and semblance of Revelations and Infusions and Qualifications of the Spirit of truth and this by sad experience we daily see to be too true and hath appeared in your several Questions Now God Almighty deliver you and all Christian people from under the power of such delusions 'T is the daily Prayer of your Christian brother R. S. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid knowing that they do gender strifes 2 Tim. 2.23 A DISCOURSE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT His Workings and Impressions ON THE SOVLS of MEN. With large Additionals 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rectum est Index sui obliqui London Printed by E. Cotes for R. Royston at the Angel in Ivie-Lane 1656. To the truly vertuous The Lady Rebecca Bindlosse Madam THis following Discourse of the Holy Ghost his impressions and workings on the soul of man was first intended only for private satisfaction to your Ladiships pious desires That being well grounded in the Orthodox Doctrine and having a right understanding of the true Spirit of God it might be as an impregnable bulwark against so many suggestions and temptations of the false and deceitful spirit For the minde of man being either devoid of the Spirit of Grace and Holinesse or else of a right understanding of the things of Gods Spirit who is the Fountain both of Grace and Truth is too apt and prone to close with the suggestions of the evil spirit who is the author and promoter of sinfulnesse and error Never Age produc't so many spiritual Monsters as this wherein we live And I think few parts of England be so much infected with them as these Northern parts be They were very impudent and daring when they adventured to tempt your vertuous minde and by inticing words to allure your good opinion os them as full well knowing if they could but have effected thus much to have made you not an enemy to their proceedings though you did not close with them it would have given much lustre and credit to their erroneous Sect But God be praised that you are better grounded then to be proselyted by such Ignoramo's better resolved then to be taken with such shallow delusions which a good Christian with half an eye unprejudic'd may easily see through It is your goodnesse for Bonum quo melius eo communius to desire the publique communication of this short Discourse of the Spirit as a Doctrine both seasonable in respect of the many spreading infectious Errors so much prevailing amongst us and also necessary as an antidote against that contagion which issuing out of the mouth of Hell presumes most impudently and impiously to hide its venome under the name and title of the Holy Spirit I could wish the Doctrine were for this end more fully and satisfactorily cleared to the mindes of men by the Pen of some more Judicious Writer This mean Tract the Author in all humility acknowledges to be guilty of many defects and impertinencies and himself one of the meanest of the faithful and obedient sons of the Church The small acceptance it shall finde in the world will be derived from your white Name and Vertue in which Sanctuary it may escape the black-mouth'd Detractions of the Censorious and rest secure of the good acceptance if not benefit of others May you be every day more happy in the increase of all Christian vertues growing up in the knowledge of God and persevering in the constant Profession of his holy Truth and conscientious practise of the same till you arrive at the Haven of true Happinesse This Madam shall be the constant endevour and is the daily prayer Of your most faithful and affectionate Servant in Christ R. Sherlock ERRATA'S Pag. Lin. Read 1 9 what 7 9 substance 21 20 pastionis 58 9 conservation 74 5 a voice  9 the winde  10 His wil into their hearts 88 2 15 ch 91 17 to be offered 95 13 unlawful 96 17 to become 98 31 world 101 3 when 102 25 reciteth 104 5 our 106 4 unlearned  8 learning  14 who were honoured 107 5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 124 14 watchings 124 35 onmity 127 18 acts 128 11 conscious 145 8 Maximilla 148 5 no need of teaching 156 11 these 158 3  171 9 I  8 Levit. 173 22 not necessary 179 19 thus 193 1 to be contentious  30 sick 201 32 Photinus 212 13 by out  18 our 213 5 even 225 34 these 231 15 from 234 18 your The Introduction and general Heads of the ensuing Discourse NO Age hath ever brought forth more pretenders to the Spirit of God then this wherein we live And amongst this Generation there be many so ignorant that they know not what they mean by that Spirit whereunto they so much pretend but blindfolded suffer themselves to be led by they know not whom and with the hoodwinckt Samaritans they worship they know not whom Joh. 4.32 Whose ignorance accompanied with excessive pride of heart which makes their ignorance the greater that through pride they will not know or acknowledge it upon this ground the Devill hath sown his crop and reapt his Harvest even the cursed tares of many and strong delusions for that subtil Serpent full well knows how both easily and powerfully to infinuate his Lyes and Errors into mindes unsetled and not grounded in the knowledge of the Truth So that most truly is that complaint of the Lord by his Prophet Hosea verified of this people Hos 4.6 Hos 4 6. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge even for lack of what they so much boast of That grand Enemy the Prince of Lyes hath taken them in the very Net themselves have made even in the snare of self-conceited knowledge and holiness whilest supposing themselves wise they became fools Rom. 1.22 And pretending to the Spirit of God whom they rightly know not they are intrapt by the Spirit of Error and miserably seduced to the ruine of their souls Hence it is chiefly though not only hence through ignorance intermixt with pride that the Devill hath made so great a harvest of tares overgrowing and choaking the pure wheat of Truth Mat. 13.25 No Age of the Church having ever been so fruitful in Heresies and Errors whilest the ever blessed Name of the Spirit of God is abused by persons most impudently pretending to him that yet remain ignorant of him for had they known this Lord of life it had not been possible the spirit of Delusion could have prevailed so far with them as to infix so many Lyes Impostures and Blasphemies upon his score as therefore Saint Paul directed the Athenians to the knowledge of the true God Act. 17.23 whom they ignorantly worshipped and so their pious intentions through ignorance degenerated into grosse Idolatries so it cannot but be an office both seasonable and charitable as also of great benefit and present necessity plainly to set down and deliver the true Orthodoxal Doctrine of the Holy Ghost his
Impressions and Workings on the souls of man that so men may have a right understanding of this ever Blessed Person of the the God-head so much mistaken and his Sacred Name to the high offence of his Majesty so much profaned by impudent and false pretences The Doctrine of the Holy Ghost in respect both of his Person and Office is by the Nicene Creed thus clearly and fully set down I beleeve in the Holy Ghost the Lord and giver of life who proceedeth both from the Father and the Son who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified who spake by the Prophets To give you my Comment upon this Text were but to hold a candle to the Sun the Doctrine delivered is so clear and perspicuous All that can be said upon this Article of our Christian Faith is reducible to four heads 1. Of the Person of the Holy Ghost in himselfe 2. Of his Office or Workings on the mindes of men 3. Of the trial of the true from false spirits 4. Of the means to be made partakers of the Spirit of Truth The two first are doctrinal and speculative points for the rectifying and fitting the understanding rightly to conceive and beleeve aright this Article of Christian Faith The two last are practical and applicatory for the guidance of our actions and Christian performances according to this belief And may this ever blessed Spirit of God inspire and direct me to write and all that read to understand the divine and celestial Doctrine both of his Person and Office to the illumination and sanctification of our souls here as the way to eternall salvation hereafter A DISCOURSE OF THE Holy Spirit CHAP. I. Of the Person of the Holy Ghost in himself THE more clearly to understand the Doctrine of the Spirit of God it will be necessary to use the light of some distinctions for so the naked and plain truth of any thing is most clearly and distinctly seen when namely 't is divided and distinguisht from its conjunction with other things of the same or the like name and nature which is the ground of that old Maxime Qui bene distinguit bene docet The way to teach well or clearly to deliver any truth is rightly to distinguish that truth from other truths that are of near affinity thereunto either in name or nature or in the words of the Apostle which is the language of the Spirit of Truth Rightly to divide the word of Truth 2 Tim. 2.15 2 Tim. 2.15 which was one of those many qualifications of the Apostles of Christ wherewithall they were immediately inspired by this Spirit of Truth for the propagation of the Gospel intimated in that he descended from heaven upon them in cloven or divided Tongues distinction 1 And first that we mistake not the creature for the Creator God over all blessed for ever we must remember that a Spirit is either Create or Increate or more plainly sometimes the word Spirit is in holy Scripture applyed to the creature sometimes to the Creator There are several kindes of created spirits as 1. Those glorious Inhabitants of the highest Heavens the holy and blessed Angels Heb. 1.14 Are they not all ministring spirits c. Heb. 1.14 2. Those cursed inhabitants of the nether Hell the chained Devils 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostle styles them Ephes Ephes 6.12 6.12 Spiritual wickednesses or wicked spirits 3. The souls of men which quicken and enliven these our frail and mortal bodies every man being composed of two natures a body and a soul Gen. 2.7 or flesh and spirit Gen. 2.7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the earth meaning his body and breathed into his Nosthrils the breath of life meaning his soul and so man became a living soul or living by his foul or spirit created or infused by God into his earthly body 4. The life and animation of each sensitive creature therefore we read Psal 150.6 Psal 150.6 Let every thing that hath breath or spirit praise the Lord All these are several kindes of created spirits some more some lesse pure fine and spiritual But there is an increated Spirit also who being neither made nor created in himself is the great Maker and Creator of all spirits and of all things who being the prime Fountain and Original of all beeings is so eminent and transcendent a Beeing that as he is in himself he only knows himself nor is it possible for us or any creatures who derive their beeing from him to attain the perfect knowledge of him and therefore is he pleased in his holy Word wherein he reveals himself unto us to describe himself by the names and properties of his excellent and most eminent kinde of creatures which are spirits so that God is termed a Spirit Analogically because Angels or Spirits are the purest finest quickest and most active and intelligent beeings But that we may not rank God with Angels or Spirits for he hath no match or equal we must learn this one general rule in Divinity Whatsoever is spoken of God in the Scriptures and withall is applyable to any creature must be understood of God eminenter by way of eminency and transcendency as the Prototype and grand Exemplar of that perfection which is applyed to the creature As here Angels are Spirits and the souls of men are spirits but God is not a Spirit as they are spirits for he is the Fountain the Original and all perfect pattern of the Perfection and Purity of all created spirits therefore termed the God of the spirits of all flesh Numb 22 16. Numb 22.16 and the Father of spirits Heb. 12.9 Heb. 12.9 distinction 2 That we may according to the Catholick Faith worship one God in Trinity and the Trinity in Vnity neither confounding the Persons nor dividing the Substance we must rightly distinguish betwixt the Subsistence and the Persons or betwixt the Essence and Substance of God which is necessarily to be remembred and observed in relation to the Article of Faith in hand for sometimes God is termed a Spirit Essentially in respect of his essence nature or Godhead Sometimes Personally Job 4.24 the tearm being applyed to this or that particular person of the Godhead 1. Essentially Joh. 4.24 God is a Spirit that is he is such a God whose essence nature or being is eminently and transcendently pure and spiritual 2. Personally Mat. 3.16 Mat. 4.1 Ephes 4.30 so here and in many other places the term is peculiarly appropriated and applyed to the third Person of the Trinity who is tearmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Holy Spirit or the Holy Ghost for Ghost and Spirit is the same the one an old English word the other a Latine This Name and Attribute the Holy Spirit as it is particularly applyed to the third Person of the Trinity expresseth and sets forth unto us his Person and Office his Personal subsistence in himself and his Office or working
but nominally only and in relation to us which was the error of the Patripassians and others struck at by that clause of the Athanasian Creed so there is one Father not three Fathers one Son not three Sons one Holy Ghâ—st not three Holy Ghosts distinction 3 Thirdly that we may not confound the Person and the Office of this ever blessed Spirit of God but rightly understand what is meant by receiving the holy Ghost being filled with the Holy Ghost Act 9.2 Psal 2.4 Heb. 6.4 and made partakers of the Holy Ghost and all Scriptures which speak of having the Spirit being endued with the Spirit and the like we must in the third place rightly distinguish betwixt the Personal Essence of the Spirit and the impressions or workings of this Spirit upon the mindes of men Rac. catec It was the error of the Macedonians Samosatenians of old and of Socinians of late that by the Spirit of God is meant no other but virtus seu efficacia quâ homines fideles sanctificantur divinis usibus consecrantur i.e. That vertue or efficacy whereby faithfull men are sanctified and consecrate to divine offices And opposite to this extreme many now a dayes run into the other mistaking and misterming the efficacies and vertues of the Spirit for the person of the Spirit himself the holy orthodox truth lies coucht up betwixt these two extremes whilest neither on the one hand we presume to annihilate the personal being of the Spirit as if he were no more but a vertue or influence upon the creature nor yet on the other hand mistake the influences of the Spirit for his essential subsisting person And when you read in holy Scriptures of being filled with the Holy Ghost or made partakers of the Spirit of God Act. 8.17 Eph. 5.18 Wisd 1. Psal 139. is not to be understood of the Spirit in respect of his Personal Essence for thus he filleth the world and contains all things being really existent and present in and with all things and creatures giving unto all their life and breath and all things In whom we live and move and have our being Act. 17. viz. by his inexisting presence and this in respect of his Personal Essence If we should say then that the Spirit of God is in his Saints and servants here upon earth in a greater measure then in other men Personally and in respect of his Essence we should so divide and consequently define and limit the Essence of God which is undivided infinite and unlimited see Jer. 23.23 Am I a God at hand and not a God a far off Can any hide himself in secret places that I should not see him for do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord Thus then those Scripture phrases of receiviag the Holy Ghost c. are not to be understood of the Spirit in respect of his Personal Essence which is undivided unlimited and filleth all things and so not one man more then another But 2. In respect of his impressions and workings on the souls of men in respect of his gifts and graces which are various and divers and carry their name from the cause or Author of them There are diversity of gifts but the same Spirit 1 Cor. 12.4 where the Spirit is plainly distinguished from his gifts as the cause from the effect the workman from the work of his hands or as the body of the Sun is distinguished from the light and heat which is darted and displayed from it And whereas it is said the Spirit is but one but his gifts are divers we may hence observe that if we should confound the Spirit of God with the gifts and qualifications dispensed from him we should be so far from acknowledging and worshipping the true God which is but one that we should fall into that grosse Idolatry of the Heathens of old making as many Spirits of God as they made gods who deified the moral vertues and worshipped their several vertuous qualifications as gods The unwary neglect of this distinction betwixt the person and qualifications of Gods Spirit is that very rock whereupon many a misguided and unstable soul hath suffered the shipwrack of the true Christian Faith for being by the cunning suggestion of the spirit of Lyes once perswaded in their hearts that they have the Spirit of God and that personally abiding in them they are hereupon puft up with such an excessive spiritual pride and self-conceited eminence as not only to exalt themselves above and despise their Christian brethren who are better qualified then themselves but even to extol themselves above the heavens and most blasphemously to professe and boast of an equality with God a blasphemy however 't is salved and minc't that cannot be paralleld but with that originall pride of the Devil He said in his heart I will be like the most High Gen. 3. and to this he tempted our first Parents perswading them to rebel against their Maker and become as Gods themselves knowing good and evil this was the very sin that hurled Lucifer like Lightning from Heaven his pride and presumption to be like the most High and therefore with all his Apostate crew he is now reserved in everlasting chains under darknesse to the judgement of the Great day Jude 6. And for our new Sect of Enthusiasts had they the Spirit of God as they pretend abiding in them and speaking in them Personally and Essentially this blasphemy must necessarily follow that they are equal with God in respect of the Spirit in them as themselves affirm it though not as George Robert c. To avoid which blasphemy and many other absurd and wicked opinions of the like nature which would follow thereupon and wherwith too many unstable souls are now infected we must remember that to have the Spirit in the language of the Scripture is not to be understood of his personal Essence but of his qualifications And because this distinction is very material as to the many present delusions under pretence of the Spirit 't will be necessary therefore to clear it by some Scripture expressions in this kinde 't is an ordinary piece of Rhetorick and an usual figure in the dialect of the Scripture to call the gifts and qualifications of Gods holy Spirit by the name of the Spirit as Exod. 31.2,3 Behold I have called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri c. Exod. 31.2,3 whom I have filled with the Spirit of God that is with the gifts of the Spirit for it followes in all wisdome and understanding and knowledg and in all workmanship so Numb 11.17 I will come down and talk with thee and take of the Spirit which is upon thee and put upon them and they shall bear the burthen with thee Numb 11.17 where what else can possibly be meant by the Spirit which was upon Moses to be put upon the Elders but that they should partake of the same spiritual gifts with Moses enfitting
them to bear the burthen with him as to the administration of justice amongst the people even the gifts of wisdom understanding and knowledg impartially and without respect of persons to execute justice and judgement so the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him Isai 11.2 the gifts of the Spirit for so it followes The spirit of wisdome and understanding the spirit of counsell and strength the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord. He then that is a wise man may be said in the language of the Spirit which is the Scripture to have the Spirit of the Lord upon him or to have the Spirit of God because the wisdome he hath is from Gods Spirit it comes down from above and the means to fetch it thence is holy prayer If any man lacks wisdome let him aske of God who giveth c. Jam. 1.5 So the wisest of men obtained wisdome 1 King 3.9 His prayer which brought her down from Heaven is recorded Wisd 9. And the same may be said of counsel godlinesse c. therefore these graces are termed from the cause and Author of them The spirit of wisdome the spirit of godlinesse c. So Zach. 12.10 I will pour upon the house of David and inhabitants of Hierusalem the spirit of grace and supplication that is by my Spirit I will enrich their souls with the grace of piety and devotion to be frequent and fervent in prayers and supplications according to the Apostles admonition Ephes 6.18 Praying with all manner of prayer and supplication in the spirit that is not only in the fervency and godly zeal of our own souls or spirits but also praying thus in or from the powerful influence of Gods Spirit who inflames our own cold frosty devotions and assists our frailties in prayer we pray in the spirit when both our prayers are the voice of our spirits and our spirits are also taught and sanctified by Gods Spirit as Rom. 8.15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage unto fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Clamamus nos saith Augustine Aug. lib. de cor grat we cry not the Spirit but Gal. 4.6 't is said the Spirit within us And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts which cryeth Abba Father Nos clamamus sed in spiritu ipso scil diffundente charitatem in cordibus nostris sine quâ quicunque clamat inaniter clamat Aug. de verbis Dom. sec Matt ser 11. Non hic ait c. saith the Father he saith not here as in the former place by whom we cry but the Spirit himself cryeth quo efficitur ut clamemus nos for what else is clamans spiritus in nobis but clamantes nos faciens The Spirit crying in our hearts is no other but that he makes us by the vertue of his grace to cry unto God the Father and pour forth our souls before him in prayer which is also the meaning of that misapplyed text against forms of prayer Rom. 8.26 The Spirit likewise helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit it self maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be expressed We know not what we ought to pray he could not be ignorant saith the Father of the Lords Prayer Aug. neither could they be ignorant of it to whom he said thus but such and so pressing are our infirmities that first many times we know not what to aske for in relation to our bodies and outward estates sometimes even praying for what is harmful or at least not at all profitable for us and this infirmity of ours the Holy Ghost helps by the precepts and promises and forms of Prayer recorded in the word of God which are the dictates of the Spirit And many times 2. We know not How to ask for what is needfull by reason of the dulness and deadness and frosty coldness of our hearts and this infirmity the Spirit helps by quickning our devotion as it followes The Spirit maketh request for us Aug. epist ed Sixt. presb Quid est enim interpellat nisi interpellare nos facit what else can be the meaning of this The Spirit makes intercession for us but that he makes us to intercede for our selves by his grace secretly and unspeakably enlivening our devotions so that even with penitent and fervent sighs and holy breathings after God we pour forth our prayers before him so Mat. 10.20 It is not you that speaks but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you Where the assistance of Gods holy Spirit with us is so exprest saith Augustine Vt ipse facere dicitur quod ut faciamus facit He is said to do that himself in us which by his grace he stirs us up to do As therefore no man can be wise without the spirit of wisdome nor knowing without the Spirit of knowledge nor godly without the spirit of goldiness nor charitable without the spirit of love so no man can pray as he ought without the spirit of prayer and supplication not that there are so many kindes of spirits as these but all these worketh one and the same spirit dividing to every man severally as he will 1 Cor. 12.11 From the meaning of all which places and many more which might be alledged 't is manifest that by the Spirit in us is not meant the Spirit of God in himself but in his graces Aug. for how can the Spirit of God who is saith the Father one perfect and eternal beatitude with the Father and the Son be said in himself or according to himself personally to speak to sigh to cry to pray in us no otherwise surely but as by his gifts and graces we are enabled to speak the truth to sigh and breath after God to cry unto him in the fervency of our souls and devoutly to pour forth our prayers before him CHAP. II. Of the workings of the holy Spirit upon the mindes of men general 2 THE impressions or workings of the Spirit of God upon the souls of men are various and divers Every thought motion and desire every aptitude pronenesse and inclination every faculty power and ability conducing either to the good of our selves or others is from the Spirit of God who distributes his several qualifications to several persons and that severally even in several waies and kindes to some in one kinde to others in another to some more to some lesse Vnto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Ephes 4.7 Per hoc tollitur error attribuentium diversitatem donorum Fato vel constellationibus vel humano merito non divinae voluntati sicut primae causae Lyr. in Loc. or according to the measure of the Spirit who is the gift of Christ And this measure whereby he distributes his gifts is no other
the coherence whether that be the very intent and aim of the holy Ghost in the text for the which it is urg'd and alleged For the same words of the Spirit may be misapplyed both to other things and other persons then the Spirit ever meant or intended therein rule 2 Secondly distinguish betwixt times ages persons when wherein and to whom this or that word was spoken For there are many things both said and recorded to be done in the Word which are only agreeable to those times to that age of the Church and to some particular persons and are not at all appliable to the Church and people of Christ in these times or to any persons amongst us rule 3 Thirdly examine diligently the phrase and manner of speech whether it be plain or Metaphorical literal or allegorical a true history or a parable only For many things are spoken in the Word by way of type figure allegory parable and the like which if we should apply in the plain and literal sense would prove strange monstrous lies and contradictions which God forbid any man should be so blasphemous as to impose on the Spirit of truth and wisdome rule 4 Fourthly examine diligently what agreement every text of Scripture hath with other and receive not easily and slightly the seeming sense of any text without comparing the same with its parallel texts For many things seem to be positively asserted in some places of the Word of God which yet are directly contradicted in others one place therefore is so to be compared with and interpreted by another that the one do not obscure or any way cloud the truth of the other rule 5 Fifthly examine whether that which we conceive to be the sense of this or that Scripture be agreeable to those Articles of Christian faith contained in the Apostles Creed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or form of sound words in faith we must 2 Tim. 2.13 hold fast that model of faith once given to the Saints Jude v. 3. for which we must contend and consequently receive no private sense or interpretation of Scripture that is contrary thereunto 2 Pet. 1.20 remembring that no Scripture is of any private interpretation but that even the Spirits of the Prophets themselves are subject to the Prophets 1 Cor. 14.32 rule 6 Sixtly examine what we conceive to be the sense of the Spirit in the Word by the rule of that law written by the finger of God in two Tables of stone as a lasting square according to which to regulate all our actions and consequently all our conceptions and opinions from whence our actions flow The rule of obedience or that all perfect rule of Charity Rom. 13.10 which is the fulfilling of the Law is an infallible rule of trial of the spirits whether they be of God or no Hereby saith the Apostle we are sure we know God if we keep his Commandements he that saith I know God and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar and the truth is not in him 1 Joh. 2.34 1 Joh. 2.34 It is not the Spirit of truth but the spirit of error if it oppose or deny or any way impede and hinder our obedience to the Laws of God For saith the same Apostle again 1 Joh. 3.24 He that keepeth his Commandements dwelleth in him and he in him and hereby we know that he abideth in us even by that Spirit which he hath given us even by the spirit of obedience to the Commandements of God So that even from hence 't is clear that both to have the Spirit abiding in us and the way to know we have him also and not a false counterfeit lying spirit is if thereby we be mov'd and enabled to keep Gods Commandements This is the very rule our Saviour himself prescribes to examine his own doctrine thereby Joh. 7.17 Joh. 7.17 If any man will do his will he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God or whether I speak of my self And this is the first general rule of tryal of the Spirits even the Word of God rule 2 A second rule according to which to try the spirits whether they be of God or no is by the fruits of the Spirit and 't is the rule our Lord himself hath given us to know them by Mat. 7.15 Beware of false Prophets which come to you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly they are ravening wolves Mat. 7.15 Beware of false Prophets for many such are gone out into the world who in respect of their exteriour dress and outward appearance so plausible are their pretences so spiritual are their expresions so much of the language of the Spirit and Scripture phrases flow from them that you would take them for the true sheep of Christ and undoubtedly to belong to his fold and yet for all this inwardly really and truly they are wolves in sheeps cloathing limbs of Satan deceiving and devouring the souls of the simple But by their fruits you shal know them which is confirmed by an apt similitude vers 16. Do men gather grapes of thornes or figs of thistles q. d. Mat. 7.16 No man can be so foolish as to expect this but every tree whether it be good or whether it be bad bringeth forth fruit suitable to its good or bad nature So every good tree bringeth forth good fruit and a corrupt tree bringeth forth evill fruit 17. nor is it possible it should be otherwise A good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit 18. even so false Prophets cannot bring forth the fruit of good true wholsome sound doctrines and religious manners So Menander 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 No man being good in himself produceth evil actions on the other side saith Antoninus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. He that will not have a wicked man to commit wickedness is like unto him that will not have a fig-tree to bring forth figs 'T is then an infallible tryal of the spirits whether they be of God or no by the fruits they bring forth The fruit of the Spirit viz. which is of God is love joy peace long-suffering gentleness goodness faith meekness temperance Gal. 5.22,23 The first of these fruits and the fairest too even of largest extent and most lasting which this tree of life brings forth is Love even the love of God above all and of our neighbour as our selves This therefore must needs be an infallible touch-stone to try the spirit of truth from the spirit of error for the spirit of truth is the very spirit of love and that first in respect of himself being that essential love and love-knot of the Father and the Son And secondly in respect of us being that sacred vinculum that invisible chain which unites us unto God by faith which worketh by love Gal. 5 6. and which unites one to another by charity peace amity the inseparable fruits of
yet ordinarily and invisibly in the use of means he comes still and by his secret celestial influence visits enlightens and sanctifies the souls of men In every good thought in every good motion and pious desire of the soul in every devout sigh and sorrowful groan under the weight and burthen of sin in every striving and raising of the soul from under that weight in every elevation of the soul from the dust and rubbish of worldly vanities and aspiring towards heaven in every beam of holy truth and divine grace whether relating to piety or charity the holy Ghost descends from heaven Thus he daily comes unto us and thus he will ever come and be with his Church and people unto the end of the world according to that promise of our Lord Mat. 28.20 Mat. 28.20 And lo I am with you alway unto the end of the world He will be with us if we will be with him and not neglect the means he hath ordained to be made partakers of his ever blessed presence with us The means to fetch down this holy Spirit from heaven to sanctifie our souls by his grace here that he may exalt us to his glory in the heavens hereafter besides those natural and moral means for the attainment of spiritual gifts before remembred which are also dispensed from the Spirit of God the divine means or conveyances of the Spirit are either 1. Outward 2. Inward The outward means are no other but those three essential parts of divine worship 1. Holy Prayer 2. The holy Word 3. The holy Sacraments The most holy God commanding us nothing but what are the means and waies of our own happiness Quod homini proficit Deo servit Tert. de poen c. 2. viz. the means of grace and sanctification here as the way to our glorification hereafter For there is nothing that we poor frail mortal dust and ashes can perform that may any way add really add to the glory or happiness of the most high most glorious and ever blessed God And in that he lays his commands upon us and enjoyns us several waies of acknowledging our obedience to him 't is of his tender care and respect to us-ward even for our guidance and direction in the waies of our own felicity The Laws of God are no other then the rules of mans perfection even the sacred paths we must tread to attain that pitch of perfection whereunto we are created being instampt after the blessed image of our Maker So that the parts of Gods service commanded are to us the means of grace and salvation sincerely obeyed 1. Holy prayer in all the parts and species thereof is a means to fetch down the holy Spirit of God in his gifts and graces So saith our Lord positively and clearly Lnk. 11.13 Luk. 11.13 If ye being evill know how to give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give his holy Spirit to them that ask him And that we might know what is here meant by the Spirit Mat. 7.11 St. Matthew records the words of our Lord thus How much more shall your heavenly Father give good things to them that ask him All good things being comprised under the name of the Spirit as the fountain from whence they flow And Joh. 14.14 Joh. 14.14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name I will do it and presently after he promiseth as the sum of all that they could ask for I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter even the Spirit of truth c. God is in himself the fountain of all perfection every good and every perfect gift every divine celestial soul-sanctifying grace is in God as the original prototype and grand examplar as the root from whence the sap of every grace as the Sun from whence the beam of every gift for illumination is derived unto us Jam. 1.17 from the holy heavens they must come for there is their proper seat and habitation Wisd 9. as the Wise man confesseth when he petitioned the God of heaven for the wisdome of the Spirit And the same means must we use to fetch down both wisdome and the rest of the graces of the Spirit even by prayer commanded Jam. 1.5 Prayer is the blessed mean that unites God and man brings heaven and earth together 'T is that golden chain saith Basil that ties the gracious ears of God to the hearts and tongues of men 'T is the hand which reaches from earth to heaven and takes forth every good thing out of the Lords treasury Mat. 7.7 Therefore 't is said Mat. 7.7 Ask and ye shall receive seek and ye shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you so that 't is also the ring or hammer wherewithal we knock at the gates of heaven and beg a blessing from the great Lord that dwelleth there Nay it is the key of heaven saith Aug. which opens unto us those everlasting doors of glory 'T is the blessed engine wherewithal we storm the heavenly Jerusalem and as it were by force and violence make our entrance into the holy City which is full of wealth and never fading treasures Mat. 11.12 The Kingdome of heaven saith our Lord suffers violence and the violent take it by force fervent importunate prayers being the scaling ladders Gen. 28. represented by Jacobs ladder which being set upon the earth the top thereof reacheth to the heavens our several prayers upon all occasions wants and opportunities are as it were the several rounds of this celestial ladder whereupon the desires and affections of our souls ascend from earth to heaven and leaving these frail earthy tabernacles of clay make their way unto the most high God which sits in the heavens Or it may be represented by that fiery chariot of Elijah 2 King 2.11 wherein he was wrapt from earth to heaven for so by fervent prayers and devotions are the souls of holy and religious men they are thereby enwrapt and mount from the earth to have their conversation in heaven with God on high whence they again descend enricht with celestial blessings or with the Spirit of God This is also further proved by the example of the Apostles who after they had prayed the holy Ghost descended on them Act. 4.31 And when they had prayed the place was shaken where they assembled together and they were all filled with the holy Ghost and the spake the Word of God with boldnesse 2. The holy Word of God in general but the Gospel of Christ in special in the preaching or reading hearing and understanding thereof 2 Tim. 3.16 is an effectual means for the obtaining of the Spirit for all Scripture is given by inspiration they are the very dictates the breathings of the Spirit upon the souls of men and are therefore profitable for doctrine or to teach the truth for reproof to convince what is false and erroneous for correction of the
negligent and delinquent and for instruction in righteousnesse to the proficient That the man of God Gloss Lyra. he who is ordained to divine offices as Timothy was may be to that end perfected and thoroughly furnished to every good work 2 Tim. 3.16 And of the Scriptures in the verse before 't is said they are sufficient to make us wise to salvation viz. being spiritually understood saith the Inter. Gloss That they are the means both of our illumination and sanctification which are the ends of the Spirit is clear from the prayer of our Lord Joh. 17.17 Joh. 17.17 Sanctifie them with thy truth thy Word is truth The Word of God is the Word of truth for our illumination and the Word of grace for our sanctification and this prayer of our Lord was granted saith Lyra in behalf of his Apostles when the holy Spirit descended on them at the feast of Pentecost Regeneration which is the same with sanctification and to be born of God and to be born of the Spirit is ascribed to the Word of God as the conveyance of the Spirit in this respect or as the means of our new birth Jam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us by the Word of truth Jam. 1.18 And Joh. 1.17 The Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ Joh. 1.17 Now what else are the gifts of the Spirit or at least whereunto do they tend but to the clear understanding of the truth of God revealed by Jesus Christ which revelations are the sum of his Gospel and what else are the graces of Gods Spirit but accumulative an obedience to this truth even an obedience to the Gospel of Christ 1 Cor. 1.24 Hence it is termed the power of God and the wisdome of God And his Gospel the law of the Spirit of life Rom. 8.2 2 Cor. 3.6 Rom. 8.2 2 Cor. 3.6 So that the preaching reading hearing or in a word the clearing of this Gospel unto the mindes of men is the conveyance of the Spirit thereinto An example whereof see Act 18.44 Whilest Peter yet spake these words Act. 10.44 the words of the Gospel the holy Ghost fell on them all that heard the Word 3. The Holy Sacraments both Baptism and the Supper of the Lord are effectual means also for the conveyance of the holy Spirit 'T is promised upon our Baptism with repentance Act. 2.38 Act. 2.38 Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost And this is also verified from the example of Christ our head upon whose Baptism in Jordan the heavens were opened and the holy Ghost descended in shape of a dove and lighted on him Mat. Mat. 3.16 3.16 denoting unto us that by the virtue and power of Baptism not only the heavens are opened Remig. but also the gift of the holy Ghost is received therefore are we said to be born again of water and of the holy Ghost and without that the heavens are shut against us There is no admission into the celestial Kingdome Joh. 3.5 Joh. 3.5 Except a man be born of water and the holy Ghost he cannot enter into the Kingdome of heaven The Apostle St. Paul couples both Sacraments together as the conveyances of the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.13 1 Cor. 12.13 By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body and are all made to drink of one Spirit where we have the Spirit joyned with Baptism and with the Lords Supper also for what else can be meant by drinking of one Spirit but an allusion to the eating and drinking of the holy body and bloud of our Lord whereof himself testifies Joh. 6.55,56 My slesh is meat indeed and my bloud is drink indeed He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him Joh. 6.55 that is is make partaker of my Spirit or of my gifts and graces For in such a spiritual sense we must needs understand the words except we admit them in the grosse carnal and corporal sense of the Romanists Hence Christ is termed by the Apostle a spiritual meat and a spiritual drink 1 Cor. 10.3.4 1 Cor. 10.3 And they did all eat the same spiritual meat and did all drink the same spiritual drink for they drank of the same spiritual rock that followed them and that rock was Christ A spiritual meat and and spiritual drink Christ was to the Israelites of old in those Sacramental Symbols of his presence with them the Rock and the Manna and the like but in a more full measure and clear manner he is to us in those consecrated elements of his holy Supper which being rightly administred and rightly received are spiritual food indeed for we eat and drink the very Spirit of Christ therewithal that is are made partakers of his gifts and graces But how comes it to passe then that these blessed means of grace these conveyances of the Spirit are so often ineffectual Many men do daily pray often hear and read the Word of God have been engraffed into the body of Christ by Baptism and many times receive the blessed Eucharist and yet little or no newes do they hear of the Spirit very little stirrings of the heart few good motions do they feel within they are never the better nor a whit the more enricht either with spiritual gifts or graces for the use of these means The cause whereof is the hardnesse of mans heart which receives not the impressions of the Spirit the corruption of mans nature which quenches the sacred fires of Piety and Charity before they be well inkindled in the soul the exorbitant and unruly lusts of the flesh and of the world which resist the good motions lustings and strivings of the Spirit of God Intus existens prohibet alienum when the fruits of the flesh have overgrown the soul there 's no room for the fruits of the Spirit to take rooting there These two kindes of fruits cannot grow both in one heart but the one will choak overgrow and destroy the other To this outward means of grace then and of the Spirit the inward qualifications the infitting of the soul to receive the impressions of the Spirit must be added Actus activorum in patiente disposito as the patient is disposed and fitted to be wrought upon accordingly so is the power and efficacy of the Agent so that according as the hearts of men are more or lesse perspirable and plyable to the impressions of the Spirit accordingly so are his workings and inspirations upon the heart The holy Spirit is compared in Scripture to water Joh. 7.38 39. and as the water is of a diffusive nature and knows no bounds but as 't is limited by the channel or vessel that holds it so the Spirit is in himself of a spreading quality and is only straitned by the
narrownesse of the hearts whereinto he flowes 2 Cor. 6.12 as 2 Cor. 6.12 Ye are not straitned in us that is in our Ministry we preach abundance of grace unto you but you are straitned in your own bowels through the hardnesse of your hearts being not capable of the graces of the Spirit And the heart is made soft and pliable for the impressions of the Spirit by repentance and mortification the good seed of Gods Spirit will not take root amongst the thornes of impiety Jer. 4.4 therefore saith the Lord Jer. 4.4 Break up the fallow ground of your hearts and sow not amongst thornes be circumcised to the Lord and take away the foreskin of your hearts that is hardnesse of your hearts Deut. 10.16 Deut. 10.16 cald also the circumcision of the Spirit Act. 2.29 because it makes way for the Spirit Col. 2.11 and Col. 2.11 A circumcision made without hands even the putting off the sinful body of the flesh meaning the sinful crop of fleshly lusts which infest and infect the soul of these the soul must be disarayed and devested by repentance and mortification Rom. 8.13,14 Rom. 8.13,14 If ye live after the flesh c. The coherence of which verses imply before we can be led by the Spirit of God we must mortifie the deeds of the flesh the sordid rags of the old man must be put off before the soul can be clothed with the splendid garments of the Spirit of grace In vain is it to pray unto God for any spiritual grace or mercy while we continue in our sins for God heareth not sinners Joh. 9.31 In vain to hear or read the Gospel of grace Eph. 6.15 except our feet be shod with the preparation of repentance whereby we forsake our sins Therefore before the Gospel it self was published this was first proclaimed both by Christ and his forerunner Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand Mat. 3.2 4.17 1 Cor. 11.28 In vain to participate of those mysteries of our salvation the body and bloud of our Lord Deus gratiam polliciuus qui in extremitatibus temporum per spiritum suum universo oâ—bi illuminaturus esset praeire intinctienem poenitentiae jussit ut quos per gratiam vocaret ad promissiâ—…em per poenitentiae subsignatienem aute componeret Tert. de poen c. 2. till first by self-examination we have cast out the venome of our sinful doings by repentance and stedfast purposes of amendment In a word it is our sins unrepented that make void and ineffectual all the blessed means of Grace and of the Spirit by those it is we quench the Spirit we grieve the Spirit 1 Thess 5.19 Ephes 4.30 we resist the Spirit we provoke the Spirit and poyson the blessed waters of life so that all the conveyances of the Spirit are barren and unfruitful whilest they reflect upon hardened and impenitent hearts See therefore repentance enjoyned as to the receiving of the holy Ghost Act. 2.38 8.19 And I would to God that all who pretend to the holy Spirit of God or to any the fruits and graces of the Spirit would first learn before they make their boast of the Spirit truly to repent them of their sins Gal. 5.19,20,21 and to root out of the ground of their hearts all the fruits of the flesh which are adultery fornication uncleannesse lasciviousnesse idolatry witchcraft hatred variance emulation wrath strife seditions heresies envyings murthers drunkennesse revellings c. When these all of these sinful fruits are extirpated out of the ground of the heart there may be then some hopes that our prayers and other divine acts and offices performed in the sincerity of our souls may prevail with God for the direction and comfort of his Spirit of grace and truth God which hast taught the hearts of thy faithfull people by the sending to them the light of thy holy Spirit grant us by the same Spirit to have a right judgement in all things and evermore to rejoyce in his holy comfort through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the same Spirit one God world without end Amen A DISCOURSE OF DIVINE REVELATION Mediate and Immediate Secret things belong to the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever that we may do all the words of this Law Deut. 29.29 Omnis religio supernis Revelationibus nititur aut niti praesumitur Mirand de fid ord cred London Printed 1656. The Introduction and general Heads GOD as he is in himself only knowes himself and consequently those waies of his worship Coeli mystarium me doceat Deus qui condidit non homo quiseipsum ignoravit Amb. which are holy and acceptable to himself Man who knowes not himself aright cannot of himself know God nor those divine and celestial mysteries which are the waies of Gods service and mans salvation For what man is he that can knew the counsel of God Or who can think what the will of the Lord is Wisd 9.13 Veritas i. e. arcanum summi Dei qui fecit omnia ingenio ac propriis sensibus non potest comprehendi Alioqui c. Lactant. lib. 1. c. 1. Truth which is the secret of the most high God who hath formed all things cannot by our own wit and proper senses be comprehended for otherwise there would be little distance betwixt God and man if mans cogitations could dive into the counsels and dispositions of Gods eternal Majesty Canst thou by searching finde out God canst thou finde out the Almighty unto perfection it is as high as heaven what canst thou do deeper then hell what canst thou know the measure thereof is longer then the earth and broader then the sea Job 11.7 c. 2. This therefore must be granted as the ground of all divine truth that nothing either of God or of his sacred service is to be believed and received by us but what from God is revealed or by revelation from heaven derived to us Secret things belong to the Lord our God but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever that we may do all the words of this Law Deut. 29.29 Hilar. de Trin. lib. 5. Non potest Deus nisi per Deum intelligi sicut nec honorem à nobis Deus nisi per Deum accipit namque honorandus c. A Deo discendum est quid de Deo intelligendum sit quia non nisi se outhore cegnoscitur Id. God cannot be known but by himself neither doth he receive honour from us but by himself For that he is to be honour'd we understand not but that himself hath taught and commanded himself to be honoured The honour of God we are taught by God nor may we entertain any such thoughts of God as our own frail humane judgements suggest unto us our nature is
good instructions thence derived the one being as the body and the other the soul of Religion and when these two meet together viz. the unction without and the anointing within or when the spiritual gifts of the Ministery and graces of the people concur or when then the outward effusions of the Spirit in the word fall upon hearts infused and seasoned with Grace and Obedience then are these several promises accomplished then are a people truly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The taught of God indeed or which is all one then are they the true Disciples of Christ The next memorable place misapplyed to patronize extraordinary and immediate Revelations is that prophesie of Joel 2.28 remembred to be accomplisht Act. 2.16 c. Jocl 2.28 Act. 2.16 c. It shall come to passe in the last daies saith God I will powre out of my Spirit upon all flesh And your sons and your daughters shall prophesie c. This text must be understood with several limitations otherwise many dangerous and false consequences will ensue and such as are contrary to what in other places of Scripture is affirmed I will pour out of my Spirit not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not my Spirit himself for no flesh Ad dive sa dona respicit non ad minutionem substantiae Gloss ordin in Loc. not all flesh can contain the Spirit of God who filleth all the world and containeth all things Wisd 1. But of my Spirit i. e. of his gifts and graces even as beams from the light as heat from the fire or as streams from this fountain of Truth 2. I will pour out Denoting indeed the liberal donation of spiritual gifts under the Gospel but yet with restriction to certain times and certain persons for not at all times neither upon all persons is the Spirit of God plentifully poured out when the holy Ghost visibly and miraculously descended upon the Apostles there was a plentiful pouring out so that they were filled with the Spirit vers 4. The gift of Tongues the gift of Prophesie to understand and open all mysteries the gift of healing all diseases the gift of miracles c. these and many other gifts were at this time after such a plentiful manner poured forth that there were some reliques some drops of this full measure remaining in the Church for 400 years after Thus it was then and 't was then necessary because the first publication and planting of the Gospel required extraordinary and more ample gifts and abilities for the effecting thereof But we must not look to see those daies of such extraordinary effusions to return again which is intimated in that they are called the last daies in the text as being the last time we must expect any such miraculous and immediate effusions or Revelations till the last day of all even that great and notable day of the Lord come vers 20. Although therefore this prophesie may in some general respects be extended to all the people of God yet particularly and after an especiall manner 't was fulfilled in the persons of the Apostles themselves and by S. Peter 't is here applyed unto them vers 15 16. And undoubtedly 't is high presumption in any man or sect of men to apply to themselves what was peculiar and proper to the divinely inspired Apostles and their hopes must needs be vain who wait for extraordinary inspirations upon misapplied promises and prophesies long since accomplisht Vpon all flesh Which 1. is not to be understood of all men promiscuously but of all such men of all nations and conditions as give up their names to become my sons and daughters to be called by and to call upon the name of the Lord to the hope of salvation for so the prophesie concludes Whoseever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved and so S. Peter concludes his Sermon upon this prophesie Repent and be baptized vers 38. Not all flesh but such only as are capable of the effusions of the Spirit and this limitation cuts off all Turks Jews Infidels Heretiques and Hypoerites for no such flesh have the Spirit of truth and holiness powred on them but are led by the spirit of error and wickednesse 2. All flesh cannot be meant of all Gods people neither as to the gift of prophesie and full understanding of the mysteries of godliness For so all good Christians men and women whether be they young or old children or servants must turn Prophets And all flesh as the reverend Andrewes must be cut out into Tongues which is a monstrous thing to imagine For if all the body of Christ were a Tongue where were the ears c. If all were Preachers where were the Hearers Such were not an orderly Church but a Babylon of confusion where the one heard not another therefore though it be said all flesh 't is not said all your sons and daughters shall prophesie but some shall do it for all some sons and some servants too i. e. some Jewes and some Gentiles some of all nations God gave some Apostles some Prophets c. And these must be of the male not of the female sex they are prohibited 1 Cor. 14.34 Let your women keep silence in the Churches If you demand how is the Spirit then upon all flesh 'T is upon all holy and good Christians but not upon all to prophesie all Gods people have in some measure the Spirit of grace and truth but that does not authorise them presently to turn speakers and teachers of others But doth not the Apostle say ye may all prophesie one by one 1 Cor. 14.31 1 Cor. 14.31 Ye all that is as many as be Prophets but to think that all are so the Apostle holds it very absurd demanding with indignation Are all Apostles are all Prophets 1 Cor. 12.29 not so surely the gift must first be had and then letters of Administration taken before the operation or work of Prophesie be lawfully performed 'T is further alledg'd to the same purpose 1 Cor. 12.7 1 Cor. 12.7 To every man is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withall whence 't is infer'd that both liberty of prophesying for the profit of our brethren and immediate Revelations or manifestations of the Spirit to that end are given to every man answer By every man is not meant every particular person but every man that hath those gifts mentioned in the next words viz. The gifts of wisdome knowledge faith tongues c. hath them for this end given that he may profit and edifie the Church and people of God thereby And they are called The manifestations of the Spirit 1. Because they flow from the Spirit either extraordinarily or immediately as in the firster and primitive times of the Church or ordinarily and in the use of means in all ages since 2. Because by the help of these gifts we are enabled to manifest and clear the truth and true meaning of
the name of Christ depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2.19 Denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and living soberly righteously and godly in this present world Tit. 2.12 And this undoubtedly Sir is no other but the way of your own peace and tranquillity here and eternal felicity hereafter To the effecting whereof the Prayers and endevours shall never be wanting of Your much obliged Servant In the Lord Jesus R. Sherlock The Table of Contents The Letter of Quakers Questions The Letter of Answers returned A Discourse of the holy Spirit THE Introduction and heads of the ensuing Discourse pag. 1 Chap. 1. Of the Person of the holy Ghost p. 5 Chap. 2. Of his Office or workings upon the mindes of men p. 16 Chap. 3. Of the Graces of the holy Spirit p. 18 Chap. 4. Of the Gifts of the holy Spirit p. 20 Chap. 5. Of the gift and calling of the Ministery p. 25 Chap. 6. Of Ministerial Gifts ordinary and extraordinary p. 29 Chap. 7. Of those operations and impressions which are opposite to the Spirit of Truth p. 34 Chap. 8. Of the spirit of man and the spirit of the world p. 40 Chap. 9. Of the tryal of Spirits p. 46 By the Word p. 49 By the Fruits p. 51 And by the Properties of the Spirit p. 56 Chap. 10. Of the means to obtain the true Spirit of God p. 59 Of Divine Revelation THE Introduction and general Heads pag. 69 Chap. 1. Of Divine Revelation from Adam unto Christ p. 73 Chap. 2. Of the several manners of oxtraordinary and more immediate Revelation p. 90 Chap. 3. Of an Extasie natural and supernatural and the difference betwixt divine Extasies of old and diabolical entransings and Inspirations p. 83 Chap. 4. Of the ordinary waies of divine Revelation before Christ p. 89 Chap. 5. Of their Schools of the Prophets p. 91 Chap. 6. Of being called Master p. 94 Chap. 7. That all Revelation is compleated in Christ and his Apostles p. 96 Chap. 8. Of the necessity of learning as to the understanding of Gods revealed will p. 103 Chap. 9. Some vulgar objections against Vniversities and Humane Learning considered p. 109 Chap. 10. The several parts of learning required to the understanding of holy Scriptures p. 118 Chap. 11. Of the Analogie of Faith and Doctrine of the Church p. 122 Chap. 12. Three inferences appliable to the general subject of the whole Discourse p. 126 Chap. 13. The internal and divine qualifications of the soul as to the understanding of holy Scriptures p. 130 Chap. 14. The objection from the misdemeanors of the Ministers considered p 134 Chap. 15. The dangerous and destructive consequences of depending upon immediate Revelation p. 138 Chap. 16. Several texts alledged against humane learning the Ministery and for immediate Revelation explained p. 147 Of Error Heresie Schism c. THE Introduction and general Heads Chap. 1. Of Error in general pag. 173 Chap. 2. Of the nature of Heresie and the particular ingredients thereof p. 175 Chap. 3. Of Schism and the kindes thereof p. 180 Chap. 4. That Heresie and Schism are the mutual causes each of other p. 189 Chap. 5. Of the causes both of Heresie and Schism p. 194 Chap. 6. The ends why God permits Heresies and Schisms p. 205 Chap. 7. Of the danger of them p. 213 Chap. 8. Rules and directions for the avoiding of Errors in Religion p. 224 The Quakers wilde Questions The Letter of Questions Endorsed To the Priest at Borwick Deliver The Quakers Questions directed by them as above To all you professed Ministers who have taken the title of the Ministers of the Gospel of Christ upon you who is the end of the Law and Prophets and shadowes who shadowed him forth a few Questions to you that have taken this office upon you question 1 WHether the Gospel be the same the Apostles preached and if it be why go you to Oxford or Cambridge when the Apostle saith The Gospel he preached was not after man neither was he taught it by man question 2 Whether you can give another meaning to the Scriptures then they are or whether the Apostles did not give the meaning to them when they spoke them forth yea or no and if they did what need learned men to give a meaning to them question 3 Shew me by the Scriptures who ever was made a Minister of Christ that was called of men Master question 4 Shew me by the Scriptures where ever the Ministers of Jesus Christ took Tithes of the people or Augmentations for preaching the Gospel question 5 Shew me by the Scriptures and what Scripture you have which speaks of the Word two Sacraments which you tell the people of and so deceive the simple question 6 Shew me what Scripture you have which speaks that the Apostles sprinkled Infants question 7 Shew me what Scripture you have to stand praying in the Synagogues before Sermon and after and whether the Apostles did so question 8 Shew me by the Scriptures where the Apostles went into the world and gave the people of the world Davids Psalms to sing in meeter these things which you now practise answer them by the Scriptures or the Apostles practises without consequence or imagination question 9 Whether a man shall ovecome the body of sin while he is upon the earth or no. question 10 Whether the curse be not upon him that preacheth another Gospel then Christ and the Apostles yea or no question 11 Whether any natural man can preach the Gospel or no question 12 Whether that any of the Ministers of God was made Ministers by the will of men or no shew me it by the Scriptures question 13 Shew me it by the Scriptures whether a man shall grow up to that condition that he need no man teach him but the Lord or no. question 14 Whether they be not Antichrists and disobey Christ that have the chiefest places in the Assemblies stand praying in the Synagogues called of men Masters which Christ did forbid his Disciples to act such things and cryed Woe against those that did act them question 15 Whether they be not Antichrists and of the Devil and no Ministers of Christ which do not abide in the doctrine of Christ question 16 Whether they be not seducers which draw people from the anointing within them and tell them they must be taught of a man when as the anointing teacheth them and they need no man teach them but as the anointing teacheth and the promise is to him that doth abide in it eternally question 17 Whether they do not bewitch the people which draw them from the spirit within to serve the ordinance of the word and traditions of men without as the Galatians were bewitched Gal. 3.1 question 18 Whether they be not deceivers which tell the people those are the Ordinances of God which God never commanded and draw men from the Spirit within them to follow their imaginations and inventions question 19 Whether you have the same spirit which was in
in relation to us 1. His Person in the term Spirit 2. His Office in the Attribute Holy Sanctus dicitur quia sanctificat Spiritus quia spiratus He is called the Holy Ghost from his Office which is to sanctifie or make holy and the Spirit from his Person which is spired or proceeding First the Holy not holy only in respect of his Person as is also the Father and the Son which is implyed in that celestial Trisagion perpetually sung by the Quire of Heaven to the glory of this ever blessed Trinity Esai 6.3 Holy holy holy Lord God of hosts c. Holy three times to denote the holiness of all the three Persons of the God-head Holy Father Holy Son Holy Ghost But the Holy particularly and peculiarly in respect of his Office which is to sanctifie and hallow most especially the hearts of men as to God the Father is appropriate the Work of Creation who is therefore called the Almighty the Omnipotence or Almightiness of God being most apparent in the Creation of all things And as to God the Son is appropriate the work of Redemption who is therefore called the word of God Joh. 1.1 and the wisdome of the Father 1 Cor. 1.24 Gods manifold Wisdome being made apparent in the Redemption of mankinde for it is a mysterie which the very Angels themselves desire to look into 1 Pet. 1.12 Even so the work of Sanctification is appropriated to the Holy Ghost who is therefore called the Holy One Gods holinesse being most apparent in purifying and sanctifying the unhallowed souls of men Isai 10.17 And the light of Israel shall be for a fire and his Holy One for a flame Bonav Spiritus Sanctus est lumen illuminans sanctus sanctificans flammáque inflammans The holy Ghost is that Divine light which illuminates our darkened understandings that Holy One who sanctifies our souls and polluted hearts that sacred and celestial fire which inflames our cold earthly affections even as of old he enlightned sanctified and enflamed the minds of the Apostles of Christ which was signified by his Descension not only with a rushing winde which purifies and cleanses but also in Tongues of fire which warms and enlightens Act. 2.23 The Spirit not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of a spiritual Nature but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Spirit expressing his Personal Essence received from the Father and from the Son by spiration and procession Even as the second Person of the Trinity receives his personal Essence from the Father only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Generation and is therefore called the Son of God The Son is of the Father alone not made nor created but begotten So the Holy Ghost receives his Personal Essence from the Father and from the Son 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by procession or spiration and is therefore termed the Spirit of God The Holy Ghost is from the Father and from the Son not made nor created nor begotten but proceeding proceeding from the Father Joh. 15.26 Gal. 2.6 Rom. 8.14 and therefore often termed the Spirit of the Father proceeding from the Son and therefore often termed the Spirit of the Son proceeding both from the Father and the Son and therefore termed the Spirit of God And yet further in either of these terms the Holy and the Spirit both the Personal Essence and also the Office of the Holy Ghost is implyed For 1. he is therefore called the Holy not only in respect of his Office as before Lib. 2. cap. 3. but also in respect of his Personal Essence for therefore saith Isidore in his Originals is he called the Holy because he is the Coessential and Consubstantial holiness of the Father and the Son 2. He is therefore termed the Spirit not only in respect of his personal Essence as before but also in respect of his Office which is to inspire and infuse his divine and celestial blessings into the souls of men And from the name also of this divine Person the Spirit we are to take notice and firmly believe That the Holy Ghost is of the same essence and consubstantial with the Father and the Son and in all respects coaequal and coaeternal so that as the Father is God and the Son is God so the Holy Ghost is God and as the Father is Almighty and the Son Almighty so is the Holy Ghost Almighty and so of all the other Attributes of the God-head whereupon all acts of divine worship also are aequally due to the Holy Ghost as to the Father and the Son Who together with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified The difference betwixt this Holy Spirit and the other sacred Persons of the God-head consists in 3 particulars 1. That he is the third or last person of the God-head the third not in dignity but in order only not in diversity of essence or inaequality of majesty but in order of subsisting which against Arrians Socinians c. is firmly to be believed according to that Decree of the third Toletan Councel Quicunque Spiritum sanctum non credit aut non crediderit à Patre Filio procedere eumque non dixerit Patri Filio coaeternum esse coessentialem anathema sit that is whosoever doth not beleeve the Holy Ghost viz. to be a real true subsisting person and doth not believe him also to proceed from the Father and the Son and to be with the Father and the Son coaeternal and consubstantial Let him be accursed 2. The second Difference is the way of this holy Persons subsisting viz. By spiration from the Father and the Son Touching the manner whereof we must say as the Prophet Isaiah doth of the Sons generation from the Father Isai 53.8 Who shall declare his generation 'T is not only ineffable not to be declared but unconceivable also The heart of man conceives it not neither can the tongue of men or Angels express it Aug. Inter illam generationem hanc processionem distinguere nescio non valeo non sufficio quia illa ista est ineffabilis that is to distinguish betwixt the Generation of God the Son and the Procession of God the Holy Ghost is impossible because both the one and other be for the manner thereof unspeakable 3. But thirdly Hoc autem interest saith Isidore Isid ibid. inter nascentem filium c. betwixt the Son of Gods generation and the Spirit of Gods procession there is this difference indeed That the Son is from the Father alone but the Holy Ghost is both from the Father and the Son procedens non genitus c. proceeding not begotten to distinguish him from the Son proceeding not unbegotten to distinguish him from the Father the which we are to observe lest contrary to the true Catholick Faith we should admit either of two Sons or two Fathers in the ever blessed Trinity or any way confound the several Persons therein as if they were not distinct each from other really
but the counsel of his own will for men are not wise vertuous charitable c. by necessity of Fate or by the influence of stars nor yet for any their merits or deserts but of Gods good pleasure by the influence of his holy Spirit who divideth to every man severally as he wil 1 Cor. 12.11 As he will under this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4 particulars are implied 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To whom what when and where he will in all these respects the influences of Gods Spirit are free The winde bloweth where it listeth so is every one that is born of the Sporit Joh. 3.8 But yet as the winde though it blow upon all places alike within its circuit yet are not all places alike aired and filled with the winde because all places are not alike capable of it so the holy Spirit distributes to every one his measure of gifts but yet not to all alike but to some more plentifully to others with a smaller scantling and this according as he findes the hearts of men more or less soft and plyable capable and enfitted to receive his impressions Ambr. In quo quis animum intendit in eo accipit donum according to the intention and pliableness of the minde to this or that study or imployment whether divine or moral accordingly so doth the holy Ghost communicate his gifts and blessings thereupon All these several workings of the Spirit though they be so numerous as that they cannot be easily reckoned up there being more points of this heavenly winde then there is in the Compass which is set and ordered by the winde which bloweth in the air yet unto two general heads they are all reducible 1. Graces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. Gifts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 There are two principal faculties of the reasonable soul the Vnderstanding and the Will Both which are naturally maimed by the fall of Adam ignorance and error invading the understanding disobedience and rebellion the will To rectifie this twofold disorder by nature the supernatural assistance of the holy Ghost is required who by his celestial Gifts illuminates and clears the understanding and by his holy Graces subdues the rebellion of the will and purifies the uncleanness of the affections The one more immediately relates to the service of God the other to the benefit of man For 1. By the Graces of Gods Spirit we are sanctified and enabled rightly to serve God And 2. By his Gifts we are qualified and enabled to edifie one another By the first we are made good Christians by the second we are made good and profitable Ministers Both of these are called Habits either because they make us habile and fit to discern and taste things divine and heavenly or 2. Because as Habits clothe and adorn the body so these divine Gifts and Graces do polish adorn and enrich the soul And these two kindes of the holy Spirits qualifications are represented unto us by those two types or figures of the Spirits descension upon the Apostles of Christ the one of the winde Act. 2.2 and the other of the fire vers 3. By the winde were represented those divine and celestial graces wherewithal the Apostles were endued and whereby the souls of men are air'd cleans'd and purified and so sanctified to the sacred service of God and by the fire was represented the gifts they were enriched withall for the enlightning of the mindes and enflaming the affections of others CHAP. III. Of the Graces of the holy Spirit THE first kinde of the holy Spirits impressions are his graces represented by the winde Joh. 3.8 The winde bloweth where it listeth and thou knowest not whence it comes nor whither it goeth so is every one that is born of the spirit As the winde being a pure sine thin subtil nature is invisible we perceive it not neither can we conceive whence it comes or whither it goes all the perception we have of the winde is by its effects and operations when it moves the air tosses the clouds shakes the trees raises the dust of the earth c. nay so active and subtil a thing is the winde that if it act not we say it is not when nothing is moved or stirred by the winde we say there is no winde so is every one that is born of the Spirit that is every one whose soul is animated and actuated by the graces of Gods Spirit For 1. the workings of the Spirit of grace within us are quick and insensible 't is unconceivable how and in what manner he works upon our hearts Only 2. we know him by his effects and workings as when he moves and enclines the soul to what is holy just and good or when he shakes the heart into contrition compunction and godly sorrow for sin or when he raiseth the minde out of the dust and rubbish of earthly vanities and mounts it upon the wings of heavenly desires and meditations c. And 3. as when we see no stirring no moving of the air but all is calm and still we say there is no winde so when there is no good motions or desires within us no inclinations to piety or charity no godly contrition for sin no rising of the minde towards heaven nor breathing after things divine and heavenly we may well say that soul is becalmed the Spirit of God is not there neither hath the heavenly winde of the Almighty breathed therein These graces of Gods Spirit represented by the winde are the very essentials the very life and being the very spirit and soul of true Christianity and are as necessary to the being of a good Christian in the life of grace as is the natural winde or breath of his Nosthrils to his being and living the life of nature therefore we are termed the Body of Christ Rom. 12.5 the soul that animates us being the grace of his Spirit and every man therefore that hath the name of Christ called upon him is but nominis Christiani extrinsecus superficies an empty outside superficial christian that is not in some measure endued with his graces To all persons it necessarily belongs to be partakers of them whether Pastor or people Lay or Clergy gifted or ungifted men whether we have the gifts of the Spirit or no we must not be destitute of his graces but upon all hearts this heavenly winde must blow to purifie and cleanse to air and dry up the superfluous naughtinesse of our natures that so our souls and bodies may be the temples of the holy Ghost 2 Cor. 6.16 even by the grace of Gods Spirit devoted and consecrated to the sacred service of his heavenly Majesty A Catalogue of these spiritual graces we have recorded Gal. 5.22 for they are the same which are there termed the fruits of the Spirit The fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith
from God he may fancy a call from above when it is only a noise in his own head or a deceitful eccho of his own heart therefore we must know this call from God to so high and honourable an Office as to be ordained for men in things pertaining to God is either extraordinary or ordinary the first beginning of a lasting necessity is extraordinary and 't is made ordinary in succession and by the lasting continuation of a fixed and determinate Ministry as Adam at the first was extraordinarily formed immediately created by God himself but all mankinde since ordinarily by the mediation of parents so the Apostles of Christ who received the first issues of Evangelical Ministry were extraordinarily called but all that have succeeded them have been admitted by an ordinary vocation because the succession is but of ordinary necessity now for any man to pretend an extraordinary calling and immediate from God without the Ministry of man is to pretend also to a new Gospel and new Revelations distinct from what Christ and his Apostles have delivered and such can be no other then the dictates of seducing spirits and doctrines of Devils and indeed such a pretence of immediate and extraordinary power and commission from above can in a fixed and setled Ministry by ordinary means have no other end and issue but to belie the Spirit of Truth and cousen the too credulous souls of the people when ever they have a minde to it nor is it any other but a meer pretence of folly to expect or relie upon an extraordinary calling or abilities by immediate infusion from heaven without the use of means as to the Ministerial Function since by ordinary and common means they may be supplyed for it is all one as if we should expect men to be created and by the hands of God immediately as Adam was at the first or being so formed to be fed and nourished with food from heaven without any care or industry for provision here upon earth CHAP. VI. Of ministerial Gifts ordinary and extraordinary THis call to the Ministerial Office under the Gospel both extraordinary in the Apostles and ordinary in their successors as it is in it self a grand inestimable gift of the Holy Ghost and the prime of them confer'd by our Lord in his triumph over our ghostly foes and victorious ascension into Heaven Ephes 4.11 for then he gave some to be Apostles some Prophets c. So it hath also other gifts of the Spirit attending as necessary contributaries to the accomplishment thereof that this gift may be compleated and fitted for the edification of the body of Christ Vers 12. through the work of the Ministry which proportionable to the two-fold calling are either extraordinary or ordinary also extraordinary they were even plentifull and miraculous in the persons of the Apostles viz. in such a measure and after such a manner as no mortal men could ever hope for since and very good reason there is that it should be so For the Apostles charge was much greater and their task more difficult then any mans either was or can be since They had all mankinde to instruct and principle in the doctrine of Christ the stiffe obdurate and incredulous Jewes to convert the fulnesse of the Gentiles to bring in both the rude Barbarians and learned Graecians to master and subdue The whole world was their Diocese the world sitting in darknesse and in the shadow of death devoted to the service of sin and Satan the Prince of darknesse Now to master and subdue the whole world and to turn all men from darknesse to light and from the power of Satan to the living God Act 26.18 required sure gifts and endowments more then ordinarily powerful and effectual even such as were extraordinary and miraculous and whereof none of their successors none that ever followed them since in the Ministerial Office could possibly hope to be partakers for all Ministers since have but an handfull of men in comparison to deal withall and these broken to their hands being born and brought up in the holy Christian Religion As therefore there is no need of any such extraordinary qualifications so neither do we the best of us do not dare not pretend either to such sublime and eminent gifts of the Spirit or to any such immediate and extraordinary infusion of spirituall gifts The spiritual gifts of the Apostles differ from those of their successors in two respects 1. In respect of the measure or extent of them 2. In respect of the manner of acquisition First for the measure the Apostles were filled with the holy Ghost Act. 2.4 filled as full as they could hold Act. 2.4 they were endued with as many eminent gifts for the execution of the Apostolical Function as they were capable of but we even the best and ablest of the Sons of men are not so full but they could hold much more their 's was a Baptism with the holy Ghost ours is at the best Act. 1.5 but a Rantism they were washed washed as it were all all over with the Spirit we but sprinkled with his gifts they had the anointing of the holy One more plentifully we in a smaller scantling they were anointed above far above all their fellowes and successors who received ordinarily but an Hin to their Epha Psal 133.2 Their Unction was like the Ointment poured upon the head that ran down to the beard and all others since but like the thin droppings upon the skirts of the garment And from hence we may observe with S. Hierome Scio me aliter habere Apestolos aliter reliquos tractatores illos semper vera diâ—…re istos ut hemines in quibuldam aberrare Hier. ad Theo. That the Apostles excelled all other Ministers in this respect also that they were so guided and directed by the holy Spirit of God that all truths and nothing but truth did at all times flow from them in the execution of their Function but all other Ministers must confesse in all humility that as men they have their failings and mistakes in one respect or other Secondly for the manner the Apostles were endued with their fulnesse of spiritual gifts miraculously their Inspiration did publickly and visibly appear to be by miracle and immediate from Heaven Act. 2. But we as we can pretend unto no such extraordinary gifts so neither do we pretend unto or depend upon any such extraordinary and immediate infusion of spiritual gifts but ordinarily in the use of means even by much study labour and industry in the waies of wisdome learning and knowledge we do acquire our qualifications according to the command of the Apostle to Timothy we study for them 2 Tim. 2.15 Study to shew thy self approved a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth 2 Tim. 2.15 and yet Timothy sure had less need to study for his gifts then any of us as having more of
clash together to the ruine of each other And 2. To inveigle men into conspiracies seditions and rebellions against their Governors The like may be observed of zeal for the conversion of a sinner and bringing souls into the obedience of Christ the more zealous and active diligent and industrious any man is herein with the more fire of Gods Spirit no question he is endued But withall observe that to be active and zealous to seduce and deceive to inveigle and draw men aside into false and erroneous opinions in Religion is not a heat cast forth from the fire of Gods Spirit but it ariseth rather from the fire of hell it comes from our adversary the Devil 1 Pet. 5.8 who also continually goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour And his Disciples they be and consequently in the same wofull state and condition with him who take pains to proselyte persons unto the waies of error and perdition Mat. 23.15 Wo unto you Scribes Pharisees and hypocrites for ye compasse Sea and land to make one Proselyte and when he is made ye make him twofold more the childe of hell then your selves 5. 'T is an impression of Gods Spirit on the minde of man to be apt and ready Mat. 18.15 active and forward to counsel advise admonish and in some cases and at some times to reprove one another Prov. 12,1 and tell men of their faults and He that hateth reproof is a fool but to rail and revile censure and judge and condemn our brethren and say it 's only a telling them of their faults and telling them what they are or to meddle with other mens matters that concern us not or to reprove other mens faults whilest our selves are guilty of greater these are no true parts of Christian fraternal admonition but false glosses that the Devil puts hereupon 1. To allure men to overlook and neglect themselves and the amendment of their own faults and amisses And 2. To dissolve the sacred bonds of amity peace and unity with others which are those ligaments and sinews of the body of the Church whereby good Christians are coupled and united and joyn together in the sacred service of God which is the way of their own salvation And as into erroneous opinions on the one hand so into sinful actions on the other are we allured and inveigled by the same subtil wile of Satan obtruding his false counterfeit coin of wickedness under the shew and semblance of the impressions of the Spirit of holiness gilding painting and setting out sinfulness and vice with the title shew and flourish of godliness and vertue thus covetousness on the one hand wears the painted mask and flourish of providence and good husbandry and prodigal profuseness on the other hand of noblenesse and generosity Thus riot and excess drunkenness and gluttony carry the fair flourishing titles of bountifulness good fellowship and freedome of spirit Thus wantonness and uncleanness are painted over with the specious terms of amorous kindness and Courtship and pride and haughtiness of magnanimity greatness of spirit superiority of rank I might instance in most of sins and vices how men are inveigled and cousened into them by the Devil under the shews and false glosses of pretended vertues For full well that subtil Serpent knows that there is nothing so beautiful and comely nothing that hath so much power to win upon the hearts and affections of men as vertue and holiness and therefore in their habits and attire doth he dress his deformed strumpet vices puts them in their colours and sends them forth under their names and titles and hence it comes to pass that the silly souls of men are so often cheated with the baneful poyson of sinfulness whilest vicious dispositions undiscernibly insinuate themselves into our affections under the attire and dress of vertuous qualifications 2 Cor. 11.24 But thus the Devil transforms himself into an Angel of light whilest baiting his suggestions either with counterfeit revelations on the one hand or with false glosses of spiritual graces on the other he entraps the souls of men in the snares of sinfulness and error and leads them captivity captive to his pit destruction CHAP. VIII Of the Spirit of Man and the Spirit of the World THere are two Familiars whereby the Devil doth ordinarily work and lay his secret and subtil snares to catch cousen and delude our souls thus into sinfulness and error and these are either 1. the spirit of man or 2. the spirit of the world The dictates and workings of both which kinde of spirits being stirr'd and quickned by the evil spirit diametrally oppose the impressions and workings of the Spirit of truth First that the dictates of mans spirit the conceptions of natural sense and carnall reason with private resolutions thereupon do oppose the working of Gods Spirit our Saviour himself teacheth Mat. 16.17 Mat. 16.17 Flesh and bloud hath not revealed this unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven So that flesh and bloud hath their Revelations that is private men have their opinions and conceits which oppose the truth that is revealed from heaven The same opposition of private resolution to holy inspiration doth St. Peter observe 2 Pet. 1. ult 2 Pet. 1. ult For prophesies of old time came not by the will of Man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost not as they were moved by their own private will wit judgement reason and resolution but as they were moved by the holy Ghost Et haec ideo dicuntur c. These things are therefore said by the Apostle Glos ord that no man should presume to interpret the holy Scripture after his own private minde or fancy as too often opposing and thwarting perverting and wresting the same and the meaning of the holy Ghost therein There were many such persons in S. Chrysostomes daies which saith he Chrys referente Juello in Apolog eccl Anglic boast of the holy Spirit but whilest they speak of their own they falsly boast to have the Spirit of God For saith he as Christ did deny that he spoke of himself when he spoke out of the Law and the Prophets even even so now if any thing besides the Gospel and this rightly understood be obtruded under the name of the Spirit 't is not to be believed For as Christ is the fulfilling of the Law and the Prophets so the holy Spirit is the fulfilling of the Gospel The Church of Christ hath in all ages been infested and in these last times more then ever with such kinde of persons who pretending to be holy men of God to have the Gift of prophesie and interpretation of Scripture even to speak by the holy Ghost and yet are led by their own ghost only following their own private will and desires imaginations and opinions as their only guide and dictator who pretend to the Spirt of God and yet will not
High-priests and Pharisees to take counsell against our Saviour to put him to death for say they If we let him alone all men will believe on him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Romans will come and take away our place and Nation Joh. 11.48 It was this spirit also that stirred up Demetrius the Silver-smith with the rest of the Crafts-men of the like occupation against St. Paul and his companions and the holy Christian Religion preached by them his Pretence was Religion such a kinde Religion as it was viz. Lest the Temple of the great goddesse Dianu should be nothing esteemed and her magnificence whom Asia and all the world worshipt should be destroyed but this Religion was blown by the winde of his own worldly ends his profit his gain which he got by making silver shrines for Diana was in danger to be lost and therefore it was now time for to stir not so much for the maintenance of her honour as his own profit Act. 19.27 Act. 19.27 And 't is this spirit of the world that possesses the greatest part of the world generally and for the most part men measure and square out their Religion by the rule of their profit or pleasure or preferment or credit and esteem amongst men or indeed at the best by the rule of self-preservation so far perhaps they will sail by the winde of Gods Spirit as the Sea of this world is calm peaceable pleasant and the navigation gainful or at least not chargeable but if any tempest arise any gusts of trouble or opposition against the truth blow in the face of its professors if any dammages or dangers pursue them in their course they presently tack about and will sail no longer by the heavenly winde of God but by the earthly winde of their own worldly ends and interests not by the winde which blows from heaven but by that which ariseth out of the caves and hollows of an earthly minde Jam. 1.6 2 Sam. 24.24 suffering themselves by this wind to be tossed to and fro and driven to be of this or that or any Religion that shall cost them nothing nothing of charge trouble or danger ebbing and flowing in this worlds vast sea as the tide either of prosperity or adversity danger or security makes for or against them But this surely is such a spirit as blows quite crosse and contrary to the spirit which guided and directed the Apostles for they finished their course over the troublous sea of this world to the celestial Canaan by sayling in all weathers encountring all oppositions and passing through all storms that met and opposed them In afflictions in necessities in distresses in stripes in prisons in tumults in labours by watchings by fastings c. 1 Cor. 6.4,5,6 1 Cor. 6,4,5,6 And yet in all these difficulties still faith the father Aug. The yoke of Christ is easie and his burthen light nay there is ease peace and comfort to the soul in the midst of all the troubles dangers wants or necessities that can in this life encounter us whilest the holy Ghost secretly by his comforts both cheers our spirits and fils the sails of our desires with the hopes of arriving safe in the end at the harbour of eternal peace and felicity CHAP. IX Of the Tryal of Spirits general 3 SInce then that grand malignant Spirit the enemy of our salvation working by these two Familiars mans own deceivable spirit and the spirit of the world doth thus many waies counterfeit poyson pervert and consequently obstruct impede and overthrow the workings of the Spirit of grace as an Antidote against this poyson of the serpent and that his countermines prevail not to the subversion of our souls we must make use of that friendly admonition of the Apostle never so necessary to be observed and practised as now 1 Joh. 4.1 Dearly beloved beleeve not every Spirit but try the spirits whether they be of God or no for many false Prophets are gone out into the world The admonition is twofold First negative Beleeve not every spirit Secondly positive Try the spirits and there is one general reason given for both because many false prophets are gone out into the world He then that shall be so credulous as to give heed to every one that pretends to the Spirit of truth and under that pretence treats of holy and spiritual things and shall not first by the rule of truth examine and try such things and persons shall be sure to have lies and errors obtruded upon him under the dresse and attire of Truth because there ever was and ever shall be by Gods permission and the Devils suggestion false Prophets or false Teachers in the world and yet as fair and great pretenders to the truth as the very true patrons and promoters thereof such there were ever in the Church of God both under the Law of old 2 Pet. 2.1 and under the Gospel anew 2 Pet. 2.1 But there were false Prophets also among the people even as there shall be false Teachers among you which privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that bought them and shall bring upon themselves swift destruction And 't were well if the poyson spread no further so that others were not infected therewith also but so nauseous is Truth to the mindes of men for its age and antiquity and so acceptable are Lies and Errors for their novelty that these false Teachers never fail of many disciples and followers so it followes vers 2. 2 Pet. 2 1. And many shall follow their destructions by whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of First then beleeve them not follow them not be not cousen'd by their fair pretences so as to be infected with their false doctrines 'T is our Saviours own command Mat. 24.23 Mat. 24.23 If any man shall say unto you Loe here is Christ or Loe there beleeve it not for there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders so that if it were possible they should deceive the very elect But that being forewarn'd ye may be arm'd against their delusions Behold I have told you before Wherefore if they shall say unto you Behold he is in the desert go not forth Behold he is in the secret places beleeve it not The same care and caution was commanded by God to his people under the Law Deut. 13 1. If there arise among you a Prophet or a Dreamer of dreams and give thee a sign or a wonder Vers 2. and the sign and the wonder which he hath told thee come to passe saying Let us go after other Gods which thou hast not known and let us serve them 3. Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of the Prophet or unto that Dreamer of dreams For the Lord your God proveth you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul From whence
four properties 1. 'T was Sudden 2. Vehement 3. From heaven 4. It filled the place where they were sitting All these are the properties of Gods Spirit whose motions and inspirations are First sudden and unexpected neither admitting of any delayes nor put-offs Ambr. For nescit tarda molimina Spiritus sancti gratia Secondly vehement for the conversion and quite turning over of the soul he blowes upon 2 Cor. 10.4 casting down of strong holds the fortifications of sin and Satan and bringing into subjection every thought that exalts it self Thirdly from heaven as being the Spirit of God who dwelleth in the heavens and to heaven-ward wings and raises the soul which he inspires Fourthly it filled the house where they were sitting ever tends to the good of the Church 1 Pet. 2.5 which is the houshold of faith This heavenly winde never blowes but for the good of Gods houshold therefore are his people called a spiritual house By the two first of these qualities 't will be a hard matter to distinguish a false spirit from the Spirit of truth For as it is ordinary and common to every winde to be both sudden and vehement so 't is common to every spirit also both true and false nay commonly false and faigned spirits are more violent and vehement and make a greater noise and stir in the world then the true Spirit doth and there is good reason for it for the false spirit wanting the native strength and genuine efficacy of the truth to support it flies therefore to force and violence earnest zeal and forwardness to bear up in the mindes and good opinions of the world For the tryal of spirits then according to this rule we must look upon the two other properties of this divine winde which are not ordinary and common and not natural to that winde which blowes in the air First it came from heaven Windes do not naturally come from heaven but out of the caves and hollowes of the earth or out of the middle region of the air neither do they blow desursum downwards as this winde did but laterally from one coast or climate to another but this winde came directly downwards and de coelo from heaven it self Secondly it filled the house where they were sitting and no house but that The winde naturally blowes upon all places alike within its circuit but this winde blew electively as it were and by discretion making choice of one place only to blow upon and no other so that in both these respects it is manifest it was a winde extraordinary and supernatural And by these two properties we may try and examine both the truth of our own and of the spirits of others If first those desires opinions and actions which relate to Religion be from above if the ground thereof be fetcht de coelo from heaven so that they tend to make us heavenly minded to wean our hearts from the world to elevate and raise up our affections to things above to form and frame our conversations towards heaven Col. 3.2 If secondly they keep us within the pale and limits of the Church if they tend to the general benefit edification profit and good of the houshold of faith and to the conversation of peace and love and unity amongst Christians we may then be confident it is the heavenly winde the divine breath of the Almighty the holy Spirit of God that inspires them But if otherwise these motions and opinions that seem religious be either first grounded upon earthly and worldly respects have their private aims and intentions either of ambition vain-glory and popular applause as in some or of worldly profit benefit and preferment as in others or of hatred malice revenge as in a third sort of men or if secondly they tend to divisions schisme separation debate variance malice hatred envie c. If either they smell rank of the world or taste of any fruits of the flesh recorded Gal. 5.19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are these adultery fornication c. Then this winde comes surely not from heaven there is nothing in it but what is either natural or worse suggested by the spirit of error 'T is either a revelation of flesh and bloud arising out of the caves and hollowes of an earthly minde or else it is inspired and blown from those regions of the air which are the habitation of unclean spirits 'T is not defluxus coeli a divine breath inspired from heaven but either exhalatio terrae a terrene exhalation drawn from the hollows of a corrupt heart or a blast from the spiritual powers of the air a suggestion of Satan And by this rule also every man may try himself whether he be truly sanctified by the Spirit of God or not He that shall find his soul possest with motions and desires weaned from all the pomps and vanities profits pleasures and cares of the world hungring and thirsting and breathing after heaven whose soul dwels more in heaven then on earth whose affections are set on things above and not on things below may be well assured of the Spirit of God dwelling in him For all such motions and desires are but sparks of that heavenly fire the flame whereof is mindful of its own original ever mounts the soul aloft works towards its own center and tends to the place from whence it comes To denote which ascending quality of the Spirit of Grace is one reason more why the holy Ghost is represented by fire Mat. 3.11 Because 't is the property of fire both flame and smoke to mount upward so 't is the property of every heavenly inspired soul to ascend both in contemplation and desires neither the more pure nor yet the more drossie part of the soul cleaves unto the dust and continually dwels below that is endued with power from above or with the Spirit of God And for the same reason amongst others also the holy Ghost is represented by water Joh. 7.38,39 because as 't is the property of water even against its own nature to ascend as high as is the place from whence it descends so even against the stream of natural corruption the soul is mounted to heaven by the influence of Gods spirit who cometh down from heaven And the wings which the holy Spirit hath for this ascension and flight are devout and fervent prayers divine and celestial meditations and desires CHAP. X. Of the means to obtain the true Spirit of God general 4 THE holy Spirit of God which in the shape of a dove the embleme of the Spirit of love descended upon Christ our Lord Mat. 3.16 and which afterward both visibly and publickly also came down from heaven Act. 2. and filled the Apostles of Christ extraordinarily and miraculously with his heavenly gifts and graces doth daily descend still upon the members of Christs mystical body though not in such a plentiful measure nor yet after such a visible miraculous manner
Not that any Angel presumed to be called by the name of the Lord or to be worshipped as God but to adde the greater weight and authority to the message he brought from the Lord the messenger was called by the name of the Lord that sent him 2. By Dreams as Numb 12.6 Is there a Prophet among you I the Lord will make my self known unto him in a vision and will speak unto him in a dream and Job 33.24 c. For God speaketh in a dream in the vision of the night then he openeth the ears of men and sealeth their instruction Quia anima clausis sonsibus exteriortbus ad recipiendam revelationem magis est apta quia tunc non est per occupationem sensuum exteriorum impedita Lyr. in Mat. 1. And the reason hereof is because when the outward senses are shut the inward soul is more apt to receive the impression of divine revelation being no way then hindred by the working of the exterior senses upon outward sensible objects Thus the Lord revealed himself to Jacob Gen. 28.12 To Daniel Chap. 7.1 To Joseph Mat. 2.13,19 3. By external representations and appearances when awake as Jer. 1.11,12,13 Ezek. 1.4 c. and this was accompanied sometime with the extasie and entrancing of the person who received such visions as Dan. 10.8,9 St. Paul was in an extasie when he was caught up into the third heaven so that he knew not for that time whether his soul was cloathed with humane flesh or separated from it 2 Cor. 12.2 4. By internal inspiration of the holy Ghost without any such extasie or abolition of sense as Job David and many others were inspired and yet we read not that they were extasied or entranced as 2 Pet. 1.21 Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy Ghost There is an ordinary moving by the holy Ghost for every good motion every spark of celestial fire whether for illumination or sanctification is from him And there is an extraordinary motion of the Spirit in the Prophets of the Old and Apostles of the New Testament 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were acted or carried by the holy Ghost and spake as they were thus incited by God And those under the New Testament were also honoured with this extraordinary manner of divine revelation upon whom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the holy Ghost fell Act. 10.44 and they spake with tongues and of whom 't is said by imposition of the Apostles hands they received the holy Ghost Act. 8.17 5. By Vrim and Thummim the one signifying light and the other perfection they were two ornaments in the High-priests breast-plate but how and after what manner they gave their answer is diversly delivered The learned Jewes say that the names of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and the twelve Patriarchs with this addition All these are the Tribes of Israel In which names and words all the letters of the Alphabet are contained And by the prominency and shining of those letters the answers were received and communicated to the people 6. By a voice from heaven called by the Hebrews Bath-col the daughter of a voice or the production of thunder and this was usually conveighed into the ears of the persons that heard it upon the wings of the winde as before is remembred to Adam Gen. 3.8 So also to Elias 1 King 19.11,12 To Christ Mat. 3.17 And his Apostles received the holy Ghost in a mighty rushing winde Act. 2. These were the divers waies of more immediate revelation of old which were not ordinary and common but at sundry times and upon special and extraordinary occasions either upon some great work of Judgement or mercy from God to his people or of repentance and new obedience from the people unto God All which waies of divine revelation are long since ceased in the Church of Christ as being furnished with sufficient means of instruction in righteousness and saving knowledge without any such manners of extraordinary revelation Ecc. polit l. 1. sect 14. for as the judicious Hocker observes Since God himself hath therefore revealed his will because men could not otherwise have known so much as is necessary his surceasing to speak unto the world since the publishing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the delivery of the same in writing is to us a manifest token that the way of salvation is now sufficiently opened and that we need no other means for our full instruction then God hath already furnished us withal There are 3. Reasons amongst others why God was pleased in such divers manners to reveal himself of old but in these last daies to surcease the use of any such revelations 1. Because the people of God had either 1. No Scripture at all as from Adam to Moses Or 2. The written Law only as from Moses to Samuel Or 3. The Lawes and the Prophets only as from Samuel to Christ but we have both Law and Gospel Prophets and Apostles the revelations of God both new and old sully and sufficiently delivering the will of God unto us 2. Gods people of old looked unto Christ for to come and waited for that light which was yet to be revealed but we believe in Christ already come and are made partakers of that true light which displayed from Christ the Sun of righteousness does fully discover unto us the waies of Gods service and of our own salvation so that it is as needless for us now to depend upon new revelations or set up new lights as to hold candles to the sun when it shines in its fulness of splendour 3. The Jewes being curious of knowing things to come and withall prone to Idolatry that therefore they might not have recourse to soothsayers and sorcerers nor run a whoring after Idols God frequently sent them Prophets extraordinary and then they had most such Prophets sent when they were most Idolatrous But now all idol-temples are broken down and their Oracles long since ceased so that there is no such danger among Christians of other Idolatry or Image-worship as that Idolatry which is too usual and common to worship the imaginations of their own hearts whereunto those of all others are most prone who most depend upon new revelations CHAP. III. Of an extasie natural and supernatural and the difference between Divine Extasies of old and Diabolical Entrancings and Inspirations 1. AS God is the fountain of Truth which is derived unto us by revelation from him so the Devil is the father of Falshood and lies which deduce their original from his secret and subtil inspirations And herein the Devil is Gods Ape cunningly following the same waies of seduction and deceit observed by God for the conveyance of his saving Truth So that where God has his Church the Devil hath his Chappel and where God has his true Prophets the Devil hath his false Prophets also And the several waies of Divine Revelation observed by the one are imitated by the other viz. by
notwithstanding that they were conversant with Christ all the while he continued preaching the Gospel upon earth daily heard his heavenly Doctrine as it distilled from his own mouth and saw the miracles he did for the confirmation thereof and though they were endued in some measure with the gifts and graces of the Spirit before his ascension For he breathed on them c. Luk. 24.45 He opened their understandings to understand the Scriptures yet all this was not thought sufficient to preach and open the mysteries of the Gospel to the world but they were forbidden to do it till they received additional gifts of learning and knowledge from above Luk. 24.49 Tarry you at Hierusalem till you be endued with power from on high Gloss ordin in Loc. Vt exemplum sequentibus daretur c. Giving example to all posterity that no weak and illiterate persons wanting the gifts of Tongues Arts c. presume to intermeddle with preaching or unfolding the mysteries of the Gospel 'T is recorded of the great St. Basil and Nazianzen Ruffin Lib. 2. cap. 9. that after their long studies in saecular learning they continued for the space of thirteen yeers together in a monastery giving themselves to the study of holy Scriptures the sense and meaning whereof they fetcht not out of their own heads but out of the writings and authority of the ancients to whom by succession from the Apostles the rule of right understanding the Scriptures was apparently known The order of divine wisdome and providence in the dispensation of holy truths to the world is worth our observation out of 1 Cor. 12.4,5,6 There are diversities of gifts but the same Spirit there are diversities of administrations but the same Lord and there are diversities of operations but the same God that worketh all in all From hence it is easie to observe that there must be gifts before administrations i. e. 1. A man must be qualified with gifts fit for every calling before he receive administration or be ordained to that calling 2. There must be administration before operation i. e. A man must be lawfully ordained to a calling before he work or labour therein So in the great calling of the Ministry the gifts of the Spirit must precede or go before before Letters of administration be taken And 2. a lawful ordination must be taken before operation or working therein And he that either 1. assumes this high and sacred function Bish Ands. serm in 1 Cor. 12.14 c. being not qualified with gifts contemns the Spirit from whom they come Or 2. He that labours in the word and Doctrine though he be gifted being not also lawfully ordained contemns the Lord from whom all administrations come and who hath instituted and commanded ordination thereunto Or 3. He that being both gifted and lawfully ordained is not industrious in this calling contemns God the Father of all operations who worketh all in all He that thinks any of these superfluous may as well question whether some one Person of the Trinity be not superfluous also even that Person from whom comes that part of the division which he slights and contemns As it is therefore in the order of the Trinity as the Father begets the Son and from the Father and the Son proceeds the holy Ghost So in this Division the gifts of the Spirit beget the Lords Administration or calling to the Ministry and both together produce the operation or labour therein which is the work of God and as no man comes to Christ but by the holy Ghost so no man comes lawfully to the calling but by the gifts and as no man comes to the Father but by the Son so no man comes to the work but by the calling CHAP. XIII The internal and divine qualifications of the soul as to the understanding of holy Scriptures 1. T Is confessed that all the external parts of humane learning already remembred though they be the gifts and blessings of Gods Spirit and necessary helps to the opening of the Letter and right understanding of the literal and genuine sense of Gods word yet are not in themselves alone sufficient to attain a true and throughly saving knowledge thereof except our souls be enricht as with the outward gifts so with inward graces of the holy Spirit also Truth and Holiness are the two inseparable constituent parts of spiritual wisdome and to understand the truth or true meaning of the Spirit of Truth in the word the Spirit of holiness must necessarily concur And this is most eloquently expressed Job 28. where after a most high and magnificent expression of the praises great price and value of true wisdome a view is taken of all the parts of the world where it might be found gold and silver iron and brasse all useful metals and precious stones have their places though secret designed them but where shall this rich pearl where shall wisdome be found and what is the place of understandings Vers 12. It is not found in the land of the living the depth saith It is not in me and the sea saith It is not in me Vers 14. It is hid from the eyes of all living and kept close from the fowls of the air vers 21. The most Eagly sighted Philosophers and wisemen of the world who have viewed the natures properties and causes of all things not in the earth alone but in the heavens also even the courses influences and operations of the Sun Moon and Stars have not yet attained true wisdome how then shall we finde it out it followes God knoweth the place thereof and he understandeth the way thereof vers 23. And he hath said Behold the fear of the Lord that is wisdome and to depart from evil is understanding briefly describing both the place of wisdome and the way thereunto even the way of piety and obedience And of that piety which is necessarily requisite to the understanding of holy Truth there are several species or particular parts which from the example of holy Bernard may be thus reckoned up Qui ut legeret intelligendi fecit cupiditas ut intelligeret oratio impetravit ut impetraret quid nisi vitae sanctitas promeruit His earnest desire of knowledge made him studious and industrious in reading his fervent prayers obtained the understanding of what he read and his holy life made his prayers effectual for the enlightning of his understanding and thus he must desire thus study thus pray and thus live who will attain that knowledge which shall make him wise to salvation 1. The first divine qualification of the soul requisite unto knowledge is the desire thereof The beginning of wisdome is the desire of instruction Wisd 6.17 Come unto me all ye that be desirous of me and fill your selves with my fruits Ecclesiasticus 24.19 and what is more authentick If thou seekest wisdome as silver and searchest for her as for hid treasure then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord and
Magn. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so neither must you do any thing without your Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but assemble together and have but one prayer common to you all A fifth branch of Schism followes upon these two last Festa ecclesiae rectè colum qui se filios ecclesiae esse cognoscunt Aug. de Tem. ser 253. which is to reject and profane those publique times of Gods service whether festival or fasting observed by the Church of Christ in all ages concerning which I shall only remember the words of S. Aug. They do rightly observe the festivals of the Church who acknowledge themselves to be faithful and loyal sons of the Church and not Schismatiques CHAP. IV. That Heresie and Schism are the mutual causes each of other AS Heresie and Schism like abortive twins are in many particulars coincident and cleave together like Jacob and Esau the one holding fast by the heel of the other so they are mutually the productive causes and cursed parents each of other For 1. Heretical errors in points of faith do easily produce a Schism and cause a separation amongst Christians in the use of the same Sacraments and of the same publique worship at the same time and place For difference in opinions breeds difference in affections and different affections produce divers societies and congregations and these according to their opposite opinions frame opposite forms and waies of divine worship So the Arrian Heresie brought forth a different doxologie in the Church the Orthodox Christians saying Glory be to the Father to the Son and to the holy Ghost And the Arrians Glory be to the Father by the Son in the Spirit 'T is the property of Heretiques as to depart from the faith so from the Congregation also Ex nobis prodierum sc ab unitate catholica recedentes Gloss interlin These are they that separate themselves Jude 19. So S. John also sets forth the waies of Heretiques They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us c. 1 Joh. 2.19 2. That Schism is the cause of Heresie is also manifest from the example of the Israelites who first were but Schismatiques in breaking communion with the Church of God at Hierusalem but presently after they became guilty of Heresie nay downright Idolatry worshipping the golden calves of Jeroboam Non vobis objicio nisi Schismatis crimen quod etiam haeresin male perseverando fecistis Ad. Don. Epist 164. erected in Dan and Bethel so the Donatists their crime at first was only Schism they separated themselves from the congregation of Christs flock under a pretence of more holinesse then the rest of their brethren but their perseverance in this Schism made them afterwards Heretiques as S. August in one of his Epistles cals them And in our own Church at home 't is too manifest that 't was Schism which first opened the gap whereat all those infectious Heresies which overspread us entred The breach of Communion in the use of publique prayers and participation of the Sacraments Ecclesia unitatem qui non tenet tenere se fidem credit Cyp. de unit eccl and submission to the Apostolical government of Episcopacy being followed with Heresies that subvert all government decency and order and the very Sacraments themselves Nor indeed can we imagine it should be otherwise if we consider it first 1. That Ecclesiastical government and authority discipline and order together with a publique Liturgie or form of prayer whereby all members of the same Church joyn in the worship of the same God as with one heart so with one voice That these I say are the mounds or hedges which keep out the wilde Boars of the Forrest from rooting up the Lords vineyard and the little Foxes from eating up the grapes thereof In respect whereof the Church which is the spouse of Christ is called an inclosed garden Cant 4.12 As therefore the breaking down of any garden wall laies it common and waste so the breach of these mounds by Schism and disobedience laies waste the Church makes it a wilderness and desert wherein bryers and thornes heresies and iniquities spring up and grow In respect therefore of the first viz. Ecclesiastical government He that will not hear the Church saith the Lord let him be unto thee as an heathen c. Mat. 18.17 And Heb. 13.17 Obey them that have the rule over you and submit your selves for they watch for your souls viz. To keep you free as from the pollution of sin so from the poyson of Heresie which are the two snares of the Devil wherein he also continually watcheth to entrap and devour the souls of men And in respect of the second A publique known form of Prayer it was ever conceived by the wise and learned Fathers of the Church That liberty for every man to vent in publique his own private conceptions if not first examined and approved did open a gap to all licentiousness in opinion for the proof whereof I shall only mention two testimonies The 1. is the 23. Canon of the third Councel of Carthage in these words Quascunque sibi preces aliquis describet non iis utatur nisi prius eas cum instructioribus fratribus contulerit no man may use any prayers which he hath made till first he hath consulted with his more learned brethren concerning them The 2. which is more apposite to our present purpose is the 12. Canon of the Milevitan Councel in these words Placuit ut preces quae probatae fuerint in concilio ab omnibus celebrentur nec alia omnino dicantur in ecclesia nisi quae à prudentioribus tractatae comprobatae in Synodo fuerint ne fortè aliquid contra fidem vel per ignorantiam vel per minus studium sit compositum It was decreed that the prayers which were approved in the Councel should be used by all and that no other should be said in the Church but those that had been weighed by the more prudent and approved in a Synod lest either through ignorance or negligence any thing should be said or framed against the true faith If then the wisdome of the Church determined that approved and set forms of prayer were necessary for the preservation of the true faith it must needs follow that the neglect and contempt hereof hath not been the least cause of so much depravation and corruption of the faith amongst us 2. That Schisms and breaches of publique communion are those gaps whereat Heresies do enter we must need acknowledge if we consider That the Devil who is the author of all Schism and division who is therefore so well known to the vulgar by his cloven foot is serpens lubricus a sly slippery insinuating serpent give him but the inch and he will quickly have the ell suffer him but to make a rent in the garment and he presently assailes the body
hath his secret workings and continual countermines opposing hereunto which evil spirit working also by the frail and deceivable spirit of man doth by many subtile wayes obscure corrupt poyson and belye the sacred qualifications of the Spirit of Truth nor doth the Devil that grand enemy of mans salvation in any kinde of way so much cousen and cheat the souls of men into ruine as by putting false glosses and counterfeit vizars on vices errors and distempers that so they may be mistaken for holy vertues and divine qualifications To instance in some particulars First It is a truth by the Spirit of God both foretold promised and performed That the actings and impressions of Gods Spirit upon the mindes of men are both more strong and frequent as also more general and common under the Gospel then they were under the Law That the gift of the Ministry it self is dilated being not limited to the single Tribe of Levi but all men of what quality soever have a title thereunto meaning Genera singulorum not singula generum that is men of all sorts and kindes not all of all kindes but hereupon to make void pull down and level with the undistinguisht multitude the high and solemn order and offices of the Priest-hood instituted by God himself both under the Law and under the Gospel for a people to snatch the Divine Oracles from the lips of the Priest and presume to teach their Teachers to invade the chair of Moses and offer incense with unhallowed censors for private persons to assume the publique administration of Ministerial Offices without a lawful Call and due Ordination thereunto though they may be otherwise qualified with knowledge and piety These are false glosses imposed upon the former truths by the Spirit of lies Tares sowed by the Enemy of mankinde amidst the purer wheat And that 1. To the high dishonour of God and profanation of all that is religious and sacred 2. To involve the Church of Christ and bury it in the rubbish of confusion and disorder 3. To take away those bounds and limits distinguishing Priest from people which all Nations Jewes and Gentiles all Ages of the Church both Ancient and Modern have kept firm and inviolable 4. To pull down heavy judgements upon the heads of all such sacrilegious Usurpers and Invaders of Divine Rites 2 Sam. 6 6,7 2 Chron. 16.16 c. 2. It is an impression of Gods Spirit upon the soul of man to wait and depend upon God for spiritual wisdome knowledge Prov. 3.5 c. and not to lean to our own understanding or trust too much to our own wit judgement reading learning Prov. 2.6 or the like as knowing full well That the Lord gives wisdome and from him cometh knowledge and understanding But hereupon either to despise or neglect those waies and means and helps which God in his merciful providence hath afforded us for to attain wisdome c. as the study of Tongues and Languages Arts and Sciences the reading and distinctly weighing the Discourses of the learned and to depend upon immediate Revelation and Infusion of such gifts from Heaven as if they should drop upon our barren hearts as did the Manna in the Wildernesse upon the Tents of Israel out of the clouds and by miracle this is a false gloss which the spirit of delusion puts upon the former truth thereby to inveigle us 1. To tempt the good Spirit of God 2. To be exposed and laid open to seducing spirits 3. To enshrine Lady Ignorance again as the Mother of Devotion which all men know but who are blinded with ignorance to be the Dam of superstitions errors and confusions 3. Rightly to beleeve in the Son of God as the mean of our justification here and ground of our hope of salvation hereafter this is an impression of Gods Spirit on the soul of man and in respect hereof we are said to have the Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 2 Cor. 4.13 We having the same spirit of faith according as it is written I beleeved therefore have I spoken faith as it is doctrinal being a spiritual gift and reckoned amongst them 1 Cor. 12.9 And as it is practical 1 Cor. 12 9. Gal. 5.22 being a grace or fruit of the Spirit and reckoned amongst them also Gal. 5.22 But now to mingle and divide and as it were to cut asunder this true Evangelical Faith as it stands full and intire in all its integral parts both of doctrine and practice so as to be vainly puft up with a conceit of being ingraffed into Christ and thereby to be justified here and sure of heaven hereafter whether we live according to the rule of Faith and in obedience unto the Gospel of Christ or no to define and measure our Faith not by the sacred acts thereof commanded which is called the righteousnesse of Faith Rom 10.6 but by our own too too credulous fancies and apprehensions as if it were no more to be in Christ but presumptuously to pretend unto it and impudently without just ground to believe it This surely cannot be that true Evangelical Faith whereunto so many promises are annext but a false glosse which the spirit of Error hath put thereupon thereby 1. To puffe up the hearts of too too credulous men with spiritual pride and presumption and make them swell with the empty conceit and airy fancy of their own happy and eminent state and condition when there is no such matter And 2. To inveigle men to neglect the use and practice of Christian graces those fruits of the Spirit which are as it is already said the very life and soul of Christianity and consequently the way to heaven if ever we mean to arrive there 4. It is an impression of Gods Spirit on the soul of man To be zealous for the Lord of Hosts 1 King 19.14 that is to be exceedingly fervent and forward earnest and desirous by all possible waies and means to advance the religious worship and service of God but to be so factious and forward so fiery and furious as by any illegal extravagant and disorderly means to advance the truth it self much lesse to set up any private opinions in relation to Gods Service which have not been semper ubique ab omnibus Vincent the three rules of Catholick Doctrine and Worship to be generally and for the most part of the Primitive times at least of all persons at all times and in all places received and not now and then here and there by hereticks and schismaticks only introduc'd I say to be zealous for such pieces of Religion Doctrine and Worship and that per fas nefásque through just or unjust means by right or by wrong to endevour the advancement thereof this is not true zeal but a false gloss which the Devil puts thereupon even through the violence of this distempered heat 1. To divide separate and break men into sects factions and parties that they might so
it is also further observable The reason why God suffers false Prophets to arise viz. for the probation and trial of our proficiency and integrity in the love and service of God for so saith the Father upon those words Aug. for the Lord your God proveth you to know whether ye love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul Tentat nos Dominus non ut sciat ipse quem nihil latet sed ut scire nos faciat quantum in ejus dilectione profecerimus God suffers us to be tempted tryed and proved by the lying wonders of false Prophets arising amongst us not that he himself may know what is in us to whom the hearts of all men are naked and bare but that we may thereby know our selves and our own proficiency and constancy to the principles of truth and integrity The very same reason is given by the Apostle for the necessity of heresies 1 Cor. 11.19 For there must be heresies among you that they which are approved among you may be known 1 Cor 11.19 Quolibet errore caecentur c. Aug. de civ Dei lib. 18. With what error soever our enemies are blinded or with what wickedness soever they are deprav'd 't is for the proof trial and exercise of the graces of Gods Spirit within us Have they received power to afflict persecute imprison c. 'T is for the trial of our patience in suffering and charity in loving our enemies and praying for our persecutors as becomes the Disciples of Christ Mat. 5.44 Mat. 5.44 Do they only by fair words and cunning speeches distil their false and poysonous Doctrines Gal. 6.1 'T is for the trial of our wisdome in resisting and beneficence in perswading and endevouring to restore them with the spirit of meeknesse proving whether God will give them repentance to the acknowledgement of the truth that they may escape the snare of the Devil of whom they are taken captive at his will 2 Tim. 2.25,26 2 Tim. 2.25,26 Secondly Try the spirits whether they be of God or no Try them how but by the revelations of the Spirit which is of God who being the Spirit of truth must necessarily therefore in all his qualifications and impressions be consentaneous and agreeable to himself Aug. Veritas veritati congrua one truth ever holds proportion with another nay all truths are as it were the images and resemblances one of another they are all links of the same golden chain which affixt to the throne of heaven displayes ' its radiant lustre unto the mindes of men upon earth They are all but streams flowing from one and the same fountain the God of truth There is nothing then that we are to receive for truth but what is consonant and agrees with the Spirit of truth which ever blessed Spirit speaking in the Word hath thereby prescribed and given us a sure and infallible rule of truth What the Apostle cals a being filled with the Spirit Eph. 5.18,19 he also cals the dwelling of the word of Christ in us richly which any one that will compare the places may perceive whence it is easie to observe that the Apostle means no other by being filled with the Spirit then to be full of the Word of Christ or to be mighty in the Scriptures and the reason is because the holy Spirit is not only the great Dictator of the Scriptures unto us but also our guide in several respects as to the right understanding of them rule 1 The first rule of trial then is the holy Word of God in general that 's the grand general rule that 's the great square or level according to which we are to try and examine the rectitude truth and integrity both of the doctrines and opinions of others without and also the impressions and workings of the Spirit within Gal. 1.8 Though we or an Angel from Heaven should preach unto you another Gospel besides that you have received let him be accursed Gal. 1.8 Though we preferring authority of the Gospel they had preached before their own authority the Preachers thereof nay before the authority of celestial spirits Though an Angel from Heaven c. He saw saith the Father Aug. that it might so come to passe that Satan transforming himself into an angel of light and working by his mediators and instruments those deceitful workers who transform themselves into the Apostles of Christ 2 Cor. 11,13,14 might so cousen and deceive them if they did not keep close to the Gospel received which is the true rule of faith therefore he saith another Gospel besides c. praeter any thing that is besides that holds not square and is not level to that rule Qui praetergreditur fidei regulam non procedit in via sed recedit à via he that goes besides and not according to the rule of faith goes not forward in the way but backward from the way of truth so 1 Joh. 4.8 We are of God speaking of himself and the rest of his fellow Apostles He that knoweth God heareth us acquiescendo doctrinae nostrae cleaves to our doctrine Lyra. and he that is not of God heareth us not neither is obedient to our word And hereby know we the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error q. d. He that cleaves to our doctrine is guided by the Spirit of truth and he that doth not so by the spirit of error But the spirit of error will come with his scriptum est likewise as he did against our Lord himself Mat. 4. And all hereticks and schismaticks do generally alledge Scriptures and wrest the very sayings of the Spirit of truth against himself to insinuate thereby their lies and errors For as Tertullian observes of the writings of Ovid Virgil Homer both the matter of them hath been transferr'd unto other uses and the verses applyed to other matter Even so do hereticks deal with the holy writings of inspired men De Praeser adv Haer. cap. 39. Nec periclitor dicere c. I fear not to say that the Scriptures were so disposed by the wisdome of God that they might accidentaliter and by the by even administer matter to Heresies since I read that heresies must come and without the Scriptures they cannot come For 't is in the production of heresies as of natural things Corruptio unius est generatio alterius the corruption of truth is the generation of heresie all heretical opinions being generally grounded upon and flowing from the fountain of truth the Scripture not as they are in themselves rightly interpreted and understood but as they are wrested and perverted either in the words or in the sense either by additions or diminutions or by not considering them together but divided into parts and taken up by shreds and pieces for the avoiding whereof these following rules must be observed in the trial of spirits by the Scriptures rule 1 First try and examine by
from the false collections which Euthusiastical persons gather from them two things must be explained 1. What is meant by Christ being in us 2. What by the Spirit which he hath given us For the 1. By Christ being and abiding in us is meant that communion which all faithful souls have with Christ whereby they derive from Christ as branches from the vine the sap of nourishment and growth in Grace and obedience here unto the hopes of eternal Glory hereafter Joh. 15.4,5 Abide in me and I in you as the branch cannot bear fruit of it self except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in me I am the vine and ye are the branches c. But this mutual inhabitation of Christ in us and we in Christ is not * Nostra ipsius conjunctio nec miscet personas nec unit substantias sed affectus consociat confoederat voluntates Cypr. de coen dom saith the Father a mixture of his person with ours nor of his substance with our substance for so the blasphemous conceit of being equal with Christ must needs follow but 't is the consociation of our affections and confederation of our wils with the holy desires and blessed will of our Lord And thus Christ abideth in us by our obedience to his doctrine and conformity to his example both in the affections of our hearts and the actions of our life therefore he saith Joh. 15.7 If ye abide in me and my words abide in you c. and vers 10. If ye keep my commandements ye shall abide in my love even as I have kept my Fathers commandements and abide in his love In like manner the being of the holy Spirit in us is not to be understood of his personal being but of the being of his graces in our hearts which render us of such a gracious and holy disposition of Spirit as makes us obedient to the will and conformable to the Spirit of Christ who is not only our Lawgiver but also the exact pattern of perfect obedience to the Lawes he hath given us so Phil. 2.5 Let the same minde be in you which was also in Christ Jesus What to be equal with God as some blasphemous Enthusiasts have perverted the text No but the same gracious temper of minde or spirit even the same humility and obedience to the will of God both in life and death so it followes who being in the form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God yet made himself of no reputation and humbled himself and became obedient unto death And whosoever by the influence of Gods holy Spirit hath this gracious temper of minde or Spirit wrought in him may be assured that Christ dwelleth in him by his Spirit which he hath given him which makes him conformable to the minde or Spirit of Christ who is as the fountain so the exemplar of all gracious perfections And this is also the meaning of that other perverted text 1 Cor. 6.17 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit not that he hath the same essential Spirit with the Lord but being by the mystical bands of holy faith joyned unto him by the influence of his Spirit he becomes to be a man of the same Spirit viz. of love meeknesse gentleness goodness holiness patience humility obedience which were graces of the Spirit most eminent in Christ and must be in us also according to our model 2 Cor. 13.5 and measure of reception if we be truly his Disciples That other text alledged by the same purpose 2 Cor. 13.5 Know you not your selves that Jesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates is more generally misunderstood for the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not so rightly rendred in English in you as among you and the meaning is that Christ in his holy Gospel was so evidently present amongst these Corinthians by S. Paul's powerful preaching and the miracles he wrought that if they did not acknowledge it and beleeve in him they must be such senseless obdurate persons as were uncapable of a true saving faith From 1 Cor. 13.11,12 1 Cor. 13.11,12 When I was a childe I spake as a childe I understood as a childe I thought as a childe but when I became a man I put away childish things now we see through a glasse darkly but then face to face 'T is alledged That Scripture and ordinances are useful only in our minority whilest we are babes in Christ but these as childish things must be laid aside when we are grown up to be perfect men and if we will see clearly we must throw away the glasse of the word and ordinances and have our inspection into the things of God more immediately and nearly even by immediate Revelation answer In these words not the different degrees of Grace in this life but the different condition of the state of grace and of glory are compared together being not here taught who have need of the glasse of holy Scriptures and who not but what the best and most perfect of us are in this life in respect of what we shall be in the life to come here we see the things of God through the glasse of his word works sacraments but hereafter more immediately and fully not by way of species image and representation as through a glasse but in a full view face to face Here that we may be united unto God we must use the mediation of Faith Hope and Charity vers 13. Vers 13. Now abideth Faith but hereafter our faith shall be changed into vision our Hope into fruition and only Charity shall remain which being now but a spark shall increase then into a flame which shall never die but burn for ever In the mean time we must make use of those prospectives God hath graciously lent us through which his goodnesse power wisdome are represented to us and if we throw away this glasse or neglect the waies and means of grace and salvation which God hath ordained we must expect either to see nothing at all or nothing but what are the dreams and fond imaginations of means hearts or what is worse the delusions and destructive suggestions of Satan the Prince of darkness The like objection is made from 2 Pet. 1.19 2 Pet. 1.9 We have also a more sure word of prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed as unto a light that shineth in a dark place untill the day dawn and the day-star arise in your hearts From whence 't is alleadged that the Word of God and his Ordinances are only useful until we get possession of Christ into our hearts and then they are of no further use because Christ by immediate Revelation is all in all to them in whom he abideth answer These words if the context be considered make more against immediate Revelation then any way can be pretended for it for this sure word of prophesie whether it
the Spirit in the word Joh. 1.9 Joh. 1.9 That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world From whence 't is urged That every man hath a light within him displayed from Christ the true light of the world whereunto if he give heed he shall not need any outward illuminations or instructions from men for this is the work of Christ himself and himself hath sufficiently done it answer 'T is with all reverence and thankfulness acknowledged that Christ is the fountain of every perfect illumination whether natural spiritual or eternal But yet the words are not so to be understood as if every man saith the Father Non quia nullus est hominum qui non tlluminatur sed quia insi ab ipso nullus illuminatur Aug. were truly and fully enlightned immediately by Christ himself but that no man is enlightned but by him Sicut nemo à seipso esse sic aemo à sâ—…pso sapiens esse potest Beda For as no man can be so no man can be wise or holy from himself but from Christ But as it is in the effusion of the natural light of the world there is Lux lumen and luminare There is 1. the light it self 2. The medium that receives it 3. The splendid bodies from whence 't is displaid so it is in the spiritual light of the Church There is 1. Lux the true light it self and this is Christ 2. Lumen the medium whereby our souls are enlightned by Christ and this is a lively faith such a faith as is both doctrinal and practical Joh. 12.46 I am come a light into the world that whosoever beleeveth on me should not abide in darknesse 3. Luminaria the luminaries or personal lights by whose Ministery this light is imparted And these are the Apostles and Ministers of Christ in all ages to whom our Lord saith Ye are the light of the world Mat. 5.14 So that as every man is enlightned by Christ primarily and originally so by his Ministers also secondarily and instrumentally they are the earthen vessels that carry this heavenly treasure The Luminaries that convey unto others that light of Grace and Truth which from Christ they have received even as the Sun the Moon and the Stars are the conveyances of that material light which had its being before them And what the Psalmist speaks of the diffusion of the light of the heavens over the face of the whole earth Psal 19.4 is applyed by the Apostle to the Preachers of the Gospel Rom. 10.18 Their sound is gone out into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world And for the more full understanding of this text 't is worthy observation that the words may as well if not more properly be rendred thus in English He is the true light who coming into the world lighteth every man applying as Grotius notes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this is most agreeable with the context for it immediately followes He is in the world and as long as I am in the world I am the light thereof Joh. 9.5 And this was Christs principal errand into the world to give light to them that sit in darkness c. Luk. 1.79 1 Cor. 14.30 1 Cor. 14.30 But if any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his peace whence 't is alledged that the people are capable of Revelations from heaven and may thereupon interrupt and silence the Preacher that their Revelations may be heard answer 'T is most true that every Preacher of the Gospel must yeeld all obedience to a divine Revelation and keep silence when God himself speaks by the mediate ministery of man or Angel but that no such immediate Revelation can be meant in this text is clear from the context the words immediately before are these Let the Prophets speak two or three and let the others judge whereupon it followes if any thing be revealed not immediately from heaven surely for that is not liable to humane judgement but as 't is vers 26. If any man hath a Revelation i. e. the gift of revealing or opening some Gospel Truth which is hid under the veile of some type figure or mystical expression in the Law For Evangelium est velatum in lege lex est revelat a in Evangelio i. e. The Law is but the veiled Gospel and the Gospel the revealed Law and he hath the gift or Spirit of Revelation not who brings in new Revelations which under a dismal curse is forbidden but who can reveal and open the old who can pull the veile off Moses face who can open the Law with the Gospel key and finde Christ and the mysteries of salvation under the types and dark expressions of the Law and the Prophets And this is that which is also meant by the Spirit of Revelation Eph. 1.17 and may serve to clear that text also from the like false collection thence Eph. 1.17 Only we may again remember herewithall for the clearing of both these and all other texts alledged to the same purpose that this gift of Revelation was extraordinarily and by more immediate inspiration communicated to the Apostles and first preachers of the Gospel and therefore 't is called The spirit of Revelation which no Enthusiast without sacriledge can now pretend unto no more then he may to the gifts of Tongues miracles c. All which were peculiar to those primitive times being then necessary for that first planting of the Gospel and working of faith in the hearts of the hearers but are now and have long since ceased as being no further useful since the Gospel is planted and wee all professe to believe the same So that what the Father said of Miracles the same is true of the gifts of Tongues of Wisdome Revelation and all extraordinary and immediate inspirations of the holy Ghost This were necessary before the world believed even to this end that the world might believe But he that now looks for such grounds of his faith as are extraordinary and miraculous is himself a miracle because he believes not with the rest of the world of Beleevers Miracula necessaria fuere priusquam crederet mundus ad hoc ut mundus crederet Quisquis adhuc prodigia ut credat inquirit magnum est ipse prodigium qui mundo credente non credit Aug. Other texts alledged for the proof of immediate inspiration are such wherein the inhabitation of Christ and his Spirit and our communion with them is expressed And Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of him Rom. 8.9 And 1 Joh. 3.6 Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not And vers 24. Hereby know we that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us Rightly to understand which texts and the like expressions in all other texts and to free them