Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	believe_v	heart_n	word_n	5,244	5	4.1630	3	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85173	A faithful discovery of a treacherous design of mystical Antichrist displaying Christs banners, but attempting to lay waste Scriptures, churches, Christ, faith, hope, &c. and establish paganism in England. Seasonably given in a letter to the faithful in and near to Beverley. Containing an examination of many doctrines of the people called Quakers in Yorkshire, together with a censure of their way, and several items concerning the designs of God, Satan, and men, in these things, recommended to the consideration of them who are in good earnest for Christ.	Pomroy, John.; Feake, Christopher, fl. 1645-1660.; Glisson, Paul.; Kellet, Joseph.	1653 (1653)	Wing F568; Thomason E699_13; ESTC R202092	45,783	67

Antichrist rather than of Christ 4. And signes being not for them that do believe but for them that believe not 1 Cor. 14. 22. 4. If the Saints have now as much need of those appointments as then nay more if we may say so then why should any seek to be loosed from their own Mercies We confess we have read and heard of seen and through Grace humbly despised the vain boastings of them who said they were perfect and were above hearing praying believing hoping speaking Great swelling words of vanity who have turned aside first from the holy Commandement and after that from the pretence of it which should awaken us to edifie one another on our most holy Faith praying in the Holy Ghost that we might not be led away with the Error of the wicked and so fall from our stedfastness It is most freely confessed that when things come to practise in this time which is neither dark nor day many doubts and questions do arise among many yet as some of us have tasted of the goodness of God in this way so we may not but acknowledge it and farther Pray until the day break and shadows flee away Turn O beloved and be as a roe or young hart on the Mountains of Divisions Surely the Doctrines of these Men which we oppose are levelled to subvert all Order Churches in whatsoever is done outwardly For they say its Babylon and all the worship and Teachers without are of the Beast and Anti-christ Judge us O Lord for why should Men in thy name rise up against thy Sonne and us for his sake 1. Rejecting thy care 2. Condemning thy Wisedom 3. And the Generation of the Just in all ages 4. To establish themselves and prepare a high-way to Paganism It is not a Pleasure to us Beloved in the Lord to open these painted Sepulcres but since we have begun we will proceed to shew yet more that you may see and wonder and beware They bid you Speak no more than you have experience of and than you live in VVE confesse it is and shall be to us for a Lamentation that the religion of very many consisteth in talking of God and Christ and Scriptures and Churches and is but a sound of words without knowledge and faith and so do rather darken than make manifest the Truth and because it is without obedience their conversations destroy their confessions And did these sayings aim at the reformation of this we should not dare to cross them but we have grounds from certain discourses personally had with some of this way to declare 1. That this is to silence you from ever mentioning the histories and prophecies of the Scripture Creation of the world Garden of Eden Adam Eve Flood Historie of the Church coming of Christ into the world the Day of Judgement Resurrection of the Body and such like which being Past or to come we can have no present experience of And some of us speaking of these Scripture Records have been blamed for speaking without experience 2. Or Secondly by this means all the Scriptures must be construed as Metaphorical in an Allegorie making the Creation an Allegorie and so the world without beginning Adam Eve the Serpent Paradise Cain Abel Seth Noah Ark Abraham Isaac Jacob Aegypt Wilderness Canaan Kings Prophets Records to be meer allegories Nay Christ his flesh and blood his life and death his Cross and Crown Scribes and Pharisees Jerusalem Herod Pilate Churches Elders Anti-christ called Babylon and Egypt c. and what not to be fulfilled in the Allegoricall construction of particular experiences But concerning Experience we are satisfied 1. That to speak without Experience in experimental affairs is to darken counsel as they do that speak onely from the hearing of the Ear Iob 38. 2. 2. But Faith is the Evidence of things not seen and a subsistence of things hoped for though its evidence be not of the nature of Sense Science Opinion or Experience being of things unseen by the sense not known from the search and rationall comprehension of Causes nor intertained from the Probable testimony of wise and holy Men nor tasted in the Presence thereof yet after a spiritual manner seen known and experienced by Faith in the Divine Testimony Wherefore having believed we also will speak of the sacred Records and gracious Prophecies which are delivered to us in the holy Scriptures of which and in which God hath caused us to trust giving us also the Earnest of the Spirit which as Josephs wagons to Iacob doth ascertain us of the Truth of the tidings And the gracious operations of the holy Spirit in our hearts from and by Scripture Truths gives us to believe the Histories and Prophecies interwoven to be also of Divine Authority 3. We do also judge the Word of Faith which is Divine Testimony to be more safe Certain and Constant ground to speak of and from than experience In this we are not for a dead Faith which is the fruit of freewill closing with the Word from the testimony of Man which leaves the mind wavering through carnal reasonings which cannot be satisfied But for a lovely Faith even the work of the Spirit with Power setling the mind on the Divine Testimony as such As for speaking no more than we live in if it intend not to stop the mouths of all those who dare not pretend to perfection and blamelessnesse but those who speak from Notion and yield not up their souls to the things which they deliver to others we testifie the same thing As for Allegories 1. We allow very many in the old Testament beside the Ceremonial Law which was a shadow of good things to come Persons Offices Places Actions Things which the Ecchoings of phrases wisely and warily observed give hints of and puts the beginning of every Allegorie into our hands as the Apostle took it in Gal. 4. from the 54. of Is 1. verse which yet must be wisely followed as Scripture Ecchos proceed to encourage yet not to impair the truth or use of the Letter and History Allegories being but accidentall thereto and a fruit of the incomprehensible wisdom of God that sets one thing to answer to another But in the New Testament although Jesus Christ spake many parables and used similitudes which he opened to his Disciples yet the Gospel Ministration properly so called not onely in the language thereof but in the Actions persons things thereof is in much plainnesse and not as Moses who had a veil upon his face but the Messias discovered himself by speaking plainly and without a Parable John 16. 29. his parables in his publique preaching being chiefly for judgement to the willfull Jews that seeing they might not see Matth. 13. 13. We gladly own Christ in us by his Spirit to crucify our flesh and raise us up in our hearts in this world and at his second comming our bodies in the resurrection to a new and spiritual life and

this we own as the Power of his resurrection and fellowship of his sufferings but we detest that doctrine that destroyes the Atonement in his blood and the Truth of his humanity and his personall body besides his mysticall the Church so taking away the representation of God in the Mediatour the Man Christ which a believing eye fixeth on and leaves the Mind which is far from knowing God in any competent certainty out of Christ to seek about for God as individuum vagum or something he knows not what and at it last may becomes to this Notion God is in all and all in God blasphemously adding that he is no other than the world or what he is in the world clothing himself with changeable appearances and so the mind proceeds untill it be spoiled with vain and blasphemous Philosophy We conclude that it is a sign of a rotten heart and a roving head to be loathing plain Scripture and longing after curious speculations and witty allusions though in this we prejudice not the modest searchings of those whose hearts are it may be more than ordinarily prepared and senses exercised to discern into the veiled Truths of the Scriptures as Heb. 12. 13 14. compared with Heb. 7. c. Moreover they admonish that we wait in silence untill God open our Mouthes WE answer if that were the intent of this Admonition to shew to man his dependance on God and that he especially that waits on the Word and Prayer take his goades and nailes from the chief Shepheard and pray in the Holy Ghost we should not appear further in this matter than to own it But we cannot but conclude from our observing the managerie of this Assertion and their practise that they would not have any to read teach pray in their families or in the assemblies but when the Spirit of the Lord doth lead them by strong impulses and irresistible Motions to such actions And he that doth otherwise is by them accused of Pharisaical imitation or stealing the word of the Lord from them that spake it with power Which we cannot close with 1. Because it is the will of God that the Gift which is in us should be stirred up as fire which sometimes is covered with ashes hitherto are referred the exhortations to diligence and improvement of Talents 2 Cor. 8. 7. 1 Cor. 9. 25. Mat. 25. and many other places 2. It laies wast the experience of them who have in the midst of infirmities and indispositions acted in the Faith of their duty and Gods promise and have been made blessings to others in their speakings wherein also they have gathered warmth and enlargement before their work was over Afflicted imprisoned souls have most need to be exercised in Prayer Temptations will abound from Satan and the weaknesse of the Flesh to hinder the profitable soul-inlarging exercises of prayers reading exhortations in Publique and private if we break not thorow those hinderances to close with the revealed command leaning on the Promise of Grace 3. Unlesse we think as this Doctrine implies that the motions of the Spirit are the onely rule of Duty which if so must be attended and obeyed without respect to the Scripture command saying not saying or gain-saying in the Letter of it there being by this doctrine no obliging rule but the Law of the Spirit Now if it be more moderately affirmed that the Scripture as written in the heart or the inward-heart-dictates as written in the word are the rule yet it will follow that if there be not a conjunction of the word and Spirit moving with inlargement there 's no rule or obligation actually and so no transgression to forbear though daies weeks and months passe over the heads of them that pray not or preach not though necessity is layed upon them in respect of their work and service and the call of the need of others 1 Cor. 9. 16 17. compared Mat. 6. 11. 1 Pet. 5. 2. 4. To the best of our understandings we judge the Assertors to be against any constant preacher or course of prayer so allowing every man or woman equall liberty in Assemblies to teach or pray and this they say is the true Ministry and all other by the will of Man notwithstanding 1 Tim. 2 12. It is indeed said you may all prophecy one by one but its said also Are all prophets we wish all the Lords people were Prophets The Assemblies of the Saints of old were constant and they had men who attended on the word and prayer who gave themselves to it prepared themselves waiting on God that they might act to the edifying of the Saints in love Act. 20. 7. Act. 6. 2. 4. 1 Tim. 4. 13 14 15 16. 5. This doth to our discernings tend to the establishing of the sayings of them who speak after their trembling sits with an extended voice as the Oracles of God and leaves us not the liberty of the Commended practise of the Bereans to trie the sayings of an Apostle by the Scripture The simple believeth every word Prov. 14. 15. But in this case we have learned that the spirits of the Prophets are subject to other Prophets for examination whether they accord with the Standing Vmpire of all questions the holy Scriptures But that they intend to magnify their writings and Epistles above or into an equality unto the holy Scriptures seems very probable in that they put their papers very diligently into one another hands but not so the Scriptures and do some of them say That it is alike for to take a sentence out of their letters and preach from it as to take a sentence out of Pauls Epistles We confesse we cannot find that ever man came to claim credit to the words that he spake but he was to give proof of it either by the mighty operations of the Spirit of God by him or by the Testimony of Truth given by them who did come with such works or else if he were a Prophet the event was to declare whether he were of God yet if the matter of his exhortation was to withdraw them from the known will of God Deut. 13. 2. though his signes and wonders should come to passe as the man of sinne shall abound with such 2 Thess. 2. yet hearken not to him for the Lord proveth you whether you will keep his commandements 6. The Experiences of many tempted souls may seasonably be heard in this matter who under the former pretences have waited untill their hearts grew so carnall that they had almost lost their savour had not the Lord shewed them that it was their part to give heed to their duty leaving the inlargements of soul to the incomes of the Spirit which graciously met them in the way of Gods commands As for the Accusations of Imitation and Stealing the the word of the Lord from others we shall say Take the mote out of thine own eye Who more notorious imitatours of Apostles and

things to be attended as Gods will and mind in Commands Prophecies Promises c. which are not known by any light of nature of which sort is the whole doctrine of Faith and Hope or the Gospel Which never entred into the heart of Man in the highest attainments of Nature to conceive neither can the natural man receive them neither can the prudence of man in the flesh be subject to or in amity with them but opposeth the hearing of Faith untill Gods outstretched Arm work faith accounting it Foolishnesse we being until Faith alienated and Enemies to God in our Minds reconciled onely by or in the body of the flesh of the man Christ Jesus who is God blessed for ever There is indeed a Law from Mount Sinai which is a repetition of that Law which was once written in mans heart which cannot but own what it could not so fully dictate If then that light in man was not sufficient to its proper end namely to direct and judg in matters of Morall Righteousnesse but it was necessary that the Law should enter on Mount Sinai as an exact rule that offences which before were not manifest might abound in the eyes of the Sinner how much lesse could that Law which brings the knowledge of sin and the curse justify and glorify Wherefore the Gospel or Law from Mount Sion the Law of Faith leads us in a Newway by the Mediatour who came to do what the Law on Mount Sinai or in mans heart could not do Rom. 8. 3. Hence is it that man naturally runs to Mount Sinai for righteousness and life in his personal obedience which these men put you upon and man so easily closeth with contrary to the Gospel which is not first known by seeing within but hearing tidings without Isa. 53. 1. Rom. 10. 14. Luke 24. 47. As for the nations that never heard or do not hear the Gospel and Scriptures we will not enter into Gods Secrets but this we are bold to say 1. That the knowledge or Faith of Christ justifyes and there is no other name under Heaven given among men whereby we must be saved Act. 4. 12. 2. But we conceive not how Christ is preached out but by them who bring the word of God whose feet are beautiful Rom. 10. 14. 17. It is true that as the Sun described Psal. 19. doth from East to West proceed to enlighten the world so hath the Sun of righteousnesse whose Tabernacle is in the Heaven of the Church enlightned the Eastern Countryes which this Sun hath left in the dark though he now shines amongst us Thus is the word nigh us Christ in his Gospel comming to our doors and not leaving us to travel to Jerusalem as of old to hear the word of the Lord which yet is nigh to us though he be in heaven and we on earth by Faith ver. 8. 9. Ephes. 3. 17. 3. But yet if it should be evinced to us that the Gospell was preached in every creature yet it proveth not that it is so preached in every individual man woman and child as the Ministry of Paul in the same verse shall be needlesse or that it was so before the Incarnation of Christ when as this mystery was hidden from Ages and Generations v. 26. and was manifested by preaching as we read Tit. 1. 3. Compare this also with the sixt verse of the said 1 Col. As for this nation in which we live 1. It cannot be denyed but that in England the most have in their minds the history of the Scripture though they had not known it but for outward teaching 2. We know also that the Scripture-light which they have attained is not minded by them as the word of Christ which shall judge them which it were well they were more told of and did believe 3. We acknowledge that every unregenerate Man hath more power than he doth improve to obey light 4 It may not be rejected by us as unlikely That God by his Spirit which works by way of Remembrance may bring to mind words of Gospel-truth which a man hath read or heard without understanding or affection and thereby quicken and turn men without any actual reading or hearing Yet in such a case 1. It is the Spirit brings to God by Faith in Christ 2. And it is by Scripture light even the testimony of the Apostles and Prophets which once was read or heard else he could not know it 3. It is not Gods ordinary way who usually for divers ends which might be mentioned for the conversion of sinners makes use of his people and servants according to the standing appointments of the Kingdome of Christ Whereby you may see the aim of these Doctrines as mannaged by them is to hinder the Gospel pervert the faith and destroy at once all the good which ever was done or is like to be through the grace of God by a Godly Ministry Nay how this Tenet fighteth with their own practises who leave not men to the light in them but by words and papers industriously suggest to them their apprehensions And though they often quote the Scriptures Yet 1. it is but partially And 2. not as the ground of their Faith But 3. chiefly as a staff to beat others with or to shoot with them in their own bow But blessed is that people whose ears hear that Gospell which Peter preached Acts 10. even of Christ dying at Ierusalem for sinners and rising again for justification of all them who shall believe c. yea rather blessed are they who receive it in word and power also 1 Thes. 1. 5. and that not as the word of man though ministred by man but as it is indeed the word of God cha. 2. 13. And blessed are they to whom God sends his Servants as Paul to speak to them and watch over them for if by any meanes Satan can he will hinder the people of such a benefit as ver. 18. For they are to be esteemed highly 1. In love 2. For their works sake 3. Because they are overseers of them in the Lord 4. And do admonish them 1 Thes. 5. 12 13. 5. And it is but ingenuity to acknowledge such who addict themselves to the Ministry of the Saints by whom also their spirits are refreshed 1 Cor. 16. 28. But we shall proceed to enquire into that doctrine which saith The light in you which also enlighteneth every man that commeth into the world is Christ WHat then is become of the Person of the Mediatour the man Christ Jesus 1 Tim. 2. 5. Heb. 7. 24. Mind how they do secretly withdraw you from eying his death resurrection intercession c. for us without us while they make that at best but a shadow of what is done in us So making the first and second Adam not to be two men but two things in every man Dear Friends doth nor the Scripture speak to Saints not every man when it saith Christ in you

the hope of Glory Col. 1. 27. and that it was a mystery hidden from ages and generations that when the Partition wall was broken down the Gentiles should be fellow-heires and that it was manifested now but only to the Saints to whom God would shew the riches of the glory of this Mystery Christ in you Collossians Gentiles Moreover Paul speaks of the Saints when he saith 2 Cor. 5. 26 27. We know no man after the flesh no not Christ which words after the flesh may be referred to know as well as to Man and then it will be thus much We know no man carnally or in the judgement of the flesh no not Christ Besides it is a most evidently sound interpretation We know no man as Jew or Gentile circumcised or uncircumcised bond or free or in any such carnall consideration to be advantaged or disadvantaged by it in order to salvation but as he is a new creature or not Nay though the Apostles have seen and known the Lord Jesus a Man a visible Shepheard an outward Teacher and instructer of them and they had looked on him as the Jews kinsman after the flesh and thought afterwards that the Jewes should onely have the benefit of his comming and that he would then have restored the Kingdome to Israel but now henceforth even since his Ascension and since our Faith in him we for our parts know him so no more but if any man be in Christ or of his Body he doth so know him as to become by this Knowledge and Faith a New Creature as also we read Ephes. 4. 20 21 22 23. But if any man contend to destroy our faith and sleight the person of our glorifyed Saviour for some of them say Christ without will do us no good let such a man know That the Body of Jesus Christ at Jerusalem was offered up to God for an Atonement once for all Heb. 10. 10. and that no man cometh to God but by Him He. 7. 24. 10. 19 that in this name onely is salvation and remission of sinnes to be preached Acts 10. 42. and that he that abideth not in this Doctrine is a Deceiver and Antichrist and may not be received into your houses 2 John 9. 10. nay that we are not ashamed of that Christ whom the Iewes slew and hanged on a Tree nor the foolishnesse of this preaching whereby he doth and shall save them that believe Far be it from us to think that Christ is equally God incarnate in that Sonne of Mary and in all Saints nay in the whole Creation as some say for how is his Flesh and Blood given for the life of the world taken and eaten by Faith and lived by exhibited in the Lords Supper for a memoriall from age to age untill He come How neer such come to trample on the blood of the Covenant as a Common thing Heb. 10. 29. we leave it to them with fear and trembling to examine In the mean time it is most freely confessed by us that God is the Father of Lights and lives Jam. 1. 17. Psalm 36. 9. natural and spirituall and that the Eternall word lightens every mans candle the spirit of man being the candle of the Lord Prov. 20. 27. whereby man sees the Eternal power and Godhead of God Rom. 1. 20. But nothing of the Mystery of the FATHER and CHRIST as Mediatour is seen but only by the children of God John 1. 13 14 John 16. 3. Matth. 11. 27. Col. 2. 2. Further they say This light before mentioned is Pure But how doth vain man justify what God condemns and would perswade us that Nature is not corrupted but that the soul is Pure and by its flesh commeth to be clogged and by ill examples pride and passion c. begetting or rather stirring up the like in others diverted from the rule of righteousnesse in the mind It s true if the eye were single the body would be full of light as when the bright shining of a Candle doth give thee light but as the case stands the Scripture that concludes all under sin concludes all under ignorance saying There is None that understandeth Their light in them is darknesse and they children of the Night for a dimme or bright candle makes not day and of darknesse yea darknesse it self Their wisedome is foolishnesse and the eyes of their understanding fast closed untill the spirit of wisdome and Revelation in the knowledge of Christ open them Ephes. 1. 17 18. Wherefore as the Disciples were clensed by the word of the Gospel which Christ had spoken to them Ioh. 15. 3. so we conclude that the unbelieving are blind and impure in their consciences Tit. 1. 15. which concludes directly that the light of or in conscience before faith is not pure Moreover they affirm that This light discovers every evill as it ariseth in the heart WE answer that the light which lightens every man that cometh into the world discovers not the greatest evill which is unbelief onely those sins which are against the Morall Law as Pride covetousnesse oppression c. which these cry out against but never against unbelief which is the condemning sin and doth bind the guilt of all transgressions on the back of a sinner Now as the evil it discovers is Legall so is the righteousnesse this light brings in these principles directly establishing the works of the Law But though the Law teach Sin-denyall yet its the Gospel teaches Self-denyall even to live out of our own righteousnesse though performed by the grace of Christ seeking peace and righteousnesse in and from him who dyed for us at Ierusalem who is now exalted to the Throne of the Heavenly Majesty from whence he sends the spirit of truth to convince the world of sin and we hope will convince some of these deluded ones because they believe not in HIM But concerning other evills we testify That when the Lord opened our eyes with his eye-salve we saw iniquity abounding like the sand on the Sea shore and yet grace superabounding We are not like to know how much we are beholding to our glorious Redeemer who hath borne them away though they are innumerable Psal. 40. 12. Who knoweth then O Lord the Errors of his life and his secret faults for though some may dare to say their hands are clean yet who can say his heart is clean which is deceitfull above all things who can know it Ier. 17. 9. though he watch its motions We intend not in all this to cherish the sluggishnesse and watchlessnesse of people but to shew to man the impossibility of re-entering Paradise by obedience the same way that he left it by disobedience or that by any lesse light than of the Sun we can discover those secret sinnes especially unbelief which are not discoverable by the Candle-light of conscience as it comes into the world Yet further they boldly conclude that Power

accompanies that light to destroy every evill as it appears in them that yield up themselves to it and watch that their vain minds draw them not from abiding in the pure light of Christ Thus they say is help layed on one mighty to save even Jesus Christ who is the Author of eternall salvation to all them that obey him IT were a small thing O all ye that passe by if we and our names should sleep in the dust in everlasting silence and contempt But will not the stones cry out if we hold our peace while these deceits seem to lay all upon Christ and his Spirit while as in truth they lay nothing at all upon him Is the light of Nature the light of Christ as Mediatour nay Christ himself and the strength that accompanies that light the strength of Christ Then how is man become the Author of his own salvation while you change the name and call it Christ Moreover here is jealousie administred to the eie of an experienced soul notwithstanding their fair speeches by laying such stresse upon the watchings of man as if Man rightly do his part by watching and yielding up himself to the light in him he shall be ruled and directed by it and his vain and evill thoughts shall be brought into subjection yea so that he may possibly compasse an exact obedience to the Law of Christ or dictates in his heart in this life and so ly down in the bosome of the Father in the everlasting rest which is prepared for the People of God which rest these assertors are displeased at if we refer the Saints for to the resurrection and coming of our Lord Now however this light so shining in man being attended and the evils it discovers being watched and opposed by the power which accompanies this light which is Free-will may be brought to a marvellous Reformation yet it reaches not the work of Regeneration which may be collected out of this assertion duly minded Moreover it reserves to Man a power of turning away from the Lord Jesus and by his disobedience or vain mind notabiding in this light he may fall from that eternal salvation which began to be wrought in him by the power of light while he did abide in it as this Doctrine implies It is further observable that there is no mention made in any of their papers we have yet seen of eternall salvation from the wrath to come or condemnation of Hell by any Atonement price or purchase or blood-sacrifice of our Mediatour without us but of an Eternal salvation from the Dominion of evil by Jesus Christ who is eternal life in us which we partake of as we abide in him in obedience Thus making this eternall light of life to be in every man but not every man in it which a man may truly in their sense be said to partake of and again to fall short of as he is guided by this light or his vain mind every day But having given you the import of these sayings we shall proceed for your further satisfaction in this Argument to declare our faith and experiences leaving you to judge in your selves how far they agree or differ from us or rather whether they or we do differ from the revealed mind of Christ First we believe and know that according to the word of Promise there doth go forth Power from the Father and from Jesus Christ who by the Eternal Spirit doth quicken whom he will by the Gospel 1 Thes. 1. 5. so he makes his Gospel his Power his Arm Rom. 1. 16. Isa. 53. 1. Thus doth he who waits to be gracious seek and save lost sheep beseech and overcome rebellious sinners who did not could not pitty themselves The day will discover how in a mystery the work of salvation is conducted through those intermissions in which for some moneths and years sometimes a soul once awakned sleepes again untill the resolved outgoings of Free grace at length quicken and work Faith unfeigned in such a one so that if thou canst tell how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child then maiest thou come a little neerer to trace out this work of God We are then the children of God being not born of blood or obtaining this privilege by a carnal descent from or good education under godly parents nor of the will of the flesh which is will composing it self to religious observations for carnall ends nor of the will of man though improved heightened to the utmost of humane activity though to close with the Gospel sound by power of free-will but of his own will begate he us by the word of truth Iames 1. 18. Indeed here is the hiding of his power under exhortations admonitions rebukes perswasions offers and promises in the Gospel because as all creatures glorify God in their kind so man as rationall must glorify God his Maker in closing with the Chief Good and eternal life in the Redeemer which is therefore so offered as the most reasonable thing most feeding perfecting and making happy the capacious and necessitous souls of men Yet the secret interposures of Almightynesse in his regeneration are so undeniably affirmed in Scriptures and seald up in the experiences of the sanctifyed that it doth appear it was not their Watchings strivings willings runnings but his mercy and compassions according to the mystery of his will that ingaged him to make a difference where he found none yea often taking of the worst of men to bring them unto Christ that it might yet more fully appear to all men that of his Mercy he saveth us Secondly But in the next place when any soul by this Preventing grace is brought to Christ having once tasted how gracious the Lord is in his dear Son he is taught to wait on Christ for the Renewings of strength morning by morning and doth desire the milk of the Word that he might grow thereby Thus doth the remembrance of the loving kindnesses of the Lord and the sights of his glory in the true sanctuary ingage him as David Psa. 63. 1 2 6 8. to seek wait and follow on to know the Lord Yet to the praise of his Grace the Father doth not only meet halfway his returning Prodigals or backsliding children but in the continuance of his preventing Mercy seekes saves calls upon his own while they are in the wildernesse forgeting their duty or turning out of his way to the right hand or to the left It s true he that waits cannot be exempt from the reproof of the sloathful servant if he be not exercised in Gods ways as Prayers Meditations Assemblies of Saints watching obedience c. Thus he that waits and walks shall renew his strength to wait still untill the Lord come as the latter and the former Rain upon the earth But though this be Mans duty yet it is the pleasure of the Lord to make his wind blow when he listeth and

Spirit should accompany the word in the mouth of the seeds seed or successive Saints from age to age We confesse that though reading the Scriptures or Scripture Truths in books may be a means of Faith through the Holy Ghost working therewith yet this may be fitly comprehended under hearing of the Apostles and Prophets by their writings by which they being dead yet speak and doth still confesse the Gospel administred by Man and not by any other Creatures or by secret communication of light to the mind by God immediately which these Assertors affirm and we shall have further occasion to examine We contend not herein for any particular sort of Men or them who do most readily call themselves the Ministers of the word of God though we shall alway acknowledge the Order and Offices of the Church of God but our chief contention is for the Gospel as administred by Man whether in word or writing as not knowing how any should believe unlesse they hear the Testimony of the Apostles John 17. 20. or their Word For truly we should bear more easily the laying aside of Man or his Ministration though none may adventure to do it but Christ who hath declared his mind as we have observed and shall if these that advance themselves above him who is the true Christ did not aim to beguile you of the Scriptures themselves even while you are looking on and think not so Wherefore while they say this Light or Gospel is within you they proceed to say it is the sure word of Prophecy Is then a Prophetick light in all men or what doth it prophecy of life and righteousnesse for sinners in a Mediator or of Death because of disobedience or if this be the light that shines in a dark place what is the day-star and the Sun of righteousnesse if this be Christ as was before affirmed by them But as the legs of the lame are not equal no more are these parables but that we may shew their distance from the truth rather than from themselves we beseech you to consider that by this means Either first The Scriptures are laid aside not onely as not useful but as not true Scripture to you nor truth to you if they be not particularly dictated in your hearts after the same manner as to them that wrote them Thus they call it a dead letter which word was applied to the Law whereas though the ink and paper be dead yet the Truth or meaning of those words is called the Power of God and hath a Majesty Authority and Grace above the words of man stamped upon it and is said to convert comfort quicken and make wise the soul which is done no otherwise than by the conjunction of the Word with the Power of God Psalm 119. 50. 105. Surely the Scriptures were written for our learning and are able to make wise unto Salvation through Faith in Christ and may be used for Doctrine Reproof Correction and Instruction in righteousnesse that the Man of God or a man who from God or for God is to attend upon the work of the Ministry * may be perfect throughly furnished to every good work As for the expected dictating the Scriptures by the Spirit to us as to the writers it is groundless but we shall touch on that afterward Secondly But if the evidence of Truth constrain them to return to the word of the Scriptures as binding in it self and useful yet by their Doctrine the Scriptures are turned into Allegories and so their frothie conceipts and catches of wit are established as the sure Word of Prophecy Thus doth the deceiver suck the Eggs and lay them in the nest again and while they allow the Scripture a nominal authority yet it must not be heard but as their conceivings put a sense upon it and in short thus is the Scripture judged but is not admitted to judge spirits and apprehensions but if they speak it must be an oracle and as the Pure testimony of Jesus or the light in them which must be credited but not disputed of this more in the sequel This calls to mind a sentence in one of Luthers Letters verily saith he God must incessantly be implored with fear humility and earnest supplication that we may have his assistance and protection otherwise truly it may soon come to pass that the Devil will present before our eyes such a Phantasm that we should swear it were the true Holy Ghost it self as not only those antient Heretiques but in our time also examples which have been and still are great and dreadful do forewarn This he wrote concerning this Generation that we contend against which began to his Time Some dare not quite lay aside the Scriptures neither turn it into Allegories yet do not look in them to learn because they think it is to build up themselves in Carnal knowledge which darkens the workings of the Spirit and again because they judge that none can open its seals but the Lamb and therefore they 'l not meddle at least not to search for understanding therein until the Spirit in them open it to them But let us consider 1. Jesus Christ spake many things to his disciples which they understood not at that time untill after his resurrection and the fulfilling of them which doubtlesse he would not have done if his wisdome had not judged it meet to treasure up knowledge in their memories for hereafter though they had not the present understanding of them or present benefit by them 2. Our blessed Saviour calleth them fooles and slow of heart because they did not believe All that the Prophets have spoken which taxeth them for negligence non attendance and willful ignorance of the Scriptures though the seals were not opened to them and beginning at Moses he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself v. 27. which was a teaching of knowledge from the letter of the word and he opened their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures which they had surely as they ought read before Likewise it is observable that the Lord seeing the Eunuch Acts 8. 32 c. reading a Scripture in a conscientious way for he was a worshipper of God v. 27. though he understood it not v. 30. sent unto him Philip to open that Scripture and from that to preach unto him Jesus so will God do with others in the like condition 3. Instruction of children in the Scriptures 2 Tim. 3. 14 15. was commended as a way blessed of God In this way seeds are sown which spring up it may be by way of remembrance long after for conversion or further increase in knowledge which they sooner make when they have the spirit if they keep in memory what they read or heard in the time of their ignorance Most true we find it it s not having but eating the Book doth us good and the word doth not profit us without faith neverthelesse searching