The QVAKERS WILDE QUESTIONS Objected against the Ministers Of the GOSPEL And many Sacred Acts and Offices Of RELIGION With brief Answers thereunto TOGETHER WITH A Discourse of the Holy Spirit His impressions and workings On the SOVLS of Men. Very seasonable for these times By R. SHERLOCK B. D. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 COR. 11.19 London Printed by E. Cotes for R. Royston at the Angel in Ivie-lane 1654. To the Honorable Sir Robert Bindloss Baronet SIR THese following Questions being sent to your house and receiving their short and sudden answers under your roof and the Author his subsistence from your courtesie and beneficence It being also your desires they should be made publick if perhaps some satisfaction might be given to any of those too too many seduced and wavering souls amongst us Be pleased therefore that under your name and patronage they may appear as a covert to veil their imperfections and defects Defective they must needs be in many respects neither can the Answers to so many strange scrupulous and unheard of questions being conceiv'd on a sudden by way of answer to a Letter be expected to be satisfactory and full as to all particulars Longer time for further and more mature deliberation might in some good measure have supplyed many defects but that I was unwilling to add any thing to what was dispatcht away by way of answer to the Letter or rather Libell of the scrupulous Questioner that so both might appear to the eye of the world verbatim without addition or diminution Hereunto as a back or second I have annexed a Discourse both short and plain Of the Holy Spirit of God so much by those sâ—duced souls pretendâ—d unto and to the grief of all good Christian hearts too much profan'd by such pretences And 't is a Discourse which was desired by your virtuous Lady for her private satisfaction The subject whereof being fully cleer'd to the mindes of men by some more wise and abler judgements would both discover and strike at the root and dissolve the ground-work of many those infectious errours which at present so much overspread and prevaile amongst us And indeed how can we expect or hope for other since 1. unity and uniformity both in the publick worship of God whereby all men of the same Church and Religion do worship God in the same way even with one heart and one mouth and after one manner is not onely decryed but also dismist our Congregations And since 2. the Pale of Ecclesiasticall discipline is pull'd down by whose coercive laws all men were kept within the limits of the true Faith and of Obedience and Charity as to the externall profession thereof And since 3. under the name and priviledge of Liberty of conscience licentiousnesse of opinion hath got footing in the mindes of men who take liberty under that pretext to become vain in their imaginations to be of this or that or what opinion they please in Religion As also to perform the publick parts of divine worship according to the severall dictates of their owne mindes even in any way but what is decent reverend uniform and orderly Since such I say is the sad and confused condition of our Church it is no marvail though there daily arise new Sects and new Opinions such which are not onely strange wilde and fanatick but even destructive to the very being of true Christianity Nor must we hope for other till the God of all truth and peace be pleased together with his truth to restore unity and order in his worship whereof for our manifold sins he hath so long deprived us It is most true what the Apostle saith of the necessity of heresies 1 Cor. 11.19 They must come Ad hoc enim sunt Haereses ut fides habendo tentationem habeat etiam probationem Tert. de praesc adv Haeret. c. 1. that they which are approved may be made manifest But it is as true what our Saviour saith of Offences in general Matt. 18.7 Woe unto them by whom they come Their condition must needs be sad and deplorable who broach and introduce the infection as being herein the instruments of Satan or in the language of our Lord They are of their Father the Devill Joh. 8.44 and his works they doe for he was a lyar from the beginning and abode not in the truth Now although this Grand-father and promoter of lies aud untruths be by the God of all power and goodnesse enchained and limited otherwise he had long since overrun the world as in times of Paganisme of old Yet sometimes for the sins of a people whereof we are now too sensible his chain is lengthened 1 Pet. 5.8 and the roaring Lyon hath more scope then ordinary to roam about seeking whom he may devour And he devours or destroyes the souls of men two wayes 1. By blinding their unstandings whereby they become apt to be seduced in the entertainment of erroneous opinions and belief of lies 2. By poysoning their affections with the false paint of worldly vanities whereby they are inveigled into sinfulness and vice And now Sir that neither you nor any that belongs unto you may in either of these respects be deceived and perish neither with the blinde and giddy to fall into the ditch of error on the one hand or with the vicious and unclean to wallow in the mire of sinfulnesse on the other but to keep the way of the righteous and to walk in the path of the just which is no other undoubtedly but the way of your owne peace and tranquillity here and eternall felicity hereafter it shall be the endevour and is the daily prayer Sir of Your respective Devotor R. Sherlock The Quakers Questions The Letter of Questions Endorsed To the Priest at Borwick deliver The Quakers Questions directed by them as above To all you professed Ministers who have taken the title of the Ministers of the Gospell of Christ upon you who is the end of the Law and Prophets and shadowes who shadowed him forth a few Questions to you that have taken this office upon you Quest 1 WHether the Gospell be the same the Apostles preached and if it be why goe you to Oxford or Cambridge when the Apostle saith The Gospell he preached was not after man neither was he taught it by man Q. 2 Whether you can give another meaning to the Scriptures then they are or whether the Apostles did not give the meaning to them when they spoke them forth yea or no and if they did what need learned men to give a meaning to them Q. 3 Shew me by the Scripture who ever was made a Minister of Christ that was called of men Master Q. 4 Shew me by the Scriptures where ever the Ministers of Jesus Christ tooke Tithes of the people or Augmentations for preaching the Gospell Q. 5 Shew me by the Scriptures and what Scripture you have which speaks of the Word two Sacraments which you tell
which is the way to his eternall Kingdome hereafter our Saviour expresly teacheth saying Joh. 5.3 Except a man be borne again of water and of the holy Ghost he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God 2. That Children are of the Kingdom of God and to be admitted unto Christ himself expresly affirmes and strictly charges all men not to oppose it saying Suffer little Chrildren to come unto me Luk. 18.15 and forbid them not for of such also is the Kingdome of God If they must come unto Christ we must not stop up the way against them by denying them the seal of admission And if the Kingdome of God belong unto them surely the privileges of the Kingdome also whereof Baptisme is one 3. That Infants are in some measure capable of the Spirit of God is manifest from the example of the Prophet Jeremiah and of John Baptist Jer. 1.5 6. Luk. 1.66 80. And if they be capable of the inward Baptisme which is the holy Ghost much more of the outward which is water for can any man forbid water saith Peter in the like case that these should not be Baptized which have received the holy Ghost as well as we Act. 10.47 4. That Children are capable of being received and admitted into the Kingdome of Christ himself doth intimate saying Except ye receive the Kingdome of God as a little Child ye shall not enter therein so that receive it they may though they know it not For as the sin of the first Adam is imputed to children and they are defiled therewith though they understand it not so the righteousnesse of Christ the second Adam may be and we beleeve is by Gods secret and unknown way communicated to Infants though they know it not As to men born deaf and fools and such as are not capable of understanding for to such God forbid we should deny the mercies of God through Christ Quest. 7 Shew me what Scripture you have to stand praying in the Synagogues before Sermon and after and whether the Apostles did so Answ That we are both to pray and preach the Gospell there are so many Scriptures to prove that I need not name any and we pray both before and after Sermon because 1. 1 Thess 5.17 We are commanded to pray continually 2. Because prayer is the more chief and principall part of Gods service for it is written Mat. 21.13 My house shall be called the house of prayer to all Nations 3. That by prayer and devotion we might obtain the assistance and blessing of God both First upon our Labours in opening the Scriptures and Secondly upon the peoples duty in learning and attending thereunto the prayer before Sermon refers to the one and after Sermon to the other And in this question I must also further tell you you confound publick and private prayer and thereby pervert and misapply the words of our Saviour When thou prayest thou shalt not be as the Hypocrites Mat. 6.5 for they love to pray standing in the Synagogues c. that they may be seen of men in which place our Saviour forbids only private prayer to be offered in publick places out of vain-glory and oftentation to be seen of men and you falsly apply them against publick prayer which is both commanded and practised by publick persons and in publick places and to the end that they may be both seen and heard of men see for this the example of the Levites both for preaching Neh. 8. 9.3 4. Neh. 8. and for publick praying with a loud voice standing up upon the stayres that they might be heard Rom. 15.4 Neh. 9.3 4. Now what is written aforetime is written for our learning And that the Apostles did both pray inpublick for and with the people Act. 20.36.21.5 and also preach in publick and in the Synagogues of the Jewes is more then once or twice exprest in the Scriptures Quest 8 Shew me by the Scriptures when the Apostles went into the world and gave the people of the world Davids Psalmes to be sung in meeter The things that you practise answer them by the Scriptures or the Apostles practise without consequence or imagination Answ Touching the use of Psalms in meeter let me tell you because I see you understand not the nature of Psalms that they are not properly called Psalmes if not sung in verse and meeter and for Davids Psalms as you too scornfully call them know that they are the very dictates and breathings of Gods holy Spirit therefore are we commanded to be filled with the Spirit speaking to our selves in Psalms and Hymnes Eph. 5.18 19. c. And whereas all things in all Psalms are not at all times applyable to all persons yet there is something in every Psalme applyable to every person either by way of instruction or devotion and what in this or that Psalme is not applyable to our present condition may be hereafter and therefore it 's fit they should be used both for present devotion and benefit and also for the future that we may be thoroughly furnished with instructions and devotions against the time of need And for the Apostles practise herein t is sufficient we have their command for surely what they commanded others they practised themselves you may see they did so Act. 16.25 At midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sung Psalmes unto God But herein you demand an answer without consequence or imagination you might as well have said without reason or judgment which is all one as if you should bid me read your paper of Questions without my eyes Quest. 9 Whether a man shall over come the body of sin whiles he is upon the earth or no. Answ T is not possible wholly and altogether to subdue * It is overcome but not wholly a conquered enemy may trouble there is still a war Rom. 5.23 and the warfare endures untill death Rev. 2.10 the body of sin whilest we are in this world for t is therefore called the body of sin because there will be some reliques of sin some rebellions of the flesh against the spirit whilest we carry this body of flesh about us and are composed of flesh and spirit As a tree whilest there is life in it will bring forth fruit so the flesh whilest it is quickned with spirit of life 1 King 8.46 Job 14.4 Prov. 20.9 1 Joh. 18.10 Eccle. 7.22 will bring forth some kinde of fleshly fruits or other which is clear from manifold texts of Scripture Quest 10 Whether the curse be not upon him that preacheth another Gospell then Christ and the Apostles preached yea or no. Answ T is most true there is a curse and a heavy curse too will fall upon them that either preach another Gospell Gal. 1.6 7 8 9. or else pervert and poyson the truth of this Gospell which we have received from Christ and the Apostles And I would to God neither you nor any of your sect
even all of them are the gifts of God for every good and perfect gift whether natural moral or divine cometh down from above Jam. 1.17 Jam. 1.17 for a man can receive nothing except it be given from above Joh. 3.27 Joh. 3.27 Secondly our qualifications though acquired by study are yet the gifts of the Spirit because it is by Gods blessing and the influence of his good Spirit upon our studies and endevours that we do acquire these qualifications and it is generally and for the most part that God distributes his gifts and blessings according to mens inclinations aptness and endevours for the reception of his gifts Thirdly because the qualifications acquired by study are by the Spirit of God himself directed to the ends of the Spirit which are to profit withall and then is Gods blessing the greater and the influence of his Spirit upon our studies the more effectual and powerful when we have in them no other aym or intention but to be thereby enfitted and enabled to become useful instruments of Gods service and his peoples edification And both in that we do direct our studies to this end and also imploy our gifts acquired by study to this end also it is from the Spirit of God who works in us to will and to do of his own good pleasure Phil. 2.15 Phil. 2.15 And lastly all this is acknowledged that our gifts in all these respects are from the Spirit of God though studyed for In that together with those means that are outward and moral we use the Divine means also viz. prayer and devotion Jam. 1.5 commanded Jam. 1.15 If any man lacks wisdom let him ask it of God who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him That the Ministers of the Gospel notwithstanding their gifts are from the Spirit are yet bound to use all means both Moral and Divine for the acquiring thereof is manifest even from Gods own example in the use of their Ministry In that God himself who is not tyed to means neither hath need of any is yet pleased to use the means and Ministry of some men for the instruction and conversion of others There is no question but he who at the first created man after his own Image could without the Ministry of man have again repaired the decays of his blessed Image in man But yet in all ages it hath seemed good to his infinite wisdom to use the mediation and Ministry of men herein And this he doth out of his tender respect to mens infirmities considering the vast distance betwixt God and man which moved the Israelites to petition for a Minister betwixt God and them Exod. 20.19 Exod. 20.19 Deut. 5.27 18.16 Talk thou with us and we will hear but let not God talk with us lest we dye As therefore no Minister of God may think that God useth his Ministery because he needs it Heb. 12.19 so neither may the people think there is no need of Ministers because God useth them and he uses them as his subordinate fellow-laborers in the whole course of mans salvation Gal. 4.19 2 Cor. 3.2 Matth. 16.19 1 Tim. 4.16 the Ministers are said to beget men unto Christ to nourish them in Christ to binde and loose their souls to open and shut heaven and in a word to save because all these things Christ doth by them they are causa conjuncta cooperating with and under Christ so Paul compares his Corinthians to a written Epistle 2 Cor. 3.2 3. the Authors whereof were himself and the Spirit the external writing was his the internal seal upon their hearts was the Spirits These two then may not be severed Neither 1. may we look for Inspirations from heaven without the Ministry of man upon earth Nor yet 2. may we imagine that the Ministry of man upon earth can be effectual without inspiration from Heaven § 31 And because it is not enough for us to know the truth but also by that right and straight line to observe and discover what is repugnant and contrary thereunto Let us remember what by sad and lamentable experience we daily see and hear that as there is a holy and a good Spirit of God by his gifts and graces working on the mindes of men so there is also an evil and a bad spirit even the spirit of error and uncleanness the Devil who hath his secret workings and continual countermines opposing hereunto which evil spirit working also by the frail and deceiveable spirit of man doth by many subtile ways obscure corrupt poyson and belye the sacred qualifications of the Spirit of Truth nor doth the Devil that grand enemy of mans salvation in any kinde of way so much cousen and cheat the souls of men into ruine as by putting false glosses and counterfeit vizars on vices errors and distempers that so they may be mistaken for holy vertues and divine qualifications To instance in some particulars First It is a truth by the Spirit of God both foretold promised and performed That the actings and impressions of Gods Spirit upon the mindes of men are both more strong and frequent as also more general and common under the Gospel then they were under the Law That the gift of the Ministry it self is dilated being not limited to the single Tribe of Levi but all men of what quality soever have a title thereunto meaning Genera singulorum not singula generum that is men of all sorts and kindes not all of all kindes but hereupon to make void pull down and level with the undistinguisht multitude the high and solemn order and offices of the Priest-hood instituted by God himself both under the Law and under the Gospel For a people to snatch the Divine Oracles from the lips of the Priest and presume to teach their Teachers to invade the chair of Moses and offer incense with unhallowed censors for private persons to assume the publique administration of Ministerial Offices without a lawful Call and due Ordination thereunto though they may be otherwise qualified with knowledge and piety These are false glosses imposed upon the former truths by the spirit of lyes Tares sowed by the Enemie of mankinde amidst the purer wheat And that 1. To the high dishonour of God and profanation of all that is religious and sacred 2. To involve the Church of Christ and bury it in the rubbish of confusion and disorder 3. To take away those bounds and limits distinguishing Priest from people which all Nations Jews and Gentiles all Ages of the Church both Ancient and Modern have kept firm and inviolable 4. 2 Sam. 6.6 7. 2 Chron. 26.16 c. To pull down heavy judgements upon the heads of all such sacrilegious Usurpers and Invaders of Divine Rites 2. § 32 It is an impression of Gods Spirit upon the soul of man to wait and depend upon God for spiritual wisdom knowledge Prov. 3.5 c. and not to leane
6.15 except our feet be shod with the preparation of repentance whereby we forsake our sins Therefore before the Gospell it self was published this was first proclaimed both by Christ and his forerunner Repent Mat. 3.2 4.17 1 Cor. 11.28 for the kingdome of God is at hand In vain to participate of those mysteries of our salvation the body and bloud of our Lord till first by self-examination we have cast out the venome of our sinfull doings by repentance and stedfast purposes of amendment In a word it is our sins unrepented that make void and ineffectuall all the blessed means of Grace and of the Spirit 1 Thess 5.19 Ephes 4.30 by those it is we quench the Spirit we grieve the Spirit we resist the Spirit we provoke the Spirit and poyson the blessed nature of life so that all the conveyances of the Spirit are barren and unfruitfull whilest they reflect upon hardened and impenitent hearts See therefore repentance enjoyned as to the receiving of the holy Ghost Act. 2.38 8.19 And I would to God that all who pretend to the holy Spirit of God or to any the fruits and graces of the Spirit would first learn before they make their boast of the Spirit truly to repent them of their sins and to root out of the ground of their hearts all the fruits of the flesh Gal. 5.19 20 21. which are adultery fornication uncleannesse lasciviousnesse idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulation wrath strife seditions heresies envyings murthers drunkennesse revellings c. When these all of these sinfull fruits are extirpated out of the ground of the heart there may be then some hopes that our prayers and other divine acts and offices performed in the sincerity of our souls may prevail with God for the direction and comfort of his Spirit of grace and truth God which hast taught the hearts of thy faithfull people by the sending to them the light of thy holy Spirit grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgement in all things and evermore to rejoyce in his holy comfort through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same Spirit one God world without end Amen THE END From Borwick in Lancashire Decemb. 1. 1653. A CATALOGUE of some Books Printed for Richard Royston at the Angel in Ivie-lane London A Paraphrase and Annotations upon all the Books of the New Testament by Henry Hammond D. D. in fol. The Practical Catechisme with all other English Treatises of Henry Hammond D.D. in two volumes in 4o. Dissertationes quatuor quibus Episcopatus Jura ex S. Scripturis Primaeva Antiquitate adstruuntur contra sententiam D. Blondelli aliorum Authore Henrico Hammond in 4o. A Letter of Resolution of six Quaere's in 12o. Of Schisme A Defence of the Church of England against the Exceptions of the Romanists in 12o. The names of several Treatises and Sermons written by Jer. Taylor D.D. viz. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A Course of Sermons for all the Sundaies of the Year Together with a Discourse of the Divine Institution Necessity Sacrednesse and Separation of the Office Ministerial in fol. 2. Episcopacy asserted in 4o. 3. The History of the Life and Death of the Ever-blessed Jesus Christ 2d Edit in fol. 4. The Liberty of Prophesying in 4o. 5. An Apology for authorized and Set-forms of Liturgie in 4o. 6. A Discourse of Baptisme its institution and efficacy upon all Beleivers in 4o. 7. The Rule and Exercises of holy living in 12o. 8. The Rule and exercises of holy dying in 12o. 9. A short Catechisme for institution of young persons in the Christian Religion in 12o. 10. The Reall Presence and Spirituall of CHRIST in the Blessed Sacrament proved against the Doctrine of Transubstantiation in 8o. Certamen Religiosum or a Conference between the late King of England and the late Lord Marquis of Worcester concerning Religion at Ragland Castle Together with a Vindication of the Protestant Cause by Chr. Cartwright in 4o. The Psalter of David with Titles and Collects according to the matter of each Psalm by the Right honourable Chr. Hatton in 12o. Boanerges and Barnabas or Judgement and Mercy for wounded and afflicted souls in several Soliloquies by Francis Quarles in 12o. The life of Faith in Dead Times by Chr. Hudson in 12o. Motives for Prayer upon the seven dayes of the Week by Sir Richard Baker Knight in 12o. The Guide unto True Blessedness or a Body of the Doctrine of the Scriptures directing man to the saving knowledge of God by Sam. Crook in 12o. Six excellent Sermons upon several occasions preached by Edward Willan Vicar of Hoxne in 4o. The Dipper dipt or the Anabaptists duck'd and plung'd over head and ears by Daniel Featly D. D. in 4o. Hermes Theologus or a Divine Mercury new descants upon old Records by Thcoph Wodnote in 12o. Philosophical Elements concerning Government and Civil society by Thomas Hobbs of Malmesbury in 12o. An Essay upon Statius or the five first books of Publ. Papinius Statius his Thebais by Tho. Stephens School-master in S. Edmonds-bury in 8o. Nomenclatura Brevis Anglo-Latino Graeca in usum Scholae Westmonasteriensis per F. Gregory in 8o. Grammatices Graecae Enchiridion in usum Scholae Collegialis Wignorniae in 8o. A Discourse of Holy Love by Sir Geo. Strode Knight in 12o. The Saints Honey-Comb full of Divine Trums by Rich. Gove Preacher of Henton S. Gorge in Somersetshire in 8o. Devotion digested into several Discourses and Meditations upon the Lords most holy Prayer Together with additional Exercitations upon Baptism The Lords Supper Heresies Blasphemy The Creatures Sin The souls pantings after God The Mercies of God The souls complaint of its absence from God by Peter Samwaies Fellow lately resident in Trinity College Cambridge in 12o. Of the Division between the English and Romish Church upon Reformation by Hen. Fern D. D. in 12o. Directions for the profitable reading of the Scriptures by John White M. A. in 8o. The Exemplary Lives and Memorable Acts of 9. the most worthy women of the world 3 Jews 3 Gentiles 3 Christians by Tho. Heywood in 4o. The Saints Legacies or a Collection of promises out of the Word of God in 12o. Judicium Universitatis Oxoniensis de Solemni Lega Foedere Juramento Negativo c. in 8o. Certain Sermons and Letters of Defence and Resolution to some of the late Controversaries of our times by Jasper Mayne D. D. in 4o. Janua Linguarum Reserata sive omnium Scientiarum Linguarum seminarium Auctore Cl. Viro J. A. Comenio in 8o. A Treatise concerning Divine providence very seasonable for all Ages by Tho. Morton Bishop of Duresme in 8o. Animadversions upon Mr. Hobbs his Leviathan with some Observations upon Sir Walter Rawleighs History of the World by Alex. Rosse in 12o. Fifty Sermons preached by that learned and reverend Divine John Donne in fol. Wits-Common-wealth in 12o. The Banquet of Jests new and old in 12o. Balzac's Letters the fourth part in 8o. Quarles Virgin Widow a Play in 4o. Solomons Recantation in 4o. by Francis Quarles Amesti antisynodalia in 12o. Christ's Commination against Scandalizers by John Tombes in 12o. Dr. Stuart's Answer to Fountain's Letter in 4o. A Tract of Fortifications with 22 brasse cuts in 4o. Dr. Griffubs Sermon preached at S. Pauls in 4o. Blessed birth-day printed at Oxford in 8o. A Discourse of the state Ecclesiastical in 4o. An Account of the Church Catholick where it was before the Reformation by Edward Boughen D.D. in 4o. An Advertisement to the Jury-men of England touching Witches written by the Author of the Observations up Mr. Hobbs Leviathan in 4o. Episcopacy and Presbytery considered by Hen. Fern D.D. in 4o. A Sermon preached at the Isle of Wight before His Majesty by Hen. Fern D. D. in 4o. The Commoners Liberty or the English-mans Birth-right in 4o. An Expedient for composing Differences in Religion in 4o. A Treatise of Self-denial in 4o. The holy Life and Death of the late Vi-countesse Falkland in 12o. Certain Considerations of present Concernment Touching this Reformed Church of England by Hen. Fern in 12o. Englands Faithful Reprover and Monitour in 12o. Newly published The grand Conspiracy of the Members against the Minde of Jews against their King As it hath been delivered in four Sermons by John Allington B. D. in 12o. Now in the Presse Of Fundamentals in a notion referring to Practise by H. Hammond D. D. in 12o. ERRATA IN the Epistle subscribed Devotor r. Devotour p. 1. Q. 1. li. 1. add after Gospel you preach p. 5. Q. 19. for are r. act p. 5. Q. 21. for retain r. receive p. 7. l. 7. for dimensions r. divinations p. 10. l. 22. for visible r. visibly p. 11. l. 11. for that r. the. p. 24. 5. for imply r. imploy p. 25. l. ult for aim r. arrive p. 28. for with r. and. p. 39. l. 26. for understood r. understand l. 27. for which r. they p. 47. l. 18. for manfully r. more fully p. 12. l. 28. for souls r. selfes p. 81. l. 29. for since r. some p. 85. l. 19. for silent r. silenc't p. 94. l. 2. for stand r. pretend p. 109. l. 27. for beautifull r. banefull p. 111. for private men have r. men have their private p. 126. l. 17. for following r. flowing p. 141. l. 1. for the r. their p. 145. l. 28. for perfect r. proper p. 148. l. 11. for which r. what p. 153. l. 12. for perspicable r. prospicable for and r. or for our r. your p. 255. l. 19. for nature r. waters
the Spirit of holiness gilding painting and setting out sinfulness and vice with the title shew and flourish of godliness and vertue thus covetousness on the one hand wears the painted mask and flourish of providence and good husbandry and prodigal profuseness on the other hand of nobleness and generosity Thus riot and excess drunkenness and gluttony carry the fair flourishing titles of bountifulness good fellowship and freedom of spirit Thus wantonness and uncleanness are painted over with the specious tearms of amorous kindeness and Courtship and pride and haughtiness of magnanimity greatness of spirit superiority of rank I might instance in most of sins and vices how men are inveigled and cousened into them by the Devil under the shews and false glosses of pretended vertues For full well that subtil Serpent knows that there is nothing so beautiful and comely nothing that hath so much power to win upon the hearts and affections of men as vertue and holiness and therefore in their habits and attire doth he dress his deformed strumpet vices puts them in colours and sends them forth under their names and titles and hence it comes to pass that the silly souls of men are so often cheated with the beautiful poyson of sinfulness whilst vicious dispositions undiscernibly insinuate themselves into our affections under the attire and dress of vertuous qualifications 2 Cor. 11.24 But thus the Devil transforms himself into an Angel of light whilst baiting his suggestions either with counterfeit vertues on the one hand or with false glosses of spiritual graces on the other he entraps the souls of men in the snares of sinfulness and error and leads them captivity captive to his pit destruction § 38 There are two Familiars whereby the Devil doth ordinarily work and lay his secret and subtil snares to catch cousen and delude our souls thus into sinfulness and error and these are either 1. the spirit of man or 2. the spirit of the world The dictates and workings of both which kinde of spirits being stirr'd and quickened by the evil spirit diametrally oppose the impressions and workings of the Spirit of truth First that the dictates of mans spirit the conceptions of natural sense and carnal reason with private resolutions thereupon do oppose the working of Gods Spirit our Saviour himself teacheth Matth. 16.17 Matth. 16.17 Flesh and bloud hath not revealed this unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven So that flesh and bloud hath their Revelations that is private men have their opinions and conceits which oppose the truth that is revealed from heaven The same opposition of private resolution to holy inspiration doth St. Peter observe 2 Pet. 1. ult 2 Pet. 1. ult For prophesies of old time came not by the will of Man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost not as they were moved by their owne private will wit judgement reason and resolution but as they were moved by the holy Ghost Et haec ideo dicuntur c. Glos ord These things are therefore said by the Apostle that no man should presume to interpret the holy Scripture after his owne private minde or fancy as too often opposing and thwarting perverting and wresting the same and the meaning of the holy Ghost therein The Church of Christ hath in all ages been infested and in these last times more then ever with such kinde of persons who pretending to be holy men of God to have the gift of prophesie and interpretation of scripture even to speak by the holy Ghost and yet are led by their own ghost onely following their own private will and desires imaginations and opinions as their onely guide and dictator who pretend to the Spirit of God and yet will not admit at any hand of other spirit then their own of other truth then the vision of their own heads or of other directions then the motions of their own hearts rejecting renouncing and crying down all but what themselves call holy with the Donatists of old Quod volumus sanctum est that they will have to be holy right and true shall be so and nothing else 't is the very ground whereupon this last upstart crew of Quakers build all their resolutions and strange fanatick opinions and heresies even that which they call the light within us This say they is the onely Judge we must follow the Pilot we must steer by the voyce whereunto we must give ear the onely Sanctuary to which we must fly for resolution never remembring how this sanctuary is profan'd by continual acts of spiritual fornication or idolatry therein committed whilst in stead and even in opposition to God and Spirit of all truth they enshrine and idolize their owne fond vain and lying imaginations which the Lord by his Prophet calls the vanity and deceitfulnesse of their own heart Jer. 14.4 Jer. 14.14 The Lord said unto me the Prophets prophesie lies in my Name I have not sent them neither did I command them neither spake I unto them but they prophesie unto you a false vision and divination and vanity and the deceitfulnesse of their own heart But this delusion of mans own spirit following the deceitfull dictates of his own heart is seldome mentioned in holy scripture without heavy threats denounced both against such deluders and all that suffer themselves to be deluded by them as you may read in the following words And again Ezek. 13.3 Ezek. 13.3 Woe unto the foolish Prophets which follow their own spirit and have seen nothing nothing but what their own foolish spirit dictates to them Nor were there such under the Law onely but under the Gospel also They are noted by the Apostle Col. 2.18 Col. 2.18 Who intrude into those things which they have not seen or which they understand not being vainly puft up by their fleshly minde sensualitalis non rationis Gloss following the dictates of sense rather then of right reason and in this place the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is remarkable for even by that 't is easie to distinguish betwixt the dictates of a mans own carnal and sensual spirit and the impressions of Gods holy Spirit for the guidance of the minde The dictate of the fleshly spirit is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inflatio a puffing up but the impression of the holy Spirit is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afflatio an inspiration indeed but without inflation or puffing up The heavenly wind of Gods Spirit may fill but it never puffs up or swels the heart but rather humbles and abaseth the Spirit of man which is most conformable to the Spirit of Christ according to his own command Matt. 11.29 Mat. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart the minde that is either puft up with pride vain-glory and false conceited excellency in it self or that swels with malice hatred or envy towards others is not inspired with the celestiall Breath or Spirit of
the simple But by their fruits you shall know them which is confirmed by an apt similitude v. 16. Matt. 7.16 Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles q. d. No man can be so foolish as to expect this but every tree whether it be good or whether it be bad bringeth forth fruit suitable to its good or bad nature So 17. every good tree bringeth forth good fruit and a corrupt tree bringeth forth evill fruit nor is it possible it should be otherwise 18. A good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit even so false Prophets cannot bring forth the fruit of good true wholsome sound doctrines and religious manners So Menander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No man being good in himself produceth evill actions on the other side saith Antoninus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He that will not have a wicked man to commit wickednesse is like unto him that will not have a fig-tree to bring forth figs 'T is then an infallible tryal of the spirits whether they be of God or no by the fruits they bring forth § 44 The fruit of the Spirit viz. which is of God is love joy peace long-suffering Gal. 5.22 23. gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance The first of these fruits and the fairest too even of largest extent and most lasting which this tree of life brings forth is Love even the love of God above all and of our neighbour as our selves This therefore must needs be an infallible touch-stone to try the spirit of truth from the spirit of error for the spirit of truth is the very spirit of love and that first in respect of himself being that essentiall love and love-knot of the Father and the Son And secondly in respect of us being that sacred vinculum that invisible chain which unites us unto God by faith which worketh by love Gal. 5.6 and which unites one to another by charity peace amity the inseparable fruits of a true faith So that the Spirit of God is vinculum unitatis both in respect of his person and office and that 3 wayes First he is the bond of unity betwixt God and God Secondly betwixt God and man and Thirdly betwixt man and man therefore call'd the unity of the Spirit Eph. 4.3 Ephes 4.3 The devill on the other side is of a quite contrary nature as being the authour fautor and fomentor of all division He divides and separates man from God by sinfulnesse and errour and man from man by envy malice hatred strife and variance therefore is he so well known amongst the vulgar by his cloven foot the embleme of division § 45 Now our love to God above all is manifested and expressed by our love to our neighbour 1 Joh. 4.20 If any man say I love God and hateth his Brother he is a lyar 1 Joh. 4.20 for he that loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen For Joh. 14.23 24 if any man love me saith the Lord he will keep my words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him And he that loveth me not keepeth not my Words and the Word which you hear is not mine but the Fathers which sent me And what is the Word he means and so often particularly commands but to love one another This is my commandement that ye love one another as I have loved you Joh. 15.12 And this is the fruit he giveth us in charge to bring forth vers 16 17. even to love one another So that then where there is malice hatred strife variance bitter envyings railings revilings c. for such kinde of persons to lay claim to the Spirit of unity is a piece of impudent vanity and a false suggestion either from their owne corrupt erring spirit or from the spirit of errour himselfe the Devil who is a hater a reviler and the accuser of his brethren Rev. 12.10 And on the other side where there is peace love unity amity c. they are unquestionable marks and tokens of the Spirit of truth and unity Therefore St. John in the forecited place having told us that hereby know we the Spirit of truth from the spirit of errour adds immediately Beloved let us love one another 1 Joh. 4.6 7 8. for love cometh of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God and he that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love § 46 It would be needlesse to instance in the rest of the fruits of the Spirit because Love is not onely the first and chiefest of them even the Mistresse or rather the Queen of graces and by the Apostle extoll'd above them all 1 Cor. 13. but also because 't is the summe brief abridgement and epitome of all grace All the fruits of the Spirit are contained in and derived from this one as streames from the fountain head Vnde caetera tanquam ex capite exorta religata contexuit saith the Father of the fruits of the Spirit Aug. as they are reckoned up by the Apostle They all arise from and are summ'd up in this one therefore is love the fulfilling of the Law Rom. 13.10 'T is the fulfilling of the Law in three respects 1. Reductive in that the whole Law is reducible to this one command of Love and like Homer's Iliads in a nut-shell the whole volume of the Law is contained in this short precept Mat. 22 37 39 40. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soul and with all thy minde and thy neighbour as thy self 2. Formaliter the very essentiall form of our obedience to the Laws of God being our love to God That 's the very form life soul spirit of a truely holy and acceptable obedience both in piety towards God and charity towards man when it proceeds from the love we owe to God himself and to our neighbour for Gods sake and therefore is Love also styl'd the end of the Commandement 1 Tim. 1.5 1 Tim. 1.5 For finis in moralibus habet rationem formae the end why we do this or that moral action is the very essential form of the action done 3. Effective obedience is the effect the issue the product of our love to God flowing from it as an effect from the cause therefore 't is said as before Joh. 14.23 If ye love me keâ—p my Commandements Love then is and needs must be an exact true and infallible touch-stone or tryal of the truth of Spirits since 't is the chief the fountain the abridgement of all the fruits thereof § 47 A third rule for the tryal of the Spirits is by the properties of the Spirit of truth which are observable in the manner of his descension upon the Apostles of Christ recorded Act. 2.2 Act. 2.2 And suddenly there came