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	faith_n	infallible_a	4,512	5	9.4343	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

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 here held out to be the object of Faith Faith the prime meanes of our salvation and the Scripture the way rule and guide of Faith The practice of this hath attained an honorable record of the men of Berea the Holy Ghost still testifying that they of Berea were more noble then others even in this for that they would not give credit or Faith to the truths delivered by the Apostles themselves further then they made and found the word of Scripture to be the rule thereof they searching the scriptures daily whether these things were so Acts 18. 11. But the men we speake of while they winde up all Religion and rules of Faith into their unadvised presuming spirit what do they less so heinously obnoxious they are to the way of the spirit of truth then to be wise above that which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is written But besides divine Authority seconded also as might be abundantly instanced if occasion did require with the numerous Testimony of the Spirit of God in Holy men of all ages plaine reason proves it viz. That the Word of God or Scripture is the rule of Faith 1. That is and only is the rule of Faith that is of infallible truth But the Scripture is and only is of infallible truth it being the word and minde of truth Therefore the Scripture undoubtedly is and only is the rule of Faith Truth being the proper immediate object of Faith it must needs be the rule Rectum norma sui obliqui therof i. of that that is to be beleived For truth or what ever is streight and right is the rule and measure both of it selfe and that that is Erronious and crooked The Rule of Faith must be certaine and known for if it be not certaine it is no rule at all And if it be not known it is no rule to us But nothing is more certaine nothing is more known then the Holy Scriptures contained in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles wherefore the sacred Scripture is the rule of Faith most certaine and most safe And for the case in hand it is worth our notice that the Scriptures must needs be better known then the spirit in some cases as namely where it is received where it speaketh plainly and the question is concerning the spirit These are Bellarmines own Reasonings not against us but Libertines relying upon Revelations which as they will serve to condemn the Scripture-blaspheming-Papists out of their own mouthes so also to confute our Anti-scripturists in this particular These things are written notwithstanding that we might have the certainty of that wherein we are instructed and that we might beleeve in Jesus and in beleeving have Life Eternal But how many absurdities and dangerous Danger consequences are the issue of the deniall hereof It followes 1. That the scripture is not the word of God it is all one in effect to say so and to deny it to be the rule of Faith for that that is the Word i. the will sense and truth of God revealed must needs be the rule of Faith And if the scripture be not the rule of Faith it may not be received as the Word of God for as we see God by the eye of reaeson in the World through that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Creation and Providence so with the eye of Faith alone in the Holy scriptures as he is there revealed to us by his Prophets and Apostles Thus 2. It robs the Lord of his infinite Glory and injuriously strips the World of the greatest Blessing wherewith ever God in blessing blessed it the scriptures for as to God they are the greatest outward pledge of his admirable favour and as to us the best yea the only ordinary way and meanes of heavenly light life and happiness To refuse the scripture as to the rule of Faith it must of necessity either expose us to the folly of acknowledging unwritten Traditions and to fall professed Papists or worse to the danger of waiting and attending on immediate Revelations and arise to Familisme But since the way of this Errour doth directly lead to the later of these we have a considerable price put into our hand to purchase though short yet seasonable digression touching Revelations of this Quere Qu. Is it not lawfull in these dayes of light to expect Revelations Answ The word Revelation is used in the scripture in the good sense but such Revelations as either take away from or add to the Scriptures and such Revelations as claime to be immediate may not be expected And such are the Revelations we now speake of Such as derogate from i. deny or contradict any part of the scripture is utterly unlawfull and ridiculous and cannot possibly be of the spirit of God For observe When there was but part of the Word express and extant and God shewed at any time by revealing his minde to the Prophets his intention to add an increase and inlargement towards the decreed perfection of the Holy Writ He never argued so much former improvidence or present contradiction to himselfe as by the now reigning spirit of truth to charge the other truth that had been revealed before by the same spirit to be false and Erronious And even as Gods word of six severall daies in that most admirable frame and fabrik of the World doth sing and set forth the praise of the Glory of Divine Wisdome with the sweetest Harmony even so doth the glorious building of scripture though the stones thereof were laid at sundry times by severall instruments and in diverse manners That Land is not surely the Finger of God that endeavours to demolish it yea or to take down a stone thereof But this Errour would remove the very corner stone and with violent hands labours every way to bury the beauty of this building in the ruines thereof denying not only the Word to be the rule of Faith but the triall of Faith at all yea Faith it selfe and Christ himself c. and almost what ever the scriptures affirme unlawfull abominable Revelations For I protest saith our Saviour unto every man that heareth the Words of the Prophesie of this Booke that if any man shall diminish of the Words of the Prophesie of this Booke God shall take away his part out of the Booke of Life and out of the holy City the place you so much boast in and from these things that are written in this Book Rev. 22. 19. That Revelation that adds to the word is as impious unwarrantable also The top stone is laid the work is finished the whole Will and Minde of God is already revealed to us in the scriptures and we may looke for waite for no more Johns writings contemning every thing to be known to the end of the World even till he which testifieth these saith surely I come quickly c. Rev. 22. 20. And yet this Errour will expect more truths yet the scripture being not the rule

how large a step is that to a totall rejection of Scripture it gets it self above the reach of the letter and what is not proveable by an allegoricall glosse wicked men and seducers wax worse and worse deceiving and being deceived CHAP. VII Of beleiving those truths of the Word that we are not yet convinced of by the spirit WE now shall endeavour to disapoint that other maine desperate Engine directed by the wicked cunning hand of this Errour against the scripture in generall namely that we are not bound to beleeve any more of the Bible then the Errour spirit doth perswade and cleere up to us The Grounds or Reasons thereof Grounds I finde amongst them to be these Because we can beleeve no more Because the Booke of the Scripture hath been and is still liable to corruption In the Vindication of truth against this Errour according unto my former method I should discover the Errour first and then the danger in convicting this assertion of Errour according to my use I shall weaken and ruine the grounds by refuting their reasons Arg. Then establish the truth for the first of these reasons that because we cannot it is not in our power therefore we ought not we are not bound by duty to beleeve of the Word more then the Spirit doth convince us of I answer Answ Is not this good reason because our debtor cannot pay his debts therefore he oweth us nothing at all then as it is injustice to demand so no mercy to forgive but cruelty to punish Yea moreover that that is in humane cruelty in man in Pharaoh though God should deale with us upon the same termes we could not say God is unjust yet God made man upright and mans own inventions trifled away the heate and fire of his own lusts burnt up and wasted the straw that God had allowed him for to do his worke Now shall our lie make the truth of God of none effect Shall our self-sought self-wrought inability discharge us of our duty how short and excellent a way is this to manifest and magnifie strength in weakenesse and being unable to do any thing in a trice by this sleight to performe all things But secondly We must distinguish in order hereunto of a double faith Faith perswaded Faith inspired The later beleeving the first truth for it self without or besides our reason is indeed the supernaturall gift or Geace of God For the first of these viz. Faith perswaded arising from the probability of reason is certainly reachable by naturall men And for beleiving of the Scripture in an historicall way this will I meane this faith perswaded by reason will clime very high 1. Reason perswading us to beleeve that God is omnipotent what will it not perswade us to conclude as feazable by him Secondly it perswading us further to beleeve that God is the truth and cannot ly What will it not urge us to beleeve if he speake it therefore to those that could not tell how to beleeve the resurrection our Saviour replieth you err not knowing the Scriptures and the Power of God Matth. 22. 29. you err in gainsaying this truth because as you do not beleive the Scriptures so neither do you certifie your reason about the Power of God to whom all things are possible Though it be impossible for us to beleive yet the all-wise God hath an excellent use of our duty and the force of his command viz. even for the glorifying of Justice in condemning of sinners And of mercy and grace in giving strength by commanding for the Obedience in giving glory hereafter for the reward of the obedience of all the Elect. This great mystery I shall have fitter occasion hereafter to unfold and therefore Lonely touch it here and lay it by till then Arg. 2 The second Argument follows which as the first was taken from the inability of beleiving more c. By reason of the reall corruption of our natures is drawn from the inconveniency of beleiving more viz. then the spirit shall cleere to be truth by reason of a supposed or feared possible or probable corruption of Gods Word Answ That abusive comparison that was most injuriously applied heretofore to Non-conformists and Puritans is most truly made good in the reign of this Errour For while they may happily imagine that they are running as fast from the Pope as their spirit can move them they are all the while tied by the tail to him as Sampsons foxes were joyned together while with contrary faces they endeavored to run from each other Yet among some of the more moderate Papists we may read a distinction that will sufficiently salve the present Objection namely translations are liable to corruption onely in respect of the words D. Stapleton not of the sense and if not translations surely not the originalls Papists themselves had never the power to meddle with the Text original the Greek Hebrew though they have sacralegiously formed up a Gospel even to their own minde and humor in Latine It is the greatest infidelity and mistrust of Providence to think or imagine at laest upon such slender supposalls surmises that God would suffer his witness record onely image of himself in the World to be falsified abused defaced what less then blasphemy to think as Hellish to perform There is an excercise of Charity as well as Faith then in beleiving the Scripture if this be all can be said against it Yet the foundation of our Faith is laid on divine not humane testimony or Authority Though the words of a man are the meanes to express Gods Minde unto us yet the light of Heaven in the face of Jesus Christ through scripture is our conversion and perswasion Argument for the Affirmative But that we may not leave the contrary truth in question take these things following for its confirmation If the Precepts of the Word whereby God is pleased both to command us to beleeve and by commanding us to worke Faith in us be reall Precepts then we ought to beleeve more truths of Gods Word then the spirit hath revealed and cleared to us But such Precepts must needs be acknowledged reall because they prove effectuall and the consequence is also undeniable because a command doth directly and immediately imply a duty and if the command be instrumentally used for our beleif then as the meanes is before the end we were commanded before we beleeved and by consequence ought to beleeve before we beleeved i. before the truth was revealed unto us by the Spirit of God If unbeleif comming from ignorance be sinfull then it is a duty to beleeve more truth then the spirit hath convinced us of but such an unbeleif is sinfull Which appeares First from Pro. 2. 3 c. the command of knowledge Secondly Faith as also from the punishment of Mar. 1. 15 such an unbeleif 2 Thes 1. and wherefore doth the living man complain a man for nothing else but for

the punishment Lam. 3. of his sin The consequence is cleare as the Sun for what the Spirit hath revealed to us we cannot have an ignorant unbeleif thereof We are to beleive every Truth that God hath revealed to the World in Scripture But there are many Truths in the Scripture that the Spirit hath not yet revealed to most if to any Therefore we are to beleive more Truth and Scripture then the Spirit hath yet revealed to us The Proposition is clear because all revealed Truth is to be beleived First by that Law of Reason that is implanted in every man by Nature Secondly by the Law of God that condemneth every spirit as foolish and bewitched that obeyeth not the Truth in believing of it Gal. 3. 1. But now how shall we prove the Assumption to them that deny the Scripture viz. that there is more Truth in Scripture then the Spirit hath yet revealed to any They will be forced to grant it will they but yeild a little to consult their own experience for they will acknowledge that there are some that are more enlightened inspired with the spirit of Truth then others even among themselves Now that revelation that hath honored them above and beyond their Brethren was either made known by a spirit of Truth or Error but they not acknowledging the later of these then that they have received from the Spirit of Truth must needs be Truth and that may be the Truth for their sufficient conviction that is not revealed by the Spirit to many There is some Truth in Scripture that is not yet revealed to some men all the Truth in Scripture ought to be beleived by all men therefore men ought to beleive more Scripture then the Spirit hath yet made clear and manifest to them But a word to hint at the absurdity and danger of this Opinion and I shake hands yea wash my hands of this And first we must needs infer that there is no sin * Ignorantia Juris of ignorance can possibly be committed for if I am bound to beleive no more then the Spirit doth reveal I can be ignorant of nothing that I ought to know for whatsoever the Spirit doth reveal I must needs know There can be no sin of unbeleif for so far as the Spirit perswades and enlightens I must and cannot but assent There can be no actual sin at all among the Heathens for they either have the Spirit of Christ or not The first is too absurd to be imagined Then if they have not the Spirit they cannot have the Law revealed to them by it therefore the Law concerneth them not and where there is no Law there is no Transgression The Man of sin himself as so cannot sin i. against the Gospel the Saints or Christ since he is not perswaded by the Spirit of Truth that these are true Neither do I well conceive how the People of God can sin either for so far as they receive the Truth from the Spirit so far do they not obey it and no further are they bound to regard it Or to conclude if the Saints can sin the Saints it seems are the onely sinners in the World upon this account However men may wallow and tumble in the grossest prophaneness and yet not lose their Cloak The Spirit hath not revealed it to me it will be said I am not yet convinced that what I do is sinfull or evil And Happy thrice happy are ye blinde and ignorant Indians rise up and cal this way above all other blessed it freeth you from sin and punishment also for where there is no Conviction of spirit there is no Law and where there is no Law there is no Transgression and where there is no sin there is no punishment As this Opinion lays a good Foundation for sin so for Ignorance and Error also Well might the Papist say that Ignorance is the Mother of Devotion it being so good a Preservative against sin and wickedness And for Error this will lead us to deny Jesus Christ and God himself the Resurrection of the Body Immortality of the Soul Heaven Hell and worse if possible and bring a man safely off and free from any sin or check upon this account plea ground and warrant I am not yet convinced hereof by the Spirit of God And to conclude it doth plainly levell the holy Bible with any other Book whatsoever whether godly or profane and make the Word of God of no better Authority then they which even the very very worst of which I am bound to beleive so far as the Spirit I mean by Scriptures shall convince and assure me of the truth thereof And yet which I greive to think and tremble to write this is a most commonly received Opinion among us in this Age. Ah! let us take heed of loosing that if such Errors as these once spread and prevail wherein our very Souls are bound up Religion it self CHAP. VIII Of the Scripture as it is the Rule of Faith WE now shal pass on in the defence of the Scripture to consider it respectively to our use thereof first altogether in the bulk whole therof as denied by this error in these two assertions 1. That the Scripture or Bible is not to be the Rule of Faith Page 128. 2. Nor the Judge and triall of the spirits page 66. line 2. 3. page 127. Both these are also known to every one that hath any knowledge of popish tenets to be ranke Popery The difference lies only in the different use hereof the Jesuist using them to advance his Pope and the men of this Errour making them a mean to carry on the designe of their spirit but of them in order Now in answer to the first viz. The deniall of the Scriptures to be the rule of Faith these popish assertions are found in the Jesuites Books Namely That the Gospell was written not to rule our Faith but to be ruled by it That it receiveth all the Authority it hath from the Church And that we must live more according to the Authority of the Church then Scripture c. Now may we but call the Church here the Pope and the Pope the Spirit a most easie mistake and in these and many other particulers the Abbettors of the Errour we are disputing against do willingly bow do obeysance to his holiness if not even fall down and kisse his Toe But there being nothing to be brought for this Errours upholding that I can think of at present that hath not already The truth proved received an answer upon an other occasion before I shall immediately betake my self for the strength and establishment of the contrary affirmative viz. That the Word or Scripture is to be the rule of our Faith For First we have cleere and pregnant scriptu●e for it 2. Tim 3. 15. The scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation through the Faith that is in Christ Jesus where observe 1. That Christ

and doth not onely bow as much the other way but even breake the sticke to make it streight Secondly most of the men that are thus deluded were never well and throughly taught grounded and experienced in the former surer wayes of God therefore it is that they are so easily inticed and drawn off their ground by every tempting and alluring Fancy The wayes of God are as Apples of Gold in Pictures of Silver and they that enjoy the outside onely not tasting the sweetnesse can never know the goodnesse of Christs Apples Alas how easily are such cheated and guld by the subtle Serpent of this blessed Fruit of the Tree of Life for the dangerous Apple of the Tree of Knowledge and Speculation a prize is put into the hands of fools and they have no heart to it The Devill puts a gloss upon his brass and how willingly men part with their true and upright Crown-Gold for a Counter Many never trod enough the good old way to know the profit pleasure and safety thereof and therefore it is that they take out their foot and will not walk therein but seek out to themselves such strange inventions A third ground of this Errour may be from the now Commonnesse of the Ordinary means the old way they see is now the common Road the way of World which cannot be the way of God the ordinary means of Spirituall nourishment is now become common meat Such dainty pallats will now with Peter despise and reject them because they are common and Acts 10. 14 15. unclean But let such take heed of unclean lips and hear that voyce that checks from Heaven What God hath Consecrated count not thou common For satisfaction hereunto let us remember three things 1. That Jesus Christ himself did eat with Publicans and Sinners 2. God hath promised to those later dayes that he will powre forth his Spirit upon all flesh 3. The devices of Sathan are to Ape and immitate the best of Gods wayes as an Angel of Light In the fourth place comes in or rather is forced in the age and long continuance of the way we plead for as a Mid-wife to deliver this prodigious Progeny The fickle humour of the World to be given to change Est natura hominum novitatis Avida O how do our ears itch after noveltie How weary are we with walking so long in the old way the ordinary means are old enough such is the vanity of our thoughts to be dead and buried that a Spirit might arise out of their Ashes and carry up our Souls into a Fools Paradice Fifthly to the rest is added I fear a too willing and affected mistake about the use of means as if no distinction is reasonably put betwixt the Means and the End or betwixt the Actions that respectively refer using and injoying as if we could not use but we must rest upon the means as if we could not injoy God and yet use the means To this purpose the Author to whom I chiefly relate doth almost ever confound Rest and Evidence as if we made the Evidence our End when as it is onely used as the means of our Rest God we acknowledge is the onely Center of our Souls yet though Christ by the help of Scripture and Ordinances in our graces and experiences as Mediatour Means and Evidences do we Center in him Sixthly what hath been said before is mightily strengthened by that Religious Ecclesiasticall Principle grosly abused That Gods dealings in his Church are usually graduall loose and unsetled hereupon men imagine that it is time to put off their old cloaths to cloath themselves with som new light as with a Garment But men stretch this Principle too far when they will make it extend to things Morall unless it be to cleare and elevate the same Men make this Proposition setch too great a compasse when they will have it to bring in the Spirit upon the Stage of the World to fight against all its Freinds and Relations as as this Errour would have it Seventhly but all is warranted by Authority of Scripture this phansie would seem to be kindly stroakt with the smooth hand and mightily incouraged with the sweete and pleasant voyce of Scripture-Promise namely In those dayes I will powre forth my Spirit upon all flesh saith the Lord and such like 1. Here is indeed a Promise of the Spirit 2. Here is a Promise also of the spreading of the Spirit Viz. Vpon all Flesh 3. Here is a Promise of increase of the Spirit and that to abundance I will powre out my Spirit to which that is answerably said And Knowledge shall cover the Earth as Water doth the Seas Yet where is the Promise that God will inspire the World or Saints immediately with it that this breaking in of abundance of Spirit shall carry before it and utterly wash away all former helps and means Cannot we expect the performance of these Promises of Spirit as powred forth through the same Conduit pipes Must we needs expect such overflowings of Spirit as will keepe no bounds as will not onely overflow but also over-run and forsake its ancient Channell If not thus the Promises make nothing of countenance towards this Errour Eightly and that which gives ground and advantage to all the rest is a high Platonick Notionall Genius more properly peculiar to the hot upholders of this Novelty they have Towring Fancies most fit to invent and assert such speculations and it is to be feared that the Prince of the Aire takes too too much advantage hereof well fore-seeing that if he help them to an Inch they will take an Ell He darts into them a beame of false light and they with all joy presently receive it hug and imbrace it and kisse it with an holy kisse as a reall ray of God himself Truly I speak it with a meek and unpassionate Spirit I fear nothing else but the heat of Phancy and light of Satan upon the Seeds before scattered hath ingendred and begot this new Heaven God and Glory that seems so overcomming and so mightily ravishing in these sadly deluded Souls Lastly now that that pins the basket and maketh all aforesaid most wonderfully prevalent on this Errours behalf is doubtlesse a curse from Heaven secretly siding with and seconding the same Man over-presuming upon gracious Providence will sometimes above warrant take their foote off from the wayes of God and venter upon the rotten and deceitful grounds of Errour where God doth justly leave them even to sink away and fall into the Pit and irrecoverable plunge thereof When men will shut voluntarily shut their eyes God is not necessarily bound to open them but doth sometimes most justly seal them up least they should again see with their eyes and that for ever When men are bold to abuse or misuse that Talent of Light by seeking after strange inventions The hand of Heaven is stretcht out against them many times Matth. 25. 29. even to strik them blind

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

Word and Gospel is the power of God unto salvation spirit and life and directly the means of sanctification so called and acknowledged by truth it self John 17. 17. Sanctifie us through thy truth thy Word is truth But Then if the spirit be indifferent with respect to the Word and other means which is your most pleasing and acceptable sense how fals it out that the Church of God is onely found where the Gospel dwels What reason can be given why God hath not an equal number and share of Professors among the Indians Is the spirit free yet surely it doth prize value and countenance that air to live and breathe in much more that is fill'd not to say blessed and purified with the sound of the Gospel A general darkness we see covereth the People where the Oracles of God give no advantage while the Land of Goshen is full of light But we have here most room and occasion to take notice and clear that Text on which indeed hang both the Law and the Prophets of Anti-scripturisme Obj. Some men do acknowledge the Scriptures are used to teach us our Rudiments and beginnings of the knowledge of Christ but this Milk is for Babes and strong men must have stronger meat when they have received the spirit once they put away these childish things to live above the Scriptures and harden themselves in such a practice as this upon that notable Scripture 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have also a more sure word of Prophesie to the which ye do well that ye take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn c. Hence say they we did take heed to Scriptures while we were ignorant untill we received the spirit but now what need have we thereof this place of Scripture it self inviting us to take no more heed thereto Answ This Text beareth to many weak sighted and prejudiced Christians a very fair gloss for the thing pretended But could we but stay a little upon it and take its genuine sense along with us we should certainly understand and know it to be otherwise There are two gross mistakes committed in this same fallacious construction of the words this way The first may be occasioned by the pointing of the words Let us leave out the Comma at the word Place read the words thus We have a sure word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed so far we both agree but these men would construe next untill the day dawn c. but upon what account let us reade construe and understand them as they lie in the Verse Whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn c. Which words are not to limit the time how long but to describe the manner how we ought to take heed It is not we must take heed unto this Prophesie till the day dawn but to it as a light that shineth in the dark till the day dawn The second and more dangerous misconstruction and mistake is of the sense of the very termes themselves they reade the words as a Collation between the whole Book of Scripture and the coming of the spirit and indeed it is onely of the Law and the Prophets and the coming of Christ as the Context doth most clearly manifest The Prophesie of old shining in those Dayes that were dark till the Day not properly of the spirit but of Christ did dawn i. till the Gospel for Christ is called a Sun the Light of the Gentiles at whose coming into the World The day spring from on Luke 1. ult high did visit us And the Times and Dispensation of the Gospel the Day and the Children of the Gospel Children of the Light and of the Day God 1 Thess 5. 8. Ephes 5. 8. that commanded Light out of Darkness shining thence in our hearts to give us the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Therfore this is the sum of the Apostles sense in that place he having given them a glimpse of the Vision wherewith he was blessed with Christ on the Mount in vers 16 17 18. He seemeth in vers 19. somewhat fearfull least he should by this means have stirred up a hankering in their mindes after such Visions to the weakening of their heed and respect to the Writing of the Prophets and therefore thus addes We have a more sure word of Prophesie More sure i not more true in it self but as to you which you have means of more assurance of having been a long time received for the Word of God c. whereunto ye do well that ye take heed and not to slacken your faith or heed thereunto any thing said by me of my Vision notwithstanding but least they should err on the other hand and prize the Law and the Prophets above the Light of the glorious Gospel he addeth further whereunto ye do well that ye take heed but you must heed it no otherwise but as a Light that shineth in a dark place before the day or untill the day dawn the Dayes of the Gospel being Dayes of greater Light then the Dayes of the Prophets yet not to undervalue these Prophesies neither we must know this first No Prophesie Vers 20. in the Scripture is of any private Interpretation though we must look upon them as shining in a dark place untill the day dawn yet must we bear respect and heed thereto as unto the Word of God also For the Prophesie came not in old time by the will of man but holy Vers 21. men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost And now what advantage have any from hence for the Deniall of the Gospel or to make the Word of God of none effect for our teaching CHAP. XI Of the Scripture as profitable in its commands for obedience THis Error would strike at the very Majesty of God and his divine Authority in the holy Scriptures and therefore sticks not to deny the Commands thereof they being not by any to be heard or hearkened to as the voice of God And this I conceive upon a double respect as they look to the wicked and unregenerate world or relate to the godly and spiritual Church and upon this dilemma because the commands of Scripture cannot come in upon us at this or that door they must be shut out Reas 1 With respect to men unregenerate they imply the command is vain such having no power to obey it and God cannot inforce or intend it to them who doth nothing in vain Reas 2 And with relation to men regenerate the command is needless also they having the spirit the Law within them written in their hearts there is left no need no use of the letter or the Law without As the natural man receiveth no help so the man that is spiritual hath neither helpe nor need of

of this spirituall sense and greife might be applicable to them Yea what else can be the fit and proper season of promises what is it that renders any promise whatsoever comfortable yea appliable to us but the sense of the want of the things promised 2. Againe the abuse of the promises would faine be argued from the extent of our applying of them our resting too much upon and drawing too much comfort from them Answ Alas alas this is so little against the due Application of promises that let them be rightly applied and I know not which way we can possibly rejoyce too much therein This I am most certaine of that men very seldome err on this hand the most of Christians being rather guilty of too much infidelity and mistrust in the truth and fidelity of him that hath promised The Scriptures therefore every where plentifully warrant and powerfully injoyne even our rejoycing with exceeding joy joy unspeakable and full of Glory But what can the mouth of this abuse forced open speak against the Lawfull use of the promises at which indeed this errours spitefull hand strickes too hard May we not lie down and take our rest in the promises when moved driven thereunto by a restlesse spirit a hint unreasonable or may we not sinck over much from these breasts of Consolation a word unseasonable yet when in truth and measure the promises are taken applied closed with What can forbid or hinder or who can say unto that happy hand what dost thou The truth and safety of which comfort and practise I plead for and prove by the following Arguments quere-wise Argument for the affirmative 1. Why may not the promises truly and duely applied speak comfort to us as well as to our Fathers what kept Davids Head up even in the depths but the truth and word of God in the promise what incouraged our Father Abraham to beleeve against hope i reasonable hope Rom. 4. 18 but that he remembred the promise and staggered not and all the Saints of old we read that through patience and hope Heb. 6. 12. they inherited the promises yea lastly what invited our deare and blessed Saviour himself even to indure the Crosse to Heb. 12. 2. despise the shame but the Joy that was set before him how why in a promise Isa 53. ult are not these examples for our instruction and imitation we may look unto Jesus surely we whom the Gospel it self hath stiled the Children the Heires of promise we may take up our Crosse and follow our forerunner even in this in Rom. 9. 8. applying the promises for our Joy and Comfort Being the rather willing to suffer here with him for that it is promised us that if we suffer with him we shall also raign with him The promises belong unto us as wel as to our Fathers And is not the comfort of the promises ours also the promise belongeth to You and to your Children and to all that are afar off as well in time as place even to as many as the Lord our God shal call and why not then appliable to us even to as many as the Lord our God shal call also for the comfort therof Act. 2. 39. What true sollid I mean spirituall comfort can be possibly received by any other way and means whatsoever and not through the promises All our hopes depending thereupon all our Joyes must flow therefrom We having no pure and spirituall Joy but what hath entrance into us by the doore of hope and the Object of hope being nothing else but the substance of the promises Secondly Aagain Faith is the only hand whereby we take to our selves all reall and spirituall joy and comfort and now the only matter of Faith is the Promises It being the substance of things hoped for i the matter Heb. 11. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 8. of the promises therefore all joy unspeakable and glorious is by beleeving i applying the promises 3. What can be imagined by any reasonable phansy to be the proper and genuine end of a promise but rest support comfort c. The world being a Wildernesse so full of annoyance to the Children of God he surely hath so filled his word with promises plainly intending to lift up their heads to beare up their hearts against all their trialls with promises i Of the supports and comforts of his presence with them here and of another a better place Land Canaan Heaven and rest hereafter Quest But how shall we be sured that God hath such an end and intention to comfort us by promises Answ This may be demonstrated first from the forme thereof a promise doth properly yea formally speak and declare comfortable things This is essentiall to it it cannot be a promise unlesse its most direct and immediate intention aime something towards comfort endeavour some satisfaction and rest in its Object more or lesse Either these parts of holy scripture are not promises or there end an intention is comfortable to us 2. From the matter that being comfortable also now the matter an form do mutually illustrate and prove each other as in the promises For let a promise be made and confirmed with all possible Zeale and strength of security yet if the matter be of no worth it speakes no comfort so if the matter be never so precious and rich what is it to me unless I either have it already or have some hopes and assurance thereof by promise but now the things of Heaven being a Pearl a Treasure an Inheritance a Kingdome c. The matter is most rich and precious but al this being promised there being a promise of the eternall inheritance and the Kingdome promised Heb. 9. 15. Jam. 2. 5. The form is also most cordial and comfortable and both together made precious promises exceeding great and precious promises Pet. 1. 4. 3. From the end of promises as God himself hath declared it to be by his own authority in the holy Scriptures and sealed it according to his truth and power in mans experiences 1. Gods own end in promising that none might have the least occasion left of so grosse an errour is almost every where found with his promise in Scripture And what is it but the end we speak of rest quietnesse peace contentation c. Fear Isa 30. 10. not thou my servant Jacob but is it demanded how Jacob must remedy fear I answer the beleeving and applying the promises following loe I will save thee from far c. Again be contented with such things as you have but upon what ground for or because he hath said I will never leave Heb. 13. nor forsake thee Yea let us heare one famous Scripture speak for all the rest For God willing more abundantly to shew unto the Heires of promise the immutability of his Councell confirmed it by an Oath that by two immutable things a promise being one of the two in which it was impossible for God to

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