Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	authority_n	church_n	err_v	2,923	5	9.8588	5	false

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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

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

things which they think to be immediatly revealed unto them by God whatever can be objected to the contrary For first that we have many and diverse errours he saith it but doth not prove it but secondly suppose that any of us did err in some one thing or another which is possible if we be not duely watchful for we are Men and do not judge our selves above the reach or possibility of tentation yet it is not manifest by experience that a Brother who erreth may not be reclaimed from his errour unto truth yea the Contrary is manifest by experience For we have at diverse times seen our weaker brethren if at any time they have through humane frailty been tempted and overcome by the spiritual adversary and have fallen into Errour happily reclaimed and restored by the pains and labours of others more perfect and more enlightned the grace of God assisting and concurring with the same And supposing that any one should Imagine his errour to be the Truth and under the Notion of Truth should impute it to inward divine Revelation for no man who hath the least degree of a sober and sound mind will impute errour as such to the holy Spirit yet very good and seasonable means and arguments shall not be wanting to reclaim him unto Truth For we can readily suggest unto him that it is not always divine inward Revelation which hath an appearance so to be for Satan doth oft transform himself into a false likeness of an Angel of Light Therefore he who so erreth is to be admonished that neither lightly nor carelesly but weightily and with great diligence he prove and examine that which is presented unto him under a shew of truth and that he use all means both inward and outward and especially apply his mind to the true divine Illumination of the spirit of God which never errs that is in him to discover the said errour For no Man hath any errour if he hath the least grain of Piety but frequently an inward divine Illumination or Revelation contrary unto the said errour doth present it self unto his understanding revealing it and expelling it if duely attended even as the Light expelleth or driveth away the Darkness or as the day doth the Night Nor are Men at this day exposed to greater danger who profess to follow inward divine Revelation then those of Old in the days of the Prophets and Apostles Now we read in Scripture of a certain Young Prophet who was deceived by an Elder I ask our Adversary could he not be undeceived Again let him tell me why are they more in hazard to be deceived who profess to follow inward divine Revelation then others are who profess to follow the outward divine Revelation of the Scripture for he will not deny that many do fouly err who confidently boast that they follow the outward Revelation of the Scripture Many also embrace error for Truth in natural things professing to follow the guidance of sound natural reason can they not therefore be convinced of their errour and yet no man will confess that he hath erred in that wherein he believeth that he hath followed the conduct of right reason What the Adversary writeth in his second and third Paragraph concerning the things in the controversie agreed on by both sides I have little to answer or which seem to need any answer This only I take notice of that our a dversary doth grant that that divine Revelation whereby God and the things of his worship are sufficiently and savingly known doth come unto men not by the natural power of humane understanding but by the supernatural operation of God for so saith he our Men do profess on Luthers lesser Catechism on the third Article of the Creed I believe say they that I cannot confide or trust in the Lord Iesus Christ my Lord or approach or come unto him any away by the power of my own reason but the Holy Ghost by his Gospel hath called me with his gifts hath enlightned me c. The which words if some Socinians or Pelagians did read it is a wonder if they should not put on them the brand of Enthusiasm yea of Quakerism For the foresaid words seem to differ little or nothing from our Faith who in scorn are called Quakers which may be more clearly made apparent afterwards CHAP. II. IN his fourth Paragraph he propounds the state of the question thus Whether inward and Immediate Revelation be the common and ordinary way which God used not only to some men of old but which he doth always use even to our very times unto all men Manifesting unto them the things which are necessary for them to know in order to their Salvation And a little after he mentions a twofold divine Revelation the one inward and Immediate for which we contend the other outward and mediate viz. the Scripture by which he saith men attain to the knowledge of things Necessary to Salvation the holy spirit working in them by that very Doctrine But yet he seems not to me to state the matter of the controversie clearly enough for in the former Paragraph as it seemeth he called the supernatural operation of God and the holy Spirit which is necessary unto all believers and that absolutely Divine Revelation the which because it is distinct from the outward and mediate as he calls it of the Scripture although not contrary unto it I know not how he can refuse to acknowledge that the Revelation Illumination and Operation of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of the faithful is both inward and Immediate For first that it is inward he will not deny secondly nor will he as I judge deny that it is Immediate in that sense wherein both he and all sound and right thinking Christians contend against the Socinians and Pelagians or any other adversaries of Gods grace that the holy Spirit doth Immediately most nearly and identically by a Supernatural Operation concurr in every holy man as well to the forming of every good thought or conception within mans heart as to the bringing forth every good work outwardly or without Yea and all the most sound teachers in the Schools do affirm against Durandus that not only in supernaturals but even in all natural Productions of effects God Almighty doth concurr with all his Creatures Immediately most nearly and as many say identically or in the sameness of operation Nor doth this Immediate concourse of God the first Cause hinder or stop the influence operation and use of second Causes or of the means but doth rather establish Corroborate and confirm them For Example When a Man is cured and restored to health out of a Fevour or any other Sickness by the application of certain outward means God hath wrought Immediatly with those means but if the immediate operation of God had been wanting the man had not been cured it is therefore piously believed by all pious men both according to Scripture and Right reason that

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