Selected quad for the lemma: child_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
child_n	spirit_n	witness_n	witness_v	3,134	5	10.5018	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85050	Vindiciæ mediorum & mediatoris. or, the present reigning errour arraigned, at the barr of Scripture and reason. Wherein is discovered the falshood and danger of that late borne opinion, that pretends to an immediate enjoyment and call of the Spirit of God, both above and against its owne fffects, [sic] cause, word, ministry, and witness, in all respects. Occasioned by a pamphlet, intituled, The saints travell to the land of Canaan, or a discovery of seventeen false rests, &c. By one R. Wilkinson, a preacher of this errour about Totnes in the West. In the treatise following, the reader shall finde, most of the maine fundamentall doctrinall truths that this age doth controvert, faithfully vindicated, cleared, confirmed. By F. Fullwood, minister of the Gospell at Staple Fitzpane in the county of Somerset.	Fullwood, Francis, d. 1693.	1651 (1651)	Wing F2521; Thomason E1281_1; ESTC R202060	131,348	337

is none of his But this seems to infer another Argument as subordinate to the main Conclusion taken from the spirit not onely as a Cause but as a necessary effect consequent signe adjunct or companion of Christs interest in us or relation to us he that hath not the spirit is none of Christs but he that hath it then is his his Disciple his member his Brother c. Now how shall we know that we have the spirit By sanctification for if the spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Jesus from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies c. vers 9. 11. And how shall we know that Christ hath relation or interest in us by that inseparable consequent or adjunct of the spirit for if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his Lastly and that that brings the Conclusion Argument together is an Argument drawn from the highest and choisest effect of the Fathers love and our Saviours Office the principal causes of our salvation viz. our sonship vers 14. For as many as are led by the spirit of God are the sons of God Or we may interpose between the terms of this truth Christs interest in us then thus those that are led by the spirit of Christ are his and those that are Christs i. his Members Brethren are by adoption the sons of God and then it is most clear that if sons then heirs co-heirs with Christ vers 17. and are for resolution of the case propounded in a state of life These and such like are the Rules by which a mans spirit according to Gods Word examining his condition doth either acquit or condemn if this speak peace viz. that he is a childe of God and an heir of Heaven this is the testimony and answer of a mans own spirit but to make this our testimony clear and demonstrative sure and infallible the spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit c. not onely together with as two diverse Witnesses of the same truth but with i. nor yet onely with the qualification of our spirit the matter of evidence Water and Blood but lastly and especially with i. with our spirit as subordinate in the work through by so with making use of the testimony of our spirit sealing and clearing our rational evidence with the truth and light of his that we are the children of God Nothing can indeed perswade us of our sonship to God but the Spirit of Adoption yet the spirit perswadeth us as rational Creatures viz. as we have heard by inabling us to reason our relation to God by Christs relation and interest in us and that by the having of his spirit and that by its holy effects of mortification of sin and spiritual life which gives occasion to close as we began that If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but if ye through the spirit do mortifie the deeds of the spirit ye shall live therefore Examine your selves know ye 2 Cor. 13. 5. not even your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates and the Lord give you the comfort of the witness in your selves with the contest of the spirit to be an infallible assurance of your adoption to God Col. 1. 9. and of the truth of this point and for this cause also godly Reader since the day you heard of me do not I beseech thee cease to pray that with respect both to one and the other I may fight a good fight and finish my course that henceforth I may be comfortably assured with holy Paul that there is laid 2 Tim. 4. 8. up for me a Crown of righteousness which the righteous Judge shall give me at that day c. CHAP. V. Of the knowledge of Christ after the Flesh or in his Mediatorship BEfore we have reconciled the Spirit and its effects our gracious qualities infused by it But this following Chapter will ingage us to atone the same spirit on its Causes behalf the Person of Christ which I may call without offence the cause of the spirit both with regard to its Person and Office First the Person of Christ is the cause of the person of the Spirit by derivation the Spirit being the joynt breath and issue both of the Father and Son Secondly the Person of Christ is the cause of the Office of the Spirit first by merit 1 Pet. 1. 2. Secondly by mission Joh. 14 15 16. cap. Therefore is the holy Ghost in the Gospel so peculiarly stiled the Spirit of Christ Yet this their spirit and the Spirit of God by them so called how ungratefully wicked doth even stab at Christ himself with these two erroneous Points namely 1. That the Person of Christ is but a form type or shadow onely or a bare representation of the Spirit at his coming as the types and shadows of the Law were before of the coming of Christ See false rests in pag. 103 104. 2. That Christ is not to be the object or Medium of Faith i. We are not to believe on Christ as our Mediator and Saviour See the fifteenth false rest The first of these the Seekers own but the last is the very dregs of Socinianisme which affirms that Christ came not among men to procure satisfaction to God but to be an Object of imitation to men No wonder we have had boisterous Times of late while such Devils such Errours as these have been conjuring up Yet how great a wonder it is that such grosness of darkness should call it self light and that to the face of the Sun it self in this our day of Gospel when knowledge abounds amongst us But I shall not so far question my salvation as to receive my Saviour into doubtfull disputings yea doubtless the mention of such Errours as these is sufficient confutation and confusion of them also in all humble ears and godly judgements Yet though there be not the least shadow of Reason that will entertain either the one or the other there is one notable Scripture that seems to some eyes to cast a very favourable glance and countenance to the first of these Errours viz. That the Person of Christ is but a type of the spirit a dispensation Errour and form that is ruined or dissolved by the coming of the spirit The Scripture Scripture countenancing it is the 1 Cor. 5. 16. Yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet henceforth know we him so no more To make this Scripture pass for them the Abbettors of this Errour have stamped upon it this Interpretation viz. That the knowledge of Christ after the flesh was the dispensation of his Person a fleshly dispensation which Paul had formerly been under but since the dispensation of the spirit the dispensation of Christs Person it chiefly meant the Office of his Preisthood is dissolved is dissolved to Paul though I have known Christ after the flesh and

have most plainly made it appear out of the Scripture I suppose Christs Will and Way is to make use of his effects in giving us assurance of his favour or presence we must as well acknowledge Christ to be our Lord as challenge him to be our Husband as his way is best in it selfe so let it seem to us For who art thou that repliest against God what is this lesse then a resistance of the Spirit with Carnall reason and our vain imagination while we pretend and plead for him Yet further consider and whether of the two gives most satisfaction to the Wife or best assurance of her Husbands love the expression thereof by mouth and words or its signall Testimony by life and actions Judge ye Moreover we ought to observe that our Saviour is not so properly our Husband here while we are but espoused or betrothed to him there is a day appointed which is not yet come for the Marriage of the Lambe and if we may speak Humano more or after the manner and custome and practice of Men for a Lover to assure his Beloved of his heart affection by the Speciall motions and effects thereof is not more strange then common especially if we commend this course and practice by these three considerable ingredients 1. Our beloved is at a distance of place and absent from us Secondly there are others plead interest in him and such as are inconsistent with ours Lastly we are too apt to delude our selves and to be deluded in this Case Affection is blinde and our hearts are deceitfull and that above measure But lastly were it acknowledged by al to be the most reasonable way among creatures of one nature and language to make their love known by word of mouth whil this bears Analogy to Christ the soul there is I conceive much difference for as a man and one that knows but in part according to my measure I must thus yet humbly Judge that Christ I mean not with regard to his power as absolute but as limited by his revealed Will in condescention to our reason and shallow capacity Christ cannot acquaint himself to the soul of man in such an immediate way and manner as is now discoursed and first not in his Person by reason of distance of place Secondly not in his spirit because of distance in natures to me and yet I humbly submit to higher apprehensions yet to me this seemes defended by the hand of sound and upright reason the presence of Christ in his Spirit is of too subtil and spiritual a nature to fal under or any way to bediscerned by such gross This is largly discussed in Chap. 18. and carnall Creatures as the Sons of men but by and through a medium I mean its effects is any thing that comes under the name of Spirit immediatly or in it self decernable to us Let us bethink our selves with what Eye do we see Spirits Is it not the Eye of Reason which alwayes Judgeth of their presence by Effects Can the wisest man tell me What Man or Beast or Tree is alive hath its formall Spirit in it but by the effects or motions of it Now the Spirit of the Lord is that pure Spirit infinitely far more pure Spirit the very name of spirit being grosse and carnall with respect thereto how shall we then judge of that immediately A man need not indeed to argue his life to himselfe by its motion c. For he knoweth he is alive by the first light and instinct of nature in himself So would we conceive that the Spirit of Christ did properly inform us and was part of our Essence we might know it to be in us in a way more immediate but this is the grossest absurdity imaginable Till then let us follow the Dictate of reformed Reason and hear our Saviour speaking his love by his Actions and revealing his Presence by his Effects whose spirit is therefore compared to Winde by his Word that blowes where it listeth and no man knoweth whence it comes nor whither it goes whose presence is knowable onely by its Effects upon us even so is every one that is borne of the Spirit which is onely perceivable by us as it makes a disturbance in the Naturall Man as it breathes into us Spirituall Life as it sweetly blowes upon the Spices Graces of our Souls and moves us dayly forward towards the blessed Haven Heaven Such gracious Effects and Operations in us The Truth Confirmed But so much may serve for the weakning of the Errour now a few things may be added for the further clearing of the Contrary Truth namely that though the spirit doth onely yet doth it not alone at least ordinarily much lesse of necessitie Evidence it selfe or testifie our true enjoyment of God For there are three that beare witnesse on Earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood 1 Joh. 5. 8. and these three agree in one i. e. in one end the enjoyment of God Vers 10. With our right and interest in eternall Life Vers 11. And as they agree in their end so in themselves as the means or testimony the Spirit doth witnesse to the purenesse of the Water the truth of our Sanctification and in the Water we see the efficacy of the blood for our Regeneration Generatio fit per Sanguinem per aquam ablutio Indeed the Spirit doth witnesse eminently Zanch. and efficiently but Water and Blood materially and our Spirit and Reason instrumentally So the Spirit witnesseth with our spirits through or by our graces and qualifications that we are the Children of God Rom. 8. 16. As the spirit of God is derived into us through the sacred Ordinances so is it discovered in us by its holy effects therefore is it thus plainely sayd to witnesse with our spirits c. in this 8. of the Romans which Chapter read with impartiall and due observation it is so abundantly full for the present purpose is doubtlesse sufficient to end the controversie betwixt us The case resolved there seemes very neer the case in hand Viz. How wee shall know whether we be in a state of life or death Vers 13. The Efficient is Gods spirit the Instrument ours Vers 16. and the Medium or matter of the argument Viz. The rules layd downe for the tryall of the case such as follow if yee live after the flesh yee shall dye well but if yee through the spirit doe mortifie the deeds of the flesh yee shall live Vers 9 10. The second Argument in order hereunto is Our having the spirit of Christ from the effect to the cause if we doe mortifie the deeds of the flesh it is through the spirit we have the Spirit and if we have the spirit we live therefore the spirit is a spirit of life and as it makes us free from the Law of sin and consequently death v. 2. This Argument is expresly contained v. 9. Now if any man have not the spirit of Christ he

we may take comfort to our selves against both our present and future ends from former experiences These markable Scriptures following especially are largely opened in this Treatise accordingly as the Margin points to ROm. 8. 16. The spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the Children of God 2 Cor. 5. 16. Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more Isa 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony If they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them 1 Joh. 4. 1. Dearly beloved belleeve not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God for there are many false Prophets gon out into the World 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have also a more sure word of prophesy whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the day star arise in your hearts Rev. 21. 22. 23. And I saw no Temple therein For the Lord God almighty and the Lamb are the Temple therof c. Heb. 8. 11. And they shall not teach every man his Neighbour saying know the Lord for all shal know me from the greatest to the least A Table of the severall Chapters contained in this following Treatise CHap. 1. Of its Definition fol. 1. Chap. 2. Of the grounds or rise of this Opinion in generall fol. 5. Chap. 3. Of qualifications f. 15. Chap. 4. Of the immediate witnesse of the spirit f. 55. Chap. 5. Of the knowledge of Christ after the flesh or in his Mediatorship f. 68. Chap. 6. Of the Allegoricall sense of Scripture f. 91. Chap. 7. Of beleeving those truths of the Word that we are not yet convinced of by the spirit f. 104. Chap. 8. Of the Scripture as it is the Rule of Faith 115. Chap. 9. Of the VVord as Judge of spirits f. 133. Chap. 10. Of the VVord as profitable for Instruction f. 154. Chap. 11. Of the Scripture as profitable in its command for obedience f. 161. Chap. 12. Of the Scriptures as usefull in their promise for comfort f. 179. Chap. 13. Of the Gospell Communion of Saints or Church fellowship f. 192 Chap. 14. Of Gospell Ordinances in generall f. 186 Chap. 15. Of the Ministry of the word f. 205. Chap. 16. Of Prayer f. 233. Chap. 17. Of Experience f. 252. Chap. 18. Of the spirit of Christ as the Soules immediate Rest and Evidence f. 263. A farewell to the Reader f. 309. THE GENERALL CONSIDERATION of the ERROVR CHAP. I. Of its Definition in Generall IT is a pretence unto the immediate enjoyment of Definition the Spirit of God as alone the onely All-sufficient means to the Soul even for all intents and purposes especially for Evidence 1. It is a pretence Viz. As opposed to that that is true and reall or so indeed 2. The fallacy and formality of the Errour lies hid in the words Immediate as alone Means as they have their place and sense in this Definition 1. Immediate that is not to be taken in opposition to distance of place but to the meanes of enjoying But this word Immediate will be better cleared if we will joyne it with the second terme of fallacy mentioned as alone 2. As alone without the use of any means whatever subordinate thereunto Thus whatsoever we can call Religious helps Gospell means though owned and ordained by God himself is plainly excluded this their Canaan as imperfect or a very needless thing and all use thereof flatly condemned as a living and resting below God and Of false rests which is wholly used in this Treatise therefore oftentimes compared in his Book to the Children of Israels resting in the Wildernesse In a word it pretends to be in the Sunne and holds the beames in contempt trodden under foot It is in an everlasting Light and hath cast a vaile of darkenesse upon these things below it Viz. Ordinances Graces Scriptures Experiences and not onely upon those meanes but upon Christ Jesus the Mediatour himselfe These are forms types shadowes while it is swallowed up in the Power Truth Substance God its glorious Heaven 3. Means it is not said Efficient ' nor yet End I advise the Reader to take speciall notice of both those 1. The question is not whether the Spirit of God be not as alone the onely All-sufficient Efficient of all in the Soul of a Creature Here we dissent not but subscribe with both hands to that of the Apostle That it is God that worketh in us both to will and to doe of his own good pleasure 2. Neither is the question here whether God as alone be the onely All-sufficient End of the Soul in this we agree For God is our Portion for ever Nothing below God nothing but God is the rest of Souls in this sense The sound of this most frequent terme namely Rest is so equivocall and dubious that the weaker Reader had in a most especiall manner need to retain this Item That we controvert not about the Finall rest of our Souls but the means thereof not about our Objective but our Evidentiall rest 3. Therefore the Spirit here is to be understood as means or as the supply of all means to the Soul it is confest we cannot call the Spirit means but in an unusuall and improper sense yet we can no way better if any way otherwise expresse their sense who prefer I am sure and recommend their Spirit in stead both of the cause and means also 3. To all intents and purposes it stands in the room of all the means both of knowledge and grace but especially of comfort all our usuall and most comfortable Evidences of the truth of our grace Gods love and favour to and presence in us these especially are most suspicious and forcibly beat back with an high zealous Arm out of this their rest This Errour will tell you that Christ in us hath this Prerogative to be immediately i. e. without and above the use of any means both the Spirit of Truth Grace and Comfort even All in All unto its subject It pretends to the immediate injoyment of God as alone the onely All-sufficient meanes to the Soul even to all intents and purposes c. CHAP. II. Of the Grounds or rise of this Opinion in generall WEE come now to consider what may be the Grounds and Principles that afford most occasion and help to the bringing forth of this fond conceit into the inventions of men and among many others perhaps we have thought upon these following The first may be either a conceited or perceived abuse of the usuall Gospell means and helps either in themselves or others Sad experience witnesseth that this doth too too often create in many a most zealous prejudice against the very use of lawfull things such is the vulgar unstayed rashnesse it puts too an inconsiderate violent hand

Law and to the Testimony Now if but part of the Minde of God now revealed to the World was sufficient for Gods People in these former daies is not the whole sense and truth of God both in Law and Gospel sufficient for us when as we have so much of written word let us not be so foolish as to be wise above it our Saviour our King commands the like therefore upon us that live under the Gospell Search the Scriptures Joh. 5. 39. The whole Chapter argueth the wicked infidelity of the Jews against Christ himself who did not only doubt of his spirit but said in plain tearmes he was a blasphemer and in any other place that he was acted assisted by the Joh. 5. 18. Prince of Devils the spirit of Belzebub Yet Christ will have his owne spirit tried even by scripture search the scriptures to the Law and to the Testimony your Law is my Testimony they are they that testifie of me I protest to every one that shall add to the Words of this book I will add all the curses that Rev. 22. are written in it Now if God hath commanded this way he hath surely intended it if it be the way of God surely then it is the way and we may conclude it in divine authority to be truth also viz. That the word of scripture is the judge and triall of spirits 3 From example that way that Christ and his Apostles did try and judge of spirits cleere the truth and discover Errour by must needs be the best and surest way But that way that these walked in Mat. 21. 42. 22. 29. Luke 4. 1. Joh. 7. 42. Acts 17. 2. 18. 28. for this end was the written word which must needs be therefore the best and surest way 4 From Divine Testimony 2 Tim. 3. 16. 17. Framed thus that which is able to make the man of God perfect and throughly furnished c. is a sufficient good Judge and triall of spirits But the Scriptures are able to make the man of God perfect c. therefore the Scriptures are a sufficient good Judge and triall of spirits The major must needs be granted as the minor is unquestionable for it most properly belonging to the man of God or a Minister of Christ to try the spirits whether they be of God it being a necessary qualification in him and an essential part of his ministerial perfection to be able to convince Gainsayers if the Tit. 1. 9. Scriptures be not found sufficient for this it cannot make him perfect and throughly furnisht to every good work But doubtless All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable to teach to improve to correct and to instruct in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect and throughly furnished unto every good work From divine encouragement that which the holy Ghost hath not onely appointed commanded to be the judge and triall of spirits in general but hath also highly and honorably commended to all future posterity in holy Writ for the judging and trying of himselfe must needs be the Judge and triall of spirits The Assumption is most clearly found Acts 18. 11. where we have it not onely related not barely commended but highly honoured and honorably recorded for an act of a truly and bravely noble spirit that they searched the Scriptures whether those things were so that they would not receive any truth from Paul himself yea the Spirit of God in Paul without searching the Scriptures making the Scriptures the Rule Judge and triall thereof How easily then may we conclude that the Scriptures are the judge and triall of all other spirits unless we will deny divine truth divine commands divine examples divine authority and divine encouragement and invitation But this Branch will appear more worthily cut off if we will but a little Danger of the Error consider what wilde and dangerous fruit it bears For If this be concluded that the holy Scripture is not the judge and triall of spirits we strip our selves of all possible means for this important and most weighty end Once it is our duty to take heed what we hear to try all things yea and expresly to try the spirits John 4. 1. Doth God command his Children to make him Brick without straw It is their duty totry the spirits and have they no way left no means of obedience Dearly beloved beleive not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God I desire my candid Reader to bear with a short Digression for the opening of this Text. We finde the holy Ghost hath not onely laid this Command upon us negatively Beleive not every spirit and positively but Try the spirits but hath also pressed this Doctrine with a Reason or Motive seconding that with Directions respectively The Reason why we should try the spirits is immediately subjoyned viz. For many false Prophets are gone out into the world The fals and heretical Prophets go out into the World but the true ones are sent for how shall they preach Rom. 10. except they be sent But this Motive here hath three steps in it whereon we might ascend to obedience There are false Prophets as well as true and therefore try c. There are men abroad that bearing the name of Prophets though false carry Lies in their right hand that carry on Errour very dexteriously and thou maist if thou take not good heed if thou do not try before thou trust thou maist happily shake such a hand therefore Try the spirits There are many false Prophets as they are deceitfull in quality so numerous in quantity he that walketh in a place over-crept with many Snakes Adders c. will he not take heed be very carefull watchfull over every step he treads Now are there not many Wolves in Sheeps cloathing many Snakes and Serpents under the hearbs in Gods Church Garden Take heed therefore Try therefore c. Many false Prophets are gone out into the World the Plot to deceive is not onely laid but executing and that not in private or secret only but publickly openly the Deceivers very cunning or the Times most corrupt Many false Prophets are gone out into the World therefore beleive not every spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God Quest But how shall we try the spirits Answ There are Rules sufficient in the Word of God and amongst the rest Saint John hath left us two or three here as being more seasonable for those Times and happily not unsuitable for ours For Hereby ye shall know the spirit of Error every spirit that denieth that Christ that is come in the flesh is not of God but this the spirit of Antichrist who is already in the World Vers 3. Whosoever heareth not us i. doth not with Faith and Conscience receive the Word whether written or preach't is not of God for hereby know we the spirit of Truth and the spirit of Error Vers 6. He that loveth

not knoweth not God i. He that doth censoriously uncharitably contemn or condemn his Brethren doth not shew himself by love and the carriages of love knoweth not God for God is love Vers 8. Quest But what need of these Rules Is not the spirit of Truth in it self sufficient to discover Error and Heresie I answer Answ Though I have already before sufficiently spoke to immediate Revelations of the spirit I adde that the light of the Text doth clear the contrary for who were they to whom John writeth Were they not such as had the Spirit of God Vers 4. Yet this command of trying the spirits reacheth and immediately falleth on them as if most fit and properly convenient for such as have the spirit to try the spirits though they are Children of Light they cannot immediately discern betwixt things that differ but these must use means for the exercise of their spirit of discerning these must try the spirits Quest But those spirits which are of God have not they sufficient Light with them to discover themselves Answ No not immediately for we must try the spirits whether they be of God if of God we must know them to be so by triall and examination But it is now high time to shake hands with that Text and to weigh the Consequence of this bold Deniall of the Word of God to be the judge and triall of spirits For then Thou canst not possibly convince another of the Error of his spirit upon good Grounds What course wilt thou take with such a spirit Wilt thou tel him that thou art assured that he is in an Error And will not he answer with assurance as stout that he is in the truth And if thou wouldst convince him by reasoning the Case can this be done without some outward Rule and Ground to which both parties acknowledging it Umpire must make their Appeal Now this outward third this Rule Judge Umpire must of necessity be the Word of God or some humane Tradition The Word of God is silenced in the Case by this same spirit and what a Popish Absurdity followeth A man of an erroneous spirit the Word of God not being his triall cannot possibly convince himself of Error upon good Grounds For what shal be the word or Rule of Truth for his instruction reproof conviction if the Word of God be not The spirit that is undoubtedly true But then I demand how shall we know that spirit that is of Truth to be so Or since None know the things of a man but the spirit of a man that is in him How shall I know what is the truth of such a spirit of truth in any man but by his word alone and now is not the word of Man preferred above the Word of God The Word of God must not and must the word of man be the judge and triall of truth and spirits The word of a frail and fallible man exalted above the Word of the true and infallible God The word of a private single man take up the place and Office of the publique Word of God that hath been so highly honored and had in so famous acknowledgment and credit by all religious holy men of all Ages successively Profanum vulgus this way speaks every man true and God alone a Lyar Let God arise and let his Enemies be scattered May not the Word in this use laid aside every man make his own spirit to be the Rule and Standard of all Truth and Faith While one more presumptuous then the rest intrudeth his Tenets for Truth another bringeth in his so a third so a fourth c. Every man self-conceited beleiving his own way and opinion to be truth why may not every man claim the same priviledge By what Law is he forbidden The Law of Gods Word that is repeal'd the Law of spirits they are all equal How shall we now be reconciled What can end the Controversie Whom shall we hear Whom follow How shall we become of one minde one Faith What Town-clerk can allay this Hubburl Confusion Disturbance and make Peace and Union Either every man must yeild retreat draw back to himself into his own opinion going away quickly guided by his own spirit the blinde corrupted Dictates of decayed Nature or by a proceeding and that of necessity either by a Sword or Vmpire First by the Sword one urging thou shalt yeild to me another threatning subscribe to me a third swearing you both are heretical and I am alone in truth you both must and shall be of my way c. untill a Bacillous Argument end the Controversie the strongest arm be the best spirit and the Sword hath cut and decided the matter Or secondly by an Vmpire all pitching upon one to mediate betwixt them to end and reconcile their Differences to whom they must give all power and soveraignty to command them Truth Peace and Union thus creating to themselves a Pope and themselves Papists But to prevent all this let us hold-fast what we have received that the Word of God is both the Rule of Faith and the judge and triall of spirits CHAP. X. Of the Word as profitable for Instruction HAving reconciled the spirit to its Word whether taken absolutely or respectively to our use in the whole body or bulk thereof we now have occasion to make peace betwixt the same spirit and some special parts or particular uses of the same Word for this spirit that claimes to be the Spirit of God denieth the Word to be any way profitable either for instruction obedience or consolation in its Doctrine Commands or Promises First then it denieth the Word to be profitable in its Doctrine for our teaching and instruction Now the Scripture False rest pag. 45. l. 14. saith he doth not reveal Christ within any man his sense must be that the Scripture is not the means appointed or made use of by God for the spiritual teaching of the soul of man This being so general to the particulars behinde we shall have direct and just occasions of Answer hereunto in answering to them yet for present satisfaction I make a Proposal of these two Queres If the Word of God is not a means to reveal Jesus Christ within any man what then is meant by such Attributes of it as are found Heb. 4. 12. The Word of God is lively and mighty in operation and sharper then any two edged sword and entereth through even to the dividing of the soul and of the spirit and of the joynts and of the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and of the intents of the heart we say not the Word without the spirit but yet the spirit with the Word doth according to most sure and frequent experience all whatever we here have read therefore it is otherwhere called the Sword of the Spirit Eph. 6. 17. and what cannot that do when set home by such a hand Yea the weakness of God is stronger then men but now the

10. And partly hereafter by leaving them utterly without excuse otherwise happily this might have been the Plea of ungodly men then How should we beleeve except we had heard But they having heard the word being in their mouths yea even and in their hearts and yet they beleeved not their mouths are stopped they being judged by the Gospell Had not I come saith our Saviour and spoke unto them they had had no sin i. in comparison but now have they no cloke for their sin John 15. 22. 2. And in order to the glory of grace on the Vessells of honour the commands of God upon them have a twofold end also one in this World for their obedience i. to give them power by the very command to obey the same it being the power of God i. having the power of the spirit of God along with it to make it successefully command us to obedience Thus the Word of Christ is spirit and life and he having the words of eternall life while he calleth upon us Awake thou that sleepest he doth awaken us and while he commandeth Lazarus come forth the dead John 11. 43. John 5. doe heare the voice of the Son of God and those that heare doe live And as one end of Gods commands to his Children here is for their obedience so the other end both here and hereafter is for a reward of their obedience Godlinesse being profitable for all things and having both the promise of this life and Matth. 25. ult also of the life that is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. Thus we have largely shewed and cleered that we need not deny the commands of the Word as they look towards wicked unregenerate men for want of an end or as vaine and fruitlesse though they in themselves have not power to obey them Obj. 2. But there is one branch of this Dilemma yet above us Viz. The commands are needlesse to the regenerate they having the Law within them what need of a Law without They having the spirit what need of the letter But we shall now endeavour to match it with these Answers Answ 1. There is in the best of Gods Children that live in the World even in Paul himselfe nature as well as grace flesh as well as spirit A Law in their members warring against the Law of their mindes and leading them captive to the Law of sin And now to answer this there is need of Kom 7. a Law without to stirr up and assist the Law within against that too often prevailing party of wickednesse in them 2. As the commands were at first made use of for the beginning and begetting of grace so afterwards they serve for the preservation motion and increase thereof Read onely for each of these one Text as Heb. 3. 12 13. and Revel 2. 5. and lastly 1 Pet. 2. 1 2. 3. Outward or commands without us doe onely give occasion to manifest that grace that is within the heart to the eyes of the World of which is produced two notable effects First the Law that we obey being knowne and beleeved by others as well as our selves to be the Law of God thus our light so shineth before Mat. 5. men that they seeing our good works glorifie our Father which is in heaven Secondly and thus the World becometh reproved and condemned by us We doing all things i. that are commanded us without murmurings or reasonings that we may be blamelesse and pure and the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a wicked and crooked Nation among whom we shine as lights in the World holding forth the Word of life Philip. 2. 14 15 16. But for that we were so large upon the The affirmative proved preceding particular we shall onely by a few breife hints of things argue out to the Reader the affirmative part Viz. That it is not needlesse for God to lay outward commands upon such as are already regenerate and conclude this Chapter Then 1. Christ his Disciples heretofore had need of commands and a Law without Matth. 5. 16. Joh. 15. 17. c. and why not now also 2. They that had the spirit of Christ heretofore even that anoynting within that should teach all things had yet need of and use for commands in the letter 1 Ioh. 2. 27 28. and why not now also 3. Those that are perfect with the perfection of the Gospell have use for such commands Phil. 3. 15 16. and why not we 4. Yea Adam in innocency that with the perfection the Law it self requireth was perfect upright had need and occasion for the Law without him and what then can priviledge us Lastly and 5. Jesus Christ himself received words and commands from his Father Ioh. 17. 8. have we more of the spirit and Law within us then Christs Disciples Apostles are we more perfect and holy then they then Adam then Jesus Christ himselfe let us then claime freedome and priviledg from the commands of the Word but not otherwise for notwithstanding what is yet objected against it the Word is profitable in its commands not vaine for such as are unregenerate not needlesse or useless for the regenerate themselves CHAP. XII Of the Scriptures as usefull in their promises for comfort THat this way might sufficiently vent its spleen and enmity against the holy Scriptures it having already most desperately endeavoured to abase and falsifie the soverainty and truth of the great God by rejecting his Doctrine and denying his commands therein it sets it selfe here to deject our Comforts by weakning and sleighting the Promises of God contained there also It plainly telling us that no promises whether they be sought or cast in Errour are to be a rest unto any Heart You may read this position in p. 73. of the false rests with its explication and meaning in the foot of p. 68. where he defines the twelfth false rest to be viz a closing with and drawing comfort from the promises expressed It s meaning in the letter of the Scripture Arg. All his argument against the comfort of the Promises so far as I can gather is taken from the abuse thereof And that with respect to the principle of application and the extent thereof 1. The abuse of the promises is argued first from the Principle that usually moveth thereto viz. Necessity Because we many times are driven for comfort to a promise by the sensile want of those things that are offered therein Answ But doth our being driven to promises by necessity make the comfort we have thence weak or vain Vanity of vanities When men are pricked to the heart and out of a sense of their sin and misery cry out as we read what shall we doe why then doth the ministry of the Spirit presently tender unto such some special promise Yea and prick them to the heart in order Acts 2. Acts 16. thereunto even that a promise of salvation by beleeving in Christ through the meanes

be God or not Answ I answer that if the truth of the deliverance being spirituall be known this cannot be doubted For if I am truly delivered from the dominion of any sin this cannot be from Satan who wants both will and power to such a holy work If it be of my self it can onely be by Christ his assistance sevened from whom we can do nothing so that we John 15. must of necessity conclude that in the strength of the Lord we have done valiantly the Lord is our strength and our redeemer Especially being inlightned with the knowledge of the premises and assisted to lay down the conclusion by the spirit of Christ that is as fire that hath not only heat to consume our corruption but light to manifest the World to be done and by whom it is done likewise And did not the Prophets of old without doubt beleeve that their Dreams and Visions were from God did not Paul know that his calling and Apostleship was of the Lord and the primitive Christians were they not assured that they received the Holy Ghost even so we the Redeemed of the Lord may infallibly know that the Lord is our Rock and our Deliverer And though the whole World lieth in wickednesse yet we are of God And that the things we have received are freely given to us of God And therefore this renewing of this Argument here hath but offered an occasion of discovering its rottennesse more and more and not in the least darkned the evidence of our experiences Argument for the affirmative But let us examine what may positively be said for the farther cleering thereof And first of all it is worth our remembrance that the own experience of those men hath usually been their strongest argument in other points though here they dispute against experience 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Yet what more cleerer and convincing way of arguing then from experience it is therfore called the Mistres of fools it makes them understand and be wise It is not a naturall Dictate Maxime viz. Experientia docet yet Christians may not observe or gather any thing from their experiences How unnaturall unreasonable is their Religion Do we not yea according to the Law of reason must we not judge of men as we finde them we will first try and then trust and is God more variable and man more constant dare we venter our credit upon the experience of men and yet not of God O let God be true and every man a Liar Let man be changeable but God be God that changeth not even the same yesterday to day and for ever O let the Method and order of Gods Creation and Government the cours of his daily providence speak and intreat for him And perswade us to beleeve that he is faithfull to his own Rules and to his servants trust that he is constant the same with whom is no variablenes nor shadow of turning that what you found him hitherto either to his Freinds or enemies even such you will finde him still the Heavens declare the Glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy works but those experiences that come in the Fathers name that they may fare no better then the Son you will not beleeve but Joh. 5. ult others that come in their own name them ye will beleeve Do we not argue the love and good will of men by their gifts especially in want from their help an assistance espeally in straits yet though God hath been a present help in time of trouble to us though he hath in the midst of extreamest want most constantly and seasonably still supplied us though he satisfied and conquered all our doubts and dangers for us Yet we may not we must not beleeve that he did those things out of any love he bore to us we may not for future put any trust and confidence in him upon this incouragement Nor looke upon our selves to be safe under that protection that hath hitherto been as Wals and Bulwarks to us Most strange and ureasonable Doctrine most wickedly ungratefull practise is his hand shortned that it cannot save stil or his ear that was open heavy that it cannot heare 3. And as the way of this errour thwarts reason and experience so it doth flatly contradict the authority of scripture in this particuler which speaketh it expresly that experience worketh Hope Ro. 5. 4. 5. Experience and hope are mutually a morall cause and effect it being the proper nature thereof to produce and to be produced He adds that Hope maketh not ashamed i. giveth great boldnesse because thereby the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost Thus we see then that the holy Ghost or the comming of the Spirit doth not make null the use of experience but rather makes use thereof for the working of hope that by hope he might shed the love of God abroad in our hearts and give us great boldnesse against future sufferings In this very place we may read the use of Experience now pleaded for to be the truth of scripture seconded by reason strengthned by the spirit and all set down as the Saints experience also 2. Moreover no argument in scripture is more frequent and potent for the raiseing up of the hopes and the hearts of Gods Children then this of experience we have the strength of Davids Lion and bear yea and of Pharoah and all his hoast over and over and over for it it is no easy thing to reckon up how many severall times David makes mention of the wonderfull deliverance of the People of Israell out of Egypt besides the honour the frequent mention of our scriptures give it for the comfort of the Church in the time of persecution and are not we now in the Wildernesse your most frequent Allegory then why may not we also remember the Fatherly Pity of God towards us when we groaned under the Egyptian Bondage and rejoyce in that goodnesse and mercy that hath so graciously delivered us out of the powers of darknesse comforting our selves with this hope and confidence that he that hath brought us out of Egipt will lead us into Canaan that though we are opposed with spirituall wickednesses yet we shall be more then Conquerours over them and though through much tribulation yet we shall enter into the Kingdome of God and see the goodnesse of the Lord in the Land of the living 3. May not we say with one breath that he is the Author and Finisher of our Faith that he that hath begun a good work in us will also finish it to the day of Christ that he that hath given us his only Son to dye for us so loved us yea since he hath delivered and doth deliver we may surely gather conclude and trust that he wil stil deliver 2. Cor. 1. 10. us And because he hath lead us as our most careful Shepheard into green Pastures and by the still waters restoring