. l. 28. r. implanted and ingrafted p. 79. l. 9. r. worthy of belief p. 81. l. 17. r. at least p. 82. l. 14. r. antient writings p. 84. l. 29. r. refuted The Second Treatise Page 89. l. 16. r. was induced p. 93. l. 8. r. restricted p. 95. l. 23. f. acknowledge r. actually l. 24. r. absent p. 97. l. 6. r. to the Holy Ghost p. 98. l. 1. r. assentiendi p. 104. l. 9 13 18 r. Students l. 12. r. them p. 105. l. 2. r. pretend p. 109. l. 25. r. doth only conclude p. 110. l. 10. r. inspired l. 21. r. supposed p. 114. l. 13. r. inspiration p. 138. l. 19. r. Revelations p. 139. l. 4. r. within p. 145. l. 6. r. at most l. 26. r. partly p. 160. l. 24. r.