the simple with fair pretences to the honour of Christ and the Spirit and to make them beleeve that others that oppose their corruptions doe strive to diminish and darken the glory of the operation of the Spirit of Christ in his Saints that they may set up somwhat that is humane in the room of the same I shall lay downe three or four Conclusions or Notes to give you some light in this thing that you may know What is the work of the Spirit in revealing Truth to or in the Saints And How outward Humane helps to finde out the sence of Scripture are consistent with and subservient to the same 1. I grant it to be an unquestionable truth that no man is able without the sweet and gracious operation of the spirit of truth savingly to understand and imbrace the mysteries of truth that are revealed in the Scriptures The naturall man sayes the Apostle 1 Cor. 2.14 receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned That is he cannot know them effectually savingly he cannot know them as the spirituall man does whose mind and heart is renewed through grace However 2. There is not any Scripture understood by spirituall Christians the true Grammaticall sence of which a man that hath not the Spirit of Christ may not attaine unto by those outward helps that are afforded to him A notional knowledge of the sence of Scripture is common to naturall as well as spirituall men Else knowledge were an infallible Character of grace which no body I suppose will affirme So that 3. Observe it That most blessed and heavenly work that the Lord Jesus ha's to doe by his Spirit in his Saints is not so much to discover the Grammatical sence of Scripture which may be found out by such as live much below Christ as to bring home the sence of Scripture close to the heart and to enlighten the mind to see the beauty and goodnesse of that truth that swims only in the brains of Naturall men The work of the Spirit is to engrave truth upon the heart to make our knowledge effectuall practicall and experimentall Ah alas many I am afraid are carried very high in the air of sublime Angelicall Notions upon the wings of such a knowledge as the Apostle sayes puffeth up who are all the while strangers to this worke of the Spirit which is not to fill mens heads but their hearts with the truth 'T is much to be suspected that such as would make you beleeve that the work of the Spirit of grace is to discover the sence of Scripture have never yet felt this saving work on their hearts The Spirits work is not so low and ordinary If it were as these men would have it why then the work of the Spirit were only to make Notionists Ah! let not Christians be deceived knowledge puffeth up 't is love edifies Scripture is sufficient to discover its owne sence to all men diligently improving the outward helps afforded by God though a sanctified and saving knowledge of the same be communicated to none but through the Spirit otherwise Scripture were no perfect rule yea indeed no rule at all For what is a Book or Waiting without its meaning 'T is not the words or expressions but the sence of Scripture that is mans rule if that be not visible we have no visible rule yea and if the Scriptures be given out in such termes and expressions as do not discover their owne meaning what are they or of what use Besides if they doe not declare their owne meaning but every one must fetch it from an immediate work of the spirit what were this but to make the Scripture a Nose of Wax as the Papists speake pliable to any sence that the darknesse and vanity of mens minds will put upon it Surely he that denies a sufficiency in Scripture to clear its owne meaning to one that uses the outward means to that end afforded denies Scripture to be any rule at all But to make this plaine suppose a Question arise about the sence or meaning of a particular Text one sayes this is the meaning another that which way will you go to decide the controversie Will you goe to the revelation of the Spirit in you Or to the letter of Scripture arguing from the proper signification and use of such words and expressions as are in the Text disputed of If you have recourse to the supposed revelation of the Spirit of Christ in you why then the Scripture is not your rule and how will you follow the Apostles advice which is To try the spirits c If you have recourse to the letter of Scripture and argue from it then Scripture ha's sufficient in it to make out its owne sence Scripture 't is true conteins in it an heavenly mystery that is hid from the wise and prudent But what is the reason 't is hid Paul will tell you in 2 Cor. 4.3 4. If our Gospel be hid 't is hid to them that are lost In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them which beleeve not c. Mark the ground of this that the Gospel is hid is because they are blinded through unbeliefe The Devil ruling in naturall men by fin and corruption doth hinder them from giving hearty welcome unto the Truth Questionlesse the most of those that heard Pauls Preaching knew what he meant in his Sermons and yet the Gospel was hid to many of them how so why they beleeved not Their understandings and affections did not close in with those heavenly mysteries of Gods love which he did discover so as to assent unto the reality of what was Taught and to love and delight in the same The Gospel is as a sealed Book to naturall men because of the corruption that is in the heart and in the mind from whence it comes to passe that they cannot see the reality beauty and goodnesse of Scripture discoveries 't is not because there is not plainnesse enough in Scripture expressions or because the Ministers of the Gospel do not speak plaine enough when they Preach Christ to them but because through corruption their minds are averse from assenting to and closing with the Truth Now you must know that the work of the Spirit is to heale the understanding and to sanctifie and change the heart and to make it pliable to the Truth yea and to stir up the whole man withall unto a more diligent use of meanes of knowledge Thus the Spirit of Christ brings in truth unto the soul and that so as it dwells and becomes fruitful in the heart and in the conversation This is a step higher then the quaintest Notionists of our times desire to be brought If Truth were thus revealed in them they would be more humble more peaceable more meek then now they shew themselves In short I know not any truth in Scripture which
a true Christian hath an effectuall and practicall knowledge of by the Spirit but a naturall man may know the same onely his heart is not sanctified through the Truth Truth is not in him in power The work of the spirit is to bring that into the heart which by outward means and helps may be brought into the head Now then 4ly I honour I admire I prize this blessed work of Jesus Christ by his Spirit in his Saints revealing Truth in them But this no way opposes the expediency and needfullnesse of outward helps to bring men to the knowledge of truth which is that I plead for The Spirit is pleased to make use of them not that it elfe needs them but because we need them The Spirit can communicate truth to souls without reading hearing meditation c. and yet seing the Lord hath declared that he hath appointed these as the meanes that he will onely in an ordinary way make effectuall to the enlightning of the soul I hope 't is no dishonour to the Spirit of truth to say that without these men cannot come to the knowledge of the Truth Even so the Spirit can by Extaticall Revelations or an immediate inspiration give in truth unto the Preachers of the Gospel now as he did to the Prophets and Pen-men of Scripture of old but because as ha's been proved in confutation of the fourth Errour God does not now reveal himselfe to any after that manner the Scripture rule being perfected I hope it takes nothing from the honour of the Spirit to say that the outward help of Learning c. is expedient and needfull for a Minister of the Gospel and that Scripture cannot be well opened and cleared without it Alas these men are mistaken of the work of the Spirit one part of which is as I hinted before to stir up souls unto a faithfull diligent use of the outward means afforded for to lead them unto the knowledge of his mind in the word The work of the Spirit is to stir up private Christians to make use of the means they have as Reading Hearing c. And to stir up Ministers to make use of their helps and to bring in to the service of Jesus Christ in this great work of the Ministry all that knowledge both divine and humane which they can attain unto Not as these men would have it to cast away as uselesse all outward helps and fit still waiting when knowledge will drop into their mouths without any use of meanes But you may smell what these men drive at 1. They are loath that any sort of men should be thought to have any thing more then themselves 2. They would faine have their owne spirits or phansies to be the judge of the sence of Scripture that so their glosses on the same may goe for currant though they have no affinity at all with the true Grammaticall sence and then his Exposition shall be best that ha's most boldnesse and confidence in asserting it Oh the wantonnesse and vanity of a proud heart Let Christians take heed I have spoken I suppose sufficiently to this matter Whereas he sayes The P. G. Routed The Spirit of Christ is enough to make men able Disputants such as can convince gain-sayers 1. You may see how true it is by himselfe Answ who pretends to more gifts of the Spirit then ordinary If he can dispute no better then he writes I undertake that the meanest of the Romish Emissaries will easily argue him out of all his Religion 2. How evident is it to every mans experience that there are thousands of precious soules that have the truth so deeply engraven upon their hearts that all the powers of darknesse cannot take it from them and yet are not able to maintaine it in dispute against cunning opposers Of which number was that Martyr that said I can die for Christ though I cannot dispute for him But let this suffice you in short as a defence of Humane Learning so much slighted I confesse 't is but a very small portion of it in comparison of many of my Brethren that I ever attained to being soon taken off from the University by the breaking forth of our Civil Wars But as for that little which I have I may say of it as Luther did of his skill in the Hebrew Language I would not change it for all the riches in the World Neither indeed should I know what to doe in the Ministry without it Though withall I must professe too that God ha's been very gracious to me I must speak it to his praise in blessing mine endeavours very much upon the little stock I have Unto which blessing especially I must attribute that sufficiency I have unto my Ministeriall duties 'T is said Learning ha's never any adversary to withstand it but Ignorance I have so much learning as makes me see the worth and usefullnesse of Learning And truly my experience of the same enforces me to speak upon this subject among other things which I know the squeamish stomacks of many will not relish very well However I shall take comfort in this that I have done my duty His Eighth Error That the Ministry of ENGLAND is Antichristian THis lies in the end of his Book and I beleeve to perswade men of this is his end First in his intention though last in execution His designe is not so much to make more Preachers as to vilifie those that are already as Antichristian and no Ministers 'T is an heavy charge this that he brings in not against some but all Ministers I shall examine the strength of what he urgeth to make it good That which he speaks is either in answer to what is pleaded on their behalfe by his Adversary or else something that he urgeth against them I shall give you mine answer to every thing in its order so as that you shall easily perceive that what he writes is grounded either on pittifull ignorance or else on certaine slanderous reproachfull uncharitable calumnies springing out of his unsanctified malicious spirit in which he cannot expect to be beleeved by any but such as have made ship-wrack of love and godlinesse as he himselfe I am much afraid ha's Mr Hal in his Book ha's six Arguments to prove that the Ministers of England are not Antichristian before I take off his answers to these Arguments I shall reply to somewhat that he ha's to say against something that Mr Hall speaks in Answer to an Objection to this purpose The Authority of a Minister doth not depend on the persons Ordaining but principally on Christs inward call discerned by gifts c. We have our Ordination from Christ by Bishops and Presbyters c. To this he gives answer in these words You your selves have concluded the Bishops Antichristian in their calling The P. G. Routed and is yours Christian A Riddle Did ever any of those that have pleaded against the usurped power of Bishops Reply say
the ground of mine undertaking this work Upon these Reasons I have been enforced to run the hazard of being censured as medling in other mens matters though it be plain enough that every honest soul is herein concerned while the honour of Jesus Christ and of the Truth lies at stake If I deal very roundly with mine and yet not mine so much as the Truths Adversary I may be excused for that I cannot otherwise possibly come up to a full discovery of the Ignorance of that Router it being wrapt up in such wonderfull impudence It is a true Proverb Audax inseitia Ignorance is bold and truly I must say I never saw ignorance growne so impudent and shamelesse in my life 'T is strange that a man should write and print such absurd weak impertinent things with so much confidence and disdaine triumphing over Arguments as ignorant and invalid which he answers only with boldnes and confident dictates of his owne braine as you will see anon you may perceive his plot is laid only to gain upon the humours of such as are more taken with words then things and are swayed more by the confidence of an assertion then the reason of it Truly were it not that I find some that know not how to judge of the strength of an Argument or of the fallacious jugling of men of corrupt minds and principles but are apt to think there must needs be some strength in that which is boldly asserted by such as have a visour of Religion on their faces and Scripture phrases in their mouths I should not have thought that any passage in all his Book deserved the credit of an Answer Ah! but mine heart is moved toward poor weak souls for whom this snare is layd 't is not given to all to dive into the mystery of iniquity that some disorderly spirits advance Beloved Souls you that love Jesus Christ mine heart is troubled for you especially you of these parts whom the relation of neighbour-hood makes more precious to me I can gladly expose my selfe to the censures of men for your sake that your faith be not corrupted nor your souls caught in a snare Wherefore let mine advice from the Lord have place with you Let your hearts with mine debate a little and that seriously as in the presence of the great searcher of hearts before whom both you and I must one day answer about these questions following Five serious Questions to be debated by modest Christians in order to the discovery of the genius and scope of the PULPIT GUARD ROUTED 1. Quest 1. WHether such an uncharitable censorious proud disdainful inveterate calumniating spirit as visibly works in this man and others ejusdem farinae of the same lump does ever use to shew it selfe amongst Christians even against godly persons much lesse godly Ministers Ah! favour mine expressions for I tell you 1. I cannot flatter such corruptions and corrupters with faire pleasing titles nor may I. 2. There are such as are to be rebuked sharply or cuttingly and all little enough 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 1.13 to make them sound in the faith Is it possible if it were true what these men would make you beleeve that they are the men whom God ha's most eminently appeared to to open to them the mysteries of truth and to call them sorth to be Stewards of his manifold grace above others Is it possible I say if it were so that a spirit so contrary to the Gospel should work so mightily in them What use all the expressions and scrape up all the advantages they are able that they may powre out contempt upon those that are eminent Servants of Jesus Christ and yet pretend to be the crop of Gods family as they would be thought to be Surely I know not what entertainment that scurrilous language that is in that pamphlet hath where it comes no doubt many phansies are tickled with it but I professe my heart even trembled in reading some passages yea throughout the whole Book I can hardly finde any thing that speaks much to awaken my charity to beleeve that there is ought of Christ in that heart where such stuffe was conceived To omit those disdainful and reproachfull speeches which he uses against the man he pretends to answer calling him Ignorant Fool Knave Enemy to truth Of his father the Devil Proud Pharisee c. To omit these which might admit of excuse in part for that they are against the particular adversary he ha's to deal withall but that he also heaps up most insufferable reproach against the Ministry of England in generall calling them Antichristian A pack of cheaters and deluders Carnall Loose Base in Conversation Theeves Robbers Wolves Empty barrels making great sounds but having nothing but vanity and pride in them Sensualists Idlers often such as never knew what it is to live in a lawfull Calling Whose God is their belly Humanists Several times The bastard brood of Rome No Levites but bastard ones No Embassadours but ignorant ones No Shepherds but kill them that are fed Priestly Pharisees Bastard Tribe of Levites Babylonish Diviners Egyptian juglers Limbs of the Devil c. Is not this brave language Could you have worse if you did rake the filthiest corners in Hell for it Neither will this excuse him that he sayes in his Epistle to the Reader that he doth answer a Fool according to his folly For 1. I find no such language in Mr Halls Book nor doth he rebuke him in his Answer for any passage of that kind except in speaking against the thing he disputes against he doth not revile the persons that are dissenting from him But 2. If Mr Hall hath been faulty for I will not undertake to defend every expression of his what ground is that for this man to be so inveterate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against the whole kinde the Ministers without exception or distinction Is this the genius of a Christian Yea is it not neer blasphemy to bring in Scripture as he does Prov. 26.5 to excuse his railing and make Christ and his Apostles to be guilty with him in the same wickednesse Neither doth he mend the matter when his Conscience forces him to say in his Epistle that some of them may be godly For though he doe lesse then halfe grant this saying He is not despairing of the truth of it which implies that he doth scarce beleeve that there are any godly but hath onely so much hope of it as keeps him from despairing that it is so a most unchristian satanicall censure I beleeve every humble gratious heart will judge it so yet I say this mends not the matter that he almost half grants that 't is possible some of them may be godly in that all along in his Discourse he reviles them with unworthy termes without putting any difference O yee Redeemed of the Lord that are bid to try the spirits whether they be of God or no examine the spirit of that
give an account he is then examined concerning his skill in the Originall Languages his knowledge in the doctrine of the Gospel c. which is proved by a disputation on some controversie in Divinity that it may be knowne whether he can maintaine the truth against Gainayers Then is he to Preach publiquely for the tryall of his gifts And is here no proving of our knowledge of the Lord and his wayes 'T is strange a man should venture to publish to the world things so apparently untrue The Sixth Argument Those Ministers that are diametrically opposite to the Priests and shavelings of Antichrist Arg. 6. cannot be Antichristian But the Ministers of England are so Therefore c. To this he answers You are so in some circumstantialls not in the substance for you owne their Ministry true The P. G. Routed their Ordinances true c. 1. What doe we differ from them Reply only in circumstantialls Ah poor man that can shift no better to helpe his bad cause Are Justification by works worshipping of Images praying to Saints the Masse c. but circumstantialls Sure hee 'l prove himselfe the best Advocate for Rome if he can make this good that the things we differ from them in be onely circumstantialls But 2. Is it not notoriously false that we acknowledge their Church Ministry Ordinances as true What if Mr Hall in his second Argument doe acknowledge that they were so so does that famous worthy Mr Burton who lost his ears under the Arch-Episcopall Tyranny for the truth of Christ in his answer to Mr Chomley's defence of the Church of Rome He grants they had the essence of a Church untill the Councell of Trent but not afterward when they were compleatly apostatized and the faithfull had withdrawne from them So doe we acknowledge also not that their Church and Ministry is true now There is yet one rub more which he labours to take out of his way 'T is urged that our ministers doe convert souls and therefore appear to be sent of God in that their Embassage is made succesfull by God To this he answers If conversion be a proof of a Minister in office The P. G. Routed then women may be Ministers in office or any man by whom God converts c. Who but one of a womanish spirit and brain would have given such an answer Reply No man sayes that converting soules proves all ministers in office that do convert but 't is a proofe of the ministry of those that doe officiate as ministers and in so doing convert This is most evident by what Paul speaks 1 Cor. 9.2 If a private Christian making use of his Talents in his place and within his sphere doe convert souls this is a seal of Gods approving such pious means as he uses in order to the same Even so if a man officiate as a minister in office and God blesse his endeavours with the conversion of souls 't is a seal of his mission And the reason is because God will not ordinarily concur with such as he sends not Such as pretend unto an office from God when he never gave them any use not to have successe given them by God in dispensing the same God will not seal to a false and pretended ministry by his blessing the same as is plaine Jer. 23.21 22. wherefore it is evident that seing the Lord hath continually blessed the labours of our Ministers with the conversion of many souls our ministers are the true ministers of Christ But he sayes page 71. In this likewise hath the Lord manifested his approving and calling the Preaching Brethren The P. G. Routed the great number of converts from Antichristian and Babilonish ignorance and confusion c. Converts Answ he means Anabaptisticall Proselytes whom they have drawne away from holding any communion with the people of God in this Nation or in any of the Churches of Christ in the world A fine piece of Conversion indeed Let him shew me any that have been brought off from a carnall sensuall living unto a reall and serious profession of the power of godlinesse by such Preachers ministring as they do without being appointed unto the office according to the rules of Christ and he will shew more then ever I could find in all mine experience I do not doubt but men really gifted ministring their gifts in a peaceable and orderly manner as becomes men in a private capacity may have their endeavours blest with the Conversion of souls but as for such as goe beyond their line and contentiously usurp the ministeriall function as the P. G. Routed and such like travelling Preachers doe well may they pervert many I never found they converted any That which he adds That the conversion our Ministers boast of is not a conversion from sin to God but onely from sin to resting in duty It is such a palpable untruth and so big of envy and pride that I shall say nothing to it Let Saints experiences speak You have seen the invalidity and weaknesse of his answers to those six Arguments that prove our Ministers free from Antichristianisme notwithstanding what he alledges they firmely prove that which they are brought for therefore I shall not add any more Onely in a word or two I shall examine the strength of his Arguments to prove the affirmative that they are Antimristian His Arguments as six in number but onely one in weight and that the first which is as followes Those Ministers whose Ordination by succession came from the authority of the Pope The P. G. Routed are Antichristian But your Ordination by succession came from the authority of the Pope Ergo c. This is his Vnum magnum which if I can answer Answ the controversie will be at an end I shall first distinguish as to his first Proposition and so answer I would faine know what he means by An Ordination comming by succession from the Authority of the Pope the expression is equivocall Whether doth he meane such an Ordination as came by succession from the Popes authority as the first Originall of it or else such an Ordination as came from the Pope onely by being conveyed downe to us through his hands If he meane the former then I deny his second Proposition The ministers of England have not such an Ordination as came by succession from the Popes authority as the first Originall of it For that Ordination which they have as to its substance was appointed by Jesus Christ and grounded on the Scriptures 1 Tim. 3.10.4.14 Tit. 1.5 Acts 14.23 c. If he meane the latter then I deny his first Proposition For all ministers are not Antichristian that have such an Ordination as descending from Christ ha's sometime past through the Popes hand for if so then all that ha's past through his hands must be Antichristian which if we grant then not onely our ministry and baptisme but the Scriptures also must be Antichristian