and seeing also according to Scripture the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost are this One only most High and Supream Infinite Being or Godhead It must needs be confessed That this Divine Spirit in the Saints that hath its measures higher and lower is not the Godhead of either the Father the Son or the Holy Spirit but the Mediatory Spirit of the Son as above-mentioned in which the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit dwelleth as in a most glorious Temple or place of Habitation called in Hebrew Schechina i. e. Tabernacle And because the Godhead of Christ and the Holy Ghost dwelleth in the same whose Godhead is the same with the Godhead of the Father most immediately therefore it is that it receiveth and beareth frequently the Name of the Son and also of Holy Ghost and is called the Spirit of the Father and also the Spirit of the Son But it is not to be supposed or thought that this Middle Being is more immediately near to us than the Godhead as with respect to God's Essence or Being for that doth most intimately or immediately penetrate all things and is most immediately present in all things but with respect of Manifestation and Revelation that infinite Being of the Godhead is such that no created understanding or mind of Men or Angels can see or behold his glory therefore He is said to be such in Scripture whom no eye hath seen or can see and dwelling in the Light which none can approach unto for no man hath seen God at any time to wit as He is in Himself but the only begotten Son of God who dwelleth in his bosome hath declared him who is the Image of the invisible God the brightness of his glory and the express Image or Character of his Substance And seeing both the Scriptures Testimony and the Saints experience doth prove that somewhat really divine by way of influence and emanation doth come into the Souls and Hearts of the Saints from above even from the glorified Man Christ Jesus that is glorified in Heaven called in Scripture Grace Life Light Spirit Power Vertue and is compared to Rain Dew Water Wine Oyl Milk Honey and is called Metaphorically by these Names It is certain this Divine Being and Substance that doth so descend from Christ in Heaven into the souls of men here on earth must needs be some Middle Nature betwixt God and us for the Godhead of Christ and of the Holy Ghost which is one and the same Godhead with the Father filleth all places and is in all places and so cannot ascend or descend or move from one place to another therefore that divine vertue and influence of Light Life and Grace that descendeth and floweth down from above out of the fullness that dwelleth in the glorified Man Christ Jesus is not the Godhead but some Middle Being called by some Vehiculum Dei i. e. the Vehicle or Chariot of God that is a real substance and no accident or bare quality seeing according to the best and truest Rules of Philosophy Accidens non migrat de subjecto in subjectum Accidents do not move from one subject to another And if Grace were a spiritual Accident or Quality it could not be taken from one and given to another as the slothful Servant's Talent was taken from him and given to him that had ten Talents VII There is another great error held by many called Professors of Philosophy both among Papists and Protestants viz. That the Souls of pious and holy men have no higher Faculties or Powers but such as are Rational or discursive whereby the Reason or rational Faculty of man's Soul draweth conclusions from certain Premisses the which Premisses are either the conclusions of other Premisses hanging together like the Links of a Chain or some Maxims or first Principles of the Humane Understanding But many such Maxims called first Principles are false and unsound Notions from which must needs proceed false and unsound Conclusions and with such that called Natural Philosophy doth abound But some of the Antient Philosophers as the Platonists and particularly Plotinus did hold That there was in the soul of man a power or faculty above that which is discursive whereby being assisted by the Divine Light it could erect or elevate it self into God and be joyned to him he appearing to the Soul having neither Form nor any Idea or similitude as Porphirius relateth of Plotinus that so it happened frequently to him and once so to Porphirius himself the which high attainment and experience they declared came to be witnessed by the Souls passing through certain degrees of purification illumination and abstraction from all worldly things and fleshly desires and affections yea and by the Souls being raised above all its natural powers and faculties of Imagination or Ratiocination and the actings thereof to contemplate God alone and be joyned to him by this one higher power of the Soul which Plotinus the Platonick Philosopher doth so distinguish from Reason that he calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. greater than Reason and before Reason Ennead 6. lib 9. cap. 10. The which divine enjoyment he calleth a silent touch of the Soul whereby it toucheth God cap 9. and whereby the Soul retiring it self from all multiplicity as if a large circle did contract its Rays and Circumference to a small Point or center into unity becometh one and joyneth Center to Center viz. the Soul's Center to God its Center and this he calleth the fleet or flight of the one to the one cap. 11. By which it appeareth how much more dark and ignorant the late Schoolmen and Professors of Philosophy are than these ancient Plaronick Philosophers were who professed such a divine attainment fruition and enjoyment of God not only without all Words and external Objects but even without all internal Form Idea or Image of any worldly thing which so high attainment of divine knowledge must needs be granted by all intelligent men to have proceeded from some real degree of internal divine revelation and inspiration a thing so much generally now opposed and by none more than by them that are reputed great Scholars and Philosophers But whether these above mentioned Platonick Philosophers who did soar more aloft in an High Profession of divine knowledge than all other Sects of them called Philosophers did really experience and enjoy what they did profess I think it not propor in this place much to dispute I shall only at present freely declare my Judgment That I think it is very probable that at times when it was best with them they might have had some divine touch taste and relish of a real divine enjoyment But it was not permanent nor abiding with them for had it been so it would no doubt have brought them further than they arrived and would have cleared and freed their Minds of those gross errors that generally they were clouded and entangled with even the best of them for the best of them
drinking in bad Principles from his childish years which are not easily drove out after they have once got entrance will no doubt be more easily and readily inclined to embrace Error than Truth tho no mans mind or understanding embraceth any Error as Error but under a notion or supposition that it is Truth even as the VVill embraceth no evil as evil but as having some seeming appearance of good beside that the mind of man unless it be govern'd by the divine principle of Truth within it self is but too fruitful to bring forth the like Errors as others have formerly done as the Earth it self that is not well and carefully cultivated bp the Husbandman will be fruitful enough to bring forth Bryars and Thorns and hurtful Weeds And notwithstanding that some have objected against me That the Human Learning I received at the University in Arts and Sciences and Languages and that called Philosophy hath enabled me to dispute and contend for and otherways to hold forth both by word of mouth and by writing certain principles of Christian Doctrine as so believed by me and as if I gloried in my Abilities and furnishing of human Learning of such Arts Sciences Languages and that all d Philosophy as I had acquir'd in my younger years and trusted greatly or chiefly to that seeking to get a Name or Applause thereby among men I can and do with great freedom and clearness of mind declare That such who so judge of me do greatly judg amiss my Trust is in the Lord alone and my dependance is wholly and only upon him and hath been to receive of his Divine Wisdom and Power from day to day to strengthen and enable me in that work and service he hath called me unto even to bear Testimony to the great Truths of the Christian Faith and Doctrine and my knowledg and understanding I have in Christian Doctrine and Principles I have received from the spirit of Truth that hath opened my understanding to understand them and not from Natural Arts and Sciences and Languages and that called Philosophy which since ever I knew the Truth as it is in Jesus I never have magnified or highly esteemed nor valued my self upon that sort of Learning for I have abundantly seen to the Insufficiency of it to qualifie any man to be a true Preacher or Teacher of Divine Things or to be a true Minister of Christ Jesus whatever subservient use the True and Genuine part of human Learning may have to a Minister of Christ in subordination to the divine grace and gift of God the spurious and adulterate part of it having long since been rejected by me so far as it hath beeh discovered unto me And for such who through a prejudice in them against the many precious Things of the Truth of Christ that his divine light and spirit hath opened unto me and continueth still more and more to open unto me and enable me to bring forth either by word or writing are realy in their Ignorance to say as some have said These things are but the effects and product of Arts and Sciences human Learning and Philosophy They but too much manifest their want of a True savour and spiritual discerning whatever high pretences they make of it who thus unjustly and unchristianly judg of me and are of the Number of them Isa 5. that call light darkness good evil and sweet bitter while they are but too ready to call that which is darkness in themselves light and evil good and bitter sweet and so they have need to fear the woe that is pronounc'd against such as so do yet many have a better sense and savour of my Christian Testimony But to convince such if there be any room left for their conviction That the manner of Doctrine and Principles held forth by me is not from nor after the worldly Philosophy which is but worldly Rudimentss and human Traditions but from and after Christ as his holy spirit hath taught me and enlightned me and hath opened the holy Scriptures unto me is the design of this small Treatise whereby they may perceive that I am so far from deriving my Ability from that called the Philosophy of either Platonists Stoicks or Peripateticks or any others Ancient or modern of worldly minded Professors and Students that I have very plainly contradicted them and showed wherein many of their great Principles and Conclusions in that called their Philosophy do contradict the holy Christian Faith and Doctrine and upon a due examination they who seek to brand me with dangerous and hurtful Opinions of Philosophy will rather be found guilty themselves in that particular THE Arraignment of Worldly Philosophy c. Colos 2. 8. Beware lest any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit after the Tradition of Men after the Rudiments of the World and not after Christ IT is very evident out of these Words of the Apostle Paul what that Philosophy is that he cautioneth the Colossians against to wit that which is after the Tradition of Men after the Rudiments and Elements of the World and not after Christ and which in the following words of this same Chapter he calleth the Commandments and Doctrines of Men and having a shew of Wisdom in will-worship and voluntary humility and worshipping of Angels v. 18. 23. and in v. 20. he calleth it a dogmatising the words in our English Translation why are ye subject to Ordinances are more duly translated why dogmatize ye or why are ye dogmatized That is subjected to mens Opinions and Doctrines that tend to overthrow and destroy your Faith such as many of the Opinions and Doctrines of them were that professed themselves to be Philosophers at that time Some of the particular Errors and hurtful Doctrines of these Philosophers he doth particularly mention as 1. the worshipping of Angels 2. a self-will'd Humility 3. the neglecting the body 4. abstaining from meats so as neither to touch taste nor handle them for some of the Philosophers of that time did forbid the use of certain meats and particularly of flesh as being hurtful to the study of Philosophy But the true Christian Faith and Doctrine taught by Christ and the Apostles alloweth the sober and moderate use of all meats that are not in themselves unwholesome to the body as some are Also he describeth the Effects of this vain and hurtful Philosophy of the Gentiles 1. It made them intrude into things not seen 2. It made them vain and puffed up the fleshly mind 3. It led from the Head Christ and from Faith in him But as Paul here cautioneth and giveth warning against the worldly Philosophy or wisdom of the Gentile Philosophers so he exalteth and commandeth the true Wisdom that is after Christ and setteth the one in opposition to the other the one being after the Traditions of Men and Rudiments or Elements of the World the other being after Christ in whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge v.
can extend their Vertue as by Rays and Beams to the Saints upon Earth and no doubt but his Mediatory Spirit and Life doth extend it self into our souls But this is no proof that Christ's Body is every where where God is for so to affirm is a grosser error than that of the Popish Transubstantiation for the Popish Doctrine only teacheth a Transubstantiation of one body into another viz. of the body and substance of bread into Christ's Body but this teacheth the Transubstantiation of Christ's body into the Godhead which is most unreasonable as well as most contrary to Scripture and is a reviving of the Old Eutychian Heresie condemned and that most justly by ancient Christians many Hundred Years ago V. A 5th gross error held in common both by Papists and many call'd Protestants is That in the daily generation and corruption of bodies as when flesh or wood is consumed with fire the body of flesh or wood is substantially changed the former substantial form so called by them ceasing to be that was formerly in the flesh or wood and a new substantial form in the Fire or smoak and ashes being newly produced And accordingly they most falsly teach That the elements of fire air water and earth differ substantially in their substantial and essential forms and that a gross body cannot be changed into a spiritual and subtile body but that there must be a change of the substance Whence it is that Papists generally and too many call'd Protestants have such gross and carnal conceptions of the Resurrection-bodies of the Saints that shall be raised at the last day imagining they must be raised with gross flesh blood and bones as they now have otherwise they should not be the same bodies in substance as now they are Whereas the plain truth is that bodies can undergo great changes even the greatest that are possible from gross to be exceeding spiritual and subtile without any substantial change being only changed in accidental forms and modes but remaining the same in substance as when the Water was miraculously changed by Christ into Wine here was no Transubstantiation or change of the bodily substance but only a Transformation or change of the accidental forms and modes of the Water into new accidental forms and modes of Wine VI. A 6th gross error common generally both to Papists and many called Protestants in that called by them Philosophy is that many things which are real substances they hold them to be but accidents or accidental qualities as the light or influence of the Sun or of common fire they hold to be nothing but accidental qualities also the Emanations that commonly flow from Stones Minerals Metals Herbs and Animals causing sympathy and antipathy some whereof are more manifest that affect our gross senses of smelling tasting and feeling others more hidden and occult as that of the Loadstone that draweth Iron to it they hold them to be accidental qualities having no real substance Whereas the more true and sincere Philosophy teacheth that these things are real substances being either the Emission or Outflowings commonly called effluvia of the more subtile and spiritual parts of these bodies whence they come forth and proceed from or the Rays and Beams of some Spirits that may be lodged in them And on this error they build divers absurd errors in that called their Divinity both in relation to the bodies and souls of men as first in relation to the body The vertue that went forth from our blessed Lord's Person that healed the woman of her bloody Issue they hold not to be any substance but only an accident or quality And next in relation to the souls of men that divine vertue of grace light and life that cometh from Christ into the souls of men the Schoolmen commonly both among Papists and Protestants some excepted of Protestants who are more understanding hold That it is no substance but an accident or quality which otherways they call Habit and they commonly define the Grace of God in the souls of the Saints to be no substance but an infused supernatural habit and the vertues and fruits of the Spirit as Faith Hope Love c. they call supernatural and infused habits and qualities that are in themselves of a perishing Nature And the seed of God in the Saints they do not hold to be any substance but a quality or infused habit And the great occasion of this their Error That Grace is no substance but an accident viz. habit or quality which Aristotle placeth among the Predicaments of Accidents proceedeth from this That whereas they observe the Scripture distinguisheth betwixt Christ and the Grace of Christ as also betwixt God and the Grace of God and betwixt the Holy Ghost and that Divine influence that cometh from him into mens souls from thence they infer That seeing that seed or influence of God's Grace is not the Godhead it must be some accident habit or quality infused in the soul by God there being as they suppose no middle being of a middle Nature betwixt God and the souls of men but in this they are greatly mistaken for there is a middle being betwixt the Godhead and the souls of men which is that Mediatory Spirit and Divine Nature of Christ as he was the Heavenly Man Mediator Head and High Priest and Husband of his Church from the beginning of the World the which Mediatory Spirit of Christ dwells in all fulness in the Person of our blessed Lord that was born of the Virgin Mary who suffered death for our sins and rose again and is ascended into Heaven and still dwelleth in him and of his fulness we all receive our several measures as John hath declared John 1. and as Paul likewise hath said Eph. 4. 7. To every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ And tho the various measures of this Mediatory Spirit of Christ are not dividable nor separable one from another but most inseparably united yet a real distinction may and ought to be allowed as betwixt the Rays and beams of the Sun that are inseparably united one with another and all with the Body of the Sun yet one Ray is not another but have a real distinction so the particular measure of the Gift of Christ called by several Names and Denominations as Grace Truth Light and Life c. that is in one of the Saints is not the same particular and numerical measure that is in another And as we are taught not only by express words of Scripture but by the Saints experience that there are greater and lesser higher and lower measures of this Divine Mediatory Spirit Life and Nature and Divine Light this doth sufficiently prove that it is not the Godhead or Supream Infinite Being called in Hebrew Ensoph for there is nothing in the Supreme Being that can be called greater or lesser higher or lower seeing every thing in God is most infinitely and supreamly High and Great