GOD speaking to the mind of Man is a supernatural Beeing and stirreth up in us a supernatural Idea by which we clearly know that inward Voice to be the Voice of GOD and not the voice or operation of another or of any evil Spirit or Angel because none of these has a supernatural Idea as the Voice of GOD and his Divine Operation hath for it is full of Vigour Virtue and Divine Glory as saith the Psalmist who had often experience of it and we also in our measures are witnesses thereof for the Voice of GOD is known to be his by its Divine Virtue Seventhly The senses are either Outward or Inward and the Inward senses are either Natural or Supernatural We have an example of the Inward Natural Sense in being Angied or Pacified in Love and Hatred or when we perceive and discern any Natural Truth such as the Natural Maxims to wit That the whole is greater then the part or when we deduce any Conclusion by the strength of Natural Reason that Perception also in a larger sense may be called an inward Sense But an Example of an Inward supernatural Sense is when the Heart or Soul of a pious Man feels in it self Divine Motions Influences and Operations which sometimes are as the voice or speech of GOD sometimes as a most pleasant and glorious Illustration or visible Object to the inward Eye Sometimes as a most sweet Savour or Taste sometimes as a Heavenly and Divine Warmness or so to speak Melting of the Soul in the Love of GOD. Moreover this Divine and supernatural Operation in the Mind of a Man is a true and most glorious Miracle which when it is perceived by the Inward and supernatural Sense divinely raised up in the Mind of Man doth so evidently and clearly perswade the Understanding to assent to the thing revealed that there is no need of an outward Miracle for this Assent is not because of the thing it self but because of the Revelation proposing it which is the Voice of GOD For when the Voice of GOD is heard in the Soul the Soul doth as certainly conclude the truth of that Voice as the truth of GOD'S Beeing from whom it proceeds These things being thus premised I now proceed to a direct Answer For what is said that GOD cannot make a contingent Truth to become a necessarie Truth I agree But when any Contingent Truth is manifest to us by the Immediat Revelation of GOD There is in it two things to be considered to wit the thing revealed which is Contingent And the Revelation it self which upon the Supposition that it is a Divine Revelation is no contingent Truth but a most Necessarie Truth And this all mankind will say that this Proposition Every divine Revelation is necessarly true is as clear and evident as that Proposition That every Whole is greater then its Part. But thou wilt say how knows thou that a Divine Revelation is a Divine Revelation I answer how knows thou that a Whole is a Whole and a Part is a Part Thou wilt say by the natural Idea excited in me of a Whole and of a Part. I answer again even so a Divine Revelation is known to be such by a Supernatural Idea of Divine Revelation stirred up in us and that by a Divine Motion or Supernatural Operation But it is no wonder that Men who have no Experience of Supernatural Ideas or at lest do not heed them doe deny them which is as if a man naturally blind denyed Light or Colours or a deaf man Sounds because they experience them not Therefore we cannot dissemble that we feel a fervent Zeal even Divinely kindled in us against such an absurd opinion as affirms That God cannot ascertain us of his will in any contingent Truth but by proposing it to the outward Senses This Opinion does in a manner turn Men into brutes as if Man were not to believe his GOD unless he propose what is to be believed to the outward Senses which the beasts have common with us yea it derogats from GOD's Power and imputes weakness to him as if he could not do that which not only both good and evil Angels can doe but which the meanest Creatures can doe and the most unsensible As for instance the heat of the fire the coldness of the Air Water worketh upon us yea if a Pinn prick us we feel it that by the outward Sense because the Objects are outward and carnal But since GOD is a most Pure and Glorious Spirit when he operateth in the Innermost parts of our Minds by his will Shall not he and his will be clearly felt according to his Nature That is by a spiritual and supernatural Sense For as the Nature of GOD is so is the Nature of his will to wit purely spiritual And therefore requireth a Spiritual Sense to discern it which Spiritual Sense when it is raised up in us by a divine Operation doth as clearly and certainly know the voice or revelation of the will of GOD concerning any thing which GOD is pleased to reveal however Contingent as the outward Sense knows and perceives the Outward Object And it is no less absurd to require of GOD who is a most pure Spirit to manifest his will to Men by the outward Senses else not to be credited As to require us to see sounds and hear Light and Colours For as the Objects of the outward Senses are not to be confounded but every Object is to have its proper Sense So must we judge of inward and spiritual Objects which have their proper Sense whereby they are to be perceived And tell me how God doth manifest his will concerning matters of Fact when he sends his Angels to men since Angels as is commonly received have not outward Senses or at least not so gross ones as ours are Yea when Men dye and apear before the Tribunal of GOD whether unto eternal Life or Death how can they know this having laid down their bodies and therewith their outward Senses And nevertheless this Truth of GOD is a Truth of Fact as is the historicall Truth of Christs Birth in the Flesh. And which is yet more near how do good and holy Men even in this Life most certainly know that they are in Favour and Grace with GOD No Outward Revelation doth make this known unto them but the Spirit as saith the Apostle beareth witness with our Spirits that we are the Children of GOD. For the meer Testimonie of a human Conscience without the inward Testimonie of the holy Spirit cannot beget in us a firm and immoveable Testimony of our Sonship because the Heart of Man is deceitfull and if the Testimony thereof were true at most it is but a Human Testimonie which begetteth in us only an human Faith But that Faith by which holy Men believe they are the Sons of GOD is a Divine Faith which leans upon a Divine Testimony of the holy Spirit witnessing in them that they are the Sons of
GOD. Moreover when a good Man feels in himself that undeclarable Joy of the holy Spirit concerning which the holy Scripture speaks and which is the common Priviledge of the Saints how or whence feels he this Joy Truely this Argument concludes no less against this Heavenly Spiritual Joy which is begotten in the Souls of the Saints by the holy Spirit then it does against the immediat Revelation of GOD for there is no natural Idea in Men of this spiritual Joy else meer natural Men yea such as are prophane and ungodly would feel it as much as the Godly But because it is a Supernatural thing Therefore it can have no true Idea but what is Supernatural Moreover whence is it that prophane Men feel sometimes in themselves the Wrath of GOD as Fire when all things as to the outward go as prosperously with them as with the Godly and oftentimes more prosperously For there is no natural Idea in Men of this inward Wrath of GOD There is also an inward Grief oftentimes raised up in Wicked Men from the sense of this Wrath of GOD which very much vexeth and tormenteth their Minds and nevertheless this Grief hath no natural Idea in us For oftentimes wicked Men feel not this Sorrow for God sometimes is as it were silent while the Wicked sin as in Psalm 50. All which things do most clearly demonstrate that there are in Men Supernatural Ideas of supernatural Beeings which Ideas are nevertheless not perceived by us unless they be stirred up by some Supernatural Operation of GOD which raiseth up in us Supernatural and Spiritual Senses which by their Nature are as distinguishable from the natural Senses whether inward or owtward as the natural Senses are distinguished one from another by their specifick Difference Of which Spiritual Senses the Scripture speaks frequently as Heb. 5. and 14. Where is spoken of the Spiritual senses in general by which the spiritual Man hath the discerning of Good and Evil which Good is of a spiritual Nature and conduceth to feed in us a Spiritual and Divine Life And the Evil is of that kind by which the spiritual Life is in us hurt To wit Sins whether carnal or spiritual All which cannot be discerned but by such who have Spiritual Senses stirred up in them as saith the Apostle In other places the Scripture also speaketh of these Spiritual senses in particular as of the Spiritual seeing Ps 34.9 Of the spiritual Hearing Ps 85. and 9. Of spiritual Tasting Ps 34.8 Of Spiritual smelling Cant. 1.3 of Spiritual touching Acts 17 8. and in many other places of Scripture we read of those Spritual Senses in particular Yea it is the Promise of the Gospel that The glory of GOD shall be seen of holy Men such as are clean of Heart even in this Life Isa. 33.17 Mat. 5.8 Which were fulfilled in the primitive Christians see John 1.14 1 John 1.1 2 3 4. 2 Cor. 3.18 and Chap. 4.6 But what is this Vision of GOD and Divine Glory which the Soules of the Saints enjoy in this Life which is only as the Earnest or first Fruits of that more abundant glorious Vision in the Life to come concerning which the Scripture so much declareth which is the highest happiness of the Immortal Soul For this Argument seemeth to doe no less Injury to the Saints then to rob them of this most glorious Treasure both in this Life and that to come For there is in us no Natural Idea of this Divine Glory as there is not of GOD himself which is any wayes proportionable unto so great Happiness which the Scripture so much declareth of by which the Godly are rewarded partly in this Life and plenarly in that which is to come We confess indeed there is in all Men as well the Godly as ungodly some sort of Idea of GOD as of a most perfect Beeing and that therefore this Proposition There existeth a most perfect Beeing doth as clearly appear to Human understanding as that the whole is greater then the part And therefore this proposition That a most perfect Beeing existeth ought to be numbred among the Principalls that of themselves are manifest But this Idea of God is as manifest to Ungodly as to Godly Men yea is as clearly perceived by the Devill as by the most holy Angels for all the Devills know that GOD is But yet how blind is the Devill and all wicked Men as to the Vision of GOD which is the chief reward of the Saints There is then either no such Vision of GOD neither in this Life nor in that to come or there is a Supernatural Idea of GOD in us by which we are made capable of this Vision Which Supernaturall Idea of GOD differeth much from that Natural Idea of GOD which Cartesius and his followers so much talk of albeit others long before Cartesius did observe this Natural Idea of GOD and spoke of it But the happiness of the Saints consists not in contemplating this Naturall Idea of GOD Else the wicked would be as happy as the Godly yea the very Devill as the most holy Angel Since as is said both the Devill and most wicked Men doe as clearly perceive this Natural Idea of GOD as the most holy Men or Angels If the Scriptures then be true there is in Men a Supernatural Idea of GOD which altogether differs from this naturall Idea I say in all Men Because all men are capable of Salvation and consequently of injoying this Divine Vision Now this capacity consisteth herein that they have such a Supernatural Idea in themselves For if there were no such Idea in them it were impossible they should so know God For whatsoever is clearly and Distinctly known is known by its proper Idea nether can otherways be clearly and distinctly known For the Ideas of all things are Divinly planted in our Souls for they are not begotten in us by outward objects or outward causes As the better Philosophy teacheth but only are by these outward things excited or stirred up And this is true not only in Supernatural Ideas of GOD and things Divine and in Natural Ideas of the naturall Principals of Human understanding and conclusions thence deduced by the strength of human reason but even in the Ideas of outward objects which are perceived by the outward Senses As that noble Christian Philosopher Boetius hath well observed to which also the Cartesian Philosophie agreeth For when I see any outward object whether it be a Man or Horse or Bird the outward object does not treat in my eye nor yet in my mind the Idea of those things For the outward object does nothing but Imprint in our sensible Organs a Corporall motion Now there is nothing in a Corporall motion that can form in us the Ideas of those things For all Ideas are of a Spiritual Nature Now nothing that is Corporall can produce that which is Spirituall because the less excellent cannot produce the more excellent Else the effect would
exceed its cause which is against all sound reason that it should bring forth what were of a higher and more excellent kind Therefore all Ideas whether Of Natural or Spirituall things are Divinly implanted in our minds Which nevertheless do not alwayes appear but sometimes appear and sometimes are as it were hid in us and sometimes are stirred up in us by causes outward or inward and again do as it were sleep and shun our observation and seem not to be otherwayes distinguished by our minds but as thoughts and perceptions of the mind from the mind it self That is as the Mode from the Subject or as a Bodâ—lie Motion from the body whereof it is the Motion For as is the Relation of a Bodily Motion to a Body so is the Relation of a thought or perception of the mind to the mind In this nevertheless they differ that the mind can move it self and operat in it self which a body cannot doe But as a Body can be moved by another So also can the Mind after its manner be moved by another and that both by outward and inward causes But chiefly by GOD himself in whose hand all Souls and Creatures are But of these things there is enough said at present and I hope I have not thus farr Impertinently Philosophised To return again to the matter in question It is already proved That there is in a Man a Supernaturall Idea of GOD from whence it easily may be concluded There are other Supernaturall Ideas in man also To wit Concerning Divine and Supernaturall things Yea as the Saints experience doth prove it neither doth sound reason any ways contradict it As there are then Naturall Ideas concerning the things of the natural World as for instance Ideas of Light and Colours Ideas of Voice and Sounds Ideas of Savouring and and Smelling Ideas of Tasting and Feeling as of Heat and Cold of Grief and Joy It follows also that there are Ideas of supernatural things concerning the Divine and supernatural things of the Divine and Supernaturall World As Ideas of those things above mentioned in the Spiritual World And as the Naturall Ideas are stirred up in us by outward and Naturall Bodies So those Divine and Supernatural Ideas are stirred up in us by a certain Principle which is a body in naturalls in Relation to the Spirituall World And therefore may be called a Divine Body Not as if it were a part of GOD who is a most pure Spirit But the Organ or Instrument of GOD by which he worketh in us and stirreth up in us these Ideas of Divine things This is that Flesh and Blood of Christ by which the Saints are nurished which is a Mystery to all unregenerated and meer natural Men never to be reached by them while they remaine in that state Now if there be such Supernatural Ideas there are also Senses or Perceptive faculties by which those Ideas are perceived for those are two relatives that suppose and inferr one another But in wicked men those Senses or faculties do as it were sleep as the Visive faculty of a blind man But in the Godly they are stirred up Now by these Divine and Spirituall Senses which are distinct and distinguishable from all the naturall faculties of the Soul whether of Imagination or naturall reason Spirituall minded men do behold the Glory and Beauty of GOD In respect whereof and for which all the Glory of this World is despicable to them Yea even as dross and dung and they also hear GOD Inwardly speaking in their Souls words truly Divine and Heavenly full of Virtue and Divine Life And they savour and taste of Divine things and doe as it were handle them with the hands of their Souls And those Heavenly Enjoyments do as realy differ in their nature from all false similitudes and faâ—itious appearances of them which either the mind of Man by its own strengâ—h can imitate or any evill spirit to deceive man can counterfit as a true Man differs from the dead Image of a Man or true Bread Honey Wine or Milk doth from the meer Picture of those things And albeit either the Imagination of Man or subtility of the Devil may Counterfit false likenesses of these Injoyments by which men may be deceived and no doubt many are deceived That doth not hinder but that those divine Injoyments are clearly perceived in such in whom the Divine and spirituall senses are truly opened and the true Supernaturall Ideas of those things truly raised up And if there be at any time a mistake the Divine Illumination is not the cause of that mistake but some evill disposition of the Mind as happeneth in those things relating to naturall Reason For there are many false appearances of Reason which differ as much from true Reason as those false and pretended Revelations and Diabolicall Inspirations from such as are truly Divine Now how many Men who would be esteemed Philosophers are miserably deceived by those false likenesses of Reason Judging their false Reasons to be the true similitudes of things and solid Ratiocinatione which nevertheless moveth no man of sound Reason to reject sound and solid Reason as doubtfull and uncertain For even sound naturall Reason is an excellent Gift of GOD and very usefull to mankind when used in its proper place But let none think to comprehend by their naturall reason things that are of a divine and supernaturall kind And as we use to do when any one is deceived by false appearances of Reason we endeavour to reduce them to contemplate the first naturall Ideas of naturall things and to meditate therein which is as a Test or Touchstone by which all the appearances and likenesses of Reason are to be examined if they contradict them to be rejected So also when any one is deceived by his own Imagination or the cunning of satan thinking any evil inspiration of the devil to be a true Divine Revelation He that is so deceived is to be reduced to the naturall Ideas of things if so be that pretended Revelation doth contradict them For no true Divine Revelation can contradict the true naturall Idea or to the Supernaturall Ideas of Divine things which are most simple clear and obvious to the minds of men if they will turn their minds to the Divine seed in them or at least those Ideas are readily and easily stirred up For as in Naturall Ideas so in Supernaturall Some are more easily raised then others For there is an certain order both of Naturall and Supernaturall Ideas whereby they are gradually excited Nor is there any Mortall Man in whose Mind at some time or other there is not stirred up some Idea that 's truly Supernaturall and Divine And who hath not felt in himself both the Wrath and Judgement of GOD for his sins And also some tender and gentle taste of GOD'S Love and Goodness by which wicked men are invited to Repentance Now that which is thought to be a Divine Revelation is felt to contradict
any Divine and Supernaturall Idea which is clearly perceived in the Soul it is a manifest token that it is not a Divine Revelation but either a false Imagination or the wicked sugestion of some evill spirit But to proceed if we will hear the Scripture as all Christians ought It testifies to us That GOD hath declared his Mind and Will even concerning Contingent Truths to come in the Prophets As that of the first to the Heb 〈…〉 doth evidently declare GOD who at sundry times and in diverse manners spoke to our Fathers in the Prophets Yea let us hear the Prophets themselves Hosea Chap 1. saith plainly That the Word of the LORD was made in him As it is in the Heb. Habakuk also sayes As he was standing on his Watch to see what Jehovah would speak in him And it is so manifest that the most Heavenly Revelations are by Inward Illustrations and Inspirations in the very minds of the Prophets That it is strange how any that believes the Scripture should doubt of it And if it happened at any time such Revelations were made in the naturall Imaginations of the Prophets or any of their Inward â—aturall Senses Then it may be confessed they could not be infallibly certain they came from GOD unless they also felt GOD in the Divine and Supernaturall Senses by which they did most neerly approach to him from these Superior and most Inward Senses working upon the lower and less noble Faculties of the Mind But which ever way the Prophets were certain that they were Inspired of GOD even when they foretold Contingent Truths to come It is without doubt they were most certainly perswaded that they were Divinly Inspired and that frequently without any Outward Miracle For John the Baptist did no Miracle and many Prophesied where there appeared no Miracle as in the Scripture may be often observed And we also by the Inspiration of the same Divine Spirit by which the Prophets prophesied do believe their Words and Writtings to be Divine concerning Contingent Truths as well past as to come else that Faith by which we believe the Scripture would not be Divine but meerly Humane And thence we need no outward Miracles to move us to Believe the Scriptures And therefore much less were they necessary to the Prophets who Write them For we see in many places of the Prophets where they declare Prophesies as revealed to them of GOD there is not a word mentioned of any outward Miracle as that by which alone they were certain of it Moreover the falseness of this Argument doth appear in that the Scripture doth declare many Contingent Truths to have been revealed to the Prophets in Dreams Now as naturall and wicked men do not see what they dream by a reall perception of the Outward Senses but by Inward Ideas which are presented to the Mind and perceived by it so it is also in Divine Revelations of this nature Of which we have a clear Example in Joseph the Husband of the Blessed Virgin who when he observed his Wife with Child was told in a Dream That She had Conceived by the Holy Ghost Now I would Know to which of Joseph's Outward Senses was this revealed or what miracle had he to Induce him to Believe Which could neither be proved so as to make an Infallible application to Mary by the Testimony of the Scripture And which being against the Order of nature did choak his reason The Scripture mentions no miracle in this matter and yet no doubt Joseph had highly sinned had he not Believed this Revelation and not withstanding rejected his Wife as an Adulteress But if thou say That according to thy Hypothesis there must have been a miracle That is only to beg the Question And how false this Hypothesis is The Apostle shews clearly Corinth 2.14 The Naturall or Animall Man knoweth not receiveth not the things of GOD Now Divine Revelations are of this Nature and if either chiefly or only those things were to be Judged by the Outward Senses it would contradict the Apostle For natural Men yea the most wicked have the use of the outward senses as true and exact as the most Godly And whereas the Apostle adds For they are Spiritually Discerned It puts the Matter out of all Question For thence it abundantly appears that this discerning is not by the Outward Senses according to the following verse for the Apostle saith The Spirituall Man Judgeth all things This then must be done by some senses or Properties Peculiar to the Spirituall man and in which he excells the naturall man which is not in the outward senses as all do know Therefore the perception of spirituall things cannot be by the outward senses either as the chief or only means as is falsly contended for Now as to these words of the Apostle Rom. 10. That Faith comes by Hearing Zuinglius observed well That the Apostle intended not to affirm Faith to come by the hearing of the Outward Word Neither doth the following words prove it How shall they Believe unless they hear And how shall they hear without a Preacher And how shall they Preach unless they be sent For the Apostle uses these words not as his Arguments but as Objections which might be formed As the same Apostle uses in other places To which Objections he answers in the same Chapter as appears verse 18. But I say have they not all heard Yes truly their Voice went into all the Earth That is of the Father and Son Or the Father in the Word which Word is not only neer us But according to the same Apostle in the same Chapter in our Mouths and in our Hearts But further thou can conclude nothing from this But that Faith is begotten by Outward Hearing only and no otherwise For this is the strength of thy Argument That since Faith cannot be without Outward Hearing Therefore nothing can be certainly believed but where somewhat is proposed to the Outward Hearing For if thou acknowledge Faith can be begotten any otherwise then by Hearing thou looses the strength of thy Argument And if that Argument hold That Faith comes only by Outward Hearing thou destroyes the whole Hypothesis For having before affirmed that outward miracles are sufficient to render one certain of the Truth of any Revelation those miracles whether it be the healing of the Sick or the raising of the Dead would avail nothing because those as for most part all miracles are obvious to the sight not to the Hearing And if it be not by Outward Hearing only thou can conclude nothing from this place But I the more wonder thy using of this Argument considering the Discourse we had together before we entred upon this debate For when we were speaking of the Opinions of a certain Person who denyed the certainty of every thing but what was discerned by the outward Senses thou condemned as most absurd But why I cannot conceive since there is no great difference betwixt those two Opinions the one saith There can be no certainty concerning any Truth whether they be necessary or Contingent but by the perception of the Senses The other affirms the same of Contingent Truths though not of Necessary Truths But among the number of Contingent Truths thou Esteems what belongs to Christian Religion For thou reckon the necessary Truths only to belong to naturall Religion This then is all the difference that that other Person sayes There is no certainty of any Religion neither Naturall nor Christian but by the perception of the Outward Senses But thou sayes though thou Esteems the Certainty of Naturall Reâ—iâ—ion to be without them yet not of the Christian Religion But again since thou Esteems that not Naturall Religion but the Christian Religion is necessary to Salvation Thou must necessarly conclude That thâ—se Truths which are necessary to Salvation are only known and beleived by the benefit of the Outward Senses In which Conclusion which is the Summ of all thou yields the Matter to that other Person But lastly If all the certainty of our Faith Hope and Salvation did depend upon the Infallibility of outward Senses we should be most misâ—rable since these Senses can be easily deceived and by many outward Casualities and Naturall infirmities whereunto the Godly are no less subject then the wicked are often vitiated and there are as the Scripture affirms false miracles which as to the outward cannot be distinguished from the True of which we cannot infallibly Judge by the outward Senses which only discern what is outward There is a necessity then to have recourse to some other Means From all which it does appear how fallacious and weak this Argument is but thanks be unto GOD who would not that our Faith should be built upon so uncertain and doubtfull a Foundation And whoever hath known True Faith or hath felt the Divine Testimony of GOD'S Spirit in his Soul will judge otherwise neither will be moved by such Reasonings I pray GOD therefore remove these Clouds which darken thy Understanding that thou may perceive the Glorious Gospell of CHRIST This is that Saving Word of Grace which I commend thee unto And that GOD may give thee a Heart inclinable to believe and obey the Truth is the desire of Thy Faithfull Freind R. BARCLAY The 24th of the Month called November 1676. This Letter a Year ago at the desire of my Freind R. B. I delivered into the hands of the aforenamed Ambassadour desiring his answer in writting which he then promised but not having as yet done It was seen meet to be published B. F. Rotterdam the 28 of March 1678.