by the Rabbins and Jewish Doctors of old the Bishops and Clergy men in the Arrian and other Controversies the Cardinals Iesuits and Popish Priests in latter times How came it to pass that these men wrested the Scriptures was it for want of Humane Learning that could not be for that most of these men were profound Schollars great Linguists Vniversity men men of much Reading and great Learning is undeniable and yet these are the men that of all others have wrested the Scriptures most frequently and most perniciously What was the Reason of this surely if Humane Learning had been designed by God as the proper and necessary means of understanding the Scriptures aright they who had so much of that Learning should have understood them better then they did then whom none hath ever understood them worse nor is it a thing to be wondred at by any who shall consider the words of Christ I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Here then is the true cause why these learned men wrest the Scriptures They seek to understand them by that Wisdom from which the true Sense of them is hid they trust too much to their Brain Knowledge and Humane Learning and with that undertake to interpret Scripture not waiting for the Guidance of the Holy Spirit whose Office alone it is to lead into all Truth Experience therefore shews by the Errors of learned men in all Ages that Humane Learning whatever this Priest says is not the Key that can open the Scriptures aright none having more missed of the true Sense of them then they that have sought it by that Learning But saith he Though the Apostles were unlearned when Iesus called them yet to the Eternal Honour of Learning he made them learned in all Tongues by a Miracle before he sent them abroad to teach all Nations teaching us thereby that men wholely illiterate are not fit to preach the Gospel Answ. This at first Sight makes a shew as if it had something in it but look well upon it and it appears to be but a meer empty Flourish Christ he saith by a Miracle made his Apostles learned in all Tongues before he sent them abroad to teach all Nations Well what doth he infer Teaching us thereby saith he that men wholely illiterate are not fit to preach the Gospel Herein is a Fallacy he should have said if he would have said any thing to the Purpose that men wholely illiterate are not fit to preach the Gospel to all Nations which if it were true as it is not for illiterate men may speak by Interpreters which also was in use in the Primitive Church what is it to the Purpose If not having all Languages they should not be fit to preach to all Nations because all Nations could not understand their Speech will it therefore follow they are not fit to preach to their own Nation that doth understand their Speech But these Words All Nations he was willing in the last Clause to leave out that he might beguile the ignorant into a Conceit that none but Book-learned men can preach the Gospel but though he may twattle after this rate to his Parishioner whose Respects to his Person may perhaps induce him to swallow any thing that comes from him yet let him not think to impose such Sophistry upon us as ignorant as he takes us to be we understand Words better then so The Gift of Tongues to the Apostles doth not imply that men wholely illiterate are unfit to preach the Gospel What was the End of the Gift of Tongues was it to give the Apostles themselves the Knowledge and Vnderstanding of the Gospel was it to enable them to preach the Gospel sincerely and truly or was it that they might express themselves to the Understandings of those several Nations to whom they were to preach They were commanded to preach the Gospel to all Nations which that all Nations might understandingly hear it was expedient it should be preacht unto them in their respective proper Languages which that it might be the Use of Tongues was requisite and therefore given unto them who were designed to that so Vniversal Ambassage Observe then Reader what was indeed the very Reason and proper Service of Tongues namely that all Nations might hear and understand what was spoken So that the Gift of Tongues was not designed to enable the Apostles to preach the Gospel in such a Sense as if they had not been able to preach it at all without them but to enable them in the preaching of it so to express themselves in every Nation 's proper Dialect that they to whom they spake might understand what was spoken to them but as for the Ability which they had to preach the Gospel simply it self without Relation to other Nations that they received immediately from the Holy Ghost which was poured forth upon them and dwelt in them and by Virtue of this indwelling of the Spirit the most illiterate amongst them were able to preach the Gospel fully and effectually to those of their own Nation and any other who understood their Language without the additionall Gift of Tongues but the Priest in comparing humane Learning with the Gift of Tongues and then inferring that because the use of Tongues was needful to the Apostles in order to preach the Gospel to all Nations who could not otherwise have understood them therefore humane Learning is needful yea absolutely necessary in order to preach the Gospel to them of their own Nation and Language and who can understand us as well without it In this I say he covertly imposeth a Falshood upon his Reader which he ought not to have done He might rather have inferred thus That if the Apostles having received the Promise of the Father in the pouring forth of his Spirit upon on them were thereby enabled and fitted to preach the Gospel to their own Country-men in their own Mother-Tongue without the help of other Languages then such now as have received the same Spirit whether in the same measure is not material it being sufficient if the Measure received be suitable to the present Service are thereby made able to preach the Gospel in their own Mother-Tongue to such as understand that Tongue without the help of Humane Learning and this sets Humane Learning quite aside as to any Necessity of it in preaching the Gospel But he saith There was great Reason for choosing illiterate men then in order to the most succesful Promulgation of the Gospel and the Glory of God for had our Lord chosen the Philosophers and learned Rabbies of the time his whole Doctrine might have been opposed with greater Force of Argument and would have lost much of its Reputation by being ascribed to such mens Invention as if its Success had been wholly owing to their
and shall eat your Flesh as Fire ye have heaped Treasure together for the last Days In which Places the last Days cannot reasonably be understood of the time of Ierusalem's Destruction But to shorten the Work I will grant him that the Last Dayes did then begin to which that Prophecy had relation let him prove that the Last Dayes are at an end or that the Spirit was to be poured out in some part only of the Last Dayes and not in all if he will have the pouring forth of the Spirit to be now ceased Our Saviour when he promised to send the Comforter told his Disciples He should abide with them forever And at that very time when he commanded his Disciples to wait at Ierusalem to receive the pouring forth of the Spirit he promised to be with them alwayes even unto the End of the World I have now done with his Discourse upon this Subjâ—ct namely of Humane Learnâ—ng and Divine Revelation I will add a Testimony or two of other men of sufficient Note and Credit to shew we stand not alone in this matter and leave the whole to the impartial Reader 's Judgment The first shall be of W. Tindall a faithful Martyr who thus writes It is impossible to understand in the Scriptures more then a Turk for whosoever hath not the Law of God written in his Heart to fulfill it Again Without the Spirit it is impossible to understand them And in his Answer to Morâ—'s Dialogue he sayes When thou art asked why thou believest thou shall be saved â—y Christ answer Thou feelest that it is true and when he asketh How thou knowest that it is true answer Because it is written in thy Heart if he ask Who wrote it answer The Spirit of God and â—f he ask How thou camest first by it tell him Thou wast inwardly taught by the Spirit of God and if he ask Whether thou believest it not because it is written in Boâ—ks or because the Priests so preach answer No not now but only because it is writtâ—n in thy Heart and because the Spirit of God so preacheth and so testifieth unto thy Soul c. Thus far Tindal To him I will add Iohn Iewel a zealous Defenceâ— of the Protestant Religion The Spirit of God sayes he is bound neither to Shaâ—pness of Wit nor to abundance of Learning Oft-times the UNLEARNED see that thing that the LEARNED cannot see Therefore saith Christ I thank thâ—e O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes even so Faher for so it seemeth good in thy sight Mat. 11. Therefore adds he Epiphanius saith Only to the Children of the Holy Ghost all the Scriptures are plain and easie Again True it is sayes he Flesh and Blood is not able to understand the Holy Will of God without SPECIAL REVELATION therefore Christ gave Thanks unto his Father for that he had revealed his Secrets unto the Little Ones and likewise opened the Hearts of his Disciples that they might understand the Scriptures Without this SPECIAL HELP and prompting of God's Holy Spirit the Word of God is unto the Reader be he never so wise or well LEARNED as the Vision of a sealed Book But this Revelation is not special unto One or Two but GENERAL unto ALL them that be the Members of Christ and are indued with the Spirit of God Thus far Iewel These men we see although themselves very well learned yet aâ—cribe not their Knowledge of God and their understanding of the Scriptures unto their Humane Learning â—tudy or Natural Abilities but to the Inspiration and Revelation of the Divine Spirit Bâ—t let us further observe what some others also of that Age have said on the same Subject Iohn Bradford an eminent Martyr in his Answer to the â—rch Bishop of Yâ—rk says thus We do believe and know the â—criptures as Christ's Sheep not because the Church saith they are the Scriptures but because they be so being thereof assured by the same Spirit that spake them I. Philpot another Godly Leaâ—nâ—d Martyr having in the beginning of his Bâ—ole written this Sentence Spiritus est Vicarius Christs in terris i. e. The Spirit is Christ's Vicar or in Christ's stead on Earth gave this Answer to B. Bonner inquiring the Reason of his so writing Christ since his Ascension worketh all things in us by his Spirit and by his Spirit doth dwell in us c. I conclude with Bullenger Unless the Holy Spirit inspire our Minds and guide our Tongues we can never either speak or hear any thing concerning him with any Worth or Profit For as none knoweth the things of God but only the Spirit of God so men fetch the understanding of Divine Things and Knowledge of the Holy Ghost from NO WHERE ELSE then from the same Spirit By this Reader thou mayest see that it was not Humane Learning Natural Study or Vniversity Education that these Good Men trusted to of old for the right understanding of the Scriptures but the Spirit of God which dwelt in them from which they received the Understanding of Heavenly Things CHAP. IX Of Tythes I Am now come to the Priests Delilah the very Darling and Minion of the Clergy TYTHES which were wont to be claimed as of Divine Right but I do not find this Priest hardy enough to adventure his Cause upon that Title No though he pretends to be a Minister of the Gospel yet he takes the Law for the surer holding and therefore betakes himself chiefly to that Yet something he would say for the other too though not so much from himself as others Let me tell you sayes he that those that insist upon the Divine Right of Tythes as much as to say I do not derive them not from Levi but Melchizedeck It is then inquirable Whether or no Tythes were ever due to Melchizedeck That which should make them due must be a Command They were not due to the Levitical Priesthood until they were commanded to be paid but after they were commanded to be paid they beâ—â—me due and so long as that Command stood â—n force it was an Evil to detain them But we do not find throughoâ—t the Scriptures any Command from God that Tyâ—hâ—s should be paid unto Melchizedeck With what Reason then can any affirm â—hat Tythes were due unto him That he did once receive Tythe of Abraham I grant but that it was not a proper Debt or just Due belonging to him and which Abraham had done Evil in detaining I offer these Reasons to prove First That Moses sayes expresly He gave him Tythes He does not say He paid him Tythes but He gave him Tythes which the Apostle referring to useth also the same Phrase To whom also Abraham gave a Tenth Part and again Vnto whom even the Patriarch Abraham gave the Tenth c. To gave we know imports one thing to aâ— another
was given him by the holy Ghost was not humane nor acquired Doth he not say adds he that the Vnlearned and Vnstable wrest the Scriptures to their own Destruction and is he himself Vnlearned Answ. Yes he himself notwithstanding all this was Unlearned in that Learning by which they who were Unlearned in the Heavenly Learning did wrest the Scriptures Now that this may not seem strange I desire the Reader to consider that there is a two-fold Learning Knowledge Wisdom and Understanding There is a Learning that is acquirable by natural Study and Industry and this is called Natural or Humane Learning and this Learning Man as Man though never so ignorant of God or never so great an Enemy to God is capable of this Learning Peter was Vnlearned in And there is a Learning which is given by and received from God without the Help or Means of Natural Study and Industry and this is called Divine or Heavenly Learning and this the Natural Man is not capable of but he only that is led by and taught of the Spirit In this Learning Peter was well versed So also there is a Twofold Knowledge There is a Knowledge which he that encreaseth encreaseth Sorrow but there is also a Knowledge of which the Fear of the Lord is the Beginning or pricipal Part In like manner there is a Twofold Wisdom There is the Wisdom of the World and the Wisdom of God There is a Wisdom by which the World knew not God and there is a Wisdom by which God is known There is a Wisdom that is not from above but is Earthly and sensual and there is a Wisdom that is from above that is Pure Peaceable c. There is also a Twofold Understanding There is an Vnderstanding by which the things of God cannot be perceived an Vnderstanding which God will destroy And there is an Vnderstanding which the Inspiration of the Almighty giveth Now this Divine this Heavenly Learning this Spiritual Knowledge Wisdom and Understanding Peter had received of God in this he was indeed learned and by this sufficiently able to understand the Scriptures but that humane Learning that that was acquirable only by Natural Study and Industry that he was unlearned in notwithstanding he was a Disciple as appears plainly in the place before quoted No Ground at all then had the Priest so scornfully to insult and vainly triumph over R. H. as he doth nay it more nearly concerns himself to beware lest while he is glorying in that Learning which the Pharisees of old whom Christ called blind Guides did so greatly dote upon and wherein he seems to Place his Strength he fall himself into that Ditch which his Envy and Evil Nature hath assigned for others He takes upon him in the next Place to open and explain those Words of the Apostle 2 Pet. 3.16 In which are some things hard to be understood which the unlearned and the unstable wrest as they do other Scriptures to their own Destruction Upon these words he makes four Observations The first is that some Passages of Scripture aâ—e so obscure and dark that they are hard to be understood page â—0 from whence he infers the Necessity of Learning I for Distinction sake will call it Natural Humane or School-Learning in the Interpreting of Scriptures the great Danger of mis interpreting them without it and therefore that they that want it are very unfit to be Preachers and Interpreters of the Holy Word of God Answ. Thou seest here Reader to what a Pitch he hath advanced humane Learning as if the Scriptures could not be rightly understood without it Not a Word of the Spirit of God but humane Learning all in â—ll There is a Necessity of it he saith great Danger of mis-interpreting without it yea they that want it are very â—â—fiâ—â—te preach c. What could he have said more to magnifiâ— hmane Learning but as Children use with one Blast to blow up a Bubble and with another to Blow it down again so this Man after he hath with one Hand to exalted Learning as that without which there is no safe interpreting of Scripture and consequently no certain Knowledge of the will and mind of God therein exprest with the other Hand â—ulls it down again and renders it as needless in Relation to man's eternal Happiness as before he asserted it not only needful but even of absoluâ—e Necessity Hear what he saith page 92. The Parishioner asks this Question Are then the necessary Points of Religion in the Scriptures hard to be understood No saith he they are not for whatsoever is necessary to Salvation either to be believed or to be done are in some Place or other of holy Scripture fitted to the most vulgar Capacity and shallowest Vnderstanding as for Example the History of Christ's Birth Death Resurrection and Ascension is as necessary to be believed so plain to be understood Then the Duties of the first and second Table of the Law and the Love of God and our Neighbour all the Evangelical Precepts and the Essentials of Religion are in the Gospel made such easie Doctrines that he that runs may read them being fitted to the Capacity of the most unlearned Where now is this grand Necessity of humane Learning The necessary Points of Religion he saith are not hard to be understood whatsoever is necessary to Salvation either to be believed or to be done is in some Place or other of holy Scripture fitted to the most vulgar Capacity and shallowest Vnderstanding The History of Christ's Birth Death Resurrection and Ascension is plain to be understood The Duties of the first and second Table the Love of God and our Neighbour on which Christ said the whole Law and the Prophets depend All the Commands of the Gospel and the Essentials of Religion All these he confesseth are in the Gospel made such easie Doctrines that he that runs may read them Nay he saith they are fitted to the Capacity of the most unlearned Are they so what and yet a Necessity of humane learning still to what End I would fain know why to enable men to preach the Gospel for saith he They that want this Learning are very unfit Persons to be Preachers and Interpreters of the holy Word of God pag. 90. This is strange indeed more strange then true I am sure If all things necessary to Salvation if all things that men are required either to believe or do are fitted to the most common Capacity and to the shallowest Understanding if the History of Christ's Birth Death Resurrection and Ascension is so plain to be understood if the whole Law and the Prophets if all the Commands of the Gospel if all the Essentials of Religion are in the Gospel made such easie Doctrines that he that runs may read them in a Word if all these things are fitted to the Capacity of the most unlearned as he affirms they are then I hope men may preach any
By this he seems not rightly to understand how the Apostles and primitive Christians received the Knowledge of the Gospel for he is still harping upon the Gift of Tongues and Miracles as if he apprehended they had received the Knowledge of the Gospel by these means and that therefore it is Presumption in any now to expect to receive the Knowledge of the Gospel in the same manner as they received it but in this he greatly errs not distinguishing between the Effects and the Cause Tongues and Miracles were but the Effects of that divine Power wherewith they were filled of that holy Spirit which rested on them and dwelled in them Now the Apostles did not receive the Knowledge of the Gospel by Tongues and Miracles these were but Mediums to convey their Message to others and perswade a Belief of it but that which they received the Knowledge of the Gospel from was the Divine Power it self the Holy Spirit it self which dwelt in them from which the Tongues and Miracles did sometimes flow I say sometimes for they were not inseparable Effects of the Spirit for if they had been so then when and wheresoever the Spirit had appeared these Effects must unavoidably have followed but that they did not for all the true Believers received the Spirit yet did not all work Miracles nor speak with Tongues Thus Paul having told the Corinthians that the God of the World hath blinded the Minds of them that believe not lest the Light of the glorius Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them shews them how the Knowledge of the Gospel is to be received for God saith he who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Iesus Christ. And in his Epistle to the Galatians he plainly shews that he received the Knowledge of the Gospel and Ability to preach Christ from the Revelation of Christ in him Seeing then that the Apostles and primitive Christians did receive the Knowledge of the Gospel from the immediate Teachings of the holy Spirit which dwelt in them and not from Tongues or Miracles and seeing this holy Spirit as I have before proved was promised to abide with the Saints forever to be their Teacher and Guide into all Truth I thence infer that the Cessation of Tongues and Miracles doth not at all render it any Presumption Vngodliness or Absurdity in those who are the Apostles Successors in Faith and Doctrine to expect to receive the Knowledge of the Gospel now in the same manner as it was communicated to them of old Yet that he may not seem wholely to exclude the Spirit he thus saith That the Spirit helpeth us to understand old Truths already revealed in Scripture we confess and pray for his Assistance therein c. page 103. Answ. Either he doth not speak sincerely or else he hath forgot himself but a little before page 92 93 94. he said that All the necessary Points of Religion whatsoever is necessary to Salvation whatsoever is either to be believed or done is in some Place or other in the holy Scriptures fitted to the most vulgar Capacity and shallowest Vnderstanding that the History of Chist's Birth Death Resurrection and Ascention is plain to be understood that the Duties of the first and second Table of the Law and the Love of God and our Neighbour which I have elsewhere shew'd comprehends the whole Law and the Prophets all the Evangelical Precepts and the Essentials of Religion are in the Gospel made 〈◊〉 easie Doctrines that he that runs may read them being fitted to the Capacity of the most unlearned that those Passages in the Scriptures which are of the greatest Concern are written in such a plain and familiar Style that the weakest and most illiterate shall never be able to excuse the neglect of them In a Word The great Law-giver he saith hath made those Doctrines most plain which are most necessary to be believed and those least necessary which are most difficult Now if he did believe himself when he said all this I wonder what he expects his Reader should believe of him when in behalf of himself and all his Brethren he here saith page 103. we confess the Spirit helpeth us to understand old Truths already revealed in the Scriptures and we pray for his Assistance therein Do they pray for the Assistance of the Spirit to help them understand those things which he saith are already fitted to the Capacity of the weakest most illiterate and unlearned which are suited to the shallowest Vnderstanding nay which are made so plain and easie that he that runs may read them What else were this but to mock the holy Ghost by invocating his Assistance to help them understand that which they confess they understand already and which they affirm to be so plain and easie that the weakest the shallowest the most unlearned may understand And yet of this kind do they reckon all necessary Points in Religion all the Duties of the first and second Table of the Law the Love of God and our Neighbour the History of Christ's Birth Death Resurrection and Ascension all the Commands of the Gospel all the Essentials of Religion and in short whatsoever is either to be believed or done necessary to Salvation but what then hath he left for bimself and his Brethren to pray for the Assistance of the Spirit to help them to understand Nothing that is necessary to Salvation to be sure no Essential of Religion no Gospel Precept no Part of the History of Christ's Birth Death Resurrection and Ascension none of the Duties of the first or second Table nothing of the Love of God or our Neighbour what can it be then Some difficult Passages which himself confesseth are least necessary to be believed as the Circumstances of the Levitical Rites the Genealogies in Scripture and Apocalyptical Propheâ—ies these are his own Instances page 93. nay in order to Salvation not at all necessary either to be believed or done See now what his fair Flourish of Praying for the Spirit is come to Besides to say they are already 〈◊〉 in Scripture and yet say he want the assistance of the Spirit to help him understand them is a Contradiction for what he doth not understand is not already revealed but vailed to him if he already understand it he in vain implores Assistance to help him to understand it if he doth not already understand it then it is not yet revealed to him but hid or covered from him in praying for the Assistance of the Spirit to understand it he acknowledgeth the Necessity of the Spirit 's Teaching and confesseth that Revelation is to be expected in this Age. But saith he to pretend to such Miraculous Inspirations as the Apostles once had or to nâ—w Revelations beyond what was discoverâ— to them is an horrible Cheat c. Answ
constant Method in regard they come naked without any Miracles to attest them for when did God ever send any new Doctrine and did not also give the Preachers thereof a Power of Working Miracles c Answ. This all depends upon the word New New Revelations and New Doctrines which â— have before shewed to be a Mistake and that we are not concerned therein if by Nâ—w Doctrines he means such Doctrines as are essâ—ntial to Salvation we do not pretend or expect to have any New Gospel or such New Doctrines revealed to us but we say the Good Old Gospel and the Doctrines of it which were of old revealed to the Apostles and Saints in the first Ages of Christianity and which are declared of in the Scriptures of Truth are now after the long Night of thick Darkness which hath covered the Earth and that general Apostacy wherein all the World wondred after and worshipped the Beast and the Inhabitants of the Earth were made drunk with the Wine of the Fornication of the great Whore of which all Nations had drunk again revealed by the same Spirit which Christ promised to send to his Disciples to be in them to teach them all things to guide them into all Truth to take of his and shew it unto them and to abide with them forever the Spirit of Christ being still free in his manifold Discoveries and Revelations beyond Utterance the highest Degree whereof is in no wise repugnant to those Essential Truths declared of in Scripture And it is observable that although the Gospel was preached in Demonstration and Power by the Apostles and Disciples in the Beginning and that too universally yet Iohn in his Vision of the future State of the Church saw the Gospel preacht again by an Angel flying in the midst of Heaven thereby intimating that the Gospel should be preached in the Demonstration of the Spirit and Power after the â—postacy as well as it had been before Yet we read not of any Miracles he wrought though he was an Angel Yet in the next page he has another fling at New Revelations which he sayes do manifestly contradict the Faith of the primitive Christians Answ. To this I shall not need to say much Let them look to it whom it concerns That it concerns not us I have already shewed The Faith which we have received is the same with that of the primitive Christians the Author of it is the same the Finisher of it the same and we have received it after the same manner that they received it of old namely by the Gift of God But other Gospel then that which they had we do not expect Again in pag. 106 107. Upon his old Text of new Revelations he runs into an Extravagant Vein of Rayllery charging us with Falshood Rayling Nonsense and Blasphemy that we would bring the World into Egyptian Darkness and all this and much more for a Dream a meer Fancy a Miserable Mistake c. that we follow a False and Fantastick Light and adore a Lye for divine Revelation c. Answ. In this Case what fitter Answer can be given then that which Michael gave the Devil The Lord Rebuke thee Unhappy Man whom nothing less would satisfie then to dash himself against that Stone which if it fall upon him will dash him to pieces 〈…〉 enough that he hath reviled and vilified â—s throughout his whole Book but he must also blaspheme the Light of the Son of God and the Operaâ—ion of the Holy Ghost in calling the one a False Fantastick Light and the other a Lye Well let him remember that the Apostle hath said He that despiseth despiseth not Man but God who hath also given unto us his good Spirit And let him beware of persisting in this Course lest he bring on himself an irreversible Doom which he may read Mat. 12.31 32. Yet would not this man for all this be thought to deny all Revelation neither For sayes he I own those Revelations which are upon Record in the holy Bible which iâ— the Word of God wherein he hath revealed his Will to the Church c. pag. â—07 Answ. He seems not rightly to understand Revelation but rather to have taken in some strange Notion concerning it I would gladly know of him how he would be understood when he sayes God has revealed his Will to the Church in the Holy Bible He sayes The Letter is not the Word but the Sense pag. 96. Does he mean then that this Sense is so revealed in the Bible that he that reads the Letter though he hath no Assistance therein but only his own natural Understanding shall be sure to find the true Sense and understand the Will of God This his words import Yet this he cannot reasonably intend if he will consist with himself because he else-where not only urges the Necessity of Humane Learning but also confesses the Spirit doth help them to understand the Scriptures and that they therefore pray for his Assistance therein pag. 103. But if he means that the Will of God is so revealed in the Scriptures that they can understand it with the Help and Assistance of the Spirit but not without which is the fair import of confessing the Spirit doth help and praying for its Assistance therein what else then I pray is this but to say They can understand the Will of God in the Scriptures when the Spirit revealeth it unto them but not otherwise For if they could understand the Will of God without the Help of the Spirit in vain do they invoke his Assistance but if they cannot understand the Will of God in the Scriptures without the Help of the Spirit and therefore implore his Assistance that shews the Necessity of the Spirit 's Teaching and if the Spirit vouchsafe his Help and do open and make known the Will of God to them that is Revelation How egregiously absurd then it is for this man to exclaim as he does against Revelation who upon his own Principle cannot understand the Will of God without it let the Reader judge But he charges the Quakers with saying The Bible is a Dead Letter but the Word of God is Quick and Powerful so is not the Bible p. 107. Answ. The Word Bible signifies a Book and the Book or Bible the Priests call the Word of God This Man called it so but just now I own said he those Revelations which are upon Record in the Holy Bible which is the Wâ—rd of God pag. 107. Hereupon to shew them how grosly they mistake they have been sometimes asked How it can be that the Bible should be tâ—e â—ord of God seeing the Word of God is quick and powerful and the Bible or Bookâ— a Dead Letter Some of them being by this a little awakened to avoid the Absuâ—dity tell us They do not 〈◊〉 can that the Letter is the Word of God but the Sense so says this man p. 96. But why then do they mean one
when God has plainly told us that we have sufficient not to be contented with them to wit the Scriptures but to expect and call for more Answ. Here again he lets his Pen run too fast without due Consideration I read indeed in the Holy Scriptures that God hath said My Grace is sufficient but I never read that God said The Scriptures are sufficient Yet this man confidently sayes God has plainly told us He should have done well to have shewed us where God hath plainly told this and indeed it behoves him yet to produce the place if he can otherwise it will appear an Act of great Impudence in him to say God hath plainly told that which he hath not told at all That the Scriptures themselves as he speaks are sufficient without the Teaching and Revelation of the spirit I have before disproved That the Help and Assistance of the Spirit is needful to understand the Scriptures he has before granted The spirit 's helping to understand the Scriptures is by its Teaching the true Sense and Meaning of them by opening discovering and making known the Mind and Will of God therein exprest This is Revelation for whatsoever is discovered or made known is revealed Now then if the spirit doth open discover make known the Mind and Will of God then the spirit doth reveal the Mind and Will of God And if the Mind and Will of God although exprest in the Holy Scriptures cannot be truly understood or known unless the Spirit open discover and make it known then it follows that the Mind and Will of God although there exprest cannot be truly understood or known unless the spirit reveal it So that still here is a Necessity of Revelation And these very same things having been before revealed unto others is not this a Repetition of the former Revelation that is a Revealing of the same things to us now that were formerly revealed to others And will he upon second Thoughts call it an Act of Impudence to expect this If he shall I am sure that will be an Act of most audaciouâ— Ignorance In the next place he takes upon him to give the True Sense of Christ's Words in Mark 13.11 Take no Thought before hand what ye shall speak neither do ye premeditate but whatsoever shall be given you in that Hour that speak ye for it is not ye that speak but the Holy Ghost Which words he sayes import no more then this that whereas the Disciples were to be brought before the Kings and Potentates of the Earth to vindicate the Doctrine of Christianity that they might be under no Discouragements either from the Presence of those before whom they were to appear or from a Sense of the Meanness of their own Education he promiseth to supply all their Defects miraculously and whereas they had extraordinary Work to perform they might be assured of an extraordinary Assistance from him but this he sayes reacheth not to an Ordinary Case pag. 113. Answ. That the Words do indeed import that the Disciples when brought before Kings and Potentates to vindicatâ— the Doctrine of Christianity should without â—râ—mediâ—ation or taking Thought having given to them what to speak is evident but with what colour of Rea on he will restrain this to that Age only so as to make it an Extraordinary Case I see not Was any thing more ordinary in the succeeding Ages under the Heathenish Roman Emperors then for the Disciples of Christ to be brought before Kâ—ngs and Potentates to vindicate the Doctrine of Christianity Were not these for the most part under equal Discouragements either for the Presence of those before whom they were to appear or from a Sense of the Meanness of their own Education with the former and had they not need of equal Supply Nay hath it not been the ordiâ—ary Case of Christ's Discâ—ples in all Ages to be brought before Rulers and Magistrates to vindicate the Doctrine of Christianity why then doth he call theirs of old an extraordinary Case and have they not for the general been of mean Education and from thence under the same Discouragements with the former why then would he abridge them of the same Assistance Besides observe the Reason which Christ gives why his Discipler shâ—uld not take Thought nor premeditate or study what to speak For saith Christ it is not ye that speak but the holy Ghost But if the priest will restrain this Promise to them of that Age only what will he thereby seem to say to the Disciples of this Age in the like Cases but this When ye are brought before Rulers and Magistrates to vindicate the Doctrine of Christianity do not ye have your Eye to God in expectation that he should give you any thing to speak but bethink your selves before hand and go provided with your Answer for it is not now the Holy Ghost that speaks but it is ye But consider Reader how unsuitable this would be to that Promise of Christ of sending the Comforter to be in his Disciples and to abide with them forever Our Saviour Christ when he was ready to ascend unto his Father made this solemn Promise to his Apostles Lo I am with you alwayes even unto the End of the World This cannot be restrained to them only to whom it was spoken for then it had extended to none but the eleven Apostles by which means the seventy Disciples had been excluded besides the Priests use to tell us that this Promise of Christ did not relate to the Apostles and Disciples of that Age only but is extensive to the Ministers of Christ in all Ages to the World's End Now that Christ was with his Apostles and Disciples in that Age by his Spirit by which he gave them in the very hour that which they should speak so that it was not properly they but the Holy Ghost in them that spoke and by which he revealed the Gospel and Heavenly Mysteries of God's Kingdom to them enabling them thereby to preach them powerfâ—lly and effectually to others in the Demonstration of the Spirit this is on all Hands confest but what Reason then can there be that any should put in for a Share in this Promise of Christ's Presence and yet deny and his refuse to enjoy his Presence in that manner which themselves confess they to whom the Promise was directly and immediately made did enjoy it in But he takes notice of some Speakers that said they did not know before they began what they had to say but as the Spirit gave them Vtterance that only would they speak and al though they came without Preparation yeâ— speak notably This he rails extreamly againstâ— and calls it the Sacâ—ifice â—f a Fool. Answ. Had he forgot that so to speak was the Apostles Practice or did he design to call them Fools by Craft as the Proverb is for certain it is that the Apostles spake as the Spirit gave them Vtterance yet this way of speaking he prophanely calls