him and his Spirit be our Rule to know this he must not be limited to Silence or to a being mute from immediately teaching those who are confessed to be made one Spirit with him And what gross Ignorance is it to limit God's Teaching or Saving Illumination to a Mediate or Instrumental Way of Man's Teaching as this Man doth in his denying an Immediate Way of Saving Illumination p. 47. which is all one as if he should tell us that though God dwell and walk in his People yet still they are either Strangers to him or else he is silent from speaking to them except when they hear outward Preaching c. And what is this but to limit the Holy One set him and his People at a Distance when they are his Tabernacle and he dwells and walks in them That God Christ the holy Spirit do by Immediate Illumination of our Minds and without external Teaching by Scriptures or by Men shew us or reveal to us what we ought to do and that the Children of God are taught of God and need not any other Teacher p. 13 14. This he excepts against as quite different from God's Method and VVay wherein he hath opposed plain Scripture Testimony They shall all be taught of God they shall not teach every Man his Neighbour c. But the Anointing which ye have received abideth in you and ye need no Man to teach you but as the same Anointing teacheth you of all things c. We do therefore assert the Sufficiency of this Divine Illumination or Heavenly Unction as being of it self able to shew and reveal to us what we ought to believe and do in all things for that it was sufficient both to make true Prophets and Preachers and to inable the Holy Men of God to give forth what they spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost And without the Inspiration of the Almighty men cannot truly understand the Scriptures yet we do not confine the Holy One only to Inward Teaching or an Immediate Way though the Sufficiency thereof to them that are turned to it we do assert yet by this Divine Inspiration or Immediate Teaching God hath been and is pleased to call out Instruments to testifie and preach forth what their Eyes have seen and Ears heard and Hands handled of the Word of Life even the same VVord of Life which they have received and this only is the effectual and powerful Preaching which flows from the VVord of Life or divine Unction within and not that which comes only by Tradition Reading and Hear-say without the Spirit 's Guidance And therefore while we own the holy Scriptures and outward Teaching as proceeding from divine Illumination and the immediate Unction within and as a Proof of the Sufficiency thereof the Man wrongs us in his endeavouring to begeta Suspicion of us as if we had an aking Tooth against outward Teaching of as if the VVork and Office of the Gospel-Ministry it self were the Eye-Sore to us as also with dissembling the Matter heaping Contradictions with Tergiversation and Shuffling p. 83 92 94. And why so but because we teach People give forth Books c. VVhile yet it is our Judgment That Men may be sufficiently taught of God himself by his Light and Spirit within now under the New Covenant p. 93. But how proves he this either a Dissembling or Contradiction when we do not pretend to preach teach or write without God's Teaching and Aid wherein we proclaim the Sufficiency thereof exciting Men to turn from Darkness to the Light and from Satan's Power to God for Power Life Spirit Illumination and Teaching immediately as he hath taught us which is no more Contradiction then was in the Prophets Christ or Apostles who preached and proclaimed the same thing as that all God's People and Children should be taught of him and the Anointing which they had received from the Holy One should teach them so that they should need no Man to teach them but as the same Anointing taught them of all things a plain Proof of its Sufficiency His supposing that we direct Men to a Natural Light in them p. 15. is not true but contrary to his own Citation before of our VVords That God's pure Spirit and the Light of Christ within us as both our VVarrant aâ—d Rule for Faith and Obedience to the Scriptures which therefore cannot be a Natural Light in them He grants that Jesus Christ himself revealed the Gospel to his Apostles and after his Ascension he by sending them the Holy Spirit immediately inspired them with the clear Knowledge and Understanding of it But for us to assert Immediate Inspiration and the sole Sufficiency thereof he deems now a changing of Gods Method which he confines to Man's Teaching and the Scriptures and yet in plain Contradiction to himself he is made to confess That the Scriptures attribute it viz. the saving Work of Grace to God to Christ to the Holy Spirit p. 18. And further saith Indeed the VVork of Grace in Men is most properly attributed to God to Christ because he is the principal Cause of it and all other but subordinate yet the Effect is some times attributed to subordinate and second Causes also though less properly p. 19. So that we in attributing the saving VVork of Grace in men to God to Christ we take the most proper VVay and Method how then is this contrary to God's Way and Method And our referring Men to his inward Light to be immediately taught by him doth both shew our owning his making Use of Instruments and outward Teaching in order thereto and as subordinate as also that they shall be sufficiently taught of God when they are come unto him to depend upon his Teaching as his Instruments are in their Ministry And this man hath confessed a Concurrence of the Operation of his Grace and good Spirit together with the rational Evidence of the Truth of the Gospel to perswade Men p. 15. And is not this Grace and good Spirit Immediate when it operates in the Hearts though God is pleas'd to make Use of Instruments for the Help and Advantage of the weak it follows not that either there shall be alwayes need of such a mediate Way of Help or that he will not immediately teach and operate in these Dayes for that were still to limit him and his People to a Distance one from another whereas it is confessed That the VVork of Grace in Mâ—n is most properly attributed to God and less properly to subordinate and second Causes But saith this man The Holy Spirit works the saving Change in Men still by the VVord of the Gospel as communicated to Men's Minds by the Scriptures or by Men's Teaching the same Doctrine which is contained in the Scriptures And this in Opposition to our Way as he calls it of God's own Immediate Working p. 16. where observe First He limits the Spirit 's inward Work either to the Scriptures or mens Teaching which
men at Law for Tythes and imprison such as cannot for Conscience sake to Christ pay them Tythes such Priests are unnatural and hard-hearted not at all like Christ's Ministers who coveted no man's Meat nor Drink nor Gold nor Silver nor Apparel but alas these covetous Priests trouble and cumber men in Courts for Tythes and cast men in Prisons and Holes to the Ruin of many poor Families and causing divers to suffer in Goals till Death as they have done divers times for a small value these Priests value their Tythe-Pigs c. more then they do the Lives of innocent men Oh unnatural inhuman Hard-heartedness and Cruelty itself and oh gross Hypocrisie for such as are guilty thereof to call themselves Ministers of the Gospel Messengers of Christ who are thus unlike him and his Ministers As for those that robbed God in Tythes and Offerings these were in the time of the Law and first Covenant when there was a Commandment from God for both and to bring the Tythes to the Store-house that the Fatherless Widdows and Strangers might be relieved as well as the Priests and they robbed God who did not bring their Tythes to the Store-house But Christ Jesus the everlasting Priest is come and hath changed the Priesthood that took Tythes made of Necessity a Change also of the Law and a disannulling of the Commandment See Heb. Chap. 7. But I shall say little here about this Oppression of Tythes let the Nation 's long Experience thereof speak and I refer the Reader to these Treatises viz. A. P. his great Case of Tythes and F. Howgil's great Case of Tythes and so to consider the Rise and Continuance of them And it is such Priests as this man himself declares against that we disown as namely such as are departed out of the Way and caused many to stumble whom the Lord hath made contemptible and base before the People who have not kept his Wayes but have been partial And so the false Prophets that have seen Vanity and divined Lyes saying Thus saith the Lord when God hath not spoken and these are highly guilty thereof who now oppose God's immediate Inspeaking and have done so to get Peoples Money by pleasing them in prophesying Peace to them when the true Prophets prophesied of Judgment and were persecuted for it Ezek. 22. 25 28. But saith he 'T is possible and too probable that there may be some who for Worldly and Fleshly Respects may greatly fall short of a faithful Discharge of their Duty towards the Souls under their Charge And if there be any that by daubing with untempered Mortar do betray them I am no Advocate for such they shall bear their Burthen And yet he is an Advocate for the Tyth-taking Priests and Ministers who receive Money of the People as a Reward of their Labours And thus he varies shuffles wheels about and insinuates like a man-pleaser and Temporizer one while he talk like an Anabaptist concerning the Light within as natural created and his tying up the Spirit 's Baptism to its Effusion in miraculous Gifts Another while like one turned back to the National Priests Another while like a Papist or one popishly affected for Oral Tradition and a Knowledge of Christ derived successively by outward Teaching from the first Preachers Another while he talks like one Atheistical in rendering that Light spoken of in Joh. 1. 9. which lighteth every man that cometh into the World but a natural Light and not sufficient for Salvation But again to what he grants of the Corruption of some publick Ministers who are wordly and fleshly Daubers and Betrayers I shall grant to what he further adds That it is unreasonable and Unchristian to condemn the Righteous with the Wicked and to censure all for somes sake This indeed were unchristian but unjustly cast upon us p. 92. Howbeit I shall proffer him fairly that if he can shew us such Ministers as are Righteous men fearing God and hating Covetousness that teach the same Doctrine the Apostles taught which the Light of Christ within witnesseth to p. 88. And that can prove their Call Authority to preach to be from Christ and that approve themselves as his Ministers in all Humility and Faithfulness we shall own them but while we do not find such among the publick Parish Priests and Ministers who force Tythes and Hire from People we ought not to be blamed for our Separation from them Sect. VI. Our Opposer's Confusion and self-Contradictions collected and examined THis Opposer of Enthusiasm hath run himself into manifest Contradictions whereof these following are some He seems to plead for Christ's injoyning his Followers to be humble and lowly in Heart to esteem others better then themselves to speak Evil of no man in Meekness to instruct to overcome Evil with Good and not to judge and the like p. 6. And yet in Contradiction to himself he takes upon him to judge and vilifie us to speak Evil of us yea to have been walking in Darkness and to be but carnal c. p. 9. Doth he not here judge That all the Children of God are taught of God and need not any other Teacher This our Sense and Method he opposeth to God's Way as being quite different p. 14. And saith that God's Way and Method of directing men what to believe and do is not by his immediate Teaching and Operation p. 40. But in plain Contradiction to himself he confesseth That the Scripture attributes it to wit the Work of saving Grace to God to Christ to the holy Spirit p. 18. and saith Indeed the Work of saving Grace in men is most PROPERLY attributed to God to Christ p. 19. That the Light mentioned Joh. 1. 9. which lighteth every man that cometh into the World doth enlighten men by natural Light and that Christ as God doth enlighten every man that cometh into the World with the Faculty of Reason and affords no other Light to the Heathen then this natural Light as he calls it p. 41 42. Yet in plain Contradiction he grants That the Scripture speaks of Christ's being in men and Christ and God every where present and se in all men and that the essential Presence of Christ as God is present to every man p. 20 21. Observe Reader how plainly he has broke the Neck of his Cause here For if Christ as God be essentially present in all men and to every man and this God be Light then the Light that is in every man is not natural nor created as he hath affirmed the Light of Christ as God to be And as for his Distinction between the essential Presence of Christ and his virtual Presence p. 20 21. it is unscriptural Neither can we believe that the Presence of God and Christ are so distinguished or divided as this man implies viz. That God's essential Presence should be in all men and yet not Christ's virtual Presence VVhat Scripture hath he for these Words Is
there any Virtue in Christ's Presence that is not in God's Presence Is not the Father Son and Holy Spirit one Being though different as to Relation and Degrees of Manifestation But how plainly contradictory is it one while to confess Christ's being in men his essential Presence as God to be in all men and yet that his Light in the Heathen or greatest Part of men is natural and created O monstrous Inconsistency He affirms that the Form of Doctrine delivered to the Christians to wit the Scriptures was to be the Rule of Faith and Christian Practice to rule and govern themselves by p. 22 23. And yet confesseth That those who are sincere make it their dayly Care and Endeavour to walk according to the Light and Guidance of that Rule that hath its Seat in their Conscience p. 40. Observ. Here he has found another Rule then the Scripture to wit the Light in the Conscience Though it is true the Apostles Doctrine contains Rules but the Light within that gave it forth was The Rule the Chief or Highest Rule for Guidance and Power and that wherein was the Power of Rule and Government to all true Christians He gives this Judgment against us viz. That in Truth there is no Light in us how much soever we vainly boast of it he sayes p. 40. And yet hath confessed That the essential Presence of Christ as God is in all men and that Christ doth enlighten every man with a Faculty of Reason or natural Light by which he hath acknowledged some Light to be in every man though it is true they that speak not according to the Word it is because there is no Morning in them yet it follows not that there is no Light at all in them for there may be some Light in them before the Morning Upon Joh. 1. 9. he saith that there is no such thing as that Christ so enlightens all men as with what he ought to believe and do in order to his Salvation without outward Teaching can be proved p. 41. And yet confesseth That Christ indeed as God doth enlighten every man by which he may know that there is a God that he is to be worshipped that he is placable and that this may be a Light sufficient to direct the Heathen to do as much as God expects from them if they live up to it But in Contradiction again He calls this a natural Light not sufficient c. p. 42. Observ. What! A Light sufficient to give the Knowledge of God and his Worship that he is placable and to direct the Heathen to as much as he expects from them and yet not sufficient to enlighten men with a Knowledge of what they ought to believe and do in order to Salvation Is not this palpable Contradiction That Men may by the Light within be directed to acknowledge and worship God and to as much as he expects from them and yet not be saved These can never hold together any more then that the Light in the Heathen may be sufficient to direct them to as much as God expects and yet not to believe in his Son for Salvation according to pag. 42. As if God did not require all men to believe in his Son when their not believing in him is the very thing for which his Spirit reproveth the World of Sin and he that believeth not in the Son of God is condemned already because he hath not believed in the Name of the only begotten Son of God And this is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and men love Darkness rather then Light because their Deeds are Evil Joh. 3. 18 19. So that it is evident That Light is come into the World that men may believe in the Name of the Son of God and escape Condemnation Again he errs in saying Paul knew of no such Way to propagate the Faith as immediate Revelation and inward Teaching of the Light within after it was once set on foot in an extraordinary Way p. 46. And this he hath contradicted in his confessing That the Work of Grace in men is most properly attributed to God to Christ and that the Scripture attributes it to God to Christ to the holy Spirit p. 18. And also he had almost granted that the holy Spirit may be communicated to men by immediate Revelation p. 28. Observ. So then God may and doth work by his immediate Power and Spirit for the begetting men into the true Faith and it is only this Spirit immediately attending true Ministers that maketh their Preaching effectual for the turning men to the Word of Faith in their Hearts Whereas the Tenour and Stress of this man's Work is against Enthusiasm in the best sense even against being savingly illuminated in an immediate way and saith that the plentiful Effusion of the Spirit is far from giving any Countenance to our Opinion of the Spirit 's being given to teach men immediately by internal Illumination pag. 60. And on John 16. 13. he accounteth that this is not a Promise to guide all Christians by its immediate Motion but a Promise to his Apostles pag. 61. And yet in Contradiction to himself in this and in Concession to the Truth he in words assents to the Operation of God's Grace and good Spirit pag. 15. And that men are said in Scripture to be born of the Spirit to be born of the immortal Seed of the Word pag. 18 19. But then he is nconsistent again in accounting these different Causes he hath also confessed the essential Presence of Christ as God to be in men p. 20. And that in Revel 2. Chap. 3. it is seven times said He that hath an Ear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches p. 27. And that Christ's Ministers are Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit p. 33. That he accompanies their Ministration with the Presence of his Grace and Power p. 38. And also he asserts to the inward Assistance of his Spirit p. 41. And saith It is the Spirit that beareth witness because the Spirit is Truth p. 55. And on 1 Joh. 2. Ye need not that any man teach you but as the same Anointing teacheth you he grants that the Apostle's Meaning must be That they needed not from him or any other man any teaching that could give them greater Assurance of any thing then that Anointing gave them of Jesus his being the Christ and of the Truth of that Doctrine that Anointing being God's Witness from Heaven pag. 68. And that the Spirit doubtless is not wanting to assist the sincere Endeavours of men in searching after the Sense of the Scriptures p. 69. Howbeit for men to be guided by the internal Teachings of the Spirit without outward Teaching this he calls our Wild Notion And yet citeth Rom. 8. 14. As many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God p. 71. And Gal. 5. 18. If ye are led by the Spirit
called the Bright and Morning-Star and who is the only Way and Rule to all the Children of the Light But this Writer as but a meer Literal Professor and Traditional Out-side Christian inveyes against those that he saith have vented high Speculations and almost or altogether unintelligible Notions and new-coyned Phraises Expressions concerning the Work of God in the Soul and of Union with Christ and Communion with God of living by Faith and walking in the Spirit and that these have been accounted Evangelical Preachers And tells us That this Way obtained a great Reputation among a great many of Christian Professors and that many Persons have been tempted hereby c. Here the serious Readers may take a View of the man's Ignorance and Scorn thus to sleight and contemn those Serious and Seriptural Expressions of the Work of God in the Soul Union with Christ Communion with God living by Faith and walking in the Spirit such Phrases as these he counts unintelligible and new-coyned You may easily perceive what little Understanding he hath in the Mysteries of God and how much void of the true and spiritual Speculation concerning the Dispensation of the New Covenant and Spiritual Condition of true Christians therein Again This Opposer concludes That if we do not make the Doctrine of Christ in the Scriptures the adequate Rule of the Motions and Inclinations of our Minds and Actions of our Lives whereby to know when they are of God and when not we have then no certain Rule to go by but are continually liable to most Horrible Mistakes See here how he hath shut out all Divine Light Spirit and God's immediate Teaching both from being in us and from being any certain Rule though we do not oppose what the Spirit teacheth to Christ's Doctrine for the Spirit teacheth the same immediately Yet what is it but to promote Atheism to exclude God and Christ and Spirit and Light within as no certain Rule and to exalt the Scriptures above them all and to give the Scriptures that high Epithete which no where they give themselves as Adequate Rule of Inward Motions and Inclinations Whereas the inward Light of Christ which makes manifest all things that are reproved is therefore the most suitable Rule to try inward Motions for unto this Light he that doth Truth cometh that his Deeds may be manifest that they are wrought in God and it is the same Light that reproveth the Evil Deeds of those that hate it see John 3. 19 20 21. It is not two kinds of inward Lights one Natural and another Spiritual The kind of Language which this Writer treats us withal and applyes to us is such censorious harsh and scornful Stuff as follows viz. Enthusiasts call'd Quakers Narrowness Austerities Incivilities Deceived Proudly exalt and justifie your selves Great Absurdities Your great Talk of your Light within abused that 1 st Chapter of John vers 9. Your Enthusiastical Notion viz. touching the Light of Christ within You stumble Your Wild Notion of men's being guided by the Internal Teachings of the Spirit without Outward Teaching Your bold and confident Assertion Enlightened not in your pretended Way a very ill Mind False Accusers Romish Factors You Dissemble Tergiversation and Shuffling Pretences for a Blind Your Enthusiasm Enthusiastical Fancies Your Spiritualizing Baptism and the Lord's Supper Your invented Mystery of the Redemption of the Seed in men Your New Notions and Speculations of your being taught only by the Light within No Light in you Desperate Error New Mystical Notions Taught of God immediately These Dreams Fancies and High Conceits You have cryed down the Bravery and Pride of the World which others retain Voluntary Humility Vainly Pust Up A Rough Garment to deceive Ravening Wolves Your own Conceits Inward Pride Over-valuing your selves Groundless Confidence Strangely deluded Your Whimsiâ—s and Phantasies bring a Scandal upon the Christian Religion to encourage Romish Agents Your Newaffected Modes and Phrases did insensibly lead you from one Noval Conceit to another until you have exceeded all Bounds of Sobriety and become perfectly Drunk Your New Taken-up Way not Spiritual but Carnal More Self-conceited Proud and Disdainful c. With more such hard Language and manifest Untruths together with plain Contradictions hath this Opposer of Immediate Illumination treated us for which I say the Lord grant him Repentance and Forgiveness We have Information of his Name and what an uncertain Temporizer he hath been in his latter years about Religion but understanding that in former times he has had a Sincerity in him believing that he hath sought after Good Things and more Spiritual Matters formerly then now we forbear publishing his Name at present seeing he was not willing to it himself desiring that he may secretly consider these things and this following Answer and that the Lord may give him Understanding to acknowledge his Truth For God knows we would not have him dye under the Guilt of his Apostacy and Iniquity he hath brought upon him by his Groundless and Fruitless Opposition against God's Truth and People The Substance of the following Answer was written soon after his Book came out but the Accomplishment and Publication was hindred by other Matters of more Weight interposing I desire the Reader to take notice of one Instance that makes for us and against our Opposer on the behalf of God's immediate Mission Inspiration and Teaching out of the Book of Martyrs namely J. Huss on the behalf of Joh. Wickliff gives this Testimony speaking of Preachers invisibly sent of God that invisible sending of God is much better then the sending of Men and of the private Law which by the Instruction of the Holy Ghost is written in the Heart and that the Private Law is much more worthy then the Publick this he speaks of Augustine in his Sixty Fifth Book of Question unto Orosius and further addeth For the Spirit of God is a Law and they which are moved by the Spirit of God are led by the Law of God And who is he that can worthily Resist against the Holy Ghost Whosoever therefore is led by the Spirit of God albeit his Bishop doth say him Nay let him go freely for the Law is not appointed for the Just Man Where the Spirit of God is there is Liberty and if ye be led by the Spirit ye are not under the Law From whence he infers thus viz. Behold here it is affirmed that the sending by God through Inspiration is not bound under the Bondage of the Law for that Law is more worthy then the publick Law Secondly That the Law is made for Transgressors and Offenders and not for the Just Thirdly That whosoever is led by the Spirit of God although his Bishop stand against him he may proceed unto a better Life Whereby it is evident that a Deacon or Priest disposed to preach and being led by the Spirit of God may freely preach the Gospel of Christ without the Spiritual Licence
saving Knowledge to all that receive it and attend upon it And this is the direct and proper Way and Method of God's bringing Men to Salvation as is assented to one while but another while saving Illumination in an immediate Way is denyed by this contradictory Opposer p. 47. though in Contradiction to himself again he confesseth Christ is the Light of the World by his Spirit by his Word by his Works both miraculous and exemplary p 48. whereby he hath granted Christ to be the Light of the World both in an immediate in a mediate Way How then not in an immediate Way manifest Confusion And yet he charges us with abusing at unawares that first Chapter of John ver 9. And why so Because we own Christ to be that true Light that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World in an immediate Way which is no Abuse seeing 1st the very Life that was iin hm is the Light of men 2dly He attempts not to prove that men universally are lighted in such mediate Wayes as he proposes as namely by the Scriptures outward Teaching Works and Example seeing all men have not the Scriptures and but few knew Christ's Works and Example His Accusation of impertinently alledging of Joel 2. 28 29. cited by Peter Act. 2. 17. Behold the Dayes come saith the Lord that I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh c. He convinceth us of no Impertinency herein while from hence we assert this pouring out of the Spirit to be immediate as I will pour out my Spirit saith the Lord Is not this immediate as done by himself But saith he It is not to direct every one what to believe and do without outward Teaching but to qualifie Persons extraordinarily for outward Teaching It is to enable them to prophesie c. p. 49. Hereby he hath confessed some Persons to be extraordinarily qualified for outward Teaching and enabled to prophesie by the Pourings out of the Spirit It seems he owns the Teachers Prophets to be immediately taught but the Hearers may not so that from this Man's Method the Danger of Enthusiasm is not in the Enthusiasts themselves but in their ordinary Sort of Hearers or weak Christâ—ans as they are counted whom he goes about to keep alwayes in that weak State ever learning and never allows them the Priviledge of their Teachers that is to be Teachers immediately illuminated and taught And what is this but to maintain a Trade of Preaching that People may be alwayes paying which is not to desire that all the Lord's People were Prophets nor with Paul to pray that God would give them the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of Christ Ephes. 1. 17. nor to bring People to the divine Anointing within that is sufficient to teach them Neither doth this man appear in the Apostle's Mind who said these things I write unto you that you may have Fellowship with us and truly our Fellowship is with the Father and the Son Whereas this man's Method tends to keep the Hearers from this Fellowship which is in the divine immediate Light of God and Christ. He seems highly to commend God's Way and Method of Salvation as to the Plainness and Fulness of the Revelation thereof under the New Covenant by which it is fitted to every Capacity and the innate Goodness of the Laws thereof fitted to attract and draw mens Wills to accept embrace and chuse them These sayes he Are the Things I conceive foretold in that Prophecy Jer. 31. cited in Heb. 8. under those Expressions of God's putting giving or conveying his Laws into the Mind and writing them in the Heart so that they shall not teach every Man his Neighbour and every man his Brother c. p. 81. A plain and ample Confession 1st To the New Covenant and the innate Goodness of the Laws thereof 2dly To God's putting his Laws into the Mind and writing them in the Heart 2dly So that they shall not teach every man his Neighbour every man his Brother These are sufficient to overthrow all his Work against immediate Illumination immediate Teaching and Revelation and his confining God's Method of Salvation now to a mediate Way of Teaching and Illumination To his Addition That it is not then said that they shall not be taught neither by Apostles Evangelists Pastors or Teachers but they shall not teach every man his Neighbour or every Man his Brother p. 81. But who these Apostles Evangelists Pastors or Teachers are that he would have us alwayes depend upon for outward or mediate Teaching he does not shew us nor who they are that pretend to be such by Vertue of an immediate Call or extraordinary Qualification which he hath seemed to grant before which surely comes not by Succession from men He does not tell us who he means as thus called and qualified as the true Apostles Evangelists c. were who were sent of God and endued with divine Vertue and immediate Gifts for their VVork which neither Baptist Independent nor Presbyterian-Preachers do now pretend to as heretofore when they bore the Reproach of extemporary Praying and Preaching by the Spirit for which they are yet reproached as Phanaticks though undeservedly However this man's VVork appears very lame while he proclaims a mediate VVay of Teaching and Illumination by the Scriptures Orall Tradition and by Apostles Evangelists c. p. 47 73 81. as God's Method unto Salvation and all this to oppose an immediate Way of Enlightning thereunto Now suppose we should believe the former with him in Opposition to the latter yet still he leaves us in the dark and at a Loss in not directing us to those Apostles Evangelists Prophets Pastors and Teachers truly qualified and called as where or among what People they are As if he should tell us that the VVay to Heaven is to follow certain Guides but not at all direct us where to find those Guides But although we confess that God doth with Power endue and send forth his Messengers to preach the Gospel yet this no VVay doth oppose his immediate Illumination Teaching of his People under the New Covenant but is a lively Proof and Testimony thereof seeing they are immediately illuminated and inspired for that Work and their Ministry received from the immediate Light and Teaching of God within tends to direct men to him that they may be taught of him and therein are helpful to men in order to turn them from Darkness to the Light which no wayes does imply any Defect in the Light within but an Alienation in man's Mind till he be converted for there can be no Defect or Insufficiency n God because he maketh Use of apt Instruments suited to mens VVeakness and causeth his own VVorks to praise him for he will not have his VVorks idle and useless Now the Difference between God's immediate Illumination or inward VVork of Power and his working instrumentally by Ministers or Preaching lyes here the one is the Cause and
the other an Effect the one is the absolute VVay or Rule of knowing God and building up in his Knowledge the other a subordinate Help for Direction to that VVay and Rule He who is the true Light lighteth every man that cometh into the VVorld This is not said of his Ministers but they are sent to direct turn men's Minds to the Light I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh saith the Lord But so is it not said of his Ministers though they direct to wait for it I will write my Laws in their Hearts saith the Lord but the doing of this is not asscribed to his Ministers though they bear witness therof Ye have an Unction from the Holy One it is not said Ye have it from the Ministers though it attend their Ministry and they are taught thereby and direct others to it and to abide in it He that establisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed us is God who also worketh all our Works in us It is not said that his Ministers do so establish anoint and work all in us though they be instrumental in God's Hand to direct men to God and Christ who is with them in whom is Life and Salvation and from whom every good and perfect Gift comes and to whom be the Glory and not to man From all which let it be seriously minded First The Eternal Word which is the true Light lighteth every man that cometh into the World in an immediate Way 2dly That the Promise or more plentiful Effusion or Pouring forth of the Spirit is also from God himself and so in an immediate VVay to be made good and fulfilled unto them who walk in and obey that Measure or Degree of his divine Light or immediate Inshining as it is in their Consciences 3dly God also worketh savingly by his Spirit Light and Power in an immediate VVay in the Hearts of his People both by illuminating their Understanding opening their spiritual Eyes reviving their Souls and delivering them from under the Power of Darkness Sin giving them Victory by Faith over Temptations leading them through the spiritual VVarfare and Travils and making them more then Conquerors in all which they have their Dependnece immediately upon God who is a present and immediate Help in Times of Trouble as all that truly wait upon him in his immediate Light and Discoveries do experience Sect III. The Prophecy and Testimony of the New Covenant and Gospel-Dispensation rescued from our Opposer's Perversions BUt to that Prophecy They shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every Man his Brother c. Jer. 31. This Opposer saith Though the Phrase here used seem absolute in Sound yet it may well be understood in a comparative Sense bringing Instances with his restrictive Meanings upon Joh. 6. 26. Hos. 6. 6. Ephes. 6. 12. upon the Particle Not as not so much not only wherein the plain Scripture is not his Rule but his Meaning unfairly added to limit this Prophecy besides the Extent of the VVords for saith he p. 82. The Meaning may be that they shall not so much need to do it that is teach every man under the second Covenant as under the first yet he would have them alwayes teaching and al was learning in a mediate VVay only But indeed saith he the Words and Phrase used here seem to be a Strain of Elegancy oft used in Scriptures when to set forth the great Abundance and Plenty of Things Expressions are used improperly and hyperbolically in reference thereunto and 〈…〉 e not to be understood properly but figuratively Observe here serious Reader that the plain Text of Scripture fore-telling God's writing his Laws in the Hearts of his People that they shall teach no more every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord but all should know him This he slightly turns off with this Meaning or May be that they shall not so much need to teach every man his Neighbour saying know the Lord under the second Covenant as under the first yet implying that they shall still much need to say know the Lord under the New Covenant though not so much as under the Old But how agrees this with the plain VVords I will be their God and they shall be my People and they shall no more or they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest see Jer. 31. 33 34. Heb. 8. 10 11. But these Expressions the man reckons are used improperly and hyperbolically and what is his Rule for thus censuring the plain VVords of the Prophet and Apostle and reflecting upon them equally with us as improperly proposing God's Method and New Covenant Way to be his own immediate Teaching and Knowledge of himself wherein they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and yet in Contradiction to himself hath confessed That the Work of Grace in men is most properly attributed to God to Christ c. p. 19. His Instances for such limited Meanings upon several Hyperbolical Expressions supposed in Scripture if granted prove not these very Texts so improper or hyperbolical as he renders them and he evinceth not what his Rule is for thus rendering these particular Texts improper and hyperbolical which so plentifully make for God's immediate Way of Illumination Teaching and VVorking under the New Covenant If he say other Instances of Scripture compared are his Rule herein I must deny that they prove these very Texts lyable to such an Exception or Limitation as he puts upon them If he say that Reason is his Rule then he owns another Rule as Judge and Determiner of the Sense of the Scripture then the Scriptures themselves But if he pretend the Spirit to be his Rule in this then the Scriptures are not Howbeit the Spirit will not contradict its own Sayings in the Scriptures and we do not own his limited Sense Restriction or private Interpretation of such an eminent Prophecy as this of the New Covenant for no Prophecy of the Scripture is of any private Interpretation for the Prophecy came not in Old Time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost And they who deny the immediate Illumination therof are not like truly to understand those Prophecies and Scriptures that proceeded thence And to his asking Why we should so much as once imagine that thâ—se Words of the Prophet should foretell that under the New Covenant there should be no need of teaching by man's Ministry when the whole Current of the New Testament both in Precept and Example shew the contrary p. 82 83. Which is as much as to say that the whole Current of Scriptures of the New Testament shews that there will be need under the New Covenant of Teaching by man's Minâ—sty which is to allow the New Covenant no Preheminence above the Old for in the Time of the Old