Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	spirit_n	word_n	write_a	2,319	5	11.0747	5	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A77757	God all in all or The highest happines of the saints. Jn [sic] two parts. The I. Asserting this happiness to consist in the enjoyment of God. II. Enquiring into the quality of that enjoyment. Together with a short appendix, wherein is very briefly considered, the claim of natural reason, and private inspirations to a guidance of us in the things of God. Also what courses dishonour the Gospel, and what duties we owe it. By Edward Buckler, preacher of the Gospel.	Buckler, Edward, 1610-1706.	1655 (1655)	Wing B5349; Thomason E1442_2; ESTC R209631	53,023	167

Inspirations themselves Else it were to prove ignotum per ignotius a lesse obscurity by a greater Or thus that which hath its evidence and certainty that it is such or such from it self * Vera perspicua censentur ea quae non ab aliis sed à seipsis fidem habent Sanderson Just Dialect l. 3. c. 2. is more evident and certain than that which borrows it elswhere but the Scriptures I speak to such as grant them to be the Word of God have their evidence and certainty viz. that they ought to be the rule of our faith and practice from themselves revelations pretended to be from the spirit have theirs elswhere as before Reas 3. therefore the Scriptures are more evident and certain and by consequence a safer guide 5. Reas I am bound to follow the written Word of God absolutely whatever contradict it not so Inspirations which in case they be contradicted by the Scriptures I am to suppose them not to be from the spirit of God which were not a spirit of truth Ioh. 14.17 nor of holynesse Eph. 4.30 were it contrary to it self to say one thing in the Scriptures another thing in the Saints This is my faith as to this particular those Impulses that are indeed from the Holy Spirit of God will not sanctified Reason will not and by the grace of Christ carnal reason shall not tempt me from seeing as much of God as I can where there is so full a sight of him in the Gospel of his Son SECT III. What courses dishonour the Gospel and the evil of them I Shall not mention any thing of the language of those tongues against the Gospel which have been set on fire of hell and endeavour to fasten upon it a complexion as black as the mouths it drops from lest I should teach what my design is to reprove nor the opinion that some persons have of such as esteem the Gospel of Christ and professe to beleeve and practice by it lest I should seem to accuse an age of very high pretences to religion and piety of suffering the definition of both to be turned in and out There be three waies of dishonouring the Gospel which I shall desire leave to complain of viz. 1. When we professe it and walk answerable to it when we doe see so much of God in it and doe coppy nothing of God upon our hearts and practice from it this exposeth it to the derision and contempt of the vilest men Have not some of them said Aut hoc non est Evangelium aut hi non sunt Christiani Either this is not the Gospel in which there is so much goodnesse or these are not Christians in whom there is none at all Did not one wish Sit anima mea cum Philosophis Let my soul be with the honest Philosophers who were Heathen than these wicked and lewd men called Christians Have not others ascribed the upholding of our Religion all this while to the excellency of our faith * Hall Christian Moderation l. 2. p. 118. being well assured that our works were so bad they could never have done it Who is it that hopes to be happy in the fruition of God that can chuse but make tears his meat day and night to see that Gospel reproacht which is so full of this God 2. When we are not only lewd and licentious but plead allowance for it from the Gospel pretending the liberty it proclaimes to be carnal and a licence for us to sin by turning the grace of God into lasciviousnesse Jude 4. and expounding the design of it into a provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Is it not a damnable faculty those men have to be able to fetch any thing of hell out of that Gospel where there is so much of heaven Is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that great gulph 'twixt these two places removed that they can raise such a line of Communication This is to throw dirt in the very face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 it is to accuse the Gospel of little lesse than panderism to our most abhorred lusts 3. When we measure the exhibition of our respects to the Gospel by our worldly interests owning or disowning the truths and ordinances of it according to what it is like to advantage or prejudice us in our outward concernments * Joseph Antiq. l. 11. c. 8. It is the manner of the Samaritanes when the Jews are in affliction to deny all acquaintance with them they have no relation to any one of the Tribes but if the Jews as such have any beam of prosperity breaking out towards them then the Samaritanes are their nearest Cosens they can derive their pedigree from Ephraim and Manasses the Sons of Joseph Those men no doubt have wit enough to make some use of this story who have not grace enough to make a better use of the Gospel A very foolish and sottish sin Is not all that of God which is discovered in the Gospel a prospect worth the looking upon unlesse you can see the world there too Will you not have as much of heaven as you may lest you should not have so much of earth as you would Will you have nothing to doe with God unlesse you can enjoy him in conjunction with other things Pray consider whether the full enjoyment of God in heaven be to be adventured upon untill we have studied how it will suit our interest SECT IV. What our behaviour ought to be toward the Gospel THis will not seem impertinent to the times we are fallen into however it may to the precedent subject if we have any sence how much we doe underlive our most holy profession Yet this additional sheet not being in my first thoughts I shall be as brief as in the rest of it and only point at these Duties 1. Duty Blesse God for bringing you forth in Gospel-times when Alexander was born his Father Philip blessed such Gods as he had not so much that he had a Son as he had him in Aristotles daies * Diis gratias agere debeo non quia natus est mihi filius sed quod tuis temporibus ipsum nasci contingit he was thankful for natural and moral discoveries The Gospel is a discovery of God yea it is a vision of him in the next degree of clearnesse to that which we shall have in heaven The blessing of these gracious times is short of nothing else but the blessing of that glorious eternity The Saints had their Hallelu-jah's for darker dispensations Psal 147. ult 2. Duty In all your doubts and scruples have recourse to the Gospel Never ask what the Pharisees or Rulers doe Sure where there is most of God you are like to find most satisfaction 3. Duty Acquiesce and rest in the determinations of the Gospel Will you appeale from God or is there more of him any where else 4. Duty Love the Gospel Is any thing amiable that

and practise what God to that purpose reveals in the Gospel is the greatest reason because the truth and certainty of it depends upon a wisdom that can neither deceive nor be deceived upon a light in which there is no darkness at al 1 Ioh. 1.5 The Lawyers say that natural reason may be alleadged where the Law hath not determined * Ratio naturalis potest allegari ubi deficit Lex so it may where the Gospel is silent but in other cases it must stand mute 10. Conclus To take upon us to controle the dictates of the Gospel by or to refuse them upon their non-adaequation to our reason a design of being wiser then the wisdom the manifold Wisdom of God a folly too ridiculous to have any residence in a sober imagination I hope the foolishness of God is wiser then men 1 Cor. 1.25 In matters of Religion * Non aliam putes esse sapientiā nisi veritatem Aug. nothing is wisdom but what is truth and nothing is truth for us to beleeve to walk by to subscribe to but the Word * sapientia est sapida de Deo scientia Religious wisdom is a savory knowledge of the things of God and not to be attained by any other mediums then what God hath ordered to be written for our instruction Rom. 15.4 and if any previous disposition be necessary to fit a man for it it is to become a fool 1 Cor. 3.18 to deny himself and al his carnal wisdom * Abnegando seipsum carnalem suam sapientiam Piscat in locum SECT II. Whether we may be guided by any supposed inspiration or impulse of spirit that is beside or contrary to theword of God THat I may not seem in the least to limit the Holy one of Israel I shal answer by laying down this Proposition In matters of Faith and practise in case it were not the onely way yet it is the safer way to be guided by the Scriptures then by any impulses suggestions or revelations within us supposed to be from the spirit Of this First in Hypothesi in case it were not the onely way the contrary to which I am abundantly perswaded of from these Grounds 1. Ground It seems to me a truth sufficiently bottom'd upon the Scriptures that the Spirit of God doth not immediately reveal any thing in these latter days beside or above what is revealed in the Scripture Because First The Scriptures contain al things necessary to salvation 2 Tim. 3.15.16 17. If an inspiration be for Doctrine or reproof or correction or instruction or to furnish us to any good work al this is done by the Scripture and so the inspiration is not beside or beyond it If it be for more then this it is for more then is necessary 2ly There is a curse pronounced against adding any revelations or discoveries as of the mind of God to those that are in the Scriptures already read Apoc. 22.18 19. and note 1. That this book is a discovery of the mind of God concerning the affairs and duty of his Church cha 1.1 2. That it is a discovery of what shal concern the Church of God from the time it was written to the end of the world chap. 1.19 3. That it is a discovery of no more then is sufficient therefore he is cursed that shal take any thing from it Chap. 22.19 4. That together with what we have in other Scriptures for so I would in each particular be understood it is a discovery of as much as is sufficient and all the discoveries we must look for and therefore is he cursed that shal add to it * Vid. Aret Forbes in locum 2. Ground What was unquestionable from the Spirit of God was not yet imposed upon us any further then as it was confirmed by the Scriptures That the Apostles spake by in spiration I shal take it for granted Gal. 1.1.11 12. Yet 1. They were wont to prove their Doctrine by Scriptures and that you may see the sweet correspondency that is between both Testaments as they are called I shal set you down these instances Rom. 2.24 Proved by Is 52.5 Rom. 2.24 Proved by Eze. 36.20.23 Rom. 4.5 proved by Psal 32.1 2. Rom. 9.7 proved by Gen. 21.12 Rom. 10.9 proved by Isa 28.16 Rom. 11.7 proved by Isa 29.10 1 Cor. 2.29 proved by Ier. 9.23 That the Gentiles should be called the Apostle affirms was made known to him by revelation Eph. 3.5.6 yet he proves it from Gen. 12.3 Gal. 3.8 And 2. Those that would not receive these inspirations until they had examined them by the Scriptures are passed with a noble character for so doing Acts 17.11 12. From these grounds am I convinced that in matters of faith and practise our onely way is to be guided by the Scriptures However Secondly In these it is a safer way then to be led by any impulse suggestion or revelation within us supposed to be from the spirit which I am constrained to beleeve by these Reasons 1. Reason Many have pretended to revelations from the Spirit of God when there was no such thing but the pretenders were either Impostors and deceivers or deluded by a lying spirit and deceived See 1 Reg. 22.23 2 Thes 2.11 2 Tim. 3.13 of this we have examples of above 1500 years old * Rosse his View of all Religions sect 7. p. 184. Martinium de vera relig p. 58 and in our days if there be two men pretending to an immediate inspiration from God and the spirit that is in one be contradictory to the spirit that is in the other one of them at least is a spirit of delusion Whence a 2. Reas We cannot so certainly know whether it be God that speaks in us as that it is God that speakes in the Scripture in that we may be mistaken 2 Cor. 11.14 not so in this 2 Pet. 1.21 Ioh. 9.29 Heb. 1.1 Galat. 1.1.11 12. 3. Reas Be the Inspiration or Impulse from whence it will yet must the Word of God be obeyed before it I argue thus That Power that is supream must caeteris paribus be obeyed before that which is but subordinate But the power of Gods Word is supream and the power of Inspirations as such is subordinate to it ergo c. the minor proposition onely needs proving which the definition of a supream power will sufficiently doe Now a * Summa potestas est cujus actus alterius juri●n●n subs●nt Grot. de jure belli l. 1. c. 3. ect 7. supream power is that which is not questionable by any other jurisdiction But every Inspiration is so far under the jurisdiction of the Word of God as that it ought to be tryed and judged by it for which see Gal. 1.8 2 Thes 2.2 1 Ioh. 4.1 Acts 17.11 And this hinteth a 4. Reas That which proves Inspirations to be true in case they be so must needs be more certain and infallible at least to us than the