Selected quad for the lemma: faith_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
faith_n	rule_n	scripture_n	tradition_n	12,255	5	9.8749	5	true

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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

him do not say That the Gift of Praying by the Spirit was expired in his time and though Chrysostome had said so I suppose the Author himself doth not think that all Chrysostoms words are infallibly to be believed Yea the reason given by Chrysostome why God was pleased to give that Gift of Prayer doth still remain viz. Because without the spirit we know not what to pray for as we ought and therefore there is as great necessity for the spirit of Prayer now as then But it hath no weight what the Author saith Pag. 29. That the Christians might learn what to pray for and how out of the Scriptures which are an excellent Rule of Devotion as well as Faith and since that Gift was also rendred useless by the early general use of Liturgies I say this hath no weight to prove that the spirit of Prayer or praying by Divine Inspiration is expired for in the Apostles days the Scriptures were extant as much as now and therefore if the spiritual Gift of Prayer is made void by having the Scriptures in the room of it that Gift should have ceased in the Apostles days Surely it was not Gods design to give us the Scriptures that he might take away his spirit from us and leave us only the Scripture-words in his room but he promised that his spirit should remain or abide with his people for ever whose abiding and presence was necessary unto all true Christians to give them the inward and spiritual sense and understanding of the words of Prayer contained in the Scripture and to teach them what words to use at one time and what at another seeing they could not use them all at once And as for the early general use of Liturgies which this Author saith was in the Church to be sure there was none in the Apostles times as the Author confesseth and if there had been any need of them for the succeeding Ages the Apostles had been the fittest persons to have composed them which yet we do not find that ever they did It is too apparent that when the spirit of Prayer began to be lost composed Liturgies came to be set up and that the loss and decay of this spirit or spiritual Gift of Prayer was caused by the carnality and apostacy of the far greatest part of those called Christians though we have cause to believe it remained in the Hearts of a remnant all along CHAP. IV. BUT whereas the Author saith as for the Gift of Praying and Preaching by the Spirit there is no mention made of it in the Ecclesiastical Writers even where they enumerate the rest of the spiritual Gifts unless Irenaeus comprehended it under the Gift of strange Tongues with all sorts of which he saith many of the Brethren spoke in his time by the Holy Ghost Surely this the Author doth too confidently affirm for as concerning Praying by the Spirit Tertullians Testimony is clear who lived about the end of the second Century who discoursing of Prayer and the manner how the Christians used it said expressly That they prayed ex pectore siue monitore per spiritum sanctum i. e. out of the Heart without one to go before them and by the Holy Ghost And both Tertullian and Iustine Martyr and Eusebius make mention of the Gift of Prophesie by the Spirit remaining in the Church in their time And the Author himself acknowledgeth that under Prophesie Preaching and praising God by the Spirit is understood frequently in Scripture and why not also in the Ecclesiastical Writers Yea even Bernard who lived above a thousand years after Christ did say tepida est omnis oratio quam non prevenit inspiratio i. e. All Prayer is dead or lukewarm which Inspiration doth not prevent But it is easie to apprehend why when the Ecclesiastical Writers did mention the miraculous Gifts of the Spirit then remaining in the Church they said nothing commonly of Preaching and Praying by the Spirit because they did not reckon Preaching and Praying by the Spirit any of that sort of miraculous and extraordinary Gifts but judged it as a common and necessary Gift and therefore did not mention it among those that were miraculous and singular which is an argument rather against the Authors assertion than in favour of it And since the Author doth acknowledge that divers miraculous Gifts of the Spirit did remain in the Church for some hundreds of years after the Apostles it is strange he should suppose the Gift of Preaching and Praying by the Spirit to have expired before the rest but his prejudice against the Principle of Inspiration maketh him to fall upon such an absurd supposition Now when I say the Gift of Preaching and Praying by the Spirit was none of the miraculous and extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit I mean it had nothing of any external or outward Miracle in it any more than Faith Love Hope or any other of the Evangelical Vertues all which being supernatural were internally miraculous as much or rather more than the outward And whereas the Author pleadeth that none of these miraculous Gifts were of a moral consideration as having any immediate influence to sanctifie the persons so inspired consequently not necessary to remain in the Church If then it can be proved that Preaching and Praying by the Spirit are of a moral consideration and have a sanctifying Influence upon the persons inspired it will necessarily follow that they do and must remain in the true Church And first as to Praying by the Spirit that is a Moral Duty and of a moral Consideration which is a Gospel-precept but Praying by the Holy Ghost is a Gospel-precept see Eph. 6.18 Praying always with all Prayer and Supplication in the Spirit and Iud. 2. Praying in the Holy Ghost And as concerning all true Worship which is to be given to God Christ hath expresly taught that it is to be performed in Spirit and in Truth And I ask the Author whether he doth not think that Davids Prayers and Psalms which were by the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit had not a sanctifying Influence upon David himself And also whether the Prayers of those in the primitive times who prayed by Inspiration and brought forth such deep inward sighings with great contrition of Heart by the help of the Holy Spirit had not a sanctifying Influence going alone with them and were not those Prayers holy Prayers and those sighings holy sighings which left some holy Impressions both upon the Speakers and Hearers the which if they did as most certainly they did unto all sincere Christians who heard them then Prayers by Inspiration have a moral and intrinsecal excellency in them and consequently were to remain in the true Church to the end of the World Next as to Preaching by the Spirit it is clear that it had a sanctifying and converting power going alone with it so that many thousands were converted unto the Lord and became truly sanctified by means of such Preaching But if

an Infallible Knowledge and Faith of all such things as are absolutely necessary to Salvation But as to other things he may err if he be not duly watchful to follow the infallible Guidance of Gods Holy Spirit But if this Author thinketh he has no infallible Faith or Knowledge of any part or Doctrine of Religion he is a meer Sceptick and Unbeliever for all true Faith is Infallible that which is fallible is but meer opinion and conjecture His second Instance is as weak and impertinent as the former viz. That the Principle of Immediate Revelation and Inspiration utterly overthrows the authority of the Scriptures and makes them an useless Rule of Faith But to this I answer nay but on the contrary the Doctrine of Inspiration and Revelation its remaining in the Church doth not overthrow but establish the authority of the Scriptures and maketh them most useful both for a Rule of Faith and Manners in subordination unto the Holy Spirit And surely had this Author well minded his former concessions he would not have made such an absurd Inference for he hath granted that Inspirations and Revelations did remain for several ages in the primitive Church after the Apostles days and that the Scriptures were written before that time and yet I suppose he will not say that the Revelations and Inspirations which the Christians then had did overthrow the Scriptures or render them useless He might with the same absurd way of Reasoning say That the Scriptures of the Old Testament their authority was overthrown by the Writings of the Evangelists and Apostles under the New Testament or that one Prophets writing did overthrow the Writing of another Prophet that did go before him which is most absurd Paul who had abundant Inspirations and Revelations did not despise the Scriptures but regarded their authority and used them both to his own and his Brethrens comfort and edification His third Instance is That it hath cashired the use of the Sacraments But this is like the Papists way of proceeding against the Protestants who to render them more obnoxious to the malice of the Ignorant cry out against the Protestants for cashiring no less than five or rather six of the holy Sacraments of the Catholick Church For whereas the Church of Rome holdeth that there are seven Sacraments she blameth the Protestants for cash ring five of them totally and the sixth almost if not altogether also to wit that of the Eucharist so called the Protestants making that which the Priest or Minister giveth to the people but a figure or sign which to be sure is not any Gospel mystery for the figures belonged to the Law and ceased with them and the substance is come in the room of them which we acknowledge And whether it is more dangerous and hurtful to say that a Figure Sign or Ceremony is ceased which was not appointed to continue till the end of the World or to say that Divine Inspiration whereby the Soul liveth unto God and Divine Revelation whereby it only knoweth God aright is ceased let all sober and impartial men judge But as to this debate of the Sacraments because it is a digression I shall not enlarge His fourth Instance is That it hath annulled the Ministerial Orders But this is as unjust a charge as any of the former and doth much more justly reflect upon the Author himself who hath plainly said that not only the Orders of Apostles and Prophets but also of Evangelists Pastors and Teachers all which were Ministerial Orders mentioned Eph. 4. are ceased in the Church The which if so it may be fairly quered according to this Authors Hypothesis and Doctrine that all Inspiration is ceased which yet the Church of England and the Common-Prayer alloweth whether this Author hath not excluded himself from all the Ministerial Orders mentioned in Eph. 4. because he saith They are all ceased And that he cannot find any Ministerial Order mentioned in the New Testament but what was accompanied with Inspiration whereby they both Preached and Prayed And seeing he hath denied Inspiration which the Liturgy of the Church of England owneth and she prayeth for whether this Authors manner of Preaching and Praying be not more contrary to the Liturgy of the Church of England in this very respect than that of the people called in derision Quakers and so whether he hath not brought himself and his Hearers more deservedly under the censure of the Law than the Quakers in this respect have done These two Queries I desire the Author plainly and without all shifting or subterfuge to answer But to the matter in hand Divine Immediate Revelations and Inspirations cannot any more annul but indeed they do confirm all the Ministerial Orders appointed of God than they did in the primitive times For when Immediate Revelatiations and Inspirations did greatly abound in the Church as this Author confesseth the Ministerial Orders remained and were the more confirmed and therefore they are so still Next his Instances failing he proceedeth to sinistrous and unjust Insinuations against us as that the principle of Inspiration can effectually convert the Professors of it into downright Popery consequently with their own Principles for they have nothing more to do than to say that the Spirit hath told them that the Church of Rome is the only true Church To this I answer It is impossible the Holy Spirit whom with all true Christians we profess to guide us into all truth according to the Scriptures can ever tell us any such thing because both the Holy Spirit wihin and the Holy Scripture without doth plainly tell us that no Church holding such corrupt Doctrines and Practises is or can be a true Church and the Spirits testimony cannot contradict it self and as Paul said is not yea and nay but remains the same How much more justly may this be retorted upon many who are Enemies to Inspiration and have pretended the Church they were of was the true Church and yet by some motive of Gain or Fear have changed to another Church and way pretending that their Reason or Scripture hath told them their former way was wrong which yet is no just Reflection either on Reason or Scripture For as a false pretence to Reason and Scripture doth not make void their true use so no more doth a false pretence to the Holy Spirit if any should so do render the use thereof void or ineffectual His last Insinuation is as unfair and unjust as any of the former As this Doctrine saith he was first privately sowed among us by Popish Emissaries so hath it been published in our and other Countries by those who were Papists as by Ro. Barclay who was bred in the Scottish Covent at Paris and Labbade a Jesuit defrocquet That the Doctrine of Immediate Revelation was first privately sowed in England by Popish Emissaries we know to be a false Insinuation and as for his Proof which is a meer citation of the bare name and title of a

Book called Foxes and Fire-brands pag. 15. c. printed 1680. What ground of Proof can such a bare citation be without naming the Author or giving a sufficient Evidence of his Fidelity How many Lyes are to be found in printed Books If bearly to name the Title of a Book without regarding or giving sufficient Evidence of the Authors Fidelity be proof enough against a Doctrine or Person who shall or can escape Innocent It were easie to show how the Jesuits are as great enemies to Immediate Revelation and Inspiration as necessary to every true Christian for the foundation of their Faith as any people in the World or as this Author as doth clearly enough appear out of Bellarmin a great Jesuit who disputeth against this way of resolving or building our Faith and pleadeth for the Tradition of the Church in opposition to all inward Inspiration and calleth them mad men who lean to any Spirit within them which he saith is often fallacious and ever uncertain Nor were it a hard thing to prove that the Doctrine of Inspiration hath been preached and believed both in England and elsewhere before either the Name or Order of Jesuits was in the World And as to his Insinuation concerning R. Barclay unless he can prove that he remained a Papist when he did publish among many others that Doctrine he saith nothing to the matter It can easily be showed that divers Bishops and Teachers in the Protestant Church have had their Education at Popish Schools yea Luther himself was a Popish Monk and bred at a Popish University and some of the present Bishops and Teachers in Britain have had a Popish Education which yet will not argue they are still Papists How many are quite of other Perswasions than what they had by Education And as for R. B. what Education he had among Papists was but when a Child or Boy where he learned only some Latin and Grammar and what he received of their Leaven even in his young and tender years while yet but a youth he renounced and the Lord opened his Eyes to see and acknowledge the Truth whereof I can give better Testimony having well known him from that very time than this Author can against him And I ask the Author Was it any prejudice or derogation to the Christian Religion that Paul a zealous Preacher of it was bred among the Pharisees if not the Authors Argument being of the same sort evanisheth As for Labbade as he was no Quaker so called so whatever formerly he was to be sure he was then no Jesuit but hated and persecuted by them In pag. 40. he falls on with a fresh assault to accuse the Doctrine of the Quakers so called concerning a Spiritual Ministry and Spiritual Worship for being blasphemous but if this be blasphemy to own a spiritual Ministry and Worship at this rate he may accuse the Apostles yea Christ himself as blasphemous which is most absurd and blasphemous so to affirm who were for a Spiritual Ministry Iohn 4. and Spiritual Worship but it seemeth by this that the Author himself is only for a carnal or literal Ministry and Worship And he saith they viz. the people called in derision Quakers pretend that the Holy Ghost now cometh down upon their Assemblies as it did in the Apostles time and moves them to Preach and Pray by Inspiration without any regard to Condition or Sex But here he doth not fairly nor truly represent our Doctrine for we distinguish betwixt the ordinary and miraculous Inspirations with both which the Apostles were indued and we say Although the miraculous and extraordinary be ceased yet the ordinary remain as being necessary to all right effectual Preaching and Praying Again it is false that he alledgeth we say the Spirit inspireth us to Preach or Pray without any regard to Condition for a regard there is had unto the Condition of persons so that the Spirit inspireth none to Preach or Pray but such as are first brought into some measure of a sanctified State and Condition As to other things he mentions here and especially that about calling for Signs and Miracles I have already answered him above and here I would have him to consider how Christ called them an evil and adulterous Generation that sought after Signs And what if we could show Signs and perform all the other Conditions he requireth of us that he may believe us to be truly inspired would he then in good earnest believe us to be divinely inspired hath he not called the very principle a blasphemous Doctrine And whereas he saith pag. 38. he denyeth not but that God is free to send Prophets when he pleases and that he may do so when the exigence of the Church doth require it Is not this a manifest contradiction to his calling the Doctrine of Inspiration and Immediate Revelation blasphemous Or is God free to send when he pleaseth any blasphemous Doctrine or Principle into the World as this Author termeth Immediate Revelatiation and Inspiration And suppose that God did send Prophets or men immediately inspired which this Author supposeth he may Can God send any thing that would overthrow the Authority of the Scriptures and annul the Ministerial Orders would not this be inconsistent with his Divine infinite Wisdom But thus we see what inconsistences this Author falleth into while he is carried with such a preposterous zeal against this so excellent a principle In pag. 40. he scoffingly taunts the people called Quakers with their Groanings in their Meetings saying that they groan sufficiently we grant for sometimes in their Meetings they do nothing else But if their Groaning or vocal Devotion be from the Spirit how comes it to pass that the Spirit never moves them as it did in the Apostles days to Pray and Prophesie in unknown Tongues To this I answer Many have both Groaned and Prayed by the Spirit who never spoke with unknown Tongues as I think the Author will confess for the Prophets prayed by the Spirit before Christ came in the flesh and yet all had not the Gift of Tongues But by this it plainly seemeth he disowneth all Groaning and Praying by the Spirit as applicable to him or any of his Brethren this I say again is far contrary to the Liturgy of the Church of England And how knoweth he that sometimes in their Meetings the people called in scorn Quakers do nothing else I must tell him they do more in every Meeting although to groan from the Spirit is of more value than all that the Author or any else can do without the Spirit viz. they meditate they wait they watch they sing and make a melody in their hearts unto the Lord. But here he seemeth to scoff at our silent Meetings where we wait to hear what God will speak unto us though perhaps no man at that time doth speak which is well enough consistent with our Principle of Divine Inspiration for if God inspire his people now as formerly they are well