God in whom we live and move and have our being is most present in all his Creatures in Heaven and Earth and below the Earth and that he doth impart unto them all his Immediate concurrence and influence according to the exigence of every one of them In the Mineral and Metallin region he works immediatly with the minerals and mettals in the vetegable with the herbs flowers and trees and in the Animal he works immediatly with all the living Creatures to feed and nourish them Also he feedeth and nourisheth man not with Bread alone but with every word that cometh out of his Mouth And if this be true in respect of the natural and animal life how exceedingly true is it in respect of the Spiritual and supernatual which after a peculiar manner is called in Scripture the life I do not therefore understand how our adversary can reject this term Immediate from the inward divine Illumination or light of God that operates in the hearts of the faithful But parhaps he will say he doth not reject the term Immediate as the said Immediate concurse and influence of God is joyned with the means having an excellent consistency harmony and concord with them but that he denyeth such an immediate concourse of God as excludeth all means and the use and necessity of them in regard of the common and ordinary way of Gods working or at least doth not require them as necessary Now if this be the mind of our adversary he ought to have explained it in his dissertation and not to have rejected the term Immediate without all distinction and limitation But I answer moreover that we are so far from rejecting any true Means in order to the attaining the true and saving knowledge of God that we most gladly receive all means both inward and outward and both the book of the Scripture and the book of the Creatures as blessings and gifts of God We do also acknowledge that in respect of the more special Heads and Doctrines of the Christian Religion the Scripture is necessary both by necessity of precept and also of means and in what cases the Scriptures are not absolutely necessary yet they are very profitable unto all even unto the most spiritual and perfect And therefore the use of the Holy Scripture is not to be rejected or laid aside by none so long as this Mortal life endureth and this upon the matter R. B. hath sufficiently granted and that it may be the better known in what special Doctrines of the Christian Religion we hold the use of the Scripture to be necessary unto us we grant first that the whole History of the Creation and of all the ages from Adam unto Christ and of all the great works of God in building preserving nourishing and encreasing his Church in all those ages unto Christ and unto the end of the age of the Apostles is made known unto us by benefit of the Scripture of the Old and New Testament the inward divine Revelation and Illumination of the Holy Spirit working together with the Scripture and begetting in our minds and hearts the saving knowledge and faith of all these things Secondly all these most excellent Prophecies both and that especially concerning Christ his coming in the Flesh and his Spiritual Kingdom in the hearts of the faithful and also concerning many other things very necessary to be known and believed are made known unto us by the help of the Scripture the foresaid inward divine Revelation and Illumination of the Holy Spirit working with the Scripture and begetting in us the saving knowledge and belief of those things and here the holy Spirit is the principal cause and the Scripture a means and instrument Thirdly the knowledge of those most excellent examples of the vertues and vertuous and holy living of the Saints that greatly conduce by the working of the Holy Spirit to frame and fashion us after the same Manner and to ingraft and implant in us the same divine vertues and graces Fourthly the knowledge of many mysteries as of Christ his being both God and Man his being born in the Flesh of a Virgin his being crucified and becoming a Propitiatory sacrifice for our sins his Resurrection Ascension and Glorification and pouring out of his Spirit and the fulfilling of all these things many ages ago as they were foretold also the Mysterys of Election Vocation Justification and of the Regeneration of the Saints and of their spiritual ingrafting into Christ through the same and the Mystery of the Resurrection of the Body and its Glorification at the last day with many other secrets and hidden things of the Christian Religion Fifthly the knowledge of diverse Gospel precepts leading and carrying on the true travellers into a Gospel and Spiritual Life until he arrive at a perfect Man Sixthly the knowledge of diverse Gospel promises wherby we become partakers not only of the divine life and nature in this World but shall injoy most abundantly everlasting Happiness and felicity in the World to come I say the knowledge of all these things and of many more which to recite all one by one were too long is conveyed unto us by the Scriptures Testimony as we are exercised in reading and hearing and meditating on them the foresaid inward divine Revelation and Inspiration working as is said together with the Scriptures which can only beget in us the saving knowledge and belief of all these things It may now be asked what remaineth to be revealed by the Holy Spirit inwardly inspiring and Illuminating us the Scriptures not concurring so much as means and instruments at least immediatly and formally in the very act of knowledge as touching the things revealed I answer The experimental and sensible knowledge of God that is no ways obvious to the outward senses but to the inward and spiritual whereby God himself in Christ and Christ himself in his Life Light Vertue and Spirit is most inwardly felt seen and heard and a most sweet tast of him is received above all that the natural man can conceive of him and this is that most inward Magisterie or teaching of the inward Master of which Augustin makes mention lib. 14. de Trinit cap. 15. And it is that also of which the Apostle Paul said Eye hath not seen nor Ear heard nor hath it entred into Mans heart to conceive the things which God hath prepared for them who love him but God saith he hath revealed them to us by his Spirit This is that hidden Manna and white-stone which no Man knoweth save he who hath it And for the more full and clear understanding of this thing let the Reader take notice that there is a twofold knowledge of things whether natural and visible or of spiritual divine and invisible There is one knowledge of things which is not received by the things themselves but by the signs of them and such a knowledge is abstractive remote and mediate and therefore is very obscure another knowledge
owneth the words Enthusiasm Enthusiast and Enthusiastical as applicable to some Persons who were true and sincere Christians and divinely inspired And yet the Title of his Printed Sermon presumeth to Exorcise the Spirit of Enthusiasm without making any distinction as if the said Spirit were some Devil or unclean Spirit universally But if he say he meaneth not the Spirit of Enthusiasm as it was in the Primitive times but as it is now in the following ages since the true Divine Spririt of Enthusiasm did universally cease or expire To this I answer it is more than he hath proved or can prove that the true Spirit of divine Enthusiasm hath universally ceased among Christians and as for his reasons or proofs I hope with Gods assistance sufficiently to discover their weakness and invalidity and that he layeth a too weak and unsteddy foundation for so great and weighty superstructure But how this Author presumeth to Exorcise the Spirit of Enthusiasm without the least measure of the Spirit of Divine Enthusiasm I am at a loss to understand for if the Spirit of Enthusiasm be such a Devil as he supposeth it generally to be how can it be Exorcised or cast out but by a measure of the Divine Spirit of Enthusiasm for the Author will readily as I suppose acknowledge that all the Exorcists in the Apostles times who had power to Exorcise and cast out evil Spiritsâ— were Enthusiastically inspired so that by the Spirit of God and Christ inspiring them as being the stronger they did cast out evil Spirits who were the weaker But if the Author think that without some divine Enthusiasm or inspiration he can cast out or Exorcise any devil or unclean Spirit only by the strength of his parts or humane Spirit or barely naming the words of Scripture and of Jesus and Paul let him call to mind and consider what happened unto them who presumed to Exorcise a certain unclean Spirit with the names of Jesus and Paul without having that divine Spirit which was in Jesus and Paul To whom the Spirit answered Iesus we know and Paul we know but who are Ye and the Man in whom the evil Spirit was leapt on them and overcame them and prevailed against them so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded read Acts 19.13 14 15 16. I no where find in Scripture or any credible History that any ever had power to Exorcise the Devil or any unclean Spirit unless he was in indeed with the Spirit of God for the weaker must be overcome by the stronger but whither the Author thinketh himself by his meer natural parts and humane Spirit stronger then the Devil let him see to it Another thing he should greatly advert to lest he hath called the Operation of the Spirit of God and Christ in his Children the work of the Devil which to do is a great iniquity and yet is pardonable through repentance if not committed knowingly and willfully which I hope this Author hath not done therefore I can heartily pray unto God that he may be forgiven and his eyes may be opened to see and acknowledge the Truth But to pass from the name of word Enthusiasm for which being no Scripture word we shall not contend let us come to the thing it self to wit true divine inspiration Vision and Revelation and true divine inward teaching and leading and moving of the holy Spirit Immediately whither in some measure or degree it be not the common priviledge of all Gods people and of all sincere and true Christians I take notice of the Authors distinction pag. 4. of two sorts of spiritual gifts Common and Special By the common gifts of the Spirit he saith he meaneth all those that all Christians are bound to pray for and expect and that are given by God in common to all those who sincerely desire them and labour after them and that are necessary for the Salvation of the Soul and of this sort he saith are all the saving gifts and graces of the Spirit called in the Schools gratiae gratium facientes which the Spirit helps to work in mens hearts as Faith Hope Charity Purity Humility and all other gracious habits of the Mind which the Apostle calls the fruit of the Spirit and wherein the image of God the power of Godliness and the Spirit of Christianity truly do consist By special gifts he understandeth those which men are not ordinarily bound to expect and which unless it be in some few circumstances that seldom happen would be vanity and presumption to beg of God and which by consequence are not necessary for the Salvation of the Soul Of this sort he saith are all the Miraculous unctions of the Holy Ghost called by the Schoolmen gratiae gratis datae such as the gift of tongues power of working Miracles signs and wonders the Spirit of prophecy c. But these sorts of gifts saith he agree in this that they are supernatural and freely given by God to men This distinction brought by the Author I willingly own and acknowledge But the thing that remains for him to prove is that no sort of Immediate divine Revelation and Inspiration and Immediate divine teaching is any of those common and ordinary gifts given freely of God to all true and sincere Christians Now that the inspiration of the holy Spirit is one of these common gifts of the Spirit doth plainly appear from the Common Prayer of the Church of England according to this very difinition of a common saving gift of the Spirit given here by the Author to wit that it is such as all Christians are bound to pray for and expect but such is the inspiration of the Holy Spirit according to the Common Prayer of the Church of England for thus she prayeth in the Collect on the first Sunday after Easter Lord from whom all good things do come grant us thy humble Servants that by thy Holy Inspiration we may think those things that be good and by thy merciful guiding may perform the same through our Lord Iesus Christ Amen Again in the first prayer at the Communion immediately after our Father c. it saith Almighty God unto whom all hearts be open cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy holy Spirit that we may perfectly love thee and worthily magnifie thy name c. Again in the 4 Prayer which hath this Title for the whole state of Christs Church Militant here on Earth it saith thus beseeching thee to inspire continually the universal Church with the Spirit of Truth Vnity and Concord Thus we see how at three several times the Church of England prayeth for the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and if she pray for it she ought certainly to expect it and not believe it is ceased or expired which makes me think it the more strange that one of her own members and that a Doâ—tor also should deny this so excellent and precious a gift and condemn it as some Devil
Kingdom of God standeth not in words but in power And seeing a Christians Faith is a part of Gods Kingdom in his Soul the said Faith stands not in the words even of the Apostles by Pauls own Testimony but hath a greater and more noble and excellent Foundation to wit the Power and holy Spirit of God in the Heart of the Believer as that doth inspire and inwardly operate move and act upon the intellectual Faculties of the Soul And here possibly some will grant that the Spirit hath the greatest efficiency or stroke in working this spiritual assent or Perswasion to the Doctrine of the Gospel as an efficient Cause in the Souls of Believers but perhaps they will say as this Author saith of the common saving Graces of the Spirit that they are Moral Virtues insensibly wrought in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost and that therefore any Divine Assent or Perswasion which the Holy Ghost works in our Hearts is wrought insensibly and that the Holy Ghost in his Inspiration and Operation is incognitum quid as some Popish Schoolmen and others have affirmed the Spirits operation to be medium incognitum assentiendum i. e. an unknown medium or mean that worketh in us insensibly or without all perception on our part whose footsteps this Author seemeth to follow And seeing the Spirits Influence or Operation is altogether unperceptible to the Soul as having no objectve evidence whereby to make it self known as they affirm and that the Soul or Mind of man cannot assent to Truth without some objective evidence of truth The Scripture therefore is that medium or mean which alone as they say giveth this objective Evidence of truth to the Soul and moveth it objectively to assent to the truth Hence they distinguish betwixt subjective and objective Illumination and the Subjective and objective Influence and Assistance saying that the Spirit indeed giveth us the Subjective illumination and Assistance but the Scripture only giveth us the objective Illumination and Assistance But this distinction I have sufficiently at length refuted in my Book of Immediate Revelation above cited so that I need not insist to make a new Refutation of it here until the Author or some else disprove the Arguments I have brought there to evince that the Holy Spirit worketh sensibly and perceptibly in the hearts of Believers and giveth unto them an objective Assistance and Illumination as well as subjective or effective that both can be known and is known to be a divine assistance and to proceed from the Holy Spirit in them who have it and whose minds are well prepared and disposed to receive and observe it for the Spirits inward Operation and Inspiration or Influence is sufficiently observable and reachable enough by the inward and spiritual Senses of the Soul when excited and awakned by the power of the Holy Spirit as I can appeal to all who have the least measure of experience in the case and whose spiritual senses are awakned and duly exercised to discern betwixt Good and Evil. Such by an inward spiritual divine sensation are able to discern and distinguish betwixt a good motion and Inspiration that cometh from the Spirit of God and an evil motion and Inspiration that cometh from the Devil or some evil Spirit Again seeing by the Inspiration and Illumination of the Spirit of God we are principally inclined moved and perswaded to assent to the truth of the Scripture-Testimony and are made to believe that the Scriptures are no cunningly devised Fable but the Holy Oracles and Sayings of God by men divinely inspired as all good and sound Protestants do acknowledge we must needs consequentially affirm that the spirits illumination is the more noble Rule and preferable to the Scripture And thus we evite that fallacious Circle that some run into and for which they are derided by some of the Church of Rome because they say they believe the Scriptures for the spirits inward Testimony and to go round again they say they believe the spirits inward Testimony for the Scriptures This say the Romanists is a fallacious Circle and not to be allowed according to the Rules of right Disputation But say we as we own the Scriptures Testimony as a good secondary Confirmation to induce or move us to believe the spirits inward Testimony so we beleive the Spirits inward Testimony being chiefly moved or induced so to do by the spirit of God himself inspiring us and inwardly moving and inclining us thereunto and we principally believe the Scriptures for the spirit but the spirit we principally believe for himself or his own immediate Testimony in our hearts which is secondarily confirmed to us by the Scriptures Testimony And I see not how any true Protestant or sober rational man who owneth a necessity of the spirits Inspiration to produce saving faith in the soul can blame us for so doing And thus the Romanists have no occasion to deride or blame us for running into a vicious Circle in giving the reason of our Faith And we judge it no derogation to the Scripture to prefer the spirit of God and Christ as he doth immediately bear witness in our Hearts to the external Testimony of the Scriptures For as Iohn and all the Prophets and Apostles gave the preference to Christ as more worthy so no doubt the Scriptures which are their Words and Writings prefer the holy spirit of Christ whose servants and Instruments they are And here I give the Reader a necessary Caution which I desire him well to observe that when the Question is stated betwixt the inward and immediate Testimony of the spirit in the soul of a true Christian and the outward Testimony of the Scripture we affirm the inward is the more noble the greater and the more preferable even as the soul is the more noble part of a man and of greater value than the Body however so excellent or beautiful as being that which giveth life to the Body for as the soul quickneth the body and useth it as its Instrument so the holy spirit inspiring the Heart of a true Christian quickneth the Scriptures Testimony and maketh it to live and bring forth Fruit in the soul yet when the Question is stated betwixt the Scriptures and any Revelation Vision or Inspiration externally brought forth in Words or Writing that in this case we most willingly prefer the Scripture words and writings to any words and writings of ours how much soever inspired or proceeding from Inspiration and do most willingly submit all our Words and Writings to the publick standard Test and Touch-stone of the Scriptures to be tryed by them and not otherwise to be received than as agreeing with them A second thing which possibly this Author or some other may answer in the case is That though the Church of England according to the Common Prayer owneth the Inspiration of the holy spirit as necessary to saving Faith and to the begetting a saving and spiritual knowledge of God and the Scriptures yet
the Author say it was the Preaching simply considered that had the saving efficacy in it without the Spirit so that the Spirits operation added nothing thereunto I suppose few will believe so gross an assertion for if so then the Minister of the Letter is as good as the Minister of the Spirit and he who hath only the words is as good a Preacher as he who hath the Spirit and Words both but how contrary is this to the mind of Paul who said I will know not the words of them who are puffed up but the power And our Gospel came not in words only but in power and in the Holy Ghost and he hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth by the Letter he doth understand the words which any preach without the Spirit but the Spirit giveth life And surely that which giveth life hath a sanctifying Vertue in it and is of a moral and holy nature And doth not sad experience prove it sufficiently that men who preach barely from the Letter of the Scripture have not success in their Ministry to the Conversion of Souls else why is it that so many having the name of Christians yet want the true nature of Christianity and come short of many Heathens and when God shall be pleased to pour out his Spirit more abundantly and to inspire men to be Preachers of his holy Mind and Will shall not Christianity more prevail in the World than now it doth is not the great want the want of the Spirit among the greatest part of those called Christians or rather indeed a want of a right belief concerning the necessity of the Spirits help and of the great bounty and Grace of God how willing he is to bestow plentifully of his Spirit upon men if they would not reject and resist it and with their prejudice against so excellent a Gift exclude themselves from the enjoyment of it And whereas the Author saith But thou canst cry Abba Father without Inspiration and thou mayest make Prayers Supplication and Intercession and giving of Thanks for all men without Inspiration which if thou hadst it would not make thy Prayers more excellent in themselves or more acceptable in the sight of God These are such gross assertions that as seemeth to me to have repeated them is Refutation enough to any spiritually minded man Were not Davids Prayers the more excellent that they were inspired Do not all Christians value and esteem of Davids Prayers and Psalms and the Prayers and Psalms of other Saints recorded in Scripture as being Divinely inspired Do they not favour of that sweet and precious Life and Spirit which inspired them Or have the made and conceived Prayers of others without all Divine Inspiration the same excellency and worth with Davids Inspired Prayers and Psalms This were to equal the Words and Writings of men no wise inspired with the Scriptures a Crime which our Adversaries but unjustly seek by consequence to fix upon us But the Author still supposeth that men may preach and pray by the help of the saving Graces of the Spirit without Inspiration which maketh him conclude from all which saith he it appears how much more excellent and desireable are the saving Graces of the Spirit than all these pompous miraculous Gifts in which there is no intrinsecal excellency But I say the Author still beggeth the great thing in Controversie viz. That there are any saving Graces of the Spirit without Inspiration which we altogether deny For we affirm that saving Faith Hope and Love and all other Evangelical Vertues are wrought in Believers by the Spirits Inspiration Nor can we reach the Authors subtilty to distinguish the inward saving operation of the Spirit from Inspiration as if they were distinct things For suppose all sorts of Inspirations be not saving or necessary to Salvation it doth not follow that none are necessary in that respect and although all Inspirations be not saving Graces yet all saving Graces are Inspirations even as though all animals be not men yet all men are animals Or let the Author if he can clearly distinguish betwixt these two and prove them to be so distinct from some better authority than his bare affirmation viz. That no saving Grace is any Divine Inspiration but of a differing nature therefrom the which if it were true then none of all the Saints had any saving Graces inspired into them in any age of the World which I judge is contrary to the belief of most Christians who generally believe that the Prophets at least had the saving Graces of the Spirit inspired into them To conclude this Authors whole Discourse tendeth only at most to prove if all his Premisses were granted That the miraculous Gifts of the Spirit are not necessary to Salvation and consequently are not of a necessary continuance in the Church which we do not affirm and I know not any who do so affirm so that the Author had better saved his Labour than spend his Breath and his Time to prove an assertion which I know not any that doth call it in question for who is it that saith he hath the Gift of Tongues or other miraculous Gifts of that sort I know not any Or who pleadeth for the absolute necessity of them But as we do not plead for such Gifts so we cannot be so peremptory to conclude that all these miraculous Gifts have universally ceased or expired since the primitive times or that none of them at any time hereafter shall again appear And I judge divers of his Premisses on which he buildeth his Conclusion of the Universal Expiration of those miraculous Gifts are defective and none of them sufficient to demonstrate his assertion it would require too much time and Paper to examine every thing he saith but something I cannot well let pass His first and main Reason he taketh from the Infancy of the Church which required these miraculous Gifts during her Infant-state and to this he applyeth these two following Scriptures Eph. 4. from v. 8. to v. 14. and 1 Cor. 13. from v. 8. to the end But surely these two Scriptures seem to me to be very impertinently brought to confirm his assertion and his Application of them I believe is contrary to the mind of most Teachers And first that he supposeth all these Gifts which God gave to the Church at Christs Ascension to have been the miraculous and extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit and not one of them the ordinary and saving Gifts of the Spirit But why are not the saving Gifts of the Spirit common to all true Christians as really the fruit and effect of Christs Death Resurrection and Ascension as those miraculous and extraordinary Surely this is a very unnatural separation and seemeth very injurious unto the purchase of Christ as if all the saving Graces of the Spirit were excluded from being any of these Gifts which Christ hath purchased to
divine and a little after Nature is the Mistress the Soul is the Scholar whatever the one hath learned or the other taught is delivered from God who is the Master or Teacher of the Mistress and again after surely saith he the soul was before the letter and the word was before the book note and the sense was before the stile and man himself was before Philosopher or Poet must we therefore believe that before letter-knowledge men lived dumb or without testimonies of this sort And the same Tertullian in his Apology against the Gentiles treating of this inward testimony of the souls of all men concerning the oneness truth goodness greatness and justice of God cryeth out with an exclamation O testimony of the soul naturally Christian. cap. 17. Apol. XIV The same Tertullian in his Book of the Soul cap. 7. saith Because we acknowledge spiritual gifts we are counted worthy to receive the gift of Prophesie after Iohn XV. Eusebius a greek Father and writer of the Ecclesiastick History for the first three hundred years after Christ came into the flesh in his history writeth of Iustin Martyr that in his Dialogue with Tryphon the Jew he affirmeth that the gifts of Prophesie continued in his Church unto his time The words of Iustin Martyr in the said Dialogue are these and again in another Prophesie and it shall come to pass that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh and on my servants and handmaids and they shall exercise the office of a Prophet Among us also saith he are to be seen both women and men who have these gifts from the Spirit of God And the same Eusebius lib. 5. cap. 7. citeth Ireneus writing to the same purpose that the gift of Prophesying and Expounding Divine Mysteries yea and speaking with Tongues and revealing the secrets of men continued among the Christians to his time this Ireneus lived towards the end of the second Century about the year 180. XVI Iustin Martyr a Greek Father and greatly approved among all Christians in his first Apology for the Christians unto the Senate of Rome writeth thus that Christ was in part known unto Socrates for saith he the reason and the word was and is in all men even the same which foretold by the Prophets things that were to come to pass And in the same Apology he speaketh expresly of the Innate Word or Reason which Iames declared Iam. 1.21 greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 calling it both Divine Reason and Innate which was in the Philosophers Poets and Historiographers saying thus expresly every one of them when by the impulse of that measure of Divine Reason the seeds of which they had in them did contemplate that which was of the same kind they spoke some things excellently Again what things are said by all which are well and excellently said they are ours who are Christians for we reverence adore and love the word which proceeded from God which is without beginning and is unexpressible And in his second Apology to the Emperour he writeth thus We have learned that Christ is the first born of God and we have declared that he is the Reason or Word of whom all mankind is partaker and who liveth with or according to the Word are Christians although esteemed Atheists as among the Grecians Socrates and Heraclitus and many others But they who were before and followed not that divine reason the guide were evil men and enemies of Christ and killers of them who lived according thereunto Note that whereas Iustine Martyr called Socrates and others who lived in conformity to the Divine Word in them Christians it is to be understood in part even as he said before that Christ was in part known to Socrates viz. as that Divine word and Reason and according to that general Revelation which it gave although we find not that Socrates had the knowledge of Christ as he was to come in the flesh and suffer death for the sins of the world nor had he any knowledge of many other particular mysteries of the Christian Religion and therefore cannot equally and in all respects be accounted a Christian with these who have a true knowledge of and belief in Christ in respect both of his inward and outward coming and whose conversation and life answer their profession XVII Athanasius the Great so called a man reputed of great authority especially for his opposition to the Arian Heresie in what he writes of the life of Anthony whom he greatly commendeth for his piety and wisdom Among other instances of his great wisdom giveth this for one that whereas some learned men or Philosophers came unto him thinking to make sport with him being ignorant of Letters Anthony asked them which was first whether the mind or letters and whither did the mind come from letters as the cause or letters from the mind they answered that the mind was first and the Cause or Inventer of Letters Anthony replyed therefore he who hath a sound mind needeth not Letters at which saying both they and others present were astonished and went away admiring so great wisdom in an Ideot or unlearned man XVIII The forecited Iustin Martyr in his Dialogue with Triphon the Jew declareth that a certain old man commending to him the Scriptures to read them said unto him these words But first of all pray God that the gate of the Light may be opened unto thee for the Scriptures cannot be known nor understood by all but only to whom it is given by the grace and gift of God and his Christ. XIX Theodorus Abucara in Opusculis Bibliotheca Patrum a Greek Writer denyeth that the Scriptures are ogia Dei i. e. the Speeches of God or the Word of God which is but one only yet that they may be called so tropologically or figuratively Augustine lib. 15. de Trinitate cap. 11. saith the word that soundeth outwardly is a sign or signification of the word that shineth within or inwardly unto which the name of the word doth rather or more agree for that which is expressed with the fleshly mouth is the voice of the word and it is called the word because of that of which it is assumed that it might outwardly appear And whereas we are blamed and greatly accused by some because we say the Scripture viz. the letter of it is not the incorruptible living and abiding word that remaineth for ever but Christ is that living incorruptible word and seed mentioned by Peter for that evil men may not only wrest but corrupt some places and passages of Scripture and accordingly have so done not only with the translations but even with the Hebrew and Greek although we believe God by his gracicous providence hath preserved the Scriptures testimony intire and without corruption as to the main so as to be a sufficient testimony of all necessary truth let us hear what the aforesaid Iustine Martyr saith in the case In his Dialogue with Triphon the Jew he expresly
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
of the connexion and union of the powers of the Soul we are brought into the divine vision for the things which we read and hear in the Scripture the Holy Spirit cooperating excite our attention attention exciteth memory memory exciteth the imagination viz. not the vain every imagination but that which is a natural faculty of the Soul given it of God the imagination exciteth the reason or reasonable and discursive facultie and reason exciteth in us the love and desire of seeing and lastly this love and desire exciteth vision it self or the intuitive faculty and power of the Soul whereby God himself that most desireable good and most delightful object is seen as he is pleased to reveal himself and not otherwise and enjoyed yea and as it were with both the arms of the Soul is held and embraced for some space of time but this intuitive power of the Soul whereby God is seen is blinded and shut up in all unregenerated and unsanctified men And thus the Soul is led as it were through those six daies or steps of labour of its inferiour powers in reading hearing and meditating on the Scriptures and practising what it reads of the practical part in the leadings and enablings of God's Holy Spirit until it cometh unto the sweet Sabbath and rest of the divine fruition And this is that state of which Augustine seemeth to speak lib. 1. de Doctrina Christiana cap. 39. saying A man that is endued with Faith Hope and Love and holdeth them firmly needeth not the Scriptures but to instruct others that is as I understand in respect of that supreme power of his Soul whereby he reacheth unto God and apprehendeth him with Faith Hope and Love far beyond and above all manner or measure of words he needeth not the Scriptures although he needeth them in regard of his inferiour powers as well for his own instruction as for the instruction of others And in his first Book de consensu Evangelistarum cap. 5. discoursing of the active and contemplative vertue he saith thus In this mortal life that to wit the active vertue is in the work of a good Conversation but this to wit the Contemplative is more in Faith and with some darkly as in a Glass and in part in some vision of the unchangeable truth These two vertues are figuratively understood in Jacob 's two Wives for Lea signifieth labouring and Rachel signifieth the beginning of Vision Thus Augustine than which what can be more clear as belonging to the present question And Luther also as appeareth out of a Book published in High-Dutch Anno 1618. called the Harmony or Concord did assert Such an inward Illumination and Inspiration immediate of God which did teach the faithful above all Books and outward hearing by vertue of which they needed not the Books of the Scripture but to prove unto others that it is so written And he said That a man so taught and inlightned of God was above all Law to wit outward in a Sermon of his on Pentecost And in the same Sermon he describeth the second Law not to be of the Letter but of the Spirit not pronounced with the mouth nor writ with Pen and Ink but to be the holy Spirit Himself or at least his work which he worketh in the heart And in a Sermon of his upon the Magnificat he saith No man can know God or his Word aright who doth not receive it immediately from the holy Spirit Note here that the term Immediate is used by Luther Again on the fourth Psalm he saith Faith is well called the light of God's countenance because it is an Illumination divinely inspired into our mind and a certain Ray of the Divinity infused into the heart of the Believer whereby every one who is saved is directed and saved Again in his Postill dom 8. Serm. 2. speaking of Faith as aforesaid he saith the Preached Word is to be ruled by Faith and not Faith by the Preached Word And after All Doctrines are to be grounded on Faith to wit that Divine Illumination inspired into the Mind for Faith is the Touchstone Measuring Line Rule and Ballance wherewith all Doctrines are to be weighed proved and judged And on the 11 th Psalm The words of the Lord are pure words he saith The Prophet David here doth not speak of the Scripture but specially of the Word of God and they are then the words or speeches of the Lord when he speaketh them in us as he did in the Apostles And in his Sermon on Pentecost he saith It is necessary that God speak to thee in thy heart and that is Gods Word otherwise the Word of God remaineth unspoken What can be more clearly said for immediate Inspirations and Illuminations or who can be a greater Enthusiast than Luther according to the aforesaid words I know indeed that Luther spoke and writ many things against false Enthusiasts who did vaunt and boast of their Revelations and Inspirations that were false and contrary to Scripture which yet doth not hinder but that Luther might be a true Enthusiast even as he may be a true Christian who Writeth against false or Christians falsely so called CHAP. III IN his Fifth Paragraph he findeth fault with R. B. his words for saying where outward means are wanting God himself infinitely good and merciful is present to supply their defect as to the salvation of Souls and that Gods immediate help is present unto all and that God doth prevent the use of means by the inward and immediate motions influences and illuminations of his Spirit This is that saith our Adversary in which we dissent from him To whom I answer If in this ye dissent from him ye also dissent from your Ancestor Luther on the same Question For he in his Commentary upon the Epistle to the Galatians cap. 3. Enquiring of Infants and dumb persons how they believe doth answer with Ierome that nothing is deaf unto the Word of God nor void of hearing which speaketh not unto the outward ears but these of which it is said He who hath ears to hear let him hear Again that the Adversary denyeth that God doth prevent or go before the use of means by his inward illumination and operation he dissenteth from Augustine as well as from Scripture lib. 4. de consensu Evangelist where he thus expoundeth the words of Christ Matth. 26.32 I will go before you into Galilee This saying is to be taken saith he prophetically For Galilee signifieth either Transmigration or Revelation According then to its first signification of Transmigration what other thing doth occur to be understood than this that the Grace of Christ was to pass over from the People of Israel into the Gentiles to whom the Apostles when they should Preach if the Lord had not prepared the way in their hearts they would not have believed the Gospel Preached by them and this should be understood by these words He shall go before you into Galilee But according
the habit of their mind because these are rules of righteousness but it is manifest their minds are unrighteous note where then are these rules writ where he who is unjust knoweth what is just where he understandeth that he ought to have that which he hath not Where are they therefore writ but in the Book of that Light which is called the Truth whence every just Law is described and is transferred into the Heart of Man who worketh Righteousness not by motion as from one place to another but by impression as the Image passeth from the Seal into the Wax and yet leaveth not the Seal Thus Augustine Again In this same Paragraph he blameth R.B. for saying That the General Revelation doth suffice unto Salvation although the Special doth not come nor be adjoyned thereunto But granting that he who hath faithfully obeyed and followed the General Revelation be in a safe state as to the present and hath a firm and sure hope of future happiness yet this doth not hinder but in order to obtain a more perfect state through Christ of Eternal Life the Special Revelation is necessary as is plain in the example of Cornelius to whom the Apostle Peter behoved to be sent who was to Preach unto him words concerning Christ by which as the Angel said Acts 11.14 He and his House were to be saved CHAP. IV. IN his Seventh and Eighth Paragraphs he saith little or nothing more than what he had formerly delivered concerning the state of the Controversie to wit whether Immediate Divine Revelations be the Principle of knowing God and Divine Things in respect of all men and for all times But divers other things remain as necessary to be opened for the more clear stating the Controversie First as to the Principle of Knowledg which is either Primary or Secundary or which is to the same effect Principal or Subordinate Now as concerning the Subordinate and Secundary Principle we deny not but that the Scriptures are a subordinate and secundary Principle of knowing Divine Doctrines and Truths as concerning God and Christ but still we contend for the Holy Spirit Inlightning Inspiring and by its Life giving Vigour and Vertue effectually working in the souls of men as the Principal or Primary And let the Adversary tell me seeing he doth acknowledge that the inward illumination and operation of the Holy Spirit is absolutely necessary to the obtaining any Saving Knowledge of God whether he doth not believe that the Holy Spirit inwardly operating and inlightning the Minds of Believers is the Primary Principle of Divine Knowledge Or will he say that the Scriptures are the Primary Principle and that the Holy Spirit is but the secundary and subordinate which last as being too absurd and offensive to Christian ears I hope he will abhor to affirm Secondly As concerning the term of inward Revelation the strife or controversie is to be removed for why should we contend in meer words if we be agreed in the same sence as to the verity of the thing First he doth acknowledge that the inward Illuminations of the Holy Spirit are absolutely necessary to beget the saving knowledge of God and Divine Things in Mens minds Secondly He granteth that these inward Illuminations of the Holy Spirit are not only effective but also that they are objective as being real objects proposed to the Mind and moving it to the assent of Truth For so he doth in his Thirty Second Paragraph expresly affirm That God or the Spirit revealing doth not only work efficiently on the Intellectual Faculty to bring forth or produce the Act of Believing but doth also move the Mind objectively or by a formal representation of an object determine the Vnderstanding to assent Thus He. Wherein so far as I can understand or reach he doth acknowledge that the inward Illumination of the Holy Spirit is Revelation properly so called For by inward Revelation we do not understand any other thing than that the Holy Spirit works not only efficiently or as an Efficient Cause upon our Understanding to beget in us True Divine Knowledge and Faith but that he also moves objectively or by a formal representation of the Object determines our Understanding to Assent For what is it in general to Reveal but to propose the Object revealed to our perceptive Faculty and so in particular he who doth propose the outward visible Objects to my sight he is properly enough said to reveal unto me these Visibles and the same is to be understood of the Objects of the other outward Senses And surely according to Scripture phrase the inward illustrations and illuminations of the Holy Spirit produced in the hearts of the faithful are called Revelations in respect of which the Holy Spirit in Scripture is called The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Eph. 1.17 as he doth illustrate and illuminate the hearts of the Faithful And Paul writing of the state of his Conversion affirmeth that God had revealed his Son in him the which in some manner and degree may be said of every converted man As yet therefore we agree well enough as I suppose in forming the state of the Controversie It remaineth then Thirdly that we discuss or consider this term Immediate a little more fully wherein alone almost the strife of the Controversie seemeth to be placed the which although at first view it may seem great yet afterwards laying aside prejudice it may appear to be little if any That it may therefore be more clearly understood what is signified by this term Immediate I desire the Reader to take notice that Immediate doth signifie two very different things One is the absence of all means or medium's in the producing any effect Hence God the Great Creator is rightly said to have produced or created his creatures immediately because there was no medium or mean existing save only his Word and Spirit whereby to create them But this signification of the word or term Immediate is too strait and narrow and perhaps agreeth to no other operation than to the Creation and Conservation of the World by God that infinite and supreme Cause unless we add those Divine Miracles and other marvellous things which God did of old and yet doth without the use or concurrence of means The second or other signification of the word Immediate doth not import the absence of the mean or medium but the intimate application or concurrence of the principal and primary Cause unto the secundary together with the mean or means in the operation Again the medium or mean is either continued or discontinued The continued mean I call that mean which is continued or continually and closely is conjoyned in working with the Cause both principal and subordinate But the discontinued mean is that which is not continued or conjoyned in the working with the primary and principal Cause but either works nothing at all or worketh only with the secundary Cause while as the principal and primary Cause worketh nothing with the
Doctrine declared by the external words or signs is the formal object of the Saints Faith To which seeing the Adversary doth plainly consent I know not how he doth affect to show himself here opposite unto us when in the thing it self I see no difference betwixt both unless he meaneth that the outward words or signs doth also pertain to the formal object of Faith as he seemeth to explain himself Parag. 22. The which also R. B. hath granted after a sort having brought a distinction of the formal object into quod i. e. which and quo i. e. by or for which or betwixt that which is believed and the formal principal cause or reason of believing the which distinction the Adversary ought to grant as applicable to the present matter if he will firmly stand to his first concessions For he doth acknowledge that the outward Revelation as he calleth it of words and signs is not simply believed by the faithful for it self but because of God inwardly inlightning and moving and therefore God thus inwardly inlightning and moving is the formal object Quo i. e. by or for which they principally believe And yet we deny not but that the words are the formal object Quod i. e. which is believed or as some perhaps would rather say the material object But if any controversie doth here remain it doth consist rather in a logical subtlety or ambiguous signification of words and terms than in the truth of the thing or matter it self which ought to have no place among sober men professing the simple and plain Truth of Christ. There remaineth only one difficulty with the Adversary whether these inward Illuminations are to be called Immediate which I judge R. B. hath sufficiently proved in his Apology and I also in this my answer We grant indeed that this term or expression of Immediate Revelation is no where to be found in Scripture and therefore it would be hard to prove against a froward and wilful Adversary that any of the Prophets or Apostles had Immediate Revelation For it did suffice unto the Prophets and Apostles to express the word or term Revelation simply so called and that God revealed himself and his mind and will unto them that he did inlighten and inspire them that they had the Spirit of God and Christ inwardly teaching and instructing and moving them Those simple and plain Men did not think of that subtle and nice distinction of Immediate and Mediate Revelation feigned and invented by the School-men and Sophisters of this world whereby the truth of this mistery is veiled and darkned For to speak plainly and in propriety of speech following the common Phrase of Scripture all Divine Revelation is Immediate even as all Vision is immediate and all outward sensation is Immediate and doth regard and respect its immediate object and as it is immediately proposed Which yet doth not hinder but that the outward words by a metonimy or figure of the sign for the thing signified may be called Revelations or Visions But there is oft a great hurt in that when figurative Speeches are once allowed that at length it comes to that that they are thought proper Iohn his Treatise is called his Revelation when yet it is most certain that that Book or Treatise was not the Revelation it self which he had in his Mind and Spirit but only a sign and outward declaration of it Also the Prophets at times called the words which they published by voice or writing their Vision when yet they were not the Vision it self but a sign and declaration of it as any man of a sound Judgment as I believe will easily grant Moreover as to the outward Apparitions made by God at times to the Fathers and Prophets if they be granted to be Revelations they were also in their kind and manner Immediate either to the outward Senses or Imagination But that is most properly the Revelation of God which is presented to the Mind Spirit and Understanding of Man For seeing God is a Spirit he is not to be seen by the outward eyes nor is he perceptible by any outward or mortal senses but is only seen and known in Spirit and therefore only by the Spirit is he properly revealed to the alone Spirit and spiritual Eye and Sense of Man But it is not to great purpose to dispute much of those outward Apparitions made unto some of old seeing they do not touch the thing that is mainly in controversie which is of Gods inward appearances for which only we contend as necessary for the begetting true and saving Faith and Knowledge in mens hearts We do not plead for outward Apparitions And it is plain enough they did not properly reveal God himself but rather were a Veil wherewith God covered himself because of humane weakness For if any had judged the outward Apparition to have been God himself certainly he should have fallen into grievous Idolatry But that R. B. did affirm that there were divers Administrations under which the Spirit of God revealed himself doth not prove what the Adversary would that God only did mediately reveal himself unto some men for the divers Administrations are well enough to be considered as well in the Inward and Immediate Revelations as in those which are outward And also that God spoke unto the Fathers by the Prophets of old proveth not that God revealed himself only to them outwardly and mediately for this doth contradict our Adversary his own belief who doth equally contend with us that all the believing Fathers were inwardly Inlightned by the Holy Spirit and that Inward Illumination is Immediate where ever it is found as I have above sufficiently made appear Again That in his Fourteenth Paragraph citing R. B. his words Parag. 13. he saith he denyeth and not without cause That which R. B. thought no man would deny viz. That God all along from Adam to Moses had revealed himself to his Children inwardly by his Spirit I think strange the Adversary should deny this for by so doing he doth openly contradict his former concessions For did he not grant that God doth always inwardly Inlighten his Children and that with an Illumination both effective and objective and that no outward Revelation or Preaching doth suffice unto Salvation without a Divine inward Operation and Illumination And therefore why he should now deny it I do not understand but that he hath forgot himself Nor doth it hinder which he laboureth much to prove in this whole Paragraph that some were outwardly instructed by Preaching but that they were also gifted and endued with inward Inspiration and Revelation for these two do not fight one with another but very well agree But it will be too hard an undertaking for him to prove that most men in all those Ages were taught by outward Preaching For although Enoch Preached the doctrine of Truth he could scarce do it to the whole world and the like is to be said of Noah who only with these
because they have departed and Apostatised from that Holy Spirit given of old unto their Fathers And therefore was it not also a great glory and honour to the ancient Christian Church to have in it the gift of prophecy or speaking by Immediate Inspiration and would it not be now a great glory and honour to the Church if that gift of prophecy which did anciently flourish in the Church for some Ages after the Apostles days should flourish and spring forth again was not this gift with many others lost by the apostacy of the professors of the Christian Religion and therefore when the apostacy goeth out and people doth return to the sincere worship and obedience of God shall not this excellent gift be restored together with many others Had not the ancient Christian Church after the Apostles days all the Books of Scripture of the Old and New Testament as well as we The Jews also had the Scriptures of the Old Testament which contained all the heads of Christian Doctrine in respect of the substance of Religion a people therefore having the Scripture but wanting the Spirit Immediately teaching leading and inspiring them which both the Jewish Church had and also the Christians after the Apostles days shall be more happy then both these because they want the said Holy Spirit Immediately inspiring teaching and leading them This is a wonderful paradox but most false for the Christians are not more happy than the Jews because out of the Scripture barely they could know the will of God for the Jews had the Scripture also containing all the heads of the Doctrine of their Religion clearly enough But for this cause true Christians are more happy than those Jews that whereas the Jews for all their having the Scripture did need to take long Journeys to consult the Priests to solicite wait for the respouses of the High Priests all true Christians because they partake more largely of the Holy Spirit they need not make these Journeys or travels to consult either Priests or High Priest because they have a most excellent Priest yea an High Priest more high then the Heavens or the Angels that dwell in them to wit Jesus Christ dwelling in their hearts who by his Spirit teacheth them all things and doth clearly and without all doubtfulness answer them iâ— all things needful to be known by them and who doth also clearly and infallibly expound the Scripture unto them And therefore true Christians have no need to run to these Jewish Priests and High Priests nor unto these Doctors so called and preachers at this day who do not so much as profess to have any thing of the Divine Inspiration and inward Revelation with which the Prophets and holy men of God were of old endued and do not pretend to have any infallible sense or understanding of the holy Scripture or to have received any infallible Judgment of its meaning And so true Christians may spare both their labour and their mony and not spend it nor give it away to such Doctors and Preachers but leaving them all behind as unprofitable let them go unto Jesus Christ the Lord the eternal Priest who liveth for ever by whom they shall be well and sufficiently taught and instructed and that freely without either labour or mony And lastly as to these notable testimonies of the ancients and reformers in Luther's times cited by R. B. in his Apology because the Adversary endeavoureth to elude or evade the form of them after the same manner as he doth the testimonies of the holy Scripture therefore he is the same way refused in both and the answers given in the one will serve in the other the which if I have effectually given I leave unto the â—qual and impartial Reader for to Judge THE Pretended EXORCIST DETECTED In a Brief REPLY TO A SERMON PREACHED BEFORE The University of Oxford by George Hicks stiled Doctor of Divinity in the Month called Iuly 11. 1680. the which Sermon is called The Spirit of Enthusiasm Exorcised CHAP. I. UPon my reading of this Authors Printed Sermon which is called the Spirit of Enthusiasm exorcised I find the said Author very unskilful and unacquainted with the true notion of Enthusiasm as it is owned and received among the People called in derision Quakers with all possible moderation And though he hath been pleased to cite my Book of Immediate â—evelation and R. B. his Apology and Theses yet I can hardly believe he hath been at any pains to read and consider throughly what is said by us on that Subject for had he but read and well considered what we have said or writ in that matter he would have â—â—â—â—e fairly and genuinely stated the controversy betwixt us and our opposers as to this particular In my answer to Io. Bajer the Lutheran Doctor in Iena so much is already said as less needs be added for a reply to what this Author hath brought against us As for the word or term Enthusiasm as I have already said in my answer to the Lutheran Doctor we do not plead for it or affect such a name or title for it being no Scripture phrase or expression we can and do very well declare our Faith in the thing we intend without it Yet we cannot altogether reject the term when thrust or cast upon us by opposers on purpose many times to render us odious because the Etimology of the word Enthusiasm according to the best and most approved Greek Lexicons signifieth Divine Inspiration And whereas it hath been used by heathenish writers to signifie the inspirations or inward suggestions of Daemons and evil Spirits yet this hath rather been an abuse and improper signification of the word then a true and genuine acceptation of it and notwithstanding of this abuse of the word among heathenish writers and Poets yet divers of the Fathers useâ— it in a good sense and as applicable to good and sincere Christians Yea this Author himself with respect to the Prophets and Apostles and others their successors for 3 or 4 hundreds of years owneth the term Enthusiasm and that in the Apostles times and downwards to the 4 or 5 Century there were some real and sincere Christians who had Enthusiasms and were enthusiastically acted and moved by the Spirit of God for thus he saith Pag. 12. Edit 3. of this sort of Enthusiastical confidence with which the Spirit filled the minds of men is that place to be understood Math. 21. vers 21. and Pag. 14. he saith prophecy may be taken as it is often in the Old and New Testament for praising of God by inspired Hymns and Psalms for inspired persons did usually spend their Enthusiasm in composing of Hymns and Spiritual Songs And Pag. 16. he saith the groanings wherewith some inspired persons prayed in the Apostles days according to Rom. 8. were the effect of those supernatural raptures and Enthusiasms with which the Spirit filled the souls of those inspired Orators so we see how this Author
or evil Spirit and undertake to Exorcise it before the face of the University of Oxford where Common Prayer is so frequently read and that without any distinction But possibly he may say he is not against divine inspiration as it is a common saving gift of the Spirit necessary to all the Church and every member of it but as it is some peculiar and extraordinary thing as the gift of tongues power of working Miracles signs and wonders the Spirit of prophecy c. To this I answer 1. He ought then in the first place to have told so much what sort or kind of Enthusiasm or divine inspiration for both these words are of one signification he was for and what sort he was against and not have promiscuously condemned Inspiration or Enthusiasm altogether in the Lump 2. The people called in derision Quakers do not plead for those extraordinary Enthusiasms or Inspirations which the Apostles and some others had in the primitive times as the gift of tongues the power of working Miracles c. and as the Spirit of Prophecy is restructed to signifie a peculiar gift of forfeiting future events we do not plead for its absolute necessity in the Church far less do we Judge it necessary to every true Christian And this I did sufficiently declare in my Book of Immediate Revelaion cited by the Author the which Book if he had taken a little pains to read and consider might have saved him the labour of saying so much against the Quakers without any just ground or provocation It is like that we and our Books are esteemed so meanly of by such as this Author as that they think it not worth their time or labour to read our Books But in case it be so that we are so mean in their eyes yet they ought not to judge or condemn us until they have good knowledge or information of what we hold which they are not likely to have without taking some time and pains to read or hear what we say for to condemn any principle we hold before they do well know it is as unjust as to condemn a man before he be heard CHAP. II. BUt there are other two or three things which I suppose this Author or some other may answer in the Case The first is that the Inspirations which the Church of England doth hold pray for and expect are subordinate to Scripture and do acknowledge the Scripture as superiour and more noble and that they are to be tryed by the Scripture as the greater and more principal rule and not the Scripture by them whereas some of the Quakers have writ and particularly R. B. in his Theses that this Spirit of Immediate Revelation is not to be tryed by the Scriptures and reason but that both of them are to be tryed by it for so doth the Author cite R. B. his Theses as so affirming pag. 38. To this I answer the Author doth manifestly wrong R. B. in his Citation for R. B. no where saith in his Theses or Apology that the Spirit or its Inspiration is not to be tryed by the Scripture or Reason simply Only he saith that those inward divine Revelations are not to be examined and tryed by the Scriptures as the more noble and certain rule Yea in the 3 Thesis R. B. doth plainly acknowledge that the Scriptures are and may be esteemed a secondary rule subordinate to the Spirit from whom they derive the excellency and certainty they have it is not therefore affirmed by R. B. as this Author upon his own mistake as seemeth doth alledge nor yet by any Quaker so called that I know of that the Scripture or right reason in no respect are a rule and may not be profitably and safely used as a rule whereby to try inward Divine Revelations as the Scripture or right reason is used or applyed for a rule by the help of the Spirit and in subordination unto the Spirit But the state of the question lyeth here whither the external testimony of the Scripture used and applyed as a rule without the Spirit as too many do be a more noble and greater rule and more certain or giving to the mind of man more assurance of truth than the inward Immediate Testimony of the Spirit of God in the soul or mind which as a ray of the Sun shineth with its own Light and hath a self evidencing power and vertue in it as every other true light hath This is one branch of the state of the question Another branch is this whither when both the Spirits inward testimony and the Scriptures outward testimony do acknowledge co-operate and concur to produce or work a persuasion or essent to some Gospel doctrine or principle of Christian Religion in the soul or heart of a true Believer I say whither in this case the inward testimony or witness of the Spirit is not the greater the stronger and more clear and certain as to us and the more effectual and as having the greatest stroak and share in the begetting or producing the said assent to truth or persuasion of it in the mind of man Now the pople called in derision Quakers are not ashamed but bold in the Lord to say that the Inward Testimony Operation and Revelation or Inspiration of the Spirit of God is the greater and hath the greatest stroak and efficiency in this work and that the holy Spirit is not the subordinate instrument or rule of the Scripture but the Scripture is the subordinate rule and instrument of the Spirit And this I prove first from the express words of the Apostle Iohn 1 Iohn 5.9 10. If we receive the witness of men the witness of God is greater for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son he that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself Now it is clear that Iohn by the witness of men doth mean the Scripture as being the witness of the holy Prophets and Apostles who were men and by the witness of God the inward witness of the Spirit which he who believeth hath in himself not as if the Scripture were not also the witness of God and a divine witness far above all bare humane Testimony but yet the Scripture being compared with the inward Immediate witness of Gods Spirit in the soul may be without any derogation called the witness of men to wit of the Prophets and Apostles who were holy men for what other men Iohn doth mean I do not understand but faithful and holy men who did bear a true record to Divine Truth as they had it inwardly revealed unto them And to this same effect the Apostle Paul declared that his Gospel came unto the Thessalonians not in words or speech or discourse only but in power and in the Holy Ghost and in much Assurance where he annexeth the much assurance to the Power and at the Holy Ghost and not simply nor principally to the words and elsewhere he said The
his other Brethren to Paul and all the other Apostles as if the Apostles because of their Inspirations and Revelations knew but in part and as Children having little use of their rational Faculties whereas this Author having attained to the adult state he is become perfect in Knowledge and like Moses converseth with God face to face and that without all Revelation or Inspiration immediately from God But how did Moses converse or speak with God face to face to whom the Lord said Thou canst not see my face and live was it without all manner of immediate Revelation or Inspiration I trow not but rather after a more noble and higher sort of Divine Inspiration than was commonly given to other Prophets But how much more sutable and agreeable to truth is that exposition of Pauls words that is commonly given that Paul compareth his highest attainments in this Life even by Vision and Revelation or Inspiration with what he did expect and wait for after death so as the highest attainments of Divine Knowledge by Revelation or Inspiration belonging to this life are but as the attainments of Children in comparison with what the Saints are to expect after death in the life to come But whereas the Author thinketh that the highest Revelations given in this life are but by symbolical Representations upon the phansie as in a Glass he is much mistaken There is a Revelation of God which God pleaseth at times to give to his Children far beyond all symbolical Representations or Similitudes of things whereby God in Christ and the pure Glory of God is seen and enjoyed by the highest and noblest faculty of the Soul which is an earnest and first Fruits of Eternal Life Nor is the Author more dexstrous in expounding all that diversity of Gifts mentioned 1 Cor. 12.4 8 9 10. to have been the miraculous and extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit for why might not some of them have been the common and ordinary and others of them miraculous and extraordinary By common and ordinary I mean not here such as were given to all and every one in particular but such common ministerial Gifts as God gave in common to all ordinary Teachers and Preachers and Ministers of the Lords fitting and sending for of these ministerial Gifts the Apostle is here principally to be understood And whereas the Author here doth argue that the Gifts mentioned in this place cannot be the saving Gifts of the Spirit because these God bestoweth joyntly on those who have them or not at all whereas the Gifts mentioned here are given some to one and some to another But to this I answer although the Gifts here mentioned in the foregoing Verses be not the saving Universal Gifts mentioned by him which are given to every one of the Faithful yet it doth not follow that therefore they are all miraculous and extraordinary for some of them might be of a third and middle sort to wit given in common to all Teachers and Preachers and may be called saving in such a sense or respect as the Preaching of the Gospel and distinct Offices of the Ministry may be called saving as being instrumental to the Salvation of Souls as it is said in Scripture That it pleased God by the foolishness of Preaching to save them that believe And if according to the Author all the Gifts here mentioned be miraculous and all ceased within some few ages after the Apostles days then according to him there is no word of Wisdom nor of Knowledge in the Church which how harsh it will sound to Christian ears I leave the spiritual to judge But that the Author taketh this place of Scripture viz. 1 Cor. 12.4 for his Text and Foundation of his whole Discourse to prove that all the Gifts here mentioned were miraculous and consequently expired within some few Ages to the Apostles times is meerly asserted by him but not at all really proved And he might as well say that Faith Hope and Charity were miraculous Gifts of the Spirit and consequently expired with those other for of them also he discourseth a little after and compriseth them with the other sorts under the diversity of Gifts mentioned v. 4. whereas the Spirit is one So that in this whole Discourse of Pauls concerning the diversity of Gifts Chap. 12.13 14. he mentioneth no less than three several sorts one miraculous and extraordinary another sort common and ordinary to the Teachers in the Church and peculiar unto them a third sort viz. Faith Hope Charity common to all true and sincere Christians so that this diversity of Gifts extendeth it self to all the Church one way or another all having some although every one had not all even as the precious Ointment that ran down from Aarons beard unto the lowest skirts of his Garments And though when the Apostle doth treat of Faith Hope and Charity it is in the thirteen and fourteenth Chapters yet the Discourse is still one and the same as one intire piece and all the Gifts mentioned in all the three Chapters are contained under the diversity of Gifts viz. Spiritual Gifts mentioned v. 4. of Chap. 12. and all proceed from one Spirit so that it may and ought to be said of them of all Now there are diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit and the best of these Gifts are Faith Hope and Love and the greatest of these is Love or Charity And thus I have answered to every thing that seemed material in his Sermon to prove that Divine Inspirations which he calleth Enthusiasms are ceased in the Church and though I have not observed strictly the method of his Sermon so as to answer to every thing in his order because the Nature of my answer required to put several things together that lay scattered in his Sermon and sometimes to take that last which he putteth first yet I hope the diligent and impartial Reader will find that the whole substance of his Sermon against Divine Inspirations is sufficiently answered And now in the Close I shall only take notice of some Reflections of his on the people called Quakers and some few other particulars and then make an end CHAP. V. IN his page 37. Edit 3. he undertakes to show what a dangerous damnable and precarious Principle that is which asserts that Immediate Revelation or Inspiration is not ceased c. But the Instances he bringeth to prove what he saith are wholly precarious and false as 1. That it differs only from the Popes Infallibility in this That that makes only the Bishop of Rome but this makes every private Christian a Pope This I say is altogether a false charge as to us For we place not an absolute Infallibility upon any person or persons whatsoever but we say the Spirit of God in all his Leadings Teachings and Motions is infallible and men only conditionally so far as they receive and are in unity with these Leadings and Teachings are Infallible We say further That every true Christian hath
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
he is not a dead Vessel or Machine but is a living sensible rational Vessel and is quickned strengthened and beautifyed yea and perfected thereby as the Body is by the Soul that is lodged in it So that however others who are declared Enemies to Divine Inspiration may judge we have cause to conclude That men indeed Divinely inspired are the most truly Rational Men in the World and have the truest and noblest use of all their Rational and Intellectual faculties if duly improved Several Testimonies of Ancient Fathers so called and other Ancient Writers to the Spirits Inward and Immediate Teachings and the preference of the Spirit of God in his Divine Illuminations and Operations and Inspirations to the Letter of the Scripture also the Vniversality of Divine Illumination and of the benefit of Silence and other things of Truth of the like Nature as owned by the People called in Derision Quakers IGnatius who lived in the first Century or within a hundred years after Christ and is thought that he might have seen Christ in the flesh who died a valiant Martyr for the truth of Christ in his 9th Epistle writing to the Church of Philadelphia saith expressly thus 1. I have heard some saying unless I find the Gospel in Archeis publick Records or Writings I believe not Unto such I say Jesus is unto me for publick Records or Writings again he saith the publick Records or Writings ought not to be preferred unto the Spirit Observe It 's plain that by the Archea or Publick Records he meaneth the Scriptures in which sense Tertullian useth the word Archia lib. 3. against Marcion II. And in his 14th Epistle writing to the Ephesians he saith unto them expresly these words using the Holy Spirit the Rule in Greek thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Greek word signifieth a measuring Line Rule or perpendicular III. Athenagoras who lived in the 2d Century legatione pro Christianis pleading for the Christians that they lived a pure life he saith expresly of them whose life is directed unto God as the Rule the Greek words are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 most properly signifieth a Rule Amussis Regula IV. Clemens Alexandrinus who lived in the beginning of the 3d Century admonitione ad Gentes saith But that holy man Moses speaketh truly Deut. 25.13 14 15. Thou shalt not have in thy bag a weight and a weight a great and a small but thou shalt have a true and a just weight judging the weight and the measure and the number of all things to be God for the unjust and unrighteous at home and in the bag are the Idols that are hid in the unclean soul but there is one just measure who is the only true God ever equal and ever the same measuring and weighing all things in the ballance which is righteousness V. The same Clemens 1 b. 1. Stromatum towards the end saith expresly thus It is evident that Moses calleth the Lord the Testament greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saying behold I my Testament with thee for before he said the Testament or Covenant was not to be sought in the Scripture again he saith in the preaching of Peter thou shalt find the Lord called the Law and the Word or Reason VI. The same Clemens in his forecited admonition to the Gentiles expresly declareth that in all men simply or universally and especially in them who are exercised in Doctrines there is instilled a certain divine influx or influence gr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the grace or gift of which they acknowledge even they also who are unwilling that God is one incorruptible and unbegotten or uncreated VII Again in the same he saith for as that divine Apostle of the Lord saith The grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men c. this is the New Song the appearance of the word which hath shined in us which was in the beginning and was first of all VIII And in his Poedagagus lib. 1. cap. 3. he saith there is a lovely or amiable thing in man which is called the inspiration of God gr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 IX And writing to the unbelieving Gentiles he speaketh expresly of the inward witness which was in them calling it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 innatum testem fide dignum the innate witness worthy of faith and what is that but the same which Iames called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. the innate word born or inbred in us X. The same Clemens in his Stromata citeth testimonies for the truth out of Matthias Barnabas Clement the Apostle and out of Hermes the Pastor yea he is so far from thinking that only the Prophets and Apostles writ by Divine Inspiration that he plainly declareth that not only Plato but also many others preached and declared the only true God by his inspiration gr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 admon ad Gentes and in the same speaking of the followers of Pythagoras he saith and these things suffice unto the acknowledging of God which are written by them by the inspiration of God This Clemens Alexandrinus was the Scholar of Pantaenus the Martyr the which Pantaenus taught School at Alexandria in Aegypt and is said to have been the first Christian School-Master in that famous School of Alexandria to whom did succeed Clemens Alexandrinus and to him Origine and others successively XI The forecited Ignatius writing to the Ephesians ep 14. saith expresly thus Let Christ speak in you as in Paul let the Holy Ghost teach you to speak the things of Christ like unto him and in his 13th Epistle writing to Heron Deacon of Antioch he saith Thou art the Temple of Christ the Instrument of the Spirit XII Tertullian who lived about the beginning of the third Century lib. 2. carminum advers Marrion saith Atque adeo non verba libri sed missus in orbem Ipse Christus Evangelium est si cernere vultis In English thus Not the words of the Book but Christ who is Into the world sent the Gospel is If ye will understand this he wrote against the Marcionists a gross sort of Hereticks XIII The same Tertullian a very approv'd Author in what he writ before he was leavened with the Doctrines of Novatus and Montanus and famous among the Christians for his Writings a great defender of the Christian faith against the Infidels In his Book of the Testimony of the Soul against the Gentiles proveth that there is in the souls of all men a testimony concerning God the judgement to come the immortality of the soul the punishment of the wicked after death the resurrection of the body c. he saith moreover thus I bring forth a new Testimony more known than all literature or letter-knowledge and cap. 5. he saith thus These testimonies of the soul how much true so much simple how much simple so much vulgar how much vulgar so much common how much common so much natural how much natural so much
affirmeth That the Jews have corrupted the Scriptures in diverse places as first that they have taken out of Esdras where he declareth the Law of the Passover these following words and Esdras said unto the people This Passover is our Saviour and our refuge and if ye think and call to mind to restore him being cast off in a sign and then shall place your hope in him this place shall not be forsaken for ever saith the Lord of Hosts but if ye shall not believe nor hear his words teaching and preaching ye shall be a derision to all Nations and out of the 96th Psalm whereas he saith it was written say among the Nations the Lord hath reigned from the tree viz. the tree of the Cross mentioned by Peter on which Christ was crucified they have left out or taken away these words from the tree leaving only these other words the Lord hath reigned he mentioneth also a third place in Ieremiah corrupted by them XX. Athanasius in his Synopsis Sacris Scripturis acknowledgeth that many Books of the Prophets are lost as the Book of Nathan Addo Achias the Silonite Semei and Iehu and of three thousand Psalms of David only an hundred and fifty now remaining also there were five thousand Parables of Solomon and five thousand Songs also he wrote of Trees from the Cedar of Libanon to the Hysop on the Wall and of Beasts Fouls Creeping-things and Fishes which are not now to be found in the Hebrew and Iosephus declareth that Ezekiel writ two Books of Prophesie It is manifest saith Athanasius that all these are lost by the madness and sloth of the wicked Jews XXI Tertullian in his Book de Virgini Velandis cap. 1. saith The Law of faith remaining the other things belonging to discipline and conversation admit the newness of correction the grace of God working and promoting unto the end for what sort of thing is it that while the Devil is always working and daily adding unto the engines of iniquity that the work of God should either cease or leave off to profit seeing for this cause he sent the Comforter that because mans weakness could not receive all at once by degrees the discipline should be directed and ordered and brought to perfection by that Holy Spirit the Vicar of the Lord. XXII Gregory Nazianzen in his Oration concerning Athanasius saith expresly thus What the Sun is to things sensible the same is God unto things intellectual for the Sun enlightneth the visible World and God enlightneth the invisible World and the one maketh us see the Sun the other maketh us see God Again the same Author saith thus ibid. Whosoever breaketh through the matter and this fleshly body whether saith he it may be lawful to call it a Cloud or a Vail and obtaineth to be conversant with God unfolding or revealing himself and to apprehend that most pure or supream light fo far as is lawful to the nature of man such a man is blessed both because he hath ascended from what is here below and also because he hath obtained that oneness with God or deiformity gr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the true Philosophie giveth These things saith he have been the care and study of some few both of old and now in this present time and among such he reckoneth Athanasius as equaling some and excelling others and falling little short of some others to wit even the Prophets and Apostles XXIII Clemens Alexandrinus already cited admon ad gent. As the true Sons of the Light let us behold the Light and look upward lest the Lord find us to be but Bastards as the Sun discovereth the Eagles And lib. 5. Stromatum he saith he who neither maketh use of his sight nor any other of his bodily senses in his contemplating but by the pure mind it self applyeth to things obtaineth the true Philosophy XXIV The same Clemens lib. 1. Stromatum directeth men in general to go to the Light and Water that is within themselves But he who hath the eye of his soul dimmed or made dull with evil education and doctrine let him go into his Domestick Light or the Light that is in his own House gr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the truth which graphically manifesteth things that are not written Ye who thirst go unto the Waters saith Esaias and Solomon admonisheth saying drink Water out of your own Cistern Prov. 5. therefore Plato who is a Philosopher out from among the Hebrews as having learned much from them in his Laws commandeth the Husbandman not to pour Water upon the Land nor to take Water from others to water it but that they first dig by themselves even unto the earth which is called Virgin-earth and in the same Book he saith the Scripture exciteth or stirreth up that which is within us which he calleth the fire of the Soul igniculum animae XXV In his admonition to the Gentiles he saith The Saviour hath many voices and ways for the salvation of men threatning he admonisheth them and reproving he converteth them c. also he terrifieth them by the fire kindling a flame out of a Pillar which is both a signification of grace and of fear if thou obeyest it is light if thou dost not obey it is fire And in the same Admonition to the Gentiles who were unbelievers he saith It is not difficult to come unto the Truth nor impossible to apprehend her for she is most near in our Houses even as the most wise Moses declareth living in our three parts the Hands the Mouth and the Heart for so the Septuagint rendreth these words this saith he is a true symbol of the Truth which is fulfilled universally in three viz. Counsel Action and Speech XXVI Athanasius whom I formerly mentioned as one greatly approved among the Fathers in his Oration against the Gentiles saith As God who is over all so the way which leadeth unto him is not far off nor is it forth without us but it is in us and the beginning of it may be found out by us even as Moses taught in these words the word of Faith is within thy heart which our Saviour also signified and confirmed saying the Kingdom of God is within you for because we have in us Faith viz. the word of Faith and the Kingdom of God therefore we may speedily understand and contemplate the King of the University to wit the saving word of the Father Neither can the Heathens pretend any cause who serve Idols nor let any man vainly deceive himself as if he wanted that way or method and therefore find out a pretext of his impiety for we all stand upon that way and have it although all do not endeavour to walk in it but transgress it being drawn a-away by the outward pleasures of this life XXVII Origin reputed by many inferiour to none of these called Fathers both for his great piety and great knowledge of the Scriptures who lived before Athanasius and was a Disciple of Clemens Alexandrinus